As a kid, our family played lots of games – board games, card games, video games, lawn darts, baseball, volleyball and almost anything else you can imagine. The one game that was never really a kids' adventure was Scrabble, which turned out to be Clash of the Titans between my grandfather and my mother. It was my grandfather who would routinely crush the New York Times crosswords in less than 30 minutes versus my mom who was a national runner-up in the Spelling Bee in her teenage years. Suffice...

For my second installment of AfterLive, I've selected a man who many consider to be one of the best singer-songrwrtiers to ever grace American music. A musician respected by the likes of Dylan and Springsteen, and whose songs have been covered by just about everyone. That's right, I'm talking about John Hiatt. Fans already know the drill... For all his talent and inside baseball admiration, John Hiatt has never achieved the same level of success as his contemporaries. People know his most popular...

The 'Double Rainbow' meme is sweeping the land. With 3.6 million views in the last 10 days, this ode to joy is gearing-up to be a phenomenon of Three Wolf Moon proportions. Maybe more... Some say it's the funniest thing they've ever seen on YouTube. Others are amused with the larger than life, stoner-like personality of the man called Yosemitebear (this dude has more nicknames than Apollo Creed). But most just want to know that eternal cosmic question posed by Hungrybear9562 1:14 into his video,...

After some thought, I have decided what to do on my summer vacation. I believe a good two-week block of time with no distractions will enable me to get all my contacts up to date and synchronized across multiple devices. As long as I have an Internet connection, my vacation can’t be spoiled by weather, oil spills, or other natural disasters. I won’t have to make any tee times, and a La Quinta Inn with the customary Denny’s nearby will suffice for my daily comforts. For exercise I can swim a...

If you are trying to decide between the the 3G and WiFi-only iPad, ask yourself one more question: "do I need mobile Internet access for more than just my iPad?" With WiFi-enhanced apps like the new iPhone 4's FaceTime, it makes sense to connect your smartphone as well. Inevitably, your laptop will want in on the action so you can do work away from the office on a warm, sunny day. Before you know it, you will find yourself with 3-4 devices (or friends) in one place all needing roaming wireless access....

As I walked into my local Apple Store (Mall of Georgia), I wasn't expecting much as I'd been told Apple's latest touch device would not arrive before Thursday. But like David Blaine in Bryant Park, magic was in the air... I quickly saw two boxes remained on the shelf. Running down all that stood in my way, presto, the Apple Magic Trackpad was mine a day early! On the ride home, I was as happy as a rabbit being pulled out of a top hat. I held my box tight, repeating over and over, "I think we must...