With the electoral college, what does a popular poll mean?

Posted By on October 15, 2012

I’m not sure I would put a lot of faith in polling this year, especially following 2008 which saw a turnout unique in our recent history. realclearpoliticspolls12101Who knows if the motivation and base for either party will vote in the same numbers … and who knows if it even matters with the electoral college vote?

Most analysts are pointing to the electoral college as the key and the importance of just handful of states. Being in Ohio does mean that our votes are critical in the national presidential election and a strong turnout might have local implications as well.

For now, it looks as if the debates and “Benghazigate” situation have given the Romney/Ryan ticket a bit of a boost over Obama/Biden.

As of late last week, 12 states were in the tossup column.

Those states, and their number of Electoral College votes: Colorado, 9; Florida, 29; Iowa, 6; Michigan, 16; Missouri, 10; Nevada, 6; New Hampshire, 4; North Carolina, 15; Ohio, 18; Pennsylvania, 20; Virginia, 13; and Wisconsin, 10.

That’s where the candidates will spend most of their time…

Read more

Autumn chores and enjoyed a whiff of diesel exhaust

Posted By on October 14, 2012

kstdibadgeI spent the weekend working of autumn chores in in the company of my wife and daughter (Katelyn is home for wedding planning).Besides working on repairing pool tiles and digging downspout/sump pump drain pipes (grr), I swapped my 4-wheeled refrigerator of a Honda Pilot for Katelyn’s VW TDI; oh how I have forgotten how much I enjoyed buzzing around in a little diesel. I even made sure the Rocketchip and upsized injectors were working just so I could get a good whiff of that diesel exhaust. Shame on me – stop grinning Rich!

Did you pay too much for your Kindle ebook?

Posted By on October 13, 2012

If you buy books from Amazon for your eReader, you might be in for a small refund … well small for the individual book buyer, but pretty larger if you’re Amazon and have to start the refund process.

Book publishers and the Department of Justice reached a settlement regarding that whole eBook-price fixing scheme last month, and now the savings are being passed on to you. If you bought one of the affected, overpriced Kindle books between April 2010 and May 2012, you’re about to get some money back.

The settlement hasn’t quite gone through yet, but once it’s approved by the court (sometime in early 2013), you should be getting refunds between $.30 and $1.30 on each and every qualifying eBook purchased through Amazon and published by Hachette, Harper Collins, Simon & Schuster, Penguin or Macmillan. The refund will automatically be credited to your Amazon account, but if you really really want, you can also request to have it doled out as a check. Face it though, you’ll probably just sink it back into (cheaper) books. And ain’t nothin’ wrong with that.

A large blue mystery eye found on a south Florida beach

Posted By on October 12, 2012

pompanobeach mysteryeyeonfloridabeach

You know those scary campfire stories that we’ve all told or heard while growing up? Well here’s one that could be adapted for beachgoers along the Atlantic coast of Florida – Jaws was getting old anyway.

I’m going to ask a good friend who’s daughter is a marine biologist … but until then, the mystery eye is unsolved.

A giant eyeball washed up on the shores of Pompano Beach, Fla. on Wednesday, sparking a mystery that the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FFWC) is rushing to solve. Not much is known about it other than the fact that is it big and blue.

The giant eyeball was found by Pompano Beach resident Gino Covacci, who took the eye and put it in a plastic bag. He called the police, who transferred him to the Flordia Fish and Wildlife Commission. No one could immediately say what species the eyeball came from.

"It was very, very fresh," Covacci told the Orlando Sentinel. "It was still bleeding when I put it in the plastic bag."

The eyeball will be sent to St. Petersburg, Fla. to be studied.

Marine biologists couldn’t immediately identify which species of sea creature would be associated with the eye, but researchers will use genetic testing if necessary to solve the mystery, said Carli Segelson, a spokeswoman for the commission. "I shouldn’t say this, but they may be able to eyeball it," she told me today.

So how did the VP debate go?

