THINNEST SILVER LINING EVER

The thinnest of silver linings, ever....

The world is going absolutely bonkers... with Coronavirus worries.
People are getting sick.
Some people are dying.
NBA cancelled.
NHL cancelled.
NCAA March Madness Collegiate Basketball tournament cancelled
New York Broadway Shows cancelled.
MLB Opening Day delayed.
Disneyland closed!
No Time to Die (new James Bond movie) pushed back to November.
Universities closed - asking students to leave the dorms!
Grade Schools and High Schools across America closed.
Museums closed.
APPLE announced just Saturday that effective immediately all retail stores closed.
Stock Market DOWN 10% on Thursday.
Stock Market UP 10% on Friday. (Yeah, that really happened!)
ROLLING STONES TOUR CANCELLED.

Well at least I bought gas yesterday for $1.7490/gallon.
That's....something....
Actually I got ripped off, I checked today... The same Costco selling gas this morning for $1.729


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I weighed myself on Saturday morning.... 264.5 lbs
I weighed myself on New Years Day Morning.... 297.0 lbs

32.5 lbs is my accomplishment so far....

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$29.00 APPLE iPhone

Remember the widely circulated urban legend that claimed that Apple purposely screwed up current iPhones as soon as a new iphone model was made available. Only conspiracy theorists really believed this. Turns out, it was completely true. Apple recently admitted that they secretly 'throttled back' the performance of iPhones to 'protect' the performance of the phones operating with older batteries. This would have been acceptable had Apple advised their millions of customers of this detail, but they did not. Recently my iPhone 6 was becoming practically useless. The battery charge lasted just an hour or so. Many apps were working very poorly. My phone was inexplicably shutting down, even when it had a charge. I came very close to buying a new phone. 

Fortunately, it was discovered that the urban legend that claimed that Apple purposely screwed up current iPhones as soon as a new iPhone model was made available was COMPLETELY TRUE. Apple which was faced, and is still facing a public relations crisis announced that they would replace batteries for $29 instead of $79. At first the announcement was that this would take place some time in late January. That lasted about two days, Apple quietly announced that the replacement program would take place immediately. I visited my local Apple store on December 31 for this battery swap. Naturally, the batteries were out of stock. This past weekend, I did get a call from the Apple store that the battery was available. I visited the store, and within 90 minutes, I had a phone with a battery that restored my phone to perfect working condition. Best $29 that I ever spent.

Your Food Diary For:

Saturday, January 6, 2018

BREAKFAST	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
Quaker - Grits - Instant - Original	600	132	0	12	1,860	0
Bacon	200	0	15	15	875	0
	800	132	15	27	2,735	0
L U N C H
Brioche Burger Buns, 2 bun	320	50	8	10	420	10
Sargento - Sliced Gouda Cheese	280	0	24	20	480	0
Sliced Boneless Ham	360	0	12	66	3,120	0
	960	50	44	96	4,020	10
D I N N E R
Panda Express Honey Walnut Shrimp	360	35	23	13	440	9
Panda Express Mixed Vegetable	80	16	1	4	540	5
Panda Express Broccoli Beef	150	13	7	9	520	7
	590	64	31	26	1,500	21
Choceur - Creamy Milk Chocolate	440	44	28	6	60	34
	440	44	28	6	60	34
Totals	2,790	290	118	155	8,315	65
Your Daily Goal	3,066	383	102	154	2,300	115
Remaining	276	93	-16	-1	-6,015	50
	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
	*You've earned 1,136 extra calories from exercise today

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from the Washington Post
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Run, don’t walk, to replace your iPhone battery for $29

By Geoffrey A. Fowler January 4

Rarely is tech advice this cut and dried: If you bought an iPhone in 2016 or earlier, make an appointment at a Genius Bar as soon as possible. Apple just started a program that can make old iPhones feel new again — for just $29.

