Today, many Americans are feeling nervous about opening an envelope they used to look forward to — their 401(k) or individual retirement account (IRA) statements.
This past year was particularly difficult for the financial markets. To put it in perspective, the nation has not seen this type of unstable financial environment in 80 years. No matter what type of assets you hold in your 401(k) or IRA, more than likely they have fallen in value during the past year. That is why it is important to allocate your assets in a variety of investment types.
Asset allocation gives you the opportunity to lessen your overall portfolio risk. Investing in broad groups, such as stocks, bonds, commodities and Real Estate Investment Trusts may have lower risk than putting it all in one asset type. Generally, one of these investment types is going up in value, or holding its value, when others may be going down in value during a business cycle. That is the basis of diversification. Investors then trim gains and re-invest the proceeds periodically to take advantage of varying price moves for the long-term betterment of their portfolios.
We at Fifth Third Private Bank have heard from many clients saying they have lost sleep because of their 401(k) or IRA accounts. The assets to help them retire five, 10 or 20 years down the road are now worth substantially less. In an attempt to recoup some of the value of their assets, they re-allocate often in reaction to the markets and hope for the best.
However, that type of “trading on emotion” is one of the most common mistakes individual investors can make during this time. Investors will try anything to stop the hemorrhaging. Unfortunately, there is no quick fix in restoring confidence to financial markets, which has been eroding over the past two years. Patience is truly a virtue during a period of contraction.
Now is the time to go back to the basics with your 401(k) or IRA account. Given the stress of the financial market, it is advisable to take another look at your overall financial plan and how your 401(k) or IRA fits into it.
* Step back and look at your time horizon. When do you want to retire? With your 401(k) or IRA losses will you have to add another three, four or five years to that horizon in order for your assets to rise in value?
* Look at your risk tolerance. How much are you willing to risk? If you are up at night fretting about how much you have invested, you are risking too much. Seek to comfort yourself mentally by incrementally shifting your asset allocation to calm yourself.
* Look at your asset allocation ranges. A conservative rule of thumb is to hold your age in fixed income securities. For example, a 40 year-old should invest 60 percent in equities and 40 percent in fixed income. Conversely, a 60 year-old should invest 40 percent in equities and 60 percent in fixed income. This is only a general guideline; a different allocation may better suit your specific situation.
* Have a deliberate rebalancing approach in mind. At Fifth Third Private Bank, we are finding most people are falling into two categories – trading just to trade or not trading at all. Seek to rebalance your portfolio on a semi-annual or annual basis to instill discipline in your investment decisions and take advantage of the benefits of diversification.
Finally, do not hesitate to ask for advice. A qualified financial planner/professional should give individual investors professional, unbiased assistance that will help them through business and investment cycles. We believe the next few years will likely see a re-incarnation of the markets and the financial system and a wealth management adviser should be able to help you make the most of it.
Once again, these financial times are extremely unique. Being deliberate and incremental in decisions involving asset allocation will help individual investors sleep a little easier during turbulent market conditions.

Stephen M. Sherline, CFP is senior vice president and director, Fifth Third Private Bank.
Fifth Third Private Bank is a division of Fifth Third Bank offering banking, investment and insurance products and services. Fifth Third Bancorp provides access to investments and investment services through various subsidiaries. Investments and investment services: Are not FDIC insured; offered no bank guarantee; may lose value; are not insured by any federal government agency; are not insured by any federal government agency; and are not a deposit. Insurance products are made available through Fifth Third Insurance Agency Inc. Fifth Third does not provide tax, legal or accounting advice. Please contact your tax advisor, accountant or attorney for advice pertaining to your personal situation. Asset allocation does not assure or guarantee better performance and cannot eliminate the risk of investment loss.

