I purchased a new Acura and did not pretreat the car outside window glass surfaces with a product like "outdoor" Rain-X,,,and now my car windows, all, including the rear view mirrors , are permanently damaged by hard water mineral deposits from the garden hose. When brand new, i paid about $500 for "Perma-Plate", but quickly all the car windows were ruined by hard water mineral deposits.
I have tried S.C.Johnson's recommended vinegar
Windex, and it did not take these hard water mineral deposits from the garden hose in silicon valley off.
I tried warm vinegar and it did little good ,even with repeated treatments.
I took the expensive ,supposed upscale Honda Acura to an expensive car detailer and had the windshield buffed by hand machine, and there is little improvement at terrific expense.
If you have a brand new car,,,or brand new home inside glass shower enclosure, i recommend you use something like "outdoor" Rain-X ,,,to prevent hard mineral tap water deposits from getting hold and ruining your views,,,you must apply it often/monthly,until something better is invented,,,I am told i need to buy new auto glass all around !! Ridiculous.
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Monday, November 06, 2006
San Jose, the near total FAILURE OF IT'S CITY GOVT,,,and the Nov.7 ELECTION
The city of San Jose Transportation Department told me months ago that several of the major streets of town, like Meridian Avenue, that i use most often,are "suppose to be timed" instead of stopping at every signal wasting valuable time and expensive gasoline. They could not say when they would reprogram the lights, so i phoned the mayor's office and left a message to please catch-up with old business and get these major street lights reprogrammed and timed. No answer. A very small job.
Cindy Chavez, the vice mayor, wants to be mayor, but can not even fix a little problem like this in San Jose's long long long list of old business that need small fixes, like tell the dam lazy city Transportation Department to get off its permanent coffee break and do a good job !! I say Ms. Chavez may have Bill "the liar" Clinton advertising for her,,,and the local Silicon Valley political power machine that has not apologized for saddling us with such a terrible mayor, Gonzales, that probably should be locked up in jail for years and years,,,but certainly there must be a more competent candidate out there for mayor of this messed up city that i often still live in than the go -along- to- get -along Ms. Chavez. We should expect and demand much better civil service ,for all that it is COSTING all of us , in money ,opportunity, and the loss of respect if you are asked "do you live in ,,,(san jose) ? Soo embarassing.
Cindy Chavez, the vice mayor, wants to be mayor, but can not even fix a little problem like this in San Jose's long long long list of old business that need small fixes, like tell the dam lazy city Transportation Department to get off its permanent coffee break and do a good job !! I say Ms. Chavez may have Bill "the liar" Clinton advertising for her,,,and the local Silicon Valley political power machine that has not apologized for saddling us with such a terrible mayor, Gonzales, that probably should be locked up in jail for years and years,,,but certainly there must be a more competent candidate out there for mayor of this messed up city that i often still live in than the go -along- to- get -along Ms. Chavez. We should expect and demand much better civil service ,for all that it is COSTING all of us , in money ,opportunity, and the loss of respect if you are asked "do you live in ,,,(san jose) ? Soo embarassing.
Sunday, November 05, 2006
SF is a tourism-based city, but its airport,SFO, is mostly an UGLY CONCRETE MAZE !!
USAToday, the newspaper, is doing articles in a series on good things happening at various airports,,,but nothing to rave about about SFO !! Very little public art, the new International Terminal is not air-conditioned glass hothouse, and you are most likely to get lost ,walking /driving, in and around SFO,,,and the press stays shut-up about it !! Go figure. SF and its lousy ugly uninhabitable SFO airport.
California's recent utterly useless ATTORNEY GENERALS
Why do we citizens elect such do-nothing primary law officers, then watch all this fantasy tv cop and crime shows and a real gem of an Attorney General all the way across the USA in New York state ?
Do we not care at all about REAL CRIME in Ca. ?
Are we too mentally sedated by tv to care about ,,,all the remaining Sicilian Mafia,,,and the Russian Mafia that some in the know say is taking over the SF limo biz scene,,,and all the Japanese and Chinese-Asian Gangs,,,?????,,,The small and large corporate polluters that endanger our own and our childrens very health and survival every day,,,??,,,The under-reported constant white collar crime that robs us all of the high cost of government protection,,,?
Do we not care at all about REAL CRIME in Ca. ?