An Apple store or repair shop will pop the hood of your iPhone 6, 6s, SE or 7 and swap out the battery. Like a jalopy after a Jiffy Lube, a three-year-old iPhone with a fresh battery will not only run longer, chances are it will also run faster.

Just hurry up and do it. When I showed up with an appointment at my closest Apple store on Jan. 3, there were so many others also trying to replace their batteries that I had to join a weeks-long waiting list. Your local shop might have more supply, but battling hordes for repair (rather than a sexy new phone) is an unusual experience at an Apple store.

What’s the big deal? Apple shaved $50 off its standard battery fee in an extraordinary — but limited-time — effort to get back in our good graces. It got caught in December slowing iPhones with worn-out batteries — a move, it says, that keeps the phones from unexpectedly shutting down. If you always suspected your old iPhone was getting slower, you were right.

But now there’s a fix. While most of us were in a holidaze last week, Apple published a mea culpa and promised to make replacing the battery on an iPhone less expensive through the end of 2018. It made the move, it said, “to address our customers’ concerns, to recognize their loyalty and to regain the trust of anyone who may have doubted Apple’s intentions.” On Dec. 30, Apple said it would begin honoring a $29 price immediately.

[Could Apple’s battery program encourage people to upgrade less often?] 

This is going to cost Apple a lot more than just overtime at the Genius Bar. Once your phone get a fresh battery and the processor kicks back to 100 percent, there’s a chance you might not feel the need to upgrade your iPhone for a while. One analyst, Mark Moskowitz of Barclays, expects the battery offer could cause Apple to sell 16 million fewer new iPhones. (And you definitely shouldn't buy a phone you don't need.)

Still, inexpensive battery replacement is the right thing for Apple to do. A good reputation is its best selling point in an era where smartphone features are reaching parity. Battery life is most people’s No. 1 complaint about their phones, and maintenance is a long-overdue part to smartphone ownership. When Apple makes repairing phones as easy as buying new ones, it saves us money and it’s better for the environment.

How do you know if you’d benefit from a new battery? Apple has promised a software update soon that gives us more visibility into battery health. For now, though, if your phone is really bad off there might be a warning message when you dig into the settings menu. Or here’s a yardstick: If your iPhone can’t last from morning coffee to happy hour on a single charge, it’s time.

Anyone with an iPhone 6 or newer is eligible for the $29 replacement, regardless of what Apple’s battery tests report. (If you paid for AppleCare+ coverage, it might even be free.) Remember, this isn’t just about improving battery life; some tests have found replacing the battery can result in speed improvements of over 100 percent.

To get a new battery, log on to Apple’s support site, and then select iPhone, then Battery, then Battery replacement. If you live near an Apple store or authorized repair shop such as Best Buy, select one and make an appointment. (Call ahead to third-party shops to make sure they’ll honor the $29 offer.)

Then be prepared to wait. Most of my local stores are booked for days. And just because you have an appointment doesn’t mean you’ll get your replacement right away. I went in to Apple’s San Francisco flagship five days after its announcement and my store Genius reported he was already out of stock of iPhone 6 batteries — and there were thousands of other customers ahead of me to get one. They’ll email me when there’s a battery in stock, at which point I have to go back to the store.

Apple could improve this process. As my Genius explained it, you can’t get in the queue for a replacement battery until a Genius has signed off on your order — so there’s no way to avoid two trips. And there’s also no way to easily check stock supplies; when I tried calling another store, I couldn't get a straight answer. If Apple can’t meet customer demand for replacements, it ought to at least help set our expectations.

There are a few other options. If you live far away from a store and have a backup phone handy, you could mail your iPhone to Apple to replace the battery, via the same Apple support site. (There’s also a $7 shipping fee.)

You could take the unofficial route. A service called iCracked will send a repair person to you to replace a battery for between $20 and $50. Some mom-and-pop repair shops will replace an iPhone battery for less than $30.

Or there is the hands-on approach: Buy a battery replacement kit, like the $25 one sold by iFixit. This isn’t for the clumsy or fainthearted, but there’s a special satisfaction to opening up a gadget and seeing what makes it tick … and then ripping it out and replacing it with something better.

