2019 Figure Skating Championships in Detroit & Annalyn photos
Posted By RichC on January 26, 2019
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Sooner or later a close call with a drone will be too close
Posted By RichC on January 25, 2019
As more and more federal employees decide they aren’t going to continue to work without a paycheck, the focus has shifted to the unpaid in the Coast Guard, TSA and Air Traffic Control. Air travel has now moved front and center as the “shutdown-standoff” continues (the Senate is at least negotiating).
Flyers are feeling it in larger airports where the TSA worker shortage has been slowing down commercial aviation and irritating travelers. The thought of screeners being overworked and not paying attention leads me to think about other safety issues — close calls with drones and a bird-like strike of a wing of an aircraft. Sooner or later one is going to make contact.
No matter who in the Federal government you blame – President Trump, Speaker Pelosi or a combination of our elected leaders – their unwillingness to work together and negotiate is frustrating (its a debate that has very little to do with border security and everything to do with politics). I wonder that with the focus on our southern border and the felons, human traffickers, drug smugglers and terrorist crossing the border mixed with illegals from Central America and Mexico just seeking a better life, what about our lax security in other areas due to the shutdown?
Tech Friday: A virtual assistant showing a little humor
Posted By RichC on January 25, 2019
It won’t be long before virtual assistants end up in our car … question is, which one will it be? (from what I’m seeing as of 2019, it would be Amazon’s Alexa).
Currently Amazon has definitely taken the lead in our home as the affordable Echo Dots are now throughout our house. I … well “we” … use Alexa daily for a variety of simple tasks associated with home automation 
such as controlling the lights and TV, checking weather and playing music. I find myself saying her name accidentally even when talking to my Apple iPhone (although about all Siri does for me anymore is set a timer). This past week when I mistakenly addressed my phone incorrectly, Siri sarcastically commented, “very funny, Rich” as if realizing Apple, and to a lesser extent Google, have fallen behind in the virtual assistant race. Still, I appreciated the humor, even though I’d rather see a little more effort from into Apple into refining their products and working on the next big thing … whatever that might be. Personally I always thought they would simplify and refine the television … but they seem to have fallen asleep in putting their creative and simplification touch on that $1000 must have product … the window is closing?
A light for my bandsaw and a discontinued Ridgid worklight
Posted By RichC on January 24, 2019
Today would have been my dad‘s 90th birthday.
Here is something he would have enjoyed…
With it being so cold this week, it was a good time to be working in the basement workshop in the evenings. Besides working on getting my Hitachi Miter Saw fitted to my workbench and dust collection for a new bookshelves project later this winter (will blog on that this weekend), I’ve been cleaning and sorting “junk” 
(much of it my dad’s) that has piled up on the workbench and elsewhere. There are times I’d rather just have a dumpster to toss everything in and start fresh, on the other hand, I know as soon as I throw something away, that is when I’ll need it (perhaps a brother law to Murphy’s Law).
One of the minor improvements and a distraction from organizing and cleaning was to re-purpose a light for my bandsaw. Brenda usually walks through the discounted area when she goes to IKEA and this time ended up buying a small broken LED desk light. She has one on her nightstand and “I think” thought having one at work to help with reading fine print might be helpful. Instead, she asked if I wanted it.
Perfect for the bandsaw. The weighted base is removeable and the two mounting screws fit nice on the aluminum housing of my 11” Shopsmith bandsaw giving nearly the perfect amount of light to the cutting line with the flexible head … and if I leave the light on, no big deal … it has a very low power drain.
One of my requests for Christmas this past year 
was a Ridgid work light that operated off the 18 volt lithium batteries for my drills and other battery powered power tools. The reason I asked for this particular light is that it seemed pretty durable and the inverter could power a normal lamp bulb in a standard 110 volt bulb socket. The request was shortsighted by me as while the device uses a standard socket, the safety switch and maximum wattage was designed to only power a fitted curly florescent bulb that were the efficient bulb of choice before LEDs. With a little modification, I was able to fit the base of an LED (without globe) in to the housing and it work fairly well. Truth be told, I can see why they updated this light now that so many more efficient and brighter work lights are on the market … there just isn’t a need for one that inverts power to run a proprietary 110 volt bulb sized to fit in this housing. It works for me, but does NOT get a thumbs-up recommendation as I should have looked at the GEN5X lights – but it worked great when working on Taylor’s car (NO CORDS!).
Let’s go swimming … come on in, the water is fine. #sharks
Posted By RichC on January 23, 2019
A filler post, but not a good photo for those nervous about swimming in the ocean.
The photos last week from a couple of freedivers in Hawaii swimming with a massive Great White Shark known as #DeepBlue really has me wondering just how wise it is to be that adventurous. There is a fine line between adventurous and stupidity.
Random thoughts – Stretching the last of deodorant on a cold day
Posted By RichC on January 22, 2019
Am I the only one who contemplates the minutest things … or am I normal?
This COLD morning I thought, “Hm, this is the last of my deodorant and it’s really cold … perhaps I can get away with a single swipe and make it last another day?”
The Raspberry Pi Cam view of the snow-covered backyard at sunset – 1/20/2019
Server problem test post – Blood Moon for January 2019
Posted By RichC on January 21, 2019
It has been a morning of computer server problems after updating Certbot on one of my Linux servers in order to keep the Let’s Encrypt certificates updating properly (the email warning below). For customers on Consolidated Printing and Publishing servers, there will not be a problem as the certs are commercial … but for my personal blog, test sites, etc … I’ve been using the Linux Foundation Collaborative Projects Let’s Encrypt free/donate service which requires a little more maintenance. After a few hours of rebuilding, restarting and backing up … I think we’re is good to go?
As this is a test post, I’m including the January 2019 “Blood Moon” photo as a test post … and because it is beautiful (even Brenda commented last night as she was driving home from work, it is that noticeable).
Subject: Action required: Let’s Encrypt certificate renewals
**Action is required to prevent your Let’s Encrypt certificate renewals from breaking.**
Your Let’s Encrypt client used ACME TLS-SNI-01 domain validation to issue a certificate in the past 60 days.
TLS-SNI-01 validation is reaching end-of-life and will stop working on **February 13th, 2019.**
You need to update your ACME client to use an alternative validation method (HTTP-01, DNS-01 or TLS-ALPN-01) before this date or your certificate renewals will break and existing certificates will start to expire.
Music Monday: Thank God Almighty – Free At Last
Posted By RichC on January 21, 2019
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Advice: Compare price vs shipping times when ordering online
Posted By RichC on January 20, 2019
A quick piece of advice for those who are in the habit of shopping online … especially if you are used to using Amazon and their Prime shipping. I’ve habitually price products since Amazon isn’t always competitively price with other online vendors, BUT my advice is to remember just how dependable and reliable shipping from Amazon is before selecting the less expensive vendor.
Case in point, I wanted to use a better “oil” with my new tap and dies rather than the same old 30 weight oil I’ve used my whole life. The “Tap Magic marketing” suggests that bits and tools could last longer if using something like Tap Magic instead of ordinary oils. So in order to save a few dollars, I switch to a different online reseller expecting it would arrive before last weekend – it did not. Frustrated I placed the order after seeing the estimated deliver, disappointed in the actually delivery and for the couple dollars savings would have gladly purchased from Amazon KNOWING it would arrive within a day or two – Amazon deliveries are now that dependable, but they really need some competition!
Irresistible! “Hi Bompa … I see you” from my granddaughter
Posted By RichC on January 19, 2019
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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.