RichC | March 23, 2014
Wallethub compared how average families from each state when it comes to paying taxes … how does your state look? According to their color coded map, the brighter red your state, the more you pay; conversely, the greener your state, the lower your taxes, and brown puts you somewhere in the middle. If you hate […]
RichC | March 19, 2014
It’s a big day for Fed Chairwoman Janet Yellen as she took the stage and continued a third wave of tapering of the Federal Reserve’s bond buying program. Not that any of this was unexpected, but it an indication that the Fed sees the economy improving and is slowly removing the nation’s fiscal training wheels […]
RichC | March 12, 2014
I keep thinking that something has got to give in Washington DC when it comes to the how the Obama administration and many in congress bog down the greatness of our country. The lack of an economic recovery is hurting the middle class and there isn’t a commonsense reason for it. Take the debate over […]
RichC | February 19, 2014
I’m always keeping my ear to the ground when it comes to where my son is living and working … Williston, ND. The last couple of day a few national publications mentioned an Apartment Guide study which highlighted the cost to rent in that small boomtown. Even The Verge, a site that I think of […]
RichC | February 15, 2014
Although I have a libertarian slant to my political philosophy, the wars and struggles in the Middle East demonstrate why our country need to maintain the appropriate balance between freedom and over reaching government. An article in the WSJ on Friday is a reminder that the threat from terrorists, cartels, gangs and other countries is […]
RichC | January 25, 2014
No … not what you think. I have not gone down the Doomsday rabbit hole … just yet, but for years I’ve been interesting in self-sufficient living and do my share of reading. I enjoy reading both fictional thrillers about EMPs (ie. One Second After) and books oriented towards self-sufficiency. I’ve spent a few hours […]
RichC | January 22, 2014
Although I’m pretty conservative when it comes to investing and stocks, I do pay attention to the occasion stock tip when it comes from business people I respect. One fellow I know who attends shareholder meetings and get to know the interworking of companies has taken a substantial position in Hyperdynamics Corporation. I’ve added a […]
RichC | January 19, 2014
The much publicized Obamacare, Target and Neiman Marcus security issues are an in-your-face reminder (receive my email from Target last week) that individuals need to be wary and take precautions with their financial, medical and personal identity information. Having been through the nightmare of ID theft back in the 1990s, before companies or banks were […]
RichC | October 31, 2013
Because I’m in the midst of studying the next level of amateur radio theory and hoping to gain access to more HF Ham radio frequencies (ARRL PDF chart), a recent WSJ article regarding Sprint’s gigahertz frequencies made complete sense to me. The gist of the article is that Sprint has a “giant trove of high-frequency […]
RichC | October 3, 2013
Although I’m not a big fan of the “goings on” in Washington DC, particularly the current government shutdown … but I’m really frustrated to see political elements doing their darnedest to make it even more uncomfortable for everyone. Most news watchers are aware of the brouhaha over the WW2 Memorial this past Wednesday, where World […]
RichC | October 2, 2013
I was sad to hear of the passing of one of my favorite authors Tom Clancy (Apr 12, 1947 – Oct 1, 2013) as his early cold-war novels were a staple of my fictional reading. His military novels and well developed characters like Jack Ryan held my interest for many years after losing John D. […]
RichC | September 30, 2013
Bummer … I missed bidding on this old truck [kidding] … and it sold for ONLY a paltry $142,000. Collectors came from all over the WORLD to bid on several of the vehicles at the VanDerBrink auction of the closed Lambrecht Chevrolet dealership inventory (they closed in 1996). According to the owner Ray Lambrecht, it […]
RichC | September 25, 2013
A shocker to be sure — I had given up on America’s Cup Team Oracle and declare New Zealand the sure winner a week ago. I was convince that after the first few races that the U.S. team was over matched and in an inferior boat; they just couldn’t keep up tack for tack. Oracle’s […]
RichC | September 22, 2013
The Cleveland Clinic is a bright spot in medical care for those of us living in Ohio and for people from around the country (and world) who need some of the best medical care available. The Clinic was even touted as a role model of health care by President Obama when pushing for his Affordable […]
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 […]
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 […]
