There has been much discussion of late (and some notable confusion) as to the spacing of Covid-19 vaccines and the so-called boosters. This WSJ Article provides an excellent overview of the risk calculus and efficacy and length of protection that results from different spacings of vaccines. There's no easy answer.
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As you can see in this screenshot from the Tesla website, there are 3 Tesla 3 models: no name (about $47K + taxes/fees); Long Range (about $54K +); and Performance (about $59K +). The estimated delivery time for the no name is June 2022 (Father's Day next year), for the Long Range is February 2022 (Valentine's Day next year), and for the Performance is December 2021 (Xmas this year).
Having seen publication of the letter to the NYT editor that appears below, with one exception from a semi-loyal reader in an email in all caps that made no sense as written, and a snippy comment from a grandchild, loyal readers and others have gushed appropriately about the wisdom both of the letter and the NYT's good judgment to print it (albeit with edits that missed the point). And as one loyal reader pointed out correctly: "If they wouldn’t have published they just would have stolen it."
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This NYT Article cautions that: "Consumers who try to purchase N95 masks, mainly on Amazon, are often led to vendors selling fake or poorly made KN95s, a Chinese-made mask that is often marketed as an N95 equivalent despite the lack of testing by U.S. regulators to confirm virus-filtering claims. In fact, KN95 masks offered on Amazon and through other retailers are being sold without authorization for use in health care settings from the Food and Drug Administration, which last July revoked its emergency use authorization for imported masks that lack approval from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — a category that includes all KN95s from China." On the positive side, as the article further notes: "The N95 mask, [which is] arguably the most essential and coveted piece of pandemic protective gear, is no longer a rare commodity, thanks to the return of Chinese imports and a resurgence in U.S. domestic production."
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We are ecstatic to report that, using all our "Monk Powers," we found that the heated mattress pad we used to have that will work with a timer or smart switch to turn on at a pre-set time is still available (albeit not on The Amazon). Even with a shipping charge, it costs less than almost all the heated mattress pads now available. It's at the Cozy Living Home Website and looks like this:
Say you've ordered something from The Amazon (e.g., a digital heated mattress pad), but before it ships, you decide to cancel (e.g., because you found an analog heated mattress pad). When you try to cancel, The Amazon tells you it's too late--even though the item has not even shipped yet. Don't give up. Don't ever give up. When you get the Tracking notice, again select Cancel and it just might work. If not, you of course can refuse delivery if you happen to be around when the delivery is made or, if not, return it. But cancelling is much easier. It's not clear why The Amazon does not allow delivery refusal on the website (an example of the IT department not understanding the business or customer satisfaction).
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For quite some time, in an effort to make our loyal readers' online experiences easier and more robust, we have urged (nay, begged and even besieged) many websites to get rid of their IT departments and look at their websites from the point of view of customers. Finally, as this WSJ article explains, our efforts have born fruit given the emerging view that having an IT department is exactly what will prevent companies from being innovative, agile, customer-focused and digitally transformed.
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Unless all international travel is stopped, banning flights from a few or several or even many countries to any few or several or even many countries is not going to stop the spread of the Omnicron variant. That was proven with the Alpha and Delta variants and is plain as day. But what makes no sense, as government leaders sit around and ponder and dither about what flight restrictions they might impose, is why proof of vaccination and a negative rapid Covid-19 test are not a prerequisite to boarding an international flight. Actually, given the greater threat from Covid-19 than from international terrorists, while passengers are screened to prevent them from carrying full-sized shampoo bottles, it would make sense to impose those vaccine and testing requirements on domestic flights as well. It is maddening to watch the untold harm being inflicted by the moronic anti-vaxxers. But it is even more disheartening to see the insanity of supposedly intelligent government leaders musing on wrong-headed solutions. If, as is said, insanity is repeating behavior expecting a different result, we are watching Covid-19 insanity being played out in real-time right now.
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There's nothing worse than climbing into a cold bed at night or better than climbing into a toasty one. The easiest way to have a toasty bed waiting for you is to have an electric mattress pad. It used to be that the controls were analog and simple, which made it a snap to have the pad turn on automatically at a pre-set time with a timer or through a smart switch. Since the controls have gone digital, the ability to do so seems to have been lost. After trying two pads looking for one that will work with a timer or smart switch, some people would give up. But loyalty to my loyal readers does not permit me to do so. I've returned the two and ordered a third. Should this next one I've ordered work with a timer or smart switch, there will be a blog update and recommendation. If not, there will be a huge, audible groan.
Note re Electric Blankets: Electric/heated mattress pads go under the bottom sheet; electric blankets go on top of the top sheet. Whatever advantage anyone mistakenly thinks electric blankets have, as the NYT states: "Heated mattress pads are preferred for their superior insulation and overall safety."
