WaterBoss is King

A new water softening unit has joined my household. My brother Craig installed a WaterBoss in his home about one month ago. As he explained its superior function in comparison to its competition, the WaterBoss seemed like a stand-up item.

We can see the small footprint the unit makes as it stands almost three feet tall. It weighs around 100 pounds. (This is Craig's unit as it sits next to his clothes dryer.)

Craig asked me if I had ever considered having a water softener. I explained that I had no place to put a water softening unit (being in a manufactured home). He jokingly said, "Put it in your bedroom."

That got the cerebral neurons firing. I looked in my closet, knowing I did not use my closet to full capacity. It seemed quite possible that a WaterBoss would work there.

So, yesterday my new WaterBoss was available for pickup at Home Depot. John  installed it this morning and I now have soft water.

John routed my incoming water through my closet. He replaced my line from the meter with copper pipe, stepping up from 1/2" to 3/4". He added shut-off routing in the closet setup.

Nicer feeling skin and hair after a shower. Using less laundry detergent per load, and having laundered items get an extended life due to softened water.

Toilets stay cleaner. Dish washer performs better. I am happier.

The WaterBoss models cost [considerably] less than comparable competition models.

My hands feel really good when I wash them in softened water. This has lead to washing my hands more often. Once the novelty wears off, the more frequent washing will be habit.

 I will discuss my leak in Comments:

Specialty Coffees

Whole Bean Varieties

I rightfully place the entire blame on my twin brother for my love of specialty coffees. Several years back he extolled the pleasures of using a whole bean variety of a specialty coffee. He explained the advantage of using a burr mill grinder for the particular coffee he was brewing. Only the amount needed for brewing a pot of coffee was ground at the time.

Great tasting coffee was the purpose for doing it this way. Well, I was fine with any coffee I drank. My taste buds required my adding sugar and creamer to the cup. Any coffee.

And, I knew this was a passing fancy for my brother, that in a year or two there would be no more praising the advantages of using specialty coffees.

After a couple years had passed I realized my brother was still serious about using the whole bean variety of coffees that he personally selected. Shortly thereafter I was in Costco and saw a burr mill coffee grinder offered at a nicely reduced price. I thought, "what the heck, it is time to give all this a try."

Old Bisbee Roasters in Arizona was my first experience in ordering a specialty coffee. Such coffees are 100% Arabica. They are "Fair Trade" coffees from the region they are grown. Old Bisbee roasts your beans at the time of ordering. Buying two one-pound bags gets free shipping by USPS Priority Mail.

While awaiting my shipment's arrival my brother suggested that for my first cup to add only creamer, skipping the sugar for my first taste. I followed his recommendation and added only creamer to my first cup of specialty coffee. And… w0w… OMG, "this is delicious." Never again did I add sugar to my coffee. Needless to say, I am totally spoiled. I cannot drink restaurant coffee [totally awful].

My fist order from Old Bisbee was the Guatemalan, as well as Ethiopian Sidamo Guji Natural. Since then I have also tried Bali Blue Krishna, Burundi Shembati, Costa Rica La Rosa, and Sumatra Takengon Mandheling. Locally, Starbuck's Komodo Dragon is a nice blend.

Getting the best price per pound is my goal when parting with the extra cost for a specialty coffee. Great tasting coffee is always worth the extra cost.

New Central Air Conditioning

The original condenser unit.

The new condenser unit.

My central air conditioning condenser unit got fried. After many years of solid service it decided to retire. It was a bit noisy when running. Its SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating) was 8.

The new condenser unit has a decibel rating of 75. Not considered noisy by me. And, its SEER is 14. That means I will have an approximate 40% savings in energy cost to operate this unit during the summer.

Needless to say, I shall compare the electrical cost this August to that of one year prior. No other electricity usage has changed, so it will be a good comparison.

We are approaching the month of May and our winter days have been cool. We just passed summer solstice recently, and about one week ago, during an unusually warm day, my Central Air Conditioning stopped cooling. I made a quick call to American Home Shield [AHS] (my appliance warranty service), and one week later I am operating my central air conditioning with a nee condenser unit. 

My furnace and air conditioning are the Payne brand. [My furnace is also new.] Those are both quality items.

