Why to Always Use Google Maps Even If You Know the Way

Assume your driving from your house to La Jolla Shores. If you didn't turn on Google Maps, you would have missed the immediate notice that there was a closure of I-10 West, and being given a suggested "fastest" alternative route, which got you there within 15 minutes of what would have been your expected time. Maybe Google Maps was wrong and made up the closure just to play with you. But, if it was right (and the alternative route had to be taken within 8 minutes of your leaving the house), then, all I can say is, Bless you Google Maps.

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What to Do If a Roomba Won't Charge

Everyone who has a Roomba says, "I don't know what I'd do without it, and I cannot imagine going back to the pre-Roomba world." That said, it is possible to wake up one day and discover the Roomba isn't charging. This article explains the two most common reasons a Roomba won't charge--each of which is easy to check. It further explains what to look for if, the problem is the battery needs replacement or you decide to try replacing the battery.

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Best Tote Bag: LL Bean

Anyone who thinks 80 might be in one's declining years, think LL Bean zippered tote bag. It's as stylish as can be and priced at under $50. The option to have the bag embroidered with either your initials or any word up to 10 characters is one of my favorite aspects. This carry-on is also indestructible. I once had to check my tote at the airport, and its cream-colored exterior survived the trip, not a scratch on it. I am a big proponent of bags within bags. If I’m packing for a weekend, shoes usually go in first, in a shoe bag, then clothes folded neatly on top, also in their own bag. I place my computer and a book on one side and my toiletry bag on the opposite side. Everything stays put!

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Pre-Black Friday Deals Likely Not Worth It

As this Wirecutter article sets out, although holiday discounts arrive earlier and earlier each year, we continue to find that only a small portion of these sales are worth your time. The article also sets out the exceptions.

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PredictionGate

[Prefatory Note: The adage, that "it is difficult to make predictions, especially about the future," is attributed to Yogi Berra, Mark Twain, Abraham Lincoln, Jack Brown, Samuel Goldwyn, and others. The slogan "Promises Made, Promises Kept" was coined by the Orange Menace. Because we do not do politics here, we will not say who made the following predictions or what the consequences of having done so might or might not be] 

Police Reform bill will be on President’s desk by May 25 to mark a year since George Floyd was killed

July 4 will mark independence from Covid-19 with 70% full vaccinated

Boosters will be available for all adults by September 18

U.S. will be out of Afghanistan by May 1

U.S. will be out of Afghanistan by the 20th Anniversary of 9/11

All Americans will be out of Afghanistan before all U.S. troops leave

Infrastructure bill will be done by June

Build Back Better bill would be done by [insert date after date] 

 

Whatever Happened to Means Testing

In all the debate about the Build Better Back legislation, there's been much talk about what can be thrown out to lower the cost or time-limited to lower the cost. But there's been not even a whisper about means-testing the various components, such as tuition for community college, or family leave, or child-income credit or on and on. Why means-testing has become a non-starter and an ignored-remedy is beyond comprehension.

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Windows 11: Looks Like a Big Whoop to Me

This cnet article covers everything anyone might like to know about Windows 11, including the features it has that are not available on Windows 10, and whether or not and when to make the transition. As a life philosophy, the better view is, "if it's not being fixed, it's broken." But when it comes to computers and such, the better view is, "if it's working, don't change anything."

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MW Adds 455 New Words to Its Dictionary

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary has added 455 new words, mostly from online culture and communication, the pandemic, politics,  food, medicine, and pop culture. Any avid Daily Spelling Bee player should memorize all new 4-letter and longer words and any avid Sunday Spelling Bee player should memorize all new 5-letter and longer words. It didn't take me as long as I had thought it would to do so. The problem is, good luck thinking the NYT answer people will deign to familiarize themselves with even a few, if any.

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Hanging Up (2000 Movie on Hulu and for Rent on Amazon)

Anyone would think that a described as a comedy/drama Nora Ephron movie with Diane Keaton, Meg Ryan, Lisa Kudrow, Walther Matthau, Adam Arkin, Cloris Leachman, about three successful daughters and how they deal with their aging father (who is described in the trailer as "curmudgeon," which understates drastically his mental and physical status) would be full of laughs and poignancy. It's not. But anyone who likes a movie where each main character and all the sub-characters are unmitigatingly annoying will love this movie. Or at least they will see the final hour of this 1.5h of it which this reviewer passed on. 

IMDb Link to Hanging Up 

Analysis of the Eagles' Head Coach

If you start at the 13:20 mark of this clip from PTI, you will see one of the great analyses ever done of a head football coach. This one is delivered by Tony Kornheiser's oldest grandchild, Pablo Torres, who is substituting for Mike Wilbon. The coach is Nick Sirianni, who is coaching the Eagles to their worst season in years.

PS: To all you knuckleheads out there, PTI, which typically is on ESPN at 5:30 pm ET, is worth DVR-ing every weekday. One might skip most of any episode, but more often than not there is a gem in what you'll see.

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Europe Is Hot Destination for 2022 Travel: Book Now

As this WSJ Article explains, Europe looks to be the hot travel destination for 2022. I looked at Condor flights from Phoenix to Scotland which had good prices for business class with lie-flat seating, but most flights in the Spring had just 7 seats left for any class. So it might be wise not just to start thinking about booking, but also booking now, while being sure to note the cancellation policy and trip insurance options for your travel.

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Tesla 3: Delivery Time, Pricing, and Power Trunk and Frunk

1. Delivery Time and Pricing: If you order a new Tesla 3 today, delivery is estimated to be in June 2022. The non-refundable deposit has gone from $100 to $250. And the starting price for the least expensive (shortest range) trim level is about $5K more than it was a couple of months ago.

2. Trunk and Frunk: Tesla rolled out a number of subtle changes for the Model 3 in the all-electric sedan’s recently rolled out “refresh,” from new chrome deleted accents to a new center console. A powered lift gate has also become standard across the Model 3 line, a welcome update. he Tesla 3 does not appear to come with a power frunk. But, as this article explains, the feature can be added on through a third-party for a couple of hundred dollars.

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An Antidepressant That Might Significantly Reduce Covid-19 Hospitalization

Because we are acutely aware of how depressed everyone out there is, we are delighted to bring you the WSJ's reporting of some cheery news: "A widely available antidepressant holds promise as a treatment for Covid-19, according to a new study. Covid-19 patients who received fluvoxamine were significantly less likely to require hospitalization than those who didn’t, in the largest clinical trial evaluating the antidepressant’s effect on Covid-19 to date. Fluvoxamine belongs to a class of antidepressants called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs. It is commonly used to treat obsessive compulsive disorder and is also prescribed for depression. In use for decades, fluvoxamine has been shown to be safe and costs about $4 for a 10-day course." 

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Bret Stephens vs. Thomas Friedman

For anyone who believes the United States is doing well in the world, this NYT column by Thomas Friedman will buttress that position. For anyone who believes the United States is not doing well in the world, this NYT column by Bret Stephens will buttress that position. Both columns appeared the same day. We don't do politics or world affairs here so we take no position. Nor is this the occasion to point out that Friedman supported the Iraq war or plagiarizes from his own columns.

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Speeding Through the Airport: Not Yet, But in the Works

As this article sets out, Delta has partnered with TSA PreCheck✔ to do facial recognition at each pre-boarding stop from bag drop, through TSA security, to boarding. This will dramatically reduce the time at each juncture and dramatically reduce the wait time to get through each checkpoint. To date, it's just a pilot program in Atlanta Hartsfield Airport available to passengers registered in Delta's frequent flyer program. American Airlines is launching a similar pilot program.

