“You’re meshuga!” Stan proclaimed the other morning as I was describing my upcoming bike tour to Minneapolis. I had just explained to him that I, a 64 year old retiree who only started biking seriously two years ago, am truly planning to ride my bicycle from Saint Peters, MO to Minneapolis… solo… unsupported… camping much […]
Know the Risk of Catching Covid-19 in Restaurants, Workplaces, Outdoors, Etc.
This blog post, by microbiologist Erin Bromage, just appeared in my inbox. The author goes into detail, in plain English, about how Covid-19 infection happens and how likely it is to occur in a variety of environments, including restaurants, sanctuaries, stores, and outdoors. The Risks – Know Them – Avoid Them Here is a typical […]
We Will Not Yield
I was deeply disturbed by the hatred visible in Charlottesville. I was deeply disturbed to hear Donald Trump equivocate on opposition to neo-Nazis and racists. After Trump was elected, I remember having a conversation with a friend, in which I told him about my fears. I knew that Muslims would be killed, simply because of […]
Now is the Time
Pray for our community and our country. More importantly, speak up to your friends and neighbors here on this Earth. Ask all of your friends to speak up. Our community and our country are descending into hatred. This is not the America that I believe in.
Heartbleed Relief: Replace the Default SSL Certificate in Parallels Plesk Panel
If you have a web site with an SSL certificate then you are probably affected by the Heartbleed vulnerability which popped into general visibility. If your server is vulnerable, you need to do two things: Update openssl Replace your SSL certificate (since you have to assume that the certificate’s private key has been stolen). Anyone […]
The Flight Not Taken
Let’s talk about a road not taken, less romantic than Frost’s. … Two roads diverged in a wood, and I, I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference. Robert Frost My phone rang one night and I answered to hear Sven’s voice. He was training to get his pilot’s […]
You want me to register my WHAT?
To operate an automobile, I have to register the vehicle with the state government. I also have to register myself, demonstrate that I have been trained in the safe operation of the vehicle, and maintain a government issued license for vehicle operations. I am limited in the types of vehicles that I may own and […]
Missouri Teachers Challenge Facebook Ban
Good news: The Missouri State Teachers Association (MSTA) filed a law suit on Friday challenging Missouri Senate Bill 54, also known as the Amy Hestir Student Protection Act. The MSTA has asked the court to block implementation of the law pending a review of its constitutionality. In addition to the problems that I cited in […]
Bad Policy: Forbidding Social Network Contact Between Teachers and Students
Missouri is in the process of implementing a particularly bad law, forbidding contact on social networks between teachers and students. Formally, this is Missouri Senate Bill 54, the Amy Hestir Student Protection Act. The aim is laudable: protect vulnerable kids from predacious educators. Unfortunately, the law as written, and as being implemented by the school districts, […]
When the Weather Cooperates
When last I wrote about weather, I had cancelled my flight to Oshkosh, Wisconsin because of thunderstorms between home and my destination. I speculated that there was a small chance that the storms would move east, allowing me to fly later in the day. As it turned out, that was exactly what happened. In this […]
How Pilots Look at Weather
People often look at me funny because I either choose to fly or choose to cancel a flight when the opposite course seems right. It happens because pilots look at weather a little bit differently, but that can be hard to explain when I do not have a computer handy. This morning offers a perfect […]
Are Psycho-Active Drugs Ineffective and Dangerous?
There seems to be mounting evidence that psycho-active drugs are no more effective than placebos; that they may cause real harm; and that the belief that many mental illnesses are caused by chemical imbalances in the brain has never been proven but has been forwarded by the drug manufacturers. I was most persuaded by Irving […]
That Comfy Small Town Feeling
I remember how nice it was, after I moved from Chicago to Valparaiso, IN, that I could tell someone my name and he knew where I lived. It was a small town. We all knew where pretty much everybody lived. One time, just to see what would happen, I sent a letter to my step-father […]
2,4-D Precautions
The chemical 2,4-D is a primary ingredient in many common home-use herbicides and I always figured that it must be safe. This morning, I was disturbed to find this on OSHA’s Occupational Safety and Health Guideline for 2,4-D (DICHLOROPHENOXYACETIC ACID): Personal Hygiene Procedures If 2,4-D contacts the skin, workers should immediately wash the affected areas with soap […]
Server Backups are Important
I got a frantic email from a friend this week. One of his subcontractors went crazy and trashed several of my friend’s clients’ web sites as well as my friend’s own business site. The police have been involved but much damage has already been done. I wish I had been hosting my friend’s sites. Had I […]
Trouble’s Brewing
I just read a shocking article in the paper about a newly available intoxicant. It starts on the front page and continues for almost the entirety of page A8. That’s a lot of words for our local rag. Here are a few quotes so you can understand why so many people are concerned: The clerk at […]
Don’t Get Ripped Off Playing Facebook Games
I know that many of you like to play the games on Facebook. That’s definitely cool. What isn’t cool is when you get ripped off for real money in the process. Examples Of Scams: A typical scam: users are offered in game currency in exchange for filling out an IQ survey. Four simple questions are […]
Safety Drivers
The reactions to the mid-air collision last month between an airplane and a helicopter over the Hudson River in New York City have me thinking about safety in airplanes and safety in cars. For those unfamiliar with the details, just before noon on August 8, a six person airplane and an eight person helicopter came […]
DHS Inspector General Concludes: General Aviation Not a Serious Threat
This just in from the Alliance for Aviation Across America: The Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security recently released a report that dispels many of the myths about the security of general aviation. In the report, DHS Inspector General Richard Skinner stated that “Although [TSA’s Office of Intelligence] has identified potential threats, it […]
Reduce Risk – Stay Alive – Live Well
I like to feel safe and I like to know that my family is safe. I would wager that you do, too. John Goekler has written a crystal clear piece in CounterPunch, The Most Dangerous Person in the World?, which highlights the risks to our lives. Some snippets: A significant majority of Americans… list terrorism […]
