Often, customer service fails to serve customer
The moment it left my lips, I regretted saying it. The sinking feeling, that followed my amateurish blunder, was only half of the price paid.

Salvage firms ask more time to max out 'clunkers'
It is hard to believe that, five months later, there is still something left in the Cash for Clunkers tank.

Entrepreneurs hopeful, even in tough times
The anonymous quote, "An optimist sees an opportunity in every calamity; a pessimist sees a calamity in every opportunity," is suited to our current economic situation.

Job cuts link those fired with those doing the firing
What do Oswego Village Administrator Gary Adams and Aurora Mayor Tom Weisner have in common with many municipal leaders across the country? This answer is the unenviable job of laying off workers and enforcing painful spending cuts.

Republican fiction writers are waiting in the wings
Last week, the Beacon-News published a three-part series on the Viewpoint page by Republican State Sen. Chris Lauzen of the 25th District.

Blessings delayed are not blessings denied
Suffering a recent bout of insomnia, I happened to turn on the television when baseball greats Joe Garagiola and Yogi Berra were reminiscing about their lifelong friendship. I am a fair-weather baseball fan, at best, but an admirer of both men. I am especially fond of Berra, whose witticisms have the ability to change the course of my day.

Political discourse heading toward the abyss
The election of this nation's first African American president has done little to improve civility between the races. Still, it is hard to believe that instead of "Hail to the Chief," we would be on the verge of hearing, "To hell with the chief."

Women's power luncheon has royalty on the menu
The Queen recently came to Aurora. You heard right, the Long Island Sound Banquets hosted royalty.

Internet top asset in news
No one knows who said it, but there is a great line where someone speaking about the newspaper industry said, "Never pick a fight with anyone who buys ink by the barrel and paper by the ton."