Thursday, April 20, 2017

"My CD was released in 1985, in return for two German missionaries and a Dutch urologist." - Emo Phillips


They did a story on the local news this morning about a Starbucks somewhere that had a run of over 130 people "paying it forward" by paying for the order of the person behind them in the drive-thru lane.
Yeah, the "pay it forward" and "behind them in line" confuses me, too.
But how does the person at the window know what the person behind them is going to order? I normally get a tall Americano which I think is the cheapest drink Starbucks sells. (doh!) If the person behind me orders a grande foo-foo with extra cream and three shots the going to cost about three times my Americano.
If they have two windows - order and pay - I get it. But at least the outlets I go to only have one, so the person behind me (I've never used the drive-thru, so that's a hypothetical) hasn't given their order yet.
What am I missing?

And as long as we're working financial issues, someone please explain to me the sense behind rent control. That's a hot issue in Eugene right now as demand outpaces supply and landlords raise rents to take advantage of the imbalance. Oh dopey me, I thought that's the way the free market system worked. It is with tomatoes, pickup trucks, and tofu. If I sign a one year lease doesn't that mean my contract with the landlord gets renegotiated 12 months later, and that one or the other of us risks market driven pain? How is it that the govt. gets to override that most basic dynamic in this area? Doesn't rent control disinsentivize (or however you spell that word) the construction of new rental housing, thus exacerbating the imbalance?

Will someone suggest BACON control? That may be an idea I could get behind.

I spoke too soon about having Sally's driver side window fixed. As I drive it gradually slips down an inch or two. It seems I need a new regulator, the mechanism that effects the up/down movement when the window crank is turned. This is a not-uncommon problem, esp. on the driver's side of older cars. Reproduction regulators for '66 Mustangs are not expensive, readily available, and reportedly an absolute bugger to install.
But all work on Sally will wait until we're back from MI. We both have dr. appointments two days after returning, both are at 1:15 p.m., and at dr.s nowhere close to each other. So I'm not going to start a repair that could mean Sally isn't drivable for my appointment. I'll order parts in a few days so they're here when we return and tackle jobs after those dr. visits.

We had some errands to run in town and the forecast called for rain until noon. Because my to-do list is all outside tasks we decided to go into Eugene this morning. I didn't buy new work boots to replace the split open pair I have now because they're stoopid expensive.
Duct tape.
The underwear I need was also too much money.
(not duct tape)
But....!

I have the honor of performing the wedding ceremony for Liz and David next month in Phoenix. This is a complete win/win because not only do I get that joy but I (we) get time with kids and grandkids. The problem is that I don't have a suit. The one suit I owned we gave away a year ago because it hung on my like an oversized feed bag. I'm considerably thinner than I was a decade (or more) ago when I bought it. So we went to JC Penny and I got such a deal!
They don't sell suits anymore, they sell separates. Buy the coat in the size you need and then matching pants the same way. Sure makes sense compared to the old way. I worked in a mens' clothing store for two years while in college and we were forever having problems with guys who needed a suit in a size 46 but couldn't fit in a 41" waist slack (the standard drop is 5"). In my case the drop is 5" but that puts me in a waist size that is hard to find. So is a wife who's a seamstress, but I am blessed with the latter.
Walked out with a pretty decent suit that fits well for under $170. That's about half of what I thought would be required, but they were on sale for 40% off. I guess suits aren't selling well these days.
Underwear apparently is.

We need rent control for underwear!
(You know what I mean, so just put that thought out of your head.)

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