PS re Atlanta Hartsfield Airport: One needs to take a tram to one's concourse/gate. Be careful. As the announcement at each tram stops says: "Stand Back. The doors do not retract. Your head will be crushed like a nut."

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MyIR Mobile

MyIR Mobile in Arizona and other states has a listing of all one's vaccinations, including Covid-19. Taking a picture of it and storing it on your phone is a handy way to always have proof of vaccination. It is supposed to also allow for a QR Code scan, but if it does, I cannot find how it works. Here is what the website's digital assistant says on the matter: "Please note that MyIR is providing accurate, well-formed SMART Health Cards on behalf of the states we represent. However, despite being listed within the CommonTrust Network, they have not yet recognized MyIR as a valid issuer. Bot LogoWhen SMART Health Cards originating from MyIR are being validated, they are appearing to the validator as untrusted. We are working with the CommonTrust Network to resolve this discrepancy as quickly as possible. The card works successfully with other validators such as Bindle, SB Project, CLEAR, and COVID Immunity Project to name a few." WTF that means I have no clue.

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Coronavirus Deaths by Country

On a per capita basis, the United States might be seen as not too bad when it comes to coronavirus deaths, as 17 countries in the world are worse than us. But when it comes to total deaths, the United States leads the world. And the bragging rights are pretty impressive when its considered that India and China are also in this world.

PS: Dr. Blix testified to Congress that over 100,000 coronavirus deaths could have been avoided in 2020 if the Administration hadn't been distracted by the presidential campaign. Yeah, we needed her to tell us that. And in 2021, it's the sheer stupidity of the unvaccinated that keeps the United States "in the lead." We're No. 1! We're No. 1! USA! USA!

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Flaw in NYT's Spelling Bee

Many loyal readers are devoted players of the NYT's Spelling Bee, and as a word to those who are not, try it, it's a fabulous game. There's a daily version on-line and a Sunday version in the NYT Magazine. A flaw was discovered, which we brought to their attention. Here is what we wrote them: "A few Sundays ago, one of the words on your Spelling Bee answer list was “manana.” I was surprised to see it because your listing did not have a tilde (˜ also referred to as a virgulilla in Spanish) over the first “n” and, without it, manana is not a word much less an English word. That said, I went into shock this morning when, looking at the answers for this past Sunday’s (October 24, 2021) Spelling Bee, manana was not one of your answers. So, my question is this: Did you make a mistake including manana a couple of weeks ago or did you make a mistake not including it this week? Thank you for your attention to this matter."

Unfortunately, we regret to report that our repeated efforts to get a meaningful response from NYTgame, the NYT Customer Care Team, Arnab the Technical Specialist, Beeatrice Buzzby (likely not her real name), and Buzzwords were fruitless and unsatisfactory. So, alas, as matters stand, it would appear the refusal of the NYT to even look at the issue will go uncorrected. And so much for their acting surprised when they hear no one trusts them. Fake news is bad enough! Fake games is unbearable!

Suggestion: Re Sunday Spelling Bees: When m, n, and a appear in the grid, and one of them is in the center, wisdom would say to put it on your list, but don't enter it as a certain when you enter it into your certain/maybe/unlikely categorization. 

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Pasta Numbers

Many pastas will show a number, such as Linguini No. 7 or Linguini No. 13. There is no uniform system as to this numbering across brands. Many people think that the numbers shown on the pasta packaging are the thickness or size of the pasta, but, as I've tried to explain on many occasions, this sometimes is but is not always the case. Indeed, the numbers shown on the various pastas often are only code numbers that pasta producers give to their products every time they create a new form of pasta. So, stop worrying about numbers, and Buon appetito!

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Best Wireless Chargers

With wireless charging, one never has to plug or unplug one's cellphone to charge it. Even better, for a few pennies, a plastic plug can gotten (from Amazon) and inserted into the charging port so that water never gets in. This Wirecutter article explains the different technologies and recommends the best wireless chargers.

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Windows 11

You might be getting notices (in your system tray or otherwise) that your computer is ready to upgrade (for free) from Windows 10 to Windows 11. We have no recommendation as to whether or not anyone should do so. With the computer working just fine, we have declined to do so, and until further notice, will continue to decline to do so.

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NCAA College Football Overtime Rules: No More Ties

Other than people who have been asleep in a cave, everyone knows that college football games don't end in ties anymore. For the benefit of loyal readers whom we understand have been asleep in a case, here is how it goes:  Overtime periods consist, through the first two if necessary, of a two-possession series with each team getting one possession on offense and one on defense. The team on offense will always start at the designated 25-yard line (unless relocated by a penalty). Each team retains the ball until it scores or fails to make a first down. The team that scores the most points during regulation and overtime wins the game. If the game is still tied after an overtime period, there will be another overtime period. Teams are required to run a 2-point conversion play after a touchdown when a game reaches a second overtime period. If the game reaches a third overtime, teams will run alternating 2-point plays, instead of starting another drive at the opponent’s 25-yard line. Now it can be understood why the score reporting shows a number before the OT designation.

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Red Joan (2018 Movie on Netflex and for Rent on Amazon)

Putting aside some anachronisms (e.g., MI-5 driving a BMW), Red Joan is the story a woman in her 80s who is accused of having been a KGB spy who gave Russia secrets for making an atomic bomb. No more should be said to avoid any inadvertent spoilage. Suffice it to say that it's filled with twists and turns and "inspired by a true story." It stars your Judi Dench. Most readers likely don't remember what the world felt like shortly after World War II, but I can assure you the movie captured it well. It runs about 1.5h which is another point in its favor. The acting is superb. The scenery is not bad. It might not be the best movie ever made, but it's worth the watch. 

IMDb Link to Red Joan 

Five Best Yoga Mats

If I hadn't had yoga and meditation since the pandemic hit, my constantly rosy disposition likely would have suffered, not to mention my general outlook and cheery nature. When it comes to yoga, having a great mat is a necessity. And a great yoga mat can double as a meditation mat. That said, this Wirecutter article sets out what it believes are the 5 best yoga mats. Ohm!

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Time to Replace Some Household Essentials

As this article lays out, there are at least 16 household essentials everyone likely is late in replacing. These include: toilet brushes; ear plugs; water filters; mascara; air purifier filters; and some other stuff. 

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Seydi's Pupuseria & Grill (2625 E Greenway in Phoenix)

Seydi's Pupuseria & Grill got a glowing review in the Arizona Republic. It's El Salvadoran food which is one of the great undiscovered delicious foods ever. Pupusa's are stuffed (with beef, pork, cheese, or other stuff or a mixture of stuff) thickish tortillas cooked bbq-style. There is no conceivable explanation for why they picked a location so far away from 16th Street & Bethany Home Road.

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Great Place for Printed Stuff: Zazzle

If one is looking for a terrific website for any kind of printing stuff (from business cards, to pillows, to cards, to mugs, and on and on), Zazzle is a great website. Not only is ordering easy and the prices reasonable, the customer service is outstanding. For example, if one orders new business cards but picked a card color that was too dark, even though it was the customer's fault, within an hour of reporting the issue by email on a Saturday afternoon and taking the blame upon oneself, a full refund was issued without having even to return the ordered cards.

