Facing challenges? Do you need encouragement?
RichC | September 12, 2013
Abby and Brittany live a life that is worth admiring. Kudos to their parents, friends, etc!
TDIClub.com: What a great group of guys
RichC | September 12, 2013
For my small part in handling the finances for the TDIClub.com, Fred sent me a carry-on bag in appreciating for a very successful TDIFest 2013 in Maine (photos & great TDI history breakfast presentation-PDF). Also below the break is a video uploaded by TooRoundTDI of a roof cam look at climbing Mt. Washington in VW […]
Remembering 9/11 from the Sandy Hook surf
RichC | September 11, 2013
Besides flying our flag at half staff for Patriot Day, I’ve been looking for something besides posting a photo as way to remember the attack on our country 12 years ago. Here is a story written by Chris Moody about Ed Hewitt who was surfing in Sandy Hook, New Jersey. “He sat by himself, straddling […]
Are you excited about the new iPhone 5s and 5c?
RichC | September 11, 2013
With all the pre-event leaks and lackluster comments from technology journalists, it is difficult for even Apple fans to get wound up about the new “same sized” iPhones. The non-surprise by Apple was reflected in a 2% decline in $AAPL shares on Wall Street and many wonder if the magic is gone? On the plus […]
Chewing string cheese to reduce tooth decay
RichC | September 10, 2013
Saw this in the Wall Street Journal personal section today and although I knew about the gum, I did not know about the string cheese (for the fun of it, I’m trying the iPhone’s Mobile OCR app to capture text). Studies show two things people can chew to help ward off tooth decay. One, Dr. […]
Good news comes with apprehension for my son Taylor
RichC | September 10, 2013
Taylor took a bold step toward his future by accepting a planning position in North Dakota. Since graduating from Miami University in May, the resumes and cover letters have been many, but openings in his field few. With the feedback always highlighting a desire for more experience, Taylor decided that starting his planning career in […]
Do you know what is lurking in the Mississippi River?
RichC | September 9, 2013
Think twice before dangling your feet in the “mighty Mississippi!” LINK
How to tell if you are mechanically inclined (semi-edited)
RichC | September 9, 2013
I chuckled when I saw this top ten list appear in a hands-on automotive forum (there were more than 10, but I shortened it). It is pretty accurate. Wherever you go, you hear your wife say "let my husband help you fix that." You have many tools (and multiple toolboxes), including special service tools […]
A day with my dad in Sidney Ohio at the Applefest and Carshow
RichC | September 8, 2013
My dad and I enjoyed the day together doing something we both enjoy – looking at cars and being together. As usual, he took his 1958 Packard Hawk to the Shelby County Applefest in downtown Sidney Ohio on Saturday and wondered if I was going to enter my Mercedes Benz 300D Turbodiesel this year. I […]
Video: Creating flying dead cats is wrong in so many ways
RichC | September 7, 2013
I’m at a loss for words … and might even have a nightmare about this! (video below)
One hot diesel SUV: The 2014 BMW X5 M50d
RichC | September 6, 2013
The newest BMW X5 diesel will be making its debut at the 2014 Frankfurt Motor Show in a few weeks and will turn a few heads; it is the most powerful X5 diesel BMW has ever built. The M50d is not planned for the U.S. but will make its 546 lb-ft of torque and 381 […]
A brilliant way to use a rake! #genius
RichC | September 6, 2013
Obit: Earl Gerber (1921-2013) — part of my extended family
RichC | September 6, 2013
When I first started my company, I had the privilege of learning about “taking care of customers” from Earl Gerber who was a long time business and sales professional in northeastern Ohio. Earl passed away at 92 in Cleveland this past week, and even through all his age related ailments, I never heard him complain. […]
My adult children are busy traveling all over the place
RichC | September 5, 2013
Zip, zip, zip … thank goodness we have airports and jet aircraft, even if air travel isn’t as comfortable as it once was. Taylor is off to North Dakota interviewing for a city planning position in the rapidly growing city of Williston ND … where his education would be seriously tested, as well as his […]
Is it duct or duck and was it called duck tape first?
