Air Pump Recommendations for Inflatable Kayaks (IKs) and Stand-Up Paddleboards (SUPs)

 I have both inflatable kayaks and stand-up paddleboards.  I like them both as does my dog Moose.  I use my Tower SUPs more than my tandem IKs; they are smaller, lighter, and just easier to lug around.  The IKs are more stable in whitewater.  I've only used them in very low Class 2 rapids.  They are great, but since I bought tandems (for why else than so Moose could come with me!) they are heavier and longer.  

My grouchy friend in Portland wrote me recently: 

    "Hey- what kind of pump should I get for my IK? Foot pump or NRS Wonder Pump 6?"

And my much less grouchy friends in Denver asked what kind of pumps I'd recommend for their new SUP: "You are correct. We need to get an electric pump. Took me longer than I wanted to pump this sucker up in 100 degree temperature. I need to find the message you sent with your recommendations."

*****

IKs need to be inflated to about 2 psi, whereas SUPs should be inflated up to 6 to 10 psi.  This is a pretty big difference.  

From the Aire inflatable kayak manual:

Top off each chamber in the same pattern. If you hear a humming sound in the floor valve, it’s the pressure release indicating the floor has reached maximum pressure (2.5 psi) and you can stop pumping. For the other chambers, using your thumb you should be able to depress about ½” from the top center of the tube. 

For IKs, here's what I recommend these days: 

I think the best all around (for IK) is a foot pump.  

However, I am always confused as the best Bravo foot pump to get and how many frigging models there are.

I have lately been using a Bravo! 9 Double Chamber High Volume and High Pressure 14.5 PSI Foot Pump to inflate my inflatable kayak (an NRS Outlaw II) so that they are semi-rigid.  This is overkill for an IK, which only needs 2.5 psi.  

Here's an inexpensive Bravo foot pump that will work for a while:

https://www.westmarine.com/buy/west-marine--bravo-7-foot-pump--10967644

Bravo 7 foot pump only $20, that's a deal.

I'll then pull out the awesome K-100 pump to finish off the pumping task.  The K-100 pump is just great.  I bought this pump with the internal check valve so air won't go back into the pump.  The internal check valve only cost $2.95 more, so it's a no-brainer to order it along with the pump.  

I also bought a K100 hand pump:

https://www.nrs.com/product/1714/k-pump-100

I love this thing.  It is great.  The Bravo foot pump will get you just about the whole way you need (for IKs, not SUPs).  I use K100 hand pump to top off the IKs (and to pump my SUP sup to 6 to 10 psi).

To get the IK inflated initially, rather than a foot pump, I'll often use an electric high-volume inflator as I describe below.  

****

To inflate a SUP (6 to 10 psi): 

Any of these will work to get your SUP up to 1-2 psi (initial high-volume inflation):

Bravo foot pump

Ryobi high volume inflator with battery or dual inflator

any electric inflating pump, like this one or the $11 one below:

https://smile.amazon.com/Electric-Portable-Quick-Fill-Inflator-Inflatable/dp/B074NZY3SQ/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=air+pump&qid=1598152824&sr=8-5

Here's an inexpensive pump that would work for initial high volume inflation:

https://slickdeals.net/f/14288885-outdoormaster-op420-0-64-ps-electric-air-mattress-pump-11-19-amazon?src=SiteSearchV2_SearchBarV2Algo1

$11.19 @ Amazon with code W76U5FDK

I have also used this pump, which works great off my car battery: 

Sevylor SUP and Water Sport Electric Pump, 12V, 15-PSI

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Sevylor-SUP-and-Water-Sport-Electric-Pump-12V-15-PSI/35395714

(No longer at Amazon, probably temporary)

Electric air pumps work great when you are putting stuff together in your garage, but when you get to a parking lot, it's hot, you have a dog that is in a rush and wants to run around, there are lots of people, then having to hook an electric pump up to your car and inflate the SUP is just not advisable or workable.  Usually, I get my SUP initially inflated in my garage up to 1 to 2 psi -- I get it mostly filled up but nowhere near full with an electric inflator.  

I've been using a Ryobi high volume inflator or dual inflator for the initial high-volume inflation: 

https://www.ryobitools.com/products/details/one-18v-high-volume-power-inflator

https://www.homedepot.com/p/RYOBI-18-Volt-ONE-Dual-Function-Inflator-Deflator-Tool-Only-P747/308746324

I LOVE the Ryobi dual inflator and use it to fill my car and bike tires too.  The psi gauge is actually accurate and shuts off when tires reach the set psi!!!  And, using it is easy to figure out! Good user interface!  No have to read manual!

