Skewering a vast array of technology topics that apply to IT professionals and laypeople alike, this compilation of MC Press' popular MC TNT Tips 'n Tirades online column follows the author as he searches for the answer to that eternal question: Is technology more hindrance than help? Wry critiques of the pitfalls of eBay, the dangers of online surgical advice, the value of pet cloning technology, the trouble with jargon junkies, and cell phone etiquette are doled out masterfully. For those who work with, own, appreciate, or hate all that modern science has to offer, this collection of keen insights and clever musings on the often hilarious interaction between technology and human beings offers an entertaining and delightful look at the frustrations and laughs that are a part of techie culture.

? On Spam: "When telemarketing calls, spam, and regular junk mail fully clog all other forms of communication, the only remaining option will be to accept visitors to my home office, and I really don’t want to have to clean up my place."

? On Merging TVs and Computers: "I have never spent a moment worrying that,while working on my computer, I might miss the latest episode of a new 'reality' show during which Betty Sue of Ohmigosh,Wisconsin, challenges her fears of insects and heights, and particularly insects at heights, by eating 27 live cockroaches while jumping out of an airplane."

? On Surgery Webcasts: "After a long session of Web surfing, Ethel, the frugal wife, calls out,?Sam, stop worrying about how we're going to pay for that hernia operation you need. I just learned how to perform it myself. It looks easy.We'll save a bundle if I do it for you.’

? On Checking Your BlackBerry on Vacation: "I hate to be the one to break it to you, but you're not that important. The world will get along just fine without you for a week. Enjoy your holiday."

? On Celebrities Getting Their Cell Phones and PDAs Hacked: "I find it ironic that these people spend small fortunes on publicists who try to help them reach the masses, but then they get angry when the masses reach them."

Joel Klebanoff's profile page

Joel Klebanoff has more than 25 years experience in programming, marketing, reviewing, and using information technologies. He is the president of Klebanoff Associates, a company that provides marketing communication services to computer hardware, software, and services vendors, and is the author of the weekly Web column MC TNT Tips 'n Tirades. He lives in Toronto, Ontario.