The Lost City (2022 Movie on Amazon Prime)

Cut from the same genre cloth as Romancing the Stone and Raiders of the Lost Ark, unfortunately, The Lost City is not as good as either. It's not the worst movie in the world, but, notwithstanding a few funny lines, and despite Sandra Bullock along with Daniel Radcliffe like you've never seen him before, it's not that good. The main song is Bad Chick which is difficult to find stand-alone because it's actually a cleaned up version of Bad Energy, whose lyrics are beyond description and best not described. The search for a new series continues, making it all the more frustrating to have a poor string of movies in the meantime. There's a push to just watch some old favorites like Dirty Dancing, but that's been quashed for now.

[EOP]

The Athletic

Anyone who subscribes to the NYT sees Athletica articles on the website, but reading them has not been possible without a subscription to the Athletica. That has changed. Your NYT subscription now includes a subscription to Athletica once you Claim Access. You should get an email inviting you to do so. If clicking on the email takes you to a supposed Forbidden Place, just keep trying or contact customer support.

[EOP]

Herself (2020 Movie on Amazon Prime)

If you're looking for a bad movie you've seen before, Herself is for you ... or so I'm told. It's the story of a young mother who escapes her abusive husband and fights back against a broken housing system. She sets out to build her own home and in the process rebuilds her life and re-discovers herself. The problem with watching it now is that you won't be able to turn it off and switch to Game 7 of the Heat vs. the Celtics, which was a terrible game except for the outcome ... who doesn't love to see the Celtics get stomped on?

[EOP]

Caution re Success

In all competitive endeavors, the predicate to success is hard work, and those who succeed are those who usually worked harder. The irony is that the achievement of success too often creates the belief that one's talent (brains, judgment, skills, talents, etc.) is the font of their success and insures one's continued success. But the reality is: Work beats talent when talent doesn't work or stops working harder than the competition. Maybe that explains the Celtics loss, or maybe it was just the inability of the Celtics' coach to adjust to what was happening on the court.

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PS re Reserving a Slot in the TSA Line

A post yesterday explained that one can reserve a slot in the TSA line at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport. As we have since learned, other airports offer the same benefit.

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What the Phillies Are Up Against

Everyone hates the Braves (and their continued adulation of "the chop"), but as this clip highlights (best watched on full screen) from this past Sunday night's game, you (and even Kyle Schwarber) got to hand it to them.

[EOP]

NoiseAware: Defense Against STRs

If you live near an STR, and there is any problem with parties or noise, you might suggest to the owner/host/manager that they have NoiseAware installed. For a minimal charge, it will alert the owner/host/manager if the noise level is too high or a party is in the brewing and will send a text to the STR guest telling them to clam up. It seems to work, and should be a condition for operating an STR.

[EOP]

Reserving a Time Slot in TSA Line at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport

As explained here, if you are flying out of Terminal 3 or Terminal 4, you may reserve a time at the TSA Security Checkpoint screening area through a new program called PHX RESERVE. It's easy to schedule your space online and it's free. TSA PreCheck does not get any special benefits in the Reserve spaces.

[EOP]

Tri Tip vs. Brisket

Tri Tip looks similar to a brisket to start with, but the two are distinct as this article explains. Tri Tip is more expensive shelf-wise but the post-cooking net cost is about the same. One advantage of Tri Tip is the ability to easily get it in smaller cuts than brisket typically comes in. They're both great! If you were raised on brisket and haven't tried Tri Tip, give it a shot.

[EOP]

Final Episode of Succession

I won't do any spoiler here nor express any view except my disappointment that they didn't go with my suggestion that, after the final scene, as is done in many film stories (most recently in Love and Death) and always appreciated, they tell you what happened to each of the main characters over the remainder of their lives.

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Caution re STRs in Dublin

If you have a STR (e.g., airbnb, vrbo) set for Dublin this summer or beyond, it is important to check if it's actually still available. In an effort to ease the housing shortage, Dublin has taken steps to stem the tide of people and companies buying houses just to STR them, because doing reduces the supply of affordable housing and raises the selling price and affordability of houses. Clearly, Dublin is doing something to address their housing shortage and affordability. We wish Phoenix (and other cities in the U.S.) would do the same.

[EOP]

Bama Rush (2023 Documentary on Max)

Bama Rush focuses on women rushing the sorority system at the University of Alabama in 2022 with flashbacks to earlier eras underscoring that Alabama doesn't change with the times. It is painful to watch and half the audience might not make it all the way through. What these people are doing in school, much less a school of supposedly higher education, is the question left open by the documentarian. Talking about documentaries, this film does not rise to the quality of what Ken Burns does.

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Guide to Haggling

While many loyal readers are expert hagglers, this WSJ article is an excellent guide to those who have trepidations about haggling. It explains how you might save substantial sums on cars (the dealerships expects people to haggle even now), mortgages (you can get a lower mortgage rate), cellphone and internet (covered in various earlier posts), and medical bills (the savings can be measured in the thousands of dollars).

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Time to Rethink Cash as a Defensive Investment

Apparently learning from earlier posts, this WSJ article by Jason Zweig explains: "The ultimate defensive asset, cash has always been the refuge from a storm in any market. For most of the past 15 years, though, cash has been trash—almost literally. It earned you nothing, and it dragged down the rest of your portfolio as just about every other asset soared. By keeping interest rates at or near zero, the Federal Reserve was all but ordering you to move your money out of cash. This year, though, cash is far from trash, and it isn’t just for defense anymore either. It’s become an offensive weapon."

[EOP] 

Next Covid Booster

While I might be the only person who continues getting the Covid boosters, it is meet to point out that Pfizer and Moderna have said that the next booster will be ready this fall. Unlike the bivalent boosters of the past, this one will target the latest XBB variants (the ones, as an earlier post noted, the variants that are cresting in China).

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Recommended Meat Thermometer: ThermoPop 2

When I throw a prime rib-eye or filet mignon on the barbie, the last thing I want to do is worry about it overcooking or cutting into to see if it's done. The ThermoPop 2, available from Amazon and elsewhere, takes all the  guesswork and stress out of the process.

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Sanctions That Should Be Imposed for Bringing Bogus Election Challenge Lawsuits

Donald Trump and Kari Lake have brought untold bogus lawsuits challenging their election losses. To date, such sanctions as have been imposed have been trivial under any standard. The crime is that Trump  and Lake "profit" from their lawsuits handsomely even though they have no merit and, indeed, are truly baseless. That is because, when each such lawsuit fails, Trump and Lake launch a fund-raising effort and they rake in millions. In essence, they are playing the judicial system. If the courts had any spine, or even just a sense of what is right, they would mete out sanctions that deny Trump and Lake their ill-gotten gains, to wit, impose a fine equal to the monies raised promoting the unfairness of that lawsuit. It's not hard figuring out the amount. And the lawyers participating in the prosecution of these cases should be referred to the Bar for disciplinary action, preferably, expulsion.

