Bio:
Michael Thompson lives in Saginaw, Michigan, a community with a high poverty rate and a struggling auto industry. We hope that Associated Content can serve as a vehicle not only for us to exchange views, but to take action for social justice.
Michael Thompson lives in Saginaw, Michigan, a community with a high poverty rate and a struggling auto industry. We hope that Associated Content can serve as a vehicle not only for us to exchange views, but to take action for social justice.
Education/Experience:
Delta Community College
Delta Community College
Interests:
Politics, poverty issues, social justice, sports, disability issues, senior citizens, politics, government at all levels, local news, education, children's issues, the welfare system, the environment, green issues, colleges, sports, nonfiction books, opin
Politics, poverty issues, social justice, sports, disability issues, senior citizens, politics, government at all levels, local news, education, children's issues, the welfare system, the environment, green issues, colleges, sports, nonfiction books, opin
Motto:
Don't agonize. Organize. (not original)
Don't agonize. Organize. (not original)
Showing Results 1 - 200 of 668
Half of all Americans will develop spider veins or varicose veins. Spider vein prevention can involve exercising the legs, raising the legs during rest, and keeping off excess weight.
By Michael Thompson | Published 6/22/2009 | Read more »
In televised sports, why are most golf tournaments on network television, while most pro playoff basketball games are relegated to cable television. Tiger Woods or no Tiger Woods, and answer is demographics.
By Michael Thompson | Published 6/21/2009 | Read more »
Some doctors and researchers say that low carb drinks for kids aren't necessarily healthy. Others endorse the idea. If you choose to go that route, here are some low carb drinks for kids and even a zero carb drink!
By Michael Thompson | Published 6/9/2009 | Read more »
Stan Van Gundy coached the Orlando Magic in the NBA Finals Game 1, while older brother Jeff Van Gundy was a commentator. Coach Phil Jackson's L.A. Lakers with Kobe Bryant were the stars, but this also was featured.
By Michael Thompson | Published 6/5/2009 | Read more »
If not for the Mississippi River's Falls of St. Anthony, Minneapolis would not have grown into such a thriving city. The Longfellow neighborhood is a reflection of the community's stability.
By Michael Thompson | Published 6/4/2009 | Read more »
The Central neighborhood of Minneapolis, after going through some severe blight and the loss of a main high school, has bounced back since the 1990s.
By Michael Thompson | Published 6/4/2009 | Read more »
In Audubon Park, Minneapolis neighbors are preserving their history and standing guard against suburban sprawl, near the University of Minnesota campus.
By Michael Thompson | Published 6/4/2009 | Read more »
Milwaukee's Midtown neighborhood combines a massive shopping mall, a large influx of college-age Midtown apartment dwellers, and high concentrations of poverty.
By Michael Thompson | Published 6/4/2009 | Read more »
Friendship Heights apartment dwellers may live along the northwest border of Washington, D.C., or they may reside in Montgomery County in Maryland.
By Michael Thompson | Published 6/3/2009 | Read more »
Lincoln Heights is among low-income neighborhoods in Washington, D.C., from which many middle-class black citizens have moved to the suburbs.
By Michael Thompson | Published 6/3/2009 | Read more »
Washington, D.C., apartment dwellers in Cathedral Heights show their love for the city.
By Michael Thompson | Published 6/2/2009 | Read more »
Washington, D.C.'s Columbia Heights neighborhood is gentrified, but people of color also have remained and moved in.
By Michael Thompson | Published 6/1/2009 | Read more »
If you can't wait to buy a 2010 model year vehicle, you will have to rely on 2009 car safety ratings. Providers of safety ratings test cars at random, not by special advance delivery from a automakers.
By Michael Thompson | Published 5/27/2009 | Read more »
Ecofriendly green car products are hot sellers, even for people who can't yet afford an ecofriendly green motor vehicle.
By Michael Thompson | Published 5/27/2009 | Read more »
A 2010 green car can help you save on gasoline, but your mileage may not improve as much as you imagine, and the 2010 green car will cost you more money.
By Michael Thompson | Published 5/27/2009 | Read more »
Detroit's New Center neighborhood, known as the city's "second downtown," is a gateway to the northern suburbs.
By Michael Thompson | Published 5/26/2009 | Read more »
Buying a used hybrid car is becoming a popular option. Used hybrids are available as the first generation of buyers begin to make trade-ins. Used hybrid vehicles also are priced to fit tough economic times.
