Technology
The garlic thief
The garlic thief by David Benjamin MADISON, Wis. — I confess. The other night, I robbed the supermarket. Here’s what happened. Hotlips was making pesto from the rampant basil plant that had swallowed our balcony and was threatening to re-enact The Day of the Triffids in the parlor. The missing ingredient in Hotlips’ recipe was…
Read MoreAlone and palely loitering, among the deviceniks
Alone and palely loitering, among the deviceniks by David Benjamin “The spread of automation could cause some Asian countries to lose eighty percent of their textile industry jobs. What on earth are they going to do? How will they support their families? What will they do with their time?” — Jim Yong Kim, President, World…
Read MoreOu sont les gadgets d'antan?
Ou sont les gadgets d’antan? by David Benjamin MADISON, Wis. — We came to know him as Franky the Hawk but he was actually a peregrine falcon. He used to visit our bird feeder in California, looking for breakfast. He always got served. Whenever Franky flew in, I halted my labors to watch life and…
Read MoreThe Whole Shebang
The Whole Shebang by David Benjamin “We bought the URL gofccyourself.com. If you simply go there, it will land you straight on this [FCC public comment] page, where all you have to do is hit ‘Express’ and ‘Comment,’ telling [FCC chief] Ajit Pai that you specifically support net neutrality backed by Title II oversight of…
Read MoreJack Palance takes charge
Jack Palance takes charge by David Benjamin “Net neutrality requires internet services providers to charge equal rates and offer equal speeds for all data usage. Without the policy, a telecommunications company — like Pai’s former employer Verizon — would be allowed to impose blocks on websites at its discretion or allow providers to create so-called…
Read MoreThe geeks who live on the hill
The geeks who live on the hill by David Benjamin “Let’s make sure none of our kids have to drive.” — Jen Hsun Huang, CEO, Nvidia LAS VEGAS — In the real world, nobody talks about self-driven cars. We have other stuff on our minds. If we talk about cars at all, it’s usually something…
Read MoreThe attack of the box spring
The attack of the box spring by David Benjamin “… Miss Glory, robots are not people. They are mechanically much better than we are, they have an amazing ability to understand things, but they don’t have a soul. Young Rossum created something much more sophisticated than Nature ever did — technically at least!… ” —…
Read MoreThe roar of the grease stain, the smell under the hood
The roar of the grease stain, the smell under the hood by David Benjamin “Everything in life is somewhere else, and you get there in a car.” — E. B. White MADISON, Wis. — The presumptuous Republican presidential candidate styles himself as a man of the people, the buddy of the working class. But how…
Read More“… A new nation, conceived in lunacy…”
“… A new nation, conceived in lunacy…” by David Benjamin “There was a young lady named Bright, Whose speed was far faster than light. She went out one day, In a relative way, And returned the previous night.” — Reginald Buller MADISON, Wis. — Sometime last year, the Day of the Tachyon dawned. There is…
Read MoreFranco lives
Franco lives by David Benjamin “We do not believe in government through the voting booth. The Spanish national will was never freely expressed through the ballot box. Spain has no foolish dreams.” ― Generalissimo Francisco Franco BARCELONA — Every time I come back to Spain, I get this vague inkling of a nation teetering perpetually…
Read More