Music: Who was Kent LaVoie? Look at that hair!
Posted By RichC on July 9, 2016
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My anger is boiling over today after the killings in Dallas
Posted By RichC on July 8, 2016
I can’t stomach posting anything polite today after the horrendous targeted sniping of police officers in Dallas, Texas Thursday night. It is an 
absolutely senseless murder of 5 police officers (6 wounded) after a relatively peaceful Black Lives Matter protest/rally. These were officers who were just doing their job of crowd control and keeping citizens safe, even if the movement was critical of their profession. There is no justification imaginable for any American to condone or try to justify the act of killing police officers … yet there are plenty attempting to do just that on social networks – it is disturbing! I’m doing my best to contain my anger and frustration, particularly towards those politicians, from President Obama on down, who continue to divide the country at every turn; they are fanning flames of hate.
I don’t know if there is any reasoned 
or subconscious motivation behind dividing America along our many differences … I don’t want to believe that our elected politicians or my fellow citizens would purposely do such a thing? Unfortunately it is seeming more and more likely that the teachings in "Rules for Radicals" are being implemented by the extreme left as a way to achieve their ultimate objective in the United States.
There was a time I thought these Sal Alinsky principles were used by those on the political "right" to neuter their left leaning opponents (like article below), BUT I’m starting to believe there might be something more to it? Those who have studied or written about Sal Alinsky (Obama, Clinton) … or those who justify their own ethical consequentialism and aggressive political activism … may believe the ends justify the means? Scary stuff to think this might be happening.
Safeguarding Chrome from quantum computers
Posted By RichC on July 8, 2016
Will Internet transactions be secure when relatively affordable quantum computers show up? Google is not taking chances and is working on their Chrome browser now (according to The Verge).
Google is working on safeguarding Chrome against the potential threat of quantum computers, the company announced today. It’s doing so by implementing post-quantum cryptography in an experimental version of the browser. While there exist hardware defenses against the vastly superior computing power of quantum machines, Google is using a new so-called post-quantum key-exchange algorithm. This software, called the New Hope algorithm, is enabled in Chrome Canary, a kind of testing ground for new browser technology, on only a small number of connections between the browser and Google servers.
Although quantum computers of this variety are only small and experimental at this stage, Google is taking precautions for the worst case scenario. “While they will, no doubt, be of huge benefit in some areas of study, some of the problems that they [quantum computers] are effective at solving are the ones that we use to secure digital communications,” writes Matt Braithwaite, a Google software engineer, in a blog post. “Specifically, if large quantum computers can be built then they may be able to break the asymmetric cryptographic primitives that are currently used in TLS, the security protocol behind HTTPS.” In other words, quantum computers could undermine the security of the entire internet.
The politics of being a connected Clinton #TooBigToJail
Posted By RichC on July 7, 2016
Every public official who has spent decades under the bright lights of public scrutiny are in one way of the other connected to the political machinery, but few are protected as much as the Clintons. The deep Arkansas doo-doo surrounding Hillary and Bill Clinton never goes away and whether you support their political philosophies or not, all with a "nose to smell" know the corruption and cover-ups are there.
This past week semi-closed a long investigation into Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s use of a personal email server to handle all of her government and personal email while she was employed at the State Department. FBI director James Comey decide the actions of Hillary Clinton were "reckless," but were not criminal (#TooBigToJail). A day or so later, the Obama Justice Department’s announced they would not be prosecuting the case. The political camps either were relieved (Democrats) or outraged (Republicans) … and those without a "dog in the fight" were likely disgusted at the Presidential ballot options for November 2016 … and yet the email situation doesn’t even begin to bring to light how political connections have enriched politicians "serving the publics interest." (cough, cough)
Why the decision to put a personal email server in a personal residence wasn’t nipped in the bud by those charged with protecting our nation’s security is beyond comprehension, but the practice continued 
for 30,000 or more of her emails during the time she was Secretary of State. It doesn’t take much more than a 6th grade education to know an official at that level of our federal government would likely be a target of sophisticated hacking, that emails would likely contain sensitive data and in all probability held classified material either after it was classified or well before it became classified. One would think it just commonsense … and it is difficult to believe that someone who was First Lady, a senator and Secretary of State didn’t know, or care, what she was doing?
To elevate the poor judgement, Hillary Clinton then spent a year defending and excusing … and in my opinion … "lied" about the reason she opted for a personal server instead of using a more hardened and protected government server. She spent over a year covering up what was contained in the emails (many of which were deleted — surprise!). Those who have been prosecuted in the past on know that its not just the act one is being charged with, but the attempt to lie and cover up the activity. All are true in this case … as well as the many past decision the Clintons have covered up in the past. The list (and pattern of cover-up) is long for those who are willing to acknowledge it.
Frankly, none of this really surprises me when it come to high profile politicians in the rough and tumble world of politics … but what does surprise me is the willingness of Americans to accept it. To be honest, I disagree with the direction of the Democratic Party nowadays anyway, so the "trust factor" as it relates to Hillary Clinton would not have made the difference when voting. Unfortunately if elected, she and her ethics and poor judgement, will represent the United States … not that the current other option is all that appealing to me either (for very similar reasons). We are living in politically sad times.
