RichC | December 21, 2024
Where should you work — for the government or their private counterpart? From economist Stephen Moore: According to @RealEJAntoni‘s recent analysis, the cost of state and local government employees is a staggering 41.7% higher than their private sector counterparts. While wages are 24.4% higher, the real kicker is benefits—an astonishing 83.0% more!
RichC | December 15, 2024
Click image of landscape pond from back in 2008 when we asphalted the rear driveway. Both have aged. ☹️ My mistake this past month was when it came to scrubbing some of the waterfall area off and using Dawn dishwashing soap … whoops! Not a big deal, but it still has creating an offseason soapy […]
RichC | December 14, 2024
Although I’m glad the 2024 presidential election is behind us in the United States (and hope Kamala Harris becomes a lost memory), there’s a lot of angst in our country and in the world over the political direction and change. I’m cautiously, optimistic that a Trump administration will have a foreign policy that leads to […]
RichC | December 11, 2024
After typing the title and looking at my photo below from Sunday afternoon, I realized that listing “smartphone” should also be added to the title/subject list … since it more than likely is read from the most these days? I personally have always been a luddite and preferred paper as the medium of choice when […]
RichC | November 20, 2024
President-Elect Donald Trump is currently preparing his list of nominees for the cabinet he needs to help advise him. Along with a few controversial picks, Trump has also added a couple of high profile names, Elon Musk and the Vivek Ramaswamy to a new advisory panel … a committee that is smugly being referred to […]
RichC | October 15, 2024
Ever since I was a kid in elementary school and heard about John F. Kennedy’s World War 2 story and then read Robert Donovan‘s book “PT-109: John F. Kennedy in WW II” and movie “PT-109,” I’ve admired what innovated boatbuilders could do with plywood (besides utility trailer sides, I had a plywood dingy when I […]
RichC | October 2, 2024
The government under Biden/Harris has been totally irresponsible when it comes to spending. They’ve shown zero interest in working towards a balanced budget and have put us another $2.3 TRILLION dollars further in debt (they are spending way more than they collect in taxes). Of course there’s nothing new to this fiscal malfeasance … it […]
RichC | August 12, 2024
First … Happy Birthday Brenda. We’ll celebrate with KDAE over the weekend in a few days. Where is the Midwest in the United States? Someone posted a map from the WSJ that mentioned it is geographically not where most people think it is — or where they call themselves Midwesterners. I outlined in yellow where […]
RichC | July 10, 2024
For those of us living in the Liberty Township, Ohio area for nearly 30 years now, the development map above probably doesn’t come as a surprise. This once rural township is far more densely populated that it once was. With that growth comes challenges of keeping the heavy traffic and commercial growth from changing what […]
RichC | July 7, 2024
Although we don’t eat out very much these days, having a breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon and hash browns is still a favorite of mine — OJ is an extra treat. Back when I would make more appointments with customers, meeting at Bob Evans or even picking up a “foam box breakfast” at the Silver […]
RichC | June 23, 2024
Brenda and I have been asked several times recently … “are you retired?” The most recent for me was at my yearly wellness physical by my PCP. I’m not really sure how to answer the question since there hasn’t really been a definitive “we are retiring” moment for either of us. I “work from home” […]
RichC | June 11, 2024
The map below might not be up-to-date map (2021), but it looks like most states have there share of stressful traffic. Personally speaking … after driving to and from SW Ohio to NW Ohio for the better part of 20 years, I can attest that winter driving (snow and ice) and constant road construction on […]
RichC | May 19, 2024
It is time to face the inevitable that working later in life is not a reality for most people. As I commented on a Barron’s article last week, you “better have a Plan B or even a Plan C” in case there is a health concern that prevent working later in life. From personal experience, […]
RichC | May 11, 2024
As someone who has spent their career in printing and publishing, I should know this, but why do so many creative people and graphic designers make reading magazines and some newspapers so painfully difficult? The typography in some is ridiculous. I enjoy reading in the evening when my eyes are tired and the lighting is […]
RichC | May 9, 2024
Being a great parent isn’t always expensive … it just takes a little time and attention to your children. Here’s someone spotted on social media being a great mom … and a pretty cute little girl enjoying the ride!
