Charitable Companies

Want to work for a company that donates money to charities? The corporate culture of these companies suggest they are about much more than the bottom line; they are making a difference in their communities. America's 12 Most Charitable Companies appeared on MSN Money. Some of the names on this list will surprise you. 

Corolla Vs Civic

Some people want to buy a new car, something I don't suggest because buying a used vehicle saves money. Still, if you are itching to buy a new compact car, two of the best for performance, reliability, and value are the Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic.

How do they compare? Motor Trend and MSN Auto rate the Civic higher. Cars.com has a YouTube video suggesting the Civic is more fun to drive. However, one thing that isn't mentioned is reliability. The April 2017 Consumer Reports rates the Corolla much higher in reliability, meaning it could cost less in repairs over time.

Jobs For People Who Don't Like Talking to Others

Okay, so you're not a "people person" and you want a job where you don't have to communicate a lot. The 7 Best Jobs for Anyone Who Hates Talking to People appeared on MSN Lifestyle.

Note that the article references O*Net and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, two useful job/career research sites.

Avoid Being Robbed

If you can prevent your home from being burglarized, you won't lose valuable possessions, money, time, and peace of mind. 21 Things A Burglar Won't Tell You appeared in Reader's Digest and MSN Lifestyle.

Start A Business for Cheap!

Ever wanted to start a business? The cost can be prohibitive but here are some possibilities that won't empty your bank account to start up. 75 Ideas for Businesses You Can Launch For Cheap or Free appeared on MSN Money.

Robot Prints House

Has the price of real estate in San Diego got you down? Here's a possible solution: have a robot print it up for you! A Robot Can Print This $32K House In As Little As 8 Hours appeared on MSN Money.

Star Wars on Saving Money

May the Fourth Be With You! 9 Personal Finance Lessons to Learn from Star Wars. 

Science and Technology by Kelli Turpin

 

I’m a fairly private person.  Google my name and the first thing that pops up is my RateMyProfessors.com profile from over a decade ago, then a few things that aren’t about me, then my profile at City’s Counseling website, followed by a bunch of other stuff that also isn’t about me.  (Some of the images connect back to the blog posts I wrote a few years ago.  I didn’t click through all of the images, but the first couple of screens?  Not me.)  A friend from high school found me through the blog a while ago (about three years or so, I think).  Then a few months ago, I got an e-mail from a stranger that rocked my world.

I need to go back to the science part.  (Google is the “technology” part, if you must know. <grin>)

At some point last summer, after many requests from my mother, we ordered two DNA kits from Ancestry.com*.   We duly spit into the little cups and sent them away for processing.  Sometime in September, the results got posted on-line in my account^.  We oohed and aahed and promptly forgot about it.  (For anyone who’s interested: my “ethnicity estimate” is 48% Great Britain, 19% Ireland, and 33% Other Regions, which includes 16% Italy/Greece – that will be important in a minute).

In February, I got an e-mail at work entitled “Ancestry DNA.”  It was a busy time, so I actually didn’t read it until later that day.  I kind of shrugged and thought: Hmm.  Maybe I have a relative at City College!  When I finally read it, I learned that I had a younger sister.  Wrap your mind around that.  This wasn’t like the pages of 4^th or 5^th cousins that Ancestry’s test had spat out before.  This was an actual sibling.  (Technically, we would share the same amount of DNA if we were first cousins as well, but since we both knew our bio-father’s name and it was the same name, it was siblings.)

Earth Day Vehicles

If you can afford a new car and help the planet at the same time, here are some options from U.S. News and World Reports and the San Diego Union Tribune:

Best Hybrids and Electrics

Top 10 Gas/Electric Hybrids

Top 5 Electric Vehicles

Robotic Legs for Paralyzed Vet

“There’s a huge quality-of-life component to being able to stand, to be at eye level with your friends and family and people in the community.” -- VA Physical Therapist John Colaneri

Paralyzed Vet Gets First Robotic Legs from San Diego VA appeared in the San Diego Union Tribune on April 20, 2017.

Prom Gowns for Girls in Need

"It was like, what am I supposed to do? It's so expensive to buy a dress. It was hard to decide whether or not I should go." -- Trang Huynh on whether to attend a friend's prom at Crawford H.S. after missing her own.

Gown Giveaway Lets Teens Shine on their Prom Night appeared in the San Diego Union Tribune on April 22, 2017.

http://princessproject.org/

Financial Literacy

"Student loans are now higher than credit cards and automobile loans combined" -- Jim Chilton, CEO of the nonprofit, Society for Financial Awareness

The Worm in the Apple: Public Education Without Financial Literacy was published in the San Diego Union Tribune on April 23, 2017


" . . . our country spends first, saves last, and makes decisions in a ready-fire-aim mentality." -- Jim Chilton, CEO of Society for Financial Awareness

Saying "No" or "Not Now" Could be a Life-Changer appeared in the San Diego Union Tribune on April 9, 2017.


http://www.sofausa.org/

Hope for Homeless?

Homelessness is getting worse in San Diego: unsheltered chronically homeless increased from 1,087 in 2016 to 1750 in 2017. As Government Saunters, Homeless Crisis Accelerates was published in the San Diego Union Tribune on April 23, 2017.

Homeless Up 5% in the County, Skyrockets Downtown appeared in San Diego Union Tribune on April 21, 2017

“There’s got to be a remedy; something’s got to be done. This is like the Great Depression.” -- Juanita Broughman, 11 years homeless in East Village. Lots of Talk for Homeless, Verging on Action was published in the San Diego Union Tribune on April 9, 2017. 

Save at Target

If you shop at Target, there are some particular ways to save every time you go. One of these is that wall-facing endcaps often have discounted items, so check these before the main aisles. 10 Easy Tricks to Save Even More Money at Target appeared on MSN Lifestyle.

Kindness Personified

Two years ago, Eugene Yoon quit his job to help a paralyzed stranger named Arthur Renowitzky to walk again. Now he is helping a family in poverty sustain themselves in dignity. Man Proves, Once Again, That Kindness Can Be A Calling appeared in MSN News.

https://kinlovgra.com/?ftag=MSF0951a18

Broke to Rich

CNBC reporter Kathleen Elkins saved over $1000 in two months. Find out how in 6 Smart Ways to Save Your Money.

Tom Corley has researched millionaires and he suggests adopting 5 habits to improve your finances. 5 Things To Do In 2017 If You Want to Get Rich appeared on CNBC. 

Homeless Solutions

"Bravo to them for being bold. Let's not just take tiny nibbles at this problem but try to get to the heart of it." -- Steve Russell, executive director of the San Diego Housing Federation on Father Joe's plan to help the homeless. Solution for Tented Homeless? $531 Million for 2000 Homes Proposed by Father Joe's appeared in the San Diego Union Tribune on March 30, 2017.

http://my.neighbor.org/


“They gave us a chance and let us in, they saw hope in us. It felt unbelievable to think there was someone who had hope for us.” -- Robert Zendejas, on receiving help for his homeless family. Chula Vista Homeless Get Day to Reconnect With Community was published in the San Diego Union Tribune on March 28, 2017.

https://www.facebook.com/events/1291642367590132/

Veteran Tells About The Costs of War

Stuart Hunt is a veteran of WWII and the Korean War, so he knows better than most people about the costs of war. In this video, he reminds us all about the consequences of going to war. The video is brought to you by the San Diego Union Tribune.