Friday 5 for June 24: Consumer Reports

Friday 5 for June 24: Consumer reports

The questions as usual come from the Friday 5 website.

1. When did you last eat or drink something purchased from a truck or other wheeled vehicle?

I used to go to a variety of lunch trucks in the past. The last time I went to one was probably in 2019, months before the COVID-19 attack happened. Since then I have not returned. Also prices for plate lunches spiked A LOT higher since the start of that darn pandemic.

2. When did you last purchase something previously owned?

A couple of $1 record albums that I bought from the Thrift Shop. New vinyl records are now WAY TOO EXPENSIVE! Thanks millennials for spiking the prices higher. Ugh! You folks should have just stayed with digital.

3. When did a purchase most recently exceed your expectations?

For any purchase to exceed my expectations, it has to 1. last longer than 10 years and 2. be affordable. That said, many of the cameras I use are older than 10 years. Some of my audio gear is old and analog. Love em. We need more devices that do not connect to the internet.

My Toyota Corolla is way older than 10 years. I certainly got my money's worth on that car, which I bought used many, many years ago. Things that cost more than $100 should last a long time. I use a 10 year time frame to gauge the quality of expensive consumer items. Long ago when you spent serious money, you expected things to last a very long time.

4. When did you last overpay for something because you needed it right away?

Gasoline! Damn that Biden. The Keystone Pipeline should be re-opened and our national policy should go to making our nation oil independent free of expensive foreign crude from the Middle East, Indonesia and Russia! Trump had that right.

Like everyone else that drives, we are severely impacted by the price of gas at the pump. Per gallon, while we are not the highest in the nation, $5.50+ cents per gallon truly bites, even if I only drive a Corolla!

5. Among recent purchases, what was the best bargain?

I got two FREE (with coupon discounts, etc.) Paul McCartney CDs from Amazon this week.... Egypt Station from 2018 and McCartney III from 2020 (see photo at top). Happy belated birthday Paul... 80 years strong and thanks for the decades of great music! Yeah!

Overall, CDs are now a way better bargain than new vinyl LPs. They cost way less, and like it or not, are more durable than record albums (which I still love, thank God I already have a big collection of many classic titles) and sound great even when bought used. Can't say that about vinyl record albums, especially when you take a chance on used titles (though I have been lucky with most).

Record albums should be $8 to $9 for a standard black vinyl issue as new. Clearly less than $15. I was cringing when reissues of LPs that I bought brand new for $8 or even less back in the day, are now selling for over $20 a pop and more recently with an industry price hike, selling for more than $30. I mean is a $30 copy of The Beatles Abbey Road worth it when a perfectly fine CD can be had for half the price? Duh! Good thing I have both the CD and a vinyl record copy of this classic album in my collection.

As for new music released this century I am more than happy with a digital download or a regular CD. Musicians of the current generation are not worthy for issuance on vinyl and the high prices that go with that.

Friday 5 for February 28, 2020: Together Alone

Today is LEAP DAY Saturday, February 29, 2020.
Here are my answers to this week's Friday 5....

1. What’s something you can’t do alone?

I do most stuff alone... though I guess I would have to say I need a dentist to drill my teeth and fill a cavity. That can't be done alone... or um... if you have a heart attack, fixing it can't be done alone. You need a doctor and paramedics to help you out.

2. What’s something you can’t do if people around you are making noise?

Watching a movie for the first time. I hate outside noise, interruptions or distractions from the movie.

3. What’s something you can’t do in complete silence?

Play music on my record player and other devices.



4. What’s something you can only do at home?

Play my vinyl records. Can't really take them to play at another place unless I am invited to spin a record on someone else's turntable.

5. What’s something you wish you didn’t need help with?

Taxes. Ugh.

Friday 5 for May 24: A Week

1. If I give you $20 to spend selfishly by tomorrow evening, what do you spend it on?

Recently back into vinyl again, so probably go to either Hungry Ear or Ideas Books and Records to buy some LPs... maybe 45s.

2. What’s a delivery you recently waited too long for?

Not recently, but prizes I won from a podcast that never came. Was several years ago.

3. How annoying have you been lately?

I try not to be annoying but if I am I apologize.

4. When did you last give someone a ride in your car for the first time?

Not recently.... probably a few years ago when my sister came. Otherwise it's the same few people... Lisa mostly.

5. What was the last piece of candy you ate?

Some small Snickers bar at the Hawaii Geek Meet on May 26.

Link: http://f.riday5.com/2019/05/24/friday-5-a-week/


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For some reason my comments section won't let me respond to your comments... So amending this post to answer your comments here:

"Thanks folks for the comments. 勝美 - Seems like you got some cool vinyl finds. Not astonishing that the ancillary items that come with special edition releases have higher collectible value, but still that Steel Wheels box is a find.

Scrivner, my recent vinyl finds have been bringing more of my old vinyl back from the Big Island to Honolulu. I've been in vinyl for many years, tapered off in the 90s and early 2000s, and even got rid about 50% of it. Now I am in rebuilding mode but trying to control myself from being a gigantic record hoarder.

That said I am prone to buy used vinyl in good condition at either bargain or a reasonable price. Most recent find that I got from Hungry Ear on Record Store day was a good used copy of Brenda Lee's 1960 DECCA label debut album, "Brenda Lee". That one has some of my favorite Brenda Lee songs including "Sweet Nothins'", "I'm Sorry", "That's All You Gotta Do", "My Baby Likes Western Guys" and " Just Let Him Dream"... great stuff if you like rock-a-billy styled country pop from that era.

Brenda Lee was one of the biggest selling female artists of all time until contemporary ones like Madonna came along. She also headlined shows in England that The Beatles were once the opening act for."

Friday 5 for August 31: Just Wing It

 As usual the questions comes from Scrivener's Friday 5 blog.



1. What’s something for which you are waiting your tern?

A better job.

2. What have you lately gone cuckoo for?

Records... though I have always been cuckoo for recorded media. So for like the longest time I did not buy vinyl records. I have a substantial collection which I had to pare down a few years ago. I also pared down my massive CD collection. Funny thing is that I don't miss the CDs very much that I got rid of, but I miss many of the vinyl records I let go. Now I want to get some of them back.

3. What’s got you feeling down?

My close friend's sad financial situation and her depressive state. All she needs is a good paying job that utilizes her incredible writing talent. If you can help contact me. macpro3000@yahoo.com.

4. What’s something you acquired that was unexpectedly cheep?

While not unexpected, I do occasionally run into cheap, used records in very good condition. We're talking vinyl LPs... for 50 cents to a dollar each. I also love it when I find 45s in good condition at under a dollar each.

5. What’s that fowl smell?

$10+ billion Honolulu rail project. Biggest stinking waste of taxpayer money this century.

And with that song, I'm flying the coop!