tamarawilhite's profile

Children often develop fear of the dark. It often shows up in the toddler months. It is common among preschoolers from ages two until five. They may cry the moment the lights are turned out or left alone. They may ask for you to check under the bed for monsters or wake up with nightmares. Why be afraid of the dark? There are several possible causes. They most common are: 1. A delay tactic t... read more »

Many drives for productivity, safety or quality focus on the employee. Yet many efforts to improve these factors backfire, while the blame lands squarely at the feet of the employees. When is it not their fault? And how can employers recognize initiatives to solve productivity, safety or quality efforts that are causing new problems without resolving the original ones? 1. Reminders to be care... read more »

There are acts of frugality that help one household save money: eating in more, shopping less, cutting out lessons or extracurricular activities. Yet acting together, we can often save more money for more people than one person could alone. 1. Encourage others to put free newsletters back when done reading at the book store, train station, or rest stop instead of throwing it away after readin... read more »

Whether it is the charitable drive season around Christmas or the endless solicitations for charity during the school year, it can be a surprise that one blew the budget by virtue of selflessness (compared to the typical selfish splurges). One occasion, one can donate money beyond what is good or healthy for our personal finances. Yet the reasons for over-giving to charity can be complex. We give... read more »

What happens if the American dollar, or any currency, becomes worthless or unattainable? The Great Depression already provides an example of what can happen: local currencies and time based currencies. Local currencies are essentially local scrip, dollars printed by local governments to fill in the gaping need for paper currency. The other option is a time based currency. One dollar equals on... read more »

Many families opt for private school for safety reasons, smaller class sizes, greater discipline, or for a stronger back-to-basics curriculum. While public school is paid for by everyone, private school is paid for by the parents who choose to send their children. And there are few states with tax breaks for parents who pay for their children's' education. What can parents do to save... read more »

What are the risks one faces when creating new software, be it new software packages or new software versions? And what are the possible outcomes that those risks can cause? 1. Schedule / release date Risks of being early: A. Releasing product earlier than expected may mean that other supporting factors, such as documentation and support, are not fully ready. B. Faster release schedule... read more »

After housing, taxes, and childcare, automotive costs and transportation expenses are the largest expense for most households. How can you save money on automotive expenses? 1. Determine the cost of a moderately priced, gently used car. This is what you should get, both to save money when the car does need to be replaced. 2. If a car starts to need large repairs, do not rush out and buy a n... read more »

When a scientific paper is published in an obscure language, word of the discoveries or technologies is hindered by lack of communication and dispersal of ideas. For example, many Icelandic advances in geothermal engineering were unknown to the rest of the world due to their published papers and publications being in their own language, cut off from the general flow of ideas and technological exc... read more »

The when, where and how of baby showers are a complicated issue. Will the mother-to-be herself, or her friends, or her family, or her coworkers throw it? Or, in some cases, some or all of the above? How do you plan a baby shower? 1. Whoever plans it has a few decisions to make. These include: • Surprised or planned? • If a surprise party is in order, does someone know to plan it a... read more »