From wallpaper cleaner to toy box legend
In the early 1950s, a Cincinnati company called Rainbow Crafts made a compound designed to strip coal soot from wallpaper. It was a grayish, pliable putty…
Author: Rick Good
Rick Good publishes The Smart Reader, a practical general-interest article library from SGME Software, LLC.
Your next cereal spoon might be part of breakfast
Imagine finishing your morning cereal — and eating the spoon. That is not a joke, it is where food utensils and packaging are headed, and faster than…
How your dog may be leading the way for lab-grown meat
In February 2025, a British pet food company called Pets at Home began selling dog treats made with chicken that had never come from a chicken. The…
When Streaming Stops Being The Cheap Option
Cutting the cord was supposed to save money. For many households, it still does, but the math is getting murkier. The average cable bill runs…
Finding The Perfect Spot For Your Birdbath
Placement is everything when it comes to a birdbath. Choose a spot with partial shade, full sun heats the water quickly and encourages algae, while…
A Raccoon’s Excellent Adventure
It started innocuously enough. A raccoon in Ashland, Virginia found a gap in the ceiling of a state liquor store, squeezed through, and helped himself…
Costco Membership Earning Its Keep?
A Costco Gold Star membership costs $65 a year – which means it pays for itself the moment you’ve saved $5.42 a month. For families,…
World Otter Day – May 27
The otter who hijacks surfboards Something is happening at Steamer Lane, the famous surf break in Santa Cruz, California – and it is not what…
Ask the Expert: Rate Locks
I’ve been shopping for a mortgage and my lender mentioned a rate lock. Can you explain what that is, and whether I need one? Great question — and…
More homes, more choices: The market may be shifting
After years of intense competition for homes, bidding wars, waived inspections, and cash offers that seemed to materialize out of thin air, something is…