Highlighting some of what Taylor is doing in Batavia Twp. Ohio

| May 31, 2025

Some of what I attempt to archive on MDB are the goings-on in our family for posterity. Taylor has definitely found his career niche and excels at socially interacting with coworkers and the citizens he serves in Batavia Township, Ohio. In April it was putting on the Easter Bunny suit to the smile of children […]

Tech Friday: Digital Ocean server maintenance and blog panic

| May 30, 2025

This past week, regular readers may have noticed MDB going down. I battled with it instead fo relaxing on Wednesday night — wasting time building an entire new Digital Ocean Droplet/Server with an overnight (automated while sleeping) older “snapshot” set to

Testing MarsEdit blogging feature and interesting aviation trivia

| May 29, 2025

This is a blogging test of a MarsEdit feature to include content that is on a different server — a Memorial Day 8-plane backyard formation flyover (it didn’t work). ☹️   Also, an interesting bit of Area-51 “Skunk Works” Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk development trivia:  The stealth bomber prototype secretly developed at Area 51 in the […]

Archive: Memorial Day early pool time with our granddaughters

| May 28, 2025

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How carbon dioxide in the atmosphere travels around the globe

| May 27, 2025

FYI, I have zero understanding of climate science beyond knowing that it is a politically loaded topic. I’ve tried to remain balanced on pollution vs economic issues my entire life — advocating for saving the whales, birds and manatees and for clean water and air in the 1960-70s when human offensives were clearly noticeable … […]

Music Monday: “18 Summers” – Matthew West on Memorial Day

| May 26, 2025

Although Memorial Day posts have generally been focused on honoring and remembering on MDB, I’m breaking the tradition and will include a Music Monday song titled “18 Summers” from the Christian artist Matthew West. It so happened that my daughter sent his YouTube video and a comment regarding college and her girls (still a decade […]

Archive: A couple more woodworking snippets from WoodSmith

| May 25, 2025

As with previous archived tidbits, I’m saving two more from WoodSmith magazine this month that I might want to try. The one above is using painter’s tape to cut more precise hand-cut dovetails. If I try again, this might help?  The tip below the break is for pocket dowels and screws, a technique that I […]

The End of the Penny: US Mint to Cease Production by 2026

| May 24, 2025

The U.S. penny, a staple of American currency since 1787, will no longer be minted after 2026, as announced by the Treasury Department. The decision comes as the cost of producing a penny has soared to 3.7 cents, far exceeding its face value. With 114 billion pennies in circulation, the move aims to cut losses […]

ChatGPT and Grok performed well, but Gemini 2.5 Pro fell short

| May 23, 2025

After asking both ChatGPT and Grok for some “value investor, dividend stock” advice on May 2nd (see link), I received an invite from Gemini 2.5 Pro to test an update. So I decided to ask the same question just to see what Google’s Gemini would spit out. Unfortunately I must have picked a busy time […]

Politicians, no matter the political party, borrow and spend

| May 22, 2025

Democrats don’t want you to see what they are doing when they spend your taxdollars (and borrow more) … while Republicansl try to convince you that the Federal government needs to increase spending now and in order to cut spending later.  BTW, the U.S. House passed the Trump backed One Big Beautiful Bill today.  Key […]

Hm, 2011 both does and doesn’t seem all that long ago? #TBT

| May 22, 2025

A “Year(s) Ago On This Day” highlight (column right) had me looking at a May 2011 photo of our family. Katelyn’s NEOUCOM medical school graduation in 2011 made for a great memory for sure … but leaves me a little bit sad. Still, I’m so thankful all four parents were able to attend her graduation, […]

BirdBuddy app, birds and Katelyn’s birdfeeder birthday present

| May 21, 2025

My daughter shared some photos from her new bird feeder birthday present, from Drew and the girls, and access last weekend through the BirdBuddy app. BTW, today is my brother’s birthday, Happy Birthday Ron! (poem below) The WiFi camera connected birdfeeder (see previous non-smar homemade birdfeeder) for the Oostra backyard which is full of “everything […]

Archive: Saving a Woodworking Tool Stool project idea and tips

| May 20, 2025

I’m saving a few woodworking tips to my blog’s archive is becoming a convenient habit, although I’m not sure finding it again will be all that easy to find when I need them? Above was a “Full Coverage vs. a Wash” tidbit and might be something to try someday … along with a simple socket […]

Music Monday: Gordon Lightfoot – “Carefree Highway” … again

| May 19, 2025

After starting a Music Monday post to include Gordon Lightfoot singing “Carefree Highway,” it occurred to me that I’ve likely posted the same song on MDB before? Of course I did … back in December 2018! Uh-oh … this must be a sign?     Gordon Lightfoot   “Carefree Highway” Gordon Lightfoot is to Canada […]

Has technology improved enough to consider a cochlear implant?

| May 18, 2025

Decades ago I struggled mightily with Meniere’s Disease (and I was looking for an excuse to use the word “mightily”) 😊 … but after having a surgery under the stress of the time to improve my vertigo … the hearing in my right ear is nearly gone. It is a known problem for both the […]

More of my commentary for TheHustings.news right-column

| May 17, 2025

In order to hold up the “right-column” over at TheHustings.news website, I’ve sent my commentary regarding President Trump’s trip to the Middle East this past week to the editor — it was successful by all accounts (except perhaps the America haters). Hopefully it will be used this weekend, although suspect the other “political animals” (as […]

