Aviously

Super Mario Run

@iAmAviG

December 19, 2016

When this game came out on December 15th, the number of downloads was through the roof, with 2.85 Million on Day 1.

Nintendo and Mario have been exclusively together for so many years, and now they were finally going out of their way to join the mobile platforms.

But when I downloaded the app and played through the first three levels, I wondered to myself: “This is what we waited for”?

A spin-off on the classic “Temple Run” theme, of your character moving on their own and you simply tapping on the screen to jump, Super Mario Run lets you run through boards chasing after Bowser in an attempt to save the Princess.

When I reached level 1-4 I found out that the game wasn’t really “Free”, and to unlock the rest I needed to pay $10 for another 21 levels…and trust me when I say that the three levels they give you to try doesn’t smell of “high level gaming”.

Now I am sure that thousands of people will dish out the money for this, and do it time and again with each level release, but the game in its current stage just isn’t worth it.
It’s not particularly exciting once you get past the “I’M PLAYING MARIO AGAIN” portion of things, and it’s just another mundane iOS game.

I personally find it to be a 4.5 out of 10.

Gas Tax vs Mile Tax

@iAmAviG

1 comment

December 16, 2016

A lot of what you pay for gas is taxes. These taxes help pay for road repairs and other Department of Transportation needs.

Recently New Jersey raised their gas tax by 20+ cents per gallon, and the drivers complained, as it raised them to near National average (currently at $2.22/gallon).

States such as Oregon and Washington are testing out a new method, switching from a gas tax to a mileage tax.
Washington, for example, currently charges 49 cents/gal in gas taxes, and averages $2.58/gal.
With this new plan in place it would bring gas prices down to $2.09/gal and instead charge 2.4 cents/mile (Oregon’s program currently charges 1.5 cents/mi).

GPS trackers are inserted into every car (think about similar ways to EZ Pass tracking or how Automatic works) and the government reviews the data and sends you the occasional bill (maybe as part of the registration process).

This will allow even taxing amongst all vehicles using and abusing the roads, regardless if they are using a Hummer (15mpg) or a Tesla Model S (102mpg). Right now for the equal 100 miles of driving in Washington these cars would pay $3.26 and $0.48 respectively in a driving tax.
With the mileage tax, those 100 miles will charge both drivers equally….$1.50 in Oregon and $2.40 in Washington.

Obviously this would save the gas guzzlers some money but would cost electric vehicles more money…but in the end everyone would be paying the same fair share for using the roads.

Hess Trucks

@iAmAviG

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December 15, 2016

The Hess Truck is back, and it’s better than ever.

Every year Hess rolls out their latest truck in what is probably the easiest way to make money year after year.
They are not a toy company, but an oil and gas company, who just so happens to put out a yearly truck, just in time for the holidays.

I like the tradition. Those that collect them have something to look forward to year after year, and quite frankly, the trucks are really cool to play with.

When I was a kid I had a few of them, and I remember them to this day…and with the roadside Hess locations gone, is it bad that every kid knows their name because of the yearly song?
Nope. That just sounds like good marketing.

I had a few of these trucks including:

1995 Truck with Helicopter
1998 Rec Van with Motorcycle and Sand Buggy
1999 Space Shuttle Transport

If I wasn’t such an adult, I would still buy this every year, and recommend it as a good gift for kids ages 6+, just visit them online at hesstoytruck.com, and remember that Energizer batteries are included!

Top Sports Moments of 2016

@iAmAviG

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December 14, 2016

Here are what I consider the top sports moments of 2016:

8. College Basketball
UCONN Women win Fourth Straight
The dominance was there for the UCONN women, as they took their fourth straight title as their outgoing graduates carried the torch.

Meanwhile on the Men’s side Villanova used every second of the game to beat UNC, and won it on a buzzer beater that kept water coolers buzzing.

7. Warriors win 73
A year after winning the Championship, the Warriors set a single-season record for games won.
But in an NBA Finals rematch against the Cavaliers they just couldn’t win the games that mattered most.

6. Lebron
As much as I might not be able to stand Lebron The Person, there is no disputing what Lebron The Player is able to do on the court. And he went ahead and brought Cleveland their first Championship in 52 years.

5. Peyton Manning Rides Off In Style
Peyton Manning may have had the worst year of his career, but the Broncos helped him ride off into the sunset, with a win in Super Bowl 50.

4. Michael Phelps
Continuing to set his Olympic Records, Phelps reached 28 career medals (including 23 Golds) as his dominance in the pool went swimmingly (amongst the men).

3. Soccer Reigns Supreme
Soccer as a whole took the world by storm this year, with three major moments standing out.

Leicester City overcame 5000-to-1 odds and won the English Premier League

Cristiano Ronaldo may have left early with an injury, but Portugal took the title at Euro 2016

Lionel Messi missed his chance in penalty kicks and Chile took the cup at the COPA America Centenario

2. Katie Ledecky
She destroyed the field in the 800m, beating everyone else (and setting the world record) by 12 seconds. It’s amazing that the human body is still able to evolve to such levels. She also walked away with four gold medals at the Rio 2016 games.

