Author: Steve Ainslie

For a while now, there have been reports of “mass mob” thefts at retail stores in urban cities and blatant stealing by individuals in the same areas. Most of us have seen videos of these online. With the mobs, a group of people rush into a store, smash windows and display cases and run off…

One surprising result of getting a second dog has been that I am no longer noticing every little ache and pain I have throughout the day. I still have them – my knee injury is taking months to heal, my foot injury I fear is chronic, and the older I get, the more aches and…

An expert was asked why scammers still used the “Nigerian prince” email scam today, more than 20 years after it first began being used in the late 1990s. The obvious answer is, because it still works and the cost/risk/reward makes it worthwhile for the scammers. The interviewer understood how people could be tricked by scammers…

Reading Neil Gaiman’s essays on his favorite science fiction, from past to present, inspired me to revisit the Sci-Fi authors I loved as a child and to explore new Sci-Fi novels. Overall, it’s been less enjoyable reading these works of fiction than reading Gaiman’s stories about these authors and his own childhood love of reading….

I waited for several days after adopting my dog before naming her. I created a list of names (of course), that I came up with on my own and from browsing different websites. However, I wanted to get know TBD first, before deciding on a name. She looks somewhat intimidating so I wanted a cute…

It’s been a few days since I adopted a second dog to join me & Wiggles. I am happy to report that none of us have completely lost our minds yet. Nor, other than for a few brief moments the first night, have I thought, “Oh no…what have I done? Did I ruin my quiet,…

Unaffordable housing is nothing new. Even though news headlines are filled with declarations that younger generations will never be able to buy a house and pundits proclaim it’s “worse than it has ever been for first time buyers.” I’m calling bullshit. Yes, there was a buying frenzy for houses during the pandemic. It was fueled…

Well, as expected, after visiting Saving Grace Animal Rescue yesterday, I adopted an dog and brought her home with me. All three of us had a bit of a hectic night – Wiggles and me especially. Our normally predictable and easy-going routine was turned on its head. Wiggles was a bit interested in my new…

When I arrived in Raleigh four years ago, fresh off my disastrous “living on the road” experience and my wife’s agonizing death 6 months earlier, one of the first people I met was Sarah*. Sarah was an older lifeguard at my pool. She was very friendly. I always chat with the guards when I’m drying…

Universal Basic Income sounds like a wonderful way to promote society, provide a buffer against unemployment for any number of reasons, ensure a minimum quality of life and care for humanity. I’ve listened to numerous arguments for and against it. I’ve read through positive results of small studies and short term applications of UBI-like assistance….