My Desultory Blog

Posted By RichC on August 24, 2021

Our driveway project has been nothing but one problem after another. “Grr” … and my granddaughter Annalyn’s buddy Daniel the Tiger would say (ah, memories)!

If replacing an existing concrete driveway isn’t challenging enough on the financial budget, running into cost overruns once the demolition is done kind makes one sick the stomach. The crews who were suppose to dig out the stumps refused to tear out the “relatively small” (8-10 inch) Norway Spruce we planted at the corner of our detached garage … because it was too close to the main power lines that run from the transformer. To make matters worse, for some reason the concrete company could not fine a company to grind it out either so the driveway sits until “the homeowner,” me, could find a way to takes care of the problem.

So I spent an afternoon on the phone frantically calling around to find someone who could give me rushed service and thankfully ended up with “Big Rob.” He is a good ol’ boy (and big) who operates old school out of his truck and trailer and had to drive from an hour away (he was recommended by a tree company that was book 3 weeks out). He was friendly as could be so I called my neighbor thinking since I’ve already paid the premium ($75 extra) to get same day service, it might be helpful to both my neighbor and “Big Rob.”

I’ve used stump grinders before both here and when we lived in Hudson, but nothing like this older Rayco RG50 which made short work out of both the stump and well down into the roots. I’m sure my kids would razz me due to making small-talk, but Rob filled me in on the several stump grinders he owns and why this one is his favorite (although we needed to use my jumper cables to get it started). This diesel grinder costs him $15K used a decade ago and he replaced the engine for another $3000, but it chews up stumps like butter … nothing like the wimpy ones I’ve rented in the past. The stump, and chunk sticking out of the ground in the photo, took him less than 15 minutes and so he chipped out a second one for me since I connected him next door for few of my neighbors’ dollars.

Category: Memories, Misc, Personal, Photos, Tools | No Comments »
Tags: big rob, concrete, driveway, problems, project, stump grinding

Posted By RichC on August 24, 2021

On Sunday night to escape from the distressing domestic politics of the day as well as the Afghanistan debacle … and partly wanting to get my mind on my faith and my attention on what I can control in life … I turned off the TV and put aside the pile of secular topical books that usually ends my day. I’m talking about books on a variety of subjects that includes economics, investing, history and politics from the pile that sits next to my chair (or on my ebook reader). Besides watching some television with Brenda (lately a Hogan’s Heroes DVD series for comedy sake), I usual read a couple chapters in the evening.

Exercising a little discipline, I tiptoed back into the Alistair Begg book I gave to Brenda in June on our anniversary. Also, since my daughter Katelyn is also currently reading it, I figured that I better finish reading the smallish book before she questions me further … and I should probably study the Book of Daniel a little bit too … which is the focus of “Brave by Faith.”

The question asked in the introduction … although paraphrased be me is … 
“How do Christians live in a society that is becoming increasingly hostile to our faith and Biblical teachings?”

Many of us appear to be completely overwhelmed by the reality that we are no longer a majority and our views are no longer considered acceptable or even expressible.

That is because the winds have changed … the prevailing wind is no longer at the back of the sails of professing Bible-believing Christians. Indeed, the wind appears to be blowing hard behind the forces of secularism.

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Category: Books, Faith | No Comments »
Tags: alistair begg, book of daniel, Books, brave by faith, christianity, reading, secularism, thegospelcoalition.org

Posted By RichC on August 23, 2021

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Category: Misc, Music | No Comments »
Tags: driveway, mp3, music monday, musicmonday, pano, photo, song, wik

Posted By RichC on August 22, 2021

As I commented on the utter failure in Afghanistan last week regarding the decision President Biden made in leaving Afghanistan, it is just another “ fail decision” in a short 8 months by this president and his administration (we can’t take much more). The US exit was ill-conceived and poor planned. It was made ignoring what could happen (and did) and left us in disarray not that the Taliban has taken control. It leaves Americans and our allies stranded throughout the country. This failure to plan for “likely” if not for “all contingencies” dishonors those who have shed blood and worked to achieve their mission – that of protecting our homeland and our citizens (including those who served as intelligence operatives, translators or as support civilians).

It is all too clear that the Taliban, ISIS fighters and Al-Qaeda have become emboldened and stronger than they have been in 20 years … and that the free-world’s confidence and trust in the United States is at an all time low. Who can blame anyone for not trusting the United States? We will regret the day that this ill-conceived “timeline-oriented” pull-out (likely was based on the 20 year anniversary of 9/11 political talking point) was President Biden’s reason to rush the exit of troops from Afghanistan … clearly ignoring sound voices warning of the potential or likelihood of this unfolding catastrophe; it seems to me that President Biden only relied on his own consistently poor judgement and “woke” advisors.

When I think of using the “regret the day” reference … I can’t help but see the BILLIONS of dollars of advance American weaponry that is now in the hand of the Taliban. President Biden will go to his grave knowing that HE is the one who made last week’s decision and that when our own weapons are used by our enemies to kill Americans, that blood will be on his hands.

I cannot imagine just how anxious every terrorist organization is to get their hands on our advanced weapons, either to use them against the west or sell them to the highest bidder (US taxpayer?) to finance their radical Islamic crusade … often called jihad. 

