Posted By RichC on July 25, 2020
It looks like Ridgid has a great new tool (I have a few other ones), but at $79, it seems like a lot of money for the ordinary handyman homeowner to spend for an 18-Volt 10 oz Caulk Gun?
Nevertheless, I’m looking forward to at least looking at tools the next time I stop in at the local Home Depot.
Posted By RichC on July 24, 2020
It’s an uncomfortable time to be a freedom-loving and patriotic American who misses old days of going about day to day business without wearing a facemask or triggering someone by “wearing” something with the wrong message. Heaven forbid a social media unaware person thinks (well, says out loud) “All Lives Matter” rather than only certain people’s lives as with “woke“ folks. I’m still not sure how many people knowingly or unknowingly differentiate the BLM Marxist organization from the “Black Lives Matter” slogan?
Cincinnati Reds players kneel during National Anthem – July 22, 2020
With today’s divisive politics and the real (or politically hyped, who knows) COVID19 Coronavirus dread looming, we are all looking for an escape. Of course, professional sports have always been there for this … even in wartime, but unfortunately,those playing professional sports are also active in the politics of the day (do they fear protests or violence from the cancel culture?) Most recently, Major League Baseball clearly reminds us we are in a pandemic and must “wear a mask” … and that we have different political views.
Perhaps one semi-distracting moment that lightened the week was when the Whitehouse Coronavirus Task Force‘s Dr. Anthony Fauci threw out the first pitch at a Washington Nationals game. It triggered enough endorphins to at least give social media something “light” to talk about (laughter is a great Rx to help with depression).
Posted By RichC on July 24, 2020
As a start up, doing business with big company in order to boost sales and visibility can be a great way to grow a business. Unfortunately it can also be cut-throat and the smaller companies can and are taken advantage of. It is not new, but but in the fast-paced and highly competitive technology world, it can happen fast and the hammer can come down heavy. This is particularly true in working with behemoth companies who have investment arms, legal teams, new product development divisions and a platform to sell .. it is risky (not only companies, but countries do it too – aka: China). So if you are a start up looking for some investment capital or an only platform to sell on … be careful when it come to Amazon.
As Wall Street Journal writers Dana Mattioli and Cara Lombardo point out, “Amazon sometimes will launch a competing product which devastates the business in which it invested. In other cases, it met with startups about potential takeovers, sought to understand how their technology works, then declined to invest and later introduced similar Amazon-branded products, according to some of the entrepreneurs and investors.”
Comments from one venture-capital partner about Amazon:
“They are using market forces in a really Machiavellian way,” said Jeremy Levine, a partner at venture-capital firm Bessemer Venture Partners. “It’s like they are not in any way, shape or form the proverbial wolf in sheep’s clothing. They are a wolf in wolf’s clothing.”
Posted By RichC on July 23, 2020
Having the comradery of social media friends who enjoy similar interests doesn’t necessarily replace face to face friendships, but at least during the Coronavirus pandemic it is a way to stay connected. 
There are a few of us like-minded car guys who sort of have an appreciation for the mundane cars and share stories, photos and jabs. This past week, two Twitter friends (one an automotive journalist (Tom) and the other a writer and podcast guy from Barron’s (Jack) made comments that triggered Throwback #TBT memories for me.
The first conversation and photo had to do with Ford unveiling the new EV Mustang Mach-E “race car” with 1400HP. In the car world that’s an incredible amount of power … which had me thinking about investing in tire companies (burning through tires). Jack Hough commented “That’s 1,120 more horses than my ride. But I have 15 cup holders” … hashtag, #MinivanMan. 
Not to be outdone, my comeback was that it was “1277HP more than mine!” (the aoove 1982 Mercedes Benz 300D Turbodiesel – thankfully it is at least turbocharged!)
The second enjoyable exchange was with Tom Appel and his nightmares of people coming to get him in an old camper van, as he posted a #CarSpotter photo of a Ford camper van. It started me thinking about the many enjoyable years camping with my family (1967 Ford Custom 500 with a 17 foot Yellowstone trailer, as well as the 1973 Ford Van & pop up tent in the above photos) and then MomC and DadC years after in their “ambulance” looking van. Good times to be sure.
