Female Surgeons Do Better Than Male Surgeons

[Prefatory Note: It has come to my attention that certain links to WSJ articles and perhaps other sources are behind a paywall and hence blocked from being opened both in the daily email and on the blog website itself. I am trying different workarounds, including one for the below URL WSJ link. If you do try to open it, please let me know if the article appears or you are blocked by the paywall. Thanks]

As this WSJ article reports, "In a male-dominated industry, female surgeons spend more time in the operating room and their patients endure fewer postoperative complications. That’s the conclusion of two research studies published Wednesday in JAMA Surgery. Researchers found better outcomes for patients treated by female surgeons in the sweeping reviews of millions of procedures in Canada and Sweden. The study authors found that at both 90 days and one year following surgery, patients treated by female surgeons were less likely to experience adverse postoperative issues, including death. The outcome differences were modest, but consistent. Even after statistically accounting for characteristics that may affect surgical outcomes, such as patient age and overall illness, surgeon experience and volume, hospital setting, and measures of case complexity, the authors reached the same conclusion. The study also found that when male surgeons treat female patients, outcomes are slightly worse. The findings reveal that patients’ outcomes aren’t just about what happens in the operating room, said Dr. Angela Jerath, an author on the study and anesthesiologist and associate professor at the department of anesthesiology and pain medicine at the University of Toronto. “Picking up problems early is where you start to save patients,” she said. Jerath said the differences aren’t about technical skill, but about listening to patients and choosing appropriate care. Previous studies point to differences in the way that female physicians communicate and engage with patients."

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Sunday (August 27) NYT Magazine Spelling Bee Missing Answers

This past Sunday NYT Magazine did not have the answers to the Spelling Bee. We brought the matter to the attention of the NYT Games Department and here was their response: "Hello Gene, Thank you so much for flagging this! We were able to inquire about the missing Spelling Bee puzzle answers that should have been printed in the weekend newspaper, and we discovered that our print team has been investigating this issue. Currently they are preparing to add those missing answers into the A-section of the newspaper on this upcoming weekend. Thanks again! Have a great day and happy solving! Sincerely, Sarah M., Customer Support Specialist"

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Illusory Truth Effect

A loyal reader has brought to our attention that, amid a flurry of research into the dangers posed by misinformation on social media, a new study confirms that the repetition of misinformation both leads us to believe things are true that are untrue, but also mutes our moral judgments. Our decisions can only be as good as the accuracy of our beliefs. We may intend to rationally evaluate evidence to determine what’s true and what’s not, but, in reality, we use a lot of short cuts. One of those short cuts is how often we have heard or read something. The more something is repeated, the more true it feels. This is known as the "illusory truth effect." It is an effect well known by those leaders and regimes that have practiced The Big Lie.

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My Secret Pasta

The closely-held secret to my award winning pasta has been in the family for generations. But this NYT article spilled the beans. You can vary the pasta, you can vary the sauce, you can vary the cheese(s), you can vary the added ingredients, as long as you do one thing: Bake it!

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Robot Floor Vacuums

As this Wirecutter article explains, robotic floor vacuums today are not anything like the robotic floor vacuums you grew up with in your parents' house. They have two new must-have features: (i) they come with a bin that is part of the charging dock that the robot automatically empties itself into, so your need to do clean up is cut way down; and (ii) you can map them with much more precision to clean any space without the robot trying to escape or veer off into some uncharted area.

[EOP]

Setting a Custom Tip Amount for Lyft Rides

If you want to add a tip right after your ride is done, the Lyft app gives you just 3 percentage choices (the lowest of which is 18%) or no tip. There are many instances where you don't want to shaft the driver completely, but 18% is too much where they did nothing to help you with luggage or the seatbelt latch didn't work or they took a goofy route home. If you wait (but don't wait more than 72 hours), and do the tip after finding your ride in the ride history, then you can put in any amount or percentage you want for the tip. 

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Fourteenth Amendment Disqualification Clause in Arizona

This lead Arizona Republic piece explains why, as of now, the Arizona Supreme Court has tied the hands of the Secretary of State who would love to keep Trump off the ballot under the disqualification clause of the fourteenth amendment. In a case to disqualify Representative Biggs and Gosar from being on the ballot because they aided the insurrection, the state high court concluded that, because the 14th Amendment gives Congress the exclusive enforcement authority, it “suggests that Arizona law does not provide a private right of action to invoke the Disqualification Clause against the defendants.” Secretary of State Fontes called the ruling “stupid.” As he follows the logic of the court’s ruling, someone who was born overseas could run for president in Arizona, since there would be no state authority to disqualify the individual for not meeting the constitutional requirement of being born in the United States. The ruling could lead to other complications, Fontes said. “Does a 25-year-old get to be on the ballot in Arizona for president?” he asked. “According to the logic of the Arizona Supreme Court, they do.” The Constitution requires a president must be 35 years of age or older at the time of taking office. Despite his critiques, Fontes said his personal opinion is irrelevant and he will abide by the law. Georgia declined to apply the disqualification clause to keep Marjorie Taylor Green off the ballot, but a New Mexico court did apply it to bar a county commissioner from being on the ballot. As forceful as the arguments are by the legal scholars and others to apply the disqualification clause, many reasonable people are not as enamored with this approach to cleansing our democracy of the poison infecting it by Trump and his followers. If the disqualification clause gets any traction in states beyond New Mexico, it will end up in the Supreme Court and there is little doubt what the Supreme Court will do with it, and then we will have a mess on our hands if Trump already has lost the ability to be on a plethora of state ballots. Actually, if even one state, much less a few states, keep Trump off the ballot while others keep him on, we will have a mess on our hands.

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Questions That Should Have Been Asked at the GOP Debate

This Atlantic piece presents a compendium of questions that should have been asked at the GOP debate. You likely have asked many of the same questions but it is interesting, if not depressing, to see this collection of them.

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Further Notes re Airbus A321neo

A post of a few days ago raved about the Airbus A321neo. Upon flying on one again, here are a couple of additional notes:

1. If you are in first/business class, do not shun the last row thinking the seats will not recline. Unlike the last rows on other aircraft, they do recline.

2. If you are in coach class, do not shun the first row thinking there is no row ahead of you to put carry on bags under. Unlike other first rows on other aircraft, space is provided ahead of you on the floor to put carry on bags.

3. If you are in first/business class, and wish to pre-order your appetizer online, the deadline to do so is before the 24-hour check-in hour begins.

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What to Know About the RSV Vaccines

This NYT article gives an excellent and readable overview of the risks of R.S.V., and the tools available to prevent severe infections in both infants and older adults--the two groups most at risk.

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Myths and Facts re What You Can Do About Climate Change

This WaPo piece reviews a study that sets out the dissonance between what people think helps on the climate change front and the reality of what actually does help. It goes on to talk about good stuff to do even if it doesn't help on the climate change front.

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Don't Use Alexa to Teach You CPR

As this article explains, voice assistants often fall flat when asked how to perform CPR, according to a study published Monday.

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How to Care for Your Computer's Hard Drive

I much prefer and strongly recommend a solid state drive (SSD) instead of a hard drive. But, if you have a hard drive, this article has some excellent advice on keeping your hard drive healthy.

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Considerations Before Doing a Body Scan

Body scans are becoming all the rage. This WSJ article has an excellent overview of the subject and considerations one might give before putting out a pretty sum to have one done.

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Guide to Buying EVs Under $60K

This WSJ article gives an excellent overview of five electric vehicles for battery life, touch screens, and smart assistance—and came up with a winner, which turns out not to be a Tesla.

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The ABCs of Restarting a Computer

This article sets out the many advantages of restarting or shutting down and turning on your computer  with some frequency. But, as this article states: "However, multiple power-downs per day may stress the machine and reduce its lifespan."

