Together with some friends, my wife and I are nearing the end of New City Catechism, a 52-question study about basic doctrines of the Christian faith. Since we meet only twice a month, at one question per session it’s taken awhile to wind our way through. Yet, we have enjoyed going through it and reflecting…
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While vacationing last October in North Carolina’s Outer Banks, I saw a TV commercial for a candidate in neighboring Virginia. I don’t remember the office the candidate was campaigning for, but it was a statewide election. In other words, no small change. The pitch: the candidate vowed to outlaw spoofing calls by telemarketers. “Wow,” I…
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I qualify as only a casual sports fan. However, having cut my journalistic teeth as a part-time sportswriter in high school, I still follow developments in the sports world. And, when it comes to sports, I would label last month’s Supreme Court decision opening the door to widespread sports betting as one of the most…
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In his younger, single, more carefree days, a friend working as a congressional aide lived near Capitol Hill, giving him a short walk to work. The only way he could afford to live there: he split the $1,800-a-month rent with five other guys so they could afford their modest rooming house. So, I wasn’t a…
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It seems everyone has heard of sriracha, the ubiquitous spicy sauce. It’s not my favorite, but only because I discovered another tasty brand at Aldi’s (a clue that we are bargain shoppers). However, I had not known of the 2013 documentary on the sauce and its maker, Huy Fong Foods, until I picked up a…
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When it comes to iPads or other devices, I’m a Johnny-come-lately to the party—some would say Neanderthal. I only acquired an iPad mini recently when a friend bought a new Kindle Fire and was willing to part with his old Apple product at a fraction of its original price. Were I traveling regularly as I…
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With Amazon reportedly working on a home robot to be introduced by the end of 2018 and new books out like Human + Machine, the engine known as artificial intelligence (AI) appears to be gathering steam. It would appear there is no stopping AI. Yet, yet at the same time I feel I must hold…
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It will soon be six months since I took an accidental tumble after my foot slipped near the top of the stairs while I was taking a wastebasket up to my home office. I thought the injury problems would clear up in two or three weeks. They wound up taking nearly five months, including six…
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Until I edited Beyond the Swipe—a new book out this week—I never knew that “swiping” right or left represented a response to a dating app invitation. Now that I’ve been educated on this brave new world, I can confidently say that I’m not sorry I missed out on this 21st century phenomenon. In several email…
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I recently tossed the old gooseneck desk lamp next to my computer desk, albeit reluctantly. It was a forced decision. A kitchen light had blown and our efforts to restore power by flipping the circuit breaker failed. But by a quirk of jury-rigged home design, that also knocked out power to part of my office…
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