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While we have featured several private air travel services, we realize that a few of our loyal readers might consider their cost to be prohibitive. Scott's Cheap Flights truly is different as it focuses on commercial flights not private/charter flights. First, there is the option for a free newsletter that alerts you to great deals. Second, there are two fee options, "premium" for $49/year (now on sale for $24/yr) that brings you more deals and options and "elite" for $199/year (now on sale for $174/yr) that focuses on first-class and business-class options. This Business Insider review explains all the details and why joining makes total sense. And don't worry, you can control the emails you get from SCF.
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1. Instead of being entitled "Republican Rescue," Chris Christie's new book might more aptly be entitled "Vote for Chris Christie. Saner Than Rudolph Giuliani."
2. Prospects for Biden beating down Manchin in the Senate re the Build Back Better Bill: Biden's approval rating in West Virginia: 32, Manchin's 64.
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The Problem With Small Numbers: When Merck first presented its Covid-19 pill data, it reported a 50% effective rate. As it turns out, the actual effective rate is 30%. The first report was based on about 700 subjects. The second report was based on about 1,400 subjects.
The Problem With Not Vaccinating the World: Covid-19 began with 1 person being infected in a wet-market in Wuhan. Now billions are. If the Omicron variant is problematic, stopping incoming flights from some African nations might delay a little its reaching our shores, that will not stop it.
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It is commonly thought that turkey, because it contains tryptophan, makes one sleepy. Not surprisingly, the common wisdom is again wrong. As this WaPo article explains, over-eating makes one sleepy, but there is less tryptophan in turkey than in cheddar cheese and grilled cheese sandwiches do not make anyone sleepy. So, please do not rely on the Seinfeld Episode's view of tryptophan as being scientifically accurate.
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As Justin LaHart explains, there often is a cycle where acute shortages often lead to over-production that results in gluts that bring down prices. In addition, where the shortages are due to bottlenecks, when a bottleneck clears, prices return to "normal" just as traffic resumes to normal speeds when traffic jams clear.
Further, James Mackintosh explains that, when talking about inflation, it is important to distinguish between goods and services, and however transitory goods-inflation is, the same might not be true for services-inflation.
In the meantime, this NYT article gives a truly insightful look as to why the response to the Delta variant, which was to pull people back from restaurants and such, together with infusing consumers with additional cash to continue buying online instead of incentives to do other stuff, pushed inflation the way it did.
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While there can be several causes of wireless earbuds turning on and immediately turning off, the most likely cause is the battery being low. By way of example, if you go on a trip say to Santa Fe and leave your earbuds at home, the battery will discharge while you are away. Plugging the case into a charging cable or placing the case on a charging pad seems to remedy the problem.
BTW, if you don't use wireless earbuds, you're missing a great convenience both in use and in charging. This Wirecutter article gives its picks. In our view, their least expensive pick (about $33 with the coupon) will do just fine and even does noise reduction on phone calls whatever that is.
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This 1.5 hour (perfect movie length) movie is in the genre of a Coen brothers (a la Fargo) movie. It's quirky with a bit of violence, but it draws you in as it gets increasingly complicated as the story unfolds. And you never really know what's about to happen next. The cast is terrific, all of whom turn in a masterful performance. The writing and hence the dialogue are crisp. It's a wonderful way to spend a Thanksgiving afternoon or any afternoon or evening. As always, be sure to watch through the end credits.
Especially for those of us who do self-checkout at the grocery store and especially for those who have difficulty remembering the PLUs or UPCs, those little stickers on fruits and vegetables are a God-send. As this article explains, it won't harm you if you eat them but it won't do you any good either, but they should be kept out of one's compost pile (and everyone is urged to have a compost pile).
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This Wirecutter review looks at the cellphone plans available, singles out the 5 best, and ultimately recommends T-Mobile. We agree. T-Mobile will save you money over your existing plan and many T-Mobile plans also throw in Netflix and Apple TV for one year at no extra cost, along with great deals on phones when you sign up.
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As it turns out, for under $50 from The Amazon, you can get a bidet attachment that you can install yourself--not kidding, and you can keep your existing toilet seats (which we trust are slow closing). There might be others but the Brondell Thinline is recommended by both Consumer Reports and Wirecutter, while Bio Bidet also has bidet attachments that look and are said to be excellent. There now is no excuse not to have at least a bidet attachment for all your toilets and to demand anyone you visit to have them for the toilets their guests will be using.
Just as one can do with Hulu and Netflix, one can "share" Apple TV across two households, i.e., across two geographically separate TVs. If one has a Magenta T-Mobile plan, one can sign up for one year of Apple TV for no cost (along with getting Netflix for no cost as well). If for no other reason, The Morning Show on Apple TV is worth the ticket of admission. You'd think with Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, and Steve Carrell you'd be in for some light comedy. No way. It's a hard and dark inside look at the lives of the people who help America wake up in the morning, exploring the unique challenges faced by the men and women who carry out this daily televised ritual. Another fabled Apple TV show is Ted Lasso, which is supposedly loved by everyone, but some discriminating viewers say it's okay but not as great as everyone says it is. One drawback of Apple TV is it is more difficult to find the setting to turn on closed-captioning, and don't expect any help from a semi-loyal reader who pushed you to get Apple TV in the first place. Rather than be "connected" to what's being shown--like every other streaming service does, the closed-captioning setting is on the Apple TV home page (providing yet another example of Apple doing stuff "it's way" and damn the consumer).
