Update Chrome Now

If you haven't updated Chrome since Thursday, update it now. Google on Thursday released security updates to patch 12 vulnerabilities, including one that has come under active exploitation in the wild.

[EOP]

The "Catch" That Didn't End the Game

With two out in the ninth inning, this "catch" would have ended the game. You've got to feel for this guy, but given the playoff wild-card picture in the National League, any loss by the Padres is a welcome sight for the Phillies.

[EOP]

Trump's Arch and a PS

Excavation work on President Trump’s 250 foot-tall arch in Washington, is expected to start over the next two weeks. The arch would sit between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery at Memorial Circle on Columbia Island. “This will be one of the Great Pieces of American Architecture,” Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said Thursday on social media. If you don't want it to be built, worry not: The project, one of Trump’s many so-called beautification projects in the nation’s capital, is facing litigation. Opponents have argued Trump needs congressional approval to build it. The triumphal arch would block or disrupt the sightline of other monuments, critics have said. Oh yeah, that's what they said about the ballroom.

PS: The one gratification to look forward to is when Trump is gone, as is done in countries everywhere when a corrupt self-aggrandizing leader is out, is watching the horrendous monuments and all the other such stuff being torn down and all the gilded stuff being stripped away.

[EOP]

Geopolitical Risk Canary in a Gold Mine?

I thought I was the only one, when it comes to protecting one's assets, has been worried about geopolitical risks. As it turns out, the Dutch central bank shifted the location of 78 metric tons of gold, valued a $11 billion at today’s prices, from vaults beneath the streets of Manhattan to London, saying it would improve the ability to trade the metal in a pinch. The high-security operation took several months to pull off. Some of the gold was sold in the U.S. and repurchased in the U.K. Other bars were flown to Europe, likely in the storage hold of planes. The result: Almost a third of the Dutch gold reserve is in London and a still chunky 19% in New York, flipping their earlier positions. “In view of increasing geo-political unrest, DNB is strengthening its crisis preparedness,” the central bank said in a statement referring to its Dutch acronym. 

[EOP]

The Toasted Owl (Restaurants in Phoenx and Flagstaff)

Originally one restaurant in Flagstaff, The Toasted Owl now has two restaurants in Flagstaff and two in Phoenix, including one conveniently located at 300 West Camelback Road. It serves delicious breakfast food and lunch food. There's another lunch restaurant in Flagstaff but I can't remember it's name. It's got patio dining and is on a main road.

[EOP]

Democracy on the Line: Nightmare Scenario

Trump has appealed his ability to stop mail-in ballot voting to the Supreme Court. For procedural reasons there is no way the Court should be hearing the appeal and for substantive reasons the appeal has no basis (indeed, it's frivolous). That said, if anyone believes there aren't 3 votes in the shadow docket in the bag for Trump, they have not been paying attention, and if anyone believes there easily could not be 2 more that would vote in favor of Trump, they have not been paying attention either. Should Trump's appeal prevail, it would shut-down mail-in voting, and that will effectively shut-down voting in a wide swath of states particularly in the West, Southwest, Upper Mid-West, and the Northeast. To stop the vote is to stop democracy. Full stop. The idea that democracy now rests in the hands of 6 Supreme Court justices is nothing short of terrifying.

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The AI Toothbrush: Not a Joke

[Prefatory Note: You might think you know how AI is going to change our lives. This post might lead to your thinking again about the profound changes coming that you did not imagine]

You know about Dyson's high-end, high-priced vacuums for cleaning floors. If you care about your teeth as much as your floors, then Dyson's AI Camerajet toothbrush (priced at about $500) is for you. It’s a camera viewing, gap finding, jet washing, liquid flossing, mouthwash dispensing, technique teaching, live streaming, plaque blasting, precision cleaning toothbrush. As such, it's the only toothbrush with a camera and a jet, to target the gaps and remove plaque between your teeth. I'm waiting for a mini-robot-toothbrush you just drop in your mouth and it zooms around in it like a Roomba zooms around your floors.

[EOP]

Acer Swift Blade 14

Although not yet available in the U.S. and the pricing has yet to be released (but it could be under $1K), the Acer Swift Blade 14 has risen to the top of my list when looking for a new computer. Although I prefer the black of the LG Gram, the marshmallow blue is distinctive enough, but the real draw is this: Coming in at 1.76 pounds, it's the lightest full-size laptop ever. And it's thin as can be with daunting specs. 

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Get Help for Motion Sickness From Your Phone

As knowing someone who struggles with car sickness, one of my favorite features that launched on the iPhone with iOS 18 was Vehicle Motion Cues. It’s a layer of moving dots that appears across your screen and changes with the motion of a vehicle. Apple says the feature helps reduce the sensory conflict between what you see and what you feel, making it easier to look at your screen while in a car. They’ve definitely noticed the difference when Vehicle Motion Cues is on; they can scroll or read on my iPhone for longer without feeling nauseated. At last, a similar feature is coming to Android. Called Motion Assist, this adds a bubble overlay to your phone’s screen that moves as the vehicle does. As Google put it in a blog post, “It’s designed to help bridge the gap between what your eyes see and the movement of your ride.” You can adjust the shape, color and opacity of the bubbles. You can also set Motion Assist to turn on automatically when you’re in a moving vehicle, and add it to Quick Settings for easy access. Motion Assist is available on phones running Android 17. There appear to be other such apps that run on earlier Android versions.

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Two Tips re Amazon Refunds

Tip 1: When you have the option, take any refund to your Gift account or Amazon courtesy account instead of to your credit card. You will get it much faster, and you will know often immediately but always within a couple of hours (instead) of days whether it actually posted (which is how long it can take for refunds to your credit card.

Tip 2: If your refund was issued to your card, and you don't see it within a few days, don't hesitate to tell Amazon you're tired of waiting, and that you're willing to have the refund issued per the better options suggested in Tip 1. You might then get a double refund (i.e., an addition to your gift card balance and a refund to your credit card), but that's Amazon's mess up and they will tell you to keep both so you need not even alert them

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Easy Ways to Help Avoid Wi-Fi Drops

Wi-Fi drops, especially in the middle of something important, are incredibly frustrating. Simply rebooting your router can fix tons of connection issues. Rebooting resets your router's memory, clears out any temporary glitches, and reloads its firmware and settings. It also releases any unresponsive connections and expired IP addresses that your router's DHCP server might be tracking. You don't have to set a reminder to do this manually, either. Most routers have a scheduled restart setting that automatically restarts the router at a time you specify. I recommend setting your router to reboot late at night when you won't be using the internet. This way, any temporary downtime for your smart home devices won't affect you. For instructions on how to do this for your router, type "auto schedule reboot [router model]" without the quotes into Google. Doing the setting takes about 2 minutes. Some other helpful tips in preventing Wi-Fi drops can be found in this MUO article.

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Things Not to Cook in Cast Iron

Next to our air fryer, our cast iron pan is our favorite thing for cooking. But, while cast iron is tough, some acidic foods will damage it by stripping away the cast iron's surface and even leave an unpleasant metallic smell in your meal. As explained in this cnet article, here are the top offenders which should never be cooked in cast iron: tomatoes; vinegar; citrus; and wine-based sauces. Speaking of wine-based sauces, I almost always cook with wine, and sometimes I add it to the food.

