My Desultory Blog

Posted By RichC on April 18, 2015

If you’ve been around our house much, you will notice that we always have Dawn Dishwashing Liquid around. It has become our go to product for things other than dishes (use it for that too) as a hand wash, a degreaser and as a way to remove poison ivy oils after working in the yard. The product has developed a reputation similar to WD-40 and Duct/Duck tape. Here are a few more uses:

WILD LIFE

Ever wonder why Dawn Dishwashing Liquid is the wildlife cleaner of choice after an oil spill? According to the International Bird Rescue Research Center, Dawn effectively removes grease but does not cause harm to the skin of the birds. It’s also biodegradable and contains no phosphates.

BUBBLES

According to Bubbles.org, Dawn dishwashing liquid makes great homemade bubbles. Here is the Giant Bubble Recipe used in bubble makers at many children’s museums: 1/2 cup Ultra Dawn 1/2 gallon warm water 1 tablespoon glycerin (available at any drug store) OR White Karo syrup works too! Stir gently. Skim the foam off the top of the solution (too much foam breaks down the bubbles). Dip bubble wand and get ready for some good, clean fun!

GREASY HAIR PROBLEMS

Kids get into the darnedest things! Like Vaseline and baby oil rubbed into their hair! Dawn is mild enough to use on their hair and strong enough to remove the most stubborn grease.

HAIR PRODUCT BUILDUP

Once a month use original Dawn as you would shampoo. It will remove excess oil from your hair and scalp and strip away any build-up of styling products without any damage. Perform this once a month and you won’t have to buy expensive salon products that do the same thing.

MANICURE SECRET

Soak fingers in full-strength blue Dawn. It makes the cuticles soft and easy to work with. And it removes the natural oil from the fingernails, which allows the polish to adhere very well.

REPEL HOUSEPLANT INSECTS

A safe, effective way to repel insects from your houseplants, including aphids, spider mites and mealy bugs. Put a drop of Dawn Dishwashing Liquid in a spray bottle, fill the rest of the bottle with water, shake well, and mist your household plants with the soapy water.

CLEAN YOUR WINDOWS

Try this recipe from Merry Maids: mix 3 drops Dawn in 1 gallon water and fill a spray bottle with the solution. Spritz and wipe as you would with any window cleaner.

PETS AND PESTS

Use it to bathe the dogs. It kills fleas on contact and is much cheaper than expensive dogshampoos.

CLEAN AUTOMOTIVE TOOLS

After you have finished your automotive repair project, soak your dirty tools in Dawn before you put them away to remove all the oil and grime. Dawn also helps prevent rust from forming on the tools.

ICE PACK

Partially fill a strong zip-type sandwich bag with Dawn dishwashing liquid, close and freeze. The liquid soap stays cold much longer and it can be re-frozen many times. It will conform to the place you need an ice pack.

TUB AND SHOWER CLEANER

Take a spray bottle and fill it halfway with white vinegar. Heat in the microwave. Fill the rest of the way with blue Dawn. Put lid on and shake to mix well. Spray on your tub and shower walls. Allow to sit for a few minutes and rinse away. It will totally melt all the gunk, slime, sludge and other stuff that builds up including a bathtub ring.

REPEL ANTS

Spray counter-tops, cupboards and any other area where you see ants with a solution of Dawn and water. Wipe dry. The slight residue of Dawn that remains will not be a problem at all for kids or pets, but ants hate it. Should you see a trail of ants, go ahead and hit them with the Dawn spray.

STRIPPING CLOTH DIAPERS

Add a squirt or two of original Dawn dish soap to your washer and run a hot wash, then rinse until there are no more bubbles. Dawn is a degreasing agent and helps stripping by removing oily residue. Be sure to rinse, rinse, rinse until the water runs clear.

UNCLOGGING TOILETS

A cup of Dawn detergent poured into a clogged toilet allowed to sit for 15 minutes and then followed with a bucket of hot water poured from waist height will clear out the toilet.

POISON IVY

Poison ivy spreads through the spread of the oil within the blisters. Washing the affected area with Dawn, especially on children who keep scratching the blister’s open, helps dry up the fluid, AND keep it from spreading.

