RichC | December 16, 2025
It is the time of year that I do my best to reach out to my existing Consolidated Printing and Publishing Co. customers that I’m still serving. The gradual slowing down of my nearly 40 year old business continues and I’m still doing my best to keep loyal and long time customers satisfied. Is maintaining […]
RichC | December 15, 2025
The 34th Annual Reindog Parade was held in the Cincinnati neighborhood of Mt.Adams (Cincinnati) and guess who was there? Gigi, Taylor and Megan (well done)! Canines and fellow owners participated in a unique procession that puts spectators of all ages in the holiday spirit. They walked through the historical streets of Mt. Adams with this […]
RichC | December 12, 2025
What is Vibe-coding … and an interesting CNBC segment on Google partnering with Replit. Vibe-coding is an informal term for a newer style of software development in which the intent, flow, and natural language “vibe” of what a developer wants matters more than writing detailed, line-by-line code. Leading companies and platforms
RichC | December 8, 2025
Today’s “Freebird” for Music Monday by Lynyrd Skynyrd is a 1973 classic, but I also recently heard “Freebird!” being exclaimed as a joke Fox Business as a way to “break the monotony” of a conversation and humorously “make fun of” each other on the 12-2pm slotted “The Big Money Show.” So for today … here’s […]
RichC | December 5, 2025
If you’re like me, having an online calendar that automatically keeps things up-to-date has been super convenient. I’m referring to things like airlines and hotel reservations showing up when emails arrive after purchasing tickets or making reservations. It has also been helpful with personal events like invitations from my daughter for the events in their […]
RichC | December 4, 2025
After reading an opinion from several years ago, but also after recent events, rising tensions and political divide in the U.S. … the same article is being passed around social media again. The writings seemed almost too spot on so I was interested in knowing how much truth there was to it — so I’m […]
RichC | November 22, 2025
Once again this year, we’re having problem with young buck deer damaging our young trees and breaking branches on decorative plantings. I should have shrouded them with corrugated pipes as in the past, but didn’t get a jump on it until it was too late. ☹️ Here’s some AI-powered assisted information I worked up for […]
RichC | November 20, 2025
Wednesday evening was a big “hold your breath” moment for nearly every investor who still has Nvidia stock in their savings or retirement portfolios (nearly all mutual funds, ETFs, index funds, etc). I suspect all portfolio managers were concerned that $NDVA’s quarterly earnings and guidance might show some sort of chip order and AI buildout […]
RichC | November 14, 2025
If you’re like me and thousands of frustrated smart home users, you’ve probably hit the wall with Sengled bulbs, their Hub and Alexa. For the past six months (and officially since Amazon axed the integration on August 1, 2025), the Sengled Home app error codes with NSURLErrorDomain -1202 — thanks to a flaky SSL certificate […]
RichC | November 8, 2025
In keeping with yesterday’s “a day behind” theme, the Tech Friday post for this week will be “a day late.” Instead of on Friday … it will be on Saturday this week; I’ll hopefully catch up and will try not to make this a trend. 😊 As the dawn of the automobile did to the […]
RichC | November 2, 2025
Sunflowers … Good Morning. Woke up to the gold in your eyes, Petals unfolding, chasing the skies. Dew-kissed leaves on the windowsill, Whispering secrets that time can’t steal. The world’s still sleepy, but you’re my dawn, Turning the shadows ’til they’re gone. Heads held high, no storm too strong. You bloom where the wild winds […]
RichC | October 31, 2025
If you’re a senior relying on Social Security to make ends meet, the latest cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) announcement might feel more like a tease than a relief. Last Friday, the Social Security Administration revealed a 2.8% boost for 2026 benefits, adding an average of $56 per month to retirement checks—bringing the typical payout to $2,071. […]
RichC | October 25, 2025
The 2025 World Series is finally underway. Brenda and I have been watching the playoffs all autumn long, but unfortunately have watched each of our early picks (they were hopes really) drop like flies. The Reds, Guardians and Tigers all fell early in the playoffs, but we have settled on rooting for the Toronto Blue […]
RichC | October 24, 2025
First up, the Consumer Price Index inched up a tenth of a percentage point in August from 2.9% to 3% on an annual rate (numbers were pre-government shutdown). This is ties into the second important number of 2.8% — the Cost Of Living Adjustment (COLA). This is key for Social Security recipients as it is […]
RichC | October 12, 2025
