My Desultory Blog

Posted By RichC on December 15, 2024

Click image of landscape pond from back in 2008 when we
asphalted the rear driveway. Both have aged. ☹️

My mistake this past month was when it came to scrubbing some of the waterfall area off and using Dawn dishwashing soap … whoops! Not a big deal, but it still has creating an offseason soapy looking landscape pond. 😊 

As for some interesting social media advertising, I thought a couple freebie ads of the year were by President-Elect Donald Trump (McDonalds) and Argintina’s President Javier Milei (Stihl). 

Category: Human Interest, Marketing, Photos, Politics | No Comments »
Tags: $MCD, advertising, dawn, dishwashing, donald trump, javier milei, landscape, mcdonalds, pond, president, soap, stihl, wikipedia

Posted By RichC on December 14, 2024

Although I’m glad the 2024 presidential election is behind us in the United States (and hope Kamala Harris becomes a lost memory), there’s a lot of angst in our country and in the world over the political direction and change.  I’m cautiously, optimistic that a Trump administration will have a foreign policy that leads to less war and killing (peace through strength) and that it will economically gives the United States an opportunity to innovate and grow our economy again (and shrink government — but call me dubious). I know, it is a tall order.

A concerning chart was floating around on social media from Financial Times (FT.com) early this month and it points out a significant change over the years in the difference between young men and women’s political ideology. One thing looks clear to me, men worldwide tend to trend more conservative and women are becoming more liberal … or in current day U.S. political speak, progressive. Hm, why the dichotomy?

I saw a long post from Kevyn Nightingale, a Canadian, on Quora.com but will only include the last couple of paragraphs:

Progressives believe the government can make the world better. A large number of us reject that premise. That’s part of what happened with the election of Donald Trump (no, I didn’t vote for him; I’m Canadian).

So here we are. In America today, “liberals” are modern-day socialists, of varying stripes. “Progressives” are just those on the left-er end of that spectrum. “Socialists” like Bernie Sanders are further out than that; they look for a system like those in the Nordic countries.

Conservatives are everybody else. Libertarians mostly hang out with conservatives, because they’re willing to accept them into the tent. That’s mostly a blue-team vs red-team thing, though. And because so many American conservatives are religiously oriented, the red team will always contain significant tension.

LINK

Category: Human Interest, Politics, Social Media | No Comments »
Tags: conservative, liberal, men, Politics, progressive, women, world

Posted By RichC on December 13, 2024

Although I don’t have an Apple Watch like Brenda, but I think one is coming my way for Christmas now that I have a modern iPhone (my Fitbit Versa 2 is “still ticking after taking a licking” — old Timex joke). One of the features or apps that does not exist, is an app for SiriusXM.I personally would really love to be able to work in the yard, workshop or walk the beach or woods without having to be tethered to my iPhone 16 Pro Max … but again, the SiriusXM app doesn’t exist.

But … according to a quick look for work arounds, it “might” be possible to figure something out. Call me skeptical when it comes to Artificial Intelligence (AI), but I’m still hopeful.

Come on Apple and SiriusXM … if the Alexa Echo smart speaker can do it, surely there’s a way to develop an app for the cellular version of the Apple Watch?

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Category: AI, Alexa, Apple, Cellphone, Entertainment, Streaming, Technology | No Comments »
Tags: app, apple watch, artificial intelligence, siriusxm, tech friday, techfriday

Posted By RichC on December 12, 2024

Today’s archive post will be quite the Throwback Thursday #TBT stretch … as the photos and Christmas tree subject matter are from last weekend … even though “The Longest Game” podcast forwarded by my daughter Katelyn is a baseball story from years ago (she knows I enjoy baseball).

Let’s start with the baseball story from 1981 when “the  Pawtucket Red Sox and Rochester Red Wings slugged it out from dusk to dawn” in a 33 inning “longest game.” The podcast is worth listening to if you enjoy sports and baseball memories (thanks for sharing, Katelyn). 

As for the Oostras new house and a BIG Christmas tree … I can’t wait to see it. It looks beautiful (below).

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Category: Archive, Audio, Photos, Podcast, Radio, Sports, Streaming, TBT, Video | No Comments »
Tags: baseball, christmas, family, katelyn, ohio, podcast, TBT, the longest game, tree, whitehouse

Posted By RichC on December 11, 2024

After typing the title and looking at my photo below from Sunday afternoon, I realized that listing “smartphone” should also be added to the title/subject list … since it more than likely is read from the most these days?

I personally have always been a luddite and preferred paper as the medium of choice when it come to reading. I’ve printed out reams of documents for later reading as a regular practice, BUT am finding a preference for digital devices these days?

Perhaps it is because my eyes aren’t as good as they used to be … or maybe it’s the ability to “zoom in” on images, graphs and charts … or that our digital displays are getting so much better? In any case … the iPad is slowing becoming my choice for reading.

That said, it is hard to beat paper for some things. I like the fact that it reads comfortably in the bright sun, on a desk or table or even under an LED reading light. I generally have less of a problem flipping back and forth or even scribbling notes on page margins. Slowing the Kindle is drifting to 3rd place after years of “easy on the eyes” reading … but it is still better in sunlight than an iPad or computer screen. Unfortunately the “small print” paper paged books are becoming a thing of the past … even when putting on a second set of reading glasses! 

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Category: Advice, Cellphone, Computer, Human Interest, Idioms, Photos, Technology | No Comments »
Tags: Computer, ipad, kindle, paper, reading, smartphone

Posted By RichC on December 10, 2024

With early November and December winter weather showing up somewhat early, there’s no better time for Megan’s employer to have a holiday gathering at Kings Island. For their business, it is time to promote WinterFest with 7-million lights and some ice skating. 