By Michael Thompson | Published 5/26/2009 | Read more »
Food Network's Bobby Flay is an example of advice "experts" in such areas as health, fitness and cooking who pretty much tell us what we already know. Are you ever insulted .... or jealous at the money they must make?
By Michael Thompson | Published 5/24/2009 | Read more »
LeBron James' shot was a tremendous accomplishment and a great moment in NBA history, but did he do it in less than 1 second? Also, why have a rule that allows a team to advance the ball on a timeout?
By Michael Thompson | Published 5/23/2009 | Read more »
Through the years, the Indy 500 start time has remained in the early afternoon. However, Memorial Day is no longer the race day for the Indianapolis 500.
By Michael Thompson | Published 5/20/2009 | Read more »
Little players are playing bigger roles these days in the NBA playoffs. You don't have to be treetop-tall to be a basketball star. Aaron Brooks and Rajon Rondo are cases in point.
By Michael Thompson | Published 5/16/2009 | Read more »
A good number of commercial weight loss drinks appeal to us with fat advertising budgets, but do we really need them? The best weight loss drinks are natural.
By Michael Thompson | Published 5/14/2009 | Read more »
America's chain restaurants advertise morning, noon and night. Corporations advertise "real" food grocery products in misleading ways. Too many of us are following like sheep.
By Michael Thompson | Published 5/13/2009 | Read more »
Michigan campgrounds remain the heart of a thriving tourist industry, even while the state struggles with high unemployment and budget shortfalls. State voters had the wisdom to pass special campgrounds taxes.
By Michael Thompson | Published 5/11/2009 | Read more »
Adults are confirmed, usually into the Roman Catholic Church, for an array of reasons. There are cases in which you may want to avoid your adult Confirmation gift from being "too Catholic."
By Michael Thompson | Published 5/11/2009 | Read more »
Traditional Confirmation gifts for boys such as Bibles, rosaries and crosses remain popular. So do newfangled items such as ear rings and hoodies.
By Michael Thompson | Published 5/11/2009 | Read more »
Our wisdom teeth usually don't start to hurt until major problems have developed, and the sources of wisdom teeth pain often are misunderstood. Sometimes it's not the wisdom teeth themselves that hurt.
By Michael Thompson | Published 5/11/2009 | Read more »
Tooth pain can afflict us in many ways. We need to know the causes before we can pursue solutions to ease the pain.
By Michael Thompson | Published 5/11/2009 | Read more »
As an agnostic who is puzzled regarding God's existence, I still feel moved to pray on the National Day of Prayer.
By Michael Thompson | Published 5/7/2009 | Read more »
Urban conditions are not always friendly for green activists, but in the long run, the vast majority of people will give support.
By Michael Thompson | Published 5/6/2009 | Read more »
Saginaw may have our share of greasy spoon restaurants, but they are unique and we love 'em, some of us in moderation, some of us not.
By Michael Thompson | Published 5/1/2009 | Read more »
Delta College is a community college located in Michigan's Tri-County area of Saginaw, Bay City and Midland. "The Delta Difference" features quality, affordability and personal attention.
By Michael Thompson | Published 5/1/2009 | Read more »
Who should know more about global warming and climate change than our local TV meteorologists? However, despite the emphasis on "green" environmental news, we rarely hear this.
By Michael Thompson | Published 4/30/2009 | Read more »
President Barack Obama had first-hand experience with community organizing in Chicago, which makes him familiar with the potential value of AmeriCorps and other national service.
By Michael Thompson | Published 4/30/2009 | Read more »
NBA reporters took note of the end of the Detroit Pistons era, but they did not explain things properly. The Pistons not only made six conference finals, but their win over the Lakers was the biggest upset ever.
By Michael Thompson | Published 4/30/2009 | Read more »
President Obama has carried out change in a variety of ways, ranging from emphasis on clean energy to a pullback in Iraq. Still, one issue that seems never to change is the tax-and-spend debate.
By Michael Thompson | Published 4/29/2009 | Read more »
AmeriCorps did not exist from 1975 to 1982, but I had similar involvement in community organizing. President Barack Obama offers hope that citizen action still can make a difference.
By Michael Thompson | Published 4/29/2009 | Read more »
In Hot, Flat and Crowded, Thomas L. Friedman says solutions to global warming and climate change will take more effort than being shallowly "green" on Earth Day.
By Michael Thompson | Published 4/24/2009 | Read more »
For $1.3 billion, a drop in the bucket by today's federal budget standards, AmeriCorps will build a far stronger presence.
