Columbus Chess Club Last Night

Here's what happened at the Columbus Chess Club last night:

Last week, we had a new player join us—Leno. He's from Brazil and is currently a summer intern at Cummins Engine Company. Based on his play, I'd estimate he's about a Class C player.

This week, four more new players showed up. Two of them are brothers, and one is Leno's roommate. Although they claimed Chess.com ratings in the 950–1100 range, they played surprisingly well against both James and me. They are comparable to James.  He struggled against them, and I even lost one myself, so I think that they are in the B class.

With 11 players in attendance, our small meeting space felt a bit crowded.

Chess is more popular than ever, and seeing new, stronger players emerge in Columbus is a welcome development.

Eli is a 13-year-old about to turn 14.  He plays astonishingly well. My record against him was only slightly positive. His mother brought him to the club late last night, and he scored 3 out of 5 against me.

Eli has an Expert-level understanding of his openings. I wasn't well prepared for his repertoire, which is something I can work on. Our games are intense positional battles, which remind me of playing masters, and I believe he has real potential to become one.

Although Eli calculates very well, I sometimes manage to spot tactics that he overlooks. Also, if I can reach an endgame against him, I usually win.

Due to other commitments, Eli can only attend the club occasionally.

Since I'm officially ranked 27th in the state, I've enjoyed the status of being the top player in Columbus, once by a wide margin. That distinction may no longer hold, but I welcome the challenge of stronger competition.


Best wishes,

John Coffey

When was the clock radio invented?

In the mid-1970s, while I was a teenager, I was thrilled to get a clock radio.  It meant that I could wake to music and news.    I don't remember for sure, but I think that I got up between 6:30 to 7:00 to catch a roughly 7:30 to 7:45 bus, which traveled less than 2 miles, and I was in class by 8:00.  As I recall, our school got out some time between 3:00 and 3:30.

"The first radio alarm clock was reportedly invented in the 1940s by James F. Reynolds and Paul L. Schroth Sr. While these inventors are credited, the origins of the clock radio are somewhat unclear, with no official U.S. Patent Office record. The Sony Dream Machine, released in 1968, is considered a notable early example of a clock radio featuring a snooze button and AM/FM radio. 
Elaboration:
Early Inventors:
James F. Reynolds and Paul L. Schroth Sr. are widely credited with the invention of the first radio alarm clock in the 1940s. 
Lack of Official Record:
The exact details of the clock radio's invention are not documented in the U.S. Patent Office, leaving some ambiguity about the precise timeline. 
Early Models:
While Reynolds and Schroth are credited, the exact models they invented are not widely documented. The Sony Dream Machine, released in 1968, is considered a landmark clock radio. 
Evolution:
Early clock radios were large and heavy, but they evolved into more compact and portable models, including those with digital displays and additional features like smartphone charging stations. "
https://www.google.com/search?q=when+was+the+clock+radio+invented&rlz=1C1GCEU_enUS1160US1160&oq=when+was+the+clock+radi&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqBwgAEAAYgAQyBwgAEAAYgAQyBggBEEUYOTIICAIQABgWGB4yCAgDEAAYFhgeMggIBBAAGBYYHjINCAUQABiGAxiABBiKBTINCAYQABiGAxiABBiKBTINCAcQABiGAxiABBiKBTIKCAgQABiABBiiBDIKCAkQABiABBiiBNIBCDY3NTBqMGo3qAIAsAIA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

L3 Airport Security Scanner

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BciNv4LKC68&t=700s

The airport scanner's logo is L3, which is a company I worked for from 2001 to 2014.

I left Utah ten years ago today

I left Utah ten years ago today—on Cinco de Mayo.

This followed three intense days of packing. I only took what could fit in my car; everything else I sold or gave away. The car was packed so full that I couldn't squeeze in a single extra item. I even had to mail a box of pans I'd bought on Black Friday to my new home in New Whiteland, Indiana. (It's still hard to believe my car was so full that there wasn't room for a box of pans.)

I had planned to leave around 10:30 in the morning because I had a hotel reservation in Nebraska. But I wasn't ready until about 3:30 in the afternoon, and I didn't arrive at my hotel until around 1:00 AM. I remember liking Ogallala, Nebraska—a small town in the middle of nowhere—with a kind of quiet charm.

I had lived in Salt Lake City for over 22 years. I liked Utah; it had a profound impact on my life and career. I worked three jobs, moving from the video game industry to a major military contractor. I also spent 22 years running a chess club I started, organized tournaments, and served on the board of directors of the Utah Chess Association.

As I left Salt Lake City, I stopped on I-80 just before entering Parleys Canyon. I stepped out of the car for about 30 seconds—right there on the highway—just to take one last look at the place I had called home for more than two decades. Even though I loved Salt Lake City, I told myself that my future lay ahead. Then I got back in the car, and as I drove into the mountains, Salt Lake City disappeared from view.