2017 Summer July 22 Saturday

83/81 degrees this morning.  No walk.

Heat hit as high (briefly) as 108 degrees yesterday although the “actual” temperature on the was a high of 106 degrees.

Better than cold weather!

Courter Reunion time, good visiting with everyone and more or less catching up.

It always surprises me how many persons attending we meet just by accident (as we are arriving etc.)  Maybe there really is some sort of connection!

As the summer progresses, we hope our air conditioner stays ok.  It is getting old, although it still does a good job.

The “Nest”Thermostats are amazing.  I wish they had a little more scheduling flexibility (schedule for a month ahead), but it is so much simpler to schedule them.  

We are looking at their security options (right now I am only aware of their camera), maybe we can use their cameras with a basic security system.  

I really don’t like all of the service companies who want a “contract” for three years or whatever, it seems if they do a good job you will keep using them anyway.  If they aren’t, why do they want an unhappy customer?  

What really turns me off is the ones that sneak in an “automatic” renewal that “automatically” renews for a year or so if you don’t cancel it.  I have decided I am going to refuse to sign any such “contracts” with an automatic renewal clause, since they are basically just sneaky.

I know magazines tried it (or probably still do it) and I just cancelled the subscription.  Of course, now I can read it on-line if I really want to read it.  

Actually, my only magazine subscription now (other than some membership magazines like Toastmasters and ACBL) is Consumer Reports and that is more out of loyalty, although I still  read the regular magazine although they web site is updated and excellent when I need to use it.

Thinking again about the daily newspaper.  The Washington Post has such as good “i newspaper”  I can’t imagine even trying to actually subscribe to the actual newspaper.  The local newspaper has a really excellent website and notifications etc., but I still like getting the actual physical newspaper. 

The Wall Street Journal, I have thought about canceling, as much for their extremist beliefs as not having time to read it and being able to read the gist of it on-line.  Also I figure any news media that supports the lying bully can’t be trusted, but so far I can’t see a lot where their “opinion” pages influence their news.  I thought about switching to the “on-line” version only just to show my feelings about their extremist beliefs and may will do so yet.

One physical newspaper I’m not sure if I can replace is the Sunday New York Times.  While it is on-line also, something about reading it is an event I don’t want to lose right now.  

Probably the best on-line newspaper I have see is the Memphis Commercial Appeal “replica”.  Other newspapers just don’t get the “replica” right, but somehow the Memphis Commercial Appeal gets it right.  

Of course, the problem with newspapers, tv or whatever is just having the time to read them.  

That’s it for now, Saturday, July 22, 2017.