I did a few posts a couple of years ago on laundry. It took a couple of weeks to complete and a little extra money out of pocket.
First variable was type of detergent. Dollar Store stuff. Mid level Purex type which I found for the most part is what the generic store brand stuff is similar to. Then the over priced Tide stuff. I really did not find much difference between them. Although using about twice as much of the Dollar Tree stuff. Did not get a noticeably better result with the high end stuff. Finding the middle of the road detergent the best value.
Water temperature is the other variable. Concluding that if I had to pay for the hot water and had a washer and dryer at home using cold water does just about as well. Only using hot water on very soiled clothes. And have found that hot water did not seem to make that much difference anyway. If you only have a small load of colors and whites cold water lets you get away with doing them together. Saving time.
As I use a coin laundry it doesn't make any difference in ultimate cost using hot, warm or cold water. But again a small load with any color and white saves time and money as well.
A coin laundry is good for experiments as you can use multiple machines if they are available. Today I did a load of colors in cold. Black work pants in warm. Then some white clothes in hot. I hand washed the white clothes due to getting some grease on a sleeve of a shirt and soaked the whites in dish soap and bleach. So they came out real clean, but the washing by hand beforehand made the difference I suppose.
So unless you have something that isn't colorfast or just dyed you should be able to wash everything together in cold water.
Monday, March 20, 2017
Sunday, March 5, 2017
Revenge Of The Nerds
The other morning I had the opportunity to see the movie Revenge of the Nerds. Kind of a shrine to nerds like me. If you get a chance to see it check it out. I haven't seen it for thirty years and it was great. Nice to see something different on TV for a change. Almost brought tears to my eyes when I wasn't laughing.
Made In Japan
Japan isn't in the US news all the time like it used to be. In the 1980s people thought that Japan was going to buy all the real estate in the United States. Japan was producing (and still does) some of the highest quality consumer products. Although every category has a best of the best made in limited quantities and very expensive Japan produces a very high quality product that has a more affordable price.
Automobiles made in Japan started getting big in the 1970s. Today they produce some of the finest automobiles in the world. Turn back the clock to the seventies. American cars were big heavy sleds that got terrible fuel economy and some quality of manufacture issues. The Japanese autos of that time were simple, reliable, got good fuel economy and less expensive. People of my generation started buying them. Now after forty years they dominate the market. Even the American companies were putting their brand on Mazda, Toyota, Isuzu, and Mitsubishi products.
Consumer electronics were also dominated by Japan made products. Being a budding audiophile Japanese products were and are my go to components. This is old school as the smart phone is a do all including music reproduction as well. But all my stereo equipment is Japanese. In brand name anyway. As in the late eighties and nineties they shifted production to Korea and later China. The Sony Trinitron was the benchmark television. It used to be Curtis Mathis for the US back in the day.
Bicycles of Continental Europe, England and America used to rule. My first Schwinn was a 1974 LeTour model. It said Schwinn on it but in tiny letters approved. Every part said Schwinn approved. It was made by Panasonic. Who makes everything on Earth. I have a Panasonic turn table ( for vinyl records youngsters). I gave it away in a weak moment a couple of years ago and the thing probably had ten thousand miles on it and worked perfect. Japan produced many brands of bikes in the 1970s and 80s. Many for house brands of department stores like Sears and Penny's. Now only the most expensive bicycles are not made in Taiwan or China.
Swiss watches had and are the most expensive and most desired. But Japan makes give them a good run for their money. Citizen and Seiko being two of the largest producers of watches. Citizen bought old American brand Bulova. Now only the top line Japanese watches are made in Japan and not elsewhere. And the ones made in Japan proper are very desirable. In a previous post I wrote about Casio. Also Japanese and now most produced off the Japanese islands. The majority of my watches are Japanese.
Just about anything that Japan attempts it excels in. Made in Japan means quality. Not to start any problems but it is true.
Automobiles made in Japan started getting big in the 1970s. Today they produce some of the finest automobiles in the world. Turn back the clock to the seventies. American cars were big heavy sleds that got terrible fuel economy and some quality of manufacture issues. The Japanese autos of that time were simple, reliable, got good fuel economy and less expensive. People of my generation started buying them. Now after forty years they dominate the market. Even the American companies were putting their brand on Mazda, Toyota, Isuzu, and Mitsubishi products.
Consumer electronics were also dominated by Japan made products. Being a budding audiophile Japanese products were and are my go to components. This is old school as the smart phone is a do all including music reproduction as well. But all my stereo equipment is Japanese. In brand name anyway. As in the late eighties and nineties they shifted production to Korea and later China. The Sony Trinitron was the benchmark television. It used to be Curtis Mathis for the US back in the day.
