Articles written by Rebecca Ashby

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About me - Rebecca Ashby

The "about me" page of every online profile always seems to baffle me. I found myself perusing the internet to find some catchy phrase to make myself stand out from the masses. Honestly, the "about me" page is so simple that it's hard. Nobody ever wants to

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Politics, News & Issues > US Elections The case against Barack Obama's candidacy to the 2008 presidential election: 3 of 46

Obama Youth Mania May Backfire As I watched Karl Rove's political conjectures on Fox TV tonight, I remembered what a dynamic, powerful, calculated political machine he commanded in the 2000 and 2004 election campaigns of George W. Bush; Rove is a genius. Millions of volunteers on the ground, the "swift boat ads" and the fear...
Politics, News & Issues > US Elections Choosing the 2008 Presidential candidate: 5 of 61

Do we pick a President based on our own personality traits? At a small family dinner party tonight, we gathered round the circular oak antique table conversing congenially while we enjoyed an Italian meal. After completing our dinner, we migrated casually to the side porch. At this point, the conversation turned to politics....
Education > Colleges & Universities (Other) Should grading be abolished in college and university courses: 1 of 12

I feel that in my years of interrelating with my students I have made a profound difference in their lives. I make this proclamation because I have always believed in the power of critical thinking. Too many educators approach teaching with only a standard curriculum and never ask their students to "color outside the lines."...
Creative Writing > Reflections Reflections: The true meaning of Christmas: 13 of 41

A Christmas Miracle. When we use the word miracle the first scenario that comes to mind is some unimaginable, unforeseen and quite out of the blue occurrence of events. Winning the lottery would be considered by some to be a miracle; meeting the man or woman of our dreams and falling in love would be another and of course, t...
Society & Lifestyle > Social Values & Norms Lessons in life: 40 of 126

Baby Boomer Retirement Dream I had such grandiose ideas in my youth of my retirement years. I thought I would travel the globe, soaking in all the diversity of cultures in foreign lands. I saw myself as another Jack Kerouwac, writing as I sat sipping an espresso and listening to jazz in some quaint caf in Paris, then on to e...
Travel > Nevada Destinations Las Vegas travel tips: 4 of 12

Are you thinking of making an excursion to Vegas? Here are some helpful tips for the novice. Initially, you will want to check the various online travel sites for reasonably priced airline tickets. As a general rule, travel on Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday is inexpensive. In addition, book your trip at least fourteen days ...
Personal Finance > Mortgages & Home Loans The subprime mortgage market mess and what it means to you: 9 of 22

In July of 2005, I bought a house in Florida. I thought that it was going to be my retirement dream coming true. Well guess what? The dream turned into a nightmare. This lovely three bedroom home just minutes from the beach was supposed to be my nest egg for the future. Looking back, I guess I paid more than I should have, b...
Personal Finance > Managing Credit DIY credit score management: 5 of 12

How to Increase Your FICO Score. Your FICO score is the measurement that the three credit rating agencies use to determine your ability to qualify for a loan as well as the interest rate that you will pay for that loan. FICO scores range from three hundred to eight hundred and fifty; three hundred being the lowest or not cre...
Personal Finance > Retirement Making your money last in retirement: 5 of 11

Have you ever seen the bumper sticker "I'm spending my children's inheritance"? When I first saw this sticker, I thought how selfish and thoughtless for seniors to frivolously spend their assets and not leave them for the young folks. I assumed that this attitude connoted greed. Looking at it today from my own perspective as...
Politics, News & Issues > US Elections US Elections 2008: Barack Obama's stance on education issues: 2 of 4

"These are only words," say the critics of Barack Obama but his words are able to "leap tall buildings with a single bound." His words ring true and thus have substance. We yearn for a true leader; one who inspires; one who makes assessments easily and without bias; one who writes his own books, speaks from his heart and has...