Tired of doing the same old ritual on New Year’s Eve? You know how it goes. Find a baby sitter. Decide on a place to have dinner. Choose between parties or a dance. Determine who will be the designated driver. Engage in the usual small talk, talking louder, and more suggestive as the night grows [...]

I have a friend who got a satellite dish for his TV. He was billed $8.95 for the first two months. He called to inquire because he knew he was getting service worth over $80.00. The company representative adjusted his bill, and he now pays $80.95 per month.
My friend told his story recently at a [...]

We saw many people with children at Occupy Lansing this past weekend. Yes, kids were there. Some were in strollers. Others were being carried by a parent, papoose style. Older children walked around, but did not stray far from their parents. A few teenagers were present. Some college students chose to ignore the Saturday afternoon [...]

By Chick Moorman
What makes me a book reviewer you might wonder? Simple. I decided to be one. That’s what.
That and the fact that I have read a few books in my life, enough to know it’s not how many books you get through that matters. What matters most is how many books get through to [...]

“Because I said so. That’s why!”
“If you don’t stop crying I’ll give you something to cry about.”
“Do you want a spanking?”
“You ought to be ashamed of yourself.”
“What were you possibly thinking?”
“Get over here. Now!”
“Do you want your mouth washed out with soap?”
“Just try it, buddy.”
“Do what I said or else!”
“I told you to respect me! [...]

Standing in line is not always fun for me. But on this occasion is seemed to be different. I was in a pretty good mood as I chatted with workshop participants and waited to pay for lunch. Soon I would be served by the young workers who had come to deliver the meal they had [...]

“If you fail this class, it will go on your permanent record.”
“A bankruptcy sticks with you forever.”
“Once you get a reputation, it follows you everywhere.”
Not true. There is no such thing as a permanent record. You are not your high school grades, the woman who went to jail two years ago, or the man who [...]

The spring sports season for children is in full swing. Youth soccer complexes are packed with boys and girls of all ages and sizes chasing colorful balls with their eager legs. Neighborhood parks and school baseball diamonds are filled with children swinging from the fences or simply happy to hit the ball. Riding arenas are [...]

Your six-year-old has just seen video footage of devastating destruction including collapsed buildings, crushed cars, and homes under water, all vivid images resulting from the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Your teen sits transfixed watching the numbers of dead and injured mount. At the dinner table your fifth grader asks, “Can anything like that [...]

I have just returned from the Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show in Scottsdale, AZ.  I saw beautiful horses, beautiful scenery, and beautiful weather. In all that beauty one image sticks out in my mind.
I can still see the smile on the face of the fifteen-year-old girl who won her championship class. She looked stunning in a [...]