My Desultory Blog

Posted By RichC on June 29, 2023

While updating a few blog titles that had mis-coded characters on My Desultory Blog, my eye was drawn to an old favorite smartphone post from 2006 — the Palm Treo 700p.

  The photos started me thinking about this making an interesting artificial intelligence assisted ChatGPT Throwback Thursday #TBT post?

The Legendary Palm Treo 700p

The Palm Treo 700p was a device that captured the hearts of mobile enthusiasts and marked a significant milestone in the evolution of smartphones. So, let’s take a trip down memory lane and celebrate the unforgettable Palm Treo 700p!

The Arrival of the Palm Treo 700p:

Released in 2006, the Palm Treo 700p was a revolutionary smartphone that combined the power of Palm’s renowned PDA functionality with the convenience of a mobile phone. It boasted a sleek design, featuring a full QWERTY keyboard, a vibrant color display, and a compact form factor that made it a coveted device of its time.

The Power of Palm OS:

The Treo 700p ran on Palm OS 5.4.9, which was optimized for multitasking and offered an extensive range of productivity features. Users could manage their schedules, access emails, browse the web, and even use third-party applications, making it a versatile tool for both personal and professional use.

A Camera in Your Pocket:

One of the standout features of the Palm Treo 700p was its integrated 1.3-megapixel camera. While the camera quality may seem modest by today’s standards, it was a big leap forward at the time, allowing users to capture memorable moments on the go.

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Category: AI, Blogs, Cellphone, TBT, Technology | No Comments »
Tags: 700p, airport, blog, cak, chatgpt, palm treo, smartphone, TBT

Posted By RichC on June 28, 2023

Saw this image on Twitter with the tagline “Humanity is Doomed” the other day … and although I smiled … it is unfortunately the appropriate comment.

Category: Human Interest, Humor, Social Media | No Comments »
Tags: helmet, humanity, Humor, twitter

Posted By RichC on June 27, 2023

This past weekend I started a new book that I’ve been looking forward to reading since “Saved: A War Reporter’s Mission to Make It Home” was released in March 2023. Benjamin Hall’s book is one I should have purchased in the spring, but since I had a pile of reading to get through, I opted to get in line for a library copy. 

This past weekend it became available in the Kindle format (even better) so checked it out online and started reading Sunday night. Although I’ve heard journalist Benjamin Hall relay much of his terrifying story many times on Fox News segments, it is even a better read. I quickly ignored what was going on around me to continue reading. Midnight rolled around and shut the cover only to find myself up at 6AM making coffee and reading it before turning on the morning busienss news (my normal routine). In other words … it is well written and worth buying and reading (now also in audio).

Benjamin Hall is a veteran war reporter who only 20 days after his father’s burial in California (an impressive WWII Phillipines survival story too), was back in Kyiv reporting on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. THEN …

…on the morning of March 14, 2022, Russian bombs would nearly end his life. As a journalist for Fox News, Hall had worked in dangerous war zones like Syria and Afghanistan, but with three young daughters at home, life on the edge was supposed to be a thing of the past. Yet when Russia viciously attacked Ukraine in February 2022, Hall quickly volunteered to go. A few weeks later, while on assignment, Hall and his crew were blown up in a Russian strike. With Hall himself gravely injured and stuck in Kyiv, it was unclear if he would make it out alive.

This is the story of how he survived—a story that continues to this day. For the first time, Hall shares his experience in full—from his ground-level view of the war to his dramatic rescue to his arduous, and ongoing, recovery. Going inside the events that have permanently transformed him, Hall recalls his time at the front lines of our world’s conflicts, exploring how his struggle to step away from war reporting led him back one perilous last time. Featuring nail-biting accounts from the many people across multiple countries who banded together to get him to safety, Hall offers a stunning look at complex teamwork and heartfelt perseverance that turned his life into a mission.

Through it all, Hall’s spirit has remained undaunted, buoyed by that remarkable corps of people from around the world whose collective determination ensured his survival. Evocative, harrowing, and deeply moving, Saved is a powerful memoir of family and friends, of life and healing, and of how to respond when you are tested in ways you never thought possible.

Category: Books, History, Millitary, News | No Comments »
Tags: benjamin hall, Books, reading, russia, saved, ukraine, war

Posted By RichC on June 26, 2023

This content is restricted.

Category: Archive, Memories, Personal, Photos, Video | No Comments »
Tags: annalyn, bompa, ellerie, family, fort ancient, kings island, mp4, oma, pool, slideshow, summer

Posted By RichC on June 25, 2023

Someone shared a National Geographic map on climate from a “years ago” issue and I found the discussion of the Hadley, Polar and Ferrel Cells interesting … I even had to look them up.