[EOP]

Spelling Bee Answers for the Day Before

Instead of devoting their time to mastering the dictionary (to not exclude words that are in there (e.g., adit) and to include words (e.g., manana (tilde omitted) that are not), the people at the NYT responsible for Spelling Bee are fiddling around with changes that make no sense. Now, instead of seeing "Yesterday's Answers" on its computer home page, you see either Play Yesterday's Puzzle or Answers (which refer to today's puzzle's answers). If you click on Yesterday's Puzzle, you can find a link to yesterday's answers. Also, the displays might be totally different on your phone, where Yesterday's Answers  might still appear.

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JustWatch

I love justwatch.com for saving me time and money. Search for a particular show or movie, and JustWatch lists where you can stream or download it and how much each viewing option costs. You can filter the search results to show you only free streaming services. When a friend recently raved about the British TV series “Detectorists” — and yes, it’s fantastic — JustWatch pointed me to see it on several free streaming services that I’d never heard of, including Plex. There were commercials, but I didn’t care.

To watch the recent Dungeons & Dragons movie, I could subscribe to the Paramount Plus streaming service for $9.99 a month without ads. Or, JustWatch tells me that I can rent a digital copy for a one-time fee of $5.99 from a bunch of places including Apple, Amazon, YouTube or Microsoft.

You won’t find a cheap way to watch something like the latest hot Hulu series or Netflix movie. You’ll need to subscribe to Hulu or Netflix. (I’m not going to mention pirated viewing options.) And be aware that JustWatch has wrong information sometimes. But mostly, JustWatch is a delightful streaming companion.

There are also huge collections of mostly older TV shows and movies on free streaming services such as Pluto TV, Freevee, Tubi TV, the Roku Channel and Kanopy, which is available to some people with a public library card or university online account.

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Inserting Emoticons in Outlook

Put the cursor where you want the emoticon and press the Win and . keys, and then click on the emoticon you want to be inserted.

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Microsoft OneDrive Sign Out Problem PS

The fix I set out in a blog post a few days ago worked for 3 days, and then it didn't. I will look for another solution although I'm skeptical I can find one that does not require a register change and I'm not going to do that. In the meantime, re-signing in is quick and easy. It just takes a pin.

[EOP] 

Guarding Against Check Washing

Check washing is a type of check fraud that occurs when a written check has been stolen and “washed", oftentimes with common household chemicals, to remove the ink. The scammer can then change the check amount and payee. This antiquated approach to fraud has seen a resurgence recently and stands as the second most common form of consumer fraud. Check washing results in $815 million lost in the United States each year alone. There are a few steps to take in preventing check washing. You can start by utilizing online banking and electronic forms of Bill Pay as a more secure way to pay. If writing a check cannot be avoided, it should be done using a black gel pen. The gel seeps into the fibers of a check and will ruin an attempt of washing. Any valuable mail should be taken directly inside a USPS Postal Office and handed to an employee. Using stand-alone USPS receptacle boxes should be avoided, as scammers can “fish” for mail by dropping a string with a sticky substance on the end into the receptacle and pulling back out envelopes. Do not place valuable mail in your mailbox. Never raise the red flag on the box, as this is an invitation and draws criminal attention to take your mail over other boxes where the flag is down. Better yet, stop paying stuff with checks.

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HTTPS

In Chrome, as you can see below, under Settings/Privacy and security/Security/Advanced, there's a toggle  to turn on or turn off Chrome warning you about websites that are not HTTPS. If you try to go to such a website, the “Not Secure” warning is alerting you that information sent and received with that page is unprotected and it could potentially be stolen, read or modified by attackers, hackers and entities with access to internet infrastructure (like Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and governments). The “Not Secure” warning does not mean that your computer or the site you are visiting is affected by malware. It only serves to alert you that you do not have a secure connection with that page. So, if you're not sending any info to the site, there's no harm or risk in going to it. Finally, some websites that are perfectly fine might not give you the warning but will start jiggling and not load unless you turn off the toggle.

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Stopping Microsoft OneDrive From Logging You Out

[Prefatory Note: This fix has been working for 3 days for me. I hope posting it here does not jinx the fix. I will let you know if it does]

It is a known issue that Microsoft OneDrive might start logging you out whenever you turn off the computer or even in the middle of a computer session. Here is a possible fix: While being logged out of OneDrive, go to Start/Control Panel/Credential Manager, then click on the Windows Credentials tab, and then click on and remove anything looking related to your Microsoft Account.  

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Foods to Keep You Hydrated

As this NYT article explains, water need not come in eight 8-ounce glasses daily. Fresh fruits and vegetables, and various beverages, are viable sources of hydration.

[EOP]

Baseball Trivia Questions

1. Luis Gonzalez, one of the Arizona Diamondbacks most beloved and best players, played in 2,591 games over his career and ended up with 2,591 hits. How many other players with at least 10 seasons, okay 5 seasons, fine make it 1 season, had the same number of hits as they had games played?

2. Bryce Harper, one of the players who realized the Washington Nationals was not a team to stay with, two nights ago had his 1,400th base hit and it was his 1,400th game. How many players have done that?

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Electric RV

Bowlus is an all-electric RV manufacturer and they are our choice when it comes to RVs. You can see how sleek they are. Trust me, they are quite comfortable as well.

[EOP]

Netflix Password Sharing Is Over

We have railed for years about people password sharing their Netflix account, aka intellectual property theft. We spoke, Netflix listened. Netflix has revealed the details of how its crackdown on password sharing will affect viewers in the US. Netflix subscribers on its two cheapest plans (Basic or Standard with Ads, which cost $9.99 and $6.99 per month, respectively) don’t have the option to add extra members to their account at all. If you have the Netflix Standard plan that costs $15.49 per month, then you have the option of adding one extra member who can use the service outside your household for $7.99 extra each month. Anyone who pays for the Netflix Premium package with 4K streaming has the option of adding up to two extra members, but each one will still cost another $7.99.

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Why iPhone's Chat Messaging Gets Goofy

The Messages chat app that’s standard on iPhones scrambles the content of texts so hackers can’t intercept them and learn your secrets. But the encryption security only works if you’re messaging with another iPhone user. If you’re sending a text from your iPhone’s Messages app to your friend’s Android phone, the message is less secure and sometimes janky. Videos sent from Apple’s Messages app often come out squashed to a recipient with an Android phone, for example. Apple executives have said for years that digital privacy is a fundamental human right. But Apple makes the privacy of your text messages a privilege only for iPhone owners. Apple could choose instead to make seamless and secure chat messages for everyone right now. Apple chief executive Tim Cook said last year that iPhone users don’t want the company to put a lot of energy into making seamless chats between iPhones and Android phones.

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Another Covid Wave: Oh Please, Don't Chicken Little Me

According to a Bloomberg Report, the XBB Covid variant is supposed to reach 65 million infections a week in China by this summer. China is rushing to bolster its vaccine arsenal with immunizations specifically targeting XBB. I would be the last person to say there's any concern here in America. There's nobody like us to know exactly what to do to stem the dangers of Covid. As the Republicans are assuring us, we are certainly not going to make the kind of mistakes we made before--by requiring vaccinations, social distancing, masking, and fast-tracking vaccine development. And given that we've pretty well stopped tracking and reporting Covid cases, we might have the good fortune of not even seeing it here in America.

