Year: 2018

Holiday spending: It could be a new record!  Why does the holiday spending season start after Thanksgiving, and why is it called Black Friday? Is it because: A. There was a market crash in gold in 1869 that cause financial distress to many. B. There was generally chaos in the streets of Philadelphia in the…

Lotteries have grown in popularity in recent years, as jackpots have grown in size. In October, the multistate Mega Millions jackpot grew to more than $1.5 billion if taken as annuity payments, and the largest jackpot on record won with a single ticket. Lotteries are seen by some as the shortcut to financial security, even…

New Jersey may not be part of New England, but its reputation for the beautiful changing leaves could be extended to our trees and changing colors too. New Jersey’s peak fall colors are usually between October 19th and the 29th, so it’s the perfect time to plan a trip.  Many factors contribute to the exact…

The queen of soul, Aretha Franklin, has passed away from advanced pancreatic cancer at the age of 76 a month ago, and we mourn the passing of a bright star. Aretha was a prodigy from the very beginning. She learned to play the piano by ear as a child, and by age 12 was already…

Fifty years ago a goal of inclusion for those with special needs was set through the establishment of the Special Olympics, and this year we celebrate getting closer and closer to that goal each year. The community supporting those with special needs grows larger each year ,as well as the community of Special Olympics athletes…

When Paul Newman died in 2008, he left his ownership of Newman’s Own food company to Newman’s Own Foundation. The food company is a for-profit venture, but it gives all of its after-tax profits to charity. The Foundation acquired all “Publicity and Intellectual Property Rights” of the Newman estate. He urged vigilance upon his executors…

The Museé Terrus in Elne, France, recently cut its collection by more than half when it was revealed that 82 of the museum’s 142 works were fakes or forgeries. The museum relied on its founder to acquire works by Terrus, and the museum spent over $190,000 on these fakes and forgeries over two decades. In…