The face of modern art is ever- changing. Nowhere is that more evident than the Toledo Museum of Art (TMA). The TMA’s latest exhibition “Look What’s New!” offers a rare exploration into the world of art acquisitions. The exhibit, which highlights more than 1,100 original works of art acquired since the museum’s centennial anniversary in 2001, will open Feb. 27.
“We’ve been thinking about putting this exhibit together for quite some time. We want our patrons to know that we are actively out in the marketplace collecting. We really do have very little in storage, and when we buy a piece it is with the intent to display it,” said Exhibit Co-Curator Jutta Page.
Page, who put together the exhibition with Lawrence W. Nichols, the museum’s curator of European paintings and sculptures before 1900, worked with an intern to find out everything the museum had collected in recent years.
“The most difficult part of the process of putting together an exhibit of this size, which takes works from every part of the museum, is making sure that it retains a clear focus. You have also to examine conservation issues, such as sensitivity to light, which was a real concern with our collection of drawings. Other pieces, such as some of the works of Japanese art, were just very difficult to move into a space like the Canaday Gallery and were best suited where they already were,” Page said.
While the majority of the works in the exhibition have been placed in the Canaday Gallery and the Graphic Arts corridor, the exhibit is truly wide-reaching into all of the galleries, including the outdoor Georgia and David K. Welles Sculpture Garden and the Glass Pavilion. Gallery 18 has been designated for the installation of works of art acquired during the run of the exhibition. Labeled “Look What’s Really New,” this gallery invites visitors to watch the collection “grow” over multiple visits. The exhibition will also feature talks by a number of the museum’s curators.
To go along with the exhibit, the museum has decided to publish a book of the highlighted works, which will be available for purchase in March. There will also be an exhibition celebration/80s party on from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. March 6 Admission is free for museum members and $15 for non-members. The exhibit will be on display through May 31.
For more information, visit www.toledomuseum.org.

A local author is guiding single mothers through the next phase of their lives: the empty nest years.
Michele Howe’s “Still Going It Alone” is a follow-up to “Going It Alone: Meeting the Challenges of Being a Single Mom.” In her newest book, Howe addresses topics like adjusting to a quieter home; helping children make marriage and relationship decisions; caring for aging parents; and considering remarriage.
Two of her closest friends became single moms 15 years ago and were thrust into single parenthood, career changes and financial issues. Since then, her friends’ children are almost grown, but the challenges never go away. They morph and change. This is what she addresses in “Still Going It Alone,” mothering with faith and finesse when the children have grown.
Even though Howe is married with four children, she relates to what she writes. She is at a midpoint in her own life and basic heart issue issues like caring for parents and kids leaving home are common married and single women.
“It is so gratifying to come along with them and say you are not alone and you are feeling what everyone else is feeling,” she said.
As single moms, her friends made a choice to focus on parenting their children and now that they are grown, they are open to remarriage.
“Not everyone chooses that … they have accepted their lives and made hard and good choices,” Howe said.
Howe also wrote “Prayers to Nourish a Woman’s Heart,” and writes a weekly lifestyle column, “Embracing Life’s Curves.” “Still Going It Alone” was published by Hendrickson Publishers.

At 6 feet 9 inches, UT forward/center Justin Anyijong may stand closer to the basket than most players, but the sophomore said he still has his “ups and downs.” Anyijong overcame an early-season slump to become a productive shooter, and his height had little to do with the turnaround.

Justin Anyijong

“Yes, I am tall,” he said, “but I’m always giving up weight [to opposing centers]. I have to use my quickness and athletic ability. I struggled shooting the first couple of games during the year and couldn’t make shots. Some games were like 3 of 15 or 1 of 11, and just lately I have my shooting percentage way up. Those are the ups — my shooting percentage being high and making shots for the team.”
His career took an upswing long ago and far away. His family moved to the United States from Khartoum, Sudan, when Anyijong was a young child. At 12 years old in Grand Rapids, Mich., he was invited to join a youth basketball program. His ability to block shots and defend opponents quickly drew attention, eventually from college recruiters who offered him a full scholarship with the Rockets.
And while he credits the United Nations for helping his parents immigrate to the states, he attributes his on-court success solely to his fellow Rocket cagers.
“I have to give credit to my teammates and the coaches, who just kept on having faith in me, and that gave me a lot of confidence,” Anyijong added. “So once you earn your teammates’ trust and your coaches’ trust, your confidence is going to always rise up.
“There’s been a couple ups and downs, but it seems like I’ve come a long way and I’ve started picking it up and learning more about what’s going on and understanding my position and my [role on] the team.”
With two more seasons ahead of him, Anyijong has time to leave his legacy in Rocket history. Each year, he gains strength through off-season workouts, hoping to level the playing field against bigger — but not necessarily taller — players he squares off against on the court.
His academic studies are developing as well, although he hasn’t committed to a major. For now, Anyijong said he’s sticking to general studies with his main goal to walk away with a degree. He emphasized that his college career focuses on preparing him for a future in which basketball may or may not be on his list of things to do.
“Basketball is something I love doing,” he said. “And after I graduate — I just want to get my degree — and if teams out there are willing to pay me to play basketball, I’m willing to do it.”

