I can certainly appreciate the audiophile mentality. Paying top dollar for good musical equipment is not wasted money in my opinion. Usually. And then there's the Denon AKDL1 Dedicated Link Cable, modestly priced at $500. You heard that right, $500 for a 59-inch copper cable. Let that sink in for a minute. And then check out some of the product reviews on Amazon.com. Here's a few of my favorites: This Cable Improved my Health! Thank you Denon. I suffer ... Read on, Daddy-O

Would it unconstitutional to introduce capital punishment for anyone who posts a variation of "First!" to start a comment thread? How about for people who use the words "preggo" or "preggers"? Is there a bigger oxymoron than Ticketmaster's "convenience charge"? For whom is it convenient to spend 8-10 bucks to get a piece of paper printed? Why is it that most reality shows are more obviously scripted than non-reality shows? As far as I can remember, the only true "reality" show I ... Read on, Daddy-O

March 24, 1989: The Exxon tanker Valdez accidentally hits the state of Alaska, spilling about 11 million gallons of oil. Capt. Joseph Hazlewood was later convicted of negligent discharge of oil and failing to leave a note at the scene of an accident. What's scary is that it's not even one of the 50 worst oil spills of all-time. March 27, 1884: The first long-distance telephone call takes place, between New York and Boston. Contrary to urban legend, the content ... Read on, Daddy-O

So apparently Microsoft is developing a web analytics tool to rival Google Analytics, which is one service I already use for this blog. The code name for this new service is Gatineau, named after the Canadian city where the original developer is located. No matter how good the service might end up being under its new name, it's always going to be a little tainted for me because I see the name 'Gatineau' and instantly think of former NFL defensive ... Read on, Daddy-O

There is no shortage of press and academic research covering the topic of so-called Internet Addiction. Of course, the first reaction of any true addict is "not me!" This denial is usually followed by surprise, realization, and then descent into an all-too familiar shame spiral. In the interest of science and self-improvement I've spent the last few weeks keeping a meticulous log of my daily activities, in order to better understand just how the Internet fits into my life. The ... Read on, Daddy-O

...but then again, no. I mean it's cool and all, but for the amount of money ($499 for the cheaper model) you'd spend on it you could get the following goodness instead: 1 Maytag 3.2-cubic foot, top-loading washing machine. Now you can stop hanging out at the laundromat, unless you're actually into it. 2.94 sets of the complete run of The Twilight Zone on DVD. The good one, not the '80s revival or the crappy one with Forest Whitaker. 3.81 bags of ... Read on, Daddy-O

With the release of the much-ballyhooed iPhone just around the corner, I thought I'd take a look at a few other telephone innovations of the past. Satellite phone service While satellite phone service is no big deal now - and has in fact been eclipsed by cell phones in terms of sheer usage - this 1960 ad from Douglas (pre-McDonnell) recalls a time when the technology was very much new and exciting (the first American satellite, Explorer I, had only been launched in late ... Read on, Daddy-O