No I don't want to wake up to an inspirational message

 This morning I asked Alexa for the weather. After telling me it will be raining and sleeting all day it asked if I would like to be woken every morning with the daily mindset drill. I said no. I'd rather be grouchy in the morning while drinking my cup of coffee. Sometimes Alexa can act like an over eager assistant. 

Of airports and 5g service

For anyone who has ever flown in this century, the cell phone and  the air passenger are inseparable. One pays for one's flight with the cell phone, gets boarded with the cell phone, uses the cell phone while on the ground, and if one is willing to pay the fee uses the cell phone in the air. This seems to be a potentially problematic relationship with the advent of 5G. Apparently passengers using their cell during landing can disrupt the pilot's navigation operations to a potentially disastrous degree. Europe does not seem to have the same problem because their bandwidth for cell phones is separated from the bandwidth for the altimeter greater than here in the USA. 

I have a potential solution. Block all cellphones on the plane and in the airport. Install phone banks with landline telephones for the use of passengers. Perhaps a blackboard could be updated with messages for arriving passengers. This should allow the country to safely move to 5g service with little inconvenience, well maybe a little  inconvenience to the flying public. 

Secret Santa backfires

 

So I went to a Meetup Christmas party. They had a Secret Santa gift exchange. I got a truffles oil and flavor set. I was perfectly happy. Then the host noticed there was an extra gift that no one had received. Since my birthday is closest to Christmas, I got the extra Secret Santa package. It was a popcorn popper machine. 

Since my lady friend could not make the event because she was under Covid quarantine I offered her the popcorn maker, since she had already paid to attend the event. She said "I have enough junk in my house" and refused the popcorn popper.

A friend convinced me to use the popcorn popper myself, since un buttered popcorn is high in fiber, low in calories, and nutritious. Hence, I started using the popcorn popper. It worked well and the popcorn was pleasant as a snack. 

A few days later I bit into an old maid and broke my tooth and dislocated a filling next to my crown. Food kept getting caught in the new gap next to my lower bicuspid. I had to make a dental appointment.

Today I was recommended that I get a crown put over my tooth. With my dental insurance covering most of the cost, I still will owe six hundred dollars for my share of the work. 

I believe the cost should be divided equally. The organizer who gave me the popcorn popper should give me $200. The lady friend who did not want the popcorn popper should give me $200. The friend who recommended I should use the popcorn popper and eat the popcorn should pay me $200. To me this is fair. 

Editor's note: An old maid is the term used for an un-popped popcorn kernel. Today the term may be politically incorrect. 

Santa Claus is back in the garage

 

Here's an oldie from 2013. As we take down the wreaths and the tree and try to find a place from all the presents and boxes, the plastic Santa needs a place too. Since I don't have a garage it will be the storage closet in the basement. 

Another Christmas come and go

The fun the tinsel ho ho ho

But now it’s over no no no

And Santa’s back in the garage.

We sang our hymns and cookies made

But now that cheery time will fade

Christmas visits have been paid

And Santa’s back in the garage.

Oh holy night is now forgotten

Old wool socks replaced by cotton

I was so glad now feeling rotten

And Santa’s back in the garage.

So here’s a toast to the new year

Hot spiced cider now is beer

Winter gloom instead of cheer

And Santa’s back in the garage.

Next to the gas for the lawn mower

Near the sand and the snow blower

Spirits high now getting lower

Santa’s back in the garage.

End of year top 100 records back in the day

 I just wrote a blog on my Sixties blog about the New Year's practice of radio stations doing end of year hits lists. 

2022 Predictions

 

At the end of the day, 2021 was better than 2020. We had a covid vaccine (though not everyone took it) most kids were back in school, jobs opened up, it was possible to fly again, and the stock market did well. Of course, we had inflation, higher gas prices, and food prices are up at the market. If you watch Fox for your news it was a terrible year as America's greatest president was replaced. I digress.

Now for the economy. 

My predictions for Dec. 31, 2021 (made on Dec. 31, 2020):

Dow Jones         31000

S and P               3900

NASDAQ           15000

Oil                      60    

Unemployed        5.5%

Microsoft            240

The market, etc. at the end of the year 2021:

Dow Jones         36337

S and P               4767

NASDAQ           15645

Unemployed        4.2%

Microsoft            336

Oil                        76

CPI                       4.9% 

     

It turns out I wildly misjudged the economy turnaround. I was far too pessimistic. This year I am predicting the economy will again improve, with moderate gains. 

The market, etc. at the end of the year 2022:

Dow Jones         37650

S and P               5178

NASDAQ           17258

Unemployed        3.8%

Microsoft            365

Oil                       80

CPI                      3.9%    

The older Caucasians, who are the most reliable voters (and who watch Fox for news) will give the Republicans the Senate and the House. The younger voters actually believed Biden would change the world for the better, but did not know about Joe Manchin. The Eagles will not make the playoffs in January 2023. 

 

More things I like

 

Today I'm going to recite more things that I personally recommend for the bored and afflicted with time to spare. 

Ellie Dashwood gives chats on YouTube about Jane Austen and the history of that era. Fun, and provides some insight into the Regency era.  She is not English, but is from Utah. 

Also for Anglophiles, Lucy Worsley does fun shows on the aristocracy of England and their homes. On PBS and YouTube.

Slate Money is new every Saturday morning and I wake up to it weekly with my morning coffee.

Editor's Note: There has been a lot of interest in the Beatles lately with the success of the Get Back documentary. It's okay but I will always believe that Beggar's Banquet is better than the White Album, Let it Bleed is better than Abbey Road and Jumpin Jack Flash is better than Hey Jude.