My Desultory Blog

Posted By RichC on March 29, 2025

The talk from most in the media this past week as been about several in the Trump administration’s team discussing plans to strike Houthi targets in Yemen … and that they used the encrypted app Signal to communicate with each other on a group chat titled “Houthi PC small group.” The Atlantic published a story after Jeffery Goldberg was added to a secure chat. That chat was initiated by National Security Adviser Michael Waltz, included senior officials like Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Vice President JD Vance, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. On March 15, Hegseth shared detailed operational updates, including timing, weather conditions, and specific weapons like F-18 jets and Tomahawk missiles, just hours before the attack commenced.

We still don’t know how or why Goldberg was added (assumed accidentally … although questions still abound). 

• Did someone working for Waltz want to embarrass the Trump administration?
• Was someone paid or promised something to add Goldberg?
• Or (the most likely) someone assembling the team, Waltz or an assistant, made a mistake and add JG – see below the break.
• Does some at Signal have the ability to insert a name?

We can only speculate but this smells:
In January 2024, Katherine Maher became the CEO of NPR. She also serves as the chair of the board of directors for the Signal Foundation, the nonprofit organization that oversees the encrypted messaging app Signal.

— Rich Corbett (@RichC)

March 27, 2025

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Category: Blogs, News, Politics, Technology | 0 Comments
Tags: associated press, hegseth, houthi, jeffery goldberg, signalapp, theatlantic, trump, waltz, yemen

Posted By RichC on March 28, 2025

An interesting map on BrilliantMaps.com (from a Reddit post), highlights Canada’s January temperature patterns, showing where average highs and lows rise above freezing. The West Coast, particularly around Vancouver and Victoria, and parts of Nova Scotia, like Halifax, are marked in purple, indicating January average highs above 0°C (32°F). These areas, influenced by the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, enjoy milder winters with highs of 6-8°C in Vancouver and 0-2°C in Halifax, often seeing rain rather than snow. Light blue spots in these regions also show average lows above freezing, making winter more manageable compared to the rest of the country.

The unshaded majority of Canada, however, experiences a true deep freeze (image left created by Grok AI), with both average highs and lows below 0°C. In places like Winnipeg, January highs average -13°C (9°F), while lows can drop to -23°C (-10°F) or colder in the northern territories. This map underscores Canada’s climatic diversity—whether you’re in a milder coastal city or the frigid interior, winter shapes life differently.

Category: AI, Blogs, Weather | 0 Comments
Tags: brilliantmaps.com, canada, grok, maps, reddit, weather

Posted By RichC on March 27, 2025

It is not hard to suck me in to having an opinion … and politics is one of those topics that I fortunately or unfortunately have formed semi-strong politically opinions over the years. I probably share/debate/argue them too often with my son Taylor (and he usually counters them) or in the past couple of years, have opined by request on TheHustings.news. 

This past week, left-leaning friend of a sailing friend, posted: “Defending Democracy is Not a Partisan Issue” for the left-column of TheHustings. His commentary highlighted the need to prioritize democratic principles over divisive partisanship in order to safeguard our system of government. As with all noble points-of-view, there can be a bit more pushback from others when getting into the actual subject matter — and so as a counter point-of-view (for the right-column of course), my commentary zeroed in on the overused “grandma off the cliff” fear tactic used by Democrats when it comes to the Republicans wanting to “shut down Social Security.” Read on if you dare …  

A Partisan Weapon in Disguise

Commentary by Rich Corbett

The pitch that defending democracy is a noble, non-partisan cause is a comforting tale, but it’s not the last word on the matter. Instead of uniting us, this slogan has become a partisan bludgeon, swung by one side to hammer the other. Look at the hysteria over Social Security: warnings of an “assault” on this retiree lifeline get paraded as evidence of democracy in peril. It’s a scare tactic, not a shared mission, showing how the concept gets twisted into a political weapon.

Take that claim head-on. Proposals to tweak Social Security—like adjusting eligibility or benefits—are spun as full-scale attacks, proof of democratic sabotage. Yet these ideas often aim to keep the program viable amid real pressures, like an aging workforce. If defending democracy were truly bipartisan, wouldn’t we debate fixes instead of shouting betrayal? The one-sided outrage betrays the game: it’s a rallying cry to energize one faction while branding opponents as threats, not a call for common ground.

