IRS data indicate that the top 1% of US taxpayers pay about 45% of all income taxes in the United States. The same data indicate that 49% of the US population contributes absolutely nothing. Yet we still hear the nonsensical “Tax the rich!” mantra on infinite replay (yawn). It started ...

It’s the season of “sleep in heavenly peace,” which to me has always meant finishing the dishes, leaving the stove light on, locking the doors, and listening to the winter wind as I fall asleep in flannels. Sleep is life’s great escape—a reward for getting through the day, especially ...

As we come to the end of the third week (or six months, if you started in July) of this Christmas Season, and the near end of the Celebration of the eight nights of Hanukkah, and the upcoming arrival of Kwanzaa, many can reflect on the meanings of these special days, weeks, and seasons. During ...

New Yorkers pay some of the highest energy prices in the nation. Mandates, surcharges, restrictions and regulatory decisions enshrined into law are the reason why energy prices in New York are less affordable than elsewhere. These high energy prices make it harder to live and work in New York. ...

When speaking about an optimal “quality of life,” different people can have very dissimilar definitions. It usually depends on each person’s individual preferences. These days, we often hear people rave about how perfect they think life is in Middle America. They tend to romanticize ...

In 1971, the Art Metal plant in Ashville closed. What was to be done with it? There were not many companies interested in taking over a 1 million square foot manufacturing facility in Upstate New York. The county had taken over the responsibility for the building through its Industrial ...