Posted By RichC on November 25, 2013
For those with a “tool background,” what is this for? The little hook grips on a clockwise twist of the fancy t-handle and the handle has what looks like a straight bladed screwdriver on the end?
Posted By RichC on November 24, 2013
It has been a semi-busy and semi-cold weekend for yard chores, but I’m tackling them just the same since waiting for a dry “warm” Saturday and Sunday doesn’t look promising. I started Saturday early and started to tick off the simple indoor items on my chores list thinking that it might warm up, but I was wrong. As noon rolled around the temperature dropped in the low 30s and the wind was blowing (but sun shining). I coaxed Brenda out to work on trimming the bushes in front of the house and even tried to get her mom to join us, although she was too comfortable with a book in front of the fireplace to come out. We did get the leaves finished up and all of the landscape trimmings put on the fire pile … so we deserved a meal out at Spinning Fork, our favorite family owned restaurant (it is great when the owners know you well enough to give you a hug).
Drew and Katelyn were at the OSU – Indiana game with the Oostras and enjoyed the lopsided victory … 42-14. The snow flurries were swirling in Columbus, but no doubt the crowd filled stadium was warm with enthusiasm (Drew sent the “sharp” photo from his new Nexus 5 above).
In other news for the week, I passed my exam in order to upgrade my Amateur Radio license to General. This gives me the added HF frequency privileges that are needed in order to participate in a few longer range Nets and something I want in order to set up my Pactor IIe modem (working to upgrade) for Winlink or Sailmail email (yes … I’m still thinking cruising/sailing might be in my future).
Posted By RichC on November 22, 2013
I was too young to remember much about the assignation of President Kennedy, but the seismic event in our nation’s history has been engrained in our modern history. I heard a bit of audio this morning that I thought would be a “fair” tribute to a beloved president. (also wanted to try see how well my WordPress Postie email to blog plugin handles audio — EDIT: not quite what I like).
Peter Johnson Jr in Dallas for Fox News (mp3) – November 22, 2013 (2 min 48 sec)
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Posted By RichC on November 22, 2013
In keeping with my previous views, Intel ($INTC) has once again disappointed shareholders with the same share price channel we’ve seen since 2001. I’m still not seeing management concerned in giving shareholders a reason to hold share long term.
After disappointing “flat sales” company news, “shares of chip giant and Dow industrials component Intel Corp. (INTC) fell about 3% in early trade after the firm’s outlook for flat sales next year issued late Thursday. Analysts polled by FactSet had expected 1.4% growth. "The company issued somewhat disappointing 2014 guidance calling for no growth [year-on-year]. We are trimming estimates, but thinks guidance was conservative," said analysts at Piper Jaffray in a note to clients.”
Posted By RichC on November 21, 2013
Partisanship and opinions aside a moment, I took a serious look at the Affordable Care Act and exchange pricing just to see what it might cost IF one was to retire early and purchase heath care on the exchanges. As a resident of Ohio (or Florida), which both have federally run exchanges, the monthly outlay is substantial for relatively healthy individuals seeking the minimum coverage allowed even before a single doctor visit.
The new Affordable Care Act law requires all Americans carry a minimum level of coverage, which includes health services many of us would not (or did not) purchase throughout our entire lives …
but the federal government knows best (ok, got my partisan comment out of the way). The cheapest exchange approved Bronze policy has a high yearly out of pocket deductible which is substantial. In order to purchase this plan, a couple in Ohio needs to pay nearly $440/mo ($5380/yr) in 2014 year plus reach a $5,500 deductible. If by chance a pre-Medicare couple were to relocate to the “aging” state of Florida, the yearly Affordable Care Cost would be even higher, running $515/mo or $6180 per year … plus the out of pocket deductibles per year. If you should need to use the insurance for more than wellness care (after reaching the deductible), the maximum out of pocket a couple would spend before the insurance takes over is $12,500 each year.
One of the major downsides to nationally mandating what policies we “must” purchase is that individuals have lost the freedom to choose the kind of insurance coverage they want. For example, “if” I were to retire early, I’d like to be able to negotiate my well care with my doctor and purchase a policy which strictly covered medical expenses beyond what I can budget. Maybe I would prefer and illegal but less expensive “affordable” policy even if it were to only kick in after $10,000 or so out of pocket?
I also read an opinion piece this week in the WSJ which illustrated the problem being create for those of use who believe in personal responsibility and individual liberty.
