RichC | January 18, 2012
Against my inner voice telling me not to bother, I wrote to my congressmen yesterday regarding the Stop Internet Piracy Act (SOPA) and Protect IP Act (PIPA). There are areas that I agree with and understand, but also way too many areas that will impact what most of us appreciate about the Internet. As written, [...]
RichC | January 15, 2012
As a family who enjoys traveling by cruise ship, the reports from Italy and the Costa Concordia are shocking after the ship ran aground on Friday. It is difficult for me in the day of GPS, sonar, autopilots, etc to understand how a ship of this size (4200 people) with an experienced captain and crew [...]
RichC | January 13, 2012
Although I know the employment and housing market has been bad in Ohio, I didn’t realize it was as bad as it was in our county until noticing the foreclosure numbers for 2011. Butler County had 3,330 foreclosure filings in 2011, which was about the same as 2010. Only 2009 saw higher filings with 4,000, [...]
RichC | January 11, 2012
Governor Mitt Romney soundly defeated Republican challengers in New Hampshire last night and most talking heads have noted desperation from a couple GOP candidates. Both Gingrich and Perry have taken what I would call “cheap shots” at Romney’s “real world” business experience at Bain Capital as well as U.S. based capitalism — a core Republican [...]
RichC | January 9, 2012
A couple of“rat” stories (and a photo above) caught my attention today — and I thought all the “rats” in Washington DC were on vacation? City: Rat population has ‘exploded’ around Occupy D.C. camps By Annie Gowen The rat population around the two Occupy D.C. camps at McPherson Square and Freedom Plaza has “exploded”since protesters [...]
RichC | January 4, 2012
Not that it matters much, but Gov Mitt Romney and Rep Rick Santorum were the two top vote getters in Iowa on Tuesday night as it took until the wee hours of the morning before a winner could be declared – Romney by 8 votes. The 24.55% vs 24.54% split barely made up the majority [...]
RichC | January 1, 2012
Hmm … not that I have any of these, but it was interesting to know just what the largest currency denomination was … $100,000, but it was retired as well as other bills over $100. Seeing that our nation’s debt limit will soon rise yet again, maybe we need to bring back bigger currency denominations? [...]
RichC | December 29, 2011
I’ve lost my share of days by spinning my wheels or tucked under the covers while sick in bed, but I’ve never heard of literally losing an entire day; that’s what is going to happen this week in Samoa. Samoa is at the tail end of the International Date Line and they have found it [...]
RichC | December 16, 2011
I never realized just how restrictive New York firearm laws were until reading this story. It never occurred to me that transporting a pistol in a locked case could be a class C felony, even in a liberal state like New York? I suppose if someone spends their life living under NY restrictions … as [...]
RichC | December 3, 2011
China can’t sit back comfortably while watching the U.S. and Europe struggle to regain footing, as their economic struggle is showing vacant streets and stopped housing projects (click photo above for Reuters slideshow). China could be the third economic domino as the slowdown rolls west to east around the globe. Here in the U.S. we [...]
RichC | November 15, 2011
The news from Europe and lackluster leadership in Washington DC continued to dampen investors hopes that we might see a rebound in both jobs and economy, but for today the markets closed up after an early down move today. The Dow was up 17 points, S&P 500 about 6 and the Nasdaq an impressive 29 [...]
RichC | October 20, 2011
After 42 years of dictatorial power, the Libyan people look to be finally free from they dictator Moammar Gadhafi. Claims, photos and shaky video on Thursday show a dead Gadhafi as he an his fighters made a final hometown stand according to rebel leaders in the battle weary north African country. Although the end was [...]
RichC | October 19, 2011
Never a dull moment in my Ohio travels as today I’m on the lookout for wild “exotic” animals. Well, probably not where I’m driving at the moment, but it is an interesting national story just the same. Police hunting escaped exotic animals in Ohio ZANESVILLE, Ohio – The owner of a wild animal preserve released [...]
RichC | October 12, 2011
Love it or hate it, this week marks Fox News 15th year of growing into the “most trusted name in news” or at least the most popular name in cable news. They began competing where news was for the most part controlled by left leaning news organizations (and news anchors) and shook things up [...]
RichC | September 30, 2011
As someone who has never been comfortable with President Obama’s policies or what he says publicly (particularly his “apologies for America” overseas) or in regards to terrorism (does the Obama administration even use that word?) — I will acknowledge that there has been continued aggressive actions to the exterminate top Al-Qaeda leaders (and pretty successful [...]
