Our October 2021 vacation with KDAE to Delray Beach, Florida
Posted By RichC on October 30, 2021
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Tech Friday: I removed Facebook (now Meta) from iOS devices
Posted By RichC on October 29, 2021
It has been a slow process in giving up on Facebook … now Meta. I really never used it much as a social media platform, but stayed in touch with family over the years with it. 
The past few years I’ve tried to check in monthly and may have posted update every other month or so … but after realizing just how invasive the behemoth platform has become, I removed it from my iOS devices. That’s said, I have not gone so far as to delete and purge my account or the archive, but I’m closing in on it (I would do the same for $FB’s other properties, but I don’t use Instagram, Whatsapp, etc.). So, for today’s Tech Friday post, check this out:
If you care about privacy, security researchers say uninstall this iPhone app immediately
Security researchers say iPhone users who care about their privacy should delete Facebook from their devices immediately. The report comes from Forbes and makes note of ways that Facebook continues to track users even after they’ve chosen the option to not be tracked in their iPhone’s privacy settings.
Back in April, we found out just how much data Facebook harvests from your phone, and how badly the changes Apple was making to its privacy features might hurt the company’s info gathering services. Now, though, it looks like Facebook is using underhanded means to get the info it wants, even if you tell the app not to gather that information.
Apple added the option to disable app tracking in iOS 14, marking a big step forward for consumer privacy. Unfortunately, it looks like Facebook has found ways to continue tracking users even after you’ve asked the application not to.
According to Forbes, security researchers are now warning iPhone users to completely remove the Facebook application from their phones. The reason? Those same researchers say that Facebook continues to use your iPhone’s accelerometer to track a constant stream of your movements.
Facebook can [access] that info to track where you’ve been throughout the day. It can also check if you’re in particular places, or when interacting with Facebook’s various apps and services. Researchers also say that Facebook can even use this data to match you with people near you, even if you don’t know them.
It’s worth noting that this isn’t the first time that Facebook has gone around Apple’s privacy features to track users. Earlier this month, Forbes cybersecurity writer Zak Doffman warned iPhone users that Facebook still captures location data using the metadata gathered from the photos that you take, as well as your IP address. It continues to gather this information, even if you choose to never let it track your location.
A response test, but also an online advertising warning
Posted By RichC on October 28, 2021
I noticed that Thursday’s post disappeared from the blog so in a quick attempt to repost the graphic, here we go again.
One of the “very small” perks of using the Brave browser on the web is that it offers the option to accept fairly non-invasive advertising and links on the default home page and then pay YOU in $BAT (crypto) every so often. Over the past couple of years, I’ve purposely clicked on them to see if it is worth the invasion. Often the advertising is related to cryptocurrency, but occasionally “normal” ads appear too. One such ad is for lending and writing mortgages on properties.
So as a test, I decided to follow through with filling out the information discretely (Google Voice number and email address) to see if 1) the BAT award would be higher (don’t know yet) and 2) just how invasive the follow-up would be (pretty significant in just a few minutes).
My word of warning is that don’t give out your home phone or cellphone if you should decide to check on an ad … in this case, refinance “mortgage rates.” Shocking immediate response.
Production oriented 1950s old-school drywall skills #video
Posted By RichC on October 27, 2021
When it comes to tradesmen building houses, it is hard to beat an old-school drywall installer. Check out this vintage YouTube video:
Halloween gremlins creep in to finish off our Florida vacation
Posted By RichC on October 26, 2021
Let’s start with "we had a great time in Florida" this past week" (more to come) … but the cleanup weekend ended with a couple gremlins. I blame it on the "uncarved" pumpkins left by the granddaughters. HA!
Actually there were no unexpected problem while they were in Delray Beach with us, but after they left the streaming/cable box crashed. At first I thought it might be just a service issue since 2,500+ in our 
area were having problems, but by Sunday morning it was apparent that our box had malfunctioned. After a L-O-N-G wait on the phone, I looked around and found an open Xfinity office and headed over to wait in the long line. They did not have the same box, but gave me on that would work.
On the way back … BOOM … a front right blowout on the 2002 Honda Odyssey van. Ugh … just before our flight and on a Sunday afternoon no less! So decided to make my way back to the condo, hook up the TV and watch some football. Next trip down I’ll deal with the tire issue …and it is probably time to replace all four.
Music Monday: “We’re An American Band” LIVE in 1974
Posted By RichC on October 25, 2021
It is hard not to remember Grand Funk Railroad when you think about rock concerts from the 1970s (never attended though) and in particular their hit “We’re An American Band.” Here’s a LIVE version from 1974 posted to YouTube.
Grand Funk Railroad, sometimes shortened as Grand Funk, is an American rock band who achieved their peak in popularity during the 1970s. Known for their crowd-pleasing arena rock style, the band toured extensively and played to packed arenas worldwide, and was well-regarded by audiences despite a relative lack of critical acclaim. The band’s name is a play on words of the Grand Trunk Western Railroad, a line that runs through the band’s home town of Flint, Michigan.
Embarrassing Ohio “First in Flight” License plate blunder
Posted By RichC on October 24, 2021
When your state takes pride in home of the Wright Brother’s and their “First in Flight” Wright B Flyer, you’ve got to at least get the flying direction correct. (Thanks for the link, Drew!)
Ohio had to change the design of its new license plate because of an error discovered after it had already had 35,000 of them made.
The new “Sunrise in Ohio” license plate was unveiled Thursday by Gov. Mike DeWine and officials from the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles.
Right away, people noticed an error: A plane that was meant to be towing a banner that reads “Birthplace of Aviation” — a reference to Dayton’s Wright Brothers — is actually pushing the banner. That is, the banner is streaming out from the front of the plane.
