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- Happy Bastille Day!
- I’m delighted to report that the matriarch at my across-the-street neighbor’s house has been released, and is going to be just fine. They’ve had an overwhelming response in helping them clean up that’s been heartening to witness.
- We’ve got some sustained temperature relief coming in the next several days. I just paid a $279 utility bill, which wasn’t pleasant, but it was still well under the $340 I’m remembering as the worst ever. I’m hoping we’ll make last month the high point this summer.
- I’m so pumped there’s still soccer going on, and that Dad and I cluelessly selected a sports bar for lunch yesterday! When is it over?
- Have you ever noticed that partitions in public restrooms tend to be attached to the wall with tamper-resistant screws? Usually I see either one-way slotted or security Torx (a regular Torx screw, but with a nipple in the floor of the head, requiring a corresponding opening in the screwdriver). Can someone explain that to me? Are bands of lawless thugs roaming the countryside stealing restroom partitions?
- I saw that some Dallas municipal workers recently received “counseling” about their excessive Facebook time at work. Now just what does that mean? Wouldn’t you think such wouldn’t need to be any more than “stop or you’re fired”?
- Speaking of Dallas, would you believe TNT has ordered ten new episodes? Would you further believe Larry Hagman as J.R. Ewing? Be next year, but yes, I’ll check it out. I loved the original.
- I find silver in my change often enough to keep me looking. Usually when I find a silver coin it’s a pre-1965 quarter, but I found a 1943 nickel on Monday. Only World War II-era (mid-1942 to 1945) nickels contain any silver (35%), which as I type makes one worth a bit more than $2 melt value. Two other interesting facts about them: they’re 9% manganese, and the only other U.S. coins ever to use manganese are the Sacagawea and presidential dollars; and they have the largest mint marks of any U.S. coin ever.
- My Netflix monthly charge is going up 50% September 1. Some plans are going up even more. Yes, I’m shopping for alternatives. That much of a rate jolt is just bad business, folks, and I’m motivated to find a way to tell you to pound sand. Yeah, yeah, royalties, agreements, blah blah blah. Don’t care. I’m the customer. I’m the boss. Work it out.
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Nothing???? NOTHING???? in your Thursday misc. about the Harry Potter movie coming out tonight? Mileena is completly stoked, and I’m not far behind. Whether you love it or hate it…it’s the closing of a cultural chapter.
I love the books, hate the movies, but I’ve never beeone to subject my self to opening weekend crowds for any movie anyway. I hope the kids have fun tonight, though.
My first visit to Paris was during the week of Bastille Day. I was actually on the top platform of the Eiffel Tower when the fireworks started. Cool memory.
We’re kicking Netflix to the curb at my house. They have *really* made me mad with this one.
Sorry, Marianne. No love, no hate, but definitely apathy. Had no idea they were on the last movie.
‘seester, we are birds of a feather concerning opening weekend.
Jenny, it’s too much at a time, and the reaction is heavy-duty. I wonder if they won’t walk it back with a comical we-screwed-up campaign.
Similar to the Netflix, I was using an online archiving system for my photograph files. I keep the encryption key, they back up my stuff. When I signed up, it was a reasonable price for unlimited file storage. Then, I got an email saying their rates were going to be usage based. My fee was going to more than TRIPLE. Adios. There’s other services out there. I immediately switched to a different unlimited plan.
I’ll be probably giving Netflix the boot next month. What really got my goat was the e-mail I got from them trying to disguise this price hike as a money saving new feature….as if the customers who streamed movies didn’t really want to get physical dvd’s. I would applaud it if all of their content was streamable but it isn’t, not even close. So to keep things the way I like them will require a rather large price hike. It just so happens that after getting my kindle last month I’ve been spending more time reading and less time on Netflix. I think I’ll just quit Netflix and use the money to buy additional e-books to fuel my latest addiction.
What Netflix should have done was just admit that they needed to raise rates and then give existing members a special deal not available to new subscribers. As it stands I can quit with no penalty and I will.