RichC | September 4, 2013
Who likes to admit that they may have been wrong, or at least partially wrong? Not me that is for sure, but in the case of duct tape, I always thought “Duct Tape” the correct name and that it was around before Duck tape (branded). Unfortunately it looks like I might have to re-think this in […]
It was nice to have Monday off, but now its back to work
RichC | September 3, 2013
Labor Day was great! I was home alone and able to work around the house, although accomplished very little. Most of my time was spent in the garage sanding and adding body filter to the Mercedes Benz 300D. Since the temps were warm, I regularly cooled off in the pool and pretended to be cleaning […]
Diana Nyad completes her record swim
RichC | September 2, 2013
It is not like my long distance swimming wife needs an additional incentive to keep swimming further and further, but hearing this is sure to keep Brenda’s motivation alive. Congratulations to long distance swimmer Diana Nyad in succeeding in her open water swim “without a shark cage” from Havana to Key West this Labor Day […]
A dozen pool crashers after the heavy rain
RichC | September 2, 2013
Rain and storms made for challenging airshow
RichC | September 1, 2013
It was a great “most of the day” on Saturday to be at Red Stewart Airport in Waynesville Ohio getting our EAA284 hanger ready for the pancake breakfast on Sunday. Yes it was hot, but it is still August. The Stewarts were gracious hosts as always and we enjoyed their pulled pork and corn on […]
Americans are split regarding military action in Syria
RichC | August 31, 2013
Now that about everyone is convinced that Syria and the Assad government has used chemical weapons in their civil war and the “red line” has been crossed, the decision about what to do about it is up to President Obama. Personally I’m aligned with at least a strategic military response when it comes to Syria […]
Rental Car with lots of miles and #GifGrabber for TechFriday
RichC | August 30, 2013
According to Scott McCartney who writes for the Wall Street Journal, rental car companies are keeping cars longer and accumulating more miles than in years past. The slow creep of their aging fleet is a result of the long recession and the improved quality of today’s vehicles (industry spokesmen say), but from a car renter’s […]
Controlling a PC or Mac, iPad-Style by Walt Mossberg
RichC | August 29, 2013
I don’t care how good this “controlling a desktop computer with your iPad”app is … it can’t be worth $80 per year! “Parallels Access costs a hefty $80 per computer per year…” Parallels, a company based in Seattle that’s best known for its namesake program that allows Macs to run Windows, calls this “applifying” your […]
Santa Barbara, California to Williston, North Dakota
RichC | August 28, 2013
My recent college graduate came back from his test-taking City-County Planning interview trip to Santa Barbara today and has fallen head over heels in love with California, at least the part that he was seeing. Besides his taking the next step in the interview process, Taylor was able to explore the area a bit by […]
Mercedes Benz 300D Turbodiesel rust repair continues
RichC | August 27, 2013
Rust repairs continue along the rocker panels and jack points on the Mercedes Benz 300D Turbodiesel. The passenger side (photo left) wasn’t too bad so I opted to take care of that first. It is now under primer and ready for final sanding and eventually the black “chip resistant” paint. No that I’m on side […]
Our Federal Government: more waste, fraud and abuse
RichC | August 26, 2013
Wasteful government spending is nothing new, nor is the corruption and abuse by companies and recipients siphoning off our hard earned tax dollars. What is new is a much bigger federal government and the addition of bunches of new programs and the seeming disregard for responsible oversight that comes with a “bigger government.” It is […]
Messing with your eyes and mind
RichC | August 25, 2013
Want your eyes to look like this? Then keep looking at this “still” image! (yes it is a “still” image) 🙂
What’s an old Smith and Wesson handgun worth – $500,000?
RichC | August 24, 2013
Antiques as they relate to history hold a small, but growing, interest for me. I appreciate the collector mindset when it come to things mechanical, especially when they hold a history like certain firearms …reading about this piece sparked my curiosity. The handgun which once belonged to the gunslinger Wild Bill Hickok about 150 years […]
Will soon be trying Sprint LTE with a Freedom Spot MiFi 500
RichC | August 23, 2013
As a long time Sprint customer, I’ve been waiting for the LTE service to become in order to have better data connectivity for my iPhone 5 and with a wireless MiFi hotspot. Their service has been a painfully slow rollout in Ohio, but looks like it will soon be here. More importantly, I’m looking forward […]
CEO Steve Ballmer intends to retire from Microsoft
RichC | August 23, 2013
A big announcement day for lovers and haters of the software behemoth Microsoft (MSFT) as CEO Steve Ballmer announced that he intends to step down in the next 12 months. His timeframe will help in making a smooth transition as the board selects a new chief. Ballmer’s management has been flat-footed by all accounts […]
Confidence in NASDAQ in question after trading is halted
RichC | August 22, 2013
At about the noon hour today stocks on the NASDAQ stock exchange were halted without much news besides a “technical issue.” According to CNBC, the markets should reopen at 3:30 although a few stocks will be reopened as a test around 3PM. (Quotes “only” for other Nasdaq listed stocks begins at 3:10PM) I’ve been eyeballing […]
Re-looking at dinghy davits for Encore
RichC | August 22, 2013
I’ve come full circle in researching the best way to keep the price down and our Zodiac inflatable easily available when sailing Encore (or eventual a new lightweight RIB – AB or Walker Bay). The best davit option was to have a custom welded stainless steel (or aluminum) system made in order to hold not […]
West System Epoxy #Fail. What was I thinking?