By Michael Thompson | Published 4/21/2009 | Read more »
Journalists who declared that President Obama's visit to Iraq was a "surprise" were naive. The same journalists now should ask whether the United States really can get out of Iraq by 2010.
By Michael Thompson | Published 4/9/2009 | Read more »
Don't blame me; AC is asking for these poems! During these hard times, here's a "favorite singer haiku" for Saginaw's Big Sister City of Detroit, with all due deference to Stevie Wonder, who was born here.
By Michael Thompson | Published 4/9/2009 | Read more »
Gwen Ifill, underrated PBS journalist, is the author of "The Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama." The book is not just about Barack Obama, but about his impact.
By Michael Thompson | Published 4/8/2009 | Read more »
Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo is known for his high intensity, but in the NCAA championship game against North Carolina, this was counterproductive.
By Michael Thompson | Published 4/8/2009 | Read more »
Michigan State's basketball team ruined President Obama's NCAA bracket sheet (North Carolina over Louisville), and now there are analogies with the auto industry bailout.
By Michael Thompson | Published 4/5/2009 | Read more »
A new president is supposed to get a media "honeymoon" from the press, and Barack Obama is no exception in interviews with The Tonight Show's Jay Leno and 60 Minutes' Steve Croft.
By Michael Thompson | Published 3/24/2009 | Read more »
As you set up your home office desk, an important way to stay organized will depend on your choices for computer equipment.
By Michael Thompson | Published 3/24/2009 | Read more »
Even large, oversized documents and blueprints can be stored digitally, but many business owners and individuals want to retain and store the originals.
By Michael Thompson | Published 3/23/2009 | Read more »
The state of Colorado and its flagship city of Denver have positive outlooks for population growth and housing values in spite of the national recession.
By Michael Thompson | Published 3/20/2009 | Read more »
Kid friendly. Outstanding senior living. Great hospitals. These are just three reasons why people are moving to Colorado.
By Michael Thompson | Published 3/18/2009 | Read more »
Liberal/progressive groups ranging from Planned Parenthood to La Raza to the Sierra Club to the ACLU are being recruited to run ads defending President Obama's budget.
By Michael Thompson | Published 3/16/2009 | Read more »
Critics of proposed plans for federal mortgage foreclose prevention say the government should not help "irresponsible" homeowners. A caseworker from Saginaw, Michigan, begs to disagree.
By Michael Thompson | Published 3/12/2009 | Read more »
Federal funding for stem cell research has President Obama's expected go-ahead, although the president may have moralized a little too much regarding his stem cell decision.
By Michael Thompson | Published 3/9/2009 | Read more »
If you lack health care coverage and suddenly face a major illness, there are several sources of support available to you.
By Michael Thompson | Published 3/9/2009 | Read more »
In "Nothing to Fear," the story of Franklin D. Roosevelt's First Hundred Days, there is an anecdate that might make President Obama chuckle.
By Michael Thompson | Published 3/3/2009 | Read more »
Barack Obama has been president for 40 days, but the economic stimulus package debate with Republicans seems like it's gone on forever.
By Michael Thompson | Published 3/1/2009 | Read more »
Hockey fights are up more than 20 percent in the National Hockey League this season. People keep saying hockey fights are "part of the game," but players on the defending champs fight the least.
By Michael Thompson | Published 3/1/2009 | Read more »
President Barack Obama delivered his "presidential address to Congress," a.k.a. a State of the Union speech. Republican responded with Bobby Jindal. Guess who generated more Internet response.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/25/2009 | Read more »
Bobby Jindal, governor of Louisiana, offered a Republican response to Obama's economic stimulus package that seems a mystery. Jindal criticizes details, then says he doesn't know details.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/25/2009 | Read more »
How long can President Barack Obama continue to support tax breaks for all income groups, when the budget remains blockbusted and money to fight global warming remains insufficient?
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/22/2009 | Read more »
In "The Audacity of Hope" in 2006, Barack Obama lamented a $300 billion budget deficit and a $9 trillion debt. Now those numbers are approaching $1.6 trillion and $15 trillion.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/20/2009 | Read more »
There are no objective news reports that would involve Barack Obama in the stories involving former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich and U.S. Senate apppointee Roland Burris. Even so, Barack has a headache.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/19/2009 | Read more »
Barack Obama is not into vacations. He signed the economic stimulus package on Tuesday, and will launch his home mortgage foreclosure crisis plan on Wednesday.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/17/2009 | Read more »
Barack Obama, champion of ethics reform, has taking strict steps to prevent lobbyists from infiltrating his administration. However, a lobbyist flow has started in the other direction.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/17/2009 | Read more »
Alex "A-Rod/A-Fraud/A-Roid" Rodriguez spoke about steroids at the same time that Barack "No Nickname" Obama spoke about economic stimulus. Which got more attention, A-Rod steroids or Obama stimulus?
