Our backyard Fox scampering by triggers daily Wyze Cam alerts

| December 5, 2023

Tech Friday: Inching closer to the paid version of ProtonMail

| October 13, 2023

We live in a world where personal privacy has all but disappeared when it comes to our lives. We are surveilled everywhere and by practically every device. Our connected gadgets collect and send data on our every movement … and increasingly “inner” goings-on (smart devices monitoring our health). New cars are pumping data to the […]

Tech Friday: The Wyze Cam struggles with person-detection

| August 25, 2023

Our Wyze security cam detection continues to struggle with determining if birds are people. One would think that with artificial intelligence improving that software would be much better at detecting the difference between birds and people? But for years now (one, two, three), our friendly and curious cardinal regularly enjoys getting his photo uploaded to […]

Tech Friday: Bits and piece to the Wyze Cam 2

| April 7, 2023

Last year one of my earlier Wyze Cams failed to update and wasn’t connecting to our mesh wifi (continued to disconnect). Thankfully Wyze politely discounted a newer version to which I happily upgraded. The old one has been sitting on my workbench and before tossing it in the trash, decided to peek under the hood. I […]

Wyze Cam Smoke Alarm notifications and spring has sprung

| March 30, 2023

It may not be pretty with the old mulch, leaves and dirty sidewalks … but spring has sprung in 2023. The old-ish bulbs are up and the buds are on the magnolias and lilacs.  On another subject, I’ve contacted Wyze about one of my newer cams triggering a RED “Smoke Alarm” message which definitely caught […]

The MB 300d Turbodiesel was out for the first time in 2023

| March 26, 2023

After a quick charge of the battery, the 1982 Mercedes Benz 300d Turbodiesel woke from its winter slumber and headed to the grocery store. I had forgotten how much different the old headlight are in comparison to modern lights … or perhaps it is just my aging night vision? Anyway, the driveway Wyze cams caught […]

Repairs: Contemplating an electric pool pump motor rebuild

| September 16, 2022

Besides noticing that a new school bus driver has decided to use our driveway as a turn around spot (should not be “the norm”) … I took apart the old 2017 pool pump motor. Last week I replaced the old motor with a new one (again) suspecting the shortened life (in my opinion) is due […]

Replaced LED security light with Wyze Cam Floodlight

| April 27, 2022

Earlier this year after an HOA meeting, I added myself to the waitlist for a new Wyze Cam product called the Wyze Cam Floodlight. The neighborhood has been looking for a better way to monitor the pool without the high cost of a commercial security camera. I mentioned this economical motion floodlight with cam and […]

Tech Friday: Apple Event and our WyzeCam3 picks up a fox

| March 11, 2022

Here are a couple of technology highlights to mention on a Tech Friday from earlier this week. First, the new driveway Wyze Cam3 set-up (moved it) picked up an evening fox whizzing by and the second, an event on Tuesday from Apple announcing new products. Personally, I’m not sure what kind of surprise was expected […]

Tech Friday: On the waitlist for some new tech from Wyze

| January 14, 2022

This past Christmas, my daughter Katelyn gave Drew a new Wyze Watch and, as always with all Wyze products, I was  impressed with their reasonably low price for excellent products (although I’m still super happy with my Fitbit Versa – thank you K and D). The Wyze gift reminder had me revisit one of their […]

Purchased a fair-priced 2-year subscription to NordVPN

| November 17, 2021

When it comes to privacy and security, especially when traveling or connecting in hotels and coffee shops, every cybersecurity expert recommends using a VPN … and especially when connecting overseas or to  unknown WiFi routers. I’ve used several different free VPNs over the years starting with my own private connection back in the 2000s, but […]

Keeping delivery trucks and van on our new driveway #TBT

| November 11, 2021

Our driveway project is semi-wrapped up, but the landscaping company has yet to deliver our topsoil and river rock. The Creech’s rep did update me with a tentative date later this month, so we shall see if the weather holds them back again? I finally moved the construction cones a couple weeks ago and we […]