Once I get to the river put-in site, I'll use a K100 pump to get the SUP up to 6-10 psi.  

ASPCA's Poison Control Hotline Helped When My Dog Ate Mouse Poison

 The most important stuff first: 

ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center Phone Number: (888) 426-4435

https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control

From their website: The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) is your best resource for any animal poison-related emergency, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. If you think your pet may have ingested a potentially poisonous substance, call (888) 426-4435. A consultation fee may apply.

*****

I've had Labs or Lab mutts for the past 30+ years.  They are great dogs, but they eat EVERYTHING.  EVERYTHING.   This post is about my experience when my dog Moose ate mouse poison.  

Here at my house in WA state, we have an ongoing mice problem.  So I bought some mice bait traps from Amazon and Lowe's near my house.  Here's what I bought: 

Tomcat Mouse Killer Refillable Station, Includes 1 Bait Station with 16, 1-oz. Baits - Child & Dog Resistant - Use Indoors & Outdoors to Kill Mice

The package arrived from Amazon, and I took it out from the Amazon package when the thin plastic bag broke.  The makers put their product in a very thin bag and it tore on its own!  Not thinking, I put the broken plastic bag on the floor of the garage.  

The next morning, I noticed Moose (a chocolate Lab, 80 pounds in size) had that "I'm so happy being bad" look on his face.   He had obviously eaten some of the mice bait.  This was a bit after 7AM in the morning, on a weekday.  Of course I was panicked and started calling vets.  We've taken our dogs to a local vet about four miles away for several years -- when we are in Olympia.  In recent years, this vet's staff NEVER f**king answers the phone!  Why don't they get more people to answer the phone?  Moose cut his paw last year during working hours; I called the vet, and they had no space to see him -- so I had to call around and drive Moose to a vet about 25 miles away.  OK, that was one time.  But they did not answer the phone back then during my dog's time of need and the ensuing phone tag was super stressful.  

My local vet had a message to call an emergency clinic.  This was 710am. I called the emergency clinic (about ten miles away), and they said that I had to call the Poison Control Hotline first.  I did so and was put on hold.  Did I mention that I was stressed?  I figured that time was of the essence, so I needed to get Moose to the vet to get his stomach pumped ASAP!  I could not take being on hold any longer (about three minutes) and jumped in the car to drive to the emergency vet.  At the main intersection from my home, I could have  turned one way and gone to the local vet, or turned the other way and it would have taken 20 minutess to get to downtown Oly for the emergency clinic. I decided against the local vet that was two minutes away -- they just have never been there for me and my dog when I needed them!  Again, I was really stressed out.  I had no idea how much Moose had eaten or how quickly the poison might get to him.  

While I was driving, I dialed the poison control hotline and finally got someone rather than being put on hold.  If you call the Poison Control Hotline, you will always get a standard greeting and message to press 1, etc and the message that there is a $75 fee.  I was not initially happy about this message and had no idea what this Poison Control Hotline was from, who ran it, etc.  Was it a government service, a for-profit business, what?  Was I wasting precious time by calling them?  Shouldn't I just haul ass to the emergency vet rather than wasting time calling?  

Thankfully, a calm woman named Lauren answered.  I pulled over to talk to her.  Luckily I could hear her well; I have a pretty bad hearing problem and often can't understand people on the phone (something most businesses need to recognize when they always force hearing-disabled people like me to speak on the phone!).  

I had (surprisingly, given my rush and stress) thought to take the package with me with all the bait in there.  She asked me the ingredients and EPA codes on the package.  I could find the ingredients but not the EPA codes -- looked everywhere on the package, several times.  Lauren kept asking me for the EPA number, which I could not find.  Thankfully the bag stated how many blocks of bait was in there -- 16 blocks.  When Lauren put me on hold, I counted 15 blocks left.  Whew, it was good that the manufacturer put the number of blocks on the package ( but bad that they used such a thin bag to contain the poison!).  Finally Lauren came back and said "no worries, Moose is big enough that eating one block of this poison should be no problem."  It turns out that there was no need to visit the emergency vet or even induce vomiting.  Moose, being 80 pounds, could eat up to four blocks with no issues. Supposedly.  

Here are some more details and things I learned: 

The active ingredient in this Tomcat Mouse Poison is Bromethalin (CAS #63333-35-7), 0.01%.  Other Ingredients**Contains Denatonium Benzoate 99.99%.  

