National Cliche Day Heard in the workplace and everywhere else
Scene: Viking leader, standing before gathered warriors wielding swords. “Going forward, this is how it will be.” Business cliches are so part of the…
Author: Rick Good
Rick Good spent ten years in the newspaper business, including with The News & Observer (Raleigh, NC) and The Greenville News (Greenville, SC). He co-wrote, with Melinda Coleman, Rutledge to Riley: Governors of South Carolina, 1776–Present (Published by The Greenville News), and is the author of Mind Games Trivia #1 (Amazon). He has recently spent 15 years creating original trivia content through Sounds Good Mobile Entertainment and continues that with his new company, SGME Software. He edits The Smart Reader's money, real estate, and business coverage.
Soft skills rank high in the workplace
To succeed in the modern workplace, it’s not enough to have technical skills. In a highly competitive job market, employers are looking for “soft skills”…
Speed culture: When emergencies destroy productivity
Boss needs that finished by 2 p.m. You give an emergency call to Joe; he’ll know offhand that important statistic you need. Joe has a 3 p.m. deadline. He…
The peculiar Japanese housing market
In Europe, a 200-year-old building would be prime real estate. In Japan, a 15-year building is worthless. The culture of disposable real estate in Japan…
Ask the Expert: Loan Estimates
Q I’m buying my first house. I am pretty sure I can spend $150,000 for my house because I did some calculations online. Problem is, lenders won’t give me…
Taking a close look at a deal Home inspectors actually save stress, even lower prices
For buyers and sellers, having a professional house inspection can ensure a happy sale. According to a study by the American Society of Home Inspectors…
Your dog knows what you are saying
A study from a Hungarian university seems to show that dogs understand what you are saying and how you are saying it. The research focused on family dogs…
Hate needles? Dentists may soon use nasal spray
Forget those scary needles; an anesthetic nasal spray is on its way to the dentist’s office. Kovanaz is a pain-killing nasal spray which has now received…
How to handle two driving emergencies
How much time do you spend in your car? Most Americans, drive an average of 29.2 miles a day, with trip length of 46 minutes per trip, as the AAA…
Zombie fail: Fighting the apocalypse with bunker food
For many, the mention of “bunker food” brings mental images of doomsday preppers. But, there’s more of a market for this type of product than just the end…