Local high school students aspiring to become engineers embraced opportunities to examine that profession during National Engineers Week.

From left, Travis Rhodes, Katie Puffenberger, Relana Reid, Brian Randoph, Kyle Crayne.

About 230 students from 29 area high schools participated in “Engineer for a Day” on Feb. 18 at UT’s College of Engineering. The students toured the college, learned about educational opportunities and were paired with local professional engineers for the afternoon.
Relana Reid, a senior at Scott High School, plans to enroll at UT in the fall to study electrical engineering.
“I like to work with my hands, find out how things work by taking them apart and putting them back together,” Reid said.
Reid spent the afternoon with Katie Puffenberger, an engineer with Jones & Henry Engineers in Toledo.  Kyle Crayne, a senior at Springfield High School, spent the afternoon with Travis Rhodes, a design engineer with The Mannick & Smith Group of Maumee. Crayne has declared his major in engineering at Michigan State University.
Attracting students to engineering fields is important for the future of business, despite an estimated 2 million engineers practicing in the United States.
A shortage of as many as 70,000 engineers is possible by 2010, according to the National Science Foundation and the National Academy of Sciences.
The American Society for Quality reports that a career in engineering is not commonly considered by most preteens and teenagers. In fact, 85 percent of students surveyed were not interested in pursuing an engineering degree.
The median annual salary for all engineers in the United States increased 5 percent from $75,000 in 2006 to $79,000 in 2008, according to a survey conducted by the National Society of Professional Engineers. The median annual salary for engineers in the Toledo area is $79,480. In some regions of the United States, the median salary is as high as $89,000.
“The profession of engineering is about innovations to improve the quality of life in our society,” said Nagi Naganathan, dean of UT’s College of Engineering. “National Engineers Week not only recognizes the accomplishments of engineering professionals, but also highlights the relevance and importance of the profession in our everyday lives.”
SSOE, ranked eighth largest among the nation’s engineering and architectural firms, hosted 30 students Feb. 18 as part of Engineer for a Day. Students from Notre Dame Academy, Tiffin Columbian and the Monroe County Intermediate School District learned what it takes to become an engineer.
SSOE officials discussed the company’s student co-op program that is considered an important source for hiring new engineers. The company has doubled in size since 2004, posting its largest revenue ever in 2008 and is predicting additional growth in 2009.
“We have numerous job openings throughout the country for positions averaging $60,000 a year. Clearly, engineering remains a solid profession and an exciting career path,” said Donald Warner, chairman of Toledo’s Engineers Week, who is a senior account executive with SSOE.
“We made a strategic decision to engage students in the work force at SSOE by giving them a chance to work at the firm through co-op programs and hiring many of them after graduation. The increase in youthful presence has invigorated the older work force,” Warner said.
Engineering students at UT are required to work in their field of study while in college. The degree requires three semesters of co-op work for undergraduates in all engineering fields except for engineering technologies.
The students work 40 hours a week in engineering-related jobs with companies for three semesters beginning in the sophomore year of their four and one-half years of study.
“It’s an awesome opportunity and program for the students,” said Vickie Kuntz, director of the Engineering Career Management Center at UT.
“Many companies look at the co-op program as a recruiting tool and rotate several students to have someone working fulltime and year-round. Some students are offered full-time positions by the firms after graduation.”
In other engineering news:
The 2009 Engineer and Young Engineer of the Year Awards were presented at a lunch banquet Feb. 16.  C. Michael Smith was named 2009 Engineer of the Year recognizing his 30-plus years in the profession.