But as loyal readers know, I'm a cockeyed optimist, and here's the silver lining in all this. Putting aside the human and medical issues, such a Covid rise in China could create the kind of supply chain disruptions that led to the massive inflation and job shrinkage in America on an even larger scale. Couple that with the risk of the U.S. defaulting or its debt being downgraded, and you have what Wall Street always loves to see: A wall of worry that will send the stock market soaring like a hawk. 

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Hyundai Ioniq 6 and Hyundai Hybrid

The Hyundai Ioniq 6 EV is getting reviews such that one might consider it if one is thinking about a Tesla 3. It's about the same price and unlike other EVs in this price range or lower, it's styling is such that, you might or might not like it, but it's not a drawback.

Hyundai also has two sedan hybrids--the Elantra and Sonata--that are competitively priced with the Prius and seem to do as well mpg-wise, and look like sedans are supposed to look although we wish they would get rid of the oversize front grills that have become so popular.

PS: Kia's EVs do not have the front grill problem, but they have only SUV EVs, no sedan EVs.

[EOP]

Mike Block's Hats at the PGA Championship

On Days 1-3, Mike Block (the guy who "stole" the coverage of the PGA Championship) wore a hat that had RAW on it. On Day 4, his hat had TaylorMade on it. A lot of conspiracy and cynical theories popped up, but here's the deal: In this case, RAW refers to the raw steel finish of the TaylorMade Milled Grind 3 (MG3) wedges. While most irons and wedges have shiny chrome plating over the steel used to make the clubs, some brands offer raw, un-chromed versions of irons and wedges that will rust over time and with exposure to moisture. The MG3 wedges have a raw steel hitting surface but come with a sticker that covers the raw steel, so nothing rusts until the clubs are purchased. Shortly after those clubs were released in August 2021, TaylorMade promoted them by having staff pros wear RAW hats at a few PGA Tour events, and then they made the hats available on the company’s website. Staff teaching professionals like Block often get promotional items like hats, towels, Bluetooth speakers and headcovers. If you are looking for a RAW hat, you’re out of luck. They are listed as sold out on TaylorMade’s website and other golf retail sites. We reached out to representatives from TaylorMade, but there is no word on the brand re-releasing the hat.

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Importance of Koepka's PGA Championship Win

If any of the majors use qualifying criteria that would keep out a LIV Golf golfer (e.g., OWR points) who otherwise everyone knows should be there, an asterisk will have to accompany the name of the purported winner.

[EOP] 

Pros and Cons of Induction Cooktops

Pros:

1. Raising and lowering the heat is incredibly quick.

2. They are a breeze to clean.

3.  They are safer than gas.

4. They lose much less energy than radiant-electric and gas stove tops.

Cons:

1. They are more expensive.

2. They require cookware whose bottoms are magnetic.

3. You cannot cook when the power goes out (unlike with gas).

[EOP]

The End of Free Paper Boarding Passes Is Near

Some airlines have begun charging (from $5 to $25) for printing paper boarding passes, while removing airport kiosks that print boarding passes. Even some of our most technologically sophisticated travelers like the security of having a paper boarding pass in addition to having a boarding pass on one's phone. Oh well. The key thing is to be sure one's phone is charged or carry a battery backup before heading to the check-in lines.

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Tip re Traveling to Russia

If you're thinking of traveling to Russia, the first thing to do is check the Russian No-FLy List to make sure you're not on it. If you actually read down the list, it might turn out you know someone on it. The second thing to do is make sure you are a world-class professional athlete, preferably a goat, and not just a journalist. Otherwise, you might not get the daily attention and pressure if you are arrested and have the Vice-President attend your return to your sport's arena. 

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Preparing for the Debt Ceiling Not Being Raised in Time

As Paul Krugman pointed out, in a rare criticism of anything Democrat, President Biden's grievous error on the debt ceiling was not addressing the problem during the lame duck session before the Republicans took over the House, and then not even looking to address the issue until time started running out. I have no idea if the U.S. is going to actually default nor any idea if, absent a default, the stock market decides the game of chicken being played is too scary to stick around for. In either event, it is thought by many that the stock market could, and very likely would, take a huge hit. In that event, there is probably only one place to "hide" and come out okay: Have enough money in "safe cash" that will be available to buy what would be one of the bigger "dips" we might have ever seen in the markets.

[EOP]

Best Ant Bait: The Terro T300

 If you try to kill household ants the wrong way, you can actually split the colony—and make the problem worse. That won’t happen with Terro T300 Liquid Ant Baits, a favorite among homeowners because they’re simple to use, widely available, and filled with an effective, slow-acting poison that targets and eliminates the entire colony. The active ingredient in Terro T300 Liquid Ant Baits is borax, a relatively safe compound that can even work as a laundry detergent. Borax has a long track record of success against indoor ants, and when mixed with a sweet, syrupy liquid, it creates an attractive meal for an ant. Unlike many competitors, Terro uses a clear bait station that is easy to monitor. Terro has a great reputation, with tons of positive reviews and excellent feedback on a variety of retailer sites. And it costs just $14 at Amazon.

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Roasting Instead of Poaching Shrimp

The traditional method is to poach shrimp in a pot of seasoned water, but roasting the crustaceans concentrates their flavor, keeping them plump and tender with far less of a risk of overcooking. Besides, roasting is a snap. Toss the peeled shrimp on a sheet pan with a drizzle of olive oil and pinch of salt, and then throw the pan in the oven at high heat. The shrimp will be done in 10 minutes or fewer, depending on their size. Since you don’t need to plunge the shrimp in an ice bath to stop the cooking, they won’t be overly chilled. Served warm or at room temperature, the shrimp are at their succulent best.

If you don’t mind the expense, choose extra-large shrimp (16 to 20 shrimp per pound), which are attractive to serve and forgiving to cook. But smaller, more economical shrimp also work perfectly, as long as you shave a minute or two from the roasting time and watch them carefully. The shrimp are done when they turn from translucent gray to opaque pink, but they shouldn’t curl into rounds, which indicates overcooking. Think gently curving ears, not tightly coiled Os.

[EOP]

Kabob Grill N' Go (Phoenix Restaurant at 30350 N. 16th Street)

Kabob Grill N' Go is ranked 5 onYelp's 100 best restaurants in the Southwest. I've never tried or even heard of it. The menu has fewer choices than some of its competitors (e.g., Khyber Halal and The Palms Mediterranean Kitchen which I have frequented and reviewed here) but the pictures make the dishes look quite tasty. They are not open on Sunday so that's a big downer and don't open until noon on the days they are open which is another big downer and they do not have online ordering which is a third-strike big downer. I doubt I'll try it.

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Cautionary Note re Closed Checking Accounts and Credit Cards and a Plea

Cautionary Note: Anyone who has alerts on their credit cards and checking accounts know how useful they are. Once a credit card or checking account is closed, the alerts one had on the accounts are dissolved (at least at Chase) and cannot be put back on by customer request or otherwise. As Chase has now been informed in no uncertain terms and at several administrative levels, the elimination of alerts on closed accounts can create major problems for customers and for Chase that could be avoided if the deposit alerts were allowed to remain on the closed accounts. Most importantly, without their being an alert for funds coming into the closed account (which can happen if there is a refund or an ACH payment), the customer might never know about the deposit and the money will be returned to the merchant. Given that the customer is unaware of what happened, the customer will be out the money without ever knowing about it. And, even if the customer is lucky enough to learn about the deposit, it can take hours and days and multiple phone calls and escalations for the customer to get back their money. 

