U.S. Economy tanks … Is Recession Looming?

Captain Rick: The U.S. Economy took a nose dive in the first quarter of 2014…the first slowdown since early 2011. Some economists are blaming the sudden drop in GDP on the cold and snow in the northeast. The weather had an effect…but perhaps not as much as other factors like the curtailment of ‘Quantitative Easing’ … the pumping of tens of billions of U.S. debt dollars into the economy each month to make the economy look like its doing OK, when it is not. Another alarming factor is the stalling of house sales in America. The current real estate boom might be nearing its peak.

This drop of GDP into negative territory is a sign that another recession might be looming.  A recession is generally defined as two consecutive quarters of negative growth. There is still one more final tweak that will be made to the official GDP number at the end of June. The current –1.0% estimate, a significant drop from the first estimate of .1% last month, could be revised up or down. Overall, the U.S. economy continues in limp along in anemic growth…and now negative growth, as shown in the chart below.

BLUE LINE: 3.0% GDP Growth is required to keep up with U.S. Population Growth. GDP above the blue line represents real growth that adds real jobs. GDP below the blue line indicates real economic decline that is loosing real jobs. GDP below the blue line, but above zero line (‘Recession’), is what Captain Rick calls the ‘Anemic Zone’.

RED LINE: 2.2% GDP Growth is the average of what the U.S. economy scored in the past 12 quarters (3 years). This demonstrates that the U.S. economy is stuck in the economic ‘Anemic Zone’…not mustering enough growth to keep up with population growth. 

GDP…What is it?

‘GDP’ represents ‘Gross Domestic Product’…a market value of all officially recognized final goods and services produced within a country in a year. GDP performance (increases and decreases) present a broad-based picture of the health of a country’s economy. High GDP growth is typical of a healthy economy. Low GDP growth (below 3%) is typical of an unhealthy economy. Negative growth is typical of an economy in recession. 

What does this GDP data mean concerning the future of America?

America is stuck in a land of anemic growth…actually declining in real growth because its economy can not consistently rise above 3% growth … a level required to produce enough jobs and income to keep pace with population growth. In reality, this means that America is declining in economic strength. In the coming few years America faces an astronomical increase in expenditures due to entitlement programs like Social Security, Medicare and welfare programs like Medicaid and Obamacare. America’s relatively level revenue will not be able to cover the mushrooming expenditures. Congress will not be able to address this problem by simply ‘kicking the debt can down the road’ as it has in recent years. At some point soon, the fiscal mess that is brewing will explode as America plunges over the pending ‘real fiscal cliff’.  At the bottom lies America as a third world country.

What can be done to better America and other countries?

Lots can be done! Take notice of what our elected officials do. Vote them out and replace them if they do not perform to your expectations. You might even consider running for an office. The world is in extremely short supply of intelligent people who care about our lands and well being of our people. Go for it. Run for an elected office. Help our world from plunging over the pending ‘real fiscal cliff’…before its too late.

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Stars and their Classic Cars—Part 3

Captain Rick: Enjoy photos of famous stars with their classic cars from the early 1900’s. Part 3 of this series includes photos of Robert Montgomery, Joan Crawford, Jimmy Stewart, Ginger Rogers, Cecil B. De Mille, Rita Hayworth, Bing Crosby, Cary Grant, John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara and their classic cars including Lincoln Continental, Cadillac, Plymouth, Dodge, Cord, Oldsmobile, Buick and a 1914 Stutz Bearcat.

  Robert Montgomery with his Cadillac Sport Phaeton – Robert was an American film and television actor, director and producer.

  Joan Crawford in her 1933 Ford Roadster – Joan was an American dancer and stage chorine, who later became a noted, Oscar-winning film and television actress

  James “Jimmy” Stewart with his 1930s Plymouth – Jimmy was an American film and stage actor, known for his distinctive drawl voice and down-to-earth persona. Over the course of his career, he starred in many films widely considered classics.

  Ginger Rogers with her 1937 Dodge – Ginger was an American actress, dancer and singer who appeared in films, and on stage, radio, and television.

  Cecil B. De Mille with his 1937 Cord – Cecil was an American film director and film producer in both silent and sound films. De Mille began his career as a stage actor in 1900. He later moved on to writing and directing stage productions.

