I hear I'm getting old

 I've never thought of myself as geriatric, but now that I'm in my early 60s, I'm definitely on the high side of middle age, and I do enjoy the occasional senior citizen discount, but I think I recently crossed a threshold when I got a set of over-the-counter hearing aids. 

My mother and younger sister have both started wearing prescription hearing aids in the past couple of months, and this got me wondering whether they might help me as well. I have long struggled with tinnitus, that constant ringing in the ears, and have lately been experiencing greater difficulty understanding what people are saying to me, especially in noisier environments.

I have been told, both by my doctor and an audiologist, that hearing aids would be of little or no help for my tinnitus, but as other hearing difficulties have increased, I decided it might be worth experimenting with, just not at the price my mother paid for hers. What I got cost about an eighth as much and offers many of the same advanced features. So, what did I get and why were they such a bargain? 

The hearing aids I ordered are Audien Ion Pro rechargeable over-the-ear OTC hearing aids. Some critics might argue they are not true hearing aids, since they are primarily sound amplifiers and are not customized for an individual user, but instead employ an one size fits most approach. But that's not to say they don't perform as advertised--at least mostly.

These devices offer a host of features found in higher end prescription hearing aids, including:

• setup and control through a phone app;
• a selection of six sound profiles to better match my hearing needs;
• a selection of three situational settings, conversation, crowd, and TV;
• Bluetooth connectivity for phone calls or audio streaming;
• built-in rechargeable batteries with a charging case, similar to wireless earbuds

 In addition, the devices came with a cleaning kit ear domes in four different sizes, and replaceable wax guards. Best of all, they were eligible for purchase on my flexible spending account, which has excess funds that either must be used by the end of the year or forfeited. I figured it was better to take a gamble on these devices than let the company that administers my FSA keep the money. So, how well do they work?  We'll break that analysis down into three phases--setup, operation, and comfort.

Setup--The Ion Pro hearing aids arrived charged up and ready to go, but I still needed to download and install the phone app to access the advanced features. That was the easy part. The hearing aids actually need to make a total of three Bluetooth connections in order to be fully integrated with one's smart phone--one for each hearing aid, plus a third to access phone call and audio streaming functions. This is where I ran into difficulty. I could only get one hearing aid to connect to my phone, which prevented them from being fully operational.

After several attempts to solve the issue myself, I called Audien's support line and managed to stump two different technicians. The second one put me on a call back list for an Ion Pro specialist, but I have yet to receive that call. Fortunately, I figured out what the professionals couldn't. The phone app has a "forget and start over" option that purges previous attempts to pair the hearing aids with the phone, and having done that, I was able to set the devices up and choose a sound profile, then activate the phone call and streaming functions.

Operation--The sound quality on the hearing aids is surprisingly good, with the exception of the sound of my own voice, which sounds as if it's coming from outside my body. The television and my car's audio system have minimal distortion, and the phone call system works well on both ends, and the audio streaming function is adequate, but only when the Bluetooth connection is working properly.

Comfort--The over-the-ear portion of these hearing aids are a bit chunkier than some prescription models I've seen, but not nearly as big as models from the past. They're still fairly discrete. I've never been a fan of earbuds, but these are comfortable to wear for a few hours at a time.

I seem to have a little difficulty keeping both hearing aids continuously connected to Bluetooth, which somewhat impedes functionality. My other gripe is interference from fluorescent lights. I noticed at work today, that whenever I walked directly under a fluorescent fixture, the hearing aids gave off a crackling sound similar to a Geiger counter. When I entered my tiny office, which has two fluorescent fixtures taking up most of the ceiling space, the noise was unbearable and I had to take them out and put them in their case. 

All that said, voices are indeed clearer when using the Ion Pros, and the small amount of what might be described as carrier noise or white noise they naturally produce is sufficient to make my tinnitus far less noticeable when wearing them.  It should be noted that tinnitus relief is only mentioned anecdotally on the company's Web site, and not claimed as a designed feature. 

The literature included with the hearing aids suggests it could take up to three weeks to become sufficiently accustomed to them to gain full benefit and ability to wear them all day. The recommendation is to wear them one to two hours a day for the first week, three to four hours the second week, and six or more hours beginning the third week. I'm only a couple of days in with them, so I have a ways to go before I can accurately assess how much they will help me, but I'm cautiously optimistic. The question of whether I got my money's worth is an open one. Even though I paid far less than what prescription hearing aids would have cost, it's still not an insignificant amount of money. But then again, it's money I would have lost if I hadn't spent it, and getting something for my money is clearly better than getting nothing.

UPDATE (two months later)--I have to be honest here. I have just started using these hearing aids again. I found I most needed them while teaching class, but I got out of the habit of wearing them once the fall semester ended. It took a little time to resume, but I'm glad I have. I have learned to select the appropriate situational setting, usually 'conversation' or 'crowd', and that can make a huge difference. The 'crowd' setting does an amazing job of eliminating excessive ambient noise. I have also figured out that the 'Geiger counter' noise at work is not coming from fluorescent light fixtures but the motion sensors deployed throughout campus to control those lights. I seldom wear these devices for more than a couple of hours at a time, but they are very helpful when I need them. Given my use pattern, I'm very glad I did not spend several thousand dollars on a prescription pair. These are quite adequate for my needs.

 

 

Ticked off at Temu

 Have you heard of Temu? On the surface, it appears to be an e-commerce site similar to Amazon, but things are not always fully what they appear to be. I discovered Temu a few weeks ago, while looking for a way to control the water flow on my newly remodeled shower. A variable flow valve popped up in my search, and the price was quite reasonable, so I ordered it. I also perused the site to see what else they offered.

I found everything from shoes to tools to clothing items at seemingly outstanding prices, but not really needing anything at the moment, I clicked off and turned my attention to other things. The next morning, I was surprised to find an email from Temu, stating that my purchase had been refunded, but with no explanation as to why. A further examination on the Temu site revealed they had unilaterally canceled the order due to "irregularities" with my payment via Paypal. While Temu encouraged me to resubmit payment, I instead bought the same item from Amazon for a dollar more and received it far faster than Temu was promising.

Immediately following that aborted transaction, my email inbox was flooded with promotional emails from Temu, each touting their wares at outrageously cheap prices, and discount coupons on top of that. I finally decided to give Temu a second chance and ordered a package of five long sleeve t-shirts for a whopping $15 with free shipping. 

This order went much more smoothly, with the package arriving in a timely manner from overseas, but I was glad I had paid a mere pittance for the shirts. The sleeves were way too long, and the shirts were made of polyester, not cotton. Looking back at the product description, fiber content had not been specified. But for $3 each, I can roll up the sleeves.

Thinking that the previous problem was just a glitch, I decided to dig deeper into Temu to see what else they had to offer. I eventually ordered a pair of comfortable looking casual shoes. In doing so, I learned something about their pricing. Often, the low, low prices advertised in their emails bordered on, well, false advertising. For instance, the shoes I ordered had a very low price that turned out to be good for only one size and color, neither of which were what I wanted. The rest were at a good, albeit not spectacular, price. 

Once again, this order went sideways. Temu again canceled my order, which I had placed with the same PayPal account I had used for the shirts, citing the same "unusual activity" they had used as an excuse with the aborted flow valve order. Undeterred, I re-ordered, using a credit card for payment, and the transaction was held up as they asked me to verify ownership of the account, which I did. The next day, I received yet another email, requesting that I send them a picture of my credit card statement as further proof of ownership, but at this, I drew the line, canceled the order, unsubscribed from their emails, and bought my shoes elsewhere.

Besides being a general pain, the repeated requests for additional information set off alarm bells for me that this just might be a scam.  This 2022 article from Time would seem to bear that out. https://time.com/6243738/temu-app-complaints/

In all, I have never had such a negative experience with a shopping site, and I want nothing more to do with Temu. I would advise others to steer clear as well.

What the Heck Happened to the Archive?