I walked away from our conversation, irritated and annoyed, unable to grasp the reasoning behind my coworker Jason’s apathy. I did not understand how someone could just not care. I had described several dire and apocalyptic political circumstances if he and other people were to remain apathetic, but after all my effort, Jason remained steadfast in his political abstinence. I sarcastically shot at him, “If the Republic fails, it will be your fault,” and he shrugged.
I remembered the same irritated feelings that assailed me and my wife after an earlier failed petitioning experience. The feeble reasons to avoid signing my petition included, “I just don’t get involved in politics,” to which I would mentally reply, “Politics certainly involves you whether you choose to participate or not.” Simply by existing we are political beings, and sitting out is a politically ignorant move. Or is it?
In November of 2008, according to Dr. Michael McDonald at George Mason University, only 61.5 percent of the voting age population actually cast a ballot for president. With a war waging, a sagging economy, and myriad pressing issues, 38.5 percent of the United States’ voting population did not vote. The 38.5 percent ignored the campaigns and the media, as the apathetic sidestepped the get-out-the-vote campaigns.
In the light of my conversation with Jason, the 38.5 percent who chose not to participate last November is a depressing statistic. But, is the fact that people who do not care do not vote really an issue? Is voter apathy a good thing?
In the 1796 and 1800 elections, turnout of eligible voters — white land-owning males — was dismal. The 1790s was one of the most tumultuous decades our country has ever faced, with the United States Constitution being ratified only a couple years prior to the decade. The elections were important and pivotal to the future of the young Republic, yet only 30 to 40 percent of eligible voters cast a ballot.
An awfully low turnout resulted in the election of John Adams in 1796 and 1800, a great man and president whose fingerprints were all over the successful American Experiment. Low voter turnout did not result in disastrous electoral results.
The focus should not be on the percentage of voters that turnout. In 1930 and 1932 Germany, voter turnout percentage that put Adolf Hitler’s party in power was above 80 percent. The turnout was actually higher than elections in the 1920s, as the Nazis arguably pioneered modern political campaigning. The Nazis were effective at getting out the vote and taking advantage of the 1920s failed government — the Weimar Republic.
This fall, Toledoans will head to their polling locations to vote for mayor. A few candidates have already entered the race, while others are testing the water. I implore all those who are apathetic or uninformed to stay home and not vote. Last mayoral election in 2005 less than 80,000 out of 200,000 eligible voters voted. Three-fifths of Toledo did not vote, and we ended up with a national embarrassment on the 22nd floor at One Government Center. Without an educated electorate, Toledo will not get anywhere, and jobs will continue to flee.
If one is not going to take the time to thoroughly educate himself beyond what he sees on the local news stations, he does not belong at the polling place. The number of people that shows up to vote does not matter if the majority does not understand what they are voting for.
Large electoral turnout does not guarantee wonderful electoral results — Germans are still living down the wretched legacy Hitler left. A dismal voter turnout in 1796 and 1800 America resulted in the election of a great president and Founding Father, John Adams.
I beg more people to follow my coworker’s apathetic example. If you do not care, and if you do not educate yourself, please do not vote.

Tom Morrissey is a Lucas County resident and lifelong Toledoan.

By Amy N. Swanson

In his State of the State address, Ohio Governor Ted Strickland pledged to provide all Ohio children with access to health coverage. His vision is commendable. Thanks to reauthorization of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur supported and President Barack Obama signed into law on February 4, it is closer to becoming a reality.

CHIP already provides coverage for approximately 230,000 Ohio kids each year, but at last count, Ohio was still home to approximately 154, 000 uninsured children. These days, that number grows with each new round of layoffs, plant closings and cutbacks in employer coverage. Each challenge creates new obstacles for uninsured kids and families. Despite the economic crisis, however, real solutions for each group of uninsured children are well within our reach:

Counting on Our Commitment: Governor Strickland has pledged to fulfill the General Assembly’s 2007 bipartisan commitment to cover uninsured children in families with incomes between 200%-300% of the federal poverty level. Fulfilling that commitment would cover at least 35,000 uninsured children in this income range — a number that grows as parents lose jobs, the cost of private health insurance skyrockets and the cost of dependent coverage becomes increasingly prohibitive for more small businesses and entrepreneurs.

Federal roadblocks delayed implementation of coverage for these children, but now the barriers have been lifted and the expansion will be paid for by federal CHIP funds at a rate of about 72 ½¢ per dollar and by the premiums that families will pay to enroll their children. Moving swiftly to cover these additional children is an investment in the health of Ohio’s children and the financial stability of working families, many of whom are just one emergency room visit away from bankruptcy or foreclosure.

