FaceTime with Annalyn and Mt Rushmore photos
Posted By RichC on June 15, 2017
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Fed raises rates in June not September as expected
Posted By RichC on June 14, 2017
Sort of a surprise to most Fed watchers today as the consensus was for the Federal Reserve to raise rates a 1/4 point in 
September, not June. Perhaps it won’t make much difference for the whole year, but Chair Janet Yellen obviously wants to stay ahead of the curve. The target inflation rate remain 2% as the Fed flexes its market moving muscle. According to Ms. Yellen, "All that we’re doing in raising rates is removing a bit of accommodation, heading toward a neutral pace. We’re not moving so aggressively as to put a brake on continued improvement in the labor market." Most watcher no long expect a September move, but are factoring in one more by the end of 2017.
Happy Flag Day – an excellent podcast from Mike Rowe
Posted By RichC on June 14, 2017
Flag Day 2017 — “Something To Stand For” by Mike Rowe of MikeRoweWORKS
Definitely Desultory – Who are the four kings in a deck of cards?
Posted By RichC on June 14, 2017
#TeamFiona playing cards on sale for short time at Cincinnati area Kroger
It is strange after 50 years that curiosity finally piqued my interest as to how the four kings on playing cards came to be … who are they? Of course the beauty of having the Internet at your fingertips is that finding “an” answer is easy … here’s was writer Toby Bochan had to say last year:
It’s commonly thought that each of the four kings in a deck of cards represents a great ruler of the past. In this
line of reasoning, the king of spades is said to be David, king of Israel; the king of clubs is supposed to be Alexander the Great; the king of hearts, the French king Charlemagne; and the king of diamonds is the Roman Caesar Augustus.
Some sources say the king of diamonds is Julius Caesar, not Augustus. However, while many people state this as fact, there is significant debate on this subject. David Mikkelson, at Snopes.com, says it’s false.
A LITTLE HISTORY
Playing cards arrived in Europe in the late 14th century and decks differed greatly depending on where they were produced. There were inconsistent numbers of cards and design, although all decks had suits made up of court cards (now usually called face cards) and numbered cards. Eventually, as card-playing in Europe became more widespread, the decks were mass-produced with stencils and always included 52 cards, the same number a deck includes now.It was the French card-makers in the late 16th century who standardized the suits of spades, hearts, diamonds and clubs and designated the four kings as David, Alexander, Charlemagne and Augustus. But Mikkelson adds that this designation was ended in the late 18th century and from then on, the kings in decks of cards have represented no one in particular, any more than the kings on a chessboard stand for illustrious royals of the past.
Adam Wintle, in the UK website The World of Playing Cards, says that English king cards have never been named for any historical person and supports Snopes’ contention that the connection of real royals to the cards was a wholly French invention.
Down through the centuries, the figures in the court cards of Pierre Marechal of Rouen– kings, queens and jacks (originally called knights or knaves) — have been dressed in the medieval clothing that was original to the 15th-century designs of the French.
It seems inevitable gasoline and diesel taxes will go up
Posted By RichC on June 13, 2017
There was a time when I thought I could count on Republicans who now control the House of Representatives, Senate and Whitehouse in Washington DC to reduce taxes — how naïve of me.
The latest going around is how "gasoline and diesel taxes haven’t been increase in years and how they need to go up to improve infrastructure." There is always some excuse to obfuscate how how many ways bureaucrats collect taxes, but in the end government grows bigger, the spending higher, the waste more, the debt being passed down to our children larger and overall bureaucratic efficiency lower.
BTW, why continue to tax diesel more than gasoline?
It is only passed on in higher prices?
Music Monday: Wichita Lineman sung by Glen Campbell #vinyl
Posted By RichC on June 12, 2017
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Excellent weather, great fun and good food
Posted By RichC on June 11, 2017
Not too many photos, but Taylor’s friends all seemed to have a great time celebrating his birthday this weekend in the backyard. The Knockerballs were a hit … and Taylor even showed his love for his mom Ha! (video below).
Thinking of a college roommate and his family today
Posted By RichC on June 11, 2017
It was one short year ago (6/11/2016) that the the news shocked me that one of my college roommates collapsed and died while cycling near Columbus Ohio. My college orientation roommate and one of three 4th year roommates, Bill Gordon was an avid cyclist and was probably in far better physical shape than most, but like all of us, our days are numbered. In Bill’s case it may also have had something to do with his competitive spirit and not realizing he was pushing his body beyond it capability?
Even before the yearly reminder appeared, I thought of last years post and knew it would soon be in the center column "Year(s) Ago On This Day." Perhaps exerting on the edging of our many raised beds to spread new mulch reminded me of Bill? More likely it was the renewal of my life insurance policy and thinking about his wife Julie (and family); we definitely need to make the most of each day — carpe diem (see poem below). I’d like to think Brenda and I are doing that, but also know we could be making it more of a priority. For me personally I also need to be realistic and not push my body as much as I did when I was younger (still need to work on better eating habits and exercise).
