RichC | June 23, 2016
Volkswagen AG has agreed to pay more than $10 billion to settle claims from U.S. owners of diesel-powered vehicles affected by the German auto maker’s emissions-cheating scandal, said people familiar with the matter.The $10 billion-plus deal would address owners of nearly 500,000 diesel-powered vehicles with two-liter engines that contain software capable of duping government emissions […]
RichC | June 8, 2016
As the second anniversary approaches of the downing of #MH17 by Russian missiles over the Ukraine, my brother-in-law Jerry Skinner is doing what he can to keep the tragedy in front of the public eye. Pressure on politicians for them to pursue justice, compensation and a admission from Russia and Putin (a long shot) is […]
RichC | June 2, 2016
Kiplinger has long been one of the many websites who’s content, along with their magazine, that I’ve enjoyed reading. I follow several contributors to their content on social networks and complained recently that I disliked their multi short page approach for reading content. I’m sure they want to generate "clicks" and therefore break and article […]
RichC | May 25, 2016
My brother-in-law Jerry Skinner has been busy working on the Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 case in order to bring closure for the families of victims. It is hard to imagine that shooting down of a commercial airliner was anything but a mistake, but who should be held accountable for Buk missiles capable of this kind […]
RichC | May 19, 2016
When consuming the news and information, whether on the Television or any other news media, it is important to pay attention to the biases of who is “painting the picture.” Off the top of my head, I’m thinking about how Facebook priorities their newsfeed.
RichC | April 14, 2016
This isn’t the first close call incident according to the news coming from the Pentagon, but a very close and dangerous pass over the USS Donald Cook in the Baltic. They halted exercises with a Polish helicopter landing on the flight deck and shared the video below. Thankfully cooler head prevailed but at some […]
RichC | March 7, 2016
Watched a grateful Peyton Manning emotionally announce his retirement today after 18 remarkable years in the NFL. He is a great quarterback (perhaps the greatest), terrific team leader and classy man. Fans of football, no matter which team they favor, will miss his play on the field. Peyton Manning has been considered an elite quarterback […]
RichC | March 2, 2016
Heard this interview this morning on SirusXM and glad Maria Bartiromo included it in one of her morning tweets.
RichC | February 23, 2016
Winter weekends (even warm ones) present an opportunity to catch up on a pile of articles collected during the week. These are one that aren’t necessarily timely or are “required” reading based on the news of the day. Those who know me, know that I’ve enjoyed a few minutes each morning leafing though the Wall […]
RichC | February 14, 2016
Politics and the upcoming presidential election seem to be dominating the discussion in my online social networking circles … at least on my Twitter feed. The news of Justice Antonin Scalia’s death on the afternoon of the South Carolina GOP Debate Saturday left most who appreciated his 30 years of conservative jurisprudence in a very […]
RichC | February 11, 2016
As a frustrated political watcher, I'm starting to think I may have hitched my wagon behind the wrong GOP horse, although it is still a bit early. I haven't jumped in with both feet or anything, but I thought I was supporting a Republican with “acceptable” values and ability to grow the party … and […]
RichC | February 3, 2016
We may be proud to be living in a representative democracy, but watching the political sausage being made is probably as disgusting as going to a slaughter house to see the production of real sausage. This past week kicked off the 2016 primaries with the Iowa caucus. After months of political speeches from the large field of […]
RichC | January 31, 2016
Without American boots on the ground, defeating ISIS is not going to happen quickly if at all. After watching the movie “13 Hours” this week (and leaving me angry at our leaders), I pondered the covert activity by the CIA and other nations in the fight. In Libya, it seems that a “mystery sniper” is […]
RichC | January 30, 2016
I had an interesting text exchange with my son Taylor who is smack dab in the middle of finding his political “sense.” Thankfully he is far more rational, a questioner, independent thinker and a lover of history to be snookered into “herding” blindly with the crowd who are “Feeling the Bern.” He has been closely […]
RichC | January 18, 2016
Do you really need to put toilet paper on the seat like mom taught you? "If it makes you feel better," says Melissa Hawkins, director of the public health scholars program at American University, who’s an expert in biostatistics, behavioral health and community health. "The toilet seats are not a vehicle for the transmission of […]
RichC | December 23, 2015
Imagine this editorial cartoon being published by a right-leaning newspaper during a previous presidential campaign … let’s say to a “then” Senator Obama rather than a “now” Senator Cruz? Something tells me Democrats on the political left would have settled for nothing less than a full apology from the publisher and possible firing of those […]
RichC | December 15, 2015
No this is not our BMW X5 35d … but it is my wife’s biggest fear. She has had several items fall off trucks or get kicked up from the road in front of her over the years. Usually it’s a cracked windshield or “thunk-thunk” as she bounces over lumber or whatever (alignment issues perhaps?) […]
RichC | December 8, 2015
Warmer forecasts, no production cut by OPEC and inventory surplus is keeping energy prices low and crude oil has moved to seven year lows. The impact is being felt by small leveraged U.S. oil companies who are on the brink of bankrupcy and even creating waves throughout the economy. As I tweeted… Oil prices fell […]
RichC | November 3, 2015