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What to Do When You Lose Internet Access (at Least on Cox)

[Prefatory Note: This topic has been covered before in this blog. But what appears here are some new information and a new suggestion. This post is based on experience with Cox and might or might not apply to that with other ISPs]

When you lose internet access, the first thing to do is reboot the modem and the router. If that does not fix the problem, run the troubleshooter (one is part of Windows; I would assume the Mac has one as well). If that does not identify and fix the problem or identifies it as a DNS server issue, the problem likely is not with you but with the ISP which is experiencing an outage. Unfortunately, the ISP will not know it has an outage issue until a bunch of people phone in and schedule service appointments, which people are increasingly reluctant to spend the time doing only having to later cancel (put me in that camp). Here is one other thing to do (which might be akin to the "close door" button an elevator which does nothing): Click on this Down Detector URL which supposedly will report the problem to Cox. You might even be able to do it multiple times upon rebooting. Finally, once Cox recognizes that it has an outage, the Cox Residential Home Page will provide a notice of the outage (just remember, it very well might have an outage but it will not yet have earned notice status).

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Outdoor Dining in Phoenix

With the weather having broken to be spectacular, it is meet to note that there is no shortage of restaurants in Phoenix where one can enjoy outside dining, from the modest to the plush. Without any attempt to be exhaustive, here are just a few that most believe are worth the trip: Lon's at the Hermosa Inn (a bit pricey but delicious); Southern Rail and Windsor (best fried chicken ever, but everything is good); Postino on Central (haven't been there but the one behind LGO was excellent 18 years ago); The Vig Uptown (not impressed but many like it); Richardson's (better New Mexican food than you can get in New Mexico); Luci's at the Orchard (never been but heard very good things about it); Chelsea's Kitchen (it's so crowded no one goes there any more and it's snooty); House of Tricks (yeah, it's in Tempe but it's excellent albeit a bit pricey); Frankie & Albert's at the Biltmore (fabulous Sunday brunch; the online menu is out of date--don't trust it); Ocotillo (food excellent; noise level unbearable); T. Cook's at Royal Palm's Resort (used to be a favorite, but changes in chefs and menus, especially the Sunday brunch that used to be the best in the world, have caused it to remove itself on it own recognizance); Zipp's on Bethany Home (good sized portions and surprisingly not bad).

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Avoid Being a Dinosaur of the Digital Age

Too many people think they are up-to-date when it comes to tech, but delusion says otherwise. This non-techy article lays out how, from wired headphones to wooden rowing machines, gear can leave you looking seriously behind the times, and identifies nine items due for extinction—and great upgrades to try instead. And this other non-techy article will bring you up to speed and prevent others from considering you a doofus or worse when it comes to digital etiquette.

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How the Covid Vaccine Came to Be

If you have any interest in learning about how the Covid vaccine came to be, this WSJ article lays out how two guys, and a molecule called messenger RNA to carry instructions into the body, enabling it to ward off illness, produced a miracle--albeit tempered by the moronic behavior of millions of idiots.

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Soaring Home Insurance Premiums

Home insurance premiums are rising, and not just in problematic areas such as fire and flood zones. The cost of repairs is another factor leading to higher premiums. If interested in keeping one's premium from rising unduly, one might look at raising the deductible or taking some prophylactic measures to protect one's home from inclement weather and such.

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Cautionary Note re Carvana

Everyone hates car dealers, and online car-buying has certainly surged. Carvana is that company that has big elevators of cars, from which its cars are delivered, one sees in its TV ads. As this reporting sets out, Carvana customers have experienced some troubling issues that one might take note of before ordering a car from Carvana.

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Supply Chain Issues Explained

I've become weary of explaining over and over what the supply chain issues are that are plaguing are economy and everyday life. So, here is an excellent NYT article that will layout how the supply chain got broke and why it might be a while before its fixed.

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Obama Salutes PRI on Its 20th Anniversary

This YouTube clip is Obama's nod to Mike and Tony on the 20th anniversary of their show--Pardon the Interruption (PTI). Even if you are not a regular fan of PTI (and you should be), you will enjoy it. And if you are a regular fan, you will enjoy it even more.

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The Married Are Headed to Be in the Minority

As this piece by Charles Blow in the NYT sets out, the married look destined to be the minority. Perhaps then, my long-stated view that, by law, couples should be automatically divorced every 5 years unless they affirmatively and mutually agree to remain married another 5 years, and that at each juncture, they are required to execute a pre-nup in the event one of them does not opt to extend the marriage. The monetary and emotional cost savings would be substantial, and it would allow the courts to spend less time on domestic matters and focus on matters more deserving of their attention.

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They Stole My Letter re Democracies Dying

As predicted in a blog post yesterday, the NYT gave my letter about democracies dying to an opinion columnist who took many more words to say the same thing. The opinion piece is worth reading, but the NYT matches the Orange Menace in shamelessness.

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Google Keep Notes PS

Google Keep Notes is the best app to keep stuff such as your driver's license, passport, and vaccination proof on your phone. Once Keep Notes is on your phone, it's also automatically on your computer at this URL. You might find it much easier to edit and add stuff to Keep Notes on your computer than on your phone. 

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Best to Book Holiday Car Rentals Early

This WSJ article explains why it is important to reserve your holiday car rentals early, where you can expect to pay more than you expect and where you can expect to pay less, and suggested alternatives to rental cars.

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Benny Blanco Tortillas (Phoenix)

If you haven't tried a Benny Blanco flour or corn tortilla, you've missed a true taste treat. They have varieties of tortillas that are unique, and their quality is superb. Check out their website for their locations and to learn more about their special ingredients. 

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How One Knows When a Democracy Has Died

Text of a letter likely to show up in a NYT column: "Democracies die. History has proven that over and over. Many are alarmed that our democracy is dying right now. Others are oblivious or perhaps happy about the prospect of an autocratic, cultist rule. But the sad truth is: You don't know that a democracy has died at the moment that it dies. One knows only in the rear-view mirror, i.e., that is has died. With their refusal to back subpoenas to find out what happened on January 6, the Republicans have abdicated any semblance of congressional oversight even of an insurrection. With that, they have become a party faithful only to pressing the Big Lie and, as far as they are concerned, they are telling us in the plainest terms: When it comes to our democracy, may it RIP."

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Kudos to Amherst for Ending Legacy Admissions

Late in the afternoon after President Kennedy was assassinated, Amherst insisted on proceeding with an applicant's interview as if nothing happened. While the applicant's tone and demeanor in the interview might have been a factor in his ultimately being rejected, or perhaps the rejection was the result of his grades or SAT scores, he might have been admitted had he been a legacy. Legacy preference, along with donations, is just the legal way to get one's kids into colleges that the bribers were too stupid to understand. As the New York Times reports, Amherst is ending its legacy admissions. Although too late for that deserving student of yesterday, let's hope for the good of democratic ideals of equality of opportunity, that other elite schools follow suit.

PS: As a result of Amherst's rejection, the poor schlub described above ended up a university classmate of the so-called Orange Menace. But he also had the thrill of being a schoolmate of Candace (or Cappy as she was known) Bergen.

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Disappearing Travel Amenities

 As this WSJ article sets out, in an article entitled "The Incredible Disappearing Hotel Breakfast—and Other Amenities Travelers Miss," guests are finding that perks they’ve long expected, like free breakfast or drinks, are still being advertised even when they aren’t always available anymore. The irony of this story, as a loyal reader will be quick to tell you, is that the supposed "free" breakfast was never free--its cost was bundled into the room price. That is not to say disappearing the "free breakfast" is not a price increase, for it surely is.

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The Best Dutch Oven

Beyond cleaning up as one goes, the most important thing for excellence in home cooking is to have a first-rate Dutch oven.  As set out in this Wirecutter article, the top pick Lodge costs just $80 and it should be your kitchen workhorse—it’s the one pot that can turn out savory soups and stews, braise meats until they’re fall-apart tender, and even bake crusty bread. As they say, don't leave your kitchen without one.