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/17/2009 | Read more »
Allen Iverson, all-star basketball player, seems unhappy once more, even though he's the one who wanted a trade to the Detroit Pistons.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/17/2009 | Read more »
Smithfield Foods, the world's largest pork producer, has a history of friction with labor unions and environmental activists.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/17/2009 | Read more »
The unemployment rate in your state may determine the amount of the unemployment insurance from unemployment laws.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/17/2009 | Read more »
Dick Cheney really did care; Dick Cheney cared about Scooter Libby. George W. Bush commuted Libby's prison sentence but didn't grant a pardon, and now Cheney is angry with Bush.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/17/2009 | Read more »
Citibank, Bank of America, Wells Fargo and friends give bailout "thanks" to the American taxpayers by boosting their credit card interest rates.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/16/2009 | Read more »
Sports fans, ask this question: Has NASCAR's Daytona 500 become bigger than baseball's World Series? A whole lot of people want to now the Daytona 500 start time.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/15/2009 | Read more »
With former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich out of office, the story of his appointment of Roland Burris to the U.S. Senate seemed to die down. Now the story is on fire once more.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/14/2009 | Read more »
On CNN's new "State of the Union with John King," 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. EST Sunday, NBA all-stars will comment on a video of Barack Obama sinking a three-point shot.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/14/2009 | Read more »
Republicans alleged that Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi stuffed $30 million into economic stimulus to save a species of mouse, but an investigation debunks the mouse story.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/14/2009 | Read more »
We are aware of poverty in Appalachia, as reported by Diane Sawyer on '20/20,' but Are We Fully Aware of Mountaintop Removal Mining in Appalachia?
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/14/2009 | Read more »
In regards to the economic stimulus debate, whom do you believe, the Democrats or the Republicans?
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/14/2009 | Read more »
A survey reveals that the public is more interested in economic stimulus, unemployment and Iraq elections, compared to Michael Phelps or Nadya Suleman.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/14/2009 | Read more »
The U.S. House of Representatives would seem to have better things to do, than a Super Bowl argument whether the Pittsburgh Steelers or the Green Bay Packers are the better NFL franchise.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/12/2009 | Read more »
Scholars on Charles Darwin's 200th birthday are saying that Darwin may have been quoted. Oh well, nobody on Abraham Lincoln's 200th birthday has challenged the Gettysburg Address.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/12/2009 | Read more »
Sometimes in the daily news, the Iraq War and the Afghanistan War seem forgotten in all the talk about the economic crisis. 'Adopt a Soldier' wakes us up.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/12/2009 | Read more »
On Abraham Lincoln's 200th birthday, his legacy of leadership is both celebrated in public events and exploited in politicians' statements.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/12/2009 | Read more »
Nadya Suleman, now that she has added in-vitro octuplets to her previous family of six children, is seeking help via the web.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/11/2009 | Read more »
John Dingell of Michigan has served in Congress since 1955, while officials in the Michigan Legislature are term-limited to six or eight years.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/11/2009 | Read more »
Barack Obama isn't faring well in his quest for a bipartisan approach to the economic stimulus package, but his Cabinet is mixed in political views.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/11/2009 | Read more »
Some Republicans regarding economic stimulus still believe that if you cut takes for the more fortunate people, somehow you can get more money from lower taxes.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/11/2009 | Read more »
The performance of Maxine Waters before the U.S. House Financial Services Committee is typical of her 33-year career in state and federal government
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/11/2009 | Read more »
Republicans feel that senators Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins of Maine, and Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, are traitors to the anti-economic stimulus cause.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/11/2009 | Read more »
Nearly three years after its first press run, "The Audacity of Hope" still sheds light on Barack Obama.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/11/2009 | Read more »
Chuck Schumer is helping to decide a $1 trillion economic stimulus package, and he's also concerned about Bruce Springsteen tickets through Ticketmaster. Which is more important?
