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Terry Mitchell - EzineArticles.com Expert Author  

Terry Mitchell is a software engineer, freelance writer, blogger, and amateur political analyst from Virginia. He's been in the software development/engineering line of work for over 27 years. He blogs and writes about various subjects such as current events, politics, cultural and social issues, health and well-being, personal finance, religion, technology, media issues, law, government, sports, humor, and trivia. Through the BlogBurst network, his blog entries are often carried on the Web sites of ... [More]

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  • An Aversion to What's Good For Us
    [Self-Improvement:Personal-Growth] It seems strange that we, as humans, seem to be born with a built-in aversion to the things that are good for us. That's probably one of the root causes as to why many of us have chronic health problems and don't live to an optimal age.


  • Fifteen Things Money Has Never Done For Me
    [Self-Improvement:Happiness] As I've mentioned many times before, I don't get all that excited about being on the receiving end of money. Oh I used to, but I have since outgrown that tendency.


  • The Fallacious Gitmo Argument
    [News-and-Society:Pure-Opinion] 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.


  • Let's Expand Fifth Amendment Rights
    [Legal] Two days prior to his arrest for the murder of Yale medical Annie Le, Raymond Clark was picked up by the police, handcuffed, and detained for a while. Incidents like this, that take place on a daily basis, should be prohibited by the U.S. Constitution. The Fifth Amendment comes close, but - like they say - no cigar. 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.


  • Why a Military Draft is Unconstitutional
    [News-and-Society:Military] 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.


  • We Should Demand Cable Choice
    [Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] With the demise of the BUD, we are now stuck with cable, the small dish (which I call "cable on a stick"), or telco TV if we want more TV channels than those available over the air. All three of these options have one thing in common: they demand that we select our basic channels in bundles or packages instead of allowing us to cherry-pick what we want.


  • Is There a Gap in Your Education?
    [Reference-and-Education] Okay, 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.


  • Finally Saying Goodbye to Vitamins
    [Health-and-Fitness:Supplements] 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. Therefore, once my current supplies run out, I will not be replacing them. Instead, I will take the money that I have been spending on them and use it to buy more fruits and vegetables.


  • Christianity of Convenience
    [News-and-Society:Religion] I'm very skeptical of religious experiences in which people become Christians while behind bars or as a result of having been caught in some kind of criminal act. The same goes for those who accept Christ following some traumatic event or major setback in their lives. That kind of Christianity seems a bit too convenient to me. And too often it doesn't stick.


  • Desperate and Cynical Cheaters
    [News-and-Society:Pure-Opinion] Any kind of contest, game, bidding, or other type of competition must always be conducted in a controlled environment in which the rules are strictly enforced. Otherwise, there will be those who cheat and skew the results in an unfair manner. It's a crying shame that this is the case, but it's just a sad fact of life that will never change.


  • My One Problem With Big Pharma
    [Business:Ethics] What I do have a problem with are their sales people, who invade the offices of doctors while they are seeing patients. Obviously, they make these visits to lavish their freebies on physicians and to try to persuade them to prescribe their company's pills, serums, creams, jells, and what-have-you as often as possible.


  • How a 1-A College Football Playoff Should Work
    [Recreation-and-Sports:Football] President 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.


  • Breaking the Credit Addiction - Where to Begin
    [Finance:Credit-Tips] 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.


  • Abstinence Only is Consistent With the Law
    [News-and-Society:Pure-Opinion] I've read a lot criticism lately about abstinence-only sex education for teens. Much of it is justified. It does indeed seem futile to focus only on abstinence when there's no doubt that a certain number of teens are going to have sex anyway.


  • How Calcium and Magnesium Imbalance Contribute to Hair Loss
    [Health-and-Fitness:Hair-Loss] There are many factors that affect hair loss. Hair loss is usually a subtle disorder that increases over a period of time. Often hair loss is associated with disease. Furthermore, there are many people who suffer from hair loss because of conditions such as stress, dandruff or diabetes.