Since I was relieved and no longer so stressed, I found the EPA numbers easily -- they were in plain view to the very left of the ingredients!  People can't operate that well under stress!  At least not me.  

EPA REG NO. 90780-10

EP EST. NO. 12455-W1-1

If you have a dog, get a bottle of hydrogen peroxide and store it in case you need to induce vomiting.  I had none at the house.  This should be a last resort (call the Poison Control Hotline and rush the dog to the vet!) but there's information about how to do this online.  All the stores that I've checked locally are out of hydrogen peroxide right now, due to the pandemic.  

I talked to Lauren and determined that the Poison Control Hotline is "under the ASPCA umbrella," but the hotline needs funding, so they do charge a $75 fee.  My wife donates to ASPCA and other animal rescue organizations every year, but I had the impression that ASPCA was one of those lame nonprofits that always, always asked for money, more money, more more more -- and was more of a marketing organization than something that actually did real work (hear that, AAA and to a lesser extent, AARP?).  I am happy to find out that ASPCA has real world services that help people and animals, rather than just being a marketing organization that takes your money and then spends it on mailings to get more money out of you.  

I told this story to a friend, and he wrote: 

> I’m also SHOCKED that there is a $75 fee for poison control.  Who knew?

I have no issue with paying this fee.  They said at the beginning of the voice answering service that there would be a $75 fee.  Also, Lauren took all my information down and gave me her evaluation first, before asking for my credit card, so it was classy on their part.  Good for the ASPCA.

Another thumbs up to ASPCA -- in Monterey County, where I have another home and spend a lot of time, ASPCA is very visible in helping out evacuees and taking in farm animals from the recent wildfires.  This hotline is obviously a service that all vets are making people use in cases of poisoning. So here's a nonprofit that really is doing real work.  Unlike a lot of other bulls*** nonprofits.  Why don't nonprofits pay tax anyway?  I saw an essay on this.  

Thanks, ASPCA and especially the Poison Control Hotline!  

Screw you, local vet that never answers the phone and is never there when your clients need you!  

Moose, that idiot dog, is fine.  

Costco - Incredibly Wasteful Packaging

 I've been a Costco member for years.  Costco's generally great.  However, some of their practices are incredibly wasteful.  They force their vendors to put small items in giant blister packages so that customers can't shoplift the items.  

I recently ordered a small, portable hard drive from Costco.com.  The hard drive is the size of a deck of cards.  It came in the customary large blister packaging, and even worse, the blister packaging came in a box the size of my garbage can!  

That's the hard drive in the red circle.  What a waste.  

How to Put a the Bing Image of the Day as Your Mac Wallpaper

I like going to bing.com due to the great images that are featured on the webpage, that change daily. For Windows 10, there's even a Bing Wallpapers app that will put the Bing Image of the Day as your computer screen's desktop wallpaper. Unfortunately, for Windows 7 and Mac users, there is no official app that can do this.

For Macs, there is an app in the App Store called Bing Wallpaper or something like that, that costs $4.99. I did some research and created my own app to accomplish this using a Python script and iCal Automator event. I have never used Python before but have made iCal events.  Here's what I did:

I got a Python script called bing.py from:
https://github.com/declangao/Bing-Wallpaper-for-Mac

Thanks, declangao! Here's the description:
"A simple Python script capable of batch-downloading and setting Bing picture of the day as wallpaper on your Mac OS X."


I then did some research on how to run a Python script on my Mac. It was easy. I learned a bit about MS-DOS and command lines back in my college undergrad days, so I know how to use Teminal commands on a Mac.

To run a Python script on a Mac using Terminal:
change directory to your desktop: cd Desktop
run the Python script: Python bing.py (or your own simpler filename.py) [.py file must be on Desktop]

I ran the Python script and my Mac wallpaper did indeed change to the current day's Bing wallpaper. So the script worked!


Next:
To create a Python Unix executable file, that opens a new Terminal window and executes a Python file: generally follow these directions:

https://martechwithme.com/convert-python-script-app-windows-mac/#formac
https://martechwithme.com/schedule-python-scripts-windows-mac/#formac

martechwithme.com's directions had me create a new text file and input these lines:

#!/bin/sh
Python /Users/norbertwu/Documents/Python_test/test.py  [I created a folder called Python_test in the Documents folder]

then save the file to the folder Python_test, save without an extension
in Terminal: enter "chmod 755 /Users/norbertwu/Documents/Python_test/test

This changes the permissions for the file so that it becomes a Unix executable file. However, I discovered that I needed to add the extension ".command" to this file, so that this would open a new Terminal window and execute the python commands.