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Most utilities offer an Equal Payment Plan (EPP) of some kind where your monthly charge is the same each month, subject to being revised every 3-6 months. Being on such an EPP won't raise or lower what you pay over time. But, it will give you prompt feedback if you are doing better (in which event your monthly EPP amount will adjust down) or worse (in which event your monthly EPP amount will adjust up) which might prove helpful in terms of self-regulating your utility usage.
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As this WSJ article explains, "some party hosts are requiring guests to take rapid Covid-19 tests the day of gatherings—and sometimes at the front door—to ensure their guests can safely enjoy the festivities mask-free, several professional event planners say." As this blog sees it, given that it is customary for dinner guests to bring wine or flowers or something as an expression of gratitude, arriving with a negative rapid Covid test is a thoughtful alternative. The cost is about the same as a decent wine and home test kits are now readily available from The Amazon and elsewhere. It is true that there are false negatives, but a negative test will serve as an ice-breaker to reduce anxiety, and, as this blog has tried to explain on numerous occasions, do not make the perfect the enemy of the good.
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As Dr. Fauci explains in this short video interview (starting at 2:40), there is no way to know yet whether a second booster will be needed 6 months later or even within a year later. As he puts it, it might be that the two initial mRNA shots plus the so-called booster might turn out to be better thought of as being the fully-vaccinated dosage giving maximum protection for an extended time. Some vaccines give protection for a lifetime (e.g., polio) and others have an extended but limited period (e.g., tetanus--10 years). We just have to wait to see what the data shows.
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If fast charging is your thing, the Anker Nano II charging brick is a must. It is a USB C Charger for Apple and Android devices. Say goodbye to your old power bricks. Anker Nano II has the power you need to fast charge your phone, tablet, and USB-C notebook from a single tiny charger. High-Speed Charging: Charge a 2020 MacBook Air in less than 2 hours, a MacBook Pro 13ʺ at full speed, an iPhone 12 up to 3× faster than with an original 5W charger, and charge the latest Samsung phones at full speed with Samsung Super Fast Charging. It's available from The Amazon and at the Anker Website which has other cool products.
The Function101 cable block, available at The Amazon and at the Function101 website which has other great organizers and other products available, is arguably the best desktop/tabletop cable organizer. Simply slide your cable into the Block and position along your cable and on your workspace to the desired location - and reposition as needed! For heavier cables or slick desktops, Cable Blocks have imbedded magnets so that you connect another Block for added stability, To keep your workspace clean at the end of the work day, connect all blocks together and move them to the edge of your desk. The weight of the combined Blocks acts like an anchor to prevent drops to the floor. They come in a variety of colors and dimensions. This is a must-include stocking stuffer. Or give one of each of the many varieties each night of Hanukkah.
If you have an umbrella insurance policy and you've been invested in the stock market over the past few years or longer or otherwise have enjoyed an increase in your net worth, you might want to look at increasing the amount of your umbrella coverage. Note that the premium increases are not as small as you might have thought or hoped for, but that's hardly a reason not to take a few minutes and find out.
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If you still have a landline, it likely has a Simultaneous Ring feature. Turning on Simultaneous Ring and NoMoRobo will eliminate almost all robo and scam calls. In addition, turning on Simultaneous Ring will allow you to add other numbers, such as your cellphone number(s), so that when your landline rings, so will your cellphone(s) and any of the phones that ring can answer the call. If you have Google Voice, calls to your Google Voice number will ring only on your cellphone.
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Co-created by Mindy Kaling, The Sex Lives of College Girls is not great, but it's watchable. Some of the dialogue and scenes are overdone and silly but some are punchy and highly entertaining. Likewise, some of the characters one can do without, but others are not just quirky, but engagingly quirky. There could be too much sex for some, but rest assured, most likely will find there is too little sex. The first episode the pilot) is an hour, but the remaining episodes are 1/2 hour. It might or might not be your cup of tea, but it won't be the worst time spent to find out.
IMDb Link to The Sex Lives of College Girls
The NYT recently printed two articles, one dealing with Covid during the holidays and one dealing with Covid on an everyday basis, and both of them make the same point: While there is no sure-proof safe way to live one's life and gather with others, rapid testing is an excellent (even if not perfect) way to reduce the anxiety of doing so. And just because it's not perfect, never forget to not make the perfect the enemy of the good.
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With prices rising at their fastest rate in decades, it does not take a rocket scientist to know that people in retirement or approaching it should take extra care to protect their savings. This NYT article addresses the issues and suggests some strategies to deal with it.
