The people's voice of reason
The people's voice of reason
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How much of your income should you spend on housing? Looking to cut costs? Why not start at the top? In the typical American household, nothing takes a bigger bite out of the budget than housing costs. While that’s a burden, it also means that housing expenses are where cost-cutting has the biggest potential to help make ends meet. Experts say you should spend no more than 25% to 30% of your income on housing—rent or mortgage payments plus utilities—for financial stability. If you do that,...
The hidden infrastructure behind every prescription drug in 2026 A customer steps up to the counter at a neighborhood pharmacy. An insurance card is scanned. A pharmacist asks if there are any questions. A small paper bag with the medication inside slides across the counter. What most of us don’t see is the vast system that made that moment possible. Before a prescription drug reaches a shelf in your town, it has passed through research laboratories, clinical trial sites, regulatory review t...
Americans' average debt keeps rising, but pace of growth has slowed, according to Intuit Credit Karma data In the fourth quarter of 2025, Americans’ average total overall debt increased to $58,712 from $55,879 in the fourth quarter of 2024, a 5% year-over-year gain, according to an analysis of 99.5 million Intuit Credit Karma members with a combined overall debt of more than $9.9 trillion. That’s almost the same as 2024’s year-over-year average debt gains (4.9%). However, in the last quart...
H-1B lottery history and data: Selection rates 2008-2026 Every year, thousands of skilled workers compete for a chance to work in the United States. This is the H-1B lottery. By law, the government can only approve 85,000 new H-1B visas each year: 65,000 for general workers and 20,000 for those with advanced degrees from a U.S. institution. The lottery was created to parcel out these limited slots. But the demand and the rules have shifted since its inception. Data on H-1B visas goes by fiscal...
South Carolina has spent $1.6M to combat its huge measles outbreak, and it’s not over yet South Carolina has spent an estimated $1.6 million so far on public health efforts to combat its huge measles outbreak, according to information the state’s health department provided to Healthbeat on March 4. The outbreak, which began with just five known cases in October, surged in January following the winter holidays, and has slowed in recent weeks. The total number of people infected in the out...
The science of dog food palatability: Why your pup loves certain foods Ever wonder why one dog inhales their bowl in seconds, while another sniffs at it and walks away? Dog food palatability, or what makes food delicious to your dog, isn’t simply about taste. It’s also about evolutionary biology, sensory perception, and nutritional chemistry working together. he closer a dog’s meal resembles real meat—which is in their DNA to consume as descendants of wolves—the more it aligns with how dogs...
The rising impact of character-focused education on academic performance Student performance in the classroom is rarely a one-size-fits-all metric. While we often lean on old assumptions about what drives results, a growing body of evidence suggests that our traditional obsession with strictly core academics might be missing the mark. The rise of character-focused education-an approach that prioritizes values to improve learning outcomes-is actively challenging the long-held wisdom of the past....
matimix // Shutterstock Highest-rated Class of 2026 women's basketball recruits from Alabama The college basketball recruiting class of 2026 is packed with elite talent, featuring a deep pool of skilled guards, versatile wings, and dominant centers. Top programs like UConn, Baylor, and South Carolina battled for commitments from the nation's best prospects, many of whom have showcased their abilities on the AAU circuit and in national events. With NIL deals playing an increasing role in...
Your brain can be trained, much like your muscles; a neurologist explains how to boost your brain health If you have ever lifted a weight, you know the routine: challenge the muscle, give it rest, feed it and repeat. Over time, it grows stronger. Of course, muscles only grow when the challenge increases over time. Continually lifting the same weight the same way stops working. It might come as a surprise to learn that the brain responds to training in much the same way as our muscles, even...
How the South Carolina measles outbreak grew from 5 to almost 1,000 cases The South Carolina measles outbreak is one of the largest in the United States in decades. It started with just five known cases in October, but by January exploded to 847 — becoming larger than last year’s deadly outbreak in Texas. As of March 10, the outbreak had further grown to 993 known cases. Along the way, hundreds of additional people in South Carolina — many of them children at schools with low vaccination rates...
What happens to your lawn in winter, and how to prepare for spring Winter in the United States can mean weeks — or even months — of subfreezing temperatures, dry winds, fluctuating snow cover, and ice accumulation. For homeowners, that means months of uncertainty about what’s happening beneath the surface of their lawn. The short answer: more than most people realize. Cool-season grasses like Kentucky bluegrass and tall fescue, and warm-season grasses like zoysia and Bermuda don’t simply...
Exploring the benefits of in-home care vs. nursing homes When an elderly loved one requires extra support, you have a big decision to make — do you go the in-home care or nursing home route? Both options have their benefits. We all want what’s best for our senior loved ones. While it’s a natural part of aging, senior care isn’t always something that families like to discuss. But having open discussions about care options can ensure quality of life for those who matter most. This guide by Vill...
