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Easter through the eyes of a woman
Playwright Norman Allen reminds us that it was Mary Magdalene who was the first to recognize, and to be recognized by, the risen Christ. PETALUMA, CA, April 10, 2017 – I find it fitting that each year, right on the heals of Women’s History Month, Christians around the world unite in celebrating Mary Magdalene, one of the most significant women of all time. That celebration, in case you’re wondering, is Easter. Well, not exactly.
Charlie Watts, Jim Keltner, and the Great Drummers of jazz (Videos)
The epic night in 1995 when Charlie Watts of the Rolling Stones and drumming legend Jim Keltner paid a visit to the home of film and jazz historian Mark Cantor. LOS ANGELES, Calif., April 9, 2017 — In the early 1980s, the videocassette — VHS or Betamax, take your pick — was an emerging technology. DVDs, the Internet, You Tube and digital streaming were not even dreamt of by the American consumer.
Tony Romo, a winner on and off the field
Tony Romo's retirement is the National Football League’s loss and CBS’s gain. He will succeed in the broadcast booth because he is a winner in every sense of the word. LOS ANGELES, April 4, 2017 — We all knew that the Tony Romo era in Dallas had ended. Now we have confirmation that we will not see Romo for anyone else either. With owner Jerry Jones ready for the Dak Prescott era, neither Jones nor Romo wanted to see Romo as a backup.
Review: WWII documentary 'Five Came Back,' new on Netflix
WWII forever changed the film directors who documented its world-altering events. This untold story is now being told in a new 3-part Netflix documentary. WASHINGTON, April 3, 2017 — When Allied forces secured the beachhead at Normandy in 1944, director John Ford, who organized a military team of cameramen to record the assault on Adolf Hitler’s Fortress Europe, drove to a house occupied by American military officers. Over the course of three days, he drank himself into a stupor.
Stephen King’s ‘IT’: send in the bad clown
"Hey, guys, time to cool the clown hysteria – most of em are good, cheer up the kiddies, make people laugh.” The operative word in that sentence is “most.” WASHINGTON, March 30, 2017 — The Internet is abuzz with coulrophobia. That’s the debilitating psychological condition affecting those who suffer from an abnormal fear of clowns. Warner Brothers released its trailer for director Andrés Muchietti’s film remake of Stephen King’s “IT,” scheduled for worldwide release September 8.
Facebook 'Related Headlines' no more than advertising revenue stream
WASHINGTON, September 22, 2014 – Facebook is a business. Like Google, it makes money selling advertising space on the billions of pages that individuals, businesses and publishers create. Facebook has been testing its “related articles” feature since late spring, and it seems to be back in the feeds again, appearing today on the desktop and last night on the iPad. “Related Stories” are what the advertising business calls “branded headline blocks” that relate to the post in your feed.
Honest politicians begin with honest voters
Honest politicians begin with honest voters According to the University of Notre Dame’s Anita Kelly, Americans average about 11 lies per week. Politician or not, we’ve all got our work cut out for us. © iStockphoto.com/erwo1 PETALUMA, CA, March 26, 2017 – Just before the 2012 presidential election, researchers from the University of Notre Dame determined that the less people lie, the better they feel, both mentally and physically.
Zadzooks Happy Hour podcast #21: 'Sing,' and 'Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands' co-op
WASHINGTON, March 25, 2017 —Todd Stowell and Joseph Szadkowski review Sing (4k/Blu-ray) and Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands (Xbox One) co-op mode. Viewers will especially enjoy Mr. McConaughey’s enthusiasm and the singing of Miss Kelly (“Don’t You Worry ‘bout a Thing” and “Hallelujah”), Mr. Egerton (“I’m Still Standing”) and Miss Witherspoon and Mr. Kroll (“Venus”).
Rockville High School and MCPS evade the rape for the 'event'
Image by Jacquie Kubin exclusive to @CommDigiNews ROCKVILLE, Maryland March 21, 2017 – From one talking head to the next, the leaders of Rockville High School, the MCPS, and even the Rockville police all failed to use two important words in addressing the brutal rape of a 14-year-old student in a school bathroom by two alleged illegal immigrants, aged 17 and 18. Those being, obviously, rape and illegal.