Are we too mentally sedated by tv to care about ,,,all the remaining Sicilian Mafia,,,and the Russian Mafia that some in the know say is taking over the SF limo biz scene,,,and all the Japanese and Chinese-Asian Gangs,,,?????,,,The small and large corporate polluters that endanger our own and our childrens very health and survival every day,,,??,,,The under-reported constant white collar crime that robs us all of the high cost of government protection,,,?
Saturday, November 04, 2006
Amazon.com's selected SHORTCOMINGS
Why does Amazon.com ,,,(1) ,,,not tell you next to the book title whether it is FICTION,,,or NON-FICTION,,,?
(2),,,Why does such a big successful company , like Amazon.com, not tell you right at the top of the item description WHO THE SELLER IS,,, and
is it NEW,,,or USED,,,??
(3),,,Why does such a huge corporation not notify the buyer,,,WHEN THE
PURCHASE IS SHIPPED,,,???
(2),,,Why does such a big successful company , like Amazon.com, not tell you right at the top of the item description WHO THE SELLER IS,,, and
is it NEW,,,or USED,,,??
(3),,,Why does such a huge corporation not notify the buyer,,,WHEN THE
PURCHASE IS SHIPPED,,,???
4 Nov 2006, Ca. State Rep. GENE MULLIN=vote NO
i am very disappointed with my local S.F. Bay Area state rep Assemblyman, Gene Mullin, regardless of his political party, in this overthrow the idiot Republicans election.
First, i contacted his office years ago because a very rich owner of a charter bus company was dumping his bus toilets across his employee parking lot and into the storm drain, puting all employees for weeks at huge health risk. Assemblyman Mullin did nothing. It took repeated calls to the storm drain county department to get it stopped , when San Mateo County government and its administrator and board and health department would do nothing,,,i was told there was"no overtime allowed to come out at night and see the toilet illegal dumping". This was at SFO Airporter-Compass Transportation Bus Companies lot in SSF.
Next, some time later , i contacted Assemblyman Mullins office to complain that my new boss, Mercury Tours, was requiring that all employees check out their charter buses off the clock on their own time. This had/has been going on for years. Assemblyman Mullin said he would "send a brochure on an employer convention" to the labor law violating owner.
Lastly, i contacted Assemblyman Mullin from another charter bus company and asked why one bus company owner said it was the law to pay overtime but he was not going to because the state of Ca. did not usually enforce it ,,,and yet the next charter bus company said they did not owe any driver overtime and we could work over 125 hours per week when the DOT federal maximum is 70 hours per week. Assemblyman Mullin said he was not interested in finding out whether this blue collar worker was legally due overtime pay.
Business "as usual" has got to stop, and i recommend you do not continue Assemblyman Mullin leaching off the citizens and taxpayers in his too long political career.
First, i contacted his office years ago because a very rich owner of a charter bus company was dumping his bus toilets across his employee parking lot and into the storm drain, puting all employees for weeks at huge health risk. Assemblyman Mullin did nothing. It took repeated calls to the storm drain county department to get it stopped , when San Mateo County government and its administrator and board and health department would do nothing,,,i was told there was"no overtime allowed to come out at night and see the toilet illegal dumping". This was at SFO Airporter-Compass Transportation Bus Companies lot in SSF.
Next, some time later , i contacted Assemblyman Mullins office to complain that my new boss, Mercury Tours, was requiring that all employees check out their charter buses off the clock on their own time. This had/has been going on for years. Assemblyman Mullin said he would "send a brochure on an employer convention" to the labor law violating owner.
Lastly, i contacted Assemblyman Mullin from another charter bus company and asked why one bus company owner said it was the law to pay overtime but he was not going to because the state of Ca. did not usually enforce it ,,,and yet the next charter bus company said they did not owe any driver overtime and we could work over 125 hours per week when the DOT federal maximum is 70 hours per week. Assemblyman Mullin said he was not interested in finding out whether this blue collar worker was legally due overtime pay.
Business "as usual" has got to stop, and i recommend you do not continue Assemblyman Mullin leaching off the citizens and taxpayers in his too long political career.
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
MBNA credit card bank has been bought by BofA,,,BEWARE !!!
