Archive: Great tips on getting the most meat out of a lobster

| April 30, 2013

I appreciated a video from America’s Test Kitchen on Lifehacker and thought it was worth archiving and sharing … not that I fix lobster everyday.    Twist off the tail, split the shell on the back, pull legs apart, push meat out with small tools, use a rolling pin to squeeze meat from legs.   […]

Tinkering with the IPad app Uncrate

| April 29, 2013

2014 Volkswagen GTI on Uncrate – link Volkswagen XL1 on Uncrate – link

Stock market indices are in record territory

| April 29, 2013

Visiting with Katelyn and Drew – the newlyweds

| April 28, 2013

We drove Brenda’s parents home to western New York last week and opening the farmhouse after a week or so of staying with us in Cincinnati. They were glad to finally get home from Florida. Brenda and I then hitched up the trailer and headed up to Columbus for Saturday. Our project was centered around […]

NYC 9/11 debris – aircraft part – found over a decade later

| April 26, 2013

The part, which police believe came from one of the two commercial airliners destroyed on Sept. 11, 2001, was discovered Wednesday by surveyors inspecting the rear of 51 Park Pl., several blocks from ground zero. The surveyors called 911 to report the debris with a “clearly visible Boeing identification number,” the New York Police Department […]

The I-71 Cleveland Ohio skyline

| April 25, 2013

The trip driving into Cleveland Ohio never really gets old, although after winter the roadways could use a little cleaning up.

Simple carburetor for Volkswagen aircraft conversions

| April 25, 2013

This is really just an archive of a message to the guy who purchase my project. He indicated that the parts have successfully been permitted into China and inquired on what carburetor he should put on the engine. The Aerovee kit was tested with an Ellison but it was my intent to use an AeroInjector […]

A good phone, not a great phone – Walt Mossberg

| April 24, 2013

The Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphone … not a “must have” upgrade for Android users. It has a bigger screen, higher-resolution camera, and good battery life, but Walt Mossberg tells us that the new Samsung Galaxy S 4 is "a good phone, not a great phone, and it’s not a game-changer." MORE

What was the biggest news from Apple

| April 23, 2013

In Tuesday’s conference call Apple had reasonably positive news, or at least as expected news. The fact that they are increasing their dividend and hinted at something new in the second half of 2013 wasn’t all that surprising, but they are obviously convinced AAPL stock is a good investment. Management announced it was increasing its […]

Aerial slideshow from Katelyn and Drew’s Wedding day

| April 23, 2013

After the big wedding weekend (4/13/2013), my daughter Katelyn and husband Drew, no longer fiancé Drew, left the Savannah Center in a helicopter for a short flight looping counter-clockwise from West Chester, Ohio. They circles south over downtown Cincinnati, the Ohio River and then looped back north over Kings Island, Mason, our house in Liberty […]

Spring as sprung and flowers are blossoming everywhere

| April 22, 2013

Although we were hoping the tulips would be in bloom for Katelyn and Drew’s wedding (tulips for the “Dutch” Oostra … not that it mattered), they didn’t quite start blossoming until the other day. In fact everything is now blooming and the smells are fantastic.       Even the less desirable “flowers!” (below)

Photo booth image, although the subjects are questionable

| April 21, 2013

The photo booth at Katelyn and Drew’s wedding was a lot of fun … and very well done.

Travel press for Cincinnati and Taylor’s upcoming graduation

| April 21, 2013

I think we’ll spend some money for a meal downtown Cincinnati next month as a way to celebrate my son’s Geography and Urban and Regional Planning degree from Miami University. He will graduate next month and has spent quite a bit of time working and studying revitalization projects downtown (he does have his gown … […]

Close accident call for me today – Liberty Township, Ohio

| April 20, 2013

While stopping at our local Tractor Supply today I felt I had a somewhat close call to an accident at the corner of Liberty-Fairfield and Hamilton-Middletown (Rt 4) today in Liberty Township – a few minutes sooner. I said a prayer for those being helped by the paramedics they were extracted from their upside down […]

Tech Friday: iOS apps stuck in updating mode

| April 19, 2013

Sometimes the iPhone or iPad will get stuck in updating mode from the App Store and no matter how many “kills” of the app or rebooting of the device the app continues to show a stuck progress bar or “waiting” message. Often an easy fix: On the home screen, tap the icon until you see […]

Drones over your home. Is there no privacy?

