Book Reviews and Money Saving Tips

In previous blogs I have been lamenting my lack of broadband while on vacation. Two of my cronies who have visited have had the Verizon Cellular Modem. It works great! In spite of the fact that I get a lousy phone signal here from Verizon, the modem works just fine. Now if they would come up with a reasonable price. $60 per month for Internet access is steep even if you do want it for travel. It is substantially slower than my Comcast Triple Play setup at home. Frankly I would have gone for the Verizon fiber optics if they offered it in my not so rural location but they don't. So to buy into the Verizon cellular modem, it would be in addition to the current connection at home. So Verizon, how about dropping the price on the wireless modem service? If that doesn't fly could you offer monthly purchase of the service for techno-junkies on vacation with a limited budget? The chances of any one from Verizon reading this, let alone giving a flying duck about it ...

Inside every old person is a young person who is saying, "What the heck happen." Ageism runs rampant in our society. Boomers such as I have decided that age is irrelevant . We often wear stuff that we shouldn't, drink things we shouldn't and do things that we shouldn't. Of course shouldn't may be coming from those who can't do, drink or wear what we do. I don't want to party all night but I want to think that I could if I wanted to. Several years ago my son encouraged me to go on one of those sit on the outside of a 12 story pole and drop until you puke rides. His encouragement was that the next time we would be in Knott's Berry farm I would be too old to ride it. Sadly his pathetic psychological maneuver worked and I rode the ride. It was fun. Driving along one day in the year 2000, I passed an Audi TT . I slowed, looked and lusted. I said, "man I wish I had one of those." The same son said, "why not get one, y...

Poul Anderson’s Many Talents The following are the Anderson books I have read. I did not find one disappointment. He seems to be able to address scifi and fantasy with equal success. Ensign Flandry was reminiscent of the “Hornblower” series of iron men and wooden ships that I loved. If you haven’t read Anderson, you are missing a real treat. I did not find him preachy, educational or particularly thought provoking. I did find him highly entertaining, relaxing and a darn good reading experience. A Knight of Ghosts and Shadows Alight in the Void Boat of A Million Years Devil's Game Earth book of Stormgate Ensign Flandry(in 3/1 The Imperial Stars) Fire Time Game of Empire Going for Infinity Hoka Maurai & kith Mirkheim Oeration Chaos Operation Otherworld Orion shall Rise People of the Wind Shield of Time The Armies of Elfland The Broken Sword The ByWorlder The Fleet Of Stars The Sound & the Furry w. G.Dickson The Time Patrol There Will Be Time

FLASH!!! Video Post Cards Big Hit With G-Kids Are creative juices swabbed up by the bread of leisure? Even with the lack of broadband, I assumed that I would be writing more while not occupied with the normal mundane aspects of life. I find that I can spend the day mesmerized by good books and the calming effect of the water lapping against the shore 35 feet away. On the days we play golf, I am astounded that one game can provide such peaks of ecstasy and pits of despair. Non-golfers won’t have a clue here but you golf nuts recognize that the rare bird brings such good feelings while the all too frequent triple makes you question the entire existence of the game and your masochistic desire to play it. Regardless of the reasons the creative well has seemed to be somewhat spent. No broadband means it is difficult to look at and purchase new tech goodies. I have noticed that gated communities play hell with GPS systems. The several I have seen in action, don’t appear to real...

Robert Adams Prolific & Entertaining I haven’t read all Adams’ books just the following. A Man called Milo Morai A Woman of the Horse Clans Bili The Axe Cat of Silvery Hue Champion of Last Battle Coming of the Horse Clans Death of a Legend Friends of the Horse Clans Horse Clan Odyssey Horses of the North Madman's Army Memories of Milo Morai Revenge of the Horse Clans Savage Mountains Swords of the Horse Clans THe Clan of the Cats The Patrimony Trumpets of War Witch Goddess He is entertaining and gives you strong characters to identify with or to hate. Another post apocalypse series, it is still worth reading. I’m a fan of animal side kicks, particularly the ones who seem brighter than their human buddies. I didn’t find the books particularly thought provoking. They didn’t inspire me to go out an make any changes in my life. They allowed me to escape to a world different than my own and leave my responsibilities and concerns behind. Everything I read doesn’t have to...