Posted By RichC on July 22, 2020
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Posted By RichC on July 21, 2020
After updating a few security features on this server, there is/was a problem (?) in posting to MyDesultoryBlog.com. So as an update test, I’ll add a couple photos.
The subject line question is really a trick question since the photo on the right was taken a day before the one on the left a couple of days ago… and my wife Brenda is correct: “the beard just makes me look old!”
Posted By RichC on July 21, 2020
If you enjoy nighttime sky watching, the next couple of days will have Comet NEOWISE (C/2020 F3) at its closest point for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere. Hopefully the sky will remain clear and you’ll be able to see the “beautiful crescent” of this 3 mile wide glow. I’ve personally yet to see it (requires binoculars or long lens assistance), but according to earthsky.org, July 22-23, 2020 will bring NEOWISE 64 million miles from earth. Take a look off to the west-northwest under the Big Dipper.
Posted By RichC on July 20, 2020
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Posted By RichC on July 19, 2020
I learned something new about firearms when reading and posting about the Coconut Rifle and it was interesting enough to me to include on the blog this week.
Did you know Law Enforcement and the military (US Marine practicing in photo) uses something called a “breaching round” in their shotguns or accessory attachment like the “MasterKey” in order to enter locked doors?
The round is made of frangible copper or metal powder and fused together. It blasts the lock/hinges and then crumbles apart so as not to endanger people behind or around the door … but is lethal if fired at a human target.
Posted By RichC on July 18, 2020
As politicians and most of us in the United States (and probably world) debate how to live under the shadow of the Coronavirus pandemic, researchers, doctors and academics are flooding
the Internet with studies and opinions both for and against opening up the country. Some have our best interest at heart … and likely some are playing politics – at least that is my cynical view.
Like most people, I certainly don’t want to suffer the economic and long lasting harm that comes from shutting down again unnecessarily, but also don’t want to accelerate deaths due to being careless. Perhaps that’s why I’m “playing the mask game” and reducing my unnecessary social activities; yes, staying home more than usual (my new neck gaiter face covering with exaggerated “lips” photo for the humor – don’t tell Brenda since I bought her too – her birthday is coming).
My son, Taylor is back working from home as his office closed again due to someone with COVID19. He’s fine, just depressed having to work from his apartment again. I hope he’ll continue to take a few hikes on the weekends if only to get some exercise outside and clear his head. I can’t image what this does for a person’s mental health, particularly those who struggle with depression in normal times?
Back to my point: I read an article this week focused on shutting downs verses remaining open. Although much has been made and conclusions interpreted one way or the other, depending how you “want” to interpret the data, the look at Sweden has them looking reasonable considering they remained open when other countries and states locked down. Who knows how to calculate the economic and psychological costs of shutting down a country?
The first thing one notices about the comparison is that Sweden was able to “flatten the curve,” so to speak. Though the phrase is largely forgotten today, flattening the curve was originally the entire purpose of the lockdowns. To the extent that there was a scientific basis for lockdowns, it was in the idea that they were a temporary measure designed to help hospitals avoid being overwhelmed by sick patients.
If flattening the curve was the primary goal of policymakers, Sweden was largely a success. New York, on the other hand, was not, despite widespread closures and strict enforcement of social distancing policies.
The reason New York failed and Sweden succeeded probably has relatively little to do with the fact that bars and restaurants were open in Sweden. Or that New York’s schools were closed while Sweden’s were open. As Weiss explains, the difference probably isn’t related to lockdowns at all. It probably has much more to do with the fact that New York failed to protect the most at-risk populations: the elderly and infirm.
“Here’s the good news: You can shut down businesses or keep them open. Close schools or stay in session. Wear masks or not,” says Weiss, a graduate of Harvard Business School. “The virus will make its way through in either case, and if we protect the elderly then deaths will be spared.”
Worth repeating … “.. and if we protect the elderly then deaths will be spared.”
