One ape's hallucination is another ape's religious experience - it just depends on which one’s god module is overactive at the time.

The problem with ebook filesharing is simply one of scale. But I think the "piracy" problem is massively over-rated.

I'm an atheist .I was raised in British reform Judaism, which is not like American reform Judaism, much less any other strain of organised religion. So: no cults here.

I was raised thinking that moral and ethical standards are universals that apply equally to everyone. And these values aren't easily compatible with the kind of religion that posits a Creator. To my way of thinking, an omnipotent being who sets up a universe in which thinking beings proliferate, grow old, and die (usually in agony, alone, and in fear) is a cosmic sadist.

All men are islands, surrounded by the bottomless oceans of unthinking night.

Writing novels takes up about 100% of my available working time.

I've reached an age at which I'd rather pay more for something that "just works" than roll up my sleeves, reach for a spanner, and make it work. Time is money, and the older we get the less of it we've got left.