This result shouldn't surprise anyone. Inflation has driven up operational costs for businesses across the US and shrunk profit margins for major... ... read more
I had a run-in yesterday with the neighbor formerly known as ahole motorcycle guy. I had just gotten back from a customer's office when I get a knock on the door. It's motorcycle guy saying Can we talk a minute? I know you've got a p ... read more
I don't agree with this calculation, but, for what it's worth, my brother sent this out recently. So, in case I'm wrong and he's right, which almost never happens... 50 years ago (1963) the minimum wage was 1. 25. See ... read more
Good article for writers. Writing a novel and building a house are pretty similar when you think about it. For instance, most builders or homeowners spend a lot of time dreaming... ... read more
... for a fraction of the cost. This is the one thing that kills our food budget, but we keep buying it because my back muscles seem to need the electrolytes to keep from spasming. At least, that's what I've convinced myself of. I've be ... read more
We had a freeze Tuesday night, so I lost my tomato plants and probably my cucumbers. :( I replaced those original tomato plants, adding cherry tomatoes, and might have lost those too because, even though I hadn't planted them yet, I screwe ... read more
For most people, winning $300 million in the lottery would be enough. They would retire, buy a big house and travel the world. Not Benny. He took the money and ran... for president. The house he had in mind was the White House. He didn't want to travel the world so much as save it from politicians. Retire? "I'll retire when I'm dead!" he said, not knowing so many people had that exact retirement plan in mind for him.
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Benny sat alone by the door in a recently opened Asian restaurant. The laminated menu offered Mongolian, Chinese and Japanese dishes, with each written in its native language. He had to flip it over for the English version on the back.
He was taking his therapist's advice, "throwing caution to the wind" and "letting the chips fall where they may." A sex therapist branching out to grief counseling, she was all about the clichés.
Frequently Asked Questions About HealthcareQ: What does HMO stand for?A: This is actually a variation of the phrase, Hey, Moe! Its roots go back to a concept pioneered by Doctor Moe Howard, who discovered that a patient could be made to f ... read more
Watching Titanic the part where the ship is sinking is like watching the U. S. economy, where the rich conspire to sink as many of the poor as they possibly can. -- (yes, I thought this one up myself!) ... read more
If you've ever felt the need to do it yourself when it came to one of your crafty/artsy ideas, you might try CafePress and make something exactly as you want it. Yes, we'll get a small commi ... read more
For life to work well for most people today, the universe has chosen an unlucky few for whom nothing works at all. :) Try and keep that in mind as you go through your day. -- ... read more
I'll be spending all week (Spring Break) with my almost-6-year-old daughter, Elizabeth. Woo hoo! Yesterday was supposed to be my only day off, as she was supposed to be in school (snow make-up day). But she's come down with the flu, so ... read more
Monday -- 1 Oct 07 -- 6:37PMzzzDRAHST-vueet-ya, DRAHST-ya, BREEV-yet ee DO-bree-dyen from Astrakhan! I just (phonetically) said Hello, hey, hi and good afternoon (even though it's now evening here) in Russian. I couldn't remember how to ... read more
We made it this far! The plane ride was terrible for several minutes when we had to fasten our seat belts, which Elizabeth did not want to do. She SCREAMED loudly for quite a while, ticking off everyone nearby. Luckily, part of it was dro ... read more
We had a great visit with our little girl this morning. There were no observers. That happens this afternoon. Vika mentioned we should think about showing more affection in front of the observers. It's more in line with how Russians tre ... read more
It's never too late to reinvent yourself. Take it from Paul Tasner -- after working continuously for other people for 40 years, he founded his own start-up at age 66, pairing his idea for a business with his experience and passion. And h ... read more
I'm glad you and Cathy are doing well. Our daughter Elizabeth is doing well, too. She spent last night with a cousin north of town so she can attend that little girl's birthday party today. Elizabeth's own birthday party was last month. ... read more
Just past Jackson, Tennessee, after getting onto 412, a trucker had some fun at my expense. I had just passed him and am 99% sure I hadn't merged back in front of him too close. Drivers around here are offended easily. He then came up ... read more
Bananas: Bananas release high levels of ethylene gas, so store them alone on the counter. Once they're ripe, move bananas to the fridge for a couple of days until you're ready to eat them. Buy bananas that are still a little green so the ... read more
The Barking Dog Vol. 4 No. 6, July 22, 1992 Who names these newsletters, anyway? earthquakes, earthquakes! We're sick of earthquakes! Why doesn't the government do something!? On June 2 ... read more
The Holmes Family Newsletter Vol. 1, No. 10 -- Worldwide Circulation -- December 6, 1989 Newsletter sold! The Holmes Family Newsletter was involved in a hostile takeover. A group of Japanese investors have taken control of the Ne ... read more
NEWS, ETC. Vol. 2, No. 15, December 18, 1990Christmas Issue Lucy to Host ChristmasLucy will be having Christmas at her house this year. It's a potluck affair. Only those with food will be allowed in. Says Lucy, It'll be very inform ... read more