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Benefits of Taking the Train on the Eastern Seaboard

If you're traveling between Boston and Washington or points in between, there are many reasons to take the train instead of a plane. Here are a few of them, and it is strongly suggested you choose Business Class instead of Coach Class:

1. There are no TSA lines or inspections.

2. There are no seat belts to worry about.

3. There is no checking of luggage. It all will fit nicely above you or below you.

4. There is a club car with food.

5. With Business class, you get assigned reserved seating and the ticket is refundable.

6. There are outlets at the seat to keep your devices charged.

7. There is no airplane engine noise and it is overall quite quiet.

8. The views are generally more pleasant than those from 40,000 feet.

9.  It is quite a bit less expensive.

10. The seats are very comfortable and roomy and have footrests.

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The Changing Etiquette and Protocol of Masking

Do not be shocked if, on your next airplane flight, you might here an announcement that goes like this: "If you are sitting next to someone wearing a mask, we ask that you be respectful and tolerant of their decision to wear a mask."

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How to Be Kind and Helpful to Your Housecleaner

We don't have a housecleaner (we do it ourselves), but we have heard that even some loyal and semi-loyal readers have housecleaners. For those of you with housecleaners, this WaPo article reviews what cleaning professionals say are the ways homeowners make their lives harder — and how you can be less annoying --focusing on 7 things professionals wish homeowners would do.

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Best Pillow for Side Sleepers

I've been told there are people, including loyal readers, who are what is known as side-sleepers. Always on the lookout even for such anomalies, I'v flagged this Wirecutter article which explains that people who sleep on their side, in particular, can have a tough time finding the right fit because they need more neck and head support. The article then gives an overview of the choices and its picks, which include the best pillows that will work for both side-sleepers and back-sleepers.

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Good News on Toasters

You can spend $100 on a toaster, but, as explained in this article, you can great a great toaster for $30. While the one described is white, it also comes in black.

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Guide to a Healthy and Delicious Breakfast

The NYT has asked me my secrets for a healthy and delicious breakfast. I acceded to their request and this article sets out their collection of my suggestions.

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Three Ways to Travel Around the World

This WSJ article sets out the three ways to travel around the world: There’s the fast way, the posh way, and the slow way, and it explains what to know about each.

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Foldable Phones

You probably do not have a foldable phone. But your next phone very well might be a foldable as they are growing fast in popularity. This WaPo article reviews the pros and cons of foldable phones and alerts you as to what to look for and look out for if you're thinking of getting one.

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Stopping Glasses From Fogging Up

This cnet article explains why your glasses fog up and what you can do to stop them from doing so.

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Letter to NYT

The below letter appeared in today's NYT. We are not fond of the editing done by NYT staff people. But we do applaud their decision to publish it.

[EOP]

Getting an A Boarding Pass on Southwest Is Now Harder

As this WaPo article explains, Southwest has changed its Early Bird process at least on some flights and in ways that the airline has not fully explained. It appears to be more complicated and more expensive to get an A boarding pass.

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Some Hotels Are Charging for Early Check-ins and Late Check-outs

As this WSJ article sets out, more hotels are monetizing the mountain of daily requests for early check-ins and late checkouts with fees for extra hours in the room. 

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Republicans Explained

It often is said that it is impossible to understand how the Republicans in Congress and the leadership of the Republican Party can continue to support Trump. I realize this is not an insightful or novel answer but, in watching the story of how the Sackler family and the Purdue organization and doctors and others supported and fostered the misery they did, it hit me: The story of the human character repeats itself without fail: If someone sees their personal gain as sufficient enough, they will jettison any concern about the consequences of their actions. Obviously, the riches generated for the Sackler family and others was sufficient enough reward for them and the power and position held by the Republicans is sufficient enough reward for them.

[EOP] 

Some Flying Tips

[The following are based on flying American Airlines but some at least might apply as well to other carriers]

1. Try to book your flight on an Airbus A321 Neo. It’s the newest Airbus model and is very quiet and has many features not available on other single-aisle aircraft.

2. If you are not flying first class, choose Main Cabin Extra and pick a Exit Aisle seat. They really are roomier leg-room-wise and the seats in the row ahead don’t lean back. There are two such rows and one of them has just 2 seats on one side.

3. If you want or need to check bags and have to pay to do so, if the plane is full, take the bags with you to the gate, and you likely can check them there for free. In fact, you might be encouraged to do so and thanked for doing so.

4. There are plenty of charging ports and such on the seat back ahead of you.

5. There’s a neat holder for your phone and tablet above where the tray table is stored.

6. In addition to the lavatories at the back of the plane, there is a lavatory in the middle of the main cabin.

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Getting Enough Fiber in Your Diet

This NYT article  explains why you probably aren’t getting enough fiber, why that’s a problem, and how to fix it.

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Update on the New Dominant Covid Variant

This NYT article explains that EG.5 is spreading quickly, but experts say it’s no more dangerous than previous versions.The article gives a good overview of the various new variants and immunities from them.

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Backup Power

Solar panels with battery storage are wonderful to keep your whole house going in a blackout. The problem is the cost and other issues discussed in an earlier post. Whole house generators can be great as well but they are expensive and clunky. This Wirecutter article reviews portable power stations that can keep your electronic gear going for hours (for under $300) or days (for $1,000 to $1,500). They're about the size and weight of a microwave.

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Why ESG Ratings Are All Over the Map

As loyal and semi-loyal readers know, we have encouraged looking at ESG scores in making investment decisions. Unfortunately, while many investors look to ESG scores as an easy way to compare firms based on their environmental, social and governance practices, so far they have largely failed to deliver that. As this WSJ article explains, ESG scores for the same company can vary widely, often because ratings providers use different methodologies for their rankings. There also are concerns about the quality and availability of ESG data itself. While many companies voluntarily publish some information on their ESG performance and activities, the data can be patchy and inconsistent, making comparisons between companies difficult. That can make it tough for investors to evaluate ESG investments, which is a concern given their popularity. As of the end of June, there were $2.8 trillion in net assets invested in sustainable funds globally, according to fund tracker Morningstar. Some relief, however, could be on the way as calls by investors, politicians and other stakeholders for mandatory sustainability reporting are starting to be answered.

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Painkiller (Mini-Series on Netflix) PS

While we continue watching Painkiller, after now 4 episodes, it is increasingly clear that this series is inferior in all ways compared to Dopesick. The writing, story telling, continuity, clarity, characters, and many other cinematographic and other features are quite grating, and as powerful and outrageous as the story is, it is more far more powerfully told by Dopesick.

[EOP] 

Little League and MLB Classic Little League

Even the most ardent Phillies fan could not take watching the Phillies play the Nats at the so-called MLB Little League Classic game played in Williamsport, PA, and not surprisingly even these fans gave up by the 2nd inning. Putting aside the broadcast did not have a superimposed strike zone outline, and the lighting was such that major league outfielders often lost track of what in a real MLB park would be routine fly balls, 99.99% of the camera shots between pitches were of goofy kids in the stands and mic-ing up of the players which focused on their views of the goofy kids and what they supposedly were like as goofy kids. As to the Little League world series now playing endlessly on ESPN, if you haven't seen little league lately, you will be shocked, shocked I tell you, at how routinized and commercialized it has become. Why ESPN bumps PTI for it is beyond explanation.

PS: With the Phillies game recorded on the cable box DVR, one could "catch up" as to what happened in the game by watching it at 6x speed, stopping to replay any events of interest, like the Phillies hitting a 3 run homer in the top of the 9th when it had been thought the game was lost.

