By Michael Collins This water did not call itself harbor, yet here ships slumber, people imagine books into breezes, children splash breath back into the shallows, one mad cackle
America is the land of opportunity – a land of prosperity where hard work is usually rewarded with positive results and advancement possibilities. However, the status quo in the U.S. seems to be that people will live right up to their income level and delay saving for “some other time.” In general, when it comes
For all of the things that seem to be going wrong in the world, there is one thing that is very right: When the chips are down, Americans are there to lend a hand. Every year, the Bureau of Labor Statistics issues a report: “Volunteering in the United States.” Here in Michigan, one in four
For some reason, many bad things have happened in the month of April. A few examples: President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated on April 15, 1865. The Titanic sank on April 15, 1912, claiming 1,500 lives. The Columbine School Shooting happened on April 20, 1999. Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King was shot and killed in Memphis,
During my years of teaching film appreciation classes at the Flint Institute of Arts, no course attracted as high an attendance as the one I led on the cinema of Alfred Hitchcock. While Hitchcock (amazingly) won no competitive Academy Awards during his half-century career, “The Master of Suspense” did win the respect of the film-going
By now, the excitement is brewing amongst high school juniors and seniors as they prepare for the biggest dance of the school year – Prom. Once the “big question” is asked and everyone has their date, it’s time to start coordinating ensembles! Cara Connor, a senior at Flint Southwestern Academy, and Christian Jackson, a senior
In March, we celebrate innovative and courageous women and their significant contributions to society – science, politics, athletics, the military, and the arts. Whatever the accomplishment, these American women from distant and recent history have displayed physical and emotional toughness, intelligence and savvy in their respective fields that continue to inspire many. Get an airplane
The push to promote the “summer” movie season’s initial blockbuster didn’t start during the Super Bowl telecast. But if you’d been living under a rock prior to football’s Big Game, you were informed via ample buys of incredibly costly ad time about Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. We use the term “summer” in semi-snarky
There’s a side to vacationing that isn’t all that much fun. Or relaxing. There are aspects of planning a trip that are frustrating, stressful, and sometimes, downright infuriating. They include picking the vacation spot, and coordinating the transportation. I travel often, usually heading abroad every other month. Sometimes, it is for research for a book
Eight years ago this month, my husband Rick and I were married in Key West, Florida. The ceremony was small – just my husband, his best man, my mother, my matron of honor and me … and a half dozen or so drunks who happened to be passed out on the beach nearby. The humidity
As I write the story about Women’s History Month, it got me thinking about the women in my life who have inspired me. They weren’t famous – not a movie star or politician – I’ve been inspired most by everyday, ordinary women. Of course, I have to say that it was my mother who first
Six years have passed since the financial collapse of 2008 and 2009, and I feel it appropriate to re-visit some of the lessons learned during that crisis period. One of the most important lessons: operate your financial investments from a position of strength. A prime example of this strategy in action is the concept of
