Posted By RichC on March 22, 2024
Although at this point I’m still sticking with cable for my Internet and television entertainment, the difficulty in watching certain sporting events is increasing. I’m not happy about Amazon locking up Thursday Night Football and did not like having to plan ahead for the NFL playoff game in January, but for the most part … sports channels are bundled in my “still pricey” cable TV package. It is just a matter of time before we’re looking at “pay per view” for big events and games
… or at least having to “stream” certain games on dedicated platforms; 🎶 the times they are a changin’ 🎶.
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Category: Entertainment, Financial, Idioms, Music, News, Sports, Streaming, Technology |
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Tags: bob dylan, cutting the cord, idiom, sports, streaming, tech friday, techfriday, television, tv, wsj
Posted By RichC on March 21, 2024
I started reorganizing the south wall of my basement workshop on Sunday afternoon, first, so that I could store a bit more lumber on my storage rack (the extra Oosta lumber!) … and second, so that I could clean up my old children’s workbench for my granddaughters to use when they come this summer.
After going through the junk stacked on it, I removed the back, cleaned some of the dust and dirt … then noticed writing behind the broken florescent light. My Grandpa Bluhm’s signed it with paint and added the date that he made if for me (he always printing everything in all CAPs … including letters from Florida to my mom). Tihs workbench was a gift he gave to me for Christmas in 1966 and therefore will be a Throwback Thursday #TBT post. I have very fond memories of my namesake grandfather and often wish that he would have lived longer — he died only 3 years after making this for me in 1969. ☹️
On a side note, Katelyn and Drew have quite a bit more lumber saved in their garage. I’m not sure how much they will use for their own projects, or how much I will be able to haul back … or where I’m going to store it (maybe garage?), but I definitely would like a bit more of the 3/4” oak — hint, hint Katelyn.
Category: Archive, Memories, Personal, Photos, TBT |
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Tags: 1966, basement, christmas, grandpa bluhm, lumber, namesake, oostra, workbench, workshop
Posted By RichC on March 20, 2024
I’m of the opinion that there are three basic issues we Americans need to address when discussing what should be done with TikTok — be it a ban, divested ownership or continue under Chinese ownership and control.
The Chinese Communist Party (government) uses the social media platform to collect data on U.S. citizens/user and feeds an addicted user base in the U.S. with propaganda and a selectively moderated feed.
Is that appropriate from any foreign country? - TikTok’s data collection practices and influence, puts Americans and the United States at risk from an adversarial country.
Is it a form of “spying” and espionage?
- How much freedom should Americans have when it comes to what they choose to read, watch and listen to?
Would banning TikTok infringe on the First Amendment?
TikTok, though, may go for option three: Sue the government. (LINK)
For the most part, people who use TikTok to enjoy the senseless videos (including one below) and see it as harmless. They do not understand how the algorithms are used or what the propaganda value is to the CCP.
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Category: News, Politics, Social Media, Video |
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Tags: ccp, china, divest, opinion, tiktok, video, wsj
Posted By RichC on March 19, 2024
Brenda commented with a photo that another White Pine Tree near our property line with one of our neighbors came down in the last windstorm. I missed it, but then generally am not all that observant to what is behind the trees (can’t really see it from our house).
Since the trees are on the line and landed on “his side” … and were planted by the neighbor when they built their house, I think I’ll assume that he will take care of it. The last time the tree came down on our property, so I removed it.
Category: Personal, Photos, Weather |
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Tags: homeowner, tree, white pine, wind storm, yardwork
Posted By RichC on March 19, 2024
This content is restricted.
Category: Archive, Personal, Photos, Video |
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Tags: annalyn, birthday, bluey, ellerie, family, homebuilding, ohio, oostra, party, whitehouse
Posted By RichC on March 18, 2024
Five years ago for Music Monday I posted on Eric Carmen and a memory … well Brenda’s memory really, as he used her pharmacy in a NE Ohio decades ago. This past month his wife Amy Carmen shared that he passed away at the age of 74. ☹️
From MDB March 2019 (also shared an EricCarmen.com addition as a comment):
Brenda and I were talking about my blog and the fact that I include music with the occasional memory that it triggers. 