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/11/2009 | Read more »
Despite the work of our supposed best and brightest minds, efforts to improve treatments for chronic illnesses are producing scant results.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/10/2009 | Read more »
If there's a cup of yogurt in your fridge dated February 8 to expire, would you eat it today?
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/10/2009 | Read more »
For peanut butter precaution, we need to do more than avoid various cookies and crackers. We also need to check pet food products and snacks.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/10/2009 | Read more »
Progressive Auto Insurance, progressive.com, has earned a unique reputation for offering not only its own prices, but competitors' prices.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/10/2009 | Read more »
In addition to 47 million Americans with no health insurance, millions more have fewer health insurance benefits than in the past.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/10/2009 | Read more »
Three Republicans in the Senate --- Arlen Specter, Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins --- have paved the way for the economic stimulus package.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/9/2009 | Read more »
Senator Arlen Specter, Republican from Pennsylvania, has not always followed the Republican Party line as he enters his 29th year in the Senate.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/9/2009 | Read more »
A group named "Americans for Prosperity" says no stimulus is the answer for 3.5 million job losses. It's like, "I've got mine and the hell with you."
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/9/2009 | Read more »
Does Tiger Woods do everything just perfectly? Tiger Woods now is the father to a girl and a boy, with his wife Elin Nordgren.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/9/2009 | Read more »
One example of President Obama's economic stimulus package in Elkhart, Indiana, is to insulate and weatherize low-income people's homes, giving jobs to construction workers.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/9/2009 | Read more »
A renewed interest in the 2006 film "Glory Road" shows that the public is still interested in the Texas Western victory, involving athletes ranging from Bobby Joe Hill to Pat Riley.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/8/2009 | Read more »
Why are we getting so upset with those Wall Street bailout executive bonuses? After all, they're down 44 percent from the previous year.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/8/2009 | Read more »
Pro football is a dangerous sport, and the Pro Bowl all-star game exposes the star players to an unnecessary risk.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/8/2009 | Read more »
Walter Iooss of Sports Illustrated is among journalistic photographers honored at the new Annenberg Space for Photography in Los Angeles.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/8/2009 | Read more »
Todd Palin ignored a Troopergate subpoena from the Alaska Senate and was found in contempt, but received no punishment. Sarah Palin declines comment, and the cop she fired remains fired.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/7/2009 | Read more »
John McCain and Barack Obama got along pretty well for two months after the election, but the economic stimulus package and taxpayer spending has them back at odds.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/7/2009 | Read more »
Andy Card Was White House Chief of Staff to George W. Bush for a few years. Andy Card says Barack Obama should refrain from removing his suit coat while working in the Oval Office.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/7/2009 | Read more »
In debating an economic stimulus package and national debt, why doesn't someone suggest that those of us who can afford to sacrifice should help to pay?
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/7/2009 | Read more »
First, Alex Rodriguez' "A-Rod" moniker was transformed to "A-Fraud" by former manager Joe Torre. Now he is cited as testing positive for steroids six years ago.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/7/2009 | Read more »
Sessions of Congress may seem ugly regarding the economic stimulus package, but several examples of stupid spending have been caught and canceled.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/6/2009 | Read more »
After two low-key weeks of trying to shepherd his economic stimulus package through Congress, President Barack Obama on Thursday fired back at Republican critics.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/6/2009 | Read more »
Dick Cheney says Barack Obama is soft on terrorism. Does Barack Obama really care what Dick Cheney thinks?
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/6/2009 | Read more »
President Barack Obama seems to have grown tired in trying to compromise with Repubicans regarding economic stimulus package tax-and-spend issues.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/6/2009 | Read more »
Senator Mitch McConnell explains that spending of $1 million per day since Christ's birth would fall short of the economic stimulus package proposal.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/6/2009 | Read more »
Supreme Court justices such as Ruth Bader Ginsburg are appointed for life, which causes presidents to seek younger replacements.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/6/2009 | Read more »
Do you have enough friends and acquaintances to fill 162 pages? This is how many sheets of paper that are needed to list the names of people who say Bernard Madoff's Ponzi scheme ripped them off.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/6/2009 | Read more »
Here's the deal: Crushpad in California is selling fine Bailout Wine for $39 a bottle . . . but if the Dow Jones stock market average goes down, the price goes down.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/6/2009 | Read more »
The first Coburn amendment blocked $246 million in stimulus package money from going to Hollywood. The second Coburn amendment ensures competitive bidding in the stimulus package.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/6/2009 | Read more »
In a radio interview, conservative pundit and columnist Charles Krauthammer says he really doesn't know where Barack Obama stands. What country is Krauthammer living in?
