Recently, I called my local automobile association because the battery in my car was dead. I’d called twice before in November. This third time the operator asked for my date of birth. Immediately a red flag went up in my mind. My age was going to be held against me and I resented i

Coming as no surprise to Socrates, who banished artists from his utopian Republic, Dan Ariely of Duke University probes the nature of the dishonest mind his is new book, The (Honest) Truth about Dishonesty and finds such a mind is rich in creativity. Creativity provides the flexibilit

Having my novels in the public library is a mixed blessing, as I’ve mentioned before. I’m glad for the potential audience but the loss of sales is also a consideration. Publishers face the same dilemma, and the advent of eBooks poses a new twist. Traditional books wear out and nee

A recently released book, The Harm in Hate Speech by Jeremy Waldron, argues that our current laws which permit hate speech focus on legal principles rather than the effect of such speech on people who find their dignity under assault. Waldron points to European countries where hate sp

The 6 mainstream presses in the United States are about to be reduced to 5. Random House and Penguin have decided to merge in an effort to combat the growing power of Internet retailers, primarily Amazon. The presumption is that two large houses combined will emerge more competitive t

I mentioned in an earlier blog that Physicians Concerned for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) has become alarmed over the increasing hostility toward science in the United States. Katherine Stewart, the author of the book, Good News Club agrees and warns that innocent sounding programs lik

I suppose everyone has a love/hate relationship with his electronic devices. In my case, it’s mostly hate though I love search engines. I couldn’t write effectively without one. Facts give a plot its credibility. That said, I approach my computer with trepidation every time I fire

A new book has come out by Eben Alexander, Proof of Heaven: A Neurosurgeon’s Journey into the Afterlife. Dr. Alexander fell into a comma and during this period, he believes he had a vision of heaven. As he is a westerner and a Christian, his vision is congruent with traditional reli

During coffee the other day, I was astounded to hear a friend complain that she was tired of reading about all those wealthy folks with their million dollar houses. Normally, I’d listen and nod but this time I had to correct her. “I’m sorry, Betty, but you’re a bit behind the

Before I decided to devote myself to writing, I was a visual artist, silk painting mostly, but I did a number of hand-painted eggs which I sold at a local art gallery. I loved to work with miniatures because the concentration it required made the world drop away. To be honest, I was a