This is the first time in my experience to have an air conditioning problem when we were not in triple-digit summer temperatures. The several days before change out were of moderate temperature. I use fans in my home to circulate air to assist in cooling effect. My indoor environment remained comfortable during those days.

I broke in my system yesterday, after installation, with about ninety minutes of cycling. It was a pleasant experience.

My thermostat is currently showing a temperature of 68°, and is set for Cooling. Tomorrow, when the thermostat sees 74° it will cycle on. As summer progresses I should eventually settle on a higher thermostat setting.

I propose that my home will be very comfortable during the hot summer that is coming.

Healthy Popcorn

Corn kernels for popping are said to be non-GMO.

One of the worst popcorn products is that which is made in a microwave oven. Its packaging is an issue, adding a dangerous chemical that should not be consumed.

The bag almost all microwave popcorn varieties come in is lined with perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). This chemical is the same toxic stuff found in teflon pots and pans. It can stay in the environment and in the human body for long periods of time. This chemical when heated has been linked to infertility, cancer and other diseases in lab animals. No long term studies have been conducted on humans, but the EPA lists this substance as a carcinogen. 

Other popcorn products that are made to be cooked on a range top have oils that should not be consumed.

My plan is to obtain popcorn kernels that are organic. Such popping corn is free from pesticide and any other chemicals.

I love to melt organic butter and mix that into the popcorn batch.

A New Furnace

How easily I took for granted being able to flash the chill from my home when outdoor temperatures dipped.

These past two winters without a functioning furnace required alternative means for acquiring warmth. This did not include coverage for the entire house.

I am in a prefabricated double-wide mobile home. The furnace is housed in its outdoor-access closet-like space. It is smaller than the original unit; yet, much more efficient.

The electronic igniter obviates the need for a gas pilot that burns 24/7. (Obviously, the old pilot was turned off during summer.)

And I do not take it for granted how easily I maintain a comfortable home environment for my entire house.

My youngest son put the cost on his Visa card and my middle son is paying that off in five equal monthly payments.

How wonderful to have children that step up to the plate financially and help me in my time of need.

Lens Transplant

My left eye gets cataract surgery on Valentine's Day. I am excited that my vision will be improved. About one month later my right eye will be operated and everything will appear brighter and clearer. Even the intensity of colors will be improved.

My copay for the procedure is $250.00 (pulled from Saving Account) and I have half of the copay for the second surgery already saved.

I started analgesic and antibiotic drops three days ago. Steroid drops will be added to the regimen on the day of surgery. One drop of each medication in the operative eye, four times a day. The antibiotic is continued for one week after surgery. The other two are continued for four weeks.

Sensivity to light is an initial problem after cataract extraction and placement of new lens. I will use dark glasses initially to help with the adjustment. Again, I am excited!

Functional Supplements

Quality nutritional support:

AquaLiv Water

I sent this video to the AquaLiv people and received a free set of replacement filters.

The AquaLiv system sits under my kitchen sink. Have enjoyed it for several years now.

Recently my son tee'd the refrigerator line to the AquaLiv source. It did not take my son very long to find the correct fittings to complete the tee. I was able to eliminate my separate refrigerator filter; now receiving the better filtered water from my AquaLiv system. Awesome!

AquaLiv is a company with years of water research behind it. My city certifies its water to meet specific standards. Nonetheless, it is better to ensure removal of specific contaminants and have water that is structured and energized the way nature provides it from a fresh mountain stream.

On the AquaLiv site, one can learn about AquaLiv's purification, Activmag™, and Vortex Energizer™ technologies. 

Reverse osmosis (RO) systems employ unnatural processes and attempt to replace minerals that were naturally in the original water source and stripped by RO. Yes, not natural.

Treatment systems that alkalinize water do so unnaturally. Any benefits are marginal.

I have not heard one AquaLiv user ever say they felt bloated after drinking a liter of AquaLiv water. Yet, people with other types of water treatment systems have not made this claim.

AquaLiv is clearly the leader in providing safe, health-supporting hydration. You owe it to yourself to research water treatment systems and claim the best that water treatment technology has to offer.

