Music Monday: A recycled Beatles song and something from 1969
Posted By RichC on February 11, 2019
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Enjoyed a few days of Florida sunshine aboard Encore last week
Posted By RichC on February 10, 2019
I enjoyed the warm sunshine and working on a few project on Encore this past week. It was a delayed trip due to a flight cancelation, but thankful my schedule is pretty flexible. It would have been nice to stay longer and to have had Brenda with me, but "ya got to do what you got to do."
It was also nice to see a few old friends and catch up on a few maintenance items … although repairs on a sailboat are never done. That last bit is something I’m plenty familiar with and so will keep trying to enjoy working on the boat.
This past week was a semi-bust in that the scuba guy I use to clean the bottom and replace sacrificial zincs did not show up. I also tried to diagnose my overheating issue but did not tear into the heat exchanger on the Volvo diesel … something that is looking more and more like it needs to be done. If I run the engine at low RPMs 
without much load, there seems to be enough water flowing over the heat exchanger tubes to cool enough, but if under a heavier load or higher RPM, the diesel will overheat.
One of the other projects I wanted to get done was to remove the center (smaller) Lewmar Ocean series hatch, just as I did for the larger ones a couple years ago. I did get it removed (not easy) and built a temporary wood plug/hatch to seal the opening. Before flying back home, I sent the hatch to Select Plastics in order to have new Lexan bedded in to the frame. It is a pricey repair, but has become necessary after continued taping in order to keep it from leaking. I really put off this repair because I’ll end up losing my solar vent. Bummer.
While I was down at the marina it was great to see the new pool going in … but not so good to see dockage rates going up.
A great photo makes for the perfect filler blog post
Posted By RichC on February 9, 2019
Although I’m not fond of birds that mess up the topsides of our boat, this Osprey made for a great photo from Aruba. Above is an Osprey is catching a blue reef fish. (more…)
Tech Friday: Do you have a Flickr account with 1000 photos?
Posted By RichC on February 8, 2019
Yup … I have over 1000 photos.
Once again, the lesson to take to heart is to "control your own data" whenever you can or be blackmailed into new subscription rules or lose everything. Even more challenging if a company goes out of business or deciding you have infringed on their user policy without warning and having your entire account deleted without recourse.
Do you have a Flickr account? Does it have over 1,000 photos?
Go back them up, or you might lose a bunch of them forever.
..
- Go to Flickr.com on a desktop browser
- Log in
- Tap your profile picture in the upper right, then hit “Settings”
- Scroll down, and look for “Your Flickr Data” in the bottom right.
- Double check that the email address listed is your current one. If not, change it.
- Hit the “Request my Flickr data” button.
- Wait.
Within a few hours, you should get an email with a big ol’ zip file with all of your pictures.
PSA: Go back up your Flickr photos before they’re deleted | TechCrunch
Perhaps you should get a wireless phone plan in Oregon?
Posted By RichC on February 7, 2019
The 2018 wireless phone Tax Foundation report came out in December 2018 and although we may have seen income tax rates drop, wireless phone plans continue to be ripe for the taxman’s pickings. It is shocking to see such a wide rate structure from all the different states (map above) but that doesn’t tell the story of the year to year upward creep in total taxes paid. The average family "can expect to pay about $229 per year in wireless taxes, fees, and surcharges—up from $221 in 2017." Check out the chart below that show the year to year increases Americans are taxed for their cellphone plans … closing in on 20% on average (count your blessings if your plan is in Oregon … or even Ohio!)
Government cannot give anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else
Posted By RichC on February 6, 2019
We often act as if we are so enlightened in the 21st century when it comes to political philosophy and an understanding as to what motivates human beings. Politicians, and in turn their dreamy-eyed followers, are once again attempting to solve income equality with big government and expensive social programs that propose to "tax the rich" … not unlike what has been attempted in socialist countries in the past (or even in our own country with the memorable LBJ "Great Society." For all the millions of dollars, did it work? No!).
Good to remember we’ve seen it fail and debated many times before, but will we learn?
EDIT – always good to get it correct:
Dr. Adrian Rogers – (1931-2005) American pastor
Often attributed to Dr. Rogers with an incorrect date of 1931. The quotation is part of a longer 1984 sermon in a larger series titled “God’s Way to Health, Wealth and Wisdom” (CDA107); it also appears in Dr. Rogers’ 1996 work “Ten Secrets for a Successful Family” stating that “by and large our young people do not know either the importance or the value of honest labor”. Rogers did not originate the quote and did not claim to have originated it. Instead, he was citing almost verbatim a bit of anti-Soviet propaganda that had circulated in many magazines in the early 1960’s. The quote appeared before that in the Congressional Record of 1958, where they were appended to the record by congressman Bruce Alger. Alger had borrowed the words from Gerald L. K. Smith, who had written them first in his magazine, The Cross and the Flag. Since the quote was attributed to Rogers in 2009, it has been regularly attributed to him; however, Rogers was essentially quoting Smith at the time.
What will higher diesel fuel cost mean for the economy? #inflation
Posted By RichC on February 5, 2019
The prediction that diesel fuels will rise (“double in price” – note the last minute of the interview) is bound to impact the price of goods. Everything is shipped using diesel fuel, be it on ships, trains or trucks, and with those prices rising significantly, consumers will be paying. On the personal side, those of us driving diesel cars, trucks and SUVs are going to notice it at the pump.
Joking with my son who is pondering his career options
Posted By RichC on February 4, 2019
While chatting with my son Taylor over the weekend about the terrible news regarding the killing of a law enforcement officer in the county where he works (depressing), we discussed his career options again. His job is currently to his liking, but the challenge and opportunity for advancement and salary improvement is dependent on seniority and the advancement of those in management position above him. He is very good at his current job as county planner (hence the joke photo above), but unfortunately it does not give him experience in administration or managing people. It is tough to know when to be satisfied with a job you do competently and when to stretch yourself by taking the risk with a new job, new people and new challenges?
Patriots are Super Bowl champions for the 6th time
Posted By RichC on February 3, 2019
Not much doubt about it … the New England Patriots are the the best team in the NFL and their team leader and QB Tom Brady is the best to have ever played the game (oh, how I hate admitting that). Nevertheless, they win when they have to and did it in defensive style for Super Bowl LIII. Congratulations to them and their fans. Final score, Patriots 13 – Rams 3.
The colorful Coquina Clams emerging from a sandy beach
Posted By RichC on February 3, 2019
After watching a short YouTube video of the Coquina Clam emerging from the “swash zone” on a beach after a wave retreated, I thought a short animated gif would make a great winter filler post for the blog.
The coquina clam (Donax variabilis) is a common inhabitant of Florida’s sandy beaches. Known for their highly variable color patterns, coquinas can be found buried just under the surface of the sand in the wave-swept area of the beach known as the swash zone. These algae filter-feeders are a critical food source for fish, crabs and shorebirds. Along with other animals such as the mole crab (Emerita talpoida) and ghost crab (Ocypode quandrata), coquina clams are considered indicator species for beach habitat. Because of their sensitivity to environmental changes, indicator species can act as an early warning system for biologists. (more)
Desultory - des-uhl-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee
- lacking in consistency, constancy, or visible order, disconnected; fitful: desultory conversation.
- digressing from or unconnected with the main subject; random: a desultory remark.