The hypocrisy stretches further. When one camp decries election security laws as voter suppression, it’s a crisis of democratic values. When the other side calls out Big Tech censorship or executive overreach—like rules shoved through without Congress—the same voices shrug. If this were a neutral fight, both concerns would matter. Instead, “defending democracy” amplifies selective fears—Social Security today, something else tomorrow—to let one side play savior while painting rivals as villains.

The bias runs deep. The argument props up a “free” press and “independent” judiciary as democratic cornerstones, but a press skewed one way, as bias studies show, isn’t free—it’s a mouthpiece. A judiciary’s independence is a partisan tug-of-war, too, with every appointment a battle. When these institutions echo certain alarms, they’re not safeguarding democracy—they’re picking winners.

The “defend democracy” line assumes we all see it the same way. We don’t. Some view entitlements like Social Security as untouchable; others see reform as survival. Some push majority rule; others guard minority rights. These gaps don’t unite us—they fuel the fight. Democracy isn’t a holy grail to protect; it’s a ring where partisan armies, armed with overblown claims, slug it out.

This vision of a bipartisan defense of democracy is a delusion. It’s a catchphrase hijacked by those who gain from fearmongering, whether over cherished programs or other hot buttons. Unity starts with owning the messiness of democracy—not pretending it’s a saintly ideal we all agree to save.

Corbett writes on a variety of subjects at My Desultory Blog.

Category: Archive, Blogs, Politics | 0 Comments
Tags: commentary, counterpoint, point-of-view, political, richc, right-column, social security, thehustings

Posted By RichC on March 26, 2025

Since 1970, the cost of K-12 education in the U.S. has skyrocketed, yet student performance has remained disappointingly flat. Data from the Cato Institute and the U.S. Department of Education highlight a troubling trend—while inflation-adjusted per-student spending has more than tripled, reading, math, and science scores have barely budged.

As of 2024, the average per-student expenditure in public schools has reached nearly $17,000, a dramatic increase from previous decades. Federal funding surged even further during and after COVID-19, with nearly $190 billion allocated to K-12 schools for pandemic-related challenges. Despite these record-high investments, academic achievement has struggled to recover, with standardized test scores in reading and math showing declines or stagnation.

Beyond costs, the pandemic underscored deep inefficiencies within the education system. Chronic absenteeism doubled, learning gaps widened, and bureaucratic hurdles slowed the effective use of federal relief funds. However, these issues existed long before COVID-19—the pandemic merely exposed and exacerbated them.

The real question remains: Why hasn’t increased spending translated into better results? Administrative and staffing expansions have far outpaced student growth, raising concerns about resource allocation. While funding is essential, throwing more money at the problem without structural reform has not produced the desired outcomes.

With education spending at historic highs but performance stagnating, it may be time to rethink our approach, or perhaps way past time!

• Should more decision-making power return to local communities?
• Should school choice and competition play a larger role?

One thing is clear: the current system needs more than just money—it needs accountability and innovation.

Category: Education, News, Politics | No Comments »
Tags: costs, Education, failure, graphs, opinion, schools, students

Posted By RichC on March 25, 2025

While I love eating most berries, I will admit to not knowing all of these — do you? 

Category: Food, Misc, Tidbits | 0 Comments
Tags: berries, berry, fruit, garden

Posted By RichC on March 24, 2025

Last week a post on X.com regarding “best jam song for a long drive” triggered other longer driving songs in my mind. I chimed in on the “car guy” thread and picked one out of the list of 4 songs … my vote was “Band on the Run” from the list, but it could have been any of them.  

I shared an Allman Brothers song — “Ramblin’ Man” —  mentioned with the video on Music Monday once before … but I realized that the post only included the 1972 live performance at Hofstra University  (worth watching and listening to) … so today will share the audio version.
    