Punk Adventures at Randy's Rodeo: Gurl Three from 52 Gurl
The unintended role of mental institutions in the legacy of punk rock music is unheralded, until now. The following contains explicit language and vivid artistic imagery. WORCESTER, Mass., 1978 — Punk and mental institutions seemed to go together like Manson girls and L.S.D. in the heady daze of the late seventies.
Review: ‘John Wick, Chapter 2.’ Another slick Wick flick?
WASHINGTON, March 20, 2017 – The first “John Wick” flick saw the titular character (Keanu Reeves) traipsing around New York City looking for the low rent criminal who stole his car and then murdered the dog sent to him by his deceased wife. That was all the plot this film needed to become a surprise smash hit with audiences and critics alike. Which, at face value, seems a little odd.
Zadzooks Happy Hour podcast #20: 'Logan,' 'Moana' & 'Nocturnal Animals'
WASHINGTON, March 15, 2017 —Todd Stowell and Joseph Szadkowski review “Logan” (currently in theaters) and “Moana” (Blu-ray). Also on the radar: Todd and Joseph discuss the video game Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands (Xbox One) and the Blu-ray release of “Nocturnal Animals.” This article is the copyrighted property of the writer and Communities Digital News, LLC. Written permission must be obtained before reprint in online or print media.
Better Travel Pictures: The Wonder of Photoshop
The front lawn of Castello del Nero in Tuscany, made even more beautiful by the wonders of Photoshop. (Photo by Alison Reynolds) TUSCANY, Italy, March 14, 2017 – Adobe Photoshop is a wonderful tool that can change the way you look at your digital files. After learning the basics of this program, you can fix common problems with relative ease. But it takes practice to get used to the tools and how they work.
Explaining my religion to my nonreligious friends
A willingness to burst out of our bubbles and share our faith with one another could go far in maintaining a sense of community and preventing war. PETALUMA, CA, March 13, 2017 – Although I have no scientific evidence to back me up, I’d say a good number of religious people, as engaged and compassionate as they may be, live in a bubble. I should know. I’m one of them. This bubble is enormous.
Flippy the robotic burger-flipper vs. the $15 union worker
WASHINGTON, March 9, 2017 — They won’t be Arnold Schwarzenegger look-alikes, but they may be flipping your burgers in the very near future. According to the Daily Caller, a robotic burger flipper imaginatively named “Flippy” has mastered the fine art of cooking the perfect burger and has just started its job at a Pasadena, California fast-food chain called CaliBurger.
Third annual Fast Track 5K set for Memorial Day weekend
The Southeastern Railway Museum and the city of Duluth, Georgia will host the third annual Fast Track 5K during the 2017 Memorial Day weekend. DULUTH, Ga., March 9, 2017 — The Southeastern Railway Museum and the city of Duluth will host the third annual Fast Track 5K this coming Memorial Day weekend. The 2017 edition of this race race steps off at 8 a.m. on Saturday, May 27, in downtown Duluth and features a patriotic theme. Participants and spectators are encouraged to dress in patriotic attire.
Zadzooks Happy Hour podcast: Halo Wars 2, Allied and Bill Paxton
Listen in as Todd and Joe discuss the passing of Bill Paxton and some of his iconic roles, plus they review Brad Pitt's "Allied" and Warren Beatty's bomb "Rules Don't Apply" So, how did Todd Stowell and Joseph Szadkowski do in their Oscar picks? Find out on Episode 19 of the Zadzooks Happy Hour.
Superhero movies take over the Cineplex
Superhero movies rule the box office, but it's a recent phenomena. A favorite of fans is Logan, aka, Wolverine, whose newest and final film is in theaters now. And it's breaking the box office. WASHINGTON, March 5, 2017 – It is hard now to believe that there was a time when superhero movies were novel. Executives at Warner Brothers and Disney have done such a thorough job of ingraining their films into our way of life that they almost seem necessary.
DORICO Notation Software V. 1.2: Was it worth the wait?
Steinberg Media packed their new release of Dorico with a plethora of exciting features and functionality to lure would-be users into giving their package a try. NORTH CANTON, Ohio, March 3, 2017 – While the producers of Steinberg Media Technologies’ new “Dorico” Notation software may officially deny it, there was something indeed unexpected about the seemingly sudden release of the company’s potentially industry-shaking new software package.
