Download @Kroger #OptUp App & Trigger A #Donation To @AmericanCancer!

Got this notice in an email from Kroger yesterday. I don't know much about the app (though now that I've downloaded it for this cause, I'll give it a whirl). Here's the chance to support the American Cancer Society, a cause dear to my heart as both my parents died of cancer.

Check the deets below:

*Promotion is limited by donation amount. Get in on it, if you would.

Fun Deals From Last Week's Shopping @Kroger

During last week's grocery sales (most of which ended Tuesday), I was able to score a moneymaker on quick pasta and also some cheap candy!

First, Kroger had Barilla Ready Made Pasta Pouch (microwavable, ready in 60 seconds) on sale for $1.79. There was a $1.00 digital manufacturer's coupon available to load, so after coupon, one pouch cost a mere $0.79 (plus tax). But there was also, a Savingstar coupon/rebate for $1.00, which gives your money back (eventually, when you cashout) plus overage. Nice! Personally, I seldom eat pasta as I greatly prefer rice, but a moneymaker is difficult to resist. (Besides, I have family members who love pasta.)

Also, on sale at Kroger last week were M&M's and Snickers Bars (singles) for $0.50/ea. There was a Save $0.50/2 Snickers Bar Singles digital manufacturer's coupon and an M&M's digital manufacturer's BOGO coupon (Buy One M&M's Singles, Get One Malteser's Candy Singles Free). Thus, I was able to get a pack of M&M's Peanut, a pack of Malteser's Candy and two Snickers Bars for $1.00 (plus tax) total. You don't often find $0.25 candy bars any longer. So this was a sweet (pun intended) score!

These were my best deals last week. Still plotting this week's deals and will probably go out on the weekend due to the various deals available for National Coffee Day on Saturday. What have you found lately? Any good deals?

Happy hunting! -- Ed.

Trident Vibes #Gum 40ct Bottle #GotItFree @Kroger

Roughly 10 days ago, I got a sample of new Trident Vibes Ooh La Lemon Flavor Gum in the mail via a Sampler app promotional offering. The sampler mailing that I received consisted of a single piece of gum in a little packet along with a manufacturer's coupon to Save $1.00 of a 40ct Bottle of Any Flavor Trident Vibes Gum. I thought the lemon gum was decent, but as with most gum, the flavor doesn't last long enough for me. Still I made a mental note to try other flavors if I got a chance and I filed the coupon in my savings Rolodex noting its expiration date.

Trident Vibes Lemon, 1pc Sample

About 5 days ago, I caught a Kroger promotions announcement that listed "Trident Vibes Gum, 40ct Bottle" on sale for 99-cents with (store) coupon good Fri/Sat only. I instantly recalled the coupon I'd filed away a few days before, pulled it out and put it in my current deals envelope.

Yesterday (Friday), my errand girl (my sister who was on the way to Kroger anyhow) was able to redeem said coupon for a FREE 40ct Bottle of Trident Vibes Gum Spearmint Flavor. Actually, this turned out to be a moneymaker deal as there was a penny overage that went toward my remaining purchase balance ---the coupon automatically deducted $1.00, but the gum was only 99-cents on sale!

Trident Vibes Spearmint, 40ct Bottle

I love it when sampling opportunities, sales and coupons converge like this to make for a super saver deal. Now, I'll get a proper tasting of the Spearmint flavor. Thanks to Kroger, Trident and the Sampler app for the free gum!

By the way, I like the Spearmint flavor better than the Lemon one. It's good and minty with a splash of an alternative sweet center. I'd buy it again.

Free Dave's Single w/ Any Purchase @Wendys! #App #Promotions #Burgers #Frosty

Like Wendy's burgers? For a limited-time, you can get a Free Dave's Single Burger with any purchase at participating Wendy's restaurants using the Wendy's app. Download and install the app, if you don't already have it. Then simply login ---or create an account, confirm your email address and then login. An ad for the promotion should be visible on the app front page, and the promotional code itself can be found under the offers tab (top of the screen).

The promotional coupon code renews daily for an (unspecified) limited time. Get a free burger with any purchase every day until it ends! Promo codes are one-time use, so don't activate (click the offer) until you're in the restaurant and ready to order. 

As many Wendy's also have a 50-cents small Frosty promotion ongoing, why not buy a small Frosty and get a free burger? How can you lose with a 50-cents (plus tax) meal these days? (I don't eat meat and recognize this is a cool deal for those who like Wendy's burgers.) Enjoy!