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An iPhone 6 battery from a teardown by gadget repair site iFixit. (Photo: iFixit)

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AppleCare

Today, I provide a public service, particularly on the eve of the introduction of the brand-new iPhone7 and iPhone 7+.  Here is the advice: Get AppleCare.

AppleCare+ for iPhone

Every iPhone comes with one year of hardware repair coverage through its limited warranty and up to 90 days of complimentary support. AppleCare+ for iPhone extends your coverage to two years from the original purchase date of your iPhone(1) and adds up to two incidents of accidental damage coverage, each subject to a service fee of $29 for screen damage, or $99 for any other damage, plus applicable tax.(2) In addition, you’ll get 24/7 priority access to Apple experts via chat or phone through getsupport.apple.com.

I own an iPhone6. I have owned this device for 22 months. Approximately 6 months ago, I cracked my screen and under the AppleCare that I had paid for at purchase, the phone was quickly fixed for a small service charge.  Two months ago, I dropped my phone again, and cracked the screen again. This time I didn't rush out to the Apple Store to get it fixed. Three days ago, I got myself (and my iPhone) completely submerged briefly in water at Matthiessen State Park while enjoying the waterfall. This was the end of my phone. My AppleCare plan has about 40 days left on it. Last night I was issued a brand-new iPhone6 for a small service charge of only $79.00 (As the retail price of this phone is currently $749.00 this seemed like a good deal).  Everyone gets two shots to have accidental damage covered - I have used up my two times. Now it might be time to be a bit extra careful. The coverage would have expired in about 40 days anyway.  It is always a good decision to add AppleCare to the purchase price of an Apple product.  I used to think that the replacement phones were refurbished.  I learned yesterday that the replacement phones are actually brand-new. This means that my battery is brand-new and that I should be able to enjoy this device for quite some time.

Your Food Diary For:

Monday, September 12, 2016

BREAKFAST	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
Quaker - Grits - Instant - Original	500	110	0	10	1,550	0
Sausage - Links, 3 sausages	248	0	23	12	602	0
Cereal - Raisin Bran Crunch	380	90	2	8	400	38
	1,128	200	25	30	2,552	38
L U N C H
Subway - Turkey Sub Sandwich	560	92	7	36	1,620	14
Special K - Chocolatey Drizzle	450	85	8	5	475	30
Cheesecake Brownie - Brownie	200	34	7	2	140	24
	1,210	211	22	43	2,235	68
D I N N E R
Homemade Crockpot Chicken and Noodles	1,080	8	22	200	876	0
	1,080	8	22	200	876	0
Totals	3,418	419	69	273	5,663	106
Your Daily Goal	2,089	261	69	105	2,300	78
Remaining	-1,329	-158	0	-168	-3,363	-28
	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
	*You've earned 159 extra calories from exercise today

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SKYDIVING AND BACKFLIPS

Young people often have a feeling of invulnerability.  I am still 18 months aways from my 60th birthday - still within the past five years I have had to deal with cataract surgery in both eyes and a laparoscopic inguinal hernia surgery just two weeks ago. When I was younger, I remember all too well that feeling of invulnerability that is now long gone.  It is not fun to make concessions to age, but one needs to do precisely that. I can no longer ride roller coasters as the rides do not agree with my repaired lenses in my eyes. I need to be careful in the ways that I extend my right arm - as I had a dislocated shoulder in my late 20's and it never completely healed to full strength. The best news that my hernia surgeon told me was that after the third week of recovery - that I actually could go back and do all the things that I could do one month ago.

You could make the point that one wolud have to have a feeling of invulnerability to jump out of this airplane, and perhaps a feeling of invulnerability to simply fly in this plane.  On a December day in 1979, I did both.  Yep, that is me.  Back in those days it took effort to take a photograph. One didn't have their iphone with them at all times - but that was only because the introduction of the iphone was still more than a quarter century away from being introduced.

