Archive: More Autumn 2024 family photos and video
Posted By RichC on November 12, 2024
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Music Monday: Jimmy Buffett – “Hey, That’s My Wave”
Posted By RichC on November 11, 2024
My buddy Jeff decided to make a detour from his business appointment in NYC and drive to the end of Long Island “just” 
to grab a lobster roll and beer at the Shagwong tavern … because he is a lifetime Jimmy Buffett parrothead. I’m not sure there is a more devoted fan … unless it is Megan. 😊
That said, I did not know what he was talking about when he called on his drive to Montauk, NY … until his hints had me reading the lyrics to the surfing son “Hey, That’s My Wave” on Jimmy Buffett’s “Life On The Flip Side” album.
…
Hey, that’s my wave(I’ll meet you at the Shagwong, we’ll talk about it)
(Hey dude, that’s my wave)
…
| Jimmy Buffett – “Hey, That’s My Wave” | 2020 |
It’s got a rock & roll feel and a Jimmy Buffett sound, of course, but the surf anthem “Hey, That’s My Wave” originally sprang from the mind of Sag Harbor chiropractor, surfer and musician Dr. Glenn Goodman.
Sunday Thoughts: Objects in Mirror are closer than they appear
Posted By RichC on November 10, 2024
“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” — Matthew 24:36:
Woodworking: Improved my table saw sled for my own safety
Posted By RichC on November 9, 2024
The “yellow tape” applied to the table saw sled has bothered me since adding it in 2019 (above left). I’ve never had a problem remembering to keep my hands away from pushing the sled with my hand in the wrong place, but realized not having a guard was foolish (added above right).
So a little curve of wood (reminding me there’s a 10” blade coming through there) and flexed a bit of plexiglas to cover the normal red colored blade might help keep my fingers away. It never hurts to play it safe when it comes to using tools.
Tech Friday: Tinkering with Apple Intelligence summary feature
Posted By RichC on November 8, 2024
Apple is finally rolling out the much ballyhooed Apple Intelligence on Apple devices … including my new iPhone 16 Pro Max. Their have been a few laughs from me when it comes to the AI “summary” feature generating a questionable summary (an automotive enthusiast John Rowe’s X.com comments – he does NOT recommend Sunbeam).
On the other hand, the “summary feature” was a bit more helpful … although too brief in my opinion … when summarizing emails.
My son Taylor relayed a long-winded email from work for my thoughts, and although I read the entire email, the summary was helpful. I do wish it could have been a “little” more detailed and perhaps highlighted a few more points. It is still interesting to see AI weaving its way into our everyday lives.
Apple Intelligence is a suite of artificial intelligence (AI) features designed to integrate into existing Apple apps and services, enhancing user experience and productivity. It’s a pragmatic approach to AI, leveraging generative models to improve upon existing features, rather than creating a standalone AI platform.
Key Features:
Writing Tools: AI-powered writing assistance for Mail, Messages, Pages, and Notifications, providing summaries, proofreading, and even composing messages based on content and tone prompts.
Image Generation: Custom emojis (Genmojis) and Image Playground, a standalone app generating visual content from text descriptions, usable in Messages, Keynote, or social media.
Siri Revamp: A redesigned Siri experience, integrated more deeply into Apple’s operating systems, offering onscreen awareness, contextual answers, and the ability to edit photos and insert them directly into text messages.
ChatGPT Integration: Supplementing Siri’s knowledge base and adding to Writing Tools, allowing users to access premium features, including unlimited queries, with a paid ChatGPT account.
Availability and Limitations:
Apple Intelligence is initially available with the iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1 updates, with a limited number of modern devices supported. The feature set will expand with future updates, including Genmoji and Image Playground in December (likely with iOS 18.2) and ChatGPT integration for Siri.
Privacy and Security:
Apple Intelligence processes data on-device, ensuring user privacy and security. The company maintains its commitment to protecting user information, unlike some other AI platforms that rely on cloud-based processing.
In Summary: Apple Intelligence is a suite of AI features designed to enhance user experience and productivity across Apple devices, leveraging generative models and on-device processing for privacy and security. It’s a unique approach to AI, focusing on practical applications rather than a standalone platform.
The real work begins: Setting up a 2025 Trump administration
Posted By RichC on November 6, 2024
Finally the 2024 Presidential Election is over (the White House and U.S. Senate flips to Republican control) … but America is still waiting to see who will control the House of Representatives.
It has been a taxing election for American voters and likely even those just watching overseas. Both allies and adversaries are wondering what kind of leader the United States will have in 2025 and oversea our foriegn policy for the next four years.
President-Elect Donald Trump, by winning the state of Wisconsin at 1:45AM, pushed him over 270 electoral votes (according to my “from bed” TV watching). It also looks as if a few other states might follow, but the votes are still being tallied (too close to call them on Wednesday morning). A clear message was sent though, Americans, especially those hardest hit by inflation and open-border polices, want change. They have no interest in four more years of the same Biden/Harris policies from a Kamala Harris presidency … and as she has said, “[eliminate all of that] let’s move on.”
The Fox News Decision Desk projects former President Trump has defeated Vice President Kamala Harris in a stunning victory, delivering him a second term in the White House after a historic election cycle filled with unprecedented twists and turns and two attempts on his life.
Trump defeated Vice President Harris, who entered this race just over 100 days ago after President Biden, who won the Democratic primaries, was convinced to stand down.
Trump was projected to have breached the 270 electoral vote threshold after stunning wins in the battleground states of North Carolina, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Georgia.
Watching Hurricane Rafael this week as it moves north
Posted By RichC on November 6, 2024
Keeping an eye on late season tropical storm, now upgraded to Hurricane Rafael this week, although it doesn’t look overly threatening … besides some wind and lot of rain. Let’s hope it remains in the Gulf of Mexico and doesn’t get any stronger?
Archive: Bananas and our granddaughter broke her little toe
Posted By RichC on November 5, 2024
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Last minute political question since we vote in the US is tomorrow
Posted By RichC on November 4, 2024
Most people can answer to the “4 years ago” question (below), but a more important question in my view would be, “Do you think you and your family would be better off under a Harris or Trump presidency in the next 4 years?”
Both presidential candidates have leadership records to run on, so compare wisely … but in either case, make sure you vote! 🤔
Majority of Americans Feel Worse Off Than Four Years Ago
Economic Confidence Index remains negative at -26
WASHINGTON, D.C. — More than half of Americans (52%) say they and their family are worse off today than they were four years ago, while 39% say they are better off and 9% volunteer that they are about the same. The 2024 response is most similar to 1992 among presidential election years in which Gallup has asked the question.
How to get rid of a couple of common kitchen bugs
Posted By RichC on November 3, 2024
Goodbye Fruit Flies
To get rid of pesky fruit flies, take a small glass, fill it 1/2′ with Apple Cider Vinegar and 2 drops of dish washing liquid; mix well. You will find those flies drawn to the cup and gone forever!
Get Rid of Ants. 
Put small piles of cornmeal where you see ants. They eat it, take it ‘home,’ can’t digest it so it kills them. It may take a week or so, especially if it rains, but it works and you don’t have the worry about pets or small children being harmed!
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.