My Desultory Blog

Posted By RichC on March 10, 2021

After cleaning out my email in-box and “attempting” to unsubscribe to a bunch of marketing oriented email lists, it became clear that I chose to remain subscribed to the lists that do more than plug their products or repeat sales again and again.

A couple “subscribed-to” lists stood out because they were informative and were not just pushing product. The best example of doing it right is from Ranger Point Precision, which is the company that I used for parts to repair AND improve my old Marlin 1894 lever action rifle. Instead of just sending a sales flyer, they email a bit of informative history … and I actually enjoyed reading it.

It’s rare to find someone who hasn’t heard of Wild Bill Hickok. His life is legendary. His character appears in many movies set in the frontier west.

Wild Bill helped bring order to the frontier West. His gunfighting skills inspired many of our wild west tales and legends as one of our earliest “heroes of the west.”

Hickok’s family farm in Illinois was one of the stops on the Underground Railroad. He left the farm at the age of 17, ending up in Kansas, where he joined the antislavery Free State Army of Jayhawkers.

(more…)

Category: Advice, Business, History, Marketing, Technology | No Comments »
Tags: bill hickok, email, firearms, History, Marketing, marlin, ranger point precision, rifle, selling

Posted By RichC on March 9, 2021

While finishing up a small black walnut book stand or bookholder for my son’s birthday later this spring, I decided to archive a photo since Taylor doesn’t regularly read my blog (watch this be the exception). I wanted to make something for him since the granddaughters usually get most projects. He is also the other “sailboat” lover in the family, so I think this woodworking project is something suited for him. 

The small desktop bookholder is of my own design is is made from recycled wood with dados for the angled bottom rails and slender back straps. I took the photo above after applying the first coat of a satin oil-based finish this past weekend. The burled-maple sailboat is inlayed into the walnut and all will get two-coats of oil and then a wax and buff after a couple weeks of cure time. I’m not sure how functional it is anymore since books and even desks are becoming a thing of the past? We seem to be transforming to just using laptops, tablets and smartphones … but at least he can put it on a side table, dresser or maybe his turntable furniture? Back in the day, I could see this kind of thing useful for a dictionary, thesaurus or even am MLA style guide.

Category: Archive, Books, Tools, Woodworking | No Comments »
Tags: archive, birthday, Books, bookshelf, finish, finishing, inlay, photo, project, taylor, walnut, woodworking

Posted By RichC on March 8, 2021

This content is restricted.

Category: Music | No Comments »
Tags: johnny nash, mp3, music monday, musicmonday, r&b, rain, reggae, snow, sunshine, sunshiny

Posted By RichC on March 7, 2021

As someone who enjoys using tools and building things, the reference to pendulums and plumb lines in a Stand to Reason post speaks to me. It is also a good reminder to stick to the “plumb line of Scripture” rather than the prevailing … and often skewed … Christian and non-Christian worldviews.

"Align your views to the plumb line of Scripture." 

– Alan Shlemon

Scripture uses a plumb line as a metaphor for spiritual truth by which we can align our lives. For example, God tells Isaiah, “I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the plumb line” (Isaiah 28:17). God also sends the prophet Amos to warn Israel of impending judgment because of their disobedience:

The Lord was standing by a vertical wall with a plumb line in His hand. The Lord said to me, “What do you see, Amos?” And I said, “A plumb line.” Then the Lord said, “Behold I am about to put a plumb line in the midst of My people Israel. I will spare them no longer.” (Amos 7:7–8)

The plumb line makes it clear to God’s people how far they’ve strayed from his perfect will.

The mistake is to follow the swing of a pendulum rather than adjust your position according to a plumb line. The problem with swinging the pendulum the other way is that it mistakenly presumes that the opposite position of an incorrect view is always correct. It can be, but that isn’t always the case. When you realize you’re in error, the biblical approach is to look at Scripture like a plumb line and realign your view according to that unchanging standard.

LINK

Category: Faith | No Comments »
Tags: alan shlemon, christian, church, Faith, pendulum, plumb line, scripture, str.org, teaching

Posted By RichC on March 6, 2021

Immunization is picking up speed, but we are still struggling to get enough of the produced vaccinations in arms … especially in some states. This past week an article in Fortune posted a “tracker map” illustrating where it is going well and where we’re are struggling to get shots in the arms of every American adult.

