Cash for Clunkers was an amazingly successful program. One of my best friends along with tens of thousands of other Americans took advantage of the opportunity to exchange an old gas guzzler for a very pretty brand new gas sipping car. As I watched him...
My wife and I went car shopping today. She actually enjoys it. I have this perverted idea that once upon the lot I have become prey as the vultures begin to circle. I stopped buying new cars decades ago and now look for a nice...
A time honored philosophy of investment is to "Buy and Hold." Do your homework, learn all you can about a good company and then purchase stock and sit with it through thick and thin. In recent times many financial advisors are saying that strategy might...
I had an interesting exchange with a student this morning. Grades are due tomorrow and he failed to turn in a major paper. He said, "Since you allowed me to turn in a late paper at midterm I knew I could ask you again." So,...
During breakfast this morning we had a delightful array of birds at the feeder just on the other side of the window. Feasting on the seeds and suet were Black-capped Chickadees, Cardinals, Blue Jays, a Carolina Wren, three kinds of woodpeckers and of course sparrows. ...
I really rely on the GPS in my car to get me places. The GPS has probably saved more gasoline than any other recent improvement to cars. Those of us who are directionally challenged don't waste gallons of fuel trying to find our destination. However,...
If the rejected contestants on American Idol are a sampling of our culture then lack of self-esteem is definitely not an American problem. Individuals with no talent, who cannot begin to carry a tune, become angry when they are told “no.” If their parents are...
I just finished reading an editorial that ridiculed a few companies for running advertisements on television encouraging us with assurance that we as a nation will gain from the economic downturn. According to the optimistic advertisements the gain will be a better appreciation for what...
We had a serious steering issue with our car. You can imagine the sinking feeling in my stomach when I heard just the parts would cost 1700 dollars. However, there was some good news. Those same parts could be retrieved from a car just like...
While walking my dog last evening I watched one of my neighbors pull out of her driveway. She used her turn signal. Obviously it was an involuntary habit since there was no other car in sight and traffic behind her was minimal. While purchasing a...