Growing up, I know that I disappointed and made my parents angry many times. No matter how hard I try to remember, I don't think I can specifically recall even five specific things that I could have done to anger them - although there were probably hundreds of things large and small. One thing I did, I do remember, very clearly. When I was in college in Binghamton in 1979, I went with a friend to go 'skydiving.'  Skydiving might be an inflated term for what we did. We did jump out of an airplane from 1500 feet. We were not responsible for pulling our own ripcord as a static line released the parachute after we cleared away from the plane. It was all very exciting and it was something I did exactly one time. I remember telling my parents about this during a trip home to Long Island. My Dad was very distressed when I discussed this particular adventure  and he asked what my plans were had I injured myself in a life changing way. I was 18 years old. Young men that age are still wrapped up in their misguided feelings of invulnerability. I did never consider parachuting again - although I was glad to have done it the one time. I am thinking about this today, because in one week I will be allowed to return to my life as it was six weeks ago. I will be happy to lift my heavy sample cases in and out of the car, I will be happy to spend 90 minutes pedaling and burning calories on the elliptical machine and I will be happy to walk up 25 flights of stairs if I choose.  I think that I will continue to shy away from roller coasters and skydiving. As I approach 60 years old (eighteen more months to go) I have to come to terms with the fact that the feeling of invulnerability is gone.

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Your Food Diary For:

Saturday, May 14, 2016

BREAKFAST	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
Sage - Red Delicious Apple, 2 medium apple	190	50	1	1	4	38
Quaker - Grits - Instant - Original, 2 packet	200	44	0	4	620	0
	390	94	1	5	624	38
L U N C H
Omelette With Ham, Spinach and Swiss Cheese	600	9	33	64	696	2
Butterball - Bacon Style Turkey, 4 slices	140	2	12	8	600	0
	740	11	45	72	1,296	2
D I N N E R
Burrito	850	88	33	51	1,577	6
	850	88	33	51	1,577	6
S N A C K S
Sage - Red Delicious Apple, 2 medium apple	190	50	1	1	4	38
	190	50	1	1	4	38
Totals	2,170	244	80	129	3,500	84
Your Daily Goal	2,633	329	87	132	2,300	98
Remaining	463	85	7	2	-1,199	14
	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
	*You've earned 703 extra calories from exercise today

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Your Exercise Diary for:

Saturday, May 14, 2016

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
MATRIX TREADMILL	99	898
MFP iOS calorie adjustment	N/A	-195
Daily Total / Goal	100 / 30	703 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	261 / 210	2,058 / 4,130

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Back in 1979, I must have really thought I was invulnerable. On a spring day in 1979 I thought it might be interesting to try to do a backflip.  All I did was jump up a bit and land on my back. I wish I could remember who the photographer was.  Photographs like this were not so easy to take in 1979 with  Kodak instamatic camera.  I look at this picture and I remember that I was always a 'big' guy.  I am pretty sure that this version of myself in 1979 still couldn't share a wardrobe with the version of myself today.

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A 99:00 minute workout on the treadmill... I set the machine for 94 minutes, and it tacked on a 5 minute 'cooldown'

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and finally, I would like to share some wisdom from Jerry Seinfeld....

"...Skydiving was definitely the scariest thing I've ever done. Let me ask you this question in regards to the skydiving: what is the point of the helmet in the skydiving? I mean, can you kinda make it? You jump out of that plane and that chute doesn't open, the helmet is now wearing you for protection. Later on the helmet's talking with the other helmets going "It's a good thing that he was there or I would have hit the ground directly. 

There are many things that we can point to that proof that the human being is not smart. The helmet is my personal favorite. The fact that we had to invent the helmet. Now why did we invent the helmet? Well, because we were participating in many activities that were cracking our heads. We looked at the situation. We chose not to avoid these activities, but to just make little plastic hats so that we can continue our head-cracking lifestyles. 