Inflation is like that sneaky friend who borrows your money and never pays it back—it erodes the value of your dollars over time without you even noticing. But in the world of U.S. taxes and government benefits, there’s a built-in defense mechanism called inflation indexing. This automatic adjustment ensures that tax brackets, deductions, and entitlement […]
RichC | September 21, 2025
What do you call a dog that is part Labrador Retriever, part Collie and part Dalmatian? A Colaberation. 😊 (photo assistance by Grok)
RichC | September 19, 2025
Artificial intelligence with Grok, Claude.ai, ChatGPT, Gemini, etc has been a real help for rookie computer and server problem-solvers like me. It may be one of the best ways to learn if you’re not in a classroom, have an experienced teacher or coworkers handy? Occasionally I run into questions in “how to best use” AI. […]
RichC | September 7, 2025
There’s nothing like the frustration of going to the doctor and thinking they are being paid for what they are worth … but then getting a follow up “Explanation of Benefits” (EOB) from your insurance company letting you know how much they were billed and how much YOU now owe. ☹️ Last month I finally […]
RichC | September 2, 2025
Last month the artistic skills of ChatGPT’s “Sora” artificial intelligence was experimented with in an attempt to emulate a favorite oil painting by my grandmother, Ruth Bluhm. It was “ok” but nothing to really get too excited about … after all, I have the original. 😉 But … after looking at the 2024 post “May […]
RichC | August 27, 2025
For those of us of a particular age (or even younger) who are crunching their retirement income numbers should consider converting some of their Traditional IRA savings into Roth IRA savings. As a Barron’s Advisor practitioner, I’ve stressed planning in creating multiple income buckets in which to draw income from after retiring; in part this […]
RichC | August 25, 2025
A bit earlier in the summer the Moody Blues song from 1978 called “Driftwood” caught my attention. Perhaps I was in a “mellow” mood while listening to The Bridge on SiriusXM, but it was noted as a appropriate song from my past for Music Monday. Moody Blues – “Driftwood” | 1978 While listen […]
RichC | August 24, 2025
The older I get, the more clutter I collect … yet I still can’t stop the habits that have stayed with me my entire life. After clearing out our parents homes a decade ago, it was obvious that genetically the depression era “can’t throw away” trait was passed down to me. I still find myself […]
RichC | August 21, 2025
Flaw in AI assisted research (404 links). Artificial Intelligence generated segment below for a recent blog post — and all are broken/non-existent links: Record-low unemployment rates for most demographics, including native-born workers Historic median household income growth, reaching an all-time high of $68,703 in 2019 4.9 million Americans lifted out of poverty in a single year […]
RichC | August 20, 2025
Well … I likely waited too long to address a nagging problem with my right foot after too much barefoot beach walking. I thought it would improve over time if I continued to work through the healing process, but month after month since April or so it did not improve. My PCP diagnosed it in […]
RichC | August 15, 2025
Last month I had a discussion with a friend and we debated how much of what we read on the internet these days is being created by … or at least assisted by … artificial intelligence. It was more concerning to him since his children are old enough to be regular users of AI (unlike […]
RichC | August 14, 2025
Previously I added the chart below to a filler post and contemplated posting something to TheHustings.news … but instead wanted to test the “HTML coding ability” of ChatGPT. The AI was “so-so” … but required WAY too much tweaking on my part and ChatGPT adding 3-failed (404) links is unacceptable (highlight below). Of course when […]
RichC | August 9, 2025
Since someone commented to me online, knowing that I’ve been tinkering with AI chatbots, “How much should everyday non-business users be paying for artificial intelligence?” I thought to myself and then decided to test the new ChatGPT4o … better known as ChatGPT5 … what “it” thought we should be paying (BTW, ChatGPT5 “really likes designing […]
RichC | August 2, 2025
It is interesting how certain things trigger long ago memories so clearly. I could see this can of Awake Orange Juice (with the orange lid) from the 1960s clearly in my mind. Likely I remember these cans from a container to store spare bolts and nuts or parts, but I also recall something else my […]
RichC | July 28, 2025
Some collectors go for muscle cars. Others chase rare diecasts or obscure dealership brochures. But @Car_Guy_Tom? He had a more refined ambition: cornering the global market on Cordoba keychains. It all began on a lazy Sunday morning at a suburban Chicago area garage sale. Nestled between a box of spark plugs and a velvet Elvis […]
RichC | July 24, 2025
