Despite pessimism today, we must become optimistic

posted 08:21 AM 12/29
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These are tough times for optimists. According to the latest Gallup poll, 44 percent of Americans rate the economy as "poor," and 61 percent see it as "getting worse." The Gallup Economic Confidence Index is at negative 29, and declining.

I’ve heard more than one person snarl “good riddance” to 2010, but few welcome 2011 with higher hopes. Hey, I feel your pain; it wasn’t a great year for me, either.

But things have to improve, don’t they? The economy is cyclical, right? Isn’t there some kind of natural law that the pendulum has to swing back in the direction of prosperity?

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Olympia needs Capitol Lake as a sacred, special place for city

posted 11:50 AM 11/30

Most days, I drive by Capitol Lake at least once and often pause to stroll in Marathon Park. I never pass without wondering what will be its fate.

Candidates' websites are as shallow as their TV commercials

posted 08:09 AM 10/20

My first theory of human social discourse is that 90 percent of what is presented as information is actually opinion. Where politics is concerned, that may be closer to 99 percent.

'Net neutrality' is a new wrinkle in Web content competition

posted 08:59 AM 09/15

In the analog world of my youth, inventive marketers sought to increase the visibility of their enterprises by naming them something like "AAA widgets," so that theirs would be the first widget company a user would encounter in the phone book.

Today, we take it for granted that we're being constantly watched

posted 07:05 AM 08/11

I had to slap myself to check my grasp on reality, but even upon second thought, I had to admit that I was actually agreeing with Tim Eyman about something.

Would you rather own a book or words out there in a cloud?

posted 07:20 AM 07/07

A recent story arc in the Doonesbury comic strip (which, by the way, remains as edgy and funny as ever) depicts a discussion between Zonker and Sam, a young understudy, about the merits of print newspapers.

Legal system is evolving to address niggling unintended consequences

posted 06:57 AM 06/02

Whenever you hear a computer geek say aloud, "Wouldn't it be cool if ... " brace yourself.

Patients should demand to see the science behind recommendation

posted 06:43 AM 04/28

Have you ever seen those TV commercials where some vaguely familiar character actor comes on wearing a white lab coat, with a stethoscope around the neck, and says: "I'm not a doctor, but I play one on television?"

Your past can come to light through a Google search

posted 11:44 PM 03/23

Have you googled yourself lately? You may be surprised at what you’d find.

Elected officials mangle science for political purposes

posted 07:44 AM 02/17

We need more dummies.