  Rita Hayworth with her 1941 Lincoln Continental – Rita was an American dancer and film actress who achieved fame during the 1940s as one of the era’s top stars.

  Bing Crosby giving rides around the studio lot in his 1939 Oldsmobile Coupe Convertible – Bing was an American singer and actor. Crosby’s trademark bass-baritone voice made him one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century, with over half a billion records in circulation.

  Cary Grant sitting on the fender of his 1941 Buick Century – Cary was an English stage and Hollywood film actor who became an American citizen in 1942. Known for his transatlantic accent, debonair demeanor and “dashing good looks”, Grant is considered one of classic Hollywood’s definitive leading men.

  John Wane and Maureen O’Hara in a 1914 Stutz Bearcat – John was an American film actor, director and producer. An Academy Award-winner, Wayne was among the top box office draws for three decades. Maureen was an Irish film actress and singer. The famously red-headed O’Hara has been noted for playing fiercely passionate heroines with a highly sensible attitude. She often worked with director John Ford and longtime friend John Wayne.

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Joan Crawford in her 1932 Cadillac … an ‘Atridim WIDESCREEN Restoration’ Image

Captain Rick: Joan Crawford stands on the running board of her 1932 Cadillac Fleetwood in an image I restored with new sharpness and detail for full-screen viewing on an HDTV.

Click the above image to view it in high definition via my Flickr Photostream. Captain Rick’s Flickr Friends can download it in 1920 x 1080 resolution for viewing on an HDTV or widescreen computer monitor

Joan Crawford (March 23, 1904 – May 10, 1977) was an American dancer and stage chorine, who later became a noted, Oscar-winning film and television actress.

Starting as a dancer in traveling theatrical companies before debuting as a chorine (a chorus girl) on Broadway, Crawford signed a motion picture contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1925. During the 1930s Crawford often played hardworking young women who find romance and success. These "rags-to-riches" stories were well received by Depression-era audiences and were popular with women. Crawford became one of Hollywood’s most prominent movie stars and one of the highest paid women in the United States, but her films began losing money and by the end of the 1930s she was labeled "Box Office Poison". But her career gradually improved in the early 1940s, and she made a major comeback in 1945 by starring in Mildred Pierce, for which she won the Academy Award for Best Actress.

Joan Crawford was voted the tenth greatest female star in the history of American cinema by the American Film Institute.

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Stars and their Classic Cars – Part 2

Captain Rick: Enjoy photos of famous stars with their classic cars from the early 1900’s. Part 2 of this series includes photos of Joan Crawford, Al Jolson, Jean Harlow, Gary Cooper, William Powell, Buck Jones, Errol Flynn and Tyrone Power with their classic cars including Duesenbergs and others.

  Joan Crawford and her 1930 Cadillac Fleetwood – Joan was an American dancer and stage chorine, who later became a noted, Oscar-winning film and television actress

  Al Jolson with his Mercedes – Al was a Jewish Lithuanian-born American singer, film actor, and comedian. At the peak of his career, he was dubbed “The World’s Greatest Entertainer”.

  Jean Harlow with her Cadillac – Jean was an American film actress and sex symbol of the 1930s

  William Powell admires Gary Cooper’s Duesenberg – Gary, sitting on the driver seat back, was an American film actor who found success in a number of film genres, including westerns, crime, comedy and drama. William, with foot on the running board, was an American actor.

  Buck Jones with his 1933 Packard Special – Buck was an American motion picture star of the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s, known for his work starring in many popular western movies

  Errol Flynn in his Auburn Roadster – Errol was an Australian actor who was known for his romantic swashbuckler roles in Hollywood films and his playboy lifestyle. He became a naturalized American citizen in 1942.

  Tyrone Power with his Duesenberg – Tyrone was an American film and stage actor who appeared in dozens of films from 1930s to the 1950s, often in swashbuckler roles or romantic leads.

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Clark Gable and his 1932 Packard … an ‘Atridim WIDESCREEN Restoration’ Image

Captain Rick: Clark Gable confidently stands in a suit with one foot on the running board and an arm resting on the window sill of his 1932 Packard in an image I restored with new sharpness and detail for full-screen viewing on an HDTV.

