My Desultory Blog

Posted By RichC on September 3, 2021

A friend asked me the other day, “what are you going to do if inflation becomes a bigger problem than it is already?” Good question … the canned answer (safe answer) is to be diversified. The reality is far more challenging.

There was a day when the first reply was to own hard assets like commodities and precious metals. Nowadays, there are far more concerns in giving that advice. For example, energy producers are under long term pressure due to fossil fuels creating carbon and therefore contributing to climate change. Government around the world are increasingly making decisions to move away from oil and gas … therefore making the commodity and companies that produce them concerning in the long run. Gold and silver being precious metals and a way to hedge, have digital replacements in the form of cryptocurrency and NFTs attract investors and at least the blockchain technology behind them has a lot of potential. Add pitifully low bond yields and CD return and that makes finding a safe haven harder than it once was.

The BusinessInsider included a simple “Investment Idea” chart that offers traditional inflation investing advice that I thought might be helpful:

What types of assets are good for beating inflation?

Several asset classes in particular lend themselves to inflation-oriented investing.

• Appreciation-oriented assets: Go for investments that offer growth, or appreciation — not simply income. Company stock is a prime example. 
• Real assets: Inflation devalues nominal assets, like CDs and traditional bonds, because they’re priced based on the fixed interest they pay, which will lose value when inflation is increasing. In contrast, real assets are tangible things with fundamental value. So their worth floats up together with inflation.
• Variable interest-rate assets: If something pays a fixed rate, you’ll lose money in an inflationary environment. Assets with fluctuating interest rates give your money more of a fighting chance, as they’ll also rise with inflation.

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Category: Advice, Business, Financial, Tidbits | No Comments »
Tags: business insider, commodities, crypto, cryptocurrency, energy, Financial, gold, inflation, investing, nfts, stocks, tips

Posted By RichC on September 2, 2021

Since I post the flyer and announcement over at my local EAA284 (Experimental Aircraft Association) website, I’ll double up and add it to my blog as usual too.

Join us for the Red Stewart Airfield 24th Annual Airshow September 4, 2021 starting at 5pm and the EAA Chapter 284 Taildragger Fly-In/Pancake Breakfast Sunday September 5, 2021 morning 7-11AM.

LINK

Category: Aviation, Local | No Comments »
Tags: airshow, breakfast, pancake, red stewart, taildragger, tdfi

Posted By RichC on September 1, 2021

Who knew we would be having so much rain in late August? It has been a pain for the crew trying to finish our concrete driveway project … but the “big pours” should be done for now and “I hope” they will be back to address a puddling issue in the rear (something I mentioned a few times and talked about with the foreman and was assured the pitch was correct. It was not.)  So I’ll archive the problem and save the photos before they come up with a solution, although I’m sure they are sick of trying to finish our job and would like to move on.

As for my Sod Webworm problem … it happened overnight … or at least it seemed like it? One day the grass was green and enjoying all the August moisture, the next day it was brown and gone. No need to mow it since it was full of fat juicy sod webworms (A LOT of them).

I quickly sprayed all the insecticide that I had (too late) and invited the birds to have a feast, but doubt I will get ahead of them? Thankfully, unlike grubs, they “supposedly” eat what is green and the roots will grow new grass again. Let’s hope.

How do you kill sod webworms?

Sevin^® Insect Killer Granules treat sod webworms above and below the soil line. Apply the ready-to-use granules with a regular lawn spreader and water immediately, according to product label directions for sod webworms. This releases the active ingredient to reach the pests in thatch and as they feed.

Category: Misc, Nature, Personal, Photos, Weather | No Comments »
Tags: big pour, concrete, driveway, insects, lawn, problem, project, puddling, rain, sod webworm, weather

Posted By RichC on August 31, 2021

Yesterday, Marine General Frank McKenzie announced the U.S. military’s withdrawal from our 20-year war in Afghanistan complete. We entered Afghanistan shortly after September 11, 2001 with a mission to hunt down al-Qaida, Osama bin Laden and radical Islamic terrorists, but we spent much of the time fighting the Taliban who gave the safe haven to terrorists and controlled opium trade in order to fund their fundamental Sharia law dictatorship.

