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 | November 30, 2024
Perhaps it is just me, but this leftover video of a press corp reporter begging for President Biden to make a comment on a recent trip to South America had me laughing. Rarely do I feel sorry for the media, but in this reporter’s case, I do. 😊
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 | November 15, 2024
It has been a challenging week and a half for a few of my more liberal Democrat friends on the social media platform X.com (previously Twitter). I’m unsure if it is anger, disbelief or a way to strike back now that President-Elect Donald Trump won the election. Trump has been rapidly nominating his cabinet (mostly […]
RichC | November 13, 2024
Obviously the economy ranks high as to why incumbents were on the losing team when it comes to the November 2024 election. But for me, it’s the same as it was back in 1992 when James Carville said, “It’s the economy, stupid” … although this go around it could be argued that social issues played […]
RichC | November 6, 2024
Finally the 2024 Presidential Election is over (the White House and U.S. Senate flips to Republican control) … but America is still waiting to see who will control the House of Representatives. It has been a taxing election for American voters and likely even those just watching overseas. Both allies and adversaries are wondering what […]
RichC | November 4, 2024
Most people can answer to the “4 years ago” question (below), but a more important question in my view would be, “Do you think you and your family would be better off under a Harris or Trump presidency in the next 4 years?” Both presidential candidates have leadership records to run on, so compare wisely […]
RichC | October 30, 2024
Besides the impressive rally at Madison Square Gardens last weekend, the relentless schedule being pushed in these final days (months actually) of the 2024 Presidential Election must be exhausting. Donald Trump as done everything from working at McDonald’s, to podcasts, or large outdoor rallies … one that nearly took his life. JD Vance has been […]
RichC | October 19, 2024
It is difficult to escape the political ads, commentary and “web of lies” that continue to be spun by candidates and political action committees. I know that I’m not alone in wanting it to “just be over.” I’ve told friends and family that they should just ignore everything that is posted on the Internet and […]
RichC | October 5, 2024
In case you are looking for guidance when it comes to who you elect to run your city, county, state or country … put this thought in the back of your mind when it comes to who has been putting their thumb on the scale (think lawfare) and which political party “might” … no guarantee […]
RichC | October 3, 2024
Although I’ve never fancied myself a journalist or a writer, in today’s socially connected world, it is interesting to see news and opinion evolving closer to the people. Citizen journalism is really real, now that all of us can share our thoughts on a variety of subjects, not the least of which is politics. An […]
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 | September 22, 2024
The number of times that the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 has come up in conversation recently had me interested to know just what is so good or evil about it. To even have Former President Donald Trump declare he “hasn’t read it or even cares to know what is in it,” yet it still has […]
RichC | September 7, 2024
As the US Presidential Election looms, we still really don’t know how Kamala Harris intends to govern — it’s been 1-1/2 months since President Biden stepped down. And many of us have questions: What are her policies? From a few appearances … by that I mean ONE interview … are we expected to believe the her […]
RichC | September 6, 2024
Europe and their big government overreaches in restricting personal liberty by American standards, but that same heavy handedness often does more that the U.S. to protect an individual’s privacy from Big Tech and their sweeping data collection machines. Ever since social media and cloud-oriented companies desired to take ownership of their users data, it has […]
RichC | August 9, 2024
While looking on Wikipedia for for the history of old the adage “A picture is worth a thousand words,” I came across an interesting 1913 newspaper clipping from the town just south of my adopted hometown of Sidney, Ohio — that of Piqua, Ohio. It is always interesting to stumble across tidbits from the past […]
RichC | July 23, 2024
The political news this past weekend, after a successful Republican Convention in Milwaukee WI, was that President Joe Biden finally succumbing to pressure and bowed out of his 2024 re-election campaign. For most paying attention, it has been clear for sometime that age was catching up to him. Most in the know, saw the obvious […]
RichC | July 20, 2024
Every once in a while when reading a favorite 3-column news website for “political animals,” TheHustings.News, I will reply with a comment — especially when I receive an email from the editor who ask me to add a “right column” post or comment. 😉 So this week as a non-writer, I responded while watching the […]
RichC | July 16, 2024
Semi-surprised at the VP pick by the almost GOP nominee, Donald Trump (later this week), but for those who would like to see someone younger, JD Vance from our area of SW Ohio is not a bad choice. I enjoyed learning about his background from both his book, Hillbilly Elegy … and movie by Ron […]
RichC | July 12, 2024
Although the Late 2012 Intel-based iMac is “aging better than President Biden,” my desktop iMac is struggling and is no longer being used as my primary computer. Still … it does work as a larger twin 27” screens desktop computer along side my MacBook Air M2 these days. Recently I cross my fingers when updating […]
RichC | July 11, 2024
