What do you think about electric cars? That’s a question which evokes a surprisingly strong reaction. Few people, it seems, are indifferent to the topic of changing what we drive. Some think electric cars will help save the planet; others think they’re a do-gooder’s overpriced and overrated flavor of the month. History The automobile, one […]
Is there a new movement happening in your backyard that you are unaware of? A new reality television series has probably never been the impetus behind a major change in how we live, but could this one be different? The show in question is called “Tiny House Nation, ” and it kicked off earlier this […]
The Dow Jones Industrial Average index hit 17, 000 in the last week — a new record — and the S&P 500 Index followed suit. As is usual any time a stock market record is reached, the boo-birds make their appearance. “This is it!” they cry. “This is too high; a crash has to follow.” […]
Do you think it’s a good idea to get away from fossil fuels for our energy needs? If so, you’d be one of millions. Fact is, we are totally dependent on energy for our daily lives, especially electricity. (You can’t read this post without electric power, for example.) Where Does Power Come From? Most electricity, […]
Is the American dream dead? A majority of people say it is, according to the recently announced CNN Money survey, as well as several others done at academic institutions like Xavier and Youngstown universities and other private organizations. Although the samples, questions and methodologies differ from survey to survey, the results all seem to indicate that the American dream […]
When is the last time you got into a heated argument about cars? Cars in general are not controversial. Yes, there is the odd low-key Chevy vs. Ford thing from days gone by and that sort of thing, but most people generally don’t get worked up about cars, arguing about them after dinner in mixed […]
Time was when you had a home phone and you watched TV with a rabbit-ear antenna. Life was cheap then. Well, almost: I remember paying $3.95 a minute to make a phone call from Orange County to New York. Life may have been cheaper then, but not easier: When you and your significant other got […]
We have a nephew who lives in Switzerland whose wife recently gave birth to their second son. She stayed in hospital for an entire week and the blessed event cost them … nothing. Contrast that with this report from the New York Times, detailing the high cost of childbirth in the States. Obamacare is an attempt […]
No, that’s not a typo. If you haven’t heard of “Heartbleed” yet, listen up. Events that radically change our lives don’t come along that often. The 9/11 attacks changed not only how we travel, but how we think and act when we go out. Having your belongings searched when you go out to a ballgame […]
A few weeks ago, someone pulled out a gun and shot four people in a Detroit tax preparer’s office over a late income tax refund. Though such outrageous reactions are rare, thankfully, there is a surprisingly emotional division among people on the issue of whether it is best to aim (no pun intended) for a tax […]