The Long Road Out

There’s a snow removal company in Truckee, California that has a monopoly. Elements it’s called. We’ve had 5+ feet of snow here in three days and it’s still snowing.    For two 26 hour periods in there, we've been snowed in--it's very comfortable in our house, and we have lots of food, and Netflix, and all the rest.  And, we're trying to quarantine in the belief that somehow we're helping hold back the worst of Coronavirus. Who needs self-regulation when you're actually help prisoner in your house (not entirely true--we've climbed out on snowshoes and cross country skis).  Having snow up to the top of your garage door actually has a calming effect--your choices are eliminated.  So, you get the picture: a service provider with terribly low standards of customer care, failing again during this current storm. Elements sent out a message yesterday that should be a reminder to all of us about how to care for your neighbors in times of anxiety, troubl...

We've been abused by AirBnB several times recently, and we just locked in apartments for late fall 2019 (so we don't miss our favorites which are already largely booked for that period). This gives us some expertise on all the anti-renter policies. The worst one of course is the handling of cash.   If you rent now, AirBnB charges 100% of the rental and their fees.   You pay.   It doesn't matter when the term starts or ends.   Even IHG and Marriott and the rest of the bricks and mortar hospitality industry don't have the balls to do that! It puts AirBnB up there with only one similarly lousy group:   the airlines!   Now for the next injustice--penalties start immediately.   If, for instance, you've rented a place for a month, on day 2, the penalty is 30 days.   In other words, AirBnB took my money yesterday, claims 100% of it now, and I have to stay alive and healthy long enough to show up November 15, 2019 for a full month to benefit from ...