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New Lenses for Your Existing Glasses

Say your prescription changes or you want to change from clear to sunglasses but want to keep your existing frames. If I understand how Overnight Glasses works (and I can't be sure or vouch for them), they will make custom lenses to fit your existing frames. And the prices look great.

[EOP]

A Plaintiff, a Plaintiff, My Kingdom for a Plaintiff

The stupidity of the Supreme Court's decision, letting the hideous ballroom construction continue, where even Chief Justice Roberts said the project was illegal, and where the Court made no determination on anything, defies credulity. Talk about holding two head-scratching, conflicting thoughts at the same time: The Court had no difficulty saying the plaintiff "might not" have standing because it could not find injury to any plaintiff while at the same time the Court had no difficulty finding irreparable harm to the White House if the project were delayed until the legality of the project could be ruled on. But here's what I really don't get: What makes the project illegal is that it lacks the necessary congressional approval. So, if that's the case, why doesn't any member of Congress (including any single Dem) have standing to bring suit to stop the project.

[EOP]

A Term Joey Martella's Father Didn't Know and Didn't Teach Us

The term walk-off home run has been around for a while, and other offensive walk-of terms have been added. With two outs in the bottom of the Ninth, and Baltimore leading 2-1, one man on base and the batter facing a 3-and-2 count, this is what a walk-off grab looks like.

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Samsung Galaxy Book 6 Laptop

When my last computer unexpectedly died, I bought a 14" Samsung Galaxy Book 5 because it was the only laptop at Costco or BestBuy that had the specs and a price that were acceptable, and where I could walk into the store and get it immediately. I have come to really like it. The Samsung Galaxy Book 6 just came out and, if I were looking today for a new laptop, it certainly would be one of my finalists. The only complaint I have is that it used to boot up in 18 seconds or fewer ever time, and now sometimes it takes 27 seconds and it's driving me nuts trying to find out why.

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S&P 500 Momentum Index

Momentum trading is based on a rather simple observation: Investments that go up tend to keep outperforming; those that underperform often remain laggards. This kind of trading might seem too simple a stock-picking strategy to work. Yet it often has. Returns can be amplified when investors don't just go long on outperformers, but also short underperformers. The S&P 500 Momentum Index soared 44% in the second quarter, its best quarterly performance on record, and it surged 133% over the past five years, nearly double the broad market’s performance. Alas, as any believer in regression to the mean would have predicted, as this WSJ article reports, suddenly, the trade is a loser. The momentum index has tumbled more than 9% since July 1, lagging behind the S&P 500’s 2.8% gain. The index—which tracks stocks in the S&P 500 based on a “momentum score”—is on track for the biggest quarterly underperformance in 25 years. July was the second worst month for the momentum trade in around 40 years--the only month worse was April 2009, in the teeth of the global financial crisis.

[EOP]

Cancel for Any Reason Trip Insurance

I cannot vouch for this, but Travel Insured International looks to have a straight-forward way to buy as an add-on 75% of the trip cost where there is interruption for any reason or you choose to cancel for any reason. 

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Microplastics in 3 Things Often Not Thought About

Here are three things that are most likely leaking microplastics into your food:

Tea bags: It may come as a surprise, but microplastics could be hiding in your tea bags. When you brew tea, the bag is exposed to extremely high temperatures that can release its microplastics. This comes from polypropylene, a key component in the manufacturing of tea bags. Researchers at Spain’s Autonomous University of Barcelona found that billions of microplastic and nanoplastic particles are released from a single tea bag for every millimeter of water it is submerged in. Research has shown that a single plastic tea bag can release billions of microplastic fragments.

Certain spices: Depending on how it is packaged, that bottle of paprika may contain microplastics. Many spices today are packaged in plastic, which is concerning because a recent study found microplastics in all plastic containers tested. This can result in food contamination, which has increased in recent decades.

Plastic straws: Plastic straws are especially concerning because studies show that they release microplastics and nanoplastics, which can then be directly inhaled. Unfortunately, plastic straws are extremely prevalent, with about 8 million metric tons of plastic found in waterways each year. Once these straws and other plastics enter the water, they can affect not only the water but also the soil and animals found in or on it.

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Two Simple Windows Changes to Make It Look and Run a Little Better

If you have Windows Transparency or Animations effects turned on, they are doing nothing to make your Windows experience better. Turning them off is simple, and you likely won't notice anything except except perhaps your computer running a little better and faster. Go to Settings/Personalization/Color and toggle off Transparency, and then  go to Settings/Personalization/Accessibility/Visual Effects and toggle off Animation effects.

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Tip re Think AAA

Aside from roadside assistance, it can pay to think AAA for other stuff. For example, if lights come on saying your tire pressure is low, and you to go a tire place, the wait could be too long for any human to endure. You might call first to see how busy they are, and then take the car to a AAA shop and the air pressure will be done in no time flat. In addition, it's a convenient place to get new wiper blades, and new tires if you need them. And they are no-pressure, no hard-selling, and very friendly.

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Asus Travel Router

If there's no Wi-Fi where you're going, then why not just bring your own? You shouldn't go on vacation without a travel router and when it comes to top choices for the one to pack, the ASUS RT-AX57 Go (shown here in white but it also comes in black) is a hard one to beat for features, value, or price (at about $70). This is a very modern Wi-Fi 6 travel router that offers 3Gbps of total wireless bandwidth. Looking through the feature list, there is very little separating this from the Wi-Fi 6 home routers from ASUS. It can connect to your ASUS home mesh technology, so you can use it as a Wi-Fi mesh unit while at home. It also was WISP (Wireless Internet Service Provider) technology, which lets the router use another Wi-Fi point (like a hotel hotspot) as an internet source, and then shares it with all of your devices. This has safety benefits, where the travel router protects your devices from unscrupulous individuals on open public networks.You can also connect an Ethernet cable to the WAN port, like you would a home router, but most useful perhaps is the USB port, which allows your to access smartphone USB tethering. As long as you have data on your phone (and your plan allows tethering) you can easily share Wi-Fi with all your other gadgets. You don't need internet access, as professional reviewers point out, you can still network your gadgets together to share files just like a home LAN. Oh, and it's powered by USB-C, which is super-convenient.

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Follow-up PS Tip re Accommodation by Amazon

If Amazon messes up a delivery for a third time in 2 weeks, do not hesitate to go back to a supervisor. You just might end up with a further accommodation of double the amount of your order and a re-delivery of your order. In total, you can end up with more products than you ordered, the charges for them expunged, and a refund or credit of 4x or more of the amount of the purported charges.

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Accessing Live TV Channels Through an Amazon Fire TV

If you've "cut the cable cord" or are thinking about it, this article should be of great interest to you. It explains how to access various Live TV channels without paying a plug penny to do so.

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My Take on Samsung Galaxy AI Features

Samsung is experimenting a lot with Galaxy AI, and I like it. A handful of nifty features, including Note Assist, Audio Eraser, and Circle to Search, are things I use every day. The problem is that Galaxy AI is getting harder to understand as it gets bigger. A basic Galaxy AI guide is necessary because Samsung now has its own AI, Google-powered AI, on-device AI, cloud AI, account requirements, and features that vary by phone, region, and software version. Samsung wants Galaxy AI to stand at the center of the competition, but in reality, its strategy is making the experience messier than it should be. That is why Samsung's AI phone push feels so tricky to me. This article takes a deeper dive into the matter.