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, […]
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
RichC | July 30, 2013
FORT MEADE, Md.—A military judge acquitted Pfc. Bradley Manning of the most serious accusation against him—that he aided U.S. enemies—but found him guilty Tuesday on most other charges related to his disclosure of documents to the antisecrecy website WikiLeaks. (WSJ) No matter which side of the argument you come down on in dealing with soldiers […]
RichC | July 15, 2013
There are now 570 miles of Ohio roads where we legally can drive 70 mph (below). The following sections will allow 70 mph travel … • Interstate 76: From outside Akron going east to the west of Youngstown. • Interstate 77: From outside of Canton south to the West Virginia border. • Interstate 71: From the Jeremiah Morrow […]
RichC | July 11, 2013
As the trial of George Zimmerman in Florida nears deliberation this week as attorneys for the prosecution and defense wrap up their arguments regarding the use of a gun in the killing of 17 year old Trayvon Martin in February 2012. The media did a disservice to those paying attention to this case both before […]
RichC | July 6, 2013
Twitty photo stream After seeing the photos from the air, the crash of Asiana Airlines Boeing 777 in San Francisco today looks to have touched down short of the runway 28L. Who knows why the impact was short, but the rock jetty looks to have been impacted by the landing gear and at least the […]
RichC | June 13, 2013
I’ve delayed opining on the latest NSA and whistleblower story over the last couple of days because I can see both sides and like most Americans , value the liberty our constitution protects, yet expect our government to protect us. It is a frustratingly difficult conundrum we face … or I should say, those we […]
RichC | May 20, 2013
I’m not looking forward to watching the news tonight … my thoughts and prayers go out to those in the path of these deadly storms. USAToday LINK
RichC | April 21, 2013
I think we’ll spend some money for a meal downtown Cincinnati next month as a way to celebrate my son’s Geography and Urban and Regional Planning degree from Miami University. He will graduate next month and has spent quite a bit of time working and studying revitalization projects downtown (he does have his gown … […]
RichC | April 18, 2013
I’ve been sort of monitoring the sharks along the Florida coast for a couple years and with the advanced GPS locators tagging a few Great Whites, the migrations are amazing. A story from the Key West Keynoter newspaper seems to have one even farther south than Mary Lee. A Massachusetts man diving with his father […]
RichC | April 11, 2013
If you are the average healthy American who is working or independently seeking a job, you might be as unknowledgeable as I am when it comes to knowing anything about government benefits. I’ve generally assumed that those who are “disabled” are not capable of functioning or were disabled on the job due injury. What I […]
RichC | April 5, 2013
We’re hardly sputtering along when it comes to getting Americans back to work. One wonders why we bother to spend so much money on government when our over compensated bureaucrats only add to the problem. If it were not so frustrating and painful, government’s adding “programs,” meddling with tax rates and monetary policy and out […]
RichC | March 5, 2013
The Dow Jones Industrial Average surged Tuesday to its highest closing level ever jumping 125.95 points to finish above the previous record of 14164.53 set on Oct. 9, 2007. The low was a year and a half later bottoming out at 6547.05 on March 9, 2009. For those holding or buying “long” and in the […]
RichC | February 26, 2013
While keeping an Internet-eye on research regarding medical conditions impacting friends and family, I came across a positive research article on an additional medication that is being looked at to treat Parkinson’s Disease. Northwestern University is planning another clinical test in hopes this new added drug treatment will slow the progression of the calcium build […]
RichC | January 28, 2013
Butler County Ohio’s high profile local Sheriff Richard Jones is addressing the recent hot button topic school security with a “two for one” idea by putting trained retired police officers in school buildings as substitute teachers. Many of our local schools once had resource officers in the schools, but budget constraints due to the slow […]
RichC | January 12, 2013
One would expect some of the conservative western or southern states to adopt deterrents when it comes to criminals targeting gun free zones like public schools, but the Montpelier Exempted Village School Board of Education has been quick to adapt here in Ohio. They approved (5-0) to permit four of their janitors to carry handguns […]
RichC | October 29, 2012
