Glory days are for parents, too
I venture to say that the four years we spend in high school are not the most important years we spend on this earth.Arguably the formative years – the years when your mother is supposed to love and nurture you – are more important. Or maybe the years after high school, when you start giving back to the community, your state and nation by curing cancer or developing new technologies or...
The view from here is very different than expected
Sometimes, we need a broader view of our world in order to see the big picture. Sometimes, its only then that we can understand what life is all about, what we value and what we cherish. Our view is dependent on our perspective, and our perspective changes depending on our view. If you would have asked me 25 years ago, I would never have believed that I would be a football mom. Yet, here I...
Simplified computer software that can help seniors get online
Dear Savvy Senior, Do you know of any computer software thats designed for seniors that I can download on an old computer that I have? I would like to set my grandmother up with a senior-friendly system for email and Internet access, but I dont want to spend a lot of money. Searching Grandson Dear Searching, There are actually a number of companies and services today that offer...
Fair Labor Standards Act sets federal minimum wage
Q: What is covered under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)? A: Though it regulates other employment issues, the FLSA primarily establishes a federal minimum wage and overtime pay requirements. This article covers the acts minimum wage provisions. Q: Are all employees covered by the FLSA? A: The FLSA covers most employees. It applies to any business that grosses at least $500,000 in...
A life lesson from the world of sports
Its not the critic who counts. Not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles. The credit belongs to the man in the arena, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that he wont be among those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat. - Theodore Roosevelt The game of life. We have all heard that expression before. Sports and life often parallel each...
A very rare Brown Pelican surprises boaters and birders at Atwood Lake
On August 27, a co-worker casually mentioned to Jim McCormac at the Ohio Department of Natural Resources that someone had sent her a photo of a pelican in Ohio. Jim assumed that it was a White Pelican, since we do have yearly sightings here in Ohio. However, when he looked at the photo, Jim realized the bird was a super-rare Brown Pelican. The location was listed as Atwood Lake. Jim immediately...
Keep income producers working hard...even when rates are low
This week we observe Labor Day, which honors all the hard-working men and women in the United States. As an investor, youd like to think that all your investments are working hard, too including the ones that are producing income. But can your income-oriented investments be productive when short-term interest rates are at historic lows? Or can you find other investment possibilities that...
I guess we were all just looking for a way to fit in
There ought to be a Constitutional amendment outlawing the start of school until after Labor Day but, as is so often the case when I seek to right a wrong, theres no turning back now. I might as well be calling for the repeal of laws banning smoking on airplanes. Not happening. But if you weigh 351 pounds and are as huge as an Airstream trailer and try to fit your fat self into an aisle seat...
Smells of silence are what make autumn special
Autumn is fast approaching and with low measurement rain gauges, some leaves are finding the ground sooner than last years first blanket of fall. Their colors, a dry brown with darker crinkles, are not much to appreciate; lets hope the remainder will indeed change to beautiful piece quilt colors as the season intended. Homeowners, who groom and not just mow, dread a single dead leaf in...