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How To Remove Years Of Baked-On Grease From Baking Sheets

This Southern Living article explains how to effectively clean a baking sheet and remove baked-on grease and stains. Many will find it easier to skip the mess and buy new ones. 

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Some Tips on Ordering Wine

Hosting a restaurant dinner is daunting for some when it comes to ordering wine. It's actually easier than you think if you follow some tips I use which will enable anyone to look like a pro in doing so:

Ditch the rules: You can absolutely pair white wine with beef. Opt for high-acid, textured whites like a dry Riesling, Chenin Blanc or Champagne. You can also pair red wine with fish—go for lighter-bodied reds without a lot of tannins like a fruity Beaujolais or a lean German Pinot Noir.

Numbers game: When deciding how much wine to order, the general rule is approximately one glass per person per hour, Chang said. A standard pour is 5 ounces, so you’ll need at least one half-bottle per person for a two hour dinner.

Money talks: Sommeliers may ask the person holding the wine list how much they’re looking to spend. If it feels indelicate to answer aloud, point to a few comparably priced options.

Some like it hot: Spicy foods make high-alcohol, tannic red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon taste bitter—and can amp up the heat of your dish. Instead, opt for lower-proof reds such as Grenache or bubbly Lambrusco. Alternatively, order a dry rosé or white wine like Riesling.

Stem theory: Any time you pick up a wine glass, hold it by the stem. Cradling the bowl in your hand warms the wine, smudges the glass and makes it hard to swirl and release all those conversation-starting aromas.

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PS Tip re Accommodation From Amazon

If Amazon screws up in its failure to deliver for a second time shortly (e.g., 2 weeks) after it did the first time, and again will not process the refund for 7 days or more, do not hesitate to ask for an immediate refund. The level one rep does not have authority to do much of anything, so ask for a supervisor right off the bat. The supervisor has broad authority, including to immediately credit your gift card the amount of the purchase, and still let you collect the refund that will be coming to you in normal course. 

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If You're Not Fixing It, It's Broken

This fascinating and instructive piece by Joshua Robinson presents a good lesson for all of us. It's the story of the LA Rams general manager, Les Snead, who, despite his success, tore up his playbook and wrote a new one. Now known as the Warren Buffet of the NFL, Snead found a way to build a perennial contender by rethinking the market as a value investor.

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Mental Health Benefits of Vacations

As Heidi Mitchell explains, research reveals that travel can build stress resilience, sharpen cognitive health, and ward off depression far better than staying home.

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The Case to Usher Google's AI Into One's Life

As this piece by Christopher Mimms explains, "the idea might seem wild, but the tech giant’s new products make it more accessible for non-nerds. I woke up on a recent morning to three different AI alerts: My sleep had been pretty good, if light on REM; I urgently needed to review the cover of a foreign-language translation of my book; and I really ought to consider a weekend sea-kayaking expedition with the family. People throw around the idea of “AI as a personal assistant” a lot, but this was the first time it hit me that artificial intelligence really has become my personal assistant. Specifically, Google’s AI. I’ve long been a skeptic of personal AI—my privacy paranoia has made me one of those people who always rejects cookies and app tracking requests—but my experiences with it lately have me turning into one of those AI guys. Pretty soon, you might be one, too."

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The Food Crisis That May Be Coming to the U.S.

This piece by Jeff Stier warns about a looming crisis in food supply and costs as a result of the global fertilizer market being controlled by China, Russia, and Iran. As Jeff explains, "In my last face-to-face conversation with my mentor, agronomist Norman Borlaug (1914-2009), he told me to be on guard for shocks to the food supply system. They could be from naturally occurring phenomena like wheat rust and weather or from human activity such as sustained global conflicts. When a man credited with saving at least a billion people from starvation asks you to pay attention to something, it isn’t a message you forget or ignore. We are in the midst of the kind of disruption he foresaw, due to the triple whammy of the Russia-Ukraine war, Iran’s control of the Strait of Hormuz and China’s manipulation of the global fertilizer market."

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Wirecutter's Choices for Low Cost Laptops

Here are Wirecutter's choices for low cost (under $700) laptops. Four of them are from Acer and Asus, both of which I've had before my current laptop and both of which I liked very much.

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9 Fruits With the Most Calcium for Strong Bones and Teeth

As this Today article explains, every bit of calcium counts, especially if you’re eating a plant-based diet. These fruits can contribute to your calcium intake: prickly pears; oranges; black currants; dried figs; blackberries; papaya; kiwi; prunes; and dried apricots.

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HP Essential Laptops

HP Essential Laptops come with substantial storage and are plenty fast and light and have other features that result in its being reviewed highly. Best of all is its price--from $300 to $600. One model just went on sale at Amazon for close to $300 that had retailed at one point for over $700. 

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Cool Extendable Table

This Ricll extendable table is cool as it goes easily from being a circular table to being a rectangular table (as the above link will show you in action). More information is available on the Ricll website.

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Keeping a Smart TV Updated

It's important to keep the software that drives your smart TV updated just as it is important to do so for your phone and tablet. It's not difficult for any TV although the individual instructions vary for make and model. Put "How to update [TV Make Model]" into Google and the settings will come up. Also, it should show you how to set the TV to auto-update when idle.

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Campaign Issue for 2028 Presidential Race and a PS

Given Trump's renaming and attempted renaming of everything from a gulf to a lake to a performing arts center to who knows what by the time he's through, the Dem nominee for president can put their Rep opponent in a nice box by running on a platform one slat of which is to delete Trump's name as a symbolic step of restoring sanity. In addition, the Dem might suggest that Trump's name will appear where appropriate--such as "The Trump  and Epstein Center for Sex Offenders." 

PS: With the renaming of Lake Ontario to be Lake America, HOMES doesn't work as a mnemonic to remember the names of all 5 great lakes. SHAME does.

[EOP]

Surprising Things That Can Be Cleaned in the Washer

As this Wirecutter article lists and explains, here are some of the things that can be washed in the washer that people don't realize: kitchen sponges; cushions; pillows; tote bags; baseball hats; sneakers; pet gear; backpacks; and lunch boxes. 

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Show Tabs Vertically and a PS re Chrome Updates

Vertical tabs view is available with Chrome's latest updates. Vertical tabs moves your tabs to the side of your window, allowing you to see entire tab titles, easily manage tab groups, and free up vertical space. It’s the perfect setup if you typically have a lot of tabs open at once. To move your tabs, right-click your tab strip and select Show tabs vertically.

PS: Here is a link to an extended discussion of The New Yorker's take on Chrome Updates. Even if you don't read that, you might enjoy this illustrative example:

[EOP]

Don't Say Good Luck (2026 Movie on Netflix)

If you're into watching a movie that's painful at every level--from the plot to the acting to the casting to the writing and dialogue to the many annoying characters--Don't Say Good Luck might be for you. I gave up quite early, and would rather not see Jon Lovitz in any role or Steve Buscemi or Bebe Neuwirth in their roles. By way of a summary, Sophie Birenbaum is ready for the spotlight as the lead in her high school musical — until suddenly she's living with even more gut wrenching drama at home than on the stage. I also wasn't fond of the quirks, such as, having kids learn about the terrible stuff that was happening with their mother as the mother and father repeatedly butt-dialed the kids and broadcast their conversations.