To His Coy Mistress by Andrew Marvell
Had we but world enough, and time,
This coyness, Lady, were no crime
We would sit down and think which way
To walk and pass our long love’s day.
Thou by the Indian Ganges’ side
Shouldst rubies find: I by the tide
Of Humber would complain. I would
Love you ten years before the Flood,
And you should, if you please, refuse
Till the conversion of the Jews.
My vegetable love should grow
Vaster than empires, and more slow;
An hundred years should go to praise
Thine eyes and on thy forehead gaze;
Two hundred to adore each breast,
But thirty thousand to the rest;
An age at least to every part,
And the last age should show your heart.
For, Lady, you deserve this state,
Nor would I love at lower rate.But at my back I always hear
Time’s winged chariot hurrying near;
And yonder all before us lie
Deserts of vast eternity.
Thy beauty shall no more be found,
Nor, in thy marble vault, shall sound
My echoing song: then worms shall try
That long preserved virginity,
And your quaint honour turn to dust,
And into ashes all my lust:
The grave’s a fine and private place,
But none, I think, do there embrace.Now therefore, while the youthful hue
Sits on thy skin like morning dew,
And while thy willing soul transpires
At every pore with instant fires,
Now let us sport us while we may,
And now, like amorous birds of prey,
Rather at once our time devour
Than languish in his slow-chapt power.
Let us roll all our strength and all
Our sweetness up into one ball,
And tear our pleasures with rough strife
Thorough the iron gates of life:
Thus, though we cannot make our sun
Stand still, yet we will make him run.
Happy Birthday to my son and memories from the past
Posted By RichC on June 10, 2017
Happy Birthday Taylor … I don’t think I could be prouder of the man you have become. Last year was a great one and the plans you have for this year are exciting as well. I always look forward to our time together.
One of the things my son and I share is our interest in cars (actually something my dad and I shared too). When thinking about our mutual interest — cars — on Taylor’s birthday, and having just noticed a familiar listing in Hemmings, it made me think of my dad and when we were looking at potential first cars together.
I had $600 of extra money on top of what I had saved for college burning a hole in my pocket by the end of the summer of 1977. Like most guys, 
I really wanted a car and had a beat up, patched up and repainted yellow 1968 Firebird all lined up — it was of course vetoed by my father who really didn’t want me buying a car (I ended up waiting until my junior year of college before I bought my own 1974 Capri).
Another option was a 1958 Buick Super 8 Riviera Sport Coupe that my dad had his own soft spot for (a car of his era). The 20 year old car was priced right and in fair but original condition. I had a single owner all of its life and could be fixed up and worked on by the two of us — no new fangled emission controls (laughing now with computerized everything). Both mom and dad were set on just letting me borrow the old 1967 4-door Ford Custom 500 (my mom’s rust bucket of a car) that I repaired, rebuilt the 289 V-8 engine and painted a darker blue. Still, I think my dad could have been talked into letting me buy a Buick just like this one. Who knows?
Wisdom prevailed on my part as the fuel economy was hideously lousy, just as gasoline prices had doubled and were doubling again. No way I could have afforded to drive this beast … but looking back, it sure would have been nice to have!
Back to the "happy birthday" Taylor … I bought you an appropriate bluetooth USB/Aux dongle for your BMW 528i xDrive so you can stream music from your iPhone without plugging and unplugging.
TechFriday: Apple announced iOS11 at the WWDC17 conference
Posted By RichC on June 9, 2017
Along with all that is happening with hardware and innovation at the Apple developers conference — WWDC — one of the more anticipated upgrades to the mobile operating system was announced. Along with the likely "millions" of suggestions from daily users, my iOS11 suggestion/request was probably lost in the shuffle … although I’ve made the request in multiple iOS versions and to app developers. 
Those who know me or have followed my technology oriented posts, know that I have pretty much given up traveling with a laptop or 
notebook computer anymore. Nearly everything I need to do "on the road" can be done on my iPad Air2 and Brydge keyboard. It is my go-to device for keeping connected and organizing my days (haven’t been able to live with just an iPhone … yet). One of the options I’ve wanted for years has been the ability to put the date in the header along with the time. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve appreciated the "stacked taskbar time/date" option on Windows devices. The ability at a glance to know both the date and time would be very helpful — all I’m asking is to have the option to be able to add the date to the existing time (I can’t be the only one???)
Desultory - des-uhl-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee
- lacking in consistency, constancy, or visible order, disconnected; fitful: desultory conversation.
- digressing from or unconnected with the main subject; random: a desultory remark.