Terry L. Mitchell
Terry L. Mitchell is a software engineer from Hopewell, Virginia. He's been in the software development and engineering line of work for over 27 years.
In addition to his day job, he is a freelance writer (his articles have appeared on hundreds of Websites) and an avid blogger. He is also an expert on all types of insurance and is the owner and operator of FoxRater, a site that allows U.S. citizens to find affordable insurance in their region of the country.
In addition to his day job, he is a freelance writer (his articles have appeared on hundreds of Websites) and an avid blogger. He is also an expert on all types of insurance and is the owner and operator of FoxRater, a site that allows U.S. citizens to find affordable insurance in their region of the country.
Contact Information
Articles by Terry L. Mitchell
November 13, 2009
If you are a new homeowner or about to become one, it is vital that you learn what you need to know about homeowners insurance. Whether you bought your home with cash or are financing through a mortgage company, it is important to insure your home.
October 09, 2009
No football team should ever go for a two-point conversion before the last few minutes of a game, no matter what the score. Doing so could create unintended consequences down the line.
September 30, 2009
Most Americans believe Roman Polanski should be sent back to the U.S. to face the music, i.e., spend time in prison, for his crime. I respectfully disagree. I believe he should either be let go or brought back to the U.S. with a guarantee that the outcome stipulated by his plea agreement will be honored.
September 25, 2009
No person who is not an imminent threat to public safety should ever be physically detained or restrained by the police, without having first been charged with a crime. We need a new constitutional amendment to make sure this kind of thing never happens again.
September 16, 2009
When a football team misses a field goal early in a game, the consequences of such a miscue will often be felt later in that game.
September 18, 2009
We have all heard the old saying about what assuming does to us. While that is pretty much true, I do believe it´s safe, and even desirable, to make some assumptions.
September 23, 2009
What do you think should happen to Danmell Ndonye? She is the Hofstra University freshman who recently accused five men of gang-raping her. However, she later recanted her story when one of them provided a video that proved her sexual encounter with him to be consensual.
September 15, 2009
Here are some things that can ruin your life if you are not careful. I intentionally left out things – such as health problems, accidents, job losses, storms, etc. – that can strike suddenly and without warning. The things on this list are generally invited into people´s lives (and/or are allowed to remain in their lives), often to their regret years later.
September 11, 2009
Heath insurance companies often use something called "gender rating" to allow them to charge one gender more than the other. This results in women of childbearing years paying more for their health insurance than their male counterparts in the same age range. It also means that older men pay more for their health coverage than do older women.
September 09, 2009
So you have two bachelor´s degrees, three master´s degrees, and four doctorates – and they´re all in different subject areas! I bet you think you´re pretty smart, huh? Well, you might want to reconsider that assumption. You could very well have a big gap in your education despite all of these degrees, and not even know it.
September 02, 2009
Obviously, Jesus did not suit the purpose of those newspaper editors. They are not alone. Jesus does not suit the purpose of many today.
August 21, 2009
By all rights, I should be a big fan of former Alaska Governor (and former GOP vice presidential nominee) Sarah Palin. I strongly agree with most of her conservative views. However, the woman simply gives me the creeps. I´m not really sure why I don´t like her, but I do have a theory.
August 18, 2009
We should be sending our lawmakers to Washington and their respective state capitals to expunge existing laws, not make more.
August 17, 2009
That problem with government-forced redistribution of wealthis that it is inherently an arbitrary process.
August 07, 2009
There seem to be only a handful of true Christian colleges and universities remaining in the U.S. anymore. Most of them are still Christian in name only. There is no intelligible difference between them and completely secular colleges.
August 05, 2009
I doubt that most people realize this, but there are two different kinds of knowledge, as it relates to being able to perform a given task. I call them "type 1" knowledge and "type 2" knowledge. These types vary by individual, so that what might be type 1 knowledge for one person is type 2 knowledge for another, and vice versa.
August 04, 2009
The real resolution to bullying involves getting tough on the bullies, over the inevitable protests from their parents. We´re simply going to have to permanently separate bullies from the rest of the students.
August 03, 2009
Most people are already experiencing the lifestyle they deserve. If someone is deep in debt and is therefore unable to live stress-free, it is probably because of their own irresponsibility and carelessness.
July 31, 2009
I am constantly amazed by some of the things that otherwise intelligent people often worry about. Some of it is stuff that doesn´t have a snowball´s chance in you-know-where of ever happening. Therefore, I would like to (hopefully) set some people´s minds at ease about a few of them.
July 28, 2009
I recently learned that PBS is now forbidding its affiliates from carrying any kind of religious programming whatsoever. This is outrageous!
July 29, 2009
Even if I knew my life depended on it, I would never join a health club. I would just go ahead and die, rather than suffer such humiliation.
July 27, 2009
I´m curious as to why people continue to refer to New York´s NFC East franchise as the New York "Football" Giants? Why not simply call them the New York Giants?
July 22, 2009
It troubles me that many otherwise decent and well-meaning people seem to favor a little vigilante justice under certain circumstances. But it scares the heck out of me when I come across an extremely intelligent and well-educated person who feels this way.
July 21, 2009
Let´s face it – over the years, television has become more and more boring and redundant. I have been thinking about some things that would liven it up a little and provide a little change of pace for today´s jaded viewers.
July 20, 2009
Giving the people the right to select their own U.S. senators was supposed to be a positive change, but like many other things in life, it has produced unintended consequences.
July 17, 2009
I believe the NCAA could fix the problem of athletes leave college early by making one small change to its sports eligibility rules.
July 15, 2009
It's dangerous to use the Internet as means of meeting strangers for sexual trysts – now in more ways than one. Rumor has it that, in a rural Virginia county, someone has recently been charged with attempting to set up a sexual rendezvous with a minor, even though there was not a minor involved and no one even claiming to be one.
July 14, 2009
Is withholding the truth tantamount to telling a lie? It depends on the nature of the information. No one should be expected to tell everything they know.
July 10, 2009
"But look at how many lives it saves." That´s a common retort from many people when someone criticizes something like water boarding or mandatory seatbelt laws. In my mind, however, that´s never a justification – no matter how many lives are saved.
July 08, 2009
There are some constitutional amendments that we urgently need to pass in order to preserve our way of life as Americans. The sooner we pass them, then better off we will be.
July 07, 2009
Of all the unfair and nonsensical concepts in the federal tax code of the U.S., none stands out more than the way tax breaks are given to parents of dependent children.
July 06, 2009
Remember how Thomas the apostle at first refused to believe Jesus´ resurrection until he could actually see Jesus for himself and touch his wounds? Well, I like the idea of being a doubter as well. Except I mean being a kind of doubter that is a complete reversal of what Thomas was.
July 02, 2009
People often become frustrated with me because I´m such a plodder. In order for me to complete a task so that I will ultimately be satisfied with it, I cannot do it quickly.
