Stop with the Swine Flu Headlines!

Aren't we all tired of the H1N1 publicity?  It's important to think about the numbers when you read about disease risk.  Less than 1,500 have been sickened world wide with 140 of those being in the US and Canada.

How do the odds of getting this flu stack up to the odds of getting a really deadly disease like Coronary Artery Disease?  Well, 13 Million people in the US have CAD so that makes it about 100,000 times more likely that we'll get CAD than Swine Flu. There is so much more to gain by changing our diets and quitting smoking than by buying face masks and keeping our kids home from school.

Let's turn off CNN and have a salad for lunch.

Yea New Windows

Window Wizards came today and replaced the junky basement windows with glass blocks!  $1,425.  We think it really dresses up the place.  Of course the rest of the downstairs is an eye sore but this is a step in the right direction.

Next step, get rid of the moisture by grading the property so that the water runs away from the house!

So Long Wall Street

Last year, in the wake of The American Stock Exchange (AMEX) being bought by The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), I agreed to accept transitional employment and a severance package that would start in the summer of 2009. And today was my last day with NYSE.

My plan is to take much of the summer off and engage my 14 year old in doing other things than playing video games. He and I will get to spend time relaxing at the beach AND will be constructive in setting up the new house.

Put in a Quart

Yesterday got a warning message that the oil level was low in the car.  The dip stick confirmed that it was about a quart low so I added a quart.  I'm wondering if this has anything to do with the overheating last weekend.  No bluish smoke from the tail pipe.  Doesn't seem to be burning oil.

Car Overheats

I noticed the temperature gage in the car climb during our trip to Millville on Friday and when we got off the highway the idiot light came on.  We stopped at the convenience store and bought a gallon of coolant that allowed us to limp home.

Our intention on Saturday was to rent a car and leave ours at the garage.  So, we picked up the rental but didn't make it to Foschi.  Pulled over a couple times to let the engine cool off and once I loosened the cap on the overflow and let the coolant geyser out only to refill it with cool water.  We might have done that 10 more times to get to the garage but what a phenomenal waste of time it would have been.  Called JC Towing who showed up in less than 15 minutes and towed it in.

We stayed Monday to give them a chance to work on it and it turned out to be the thermostat.  Complete repair including pressure testing the system $239.23.

The rental car was a Mercury Milan that I fit into comfortably.  Have to remember this should we find ourselves in the market for a car.

Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Every time I go to the theater I'm hoping for something real that doesn't talk down to me or signal when to laugh.  But what I usually get is mild entertainment.

Admittedly Vicky Cristina Barcelona has some characters that are really out there but the way they bounce off the more ordinary personalities is believable and very natural.  This movie is funny and there is no laff track.

The trailer said it was about two Women who go to Spain and are seduced by a local.  It brought back memories of Summer Lovers, a movie that I thought was too hokey, but this was just an hour and a half of fun.

Contract Signed

After being in attorney review for more than 2 months we finally have a signed contract for the condo in Weehawken. The sticking points were:

• Getting a list of fixtures, appliances, and building materials called a spec
• Getting a legal description of the property
• Changing the condo bylaws to allow pets

I doubt that we still have the property description or that the bylaws were changed. The truth is that the seller just waited us out but now closing has been moved to the end of the month which is not to his benefit.

We'll have the place inspected as soon as the kitchen appliances are installed and the loan should be approved early next week.