Posted inHome life

I file a BBB complaint about the Oregonian’s “premium editions”

Just when I thought the Portland Oregonian couldn't irritate me any further, the newspaper DID! (Since 2013, I only get four print editions a week delivered to my south Salem home, and I don't like the Oregonian's increasingly right-wing editorial positions.) A few days ago a letter arrived from The Oregonian informing me they'd now be charging my EasyPay account $2.99 for each of four "premium editions" -- the first of which would be a 100 page Investment & Retirement Guide that will be delivered with my September 18 Sunday Oregonian. Even more irritating: in addition, I'm slated to be…
15
Posted inHome life Salem

Most Oregonians are heat weenies. But not ex-Californian me.

With western Oregon in the midst of a several-day record-breaking heat wave -- temperatures over 100 degrees here in the Willamette Valley -- it's a great time for me to reprise my May 2008 blog post, "'Ooh, it's hot!' Oregonians are heat wussies."  Days like today, I feel so superior to most of my fellow Oregonians. I grew up in central California, where for much of the year a temperature under 100 degrees is considered a cool day. So here I am on May 16 in Salem, Oregon – enjoying a record breaking heat wave for this date. The thermometer in…
2
Posted inHome life Neighborhood

Rural south Salem wildlife caught on our trail camera

OK, let's get this clear right off the bat: these photos from the trail camera my wife, Laurel, tends to -- moving it around our property in rural south Salem in attempts to capture what our non-human neighbors are doing -- aren't exactly National Geographic quality. But, hey, they show wild creatures living their animal lives on what sure seems to be a popular spot. (The dates on the photos appear to be off; so is the time, probably.) Coyote! Wily canines who we occasionally see in the daytime, but not often. We have some irrational coyote-hating neighbors who tried…
1
Posted inFamily Home life

Memories of my dead father fade, while his genetic presence persists

It sounds strange to say this (even to myself), but I've already written about everything I know about my father. Physically, I only spent one hour with him, excluding unremembered baby-time. Telephonically, he started calling me when I was in my early-30's and he was nearing the end of his life. So add on a couple of phone conversation hours I spent with him. This morning, Father's Day 2016, I pulled out my "Father" file folder.  It contains the sum total of what I jotted down at the time about my father after he briefly came into my life back…
No Comments
Posted inHome life

Ah, the joy of clicking on “unsubscribe” in my emails. Bye, bye, DSCC!

I don't know why I didn't do this a lot sooner -- clicking on "unsubscribe" rather than merely deleting the massive amount of emails that regularly build up in my inbox from Democratic political causes, environmental groups, online businesses I bought something from way back when, and so many other entities I don't care about. OK, that isn't quite what I mean.  I care about many of the groups who email me incessantly. I just don't want their pleadings to appear in Apple Mail anymore. Like I said, it's hard for me to understand why it took me so long…
1
Posted inHome life Retirement community

Retired folks need friends. Nature provides some for us.

I've written quite a bit about the quandary my wife and I have -- or will have one day -- about leaving our house on ten non-easy-care acres in rural south Salem, Oregon.  (See here, here, here, here, and here.) Age wise, we're in our late sixties. Which also happens to be the decade we were in college, the '60s. So, yeah, we're flower child, ex-hippie baby boomers.  We're somewhat worried about eventually being socially isolated out here in the semi-boonies, about six miles from the Salem city limits.  What if one or both of us can't drive? What if…
3
Posted inHome life

Dog walk photos remind me why I love where we live

Having lived in our non-easy-care rural south Salem house for 26 years, and having reached the semi-geezerish age of 67, I'm heavy into a love/hate relationship with where we are.  (See here, here, here, here, and here.) But then there's a day like today, when a near-sunset dog walk on trails and roads in our neighborhood made me feel, This is why it'd be tough to move somewhere else. My iPhone's camera tells the tale. With some word help from me. (click to enlarge the photos) Near the end of our walk, ZuZu and I come to a trail that…
1
Posted inCurrent affairs Home life

