Wednesday, January 15, 2014

3814 Cable again

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Back in mid-December I called the cable TV/internet folks and got rid of all the extra channels I never watch.  Went to "basic".  Returned the now unneeded set-top boxes.  I thought I'd end up with just the basic networks - CBS, NBC, ABC, PBS - and some local stuff. 

It turns out I have way more than 88 channels.

I went through and eliminated from the automatic list the 16 Spanish channels. Every little municipality has at least one, more usually three, of their own channels - one public access, one townhall, one for school stuff.  I eliminated most of them.

I'm still left with a lot more than I expected - like 3 PBS channels with different programming (one is all children's shows), ION, a movie channel, weather channel, QUBO, and loads of stuff with names like CREATE, LIFE, BOUNCE, THIS, RISE, WORLD, and so on --- I don't even know what they are.

And I'm not particularly interested in finding out.

I wonder if there might be a BBC or a CNN tucked in there somewhere.  They might be the only channels I'll miss.
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3813 Unbelievable!

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Back when Nugget was born in 2011, Daughter was driving a 2-door Honda.  It was a good car, but it was getting pretty old, and it was very difficult for Daughter to get the baby in and out of the baby seat in the back.  So I gave her my 4-door 2003 Suzuki Aerio, and she sold the Honda.

I had bought the Aerio for about $9,000 in 2006 when the van was having serious problems and was costing me a fortune in rentals.  "Suzie" was a great little car, with its high roof and huge windows giving a great view all around, comfortable seats, sportscar handling, and a lot of zip.  It was always actually fun to drive, easy to park, and never gave me any problems.  Well, except for the body, which tended to drop random pieces of itself everywhere.  But they were at least unimportant trim pieces. 

It was a good car for Daughter for two years, then finally something important went wrong which set off the "bad light".  I don't know the words, but it had something to do with something that sits above the gas tank and something about vapor or something.  Anyway, fixing it would require major internal surgery, costing more than $1500, which was about what the car was worth.  It still ran just fine, but not fixing it would eventually run the risk of it catching fire.  And until it was fixed, it would not pass inspection.  The trusted mechanic said Daughter could continue to drive it, but to pull over immediately if she smelled gas fumes.

It was due for inspection last month.  No way it would pass.  So Daughter bought a new car, and parked Suzie until she could figure out what to do with her.

Yesterday morning while I was still in bed I heard a sound.  Looked out the window, and saw Suzie being loaded onto a flatbed.  I threw on a robe and ran out to pat her goodbye.

I really did love that car.  Hate to see her go.

Daughter was paid $350 for her.

That was yesterday.

This is Suzie:


The photo is from a used car dealership.  They are asking $1599 for her.  They describe her as "ready to sell".  I wonder if they will tell an interested buyer that she won't pass inspection, and just might catch fire. 

Listing here:  http://www.aberdeenautonj.com/2003_Suzuki_Aerio_Morganville_NJ_224234593.veh
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