My RPh wife Brenda has been vaccinating every day and mentioned that they are already received their first shipment of the Johnson and Johnson “one-dose” vaccine. Beside being one-shot, the storage requirements aren’t as challenging, so this should improve efficiency in getting the US population closer to herd immunity. 

Georgia, according to the Fortune Vaccine Tracker map, is having the most difficulty in rolling out the immunization for some reason, but after talking with my friend Mark outside of Savannah, he and Dar were getting their second shots already this past week. Brenda received her second this past week, as did Katelyn, Drew and Megan a week or so prior  (all health care workers).

In total nationwide, about 107 million vaccines have been distributed nationwide—80.5 million, or 75.2%, of which have been administered.

As for Ohio, all the numbers are going in the right direction, but we’re still not fully open (State of Ohio Cumulative and Daily Count below):

(more…)

Category: Health, Medical, News | No Comments »
Tags: $JNJ, coronavirus, covid19, fortune, immunization, map, tracker, vaccination, vaccine

Posted By RichC on March 5, 2021

A couple of weeks ago, someone asked me about using Strikethru coding for a WordPress blog (or for that matter, almost all webpages) .. and of course it is a simple html code solution and is fairly easy … just add:

The html coding started me thinking about a few other potential problems since we are now often working “in the cloud” and on real time apps like the Google Calendar. In the case of the later, Google has yet to offer a solution that I have found to “cross-out” an appointment or note. For most people, the option is to either delete or just leave in on the calendar and ignore.

BUT .. for me there are times I want to keep a listed appointment, but “strike thru” the text on the calendar … so I put together a Strikethru script and just copy and paste onto the correct date on the Google Calendar. It’s a work-around, but at least accomplishes the task.

1. Copy text to cross-out from your calendar
2. Open my Strikethru script (https://richc.us/strikethru.html)
3. Paste the text in the box and click StrikeThru
4. Copy and paste the StrikeThru text to your calendar (replace previously copied words)

Of interest: Long awaited Google Calendar (2006), Magic Mouse users and Google Calendar (2015) and Google Calendar Scroll Disabler (2017)

Category: Advice, Cloud, Computer, How-To, Productivity, Technology | No Comments »
Tags: code, cross-out, google calendar, How-To, html, Productivity, script, strickthru, tech friday, techfriday, tip

Posted By RichC on March 4, 2021

This content is restricted.

Category: Archive, Memories, Personal, Photos, Video | No Comments »
Tags: annalyn, birthday, family, granddaugher, love, toledo, zoo

Posted By RichC on March 3, 2021

If all we do is listen to those who spew negativity and show distain for America, we might miss the fact that the US through Operation Warp Speed in coordination with private companies, have given us a COVID19 vaccine to its citizens and to the world in record time. In keeping with countries which have embraced free enterprise, liberty and through capitalism reward entrepreneurs … democratic republics once again lead the world in innovation and finding cures.

Below is an end of February 2021 chart comparing the immunization progress … and although there is always room for improvement, socialist countries aren’t nearly as prosperous or efficient as those built on freedom.

Don’t let those who continue to deride the United States and the steady improvements in our quest for a “more perfect union.” Our founders deserve respect and our history should be both taught and learned. Don’t hate our country or fundamentally “change America” (and there are days I feel like this UK guy on YouTube).

Category: Health, News, Politics | No Comments »
Tags: coronavirus, covid19, democracy, freedom, hate, heath, innovation, rollout, socialism, vaccine, youtube

Posted By RichC on March 2, 2021

This content is restricted.

Category: Archive, Personal, Photos | No Comments »
Tags: annalyn, birthday, celebration, drew, ellerie, family, frozen, granddaughers, imagination, imax, katelyn, movie, ohio, oostra, party, perrysburg, toledo

Posted By RichC on March 1, 2021

This content is restricted.

Category: Music, Video | No Comments »
Tags: 1970s, dr. hook, medicine show, mp3, music monday, musicmonday, video, youtube