A favorite YouTube channel: Tips from a Shipwright

Posted By on July 18, 2015

Shipwright_Louis_SauzeddeBy far, my favorite woodworking and sailing YouTube channel is Tips from a Shipwright. It is sponsored by Jamestown Distributors in Rhode Island a great source for boat paints, finishes and epoxy materials. I will go there before looking elsewhere because of their sponsorship.

The filmmaker Halsey Fulton of Fish Hawk Films brings the impressive knowledge of Master Shipwright Louis Sauzedde to video and is chock-full of information challenging to get anywhere else. The quality of the video production and “educational lecturing” is well beyond what most people are use to seeing with online video. Checkout Tips from a Shipwright YouTube Channel videos if you love wooden boat and woodworking.

How to prep and apply varnish on wooden boats:

How to properly clean varnish brushes:

TechFriday: Ordering from Amazon.com is just too easy

Posted By on July 17, 2015

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As much as I want to dislike shopping at Amazon rather than supporting a local business, their Prime Shipping option makes getting a part too easy (thanks to Katelyn and Drew). They are becoming the go-to choice for parts nowadays. I needed a new O-Ring for our pools chlorinator and ordered it within a few minutes … with free shipping!

Happy “belated” 20th anniversary Amazon.com.

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Amazon.com launches and officially goes live as an Online Bookstore in 1995.

July- Amazon.com sells first book- Fluid Concepts and Creative Analogies: Computer Models of the Fundamental Mechanisms of Thought, by Douglas Hofstadter

Contemplating an iOS9 install. On the other hand, maybe not?

Posted By on July 17, 2015

The Apple iOS 9 pre-release has been dangled in front of me for a little while ios9imagenow, but since I’ve been traveling the last couple weeks, the temptation to install while away was not all that powerful, so I decided not tempt fate. That probably a good thing since a few tech people I follow, and respect, have not had such a positive experience (Apple did warn). Again, this is pre-release stuff and not for the faint of heart.

Advice: Don’t’ install iOS 9 on your primary device.

Lauren Goode’s article on Recode.net gave me pause as I started thinking about giving it a try this weekend. Maybe I’ll wait?

… iPhone users have had previous complaints about losing cell service after iOS updates.

To be clear, I never got to the point where I was running iOS 9 on the phone. After waiting from around noon until 1:30 pm for the software to download, I received an error message: Unable to Install Update. I took a phone call shortly after that, and then tried, again, to install the update.

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Suddenly, I had no network connection. I tried a hard reset of the phone. Where Verizon Wireless would normally show me a few dots and maybe an LTE signal, it said “Searching….” For hours.

(I took a train home. I had no cell service. No Wi-Fi, no personal hotspot, nothing for more than an hour. No text messages, email or streaming music. I looked out the window. I took a short nap. I wondered what news I was missing. It was life before the smartphone!)

Once home, I tried resetting the phone’s network settings. I popped out the tiny SIM, then loaded it back in again. Still no service.

For more, read the rest at recode.net: Learned the Hard Way: Don’t install iOS9 Beta on Your Primary iPhone

A Hamlet-like mortal coil: To sew, or not to sew?

Posted By on July 16, 2015

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IF … a big IF … I learn a little more about sail repair and “sewing,” I would like to have a few projects to practice on before wasting too much material (or time and money!) We still don’t have the proper sewing machine (perhaps a Sailrite?) BUT KNOW will not try using Brenda’s old Singer machine on more than 1 or 2 layers of Sunbrella material again. So I’m archiving a small project idea in order to learn a few skills …. a ditty bag that was spotted on s/v Tiger Lilly’s blog.

To be fair, I have helped my wife Brenda on a couple projects including repairing Encore’s Bimini, but she is not the best of teachers (no offense) and I have a few projects of my own that should be do-able. My screens are sitting unfinished in the basement, the hatches aren’t covered and all my brightwork handholds and rails are once again showing sun damage.

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I might even be able to convince Brenda that “we really need a heavy duty sewing machine” with the idea that I can repair her favorite leather travel bag!
Smile

William Shakespere’s Hamlet: First Folio:

To be, or not to be, that is the question:
Whether ’tis Nobler in the mind to suffer
The Slings and Arrows of outrageous Fortune,
Or to take Arms against a Sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them: to die, to sleep
No more; and by a sleep, to say we end
The Heart-ache, and the thousand Natural shocks
That Flesh is heir to? ‘Tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wished. To die, to sleep,
To sleep, perchance to Dream; aye, there’s the rub,
For in that sleep of death, what dreams may come,
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
Must give us pause. There’s the respect
That makes Calamity of so long life:
For who would bear the Whips and Scorns of time,
The Oppressor’s wrong, the proud man’s Contumely, [F: poor]
The pangs of despised Love, the Law’s delay, [F: disprized]
The insolence of Office, and the Spurns
That patient merit of the unworthy takes,
When he himself might his Quietus make
With a bare Bodkin? Who would Fardels bear, [F: these Fardels]
To grunt and sweat under a weary life,
But that the dread of something after death,
The undiscovered Country, from whose bourn
No Traveller returns, Puzzles the will,
And makes us rather bear those ills we have,
Than fly to others that we know not of.
Thus Conscience does make Cowards of us all,
And thus the Native hue of Resolution
Is sicklied o’er, with the pale cast of Thought,
And enterprises of great pitch and moment, [F: pith]
With this regard their Currents turn awry, [F: away]
And lose the name of Action. Soft you now,
The fair Ophelia? Nymph, in thy Orisons
Be all my sins remembered.

The GOP expected to have a field of 16 candidates on 7/21/2015

Posted By on July 15, 2015

At least it is a “small” field of GOP candidates running for President of the United States in 2016 (sarcasm); who will be invited to the first debate?