June 30, 2009
It makes me sick at my stomach whenever I´m in line in a store behind someone who uses food stamps and/or WIC checks and also purchases lottery tickets. People who are on public assistance of that sort, along with those who live in publicly subsidized housing, should not be allowed to buy lottery tickets.
June 29, 2009
Have you noticed that many college sports conference names have now been rendered virtually meaningless?
June 26, 2009
I don´t think I´ve ever read about any medical research suggesting such a thing, but I suspect that there is a correlation between getting enough sleep and stomach health. This, of course, is just based on my own personal experience.
June 24, 2009
I´m getting so tired of ignorant people dismissing Paul´s biblical writings by claiming that he never met Jesus. Nothing could be further from the truth.
June 23, 2009
Many authors, especially those who write for the Web, use various techniques and practices that help them get the maximum number of readers possible. While I´ve successfully used some of them myself, there are others that I just refuse to do.
June 22, 2009
There are those who are still so indignant about David Letterman´s joke that they are now calling on CBS to fire him. Pardon me, but this smacks of selective outrage.
June 18, 2009
Neal Wanless, the winner of a recent $232 million Powerball jackpot should now be set for life, even if he doesn´t make a penny of interest or other gains on his winnings. This young South Dakota cowboy, who previously had trouble paying his taxes, will never have trouble paying for anything else nor will he ever have to work again.
June 17, 2009
A California man was recently sentenced to death after being found guilty of first degree murder for setting a wildfire that killed five firefighters. But the death penalty makes no sense in this case. He should have been convicted of voluntary manslaughter or perhaps second degree murder at most.
June 15, 2009
Young American journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee have now been sentenced by a North Korean court to 12 years in a prison labor camp. Others should learn from their dilemma.
June 12, 2009
There are other forms of bigotry in the world besides the classic stuff like racism and sexism. Bigotry can be, and often is, based on a whole host of other criteria.
June 11, 2009
In my neck of the woods, as well as in many other communities across America, school will soon be out for the summer. The early part of June always brings back fond memories from my childhood and teenage years. From my final days in the sixth grade to the winding down of my junior year in high school, this was my favorite time of the year.
June 10, 2009
A lady wrote a letter to the editor arguing that only those who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country should be honored on Memorial Day
June 08, 2009
I hope the extreme pro-choice lobby will not be so brazen as to attempt use Dr. Tiller's murder for political purposes. If they do, they will have created a whole new tragedy from it.
June 04, 2009
I still chuckle when I see people on TV game shows practically doing cartwheels and back flips over winning as little as $50. Sometimes it makes me wonder what it´s doing for them that it has not been able to do for me.
June 05, 2009
It amazes me that some of the folks who are the most vocal about decrying situational ethics have no problem with police lying as a routine part of their "jobs."
June 03, 2009
The abstinence-only mentality is consistent with the laws in most states that set the age of consent at 18. The way I see it, if we are to say that is unlawful for anyone under 18 to have sex, then the abstinence-only approach should be the exclusive way that sex education is taught to minors.
June 02, 2009
If all the gun haters in the U.S. really thought guns were as bad as they seem to believe they are, then why don´t these people try to repeal the Second Amendment?
June 01, 2009
I believe the NFL should allow Michael Vick to return, but with certain rigid conditions and restrictions.
May 29, 2009
It is a proven fact that folks who keep their expectations low tend to be happier than those who set theirs higher. The reason is clear. Disappointment is one of the major causes of sadness and discontent. Lower expectations naturally lead to fewer disappointments.
May 28, 2009
Is it just me, or has anyone else noticed the spate of namby-pamby, apologetic men on TV and in the movies?
May 27, 2009
Yes, I know the title sounds horrible, but there is no way around the fact that there are some "though shalt not´s" that parents must teach their children.
May 26, 2009
I think it was quite ironic and unfortunate that Thurgood Marshall played a major role in denying civil rights to one particular segment of our society.
May 22, 2009
I used to be a strong proponent of the death penalty, but not so much anymore. Yes, I still believe there is a place for it, however only in certain limited circumstances.
May 20, 2009
"Extreme Makeover: Home Edition", hosted by TV personality Ty Pennington, is one of the most popular shows on American television right now. However, don´t count me among its fans.
May 19, 2009
The other day, Jane Velez-Mitchell was at it again -- ragging on pop superstar Michael Jackson for standing on top of a van and creating a spectacle during his child molestation trial. Why does Velez-Mitchell, a victim´s rights advocate and attack dog who hosts her own program on CNN Headline News, have such a problem with that?
May 18, 2009
I take exception to some people´s assumption that I´m a right-winger. I´ve certainly never stated such a thing. And I´m not, as some have accused me, trying to disguise my true sentiments, using the facade of libertarianism.
May 14, 2009
Many years ago, B.J. Thomas had a hit song entitled, "Hooked on a Feeling." Unfortunately, that title can be used to describe many new Christian converts.
May 15, 2009
When it comes to terrorism, President Barack Obama is in a no-win situation. Rest assured that the neo-cons are going to make sure of this. That´s part of their overall strategy for the next four to eight years.
May 08, 2009
Today´s trend toward overprotection and mollycoddling of children makes me wonder how those from my generation survived childhood. Yet we made it to adulthood even without all of the consumer protection laws and child advocacy.
May 06, 2009
People often make excuses for illegal immigrants and act as if there is nothing wrong with people being in this country illegally because they are only trying to create a better life for themselves and their families. While we can sympathize with their plight, we must also realize that life is not fair.
May 05, 2009
Many of those who oppose President Obama´s decision to shut down our detention facility at Guantanamo Bay and relocate its inmates to prisons inside the U.S. are using the wrong argument. In fact, it doesn´t make any sense.
April 30, 2009
It´s only after clicking the wrong button and overwriting all my hard work with the last thing I copied to the clipboard do I realize my mistake.
April 22, 2009
There is lesson in this for everyone, especially children and teens. You don't have to follow the crowd down to the road to perdition to succeed in life.
April 20, 2009
I´ve never liked the business side of sports, especially of the professional variety. In fact, I believe it has ruined professional sports over the last 25 years.
April 16, 2009
It´s better when people scream and shout with their actions. No doubt that´s what God would rather see.
April 13, 2009
There´s more to a democracy than just elections, and I see Iraq as lacking in some of the other things that make a democracy a democracy. Two of them specifically lead me to question that country´s status as such.
April 10, 2009
My skepticism results from the definition of what true repentance is and what it is not. Part of the process of becoming a Christian involves repentance, which must be genuine.
April 06, 2009
You will usually miss out on gains and take unnecessary losses by trying to time the market instead of staying the course.
April 02, 2009
When communicating our intentions to do or not do something, we shouldn´t make a big show or demonstration out of it.
March 27, 2009
After 20 years of taking vitamins and other over-the-counter supplements, and after being an advocate for them for almost as long, I have come to the conclusion that they have all been a waste of time and money.
March 26, 2009
Have you taken a look at some of the programming on so-called "Christian" cable TV channels lately? While these channels supposedly carry Christian programs 24 hours a day, much of what they air is anything but that.
