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November 2021
What’s in That Infrastructure Bill? 3 Things You Need to Know Politics is perhaps one of the most hotly contested topics in our nation today. It’s difficult to scroll through social media without seeing passionate arguments on either side of the aisle, and many of us avoid discussing it just to steer clear of the anger, resentment, and general unpleasantness. Just writing this article makes me sweat a little! According to CBS News, the bill includes funding for zero- and low-
emission buses for cities across the U.S., while also funding the addition of more public transit lines. It would also increase the number of electric vehicle charging stations, putting pressure on businesses to
However, the work our elected officials do — regardless of how divided they are — impacts so much of our daily lives, future, and financial freedom. We deserve to know, and should know, what Congress does. This summer’s actions were no different. In August, the U.S. Senate passed a $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill designed to upgrade many of America’s crumbling roads and systems. At the time of writing this cover letter, this bill was still being debated in the U.S. House of Representatives, but if passed, it could impact infrastructure for generations.
create more viable electric options for motorists. (In order to really see the green impacts, Forbes explains that manufacturers would also have to adapt how electric vehicles are manufactured to prevent a “robbing Peter to pay Paul” scenario.) Finally, CBS News also reports that the bill would fund updates to water and wastewater systems across the U.S. Many water pipes were built using lead-based materials, which can contaminate drinking water. The bill would also dedicate billions to cleaning up contamination from polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, “forever chemicals” that were used in firefighting foam and the production of Teflon. Additionally, the New York Times reports that billions of dollars could go toward other pollution cleanup strategies as well. MORE INTERNET ACCESS We live in a digital world, and without internet access, those in rural, tribal, and low-income communities become siloed out of everyday life. This bill would provide billions of dollars in grants to improve internet access in states that need it most. This could make schooling, business, research, and everyday life that much easier for those living in these communities. All of these updates are exciting endeavors that many of us can undoubtedly support. However, the question of where a portion of the funding for these projects will come from remains to be answered, the New York Times reported in August. For those concerned about their financial futures and protections, it’s a situation we are regularly monitoring. I know you want to see our country improve and grow, but the cost has to be fair, too. We will keep you updated as time progresses.
Here are three ways the bills could impact the growth of our nation.
IMPROVED ROADS AND BRIDGES As the bill’s name suggests, highways and bridges are some of the biggest targets of the bill. CBS News reported that about 173,000 miles of highways and 45,000 bridges currently operate in “poor condition,” which could result in tragic mishaps or structural failures if not corrected or fixed. However, this large need has little to do with neglect and more to do with timing. Experts point out that roads and bridges across the nation are failing at a higher rate because many were built during a period of rapid expansion. The need for repairs culminates as many reach the end of their life cycle. ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY OPTIONS As the need to go green increases, many individuals are examining the ways in which they can be better stewards of the Earth, and if this infrastructure bill becomes a reality, it may be easier to make “green” decisions.
As for how these updates will truly impact our nation, time will only tell. However, my hope is that this bill is the first step toward a future where bipartisanship is possible and the division is healed.
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(440) 720-0959 | 1 -Jeffrey Campbell
Why You Should Visit New England
During Your Thanksgiving Weekend Last year, travel restrictions kept many families from gathering together in their homes for Thanksgiving dinner. This year, it appears that people will be able to travel freely to most locations. While a “destination Thanksgiving” might not be something you’ve ever considered, for some families, it can mean the perfect blend of quality fun and family time in an exciting new city. So, why not take advantage and bring your family to visit New England, the part of the country where Thanksgiving began? If you need more reasons than just the origin of a famous holiday, consider the scenery. If you’ve never visited New England in the fall, it’s something that every person should do at least once in their lives. The variety of colors on display in the trees throughout the quaint downtowns and nearby forests is completely unique to that part of the country. There’s a reason that “visiting Boston in the fall” has become not only a popular vacation but also part of the American lexicon as well.
you just have to see for yourself. First and foremost among these are the Plimoth Patuxet Museums. When you visit, you’ll be transported back in time to one of the earliest settlements in the United States, where the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag people shared the first Thanksgiving dinner. Other fun destinations in that immediate area also include wandering the quaint historic downtowns of Ipswich, Sturbridge, or several other colonial era towns. You can also find tons of fun shopping destinations in Beverly, Massachusetts. If you want your experience to be a little more rural, you can travel out to Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire, or Woodstock, Vermont, to experience a true traditional Thanksgiving celebration at Billings Farm and Museum. Even though your family might not be used to traveling for Thanksgiving, how many opportunities will you have to visit Thanksgiving’s birthplace during the season? It’s the kind of vacation you don’t want to miss!
As for what you could do when you’re in New England for your Thanksgiving weekend, there are a few popular destinations
Comparison Shop Like a Champ During the Holiday Season
The holiday season can be expensive. Sure, you might describe this time of year with less cynical words like “magical” or “warm,” but unfortunately, most stores don’t accept magic or warmth as legal tender. Whether it be for gifts or for holiday meals and treats, most people want to get the most for their money while saving their time and energy. That’s what makes comparison shopping in the age of technology so worthwhile. In case you didn’t already guess its meaning, “comparison shopping” is simply when you compare prices of the same or similar products at different stores or online retailers. You’ve probably done comparison shopping without knowing you were doing it. However, once you truly embrace the concept, you can increase your savings. Plus, by using the bevy of online price comparison tools, you can do so without scrambling around to every store in town.
should also take a look at the return fees, in case these could drive the price up significantly.