Bicycles of Continental Europe, England and America used to rule. My first Schwinn was a 1974 LeTour model. It said Schwinn on it but in tiny letters approved. Every part said Schwinn approved. It was made by Panasonic. Who makes everything on Earth. I have a Panasonic turn table ( for vinyl records youngsters). I gave it away in a weak moment a couple of years ago and the thing probably had ten thousand miles on it and worked perfect. Japan produced many brands of bikes in the 1970s and 80s. Many for house brands of department stores like Sears and Penny's. Now only the most expensive bicycles are not made in Taiwan or China.
Swiss watches had and are the most expensive and most desired. But Japan makes give them a good run for their money. Citizen and Seiko being two of the largest producers of watches. Citizen bought old American brand Bulova. Now only the top line Japanese watches are made in Japan and not elsewhere. And the ones made in Japan proper are very desirable. In a previous post I wrote about Casio. Also Japanese and now most produced off the Japanese islands. The majority of my watches are Japanese.
Just about anything that Japan attempts it excels in. Made in Japan means quality. Not to start any problems but it is true.
Thursday, March 2, 2017
Loosing Your Ball And Chain
We all have a ball and chain. If you do not know what a ball and chain is it is huge iron ball on a thick chain attached to your ankle with a thick metal bracelet. An obvious impediment on mobility. Not to mention painful. Hence the term"ball and chain".
So what is your ball and chain or chains? Is it a house payment? A car payment? Credit cards? Medical bills? Medical problems? Job or lack there of? Bad relationship?
Unfortunately we will always have some kind of ball and chain. No matter how big or small of one. There are ways to minimize your ball and chain. Do not do anything against the law. Do your job as best you can. Try to live and eat healthy. Obey traffic laws when driving. Do not offend anyone. Try to stay happy. I know that I can get on these erg to splurge. Then get buyers remorse. I have done it time and again. Taking the time to separate a need from a want will make you feel better in the long run.
So what is your ball and chain or chains? Is it a house payment? A car payment? Credit cards? Medical bills? Medical problems? Job or lack there of? Bad relationship?
Unfortunately we will always have some kind of ball and chain. No matter how big or small of one. There are ways to minimize your ball and chain. Do not do anything against the law. Do your job as best you can. Try to live and eat healthy. Obey traffic laws when driving. Do not offend anyone. Try to stay happy. I know that I can get on these erg to splurge. Then get buyers remorse. I have done it time and again. Taking the time to separate a need from a want will make you feel better in the long run.
Health Care In The United States Needs To Be Socialized
Most all first world countries have a form of socialized medicine. The last time I posted on this subject it did not get much response. I feel that now Congress is working on a national health plan it would be a good time to bring it up again.
Since the decline of the economy that became the norm after World War 2 we need to rethink the whole picture. The rise of the middle class as it is called is really a rise of the lower class. As the country moved away from family farms and working for someone else in an industry the economic structure changed.
When people lived on family farms from forty to several hundred acres they were more self sufficient. Of course they did not produce everything they needed but most. Any over production of crops could be sold as a cash generator to handle expenses and taxes.
As the industrial age came about more and more people moved to cities to work at these jobs. The original factories were terrible and dangerous to work at. Long hours and no benefits. The owners got really rich and the workers made wages and died young.
From what I can gather consumer credit got it's start in the 1920's. This let the manufacturer create a new market for the products that they built and sold. As the people for the most part could not come up with the money to purchase them. The 1920's was a more modern period than most of us would think. A great rise in technology. Homes in urban areas had indoor plumbing, electricity, central heating and appliances similar to today. Everything was fine and dandy until the Stock Market crash of 1929. As a lot of lower class people had money invested they lost out big time. The companies that they worked for could no longer sell their products. Everything came to a halt. For the most part the mega rich came through fine.
For the period of the thirties till World War 2 the United States got socialized. Gold was taken from the public and most people relied upon the Federal Government for aid. Tons and tons of programs. Some positive results were public works programs which modernized the infrastructure of the United States and stimulated the economy as well.
World War 2 came along and the factories were very busy producing war material. The majority of able men and women were enlisted into the military service. While people on the home front got all the work they could handle and more. Watching a lot of old films on TV it did not seem the home life was impacted a great deal. Or perhaps that was a propaganda thing. The United States did not have all the destruction that the other countries had. Whole cities destroyed etc.