She wondered if I included Eric Carmen, a singer/songwriter (and original Raspberries lead) that was a customer at her pharmacy in Shaker Heights, Ohio when we lived in east side suburbs for Cleveland, Ohio (University Heights, Aurora and then Hudson)?
“Nope I did not” … but even if the music wasn’t exactly my taste, it does make for a good excuse to include the above video and the below, Hungry Eyes from the 1987 movie Dirty Dancing. By the way, it was recorded in Beachwood Studios (Beachwood, OH).
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Eric Carmen – Hungry Eyes | 1987 |
Category: Memories, Music, Obituary |
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Tags: eric carmen, music monday, musicmonday, obit
Posted By RichC on March 17, 2024
Going to college after high school has always seemed expensive, but by working, borrowing and getting help from parents … it was do-able, and by today’s standards, seemed affordable. I can’t help but smile noticing that when I finally paid off my student loan that I could start saving to put my kids through college. Sadly, today the debt many college graduates carry is overwhelming and they aren’t even thinking about having children.
If new grads are fortunate enough to have earned a degree that opens doors and starts a career, they still face a much higher cost of living across the board.
For those who took the vocational route, they may not be saddled with heavy debt, but the road is still not smooth. Everything from health care, to childcare, to the price of a vehicles, insurance, food, etc are way too high after inflation hit these past few years; it has impacted everyone in America.
One of the big desires for many is “homeownership” … The American Dream … is it really within reach these days? ☹️
Our Congressional Rep Warren Davidson posted a comment on X.com and a graphic that I thought was eyeopening. Ugh!
Category: Education, Human Interest, Social Media |
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Tags: economy, Education, healthcare, housing, inflation, life, milton friedman, twitter, warren davidson, wikipedia, x.com
Posted By RichC on March 16, 2024
During our final days in Florida this winter, Brenda and I watch a movie that we both enjoyed called “The Catcher Was A Spy.” I recommended it to Taylor who also enjoys World War II history and am looking forward to his comments.
The movie is based on a book by Nicholas Dawidoff about Morris “Moe” Berg, a professional baseball player turned OSS spy. The story itself was intriguing after recently watching the movie “Oppenheimer,” considering the themes tie together well (physicists and the atomic bomb). The story regarding Berg’s impressive intelligence and language skills makes the story (perhaps embellished) all the more interesting. His mission after getting close to scientists at a Switzerland conference was to kill Werner Heisenberg and prevent the Nazis from moving forward with an atomic bomb.
From May to mid-December 1944, Berg hopped around Europe, interviewing physicists and trying to convince several to leave Europe and work in the United States. At the beginning of December, news about Heisenberg giving a lecture in Zürich reached the OSS. Berg was assigned to attend the lecture and determine “if anything Heisenberg said convinced him the Germans were close to a bomb.” If Berg concluded that the Germans were close, he had orders to shoot Heisenberg; Berg determined that the Germans were not close.
LINK
Category: Books, Entertainment, History, Millitary, Movies, Sports |
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Tags: baseball, moe berg, movie, nicholas dawidoff, oss, spy, spying, the catcher was a spy, ww2
Posted By RichC on March 15, 2024
As someone who has grown up with the “beware of Big Brother” mindset, the thought that even with an Apple iPhone turned off, those with access can still know your location is a bit spooky.
Oh, to be sure, 99% of being able to find an iPhone that is powered down or without enough battery juice to remain active, is a good thing when looking for your lost or stolen smartphone … but still ???
MacWorld – March 2024
Category: Apple, Cellphone, Technology |
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Tags: 1984, apple, big brother, ios, iphone, macworld, surveillance, tech friday, techfriday
Posted By RichC on March 14, 2024
Category: Tidbits |
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Tags: mind games, psychology, reading
