RichC | February 26, 2015
Ever since getting my Keurig Coffeemaker back in 2009, I’ve used it nearly everyday … and multiple times a day at that. It makes making single cups of coffee easier and keeps my coffee drink habit to cups rather than pots! I purchase a variety of specialty coffees or cans of coffee (usually Chock Full […]
RichC | February 25, 2015
With oil prices down and the stock market in rally mode (particularly these top 5 Nasdaq stocks), it might be time to nibble on a few of TheStreet Ratings best Oil and Gas companies (below). I’ve been watching a few of the “big oil” companies figuring it was time to start building a more diversified […]
RichC | February 24, 2015
CEO Steven Mollenkopf spoke with Maria Bartiromo on Sunday Morning Futures this past weekend about his company Qualcomm Inc. ($70.94 -0.58 -0.81%) and dealing with taxes and low interest rates impact his business decision making. About taxes, Mollenkopf commented that the high current U.S. corporate tax rates (graph below) encourage investment and job creation overseas […]
RichC | February 23, 2015
While getting sidetracked from the Whale Gusher Mk3 pump rebuild (soaking and cleaning), I started working on Encore’s hatch screen idea since it will soon be bug season on the sailboat in Florida. I’ve been mulling around a few way to “frame” the fiberglass screen material and ending up forgoing the stainless steel for […]
RichC | February 22, 2015
Joey Legano took the win in 2015’s NASCAR’s season opening race, the Daytona 500, with an exciting finish with the yellow flag waving due to a wreck in the rear of the field. The racers bunched for a restart after cleaning up with 3 laps to go and there was no looking back for Legano. […]
RichC | February 22, 2015
As predicted, we pick up our share of snow in the Cincinnati area on Saturday. I was hoping to make it through the winter without having to put the chains and snowblower on the old John Deere, but realized Friday night that it was not to be. Thankfully all operated as it was suppose […]
RichC | February 21, 2015
CNBC interviewed Gov. Scott Walker on Thursday morning (video below) as America is beginning to talk and take note of him as he makes the media rounds. It is early, but for Walker getting a little better better name recognition is a way to keep dollars growing for a potential (and likely) campaign run to […]
RichC | February 20, 2015
This content is restricted.
RichC | February 20, 2015
I made the big 99 cent plunge a couple months ago in paying for more Apple iCloud space primarily to keep data on my iPhone and iPad safely backed up (although it is easy enough to do with and iTunes Lightening to USB connected computer). What I’m finding is that using iCloud is becoming a […]
RichC | February 19, 2015
As mentioned previously, I returned my “out of production” (Europe only) Victorinox SwissFlame knife in for warranty service, and although they could not repair it, they honored the lifetime warranty. Not only did they sent me the new SwissTool™ Spirit X as a replacement, but they return the defective knife – superb customer service. As […]
RichC | February 18, 2015
I’ve posted, and have been following, Nicki Bluhm and The Gramblers for the last couple of years ever since hearing their first Van Session. I’ll keep updating since the new music continues to appeal to me … and might even check with Brenda to see if we should plan a night out on April 29th […]
RichC | February 18, 2015
Taylor and his friend Nick took advantage of a long weekend to take a trip from frozen North Dakota to Boulder, Colorado and Wyoming, just as they did over Thanksgiving. They skirted just east of the Rocky Mountains and had great weather. Since there were only two guys to split the gas this trip, I’m […]
RichC | February 17, 2015
Vistaprint produced a great television commercial that is currently running on a couple national cable channels. Perhaps I like it because it is “printing” or “entrepreneur” related, but the passing down of a small business does tug at my heart strings. (here’s an additional video on the making of the commercial).