1. Chicago Cubs
The Cubs won the World Series for the first time in 108 years, passing the drought off to their opponent (the Cleveland Indians who now have a 68 year wait). No city has waited that long, and lived and died with their team over the years, then the curse of the Billy Goat.

How I Got Better at FIFA Online

@iAmAviG

1 comment

December 13, 2016

FIFA Online play is a beast of its own.

One starts off in Division 10, and play 10-game seasons. Based on how you do in those games, you either get promoted, relegated or even win the league.

When I started Division 10 (and subsequently Divisions 9, 8, 7, 8 and 7) I played as my favorite team, NYCFC.

The online system does a good job at matching you up with semi-equal matchups. If your team is a 2 1/2 star team, you are gonna play against similar teams, like the Irish National team or Necaxa.
Take a 5-star Barcelona team, and you’ll face off with Real Madrid, Juventus, and the other world powerhouses.

So as I slowly made my way up through the lower divisions, I got better at dealing with the team I had.
My players all had their flaws, so I learned to work with them. I made short, certain passes. Only took shots on goal when I was lined up correctly. And didn’t try anything too crazy.

When I first reached Division 7 I got destroyed. Even though the other players were playing with similar level teams, my players couldn’t keep up with the skill levels…and that’s where I switched over to Messi and the Argentina National Team.

And suddenly my carefulness paid off. Making these passes and lined-up shots with these all-pro players, I had no problem moving up from Divison 7 to 6.

And then I hit my next speedbump…I was under-utilizing my team. I wasn’t stretching the field and using their passing abilities and speed to their potential. And I wasn’t taking shots from outside the box, which are easily makable by the likes of Messi, Di Maria and Higuain, and not so from Jack Harrison and Tommy Mac.

So now I need to kick my game up to another level…and start learning what all these darn buttons do…

2016 Song of the Year Amazon Gift Card(s) Giveaway!!! #SOTD

@iAmAviG

1 comment

December 9, 2016

This years’ Song of the Year list is just about complete, and that means it’s time for our second annual #AvisTravels giveaway contest. This is the fourth year that I am doing the list (third on this site), and it always provides some fun (and arguments).

Complete the form below and submit a list of my Top 10 songs of the year.

The person who guesses the most correct songs will win a $10 Amazon Gift Card.
If the winner guesses all 10 songs correctly, in any order, they get a $25 Gift Card.
If all 10 songs are guessed correctly in order the prize goes up to $50!

And just like last year, if we get 10+ entrants (or 25+ entries) the Top 2 entries win!

I’ll give the same hint as I gave last year: Think how I think. Consider what music I like and what I’ve used in the past, and remember that in order to qualify the song MUST HAVE COME OUT IN 2016.

As the entrants from last year know, I am great at giving hints if you ask for them after your submissions, and last year all multiple entrants walked away with a gift card!

Disclosures: Multiple entries are allowed (up to 10, any remaining ones will be disqualified) and in the event of a tie, monies will be split amongst the winners. Contest ends when Top Songs of 2016 post goes live!

The Secret to Online Hotel Pricing

@iAmAviG

1 comment

December 8, 2016

Disclaimer: This is not just limited to Priceline/Expedia/Kayak/etc and likely applies to all travel sites, but a little look behind the curtains of how these companies get you the cheapest rates in town.

When you go to book your hotel, some people are smart and shop around before booking.
If you don’t try too hard and are looking for cheaper rates, sometimes it is as simple as “Paying in advance” and they give you a better rate (I’m looking at you Days Inn).
But often enough you’ll look at a site and see one price, and then head over to Expedia (for example) and see an even cheaper rate.

For the topic of this conversation, let’s focus on Country Inn & Suites in Camp Springs, MD.
If I go to book a night via their website for tonight, I can get a King Size bed for $126.

But if I head over to Priceline, and browse through their Priceline Express deals, I can get that exact same room for $95.
<Priceline Express does not tell you what hotel or room you are getting, but I did a little work for this, and am certain they are the same room>

So how does Priceline get away with the cheaper pricing?

The websites go out and buy rooms at wholesale rates, and then turn it around and mark it up a few dollars and sell it to you.

So why can’t you and I go out and buy at wholesale? Well…we probably could if we bought enough rooms (hence hotel rewards programs).
A site like Expedia or Priceline goes to a hotel and buys the same room every night for a year. With the guarantee of 365 days of business, and it’s likely that not all of them will be used (free $$ since housekeeping is not needed in that case), the hotel is able to give them a better rate.

They then turn it around and sell it at a markup, with likely higher markups around special events, holidays, and other times that the rooms are in higher demand, yet still cheaper than what the hotel will give you.