Those of us following the stock market and managing investments can’t help but smile at the strong U.S. financial markets on Wednesday and so far this summer. For some who “sell in May and go away” (as the idiom goes) … they are are not smiling quite as much. As a long term value investor, […]
RichC | July 6, 2024
Reading “view from the right” on TheHustings.news this week has me wondering if our presidential candidates are getting too old … or if age is not the factor, perhaps having candidates pass the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) would be helpful? Retirement Ages — by Stephen Macaulay Here’s something for your July 4th distraction, a list […]
RichC | July 3, 2024
Yes it is hurricane season … and yes, the water temperatures are above historic norms … but climate change alarmists pretending to be CNN journalists are blaming fossil fuels directly. This isn’t factual or sound science. There are those who study climate change and global warming who hypothesize that the use of carbon-based fuels and […]
RichC | June 29, 2024
This past week, I had the intention of blogging in a bit more detail on the first Biden – Trump Presidential Debate … but it almost feels wrong to be critical of President Biden in his current rapidly deteriorating condition. I’m not sure he will make a second debate no matter how accommodating it is […]
RichC | June 26, 2024
Have you noticed that food, housing and energy aren’t the only things that have gone up in the three-plus years of President Biden and his Bidenomics (heavy government spending AND regulation — especially on energy)? Recent reports have also detailed how insurance rates and property taxes have risen and are rising … by hundreds, if […]
RichC | June 1, 2024
With partisan Democrats controlling “some” city and state governments … and our Federal bureaucracy hanging on by a thread … it is no surprise to see the United States looking like the totalitarian regimes we see in Communist Russia, China, North Korea, Venezuela, Cuba, etc (sidelining their political opposition). I can only assume Progressives, and […]
RichC | May 31, 2024
It is Tech Friday, but because I’ve already prepared and posted, I still wanted to highlight the newsworthy headline story regarding the politically motivated trial against former president and the likely Republican candidate for president, Donald J. Trump. So opted to test the relatively “new to me” AI client (Perplexity.AI) by asking: Can you summarize […]
RichC | May 25, 2024
No matter how I set the trigger, our friendly cardinal regularly triggers a warning on our Wyze Cam. He is enjoyable to watch and so I really don’t mind it. On the other hand, I DO MIND the price increases hitting Americans at the gas pump, grocery store and restaurants … not to mention nearly […]
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 6, 2024
The subject line is my questionable twist on the Francis Church response to Virginia O’Hanlon in 1897, Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus (see below). All of us “seeing” inflation month after month really don’t question its existence, but we do wonder how long inflation will continue a higher than the desired two percent […]
RichC | April 3, 2024
Last week I downloaded a book from the library by Jonathan DT Ward after hearing him mention it on a Fox Business program. He is a regular contributor and expert on China; I’ve always thought of him as knowledgeable and a younger version of Micheal Pillsbury (prevous book). The book is titled, “The Decisive Decade: […]
RichC | April 2, 2024
The humor may be dark, but each time I think the Republican controlled Congress (although barely the majority) might be trying to curtail the excessive spending or the heavy-handed policies enacted by President Biden or progressive Democrats, they fail due to infighting amongst themselves. It is ridiculous just how dysfunctional these “roaring” Republicans are as […]
RichC | March 28, 2024
As we approach another presidential election in November 2024 (it is still a long way off) … I find myself wishing we had Ronald Reagan on the ballot. I’ve yet to decide whether he put my political ideology into words, or if his political desires and presidency formed the positions I hold today? Whatever, this is […]
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 20, 2024
I’m of the opinion that there are three basic issues we Americans need to address when discussing what should be done with TikTok — be it a ban, divested ownership or continue under Chinese ownership and control. The Chinese Communist Party (government) uses the social media platform to collect data on U.S. citizens/user and feeds […]
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 | March 5, 2024
The presidential election for 2024 is nowhere close to being certain (7 months away), but it is looking more and more like a repeat of 2020: President Joe Biden (81) and Donald Trump (77) … an election for the “aged.” 😉 Outkick.com host and WWE wrestler, Tyrus made an interesting analogy last week comparing the […]
RichC | February 28, 2024
Court ‘Didn’t Stop Me’ – “ The President ignores the law again as he forgives more student debt. The total is now $138 billion and counting.” WSJOpinion February 23, 2024 article link He’s not really cancelling anything because he’s transferring the debt from the borrowers it benefited to the taxpayers who will finance it with […]
RichC | February 16, 2024
Although those reading MyDesultoryBlog.com more than once or twice are probably tired of me mentioning inflation … it is still an issue even as costs and prices are “rising” slower than previous. We all have policies, political figures and economic idealogy in mind when pointing our fingers … but I’ll leave that to voters come […]
RichC | February 7, 2024
Started a “new to me” audiobook by Michael Pillsbury titled “The Hundred Year Marathon: China’s Secret Strategy To Replace America As The Global Superpower.” His experience and expertise on China is pretty much unmatched so what he shares offers an intense look at understanding the Chinese longterm philosophy and strategy. The possibility … or perhaps […]
