Water is a precious commodity, why flush it away?

Three years ago, I was using an average of 6,200 gallons of water a month for an average water bill cost of about $78.  And I live alone.

$78... more than I actually was spending on gasoline every month! That is a lot of water.  Enough to fill a 12-foot swimming pool every month.  And, as it turns out, most of it I was simply flushing away.

Mortgage Mess... or how I saved my home from foreclosure, at least for now

As one can see from my prior very-long-winded post about the so-called housing bill, I'm more than a little interested in the how the mortgage industry in our country operates.  My own personal experience, which I'll share now, perhaps will help not only illustrate just how screwed up the industry is, but also, how even the smartest of persons can end up with a mortgage nightmare.  Maybe it will save a few of you some grief in your own lives.

The Cost of Marriage

Very likely later today, the Colorado senate will be voting on a proposal to raise the cost of a marriage license from $10 to $35. According to The Gazette, Sen. Dave Schultheis, R-Colorado Springs, is against the idea, arguing that the State should do "everything it can to promote marriage and should consider adding the fee to the cost of getting a divorce instead." I say Schultheis is not only wrong, but that the Senate should consider raising the cost of a marriage license higher. Much, much higher.

Colorado, like many states, makes it extremely difficult and expensive to get divorced. Now, I'm not saying that's necessarily a bad thing, but I do believe the emphasis is in the wrong place. I don't think divorce needs to be made more difficult. I think we need to make it far more difficult to get married.

Why? Because it's cheaper - and simpler - to get married than it is to license my dog. Seriously. If I wanted to get married - and I don't - all I need to do is go pay $10 and sign a short piece of paper. Until not too long ago, you didn't even need to show an ID.