RichC | February 16, 2015
On a personal update, my Dad is doing a better with a bit of supervision and improved eating and sleeping habits … thanks to my brother Ron and his wife Claire. The last couple weeks instead of living alone at home, they have moved him in with them temporarily (we’ll see?) in order to get […]
RichC | February 16, 2015
Eventually I’m interested in getting the Cape Horn Self-Steering gear working aboard Encore, but I’m still missing a few parts. Two of the crucial items are the Light and Heavy vanes that make the corrections that pivot the steering gears paddle. The paddle (in the water) amplifies the force in order to control the rudder […]
RichC | February 15, 2015
After reading the subject line, I realized that “more that the two of us” would have been a little odd … but thank you Brenda for making dinner special. One of Saturday’s projects was taking apart a Whale Galley water pump and ordering a rebuild kit online. After pricing it on a few boating sites, […]
RichC | February 14, 2015
There was no love lost from customers of Intuit’s Turbo Tax software, and like many, I quickly looked to their competitors when I saw Intuit’s “money grab” in January 2015. Although the company responded with an apology and offered a $25 rebate to those who eventually figured out they needed to upgrade their Deluxe edition […]
RichC | February 13, 2015
The U.S. stock market rallied this week and closed Friday in nose bleed territory. The Dow finished the day at 18,019.35 up 47 points and S&P 500 setting a new record as well up .41 percent at 2096.99. The Nasdaq was up as well and closed at 4893.84, nearing its old high of 5,048.62 back […]
RichC | February 13, 2015
Judging from the suggestions complaints to Google from users making an accidental “mouse swipe” through their online Calendar app, it looks like I’m not the only one frustrated. The problem of scrolling to the wrong month has existed for years and is most noticeable when using the Apple OS and their Magic Mouse. The sensitivity […]
RichC | February 12, 2015
The litigious society we live in gets plenty of criticism, most of it deservingly, but all to often the benefits are overlooked. Air travel for example is safer than it has ever been thanks to innovation and attention to design, maintenance, technology and training … and the improvements due to the costs forced on manufacturers […]
RichC | February 11, 2015
This content is restricted.
RichC | February 10, 2015
A journalist I really respect, Sharyl Attkisson, delivered a Tedx talk a couple days ago and discussed “Astroturf and manipulation of media messages” as it relates to the perversion of grassroots reporting and marketing. The concept of astroturfing is to deceptively use all forms of media and social networks in order to manipulate thoughts and […]
RichC | February 9, 2015
When I was down working on our sailboat Encore last week (helped my friend Mark on Zola), I must admit it felt good to be in shorts and flip-flops for a couple days. The weather was sunny but not necessarily hot … but perfect for boat work. Primarily the goal was to meet up with […]
RichC | February 8, 2015
It was a beautiful mid-February weekend here in southwest Ohio and perfect for driving the old Mercedes and washing the salt off our Honda Pilot. On Saturday I drove up to my brother and sister-in-law’s house to see my dad for the afternoon and take him out to lunch. He is currently staying with them […]
RichC | February 7, 2015
Those spending much time around me know that I’m a pocket knife (and tool) kind of guy. I’ve carried a knife ever since I was 5 years old … yes FIVE. I actually still have that “little tiny” inch and a quarter bladed souvenir pocket knife that was given to me by my grandfather. He […]
RichC | February 6, 2015
While watching my Twitter feed and tuning into Squawkbox on CBNC (my usual morning routine), the excitement was notable particularly since partisans on both sides of the political spectrum spar to take credit for improving numbers. We do seem to be on a trajectory of adding jobs consistently which should eventually put pressure on employers […]
RichC | February 5, 2015
Years ago back when I was in high school and college, I still had an uninhibited imagination when it came to what mechanical innovations were possible. I wasn’t yet tainted by the words “no, can’t, impossible, unrealistic, etc.” In those days I was studying engineering and all things mechanical, I thought by now it would […]
RichC | February 4, 2015
While walking out to the boat in the evening, I glanced down to see an odd looking object floating and then sinking in the water next to the dock. Sure enough a quick LED light from the iPhone illuminated the Manatee “sleeping” just beneath the water. The purpose of this trip was primarily to meet […]
RichC | February 3, 2015
Undeveloped World War II Film Discovered from The Rescued Film Project on Vimeo.
