Life

As I grew up during the great age of rock & roll music, I was saddened to hear that one of the greats has passed away. Ronnie James Dio died on Sunday. He was diagnosed with stomach cancer last November and was 67 years old. All the great rockers and thousands of fans will miss his voice.

Dio is known for replacing Ozzy Osborne as lead singer for the band Black Sabbath. After a long stint with the band he went out on his own and had the mega-hit “Holy Diver”. He went on to tour with his former Black Sabbath band mates as the band “Heaven and Hell”. We will all miss you Ronnie!!

Today marks the 40th anniversary of earth day. The day was meant to raise awareness around the world of the importance of our earth and our impact on it. Thousands of people participated in various events that reflected the concern many of us have that we need to do a better job of preserving our wild places and the animals that live there.

I hope everyone will join me in raising their voices to those who will listen and demand that we begin to take this problem seriously. I want my children to have a better world than I and its going to take some changes to do it. I believe that everyone should take some time and spread the word about this important subject!

We were all glad that the government has finally stepped in and cracked down on abusive credit card companies. The new rule changes will help eliminate some of the shady practices that are used by the banks to generate income. While there has been much improvement over the old ways, there are still some things to look out for.

One item that consumers should be aware of is a new policy that consumers must agree to overdraft protection services. The banks want this so that they can keep on charging people who overdraft their accounts. This has been a major source of revenue for the banks in the past. One alterative to this is to use an overdraft protection service that takes money out of another account or credit card.

Whatever the case, be sure to understand the policies of your particular bank. A little research may turn up the best protections for your money. Make sure to set a budget and stick to it. Try to put a little money aside for emergencies by forming a rainy day fund. Above all, keep track of your finances and use common sense when making purchases.

With so much pain and suffering going on in the country of Haiti, it’s good to hear some good news. One good thing is the ability of the United States to send help where it is needed most. One way we are doing so is by sending ships that will help supply the beleaguered country. Some of these ships are from my own local area.

Four ships that are normally based in Norfolk have been released to help move the massive amount of supplies that will be necessary to relieve the country of Haiti. The ships will be on location soon and will work to bring in supplies of cargo and skilled people. I am glad to be a part of this glorious action.

I just wanted to wish everybody a Happy New Year! I think this year will be even better than last and I will be able to make some economic progress. I also want to improve my health and am thinking of ways to do it. I think I will start eating better in order to become the man I want to be.

I think that that everyone should take a few minutes and try to figure out ways to improve their own lives as well. There are few chances in life to become a better person and the New Year is an easy way to work on it!