Hanging with Rich

My Oscar Winner: Hidden Figures..... I haven't seen all the movies nominated for Best Picture. Not even close. Actually I probably only go to a handful of movies a year. So I get frustrated when I go to a miserable one, like Girl on the Train. I also get disappointed when I miss an interesting one like Arrival . So I was thrilled the other day when I hit the jackpot with a movie called Hidden Figures . This movie is based on a true story. It probably had me right there. I love non-fiction. I feel real life is more interesting and complicated than any convoluted fictional plot a screenwriter could come up with. I like to think I know a lot about American History. But this is a story I was clueless about. The story revolves around the lives of 3 young black women in the early 1960's. They are played by Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monae, and Taraji P. Henson. They work as human computers for NASA in an age just before real computers. Now who would've thought NASA employe...

The Trump Effect in Politics..... Well, it's official. Donald Trump is the President of the United States. The leader of the free world. A year ago at this time, I don't think even his most ardent supporters could have thought that would come to be. But it has. It's official. The campaign and election were so shocking that people will be studying it for generations. It's a copycat world, and Trump was successful. So look for other politician wanna-be's to follow his style. Donald Trump is the first non politician to be elected president. I guess you could say George Washington and Dwight Eisenhower were not politicians either. But they did work for the government previously. Trump was simply a businessman and entrepreneur. He also had his own  reality show. His rise has been spectacular. He had been known as a New York businessman with his share of both success and failure. But he was successful building his own brand. That brand tried to project an image ...

A lexa, Can You Write My Blog?..... We've all seen sci-fi movies where characters interact with a speaking computer. "Computer, set course 245!", Captain Kirk would say. Maybe the most famous speaking computer in the movies was HAL, from the old classic 2001: A Space Odyssey. HAL even went rogue and met his demise at the end of that movie. These types of computers were thought to be items from the distant future in these movies. Well, maybe the future is now as I recently welcomed a speaking computer into my house: Alexa. HAL from 2001, had an attitude. Over the holidays we got an Amazon Echo, also known as Alexa. There has been a adjustment period involved, just like if you brought a new puppy into your house. Although fortunately you don't have to clean up behind it. Speaking computers have been sneaking up on us the last few years. There is Siri on Apple devices, Cortana on Windows, and even OK, Google will answer questions. I've never used those appl...

The 10 Best Cleveland Pro Athletes - Right Now..... When I was writing last weeks blog about 2016, I realized what a great era we are in right now with local  pro sports. The Cavaliers are NBA Champions, and did it in historic manner, the Indians were 1 game from winning the World Series. Success stems from a good organization and the culture within. However, the bulk of the work is done by the players. We have some extraordinary players in town right now. But how do you rank them?  Here is the criteria I used. Of course I included past performance, But mostly just the past season just completed or in progress. But I also included their potential of excellent performance in the future. Nobody wants to go see some washed up old-timer. Also, it didn't come into play, but if a player has too many off the field issues - that would be considered in his value. Finally, I wrestled with if I should include both team and individual sports. I added one, because a champion is a champ...

My 5 Coolest Happenings of 2016..... Another year has come and gone. 2016 was a stunning year, both nationally and locally. Championships, Conventions, and Elections, But how many of the items actually impacted me directly? There are national headlines every day that we have a conversation about. But what did I actually  participate in that I really enjoyed? Looking back, I didn't get a chance to go on any big trips this year like others. But that doesn't mean I didn't have fun. There were some things I'll never forget. So here is a list of some of the things I really enjoyed in 2016. 5. The Revitalization of the Flat s: This isn't one event, but an area that I enjoyed many times in 2016. Back in the 80's the Cleveland Flats were a collection of sketchy bars along the The Flats are a happening place again. Cuyahoga River. They were popular for a while. But they were dirty, unsafe, and closed after a period. Recently, they have been rebuilt and are n...

Old Christmas Photographs.....   I love to look at old pictures. They are a time capsule of a memory. An instant look at a moment in time. A time long ago in a place far away. Old Christmas pictures are especially great to look at. When you look at them you can instantly remember details or an incident that you may not have even thought of for years and years. But they can be sad too. Unfortunately many of the people in the oldest pictures have people and relatives that are no longer with us. Not the 3 Wise Men - just my kids a long time ago. But in a Christmas picture most everybody is happy. The decorations are everywhere. People used to dress up. The memories seem to be flooding back as I write this. I think today people take millions of pictures everyday,  Everybody carries a cameraphone in their pocket. People share them on social media, but they're never printed up. Back in the day, people used actual cameras - with something called film. You would take a pictu...

Hanging With The Cleveland Orchestra..... This weekend was a treat for me as far as watching excellence. On Saturday night I got to watch the Cleveland Cavaliers and Lebron James perform like few players can. He scored 44 points, dominated the game, and scored whenever it was needed. He is one of the greatest in the history of his sport. It is a treat to watch him perform live. But how did Lebron get so good? Because of talent, practice, and dedication. Severance Hall - Home of the Cleveland Orchestra. On Sunday I was privileged to watch and listen to the world renowned Cleveland Orchestra perform a holiday concert. The music was familiar, but the sound was stunning. I had never before seen the Cleveland Orchestra perform at Severance Hall. The music felt like a wave. Gentle at times, powerful at others. But this group of world class musicians performed as one for an amazing result. But how did this group of musicians get so good? Like Lebron, because of talent, practice, and d...