Cap'n Bob & the Damsel

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What The Flock?

Two of Wickenburg’s Six Motorola ALPR Surveillance Cameras (Image Courtesy Damsel)

Lately, there have been a flurry of news articles, social media posts and You-Tube posts regarding “Flock Cameras.” The issue with most outlets is whether or not these Automated License Plate Readers (ALPR) violate the 4th Amendment to the Constitution Right to no unreasonable searches and seizures without probable cause.

I did a little research with GROK and found that there are three places here in town with Motorola ALPR cameras monitoring traffic in both directions. See the installation in the (clickable) image above for one of the locations. Two of the three locations monitor traffic along the main drag, Wickenburg Way ((Route 60). The third location monitors traffic on the southside of the main drag along Vulture Mine Road which runs north and south. According to Deflocktheusa.com”

Three ALPRs are in Wickenburg as of mid-to-late October 2026:

  • East Wickenburg Way — 1 reader
  • West Wickenburg Way — 1 reader
  • Smoketree Street — 1 reader

These are tagged as Motorola Solutions (Vigilant LPR cameras) devices under the Wickenburg Police Department. The first was reported in December 2025 and the most recent in July 2026. No Flock Safety cameras appear in the Wickenburg-specific reporting.

Note that each “1 reader” consists of two cameras.

Both the Motorola and Flock devices communicate records to a database that show the license plate number, the make and model of the vehicles and several other attributes. They do this day or night thanks to their built in IR illuminators.

So, is this a case of Big Brother watching us, or is it just a good thing that law enforcement uses to catch wrong doers? We take no position either way.

However, there have been multiple cases of abuse by some with access to the database.

There have been dozens of documented cases of police officers misusing Flock Safety and other ALPR systems to track current or former romantic partners, exes, and people connected to them. A Washington Post investigation found at least 50 such incidents nationwide; other tallies (Institute for Justice, 404 Media) put the number in a similar range, with many involving Flock specifically.

I guess that we will wait and see what happens with some of the court cases and some of the vandalism destroying, disabling or taking the cameras down. Meanwhile, drive safely.

28 Oct 2026 by Current Events Notions Technobabble 0

Acquisition of a New Camera Lens

I’ve been acquiring some new (to me) lenses for the Canon R-10 mirrorless camera. One used lens arrived today in seemingly like new condition. It is a Canon RF-16-28mm F2.8 IS STM lens. I tried out the lens for what it is supposed to do best which is wide-angle shots, close-ups, astro photography and panoramas. Other than astro which I have yet to attempt, all were very nice results.

The image above is looking west from our RV driveway showing the tops of our Paloverde and Mesquite trees, some clouds and the sun. The sunburst is clean, the clouds hold detail, and the desert trees read as Wickenburg rather than a generic blue sky. The nine-blade aperture on this lens makes a nice 18-point star when the sun is small in the frame.

I am overall pleased with the new lens and will be using it for more of what it does best in the future.

The image below is the lens. I haven’t seen lenses in the past that come with a stowed position on the zoom ring, but this one does have that and the camera puts up a message to select a valid zoom selection. Those choices appear on the right side of the barrel in the image. The zoom select is in the stow position in the image. Click on either image to enlarge.

09 Oct 2026 by Arizona Notions Photography Technobabble 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

Labor Day 2026

Happy Labor Day! We’re celebrating with grilled filet mignon steaks for dinner today. The (clickable) AI banner above isn’t far from what was on the grill today.

Labor Day marks the end of summer although in our area the temperatures will remain summer-like until late September or early October. We like to refer to this time as “Second Spring.”

About Labor Day:

Labor Day originated during the peak of the 19th-century Industrial Revolution. In 1894, President Grover Cleveland signed legislation making the first Monday in September a federal holiday.

Cultural Traditions:

  • The Unofficial End of Summer: Labor Day weekend serves as a seasonal boundary marking the return to school, the close of community pools, and the final stretch for summer vacations.
  • Barbecues & Gatherings: The early tradition of union picnics evolved into family cookouts, camping trips, and outdoor gatherings.
  • Parades & Political Speeches: While early Labor Day events featured massive union marches to demonstrate collective strength, modern parades are generally smaller community events or labor-focused political rallies.
  • Sports & Retail: The weekend marks the launch of college and high school football seasons, as well as major retail sales.

Wishing everyone a safe and happy “Second Spring!”

07 Sep 2026 by Food & Dining Holidays Notions

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

Pronghorn Leaves Wolf in the Dust

I saw this yesterday on Captain’s Journal. It is truly astounding how fast those Pronghorn Antelope can run.

I did some Grok research on the fastest land animal in the U.S.:

Q. How fast can a pronghorn antelope run?

A. Around 55–60 mph (about 88–97 km/h) at top speed for short bursts, with exceptional endurance at lower high speeds.
Pronghorn (Antilocapra americana), often called pronghorn antelope (though not a true antelope), are the fastest land mammals in North America and the second-fastest overall after the cheetah. Key reported figures include:

  • Top sprint speeds commonly cited around 55 mph (88–89 km/h) for about half a mile (roughly 800 m), with some sources noting up to 60–62 mph under good conditions.
  • Sustained speeds of roughly 40–45 mph for longer distances (e.g., a mile or more) and around 35 mph for several miles (up to 4–5+ miles in some accounts).

They outpace any current North American predator and can maintain high speeds far longer than a cheetah (which is faster in short sprints but tires quickly). Their adaptations include a large heart and lungs, oversized windpipe for oxygen intake, light bones, and cushioned hooves that help absorb impact at speed. This speed likely evolved partly in response to extinct predators like the American cheetah.

I embedded the above article from Instagram®. Click the arrow to view.

It is amazing to behold the wonders of God’s creations.

10 Aug 2026 by Critters Entertainment Notions

RV Repairs Upcoming

During the cross-country junket last year, we suffered a few problems with our RV. I’m going to mention only a couple of major problems, but, rest assured, there are many more squawks. The RV is now over ten years old and showing some wear and tear and desert rash (we still don’t have an enclosure (yet) but that will be coming, one of these days.

First and foremost, when connected to city water, the fresh water tank overflows onto the ground periodically, as if there is a valve changing position and flowing water into the fresh tank rather than throughout the water system in the RV (washer, shower, bathroom and kitchen sinks, etc. Next, the water valve that controls the toilet flush leaks and water flows into the toilet bowl and has to be flushed periodically. Both of the above problems required us to turn off the city water valve outside if we weren’t actively using the fresh water in the RV. Next, there are a few little cosmetic things on the outside that need attention.

There are other problems, as I mentioned and we gave a list of concerns to the RV repair shop to address at their shop. They ferried the RV down to the shop yesterday and we will be working with them and the insurance company to assess the problems. The repair crew advises that the adjuster for our insurance company works with them on a regular basis to diagnose and resolve problems.

So, the RV is going to be in the shop for a while. There are a lot of squawks and we don’t expect to have the big guy back anytime real soon.

Meanwhile, we’re happy here in our desert paradise, thanks to Almighty God. We remain assured that things with the RV will be resolved in good time.

02 Aug 2026 by Notions Retirement Travel Wanderlust

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