#AmazonEcho Fun: Avenger's #InfinityWar Trivia Game #AlexaSkills

Marvel Studios: Avengers Tweet (Screenshot)

Do you have an Amazon Alexa-enabled device? Or at least have an Alexa-enabled Amazon app on your smartphone/s? Alexa is so darn ubiquitous, which was rather Amazon's point in order to gain access to more consumer data, that I'm betting you do. I mean, I have an Amazon Echo (1st Gen), an Amazon Fire Tablet (originally called Kindle Fire, 3rd Gen) and various Alexa-enabled apps installed on several smartphones --- and this is all without actually trying --- merely because I've been an Amazon customer for better than a decade and I also happen to be a natural born geek.

So do you use your Alexa-enabled whatever to play games? There are some fun Alexa Skills out there. (There are quite a few useful ones, also.) I noticed a tweet from Marvel Studios this morning about a new Avenger's Infinity War Trivia Game (Alexa Skill). I haven't played it yet, but it might be fun. I like Marvel. I read the comics, watch the movies and play the games (each at varying levels).

ASIDE: Apparently, today is also Thor's (Chris Hemsworth's) birthday as I saw a tweet to this effect while scrolling through my feed this morning. I do enjoy his portrayal of the character in the Marvel movies (MCU). I've always had a soft spot for Thor, as a both a Viking and a Mythology devotee (since childhood). Happy Birthday to him!

Have you found any must-have Alexa Skills? Di mi, cara. Do Tell.

Well, the pup is stomping her paw ready to go out for second walk. Adieu!

#InformedDelivery: @USPS Employs #Tech to Combat #Mail Theft! #HomeSecurity #MailCall #ImageCapture #Photography #House101

Roughly a month ago, I received an email from the United States Postal Service (USPS) touting a new home delivery service enhancement called Informed Delivery that would allow participants to "see their mail before it arrives" and thereby know what mail is expected. (Greyscale front side images of letter-sized mail destined for a registered address are captured during the normal USPS sorting process and made available for viewing to the registered party.) If you've ever had any cause for concern that your mail is going AWOL, whether due to mail theft or rogue postal employees, then signing up for Informed Delivery may offer some peace of mind. The service is free and currently covers machine sorted letter-sized mail. At the moment, Informed Delivery is only available in limited ZIP Codes, but is expanding. Service registration requires proof of identity/address (as it should).

Since receiving the initial email from the USPS back in April, I have received a couple other emails and at least one piece of direct mail touting Informed Delivery. It's obvious the USPS is showcasing (and even pushing) this new service. While Informed Delivery is an example of the notoriously "left-footed" USPS using modern technology in an ostensibly beneficial manner, there are some things to consider. Namely, that the USPS is a government agency and giving it leave to photograph your mail (and store those photos) may indeed provide enhanced security for your residential mail delivery, but it might also open up a new can of worms. (NOTE: The USPS already photographs the front side of automatically sorted mail, Informed Delivery service provides an alternate usage for these images.) Ask yourself: How long are mail images stored? Who has legal access to these images? How secure is the USPS website (and servers) which store these images? Is "proof of address" enough of a standard for service registration? (At the very least, read the USPS privacy policy and be aware of exactly to what you are agreeing.)

Questions such as these are important because mail can often be of a sensitive nature. The USPS is bound by law to protect the privacy of your information due to it being a government agency which deals with sensitive personal information, but you should still be aware of both sides of the coin. If images of your "private mail" are being stored on third party servers it WILL become the target of hackers ...and of law enforcement, because let's face it, a good deal of information can be gleaned merely from examining return addresses and addressees. The average person may not care if a third party is keeping a log of his mail (the postal service can, of course, do this already, it's how mail fraud investigations are undertaken). The average person may aver the oft repeated "I have nothing to hide" catchphrase that is doggedly put forth to counter any Big Brother arguments against more surveillance, but whether you personally fear government misuse of your potentially sensitive personal data does not exempt the government from needing to establish rules to secure such data collection. You may think you have nothing to hide, but the mere thought does not protect you from law enforcement subpoena or from criminals who might seek to hack your mail images and use any information gleaned from them in an attempt to blackmail you.

Informed Delivery could provide a valuable home service, it could prove a useful home security tool, but it needs to be rigorously secured (and regulated) to guard against exploitation. Just food for thought.

Visit https://informeddelivery.usps.com for more information or to signup for service.