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There are a couple candidates in the race that I can’t get too excited about, but I am trying to remain open minded and definitely could support someone like the Ohio governor, the moderate-conservative John Kasich. I figure he must have something going for him since he is currently the only Republican candidate attracting both my 20-something son and his 50-something dad. The GOP might be on to something here?

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I still find it hard to believe voters re-elected Barack Obama over Mitt Romney in 2012 ?? I feel “out of sync” with the path our nation is on, and know I’m not alone.

The list of completive candidates for 2016 is growing, at least on the Republican side, but the only candidate with a deep-pocketed war chest for the Democrats is Hillary Clinton. She is capable of running the kind of ruthless social media and costly ground campaign that few others can compete with. That said, she comes with plenty of baggage even for loyal Democrats … who in the end will probably plug their nose and vote party line.

EDIT: Realized I posted this the day after my “Rat Zapper” post – hm, dark humor?

The Rat Zapper: A better mousetrap, but a bit more expensive

Posted By on July 14, 2015

MouseInRatZapper150713 It really works! The “new to me” Rat Zapper Classic RZC001 mousetrap did its job in our poolhouse/workshop last night. After baiting the little “garage gizmo” with a few nuggets of Tootsie’s dog food, it “caught” a first mouse in what I hope will be many.

It’s an interesting gizmo in that converts 4-AA batteries into a “lethal for mice” place to eat. Stick in some bait, switch it on (the light blink on then off), place it in an area visited by mice (note droppings) then check the red light the next day. If the light is blinking … that means a rodent is inside and ready to be disposed of. Tip the little garage to dump (in my case into the compost pile) and add a couple more dogfood nuggets for another try. No more bloody traps to reset. So far so good.

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Netflix: Reed Hastings didn’t let “messing up” slow him down

Posted By on July 13, 2015

Back in mid-2011, Netflix  management frustrated their users by splitting their DVD and streaming services. They upped subscriber subscriptions by 60% Netflixpostfrom150919in some cases and created a flurry of cancelations. The CEO, Reed Hastings, came out publically and admitted he “messed up.” He was of course responding to both angry users and the shareholder who were feeling the pain from the plummeting stock price that followed.

I took the opportunity to buy some NFLX stock when it was below $100 but unfortunately sold it as soon as it inched back up 10%. Boy did I miss this run …

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Netflix (NFLX) stock in up 5% today rocketing past the $700/share mark and rewarding shareholders with incredible returns not only for 2015 so far, but since a below $100 low in 2012.

A new Moen cartridge again and some paint peeling

Posted By on July 12, 2015

After a week or so away, it was time for a weekend of long overdue household chores. The grass was long (and a bit wet), the pool a bit green and the kitchen sink continued to drip … despite my ignoring it for weeks. The last one should have been relatively easy except I initially bought the wrong Moen cartridge. Nothing like spinning your wheels.

At first I though I might be able to rebuild the old, but no, they are not designed to remove and clean up with new o-rings. So finally picked up the Danco brand 8843E replacement cartridge for the Moen 1225. Of course figuring since I replace it “just 2 years ago” that I would remember the steps. Well I sort of did, except that I reversed the hot and cold water by putting the cartridge in 180 degree. Back apart again and eventually back together — water is flowing once again … but not dripping. Next time I might try to buy the brass Moen part and see if it can be cleaned and rebuilt with o-rings … if that part even fits the current kitchen faucet.

Speaking of our kitchen faucet, after cleaning the base parts when it was apart this time, I noticed the paint was coming loose and peeling off (chrome underneath — see photo). Maybe this can be touched up … but I was a little disappointed as I've always thought Moen a premium product and am questioning their quality.

EAA 2015 Airventure app is available for smartphones

Posted By on July 11, 2015

For those aviation “nuts” who flock to Oshkosh each July for Airventure, EAA has a couple smartphone apps for you. I am told (thanks Bob) that version are in both iOS and Android so both major mobile operating systems are supported. I've just download myself so am not sure how helpful it will be, although having listened to EAA Radio in the past, I can vouch for it being well done.

Are you going to be camping at Airventure 2015?

Air travel on the cheap. First flight on Frontier Airlines.

Posted By on July 11, 2015

It was a quick and inexpensive flight to Florida this past week to do a little tropical weather prep aboard Encore. Summer is the time of year that “commuter cruisers” double their line, remove sails and store an extra windage in case hurricane winds target the area … besides I really was looking forward to seeing a couple friends.

Speaking of inexpensive, I opted to fly on Frontier Airlines for the first time, against my son’s warning ($109 RT from CVG to FLL – cheap than I could drive it). I figured it was just me and how bad could it be? Well, in hindsight, probably tolerable … but cheap airfares do come at a cost. Thankfully it’s not “cattle class” (previous post) or a new “face to face” seat design as an article in CNBC illustrated in a recent article. Stlll, the nickel and diming and noticable “no frills” was noticable. For the most part I’m an advocate for paying for just was you want … but you really need to be aware that you are playing the game.

First, buying the ticket in advance and having some flexiblity in days of travel and airport choices are the key. Second, attention to what you need to take with you and how to pre-purchase your carry-on or checked bag. I decided to “trust” that my check bag would arrive and packed everything except a “free small personal item” in my 50lb (maxed out) roller duffle. I decided I could forgo selecting my own seat AND the “package of peanut” and soft drink and could sit quietly for 2-1/2 hours even if I had the rear center seat (I was assigned a rear window seat). All the extras come with a price … and pre-purchasing with your ticket “would” be the cheapest way to add them.

I was still surprised when I did find my seat … it wasn’t much more than a plastic “fixed” (no recline) amusement ride seat with a little foam wrapped in faux-leather – pretty firm and noticably austere … although now that it is behind me, maybe the savings was worth it?

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