Afghanistan’s military has laid down its weapons, and the Taliban have wasted little time in collecting them, raising concerns about how easily troves of U.S.-made arms, military aircraft and armored vehicles have fallen into enemy hands and the new capabilities they bring.

Scores of videos have emerged of Taliban fighters rejoicing near abandoned American helicopters, carrying U.S.-supplied M24 sniper rifles and M18 assault weapons, stacking other small arms and materiel in unending piles and driving Humvees and other U.S.-made military trucks.

The Taliban have seized airplanes, tanks and artillery from Afghan outposts and from evacuating U.S. personnel, revealing one of the heavier costs of a U.S. troop withdrawal amid a collapse of Afghanistan’s government and army.

LINK to “Taliban Seize U.S. Weapons in Afghanistan, Stockpiling Helicopters, Guns and Trucks" – WSJ

Category: Millitary, News, Politics | No Comments »
Tags: afghanistan, biden, jihad, Politics, regret, taliban, terrorism, war, weapons, woke

Posted By RichC on August 21, 2021

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Category: Archive, Personal, Photography, Photos, Space | No Comments »
Tags: carseat, ellerie, family, granddaugher, gx8, lumix, momc, moon, photo, preschool, summer

Posted By RichC on August 21, 2021

The Milky Way Over Monument Valley, 2012. APOD/NASA

This was a great Milky Way photo from 2012 and gives me inspiration if Brenda and I ever do a US road trip. I’d love to plan one once we are retired, but road trips and “the journey vs destination” (and inside joke) are really not Brenda’s thing. Unlike me, who could be talked into inching along on an America Route 66 kind of trip, Brenda prefers highlights and checking off the boxes. A race with a goal or an accomplishment. I get it … two kinds of people … and probably a bunch in-between. Anyway .. if you enjoy looking up at the night sky on a clear night (often August) … check out this August Skymap PDF.

Category: Hobby, Photography, Photos, Space, Weather | No Comments »
Tags: astronomy, map, milky way, night sky, pdf, sky, space, view

Posted By RichC on August 20, 2021

Most aging entrepreneurs and investors can “in hindsight” spot their mistakes and missed opportunities, but with age and experience, also comes wisdom. The pace of change is rapidly accelerating and decisions seem to be made much faster and happen quicker nowadays’; I suspect even millennials are learning this faster?

As a more cautious trader and investor (most of the time), I tend not to jump into the untested trades, non-profitable companies or the latest trends … therefore, I often miss opportunities. Owning mature established companies also comes with legacy risk and lethargic decision making by management. I find myself knowing about the “next thing” but not participating … and I often kick myself for being risk-averse. As everyone knows, most “hot” companies and start-ups are just too unknown and therefore risky. I missed picking the Dotcom survivors and finding right ecommerce companies when brick and mortar retailers struggled (like picking $AMZN at a few bucks a share), or support companies like $SHOP. More recently I have not been able to stomach the ups and downs of the crazy Meme stocks, blockchain companies or owning cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum or Doge Coin or even a company like Tesla with stellar products, but a ridiculously high valuation. $TSLA

BUT I also think of myself as a “contrarian” and dislike following the herd. It is something in my genes. I can even still recite lines to my favorite elementary school poem: “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost (click arrow for audio). I’m not sure how to apply this to investing, but read something from the investment contrarian Brett Owens and contemplated “what’s next” when it comes to not necessarily buying the next HOT stock, but the technology and backbone companies that makes it grow (see a segment from his newsletter and end of day chart 8/18 from Kiplinger below).

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Category: Advice, Blogs, Financial, Human Interest, Innovation | No Comments »
Tags: $AMT, $AMZN, $COIN, $TSLA, brett owens, contrarian, cryptocurrency, hindsight, investing, pick and shovel, poetry, robert frosh, shop, the road not taken

Posted By RichC on August 19, 2021

What Does ZIP in zip code stand for … for Throwback Thursday #TBT?

ZIP is an acronym using the first letters from Zoning Improvement Plan.

… and who doesn’t grin at 1963 marketing: Zip Code: With the Swingin’ Six. 😊

Category: Misc, TBT, Tidbits, Video | No Comments »
Tags: mail, mp4, swingin' six, TBT, usps, zip, zipcode

Posted By RichC on August 18, 2021

It is a month and a half late, but concrete companies and for that matter most construction companies are very busy this summer. The COVID19pandemic has put most projects behind and perhaps we should be thankful to be on their schedule.

Tearing out (video from Canary Security Cam) and re-concreting a driveway is one of those expensive home maintenance items that is difficult to stomach since you really don’t see anything “new” for your money (it’s a cement driveway!) … and it is just something you drive on and plow snow off of. Still, our has been crumbling in spots for years and definitely needed to be replaced.
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Category: Archive, Financial, Movies, Personal, Video | No Comments »
Tags: canary, concrete, driveway, home, house, inflation, mp4, project, security cam

Posted By RichC on August 17, 2021

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Category: Archive, Personal, Photos, Video | No Comments »
Tags: annalyn, backyard, birthday, brenda, drew, ellerie, family, katelyn, mp4, pool, taylor, vacation