Why Fatty15 is a Scam

Have you seen this scam product Fatty15 and wondered about it? I’m going to explain exactly why it’s a scam. It is a “newly discovered” essential fatty acid (meaning one your body can’t make, but one that benefits you, so you must consume it as part of your diet). One capsule contains 424 mg of this fatty acid, which is 15:0, meaning it is a saturated medium-chain acid with 15 carbon atoms in it. It’s also called pentadecanoic acid, and its existence has long been known. The recent part is the discovery of its beneficial effect on cell flexibility and resilience. The cost is $1.66 per capsule! As a comparison, this fatty acid is part of dairy fat. One tablespoon of heavy cream contains 540 mg of pentadecanoic acid. A pint of heavy cream contains 32 tablespoons, at a cost of something like 8 cents per tablespoon. If you use heavy or regular cream or butter as part of your diet, you do not have any use for this supplement. The only possible use I can see for this very expensive supplement is for very strict vegans, as there are no plant sources of pentadecanoic acid. Science has known for some time now that humans should only consume full-fat dairy, and avoid lowfat or nonfat dairy products, so if you are still consuming those products, which (counter-intuitively) are known to contribute to obesity, switch to full-fat dairy (which is associated with reduced obesity) and skip this outrageously expensive product.

Should I Pay with Pesos or Dollars in Puerto Vallarta? Where Should I Exchange Currency?

You should pay in pesos, across the board in almost every situation. The only convincing point I have ever heard in favor of dollars is for one very specific situation: tipping strippers. But that was when the exchange rate was less favorable against the dollar. In that case, you may have wanted to bring a small stack of $1 bills (or a large stack—I have no idea how much/whether you love the strippers!). But now that 20 pesos equals almost exactly $1 USD, you can simply make sure you have a stack of 20 peso notes if you are visiting a strip club.

Paying in cash is preferable for all small transactions. . . . → Read More: Should I Pay with Pesos or Dollars in Puerto Vallarta? Where Should I Exchange Currency?

Where Should I Stay in Gay Puerto Vallarta? Should I Do an All-Inclusive Resort?

NO. Most definitely, you should avoid doing all-inclusive when visiting Puerto Vallarta! That may be appropriate elsewhere, but it is a mistake most visitors to PV make only on their first visit. The city is charming and walkable, with many affordable and delicious restaurants and bars, and there are ZERO good options for all-inclusive resorts that cater to gay men.

The area where you will want to stay is known as Zona Romantica (sometimes also called the Pink Zone or La Zona Rosa, although that has been falling out of favor in recent years). It is the area on the far south end of the Bay of Banderas, south of the Rio . . . → Read More: Where Should I Stay in Gay Puerto Vallarta? Should I Do an All-Inclusive Resort?

How I replaced the aux jack in my Gen 2 Prius and added Bluetooth sound in two minutes using only one tool

Prius aux jack replacement

I own a 2008 Prius, generation 2 model, and it’s a great car except that it has long suffered from a common issue, which is that the car stopped sensing when something was plugged into the auxiliary jack. Pushing the aux button on the radio did nothing, and the option to switch to auxiliary sound did not even appear on the audio screen, because it’s programmed to appear only when a sound source is plugged in. There’s a technical reason why this part wears out, and it is apparently something you can repair if you have the time and initiative and the ability to solder small parts, but that was . . . → Read More: How I replaced the aux jack in my Gen 2 Prius and added Bluetooth sound in two minutes using only one tool

My Favorite of the Cheap Modern Sewing Machines

Brother Sewing Machine

You can spend truly large sums of money buying fancy machines like Bernina, but most people don’t need all the functions of those machines (which really are incredible, but that’s another post). Most people who want to do some quilting or sewing for fun or as a hobby, or even as a small home-based business, are fine with a cheaper machine that still has some of the nicer functions. My favorite of the cheap machines is a discontinued model from Brother. I purchased it on Amazon as a “renewed” product, which means it was returned, but it was obvious that this had never been used. The plastic and tape was still . . . → Read More: My Favorite of the Cheap Modern Sewing Machines

Equifax does not Owe You $125—Understanding the Data Breach Settlement

Many reputable news organizations have been freely informing people that Equifax has agreed to pay $125 to everyone affected by the scandalous data breach that they attempted to ignore/cover up back in July 2017 (when they delayed alerting the public for almost two months after discovering the breach). The fact is that the settlement does not include anything close to $125 for every affected person.

What Equifax has actually agreed to do is to pay “up to” $125 to each person who files a valid claim…but no more than $31 million in total. $31 million dollars divided by 147 million people (the number of people whose data was exposed) leaves…21 cents . . . → Read More: Equifax does not Owe You $125—Understanding the Data Breach Settlement

A (Seemingly Quite) Large Mystery Left Unexplained in Game of Thrones; or, What is up with Grey Worm’s Crotch?

The finale of Game of Thrones left many unanswered questions, but the one that has been occupying my thoughts is the obvious and distracting bulge in Grey Worm actor Jacob Anderson’s pants. Quite impressive for a eunuch.

Grey Worm’s unmissable bulge

Although it was never revealed if the unsullied were fully “emasculated” (by removal of both penis and testes), that is exactly what happened to Lord Varys, as revealed during a scene when he describes his castration to Tyrion: “With a hooked blade, he sliced me, root and stem…”. There is no reason to believe the slavers who created the Unsullied would have been more gentle.

Unsullied crotch

Perhaps actor Jacob Anderson just has . . . → Read More: A (Seemingly Quite) Large Mystery Left Unexplained in Game of Thrones; or, What is up with Grey Worm’s Crotch?

Craigslist shuts down personals section, not just in US, but WORLDWIDE

While planning a trip to another country, I was happy to see that Craigslist still had personals ads in other countries. They had shut down the personals section in the United States around six weeks ago, in response to legislation here. Five days ago, I took a look and contacted a few guys in anticipation of meeting them when I arrived in town, but when I looked this morning, the entire section had disappeared.

After doing some research, I was unable to find personals sections in any country. Every country I checked in Europe and in Central American and South America had the same disappointing result…no more personals ads. I tried to . . . → Read More: Craigslist shuts down personals section, not just in US, but WORLDWIDE

How I Combat Winter Depression, Even in Sunny Texas

I originally moved to Austin, Texas, in 2000 in an attempt to escape from SAD, or seasonal affective disorder. I had been living for almost 9 years in Olympia, Washington, and the seasonal depression grew worse for me every year. Even in sunny Texas, though, the combination of the overcast weather and staying indoors during the colder months can still lead to the winter blues. I have finally found something that works very well for me…I would say perfectly. And it is much easier and cheaper than the crazy bright, expensive, 4 foot long full-spectrum fluorescent lamp that I used in the 90s.

Philips GoLITE BLU

I use a blue light . . . → Read More: How I Combat Winter Depression, Even in Sunny Texas

Chase Freedom Card Disappoints with Its Most Recent 5% Bonus Categories–No Costco!

I carry and use the Chase Freedom card for occasional purchases, because I am an avid bonus points collector. In the past year, I have traveled from Chicago to: Mexico (four times); Oklahoma City (twice); Dallas; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (twice); and New Orleans (twice) ALL FOR FREE due to bonus points that I got from purchases or from signup bonuses (those signup bonuses were earned on three different CHASE cards). I still have over a thousand dollars in my point bank toward future travel. Each quarter, the Chase Freedom card offers a 5X bonus offer for purchases from certain types of stores. Last quarter was restaurants and movie theaters. The . . . → Read More: Chase Freedom Card Disappoints with Its Most Recent 5% Bonus Categories–No Costco!

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