Plea: If you are a Chase customer, please call the  number on the back of your debit card, ask to speak to a supervisor, and then ask for a manager call back, and if doesn't come as promised, repeat the process until a manager does call you. Then explain to the manager why it would benefit both Chase and its customers for Chase to allow for deposit alerts on closed checking account(s) and credit card(s). You might give the explanation to the lower level reps and supervisors, but they likely have no interest in listening to you.

PS: If you are not a Chase customer, you should ask your bank/credit card company to allow for alerts on any closed account/card you have with them.

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Victorinox Carry-On Luggage

The Victorinox Spectra 3.0 Frequent Flyer Carry-on looks like most such carry-on bags:

But when you look closer, you will see that you can pack stuff (like a laptop) in an external compartment that you can access without opening the case itself:

How cool is that? It cost a bit more than similar looking luggage, but its advantage looks to make it well worth it. There's also a model that will expand to carry more stuff if you need it and are willing to check your bag. But no one in their right mind would check their laptop so what's the point. 

[EOP]

High Desert (2023 Original Apple+ Series)

We never before have had 4 data points on the first episode of a series where everyone agrees that High Desert is a big yawner. You wouldn't even know it's a comedy if you didn't read the review of it that tells you it's a comedy. 

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Skill and Background Needed to Be an Exterminator "Specialist"

 Actual photograph taken on my morning walk:

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Inversion of the Yield Curve Does Not Always Mean a Recession Is Coming

The yield curve has been inverted (i.e., short-term Treasury rates (e.g., the 2y) are higher than long-term Treasury rates (e.g., the 10y)) for some time, and lately, quite steeply. Common wisdom would say that foreshadows a recession. As this WSJ article explains, perhaps not so fast.

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Difficult Golf Courses vs. Making a Golf Course Difficult

Oak Hill, the site of this week's PGA Championship (which no one, including me, cares about), is said to be an extremely difficult golf course. The reason for that, everyone agrees, is because of what the set up crew has done with the rough, namely, narrowed the fairways to make it more difficult to avoid and made it so thick that it's almost impossible to get out of. When Troon was set up for the Mid-Amateur, that's what they did to the course, and indeed, it was such that, when one hit into the rough, the ball could easily be lost. The course was not designed with unfairly punishing rough, and the designer did not say, "Goose this course up when the PGA plays here). And the great courses (Augusta, Pinehurst No. 2, Pine Valley, The Old Course at St Andrews, Pebble Beach, Merion East, Cypress Point) do not need to be goosed up to withstand the onslaught of touring professionals. Here's the point: I could take any course and goose it up to make it extremely difficult. That's not what golf course design, which is a tradition like none other, is supposed to be about. It's supposed to be about making a golf course fun to play and fun to watch others play. In all events, to set up a course to eliminate most of the field ignores the cardinal principal: Everyone is playing the same course.

[EOP]

Benefits of Air Drying Your Laundry

Air drying laundry has obvious environmental benefits including saving energy by not using an electric or gas dryer. Further, as this WaPo article explains, beyond the fresh smell, exposure to the sun can also have antimicrobial effects on fabrics.

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New Verizon Plans

Verizon has announced new cellphone plans that go into effect on May 18. I am not a Verizon customer and don't understand how the new plans compare to the existing plans, but they are available to both new and existing customers. They might save some customers money. Or they might not.

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The Lowdown on Food Expiration Dates

As this WaPo article explains, the confusion over food expiration dates is more than just an inconvenience for shoppers. All that bad labeling means a lot of good food goes to waste, as consumers misinterpret dates and throw away refrigerators full of edible food. Most dates you see on food items are for freshness, not safety, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. A product past its “best if used by” date may not taste as good as something fresh off the shelf. But it is often perfectly healthy to eat. Some stuff though, subject to listeria like Deli meats, should be afforded special caution.

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Grocery Store Sushi

Grocery store sushi might be an anathema to the sushi connoisseur, but it's actually (at least from Fry's) not bad at all. Best of all, you can get a party tray for about $19 that is good for at least 4 meals, and that's a great deal. You might buy some a la carte soy sauce, ginger, and wasabi because it really is a lot of sushi.

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Preventing Fruit Fly Infestation in Your Kitchen

As this cnet article explains, keeping your kitchen clean and dry, throwing out garbage frequently, picking produce carefully, and storing it in the fridge are your best bets for preventing fruit flies from reproducing. When you're dealing with an infestation, put vinegar and a couple drops of dish soap in a bowl, cover the bowl with cling wrap and poke holes into it. That will kill the adults. Sticky paper works at trapping them, too. 

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Troubleshooting a Faulty Webcam

There are countless reasons one's webcam might stop working. Before trying things such as updating the driver or reinstalling the webcam or rebooting the computer, ask yourself if you might have done what we just learned a subscriber had done: He inadvertently (so he claims) closed the webcam's lens cover. When asked how he did that, now sit down for this, he admitted he didn't even know a webcam had a lens cover. It just go to prove what we've long said: Some people should not be allowed near a computer without adult supervision. 

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Shipping Labels Are Not Recyclable

Much of the packaging (e.g., paper and cardboard) one gets on home delivery is recyclable. But while the package might say it is 100% recyclable (as Amazon does), it is NOT. As this article explains, address labels and sticky notes are called “pressure-sensitive adhesives” (PSA), and PSAs do not dissolve in water, but fragment into smaller particles. Since most paper recycling systems use water to transform paper into a pulp, this causes problems. The particles from PSAs are difficult to screen out or filter from this pulp and can become lodged in papermaking equipment. The particles can even become lodged in the paper itself, creating holes or weak spots in the paper that can cause the paper to rip or tear and cause jams in printers and copiers. So what does this mean? Don’t put items like labels, stickers, stamps, and tape in the recycling bin because it causes more harm than good.

[EOP]

Artichokes Done Easily

Artichokes are delicious and simple and quick to prepare in the microwave. The choice of dipping sauces (from butter, to oil, to ranch dressing, to your own concoction) is endless.

Prepare Artichokes: Rinse artichokes. Snap off and discard any errant outer leaves on stems. Snip off any large thorns on leaves using kitchen shears. Saw off and discard top-third of leaves (inedible leaves furthest from stem) using serrated knife. Cut off and discard lower part of stem, leaving at least 1 inch attached to artichoke.

Cook Artichokes: Place both artichokes in microwave-safe dish with water. Cover with lid or plastic wrap. Microwave on high until very tender, about 8 minutes for small artichokes or 9 minutes for medium to large artichokes. Artichokes are done when outer leaves can be easily pulled off and toothpick can be inserted into stem with little resistance. If not done, microwave for another minute and test for doneness again. Set artichokes aside until cool enough to handle.

Serve Artichokes: Slice cooled artichokes in half, through stem, handling carefully to avoid breaking off tender leaves. Scoop out and discard fuzzy needle-like white centers and purple leaves from each artichoke half using spoon. Arrange artichokes on serving plates. Optionally, lightly brush cut surfaces with olive oil and season with pepper, salt, and thyme. Serve with prepared dipping sauce and empty plate for discarded leaves.

