**Richard Thieme** is a former priest who became a commentator on technology and culture, founding the consulting firm ThiemeWorks. He is the author of the syndicated column "Islands in the Clickstream," which was published in 60 countries and in 2004 was turned into a book of the same name. In 2010 he published a book of short stories (_Mind Games_) and in 2012 he contributed to the peer-reviewed academic work, "UFOs and Government, a Historical Inquiry." Regarded as a member of the cyber avant-garde, Richard has spoken at various conferences since the mid-1990s, focusing on the impact of new technologies on individuals and organizational structures, with an emphasis on security and intelligence, and he has become somewhat of a father figure to many in the hacker subculture.