Posted By RichC on June 11, 2014
Investors and pre-order buyers are still in the “wait” mode for the innovated water heater from Heatworks … but the CEO Jerry Callahan does a great job of keeping his Kickstarter investors informed.
That said, I’m looking forward to installing the Model 1 later this summer and will be updating the blog on how it works along with my honest opinion. So far, the project is being professionally managed and if even slightly successful, will no-doubt be picked up by a much larger company.
Here are a few photos from an email updating the testing of parts come together.
Category: Energy, Innovation, Marketing, Sailing |
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Tags: heater, heatworks, kickstarter, water
Posted By RichC on June 11, 2014
When a distress call was made, I doubt the five sailors rescued expected to see this giant “boomer” pick them up … and proceed to tow their boat! — LINK
Category: Misc |
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Posted By RichC on June 10, 2014
Happy Birthday to my son Taylor … and since we can’t be with him this year, I did a little reminiscing after receiving DVDs from our Corbett Chronicles home videos (#Throwback Thursday Tuesday). In the past we’ve made an effort to celebrate “in person,” but Williston, North Dakota is just a little bit too far (maybe later this summer). I’ll include a recent photo (above) from a few weeks ago, with a little Photoshop tweaking).
I hope he received our birthday box of goodies by mail and will be able to celebrate the evening with his buddies … if not, here’s a good memory from when he was a few years younger running Grandpa Howard’s prized John Deere dozer in the woods (what boy wouldn’t like driving a bulldozer?)
Category: Archive, Personal, Photos, Video |
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Tags: birthday, dozer, farmhouse, grandpa, howard, photoshopped, taylor
Posted By RichC on June 9, 2014
Originally, Sunday afternoon was going to be spent outside power washing the the pool deck and patio furniture, but that had to change due a slow drizzling rain that lingered most of the day. 
It became a perfect day to tackle a long overdue project … the pool house changing room now that Pumpy Umpy is in his new hutch at Katelyn’s in Columbus (and soon to Minneapolis). The little fellow’s damage was substantial, but for my part, I didn’t stop him after the first few chews figuring it wasn’t worth banning him to his cage since the woodwork and drywall would need to be replaced anyway. So Sunday afternoon I started the project. It will be a small, but fun, project … besides the changing room, hallway and bathroom needed to be pained anyway. Life with pets!
My son sent me something on Sunday that made him smile (and me too).
On Saturday, Senator Tom Carper, serving as chairman for the Transportation and Infrastructure subcommittee for the US Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, made a swing through Williston North Dakota and stopped by the Williams County Planning office where Taylor works. It was the weekend and Taylor wasn’t there, but according to Eric, “his newspaper reporter friend,” traveling with the senator, Carper enjoyed seeing the Ohio State Buckeye items hanging around Taylor’s office space. He then took a moment to write a “Go Bucks!” note on a business card and left it on Taylor’s computer keyboard. Nice touch Senator.
Category: Misc, Personal, Photos, Politics |
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Tags: poolhouse, pumpy umpy, Rabbit, senator carper, taylor, williston
Posted By RichC on June 8, 2014
I was planning to just work on yard and home chores Saturday while Brenda was working, but got completely distracted by a thought that a 2 gallon fuel container would fit under the hood of the Mercedes Benz 300D Turbodiesel nicely. Hmm, looks like it might even work if I plumbed a secondary fuel line so as to be able to switch from one tank to the other? And yes, I’m way ahead of a few readers who may be contemplating a way to run filtered WVO (Waste Vegetable Oil) on a warm day. For now it works as a spare two gallons of biodiesel … but stay tuned.
As for getting back to those chores, I:
1) Power washed pool filter
2 Cut and trimmed the rear lawn
3) Sprayed, wacked and pulled weeds
4) Picked up a repair part at Ace and HD
5) Even cleaned the kitchen!
Category: Automotive, Biodiesel, Diesel, Mercedes |
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Tags: 300d, fuel, hood, idea, mercedes, turbodiesel, W123, wvo
Posted By RichC on June 7, 2014
I’ve probably read every book the Pardey’s ever published as the information help me learn about cruising and our first boat and caring for a spruce mast and boom. 
They were, and are, inspirational when it comes to “go small, go simple and go now” philosophy even though it has been challenging to incorporated the cruising life into our family. In the early days, “pre-kids,” Brenda and I were starting our careers and trying to earn a living and start a business; unfortunately that prevented a vagabond, or more politely stated, liveaboard cruising lifestyle aboard our sailboat Brenich. Then came children, and our priorities changed. The focus shifted to suburban normalcy (for the good and bad) even though the yearning to cruise kept me dreaming, reading and planning the escape; Lin and Larry’s books (and videos) were a big part of that.