RichC | May 2, 2024
Every once in a while there is a doppelgänger photo, person, sculpture or something that reminds me of someone else (software isn’t always accurate). 😉 Also a few years back, there was a person who reminded me of my brother Ron, so I posted about it. Back October 2011 at my nephew’s wedding, there was […]
RichC | April 12, 2024
Who isn’t … or more appropriately wasn’t … fond of listening to the interesting and smooth-toned audio that was part of National Public Radio (NPR) in the previous century. I spent an exorbitant amount of time in my car back then and listened to static-riddled politically conservative radio talk shows on AM radio and liberally […]
RichC | April 9, 2024
Click images for larger images Our backyard may not have been the absolute best location to view a perfectly covered sun for the solar eclipse, but it was very impressive. Taylor took an afternoon off of work and came up with Gigi in the afternoon (we are north of Cincinnati), and I suspect he […]
RichC | March 27, 2024
Amazing day for the stock market again. It looks like more high inflation and that this kind of strong market confidence may push off Fed rate cuts until inflation drops closer to 2%, unemployment begins to rise or the entire economy hits the skids. On the other hand, this irrational exuberance looking excitement (Crypto, $RDDT, […]
RichC | March 17, 2024
Going to college after high school has always seemed expensive, but by working, borrowing and getting help from parents … it was do-able, and by today’s standards, seemed affordable. I can’t help but smile noticing that when I finally paid off my student loan that I could start saving to put my kids through college. […]
RichC | March 12, 2024
Political ideology has always interesting me. I was aware of different philosophies early on since an intellectual best friend from high school was way to the left and interested in Socialism and Marxism. Charlie Matthews (Kamikaze) seemed like a leftover from the 1960s and even back in the 1970s and 80s supported the Marxist […]
RichC | February 29, 2024
If you are a regular reader, then the answer is “yes” … I’ve been a bit distracted from posting regularly on MDB for the past couple of weeks. I promise to get better in March. Part of my distraction has been enjoying down time with Brenda in Florida and with my daughter and her family […]
RichC | February 23, 2024
Love to read a positive story or tidbit on social media … and this one about Kenton Lee and “The Shoe That Grows” caught my eye. In 2007, our founder Kenton Lee traveled to Nairobi, Kenya after graduating college. He lived and worked at a small orphanage with some incredible kids. One day, he was […]
RichC | November 5, 2023
So here’s a piece of advice that I really should have clearly known before my age. Old Spice High Endurance deodorant is significantly better than Classic deodorant (said to be discontinued … and now I know why). Don’t ever think you are going to save a buck buying the steeply-discounted 3-pack of Classic deodorant when […]
RichC | October 1, 2023
Make America Great Again, one parent at a time (not political). Here’s slightly different take on MAGA with an uplifting lesson and message for fathers; pay attention to your role in your family. When I asked my 11-year-old son to help me unload dirt from our small pickup into his mother’s new garden boxes, his reaction […]
RichC | September 28, 2023
This content is restricted.
