Pennsylvania allows same-sex marriages and joins the northeast

Pennsylvania allows same-sex marriages and joins the northeast

I’m back from vacation and ready to blog but the news today changed what I was about to say. Pennsylvania does not seem to be the most progressive state. But today we joined with the other northeastern states in allowing same-sex marriages.

Of course our Governor may decide to appeal the court ruling but for the meanwhile we seem ready to join the rest of the northeast in recognizing a human right. Courts have also forced us to recognize the right of all citizens to vote, even if they cannot produce a birth certificate.

We still have a few relatively backward things such as state liquor stores but we are getting better.

Ice Cold:  Tales of Intrigue from the Cold War

Ice Cold: Tales of Intrigue from the Cold War

Mystery Writers of America Presents Ice Cold: Tales of Intrigue from the Cold War edited by Jeffery Deaver and Raymond Benson is a good collection of short stories. They are particularly enjoyable for those of us old enough to remember practicing ducking under our desks at school to protect us from a nuclear bomb. Continue reading “Ice Cold: Tales of Intrigue from the Cold War”

Not so Urgent, Caller-ID to the rescue

Not so Urgent, Caller-ID to the rescue

Today another call that I chose not to answer. Caller-ID said “Urgent” and gave the number as 760 204-3179. It was so urgent they didn’t bother to leave a message.

With caller-ID I usually don’t answer calls from unfamiliar numbers. If it is important, they would leave a message. If they do leave a message it is usually to speak with a customer service rep, or lower my electric bill, vote for someone in an election I can’t vote in, or something else stupid.

Free ebook on saving and investing to get rich slowly

Free ebook on saving and investing to get rich slowly

William J. Bernstein is an impressive man. He has an M.D. and Ph.D, practices medicine with a specialty in neurology, and has become a respected investment expert. He is best known for his quarterly journal on asset allocation and portfolio management.

He has written several books for those of us would like to intelligently manage our investments. And he offers personalized services for those with rather large investment portfolios (25 million dollars and up).

Now Dr. William J. Bernstein has offered a free ebook aimed at the young who are interested in saving for retirement. The subtitle really tells you what this book is about – How Millennials Can Get Rich Slowly

His plan is a simple one. He has said it is one that can be understood by a child and requires about 15 minutes each year.

Yet he believes it will yield better results than possible with most financial advisors. And quite likely he is right.

The book is also a guide to furthering reading to increase your financial literacy.

Since the key to the plan is deferred gratification, following this plan is not easy. But even if the implementation is only partial you will be better off in the long-term. So if you try and find it too difficult to continue, you are better off.

The book is not very long (estimated at 27 pages). It is very definitely worth anyone’s time. It is written for the younger generation but anyone with an interest in long-term saving and investing will benefit.

And the price is simply amazing. Dr. Bernstein is giving it for free on his website. It is in several formats and easy to download (nothing beyond a click is required). Amazon gives it away for free from time to time but most times it is 99 cents.

You have little-to-nothing to lose and quite a bit to gain so – read this book.

The G.O.P. Can’t Ignore Climate Change

The G.O.P. Can’t Ignore Climate Change

I’ve been a fan of Governor Huntsman for years. I liked him in the 2012 Republican Presidential primaries. I couldn’t vote for him in the primary since I live in Pennsylvania and am not registered as a Republican (or as a member any party). He is definitely more conservative than me but sounds like a very smart and reasonable man.

But my reason for writing today is to point to his opinion piece on climate change and the GOP in the NY Times today. See the link below.

The G.O.P. Can’t Ignore Climate Change – NYTimes.com.

First Amendment, Alabama, Christians, and a judge behaving badly

First Amendment, Alabama, Christians, and a judge behaving badly

I haven’t blogged in a few days but here is something to tide you over:

Apparently the Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court believes that First Amendment only applies to Christians. Read the whole sad tale about this judge behaving badly.

Truphenia Gertrude Shockley Frazer

Truphenia Gertrude Shockley Frazer

Truphenia Gertrude Shockley, I had the name at last. Truphenia is an unusual name and one that was a bit confusing at first.

But let me back-up and tell you the story. I got an email about Harry Frazer with no evidence he was one of mine. And this is a genealogy story.

So on my wife’s side I have a bunch of Frazers living in the Maryland and Delaware and I’ve filled in a few collateral members of this extended clan Continue reading “Truphenia Gertrude Shockley Frazer”

IRS bonuses and tax  compliance

IRS bonuses and tax compliance

I read in the news that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) paid out millions in bonuses to the its employees. Nothing wrong with rewarding good behavior and good job performance. But in some cases the behavior was not as good as I think it should be. I don’t know about job performance so I won’t comment on that.

But according to Continue reading “IRS bonuses and tax compliance”

Phishing email says Amazon.com but it is NOT

Phishing email says Amazon.com but it is NOT

This morning I received an email asking me to confirm my Amazon account because of suspicious activity. The email said it was from Amazon.com but the address said e-server.com rather than Amazon.com.

The confirmation link did not point to Amazon. I thought this was a phishing email and Amazon confirmed it when I contacted them (not using the link in the email, of course).

So if you get something similar, do not click on the link in the email.. Continue reading “Phishing email says Amazon.com but it is NOT”

Q-23: A Novel of Espionage and Racqueteering, a quick read

Q-23: A Novel of Espionage and Racqueteering, a quick read

I downloaded Q-23: A Novel of Espionage and Racqueteering by Paul R. Theroux from NetGalley and I found it a quick read and enjoyable. Continue reading “Q-23: A Novel of Espionage and Racqueteering, a quick read”

2014 Pulitzer Prize for nonfiction – Toms River catastrophe

2014 Pulitzer Prize for nonfiction – Toms River catastrophe

Congratulations to Dan Fagin for winning the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for nonfiction for a great book on the environmental catastrophe at Toms River, NJ. I previously reviewed Toms River: A Story of Science and Salvation by Dan Fagin here . Continue reading “2014 Pulitzer Prize for nonfiction – Toms River catastrophe”

Astoria by Peter Stark

Astoria by Peter Stark

Astoria: John Jacob Astor and Thomas Jefferson’s Lost Pacific Empire: A Story of Wealth, Ambition, and Survival by Peter Stark is a page-turning tale full of great adventures and a true story that was once well-known but until now was a forgotten piece of history.

In this remarkable book, Peter Stark tells us Continue reading “Astoria by Peter Stark”

David Greer and Giovanna Tesio of NYC

David Greer and Giovanna Tesio of NYC

I don’t think anyone ever said that genealogy was fast. Sometimes things happen quickly but, in my experience anyway, that is not very often.

For example, over a year ago I posted something here about the John Greer and Julia Mary Hopkins family of New York City and made note of the fact that their son David John Greer, his wife Anna, and baby daughter Rita Continue reading “David Greer and Giovanna Tesio of NYC”

Search Engines  without Big Brother

Search Engines without Big Brother

I wrote about a New Search Engine – DuckDuckGo last year. DuckDuckGo is a search engine that maintains your privacy since it does not record who is doing the searching.

This seems more important than it did last year. Continue reading “Search Engines without Big Brother”

Climate Change: Scientists think it is real but politicians doubt

Climate Change: Scientists think it is real but politicians doubt

The scientific evidence for climate change is pretty strong – we often hear that 97% of scientists agree that climate change is happening and human activities are at least partly the cause. A page at NASA shows this consensus.

The latest report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) shows increasing confidence that this change is happening, using words such as “unequivocal” and “unprecedented“. Continue reading “Climate Change: Scientists think it is real but politicians doubt”