Our granddaughter is growing too fast and a shopping list

Posted By on July 17, 2018

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What’s happening here? Has Trump gone soft? #helsinkisummit

Posted By on July 16, 2018

HELSINKI—President Donald Trump on Monday publicly questioned U.S. intelligence agencies’ conclusion that Moscow interfered in the 2016 presidential election while standing beside Russian leader Vladimir Putin, saying he “didn’t see any reason why” the finding would be true.

Mr. Trump said he and the Russian president “spent a great deal of time” discussing the matter during their four hours of talks on Monday, and said Mr. Putin “was extremely strong and powerful in his denial.”

Asked whom he believed—U.S. intelligence agencies or Mr. Putin—Mr. Trump said: “[Director of National Intelligence] Dan Coats came to me. They said, they think it’s Russia. I have President Putin, he just said it’s not Russia.”

He added: “I will say this, I don’t see any reason why it would be.”

WSJ LINK

Music Monday: Dancing Queen by ABBA from 1976

Posted By on July 16, 2018

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Typos vs speed and efficiency for emails, messaging and blogs

Posted By on July 15, 2018

Like most who spend their days using smartphones, tablets and computer devices, I’m prone to making typos along with various written communication mistakes. If you’ve read my blog a few times, you will undoubtedly notice mistakes, even if you have an untrained eye — that is because I rarely proofread.

Proofreadinggraphic

I’ve been criticized by everyone from my wife to annoyed professionals who believe if something is "published to the public," it should be as mistake free as possible. I agree, that would be nice.  I’ve debated this over the years with close friends and wonder if I should spend a little more time proofreading blog posts … as well as the quick email communication or text messaging in order to pass along information (more recently social network Tweets). After giving it a little effort, I end up with the conclusion that so long as the "intended thought" is efficiently communicated, I’m not going to waste additional time to reread or rewrite. Still, I hate being criticized and know is show a lack of professionalism (and laziness) when I should be spending a few extra minutes reviewing and correcting typos and at leas a few of the grammatical errors.

Is there is a right or wrong protocol for personal personal written communication? If it is to spend more time proofing than writing, I would likely not post as often? Some, like me argue that "communicating" is the "art of conveying information" and so long as it is clearly understood, the act is successful. Other like my wife say that it is a poor reflection on my professionalism and role as a "semi editor" when it comes to work my company publishes. Hm, she sounds correct too. As for business communication, I do put a little more effort into correcting writing, even if I still personally find it hard to devote the time on something glanced at once or twice if I’m lucky.

I tend to fall back on the original purpose of journaling — my "private paper journal" was started to make me more comfortable with earlyjournals70s80s"communicating through writing." The paper journal (40 years ago) has long given way to a daily "blog" but the writing still serves my initial purpose — write something down daily … a thought, idea, rambling letter or anything … and it will make you a better written communicator. For me, having to proofread my desultory thoughts or even Tweets, would mean spending time rereading or rewriting … and this would defeat the purpose (and reduce my ambition to write/type.) If I spent more time each day reviewing, it would become a chore and would be too easy to stop. So for those who tell me "you make too many mistakes," I’ll make a blanket apology and let you know that your critique was heard … and I will continue to try to improve.

An impressive look at planet Jupiter this week #space

Posted By on July 14, 2018

Jupiter_iPhone7plus_190710It was a great week of skywatching in our backyard in Cincinnati this week. The sun magnificently lit up planets, especially Saturn and Jupiter while Mars, Venus (the brightest) and Mercury (doubtful) remained a bit low in the sky while I was out viewing. I was purposely out for Mars, but it will have to wait for another night. "Mars is rapidly approaches Earth at an average rate of 210,000 miles per day. It nearly doubles in brightness through July and by month’s end will be at its biggest and brightest for the next 17 years." – LINK

I don’t recall ever being able to see Jupiter (photo left) so clearly with the naked eye or to ever be able to have it show up well on an iPhone photo (click photo for larger view)?

Here are also a previous posts: 
1) iPhone7plus photo of the moon,
2) a Supermoon photo when in Florida and
3) the Lumix time-lapse of the Solar Eclipse in 2017.

Tech Friday: Time for an Apple iOS 11.4.1 security update

Posted By on July 13, 2018

AppleiOS11.4.1update180710Apple has been updating their iOS iPhone and iPad mobile operating system regularly and they seem to take far longer than in the old days (a couple years ago – HAHA). This latest update will not be appreciated by law enforcement who often want to gain access to data on a suspects phone. This recent iOS 11.4.1 release is not the iOS 12 most are anxious about, but just a small update with a security feature called USB Restricted Mode.

From The Verge:

Apple has added protections against the USB devices being used by law enforcement and private companies that connect over Lightning to crack an iPhone’s passcode and evade Apple’s usual encryption safeguards.

If you go to Settings and check under Face ID (or Touch ID) & Passcode, you’ll see a new toggle for USB Accessories. By default, the switch is off. This means that once your iPhone or iPad has been locked for over an hour straight, iOS will no longer allow USB accessories to connect to the device — shutting out cracking tools like GrayKey as a result. If you’ve got accessories that you want to continue working after your iPhone has been sitting locked for awhile, you can toggle the option on to remove the hour limit.

Apple’s wording is a bit confusing. You should leave the toggle disabled if you want your iPhone to be most secure.

SettingsUSBoff

Looking back at to our early years of sailing Brenich #TBT

Posted By on July 12, 2018

BrenichBatPutInBay1985While adding a photo to a post about Katelyn, Drew and Annalyn on Put In Bay earlier this week, I had a few more from our pre-kid days that might make for a good Throwback Thursday #TBT post. So here are a couple more sailing on Lake Erie from 1985 aboard Brenich our Baba 30.

BrenichKelleysCovePorthole1985A couple are from the north cove on Kelley’s Island, a couple from Put In Bay and a few more below sailing to and from.

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Gender, asperations, family, careers and encouraging girls

Posted By on July 11, 2018

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Déjà vu for me, as my kids enjoyed the Lake Erie islands

Posted By on July 10, 2018

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Music Monday: “Rumours” was the best album of 1977

Posted By on July 9, 2018

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Desultory - des-uhl-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee

  1. lacking in consistency, constancy, or visible order, disconnected; fitful: desultory conversation.
  2. digressing from or unconnected with the main subject; random: a desultory remark.
My Desultory Blog