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/6/2009 | Read more »
President Barack is trying to bring Wall Street excesses and bonuses under control, but his proposed executive pay and executive bonus limits would be difficult to enforce.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/4/2009 | Read more »
Republicans are afraid that ACORN, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, will receive money from the economic stimulus package. ACORN promises it won't.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/4/2009 | Read more »
David Letterman asked Rod Blagojevich, "Why exactly are you here?" Maybe somebody should ask Letterman why he needed to cut up Blagojevich in such a juvenile manner.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/4/2009 | Read more »
Democrats say Republicans should agree to delay the DTV Transition beyond February 17 until June 12, so that 6.5 million analog homes don't lose television service. Republicans are balking.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/4/2009 | Read more »
The sound bite story is that Harry Markopolos warned the Securities and Exchange Commission about Bernard Madoff's $50 billion Ponzi scheme, but the SEC didn't listen. Is it that simple?
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/4/2009 | Read more »
Michelle Obama served on the board of directors for a Wal-Mart subsidiary, but when Barack Obama said he wouldn't shop there, she quit.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/4/2009 | Read more »
Denny's offered free grand slam breakfasts today, but if you purchased orange juice or coffee and left a tip, you still could have cooked your own for less.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/3/2009 | Read more »
Habitat for Humanity's Millard Fuller, who died Tuesday at age 74, had an ideal strategy for uplifting needy and low-income families.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/3/2009 | Read more »
Financial supporters of Proposition 8, California's ban on same-sex gay marriage, wanted to keep their names secret. A federal judge has ruled otherwise.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/3/2009 | Read more »
Olympia Snowe was on John McCain's list of potential vice-presidential nominees. Her speech on the economic stimulus package shows that Olympia Snowe would have been a better pick than Sarah Palin.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/3/2009 | Read more »
Republicans don't want to criticize President Barack Obama (70 percent approval rating), so they may focus on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (40 percent) and Congress (30 percent).
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/2/2009 | Read more »
Day after day, we continue to hear about a "stimulus package" for the economy. Critics are speaking of "no stimulus." Are we entering into political sexual metaphor?
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/2/2009 | Read more »
Punxsuttawney Phil sees his shadow and guarantees six more weeks of winter. In Saginaw, Michigan, the Pittsburgh Steelers (LaMarr Woodley) and Al Gore don't seem to understand our frustration.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/2/2009 | Read more »
New President Barack Obama chooses different phrases than George W. Bush's "war on terror." What's your opinion?
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/1/2009 | Read more »
Olympic swimming champion Michael Phelps smoked marijuana from a bong at a party, and somebody took his photograph. Now it's a big story. Why?
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/1/2009 | Read more »
The proposed economic stimulus plan, now pegged at $819 billion, still has plenty of loopholes. Last week's House debate was partisan and divisive, but there is room for compromise.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/1/2009 | Read more »
If the Super Bowl is such an iconic American cultural event, then why do so many people still know know when the game starts? They are focused more on a Super Bowl party than on the Super Bowl game.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/1/2009 | Read more »
At the annual Alfalfa Dinner, President Barack Obama turned the Alfalfa Club's segregated past into a source of satire.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/1/2009 | Read more »
The NFL promotes the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Super Bowl weekend and has reasonable eligibility standards. The Baseball Hall of Fame, like major league baseball itself, is mismanaged.
By Michael Thompson | Published 2/1/2009 | Read more »
Nobody on either sides holds exclusive truth on the economic stimulus package, but Minority Whip Eric Cantor seems to lead the way in falsehoods.
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/31/2009 | Read more »
Somebody had to capitalize on Chesney (Sully) Sullenberger and Flight 1549, but you might not have expected an online game called "Hero of the Hudson."
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/31/2009 | Read more »
George Obama is nearly 20 years younger than President Barack Obama and they have met only a handful of times, but George Obama's one-joint marijuana arrest in Kenya is deemed newsworthy.
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/31/2009 | Read more »
For a short time today, every Google search yielded a warning of "this site may harm your computer." This was a simple malware problem, but a larger risk may be involved.
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/31/2009 | Read more »
Despite his busy schedule, President Barack Obama still takes time to address the peanut butter recalls and the Peanut Corporation of America investigation.
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/30/2009 | Read more »
Michael Steele is the first African American RNC Chairman, but he says that's only part of a larger story at a revamped Republican National Committee.