‘Stage is shifting rapidly’ for high schools: Are states helping them keep up? The rise of artificial intelligence and other technology has traditional high schools scrambling to keep up, with states doing an uneven job of encouraging schools to embed critical thinking skills and offer students access to internships and college courses, according to a new report reviewed by The 74. Today’s world, the nonprofit XQ Institute argues in its new report The Future Is High School, “requires an entirely...
Why do I have heart palpitations after eating? If you've ever felt your heart racing or pounding after a meal, you're not alone. This sensation is known as heart palpitations, and while it can be alarming, typically it’s not a threat to your health. This common condition is often linked to what we eat. Whether it’s a special occasion like a holiday feast, or a quick snack, the foods we choose can have a significant impact on our heart's response. In this article, Northwell Health explores the...
The network of 38,000 inexpensive US lakefront campsites you've probably never heard of Ask most campers to name a federal campground system and they will say National Parks, maybe National Forests. Very few will say Army Corps of Engineers. That is a mistake. Outwander.com explains. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers operates the largest federal campground network in the country: 994 campgrounds across 226 lake projects in 37 states, with 38,552 individual campsites bookable through...
10 NCAA Tournament bracket strategy: Tips and trends to help you win your pool One of the country’s favorite traditions in sports is back at last. The 68-team 2026 NCAA Tournament bracket is set, and tens of millions will fill out their own brackets in the coming days, chasing bragging rights and the near-impossible perfect bracket across 67 games. With upsets on tap, Cinderellas emerging, and blue-blood programs chasing another national title, everyone is searching for an edge with their b...
Aging-in-place renovations surge as homeowners invest in safety and accessibility upgrades The conversation around America’s aging population usually focuses on the macro-level: rising healthcare costs and the future of social security. But in 2026, the most visible shift is happening inside the American home. We’re seeing a massive departure from the traditional move toward retirement communities. Instead, as this article from Five Star Bath Solutions explores, older adults are doubling dow...
States with the most remote workers and what that says about regional lifestyles Remote work is no longer just a COVID-19 pandemic-era experiment. It is a structural shift in how millions of Americans are earning a living and where they choose to live. While headlines often frame remote work as a national trend, the reality is far more uneven. Some states have embraced work-from-home as a defining feature of their labor markets, and others remain anchored in more traditional in-person...
8 maintenance mistakes homeowners will make this spring As a homeowner, routine home maintenance is a year-round obligation, especially with spring — a time to rejuvenate after winter and get ready for the summer — just around the corner. As you work through your seasonal spring home maintenance checklist, take care to avoid common mistakes that tend to spring up this time of the year. From cleaning out your gutters to having vital home systems — such as HVAC and plumbing — inspected, staying...
Are you about to have cataract surgery? Here’s what ophthalmologists say you need to know Cataract surgery is one of the most popular and commonly performed procedures in the world. The vast majority of patients have excellent outcomes with few complications, Allan Steigleman, a University of Florida ophthalmology professor, and Elizabeth M. Hofmeister, a surgery professor at Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, write for The Conversation. Here are the numbers: - By age 80, o...
7 small morning habits that make a big difference You know the feeling: When your morning starts off right, everything else just seems to flow. But when something feels off — you wake up groggy, skip a step in your routine or just feel rushed — it can be hard to recover. According to a new case study on morning routines conducted by Naturepedic in partnership with Talker Research, 49% of people say their morning routine plays a major role in shaping how the rest of their day goes. And for man...
5 budget-friendly travel destinations to add to your retirement bucket list Retirement is steadily becoming less of a time for slowing down and more of an opportunity to explore the world. According to AARP, travel remains one of the top priorities for retirees, with about 70% of adults age 50 and older planning trips in 2025, up from 65% the year before. Many retirees also expect to take multiple trips each year, even as cost remains their biggest travel concern. Below, Splitero explores...
Tikkyshop // Shutterstock Movies and TV shows casting in Birmingham The glitz and glam of Hollywood captures attention starting from an early age. Beyond celebrities' Instagram Stories and red carpet poses, there are actors out there paying their dues and honing their craft in pursuit of a sustainable career or a fulfilling sideline. Submitting to casting calls is a big part of that journey. Whether you're a working actor or an aspiring one, you might be curious to know which movies and TV...
sportoakimirka // Shutterstock Highest-rated Class of 2026 men's basketball recruits from Alabama From the roaring crowd to squeaking sneakers on the hardwood, high school basketball is a beloved American pastime. The sport's school roots date back to its 19th-century beginnings. After all, James Naismith invented basketball as a physical education activity. The concept of a state championship for high school basketball soon followed. Illinois, for example, held a state championship as early as...
Angela Lock // Shutterstock Most commonly seen birds in Alabama Stacker compiled a list of the most common birds seen near feeders in Alabama using data from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Project FeederWatch. Birds are ranked by the percent of sites visited from Feb. 28 to Mar. 13. Ties are broken by the average group size when seen, any further ties were not broken. Data was collected at 47 count sites in Alabama. States with less than 10 count sites were not included in rankings for each...
