As is widely reported, if it's been 4 months since you got the new Covid shot that became available last December, the CDC recommends that seniors get another one because the effectiveness of that earlier shot has waned. Getting a prompt appointment (at least in Phoenix) seems to be easy.
[EOP]
This PC World article will tell you everything you want to know and more about fast charging. But the short answer appears to be, "no."
[EOP]
As this WaPo article explains, there are dozens of credit cards with embedded travel insurance coverage, which include policies like trip interruption and cancellation; delayed and lost baggage; rental car coverage; emergency medical assistance and more. Your credit card agreement will detail this coverage.
[EOP]
Our campaign promoting the GE 4-in-1 air fryer has found many happy converts. But there are some people out there who apparently don't want to spend $200 for that unit and want a smaller unit given their tiny kitchens. Okay, you spoke, we listened. Black and Decker’s Crisp N’ Bake Air Fry Toaster Oven takes up hardly any space (it's just 9" wide) and can be had on Amazon for $40 and even less at Walmart and other places.
Everyone's read the book and was sorry it had to end after just 900 or so pages, so there's no need to explain the story of the Shogun saga. The TV series has started airing on FX and is available on Hulu, and has been getting rave reviews.
[EOP]
A loyal reader has suggested that it is meet to note that, as The Tourist episodes progress, the amount of violence tend to increase. In fairness, though, as a counterbalance, the series is to be applauded for always showing drivers and passengers fastening their seat belts before the car heads off.
[EOP]
Everyone knows that, of the major carriers, T-Mobile has the best pricing. As this phone arena article details, T-Mobile also has the fastest download speeds and highest quality download video streaming quality.
[EOP]
Ether is the second largest cryptocurrency after bitcoin. For those of you waiting to invest in ETFs holding ether, as this WSJ article explains, you might not have to wait much longer. I know I'm breathing a lot easier. If it matches the performance of bitcoin since its ETF launch, your portfolio will sport a big smile.
PS: We don't understand bitcoin or ether. We are NOT recommending any investment along those lines. We have missed out on any gains from either. We're just saying.
[EOP]
According to Consumer Reports, the worst automobile brands are, in order: Rivian, GMC, Jaguar, Land Rover, Jeep, VW, Maserati, Alfa-Romeo, and Mercedes-Benz.
[EOP]
If this had not been recommended as "terrific" by a semi-loyal reader, I might have stopped part way through EP1. It is a most unusual story, and not one that's easy to understand what's going on. When a man wakes up in the Australian outback with no memory, he must use the few clues he has to discover his identity before his past catches up with him. It's a mystery wrapped in a riddle that presents a complicated enigma. The characters are quirky and quite entertaining. It's different than anything you have seen, but is certainly quite entertaining and attention-holding.
[EOP]
As you likely have read, the Albert Einstein College of Medicine will now be tuition-free for all students, thanks to a $1 billion gift from Ruth Gottesman. We're not sure why she waited until she was 93 to do this, but we applaud her. It is meet to note how easy it would be to have all 155 medical schools in this country be tuition-free given that there are 756 billionaires in this country. In that same spirit, Harvard College could go tuition free just with the interest on the interest of its endowment. In short, the hegemony of the wealthy, which is maintained in large part by making higher education increasingly unaffordable, is not destined to be that way. It's a choice we as a country have made and continue to make as unfathomable wealth is permitted to accumulate unspent and untaxed in private hands.
[EOP]
If you see SSSS on your boarding pass, you can expect to be subjected to additional TSA screening. This does not mean you have been flagged as a travel risk. It could be part of a random selection program. Or it might be because you bought your ticket at the last second or paid cash. No one really knows. It seems to be part of a program shrouded in mystery.
[EOP]
People searching Google for airline contact information when they have a problem occasionally find bogus customer service phone numbers listed at or near the top of Google. If you call, crooks posing as airline reps try to persuade you to pay to rebook a flight or another task. Your money goes poof. Here’s my advice: If you’re searching for airline customer service contact information, DO NOT trust phone numbers you might see highlighted at the top or at other prominent places on Google. Eyeball the adjacent web links for authenticity. Make sure you click on the company’s official website or app.
[EOP]
Many newer cars, including Teslas and other EVs, do not have spare tires or any option for spare tires or the tools to change a tire. Instead, they rely on the tires' being self-sealing, which they might or might not be depending on the reason for deflation. This might not be an issue if you stay close to home, but on a trip through sparsely populated places, well, just saying.
[EOP]
uBlockOrigin (Chrome, Edge and Firefox) is a free extension that makes websites load faster by blocking certain cookies and other memory-hogging elements, such as interactive graphics. Sometimes it might make the website will look weird or not function right. If that happens, uBlockOrigin is easy to turn off. It is available for Chrome at its web store.
[EOP]
Some silly people think you cannot toast bread in an air fryer. Nothing could be further from the truth. If you don't believe me, read this excellent overview of the issue. The bottom line is that air fryer toast is better, indeed much better, than toaster toast. In sum, here is what the air fryer said to the toaster: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39xSW2cbQM4
[EOP]
As this NYT article reports, a drug (Xolair) that has been used for decades to treat allergic asthma and hives significantly reduced the risk of life-threatening reactions in children with severe food allergies who were exposed to trace amounts of peanuts, cashews, milk, and eggs. It has already been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for adults and children over age 1 with food allergies. It is the first treatment that drastically cuts the risk of serious reactions — like anaphylaxis, a life-threatening allergic reaction that causes the body to go into shock — after accidental exposures to various food allergens. But experts have cautioned that Xolair is far from a perfect solution. While the drug lowers the risk of a reaction to trace amounts of an allergen, life-threatening episodes are still possible. Patients still must scrupulously avoid foods likely to trigger a reaction.
[EOP]
The only hope to have the 2024 presidential election not be a contest between someone who could ruin this country and the world and someone whose candidacy just might let that happen would be brokered conventions. The suggestion that brokered conventions are not democratic is wrong and wrong-headed. The presidential primary nominating system clearly is broken. A rabid MAGA minority controls the Republican side. There is no process on the Democratic side. At brokered conventions, the delegates selecting the nominee are at least as, and perhaps more, intelligent, knowledgeable, open-minded, diverse, representative, and patriotic as those who voted in the primaries and those who had no option in the primaries.
[EOP]
Realty websites (e.g., realtor, redfin, rocket, etc.) are a free and often robust source of information about current listings. Unfortunately, they can be terribly inaccurate. For example, a house could have been on the market for more than 130 days, then taken off market for 3 days and a new realtor retained, and then listed again, but you'd never know from realtor.com that it had languished for 4 months. The site deletes that from the "property history" and shows the property as having just come on the market. The actual MLS data will accurately show CDOM of 130 plus days.
[EOP]
Enable “High Accuracy” Mode: Google Maps provides two location modes: “High Accuracy” and “Battery Saver.” For optimal navigation, prioritize “High Accuracy” mode as it concurrently utilizes GPS, Wi-Fi, and mobile networks, leading to the most precise location determination. While this mode might consume slightly more battery life, the enhanced accuracy outweighs the minimal drain in most scenarios.