#EchoLook: It's #Amazon #Alexa #AI #HandsFree #Camera + #StyleAssistant #NewProducts #SmartDevices #Selfies

Got an email from Amazon yesterday introducing the new Echo Look, which is billed as a "Hands-Free Camera and Style Assistant" or in other words, a glorified automatic selfie camera. You can take full-length photos and short videos with the Echo Look. (It has Alexa built-in, so it's voice controlled.) It also has "built-in LED lighting, a depth-sensing camera and computer vision-based background blur" along with a companion app that allows you to check out your photos and build personal lookbooks.

Amazon Echo Look

The listed price is $199.99, free shipping included. This product can be purchased "by invitation only." You can request an invitation to purchase the Echo Look on its product page. (If selected, you will receive an email with an invitation to purchase.) So of course, I requested my invite immediately. Immediately, I tell you.

ROFLMAO!

NOTE: There is nothing wrong with taking pictures of yourself --- if that's what you want to do. There is also absolutely nothing wrong with an AI controlled camera. In fact, I can think of myriad uses for this thing that would NOT involve selfies in any way, shape or form. It's merely that for all the data Amazon supposedly collects on its customers, looks like somebody would have recognized that a person who HATES having her picture taken is likely NOT the market demographic for this product (as it's billed). But Big Data is only as good as its mining... And don't get me started on the marketing gimmick of something only being available to PURCHASE "by invitation." I could rant about this for days... Days!

#Alpharetta #Shopping Trip #Babysitting #AmericanGirl #PaneraBread #Gamestop #Deals

My sister, our niece and I spent most of the afternoon (from about 1:30p - 6:30p) roaming around Alpharetta and then made stops in Brookhaven and Buckhead. We did go to the American Girl Store at Northpoint Mall. It was cute (and unsurprisingly crowded). My niece wanted everything, of course. Meanwhile, I could only laugh at the prices they charge for mass produced plastic doll furniture.

I remember when American Girl was introduced some 31 odd years ago by the Pleasant Company and while I thought it was very expensive even then as a kid, at least the furniture was (mostly) made of real wood. The original items showed craftsmanship and attention to detail. They were things worthy of "childhood desires." The majority of the "modern" items that I saw just looked cheap and cheesy, in my opinion. A sign of the (Mattel) times, I guess. But little girls --- and some adult collectors --- are still enthralled and snap up any brand introduction. (Whereas I would only buy the stuff on extreme sale or via free deals.)

I don't like to go shopping in the real world. I will go, if I can score deals only available in-store or if it's a special occasion trip like this (going to the American Girl Store for the first time). If we were only planning to go to the one place, it would have been fine, but my sister is (oddly to me) a Brick & Mortar shopoholic. She can literally spend ALL DAY out. I agreed to go, partially because her birthday is coming up next week, and spending the afternoon together would amount to "family bonding time." Urgh! Still, I knew that I would be bored out of my mind within moments as she and our niece, who also seems to like real world shopping, happily went about. Thus, I'd planned to take advantage of a few deals during our trip in order to make the afternoon more worth my while.

Turns out I had an old $10.00 Gamestop Gift Card that I got free with My Coke Rewards points like two Christmases ago, so I finally used it. (With the recently announced Gamestop store closings, I didn't want to hold onto it any longer and potentially end up with a valueless card, if its business "cost-cutting measures" progressed rapidly to bankruptcy or going out of business entirely.) So I ended up getting a couple Funko Pop vinyl figures and only paying $0.78 tax OOP. (The figures were $5.00/ea.)

Ms. Pac-Man

Suicide Squad: Killer Croc

I've been loosely reading various discussions of Funko Pop figures on a few of the gaming and movie sites I frequent. I was aware of them, but hadn't seen any in the wild. Then I spotted some near the checkout counter in the Gamestop store and thought "I could get two for free and they'll make fun gifts, if I decide not to keep them." So I bit. I chose Ms. Pac-Man, a favorite arcade game in my youth, and Suicide Squad: Killer Croc, because I recently saw the movie and liked the character.

I also used My Panera Rewards Card to get a free Cinnamon Crunch Bagel. (Panera Bread gifted me a "Free Daily Bagel in April" reward yesterday. At first, I thought it was an April Fools' Day prank. But it wasn't. I can get one free bagel each day this month, if I so choose.) I love bagels and I especially love Panera Bread bagels. My favorites being the Asiago Cheese and the Cinnamon Crunch. So this is an awesome surprise gift!

And finally, I used my Shopkick app to do a few check-ins while we wandered the mall. I earned enough kicks to redeem for a $2.00 gift card to either Target or Wal-Mart --- or I can keep saving for a higher tier reward.