Logging in and adjusting to new My Desultory Blog security

| October 5, 2021

I received an email from a regular blog reader questioning the new Sign-In feature that I implemented last month; it hinders anonymous viewing on My Desultory Blog for some posts. Yes it is a restrictive change, but it is not all that cumbersome once you are “Sign-In.” The WordPress security is minimal and the only […]

Tech Friday: An update to WordPress and added spam security

| September 10, 2021

In the never ending battle to thwart spam and fill WordPress and server vulnerabilities, a few new tools were added this week to MyDesultoryBlog.com. This security and maintenance release features 60 bug fixes in addition to 3 security fixes. Because this is a security release, it is recommended that you update your sites immediately. All […]

Lots of tools, more tools and an old Boy’s Life booksafe #TBT

| July 15, 2021

After seeing this photo of someone workbench screwdriver holder, I don’t feel quite as bad about my multiple tool boxes and workbench racks. Without a doubt, I do have my share of tools and gadgets, but I’m not sure how many screwdrivers it is necessary to have in one holder? The Facebook photo above aside, […]

The Wyze cam sound detector picked up a strong thunderstorm

| July 13, 2021

The downside of having self-monitored smarthome security cams, sound sensors, door triggers and motion detection at the Florida condo in Delray Beach is that one never knows what will set it off. Usually it has been a flash of light or in a couple cases a slightly weakened battery on a sensor. Yesterday though, even […]

Tech Friday: Security and less than consistent VPN connections

| June 18, 2021

Generally, I don’t use a VPN connection at home, but since I’ve been having slow connections on my laptop and iPad with VPN connections (both TunnelBear and ProtonVPN), thought I was test at home. ProtonVPN has been working pretty well and doesn’t restrict as much as the “warm and fuzzy” Tunnel Bear, but I’ve not […]

Tech Friday: Check the password scheme you are using

| May 21, 2021

It is easy to get complacent in securing your online and computer lives, so use last weeks Colonial Pipeline cyberattack and the Statista image of “The Most Popular Passwords Around the World” as a reminder. Longer nonsensical combinations of characters help, but two-factor authentication when available is better. Oh, and stop using the same password […]

Just how safe are your passwords and online security measures?

| February 12, 2021

My friend Jeff is a cyber security guy and is regularly interrogating me about “best practices” online. I suspect he sees so much that it nearly frightens him away from putting anything online (which is nearly impossible these days). When I first started working with computers in the early 1980s (prior to being online), a […]

Tech Friday: Look what arrived this week – the Wyze Cam 3

| January 22, 2021

It was back in November when everyone was Black Friday shopping for gifts or ording Cyber Monday items … that is when the inexpensive security camera company Wyze, sent me an email about their new camera and motion detection subscription. At the time I was struggling with way too many notifications after the company lost […]

A "cheesy" security measure and Christmas 2020 in Cincinnati

| November 18, 2020

Every once in awhile, an interesting and creative, but questionable, idea crossing my eyeballs. Here’s a pretty good one when it comes to the age-old tape, thread or strand of hair method of securing a door (below). Obviously the broken, and likely telltale orange Cheetos powder, would be a sure sign of an unauthorized entry. […]

Tech Friday: MacOS Catalina security issue or a “me” issue?

| October 23, 2020

My iMac computer running macOS Catalina has been off for several days using the “shut down” command before leaving town (normally just let it “sleep”). Upon return, it was booted up and opened without requesting a login or password to unlock – highly unusual and a security issue? I’ve never had this happen before and […]

Testing a security update on the blog: Which guy is older?

| July 21, 2020

After updating a few security features on this server, there is/was a problem (?) in posting to MyDesultoryBlog.com. So as an update test, I’ll add a couple photos. The subject line question is really a trick question since the photo on the right was taken a day before the one on the left a couple […]