  • How to Keep Sports Stars in College
    [Reference-and-Education:College-University] I'm never happy about seeing young athletes (especially basketball players) go straight from high school to the pros or leave one to three years of college eligibility on the table to go pro early. Of course, I can understand one of the main reasons why they do this.


  • How I Would Change Christmas
    [Home-and-Family:Holidays] 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.


  • Why the 17th Amendment Should Be Repealed
    [News-and-Society:Pure-Opinion] The 17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified in 1911 to allow U.S. senators to be directly elected by voters. Previously, they were selected by the state legislatures. However, I think this amendment has turned out to be a bad idea and should therefore be repealed as soon as possible. In the nearly 100 years since its inception, it has caused more harm than good.


  • Ten Ways to Become a Better Writer
    [Writing-and-Speaking:Writing] No matter how skilled and competent we are at writing, there is always room for improvement. Below I have included ten ways to become a better writer. While many of you may already adhere to most of these, you might find some of them helpful.


  • Sympathy For a Politician
    [News-and-Society:Politics] 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.


  • Will Retirement Soon Be Obsolete?
    [Investing:Retirement-Planning] This latest market downturn may be the final death knell for the concept of retirement. Even before it hit, many companies were scaling back or even eliminating their pension plans. That is, those which were among the handful of employers that still offered them.


  • How to Beat Writer's Block
    [Writing-and-Speaking:Writing] Although I've never read any books or articles on the subject of writer's block, I'd like to share some tips on how to overcome it, based on my experience as a writer and blogger. I hope they will be of help to others who have endured this condition from time to time.


  • An Overview of the Alternative Minimum Tax
    [Finance:Taxes-Income] The alternative minimum tax (AMT) is one of the least understood and most controversial parts of the federal income tax system of the United States. It is an extra tax some people have to pay on top of the regular income tax and it is used to recapture their tax liability and some tax benefits.


  • Cash Balance Pension Plans
    [Investing:Retirement-Planning] Cash balance pension plans represent a type of defined benefit pension plan that acts more as a defined contribution plan. There seems to be a lot of confusion as to how such plans actually work.


  • The Upfront Costs For Mystery Shopping
    [Business:Retail] Mystery shopping is a unique way for consumer-minded companies to receive useful feedback on products, services, and other aspects related to shopping from the perspective of an end customer. Companies use mystery shopping efforts to remain in touch with their key shopping demographics, and as a way to evaluate/determine the things that work and those that need improvement.


  • How to Get a Cat Out of a Tree
    [Pets:Cats] Traditionally thought of as a lazy-day activity for firefighters, rescuing a house cat that somehow winds up trapped in a tall tree presents quite a task for the uninitiated. By nature, cats are timid, instinctual creatures who quite intelligently treat anything unfamiliar as a threat. Typically a cat that is stuck high up in a tree is in a frightened state, and perhaps will find its own way down after some time has passed and it no longer senses any danger from the immediate environs.


  • What to Look For When Buying a Printer
    [Computers-and-Technology:Hardware] Technological advancements have resulted in more efficient ways of printing paper. Computer printers are now the standard choice for businesses and individuals. Not all printers will give you the same quality of print. There are several types of printers on the market and they all have different functions and special features.


  • Tips For Filing an Amended Tax Return
    [Finance:Taxes-Income] No one wants to receive an IRS audit. If the IRS discovers a discrepancy in your return, it could lead to future problems. If you find discrepancies in a previous return, the best thing you can do is file an amended tax return.


  • Tax Consequences of Selling Inherited Property
    [Real-Estate:Selling] When you inherit property through either a will or other method such as a gift, you will be responsible for the taxes. There are many different tax consequences that result form selling property that you have inherited.