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World Health Organization Warning re Artificial Sweeteners

The World Health Organization this week warned against using artificial sweeteners to control body weight or reduce the risk of noncommunicable diseases, saying that long-term use is not effective and could pose health risks. These alternatives to sugar, when consumed long term, do not serve to reduce body fat in either adults or children, the W.H.O. said in a recommendation, adding that continued consumption could increase the risk of Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and mortality in adults. Some examples of the sweeteners include aspartame, saccharin, sucralose and stevia. The W.H.O.’s announcement contradicts previous studies that have said these sweeteners don’t offer any health benefits but also do not cause harm.

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Cautionary Note on Travel Insurance

This NYT article explains the importance of reading the fine print when it comes to travel insurance, because in it you might find the policy will not cover what you would think it covers.

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The Diplomat (2023 Series on Netflix)

It takes a really huge person to revisit a decision and an even huger person to admit when they are wrong. As the result of recommendations of a staff member and a semi-loyal reader, we revisited our panning of The Diplomat based on Episode 1. Having now watched Episodes 2 and 3, if you liked the West Wing or Borgen, and if you like Keri Russell, you will love this series. It is as a gripping and compelling as political drama gets. Even the guy who played Lenny in Laverne & Shirley turns in a stellar performance as the president.

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Plan B Needed for Democrat Presidential Candidate in 2024

Two events could lead to Biden's withdrawing his 2024 presidential candidacy: (i) a health issue; or (ii) his favorability ratings and polling show he likely would lose to Trump, and a Gene McCarthy-type knocks him out in a primary (not by winning as McCarthy did not win in New Hampshire, but by a much stronger than expected showing). The later a Biden withdrawal happens, the more difficult it is for his replacement to become viable. Harris is even more unpopular than Biden; Buttigieg's mayoral tenure was unspectacular and his cabinet gig has been marred; Gavin was married to Gilfoyle; Whitmer (my current favorite) has no national machine in place; and the 2020 candidates have already proven not to be viable. That leaves two people who could raise the money and put a national machine in place quickly. The first is Hillary Clinton, but her age and 2016 performance disqualify her. That leaves one person. I will leave it at that with the one hint: It's an African American woman, whose polling makes her one of the most popular people in the country and who would have no difficulty on either the money or organizational front.

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Speeding Up Chrome

Chrome is by far the most popular and fastest Windows-based browser. But that doesn't mean you can't make your Chrome browser even faster. Here's how:

1. Disable or uninstall any extensions you are not using. See Settings/More Tools/Extensions.

2. If you keep a lot of tabs open, turn on the Memory Saver. See Settings/More Tools/Performance.

3. Clear your cache regularly.

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It Ain't Over (2022 Movie in Theatres)

If ever I were to see a movie in a movie theatre again, it would be to see It Ain't Over. It's a movie about the only player, other than Joe DiMaggio, to hit 350 home runs while striking out fewer than 450 times, not to mention his feat in 1950 of striking out just 12 times in 656 at bats (outdone only by a certain Abington little leaguer). It's a biographical account of a guy with an indelible way with words: “You can observe a lot by watching" and “it was déjà vu all over again,” not to mention "it ain't over till it's over," "when you come to a fork in the road take it," "no one goes there nowadays, it's too crowded," "baseball is 90% mental and the other half is physical," "you better cut the pizza in four pieces because I'm not hungry enough to eat six," and "Slump? I ain't in no slump. I just ain't hitting."

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The Best Hoe

If you're still using a regular hoe, it's time to switch to a stirrup hoe (which costs just $28). With a relatively low-effort push and pull of this tool, I can slay weeds in a fraction of the time it’s taken me to use other removal techniques. This lightweight, durable tool has saved my back, rescued my precious garden beds, and transformed a once-tedious task into something—dare I say—fun. 

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The Trip to Bountiful (1985 Movie on TMC)

You might like or not like The Trip to Bountiful, but if you like first-rate acting, this is first-rate acting. John Heard, Carlin Glynn, and Rebecca De Mornay turn in marvelous performances. But Geraldine Page proves why everyone who knows what they are talking about says she is the greatest American actress of our time. And don't give me any of that Meryl Streep stuff (Geraldine Page would not be caught doing Mamma Mia!). It is fitting that Page got the best actress Oscar for this movie, beating out Streep who was nominated the same year for her role in Out of Africa.

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African Proverb

"If you think you are too small to make difference, you haven't spent a night with a mosquito." African Proverb

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The Healthy Side of Negative Emotions

Many people think their negative emotions are something to suppress or hide or that being called a negative person is a criticism. As it turns out, per this NYT article, people who habitually judge negative feelings — such as sadness, fear and anger — as bad or inappropriate have more anxiety and depression symptoms and feel less satisfied with their lives than people who generally perceive their negative emotions in a positive or neutral light. Thus, a growing body of research indicates people fare better when they accept their unpleasant emotions as appropriate and healthy, rather than try to fight or suppress them. Wow, this is a relief!

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Sliver of Hope on the Trump Lawsuits

Having taken 2.5 years to prepare their cases, there will be no trial before the 2024 elections should Trump be indicted in the Georgia case, the document case, or the insurrection case, so those indictments will be hot topics for about 2 news cycles. We will not see Trump in a suit that matches the color of his hair. But, as a loyal reader has pointed out, there very well could be trials of those named as conspirators with Trump in each of those cases, with testimony from witnesses who have flipped on Trump. That could be something.

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Bad Judging, Good Lawyering

Wendy Rogers is a right-wing, anti-Semitic, whack job who does not live in the district she represents, and claims a per diem amount above that which she would be entitled to if she lived in the district she represents. A reporter sought to determine where Rogers lived and rang the doorbell of her Flagstaff home (the home not in her district) and the purported home in her district in Chandler. Rogers sought an ex parte injunction alleging feelings of fear and harassment, which astoundingly and outrageously was granted by a justice of the peace (referred to by the Arizona Republic Story and Headline as a "judge"). Given the injunction's obvious violation of the first amendment, the reporter and her newspaper demanded a hearing, at which the justice of the peace found that the restraining order was unjustified and vacated it. Rather than leave it there, the justice of the peace, for reasons that need not be explained, said he believed that Rogers' feelings of fear and harassment were real even though other reasonable people might not feel the same. Kudos to the cross-examination by the reporter's lawyer, eliciting from Rogers that she had rang doorbells or knocked on doors "tens of thousands" of times while running for office, not to mention that trick-or-treaters and process-servers and others do so all the time.

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Biden Is No John Kennedy and Not Even a Ronald Reagan

The ability to give the perfect (or at least a terrific answer) to tough questions is the hallmark of a skilled politician. A loyal reader pointed out, as can be seen in this clip, the self-aggrandizing blathering answer Biden gave when asked: "Given that no Fortune 500 company would hire an 82 year old to run it, why should the country hire an 82 year old to run it?" A terrific answer (and some would say the perfect answer) would be: "Every brokerage firm, every financial firm, and I would say every Fortune 500 company, would hire a certain 92 year old man to run it. And every person who cares about the financial wellbeing of their family would hire that same certain 92 year old man to run their finances. I'm just glad I don't have to run against Warren Buffet in the next election."