Thurman vs. Garcia: Welterweight history awaits Saturday's winner
One of boxing’s glamour divisions gets the spotlight on Saturday in Brooklyn in a bid to add to its historic legacy. SAN DIEGO, March 2, 2017 – Outside the heavyweight division, the welterweight division is a glamour division which has produced some of the greatest and most well-loved champions in boxing history: Sugar Ray Leonard. Thomas Hearns. Oscar De La Hoya. Felix Trinidad. Manny Pacquiao. Floyd Mayweather.
Oh, SNAP! Snapchat IPO (now Snap, Inc.) is off to the races
WASHINGTON, March 2, 2017 – After generating a great deal of buzz, both positive and negative, the long-awaited IPO of Snap, Inc. (symbol: SNAP), the company formerly referred to as Snapchat, opened for trading Thursday morning on the New York Stock Exchange. Priced at $17, a dollar over the top of its initially expected range of $14-16 per share and reportedly way oversubscribed (many more eager bidders than available stock), the new shares took some time to open for public trading this morning.
Trump Rally steps back after Wednesday’s massive celebration
Nervousness returns to Wall Street as traders book Wednesday’s gains and ponder future action if the Federal Reserve raises interest rates on the Ides of March. WASHINGTON, March 2, 2017 – After yesterday’s post-Presidential Address party on Wall Street, more sober (or hung-over) heads prevailed Thursday morning as many stocks, particularly in the financial arena, decided to pull back a bit. On the flip side, the controversial IPO of Snap, Inc.
President Trump at bat, hits it out of the Congressional park
CHARLOTTE, NC, March 2, 2017 – Judging from the response of media analysts and polls of American citizens, President Trump’s address to the Joint Session of Congress was a rousing success. Some experts proclaimed that President Trump had changed. That he had, at long last, became President Trump. Others maintained that the president hasn’t changed at all; that while the tone and delivery may have been in keeping with the solemnity of the occasion, that the message had not.
Why coal country is on fire for President Trump
WASHINGTON, March 1, 2017 — During the 2008 presidential campaign, Barack Obama made it perfectly clear that his intention was to “bankrupt” the nation’s coal industry and put it out of business. After losing tens of thousands of jobs, coal country will be finally rid of President Obama’s war on coal; according to Reuters, President Trump plans to issue an executive order next week ending the federal coal leasing ban.
Mr. Trump came to Washington. President Trump is now here.
Screenshot @CommDigiNews WASHINGTON, March 1, 2017 – Last night President Donald Trump addressed a joint session of Congress. Trump discussed several issues, but it was more about how he spoke rather than what he said. After a month of Trump trying to convince people he really was capable of the office, he finally looked like a president. There was no talk of the dishonest mainstream media spewing a continuous supply of fake news. There were no attacks on his opponents.
SpaceX: Beyond this point, there be dragons
The Dragon Version 2 from SpaceX. WASHINGTON, February 28, 2017 — During astronaut John Glenn’s first orbital flight in 1962, he saw what he described as space fireflies glowing and floating around his Friendship 7 space capsule. John Glenn boards Friendship 7 in 1962.Some thought he might have succumbed to the high pressures associated with spaceflight and cracked under the strain. Others thought he discovered a new life form.
We pity the fool who doesn’t love the new cast of ‘Dancing With The Stars’
SAN DIEGO, March 1, 2017 – Even before we hear the cast announcement for a new season of “Dancing With The Stars,” we know what we’re going to get: Olympic and professional athletes, stars from our favorite childhood TV shows, a music icon or two, and a crazy choice out of left field. It’s like getting your favorite meal at a restaurant over and over. You love it and there’s no need to experiment. The producers know the recipe and it’s not changing.
FLOTUS and the political fashion of the Joint Session of Congress
The First Lady is sending a message with her Haute couture style, flowing youthful hair and smokey expressive eyes. WASHINGTON, March 1, 2017 – Fashion illustrates the adage “a picture is worth a thousand words.” When it comes to politics, the clothing and accessories the First Lady wears can make or break a designer and the spirit of the American people. Consider that there is a Smithsonian exhibit filled with the inaugural dresses and fashion of the First Ladies, not the ties of the President.
Precious metals go crazy over Fed rumors, Trump speech
Our selling program seems to have gotten ahead of itself, as politics and interest rate rumors juice stocks like a heavy hit of steroids.
