My Desultory Blog

Posted By RichC on April 28, 2022

In keeping with personal home project updating, our hardwood flooring has been moving along this week. The guys are making a mess sanding … but doing their best to contain dust. We are hoping for a stain-match to our existing oak floors, but in any case, the guest bedroom and office are taking shape. Unfortunately I know where this update is going: Next we’ll need to update the “Jack and Jill” bath between the office and bedroom. Ugh $$$!

All in all, I’m happy that Brenda talked me into replacing the carpeting with oak to match our first floor and I know that once things are finished up, it will be great to have a hardwood floored place to work.

Currently I’m thinking about ordering a new Vitrazza, or other brand, of“glass” chair mat rather than the plastic I’ve always had to protect the floors … and Brenda has her eyes set on finding a new rug to go under the antique table/desk (it has been my desk for nearly 40 years). It is also obvious that I need a new desk chair or at least some kind of recovering, but won’t rush that purchase (as my kids know … I’ll be looking for a deal and don’t give up easily on a 20+ year old chair. Ha!). Personally though, I really like my current heavily constructed framed desk chair … even if the vinyl and foam was cheap and failed a decade ago. Maybe reupholstering is an option (photos below).

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Category: Misc, Personal, Photos, Shopping | No Comments »
Tags: bedroom, chair, floors, glass, hardwood, home, mat, oak, office, project, sanding, update

Posted By RichC on April 27, 2022

Earlier this year after an HOA meeting, I added myself to the waitlist for a new Wyze Cam product called the Wyze Cam Floodlight. The neighborhood has been looking for a better way to monitor the pool without the high cost of a commercial security camera. I mentioned this economical motion floodlight with cam and that it might work if we can piggyback on the closest neighbor’s wifi or use a 5G connection?

For my personal application, I replaced the dampness sensitive security floodlights I picked up in the discount bin that have never worked correctly. The newly mounted floods and cam (above) captured Megan and Taylor leaving on Sunday evening after washing their cars. Below is the motion detected floodlight and what the video sees at night.

The new Wyze Cam Floodlight and WyzeCam3 combination covers the area behind the poolhouse garage and rear driveway … and along with a microSD card will record enough video to have me questioning what kind of monitoring of the content I need? Do I need or want to pay extra just for the AI features and longer online video or will the motion sensitive lights and video be appropriate so as long as the archived video is out of reach?

Since I’m a advocate of these inexpensive Wyze Cams, I now have a few of them at the house and  condo. Here’s a recent video trying out the window mount  that I thought was interesting in that it captures Brenda leaving in the beginning and a cardinal flitting around on a branch.

Category: Gadget, Ideas, Personal, Photos, Shopping, Technology, Video | No Comments »
Tags: floodlight, hoa, megan, mp4, poolhouse, security, taylor, waitlist, washing, wyze, wyzecam3

Posted By RichC on April 26, 2022

The financial markets have been following the Federal Reserves messaging regarding tightening their easy money policies and has been selling off the last few days. The more aggressive, but late stance to slow inflation is one needed piece of the puzzle … although also heights concerns over slow growth or even a recession. That news aside, the big news for Monday was that the social media network known as Twitter ($TWTR) is going private. After rushing to put a “poison pill” in place last week to discourage a hostile takeover of the company, the board accepted an offer and will be purchased by billionaire Elon Musk.

Musk has been on a mission to counter the bots and Silicon Valley’s politically left-leaning censorship of speech … and their attack on libertarian principles. He is using his billions to buy back a small bit of free speech with Twitter (@richc) – especially for political conservatives; there has been an erosion of who and what are being heard in our schools, universities, the mainstream media, big tech social media platforms and in cities/states controlled by progressive Democrats. The deal put together by Elon Musk is said to be worth $44 Billion and will likely set up a management and employee struggle. From an investor’s perspective, it will be a good deal as shareholders will receive $54.20 per share when the deal is finalized.

The timing couldn’t be more interesting with a midterm election is 6 months away after the silencing of conservative pundits, politicians, news stories and outlets happened in 2020. This new ownership promises to open the Twitter public square, although it is yet to be seen. The timing is even more interesting after big tech colluded in shutting down a rising social media competitor last go around with Parler who relied on Apple iOS and Google Android last go around, as well Silicon Valley and Amazon servers. To many, it seemed to be a coordinated effort to prevent President Trump reelected and those he endorsed from getting elected. It worked as Democrats now control the House, Senate and White House.

Now along with Twitter under private ownership, there is also a new conservative startup social network or micro blogging platform backed by Trump called, Truth Social ($DWAC). This new network claims to be more accepting, although I sense it will be primarily used by conservatives preaching to the choir and energizing their supporters. It is still in the start phase, but I was recently approved after being on a long wait list. Follow me @richcorbett. 

Category: Business, Financial, News, Politics, Social Media | No Comments »
Tags: $DWAC, $TWTR, buyout, elon musk, federal reserve, finance, investing, markets, media, msm, parler, poison pill, Politics, stocks, truth social, twitter

Posted By RichC on April 25, 2022

This content is restricted.