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When It Comes to Smartphones, Reasons to Buy the Budget Model Instead of the Pro Model

The major smartphone makers (Google, Apple, and Samsung) offer budget models at about $500 or Pro models at about $900. This NYT article explains why most people should opt for the budget models. Wirecutter's best pick is the Google Pixel 7a, which we are pleased to say has wireless charging--a must for any phone you get. Wirecutter also favors the Google Pixel Tablet for $500, which they say gives the iPad a run for its money, and it too  has wireless charging.

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Best Wet Floor Mop

When it comes to wet mopping a floor, it is crucial to have a great wet mop. We've tried several, and trust us, the Libman Wonder Mop wipes the floor with all its purported competition. As an added plus, you don't need a special bucket to wring it out.

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Kris Mayes on Arizona Horizon

If you missed it, Kris Mayes on Horizon two nights ago knocked it out of the ballpark on Arizona Horizon. I’m certainly glad she’s our AG. I wish she were our governor. And, yes, anyone reading a certain column in Thursday's Arizona Republic will see immediately that they too have a transmitter in my tooth that they listen to and a spy cam on my computer screen that they watch.

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Searching for Sugarman (2012 Movie on Amazon (But Not Free))

[Prefatory Note: This movie was recommended by a new reader who has no track record when it comes to video or audio stuff. It is meet to note that they had serious difficulty enrolling on the blog's email list and they watch stuff on a teeny tiny TV screen]

Searching for Sugarman is the story of Rodriquez, a mysterious 1970s rock 'n roller who was wildly popular in South Africa--often referred to as the Bob Dylan of South Africa, but was barely known in the United States. Rodriquez appears in the movie which gets a little confusing because so does Stephen "Sugar" Segerman who also was one of the writers. The appearance of Clarence Avant, the so-called Chairman of Motown, is a hoot. The movie has an overhanging ambrosia that appeals to the intellectuals in the audience which perhaps explains the recommendation. One inexplicable and frustrating thing about the movie is that they never play a whole song by Rodriquez, opting instead for snippets that tease but do not fulfill. Here are some of my favorite Rodriquez tracks, and they are good: I Wonder, Cause, Crucify Your Mind, and, of course, Sugarman.

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The Law Checks Its Common Sense at the Door

The First Circuit Court of Appeals vacated the convictions of two people for conspiring to commit fraud and bribery by making illicit payments to a college counselor to get their kids into college. The reasoning of the court was that the government failed to prove that the admission's spots cheatingly obtained for the kids were "property." Oh please!!!

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Reason to Wash Produce Before Peeling

Many readers want to know if they should  wash avocados before cutting them, to get any yucky stuff off the peel or skin? Even if the skin won't be eaten? Not bananas, which are perfectly designed, but mangoes, oranges, other fruits and vegetables like potatoes, and others. Absolutely, you should be washing your produce, even if you're not eating the outside. The issue is that when you cut into it, you may drag any contamination on the outside into the flesh. But all you need is cold running water and a bit of scrubbing. No soap! Then pat dry with a clean towel. 

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Why Home Prices Are Not Coming Down as Expected

The experts predicted that home prices would fall as interest rates rose. But they have not. What the experts missed is that homeowners with low mortgage rates have become reluctant to put their homes on the market because moving to a new place means doubling their mortgage rate. So, supply of homes for sale has become lower than expected and, when supply is low, under the so-called law of supply and demand, prices tend to be high.

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Should Plaintiff's Counsel Have Called Trump to Testify at His Rape/Assault/Defamation Trial?

[Prefatory Note: The resolution of the question posed does not depend on what the jury decided, but instead, must be addressed BEFORE plaintiff rested and BEFORE the outcome of the case would be known. Hence, in deciding whether or not plaintiff's counsel should have put Trump on the stand as part of plaintiff's case, it is essential to ignore the actual jury decision. Put another way, having Trump testify could have resulted in losing the case or confirming that the plaintiff was telling the truth that she was raped, and could have affected the damage awards]

Everyone agrees that it would have been a mistake for defense counsel to have had Trump testify in his defense. As they see it, Trump is a total loose canon, totally uncontrollable, and so stupid that he was bound to hurt his case. Given that thinking, it is a mystery why we have found only one person who thinks plaintiff's counsel should have called Trump to testify under cross-examination as part of plaintiff's case. That person is of the view that where, as here, the jury's ultimate decision is who is telling the truth and who is not telling the truth, and their penultimate decision is who has the more honorable character, even the most incompetent lawyer would have had little difficulty doing a devastating cross-examination of Trump--destroying his credibility and his character. In fairness to the critics of that one voice in the wilderness, the critics can accurately point out he lost cases he never should have lost. 

PS: Not that it's relevant to anything, but the plaintiff's case was funded by Reid Hoffman, a billionaire and major donor to the Democratic party. Nor is it relevant that the plaintiff testified at her deposition that she received no outside funding for the litigation, after which her lawyer sent a letter to defense counsel that her client "remembered just recently" that she had been told at some point about outside funding by a nonprofit.

PPS: Again not that it's relevant to anything, but here's what the jury found as damages after 3 hours of deliberation: A total of $5 million, with $2 million in compensatory damages and $20,000 in punitive damages for battery, and with $1 million in compensatory damages, $1.7 million for reputation repair, and $280,000 in punitive damages for defamation.

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Chicken My Way: Delicious and Simple and Fast to Prepare

For pull-apart tender chicken with crisp, deeply spiced skin, rub it with a spicy-sweet mix and roast it low and slow while you’re doing something else. Because this chicken is cooked at a moderately low temperature, the spices will bloom but not burn, and the chicken fat will render slowly and completely (which means you don’t need any oil). The smoky rub in this recipe will turn the chicken skin into what tastes like a barbecue potato chip, but you can use other spice blends, too, like garam masala or Montreal steak seasoning. Just be sure your mix includes sugar for browning and salt for accentuating flavors. Whole chicken legs (with the thigh and drumstick attached) provide a more generous portion of juicy meat and skin that shatters, but a mix of drumsticks and bone-in thighs work, too.

                                   

Preparation:

Step 1: Heat the oven to 325 degrees. In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, paprika, salt, black pepper and cayenne with a fork or your fingers. Rub the spice mix all over the chicken. (You can do this step 1 to 12 hours ahead. Refrigerate uncovered, then bring to room temperature before cooking.)

Step 2: Place the chicken on a parchment-lined baking sheet, skin side up. Bake, without flipping, until the chicken is cooked through and the skin is crisp, 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes. Eat the chicken with pan drippings spooned over top.

Ingredients (Yield: 4 servings):

4 teaspoons dark brown sugar

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

1½ teaspoons kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)

½ teaspoon black pepper

A heaping ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne

4 chicken leg quarters (2½ to 3 pounds), patted dry

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Social Security Designee

You Social Security Website allows you to do many things (e.g., change your direct deposit info; get a replacement card). One thing many people are not aware of is the Advance Designation of Representative Payee feature. It allows you easily to designate someone(s) you trust to receive and manage your benefit payments in the event you become unable to do so yourself.

