September 2009

{gasp!} Property tax bill

September 20, 2009

The county finally got around to sending this year’s property tax bill, only a month or so late. They’re so close on the deadline that I’ll have to transfer the money out of savings instantly and ship off a check this weekend; otherwise I’ll be delinquent. The tab: $2,058.86. Now…yes, I do realize that compared [...]

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Recession “Over”: Will you spend more now?

September 19, 2009

The economy appears to be improving. Last week the Dow edged a little closer toward 10,000—on Thursday it reached 9,850 before falling off to 9,784; then sedately rose to 9,820 on Friday. Our collective net worth, we’re told, has jumped some $2 trillion.  Not so many people are being laid off, or at least so [...]

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Hectic week

September 18, 2009

Well, it’s not hard to see what retirement will be like: every living, breathing minute occupied with something! SDXB used to say he was never so busy before he retired as after. He certainly doesn’t let any proverbial grass grow under his proverbial feet. Choir and choir practice are great, wonderfully enjoyable—mostly because of the [...]

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Life in the big city

September 17, 2009

A news helicopter has been parked over the next street to the south for the past 40 minutes. I hate that. This morning was the first truly cool morning we’ve had since last spring: temps in the mid-70s as late as 6:30. Glorioski! I opened all the doors and windows to let—finally to let!—the fresh [...]

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OTC Drugs: Not necessarily harmless

September 16, 2009

Just because a medication or nostrum is sold over the counter does not mean the Food and Drug Administration has certified it harmless. Some meds that we take routinely and think of as benign (because after all, if they weren’t, wouldn’t they be available by prescription only?) have all sorts of strange side effects. We [...]

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Man with $191,300 job pronounces recession over

September 15, 2009

Ben Bernanke says the recession is over. Isn’t that great? And only a year after the entire economy melted down. Sure am glad to hear it, aren’t you? Not to gainsay an august presence like the chairman of Federal Reserve Board, but… I’ll believe it when I see people going back to work. An unemployment [...]

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