So my steps were:
create a file called test_python and put the following text in it:

#!/bin/sh
Python /Users/norbertwu/Desktop/test.py [wherever the python script is located]


In Terminal, do the command chmod 755 on the test_python file.
Then rename the test_python file to test_python.command.

Done! By double-clicking the test_python.command file, a new Terminal window is opened and the Python script executes.


I opened the bing.py file and saw the first line was: #!/usr/bin/env python
So all I did was go to Terminal: cd Desktop [the file bing.py was on the Desktop]
chmod 755 bing.py

Then I changed bing.py file to bing.command (actually bingtest.command).
Thus, bing.command became an executable file.


Next, I used Automator:
martechwithme.com writes: Finally, if you want a real application file instead of a simple Unix executable that you will be able to schedule, we can do so by launching Automator.

Launch Automator: After launching the program, choose to create an “Application”.

In the list of actions on the left side, get the parameter “Get Specified Finder Items”. Once you added it to your right panel in Automator, you should be able to “Add” an item to this action. At this point, you want to browse through your files and select your Unix Executable.

After that, we need to add a new action, namely “Open Finder Items”. This will trigger to open the file selected previously in its default application.

All that’s left is to save. Choose a name that you will recognize and you will now have your own .app file ready to be launched! 

I ended with an Automator file called changeBingWallpaper.app which just runs the bing.py executable file.


You can create an iCal event that will run an AppleScript or Automator action at a given time, and have that event repeat at the same time every day.

I then created an iCal event (can do it in iCal or Automator): let's do it in Automator:
https://martechwithme.com/schedule-python-scripts-windows-mac/#formac has tips:

choose Automator, then New file -- Calendar Alarm.

This will create a separate calendar overlay in iCal, and put an event in there.

We then need to add an Alert. A “Custom” one precisely, following the screenshot below:

A Custom Alert allows us to set a different action at the time of event. One of these actions is “Open a file”

Choose the file .app you would wish to open once the event is triggered and set the “Alert” to trigger “At time of event”

Finally and to ensure that scripts are launched periodically, it is time to define the “Repeat” setting of the event.

You can hide the Automator calendar overlay, or show it, as you wish.


This opened a Terminal window every day at 8am, ran the Documents/Python_scripts/bingtest.command file and then left the Terminal window open.

To close the "hanging" Terminal window: I went to Terminal preferences: choose "close when script exits."
I did not want a notification window or to see the iCal window after this iCal event, so I did the following:
no iCal notifications in System Preferences and/or in the iCal Automator calendar, right click, turn off Alerts


There are a ton of other ways to do this, involving various programs like LaunchControl, etc.

Even Fidelity Investments Lies and Puts Links in Emails!

I've been a client of Fidelity Investments for many years.  They generally try to hold themselves to a fairly high standard, but like all companies, are constantly trying to get me to get paperless statements.  My banks are bad about this too -- every other time that I log into my bank's website, I get a popup asking me to go paperless before I can do my banking business online.  It's irritating.

However, today I got an email from Fidelity that is just too duplicitous.  Obviously, it's another attempt to have me go paperless (which saves them money, since they don't have to mail me statements).  But come on!  Don't use a deceitful reason to try to get me to go paperless!  Take a look:


"We’ve heard from many clients that they are concerned with receiving paper mail in this current environment. If you’re concerned as well, you have an alternative. You can switch to eDelivery—it’s safe, it’s easy, and it offers many other benefits as well."


This is such a load of crap! No one is worried about getting the virus in the mail. Don't lie and treat your customers like idiots. We customers can simply not touch paper statements or trash them! We know that we can get electronic statements by going to your website, but we want paper statements! Quit trying to get us to go e-delivery!






Not only does Fidelity lie in this email to its customers, but it has at least three links that ask you to "Agree" or log into your account. This, after Fidelity and all banks repeatedly tell customers to NEVER click on a link in an email.


****
Here's what Fidelity says in this webpage:
https://www.fidelity.com/security/look-out-for-suspicious-emails

"Cyber criminals try to gain your personal information via numerous deceptive means such as legitimate-looking emails with fake web links, phone numbers, and attachments. This method of email fraud is called phishing.

Avoid opening links or attachments in an email you are not expecting. Phishing emails will often ask you for personal information in an effort to obtain access to your financial assets and identity. Responding with sensitive information (like account numbers, passwords or social security numbers) is never a good idea."