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What to Look For When Buying a New Laptop

This WaPo article sets out in plain (non-geeky) terms the parameters of what to look for when buying a new laptop, what features to spend some extra money on, and what features not. It seems to have read our posts on the matter, e.g., recommending a 3:2 instead of a 16:9 screen aspect.

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Pixel 6: Arguably the Best Android Phone

This WSJ article reviews the new Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, explaining why it might be the best Android phone available now. They are priced below their Samsung competitors and, best of all, they look to be capable of wireless charging, at least with a Pixel stand. They are available on T-Mobile, so you might get a great deal just for switching to T-Mobile, but in all events you will likely find you can reduce your monthly bill substantially compared to being on Verizon or AT&T.

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Framework Laptop

An earlier blog post talked about the Framework Laptop, which "modulates" all the components so you never will have to buy another laptop again no matter what goes wrong with it. One can either order it assembled or assemble it oneself. Assembling it oneself would save about $150 on a $1,000 configuration. However, assembling it oneself does have some issues (especially the downloading and installing of Windows 10) that takes a bit more "work" than most would be comfortable with. In all events, though, we reiterate our endorsement of making your next computer a Framework Laptop. Our only misgiving is the apparent lack of telephone support, although the email support is not too bad, but it's not great. 

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It Had to Be You (2015 Movie on Hulu and Amazon Prime)

This is not a movie (focusing on the struggle of whether or not to marry) for everyone and, actually, I doubt anyone will watch it so there's no need to spend undue time on this review. Suffice it to say it has its funny moments and it's cute moments, and the characters are likeable, it's under 1.5h, and it certainly has many scenes you will not have seen or will ever see in other movies of this rom/com genre or perhaps any genre, along with plenty that you have. While the film captures the essence of Rome in some senses, it misses what everyone knows Rome is notorious for: The padding of every restaurant and hotel bill, and if you try to get even upon ordering a bowl of fruit for dessert, eating all the fruit you can and stuffing what you can't in your pockets because you'll get billed, actually overbilled, for all the fruit.

IMDb Link to It Had to Be You

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Flu Shot Primer

This WSJ Article covers some basics about flu shots for this season.

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Back to Life (2019, 2021 TV-Series on Hulu)

Back to Life is a 2-season, 6-episode each, 26-minute each episode TV series on Hulu. It is quite quirky in a good way such that you never say, "oh, I've seen that scene before." The premise is not run of the mill either, being the story of a woman who has just been released from prison having served an 18-year term for murder and now has moved back in with her parents in a small coastal town. Given the shortness of the episodes, give it a shot. You have nothing to lose but your chains. 

IMDb Link to Back to Life

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Holiday Lighting

I know I don't like to wait until the last minute to deck my halls and houses with festive lights. So many choices though. This Wirecutter article is very helpful in deciding on what lights to get.

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Why the Philadelphia Eagles Are So Beloved

Besides being at the core of terrific movies such as Silver Linings Playbook, and being the last team to beat the Packers in a Championship game (which also marked the last time an offensive center also played middle linebacker in the same game (Chuck Bednarik) and the last game a player appeared without a face mask (Tommy McDonald)), and the first championship game ever seen in person by the premier blogger in the world, it's what a class act they are as demonstrated by their star tight end, Zach Ertz, upon being traded, who took out a full page ad on the back of the Philadelphia Inquirer to thank the Eagle fans. 

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New Option for Tattoos

If you've hesitated to get a tattoo because they are permanent or very difficult to remove, your worries are over. As this NYT article explains, there is now a new ink that will disappear in 15 months or less. It also puts to rest some supposed religious taboos. Giddy up!!!

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8 Things to Know When Picking a Medicare Plan

This WSJ article has a cogent explanation of the key points in picking a Medicare plan, including the ability or lack of ability to switch from one plan to another. In particular, it's explanation of the pluses and minuses of going with an Advantage plan (which fill the airwaves with their advertising) is excellent.

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Bitcoin ETF About to Launch

Our long national nightmare is about to end. As further explained in this Bloomberg article, ProShares will soon launch the first bitcoin ETF with other issuers to follow. Alas, some of us still have no clue what bitcoins are or what bitcoin mining is.

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Do You Know How to Tip?

If you think you know how to tip, you might read this WaPo article. You can both test your knowledge and, where it comes up short, learn the correct thing to do when it comes to tipping.

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Police and Covid

The police represent one of the professions with the lowest Covid vaccination rates. This is particularly ironic given that their motto is "to protect and serve" and they are tasked with saving lives. Not surprising perhaps then is that the number of police officers who have died from Covid outnumber the number who have died from gun violence or any other cause. Relatedly, firefighters also have low vaccination rates. And that is particularly ironic given they are trained and operate as EMTs whose job it is to save lives.

[EOP]  

Southwest Gas EPP

The Southwest Gas Equal Payment Plan (EPP) amount is adjusted every 3 months. They don't explain on their bill or otherwise (e.g., the telephone rep doesn't know) how the EPP is determined at any point. If you want to change the amount, you can call and they will change the amount. Getting through to a telephone rep is not easy, but just keep going on the phone tree until you get the option for a call-back. If and when you do get the call-back, the telephone rep will have no idea why you called or why they are calling you back--indeed they will begin the call by apologizing for calling you at random and asking if you have any idea why they called you. Not kidding. 

[EOP] 

The Pandemic and Wealth Inequality in the United States

If you bemoaned any negative impact you think you saw or felt from the pandemic, you are probably not a billionaire. U.S billionaires have seen their wealth surge $1.8 trillion during the pandemic, their collective fortune skyrocketing by nearly two-thirds (62 percent) from just short of $3 trillion at the start of the COVID crisis on March 18, 2020, to $4.8 trillion on August 17, 2021, according to a report from Americans for Tax Fairness (ATF) and the Institute for Policy Studies Program on Inequality (IPS). Not only did the wealth of billionaires grow, but so did their numbers: in March of last year, there were 614 Americans with 10-figure bank accounts; this August, there are 708. Their $1.8 trillion of increased wealth alone over 17 months, which will not be taxed unless they sell their assets, would pay for more than half of Biden’s 10-year $3.5 trillion investment package. To put a finer point on this, the wealthiest 1% of Americans controlled about $41.52 trillion in the first quarter, while the bottom 50% of Americans controlled only about $2.62 trillion collectively, which is roughly 16 times less than those in the top 1%. 

Lesson: Don't make the mistake I did of letting anyone dissuade you from becoming a billionaire.

Source 1

Source 2

[EOP]

Google Maps Go Green

It has taken us a while to convince them to do so, but we are pleased to report that Google Maps has added a feature, denoted by a green leaf, that marks the most fuel-efficient route to take to your destination. We are not at liberty to explain the algorithm, but we urge everyone, especially those who are not driving an EV, to use that fuel-efficient route.

[EOP] 

Arizona: The State of Covid Resurrections

The following is the Arizona Republic's weekly Covid stats reporting. Note especially the reporting of the deaths for the past week during which, on October 13, six people apparently rose from the grave.

[EOP] 

Commendable Act of Common Courtesy

An alley separates my house from the house behind me. While I talked briefly (under a minute) to the husband a couple of years ago and met the wife one Sunday morning in the alley in our pajamas, I don't know them and wouldn't recognize them. I don't care for how they remodeled and heightened their house, leading me to have a planter and trellis done to obscure having to see its roof. Given all that, imagine my surprise when the doorbell rang, and the wife handed me a bottle of good chardonnay to "compensate" for the party noise that will be coming in celebration of their daughter's wedding. I tried to refuse the gesture, explaining I'd be asleep by 8:15 and wouldn't hear it anyhow, but she insisted. I considered asking to come to the wedding party, but decided not to press my luck. In all events, this is the kind of common courtesy I admittedly often forget to extend. It certainly is nice and warming to see when it is done. As it turned out, even though there was a band and likely over 120 people, I could hardly hear anything. I was considering returning the wine this morning, but was told the band got a bit louder at 8 pm and went on until 11:30 or so.