 For more than two decades, I've been an ardent fan of the Internet Archive, aka archive.org. It's been an amazing repository for recordings of live music, public domain literature, vintage video, and other such ephemera. I've always said you have to be careful going in, because you might not find your way back out for quite a long while. I've even used a few selections from the Archive as materials for the classes I teach, but a couple of weeks ago, I got an email from my department chair at work, asking if I could fix a broken link from an item on the Archive. When I went to the site, I found the whole thing was down with no real explanation on the error page, beyond an assurance the condition was temporary. 

 My first thought was that the copyright police had finally caught up with them, since in recent years, an increasing amount of copyrighted material has found its way onto the site, but that was not the case.

On further investigation, it turns out the site had fallen victim to a cyber attack. Things are gradually coming back up now, but as they say, it isn't what it used to be, at least not yet. Administrators say the content is all safe and they're working to strengthen the interface to resist future attacks. I was able to find the missing video my department chair inquired about, but I couldn't get to it from the proverbial front door of the site's homepage. I had to enter the title into a search engine to access it directly. 

Today, 26 October 2024, I was listening to a Phil Lesh and Friends concert on SiriusXM, in observance of the former Grateful Dead bassist's passing yesterday at age 84, and decided to see if it was available on Archive. I was able to go in from the home page and find multiple copies from different tapers, but I couldn't download any of them directly from the Archive site, as has been my habit. Fortunately, I was able to select a torrent for the one I wanted and downloaded it that way.

So, if you're wondering as I was, what the heck happened to the Archive? That's the information I have been able to gather thus far. It looks like we'll just have to be patient for a little while longer as administrators continue working to recover the site and make it more secure, but where there's a will, there's a way to get to what you need.

UPDATE--As of today, 10 November, one can now stream audio and video from the Archive, but direct downloads are still unavailable. Many text resources are still completely unavailable via Archive, but may be accessed through other Web sites such as Project Gutenberg. The only option to download audio and video files is via a torrent, but this hit-and-miss at best. It only works if another user is actively seeding an item. As an experiment, I downloaded torrents for a couple of old radio shows yesterday, but have yet to capture a single byte of data. They just don't get the traffic of, say, a Grateful Dead concert recording. Recovering the entire Archive will doubtless be a lengthy and arduous task. One can hope it will be completed soon, but patience is necessarily the watchword. 

UPDATE--2 January 2025: Earlier today, I downloaded a 1975 Little Feat show from Archive without resorting to using a torrent. While I can't say categorically that the site is now fully operational again, this is a major step forward and a good reason to be optimistic. Happy New Year indeed.

A Better Way to K

 Like a lot of people, I succumbed to the convenience of Keurig coffeemakers about six or seven years ago, but I have always felt a bit guilty about the plastic waste from those little single-use K-cups. That and their expense were enough to keep me from initially jumping on the Keurig bandwagon for several years after they first came out.

I have several of the reusable K-cups that can be filled with regular ground coffee, but they've always been less than satisfactory. The coffee has always come out tasting fairly weak. My solution to date has been to add a small amount--less than a quarter teaspoon--of instant coffee to the grounds to boost the flavor without giving it that bitter instant coffee edge. Fortunately, I've now found a better way. 

For quite some time, I have suspected the coffee grounds were too coarse, so I finally decided to test my theory by getting an electric coffee grinder to grind my coffee a little finer. The grinder arrived late yesterday, so I decided to test my theory and re-grind some coarse-ground coffee to a finer state, then loading up a reusable K-cup for my morning coffee. All I can say is this is what the coffee should have tasted like all along. And with the lower cost per cup for ground coffee versus K-cups, my $10 coffee grinder should pay for itself in no time.

I'm glad to have solved this conundrum and I can now have the convenience of my Keurig with less of an environmental impact. Still, there's one other problem. I only have one single-serve reusable K-cup that works with my Keurig 2.0 brewer. The problem is the Keurig 2.0 models use a digital rights management technology to lock out unlicensed K-cups. Thankfully, the DRM scheme garnered enough consumer backlash that Keurig phased it out with the Keurig 2.0 models on which it had been introduced. There are YouTube videos out there describing which wires to cut to disable the system, but that's a little more "Mission: Impossible" than I really want to get into with my coffeemaker.

Unfortunately, that DRM system locks out most reusable K-cups as well, unless they have a lavender stripe around the lid, which only one of mine does. The others are solid black and the system doesn't recognize them. Those will soon be retired, now that I have just ordered a six-pack of Keurig 2.0 compatible reusable K-cups so that I can use loose coffee grounds instead of single-use K-cups on a more regular basis. 

From a practicality standpoint, I'll still be using single-use K-cups at work, because I don't have the time or facilities to be grinding (or in this case, re-grinding) coffee there. It may take a little while to fully transition to the reusables at home, but I will will be manageable and in time, and soon I will be going loose, instead of single-use.

Linux Mint, A Year later

 It's been almost exactly a year since I bought a second hand Dell Latitude 7490 laptop computer, loaded with Linux Mint as its operating system. I had experimented with several flavors of Linux in the past, including Mint, but none of them had actually stuck, until this one. A year later, this one is still my daily driver. 

I bought this laptop on impulse out of three-way frustration. I was using an aging Apple MacBook Pro as my daily driver, but it had aged out of receiving any updates, so the writing was on the wall for that one. I also had a slightly newer HP notebook computer that was reaching the end of its line as well, since it lacked the system resources to upgrade to Windows 11. Finally, I had an HP Chromebook that was simply too limited for my needs. I tried to expand its functionality by installing and running Linux applications under the Linux Developer Environment (aka Crostini) in Chrome OS, but I never could make it do what I needed it to do. 

When the Dell arrived, I was immediately impressed with its performance and user friendliness. The computer practically configured itself, automatically adding both of my printers, and finding my wireless network so that I only had to type in my WEP password to get online. I was literally ready to roll in minutes. Most of the applications I needed were present, although I chose to replace the outdated version of LibreOffice with the latest one, downloaded from the LibreOffice Website, and installed manually, using one terminal command I had learned from the Crostini experiment. I had everything configured to my liking within an hour, and quickly realized this computer was exactly what I was trying to turn my Chromebook into, but which it was simply not capable of being, and thus the Chromebook was almost instantly retired.

The novelty of having a new (to me) computer was enough that I set my old MacBook Pro aside to take some time to acclimate myself to the Dell, but the funny thing was I never really picked it back up again, except to retrieve needed files and transfer them to the Dell via a Web-based tool called Snapdrop. After a couple of months, I realized that it, like the Chromebook, had effectively entered retirement.

The eBay seller from whom I had purchased the Dell had thoughtfully included a bootable flash drive with a copy of Linux Mint to be used to restore the system, if necessary. But after being greatly satisfied with the Linux Mint experience on the Dell, I decided to use it to load the operating system onto my HP Windows 10 laptop, creating a dual-boot system. I did this so that I would still be able to access both the files I had on the HP and the applications with which I had created them. Linux Mint ran marginally better on that computer than had Windows 10, but in the end, it was just too slow, especially compared to the lightning fast performance of the Dell. Such are the joys of running a system with modest system requirements on a machine with resources far greater than that system needs.

About a month after I had acquired the Dell, I spotted an eBay listing for another Dell 7490 laptop at less than half the price I had paid for mine, albeit with a quarter of the onboard storage capacity. Its internal solid state drive held 256GB, versus my Dell's 1TB. Still, for such a modest price, I decided it would make a good replacement for the HP, so I took the plunge. The computer was advertised as not having an operating system, but in fact had an unregistered copy of Windows 10, loaded down with enough adware to make it next to useless. Within an hour of being delivered, the second Dell was booting into Linux Mint, courtesy of the same flash drive, never to see Windows again.

Over the past year, a couple of things about Linux have been reinforced for me. One is that desktop Linux need not be difficult to use, and the other is it isn't just for programmers. It is true that there are dozens of Linux distributions out there, and some have steeper learning curves than others, but if you stick with the more mainstream distributions, such as Mint or Ubuntu, you will find they are mature, user friendly, well supported, and well suited for most users. Some people think the only legitimate way to run Linux is from the Terminal screen, and that's their prerogative, but I am no programmer, beyond knowing the rudiments of HTML, and I almost never type commands into the Terminal. When I do, I most often just copy them from a Web site, and if it doesn't work, it's because I mistyped something. Day in and day out, it's just point-and-click, no different and no more complicated than Windows or Mac OS. The ironic thing is many people don't realize they're using Linux already, as both ChromeOS and Android are based on Linux.

