Money and Computing
Shaming Tax Delinquents; A Rotating File of Scofflaws
Almost two-thirds of the states are punishing tax delinquents with a digital version of the Colonial practice of locking lawbreakers in stocks set up in the village square. It turns out publishing the names of tax scofflaws and the amounts they owe on the Internet works spectacularly well, bringing in millions to states eager for the revenue. "When you are talking about large debts, you do tend to get some people who just don’t care. It's just not worth playing off their $450,000 or $1.2 million debt. Down on the lower levels, you get more of the Average Joe who is concerned." more »
A Memorial Day Scout Report: iWASwondering, EduBlogger, Freakonomics Radio, Plotly, WWI Visual History and a Darwin Manuscripts Tree
40 maps that explain outer space; For those interested in STEM education, there is much to ponder on an interesting site; Video clips accompany many of the Timeline items, bringing the history of WWI to life. The Edublogger, which serves as the community blog for Edublogs and CampusPress, is designed to help educational bloggers with emerging technologies; Companion piece to the Women's Adventures in Science biography series; Browse the Darwin Manuscripts Tree, a visual representation of his theories; Longform connects readers to new and classic non-fiction from around the web; Wix.com is one of the most popular website builders on the market ... and others. Enjoy! more »
Elaine Soloway's Rookie Widow Series: Deja Vu, Forget Him Not and California Dreaming
An evening phone call to my post-surgery friend confirms he is managing okay. The painkillers are doing their job and he is comfortable watching television. "Thanks for being there for me," he says... I had been certain my nightly routine would seal my husband in my brain. Every night before I go to sleep, I say, "Love you, Tommy" to the pillow I use as his stand-in. And I hear back, clear as if he were at my left instead of his surrogate, "Love you, too!" ...That's when I realized how much I had come to adore my new place, which has quickly become a refuge and cocoon cushioning me from the sad events that propelled me to this new life. How could I ever leave this solace? more »
White House Conference on Aging Forum and New Financial Coaching Initiative
"We are experiencing the greying of America, with 45 million people in this country who are age 65 or older and 10,000 more who are turning 65 each day. They are our grandparents, our parents, our neighbors, our friends. The average American is now spending about twenty years in retirement. They are still taking out and making payments on mortgages; they are still borrowing to buy cars and trucks; they are still accumulating credit card debt; some are even taking out student loans on behalf of their grandchildren. These heavier debt loads, that previous generations did not have, can threaten their economic security. more »