TransCanada requested a suspension of the U.S. permit on the Keystone XL Pipeline and one of my favorite “short take” email headlines did an appropriate refresher: Keystone XL Pipeline: not a beer. It’s a major oil pipeline project that would carry a LOT of crude oil from Canada to Texas. It’s also a major political […]
RichC | November 3, 2015
When there is blood in the water, it’s a feeding frenzy. Just as we Volkswagen diesel advocates were thinking “maybe” the company would come up with a fix … then the second shoe dropped. This news includes more diesel vehicles, this time the 6-cylinder TDIs adding Audi and Porsche diesel SUVs. According to earlier comments, […]
RichC | October 21, 2015
It looks like Rep Paul Ryan is open to running for Speaker of the House “if” all the political components in the Republican party can unite. In today's divided congress (not just Democrats and Republicans), this will not be a small task. I personally hope that this Miami grad (MU Ohio) will be able to […]
RichC | October 1, 2015
The world around us is degrading into chaos as Russian “tough guy” President Vladimir Putin sent his militarily into the middle east and has quickly backed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad against the supposedly the terrorist group ISIL/ISIS who is aggressively building their Caliphate and the American backed pro-western rebels (well, maybe … but who really […]
RichC | September 17, 2015
Last night’s second GOP debate on CNN at the Reagan Library wasn’t bad as debates go. The current frontrunner, the attention grabbing Donald Trump did one thing for the Republican brand … he got generated attention. His grade school behavior buffoonery brought far viewers to the stodgy GOP and that alone could help Republicans ideas […]
RichC | August 28, 2015
Most technology followers know the theory behind copying the swipe code from traditional magnetic credit cards, but few people swiping their cards at the gas pump realize that the “skimming device” is installed by criminals is installed out of site “inside” the gas pump. Q: If you can’t see it, how do you know your […]
RichC | July 10, 2015
For the past few weeks I’ve been enjoying a quick read each morning summarizing the previous day’s news from theSkimm.com. Currently it is a free subscription and is delivered to your email box and worded in a light and easy to comprehend way. For those interested in more of a business news update, check out […]
RichC | June 28, 2015
Read ONLY if you don’t’ mind getting lost in the weeds. I felt bit lost in my own country after the Supreme Court decisions this week and am concerned for the future. As a Christian, I’m trying to looking past my own traditional value and faith-based Biblical beliefs which have long been part of our […]
RichC | June 27, 2015
Read ONLY if you don’t’ mind getting lost in the weeds. I felt bit lost in my own country after the Supreme Court decisions this week and am concerned for the future. As a Christian, I’m trying to looking past my own traditional value and faith-based Biblical beliefs which have long been part of our […]
RichC | June 25, 2015
Most Americans, not covered under government healthcare programs, have been feeling the higher cost of healthcare since Obamacare as traditional policies give way to high deductible plans which cost them more than their previously “more” inclusive lower deductible plans – so much for “keeping your healthcare plan.” Commonsense dictates that restructuring so those who actually […]
RichC | June 22, 2015
For those of you who are NOT Wall Street Journal readers, but have always wanted to try it out, here’s your chance. The $1 price is about as cheap as I’ve ever seen from WSJ.com … for a 3 month introductory deal. The yearly or normal monthly subscription is higher and can be hard to […]
RichC | June 5, 2015
The jobs numbers were relatively positive considering the weak growth earlier this year, but still concerning in that the post-recession job growth is not was is normally expected after a recession. Still, one positive is that we are not facing inflation or seeing numbers that would indicate the U.S. is slipping back into a recession. […]
RichC | May 11, 2015
The nearly 3,000-pound anchor was raised from the Queen Anne’s Revenge, the flagship of the notorious pirate that he intentionally grounded off the North Carolina coast in 1718. It is the largest artifact yet recovered from the wreck. Source: Anchor from Blackbeard’s ship raised after 293 years off North Carolina coast
RichC | May 5, 2015
This is the kind of story that has has one appreciating the the focus on design and safety going into the cars and SUVs being built today. Amazing … the driver, David Grimes, walked away with only a slight burn from the SUV’s air bag. A man’s SUV was pinned between two tractor-trailers, yet he […]
RichC | April 8, 2015
Very confusing numbers in a recent Wall Street Journal graph noting that the number of job openings being posted are way up (green line) … up to the highest level in 14 years. That’s good news right? Unfortunately a look at the red line shows the number of hiring. Hmm, that trend has moved down, […]
RichC | April 3, 2015
No matter which side of the political tug-of-war you are on when debating “marriage,” there is something distasteful about using ordinary people as political fodder. Crystal O’Connor was one such naive pawn used for divisive purposes as Indiana’s Governor Mike Pence tiptoed around modifying the Religious Freedom Restoration Act know as Senate Bill 568. The national media and LGBT activists highlighted O’Connor’s Christian opinions regarding “providing […]
RichC | March 26, 2015
News is slowly trickling or leaking out as to what may have happened to Germanwings Flight 9525 with 150 people on board in the mountain region of southern France. The lastest indication from a New York Times report is that one of the pilots left the cockpit after having a “very smooth, very cool” conversation […]
RichC | March 24, 2015
Early in the day I wondered why French President François Hollande was so quick to say that he expected no survivors in the crash of Germanwings Flight 9525 … after seeing the debris field photos in the afternoon, I understand why (below). Sure seems like a suspicious crash considering the reliability of this Airbus A320 […]
