Cap'n Bob & the Damsel

Cyberspace

Blogiversary 21

For an incredible 21 years, “Cap’n Bob and the Damsel” has been navigating the vast digital sea, and we owe every single milestone of this journey to you, our wonderful readers. Whether you’ve been on board since our very first post back in 2005 or just recently dropped anchor in our comments section, your unwavering support, lively discussions, and shared enthusiasm have been the wind in our sails. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for reading, laughing, and growing alongside us through two decades of blogging -— here’s to celebrating the past and looking forward to many more adventures together!

22 Sep 2026 by Blogosphere Cyberspace 0

Artificial Intelligence and
 the Resistance Thereto

Now that researchers in the US have made significant advances in Artificial Intelligence, there are hysterical cries about AI “destroying humanity.” What’s up with all of the crazy predictions?

The short version: most of those predictions are not about today’s chatbots turning into Skynet next Tuesday. They are about a hypothetical later system—something much more capable and autonomous than current models—getting goals that don’t stay lined up with human survival, then being competent enough to act on them. That idea is old, loud, and wildly contested.

As you might expect, the loudest opposition to AI is from the political left, who seem to want to destroy everything that President Trump is for. Moreover, they seem to want to destroy America, the Constitution, Christianity, the Family Unit and anything else that is normal and good about the country, AI destroying us is just the latest bullshit scam akin to Y2K, Covid19, etc.

Be sure to get out and vote this November. Stop the crazies from taking over. Stay armed, watch your six and pray.

Artificial Intelligence – a look into some of the terms being used.

Stage Meaning Status (2026)
ANI — Artificial Narrow Intelligence Good at specific tasks. Can be superhuman at chess, translation, or protein folding and still helpless outside that box. This is almost everything deployed today.
AGI — Artificial General Intelligence Roughly human-level across most cognitive work: learn new domains, transfer skills, handle messy real-world tasks. Contested. Some lab leaders say “we’re there or close.” Most researchers and independent tests say not yet.
ASI — Artificial Superintelligence Clearly beyond the best humans, and in stronger definitions beyond large teams of experts, across nearly all mental work. Still hypothetical.

Clickable image above from ChatGPT. Table from Grok.

And this from Cartoonist Gary Varvel:

15 Sep 2026 by Cyberspace Notions Technobabble Whacko Politics 0

Starlink Surprise

I was alerted a couple of days ago by my Starlink App that a “Mesh Node” was trying to connect to the Router. I Had no idea why a mesh node might be trying to connect, so I asked Grok to explain it to me:

A new Starlink mesh node (or extra router used as one) will try to join your network automatically once you power it on. The Starlink app usually shows a “PAIR NEW MESH NODE” (or similar “New Mesh Node(s)”) notification within about 1–2 minutes if everything is working.

Grok then told me how to set up my new mesh node. Problem is that I don’t have a mesh node or anything else like that. Could it be that a neighbor has one?

Yes, it could be a neighbor’s mesh node.

Starlink mesh nodes broadcast a pairing request when they power up (or after a reset). Your app can detect a nearby unpaired node and show the “PAIR NEW MESH NODE” (or “New Mesh Node”) notification even if the hardware isn’t yours. The official Starlink Mesh Installation Guide includes this exact wording on the prompt:

“A new node is attempting to pair with your network. Please reject this request if you don’t own Starlink mesh nodes.”

What to do:

  • Deny / Block / Reject the request in the app. Do not pair it.
  • Check the Network > Nodes section afterward. You should be able to see previously blocked nodes if you need to manage them later.
  • The node will not join your network or use your bandwidth unless you explicitly approve the pairing.

I did as the AI instructed and blocked the node request.

Later, when I took Tucker out for a walk, I noticed someone finishing up installation of a Starlink Antenna on the house about 60 yards to the northwest of here (see the marked clickable image above for the circled locations of the neighbor’s antenna and our antenna).

Grok further instructed me that if I had the mystery node blocked, that I could just ignore it henceforth.

I looked into mesh nodes for possible use as a range extender for our use, but with our current setup, the range limitations for a barefoot Starlink Mini are sufficiently adequate for our needs, both at home and on the road.

22 Aug 2026 by Arizona Cyberspace Notions Technobabble

Camera Comparison

On a whim and a notion or two, I added this Canon EOS R-10 Mirrorless Camera to my small collection of cameras, lenses and and accessories. I wanted to try it out and see if I might be able to get better pictures and performance above my Canon EOS SL3 DSLR, with which I am still very much pleased.