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Tip re Buying on ebay

I have been buying stuff on ebay for years, and while the experience does not match Amazon (e.g., the return/refund is clunkier and there's rarely free shipping), you can find stuff there, often brand new in the box never opened stuff, at prices lower than on Amazon or items not available at Amazon or anywhere. I've always used the Buy It Now option. I've always seen, but never before used the Make an Offer option, and just did, and ended up saving money. It's a very useful option to use where there are several sellers offering the same item or where you have no urgent need for the option. You get to make 5 offers and each one that is refused is refused immediately. I think that tells you there is a "Make an Offer price" the seller is willing to accept that is lower than the "Buy It Now price." And as for a bottom line: It's fun trying to figure out what the seller will take. It's go a Wordle-feel to it.

[EOP]

Solar Panel Glass Roofs Coming to EVs

As this autoevolution article reports, Tesla supplier Fuyao Glass announced that it can mass-produce automotive glass roofs with integrated photovoltaic cells that could power auxiliary equipment. They are way cool. This is a big deal, and will be hitting cars on the streets in China soon. Don't expect them to come any time soon to the country South of what is to be renamed Lake America.

[EOP]

Let's Hope Bessent Is Either Kidding or Wrong

Treasury Secretary Bessent announced that economic sanctions (dubbed "Economic D-Day") against any country or financial institution that did business with Iran that would go into effect in September. When asked why the delay until September, Bessent responded: "“We are giving everyone the opportunity to remedy bad behavior,” Bessent said. “Why would I want to blow up the global financial system?” Two obvious questions: (i) Why would you go to war first and to raising economic sanctions second; and (ii) why would he say they are going blow up the global financial system? One conclusion is inescapable: Trump could not have picked a Treasury Secretary more suited to his style and stupidity.

[EOP]

Hidden Cameras in STRs

I never thought or worried about hidden cameras in STRs I've rented. But that was before I read this cnet article. It will tell you how to spot them, and what to do if you do spot one, namely, report them, demand a refund, and get a new place.

[EOP]

Glowing Review of Pixel 11

This cnet article gives a glowing review of the Pixel 11. It argues even the most die-hard cultist iPhone user should switch to Pixel 11, but we know that's got no more chance than a pig flying into Hell armed with snowballs.

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Aging in Place in a 2-Level Home

Some people who want to age in place refuse to look at 2-story residences or stay in their residence if it's 2-story. Putting aside the exercise of having stairs to negotiate daily, many people omit to consider one easy adaptation: an elevator. There are many companies that provide them, Stiltz will give you an idea. And it beats a circular staircase like a drum.

[EOP]

Supreme Court's Mail-In Ballot Decision

I don't know enough to talk about what the Supreme Court's mail-in impact decision will have on voter turnout in 2026 (e.g., whether it might lead to higher voter suppression among older and rural Reps at the core of Trump's base). But, while I might be missing something, in Arizona where over 85% of the ballots are mail-in, in the races for governor, AG, and secretary of state, and many many state and federal seats, it should be used to put the Rep candidates in a terrible position. In short, they will have to risk Trump's endorsement or support if the Dems immediately push this issue to the forefront and press their opponent on it starting today.

[EOP]

Flying First/Business Class at a Lower Price Than Economy Class

We have had a few posts about the anomaly where, when you go to price an airline ticket, choosing first/business class seat(s) will cost less than seats in any of the economy classes except for the bottom one. You now don't have to believe us. Here is a recent Top Travel News article a loyal reader brought to our attention which confirms this reality.

[EOP]

PS re Phillies Come From Behind 9th Inning Win Over the Cardinals

Everyone's talking about, as noted in a post here yesterday, the Phillies coming from being down 4-0 with 2 outs and no one on in the ninth inning to win the game with a walk-off home run that went about 1,000 feet to dead center field. Most fun of all is watching the crack announce team's reaction (Tom McCarthy, John Kruk, and Cole Hamels).

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PS re Moderna's mRNA Breakthrough

We said here a few days ago that Moderna's mRNA treatment for melanoma does not readily apply to other cancers. No need to believe us. As the WSJ reports, "success in melanoma is far from proof that the approach will work elsewhere. Every tumor is different, and melanoma is unusually well suited for this therapy."

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Utility of 3-D Printers

We have been living for quite some time where, when something breaks, finding a replacement part or a repair shop that deals in the item is nigh impossible. As Natalie Kaufman explains, 3-D printing opens up a whole new cost-effective, easy way to make replacement parts, which can save you a great deal of money compared to buying a new item.

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Car and Driver's 2026 Review of EVs

This Car and Driver article  has an excellent and pithy synopsis of its choices for 2026 EVs. You might be surprised at the number of EVs you never heard of that made the list, as well as being surprised by some of the comments on EVs you have heard of.

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TP-Link Roam 7 BE3600 Wi-Fi 7 Portable Travel Router

This techradar-pro article explains in simple terms why anyone who does any traveling is well-advised for security and safety reasons to take a travel router with them. There's no excuse any more not to have one with Amazon's slashing the price to under $90.

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MLB Players Are Really Kids at Heart

As Joey Martella's father said, there are some wins that make even major leaguers kids again. On Sunday August 23 (a day that will live in infamy), the Phillies were down 4-0 going into the bottom of the 9th against the Cardinals against whom they are fighting for a  playoff spot. The Phillies tied it up with a series of hits, and then, with 1 runner on base, up came Schwarber--who did this and this is the pandemonium that broke out afterwards.

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Where NFL Football Is Headed

If you think passing and running touchdowns are the key to NFL offenses, take a look at this clip.

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Tiger Woods on Being a Role Model

Quote of the Day: "If you are given a chance to be a role model, I think you should always take it because you can influence a person's life in a positive light, and that's what I want to do. That's what it's all about' teaches timeless powerful lesson on how to become idol, achieve success in career, work, relationship, love, friendship." You got to love that guy.

[EOP]

Tips on Replacing a Z-Wave Home Controller

If you have a Z-wave home controller for various lights, TV, thermostat, electric blanket, and more, when it dies, you know how much you depended on it and feel acutely the horror of living without it. As it turns out, when you get a new controller, it's at first a bit daunting to reconnect everything, but, once you get the hang of it (with the help of Google), the process goes pretty quickly, and you'll get your life back. One note: You can back up your connections, and should do so, because doing so will be a tremendous time saver and easing of the burden on the psyche.

[EOP] 

Battery Symbols on USB Ports

Universal Serial Bus, better known as USB, is a common interface used by a wide range of devices, including computing products. Depending on the device and how old or new it is, you can come across different USB port types; however, the USB Type-A and USB Type-C connectors remain the most common. While USB port colors can often tell you a lot about a particular port, you'll sometimes come across symbols next to the ports that aren't easy for everyone to decipher. For example, the D symbol next to USB ports means they support DisplayPort Alt mode, a technology that allows sending video data over the USB interface. Another symbol that you'll sometimes encounter next to a USB port is the battery symbol. It's typically included in laptops to indicate which USB ports can supply power to charge connected devices during sleep or shutdown. However, you can also find it on monitors, docking stations, and other devices. Besides the battery symbol, some manufacturers also include a lightning symbol to highlight the same features. when a USB port is accompanied by a battery symbol, it typically means that the port supports the "Always On" feature, which means that the port will continue to deliver power to the connected device for charging even when you close the lid, put the laptop to sleep, or power it off. Even if the laptop is not connected to a wall outlet, the USB port will keep on charging the connected device. As this can result in the laptop battery getting completely discharged, laptop manufacturers typically include an option in the BIOS or system settings to set the level at which you want the connected device to stop charging. You can also completely disable the feature.