Posted By on October 12, 2012

Some are having difficultly getting beyond mannerisms — Laughin’ Joe. 🙂

Ralston Report’s Jon Ralston: “Biden’s facial expressions guarantee he will have a talk show after his elected career, but may not be good for a debate.” (Jon Ralston, Twitter Feed, 10/11/12)

NBC News’ David Gregory: “Biden’s smile is out of control.” (David Gregory, Twitter Feed, 10/11/12)

NBC News’ Mike O’Brien: “Biden Really Has To Rein In His Mannerisms.” (Mike O’Brien,Twitter Feed, 10/11/12)

CNN’s Piers Morgan: “Joe, seriously, STOP SMIRKING. This is serious stuff. Be Vice-Presidential.” (Piers Morgan, Twitter Feed, 10/11/12)

CNN’s Gloria Borger: “It was condescending at times, to Paul Ryan and I think I could’ve done with a lot less eye rolling and chuckling on the part of Joe Biden.” (CNN’s “Inside The Spin Room,” 10/11/12)

Bloomberg’s Josh Barro: “Biden smirk is…not good.” (Josh Barro, Twitter Feed, 10/11/12)

Pittsburg Tribune-Review’s Salena Zito: “Smirk = not good decision.” (Salena Zito, Twitter Feed, 10/11/12)

NBC News’ Betsy Fischer Martin: “Biden constant smiling is reminding me of Gore constant sighing in 2000.” (Betsy Fischer Martin, Twitter Feed, 10/11/12)

The Washington Post’s Chris Cillizza: “Ok. I have decided. I find the Biden smile slightly unsettling.” (Chris Cillizza, Twitter Feed, 10/11/12)

  • Cillizza: “I seriously don’t get the Biden incredulous laugh thing.” (Chris Cillizza, Twitter Feed, 10/11/12)
  • Cillizza: “The Biden smile = the Gore sigh?” (Chris Cillizza, Twitter Feed, 10/11/12)

The Washington Post’s Aaron Blake: “Biden making lots of noise/motion while Ryan is talking.” (Aaron Blake, Twitter_Feed, 10/11/12)

WPHT Philadelphia’s Chris Stigall: “Biden laughs like this is a game. Disgraceful.” (Chris Stigall, Twitter Feed, 10/11/12)

New York Magazine’s John Heilemann: “Biden = Bentsen on crystal meth.” (John Heilemann, Twitter Feed, 10/11/12)

The Miami Herald’s Marc Caputo: “Did anyone tell Joe Biden about the perils of the split screen and the poker face it can require?” (Marc Caputo, Twitter Feed, 10/11/12)

ABC News’ Rick Klein: “Biden must have heard a very funny joke earlier.”(Rick Klein, Twitter_Feed, 10/11/12)

The University Of Virginia’s Center For Politics Larry Sabato: “SNL will have to devote entire show just to Biden’s facial expressions.” (Larry Sabato, Twitter Feed, 10/11/12)

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review’s Salena Zito: “Multiple Dems email that Biden’s tone dulls what he is actually saying ‘Too smirky’ ‘the interuptions are awful, rude’” (Salena Zito, Twitter Feed, 10/11/12)

The Huffington Post’s Sam Stein: “Will Biden interrupt Ryan’s closing statement?” (Sam Stein, Twitter Feed, 10/11/12)

Posted via email from RichC’s posterous

Encore displays her naked bottom for all to see

Posted By on October 11, 2012

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After years of sanding/grinding paint off of boat bottoms, I've opted to have Encore stripped by professional soda blasted. In part due to limited time and the need to open up some gel coat blistering … and in part due to the hassle with the environmental prep requirements involved with stripping the paint on my own. Anyway, she looks great in the buff, ehh? (also put a coat of protection on the iron keel before it starts rusting again)

Use caution with email links and check your anti-virus software

Posted By on October 10, 2012

Knowing that email links can be dangerous isn’t always enough to prevent avast7even a relatively experience Internet user securedfrom occasionally being suckered into clicking embedded links in emails. It happened to me yesterday morning with a bogus Skype Voicemail notification (below). Emails can seem legitimate and be over looked if you’re not paying close attention … or just get careless. “What was I thinking?”