It’s purely a hobby thing for me, with a side interest in support of blogging and posting on social media. We also post photos taken during our vacations and other travels. We have a full complement of lenses for the DSLRs, and now, an adapter to fit the older lenses to the new camera, so there is still a lot of experimentation and futzing around to be done, so the jury is still out on making any judgement of one camera to the other.

The one most noticeable aspect is the weight of the new camera and lenses are considerably lighter than the DSLR and it’s assortment of lenses. Comparing similar capabilities, we have this:

  • Canon SL3 equipped with an EF 55-250mm – 2lb 5oz
  • Canon R-10 equipped with an RF 55-210mm – 1lb 12oz

Since birds are the most prevalent photogenic life form in the area, we will use a couple of those photos (both are candid snapshots) to show off each camera’s stuff. Click on either photo to view enlarged.

First, this is a photo of a Curve Billed Thrasher atop the big Saguaro by the garage:

I took the above photo with the SL3 during my morning walk. The bird is sort of back/side lit by the sun, but there is still enough ambient reflected light available to render the feathers, beak and eyes without any real difficulty. The cactus spines are sharp (both photographically and otherwise) and the blue sky serves as a nice backdrop to the bird.

And then there is this one I took with the R-10 this morning of a Cactus Wren perched on the tip of one of the Ocotillos out back:

I am very satisfied with this photo. It was good fortune that the bird perched on the top of one of the canes on the ocotillo. It was further good fortune that as I encountered this shot, the bird wasn’t too far away from where I was shooting. The wren is in very good focus and the background bokeh serves as a very pleasant backdrop nicely framing the main subject.

To be honest, the R-10 may have some weight and operational advantages over the SL3, but both cameras exhibit one very important set of characteristics when it comes to amateur photography: luck, providence, good fortune and subject matter. A little bit of good judgement is also rewarded.

Bottom line: I’m not going to stop using either camera as I pursue some more interesting photo topics – astro, action, macro, panoramic, and a host of others.

21 Mar 2026 by Blogosphere Cyberspace Entertainment Notions Photography Wanderlust

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

I’ve been fooling around with some AI lately and I understand that some users have been using AI to write code. So, I tried my hand at asking it to write a script for a countdown to the new year. I asked for JavaScript to be embedded in HTML and it produced the result seen below. The AI (Google Gemini) produced JavaScript, HTML and the Style Script (CSS). All I had to do was provide the HTML Header and Body and, voila, the counter worked right off the bat. Link to Gemini code.

If you see “Happy New Year” instead of the counter, then It is already (MST) 2026.

I’m posting this some 32 hours or so before the new year so visitors to the site can see the counter. I may (just for grins) change the code to countdown to 2027 after the new year.

So, from both The Damsel and I, we wish you all a happy and prosperous New Year in 2026!

UPDATE: I changed the target to St. Valentine’s Day 2026!

30 Dec 2025 by Cyberspace Entertainment Holidays Technobabble

Grokipedia On The Sonoran Desert

One of the good things coming up in cyberspace is Grokipedia, which should be an unbiased alternate to the left-wing-biased Wikipedia. It’s still in its beginning stages of development, but some folks think it is already better and more accurate than its left-wing counterpart. Elon thinks it’s the best!

I asked Grok AI to give me Grokipedia’s take on Sonoran Desert Wildlife. This colorful description came back:

Grokipedia: Sonoran Desert Wildlife

“The desert’s not empty—it’s just picky about who it invites to the party.”

The Sonoran Desert—spanning Arizona, California, Sonora (Mexico), and a sliver of Baja—covers ~100,000 sq mi of the hottest, driest, *wettest* desert in North America. It gets two rainy seasons (winter Pacific fronts + summer monsoons), which is why saguaro cacti can grow 40 ft tall and why the wildlife here looks like it read the survival manual, then rewrote it in glitter pen.

Signature Species (the ones that sell postcards)

Animal Grok’s Hot Take Fun Fact
Saguaro cactus (technically a plant, but it’s the mascot) A 200-year-old apartment complex for birds, bats, and insects. One arm can weigh 2 tons when full of monsoon water.
Gila monster Venomous lizard that looks like it’s wearing beaded armor from the 1980s. Only U.S. lizard with venom; bites like a stubborn stapler.
Roadrunner Real-life cartoon: accelerates 0–20 mph in 3 strides, eats rattlesnakes for brunch. Can lower its body temp by 8 °F at night to save water.
Harris’ hawk The only raptor that hunts in wolf-pack formation—stack attacks from 50 ft up. Juveniles stay with parents for *years*; family dinner is mandatory.
Cactus wren State bird of Arizona; builds football-shaped nests in cholla cacti like it’s trolling predators. Sings a descending car-alarm duet with its mate.