March 23, 2009
The people who are the most upset about Obama's so-called gaffe are insulting the mentally and physically challenged far more than he ever did. What they are doing is projecting an additional disability on those folks -- one of a total lack of a sense of humor.
March 25, 2009
Advocacy groups just can´t imagine any cause being more worthy or more noble than their own. They feel that the cause they are advancing is of the utmost importance, even to the exclusion of many others that are clearly just as vital.
March 20, 2009
Sin taxes seem to be put in place to achieve two competing goals. When one of those goals flourishes, the other necessarily suffers. How much sense does that make?
March 19, 2009
No criminal charge seems to be too excessive or ridiculous these days when it´s brought in the name of protecting children.
March 18, 2009
I don´t understand why some people seem to be too lazy to record a custom greeting that includes their name for their voice mail account.
March 16, 2009
No conference tournament title, no number one seed in the NCAA basketball tournament. At least, that's the way it should be.
March 04, 2009
As a part of his fiscal year 2010 budget proposal, President Barack Obama plans to limit charitable donation deductions for those making more than $250,000 a year. Obama may want to rethink this provision. It is likely to bring with it some unintended consequences.
March 05, 2009
The way government officials and members of the media have been discussing the analog-to-digital TV transition in this country, one would think that New Year´s Day is now celebrated on December 31.
March 03, 2009
Major League Baseball´s spring training is now underway, but don´t get too excited about any of the teams on display in Florida´s Grapefruit League and Arizona´s Cactus League. That´s because none of those teams will be around by the time the pennant races start heating up in the boiling August sun.
March 02, 2009
Gary Condit was right and his accusers were wrong. He is justified in suing. If someone wasn´t sure about his guilt, they should have kept their mouth shut. His actions at the time, however ill-advised they might have been, did not give anyone the right to accuse him of being a murderer.
February 23, 2009
Having an home with an "underwater" mortgage is a lot like owning a stock that has lost value – the problem exists just on paper until one gets ready to sell.
February 18, 2009
President Barack Obama is having trouble finding a commerce secretary. Is it a just a coincidence that neither of his choices for this cabinet position worked out? Probably, but people are becoming concerned.
February 19, 2009
Here are 15 things I never seem to be able to get enough of. I try to savor them as much as possible and always wish I had more of each.
February 20, 2009
Two Pennsylvania judges have pleaded guilty to receiving more than $2.5 million in kickbacks for conducting kangaroo-style courts and sentencing youthful offenders to privately-run juvenile detention centers.
February 15, 2009
Last week, a special U.S. court ruled against three families seeking damages from a federal program set up to compensate people injured by government-mandated vaccines. I see it as a victory for practical medicine.
February 13, 2009
Whenever you notice that your day is starting to go bad, you may be able to reverse the situation. Try one or more "bad-day busters."
February 11, 2009
Even after a complete recovery, who will be able to look at our financial markets quite the same again? Indeed, I believe most investors have become a little more cynical and suspicious
February 12, 2009
Christians are commanded by Jesus´ Great Commission to reach all souls for him. When Jesus said, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:15, KJV), he left no room for any exceptions.
February 09, 2009
When one has multiple employers at a given time, each employer might be withholding taxes as if they are that employee´s only employer. That could easily result in not enough taxes being withheld, leading to the employee having to write a check – possibly a fat one – to the IRS at tax time.
February 09, 2009
I think it´s time for the members of the media to leave Phelps alone. They making are making much ado about nothing. In these perilous times, one would think they had more important things to cover.
February 06, 2009
I have never had to send the IRS a check. Actually, I usually get a decent refund, despite the fact that I take every possible exemption on my W-4. Even so, I hate tax season and I´m sorry to see it here again.
February 04, 2009
If, as has been reported, the California mother who recently gave birth to octuplets is now seeking millions of dollars for her story, she should ultimately come away disappointed.
February 03, 2009
Many of today´s popular phrases have been so overused by individuals and the media that they have become worn out already.
January 30, 2009
Many times, people will say one thing when they really mean something else. In some cases, it´s a matter of using euphemisms instead of getting straight to the point, often to avoid to hurting someone´s feelings or seeming too brutally honest.
February 02, 2009
To increase the odds of its success, I think there are at least ten things should be included in a federal stimulus package.
January 27, 2009
Whenever an evening news program leads off with certain types of stories, it is generally an indicator of a slow news day.
January 26, 2009
Everyone should be born with little other than caring parents and a world of opportunity. Everything else should be earned.
January 23, 2009
You will rarely find nudity, explicit sex, or a certain four-letter word on network or basic cable TV in the U.S. That´s because, of course, most viewers would find those things offensive. However, other things that are just as offensive to me (or, in some cases, even more so) seem to be fair game these days.
January 22, 2009
With the advent of the 24-hour cable news cycle in the early 1980´s, I thought we would actually get some variety in the types of news programming that would be available. Instead, we have gotten more of the same.
January 21, 2009
I completely disagree with Obama´s request to postpone the transition date. I think it would be a major mistake to postpone it after running thousands of public service announcements -- ad nauseum -- stating that the deadline was February 17, 2009.
January 19, 2009
Child pornography laws were created to protect innocent children from exploitation by adults, not to protect horny teenagers from each other.
January 13, 2009
When and if the U.S. returns to the use of a military draft, it would be clearly unconstitutional. It is a violation of the Fifth Amendment which forbids the government from depriving anyone of "life, liberty, or property without due process of law." Being forced into the military has the potential to deprive someone of all three.
January 12, 2009
It´s all well and good to preach about those things, as they are a big part of God´s nature. But there is another side to God – a side of high moral standards and judgment and punishment.
January 08, 2009
Even the best of us get taken in once in a while. I´m specifically referring to the kinds of scams in which someone offers a product or service for sale on the Internet, gets your money, and then never delivers it. When you have been conned like this, what´s the best and easiest way to get your money back?
January 06, 2009
Jesus said one doesn´t become the greatest by stepping on people or trying to be their boss or outmaneuvering them in any way. He said you become the most exalted by making yourself the lowest.
January 05, 2009
Many Americans are addicted to credit. That´s one of the reasons we are in such a financial mess right now. Those who are under the power of this addiction need to begin the process of breaking free – and the sooner the better. Getting started is the key, so one must start somewhere, even if it is a very modest or seemingly insignificant step. I say it should start with discretionary items – things that are not necessities of life.
December 17, 2008
Litigation for defamation and libel should be left to civil courts, as they are more than 99% of the time. Not only is it completely ridiculous to prosecute such cases in criminal courts, but it further clogs up the dockets in courts that are already overloaded with real criminal cases. However, the main problem with laws that call for criminal prosecution for this kind of stuff is that they represent an assault on the First Amendment.
December 22, 2008
By all rights, political correctness has no place in medicine. Yet, as in the case with all other aspects of our society, politically correct thinking has managed to get its foot in the door. It´s high time we kick it to the curb. Otherwise, we will begin to see it establish a stranglehold on the world of modern medicine.