RichC | September 23, 2023
I had to laugh at myself the while reading one of the World War II Pacific Island campaign history books then looking up at my cork wall and trying to “pinch-to-zoom” the paper map for more details. Oh, the tech habits we adopt! And since this is a random kind of filler humor post, below […]
RichC | September 16, 2023
It’s interesting to see the changes in how people access Internet content over the years … or at least access information on MyDesultoryBlog.com. Microsoft Windows was once dominate, but Mac, Linux and Chrome OS computers are gaining ground. Perhaps the biggest change since starting the blog in 2005 is just how dominate iOS and Android […]
RichC | September 3, 2023
In August I finished up an excellent 1958 autobiography by Gregory “Pappy” Boyington titled “Baa Baa Black Sheep” … mentioned previously. He was a United States Marine Corps fighter pilot who commanded the VMF-214 Black Sheep Squadron during World War II. The book tells the story of Boyington’s early life, his training as a pilot, […]
RichC | July 16, 2023
Perhaps I’m just being sensitive in having a couple granddaughters I want to protect, but started to read a human interest story last week that started me off irritated. Thankfully by the end, it gave a ray of hope for the next generation. Dear teenage boy at the skate park… You’re probably about 15 years-old, […]
RichC | July 14, 2023
While waiting on a copy of the 2022 “Of Boys and Men” ebook to become available at my local library (have it on hold), I ended up downloading the audio version read by the “British” author Richard V. Reeves (like many Americans, I enjoy the sophisticated accent). A plus for the audio version that even […]
RichC | June 22, 2023
Using the pronoun “one” seems out of place and too casual when using the common phrase … “Have a good one.” It is heard all the time in day to day conversation (even on television business news shows — you know who you are Lauren Simonetti — HA!) and at least for me, the phrase […]
RichC | April 8, 2023
I’m not really sure where the data for this map came from or if it is accurate (??) … but it is something to think about.
RichC | March 15, 2023
While reading a health related social media post this past week, a graphic struck me as interesting since it highlights many of the ailments that most doctors and aging humans eventually face. Just to keep it personal, I’m noticing the hair thinning, vision and hearing loss as well as my high cholesterol needing some work […]
RichC | February 8, 2023
From experience, I do know that younggist children in the U.S. (often farm kids — or commercial fisherman kids) were responsible for home chores, pitched in with caring for their siblings … and over a century ago (thankfully) would be sent to work outside the home. But in many parts of the world, children learn […]
RichC | January 12, 2023
Viral Social Media image
RichC | December 24, 2022
Jane Wells has been a reporter for CNBC (“Janie” as the late Mark Haines called her) that I’ve followed for years while watching business news channels (or should I have said, “is a ‘has-been’ reporter?” – hopefully a little humor that she would appreciate!). Anyway, I always smiled when watching her “quirky” stories and reporting […]
RichC | December 18, 2022
It took a little research, but the thought of the 10th President of the United States still having a living grandson alive today seemed … well, unbelievable. Mentally, I worked the numbers … and then had to do a little Internet sleuthing … but low and behold it was true. President John Tyler was born […]
RichC | November 20, 2022
Maps and history have always held my interest (as they do for my son Taylor too). Having grown up when schools glossed over most of American the history prior to Columbus in 1492 (or perhaps the Vikings) … it is interesting to learn a little bit more about the “approximately 20 million” Native Americans that […]
RichC | November 19, 2022
Our Chick-fil-A order last week was “securely” delivered to our car by a law enforcement officer … and with a smile (wish I could have tipped him)! My kind of city and state. Community outreach does not get much better than this! #lawenforcement & @ChickfilA working together to keep the line moving. pic.twitter.com/oisMROLqLz — Rich […]
RichC | August 9, 2022
Who doesn’t like knowing how a magician deceives an audience, especially when the magic trick is performed flawlessly. Here a behind the trick look at some deception.
