Columnists

The magnificent music of Broadway for a Broadway musical lover is mesmerizing and enthralling. Brilliant music and clever lyrics tell a story that can stir the senses and take you to another place.

Abraham Lincoln never visited Silicon Valley, but he would no doubt appreciate the spirit of innovation and ingenuity that exists in our global high-tech epicenter. Lincoln, whose birth date is Sunday, happens to be the only U.S. president who ever received an invention patent. That fact leads me to believe he would have a word or two to say to many of today's politicians who are now thwarting efforts to upgrade America's patenting system .

To the best of my ability, I avoid negative feelings like envy. That being said, I have long dreamt of a day that I can buy pants off the rack. Regardless of waist size (I say that for the benefit of you who, like my daughter, think dieting would give me more options in length), the shortest inseam on the rack is 29 inches which, unfortunately, is one and a half inches too long for me. Sadly, my pants go from the rack, to a tailor, and finally,to my closet. I continue to hope that the market will respond to my needs and the needs of my vertically challenged brethren, but to date that is little more than a pipe dream.

Whether you’re a sports fan or not and regardless of who you are rooting for, you can probably learn something from the Super Bowl teams that you can apply to other endeavors – such as investing.

OK, it has met all the qualifications; it has passed all the tests: Winter 2012 is now officially ridiculous. I mean, fashionably late is one thing, but if you were invited to an office wine-and-cheese TGIF that started at 6 would you still be home dithering over what to wear next February?

Straight, standard keyboards are just fine for most people. However, you should consider a split keyboard if placing your hands on a standard keyboard causes any of the following:

Award-winning writer Lee Hall knows his way around words. He has given us the superb "Billy Elliott" and co-wrote the screenplay for the heart-wrenching "War Horse." His smooth dialogue for "The Pitman Painters" flows with his usual glib, natural depth for the subject at hand. This bittersweet, humorous piece tells the true story about a grungy group of coal miners who decide to enhance their drab lives. With great trepidation, they decide to participate in (government supplied) art appreciation classes, never thinking they would eventually become famous and in demand in the art world.

Gilroy's First Baptist Church (8455 Wren Ave.) has a long tradition of reaching out to meet the needs of the community. This month it invites South County residents to take advantage of two courses offering support in important areas of life.