We planted a couple trees 15 years ago. They have grown. #TBT
Posted By RichC on October 17, 2024
It has been 15 years since we planted the Dawn Redwood tree in our backyard (tree to the right in above photo) and it is still growing strong. I’m starting to think we may have picked a spot a little to close to the pool, although it is still 40 feet away. A year later in 2010, we added a Bald Cypress which has been a beautiful tree … although both do shed some very fine conifer “lacy needles.”
So for this first Throwback Thursday #TBT of October 2024, check out the “when planted” (photo left below) vs a 2024 photo of the same Redwood tree (below right).
Also, the new photos were also an excuse to test the new iPhone 16 Pro Max camera … so click for larger photos.
Books: Planning to read “Accidental Super Power 10 Years On”
Posted By RichC on October 16, 2024
Two years ago I read Peter Zeihan’s book, “The End Of The World Is Just The Beginning: Mapping the Collapse of Globalization,” on
my friend Jeff’s recommendation. We discussed a few thoughts over lunch (as usual) … but instead of a Kindle book for an upcoming trip, I opted to buy the used paperback book, “Accidental Super Power 10 Years On.”
He’s already read it since Peter Zeihan’s thinking parallels his views in seeing the US in decline … and frankly in moral decay. As much as I want to deny the negative mindset, I can’t help but wonder if our country has lost its way?
I’m sad to be thinking that this once “shining city on the hill” isn’t shining as bright as it once did … or is on the verge of disappering as did other nations experimenting with democracy.
Andrew Higgins and the LCVP Higgins Boat of World War II
Posted By RichC on October 15, 2024
Ever since I was a kid in elementary school and heard about John F. Kennedy’s World War 2 story and then read Robert Donovan‘s book “PT-109: John F. Kennedy in WW II” and movie “PT-109,” I’ve admired what innovated boatbuilders 
could do with plywood (besides utility trailer sides, I had a plywood dingy when I was a kid too). Anyway, in the early 1940s, these “mosquito boats” were an amazing small boats especially in South Pacific, both to interrupt Japanese shipping as a 80-foot Elco PT boats (patrol torpedo boat) … or to swiftly move even General MacArthur off the Philippines and to safety as he built up the U.S. military forces in order to defeat Tojo and the Japanese Empire.
The PT boats were not the only “plywood” boat used in World War II … and probably not the “most important” either. That monicker is held for the LCVPs designed 
by Andrew Higgins and used to land troops onto the beaches: think about the thousands of troops who landed on the beaches of Normandy.
General Dwight Eisenhower was quoted as saying, “Andrew Higgins … is the man who won the war for us. … If Higgins had not designed and built those LCVPs, we never could have landed over an open beach. The whole strategy of the war would have been different.” According to the enemy, Adolf Hitler dubbed the boatbuilder as the “New Noah.”
From plywood airplanes and gliders … to the Higgins Boat (LCVP) used to win World War II … plywood deserves far more credit than the disposable 
4 x 8 sheets from big box stores that we purchase to board up windows these days.
Music Monday: Willie Nelson singing “On The Road Again” (1979)
Posted By RichC on October 14, 2024
A quick song for Music Monday that is fitting for today. “On The Road Again” is from Willie Nelson in his prime … and one that everybody knows, probably by heart.
If you don’t know the song or the artist, you haven’t lived long enough. 😊
Downloaded a free audiobook by Alistair Begg on “Lasting Love: How To Avoid Marital Failure”
Posted By RichC on October 13, 2024
The Christian mentoring organization Truth For Life, centered around the teachings of Pastor Alistair Begg has a new audio book on marriage call “Lasting Love” that I’ve recently downloaded. I can’t comment on it yet since I’ve not listen to it, but if it is anything like his other books, it should be helping in building a relationship to last a lifetime … and as the title references, “how to avoid marital failure.”
For those who have occasionally read a post or two before on TFL and Alistair Begg, you’l know that I’m a listener and reader of their publications and devotionals.
If you are interested, here’s the link to download Lasting Love.