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/30/2009 | Read more »
The Obama and Biden centrist strategy constantly refers to "the middle-class," while they avoid mentioning "the working class" or "low-income" people. This continues with AStrongMiddleClass.gov.
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/30/2009 | Read more »
If the Super Bowl were scheduled between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day, instead of mid-winter, then people wouldn't have to break their New Year's diet resolutions on Super Bowl Sunday.
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/30/2009 | Read more »
EFCA Question: If you (or someone you know) tried to help form a labor union in one of America's low-wage stores or plants, do you feel employment would be threatened.
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/30/2009 | Read more »
President Barack Obama was highly unhappy to learn that Wall Street executives raked in $18.4 billion in bonuses after a $700 billion bailout, but he has scant power to act.
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/29/2009 | Read more »
Up to 20 percent of low and low-middle income tax breaks go unclaimed, according to IRS estimates.
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/29/2009 | Read more »
Rod Blagojevich this week faced Illinois articles of impeachment that could remove him as governor. His strange methods of defense are continuing.
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/29/2009 | Read more »
Washington's Alfalfa Club, based on media reports, is basically an old boys' club that boastfully hosts the annual Alfalfa Dinner and political roast.
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/29/2009 | Read more »
The FDA says Peanut Corporation's plant in Blakely, Georgia, may have repeatedly covered up evidence of salmonella contamination in peanut butter products.
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/29/2009 | Read more »
Lilly Ledbetter worked nearly two decades for Goodyear before she discovered that men were making more pay for the same work. She needed another 11 years to win her point.
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/29/2009 | Read more »
President Obama glared at Vice-President Biden when Biden made a public joke about Supreme Court Justice John Roberts stumbling through the oath of office.
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/28/2009 | Read more »
Any potential for a bipartisan economic stimulus package seems to have drowned during the past two days of House floor debate.
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/28/2009 | Read more »
The Main Street economic stimulus package continues to get more scrutiny than the Wall Street economic bailout.
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/28/2009 | Read more »
Pro football and the Super Bowl usually have ties to sexual innuendo, but this year will be different.
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/28/2009 | Read more »
The recipe for the Bacon Explosion is sweeping the nation, just in time for Super Bowl Sunday.
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/28/2009 | Read more »
Joe Torre was the New York Yankees manager for 12 seasons, 1996 through 2007. He now is the author of "The Yankee Years."
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/25/2009 | Read more »
Unlike the Wall Street bailout, the proposed economic stimulus plan is outlined dollar by dollar.
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/24/2009 | Read more »
If you are a sometimes skeptical taxpayer, recovery.gov should catch your attention.
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/24/2009 | Read more »
The Matthew Shepard Act soon will become law, and the military will eliminate "don't ask, don't tell" standards.
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/24/2009 | Read more »
Ty Inc., maker of Bean Babies, has stepped over the line by cleverly choosing the Obama daughters' names for new TyGirlz dolls.
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/23/2009 | Read more »
Tricky Dick Morris, Bill Clinton's triangulation specialist a decade ago, says Obama will promote "French Socialism."
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/22/2009 | Read more »
Condoleezza Rice has picked the William Morris Agency to handle her post-Secretary of State speeches, writings, and philanthropic activities.
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/22/2009 | Read more »
Rush Limbaugh says he hopes Obama fails, Sean Hannity says the inauguration costs to much, and Ann Coulter says Michelle Obama is trying to copy Jacqueline Kennedy.
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/22/2009 | Read more »
When increasing millions of Americans lack any job, Fortune magazine might consider any employer to be a "best company."
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/22/2009 | Read more »
President Barack Obama laid out a string of executive orders during his first day at the Oval Office, and elsewhere.
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/21/2009 | Read more »
Juan Williams had trouble controlling his emotions on Fox News when he discussed the Obama inauguration and the benediction by the Rev. Joseph Lowrey.
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/21/2009 | Read more »
National Hugging Day, established 23 years ago, is intended to bring us closer together. Some people may not want that.
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/21/2009 | Read more »
At the National Prayer Service, President Obama heard words spoken directly to him by the Rev. Sharon Watkins at National Cathedral.
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/21/2009 | Read more »
A review of the Obama inauguration speech transcript shows that he had no standout one-liners, but that he wrote an outstanding text. And he wrote it himself.
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/20/2009 | Read more »
President Barack Obama had a reason for beginning his speech with "My Fellow Citizens" instead of "My Fellow Americans."