December 19, 2008
I have lived in Virginia all my life and – no offense to any other state – I don´t think I would want to live anywhere else. There are a lot of characteristics about Virginia that just suit my needs, wants, and preferences. I have listed ten of them below.
December 16, 2008
I believe the whole notion of guilt by association is subjective. Like beauty, it is in the eye of the beholder. Yes, Virginia, there are some gray areas in life, and this is certainly one of them.
December 15, 2008
There are only three basic reasons why I would go back and update an already published article.
December 08, 2008
As much as I hate to say this, I don´t look forward to Christmas anymore. Don´t get me wrong, I´m no Ebenezer Scrooge, but Christmas has become more of a hassle to me than a celebration. But it is not beyond repair. There are several changes that I would, if given the opportunity, make to Christmas that would hopefully return it to its former glory.
December 09, 2008
The recent terrorist attacks at a hotel in Mumbai, India has gotten me thinking about what I would do if I found myself in a hotel where terrorists were on the loose. Obviously, I would not want to become a casualty or a hostage. Unless the terrorists blew up the whole place (or a large portion of it), they would likely have to catch me in order to do me any harm. I would have to make sure they didn´t. But how?
December 11, 2008
Laws based solely on perception make no sense. The lawmakers who contrived them must have had their heads so far up their butts that they've never seen the light of day. I say this because such a concept opens a Pandora's Box of weirdness in the law that can be taken to any ridiculous length.
December 12, 2008
Before leaving office, President George W. Bush apparently plans to sign an executive order that will expand the rights of doctors, healthcare workers, and pharmacists to refuse to provide patients with various services and treatments, based on their own moral and religious beliefs.
December 05, 2008
The other day, I read an article in which the author indicated that one of the problems with falling gas prices is that they decrease the gas tax revenues of the federal government as well as those of state and local governments. Nothing could be further from the truth.
December 04, 2008
Although I adamantly oppose abortion and gay marriage, I'm a little leery of some of the folks who share my social conservative views. I´m referring to those politically-self-assured, it´s-all-black-and-white, God-is-a-Republican, fanatical type of people who insist that almost every national election is a battle for the heart and soul of America.
December 02, 2008
It just doesn´t seem right to me that greedy sports stars continue to demand and receive increases in their multi-million-dollar salaries while the lives of many Americans are being wrecked by this economy. Fortunately, I believe their comeuppance is on the way – and soon.
December 01, 2008
What irked me the most, though, was the fact that, for the second time in a row, I was getting an increase in rates for nothing in return – no additional channels and no upgrades.
November 24, 2008
The current dire straits of the Big Three could well turn out to be a blessing in disguise instead of a disaster. It all depends on how our elected representatives in Washington respond. Bailing them out would not be the right thing to do, but allowing them to be hoisted on their own petard is obviously not the answer either.
November 25, 2008
Perhaps we would have an opportunity to get back to the original purpose of Thanksgiving – to take time to thank God for all He´s blessed us with throughout the year. Despite the current world economic situation, we are indeed fortunate.
November 20, 2008
If mercy is shown to one person for a given shortcoming or misdeed, it should be shown to all for similar shortcomings or misdeeds. In my opinion, selective mercy perverts the whole notion of mercy.
November 18, 2008
President-elect Barack Obama has stated his desire for a playoff system in 1-A college football. I´ve often complained about the lack of a such a playoff myself, but I´ve never explained how I would like to see one conducted – until now.
November 12, 2008
Before the voting season that has just passed us by recedes any further into the rearview mirror, I would like to offer a few random thoughts on the subject.
November 14, 2008
One of the slogans John McCain used during his presidential campaign was "country first" – and he meant it. Obviously, he is not the first to hold to such a notion. But should we really put country first? I say no – the rights of its individual citizens should be first and foremost.
November 10, 2008
Despite Barack Obama´s big victory in the presidential race, Election Day wasn´t a total loss for social conservatives. Those of us who believe in the sanctity of traditional marriage and oppose government-mandated quotas by race and gender have much to carry away from Election Day and be thankful for as the Thanksgiving holiday approaches.
November 07, 2008
Since the close of the presidential election season on Tuesday night, I´ve been pondering how different the outcome might have been, had a few things transpired a little differently.
November 04, 2008
No matter which man wins, Barack Obama and John McCain will become friends tomorrow, after months of battling it out in a sometimes nasty contest for the presidency. One will begin his transition to the White House while the other will return to the Senate promising his full support to the new president-elect.
October 27, 2008
Politicians are people Americans love to hate. Much of their negative public perception is well-deserved. However, I do feel sorry for them in a way because, sometimes, they just can´t win.
October 24, 2008
We´ve all heard of self-fulfilling prophecies, but there is also such a thing as a self-precluding prophecy. Sometimes, when someone makes a prediction, the very fact that this prediction is made is a guarantee that it will be wrong.
October 22, 2008
When or if you achieve some level of success in life, some people are going to hate you for it. You can bet your mortgage money on that one. Obviously, success draws its share of admiration, but it´s guaranteed to rouse some hate as well.
October 20, 2008
This man was making the mistake of trying to make due with 100% of his monthly income. That´s a common mistake and one that most other Americans make.
October 16, 2008
I´ve noticed that some individuals who have remained relatively healthy for most of their lives tend to be snobbish about that fact. Many of them lack empathy toward to those who have not been so lucky.
October 15, 2008
Americans should not be envying Europeans. If anything, they should be envying us. There are two reasons why I say this: socialism and elitism. Europe, unfortunately, appears to be a bastion of both.
October 07, 2008
The fact of the matter is that the lack of personal responsibility on the part many Americans – not anything President Bush has or hasn´t done -- has brought on most of our recent woes.
October 09, 2008
The current presidential election season brings back memories of those from the past, especially the three that occurred during my school years.
October 06, 2008
Now that the government has decided to bail out all those financial institutions, it seems only fair that it should also offer a bailout to all of their customers who are behind on their mortgage payments.
October 03, 2008
Many people believe that Hell is a place of eternal punishment, and there some passages in the Bible that seem to support this position. However, other parts of the Bible would seem to argue against it. I would like to present two of the major arguments in favor of the latter.
October 02, 2008
This ruling is apparently a politically-correct effort to avoid offending people who adhere to other faiths. However, it makes no sense. If the goal is avoid offending people, why even allow public prayers at all? Aren´t there atheists who live in Virginia?
October 01, 2008
Despite what the doomsayers and Chicken Littles of the world would have us believe, our current financial crisis (if we can even call it that) is just temporary. Yes, the vultures are circling, but there will be no carcass for them to consume.
September 24, 2008
I can appreciate the need for police officers to err on the side of caution and protect themselves as much as reasonably possible. They have a very dangerous job and I understand that. But the use of strong-arm tactics on obviously submissive suspects seems excessive to me.
