I have to admit there are days when I think that a new tennis racquet or a few new books from the local Barnes and Noble would make me feel great!  However after I stop and think I realize that the two Prince racquets I own are great and I’m not going to play better tennis with a new Babolat or […]

I love pasta; in fact, I’d venture to say it is a glorious food product and it’s why we put together our guide To dry pasta!  And it doesn’t really matter how it’s prepared (condiment or sauce-wise, that is); I’ll eat penne rigate with good extra virgin olive oil  and freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano,  Bucatini with a fresh, tomato, pan sauce , […]

I’ve often stated here and to many friends directly that recent immigrants have an intuitive personal finance philosophy that not only embraces the pillars associated with the American dream but also runs counter to the deeply entrenched, and ugly side, of modern American life: consumerism and materialism.   Some friends get the above point quickly and agree, while others look […]

Cooking at home isn’t rocket science and like most things in life it just takes a little bit of practice to get right (and of course a few good tips).   Here are eight essential food and kitchen tips so that you can become a good home cook (be careful what you call yourself or some foodies will get upset, […]

Interest rates are low these days and there’s a ton of housing stock available, so, in my view, it’s a great time to buy a home.  The financing part is a bit trickier these days with banks scrutinizing loan applications, but if you have a good down payment (at least 20 percent), a great credit score, ready to work at […]

The following is a re-post form February 2009 and I thought it was appropriate given the gloomy and cold weather here in the northen New Jersey area.  The post includes two great dip recipes, my favorite potato and tortilla chip brands, and 23 movie recommendation by genere and actor.   The upcoming Oscars Award show always gets everyone in the […]

Photo: University of New Hampshire Philosophy Dept. @ Hamilton Smith Hall Reader Question: I’m a student that needs to decide on a Major. Besides my credits being in a complicated mumbo jumbo from transfers and other what-have-you’s I’m a normal student. I was doing some searching about philosophy majors and found your article on “Why I Should Major In Philosophy”. So you have […]

The US Open is in full swing and I’ve been boring my wife and small, pre-linguistic, son with endless tennis viewing on ESPN and CBS (I’ve also been watching online at USOpen.org where pretty much every match is streamed live for free – this is why the web is awesome and nobody makes money!).  As most folks know, Nadal and […]

As the peak summer growing season comes to an end, I took a trip to my parent’s place to have a look at their urban garden in full bloom.  My parents have grown ripe tomatoes, feathery zucchini flowers, sweet string beans, basil, parsley, figs (yes, in New Jersey!), blazingly hot cayenne peppers, mint, squash, and woodsy rosemary for as long […]

In an earlier post from December of 2008 I was contemplating replacing most of the original double hung windows in our early twentieth century foursquare / center hall colonial.  Like most decisions involving personal finance I like to make a pros and cons list.   And, at the time, I started with the cons of our old double hung windows: […]