Mitrochondrial Dysfuntion and GMOs

It is interesting that the glyphosate in Monsanto's Roundup is not the only ingredient detrimental to the human organism. The consumer is becoming more and more sophisticated about good dietary practices.

Organic beef and crops are a major step in the right direction.

Why scientists are worried about the GMO apple and potato

We are risking our health by not insisting on organic foods.

GMOs should be banned…

"There are over 500 research publications by scientists of indisputable integrity, who have no conflict of interest, that establish harmful effects of GMO crops to human, animal and plant health, and on the environment and biodiversity... On the other hand, virtually every paper supporting GM crops is by scientists who have a declared conflict of interest or whose credibility and integrity can be doubted."

Reference: http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/44-reasons-ban-or-label-gmos

Today 64 countries require GMO labelling. Not the U.S.

We ask ourselves, "Does Monsanto have the FDA in its pocket?"

Read more: 

http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/44-reasons-ban-or-label-gmos

Choosing "Organic" products at the market is an important first step. No longer are organics niche items. Every aisle in the grocery store offers organic items along with the usual stuff.

Organic foods contain no GMO ingredients. They come from produce that have never been contaminated with pesticides.

My healthy salads are now healthier because the vegetable ingredients are organic. 

Consumer pressure is growing to get "Non GMO" labelling done voluntarily by food producers. Else companies who do not label stand to lose sales to their competitors who will label. (Monsanto will lose in spite of its evil efforts.)

No High Fructose Corn Syrup

The 'Corn Cartel' ran adds to inform the public that products containing high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) were no different than those sweetened with sucrose (sugar). "Sugar is sugar" it said. "The body cannot tell the difference." WRONG! The body has to tell the difference because fructose is metabolized in the liver. Sucrose is not. And what the liver does not supply for energy gets stored as fat. Non-Cirrhosis Fatty Liver cases are spiking due to the high use of HFCS as a sweetening ingredient in processed foods.

As low-fat foods became the dietary norm for many people the missing fats could no longer carry food flavors to our taste buds. Low fat foods tasted like cardboard unless HFCS was added to the ingredients.

With the rise in HFCS use came the rise in childhood obesity and the increase of Type 2 Diabetes in our general population.

Consumer pressure against products with HFCS has driven a market offering products without it. Back to natural sugar as the food ingredient, in spite of higher costs to use actual sucrose.

The web site to check for such products is http://www.stophfcs.com/list.html .

As the consumer public becomes more sophisticated about healthier eating we see nutritionists warning us that ALL sugar is toxic and should be avoided.

I look at labels for ingredients and make every effort to avoid anything with HFCS.

Everyone should.

NoMoRobo

The following is an e-mail I received:
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Today is a great day in the battle against robocalls. 

Yesterday, the FCC voted to officially allow carriers to offer robocall blocking services to their customers!

The message was loud and clear - it's your phone and you should be in control.

If you want more details, just do a search for "FCC robocalls" and you can read all the news stories about it. There was too much to put in this email.

And, this couldn't have happened without your help.

If you remember, back in January, I went down to Washington to show the FCC just how big this problem is.

I told them that over 35% of all of the calls that Nomorobo analyzes are blocked. (2.8 million robocalls were stopped last month, BTW.)

I told them about all of the emails that I get from people like you that are sick and tired of these calls and just want some peace and quiet.

I printed out all of the comments that you sent in (all 25,481 of them) and dropped them right on the FCC's doorstep. It weighed over 250 pounds!

It worked.

They listened.

Your voice was heard.

Nomorobo is now safe. It's not going anywhere. If anything, it should be available on more carriers in the upcoming months.

This is a really good day for consumers and a really bad day for robocallers.

So, now that I've taken a quick victory lap, I have to get back to the task at hand - protecting you from robocalls.

If you have any other questions or comments, just reply back to this email. I'm happy to chat.

- Aaron
-------------------------------------------
Here is how this works. My landline carrier is Time Warner Cable. One of my phone features is called "Answer Anywhere." I can designate up to five phone numbers where my incoming calls will ring when my number us dialed. I have the NoMoRobo service number listed on my "Answer Anywhere" list.

The NoMoRobo data base has thousands of known robo-call numbers, and when such a number comes up on their server's Caller ID aspect NoMoRobo's blocking occurs.

