Ten thousand songs. That’s how many I figure I need for my radio station.
This is a station that won’t be found on the AM or FM band, though – it’s exclusively for my use. My 10,000 songs have a home on my computer’s hard drive, and I’m be able to listen to them either directly on the computer, or the other computers in the house – or even through my cell phone. And to get the music I need for my station, I’ve been busy downloading songs off the internet …

Once there were “boomboxes,” those quaint suitcase-sized stereos that turned heads – and created headaches – whenever they were in the vicinity. Then music went “private,” as Walkmans and iPods provided walkers, runners, and bus and train riders with hours of musical enjoyment.
And now that we’re in the age of the “digital device,” the music player of choice for a new generation is – the cellphone! It’s all about “convergence,” using a single device for data, messaging, internet use, and of course, playing music and video. And because they’re …

Like everything else in life nowadays, listening to music has turned into a major production. First you have to decide what “format” you need; MP3, MP4, iPod, WAV, AIFF – the audio world is full of acronyms you need to choose from. Once you’ve determined your format, you check out sites to seek out the songs that interest you, download the music, connect your “device,” and fill it up with songs. Then you have to set up “playlists,” edit the effects, and futz around with your music player for …

Well, the new TV season is underway – and it’s safe to say that the new shows are about as dumb as the old ones! Now, of course I realize that some people are going to point to some example of some show that they think is intelligent and incisive. Well, you may be right; there might be one or two winners out there. But overall, TV is dumb – always has been, even in the days of Shakespeare. What else do you think he was referring to when he …

The holidays are over, school is back in full swing. And ,with winter on the way, with its demands for sweaters, winter coats and other coverups, we can finally let ourselves go and eat all the chocolate and cake we’ve been denying ourselves all summer. In other words, it’s time to relax and let the “real us” emerge from its summer shell. What a relief!
Bears have the right idea, hibernating all winter. We humans can’t sleep all winter long (I’m willing to give it a try, though). But we …