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Picking up an arriving passenger at Phoenix Sky Harbor can be a nightmare for the picker-upper and the picker-uppee. The availability of the Ride Share (Uber, Lyft) space makes it easy for both as the place to to the pickup. And it would seem not to be unethical or impose any additional cost on anyone or burden on the Uber and Lyft drivers or their passengers.
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Among the many good reason to install a flight tracker app on your phone, if you're picking up an arriving passenger at the airport, a flight tracker app's alerts will prevent your forgetting when the plane is landing or not realizing it landed early and being late to do the pickup, leaving the person you're picking up having to wait possibly until Hell freezes over to be picked up.
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As this blog has noted before, but it's now more true than ever, unless you find some substantial price benefit in booking a trip on a round-trip ticket, book instead the outgoing leg and the returning leg separately. Among other reasons, once you've taken the outgoing flight, the ability to make changes or upgrade the return flight become far more limited and difficult. So, even if you have lucked out by having gotten a first-grade upgrade on your return flight by virtue of the draw of when you checked in for the return flight, much anxiety would have been eliminated if you had abided this post's advice so that, having declined to upgrade when first offered when you checked in for the outgoing leg, you could have upgraded before you even checked in.
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This Jason Zweig article explains that, with the S&P 500 up 27% so far this year after gaining 18% in 2020, you might have more exposure to stocks than you want. Even if you had a mix of 60% stocks and 40% bonds at the end of last year and left it alone, your stock position would have risen to about 66% by this week. He then goes on to suggest some incremental steps you can take, from simpler to more complex, to trim your risk without triggering a tax headache or knocking your investment plan off course.
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Since ancient times, humans have believed that the world is divided into two types of people: those who perform timely routine maintenance and repair on their homes, and those who don’t. This WSJ article explores the topic in an instructive and interesting way: Fixers take great pride in their understanding of the complications and quirks of their home and how to keep it all working; non-fixers are overwhelmed, uninterested or too busy to learn the basics of maintenance and routine household repair.
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You can easily harm your TV just by cleaning it. Here's what to do and, more importantly, what not to do. This cnet article explains the correct way to do the cleaning and the risks of doing it the wrong way.
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As this NYT article explains, given the recent substantial rise in prices for new and used cars, if you were lucky enough to have leased your car before the pandemic, buying it when the lease expires could be very economically beneficial.
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This WaPo article gives an excellent overview of how to spend wisely on home remodeling--covering projects to do, projects not to do, costs, and how much to spend.
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Some travel award programs are adjusting how one accumulates frequent flier benefits. Actual flying used to be the most important. Now, spending often is. This WSJ article explains the matter in some detail.
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As this report recounts, the Ottawa Senators have a 100% vaccination rate—and 40% of the team has tested positive for Covid. The sidelining of an NHL team this week shows that, while vaccination rates are high, indoor, maskless activities can still lead to an outbreak.
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If you think you need a new toilet or spend a lot to have a bidet, you need to think again. For $125 for the so gizmo, plus another $120 or so for the plumber to do the install, you can have a bidet retrofitted to your existing toilet. And once you do, the only downside is the dread of using non-bidet toilets. The benefits are substantial, including: Improved personal hygiene as being a more sanitary option than using only toilet paper; saves money while going Green; a more comfortable experience; and fewer plumbing problems. I've been told that the Bio Bidet from Costco is an excellent choice, and it's available as well on The Amazon.
When it comes to how you connect to your phone, the most important thing, as all loyal readers know and why they ask us to look for them on this front, is being cool. If you're still using wireless Airpods, you are marking yourself as not cool. As this article explains, humble ‘retro’ corded headphones are making an unexpected return, for both aesthetic and practical reasons.
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This WSJ article has an excellent comparison shopping overview of online ethically sourced groceries.
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This Johns Hopkins Medicine note points out that the symptoms of a Covid infection for fully vaccinated people may be milder than the symptoms of a Covid infection of an unvaccinated person: "The symptoms of breakthrough COVID-19 are similar to COVID-19 symptoms in unvaccinated people, but are generally milder. You may not notice any symptoms at all. If you are fully vaccinated and develop a fever, feel ill, or experience any symptom that is not typical for you, getting a COVID-19 test may be a good idea. For instance, if your allergies seem worse than usual or you experience a headache or mild cough when you normally don’t have one, talk to your doctor about being tested for COVID-19."
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I didn't get very far because it's not my favorite genre, but if you like fast-action/stunt/effect movies like Mission Impossible or James Bond, this looks to be a pretty good movie of that ilk. It's got The Rock and Ryan Reynolds who is always likeable.
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This WSJ article gives an excellent overview of the pros and cons of donor advised funds.
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If you have an Android device, finding it (and disabling it) is a snap with the Find My Device App on your phone and then any computer or phone will tell you where it is from the Find My Device website. With an iPhone, not so easy. It's a proprietary thing where you have to know the Apple ID to find it. That said, it's a good idea to go to icloud.com/find and set it up so it's there for ready reference when the Apple device is lost.
