Prius Rant -- Just an Opinion

What is going on with folks who drive the Toyota Prius car?  I don't know how it is in your town, but out here, folks who drive a Prius have several unusual behaviors.  They tend to drive slowly, i.e., too slow for the traffic flow.  What's yer problem there Prius driver?  Can't get it into second gear?  No third gear on that buggy?  Afraid that gas pedal will stick? 

The Mensa Genius has a theory.  Genius postulates that Prius drivers do not want to use energy; they think driving slower will save energy.  Well Prius folks, let me clue you in.  The fact that everyone coming up behind you has to break, because you are driving so slow that it reduces the flow of traffic, may actually increase the use of gas because we will finally have to accelerate to get around and ahead of you.  There may also be a contribution to air pollution from the needless use of our brakes as we slow down when you are ahead of us going so darn slow.

The second thing I notice about Prius drivers is that they always leave about 7 car lengths between themselves and the vehicle in front of them.  What's that about?  Don't your brakes work?  You don't need 7 to 10 car lengths to break when you are holding up the flow of traffic at your vehicular crawl of 30 miles per hour. 

An online search revealed that the Prius v gets 44/40 est. mpg (miles per gallon, estimate?).  Big deal.  My old Honda Civic Hatchback manual transmission from the 1980s got over 40 mpg and I did not need to suck electricity from coal burning or nuclear plants to make it happen. I did not need to drive slowly or leave excessive space between my Civic and the vehicle in front of me.  That Honda was a good car with great mileage using technology nearly 30 years old.

 I have come to a conclusion:  If I see a Prius on the road ahead,  I
a) seek an alternate route,  or  b) find the fastest way to get around and ahead of it.
I am pleading with all you Prius drivers -- Help the rest of us Southwesterners out and step on it!  If you want to drive slow, move up north!

Sincerely,
Southwest Desert Blogger
C. (c)2012

Discount Code

Howdy to the first Southwest Desert Blogger reader from China.  2012 is the year of the Dragon -- the Water Dragon.  What will this mean for us?  Anyone out there who can explain this?

Last year's 99 cent store plant is blooming again.  I keep it in the shade.

The sun is getting stronger in the Southwest Desert.  Some of the days are tasting like the hot dryness of summer.  It is just a taste -- an appetizer -- a reminder of what is to come.

The Code:  WAL660
For all you international jet-setters, cowboys, cowgirls, city slickers, taxi riders, horse riders, bike riders, board riders, wave riders, bus riders, range rovers, raw vegans, omnivores, and everyone just hoofin' it, I have a discount code WAL660 you can use at iherb.com . Link to: www.iherb.com/info/benefits.  My iherb shipments to the USA Desert Southwest arrive in 3 business days, with online tracking.  The iherb site has health food, super foods, vitamins, green powders (Hawaiian Spirulina, and others), homeopathics, organics, raw food and supplements such as raw chia seed, raw hemp seed, raw cacao, coconut oil, kelp noodles, healthy pet food, organic shampoos and skin products, tea, loose herbs, sports supplements, essential oils, protein powders, and new products added every week, all at discounts.  I think it will help you balance the budget. The WAL660 code will get you $10 (USA dollars) off your first order of $40 or more, or $5 off a first time order less than $40.  Just enter the code WAL660 in the shopping cart before final check-out. 
I am also told there is free shipping for international orders over $60, available now, but it may end March 31, 2012.  So get a move on and check it out.  iherb ships to over 180 countries.  They have been shipping international for over 14 years.  Average shipping time to China: 8-day average delivery time with possible extra delays/ expenses due to customs. This option offers tracking information. Yamato Japan, average 4 day shipping barring possible customs delays.  Check out the average delivery time for International Airmail for selected countries, based on feedback from iherb.com customers. Updated May 2011:

Australia 11	Canada 9	Germany 12	Israel 7	Mexico 15	Romania 8	Sweden 12
Austria 7	Czech Republic 7	Great Britain 10	Italy 14	Netherlands 8	Russia 17	Switzerland 11
Belarus 13	Denmark 8	Greece 9	Latvia 9	New Zealand 10	Singapore 9	Taiwan 11
Belgium 11	Estonia 10	Hong Kong 9	Lithuania 10	Norway 8	Slovakia 7	Ukraine 8
Brazil 22	Finland 8	Hungary 10	Malaysia 13	Poland 15	Slovenia 6	Spain 9
Bulgaria 8	France 10	Ireland 8	Malta 11	Portugal 9	South Korea 9

More international shipping info at http://www.iherb.com/info/shipping/International#iqs .

Be sure to visit the iherb freebies pages and select one free item with your order.  For all you domestic folks, i.e., non-international, there is free USA shipping for orders over $20 and faster free shipping for orders over $40.  Just select your shipping option at checkout.  I have dealt with this company for years and find the shipping fast and efficient.
Most of the products they sell have customer reviews with interesting ideas and thoughts about the products.  Check it out between waves you Hawaiian dudes and wahinis, rhinestone urban range cowfolk, sprout-growing southerners, and radiant raw food friends.  This cowpoke wouldn't steer you wrong.

I AM your
Southwest Desert Blogger
C. (c)2012

Orange Blossom Haiku and Dental Implant Juice

Fragrant orange blossoms

Haiku

The heady fragrance
of many orange blossoms
clouds the orange tree.

 Blog Post:
The heady fragrance of orange blossoms clouds the old orange tree.  The bees create an audible hum as they pollinate.  People are getting cranky about their allergies -- springtime in the Southwest Desert.

I had some dental work done.  To keep the site clean, especially for the first 3 days following the dental implant, the instructions are "DO NOT have anything with little bits ... for the first 3 days...We do not want anything little to enter the surgery site."  Glad I no longer have the Omega VRT350 HD juicer because the pulp amounted to vegetable bits, especially carrot, and drinking that juice could have compromised the healing of the site.  Yes, I could strain the juice, but why go through the extra steps of straining, cleaning the strainer, a second container, and perhaps spilling some juice in the process?  I just used my old juicer and have a perfectly clean, pulp-free juice with no extra steps. 
Happily enjoying the smooth, pulp-free, string-free juice from my little16 year old juicer,
Southwest Desert Blogger
C. (c)2012 

More Before You Buy a Juicer Tips and Cactus Flowers

Close up of "Old Father" cactus with flowers and buds

Springtime in the Southwest Desert:  Two column cacti in bloom -- agave in the background.  It has been dry.  Temperatures dipped into the upper 30s (Fahrenheit) last night, but I believe we are done with the 30s for the remainder of the spring.  There's talk of summer coming too soon.

Before you buy a juicer tip of the day:  Chew on this.  Before you buy a juicer know how many parts you need to wash after you juice.  General Rule:  The fewer parts, the better.  Fewer parts to clean means disassembling and reassembling the juicer will be faster, and there will be less work cleaning fewer parts.  Also consider how the parts are shaped.  Will there be tiny, difficult to access areas to clean?  Of course, the screen most juicers have is one part that must be cleaned well and you may need a brush to get this job done efficiently.  Are the parts dishwasher safe?  Do you plan to juice daily and do you use your dishwasher daily?  If not, you are the dishwasher.  Is just eating your fruits and veggies sounding better about now?

For more Before You Buy a Juicer Tips, see Southwest Desert Blogger post dated March 4, 2012 and the numerous posts describing my experience with the Omega VRT350HD juicer posted between 2/8/12 and  September 2011.  Happy shopping.  Choose well.