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The Georgia Case: A Missed Opportunity

The key events underlying the Georgia case took place over 2.5 years ago. The central key event (the Trump phone call), and many of the other incriminating events, were known to everyone over 2.5 years ago. What took the Georgia DA over 2.5 years to indict Trump is a complete mystery. Her presentation to the grand jury and its decision to indict took place in one day. The trial could be severed so that Trump is tried alone first. So, here's what is so galling: There is no apparent reason Trump could not have been put on trial (with TV coverage), convicted, and placed in state prison at least a year ago. What makes not doing so additionally frustrating is the pardoning system in Georgia, where the law limits who can seek a pardon only to those who have completed their sentence and “lived a law-abiding life” for at least five years. Why the DA insists on trying all the co-conspirators in one trial makes no sense given that it assures there will be no such trial started and certainly no such trial finished before the 2024 election and likely not before the 2028 election. As noted in an earlier post, there are two pending RICO cases being prosecuted by the DA's office (neither of which involves a president or ex-president)--one is in the 7th month of jury selection and the other is in the second year of trial. 

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Are You Really Immune From Being Scammed

Take this WaPo quiz and you might discover you are not as smart as you think you are when it comes to being scammed. Or, you might find out you are cautious when you should have thrown your caution to the wind. It's short, fun, and informative.

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Spiffing Up Your House In 30 Minutes

Who has not had the experience of having unexpected guests on the way and you had just 30 minutes notice they were arriving? This WaPo article details the hacks that cleaning experts deploy to create the illusion of a sparkling home.

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Painkiller (Mini-Series on Netflix)

Painkiller is another telling of the horrific and outrageous story of the Sackler family and oxycontin. It's not bad, but so far at least, it's not as good as Dopesick on Hulu reviewed in an earlier post. Matthew Broderick is okay as Richard Sackler in PainKiller, but so far at least he doesn't compare to Michael Stuhlbarg in Dopesick or in Your Honor. While Painkiller is based on the excellent article in The New Yorker by Patrick Radden Keefe ('The Family That Built the Empire of Pain'), it is sexed up a bit in a less interesting and less tied to the plot way than the sexing up in Dopesick. 

[EOP]

When It Comes to Sushi: Think Fry's

As this WSJ article documents, Kroger (Fry's) has become the biggest seller of sushi in the U.S. The quality and taste of its sushi are excellent and the prices cannot be beat. We had a party tray from Fry's the other night for dinner and a week later a similar party tray for dinner from a local outlet in an upscale location specializing in sushi. From the taste, you could not tell the difference. From the price, you could not escape the difference--the Fry's platter at $19 was less than half the price of the local outlet.

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Nitrogen vs Air for Tires: Don't Buy the Nitrogen Hype

Most shops will try to upsell you to fill new tires with nitrogen instead of regular air (which is 80% nitrogen). One of their pitches is that nitrogen won't catch fire if your car catches fire, but they omit that the tires are surrounded by oxygen which can ignite. Their pitches about maintaining pressure would be relevant for the tires on your Boeing 777, but not so much on your car. Also ignore the nonsense that nitrogen won't leak through the tires as much as oxygen as if its molecules were that much bigger or, oh please, that nitrogen won't degrade the tire from the inside as much.

[EOP]

Stopping Legitimate Outlook Email From Going to Spam

If you use Outlook and find legitimate emails going to the spam folder, and you've tried the obvious fixes, this Labyrinth Technology article has two additional fixes that are easy and safe to try.

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Meal-Kit Alternatives

Most of us have tired of the now well-known meal delivery services. But here are three you likely have not heard of that are worth trying, and the cost per meal is very reasonable (less than you'd pay for most to-go orders that you'd have to drive to pick up from):

Territory Foods:  Territory offers a personalized menu of delicious meals, ready to eat in under 2 minutes. Territory meals are not just good for you, they’re also good for the earth. From their ingredients to their processes, and packaging, they always consider the impact of their choices on the sustainability of the planet.

Cook Unity: More than 300 craft meals design by awarded-winning Chefs seasonally produced using premium ingredients.

Thistle: This is great for vegans looking for a convenient plug-and-play option for plant-based eating.

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The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart (Mini-Series on Prime)

The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart follows a young girl whose violent childhood casts a dark shadow over her adult life. I have no clue how that shadow unfolded because I gave up before 15 minutes into the first episode and wish I had given up sooner. Even that short span was oppressive.

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Covid Booster: Might Be Better to Get in Same Arm as Last Shot

As is now being reported, the immune response may be stronger if your booster goes in the same arm as your last Covid-19 shot, according to a study published August 11 in the journal eBioMedicine. “The question seems so banal, so trivial that nobody before has thought to ask it,” study coauthor Martina Sester, a biologist and head of the department of the Institute of Infection Medicine at Saarland University Hospital in Germany,  said in a news release. The researchers used the data of 303 people who received the mRNA vaccine as well as a booster shot as part of Germany’s vaccine campaign. Two weeks after the booster, the number of “killer T cells” was significantly higher in those who had both shots in the same arm, according to the study. Those cells, which attack and destroy the other cells they target, were present in 67% of the same-arm cases and only 43% in people who had their injections in different arms, according to study coauthor Laura Ziegler, a doctoral student at Saarland University. 

PS: If you don't remember which arm you got your last shot in, you're not alone. And the good news is you have a 50/50 chance of getting the next booster in the same arm you got the last one.

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Samsung OLED Now Recommended Over LG OLED

As this Wirecutter article explains, there are now 2 best TVs OLEDs: The Samsung S90C Series and the LG C3 Series. The Samsung is Wirecutter's pick unless you want a smaller screen size and Dolby Vision HDR in which event the LG is Wirecutter's pick. The really good news for people willing to put up with a smaller screen, namely, a 65" screen, the Samsung is under $2,000. A decent size screen, namely the 77"screen, is about $4,300. The 55" models, which are more suited for kitchen counters than a TV room, cost pennies.

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Trump's Lawyers Now Read This Blog

Trump's lawyer initially sought to delay the trial of the January 6 case based on Trump's having to devote time to the Republican primaries and other campaign tasks. An August 12 post on this blog explained that, instead of opposing a prompt trial based on Trump's campaign schedule, they should "argue, and they have a good argument on this front, that they are looking at over a million documents that the government is going to produce to them and hundreds of witnesses (i.e., all the stuff collected by the January 6 House Committee and all the stuff collected by Jack Smith)." As this NYT article explains, that is now precisely the position Trump's lawyers have come to in seeking to delay the trial's start until 2026. Apparently, the government will be producing to them in excess of 11.5 million documents.

[EOP]

Tips on Dealing With Cox re Service Outage Credits

When you reach the Cox Loyalty Department to get a credit, you might get someone who knows what they are talking about or you might get someone who doesn't have a clue. If you get someone who doesn't have a clue, note the following:

1. If you ask to talk to a supervisor, the rep might refuse to transfer you to a supervisor or say they cannot transfer you or both. Just keep asking and they will or ask for a supervisor callback. You might or might not get a call back.

2. If the rep tells you the Loyalty Department does not issue credits, say whatever you want, but it's better just to hang up and callback and get a different rep. The Loyalty Department issues credits.

3. Do not believe that the rep if they say the Billing Department is the only department to issue credits. The Billing Department does issue credits but usually in lower amounts. Same goes if you try to get the credit through Chat.

4. No matter whom you talk to, do not believe you actually have been given a credit unless and until you either get a confirming email or the credit shows up on the Cox website or app within an hour. If it doesn't, call back.

5. If the rep says the maximum credit the Loyalty Department will give is $10, hang up and callback to talk to a different rep. When done this morning, the second rep issued two $20 credits (one for the one the rep yesterday said was issued for the day before but never was and the other for yesterday's outage).

