DEAR SUN SPOTS: My friends who go to the casino say they do not play in the morning, because the slots don’t pay. I say the slots are set at the factory and only the gambling commission can change them. Who is right?

Also I play on pogo.com. I have not been able to access my account. Can you find a number for me to speak to a live person? Thank you. — A lady gambler via email

ANSWER: Sun Spots put your question to Scott Smith, manager for Advertising, Public Relations and Social Media at the Oxford Casino, who emailed the following:

“All machines in the state of Maine are set up on Random Number Generators. As such, the odds of hitting or not hitting a jackpot are equally the same every time you spin the wheels, regardless of time of day, day of the week or month of the year.”

As for Pogo, Sun Spots has had this question before. Finding phone numbers for this kind of company can be tough, but you can try 1-866-543-5435. Don’t be put off by the recorded voice that answers “EA.” That’s the company that owns the game.

The company does offer several help menus online, as well as a form for emailing them. Try visiting https://help.ea.com/contact-us and www.pogo.com/faq, where they offer some troubleshooting tips, product information and a contact form.

DEAR SUN SPOTS: I have two questions. Feel free to run them separately according to your space needs.

Question one: Does anyone out there still collect stamps? I have several envelopes full of stamps. They seem to date back to the 1950s or ’60s, or whenever it was that it only cost 4 cents to send a first-class letter. Most are U.S., but some are European.

I will be happy to give them to anyone who wants them. Please contact me at checkman@fairpoint.net and put “stamps” in the subject line.

Question two: Do you know of a website or other resource where I can find average temperatures for different months for various cities in the U.S. and/or worldwide? I am starting to think about our annual winter getaway, and all the data I can find is for now.

I can obtain books about Orlando, San Antonio, etc., that list average temperatures month by month, but what I really want is that information in one place so I can compare. Can you help?

Thank you for all you do. Yours is the first thing I read in the Sun-Journal each day, and I wish every newspaper had a column like yours. — Chris, Monmouth,

ANSWER: Sun Spots did find http://outflux.net/weather/noaa/, which lets you compare one factor (say average high) among several cities. (You have to hold down the control button while selecting your cities.) Not all cities are offered, but there are a good many.

Weather.com has a feature that allows you to compare two cities (http://tinyurl.com/cpqwgl5). Another site that may be useful is wolframalpha.com (http://tinyurl.com/yzznq9r), although it was more difficult to use.

There are many weather websites with histories, such as www.weatherbase.com, www.wunderground.com and www.almanac.com/weather/history (from the Old Farmer’s Almanac), but you’d still have to look up each one individually, so they may not be what you had in mind.

Perhaps readers will have additional suggestions.

DEAR SUN SPOTS: From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Aug. 25 there will be a big yard sale at the AMVETS Hall on Route 100 in New Gloucester, with all the proceeds going to the fund for the new veterans’ monument.

There will be lots of small ladies clothing, craft supplies, cookbooks and a lot of other items. Any donations will be appreciated. You may bring them to the hall Friday night or early Saturday morning.

For more information call 926-4402. — Wallace Bragdon

This column is for you, our readers. It is for your questions and comments. There are only two rules: You must write to the column and sign your name (we won’t use it if you ask us not to). Please include your phone number. Letters will not be returned or answered by mail, and telephone calls will not be accepted. Your letters will appear as quickly as space allows. Address them to Sun Spots, P.O. Box 4400, Lewiston, ME 04243-4400. Inquiries can also be emailed to sunspots@sunjournal.com.

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