Calibrate the Compass: An improperly calibrated compass can skew the direction data used by Google Maps, impacting your location representation. To address this, navigate to “Settings” within Google Maps, locate “Tips for precise location,” and follow the on-screen instructions to perform the calibration process. This involves completing a “lying eight” or infinity symbol (∞) pattern with your phone, allowing the app to recalibrate the compass and improve directional accuracy.
[EOP]
The response to yesterday's post about switching from your cable company TV and internet to internet Dish TV and internet from your cellphone provider was overwhelming. Here's some key points that was omitted:
PS 1: Both Dish TV and your cellphone internet service likely has a 15-day free test period which you can do without disconnecting your current cable internet or TV service.
PS 2: If your email address is proprietary to your cable company, such as cox.net, you might lose that upon making the switch. Typically though, the cable company should give you a grace period while it forwards emails to your new email address.
PS 3: It's unclear whether PBS is available in all locations.
PS 4: The channels, programs, and packages available from Dish Internet TV seem to differ in a few ways from the channels, programs, and packages available from Dish Satellite TV.
[EOP]
I had thought everyone used Seventh Generation dish soap, but apparently not. As this Wirecutter article confirms, it is what everyone should use.
[EOP]
We have given Tarbell's the highest praise in an earlier post. As it turns out, our praise should have been higher. If you want a special dish, say seafood paella, you can call them even weeks ahead and they will tell you whether or not it will be on the menu for a particular night, and if not, they will commit to make it especially for you.
[EOP]
If you think cable is the only way to get TV without putting a dish on your roof, we have good news: Direct TV does not require a dish--it can run through your internet service. At $80 for the basic package which is robust and includes essentially unlimited DVR recording space, it might cost you much less than you're paying for cable TV and give you more entertainment and sports options. In addition, you now can drop cable internet service and switch to your cellphone provider for internet service (which costs about $50/month through any of the big three).
Note: While the DVR capacity is essentially unlimited, it is cloud-based not machine-based. So, you can watch whatever you want on a recorded basis, but it might not give you the same advert avoidance ease and replay ease a cable TV box gives you. Of course, if you currently do not have a DVR, those shortcomings are of no interest to you anyhow.
[EOP]
From tulips to the internet, every investment boom (whether based on real and revolutionary progress or ephemeral flowers) has become a bubble that has burst leaving more losing companies than winning companies. No one thinks the stock market boom being driven by AI and Nvidia won't end the same way. But, and it's a big BUT, there is no question AI is real, its impact on companies and the economy is real, and AI is just in its infancy in bringing about transformative changes. So, ask not whether this boom will become a bubble bound to burst. Instead, ask when, and you'll know how to keep the fortune you've accumulated and continue to accumulate. Remember, it doesn't take brains to profit in a bull market. But when the tide goes out, you'll know who is swimming naked.
[EOP]
If you think there's something an air fryer can't make, you would be mistaken. Just by way of another example, an air fryer will make the most delicious grilled cheese sandwich you've ever eaten in about 6 minutes. And, as always, a simple quick clean up.
[EOP]
If you fly American Airlines with any frequency, it pays to shop through the American Airlines AAdvantage eShopping portal. It takes a second to sign up, costs nothing, and then, when you do non-Amazon shopping through the AA eShopping portal (which takes just 1 click), you rack up AAdvantage miles.
[EOP]
Shutting off the auto-play "feature" is a very simple process to by-pass ads when you turn on the Firestick. Hitting the Home button twice should work. But if not, here's what to do:
From the Home screen, select the Settings option.
In the Settings menu, select Preferences and then choose Featured Content.
Select Allow Video Autoplay to turn it off.
Next, select Allow Audio Autoplay to turn that off as well.
Go back to the Home screen and scroll over one of the video ads to make sure auto-play has been shut off.
Keep in mind that you do need to turn off both Video and Audio auto-play for this to work properly, so make sure neither of them is left on before you exit the menu. But once they're off they should remain off indefinitely, leaving you free to enjoy browsing through Prime Video's various menus without any unwanted ads playing.
[EOP]
The former president of the NRA was found liable for misappropriating NRA funds and ordered to repay the NRA about $5 million. It's great to see him being socked, but having the money he pays or is seized from him going back to the NRA does not give one a warm, toasty feeling of justice being done.
[EOP]
If you want to treat yourself to a fabulous meal, head for Virtu in Scottsdale. Parking can be a problem, and you won't know what's on the menu or the prices until you get there and see what chef has selected that evening, but you will long remember and yearn to return for your $130+ per person meal (not including the wine). Bon appetit!
[EOP]
Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T now offer high-speed internet service at $40-$60/month, and are offering a couple hundred dollars of incentives to switch to it. You might even be able to try it for free for a month or so without discontinuing your current internet service. If you are not happy with your cable internet service or locked in through their bundled pricing or otherwise, this is an option worthy of a serious look.
[EOP]
As this Axios article, which was brought to our attention by a loyal reader, explains: President Biden has been using notecards in closed-door fundraisers, calling on prescreened donors and then consulting his notes to provide detailed answers, according to people familiar with the routine. Biden's reliance on notecards to help explain his own policy positions — on questions he knows are coming — is raising concerns among some donors about Biden's age. The staged Q&A sessions have left some donors wondering whether Biden can withstand the rigors of a presidential campaign, let alone, as a post here yesterday cautioned, potential debates with Trump.
[EOP]
It's easy to make calls and texts if your cellular connection is not available as long as you have a wifi connection: Just set your phone to make calls and texts over wifi. Leaving "wifi calling" on will not cause any problems and then, whenever you have wifi service, you will be able to call and text even if you don't have a cellular connection.
[EOP]
As this WSJ article reports, power generated from renewable sources of energy is setting new records in the U.S. and is expected to keep growing as wind and solar become the preferred options to replace coal power generation over natural gas. Nearly one-quarter of U.S. electricity demand was supplied by renewable sources in 2023 and just under 9% of total energy used came from green sources, according to a new report from BloombergNEF.
[EOP]
A recent post featured little known airlines that flew out of Phoenix (and elsewhere). As you can see on its website, today Lynx Air went out of business, saying, "it is with a heavy heart we leave the skies."
[EOP]
New appliances have many bells and whistles that make them neater. Refrigerators, for example, have better lighting, better insulation, more space given thinner walls, better shelving and drawers, finger-proof doors and replaceable door fronts, handle-less options, wifi-connectivity (to troubleshoot problems remotely), and alarms if a door is not closed, and more. At the same time, where one had been able to expect to have a refrigerator work for 15-20 years (until say the freezer door handle ripped off), as this WSJ article explains, with all these advanced features, the life-span of refrigerators has become dramatically shorter.
[EOP]
Over the long run, the compounding effect of reinvesting dividends makes a huge difference to returns. In the past half-century, U.S. stocks turned $100 into $6,200 without dividends (ignoring costs and taxes) while with dividends they would be worth $25,000.
[EOP]
Katey Hobbs likely made the correct decision to not debate Kari Lake in the 2022 gubernatorial race in Arizona. Biden likely would be wise to avoid debating Trump. With Trump refusing to join in on any of the GOP debates and refusing to debate Haley, he has given Biden cover to stay off the debate stage.
