Vocational Training Is No Substitute For High School

My Comment: Some of you are aware of my continued interest in the welfare of the magnet programs across Alachua County. I’ve been a member of the advisory board to the two programs at Buchholz High School since the mid 90’s. They are, respectively, the Academy of Finance and the Academy of Entrepreneurship. The original …

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What’s Behind those Higher Gas Prices

My Comment: Yesterday, at my usual barbershop, there was a vigorous discussion between the person next to me and his barber about how it was Obama’s fault that gas prices were so high. When I asked how it was possible for him to so aggressively influence the price of oil, I was told that it …

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Has Congress Made the Recession Worse?

By Charles Riley | CNNMoney.com – Thu, Feb 23, 2012 Since the economy dropped off a cliff in 2008, members of Congress have not exactly been shy about casting blame for no-or-slow growth on a variety of bureaucrats, outside institutions and Wall Street power players. But if lawmakers are looking for an explanation as to …

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The State of the World: A Framework, by George Friedman

My Comment: Today must be Wednesday since the principal blog post is about politics. But I'm tired of the clowns involved in the Republican primaries and so am going a different direction. George Friedman is clearly a strategic thinker and describer of stuff that will ultimately influence how our lives will play out over time. …

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CollegeMoneyNow Award Letter of the Week

My Comment: From time to time you've seen my posts that talk about college money. Helping high school kids and their parents find extra money to pay for a college education has become a passion of mine. I've created a Facebook page, a section here on the blog, and a short internet presentation using a …

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Flying Over the Earth at Night

My Comment: Watch this with your speakers on. And enjoy. Video Credit: Gateway to Astronaut Photography, NASA ; Compilation: Bitmeizer (YouTube); Music: Freedom Fighters (Two Steps from Hell)

Social Security and the Single Retiree

Health and longevity play a big part in deciding when to claim benefits My Comment: The questions surrounding Social Security, when to apply, what you can expect, etc. are legion. I was fortunate in that I was able to wait until I was 65 and 8 months, which was my target age, and I can …

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U.S. Needs Chinese Partners in Asian Century

My Comment: I think there is an increasing awareness, at least I hope there is, that the future of China and of the United States are inexorably tied together. Ever since the end of the Cold War, there has been a lack of balance among nations on the global scale. We are the undisputed super …

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Stand-Alone Living Benefits – Guaranteeing Lifetime Income Without an Annuity

My Comment: As a financial planner for many, many years, I've watched my clients age along with me. As the years have passed, our priorities have changed, our resources have changed, along with our fears and worries. There are dozens and dozens of answers out there and while the internet has made it easier to …

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Obama sings the blues but it is Republicans who feel down

My Comment: I seem to have settled into somewhat of a routine about these blog posts. I have no idea if very many people actually read them; I know a few of you do since you're kind enough to make a comment from time to time. There is no shortage of ideas out there that …

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