@GregGutfeld: Imagine shoes with AI smarter than you (Video)
Fox News' celebrity Greg Gutfield often warns his viewers about robots taking over the world. And it might happen, starting with your shoes. CLEVELAND, March 1, 2017 – Albert Einstein’s was a genius. Einstein’s IQ was measured at 160, while famed astronomer Galileo Galilei IQ was estimated at 185. Masayoshi Son CEO of SoftBank, a Japanese telecommunications and internet conglomerate, tells the Wall Street Journal that within the next thirty years shoes will be smarter than the people wearing them.
The view at Wendy's: High minimum wage still a jobs killer
Wendy's will replace 5,000 workers with computerized kiosks. Critics seem to think that decision has nothing to do with wages. Those critics must own tech stocks. WASHINGTON, February 28, 2017 — The “Fight for 15” group is still pushing for a $15 per hour minimum wage, even as the predictably negative effects of that fight are already beginning to appear.
Trump speech sets stock market on fire in Wednesday action
WASHINGTON, March 1, 2017 – What a difference a day makes. After desultory wandering close to the flat line on low volume in Monday and Tuesday trading, stocks and the major averages that follow them took off like a rocket in Wednesday morning trading action.
Zadzooks Happy Hour podcast #18: ‘Doctor Strange,’ ‘Lego Dimensions: Batman Movie’ and more
WASHINGTON, February 28, 2017 – Pop culture aficionados Todd Stowell and Joseph Szadkowski hilariously review Marvel’s Doctor Strange (Blu-ray), Bad Santa 2 (4k/Blu-ray), discuss Lego Dimensions, and select our Oscar picks. This article is the copyrighted property of the writer and Communities Digital News, LLC. Written permission must be obtained before reprint in online or print media. REPRINTING CONTENT WITHOUT PERMISSION AND/OR PAYMENT IS THEFT AND PUNISHABLE BY LAW.
Battling ALS and learning about the wonderful world of gadgets
When my neurologist suggested I go to physical therapy as part of my ALS treatment, it initially seemed to be an exercise in futility to stretch muscles and joints that had no intention of returning to their original job description. CHARLOTTE, NC, February 19, 2017 – When my neurologist diagnosed me with ALS, she suggested I go to physical therapy as part of the treatment.
Shopping with 'Augmented Reality' apps can make life easier
Shopper apps are using augmented reality technologies to make shopping for everything from cabinets to cookies easy, efficient and fun. JERSEY CITY, N.J., February 8, 2017 – Augmented Reality (AR) is trying to bridge the gap between the digital and the physical worlds. While the term itself was coined more than 25 years ago, the real potential of AR is only just emerging.
Link between midlife obesity and Alzheimer's
The surprising link between obesity and Alzheimer's SAN DIEGO, Sept. 15, 2015 — There is a correlation between being overweight or obese at the age of 50 and earlier development of Alzheimer’s disease.
How Kyle Shanahan choked away the Super Bowl
Was it a Patriots comeback or a Falcon's choke? LOS ANGELES, February 6, 2017 — The entire football world saw the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history. The history books will show that New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady threw an NFL record 62 passes. He completed 43 of them for an NFL record 466 yards. The Pro Football Hall of Fame will forever show that Brady and coach Bill Belichick are now the first player and coach to win five Super Bowls.
Does spiritual health produce material wealth?
There’s a big difference between those who are receptive to God’s grace and those who assume that they can somehow insert themselves into the driver’s seat of the Divine. PETALUMA, CA, Jan. 30, 2017 – When I was in high school, I remember one night sitting down at the kitchen table with my dad. “I want to show you something,” he said, reaching into his wallet and pulling out a check for one million dollars.
The danger of dehumanizing the heroin epidemic
By viewing heroin addicts through the negative lens painted of them, we are destroying our ability to face the problem and create solutions. WASHINGTON, January 24, 2017 – The heroin epidemic in the United States has become a public health crisis – one of the biggest facing America today. Deaths from opioids have jumped dramatically and the numbers are staggering. The fact that we are in the wake of an epidemic is not a question, it’s fact. The question is, however, how it’s handled.
World explorer discovers ‘her own in another’s good’
By setting aside whatever notions she had about preserving her freedom and flexibility, British adventurer Sarah Outen succeeded in changing another’s life. PETALUMA, CA, Jan.