So, for the past year, I have been using Linux Mint on both of my daily driver computers, and for the first time in more than 30 years, I do not have a Mac OS machine in daily use. This was never a scenario I would have imagined a year ago, but I feel just fine about it; in fact, it is rare that I even think about what operating system I'm using, or that I have become a full-fledged full time Linux user. I'm just using my computers to do what I need to do, and they're far more than adequate for my needs. I won't say 'never' again, but I have no desire to ever own a Windows computer again. I use them at work, because that is what my employer supplies, and they drink deeply of the Microsoft Kool Aid. Another, Mac at home? Maybe someday, but for now, count me firmly on Team Penguin!*

 

*For those who are not aware, Tux the penguin, as pictured at the top of this article, is the official Mascot of Linux.

Batman--Back to Basics!

 Ever since I was a small child, I've been a fan of the Caped Crusader, from the Adam West series of the 1960s to Tim Burton's cinematic adaptations from 1989 and 1992, to Bruce Timm's Batman: The Animated Series (1992-1996), and animated successors, even Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy, and the prequel series Gotham.

Given that history, I was very excited to hear that a new animated series, Batman: Caped Crusader, was on the way. The series dropped a few days ago on Amazon's Prime Video service, and having watched all ten episodes of the first season, I was not at all disappointed.

At first glance, this series appears as if it is a thematic continuation of the brilliant Batman: The Animated Series, but it is more of a reboot, sharing little in the way of direct continuity with the 1990s series, but nonetheless thematically closer than some others. Set sometime in the 1940s, most likely in the postwar period, Caped Crusader pays homage not only to BTAS, but also to the to movie serials, released in 1943 and 1949 with opening titles in black and white. The series uses a more muted color palette, and artwork that appears heavily inspired by the Fleischer Studios Superman cartoons from 1940-43. If you've ever wondered what a Fleischer Batman cartoon might have looked like, Caped Crusader could hold your answers.

In addition to being visually darker than its predecessor, Caped Crusader also takes a decidedly darker tone with coarser language, more adult themes, and characters actually getting killed, earning it a TV-14 rating, compared to its predecessors' TV-7 . But despite its nostalgic milieu, the show also caters to contemporary sensibilities with ethnically diverse characters, and in one episode, the beginnings of a queer romance. And speaking of gender, one of the core bat villains has undergone an extreme makeover in Batman: Caped Crusader; The Penguin is now a woman, renamed Oswalda Cobblepot. Voiced by Minnie Driver, the character works well and is perhaps even more menacing than her male predecessors. Also re-imagined is Harley Quinn, who originated in Batman: The Animated Series as a sidekick to the Joker. To provide further details would create spoilers for those who haven't watched season one yet, so I shall refrain, except to say she isn't Joker's sidekick, girlfriend, or anything else. It's not that they had a falling out, it's just that Joker doesn't figure into season one at all, except for a teaser scene, embedded in the closing moments of the season finale. Also missing from the Gotham rogues' gallery in season one were the Riddler and Mister Freeze. While Barbara Gordon figures prominently as a public defender, she does not defend the public in the guise of Batgirl, nor does Robin, the Boy Wonder make an appearance at all.

I have to say that I went into this new animated iteration of Batman with a little trepidation, knowing that the late Kevin Conroy would not be voicing the Caped Crusader or his counterpart, millionaire Bruce Wayne. Fortunately, Hamish Linklater ably fills the cape and cowl, doing honor to his predecessor without imitating him.

My only real complaint about season one of Batman: Caped Crusader is there were only ten episodes, which was hardly enough for an immersive experience. It is more akin to an appetizer plate, enough to whet one's appetite but not quite sufficient to fully satisfy on its own. Fortunately, a second season is already in the works, and one can only hope that it will be even bigger and better than the first one.

Keurig Adventures

 I've been using Keurig coffee brewers for almost a decade, but I was initially put off by their steep price. I finally became a convert after picking one up on the cheap second-hand at a thrift shop. I've now gotten several for between $9 and $20. Some have needed a little cleaning before use, and I routinely run a white vinegar solution through them to disinfect them before use, but they have all served me well. Below is a rundown of the models I've owned and my impressions of them.

B40--This was the first Keurig I owned. It's the most basic version of the classic Keurig. There is no temperature adjustment, and only two serving size choices, four and ten ounces. The water tank holds 48 ounces, which had me refilling it every other day when it was in daily use. The coffee was a little watery, but still palatable. This is the only Keurig I've had that has stopped working. All the others are still fully functional. This one was $20, back when Keurigs were still a rare sight at thrift shops. Today, they are a common fixture.

K45--A slightly updated version of the B40 with three size choices: four, six, and ten ounces. All other features and specifications are the same as above. Mine is the red variant, and everyone who sees it wants it. It was $9 well spent.

B60--An upgraded version of the B40, it has all of the features of the machines above; in fact, the water tanks and drip trays are interchangeable. Its claim to fame is an LCD display and a metal cover for the drip tray. I got this one to replace the B40 after it died. This one was a spendy $20 at the time.

B71--This was Keurig's top-of-the-line single-serve brewer when it came out, featuring a 70-ounce water tank, five serving size settings, ranging from four to twelve ounces in two-ounce increments, temperature adjustment, and an LCD display with a clock and auto-on option. This model also has a couple of annoying features. It is almost impossible to install the water tank when full without splashing water out of it; also, the power switch is inconveniently located on the right hand back side, instead of on the top. It now lives in my main office. Despite its flaws, it was an excellent $12 investment and has served me well.

K-475 (Keurig 2.0)--Keurig's attempt at a more high-tech approach, it gets a lot of stuff right, but misses the mark on some other things. Its most striking feature is a color LCD touch screen display. It also comes with an optional carafe that will keep coffee warm for a few hours. It requires super expensive, and hard to find, large K-cups. I opt instead for the reusable coffee ground holder, but that makes very weak tasting coffee. To compensate, I add a quarter teaspoon of instant. It's just enough to boost the flavor without giving it the bitter instant coffee edge. The Keurig 2.0 series incorporates the an ill-conceived, and ultimately unpopular, DRM (digital rights management) scheme to detect "genuine" K-cups and reject those it does not recognize. The only issue I've had with this is it rejects all but one of my single serving reusable K-cups. Thankfully, this feature/annoyance died when the Keurig 2.0 series was retired. Nonetheless, this is the Keurig I use daily in my kitchen. It will continue to have a place there, thanks to the carafe, because I do occasionally like to brew a pot of coffee, instead of just a cup. The Keurig 2.0 series also introduced the 'strong' setting, which slows down the brewing process a bit to create a more robust brew. For better or worse, this feature is only available when using single serving K-cups. I picked this one up for $10 and found the carafe on different shelf, priced at $4. 

UPDATE--Since writing this, I have found a better way to get good flavor with loose coffee grounds. I acquired an electric coffee grinder, which I use to more finely grind the coffee, allowing for a richer brew. I also had to get some new single serve reusable pods that have a purple stripe on the top in order to be recognized by the notorious Keurig 2.0 DRM system.

K-1500--Part of Keurig's commercial lineup, this brewer is built for durability, offering a somewhat spartan feature set, reminiscent of the Classic series. All the essential basic features are there, but no extras. It sports a 96-ounce water tank, four serving size settings from six to twelve ounces, and a 'strong' button. Although it is not included, the filter assembly for a Keurig 2.0 brewer will fit it. I have this one in my satellite office, a location where refilling the tank is sufficiently inconvenient that having the extra large water capacity is a definite plus. This one was $15.