Hurricane Sandy is still hours away from coming ashore in the northeastern U.S. but the winds, waves, rains and surge are already making an impact. Officials and residents are taking no chances and predictions are triggering evacuation orders for hundreds of thousands of residents, the cancellation of more than 7,700 airline flights. Schools and mast […]
RichC | October 16, 2012
Once again, our tax dollars were squandered on another failed green energy company. This time the once promising A123 Systems Inc. (AONE -74.67%) has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. A123 was one of the Obama Administrations’ handpicked companies to be given a handout … free money … and took nearly $250 million taxpayer dollars […]
RichC | October 15, 2012
I’m not sure I would put a lot of faith in polling this year, especially following 2008 which saw a turnout unique in our recent history. Who knows if the motivation and base for either party will vote in the same numbers … and who knows if it even matters with the electoral college vote? […]
RichC | October 5, 2012
The unemployment numbers were released this Friday morning and looked 4 tenths better than August (7.8% from 8.2%) drawing suspicion from those who suspect a political conspiracy. Since the numbers are generated in questionable ways including phone polls, who knows? This is still good news for President Obama who will who will point to economic […]
RichC | September 14, 2012
While the financial markets here in the U.S. climb due to Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke initiating QE3 and adding more dollars to the economy, the Muslim fanatics in other parts of the world protest, breach U.S. embassies and kill Americans. The current response from the Obama Administration has been cautious and seemingly sends mixed messages […]
RichC | September 13, 2012
I’m finding a nutty pricing structure for for my morning newspaper and a questionable explanation (or lack of one) from Dow Jones in my attempt to renew my Wall Street Journal subscription. It sort of reminded my of a Twitter conversation last week on how Amazon sells some paperback and hardback books cheaper than they […]
RichC | August 11, 2012
So much for the “Mitt’s VP app” introduced by the Romney campaign last month. While paying attention to Twitter last night (and sharing a few tweets – right), the app on my iPad sat quiet. Each cable news channel was speculating who would be announce as Gov. Romney’s running mate and Foxnews campaign follower, Carl […]
RichC | August 6, 2012
Although not the most interesting of photographs this morning, it definitely excited those who are interested in space exploration and the study of Mars. Early this morning, NASA’s billion dollar rover plunged at 13,000 mph through the thin Mars atmosphere and landed inside a giant crater. It “beamed” back this black and white photo confirming […]
RichC | July 30, 2012
With a recent 2012 report that we have a case of West Nile Virus close to home here in Ohio, this “how-to make insect repellant” post from The Boat Galley is timely. Check out the full article here or some of the article below. Store the mix in a dark plastic bottle so it won’t […]
RichC | July 21, 2012
As I contemplated the senseless killing early Friday morning at a theatre in Aurora Colorado, I wondered just what I should focus on. I thought maybe the much maligned second amendment right of a citizen to own a firearm or perhaps the possible influence of movies … but neither more restrictive gun control or a […]
RichC | July 10, 2012
Unless politicians “create an environment” that encourages risking capital and investing in American businesses, it will continue to be a struggle to grow our economy. I’m seeing more cities and counties running out of tax revenue and many more will be forced to declare bankruptcy unless thing change soon. Out of work and financially stressed […]
RichC | June 23, 2012
WSJ graph showing how unemployment has impacted the nation’s mature workforce. This can’t be good since many are only a few short years away from not even being able to work. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303506404577448751320412974.html
RichC | June 20, 2012
Of course … it is also an election year. Hmm? How much will the market move when Federal Reserve Chairman Bernanke speaks this afternoon? Operation Twist, in which the central bank sells short-term securities and buys the same amount of longer-term debt to lengthen the average maturity of its holdings and keep borrowing costs low, […]
RichC | June 13, 2012
No wonder the NYC George Washington Bridge toll is so expensive. “With extensive overtime, some toll collectors make more than $100,000, while salaries for several officers to $200,000.” Kudret Topyan saw something out of his 14th floor window last year that so excited him he set up a video camera to capture the action while […]
RichC | June 1, 2012