September 23, 2008
Many protestant denominations, including Southern Baptists, teach the ´age of accountability´ doctrine. Simply put, this doctrine holds that children are not responsible for their own sins until they reach some nebulous age of accountability that only God is aware of.
September 22, 2008
I don´t like the way both major parties select their vice presidential nominees. All too often, the presidential nominee selects someone who has not run for president in the primaries. Yes, this person does go through a vetting process, but there´s no better way to scrutinize candidates that than to watch them make presidential runs of their own.
September 19, 2008
Here is a list of my 25 favorite sports uniforms of all time. Obviously, I´m biased toward the 1970´s. And, needless to say, I´m not a fan of most of the new trends in sports uniforms.
September 18, 2008
We´ve always heard about people´s net worth being measured by the amount of money and/or assets they own. However, I believe a person´s true net worth should be measured by other factors instead.
September 16, 2008
To me, red-light runners are much more dangerous than speeders. I´m not talking about people who, once in a blue moon, slip up and run a red light due to a brief lapse in attention. That can happen to anyone. I´m referring to those who habitually speed up or refuse to slow down when they see a yellow light well out ahead of them, consequently running newly-turned red lights on a regular basis.
September 12, 2008
I´m tired of our culture allowing some women to have it both ways. Either they´re equal to men or they´re not. If they´re not, then people should stop pretending that they are.
September 10, 2008
One of Sarah Palin's biggest obstacles is going to be the catch-22 she will find herself in when confronted with her alleged stance on abortion. Someone, either a media interviewer or debate moderator, is going ask her the following question: "Is it true you believe abortion should be outlawed, even in the case rape or incest?" I see four possible ways she can answer this question, all resulting in a large block of voters being upset with her.
September 09, 2008
By now, we have all seen the bumper stickers and have been reminded umpteen times by police, local media, and school officials that school is back in and that we therefore need to "drive more safely." But that implies that it´s okay to drive less safely during the remainder of the year, even though we never see bumper stickers to that effect.
September 08, 2008
I am a little concerned by the fact that she seems to be handling her daughter´s pregnancy in too much of a nonchalant fashion, as if it´s no big deal. I´m sure that´s not the way she really feels, but someone could easily interpret her demeanor that way.
September 04, 2008
I know you are all disappointed right now. That´s understandable. We all feel your pain. So the question now is this: What are you going to do about your disappointment?
September 03, 2008
Try as they might (and they obviously do), party extremists can´t have it both ways. If one party´s selection of a vice presidential nominee removes some plays from its presidential nominee´s playbook, then the same is true of the other party´s vice presidential choice. Denying something doesn´t make it any less true.
August 30, 2008
On Friday, John McCain surprised most of the pundits -- myself included -- with his selection of a dark horse candidate, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, as his running mate. Here are the pros and cons of his decision.
August 29, 2008
An analysis of this story will reveal that the prodigal son seemed to be sorry only because his sins got him into a frightening situation, not because he was remorseful for what he did.
August 25, 2008
With all due respect to Joe Biden, Indiana Senator Evan Bayh would have been a better selection fro Obama.
August 20, 2008
So what is the proper role of government? It is to do for its citizens what they cannot reasonably do for themselves as individuals.
August 19, 2008
I´m going to use this space to coin another new word: "rightsers." This is a name I have given to people who put what they perceive as their personal rights above all else.
August 12, 2008
While I am still a casual fan of Major League Baseball, I am not anything close to the baseball fanatic that I once used to be. I recently did a little introspection to try to determine why this is the case.
August 08, 2008
Just take a look any competition that isn´t tightly controlled. It´ll turn out not be a competition at all, but rather a pretense with a manipulated and fraudulent outcome.
August 07, 2008
No matter how hard I might try, I know I´ll occasionally suffer the heartbreak of stolen thunder.
August 04, 2008
If presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama selects Virginia Governor Tim Kaine as his running mate, it could set up a potential quirk in Virginia politics next year.
July 31, 2008
Most of the time, the ignorance of the perennially uninformed is costly only to them. Recently, though, some of them created big problems for lots of other people, as their lack of awareness was a catalyst in the collapse of IndyMac Bank.
July 30, 2008
I agree with Bozell that much of what passes for entertainment nowadays on broadcast television contains far too much objectionable material. This comes in the form of profanity, violence, suggestive dialogue, and sexual situations. However, I believe broadcasters would not cross certain lines, even without FCC regulation.
July 23, 2008
By going back on his word, Dr. James Dobson is risking hurting himself in two ways.
July 17, 2008
Why does God talk to some people but not others? Does He discriminate? Is He a respecter of persons? I can assure you that the answer to both of the preceding questions is no.
July 16, 2008
I think just about everyone agrees that his comments were way over the top. However, even those of us who support the concept of Jessica´s law should be able to see where he´s coming from on this matter. He just picked a terrible way to express it.
July 11, 2008
I´m going to do this despite the fact that I don´t really see the point of my partaking in such a survey. Obviously, no one at the U.S.D.O.T. knows me personally or I would not have been selected as a participant.
July 10, 2008
In addition to pushing for universal health care coverage, AARP´s "Divided We Fail" campaign is touting the idea financial security for all and asking that politicians of all stripes work together to make it a reality.
July 09, 2008
With the way gas prices are soaring these days, many people are wondering if we´ll ever see cheap gas again. I believe we most certainly will – and we won´t have to wait a lifetime for it either.
July 08, 2008
Now that the city of Seattle has settled its lawsuit against Supersonics´ owner Clay Bennett, the team might be on its way to Oklahoma City beginning with 2008-09 season. On July 2, just before a federal judge was to render her decision on the suit, Bennett agreed to pay Seattle a total of $75...
July 03, 2008
After watching portions of the premiere episode of 'The Babby Borrowers' last week, I can see how this show could (and rightfully so) discourage anyone at any age from wanting to have children.
July 01, 2008
For those of you who have been sleeping or have given little attention to presidential politics over the last several months, let´s review how Barack Obama became the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee.
June 25, 2008
For those of you who have been asleep or just haven´t paid any attention to presidential politics over the last several months, let´s review how John McCain became the presumptive Republican presidential nominee.
June 24, 2008
I believe the thing to do about rising oil prices is to raise interest rates dramatically. All of those interest rate cuts that have been made in the last several months in order to stimulate the economy have cheapened American money too much.
June 05, 2008
Now that Barack Obama has become the presumptive presidential nominee of the Democratic Party, let's take a look back at how Hillary Clinton lost. Last year at this time, it seemed inevitable that she was going to win the nomination. What went wrong?
March 19, 2008
The United States of America is the freest nation on earth and I am very proud to be an American. However, we still have plenty of room for improvement. One area in which we can use quite a bit of improvement is our lack of libertarianism. Sadly, we are just not libertarian enough as a society. I be...
February 04, 2008
John McCain must be tripped up on Super Tuesday or the Republican Party will be in imminent danger of having this apostate become its presidential nominee. With all of his current momentum, he will be difficult to stop -- but it can be done. Now, I'll start with the assumption that McCain will win N...