K-Elite--Although designed for household use, this brewer seems to share a considerable amount of DNA with the K-1500 above. I haven't been able to try it, but I would not be surprised if the 75-ounce water tank is are interchangeable with that of the K-1500. In addition, it has dedicated buttons for five cup sizes, ranging from four to twelve ounces, a 'strong' button, high altitude setting, adjustable brewing temperature, and LED clock display. One design feature is a bit of a throwback to the classic line, in that there is no dedicated "brew" button. Instead, selecting the serving size initiates brewing. Like the K-1500, it does not include a filter kit but will accept the Keurig 2.0 style. One minor design flaw is the water level in the tank is not visible from the front of the brewer, only from the side. This is a recent $11 impulse purchase. I am very pleased with it and it has now found a home in my main office, replacing the B71.

Shopping for Keurigs at thrift stores can be an adventure, as prices are random at best, and are seldom based on anything resembling logic, with base models sometimes commanding higher prices than more deluxe ones. When I bought my K-475 for $10, there was another one next to it for $12 that was in visibly worse condition. When I bought my K-Elite, it was the newest and cheapest of three Keurigs on the shelf. The middle machine, in terms of both age and price, was a K-475 for $12, and the oldest one, a B40, was priced at $15. Prices sometimes soar into the stratosphere, as high as $40 or $50, regardless of model. Needless to say, those sit on the store shelf for a long time. They seem to sell most readily in the $10-$25 range. The most annoying thing about thrift store Keurigs is when parts like tank lids and drip trays get scattered across the shelves, and eventually end up in the trash unless someone reunites them. Some thrift shops have begun to wise up to this phenomenon and now tape these loose parts into place.

Bobbing for an Apple Watch

Ever since the Apple Watch was first introduced in 2015, I’ve always thought it was an interesting accessory, but I never seriously considered one because of what I saw as an exorbitant price tag, and very limited battery life, compared with a conventional watch. At the time, I was also using an Android smart phone, so I wasn’t fully in that ecosystem. Still, the idea never really left me.

Around 2020, I did buy a generic smart watch, and while I liked it well enough for what it was, it kept lousy time and there was no good way to manually reset it, so I put it aside after a month or so of active use and went back to my conventional analog watches.

The one thing I’d always said would make me buy an Apple Watch is if they were to make one that could monitor my blood glucose levels. While that technology has not come to pass, I recently started using Dexcom G7 continuous glucose monitoring sensors, which will communicate with an Apple Watch. That was enough to rekindle my interest, but I still wasn’t prepared to pay the full freight for a brand new one, so I turned to eBay for an affordable second-hand model, an Apple Watch 5 series 44mm in space gray aluminum, with two plastic straps in chocolate brown and off white.

Plastic watch straps have never been my thing, so I ordered a black stainless steel deployment style bracelet that’s more to my liking. It came with a link removal tool, which made adjusting the bracelet's size to fit my wrist very easy. I had to remove a total of three links, two from one side of the buckle and one from the other. The whole process took about ten minutes to give the watch a much different--and more sophisticated--look.

Still, now that I have the watch, I might have held off on the band. It is several years old, too old to receive further WatchOS updates, and even though it is in good cosmetic condition, the battery barely lasts a day. On my second day with this watch, I put it on around 9:00 a.m., and the battery was down to 36 percent by supper time, and went to low power mode by bedtime.

After wearing it a couple of days, I have changed a couple of settings to noticeably improve battery life. According to everything I've read online, the always-on display isn't supposed to affect battery life much, but turning that feature off does indeed buy a few extra hours of life between charges. It seems like a minor thing, but it definitely helps me warm up to the watch a little more.

I also discovered that the watch is one generation too old to fully integrate with the Dexcom sensors, so all I can receive on it is high and low glucose alerts. That’s better than nothing, but I was looking forward to being able to read my glucose levels on demand. Oh well, that one’s on me for not checking more carefully. Live and learn, I suppose. 

The jury is still out on whether my Apple Watch experience will end up somewhat like my generic smart watch experience. I’m going to give it a week or so, and see how I feel about it. Will I wear it frequently, or leave it on the charger for increasingly extended periods until one of the cats eventually knocks it off, and I find I’m too lazy to pick it up and put it back on? Time will tell.

I've already determined this is not my ultimate smart watch. What my ultimate smart watch would need are a battery that lasts at least three or four days between charges, a week would be better, direct blood glucose monitoring, and an affordable price. Yeah, none of that exists right now, and we are talking Apple products here, so if and when it ever arrives, it definitely won't be affordable, at least not my idea of affordable.

UPDATE: I've now had the Apple Watch for about a month and a half, and things have gone pretty much as I had predicted. My feelings toward the watch are lukewarm at best, I wear it maybe once, maybe twice a week, and by the time I put it back on the charger that night, I'm happy to choose one of my more conventional watches for the next day, and then wear it for several days, maybe week or longer. And on the days I do wear the Apple Watch, I actually find it to be mildly annoying, vibrating and displaying every email, text message, and phone call that comes in. And when I want to see what time it is, it may or may not display the watch face. Quite frankly, I'm failing to appreciate the value proposition of the Apple Watch. Maybe that's me, maybe it's the watch, or maybe it's a combination of the two. Honestly, I'm just not feeling it the way I'd hoped I would.

My Two-Headed Monster

In the almost 40 years I've been using computers, and well over 30 years of computer ownership, I've only ever had a single monitor, and that has always seemed to be enough; in fact, I've frequently wondered over the years exactly what I'd do with a multi-monitor setup.

The 14-inch screen on my laptop is usually enough for my needs, but I do occasionally find myself thinking a little extra screen real estate would be nice.  I recently found a simple and cost effective solution in a KYY model K3-2 portable 15.6-inch USB-C monitor. This device adds a second screen, slightly larger than that of my laptop, with plug-and-play simplicity to create, along with a wireless USB keyboard and mouse, a double-headed desktop configuration that can easily be set up and taken down as needed.

Setup, right out of the box took just a couple of minutes to position the monitor on its included stand, which flattens out to double as a protective slipcase, and connect it to the laptop using the supplied USB-C cable. My Dell laptop, which runs Linux Mint, immediately recognized the monitor and activated it as a second screen, onto which I could drag windows over for simultaneous viewing. The screen image of the external monitor is slightly softer than that of the laptop, but it is by no means unpleasant to use. I have not yet tried it with the HDMI cable to see if that makes any difference.

In addition to the aforementioned slipcase/stand, the package includes a USB-C to USB-C cable, suitable for connecting to most current laptops without an additional power cable, an HDMI to mini HDMI cable for video connection only, and a USB-C to USB-A cable for power from a wall outlet, via its included plug-in power adapter when needed. With these three cables, one can connect the monitor to a variety of laptop computers, smart phones and tablets, portable gaming devices, etc.; however, some devices, such as older Apple products, that lack a USB-C port, may require an additional proprietary adapter to connect.

The monitor is very thin and lightweight, making it easy to carry along in the bag with the laptop, making the multi-monitor experience feasible on the go. A certain degree of care should be exercised in transporting the monitor. Putting it inside the slipcase/stand is a must, and the manufacturer discourages carrying it in a backpack where it could sustain damage from other hard objects. The monitor also comes in a sturdy, well-designed box with compartments for the included accessories, suitable to store the monitor when not in use. Users would be wise to keep the box as an integral component for long term protection.

It should be noted that KYY offers several different variations of this monitor, but only the K3-2 offers the slipcover stand. Other variants come with a magnetic stand that acts as a protective cover over the screen, not a storage pouch. This model supposedly has the ability to operate in portrait mode, simply by turning the monitor up on end, but I have not been able to make that happen while it’s connected to my laptop. Perhaps it needs to be connected to a device like a smart phone that has a portrait orientation by default.

One small design compromise this feature necessitates is that all ports and controls are located on the right side of the monitor when in landscape mode, so that they are accessible on top when the monitor is rotated 90 degrees for portrait mode. By comparison, the other variants have a USB-C port on each side. Fortunately, the supplied USB-C to USB-C cable is long enough to run from the left side of my laptop to the right side of the KYY monitor. This is important for ergonomic reasons because the computer assumes the external monitor is to its right, so that dragging from the laptop to the second monitor is from left to right. To me, this is a non-issue.