ObamaCare Forced Mom Into Medicaid
My mother preferred to pay for her care rather than be on the government dole. Now she has no choice.
by NICOLE L. HOPKINS | Nov. 20, 2013 7:13 p.m. ET
My mother is not one to seek attention by complaining, so her recent woeful Facebook post caught my eye: "The poor get poorer." It diverged from the more customary stream of inspirational quotes, recipes and snapshots from her tiny cottage in Pierce County, Wash.
The post continued: "I just received a notice: ‘In order to comply with the new healthcare law, your current health plan will be discontinued on December 31, 2013.’ Currently my premium is $276 and it is a stretch for me to cover. The new plan … are you ready … projected new rate $415.20. Now I can’t afford health insurance."
The unaffordable ObamaCare-compliant plan that her insurer offered in a Sept. 26 letter is not what makes my mother’s story noteworthy. Countless individually insured Americans have received such letters; many are seeing more radical increases in premiums and deductibles.
But most of these people are still being offered the chance to choose what health-care insurance they will receive, or to opt out before they are automatically enrolled in a state program. Not so my mother, Charlene Hopkins, as I soon discovered when I called after seeing her Facebook post.
Since she couldn’t afford the new plan offered by her insurer, she told me she was eager to explore her new choices under the Affordable Care Act. Washington Healthplanfinder is one of the better health-exchange sites, and she was actually able to log on. She entered her personal and financial data. With efficiency uncommon to the ObamaCare process, the site quickly presented her with a health-care option.
That is not a typo: There was just one option—at the very affordable monthly rate of zero. The exchange had determined that my mother was not eligible to choose to pay for a plan, and so she was slated immediately for Medicaid. She couldn’t believe it was true and held off completing the application.
"How has it come to this?" she asked in one of our several talks over the past few weeks about what was happening. When she was a working mother and I was young, she easily carried health insurance for our whole family. "How have I fallen this far?"
In 2011, she had to give up her real-estate license; as a newer agent, she did not stand to earn enough in the tough market to justify the fees to renew. She has since managed to eke out a living as a substitute para-educator in the Central Kitsap School District. "I’m not on the couch, watching TV," she said. "I’m out trying to find more work every day."
Unable to secure employer-sponsored health care, she had, until this fall, chosen to pay $276 a month for bare-bones catastrophic coverage. "I think that we should be able to take care of ourselves and to earn enough money to pay for basics, and health insurance is one of them," she told me. For two years she had paid out of pocket for that plan, but now she is being told that the plan isn’t good enough for her.
The Sept. 26 letter from my mother’s insurer promised that the more expensive plan "conforms with the new health care law"—by covering maternity needs, newborn wellness and pediatric dental care. My mother asked: "Do I need maternity care at 52?" In addition to requiring her to pay an extra $1,677 annually, the plan would have increased her deductible by $1,500.
But she had at least been presented with an option that she could turn down, unlike on the state exchange.
The situation sounded absurd, so I asked her to walk me through her application on Washington Healthplanfinder to make sure she wasn’t missing anything. Sitting in New York with my computer, I logged onto the site under her name and entered the information my mother provided over the phone. I fully expected her to realize that she had forgotten some crucial piece of information, like a decimal point in her annual income. We checked and double-checked the information, but the only option still appeared to be Medicaid. She suggested clicking on "Apply for Coverage," thinking that other options might appear.
Instead, almost mockingly, her "Eligibility Results" came back: "Congratulations, we received and reviewed your application and determined [you] will receive the health care coverage listed below: Washington Apple Health. You will receive a letter telling you which managed care plan you are enrolled with." Washington Apple Health is the mawkish rebranding of Medicaid in Washington state.
The page lacked a cancel button or any way to opt out of Medicaid. It was done; she was enrolled, and there was nothing to do but click "Next" and then to sign out.
Of course, Medicaid is not a new option for my mother; she knew that she was poor enough to qualify for cost-free health care. It was a deliberate choice on her part to pay that monthly $276 out of her own pocket. Clearly she had judged that she received a personal benefit from not being on Medicaid.
"I just don’t expect anything positive out of getting free health care," she said. "I don’t see why other people should have to pay for my care, whether it be through taxes or otherwise." In paying for health insurance herself—she won’t accept help from her family, either—she was safeguarding her dignity and independence and her sense of being a fully functioning member of society.
Before ObamaCare, Medicaid was one option. Not the option. Before this, she had never been, in effect, ordered to take a handout. Now she has been forced to join the government-reliant poor, though she would prefer to contribute her two mites. The authorities behind "affordable care" had erased her right to calculate what she was willing to spend to preserve her dignity—to determine what she thinks is affordable.
