Posted By RichC on August 1, 2023
There are plenty of books on my Kindle, in my “ebook pile” and “printed paper” book pile to read, but most of them are not 
particularly enjoyable “to me” to read. They either arouse political anger and frustration in the direction our country is being lead … or personal improvement books that “I interpret” as working on my (human) faulty character traits (both career and faith based). This latest eBook download, “Baa Baa Black Sheep” by Gregory “Pappy” Boyington, is just want I needed in reflecting on the serious business of war and wariors, as well as the hero types that rose to the occasion — those of the Greatest Generation.
Besides the military and especially WW2 history that interests me, it also ties my interest and studying the war in the Pacific and in aviation. His book published in 1958 is his account of his experience as a pre-WW2 US Marine, member of the American Volunteer Group or AVG (Flying Tigers) before the U.S. was at war with Japan and then back as a US Marine Corp Major (“Gramps” because he was 31) in September of 1942. So far, it is a more uplifting summer read.
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Category: Aviation, Books, History, Millitary |
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Tags: aviation, corsair, gregory boyington, hero, marine corps, pacific, pappy, world war 2
Posted By RichC on July 31, 2023
Today’s Music Monday song by Looking Glass is one nearly every generation that enjoys pop music would find difficult not to like. Brandy (You’re A Fine Girl) is about as popular as a song can get in the early 1970s. It rose to #1 in the charts in 1972.
Interesting tidbit:
Following the song’s release in 1972, “Brandy” increased in popularity as a girl’s name in the United States. According to data from the Social Security Administration, Brandy was the 353rd most popular name in 1971, 140th in 1972, and, in 1973 (the first full year after the song’s popularity), 82nd.
Barry Manilow‘s 1974 “Mandy” was a cover of a song originally titled “Brandy”, released in February 1972 by Scott English; however, Manilow changed the title following the success of the Looking Glass single, so as not to get the two songs confused.
LINK and YouTube LINK
Category: Music, Tidbits, Video |
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Tags: barry manilow, brandy, looking glass, mp4, music monday, musicmonday, youtube
Posted By RichC on July 30, 2023
Brenda’s birthday is in August and after remembering her riding the small kids bike (a joke) and seeing that our granddaughters are both growing into bicycles, it seemed like a good idea to find something reasonably priced for her to ride with them (and me) — and kill two birds with one stone considering it will be for her birthday. I’ve been shopping the secondhand market and missed out on a couple of nice ones. BUT .. last week I found a “like-new” Northwoods Springdale hybrid 18-speed bike priced right.
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Category: Bikes, Idioms, Personal, Photos, Shopping |
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Tags: bicycle, bike, birthday, brenda, gift, idiom, idioms, northwoods
Posted By RichC on July 29, 2023
A couple of years ago when contemplating upgrading the dust collection equipment in my workshop … the urge passed. The old ShopSmith DC3300 was again cleaned and re-bagged … and still today the dusty basement shop continues to annoy me.
Fast forward: Last week Rockler put their Dust Right FlexiPort Power Tool Hose Kit on sale … and I ordered it. While at it, I bought an inexpensive knock-off of the Dust Deputy cyclone kit for “chip collecting” to put inline with my small basement shop vac (not to the dust collector connected to my table saw and sander). The plus to this is that I’m hoping to also use it in the garage with my bigger shop vac which should make a different when using the DeWalt Planner (prefer using that either behind the garage or in it with the doors open).
While I was looking at the Rockler connectors and placing my order, I also noticed the quick connector system that looked interesting 
as a way to move hoses around to different pieces of stationary equipment. Nothing I’m looking to do at the moment, but having the attachment points at waste level would be A LOT easier that crawling under my table saw to unplug and retrieve the hose when switching it to my router table. Hm …
Category: Ideas, Shopping, Tools, Woodworking |
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Tags: cyclone, dust collector, rockler, sale, vacuum, vacuum hose, woodworking, workshop
Posted By RichC on July 28, 2023
Things continue to change over at Twitter, at least as the old is removed and the new is implemented. I’m not sure the switch from the Twitter “bird” to the symbol “X” is all that big of a deal, but it does at least keep people in the tech world talking. Who knows if Elon Musk move will make financial sense? I’ll continue to use Twitter.com/MyDesultoryBlog or X.com/RichC … so as long as it is fun and provides me a newsfeed that I’m comfortable in using.
Category: Business, Social Media, Technology |
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Tags: elon musk, social media, tech friday, techfriday, twitter, x.com
Posted By RichC on July 27, 2023
Although I’m not positive as to the year (perhaps 1978), but this photo triggered thoughts of the 1970s and the gas station lines that happened between 1973 and 1979. The memory is fitting for Throwback Thursday #TBT, perhaps in part because I worked at a Shell station while in high school?
Another interesting memory is that in looking at the cars lined up at this station, I owned TWO of the vehicles, or ones very similar, that are in the above photo (click photo to see which ones!).
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Category: Automotive, Energy, History, Memories, TBT |
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Tags: Cadillac, gas lines, gas station, honda civic, oil embargo, shell oil, TBT, throwback
Posted By RichC on July 26, 2023
Katelyn and Drew brought us back some Rowdy barbecue sauce when they took a trip to Tennessee in the spring. I didn’t get a chance to use it until last week — chicken wings in the toaster oven
(better than Buffalo sauce?) Anyway, a belated thanks; it is delicious.
A chart/graph in the WSJ last week, and because KDAE are in the homebuilding process, also reminded me that we are not out of the recession woods just yet as mortgage applications are nearing a multi-decade low (click for larger).
Category: Financial, Food, Tidbits |
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Tags: barbeque, chart, economy, graph, homebuiding, housing, kdae, recession, wsj
Posted By RichC on July 25, 2023
The API is not accepting updates to MyDesultoryBlog Twitter account. Reset new “keys and tokens” to see if it updates? This will be deleted as it is only a test.
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Category: Productivity, Social Media, Technology |
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Tags: amazon, api, hooks, twitter
Posted By RichC on July 25, 2023
Last weekend I toyed with the idea of converting one of my NiCad Paslode batteries over to Lithium-Ion. I picked up the charging module circuit board with DC voltage boosting and “thought” this might be a simple solution. 
Oh not so quick … 4+ hours later … it was not so easy to stuff two parallel connected 18650 4VDC cells, plus the circuit board, wiring and a micro power switch into the existing casing (cut open with a Dremel tool).
The smarter move would have been to just purchase an off-brand battery for $20, but then where’s the fun in that!
While I was working on the tool, I decided to prestain a few replacement boards for the fence before installing. This is on-going repairing is going to be a never-ending task.
Category: Repairs, Tools |
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Tags: amazon, battery, fence, lithium, nail gun, paslode, repair, stain
Posted By RichC on July 24, 2023
When it comes to Music Monday, there is something about hearing a one-hit wonder that grabs my attention. Perhaps it is the memory of the song or days gone by … or maybe it is just the fact that we expected the singer or band to have another hit song?
In any case, the English pop band Jigsaw recorded the song “Sky High” which rose to #3 on the Billboard Top 100 in 1975. It was originally the title theme for the movie The Man From Hong Kong or The Dragon Flies (US); Hm, I may have to add it to our Anylist “want to watch” classic movies list.
Category: Memories, Music |
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Tags: 1975, jigsaw, music monday, musicmonday, one hit wonder, sky high
