5 Thoughts for January 25, 2016

1. Google+: I hear the complaints from lots of people, about their Facebook feed; I don't use Facebook at all; I use Google+. In the early days of Google+, I was lucky to get an invite from someone on Lifehacker. I added friends and coworkers, but they don't use Google+. Instead, from that one guy's invite, I grew this one circle to a handful of folks, and these people post amazing things. While my friends talk about how Facebook is gossipy, silly and irreverent, my Google+ feed is absolutely fabulous.
2. Metromile: My auto insurance is coming up for renewal, so they sent me an email. According to the new terms, it looks like my new 12-month base rate will be $3 lower than this past 12 month period. If that $3 savings seems small, it is, but I'm already saving a ridiculous amount of money with Metromile, I had to laugh when I saw that. They could have increased it a few hundred dollars and I would still be saving an obscene amount of money over my previous rate with State Farm.
3. Interesting Coincidence: Two days after posting my design sketches for a vacant piece of property, the listing was removed. With its zoning, buyers were restricted to a single family detached house, so the price was 4x too high. If it had a different zoning, the price was in the ballpark of similar properties in the general area. Given the jurisdiction, I didn't think it would get a variance for higher density housing, so it didn't shock me that the listing sat there for 6 months or that it got pulled. 
4. Seattle Seahawks: Draft day is three months away, but I have two names for you to pay attention to, given the Seahawks' current salary cap and contract positions: USC's Soma Vainuku and Su'a Cravens. Vainuku's a bowling ball rolling downhill, opening up holes for the tailback to run through, and is well known on the special teams, whether it's blocking kicks and field goals, or blowing up returners; sometimes an opposing player will do something stupid and try to run into Vainuku, only to wake up a few minutes later, huddled over by the team doctor. Grab him if he's available in the 7th round. Su'a Cravens is the safety who could replace Kam Chancellor and still retain the role of punisher, plus, he's a better ballhawk -- 9 INTs in three seasons. If Cravens is still around by the third round, take him; at the least, you have options with Cravens at either LB or SS. And yes, he's like Troy Polamalu.
5. Super Bowl 50: Apologies to Denver fans -- you know who I'm talking to -- but despite my hatred for Carolina, I think the Broncos will be blown out by the end of the 1st quarter, and by halftime even Denver fans will be looking forward to the commercial breaks, just so that they can wipe the vision of the smirk on Cam Newton's face, out of their minds. The Panthers defense is opportunistic just as Seattle's was in SB 48, except in SB 48 Manning was in better health and the offense was humming along. If you hear Kuechly's name over and over again, it'll be a very rough night for Broncos.