Archive: Weekend chores, family photos and a drip distraction
Posted By RichC on October 10, 2021
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TRILLIONs more in spending? IRS tracking at the $600 level? Where are the sensible leaders in our Federal government?
Posted By RichC on October 9, 2021
If you think about it, the IRS will probably need far more than another $80 BILLION tax dollars to hire enough agents to track and follow up on every American who has a bank account or transaction over $600?
A major component of President Joe Biden’s plan to raise revenue to pay for his trillions of dollars in new federal spending is now under fire from trade associations across the country.
The Biden administration has made clear its plan to beef up IRS auditing by expanding the agency’s funding and power. Biden’s latest proposal would require banks to turn over to the Internal Revenue Service bank account information for all accounts holding more than $600.
I’m not sure who advises the “so called moderate – back to normal” politician who ran for POTUS in 2020 (well, as I recall Joe Biden didn’t campaign much?) … 
but spending $1.2 Trillion for infrastructure paired with a $3.5 Trillion (calculated much higher) is frightening for any economy. How can anyone in their right mind that isn’t lying claim that this kind of big government spending will not cost anything help “build back America better?”
Do economically literate US citizens (or anyone with common sense) … even naïve Marxist and Socialist believing Americans … believe any of this or trust President Biden or Democrats controlling Congress on any issues anymore?
Book: “Arriving Today” by Christopher Mims (a WSJ+ selection)
Posted By RichC on October 8, 2021
Although my interest in productivity in running a business has waned a bit now that I’m no longer aggressively working or growing a small business, 
I still have curiosity when it comes to the direction things are going.
I’ve read Christopher Mims “tech writing” for a few years now as he contributes regularly to the Wall Street Journal, so seeing his book “Arriving Today” listed as an October 2021 Glose digital copy piqued my interest (the book was release in late September).
The prologue immediately caught my interest describing the book as a “skeleton key” that will “help unlock insights into the past, present and future of automation and work.“ I’d like to think in my small way, this was something I was able to do when starting Consolidated Printing and Publishing Co? Besides following the tried and true traditional methods of commercial sheet-fed offset printing companies, I was early into using computers to automate and digitize as much as possible. From contracting to scan file cabinets full of mostly legal forms for rubber companies in Akron, Ohio (our lower cost non-union labor vs internal higher cost union labor) to using my own programing in setting crossword puzzles (great clue below) and grids for a supplier to the TV Guide (history of).
Anyway, back to the the Harper Collins book “Arriving Today” and what it is about:
We are at a tipping point in retail history. While consumers are profiting from the convenience of instant gratification, rapidly advancing technologies are transforming the way goods are transported and displacing workers in ways never before seen.
In Arriving Today, Christopher Mims goes deep, far, and wide to uncover how a single product, from creation to delivery, weaves its way from a factory on the other side of the world to our doorstep. He analyzes the evolving technologies and management strategies necessary to keep the product moving to fulfill consumers’ demand for “arriving today” gratification. Mims reveals a world where the only thing moving faster than goods in an Amazon warehouse is the rate at which an entire industry is being gutted and rebuilt by innovation and mass shifts in human labor practices. He goes behind the scenes to uncover the paradoxes in this shift—into the world’s busiest port, the cabin of an 18-wheeler, and Amazon’s automated warehouses—to explore how the promise of “arriving today” is fulfilled through a balletic dance between humans and machines.
The scope of such large-scale innovation and expended energy is equal parts inspiring, enlightening, and horrifying. As he offers a glimpse of our future, Mims asks us to consider the system’s vulnerability and its resilience, and who shoulders the burden, as we hurtle toward a fully automated system—and what it will mean when we are there.
How do you prevent birds from hitting picture windows?
Posted By RichC on October 7, 2021
… Boom …
Our new windows are really not that clean, but obviously the reflective quality is not helpful and looks painful for birds flying into them. I’m starting to wonder if we should rig up some kind of netting or thin sunshade?
The latest bird to hit the window left a “dust” imprint clear enough to see the feathered shape. I’ve yet to notice a dead bird in the landscape or plants in front of the windows … so they must survive at least the initial impact?
Brenda wishes that instead of replacing the double-hung windows that had grids, that we would have decided on the same picture windows that we have, but “with grids” like we did for the sides and top. I think she was probably right … but it’s too late now unless a big enough bird breaks the window!
Photos below: OLD | NEW | Outside view
What happens when you make a Rhinoceros angry?
Posted By RichC on October 6, 2021
Logging in and adjusting to new My Desultory Blog security
Posted By RichC on October 5, 2021
I received an email from a regular blog reader questioning the new Sign-In feature that I implemented last month; it hinders anonymous viewing on My Desultory Blog for some posts. Yes it is a restrictive change, but it is not all that cumbersome once you are “Sign-In.” The WordPress security is minimal and the only tracking is what existed before from ads supporting the server, but now you will need to log in once in a while to see all content. Really no big deal for those who use the Internet (only a handful of posts require you to “Sign-In” at this time).
So for those a bit “foggy” about this, please just take a minute to “Register.” (it was a foggy morning here in SW Ohio today, hence the panoramic backyard photo above)
Catch-up Tuesday personal blog posts are becoming a habit
Posted By RichC on October 5, 2021
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Music Monday: Tavares – Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel
Posted By RichC on October 4, 2021
When it comes to listening to the music, it is appropriate to be a bit more inclusive when it comes to songs 
that we listened to (and some danced to) in the 1970s. That included R & B, funk, disco and soul music from bell-bottomed 
dancing vocal groups like The Taveres Brothers or just Tavares.
Although they were not at the top of my daily listening or even “own albums” selections, hearing the 1976 song “Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel” the other day on SiriusXM 70s on 7 brought a smile to my face. Check out this YouTube video.
https://youtu.be/vu7RSfHYH74
Patriotism and respect for our American Flag #audio
Posted By RichC on October 3, 2021
While slowly getting going on Saturday, the Fox and Friends Weekend broadcast was on in the background. A frustrating … and depressing story … from an older veteran, retired Col Leonard B Scott III, the “Old Ranger,” from 
Edmond, Oklahoma (who had his flags stolen), caught my ear and irritated me a how some people in our country disrespect both those who serve and the flag these patriots honor and serve under.
What is it going to take to get some current and future Americans to appreciate this country, the freedom we have and show some respect for those who put their life on the line to preserve liberty? I particularly thought his comment about 1 minute 30 seconds into the interview was poignant: “.. so many people don’t appreciate the sacrifice and its sad for us … to have people go by and shoot us the finger and cuss us out … it just really heartbreaking for us old guys holding the American flags.” (audio below) (more…)
The cooler weather has us enjoying working in the backyard
Posted By RichC on October 2, 2021
As summer turned to autumn, Brenda and I found ourselves enjoying a few more evenings and weekends walking around and working in the backyard. Last week it was cleaning up “the mound” (although we have a few) and getting it ready for winter.
I dug out some deeper rooted plants that had spread and planted a couple of new plants, while Brenda used her new saw, chopped and tilled (below). The still damp ground was the perfect time to work on the mounds as they are mostly hard clay soil. Standing back after a couple days working, I’m not sure it looks all that much different? Just maintenance I guess?? (but we still enjoy it)
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.