The number NoMoRobo blocked appears on my 'caller ID,' yet is not on my cordless phone system's caller list. I have made a list of numbers NoMoRobo has blocked so far. That list contains 30 phone numbers whereby those asshats cannot bother me.

Bottom line: If your landline phone service provides an "Answer Anywhere" feature then add NoMoRobo's service number to it.

Go to NoMoRobo at:  https://www.nomorobo.com or click here.

My Specialty License Plate

My friend Paul keeps my 2004 Kia running like new. I decided on a paint job to have my vehicle looking like new. The paint job – original color – looks fabulous. Shirley picked this car out for me when it was five years old.

For a few years I have been mulling over the idea of getting specialty license plates. When my Dad was alive he had Ohio license tags with 'X 42 C'. Now I have finally acted on my idea to choose my father's old license tag number.

California has accepted my choice. I expect to have my new tags by end of April. My brother Craig – in Ohio – is now considering to get the same 'X 42 C' tags for his car. Then we will truly be twins.

Apple's New iOS 8.1 supports  Pay. Banks are attracted to  Pay.

Near Field Communication is being adopted by many retailers.

The new iPhone 6 (both sizes) have a NFC antenna for secure payments offered through the  Pay process. This is linked to the Passbook app. Because Apple has pushed the NFC technology there are many venues, retailers, and banks getting on board.

Banks just naturally want secure, non-hackable transactions. And  Pay provides the wireless link between the iPhone and NFC reader. The beauty is in the fingerprint scan on the phone as the device is brought near to the NFC reader.

The credit or debit card that you have set up for the transaction is never handled by the clerk at the cash register. The card's security code is never exposed, and a special one-time dynamic security code is created for that one transaction. That special code then evaporates, never to be seen again. Your card is therefore non-hackable.

Many pundits are predicting that iPhone sales will increase immensely based on secure payment technology that no other smart phone offers. End-users want the best that new technology has to offer, and Apple's new iPhone 6 has that.

Record All Phone Calls

There have been times when I wished there had been a recording of a phone conversation in which I had participated. These have been rare occasions. Yet, it happens.

California law requires consent of the recorded party during a phone conversation. It is easy to inform the other party that a phone call is being recorded. If they object I would state that if it is unacceptable then simply hang up. I would explain that their failure to hang up will be viewed as their willingness to be recorded.

"He said, she said" issues come down to hearsay. A recorded conversation is rather direct evidence. That is why open consent is important. 

The above device is the "Mini Telephone Recorder Pro." It can be had for under $80. There are cheaper units on the market. However, the "Mini" saves a call as an MP3 file with date & time stamp. It uses a SD card which offers portability when that becomes necessary.

Do you record your phone calls? Or, do you wish that you could?

Anti-Inflammatory Food Pyraimd

Diet choices are available to achieve whatever our health goal may be. The Paleo Diet  eliminates all grains, which guarantees avoidance of gluten. The above pyramid does not eliminate grains.

Inflammation is good when it triggers an immune response. The modern Western diet is said to cause excessive inflammation in the human organism. Foods that are problematic include:

• Wine and beer. (Limit to one glass of wine or one bottle of beer daily.)
• Corn, especially GMO. As well high fructose corn syrup.
• Starches that contain gluten.
• Sugary foods.
• Foods containing trans-fats.
• Deep-fried foods.
• Excessive sodium consumption
• Deli meats (contain nitrites and nitrates)
• Omega 6 fatty acids found in common cooking oils

I am attempting to improve my health through dietary means. As well, I need to restart my "walking" exercise program.

Research "coconut oil" to learn about its health-giving properties. I include coconut oil in my diet and have started using it on my body in the shower, replacing shower gel.

In addition, I have started a therapeutic regimen of Black Cumin Seed Oil that will end in August. After having been on it for about 45 days my liver panel blood test came back with all values within normal limits. Prior to that my liver enzymes were elevated from a toxic pharmaceutical I must take daily.

And my lipid panel showed that my cholesterol was finally in good range for HDL and LDL values. (No more elevated LDL and HDL increased,)

I may not improve my life expectancy with those things I am changing; however, I want a good quality of life in my remaining years.