****
You can't trust any company in this day and age to actually have integrity. Not even Fidelity Investments.

Airline Shopping Malls Are Great to Keep Your Account Active, but Don't Use Target.com!

I have tons of airline miles, with United, British Airways, Delta, American, etc from flying with them for years as a traveling underwater photographer, and from accumulating miles by using airline-affiliated credit cards.  Those airline miles are valuable!

I've been able to fly first class on Emirates for "free" by using miles, to Dubai and then South Africa, which was really a great experience.  I was able to get business-class tickets for my wife and her sister to travel to London and Paris a couple of years ago.  I recently visited my friend Beez in State College, PA, by using United miles, and was able to fly from Monterey to State College with a couple of stops in between.  This was a great deal since taking that route normally would cost quite a bit of money due to the low-volume ending airports.  By using miles and "Saver Awards" on United, I only had to use 25,000 miles round trip.  Too bad that United has pretty much stopped issuing award tickets.

Delta and United's miles no longer expire, but they may close your account if there's no activity in two years or certain periods.  I don't quite trust them.  British Airways, Alaska, and American miles all expire in 18 months to three years, depending on the airline.

I have miles in all the above airlines and try to show some activity every two years, regardless of the airline's policy.  It's not difficult to earn miles and there are plenty of websites that discuss how to keep your airline frequent flyer accounts active, and your miles from expiring.

I often try to remember to shop through an airline's shopping mall portal, which you can find from Google.  It's easy -- just go to the airline's shopping portal, enter your frequent flyer account number and password, and then choose a retailer that you would normally order something from.  Unfortunately, the online retailers that my wife and I use a lot -- Amazon, Ebay, Easy -- are no longer on these shopping portals.  But Target, Home Depot, and tons of other retailers are on the shopping portals.

However, BEWARE.  You might as well not shop at Target through an airline's shopping mall and expect to get points.  I made the mistake recently.  The airline shopping mall did track my visit and showed that I had visited Target.  However, it never credited my account with any miles for my Target purchase!  I wrote them to claim the missing miles, and here's the reply:

Kelly Yeung (British Airways Avios eStore)

Mar 26, 05:57 GMT

Dear Mr/Ms Wu,

Thank you for your email.

We’re unable to credit your account as your purchase is not eligible for Avios. The Special Terms of Target say:

Target does not offer a reward on: grocery, household commodities and essentials, home appliances, health, beauty, personal care, baby care items (diapers, wipes, food, and toiletries), pet care and supplies, electronics (including TV, portable, computer software and hardware and services), toys, sporting goods, movies, digital entertainment, video games and consoles, contract mobile phones, prepaid cards, gift cards, music, books and magazines, Target Pharmacy and OTC, automotive accessories, Target Photo, photo lab, Target Optical, Target Café, starbucks, pizza hut express, SweetJOJO, and orders deemed by Target to be for resale.

We’re sorry for any disappointment this causes.

You can view the Special Terms of all our retailers by visiting British Airways Avios eStore online at http://www.shopping.ba.com/, where we have an extensive help section, answering the most frequently asked questions.

Thanks again for contacting us.

Kind regards,

Kelly Yeung
British Airways Avios eStore

*****

So, given all the stuff that is not eligible, what exactly can you buy through Target.com and get miles for?  Everything is excluded, so why is Target even in the airline shopping malls?  I can't think of anything that I'd buy at Target that would be eligible!  

Ridiculous!  And bad on you, Target!  Bad Target!

Home Depot is awesome as is the airline shopping portal, and HD honors the points.  Unlike Target.

Amazon Returns: Great, But Don't Choose "The UPS Store Dropoff" Option!

I've always been very happy, indeed thrilled and surprised with Amazon's practices and obvious attention to good customer service.  Their returns process has always struck me as fair and easy to do.

Just about all the time, I've chosen the option to print a UPS label and then deliver the item being returned in my own box, to a local UPS Store.  I ALWAYS get a physical receipt from the UPS Store showing that I dropped the return item off.  Most of the time, I get an email from Amazon stating that my account has been refunded in just a couple of hours.  Amazon generally promises such a refund once it receives your return item, so this is an example where Amazon under-promises and over-delivers -- which is just outstanding, smart customer service.  Few companies do this.

Two weeks ago, however, I chose the option that Amazon gave me to show a bar code at the UPS Store.  Amazon stated that I just needed to show the bar code and did not need to box up the returned item.  Well, this was a mistake!



