IT Security: A Balanced Perspective
An article titled 'Millennials' buck IT security policies got me to thinking about some of the differences between the millennials, workers generally age 28 and under, and their non-millennial counterparts.…
Thriving with Dyscalculia: How I Navigate a World of Numbers
TL;DR: While reflecting on 2023 and 2018, I realized something unique — I don’t think of years as ‘numbers’ or ‘values’ the way most people do. For me, they take…
Everything is Possible? [Videos]
How many times have you heard the saying that "everything is possible"? Probably so many times that you have become jaded and believe it to be false. If so, then…
Lifestyle Choices: Examining the Boundaries of Discrimination
bumper sticker on a Toyota Prius read, "Draft SUV drivers first"... Discriminating against SUV drivers...is discrimination against a lifestyle CHOICE, and avoiding that discrimination is as easy as choosing a…
My Ghost Story
Since it's almost Halloween, I thought I'd share a little ghost story with you. I'm no "ghost whisperer" (thank goodness), though that is the name of one of my favorite…
From “I Want It Now!” to Mindful Spending: Lessons from My Childhood
Picture this: You’re at Disneyland, surrounded by dazzling lights and tempting treats. Your child’s eyes widen, a finger points, and the inevitable plea escapes their lips: ‘I want it now!’”…
A night in the life of a hotel night auditor
Many years ago, I worked as a night auditor at an Embassy Suites hotel. About a year later, I switched to a Best Western overlooking the Pacific Ocean. While most…
Leland Stanford Mansion SHP: One-Minute Video Tour
I created a one-minute video tour of the beautiful Leland Stanford Mansion State Historic Park in Sacramento. I used several photos taken by my father, Dave W. Murray, as well…
Newsies: A Movie Ahead of Its Time [Gallery]
In April 1992, Walt Disney Pictures premiered something that had not been seen in six years: a big-budget movie musical. The movie, Newsies, was helmed by established choreographer Kenny Ortega…
Mediocrity Squashes Creativity: A Call for Individualized Learning
Within the U.S. public education system, mediocrity has become the standard by which students are judged. Furthermore, students are strongly encouraged, or even required, to embrace conformity, and, in return,…
What Does Organic “Really” Mean?
Consumers have a mind-boggling array of foods to choose from at the grocery store. Some foods appeal to families on a tight budget, others are marketed to shoppers with high-end…
Labor Day Funnies
Happy Labor Day! For those of you with gainful employment, I hope you enjoy a well-deserved day off! For those of you still looking for that perfect job, rest assured…
(In)Accessible Website Usage
My interest in web accessibility has developed over years of interacting with friends and volunteers with various disabilities. I’ve seen firsthand how inaccessible websites create barriers and limit people’s online…
The Right to Live and Die
My homework for this week was to answer this question: "Currently there is an ethical dilemma regarding terminally ill individuals and their right to die. Do you believe an individual…
Messages for and memories of Dave W. Murray
Contents Welcome and thanks for visiting My father, Dave W. Murray, was a science fiction and fantasy writer and editor, an elementary school teacher for 32 years, a photographer, a…