February 02, 2008
Don´t let the mainstream media gatekeepers tell you this race is over and that John McCain is the inevitable presidential nominee of the Republican Party. We can´t afford to nominate a RINO (Republican in name only). Don´t just cast votes of assent based on decisions made by voters...
January 22, 2008
As I outlined in an earlier article, Mike Huckabee's original plan for capturing the Republican presidential nomination included a win in South Carolina. Obviously, that plan has now gone by the wayside. But does Huckabee have a "Plan B"? I believe he does and we will see it coming into play beginni...
January 20, 2008
The results of yesterday's contests in Nevada and South Carolina boosted the fortunes of some, set back some, and pretty much finished off some others.
For the Democrats, Hillary Clinton's win in Nevada breaks the stalemate between herself and Barack Obama and gives her a two-to-one edge over hi...
January 18, 2008
Both the Democrats and Republicans will be holding caucuses in Nevada today. For the Democrats, it will be a much more high-profile event, with all three of the top contenders fighting tooth-and-nail to win there. Hillary Clinton has the backing of party insiders, including Senate Majority Leader Ha...
January 18, 2008
Despite how scrambled both nominating battles seem now, they will be over soon. That magnetic pull toward consensus will make it happen.
November 28, 2007
The University of Hawaii is the only undefeated team in major college football with only weekend left in the regular season. So why are eleven one-loss and two-teams currently ranked ahead of them in the BCS standings? If the Rainbow Warriors defeat the Washington Huskies in their final regular seas...
November 08, 2007
Many experts agree that a huge source of discontent in our modern western world is our tendency toward excess. Somewhere along the way, perhaps during the 1950’s or 1960’s, we decided that moderate amounts any good thing were not enough. Although previous generations had warned us that we could inde...
November 01, 2007
We are all aware that the high cost of health care is a prime reason many people won’t see a doctor when they should. People who are the most concerned about cost are usually those not covered by health insurance. However, health insurance is overrated. It is not the “get out of illness free card” t...
October 30, 2007
In time past, people became rich by becoming entrepreneurs, making important discoveries, inventing useful gadgets, making significant contributions to the good of society, or simply working hard and saving. But in 21st century America, it's no longer a requirement to earn one's way to wealth, as pe...
September 12, 2007
Recently, the Mega Millions multi-state lottery jackpot climbed to over $330 million before four tickets matched the winning numbers. As a jackpot like that starts to swell, people will begin to use their imaginations to describe what they would do with the money if they won. Many of them even claim...
September 01, 2007
People have often asked me why I decided to start a daily blog. Well, there are at least eight reasons I can think of, in no particular order:
(1) I'm very opinionated. I have strong opinions on many different subjects. In addition, my opinions don't seem to be represented very often in the mains...
August 29, 2007
It seems that no one saves enough money anymore. We are becoming a nation of spenders, not savers. This is especially problematic when it comes time to make a down payment on a house or automobile or to buy furniture and appliances.
Regular saving can be easy when one learns to pay himself. I've ...
August 27, 2007
You have just sat down to dinner or to watch your favorite TV program when you are interrupted by a phone call from someone who is trying to interest you in a trial subscription to a credit card protection plan. From time to time, we all get bothered by telemarketers, solicitors for certain question...
August 24, 2007
It's hard to believe, but Netflix has now been around for eight years. Since its debut in 1999, it has built its inventory of titles to more than 80,000. In addition, similar services, such as Blockbuster's online rental business and Intelliflix have become available. I believe these services compar...
August 22, 2007
The term "pro-choice" has been tossed around quite a bit over the last 30 years. It is generally used (euphemistically) to refer to someone who favors a woman's right to choose to have an abortion. Do you consider you consider yourself to be pro-choice? If so, then kindly take the following consiste...
August 20, 2007
Many financial advisors will recommend that home owners include a little additional principal with their mortgage payments each month. For a just little extra each month, they can take years off the end of their payment schedules. Very often, an extra principal amount of just $25 per month and can w...
August 17, 2007
All of the current cable news channels are rife with so much fluff that it's often difficult to discern what the real news is. I would like to see a new kind of cable news channel that only carries serious news. They could give it a name like Serious News Network, or SNN. Of course, its name wouldn'...
August 15, 2007
None of us can fully protect ourselves from all the possible bad things that could befall us. That's just a sad fact of life. However, we can build personal firewalls to greatly reduce the risk of being hit by some things and delay others for as long as possible.
The risk of financial disaster ca...
April 18, 2007
Along with the grieving in the aftermath of the senseless massacre of 32 innocent people at Virginia Tech, there is a natural tendency to look for something or someone, other than just the killer, to blame. There's an abundance of Monday morning quarterbacking going on right now. But are others part...
April 16, 2007
While everyone seemed to be flipping out this past week over the racist and sexist remark radio talk show host Don Imus made about the Rutgers women's basketball team, the climax of a much greater injustice went almost unnoticed.
Three Duke University lacrosse players were finally exonerated aft...
April 05, 2007
Now that we've seen the first quarter fundraising totals from the major presidential contenders in both parties, what should we make of them? While nothing definitive can really be derived from these early numbers (see Phil Gramm in 1995 and John Edwards in 2003), we can discern some early patterns ...
February 14, 2007
I don't know about you, but I'm constantly misunderstanding song lyrics. In many cases, I never figure what's actually being sung until I see the words in writing. Here are some examples of song lyrics I've misunderstood over the years:
(1) From Billy Joel's "My Life":
Actual lyrics: "Got a ca...
February 09, 2007
California Congressman Duncan Hunter announced in October that he would be seeking the 2008 Republican presidential nomination. He recently made his candidacy official. Now in his 14th term in the House, Hunter's district includes portions of San Diego. From 2003 through 2006, he was chairman of the...
January 25, 2007
Young people need to realize that many of the things that are so important to them now may not be such a high priority for them when they get older. With the passage of time, those things tend to get replaced with new priorities. Circumstances change (especially after one graduates from high school ...
January 18, 2007
During this NFL postseason, it’s as good a time as any to ask the following questions: Has the NFL jumped the shark? If so, when did this happen?
For those who are not familiar with the term, "jumped the shark" originated from the TV sitcom, "Happy Days." It references an episode in which the cha...
January 11, 2007
I was recently talking to a lady who told me she would have to see her financial advisor soon because she and her husband were nearing the "magic" age of 70 1/2, when the IRS requires people to start taking distributions from their 401(k) accounts or face stiff financial penalties. Why does the IRS ...
January 04, 2007
Many setbacks in life come to us through no fault of our own. We are just innocent bystanders who get blindsided by various calamities. However, we bring some of them on ourselves through our own actions or inactions. Here are five keys to avoiding these self-inflicted wounds:
(1) Don't overreact...
