Today's (not) the deadline

Speaking of saving money and as I've posted, today's the deadline for enrolling in Access to Care. Get on it, crazy people!

Update: I just learned that the enrollment deadline has been extended to the end of May and the coverage deadline has been extended to November 14th. That's two more months to procrastinate, crazy people.

Our experience with Vonage

If you know me, you know I'm always looking to save a buck. And you know I'm not a big fan of the cellphone.* So, when we moved into our Toronto apartment, I was looking for the best deal on a landline. I went with Vonage. I'm writing to recommend it if you have a landline, especially if you've also got a cellphone and high-speed internet.

For $20 a month, I get a package from Vonage that's worth at least $60, maybe $100. In the US, this package costs $15. It includes:
500 minutes anywhere in the US or Canada (after that 3.2 cents/minute)
caller-id
voice mail
call waiting
Any incoming calls or calls placed to other Vonage customers don't count against your 500, so we were in no danger of going over 500. But if you need more, you can get unlimited minutes for $40/month (only $25 in the US).

This is a great smoking deal, and that's why I'm posting about it. I highly recommend it over traditional landline providers. Really the only disadvantage Vonage has compared to the others is, if you lose power, you lose your phone line. Generally, that's never been an issue, though, and as I said, if you have a cellphone it really shouldn't matter.

The main thing you need is a high-speed internet connection, typically DSL or a cable modem. They'll send you an adapter to plug into your router or modem which will work with any regular phone.

But there's another thing. Vonage offers what they call a V-phone, which allows you to make calls through any PC on the web. That would by-pass the router and adapter all together. Which means, with New Orleans' free wifi, one conceivably could get a phone line for just $15 a month without the overhead of an internet connection. That's hard to beat! (Though, the city's free service isn't the greatest. But any calls you receive while not on-line would just go to your voicemail, which you can also check over the web.)

OK, I hope this helps you save some dough if you've got a landline. If you should sign up with Vonage and mention that I referred you, I'll get two months free. (Let me know if you need my phone number.) Though the purpose of this post is to tell you a great way to possibly save money, not sell you on something.

Good luck! And let me know how that goes.
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*I'm not a big fan of the cellphone, until I return to Louisiana and use my dad's, which was once mine but given to him for Christmas once I tired of it. (Merry Christmas, Dad.)

This isn't funny

Today it has snowed all day. Two days ago I awoke to find the city had been dusted with fresh snow. When I was in New Orleans, Nicole told me the city was hit with a major snow storm. This shit is getting old!

For the past few weeks, it's gradually been warming, snow has been melting. But this shit sucks. I'm not kidding. Make it stop.

Another Clinton Moment

What's striking about this video is all the detail she claims to recall about the trip. She's not vague at all. And she would discredit another person's account of the trip. She's actively foisting a crock on the public in the interest of bolstering the perception of her foreign policy credentials. The Washington Post has an article about this here. According to this Huffington Post article, her campaign responded by deepening the lie.

To be clear, I don't think the absence of sniper fire matters. What does matter is what this incident reveals about how she regards the public, and it appears to be a rather contemptuous, cynical view. I've maintained the way one campaigns reflects the way they would govern. Hillary's campaign has been reprehensible.

My Clinton Post

Keith Olbermann aptly sums up the state of the race for the Democratic nomination:



Just two months ago, I posted that I was neither an Obama supporter nor a Hillary detractor. In fact, over the past fifteen years, I have been a reliable cheerleader of both Clintons. But the way Hillary has run her campaign has made me doubt she would be much better than the Republicans.

Update: Tracy Morgan gave an able follow-up on SNL.

Back U.I.T.G.W.N.

Well, I'm on my way; I write this on the plane.

This trip was a good one. I had a lot of nice visits, and I got a lot accomplished. One of the more noteworthy accomplishments was picking up the Firebird, which I drove hither and yon across the city and southeast Louisiana. Last night, as I put it in my parent's garage and covered it, it was difficult not to feel sad, like I was putting aside something beautiful that demands admiration. That's how I feel about New Orleans, too.

I was glad to see noticeable progress in the city, nothing dramatic just a few more restored buildings and a few less derelict ones. It's encouraging.

Thanks to all those who hosted me: Mom & Dad, Angelle, Megan & Andy, Bruce, and Matt. In addition to them, it was great to see: Chris & Mary, Veronica, Alex, Anna Maria, Leslie, Phil, Paulie, Bob & Julie, Matt & Lauren, and Bart, Christy and wee-little Persephone.

Just as I love visiting people, I love eating some good food, so (much to Nicole's envy) here are some of the placess I frequented: La Boulangerie, Surrey's, Rue de la Course, 13, Mimi's, the Saint, Vaughn's, d.b.a., Elizabeth's, Trey Yuen, Pho Tau Bay, Angelo Bracato's, Juan's Flying Burrito, Blue Frog Chocolates. Music wise, I got to see my beloved New Orleans Bingo Show!, the Hot Club of New Orleans and Broken Smokes. I'd intended to see more, but I was having a hard time sleeping and thus a hard time staying out late.

Of course, leaving means always wishing you had more time to visit more people and more places. Though leaving can be a downer, I'm looking forward to getting home, to my cold, snow-covered home. I can't wait to see my loving Nicole and sweet angels, Ella and Eartha. All that lies between me and them is Canadian Customs.

Update: I made it through customs.

Preparing taxes

I've learned that Turbo Tax offers its services for free in three cases, the most likely being you have an adjusted gross income under $30,000. Here's the link. I did qualify and found it helpful, since my taxes were pretty complicated this year. Please pass this along to anyone who could use it.

By the way, I'm not up in the great white north right now. I'm down in Louisiana, doing things like my taxes. When I'm not caught in that drudgery, I'm enjoying visits with people.