Tech Friday: i-Device Wallpapers .. the Bompa edition

| May 29, 2020

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The Canary (cardinal) security cam alerts are driving me crazy

| April 6, 2020

Thought I would add a late day animated GIF to the blog … partially because these Canary alerts have become a normal annoyance by sending text message alerts and partially this cardinal is cute. Hopefully he will grow tired of “looking at himself” and find a female cardinal who he can impress! Also while sending […]

Protecting privacy with a web browser – a BRAVE new world

| March 6, 2020

My buddy Jeff Pitts, who has recently moved from IT to  a job focused exclusively on cybersecurity for a worldwide company, tends to error on the side of caution when it comes to privacy practices. He has moved entirely to the Mac (we used to have a  fun debate when he was a 100% PC […]

The flag halyard fails again and Old Glory comes flopping down

| February 29, 2020

We have had a problem with our Amazon purchased halyard on our flag pole instead of the rapid flag degrading as usual – as can be seen on our WyzeCam security mp4 video (below). This is the second flag halyard we have had fail in the last couple of years; next time I’m going to […]

TechFriday: VPN yay or VPN nay? Free or paid? Which service?

| February 21, 2020

If you’ve been on the Internet for any length of time (post from 2007), you have likely used, or been marketed VPN services, as a way to secure your Wi-Fi connection (especially public hotspots) away from the office or home network. I’ve pitched them as a security precaution to my customers and use them when […]

“Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow” … but not like this! #video

| December 21, 2019

I love these motion-sensing Wyze Cams …   Now what if someone happened to be coming to the front door? Yikes … although more than likely it would just be funny.

Tech Friday: Growing pains with “person detection” AI at Wyze

| November 29, 2019

With the advent of decent quality inexpensive home security products and cameras, it has never be easier to keep an eye on “motion” that happens around a business or home. The key for most of us is to find the least expensive quality “small” product … in our case the Wyze cams have beat out […]

Tech Friday: Advice on passwords and security breaches

| August 23, 2019

Some excellent and “do-able” ways to maintain reasonable password security in this Lifehacker article: One of the best things about having a solid password is that you don’t have to change it. If it’s strong, unique, and hasn’t been compromised by an attacker, you gain no security benefits by modifying it according to some arbitrary timetable. […]

Tech Friday: How safe is data with cloud storage services?

| August 2, 2019

Even if you don’t regularly using cloud storage services (likely your smartphone is), most of us are at some point backing up data from our computers or using services online that store our data on major cloud storage companies.  I’ve personally had a growing concern over the race for quantum computing which eventually will make […]

Tech Friday: Quantum computing and cryptography

| July 26, 2019

The race for quantum computing superiority has been on my mind and in my discussions lately. State actors like China, North Korea and Russia are all running projects sponsored by their governments to be the first to harness such computing power that will make today’s encryption nearly worthless. Here in the US, our biggest tech […]

Amazon delivery may be taking a page from Santa Claus?

| July 3, 2019

Our front door security camera picks up the strangest visitors #deer.

Call me paranoid, but it feels impossible to secure computers

| June 16, 2019

My good friend Jeff Pitts, a network and IT expert, and most recently IT cybersecurity expert, constantly update me with the latest threats to computer servers. He manages the computers and networks for a Cincinnati-based international company that is constantly under bombardment from hackers. Most of the attacks are directly from China and according to […]

Tech Friday: ZombieLoad Flaw in Intel Chips $INTC

| May 17, 2019

Intel chips are presenting a huge problem for nearly every computer user with chips since 2011. These Intel chips have vulnerabilities that if exploited can be used to steal sensitive information directly from the processor. According to published articles from security experts, "the bugs are reminiscent of Meltdown and Spectre, which exploited a weakness in […]

Tech Friday: Simple advice IF you must use a virtual assistant

| February 22, 2019

TechFriday advice for those of us who enjoy using virtual assistants like those from Google, Apple or Amazon: 1. Change the Default Password on Your Wi-Fi Router 2. Set the Voice Lock 3. Decide Whether You Want to Shop By Voice 4. Understand that Privacy Rights in the US Are on the Way – but […]