Not a bad afternoon, in spite of my crazy family.

Nosirree! I Will Not Shop @GooglePlay Not Tomorrow Not Today #PoorCustomerService #Error #Help

In December, I experienced an error with a movie rental on the Google Play service. The movie would not download. I would click [Download] and get a message saying that it was downloading but nothing would actually download. The error was specific to this rental as titles I had rented or purchased both before and after have downloaded without issue.

I tried periodically over a period of weeks to download the title, hoping it was a network "clog" that would clear itself. But as the 30-day window to begin watching the movie rental dwindled with no success in obtaining the download, I contacted Google Play support, which in itself was a convoluted ordeal of a process. (As is the case with many companies nowadays, there is no Customer Service email publicized. One has to ask for a callback or queue for a chat to get help. Ridiculous! I do not have time to sit & wait for support to pickup. There is a reason why email still rules the business day and has not become obsolete despite the myriad promises of many a workflow app: Timeshifting.)

I got in the chat queue and was eventually connected to a CS agent. (I won't say "a human" because it could have been a bot for all I know.) I explained the situation and asked for the download to be "reset" for my device so that it would stop hanging. The agent responded that he could not do this, cancelled the movie rental order and refunded the money (without asking, if I wanted a refund). I responded by saying that a refund wouldn't do me any good, because I had rented the movie under a promotion to "Rent Any Movie for $0.99." Putting $0.99 back into my account would not allow me to rent the movie again --- and ostensibly clear the hang by getting a fresh download --- unless I was also "refunded" the discount movie rental promo code. (It also happens that the $0.99 for the movie rental was paid with a promotional "cash" balance in my account.)

Obviously, the simple solution would have been to give me a "replacement movie rental" instead of automatically generating an order refund, as this would have been the equivalent value of what I received in the order (i.e., I originally rented a movie, refunding the net cost of the order did not give me a movie rental). The CS agent said he understood and would check on getting me another discount rental code. As getting this far in the support process had already taken more than an hour, I was out of time and needed to leave for a meeting. I stated as much and asked the CS agent if he could followup via email. He said he would.

I ended the chat and waited, and waited. I went about my business. I happened to be doing something else in my account when I noticed my Google Play balance was $0.00. I thought, "Where'd the 99-cents I was supposed to be refunded go? And, wait a minute, that support agent never did email me..." So on yesterday, over a month after the first chat, I contacted Google Play support AGAIN --- trying to find out why I did not have $0.99 balance in my account (the refunded amount) and why I never received any followup or discount movie rental code. Again, I had to first wait in the chat queue to be connected to someone. (Some AI chatbot?) I explained the earlier situation and was told in response that the refund had expired (the same say it was issued) because it was a promotional balance. The chatbot pointed to a nice generic "promotional balance offer terms" link. The gaul!

First, I did not ask for a refund and was awaiting the resolution on "getting a replacement movie rental that worked" which had yet to arrive.

Second, if you refund a customer's money and said refund has numerous conditions like a SAME DAY EXPIRATION, it might be HELPFUL to point this out to the customer at the time, especially if the customer is also waiting on a followup from you before he can proceed with a new order. (This omission of terms and the unresolved "bad download" issue were both completely ignored by the agent in the second chat.)

Third, if a customer contacts you with an issue where you've already dropped the ball, a repeated flagrant foul will not gain you a loyal customer.

The (second) agent could only repeat ad nauseum that the refund had expired and point to the "offer terms" link. As I stated (several times), I was not told any such terms by the first agent at the time I was given the refund and I was expecting a followup email from him in order to know how to proceed with getting a fix for the original hung download, so telling me this NOW over a month later was not helpful. The agent finally said "it was outside of her abilities." So I asked for a supervisor. The response was that a supervisor would EMAIL me. I laughed, and not with good humor.

I stated she would have to excuse me if at this point I didn't exactly profess faith in Google Play support. I asked for the supervisor's info and was merely given a name --- heaven forbid, you can't contact him directly! I ended the chat without optimism. I was not disappointed. His response was abysmal.

The email I received merely repeated the same details covered in the unhelpful overlong chat, namely that the refund had expired on THE SAME DAY ISSUED because it was a promotional balance. The supervisor did also tell me (unhelpfully) that I could always check any promotional balance expiration dates in my account under "Payments." Good one. As I was not originally informed that the refund was conditional, why on earth would I have checked for an expiration date? As I was awaiting a followup email (that never arrived) for the original issue (that had yet to be resolved), your blatantly ignoring the actual problem and harping on a "refund" that only existed on my account for less than 24 hours is NOT winning me over. I responded that the information being given NOW would have been helpful, if given at the time the first agent processed a refund without asking. I await the supervisor's response. I am not holding my breath.