RichC | August 21, 2013
With the best of intentions to show the “power of epoxy,” I planned to glue a board end to end and either have the car supported or have the fiber of the wood tear apart. Neither happened (43 second video below). #fail 🙂
Tesla Model S: Best safety rating of any car ever tested
RichC | August 20, 2013
It doesn’t get much safer — well done Tesla. Palo Alto, CA — Independent testing by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has awarded the Tesla Model S a 5-star safety rating, not just overall, but in every subcategory without exception. Approximately one percent of all cars tested by the federal government achieve 5 […]
Receiving praise for questionable fixes … long story
RichC | August 19, 2013
I had one of those “knight in shining armor” moments this weekend after a call for help request came in from my wife Brenda. She planned a weekend trip with her mother with a stop to visit our daughter in Columbus then to the farmhouse in New York. The primary goal is to begin taking […]
Are Northern Water Snakes populations back to normal?
RichC | August 18, 2013
A friend shared a video a YouTuber, Amy Siewe, collecting Northern Water Snakes a couple years ago and he asked me if we were concerned about snakes crawling aboard when we sailed on Lake Erie … my answer was “no, we never even though about it.” It is interesting to see the perception people have […]
Finally started fixing the Mercedes 300D rusty jack points
RichC | August 17, 2013
With Brenda out of town and few distractions, I started working on the rusty jack points and rocker areas on the 1982 Mercedes 300D Turbodiesel. I cut out a bit more than expected and re-treated the area with Ospho. More later.
Sailboat projects are always in the thinking stage
RichC | August 17, 2013
It is not time to start another sailboat project, but I wanted to archive a site from Marshall Design while I’m thinking about it. The site has some great looking fiberglass and aluminum hard enclosures which could be used on Encore (1/8/2011). The original design on our Encore is still functional, but I can […]
Learning a little about The Code of the West and planning
RichC | August 16, 2013
While helping my son bone up for an interview for a planning job west of the Mississippi … and well north too, he began reading a bit of information on the county so he can at least talk intelligently with the interviewer. He researched the area, included cities and towns, geography, political make up, culture […]
When shark fishing, a picture is worth 1000 words
RichC | August 15, 2013
A couple fishermen with a dogfish (shark family) on their line happened to lured something a little bigger as they reeled in their catch.
Josh Mandel on Squawk on the Street
RichC | August 14, 2013
Way to go Ohio State Treasurer Josh Mandel. Let’s keep the pressure on reforming Ohio and to make our state a model of openness and transparency. For those in SW Ohio … watch to the end when he compares Cincinnati to Detroit. Concerning?
Happy Birthday wishes for Brenda via FaceTime video
RichC | August 14, 2013
Before I’m accused of forgetting my wife’s birthday, I didn’t (Whew) … but am posting here a couple days late. I think this is the first time we used a video call instead of a phone call as a way to connect with someone for a birthday, at least with a photo (we used FaceTime […]
The new Audi R8 V10 plus
RichC | August 13, 2013
Ok … so I’m a diesel guy and really like Audi and VW TDIs, but … as someone a few years younger then me would say: SWWWEEET!!!
The Apple rumors are rolling today …
RichC | August 13, 2013
New devices, September dates, bigger screened iPhones, Carl Icahn taking a position in $AAPL stock. As the Mazda ad goes … zoom, zoom. Reportedly, Apple Inc (AAPL) will unveil its much anticipated next generation iPhone on Sep 10. The device tentatively called iPhone 5S (can be 6 also) is rumored to feature a larger screen, […]
What does it take to be awarded the Medal of Honor
RichC | August 13, 2013
Summer is a time to work through a pile of books (more and more ebooks) that are building up on my desk or nightstand. I rarely get through them without reading something from them worth remembering. It was particularly humbling to read about this posthumously awarded Congressional Medal of Honor recipient– Private Thomas Baker, Medal […]
Milking the system in California, where it is comfortable
RichC | August 12, 2013
Something has got to change folks … I’m not proposing a tax revolt, but I won’t have a problem supporting one! Hey Democrats … is this really the way you want to spend taxpayer dollars? (and just because Republicans lament not having leverage, I don’t plan on letting them off the hook. In other words, […]
Why is Facebook losing teens?