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When you next need a rental car, it might be beneficial to check Payless Rental Car. It just might turn out that the cost is 30% less than Budget or Enterprise and will produce an even bigger savings compared to National or Hertz.
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Many people do not shop for home mortgages. This WSJ article explains why that is so, but more important, why and how they should.
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Everybody asked me why I use Google Flights when planning travel, I tell them that it gives me the most useful information for booking directly (except viz Southwest Airlines) with the air carrier which is what I prefer to do (because it's easier (albeit too often not easy) to get recompense if something goes wrong). But, even more important, it gives me the environmental impact of each flight available so I can choose one with lower carbon emissions. As this article lays out, not only can you see the carbon emissions on a per flight basis, you can sort your options by carbon emission levels. And if there is a train for the same route with lower emissions, it will tell me that.
PS: Google Maps also will give the most environmentally friendly route.
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While the wheels of justice turn slow, sometimes even exceedingly fine, sometimes they turn just too slow. Not to praise John Dean in any way, but it is astounding that not one person from the Trump White House and particularly one person from its legal counsel office, is willing to come forward and be the John Dean of the January 6 insurrection. And beyond being astounding, it's fundamentally sad.
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Text of a Note Written to ReaksBedding: I just bought ReaksBedding heated mattress pad. I am going to be returning it, and have written a review to explain why. Here is the problem: While many features of this mattress pad are excellent, I have a smart-controller that I can set to turn on the plug that the mattress pad is plugged into. This worked fine with my previous mattress pad of many years so that the mattress pad would turn on automatically every night at my pre-determined set time. But once the smart plug turns off this mattress pad, it cannot be turned back on again by the smart plug, so it cannot be set to turn on at a pre-set time. As a result, I will be returning it. I offered this as feedback to the manufacturer so that it might consider a fix in the future. When buying a new heated mattress pad, it is wise to find out first if it can be controlled by a smart system.
Text of Response From the Company: Thank you so much for your suggestions. We will surely improve this function for better use.
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Begin Again has got your Mark Ruffalo and your Keira Knightly so it should be no-miss. There's good music and a bunch of very good scenes, but there's a bunch of boredom and very bad scenes, and it drags on and on. It's under 2 hours which is a plus--although it seems much longer. And it has your Haile Seinfeld who played Mattie Ross in the remake of True Grit.
[Prefatory Note: This post is the result of an experience with American. Likely, it would apply to other airlines]
First class tends to be quite expensive these days. But, if after making a reservation in what they call "economy" class or the "main cabin," you keep checking up until the last minute as to the possibility of upgrading to first class, you just might be able to at a very small cost. Even on a full-economy flight, you might find first-class is wide open. By way of example, a flight that cost over $200 where the main cabin was jam packed, for $75, first-class was so wide open this passenger got a seat with no one next to him, no one in the row across the aisle, no one in the row ahead, and no one in the row behind (there was no row behind). I don't know when these upgrades become available, but a couple of hours after one person did such an upgrade, several other first-grade seats were nabbed.
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This WSJ article details the fall of GE. In itself, it might not be of much interest. But the larger lesson to be drawn about "things" collapsing, including not just businesses but other big things like democratic governments, is captured astutely in a passage in Ernest Hemingway’s novel The Sun Also Rises. A character named Mike is asked how he went bankrupt. “Two ways,” he answers. “Gradually, then suddenly.” Afghanistan anyone? Or as King George put it, empires fall. And to put a fine point on it, as this NYT piece does, "[t]he media’s implicit model of American politics — of two coequal parties with competing governing philosophies — is fundamentally broken. Today, the most important axis of political conflict is not between left and right, but between pro- and anti-democracy forces."
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If you don't watch anything else this holiday season, or any holiday season, be sure to watch Episode 5 of The Premise on Hulu. It's reminiscent of The Twilight Zone, but in all events, it's a must-see.
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Many Americans are opting to become expatriates, seeking residency or even citizenship in other countries to lower their cost of living, receive tax benefits, add to their passport portfolio or improve their quality of life. As this WSJ article explains, rather than traveling on a tourist visa, which limits how long a visitor can stay in another country, residency acquired by Americans through a residency-by-investment program allows them to live, work or study in another country and may even include access to the local healthcare system.
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Some days are diamonds, some days are stones. Some days are two stones back to back. The Harder They Fall has gotten great reviews. You have to be okay with violence otherwise you might stop watching in the middle of the first scene. The Duff is just plain terrible and likely no one can watch past 10 minutes.
IMDb Link to The Harder They Fall
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The only thing that warms my heart more than getting a photo holiday card, is thinking about the faces of those who receive my photo holiday card. I know they're getting the best because I use cards from Simply to Impress. In our busy digital world, a tangible holiday card may provide more meaning than ever before. I’ve spent several holiday seasons testing and comparing photo-card services to find the best and easiest way to send sincere season’s greetings. And Simply to Impress is still the best service for creating and sharing holiday cheer. The site makes it easy to find and customize a stylish template. The prints are consistently the best I’ve seen. And a free design review just might save you from sending an embarrassing mistake to your nearest and dearest. Even better, this service is more affordable than many competitors that deliver less-impressive results.