Sooner or later a close call with a drone will be too close

| January 25, 2019

As more and more federal employees decide they aren’t going to continue to work without a paycheck, the focus has shifted to the unpaid in the Coast Guard, TSA and Air Traffic Control. Air travel has now moved front and center as the “shutdown-standoff” continues (the Senate is at least negotiating). Flyers are feeling it […]

Security LED floodlights from the hardware store discount bin

| December 11, 2018

Who doesn’t fall for the “treasures” found in the hardware store discount bins? I’m always looking for a “good buy” when I’m walking through the hardware store … and such was the case in seeing this outdoor LED floodlight. The twin incandescent floodlights that were on the back of the pool house garage for security […]

Set up the Wyze Cam Pan temporarily but have motion issues

| October 8, 2018

The new low cost Wyze Cam Pan that I bought to put in the Delray Beach Condo arrived this past weekend and so opted to set it up temporarily at home. So far so good with the image and impressive panning control with even motion tracking (less impressive though). The reason I chose the Wyze […]

Tech Friday: Time for an Apple iOS 11.4.1 security update

| July 13, 2018

Apple has been updating their iOS iPhone and iPad mobile operating system regularly and they seem to take far longer than in the old days (a couple years ago – HAHA). This latest update will not be appreciated by law enforcement who often want to gain access to data on a suspects phone. This recent […]

A discussion of Muslim coverings required a little research

| May 17, 2018

I had a discussion early this week regarding the protests over the opening of the U.S. Embassy in the capital of Israel – Jerusalem. The embassy’s move has been promised by the last few presidents, but finally followed through on by President Trump. For all his bloviating and questionable behavior, he does seem to prioritize […]

One of our narcissistic doves seems to like taking a #selfie

| March 28, 2018

We have a couple of Canary cams in our home and they constantly trigger for one thing or the other. I’m still having problems with one of them sending “Person spotted in Away mode” which usually means my iPhone has not been detected as being “home.” I’ve tweaked the setting, played with masks, double and triple […]

Loose Lips Sink Ships. An article from 1918 deserves revisiting

| February 13, 2018

Somewhat timely shared archived New York Times newspaper clipping (click image for larger) from 100 years ago. The February 6, 1918 article (tweet below) had me thinking about those in our country handling information that puts operations and the security of our many service personnel and undercover operatives at risk when politicians, intelligence bureaucrats in […]

Tech Friday: Wildcard Certificates coming to Let’s Encrypt

| December 29, 2017

In the world of community supported software and Internet applications, there are few better than those associated with the Linux Foundation Collaborative Projects … like Let’s Encrypt. The latter provides HTTPS certificates that are perfect for lightweight Linux OS webservers and it operates on a "donate" for certs services basis. This month Let’s Encrypt plans […]

Tech Friday: Another security breach along with a price increase triggered my reevaluation of Lastpass, SmallPDF and Evernote

| October 6, 2017

As a free user and then paying Premium LastPass customer for years, the 2017 price increase inched out of my comfort zone this week. It is not that the password managing product with added features is bad, it is just that the significant price bump ($12 to $24/yr) leaves a sour taste in my mouth. […]

TechFriday: What is new with the Apple iPhone X (ten)?

| September 15, 2017

So you want the new iPhoneX? Wouldn’t that be nice, but can you handle the new features? A BIG sharp OLED screen = 5.8 inch. Glass front and back. Stainless steel. Wireless charging. Home-button-less swipe gestures. Animoji expressions. iMessage ApplyPay Four-core CPU 70% faster than the A10 A11 capable of 600B operations/sec. Three-core GPU that […]

Passwords and protecting your digital data

| March 29, 2017

We all struggle with ease of use and security when using a computer and online services … what’s the best way? That’s likely a debatable question since we want easy access, but don’t want our data compromised – "how easy is too easy?" What we do know is that a simple or "no" password is […]

Robocalls are on the rise, even on the Do Not Call Registry

| March 22, 2017

Well the FTC has some simple advice for those "still" receiving robocalls even when on the Do Not Call List or Registry. Most of us continue to receive unwanted calls on landlines and cellphones, even we are on the registry (and have renewed). It is illegal unless you have giving the caller written permission. Many […]