That little contribution can mean the difference between dignity and despair.
For the truly poor, being institutionally forced to take welfare is demoralizing. The Affordable Care Act is at risk of systematizing learned helplessness by telling individuals like my mother that they cannot afford to care for themselves in the way they could before the law was enacted. "This makes me feel poorer than ever," she said.
My mother grew up, one of six children, in a dairy-farming family in Wisconsin. "The way I was raised, taking government handouts is shameful," she said. Her siblings stayed in Wisconsin, but she set out on her own. Finding herself forced onto Medicaid is not a fate that she ever would have imagined. "I guarantee I’m the only person in my family in this situation."
I’m proud to see the spiritedness and resolve that bears my mother up even now. Such character does not draw attention to itself: Its spark only catches the eye when oppression seeks to snuff it out.
Ms. Hopkins is a writer in Brooklyn, N.Y.
Posted By RichC on November 20, 2013
I listened to an older NPR story forwarded to me after a book conversation with a friend after we discussed leadership qualities companies value. 
The book Quiet: the Power of the Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain offered an interesting perspective and set up an analysis regarding where on the spectrum between introvert and extrovert we scored.
Besides analyzing my introverted leaning self, my semi-introverted daughter and extroverted son and wife (chuckling), I began analyzing those I know in the workplace and in leadership positions; for the most part the extrovert leaning people do get recognition and rise to managerial positions.
I also realized that most larger companies prefer teamwork as compared to working alone in how their offices are set up and read that “the average amount of space per employee has decreased from 500 sq ft in the 1970s to 200 sq ft today.” Hmm, sounds like a small cubical to me … but I guess gone are the days of the private office?
The quiz below, although not scientific, seems a good predictor of just how introverted you might be. For the good or bad, I’m pretty close to scoring 100%. 
Quiet Quiz: Are You an Introvert or an Extrovert?
To find out where you fall on the introvert-extrovert spectrum, answer each question True or False, choosing the one that applies to you more often than not.
1. ______ I prefer one-on-one conversations to group activities.
2. ______ I often prefer to express myself in writing.
3. ______ I enjoy solitude.
4. ______ I seem to care about wealth, fame, and status less than my peers.
5. ______ I dislike small talk, but I enjoy talking in depth about topics that matter to me.
6. ______ People tell me that I’m a good listener.
7. ______ I’m not a big risk-taker.
8. ______ I enjoy work that allows me to "dive in" with few interruptions.
9. ______ I like to celebrate birthdays on a small scale, with only one or two close friends or family members.
10. ______ People describe me as "soft-spoken" or "mellow."
11. ______ I prefer not to show or discuss my work with others until it’s finished.
12. ______ I dislike conflict.
13. ______ I do my best work on my own.
14. ______I tend to think before I speak.
15.______ I feel drained after being out and about, even if I’ve enjoyed myself.
16. ______I often let calls go through to voice mail.
17. ______If you had to choose, I’d prefer a weekend with absolutely nothing to do to one with too many things scheduled.
18. ______ I don’t enjoy multitasking.
19. ______ I can concentrate easily
20. ______ In classroom situations, I prefer lectures to seminars.
The more often you answered True, the more introverted you are. This is an informal quiz, not a scientifically validated personality test. The questions were formulated based on characteristics of introversion often accepted by contemporary researchers.
From Quiet by Susan Cain. Copyright 2012 by Susan Cain.
Posted By RichC on November 19, 2013
It is about time Volkswagen diesel vehicles demonstrate what is in store for their new TDIs. (European story)
Frugal hatchback travels 995 miles from Nantes to Copenhagen without refuelling
On a 995-mile test run supervised by German inspection company DEKRA, the Golf TDI BlueMotion has returned an incredible 97mpg. The feat was achieved on a special Think Blue Eco Ride designed to push the car’s fuel parsimony to the limit. And our frugal hatchback performed admirably, with the 110PS TDI engine driven from Nantes to Copenhagen on a single 50-litre tank of fuel. Simon Thomas, Head of Marketing of the Volkswagen Group and the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand: “This is a really impressive result. The trip shows that the interaction between fuel-saving BlueMotion efficiency technology and a well thought-out proactive driving approach allows economy figures that are hard to match.”