Are too many people still sitting on cash as yields decline? Interest rates are likely to decline further and the question is, “should people lock into rates now (ie. Bonds, CDs or short term treasuries) or shift more heavily to equities?” One of the contributing factors powering the strong stock market is likely the falling […]
RichC | July 23, 2025
If you read my blog at all, you know I’m a long time Wall Street Journal subscriber and often quote or reference their content. I’m actually embarrassed to say that I’ve been reading the newspaper version from the time before the Internet and had it delivered to my place of business for years. So … […]
RichC | July 20, 2025
The different Almanac forecasts have always interested me. They always seem to be part mystical science and crafty word selection? Who knows, but I still enjoy reading whatever version of almanacs that are available … but I do miss the paper versions. 😊 Generally, Claude.AI has not been my AI choice … but this question […]
RichC | July 18, 2025
The rise of AI in search and browsing is a double-edged sword. On one hand, AI-powered tools offer efficiency, delivering quick, synthesized answers without the need to navigate multiple websites. For users, this can feel like a leap forward—why sift through links when a chatbot can summarize the best information? However, this convenience comes at […]
RichC | July 17, 2025
I couldn’t help but remember a Memorex tape advertisement that ran in the 1970s for cassette tapes (above) … then in the 1980s for VHS tapes … when seeing the photo below: “Is it live … or is it Memorex?“ What do you think of when you see the shape of this island off the coast […]
RichC | July 16, 2025
After finishing the book “Kent State: An American Tragedy” by Brian VanDeMark last week, it occurred to me that the tensions in the U.S. aren’t all that different today than they were in the late 1960s and 1970s. Radicals on the political left today (we often see Antifa), just as some with like minds did […]
RichC | July 11, 2025
The Bombardier beetle is a remarkable insect known for its unique and powerful chemical defense system. Belonging to the family Carabidae, these beetles are found on nearly every continent and are especially famous among entomologists and naturalists for the way they defend themselves from predators. Key Characteristics: Chemical Defense:The Bombardier beetle can eject a hot, […]
RichC | July 4, 2025
One of the problems with monitoring user signups for a small WordPress blog is determining who should be granted access to ALL content or just public content. In the old days, I allowed whoever wanted to sign up to sign up and clean up the list later. But as time progressed, most were spammers or […]
RichC | June 27, 2025
It has been HOT … very HOT this week, soooo … I’ve been thinking about how much sun two of our air conditioning units receive on the west side of our red brick house (it gets hot). Are they as efficient as they could be? Should I shade them more? Here’s was ChatGPT thinks: Shading […]
RichC | June 20, 2025
Grok AI and I have become good friends over the past few weeks. I’ve been using artificial intelligence — with some success — in order to fix a few ongoing issues with MDB and the Linux server that has served me well for the past decade or so. No … I’m not updating or doing […]
RichC | June 13, 2025
The heavier metal backed credit cards being issued by some banks these days seemed like a good idea when they first came out, but in reality (at least mine) … they don’t seem that much more durable than the plastic versions? The Capital One SAVOR credit card that I carry primarily for “restaurants and grocery […]
RichC | June 6, 2025
When you supply personal data to ChatGPT, it may be accessed by OpenAI’s AI trainers, service providers, law enforcement (if legally required), or third-party apps (if integrated). Data is stored and potentially used for training unless you opt out, and breaches or model outputs could expose it further. Other AI clients follow similar patterns, though […]
RichC | June 1, 2025
While Katelyn was home with her family over the Memorial Day weekend, she made a comment about Drew’s hairline while he was swimming in the pool; she used the term “Widow’s Peak“ and it stuck with me as something “desultory” enough for MDB. According to GrokAI (sketched an illustration too): A widow’s peak is a […]
RichC | May 23, 2025
After asking both ChatGPT and Grok for some “value investor, dividend stock” advice on May 2nd (see link), I received an invite from Gemini 2.5 Pro to test an update. So I decided to ask the same question just to see what Google’s Gemini would spit out. Unfortunately I must have picked a busy time […]
RichC | May 18, 2025
Decades ago I struggled mightily with Meniere’s Disease (and I was looking for an excuse to use the word “mightily”) 😊 … but after having a surgery under the stress of the time to improve my vertigo … the hearing in my right ear is nearly gone. It is a known problem for both the […]
RichC | May 16, 2025
Having tested and used ElevenLabs “text to speech” artificial intelligence software in the past, at newer “Voice Changer” (and clean up) application came available recently. I’m not sure where it might be useful, but I especially liked the “clean up” (removing background noise) and “speaker boost” filter … but unless there is a reason to […]