[EOP] 

An Investment Option for Diversification: "Return Stacking"

[Prefatory Note: We do NOT give investment advice here. Thus, do NOT take this as a recommendation or any kind of investing advice that might be relied on]

Jason Zweig's WSJ piece sets out a different way to diversify in today's market, called "return stacking," which one can do through an ETF--Wisdom Tree U.S. Efficient Core (NTSX). The fund takes a novel approach to diversification. It keeps 90% of its assets in a portfolio of stocks highly similar to the S&P 500 index. It keeps 10% in cash and cash equivalents. It then uses that cash as collateral to buy futures contracts on U.S. Treasurys. Those futures are a low-cost form of leverage, or borrowing. This gives investors more bang for their buck. For every dollar you invest, the fund provides $1.50 in exposure to stocks and bonds. And here’s the crucial point: Of that $1.50, 90 cents (or 60%) goes into stocks and 60 cents (40%) into bonds. That creates the functional equivalent of owning a so-called balanced fund, with about 60% in U.S. stocks and 40% in U.S. bonds, one-and-a-half times over.

[EOP]

Bandolier Cross-Body iPhone Holder

[Prefatory Note: My friend, Jamie Lee Curtis, tipped me off to this thing, which she calls the "greatest invention (except for some medical devices)." Jamie has given hundreds out as gifts, as have I]

If you own an iPhone (any model), then the Bandolier cross-body (over the shoulder) holder is a MUST. Not only does it neatly carry your phone, it serves as a wallet so there's nothing else you need to carry. It comes in countless styles, colors, and materials, and there are sharp accessories to boot. That is why every iPhone owner now is saying: Don't leave home without a Bandolier.

Link to Bandolier Website

[EOP]

Political Messaging

There is much consternation among the pundits as why Biden's messaging on the Build Back Better legislation is not getting through. Sometimes the medium is the message. Sometimes the problem is the messaging. Sometimes the problem is the messenger. Sometimes it's all the above.

[EOP] 

A/C Options

 

Last Laptop You'll Ever Need to Buy: The Framework

If you are tired of having to replace your laptop every several years or if it blows up prematurely, those days are over. The Framework laptop is modular so that every part of it can be replaced easily--by you. It's all explained in this Wirecutter article, and you can see just how great it is on and order it from the Framework website. The only drawback right now is that it takes 1-2 months, from the time you place your customized order, for a fully-assembled unit or diy-assemble kit (which will save you some money) to arrive. It's a stylish ultrabook (light, thin, small bevel, brilliant screen) and the specs are top-of-the line in every way, and it's competitively priced ($1,000 will get you a better/faster laptop than you have now or have ever had, and you can upgrade it to be even better/faster). This is no joke. Indeed, it gets rave reviews from PCmag, tomsguide, arstechnica, tom's hardware, the verge, and elsewhere, and no bad reviews I could find (the only nit complaint is that battery life could be better and the only long-term concern is the viability of the company). Spend just a little time on their website and you will be not just impressed, but hooked. So, even if your laptop is fine now, think about buying one so you'll have it when your current one dies, which it will, or using it now and giving your current laptop to a needy charity.

[EOP]

 

Sports Highlight W/ a FN (Baseball) and Lowlight (Football)

Baseball: The Dodgers (106) and the Giants (107) had the most wins in baseball this season, and met each other 19 times with Giants winning 10 and the Dodgers winning 9. In what should have been the World Series or at least the NLCS, they met in a 5-game series and what should have been a 7-game series, and the Dodgers won 3 and the Giants 2. After pitching 7 innings in Game 3, Max Scherzer came in the 9th inning of Game 5, and got the save. This truly was a rivalry and a series for the ages and a tradition like none other.

FN: Underscoring that stupid is as baseball does, while it takes nothing away from Scherzer or the Dodgers, that the game ended on a clearly wrong call of no-check-swing by the first base umpire is an apt reminder that baseball is run by idiots. It might not have made any difference to the outcome of the game (the count was 0 and 2 and the batter was like hitless in his last 11 at bats), had that call been reviewable this footnote would not have been necessary.

Football: Although the TV audience for the TNF Eagles/Bucs game might have been just two persons (once the above baseball game started), while the outcome was not surprising (the Bucs won) given how bad the Eagles are, the stupidity of the Eagles' coach was beyond belief. Fairly late in the 4th quarter, down by 14, on 4th down and short, Siriani chose to go for a field goal. Even if made (it was not), the Eagles would still have needed two touchdowns. Worse, when they did score a touchdown a bit later, making the score 28-20, Siriani chose to go for a 2-point conversion. Although it was made, had it not been, again there would have been a two-score-deficit. We can abide a team whose members are not as good as the opponents. We cannot abide a coach who is a total idiot. And don't even mention their sending Zach Ertz, one of the league's best tight ends, to the Cardinals the next day.

[EOP]

  

Traveling Alone in Groups

As this article explains, group tour companies are accommodating more and more solo travelers, who are looking for company — and someone else to handle the complexities of traveling during the pandemic. This is a wonderful approach for people without partners or where partners cannot agree on where they want to go for their next trip. 

[EOP]

A Nice Girl Like You (2020 Movie on Hulu)

Even if you're an aficionado of soft porn, A Nice Girl Like You (at least the first 10 minutes) likely will not draw you in enough to keep watching. The acting is sophomoric, the plot seems sophomoric, and the apparent draw of the movie is sophomoric at best. Oh yeah, the plot--it's sophomoric: Supposedly, after being accused of being too inhibited by her ex-boyfriend, a violinist creates a rather wild to-do list that sends her on a whirlwind journey of self-discovery. The first 10 minutes sets the stage but leaving the movie at that point will deprive you of knowing what the to-do list is. Alas, I can't help you there.

IMDb Link to A Nice Girl Like You

What's Not as Much Fun or as Exciting as Watching Grass Grow Because It Doesn't Move as Fast?

Watching Dems try to enforce subpoenas for documents or testimony from Trumpistas. And watching them hoot and holler and think that, just because the objections to the subpoenas have no merit, that makes a difference.

[EOP]

Unpacking the Supreme Court

Biden's commission to study possible reforms of the Supreme Court will make no recommendations, but its release of a draft report certainly will produce a bunch of howling. However loud the din, three points should be kept in mind: (i) the Supreme Court was "packed" with political hacks skewed to the far right by Republican presidents and Senator McConnel, so "unpacking the court" is the proper way to look at any reform, including adding members; (ii) any reform that would require amending the constitution--however good it might be (e.g., term limits)--ain't going to happen perhaps ever and certainly not in time; and (iii) the absolute best and fastest way to fix the Supreme Court was set out in a piece by Boston College Law Professor Kent Greenfield in earlier blog posts, which calls for leaving the Supreme Court populated as it is, but removing its ability to decide constitutional questions and vesting that power in a new court--which can be done by majority vote after jettisoning the filibuster. Giddy up!!!

[EOP]

They Came Together (2014 Movie on Hulu and Prime)

This is a movie some might give up on 10 minutes in. I did. Ugh. But based on those 10 minutes, if you like sophomoric, you might find this movie to be a hoot. After all, it's got your Paul Rudd and Amy Poehler and Ed Helms and others of that ilk.