Eligible but Unenrolled: About 105,000 of Ohio’s uninsured children already meet the requirements for Medicaid/CHIP coverage but are not enrolled. The bulk of these kids remain uninsured because their parents have been left in the dark. Medicaid/SCHIP does relatively little promotional outreach and even less advertising. Community-based outreach efforts need much more funding to find and reach families in communities that are isolated by geography, poverty, or language barriers. So it is no surprise that many parents of eligible children have never heard of the program, do not know that their children are eligible, or have no idea how to apply.

The stimulus package just passed by Congress provides additional Medicaid funds for states to cover many of these already-eligible children. Ohio can also make use of outreach funding in the new CHIP bill to step up its promotional efforts. Enrolling more of these children can also make Ohio eligible for additional federal funds offered as enrollment incentives in the new CHIP law.

Trapped by Red Tape: Some Ohio children remain uninsured, even though their parents know about Medicaid/CHIP and have done their best to enroll them. These parents’ hands are tied by the system’s red tape, and their children go uninsured as a result. Some parents wait weeks or months for coverage decisions. Others must apply over and over again as applications vanish into the bureaucratic void. And others are frustrated by confusing and sometimes repetitive requests for documents. These children are entirely eligible, but red tape keeps them uninsured.

The new CHIP program provides incentives for states to cut red tape and streamline enrollment processes in specific ways. Ohio has made a good start on implementing these reforms, but even more cost-effective and efficient measures are possible.

Out of Reach
Even once the reforms outlined above are implemented, some of Ohio’s uninsured children will remain out of reach. About 20,000 live in middle-income families whose parents typically cannot buy insurance because of their employment situation or due to serious and costly medical conditions that make private coverage unaffordable or impossible to get. Ohio’s program for chronically ill children in middle-income families can be redesigned to cover a broader range of kids and provide an economic lifeline for the families who struggle to care for them.

Thanks to CHIP, the stimulus package, and bipartisan support in Columbus, Ohio can see the finish line in children’s coverage. In these tough economic times, access to coverage for all children is essential to stabilizing Ohio’s working families. What’s more, keeping our commitment to cover all children will pay off when today’s kids grow up healthy, take their places as productive citizens and become the workforce we need for a brighter future in Ohio.

Amy N. Swanson is executive director, Voices for Ohio’s Children

The United Way of Greater Toledo celebrated the success of its 2008 campaign at its annual meeting. With the support of nearly 40,000 donors and over $13,500,000 in funds raised, there was much to praise.

Local businesses receiving the top award for combined corporate and employee giving of $500,000 or more were Owens Corning, O-I and the Andersons.

Kim Sidwell, vice president resource development and Steve Krull, 2008 campaign chairperson, announce leadership donors at the United Way Annual Meeting.

Companies that through their corporate gift and employee campaign, pledged between 100,000 and 499,999 dollars to United Way received the Pillars designation. These companies included: Toledo Council of Newspaper and The Blade; Bowling Green State University; BP-Husky Refining LLC; Chrysler Foundation, Toledo North Assembly Plant and UAW Local 12 and Toledo Machining Plant and UAW Local 1435; City of Toledo; Dana Holding Corporation; Fifth Third Bank; First Solar; GM Powertrain Group General Motors Corporation and UAW Local 14; HCR Manor Care; KeyBank; Kroger Company and UFCW Local 911; Libbey Inc. and AFGWU Local 700, AFGWU Local 65, GMPPAW Local 59, IAMAW Lodge 105; Lucas County Offices and Affiliated Unions; Mercy Health Partners; Pilkington and USWA Local 9; ProMedica Health System; SSOE, Inc.; Sunoco, Inc. and PACE 5-912; Toledo Edison/A First Energy Company and IBEW Local 245, IBEW Local 1413, IBEW Local 1194, and Office and Professional Local 19; UPS, and The University of Toledo and University of Toledo Retirees.

The annual meeting also launched United Way’s Agenda for Change. The Agenda focuses on the basic things people need for a good life: a quality education that leads to a stable job, income that can support a family through retirement, and good health. The Agenda directs the United Way’s community giving and support.

“We are incredibly excited about the new Agenda and are confident it moves our community in the right direction,” said Bill Kitson, United Way CEO. “Unfortunately, we aren’t going to be able do everything we hoped right up front.”