RichC | February 2, 2015
Give this Native American story some thought … A Native American grandfather tells his grandson that there are two wolves inside of him, fighting for control. One wolf, is the wolf of love, peace, and kindness. The other wolf is a wolf of greed, hatred, and corruption. The grandson asks "Which wolf will win?" The […]
RichC | February 1, 2015
(Edited image above to reflect final score) Ok, so that was a bit of a tease since it’s still a few hours before the 6:30 PM kickoff as we wait for what is debatably the biggest sporting event of the year, the Superbowl (thinking World Cup). Anyway the marketeers have been out in force prepping […]
RichC | January 31, 2015
The inexpensive miracle cleaner and kitchen staple known as vinegar has hundreds if not thousands of uses … but few of those uses are as helpful as cleaning and dissolving hard water calcium build up. I use a vinegar mix regularly for window washing, as a way to keep the shower and shower head free […]
RichC | January 30, 2015
Besides splicing a shackle to a halyard on a sailboat, I’ve used the mighty bowline tied directly to a sail grommet or to a shackle. Here’s a knot I haven’t tried — the Halyard Knot — and considering that it is most likely a permanent knot, perhaps whipping the end to the standing line would […]
RichC | January 29, 2015
I’m the prime example of a “hardware-aholic” because I needed to replace a couple stainless steel hose clamps and ended up buying over 3 pounds of used clamps. I know grocery and clothes shoppers do it, but my weakness is hardware … and perhaps tools. My recent eBay buy was a perfect example of single […]
RichC | January 28, 2015
After 6-years of saving $2,500 each year on our “unchanged plan” or greatly improved “21st century” Obamacare health care plan, Democrats in congress and President Obama have made it possible for average Americans to have now amassed $15,000 (6 yrs x $2500) … no thanks to those Republicans voting against it (#sarcasm). And since getting […]
RichC | January 27, 2015
Our mouse and rodent catcher made an appearance on Monday afternoon just after the snow had finished up for the day. The bright afternoon sunshine came out and must have brought out both the hunter and his prey? Normally our previous Hawks will sit back on the fence or spend time circling looking for varmints. […]
RichC | January 26, 2015
It’s really not a laughing matter, but a drone flying around the White House is unfortunately a sign of the times. Technology has advanced to the point that a person who wants a quadcopter or UAV can probably buy/build and fly them … some more successfully than others, sorry Vice President Biden. WASHINGTON – A […]
RichC | January 26, 2015
We celebrated my dad’s birthday this past weekend with pizza and conversation at my brother and sister-in-law’s in home. While it is difficult to see my dad getting older and more feeble, I’m still thankful he is able to enjoy time with his family. His spirit is good, although for the first time in my […]
RichC | January 25, 2015
I picked up a book, The Rape Of Nanking: The Forgotten Holocaust Of World War II, published in 1997 and written by the late Iris Chang. I decided to read it after a bit of Twitter sparring with CBJapan1 and his/her “allegation of lying” about the book and movie Unbroken, as well as how America […]
RichC | January 24, 2015
The auto shows across North America are in full swing for the winter of 2015 and while keeping an eye to what is coming is always interesting, there are a few quiet stand outs that have peaked my interest. The capable and respected (AND fairly expensive) Land Rovers have always been interesting, but in the […]
RichC | January 23, 2015
If you are an Apple Macintosh user and have been living with a cluttered desktop, give the free program Hocus Focus a try … if you like it, make a donation. The purpose of the small program is to automatically hide unused but opened applications and windows so it is easier to focus on the […]
RichC | January 22, 2015
My wife has been busy cleaning out our closets and getting rid of “old stuff.” One the the items dates back in 2003 and brought back memories of my “space girl.” My daughter Katelyn was inspired by science and particularly by an adventurous NASA, space exploration and astronomy. In part, her interest could have been […]
RichC | January 21, 2015
After taking notes during the State of the Union address I went to bed disgusted rather than hopeful … even though I knew in advance the direction President Obama would be saying in his address. Call me sentimental or just hopeful, but I really thought that after the mid-term elections where, “make no mistake, his […]
RichC | January 20, 2015
The Twitter updates last night kept me up late than usual as I contemplated how this would impact traffic on I-75. The heavy construction north of Cincinnati has been challenging the last year or so and having the old Hopple Street overpass pancake collapse on the southbound heavily traveled interstate highway is going to be […]
RichC | January 20, 2015
Once I priced a rebuilt brake caliper the 1982 Mercedes Benz 300D Turbodiesel, I knew I would be rebuilding the the caliper this past weekend, especially since the seal kit was only $9.00 on eBay. The project was pretty straight forward, but removing the old “baked” on seals was not as easy at one might […]
RichC | January 19, 2015
One can’t help but smile watching the Dover Delaware Police cam video with one of their officers lip syncing to “Shake it Off” by Taylor Swift. That said, one of my videos infringed on an Oprah Winfrey segment years ago and YouTube takes down my account and deletes over 100 of my personal videos spanning […]
RichC | January 19, 2015
Football was on call for Sunday afternoon and evening with the final two NFL playoff games. First was perhaps the most exciting game I’ve watched in a long time seeing the conservative play-calling of the Green Bay Packers dominate the first 3 quarters of football. Then last years Superbowl champs lead by Russell Wilson came […]
RichC | January 18, 2015
I’m sure this idea has been around for a while since I’ve even tried my hand at welding with a car battery … but did you know you can create fire by cutting gum foil and using a small 1/1/2 volt battery?
