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Off Kilter

The beginning of personal computing | Off Kilter

Many of you have probably seen one of two movies about Steve Jobs – one called Jobs or one called Steve Jobs. In both movies, they describe Jobs’ fascination with the emerging microprocessor …

This just makes no sense | Off Kilter

I got to thinking about a bunch of things that simply don’t make any sense. So here goes. No 1: Why don’t you see the 10 Commandments in a courtroom? The reason is that would put sayings such …

What's bugging you? | Off Kilter

When something’s bugging you, it can have several meanings. First, if something is bothering you, we say “It’s bugging me.” Could be you need an oil change in your car and scheduling it – …

I’m not going to tip my hand and actually tell you which prospective candidate I would vote for (assuming he/she gets nominated). Instead, I thought I’d look at what we might expect from each …

Raising a dog | Off Kilter

We’ve had a dog ever since we were first married. Over the years they’ve been mostly pedigree breeds. Included were Afghan Hound, Shar-Pei (the ones with the wrinkled faces), and for the past …

The online world | Off Kilter

The internet is here to stay. While that may not sound revolutionary, in fact, the internet is one of the most disruptive things to come our way since the Industrial Revolution. Now why do I say …

Hospitals | Off Kilter

An acquaintance had to spend a couple of days in a local hospital. Nothing exceptional about this. However, as I looked at the procedures and systems in this experience, several things stood …

Family | Off Kilter

I had the opportunity to attend a friend’s son’s “coming of age” celebration this past weekend. For Christians, it is confirmation. For Jewish people, it is a Bar (or Bat) Mitzvah. I’ve …

Excuses | Off Kilter

I’ve noticed over the years that if you really pay attention, it is usually apparent when someone gives you a non-valid excuse. It is not simply what the excuse is but as important, how it is …

I was just wondering | Off Kilter

As I was wandering around, something I find myself doing more and more simply to appreciate the day, quite a few things caught my attention. Do you ever wonder why some animals get out of the way …

A speck on the wall inside the Grand Canyon | Off Kilter

Whenever I find myself becoming too involved in all the trivia of day-to-day living, I find myself ”Up on the Roof.” Look at the first stanza’s words: … When this old world starts …

Buying a car, part 2 | Off Kilter

Last year I wrote about some of the decisions one has to make in buying a car. I covered both new cars and used cars. This week, I write about some of the things that you should look out for in …

Computers – A necessary evil? | Off Kilter

Now the title of this column might make you think that I have something against our computer-based society. In fact, it is the exact opposite. I am a 100% committed computerphile. You see our …

You know you're a senior when … | Off Kilter

OK, we all dread growing older. However, there really is no alternative, at least none I’ve ever discovered. A lifelong friend sent me a photo taken when he and I were first married (Note, not …

These things really happened to me | Off Kilter

The great movie “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World” always gives me a chuckle. The story is about a group of otherwise “normal” people who happen to see an auto accident. As the driver lies …

Silly season | Off Kilter

This is a somewhat tongue-in-cheek look back at the 2020 and 2022 elections. So, in my opinion, that represented the silly season of politics. If one believes in half of what each party is saying …

The free market at its best | Off Kilter

Just in case it hasn’t been obvious until now, I have been a lifelong capitalist. In other words, I’ve always admired the free market at work. The following are just a few examples I’ve noticed …

Summer and the other 'seasons' | Off Kilter

Those of us who live here in the Pacific Northwest have been spoiled by our summer weather. All of you know that our summers are simply “perfect.” Moderate temperatures, low humidity. Other …

It's a matter of scale | Off Kilter

Unfortunately, we had another mass shooting over the weekend. Now, this particular event appears, at first look, to be directed rather than random. Further narrowing it down, it seemed to be directed …

Really smart animals | Off Kilter

We’ve all seen animals perform tricks. That includes just about every animal on the planet. For example, there are a number of companies that have trained animals for “rent” for making …

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