From hanging chads to computer glitches that mysteriously lose thousands of votes, Lori Steele figures there has to be a better way to run elections. Steele, a former investment adviser, became so obsessed with improving elections that she left her job to become CEO of Everyone Counts, a California company that specializes in Internet voting software for public and private elections. "I thought if the right technology were employed, we could have irrefutable elections," she ... [full story]

Q: This probably sounds strange, but I am 53 and believe I am happily married. However, two of my friends' husbands surprised them last year by divorcing them. Our last child finished school in May, got a job, and has moved into an apartment. My husband and I know this means a big change in our lifestyle. I have been a stay-at-home mother and am thinking what might lay ahead for me if my husband ... [full story]

This summer, as they have since time immemorial (or so it seems), children will trudge through the sand clutching their pails and shovels (or, if you come from some parts of the country, buckets and spades), eager to make mud pies, build castles and dig tunnels to China. There's an eternal, universally irresistible appeal of the feel of grains of sand and its ability to challenge the imagination. Generations of children have been engaged for ... [full story]

Q: Until we had our first baby two years ago, I never knew how hazardous a home could be. Everything I read is full of warnings, such as how the crib railings have to be spaced just so. Even stuffed toys carry "do not" labels. Now we're redecorating our living/dining room, and my playgroup friends tell me to watch out for the cords on the shades and blinds because they can strangle a child. Maybe ... [full story]

Q: I have enclosed a photo of a pair of American Indian gauntlets that were passed down to me. They were authenticated by a curator of the Buffalo Bill Cody Museum in Cody, Wyo. The curator told me the gauntlets were made in the 1880s in the Great Lakes region and are in good condition. The embroidered design is made of extremely small stitches on fine leather rather than beadwork. Can you give me an ... [full story]

Q: While our puppy was being vaccinated recently, our veterinarian mentioned in passing that she had never seen a case of distemper in dogs. This caused us to start thinking about why veterinarians vaccinate dogs for diseases that are no longer diagnosed. If distemper has been eradicated why should we spend our hard earned money for vaccinating our dog against it? We have great confidence in our veterinarian. However, we are beginning to worry about ... [full story]

Q: I planted a Japanese maple this year. I noticed that some of the tips of the leaves are brown, but the tree looks healthy. Do I have some kind of insect problem? One of the branches broke off. How do I keep insects from getting into the branch? A: Brown tips on the leaves of Japanese maples is a common occurrence caused when the plant becomes dried out due to excessive sun exposure, wind ... [full story]

Talk to any business owner - from one at the tiniest company to one at a giant corporation - and you'll find out that health care benefits is the one workplace issue that gives everyone the frights. They would be foolish not to worry about the rising costs of providing health care. Health care is often the most expensive employee benefit and it only makes sense that trying to control its cost is a practical ... [full story]

Weather may have an effect on employee performance. Ten percent of workers said they are usually less productive on gloomy days, according to CareerBuilder, who surveyed more than 6,000 workers. Twenty-one percent checked rain as negatively affecting their character. Weather can also impact employees' moods and interactions in the office. Thirty-two percent of workers said they feel more cheerful when it's sunny outside, while 12 percent tend to be more sad and angry on gloomy ... [full story]

Popeye, that diminutive, but aggressive, spinach-swilling comic character of our salad days is about to turn 80. But he is far from retired. A Popeye DVD is going to be released for the first time this month. So, grandma and grandpa, you may want to buy some of those original Popeye short films, dating back to 1933, being peddled by Warner Home Video. And the Official Popeye Fan Club, based in Chester, Ill., the hometown ... [full story]