Atlanta, I hear you calling...

Hail pounding on the metal skin, our bodies bouncing like ragdolls, we checked our thoughts for signs of comfort - prayers, assurance that pilots and planes are safer than texting drivers - wondering, wondering, wondering... then, out into the sun, over water vapour mushrooms blooming in unstable air masses (a cold front? all is relative) and landing in the mess that is ATL in sweltering summer storms. Enuf sed!

Taxes? What taxes?

Here in the balmy state of Alabama, parents head to stores, determined to save a few percent off total cost to buy their children school supplies without paying sales tax.

"Get the package that you want!"

My frugal wife and I shopped and shopped and shopped for days, spending more in hours than we'd ever hope to recover in savings trying to determine which low-end budget computer system we wanted for Web surfing, email and rare home video production (including photo and music storage).

I'd detail our decision process but won't. Instead, I'll summarise:

Looked at Intel i3 system - too slow (due to emulated 4-core?); Intel i5 system out of our budget range; AMD Phenom II not worth the extra cost; AMD Athlon II x4 630 and 635 about the same. Settled on HP Pavilion P6520F at Staples for $529.88 plus HP S2331 LCD monitor for $199.99, staying below the $750 limit with room to spare! Purchased clothes at Burke's Outlet and called our tax-free shopping spree a complete success.