Southwest Desert Blogger
C. (c)2012
  P.S.  To support this blog and get discounts on healthy products, use code WAL660 for $5 off any purchase at www.iherb.com .  They sell nutritional supplements, raw supplements, raw and organic food such as tahini, coconut oils, energy bars, goji, etc., herbs, teas, organic and natural shampoos, conditioners, skin creams and lotions, cosmetics, dry skin brushes, Madre Labs acai and Cafeceps, soaps such as Dr. Bronner's Castile, raw cacao, organic chia seed, hemp seed, seaweed, nuts, seaweed noodles, oils, homeopathics, organic pet food, etc. at discounts.  Currently, they ship free for orders of $20 or more.  They also ship internationally.  Just enter code WAL660 at check out.    Plus, there are helpful product reviews.   And more free:  iherb offers a variety of FREE PRODUCTS to sample, so be sure to select one with your order.  I think you will find iherb prices lower than your local store.  It is interesting to browse www.iherb.com so check it out.

Got Snow?

Just wanted to let you know the temperatures in the Southwest Desert:
Predicted high temperature for today is over 80 degrees Fahrenheit.  The wild desert flowers are in bloom.  Tomorrow the temperature is expected to be lower, but still pleasant.  I spoke to someone in Maine last Friday.  It was snowing there. 

Scroll down to yesterday's post if you want to know what to look for, and look out for, before buying a vertical juicer.

Having a wonderful time,
Wish you were here,
Southwest Desert Blogger
C. (c) 2012

Before You Buy an Omega VRT 350 HD Vertical Juicer

Thinking of buying a new juicer?  Looking at the vertical juicers?  Trying to decide which juicer will meet your needs?  Here are some things to consider:

Looking down into the juice collection container after pouring the juice into a jar:  You can see some of the foam the Omega VRT 350HD produced still clinging to the sides, and at the bottom you can see little chunks of carrot!  Scroll down to previous posts as far back as September 2011 to see other examples of strings, etc. found in the Omega VRT350HD juice.

1.  Size of the juicer - Will it fit under your cabinets, on your counter space, and allow enough vertical and horizontal space for comfortable juicing.  Don't forget that you need to allow horizontal space for the juice and pulp collection bins or jars.  This could be several inches of additional horizontal space on either side of the base of the juicer.  Some online sources do not list the actual dimensions.  If you have the dimensions of the juicer you are interested in, be sure the juice and pulp collection vessels are included.
     You also need to consider additional vertical space to comfortably input produce.  If there are shelves or cabinets above the place you plan to put your juicer, is there enough space above the juicer to add produce?
     I found that the cabinets above and behind the Omega VRT350HD got carrot juice drops splattered on them.  I am not sure how the drops of carrot juice shot up from the produce input chute, but I had to clean the cabinet door after almost every juicing.

2.  Weight of juicer -  The Omega VRT350HD juicer I had weighed over 18 pounds in the shipping box.  The actual juicer, without packing material, weighed a bit less, but it was heavier than I had expected.  It was somewhat cumbersome and awkward to move the unit as it had not grips or handle.  I had to move the juicer out from under the cabinets daily because the bottom of the cabinet above the counter was so close to the top of the juicer.  Then, as described above, the cabinet door got splatters of juice from the juicing.
    Back to the weight of the juicer:  If you buy online at one of the many online merchants, be sure you get free shipping.  And, that brings us to topic 3...

3.  Can you return the juicer?  Online merchants may not allow you to return the juicer.  In the case of the Omega VRT350HD,  there is a manufacturer's warranty on parts, but if you do not like the amount of pulp, etc,. if you do not like the strings in the juice, if you do not like the amount of foam, if there is anything you do not like that cannot be remedied by replacement parts or replacement juicer, you may be stuck with an expensive piece of equipment that does not meet your expectations.  The online merchant I purchased from had a no returns policy.  Getting replacement parts from Omega takes time and may not remedy the problem(s) one is experiencing.  Returning the juicer to Omega for replacement took me over 2 weeks of transit time.  That was time without the juicer.
     If you have to pay to return a juicer, insure it, etc. it could cost more or less $30 depending on how far you have to ship the juicer and whether you have retained the box and packing materials. If you have to purchase boxes and have it packed at the shipping store, the price could rapidly escalate.

