Archive for October 2004

Dear Mr. Berko:

What can you tell me about a partnership called the Carlyle Group? I have been told that it is an extremely successful consulting, investment and advisory firm that each year has billions …

Volunteerism was a part of life for Joan and Lyle Middleton while growing up. They continued to foster that spirit in their adult lives and with their own children, creating an entire family of child …

I’m back! Much to my joy, I have been reinstated as a customer and a passenger on US Airways. As I write this, I’m on my maiden voyage from Bermuda to Washington, D.C., then on …

Even political junkies who love elections the way the paparazzi love celebrities and can’t pull themselves away from C-SPAN without serious withdrawal symptoms aren’t groaning that they wish the campaign season would last a few …

Look around Des Moines today, and you’ll probably see excitement. There is construction downtown, new businesses are opening all the time, and neighborhoods around the city are finding new life. Things seem to be looking …

Once again, female voters are in the spotlight of the 2004 presidential campaign, as candidates tailor their appeals to highlight issues thought to concern women; organizations encourage more women to vote; and the media conjure …

In many ways, work is never far from Dan Steen’s mind. Whether he’s laboring on a home improvement projects with his wife or traveling to visit one of his kids, many of the ways Steen …

Dear Mr. Berko:

I recently moved my account to a great broker at Merrill Lynch. Here’s my problem. I have 600 shares of Gateway computer. I recall buying 100 or 150 shares on the initial …

Jerry Pottorff’s interest in art began at a young age, as he became fascinated with shapes and colors. Though becoming an artist was never in his plans, he stayed close to creative endeavors. He graduated …

In his native Bosnia, Zuhdija (zoo-day) Napreljac helped each of his six brothers build their houses, and his family and friends pitched in to help build his house as well.

“My father was a bricklayer, …