RichC | March 14, 2015
The official death toll for Cyclone Pam stands at eight – but up to 44 are thought to be dead after the super storm ripped through several South Pacific island nations. The category 5 storm struck Vanuatu and has caused damage in Tuvalu, Solomon Islands, Fiji, and New Caledonia. Aid officials say the storm is […]
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 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 | 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 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 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 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 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 8, 2015
The answer is YES if ProMedica’s President and CEO Randy Oostra has anything to say about it (video below). The company plans to move their corporate headquarters to the abandoned historic Toledo Edison Steam Plant property on the Maumee riverfront in a bold move which will play a significant role in boosting the local Toledo […]
RichC | December 19, 2014
Most media saturated consumers are frustrated using the various apps from big-name news sources for scanning, skimming and reading 100s of news articles each day. Some individual apps are pretty good, others are a real pain … particularly the newer “in your face – ad heavy” versions. The gripes are that each app is different […]
RichC | December 5, 2014
It’s not entirely fair to blame President Obama for American decline and China’s rise in economic prominence, but his lack of inspiring American Exceptionalism and worldwide apology tour hasn’t helped. Words and attitude aside, his policies slowing our economic recovery are most to blame as we watch industry evaluate the best place to invest capital; […]
RichC | November 25, 2014
I’m typing a few thoughts after watching the opportunists tear up cities in our country after the grand jury decided not to prosecute the police officer in Ferguson, Missouri late Monday night. The police were obviously “once again” told to maintain a defensive posture as we ended up watching businesses being looted, property destroyed and […]
RichC | November 11, 2014
There was a day when being an Apple Macintosh computer user put one in the minority … but not anymore it seems. The photo below is of journalists in the White House press corps traveling in China … take a look at their desks. The number of Apple logos made me chuckle and I could […]
RichC | October 31, 2014
The debris photos are starting to show up on the Internet on Twitter after the Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo prototype was lost after its first powered test since January. The crash of this suborbital “passenger carrying” spaceship happened at the Mojave Air and Space Port in California according to officials. Two pilots were aboard the craft […]
RichC | October 30, 2014
The left, the media and even mainstream Republicans had me convinced that Senator Ted Cruz was not a viable candidate to put on the national ticket … and that his ideas were “just too radically conservative” for today’s America. BUT … listening to him for 6 minutes (below) on CNBC’s Squawkbox this morning, I’m not […]
RichC | October 15, 2014
WSJ’s “Ebola’s Deadly Reach” map of locations I understand our government’s reluctance to over react to the deadly Ebola virus, but disagree with the lack of precautions being taken to prevent the spread by those traveling from Western Africa to the United States … particularly by air. Commonsense dictates that we expect too much from […]
RichC | October 9, 2014
Reality … as of yesterday … is that the long studied Ebola (EBOV or the related strain Marburg virus) is now a killer in the U.S. Hopefully those having contact with the first U.S. death, Liberian Thomas Duncan, are quarantined and that the infectious virus is being contained to the Dallas area. After a couple […]
RichC | September 20, 2014
A aerobatic bi plane, an Acro Sport II, crashed in a friend’s neighborhood a few mile to my north towards Monroe, OH but still in Liberty Township (thanks Tim). There were two people on board and there was an immediate fire on impact. Damage can be seen to a house and yard (click for […]
RichC | August 20, 2014
There were a few articles on VJ day this past weekend marking the anniversary of Victory over Japan and focused on the relief we felt ending World War II. While glancing at the front pages, it made me realize how the dollar has lost value … or if you’re dollar biased, how much goods and […]
RichC | August 4, 2014
While reading President Obama’s comments in The Economist, the same class-warfare ire continues to be flamed for those who believe those living in the United States are against each other: Poor vs. wealthy, CEO vs. employee, ambitious vs. entitled, black vs. white, Democrat vs. Republican, etc. Isn’t it possible that those CEOs and corporations being […]
RichC | June 18, 2014
Ukraine continues to be under siege, SE Asia and Africa have unstable countries, Afghanistan will most likely go back to Taliban control, Iraq is imploding … but European markets are said to be in “recovery” and U.S. stock indices continue setting new highs and generating overly inflated annual returns for those “fully” invested (since when […]
RichC | May 31, 2014
WSJRadio had a short segment with their Washington Bureau Chief Gerald Seibtalking about Nationalismand how it seems to be growing around the world. Usually Americans take pride in our national identity and “American Exceptionalism” … but taken too far history shows that this sentiment can be dangerous – think about the events which lead to […]
RichC | May 29, 2014
I notice short bit in the WSJ about He Liang and his “homemade suitcase vehicle in the streets of Changsha, China,” and about the only difference I can see is that the Chinese “scooter” is a little narrower when compared to our American-sized versions? (I would include a smiley below, but it is more shameful […]