[EOP]
The economy is booming and inflation is down, but Biden does not appear to be reaping the rewards that a president seeking re-election normally does in such circumstances. This poses a head-scratcher for many pundits but the reason is not difficult to see: As the WSJ notes, The biggest item in most family budgets is food while restaurant dining is their number 1 leisure activity, and eating continues to cost more, even as overall inflation has eased from the blistering pace consumers endured throughout much of 2022 and 2023. Prices at restaurants and other eateries were up 5.1% last month compared with January 2023, while grocery costs increased 1.2% during the same period, Labor Department data show.
[EOP]
[Prefatory Note: Before booking a flight on one of the major commercial airlines, checking whether one of these might work can save money and provide a more enjoyable flying experience (smaller planes, better service, etc.)]
Volaris: Inexpensive flights to Guadalajara and Mexico City.
Lynx Air: Ultra-low fares to Calgary and Toronto. Serves many other US cities with flights to Canada.
Advanced Airlines: Various large and small cities in the Southwest.
Flair Airlines: To various cities in Canada.
[EOP]
After you install iOS 17.3, it should prompt you to turn on Stolen Device Protection. But if you miss that opportunity, just open the Settings app, tap Face ID & Passcode, and then make sure the Stolen Device Protection toggle is on. (If you have an older iPhone with Touch ID, your settings will look different.) After you enable Stolen Device Protection, your iPhone will require additional authentication for the user to access some information, and it will also prevent certain changes if it detects that it isn’t at a trusted location such as your house or your workplace.
[EOP]
If you have a plaster-covered wall where you'd like to hang your TV screen, it is a snap to do these days. You just need to locate a stud, and the mounting thing that now comes with the TV will virtually do the rest (although a handyperson might be of help to those not as gifted as others). It takes just 5 easy steps.
[EOP]
The Glocusent USB rechargeable reading light, which cost about $13, is universally considered, and correctly so, the best of class. It comes with three light temperatures and five brightness levels, pivots to shine directly on the left or right page without getting in the way of my turning the pages, and will warn you when it needs a charge. That said, we strongly recommend saving trees by using ebooks instead of books made from trees.
[EOP]
Wirecutter's pick for a down comforter touts it as "feeling like a marshmallow hug." And it's affordable. Nuff said.
[EOP]
Reheating everything from pizza to meat loaf in the GE 4-in-1 air fryer is a dream. Leftover pizza comes out with the same texture and taste as when you had it originally. Likewise for meatloaf. And don't forget frozen breakfast sandwiches. In short, it essentially takes out any guesswork as to temperature and time.
[EOP]
Higher interest rates have been a boon to fixed income (e.g., bonds and CDs) investors. This WSJ article covers some other assets that produce decent yields along with growth possibilities.
[EOP]
This WSJ article reviews the basics (both the old rules and some new thoughts) of how to manage one's retirement fund without going broke.
[EOP]
Electric bikes actually give more exercise than pedal bikes. That fact might sound strange (and has been known to let the steam out of some fitness riders’ lycra outfits), but the science is clear. This electek article explains why and how it is so.
[EOP]
As this WaPo article explains, it is easily to remotely access a computer and fix your far away friend's or family’s IT problems for free.
[EOP]
As this WSJ article explains, AI can mess up Google searches such that the top recommendation is a scam.
[Note: Because the WSJ was not published on Monday, and this came from the WSJ website, it might not open if you're not a WSJ subscriber]
[EOP]
The sooner self-driving cars get here, the better for people who fear their driving days could be closing on them. But wait, there's more. Self-driving cars will be a boon for working people who need to commute by car or travel with others by car for business: A self-driving car can be a floating office in which people can work or hold meetings without looking at the road.
If you dislike the splattering bacon makes on the griddle and the clean up or how bacon comes out in the microwave, here's another reason to get an air fryer: Bacon is done with no splatter, easy cleanup, and comes out delicious. And it's easy to have it come out soft, crispy, or extra crispy. Bon Appetit! PS: Grilled cheese sandwiches come out better in an air fryer than any other way. Bon Appetit again!!!
[EOP]
If you experience any location issues with Google Maps on your phone, you might consider calibrating the app, which is very easy to do. This BGR article will explain it all. It's not difficult.
[EOP]
The premier league model dominates the most popular sport on the planet, namely, soccer. Women's tennis has been trying to implement that model but so far has not pulled it off. Rory McIlroy floated the idea of applying that model to world-wide golf, which is a twist on the idea we suggested months ago of him and Tiger creating their own tour. It might not happen in golf, but, at the moment, there does not seem to be a better idea out there. Unless there can be unified system for world rankings, pro golf has got an unsolvable existential problem.
[EOP]
The train meanders for 20 miles out and 20 miles back, taking 4 hours. It's not the most exciting thing you'll ever do, but it's relaxing and comfortable and a most pleasant family outing. The only issue might be some other people who see it as an occasion to have too much booze and laugh too loud. It's just 10 minutes away from the Tavern Hotel, which has really nice suites, great parking, a central location, and excellent service. Right across the street is the Crema Kitchen which has fabulous food, excellent service, and a delightful ambience.
[EOP]
You might not have any choice whether to have an ethernet connection or a wifi connection, or care about the difference, but this cnet article will explain the difference and the relative pros and cons of each. In short, ethernet is faster and more stable.
[EOP]
Cleaning a computer screen is not something to take lightly, and more care should be taken than cleaning other things. This Architectural Digest article explains how to do it, what to do it with, how often to do it, and what not to do.
[EOP]
This blog prides itself on having brought to its readers the joys of bidet attachments, and are pleased by how many readers have installed them and thanked us for our pressing the matter. As it turns out, air fryers are the next best thing to bidet attachments. They are simple to use, and turn out almost all foods faster and tastier than however you cooked them before. Also, there is no need to be locked into any recipe ... you can make up whatever recipe you want for almost anything. Further, they clean up much easier than other cooking methods. We know you will be as happy with your air fryer, even an inexpensive one such as the 4-in-1 (microwave, air fryer, convection, something else) from GE for $200, as you are with your bidet attachment.
[EOP]
Noble Bread has the best bread in Phoenix and is found served at many restaurants. Their hamburger buns are beyond peradventure the best hamburger buns in Phoenix, and any hamburger place worth their salt serves them. Unfortunately, they are not available for sale at the Noble Breads store/restaurant. Fortunately, they are available at the farmer's market.
[EOP]
Don’t pay for books from Audible until you’ve checked out the thousands of audiobooks you can get at no cost at the sites listed in this Fast Company article.
[EOP]
In reaction to special counsel Hur's document report, after angrily attacking the propriety of the report and DOJ, Trump blustered that he was “the most qualified person in this country to be president.” That certainly puts to rest Trump's earlier claim: “I have joined the political arena so that the powerful can no longer beat up on people that cannot defend themselves. Nobody knows the system better than me, which is why I alone can fix it.”
[EOP]
While everyone's reducing their carbon footprint is to be applauded, and everyone should try to do so, given the world's governments unwillingness or inability to rein in major contributors to climate warming, we have long been of the view that, unless there's a technological breakthrough (much like the Covid vaccines), the planet is doomed. This WSJ article along with the depiction in this WSJ article, outlines three such field experiments that are underway in the U.S. and overseas. Let's hope they or other such experiments work, and that it's not too late.
[EOP]
We noted a while ago the anomalies of Tesla pricing where, for example, the Model Y which had always cost more than the Model 3, all of a sudden cost less. This electrek article explains why such anomalies occur.
