The Curmudgeon Speaks

Comcast has just jacked up their cable TV rates here in Marin, for the umpteenth time. Because of rate increases and a promotion expiration, my bill went up 15%! So why not save some money on their high-speed internet service?

Why is the U.S. still making and using pennies? Or nickels, for that matter?

Critics of morally bankrupt fiscal behavior are wasting their time sniping at Goldman Sachs.

For truly scuzzy manipulation, look no further than the State of California.

Our local boater's supply store, West Marine in Sausalito, always used to support our small, all-volunteer yacht club. When we held our annual salmon derby (back when there were salmon), they always contributed one of the prizes. They knew us and took care of us.

Well, all that's changed.

Turbo Tax takes an astounding amount of tax preparation drudgery off your shoulders.

Too bad it's so eager to take an unnecessary $30 out of your pocket that it misrepresents its features.

Just about every home handyman has a shop light. It's a useful extension cord and throws light right where it's needed.

Shop lights have two drawbacks - heat and bulb life. The light bulb can heat up a tight workspace, and it's easy to brush against it and get burned. And because the light is subject to knocks and vibration, the bulb's filament has a short life and often burns out right in the middle of a job.

The fix is to use a compact fluorescent bulb instead. It's cool to the touch, and vibration won't hurt it. Voila - a smarter shop light.

I was told that the locals call these concrete tanks "ginas", after the Italian movie star Gina Lollabrigida. It's a great story, whether or not it's true.



The tanks are filled with a variety of wine that was prone to spoil during the rough voyage to England, until 18th century merchants learned to preserve it by adding brandy.

What's the wine, and in what valley and country are these ginas? If you know, leave a comment below.

The Curmudgeon has two gripes today against CVS stores. For one thing, they attack when I'm weakest - before my morning coffee.

Remember the old days, when treasured photographic memories sat in photo albums that gathered dust, and you never looked at them?

Today's digital photos are easier than ever to take. Yet so many of them languish as piles of JPEGs on hard drives.

But it doesn't have to be that way. Here are some ways you can enjoy your memories every day - including a hot bargain!

Drawing on my heap of travel photos, The Curmudgeon presents the first in a series of photographic puzzles:



I admit to shamelessly borrowing both the concept and the title from two good friends at our club. Rick had the idea of a photographic travel quiz, and Ian introduced me to a bit of British humor, of which the punch line was "Wear the fox hat."

The questions: What is the name of the department store with this beautiful roof, and in what European capital is it located?