My Desultory Blog

Posted By RichC on January 14, 2010

Although I rarely forward emails since I dislike the spam filling up my box, I do once in a while get the urge to share.  Here’s a snippet worthy of  thought as the our elected representatives continue in a direction to take over reform  health care. Will they break their streak and run it efficiently or go further in debt while asking taxpayers for more money? Do we really need to ask that question …

To President Obama and all 535 voting members of the Legislature,
It is now official, you are ALL corrupt morons:

• The U.S. Postal Service was established in 1775. You have had 234 years to get it right and it is broke.
• Social Security was established in 1935. You have had 74 years to get it right and it is broke.
• Fannie Mae was established in 1938. You have had 71 years to get it right and it is broke.
• War on Poverty started in 1964. You have had 45 years to get it right; $1 trillion of our money is confiscated each year and transferred to “the poor” and they only want more.
• Medicare and Medicaid were established in 1965. You have had 44 years to get it right and they are broke.
• Freddie Mac was established in 1970. You have had 39 years to get it right and it is broke.
• The Department of Energy was created in 1977 to lessen our dependence on foreign oil. It has ballooned to 16,000 employees with a budget of $24 billion a year and we import more oil than ever before. You had 32 years to get it right and it is an abysmal failure.

Category: Politics | No Comments »
Tags: health care, healthcare, Politics

Posted By RichC on January 13, 2010

Category: Cellphone, Photos | No Comments »
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Posted By RichC on January 12, 2010

For many years I’ve contemplated buying a fairly expensive reference style book — one that I really don’t currently need, but have wanted. Since I had a few Christmas dollars to spend (thanks Mom H.) I figured now was the perfect time add the $60.00 628 page book to my library.

After spending a few days searching for a used book, I opted to just purchase a discounted but new copy, and although the book World Cruising Routes 6th edition by Jimmy Cornell isn’t really new (published 2008), nor is it necessarily new from the perspective of when it was originally printed (1st printing 1987), the latest edition has been updated with better ‘route notations’ and includes GPS route planning additions. Jimmy Cornell has also included a third circumnavigation and extended the tropical storm season durations by an extra month due to increased number of powerful late season storms this past decade.

For many cruising sailors planning extended sailboat passages and ocean crossings, Cornell’s book is a must have. For now I’m just a ‘wannabee’ bluewater sailor, but suspect that I’m not the only armchair sailor to be planning dreaming about sailing to distant places. (for those who follow @RichC on Twitter, ‘yes’ this was the book I spilled my dinner on)
🙂

Category: Books, Sailing | No Comments »
Tags: book, cruising, ocean, sailing

Posted By RichC on January 11, 2010

Who doesn’t enjoy a Palm Pre cellphone sunset photo?

I’ll start with something simple that sooths my aching head … a beautiful winter sunset in Cincinnati Ohio (photo above) … and conclude with a very short comment regarding our Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter (EAA284) meeting on Sunday – one that had a subject over my head.

One of our chapter members, Brian Cooper, is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati’s Aerospace Engineering program. He spent a couple hours with his Powerpoint display and CAD drawings discussing his new aerobatic airplane design which utilizes advance composite technology.  His goal was to reduce weight and increase strength, something all performing aerobatic pilots seek. The three areas where his design differs from most of the current aerobatic biplanes is in the “D” wing leading edge, lack of strut supports and weight reduction based on a relatively new lightweight engine choice. His currently CAD based project is based on research and testing during hands-on scaled projects at UC, but is being constructed as a one off project in is shop. During the next few years, we’ll hopefully have the opportunity to see this design under construction and perhaps even some flight testing? Thank you Brian for enlightening us.

Category: Aviation, Cellphone, Photos, Technology | No Comments »
Tags: airplane, brian cooper, eaa, eaa284, engineering

Posted By RichC on January 10, 2010

No comment is necessary after watching the Cincinnati Bengals once again disappoint their fans in a tough post season loss to the New York Jets. About the only thing to say is that the better team won … at least on this particular Saturday evening.

As for more positive thoughts, Brenda and I enjoyed moving our son back into his dorm at Miami University (Oxford, Ohio). We found the Christmas decor a welcome site for a guys dorm room and the room was neater than expected? He and his roommate did a good job of being festive, although may have gone a bit overboard with the tape? Work hard Taylor and make this semester a good one.

Category: Personal, Photos, Sports | No Comments »
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Posted By RichC on January 9, 2010

It is good to be in a warm home after a challenging week. The weather has been less than perfect for driving and most of Ohio has received a little snow.

Click image for larger

In our house, the family Christmas cheer has given way to winter doldrums; one of my two children is back to school and the other will be on his way this weekend. My wife has taken the decorations down and I’ve done my part with ‘de-stringing’ lights and dragging tree  out to the bonfire. Ah … the house is almost as quiet and serene as the night view out my front door … and that’s a good thing.

Category: Personal, Photos | No Comments »
Tags: efe, gazebo

Posted By RichC on January 8, 2010

Posted via web from richc’s posterous

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Posted By RichC on January 8, 2010

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Posted By RichC on January 8, 2010

President Obama, for all the “hope and change” that was promised, seems to have no problem with the lack of openness and transparency being demostrated under his tenure. Obama’s promises of “openness” are empty … or perhaps only apply when concerning Republican leaders? For many, President Obama is a bigger disappointment than his predecessors  because he was so convincing with his rhetoric of “hope and change.”

— — —
“If a politicians’ lips are moving,
he/she is  probably lying.”
— — —

Much is being made of this campaign promise by even those who tend to be friendlier to the liberal health care agenda being “fast tracked” through congress. News and blogs are filled with repeated questions to Whitehouse Press Secretary Robert Gibbs (see video below) regarding the secrecy and backroom deals as it relates to health care reform. Out of touch House Speaker Nanci Pelosi has little problem with private backroom negotiations and commented that “the final health care reform bill behind closed doors according to an agreement by top Democrats,” while the Obama Administration dodges the questions related to the President’s promise of “openness and transparency.” Gibbs stressed that “the president wants to get a bill to his desk as quickly as possible.”

During the campaign,  then candidate Obama made at least eight public promises that when he arrived in Washington that negotiations would be open to public scrutiny and even be broadcast on C-SPAN. “The negotiations are obviously being done in secret and the American people really just want to know what they are trying to hide,” said Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga.

For those old enough to remember another President who once made a promise … “Read my lips, No new taxes” … one wonders if President Obama can survive reneging on his?

Category: Health, Politics, Video | No Comments »
Tags: congress, government, health care, obama, president, whitehouse

Posted By RichC on January 8, 2010

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