Weirdos You’ll Miss If You Blink

  • Kangaroo rat: Never drinks water. Gets moisture from seeds + *exhales cold air* to condense humidity on its nose at night.
  • Desert tortoise: 100-year lifespan, digs 30-ft burrows that become Airbnb for 20 other species.
  • Tarantula hawk wasp: 3-inch blue-black nightmare that paralyzes tarantulas, drags them home, lays one egg. Baby eats spider alive. *Pain index: 4.0/4.0 (“blinding, fierce, like a lightning strike”)*.
  • Coati: Raccoon’s long-nosed cousin that raids campsites with a 30-member gang.
  • Elf owl: World’s smallest owl (size of a sparrow), nests in saguaro cavities carved by woodpeckers.

    • Adaptations That Should Be Illegal

    1. Water hacking
    – Bats visit hummingbird feeders at night.
    – Javelinas (peccaries) eat prickly pear pads—spines and all—then use the stored water.

    2. Heat cheating
    – Scorpions glow neon under UV light (blacklight raves in the sand).
    – Sidewinder rattlesnakes “sidewind” to touch only two points of 140 °F sand at a time.

    3. Camouflage level: expert
    – Horned lizards squirt blood from their eyes up to 6 ft to gross out predators.
    – Pocket mice change coat color seasonally like a desert mood ring.

    Night Shift (80 % of action happens after sunset)

    Time Event
    7 PM Bats exodus from cave roosts—millions in some spots (e.g., Arizona’s “bat tornado”).
    10 PM Coyotes yip in surround sound; kit foxes hunt kangaroo rats by moonlight.
    2 AM Ringtails (cat-raccoon hybrids) tightrope-walk on saguaro arms stealing fruit.
    4 AM Elf owls hunt scorpions using UV vision (yes, they see the glow).

    Threats (because even badass deserts need therapy)

    • Invasive buffelgrass: Imported for cattle, now a wildfire super-fuel that kills saguaros.
    • Border wall: Blocks migration corridors for jaguars, ocelots, and coatis.
    • Groundwater pumping: Tucson’s aquifer drop = dead ironwood trees = no nurse plants for baby saguaros.

    Pro Tip for Visitors

    Bring a blacklight. The desert floor becomes a neon disco of scorpions. Just don’t step on them.

    TL;DR: The Sonoran isn’t a barren wasteland—it’s a 24/7 survival reality show with better costumes. Bring water, respect the venom, and let the cactus wren be your alarm clock.

    I am greatly impressed with the use of AI humor and other tongue in cheek descriptions in the article it rendered. Hopefully, folks will begin turning away from the evil Commiepedia in favor of this new, useful and entertaining platform.

    04 Nov 2025 by Arizona Cyberspace Notions Technobabble

    Starlink and DirecTV Accessibility

    Clickable image – Northern Sky View.

    We’re camping in a very nice place in the Shenandoah Valley area of Virginia. It is a wooded area with lots of large trees. Unfortunately, for the reception of signals from space satellites, the trees attenuate the microwave signals from the satellites, and can make reception difficult or impossible.

    The image above is our view of the Northern Sky where we would point our Starlink® antenna for internet access. After trying to access the Starlink constellation, the app on the phone reported that there was no access to the internet. Note that the orbits of the Starlink satellites are moving across the sky with the ground antenna attempting to lock onto and track the satellites as they move across the sky. The access failed and we finally gave up on using the Starlink at this location.

    Clickable image – Southern Sky View.

    This next image is of the southern sky from our campsite. In spite of the ominous presence of signal-impeding trees, we are getting good DirecTV satellite reception. I suppose that the stationary (geo-synchronous) satellites are visible between the branches of the lofty trees in that direction.

    So, we’re watching our TV shows and enjoying them on DirecTV. As for internet access, we have a fallback position for secure access via our smartphone carrier. We pay a few bucks a month to have this backup and it’s doing its job tonight.

    24 Jul 2025 by Cyberspace Entertainment Notions Technobabble Wanderlust

    Categories

    Archives