Dear consumer: Welcome to your new, improved credit card bill. Even though our previous methods may have been designed to wring every possible cent out of our card members, we want to make sure you know that our top priority has always been you, the interest-paying customer.

It is human nature to try to hide a problem, but the cover-up always makes everything worse.
Toyota Motor Corporation is currently finding out about the truth of that principle in a very expensive way.

There have been stories lately about Jim Morrison being alive and well, it reminded me of a time that seems so long ago and yet just like yesterday.

Sleep deprivation creates a stress response that induces the release of cortisol, which has been found to increase abdominal fat. It also compromises memory (so now you’ve got a lot done, but you can’t remember what you did).

Evan Bayh, a Democrat Senator from Indiana is joining members of his party who are jumping from the political ship captained by Barack Hussein Obama.

It’s kind of cozy, sitting here in the dark and writing by candlelight.  The power went out.  For the male sector of our household, this is cause for celebration.

The Feb. 3 column brought more feedback than any other, and I am using a reader’s letter to jump-start this one.   

Is it just me, or are other parents out there doing the happy dance 24-7 now that their kids have flown the coop? Don’t misunderstand: I love my kids, and was sad to see them go. But then the minute passed, and I was itching to get on with things.

There’s some debate these days as to whether we’re “broken” as a nation. I have more faith in us than to believe that. We will “keep” this ingenious republic. It is as close to a foolproof system as has ever been created — obviously.

HD radio is off the endangered-species list but still takes patience. It’s worth the effort.

Knowing how to ask tech questions is the key to getting useful answers. It could be a query to a support line or a conversation over your backyard fence. The requirements are the same.

My cell phone rings, I answer. If I need to call somebody, I punch in some numbers. I either talk to the person or I have to leave a message. It’s a simple system of communication. In fact, it’s so simple it makes me obsolete.

Some people just don't believe government is capable of doing anything complicated, so much that they object to complication itself.

I have spring fever like nobody’s business. That’s too bad for me though, because this year there’s no traveling wiggle room. Beyond dreaming of our coveted summer trip to visit family in North Carolina, we are bound to late winter in Chicago. We’ll survive though, because as spring break week approaches and “everyone” is going south, we’re making plans for a staycation. We’ll get creative and put our frugal minds to the test, go out on the town when we can and find ways to transform our gray days. 

Well, as usual, my attempt to avoid coveting a sleek and impractical object produced by the nerd-leprechauns at Apple has lasted until the exact moment they showed a commercial for it on the TV. Thanks, Oscars.