RichC | August 12, 2013
A few years ago Facebook rocketed to popularity as a social network for the .EDU college crowd … or .edu to be net savvy (lc). This emerging adult crowd was the envy of every high school teen and "wanna be older" pre-high student and having a Facebook account was a coming of age milestone. Parents […]
Met up with a high school/college friend after 30+ years
RichC | August 11, 2013
Thanks to Facebook, I had a chance to meet up with a friend from high school (and grad school) that I haven’t seen in 30+ years. We had a mutual love for photography and both headed in different directions after school. She married and moved to Cincinnati and I married and started life in Cleveland. […]
What’s causing an overheated fuse in a Mercedes 300D?
RichC | August 10, 2013
Was suppose to post on Saturday, but the WordPress Postie plugin failed me again. It looks like something is causing enough draw on this circuit to overheat the plastic of this fuse, but not enough to blow the fuse?
Sprint LTE testing in and around Cincinnati Ohio
RichC | August 9, 2013
A friend of mine (thanks Tim) mentioned that it looked like Sprint was testing their LTE setup along I-75 in and around Cincinnati. I’ve been trying to remember to check it when in West Chester after hearing it was on north of the I-275 outer belt. so, while in town this we I remembered as […]
New TDI diesel engines from Volkswagen
RichC | August 8, 2013
It makes me nervous when major changes are made to Volkswagen’s TDI engines, but according to a NYTimes Wheels blog article there are new efficient diesel power plants planned for Golf, Beetle, Passat and Jetta models next year. A few years the Pumpe Düse unit injector PD engine displace VW’s ALH motor which was one […]
Freedompop announces a new Sprint 4G LTE and 3G hotspot
RichC | August 7, 2013
A new LTE device launched yesterday according to an email I receive regarding a service inquiry I made. Thanks for your interested in FreedomPop’s very first 4G LTE capable device, the Freedom Spot 5580 LTE mobile hotspot. The 5580 LTE hotspot can connect up to 10 wifi capable devices and experience average speeds of 6-8Mbps […]
Fukushima nuke plant leaking A LOT of contaminated water
RichC | August 7, 2013
Depressing … “A [Japanese] government official told reporters Wednesday that an estimated 300 metric tons (330 tons) of contaminated water was leaking into the ocean every day …” LINK
Amazing pod of Killer Whales having fun
RichC | August 7, 2013
http://youtu.be/kjDvaT5z1Lk
How to strike out with only one pitch
RichC | August 6, 2013
http://youtu.be/34-vgeCIMMU
A couple mid-summer house photos
RichC | August 6, 2013
It has been absolutely beautiful weather with cooler than normal temperatures and sunny days. I’m shocked to be cutting grass that is still green and impressed how nice it looks for August. By this time of year the front lawn is usually a yellow brown and the stripes of our leech bed pretty obvious … […]
Boats that grow legs … or wheels as the case may be
RichC | August 5, 2013
Sealegs has been developing a their boat without need for a trailer idea for a while now … still a great idea if you’ve got a spare $159,000 to $179,000 sitting around. (LINK)
If Detroit is the canary in the coalmine for pubic pensions…
RichC | August 5, 2013
… what about employees and retirees of private companies – those who still have a pension plan? Almost everyone realizes that public pensions are going to remain a major problem for our country, but not as many realize just how underfunded pensions are for most large corporations. A report published by S&P Dow Jones shows […]
Enjoying a Nathan’s hotdog!
RichC | August 4, 2013
Brenda and her mom enjoying a near perfect day in Cincinnati (West Chester) having a Nathan’s hotdog. EDIT: The original image was tinted so red from under the umbrella that I opted to go black and white for a change.
Latest WordPress upgrade to 3.6 and plug in changes
RichC | August 4, 2013
It has been a few years since the automatic update from WordPress.org failed on my server … and only after the fact did I regret not doing a full backup prior to attempting the update (really, I’m posting just to see that all is working after the upgrade). After downloading the new install files and […]
The old MB 300D hit the 200K milestone today
RichC | August 3, 2013
This odometer mileage isn’t that impressive for a Mercedes diesel, but anytime a 30-plus year old car is still cruising the highway at 200,000, it’s something to crow about.
Desultory - des-uhl-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee
- lacking in consistency, constancy, or visible order, disconnected; fitful: desultory conversation.
- digressing from or unconnected with the main subject; random: a desultory remark.