My Desultory Blog

Posted By RichC on January 28, 2020

As a German car guy from way back (VW, Mercedes, BMW), there was time I really wanted to also have a Porsche. When I was looking for my first car, it was an economical 914 with a Targa top … but ended up with a 1974 Mercury Capri (probably a smart move). Later in life I though "maybe" we could start looking at older 911s or maybe a newer Boxster? But once again, commonsense prevailed and I bought a Volkswagen Jetta TDI diesel.

Although I’m a bit off topic. This past week an interesting article in Hemmings Daily highlighting the 50 years of flair: 1970 Porsche 911 Options and Accessories brochure.

I especially enjoyed the "strapped in luggage" … no doubt we all know how this car was to be driven!

Things modern 911 drivers take for granted were still extras a half-century ago; can you imagine buying a base 911 today with roll-up windows, steel wheels, non-tinted glass, and no stereo? Of course, sporting types in 1970 would opt for front and rear anti-roll bars, Fuchs forged light alloy wheels, a limited-slip differential, and full (911S-style) instrumentation.

Category: Automotive, Memories, Photos | No Comments »
Tags: accessories, boxer, capri, flatnose, hemmings, luggage, mercury, porsche

Posted By RichC on January 27, 2020

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Category: Archive, Memories, Music, Personal, Photos, Video | No Comments »
Tags: ada ohio, alan jackson, apartment, college, cyber security, jeff pitts, jerry moody, jimmy buffett, memories, mp3, music monday, musicmonday, photo, roommates

Posted By RichC on January 26, 2020

graphic credit – Enza Financial

There was an excellent podcast on Charles Schwab‘s WashingtonWise Investor (link) last week with Mike Townsend and Dan Stein that summarized the 2020 changes for those planning their retirement – hopefully everybody. Most of the new changes made by Congress last year in the SECURE Act are based on Americans living and working longer than in the past, hence one of the big changes has to do with RMDs (Required Minimum Distributions) from tax differed accounts used by Americans in saving for retirement (IRAs, 401Ks, etc). Oh, if you are wondering about the Washington DC acronym SECURE, it is: Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement.

The big change from my perspective is when we are required to take money out (and begin to pay taxes on) retirement savings that has been put aside pre-tax. Prior to the SECURE Act in 2020, that age as been 70½. Under the new law, you do not have to take distributions until the year you turn 72. The new rule gives more time for your retirement savings to grow before you need to begin drawing it down. That dollar amount come from an IRS published table based on life expectancy and the amount saved. Under the current rules, your first few RMDs are less than 4% of the account value, but they escalate as you get older, getting closer to 7% of the account value by age 85 and close to 9% by age 90.This is important because distributions from traditional retirement plans are taxed as ordinary income, so as the size of your distributions increase, your tax burden may as well.

Probably the other big change is how "inherited" IRAs are handled. Under current law, non-spouse designated beneficiaries can take distributions over their life expectancy, but for many retirement account owners who pass away in 2020 and beyond, beneficiaries will have ‘only’ 10 years to empty the account.

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Category: Financial | No Comments »
Tags: 401k, ira, planning, retirement, rmd, saving, secure act, taxes

Posted By RichC on January 25, 2020

EDIT – A Boeing 777X airliner lifts off for its first flight at Paine Field on January 25, 2020 in Everett, Washington. Getty images – Stephen Brashear

The new Boeing 777X enters the next phase of its rigorous test program. Based on the most successful twin-aisle airplane ever, the Boeing 777, and with advanced technologies from the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, the 777X will be the largest and most fuel efficient twin-engine jet in the world, with an exceptional passenger experience.

LINK

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Category: Aviation, Video | No Comments »
Tags: $BA, 777X, aviation, boeing

Posted By RichC on January 24, 2020

Just your average PSA guys. Just because you use jack stands, doesn’t mean you’re safe. Always throw something else under the car if you’re going to be under it.

My father and I just had a trusty old jack stand fail. Folded right over unexpectedly, luckily he was just rotating tires at the time, so no one was under the car. 2019 Subaru Forester with 6k miles resting on its rotor at front tow hook point. Luckily no damage at all, and thank whatever deity is out there that no one was underneath.

I’ll clarify- these are super old 1.5 ton stands that my father has used for 20 years. Not my first choice, I use HF 3 and 6 ton.

