Debt

Mama said there'd be days like this. Days where the defensive line's relentless pursuit wins more battles than the uber-athleticism of the receiving corps. Days where the game-controlling freaks are Peppers and Idonije, not Marshall and Jeffery. Days where you win by double figures because you held the opponent without a touchdown, not because your offense scored five. The Bears dusted off their run-stuffing, quarterback-pasting franchise identity during their 23-6 win over the St. Louis Rams, grinding St. Looie quarterback Sam Bradford into the ground like a cigarette on the sidewalk.

I often fill this space up with defenses of President Obama's policies because for the most part, I agree with them or understand the line he's trying to walk whether in regards to taxes or war or health care or any other matter. In the case of the fiscal cliff deal and the impending need for congress to raise the debt ceiling, however, let's just say I hope the President knows what he's doing. I didn't have a problem with him caving a bit by raising the amount of money individuals have to make in order to be in the restored Clinton-era tax bracket.

Matthew Patrick says dating with student loan debt requires ingenuity, flexibility and planning. A good pasta dish recipe doesn't hurt, either. "I've learned how to cook, which is a good thing," the 28-year-old Rogers Park resident said. "It's a lot about being creative and knowing how to work around the whole money situation. " Perhaps it helps people like Patrick to know that in that money situation, they're far from alone. A recent UPI news analysis of Federal Reserve data found that 19.1 percent of households had student loan debt in 2010.

Today I launch my official campaign to get Bruce Springsteen on the $1 Trillion coin that President Obama will have to have the Treasury mint and deposit at the Fed. Let me first say that while it is certainly a preposterous idea to mint a trillion dollar coin so that the government can pay its bills, the more preposterous idea is to keep playing games of chicken with the debt ceiling every two years and allowing the Jihadi wing of the Republican party...

I often fill this space up with defenses of President Obama's policies because for the most part, I agree with them or understand the line he's trying to walk whether in regards to taxes or war or health care or any other matter. In the case of the fiscal cliff deal and the impending need for congress to raise the debt ceiling, however, let's just say I hope the President knows what he's doing. I didn't have a problem with him caving a bit by raising the amount of money individuals have to make in order to be in the restored Clinton-era tax bracket.

I rarely get into relationships, however, one night I met a girl and we instantly became girlfriends. Now I've been trying to backtrack and play the "getting to know you game. " She mentioned she was in debt, which was initially a complete turn off seeing as how I love money and despise all people with poor spending habits. And when I questioned her about why she was in debt, she got very defensive and basically said it was none of my business. I think it is my business, especially if she has some sort of gambling or drug problem she hides.

Party's on in Tampa! Well, as soon as Isaac blows through, it is. For years, I've heard from seasoned vets that if you ever get a chance to go to a national political convention - go! The energy is electrifying, they say. The personalities you come across are magnetic, and there are tons of amazing-looking singles there partying every night. So when I was offered the opportunity to work at this week's Republican National Convention in Florida, I jumped at the chance. Plenty of Millennials like me will be in attendance, either working backstage or in the crowd...

Today I launch my official campaign to get Bruce Springsteen on the $1 Trillion coin that President Obama will have to have the Treasury mint and deposit at the Fed. Let me first say that while it is certainly a preposterous idea to mint a trillion dollar coin so that the government can pay its bills, the more preposterous idea is to keep playing games of chicken with the debt ceiling every two years and allowing the Jihadi wing of the Republican party...

The setup: After filing for bankruptcy, Nadya Suleman, aka Octomom, told CNN she'd be open to doing a porn film to pay the bills. YES Quit lying to the people, Wilkins. You know damn well you and everyone else in the country will watch this, not because it piques any sexual desire, but because it belongs to history: the absolute nadir of our culture. We are obliged as Americans to view it. A woman who got famous because she insisted on giving birth to eight children and then subsequently went bankrupt, only to decide to settle her debts by appearing in pornography will...

At the end of the premiere of "The Mob Doctor" ( 8 p.m. Sept. 17, Fox; 2 stars out of 4 ), the title character is offered a free pass on a mob debt, but she must leave her hometown of Chicago to earn it. If only Dr. Grace Devlin (Jordana Spiro) would take the pass. Roosevelt Medical Center's top resident wouldn't have to perform life-saving surgeries and then run out to pull screwdrivers out of the heads of low-level thugs. She wouldn't have to call out her hospital superiors (Zeljko Ivanek, others)

So, in case you missed it, "Goosebumps" turned 20 this year. I know, right? The children's book series about strange monsters, eerie grown-ups, cursed tchotchkes and the relentless ability of 12-year-olds everywhere to overcome these obstacles was first published in July 1992. Ermahgerd! Scholastic says all those titles from R.L. Stine - who, by the way, has a new book out for 20- and 30-somethings called "Red Rain" that drops Tuesday - put it in the pantheon as one of the best-selling children's series of all time.