  • How to Create Restore Disks For a Mac
    [Computers-and-Technology:Data-Recovery] Because a number of people using older Macs have been experiencing installation problems, some users have developed a way to install the system using a startup disk method. In the event of a malfunction, the startup disk feature in a Mac computer disk utility application allows people to create a virtual disk to restore their computers to specific settings.


  • How Sea Levels Rise
    [Reference-and-Education:Nature] As the earth continues to experience change, sea levels will continue to rise. Global warming will continue to increase sea levels over at least the coming century. Measurements from the period of 1993-2003 indicated a mean rate increase of 3.1 mm/year.


  • How Air Filters Help Asthma Sufferers
    [Health-and-Fitness:Asthma] Asthma is a common respiratory condition in adults and children. An asthma attack results in a narrowing and inflammation of the airways leading to the lungs. Triggers for an asthma attack can include: allergens, pollen, pet dander, air pollution, dust, and chemical fumes. Most of these impurities can exist in the home. Using an air filter can decrease or eliminate the triggers of asthma. Air purifiers for the home are effective at eliminating not only particles but also odors and fumes.


  • Filing Taxes As a Contractor
    [Finance:Taxes] Being an individual contractor has its own rewards, but one should not forget the additional work that is involved in self employment. You will be preparing your own invoices and payment processing forms. As an individual contractor, you will have to file taxes with the Internal Revenue Service much differently than as an individual.


  • Ways to Repair Your Bad Credit
    [Finance:Credit-Tips] If you are struggling from the effects of a low credit score, you have probably thought good and hard about the potential benefits of hiring someone to "repair" your credit for you. Before you spend any of your money on one of these "professional" credit repair services, take stock of the situation. Is your credit mess something you can repair yourself? It probably is, and by doing so, you will learn much about your finances and save money at the same time.


  • What to Do If Your Credit Card is Stolen
    [News-and-Society:Crime] If you have just discovered that your purse or wallet is missing, your credit card may have been stolen. Whether your credit card was lost or stolen, it has the potential to cause a lot of harm if it falls into the wrong hands. In the event that your credit card is lost or stolen, you will need to move quickly to avoid damage to your good credit, especially if your credit card carries a high limit.


  • Is it Wise to Make Additional Principal Payments on Your Mortgage?
    [Real-Estate:Mortgage-Refinance] You may have heard that making additional principle payments on your mortgage can shave years off the life of your home loan. In fact, it is not uncommon for financial advisors to recommend this strategy to homeowners. There are a couple of different ways of doing this that will allow you to take up to five years off the length of your loan. But is this strategy for everyone? Before you decide, let's take a look at different ways to pay extra principal on your mortgage.


  • Who Needs Liability Insurance?
    [Insurance] Just about everyone can benefit from liability insurance. It's one of the most affordable insurance options and offers protection from being sued by people who may have suffered an accident that they blame on you. There are many different types of liability insurance, so it's important to know which ones you need.


  • Student Loan Mistakes to Avoid
    [Finance:Student-Loans] Student loans are simply a part of life for most college students. As the cost of education continues to skyrocket faster than increases in income happen, students are forced to turn to loans to pay for their schooling. Student loans can be a positive experience, if you avoid these five common mistakes.


  • Some Basic Estate Planning Guidelines
    [Finance:Estate-Plan-Trusts] There's no negating the importance of establishing an estate plan. Whether your net worth is gargantuan or whether you're living paycheck to paycheck, it's critical that you have at least a basic estate plan in place. Doing so will ensure that your financial goals are met after you pass away. This kind of financial planning can provide payment of your debts, education or trust funds for your children, and much more.


  • The Best Way to Be Prepared For a Recession
    [Finance:Personal-Finance] The best way to prepare for a recession and the effects it can have on your situation, is to take a multi-pronged approach. Realize that you could take hits from this economy in different areas of your life. Take stock of each area and determine the likelihood that the recession could cause trouble there, then prepare yourself accordingly.


