Francis Volpe

I'm a longtime journalist and writer with interests in popular culture and politics. As a former editorial page editor and writer of newspaper editorials and op-ed pieces for Pennsylvania newspapers, I have grappled with many of the major issues of the past couple of decades for readers, often leavening my insights with observations based in pop culture readymades.

I'm also a former musician and entertainment page editor, so I have some fairly well-informed opinions and insight into rock and pop music, movies and television.

And I've been involved in online pursuits since 1985, from the old "bulletin board" systems to such private commercial networks as GEnie, Quantum Link and America Online, so I have a pretty good grasp of how technology informs the lives of ordinary people. I've also run a Web site that features rock 'n roll Christmas music for more than 10 years.