Charles Krauthammer is one political analyst I always enjoy listening to, be he a regular panelist commenting on the nightly news (Special Report with Bret Baier), or as a guest on many Fox News programs. His columns at The Weekly Standard are always excellent and his intellectual prowess is even respected by those who politically disagree with him.
His book Thing That Matter: Three Decades of Passions, Pastimes and Politics is currently number one in the country and offers and interesting look inside Dr. Krauthammer. His early life as a promising Harvard medical student took a turn after a diving accident left him paralyzed, but even a setback like that did not detour him from continuing on with his medical training. Eventually his passion turned him to politics … with a position “a little left of center” … a shock to most who read his current column or listen to his current political analysis. The book talks of his conversion as well as a the many passions he pursues.
Of the many interviews with him regarding his book tour, the one this weekend with Mike Huckabee was pretty succinct.
Charles Krauthammer with Mike Huckabee on November 30, 2013 – mp3
My friend Jeff and I had a chance to get today Friday afternoon and catch up on life. We enjoyed our semi-regular Mexican lunch and talked about work, church, family and our mutual amateur radio hobby. He’s been a Ham (N4XKJ) since we went to our first HamCation back when he was living in Orlando in the late 1980s (???) … I think? At the time we regularly met to go hiking and backpacking at a halfway point somewhere along the Appalachian Trail and besides thinking we could talk via HF from Ohio to Orlando someday, we could use mobile or HTs when we were hiking (such was the plan). So, we both were suppose to be studying Morse Code and taking our exams … but I failed to focus and didn’t follow through, something he never lets me forget. Of course I used the excuse of work and family, which was all true, but I’ve always felt that I let him down in not “sticking with the plan.” Now a few decades later I have a little more time to pursue self-interests and hobbies and I did follow through with getting licensed. have sort of re-ignited his interest in radio (disappeared as cellphones and Internet use expanded).
Besides playing with my HF rig from the boat (IC-718 above is now at home) and my 2 meter Yaesu FT-2900 radio in my car, I’ve recently added a cheap dual band 144/440 Chinese Baofeng UV-5R HT(photo at bottom of post). It is pretty impressive for $37 and a puny 4 watts with all the repeaters in my area. It was cheap enough to also trigger Jeff to buy one and so we decided to go to what he calls the “candy store” – R & L. His goal is to start building a better antenna for his apartment just to see what can be done. For those reading this who are not involved in amateur radio … the pursuit is pretty much ridiculous considering how much simpler it is to just pick up the cellphone or jump on the computer (unless you are a “prepper” … but that’s another story).
We’ve both recently added an inexpensive higher gain 15” Nagoya NA-771 antenna to our HTs in order to reliably connect to the local repeaters and they do make a difference (the stock stubby is questionable). Unfortunately we are not able to simplex for much more than the line of sight driving down the highway and I’m not even sure if adding an adapter in order to use my 5/8 wave magmount will help. For now I’ll wait and see what Jeff builds before I consider a small 2 M beam project or rigging up a long wire and antenna tuner (hoping to pick up one used?) as I wait for my Pactor modem to come back from Farallon and a new vanity call.
Every once in a while we surprise ourselves with a “duh” moment. One where our eyes are opened to something we “should have” known about.
A few weeks ago while doing some electronics calculations in my Amateur Radio studies, I needed to use a scientific calculator. Using the advanced mathematical functions on any calculator is generally not part of my day to day life, but as with my older Palm Pre, I figured there must be an app for that on the iPhone. Now I’ve used calculator on my iPhone5 often (now just a swipe up to access), but obviously I’ve never tilted it to the horizontal or landscape mode. Huh … a “duh” moment! Now I know … all those advance functions are all right there! Nice.
As with many of our holidays, one wonders how much of our tradition is accurate? Very little is known about the first Thanksgiving in 1621 Plymouth, as the references are few. Hopefully all who live in this country can still come together in thanksgiving for our abundance and that “as a nation” give thanks to God.