  • The Danger of Trying to Time the Stock Market
    [Investing:Stocks] Trying to time the market almost always costs you extra. Unless you need your money soon, keep it where it is. There will be losses, but those losses will turn into gains over long term. When the time comes that you do not have the time left to recoup your losses, then try to time the market and pull your money out at the best time, but otherwise, leave your money alone. It will grow, if you let it.


  • The Difference Between Investing and Trading
    [Investing:Stocks] Two terms that are commonly interchanged, and wrongfully so, are investing and trading. While these may seem like similar actions, they have some distinct differences.


  • Tips For Knowing When to Change Careers
    [Business:Career-Advice] Back in the days of our grandparents and even for many of our parents, a career was something you did from the time you got out of college until you retired. Very few people even thought about switching careers, but these days, it's far more common. In fact, as various industries drop in popularity, more and more people are leaving what they may have considered to be solid jobs and are looking for new careers.


  • Protecting Yourself From Mail Fraud
    [News-and-Society:Crime] The day begins like any other normal day. You go to work, perform your tasks, and head home, just as normal. When you open your mailbox to retrieve the day's mail, you notice an odd little envelope from an unrecognized address. Curious, you open it. Inside sits a check in your name for $5,000! Incredulous, you turn the cover letter over to read, "Congratulations, you have just won the lottery in Liberia!"


  • Some Key Financial Blunders to Avoid
    [Finance:Personal-Finance] No matter what the economic climate, good financial sense never goes out of style. Unfortunately, many people are simply unaware of things they do that could be putting them further into debt and destroying their credit and financial future. That`s why it is very important to educate yourself and take the time to learn what you can about how to become more savvy with your money. Here are some of the biggest mistakes that the average person makes.


  • How to Save Money When Dining Out
    [Finance:Budgeting] These days it seems like people everywhere are looking for new ways to save money. We are making small sacrifices wherever we can and cutting out unnecessary expenses. Some have given up their daily latte, others are foregoing the newspaper and catching up on the news online.


  • How to Use Grants to Start a Business
    [Business:Fundraising] It's expensive to start up a business, as any entrepreneur can tell you. There are any number of costs that depend on what type of business you are starting.


  • How to Set Up a Family Budget
    [Finance:Budgeting] In times when everybody makes less and everything costs more, developing a family budget and committing to it is one of the best ways you can improve your financial situation and secure your family's future. Knowing exactly how much income you have and how many expenses you have allows you to outline a road map that will help you reach your financial goals.


  • How to Sell Your House in a Slow Market
    [Real-Estate:Selling] There's no escaping the fact that the real estate market (among other things) is in a slump. Property values are at an all-time low, and stricter mortgage lending requirements are making it more difficult for willing buyers to get approved for home loans.


  • How to Get Your Bank to Pay You
    [Finance:Personal-Finance] There are a few different ways to "get your bank to pay you." Some of the most popular methods for saving money at the bank are detailed below. For maximum savings, employ more than one of the recommended strategies.


  • How to Get the Most From Your Rewards Credit Cards
    [Finance:Credit-Tips] There are a number of reward credit cards available and if you use them the right way, you can end up with quite a few benefits. The trick is to work with them to get the most out of each particular reward.


  • How to Get Paid For Fishing
    [Recreation-and-Sports:Fishing] There are some ways in which you can earn money for fishing. Whether you leave your day job or simply make money on the side with your favorite hobby, consider these ideas for getting paid to do what you love.


  • How to Get Free Textbooks Online
    [Shopping-and-Product-Reviews] Buying more than one, and in some cases various textbooks for each class you take can be a heavy financial burden. Borrowing or sharing textbooks isn't realistic as it is difficult enough as a student to budget your time without having constraints on when and where you can use any given textbook. Luckily, there are ways to save money when it comes to textbooks.