Denial of Services impacting Internet access for much of the U.S.

| October 21, 2016

Twitter status above illustrating second attack shutting down services. The cyber threat continues … as  a second wave cripples some of the biggest domain names through Dyn (Manchester, NH), a company that provide DNS services for connecting domain names to IP addresses. Dyn said it had resolved one attack, which disrupted operations for about two […]

Raspberry Pi security video and nearing the end for the Rav4

| April 12, 2016

We found out a couple things Monday … first, the Raspberry Pi garage camera seems to be working just fine after tweaking a few thing while experimenting in the house, albeit the video is a bit delayed (15 seconds maybe ???). So far so good with video … next to get some motion detection so […]

Testing my old Raspberry Pi as a home security camera

| April 10, 2016

It is pretty easy for me to get distracted when I’m suppose to be working on taxes … especially when my Raspberry Pi2 has given up webserver duties to the Raspberry Pi3. There were a couple glitches in imaging the new 64GB micro SD card but all is as it should be now. With the […]

Setting up the Raspberry Pi as a security monitor

| January 15, 2016

We’ve had a professional security system in the house for years, but I’ve always thought it would be nice to make a homemade version for the detached garage/pool house – might be a perfect Raspberry Pi project? The first step was to see just what kind of wifi signal was there, considering the tiny $10 […]

From my personal perspective, the TSA did their job well

| November 21, 2015

What a duffus! I don’t want to admit, but I made a MAJOR airport security mistake on Friday morning … and am thankfully a free man to tell the tale. KUDOS to the much maligned Transportation Security Administration (TSA) for doing their job and doing it well. Neglectful Rich left an extended round full 9mm […]

TechFriday: If you use the Firefox browser, be sure to update

| August 7, 2015

If you are a Firefox browser user, be sure to select the “About” menu and apply the latest update. Yesterday morning, August 5, a Firefox user informed us that an advertisement on a news site in Russia was serving a Firefox exploit that searched for sensitive files and uploaded them to a server that appears […]

Simple security is often overlooked on WordPress

| May 15, 2015

Check out these five security points if you use a WordPress website: Don't Use “Admin” or “Administrator” as a Login Name Use a Highly Secure Password Keep WP and Its Plug-ins Up-to-Date Backup Your Site Install Security Plug-ins Source: Envisionitsolutions  

How would you like to be sitting behind the wheel?

| November 16, 2014

I’m not sure how essential this kind of added security is in the U.S. unless you are an “at risk” person … but I wouldn’t mind owning an SUV like this if I were living in a questionable overseas country. Great job by Texas Armoring in adding protection to a Mercedes, although not sure I’d […]

TechFriday: Dashlane gets high marks as a password manager

| May 9, 2014

I’ve mentioned LastPass a few times in the past as a way to manage the many passwords that our online presence requires and it still looks like a good option. Over the years things change, so I was interested to read “The Best Way To Manage All Your Passwords” article in the WSJ by Geoffrey […]

Tech Friday: Checking for Heartbleed safe sites

| April 18, 2014

No doubt you’ve heard about the latest vulnerability on the Internet known as the Heartbleed bug, but like most web users are pretty much helpless to do anything about it. You can change your passwords, run protection and antivirus software, but until the HTTPS sites correct their SSL sites … you’re spinning your wheels. For […]

TechFriday: Use a VPN on Internet wifi hotspots

| March 21, 2014

Before I renew my current VPN service it is time to keep them honest when it comes to their subscription pricing. I’m testing the lower cost AnchorFree’s Hotspot Shield Elite using their trial program before renewing my more expensive, but easy to use VPN service just to see if there is any difference. So far […]

Desultory - des-uhl-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee

  1. lacking in consistency, constancy, or visible order, disconnected; fitful: desultory conversation.
  2. digressing from or unconnected with the main subject; random: a desultory remark.
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