The Newark mayor the subject of same-sex marriage, specifically in New Jersey, but generally applicable everywhere.

When courts decide for same-sex marriage, those who oppose it say it should be the choice of legislatures. When legislatures decide for it, those who oppose it say it should be the choice of the voters. I have no doubt whatsoever that if the voters decided for it, those who oppose it would be in the courts trying to stop it. The folks who oppose same-sex marriage don’t really want anyone to say it’s okay. They just want it not to exist.

I went to go make myself a cheese quesadillia today because cheese+tortilla+1 minute in the microwave = GAAAAHCHEEZYGOODNESS, and I noticed that we have two bags of tortillas in the refrigerator, but one is labeled “Original Wraps,” and the other is “Large Flour Tortillas.” The tortillas inside both are exactly the same — same size, same calorie count, etc — but I also happen to notice that the “wraps” package is a six count package, while the “flour tortilla” package is an eight count package.

So then I went upstairs to my computer (taking my cheese quesadilla with me, because research is hungry work), to check to see what the pricing was on both packages. On Netgrocer.com the 6-count package of Mission Wraps is $3.85, while the 8-count package of Mission Large Flour Tortillas is $3.59. The individual product — the flat, thin object made of flour — is exactly the same, but apparently if you call it a wrap, you can charge more, and offer fewer per package — than you can if you call it a tortilla.

Please note here that my methodology here is highly anecdotal — I have checked but one online retailer and but one brand of wrap/tortilla. That said, I wouldn’t be entirely surprised to discover that in a general sense “wraps” come in packages with fewer units in them, and that on a per unit basis they are significantly more expensive than when the same objects are called “tortillas.”

Why “wraps” might be more expensive than “tortillas” despite in fact being the same damn thing is an exercise I leave to the reader. I’d personally like to believe it’s something other than a food manufacturer and/or retailer catering to the latent insecurities of white people when presented with an ethnic food object as exotic as a tortilla. Whatever the reason, as a consumer tip, may I suggest that the next time you plan to make a wrap of some sort, that you head for the tortillas. You might save yourself a little cash.

Hey there — Subterranean Press has released another on of my short stories for the Kindle and Nook: “Tale of the Wicked,” which originally showed up in the New Space Opera 2 anthology, back in 2009. It’s got spaceships and aliens and battles and computers and explosions, not necessarily in that order, and it’s a pretty good story if I do say so myself. Here’s the link to the Kindle edition, and to the Nook edition. In the UK? There’s a Kindle edition for you too. Everywhere else in the world? Working on it.

While I’m pointing that out, this is also a fine time to note that SubPress also released a different short story of mine a few weeks back, which I completely forgot to mention because I was busy training were-badgers to do my dark bidding. Nevertheless I’m telling you now that “An Election,” my 2010 of a human guy running for a city council post in a district dominated by alien races, is also now available in Kindle and Nook formats. it does not feature spacecraft and explosions, but it does feature aliens — quite a few of them — plus local politics and lots of humor. So I think you’ll dig it if you haven’t read it already. It’s also available on Amazon UK.

Both stories go for 99 cents in the US and 77, what? Pence? in the UK. Enjoy.