Mama said there'd be days like this. Days where the defensive line's relentless pursuit wins more battles than the uber-athleticism of the receiving corps. Days where the game-controlling freaks are Peppers and Idonije, not Marshall and Jeffery. Days where you win by double figures because you held the opponent without a touchdown, not because your offense scored five. The Bears dusted off their run-stuffing, quarterback-pasting franchise identity during their 23-6 win over the St. Louis Rams, grinding St. Looie quarterback Sam Bradford into the...

At the end of the premiere of "The Mob Doctor" ( 8 p.m. Sept. 17, Fox; 2 stars out of 4 ), the title character is offered a free pass on a mob debt, but she must leave her hometown of Chicago to earn it. If only Dr. Grace Devlin (Jordana Spiro) would take the pass. Roosevelt Medical Center's top resident wouldn't have to perform life-saving surgeries and then run out to pull screwdrivers out of the heads of low-level thugs. She wouldn't have to call out her hospital superiors (Zeljko Ivanek, others)

Matthew Patrick says dating with student loan debt requires ingenuity, flexibility and planning. A good pasta dish recipe doesn't hurt, either. "I've learned how to cook, which is a good thing," the 28-year-old Rogers Park resident said. "It's a lot about being creative and knowing how to work around the whole money situation. " Perhaps it helps people like Patrick to know that in that money situation, they're far from alone. A recent UPI news analysis of Federal Reserve data found that 19.1 percent of households had student loan debt in 2010.

Party's on in Tampa! Well, as soon as Isaac blows through, it is. For years, I've heard from seasoned vets that if you ever get a chance to go to a national political convention - go! The energy is electrifying, they say. The personalities you come across are magnetic, and there are tons of amazing-looking singles there partying every night. So when I was offered the opportunity to work at this week's Republican National Convention in Florida, I jumped at the chance. Plenty of Millennials like me will be in attendance, either working backstage...

The setup: After filing for bankruptcy, Nadya Suleman, aka Octomom, told CNN she'd be open to doing a porn film to pay the bills. YES Quit lying to the people, Wilkins. You know damn well you and everyone else in the country will watch this, not because it piques any sexual desire, but because it belongs to history: the absolute nadir of our culture. We are obliged as Americans to view it. A woman who got famous because she insisted on giving birth to eight children and then subsequently went bankrupt, only to decide to settle...

So, in case you missed it, "Goosebumps" turned 20 this year. I know, right? The children's book series about strange monsters, eerie grown-ups, cursed tchotchkes and the relentless ability of 12-year-olds everywhere to overcome these obstacles was first published in July 1992. Ermahgerd! Scholastic says all those titles from R.L. Stine - who, by the way, has a new book out for 20- and 30-somethings called "Red Rain" that drops Tuesday - put it in the pantheon as one of the best-selling children's series of all time.

Hey, fellow college-educated and degree-aspiring Americans: happy $1 Trillion Student Debt Day! Today is the day (approximately) that American student loan debt finally passes $1 trillion, having already passed credit card debt as the number one form of consumer debt last year. Now the interest rate on Stafford loans is set to double from 3.4% to 6.8%, which according to the White House will effectively straddle over 7 million borrowers with $1,000 each on average. Many factors and actors have fueled the student loan debt bubble, but its...

Hey, fellow college-educated and degree-aspiring Americans: happy $1 Trillion Student Debt Day! Today is the day (approximately) that American student loan debt finally passes $1 trillion, having already passed credit card debt as the number one form of consumer debt last year. Now the interest rate on Stafford loans is set to double from 3.4% to 6.8%, which according to the White House will effectively straddle over 7 million borrowers with $1,000 each on average. Many factors and actors have fueled the student loan debt bubble, but its similarity to the sub-prime mortgage bubble probably...

I rarely get into relationships, however, one night I met a girl and we instantly became girlfriends. Now I've been trying to backtrack and play the "getting to know you game. " She mentioned she was in debt, which was initially a complete turn off seeing as how I love money and despise all people with poor spending habits. And when I questioned her about why she was in debt, she got very defensive and basically said it was none of my business. I think it is my business, especially if she has some sort of gambling or drug problem she hides.