Posted By RichC on March 23, 2025
From our local economic development office, a new Wawa convenient store will open on April 16, 2025:
Liberty Township is excited to welcome Wawa to the community! Located at 7198 Cincinnati-Dayton Road, this Wawa store is not only the first Wawa in Liberty Township, but also the first Wawa in the State of Ohio.
Posted By RichC on March 22, 2025
Seeing this view each morning as we head to the beach never gets old. To be sure, I’ve posted similar photos a few times before, but even 
as the wallpaper on my iPhone, I can’t get enough of it.
As our time in Florida for 2025 inches closer to a close, Brenda and I are savoring each 9-1/2 mile morning walk on the beach. Truth to be told, that distance each day can sometimes be more challenging than others — wind, waves and softness of the sand. I’m still amazed at how well Brenda’s hip continues to improve; after testament to modern orthopedic medicine and skilled surgeons.
Our improvements at the condo this year have been relatively minor. We finally found a new lamp (but expensive in my opinion) and also added a set of bunk beds for our granddaughters when they visit. It took more than a simple screw here and there to assemble … and wondered to myself how some people are able to build them? Nevertheless, I have enjoyed working on it a few hours at a time (and they look and feel nice).
Outside, the fenced recycling and garbage area lost a large overgrown tree with roots that damaged underground utilities, so the improvement was to cut it down, grind out the roots and plant a new tree and screening bushes that will hopefully hide the bins? So far, so good. We’re also going to upgrade to fiber this summer that will be a great addition to our cable and internet (crossing my fingers).
Posted By RichC on March 21, 2025
Have you ever wondered how the yearly floating date for Easter is determined … or why it is so late this year (April 20, 2025)?
Almanac.com had a great article, but since I’m thinking about Tech Friday today, here’s what Grok3 AI has to say about it. 
The date of Easter Sunday is determined by a system rooted in both lunar and solar cycles, specifically tied to the Paschal Full Moon. The Paschal Full Moon is the first full moon that occurs on or after the ecclesiastical spring equinox, which the Christian Church fixes as March 21 for simplicity, even though the astronomical equinox can vary slightly (e.g., in 2025, it’s March 20). Easter Sunday is then set as the first Sunday following this Paschal Full Moon.
This method connects Easter to the Jewish calendar, where lunar cycles (approximately 29.5 days) govern key dates like Passover. In Christianity, Easter commemorates the resurrection of Jesus, which followed the Last Supper—a Passover feast. Because it’s tied to the lunar month rather than a fixed solar date like Christmas (December 25, near the winter solstice), Easter’s date shifts each year. For example, if the Paschal Full Moon falls on a Saturday, Easter is the next day; if it’s a Monday, Easter is the following Sunday.
Posted By RichC on March 20, 2025
Hm … an interesting middle initial story:
Ulysses S. Grant was born Hiram Ulysses Grant on April 27, 1822, though as a child he often went by his middle name, Ulysses. In 1839, he applied
to the United States Military Academy at West Point, and the benefactor who the application, Ohio Congressman Thomas Hamer, mistakenly wrote “Ulysses S. Grant” on the document, apparently taking the initial from Grant’s mother’s maiden name, Simpson, though Simpson was never Grant’s middle name. In fact, the erroneous “S” in Grant’s name doesn’t stand for anything, and Hiram, his real first name, was completely dropped — yet the name stuck. Grant’s attempts to correct the error were curbed by delays and more paperwork, so he eventually accepted his new moniker. In an 1844 letter to his future wife, Julia Dent, Grant quipped, “Find some name beginning with ‘S’ for me.”
See History Facts
Posted By RichC on March 19, 2025
Going through my iPhone’s photos folder to see what I’ve missed posting about is becoming a habit. This past weekend I realized that the SpaceX Falcon9 rocket with the crewed Dragon capsule‘s launch contrails on Saturday evening were blogworthy as was a condo “parking lot” photo of the Blood Worm Moon on Saturday evening (click for larger).
