Windows 10 has been in general release since last July, and since that time Intuit has released yet another version of its desktop accounting software as well: QuickBooks 2016. However, if you are one of those small businesses taking advantage of Microsoft’s free Windows 10 upgrades, you will be in for a bit of a […]
Continue ReadingWindows 10: A Sys Admin’s Preview
I eagerly await how the actual delivery of these features turns out, but this very well could be the turning point that takes the public scorn of Vista and 8-8.1 out of the public consciousness and replaces it with something business users and managers have been anxiously awaiting over a decade.
Continue ReadingThe fleecing of Idaho: A prescription drug coverage scheme
If you’ve had to get your own healthcare, then you’ve seen Mountain Health Co-op; the newest addition to the Idaho marketplace. Unfortunately, they are playing an all-too-familiar game with their healthcare coverage that you may have already found upsetting… It seems like a good deal, their rates are low and the coverage appears to […]
Continue ReadingFree Appliance Pickup: Convenience, or Raw Deal?
If you’ve ever heard those commercials from your local power company urging you to use less electricity, then you’ve heard the plea to use wisely, conserve energy, and they even offer to pick up your old appliances for free if you buy new energy efficiency ones. Sometimes they even offer to pay you a small amount of money to pick them up for you.
It seems like a decent gesture on the surface of it, why else would they want to haul away your broken appliances?
Continue ReadingThe Magical Mystery Batch, how bank’s use it to rip you off.
Some banks have changed how they process payables, and by payables I mean those checks or other types of transactions that pay funds from your bank account to other people or businesses. This type of processing, which for simplicity’s sake I’ll call the Magical Mystery Batch…
Continue ReadingCraigslist Pet resellers: How to stop them cold
There has been a lot of drama about serial pet re-selling (selling a pet you just got for free or cheep on Craigslist) on Craigslist recently, I’ll explain how that happens and give you a few basic tips on how to stop from being a victim:
Continue ReadingChina Palace: Masters of disaster
The food itself is average Americanized Chinese fare with the usual staple offerings, nothing outstanding, but not too bad either; kind of a study in middle-of-the-road adequacy if you will. But what we found next will curl your hair…
Continue ReadingGarden City’s Egg Factory: A study in mediocrity
My wife’s been bugging me to try out the egg factory, so this morning we gathered up the kids and went to see how it was. …All in all, the experience was somewhat less than satisfying, but Julie, Bubba & Skittles, (our three dogs) were very grateful for the leftovers we brought home.
Continue ReadingMy first 10 minutes with iOS 7
Texts are definitely easier to read, so I can see some benefit to the new color scheme in some places, but in others it’s just plain annoying. Themes anyone?
Continue ReadingWhen Telephone services become telephony
Technology gripe of the day: Something I found out about my phone service provider recently that I found very surprising: They may not actually BE your telephone service provider… OK, for some, not so surprising I suppose, but when you get a DSL or other provider and you buy into an “Unlimited” […]
Continue ReadingShelter-Skelter: A true story of death, deceit and betrayal at the Boise Humane Society animal shelter
I wrote this article a few year back when my wife & I used to volunteer for the Boise shelter… Fostering animals for the Boise Humane Society is at best, a dodgy enterprise; take a litter of kittens home with you and they promise total care and support, but bring them in for minor care, […]
Continue ReadingHunger Games: “festival of human depravity”
Today I finally broke down and watched Hunger Games… It was a challenge, as a father, to sit through this piece of filth all through to the end, but lets take a look at the premise this movie is based on, and no, I don’t really care if there are spoilers here because anyone who […]
Continue ReadingWhy this scoffer of Organic food myths drinks only Organic coffee
I am one of “those People” who has never bought into the mythology surrounding organic goods as being the end-all, be-all of human health and wellbeing. The exhaustive studies published by Stanford University have more recently borne out my initial disdain for the fad craze of supposedly natural foods which it turns out are no […]
Continue ReadingSt Luke’s Meridian: Hospital of Horrors
I must say that I was until now, blithely unaware that here in the Treasure Valley there was such a huge disparity between our two major hospitals, St. Alphonsus and St. Lukes. I recently had the opportunity to evaluate the hospital care of both. What did I find? Massive differences, and some very troubling problems. […]
Continue ReadingYogurt: A weighty subject
I recently visited a new Yogurt shop here in Eagle that sells frozen yogurt self-serve by the ounce. Now let that sink in a moment and consider the pro’s and cons of this arrangement: While you ponder, let me walk you through my own recent visit. The selection of flavors and toppings is quite generous, […]
Continue ReadingHome Warranty: A good deal, or ripoff?
Buy a home and you’re likely to be offered the safety of a home warranty to make you feel better about taking a chance on buying someone’s existing house. The chances are also good though, that the whole thing is worth less than you expect and becomes far more troublesome than simply having the work […]
Continue ReadingLong term care Insurance: For whom doth the bell toll?
I was approached one day by a huckster for long term care insurance and they dutifully pulled out their prize turkey for all to view: “A common misconception about long-term care is that it is just for the elderly. However, anyone of any age or occupation may need long-term care at any time and for […]
Continue ReadingFrom the archives: Shelter Skelter
Shelter-Skelter A true story of death, deceit and betrayal of the public trust at the Boise Humane Society. Greetings: Fostering animals for the Boise Humane Society is at best, a dodgy enterprise; take a litter of kittens home with you and they promise total care and support, but bring them in for minor care, […]
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