Isn’t Life Strange?

I’ve been thinking about a few things related to Ike and of storms in the past.
It seems to me that if we need a reminder of the potential damage and deadly force a hurricane brings with it, we need only look a few years into the past to Hurricane Katrina. We all know […]

Now that the running mates have been chosen and the convention speeches have finished, we have just two more months before we decide who is going to be the next President of the United States.
For a while now, I’ve been interested in the art of public speaking. It is fascinating to watch […]

I’m sure I’m not the only person shocked by the high cost of health care.  It’s no wonder some want the government to take over the system… even though the government continues to squander our social security, and government-run education gets worse and worse no matter how much money is pumped into the system, and […]

A few days ago I took in PIXAR’S latest animated gem, WALL-E.  I found the movie to be a beautiful piece of art.  Though it is definitely a departure from their typical fare, this PIXAR feature did not disappoint me in any way.  Children may have a hard time with it, as much of the […]

I like quotations.  Over the past several years I have found it enjoyable to read notable sayings and important phrases spoken or written by people throughout our history.  Quotes can be very powerful tools to help form our opinions or support our arguments.  I think of quotations as little words of wisdom and sometimes humor, […]

There’s an article in today’s Houston Chronicle about some teachers who had content from their Facebook profiles revealed on television by a Houston TV station. 
Putting life online could haunt later
The article mentions one teacher who was so embarrassed at the revelation of a video on his Facebook profile that he quit his job. 
A […]

I’ve noticed a very odd trend over the past weeks in regard to television advertising.  If you watch much television, I am sure you have seen at least a few of these. 
The setting is a comedy club.  Standing on stage is a "comedian" telling jokes, except the jokes aren’t really funny at all.  It’s […]

The Chicago Cubs (my favorite MLB team) and the crosstown rival White Sox met at Wrigley Field today for Game Two of their three game series in interleague play.
There’s quite a lot of acrimony between Cubs and White Sox fans living in the Chicago area and I never really understood it. I’ve […]

Last week, WGN Television had an event so enjoyable that it made me wish I could start my own television network.  Every evening last week "Chicago’s Very Own" offered a selection of episodes from popular television shows from the 70’s and 80’s, including Taxi, Barney Miller, Newhart, and one of my favorites, WKRP in Cincinnati.  […]

The Internet has made famous many people who would have otherwise never achieved fame in the past.  Without naming names, there are plenty of "entertainers" who are famous simply for being famous.  Many of these people are so incredibly annoying and lacking in any workable skill that they might make one want to move into […]

Although I have only sent two tweets (messages), I can see the potential in Twitter.  
Essentially, Twitter is what you make of it.  The basic concept is that users have a limit of 140 characters in which to leave a message that they want others to read.  Think of it as a miniature blog.  Members […]

I apologize in advance about the long and rambling post.  I’ve spent several hours working on it and trying to make it better.  It still isn’t quite right or perhaps as well-written as I had hoped, but here it is…
I don’t know if it is because of the political silly season or if my tolerance […]

In some relatively big news, the Supreme Court recently upheld an Indiana law that requires voters to present photo identification upon arrival at the polling place. 
The media is spinning this as a Republican victory.  Democrats are speaking out in disagreement over the decision and for the life of me, I cannot figure out why.  […]

I remember my father taking me to my first Bradley University men’s basketball game in the late 1970’s.  Then, the Braves played in Robertson Memorial Fieldhouse, an old basketball facility built from two World War Two era airplane hangars.
I have a few memories from that game.  I remember the house being packed, and the crowd […]

The late George Harrison took a few jabs at oppressive British taxation in the famous song "Taxman". 
Let me tell you how it will be There’s one for you, nineteen for me Cos I’m the taxman, yeah, I’m the taxman
Should five per cent appear […]