Will the earth survive? 

When I was offered a spot in Open Salon's closed beta, I knew some of the brightest minds in the blogosphere would be here. I've not been disappointed. Everything from politics and sex to food, cars, and religion has been blogged to the nth power. But… Read full post »

This is an updated repost from another blog of mine. With the increasing quality and number of posts at OS I thought it appropriate.

For some time now blogging and journalism have intersected in ways that complicate defining the relationship between the… Read full post »

An Open Letter to Chrysler 

I'm an avid fan of Mopar products. I still have my first car, a 1965 Plymouth Fury III and it's still one of the sexiest cars of any era. I remained a loyal fan through the lost years of the K-car regime and… Read full post »

Le Geek, C'est me

This is my main machine at home. I finally managed to portray it as awesomely as I see it. She's been a steadfast, solidly built homemade machine. A bit long in the tooth, but still kicking.

Today marks the passing of NPR's Bryant Park Project. The BPP was National Public Radio's yearlong attempt to attract a younger audience. With radio and a heavy online presence including a blog/vlog, Twitter, and Facebook, they unofficially attracted a million unique users in their first year. Combin… Read full post »

An Internet acquaintance sends me a passel of emails on a fairly regular schedule. They are mostly the kinds of things we all get in our box: "CC'd" and "Forwarded" bits of humor, hope, and political ramblings. A recent letter included a modern retelling of the Ant and Grasshopper parable. The… Read full post »

In case you missed it, the news of my Blackness has not been greatly exaggerated. It was never really a secret and I have alluded to it in a few posts. But having read a thread decrying Open Salon's absence of color (oddly enough the actual definition of/… Read full post »

Oh the shame! Perhaps this should be a rite of passage for all new public testers. Not quite the definition I had when I was riding my Trek 15 miles 3 or 4 times a week. And for once a picture makes me look thinner,… Read full post »

The various reactions to the New Yorker's Obama cover are really interesting. Never having ran a national campaign, I'm willing to let the campaign's strategists decide when and how to respond to the media. It's not that I don't have an opinion, I do. But it's tough for a/… Read full post »

The human imperative to find others like ourselves is so strong it crosses ethnic, sexual, and even economic boundaries. It's sparked the creation of the multimillion dollar dating industry. You may not think about it consciously if you've always been in the "in" circles. But I've always been on… Read full post »

The usual barrage of heat produced a spectacular squall this afternoon. One day I'll be in the right, relatively safe spot to capture some nice lightning. Today I was blessed to make it to lunch without floating away.

Part II

Next day more of… Read full post »

A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.

—The Second Amendment

I'm sure quite a bit will be written concerning the landmark Second Amendment decision made by SCOTUS. It's… Read full post »

Well my SCOTUS post is well under way. But I just got home to a 100 ° house. So a beer is in the freezer, the fans are ventilating, and I'm stepping outside with my guitar for a tiny spell before I resume my thoughts about the new landscape… Read full post »

The role of First Lady has become much more public over the last few administrations. That's good in some ways. It emphasizes the fact that behind great leaders there are great women. Currently, it also illustrates that there truly is someone for everybody. On the not so positive side, the… Read full post »

Father's Day was always a big deal at my house. My mother made sure that no matter what else was happening in our sequestered corner of the planet, Dad got his proper due. We made handmade cards that said "I Love You, Dad". We catered to him, joyously bringing him… Read full post »

Life is moving at such a clip these days. The twirling funnel of politics and the economy has borne us aloft and tossed us in different directions. Another emerging presence has bade me to pay heed and temporarily cease my punditry. Although normally impressive, his debut this year is simply… Read full post »

The bitterest Presidential Primary I can recall in my 25 years of interest in politics is finally over. It hasn't all been good, clean fun. It never is. So many things conspired to make this election particularly rancorous. And despite my optimism, I sadly admit that the societal negatives highlight… Read full post »

"The death of your parents can be the best thing that ever happened to you."

That's a startling statement to introduce a book, but having plowed through the weighty matters in Jeanne Safer's Death Benefits, I wholeheartedly recommend it. A psychotherapist of 35 years, Safer's audience are people wh/… Read full post »

After waking from a disturbing dream this afternoon, I was forced to step back and play therapist. My therapist-playing self (an attractive, forty-something  White woman, if that's at all relevant) asked my somnolent, reclining self, "Are you happy with what you do?"

In my dream, I had set out/… Read full post »