Anyhow, as I am looking through the booklet, I realized, after a few pages, that although the letters are familiar to me, the content is not.  At least not always.   It seems that in order to save, the little booklet was printed in a country that’s, well, how should I say it in a polite way, not Israel.  As Israel is the one and only Hebrew speaking country in the world, it’s highly unlikely to get skilled and proficient Hebrew printers outside Israel.

The result is anywhere between useless and ridiculous.  After all, using reasonable language to communicate with your customers is kind of, well, basic.  I scanned the front page, which is eye catching in its misery.  And while I love the laptop, I’d have to admit that Leading Innovation is somewhat a pompous statement when it’s stamped on a page that’s carrying a bunch of unrelated letters in a foreign language.  Toshiba, spend the extra $1.0 and have the booklets printed locally in whatever country.  Trust me, it’s worth it.

There are some things it simply isn’t worth to save on.  A kid’s smile, a woman’s heart, a user’s understanding that someone really cares.  Well at least just a little more than the next quarter bottom line.

It felt like a rip off, it was a rip off.  But one can’t complain about something one have chosen.

That was then.  This time around, we looked up the Isrotel website and found this absolutely outstanding deal: Isrotel Riviera Club Hotel, four nights, bed only, for less than $700.00.  Significantly less than $200.00 per night.  With the 10% frequent flyer discount and the 5% web discount, it came down to slightly more that $100.00 per night.  We felt that this time we have beaten the system.  And then we started killing the mosquitos, and comparing the furniture to the furniture thrown away by cheap motels in the US following World War II.  And of course, looking at the sun bathers by the pool, we have realized that we were in for an anthropological experience.  We were not disappointed.  Fortunately for us, the hotel manager understood that the mosquitos are not a phenomenon even frugal tourists should face in large numbers, and relocated us to a better wing and floor.  But nice as he was, there was nothing he could do about the various inconsiderate people who went by our room at all hours of the night, screaming, yelling and making plans.

It felt like disappointment.  It was a disappointment.  But one can’t be disappointed with something one have chosen.

So is this our vacation destiny?  To overpay and feel like we’ve been robbed, or underpay and be disappointed?  And while I thought about this, I came up with a brilliant idea.  The concept of Expensive Substitute.  Of course, everyone knows that when you don’t want to overspend on a brand name, you get a cheap substitute.  But figure this one out, you don’t want to use a common brand, or a free resource for that matter, so you get yourself an expensive substitute.  Take the beach for example.  Some beaches are open to the public free of charge.  But those beaches sometimes are filthy, poorly maintained, and the population who frequent them are may be loud, inconsiderate, possibly violent.  How do you avoid it?  Expensive Substitute.  If you choose a beach where you have to pay an entrance fee, you may benefit from cleanliness, better maintenance, and more considerate population.  Usually the benefit of the payment outweighs the payment itself tenfold.

So we are changing our vacation strategy.  We either go for an expensive hotel, or alternatively, if we can’t afford an expensive hotel, we stay home.  Unless of course we find a good deal.  Just kidding.

But, this interesting time provides a good opportunity to discuss and call some bluffs.

Vitamins.  Nutritional supplements.  The Mayo Clinic suggests that: “If you’re generally healthy and eat a wide variety of foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, lean meats and fish, you likely don’t need dietary supplements.” (more).

Dairy products.  I love cheese and milk.  But in all honesty, for many years now I have noticed that I am sensitive to milk and milk products.  To my great surprise I found that most humans are.  Milk, as opposed to what we were taught to believe, is not good for you.  (more).  Milk is the perfect food for calves, not for people.  I must admit though, that chocolate is probably not good for anyone either, yet I love it so much that good for me or not, I still have it once in a while.  Well twice in a while, or more…

Pay attention, this is important.  In Israel, when you buy a gift, it usually comes with an “exchange note”.  Exchange note simply means that if the recipient of your gift thinks that your gift stinks, they can go to the store and exchange it for something more attractive.  The exchange arrangement is limited in time.  So the benefits to the giver is that 1. the value of the gift is disclosed, and 2. no recycling of gifts is possible.  The reason is simple: if you present a gift without an exchange arrangement, the recipient can be sure that you are giving a recycled gift.  If you do, the value is disclosed.  So bottom line, exchange is good for the vendors only.  Go figure.  I hereby state: I will accept gifts that can’t be exchanged.  I promise to love your gift and use it when I have a chance, or recycle it.  But I will always appreciate the thought, and I will always love you for thinking about me.

Let me tell you a little secret: if you have a new car and you have to change the oil, check the brakes, and cross the tires, you don’t have to go to the dealer.  They do it just as good in the neighborhood auto shop.

If you buy an appliance, or anything else for that matter, and the salesperson offers you a great deal on extended warrantee, make sure you ask the salesperson the following question: “Is the product so lousy that you expect it to die a day after the manufacturer warrantee expires?  A year?”.  If the question is yes: do not buy the product.  If the answer is no, do not buy the extended warrantee…

Food for thought: airline safety.  Gas prices went high in 2008, expenses went high, less people traveled, but the ticket prices had to go down.  In short, something had to give.  Was it quality of maintenance?  more

I thought China was a place to bargain.  Let me tell you something.  The situation of the economy is such that a good bargain can be found everywhere.  As long as you stay away from the chain stores and the brands, you can pretty much bargain everywhere and get a lower price.  And that includes everything, including bank and insurance rates.