Explanatory Note: While I find the Tesla story and Tesla pricing to be fascinating, I will not be buying a Tesla (or any electric car). If my hot water heater had not broken down (after just 9 years), and the soaking I took in getting it replaced with a new one, I would have already bought my next car of choice--the redesigned and highly acclaimed Prius. And as this WSJ article discusses, the EV business has hit a serious rough patch.
[EOP]
It's a choice between one candidate who cannot remember and another candidate who cannot forget.
[EOP]
Every statistician and all reasonably intelligent people know that, when a sample size is too small, one cannot extrapolate from it. Apparently, sports commentators and political politicians and pundits are neither statisticians nor reasonably intelligent. On the sports side, voices are being sounded that Kyle Shanahan, whom many consider perhaps the smartest NFL coach of all time, might not be able to win the big game because he was on the losing side of three Super Bowls, one as an assistant coach and two as a head coach. That's a sample size of three. On the political side, Biden lauds himself for being the only candidate to have beaten Trump in a presidential election. That's a sample size of two. I'm reminded of my being assigned to a lawyer for a clinical law class. He was bringing a case against the NM Bar Association because the flunk rate for Native Americans on the bar exam was double that of the 2/3 pass rate overall. His clients were two Native Americans who failed the bar exam. That was a sample size of three.
PS No. 1: When one engages in improper extrapolations from small samples, one conveniently ignores the reasons for the result in any instance. Illustratively, Biden's victory over Trump in 2020, which was hardly resounding, might have had more to do with the ravages caused by, and Trump's ignominious and embarrassing mishandling of, a once in a hundred years pandemic than any strength of Biden, and that the Covid vaccine, which Trump had fast-tracked, came just a bit late to help him.
PS No. 2: As a further justification for SF's decision to take the first OT possession, it is meet to note that SF's defense had been on the field for 11 straight plays, and Mahomes had chewed them up and they were flagging.
PS No. 3: While his career was a bit longer, Bill Belichick, like Shanahan, had 3 Super Bowl losses.
[EOP]
Frequent Windows glitches can spoil your ideal setup in no time. While Windows has a built-in troubleshooter, sometimes, it fails to detect and resolve the problem. Before you waste your productivity hours, use the steps set out in this XDA article to reinstall Windows 10 and 11 without losing your files.
[EOP]
As this Yahoo finance article explains, it should not be difficult to avoid a federal gift tax if, for example, you spend $30,000 to pay for your child's wedding. But, it is important to understand how the gift tax works to be sure you don't have a gift tax issue or, even better, to consult with your accountant.
[EOP]
It could last longer, but a good new water heater could fail and start leaking as soon as 7 years after installation, and often by year 10. When it happens, it will be late in the day giving you little time to arrange for a prompt replacement. If you have a regular plumber who will be doing the new install, stop reading now. But, if you discover your regular plumber has flown the coop, along with your previous regular plumber, your ability to comparison shop is severely limited and you might end up paying far more than you ever dreamed you'd be paying. So, while no plumbers offer price guarantees that go out more than a month or so, you can save a lot of money if you comparison shop (both for price and assurance of prompt service) well before the failure happens.
PS: If there is any significant water damage to the surrounding drywall, you might consider a restoration service but that's not cheap either. Instead, you might pick the brain of a restoration service to get a sense of the likelihood you could be facing a mold problem, and then go to the quite simple and inexpensive DIY steps a quick Google search will inform you about. A heavy duty fan is a must, so be sure you have a kind neighbor with a heavy duty fan.
[EOP]
I haven't found AI chatbots particularly useful for much (e.g., they should not be used to find out factual information), but there is one thing they can be very useful for: summarizing lengthy documents. I tried it with a document that would have taken over an hour to read, and said to the bot, “Can you read this article and summarize it in bullet points?” And shzam, it did. Contrapositively, I would not use a chatbot to compose a written work for me, but they can be very good at giving a head-start and provoke ideas for writing something that is difficult, dull, or unfamiliar. Copilot (Microsoft's rebranded chatbot) is free, so there's no reason to avoid trying it.
[EOP]
In many areas of life, including politics, law, and relationships, someone unleashes a personal attack casting the recipient of the attack in a harsh, negative light. Putting aside the impropriety and poor manners of the person launching an ad hominem attack, the question is how to determine whether, in the absence of first-hand knowledge, an observer might determine if the attack was wide of or hit the mark. As my experience as an accomplished poker player and as an esteemed psychology counselor has honed my skills at reading people, here is the answer: Watch the reactions of the person attacked and those around that person. And remember one salient rule: That the attack is over-the-line or out-of-bounds does not mean that it is inaccurate. To use a different metaphor, speaking truth to power often produces a strong reaction. Or, to invoke myth, it might not be nice to point out that the emperor has no clothes, but that does not mean the emperor is clad and that gawking at the emperor might involve an unpleasant sight.
[EOP]
As the WaPo reports, under new guidance planned by the CDC, people who test positive for the coronavirus will no longer need to routinely stay home from work and school for five days. Instead, the CDC plans to recommend that people who test positive for the coronavirus use clinical symptoms to determine when to end isolation. Under the new approach, people would no longer need to stay home if they have been fever-free for at least 24 hours without the aid of medication and their symptoms are mild and improving. Is this based on science? Of course not. “Public health has to be realistic,” said Michael T. Osterholm, an infectious-disease expert at the University of Minnesota. “In making recommendations to the public today, we have to try to get the most out of what people are willing to do. You can be absolutely right in the science and yet accomplish nothing because no one will listen to you.” The CDC has acknowledged that their plan to further loosen isolation guidance when the science around infectiousness has not changed is likely to prompt strong negative reaction from vulnerable groups, including people older than 65, those with weak immune systems and long covid patients. Big duh given that, as the CDC's data shows, coronavirus levels in wastewater indicate that symptomatic and asymptomatic infections remain high. About 20,000 people are still hospitalized — and about 2,300 are dying — every week.
[EOP]
It has come to my attention that some loyal, semi-loyal, and other readers do not have their own private jets or shared private jet share-plan. If you fall in that category, don't assume that upgrading to business class (with lie-flat seats) on commercial airlines (especially American, but also United and Delta), particularly on long-haul flights, is prohibitively expensive. Indeed, as this View From the Wing article confirms, you could fly half-way around the world upgraded (e.g., LA to Sydney) for $350. Not kidding.
[EOP]
1. Most of the game was boring, but the closer and closer it got to the end, the more exciting it became (even if the result became predictable once SF missed the PAT).
2. The officiating was boring (which it's supposed to be) in sharp contrast to the special teams play by SF (which was terrible and is supposed to be, at worst, boring).
3. The coaching was interesting particularly given SF's decision to take possession for the OT and Andy Reid's being chewed out by Travis Kelce for what we will never really understand, while the commentary was worse than boring (as Romo lost track of the game and why he was there and Nantz disappeared).
4. The ads were boring especially compared to classics like the 1995 Pepsi ad unless you like to see celebs acting goofy or what can you say when they got political like the Kennedy ad that will not be remembered as fondly as the 1984 Apple ad.
5. It was confirming, albeit boring, why Patrick Mahomes should be in the Super Bowl, but it was interesting to think about whether, when God invented the Super Bowl, this was what they had in mind as the level of play from so many others on the field.