Needless to say, this is a perfect example of a customer service FAIL. The original problem was never resolved. (I never got a movie rental download.) I was not contacted with further details as promised. When I am finally able to CONTACT YOU to find out what is going on, you do not apologize, you do not correct the original problem, you instead respond with further incompetence.

And Google Play wonders why I have yet to "add a payment method" to complete my profile. (I keep getting prompts to do so.) There is a reason why I only use promotional credits and gift cards for (most) online services like this, and the "customer service" example above is exemplar of it. Do you honestly think I'd trust the village idiot with my credit card? Sorry, Google Play. Nosirree! I will not shop at Google Play (not with "real" money, anyway) not tomorrow, not today. (Thank you, Dr. Seuss.)

This is what poor customer service begets you. I still haven't seen Sully. The movie was the hung rental download. This entire experience left such a bad taste in my mouth, that I haven't bothered to rent Sully, again, either on Google Play or elsewhere. It has been associated in my mind, unfortunately and unfairly, with a bad experience. I may never see it. Google Play support sucks. There, I said it. (Sadly, this type of "service" seems to be the norm nowadays, especially online.)

I have not received a satisfactory resolution to my case.

#MobileBanking: Deposit by Picture. Check! #Smartphones #Apps

As a geeky techie engineer, I seldom handle actual cash any more. The few times I've encountered it, I've thought that paper bills of today look a lot like fake Monopoly money. Neither have I ordered (or used) personal checks in well over a decade. Practically everything I do financially is in the virtual realm. I use electronic BillPay and eMoney. I've always opted for Direct Deposit nearly since my first job as a teen. I eTrade. Every vendor on the planet takes debit or credit cards and one can even "split a tab" with friends electronically these days.

So, I was at a momentarily loss when out of the blue I received a physical check in the mail recently (a surprise gift from an older relative who'd been told about the recent vandalism of my home). After penning a Thank You Note, I wondered half-seriously, "What does one do with a paper check?" I could have mailed it in to my bank I suppose, but I almost never use snail mail either. (The exception being personal correspondence with the "older generation.") Postage? What's that...

I settled on trying out my credit union's newish "Deposit by Picture" method, wherein one snaps a photo (back and front) of an endorsed check and uploads it to the bank --- basically DIY digitizing. Having never done this before and hating taking pictures as I do, it took a couple of tries to get the lighting and focus just right on the image so that the bank system would accept it. Eventually, I was successful, however, and minutes later the deposit was approved and the balance was added to my account (with a notice to hold onto the physical check for 60 days and then securely destroy it).

It's not like I'm going back to paper checks, but this was kind of a fun exercise and an apt usage of the ubiquitous smartphone camera. (Technology making life more convenient! Imagine that.) Will probably never need to do it, again. Paper checks are going the way of the Dodo.

Heard #ArrivalMovie Is the Thinking Man's #SciFi? Don't Make Me Laugh!

OK, so I watched Arrival. I rented it at Redbox using a $1.25 discount code, so the 1-night movie rental was only $0.27. It was a very slow starter. (I nearly feel asleep.) It was oddly predictable in spite of its desire to be mysterious. It was pedestrian. Yet, it still managed to pose a few interesting questions. But only this. I had heard it was an "academic" or deep thinking Sci-Fi film.

I would be very surprised if it won the Academy Award for Best Picture this year. (And I do not think the lead actors being "overlooked" was a snub.) It was simply too underwhelming in every aspect. I am actually surprised it garnered the nominations that it did. That's not to say it didn't have any merit.

All I have to say is that if the aliens arrive tomorrow and we humans have to hope for a translator to save us while an incompetent military looks on, then we are already doomed. Just saying...

Well, that's another Oscars nominee checked off my list, at least.

#Nostalgia 2-Speed #Milkshake Maker Kmart Score #MyBar #Carnival Concessions Stand #IceCream Parlor #SYWR #SavvyShopper

This is so cool! Yesterday, I scored a Nostalgia 2-Speed Milkshake Maker machine from crazy Kmart for $0.35 OOP (out of pocket). It will be perfect for the concessions stand in my "Carnival - Circus - Fair - Old Fashioned Ice Cream Parlor - Old Timey Soda Shop - Old Picture Show Cinema - Novelties" themed basement barroom come home theater entertainment center. (That's a mouthful!)

