Items about anything and everything
I am going to be on vacation for the last half of October but did want to get one more set of soup recipes for the Fall posted. I will move onto more holiday oriented items when I return. So be on the lookout for them. Zesty Hamburger Soup “This recipe is great for those…
Rather than offering you two or three standard chili recipes, I wanted to share some of the best tips from the Your Smart Kitchen newsletter. These are the little tricks that can make your chili unforgettable. Go ahead and add these to your “Tips Folder”! Tips for Cooking Better Chili Use a Combination of Chiles…
I’ve always had a wide-ranging reading list, mostly fiction, but occasionally I enjoy diving into nonfiction that piques my curiosity. Not to long ago, with all the headlines about space exploration and new discoveries, I was drawn to Neil deGrasse Tyson’s Astrophysics for People in a Hurry. The more I read about space missions…
I published chili recipes a few days ago but since I stated this is the soup and chili time of year, there needs to be some focus on soup. Rather than try to come up with something new, it came to me that I should republish one of my newsletters from years ago. So here…
I have more roses in pots than in the ground, and both types need attention to get ready for the Reno winter weather. Here’s a guide for caring for both in-ground and potted roses as we head into the colder months. In-Ground Rose Care Winterizing your roses that are planted in the ground doesn’t have…
Ten Dangerous Trends that Imperil Our Future, and How to Survive Them When I picked up MegaThreats by Nouriel Roubini, I was already familiar with his reputation as “Dr. Doom,” a title he earned for his accurate prediction of the 2008 financial crisis. But even as someone who keeps a casual eye on global financial…
As someone over 80, I’ve been fortunate to maintain good health—no ongoing issues with my heart, lungs, or blood. But many of my friends aren’t as lucky. They manage defibrillation concerns, serious sleep disorders, blood clots, and the risks of heart attacks or strokes. For them, managing health isn’t a casual task; it’s a full-time…
It is getting to that time of the year when chili and soup raise to the top of the selections for dinner. This is one of my favorite times because I really like chili and soups ever more. I pulled a couple of recipes out of my old newsletters and hope they fit into…
Not exactly sure how I found this, but I came across a site the provides a summary discussion of the US Constitution in a series of ten five minute videos. PragerU’s five-minute videos on the Constitution focus on key aspects of the U.S. founding document, often from a conservative viewpoint. These videos explore topics like…
There are probably five or six weeks remaining for really good grilling. All depends on when winter decides to show up this year. But this weekend seems exceptionally promising not being too hot, not much wind expected and the smoke should still be North of most of us. With that perspective, here are three grilling…
There is a question that everyone seems to have an opinion on. And that has to do with climate change. Some indicate this is a dire situation that will impact us all in the near future while others say there is nothing to be overly concerned about. Those with concerns state the increase in natural…
It is Labor Day weekend and perhsaps one of the last days for grilling. While we did see a flash of snow last week, I don’t think we will get anything to talk about for at least another month or three. So for this week’s recipes, here are a couple of Lamb dishes to consider….
The Campaign Against Established Knowledge and Why It Matters by Tom Nichols Some years ago when I was analyzing industry data and writing reports for company clients, my colleagues and I often discussed the changing environment for information. Prior to around 1995, reports were researched and prepared by knowledgeable professionals and the results were reviewed…
I have been saying for many years that gambling is the worst thing that has happened to sport ever! It has changed the focus from the teams and competitors to where money can be potentially made on the games, the plays, the players and much more, It started with fantasy which move concentration away for…
I think I may have to slow down a little. This is supposed to be side-light hobby where I can comment on things going on that I think are interesting. But I am finding some terrific sources for information that are interesting and worthy of comment. From this, I could write an article daily but…
Here we are in the second week of the FedEx Cup playoffs and there are a few surprises that seem to pop up each week. That Schauffele is among the leaders is not one of them. Hideki winning last week is not a total surprise. Keegan Bradley at the top of the leader board at…
This is from a few years ago but still worth a review. How to Avoid a Climate Disaster by Bill Gates caused quite a bit of discussion when it came out in 2021. And while he did extensive research on the challenges of addressing climate change, the potential solutions still remain outside of a practical…
A few weeks ago, I posted an article on the benefits of reverse mortgages, and they are substantial. Eliminating your monthly mortgage payment should substantially improve you cash flow. Having the ability to easily access the previously untouchable equity in your property should provide quite a bit more flexibility in dealing with significant expenditures. But…
I have these recipes from Your Smart Kitchen so I might as well use them here. Thet have proven to be good over some time. Give them a try and let me know what you think. Best Chili Recipe Serves: 8 to 10 This could the best chili recipe you’ll ever make or at least…
A Game for the Election Season Over the years I have advocated for people to listen more and talk less. In addition, In addition, I suggested that people take into account less what people say and more of what they do. Both good practices! One other suggestion that I recommended is to observe how people…
If only Jerry Jones could build a football team as well as he builds a brand. The Dallas Cowboys may not have made a Super Bowl in 28 years, but it’s hard to argue with the investment: Owner Jerry Jones bought the NFL team in 1989 for $150 million, and now they’re the first pro…
I have been thinking about new car options. Not that I am in the market since my 2016 VW Passat just reached 40,000 miles and at that rate should last another eight years or so. But my wife’s 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe has nearly twice as many miles and based upon past experience may come…
I read a lot! Mostly fiction – mysteries. Legal thrillers, and similar. But I like to add in interesting non-fiction about every fifth or sixth book. Usually these come from recommendations from friends and sometimes from referrals in the press or social media. I don’t remember where the recommendation came from for this book, but…
The last big holiday is coming up which a good time for grilling your holiday meal. In anticipation, here are some tips along with a couple of recommended recipes. And where do you go for grilling tips? Of course, to the grill master – Bobby Flay. Here are some of his recommendations: Charcoal and gas…
I like to read! I have averaged somewhere between 45 and 55 books a year over the last ten years after I actually retired and stopped trying to generate some business online. There were several attempts from Your Smart Kitchen (a quality cookware store) to Brightzone (a marketing consulting effort) with several inbetween. And one…
I like to throw in a change of pace every once in a while, presuming I have actually developed a pace. Something I like to add are recipes that I collected when I was operating Your Smart Kitchen and there are lots of them. If you need a recipe for something special, let me know….
There has been increasing promotion regarding reverse mortgages lately. Even ads with Tom Selleck are showing up. I guess the NYPD commissioner add validity to the offers. But what are the advantages of a reverse mortgage? The first and most obvious is no monthly mortgage payments. If monthly cash flow is an issue, this could…
I have been retired for some time and have found that I need more to do. So I am going to fall back on my decades of experience as a technology executive and consultant and start writing about things of intertest. Much of this may be about technology but since most of my over 70…
As you can see, I am starting a new blog and it should be an experience. Back a few years ago, I had a blog associated with my online store, Your Smart Kitchen, but since that business closed I have not kept up with things. You do forget a lot after ten years or so….