Category: Automotive, Social Media | No Comments »
Tags: aaron peters, facebook, jack stands, psa, social network, subaru

Posted By RichC on January 23, 2020

It has taken years, but I’ve finally decided to move my woodworking bench dogs from the tool tray (see below).

A bench dog is an accessory used on a woodworking workbench to allow clamping of wooden items while being worked or planed.

Ever since building my work table and vices with bench dogs back in the 1980s, I’ve stored the homemade oak and maple “pegs” (dogs) on end in a can or cut off pipe. Unfortunately they stick up too high out of the tool tray or if I put them on their side, they get buried. I thought about eliminated the storage tray, but it is a tradition place to put a few tools off the table’s surface while working on a project and “would” still be nice to have if I used it properly (it is forever a catchall).

The problem with the bench dogs stick up above the table’s surface is that they are in the way when working on projects that extended over the edge of the table. It happen again last weekend when taking apart a few antique Christmas displays inherited from Brenda’s parents, so I had it with moving them. Finally, I took 20 minutes and a few pieces of scrap oak, I added a spot to the side of the table where they are handy, yet below the surface. Now the work table’s surface is flat and clear from any vertical items sticking out of the tool tray … something that should have been done decades ago!

I also left enough room for a small square, but dislike the aluminum adjustable bevel square, so might try to find a simple small antique Brass and Rosewood Try Square … stay tuned (I sort of wish Brenda’s furniture-maker grandfather would have passed one down).

Category: Archive, Personal, Photos, Tools, Woodworking | No Comments »
Tags: bench dogs, clamps, storage, table, tools, try square, woodworking, workbench, workshop

Posted By RichC on January 22, 2020

Just how big is an African Crowned Eagle’s talons? BIG!!!

A wider-view photo below …

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Category: Environment, Nature, Photos | No Comments »
Tags: africa, african, bid bird, birds, crowned, eagle, eagle-hawk, fist, hand, nature, talon

Posted By RichC on January 21, 2020

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Category: Automotive, Blogs, Business, Memories, Personal, Photos | No Comments »
Tags: annalyn, aurora, automotive, cars, cozy coupe, hemmings, hudson, jim mariol, little tikes, newell, ohio, rubbermaid, university of cincinnati

Posted By RichC on January 20, 2020

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Category: Archive, Environment, Memories, Music, Nature, Travel | No Comments »
Tags: good riddance, green day, hiking, maps, mp3, Music, music monday, musicmonday, national parks, road trip, time of your life, traveling

Posted By RichC on January 18, 2020

While working on post highlighting the DJIA crossing 29,000, I realized that the stock market has blown through that milestone and is rocketing towards 30,000 and that I’ll have to start over (probably a “worry-wart” post is coming).

One of the big contributors to this Dow Jones Industrial Average is Apple ($AAPL). It just continues to trade higher. The fact that CEO Tim Cook has learned to put his personal politics aside and work with President Trump certainly doesn’t hurt when gaining favor with US trade negotiations with China. Of course the entire economy benefits with lowered tensions and tariffs, but those who play the game best are the ones who work within the system. Apple is doing this pretty well considering.

On the other hand, passing and signing big trade deals like USMCA between the US, Mexico and Canada and getting phase one in place with China doesn’t hurt either. Personally, I suspect those foreign leaders playing hardball with the US are beginning to think the election in November favors  President Trump … where as they may have been waiting out his term believing a Democrat would be easier to manipulate into a more favorable deal?
(speculation on my part)

All in all, the economy is still holding up well (housing starts up today) and companies who already have a great product AND know how to play ball in today’s divisive political culture, will come out ahead … ahead so much so that I’ve humorously added a Post-It Note to the AAPL chart on my computer monitor (photo left).

Also while thinking about how Apple’s CEO Tim Cook worked with leaders in China and “likely” a leader he doesn’t particulaly see eye to eye with in the US (President Trump), this bit of sage advice that I jotted down a while ago came to mind:

A wise senior business leader once said, “It is impossible to prosper when there is war. You must seek peace first; then you will prosper.”

So .. the sooner you make peace with your adversary, you’ll be able to refocus you energy on mutually beneficial outcomes.

Category: Advice, Apple, Computer, Financial, Humor, News | No Comments »
Tags: aapl, advice, apple, charts, china, deal, djia, economy, financial markets, Humor, investing, News, notes, post-it, quote, stocks, trade, trading, usmca