IMDb Link to They Came Together 

As Shifty Schiff now recounts it, "Had I known how much he [Mueller] had changed, I would not have pursued his testimony with such vigor — in fact, I would not have pursued it at all." After watching Mueller's testimony, he instructed Democrats on the committee to overhaul their questioning strategy for the second session that afternoon. Two things: (i) Mueller's family begged Schiff not to have Mueller testify for "health reasons," and invited him to talk to Mueller to see for himself; and (ii) the Republicans picked up in the first round what the problem was, and some of the Democrats still botched it in the second round (e.g., especially Stanton, the last questioner), and only politicians finding it to be more important to have a camera on them than anything else couldn't see the problem minutes into the hearing. 

[EOP]

Alitalia's Last Flight

The summer of 1971 was the hey-day of student-standby airline fares. While a trip to Central or South America would have been far more desirable, the least expensive international trip was to Rome for $200 on Alitalia. Despite howls of protest, we got bullied into taking that option. The horrors of the trip after reaching Rome will be skipped, but it is meet to note that the Alitalia flight was one of the worst air experiences ever. No food. No water for over an hour. Chickens (the fowl not the cowards) running loose in the aisles. Restrooms that were best avoided. Since that flight, we have boycotted Alitalia (taking PanAm on the return flight) and are pleased to announce, as this WSJ Article explains, Alitalia will be flying no more.

[EOP]

Primer on EVs and Their Impact on the Environment

In an article entitled, "Thinking of Buying an Electric Vehicle? Read This First," this Washington Post Article lays out the realities of the damage done by fossil fuel cars and light trucks: "The transportation sector is the biggest source of planet-warming emissions in the United States. Here’s another: The majority of those emissions come from cars and light-duty trucks — the vehicles people drive to work, school, the grocery store and grandma’s house. This means one of the most powerful individual actions people can take against climate change is to change the way they get around. One way to achieve that is to buy an electric vehicle, which produces about a third as much carbon dioxide per mile as a gasoline-powered car." And then this adviso: "But — fun fact — individual actions alone aren’t sufficient to avert catastrophic warming. If you really want to make a meaningful contribution to the fight against climate change, experts say, you must consider both how you can curb your transportation-related emissions and how you can help make clean, green, reliable transportation available to others." The rest of the article is highly informative.

[EOP]

Prices Continue to Plummet for Great TVs

OLED is undoubtedly the best picture ever. If you think you still have to pay an arm and a leg for one, even a 75" one, hold on to your hat: You don't! This Wirecutter article has a great overview of TV choices from exceedingly inexpensive to a little more than exceedingly inexpensive for terrific TVs, including brands you never heard of.

[EOP]

Best Meat Thermometer

Cooking without a good meat thermometer is like cooking without a good apron. Unless you're a seasoned (and licensed) professional, don't try it. This Wirecutter article gives an excellent review of meat thermometers so you can pick what's best for you.

[EOP]

Those First-Rate Intelligent Republicans

F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote: “The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposing ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function.” He surely pre-saged the Republicans of today who want to keep the government out of our private lives (e.g., opposing the government's forcing anyone to get a vaccine) and off businesses' backs (e.g., getting rid of as many government regulations as possible) while infusing the government into our private lives (e.g., dictating what women may do with their health even when they were raped) and businesses (e.g., prohibiting businesses from mandating vaccines for its employees and its customers).

[EOP] 

Cautionary Comments re Home Covid Test Kits

As they become readily available at low prices (although still not on Amazon), many people are having home Covid test kits on hand as a first-line indicator should they start to feel ill or when they are visiting others especially unvaccinated children. But, as this WSJ article points out, people can make mistakes when testing themselves at home, and rapid tests aren’t as sensitive as PCR tests at detecting asymptomatic or presymptomatic cases. It might take up to 72 hours to get the results of a PCR test.

[EOP]

Finding Your Feet (2017 Movie on Hulu and for Rent on Amazon)

Although it runs over 1h50m, and although it's sappy (and even a bit maudlin), predictable, and British, Finding Your Feet is an exceedingly pleasant way to pass some time. The characters are delightful and authentic, the acting is terrific, and the music and dancing alone are worth the price of admission. It also has its poignant and quite real moments.  

IMDb Link to Finding Your Feet

[EOP]

Best Cheap Mattresses

It has come to our attention that some people do not buy a new mattress each year because they do not wish to shell out $1,000-$2,500 for a decent mattress. We're here for you. Indeed, you're in luck. As the NYT reports, there are terrific mattresses for $400 or less, so now there's no excuse.

[EOP]

Best and Easiest to Apply Screen Protector for iPhones12 and 13

As this NYT Article explains, "[f]or the same price as a Chipotle burrito with chips and guac, the Glas.tR EZ Fit gives you two screen protectors that are nearly impossible to misalign and as scratch-resistant as any others we’ve tested. Although you can pay upwards of $50 for a single piece of glass from bigger-name companies, they don’t actually offer any tangible benefits, and they’re definitely not worth almost 10 times more. And this protector is a heck of a lot cheaper than the $230-plus price Apple charges for an out-of-warranty screen repair on an iPhone 12 or 13."

[EOP]

New Clues Emerge About Whether Vaccines Can Help Fight Long Covid

As this WSJ Article explains, recent studies suggest vaccination helps reduce the likelihood of developing longer-term symptoms after a Covid-19 infection, and may help some people with symptoms feel better.

[EOP]

Save the Date (2012 Movie on Hulu/Showtime and for Rent on Amazon)

Although it's only 1h7m long, unless you like slow romance comedies that have no comedy and enervating romance, and boring characters, don't bother to save the date. 

IMDb Link to Save the Date 

[EOP]

Let the Sunshine In (2017 Movie on Hulu and for Rent on Amazon)

Even though the loathsome Gérard Depardieu is in it, I decided to watch this supposed romantic comedy because it's just 1.5h. Maybe the French cinematographers see things differently, but nothing in the first 10-12 minutes was either romantic or comedic. While it might have lost something in captioning the dialogue that was in French (e.g., the characters seemed to speak more words than appeared in the closed captioning), it was a no-brainer to stop the movie and delete it from my watchlist, and move on.

IMDb Link to Let the Sunshine In

[EOP]

Tracking Your Mail-in Ballot in Arizona

This Arizona Dashboard Portal will enable you to confirm that your mail-in ballot has been received. It might not matter when the Republicans are done vesting the vote certification decision in their legislative bodies, and freeing them of having to let the voters who won a state-wide race, but it's nice to know.

[EOP]

Appraisals in Today's Housing Market

Maybe home prices will never stop rising. Maybe trees will never stop growing taller. But the difference between trees and homes is that sometimes appraisals matter when it comes to home sales. As this WSJ article explains, soaring home prices are roiling appraisals and upending sales as more properties are being valued below their agreed-upon sales prices, causing deals to collapse. Not saying it's the end of a rising housing market. Just saying.

[EOP]

Home Covid-19 Tests

This NYT article gives an excellent overview of everything one might need to know about Covid-19 home testing kits. They're not perfect. But they can be very useful.

[EOP]

Primer on Inflation: It's Not Just a Matter of the Stated Price

This NYT article gives an excellent overview of "shadow inflation," i.e., how many businesses facing supply disruptions and labor shortages have dealt with those problems not by raising prices (or not by only raising prices), but by taking steps that could give their customers a lesser experience. Put another way, if you think you're getting poorer service (as well as paying higher prices), you ain't whistling Dixie.