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If you missed the end of the UC Riverside/ASU basketball game, you missed a classic ending. Fortunately, you can see it here: Link to Game Ending
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The question I get most from parents who come to me for counseling is what to do when their child keeps asking, "Why?" I explain to them that, while their kid’s constant questions might be annoying, they offer a unique chance to shape their developing brains. The issue is further explored in this NYT article.
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After considering 50 options and spending more than 60 hours testing, This article explains why we think the Bormioli Rocco Rock Bar tumbler is the best all-purpose drinking glass for most people. It’s durable, lightweight, and available in a variety of sizes, and in our tests it repeatedly survived counter-height drops onto a marble floor. The classic bistro styling of the Bormioli glass pairs nicely with almost any dinnerware, making it suitable for all occasions.
The march of history is in many ways not inevitable, at least not in the short-run and medium-run. Wars have started because of a series of mistakes. In that context, as bad as the insurrection of January 6 was, suppose that a couple of things that almost happened had happened. For example, suppose Pence and Pelosi had not lucked out because of some quirks of fate. How different would the Republican leadership be now? How different might an investigation have been and the call to account those responsible? How much vitality would the Trump-inflammed alt-right extremist movement have lost? In short, the irony is that the "failure" of that insurrection is what gave it life to continue the assault on the constitution. Had it "succeded," our democracy might have been secured more than ever.
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Food prices are soaring like a rocket. Even before that recently started, many people, especially those who have been raised properly, have been concerned to reduce food waste. Researchers in Canada used an ingenious idea they called a “Use-Up Day’’ in one study they undertook with a consumer goods company in 2020. Over the course of five weeks, all participating households received tips on food management and were asked to complete a weekly survey about the amount of food wasted. A randomly selected subgroup of households was asked to commit to one “Use-Up Day” each week on which they used leftover ingredients from their fridge and pantry to cook a meal. The participants who took part in the “Use-Up Day” not only reduced their food waste by a third, they also reported saving money. So maybe instead of fighting food waste just a little bit every day, pick one day a week and, on that day, focus on using what you have. I can report first hand, it works!
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How this bomb got on my watchlist is a complete mystery. Unless you like really bad Xmas romcoms, head for the hills and don't look back. Nothing about this movie, from the casting, to the acting, to the scenery, to the plot and sub-blots is any good. And this opinion is not based on watching just a snippet--it's based on the excruciating pain of watching it from beginning to end.
[Prefatory Note: As loyal readers and many others know, I have serious problems with Apple products primarily because of all the propriety stuff they build into it. Obviously, given Apple's success, others do not share my objections. But, if Apple had adopted a licensing strategy at the outset, Microsoft would never have been heard from, Apple would not have been just a trillion dollar company, it would have been a gazillion dollar company, and none of us would have had been plagued by Microsoft and its flaws. Lest anyone think I'm not a big enough person to congratulate Apple when it does something right, consider this post as an Ode to Apple]
As this NYT piece explains, Apple's new MacBook's are based on its own new chips. With these new chips, the MacBook looks to take laptops a quantum leap forward in every way. This article sets out the features of the M1 Pro and M1 Max--the two new laptops. I trust every MacBook user will rush out and buy one of these.
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[Prefatory Note: The video might or might not work in the blog post, but it should appear in the linked article when opened on the blog. If not, the still shot below of me and my buddy shows what the hydrofoil surfboard looks like in motion]
I love surfing and parasailing but as I just discovered on a recent trip to La Jolla, nothing can top being on hydrofoil surfboard. This linked article describes the board and has wonderful pictures of it in motion.
Everyone's favorite time of year is between Halloween and Thanksgiving, because it's too soon to put up Xmas lights before Halloween but doing so before Thanksgiving is a must. In the spirit of this season, this article explains why GE’s Energy Smart Colorite LED Miniature Lights should be everyone's lights of choice. I can say they've made our house shine to the envy of all our neighbors.
If you are looking for lawn products, the first place you should stop is the Yard Butler Website. Not only are their products the finest quality, their customer service is absolutely fabulous. I bought a swivel hose reel several years ago, which I absolutely have loved. It let me easily unwind and rewind a 100 feet of hose so I can reach everywhere in the yard and the cars without undue effort. They also carry replacement parts should any part ever wear out. Most important, when after 5 years there was a leaking issue, within hours of sending an email to their customer support, I received a phone call from a highly knowledgeable and very polite and professional person who was able to diagnose and get the issue resolved quickly. While you might find their products on Amazon, the small price savings is not worth it--buy directly from Yard Butler. Here is a picture of the swivel hose reel and a list of Yard Butler's products:
I love my e-bike, but the one thing I've been disappointed about it is how much it weighs. As this WSJ article sets out, there is now a crop of much lighter e-bikes than the 50-90 pounders that have been standard to date. Some are gorgeous like the LeMond Dutch which comes in at 26 pounds, but many favor the Turbo Vado SL even though it weighs 33 pounds.