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Note re Moderna's mRNA Breakthrough

You undoubtedly heard or read about the good news on the treatment of melanoma with Moderna's mRNA vaccine. Without taking away from the benefit that will bring to victims of skin cancer, when it comes to cancer, each cancer is different, and melanomas are more susceptible to treatment than just about any other cancer. We say that not to debase in any way Moderna's breakthrough. But the unbridled enthusiasm of the press for what it means for other cancers might be a bit premature.

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How Index Funds Went From Being Mocked to Feared

This piece by Spencer Jakab has a short but informative and interesting retrospective on the fifty years since the first low-cost ETF appeared on the scene.

[EOP]

Stock Market Bargains Are Hiding in This Overlooked Place

As this WSJ piece reports, if the U.S. stock market scares you, or even if it doesn't, you might look to Europe where companies and equities have been outperforming U.S. companies and equities.

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PS re Bessent's Intervention in the Bond Market

A couple of posts here noted that, notwithstanding the one day drop in long-term bond yields on the day Bessent announced the Treasury's new buying program, the jury was out on the efficacy of that program. We thought we might have to wait to see what Paul Krugman. We don't. The jury has spoken and told Bessent to go fly a kite, or jump in a lake. As we suggested here, our guts said, and the market has confirmed, he was using a bb gun to trying to bring down an elephant.

[EOP]

Trump's Purge of Capability and Competence

There's a story here and a story there, but the reality is that Trump 2.0 is on a relentless campaign to remove capable people in all places (from NIH, to the CDC, to the Military, to various financial, environmental, and other agencies, and on and on and on), and replace them with loyalist sycophants. It will be interesting to see once Trump is gone whether or not expertise is restored and science adhered to. In the meantime, it's hard not to see where in various sectors this does not end well. At least all the gold gilding and name placement is easy to spot and should be easy to remove.

[EOP]

My Brilliant Career (2026 6EP Series on Netflix)

Originally a 1979 movie now available on MAX and Hulu, showing as a min-series, My Brilliant Career is well done and enjoyable even if it doesn't measure up to Breaker Moran---our favorite Australian movie. The casting is amazing given the appearance of a main character who is nothing like the character he portrayed in Slow Horses--indeed, it takes the keenest of eyes to make the connection. It takes place in 1900 Australia, where a headstrong farm girl dreams of writing while society and family expectations clash with her fierce desire for independence and creative freedom. 

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Places the Likes of Besos et al Cannot Get Membership In

As the WSJ reports, there is an exclusive residential community in South Florida built around a member-only golf course country club. Besos owns several houses in the community but the "old money" billionaire club members, despite (or perhaps because of) Besos's groveling, won't let him (and others like him) join. So, it just goes to show that money cannot buy more things than just love.

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Not Often Seen in the Bigs

Joey Martella's father taught us this base running ploy, but it's one you rarely see in major league baseball. We appreciate an astute reader's bringing it to our attention.

[EOP]

Stupidity of Flights to Europe

One deterrent to many of us avoiding European travel is that the flight across the pond typically is the equivalent of a red-eye even from the East coast, i.e., one leaves after dinner time and arrives at the crack of dawn. We do not begin to understand that scheduling. When flying from the West coast or Southwest to cities on the I-95 corridor, there are red-eyes (populated mostly by students and others looking for super cheap fares). But most flights leave in the morning or early afternoon and arrive in time for dinner. On the European flights, one arrives groggy and, to avoid horrendous jet lag, should stay up until bedtime. On the transcontinental domestic flights, one arrives with time to have a nosh and go to bed at a normal time, waking up fresh the next morning. We are at a complete loss as to why the scheduling of flights over an ocean is such a terrible ordeal when they need not be given they involve no longer flight time or time zone changes than transcontinental domestic flights. We are working diligently on your behalf to correct this injustice.

[EOP]

The Downside of 2-Step Verification

Whenever there is a choice, I opt out of 2-step verification (2FA) (i.e., where you are sent a text or email code to log in). Here's why: Although  2FA is "safer" from a hacker perspective, I'm more concerned about not being able to access a partner's website (especially a medical portal) in an emergency, and not having access to their phone to get a text (having access to their email is easier).

[EOP]

MLB Blows It Again

Watch this slug by Pete Alonso and be sure to watch the slo-mo replay from a slightly different angle. There is no question it was a home run, and whatever you say about its being called a foul ball, that on appeal that call was confirmed has no justification. Putting aside everything else, that there's no laser on the foul pole and chip in the baseball is beyond inexcusable. The technology has been used in tennis, futbol, and football. Wake up MLB!

[EOP]

Home Security Tech to Track Pest Problems

If you are concerned about pests being on your premises (like rats in a garage), this cnet article is a must read. It is will show you how easy it is to have home security deal with everything from roaches to rats.

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Different Approaches to Decluttering

Our approach to cluttering, which has worked fairly well, is to go, one-by-one, drawer-by-drawer, closet-by-closet, cabinet-by-cabinet, and move everything in each one to a place in the living room, and then over the next couple of days, decide what items have to stay and what items can go (either to Goodwill or otherwise give away or sell). This piece sets out other approaches, and goes on to explain, in terms with which we agree, the joys that come along with decluttering.

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There's an ETF for Just About Every Kind of Investment Choice

As this WSJ note explains, with 1,000 exchange-traded funds launched just last year in the U.S., investors can own almost anything they want. Increasingly, that includes funds missing some ingredients they would rather avoid.

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Drones Are Not Just for Warfare

Amazon announced an expansion of its drone delivery service, with plans to roll it out to nearly 500 cities and towns by the end of the year. The service, dubbed Prime Air, offers drone delivery in as little as 30 minutes. Amazon said its Prime Air service can deliver a selection of items by drone including groceries, electronics, medications and household products. Other retailers and delivery services are getting into drone delivery as well. By tracking where the drone is, Amazon would not have lost my home controller enroute causing untold anguish and hassle, not close to being made up by the $90 of accommodation Amazon gave me.

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ION on Cox Cable (Phoenix)

Many Fever games are shown on ION. I didn't think I got ION. An astute and informed loyal reader suggested I check my thinking, and schzam:  I get ION (as CH18). Putting aside whatever else is on ION, I can't count the number of Indiana Fever games (which right now is the best live sports TV watching) I missed on ION thinking I didn't get ION. Just goes to show you: If God had not directed me to do the blog and directed this loyal reader to subscribe to the blog, I might have lived in darkness deprived of a sporting delight for the rest of my days.

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Windows 11 Storage Sense

Windows 11 Storage Sense is extremely useful, but for no apparent reason isn't turned on by default. It's easy to turn on: Go to Settings/Systems/Storage and the options will be apparent and easy to understand. By default, Storage Sense only runs when you're running low on storage. But you can set it to run on a schedule. It could be every day, every week, or every month. You can even choose to run Storage Sense at any given time you like, as there is a Run Storage Sense Now button in the settings. Note: For Storage Sense to run automatically, you need to be signed in and connected to the internet for at least 10 minutes beforehand.