The only thing dumber than the helmet is the helmet law, the point of which is to protect a brain that is functioning so poorly, it's not even trying to stop the cracking of the head that it's in...".

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on a whim I punched up the registration number of the airplane that I flew to skydive way back in 1979... And in the age of the internet, this is the information that I retrieved in less than one second.

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GENIUS BAR

Among the many reasons that I like Apple products, is that I really like the convenience of their 'Genius Bar.'   When something about an Apple product goes bad, either a walk-in appointment or an appointment made in advance at the Genius Bar will often get the problem resolved.

If one is lucky, the problem will be resolved without reaching into your wallet.  Today, in the middle of my 10 mile walk, a problem that I have been having with my charging cord, and or rate of battery charging was no longer something I could ignore.  My phone kept on turning off.  It would not charge properly.  I was using a brand-new Apple authorized 'lightning accessory cable' and a Limefuel portable battery which I knew was not the cause of the problem.  So, my ten mile walk had a two hour delay short of completing the 6th mile.  No worries, I ended my 'walk' at 5.5 miles and once my issue at the Lincoln Park Apple Store was resolved I walked an additional 4.5 miles so that my goal of 10 miles was reached.  One convenient thing about living in Chicago is that I am with a short walk of two Apple stores, and thus two Genius Bars. Over the past few years, I have taken advantage of this proximity to the Genius Bar many times.

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~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

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For dinner, a coupon at Panera Bread was cashed in.  The nearest Panera Bread is about .75 mile from our home.... A roundtrip would have been 1.5 miles.  I preferred to log a two mile walk so I padded the roundtrip walk by taking a route that was less than ideal for someone who might have been in a hurry.

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Your Food Diary For:

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

BREAKFAST	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
John McCann Steel Cut - Oat Meal, 1 cup	600	108	0	16	0	0
Seedlander Crispbreads, 3 piece	300	36	12	12	390	6
Quaker Oats - Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bar	100	17	4	1	75	5
	1,000	161	16	29	465	11
L U N C H
SOYBEANS (ROASTED, SALTED), 140 g	225	15	13	20	550	5
Dark Chocolate Chips - 60 grams	210	27	14	3	0	21
NATURAL WASABI GREEN PEAS	240	38	6	8	480	4
Red Delicious Apple, 2 medium apple	190	50	1	1	4	38
	865	130	33	32	1,034	68
D I N N E R
Panera Bread - Soba Noodle Bowl Chicken	390	47	9	31	1,340	4
	390	47	9	31	1,340	4
S N A C K S
Quakers - Rice Cake Lightly 14 Cake (9g)	490	98	0	14	210	0
Quaker Chocolate Granola Bar  3 bar (24g)	300	51	12	3	225	15
	790	149	12	17	435	15
Totals	3,045	487	69	109	3,274	98
Your Daily Goal	4,669	583	155	234	2,300	175
Remaining	1,624	95	85	125	-973	77
	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
	*You've earned 2,739 extra calories from exercise today

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       Your Exercise Diary for:

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
Walking, 5.0 mph	65	1,276
Walking, 5.0 mph	56	948
Walking, 5.0 mph	23	468
MFP iOS calorie adjustment	N/A	47
Daily Total / Goal	145 / 30	2,739 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	401 / 210	7,588 / 4,130

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total calories consumed 3045 calories

total calories burned (walk: 5.5 miles, 4.5 miles, 2 miles) 2692 calories

total net calories 353 calories

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fitbit day 91

27729 steps

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minimum ten mile per day walking streak reached 24 days.

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The 'Map My Walk' application that I use to 'map my walks' sent a recap for the month of November.  I logged 43 separate sessions (some could have been as short as only one mile) and walked just under 400 miles in just over 85 hours.

some math.

The month of November had 720 hours (24hours x 30days)

I spent 85 hours logging 'walks' at mostly 4.5 mph.

That is 11.8% of the time in the entire 720 hours of November.

I do not know what exactly this means - surely it means something.

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