Dave Cortright: July 2008 Archives

This is a recommendation from Chris Finne. He has three kids in the 0-4 age range, and has clearly had experience with inferior markers.

These are superior for two important reasons:

1. They have flip-tops, so the caps never get lost.
2. Markings will wash off walls and clothes.
   

Get Crayola Flip-Top Markers from Amazon

I've had a Citi Dividend card for several years now, and naturally I thought that would be the one to recommend. But things have changed and it looks like the general consensus is that the Chase Freedom is currently the best out there.

I pay off my credit card balance every month, so things like APR and late fees don't matter at all. Top concern is a card that is universally accepted (which limits me to Visa or MasterCard), and maximum cash back. The Chase Freedom meets both of these. It's a Visa, and it gives 3% back on your top category purchases, 1% on everything else.

I do not consider cards that give other rewards: airline miles, points, or earmarked funds. It's not worth the hassle of being limited by what I can do with my rewards, even if I do get a slightly better rate. One of my first credit cards was the GM card (along with a Discover card). By the time I figured out I did not want to buy a GM vehicle, I had already build up several hundred dollars worth of useless credit. Never again.

It looks like the American Express Blue Cash card is a good option for those spending large amounts every month. But it doesn't meet my criteria for a universally accepted card. While I do have an AmEx, there are too many places that don't accept it, making it impossible to use as my primary card.

Get a Chase Freedom credit card

I admit it; I know the designer of this game. But that doesn't color my recommendation of the game. Head on over to Board Game Geek and check out the reviews yourself. It's currently ranked 24th, ahead of some really amazing games like Settlers of Catan, Ticket to Ride, and Modern Art.

What sets this game apart from most others is that all players are working together against the mechanic of the game. You all are trying to cure four diseases before the outbreaks spread out of control. Because of this, it's a lot more interactive than so many games out there (some of which are very nearly parallel games of solitaire). And interactions that do happen are positive. Because of this, it's a good choice for people who aren't serious gamers.

The one drawback of the game is that it only plays up to four players, so it's not good for larger groups.

Get Pandemic from Funagain Games

A tasty, healthy energy bar is a staple for me whether I'm traveling, hiking, camping, or just need a snack between meals. Clif Bars are by far the best. On a recent trip to Alaska, I packed about a dozen in my luggage and, along with some dried fruit and roasted nuts, improvised breakfast and lunch. This saved time, money, and hassle in a place where everything is expensive and even just finding vegetarian food is a challenge.

Clif Bars are made with only natural ingredients (70% organic), they are high in vitamins and fiber, relatively low fat, no dairy, and they taste great. There are 18 flavors to choose from, so you're bound to find one you like. My favorite is Cool Mint Chocolate, but I sometimes mix it up with Peanut Toffee or Banana Bread. If you're looking for one with low fat, go for the Apricot.

Other bars I've tried are either too much like a candy bar, with tons of added sugar and preservatives, or they are barely edible, like the PowerBars that inspired Gary Erickson to make a better bar. Plus Clif Bars are widely available. I've seen them in most grocery stores, convenience stores, and even in outdoor stores like REI.

Get Clif Bars from Amazon

After a decade of fighting the inevitable, music companies are finally allowing DRM-free purchase of music. Amazon, Rhapsody, and yes even Walmart are the big players. iTunes has a few select tracks, but the vast majority of their music still has copy protection, so I can't recommend it.

Amazon MP3 has the best selection, best prices, best customer service, and is the easiest to use. The songs sound great encoded at 256kps, and they all include full meta-data and album art. MP3s have many advantages over CDs: instant gratification, only buying the songs you want, and it's better for the environment. They do require a special Downloader application when buying multiple songs, but I found this makes the purchase experience extremely easy.

Rhapsody launched their service last week to great fanfare, but as I discovered first hand, it comes up short. I cannot recommend nor even use Walmart, as they support neither Firefox nor the Mac.

As is typical of all MP3 stores, you cannot download a purchased song more than once. Thus, I highly recommend that you back up your music immediately after purchasing it. There are online storage sites like Microsoft's SkyDrive which are perfect for this.

If you are looking for some music that isn't part of the MP3 store yet, you can always fall back on buying a CD. Amazon has an amazing selection, and you can often find really good deals in the used & new section. In some cases, you can buy a used CD for 1¢ plus $2.98 shipping.

Get Music from Amazon