Summer 2014 July 27 Sunday (Of Replica Newspapers, Free Advice and Gasoline Scams)

81 degrees this morning. I intend to enjoy the hot weather as it is supposed to cool down this week.

The digital Commerical Appeal “replica paper” wins hands down as the best “replica” paper.  I don’t know which program they use, but their replica paper is so much easier to use than any other replica paper I have tried to use.  The others are all basically impossible to use.  

This didn’t use to be a problem, but now that where I live the newspaper delivery is either non-existent or arrives so late as to be useless, the replica papers are much more important and I continue to struggle with the digital newspapers.  I actually prefer the digital USA Today to the printed one, the Wall Street Journal is good on the iPad, the New York Times has an excellent “alternative” format, although it misses some of the news I like.  So far, I haven’t found a good digital format for the newspaper where I live, although  really haven’t tried on the iPad that much.

Spending the weekend meeting with friends, it has been wonderful and it is just starting! Unfortunately, (or maybe fortunately) it will  end on Monday with a dental appointment as I start the last stage of my “dental implants’.  I still will need to make an appointment with a dentist for the last phase, which is basically two crowns as “permanent teeth”.   By the time I finish, it will have been a year long process, but well worth the effort as opposed to redoing the bridge which was getting longer and longer.  

The dental bridge dates back to when I got out of the Air Force.  I had one year to get “free” dental care and the dentist I saw pulled my tooth and poured in the gold on the bridge.  It did last at least 25 years, but I expect today they would do a root canal rather than pull the tooth.  It would have saved a lot of problems and expense over the years.  That was one of the (if not the) most expensive “free” things I have ever received!  (Other than “free” advice.)

Actually, while I have received plenty of “free” advice, both with good and bad consequences, I have found some of the “advice” I paid for has frequently been “bad” advice in the long run (or short runI) to the point that I depend more on my own thinking and “free advice” than I do advice from “professionals”.  Obviously not always the case, but I have become very suspicious of “professional” paid advice.  Of course, you never actually know until you either reject or take the advice, but I have learned to do my own research and depend on my gut feeling, or perhaps I should say a “reasoned, decision making procedure”.   

Our car is reaching that point where the original warranty is expiring, and since we plan on keeping it for a while the question of “to or not to” purchase an extended warranty is upon us.  (We quit buying one when we bought the car, it seemed rather redundant.)  Our car has been very reliable and it is likely it will make it to 100,000 and beyond without any problems, you just never know, which is why they make so much money with extended warranties!  We would only buy it  only from AAA or a reputable business, not the scammers that send you the “official” looking documents about extended warranties.  

Speaking of scammers, the gasoline stations where we live have a real scam (in my opinion).  They advertise the “!0% ethanol” for (say) $3.19, but when you get to the pump, all they have is “all” gasoline (with no ethanol) for $3.69 on up to premium (which unfortunately we need) for $4.09 etc.  A real scam.  7-11 stores thus far have been the only station we found who doesn’t have this scam, so we buy all our gas from 7-11 in the town we live in and I boycott all the others who practice this scam.   Oddly enough, no other stations in any city, including Memphis, seems to practice this scam.  7-11 is also probably the only convenient store chain which does not sell lottery tickets.  

Premium gas at 7-11 can be as much as 50 to 70 cents cheaper per galloon than the scams.  

When we are traveling, we have found Love’s County Stores and the Fiesta Convenience Stores (only a couple of these, at exit 278 & I-40  and exit 221 & I-40 in Kansas and the “Doublebees” at exit 175 & i-40 in Arkansas are the best for buying gas at decent prices.    Oddly enough, both of these also have a McDonalds, which may be why they are honest.  We even found one where it appears they set the pumps so they will overflow with a large sign saying “customers are responsible for overflows”.  Guess what, it overflows every time.  

I have developed a lot more respect for McDonalds since we moved.  The little McDonalds where I went for the free internet, great coffee, music and parfaits was wonderful, and I have found the McDonalds are usually more than willing to “make fresh coffee” if I request fresh coffee.  McDonalds has the best fresh coffee, next to Starbucks and the only cup I can drink out of while driving without spilling it on my shirt!  Wonderful!

That’s it for today, Sunday, July 24, 2014.

Winter 2014 January 21 Tuesday

43 degrees this morning.  However that is probably the high for the day as the weather is already noticeably colder.  It is now 34 degrees with wind and is supposed to go down to  28 degrees by 11 a.m.!  There is also a wind that makes it seem colder.   

Newspapers arrived late this morning, around 6:30 a.m.  I may or may not read them today, but if this is the new schedule I am canceling all three of them!  I assume the normal Commercial Appeal carrier, who is normally so reliable was ill or may have had car trouble.  A  good news carrier is wonderful.

Reentry into the normal world again after a trip out of town.  It is always a time of finding things again, remembering where you packed them and dealing with the aches and pains of a long car trip  (or a cramped airline seat, but a long car trip this timeI).  

