When I was growing up, my paternal grandparents had one of those big, old AM radios that you can only see in museums nowadays.

Its outside consisted of a dark, heavy, wooden cabinet that stood about four feet (122 cm) tall and about two feet (61 cm) wide and deep.

Inside that cabinet, the “guts” of the radio included several [more...]

Merry Christmas!

Way back when I was a kid, only a few people complained every year that Christmas was becoming too commercialized.

But over the years, more and more people joined that chorus. [more...]

Coming just nine months after it received its 2-millionth visit, this Web site will have its 3-millionth visitor in a couple of hours.

As always, I’m astounded, honored and humbled by its popularity, and by the positive feedback that I receive from its visitors. [more...]

It was six years ago today that my wife, our four pets and I arrived in the Sunshine State to stay.

We were greeted by my wife’s sister and brother-in-law, and sunny, breezy, 75-degree (24 C) weather.

Three days before that, it had been 30 degrees below zero [more...]

Many years ago, I read an article in Popular Science magazine that extolled the virtues of a new type of engine.

I don’t remember how it worked, but I was impressed enough to still remember that they said that the new type of engine was so powerful that one of them the size of a normal automobile engine would be strong enough to pull a [more...]