DRIVEWAY CLEANER

If you have gasoline or motor oil stains on your driveway, you can use the kitty litter method to clean up the excess oil and then use a scrub broom and a solution of biodegradable Dawn dishwashing detergent and warm water to safely and effectively remove excess motor oil from the pavement.

OILY SKIN

Dawn makes a great facial cleanser for oily skin. A drop or two combined with warm water will do the trick.

PAINT OR GREASE REMOVER FOR HANDS

Dawn combined with corn oil makes for the perfect paint or grease remover. Simply combine a little bit of both in your hands then rub it over affected areas. The corn oil and the dishwashing liquid both help to dissolve the grease and paint – yet leave skin soft, unlike harsher paint removers.

CLEANING THE KIDDIE POOL

Plastic wading pools can get very gunky, very fast. Dump the water, then scrub the pool with Dawn and a sponge. More potent cleaners like bleach will weaken and dry out the plastic in the sun.

MULTIPURPOSE CLEANER

Merry Maids recommends using a drop of Dawn in water to clean ceramic tile and no-wax/linoleum floors. You can also use the spray on:

• Bathroom and kitchen counters and sinks.

• Woodwork, e.g., baseboards, shelves, and wainscoting. (Dry as you go–wood doesn’t like prolonged contact with water.)

• Tubs and toilet seats.

LAUNDRY PRE-TREATER FOR OILY STAINS

For oil-based stains such as lipstick, grease, butter, motor oil, cooking oil, and some pen inks, simply apply some Dawn dishwashing liquid directly to the stain and scrub with a small brush or toothbrush until the oil is removed, and then launder as usual.

NON-TOXIC LUBRICANT

Sliding glass doors, door knobs, hinges etc. It lasts much longer than any aerosol type spray that I have tried. And Its non-toxic! It does a great job of cleaning the parts that its lubricating as well!

SIDEWALK DE-ICER

For icy steps and sidewalks in freezing temperatures, mix 1 teaspoon of Dawn dishwashing liquid, 1 tablespoon of rubbing alcohol, and 1/2 gallon hot/warm water and pour over walkways. They won’t refreeze. No more salt eating at the concrete in your sidewalks

POOL CLEANING

Squirt Dawn down the middle of the pool and all of the dirt, suntan lotion, etc. will move to the edges of the pool for easy clean up! AND it makes the pools sparkle.

EYEGLASS DEFOGGER

Simply rub a small drop of Dawn on eyeglass lenses, and wipe clean. It will leave a very thin film that will prevent them from fogging up.

SHOWER FLOORS

Cover greasy footprints on shower floors with a coating of Dawn; let sit overnight. Scrub away the gunk in the morning with a stiff brush.

APHID CONTROL ON FRUIT TREES

Mix two tablespoons Dawn to a gallon of water and put in your sprayer. Try to get spray both sides of the leaves, branches and the tree trunks. Let sit for about 15 minutes and then rinse the trees THOROUGHLY!

http://viralsurvival.com/2014/06/07/amazing-product-sitting-in-your-cupboard/

Category: Advice, Misc | No Comments »
Tags: dawn, degreaser, dishwashing, liquid, tips

Posted By RichC on April 17, 2015

I don’t think many of us are properly prepared to make the decisions that are needed to care for elderly parents. Even though my brother and I have been through medical needs, nursing and then hospice care for my mom, we were still not knowledgeable when it came to handling dad. Thankfully, if you have the time, the right decisions can be made – at least that is how we feel right now.

On Wednesday Ron and I moved our dad from his rehab stay to Lane Park in Sidney, Ohio. We struggled over this decision for the last few weeks. We both knew dad was going to need care (both physically and for his memory) and that meant he was not going to be able to return to his home and live independently. Neither of us were satisfied with traditional nursing homes, although dad was amiable if that was the decision. On the other hand, we are fortunate and have the financial ability to look at assisted living options.

Brenda and I looked at places in Liberty Twp and West Chester, Ohio and lobbied for a nice place near our home … while Ron and Claire found very nice places near their house north of Dayton. Thankfully dad made himself heard and decided he wanted to live near his home for almost 40 years, Sidney, Ohio (has it really been that long?) The icing on the cake was when the director at Lane Park said he would transfer dad’s home phone number to his room and host my dad’s veteran buddies for his monthly “penny poker” gathering. We even added an unusual touch to dad’s door by putting up a garage Packard thermometer (dad’s car). That sealed it … we were all onboard (and not bad advertising for others who are getting up in years).