PS: As to the entertainment, I missed America the Beautiful and passed on the half-time show, so I have no comment. But I applaud Reba McEntire's rendition of the National Anthem even though it does not compare (nor has anyone else's) to Marvin Gaye's rendition at the 1983 NBA ASG.
[EOP]
Using an air fryer takes a bit to get used to, but it soon becomes clear you can cook just about anything in it from vegetables to meat to fish to french fries. Clean up is a snap. You can make up and vary recipes as you go. And some stuff tastes better than however it was you were making it before.
[EOP]
Sticky Notes is one of my favorite Windows apps, as a convenient place to store all kinds of information. In addition to accessing it on a computer, it is accessible as a phone/tablet app (called Notes) and, as I just learned, also online as a Chrome bookmark. Go to www.onenote.com/stickynotes to view Sticky Notes and bookmark it. You might have to sign in to your preferred browser with your Microsoft account credentials. Changes to your sticky notes from other devices will be synced to your notes in Outlook on the desktop.
[EOP]
[Prefatory Note: The following is not intended as tax advice. It is intended to give an example of the complexity in the IRS code and its application confirming that consulting with an accounted when it comes to your taxes is not a bad idea]
Say that a taxpayer has a surge of income in the fourth quarter that doesn’t have withholding. If he makes a tax payment covering this income in the same quarter, the IRS’s computers won’t match them. Instead, the system assumes the income was earned evenly throughout the year. Then it assesses an interest-based penalty because it thinks that some of that tax was due earlier and that estimated payments should have been made in earlier periods. To avoid the assessment of an underpayment penalty, the taxpayer should submit Form 2210. Be sure to complete the part of it called Schedule AI, which will match the income and the tax payment. If the tax was sufficient, there shouldn’t be an underpayment penalty.
[EOP]
As it turns out, and I guess I'm the last one to know this, the bot has a favorite word, which it suggests is the word every, to use the bot's term, "Wordle genius" starts with.
[EOP]
Long ago, we voiced concern about Biden's electability over Trump and focused like a laser on the problems presented by the evident debilities of his age--particularly, how he walks, how he talks, and how he misstates and misremembers things. Slowly, others have come around to share our concern, to the point where only those in denial or those willing to create their own set of alternative facts do not accept the existential crisis a Biden candidacy presents. But don't listen to us. Maureen Dowd makes the point far better than we ever could. As one loyal reader has put it, it's time for a Schumer, Pelosi, and Jeffries trio to summon their inner Goldwater, Scott, and Rhodes trio, and make the pilgrimage to the White House. We will be shocked if that does not happen.
[EOP]
Adapted from a short story in The New Yorker (but twisted beyond recognition), Cat Person is billed as a dramatic horror thriller. I didn't realize that before starting to watch because horror thrillers are not for me. I left the theater before horror really appeared because it was a creepy enough movie even without horror, so I can't speak beyond that. What kept my attention was the male lead, Nicholas Braun, who acted in this much like he acted in Succession, but he appeared even taller here in large part because of the shortness of the female lead.
[EOP]
As this WaPo article explains, in general, men prefer colder environments while women often opt for warmer ones. It goes on to explain why the difference.
[EOP]
Governmental law entities are quick to take on any new technological monopoly because, as much as people depend on and use them, they hate them. Usually the technology has moved on before any such case has gotten to trial much less been fully adjudicated. If you think Google search is an exception, take a look at Perplexity, an AI enabled search engine. Everyone (and certainly the stock market) knows Google has messed up big-time when it comes to AI. In short, Google failed the lesson taught by Andy Grove (co-founder of Intel) that, when it comes to technology, "only the paranoid survive."
[EOP]
As the NYT reports, many pricey, delicate textiles are actually better off being cleaned at home in the washing machine or the sink—even if the label reads “dry-clean only.” And doing so not only saves you money but also extends the life of the fabric and benefits the environment. Such fabrics include: cashmere; silk; down comforters and jackets; many wool garments; and dress shirts.
[EOP]
A blog post here back in August reported that getting shots in the same arm might be better. As the NYT now reports, it might be better to alternate arms. Obviously, we have no clue and have no idea what to say other than, just like styles going in and out and in and out of style, so does medical advice. The one thing we can say on the topic is this: The pharmacy (or wherever you get your shots) will have a record of what arm you had the shots in.
[EOP]
[Prefatory Note: Just as shortening writing makes it better, same with movies. As anyone reading this blog knows, we rail against movies that, had they been shorter, would have been better. The New Yorker obviously agrees, and said it better than we ever could]
[EOP]
We are pleased to know the Wordle GOAT, who is a semi-loyal reader. Both his skill and his luck are unmatched. But we are concerned about him as he increasingly goes into rages when he believes he has been subjected to unfair treatment by the bot or whoever else at Wordle HQ is responsible for whatever the GOAT sees as the latest slight. Most recently, the answer on Saturday was FRIED, a perfectly good adjective. His first reaction was, "Today I am outraged. I thought they didn’t have past tense words that end in ed." When it was explained to him that he was conflating adjectives and verbs to the point of self-delusion, he barked back, "It’s past tense, too. Many past tense words can be used as adjectives. Carried, passed, missed to name a few. Now we can’t even trust wordle. What is the world coming to? Outraged is another one." When we offered to get him counseling help (specifically, WAM or Wordle Anger Management), his response was alarming: "Good point, but I was robbed!"
[EOP]
U.S. equities with dividend yields above 5% have returned roughly 450% since the end of 2008, below the 640% gain of the wider S& P Composite 1500. Companies that don’t pay dividends have returned nearly 1,200%. Just saying.
[EOP]
Unless something happens that would take Trump out of the race or reverse the poll numbers, Biden will decline to seek re-election. He then will go down not only as a successful president, but as a true patriot who saved our democracy not once, but twice. Ultimately, the decision whether or not to withdraw will be a simple one, but when and how to do so will be difficult. Broadly speaking, Biden has three choices: (i) resign as president which would make it difficult to deny Harris the nomination; (ii) announce his decision quickly so that the nomination might be determined by the primaries; or (iii) stay in office, say nothing until the convention, and then make the announcement and free his delegates to pick a nominee.
[EOP]
It has just come to my attention that there are marriages and other committed relationships where both parties are not Jewish. Oy. That said, this NYT article might be helpful to such couples, as they struggle to figure out how to talk about the war in Gaza instead of its continuing to be a hurdle in their relationship.
[EOP]
La Compaigne Airlines flies from NYC (out of Newark) to France (Paris/Nice) on Airbus A321neo planes (our favorite) configured with 76 business class seats (each is a lie-flat seat) for as little as $2,400 round trip. Enough said.
[EOP]
I realize there are great deals on smaller TVs leading up to the Super Bowl, with 75" sets going for $600. But if you, like me, have resisted for decent size TV prices to drop, the moment has come. Right now, you can buy a Hisense 100-inch U76N QLED TV for $2,000 at Best Buy. Yes, 100 inches of QLED TV goodness. It normally costs $5,000 but for now, it’s down to $2,000 so you save a huge $3,000 off the regular price. I can't tell you how much we love this set ... and the relief of not having to squint to see the picture.