Better than the first two, which gives impetus to continue watching.
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Suppose Trump had won the election, then took the stance that he had performed a miracle in bringing the vaccine to fruition, and said he wanted everyone to get vaccinated and would impose mandates and every other tool available to do so, and it would have worked in that a 99.99% vaccination rate was achieved and the pandemic was over in this country. No masking needed. No social distancing needed. And the economy roared back like a lion with full employment and higher wages and the stock market soared like a rocket ship. If you knew that were going to happen, would you have voted for Trump?
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Austan Goolsbee has written an excellent piece in the NYT explaining how, when it comes to recessions, the recession and economic dislodging created by the coronavirus is different.
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Sometimes when attempting to do a return/refund, it will be disallowed with the note that the item is "not eligible" to be returned and refunded. This is often the case with sales from third-parties. But sometimes, this message will pop up even if Amazon did the procurement and sale which one can see on the Invoice or Order Detail link. In that event, often an immediate refund can be processed quickly through Chat.
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This WSJ Article sets out various investment options (e.g., mutual funds and ETFS) that invest based on whether a company has women in leadership roles or is committed to their advancement in some other way.
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Common wisdom and peace of mind would say to pay off one's mortgage before retiring. Economic considerations may counsel otherwise. This WSJ Article lays out the pertinent considerations.
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[Prefatory Note: The idea for this post came from a loyal staffer. Not me. But I think it's spot on]
Suppose Covid-19 did not result in any one's death. Instead, being infected resulted in hideous boils and other grotesque disfigurements all over one's face and body, but no mental or other physical impairment. And there was no cure. If vaccinated, even if one got a breakthrough infection, one would be spared all such disfigurements. Is there any doubt under this scenario the vaccination rate would be close to 100%? What's wrong with our country? What's wrong with our species?
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We reviewed Back to Life positively after a couple of episodes and now have finished it. It holds up very well with many scenes that are refreshingly original. The story itself, of a woman's re-entering the world after spending 18 years in prison, is not run-of-the-mill. The sub-story of her parents is a total hoot. And the ending will not disappoint.
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We were stunned to learn that a very smart loyal reader never heard of a gahouli for opening jars. There are many jar openers on the market, but the Leifheit gahouli is the best by far. No jar can keep its lid on when confronted by this gahouli.
Right-click on the time/date thing in the System Tray and then click on Adjust date/time.
A loyal reader asserts that, when it comes to slippers, Dearfoams rival the comfort of Glerups and cost 75% less. As we see it, the bottom-line is this: Don't short-change the feet!
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With moronic notions of "freedom" espoused by mercenaries on Fox News, nut jobs like Aaron Rodgers, and a rotten underbelly of conspiratorialists on social media, the country looks doomed to never reaching a vaccination rate of even 75%. Pfizer's new pill, which appears to be 89% effective in avoiding hospitalizations or deaths of those infected with Covid-19, gives us one last chance. Let those who choose not to be vaccinated to remain unvaccinated, but anyone infected with Covid-19, who was not vaccinated, will not be eligible for the Pfizer pill unless they pay $100,000 or pay in advance the expected cost for hospitalization and burial costs. This approach does not impinge on anyone's freedom. It just abides the maxim that freedom doesn't come free, i.e., there's a cost to freedom.
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In 2020, researchers explored the question of whether face-to-face or text-based communication was more effective for resolving conflict in romantic relationships. Overall, there were no differences in these measures between couples in the two groups! Both modes of communication were equally effective (or ineffective). So if your way of resolving arguments isn’t working for you, you might want to look into the possible reasons for that—maybe it’s your style of communication, for example, or your relative willingness to take responsibility. But don’t be too quick to blame the method of communication.
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Slippers are not something to take for granted. They range from bad to excellent, and it is important to have excellent slippers. This Wirecutter article explains why Glerups are my slipper of choice, and should be everyone's.
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An earlier post said Wirecutter recommended the eufy over the Roomba. That was a mistake. Wirecutter rated the Roomba first, above the eufy. But they said the eufy was good, and we bought it because it was on sale at a significant savings.
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Auto-refreshing a browser page is a convenience one can hardly do without for pages (such as the weather or home automation) that don't refresh and hence update themselves or will log you out if not refreshed. There are quite a few browser page refreshers out there (most of which have similar names), but we had to go through quite a few to find one that did what all the others lacked: The ability to "remember" any page one wanted to refresh automatically without having to keep "telling" it to do so. It's called Auto Refresh Plus and, while it takes a minute or two to learn, does exactly that. Indeed, it will if you want even open any such designated page automatically.
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After consulting with sleepers of all kinds, here are our recommendations (which cnet agrees with) as to sheets for finicky sleepers:
The second episode of the new season is no better than the first. Many of the scenes are painful and not because of the pathos, but because of the stupidity. The episodes are just a half-hour so not that much is lost in watching. But it's just such a shame that such talent can go stale.