The only very minor disappointment worth mentioning is that the monitor’s USB-C ports apparently do not support a data pass-through connection to the laptop, only video and power, as documented in its instruction booklet. When I attempted to plug a USB-C camera card reader into the monitor’s second USB-C port, the KYY monitor simply blanked out and the SD card never mounted. In the absence of a USB-A card reader, I had to temporarily unplug the monitor from my laptop’s single USB-C port to copy the needed images, then reconnect the monitor. Although it is by no means a deal killer, a fully functional USB-C port would have been appreciated in that instance.

Since I have only just received this monitor today, I am still exploring its capabilities and use cases, but for the price I paid, I am generally pleased with the purchase. 

UPDATE--In using this monitor for a couple of days, I have come to the realization that the combination slipcase/stand, while arguably a genius design for use on the go, is only satisfactory for short periods. The issue is the magnets that hold it in the stand configuration. While they hold the two ends of the cover together, they can still slip laterally over time, making it less satisfactory to use for more than a few hours at a time. There really should be a physical tab to stop it from sliding forward. If the monitor needs to remain set up for several days, a sturdier stand is preferable. 

My solution is a Lisen adjustable tablet stand. It is well designed and sturdy enough to support a monitor this size. With two-point articulation and a telescoping arm, one can adjust both height and viewing angle to improve ergonomics. The three pieces are held together with bolts that can be tightened with the included hex key that stores neatly underneath the base. For barely the price of a fast food value meal, it is a worthwhile purchase to greatly improves the experience.

One month later...--The extra screen with the Lisen stand has been so satisfactory that I haven't yet found a good reason to take it down. On the contrary, I find myself increasingly gravitating toward this laptop/desktop hybrid setup, even when I could get away with just the laptop's screen. It's an accessory I didn't know I needed.

Tooning in on Trek

Last night, I finished watching season two of Star Trek: Prodigy, and it got me thinking about the three animated Star Trek series that have been produced to date, and how different they are from one another. 

The first animated series, which debuted in 1973 and ran for 22 episodes under the title Star Trek, but was later re-dubbed Star Trek: The Animated Series when it came out on DVD in 2006, was essentially a direct continuation of the original live action series, from the 1960s and starred the voices of almost all of the original cast, some of whom voiced multiple characters. Walter Koenig was not brought back to reprise his role as Pavel Chekov, although he did contribute a script for the episode "The Infinite Vulcan". 

Dismissed by many at the time as a kiddie show because it ran as part of NBC's Saturday morning lineup, against the wishes of Creator Gene Roddenberry, who saw animation as a way to create more visually expansive worlds that would not have been feasible with the physical effects technology of the day. Unfortunately, it came out at a time when animation was at a low point due to the rising cost of hand animation. Computer generated animation was still a decade or two away from coming into its own. Over the years, the animated series has garnered greater appreciation, especially for the quality of its stories, many of which were penned by writers from the original series. I doubt it would ever happen, but it would be incredible to see a 're-animated' version of this series, using the original audio with modern animation techniques, much as the original live action series received updated visual effects in the mid-2000s.

After the animated series wrapped in 1975, it quickly became a quaint and largely forgotten footnote in Star Trek history, except for those who had watched it on Saturday mornings. It would be more than four decades before another animated Star Trek series would see the light of day, this time streaming on CBS All Access, which would later be renamed Paramount+

Star Trek: Lower Decks is an unapologetic parody of all things Star Trek. Drawing on a concept from an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, similarly titled "The Lower Decks", which also focused on a group of junior crew members, Lower Decks Centers on the dysfunctional crew of the USS Cerritos, specifically its junior crew members, the show is an all-out slapstick sitcom, its humor is decidedly low-brow. 

Set in time just after Star Trek: Nemesis, the show's outrageous nature seems to appeal to at least some viewers enough to warrant five seasons, the last of which, thankfully, will drop in the fall of 2024, and even inspired a live-action crossover with Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. 

Honestly, I try to embrace Trek in all its many forms, but for me, Lower Decks must be taken in very small doses, as it usually borders between idiotic and downright cringe worthy. Why this series survived on Paramount+ and Prodigy did not, is quite frankly beyond me. I just don't get the appeal.

The year after Lower Decks debuted, Paramount+, in partnership with the Nickelodeon cable network, created a far more thoughtful animated series called Star Trek: Prodigy, which focuses on a group of adolescents of various species, who find an abandoned Federation starship and take it on a voyage of self-discovery, under the tutelage of a holographic representation of Voyager's Capt. Kathryn Janeway. 

The premise of this show, and the fact that it was overtly targeted for younger viewers, may have dissuaded some adult viewers from giving it a try, and I count myself among them. It was only after it was abruptly canceled and removed from both Paramount+ and Nickelodeon, and then showed up on Netflix, that I decided give it a proper chance. What I discovered was some of the best Star Trek I had encountered in years.

Framed as an interstellar coming of age story, there are elements that will resonate strongly with younger viewers, but the storylines are thoughtful and well developed enough to appeal to adult audiences, and its essence holds truer to the best that Star Trek has to offer. 

The series uses seasonal story arcs similar to the structure of Star Trek: Picard, and as such, the premise for a third season was set up in the final episode of season two. At this point, the future of the series is largely in the hands of viewers, as Netflix bases its renewal decisions on streaming numbers and social media chatter. Given the show's high quality it is a bit of a mystery why Prodigy has had such a rocky run, with one season on Paramount+ and Nickelodeon, followed by a jump to Netflix for a repeat of season one, followed up by an even better second season. 

Star Trek's animated offerings have come a long way in the past half-century, and may yet prove to be the franchise's next frontier.

A Tale of Two Sensors: Dexcom G7 vs. Libre Frestyle 3

I have been using continuous blood glucose monitors for the past five or six years, and it has been a godsend, compared to pricking my fingers or forearm several times a day to check my blood sugar levels. Up until a year and a half ago, I was using the Freestyle Libre 2 fourteen-day sensors, which required a physical tap from a dedicated reader or a smart phone with an app to take a reading. More recently, I'd upgraded to the Freestyle Libre 3, which automatically sends readings to my phone via Bluetooth, which is even more convenient. But all that came to sudden and unexpected end this past spring.

My health insurance changed their formulary, and now only covers Dexcom sensors, but rather than just smoothly switch me over to their preferred brand, there ensued a two-month fight with said insurance company to even get those. I honestly believe their goal was to try and frustrate me back into pricking my fingers all the time, but thankfully, I was stubborn enough to prevail. 

I finally got my hands on a supply of Dexcom G7 (DG7) sensors three days ago, and put on the first one today, where it is running alongside my next-to-last Freestyle Libre 3 (FL3) sensor for its final couple of hours. I did this to be able to compare readings with the two, and they seem to be spot on, within a few points of each other. But how do they compare in other ways?

I suppose the best place to start is the steps to put the sensor on and activate it. The FL3 is pretty simple and straightforward. Clean the area on the back of the arm where it will be applied, open the applicator and press it into the skin. The spring-loaded applicator then attaches the sensor, which is about the size of a nickel, to the skin. The sensor then must be activated by tapping it with a smart phone, on which the Freestyle Libre app is active. An hour later, the phone starts receiving readings every minute. 

By comparison, the DG7, which is noticeably larger and thicker, closer in size to the Freestyle Libre 2, is also a bit more complicated. It uses a similar spring-loaded applicator, but it's a little more complicated to use, in that one must press it into the skin to retract a safety collar, which enables a trigger button on the side of the applicator. The sensor is put in place by pressing the trigger button. This is a more cumbersome process, which subsequently requires the user to press the sensor firmly into place for a few seconds and then rub a finger around the periphery of the sensor a few times to ensure firm attachment. 

If this makes one suspect the DG7's adhesive isn't as good as that of the FL3, one would be correct in that assessment, because the next step is to apply a provided over-patch. Such patches are optionally available for the Freestyle Libre sensors, but are not included in the package. I have a supply of them on hand, but have only used them when I'm planning to go swimming, particularly in salt water, or when the sensor has been knocked loose or the adhesive is otherwise failing, but the sensor is still functioning. By comparison, the over-patch is required for the DG7. Both sensors can be used when showering or swimming, but the DG7 is good to a depth of eight feet, versus the FL3's three-foot maximum depth.