18 U.S. Code § 2383 states as follows: "Whoever incites, sets on foot, assists, or engages in any rebellion or insurrection against the authority of the United States or the laws thereof, or gives aid or comfort thereto, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both; and shall be incapable of holding any office under the United States." I understand this blog has made the point before, but it remains a total mystery why Jack Smith did not include this in his federal election case indictment or add it now or even proceed under it alone. All that need be shown is that there was an "insurrection" "against ... the laws" of the United States, and that Trump "assist[ed]" or "gave aid." If convicted, Trump not only could go up the river to the big house, more importantly, he would be disqualified from being president.
[EOP]
Trump's obvious diminished mental capacity, profound ignorance of everything, lack of obvious intelligence, deeply flawed character, and overwhelming odiousness and danger to the country and the world are known by his detractors and supporters alike, and neither increase nor decrease his voter turnout. Everyone knows Trump is not fit to be president. But when the special counsel labels Biden as a person, due to his age, of having "diminished faculties and faulty memory," and Biden and his proxies react as they do, the stage is now set. This election will not be determined by Biden vs. Trump comparisons. It will be determined by Biden's proving he is fit. Unfortunately, politics, like life, is not fair. Just as FBI Director Comey sank Hilary Clinton, special counsel Hur just sank Biden. It's a fight Biden cannot win, and the crowning moment for Trump will be a couple of weeks before the election when, even if he doesn't do the full Ginsburg on the Sunday morning shows, Hur testifies live on Capitol Hill at a televised House committee hearing. We can sympathize with the bad hand Biden was just dealt. But we should listen to Kenny Rogers.
[EOP]
There's a feature buried in Google Chrome's settings that you might not have heard of, but which could make your experience browsing the internet much faster and smoother. It's called Extended preloading, and even if you have one of the best computers around, you still might want to turn it on. Preloading on Chrome is designed to make your web browsing experience as fast as it can be by essentially loading the webpages you visit before you visit them. To do this, Chrome uses cookies, which are commonly collected by your computer when you visit websites, and which allow you browser to maintain things like your preferences or shopping basket when you last visited the website. This is particularly useful if you have a slow internet connection, for example, and try to load larger pages with lots of images. Basic preloading is often enabled by default in Chrome, so it can quickly launch the websites it thinks you'll visit. But that's not true for extended preloading, which widens the number of sites preloaded and leverages Google servers to assist.
How to enable Extended preloading in Google Chrome: Go to Chrome Settings > Performance; Enable Preload pages; Enable Extended preloading
[EOP]
Charlie Mae's Southern Bistro looks to have a wonderful menu of soul food, with good hours of operation, and easy ordering online for delivery or pickup. It's prices look to be a bit high, and it's not a place for anyone on a serious diet or who might be concerned with healthy eating.
[EOP]
I couldn’t have made a better pick than GE’s 1050-watt microwave oven with air fryer, broiler, and convection capabilities. What makes it convenient is that you don’t have to worry about pulling out any large trays or performing heavy cleanups. It’s a small appliance that effectively takes care of quick air frying jobs, including reheating day-old french fries. Aside from the air fry function, however, the microwave can also defrost, broil, and use convection heating with the help of elevated racks that come with the machine. It can be programmed to reheat drinks and dishes based on size to ensure they’re hot inside and out, and it has auto buttons for popcorn, pizza, and potatoes. You can also use preset controls to heat nuggets, fries, and other foods, which takes out the guesswork and keeps you from having to stand next to the microwave in order to monitor it. Though it’s not fingerprint-proof, the stainless steel exterior and interior gives the microwave a sleek, futuristic appearance that would be an instant upgrade to any kitchen. It’s spacious for its size and I’ve never run into a situation where I had more food than the microwave could fit. We’ve warmed drinks, leftovers, defrosted meat, popped popcorn, and more in this appliance, and haven’t run into a problem, yet. As far as the microwave’s air fryer goes, I actually had really low expectations for it. I have an air fryer I love, and didn’t think a microwave could measure up, but I stand corrected. I’ve cooked crab cakes, fried mushrooms, and more using the air frying feature, and it did an amazing job with them all. The appetizers came out hot and crisp, and really hit the spot when I was craving an afternoon snack.
[EOP]
This WaPo article sets out how far in advance, depending on when your vacation is planned for, you should make your flight reservations to maximize the chance of getting the lowest fares. Also, as it counsels, if you’re not sure whether you’re getting a good deal, plug the trip into Google Flights. The site will tell you whether a price is high, low or typical compared to past averages, and it can keep you up to date on price changes.
[EOP]
Jason Willick's piece in WaPo casts the DC Circuit's opinion rejecting Trump's immunity defense in a different, and disturbing, light. As explained, the court added a qualifier, akin to the qualifier in Bush vs. Gore, that the case should not, as Linda Greenfield characterized it, “don’t dare invoke this poor excuse of an opinion as a precedent.” Yikes!
[EOP]
As the academic and other pinheads get giddy as their idea to have Trump banned from presidency goes to the Supreme Court, their fool's errand can harbor whatever hope they want that the court rules in their favor. They ignore the major harm the decision could wreak. Specifically, the court could rule that section 3 is not self-executing and not enforceable in presidential elections by any state (which has been and remains my prediction), or that the presidency is not an "office" under section 3--protecting future autocratic presidents from allowing the peaceful transfer of power. But worst of all, the court could rule that there was no "insurrection." If the court does that, Jack Smith's federal election case might not be over but it will be in big trouble. So, here's what I'm hoping for: The court rules either that: (i) Neither Colorado nor Maine followed proper procedures under their own state laws to disqualify Trump; or (ii) disqualification under section 3 for the presidency is not subject to a state-by-state determination.
[EOP]
Republican senators (including especially Lindsay Graham and Josh Hawley) conducting a hearing on the harmful effect of social media on children, sanctimoniously preached to the testifying executives for not doing enough to protect children, saying, "You have blood on your hands." If those hypocrites had any character, they might ask themselves, in light of the untold number of school children who have been murdered in their classrooms while have they done nothing to promote gun safety and protect children, "WhoTF are you to talk about blood on any one else's hands?" Or, as one loyal reader put it, "The continuing instances of Republicans' hypocrisy continue to be stacked on top of each other in a festering, foul-smelling, blood-soaked stack."
[EOP]
[Prefatory Note: This story was related to me by a loyal reader. If you have a DVR, you certainly enjoyed Steve Young's appearances on PTI, and now might catch him on The Herd. If you don't have a DVR, I don't know what to say. That said, if you are a Steve Young fan, or even if not but appreciate what it means to be a caring person with grace, you surely will like this story]
"A couple of weeks ago, one of my golf buddies invited a young man/family friend to play with us, and he told this story about Steve Young. This young man, Sam (who's in his early 30s), is apparently an accomplished singer, and gives singing lessons to Steve. This is how that came about: Sam attended the same high school as one of Steve's daughters. At a school recital, Sam had a solo in one of the songs. He said he was very nervous, because he had looked out in the audience, and there, close to the stage, was Steve Young, whom he knew because he is a 49ers fan. After the performance, someone gave him a handwritten note, and it was from Steve. This is what it said: "Sam, what a great performance. If I had a voice like you[rs], I could have been somebody."
