My Desultory Blog

Posted By RichC on May 3, 2017

A lightning strike looked as if it had taken out my Epson Workforce 545 multifunction fax/scanner/printer/copier … which of all the office devices is probably the one I could most afford to lose. I suspect the "jolt" or whatever caused catastrophic failure came over the phone line, since devices plugged into the wall, APC unit or surge strips are fine … although my iMac did have an immediate shutdown requiring an SMC reset.

After talking with Epson support, I opted to pick up a refurbished Epson Workforce GT-1500 scanner since a fax machine is no longer really necessary. I’ll miss the quick copies, but can still scan and print when necessary I suppose?

After having all-in-one units for years now it seems unusual to go back to only a scanner? I can still remember my first $1500 which was hardly capable of a quality usable in offset printing. We use to enlarge images on the process camera in the darkroom (stats) and "then" scan them in oversize so as to have more pixels to use in "Desk Top Publishing" of catalogs and newsletter for clients. Oh the good ol’ days!

Epson WorkForce GT-1500 Color Document Scanner – Refurbished

Get superior image quality and enhanced productivity from the WorkForce GT-1500 color document imaging scanner. This easy-to-use scanner offers the versatility you need to create PDFs, electronically archive important documents or share records with your workgroup. Use the high-capacity Automatic Document Feeder to quickly scan a variety of sizes up to 8.5×14. And, it not only offers greater productivity, it ensures more efficient operation. With innovative ReadyScan™ LED technology, there’s no warmup time required. It’s all right at your fingertips with the WorkForce GT-1500, a powerful performer available at an amazing value.

• Achieve superior clarity and detail with remarkable 1200 x 2400 dpi resolution
• Take on any project with easy, one-touch scanning to PDF, email and more
• Enjoy greater productivity with scans up to 20 ppm
• Quickly scan stacks of documents with the high-capacity
• Automatic Document Feeder — holds up to 40 pages at one time, for quick and efficient scanning
• Organize scanned documents with the easy-to-use document management software included
• Scan originals in a variety of sizes- from 5.9 x 5.9 to 8.5 x 14
• Enjoy more efficient operation with exclusive ReadyScan LED technology — no warmup time and fast scanning speeds
• Rest easy with earth-friendly LED technology — no mercury included and lower power consumption

Category: Computer, Shopping, Technology, Weather | 1 Comment »
Tags: copier, epson, gt-1500, lightning, multifunction, office, scanner, workforce

Posted By RichC on May 2, 2017

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Category: Personal, Photos | No Comments »
Tags: annalyn, babysitting, brenda, drew, family, katelyn, lagoon, lake erie, ohio, panarama, slideshow, toledo

Posted By RichC on May 1, 2017

The rate of U.S. inflation for March was slower than expected just one month after hitting a five-year peak. The number reflects lower gasoline and consumer goods prices, including automobiles. Thiis could ease pressure on the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates, even though central banks have telegraphed increases this year. The U.S. economy is still growing steadily, the stock market is at a record high, unemployment is 4.5% which is low and wages are on the rise along with a growing shortage of skilled workers. All in all, the economy is set for growth especially if the two big legislative items get done this year: 1) reforming Obamacare and 2) tax reform — especially lowering corporate tax rates and the repatriation of billions of overseas dollars.

Category: Financial, News | No Comments »
Tags: economy, finance, health care, inflation, obamacare, reform, taxes

Posted By RichC on April 30, 2017

The BMW X5 35d is still without a new battery as the replacement batch is still not available to ship. I’m hoping the new mid-May date for delivery will not be postponed again.

Last week just as I was running out the door for the airport, the car would not start again. Seemed to have happened out of the blue and a quick check of the battery voltage read 10.76 volts … not enough to start the car even with the jumper pack. I added the charger and could not get it to a starting voltage before needed to leave, so left it on the charger for a few days and took the "old reliable" 1982 Mercedes 300D Turbodiesel. It seems amazing that I have more confidence in that old diesel than the newer 2010 BMW … but there is obviously something wrong. Saturday I tinkered a bit to see if I could spot a big enough phantom leak in the system to take a fully charged battery down to 10.76 volts over night, or if there is truly a bad cell in the new AGM battery. Every reading I pulled on the battery indicated "BAD" so still assume that the battery is at fault. BUT … I’ve been monitoring the drain on the battery and at its fully shutdown "low" drain mode, it is still pulling about 1.26 amps (that is not enough to drain the battery IMHO and part of that drain is the small red "close the rear hatch" light that stays on even after disconnecting the normal courtesy hatch open lights).

Category: Automotive, BMW, Diesel, Mercedes | 2 Comments »
Tags: 300d, automotive, battery, BMW, diesel, mercedes, x5 35d

Posted By RichC on April 29, 2017

Just as I was beginning to “once again” ponder the wisdom of keeping our sailboat in Florida while still working, taking care of a home and being pulled in different directions … an early morning walk back to Encore reminded me that it is healthy to slow down, de-stress and appreciate the daily paintings He makes for us. So thankful.