MBNA was,past tense ,highly rated by the Wall Street Journal, and i was a very satisfied Master Card customer. But now bad reputation BANK OF AMERICA has bought MBNA !! You should get out , QUICK , like i did, before all the accounting funny business BofA is infamous for eats your savings alive,,,with 2 statements/bills a month instead of one with the old reliable and reasonable MBNA, and continuing revolving LATE FEES because the mail takes a few days and you are charged again and again and again on the same balance even tho you pay it off IN FULL, and FINANCE CHARGES that the old reasonable MBNA would take off your account if you asked, but the new greedy-to-the-max BofA probably will not.
Here is just one of probably many examples of how ruthless BANK OF AMERICA has been in the recent past. A couple years ago ,before they sold out of their main San Francisco high rise office, i drove their BofA Loan Office Awards Dinner bus in S.F. I was shocked to hear loan officers just behind my seat BOASTING and BRAGGING about how they had driven this family into auto REPOSSESSION, and this couple into HOME FORECLOSURE on their house with multiple loans the family practically and theoretically could never afford, and this family into BANKRUPTCY, and on and on,,,!!! And BofA was giving them AWARDS for this plus the trip junket ?!! Isn't there laws against predatory lending,,,obviously BofA does not feel it is American or has to obey our nation's laws. BEWARE, BEWARE, BEWARE !!!
Here is just one of probably many examples of how ruthless BANK OF AMERICA has been in the recent past. A couple years ago ,before they sold out of their main San Francisco high rise office, i drove their BofA Loan Office Awards Dinner bus in S.F. I was shocked to hear loan officers just behind my seat BOASTING and BRAGGING about how they had driven this family into auto REPOSSESSION, and this couple into HOME FORECLOSURE on their house with multiple loans the family practically and theoretically could never afford, and this family into BANKRUPTCY, and on and on,,,!!! And BofA was giving them AWARDS for this plus the trip junket ?!! Isn't there laws against predatory lending,,,obviously BofA does not feel it is American or has to obey our nation's laws. BEWARE, BEWARE, BEWARE !!!
American businesses are dumping their Pension responsibilities ,,,on US, THE U.S. GOVT !!,,,AND THIS IS O.K. !!??????
Why are we allowing American corporations to ignore their promises and responsiblities to their employees by dumping their pensions on a willing Republican-controlled White House and Congress that seem to feel that working poor but not the current rich can pay for it in the future ?
Where is all the social commentary about how destructive this will be to the American middle cash/class ? Do we always have to drop our standards to the lowest possible level of our trading partners, like Mexico-corrupt and not getting any better with NAFTA and WTO-or China-still Communist and do any of you remember the VietNam anti-communist draft that ruined millions of lives ?? President Bush ,like his dad and "Ray-gun", are spending us into the national and international POOR HOUSE,,, and no one seems to give a damn. Most Republicans just want that short -term short -sighted my less-tax personal profit boost at the nation's expense. And that is OK with the USA ?
Where is all the social commentary about how destructive this will be to the American middle cash/class ? Do we always have to drop our standards to the lowest possible level of our trading partners, like Mexico-corrupt and not getting any better with NAFTA and WTO-or China-still Communist and do any of you remember the VietNam anti-communist draft that ruined millions of lives ?? President Bush ,like his dad and "Ray-gun", are spending us into the national and international POOR HOUSE,,, and no one seems to give a damn. Most Republicans just want that short -term short -sighted my less-tax personal profit boost at the nation's expense. And that is OK with the USA ?
new model German Setra motor coach/bus, S 417, is JUNK !!
My boss bought/leased several S417 new German buses, Setra 56 passenger, $400,000 buses. They are new models and have been falling apart every day and every week for a year !! These are new buses, 2005's , by boat from Germany to North Carolina, and then by train / your driver.
Last week the roof above the driver's seat began leaking in a rainstorm. Axles have gone out. Headlight lens covers have cracked and big windshields have easily rock chipped and cracked in normal city/highway paved road traffic. It takes at least a minute for the bus computer to check systems and let you restart the bus. The Blaupunkt cd radio and dvd player are already malfunctioning: the PA system and radio/dvd system have such different volume thresholds that when you switch from one to the other you accidentally blow your passengers ears out !!
