www.tomroadblair.com

Everyone keeps telling me I need a hearing aid, well, hello? When ya can’t hear very well any more, you KNOW it’s time. However, the cost irks me to no end, you know, there’s a big markup on those things.

So I do a little research. For starters, according to Bloomberg (June 6, 2013), the average retail price for a hearing aid is $3,000 to $6,000. I am told you can find one much cheaper online, but I have bought junk there before and ya just don’t know what you’re getting.

The article said this: To get at the heart of a hearing aid’s cost, we can turn to data unearthed by a German regulator … studying the major manufacturers.

It costs about $250 to make a device that will get sold to an audiologist retailer for $1,000. Hearing-aid makers spend $75 per device on research and development and $250 on marketing and then chalk up $425 in profit. The retailers then mark up the price $2,000 to cover overheard and make a profit, resulting in a $3,000 price tag.

And: Audiologists have maintained that they need to add those overhead costs in order to pay for the stores at which they can give people a personal touch, including cleanings and adjustments. According to government and industry data, there are about 13,000 audiologists in the United States, and they each sell a grand total of about 16 hearing aids a month. “I think I’ll hold off a little longer… can ya hear me know?”

Dog Fights

Down in Arizona, there are a LOT of dogfights and a lot of people getting hurt and some killed by dogs. Of course there are a lot of trained, vicious Pit Bulls here too. (They seem to be the most common attacker in the area.)

The best way to handle a fight between your dogs is; first and foremost, do not get in the middle. Breaking up a dogfight with bodily intervention is worse because you can be scratched, bitten and worse case in point, the recent death of Tom Vick of Bullhead City, who attempted to break up a fight between his dogs; his wife, Diane, was seriously injured.

First, stay at a safe distance. Dogs can draw a lot of blood in a fight, but rarely will duel to the death. Vet bills may be incurred, but that is better than anyone going to the emergency room after attempting to pull dogs apart. If outside, grab a hose and spray them. If you’re inside, squirt them with a mixture of water and vinegar. Throw a pillow or blanket at them. Distract them enough so that they will focus on the intruding object rather than themselves.

Tom “Road” Blair

Website: www.tomroadblair.com