Click the above image to view it in high definition via my Flickr Photostream. Captain Rick’s Flickr Friends can download it in 1920 x 1080 resolution for viewing on an HDTV or widescreen computer monitor

William Clark Gable (February 1, 1901 – November 16, 1960) was an American film actor, often regarded as The King of Hollywood or just simply as The King. Gable began his career as a stage actor and appeared as an extra in silent films between 1924 and 1926, and progressed to supporting roles with a few films for MGM in 1931. The next year he landed his first leading Hollywood role and became a leading man in more than 60 motion pictures over the next three decades.

Gable was arguably best known for his role as Rhett Butler in the epic Gone with the Wind (1939), for which he received his third nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor. He was also nominated for leading roles in Mutiny on the Bounty (1935), and he won for It Happened One Night (1934).

Gable appeared opposite some of the most popular actresses of the time. Joan Crawford, who was his favorite actress to work with, was partnered with Gable in eight films; Myrna Loy worked with him seven times, and he was paired with Jean Harlow in six productions. He also starred with Lana Turner in four features, and with Norma Shearer and Ava Gardner in three each. Gable’s final film, The Misfits (1961), united him with Marilyn Monroe (also in her last screen appearance). He was named the seventh greatest male actor of all time by the American Film Institute.

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Classic Stars & Cars

Stars and their Classic Cars – Part 1

Captain Rick: Enjoy photos of famous stars with their classic cars from the early 1900’s. Part I of this series includes photos of Joan Crawford, Lillian Harvey, Johnny Weissmuller, Clark Gable and a 1919 Pierce Arrow, 1926 Auburn Roadster, 1929 Ford Town Car, 1932 Packard, 1932 Chevrolet and several other stars and classic cars.

  Fatty Arbuckle and his 1919 Pierce Arrow – “Fatty” was an American silent film actor, comedian, director, and screenwriter

  Erich Von Stroheim and his Cadillac – Erich was an Austrian director, actor and producer, most notable as being a film star of the silent era, subsequently noted as an auteur for his directorial work

  Harold Lloyd and wife Mildred Davis with their Buick – Harold was an American film actor and producer, most famous for his silent comedies

  Lincoln Theodore Monroe Andrew Perry, AKA Stepin Fetchit, with his Cadillac Phaeton – he was an American comedian and film actor

  Joan Crawford with her 1929 Ford Town Car – Joan was an American dancer and stage chorine, who later became a noted, Oscar-winning film and television actress

  Babe Ruth receiving a 1926 Auburn Roadster as a gift – “Babe”, nicknamed “the Bambino” and “the Sultan of Swat”, was an American baseball outfielder and pitcher who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball, from 1914 to 1935

  Lillian Harvey and her Mercedes – Lilian was a British-born actress and singer, long-based in Germany, where she is best known for her role as Christel Weinzinger in Erik Charell’s 1931 film Der Kongreß tanzt

  Johnny Weissmuller with his 1932 Chevrolet – Johnny Weissmuller was an Austro-Hungarian-American competition swimmer and actor best known for playing Tarzan in films of the 1930s and 1940s

  Laurel and Hardy in their 1930 Buick Phaeton – Laurel and Hardy were a comedy double act during the early Classical Hollywood era of American cinema

  Clark Gable with his 1932 Packard – Clark was an American film actor, often regarded as The King of Hollywood or just simply as The King. Gable was arguably best known for his role as Rhett Butler in the epic Gone with the Wind (1939), for which he received his third nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor.

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ISS has a new live video camera on board …for you to watch earth as it passes over you

Captain Rick: The International Space Station has a new camera that broadcasts live video streaming of earth as it orbits every 90 minutes. This is amazing new technology that was made possible by a recent supply mission by SpaceX’s Dragon supply ship. I captured this stunning image looking south over the Baja of Mexico as the ISS flew over Los Angeles just after 3 PM this afternoon.

Click the above image to watch live streaming video as the ISS passes over your area

Images are shown in a window at the left, when available subject to earths lighting and communication ability. A window at the right shows the current ISS location with a Google satellite image below. The ISS orbits the globe every 90 minutes. Each path is about 500 miles west of the previous.