While also walking the grounds, we’ve been noticing a couple more green iguanas … one that is either burrowing (note the tail dragging in the sand) or has invaded another critters burrow? Nevertheless, I’m not found of snakes, lizards, alligators or any kind of reptile (although turtles are ok).
Posted By RichC on March 18, 2025
After the January inauguration of President Trump and the confirmation of his cabinet, there was an immediate change to trade policies that included tariffs … often viewed as protectionist or at minimum leveling and reshaping the 
relationships with key trading partners. This month the U.S. levied 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from Canada, Mexico, the European Union (EU), Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom, citing national security concerns tied steel being produced in other countries. For years the U.S. has increasingly relied more and more on importing steel (and aluminum). More and more manufacturing, be it microchips, high tech assembly or pharmaceuticals has been offshored to Asia, so tariffs on all Chinese imports were increased to 20% on the 4th of March, heightening tensions with China, the world’s second-largest economy.
Trading partners responded swiftly. Canada imposed retaliatory tariffs amounting to $29.8 billion on U.S. goods, including steel, aluminum, and consumer products. The EU adopted a phased approach, reinstating €8 billion in tariffs by April 1, followed by an additional €18 billion by mid-April, targeting U.S. industrial and agricultural exports. China countered with tariffs of up to 15% on U.S. agricultural exports and introduced export controls on critical minerals. Meanwhile, Mexico, Japan, South Korea, and the UK have prioritized diplomatic negotiations, delaying immediate retaliation in favor of seeking exemptions or resolutions.
The current escalation builds on longstanding grievances over unfair trade practices by U.S. trading partners. China has frequently been accused of intellectual property theft, forced technology transfers, and currency manipulation, practices that have undermined U.S. competitiveness and fueled bilateral trade disputes. The European Union has faced criticism for its substantial agricultural subsidies, which distort global markets and place U.S. farmers at a disadvantage. Similarly, Japan and South Korea have historically imposed high tariffs and non-tariff barriers, particularly in their agriculture and automotive sectors, restricting U.S. market access and contributing to trade imbalances. These practices have shaped U.S. policymakers’ decisions to adopt a more protectionist stance, aiming to rectify perceived inequities in global trade.
The positive for the U.S. is that we’ve seen several companies swiftly changing plans to commit to investing in America and have turned from building overseas or in Mexico. This kind of reaction is likely the reason the president reached for “tariffs as a stick” verses the slow, cumbersome trade negotiations of the past that take years — and haven’t benefited middle class workers; we may have seen low prices on imports, but fewer good paying jobs.
As Americans, we can only hope this hardnose tactic works to our favor and that trading partners recognize the unfair trading imbalance they have had for years? Likely there will be significant challenges ahead, including supply chain disruptions and rising costs for businesses, alongside broader implications for economic growth and international relations. While U.S.-UK trade talks offer a potential avenue for de-escalation, the risk of further tariff conflicts looms large. Personally I think it might be prudent to prepare for a challenging year and a slowing economy. We can only hope our political leaders rethink what is best for all countries and their citizens, before world slips into a recession, but I’m not holding my breath.
Posted By RichC on March 17, 2025
While listening to Pandora’s version of 1970’s music last week, I picked up a song that “reminded” me of 1982, the year Brenda and I were married. The song was written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David’s and originally recorded as a demo by Dionne Warwick in 1963; it was “Always Something There To Remind Me.”
| Naked Eyes – “Always Something There To Remind Me” | 1983 |
The version of “Always Something There To Remind Me” that I’m referring to and remember the most, was by the English new wave duo Naked Eyes and they made it a hit in 1982.
Posted By RichC on March 16, 2025
I can’t recall what recent news context the Jerusalem Cross was mentioned in before, but suspect it was used in a negative reference — something about the Christian Crusades (AI reference below) and therefore the symbol to some indicated some kind of “white supremacy” and in the news story was being compared to the Nazi swastika?
Personally, I never associated the symbol with either the negative or a positive thought, but since our current U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has it tatooed on him, I prefer to view it in a positive light.
The Crusades were a series of religiously motivated military campaigns initiated by the Roman Catholic Church, primarily aimed at reclaiming the Holy Land from Islamic rule. The most well-known Crusades took place between 1095 and 1291 in the Near East, where European Christian armies attempted to recover Jerusalem and other territories from Muslim control.
