The Strip

THINGS I WISH MY KIDS WOULD ASK ME

Barry Courter has a 23-year-old son who recently graduated from college and an 18-year-old daughter who is a senior in high school.

Q: Dad, what are some things you've learned about working in Chattanooga?

A: You hear it all the time, but it's true: Chattanooga is a big small town. The new person moving here or the young person just out of school and entering the work force would be smart to find a charity, an event or a committee that interests them and volunteer. It's a great way to meet people and network. It won't take long before you too know everybody in town.

-- By Barry Courter

TOP 10 GAMES

Game Informer Magazine ranks the top Wii games for March.

  1. "Xenoblade Chronicles"

  2. "Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure"

  3. "Rhythm Heaven Fever"

  4. "The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword"

  5. "Rayman Origins"

  6. "Tiger Woods: PGA Tour 13"

  7. "Kirby's Return To Dream Land"

  8. "Fortune Street"

  9. "Bit.Trip Complete"

  10. "Lego Harry Potter: Years 5-7"

WEBSITE TO WATCH

With the rise of Kindles, iPads and other tech devices, fewer people are reading actual paper books these days. The website DailyLit (http://dailylit.com) is a perfect way for someone on the go to read a book online without having to purchase an e-reader. Users receive the books they subscribe to in short installments to their emails or RSS feeds. They can be read on a computer or mobile device, such as the iPhone or Blackberry. The books are free, with options in several genres. The site also has forums for members to suggest new books to each other, discuss old ones or just keep in touch. The site could use a little help in the originality department to stand its ground against eBooks, but it is a great alternative for people without e-readers.

DID YOU KNOW?

It seems so obvious now that suitcases should have wheels and telescoping handles. But this year marks just the 25th anniversary of the invention of the vertical rolling suitcase. The Travelpro Rollaboard was invented by Northwest Airlines pilotath. In his garage, he turned a suitcase on its end and added wheels and a handle to pull it. Now, almost every suitcase uses the same idea. Of course, the original Rollaboard was pretty heavy. Today's models are far lighter and have improved wheels. Now, if only someone would invent a way to send our baggage over the Internet.

APP REVIEW

* What: ChargeBar gives you a closer look at your current battery life on your Android device.

Android's default battery icon is pretty small, and doesn't give you a good idea of your battery's remaining power. ChargeBar puts a thin line at the top of your screen (or, if you prefer, below the menu bar or at the bottom of the screen), showing you how much battery you have left. You can change its color, thickness and animations, as well as hide it in full-screen apps. It's completely free and well worth using if you're sick of trying to judge how full Android's tiny battery icon is. ChargeBar is a free download for Android only, available in the Android Market.hy Newspapers

TECH TALK

* Read: "The Sister Brothers" by Patrick deWitt

This is a richly textured, atypical Western written by a Canadian who happens to live in the United States. DeWitt was one of two Canadians shortlisted this past year for England's prestigious Man Booker Prize, arguably the most distinguished of all literary awards outside of the Pulitzer or Nobel Prize. "The Sister Brothers" has gone on to get laurels from other areas of distinction, having been named a Best Book of the Year by the likes of Publishers Weekly, the Washington Post and Amazon.com. There's good reason for all of these accolades: It's simply a rip-roaring, engrossing read -- even for those who might frown upon the Western as a serious genre. -- Zachary Houle

-- PopMatters.com

Upcoming Events