Niceley Pushes State Legislation to End Bond Requirement in Civil Forfeiture Cases
In 2014 the amount of property and cash seized by federal law enforcement under civil asset forfeiture was $4.5 billion. That figure does not include the billions in cash and property seized by state governments. According to FBI data, the amount taken in the United States by criminals that same year was $3.9 billion, making […]
Black Friday and Children
With Black Friday a few days away, I felt it was a good time to share an earlier article on purchasing appropriate toys. When selecting toys for your child, grandchild, niece, nephew, etc., there are a few things to keep in mind. Before buying consider these questions. Is the toy age appropriate? Always consider the […]
Brandon Sanderson’s “The Way of Kings”
Since the Christmas shopping season is upon us, I figured it’d be a good time to pick up a newer series and see if it is worth getting someone as a gift. The Way of Kings is the first entry in The Stormlight Archive series by Brandon Sanderson. Just starting out in 2010 with several […]
Biltmore in Fall
Mother Earth continues to ready her world for the onslaught of fall colors. The weather is cooperating, giving relief from the smoldering summer days. Memories are vivid, just like the beautiful fall colors. One memory is of a trip, with friends, to Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina. It was fall and the colors were […]
William Peter Blatty’s “The Exorcism”
Since we’re gearing up for Halloween, I figured I should review what is, quite possibly, one of the freakiest books ever written, and if you have read it, yourself, you know what I mean: William Peter Blatty’s The Exorcism. If you have seen the movie adaptation, don’t think you know what you are in for. […]
Learning Through Movement
Children learn through movement, yet, more often than not, we tell them to sit still and be quiet while learning new material. Many children are capable of learning visually and auditorially without movement, but some are not. When we get new information, it has to be stored for future retrieval. If a child’s memory storage […]
Jedediah Berry’s “The Manual of Detection”
This week I am doing a quick review of a rather unusual mystery/detective novel: Jedediah Berry’s The Manual of Detection. The story follows Charles Unwin, a clerk at a massive detective agency. In fact, Charles works at The detective agency. Set in a sci-fi unnamed city, the world of The Manual of Detection has seen […]
Multiple Types of Learning
According to multiple intelligences learning theory (1983 Howard Gardner), we are all intelligent beings, but in different ways. We learn in different ways and we express ourselves in different ways, as well. It is good to know we are all good at something. When children begin to understand how they are intelligent, they understand the […]
Good Seasons and Bad Seasons
Have you ever noticed cable/TV programming seems to be much like a roller-coaster, with lots of ups and downs, some slow starts, as well as some head rushing dives. Year after year, we wait for the perfect shows to fill the fall line-up and tweak our interest, providing entertainment for the cold days ahead. Sometimes, […]
Spiderwebs, Frogs, and Raccoons
Well, fall is here, and much too soon might I say. It seems only yesterday we were experiencing spring. I’ll have to say, we certainly have had an unbelievably hot summer. But, what will our winter bring? I recently noticed spiders had built numerous webs at the highest peak of my cathedral windows, making it […]
Remembering Assignments During the Busy School Year
Remembering information for school can be improves by adapting a few simple strategies, which can be real game changers for your child’s school life. – Concentration is incredibly important for retaining memory. You need to keep things simple. When studying and trying to remember things for school, focus on only that. Don’t think about that […]
Help Your Child Raise Their Grades
With the school year underway, goals are set for a better year. This includes getting better grades. But how? Of course, setting a routine that works for better attention and focus, as well as taking notes, has great merit, but learning how to study and take tests, also contribute to the student doing their best, […]
Stephen King’s “Under the Dome”
With the new It movie coming out, I figured now was the time to dive into some Stephen King novels I’ve either overlooked or put off reading. First up is Under the Dome, which had everybody excited a few years ago. In terms of premise, the novel is certainly strange. One perfectly fine afternoon, a small Maine […]
Let Fall Begin!
With August in the double digits, schools in session, and the orange flying again, it must be the beginning of Fall. Fall or Autumn marks the transition from Summer into Winter. Where we live, Fall is usually considered to start with the September equinox. Autumn or Fall runs from the day after Labor Day through […]
Helping Your Child Become A Better Student
With the start of school, so also is there the reminder that with each year we try to improve how much we take away from the school year. It is a time of refreshing our academic selves. It is a time to help our child become a better student. There are a few rules that […]
Mountain Trails
Mountain trails, swinging bridges, log bridge, waterfalls, creeks, rock climbing, and crawdads are plesannt memories of the hiking world of my younger days. I can remember hiking with my husband and children when the kids were younger (and so were we). Of course, picnics were also a part of the festivities. We usually had a […]