Activation of the DG7 happens a little differently than with the FL3. The 30-minute  warm-up period, as opposed to an hour for the FL3, begins automatically once the sensor is applied, but it must still be paired with one's phone, either by entering a four-digit code in the app or scanning a QR code, both of which are found on the side of the applicator. By the time I had applied the sensor and over-patch, and then paired it with my phone, the sensor was already a couple of minutes into the warm-up period. It should be noted that until the DG7 sensor is paired with one's phone, no readings will be received, but the timer will be ticking on the sensor's 10-day functional lifespan. 

Yes, the DG7 sensors do not last as long as the FL3, just 10.5 days, including a 12-hour 'grace period', as compared to the FL3's 14 days. Realistically, this means one will go through three sensors a month with the DG7, as opposed to two with the FL3. Another functional difference is that the DG7 sensor transmits data to the phone app once every five minutes, instead of once a minute for the Freestyle Libre sensors, which means it's capturing only 20 percent as much data. Until I've lived with the DG7 sensor for a while, I won't be able to know know how much of a difference this makes. I'm suspecting it will be relatively little, as I will still be able to see trends in the app, despite having fewer data points. The flip side of this coin is the DG7's impact on my four-year-old iPhone's battery life. If the sensor is only transmitting data twelve times an hour instead of sixty, I could see a potential for improved battery life. Time will tell on that one.

Other notable differences between the sensors is that the DG7 must be within 20 feet of one's phone, versus 30 feet for the FL3, but because the DG7 transmits data only once every five minutes, one has greater latitude to stray away from the phone and move back into range. Also, the DG7 offers greater flexibility of approved locations on which to affix it--back of the upper arm or abdomen for adults, as well as upper buttocks for small children, while the Freestyle Libre sensors are approved only for the back of the upper arm.

Having only had the DG7 sensor on my arm for a couple of hours, I have not yet been able to form an opinion about whether I like it better or worse than the FL3, and I accept that human nature being what it is, I would naturally lean toward the tried and true, especially since I was forced to make the switch when I was quite content with the FL3. Expect an update in ten days or so, after this DG7 sensor expires and I put on my final FL3.

UPDATE, two days later--After wearing the DG7 sensor for two days, I'm getting used to it, but I do find it less comfortable than the FL3, both because of its size and the over patch. The phone app is comparable to that of the FL3. The feature set seems to be much the same, but due to the less frequent data points, it is shown as a series of dots, instead of a continuous line with the FL3 app. Sharp and sudden increases or decreases can appear to be data gaps to the untrained eye. 

Additionally, DG7 sensors will also send data to a smart watch, without a phone, a feature not available with the Freestyle sensors. I'm not sure whether this will entice me to take the plunge for an Apple Watch, but it does give me another reason to consider purchasing one. The larger question is whether that one reason outweighs the other various reasons I have found not to take the plunge.

I also feel that my preliminary supposition regarding phone battery life is proving to be correct, but not dramatic. Using the FL3 sensor, my phone's battery would be down to between 20 and 40 percent by the end of the day; whereas, yesterday it was at 58 percent when I went to bed. It is now mid-afternoon, and with fairly typical phone use so far today, the battery is at 83 percent, compared with 60-70 percent when using the FL3 sensor and app. I fully realize that I have not yet amassed nearly enough data to fully support or refute my hypothesis, but I feel like it is promising.

Day 10 UPDATE--So, I just changed out my first DG7 sensor a little while ago. My thought last night was to use the last of my FL3 sensors and run the two simultaneously to collect a few hours of comparative data before the DG7 sensor ran out. It turned out my last FL3 sensor was defective. I was awoken from a sound sleep just before 4:00 a.m. by a low glucose alarm that turned out to be erroneous. The FL3 sensor was showing my level in the low 50s, while the DG7 was showing it in the low 100s. The fact that I was feeling absolutely no symptoms of hypoglycemia told me the DG7 was providing more accurate information. I was kept awake by a series of false low alarms over the next couple of hours before receiving a signal loss alarm. The phone was no longer receiving data from the FL3 sensor. Finally, about three hours later, the FL3 app flashed a message on my phone screen, instructing me to replace the sensor, which I did once the DG7 sensor ran out. By that time, I had torn the defective FL3 sensor off of my arm and deleted its app from my phone. Out with a whimper, I'd say.

Normally at this point, I'd be on the phone with Abbot Labs, manufacturer of the FL3 sensor, requesting a replacement, as I have done many times before when they have failed prematurely. But this time, I just took it as a sign that it was time to fully make the switch over to the Dexcom sensors. 

After using one for a full ten days, I've decided that although the FL3 is the hands down winner for comfort and convenience, especially when it comes to applying and activating the sensor, there are also things that offset the inconvenience. I am seriously considering buying an Apple Watch to take advantage of its ability to receive data from the DG7 sensor.

Costco vs. Sam's Club

 So, almost a year ago, I took advantage of a discounted deal on a Sam's Club membership for $19. It will renew automatically on July 8 for the full price of $50, unless I cancel it before then. I also have had a Costco membership for almost a decade, so this raises the question of whether I need to keep both, or if not, which to drop. In analyzing how I use each membership, I'm finding the equation is anything but straightforward.

The first question of cost for the membership itself would seem a 'no-brainer', in that the Sam's membership is $10 cheaper, but having had the Costco membership longer, I am slightly more invested in that ecosystem because I also have a Costco Visa card, which earns me more than enough cash back--even on my Sam's Club purchases--to cover the price of my Costco membership and then some. While I could get a similar Sam's Club card, the hassle of switching over, considering all of the automatic charges tied to the Costco card, makes this less than appealing. The advantage going in definitely belongs to Costco.

The second part of the equation is what I buy at each store. There are many items available at both stores, and at comparable prices. It's mostly a matter of convenience or which one has it on sale. Of course, there is also packaging to consider. Costco, for instance, offers most of its canned goods, in normal sized cans, shrink wrapped together in cases of six or twelve, depending on the product, while Sam's offers most of its canned goods in restaurant-sized no. 10 cans that are simply not practical for home use. Costco also seems to offer better quality in the form of more organic and gourmet selections than Sam's does, meaning that there is often more stuff I want to buy at Costco. In recent years, I have made Costco my go-to for tires and car batteries, although my most recent tire purchase was at Sam's, which was able to provide a slightly better turn key price. Having the tires from Sam's raises the concern over their warranty, which would instantly evaporate, should I decide to cancel that membership.

Part of my motivation for pulling the trigger on the Sam's Club membership was for a couple of specific items that are not offered at Costco, but is it enough to justify paying for that membership? The number of items in question is fairly small, and I often question whether I would be better off in the long run, using the price of the membership fee to buy those items elsewhere, albeit at a somewhat higher unit price? I have to keep in mind that sometimes, the unit cost of items at Sam's or Costco is not as competitive as it might seem on the surface.

Another sub-part of this question is how often I shop at each location. I tend to go to Costco about once a month, not including gasoline purchases, while I only go to Sam's every two months, on average, and seldom purchase gasoline there. Both stores use discounted gasoline as a loss leader, and fuel prices are comparable at both places. I will buy gas at either, if I need it, but the lines at both are enough of a hassle to keep me from going out of my way to buy fuel there, unless I'm in the neighborhood, which brings up the question of convenience.

In my city, the two stores are located almost directly across the road from one another, so they're equally (in)convenient for me. Both have congested parking, although Costco does have a bigger lot, so one can always easily park a little distance from the warehouse, saving time and fuel, as opposed to continually circling to find a spot. The latter is sometimes the only option at Sam's, which has a smaller lot.

Of a more esoteric nature is Costco's reputation for treating their employees well, which is evidenced by their low turnover rate. I see the same faces wearing red Costco vests year after year, and thus it is quite difficult to get hired there, as friends who have applied there have attested. But that makes me feel good about shopping there.  On the other hand, Sam's Club is a subsidiary of Walmart. Make of that what you will.

