Dear Wall Street Journal: A friend of mine tried to share an article of yours with me. Sent me the link. I clicked on the link and got about two sentences with the rest held hostage against my subscribing to Read more…
I just noticed the most extraordinary statement on a DVD (which movie is not relevant). “No copying, Subject to applicable laws.” Aside from being an incomplete sentence, and mispunctuated to boot — does that invalidate it as a binding legal Read more…
I don’t dance, not in any formal sense. Started to get lessons once (when I was 7 more or less) and then we moved again, and never got back to it. Adrian to Rocky: “Why do you want to be Read more…
Sometimes I use words that are perfectly ordinary words — to me — defined in any quality dictionary(1), but some listener / reader comes back all offended. How dare you use that word!? How dare you? Don’t you know blah-blah-blah? Well, golly Read more…
Some one just said the most marvelous thing to me, apropos of what doesn’t matter. It stands by itself. When people say the glass is half empty or the glass is half full, they forget: it’s a glass; you can Read more…
There’s a weirdness in our society(1): the subject of IQ. I just got hit by a(nother) stream of emails and posts on the internet about the ranking of US Presidents by IQ. This happens about this time each election cycle Read more…
Ok… one more on climate change then I’ll leave it alone… for now. 🙂 I’ve been watching the climate change debate for many years… longer than most people would believe it’s even been going on. So what? I’ve done Read more…
On the subject of climate change, I get a little irritated (to put it mildly) at folks who still insist it doesn’t exist or that it’s a “liberal conspiracy” or some other silliness. I’ve been watching it happen all my Read more…
Given the Universal negative reaction to telemarketing, why isn’t it Illegal? Someone comes into my home uninvited (over the phone, that’s still My Space, My Time, My Home) and then gets all entitled about doing so. Wow. This really should Read more…
I was helping a friend with her computer the other day and she went into Microsoft Word to show me something. Across the top of the screen was a message in dark red on light red background saying (more or Read more…
I just (really, just now) read a new scientific study suggesting that sodas might be bad for your health. Gosh, what an idea. [That’s sarcasm…] Let me see: Carbonation leaches calcium from your body, leading to osteoporosis and various other conditions. Read more…
Advertisers: stop it. You talk yourselves out of a sale, every time you try to coerce instead of convince. I never yield to emotional-based, irritation-based(1), slogan-based or razzle-dazzle-based advertising. If you can’t convince them with logic, baffle them with bull-shit. Read more…
Dear Microsoft: On what planet does it possibly make sense to devolve your error messages and error handling from vague, cryptic but partially useful text to Something went wrong? That was not how to “fix” your systems. The way to Read more…
Hey Y’all CEO’s of the Computer Industry… I know (or it says so, at least, in the advertising) that you believe you have made all your toys and gadgets easy and “user friendly,” but some one needs to point out Read more…
I want to propose a word that almost perfectly describes the actions of government bureaus and most government officials and an increasing percentage of so-called professionals: Specious Apparently good or right though lacking any real merit. Superficially pleasing only; no Read more…
Why is there no psychological screening for folks hired, appointed (self, or otherwise) or elected to public or celebrity offices? From the DMV counter clerk, all the way up to the President of a nation or the hottest radio personality Read more…
Mostly in Star Trek, but in other Hollywood-style sci-fi as well, there is a very common, very persistent, extremely ignorant error that crops up. Out in deep space, away from any star, our intrepid heroes encounter a “rogue comet” and Read more…
Just a quick question: When (the heck!) did “family movies” become PG rated? To put it another way: when did violence and “questionable” content become “family” material? Try to find a “G” rated movie these days. G-rating seems to have Read more…
There are a lot of things in this website that I complain about (point out, think over, mumble around, hope some of you will get enthused over helping to change and improve…), but here’s the fundamental question: How did all Read more…
You want to put an end of SPAM phone calls and emails? It’s simple. Never, ever buy anything, take any action, or even volunteer the time of day (literally) to anyone who called you out of the blue. Buy NOTHING Read more…