Music Monday: “Then Came You” recorded by Dionne Warwick and The Spinners in 1974
Posted By RichC on July 26, 2021
This content is restricted.
Regularly see bats in the evening, but first time in the pool
Posted By RichC on July 25, 2021
So what do you know about bats?
Personally, I didn’t know very much at all. I see them regularly in the evening sky darting around and have always repeated the mantra that they are good for the environment because they 
eat mosquitos and pesky insects (article). Beyond that … and the vampire stories … I really don’t know all that much except that the one in the pool has beautiful white teeth (so much for eating insects). We’ve had ducks, mice, rabbits, crawdads, snakes, etc in the pool, but this is a first time for a bat.
Last week after working in the yard late one evening, I jumped into the pool to cool off and freshen up before heading into the house. I ended up swimming with something doing the same although it wasn’t swimming, seeming to cling to one of the broken tiles at the end of the pool. It was dusk so it sort of looked like a large mouse or something but after some wave-making on my part, it washed back into the pool and tried to spread its wings. Hm, I’ve heard of “bats in the belfry” … a phrase for being crazy or eccentric … but not “bats in the pool.”
Of course a bit more attention has been given to bats since the Coronavirus pandemic since research in Wuhan China was focused on cave and bat viruses (or wet market theories if you of that line of thinking). Here at home, bats have often been associated with rabies, although it is far more likely a person will be bit by an infected dog, coyote, fox, skunk or raccoon than a bat.
As for our little half drown bat (not sure what specie) … I’ve got him in a bucket in hope he will dry out and can head back to his roost. So far, he does not move much so the prognosis this Friday night is not looking all that good (I’ll update if the outcome is positive).
The 14 Bat Species Found in Ohio
More than 1,200 different bat species currently inhabit Earth, and the world’s only flying mammal has a long-lasting history on our planet. Fossil records date back more than 50 million years. In Ohio today, there are a total of 14 bat species to be found, and all of these species eat insects exclusively, using echolocation to find their prey. Here’s a quick overview on each species found in the state, based on information from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and Bat Conservation International:
Are we looking at facemasks and shutdowns again? #COVID19
Posted By RichC on July 24, 2021
If it were not for the questionable messaging being pushed by every politician, biased partisan media personality (both left and right), so called medical experts and even our own wishy-washy Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it would be easier to decipher if this Delta Covid-19 variant is something to worry about or just another power grab, especially for the vaccinated, already Coronavirus recovered and younger healthy people? With all the money we send to Washington DC, it is frustrating not to have more confidence in their leadership and advice … no thanks to lack of confidence Americans have in President Biden, VP Harris … or the mixed messaged “expert himself,” Dr. Anthony Fauci. (rolling my eyes)
The variant is highly contagious, largely because people infected with the delta strain can carry up to 1,000 times more virus in their nasal passages than those infected with the original strain,
according to new data.
“The delta variant is more aggressive and much more transmissible than previously circulating strains,” CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky told reporters at a briefing Thursday. “It is one of the most infectious respiratory viruses we know of, and that I have seen in my 20 year career.”
..
In hospitals around the country, 97% of people admitted with Covid symptoms are unvaccinated, and 99.5% of al Covid deaths are also among the unvaccinated.
“We are at yet another pivotal moment in this pandemic, with cases rising again and some hospitals reaching their capacity in some areas, we need to come together as one nation,” Walensky said.
No wonder I’m convinced we’d be better off with smaller government.
Tech Friday: Keyboard Shortcuts You Should Know (WIRED)
Posted By RichC on July 23, 2021
Occasionally I still get calls from people asking me about shortcut key combinations. Most of the shortcuts are second nature to people who grew up using computers, but then again … what you don’t use, you forget. How about a refresher from Wired?
Tip: Learn as many keyboard shortcuts as your brain can store. You probably know a few (Ctrl+C to copy and Ctrl+V to paste, for example), but there are dozens of others that can replace the clicks you make all day long. Here are a few I can’t live without:
- The Windows key (or Command+Space on a Mac): If you need to launch a new app, don’t go clicking through your Start menu or Applications folder. Just press the Windows key—or hit Command+Space on a Mac—and start typing the name of the app in question. When its icon appears, press Enter, and you’ll have launched it without ever reaching for the mouse.
- Ctrl+F: Ever search for something on Google, find a result that promises it has the phrase you’re looking for, but you can’t seem to find it in the 5,000-word article? Press Ctrl+F and you’ll get a little search bar that helps you find any word or phrase on a page, instantly transporting you to the information you’re seeking. (Bonus: you can then use Ctrl+G to scroll through the results.)
- Ctrl+L: In a browser, press Ctrl+L and your cursor will automatically jump to the address bar, ready for you to type in a new search or web address. I probably use this underrated keystroke more often than any other shortcut on this list.
- Ctrl+S: Save the document you’re working on. Do this as often as possible, lest you lose everything when your computer crashes/loses power/your cat accidentally closes Microsoft Word.
- Ctrl+T and Ctrl+Shift+T: Instead of clicking that tiny New Tab button in your browser, press Ctrl+T to instantly open a new tab and start searching. (Bonus: if you accidentally close a tab and want to bring it back, press Ctrl+Shift+T. Like Thor’s hammer returning to his hand, the tab will reappear in an instant.)