| April 19, 2013

High-End Estates, Captured by Drone http://on.wsj.com/11mX3c0

This possible Great White Shark seems a bit too far south?

| April 18, 2013

I’ve been sort of monitoring the sharks along the Florida coast for a couple years and with the advanced GPS locators tagging a few Great Whites, the migrations are amazing. A story from the Key West Keynoter newspaper seems to have one even farther south than Mary Lee. A Massachusetts man diving with his father […]

Happy Birthday to my mother-in-law

| April 18, 2013

We still feel like we are in recovery mode and are trying to return to semi-normal life since the wedding. Katelyn and Drew are both back at work after their “mini-moon” to a luxury cabin here in Ohio … with eventual plans for a week long honeymoon as time permits (probably in the fall). Mom […]

Financial markets down and Apple nears $400/share

| April 17, 2013

Who is calling for Tim Cook’s head? Apple shares were down 4.7% to $406 this morning and nearing the psychological $400 mark. If it drops below that point, Apple executives better start circling the wagons if they haven’t already. The stock has not traded below the $400 mark since late December 2011 and have slid […]

What a great wedding photo!

| April 16, 2013

Monday is April 15th TAX day. I wish it wasn’t so.

| April 15, 2013

I had the best of intentions to update my blog regarding the special "wedding weekend," but between clean-up, wrap-up, rest-up and spending the weekend with family (Brenda’s parents staying with us) … AND of all things an April 15th TAX day Monday, I’m wiped out.  I’m way behind on the pleasurable post detailing my daughter’s […]

The Big Wedding: Introducing Katelyn and Drew Oostra

| April 14, 2013

The day was perfect for Katelyn and Drew’s wedding and the evening before was equally as nice for the rehearsal … and the most appreciated rehearsal dinner, hosted by the Oostra’s at Jags. I can’t speak highly enough of Barb and Randy … and Drew’s two brother’s Carson and Tyler (right); Katelyn is very blessed […]

Relaxing with a little music before the big wedding day

| April 12, 2013

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What do you know about Social Security Disability?

| April 11, 2013

If you are the average healthy American who is working or independently seeking a job, you might be as unknowledgeable as I am when it comes to knowing anything about government benefits. I’ve generally assumed that those who are “disabled” are not capable of functioning or were disabled on the job due injury. What I […]

The Wedding Wagon is done

| April 10, 2013

Well, the wagon was actually done last weekend but I’m short on time this week and figured that I would post this as a filler.

The Apple HDTV or the Apple iWatch – which is better?

| April 9, 2013

With Apple struggling to keep its stock price from dipping any lower (although it really doesn’t look like they care), analysts and tech watchers speculate that there will be an Apple HDTV offering and a less expensive (cheaper) iPhone, but who knows what the new product(s) will be? I’m in the camp that sees the […]

Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher dies

| April 8, 2013

The free world lost a great leader today — the Iron Lady; the 87 year old late 20th century UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher died after suffering complications due to a stroke according to news sources early this morning. She was the necessary right hand and closely aligned friend to U.S. leaders assisting to bring […]

Enjoying the day and nice evening

| April 7, 2013

Archive: Reminiscing with Katelyn before her wedding

| April 6, 2013

It is a busy spring weekend around our house trying to get a few thing in order before the big day next Saturday … 4.13.13 – Katelyn and Drew’s wedding. Lots to get done before I put on the tux (picked it up already) and walk my daughter down the aisle; it is hard to […]

Pitiful. Bureaucratic incompetence is part of the problem

| April 5, 2013

We’re hardly sputtering along when it comes to getting Americans back to work. One wonders why we bother to spend so much money on government when our over compensated bureaucrats only add to the problem. If it were not so frustrating and painful, government’s adding “programs,” meddling with tax rates and monetary policy and out […]

Streaming HD feed from the iPad to my TV thru HDMI

| April 4, 2013

While setting up the iPad with my new (old 30 pin version) AV adapter and Kiosk Pro app, I decided to check out the new Slingbox on my workshop TV. Wow … it streamed from my HD cable box over WiFi just fine and improved the quality of the picture too. As for programing the […]

Over the top: What does it take to clear a Nissan GT-R?

| April 3, 2013

BJ Baldwin’s Monster Energy truck with 850 HP and 34” of suspension travel … and some pretty impressive driving.