6. It used to be you could not get a credit until the day after the outage because the reps could not "see" the outage until the next day. Now, they apparently can see the outage the same day, and it is possible to get a credit the same day. I got a third $20 credit today.

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RICO Actions in Georgia

The Georgia DA has noted experience in prosecuting state RICO actions. There are two pending actions brought by her office. One is in the seventh month of jury selection. The other is in the second year of trial. The defendants in those cases do not include any president or former president of the country.

[EOP]

Piercing the Wordle Dictionary

[Prefatory Note: I hesitate to put this post on the blog because it can be used to cheat at Wordle and I have come sadly to realize there are people who bend the rules in NYT games, especially Spelling Bee. But just as Einstein faced the predicament of disclosing what he knew that could produce both really good and really bad things, and opted for disclosure, I have decided to opt for disclosure]

Often times, you've finished Wordle and you would like to know whether or not the grid would have accepted a word that you thought of putting in but decided not to before you got the answer. The fastest way to find out is to open your browser in its Incognito mode, put Wordle in the search bar, click on the Wordle URL link, and start to play. You then can type in the word you wanted to find out about and you'll have the answer immediately. 

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The Idiocy of the Argument of Letting the Voters Decide Trump's Legal Fate

Ex-governor Ducey (AZ)  has joined those who think that the voters, not the criminal justice system, should decide the "issues" re Trump. A loyal reader has framed three excellent questions to be put to Ducey and others espousing that view: (i) Who should decide the issues/charges brought against Giuliani, Eastman, the fake electors, and the conspirators; (ii) are there any crimes if committed by Trump that would be more appropriately tried in court by a jury instead of by a vote of the electorate; and (iii) if Trump is elected, does that mean the "vote" by the people means he did not commit any crimes for which he was charged and cannot be tried in a court of law?

[EOP]

Connecting TVs and Firesticks to Headphones/Earbuds

[Prefatory Note: This post is based on frustrating experience of the past day or so. The research on the issue is not easy to understand. Some of what appears in the post could be wrong. I apologize for any misdirection. The point of the post is to enable readers not to feel bad or stupid if they have difficulty setting up their own systems]

It is easy to set up a headphone system, like the Sennheiser which we use and have recommended, to work with the TV. But, at least with non-bluetooth headphone models, we cannot figure out how to have it work with streaming through a Firestick. It is possible, and easy, to connect bluetooth headphones and earbuds to a Firestick (just be sure they are not connected to another device before pairing), but the problem then is that those earbuds or headphones will be the only audio receivers. So, with the TV where one person can use the headphones and the other person can hear through the TV or soundbar at the same time, with  bluetooth connected earbuds or headphones, that will be the sole audio and there will be no audio coming from the TV or soundbar at the same time, making it impossible for 2 people to watch AND hear the streamed show at the same time.

PS: Audio coming from certain content providers or devices (Netflix, Roku, Apple TV etc.) typically use an advanced digital audio signal such as HDMI or advanced Dolby audio. These cannot be translated into analog or PCM by most television software and so the signal is not passed through into the headphones. As a result you may get silence or audio from a different source like your cable box. In order to resolve this, you will you will need to change the audio output format in the app or device to PCM (may be in the smart hub on some TVs) or you will need a digital to analog decoder. The Digital to Analog Decoder will take the advanced digital signal and decode it into an analog signal that your headphones can utilize.

PPS: I've given up trying to run the audio from the Firestick through the wireless headphones. 

[EOP]

Cox's Estimated Time of Service Interruption Repair

At least in some and likely most instances, when there is a Cox service interruption, they put the estimated time of repair to be exactly 4 hours from the time they discovered the outage. Then, as that time comes up, if the outage is not fixed, they will add exactly another 4 hours to the old estimated time of repair to be the new time of repair. Put another way, there's no reason to believe the accuracy of their estimated time of repair. When you call the next day to report the outage and to complain about the hardship of not having service to receive your credit, use the actual or estimated time of repair, whichever is later.

[EOP] 

Easy Brisket

This one-pound brisket-in-a-bag for $9 is not bad. It's a snap, no mess to cook (just pop it in the oven in the bag, take out after 90 minutes, and slice and serve). It's not as good as the recipe featured in this blog from a loyal reader, but it's tasty enough.

[EOP]

Setting Trial Dates for Trump

There are many legitimate factors to take into account in determining when any criminal trial might begin, but one factor not to take into account is the defendant's job. At the moment, Trump has no job. While he's looking for a job (president) and in essence interviewing to get a job (campaigning to be president), which he has a right to do (i.e., to ask people to vote for him), Trump has no right to be president. So, let's hope that the one factor none of  the judges consider  in setting Trump's trial date is his “interviewing schedule.” Relatedly, the judges might consider that at least some of Trump’s potential “employers” might want to know before hiring him whether or not he is a convicted felon and set to spend the next few decades in prison without means of communicating with the outside world.

[EOP]

Nothing Ever Gets Totally Deleted From the Internet: Welcome to the Wayback Machine

Let's say you have a website you no longer want. Canceling your hosting service will remove it from the internet. BUT, while that will keep it from being accessed by almost everyone, savvy people know that the so-called Wayback Machine website stores everything that is or ever was on the internet. So, not only can your defunct website be accessed, you can access anything that ever was on the internet. How cool is that?

[EOP]

Converting Tesla's Good Idea Into a Great Idea

Tesla just lowered the price of its Model X and Model Z cars in China by about $10,000. It did so by offering new versions with shorter range batteries. That's a good idea. Now, if Tesla offered its Model 3 and Model Y with a 100 mile range or even somewhat lower, and reduced the price by $10,000, it would not only upend the EV market, it would convert the dent its making in the overall car market into a canyon. Given that most 2-car families drive one of their cars fewer than 50 miles per day, and need only 1 car (if any, given rental options) for extended driving trips, virtually every 2-car family would make a Tesla 3 or Tesla Y one of its cars.

[EOP]

Cleaning Up Your Google Drive and Gmail to Save Money

Properly maintained, Google Drive can handle all your digital storage for free assuming you stay under the 15GB limit. This cnet article explains how to free up Google Drive, Gmail and Google Photos space on desktop and mobile so you don't have to pay for additional storage if you get close to your 15GB limit.

[EOP]

Removing Georgia Case to Federal Court Does NOT Give the President Pardoning Power Over the Charges or Convictions

There are legal pundits and commentators who seem to think that, if the Georgia case is removed to federal court, that would give the U.S.  president the power to pardon any charges or convictions in that case. How they get on TV is beyond me. While the case might be tried in federal court instead of state court, the crimes being adjudicated will still be state crimes. They do not by way of metamorphosis or otherwise change into federal crimes. So, while there might be some advantages to the defendants to have the case removed (e.g., perhaps gaining easier access to the Supreme Court and slowing down the case), insulating the case from a president's pardoning power is not one of them.

[EOP] 

They Keep the Wordle Bot Cloaked in Secrecy and Mystery

Upon seeing the Bot's analysis of my Wordle effort this morning (August 16), I sent them an email that said as follows: "Attached are screenshots of my play today and the bot’s play. My step 2 eliminated all but 2 words. The bot’s step 2 eliminated all but 5 words. Why does the bot say it’s step 2 was “more efficient” than my step 2?" I was stunned beyond words, shocked beyond belief, and disappointed beyond tears to receive the following response (red added for emphasis): "Thank you for writing in about Wordlebot! WordleBot is a tool that will take your completed Wordle and analyze it for you. Unfortunately at this time, our team is unable to answer specific questions about the results that Wordlebot produces." I decided to let it drop, but every fiber of my being wanted to send a riposte that said (in all caps for emphasis): "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?"