So, in the final analysis, a couple of conclusions have bubbled to the surface: For the reasons above, I am not considering canceling my Costco membership, and of the two, Sam's Club is the one I can more easily do without, but will I cancel it? I'm leaning toward keeping it and reassessing in a year whether I'm getting $50 worth of value from it. The membership was certainly worth the $20 I paid for it this year, but $50 will definitely be a much harder sell.

Getting Clued

One of my favorite board games when I was growing up was Clue. Using the process of elimination, players were challenged to solve the mystery of who murdered Mr. Boddie, in what room of his home, and with what weapon. I had a 1960s edition, which came in a khaki colored box with graphics resembling New Yorker cartoons. The appearance of the game changed over the years, and once Hasbro acquired the original publisher, Parker Brothers, numerous variations on the game itself began to appear, including a Harry Potter edition, appropriately set at Hogwarts.

Unfortunately, my cherished copy of that game, along with a couple of others, did not come with me when my wife and I divorced. After several years of not worrying about it, I decided I wanted to replace those childhood games, and began keeping my eyes open at thrift stores and at a second-hand bookstore I frequented. Newer editions, some with different characters, weapons and reconfigured game board layouts, were frequently available, albeit often incomplete. What I eventually realized was I wanted a copy with the original 1960s graphics that I'd had as a child. They would occasionally turn up at the used bookstore, and they always seemed to be available online, but at steep prices that I was not willing to pay.

Eventually, I spotted a bookshelf edition, in a handsome wooden box, sporting the 1960s graphics I was after, at a thrift shop. The only problem was it was incomplete. It was missing a couple of the weapons tokens, which were relatively unimportant for game play, and the Detective's Notebook pads, which were essential. But still, for less than $3, I couldn't pass it up. I was able to source a complete set of weapons online, albeit for a few dollars more than I paid for the whole game, but still less than the cost of a fast food lunch at the time.

The notebook pads were an even easier solution. I'm a pretty deft hand at using my word processor's table editor, so after a brief online search to find an example, I was able to replicate it, print out a few sheets, cut them apart, and keep the file stored on my computer. Unfortunately, that was a couple of computers ago, and although I am not completely out, I no longer have that file. I knew I should have stored it in the cloud. 

Earlier today, I did an online search and found a plethora of Detective's Notebook pages, downloadable for free. This is a great resource, as you can print out what you need for game night, and keep the file on your computer or cloud drive for future use, and it certainly beats having the expense of ordering additional pads from Parker Brothers, as we had to do when I was a kid. 

But just as there are variations in the game editions, there are variations in the notebook files online; for instance, some have different character names. Mrs. White was apparently dropped at some point, in favor of Dr. Orchid. This might be confusing to younger players, and most of the files I found are not editable. One exception is from templateroller.com, which has numbered blanks for suspect names so that you can type in names to match your edition of the game before printing them out. The only drawback here is the template is in a 'one up' configuration; that is, one notebook page per sheet. Some others are configured two-up, or even four-up. One version I looked at was three-up with one quadrant lined off for random notes. You can find what you need by entering the search terms "Clue detective notes printable" You might also want to include the word "free" to eliminate sites that would charge a fee to download or subscribe.

If you prefer to 'roll your own', as they say, you can easily set it up in a word processor like MS Word, Google Docs, or LibreOffice Write:

1. Start by splitting the page into two columns so that you can print the pages 'two-up'.
2. In the left column, use the table editor to create a table six columns wide by 24 rows deep. This will give you enough spaces for all six suspects, six weapons, and nine rooms used for the classic Clue game, plus three rows for category headings (Suspects, Weapons, Rooms), and the ability to use each notebook page five times.
   
3. The columns will be evenly spaced by default. You may wish to widen the leftmost column to provide more room for the various names. Do this by clicking and dragging the dividing line between the first and second columns to the desired width. Double-click the dividing lines between the rest of the columns to even out their widths. 
4. Type in the names of the suspects (Col. Mustard, Mr. Green, Miss Scarlet, Ms. Peacock, Prof. Plum, Mrs. White), weapons (knife, rope, wrench, revolver, lead pipe, candlestick), and rooms (kitchen, conservatory, lounge, dining room, billiards room, library, study, hall, ballroom), as appropriate for your edition of the game.
5. Turn on the grid lines to make them printable, then copy and paste everything into the right-hand column to make a two-up version.
   
6. Print the desired number of pages, and cut them apart, if desired.

Are you missing pieces to your cherished childhood board games? Never fear; it seems that on sites like eBay and Etsy, some sellers have made a cottage industry of buying incomplete board games for next to nothing at yard sales and such to part them out for spares. It pays to look at multiple listings to find what you need for the right price. 

When shopping for individual suspect, weapon and room cards for Clue, you need to make sure you get cards with graphics that match the edition you have; otherwise, the replacement card would be obvious without looking at the face. Depending on what's available, you may want to consider buying an entire set, which could prove to be more cost effective, especially if you need to replace more than one or two cards. This would also free you from having to match the graphics of your existing cards. 

So, what were the other childhood board games I replaced? They were Stratego and Yahtzee, both complete in bookshelf editions, as well as Stay Alive, which was missing a few marbles. I ended up completing that one with some Chinese checkers marbles, although I had to replace the lavender marbles with blue ones. Just for fun, I also added a single red marble as an optional 'sudden death' piece, to make the game more more fast-paced. I also got a copy of Battleship, which I had always wanted as a child, but had never owned. 

Now, I just need to have a game night.

UPDATE: I just replaced another pair of childhood games: Mastermind and Word Mastermind. In the original Mastermind, One player would arrange four colored pegs in a pattern and the other player would have several attempts to guess the pattern, with the first player providing feedback with black or white pegs to indicate a correct letter or color, and whether it was in the right position. It sounds simple, but can be far more challenging than it seems at first. Word Mastermind works much the same way, but the first player creates a four-letter word (no, not that kind of four-letter word!) for the other player to guess. I found both games in a package deal on eBay for about what one of them would go for. Even better, they're the exact versions I had when I was growing up.

My OS Agnostic Life

Don't misread the headline. I'm not writing about religion here, just the fact that I've come to use a bunch of different operating systems. I know that I have addressed aspects of this topic before, but here it is again, from what I hope is a slightly different angle.

I have owned personal computers for well over 30 years, and have been using them for almost 40. The first computer I bought was a Mac Classic in 1991. The next year, I encountered Windows at a job where I was working, and have been using both ever since, usually Windows at work and a Mac at home. If you asked me, I'd tell you I was a Mac person, forced to use a PC at work. To date, I have only had one job where I was allowed the option of working on a Mac instead of a Windows PC. I've also owned two Windows PC's in my time, both were eventually re-imaged to run Linux.

Speaking of Linux, that's when things began to change for me, about 15 years ago. I've casually experimented with various Linux distros over the years, including OpenSUSE, Ubuntu, Xubuntu (Ubuntu running the xfce desktop), Fedora, and Linux Mint, but eventually decided they weren't really ready for prime time--until about six months ago, when I acquired a late model laptop with Linux Mint, and fell in love with Linux all over again. 

So,these days I have a bit of a 'crazy quilt' of operating systems that I use on a regular basis, but they somehow all fit together into a unique matrix, where I am able to get things done, but seldom think about which operating system I am using at a given time. To understand how this works, let's look at each operating system I use an how it fits into the whole:

Mac OS--I have to start here, because I've been using it the longest. Traditionally, I've said my preference for Macintosh computers came down to an intuitive interface, coupled with solid dependability and hardware longevity. My present MacBook Pro, is 14 years old, and still fully functional, although it is no longer receiving software updates. I was using it on a daily basis, up until last October, when I got my present Linux laptop. That said, there are still a few tasks for which it is better suited than Linux, and thus I keep it in the active category. I may eventually get another Mac to replace it, but it's an expensive proposition, and even a second-hand one, nearing the end of its useful lifespan, is an expensive proposition. For now, I'm getting along okay without that expense.