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Problem With Tribe's 14th Amendment Debt Ceiling Solution

From a semi-loyal reader: "Whatever the correct solution may be, ignoring the statutorily imposed debt ceiling and issuing new debt  would have some of the same financial and economic consequences as a default. Interest rates would soar on the newly issued debt because of the risk that it may ultimately determined by the Supreme Court to be invalid and its validity in the interim would be uncertain.  Soaring interest rates would make government borrowing more expensive, endanger financial institutions and, in general, have an adverse impact on the economy.  By the time the issue is resolved by the Supreme Court, even if favorable to Biden, significant and likely lasting damage will have been done. Both Biden and McCarty, thus, hold grenades in their hands. The only question is whether either of them believes the other will actually pull the pin. Like two teenagers driving head-on towards each other in a highway game of chicken, the best way to avoid disaster is for one of the drivers to visibly yank off his steering wheel as he heads toward a head-on collision so that the other driver knows a collision is inevitable unless he takes evasive action."

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We All Need to Be Swifties

Thanks to a semi-loyal reader: Taylor Swift 

My Favorite Free Bird Apps and Websites

Merlin Bird ID: If you hear a bird singing and are curious what species it is, click “Sound ID” and press record. The app taps into a database of bird calls and pops up a match between that chitter-chatter sound you’re hearing and a chimney swift. Or tap “Start Bird ID” and enter a few details including your location and the bird’s size and primary colors. The app will suggest a few likely species. You can also choose “Explore Birds” to see common birds in your area.

All About Birds: This Cornell website lets you look up any bird in North America and see photos, hear its songs, learn about its diet and habits, and gets tips to identify it in the wild. 

eBird: Birders use the eBird app to record and save a list of the species they’ve seen when they’re out bird watching. The eBird website is useful for travelers, too. When I was last in the Bay Area, I used eBird’s “hot spots” map to zoom into San Francisco and see where people had recently saved birdwatching checklists from the eBird app. It looked like lots of people had been birdwatching in Fort Mason Park so I went there, too. EBird is complicated to use but Cornell has a free online course to get the most from its features.

Audubon Bird Guide: This app has many of the same features as Merlin, but I use both. The Audubon app has more details about each bird and the “similar” tab can help if you’re not sure whether that tiny black and white bird is a black-and-white warbler, a blackpoll warbler or a black-capped chickadee.

Birda: I have not tried this app yet. This app that has social features in addition to keeping a list of birds you’ve seen.

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Lawrence Tribe Gets It Right (Finally)

Back in 2011, when President Obama blinked and announced that he was taking his 14th Amendment arrow out of his quiver, the world knew that, for all his brilliance and charisma, President Obama was no Lyndon Johnson. In fact, he was no negotiator at all. And Lawrence Tribe backed him. Now, with President Biden about to make the same mistake Obama made, as his opinion piece explains, Professor Tribe has come to his senses. Alas, it is likely too little and too late. As angry as the Republicans can make one, watching Democrats not stand up to them with everything they have is even more maddening.

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Lies Multitaskers Tell Themselves About Multitasking

As this WSJ article explains, you might think you are good or even just okay when it comes to multitasking, but the truth is you  can't do it without the quality of your efforts suffering and the errors you commit multiplying.

[EOP]

Understanding the Bunk of the NY Case Against Trump

If you don't share my skepticism about the legitimacy of the basis of finding felonious conduct in the NY "business records" case against Trump, don't read this NYT article. It just might change your mind, especially given the source which rarely says anything that might be taken as a a defense of anything Trump.

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The Benefits of Buying a More Expensive TV

As this Wirecutter article explains, while the right $500 TV may indeed be good enough for the lion’s share of buyers, spending more on a premium [OLED] TV secures considerable improvements in picture performance, feature set, and/or build quality.

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The Dangers of AI

The media daily scream that AI poses a mortal threat to our way of life, but omit to explain why. This NYT article gives a cogent explanation.

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Caution When Southwest Airlines Re-Books You

True story related by a non-reader: They (4 separate people) each had a reservation on SWA to take a 3:10 pm flight. They each received a notice that the flight had been canceled and that SWA had booked them instead on an 11:00 am flight with no price difference. As they fortuitously learned (with no thanks to SWA), while the 3:10 pm flight they had been booked on did have a change in flight number and so it technically had been canceled, there was still a 3:10 pm flight, but the price was $60 less than had been their originally ticketed price. Obviously, they canceled the 11:00 am reservation and booked on the 3:10 pm flight. Bottom-line: When it comes to SWA, be careful and skeptical.

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Ticket to Paradise (2022 Movie on Amazon Prime)

Ticket to Paradise is your ultra-predictable romcom made because the two mega stars (George Clooney and Julia Roberts) were glad to make a lot of money for appearing in a movie that is not worth watching.

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The Demise of the Cellphone Camera

I am not one of those people who has my cellphone unsheathed to mindlessly shoot pictures of everything that's happening, and sends those pictures along to friends and family. The end result of those who do is billions and billions of pictures that no one will ever look at, if ever, more than once (except when a small subset of them under a common theme is reformatted into hard copy and bound). Actually, I'm likely the only person who does not over-indulge in photographic largesse, and have long warned that the end is near. It turns out, as The New Yorker has dramatized, the end is here:

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Easy Mode

Some phones have what is called Easy Mode which populates the home screens with bigger icons and larger fonts, as shown below, which replace the normal icons you might have chosen for your home screens. We have no clue why anyone would use it. The problem is sometimes a phone might just flip into Easy Mode by mistake. Restarting the phone won't fix the problem. Instead, go to Settings/Display/Easy Mode and deactivate it.

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Easy Way to Reduce Use of Plastic

Everyone who cares about the planet tries to reduce their use of plastic. One easy way to do so is to use a water bottle instead of a plastic bottle. This Wirecutter article sets out the 8 best water bottles for 2023.

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Moderate Your Arsenic Intake: The Wisdom of Pop-Pop

[Prefatory Note: This is strictly the reporting of a non-reader. We have no idea as to its medical or scientific accuracy. We're just saying]

Many common foods (including dark-meat fish and certain wines and grape) are high in arsenic. If you abide the wisdom of my grandfather who preached "everything in moderation," you should be fine. But if you overload the amount of arsenic-laden foods, you could end up with an undue amount of arsenic in your system, which might result in weakness. A urine test will show your arsenic level.

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Turning Off App Notification Dots (e.g., Numbers on Calls, Emails, Texts)

On an iPhone, go to Settings → Notifications. Tap on the offending app and turn off the “Badges” slider. The method for turning off Android phone notification dots varies by device. Try going to your phone’s settings (the gear icon) → Notifications → Notification dot on app icon. Flip this option off.

[EOP]

Next Needed MLB Change: Restore the Starting Pitchers

The changes to MLB this year (particularly the pitch clock but the others as well) have been a roaring success. The games are shorter, there's more action, there are more runs, and there are more stolen bases. The one short-coming of MLB remains the evisceration of the starting pitcher, where starters with no-hitters are taken out to get to the interminable bullpen of 100 mph hurlers. There's no real dispute as to this being a problem, especially for fans who love seeing great pitching outings. There's also no real dispute as to the solution: Reduce the number of pitchers allowed on a team, which will reduce the number of relievers a team can carry.