- Ctrl+Shift+V: Ctrl+Shift+V: You probably know you can press Ctrl+V to paste, but that often brings a lot of baggage with it—if you’re copying text from a website, it could include the original font, links, and other formatting you don’t want. To avoid this, many apps let you use Ctrl+Shift+V to paste a block of text without links and other garbage, so you don’t have to waste time switching the font back to normal. Its behavior can vary a bit from app to app, but give it a try—on Mac you may find Command+Shift+V works in some apps, while Option+Shift+Command+V is required for others.
- Ctrl+Arrow Keys: I used to have a boss who could work his way around a long document with nothing but the keyboard, and it amazed me. Turns out, he was holding Ctrl and using the arrow keys—left and right move the cursor between words, while up and down move it between paragraphs. (Bonus: if you hold Shift while moving the arrow keys, you’ll select that text instead of just moving the cursor.)
Read more at full Wired Article
Interesting to see old Palm Treo phones in articles #TBT
Posted By RichC on July 22, 2021
Although the “installing engineered hardwood flooring” comment caught my eye in this @Forbes retweet from @ForbesAdvisor … I couldn’t help but noticed the “likely” canned image with an old Palm Treo hanging on the installers belt. Fun to remember those old days!
It does bring back memories …
The F-16 Agile Falcon variant precursor to the Mitsubishi F-2
Posted By RichC on July 21, 2021
My brother Ron spent his career as a civilian with the USAF and much of it was spent year working with F-16 modifications. He was a cog in the bureaucratic gears dealing with the many upgrades and decade long modification cycles.
I saw this 60/40 international joint partnership model in a photo discussed by my aviation friends who debated the Mitsubishi F-2 derived from the F-16 Agile Falcon variant proposed by General Dynamics in 1984. It featured a 25% larger wing, upgraded engine and some already planned MSIP IV improvements for the basic F-16. Unsuccessfully offered as a low-cost alternative for the Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) competition, some of its capabilities were incorporated into the F-16C/D Block 40, and the Agile Falcon would serve as the basis for developing Japan’s Mitsubishi F-2 fighter.
BUT really I just liked the photo … and this one too …
Whoa. One of these things is not like the other. Who knows why? #GE9X #aviation #avgeek pic.twitter.com/Z6B86j4bc3
— GE Aviation (@GEAviation) July 19, 2021
New Shepard Blue Origin launched with Jeff Bezos this morning
Posted By RichC on July 20, 2021
Most news outlets are covering the Jeff Bezos and crew launching the few minutes delayed Blue Origin first crewed 11-minute space flight on the anniversary of Apollo 11’s moon landing in 1969. The New Shepard spacecraft launched flawlessly and was a beautiful site … although, shockingly short, for $28 million dollars per passenger.
Interestingly, the sky in SW Ohio was very orange last night as I looked out the window before bed last night. I was so clear that after “trying” to capture the moon on my iPhone 7plus (left), I opted to pull out the Lumix GX8 (right) and then added the telephoto for a closer image of the moon itself below (click for larger).
A couple weekend family photos – spiders, movies and art
Posted By RichC on July 20, 2021
Figured I would archive a couple leftover photos and an animated gif from a nice weekend working out in the yard. Since the concrete crew has not started the driveway project yet, I am continuing to clear brush and cut low branches (contemplating large concrete mixing trucks). Once again, the bonfire brush pile is starting to make me feel uncomfortable.
The family was busy over the weekend as well – Taylor and Megan went to the new Black Widow movie and Katelyn and Drew had an Oostra “cookout” 
weekend with family in town. One of the activities was visiting the Toledo Museum of Art and so Drew thought of me with this photo.
Investors are taking it on the chin today as COVID19 Delta variant may impact the US and global recovery
Posted By RichC on July 19, 2021
If you are an investor or long term education and retirement saver, you’re feeling the pain today as the coronavirus Delta variant spread could impact the economic recovery.
U.S. stocks, oil prices and government bond yields slid Monday as anxiety mounted over the spread of the Delta coronavirus variant and its potential impact on the global economy.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average slumped 830 points, or 2.4%, in midday trading, putting the index on track for its worst one-day drop since October.
Music Monday: Neil Diamond and “Crackin’ Rosie” from 1970
Posted By RichC on July 19, 2021
It has hard for me to imagine that there is anyone who doesn’t appreciate the music of Neil Diamond?
He may not have been at the top of my 1970s music listening list, but when it comes to soft rock, there are few men who can match his vocal talent. A Twitter snippet of a live performance of “Cracklin’ Rosie” put me in a good mood last week, so including the YouTube video below for this week’s Music Monday was an easy decision. Enjoy!
In January 2018, Diamond announced that he would immediately retire from touring due to having been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Tour dates on the final leg of Diamond’s "50 Year Anniversary World Tour" in Australia and New Zealand were cancelled. An announcement on his official website said he was not retiring from music and that the cancellation of the live performances would allow him to "continue his writing, recording and development of new projects.” LINK
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.