Yesterday I thought it was me. You know, catching up with the paper after a long weekend, sometimes you don't read it as closely as you might. Yesterday, by the time I got to Sally Forth and Luann, I thought I had missed Dear Abby or her once twin sister Ann Landers. Of course, things change. Newspapers change. But... Full story »

Last year, like many New Jerseyans, I spent Labor Day weekend, with my family at the ever-shrinking shoreline on Long Beach Island. This year, I stayed close to home and ran a 5K race with my other family, my union brothers and sisters from the fire service, police officers and EMS in honor of Jimmy D'heron--a hero, a firefighter,... Full story »

On August 14, 1935 Social Security came into existence. While most programs birthed by FDR's New Deal have passed away, Social Security survives. But should it? I think not but it isn't for the obvious reasons. Yes, it's a Ponzi scheme. Yes, there are abuses. Yes, demographic changes will accelerate costs rapidly in the near future. But the program... Full story »

I realized something startling while cleaning out my spare room: I entered my freshman year of college 10 years ago. The reminder? Finding a box of t-shirts from my time at the University of Tampa. When I left that August of 1998, I was an absolute wreck. I'd never spent a lot of time outside of New Jersey. I... Full story »

Most government workers in New Jersey have a definite plan for their retirements and, for an increasing number with a choice, the only thing they would ever again want to see from New Jersey is a postmark. Roughly one in four pension checks are sent out of state. That's about $1.5 billion being transferred to other states to be... Full story »

As a consultant, a student of W. Edwards Deming, and a long-timer observer of Japanese manufacturing prowess, I am always on the lookout for ways to boost productivity and lower costs. Have you ever tried doing business with the state during the eighth month of the calendar year?  Full story »

While driving home from work I like to listen to "The Jersey Guys" on 101.5 FM, I don't always agree with them but I enjoy their program which makes my commute easier, sometimes I even learn a thing or two. Yesterday, between 17:00 & 18:00 was probably one of the most important hours of radio I have heard in... Full story »

The only thing worse than reconciling the monthly bank statement, besides finding your own math error, is discovering that your bank now charges you for free checking. Quit whining, you say. The banks are hurting and need to nickel-and-dime you so that their top guns can take their families to the south of France. Not to mention, putting aside... Full story »

The recent chest thumping & back slapping in Trenton over Attorney General Anne Milgram's traffic woes and State Senators Ray Lesniak (D-Union) and Joe Cryan (D-Union) turning in Assemblyman Cohen has amused me to no end. The state-of-the-state and our distrust in our elected and appointed officials has reached such a new low that we are amazed when the... Full story »

Because a good question was asked in my prior post and I can't seem to get comments through on it, here's my take on why I believe big Defined Benefit plans have always been underfunded, in Q&A format. Q: Were any defined benefits pension plans ever solvent under your criteria? A: No. Primarily because of the use of mortality... Full story »

In preparation for my last Fox/Business show appearance to discuss the dire situation of the Defined Benefit pension system in this country I decided to research on what participants in these plans need to know by picking a media company at random and checking out that plan's funded status. So I looked on freeerisa.com and my mouse-dart landed on... Full story »

In the fall of his fifth year, my son started complaining of brief but blinding bursts of pain in his head, which the pediatrician diagnosed as tension headaches. My ex-wife was skeptical, but I believed the doctor, falling prey to the assumption that children exaggerate discomfort; I inherited my mother's gift for denial, which often cloaks itself as hope.... Full story »

Pensions will be the topic on Fox\Business tomorrow (Monday) morning at 8 a.m. when Bradley Belt, former executive director of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, will presumably discuss the dire situation with our country's pension system. Then I'll get get 4 minutes to tell plan participants what to watch out for. When this segment was proposed I thought I... Full story »

Oil & gas companies, luxury boats/Marina's subsidized while Park Visitor Fees Increase Today's Asbury Park Press and Morris Daily Record are reporting that the Department of Environmental Protection's management of leases, easements, and concessions is in disarray, and losing lots of money.  Full story »

One of the things we, as Americans protected by two oceans, have not realized until recently is that morality is in direct proportions to our distance from the problem. The longer the distance, the higher the morality and vice-versa; we see this all over the world. It is against all Judeo / Christian values to bomb others into oblivion,... Full story »