DOuG pRATt – Page 307 – Prattling Before the Pratfall

Air

Haier products were everywhere when I bought this air conditioner fifteen years ago, but the brand seems to have disappeared from stores.

I’d forgotten it’s 11,500 BTU’s, and extra heavy, so getting the thing out of the house was a struggle.

Dropping off the old A/C at the big trash and recycling center this morning cost $50, but I should be getting a $40 rebate from the Mass Save energy program for the new LG. At 8,000 BTU’s it’s quieter than the Haier was when running.

And that’s about as mundane as a blog post can be.

A MAD Scroll-Down

Stephen Colbert’s heartfelt tribute to MAD cartoonist Al Jaffee.

Saying Al died at 1012 is only a slight exaggeration. He was 102. This is Stephen’s introduction to the book he talked about last night.

https://www.amazon.com/Tall-Tales-Al-Jaffee/dp/0810972727

Jaffee autographed my copy of the book in 2012.

Dog Rat’s Soap Box

That’s what I was listening to then, so lemme see… what about the comic books was I reading? Oh, this one was a very big deal for me. Spectacular Spider-Man #1, a new magazine format comic, on sale April 9. Costing as much as three regular comics (minus a penny), with Spidey in black & white? Sure, why not!

Marvel was finally free of its oppressive 10-year distribution deal with competitor DC, setting the stage for the big DC implosion that year. Editor Stan Lee was expanding the Marvel lineup like crazy with new titles, while publisher Martin Goodman was working a deal to sell the company, and screwing people in the process.

Fabulous Flo Steinberg didn’t get a well-deserved raise, so she quit. Jack Kirby didn’t get a promised contract and Stan gave the new Silver Surfer book to John Buscema, putting the wheels in motion for Jack’s departure two years later.

https://seanhowe.tumblr.com/post/177947385267/martin-goodman-sells-marvel-comics-to-perfect-film

A/C Action Required

Did I mention the porch air conditioner died at the end of last summer? Well, it did. This was how it looked the day it was installed in October, 2007.

The thing about a thru-wall A/C is, it has to either be left in place or replaced. Otherwise, the wall has to be closed up. As Trustee of my late parents’ estate, I had the long dead thru-wall swamp cooler in the garage at their house in greater Phoenix removed, and the wall repaired. Cost? $600. A job like that would cost significantly more in greater Boston!

Before in AZ

After in AZ

Thursday and Friday we could get a taste of Arizona heat here, with weather in the mid-80’s. A replacement A/C for the porch should be here on Wednesday.