My Desultory Blog

Posted By RichC on July 15, 2010

Unfortunately I’ve been forced to end my fax to email service after well over a decade. At one time I had several EFAX or JFax (J2/JConnect) phone numbers, but as business changed so did justifying ‘paying’ for service. I did appreciate receiving faxes to my email box and have used several other freebie sending options, but one of my JFax numbers remained free and worked flawlessly for many years. Unfortunately this week must have been cleanup week for the company as they without warning cut off service. After a brief chat session, it was time to give up on receiving free faxes from JFax.
🙁

Matthew: Welcome to our sales chat. How may I help you?

Rich: My acct isn’t working and I was unable to log in.

Matthew: Let me take a look at the account…

Rich: thx

Matthew: You have a free account and the number has been recalled. One of the primary limitations of the free accounts is the numbers can be reassigned at anytime. I have some options available for you. You will have to upgrade to a paid account, but I can give you a 30 day free trial to help you transition over.

Rich: I’m a very light user, but appreciate the voicemail and occasional fax. What options are available. Any free?

Matthew: You are using the voicemail functionality then?

Rich: Just a little bit. The automated answer use to come on and give an option.

Rich: Not necessary I suppose now that I could use Google Voice.

Matthew: Here’s what I can do on the pricing.

Matthew: This will be sans the voicemail.

Matthew: EFax Plus allows you to receive 130 pages per month and its 15 cents for each additional page.

Matthew: You can send 30 pages per month and it’s 10 cents for each additional page.

Matthew: The monthly cost is $16.95.

Matthew: I’ll also give you the first 30 days free, $10.00 off the second month of service, so the second month is only $6.95.

Matthew: This special pricing is ONLY available directly through Live Chat, and if I do the setup directly.

Rich: Hmm, really hard to justify since 90% of what faxes I still do are on the office fax. I travel one day a week and it was always nice to have a fax to email option … but can’t justify the $16.95. Suppose it is time to give it up?

Matthew: If you’re looking for the least expensive service and your usage is basic, I have a $9.99 per month plan. I can still give you 30 days free on that and have a number active in a couple of minutes.

Matthew: That would be with a different number…

Rich: Can’t keep same number?

Matthew: Not on the 9.99 plan.

Matthew: I can use the same number on the $16.95 plan.

Rich: I’m going to pass. I do wish there would have been a warning sent rather then just cutting it off. (a suggestion) Thanks for your help.

Matthew: Allright. Have a good one Rich…

Chat session has been terminated by the site operator.

Category: Computer, Technology | 6 Comments »
Tags: efax, fax, free, jfax, voicemail

Posted By RichC on July 14, 2010

Have you ever thought about how countries who drive on different sides of the road deal with the “switch” when cars and trucks cross the border? Interesting “swapsy” bridges are a solution.

An elegant solution to a problem I’ve often wondered about – what if two countries are next to each other and they drive on different sides of the road? We have avoided it in the UK by doing trains in the Channel Tunnel, but I don’t know if there are many landlocked countries that do actually have this problem.

I understand that most people used the left side of the road because it was the most practical if you carried a sword and were right-handed. Napoleon apparently changed the practice because he was left-handed, but another explanation is that the aristocracy used to thunder past the peasants, leaving them on the right side of the road. Come the revolution it was in your best interests to join the peasants on the right.

In any case, after that it was all a case of who could colonise the fastest from there. Interestingly – India, Bhutan, Nepal and Swaziland are all among the countries who still drive on the left.

And as bridges go, this one is quite handsome…

Category: Automotive | No Comments »
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Posted By RichC on July 12, 2010

The waste of money buying disposable razors moved me to an electric razor about a decade or so ago, and although the shave isn’t has close, the frustration of being down to my last razor has been worth the switch. Still, I enjoy the occasional freebee razor that shows up in my mailbox as a gimmick to try the “latest and greatest” razor … yet can’t quite justify the premium price to be on the “cutting edge.”

The WSJ had a fun article today that had me nodding in agreement. I too have found myself searching for my “cheap favorite” disposable razor if for nothing more than cleaning up my neckline or stubborn whiskers my Braun refuses to snag. Besides justifying that a two-blade disposable can shave almost as good as the more expensive 3, 4 and 5 blade premium heavy weights, I’m still cheap enough to hoard even them and find myself squirreling them away from the “razor robbers” in my home.
🙂

"If these disappear one day, I will be devastated," says Mr. Crowell, a 44-year-old professional golfer in Bedford Hills, N.Y.

