Boomer's Trikes

Boomers Welcome This Third Wheel:
"The irony is not lost on those who ride them. As toddlers they started out on three wheels.
As aging boomers, they have gone back to their trikes.At the dealership on Merle Haggard Drive, salesman Mark T. Welch said the $30,000-plus three-wheel Harley-Davidson motorcycles are flying out the door. They can't order them quick enough to keep up with the demand."

It had to happen.
We're all getting older and looking for more stability (pun intended) in our lives. I guess when you're

PSA Test Value Questionable

Cancer Society Casts Doubt on Value of Prostate Cancer Test: 
"New advice from the American Cancer Society puts a sharper focus on the risks of prostate cancer screening, emphasizing that annual testing can lead to unnecessary biopsies and treatments that do more harm than good.

The cancer society has not recommended routine screening for most men since the mid-1990s, and that is not changing. But its new advice goes farther to warn of the limitations of the PSA blood test that millions of American men get now. It also says digital rectal exams should be an option rather than part of a standard screening."

I've heard rumors about this for years.
Being "well over fifty" PSA tests have been a routine part of my doctor visits, just like blood pressure tests, temperature, and the venerable weigh-in. No matter what the reason was for my doctors visit, be it flu, back pain, bee stings, or an ingrown toe nail, there it was the old PSA test.

I've always felt that it had more to do with revenue generating than it did my health. The fact that doctors still routinely perform the tests, even though the they were not recommended since the mid-1990's, bears out my suspicions.

Revenue generation through the use of blood tests, and more recently CAT Scans, by doctors and hospitals is a pet peeve of mine and will be the topic of a future post.

So read the article and make your own decisions about PSA screening.

Tips On Giving Out Your Social Security Number - Yahoo! Finance

When They Ask, Just Say NO:
"Some Legitimately Need It -- to Others, Learn to Say 'No'
Your Social Security number is one of the keys to your financial health. It's a unique indentifier lenders use to assess your creditworthiness. It's also exactly what a would-be thief needs to apply for a credit card, mortgage, car loan or job in your name.
If you're like most Americans, it's also something you give out all too frequently."

This is an informative little article, and the side bar explaining how to decode your Social Security is an interesting bonus.
I posted this article because giving out personal information about my self to any store clerk who asks for it is a pet peeve of mine. I can't tell you how many times I've heard people giving out their full name, home address, and telephone number at the checkout counter. Some times, as an added bonus, they'll throw in their email address all for the honor of being on the store's Mailing List.
Not only is this an opportunity for identity theft, it can lead to a parking lot mugging or home invasion. You can easily be taken off guard by someone who calls your name while loading your purchases into your car. They have your home address and can easily explain their presence to your inquiring neighbors because they know your name and where you shop.

Ship Your Luggage Separately

Save Money, Ship Your Luggage:
"You may spend less by using a shipping company -- rather than the airlines -- to get your bags to your destination.You may be able to save money by shipping your luggage rather than checking it in the next time you fly. The idea might sound absurd. But if you do the math – as Airfarewatchdog.com has done for you in this chart -- you’ll see that it would cost you less in some cases to send your bags to your destination by FedEx, UPS or U.S. Postal Service ground shipping."

My interest was piqued by this article because I found it soon after watching a CNBC special about the outrageous fees that airlines are tacking on to the cost of your flight.
An added benefit to separate shipping, besides cost savings, is that you'll have the peace of mind knowing that your luggage wont get lost when you use major carriers like FedEx and UPS.

It's a short article, but well worth the read.

Publish Your Future Best Seller For FREE

FREEdom of Expression | Lulu Blog: 
"I don’t know about you, but my favorite price is always free. Love and ideas are some of the greatest things in life, and both are completely free. They are also the main components in creating a book. When you love what you’re writing and you come up with interesting and intriguing new ideas, you write great books. At Lulu, our goal is to empower you to do what you love and help you publish a great book.

To help you finish your next book we’re making it easier than ever by providing you with a free copy! If you publish something new between 2/16 and 3/16, we’ll send you a FREE proof copy."

Did I ever tell you how much I love the word FREE.
If you've ever dreamed of being a published author, here's your ticket to a freebie.
A Raleigh company and self-publishing Web site Lulu.com is offering customers the chance to publish one book for free through March 16. All you need is a manuscript (and a catchy title, of course).
The book can be paperback or hardcover, up to $25 in value. You upload your manuscript and design your book online. Just go to Lulu.com and click on the giant "Get a free book" banner at the top of the page.

The deal is real and even if you aren't a serious Novelist In The Making, this would be awesome for creating a customized gift for someone (or even a gag gift).
Think about the possibilities..........
Did I mention it's FREE

Clean Out Your Computer Day

Feb. 8 is Clean Out Your Computer Day – WebWorkerDaily: 
"It can be hard to remember to routinely clean out your computer — whether that means running virus scans or organizing your files. That’s why having a day devoted to making sure that your computer is working well and that you can find anything you need on it is a good idea. The Institute for Business Technology originally sponsored a National Clean Out Your Computer Day several years ago, assigning it to the second Monday in February. It’s a holiday well worth adding to your calendar."

This is an interesting subject.

- Unfortunately the article is too short.

