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 |
1 Comment »
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 |
4 Comments »
Tags: anniversary, brenda, mp3
Posted By RichC on June 4, 2014
Yes indeed … a little soul searching by a grandson brings him a healthy dose of respect for his grandfathers. With a few highlighted examples like this, it would be helpful for many in the “me generation” and later to take heart because we could all improve when it comes to how we live our lives.
Category: Misc, Video |
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Tags: grandfather, life, parents, respect
Posted By RichC on June 4, 2014
A few years ago, Brenda and I started to convert our family video tapes to DVD … back when our tape devices (VHS machine and Camcorders) still worked, but recently I noticed my old 8MM camcorder no longer would play tapes. 
In fact, the camcorder munched one of the tapes when my daughter Katelyn wanted to show Drew that she indeed was a figure skater and that we had videos of her competitions to prove it (see early clip when she was 11 below). I decided “no more!” … I needed to finish the job and get the rest of our tapes converted to DVD before it was too late.
Now sending away the original copies of our VHS, 8MM and DV cassettes to just anybody was not something I took lightly, so after researching a few companies, I decided on Southtree. They were terrific concerning the three criteria that I really cared about. They were 1) priced competitively, 2) produced quality DVDs and 3) were exceedingly professional. They sent an email each step of the way – such as when they received my order, confirming each step of processing and then eventual shipping. They were not “speedy,” but that was not my concern particularly since my deadline was for an anniversary present and was a month off. I had no problem waiting. Thankfully everything went smoothly and I have all our originals back and safely boxed up (planning to put them in a spare firebox).
Advice: If you are planning to convert your old video tapes to DVD or another format, don’t put it off until they are damaged or degraded. Do it now and consider Southtree.
*** This was not a paid post or incentivized in anyway by Southtree.
Category: Advice, Archive, Technology |
2 Comments »
Tags: conversion, dvd, endorsement, family, memories, recommendation, southtree
Posted By RichC on June 3, 2014
Sometimes it good to have a place to archive odds and ends items before they are lost and in this case a slide from a Powerpoint presentation (click on photo for a larger image). From what I can tell, each resident at Nationwide Children’s Hospital has a slide announcing where they will be going and in my daughter’s case, Minneapolis and Wayzata Children’s Clinic (they need a new website). Katelyn put together a few photos from the events that marked her time in Columbus including that center one that I shared on my blog 3 years ago. Nice!
Category: Archive, Personal, Photos |
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Tags: columbus, hospital, katelyn, nationwide, residency
Posted By RichC on June 2, 2014
The solar powered Sunseeker Duo airplane made it’s first two passenger test flight last month as Eric and Irena Raymond prepare for longer flights this summer. Gizmag.com posted a few more photos in their article … what an interesting aviation project.
Solar Flight says that the Raymonds took off together in the company’s third powered airplane from its test facility near Milan, Italy.
For take off, the Duo uses energy harvested from the 1,510 solar cells on its wings and tail and stored in a battery pack in the fuselage. Once in the air, the airplane then cruises directly on solar power. The company claims that, with two people on board, it’s capable of flights of 12 hours or more.
"Flying the Duo, skimming the white fluffy clouds from above and playing on the sky, I feel like a bird," said Irena Raymond. "No limitations, a pure freedom. It’s so quiet. Compared to a normal airplane, it’s like night and day. You need very good headset in other powered airplanes, but in the Duo you can speak normally even when the motor is running full power, no headset needed. It is unbelievable."
Category: Aviation |
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Tags: airplane, alternative, aviation, energy, solar, sunseeker
Posted By RichC on June 2, 2014
My go-to “supplement” is usually natural whole foods for ailments, but a Google+ friend shared a handy chart for using herbs and I’m taping a version of it on the inside of our spice cabinet thinking that we might give it a try. Noticing that Curry powder is used for joint pain I may just have to add it to my diet along with my Glucosamine supplement (chart below)?
Category: Health |
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Tags: curry, foods, healing, herbs, natural, suppliments
Posted By RichC on June 1, 2014
After considering my options after removing the belt and housing off the autopilot during my last trip on Encore, I sent the old wheel pilot to be upgraded/reconditioned to match the “brains” of the Raymarine SPX-5 that I replace when I bought the boat. It will still be an out of date generation and in my opinion a bit undersized for any blue water passage, but I’d like to eventually get my Cape Horn self-steering gear working as a backup and “zero-power drain” option for long passages anyway. Anxious to get the gear back and see if it makes a difference. (photo above of just the damaged belt and mounting hardware)
Category: Sailing |
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Tags: autopilot, encore, raymarine, sailboat, steering
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. 