[EOP]

Note re Changing Recharging Batteries in Sennheiser Headphones and Head Pads

Since we recommended Sennheiser bluetooth headphones for enhanced TV audio pleasure, we understand that all of our loyal and semi-loyal readers use, like, and appreciate them as much as we do. If you don't use them for a while and have them unplugged, or if you change the batteries, do not be alarmed if the red charging light does not turn to green for several cycles. The headphones should work in the meantime with no problem. Also, after a while, the head pads (which are the one and only piece of the system that are not made to last) will wear out and start flaking. Fortunately they are replaceable and, for under $15, you can get new ones in a day from Amazon.

[EOP]

What to Do With All These Indictments

First: Table the NY case. Set up teams in each case to closely monitor and document breaches by Trump of his bail release conditions, and move on that front as appropriate.

Second: Jack Smith and Fani Willis need to sit down and agree to coordinate re getting to trial.

Third: Make the priority getting to trial as soon as possible taking account the likelihood of conviction. Also weigh the likelihood in the respective jurisdictions whether, if Trump is convicted, he will be sent to jail or at least home confinement with no right to communicate to the outside world pending any appeals. 

Fourth: Ceteris paribus, if the Georgia case can be tried and finished soon, let it go first given that there is no pardon available for Trump or any of the conspirators, and because the conspirators will have a strong incentive to cooperate in not only the Georgia case but all the cases. Also the Georgia case trial could be televised, but almost certainly not the federal cases.

Fifth: Try the January 6 case before the document case so that, if Trump is convicted, the 14th amendment's prohibition on his serving as president arguably comes into play.

Sixth: Don't lose the first case to be tried.

Seventh: What's really on trial here is the rule of law and the legitimacy of the criminal justice system. The only real "defense" of Trump and his supporters is that the prosecutions are the result of a corrupt criminal justice system (including DOJ, FBI, prosecutors, judges, and Biden) trying to silence him in court because they cannot silence him in the political arena. With that, is essential to have as many respected voices rise up in strong support of the fairness and legitimacy of the criminal justice system and the importance of having the electorate know, before the election, whether or not Trump is a felon or an insurrectionist and will be in prison during the period January 2025 through January 2029.

 [EOP]

College Football Should Formally Adopt the NFL Model

With the switches that have taken place and continue to take place (not to mention the portal), the NCAA's so-called regional conferences are what are called CINOs--conferences in name only. Why not finish the job, eliminate conferences all together, and take say 32 football powerhouses and put them into one league with two conferences as the NFL does with three divisions in each conference as the NFL does, and set schedules like the NFL does, and have a playoff system like the NFL does leading to a Super Bowl style championship game. It would also make sense to pay the players like the NFL does. 

[EOP] 

Five Ways to Save on Streaming

This Tech Friend piece from WaPo suggests five ways to save on streaming costs. Choosing the ad-based versions is a money saver but I don't know anyone who can stand ads. The suggestions to check offers from your credit cards and your cellphone carrier are good ones. One other suggestion, particularly now with the SAG strike and relatively little new stuff coming online, is to binge everything you want from a given streaming service and then just cancel your subscription until new stuff you want to see appears.

[EOP]

Saving Money on Serving Fancy Cheese to Dinner Guests

When you are picking a fancy cheese to serve as an appetizer for picky dinner guests, look for cheese that is "on sale." There's nothing wrong with the cheese but the discount can be significant. There's a high chance that your guests won't recognize the cheese, and here's the trick: Say it's called "ensaul." That will serve the dual purpose of ending the conversation and leaving you in the enviable position of their thinking you know more about cheese than they do.

[EOP]

Whether the Rule of Law Applies to Trump Will Not Await the Trials

Jack Smith's indictment did not charge Trump with inciting the January 6 riot. But it expressly said that Trump and his co-conspirators “exploited the disruption by redoubling efforts to levy false claims of election fraud." The lesson Trump seems to have taken is, "I know how to exploit violence and they can't get me for inciting it." The proof of that is Trump's escalating the rhetoric and upping the number of poundings he is unleashing on the "enemies" he sees coming after him, including, Biden, DOJ, the FBI, Jack Smith, the judge in the January 6 case (whom he just accused of being "very biased and unfair" and "She obviously wants me behind bars"), the NY DA, the Georgia DA, and witnesses (e.g., Pence and saying the former lieutenant governor in Georgia shouldn't testify before the grand jury). Like any bully, Trump is daring everyone or anyone to stop him. If this were any other defendant, he would be locked up (even if just at home) and under a gag order (his access to the media cut off). At some point, if Trump's condition of bail release is to mean anything, he has to be. The question is--will it be too late. No one should be surprised if violence ensues. We are a long way from seeing what might happen at any of the trials. But we are now on the precipice as to whether the norms of the criminal justice system, or anything close to them, apply to Trump.

[EOP]

Rearranging the Deck Chairs at CNN

As this NYT article recounts, "CNN, which has battled sagging ratings this year, today unveiled a substantial remaking of its morning and evening programming. The overhaul is part of an attempt by new leaders at CNN to stabilize the network, which has been buffeted by turmoil." What's fascinating about this story is that they don't seem to have gotten rid of anyone and they don't seem to have brought in any new people. They've just re-assigned people to different slots with different show names. Maybe a failed morning person is destined for greatness in a night slot, and vice versa. But one has to wonder how much the top executives are getting paid to do this kind of shuffling when the real problem would seem to be that no one watches "neutral" cable news any more except when there is a compelling event or picture-worthy tragedy.

[EOP] 

How Biden Could Elevate His Presidency From Being an Excellent One to Being an Exceptional One for History

[Prefatory Note: I recognize that smarter and more politically savvy people than me take strong exception to the below stated view]

Putting aside the exit from Afghanistan and a few other less than sterling moves, there is no genuine dispute that President Biden has turned in an excellent record and produced substantial solid results as president. But whatever the truth is on that front, if the polls mean anything, Biden is not going to reap large rewards from that in the 2024 election. Even more worrisome, there is a strong possibility that things will look far worse for his chances as 2024 unfolds, especially if inflation turns back up and a recession befalls us and Hunter Biden is in prison. Even more worrisome than that, Trump has no problem, even if he is in prison, turning out 45% of the electorate at the polls. In sharp contrast, given Biden's increasing age and lack of charisma and ability to frame a captivating mantra for the future, there is a serious question what his turn-out strength is. The alternative Democrat choice might not be clear. But, if Biden were to announce he will not run before it's too late, we should be able to find out quickly if a Governor Whitmer or other such clearly qualified candidate has what it takes. Unfortunately, the "too late" window is closing fast.

PS: I recognize the unknowns that could turn the election for Biden. If there are enough swing states or other states that might go blue that have pro-life initiatives on the ballot, that draw enough Dem voters to make a difference. On the other hand, if there are attractive no-labels candidates in such swing and other states, that could tilt those states for Trump. In sum, my stance is formed by the idea that any other Dem candidate than Biden would gain as much as Biden might from pro-life initiatives and should do better than Biden with respect to any no-labels candidate.

[EOP] 

Further Tip on Using Coupon's at Fry's Self-Checkout

An earlier post explained that, if you have a coupon for say $8 off on a total order of $80, be sure to use it before using individual coupons that might reduce the total order from slightly over $80 to under $80. As it turns out, it's not that simple. If you do the "total order coupon" first, when you swipe an individual-item coupon, it will stop the machine and call for the assistance, which can involve a bit more of a wait then you want. The assistant will explain that you have to do the individual coupons first. As if the world were not difficult enough. Just saying.

