UPS, Where are you?

So, I have a package due today from UPS and its status is "out for delivery". This is amazing information considering the network it takes to get a package from the manufacturer to my home. However, I have places to go and things to do. I'd rather not hang around all day waiting for the package that may not get here until 7:00 pm. I'd also rather not have the package sitting on my doorstep or miss receipt of the package because I am not there to sign for it. Here is what ups says about it on their web page: I tracked my package and saw that it's out for delivery, but it is 5:00 p.m. Will my package arrive today? Yes, UPS generally delivers to residential addresses Monday through Friday between 9:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., and to business addresses during their normal business hours. In the U.S., Canada, and Europe, your UPS package cannot be scheduled to arrive at a specific time of day. UPS Ground packages are delivered any time between 9:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. UPS Standard packages are delivered anytime between 9:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. OK UPS and Fedex, you know where your trucks are and you know about how long it will take for your drivers to get to my neighborhood. Why can't you give us a two hour window so we can be there when the driver asks for a signature or does his ring and run delivery. He might even appreciate my dog not greeting him when he arrives.

Diet Restart: No Sugar

The Paleo diet worked but is too difficult to maintain. I'm going instead for avoiding all refined sugar.

Humans have lived for all of recorded history on grains. Civilization would not be possible without agriculture so grains can't be all that bad. Sugar is a different story. Refined sugar is a relative newcomer to us.

Avoiding sugar will eliminate virtually all processed foods and is quite simple to follow. Easy to follow, no, but simple.

I had a last binge today before going on the plan tomorrow and boy did I binge.

Sugar is like a drug. Just a little bit sets off intense cravings for more. I expect an unpleasant and intense withdrawal period until I get off of the drug.

Netflix, Blockbuster, and Amazon Prime

Netflix did and about face on their two websites deal but not the price increase.

In American business you can go from hero to villain quickly and thus it is with the Netflix CEO. I felt sorry for the guy. He made a miscalculation and botched the communication and people are ready to crucify the guy.

Netflix is still a good deal and has by far the best selection. $8 a month is a steal to have instant on demand access to thousands of commercial free movies and television shows.

That said, I was not willing to go for a total price of $16 for the DVD's as well.

I tried Blockbuster's rental service to get access to the video games but quickly found that most of the titles I was interested in have very long or long wait times. We'll try the free service for a month but are very unlikely to keep paying the $10 a month. Our public library has less wait times for most game titles and it is totally free.

We also signed up for a free trial of Amazon Prime but the movie selection looks bleak compared to Netflix.

Cars 2: Mater is not in Radiator Springs Anymore

From the opening scene to the closing credits Cars 2 is an action packed worldwide adventure that has Lightening and Mater far from Radiator Springs.

The first character we meet is Finn McMissile. Finn is the James Bond of the cars world. Finn in true Bond style does just fine with miles of water between him and any road. He is soon in the midst of the first of many chases, explosions, and close calls.

With Mater's unwitting help, Lightening is soon convinced to join a world wide race. Lightening takes Mater along for the ride, but it is soon Mater that takes center stage.

Their friendship is tested as is Mater's belief in himself as Mater is mistaken for a crack American spy.

Mater and Lightening narrowly avoid their final trip to the junkyard many times as they race, fly, and blast their way through stunningly realistic Cars versions of Tokyo, Rome, and London. The racing action and death defying near misses continue throughout the movie as Mater, Finn, and another British spy named Holly Shiftwell piece together and work to foil a sinister plot to take over the world.

Pixar did an impressive job on the graphics and the action and the movie was an enjoyable ride.

Despite the action and the whiz bang graphics the film felt more like a video game than a movie. At least two cars get killed in the movie. One gets smashed into a block and the other gets blown up in an interrogation and torture scene reminiscent of a gangster movie. I did not expect this in a G rated film.

Overall it is a decent movie and an impressive visual work but it felt more like a corporate marketing effort than the heartfelt and appealing stories I'm used to seeing from Pixar. Perhaps this is the Disney stamp on their now subsidiary Pixar.

Vacation Crash and Burn

I went on vacation and totally blew it with the Paelo plan or any other form of restrained eating. The gluttony was fun, but all things come with a price. BMI = 26.6