RichC | January 30, 2024
As usual, I’m currently reading several different books — different genres for different moods. The one highlighted today is because I don’t really like taking my eReader to the beach. We’ve generally just been going just to walk so haven’t been sitting long enough to read anyway … I don’t want it to be a […]
RichC | January 28, 2024
An email newsletter from the Tax Foundation offered up a few interesting tax oriented tidbits. Lady Godiva As the story goes, Lady Godiva famously rode a horse through Coventry, Warwickshire . . . in the nude. But why did this 11th-century noblewoman choose to do such a thing? Taxes. Lady Godiva pleaded with her husband, […]
RichC | January 23, 2024
It’s called the third rail of politics, and in those areas of spending where politicians with the best of intentions dare to talk, nothing gets done. Only a few have suggested finding a solution to our ballooning debt and yearly deficits … or two of the primary drivers: Social Security and Medicare. These programs continue […]
RichC | December 31, 2023
After commenting back in 2022 on a favorite Babylon Bee parody video (added from YouTube below the break), this 2023 year year end New Year’s Eve favorite is another California oriented music video. Both parody clips highlight memorable songs as well as destructive policies from progressive Democrats governing a once idyllic state. It does seems […]
RichC | November 28, 2023
Perhaps there are a few Republicans in your circles struggling with selecting a GOP Presidential Candidate for 2024? Sometimes, if I listen really carefully, I can hear in my head the fragments of a dialogue between two voices capturing the ambivalence thoughtful conservatives feel about their current political choices. Yes, I’m hearing voices so you […]
RichC | October 7, 2023
This past week I started a book titled “The Next Hundred Years’ War” — it grabbed my attention from the ‘Preface’ and captured my attention to the point I could not comfortably put it down. Eran Nitzan, served as Israel’s economic attaché in Washington DC, and began his book with the back and forth conversation […]
RichC | September 30, 2023
Thirteen years ago I blogged on the US National Debt spiraling out of control (the US National Debt was $13.5 Trillion in September of 2013) … who knew we wouldn’t even remotely take this exponentially increasing monstrosity seriously? Now we’re $33 TRILLION in debt, running huge deficits, and adding to the national debt even faster […]
RichC | August 16, 2023
Deep down … I think most people know that there is something corrupt when it comes to climate science, grant money and politics. Still we are hesitate to question anything because “who am I to question these complicated issues?” It has always bothered me that so many things become an immediate, high priority “crisis” when […]
RichC | July 23, 2023
Communism, political and economic doctrine that aims to replace private property and a profit-based economy with public ownership and communal control of at least the major means of production (e.g., mines, mills, and factories) and the natural resources of a society. Communism is thus a form of socialism—a higher and more advanced form, according to […]
RichC | July 15, 2023
My financial and investment musings have been few and far between lately, but while reading Barron’s Magazine article this past week, it reminded me that we investors often can look to history for insight. If you don’t want to read it, try listening to it — Audio ElevenLabs. ElevenLabs AI reading this content – […]
RichC | June 14, 2023
I needed another book to read like a hole in my head as the idiom goes, but since the newly released book by Marco Rubio called “Decades of Decadence” hit the bookstore today, I figured that I would “get on the list” at my local library. Lo and behold it was available on Hoopla as an […]
RichC | June 8, 2023
If the answer is “not enough” … check out this short YouTube video explainer.
RichC | May 28, 2023
The “hold” for the ebook by Yeonmi Park titled “While Time Remains” became available this past weekend and even though I haven’t finished the last book I started; I guess I’m going to “start” another anyway (it is a “forever problem” — start a book, but never finish it). From all the interviews of her […]
RichC | May 27, 2023
Once again, politicians are taking our US SPENDING and BORROWING problem right to the wire. Everyone knows that eventually politicians will just raise the debt ceiling and borrow more. The Republicans want spending cuts and the Democrats want a “clean increase” so as to be able to pay promised liabilities (previous spending) and we all […]
RichC | May 10, 2023
My library borrowing and Kindle game caught up with me this week as the book I borrowed, “Metathreats,” (and was in the middle of reading) expired … but because I have been keeping my Kindle in “Airplane Mode,” I continued reading. Generally I can’t finish a book without renewing so will often put my Kindle […]
RichC | May 6, 2023
When it comes to sharing political and socioeconomic philosophy, it is like tiptoeing through a minefield. No matter what books, lectures, video or definitions one uses when discussing political ideologies, almost all sources will come under suspicion of bias … or in this case … Cultural Marxist Conspiracy Theory. I do read a bit on […]
RichC | May 3, 2023
Taxes are often on my mind … especially when reminded by an email update from the Tax Foundation. This week was both a depressing one (Ohio #41) and an interesting one due to the number of states and cities trying hard to reduce the burden of bloated government on their residents. I would nice if […]
RichC | April 29, 2023
This past month while semi-vacationing in Florida (condo window installation), I started reading an excellent new book by well-known economist Nouriel Roubini called “MegaThreats: Ten Dangerous Trends That Imperil Our Future, And How to Survive Them” (October 18, 2022). The book follows a trend for me and what I’ve been reading when it comes to […]