It is astonishing to me that New Zealand’s parliament, by a vote of 107-10, today increased the powers of the SIS, or Security Intelligence Service. They used the World Rugby Cup as a catalyst for this. The powers include improved ability to deal with high-tech communications like computers and mobile phones. In short, they have…
Two big budget alien-invasion movies came out earlier this year. Skyline came out first and did poorly at the box office, being roundly panned by critics. Battle: Los Angeles came out later and did gangbuster business at the box office, although it too was roundly panned. Both movies focus on Los Angeles (what a surprise…
Today, I set up our new compost bin in the back yard. It’s the first time I’ve ever composted, so — as is my well-known habit — I researched the living hell out of the process. This afternoon, between the late afternoon sun and wee bits of drizzle, I got it all set up. Backstory…
Let’s all take a deep breath and take a look at what loyalty cards do. They identify us and our spending habits to companies who want us to spend more money at their stores. They lure us into believing that if we spend more, we will get some sort of freebie or another. A bit…
Despair doesn’t begin to describe the feeling one has when faced with the possibility that one has moved to a country that simply doesn’t enjoy fine sushi. By fine, I don’t mean anything particularly special — I mean only that the sushi must be of premium quality, made by itamae steeped in Japanese tradition, and…
I’m not sure if I qualify among true-blue nudists as a nudist, but I certainly enjoy being nude and being nude around others. You would never know this from my time in cold and windy San Francisco (nudity + wind + cold = no way, Jose), but in a warm climate, in general solitude, I’m…
Back in September, 2003, in Part XI of PWSBK, I railed about the vile nature of people who eat with their mouths open. These people are so poorly mannered, so hideous to behold, that they deserve a new — a second — shout out for their killing. I’ve spent the last two or three weeks…
I ran into this story on Wired today and was encouraged by 21-year-old Aaron Tobey’s sense of resolve. Honestly, I am encouraged by any ordinary person in the U.S. who does not appear to be domesticated by federal and state policy (they are legion). When we’re young and educated, we tend to be dreamers, activists,…
All of my books are packed in boxes stacked in a container sitting on a cargo ship enroute to New Zealand. I’ve been pining for a good read and can’t stand the idea of staring at my iPad screen reading reformatted Kindle pages. I stopped today at Borderlands, the sci-fi and fantasy book store in…