Elderly couple consider divorce to keep health benefits

A dear friend’s parents have been married for nearly 50 years, but now are considering divorce in order to keep healthcare benefits. Is this status quo really worthy of protecting, as some opponents of healthcare reform advocate?
About 2 months ago Mrs. Jones (name changed at her request) had a sudden, massive stroke. Her brain swelled [...]

Robots at your service

If you could design your own person robot, what would you ask it to do? My ideal service robot would apply sunscreen to my back before I head to Hookipa to surf.

Growing need for quiet zones on airplanes

It’s a dreaded and familiar situation for air travelers: The toddler seated nearby screams ear-drum busting, brain-piercing outbursts for most of the flight. It’s impossible to concentrate on that project you’d planned to work on during the flight or enjoy your book. Gone is any slim chance of napping en route. Airlines haven’t responded to the needs of the changing pool of passengers very well, apart from charging more for less. One option for airlines to improve customer satisfaction is to create quiet zones, like those found on trains.

My dying dog’s final weekend

Eight years ago I adopted Mahina, a 5-year old Great Pyrenees. But all those happy years of roaming, exploring and playing have finally taken their toll on Mahina. She has spinal arthritis that has been gradually worsening over the past nine months. Her time on this earth is almost up. Last April we realized that the medicine we’ve been giving her was only buying us a little more time with her. Come Monday, that time will run out. So to honor the amazing life we’ve had because of and with Mahina, this weekend is dedicated to her; no blogging, no tweating, no working, just time with our beloved dog.

Centipede’s poisonous claws up close

Last night a giant centipede (about 6 or 7 inches long) slithered out from under a cabinet and across the tile floor, heading for my bare feet. I screamed, but have enough experience with giant centipedes in Hawaii to know what to do: Grab scissors, slice, dice and flush. The claws continued to wiggled in a creepy prehistoric way long after I severed them from the rest of the body. So I flushed them, too.