As often happens, “mission creep” took over. We created alliances, trained fighters who preferred democracy and a better life for the majority (including half the country who were oppressed women), and assisted them with billions of dollars and aid. As Gen McKenzie commented, “It was not a cheap mission. The cost was 2,461 U.S. Service members and civilians with more than 20,000 injured. Sadly, that includes 13 U.S. Service members who were killed last week by an ISIS-K suicide bomber.”

Americans had had enough and have wanted out. President Trump put the wheels in motion for an exit, but criticism has been strong and harsh in recent days for the botched exit by President Biden who seemed more interested in a pre-9/11 timeline than getting all Americans, Afghan friendlies and the fewest casualties.

Prior to the debacle last week, the State Department and Biden administration had over six months to begin the evacuation process. We still had Bagram Air Base, close air support and held 5000 fighters in prisons (released when Taliban took it over). Whoever made the decision to close that base and hand the keys, prisoners and equipment over to those left behind in July … obviously did not have contingency plans in place in case the Taliban over ran the country. 

The U.S. still had hundreds of thousands left to evacuate, were only holding a civilian airport in Kabul that eventually was surrounded by the Taliban. The mission for the Marines was nearly impossible, but they heroically spent 17-days evacuating 120,000 who were able to get through the checkpoints and board transport planes. Unfortunately many allies and an estimated 250 American have been left behind — A national disgrace, as one Op-Ed put it.

For all those who fought and sacrificed in Afghanistan, I thank you for 20 years of safety at home. You have kept the U.S. homeland safer and protected our way of life. What will the the future be like? More terror attacks abroad and here at home?

Category: Millitary, News, Politics | No Comments »
Tags: 9/11, afghanistan, bagram, biden, isis-k, kabul, military, Politics, radical islam, sharia, taliban, terrorism, war

Posted By RichC on August 30, 2021

Who doesn’t know who Brian Wilson is or love his many decades of music … especially with The Beach Boys (even my kids played them on our amplified Echo and dance around a week or so ago)? 😊 I stumbled across his timeline on the BrianWilson.com which highlights each decade with photos and highlights. A few years back, he opened up on his life, mental illness, drug use, etc in an interview (see YouTube video). 

I cringed a bit, since it isn’t comfortable to watch someone decline as they age (the image of President Biden flash in my head) … but is nice to see talented musicians enjoying their gift and sharing it with fans.

Category: Blogs, Entertainment, Music, Video | No Comments »
Tags: aging, beach boys, biden, brian wilson, music monday, musicmonday, video, website, youtube

Posted By RichC on August 29, 2021

A delayed post updating the Category 4 Hurricane Ida that hit the coast of Louisiana just west of New Orleans packing winds nearing Cat 5 strength. The storm surge over 10 feet will test improvements made after Hurricane Katrina hit nearly the same area in 2005 .. in the first year of my daily blog (or nearly daily in the summer of 2005).

As for the wind and rain, they are expected to create flooding conditions well inland and even later in the week for states further to the north and east.

Category: Weather | No Comments »
Tags: flooding, hurricane, ida, katrina, louisiana, rain, storm, wind

Posted By RichC on August 29, 2021

Local politics, issues and selecting/electing those who make decisions that impact where we live should be a much higher priority than most of us give them. Unfortunately I’m guilty of lacking attention to what is going on locally and was pretty much oblivious when my kids were growing up; we should all be more focused on what was happening. Most of America’s attention is too preoccupied with raising their families and making a living to give politics (especially local politics) much more than lip service or in an election year maybe a little more attention since half of us vote (how pitiful is that?)

On the other having an opinion on issues and what is best for your community and country can be pretty challenging. From information overload to knowing who or what to believe or what you want government to do or be in charge of can seem overwhelming. I suspect that is why so many don’t comment, or share an opinion when comments are requested … or even vote.