Dad seemed content and happy with his view out his window where he can see the comings and goings of everyone (front door and turning circle view) and has the TV remote figured out enough that he can watch the Cincinnati Reds. Ron and I left him in good hand and relieved for the first time in a few months. Whew … I never gave much thought the idea that once our kids were on their own that we would be worrying about parents!

Category: Health, Personal, Photos, Video | No Comments »
Tags: brenda, claire, dadc, family, home, lane park, ohio, richc, ronc, sidney

Posted By RichC on April 16, 2015

When I was in college I worked for a contractor who drove a car-based truck called the El Camino – it was usually seen hauling around a few missing items he had just picked up for the latest project. As I recall, it wasn’t the greatest car … or truck … but to me it represented the shirt and tie part of the company. When John arrived it was in contrast to the rest of the crews dirty and sweaty pick-up trucks and tool vans; he was in air-conditioned, soft seat comfort. On a Friday it also signified that our paychecks were being delivered by the boss and owner (or his wife). After those few summers, the Chevrolet El Camino disappeared (that 5th generation disappear after 1987) … soon to be replace by the SUV and the dressed up pick-up truck. I’m with Rafael below, maybe it is time for something different again?

Rafael Barkan represents the next generation of automotive enthusiasts and he wondered what happen to the El Camino? Maybe he’s a bit young and in that 6 to 11 year old demographic, but maybe it is time for the El Camino to make a comeback as one of the first hybrid car/trucks or something?  It would certainly stand out in the field of jacked and gussied up pick-ups and SUVs.

I’d like to see Chevrolet build and market one again … or even Ford with their Ranchero for that matter!

Category: Automotive | No Comments »
Tags: car, Chevrolet, collectible, El Camino, ford, Ranchero, truck

Posted By RichC on April 15, 2015

NPR’s Tom Ashbrook entertained an interesting discussion around the Cadillac plan tax which is part of Obamacare. If you’ve notice changes in your plan (just as colleges have), you will understand the emotions in the discussion. Well worth listening too … and yes, I’m a conservative who sometimes listens to NPR.

Category: Audio, Health, Politics | No Comments »
Tags: aca, Affordable Care, Cadillac, healthcare, npr, obamacare, tax, tom ashbrook

Posted By RichC on April 14, 2015

How cool is this project and design? Check out Manifattura Italiana Design or for more images look at DesignBoom.com’s post.

Category: Innovation, Misc, Woodworking | 1 Comment »
Tags: creative, design, manifattura, table

Posted By RichC on April 13, 2015

It was interesting while it lasted … the launch of the SpaceX Dragon CRS-6 Falcon9 was scrubbed this afternoon and scheduled for tomorrow, April 14 at 4:10PM; weather could be a problem again.

My daughter Katelyn and her husband Drew were at Kennedy Space Center (photo below) to watch it on their 2nd wedding anniversary (1st). Katelyn, who went to Space Camp and had a NASA Sharp scholarship while in high school, has always wanted to be at a launch.

The day before they toured the Kennedy Space Center … great fun for both!

Category: Personal, Space, Weather | 1 Comment »
Tags: drew, florida, katelyn, launch, spacex

Posted By RichC on April 13, 2015

An article in published in an online story on Medium this past week shared the growing discontent from software developers over Apple’s dominance and authoritative control over “app” reviews. Dave Kushal believes that the slow review process hurts the reliability as well as “impedes the pace of innovation.”  While I’m somewhat in agreement with Dave, I also am happy with Apple keeping iOS devices reliable, fast and safe from garbage (yes, their opinion). Could Apple do more to speed up the review process and be quicker to help developers quickly fix bugs … definitely. BUT there hasn’t been a huge outcry from users about buggy apps or that the slowish day or two fix is too slow. I other words, most users who spend their money are satisfied with Apple’s current approach to their testing and releasing of new apps.