‘The greatest moment in the history of human imagination’
Could it be that by looking past the apparent fixedness of matter we might find our way to better health? PETALUMA, CA, Jan. 16, 2017 – Jay Walker described it as “the greatest moment in the history of human imagination,” a period some 300 years ago when mankind first began to accept the idea that the sun, and not the earth, was at the center of our solar system.
Look forward to the best (and worst) movies of 2017Look forward to the best (and worst) movies of 2017
All the talk about Xander, Cage, SplitLogan, Kong, Justice League, Dark Tower and others...but will any of them be worth the price of admission? WASHINGTON, January 5, 2017 – Beginning of the year movie lists are always a dicey predicament. It’s easy to list off a bunch of movies that will be coming out this year. But as awards season has taught us year after year, we shouldn’t expect the cream of the crop until we get to the end of the year. So what do we do until then?
Boxing’s best of 2016: knockout, upset, comeback, rising star, trainer
Our choices among many memorable moments and performances inside the ring over the past 12 months. SAN DIEGO, December 29, 2016 – As we look back in the Year in Boxing 2016, still colored by Mayweather vs. Pacquiao and the shifting promotional sands, boxing provided numerous individual achievements deserving of our acknowledgment, our attention and our applause. People love this sport because its athletes put everything on the line every single time they step into the ring for our entertainment.
Rethinking aging in the New Year
According to Wall Street Journal reporter Anne Tergesen, it’s possible that everything we think about aging may be wrong. PETALUMA, CA, Dec. 29, 2016 – A few years back, former Obama administration advisor and bioethicist Ezekiel Emanuel insisted he would rather not stick around until he reaches what most consider to be a ripe old age. “Seventy-five years is all I want to live,” he wrote in a widely circulated essay published in The Atlantic.
America's left fights Trump to the last elector
Since the Cold War, Democrats have learned to fear Russia and love the CIA. And if the election wasn't rigged, they think it's time to rig it. WASHINGTON, December 15, 2016 — If Democrats and the the press had been this worried about Russian subversion during the Cold War, the Berlin Wall would have fallen long before Ronald Reagan issued his famous challenge, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” The menace Democrats fear now, though, is not red but orange: Republican President-Elect Donald J.
Cyber-security: Apps to keep your information safe
Maintaining physical security - alarms and locks - is critical for safety. So is cyber-security. Failure to establish strong computer security practices could be devastating to your business. WASHINGTON, December 10, 2016 – It seems that everyone from the Chinese to the Russians to your competitor down the street is now involved in some form of cybercrime or economic espionage.
Getting past the grief with the Hillary White House playset
Do you know someone still in denial over the election of Donald Trump? Instead of coloring books or therapy pets let them role play with President Hillary in the Kid Galaxy White House Playset WASHINGTON, December, 9, 2016 – Arctic cold blasts have hit DC this morning, making it a perfect weekend for Hillary’s supporters still in denial to stay home and play with their Hillary Clinton in the White House playset by Kid Galaxy.
The ironies of ALS, baseball, Lou Gherig and me
The man known as “The Iron Horse” for his amazing record of playing in 2,130 consecutive games had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). We have more than that in common. CHARLOTTE, NC, December 4, 2016 – On the fourth of July in 1939 New York Yankees first basemen Lou Gehrig said “Goodbye” to major league baseball in front of a standing room only crowd at Yankee Stadium.
TEDMED speaker considers herself a ‘physician on a mission’
When asked how to deal with one of the most troubling health care crises today, Pamela Wible says, ‘The solution is almost entirely spiritual.’ PETALUMA, CA, Nov. 27, 2016 – To hear Pamela Wible tell the story, her shift from being a doctor in the doldrums to a “physician on a mission” happened pretty quickly. “I was in bed for six weeks in a self-induced coma,” recounted Wible during an interview at the 2015 TEDMED conference in Palm Springs. “I wanted to just die in my sleep.
What Castro's death means for Cuba
Fidel Castro's death at 90 is unlikely to bring immediate change to Cuba, but for the first time in almost 60 years, change is possible. WASHINGTON, 26 November 2016 – The much anticipated but still surprising death of Cuban dictator Fidel Castro at 90 has sparked celebrations in Miami, condolences from Russia, and a new round of discussion about what is next for Cuba. The not-so-simple simple answer about the impact of Castro’s death on Cuba is nothing and everything.
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