Anyway, use my mistake as a reminder to check on your anti-virus protection. It should always be running on your computer (and other Internet connected devices) as well as remaining up-to-date with the current virus definitions. I can vouch for Avast as an excellent free product that runs relatively quietly in the background … most of the time. It certainly did its job this morning. Whew!

skypescamexampleurl

Manually checking emailed and embedded links:
Hover over or copy the link that you are tempted to click and check to be sure the URL for the site is the site you want to go to. Read it carefully as some links are very close to what you might expect. Some email clients make this easy (Mozilla Thunderbird example above), other require a copy and paste method as a way to check.

skypescam
An image of this morning close call. Thanks Avast!

Gasoline prices top $5.00 in California

Posted By on October 9, 2012

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Seriously folks, are we really suppose to see an economic recovery with incomes down $4000/year for the average family over the past 4 years and the cost of fuel and food up? At least with over the board inflation peoples paychecks rise a little along with prices … but not in this Obamaconomy.

The latest surge in gasoline is certainly taking dollars out of the economy … dollars that the weak U.S. recovery would be better spent on products and services. With that kind of spending we are at least creating jobs, but unfortunately all higher fuel prices do is to zap whatever rebound the current administration’s “hope and change” promises. I’m not saying Mitt Romney’s plan is a perfect solution or an overnight fix, but how can voters justify four more years of growing debt and stagnation?

Posted via email from RichC’s posterous

Houseboats are one thing, house islands another!

Posted By on October 8, 2012

I think I may have spotted my next boat country. If you have a few bucks to spare, let’s have one built as their might be a spare room or two.

FreedomPop: A free wireless 4G Internet connection

Posted By on October 8, 2012

freedompopbetalogoLast week I started testing the new wireless Internet being offered by FreedomPop.com. The service is interesting because light data users can connect and use the Internet basically for “free.” Higher data use plans are available for those needing more, but requires paying for it, helping to build out the user base or completing offers on the marketing pages. I hoping to continue using it free of monthly charges, but increasing my data cap by “recommend a few people.” (hint, hintclick here and send me your email address and ask me to recommend you for the beta). I’m thinking the “free” service might make an acceptable replacement for my old Palm Pre tethered connection now that it is not easily do-able on my iPhone 5.

With this “free” claim comes a few minor caveats, but if it works where I currently travel and need it, it will prove useful.

  1. You must purchase a refundable 4G modem (a couple options)
  2. You are limited to 500MB/month
  3. You must be in their 4G covered area (basically WiMax/Sprint for now).

freedompopuse121007

So far so good as I opted for the Photon 4G “tiny” 8 device modem (USB modem and Apple device “sleeve” are also available — the iPod Touch sleeve might be great for teens.). It is claimed to offer 6 hrs of connect time, but will also charge and run with a micro USB plugin. The shipping was very quick and it came packaged as if it were manufactured under freedompop4gtestingApple supervision – ie. very nice. The build quality is solid and did I mention “tiny” above? It is a 2-1/2” square and about 3/8” thick. I attached a little patch of Velcro to mine so I could stick it to the back of my computer, iPad or on my car dash … where I’m thinking it may get used most unless hot sun bothers it???

Set-up was a cinch and I was running in under 5 minutes, but after running my first speed test when still charging found it to be painfully slow – was the inside floor location, I think. Once I move it to the window sill, I was at speeds that match my Time Warner “non-turbo” basic Internet package. As I traveled in the covered area, speeds varied from just okay to impressively fast for Wimax both up and down on my iPad. (right). The connect remain pretty good while driving around Cincinnati and enable my Wazer mapping app to update without a problem. Unfortunately the footprint is not going to give me coverage in most of Ohio or at the boat (according to the map). It would really be nice to have a 4G data connection in Florida.

Desultory - des-uhl-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee

  1. lacking in consistency, constancy, or visible order, disconnected; fitful: desultory conversation.
  2. digressing from or unconnected with the main subject; random: a desultory remark.
My Desultory Blog