I stumbled across a dead iguana the other day. I don’t know why it died or if something killed it. A couple of days later I saw another iguana strolling along the edge of the pond. I would guess they were both 24” and better in size. I asked a native when we got iguanas since I have be en coming here for 15 years and had never seen one before. His response was, “we don’t have iguanas.” After I assured him that we do, he suggested that one of the new developments had chased them out of their habitat and they were looking for a new home. It seems like a golf course community would be a positive environment for an iguana but obviously at least one of them didn’t find it so hospitable. Humans differ from animals in that we change habitats consistently and often. We jump in the car when it gets cold and go to where it is hot or vice a versa. We seem to be able to thrive in most any type of environment. I’m dismayed over my lack of broadband but I can remedy that by going to the public libra...

Michael Crichton’s books always make me think. I found this book very thought provoking and disturbing. His concerns about the legal ramifications of gene patents and body ownership seem valid and frankly frightening. He suggests that the legal system does not have the technical background to recognize some of the problems they are creating by allowing patents on diseases and genes. The book was not an easy read. Crichton may be brilliant but the book was extremely disjointed. He introduced an amazing number of characters and eventually put them into some type of context. I think there was an excellent message in the book but I fear he will lose readers who can’t deal with the sudden and rapid change of characters and topics. I would still suggest that you read the book. The hysteria over “frankenfood” the concerns over gene manipulation, the questions regarding cloning, all are going to be in the headlines for the years to come. He provides a lot of data in a ve...

The Pelbar Cycle is a 7 book series of a post-apocalypse society. You may feel you have been there done that but think again. Paul O. Williams’ characterizations are vivid, loveable and sometimes despicable, in short, very, very believable. First the series is a good read. If you aren’t enticed, entertained and addicted, you won’t plow through a 7 book series. The portrayal of splintered remnant society after a nuclear holocaust is sobering. The vagrancies of fate provide multiple societies, in some ways simplistically illustrating many of our current social groups. It is easy to identify with many of the characters. Individuality is frequently suppressed by most of the splintered factions but individuality is what saves the fabric of the emerging cohesive society. The poets of action are those annoying intervals who won’t bow to convention for convention’s sake. They are the lonely voice of reason in a chorus of suppression. They are the catalysts the change the w...

Oh, the joys of staying healthy can keep you jumping. I try and do the right thing about vitamins. I recently researched the heck out of a senior (how that pains me to say) multivitamin and a 1000 mg Vitamin C. I did my best to make sure I was comparing apples and apples. Puritan Pride had a very good price on Vitamin C $.035 per caplet and $.036 per multivitamin but their $60.00 minimum to get free shipping put them out of contention. Amazon had the Vitamin C for $.0543 per tab and free shipping for $25.00. Amazon’s best price on a senior multi seemed to be $.054 with no free shipping so out they go. Walgreen had a great price on Vitamin C $.0288 but no deals on multi and minimum $50.00 purchase for free shipping. Ebay I found the Kirkland brand of multivitamin for $.039 each including shipping but I am edgy about buying vitamins on Ebay. Bottom line for my vitamin purchase was Costco. Costco had the C at $.023 each and the Multi for $.0314 each. No shipping since I picked them up loc...

I am watching two ducks bob for who knows what. For some demented reason I find ducks butts funny. Of course, many things I find funny are not particularly amusing to the rest of the world. Admittedly Monty Python influenced my retired not dead handle. Why dead cows, attack rabbits and shrubbery are funny is hard to explain. Equally the time my dear wife was choking on a pickle, her loving husband and two loving sons, laughed themselves to tears before using the Heimlich. When pushing my granddaughter on the swing and the swing hits me in the chest she finds it hysterical. Humor is interpreted and subjective in so many ways. Humor is crucial to well being. Laughter makes you feel better. Instead of flipping off the guy who just cut you off, laugh at what an incredible imbecile he/she is. Way healthier than blowing your top. We have friends coming tomorrow that we laugh a lot with. Every time we get together we laugh, often to the point of shortness of breath ...