An updated iPhone to begin production this quarter

| April 2, 2013

Apple shareholders have a lot to grumble about when it comes to stock price and a lack of immediacy in addressing investors. Some are questioning if “they still know what they are doing” and I can’t help but be a little bit disappointed with rumors that next quarter’s iPhone release will maintain the “smaller” form […]

Sharing tips for loosening Rusty Nuts

| April 2, 2013

  Here’s a tip posted by Lee Jennings titled “Rusty Nuts.” Excellent tips although mine is a repost of a repost. I ran across this a while ago in a post from the (Twin City DX Association) The info could prove useful the next time you run across an “impossible to loosen” nut on a […]

Closing in on Katelyn and Drew’s wedding – less than 2 weeks!

| April 1, 2013

With the weather improving and Katelyn and Drew’s wedding only two weeks away, expect fewer blog posts. Katelyn was home again for Easter weekend and we enjoyed our time together working on programs, etc. I’ve continued to plug away at my wagon project and am beginning to wonder what I was thinking waiting until the […]

Tech Friday: A New iMac has replaced an old G4 and PC

| March 29, 2013

I’m still adapting to a new computer and trying not to burn out my eyes on this bright and large 27” monitor, but after the adjustment I think I’m going to enjoy using the new iMac for both OSX and Windows 7 chores (via Parallels Desktop 8). The new four cored 3.4 GHz Intel i7 […]

A country founded by geniuses, but run by idiots

| March 28, 2013

A filler blog post … just heavily forwarded “Food For Thought” email. If you can get arrested for hunting or fishing without a license, but not for being in the country illegally …you might live in a country founded by geniuses but run by idiots. If you have to get your parents’ permission to go […]

SlingPlayer updates coming to iPhone and iPad

| March 27, 2013

Glad to see updates for SlingPlayer, but considering I have the “350” and my biggest complaint has yet to be addressed — no “audio-only” — I’m still disappointed. Not everyone lives in 4G or LTE land! Even the original Slingbox had support for audio on all devices including my Palm Treo!

Layman advice: Contemplating the options for knee pain

| March 26, 2013

Far be it from me to offer up medical advice … as I’m not a doctor nor do I play one on the Internet, but I have found a few solutions that seem to help Osteoarthritis (OA) and the associated stiffness and pain coming from my knee. A little bit of history: Ten years ago, […]

The 1994 tablet sure resembled today’s iPad and clones

| March 25, 2013

In the 1980s I worked for a division of Knight Ridder Newspapers in Akron, Ohio call Portage Newspaper Supply Co. (now McClatchy Company). Portage handled central purchasing for the chain’s 58+ newspapers with nearly everything that was needed to produce the printed paper, as well as a few independent products (I believe all that is […]

Rain or Snow, what will it be?

| March 24, 2013

Opened the pool this weekend … before the snow started

| March 24, 2013

I took advantage of a nice Saturday afternoon to open the pool before the snow started on Sunday. I’m adding water at the moment and am watching the snow at the moment … maybe I should take a swim? I’ve finally got the hang of closing with the right chemistry which makes turning things on […]

A new iMac, but losing a display shelf by retiring my CRTs

| March 23, 2013

Taylor’s ceramic artwork “given to me” from 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th grade One would think that I would look forward to replacing a couple old computers, the pile of wires and CRT monitors with a new 27” iMac 3.4ghz i7  computer … well yes and no. It certainly is well past time to retire […]

Testing Postie plugin with video from email to blog

| March 22, 2013

Posting a video test of Glympse tracking Katelyn and Drew heading home from Columbus in real time. Impressive detail as to where they are and the speed they are traveling.

A taste of Ben and Teresa’s movie project: One Simple Question

| March 22, 2013

Sailing friends Ben Eriksen and Teresa Carey, a couple I’ve posted on previously (1, 2) continue to edit and upload video tidbits that I assume will eventually be used in their upcoming sailing movie One Simple Question. The segment below highlights what life is like on a small sailboat on bluewater passages … particularly “watch […]

The Volvo V60 plug-in diesel hybrid in the US?

| March 21, 2013

The Swedish automaker Volvo will be showing their new plug-in V60 diesel hybrid at the New York auto show later this month according to reports in the automotive press. This new information may hint that Volvo is considering bringing their pricey new hybrid to the U.S. after all; initially reports suggested it would only be […]

The Jawbone Jambox and testing the WordPress Postie plugin

| March 20, 2013

The addition of a new bluetooth Jambox speaker has certainly improved the audio quality of my iPad … AND the new Postie plug-in for WordPress looks to be a great replacement for Posterous (shutting down next month). Here’s a 2 minute snippet from the iPhone of a post to our EAA284 site. Let’s see if […]

Time to go back to Shcool? Here’s your sign.

| March 19, 2013

A little humor for the day, although I’ve just updated the Postie plug-in and wanted to test a new feature.