Archive: Phantom 3 quadrotor-drone video from Iowa
Posted By RichC on July 6, 2016
My daughter Katelyn and husband Drew were in Iowa over the July 4th holiday weekend with his family. Since they were visiting the old farm homestead, it was a perfect time to get his new Phantom 3 quadrotor out and take a little more video. The time to visit northwestern Iowa is obviously the summer — simply gorgeous.
The engine bay of our BMW X5 35d has been put back together
Posted By RichC on July 5, 2016
As mentioned on Saturday, the project over the July 4th holiday was to put the new plastic parts shielding the engine bay from the cabin air and water drains back under the hood of our 2010 BMW X5 35d. I’m not sure it quiets the diesel engine all that much, but should be an improvement in filtering outside air into the cabin. I replace the cabin filters with the more expensive carbon treated ones in hope to eliminate some of the leftover smells … I don’t think the previous owner was a heavy smoker, but more than likely someone may have? (either that or the leather seats have that peculiar smell … our 1987 Mercedes Benz 560 SEL had a cabin smell from the leather).
My only reservation in putting all the under the hood parts back in place is that
I haven’t really tested my latest exhaust temperature sensor fix … prior to putting in a new sensor on Saturday, the SUV continued to "throw codes." Here’s crossing my fingers … but just in case, I’m not putting the skidplates back on just yet.
The new ceramic brakes seems to be great … no problem with the special break in procedure or stopping. After adding a new sensor and resetting the warning code, everything has been perfect with the brakes AND so far no nasty brake dust on the wheels!
Celebrating Independence Day with a bit of trivia
Posted By RichC on July 4, 2016
Most people know that Francis Scott Key wrote the Star Spangled Banner, which would become our National Anthem, as he watched the shelling of Fort McHenry. Few people know that his poem had additional verses (link – verses below)… or that the music it was eventually set to is from a 1771 English drinking song – The Anacreontic Song.
| The Anacreontic Song | 1771 |
The Star-Spangled Banner
O say can you see, by the dawn’s early light,
What so proudly we hail’d at the twilight’s last gleaming,
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight
O’er the ramparts we watch’d were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there,
O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?On the shore dimly seen through the mists of the deep
Where the foe’s haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o’er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning’s first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream,
’Tis the star-spangled banner – O long may it wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!And where is that band who so vauntingly swore,
That the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion
A home and a Country should leave us no more?
Their blood has wash’d out their foul footstep’s pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave,
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.O thus be it ever when freemen shall stand
Between their lov’d home and the war’s desolation!
Blest with vict’ry and peace may the heav’n rescued land
Praise the power that hath made and preserv’d us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto – “In God is our trust,”
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
How much OEM BMW plastic can you buy for $200?
Posted By RichC on July 3, 2016
Plastic is not cheap when it comes to engine compartment parts for our BMW X5 35d, although parts for most cars are all pretty expensive … 
but what other options are there? Since they just came in today (Saturday), I’m hoping to work one the car Sunday or Monday – we will see since Monday is a July 4th holiday.
Initially I thought I might fabricate the pre-firewall shielding parts from aluminum since I still have a few sheet left from the Sonex project and last winter’s woodstove surround, but I was saved by online shopping. 
Actually I was a little bit surprise in being able to source the part with relatively inexpensive shipping, so keeping the entire order under $200 with shipping wasn’t all that bad in my opinion … I thought it might be more.
Today’s project was all about tracking down the nagging code being triggered by a sensor. Finally I squeezed in and replaced an exhaust temperature sensor that has been throwing the code. Hopefully that is it, but it is going to take more than a short 15 minute test drive to really know if the check engine light remains off for good. I’m crossing my fingers.
Archive: Keeping my eyes open for a Packard emblem
Posted By RichC on July 2, 2016
The 1958 Packard Hawk isn’t on the "to do" agenda for this summer, but when walking by it in the garage, it is difficult to not think about things that need to be done. One particular item I need to find is a gold "hawk" emblem just above the trunk lock mechanism (sort of like the one on the hood above, I think?) I’ve done a cursory look on Ebay but I didn’t find anything, so I’ll archive the "need" here just in case I need to look up the photos when I’m out and about OR if a reader spots something — email me here.
A short post to set up OLW on a new ASUS notebook
Posted By RichC on July 1, 2016
This is a quick test for a new computer running Open Live Writer.
I’m retiring my 9 year old Gateway notebook computer and forging ahead with a low powered and low cost Microsoft Window 10 notebook. More to come on my recent addition in a future post, but after the Gateway overheated and cooked itself to death I had to make a quick decision. I would have loved a Mac Air, MacBook or MacBook Pro … but I don’t use the notebook computers like I use to now that nearly everything is on the cloud and accessable with an iPad and Brydge Keyboard. Sof for now, it will take a little tweaking to get this new ASUS VivoBook E403SA to my liking. So far, so good.
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.