So if you are dumb enough to buy/lease a bus of poor/new model questionable quality such as the Setra, even tho Mercedes Benz just bought it, because of favorable lease rates, expect said Setra bus to be constantly broken and constantly in the shop. The bus is gutless, it can not even keep 65 or 55 on the small hills of hwy 101. The cable-link snow chains take longer to put on and don't clear the wheel wells without damaging the lower cowling attachment. The a/c and heater are sooo weak compare to the old model. It can not even make enough air for the door and kneeling, let alone the brakes and the next morning push button door opening. And do not expect good-excellent service on parts availability and service from Setra, a German company. I recommend you stay with Canadian bus co. ,Prevost.
Last week the roof above the driver's seat began leaking in a rainstorm. Axles have gone out. Headlight lens covers have cracked and big windshields have easily rock chipped and cracked in normal city/highway paved road traffic. It takes at least a minute for the bus computer to check systems and let you restart the bus. The Blaupunkt cd radio and dvd player are already malfunctioning: the PA system and radio/dvd system have such different volume thresholds that when you switch from one to the other you accidentally blow your passengers ears out !!
So if you are dumb enough to buy/lease a bus of poor/new model questionable quality such as the Setra, even tho Mercedes Benz just bought it, because of favorable lease rates, expect said Setra bus to be constantly broken and constantly in the shop. The bus is gutless, it can not even keep 65 or 55 on the small hills of hwy 101. The cable-link snow chains take longer to put on and don't clear the wheel wells without damaging the lower cowling attachment. The a/c and heater are sooo weak compare to the old model. It can not even make enough air for the door and kneeling, let alone the brakes and the next morning push button door opening. And do not expect good-excellent service on parts availability and service from Setra, a German company. I recommend you stay with Canadian bus co. ,Prevost.
Monday, January 30, 2006
HOW TO SIMPLY AVOID AIRLINE BAGGAGE OVER-CHARGES,,,
I RECENTLY FLEW TO HAWAII ON VACATION. AND I WAS DEFINITELY READY FOR A VACATION !! But before leaving the house, i weighed myself and my checked bag on the bathroom scale, subtracting my weight ,so i would know i was under the new standard of 50# versus the old generous 70#.
At the airline counter, i saw something you may not be ready for that may cost you an additional $50 or more !! With these garden-variety idiots working the TSA and saving us all from a terrorist's fingernail clipper attack, thank you missing village idiot President Bush, your checked baggage is taken from you at the beginning of the line and you are not allowed to touch it afterwards, for instance, if it is just a pound over and you want to remove a jacket to temporarily wear and put in the overhead compartment !! In front of me, i saw vacationer after vacationer charged an additional $50, in the name of national security natch, and there was no recourse or anything these once happy to be going on a vacation people could do.
Well, here is the solution: go to Cabela's or other outdoor furnisher like Gander Mountain and order a digital small fish scale to 50#, such as the Cabela order # NT-01-8215 ,,,for only $ 19. 99 and pack it with you ,so at the departure end or return end ,you can weigh you checked bag and if it is 55# you can take something out in the comfort and privacy of your condo or hotel room, versus worrying about the final weigh-in at the tense airline counter. You know the AIRLINES are making a KILLING PROFITING from this added security hocus pocus harrassment by high school dropouts with the social skills of SF 3rd Street felons !! And then the airlines are skimming all that profit, like the oil companies, into the executives pockets, versus the shareholder's dividends and employee-workers paychecks,,,and then they want us to federally bail them out with "loans" unrepaid with interest signifigant,,,american business is sooo sleazy,,,
Caveat emptor and buyer beware out there,,,!!,,,you have few/no friends when traveling out of state or to a foreign country,,,
At the airline counter, i saw something you may not be ready for that may cost you an additional $50 or more !! With these garden-variety idiots working the TSA and saving us all from a terrorist's fingernail clipper attack, thank you missing village idiot President Bush, your checked baggage is taken from you at the beginning of the line and you are not allowed to touch it afterwards, for instance, if it is just a pound over and you want to remove a jacket to temporarily wear and put in the overhead compartment !! In front of me, i saw vacationer after vacationer charged an additional $50, in the name of national security natch, and there was no recourse or anything these once happy to be going on a vacation people could do.
