The Tour de France is over and I’m disappointed. I thought it would go on forever, not just three weeks.
Since July 5th it’s been fun to turn on the sports channel and watch those guys pedaling away day after day. 3,500 kilometers of cycling in packs -wow that must have been one party. True to its name, they just stay inside France with no side trips to St. Petersburg or Athens.
Were there any gals in the race? I know gals cycle because Cynthia Dunsford shows up in one of those tight suits at the Farmer’s Market, with colorful markings all over. Those snappy spandex outfits didn’t reveal any curvaceous curves on the TV. I’m wondering if non racing cyclists can wear those things, maybe just casual cyclists? There are even cheats in the Tour de France. Some riders try to get behind someone else and ride their slip stream. Somebody got kicked out for using drugs. That would kill my chances: I’d need painkillers all day long for that run.
No matter what time I turned on the telly, those boys were at it. Like right before Jay Leno’s jokes I could check up on my cousin. And they were pedaling their little Ruby Keeler legs off just before my afternoon nap.
Oh yeah, didn’t I tell you me cousin Danny Pate was in the Tour de France. He was 3rd on leg 15 – cool eh.
I kept searching the pack for Lance Armstrong but he wasn’t there. He could have been like on a motorcycle or in a convertible waving to the audience at home.
I was rooting for my cousin who was 100th overall last week and ended in a close photo finish at 95th. Way to go Danny. So now it’s over and I will have to go back to watching girl wrestling.
While scientists search for a cure for Alzheimer’s I think it’s already here. At least I’ve got the canary in the coal mine.
Billions are being spent around the world to find a cure for Alzheimer’s. The current FDA approved drugs as a treatment include donepezil, tacrine, galantamine, rivastigmine and memantine. Who made up those names should be writing “name our child” books for new parents. They have distinction versus the current crop of Aiden, Kaden, Caleb, Ava, Caitlyn and Olivia. (Note to reader: if you have one of those names, I love it!)
Let’s get back to the cure.
Every new consumer electronic item I get has a manual with hundreds of new commands, procedures and steps to take. “Hit this button once to advance Function A and hold for 5 seconds to change your destination.” The smaller the item the more arcane commands.
Computer programs are worse “Ctrl right click shift displays the object properties. Shift left click selects the focus item.” How do I send the email is all I want to know?
Music and recording equipment is worse. They bury arcane commands down 89 levels of menu’s just to add some reverb to your voice. While I complain about having to memorize all these commands, screens, clicks and pops, the mental process is exercising my brain more than watching Canadian Idol or the National. In fact, I have no time for TV with 20 manuals to study and learn right away.
So if you see me lose interest in acquiring and learning new technology, it might be time to see if the canary is still alive in the bird cage. In the meantime I’m learning a recording control surface that has an 8 page manual with 100’s of unexplained technical features. It’s supposed to make recording easier. Who cares since the purchase price is my Alzheimer’s insurance.
eBay is gone to the dogs? It has been taken over by fraud artists and cons. The only safe way to bid is with Power Sellers who have no or few negative ratings.
This year I’ve been hit by three different scams: no product, rigged bids and inflated product descriptions. Here’s how no product works. You bid on something like a camcorder and win. That’s cool until all communication with the seller stops and the product doesn’t arrive. My guess is they are taking orders and then trying to source it cheaper on eBay. Or they are just crooked.
Rigged bids are cute. You see an item you see at a good price and Watch it. The price stays low until 2 days before close. Then 2 or 3bidders move the price up double or more of where it started. Checking who they are, you’ll find the bidders only bid on this Seller’s auctions. Golly gosh Batman does that smell or what. If you want to get ripped keep bidding.
Inflated description is the worst since you win, pay the freight and are disappointed when the “Like New” item arrives and is worn out and probably not working. This happened twice this year to me. Duh eh?
If you get ripped you can ask PayPal to mediate. Never send a money order – that’s goodbye money time. Better yet use a credit card on PayPal. Most credit cards allow charge backs for goods not received or fraud. Check yours.
Usually you get your money back, but not always. Sometimes you lose $30 to $100 for freight. Each bad deal takes 1-2 months and a few inches off your life.
I still use eBay but I’ve sworn off the stunning deals from small Sellers.