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When Credit Cards With Fees Make Sense

If you are not a heavy traveler, and use a credit card principally for every day living expenses, a no-fee cash back card would likely make the most sense. We use two no-fee cards: (i) a Chase Visa Freedom card which gives 5% cash back on travel, 3% back on dining and drugstore, and 1.5% back on everything else; and (ii) a Chase Visa Amazon Prime card which gives 5% back on all Prime purchases. That said, if you are a heavy traveler, the perks and bonuses given with American Express Gold and Platinum cards, Chase Sapphire cards, and other fee-based cards might more than justify their annual fees of $300-$900. No one needs me to point out their benefits.

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PS re Rising Bond Yields and a PS

Yesterday we did a post with a simplified view of bond yields. Here is what the WSJ said on the topic in its upper right page 1 story the next day.

PS: Clearly in response to the rise in long-term rates, the Treasury announced mid-day yesterday a doubling of long-bond buy backs. This saw bond yields drop quite a bit, gold rise, and equities rise slightly. Whether this move by the Treasury is shooting an elephant with a bb gun, or a significant solution, or an admission that there's a real problem with where the bond market is heading, or is an ultimately harmful approach by adding to our national debt and straining our fiscal integrity even further, is beyond me. Paul Krugman will tell us, and we should listen.

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Travel Industry Is Catering to Boomers and a PS

As Clare Ansberry reports, as older Americans decide to explore the world, the travel industry responds with nicer accommodations, easier hikes, and luggage delivery. Baby boomers collectively have more wealth than any other living generation, and they are splurging on travel. They are living longer, have more free time and are in better shape than their parents and grandparents. As the first of the boomers hit their 80s, there is also a greater urgency to see as much of the world as they can. That is reshaping travel on several fronts. This generation, who as young adults hitchhiked across the country and backpacked through Europe, now is going on safaris and hiking in the Serengeti on guided tours that offer “easy” as well as “challenging” options. Tellingly, Road Scholar is offering attractive private-plane packages, which we recommend highly.

PS: Some might see a distasteful irony in the indulgence of baby boomers rewarding themselves as they party off around the world as they leave to their children and grandchildren a country having spun out of control with a psychotic, sociopathic, egomaniac, moron in charge. We have no comment in that regard. As our readers know, we just report. We do not opine or do politics.

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Use Symmetry to Calm Photographs

My photographs consistently get rave reviews, and are especially noted for their calming. My secret? I use symmetry. Symmetry is the fastest way to make a photo feel calm. Stand dead center, get low, and let the reflection do half the work. I waited for blue hour at the mosque, lined up the minarets, and the frame basically composed itself.

                                       

One person, dead center, and the entire building seems to spin around her. That's radial balance. The floor mosaic and the domes all radiate outward from where she stands, which is why it feels so calm and grand at once. Placement did more than any edit here. 

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Project Hail Mary (2026 Movie on Amazon Prime) and a PS re Courtesy

A self-described discerning videophile reader of this blog says this about Project Hail Mary: "[I]t was very funny in parts. Slow in parts. Too long.  But, it kept my attention all the way through." At over 2.3h and its appearing a bit gimmicky, even while we love Ryan Gosling, our C-suite will not be watching it, but our staff will be, and will shall report accordingly.

PS re Courtesy: We appreciate reviews such as this submitted by readers and almost always pass them on. It would be courteous if, in addition to telling us the name of what's being reviewed, the streaming source is identified, a practice more often than not unheeded by a particular discerning videophile.

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Further Tip re Getting an Additional Accommodation From Amazon

If Amazon continues messing up with a botched order (e.g., different supervisors giving you conflicting information or a level one rep being rude on the phone), do not hesitate to ask for an additional accommodation. A good supervisor not only usually will do so, but will give you an amount that exceeded the first accommodation. Do not fail to tell the supervisor that you already got one accommodation. It not only is the honest thing to do, it makes you look honest, and the supervisor can see it in the notes anyhow.

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One Reason Stocks Fall When Bond Rates High

When bond rates rise, the risk of being in stocks is seen as heightened compared to the relative assured return in yield on bonds. So, as bond yields rise, investors tend to pull money from stocks (i.e.,. sell equities) and put the proceeds into bonds. With such lowering of demand for equities, there is downward pressure on equity prices. Of course, everything IRL is more complicated.

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Pardon the Interruption (PTI on ESPN) Is Taking a Vacay

Tony and Mike take 3 weeks off every August. That break is in process now.

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Basics re the Great Lakes: They Are Not Renewable

If you've been walking on the planet thinking the Great Lakes were renewable, all I can say is, think again. As this earth.comnews article explains, they are not.

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Drip Coffee Maker for Camping

Brewing coffee while camping presents a unique set of challenges. On more occasions than I care to admit, I’ve spilled a freshly made coffee thanks to an unsteady camping table or stone underfoot. Having used several portable brewers, I finally landed on one that checks the most boxes: The MiiR Pourigami. Once assembled, the pyramid-shaped drip brewer fits atop any travel mug. Taken apart, it’s slim enough to fit into my pocket. It functions like standard pour-overs. 

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Tip re Getting an Accommodation From Amazon and a PS

When Amazon messes up and there's no question it is there fault and the level one customer support you get does not resolve the issue, there are two things to do (keeping a pleasant tone throughout and not threatening anything): (i) Ask to speak to a supervisor; and (ii) before letting the supervisor call end, ask for and explain why you believe an accommodation (credit deposited into your Amazon account) is appropriate. You almost always will get such an accommodation, and it appears the amount might be 20% of the cost of the item involved or more if it's a high-ticket item or $25-$40 if it's a low-ticket item. Trying for an accommodation with a non-supervisor as often as not is unsuccessful and almost always will result in a lower amount than a supervisor will give.

PS: If your problem continues, you can ask for a supervisor when first connected with level one. Often, that will work to get you immediately to a supervisor, saving you and Amazon time.

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How to Use Your Head in Futbol

There were some good headers in the World Cup, but this one in a Colorado/Army women's match beat them all. 

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Greatest MLB Debut

On the day he signed with the St. Louis Cardinals straight out of high school in 2021, Joshua Báez said he wanted to reach the majors in as little as two years. That’s not exactly what happened. Instead, the brash phenom who once compared himself to Mike Trout spent half a decade toiling in the minors, a difficult stretch filled with disappointment, frustration, and a boatload of strikeouts. But on Saturday, Báez finally arrived, albeit a little bit later than he expected. It was worth the wait. Báez, now 23, pulverized the very first pitch he saw as a big leaguer over the center-field fence, a titanic blast that landed 449 feet away from home plate. Three innings later, he sent another ball soaring into the left-field bleachers at Wrigley Field, making Báez just the eighth player since 1900 to hit multiple home runs in his debut. Then came history. In his third at-bat, Báez homered yet again, sending his dumbfounded Cardinals teammates into a frenzy. Never before had somebody hit three home runs in his first MLB game—until Joshua Báez.