- Fortunately the comment section more than makes up for the lack of detail.

As for me, I keep my software up to date, and my files organized as part of my daily routine. I don't have to bother to schedule anything in that area, it's just part of the way that I work.

Cleaning the inside of my desktop is another story, it is a little time consuming but a must do task. It is just as important as changing the oil and topping off the fluids in your car.

Removing dust from the computer vents increases the internal air circulation, dust that is left on the circuit boards can slow down and interfere with the connections running through the circuit boards. Cleaning the inside of your computer prevents it from overheating which is the most common cause of  computer's Sudden Death Syndrome.

In my case I schedule about two hours every six months to take the side panel off and attack the dust bunnies that have found a warm comfortable home in my computer. Most articles recommend using compressed air to blow the dust out, but I've found that a Shop Vac works much better. It doesn't spread the dust from one part of the machine to another like the compressed air does. Most importantly it keeps your work area clean and dust free.

When it comes to laptops, there's not much to do other than cleaning the vents of dust and debris. This is where the Shop Vac method really surpasses the use of compressed air, because the dust and debris is sucked out of the case instead of being blown into it. 

Read the article, pour over the links provided in the comments section, and extend the life of your PC by quite a few years.

In Tough Economic Times - Haggle

Shoppers Take Haggling To New Heights - Washington Post: 
"The price tag on the smooth pair of Cole Haan loafers at Macy's said $148.
I considered that a fair opening bid.
Standing across from the salesman and the cash register, I said, 'Can you knock off 25 percent?'"

As I said in this Wednesday's post Save Money - Just By Asking -

"I love these types of articles."

For the last few decades with everyone thinking they were rich beyond belief, bartering and haggling fell out of the national vocabulary of Americans. Haggling was synonymous with being cheap, or worse poor. The recent economic down-turn, however, has unleashed the inner haggler in people like me, and made it a great time for you to start if you'd been resistant to becoming a haggler or thought it awkward or socially unacceptable. This Washington Post article highlights the shift in American spending.

So just to remind you, Never Pay Retail!

Just Shoot Me

Now that I'm getting on in years my Doctor prescribed an Ace Inhibitor called Altace to control my slightly elevated blood pressure and to keep my heart healthy. I read a new study which shows that an added benefit of the drug is that it appears to reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia.
It's quite apparent that none of the people in this video are availing themselves of the aforementioned medication. 

If I ever get old enough or senile enough to embarrass myself like the folks in this video,
I give you permission to form a firing squad and:

               Just Shoot Me

Save Money - Just by Asking

Fiscal Fitness: Save $157.86 Just by Asking - Manage Your Life on Shine:

"A serious customer with cash to spend can really call the shots these days on everything from electronics to housing to a root canal. Really.
A 2007 Consumer Reports survey found that 90% of customers who negotiated with a salesperson got a price break on at least one purchase over a three-year period. They nabbed deals on furniture, electronics, appliances and even medical care, netting the best of the hagglers savings of $50 or more. And that was before the economy went all kamikaze.
In other words, it really does pay to ask, particularly these days when retailers and service providers are struggling to get any cash flowing through the registers."

I love these types of articles.

When I was younger and going through my YUPPIE stage, it used to be "bad form" to haggle about the asking price of anything. If you did, your friends would call you a cheapskate, skinflint, tightwad, penny pincher, and a whole lot of other things that can't be mentioned in mixed company. If you did it a few times you ran the risk of being ostracized, never to be invited to "The Hamptons" again.

When I grew older and wiser I morphed from a YUPPIE with scads of disposable income, to an OUFIE (Old Urban Failure) who was constantly short on cash. Asking waiters for Doggy Bags became the norm when eating out. My transformation became complete the day I was at a Flea Market and saw an item I liked with a $50 price tag on it. For some reason I asked the seller if he was still running his "famous 50% off sale." Much to my surprise he said yes, and I got the item for $25, cash, no tax. It was then that I realized everything in life was negotiable. Since that time I've never paid retail for anything unless it was an absolute emergency.

I posted this article with the hope of making someone out there take the plunge and start negotiating price reductions "Just By Asking."

Remember, Never Pay Retail!

How To Send an Email to a Fax Machine

Five Free Online Services to Send an Email to a Fax Machine:
"I’m not really the type of person that sends faxes all that often. There may be an occasion or two when I have to forward information to my insurance company or the Human Resources department at work, but those times are very few and far between. However, since I don’t fax very often, whenever I do have a need to send a fax I used to scramble to find an available fax machine. After I started writing for MakeUseOf, I decided to reassess this occasional need and come up with a solution that would make use of available free online technologies and resources. I started looking for an answer to the question, “Can I send an email to a fax machine?”"

I don't know about you, but like the author of the article, I very rarely need to send a fax. However when I need to, it's a struggle to send one out. I have avoided buying one of those All-In-Wonder fax/printer/copier machines for low these many years. They take up too much office space for the amount of times you need one.
This article from MakeUseOf shows you five of the most popular on-line email to fax services, and guides you through using each one. The services are simple, straight forward, and did I mention FREE!
Read the article, pass it on to someone who needs it, and don't forget to visit the MakeUseOf Web Site,  it's excellent.