One area I am becoming more and more concerned with is over Apple becoming the “arbiter of taste and speech,” just as I am with Google. Personally, I prefer a clean from porn and violence Apple Store, but am growing concerned that one companies point of view does dictate their views on users … this is particularly concerning when their view is different than mine – half joking and smiling! (isn’t that the way it always is?). The point is that  it is a slippery slope when it comes to one company’s religion, politics or having a “points of view” different than others. The issue has even become more noticeable in recent months as companies, and high profile CEOs, interject their POV and corporately threaten states over divisive issues.

Then there is the “in app advertising and purchases.” At what point does Apple garner too much control over where someone purchases items. Kushal’s example highlights users not being able to bypassing Apple’s “30% cut” when clicking links to buy books for the Kindle app (Amazon being a competitor) or videos  in the YouTube app (owned by Google). There is a point where Apple prowess nears predatory business behavior.

Finally there is the criticism that Apple’s “rules are subjective and poorly enforced.” This would be difficult to prove although developers can throw Apple’s own comment the comment back at them … “we know it when we see it.” On the other hand, this kind of criticism in true for all but the most “open” open source software portals.

Disclosure: I might have a slightly biased opinion since I am a long time Apple shareholder and have purchased and used their products since the 1980s. I do TestFlight pre-release and early build testing for several iOS apps and have enjoyed beta testing software for developers in Mac OS, Windows, Linux, Palm, WebOS and iOS for decades.

Category: Apple, Politics, Software, Technology | No Comments »
Tags: app, apple, article, ios, medium, opinion, Software

Posted By RichC on April 12, 2015

Selling coupons on ebay is very entrepreneurial.

While I’m not a regular ebay seller, I often check prices and buy parts for cars and the boat. When my search screen stated to display pages of ads “selling discount coupons,” it sounded crazy.

But people must be finding a market for clipping and selling those unique deep discount coupons?

For example, the normal Harbor Freight online coupon for their 3 Gallon Pancake compressor is $59.99 … but with a “special coupon” – for $4.99 plus 49 cents postage on ebay — you could save another $20! How creative is that!

One person’s “crazy” is another person’s “genius.”

Category: Business, Shopping | No Comments »
Tags: coupons, ebay, selling

Posted By RichC on April 11, 2015

Perhaps there is a little innovative Cincinnati (Porkopolis) marketing inspiration here?

Posted By RichC on April 10, 2015

Jared Keller’s article in The Atlantic last month focused on the observation that “outside the U.S., fewer people in rich countries describe their day as a good day.”  For the most part, Americans are hopeful and optimistic as compared to their peer in other first world countries. (the graphic below is interesting on several levels)

It’s been noticed by foreigners and social observers throughout the centuries that there is “energy, enthusiasm and confidence” in America (Irish philosopher Charles Handy) and that it contrasts with the world cynicism in much of Europe. 

Alexis de Tocqueville, a French observer of American life at the beginning of the 19th century, observed that the Americans of his day “have all a lively faith in the perfectibility of man … They all consider society as a body in a state of improvement.” Political and social observers have echoed this sentiment for centuries, enshrining optimism as an essential feature of not just the abstract ‘American Dream,’ but also of the social and economic institutions of American civil society.

That Tocquevillian optimism has certainly dimmed with the Great Recession: People in advanced nations including the U.S. are far less optimisticthan those in poorer ones about the financial future of the next generation of citizens, in part because emerging and developing nations weathered the global financial crisis better than anyone expected.

So why are Americans so optimistic? A growing number of psychologists and sociologists believe it’s the Western world’s distinct tradition of individualism—and Americans’ fervent embrace of it—that helps the U.S. respond to uncertainty and turmoil with an eye towards a brighter future.

“It’s actually not that people are inherently optimistic or pessimistic; we’re wired for both,” says Dr. Edward C. Chang, a clinical psychologist who runs the Perfectionism and Optimism-Pessimism Lab at the University of Michigan. “It’s a dual process mechanism, the sort of daily meditation that helps people regulate their expectations. It’s this psychological process that keeps people from becoming so optimistic they’re like Mr. Magoo, or so pessimistic they fall into a pit of despair. The two compliment each other; whether you’re more or less optimistic or pessimistic is heavily dependent on the culture you live in, the culture that shapes your values.”

Read the entire article here.

Category: Misc | No Comments »
Tags: america, happiness, magazine, optomism, reading, the atlantic