[EOP] 

Changing Flights on American Airlines

Even if you have a non-refundable AA ticket, on most domestic flights booked through AA, there is no fee to make a flight change (including changing your date/time of departure for the same route or changing routes and dates entirely). And it's a breeze to do online or on the app. It also appears that, if you paid for a preferred seat on the original ticket, that cost will be refunded to your credit card. If your new flight costs more, you pay the difference. But if your new flight costs less than the original one, you will get the difference by way of an account credit. So, with that knowledge, you might check from time to time on any reservation whether modifying it by date or just time of departure will save you money.

PS: AA has a system where they will call you back at a designated time-range rather than make you sit on hold. If you are an AA Gold or Platinum member, and you call the number on your card, and they say the call-back time is a long one (e.g., an hour or more or even 10 minutes or more), call the regular reservation number (800-433-7300), and it just might be the call-back time is under 4 minutes.

[EOP]

Law Professors and Reality

A post here yesterday chastised Jack Smith for not indicting Trump for inciting an insurrection, and hence letting Trump escape the 14th amendment provision that would bar him from being president. As it does routinely, the NYT tapped into our post and published a story the next day about a law review article written by two prominent conservative law professors who have concluded that Donald J. Trump is ineligible to be president under a provision of the Constitution that bars people who have engaged in an insurrection from holding government office. The article acknowledges that a law review article will not, of course, change the reality that Mr. Trump is the Republican front-runner and that voters remain free to assess whether his conduct was blameworthy. But it goes on to say that the scope and depth of the article may encourage and undergird lawsuits from other candidates and ordinary voters arguing that the Constitution makes him ineligible for office. Good luck with that given Jack Smith's declining even to indict Trump for insurrection. Academia and reality really are two different arenas.

[EOP]

Why Doctors Don't Read The New Yorker

A doctor I know says that no one under the age of 70 subscribes to The New Yorker anymore. Maybe their right, but here is why doctors do not subscribe to The New Yorker ... namely, they can't handle the truth.

[EOP]

Environmentalists As Impediments to Clean Energy

Several of us learned long ago how the Sierra Club's single-minded, myopic, silo-shaped vision leads it to take insane positions, including ones that have no positive effect on the environment or anything else of worth. By way of example, when it brought a court action opposing a Park Service's renovation project that had in reality no adverse environmental impact and promised to be of great benefit in countless ways, the Sierra Club opposed the Park Service's request for a "judge view" of the site and project. That should tell you everything you need to know about the bona fide of the Sierra Club's position. As this NYT article discusses, resistance to wind and solar projects from environmentalists is among an array of impediments to widespread conversion to renewables.

PS: We cannot be certain of this, but it is possible that Kerry Lake and the other MAGA challengers to the 2022 election results in Arizona figured if the Sierra Club was not sanctioned in the noted lawsuit, they would not be sanctioned in their lawsuits.

[EOP]

Dick's Hideaway (Phoenix Restaurant)

Dick's Hideaway is part of the Richardson's/Rokerii group of restaurants that have the best New Mexican food in the world. If you think it's just for adults, think again and take a look at its Kids Menu (apostrophe omitted in the original) which is at the bottom center of the menu.

[EOP]

Fisk (2021 Series on Netflix)

If the first episode is any indication, and a semi-loyal reader says it is based on having seen further episodes, Fisk is a hoot. The writing is tight, the quirky characters are a delight, the pace is quick, and its Australian. It's fast-paced comedy about a high-end contracts lawyer, who is forced to take a job at a shabby, suburban law firm following a humiliating marriage breakdown and a professional fall from grace. It's appealing to lawyers, clients, and the general public. The referenced semi-loyal reader is known to LOL at streaming stuff more than the normal person. But Fisk had moments where even discerning viewers really did LOL.

[EOP]

Why Was Trump Not Indicted for Inciting an Insurrection?

The facts laid out by the January 6 Committee established that Trump incited the attack on the Capitol aka an insurrection. Jack Smith's indictment adds further and more compelling facts to support that conclusion. Why then did Jack Smith not include inciting an insurrection in the indictment, especially since, that really is the nub of the crime committed by Trump and his conspirators? The likely answer is Jack Smith did  not want the case to implicate Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, under which Trump's conviction in court would preclude him from serving as president. The eerie analogy to what Comey did to Hillary Clinton in 2016 is not lost on anyone, namely, a federal prosecutorial service letting their political predictive sense override their adherence to where the facts have or have not taken them.

[EOP]

Trump's Lawyers in the January 6 Case

Jack Smith is pushing for the trial to start in January and the judge has indicated she is in favor of a prompt trial. Trump's lawyers oppose that. Their main argument, to date at least, is that Trump will be too  busy with the campaign to have a trial that soon. In essence, what they are saying is, Trump has a job of trying to get back the job he lost and then tried to get back by fraud. Put simply, they are saying Trump is interviewing for a job and the trial is a burden on his doing so. If they had any sense, what they would argue, and they have a good argument on this front, is that they are looking at over a million documents that the government is going to produce to them and hundreds of witnesses (i.e., all the stuff collected by the January 6 House Committee and all the stuff collected by Jack Smith). They have a point there.

[EOP]

MLB ERA Scoring Anomaly

It is said you cannot murder your parents and then plead for mercy on the basis of being an orphan. But in baseball, if the pitcher makes an error, it is counted as if anyone made the error in terms of computing the pitcher's ERA, i.e., runs resulting from that pitcher's error will not hurt their ERA. In sharp distinction, the pitcher does not get an RBI that results from the pitcher's error. 

[EOP]

Cruise the World by Jet

As this Travel + Leisure website sets out, as an alternative to an ocean liner trip, luxury tour operator Safrans du Monde brings French flair to around-the-world private jet trips. The stops span from Paris, to Machu Picchu, to New Zealand, and more. When you're not in your private jet with lie-flat seats, you are at luxury hotels. It's not cheap but there are options as low as $43K per person.

[EOP]

Caution re Buying a Home Shredder

Before buying a home shredder, be sure to read the instructions (which you can find online). If they have the following provision, you are better off skipping the purchase and dropping your documents off at UPS for shredding at $1/pound: "The shredder will stop working after 8 minutes to prevent overheating. Do not restart it until waiting for at least 80 minutes." Actually, it is plain silly to buy a home shredder.

[EOP]

Car Dashboard Cameras

Reasons to Have a Dashboard Camera: low cost (under $100); enable you to prove you were not at fault in an accident; discourage car burglaries.

Reasons Not to Have a Dashboard Camera: costly for enhanced features; enable the other driver to prove you were at fault in an accident; collects data that is stored in the cloud; subscription cost if you want to backup footage.

[EOP]

The New Yorker Crossword Puzzle PS

After seeing another salacious clue/answer in today's New Yorker crossword, I sent two emails expressing my outrage and shock. Then I went back to finish the puzzle. As it turns out, upon finishing today’s puzzle, I realize they are trying to be edgy. In addition to the “early action” for “Quickie before breakfast?”(50-Across) which prompted my emails, also in today’s puzzle were “high score” for “Baked lay?” (17-Across), “cable hookup” for “Alternative to Netflix and chill?” (23-Across), and “bumpy ride” for “Choppy shag?” (60-Across). And the "theme/title" of the puzzle, which I had omitted to look at, was "Comedy bang bang." A smaller person than myself would be mortified and embarrassed beyond words. I sent retractions to The New Yorker saying I appreciated their edginess.

[EOP]

Great Tips on Buying a New Computer

This Tech Friend piece from WaPo gives an excellent overview in what to look for and what to avoid when buying a new computer. It also notes that right now is a great time to buy a new computer because of the price slashing that is going on.

[EOP]

Easy vs. Hard Wordle

It has come to my attention that some people are unaware that there are two versions of Wordle: Easy and Hard. With the Easy mode, one need not repeat any known letters. With the Hard mode, one must repeat any discovered letters, and green ones must stay in situ while the yellow ones can be put into other squares. I understand why they label one easy and the other hard, but in reality, the Hard mode takes more luck and less skill (I think).