Here's what I wrote Amazon Customer Service:

I am writing because I hope Amazon will improve its service in this return situation.  My recent experience, where I returned an item with just a barcode and no packaging (as directed by Amazon) to a UPS Store, was very frustrating, and contrary to all the other good Amazon return experiences that I have had.  In the future, I certainly won't bring a return to the UPS store with just a barcode since it does not seem that I will ever see proper tracking of my package, never mind a timely refund.

I hope that you can pass on my complaints about this situation to upper management.  I feel that the use of a UPS barcode rather than a UPS label is not a good practice for your customers.  I like using UPS labels and packaging up a shipment because I have a firm tracking number that actually tracks my package.  If you bring a returned Amazon item to the UPS store with Amazon's instructions that just a barcode and no packaging is required, then you better get a receipt!  Because that's all the proof that you will have.  The tracking number on that receipt won't work because your item gets put in a larger box, which the UPS Store may hold until it's full, which could be up to five business days later.  Once that box goes out, it has its own reference number (not a tracking number, says staff at my local UPS Store).  So there's absolutely no way for you to track your package, and you must follow up with Amazon to get the Amazon refund.



The staff at the UPS Store will say that you can't track your package on the UPS website -- you have to track it on the Amazon website.  However, the Amazon website doesn't provide tracking of your item -- it only says "our refund will be processed when we receive your item."  So this is a classic "customer can't win, Catch-22" scenario, where the customer drops off an item, but then the item is lost in transit, and the UPS Store says you have to take this up with Amazon, and Amazon probably says that you have to take this up with the UPS Store.

Here's what a reddit thread says about this situation:
https://www.reddit.com/r/UPS/comments/cd86xg/shipment_ready_for_ups/

Upon further examination via the Amazon returns center, I noticed that for multiple shipments made via QR code, Amazon has the UPS Store bundle some items together in a large package and that the tracking number that prints with a receipt may not be the tracking number that the returns left the store with.

And here's what a couple of UPS Store websites for local stores said: 

We recommend using the print label option located under the “2 other options” link.

If you do not have a printer, you can “forward return label to a friend to print.” Email the label to shipit@*****.com, and our staff will print the label when you arrive to drop off your package. There is a minimal fee of $0.10 to print the label, and if your box needs to be taped up, we can do that too for $0.54. We also have polypropylene bags available for $0.99. As always, we do have professional packing services here for any item you may need to ship.  

I Am So Sick of Marketing Ploys That Address Me By My First Name

I am so tired of companies mailing and emailing me marketing material that they've "customized" so that my first name is used.  Here's an example:



I mean, PLEASE.  Every company now starts an email or letter with "Dear Norbert" as if I am fooled that this not a form letter.  Thus starts the deception and lies.

United never treats any of its customers well on the ground, in the lounges, or on the planes. I've severely cut back traveling by air because I feel like a prisoner flying now. I certainly don't feel like United considers me "part of our United family." If they consider me part of the family, then United's family is like the Turpin family, "in which David and Louise Turpin imprisoned their thirteen children for years or decades."

United doesn't have a great record of treating its customers well. 

 From Inc.com: Remember That Guy Who Was Knocked Out and Then Dragged Off His United Airlines Flight? (Now an Officer Is Suing the Airline): Who can forget the images of that 69-year-old Kentucky doctor -- David Dao -- who was knocked out, then dragged off a United Airlines plane when he refused to give up his seat on the overbooked flight from Chicago O'Hare to Louisville, Kentucky? In one remarkable act of poor customer service, United Airlines proved that it could indeed happen to anyone.

Gotta Love This Response From an Oxford Bursar to Student Protest

https://www.wsj.com/amp/articles/a-heated-oxford-education-11580680180

Students protested, wanting Oxford University to immediately divest its holdings in oil companies, due to global warming.

The students want the college to sell the more than $10 million of its endowment now invested in Shell and BP, and they want it now.

....

Bursar Andrew Parker made them a counteroffer. “I am not able to arrange any divestment at short notice,” he wrote. “But I can arrange for the gas central heating in college to be switched off with immediate effect. Please let me know if you support this proposal.”

Students accused him of being flippant:

“it’s January and it would be borderline dangerous to shut off the central heating.” Another suggested Mr. Parker was being provocative.

...the bursar responded with wisdom: “You are right that I am being provocative but I am provoking some clear thinking, I hope. It is all too easy to request others to do things that carry no personal cost to yourself. The question is whether you and others are prepared to make personal sacrifices to achieve the goals of environmental improvement (which I support as a goal).”

What a spot-on reply from the bursar (whatever that is).