The confusion arises from the design of the 1903 Wright Flyer. The “elevators,” which change the craft’s pitch, were on a frame attached to the front of the plane. On a modern plane, fins with a similar function — elevators and stabilizers — are generally on the tail.
LINK for full article
Are you interested in Cryptocurrency? Where will you keep it?
Posted By RichC on October 23, 2021
It is probably inevitable that we will all be using cryptocurrency someday. The early adopters are already immersed and getting comfortable investing and trading it … perhaps too comfortable???
Risks of Leaving Cryptocurrency in Exchange
A brief look at the history of Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies reveals why it is dangerous to leave your crypto funds in an exchange. Since 2011, over $1.65 billion worth of crypto assets have been stolen, and the numbers are getting bigger every year. According to Hackernoon, that amounts to a jaw-dropping $12.6 billion loss when values are adjusted for inflation.
The point here after doing my reading and research is to remind people enticed by the exploding number of crypto trading exchanges popping up is that your assets are only as secure as the company hold them. It is inevitable some will fail based on their business practices (high interest on holdings offers) as they compete for customers … and others will struggle just as early online banks did as they are acquired and absorbed in buys and mergers. Having had my identity leaked in the 1990s partially due to being anxious to bank online, my ID info was stolen by the sale of an acquired banks hardware (computers/hard drives we think), I can only imagine what could be coming from cloud-based overseas exchanges and unregulated cryptocurrency exchanges?
My advice if are trading and using cryptocurrency is to stick with well financed major US based companies who you “know”
insure your assets that could be at risk due to fraud or employee issues AND to keep only the assets you need to trade, exchange or use for crypto “banking” in an online wallet. Your other crypto assets should be stored in a reputable hardware wallet “offline” (see Ledger, Trezor, etc) except when moving coins to and from that wallet … and purchase it directly from the company to prevent 3rd party tampering).
As Aldous Huxley penned in 1932 dystopian social science fiction novel, we are living in a “Brave New World.”
Friday Filler: Splashing morning sunshine
Posted By RichC on October 22, 2021
Just a very short 10-second video slow-motion snippet as a Friday Filler post and to say “good morning.”
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The many political ‘ISMs’ discussed in our culture today #TBT
Posted By RichC on October 21, 2021
Every time I use political term with an “ism” these days, I sense I need to clarify the meaning as much as for myself as to the person I’m talking too. Often I’ll refer to an online resource in order to be sure that I’m not misspeaking … but usually its because the terms have become generic, interchangeable and debate stoppers.
An Ask Ann Landers column from years ago in the Chicago Tribune simplifies the ‘isms’ (hence this as a Throwback Thursday #TBT post), although I sure could be clarified and perhaps interpreted differently by intellectuals?
Socialism: You have two cows. Give one cow to your neighbor.
Communism: You have two cows. Give both cows to the government, and they may give you some of the milk.
Fascism: You have two cows. You give all of the milk to the government, and the government sells it.
Nazism: You have two cows. The government shoots you and takes both cows.
Anarchism: You have two cows. Keep both of the cows, shoot the government agent and steal another cow.
Capitalism: You have two cows. Sell one cow and buy a bull.
Surrealism: You have two giraffes. The government makes you take harmonica lessons.
As for a personal story, I think back to my good friend in high school, college and years after college; his name was Charlie … although enjoy remembering him nicknamed Kamikaze (second from left). 
He saw things politically different than me and it made him very intriguing. Of course we were both “young” and exploring our political ideology, so much of our discussion was based on our limited life experience, high school level reading, counterculture influence, teachers, small town community, family and home life. For me, I really only knew traditional American values and with a father and grandfather fought to preserve our way of life, I respected their sacrifice, years of experience and their views (respected Charlie’s as well … even though I didn’t agree with them).
Charlie had different experiences … and having spent his early years living overseas “in the orient” as we called it in those days … saw the United States as a World War II victor, oppressive nation and as an anti communist country with business interests, capitalism and “the man” warring against the 
Marxist movement in other parts of the world. It didn’t help that his father was an academic (college professor), mother a successful career woman coming out of the women’s rights movement, an older brother that I saw as a 1960s rebel and holding philosophical views unknown to me. Charlie’s music taste, reading material and college path (degree in philosophy and fine art) all mirrored his leftist political views. He declared himself a Marxist and enjoyed debating from that point of view with me … all respectfully as college friends did back then (and should today).
We stayed in touch through the early years as he continued his graduate education, became a potter, had art exhibits and both lived and taught school in a city of 9-million people in China … until the Communist threw out Americans after the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests. He came back to America and landed a job as a museum curator, but said he “didn’t fit” with our consumer driven society, etc. I recall a letter appalled at the extravagate waste, overproduction and consumerism of our U.S. culture after years of living in China. So he move to Portugal where I lost touch with him for a couple decades. Thankfully he reach out some years back after moving back the U.S. and 
we connected again over our common interest in sailing and the good memories from our high school and college years.
The long winded point that I’m driving at is that we are politically totally different, but that it is possible to discuss, understand and respect each others views. Neither of us force our philosophy on the other (although we still enjoyed debating). I also recognized that it is difficult for both philosophies to coexist in a country where one political view enforces their philosophy on the other, be it from the right of left. In Charlie’s case, he left the capitalist United States in search of so better option (it doesn’t exist IMHO) … and would prefer our country reflect his Marxist philosophy. Unfortunately for those of us with a conservative view, we seems to be losing ground as the political left “enforces” their progressive agenda on American and we seem to be sliding inch by inch in the direction that Mark Levin calls “American Marxism.”
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.