4.  You can return whatever you want, but whether you will get your money refunded is another issue.  I suspect most consumers have neither the time, nor the tenacity to deal with online merchants with attitude.  I received what I can only describe as a nasty, threatening, over-reactive voice mail from the online merchant I purchased my Omega VRT350HD juicer from.  It was extremely worrisome and unsettling.  I have retained that recording.  I hope none of you have to go through that sort of drama. You may need to be highly persistent to get the outcome you desire with some online merchants.  Hint:  contact the Better Business Bureau (BBB) in their geographic area.  If there is a BBB online complaint form, your job may be easier. 

5.  Your first juicer?  If this is your first juicer, you may want to start cheaper and work your way up.  You may find that you do not like to juice your own juice.  You may not have the time to juice often.  You may not like to wash the juicer parts.  It may not be for you, so why plunk down the better part of $400.  Maybe you should just go to a big discount warehouse like the one I lovingly call "Costlo" and get a name brand juicer for under $100.  Costlo, and the others of its ilk, have easy return policies, so if you do not like the juicer, the juice, the process of juicing, you only want to juice once a month, or the juicer just doesn't "feel" right, you can return it for a hassle-free refund.
     Got friends with juicers?  Watch them juice and wash the juicer.  Taste the juice.  If you have never had any experience with a juicer, you may want a juicer that has better instructions than the Omega VRT350HD.  The Omega VRT350HD I purchased came with minimal instructions.  Even after decades of juicing, I wished for more info with the vertical juicer.  Additional information from the dealer and the company sources tended to conflict.
   
6.  Who can you trust?  When merchants steer you toward purchasing one juicer over another, is it because they make a greater profit on that item?  Do they genuinely like that juicer over another because of the potential profits?
     I wanted the juicer with the non-toxic plastic and was repeatedly told to get the Omega because of the warranty.  Every day I thought about that plastic.  Every day I disliked the Omega VRT350HD pulp and strings.  The juicer with the non-toxic plastic doesn't have a long warranty, but what is the use of a long warranty if you just don't like the juicer and the quality of the juice it produces? 

Strings and other matter in the Omega VRT 350 HD juice.

  After drinking most of the quart (liter) some of the pink foam remains at the bottom of the jar, above the red veg juice.  Measure in inches.

Sorry guys, I am over the buy a new juicer thing.  I am happily juicing with my 16 year old juicer and I purchased another used juicer of the same model as a back-up in the secondary (i.e., used) market, for significantly less than one-tenth the price of a discount Omega VRT350HD. 
     If you love your VRT, extol it's virtues on your own blog.  The above observations and opinions are based on my frustrating experience during months of juicing and efforts with the Omega vrt 350hd. 
I'm not here to sell you a juicer.

Hope you get what's best for you,
Southwest Desert Blogger
C. (c)2012 
P.S.  I do not insert ads or ads with cookies on this site as so many bloggers do.  If you'd like to support this blog, check the health food and supplements, including raw and organics at www.iherb.com/info/benefits  or just copy and paste www.iherb.com and use discount code WAL660.  The iherb site also has super foods, vitamins, green powders (Hawaiian Spirulina, and others), homeopathics, organics, raw food http://www.iherb.com/Search?kw=raw+organic
and supplements such as raw chia seed, raw hemp seed, raw cacao, coconut oil, kelp noodles, healthy pet food, Dr. Bronners, organic shampoos and skin products, tea, loose herbs, sports supplements, essential oils, protein powders, all at discounts. There are helpful product reviews and quick shipping. The WAL660 code will get you $5 off a first time order and there is free shipping for US orders of $20 (there may be weight restrictions) or $40 or more (no US weight restrictions).  Just enter the code WAL660 in the shopping cart before final check-out.  Remember to add a "freebies" free product to your order.
iherb ships to over 180 countries.  Thanks for helping support this blog, and saving yourself some money by using the WAL660 discount code at iherb.com .