Tech Friday: ElevenLabs Voice Changer AI modification

| May 16, 2025

Having tested and used ElevenLabs “text to speech” artificial intelligence software in the past, at newer “Voice Changer” (and clean up) application came available recently. I’m not sure where it might be useful, but I especially liked the “clean up” (removing background noise) and “speaker boost” filter … but unless there is a reason to […]

Woke the “Old Girl” from her winter slumber last weekend

| May 15, 2025

Although I recall posting a “winter slumber” video of my 1982 Mercedes Benz 300D Turbodiesel a decade ago, it has been a while — don’t look at the dust! So … after noticing the battery had lost some of its charge while “sleeping,” I decided to put the solar charger to work my W123 after […]

There are great patriots in America who still honor the late Congressional Medal of Honor receipient Ed “Too Tall” Freeman

| May 14, 2025

One never knows the connections that might be made online these days — and not all of them are of the negative variety.  I had the pleasure of talking with Bill Rogers from New York who happened to run across my MDB post from 2016 on Congressional Medal of Honor recipient Ed “Too Tall” Freeman […]

Wishing my daughter Katelyn a very Happy 39th Birthday

| May 14, 2025

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Audiobook: “Men Without Work” by Nicholas Eberstadt

| May 13, 2025

Blue collar advocate Mike Rowe was interviewed on the FoxBusiness channel that I monitor daily and mentioned the ongoing crisis of “Men Without Work” … or capable men that have stopped looking for work. He mention the 2017 book by Nicholas Eberstadt and since I’ve always been concerned that since Industrial Education has been discounted […]

Music Monday: “The Morning After” by Maureen McGovern

| May 12, 2025

Before leaving Florida and driving back to Ohio this spring, we waited a little longer in able to update and install fiber for our Internet and TV at the condo in Delray Beach. Although Xfinity has been stable, the BlueStream Fiber combined services was newly contracted by the HOA — it’s actually a big improvement […]

Happy Mother’s Day to all moms … with a cardinal selfie

| May 11, 2025

Because my mom loved birds and Brenda loves the beauty in nature, for Mother’s Day this year it is not flowers or a card, but a technology assisted Happy Mother’s Day with a beautiful cardinal. Of course this isn’t the first time he or his friends appeared on our Wyze Cam (they come every year) […]

Rebuilding American Industry – A Look at Trump’s Tariff Strategy

| May 10, 2025

At the heart of President Donald Trump’s economic vision is a renewed commitment to American manufacturing. Central to this goal is the strategic use of tariffs—not as instruments of isolation, but as tools to encourage domestic production, protect American workers, and reestablish the United States as a global industrial leader. The Trump team views tariffs […]

Catholics have a new pope … and Pope Leo XIV is an American

| May 9, 2025

Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost on September 14, 1955, in Chicago, Illinois, was elected as the 267th pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church on May 8, 2025. His election marks a historic milestone as he becomes the first American to ascend to the papacy. He succeeds Pope Francis, who passed away on April […]

A belated thank you to the Gerbers for an enjoyable stopover

| May 8, 2025

While Brenda and I were visiting her sister Ann in Alpharetta, Georgia, we started talking about dogs. There’s is getting older but is a meandering member of their family — and this post is an excuse to include one of our late Tootsie as a puppy (unfortunately I didn’t take any of the Gerbers or […]

Archive: Birthday wishes and fun family singing audio

| May 8, 2025

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A busy week, but after seeing this, I’m not complaining

| May 7, 2025

Hm, remind me not to complain about driving a few miles in a heated or air conditioned car … on paved American roads that might have a couple rough patches. 😉

Interesting series on The Vietnam War and a 1979 movie quote

| May 6, 2025

Brenda and I are in the middle of watching a series that aired on PBS in 2017 (I can’t say enjoying) since it is now streaming on Netflix (I know, once upon a time in 2011 I was planning to stop paying for it). 😉 The well done program is a 10-part documentary on the Vietnam […]

Music Monday: Jimmy Buffett – “That’s What Living Is To Me”

| May 5, 2025

I downloaded a memory song social media from 1988 that brought back fond memories and calming thoughts. Jimmy Buffett was my “go-to” music back in the late 1970s and 1980s while daydreaming of sailing the islands and clear waters of the Caribbean — yes, a fantasy or a dream. 😉 “That’s What Living Is to […]

What do you know about Rogue Planets in our Milky Way?

| May 4, 2025

Rogue planets, also known as free-floating planets, are planetary bodies that drift through the Milky Way without orbiting a star. Unlike typical planets bound to a stellar system, these objects roam interstellar space, untethered by a parent star’s gravity. They’re intriguing because they challenge our understanding of planetary formation and survival in the harsh environment […]

Tidbit: A tip to wire-tie clamp instead of a hose clamp

| May 3, 2025

Just a helpful filler tidbit that might be helpful someday. I spotted this one on social media and am adding it to my blog.  

Tech Friday: Can ChatGPT and Grok offer investors good advice?

| May 2, 2025

Having both an interest in Value Investing and AI, I decided to do a side by side comparison between ChatGPT and Grok3 for “stock trading advice for value investors” (highlighted in my request) … and “recommend three dividend stock buys that limit risk of loss but offer the highest chance of gains over the next […]

A Tough Balancing Act for the Fed as Economic Clouds Gather

| May 1, 2025

The Federal Reserve finds itself walking a tightrope as new data released this week points to a troubling mix: slower economic growth and higher inflation during the first quarter of 2025. It’s a combination that could eventually force the Fed to prioritize one of its dual mandates—either keeping inflation in check or supporting employment—at the […]

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