My Desultory Blog

Posted By RichC on August 22, 2014

After almost two year of using several different wraps and “powered cases” for my iPhones, I whittled my picks down to three … or 4 if you consider “no-case” as an option. In fact, using the iPhone without a case makes it very small and lightweight; slipping the tiny iPhone 5 and 5s in a pocket is hard to beat for convenience. The build on this little full-featured smartphone is a thing of beauty … but that solid block of aluminum and glass is definitely a problem if when you drop it. So it is my conclusion that some kind of case is necessary.

Here are my three case choices:

1. The Otterbox Commuter series case with the two layers of protection and large lip around the screen; is is near perfect for the occasional and likely bump or drop. I’m also fond of the little plugs to keep dust and debris out of the opening. If it were not for needing a longer battery life, this would be my everyday case and costs about $20 at Amazon.
2. Since battery life IS an issue, I think the best battery cases are the Mophie Juice Pack Air and Plus. The Air offers a 1700mAh battery and the Air Plus a 2100mAh.  Although they are not the cheapest and don’t offer the longest battery recharge capacities, the fit  of the case and ease of operation are excellent. I never had a problem with “my” Juice Pack Air” (although Mophie replaced my son’s under warranty). Even though Mophie is my favorite, these two battery cases are a little pricey at $100 and $119.
3. This leads me to the current everyday case on my iPhone 5s; the Meridian made by Lenmar which is dollar for dollar it is the best deal. The reasonably priced sturdy case simplifies access by just using cutouts rather than covered switches as in the Mophie and Otterbox. This is not a problem for light duty. The build in battery is a large 2300mAh battery making it the best in class, a claim which was backed up by tech magazine TheWirecutter testing. One weakness is the combination soft switch to check the battery status and turning the battery on and off. Reading the battery condition and turning on and off the battery is not as intuitive as with the Mophie. That said, it’s priced at HALF that of the Mophie and one would be hardpressed to notice the difference in “carry-ability” when using it everyday. This makes it the  best deal … as does $59 at Amazon.

A couple “wants” from both would be a little kick-stand on the back and plug that would accept the Apple lightning sync and charge cable … although there is something to be said for charging it with the universal micro USB.

Category: Advice, Apple, Cellphone, Technology | No Comments »
Tags: apple, case, iphone, lenmar, mophie, otterbox, smartphone, techfriday

Posted By RichC on August 21, 2014

Category: Humor, Misc | No Comments »
Tags: article, crime, newspaper, police, response

Posted By RichC on August 20, 2014

There were a few articles on VJ day this past weekend marking the anniversary of Victory over Japan and focused on the relief we felt ending World War II. While glancing at the front pages, it made me realize how the dollar has lost value … or if you’re dollar biased, how much goods and services have inflated.

Click image for large and to read the numbers.

For example, an issue of the Wall Street Journal sold for 7 cents in 1946 compared to the $2 per issue we see today – that’s a more than 2800% increase! I was thinking that college tuitions were inflated? Well I guess they are too … for example a full year at the University of Michigan would have cost $1125 in state ($1260 out of state) compared to $27,440 today ($40K out of state). Yikes … that non-resident number is an over 3000% increase!

Oil was also a bit cheaper “back in the day” at $1.41/barrel compared to $95/barrel today – an over 6000% increase … and even Gold  at $34.71 has increased 3700%. What about on the earning side? Well using the St. Louis Fed numbers, the “average hourly earning of production and nonsupervisory employees in manufacturing” earned $1/hr in 1946, which compares to today average of $19.60/hr – a little less than a 2000% increase giving an average worker far less buying power for each hour of work when seeking an education, buying fuel, investing in gold or even reading a newspaper.

To be fair, there are a few areas where the dollar goes further. Milk was 70 cents per gallon and has increase far less than average wages (only 450%) … similar to other foods. Housing, according to Observations and Notes, remain on par with inflation, although like automobiles, it is hard to compare the average house/car in 1946 to what is considered average today. And how about technology? Radios, TVs, air conditioning and phones … perhaps not as important as food, or shelter, but most see them as “near” essentials.

But really, are things more expensive … or has the dollar been devalued … and what does the latest round of money printing suggest is in our future?

Category: Financial, History, News | No Comments »
Tags: commodities, dollar, inflation, prices, victory, ww2

Posted By RichC on August 19, 2014

Don’t you wonder what it must have been like to be picking up a few hardware items in Portsmouth Ohio and hear this coming from a young man and an unfinished piano? Impressive. (after being told the FB was no longer working for someone, I’ll archive the video below the embed)

Category: Music, Social Media, Video | 4 Comments »
Tags: facebook, jacob tolliver, piano, talent

Posted By RichC on August 19, 2014

Last week my brother asked me to take a look at my dad’s 2001 Honda Odyssey because the power sliding rear doors had both failed. The dealer quoted $200 EACH to fix the door and since both had failed we figured it might not hurt to rule out a fuse or relay. I stopped and took a quick look and all was fine in the well marked under the hood fuse box.