Kitson said that in the first year of the launch, because of the current state of the economy, United Way will need to do more in the line of basic needs. In subsequent years it will intensify its focus on the root causes of problems. The ultimate goal, to develop long lasting solutions that prevent problems from happening in the first place, has not changed.

The Epilepsy Center recently hosted its annual “Practically a Golf Tournament,” (PAGT) which is a unique miniature golf tournament featuring 9 holes and a special 10th hole. Each hole had its own theme and was designed by an area architect/designer and built by volunteers. The golf tournament was indoors at Westfield Franklin Park with golfers teeing off at different times throughout the 4-day event.

A new hole this year built by Arthur Hills/Steve Forrest and Associates. It was designed in a fashion that made a hole in one impossible for all participants. The Arthur Hills team also took top honors in tournament play winning in the corporate round for the fourth time in the history of the PAGT.

The Epilepsy Center’s Krista Nieman hopes the event will raise at least $5,000 to benefit individuals living with epilepsy in northwest Ohio.

Upcoming Events

Feb. 26 All Star Celebrity Sports Auction. Make-a-Wish of Northwest Ohio will host its 15th annual dinner and sports auction. In addition to a speech from a Wish Child, the father and son team of James and Joe Laurinaitis will speak. James is an All America linebacker, a Butkus Award winner at Ohio State and is a finalist for this year’s Lombardi Award. Joe is a professional wrestler. Tickets are $150. See northwestohio.wish.org or call (419) 244-9474 for more information.

Mar. 14 Wine Tasting and Art Auction. Waterville Chamber of Commerce will partner with the Muscular Dystrophy Association as they host the 9th annual dinner event. Individual tickets are $50 or $90 per couple. Call (419) 878-5188 or visit watervillechamber.com for more information.

Christine Senack is a Toledo-based consultant helping non-profit organizations and businesses work smarter together for the greater good of our community. Connect with her on www.facebook.com or follow at www.twitter.com/csenack.

“My Children! My Africa!” is a play about race relations in Africa during the South African Apartheid. Although the Apartheid has long since ended, this play has much to say about race relations and ending violence today. In this play, Thami (Charles Dent) and Isabel (Katrina Milnes), two African students, become friends. Under the direction of their teacher, Mr. M. (Dean Bryson), they decide to enter an English literature competition. As violence from Apartheid protests escalates, Thami feels torn between helping an anti-Apartheid group known as “the comrades,” and the people who care for him. BGSU’s latest production of Athol Fugard’s “My Children! My Africa!” was thought-provoking.

The set was a standard classroom. A circular platform was in the center of the stage. On this platform were a desk and three chairs. On either side of the stage was a wooden desk. White light was used to light the classroom and spotlight the characters. Red light was used to set a dark mood for a violent scene. The books on the center desk symbolized knowledge and the power of words. A small bell on this desk symbolized old-fashioned ideas about education. Mr. M. viewed the bell as a symbol of his beliefs. Thami came to despise it. The cast was not a disappointment.

Each character had a monologue. These monologues let the characters speak directly to the audience. As Thami, a brilliant and rebellious student, Charles Dent was captivating. In his monologue, Dent spoke with a strong conviction. Dent’s crying out to the audience reflected the injustice that black people faced during the Apartheid. When he raised his arm, clenched his fist and screamed for a better future, Dent portrayed zealotry. Dent’s consistent African accent helped make his character authentic. The only weakness of Dent’s performance was that his accent made it difficult to understand a couple words. As Isabel, an African woman from a British family, Katrina Milnes was superb.

In her monologue, Isabel talked to the audience about her experiences. Her funny anecdotes brought humor to the production. Milnes’ facial expressions matched the shock Isabel experienced upon seeing unjust conditions at an African school. Milnes’ realistic performance put the audience in Isabel’s position. As Mr. M., a pacifist schoolteacher, Dean Bryson was exceptional.

In Mr. M.’s monologue, Bryson was stern and powerful. His performance made Fugard’s words resonate with the audience. Bryson walked with a rigid posture, and never stepped out of character. When Mr. M. talked about Confucius’ teachings, the audience could sense his passion for peace. When Bryson sat behind the center desk and put his hand over his chin, he conveyed deep meditation. The combination of these three actors made the production unforgettable.