The atmosphere transports heat throughout the globe extremely well, but present-day atmospheric characteristics prevent heat from being carried directly from the equator to the poles. Currently, there are three distinct wind cells – Hadley Cells, Ferrel Cells, and Polar Cells – that divide the troposphere into regions of essentially closed wind circulations. In this arrangement, heat from the equator generally sinks around 30° latitude where the Hadley Cells end. As a result, the warmest air does not reach the poles. If atmospheric dynamics were different, however, it is plausible that one large overturning circulation per hemisphere could exist and that wind from the low-latitudes could transport heat to the high-latitudes. As an explanation for equable climates, Brian Farrell presented this idea in 1990 and advocated that during equable climates, the Hadley Cells extended from the equator to the poles (Farrell, 1990). LINK

Although those who study climate, “without a political bent and grants money on the line”, undoubtedly understand the science far better than readers like me, I still find it interesting to learn about. 

As for beauty when it comes to nature and the oceans, there aren’t too many scenes better than watching the waves come in at a beach … except maybe someone surfing those waves and turning it into a dance (below). Wow!

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Category: Nature, Recreation, Science, Video, Weather | No Comments »
Tags: climate, dance, map, national geographic, ocean, surfing

Posted By RichC on June 24, 2023

Most of us know from Geography class that the country of Chile in South America is a narrrow but l-o-n-g country … but may not have a perspective as to it’s entire length. A “map website,” BrilliantMaps, that I follow on Twitter posted a couple photos illustrating just how long (or tall) it is. It would take a while to “hike” or even drive the full distance of 2,653 miles. 

Category: Social Media, Tidbits, Travel | No Comments »
Tags: brilliantmaps.com, chile, geography, maps, twitter

Posted By RichC on June 23, 2023

A couple of weeks ago, our our mostly flawless fiber service with AltaFiber (was Cincinnati Bell) was upgraded to a faster speed. Our Internet service has been as fast as we have needed and relatively stable for the last couple of years. Personally, nothing needs anything to change … except perhaps a lower monthly price?

That said, I’ve known the weakest link in our home network is an inexpensive Mesh (4-mesh points) in combination with a wired hub, an additional router and 39 mixed wireless and 7 or so wired devices. Although I’d like to see the speed … I really don’t want to rock the boat.

At some point we may decide to cut the cord and eliminate our cable TV and DVR service (half the monthly cost) and just opt for streaming everything … but I’d miss recording sporting events to watch later and having access to live cable news.

Since we have a second wireless network router still running in the basement (ISP supplied) .. I bypassed the Mesh set-up to see it that was the slowdown — the opposite! It was even slower (Orca – Mesh on left and Zy – Alta Fiber supplied on right). 

Adding a test from a VPN connection:

Category: Computer, Gadget, Productivity, Technology | No Comments »
Tags: altafiber, internet, network, nordvpn, speedtest, tech friday, techfriday, vpn

Posted By RichC on June 22, 2023

Using the pronoun “one” seems out of place and too casual when using the common phrase … “Have a good one.” It is heard all the time in day to day conversation (even on television business news shows — you know who you are Lauren Simonetti — HA!) and at least for me, the phrase is over used (I know, get over it Rich)! 

Someone posted that the phrase is far more useful than “Have a Good Day” … which requires a little more thought as to “morning, day, night, etc,” but is also overused. 

Still these well wishes are a way to end a conversation and brighten up the day for someone else … whether its a TV interview, a spouse, a friend or the kids on the way to school. 

So …

Have a Good One … or Good Day!    🙃

Category: Human Interest, Idioms, Misc | No Comments »
Tags: gom, have a good day, have a good one, idiom, idioms, overthinking, phrase

Posted By RichC on June 21, 2023

Who doesn’t enjoy mind benders … especially when it comes to well know art such as Vincent Gogh‘s “Starry Night“ … mentioned in a previous Meniere’s post.

Look at the center dot in the top image and press play until the short video ends. Then look at the Vincent van Gogh artwork below it. Mind bent. 😜

Category: Art, Social Media, Tidbits, Video | No Comments »
Tags: artwork, brainteaser, menieres, mindbender, starry night, twitter, van Gogh

Posted By RichC on June 20, 2023

Around the year Brenda and I were married (1982), we bought a couple of bicycles to ride around Aurora, Ohio where we bought our first house. Her 10-speed has long since disappeared (perhaps garage sale) but we kept mine through the years. It is a bit on the heavy side, but my Jamis bike was well built and sturdy … and still rides well even with the additional 20+ pounds I’ve added over the last 40 years! 

As mentioned over the weekend, the original tires were cracked and would no long hold air (although I have replaced the tubes a couple of times in the past). Recently I’m hoping a little TLC will help me fulfill a promise I made to my granddaughter: “I’ll fix my bike so we can ride around the lake together.”

It was difficult to find the narrower gum-sidewall original 1.5” tires, but after measuring, it looked as if I could install a 26” x 1.95 tire on the rims that were much more reasonably priced. So with a little fender adjustment, some cleaning and repacking the crank with new grease, the old bike rides well … and doesn’t look bad either (except for sore legs) … that was until Brenda commented, “it looks like an old man’s bike.”

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Category: Archive, Bikes, Gadget, Hobby, Hybrid, Idioms, Misc, Personal, Photos | No Comments »
Tags: bicycle, bike, bikes, ebike, jamis, repaired, tires