Eric Priezkalns

Articles by This Author

Preston Dirges in the Round

In the last instalment of Preston Dirges' office saga, our hero was trapped in the pub, forced to socialize with his colleagues. Will he survive the experience? Will they?

Why Ban Ki-moon Should Kill Himself

The UN Secretary-General insists we need bold decisions, to deal with the challenge of climate change. But does he lead by example?

Paean to the Pixies

The Pixies have released Indie Cindy, which comes 22 years after Trompe Le Monde, and 26 years after Come On Pilgrim. If that news made some joyous sense to you, then you might also understand the following...

Preston Dirges’ Sense and Sensibilities

Fleeing the unwanted attentions of Reportgirl, Preston drags Valerie from the office, and bundles her into the pub. At long last, Preston is in a relatively safe environment, where he can finally tell Valerie what their department really does...

Confirmation Bias In Action: The BBC turns 10% into 1%

I was going to let this pass without comment. In my experience, biased as my experience probably is, I find a lot of...

Krugman’s April Fool

I should begin by stating I am a sceptic, and I routinely check information and opinion by researching opposing views. No, no, no... I should begin elsewhere. I should begin by explaining why I think economics is more of a pseudoscience than a real science. No, no... that is not right either...

Encounter with Reportgirl

The saga of Preston Dirges continues. Valerie returns from her meeting with the COO to find Preston arguing with Kirsty, a.k.a. Reportgirl...

Between Heaven and Hell: Part One

What is the afterlife like? An unlucky accident hurls neighbours Debbie and Nitin into the next world, which they find strangely reminiscent of the world they left behind...

Seeing the Light with the COO

Since joining Leading Edge Cables, Valerie has struggled to understand what her job is. Preston, her supervisor, seems unable to help. But when Doug, the Chief Operating Officer, calls Valerie to his office, she nervously hopes to get some answers...

Lady Emerald’s Prologue

She heard their voices. They sang, like a faraway chorus, carried by the breeze. Teetering at the edge of her mind, they whispered of needs, and dreams, and desires. These were not the voices she wanted.

10 Reasons to Hate Ricky Gervais

There are many reasons to hate Ricky Gervais. These are just ten of them.

Words Lead To Numbers

In the last episode of Preston Dirges' office odyssey, we were introduced to Kirsty, rising star of Leading Edge Cables. Now Kirsty pays a visit to the Business Intelligence team. Will intelligence protect Gordon and Tina from Kirsty's charming wiles...?

About Halfthoughts

This website showcases content created by Eric Priezkalns, who also uses the pen name Ray Blank when writing science fiction. It includes stories, essays, poems, short films and audio recordings.