Category: Art, Faith, Personal, Photos, Sailing | No Comments »
Tags: encore, marina, sailboat, sunrise

Posted By RichC on April 28, 2017

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Category: Archive, Automotive, Aviation, Blogs, BMW, Diesel, Memories, Personal, Photos, Sailing, Volkswagen | 4 Comments »
Tags: annalyn, anniversary, blog, BMW, family, friends, jetta, mercedes, tdi, volkswagen, x5 35d

Posted By RichC on April 27, 2017

Once a cloud-computing software security darling, FireEye has taken it on the chin and then some. Concerns still abound, but from most accounts, a bottom in stock price may have been found. It is particularly encouraging that Goldman’s Gabriela Borges, a software security analyst, has issued a “buy” recommendation and believes the stock will rally 18% over the next 6 months.

For me, this could be another 2017  “in and out” trade unless we see contracts renewed and more growth on the horizon.  Because the expectations are low and many investors have been hurt and likely afraid to get back into FireEye, it might take a “show me” moment to attract investors again? If you are a tech oriented investor with some risk-tolerance and want in before the “show me” moment, FireEye (FEYE) maybe a stock to buy. For me, I wouldn’t mind being out before the end of May if FEYE is up 7% or so … if not …no sweat considering it is currently priced close to a consensus bottom.

Category: Financial, Tidbits | 3 Comments »
Tags: feye, finance, fireeye, investing, market, stocks, trading, wall street

Posted By RichC on April 27, 2017

After borrowing my daughter’s Nook, and my friends Kindle, I finally have my own ereader — thanks to MyDesultoryBlog readers and discreet Google Ad clickers. I now can travel and read comfortably without disassembling the keyboard off my iPad Air2 and "hefting" the much heavier and larger tablet in front of my face. My second-hand Kindle Voyage is just about perfect … not to heavy and not too large. As Goldilocks would say, "just right." The 6" paperwhite screen is high resolution at 300ppi and always bright enough with the LED backlighting. I don’t think even Amazon’s next model up, the Oasis, could be much better?

I’ve already finish up two of my previous downloads from my iPad, but sadly couldn’t transfer or "loan" Predictably Irrational, a book my buddy Jeff has me reading on "his" Kindle.

But just so happens, Robert J. Oneill has a book coming out this week call "The Operator" and am going to add it to my books to read. Gone are the days of $9.99 ebooks I guess? Oh well, @mchooyah is definitely one author I don’t mind seeing rewarded with a few publisher royalty checks … thank you for you service Mr. O’neill, and taking out Osama bin Laden! 

A stirringly evocative, thought-provoking, and often jaw-dropping account, The Operator ranges across SEAL Team Operator Robert O’Neill’s awe-inspiring four-hundred-mission career, which included his involvement in attempts to rescue “Lone Survivor” Marcus Luttrell and abducted-by-Somali-pirates Captain Richard Phillips and which culminated in those famous three shots that dispatched the world’s most wanted terrorist, Osama bin Laden.

In these pages, O’Neill describes his idyllic childhood in Butte, Montana; his impulsive decision to join the SEALs; the arduous evaluation and training process; and the even tougher gauntlet he had to run to join the SEALs’ most elite unit. After officially becoming a SEAL, O’Neill would spend more than a decade in the most intense counterterror effort in US history. For extended periods, not a night passed without him and his small team recording multiple enemy kills—and though he was lucky enough to survive, several of the SEALs he’d trained with and fought beside never made it home.

The Operator describes the nonstop action of O’Neill’s deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, evokes the black humor of years-long combat, brings to vivid life the lethal efficiency of the military’s most selective units, and reveals firsthand details of the most celebrated terrorist takedown in history.

Category: Books, History, Millitary, Social Media, Technology | 1 Comment »
Tags: amazon, ebooks, ereader, kindle, mchooyah, robert o'neill, the operator, voyage

Posted By RichC on April 26, 2017

CNBC posted a simple chart in their article looking at #taxreform, cuts and simplification as to what deductions might be eliminated.

Category: Financial | No Comments »
Tags: cnbc, deduction, reform, taxes, trump

Posted By RichC on April 26, 2017

What a start to the week for the stock market! There is optimism that something "will" get done with taxes, unlike #RepealAndReplace legislation. The news is that President Donald Trump will be unveiling his proposal to cut corporate taxes on US companies’ foreign profits and slash the top tax rate has investors in the "buy" mode. Some of us are still skeptical after the last go-around over health care, but tax cuts likely could generate enough congressional votes to pass … especially if their constituents back home have more money in their paychecks (or have a paycheck) and growing investments in their 401Ks and IRAs.

Today (Wednesday) is the scheduled speech from the president and likely will have something in it for everyone … except where the money to run the government will come from? For now, if you hold stocks, likely you are feeling a bit richer … but as a few well known investors are warning, it is starting to feel a little bit like the late 1990s … so be careful. Protection is hard to do if you are hoping to participate in a climbing market and don’t want to be left out. Unlike the past decade, sitting on cash could start to get costly IF we see inflationary signs?

Category: Financial, News, Politics | No Comments »
Tags: investors, president, speech, stock market, taxes, trump