[EOP]

How to Use AI to Identify Scam Texts

Most dedicated 'scam detector' apps flooding the app store are disappointing. They can try to lock you into pricey monthly subscriptions, collect your personal data, or simply hand you a vague 'safe or unsafe' score without explaining why. They also add to the endless pile of apps requiring security and feature updates. Instead of downloading another single-use app, you’re much better off using a free, general-purpose AI chatbot like ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini. Because these tools work seamlessly across your smartphone, tablet, and computer; they’re always within reach whenever a suspicious message pops up. The real secret lies in how you ask. Most scams succeed by inducing panic, like a frantic text claiming your bank account is frozen, or that an expensive item was just purchased on your account. Instead of reacting in the heat of the moment or asking the AI 'Is this a scam?', try prompting it like this: 'Analyze this message for signs of a scam. Explain what the sender wants me to do, what could happen if I do it, and identify the specific red flags.' The AI doesn’t need to click the link; it simply spots red flags in the visible web address, like misspelled brand names, unusual domain endings, or anonymous link shorteners that legitimate businesses rarely use. Seeing those hidden tactics exposed instantly strips away the panic. Having AI explain the mechanics helps build your intuition. You aren’t just evaluating one message; you’re training yourself to spot the red flags in future scams. Before submitting anything to a chatbot, take five seconds to clean the text after pasting it in. Delete your name, phone number, account number, and email address. If a message feels particularly sensitive, don’t paste the entire thing—just copy the suspicious paragraph or describe the situation in plain English. Finally, keep two simple rules in mind:  (i) AI can be wrong: If a chatbot says 'looks legitimate,' but the message asks for money, gift cards, or login details, never treat that as a green light. Verify the request independently. (ii) Never click the link: No matter what the chatbot says, never click a link in an unexpected text or email. If you think an alert might be real, open the official app directly or call the company using a phone number from your bill or card.

[EOP]

Market Gets Tougher for EV Lovers

As Ellie Davis explains, some EV owners who are sold on the technology are digging in their heels and settling for high prices. Others are still in search of more affordable prices in the used market. Some are going back to hybrids or gas cars. Here is one of the more interesting stories she relates: "My wife and I had two Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrids, which we drove for 10 years and thoroughly enjoyed until the battery died in one and Chevy wanted $35,000 for a new battery. We sold the running Volt for good money and traded the dead Volt to Tesla for a Model Y Long Range. Love the car. All three of those cars, I received a $7,500 tax credit and even more from the state. Then, I bought a used Tesla Model 3 Performance for cheap. No tax credits, but oh my God, that is when the love really started. There is no car like it. I used to drive Mercedes-AMGs and this Model 3 Performance will cream any AMG out there and still cost only half, or a third, or a quarter of the cost. I travel for work and always try to rent a Tesla. Last trip, they were out of Teslas and gave me a Camry. It worked. It was a car. But it was no Tesla. There was no love there. Give me a Tesla!"

[EOP]

Index Funds Continue to Beat Stock-Picking Funds

As the WSJ reports, index funds continue to beat stock-picking funds in terms of performance. That's not even taking account of fees which are lower for index funds.

[EOP]

Normal (2025 Movie on HBO/MAX)

Normal stars Bob Odenkirk. It doesn't have the depth of Fargo, but if you could handle and liked Blood Simple, you will really like this 1.5h movie. It centers on a temporary small-town sheriff who uncovers dark mysteries after a local bank robbery goes awry. There are many clever, if a bit violent, scenes.

[EOP]

Tip re Email From Amazon Saying "Attempted Delivery" Today

Your order might be out for delivery and then you get an email that says, "Delivery attempted today at 3:44 PM. Unfortunately, we ran into an issue when attempting your delivery. We will try again tomorrow." If you phone Amazon, you will learn that email is very misleading. It does NOT mean delivery was "attempted," it means something happened like the vehicle broke down or got in an accident and no delivery was tried. It might not work, but, if you do call Amazon, they will try to have that item "recovered" and delivered the same day, but if not, first thing the next morning. Or so they say.

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Waymo's Crash Rate Better Than Humans

Waymo’s robotaxis managed a notably better crash rate than human drivers in a recent study. The results, from four cities where the company is operating, add fodder to the debate over whether Waymo vehicles are safer than human-driven vehicles. Driverless Waymo vehicles had police-reportable crash involvement rates 68% lower than vehicles with human drivers in the same areas during the study period (2021-2024), according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety study released July 23.

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Property Taxes in Our New Gilded Age

The current Gilded Age we now live is seeing homes for 10s of millions of dollars with more bedrooms and bathrooms and so-called "amenities" than any family of any size could ever need (and most of us don't want). Jus this week in Phoenix, 5 houses sold for a total of over $50M, and that's not an unusual week. This is America, so that's okay. But what's not okay is that, except in Montana and perhaps in DC, while transfer taxes are often graduated, property taxes are not. Just as it make sense from a fairness and revenue generation point of view to have graduated income taxes, the case for graduating property taxes is as strong or stronger. 

PS: If you have any doubt that we are knee-deep into a new Gilded Age, take a look at this WSJ piece on what's going on with the lowly hot dog, including: "The $100 Golden Glizzy [which] features crème fraîche, mascarpone, 30 grams of Ossetra caviar and 24karat edible gold flakes served on a fresh-baked croissant bun. It also involves a hot dog."

The Golden Glizzy topped with caviar

[EOP]

Correction re Indiana Fever Post

A post yesterday entitled "Indiana Fever" noted a clip of Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchel. Unfortunately, as was pointed out to me, the link went to, what the reader called, the "same stupid song" in the post's other clip. Notwithstanding the pejorative way the feedback was given, here is the link that should have appeared. It's not that great a clip, but simply an intro to those two players. That said, we apologize for any upset we caused by our stupid mistake.

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Apologies for Yesterday

There was a glitch and the blog email did not go out on yesterday (Saturday). The new entries from yesterday are included in today's email. 

[EOP]

Indiana Fever

If you haven't gotten into watching Indian Fever games, you are missing a real treat. While Caitlin Clark is reason enough to watch, there's much more. She and teammate Kelsey Mitchell are breaking all kinds of offensive records, and it's a joy watching them do so. Many of their teammates including Boston, Hall, and Cunningham are great to watch as well. Yeah, as chronicled here the WNBA has its problems, which the league seems to take ostrich approach to, but the on-court viewing is a dream to behold. You don't have to believe me: Tune to ESPN at 5 pm EDT on Sunday August 16 and see for yourself. Rest assured, Indiana wants you and you can go back there.

[EOP] 

Things to Do With a Pool Noodle

If you think the only thing you can do with a pool noodle is play with it in a pool, we have news for you. As this video illustrates, rather than let your pool noodles languish in your pool house, there is no end of useful re-purposing you can do with them.

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Perils of a Relying on a Home Controller

Having a home controller where you can remotely control and schedule your thermostat, deadbolt (to let people in remotely), TV (a useful anti-theft deterrent when on vacay), lights, electric blanket, and more, is like a miracle. The problem is that controllers can just go poof, and when that happens it's difficult even if you're home (you have to buy a new one and re-reprogram your connections and schedules) and a disaster if you're away (there's nothing you can do until you get home). All that said, the pain of living without a controller until a new one is installed outweighs the pain of not having one in the first place. I think. Or, at least I hope so. 

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Inflation Protection On Sale

If you're concerned about inflation eroding your portfolio, this WSJ piece explains an option (TIPS) that you might not have been aware of or considered lately. Now might be the time.

[EOP]

Difference Between Yams and Sweet Potatoes

 As this LiveScience article explains, sweet potatoes and yams are not the same thing. Indeed, they are not close to being the same kind of plant. The article details both the differences and how to tell them apart.