The wind is up and howling, which makes it seem colder.  I am ready for Spring.  I always think that around this time of year we need to take a long trip somewhere that it is hot, hot, hot, or at least reasonably warm!  My Uncle John and Aunt Ruth (if I remember correctly) always did that and I thought it was a great idea. 

Indulging in my secret vice of watching Country Western videos.  I don't actually sit and watch them, they are on and sometimes they catch my attention.  Keith Urban just had a really good one on.  I tope them so I can avoid some of the more toxic commercials, primarily the ones from "Progressive" insurance with "Flo".  A good reason I will never buy Progressive insurance, probably wouldn't anyway since I am an Allstate fan (converted from a State Farm fan after a traffic accident where I was blown off.  Aliene had Allstate and I had State Farm so we knew we had to go with one anyway, and the customer service failure by State Farm made it easy to change.  Funny, the same thing happened to my Dad with State Farm when I was in the 5th or 6th grade.  Maybe the culture of State Farm hasn't changed much.  All I know is, the few claims we have had, Allstate has always come through without any hassle and State Farm has always been some kind of hassle.

Winter 2014 January 8 Thursday

34 degrees this morning, light misting rain.

Sobering thought:  "In 1970, less than 1% of taxi drivers had college degrees.  Four decades later, more than 15% do".  (Wall Street Journal, Thursday, February 9, 2014, page A13)

Not that taxi drivers have an easy job.  I tried to do it in graduate school (in Wichita) as a part time job and, believe me, it is a tough job.  I admire taxi drivers and always try to add an extra dollar or two to the tip, especially the good ones.  It it not an easy way to make a living.  All the more that the figure is scary for college students find it as the only way they can make a living.  If they enjoy it, great, but I doubt if that is the case.

I am backing off a little about the Logictech "ultra thin" keyboard.  I still don't like it, but I don't like the standard cases even less.  At least I can separate this.  I'm looking for one like I had before, if I can't find one, I may need to make do with this.  I can't understand why, when they can make something wonderful like the iPad, they can't make a decent case or keyboard.  Apple does make some great products (and some real duds).  Two of my iPod shuffles (at least 6 years old) are still going strong, as is my original 6 year old iPod.  My "3" iPhone is still be used as a iPod touch and it has to be at least 5 years old.  And, my "original iPad", although woefully obsolete works so well I can't bring myself to give it away.  I don't use it for much, but is still is great as a somewhat giant iPod Touch I can use for music and audiobooks.  (It is a little slow for e-books).

I used to make 8 cups of coffee in the morning, I am now making 10 cups due to the extended morning.  Coffee is may last vice, and a good one I enjoy!  

Speaking of e-books, as much as I hate to admit it, e-newspapers e-magazines and e-books are getting better, or at least I am getting used to them.  The Commercial Appeal actually has the best e-newspaper, and the New York Times has made some major improvements.  I prefer the printed edition, but it makes it nice when I am traveling for need to check on something to have the New York Times and Commerical Appeal have such nice e-newspapers.  Strangely enough, the Wall Street Journal e-addition is very hard to read and I usually simply avoid it if i can't buy or snag a copy.

Discussed "Catcher in the Rye" at our book club yesterday.  It is so nice to be around other people who love to read and want to discuss what they have read!

I see signs that the light of day is lasting longer!  Spring will be here shortly!  (Maybe in more ways than one!)

Summer 2013 September 19

73 degrees today, very nice, neither too cool nor warm.

My experiment with trying to "have it all" and read the Commercial Appeal, the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times is actually going well.  I thought I would be overwhelmed by the amount of time it takes to read them, but it hasn't.  I have had to set priorities. 

 I actually have a lot of respect for each paper in it's respective world it attempts to inhabit.  (I also read the on-line version of the USA Today.  I like it, but I also never look at the videos.) It is worth the time, and, if I am out of town, I can look at them on the Internet.  (The Commercial Appeal has the best replica edition by far.)

I have learned to skip the "junk" news about "celebrities" (except for local ones that Michael Donahue writes about), crime, puff pieces etc. Each paper seems to have it's own brand of news that is unique and I actually find little overlap.  Like several t-shirts I have read "So many Newspapers, so little time"  (Well, they actually read "books", but same thought.

My early mornings, from 3:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. are so packed, I have no flex time built in.  So anytime I have an early morning meeting I have to cut something.  I tell people (if I"m late) I didn't get up late, I just ran out of time!  I always leave time for my 27 minutes nap in the morning after I walk, ride and shower.  

Today is election day here.  I will be glad to see all of the signs gone and not trashing up the city.  

 Still listening to the Willpower Instinct.  I plan on deep-reading chapter 2 of the book this weekend and making notes on it.  Probably becoming better organized will be my "willpower" project.

Either tomorrow or Saturday will officially end the Summer of 2013 and Autumn will start.  Overall, it's been a good Summer, a little cool, but a good Summer.