December 14, 2006
Sometimes I wonder if they teach anything at all about economics and capitalism in our institutions of higher learning anymore. In regard to Exxon's recently reported record profits, I heard an otherwise intelligent young college graduate say one of the stupidest things I've ever heard. He stated (c...
December 07, 2006
Many parents start saving for their children's college expenses even before they are born. But should parents foot the entire bill for college? It is my personal belief that they shouldn't. Parents need to take some of that money and put it away for their own retirement. Yes, I think parents who can...
November 30, 2006
The rules for 401(k) plans need to be changed to allow people to take penalty-free distributions from their 401(k) account(s) during times of unemployment. Those distributions could come from accounts with any previous employer, not just the one from which a worker was most recently terminated. The ...
November 16, 2006
In the wake of George Allen's defeat by Jim Webb, let's not write Allen's political obituary just yet. Sure, it was a disappointing loss for Allen, who, just four months ago, seemed like a cinch to win overwhelming re-election to his Senate seat and be on his way to a formidable run for the White Ho...
November 10, 2006
Now that the 2006 mid-term elections are over, it will soon be time to focus on the presidential politics of 2007. There will be only one presidential primary in 2007 and it will be a big one - the "money primary." Reports released at the end of each quarter of 2007 will slowly but surely reveal the...
November 02, 2006
Now that another World Series is in the books and a fresh five-year labor agreement has been signed, I think it's time that Major League Baseball owners do something that really shakes things up while appealing to the purists and modernists alike. I have a suggestion for a radical new alignment that...
October 26, 2006
More often than not, I find myself agreeing with ABC News reporter and columnist John Stossel. He's a libertarian and I hold mainly libertarian views. But I think he was way off base about a point he made in a recent column he wrote about health insurance.
Now, I agree with much of what he says ...
October 19, 2006
I previously did an article entitled, "Several Red Flags for Spotting a Phony or Scam." I will now follow it up by dealing exclusively with ways to spot Internet scammers. Hopefully, this comes before you have gotten scammed by one of them.
So, to all of those potential victims, I offer these ti...
October 13, 2006
When are coaches and players going to learn that they can't turn momentum on and off like a light switch? Momentum, once lost, is not always retrievable at will. In fact, it is quite illusive. Coach Tony Dungy and his Indianapolis Colts discovered that the hard way last season.
To refresh everyo...
October 05, 2006
I think we could all learn a lesson from the way the Amish community of Lancaster, Pennsylvania conducted itself following those tragic school shootings. There are three things in particular about way they handled this tragedy that we should heed.
First, they were quick to forgive. We hear victi...
September 29, 2006
Satellite TV providers might be in danger of eventually being squeezed into oblivion by the cable and phone companies. Rupert Murdoch, whose News Corp. owns a 38.5% interest in Directv, recently referred to it as a "turd bird," a term that needs no explanation. Murdoch is apparently seeking to unloa...
September 21, 2006
The recent decision by the FDA to allow non-prescription access to the so-called "morning after" pill by women 18 and older still brought complaints by women's advocacy groups and many others. They claim that younger teens should be allowed the same access.
Many health officials are now recommend...
September 14, 2006
Virginia Senator George Allen is being challenged for his Senate seat this fall by Democratic nominee, former Navy secretary James Webb. When Allen referred to a Webb campaign worker this summer as "macaca", it set off a media feeding frenzy that Allen has not been able to live down. That's not too ...
September 08, 2006
It's football season again, so that can only mean one thing - get ready for some frustration! Even if your favorite high school, college, or pro team is top-notch, chances are they'll suffer several frustrating losses before the season is over. Some ways of losing are just more frustrating than othe...
September 06, 2006
A Virginia man is being charged with felony murder because a police officer who was chasing him crashed into and killed an off-duty officer from a neighboring jurisdiction. The man was being chased because he had stolen a car and violated his parole, among other things.
However the charge of fel...
August 31, 2006
As we stand of the eve of another NFL season, let's consider the efficacy of regular season overtime games in the league. They were first implemented in 1974 to greatly reduce the number of games that ended in a tie. Previously, overtime games in the NFL were reserved for the post-season. Ironically...
August 24, 2006
More and more, we are becoming a society that rewards and reinforces negative behavior. Then we wonder why bad habits and negative behavior are so prevalent! People who play within the rules rarely get a reward or an incentive to continue to do so, while those who break the rules and/or are always s...
August 21, 2006
At an interfaith prayer breakfast held in Richmond, Va. about six months ago, popular motivational speaker Zig Ziglar ruffled some feathers by sharing his Christian faith with the audience. Actually, he went a little further than that - he invited members of the audience to become believers in Chris...
August 14, 2006
John Warner is now in his 28th year and fifth term as a U.S. Senator from Virginia. Warner, a Republican, carries a lot of clout in the Senate as the chairman of the Armed Services Committee. Nationally, he's one of the most respected members of the Senate.
Interestingly enough, Warner's career ...
August 08, 2006
A letter about insurance reform than I wrote to the editor of the local newspaper appeared in that publication yesterday morning. However, it did not appear in quite the way that I wrote it. I understand the fact that this newspaper reserves the right to edit letters for "accuracy, brevity, clarity,...
August 03, 2006
In his immensely popular book, "The Purpose Driven Life", one of the major points that Pastor Rick Warren tries to make is that people must change the way they think before they can change the way they live. I believe the same principle applies to cultures. As I've mentioned many times before, I do ...
August 01, 2006
Back in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s there were four Major League Baseball franchise relocations over the span of just seven seasons. In 1966, the Milwaukee Braves moved to Atlanta; in 1968, the Kansas City Athletics moved to Oakland; in 1970, the Seattle Pilots move to Milwaukee to become the M...
July 31, 2006
Down through the centuries and all over the world, the battle for religious freedom has been a bitter one. The United States has been no exception. Although most of those who founded this country came here seeking religious freedom, it has been a source of contention from the beginning and remains s...
July 28, 2006
So-called "interest-only" loans are all the rage right now, but they'll get many borrowers into hot water if interest rates begin to rise quickly. First of all, the phrase, "interest-only", is a fallacy. While the borrower is not required to pay back any principal at first, beginning somewhere aroun...
July 27, 2006
Local TV stations broadcast shows from three different categories: local origination, syndication, and network affiliate content. Most people recognize the local origination stuff when they see it. It consists mainly local news, weather, and sports, along local talk shows and the occasional communit...
July 25, 2006
It has recently been reported that the Department of Justice, headed by Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, is pressuring the CEO’s of the major Internet service providers to retain logs of their customers’ online activities. This is something that is already being practiced by the European Union and...
July 24, 2006
I was starting to get worried. It was the eighth of February and my electric bill, that usually comes on the second or third day of each month, had not arrived yet. From reading some of my other posts, you know how paranoid I am of the U.S. Postal Service. So, I promptly got on the phone with my pow...
July 21, 2006
New York Senator and former First Lady Hillary Clinton would seem to have the inside track to the Democratic nomination for 2008. However, she could be seen as a far too polarizing figure whose candidacy in the general election could bring out the evangelicals in droves for the Republicans as Kerry'...