“And God be praised we had a good increase… Our harvest being gotten in, our governor sent four men on fowling, that so we might after a special manner rejoice together after we had gathered the fruit of our labors. They four in one day killed as much fowl as, with a little help beside, served the company almost a week. At which time, amongst other recreations, we exercised our arms, many of the Indians coming amongst us, and among the rest their greatest king Massasoit, with some ninety men, whom for three days we entertained and feasted, and they went out and killed five deer, which they brought to the plantation and bestowed on our governor, and upon the captain and others. And although it be not always so plentiful as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so far from want that we often wish you partakers of our plenty.” — Edward Winslow, Mourt’s Relation: D.B. Heath, ed. Applewood Books. Cambridge, 1986. p 82
“They began now to gather in the small harvest they had, and to fit up their houses and dwellings against winter, being all well recovered in health and strength and had all things in good plenty. For as some were thus employed in affairs abroad, others were exercised in fishing, about cod and bass and other fish of which they took good store, of which every family had their portion. All the summer there was no want; and now began to come in store of fowl, as winter approached, of which is place did abound when they came first (but afterward decreased by degrees). And besides waterfowl there was great store of wild turkeys, of which they took many, besides venison, etc. Besides, they had about a peck a meal a week to a person, or now since harvest, Indian corn to that proportion. Which made many afterwards write so largely of their plenty here to their friends in England, which were not feigned but true reports.” — William Bradford, Of Plymouth Plantation: S.E. Morison, ed. Knopf. N.Y., 1952. p 90
It’s almost time to call it a day and begin the long Thanksgiving weekend … well at least for some of us. I’m taking both Thursday and Friday off in order to stretch out the weekend even though Brenda will be working (such is life in medical and retail). We will both be enjoying time with our family for Thanksgiving although will be missing both kids. Still, each will celebrate in their own way … Katelyn making a meal for Drew when he gets off a long shift at the hospital (remaining ‘on call’) and Taylor taking the train from Williston ND to Minneapolis on an invite from his cousin Justin. Nice … although a 12 hour train trip? This morning he sent me his winter “bearded” photo wearing his new Williams County vest. He does look the “western frontier” part!
Short on time for today’s post although I did add an Amateur Radio HF Propagation widget to my WordPress sidebar. I’m not sure cluttering up the screen with more data is a wise thing, but for now it helps to know which HF bands are open.
Continuing with the radio theme, I applied for a new call sign with the FCC before I tie too much contact information to my old one. I’ve only submitted two different vanity options based on my initials that seem to be open. We’ll see how the government gears spin.
For those with a “tool background,” what is this for? The little hook grips on a clockwise twist of the fancy t-handle and the handle has what looks like a straight bladed screwdriver on the end?
It has been a semi-busy and semi-cold weekend for yard chores, but I’m tackling them just the same since waiting for a dry “warm” Saturday and Sunday doesn’t look promising. I started Saturday early and started to tick off the simple indoor items on my chores list thinking that it might warm up, but I was wrong. As noon rolled around the temperature dropped in the low 30s and the wind was blowing (but sun shining). I coaxed Brenda out to work on trimming the bushes in front of the house and even tried to get her mom to join us, although she was too comfortable with a book in front of the fireplace to come out. We did get the leaves finished up and all of the landscape trimmings put on the fire pile … so we deserved a meal out at Spinning Fork, our favorite family owned restaurant (it is great when the owners know you well enough to give you a hug).
Drew and Katelyn were at the OSU – Indiana game with the Oostras and enjoyed the lopsided victory … 42-14. The snow flurries were swirling in Columbus, but no doubt the crowd filled stadium was warm with enthusiasm (Drew sent the “sharp” photo from his new Nexus 5 above).
In other news for the week, I passed my exam in order to upgrade my Amateur Radio license to General. This gives me the added HF frequency privileges that are needed in order to participate in a few longer range Nets and something I want in order to set up my Pactor IIe modem (working to upgrade) for Winlink or Sailmail email (yes … I’m still thinking cruising/sailing might be in my future).
I was too young to remember much about the assignation of President Kennedy, but the seismic event in our nation’s history has been engrained in our modern history. I heard a bit of audio this morning that I thought would be a “fair” tribute to a beloved president. (also wanted to try see how well my WordPress Postie email to blog plugin handles audio — EDIT: not quite what I like).
Peter Johnson Jr in Dallas for Fox News (mp3) – November 22, 2013 (2 min 48 sec)
In keeping with my previous views, Intel ($INTC) has once again disappointed shareholders with the same share price channel we’ve seen since 2001. I’m still not seeing management concerned in giving shareholders a reason to hold share long term.
After disappointing “flat sales” company news, “shares of chip giant and Dow industrials component Intel Corp. (INTC) fell about 3% in early trade after the firm’s outlook for flat sales next year issued late Thursday. Analysts polled by FactSet had expected 1.4% growth. "The company issued somewhat disappointing 2014 guidance calling for no growth [year-on-year]. We are trimming estimates, but thinks guidance was conservative," said analysts at Piper Jaffray in a note to clients.”
Charles Krauthammer is one political analyst I always enjoy listening to, be he a regular panelist commenting on the nightly news (Special Report with Bret Baier), or as a guest on many Fox News programs. His columns at The Weekly Standard are always excellent and his intellectual prowess is even respected by those who politically disagree with him. 