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/20/2009 | Read more »
When Barack and Michelle Obama decided to walk on the inaugural parade route, some concepts said the security risk was too large.
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/20/2009 | Read more »
The main inauguration swearing-in snag between Barack Obama and Justice John Roberts happened when Roberts transposed the word "faithfully" from the Constitution.
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/20/2009 | Read more »
Today, I believe I learned some lessons in regards to the King Holiday. See what you think.
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/19/2009 | Read more »
In routine news stories, Powerball and other Lottery prizes are announced, but winners are allowed to remain anonymous. Their names should be made public.
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/18/2009 | Read more »
Barack Obama campaigned strongly and restoring a Reagan Rate of taxes for America's most wealthy. Nancy Pelosi doesn't want Obama to compromise.
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/18/2009 | Read more »
Dr. David Jenkins, University of Toronto, has created the Portfolio Diet to lower cholesterol by 30 percent.
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/18/2009 | Read more »
The first company to issue a peanut butter recall was King Nut on January 10. Other companies followed with peanut butter recalls. The FDA didn't make a statement until January 16.
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/18/2009 | Read more »
Did you realize that an average NFL game last for more than 3 hours, with less than 10 minutes of real action?
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/17/2009 | Read more »
While the Obama Train/Obama Express rides the rails, there still are reminders of the challenges and sources of division that lie ahead.
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/17/2009 | Read more »
First, U.S. Representative Steve King of Iowa said Barack Obama was the candidate of al Qaida. Now Steve King says al Qaida will "dance in the streets" in Inauguration Day.
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/17/2009 | Read more »
After Bill Richardson dropped out, Eric Holder (attorney general) and then Timothy Geithner (treasury) became Barack Obama's most controversial nominees.
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/16/2009 | Read more »
Circuit City liquidators are taking their time issuing deep discounts, but sooner or later it will happen.
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/16/2009 | Read more »
The Numbers Lady, Glynis McCants, reveals that Barack Obama will have a difficult year and will travel a great deal. Wow!
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/16/2009 | Read more »
Topics of the George W. Bush farewell address ranged from everything from perceived victory in Iraq to perceived improvement of schools.
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/16/2009 | Read more »
Eric Shinseki stood up to Donald Rumsfeld regarding Iraq troop levels, to no avail. He will bounce back as leader of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/15/2009 | Read more »
Peanut Corporation of America is recalling bulk peanut butter that may contain salmonella, but Kellogg is simply issuing a warning for Austin and Keeblyer products.
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/15/2009 | Read more »
The Gaza Strip death toll as of this morning was 1,055 Palestinians and 13 Israelis. The UN secretary-general issued another plea for peace. Hours later, a Gaza UN aid compound came under fire.
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/15/2009 | Read more »
Eric Holder was deputy attorney general eight years ago when he recommended that departing President Bill Clinton could pardon the shady husband of a big contributor. Arlen Specter asks why.
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/15/2009 | Read more »
Bernard Madoff, author of a $50 billion Ponzi scheme, tried to mail more than $1 million in jewelry and checks on Christmas Eve. He still is not deemed worthy of jail.
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/14/2009 | Read more »
January 20 is Inauguration Day, but January 14 also will go down in history for Suave shampoo's "Suavenomics."
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/14/2009 | Read more »
An opinion poll shows that most Americans are cynical about the government, despite Barack Obama's upcoming inauguration.
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/14/2009 | Read more »
Food producers are clever in how they shrink the size of their food packages, everything from cereal to ice cream.
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/14/2009 | Read more »
President-elect Barack Obama enjoyed a half-smoke at Ben's Chili Bowl, and so we heard a lecture on morality from Bill Cosby.
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/12/2009 | Read more »
Federal budget deficits and national debt will cause our children and grandchildren to ask, how could we be so selfish? Check out I.O.U.S.A.
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/10/2009 | Read more »
The commissioning of aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush leads to questions, sentimental or cynical, regarding the Bush Dynasty.
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/10/2009 | Read more »
When the government reports official unemployment, such as 7.2 percent right now, it does not include people who are long-term unemployed.
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/10/2009 | Read more »
President-elect Barack Obama wants to present a unified front, but he faces divisions within his own ranks.
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/9/2009 | Read more »
Barack Obama will teach us a different form of leadership. Instead of insisting he is always right, President-elect Obama will really listen, like he did as a community organizer.
By Michael Thompson | Published 1/9/2009 | Read more »
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