Who reads my blog? Damnifino! There are so few comments and none of those have been very revealing. I am no looking for names but whys. Who are you and why do you care what I write? My insatiable curiosity has provided me with a wealth of amusing incidents over the years. My earliest recollection of being burnt by my curiosity is kindergarten. Early in my kindergarten career, prior to any reading skills, I noticed a bright red button on the wall, near the steps outside our classroom. Several times I endeavored to push it but my mittens prevented me from fully depressing the button. One day I left my mittens at home so I wouldn’t be forced to put them on. As we went up the steps for recess, I was finally able to fully depress the pretty red button and set off the fire alarm. After the evacuation and re-entrance to the school, my sixth grade sister was instructed to walk me home. I clearly recollect that she was not happy with me. I vaguely recollect that my Dad w...

Take a normal, footloose 30 something, put him in a pressure cooker and see what comes out. A highly entertaining take on big business and redundantly, their lack of ethics. What happens when you find yourself compromising your basic personality? Do you give up, cave in or grow. Having spent some time, 25 years, in the tech industry, I found the premise entirely too believable. A compelling read, I recommend the story to any of you who have ever questioned the moral aspects of your career. In spite of the thought provoking content, a quick and engrossing book.

Ok, I was unaware grouper had fingers, let alone they were tasty. I had pecan crusted grouper fingers for lunch and they were great! I grew up in western Pennsylvania when and where fish came in one form, sticks. Imagine my surprise when I discovered Mrs. Paul wasn’t real and did not actually make the fish sticks herself. A few years back on a family vacation we spent some time in the Florida Keys. I discovered FISH, not fish in stick form but real fish. I was stunned, this stuff is good. Much to my dismay upon returning home I discovered that freshness has a major impact on how good fish can taste. Regardless, I found that the form factor plays a major part on fish quality as well. So I was a bit suspicious of Grouper Fingers. Hmm, sounds like fish sticks to me. Nice to be wrong. Again, they were great. Also growing up, I did have a gismo that turned pan fish into food. It worked kind of like a sardine can. Catch the skin, turn the handle and get a teeny, t...

I mentioned Creative web cameras I bought at a good deal before Christmas. http://money-saving-tech-tips.blogspot.com/2007/11/do-you-miss-your-grandchildren.html It remains to be seen if the rebate actually is rebated. A great self serving gift to each of my sons, I hoped the cameras would be of use while on vacation. Of use, meaning I got to see my grandchildren. See previous blog as to why this isn’t happening. The cameras worked great. We set them up with Microsoft Live Messenger. The video quality was more than adequate as long as the window was kept small. The audio quality was also good. It worked surprisingly well, in spite of questionable documentation. Now if I only had broadband to use it.

Life does go on without broadband. It is amazing how dependent you become on getting your email, notice of your bills, your credit card and bank statements, ordering your prescriptions let alone blogging. On vacation, I found good connections in each hotel we stayed in. We don’t have broadband or even a land line where we are staying. My tech resistant wife even asked what good is a computer without internet access. We are making every other day trips to the library. It is adequate but barely. My normal response when I hear something on the news that I want more data on is to google it. When I think of something I want to relate to a son or a friend, I email. When I want to see my grandchildren, I video conference. Convenience and immediate access is a big part of my internet experience. I hoped to see multiple available wireless connections while here. I intended to track down the strongest signal and offer them payment for use through out the month. There are ...

Have you paused for a moment in your busy day to ponder the fact that you have a clean, 365 day slate in front of you. You can start to do something you never did before, or stop something that is annoying you, like smoking or excessive anything. A new year doesn’t have to change anything…but it can. Change comes from within. If you are in a wonderful relationship, work to keep it that way. If you are in an abusive relationship, work to get out of it. Only you can change you. You may think that you boss, wife, mother, etc. makes changes in you. WRONG, if there are changes made, you are making them. Perhaps in response to input from others but you are the one that is making the change. Instead of lamenting about how helpless you are, look at your alternatives. Even if you are in a maximum security unit, in solitary confinement, you can make changes in yourself. If you are some of the lucky ones with nothing but joy in your life, spread some of it around. Be kind...