Articles written by W Thomas Payne - Page 4

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About me - W Thomas Payne

Freelance writer, photographer, and general handyman with words, I roam the back roads of America looking for the slightly different, the bizarre, and the fun that can be found in those 'off the highway' locales.

Over the last 25 years, I have been a landlord

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Health & Fitness > Exercise Tips Add a little exercise to each day: 4 of 10
Adding exercise to your daily routine takes just a few simple steps. Literally a few simple steps a day can add to your overall health and fitness. The best exercise routine will always involve the large muscles of the body, and the largest of all of them are from the waist down in your glutes and your thighs. Seven simple t... More..
Home & Garden > Furniture How to get the most from a home show: 2 of 5
Stop recoiling in horror when you hear the words 'home show.' Forget the time you left a business card in a fishbowl, and the telemarketer calls started coming fast and furious? A home show is a great opportunity to learn about what's new, both for exhibitors and attendees alike - and a chance to network! There are three way... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Government & Policies Should members of Congress be required to post their earmark requests to their websites?: 2 of 5
Should it take a law degree and a staff of researchers to find out who is spending our money? Or, should the average person, with access to the internet and a computer, be able to look at a bit of legislation, and see "Aha! There's the rascal!" when trying to discover where our tax dollars are being spent - and by whom. The ... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Political Issues Is taxpayer funding for political campaigns a good idea?: 2 of 5
The answer to whether or not taxpayers should fund political campaigns is a qualified No. Why do I qualify my response to the question? Because the taxpayers own the airwaves, the radio frequencies used by the broadcast media. We license those frequencies to television and radio stations for specific purposes and uses. The a... More..
Arts & Humanities > Fantasy & Science Fiction The most famous science fiction characters: 8 of 19
Ah, to be famous. Fame seems to be one of the driving forces in American society today. But for a science fiction character to be famous not the actor portraying the role, nor the writer creating them and for that character to remain famous, is perhaps one of the most amazing bits of change to come from the 20th century and ... More..
Home & Garden > Buying & Selling Homes Should you rent or buy a home?: 18 of 42
Whether you should rent or buy a home is a question as much of finances as of emotion, and one to be considered carefully. There are numerous factors to consider on whether your temperament is suitable for home ownership, or continuing to rent. Deciding whether to rent or buy a home is as much an emotional decision as a fina... More..
Politics, News & Issues > War in Iraq Setting a timetable for troop withdrawal from Iraq is a terrible mistake: 35 of 81
The lack of historical perspective that is apparent in 'pull out of Iraq now' voices terrifies me, since it shows a clear lack of understanding what sort of war is being fought. The historical lesson of World War 2 has obviously not been learned. What happens when we hide our heads in the sand when confronted with an ideolog... More..
Home & Garden > Rental Properties Property managers: Top 10 warning signs of potential bad renters: 12 of 27
There are several key characteristics that potential problem tenants share that indicate they will be bad news, to you as the landlord and the tenants around them. Stick with your gut feelings on these warning signals, or you could be the next person in a string of property managers dealing with a tenant nobody else wants to... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Political Issues Can deregulation and free markets lower the cost of health care in the US?: 5 of 11
The health care system needs to be massively overhauled, unless I missed something as massive as the regulation of the industry taking place while I slept. There is no sort of regulation of the health care industry, beyond making sure hospitals, physicians and other medical practitioners meet and maintain certain minimum sta... More..
Food & Drink > Beer (Other) A beginner's guide to beer-serving etiquette: 5 of 11
How best to serve a beer depends on several elements. Beer is a food, and was most likely brewed hundreds of miles away. Like any food, beer is subject to spoilage. It is best to serve most beers chilled, hopefully chilled from the moment it left the brewery to the point it hits the lips. However, some darker brews such as s... More..