The Dow’s gains for the year have been officially wiped away. After thinking 2012 might be the year we work our way out of the long recession, the job numbers tell otherwise. After all the debt-financed stimulus, continued wasteful spending and inefficient use of tax receipts coming from Washington DC … confidence is slipping and […]
RichC | May 1, 2012
Traveling through NE Ohio today, I had thought about driving across route 82 this morning … but hearing the news that anarchist planned to blow up had me rethinking my route (not that there was really any danger — thank you FBI). I’ve often thought, that just as with the “interstate snipers” from a few […]
RichC | April 23, 2012
The U.S. and its allies finalized operations in Iraq last year, but continue to struggle with what victory looks like in another theatre of operation (Afghanistan). The sabers also rattle a bit louder this weekend regarding another possible middle-east war. This weekend Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff Benny Gantz was interviewed by the […]
RichC | April 10, 2012
It looks like the contest is about over for the GOP candidates … although the smart money has been on Governor Romney for a few months now … but it has been difficult for Mitt Romney to land a knockout blow, as challengers seemed to tag-team against him for the last year. Yet in the […]
RichC | March 25, 2012
Americans seem to be flirting with politically correct issue of “hateful distasteful speech” once again. After some trashy talk in the previous couple of elections, from the media notables and celebrities targeting Sarah Palin to the death threats to cartoonist for caricatures of Muhammad, Rush Limbaugh is being targeted for his inappropriate comments of Sandra […]
RichC | March 14, 2012
As is blatantly obvious in my business (printing), publishing history and information to paper is becoming as obsolete as recording sound to vinyl or video to magnetic tape. The Encyclopedia Britannica, which has been in continuous print since it was first published in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1768, said Tuesday it will end publication of its […]
RichC | March 13, 2012
Strange story about the Loop Current that runs around the southern tip of Florida and a three month voyage of the abandoned Lucky Dog (previous story). PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FL – A boat that sank in the Gulf of Mexico in December has reappeared – on a beach on the east coast of Florida. […]
RichC | March 3, 2012
Following up on yesterday’s Tech Friday weather watching post, I had no idea that we were in store for this much destruction; the front spawned over 80 tornadoes and impacted ten midwestern states. I’m sure the death toll by these strong storms without the advancements and communications available to those monitoring severe weather. It is […]
RichC | March 1, 2012
Another notable has died way too young. Let’s hope those on the “radical left” don’t go overboard with their glee. Andrew Breitbart, the noted Internet publisher and author, has died, according to a source at Big Journalism. He was 43. A statement posted on his website said that Breitbart died “unexpectedly from natural causes” this […]
RichC | February 28, 2012
All highlighted at the Daytona 500 of course! In an odd turn of events, Sunday’s rain delayed big race was delayed further due to more rain for the Monday afternoon start, but eventually got underway Monday evening, much to the dismay of my wife (she would have preferred something other then watching cars turning left […]
RichC | January 18, 2012
Against my inner voice telling me not to bother, I wrote to my congressmen yesterday regarding the Stop Internet Piracy Act (SOPA) and Protect IP Act (PIPA). There are areas that I agree with and understand, but also way too many areas that will impact what most of us appreciate about the Internet. As written, […]
RichC | January 15, 2012
As a family who enjoys traveling by cruise ship, the reports from Italy and the Costa Concordia are shocking after the ship ran aground on Friday. It is difficult for me in the day of GPS, sonar, autopilots, etc to understand how a ship of this size (4200 people) with an experienced captain and crew […]
RichC | January 13, 2012
Although I know the employment and housing market has been bad in Ohio, I didn’t realize it was as bad as it was in our county until noticing the foreclosure numbers for 2011. Butler County had 3,330 foreclosure filings in 2011, which was about the same as 2010. Only 2009 saw higher filings with 4,000, […]
RichC | January 11, 2012
Governor Mitt Romney soundly defeated Republican challengers in New Hampshire last night and most talking heads have noted desperation from a couple GOP candidates. Both Gingrich and Perry have taken what I would call “cheap shots” at Romney’s “real world” business experience at Bain Capital as well as U.S. based capitalism — a core Republican […]