Category: Archive, Nature, Personal, Photography, Photos, Video, Weather | No Comments »
Tags: apple blossom, ellerie, family, goacamole, granddaughter, iphone7plus, mp4, portrait mode

Posted By RichC on April 24, 2022

For a better reference to the subject line, see this post! (tweet below) 😊
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Category: Automotive, Social Media, Volkswagen | No Comments »
Tags: family, sportwagen, taylor, tweet, twitter, volkswagen, vw

Posted By RichC on April 23, 2022

As the Fed finally starts to deal with inflation, the market took note this month and seems to be selling off across the board. The expectation is that the economy will slow and as they say in the investing world, “don’t fight the Fed.” There isn’t a silver bullet that can keep businesses booming, paychecks rising and inflation under control forever. Something needs to give, especially when our government continues to expand, spend and add to deficit spending and debt.

Preceding the Great Recession, we saw similar patterns. Businesses were hiring, housing prices were booming and oil prices were rising (see  April 23, 2008 post below). We should know better, but smart people still believe the good time will keep going. True it is hard to predict the end of a bull market, but history tells us that it will end. Let’s hope for a softer landing, but don’t be surprised if we have a crash and a recession (hopefully without stagflation).

Category: Financial, News, Politics | No Comments »
Tags: crude, economy, federal reserve, inflation, oil, recession

Posted By RichC on April 22, 2022

The MP3 format for audio has been used on My Desultory Blog since the mid-2000s and I have contemplated a variety of other opensource options over the years. Compression choices to keep file sizes and streaming acceptable come and go and as we search for quality of audio and bandwidth for streaming becomes less of an issue, file sizes have grown. Recently after submitting a voice audio response using an iPhone, decided it was time to revisit the topic.

Since I already have an Apogee microphone on my two-monitor iMac setup, I started a little testing using the Apogee MetaRecorder app and dongle plug for the iPad and iPhone. In itself, the audio quality is an impressive improvement over the built in iPhone microphone or my Bluetooth headset, but it is definitely not as convenient. Since I’m not creating voice over audio or podcasts, it hardly seems worthwhile to use it for audio memos.

Link to chart from Ease.US

Category: Audio, Blogs, Computer, Software, Technology | No Comments »
Tags: apogee, app, audio, compression, ease.us, format, ipad, iphone, m4a, microphone, tech friday, techfriday, voice memo

Posted By RichC on April 21, 2022

As the slow progress on finishing my home office continues, I’ve set up a temporary office in the basement (below). It is surprisingly comfortable, but I do miss the daylight and looking out the windows.

I can’t help but reminisce to make this a Throwback Thursday #TBT post after finally removing the painters tape from the iMac and using the appropriate adhisive strips to close it up after the 2018/2019 SSD surgery (click link for photos). My office was pretty comfortable as it was after the new mini split, but I am glad to have at least painted, cleaned out, added the new TV … and will hopefully appreciate the new hardwood flooring (Brenda’s requirement for updating my office; I would have been fine with new carpeting).

Tech Friday: A New iMac has replaced an old G4 and PC <= 2013 home office setup

Hardwood Flooring Progress photo from 4/19/2022…

Category: Apple, Computer, Human Interest, Misc, Personal, Photos, Productivity, TBT, Technology | No Comments »
Tags: basement, floors, hardwood, home, imac, office, TBT, throwback, thursday

Posted By RichC on April 20, 2022

In keeping with this graphic, here’s a recent LA Times article highlighting a growing California crime problem …

17 L.A. gangs have sent out crews to follow and rob city’s wealthiest, LAPD says

More than a dozen Los Angeles gangs are targeting some of the city’s wealthiest residents in a new and aggressive manner, sending out crews in multiple cars to find, follow and rob people driving high-end vehicles or wearing expensive jewelry, according to police.

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Category: Automotive, News, Privacy | No Comments »
Tags: bumper stickers, california, cars, crime, information, latimes, privacy

Posted By RichC on April 19, 2022

After filling up the 2010 BMW X5 35d with diesel … ouch … I drove to the least painful Ohio DMV location in my area according to the online wait times. Thankfully I came prepared with my passport, address verification and requested ID information. After $56.40 … I came out in less than 30 minutes with a piece of paper and promise my new TSA compliant Driver’s License would be in the mail in 4-6 weeks.

As for the cost of fuel, I was able to fill for $4.86 with a 3 cent discount. I can’t imagine how challenging it must be for families of lessor means dealing with the costs of essentials (fuel, food, utilities, etc) as inflation gobbles up their paychecks … not to mention those who live on a fixed income!

On a totally different topic, the hardwood floor guys were out on Monday to remove all the old carpeting from my office, the guest bedroom and hall area. Soon the new oak will be installed. BTW, the old carpet was way past its prime. 

Category: Archive, Automotive, Diesel, Misc, Personal, Photos | No Comments »
Tags: BMW, carpet, diesel, drivers, floors, fuel, gas prices, license, x5 35d