[EOP]

Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Spinoff (2023 Mini-Series on Netflex)

It has the same voices and voice-overs and wardrobes and such as the original series. But The Queen Charlotte Spinoff, at least the first-half of the first episode, is boring, and leaves you with a blah feeling before moving on to something else.

[EOP]

Apps Button on Android Home Screen (Probably Apple Too)

On your phone or tablet, the most efficient way to proceed is with a limited number of most-used apps on your home screen, with often used apps clustered on two screens--one to the left and one to the right of your the home screen. Then, place a button on the bottom that will open all apps in alphabetic order (or whatever order you want them in). To place that app button on the bottom of your home screen (and it will appear also on the other two screens), go to Settings/Home screen settings/Show app screen button on home screen.

[EOP] 

Credit for ISP Outages (Cox and Likely Others)

Cox has the crediting down for outages. All you have to do is note the date(s) it happened, wait for the outage to show up in their system (which usually takes 24 hours), and then call Billing and say you want a credit for the outage on that date or dates. The rep will confirm that the outage(s) and then credit you in the amount of your monthly bill divided by 30 multiplied by the number of days of outages you are reporting. Even if the outage did not affect you, or affected only one of your services, if you get or see notice of it, it will count as an outage and the computed numerator will be the total monthly bill for all services. As noted in an earlier post, if you are in a month where you've gotten substantial discounts for some reason, and the bill amount for that month is significantly lower than your normal monthly bill, because that reduces the numerator and the amount of credit you will get, wait until the next month to request the credit. The savings is not trivial. Since diligently following this recommendation, we can report that customers seeking the credits have seen their monthly Cox bill reduced by 8% to 25%.

[EOP]

Google Is Adding Passkeys So You Can Forget Passwords

As this article explains, and tells you what you need to know, Google has taken a big step toward making passwords an afterthought by adding “passkeys” as a more straightforward and secure way to log into its services.

[EOP]

Arizona and the Pandemic: Can't Wait Until Next Time

A commission has been formed (comprised of Republican lawmakers) to investigate what went wrong with Arizona's response to the Covid-19 pandemic. This would be welcome news given that Arizona had the highest death rate in the United States. Not surprising, “From the looks of this committee, they appear to think we did too much (COVID-19 mitigation),” said Will Humble, executive director of the Arizona Public Health Association. 

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RSV Vaccine Approved (But Not Yet Available) for Persons Over 60

As this NYT article explains, the FDA has approved an RSV vaccine that is highly effective and safe. It will not be available to the public until the CDC approves it, which likely will be in June.

[EOP]

Tom Jones (2023 Mini-Series on PBS Masterpiece Theater)

This Tom Jones remake is okay and entertaining. But at least as to the first episode, it does not come close to the original Tom Jones with Albert Finney and Susanna York. And I doubt it will in the episodes to follow.

[EOP]

Cutting the Cable Cord

Most cable users pay about $125/month for the cable box (somewhat less if it does not have DVR capability activated but somewhat more if you have multiple televisions with mini-boxes). If you want live TV, Hulu+ will give you all the channels you ever had (I think) for about $90/month. But, because you are switching from coax to streaming, the logon might be slower, channel switching might be slower, and playback (of recorded shows or paused shows) might be a little less flexible in terms of being able to control precisely the stop point (e.g., the end of an ad). If you prefer the cable box and find the additional cost worth it, here's the looming bad news: Your cable TV provider likely is looking to change its format and protocol from coax to streaming.

[EOP]

Eargo's Plus and Minus

One of the noted risks of Eargo's (which disappear into one's ear) is that it is easy to forget they are there and take a shower with them inserted. Upon doing so, when one goes to see what to do, the first instruction is: "Don't Panic!" And then further instructions are given as to how rescue them. Based on one data point, showering with them inserted did not kill them.

[EOP]

Lo-Lo's Chicken & Waffles and Chelsea's Kitchen (Phoenix Restaurants)

Lo-Lo's started in what might be described as a shack-like structure. The food was fantastic and there was no problem getting in. They then moved and upscaled their building. The food was still fantastic, but it became impossible to get in unless you got there at 11 or after 2. Of course, given how crowded it became, everyone stopped going there. We thought we discovered that Lo-Lo's has an outlet in Terminal 4 at the Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, and it shows on the Terminal 4 map (online and at the airport) that it is before going through security. Unfortunately, if it ever was there, poof, it's gone. Chelsea's Kitchen is right across from where it used to be and, while the music is played a bit loud, the vegetarian tacos are very good.

[EOP]

Weather Apps

My staff dug up a fact that blew my mind: All weather apps are essentially the same. If you think your preferred weather app has the most accurate forecast, you’re wrong. But you still might prefer the features or look of one app over others. Personally I love the hourly weather forecasts from the National Weather Service website. The website looks like it’s from 2005, but I like the grids showing hour-by-hour dew-point forecasts and the likelihood for stormy weather. For me and fellow haters of humidity, and for those who have evaporative coolers, dew-point forecasts are a must.

[EOP]

iBonds

Putting aside their horrible website and their dearth of telephone support, iBonds were a great deal when inflation was on the rise, paying at one point over 9%. Some people bailed because of the aforementioned logistical issues. But if you're still in them, as this WSJ article explains, with the current rate dropping to under 4.3%, it might be time to think about moving your iBond money elsewhere, or recharacterizing it as a good long-term investment.

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Whether or Not and When to Switch to Windows 11

My computer is Windows 10, and I repeatedly receive offers from Microsoft to upgrade to Windows 11 for free. Because everything is working fine, I have declined to switch and hope to continue to do so as long as possible (Windows 10 support will stay in place through 2025). This article gives an overview of considerations one might take into account in deciding whether or not to upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11. An earlier post relates the experience I had when I took an older computer I no longer use and which had problems and upgraded it from Windows 10 to Windows 11.

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Unsubscribing From Unwanted Email

This Wirecutter article has an excellent overview of dealing with unwanted email. There are services that will unsubscribe for you, which the article strongly cautions against using. It goes on to give a few tips as to how to reduce unwanted email.

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Amazon Largesse

If you buy an item through Amazon and it turns out to be defective, even if you are outside the return/refund period, it might be worthwhile to bring the matter to Amazon's attention. They just might still do a return/refund or offer you a promotional credit.

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Two Chase Visa Credit Cards

When it comes to credit cards, many (with good reason) prefer no-annual-fee cards that give cash back on every purchase. The Chase Freedom Visa card earns unlimited 1.5% cash back or more on all purchases, like 3% on dining and drugstores and 5% on travel purchased through Chase. The Chase Amazon Prime Visa earns 1% cash back or more on all purchases, like 2% back on dining and gas stations and 5% on travel purchased through Chase, and best of all, 5% on all Amazon.com and Whole Foods purchases.

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Prosecco vs. Cava

I've become increasingly tired of people who cannot keep straight the difference between cava and prosecco. Prosecco tends to be lighter; very fresh, super-fragrant, typically fruity and flowery. The production method of Prosecco is notably different from Cava in that the secondary fermentation that gives bubbly wine its fizz happens in steel tanks rather than in bottles. This impacts the flavor notably, making it lighter and less yeasty. Cava has more citrus notes and hints of pear or quince, but more savory, mineral flavors and less fruity sweetness. Given the cost, I prefer either to champagne.

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