He, too, keeps a stash at home. But he keeps it secret, lest his wife or daughters snag one. "I’m uncomfortable revealing my hiding spot," he says.

Mr. Crowell attributes his ability to achieve a good shave with a basic blade to his strong putting game. "People who have a good feel for the contours of the putting green don’t need a fancy razor," he says. "If you’ve got some degree of touch and feel, you can follow the topography of your face accurately."

http://www.icyte.com/saved/online.wsj.com/257140

Category: Humor, Personal | No Comments »
Tags: razor, shaving, wsj

Posted By RichC on July 11, 2010

EAA Chapter 284 hosted Popular Rotorcraft Association Chapter 34 at Red Stewart Airfield (40I) in Waynesville Ohio on Sunday. I was a beautiful and warm day for grilling burgers and hotdogs at our EAA chapter hanger. The turnout was excellent and everyone enjoyed the comradely focused on promoting and enjoying recreational aviation.

Besides a close up ogling of these strange looking flying contraptions (my observation), we even had the opportunity to observe an unplanned landing  as one of the pilots upon departure slowed a bit too much while making a tight turn with the wind at the end of the runway. Interestingly the emergency landing was much gentler than a fixed wing could have ever hoped for as pilot and machine plopped comfortable in a few weeds just off the runway. A brief inspection turned up no damage and the pilot was back on his way within 30 minutes. There must be something to the “safer than fixed wing” comments those hanging around aviation circles hear?

It was an enjoyable afternoon.

Category: Aviation, Photos | 1 Comment »
Tags: airplane, aviation, eaa284, meeting, pra34, rotocraft

Posted By RichC on July 10, 2010

I’m merely archiving another disappointment for Cleveland, Akron and northeast Ohio when it comes to sports … although basketball this time. The roundball super-star Cleveland Cavalier forward LeBron James announced his free agency move to the  Miami Heat NBA franchise on Thursday night. Clevelanders were hoping against hope that James would stay with the Cavs and might miraculously give them one more shot at an NBA championship title. For the loyal sports fans — and there are no better — in the financially depressed northeast Ohio area, it was indeed another body-blow. This time it was seeing one of their own (Akron Ohio born and raised) looking for greener pastures and perhaps a franchise offering a better opportunity for his extraordinary talent.

As someone who has lived in NE Ohio and is there for business weekly, I’ve seen my share of Cleveland professional sports heartaches, usually associated with the Browns. I was there for the Cardiac Kids, Red Right 88, The Drive and The Fumble … and the dark years after Cleveland Browns owner Art Modell moved them in the dark of night. I watch the Cleveland Indians slump for 30 years and rise to the top of of Major League Baseball in the 1990’s … only to see their talent head for bigger markets and more money. I was fortunate to rub shoulders with Cavalier players like Mark Price and Craig Ehlo in the late 1980’s and early 90’s, watching them advance to the play-offs for 8 of 9 years. Their team was an inspired team of “average”  NBA players who performed with character on and off the court. My respect goes to Lenny Wilkens, the Cavs outstanding head coach from 1987 to 1993. Thanks for the memories.

Unfortunately, I’ve also come to expect disappointment and failure in Cleveland Ohio professional sports and politics (that’s for another post), so goodbye and good luck LeBron James — thanks for 7 entertaining years. For now, I’m glad to be in Cincinnati with a first place baseball team and a promising Bengals football roster.

My son Taylor, who spends far too much time watching ESPN, reading sports news commentary and debating it all with friends, was disappointed as well, but he is not really surprised. Adam, his college roommate from Cleveland, posted his thoughts and frustrations in a sports blog as well — Cleveland’s Hope — which I’ll link to and share below.

Let me fill you in on how I felt in that moment. You know the moment I’m talking about. It was the moment that I found out, along with all of my friends, that the most coveted free agent in the league, and my personal hero, had just left Cleveland.

I was heart broken. In fact, I had never been so heart broken. And it felt personal. Very personal. How could he leave me? I had been there for him. I had rooted for him. I had made signs for him and bought multiple jerseys (home, away, alternate, etc.) with his number on it.

I was twelve. It was December of 2002. Jim Thome, the Cleveland slugger who had promised us continued greatness, had just announced he was leaving for Philadelphia.