Index investing lets me relax in a stock market crash

Nobody likes to peek at their investment portfolio after a day like today: a 390 point drop in the Dow (-2.4%), with the S&P 500 not much better at -2.2%. But even though I toyed with the idea of brewing up a Cheerful Cocktail before I logged in to our Schwab account -- recipe: equal measures of anti-depressants, whiskey, potent marijuana, and caffeine extract -- I realized that our index fund investing approach would leave me feeling fine after I inspected our holdings. Not happy. Not ecstatic. But fine. Why? Because since 2002 I've been a happy passive investor, having…
1
Posted inHome life

How two old folks spent New Years Eve 2016

Youngsters, maybe you've been wondering what New Year's Eve will be like when you reach the ancient age of 67.  Well, wonder no more. I'm exactly that age! So I'm perfectly qualified to reveal fascinating details about the Not-so-Secret Lives of Senior Citizens on the evening of December 31. Based on a sample of two -- me and my wife. This year, like most years, we didn't sit on our butts at home. No, indeedy. Far from it.  First we sat on our butts in our Chevy Volt as we drove to the 6 pm showing of "Youth" at Salem…
3
Posted inHome life

2015 Hines Christmas Letter released to mild applause

clap... clap... clap  I'm pretty sure I hear three sentient beings applauding today's release of our annual Christmas Letter -- me, my wife, and our dog (all three of whom are, not surprisingly, featured in it). Otherwise, who knows? Christmas letters printed on paper and mailed to people seem to be going the way of buggy whips.  But traditionalists that we are, in some ways, every year we decide to keep on doing the Christmas Letter thing -- even though we actually title our missive "Holiday Greetings" given our secular scientific leanings. I do, of course, also share the Christmas…
2
Posted inHome life

I’m loving my Public Rec “All Day Every Day” pants

Kickstarter rocks. I've enjoyed every product that I've gotten after contributing some cash to a start-up company via Kickstarter. But I'm absolutely loving the pants that Public Rec sent me -- which they're calling the All Day Every Day men's pant. When I saw the video that was part of their Kickstarter appeal, and read a description of the pant, I was immediately sold.  Here's the video. It could have used some narration, I suppose. However, before viewing it I'd already perused the features list. Elastic waistband with internal drawstring for maximum comfort Two deep, front zipper pockets to keep your valuables…
1
Posted inEntertainment Home life

I love our new Apple TV, even without Amazon Prime

Today our Apple TV arrived. (For those who don't obsessively follow all things Apple'ish, this isn't an actual TV, but a little box that hooks up to your TV and streams content to it via wi-fi). We've used the previous incarnation of Apple TV, along with a Roku. We also got a "smart" Samsung TV a few months ago that has apps for streaming services like Netflix and Hulu built-in to the television.  But all of these devices have been quite difficult to use. Playing a movie or TV show has been pretty easy, but finding what you're looking for…
No Comments
Posted inHome life

Firing up a big burn pile reminds me: life is ablaze, yet ends in embers

I'm no Thoreau, that's for sure. But like him, I find meaning in doing simple chores. Our rural ten acres offers plenty of opportunity for engaging in some philosophizing as I deal with what needs to be done. Which, last Saturday, was firing up a burn pile. It's been growing steadily larger since spring. We've removed quite a bit of excess vegetation in our yard over the past six months or so, including a lot of heather that stealthily grew and grew until my wife and I realized, the damn stuff is taking over! Our non-easy care yard has lots…
No Comments
Posted inHome life

Yes, I’m cool. I got an iPhone 6s today.

Oh, I'm sorry. Maybe you were the one I stood next to this afternoon at Bridgeport Village, buying some Peets coffee after picking up an iPhone 6s on the very first day they were available, overshadowing you with the coolness invisibly yet tangibly emanating from the boxed Apple device sitting in my backpack. Couldn't help it. As everyone knows -- except for those who shun all things Apple, and what can I say to them except, I'm so sorry for you -- owning an iPhone, MacBook Pro, iPad, or whatever else Apple makes adds immeasurably to a person's Coolness Factor.…
6
Posted inHome life

Apple Upgrade Program credit check — what credit agency is used?