How I Did It: I won 10,000 Surprise Points or $10.00 (off a $20.00 minimum purchase) in Kmart's Billion Point Giveaway Super Bowl LI promotion. I got another $2.00 SYWR Points for downloading and installing the Fount app, a Sears Holding Corp (SHC) outlet, and registering for an account using a special SYWR promo code. And then over the last week or so, I also won a further $9.53 SYWR Points total via various SYWR sweepstakes (including some "Spin to Win" ones via the Win It! app, another SHC outlet). Altogether, this gave me $21.53 SYWR Points available to spend at Kmart.

After a rough week, I needed a fun pick-me-up, so I searched Kmart's website for small kitchen appliances in the $20.00-$25.00 range (the "what could I get for nearly free" price range based upon the SYWR points available in my account) and my eyes fell upon a spindle milkshake blender almost immediately. The regular price is listed as $29.99, but I caught it during Kmart's Home Goods savings event, so it's on sale for $21.86. After my SYWR Points discount, this price was decreased to $0.33 plus $0.02 tax for a grand total of $0.35. I also get it shipped to me for free ($6.29 shipping fee savings) due to my SYWMax trial.

Nostalgia 2-Speed Milkshake Maker via Kmart.com

Just like DJ Khaled says, "All I do is win!" (Yesterday, at least. And I needed a bit of that.) I love, love, love ice cream in all of its incarnations, so I am a certified milkshake fiend. The shipment should arrive by Monday the 20th. I'll probably commence making old fashioned milkshakes approximately two minutes after it gets here. I've got my colored straws ready and my milkshake glassware standing by.

For now, however, we'll have to see what today holds...

#SuperBowl #Party #Snacks & #Beverages @BraziBites @Popcorners @DrinkCheerwine #Rebelicious #ProductReview

Had a great time at my Super Bowl party in spite of the Falcons' losing. It was an intense game and I like the Patriots, too (was merely hoping for a new dynasty to emerge and rooting for a Georgia team, in addition to enjoying being able to joke with my "twin" BFF who is a Pats fan). Besides the good company with whom I enjoyed watching the game, there were some tasty nibbles on offer --- if I do say so myself. I had the opportunity to try some new products and enjoy some longtime favorites. The revelry carried on 'til quite late... or early.

One of the new items I picked up to serve at the party is Brazi Bites, a Brazilian Cheese Bread. I'd participated in a manufacturer's promotion online recently and received a free product coupon in the mail. When the coupon first arrived, I'd used the store locator on the product's website and discovered that in the metro Atlanta area, Brazi Bites can be found at Sprouts Farmers Market and Whole Foods stores. As I planned to go to Sprouts for a few party provisions anyway, I took my coupon along to look for this new product, too. (As an extra bonus, the Sprouts app had a mobile coupon available to load for a free bag of Popcorners chips.)

Brazi Bites are found in the freezer aisle [Keep Frozen] and come in several flavor varieties, though the Sprouts to which I ventured only had "Cheddar & Parmesan" or "Garlic & Asiago". I selected the "Cheddar & Parmesan." The product comes is a re-sealable plastic pouch containing 18 pieces [Net Wt 11.5oz (330g)]. It's naturally Gluten Free (uses a tapioca flour base), but also Trans-Fat Free, Sugar Free and Soy Free. It's ready to bake (goes from freezer to oven) and done in approximately 20 minutes. So quick and easy!

I cooked mine in a toaster oven, that's setup on the Carnival-themed concession stand in my home entertainment center. A serving size is considered 3 pieces (6 servings per pouch) and packs 126 calories (53 calories from fat). Personally, I don't count calories; I'm passing the information along for edification. To cook, place the bites about an inch apart on a lightly greased baking sheet and bake until golden brown. And boom, cheesy, toasty goodness in your face! These were quite tasty and completely no fuss. I'll definitely buy them again. (These were on sale for $5.49 at Sprouts with a regular price of $6.00, I believe.)

Using my Sprouts app mobile coupon for a free bag, I chose "Smokin' Jalapeno White Cheddar" Popcorners popped corn chips. I'd had tried a plain buttered Popcorners variety a few months ago, but had thought those meh. This flavor variety, however, turned out to be very good. Crispy, crunchy, fresh and spicy cheesy. A great snack for watching television. (Will buy these again.) I simply poured them out of the bag and into a bowl to serve.