The Job Interview

Many young people seem to be clueless about making a favorable impression on a job interview.

Being extremely punctual for the scheduled meeting can demonstrate a willingness to always be on time for his/her scheduled shift. Showing up late, even one minute, should throw up a red flag.

A resumé is often presented, and attention to detail and proper spelling are relevant aspects. How the applicant expresses him/her self in the resumé will be judged.

Expressing oneself verbally is also important during the interview. Being engaged in the interview, maintaining good eye contact are necessary aspects.

Some interviewers have been disappointed in an applicant's mode of dress. Many interviews do not require a suit and tie. Nonetheless, a clean and pressed long-sleeve shirt (white is a good choice) and casual dress slacks are always appropriate. Avoid wearing jeans or anything denim.

Some job applicants have either checked their wireless phones or/and texted during their interview. (w0w… if I hire this guy will he always be on the phone or will he be performing his assigned duties?) It seems this issue should be a no-brainer; yet, some job applicants have been guilty of it.

Smart job prospects will have researched the company where they are applying. It will always be smart to mention, at an appropriate time in the process, something like, "I would value the opportunity to be proactive in helping (name of company) fulfill its mission to (give its 'mission statement').

If you feel that you possess the skills to fulfill a job's responsibilities then be confident that you are the right person for the job. Your self-confidence will be obvious during the interview.

Obamacare fee…

A Florida chain of restaurants with 500 full-time employees will not cut their workers' hours to avoid a coverage requirement due to the Affordable Care Act. Instead the eight Gator's Dockside eateries will charge customers a 1% ACA Surcharge.

A sign in the restaurants' window states, "The costs associated with ACA compliance could ultimately close our doors." This appears to be negative politicking in the face of increased business costs across the board.

A very recent national drought summary reflects a need for restaurants to keep their bottom line viable. The 'central and southern plains' report notes, "…broad expansions of various categories of dryness for Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas with Texas alone seeing a 'poor to very poor' condition increase from 28% to 47%.

The 'Mississippi valley' had year-to-date precipitation deficits from northern Louisiana to southern Missouri.

The southwest reported 'lingering pockets of dryness centered on northwestern sections of Alabama and Florida.

The west is hardest hit with extreme to exceptional drought from reserves amounting to only 15% to 22% of normal in various locations. (Reference)

The supply chain must increase its prices to restaurants. The eateries can increase prices or cut portion sizes. However, a surcharge for increased supply costs would be a poor business model.

The electricity price index soared to a new high in January 2014 with the largest month-to month increase in almost four years, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. (Reference)

One might predict that the 1% ACA surcharge will accumulate funds to both cover ACA expenses AND increased supply and energy costs. All costs increases associated with continuing to do business "could ultimately close [their] doors." Pinning the plan to raise enough money to keep bottom line status quo fluid on Obamacare is a cheap shot.

Annoying Phone Calls

GONE!

Offshore telemarketers need not worry about the provisions of the National Do Not Call List because they cannot be prosecuted for calling us. We have had our phone number for nearly six years and still get calls for the person who had our number prior to us. Either some law firm or a collection agency asks for an individual whom we explain is not at our number. SIX YEARS!

With only Caller ID we must check the display to decide whether or not to answer a caller. It does not take long to tire of the call interruptions of a ringing telephone. Ignoring a call might result in a voicemail message that will get deleted as well. Soon enough we feel that we are tethered to our phones.

A couple years ago we discovered the Digitone Call Blocker. wOw… did it ever deliver on its promise to block unwanted calls. Even the testimonials from users of the device were strongly positive. Within a few days of using our Digitone we understood the supportive praise it received.

Now… in January the new Digitone Call Blocker Plus will be available. Beyond having a larger block list it offers some new features that make the upgrade purchase worthwhile. We will now block the undesirable exchange within an area code, allowing other exchanges in that area code to ring through. Name ID blocking will be excellent for entities that use multiple numbers for the same name ID. A few other new features will make the "Plus" model a desirable item.

When the new model becomes available for shipping in January we will receive an e-mail from the manufacturer. I suspect that there will be initially a high demand that could create back-orders. Nonetheless, the Digitone Call Blocker Plus will be worth waiting for.