Mark Knows It All

Of all the words in the English language that I have learned to fear and despise, the phrase that sends chills up and down my spine the most is "new and improved."   The new part is probably right, at least partially, but the improved is open to question.   It usually translates to confusion, work, and money.   This is especially true of the computer geeks at Google, You Tube and Facebook, along with all of my stock programs.   Those are particularly aggravating because I actually pay a monthly fee for some of these digital age gems. What is wrong with these people?   Do they take delight in terrorizing hundreds of millions of people by making them figure out how to get a program or site to do what it used to before they made it better?   Case in point is Google, the most used search engine in the world.   Google does everything for you now but go to the bathroom, and it can probably give a print out for that too.   I think it can actua...

The other night I was browsing through some choral music selections I could recommend as possible songs for my community chorus next year. I came across one of my favorites. It is called Seasons of Love from the award winning Broadway musical Rent. I always thought it was a catchy tune, but never paid much attention to the words. So I listened, and it hit home. Five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes How do you measure, measure a year; In daylights, in sunsets, in midnights, in cups of coffee, In inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife. How do you measure a year in the life? How about love? Measure in love! Seasons of love! How will you measure this past year? We have many standards. I have a friend who measures how far he has pedaled his bike. I have another friend that looks at golf scores. I might look at how much money I made or what professional accomplishments I have achieved. Others look at how their favorite sports team performed. We all have different...

I'm not really a Christmas person. I have come to the conclusion that Christmas is the one holiday in the year that the cards are stacked against you. Too much money, too much food, too much work, too much decorating, and too much depression as different people come to different ends of impossible trying to achieve the ideal. It's tough, and I have been at the fuzzy end of the lollipop one too many times. But.... If there ever was a season for a joyful noise, Christmas is it. And those of us who live in the Mahoning Valley do our fair share of noise making. So put aside the Christmas drudgery and go buy some gift cards, forget the diet, stop the decorating, and screw unpleasant and difficult family and friends. Sample what this area has to offer. It has an embarrassment of riches. We are so fortunate to have access to some of the best events in Ohio at a level of excellence those of us who live here don't truly appreciate. It doesn't get any better than right here. T...

There are 350 million people living in the United States. So for all of you folks who are afraid of offending someone….GET OVER IT!! With 350 million people, I can guarantee you that no matter what you say, no matter what you do, or whatever your good intentions, you will offend somebody. Even if it is just getting out of bed in the morning, you will offend somebody. And therein lays the fallacy of a politically correct Christmas. What is wrong with people? The facts are simple. Accroding to ABC news, 83% of Americans identify themselves as Christian. Although we don’t have an official religion, Christianity and the Judeo/Christian ethic permeate our society. It is the basis of our consumer society. The financial success or failure of much of our economy rests on the last five weeks of the year. “Holiday” shoppers aren’t shopping for the hell of it…they are shopping for Christmas. So can someone please tell me why the liberal types have to bastardize Christmas with the fear ...