Four occasions when you shouldn’t buy a house
Buying a house remains a milestone for most people, conferring personal and financial security, and even status. But it is also an expensive commitment…
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.
Student loan interest increases
If you are taking out a student loan after July 1, you will be paying more interest. The interest rate on federal undergraduate loans will be 6.53 percent…
A nuclear reactor formed by nature
Two billion years ago, there was a nuclear reactor in what is now the African nation of Gabon. No, it wasn’t put there by aliens or an ancient…
First hydrogen-powered yacht debuts
Dutch luxury shipbuilder Feadship has introduced the first hydrogen fuel-cell powered superyacht, called Project 821. After five years of design and…
The proposed Oklo nuclear reactor looks like a Swiss chalet.
AI, climate power move to nuclear energy Artificial intelligence is hungry for energy. By some estimates, at current growth rates, AI alone could demand…
Know the ABCs of CPR
If you’ve never taken a course in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (better known as CPR), these simple instructions could help you save a life. If you have…
Ask the Expert: Applying for credit
I have been shopping around for another credit card but I am also applying for a mortgage. Is that a problem? It could be. When you apply for a mortgage,…
How to prepare your home for sale
You’ve lived there a long time, loved it (and sometimes hated it), raised the kids, stored your memories. and now comes the season for selling. How to…
Are we attracted to the negative?
In the heyday of print journalism, there was a saying, “If it bleeds, it leads,” summarizing the general wisdom in the news business that drama and…
Even best friends argue: How to tell when your dog is annoyed with you
The relationship between humans and dogs is truly remarkable. For thousands of years, our species evolved together, relied upon each other for survival,…