Archive: Some family time with our granddaughters
Posted By RichC on November 30, 2022
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Lava flowing from Mauna Loa volcano a concern for residents
Posted By RichC on November 29, 2022
Lava and smoky ash is sputtering from the world’s largest active volcano on the Hawaii’s Big Island. Mauna Loa isn’t immediately endangering towns, but eruption poses danger to over 200,000 people and the U.S. Geological Survey is warning people that it can be "very dynamic and that and advancing lava flows can change rapidly." (AP Reporting)
We enjoy our visit years ago, but would not want to live too close to this potential threat.
Music Monday: “Puff the Magic Dragon” – Peter, Paul and Mary
Posted By RichC on November 28, 2022
In keeping with the 1960’s Music Monday from a couple week’s ago, the song “Puff the Magic Dragon” by Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul and Mary flickered by in some way this past week when someone mentioned the old rumors speculating that “it contained veiled references to smoking marijuana.” But the authors, including the original poem by Leonard Lipton and Yarrow have repeatedly rejected and denied the claims.
The word "paper" in the name of Puff’s human friend Jackie Paper was said to be a reference to rolling papers, the words "by the sea" were interpreted as "by the C" (as in cannabis), the word "mist" stood for "smoke", the land of "Honahlee" stood for hashish, and "dragon" was interpreted as "draggin’" (i.e., inhaling smoke). Similarly, the name "Puff" was alleged to be a reference to taking a "puff" on a joint.
Although these references do seem credible for someone growing up in the 60’s and 70’s, I much prefer the interpretation that children grow up and out of the imaginary friends and dragon phase and dragons who live forever move on to the next little girl and boy childhood imagination. Nevertheless, it is an enjoyable song even to this day (1965 live performance below and a Decades TV Peter, Paul and Mary story here).
Puff the Magic Dragon (lyrics)
Tech Friday: Magfast Life and Extreme charging issues
Posted By RichC on November 25, 2022
Part of what was in my long awaited Magfast order arrived earlier this month and after charging the MAGFAST battery packs, I started to test the output plugs. 
The USB-C worked just fine on my Kindle reader. The Lightning plug worked to charge my iPhone 7 and iPad. The Micro-USB worked (I think) and the USB-A output plugs charged devices like my Fitbit Versa 2 watch using the special cradle, although very slow.
The one device that doesn’t seem to take a charge is my Aftershokz Aeropex headset. On the Life, the USB-A out is on the top and starts to charge then turn off after about 30 seconds … using the proprietary cable with magnetic attachment. The bigger MAGFAST Extreme has a couple of USB-A plugs on the bottom and they seem to work, but after hours of remaining plugged in, the condition indicated displayed 8 of 10 LEDs indicating a discharge, but the Aeropex remained uncharged fully with a still red LED (photo). I’ve written the company and they are looking into it.
It might be a sensing circuit that shuts down when the discharge is small … that is my thought anyway?
Thanksgiving 2022: “Out of the mouth of babes …”
Posted By RichC on November 24, 2022
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Short video tidbit: Another way to fold sheet corners
Posted By RichC on November 23, 2022
Music Monday: “Hey Jude” (or Julian) – The Beatles
Posted By RichC on November 21, 2022
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Native American tribes in America before the Europeans #maps
Posted By RichC on November 20, 2022
Maps and history have always held my interest (as they do for my son Taylor too). Having grown up when schools glossed over most of American the history prior to Columbus in 1492 (or perhaps the Vikings) … it is interesting to learn a little bit more about the “approximately 20 million” Native Americans that populated North America prior to the 16th century.
I certainly did not remember learning that there were “over 1000 tribes, bands or clans” prior to disease and war during the first 300 years that our country was “founded” (hm?) I’m not a “woke” education advocate and prefer most of what we learn is from the contemporary teaching of American history, but I still don’t mind some attention to and learning about the native population … and particularly enjoy learning through maps. Check out the article “Why Isn’t This Map in the History Books?”
While I’m on the subject of maps, history and learning, I’m going to pull a book by Gavin Menzies off our bookshelves (below) that I started several years ago but never finished. The “claim” by Menzles is that the Chinese sailed to America before Columbus. It is intriguing …even if most historians call his assertion pseudohistory.
His book 1421: The Year China Discovered the World, is a work of sheer fiction presented as revisionist history. Not a single document or artifact has been found to support his new claims on the supposed Ming naval expeditions beyond Africa … Menzies’ numerous claims and the hundreds of pieces of "evidence" he has assembled have been thoroughly and entirely discredited by historians, maritime experts and oceanographers from China, the U.S., Europe and elsewhere.
Our Chick-fil-A order was securely delivered with a smile
Posted By RichC on November 19, 2022
Our Chick-fil-A order last week was “securely” delivered to our car by a law enforcement officer … and with a smile (wish I could have tipped him)!
My kind of city and state. Community outreach does not get much better than this! #lawenforcement & @ChickfilA working together to keep the line moving. pic.twitter.com/oisMROLqLz
— Rich Corbett (@RichC) November 17, 2022
Edit add: Missing photo from the embed after conversion to X.com? Added below …
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Tech Friday: Wyze Cams satisfy my gadget addiction
Posted By RichC on November 18, 2022
My older Canary Cams are still working but will eventually be retired as lower priced and higher quality Wyze Cams and Wyze Cam3s have 
become the “go to” products to fill my gadget 
addiction.
On Wednesday a male cardinal trigger one of my cams and it reminded me to check on my subscription, re-read the promotional email announcing the new Wyze Cam v3 Pro and to include Drew’s new Wyze Solar Panel powered outdoor Wyze Cam.
Desultory - des-uhl-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee
- lacking in consistency, constancy, or visible order, disconnected; fitful: desultory conversation.
- digressing from or unconnected with the main subject; random: a desultory remark.