RichC | January 17, 2015
While visiting my dad in Sidney, Ohio this week I could help but catch the headlines in the local paper – Honda invests $340M in AEP (Anna Engine Plant). The area has certainly changed since I was in high school … and Honda’s manufacturing investment and jobs starting in 1985 has been a real boost […]
RichC | January 16, 2015
This content is restricted.
RichC | January 16, 2015
It has been a few years since my wife and I have gone to the movie theatre, but when Katelyn and Drew were visiting they convinced us to go with them to the movie Unbroken. Besides being a history oriented true story based on the book by Lauren Hillenbrand, the WWII timelined story put to […]
RichC | January 15, 2015
While watching the stock market decline and gold prices rise this week (Swiss franc against the euro decoupling) and listening to economists suggest deflation is likely, it is becoming clear that the slowdown overseas will be impacting earning for large cap companies and international funds. The U.S. economy seems to be holding up, but pension […]
RichC | January 15, 2015
While posting a few bits on Facebook this weekend, I ran across a January “sale” for Cubic Mini Woodstove sized for RVs and boats. I’ve entertained the idea before and concluded that a small propane fired bulkhead stove aboard Encore would be the best way to warm up the cabin, but there is something attractive […]
RichC | January 14, 2015
Imagine the Elio if it also came with wings? It might look something like the Aeromobil 3.0 prototype. I have to admit that I’m one of those dreamers who envisioned a flying car in my lifetime. Perhaps it is just a pipe dream, but I do envy those fortunate enough to be working on projects […]
RichC | January 13, 2015
When looking at the U.S. financial indices for the first half of January 2015, one would be hard pressed to believe the optimistic opinions from most financial analysts and those talking about the domestic economy. Most cite the low interest environment and low energy prices as a reason to be optimistic, but day to day […]
RichC | January 13, 2015
The first ever College Football Playoff Championship game will determine this season’s best college team as the National Championship game starts in about and hour. The game with see the Pac-12 champion Oregon Ducks against “our” Big Ten champion Ohio State Buckeyes. Odds makers favor the Ducks by 7. Both teams have have had an […]
RichC | January 12, 2015
As a conservative … politically, I probably don’t give enough credit to the Old Gray Lady for their often excellent articles covering content outside of politics. This weekend was no exception and I wanted to archive an article which has personal interest … and is something I’d like to look in to as an investor […]
RichC | January 11, 2015
This past week’s killings at the Charlie Hebdo offices needs to be a real eye-opener for those we elect to protect our citizens and nation. What many fear most is that this “radical Islamic terror attack” will be lost into the same hole as many of the previous terror attacks (or “workplace violence” if you […]
RichC | January 10, 2015
One would think that a “rising tide lifts all boats” when it comes to gains for financial markets, but that is not the case for conservatively managed U.S. pension funds. The strong stock market returns during 2013 and 2014 have helped most individual investors recover from the 2008 financial collapse, so as long as they […]
RichC | January 9, 2015
After tinkering a little bit with my “climbing board” idea mentioned last month, I decided to spend a few more dollars and rig a Mast Mate climbing ladder with sail slugs to fit Encore’s mast. My liveaboard buddy Mark measured my Selden slugs and sent me a drawing so I ordered enough slugs to fit […]