  • Tips on How to Select a Real Estate Agent
    [Real-Estate:Selling] As you prepare to sell a home, one of the most important professionals you will work with is your real estate agent. Choosing the right one can mean the difference between a quick sale, and having a house that is sitting on the market waiting for months on end. You want someone who is knowledgeable, competitive, and professional, but finding that individual in the sea of available agents is not always easy.


  • How to Save on Energy Bills During the Summer
    [Home-Improvement:Energy-Efficiency] Saving money is on everyone's mind at the moment and with summer heat rapidly approaching, you're probably wondering how you can cut back on your energy bills. The warmer months are an excellent time to go bare bones with your electricity since you won't need to be heating the house and less energy needs to be expended in general.


  • How to Prevent Tax Audits
    [Finance:Taxes] Being audited can be a very stressful, not to mention financially hazardous, experience. While many people will go their entire lives without being audited for taxes, not everyone is that lucky. There are, however, some ways to help prevent the tax man from checking up on you.


  • How to Make Money As a Mystery Shopper
    [Business:Careers-Employment] Chances are you've heard about these people, mystery shoppers, who get paid to do things like eat in fancy restaurants and buy things at nice stores. And, chances are, you've wondered how you can get a gig like that. This article will explain everything you need to know about mystery shopping.


  • How to Know When to Quit Your Job
    [Business:Career-Advice] Quitting your job is never an easy decision, but there are times when it is the best one. How can you know when quitting your job is the best choice? Sometimes when things are stressful at work, staying the course is the best option, but there are a few clear signs that quitting and looking for something new is really the right thing to do.


  • How Short Term Disability Benefits Are Taxed
    [Insurance:Disability] If you have injured yourself (on or off the job) and have been rendered temporarily disabled, you may be collecting short term disability benefits. The benefits may be paid out by the social security administration or from disability insurance provided by your employer.


  • Easy Ways to Cut Your Family Budget
    [Finance:Budgeting] With joblessness on the rise, out-of-control mortgages and general economic turmoil, families and individuals are looking for ways to spend less and save more money. Whether you're facing foreclosure, collecting unemployment, or haven't yet felt the effects of the recession - we could all use some extra backup savings.


  • Don't Lose Money to Internet Fraud
    [Internet-and-Businesses-Online:Security] The best way to protect your money from Internet scams is to avoid them altogether. In a perfect world, you never would, but even the best of us get taken in once in a while. The most common type of scam is the one in which someone offers something for sale online, takes your money, and then never delivers a product.


  • Considerations When Converting From a Traditional to a Roth IRA
    [Investing:Retirement-Planning] IRAs are confusing, because there are so many different types. The two most commonly used IRAs are traditional and Roth. Both allow taxpayers to contribute up to $2000 each year to the IRA and offer tax benefits.


  • Tips For Avoiding Bank Overdrafts
    [Finance:Personal-Finance] There is no doubt about it - getting hit with a steep overdraft charge from your bank is the worst. Banks charge you anywhere from twenty to fifty dollars or more if you go over on a check, and sometimes it's just a simple mathematical error on your part that causes the overdraft.


  • A Roth IRA Vs A 401(k)
    [Investing:Retirement-Planning] Even in times of economic turmoil, one of the most important financial objectives for individuals of working age is to save for retirement. It is important to secure your future financially by ensuring that you will have enough money saved up for you to enjoy the lifestyle you desire in retirement.


  • How to Choose an Estate Attorney
    [Finance:Estate-Plan-Trusts] Planning your estate is no small task, and making sure everything is done correctly can be critical to the financial wellbeing of your heirs and loved ones. Estate planning is more complicated than simply drafting a will. It also works to minimize taxes and other fees and sets up contingency plans for your health care should you become incapacitated.


  • A Student's Guide to Banking
    [Finance:Personal-Finance] Whether you're going off to college in another city or state or whether you'll be a commuter student that lives at home, this new stage of life brings a whole new set of responsibilities. Part of the responsibility of being a college student involves being financially responsible for expenses such as tuition, books and materials, dorm or apartment rental, utilities, cell phone bills, etc. You may be lucky enough to have help from your parents, but it's not too early to start learning about banking.