The war is over and you have all these people returning home. A good film to watch about the is The Best Years Of Our Lives. It demonstrates what a lot of people went through after returning from war. The factories shift from war to consumer products again. With all this fresh technology from the war and some things that they had but did not push. like television. There were televisions in the early 1930's.
So factories and businesses starting coming up with pensions, health insurance, stock options and other incentives to keep employees. A person could start a job and work there for thirty years and retire. People did not live as long as they do now. So retirement benefits and Social Security Benefits did not end up paying out as much.
Through the seventies and eighties the economy was cooling off as the production exceeded the demand. Also the fact that imports were dominating the market offering a better product for a lower price in many instances. In the late eighties and nineties technology and service industries propped things up again. As there was a shift from producing manufactured goods.
Fast forward to today. The landscape is dotted with gas stations on every corner. Medical facilities and retail stores full of the same Chinese junk. Nearly all of the clothing and shoes are imported. Five grocery stores in a mile radius. With all this competition for the same dollar employers are not able to offer all the bennies that our fathers, mothers and grandparents enjoyed. There is no longer dad has a job and mom stays at home thing. Your job is for now and probably not thirty years.
That is why a decent socialized medical plan is needed. Rent is going through the roof as investors are buying houses to rent. The last of the retirement with company compensation generation is getting old and spending money to help their younger generations.
As a nation we need to start to work on a universal medical plan that is available to everyone at no or a low cost. Also we need some sort of regulation on housing as the rich are taking advantage of the situation and getting much richer. The medical plan should include necessary service. A dental and eye program should be in force as well. The government offers these services to a lot of people now. So why not expand it.
Look at Medicare. It now covers 80% of costs forcing older people to purchase a supplemental plan. I think it was designed to cover everything originally. After recently checking personally for medical plans it is a nightmare. And that should be fixed. The European countries have seemed to be able to work something out. Why can't the United States.
Since the decline of the economy that became the norm after World War 2 we need to rethink the whole picture. The rise of the middle class as it is called is really a rise of the lower class. As the country moved away from family farms and working for someone else in an industry the economic structure changed.
When people lived on family farms from forty to several hundred acres they were more self sufficient. Of course they did not produce everything they needed but most. Any over production of crops could be sold as a cash generator to handle expenses and taxes.
As the industrial age came about more and more people moved to cities to work at these jobs. The original factories were terrible and dangerous to work at. Long hours and no benefits. The owners got really rich and the workers made wages and died young.
From what I can gather consumer credit got it's start in the 1920's. This let the manufacturer create a new market for the products that they built and sold. As the people for the most part could not come up with the money to purchase them. The 1920's was a more modern period than most of us would think. A great rise in technology. Homes in urban areas had indoor plumbing, electricity, central heating and appliances similar to today. Everything was fine and dandy until the Stock Market crash of 1929. As a lot of lower class people had money invested they lost out big time. The companies that they worked for could no longer sell their products. Everything came to a halt. For the most part the mega rich came through fine.
For the period of the thirties till World War 2 the United States got socialized. Gold was taken from the public and most people relied upon the Federal Government for aid. Tons and tons of programs. Some positive results were public works programs which modernized the infrastructure of the United States and stimulated the economy as well.
World War 2 came along and the factories were very busy producing war material. The majority of able men and women were enlisted into the military service. While people on the home front got all the work they could handle and more. Watching a lot of old films on TV it did not seem the home life was impacted a great deal. Or perhaps that was a propaganda thing. The United States did not have all the destruction that the other countries had. Whole cities destroyed etc.
The war is over and you have all these people returning home. A good film to watch about the is The Best Years Of Our Lives. It demonstrates what a lot of people went through after returning from war. The factories shift from war to consumer products again. With all this fresh technology from the war and some things that they had but did not push. like television. There were televisions in the early 1930's.
So factories and businesses starting coming up with pensions, health insurance, stock options and other incentives to keep employees. A person could start a job and work there for thirty years and retire. People did not live as long as they do now. So retirement benefits and Social Security Benefits did not end up paying out as much.
Through the seventies and eighties the economy was cooling off as the production exceeded the demand. Also the fact that imports were dominating the market offering a better product for a lower price in many instances. In the late eighties and nineties technology and service industries propped things up again. As there was a shift from producing manufactured goods.
Fast forward to today. The landscape is dotted with gas stations on every corner. Medical facilities and retail stores full of the same Chinese junk. Nearly all of the clothing and shoes are imported. Five grocery stores in a mile radius. With all this competition for the same dollar employers are not able to offer all the bennies that our fathers, mothers and grandparents enjoyed. There is no longer dad has a job and mom stays at home thing. Your job is for now and probably not thirty years.