And of course, I used a few of my Free 12-Pack coupons to pickup some Cheerwine soda at my local Kroger store on the way back home. Love me some Cheerwine! I definitely wanted some on hand to offer my guests. This was but a last minute store run. I'd been planning a menu and gathering various ingredients & ready-made foodstuffs for about two weeks. Once everything was done and set out, it made for quite a delicious spread. I'm still stuffed.

Listening to @HamiltonMusical #OriginalSoundtrack @HooplaDigital #LibraryLoan #HamiltonDocPBS

I love music and intimately appreciate the first instrument, voice, but not all singing is equal, of course. For example, I love opera, but hate musicals. This has held true for my entire life. Hamilton the Musical may change that. (And this, in spite of the fact that I have always personally preferred Burr to Hamilton, historically.)

Usually when things get an inordinate amount of buzz, that's my cue to steer clear, as my personal tastes often widely diverge from the popular ethos. I am an odd duck and proud of it. Sometimes though, the hoi polloi figures it out and latches onto something interesting (to me). The positive press for Hamilton the Musical has been so overwhelming and deafening that I became curious as to whether it is merited or merely folks jumping on the bandwagon. (I staunchly advocate for meritocracy, though humans seem incapable of actualizing it.) I have not taken leave of my senses, however, I did not rush off to sell my soul in order to acquire tickets. No, I've taken a more measured approach.

First, several weeks ago, I watched what turned out to be a fun and informative PBS Documentary called Hamilton's America. As it was filmed long before the effusive press groundswell in praise of the Broadway show, I hoped it would provide actual information and not merely gush about how great the production is (or would be). PBS did not disappoint. After watching the documentary --- streamed via my PBS app --- and allowing it time to digest, a few days ago, I checked out the Hamilton: Original Soundtrack recording (a loan from my local library) via my Hoopla app. I thought it would make a good listening project to begin on the holiday, yesterday.

It's refreshing! Fun, informative, lyrically dynamic and musically adept. (I enjoy rap music as an art form and this helps.) It's not something I would listen to daily on repeat, as I can do with my favorite albums, but I wouldn't rush to change the channel if it came on, so to speak. What a pleasant surprise you are, Hamilton the Musical! Mind, I've not instantly converted into someone who enjoys musicals, that would take a miracle, but I am enjoying all that I've encountered so far in regards to this musical. My horizons have broadened. And isn't that the spice of life?!


P.S. I may next attempt an associated audiobook or Hamiltome! (Will have to check what Audible has available. I have a purchase credit to use.)

Those Wild & Crazy #Vikings! #Norway Ditches #FMRadio, Goes #Berserker. #DAB #BFF

I have a thing for Vikings, or perhaps, more accurately Vikings have a thing for me, because I certainly seem to attract all manner of them. (I kid you not, I was once handed a credit card and told to book myself a flight to Sweden in order to rendezvous with a certain Swede at his cabin in Göteborg --- 'twas quite the pickup line.) It's appropriate then, that one of my besties is a Viking... er... mickay... I mean, he's Norwegian.

The two of us have been good friends for well over 15 years and presumably we'll remain as such for the rest of our lives (baring his or my turning out to secretly be a serial killer or something worse). We met in California when I was still a student at university and he was working as a Silicon Valley Venture Capitalist and afterward spent a LOT of time in each other's company. We were so close that people often assumed we were a married couple when encountering us out & about, and I seemingly picked up a Norwegian inflection to my speech at times.¹

My friend and I continue to keep in touch via Skype (mainly in-app txt & Skype-to-phone), regular txt and email though he's since returned to his native Norway and I'm back in my native Georgia. We crack each other up, as we both have a sometimes acid sense of humor, coupled with a VERY secure sense of self.

An etymological aside: The English word "berserk" meaning crazed or crazy is derived from the Old Norse term bearserk, the frenzy into which bear-skin wearing Vikings or bearserkers would work themselves with all that raping and pillaging, which apparently takes a lot of energy. (You've got to respect a culture that gives yours the word for crazy.)

We spend a good deal of time ribbing each other over the various and sundry things which make our individual countries and cultures great. For instance, a month or so back an entire herd of reindeer were struck by lightning when a freak storm caught them out in the open on a random Norwegian plateau. After seeing the article on a news site, I sent him a quick Skype txt asking why Norway had it in for reindeer and pondered whether Santa Claus would be next on their "hit list."