With the inauguration of Barack Obama still fresh in many people’s minds, much can be said about the desire for social change. In post-Apartheid Africa, violence still continues. Despite having elected the first African American President, racism is still prevalent in the United States. “My Children! My Africa!” speaks to these unresolved problems. It also illustrates a possible outcome if violence is decided to be the answer. The cast’s performance was poignant.

You love them or hate them. Either way, motorcycles will be on the road again soon.
It’s nearly springtime, and motorcycle owners around the country are uncovering their bikes and getting ready for riding weather. I have already seen a few in the parking lot at work.
I ride motorcycles. I have most of my life. I put about 30,000 miles a year on a motorcycle. I have done so for many years, and that adds up to a lot of miles. I’ve learned that a lot of drivers just don’t look for motorcycles. I am not sure why, but it is an unpleasant truth.
I drive about 150 miles to and from work each day. I often leave early in the morning, well before sunrise, and return well after dark. I have learned a thing or two about being conspicuous while riding my bike. I call it the “art of conspicuousness.” That is the ability to be noticed while on the road.
It is a necessary talent when you ride as many miles as I do. I belong to the BMW Motorcycle Owners of America riding club (BMW MOA). I generally ride as many, if not more miles each year, than any other BMW MOA member in Michigan and Ohio. I have done so relatively accident free. Every time, I have had an incident, it has been because an operator of a car did not see me. That is generally the case when motorcycles and cars collide. The driver of the car just doesn’t see the bike.
During early morning and night riding, I run auxiliary lighting. I have two extra sets of lights on my bike and I turn one set on when I am driving in the morning or at night. I use the second set to flash any vehicle operator who looks to enter the roadway in front of me. A brief flash of the lights is usually all it takes to make the driver aware of my presence.
During the daylight, I generally drive with both sets of lights on. The extra lights annoy some drivers, but I would sooner they are annoyed than try and dodge them at road speed.
My helmet and my riding clothing are highly reflective. I have added reflective tape to my helmet so that drivers approaching from the rear will easily see me. I learned this lesson on a lonely stretch of Interstate 75 in northern Michigan. It was late at night, and a speeding motorist approached from the rear and nearly ran me off the road.
I also ensure that any of my riding apparel has the reflective material built into it. I may not win any fashion shows, but I do light up at night like a Christmas tree when headlights shine on me.
I have attached the reflective tape to the rear and the sides of my bike at conspicuous points to ensure I am seen from the rear and sides. Since the I-75 incident, I have also installed a flashing brake light, which I apply to let a driver approaching from the rear know I am ahead.
Being seen is often as much about riding style as it is about lights and gear. Where we place our bikes on the roadway can allow other drivers to see us more clearly. I try not to position myself behind trucks and vans. Drivers approaching from the other direction can’t see us and may turn into our path before they are aware we are there.
If it necessary to follow these vehicles, please slow down. Allow plenty of room between yourself and the vehicle in front of you. Give approaching vehicles an opportunity to see us as they approach. The more distance between our bikes and the vehicle ahead, the better.
Some riders use the “if you can hear me, you can see me technique.” I am not a big fan of this approach. However, there is some legitimacy to the idea. I have asked some of my friends who have loud pipes if it bothers them while they are riding. They all seem to say the sound remains behind them. The sound being behind them could be why so many vehicles try to pass them as well. This can be a problem on narrow roads.
Motorcyclists as a whole are much more aware of traffic than other drivers. They have to be. There is no amount of gear that can protect the careless operator. Perhaps the best technique for safe cycling is to slow down.
Riding is a fuel-efficient and enjoyable way to travel. I have crossed the Arctic Circle on my way to the Arctic Ocean and toured the Americas on my bike. I have ridden my bike mile after mile on every kind of road imaginable. I have managed to return safely. Many of us love the openness of motorcycling. Using common sense and making ourselves conspicuous to other drivers is a key component in returning home safe.

Nick Shultz is an instructor of Automotive Technologies at Owens Community College. He is an arbitrator for the Better Business Bureau who specializes in cases involving the Ohio and Michigan Lemon laws.
He is a certified master automotive technician by ASE, General Motors Corp. and Ford Motor Co. Shultz will take automotive technical questions from readers at letters@toledofreepress.com.