Info on SpaceX’s Dragon … a private commercial space vehicle that takes over for the retired Space Shuttle

Dragon is a partially reusable spacecraft developed by SpaceX, an American private space transportation company based in Hawthorne, California. Dragon is launched into space by the SpaceX Falcon 9 two-stage-to-orbit launch vehicle, and is capable of both manned and robotic operation.

During its uncrewed maiden flight in December 2010, Dragon became the first commercially built and operated spacecraft to be recovered successfully from orbit. On 25 May 2012, an uncrewed variant of Dragon became the first commercial spacecraft to successfully rendezvous with and be attached to the International Space Station (ISS). SpaceX is contracted to deliver cargo to the ISS under NASA’s Commercial Resupply Services program, and Dragon began regular cargo flights in October 2012.

SpaceX is additionally developing a crewed variant of the Dragon called DragonRider. DragonRider will be able to carry up to seven astronauts, or some combination of crew and cargo, to and from low Earth orbit. SpaceX has received several U.S. Government contracts to develop its crewed variant, including a Commercial Crew Development 2 (CCDev 2)-funded Space Act Agreement in April 2011, and a Commercial Crew integrated Capability (CCiCap)-funded space act agreement in August 2012. The spacecraft’s heat shield is furthermore designed to withstand Earth re-entry velocities from potential Lunar and Martian spaceflights.

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Obama-toons

Captain Rick: Cartoonists help us smile with ‘Obama-toon’ political humor…

  

Thanks Ken of California for contributing these cartoons.

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Superstition Mountain looms beyond the Mining Camp in Apache Junction, Arizona

Captain Rick: The Mining Camp in Apache Junction, Arizona is world famous for its restaurant, museum and spectacular view of Superstition Mountain.

Click the above image to view it in high definition via my Flickr Photostream.

The world famous Mining Camp Restaurant is part restaurant, part historical museum and opened its doors to the public in 1961. The complex is located at the base of the beautiful and mysterious Superstition Mountains and along the romantic Apache Trail in Apache Junction, Arizona.

The restaurant’s unique exterior is made up of roughly sawn ponderosa pine hauled from brought down from the Mogollon Rim.

Today, the restaurant still follows the theme of the early mining camp cook shanty. The decor is authentically styled shanty town with mining equipment strewn here and there.

Visitors can learn about the colorful history of the area, as newspaper and magazine clippings adorn the walls and provide a historic glimpse into the legend and lore of this area. These articles include rare tellings of the stories of treasure hunters, Spanish gold, murder, mystery and intrigue.

The legend of the Lost Dutchman’s Gold Mine centers around the Superstition Mountains. According to the legend, a German immigrant named Jacob Waltz (some sources offer other spellings of his last name, such as "Walz") discovered a mother lode in the Superstition Wilderness and revealed its location on his deathbed in 1891 to a woman who had taken care of him for many years. Several mines have been claimed to be the actual mine that Waltz discovered, but none of those claims have been verified.

Since the mid-1800s, well over 100 people have died among the craggy peaks. Some of those deaths were murders associated with the fabled Lost Dutchman Mine; but many were due to falls from its breathtaking – and dangerously steep – precipices. The high death toll prompted state officials in 1983 to outlaw any serious mining efforts in the Superstition range.

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Milestone: 1/4 million views of Captain Rick’s Flickr Photostream + the most viewed photo: Captain Rick’s 1982 Honda 750 Motorcycle

Captain Rick: I am honored by the 1/4 million honest views of photos in my photostream since becoming a Flickr pioneer way back in 2007. I post only one or two photos each month. All meet my high photographic standards and adorn the ‘atridim WIDESCREEN’ logo…signifying that they are viewable full screen in 1080 x 1920 high definition on an HDTV or HD widescreen monitor.  I am appreciative of my Flickr followers and searchers of my photos for the achievement of this viewing milestone. 

In September of 2008, I posted a photo of my 1982 Honda CB750 Custom Motorcycle. Within days it became my most viewed photo and has held the number one position ever since. With 5700 views, it is my most viewed photo.

Click the photo to view the original in my Flickr Photostream

It is by far the finest of many motorcycles I have owned. It is all original, still is in pristine condition, with only 12,600 original miles. It is possibly the finest original 1982 Honda CB750 Custom remaining on planet Earth. I welcome comments from people who love or have loved the Honda 750, one of the finest motorcycles ever produced.

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