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Nursing homes, Medicaid and DOGE
The average monthly cost of a nursing home in the United States is between $8,669 for a semi-private room and $9,733 for a private room. However, costs vary by location, the level of care, and the type of room and amenities. Factors affecting cost Location: The cost of nursing homes varies greatly by state, with…
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Valentine’s Day: Extend love
Valentine’s Day is almost here and how many Valentines will you have? In elementary school we traded Valentine’s cards. We actually had a big box and we stuffed it full of Valentine’s cards to our classmates. If we received 20 or 30 Valentine’s cards then we felt good because we had a lot of Valentines.…
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Even Biden could have done a little better: Start saving earlier
The plight of the average American is about the same. We would have more if we had saved more. In 2022 the average median retirement savings for American households was $87,000. As of 2024, 25% of all American non-retirees have no retirement savings. (Guardian Life Insurance) We seldom see the big picture when we are…
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The Panama Canal and ice water in hell
The United States spent almost $500 million (roughly equivalent to $15.2 billion in 2023) to finish the Panama Canal project. This was by far the largest American engineering project to date. The canal was formally opened on Aug. 15, 1914, with the passage of the cargo ship SS Ancon. The French diplomat and entrepreneur Ferdinand…
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I forgot to write my column
I just realized I forgot my column this morning. For the first time in 15 years, I forgot to write my column. So, here I am playing catch-up. It’s not fun when we forget because then it puts us under pressure. If we forget our wife’s birthday or our anniversary then it makes for a…
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Give your life one more chance
Too often we quit right at the time we were close to being successful. Frequently, we give up at the darkest part of the night when morning is so close to appearing. You may have spent a lifetime trying to conquer an addiction. Your addiction has colored your life in an unflattering way. Most likely…
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January: Be prepared, drink hot chocolate and rest
January always brings snow and ice unless you live in the most southern part of the United States. Even then, you are not guaranteed to escape January without some harsh weather. This current mess that came from the west has piled about 8 inches of snow and ice on us. Keeping us inside for a…
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Transitioning into 2025
A new year is a transition. The date changes. Some of us will mess up writing a check a time or two because we’ll write 2024 until it finally sinks in that we are in a new year. The new year means change. It always has and this year will not be any different. We…
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The greatest story ever told
No story can match the Christmas story. Mary was just an ordinary girl but she was special in the eyes of God. She was someone God knew he could choose to enter the world as the baby Jesus. Mary and husband-to-be Joseph followed the leadership of God and were willing vessels to be used of…
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Dealing with the challenges of Christmas
Christmas is a joyful season but always has some challenges. The place of Christmas is often a question. Mary and Joseph ended up in Bethlehem when Jesus was born. They had gone there to pay taxes. Paying taxes is never fun but something we have to do. The place where they ended up when Jesus…
Category: Uncommon Sense