Look at the per unit price for food. If you’re buying groceries for Thanksgiving dinner, sometimes the item that’s more expensive at face value is actually cheaper per unit. That can mean you’ll save money overall by buying in bulk. Be wary of markups. Black Friday can leave you feeling frenzied, and that’s not always when stores have their best deals. In fact, many of them mark up their prices (sometimes “discounting” them back to their regular price) in preparation for that day. It’s a good rule of thumb to be wary of massive “sales” at big retail locations.
If you want to know where you can compare prices, take a look at any one of these apps: Google Shopping, PriceGrabber, Shopping.com, Idealo, Shopzilla, BuyVia, NowDiscount, ScanLife, or ShopSavvy.
If you want to comparison shop like a champ this holiday season, here are a few general tips.
The best deal isn’t always the lowest price. If you’re buying gifts online, be sure to take shipping costs into account. They might end up making the cheaper option more expensive in the end. You
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FOOTBALL AND THANKSGIVING: A MATCH MADE IN MARKETING HEAVEN
Last year, 30.3 million people tuned in to watch the NFL’s Thanksgiving showdown between the Washington Football Team and the Dallas Cowboys. For those Americans (and probably for you if you’re reading this article), football is as essential to Thanksgiving as turkey and stuffing — but why?
As it turns out, there are two answers to that question. The first is that games have been played on the holiday for almost as long as it has officially existed. Thanksgiving became a holiday in 1863, and just six years later, the third American football game in history was played on it. According to SB Nation, the Young America Cricket Club and the Germantown Cricket Club faced off in that inaugural Thanksgiving game in Philadelphia, and football has been played on Thanksgiving pretty much ever since! When the NFL was founded in 1920, the Thanksgiving game was official from the get-go. The second reason we watch football on Thanksgiving is more about money than tradition. In 1934, a Detroit Lions coach, George A. Richards, decided that in order to attract more fans, his team would make a point to always play on Thanksgiving when most people were off work. To sweeten the pot, he committed his radio station (an affiliate of the NBC Blue Network) to broadcasting the Thanksgiving game live on 94 different stations across America. This idea was a hit from day one! According to Sporting News, the long-unloved Lions “not only sold out the stadium, they also had to turn people away at the gates.” In 1966, the Dallas Cowboys signed on to play every Thanksgiving, too, for similar publicity reasons. Since those early days, football-themed traditions have flourished in American families. Apart from watching games on TV, one of the most popular is organizing a pre-turkey game of family touch football a la the sitcom “Friends.” (Its famed episode “The One With the Football” aired Nov. 21, 1996.) If you’ve never organized a game, this could be your year! To get started, Google “Scott’s Family-Friendly Touch Football” and click the first link.
WAS ALEXANDER THE GREAT BURIED … ALIVE?!
Alexander the Great is most known for his hard-fought capture of land all across the globe after succeeding his father on Greece’s throne at just 20 years old. Today, the facts of his premature death are starting to piece together a curious puzzle for historians, because some now believe Alexander was buried alive. After 12 days of abdominal pain that led to a fever and paralysis, ancient Greek doctors couldn’t detect a breath from Alexander, and he was declared dead. His body was prepared for the afterlife, but he didn’t show signs of decomposition for six days. This only fed the belief that Alexander — like other rulers of his time — was part god. Dr. Katherine Hall of the University of Otago, New Zealand, believes this suggests Alexander wasn’t yet dead. In fact, he may have been suffering from a rare bacterial infection that attacks the nervous system and leads to paralysis, which could result in the lack of breath.
This is still a theory, so while we may not know exactly how Alexander died, some of the final pieces of the puzzle may fall into (an eerie) place.
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How the Infrastructure Bill Could Change Lives
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The Big Debate Surrounding Alexander the Great’s Death Football and Thanksgiving: A Match Made in Marketing Heaven Dog Dials 911 to Save His Owner Why You Should Visit New England for Thanksgiving Comparison Shop Like a Champ This Holiday Season
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HOW ONE DOG SAVED HIS OWNER By Dialing 911
when the pup was just 8 weeks old. Paws with a Cause trains assistance dogs, and after adopting him, Joe trained Buddy to dial 911 until an operator was on the line in the event that he had a seizure. A year and a half later, that training saved Joe’s life. One day, Joe began seizing when he was home alone with Buddy. Buddy rushed to the phone and dialed 911, whimpering to the dispatcher. Even if they don’t hear anyone on the line, dispatchers are required to send police. When police arrived at Joe’s home, they found him and Buddy, who was barking loudly. They took Joe to the nearby hospital, where in a few days, he made a full recovery. Some might say that Buddy was just following his training, but this heroic act goes far beyond just sitting and rolling over for treats. Even the veteran dispatchers hadn’t heard of a dog dialing 911 before.
Buddy knew it was his mission to keep his owner safe, and thankfully, he knew exactly what to do under pressure — because that’s what heroes do.
Dogs can be trained to obey a lot of commands: sit, stay, roll over, play dead. But how about“dial 911”? Well, that would probably be a foreign command for most dogs. Luckily, it wasn’t for Buddy, an 18-month-old German shepherd who remembered his training and saved his owner’s life. Joe Stalnaker of Scottsdale, Arizona, sustained a head injury during a military training exercise 10 years prior to the incident. Because of that injury, he suffered from seizures. Normally, a condition like that would make it unwise for him to live alone, but Stalnaker valued his independence and wanted to find a way to lead as normal a life as possible.
Joe adopted Buddy from a Michigan-based organization called Paws With a Cause
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