[EOP]

Buen Camino (2025 Movie on Netflix)

If you're familiar with the irreverent Italian bonding comedy genre, Buen Camino might be for you. But if you're not, you likely will find this to be a genre you've seen many times, but you won't find that it's any better, less predictable, better acted, or more enjoyable to watch just because it's an Italian movie shot principally in Spain. A father leaves his comfort zone to search for his missing daughter on the Camino de Santiago (a favorite pilgrimage of mine). During his pilgrimage, amid blisters and unexpected encounters, he discovers much more than mere clues: he rediscovers himself. You get the idea. But, I will give it this: It has three endings--one not predictable, one predictable, and one bizarre. 

[EOP]

Perils of an Older Phone and a PS re Chase

I have had a Samsung S10e for about 7 years, and it works better and faster (because of setting tweaks and deletion of bloatware) than it did on the day I got it. Also, its screen, which is gorgeous, is just 5.6", which is smaller than newer phones that come in at over 6". It does everything I want or could ask for. Or at least it did up until today. Today I went to deposit a check to my Chase account and got a notice that the Chase mobile app is no longer supported on Android 12 or lower (actually, the notice was stated in iOS terms but, no matter, I have confirmed that the Chase app doesn't work and cannot be installed on my phone).  No more depositing of checks remotely or sending Zelle payments which one often cannot do through the website. To say I am angry is like putting lipstick on a pig. I'm tempted to change banks. Fortunately, as fate would have it, I recently bought an inexpensive Samsung tablet to use as my e-reader and the Chase app looks to work fine on it. 

PS re Chase: Good luck getting through to a Chase person by phone. It can be done, but the trail to get there is not for the feint of heart and is best left to the fool-hardy. 

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Best Family Phone Plans According to CNET

 [EOP]

Why Getting Up in the Morning and Reading the Paper Is So Difficult

Putting aside the several stories about the latest Trump horrors, rather than enjoy your morning coffee and partner conversation, here is what would have confronted you on Wednesday: New Jersey has admitted adding 6,000 non-citizens to its voting rolls; holding a home in trust (which many people do for estate planning purposes) has rendered them subject to the second/vacation home tax in NYC; the University of Michigan will drop grades for first-semester freshmen next year in an effort to “curb the mental health crisis unfolding among college-aged individuals,” according to the school; home sales fell as mortgage rates rose; FIFA's missteps has put futbol at war with itself; Kalshi allows betting on flight cancellations (for which it is now being sued) [note: at least it's not, as far as we know, allowing bets on crashes]; condo fees are rising due to rising mortgage costs to cover costs for buildings needing repairs or possibly falling down; and on and on. It's back to bed for me.

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Buying Healthcare as an AI Short in Disguise

This David Wainer piece argues that there is some evidence that healthcare stocks and AI stocks seem to be moving in opposite directions. As support, it notes that, "during a volatile stretch from late June through late July, as concern about the sustainability of the AI rally intensified, healthcare outperformed semiconductors by more than 30 percentage points. That is a different picture from the past four years, as the SMH ETF surged more than 300% while the XLV ETF has gained about 25%."

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Self-Cleaning, Self-Cooling Bedsheets

As this cnet article explains, Miracle Sheets actually appear to be a miracle when it comes to sleeping better: Can you imagine waking up every single morning feeling genuinely rested — not groggy, not sweaty, not itchy — but actually refreshed? What about sleeping on sheets so naturally clean, so temperature-regulating, that you stopped waking up at 3am drenched in sweat? If you have been washing your sheets week after week and still waking up overheated, breaking out on your face, and wondering why you never feel truly rested — you are not alone. Research shows that after just one week of use, the average pillowcase contains over 3 million bacteria per square inch — more than a toilet seat. Most people wash their sheets every 1–2 weeks. That's 7–14 nights sleeping on a surface that's essentially a bacteria incubator pressed against your face. As we get older, the constant battle we all face is how to protect our sleep, our skin, and our wellbeing. To find that next breakthrough. The thing that actually works. What if I told you there is a way to sleep on sheets that are essentially self-cleaning, stay fresh 3x longer, and have been shown to dramatically improve skin clarity — all in a matter of days? Meet Miracle Sheets. The silver-infused bedding brand that just went viral after their Good Morning America feature — and is now selling out faster than they can restock inventory.

[EOP]

Last Report on Blog Milestone

Just about 2 weeks ago, we reported a blog milestone of 2.5M hits. Now, the number of hits are piling up at the rate of 40,000+ per day, and we just went over the 3M level. Obviously, this is entirely bot driven, and it no longer interests us in keeping track or reporting it. So, this is the last post that will  note any such milestone. We thank our human readers for sticking with us and urge our bots to hit the road.

[EOP]

How Not to Handle a Hole You Dug Yourself Into

In a WNBA game the other night between the Indiana Fever and Chicago SKY, DiJonai Carrington (an African-American) was found (correctly) to have committed a Level 2 flagrant foul on Sophie Cunningham (a Caucasian), and ejected. Shortly after reaching the locker room, Carrington texted "WHITE PRIVILEGE" and tagged the Fever. This The Athletic Article chronicles the contortions Carrington went through to "explain" what the text and tag supposedly didn't mean. The WNBA has a big-time race problem as documented in a recent post here. This is not going to help. Nor is it going to help when the WNBA (correctly) reversed the technical that Clark was assessed in that game which would have resulted in a 1-game suspension.

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Testing Garmin’s Rival To Oura, Fitbit, Whoop

Everyone has a fitness tracker now. If you don't, or you're looking for a new one, this WSJ article has a brief, but informative, overview of some of the alternatives. 

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Simple, Fast Setting Change to Speed Up Your Wi-Fi

Windows laptops run a set of power-saving behaviors on the Wi-Fi radio to protect battery life, and on many systems these behaviors bleed into active use instead of staying limited to idle or sleep states. The adapter reduces its own radio activity and accepts higher latency in exchange for lower power draw, which can be a good trade-off when the lid is closed, but a bad one mid-download. To fix it, just open Device Manager, expand Network adapters, right-click your Wi-Fi adapter, and open Properties. On the Power Management tab, uncheck "Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power." You should see a result right away without the need for a restart. Personally, I saw a pretty big jump, from 330 Mbps to 730 Mbps average (I ran each speed test three times).

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Keeping Your Phone Fully Charged in the Car

If you use your phone in the car for its music or maps or other such activity, and you find that keeping it plugged into the USB port does not keep it charged, it's not the fault of your phone. As this XDA article explains, it's the shortcoming of the USB port. Switching to a charger through the cigarette lighter socket solves the problem immediately. 

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Too Much Laundry Detergent Can Damage Your Clothes

As this cnet article explains, using more detergent than is actually needed can damage your clothes. It also is wasteful money-wise and environment-wise. We use very little detergent, much less than anyone would think they need, and wash in cold water on a short cycle, and everything comes out great, and dries wonderfully outside on the line.

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Poached Eggs in Under a Minute, No Mess

This cnet article will show you how easy and fast (1 minute) it is to prepare perfect poached eggs in the microwave. No muss. No fuss. And they come out delicious. Or, so I'm told by people who like poached eggs.

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Provocative Take on Crypto vs AI

 

Here is the link to the noted story.

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