RichC | May 14, 2025
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RichC | May 9, 2025
Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost on September 14, 1955, in Chicago, Illinois, was elected as the 267th pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church on May 8, 2025. His election marks a historic milestone as he becomes the first American to ascend to the papacy. He succeeds Pope Francis, who passed away on April […]
RichC | May 4, 2025
Rogue planets, also known as free-floating planets, are planetary bodies that drift through the Milky Way without orbiting a star. Unlike typical planets bound to a stellar system, these objects roam interstellar space, untethered by a parent star’s gravity. They’re intriguing because they challenge our understanding of planetary formation and survival in the harsh environment […]
RichC | May 2, 2025
Having both an interest in Value Investing and AI, I decided to do a side by side comparison between ChatGPT and Grok3 for “stock trading advice for value investors” (highlighted in my request) … and “recommend three dividend stock buys that limit risk of loss but offer the highest chance of gains over the next […]
RichC | April 13, 2025
I’ve been known to grumble and complain about big government and taxes most of my life, but I’m not alone. In fact, before I was even born there were versions of this poem being published in newspapers. So as April 15th nears (tax day in the U.S.), it seems like it should be added to […]
RichC | April 2, 2025
During one of our many longish 9-1/2 mile winter beach walks this year, Brenda and I came across a couple orange objects. The orange ball that washed up during a heavy surf was pretty obvious … since they are used along the shore to mark life guard protected zones and swimming areas. There was a […]
RichC | April 1, 2025
Can GrokAI really pull off an April Fools Day prank in a blog post? Nope … artificial intelligence better leave this to humans with the talent for comedy. 😊 In a shocking revelation, xAI scientists claim gravity reverses every April 1st for 24 hours. “It’s nature’s prank,” says Dr. Fictus, a totally real researcher. “People […]
RichC | March 28, 2025
An interesting map on BrilliantMaps.com (from a Reddit post), highlights Canada’s January temperature patterns, showing where average highs and lows rise above freezing. The West Coast, particularly around Vancouver and Victoria, and parts of Nova Scotia, like Halifax, are marked in purple, indicating January average highs above 0°C (32°F). These areas, influenced by the Pacific […]
RichC | March 21, 2025
Have you ever wondered how the yearly floating date for Easter is determined … or why it is so late this year (April 20, 2025)? Almanac.com had a great article, but since I’m thinking about Tech Friday today, here’s what Grok3 AI has to say about it. 😉 The date of Easter Sunday is determined […]
RichC | March 16, 2025
I can’t recall what recent news context the Jerusalem Cross was mentioned in before, but suspect it was used in a negative reference — something about the Christian Crusades (AI reference below) and therefore the symbol to some indicated some kind of “white supremacy” and in the news story was being compared to the Nazi […]
RichC | March 14, 2025
Since I’ve not truly committed to using artificial intelligence tools from one company, I’ve been attempting to put each of the leading AI tools through their paces. Earlier this week I tested Otter.AI to transcript from an audio recording … and now for Tech Friday this week it’s Google’s Gemini and the “Deep Research” tool […]
RichC | March 12, 2025
After excellent comments by retired 4-star General Jack Keane the other day, I heard him again this past weekend with Mark Levin. No matter what your thoughts are on politics or views on foreign affairs, Jack Keane is someone with a lot of knowledge, experience and insight … and his commentary is worth listening to […]
RichC | March 7, 2025
Brenda and I were debating crabs and shells after seeing a couple crabs on our beach walks and finding a beautifully polished Cowry/Cowrie shell (left). I suspected that the hermit crab ate the snail forming the shell and used it for protection and “a home.” Of course I was wrong … but didn’t know it […]
RichC | February 28, 2025
Since I did not take Latin in school (it wasn’t offered), there are legal terms and phrases that need to be looked up … even for someone who has been around a while. Someone mentioned “Caveat emptor” to me the other day and although I recognized it as a common term, it required a little […]
RichC | February 23, 2025
While contemplating a couple widely shared Psalms from the Old Testament, I was curious as to what artificial intelligence might think about them … so I asked ChatGPT. 😉 “I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.” — Psalm 34:4 (NIV) This verse is a declaration of […]