That is why a decent socialized medical plan is needed. Rent is going through the roof as investors are buying houses to rent. The last of the retirement with company compensation generation is getting old and spending money to help their younger generations.
As a nation we need to start to work on a universal medical plan that is available to everyone at no or a low cost. Also we need some sort of regulation on housing as the rich are taking advantage of the situation and getting much richer. The medical plan should include necessary service. A dental and eye program should be in force as well. The government offers these services to a lot of people now. So why not expand it.
Look at Medicare. It now covers 80% of costs forcing older people to purchase a supplemental plan. I think it was designed to cover everything originally. After recently checking personally for medical plans it is a nightmare. And that should be fixed. The European countries have seemed to be able to work something out. Why can't the United States.
Staying At A Job You Hate
It said that about seventy percent of Americans hate their job. That is quite a bit. So why do they stay on? Fear of loosing everything is the biggest reason. Where are you going to go to get the wages, medical benefits, vacation and the security on not having to face the unknown?
Thing of it is as you hate your job your employer may hate you at the same time. You don't really notice it at first. Just little digs. Then a little worse schedule. Little things all of a sudden you are doing wrong. The tasks you have been performing for years aren't up to par. Head games.
Maybe you just think that you are getting hassled. Maybe you are doing things wrong. And have been for a long time. It is very uncomfortable to go in to work and not think about just doing your job but to worry about what you think you are going to mess up today. That feeling just snowballs.
The big thing that America needs to work on is health care. Checking on plans available through the Affordable Care Act putting in zero income the lowest priced plan was $632 a month paying only fifty percent of treatments and $6500 out of pocket. Plus did not qualify for Medicaid. That is with zero income. And if you look for a price on the Internet you will be bombarded with phone calls all day. So if you quit be prepared for a wild ride on health care. And if you get another job you are probably looking at a year to qualify for insurance through a company. I used to be ninety days. If you had a prescription plan figure on the cost going up six times.
The other thing and important is wages. You can generally go back to work at an old job. But it is starting from scratch again. So you will be a newby again and have no benefits, probably part time. So all the time you put in before is history. Starting out just like that twenty year old getting a first job. You may not be able to get unpaid time off.
So that exit on your part may cause a bit of inconvenience for your employer for a short term. But nothing in comparison to your personal inconvenience. And grief. There will not be a crowd in your court. Others will agree with management and say the place is better without you. It will not be on the five o'clock news. The business will not close. Nothing. Except what you are having to deal with personally. Try to work out issues with your manager or human resources department. If it continues keep your cool and do what you can and let them fire you. Then you may have a shot at unemployment compensation. Do not let them bully you. Just do your best. Because your leaving will only lower the operating cost of the company and make your own life miserable.
Thing of it is as you hate your job your employer may hate you at the same time. You don't really notice it at first. Just little digs. Then a little worse schedule. Little things all of a sudden you are doing wrong. The tasks you have been performing for years aren't up to par. Head games.
Maybe you just think that you are getting hassled. Maybe you are doing things wrong. And have been for a long time. It is very uncomfortable to go in to work and not think about just doing your job but to worry about what you think you are going to mess up today. That feeling just snowballs.
The big thing that America needs to work on is health care. Checking on plans available through the Affordable Care Act putting in zero income the lowest priced plan was $632 a month paying only fifty percent of treatments and $6500 out of pocket. Plus did not qualify for Medicaid. That is with zero income. And if you look for a price on the Internet you will be bombarded with phone calls all day. So if you quit be prepared for a wild ride on health care. And if you get another job you are probably looking at a year to qualify for insurance through a company. I used to be ninety days. If you had a prescription plan figure on the cost going up six times.
The other thing and important is wages. You can generally go back to work at an old job. But it is starting from scratch again. So you will be a newby again and have no benefits, probably part time. So all the time you put in before is history. Starting out just like that twenty year old getting a first job. You may not be able to get unpaid time off.
So that exit on your part may cause a bit of inconvenience for your employer for a short term. But nothing in comparison to your personal inconvenience. And grief. There will not be a crowd in your court. Others will agree with management and say the place is better without you. It will not be on the five o'clock news. The business will not close. Nothing. Except what you are having to deal with personally. Try to work out issues with your manager or human resources department. If it continues keep your cool and do what you can and let them fire you. Then you may have a shot at unemployment compensation. Do not let them bully you. Just do your best. Because your leaving will only lower the operating cost of the company and make your own life miserable.
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