[EOP]

Pros and Cons of Solar Panels

This cnet article is an informative start to understanding the pros and cons of installing solar panels. For those living in Arizona, this MarketWatch article drills a bit deeper into issues specific to Arizona and Phoenix (e.g., how heat degrades solar electricity generation). One of the mind-boggling problems in Phoenix is that there are over 300 companies in the business or at least some aspect of the business, but just because any company is in Phoenix does not mean it deals with any particular zip code in Phoenix. Perhaps as galling as anything, you cannot get a quote or non-binding estimate online from any company. Even if you fill out all the information they actually need, including seeing your house on Google Maps, they will give you the estimate or quote only by way of a sales call.

[EOP]

Keyword: Fun, Fast WaPo Game

Keyword is fun, but it's great because it takes under 30 seconds to play, and if you're good, under 10 seconds.

[EOP]

Another Instance Where a PGA Tour Member Doesn't Get It

Colin Morikawa has pledged to give $1,000 for every FedEx Cup birdie he makes. Of course, the more birdies he makes, the more money he makes in the FedEx Cup, and he could end up with a bonus of $25M (as in million). But, even if he doesn't do that good, As this Sports Lens article sets out, he has already made $4M this year in prize money, over $31M in his 5-year career, and more in endorsements and such. I would guess his "donation" will be through a charitable organization so it will be deductible. Hey, big spender?

[EOP]

SugarJam: The Southern Kitchen (Scottsdale Restaurant)

I've never eaten at SugarJam and, given its location North on Hayden Road in Scottsdale, I likely never will. But if the food tastes even 10% as good as the pictures of it, this place would be fabulous.

[EOP]

Caution re Lewd and Salacious Sexual References in The New Yorker Crossword Puzzle

Text of the email I sent The New Yorker this morning (other than being advised that it's been referred to the appropriate department, I've received no response): "I love The New Yorker crossword and do it every weekday. But I  have to say I was stunned by 44-Down in today’s (August 10, 2023) puzzle, where the clue was “Screw driver?” (without the quotes) and the answer was “libido” (without the quotes). If I’m missing something, please let me know. But it seems to me this is salacious and lewd to put it mildly. I’m particularly distressed and embarrassed because I have recommended The New Yorker crossword to many people, including children. I can assure you I am not anti-woke, but I request you consider not including slang terms for sexual conduct in your puzzles. Thank you for your attention to this matter."

[EOP}

Protecting Cellphone Batteries From Overheating

"Heat is enemy No. 1 for batteries." This WSJ article sets out cautions to be aware of for your cellphone battery in the heat (even if you don't live in the Dome of Heat) and tips to protect your battery. Two of the easiest cautions to follow are avoiding fast charging and taking the phone out of its case. As the article put it, when you go to the beach, you don't wrap yourself in rubber.

[EOP]

Rough Diamonds (2023 Series on Netflix)

If you have nothing better to watch, Rough Diamonds is good enough. We gave it a positive review earlier based on the first episode, and now, finally, agonizingly, we have blissfully reached and watched the eighth and final episode. It's one of those series that would have been much better limited to 2-3 episodes or one movie. It just goes on and on and on with not much happening for large junks of time. Indeed, it seems like the series is marked by "let's take a meeting" and then there's the prep for the meeting and then the meeting and then the repercussion of the meeting not working out. I don't want to spoil the moral of the movie, but I will say, it's about as subtle as Tennessee Williams' pathetic attempts at symbolism (e.g., the line, the iguana being "at the end of its rope" in Night of the Iguana).  If you like Andrew Greeley's Ascent Into Hell, this series is for you.

[EOP]

The Whacky World of Professional Golf

1. As explained in this SI article, a soon to be released book reveals the extent of Phil Mickelson's gambling (totalling over $1B (as in billion). He even tried to place a bet on his Ryder Cup winning in 2012. Lucky for Phil, the best was not done and the USA team lost.

2. Keeping it secret until now, PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan explains that his heretofore unexplained "medical leave" was to deal with his anxiety that came over him after disclosure of the so-called PGA Tour/LIV Golf merger. Monahan now says he should not have concealed the supposed deal from the membership, and then just springing it on them after the fact. I feel for this guy at a personal level, and applaud on his disclosures. But his continuing to plow on might not be in either his or the PGA Tour's best interest.

[EOP]

Cautionary Note re Venmo Sharing Your Info

There’s an app for snooping on your friends, family and colleagues to find out about their fancy dinners, the people they are dating and the parties they are attending that you weren’t invited to. It’s not a social networking app like Facebook or Snapchat. It’s Venmo, the app that became popular more than a decade ago by enabling people to send mobile payments to one another and to post those transactions, often in the form of cute emojis, on a public timeline. The snooping works the other way around, too. Even if you seldom use Venmo today, the app is most likely leaking sensitive information about you to the general public. For example, it is not unheard of that one's contacts list, which includes the names of people in their phone book, has been published on Venmo for anyone using the app to see. Venmo is still set by default to publicly share when you receive or make a payment. There’s an option to make the transaction private, but if you use the app quickly and don’t notice the setting, you could unknowingly broadcast the payments between you and others. You can read more about this issue here. 

[EOP]

Do NOT Spray Nonstick Pans With Nonstick Spray

If I had a nickel for every time I've screamed at someone to not use a nonstick spray on a nonstick pan, I would be wealthy beyond my dreams. This article will explain why my advice was correct and tell you what to do instead with your pans. Feel free to send me a nickel.

[EOP]

Wordle Tip

I am not alone in having been banned from Las Vegas for being a card counter in blackjack. As Las Vegas knows, an accomplished card counter undoes the odds that favor the House and will come out a winner, and the House does not like that. The analog to card counting in Wordle is word counting. For example, my step 1 word this morning was "arose" (without the quotes), which showed that r, o, and e were in the solution but in other spaces than where they appeared in step 1. At that point, the issue was: Should I take a shot at solving on step 2 or just put in 5 new letters to up the odds at getting the answer word at step 3. Here's what I then did: I calculated by "word counting" how many words were possible at step 2, and determined there were 57 5-letter words using r, o, and e in spaces other than appear in my step 1 answer. With that knowledge, the obvious smart move was to put in 5 new letters.

[EOP]

Just Compensation for USWNT at World Cup and More Shame for Right-Wing Nut Jobs

The U.S. women’s soccer team was knocked out of the 16th round of the Women’s World Cup by Sweden during a penalty shootout on Sunday. It was the American team’s earliest-ever exit from the tournament. But despite not winning the title, the women are bringing home their biggest payout ever of $3.25 million. And deservedly so. 

In addition to the women’s team’s award for reaching the knockout stage, they settled an agreement with the U.S. Soccer Federation in 2019 that guaranteed the women’s and men’s national teams equal pay. The two American teams will split their prize money equally from their respective World Cups. And under the same agreement, the players receive 90% of their payout, while the federation keeps the remaining 10%. All in all, the U.S. women’s team made $7.3 million from the 2022–23 World Cup cycle. And good for them. There was deserved criticism of their performances in the group play, but in the main it was directed at the coaching. The members of the team, on the pitch and off, never displayed anything but grit and character.

And then there is Trump's slamming the team, when he wrote: “The 'shocking and totally unexpected' loss by the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team to Sweden is fully emblematic of what is happening to our once great Nation under Crooked Joe Biden. ... WOKE EQUALS FAILURE. [T]he USA is going to Hell!!! MAGA." As this Athletic article documents, the vitriol against the USWNT has permeated through right-wing media, politicians, and commentators. What a country!