[EOP]

Best Argument Against Pandemic Shutdowns

The first Talk of the Town article in the October 11 issue of The New Yorker entitled Comment—Count on It by Jelani Cobb is an excellent piece of writing that notes the eerie comparison to the decade before the Civil War when everyone sensed calamity was coming to our waiting for the 2024 elections. If you don't have a subscription, just look for the issue when you are next in a store that has The New Yorker, and you can read it starting on page 13 in about 3 minutes. One gem is the recounting of the Texas Lt Governor’s statement early in the pandemic in defiance of shutdowns, “There are more important things than living" (color added).

PS: The next post turns out to be a lengthy article (also excellent) that makes the same point Cobb makes about the precipice our democracy is on.

[EOP]

Democrats and Democracy on the Precipice

While we don't do politics here, we have for months now advocated getting rid of the filibuster because, after the 2022 mid-term elections, the Democrats will have no ability to ensure voting rights, abortion rights, or avoid the harm the Supreme Court is going to inflict on this country, as well as enact whatever economic and social safety nets they want, not to mention making a serious effort to combat climate change. Worse, if the Senate flips, McConnell is certain to jettison the filibuster so that he and the Republicans can alter this country forever. In a detailed and reasoned NYT opinion piece (entitled David Shor Is Telling Democrats What They Don't Want to Hear), Ezra Klein, explaining David Shor's view, unabashedly steals this view when he writes: "Democrats are sleepwalking into catastrophe ... [they] are on the precipice of an era without any hope of a governing majority. The coming year, while they still control the House, the Senate and the White House, is their last, best chance to alter course. To pass a package of democracy reforms that makes voting fairer and easier. To offer statehood to Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C. To overhaul how the party talks and acts and thinks to win back the working-class voters — white and nonwhite — who have left them behind the electoral eight ball. If they fail, they will not get another chance. Not anytime soon."

[EOP]

Social Media Is Not the Only Font of Disinformation: So Is the Arizona Republic

Below is a letter to the editor published by the Arizona Republic on October 9. Here is the text of a letter sent to the Arizona Republic under the Subject line, Shame on the Arizona Republic: "While the publishing of different opinions is appropriate for a newspaper, publishing letters to the editor that disseminate, not opinions, but false information that is negated by scientific fact, is reprehensible. Yet that is precisely what the Arizona Republic did today in publishing the attached letter which in effect stated that vaccinated people could not spread Covid-19. As the CDC (at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/variants/delta-variant.html) has made clear: 'Fully vaccinated people with Delta variant breakthrough infections can spread the virus to others' (bold face in the original)."

Here is the offensive letter:

Smart Rings

Smart watches and many other such wearables are so yesterday. Smart rings are where it's at. Oura now is considered the top smart ring, and if you're into wearables for fitness and such, the Oura smart ring is worth a look. Among their other pluses, they're stylish, and would make for good engagement or wedding rings.

[EOP]

Smart Pizza Oven

If you're still doing take-out pizza or frozen pizza, you're short-changing yourself.  Homemade pizza is having a moment. Aspiring pizzaiolos and pizzaiolas finally have both the tools and the time to make restaurant-grade pies in our own kitchens and backyards. The cookbook, “The Joy of Pizza,” out next month, is an ideal starting point. While there are several outstanding out-door pizza ovens, either wood burning or propane, the Smart Oven Pizzaiolo from Breville is the way to go. The Pizzaiolo is the first domestic countertop oven to hit 750°F and cook an authentic wood fired style pizza in 2 minutes. It replicates the three types of heat generated by a brick oven - conductive, radiant and convective, which can replicate the ideal baking environment for New York, Pan,  and Thin & Crispy as well as Frozen pizzas.

PS: The Breville website referenced above has a fabulous array of kitchen stuff, including smart kitchen stuff, that is both great looking (which is the most important thing) and useful.

[EOP]

Change in Chrome Settings Page

Yeah, the layout of the Chrome Settings page has changed. Everything is still there but it's grouped somewhat differently. Just click on the items on the left side of the page and you'll find what you're looking for (e.g., Clearing the cache, history, and downloads and such which you should do every week at least is under Privacy and security).

[EOP] 

Daphne (2017 Movie on Hulu and Prime)

The first 27 minutes portray an unhappy young woman (with no context to explain why ... it's just sort of an existential thing) and are chock-filled with one particular four letter word ending in k. Many scenes are shot in the dark so it's difficult to see what's going on. Other scenes try to infuse drama into mundane events such as tasting a supposedly delicious cheese. The remaining 1h8m might get better. Or maybe this is what an intellectual film is supposed to be, and it's as good as it gets [see, e.g., My Dinner With Andre].

IMDb Link to Daphne 

Waitress (2007 Movie (Free on Hulu, for a Small Charge on Amazon))

I've been told I watched this before, but even if I did, I thoroughly enjoyed it the second time. I kept thinking for a while it was a romcom, but it's not at all. It's a dramarom, starring Keri Russell, and she's wonderful in this. How could Keri Russell not be, especially when cast perfectly. Cheryl Henry is in it as well and she is different than you've seen her but good as well, as are the rest of the cast, including Andy Griffin who is fantastic in A Face in the Crowd which is an absolute must-see movie as this blog has noted and urged its being watched. You keep thinking you've seen this movie before, but actually, its twists and turns and ending belie that thought even if, like me, you have seen it before.  

IMDb Link to Waitress

Vaccinations for Children

The vaccination rates for children 12-18 are far lower than had been hoped for. The polls show that only 30% of parents are intending to vaccinate children ages 5-11. I'm no lawyer but I cannot understand why child endangerment laws do not apply to refusals to keep children safe.

[EOP] 

Are the House Democrats Incapable of Learning?

The House Democrats had two years during Trump's term and close to another year since his term ended and they still cannot figure out how to get documents or testimony from Trump or his allies. While they can issue subpoenas, they have no mechanism to enforce them and certainly no procedure that works on a timely basis. It is not difficult for competent defense counsel to drag things out even when there are civil or criminal sanctions looming for a losing defense. It is a snap even for incompetent defense counsel where, as here, there are no readily-available civil or criminal sanctions. The House with a simple majority vote could adopt a rule that would put real teeth into the failure to abide a lawful subpoena, especially for bad faith refusals to comply with a subpoena (e.g., Bannon's objecting on the basis of attorney-client privilege where neither he nor Trump were lawyers at the time and executive privilege when he had no position in the government much less the White House). To date, it has declined to do so. As a result, little can be expected to come from the House Special January 6 Committee probe except platitudinous and quixotic rails on television from politicians who like to be on television.  

PS: If Trump is not indicted for any of the clearly illegal conduct he engaged in (from fraud to obstruction of justice to improperly attempting to overturn an election to inciting an insurrection), maybe our criminal justice system is simply not up to what it needs to be to insure that we are a country grounded in the rule of law and subject to re-electing a moronic demagogic cultist. 

[EOP]

Windows 11 Can Be Made to Look Like Windows 7

When Windows 10 came out, many of us rebelled against the new interface (of tiles and start button and such) that had replaced the Windows 7 interface with its convenient lists. Fortunately, with a simple download and a couple of mouse clicks, it was easy to get the Windows 7 interface back and still enjoy all the advantages of Windows 10. I have been pummeled with expressions of worry and even dread that Windows 11, whose interface is radically different from Windows 10, would not allow one to revert to the Windows 7 interface. Good news. It will. And as this article sets out, the process to do so is just the same and just as easy.

[EOP]

Francis Ferguson (Short 2019 Movie on Prime)

Based on a true story, Frances Ferguson is kind of like Orange Is the New Black meets Mary Kay Letourneau … no real sex though so no concern on that front. I liked it very much, but it might be too deep or not deep enough for others. It is based on a true story, one that is told both by narration and character dialogue very well here. The acting, if it is acting, is outstanding, because the characters are all so real (and maybe they are). It’s only 1.13 hours so not a big waste of time no matter what. 

