NEWS UPDATE: Series I savings bond yields come back down to earth.

Image of Series I Savings Bond

The initial interest rate on new Series I savings bonds was 9.62%. through October 2022.The current rate through April 2023 is 6.89%. Still an attractive rate compared to bank savings rates.

A Series I savings bond is a security that earns interest based on both a fixed rate and a rate that is set twice a year based on inflation. The bond earns interest until it reaches 30 years or you cash it, whichever comes first. While the limit per person is $10,000. a year, it’s still a great deal compared to insured savings accounts or money market accounts. More information here.

Update – AB 1139 Defeated

Thanks to everyone who contacted their representatives to help defeat the bill. One of the reasons for the bill authored by Lorena Gonzalez (D-San Diego) was to ensure that non-solar customers did not end up paying more at the expense of solar customers. This is a worthy goal however the bill as written would have penalized solar customers, effectively stopped new residential solar installations and would have a negative impact on climate change. Most of the bills provisions would have benefited the big power companies with no guarantees of consumer benefits.

Stop California utilities from blocking the sun.

UPDATE The bill was defeated however SCE continues to lobby California legislators to quash residential solar.

Quarantine Activity 3 – Organize and Secure Your Passwords

POST UPDATE Last Pass experienced a serious security breach resulting in users passwords potentially being exposed. I no longer recommend using LastPass.
LastPass logo
Who has time to undo years of poor password hygiene?  You do now.

Cleaning up and securing your passwords is a great COVID19 quarantine activity.

This activity involves:

  • Signing up for LastPass
  • Collecting all your old password notes and account emails
  • Deleting any accounts that do not bring you joy
  • Setting secure passwords for all remaining accounts

LastPass website

Quarantine Activity # 10 -Digitize your Photos and Slides

Photo Scanning Image

Gather all your decades-past photo albums and shoeboxes of family snapshots and send them out to be scanned.

  • Easier to Access and Share
  • Protection from loss due to fire
  • Covid19 friendly

Scan My Photos Website

Special Offer Signup

Online Specials

I have used ScanMyPhotos.com several times for both prints and slides.   They are not the least expensive however the quality is goo and they are local – in Irvine.  They run specials on a regular basis – sign up for their newsletter and order when there is a 33-40% off offer.  I generally get the highest resolution they offer with no other options.

Spotlight search image

HOWTO: Re-Index the Spotlight Index on a Mac

The file search tool Spotlight on Macs is a fast flexible way to find files, except when it isn’t.  Occasionally Spotlight does not find files I know are on my Mac and the index needs to be repaired.  

To force Spotlight to delete an old index and create a new one:

  1. Click the Privacy tab.
  2. Drag the folder or disk that you want to index again to the list of locations that Spotlight is prevented from searching. Or click the Add (+) button and select the folder or disk to add.
  3. Choose Apple menu () > System Preferences, then click Spotlight.
  4. To add an item to the Privacy tab, you must have ownership permissions for that item. To learn about permissions, choose Help from the Finder menu bar, then search for “permissions.”
  5. From the same list of locations, select the folder or disk that you just added. Then click the Remove (–) button to remove it from the list.
  6. Quit System Preferences. Spotlight will reindex the contents of the folder or disk.  This can take a long time.

ReelAbilities Film Festival: New York Logo

Wild Prairie Rose New York Premier April 3 and 4

Our movie WILD PRAIRIE ROSE will make it’s New York Premiere at the ReelAbilities Film Festival: New York.  The film will be shown –

WEDNESDAY APR 3 | 7:30 PM | GOLD COAST ARTS CENTER

113 MIDDLE NECK RD, GREAT NECK PLAZA
NY 11021, USA
TEL: 516-829-2570
goldcoastarts.org

THURSDAY APR 4 | 6:15 PM | MARLENE MEYERSON JCC MANHATTAN

334 AMSTERDAM AVE, NEW YORK
NY 10023, USA
TEL: 646-505-5708
www.jccmanhattan.org/film/reelabilities/
Our director, Deborah LaVine, and actors Troy Kotsur, Suanne Spoke, and Maya Brattkus will be there!