  • What is a Reverse Mortgage?
    [Real-Estate:Mortgage-Refinance] A reverse mortgage loan is a federally insured private loan that was created specifically to enable senior citizens (over the age of 62) to translate a portion of their home equity into cash. They therefore provide people with cash in advance against the value of their owned property. This can be very useful to senior citizens to supplement their income if they are struggling to meet their living expenses.


  • Good Debt and Bad Debt - How to Know the Difference
    [Finance:Credit-Tips] Many people assume that all debt is the same and a very bad thing. That is simply not true... there are times when it is well worth getting into debt, but you need to know the difference between the good and the bad forms of it.


  • How to Organize Your Monthly Bill-Paying
    [Finance:Personal-Finance] Needless to say if we all had our way, we would forego the chore of paying our monthly bills, or better yet forego receiving these demands for money altogether. Unfortunately though, paying our monthly bills has to be done, but we can however put a system in place that will make this process a lot easier.


  • The Primary Factors That Influence Stock Share Prices
    [Investing:Stocks] Although everyone seems to know the main rule for investors is to buy low and sell high, not nearly enough people are aware of the factors influencing stock share prices. Share prices increase and decrease as a response to news. This news can either be broad, as in the case of changing interest rates, or specific news pertaining to one company.


  • Homeowners Insurance 101
    [Insurance:Home-Owners-Renters] 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.


  • Must-Offend TV
    [News-and-Society:Pure-Opinion] 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.


  • Try These Bad-Day Busters
    [Self-Improvement:Positive-Attitude] Whenever you notice that your day is starting to go bad, you may be able to reverse the situation. Try one or more of the following "bad-day busters."


  • What People Really Mean
    [News-and-Society:Pure-Opinion] 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. In other cases, it's an attempt to deny or "clean up" the reality of a given situation.


  • Have Financial Markets Incurred Permanent Damage?
    [News-and-Society:Economics] 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 as result of the current recession and related setbacks that we have been experiencing for the last six months.


  • The Multiple Job Tax Trap
    [Finance:Taxes] 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.


  • Prestige and Honor Must Be Earned
    [News-and-Society:Pure-Opinion] True honor and prestige must be earned. They should never be bestowed on someone as a reward for being lucky enough to be born to the right set of parents.


  • Is McCarthyism Making a Comeback?
    [News-and-Society:Pure-Opinion] A certain one-note politician from the state of New York is angered by the fact that her governor selected Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand to replace Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the U.S. Senate. Rep. Carolyn McCarthy, a fanatical gun control proponent who represents Long Island in Congress, is upset at Gov. David Paterson's choice because Gillibrand, who was beginning her second term as an upstate New York congresswoman, is a card-carrying member of the NRA.


  • Overzealous Law Enforcement Strikes Again
    [News-and-Society:Pure-Opinion] Recently, six teenagers at a Pennsylvania high school were caught participating in a new fad called 'sexting.' Named as an obvious takeoff of texting, it is a practice in which one sends nude or semi-nude photographs of oneself, via a cell phone, to a peer - usually of the opposite sex. In this particular case, three girls had been taking and sending nude photographs of themselves to three boys.


  • How About Some Alternative News Programming?
    [News-and-Society:Pure-Opinion] 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. When a major news event like this occurs, the thinking at CNN, CNBC, Fox News, etc. seems to be that people won't be able to get enough of it.


  • Prospective 2008 Presidential Candidate - Mike Huckabee
    [News-and-Society:Politics] Unlike some of his potential rivals for the 2008 GOP presidential nomination, Mike Huckabee is both a fiscal conservative and a social conservative. This, combined with the fact that he is a fellow southerner, could make him an attractive choice for southern primary voters.


