The Case for Cursive

cursive For centuries, cursive handwriting has been an art. To a growing number of young people, it is a mystery.

The sinuous letters of the cursive alphabet, swirled on countless love letters, credit card slips and banners above elementary school chalk boards are going the way of the quill and inkwell. With computer keyboards and smartphones increasingly occupying young fingers, the gradual death of the fancier ABC’s is revealing some unforeseen challenges. [Full Article]

Just The Facts

If the Taxes Are Done, You Might Consider a Financial Tuneup

checklist Instead of taking a mental health day off from work to recuperate from doing my taxes, I take a fiscal health day to knock off as many things from my financial to-do list as I possibly can, from renegotiating cable or insurance deals to finding a better bank account.

Fiscal health day is not yet a national holiday, alas. So you may need to set work aside for a day (or over several lunch breaks) to do what needs to be done, since it’s often easier to reach customer service employees when the sun is up on weekdays. [Full Article]

Metroscope

Funny Thing

How Sweet It Is Once upon a time, a woman named Jill Conner Browne felt downright gypped out of the opportunity to get all made up like a pageant queen and be adored. So she got herself a big red wig, sparkly green dress, majorette boots, cat’s eye sunglasses, a tiara and some well-placed padding and finagled her way onto a float full of Sweet Potatoes in a Mississippi St. Patrick’s Day Parade. What she didn’t know when she declared herself the Sweet Potato Queen was that she would start a movement empowering women (and more than a few men) to love themselves better, encourage each other to be more sassy and—every now and then—dress up like drag queens. It would also lead to a best-selling series of books and an annual celebration! Interested? You ought to be! Learn more at the official Sweet Potato Queens’ Website.

Just The Facts

Amazon Unveils Kindle Lending With 11,000 Libraries

Library Amazon announced a new feature for its Kindle e-reader called Library Lending, which will enable users to borrow e-books from more than 11,000 libraries in the U.S. The feature will launch later this year, and be available for all Kindle generations. [Full Article]

Metroscope

The TV Set

Oh My Squad If you enjoy the behind-the-scenes antics of shows like Jackie Warner’s “Workout” and match-up shows like “Blind Date”, you can get the best of both worlds with Logo’s new series “The Setup Squad.” It’s a look at Wings, Inc., a company that specializes in providing professional “wingmen” (and wingwomen) to help turn the socially hopeless into people who can navigate the single life with ease. We especially love (looking at) cutie-pie Jonathan, but for us the real star of the show is the woman with the fabulous accent, the fancy wardrobe and the attitude that just won’t quit—Lauretta. You’ve got to see her to believe her! Watch them on the Logo network or learn more on the show’s official website.

Just The Facts

Authors Sign eBooks Electronically

signedKindle Sitting at a table in a Barnes & Noble in St. Petersburg, Fla., T. J. Waters was signing copies of his book “Hyperformance” when a fan standing in line with the eBook version walked up and said, “It’s too bad you can’t sign my Kindle.” [Full Article]

Just The Facts

How to Ask for Help When You’re Overwhelmed at Work

paperStack Q. Over the last couple of years your company has eliminated jobs, and you now have more work than you can handle. How do you ask for help in a way that doesn’t make you look inadequate or incompetent? [Full Article]

Just The Facts

Apple Boss Tim Cook Tops Out’s Power List

timCook Apple COO Tim Cook, who has been running the company during CEO Steve Jobs’ indefinite medical leave, was just ranked No. 1 on Out magazine’s list of America’s most influential gays and lesbians. It’s a warm public welcome for a very private guy. [Full Article]

Just The Facts

Rescuing ‘Ghost’ Brands From Grocery Limbo

coolWhip What does Kraft Foods have in common with Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Bill Murray and Harold Ramis? They are all ghostbusters.

But rather than fighting outbreaks of unruly ectoplasm, Kraft, the largest American packaged-foods marketer, is on a mission to keep its myriad products from becoming ghost brands — once-prominent pantry staples that fade into obscurity through a lack of consumer interest brought on by a lack of advertising support. [Full Article]