The hotel gets their money regardless, the website makes a few dollars, you save a few dollars, and everyone is happy.

Happy hunting and safe travels!

Pete's Dragon vs. The Jungle Book (2016)

@iAmAviG

2 comments

December 7, 2016

Pete’s Dragon and The Jungle Book are so similar, yet surprisingly so different, as both are live-action remakes of many peoples childhood favorites.

Pete’s Dragon starts off with Pete’s parents getting in a car accident, leaving him stranded in the forest, and ala Beauty and the Beast is surrounded by wolves and saved by the beast of the forest, this time a Dragon, who he names Elliott.
Pete then goes ahead and lives in the wilds of the jungle for six years, until deforestation hits his area, and he is discovered by people who try and bring him back to the real world (and steal Elliott away from him).

The Jungle Book is the story a lot of us grew up with, as Mowgli is raised by wolves after his father was killed by Shere Khan, a lion and King of the Jungle.
As Khan tries to hunt down Mowgli for revenge, after his father left Khan scarred and blinded, Mowgli stumbles through adventures and characters throughout the wilderness.

Pete’s Dragon features a fantastic soundtrack, including Lindsey Stirling’s end credit song Something Wild, while The Jungle Book tries to reimagine the songs of our childhood and fails miserably as Christopher Walken gives children nightmares with his croaking.

The dialogue in Pete’s Dragon is minimal at times, letting the music and visuals tell the tale, while The Jungle Book is slow paced and clunky at times.

Robert Redford and Bryce Dallas Howard bring the star power to Dragon while Walken and Bill Murray play roles in Jungle Book.

Pete’s Dragon gets a 9 out of 10 while The Jungle Book gets a 6 out of 10.

Pete’s Dragon vs. The Jungle Book (2016)

@iAmAviG

2 comments

December 7, 2016

Pete’s Dragon and The Jungle Book are so similar, yet surprisingly so different, as both are live-action remakes of many peoples childhood favorites.

The dialogue in Pete’s Dragon is minimal at times, letting the music and visuals tell the tale, while The Jungle Book is slow paced and clunky at times.

Robert Redford and Bryce Dallas Howard bring the star power to Dragon while Walken and Bill Murray play roles in Jungle Book.

Pete’s Dragon gets a 9 out of 10 while The Jungle Book gets a 6 out of 10.

The Cost of Vacation – Virginia Edition #AvisTravels

@iAmAviG

3 comments

December 6, 2016

When I did Niagara last year one of my more popular posts was the complete vacation breakdown, costs and all.
Well here is this years Virginia edition, from my trip a few weeks ago.

Below are Attractions + Hotels, Gas Costs, and Tolls

ATTRACTIONS + HOTELS

Saturday
Holiday Inn, Inner Harbor Baltimore – Booked via Priceline Express = $97 + $25.37 (taxes and fees) = $122.37

Sunday
Inner Harbor – $18

American Civil War Museum – $18

Garth Brooks Concert – $78.88

The Berkeley Hotel, Richmond – Booked via Expedia = $100.88 + $0 (taxes and fees…more on that in the upcoming days) = $100.88

Monday
Richmond International Raceway – Free

Jamestown/Yorktown – $19.15

Williamsburg – $50.99

Country Inn & Suites, Williamsburg-Historic Area = $65.96 + $9.25 (taxes and fees) = $75.21

Tuesday
National Museum of the Marine Corps – Free

Country Inn & Suites Camp Springs = $105 + $22.56 (taxes and fees) = $127.56

TOTAL COST OF ATTRACTIONS AND HOTELS = $611.04

GAS COSTS

The mileage and gas costs were calculated via the Automatic insert in my car.

Home –> Baltimore — 194 miles — $15.96

Baltimore –> Richmond — 94 miles — $11.06

Driving around Richmond — 11.7 miles — $1.21

Richmond –> Norfolk — 94 miles — $7.12

Norfolk –> Yorktown –> Jamestown –> Williamsburg — 85.3 miles — $6.50

Williamsburg –> Quantico — 119 miles — $9.00

Virginia –> DC –> Home — 235.5 miles — $16.99

TOTAL COST OF GAS = $67.84 — 833.5 Miles

TOLLS

In order of use:
Verrazano-Narrows Bridge – $11.08
NJ Turnpike – $9.10
Delaware Memorial Bridge – $4.00
Delaware Tolls – $4.00
Fort McHenry Tunnel – $4.00
Virginia Tolls – $4.30
Fort McHenry Tunnel – $4.00
Maryland Bridge – $8.00
Delaware Tolls – $4.00
NJ Turnpike – $9.10
Goethals Bridge – $10.50

TOTAL COST OF TOLLS = $72.08

TOTAL COSTS
Attractions + Hotels — $611.04
Gas — $67.84
Tolls – $72.08
TOTAL = $750.96

GARTH BROOKS IN CONCERT = PRICELESS

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