I have this bizarre fascination with portable charging.  I can't quite explain it.  In part, it's because the world of technology has expanded so massively that the need to recharge when on the road has expanded with it.  But also, maybe even more, what I love is that portable charging… Read full post »

In some corners of the world, the word "soon" is instead a tour through hell.

This is a tale of perseverance and taking control of one's life.  It's a look behind those so-glamorous curtains of Hollywood and New York book publishing, where the way the real world works is totally different from… Read full post »

[Yes, it's that day again.  This is the annual reprint of a column originally written in 2009.  Some stories simply demand repeating.  Or better put, demand not being forgotten.  This is one of them.]
   
   
April 27, 2009

Oh, Say Can You Sing?  A National An… Read full post »

It's not the biggest secret in the tech world that tablets and their e-cousins, eBook readers, have exploded onto the market.  It's hard not to have been inundated reading about them.  We've reviewed a couple of the more popular eBook readers here in the past, but these month tablets take t… Read full post »

May God love and protect the tone-deaf and clueless.

The Republican world was all a-twitter Tuesday with a story on the far-right website, Daily Caller.  It quoted President Barack Obama's autobiography about his stepfather having served him dog meat when he was nine in Indonesia.  The artic… Read full post »

Last Tuesday, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice spoke to an audience at Duke University about "that immigrant culture that has renewed us ... has been at the core of our strength,"  And then she plaintively wondered to the crowd, "I don't know when immigrants became the enemy."

Oooh!&nbs… Read full post »

Last week, Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA) called President Barack Obama stupid.

Using Twitter he wrote, "Constituents askd why i am not outraged at PresO attack on supreme court independence. Bcause Am ppl r not stupid as this x prof of con law."

Now, first of all, I think if you're going to go… Read full post »

The invention of screenwriting software was one of the great Eureka moments for writers.  (This is a group, by the way, that includes not only professional writers, but also the hugely-growing world of hopeful college screenwriters and even huger world of would-be closet screenwriters with their… Read full post »

Two weeks ago, the "Personhood Act" passed the Oklahoma Senate.  Passage by persons in the state's Republican-controlled House is expected, and the bill should be signed into law by Oklahoma's Republican-controlled governor, Mary Fallin, a person.

The bill will give personhood status to gametes f… Read full post »

The “forces of the secular left,” Newt Gingrich told churchgoers on Sunday, “will regard what I am saying as a horrifying assault.”

Oh, tosh.  I went to a club meeting of the secular left, and no one there even remotely thought what Newt Gingrich said about religion was ho… Read full post »

Too often in today’s politics, walls are raised which keep sides from acknowledging truly notable efforts of those who differ with them.  Yet it’s important to recognize the efforts of a Republican member of the Indiana House of Representatives, Bob Morris, who understands that the o… Read full post »

Humorist Pat Buchanan has been providing laughs by the barrels the past week.

 He hasn’t always made everyone laugh.  Mind you, that’s not because some liberals might think he is a racist, anti-Semitic homophobe.  No, no, conservatives close to Mr. Buchanan have acknowled… Read full post »

Back in 1992, when Bill Clinton was running for president, his campaign manager James Carville famously coined the phrase, "It's the economy, stupid."  Only one thing matters.  Only one thing should be talked about.

If ever a presidential election since the Great Depression should talk abou… Read full post »

There is one moment every year when mankind the world over is united.  It comes during the Academy Awards when humanity takes a bathroom break as Oscars are presented for The Shorts - live-action, animation and documentary.  The problem isn't quality, but that the public has nothing… Read full post »

I haven’t written about the Republican presidential primaries.  I’ve even tried to ignore the eeriest pronouncements spouting from the candidates, which include such classics as “Corporations are people” and “By the end of my second term, we’ll have a permanen… Read full post »

Ah, ’is the season again.  The Most Wonderful Time of the Year.  A loud, crushing madhouse of new technology tumbling over itself.  The Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.  Disneyland for Adults.  Fa la la.

Wandering the bizarre circusworld, the only clear thing is w… Read full post »

'Tis the season for awards - and that means on Sunday it was time to read and hear (repeatedly) how the Golden Globes matter because they are "precursors to the Oscars," remarkable for their mystical ability to predict the Academy Awards.  Of course, if you repeat any mantra enough, people will… Read full post »

A few years back, I wrote about new discoveries surrounding the holiday classic, Handel's "Messiah."   Several months later, I followed it up with additional revelations.  Given that 'tis its season yet again - it seems like a fine time to repeat the story, as just another of the many… Read full post »

'Tis the season.  During the course of the past year of reviews, several products have stood out as making particularly nice gifts.  For thems what have not totally blanked out and forgotten that the holidays are upon us - or have not yet bought, wrapped and sent out your packages yet,… Read full post »

Several years ago, a conservative fellow I was talking with got into a lather about a criticism he often heard.  "Why is it," he asked, "that liberals always say that Republican politicians aren't smart?"

I politely avoided the quick answer.  Besides, it wouldn't have explained things proper… Read full post »

I first became aware of Sling Media seven years ago at the Consumer Electronics Show, when this startup company was trying to convince people that their odd, unique product made sense – creating the ability for people to watch their home television from anywhere in the world on a computer. … Read full post »

On Saturday, Herman Cain (R-Godfather's Pizza) explained how he was called by God to run for president.

"I prayed and prayed and prayed," he told the flock. "I'm a man of faith, I had to do a lot of praying for this one, more praying than I'd ever done before in… Read full post »

One of the challenges of political commentary is addressing an issue in an even-handed manner while making your point convincingly.  Still, though, there will be those who always fight anyone whose words they’re predetermined to disagree with.  Thank goodness therefore we have the Rep… Read full post »

It was announced as of midnight Monday that united NATO forces have officially ended their successful mission in Libya.  During the action, U.S. troops under the direction of President George W. Bush killed dictator Muammar Khadafi, and in just seven months brought freedom to the Libyan people.&… Read full post »

Back in June, the subject of ebook readers was first broached on these e-pages, a look at Amazon’s groundbreaking Kindle.  The discussion included the wide range of pros and cons about e-reading.  I won’t repeat the discussion here (anyone interested can go back and take a look)… Read full post »