There were also other Crusades against Muslims in Iberia and against pagans and fellow Christians in Europe whom the Catholic Church deemed heretical. These included political crusades, such as the Crusade against Roger II of Sicily from 1127 to 1135, and crusades against heretics, such as the Albigensian Crusade from 1209 to 1229.
Modern Catholics view the Crusades with a range of perspectives, from seeing them as just defensive wars to protect Christian territories to recognizing the atrocities and missteps that occurred during these campaigns. Some argue that the Crusades were necessary to stop Muslim encroachment and raids into Europe, while others acknowledge the negative aspects and regret the loss of innocent life.
Posted By RichC on March 15, 2025
Some might say that I’m spending too much time focused on the political news coming from Washington DC these days … but so much is happening — and at a rapid pace.
I’ve enjoyed spinning commentary a little more than usual this past year … and am a bit more Trumpish when posting on X.com or on TheHustings.news than I really am, but as the editor commented that he doesn’t really have a strong pro-MAGA voice to write for the right-column. So I’m the “slanted-right” voice by default, even though tariffs (taxes – yuck) make me nervous.
= = =
A Real Economy vs a Fake Economy
The economic visions of Donald Trump and Joe Biden stand in sharp contrast: Trump’s “Real Economy” emphasizes deregulation, energy independence, and tariffs to bolster American jobs, while Biden’s “Fake Economy” is roundly criticized for government expansion, deficit spending, and inflated metrics. As America awakens to month three of President Trump’s second term, stark differences between the two presidents highlight a pivotal debate over America’s economic future.
The Trump 1.0 administration delivered the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, slashing corporate taxes from 35% to 21%, driving investment and pushing unemployment to a 50-year low of 3.5% by February 2020. Energy policies made the U.S. a net oil exporter, fueling manufacturing and keeping costs low. Trump 2.0 is doubling down with tariffs—proposing significant tariffs on imports from Mexico, Canada, China, and the European Union—aimed at leveling the playing field for U.S. companies. This strategy incentivizes domestic hiring by making foreign goods costlier, with Trump claiming it will “bring back millions of American jobs” and shift revenue from foreign producers to the U.S. Treasury. This is a “Real Economy” that prioritizes American workers without wasting a single taxpayer dollar on DEI or green energy boondoggles.
Under Biden, his administration pumped $1.9 trillion into the American Rescue Plan, driving inflation to 9.1% in June 2022 and swelling the national debt from $27.8 trillion in January 2021 to $36.2 trillion by January 2025—an $8.4 trillion increase. Foreign aid soared, government jobs ballooned, including $80 billion to hire up to 87,000 IRS employees by 2031. By early 2025, the IRS workforce grew from 80,000 to over 100,000. The result of all this government spending: inflation. It hit 9.1% in June 2022, eroding wages, while green energy mandates raised energy costs, creating a “Fake Economy” that gave away much of our economic strength.
Trump’s tariffs aim to reverse this by encouraging companies to expand and hire domestically. Biden’s defenders point to stock market gains and low unemployment, but skeptics see a mirage—sustained by borrowed billions and government bloat rather than private-sector strength. With economic pressures mounting, the clash between these diametrically opposed philosophies will be enlightening over the next couple of years.
Posted By RichC on March 14, 2025
The manic markets and crazy movement down and up (today) are enough to have investors pulling their hair out. Thankfully there was a reprieve from the steady down movement over the tariff dispute between President Trump and many of our trading partners (more on that this weekend).
Consumer sentiment is not positive and will likely continue to keep negative pressure the financial markets and on investments— perhaps a buying opportunity for younger retirement savers looking longterm?
For now, I’ve debated on posting a pulling hair out photo on my blog (below the break), but since it is only embarrassing for me, I’ll include it. Rarely do I go much more than a month between haircuts, but it has been nearly 3 months, and the vain element in me wondered just how it was holding up … so a “losing hair over the stock market gyrations” seemed like as good of a reason as any. 