Windows--I have been using Windows computers for almost as long as I have been using Macs, but they have, for the most part, belonged to others, either employers, friends, or family members. I used to say that I felt like I had a choice between fixing things on a Windows PC or getting things done on a Mac, and for the most part, that still holds true for me. I still use Windows daily at work--my employer drinks deeply of the Windows Kool-Aid--and even though I bring my work laptop home with me most nights, since commute between two campuses, I never work on it at home, even for work-related tasks. Admittedly, Windows has gotten more stable over the years, but my affinity for it has not grown. As I have already stated, I have owned two Windows laptops, both of which today run Linux Mint. I guess I'm just not really Windows compatible. 

Linux Mint--This is where things changed for me. After five or six years of casually dabbling with Linux, I had drifted away from it, until I semi-impulsively bought a Linux laptop last fall to replace a Chromebook, with which I was growing increasingly frustrated. Having a relatively high-spec computer running the latest Linux Mint, has been a revelation, and surprisingly, that machine has become my daily driver. The Linux experience can vary greatly, depending on which distro you're using, but I find Linux Mint to meet my needs nicely. The system is rock-solid stable, and in many ways, it is as intuitive as Mac OS, and in some ways, even more so; for instance, I didn't even have to configure my two networked printers. The computer detected and configured them automatically. Previously, I had felt like Linux wasn't ready for prime time, but I'm now realizing a big part of the issue may well have been the quality of the hardware on which I was running it. My Linux laptop is now firmly in the daily driver seat, and I'm loving it.

ChromeOS--Life's journeys often include some dead ends, and ChromeOS for me is definitely one of them. I bought a Chromebook about three years ago, when the MacBook Pro I was using, died. I needed something quick and cheap to keep me productive until I found what I really wanted. Shortly after receiving it, I discovered it was possible to install and run Debian Linux applications on it under the Linux Developer Environment, also known as Crostini. While I was indeed able to the LibreOffice productivity suite, Firefox Web browser and Thunderbird email client on my Chromebook, they took an inordinate amount of the machine's resources and slowed it to a crawl. The problem is that Chromebooks have very minimal hardware specifications, because they don't need much to run the Chrome Web browser, and maybe a couple of Android apps. I was trying to force the machine to be something it wasn't, and I finally had to admit it was never going to be what I wanted it to be. When I acquired the aforementioned Linux laptop, it was the proverbial breath of fresh air. This is what I was what I was wanting from my Chromebook all along, but was never going to get. Letting go of that disappointment was surprisingly easy. Today, the Chromebook is relegated to use at hybrid Zoom and in-person meetings, where I've volunteered to serve as the Zoom host. 

Other devices--When it comes to my phone and tablet I'm equally as eclectic. My iPhone is the one place where I am firmly, solidly, and stubbornly in the Apple camp. Before I got my first iPhone, I had three Android phones, none of which were particularly satisfactory. Once I got my hands on my first iPhone, I realized what I was missing and somewhat regretted not getting one sooner. I am now on my second iPhone, which will likely need replacing within the next year, and there is no question that a third iPhone is in my not-too-distant future. 

Given my affinity for iPhones, one would think I would be equally as enthusiastic for iPads. While I've had a couple second-hand units and enjoyed them, they're too expensive for how I use a tablet--reading e-books, checking email, and surfing the occasional Web site. For me a Kindle Fire tablet is a more than acceptable alternative. The Android-based interface is not the best, but it does what I need, and unlike a Chromebook, it's a no-frills alternative that actually works for my needs. The biggest issue I've had with a Fire tablet is limited storage capacity, which is easily remedied with the addition of a micro SD card. It's not the greatest tablet ever, but for well under $100 on sale, it was a good value, and worth the tradeoffs. I've just never really needed much from a tablet.

While there's no single solution that's right for everyone, I've found there's no single solution--or digital ecosystem--that fits all my needs. , but what I've patched together seems to work for me.

How are Your Tires?

 I have an old convertible that I drive mainly in mild, sunny weather. While those days can occur at almost any time of the year around here, there are still times when the car sits idle for weeks, or even months, at at time. Recently, when I hadn't driven it in a little while, I went to take it out for a little exercise and found the front tires were in visibly in need of air. When I re-inflated them, I found an even bigger problem—they were badly dry-rotted. The tread was great, but the sidewalls had significant cracks, where the rubber had dried out necessitating an unexpected expense to replace them.

With this incident in mind, and seeing plenty of cars out there rolling on seriously scary looking tires, I humbly offer the following guide to assessing the condition of your tires, centering on three basic factors: inflation, tread wear, and dry rot, in the hope that your road miles may be safer.

Inflation--The basic question here is whether you have enough air in your tires. Too little air and your tread will wear out prematurely and deliver poor fuel economy. Too much air, and you will have a harsh ride, poor handling, and risk a blowout. So, that begs the question of where the proverbial 'Goldilocks zone' is. Generally speaking, it's around 30-32 psi. You can verify that on a sticker inside the driver's door, on most vehicles, but also check the sidewalls of your tires to see what the maximum inflation is. Usually, it's around 35 psi. If your car does not have a built-in tire pressure monitoring (TPM) system, you need to invest in a good quality pressure gauge (don't worry, they're not expensive) and check your tires at least a couple of times a month. If you find yourself frequently putting air in your tires, you may want to get them checked for road hazards (nails, screws, etc.), damaged or defective valve stems, or rusted rims.

Tread Wear--Too little tread can result in  too little traction, which is very dangerous, especially on wet pavement. To determine proper tread depth, you can do one of two things—check the wear bars or measure with a penny. Every tire has wear bars in the grooves. They run perpendicular to the tread grooves, and the tread should be higher than the wear bar. If it isn't, then it's time to start shopping for tires. An alternative method of measuring is to stick a penny in the tread groove, so that Abe Lincoln's head appears to be going in head first. You don't want to see the top of Abe's head. If you do, your tread is too thin. Be aware that you can't necessarily notice uneven tire wear if you are standing next to your vehicle. To check the front tires, you will need to turn the steering wheel so that the entire tread is facing out of the fender well. Turn it all the way to the left, check it, and then turn it all the way to the right to check the passenger side. You will probably need to get down on the ground behind the car to check wear on the rear tires. 

Another thing you need to observe about tread wear is whether it is wearing evenly across the face of the tire. You can check it visually, but you can also use the penny method, described above. If, say, the outer tread is more heavily worn than the inner tread, or vice versa, this is a good indicator that your alignment is off. Do not put off getting your alignment adjusted. Left unaddressed, your tires will wear out very quickly. 

Dry Rot--Addressed in the introduction, dry rot is a silent killer of tires, especially on cars that aren't driven much. The tread may look great, and even pass a state safety inspection, but the rubber itself will dry out over the course of several years, and cracks will begin to show. If you begin noticing these cracks, keep a close eye on your tires, as they will probably need replacing sooner, rather than later. An increase in the size and number of the cracks, especially if they run the entire circumference of the sidewall, as happened with the tires on my convertible, it's time to replace them, regardless of tread depth. 

The hardening of the rubber also causes tires to lose traction, especially on wet pavement. This can happen before you see significant cracks in the sidewalls. For this reason, you should be aware of the age of your tires. All modern tires, manufactured since the year 2000, have a date code stamped on the sidewall. Look for the letters DOT (Department of Transportation), followed by a string of numbers. The last four numerals indicate the date of manufacture; for instance, a date code of 3317 would indicate the tire was manufactured the thirty-third week of 2017. If your tires are more than say, seven years old, keep a close eye on them for indications of dry rot, as it can set in and spread quickly on older tires. 

A note on tire sealants. Many newer cars come from the factory with an air compressor and a built-in bottle of tire sealant, instead of a spare tire and a jack. My daily driver was one of these, and I immediately bought a spare and a jack, which I, thankfully, have never had to use. Whether you have a compressor with a tire sealant bottle, or you carry an aerosol can of sealant in your trunk, be aware that the compound, while great for an immediate repair, can soften the rubber of your tire, thus shortening its life. I have had more than one mechanic tell me not to use the stuff, and my personal experience bears this out. Also, my car's owner's manual stresses that it is, at best, a temporary solution, and suggests replacing the affected tire at the earliest opportunity.

If you follow the tips above, you will be safer on the road, while likely prolonging the life of your tires, which will save you money in the long run. That's a win all the way around.

Be safe out there!