Music Monday: An Ohio State Football win and the Sloopy Girl
Posted By RichC on November 22, 2021
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Phrases to avoid. Most of us can work on these.
Posted By RichC on November 21, 2021
Saw a longer list of phrases on CNBC’s "Make It" website last week but pick out a few that I hear (or say) quite often. The easiest to correct are probably the ones that we stop saying … but can it be done?
“Needless to say …”
What to say instead: Nothing
“Needless to say” comes from a long line of ironic phrases where you open a topic by saying you’re not going to say something, but then say it anyway. So why do it?
“In my opinion …”
What to say instead: Nothing
Cut to the chase and remove the unnecessary, weak intros. Whoever is listening to you or reading what you’ve written knows that it’s your opinion or your belief. That’s why you’re telling them whatever you’re telling them!
“For what it’s worth …”
What to say instead: Nothing
This is another intro that makes it sound as if you’re not convinced yourself about what you’re saying. And if you’re not convinced about your point, why should anyone else be?
“… if you know what I mean”
What to say instead: Nothing
We’ve seen so many people end sentences with “if you know what I mean,” or its truncated near-twin “know what I mean?” If you’re one of them, stop now. It’s a filler phrase that means nothing — and actually irritates a lot of people.
Along the same lines, avoid starting sentences with puffy phrases like “It’s important to note that …” All you’re doing is adding useless words. Know what we mean?
Posted from “word nuts” Kathy and Ross Petras
A quick trip to Florida so as not to waste an expiring ticket
Posted By RichC on November 20, 2021
Brenda and I flew to Florida with a “use it or lose it” expiring Southwest Airline ticket …and hopefully as a way 
to earn a future companion-pass ticket (we’ll see how that goes).
We were there for a long weekend and to enjoy a couple days at the condo and the beach. Unfortunately I wasted day getting tires for the van and had an appointment to get our cable TV repaired – you know, the we’ll be there between 10 and 12. No big deal … “life is good,” as the saying goes.
The photo above is a windy but high-70s day at the beach and below a few flowers found on the dunes … while Brenda was picking up snails (snails that I suspect are still in their shells!)
Tech Friday: Interesting electric heater and Bitcoin mining setup?
Posted By RichC on November 19, 2021
How about mining Bitcoin and heating your house (room) with the excess energy/heat?
For small room portable heating and cryptocurrency mining this looks interesting (although personally I’d rather install solar panels and sell electric power to the grid), check out the Heatbit website.
https://youtu.be/bsjdIrcvz0E
Ugly sweaters? Jerry, Gary, Mark, DadH and RichC for #TBT
Posted By RichC on November 18, 2021
Every once in a while a memory gets triggered … and it happened while looking in my closet for a fleece or sweater with the weather turning colder. The photo below is from Christmas in 1990 and it seemed apropos for today’s Throwback Thursday #TBT.
For the record, it was taken in Jamestown, NY at my mother and father-in-law’s “green” house on Horton road before the passing of Brenda’s brother Mark or their move to the Farmhouse. I’m not sure this would be considered and “ugly sweater” photo, but I enjoy having one of Jerry, Gary, Mark, DadH and me from 21 years ago (and half of Taylor’s little blond head in front of me!)
Purchased a fair-priced 2-year subscription to NordVPN
Posted By RichC on November 17, 2021
When it comes to privacy and security, especially when traveling or connecting in hotels and coffee shops, every cybersecurity expert recommends using a VPN … and especially when connecting overseas or to unknown WiFi routers. I’ve used several different free VPNs over the years starting with my own private connection back in the 2000s, but have settled on a fair-priced service from NordVPN.
Since I’m often traveling and using my computer, phone and tablet for work related server maintenance issues and financial connections … having something reliable, fast and safe was key. Add to the mix, an intrusion from companies who profit from your personal information and habits and having a VPN connection has me comfortable paying a few dollars a month for security and privacy; there is no reason for Facebook, Google and the like to collect location information and so much personal data (BTW, readers should work harder to switch to DuckDuckGo.com for search).
