Culture
What We Didn’t Give Up During the Recession
Wednesday, May 26th, 2010
Recessions have a way of helping people distinguish needs from wants. However, analysis from U.S. News & World Report has resulted in a somewhat surprising list of products and services where sales over the past few years have either grown or at least have not declined, including: Notebook computers. Sales have skyrocketed over the last ... [Read more]
4 Comments » Kids’ Media Use Growing Fast
Wednesday, February 24th, 2010
Today’s’ young people ages 8 to 18 spend over 7 and a half hours a day using entertainment media such as televisions, computers, cell phones, and MP3 players. As reported by the Kaiser Family Foundation, daily media usage among young people has grown by over an hour in the past five years. Broken down into ... [Read more]
Becoming a Nation of Savers
Monday, December 21st, 2009
After many years of declines in our household savings rate, the recession seems to have sparked a savings revival. The rate even hit a high of 6.4 percent of disposable income in May, the highest since 1993. It was 4.4 percent in the most recently reported month of October, whereas it had been hovering around ... [Read more]
A Lesson from Tiger’s Tale
Friday, December 4th, 2009
What Went Wrong? I’m not usually much of a celebrity gawker. But I have to admit that I have been completely drawn in to the sad story of Tiger Woods’ “transgressions.” Golf is my favorite sport and I have spent many a Sunday afternoon watching Tiger achieve yet another impressive victory. He is unlike any ... [Read more]
Terms of Our Times
Monday, March 9th, 2009
The recession has introduced several new words and phrases to the American vernacular. While most of us are probably already tired of hearing about the latest “bailout,” ABC News reports an increase in popularity of terms such as “shovel ready” (a construction project that can get underway as soon as it receives government funding) and ... [Read more]
Mending is Better Than Ending
Tuesday, February 24th, 2009
Lots of businesses are hurting right now, but not those involved in fixing and mending our stuff. According to an article in Time magazine, cobblers and tailors are thriving as people opt to repair old shoes and alter ill-fitting clothes rather than replace them. The same is true for shops that repair everything from cars ... [Read more]
Fear, Anger, and a Ray of Hope
Tuesday, February 24th, 2009
Our tattered economy has a lot of people feeling fearful, angry, and surprisingly, okay. These mixed findings come from a new survey by CNN and Opinion Research Corporation, which found that nearly 75 percent of U.S. adults are scared about the way things are going in our country. About the same number are angry. Those ... [Read more]
Remembering Who You Are
Thursday, May 1st, 2008
“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” – Genesis 1:27 Some people cry while watching love stories. I cried while watching a horse story. Seabiscuit is the true story of a Depression-era racehorse that, along with its owner, trainer, and ... [Read more]
Sign of the Times
Tuesday, April 8th, 2008
A recent Time magazine cover story touted “10 Ideas That Are Changing the World.” Number 8 was “The New Austerity.” The magazine explained that there have been many times throughout history when the demise of the American consumer was predicted. But now we may be witnessing the real deal, with people resorting to such radical ... [Read more]
Independence Day
Tuesday, July 3rd, 2007
“If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” – John 8:31b-32 My wife and I once lived in a home with cracks in its foundation. Every time it rained I got a knot in my stomach because I knew ... [Read more]
