Alka-Selzer Plus

This stuff is great.  I picked up two boxes this morning.  I have had a raging sinus infection for a week.  My throat was so sore I could not swallow. I drank a cup of the Day time Alka-Selzer Plus.  It worked great.  Hopefully, the night time one will let me get some sleep.  Doesn't taste too great, but really works.

Tidy Cats

Tidy Cats kitty litter has a new litter out.  It is called Duel Action odor control.  It has a sick sweet scent and stinks up the whole house.  It is really worse than smelling the dirty kitty litter.  Why mess with a good thing?  I like the original Tidy Cats.  I won't be buying any more of that duel action kitty litter.  My advice, before you buy it, open the container and smell it.  If you like it, more power to you. 

AAmco

I have written AAmco asking that my son's money be reimbursed.  We will see if they are honest.  I doubt it. 

AAmco

If you need transmission work, I would suggest you take your car anywhere but to AAmco.  My son had a transmission rebuilt in his 1994 Chevrolet 2500 Diesel.  He picked it up, drove it out of the lot and got about a half block and the transmission dropped down onto the drive train.  He got it back to AAmco.  They apoligized.  Supposedly fixed it.  He picked it up again a few days later.  He got as far as my house, 3 miles, and the transmission contents just gushed out of the transmission.  They had stripped the plug.  Ok, back to AAmco.  About a week later, he picked it up again.  This time it would drive, but would not shift from 2nd gear.  He took it back.  They then told him it was the torque convertor.  He knew better, but he took it to Chevrolet.  The transmission mechanic told him it was the transmission and it could not be rebuilt.  So then he is trying to to save the money to buy a new one  and at the same time trying to get the money out of AAmco that he paid them.  They wouldn't reimburse because they held that it was the torque converter even though two other transmission mechanics had said otherwise.  Also, he could not even find an attorney here that would even talk to him.  So he finally saved the money to get a new transmission to the tune of $3500.  All in all, this transmission has cost him $6300 with AAMco stealing $2800.  So, like I said, unless you enjoy being screwed, stay away from AAmco. 

Turbo Tax

I have used their software for several years. And so has my computer it turns out.  I have been trying to uninstall one of  their programs.  I finally got my son to do it.  It was slowing down my computer.
So, I have been trying to get hold of Turbo Tax.  No one is available when I am home.  And I work from 8to 5 so no time to call.  Maybe I will have to use another company this year. 

Ford Freestar

My company vehicle is in the shop so I drove a Ford Freestar minivan today.  I like the room in it.  I was not happy with the braking system.  The brakes were too soft.  On my dork mobile, I can touch the brakes and no problem slowing the car down.  On the Freestar, I had to push hard on the brakes.  It felt for all the world as though I was slowing down a big Chevy suburban and the Freestar is no where near as big as the suburban.  I would not buy this minivan for my personal use. 

No new items

Don't have a lot to say today.  I can, however, give you an update on the Nissan Versa.  It drives good.  You really zip around in it.  But I can't keep from thinking about being in a small, 2000 pound, fiberglass box.  I am looking for another Mercury.  If I can't find that, then I am going back to a truck, Dodge specifically.  I know that the mechanics trash Dodge, but I have to say, I have never had a problem with any of the Dodges I have had.  I cannot say that about the GM products.  I have paid for at least 4 transmission rebuilds and one new transmission outright on GM products.  And they finally admitted that the transmissions they used in the 90's were crap.  Two went out on Buicks I had before 80,000 miles.  I won't drive a GM product again. 

New cell phone

I just bought a new samsung cell phone.  It is a flip phone with no bells and whistles.  It does have a camera, but not a very good one.  I don't mind that since I don't use the camera.  The menu is slow and clicking from screen to screen is really slow.  The battery does not hold a charge well at all. The quality of sound is lacking and it drops calls constantly.  Reception is lousy.  All in all, I am not satisfied with this phone.  It is not as good as my old LG.  Won't be using Samsung again.

Douglas Nissan in College Station Texas

A few months ago, I bought a used 2010 Nissan Versa from Douglas Nissan.  I got a good deal.  A few days ago, I called them around 5:20pm and asked how late I could come in for an oil change.  The service rep asked how soon I could get in there.  I was across town and it would take about 20 minutes.  Ok.  Come on in and we will take care of you.  I got there, gave them my keys and spent a few minutes waiting.  My car was ready, they had checked the pressure in my tires and reset the tire pressure light.  All in under 20 minutes.  I am impressed. 