July 20, 2006
I'm constantly reading articles on the Internet and in financial magazines in which so-called financial planning experts express perplexity as to why about 30% of employees do not participate in their employers’ 401(k) plans. These writers don’t seem to have clue. Well, allow me to enlighten them a ...
July 19, 2006
The NFL's decision to expand to 32 teams and align into eight divisions of four teams each as of 2002 has removed much of the complication and inequity that used to plague its schedule-making process. Before the new system, some teams, even those in the same conference but a different division, woul...
July 18, 2006
Mark Warner was elected governor of Virginia in 2001 after losing a closer than expected Senate race to John Warner five years earlier. Virginia law does not permit its governor to succeed himself, so Warner's term ended in January when the newly-elected Governor, Tim Kaine, was inaugurated. Therefo...
July 17, 2006
I am outraged at Virginia’s prescription drug monitoring law that recently went into effect statewide. This law requires all pharmacists operating in the state to report whenever they dispense certain types of prescription drugs, mainly painkillers. The date, type of drug, name of patient, and name ...
July 14, 2006
We are nearing the middle of the third Bush presidency, the second of two for George W. Bush, which followed two for Bill Clinton, which followed one for George H.W. Bush. Whether the Bush presidencies should be called a dynasty is up for debate. What's probably not up for debate is likelihood that...
July 13, 2006
Last year, a co-worker of mine called his cable company to order DSL. Yesterday, when I went to see my podiatrist, we began discussing broadband options. I told him that I had DSL at home. He said he had a broadband service with Comcast that he believed to be DSL. Obviously, my co-worker and my podi...
July 12, 2006
Very few people whom I know are familiar with the benefits of the Roth IRA. It was named for the late Senator William Roth of Rhode Island, who proposed it. It is similar to a traditional IRA except contributions are never tax-deductible. Contributions to traditional IRAs are sometimes deductible or...
July 11, 2006
For the average person and/or family, the three biggest financial pitfalls to avoid are new vehicles, credit car interest, and short-term loans. Any and all of these can drain a person's or family's coffers of much needed funds. At best, they create opportunity costs, i.e., money spent on them could...
July 07, 2006
I must be one of only a handful of Americans who can see the hypocrisy of insider trading laws. These laws run counter the notion we accept in every other aspect of society - the acknowledgment that life is unfair. In every facet of life, there are people who have access to advantages that others do...
July 05, 2006
When I was growing up, I actually considered a career in politics. I quickly changed my mind, though, when I discovered that there was way too much politics involved in it. Obviously, that's a play on words, but I get funny looks from people when I tell them that. However, I am completely serious. T...
August 15, 2005
We can all learn a valuable lesson about the types of behavior and attitudes to avoid like the plague, simply by observing the characteristics of people we all know are low class. Being low class is not a function of the lack of money or social status. I've seen rich people and those high on the soc...
August 12, 2005
Our current jury system is ailing. It is beginning to fail us. O.J. Simpson being found not guilty is just one example of that problem. People with loads of evidence against them are found not guilty, while others with far less evidence against them are found guilty. Mass murderers are often sentenc...
August 11, 2005
Last week, I began my look ahead to the 2008 presidential campaign with the potential Republican candidates. Today, I will continue by taking a look at the potential Democratic candidates. Among them are New York Senator and former First Lady Hillary Clinton, former Vice President Al Gore, New Mexic...
August 10, 2005
Rush is right! The government's stepped up bid to regulate broadcast television content is indeed "frightening." Limbaugh made his comments during one of his regular radio broadcasts in the spring of 2004. Those remarks were in response to the FCC's crackdown on broadcast indecency and Congress' thr...
August 08, 2005
A good number of my columns deal with finances and money-related issues. Obviously, these are issues we have to confront everyday. However, I have to try to keep in mind the fact that money has only a limited value in our lives. Many of us, including myself, often lost sight of the fact that money i...
August 05, 2005
For those of us who know how to use them properly, credit cards can actually be quite fun and lucrative. To those who do not know how to use them properly, I would say that you should stop reading this column right about now, or at least I would advise you not to try any of this stuff at home. What ...
August 04, 2005
How long do you think DVDs have around? 20 years? 10 years? Actually, they have only been around for about eight years, but it seems like they have been around much longer. Many of us can hardly remember life before DVDs. That can be attributed to how rapidly we can become acclimated to some innovat...
August 03, 2005
Just as everyone has been able to breathe a sigh of relief following the end of 2004 presidential campaign, I would like to take a quick look ahead to 2008. Unless George W. Bush is unable to complete his second term, 2008 will bring the third open presidential election (no incumbent running) in 20 ...
August 02, 2005
Last week, I did a column about the world's biggest lies. Based on popular demand, I have decided to do a sequel. Here are ten more common, everyday fallacies that I am debunking. Actually, I've added an extra one this time for good measure. Enjoy!
(1) 500 TV channels. All too often, the truth fa...
August 01, 2005
The end of another election year brings into focus the problem of Washington politicians raising money and running for re-election as soon as they get into office. Many citizens and various government-accountability advocacy groups have done little more than complain from time to time. However, some...
July 29, 2005
The article sent shockwaves throughout Wall Street, as the stock prices for both TiVo and Netflix shot up. Ten months ago, a Newsweek article reported that TiVo and Netflix might be getting together to produce a true form of video-on-demand (VOD). TiVo, the original and premier provider of digital v...
July 28, 2005
Some people are content to just to be another face in the crowd. By assuming this attitude, they are saying, in effect, to the rest of the world, I'm just average; there's nothing special about me. For those of us who would rather stand out from the crowd, there are some relatively easy ways in whic...
July 27, 2005
There it was - an envelope from my insurance company. It seemed like I had just paid my semi-annual automobile insurance bill last month. I opened it up only to find a letter demanding immediate payment of my insurance bill that was due at the end of last month or my insurance would be cancelled! Ha...
July 26, 2005
We have all heard the jokes about the world's biggest lies being stuff like "the check is in the mail" and "I'll respect you in the morning." I'm now going to take this opportunity to refute some common, everyday fallacies by adding a few of my own to the list along with a brief explanation of each....
July 25, 2005
The world is full of phonies and scammers these days. They use various mediums such as phone solicitation, spam email, magazine and newspapers ads, TV infomercials, and plain old snail mail. They are constantly searching for their next victim. Like P.T. Barnum once said, "there's a sucker born every...
July 23, 2005
"Those who sacrifice essential liberty for temporary safety are not deserving of either liberty or safety."
-- Ben Franklin, 1776
In the wake of 9/11 and subsequent terrorist attacks around the world, there is a real temptation to allow the government to take away some of our most precious ri...
July 22, 2005
The news media regularly presents views from Democratic (liberal), Republican (neoconservative), and independent (moderate) perspectives. However, I rarely, if ever, see my point of view represented in the mainstream media. Let me begin to sum up my politics by saying that I believe our most fundame...