Impressed with the new half-priced Jambox bluetooth speakers

| March 19, 2013

Occasionally I make one of those spur-of-the-moment impulse purchases that doesn’t give me buyer’s remorse. I have been wanting a bluetooth speaker to improve the sound coming from my iPhone or iPad without resorting to plugging in the 3.5mm cable or using earbuds. I thought, “hmm, this will work great on the desk and even […]

No offense intended – I skipped posting on Katelyn’s shower

| March 18, 2013

  Cupcakes | Madison and Katelyn with game board Well just because I didn’t include commentary or photos from Katelyn’s wedding shower this past Saturday, doesn’t mean it wasn’t important; I can take a hint and will include a few of Brenda’s snapshots over lunch today (sorry if I missed someone). As the subject line […]

A very fun bachelor party for Drew and Tyler

| March 17, 2013

Katelyn’s fiancé Drew invited both his dad and me to join his groomsmen to a full day of fun in Columbus for his bachelor party (it was also his brother Tyler’s bachelor party – almost the same guys. Left to right below: Colin, Tyler, Rich, Taylor, Drew, Randy and Carson). We started by meeting for […]

A teaching moment: Saving money by replacing your own brakes

| March 15, 2013

While Brenda spends the week getting the house ready for an in town bridal shower for Katelyn, Taylor and I did our best to stay out of her way. We decided to replaced the rear brakes on his Volkswagen GTI earlier this week while he was home on spring break … although am sure he […]

Rob Portman commentary: Columbus Dispatch

| March 15, 2013

Thoughts: Will the GOP take the position of Senator Rob Portman? Should they? I have come to believe that if two people are prepared to make a lifetime commitment to love and care for each other in good times and in bad, the government shouldn’t deny them the opportunity to get married. That isn’t how […]

Surprise! Medical residency programs need more money

| March 14, 2013

Shocking! [sarcasm] Hospitals need more taxpayer dollars to add residency spots in order to train the additional number of doctors the U.S. needs for Obamacare. So … more taxes or more borrowing? Socialized medicine *(lite -current plan – or full bore – where we are headed)* is not going to be cheap or offer a […]

Automatic now available for Pre-Order – no subscription fee

| March 14, 2013

Automatic’s online video and marketing phrase, “save hundreds on gas every year,” seems a little bit hokey, but the idea of a device which connects your smartphone to your vehicle’s OBD port by bluetooth is pretty smart. For a pre-order price of $69.95, the tech gadget should be able to give you plenty of diagnostic […]

Roman Catholics have a new pope today – Pope Francis

| March 13, 2013

I happened to have the iPad streaming the Slingbox signal from home while sitting in the car (not driving) and noticed that FoxNews just announced that there was white smoke coming out of the chimney at the Vatican. I snipped a screen grab and tweeted the photo. Pope Francis, Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina the […]

Filler up! The Super efficient Volkswagen diesel hybrid XL1

| March 13, 2013

The Volkswagen XL1 sure would be a different kind of car to own and would make stopping for fuel every 700 miles almost a pleasurable even. You could even spurge for “full service” and walk away with change from your ten dollar bill! (click for Autoblog “First Drive story) “The liquid fuel tank of the […]

ExxonMobil see growth, but big changes the energy picture

| March 12, 2013

Seven years ago, it was challenging to find automotive diesel at a car friendly "gas" station here in the U.S., but according to ExxonMobil research, in the next seven years we’ll see diesel use surpass gasoline as the petroleum fuel of choice. (The Outlook For Energy: A View To 2040 – PDF) The efficiency of […]

It’s Time For A National Conversation – Forbes

| March 12, 2013

As a strong defense conservative, I do have a difficult time finding fault when our leaders when it comes to keeping our country safe, but does the Department of Homeland Security really need 1.6 Billion rounds of ammunition? As a taxpayer the overkill and waste is very frustrating. 1.6 Billion Rounds Of Ammo For Homeland […]

JB and JB performing together in 2013 on May 2nd & 4th

| March 11, 2013

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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.
My Desultory Blog