[EOP]
Many people seem to think that their room is too small to have a decent size (e.g.., 75" or larger) TV. As this WaPo article explains: "A lot of decorating choices are subjective — they require trusting your gut and following your personal taste. But others are clearer cut, such as deciding which size television is appropriate for a space. According to interior designers, there is actually a right answer to that particular question, which can be found via a simple mathematical formula." And then it gives that formula: "1. Start by measuring the distance from the wall where you plan to hang your television to the spot you plan to sit while watching it; 2. Convert that distance from feet to inches; 3. Now divide by two to arrive at the correct size screen for your room. For example, if the distance from your wall to your couch is 120 inches, then your television should be approximately 60 inches. (Television screens are measured on the diagonal.)"
[EOP]
If your monitor is less than 27" (or even worse, if you use a laptop without connecting it to an external monitor), there is no reason to avoid getting a 27" monitor. Unlike days gone past, you can now get a perfectly good one (from Amazon and elsewhere) for $100 +/- $10--with vibrant colors and ultrathin borders.
[EOP]
Windows being the fickle thing it is, on occasion it will lock you out unless you enter your Windows password which, of course, you've forgotten. This XDA article will enable you to reset or recover that password.
[EOP]
As is now being generally reported, ESPN, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery announced Tuesday that they will launch a new streaming service this fall that will combine their many sports broadcast rights, offering everything from the NFL to the World Cup. The service does not yet have a name or a price, but it is the greatest move to date toward sports content being available outside of the cable bundle. Each outlet will own one-third of the new venture, the final terms of which remain under negotiation. Nobody really understands what this is about or what the implications of it are, but, in addition to the other shortcomings of streaming sports (e.g., clunky replay; inability to skip ads), there here is one hurdle they will have difficulty overcoming: The gamblers who increasingly make up real-time sports viewership will not tolerate the various lag and buffering issues that plague streaming and are largely not a problem with cable. In short, what we are seeing here is the problem with broadcast management: They decide what and how to broadcast, but they skip the step of actually viewing stuff to understand what viewers want and need.
[EOP]
There can be many reasons that tabs in Chrome might open on their own. Most likely, it is a malware issue. But it also can be a buried Chrome setting. This MUO article has several safe suggested fixes.
[EOP]
This Tasting Table article has some excellent tips on re-heating pizza in ways that maintain the crust's texture.
[EOP]
Previous posts have recommended this book for physicians and lay person alike. Turns out, we are not the only one, as you can see it now gets a unanimous 5-Star review on Amazon. Here is the text of the latest review: "Every physician who tries to keep up in their field should read this to inform themselves how to look at reported research with a careful and critical eye. Every researcher should read it as well to avoid falling into the fallacy traps that snare too much research. Lay people can benefit as well to inform themselves about the risks of relying on reported research that could be flawed. It is clearly and insightfully written. A joy to read."
This is the last season of curb your enthusiasm, and the first episode aired this past Sunday night. It not only was pretty pretty pretty good, it was laugh out loud funny at multiple points. This is must-see TV, where new episodes will air on HBO every Sunday night.
[EOP]
The decision trashes Trump's immunity arguments. One of my favorite points is on the issue of "chilling effect." As the court explained, in America, we want all citizens, including the president, to feel a "chilling effect" if they are thinking about doing something that might be illegal. But what's really encouraging about the decision is that it foreclosed en banc review by the entire court and gave Trump just 6 days to get a stay in in the Supreme Court and, if not, mandate will issue and the case will go back to the district court. The district court proceedings then can resume and a trial could be started before summer starts and finished before Labor Day. Even I don't know what the Supreme Court will do. At the one extreme, they could refuse to hear the case and let the decision stand. At the other extreme, they could take the case and put it on next term's docket, and then anything goes should they ever issue a decision. It is not too much to say what the court does might save it some dignity or might trash its legitimacy beyond repair.
[EOP]
Like me, you likely keep your laptop plugged in except when traveling. On occasion, you might notice that, even though it's plugged in, it's not charging. This cnet article gives a couple easy fixes for the problem.
[EOP]
Priority mail has 3 package sizes--small, medium, and large. The box size determines the flat fee. The weight does not matter. If it fits, it ships. The fee for Ground Advantage depends on weight. The heavier, the more costly. Before printing the label, check whether the package will fit in a flat-fee box and, if so, check the cost of shipping that way versus, upon weighing it, the cost of shipping by Ground Advantage, i.e, a small heavy package will be cheaper to send by Priority mail compared to Ground Advantage. Priority mail will generally take 2 days for delivery. Ground Advantage will generally take 5 days.
PS: There's also a Priority Express option. While more expensive than Priority mail, in my experience, it doesn't get the package to its destination any sooner than Priority mail does.
[EOP]
I have no clue if this holds water, but this WSJ piece sets out what might be certain risks in e-filing one's tax return.
[EOP]
The best way to stop useless social networking alerts (and my preferred way) is to stay off social networks. The second best way is to tweak your settings as explained in this WSJ article.
[EOP]
By default, any time you pay for a babysitter or reimburse a friend on Venmo, that amount and description are public and shown to your other friends on the app. As this WaPo article explains, if you don’t want your transactions to be public, head to the settings screen and make the changes set out in the article.
[EOP]
If you use a free standing monitor (whether with a laptop or a tower), there is an easy way to maximize space on your desktop: throw away the monitor stand that came with the monitor and buy a monitor arm such as pictured below. They used to cost $75 or so but have come down dramatically. Indeed, the one pictured, when bought from Amazon, cost $17, but the next day, the price jumped to $30.
Lesson: If you monitor the price post-sale of what you buy on Amazon, as long as you're in the return/replace window, if you see the price drop, you should be able to take appropriate remedial action (as you can do with Costco on electronics).
Money market funds (MMFs) have been fantastic investments since the Fed started raising short-term interest rates, paying over 5% with a very low risk of default. But, as this WSJ article cautions, MMFs can now charge fees to investors, and so, while most MMFs hold the same instruments and hence produce quite similar nominal yields, their fees can vary dramatically to the detriment of one's actual return. So, be aware and be smart and be careful out there.
[EOP]
No one (except perhaps Sinema) knows whether or not she will run for re-election. What is known is that very few, if any, Dems will vote for her. Running as an independent likely will not peel off enough Lake supporters for her to win. But, if Sinema were to run as a Republican (or as an independent who pledges to caucus with the Republicans), while the vitriol from Dems will be deafening, it could be the one road she has to keep her senate seat.
[EOP]
The price cuts on Tesla Ys have brought them down close to Tesla 3 prices (which also have been cut), and when the $7,500 tax credit is factored in, Tesla Ys can be thousands of dollars cheaper than Tesla 3s. Meanwhile, as this Forbes article reports, the prices of used Tesla 3s and Ys have plummeted, and the prices of used Chevy Bolts even more so.
[EOP]
Anyone with any aesthetic sense hates the way the default desktop looks in Windows 10 and 11 and loves the way it looked in Windows 7. Fortunately, there is a simple (1-click) way to make W10 and W11 look like W7, which is explained in this beta news article.
[EOP]
Even as inflation numbers seem to be improving, on the food and streaming fronts, inflation seems to continue to take its toll in terms of higher nominative prices along with fewer benefits and smaller packaging. This WSJ article gives an informative overview of how inflation (aka shrinkflation) insidiously raises real prices while keeping nominative prices steady in everything from airline fares to food packaging, and details some areas where prices are going up (such as automobile, property, and medical insurance premiums), but are not necessarily reflected in headline inflation calculations. Further, as this other WSJ article explains, as Amazon raises the annual Prime fee and reduces perks (e.g., it now costs $2.99/month to get Prime streaming without ads), canceling one's Prime subscription is not a crazy thing to do--you still get free shipping just not quite as fast.