This brings me to a local issue we are facing in Liberty Township, Ohio where growth and expansion is trying to be dealt with without drastically changing our semi-rural culture and community. With a nearly 400% growth since we moved here in the 1990s, our infrastructure has been under pressure. Thankfully those elected to manage have been outstanding and attentive over the years, but the more we grow, the less the area resembles why we moved here. The rural neighborhood are beginning to resemble the suburbs around most cities and to offset cost and provide services … we are attracting businesses. With businesses comes the need for more even more expansion with even more roads, services and then more people. At some point (it is inevitable) the attractive rural yet suburban area that we have called home will no longer be the place I want to be living in (although Brenda is still happy here).

“I-75 & Millikin Road Interchange Study” (video below)

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Category: Archive, Local, Misc, Politics | No Comments »
Tags: cincinnati, community, dayton, interchange, interstate, liberty township, local, ohio, openhouse, study, virtual

Posted By RichC on August 28, 2021

Friday was Day One, of what is the longest day of the planned two day driveway pour (Day 2 on Monday). The crew was at the house before 5:30AM with spot lights, last minute prep and ready for the first truck of concrete which was scheduled to arrive at 6AM – was here at 6:15.

The Canary Cam picked up the action at dawn and by 10AM the three full trucks poured their loads in front of both garages. The “sweat rake” (their term) moved the heavy liquid as the boards and floats were manned by what seemed to me an experience crew. At first Brandon, the foreman, was a bit gruff, but by the time I had chatted with him a few times I realized that he was just a “matter the fact” kind of guy. He is very competent and well respected by both the company’s owners/management and the crews who work for him. Since the job is yet to be finished, I hate to heap too much praise on him (HA!).

So far so good; including a few photos below for the archive.

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Category: Archive, Idioms, Misc, Personal, Photos | No Comments »
Tags: big pour, concrete, driveway, home, house, idiom, idioms, pano, Photos, project

Posted By RichC on August 27, 2021

Now that I’m spending more time working from my home office than ever before, I’m shock that I didn’t improve the comfort in my south west corner office before this year? The mini split AC unit has made a world of difference in controlling the temperature … and started me thinking about growing up without air conditioning or for that matter not having it in our first Aurora, Ohio house or second house in Hudson … although we did add a window AC unit? Thankfully not all that long after we gave up heating with wood and coal, we replace the old oil furnace after running a “long” expensive gas line from the road with a cleaner and more efficient natural gas furnace and we included adding central air. I do still remember economizing though and running the whole house fan in the hallway ceiling in order to pull cooler evening air  – it seemed fine back in the early 1980s … although even in NE Ohio I would not want to be doing that now. Here in Cincinnati with summer daytime temperatures regularly over 90, it is hard to believe we considered installing a whole house fan when we built our house. Now we almost never open our windows and replaced the double-hung in the rear with fixed windows.

My second point when it comes to tearing out and preparing to pour our concrete driveway and having had a week of dry, hot weather is that you don’t want o be opening windows. The crushed limestone base being work and compacted creates tons of dust. It is bad enough that the exterior of our house has been dusted white and all our outdoor furniture and patios are caked with limestone dust, but can’t imagine sucking that inside?

Shocking thought: We have as much invested in our driveway than we spent for our first house! (if I include the blacktop section in the back from 2008)

More for location photos below ..

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Category: Archive, Environment, Memories, Misc, Personal, Photos, Weather | No Comments »
Tags: air conditioning, aurora, blacktop, concrete, driveway, dust, hudson, limestone, minisplit, ne ohio, project, whole house fan

Posted By RichC on August 26, 2021

In continuing in my effort to document the driveway project, here is another photo (below) that is likely to make the kids smile and Brenda frown, due to our long running “turtle” jokes. The workers painting a turtle made me smile … at least more than the swimming snake I dipped out of the pool (video #TBT). Really though, I wanted to archive it for an  “under the driveway drain reference” … just in case I need to know where it is located. At this point I just hope the concrete trucks do not crush the pipe.

Category: Archive, Misc, Personal, Photos, TBT | No Comments »
Tags: archive, concrete, drains, driveway, gravel, pipes, project, snake