Woodworking: A couple tidbits worth saving for the workshop
Posted By RichC on October 12, 2024
Snipping from my digital woodworking magazines definitely become a habit, although I’m not sure I’ll remember how to find them, even though they are archived on the blog (or keep myself from marking up the image with digital red marks)! 😊
Nevertheless, the one above might be useful IF I make the edge guide a little taller when using my new-ish Table Saw Jointer Jig. It tends to be excessively dusty when I’m making long cuts on the Oostra Oak.
The next two ideas I’d like to try. I have a couple MicroJig dovetail clamps and adding a small clip as a third-hand would be helpful. The other isn’t something I need at the moment, but using coffee grounds mixed with CA glue to fill knots is interesting.
Tech Friday: Low-cost iPhone Magsafe car mounts – non-charging
Posted By RichC on October 11, 2024
So far I can endorse a couple of inexpensive “non-charging” Magsafe “magnetic” car mounts for our two iPhones (iPhone 14 and iPhone 16 Pro Max). Both were purchased together on Amazon with a minor discount for 2 items together … and for the low-price, I expected to be disappointed. Nope, I was not.
The magnets are super strong and easily hold our phones with an Apple branded silicone case (others might be different). I would have preferred to have them also charge while driving, but that is not as critical these days.
Here are a couple photos mounted in our older vehicles: A 2010 Acura RDX above (vent mounted) and my 2010 BMW X5 35d below (CD mount as my previous homemade version).
Liking the iPhone 16 Pro Max and remembering an old favorite
Posted By RichC on October 10, 2024
All of the smartphones I’ve owned since the 2000s have held a soft spot in my heart and the same could be said after seeing a Palm Treo photo in a “Year(s) Ago On This Day” link this week. It sort of makes for a worthwhile Throwback Thursday #TBT kind of subject … along with an iPhone 16 Pro Max photo fitted into the Apple Silicone case?
Back in 2007, I was a fairly happy Palm Treo user and advocate of the physical keys for tactical typing. After having a couple of Treo models … and Brenda using the Palm Centro … I was early to pick up the Palm Pre (slide out physical keys). Eventually after HP bought Palm and their WebOS … the nice smooth pocketable Pre was killed off. It was depressing.
A couple of great feature besides the thumb-boards were the ability to use apps on an SD card and have extra storage … handy for saving of photos. The “cloud” and high-speed wireless connections were not a thing yet.
The Palm Centro keys were even tighter together than the Blackberries of the day and Palm Treo so I wasn’t initially fond of it … but by the time I starting using the even smaller Palm Pre, I was “ok” with it. The same could be said for moving from physical keys to typing on an iPhone display. Amazing how easy it was to adapt … just like forgetting what the iPhone “HOME” but was!!! 😊
Starting to learn more about the iPhone 16 Pro Max camera
Posted By RichC on October 9, 2024
It has been quite the improvement when it comes to the camera, especially in switching from the iPhone 7 Plus (a great smartphone) to the new iPhone 16 Pro Max. I’ve really yet to learn how to best use the new features, but “out of the box” it just takes excellent photos (that link means little after 8400 posts and most with photos). 😊
An immediately noticeable change is when in low-light settings. The better normal 1x camera lens, vastly improved sensor and “magic,” when it comes to digitally processing the photos in the iPhone itself, is like night and day. Above is a driveway Sunday night photo while taking out the garbage. It was a quick point and shoot to see how well it captured a dark scene. I’m impressed.
Then next two “lunch” photos were manually controlling the f-stop of the lens … the one on the left being fully open (as in low light or selective focus) and the one on the right fully stopped closed (maximizing the depth of field). Again, very impressed and love having control rather than trying to fool the iPhone using “portrait mode” or the longer lens. My only “immediate” gripe is that the new touch sensor camera control button is challenging to operate. I would not want to be trying to quickly change settings while taking photos — but as with touch-a-glass-display typing, perhaps it will grow on me and I can improve?
For now, it is nice to have the photography controls again — back to my old hobby.
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.