[EOP]

Covid Update

This AP article has a succinct overview of the current status of Covid infections (they aren't tracked anymore), hospitalizations (up a bit and rising but slowly), and deaths (a lagging indicator of hospitalizations). While I thought anyone could do a better job than the previous CDC director, I wonder how up to date the new director is: "Dr. Mandy Cohen [no relation], the new CDC director, said she expects people will get their COVID-19 shots where they get their flu shots — at pharmacies and at work — rather than at dedicated locations that were set up early in the pandemic as part of the emergency response." Like, duh! A related Covid update focusing on the newest variant is covered in this WaPo article.

[EOP]

Kirkland (Costco) Walnuts

Kirkland 3 lb walnuts from Costco are a great deal. They are tasty and have a high percentage of halves and other large pieces. The cost cannot be beat at under $9. Amazon charges close to $15 for the same nuts, and even if you pay $3 for shipping from Costco (because you did not meet the $75 minimum for 2-day delivery free shipping), Costco is the better deal. The only problem with Costco is that, if the delivery gets delayed, and the freeze pack put in with the walnuts not only melts but gets extremely hot, the return/replacement policy is cumbersome (either you have to take the walnuts to a warehouse or ship it back by FedEx) even if you wait 45 minutes to talk to a rep, whereas Amazon would offer you an immediate refund and tell you to keep the walnuts. Finally, we have asked Costco to please go to the system where, when there's an extended hold time to talk to a  rep, they will call you back. Alas, not much hope on that front.

[EOP] 

The First Amendment According to Trump's Lawyers

As Trump lawyers now argue: Ignore Justice Holmes' common sense limitation on the first amendment set out in Schenck vs. U.S. ("The most stringent protection of free speech would not protect a man falsely shouting fire in a theatre and causing a panic"), you can falsely shout "fire" in a crowded theatre and cause a panic if any of the following are true: (i) you're in a political campaign; (ii) an advisor or lawyer tells you it's  okay to do so; (iii) it's aspirational (e.g., you're not trying to create a panic, you just want to find a seat); (iv) you think it's the right thing to do; (v) you have immunity because you are the president of the movie theatre; or (vi) you're trying to get the attention of an usher to kick someone out and give you their seat.

PS: The germ of the idea expressed here did not originate with me.

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Your Rights If Your Flight Gets Cancelled or Delayed

This NYT article sets out the rights you have or don't have should your flight get delayed or cancelled, and gives tips about how to enforce them as well as heads-ups when you don't have a shot of getting any redress. 

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Messi: Even More Goals

Unless you live in a cave, you have been awed by what Lionel Messi is doing since joining Inter Miami. Here are his goals in his last two games, against Orlando and against Dallas. The real hoot in these clips is to listen carefully to the announcer, who seems to break from his Spanish  commentary into "Are you kidding me?" in English. This Athletica article (which might require a subscription to it or the NYT to open) explains how Messi has turned taking free kicks into an art form.

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Tesla's Change in Cost of Model 3 Color Choices

It used to be that, when ordering, choosing white added nothing to the list price of the Tesla Model 3, while choosing all other colors added $1,000. Now, it's midnight silver metallic that adds nothing to the list price and all other colors add $1,000 except solid black which adds $1,500 and red which adds $2,000. But, in taking a new car out of inventory instead of ordering one to be built, the color upcharge seems to about $500 instead of $1,000. What's odd about this is that the midnight silver metallic is arguably the best color (blue is in that hunt), and the one that owners likely will get tired of the least (this is the risk of blue).

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Real Threat to the PGA Tour: Greed, Not LIV Golf

The PGA Tour announced its 2024 schedule, highlighted by a $25 million bonus for the FedEx Cup champion. As the PGA Tour seems to see it, and maybe they're right, the only way to stave off LIV Golf is by piling up the money that PGA Tour players can make. The problem is that, while there are great players on the PGA Tour and no shortage of potentially great players trying to get their card, there is no GOAT playing on the PGA Tour now, and none on the horizon. So, what seems inescapable is that the PGA Tour believes that appealing to their members' greed is the way to sustain the PGA Tour. It is more likely that, in doing so, the PGA Tour has eliminated the need for anyone to become the GOAT or even the dominant player for any significant time. Maybe another Tiger will come along who has a mindset that is different than anyone else's, and whose pursuit of domination on the course is all that drives him (in addition to having a few extra-marital lovers on the side). But for now, it is problematic how loyal the audience is going to be to watch a bunch of guys get very very rich very very fast and then fade away. 

PS: The riposte to the point being made is that the fan-base for football, basketball, and baseball are not in jeopardy of being eroded by the mega-dollar contracts being handed out. Here's the difference: It's one thing to pay someone a ton of money to help the team, and if the team is helped, the money is seen as worth it. It's another thing to pay someone a ton of  money that helps no one beside that person.

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Texting Options

1. Advantages of Different Texting Apps: Even if you're comfortable with your texting app, such as Textra, you might want to consider shifting to Messaging by Google. This article presents an informative comparison of the two. One efficiency advantage of Messaging by Google is allowing you to text from your computer's desktop.

2. Scheduling: Virtually all texting apps allow for scheduling of when a text is sent. To find the settings in your texting app, just ask the Google as follows (without the quotes): "Schedule texts in [name of your texting app]"

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Trump's State of Mind: Stop Saying It's an Issue in the January 6 Case

There are only three possible states of mind Trump had regarding whether the 2020 election was stolen: he knew it wasn't stolen; he had a wilfully ignorant belief that it was; or he delusionally thought it was. No matter which, there is no issue that he had the requisite state of mind to uphold a conviction. If someone robs a bank, but says he thought they owned the bank, they either were wilfully ignorant or delusional as to the ownership of the bank. In either event, they go to the hoosegow. 

PS: I'm coming increasingly to the conclusion that Trump is demented and I don't mean that in the sense that he's nuts, but rather that he has dementia. And if I'm right, and he starts exhibiting such to the point where it becomes clear, that might be the straw that takes this camel out of the presidential running.

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Don't Be a Fry's Coupon Doofus

Fry's coupon system is excellent. They give you coupons based on what you bought. But they also might include a coupon for say $8 off if your order totals $80 or more. Now, if you're order comes to $81, do NOT, as a doofus would do, use a $2 coupon for an item. If you do, you'll get $2 off that item, but your order will come to $79, and your $8 off coupon becomes bupkus (although you can save it for a later shopping trip). I shall not reveal the identity of the doofus, but, as you might guess, he is an old man who gets confused easily.

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Increasing Your Overhead Fan Speed

If you live in the Dome of Heat, you likely have overhead fans. While they don't actually reduce the temperature in the room, they certainly make you feel cooler. As it turns out, over time, the bearings can become worn or the capacitor stops functioning at an  optimal level, and the top fan speed becomes slower than it was when the fan was originally installed. If the fan isn't making a clanging noise, it's likely the capacitor. In either event, it can be fixed. For those in Phoenix, we strongly recommend Fan Doctor Electric. We have dealt with them on several occasions and have always been highly pleased.

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Shampoo and Body Wash in One Solid Bar

Last year, we did a post about solid bar shampoos that have ecological benefits and travel benefits (you can get them through TSA). A semi-loyal reader tried one and gave it a highly positive review. In anticipation of a trip, we have tried "The Right to Shower ... Strength," which is an all-in-one shampoo and body wash, and it is fantastic and available on Amazon. With each bar sold, a portion of the proceeds go to bring mobile showers to people living on the streets.

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Sage Advice From WIlliam Bernstein (Famed Investment Adviser)

This WSJ interview of William Bernstein has some lessons everyone likely knows or at least has heard, but hearing them again can be refreshing, edifying, and revitalizing. In sum, according to WB, the "biggest risk" that investors too often take on is "not preparing for the worst."

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