Norway also happens to be one of the most oil-rich nations in the world and so, (circa 2003, i.e., the Iraq War) I would tease that he'd better watch out because America might "discover" Norway held WMD and use it as an excuse to invade any day now. In his turn, he, of course, laments American hubris and gets in his own zingers. We argue good-naturedly over who's selected for the Nobel Peace Prize each year ---- Norway names its recipient, while Sweden picks the recipients of the remaining Nobels --- and sometimes watch the annual Nobel concert together virtually. Between us, nothing is sacred.

On 11-01-2017 at 11:11a local time, Norway began turning off FM radio transmissions, becoming the first country to officially ditch the band, and started moving to Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) which proponents say will be cheaper to operate and provide more clarity of signal. Opponents, of course, worry about the Norwegians who live in far flung rural areas and who travel in older vehicles who might not be able to receive digital signals. It will be interesting to see how this plays out, but either way, it was so kind of Norway to act as world guinea pig in taking on this endeavour. I sent my friend a quick txt asking if he could still hear me now or if the broadcast signal was fuzzy where he is and attached the article. (He lives in an Oslo suburb, so I was obviously being facetious, but that's the point.)

As for the transition to DAB, as a tech geek, I like the idea of a crisp digital radio signal. And I also believe America will have to cross this same bridge soon enough --- rather like our recently completed transition to DTV. But as someone who grew up in a rural area, I can definitely understand the concerns that Norwegians in rural areas are voicing. As America is a much larger country with huge swaths of wide open spaces, such issues will no doubt be compounded for us and a solution (potentially a subsidy like that employed to assure rural America could get telephone service) will have to be found. Fun times are ahead!

____

¹An explanation for my Norwegian accent: At a friend's house party in San Francisco one evening, I happened to end up standing next to some guy who was regaling everyone with tales of the years he'd spent working in Finland. He'd also traveled extensively throughout Scandinavia, he said. He kept trying to cozy up to me and at one point asked if I wanted to go back to his place, which so happened to be right around the corner. Shaking my head "no," I made an offhand excuse which elicited a very odd look from the guy (odder than being politely turned down should have elicited). When I inquired as to why he suddenly looked as if he'd seen a ghost, he responded, "This is so strange, but you just spoke with a Norwegian accent." I laughed so hard I think I probably snorted my drink through my nose. In between my peals of laughter, the poor fellow tried to find out why on earth this was so funny. I finally gasped that as I spent nearly every day hanging out with a Viking, I suppose that was fair consequence and that I'd also never hear the end of it, if said Viking ever gets wind of the fact that he's succeeding in "turning" me Norwegian.

Data Hog? #AmazonEcho on a Metered Connection? Without Internet Altogether? Not so fast...

As a new Amazon Echo owner, I have been debating whether I should embrace "always on". Beyond the Big Brother security and privacy concerns of having constant eavesdropping by Amazon and worse still personal recordings plumbed by unscrupulous third-party data-miners, I wondered how much data does Alexa eat? And the answer seems to be that she is a glutton.

Cursory research returned numerous complaints of users suddenly blowing through data caps. Apparently, learning a user's habits, predicting his likes, ordering items and checking the latest sports scores takes a unbelievable amount of bandwidth. I'm talking upwards of 50GBs IN A DAY, if reports are accurate.

Ridiculous! (I would NOT advise using Alexa on a metered connection. If you must try it, make certain to turn the unit off completely when not actively using it. As an alternative, consider using the Alexa app only, which you must select to activate in the case of the Amazon Fire Tablet.)

So far, I've only come across one mention of someone using an Echo sans Internet (as a Bluetooth speaker), but I want to know if Alexa can be employed strictly across a local intranet, without needing to phone home (i.e., report back to Amazon). I don't care about generating orders or asking random questions, my interest is in using Alexa to control "smart" things and this could be made an entirely localized activity, so I'm currently experimenting and testing limits, still early in the setup phase.

Order Process Shortsightedness @Amazon Ignores #AmazonSmile

Dear Amazon,

Why do you keep pushing me to shop in-app or order with Alexa when neither of these entry points allow me to generate AmazonSmile eligible orders? What was the point of creating a charitable program allowing customers like me to give back, if you weren't going to support this program across the board? I will not shop using the Amazon app. I will not ask Alexa to order items for me. I wouldn't consider it.

I start all my shopping sessions at the AmazonSmile portal for a reason --- to support a cause, a charity I've chosen. It was incredibly shortsighted of you to ignore AmazonSmile when developing your apps and your voice controlled platform. Get with (your own) program and fix this! Or simply accept that I will never use your apps to generate orders, so stop flashing those "download our app" advertisements at me.

Sincerely,

Uncharitably Peeved