WR's blog

In ancient times beginning around the 1950s, the dominant paradigm for computer systems involved a mainframe that users accessed through one or several dumb terminals. Personal computers did not exist; the massive size and great cost of the central processing units typically required very substantial investments by large companies or departments of government.

Senators Byron Dorgan (D-ND), Michael Enzi (R-WY), Richard Lugar (R-IN) and Chris Dodd (D-CT) advocate the removal of restrictions on travel by Americans to Cuba. (See the 'Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act', S. 428.) Now is a good time for ending not only the ban on travel but also the remaining embargo against Cuba.

Renewing the freedoms of travel and trade would benefit both Cuba and the United States.

Copyright laws aim to protect authors of original material, so that they can earn income for their work. Unless the activities generate revenue, many kinds of research and writing are not sustainable. So copyrights foster the collection and dissemination of facts, theories and commentaries. And copyright laws, to a degree, may protect the very existence of a commercial literary enterprise.

There are small issues regarding public safety: the concern for the safe use of firecrackers is one of them. And there are some big issues, for example, those that involve threats to the very existence of humanity. One such threat is astronomical: one comet or asteroid could destroy all human life. It just has to have sufficient mass and hit Earth almost anywhere.

Ghoulardi's admonition is a good one for the national holidays--especially the Fourth of July. To the delight of many viewers of WJW in Cleveland in the early sixties, the host of Shock Theater often lit firecrackers on the set to blow up model cars, effigies of local personalities he lampooned, and even the letter he received from the fire marshal telling him to stop lighting explosives in the building. Ghoulardi did end the practice after he dispatched a big one that deafened some of the crew and started fires that took a couple dozen extinguishers to subdue.

It's summertime, and for many American students, school is out. It's time for pursuing all the studies that a busy academic schedule did not allow--reading new plays and advancing in math and science, history and art. It's time for visiting museums and attending concerts of baroque and classical music, or trying to advance in the understanding of architecture. It's time for starting to learn a new language and practicing the use of it in travels abroad.

The annual Dean Martin Festival was held June 18-19, 2010 in Steubenville, Ohio, the hometown of the star. Deana Martin, his daughter, appeared at the Naples Restaurant there, and then hosted a substantial part of the show on the grounds behind the Spot Bar. She played herself--a gracious lady to everyone, a seasoned performer and a fine emcee. In the process, she introduced several impersonators of her father--actors of varying abilities.