The trip took 20 hours and 45 minutes, starting in Nantes in the west of France, the European Green Capital 2013, via Paris, Antwerp, Bremen and Hamburg, before ending in the Danish capital Copenhagen – next year’s European Green Capital. The Think Blue Eco Ride shows that the standard consumption figure based on the official New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) – already extremely low at 3.2 litres per 100 kilometres (88.3 mpg) and 85g of CO2 per km – can even be beaten.
The standard 50-litre tank was filled in Nantes, where it was sealed by a DEKRA inspector. At the end of the trip, 46.92 litres of diesel were put into the same tank under the supervision of the same inspector. The Golf TDI BlueMotion is one of the technical highlights of the Golf family. Like all the other Golf models, it has a standard start-stop system and regenerative braking mode. In addition, the perfected aerodynamics, the low weight of the vehicle, the modified six-speed manual gearbox and especially the tyres, which have been optimised for low rolling resistance, contribute to the high efficiency of the Golf TDI BlueMotion. Think Blue is our holistic environmental sustainability strategy.
Posted By RichC on November 18, 2013
My son Taylor checked in with me during the Bengals win over the Browns for another “battle of Ohio” NFL game this weekend. He is ‘im‘patiently waiting for his new big screen TV to arrive and complains that his little TV is not satisfactory for watching football — in the day of HD it is understandable. This new 60″ screen will be his first big purchase since starting his first job in Williston ND; having an income is a real plus considering relatively high unemployment. It is fun to watch your kids struggle to spend their own money and make big purchases.
Work as a “Planner” seems to be good for Taylor … definitely a career that fits for him. The “boomtown” atmosphere in Williams County keeps him plenty busy and gives him a lot of responsibility (see video below for a flavor of the changes in western North Dakota). I’m amazed at the kinds of projects and developments he is responsible for, oversees and reviews — from rail spurs to huge commercial building and of course the housing developments are everywhere. He spends part of his day in the field in Williams County — and when we’re talking “field,” that exactly where he is! Thankfully is job includes a county 4×4 Ford F-150, but even a decent truck isn’t always enough to get in and out of some areas … and it isn’t even winter. I have enjoyed the video clips he sends me bouncing on dirt roads or helping his partner out of a ditch (of course those times are the highlights of his day!)
Second, I know he’s not 100% thrilled with the area. When looking at TVs, there’s Walmart and … well, there’s Walmart. He actually decided to drive to Minot (2+ hours) to visit a Best Buy only to find out they didn’t have any of the TVs in stock that he wanted. Too funny. So after driving home he decided to buy online and have his big screen shipped … thankfully free shipping. In the meantime, he has made a few friends in his apartment complex who are in the same boat as he is. Single and a long way from home. The two guys he mentioned are deputy sheriffs and most likely have a more miserable job … all the boom and long hard oil rig work have plenty of guys releasing steam in bars, etc. Not the most idyllic setting but probably reminiscent of boomtowns in the old west.
So for Taylor the wait is on and I’m enjoying his anticipation. He’ll be taking the train to Minneapolis after getting an invitation from his cousin Justin for Thanksgiving so I know that will be fun for him. Then in December we’ll have him home for Christmas and New Years … a time-off perk not many first jobs offer, although he is burning some precious vacation time. We’re looking forward to having him back for few days.
Sloppy Joes, I’m impressed!
Posted By RichC on November 17, 2013
My schedule had me driving back and forth from Mercy Anderson Hospital late this afternoon and evening. The drive south earlier was so-so, but the drive home at 6:30 was a little more tedious — mostly wind and rain although heard tornadoes were spotted earlier in Indiana? My mother-in-law (reason for hospital visit) is doing fine looking forward to being released tomorrow. I dropped her off a copy of Charles Krauthammer’s new book, “Things That Matter,” which I hope to read later this month too.
Posted By RichC on November 16, 2013
This morning was spent working on the leaves again, but I took a break this afternoon to be part of the Butler Country Amateur Radio Association’s (BCARA) emergency communications network (W8WRK). One of my “senior” contacts in the amateur radio club asked if I could do some volunteer community service and represent the Middletown area of the county in the quarterly Tactical Net. As a rookie, I wanted to say “no,” but opted to give it a try for an hour this afternoon. Thankfully it was simpler than I thought and besides programming the primary and backup repeaters in my radio required mostly acknowledgment of “Full quieting” and “Full copy” of messages. The only issue we had was with the Oxford tactical and his ground plane antenna set-up. As soon as he moved his rig to the car mount antenna even with fewer watts all was good.