Posted By RichC on May 26, 2024
Here’s an interesting rainy weekend workshop project idea: A squeeze clamp drill press vice to hold smaller items securely. Hm … looks interesting and simple enough.
I currently use a classic Jorgensen wood clamp called a Jorgensen Handscrew (above) to hold pieces while using the small drill press, but could use something like this. Check out the “how to” video below the break.
Posted By RichC on May 25, 2024
No matter how I set the trigger, our friendly cardinal regularly triggers a warning on our Wyze Cam. He is enjoyable to watch and so I really don’t mind it.
On the other hand, I DO MIND the price increases hitting Americans at the gas pump, grocery store and restaurants … not to mention nearly everything else we buy! This month after month of elevated inflation is due in part by the heavy spending and money printing by our government. Congress does little to curtail giving out money for ever cause … or to other countries fighting to protect their borders and people (better wars are overseas perhaps?) President Biden doesn’t help matters with his administrations terrible policies from energy, to forgiving debt for votes to handouts for every illegal crossing the border. Grr … don’t get me started.
Now that we no longer have a family at home and are thinking about “collecting rather than paying into Social Security“ (concerning Barron’s snippet above), I thought my wife and I wouldn’t have to think all that much about the family budget and retirement enjoyment … but frankly even going out for a lunch is frustrating. Not only can’t we stop in expensively at McDonald’s for an unsatisfying fast food stop, but we can no longer comfortably sit down at Panera Bread to eat lunch on the road for $20. One would assume a cup of soup and a pick 2 half sandwich and cup of soup would be reasonable? Nope … and that’s without nagging for a “no real service” tip! 😡
Posted By RichC on May 24, 2024
Although it is not an immediate need, the “want” in me is growing. My 2017 iPhone 7 plus is really starting to feel old; even my daughter mentioned that my shared photos were not the quality that they should be — she has a fair point.
Phone cameras aside, the device I use the most is my aging pre-2020 iPad and sluggish, slow-to-connect, Brydge Bluetooth keyboard too. Using it as often as I do, the slowness is starting to bug me. Along with my older mobile iOS versions on both devices, not being able to update apps is becoming a problem. I can no longer use 2-factor authentication via app, but have to default to text messaging (whew, glad there is a secondary way to authenticate).
So … this leads me to checking on the latest iPads from Apple that were announced this May 2024 and in particular the mid-priced iPad Air (still more expensive that I would like). I made an inquiry with Brydge under their new Uinta Products ownership and am not happy with their current cheaper “plastic” product offerings. They sent me back a reply which indicated that there is a new aluminum keyboard in the pipeline which is still a couple months away — so I will wait a bit (the Magic Keyboard at $300 (left) is too pricey).
I “won’t“ buy an iPad without a keyboard, so we will see how desperate I am in early fall?
Posted By RichC on May 23, 2024
Upstairs in the Western NY Farmhouse Barn’s workshop in 2013
In keeping with the occasional ThrowBack Thursday #TBT, the above was a pano photo of DadH’s workshop after he passed away. I mentioned to Brenda that I wondered 
how he was able to climb the stairs of the barn and work on such a large refinishing project … and she then asked, “I wonder what happened to it?” (I think it was a project for her sister Ann and Gary)
While remembering our parents’ cemetery markers this week, I took a photo of the farmhouse “buttercup” transplants growing off the corner of our back patio … I know Chris has them around her house too (I mention in 2022 as well).
EDIT Add 5/26/2024: Just a Worker Bee visiting the buttercups.
Posted By RichC on May 22, 2024
This content is restricted.
Posted By RichC on May 21, 2024
See below … 😉
While we were under a Tornado warning earlier this month, I was outside in the backyard watching the storms to the north of our house (over the roof). There was A LOT of lightning, but surprisingly not all that much thunder?
AND since today is my brother’s birthday, Happy Birthday Ron!! Congratulations to both you and Claire in closing on the property where we grew up. I can’t wait to visit.
Posted By RichC on May 20, 2024
It has been a few years, but I can still see my “puffed-cheek tuba playing
roommate” (mentioned before) practice playing the orchestrated music 
of Chicago in our Founders Hall dorm room at ONU. Great memories.