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It won't be as good as Lee's Hoagie House in Philadelphia and surrounds, but you can make a darn good cheese steak at home. All you need is a fabulous hoagie roll such as the hoagie roll that comes with Noble Bread's short-rib sandwich which is available once in a blue moon or on special order for special customers, some swiss cheese slices, onion slices, and shaved beef steak available at any grocery (it's inexpensive, but be sure it is marked as having "no filler"). It takes just a couple of minutes to grill the shaved steak and onions, and then make it into a pile and lay the swiss cheese over it to melt, scoop up, and slather onto the roll. Yum!!!!
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Everyone has (or should have) a leaving checklist setting out all the things one needs to do around the house (e.g., from turn off fans to setting the smart system's triggers for lights, TVs, and such) and to take with them. With the advances in A/V technology, taking a Firestick (having an extra one for travel is convenient) is a must-addition to any leaving checklist so that you can access all the streaming sources whereover you go. That said, to be safe, be sure to include a power strip or extra long connection cord or multiple outlet plug in the event the Firestick's power card does not reach an available outlet and all the available outlets are filled with other stuff. Covid test kits are not a bad thing to pack along with a cellphone stand in the event you want to tether for an internet connection. Hearing aids are arguably worthy of listing.
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The Arteck wireless keyboard not only is inexpensive (under $24 from The Amazon), looks good, feels sturdy and solid, it does not need batteries. Instead, it has a chargeable battery that lasts 6 months on a charge.
While I'm besieged by questions wanting to know how it is I sleep so well, it is amazing to me how many people don't really know how to make a bed, which is step three (after getting a good mattress and the right pillows) to getting a good sleep and a key step in making a bedroom look good. This WaPo article might not divulge all my tricks, but it's an excellent starting point for anyone who thinks making a bed is not something one needs to study a bit to master.
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If the pandemic interrupted your post-retirement plan to do the cruises you've put off all your life, say a small boat Alaskan cruise or Galapagos trip, with some careful planning, you can put back on your calendar where both crew and guests must be vaccinated and provide negative PCR tests before embarking. Captain Dan of Uncruise Adventures outlines procedures that should comfort anyone regarding Alaskan tours. The Google will have similar stuff re Galapagos and other trips. One cautionary note is that the various stated requirements are subject to change, so it is wise to be sure to be aware of what happens if any such change alters your comfort level and what you can do about it prophylactically and after the fact.
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As this WaPo article sets out, these days questions and answers when it comes to travel are a little more serious than they were pre-pandemic: Is proof of vaccination required to drink a beer at this bar? Will that hotel lobby be arranged for social distancing? Are masks required indoors in that city? Popular sites for reviews, guidance and travel booking have adapted, adding covid-19 details so users can make decisions based on safety measures as well as feedback from fellow customers.
The dispute as to whether or not soaking dishes should be done before washing them has been going on for decades. As this WaPo article explains, there is an answer, but it is not as simple as one might think.
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A recent post on robot vacuums referenced the Roomba. It should have referenced the eufy which is less expensive than the Roomba, but more highly recommended by Wirecutter and is the robot vacuum with which our team has more hands-on experience. We apologize for any inconvenience or misunderstanding, although the remedial recommendations for the Roomba's and the eufy's failure to hold are charge are essentially the same.
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As this Washington Post article lays out, the way we are living now with the pandemic, where some remain vigilantly careful, while many don't care or care a lot less, looks to be not just the present, but the future as far as one can see. There was a great opportunity to be done with this pandemic in late Spring, just as polio and tuberculosis and other scourges were eradicated. But the country changed and morons ascended with the apparent indent and certainly the drive to return us to a place where the ignorance of the Dark Ages and the viciousness of White Supremacy (aka slavery) ruled the day. Alright, enough with gloom.
If you haven't taken a vacation (not just a visit to seen children and grandchildren, but a vacation), go for it. It's rejuvenating. The ocean is still there and the sunsets are still as magnificent as ever. And places like The La Jolla Shores Hotel can bring it all together, with beachfront units with kitchens that wont for nothing (other than a better patio light for reading outside), are priced incredibly low, have garage parking that shields your car from the seagulls' you know what, and are tended to by staff and other guests mindful of masking and distancing.
PS: By way of historical note, the La Jolla Shores Hotel is right next to the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club and both are owned by the same entity. While the LJB&TC is thought to be ritzier and snootier, and it certainly is way more expensive, the LJSH would be better at the same price and is way better given the dramatic price differential. By way of example, there are many beach front rooms at the LJB&TC where people can and do walk right by your window and stare in, and at least as of 1977, there seemed to be certain "religious hurdles" some could not meet.
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Group Think is one of the common wisdom shibboleths that has persisted to explain national intelligence failures and a whole lot more. This WSJ article gives pause to that common wisdom.
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