[EOP]
If you didn't give your Firestick a good name when setting it up, you will not have maximized all the functions the Firestick can perform for you. Fortunately, it is a snap to go back and rename your Firestick. This U.S. Sun article explains it all.
[EOP]
A recent post urged questioning the pharmacist if a prescription charge was steep, citing an instance where the original price quoted was $1,100 which, upon asking the pharmacist if it anything could be done to lower the price, got discounted to $60. We have been informed that, in actuality, the original price quoted was $1,134 and the discounted price was $21.50. We apologize for the mistake which was ours, and any inconvenience that resulted from our mistake.
[EOP]
This Good Housekeeping article has a good review of units that are combination microwave, air fryer, and convection oven. They take up the same space and look like most microwaves. The budget recommendation one from GE is just $200. That's a no-brainer, especially if the enamel paint in your existing microwave is coming off and you're scared to apply the enamel repair stuff you bought and can't return because of its hazardous nature.
[EOP]
If, when you weren't looking, your computer screen suddenly changes to a strange background, you can try the following: restarting the computer; reinserting the HDMI and power cables; plug the HDMI directly into the computer instead of the hub; run troubleshooters; change a bunch of display settings; and more. When none of those cures work, before buying a new monitor, try the following (which will take about 10 seconds to do): PC Settings/Personalization/Background and change it to what you had it originally.
[EOP]
America's expenditures on its military is the largest in the world and the biggest item in its budget. We have the most weapons, the most advanced weapons, and the most powerful weapons. We have the best led and trained fighting force of dedicated soldiers. As a result, we have the most overwhelming military advantage over every other country and non-state actor rebel force in the world. I'm sure Iran and the Houthis recognize this, and have no memory of our efforts in Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq.
[EOP]
As this WSJ article explains, deep losses are embedded in many mutual funds and exchange-traded funds that invest in high-quality, intermediate-term and long-term bonds. That enables current and future returns on a portion of those funds’ holdings to be taxed at the capital-gains rates that apply to investments held for more than one year. The maximum rate there is 20%, roughly half the top ordinary-income rate. (Both can be subject to a 3.8% surtax.) Why is that? The losses on those bond holdings are reflected in the fund’s current price. As the losses narrow or the bonds mature at par, the appreciation will likewise flow through to the fund price. So, if you’ve been thinking of rebalancing by selling some of what’s gone up the most (stocks) and buying some of what’s gone down the most (bonds), be opportunistic. This may be a once-in-a-lifetime chance to raise your exposure to bonds at decent yields while reducing your exposure to taxes.
[EOP]
This Simple Flying article provides an informative overview of the benefits of what American Airlines calls "Premium Economy," which include: better seating and more space for extra comfort with additional features like adjustable footrests and noise-canceling headsets and improved service, including an enhanced meal service and priority boarding. Lounge access is not included and the seats are not lie-flat. Sometimes the extra cost is worth it on long-haul flights, but sometimes the cost differential seems just too great.
[EOP]
On January 6, 2021, our country nearly failed, for the first time in its history, to have a peaceful transfer of presidential power. While the court system has meted out punishment for the "foot soldiers" of that day, it has failed to hold accountable those who rallied them and led the assault on our democracy. In large part this is the result of the ease of delaying judicial proceedings. With the 2024 election on the horizon, it is clear that the court system cannot be relied on to effectuate the corrective action that is needed to safeguard our democracy from the authoritarian impulses that have been unleashed in this country. The only check now is the ballot box. But, when and if Congress ever returns to fixing problems, perhaps it might start with the creation of a new federal court tailored to swiftly address crimes committed in furtherance of impeding the constitution.
[EOP]
We didn't last even 5 minutes so there's nothing we can say about this series except that it's not for us.
[EOP]
Some funds are required by their terms to hold only dividend paying stocks. Hold on before jumping to the conclusion that that is a conservative limitation. By way of example, Meta (Facebook) is selling today at $480/share, and coincident with today's 20% stock rise and announced $50B share buyback, it announced a dividend of 50 cents per quarter or $2 per year, which equals a yield of .4%. I'm not saying Meta's intent with the dividend was to open itself to be able to be bought by ETFs and mutual funds required to buy only stocks that had dividends. I'm just saying.
[EOP]
If your Hulu stream consistently just blanks out, rather than curse the darkness, here's what seemed to work to fix it if you're using a Firestick to access it:
1. Clear Hulu's cache (Settings/Apps/Hulu/Clear Cache).
2. Uninstall Hulu (Settings/Apps/Hulu/Uninstall).
3. Reset the Firestick (Settings/Firestick/Reset).
4. Reinstall Hulu.
[EOP]
As we have noted before, when food shopping, the best practice is to compare what particular items cost at different stores, and not assume that one store's stuff is always less expensive than another store's stuff. If you are dieting, you know how important Lucini balsamic vinegar is for your luncheon big salad and how delicious it is. But here's the thing: It cost over $6.50 at Fry's but under $5.80 at Whole Foods, and that ain't bean bags.
Anyone who keeps to a slimming diet knows that, as each week wears on, it becomes increasingly difficult to maintain the rate of loss. That is because, as one loses weight, losing another pound means having to lose a larger percentage of one's overall weight. So, while often one is able to start losing 2 pounds per week, following the same diet, soon that loss might drop to 1 pound per week, and with time, losing 1 pound per week becomes more challenging. Here's what to do so that your chart continues to show a 1 pound per entry loss: Instead of weighing yourself every week, stretch out the weighings to every 8 days, then every 9 days, etc., until your ultimate weight loss goal is met.
PS: The last time we tried to explain this phenomenon, a semi-loyal reader didn't get it. So, for them, let me put it this way: If you start out weighing 100 pounds, losing 5 pounds requires shedding just 5% of your weight. But, if keep dieting and get to be weighing 10 pounds (or start out weighing 10 pounds), losing 5 pounds means shedding one-half or 50% of your weight. I trust that clears up their earlier misunderstanding.
[EOP]
A semi-loyal reader epitomizes one of the fetishes that has seeped into our culture: Obsession with keeping his Wordle streak alive. It's an amazing streak of great scores including for example keeping the streak alive by correctly guessing the solution at step 3 on a 1 in 39 shot. He's certain God is going to smite him at some point, but each day, first thing upon awakening, he opens Wordle and goes for another step 3 or better, and does it. In many ways, we feel sorry for the angst he keeps putting himself through, and his missing out on the pleasure we mere amateurs have in going for step 2 victories even though doing so drops our all-time average which we don't care about anyhow. He also works himself into a tizzy when, according to him the bot mis-analyzes his effort, while those of us with better things to do ignore the bot entirely knowing the bot is an idiot. All that said, as this WSJ article explains, this miserable semi-loyal reader soul is not alone.
[EOP]
Battery cost and time to charge are the two big impediments to increasing EV sales. As this Independent article explains, the day may come sooner rather than later where EV batteries will be able to charge fully in 5 minutes and store the charge longer. That would be a game changer.
[EOP]