So for this week’s Music Monday, after hearing “Old Days” on the SiriusXM 70son7 channel, here’s the #5 hit from 1975 by the band Chicago, although this is from a 2002 remastered version on YouTube.
| Chicago – “Old Days” | 1975 (remastered 2002) |
Posted By RichC on May 19, 2024
It is time to face the inevitable that working later in life is not a reality for most people. As I commented on a Barron’s article last week, you “better have a Plan B or 
even a Plan C” in case there is a health concern that prevent working later in life. From personal experience, a lot of things can happen around that 60 year old mark.
A recent Liberty Street Economics blog post shared a couple interesting graphs that could get you thinking a little differently.
| DeepGram AI Orpheus voice reading above text | 26 seconds |
One of the most striking features of the labor market recovery following the pandemic recession has been the surge in quits from 2021 to mid-2023. This surge, often referred to as the Great Resignation, or the Great Reshuffle, was uncommonly large for an economic expansion. In this post, we call attention to a related labor market change that has not been previously highlighted—a persistent change in retirement expectations, with workers reporting much lower expectations of working full-time beyond ages 62 and 67. This decline is particularly notable for female workers and lower-income workers.
DeepGram AI Zeus voice reading above text | 33 seconds
Average Likelihood of Working Full-Time Past 62
Source: SCE Labor Market Survey.
Notes: The vertical dashed lines indicate the start of the pandemic. Horizontal lines indicate pre- and post-pandemic means.
Posted By RichC on May 18, 2024
Earlier this year I started reading Robert Twigger’s 2013 book “Red Nile: A Biography of the World’s Greatest River” and found it super interesting. I don’t recall where the recommendation came from (maybe a National Geographic magazine article?) … but after checking the ebook out from the library to read while traveling … and decided I needed to 
order it hardback as a “used” book in order to finish it.
What was most intriguing was the blending of millions of years of geography — the shifting of plates and movement of continents — and the biblical and theorized history of mankind. The books doesn’t attempt to prove theories or records, but it does create enough thought provoking insight for readers to fit pieces together in their minds.
I enjoyed learning that the Nile River is a “young” river comparatively speaking and was shocked to realize how it has changed over time. The shifting of tectonic plates millions of years ago, lifted the mountains of Ethiopia and created both an eastern watershed and prevented the waters and swamps from Africa’s interior from flowing east. Adding the Bahr El-Gazal, White, Blue, Sobat and Atbara Rivers all together … minus evaporation … the Nile River is enormous.
The evidence of ancient humans is significant and has been documented upstream and well into Africa. It is easy to see how movement along the Nile River towards Egypt fits with what fits with many of our cradle of civilization studies and ancient documents record. All in all the book is a most interesting read and I can recommend it as one of my favorites this year.
Posted By RichC on May 17, 2024
With emissions and climate change being the primary concern for at least half the world, one would think that a carbon-free source of 24/7 energy from small nuclear reactors would be on the forefront of alternatives for our energy needs? Obviously mention “nuclear”an images of disasters rush to the forefront, but safe “small” reactors are possible.
| Listen AI Rachel at ElevenLabs read this short post |
Whether Westinghouse’s AP300 will replace coal and natural gas as the go-to source for the world’s insatiable demand for electricity has yet to be seen, but it makes the most sense as a way to provide the missing link for renewables, wind and solar. Besides clean existing hydroelectric power, small nuclear plants can be located on the same properties of a coal plant where power lines and the grid already exist. If we really want to go carbon-free and still use electricity, this is the best option.
Check out Interesting Engineering’s article on the Westinghouse AP300.
Westinghouse’s decision marks a significant turning point in the nuclear industry’s effort to reinvent itself in response to climate change.
Nuclear fission reactor electricity produces no greenhouse gas emissions, and smaller nuclear reactors are less expensive to develop.
The AP300 is expected to cost around $1 billion per unit, compared to the AP1000’s anticipated cost of $6.8 billion.
It will produce about 300 megawatts of electricity, compared to the AP1000’s 1,200 megawatts, and power about 300,000 households.