Dog food

My pick is Nutro.  They have a Natural Choice line and an Ultra line.  I use one of the Natural Choice foods.  I use this even though there are more expensive and supposedly better brands out there. .  I use Nutro for one very simple reason.  They make their own food.  They are a production company, not a marketing company.   Most of the pet food companies are  marketing companies as are most of the high end dog food companies.  Why is this a problem? Because the company has no control on what goes into that dog food.  With Nutro, there are quality checks at their two plants every day.  There is no outsourcing.  When a company uses two or three other companies to make their dog food, that company specifies what they want their ingredients to be.  If these other companies that the food has been outsourced to add other ingredients, they are not listed.  So if your dog food company does not manufacture it's own food, then you have no idea what your are feeding your dogs.  If Nutro ever starts outsourcing, then I will be back to making my own dog food.  .  Look at the back of your dog food sack.  If it is manufactured by the company selling it, then it will say manufactured by.  If not it will state distributed by or will just list the name of the company.  Check it out.

Nissan Versa

I have been driving a used Nissan Versa for about 3 months now.  I get around30-32 miles per gallon.  I am not really impressed.  This does seem lackluster for a 4 cylinder.  My Mercury Grand Marquis got 30 mpg and it had a v8 engine and weighed 4000 pounds.  I think it is not a good idea to give up safety for a couple of miles more per gallon.  I will probably keep the Versa at lest for now.  However, I will be buying another Mercury Marquis as soon as I find what I want.  I will also be buying a Dodge Ram.  I am not much on the smaller cars.  Seems to me, if we are giving  up the safety of the larger cars, we should at least get around 50 mpg.  I just feel like I have been ripped off.

Verizon sucks

I have a friend who shut off her house phone back in May. Ever since, verizon has alternately sent her refunds and late notices.  She got a late notice in July for $121.34.  She called about it.  Seems those refunds were sent in error and yes she was late.  So she sent an electronic payment in the amount of $121.34.  It cleared her account on July 17.  Yesterday, Aug 6, she got a late notice and threat to shut off her phone.  So I called for her.  I got a rep after holding forever.  He pulled up the account.  Oh, it looks like there was a payment made on Aug 2.  Ok, where has that money been for 16 days and why was she sent a late notice and a threat?  He didn't know, but it won't happen again.  Oh, yeah, of course it will.  My reply, ok you threaten to cut off her phone again when she has already paid the bill, then AT&T or Sprint is looking pretty good.  Hell, even Straight Talk is looking better than Verizon.  Oh, I assure you this won't happen again.  We'll see. 

Great Vets

If you are in the vicinity of Central Texas and need a really great vet, check out Beard Navasota Vet Hospital.  Two of their vets, Don Goodman and David Luedeker are the two that I know very well and they have been taking care of my pets for over 20 years.  They are caring.  They are very competent.  And they are reasonable.  Check them out.

Locksmith

Griffin Locksmith in Bryan Texas.  This place rocks.  I borrowed a friend's car and the ignition went out.  I could not turn the key.  I called Griffin Locksmith.  Yeah, they could fix it.  A little background here: she had had the ignition replaced and a new key for it.  However, it had never worked right.  So, I had Griffin Locksmith look at it.  They replaced the ignition and reset it to the original key.  They even came out to the business where I work to fix it.  Charge was about $300 less than the dealer wanted.  They rock!

Environmental Air

Around the end of May or first part of June, my central air conditioner quit.  The fan would run, but that was all.  So I called Environmental Air Company.  This was on a Friday evening.  A tech from Environmental Air showed up Saturday morning, looked at the outside unit, and told me my compressor was out and it would cost $4000 to replace and I should consider replacing the entire unit as there might be some problem in the attic components as well.  Total cost-$8000.  Not having this kind of money, I told him I would have to think about it.  So I went to Lowes to buy window units since I did not have $8000.  I saw a yellow van with red lettering saying Segert 1 hour AC.  I stopped and asked if they did Amana units.  Yes. What was my problem.  I relayed what the tech from Environmental Air has said.  This gentleman was the owner and was Mr. Segert.  They followed me home and took a look at my unit.  My compressor was fine.  Then they went to the attic.  I need a new control board to the tune of $621 total.  They installed the control board.  I paid them and my unit is working fine.  I contacted Environmental Air and complained.  I told them I wanted my money back.  Two weeks later, my check was returned in the mail, but not before I contacted their corporate headquarters.  So guess who is taking care of my heating and airconditioning from now on?  I have been singing the praises of Mr. Segert ever since and have sent him at least one new customer.