RichC | September 26, 2011
Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud gave the kingdom’s women the right to participate in local elections and to become members of the country’s top advisory body, a sign that the elderly monarch hasn’t abandoned his program of cautious social reform despite political upheavals elsewhere in the Middle East. via Saudi Women Win [...]
RichC | September 24, 2011
Although my question wasn’t answered as to how many are due to plummet to earth in the next few years, it is good to know that “more recent satellites are designed so that operators can bring them out of orbit and control their trajectory as they take the final plunge through the atmosphere.” With an [...]
RichC | August 29, 2011
Late August here in SW Ohio feels more like an autumn evening; the air has cooled and the late day sunset very still. I do like this time of year and am trying to enjoy the moment (photo over the house on Monday evening). Also I realize how fortunate we are not to have been [...]
RichC | August 25, 2011
"I believe Apple’s brightest and most innovative days are ahead of it, and I look forward to watching and contributing to its success in a new role.” – Steve Jobs (56), resigning CEO continuing Chairman of the Board Although for the most part, my Apple loving days are probably in the past, I’m saddened to [...]
RichC | August 16, 2011
While listening for updates from the German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy in Paris today, a CNBC guest analyst made the observation that “If all countries were like Germany, Germany would not survive. Germany needs the weaker European countries to export to in order to prosper.” (paraphrased)
RichC | August 10, 2011
Perhaps China adding their first aircraft carrier is just a sign of the times, but I see the modernization of China’s military as an unsettling long term move; call me distrustful considering their original statements and China’s questionable authoritarian government’s history. A Chinese company purchased the empty hull of a carrier called the Varyag from [...]
RichC | August 8, 2011
Double dip or not? That is the question investors are facing, especially if they are holding stocks and bonds. After lunch today the markets are still seeing heavy selling … panic selling perhaps … after the S&P downgrade this weekend. Realistically though, companies and even banks are much stronger than they were back in 2008 [...]
RichC | August 5, 2011
While checking the stock market over lunch, it was again another depressing day. The Dow continues to march down as does the Nasdaq even on relatively positive news that we did have some private sector job grow and a slightly backed off unemployment claims rate of one tenth. It now stands at a high national [...]
RichC | August 1, 2011
As I watch the talking heads on CNBC blabber back and forth, their premarket guest politicians covered their bases for the “lite” deal which in reality kicks the can down the road. It is expected that there will be enough votes to pass the small bill … enough to keep the government functioning and bills [...]
RichC | July 21, 2011
While Americans wait and watch politicians haggling in Washington DC, the stock markets seems to be banking on a deal. Mid day on Thursday, the NYTimes mid-day reported that President Obama and Speaker of the House John Boehner were close to a deal … only to have Whitehouse spokesman Jay Carney quickly say that there [...]
RichC | July 21, 2011
"Mission complete, Houston. After serving the world for over 30 years, the space shuttle has earned its place in history. Atlantis has come to a final stop." – Shuttle Atlantis Pilot Doug Hurley With its recognized dual sonic booms, Space Shuttle Atlantis touched down this morning at the Kennedy Space Center completing the final scheduled [...]
RichC | July 19, 2011
Press Conference President Obama 07/19/2011 A surprise jolt of bipartisan support emerged Tuesday for a $3.7 trillion deficit-reduction plan that had been in development for months, though it was thought to be dead just several weeks ago. Roughly half of the Senate’s 100 members sat through an hour-long briefing on the plan, which was designed [...]
RichC | July 12, 2011
A recent article in Tuesday’s Wall Street Journal highlighted what I already know about my line of work – the printing industry is losing jobs. Most of us working in printing and publishing business continue to struggle to stay a float and are wondering if business will ever come back. Thankfully I’m no longer a [...]
RichC | July 5, 2011
Just as most Americans were shocked by the verdict in the OJ Simpson case in 1995, most are once shaking their heads in the “much publicized” trial of Casey Anthony. Accused of the killing of her 2 year old daughter Caylee, the jury returned a not guilty verdict for all but charges of lying to [...]
RichC | June 29, 2011
The euro edged higher on Wednesday, supported by expectations that the Greek parliament would vote in favor of an austerity package, though wariness that this would only be a short-term solution to the country’s debt problems limited gains. News Headlines