RichC | August 2, 2022
Learned a few interesting geographic facts about the nation of Kiribati in the Pacific Ocean from Brilliantmaps, Reddit and of course Wikipedia the other day and found the timezone oddity particularly interesting. The country is “the furthest ahead of Greenwich meantime at GMT +14, making it the first country in the world to ring-in the […]
RichC | July 30, 2022
This past weekend I started what is going to be a slow, but deliberative process of moving out of the basement and back into the upstairs home office. No window blinds yet, but we did move the oriental rug from our first floor to the upstairs (Brenda would like to get something new for the […]
RichC | July 6, 2022
Winslow Homer’s 1899 painting “The Gulf Stream” (“reworked in 1906’) is a much-celebrated work of art for a variety of reasons, but appeals to me due to the ocean scene and dismasted sailboat, as do his other Atlantic scene paintings. This one has seen renewed interest likely because of our current “turbulent times” … politically. […]
RichC | July 3, 2022
With a little travel and vacation time coming up, I went into my “want to read” list and downloaded “The Dying Citizen” from the local library to my Kindle. The 2021 book is a longer read (433 pages) from Victor Davis Hanson, a professor and military historian seen regularly on Fox News and Fox Business. […]
RichC | June 8, 2022
In keeping with a previous book, I downloaded another book: “Land Of Big Numbers” by Te-Ping Chen. It is a collection of stories … on the “diverse and legion Chinese people” and according to a review, this book offers an “acute social insight” on Chinese history, their government, “and how all of that tumbled—messy, violently, […]
RichC | June 4, 2022
Q: What do you call a religious person who claims that the end is near? Answer: A fanatic. Q: What do you call a secular person who claims that the end is near? Answer: An environmentalist. When my podcasts on my weekend playlist are finished and I’m still in the mood for some audio content, […]
RichC | June 1, 2022
Who doesn’t enjoy of teasing friends back and forth over foodie items? Here’s one that I’m going to debate with my friend Jeff … as he has always been a “Tea drinker” and I’ve been a “Coffee guy.” I’ll start with my pro-military, flag-waving “patriotic Americans drink coffee” position, and I’m sure he’ll lay out […]
RichC | May 31, 2022
Russian Katya Nikiforova has amazing juggling skills. Wow! Katya Nikiforova Born into a family of non-circus artists in a small town in Ukraine, as a child Katya performed gymnastics and dancing. At the age of 10, she studied at her first circus studio. She instantly fell in love with the art and by the age […]
RichC | May 24, 2022
My buddy Jeff Pitts is my go-to source for interesting books to read. For my birthday this year (we had lunch last Friday … a Mexican restaurant, of course), he gave me an older 1950’s era book by Robert Ruark called “The Old Man and The Boy.” I passed on reading my other books and […]
RichC | May 22, 2022
It is difficult to ignore the success of the private space industry and admire companies like Elon Musk’s SpaceX as it launches and re-launches rocket after rocket. From satellite launching to shuttling astronauts to and from the International Space Station, SpaceX definitely has the potential to land astronauts back on the moon and to be […]
RichC | May 1, 2022
As a James Garner fan and follower of his daughter Gigi on Twitter, I enjoyed a recent article highlighting raising money for animal welfare with his famous TAG Heuer Carrera watch (below). Earlier this year I was impressed with his daily driver, a 2009 Cadillac CTS 4-door sedan up for auction on Barrett-Jackson, raising $100,000 with […]
RichC | April 21, 2022
As the slow progress on finishing my home office continues, I’ve set up a temporary office in the basement (below). It is surprisingly comfortable, but I do miss the daylight and looking out the windows. I can’t help but reminisce to make this a Throwback Thursday #TBT post after finally removing the painters tape from […]
RichC | April 2, 2022
The longer I live, the more I ask the question: “What is wrong with people?” While reading “The Coddling of the American Mind” last week, just before chatting with my son Taylor, the synopsis of the book came to mind. We were discussing a variety of current issues and ties to history (behavior, greed, crime, […]
RichC | April 1, 2022
These illustrations make the rounds by email and social networking every so often and do so because they are interesting to naturally inquisitive humans … and in my case make for a blogworthy Friday Filler and “fool your mind” on April Fools’ Day post. This is one that cognitive psychology refers to as the Negative […]
RichC | March 24, 2022
It was exciting to see the new Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion capsule move toward Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Pad 39B this month as space-nerds anticipate NASA’s Artemis 1 moon mission. The sight of such a large rocket “crawling” toward the launch pad brings back the Apollo program of my youth and the Space […]
RichC | February 23, 2022
Interesting tidbit: According to a post on social media (take that for what it is worth), “the average person lives in 11 homes in there lifetime.” It doesn’t detail if a college dorm is considering a “home,” but if I eliminate them … I’m up to EIGHT that I call “a residence.” In pondering my […]