I stop for lunch on my way to north east Ohio with this quirky issue on my mind and decided to see if there might be an issue listed on the Internet. Hmm, maybe, so I scribbled down a few notes and transcribe into an email for my brother to try (he would be the next to see my dad)?

1. With the ignition in the on position, disable the power door switch on dashboard (not sure it needs to be on though?)
2. Remove fuse that powers the instrument cluster and the one for the power sliding door in order to reset the door and the clock. Fuse box is under the hood in front of the passenger.
3. Wait 30 seconds while you manually open and close both sliding doors before putting the fuses back in.
4. Enable the power door switch on the left dashboard.
5. Try opening the sliding doors.

My brother wrote back:

Category: Advice, Automotive, How-To | 5 Comments »
Tags: doors, honda, minivan, odyssey, power, repair, sliding

Posted By RichC on August 17, 2014

Author and writer Elmore Leonard is known for his crime fiction, but he started out writing westerns. Leonard has written nearly two dozen novels and most of them are bestsellers (Glitz, Get Shorty, Maximum Bob  and Rum Punch).  Ten of his advice tips when it comes to being both a popular and respectable writer are:

1. Never open a book with weather.
2. Avoid prologues.
3. Never use a verb other than "said" to carry dialogue.
4. Never use an adverb to modify the verb "said”…he admonished gravely.
5. Keep your exclamation points under control. You are allowed no more than two or three per 100,000 words of prose.
6. Never use the words "suddenly" or "all hell broke loose."
7. Use regional dialect, patois, sparingly.
8. Avoid detailed descriptions of characters.
9. Don’t go into great detail describing places and things.
10. Try to leave out the part that readers tend to skip.

Category: Advice, Archive, Books | No Comments »
Tags: publishing, tips, writing

Posted By RichC on August 16, 2014

While we wait for our Elio, it is interesting to watch the social networking buzz and behind the scenes engineering testing that goes into developing a new vehicle … like thinking about “hitting a moose.”

Let’s face it, hitting a moose is not good for any vehicle (or the moose). So, over the years, car makers in cold-weather climates such as Sweden and Finland developed a test that entailed steering hard to the left, then steering hard back to the right to simulate avoiding a large mass – or moose – on the road. In the US we call the European “Moose Test” the Consumer Reports Avoidance Maneuver (CR Maneuver or CRAM).
Today, the Moose Test is one of the standards for testing Electronic Stability Control (ESC), one of the most important safety innovations in recent automotive history. A 2012 study from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that more than 2,200 lives were saved by ESC from 2008 to 2010.

Safety is such an important focus of Elio Motors’ development, that adding ESC to the vehicle was an obvious choice. Therefore, having a world-class ESC supplier is an important part of the company’s long-term success. Fortunately, Elio Motors is working with its supplier partner Mando, a recent “Supplier of the Year” recipient.
Working from its Novi, Mich., North American Research & Development Center, Mando has developed an ESC system designed specifically to work with a three-wheel vehicle and to provide safety functionality in line with today’s safest vehicles.

MORE

Category: Automotive, Technology | No Comments »
Tags: elio, moose, motors, safety, testing

Posted By RichC on August 15, 2014

Have you been wondering when the notoriously secretive Apple, known for innovative and culture shaping products, will have the next “one more thing?” We all suspect that TV is ripe for Apple-izing and that trendy wearables are ready for the iWatch, but besides those known in-the-works items, what else is up their sleeves? Will the Apple of “creating something we don’t even know we want yet” return?

Category: Apple, Financial, History, Technology, Video | No Comments »
Tags: aapl, apple, one more thing, steve jobs

Posted By RichC on August 14, 2014

The things I’m learning later in life. Huh, might have to give this a try?

Category: Misc, Video | No Comments »
Tags: cooking, freezing, steaks, thawing, youtube

Posted By RichC on August 13, 2014

Unbelievable rainfall causing flooding this morning in Long Island NY (photo above – Southern State Parkway near Exit 37 – Belmont Ave) this morning a day after watching the same thing happen in southeastern Michigan yesterday (photos below).

It is shocking to see these kinds of “highway” photos, but one can only imagine how many basements have been flooded. When I see these photos, I’m reminded that we need to think twice about buying used cars which may not have disclosed flood damage.

Category: Automotive, Weather | No Comments »
Tags: detroit, flooding, long island, michigan, new york, rain, storms