Essays
Yet Again Focusing On The Wrong Thing
The lesson to be learned from the false missile alert in Hawaii is not how someone screwed up, a bad communication plan, nor bad UI design. The lesson that should be learned is that the possibility of a nuclear strick on the United States is much more plausible today that it has since the cold war. We appear to be nearing Cuban Missile Crisis territory with incompetent leadership in the government.
The Continuing Search For The Perfect Todo App
It’s the beginning of the year and therefore the time for my yearly ritual of trying to find a to-do (task management) app that I like and think that I will use. I am again finding myself with Toodledo, mostly because it has more filtering features that other apps and because it has a robust web app. However, Toodledo does not have a robust iOS app.
The Toodledo iOS app does the job but doesn’t have the best UI. However, I have found that 2Do syns with Toodledo so I am giving that a try. At worst I can toggle between the two apps because they sync with the same data.
Unfortunately, 2Do does not sync Toodledo’s statuses, so if I want the same functionality I need to create tags rather that statuses.
Psion Is Trying To Make A Comeback
I am interested to see how well received Psion’s Android clamshell device will be at CES. Psion is a blast from the past, at it’s height it was competing with Palm and Windows CE with its own operating system, and now it will be running Android. If it is priced around $300, I might be interested in buying one.
And it’s British, so there is that.
The Storyline For Today's GLi Championship
Later today Michigan Tech will play Bowling Green in the championship game of the 53rd Great Lakes Invitational hockey tournament. It is the first GLi at the new Little Caesars’s Arena and is hosted by Michigan Tech.
Either of the potential opponents for Tech in the championship presented interesting story lines. Had Michigan won Tech would be facing their former coach, Mel Pearson, who just left his Alma mater to become Michigan’s head coach. Tech’s return to college hockey prominence started when Pearson took the helm.
Pearson’s last game as Tech’s head coach was the 2017 WCHA championship game in which the Huskies beat Bowling Green to take the Broadmore Trophy and the NCAA tourney bid. What better way for the Falcons to gain revenge for that loss than by beating Tech in their tournament in the new arena and carry home the MacInnes Cup, named for legendary Tech coach John MacInnes?
Android On Tablets Is Dead, Long Live Android On Tablets
Google has stopped selling the Pixel C, and there is no replacement Android tablet in the Google Store. Consequently, you will now see articles about the demise of Android on tablets and/or how bad Android has been for tablets.
Forgive Us Our Debts, As We Forgive The Debts Of Others
He died for our debts, not our sins
If we think deeply about the consequences of debt you see meaning. Holding debt over a person is to have power over that person. The person in debt therefore is more or less a slave to the person (or thing) that has power over them. One of the earliest themes of what Jesus did for us was to set us free.
As we in the United Stated look more and more like the Ferengie every day, it may be helpful to replace the word “sin” with “debt” more often.
Setting Up Pi Zero
I got a Raspberry Pi Zero W for Christmas that I am setting up, and so far not having much luck getting the OS to install. I think the file transfer is taking too long. I am regretting following the instructions literally, meaning I installed the Pi Zero in the case and there isn’t an easy way to remove the micro SD card without removing them Zero entirely.
Looks like I will have to remove the Zero and flash the card with a complete build on a PC. I hope that I can get the Zero out of he case without breaking it.
Day One Journal
Day One Journal is now available for Android, and now I have a decision to make. Before Day One changed to a yearly subscription, I had purchased a version and therfore I am grandfathered in a plan that enables me to sync across iOS devices, but that will not support Android. So, is it worth $25 per year to have access to my journal from my Android smartphone?
SSH Apps On iPad
What is the best ssh app to use on an iPad? Right now I use Termius, but it does this thing where it doesn’t scroll properly as the screen fills up so I have to do some dragging around to re-align the display. I also am turned off by the $29/year subscription cost and there are some premium features I wouldn’t mind having. It is, however, the most recently updated app in the store.
WebSSH Pro and Prompt 2 are two other alternatives that appear at the top of a Google search.
Amazon Lockers
I got an email from Amazon telling me that I can use an Amazon Locker to receive items shipped to me. There is a Whole Foods near me that has a locker, so I can select it as a delivery location. How do I use it?
Apparently, when something I ordered is delivered to the locker, I will get an email with a six digit code that I then use at the locker location to retrieve my package. I have three days to pick up the package otherwise it will be returned for refund. Perhaps best of all, lockers can be used as a drop off location for returns.
Given the rise in people having deliveries stolen, I can see these lockers becoming useful for valuable items being shipped for which you may not be hope to sign for.