What if your gadget needs a memory card... that is no longer available?

Column + Datatalk + Homematic

Is this a column? Not exactly, but a recent event made me realize that technology fails, and that sometimes we depend on that technology in very essential ways. Take heating. My heating failed (or appeared to) because of a failing SDHC card.

(Lots of interesting reading on ageing of SDHC cards you'll find here and here. And here.)

Who is going to pay for subsidized oil?

Column + Trump

Trump made the news... again. (He does so every day.)

This time he decided to spend billions of dollars to lower the oil prices. Maga rejoice!

But wait... Who is going to pay the bill? Not him, that's for sure!

Countdown to 2026 - #2 - Politics versus Free Speech - December 30 (November 21)

Countdown

This blog is a individual, personal opinion. It may not match yours, and that's fine.

I mean, opinions are like arseholes... everybody has (or is 😁) one.

I have my personal opinion on politics and politicians. I prefer them somewhat center, neutral, looking at long term results, and not crying out whatever gives them the most votes today, ignoring tomorrow.

Countdown to 2026 - #3 - A New PC! Next: Migrating Windows and Office (October 12)

Countdown + Windows

Migrating Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Office is an artform by itself. I'm still investigating and messing around, but one thing is certain: Microsoft did their best to make sure it's all as confusing as possible.

I would not go as far as to claim it's done deliberately in the hope you will buy new licenses. But it certainly is not user friendly!

Countdown to 2026 - #4 - Facist Takeover 101 - December 28 (September 1)

Countdown + Column

I think I'll leave it up to you to decide what part of the world this applies to, but it is scary how certain politicians are copying the pre-WW2 Nazi handbook...

Countdown to 2026 - #5 - Highs and Lows - December 27 (July 23)

Countdown + Column

On July 23, halfway the year, and I'm not sure if I should count the first half of the year as fantastic or just a mere meh.

I totally failed on publishing my book, but I did manage to find a place for my eldest daughter (who has a disability). My house's a mess, and I do not like my job.

Countdown to 2026 - #6 - Dungeons & Dragons - December 26 (June 12)

Countdown

June 2025... and I decided it can't be all about doom and gloom. Let's talk about something fun! How about Dungeons & Dragons? Or... how I managed to spend more on D&D than ever before 🤔

Countdown to 2026 - #7 - The Fermi Paradox / Life is not Exclusive - December 25 (May 3)

Countdown + Column

I'm trying my best to stay positive, but sometimes I wonder if this is the moment we see Fermi's Paradox in full action. Why? Well, we're facing global warming, Russia plays the robber baron, China threatens Taiwan, the US has become the most unreliable superpower ever. And now Pakistan and India are going beyond rattling their sabers and have started to bombard one another.

Countdown to 2026 - #8 - Battery Low - December 24 (March 23)

Countdown

March 21, and life still sucks. Even more so than usual.

Somehow I just don't feel like writing much lately. It's a kind of general slump, partially filled with the inability to get my sorry ass into gear and publish, partially by all the doom and gloom from the orange menace's corner, and there are some private things distracting me and mine.

Countdown to 2026 - #9 - Writing & Politics - December 23 (February 11)

Countdown + Writing

This year, my countdown schedule is a periodic flashback every 5 weeks. It's now February 18, and it's time to look back on the first part of 2025.

First of all, I'm happy Trump hasn't blown up the world yet - it's fine if he sticks to the US. I'm just a little baffled by the feeding frenzy as shown by the tech billionaires (Zuckerberg, Musk, you know who). Let's start by feeling sorry for them. Or not?

Under an Open Sky (Chase the Dream) - Men & Machine

Column

I would never let an AI write any of my stories. And - had I been a musician - I would never use AI to compose or sing or perform.

Still, even I have to admit AI is getting impressive, though it isn't perfect.

I wrote the lyrics to this song myself, then build a prompt and had an AI generate it. (Frankly, I cannot even remember which one I used, sorry.)

Deranged... or not?

Column + Trump

A few days ago Donald Trump gave a speech to the United Nations, and everyone was listening in deadly silence.

If you watch it - even if you're a Republican you should watch it - and then think about it... then... then what? Be honest to yourself and the rest of the world, and check the facts...

I hate Raymond Chandler...

Column + Writing

Sometimes, I try to be inspired by other authors. And I have to admit I'm awfully impressed and influenced by two specific, grand names: Raymond Chandler and Roger Zelazny.

But it's hard to get even close...

Sometimes I delude myself into thinking I 'got' it...

A Brief History of Self Regulation

Column

Call me a leftist. A socialist. A communist.

Or a realist...

(Click on image to enlarge)

Compound Interest is a lovely thing

Column

Are you ready yet to become a millionaire?

If you are 20 years old, and you have 300 dollars to spare every month, then you are one hell of a lucky person.

If you're 59 and going on 60, it ain't that easy...

Under Construction!

Column

(Well, kinda' column...)

Due to a variety of reasons (most of those boiling down to me being stupid) I had (and still have!) to re-create a number of posts. I'm updating bit by bit all the broken links, but that's taking some intensive manual labor, so several links might still be broken for the upcoming weeks / months / years 😕

My apologies... this is a work in progress...

(I'll keep moving this post around until most of the links have been repaired...)

2024

Wrapping up 2024, and Welcome to 2025!

The image to the left takes you to the index (home) page which lists all major topics.

To search this blog you have to use the desktop version of this blog.

This link will show all 2024 posts.

And in spite of accomplishing nothing, somehow it doesn't feel like a bad year. That's weird...

Countdown to 2025 - #2 - Top 3 of Failed Intentions

Countdown + Column

It's the end of the year, so here we go again... Good intentions.

I have a few... Pretty much the same as last year and I just might fail yet again. But I'm going to try again! I'll tell you next year how things ended up...

Am I Passive Aggressive? Or just a Slimy Baboon?

Column

The Internet is a weird place. It has allowed people a kind of freedom, a place to express themselves in ways that were never possible before.

On the other hand, its (perceived) anonymity is often used as an excuse to attack every person who has a different opinion.

One of the weapons used is (claiming someone is being) Passive Aggressive. But what does that actually mean? That I'm a baboon?

Fat Miata / Thic Mx-5 - Why Cupholders Make All the Difference

Column + Car + MX-5 + Wallpaper

People complain my Mazda MX-5 NC2 is fat.

Let me be clear. I'm fat. My car isn't.

Read more...