  • A Look Ahead to 2008 (Part I)
    [News-and-Society:Politics] Just as everyone has breathed a sigh of relief at the end of 2004 presidential campaign, I would like to take a quick look ahead to 2008. Today, I will be taking a look at the potential Republican candidates.


  • My Trusty Predictions For 2005
    [News-and-Society] Since it is still very early in the year, I will use this space to give you my trusty predictions for 2005. While none of these are guaranteed and any predictions are always fraught with risks, I'm reasonably sure the majority of them will prove to be quite accurate. They are based on my analysis of the personalities involved and the outcomes of similar situations from the past.


  • A Collection of Unrelated Thoughts - Volume One
    [News-and-Society] Have you ever heard of an FBI agent who wasn't "special"? Or an attorney who wasn't "at law"? Have you ever met an optometrist who didn't wear glasses?


  • Prospective 2008 Presidential Candidate - Mark Warner
    [News-and-Society:Politics] 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. Therefore, he will be able to devote himself to full-time campaigning for president. The fact that Warner was a Democratic governor in a strong "red" state will be a positive for him.


  • Prospective 2008 Presidential Candidate - Hillary Clinton
    [News-and-Society:Politics] I see a distinct possibility that Hillary Clinton's campaign could implode early next year, shortly after she officially announces her candidacy. Even now, at least eight months before her official announcement will come, her popularity with Democratic voters is starting to freefall.


  • Four Things That Would Be Too Good to Be True
    [News-and-Society] There are least four things that will never happen in my lifetime because they would simply be too good to be true. These things are: cable TV subscriptions sold on an a-la-carte basis, a federal sales tax replacing the federal income tax, the election of a Libertarian president, and a major league sports franchise coming to Virginia.


  • Cut the Macaca About George Allen
    [News-and-Society:Politics] I can understand someone being against Allen for a variety of reasons, including his lock-step support of the White House on the War in Iraq. But I wonder about voters who would otherwise vote for Allen, but have decided to vote against him because of this one indiscretion.


  • Eleven Days That Doomed Clinton's Campaign
    [News-and-Society:Politics] 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?


  • A Look Ahead to 2008 (Part II)
    [News-and-Society:Politics] 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.


  • Why the Digital Transition Should Not Be Postponed
    [News-and-Society] President Barack Obama has requested that Congress postpone the mandatory analog-to-digital TV transition from February 17, 2009 to a later date. However, I completely disagree with this request. 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. For one thing, it would cause mass confusion at this (late) point in the game.


  • What a Federal Stimulus Package Should Include
    [News-and-Society:Economics] President Barack Obama is proposing to spend nearly one trillion taxpayer dollars on a federal stimulus package to hopefully revive the ailing U.S. economy. Such a bill has already been passed by the House of Representatives and is now headed to the Senate, where changes to it are likely. Therefore, what form the final version of this bill will take is unknown at this time.


  • Octuplet Mom Should Not Profit
    [News-and-Society:Pure-Opinion] While the public doesn't have a right to impose its views on a woman in regard to her reproductive decisions, it should stand firm in preventing anyone from profiting from unwise choices. 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. It is her right to have as many children as she wants, as long as she can take care of them and provide financial support for them.


  • Tax Season - It's Here and I Hate It
    [Finance:Taxes] 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.


  • Prospective 2008 Presidential Candidate: Mitt Romney
    [News-and-Society:Politics] Since being elected governor of Massachusetts, Mitt Romney has become one of the bright young stars of the Republican Party and surprisingly finished second in a recent straw poll of Republican insiders. Romney is a good speaker and an excellent campaigner.


  • Prospective 2008 Presidential Candidate: John Edwards
    [News-and-Society:Politics] Former North Carolina Senator John Edwards will face an uphill climb for the Democratic nomination. He only served one term in the U.S. Senate, as he didn't seek re-election in 2004, the year he was the Democratic vice presidential nominee.




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