I use Nuance’s Naturally Speaking for some tasks. It is voice-activated dictation software. It is reasonably accurate, although I must proofread the results like a hawk. Actually, I have a proofreader do this for me. Even so, mistakes get through. My subscribers then let me know about them. The program has a major problem. If [...]

The London Financial Times ran a story on the decline in rural population. It promoted the story as if it were relevant. It isn’t. There was an increase of 134,000 people in rural areas last year. But 179,000 moved out. We are talking fewer than 50,000 people in a nation of 310,000,000. In short, marginal. [...]

A new report by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis reveals that the wealth recovery since the bottom of the recession has been 45%. It also reveals that most of this recovery has been in the stock market. It does not mention the fact that about 20% of stock market investors own 80% of [...]

Twenty years ago, I wrote an article: “Growing Toyotas. Manufacturing Soybeans.” I was half right. There is a 3-D printer that can manufacture chocolate. The future is clear: people will have food replicators, just like on the Enterprise. “Tea. Earl Gray.” There will always be foodies who grow food in their backyard, the way my [...]

In 2012, the IRS demanded that the Conservative Leadership Institute turn over the names of its student interns. It also demanded the names of interns in 2008. No other years were audited. Both were election years. The IRS demanded the following: Copies of applications for internships and summer programs; to include: lists of those selected [...]

Is civil government the only true government? Does it alone possess legitimate sovereignty? Defenders of the modern state insist that this is the case, and that it should be the case. Robert Nisbet, as a sociologist, looked to social organizations as the source of political tradition. He explained the rise of the modern state in [...]

If you are still using this 2001 version of Windows, be aware that support will stop next year. You will have to move forward. I prefer Windows 7 to Windows 8. I find it easier to use. You can safely skip Vista.

Picasso had enormous talent at age 15. He drew magnificently. Then he visited an art museum that was displaying African art. This experience changed him. He painted hideous trash for the rest of his life. You know it’s trash. Maybe you are afraid to admit this in public. That is because art experts says it’s [...]

Junk bonds are high-risk bonds. They are rated CCC — barely above default status. They pay higher interest rates because there is risk of default. You may not get your money back. Bonds are always at risk, because interest rates can rise. When long-term rates rise, the market value of the bonds falls. In times [...]

Hugo [OOgowe] has gone. Fidel has retired. Raul says he will retire in a few years. He keeps quiet in the meantime, for which Cubans are happy. He does not give five-hour speeches the way his brother did. Chavez’s hand-picked replacement is a former bus driver. Who speaks for socialism today? North Korea’s Kim may [...]