Category: Music | No Comments »
Tags: allman brothers, music monday, musicmonday, ramblin man, wikipedia

Posted By RichC on March 23, 2025

From our local economic development office, a new Wawa convenient store will open on April 16, 2025:

Liberty Township is excited to welcome Wawa to the community! Located at 7198 Cincinnati-Dayton Road, this Wawa store is not only the first Wawa in Liberty Township, but also the first Wawa in the State of Ohio.

Category: Human Interest, Local | No Comments »
Tags: convenience store, gas statiion, liberty township, ohio., wawa

Posted By RichC on March 22, 2025

Seeing this view each morning as we head to the beach never gets old. To be sure, I’ve posted similar photos a few times before, but even as the wallpaper on my iPhone, I can’t get enough of it. 

As our time in Florida for 2025 inches closer to a close, Brenda and I are savoring each 9-1/2 mile morning walk on the beach. Truth to be told, that distance each day can sometimes be more challenging than others — wind, waves and softness of the sand. I’m still amazed at how well Brenda’s hip continues to improve; after testament to modern orthopedic medicine and skilled surgeons. 

Our improvements at the condo this year have been relatively minor. We finally found a new lamp (but expensive in my opinion) and also added a set of bunk beds for our granddaughters when they visit. It took more than a simple screw here and there to assemble … and wondered to myself how some people are able to build them? Nevertheless, I have enjoyed working on it a few hours at a time (and they look and feel nice).

Outside, the fenced recycling and garbage area lost a large overgrown tree with roots that damaged underground utilities, so the improvement was to cut it down, grind out the roots and plant a new tree and screening bushes that will hopefully hide the bins? So far, so good. We’re also going to upgrade to fiber this summer that will be a great addition to our cable and internet (crossing my fingers).

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Category: Archive, Personal, Photos, Retirement, Travel | 0 Comments
Tags: beach, brenda, condo1718, delray beach, florida, gulf of america, richc, snowbird, view, walking

Posted By RichC on March 21, 2025

Have you ever wondered how the yearly floating date for Easter is determined … or why it is so late this year (April 20, 2025)?

Almanac.com had a great article, but since I’m thinking about Tech Friday today, here’s what Grok3 AI has to say about it.

The date of Easter Sunday is determined by a system rooted in both lunar and solar cycles, specifically tied to the Paschal Full Moon. The Paschal Full Moon is the first full moon that occurs on or after the ecclesiastical spring equinox, which the Christian Church fixes as March 21 for simplicity, even though the astronomical equinox can vary slightly (e.g., in 2025, it’s March 20). Easter Sunday is then set as the first Sunday following this Paschal Full Moon.

This method connects Easter to the Jewish calendar, where lunar cycles (approximately 29.5 days) govern key dates like Passover. In Christianity, Easter commemorates the resurrection of Jesus, which followed the Last Supper—a Passover feast. Because it’s tied to the lunar month rather than a fixed solar date like Christmas (December 25, near the winter solstice), Easter’s date shifts each year. For example, if the Paschal Full Moon falls on a Saturday, Easter is the next day; if it’s a Monday, Easter is the following Sunday.

LINK

Category: AI, Faith, Holiday, Human Interest, Technology | 0 Comments
Tags: ai, artificial intelligence, calendar, easter, grok3, tech friday, techfriday

Posted By RichC on March 20, 2025

Hm … an interesting middle initial story:

Ulysses S. Grant was born Hiram Ulysses Grant on April 27, 1822, though as a child he often went by his middle name, Ulysses. In 1839, he applied to the United States Military Academy at West Point, and the benefactor who the application, Ohio Congressman Thomas Hamer, mistakenly wrote “Ulysses S. Grant” on the document, apparently taking the initial from Grant’s mother’s maiden name, Simpson, though Simpson was never Grant’s middle name. In fact, the erroneous “S” in Grant’s name doesn’t stand for anything, and Hiram, his real first name, was completely dropped — yet the name stuck. Grant’s attempts to correct the error were curbed by delays and more paperwork, so he eventually accepted his new moniker. In an 1844 letter to his future wife, Julia Dent, Grant quipped, “Find some name beginning with ‘S’ for me.”

See History Facts

Category: History, Human Interest | 0 Comments
Tags: civil war, History, interesting, julia dent, names, ulysses grant