Well, here is the solution: go to Cabela's or other outdoor furnisher like Gander Mountain and order a digital small fish scale to 50#, such as the Cabela order # NT-01-8215 ,,,for only $ 19. 99 and pack it with you ,so at the departure end or return end ,you can weigh you checked bag and if it is 55# you can take something out in the comfort and privacy of your condo or hotel room, versus worrying about the final weigh-in at the tense airline counter. You know the AIRLINES are making a KILLING PROFITING from this added security hocus pocus harrassment by high school dropouts with the social skills of SF 3rd Street felons !! And then the airlines are skimming all that profit, like the oil companies, into the executives pockets, versus the shareholder's dividends and employee-workers paychecks,,,and then they want us to federally bail them out with "loans" unrepaid with interest signifigant,,,american business is sooo sleazy,,,
Caveat emptor and buyer beware out there,,,!!,,,you have few/no friends when traveling out of state or to a foreign country,,,
Tuesday, January 03, 2006
"Bug Bytes Computer Services ",,,not recommended
Recently, we had this San Jose service check our pc and were told that in turning off all the switches ,before, the computer had completed its sooo slooow Microsoft shutdown process,,,we had damaged the hard drive and would need to buy another one. We are non-tech professionals, teachers and such, so we did. Then i talked to 2 software engineers with ee degrees and several computer stores, like CompUSA and CircuitCity, and they all said that was impossible. There is sooo much demand for techs to fix pcs that i do not understand the need to pad a bill,,, or overcharge,,, or charge $220 just to come to your house and drop in / load a disc by Geek Squad,,,or charge $30 to show up at your house and $50 per hour,,,when there is sooo much work out there at just a more fair $30-50/hr.
Andrews Electronics,,,the "biggest",,,and maybe the Rudest
If you need a new remote or electronics part, do not make the mistake i did today and get a rude woman at Andrews Electronics in Santa Clarita, Ca. !! Phone Pacific Coast Parts instead at 800-338-6342,,,unless you like rude customer service.
DOWNSPOUTS,,,What a Flawed design !!
Are your downspouts constantly getting clogged with leaves and flowers / Do you have neighbors that have cut down all the tree in the front yard, including the city owned ones in the parking strip, just because he hates paying some handyman to clean his teflon gutters every month it seems in fall and winter ? This is nonsense !! Let us just decide that even screened and teflon coated rain gutters and downspouts DO NOT WORK,,,AND LET US JUST DO AWAY WITH DOWNSPOUTS !! Try disconnecting the downspout and see how little clogging of the gutters you get,,,There are so many traditional yet nonfunctional and even planned obsolescent fixtures in modern houses that need to be re-examined, like tubs with built-in plungers or stopper devices, that are constantly getting clogged with hair !! What a nuisance,,,just get a clean pipe exit...and use a rubber stopper.
Sunday, January 01, 2006
Attorney General of California, Why are you always so Useless?!!?
1 jan 2006,,,and the winds are blowing like crazy this winter !! It has been years since i remember such heavy rains followed by such high winds followed by so many trees being uprooted by the wet ground and high winds of maybe 40 -50mph !! My folks, retired for decades on one state teacher's pension, had their back fence of 52 years blown down. Mom immediately looked up their home owners insurance agent's phone number, but before she could call , a neighbor real estate agent warned her and dad NOT to file a legal and legitimate and righteous claim against their home owners insurance that they have paid for years, because the insurance companies are allowed by our Cal. State Attorney General, the lazy bum, to blacklist anyone who files even a small claim against their homeowners insurance for legitimate reasons ,and jack up the rates and not renew their home owners insurance and thus make it impossible via blacklisting for these retired senior citizens to ever get home owners insurance again !!! WAKE UP ,CALIFORNIA POPULACE AND ELECTORATE, AND KICK THIS LAZY BUM OF A STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL AWAKE AND ACTIVE LIKE THE NEW YORK STATE OFFICER, OR KICK HIM OUT OF OFFICE,,,LIKE WE DID THAT LAST SORRY EXCUSE FOR A GOVERNOR, GRAY DAVIS, WHO LIED BOLDFACE WITH THE STATE LEGISTATURE TO US ABOUT HOW DEREGULATING ENERGY AND ELECTRICITY IN CALIFORNIA WOULD ALLOW THE MARKET TO DRASTICALLY DROP THE PRICE,,,,SUCH A FOLLY, AND NOW WE ARE IN RED-INK FOR DECADES AS AN ENTIRE STATE BECAUSE OF THIS !!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)