Friday, September 24, 2021

Cool Camel


Before I say anything else today, I have to amend yesterday's post about my New Yorker subscription. Although I complained about the price, I just want to say that I am absolutely NOT opposed to paying for journalism and I understand that journalists need to make a living just like the rest of us. I was in fact a journalist myself for about 20 years, as most of you know. So believe me, I'm on the side of good journalism. I do pay for several subscriptions and I'm quite happy to do so.

I haven't canceled the magazine and I probably won't, although it does seem ridiculously archaic that they mail a paper magazine across the ocean to me. I could try to find out whether an all-digital subscription is an option -- but that hits their bottom line too, because then there are fewer eyes on the ads in the paper edition and Web ads don't make as much. Plus I know I'd forget to look at it online.

I'm pretty sure I am not singlehandedly going to solve the ills of the magazine/newspaper business model.

Olga is having some digestive issues -- she had an accident in the house yesterday and then was up twice last night being sick. I have no idea what's gotten into her, but I hope it's past. She seems better this morning. We may have to back off her anti-inflammatory meds again. Neither Dave nor I got a great night's sleep.


Meanwhile, here's a random sticker found on a recent dog walk. I got nothin' else!

(Top photo: Selfridge's on Oxford Street, a couple of weeks ago.)

46 comments:

  1. You shouldn’t be made to feel like you need to defend your surprise at a steep subscription cost.

    Nice to see a cool camel that’s not Joe Camel.

    Hope Olga is better today, for all your sakes.

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    1. Well, I don't want people to think I'm opposed to paying for journalism. It's not that at all. I'm opposed to paying for postage!

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  2. Smoke Camel cigarettes.

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  3. Poor Olga! Give her a couple of pats from me please!

    "LET'S CHANGE THE WAY WE SHOP"... I agree. Buy less and shop less frequently. Make the things you do buy last longer. Get things repaired or mended. Swap things with friends. Visit charity shops. Stop lusting after material things.

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  4. Hope Olga feels better...and that you and Dave get a bit more rest, too.

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    1. She's much better today, thanks, and we have a restful weekend planned!

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  5. Poor Olga - hopefully it was just a random something she ate. Love the Cool Camel sticker!

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    1. I can't imagine what she ate that would have bothered her so much, but with dogs you never know.

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  6. I would pay the cost of an actual magazine, or book, as I prefer to hold them in my hands rather than read a digital version of either.

    More importantly, sending good thoughts Olga's way. Hope she feels better soon.

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    1. What I dislike is the idea that half my subscription cost is paying for international postage. (I think a New Yorker subscription in the states costs about half what I pay.)

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  7. Sorry to hear about Olga's troubles. Hope she is okay today!
    Spend your money the way you want. You've earned it!

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    1. Ellen, I love your comments. You're always so positive! Olga is much better today, thanks. :)

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  8. I still like reading a paper copy.

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    1. I do too, partly because having it on paper reminds me to read it. If it's online I forget!

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  9. I have several magazine subscriptions. Paper copies. I do not enjoy reading them online. I don't mind reading a few books on my tablet, but I'd rather be holding the paper book in my hands. I do hope Olga is over what was ailing her. It hurts when our doggies are not feeling so good. Enjoy your day, hugs, Edna B.

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    1. I've never read a book on an electronic device. It's just not my thing.

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  10. Poor Olga and Dave and you! Sickness is always worrisome.

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    1. Olga is better today, fortunately. And I'm pretty healthy overall despite my periodic complaining. (Knock on wood!)

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  11. We get it and I love it. I agree about the price but I love the paper version.

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  12. Nothing worries us more than our animal friends being ill. Maybe she picked something up on a walk. Hope she is better soon.
    Briony
    x

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    1. I so wish she could just TELL us what's going on! That's the worst part -- having to guess!

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  13. I'm hoping Olga's ailment is short lived. I know how worrying it is when our pets are ill. They can't tell us what is wrong or where it hurts.
    After I commented about the price of the New Yorker yesterday, I got to thinking that the journalistic and literary quality of that magazine makes it worth it.

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    1. It IS worth it, I suppose, and it's my only magazine subscription so I should just stop grousing about it.

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  14. Poor Olga. Sounds like a long night. We had a difficult night with a crying toddler, musical beds and rearranging dogs. Quite entertaining.

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  15. Poor Olga. It's hard when our pet buddies are sick. I hope she is doing better now. And I hope you and Dave can get caught up on your sleep.

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    1. She is much better today and we all slept soundly last night!

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  16. I took a walk at the garden this morning and I found out what that plant was you asked about a few days ago. It's the one with the peach-faced love bird munching away on the blooms. It's called Hot Biscuits Amaranth. That's a new one to me!

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    1. Interesting! I've never heard of that particular kind of amaranth, but there's a common one (colloquially called "pigweed") that apparently poses a huge weed problem for farmers. (I just read about this in the Times not too long ago, which is why I'm remembering it!)

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  17. Although I've made the transition to digital for my newspaper (they left me no other option), I still like real magazines. I've kept at least a handful of subscriptions going my entire life with a few of those spanning 35 or more years. Some are/were pricier than others, but always a pleasure to read. Like you, I don't think I'd ever remember to read one on a device (nor do I want to).

    I sure hope Olga feels better soon!

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    1. I get my newspapers online, too, and I don't mind that -- but I do prefer a paper magazine and I definitely enjoy paper books.

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  18. Hope Olga is feeling better today. She has a huge fan club wishing her well.

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    1. Those wishes must have helped -- she's doing much better this morning!

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  19. Poor Olga. I hope she is better now! I wonder what Selfridges mean exactly. I listened to a programme about Tesco today. They are working with a firm who makes reusable packaging. You have to pay a deposit I think for the container, which I think is a one off, then you take it back and can get another product in another container ad infinitum. Meanwhile they take the containers, clean them and reuse them. It sounded a good scheme if a little complicated at first.

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    1. Hmmmm...that's an interesting idea. It does seem insane the way we throw away so much perfectly good packaging. Glass jars, for example, or plastic bins and tubs. Even if it's technically recyclable apparently a lot of it just goes to the incinerator.

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  20. I started getting a recurring monthly charge from the NYT on my paypal account, something like $4.87 a month. I started getting their morning briefing email newsletters every day but often when I would click on a link I wouldn't be able to read the article, sign into your account. what account? I don't remember ever creating an account nor do I remember authorizing that monthly charge. I finally went into my PayPal account and stopped the automatic payments, the the daily briefing emails would stop but I'm still getting them. It's entirely possible I did sign up for something but I have no idea what.

    took Minnie in to get her nails clipped today, long oversue.

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    1. That's very weird! I wonder what happened? I can see how you might have created an online login but it seems like you'd remember if you gave them access to your Paypal.

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  21. Do you suppose Olga ate something that (to put it mildly) didn't agree with her? I hope she's felt better today.

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    1. It's certainly possible. She occasionally picks up stuff off the street while we walk (and probably when she's out with her walker, too) so who knows. She does it so fast it's hard to stop her!

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  22. Bummer - Poor Old Gal - And Drag You All Were Having A Rough Go As Well - Enjoy The Weekend Brother

    Cheers

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