Email has a lot going for it.  It beats the pants off a fax machine, and has damn near put the US Postal Service out of business.  But for all of its benefits, there remain some pitfalls.  Unsurprisingly, and unfortunately, ALL of the major drawbacks have to do with the users and not the programs.  Thus, I can’t just toss out the old ones and ask the IT department to install new ones. Continue Reading

***RETRO POST***

Like a dysfunctional marriage always teetering on the brink of divorce Republicans and Democrats are once again threatening to “break it off” over the issue of raising the debt ceiling.  With the fate of the global economy in question Americans, along with the rest of humanity, are doomed to another around-the-clock B-rated political soap opera playing on all channels until Aug. 2^nd, 2011.  Sensationalized as “D-day,” August 2^nd (supposedly) represents the day that Uncle Sam will start defaulting on his loans.  And what happens next?… Continue Reading

Now that Oprah has removed herself from the arena of talk show television, it is likely we will have far fewer opportunities to gain insight into her persona.  I realize that I’ve already typed my way into sounding as if I’m an avid follower who feels lost and abandoned by the long-reigning queen of daytime television.

I’m not.

However, it’s hard not to be a little fascinated by this woman, this BLACK + WOMAN, who still sits atop a colossal media empire!  Continue Reading

Given the fact that everyone is equipped to whistle, it’s a wonder there isn’t more whistle-driven music out there.  One possible explanation is that while it is relatively easy to whistle for the sake of making noise, it is very difficult to whistle for the sake of making decent music.  The former usually results in a ragged and bleating distress signal used to get the attention of a: Continue Reading

Like a blackjacker with a good hand, Coachella has decided to double-down in 2012.  And as much as that sounds like a sexual innuendo, I assure you the festival website’s explanation is less ambiguous and completely asexual (as in, lacking sexual metaphors or suggestion…right?). Continue Reading

The first installment of this post addressed the dangers involved with the sun, beer vs. water, the traffic and the crowd.  While these prove a worthy set of adversaries, this is not all you have to deal with while parading through the desert in hopes of soaking up the musical menagerie.  It is best you be prepared to address these additional matters in order to minimize frustration, bankruptcy and death. Continue Reading

For as great as festivals can be, they often harbor side effects that if ignored can tarnish the memories of once-excited concertgoers.  As I mentioned a few weeks ago, Coachella is not immune to these pitfalls and with the giant music + art extravaganza kicking off midday today, I urge its attendants to beware the following: Continue Reading