IMDb Link to Frances Ferguson

Help on Walmart Orders

Walmart's help on problems with orders is pretty pretty good. Just go to Help and start with Chat. It's a robot but you can quickly get it to bring in a real person to chat with or to get a phone call, each usually within a minute. And Walmart seems even more eager than Amazon to make amends, e.g., if an order got lost in shipment, they just might replace it on an expedited basis and not charge you for the order or for shipping. How great is that?

[EOP] 

Why We Arizonans Distrust Democrats

Arizona has had Democrat governors and its two sitting senators are Democrats. But, if the Democrats want to continue turning Arizona increasingly purple or even blue, they need to stop getting things wrong when talking about us. In a recent Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Senator Durbin (D-Ill) got into a bit of a tussle about voting rights, and blurted out the following: "You remember what happened in Arizona. 5.7 million spent on the Ninja Turtles who were going through all these ballots." That did NOT happen. There were no Ninja Turtles involved in the audit. It's just that kind of blasphemy by Democrats in Washington that sours us on their ability to get anything correct.

[EOP]

Peacock (and a Tinge of One of Us Is Lying (2021 TV Series))

Peacock is an NBC streaming service. Most cable providers will give you the premium plan, which normally costs $5/month, for no extra charge. While that might be fine for sporting events and such being broadcast by NBC, if you try to watch an acclaimed Peacock original series, such as One of Us Is Lying, you will be subjected to the same number of ads you would see in a normal TV show. To get rid of those ads, you would have to pay an additional $5/month. Having declined to do so or to endure the ads, I stopped watching the acclaimed 2021 TV series One of Us Is Lying when the first ad appeared (not realizing there were going to be any ads). Based on 12 minutes of viewing before the first commercial break, this series looks to be a modern, social-media version of The Breakfast Club but with violence.

IMDb Link to One of Us Is Lying

Should One Upgrade Now to Windows 11?

This WSJ article gives an excellent overview of Windows 11 features (both those now in it and those that will be coming) and gives sound advice as to whether or not one should upgrade now. Many users will be waiting until they have to especially if everything is working fine on their Windows 10 platform. Doing the upgrade reportedly is not the easiest thing since sliced bread.

[EOP]

Southwest Airlines' Blockbuster Flights to Hawaii

Southwest Airlines has flights to Hawaii from January 6 to March 9 discounted by 40%. But you have to make the reservation by Thursday October 7. Good luck finding reasonably priced Airbnb's on Hanalei Bay.

[EOP]

Canada Leads the Way Requiring Being Vaccinated to Fly or Train

With the holidays coming up, many people would love to travel to see family. Those who are unvaccinated certainly have no more hesitance to get onto a plane or train than to do anything else they do. So, again, the vaccinated face difficult choices imposed by the unvaccinated. What makes this maddening is that it shouldn't have to be this way. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Oct. 6 that all people 12 and older traveling by rail or air in Canada must be fully vaccinated before boarding, and testing negative will not be an allowable option. Alas, another example where America has failed to lead.

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The White Tiger (2021 Movie on Netflix)

The White Tiger is a 2-hour movie that seems longer but that's not to say it's slowness in parts is a reason to shun it. It's the story about moving from poverty to wealth in India but not in any way you've seen before. While it's set in India, it's message is far more universal, and included at no extra cost is an overarching view of where the world is headed. One certainly will not walk away from this movie saying, "yeah, I've seen that story many times." In all events, do not confuse this with other tiger movies such as the Life of Pi.

IMDb Link to White Tiger

How to Stop Phone Apps From Tracking You

[Prefatory Note: I have no problem with their listening in on my conversations and tracking where I am. I'm just glad someone cares. But I know many loyal readers and others would just as soon stop them from tracking their phones. Here is how to stop them]

Turn off location settings on Apple Devices

1. Click “Settings.”

2. Go to “Privacy.”

3. Select “Location Services.”

4. Scroll down to “System Services.”

5. Choose “Significant Locations” to see the logged record of where you’ve been; de-select this to turn it off.

You can also clear your history by clicking “Clear History.”

Change location settings on Android Devices

1. Open the App Drawer and go to “Settings.”

2. Scroll down and tap “Location.”

3. Scroll down and tap “Google Location Settings.”

4. Tap “Location Reporting” and “Location History” and switch the slider to off.

5. To delete your device’s location cache, tap “Delete Location History” at the bottom of the screen under “Location History.”

6. Repeat this process for each Google Account you have on your Android device.

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Basic Computer Backup

This Wirecutter article sets out the simple steps one should take for backing up one's computer. In fewer than 15 minutes you can have a system that backs up your files automatically—both to an external drive and to encrypted cloud storage—without any regular action from you. It recommends and explains how to implement the 3-2-1 rule for backup: three copies of your data, two local (on different devices) and one off-site. For most people, this means the original data on your computer, a backup on an external hard drive, and another on a cloud backup service. 

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Why Should These Anti-Vaxxers Be Allowed to Teach Our Children

NYC's mandatory vaccine program has been quite successful, but a small percentage of highly vocal teachers continue to march and protest in support of their supposed freedom to not be vaccinated. NYC has suspended them but expressly invited them to return upon being vaccinated. Who knows where these anti-vaxxers got their education certificates from, but many parents are saying: Their definition of freedom to embrace the freedom to spread disease to children is the antithesis of the common sense notion that one's freedom ends at the point of harming others--as such, their inane position renders them unfit to teach my child anything. Relatedly, and perhaps even more galling, are those who claim some religious exemption from vaccination. Who knows where these anti-vaxxers got their religious education or what bible they read, but many thinking churches are saying: If their religion embraces the privilege to spread disease, it is not a religion that is welcome in our house of worship.

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The Guilty (2021 Movie on Netflix)

This is essentially a one-person on stage drama about a demoted police officer (played by Jake Gyllenhaal), on the night before his trial the next day arising out of the event that led to his demotion. The movie focuses on his handling an emergency 911 phone call from a kidnapped woman. If you liked Jake Gyllenhaal in October Sky, that's irrelevant here. This movie is pure tension from beginning to end. It's not an easy movie to watch. It's very nerve-wracking. It's one terrific performance by Mr. Gyllenhaal. 

IMDb Link to The Guilty

Long Term Glint of Optimism on the Future of Coronavirus Pandemics

This WSJ article describes the emerging-infectious-diseases research that is pursuing a vaccine to protect against a range of coronaviruses that cause disease in humans—including Covid-19 variants that might elude today’s vaccines. The goal is to prevent the next new one from spreading around the globe. Such a shot might even stop coronaviruses that cause some common colds.

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Three Recommended Streams to Avoid: Maid, The Other Two, Sex Education

The Harvard Crimson and the NYT have given positive reviews of Maid, The Other Two, and Sex Education. While our review is based only on the first 15 minutes of The Other Two and Sex Education, and the first 15 minutes of the second episode of Maid, even watching that much of each was too much. And we are pleased to report that our conclusion re these three finds is not aberrational given that it has strong support from totally independent viewing by an occasional reader, which spares us of having to waste our time discussing what any of these are about or why each should be avoided.

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Rose Island (2020 Movie on Netflix)

Rose Island is a two-hour movie (watchable in one sitting) that, while it is Woody Allen-esque, is based on a true story about building one's own island outside Italy's territorial waters and declaring itself an independent nation. It’s laugh out loud funny at times and droll throughout and poignant. If you can watch it in the original Italian that's the best way, but you can put on English sub-titles and not ruin the movie. It is a wonderfully insightful look at politicians along with a charming look at regular people.

IMDb Link to Rose Island 

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