This summer I’m looking forward to reading Herb McCormick’s biographical book about the Pardey’s life called As Long As It’s Fun. I’m sure it will be the perfect follow-up to Lin’s reminiscing book Bull Canyon about their time pondering having a family, living in a California canyon, her writing and Larry’s unstoppable focus on building his next boat and getting back to the ocean. They have a magical life and deserve the slower pace on land, but are still by the water in New Zealand. Its always a thrill to have them come back to the states to visit and lectures during boatshow season.
Category: Books, Sailing |
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Tags: mccormick, pardey, reading, sailing
Posted By RichC on June 6, 2014
While closing the first full week of June on a rather high note (all time high!), the financial markets and Dow Jones Industrial Average pushed ever closer to 17K — DJIA closed at 16,923.77 up 87.66 (0.52%). I’m probably not the only one wondering how companies can keep performing when consumers have fewer dollars leftover after their bills and seasonally adjusted unemployment remains above 6% in a so-called recession recovery. Those with an optimistic view will say that “at least it is improving” … albeit ever so slow.
Of greater concern is the lack of job growth and upward mobility for those in the workforce. Pay has stagnated while the cost of living (real things everybody buys – healthcare, energy, food, etc) is rising and 
taking a bigger and bigger bite out of family incomes (ask any mom or dad who balances their budget). Unless you’re living under a rock, the job prospects for high school and college graduates are dismal. We need to do something to stimulate hiring and job creation … and the one thing that will work is to lower corporate income tax in order to bring overseas cash home and convince companies that it is ok to make money in the United States. Critics are concerned lowering taxes will only return capital to shareholders in the form of special dividends, but it will be reinvested one way or another in the U.S. economy and grow business (who will hire workers). Once that happens, companies will compete for talent improving wages and benefits AND creating a larger tax base.
Category: Financial, Politics |
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Tags: djia, economy, Financial, markets, stocks, taxes
Posted By RichC on June 6, 2014
When I posted about the growing worldwide trend we describe as Nationalism, I reflected on the sacrifice required to stop Germany and the Nazis the last time a country went down the Nationalism path.
United States involvement began in earnest on June 6th, 1944 … 70 years ago. 
Americans along with allied troops stormed the beaches of Normandy and inland towns of France with 160,000 troops. This 50-mile stretch of heavily-fortified French coastline saw 9,000 allied casualties, required more than 5,000 ships, 13,000 aircraft and all just to gain a tenuous foothold against the Nazi occupiers. General Dwight D. Eisenhower called the operation a crusade in which “we will accept nothing less than full victory.”
Below are a few aerial photos from 1944 and 2014 of the cliffs and beaches of Normandy.
Trying Microsoft’s OneDrive for this set of 12 shared photos. Click any thumbnail photo above, then a photo archive to view larger.
(A shortcut hint is to use keyboard down arrow to remove menu and properties and then forward-back arrows to scroll through slides. Up arrow returns menus and photo properties.)
Category: History, Millitary, Politics |
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Tags: d-day, france, History, nationalism, normandy, remembrance, ww2
Posted By RichC on June 5, 2014
Be warned before you contact a company like Quicken Loans with a mortgage refinance request (rates are pretty low again) because they will be pumping your contact information to bunches of boiler room sales people who will send canned emails and make phone calls all day and evening (even different people from the same company – one hand doesn’t know what the other is doing).
I should have known better … and will approach the “gathering information and rates process” different next time. Your experience may differ, but mine was far more intrusive than desired.
–How do I stop receiving Quicken Loans promotional e-mails?
While we do need some personal information to close your mortgage, Quicken Loans does not share your personal information with outside companies for their promotional use. If you don’t want to receive any further information from Quicken Loans, simply notify us when you register. Or you may call toll-free (800) 863-4332, send an e-mail to optout@quickenloans.com or click here to change your privacy preferences.
Category: Advice, Business, Financial |
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Tags: homes, housing, loans, mortgages, refinance
Posted By RichC on June 5, 2014
This content is restricted.
Category: Audio, Music, Personal |
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Tags: anniversary, brenda, mp3
Investors and pre-order buyers are still in the “wait” mode for the innovated water heater from Heatworks … but the CEO Jerry Callahan does a great job of keeping his Kickstarter investors informed. 