Both Megan and Katelyn learned, and then taught, figure skating for the Queen City Figure Skating Club (although years apart) … and Taylor was hauled around with us in order to watch skating competitions for years. I was an early morning practice dad, and  took Katelyn (photo) to her lessons and practices at 5AM, with a few other comatose dads. On Fridays, Taylor would come along and the two of us would go to Bob Evans for breakfast and to practice his spelling words (at least during his elementary years). 

So … it’s good to see that he somehow picked up a few skating skills … who knew!!!
 

Category: Holiday, Memories, Personal, Video | No Comments »
Tags: family, kings island, megan, mp4, skating, taylor, winterfest

Posted By RichC on December 9, 2024

There’s no getting away from highlighting music from the 1970s on Music Monday — I can’t help myself. 😊 

While listening to the segment-change music on a Fox Business show, KC and the Sunshine Band’s “Get Down Tonight” from 1975 caught my ear. I realized that Harry Wayne Casey and his band was highlighted before in 2022, but the song was “Please Don’t Go.”
 

While searching for a little more information on the 1975 hit above, I spotted a live “foot-tapping” inspiring live performance on YouTube from April 1977 … but I was not really a “disco” guy back in the day. 😉  

Category: Idioms, Music, Video | No Comments »
Tags: 1975, disco, kc and the sunshine band, music monday, musicmonday, wikipedia, youtube

Posted By RichC on December 8, 2024

Our 2002 Honda Odyssey van sits outside in Florida for a longer period than usual and a few times the battery didn’t start the car. At first I replaced the battery thinking it was just old. Then I started to disconnect the battery when leaving it covered in our condo parking lot … but it wouldn’t run correctly when I reconnected???

I suspected even back in 2002 the computer monitoring the engine parameters needed to readjust after the battery was fully discharged or disconnected. So a year or so ago I bought an inexpensive 12 volt solar battery maintainer since the cover never held up to the sun and wind anyway. So far, even leaving under a tree with the panel in the front windshield … and in the shade most of the time … it has started without disconnecting the battery.

Now after struggling with my 2010 BMW X5 35d’s battery on and off for years AND a bad experience leaving the 2010 Acura RDX sitting in airport parking for a while in October/November 2024 (even though it has a relatively new battery – 2023), I’ve decided to try another inexpensive 12 volt battery maintainer when leaving cars outside for more than a couple weeks. The active security and always active power-locks or computer must be a drain on batteries?

I’m doing some preliminary testing to see just how many volts the panel is delivering in the December sun, and it looks as if this small TopSolar 10-watts panel should trickle charge our batteries (although I’m tempted to order a 20-watt just for fun)? 😊  

Category: Acura, Automotive, BMW, Honda, Photos, Shopping, Solar | No Comments »
Tags: 12 volts, amazon, battery, maintainer, solar, trickle, vehicle

Posted By RichC on December 7, 2024

There are a few dates that tend to be remembered each year; December 7th is one of them. This year marks the 83rd anniversary of the surprise attack by the Imperial Japanese Navy on the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, killing 2,403 Americans and thrusting the United States into World War II. 

The history-interested reader in me had me reading quite a few books on World War II and in particular the war in the Pacific. Perhaps it’s my interest in oceans, ships, boats, sailing and aviation … or just the impact on our country with an entire world at war. I still can’t imagine just how unprepared we were  “knowing” the war going on in Europe (from Germany) and in China (from Japan). 

But somehow in America in the autumn of 1941 (aerial view of Pearl Harbor in October 1941 above), we felt insulated (perhaps even isolated from the war in Europe and China); that changed on December 7, 1941. Early on Sunday morning, Japanese aircraft launched a coordinated attack on Pearl Harbor, catching the U.S. Pacific Fleet by surprise. They were able to sink or damage 19 ships, including eight battleships …  and destroyed over 300 aircraft. The USS Arizona, USS Oklahoma, and USS Utah were among the ships that sank, resulting in the loss of over 1,700 lives. Let our leaders and our military never be so unprepared again. 

National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day

In 1994, the United States Congress designated December 7 as National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, a day to honor and remember those who were killed or injured during the attack. The day is marked by ceremonies, memorial services, and tributes across the United States.

Legacy

Pearl Harbor Day serves as a reminder of the sacrifices made by those who served and the devastating consequences of war. It also honors the resilience and determination of the American people, who rallied together to support the war effort and ultimately contributed to the Allied victory.

Quotes

“Yesterday, December 7, 1941—a date which will live in infamy—the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.”
– President Franklin D. Roosevelt

Category: History, Millitary | No Comments »
Tags: japanese empire, pacific, pearl harbor, remembrance, united states, war, ww2

Posted By RichC on December 6, 2024

The annual Corbett Christmas Letter has been reduced to the ubiquitous Christmas card printed by one of the many card producers (below). This year’s card was ordered  before our Thanksgiving famly get-together and unique Google “Add Me” AI feature used in the photo above on Drew’s new Pixel 9. Very impressive — hey, Apple, get it together! (Drew took our neighborhood bridge photo, then Katelyn took a photo as the AI “Add Me” software merged the two shutter snaps — look at the railing, but still super impressive and for Tech Friday no less)! 

Anyway … wishing all who read My Desultory Blog throughout the year, a Very Merry Christmas and a healthy and Happy New Year (as always, click for larger images). 

Category: AI, Archive, Cellphone, Holiday, Personal, Photos, Technology | No Comments »
Tags: addme, archive, artificial intelligence, christmas, christmas card, Corbett Christmas Letter, family, google, mashable, Personal, pixel9, tech friday, techfriday