It wasn’t the media frenzy that the Lebron James announcement was. It didn’t mean as much to the nation as the Lebron James announcement did. It wasn’t televised live and it won’t be forever remembered as “the betrayal/decision/contract/ or Benedict Arnold” here in Cleveland. But it greatly impacted me as a twelve year old. It was my first taste of what it meant to be a Cleveland fan. It was bitter.

Flash forward nearly eight years. I’m still not over the Thome incident. Meanwhile, I am reeling with my city over the loss of Lebron James. I feel numb. I feel angry. I feel like a sad twelve year old kid all over again.

I have never been a huge basketball guy. It has always been baseball for me. But across the city, twelve year old kids just like me are getting their first taste of real Cleveland sports. They had grown up spoiled, much like I had with been with the 90’s Cleveland Indians. There are kids in this city that have never witnessed bad basketball here. They have never witnessed a time where Cleveland wasn’t on the map. They have never witnessed the heartbreak. Until now. I feel sorry for them most of all.

But those kids can now join us among the legion of Cleveland sports fans that will receive greater joy than any city in the nation when our day arrives. And it will.

Lebron isn’t invited.

Adam

Category: Sports | 2 Comments »
Tags: basketball, cavs, cleveland, lebron james, nba, ohio

Posted By RichC on July 9, 2010

Not that it impacts the majority  in America, but if you unhealthy and wealthy and having given all that much though to tax planning, perhap you should start contemplating a swifter exit?

The math is ugly: On a $5 million estate, the tax consequence of dying a minute after midnight on Jan. 1, 2011 rather than two minutes earlier could be more than $2 million; on a $15 million estate, the difference could be about $8 million.

LINK

Category: Financial, Politics | No Comments »
Tags: finances, taxes, wsj.com

Posted By RichC on July 9, 2010

It is interesting to watch small cars marketed to North America grow a little in size with each generational change. Just as small cars from Japan grew from the late 1970’s to today (Camry, Accord, Civic, Corolla, etc), so did the small German Volkswagen Jetta Sedan. From the 1980’s it has grown into a very comfortable midsized sedan (still called ‘compact class’), and looks to be adding another couple of inches again next year. In June the next generation Jetta was announced as a 2011 model and I wanted to include a video announcement teaser below (previous post). One pleasant surprise is that according to reports the price will be going down as well …and Volkswagen Group of America will continue to offer the popular 2.0 liter TDI  turbocharged direct injected diesel in North America too.

Category: Automotive, Biodiesel, Video-TV, Volkswagen | No Comments »
Tags: bora, diesel, jetta, tdi, volkswagen, vw

Posted By RichC on July 8, 2010

I’m struggling once again to keep my blog’s shared database running — hassling with tech support on and off today. Hopefully my low cost host will sorting things out. Yes I’ve threatened to leave once before and magically I was moved to a more efficiently running server. We’ll see how long my patience holds out this time?  I’ve also leaned the index pages temporarily … although it has nothing to do with load speeds. Patience.

What about a transaction tax … says Lanny Davis in The Daily Caller? Not a replacement for our income, sales, property, etc taxes mind you, but another NEW tax on top of our current tax structure. Hmm … I wonder who is coming up with this ‘progressive’ idea – hint a Democrat unwilling to cut the size of government and their spending.

Rep. Chaka Fattah (D-Pa.) floated his “Debt Free America Act” (H.R. 4646) in February this year which would “impose a 1 percent “transaction tax” on every financial transaction — whether paid by cash, credit card or any form of financial transfer, the only exception being transactions involving the purchase or sale of stock. Theoretically, everyone would pay one cent on the dollar for every such transaction in America every day — whether $3 million on a $300 million business acquisition, $300 on the purchase of a $30,000 car, or $5 on a $500 ATM withdrawal.”

Category: Politics | No Comments »
Tags: blog, progressive, taxes, website

Posted By RichC on July 8, 2010

This content is restricted.

Category: Music, Weather | No Comments »
Tags: mp3, Music, seals and croft

Posted By RichC on July 7, 2010

Up a week, down the next week. The markets closed with a strong surge of buying today as the approaching corporate earning season is expected to be optimistic . An analyst that I talked with today sees continued volatility for the balance of summer, but he hinted that projections are for a 17% increase by the end of the year … and nearly 3% of that came today. 

The Dow Jones Industrial Average went back through the magical 10000 mark for the 8th time this year. The DJIA climbed 274.66 points or 2.82% closing at 10018.28  The Standard & Poor’s 500-stock index was up 3.13% to 1060.27 and Nasdaq closed at 2159.47.

Category: Financial | No Comments »
Tags: stock market