Frustrating.  That's my reaction after spending time today trying to learn what credit agency will be used to check my Credit Score when I go into the Bridgeport Village Apple Store on September 25 to, hopefully, pick up my new iPhone 6S bought under the iPhone Upgrade Program. Which says I'll need to bring... Your personal information and credit card. You will be asked to provide your Social Security number and date of birth for a credit check. You will also need a valid U.S. personal credit card. Debit cards and prepaid cards are not accepted. Several times this week…
4
Posted inHome life Marijuana

Tips for “vaping” marijuana if you want to go first class

Oregon, where I live, has legalized recreational marijuana, along with medical marijuana. Early sales through medical marijuana dispensaries start October 1, 2015 -- just two weeks away. Since many people are going to either be buying pot for the first time, or getting back into imbibing marijuana after a long absence, I wanted to share my preferred approach to "smoking" marijuana. I realize this sort of openness will sound weird to people used to Demon Weed being, well, demonized. But on July 1 of this year marijuana became legal to use, possess, and grow in Oregon. Before too long more states…
1
Posted inHome life Marijuana Salem

How did I know how many marijuana stores are in Colorado?

It was my favorite moment of yesterday's Salem City Club lunch event, "Marijuana: It's Legal, Now What?" And not just because I was the centerpiece of it. The moment pointed to something profound -- yet not easily understood -- about how memory, intuition, and that well-worn adage Trust Yourself tie together.  Salem Police Chief Jerry Moore was one of the speakers, along with Margo Lucas, owner of West Salem Cannabis, a medical marijuana dispensary that after October 1 will be selling recreational (a.k.a. "adult") marijuana. Moore said he had done some Googling about Colorado's experience with legalized recreational marijuana. After…
No Comments
Posted inHome life

DirecTV, rot in hell for not carrying Pac 12 Networks

I don't think I'm overreacting by telling DirecTV staff to rot in hell for -- after THREE FREAKING YEARS -- being unable to reach an agreement with the Pac 12 Networks to carry their sports events. Like the opening Oregon State and Oregon football games that I'll be unable to see today and tomorrow, just like I have for the past THREE FREAKING YEARS. (See here and here.) Today I emailed DIrecTV again through their online help center. I told them not to send me their deeply irritating canned response about why they don't carry the Pac 12 Networks. I"ve…
3
Posted inHome life Salem

Les Schwab can sell you ANY brand of tires. Who knew? (Not me)

Like many other Oregonians, I'm a big fan of the Les Schwab Tire Center chain. Their customer service is superb, as I talked about in a 2005 post, "I love Les Schwab." I’ve got a thing going with Les Schwab. Not with the man—my tofuish sensibilities don’t mesh with Les’ “Free Beef” mentality—but with the chain of tire stores that he founded.  Yesterday I bought four tires for our Prius at the south Salem Les Schwab Tire Center and, per usual, my experience with the company was exemplary. ...When I called Les Schwab to get a quote on some Toyos I told…
10
Posted inHome life Salem

Lured with biscuit incentives, our dog buys a car at Capitol Toyota

Salem's Capitol Toyota dealership has a well-deserved reputation for dog friendliness. It paid off yesterday, when our dog ZuZu was cajoled into leasing a 2015 Chevy Volt. (She wanted to get another Volt now that the lease on our 2012 Volt is about up. Liking the folks at Capitol Toyota, the deal was done through them; Capitol Chevrolet is right next door.) On the drive to the dealership I'd warned ZuZu to focus on price and options. "Get the car you really want," I advised. "Don't be swayed by irrelevant incentives and salesmanship." Ignoring me, ZuZu headed right to the dog…
No Comments