Currently using NordVPN and testing free NordLocker encrypted cloud
So as a comparison to my preferred free-VPN, ProtonVPN and TunnelBear, NordVPN offers far more connections and significantly improved speeds in North America and “ok” speed for overseas connections. I’ve yet to test their specialty servers offering multiple hops or P2P.
Books: Joe Scarborough’s “Saving Freedom” about “strange little man” called Harry Truman
Posted By RichC on November 16, 2021
The author Joe Scarborough is not one of my favorite TV commentators … although I did like him as a politician back in the 1990s. In 2020 he wrote (and narrated) a book published by Harper Collins called “Saving Freedom.” I’ve been contemplating it and since the digital is on my Glose reader app, thought it might be a good time to download it.
I have a trip planned so am hoping to save it for some quiet history reading (although still haven’t finished “Shattered Sword” by Jonathan Parshall and Anthony Tully after detouring from Dan Carlin’s the Hardcore History podcast. The details regarding the Battle of Midway had me wanted to learn it from the Japanese perspective).
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!
History called on Harry Truman to unite the Western world against Soviet communism, but first he had to rally Republicans and Democrats behind America’s most dramatic foreign policy shift since George Washington delivered his farewell address. How did one of the least prepared presidents to walk into the Oval Office become one of its most successful?
The year was 1947. The Soviet Union had moved from being America’s uneasy ally in the Second World War to its most feared enemy. With Joseph Stalin’s ambitions pushing westward, Turkey was pressured from the east while communist revolutionaries overran Greece. The British Empire was battered from its war with Hitler and suddenly teetering on the brink of financial ruin. Only America could afford to defend freedom in the West, and the effort was spearheaded by a president who hadn’t even been elected to that office. But Truman would wage a domestic political battle that carried with it the highest of stakes, inspiring friends and foes alike to join in his crusade to defend democracy across the globe.
Music Monday: Bruce Hornsby and “The Way It Is” #video
Posted By RichC on November 15, 2021
I’m recycling a Music Monday song from a few years back (2017) with Bruce Hornsby performing “The Way It Is” from the 1986 album by the same name … but this time not just audio, but the official video on YouTube/Vevo (so indicates the mp4 file).
Although he is best known performing with his group Bruce Hornsby and the Range, he has a long and rich history in music … playing with such well known artists like Ricky Scaggs and groups like the Grateful Dead.
The LONG wait for a MAGFAST charging kit is near, well 2022
Posted By RichC on November 14, 2021
Prior to 2017, I backed a ThingCharger Kickstarter project that was an excellent product. It was overpriced for what it did, but I ended up buying a couple extras for gifts (Brenda’s phone charging in photo at Katelyn and Drew’s house).
In 2017, after the business failure, founder Seymour Segnit started a new company telling early investors he learned from the mistakes in “running the business” and was re-branding a new line of premium charging products called MagFast. After much delay, pandemic manufacturing slowdowns and now shipping issue backlogs … we’re finally getting an initial backer shipping date list. One thing they did right was to keep backers updated ever step of the way … even when the news was less than positive. Since my order is in Batch 4, I’m hoping that a package will arrive in February 2022 … at least that is what the latest chart is suggesting.
EDIT updated shipping chart as of 3/15/2022…
Replaced MyQ module CR2450 battery on the garage door
Posted By RichC on November 13, 2021
For Christmas in 1999, Katelyn and Drew gave me the MyQ hardware to “smarten up” one of the garage doors … well at least the opener. It permits a smartphone to control, adding authorize users and ability monitor garage door access. A couple of weeks I received a warning that the battery was “low” and needed to be replaced. It is now a couple years old, so that doesn’t seem too bad?
After contemplating a run to the hardware store, I opted to buy 10 CR2450 batteries for under $5.00 from Amazon. Speaking of Amazon, the MyQ setup works well with their Key Service and permits a delivery driver access to the garage … so as long as you trust them. So far, never a problem (see previous post).
I’m not a fan of replacing batteries, but it was no big deal since this one lasted two years and was pretty simple to replace. I only wish the Samsung Smartthings hub connected to the battery motion sensor and door sensors at the condo had batteries that would last more than 6 months.
Next on the “before winter” to-do list is to figure out why the LED lights I put up in 2018 on the back of the pool house garage aren’t working. Grr!
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.