From a young age, we teach our children the importance of taking responsibility for their actions and cleaning up after themselves when they make a mess. We should expect the same from the oil and gas industry working in New Mexico.

But for far too long, antiquated policies under the current leasing system have left our families on the hook to pay to clean up messes left behind by bankrupt oil and gas companies – messes involving orphaned wells with decaying and leaking infrastructure that can pollute our air and water. This has robbed our communities of tax dollars that could have been put to use improving our children’s classrooms, and our hospitals and roadways.

Thankfully...

Americans like being the best at things. We’re the best at baseball, jazz, freedom, national parks—pretty much anything Ken Burns has already covered. Yes, living in the Land of Opportunity is glorious. Now, I’d like to award us (and, by us, I mean U.S.) a super-sized gold medal for smashing words together more efficiently than anyone else in the world.

Because Americans value efficiency, we combine multiple words into one super word. One way we do this is through contractions.

Don’t worry—I’m not talking about the kind of contractions that lead to babies. I’m talking about combining two words to make one short word. These words include don’t (do not), we’ve (we...

The power of diversified portfolios with annuities

Regarding your retirement, few things are more exciting than picturing all the relaxing beach vacations, meaningful family time, and newfound hobbies you might enjoy. But here’s the catch: to make these dreams a reality, you’ve got to have the financial stability to back them up. Enter the world of diversified retirement portfolios.

First, let’s decode the term “diversified retirement portfolio.” Imagine a jigsaw puzzle. It has many pieces that contribute to the complete picture. Similarly, a diversified retirement portfolio combines different investment vehicles that provide income for your golden years.

Why is it so...

I don’t know much about street art. I’m no graffitist (a person who does graffiti), but I do know that to “tag” something is when someone quickly spray paints a surface, or it can indicate how a graffiti artist signs his/her work. I know I’m breaking down basic graffiti terms mostly to win points with the Gen Z crowd. You can take that one to the Banksy!

I appreciate clothing companies that have stopped adding tags to their shirts. Instead of adding the tag, they print the size and washing instructions directly on the inside of the shirt. Just like that—no more back-of-the-neck irritation!

I’m glad someone finally figured that out. If there’s a sartorial equivalent of...