Jan 15Member-onlyWas James Holden a coward?As science-fiction series The Expanse closes on its sixth and final episode of the supposedly final season of the show, one man seems to be held up as a kind of reluctant hero: James Holden. He is, after all, the independent Earther who, across the six series, remains true to…The Expanse5 min read
Jun 1, 2021Member-onlyDiscriminating against Naomi Osaka because of her mental healthNaomi Osaka withdrew from the French Open on May 31, 2021, saying she needed to “take some time away from the court” after being fined for not attending a press conference following her tennis match. …Naomi Osaka3 min read
May 4, 2021Member-onlyWhen short-term memory fails: A conversation with my momNavigating the first stages of a memory problem is never easy. Post COVID-19 vaccination, I drove down to visit my also-vaccinated family in Delaware this past weekend. It was the first time I had made this trip in over 14 months. Prior to the pandemic, I would visit about every other month. This is something I started doing when my dad’s…Memory Loss5 min read
Dec 9, 2020Member-onlyDebunking conspiracy theoriesWith another holiday season approaching, many families plan on getting together again to catch-up and reconnect. Hopefully, given the raging pandemic in most states, these family get-togethers will be virtual. With more Americans believing conspiracy theories than ever before in recent history, such gatherings can be awkward for those unbelievers…Conspiracy Theories4 min read
Published in The Startup·May 13, 2020Member-onlyThe End of the Office: Telework Lays Bare The Empty Promises of OfficesThe novel coronavirus outbreak of 2020 and its resulting disease, COVID-19, lays bare one undeniable truth for office workers and their employers. Many (most?) employees don’t need to be working in the office to begin with. The Empty Promises of Offices Offices are supposed to be these magical collaborative environments where we meet our co-workers…Office5 min read
Apr 16, 2020Member-onlyInstacart is failing at basic customer service — And should fail as a companyDuring times of crisis — such as the current novel coronavirus outbreak and its disease, COVID-19 — there lies an opportunity for companies properly positioned. While thousands of small businesses are suffering due to the shutdown of the U.S. economy, some investor-backed Silicon Valley darlings are thriving. Or, at least…Instacart4 min read
Mar 15, 2020Member-onlyU.S. economy will suffer more due to the #COVID19 coronavirus“Social distancing” is the recommended behavior for most Americans due to the COVID19 coronavirus pandemic affecting the world today. That is, most Americans should generally avoid other people, especially crowds, and only go out for basic necessities. You don’t have to think very hard about the effects that shuttering businesses—…Coronavirus3 min read
Dec 11, 2019Member-onlyWhat Twitter and Facebook Can Learn From Alexander HamiltonYou can’t pop a filter bubble with more information — It’s been said that the solution to misinformation is simply more information. It’s the cornerstone of the argument for the type of virtually unrestricted free speech we enjoy in the U.S. The argument is that you address misinformation by providing facts that directly speak to the misinformation (or as so…Facebook4 min read
Jan 31, 2019How Google Has Changed for the Worse in Just 2 ScreenshotsGoogle used to be about providing relevant search results to people looking for information on the web. Nowadays, Google is more about providing relevant paid advertising to people looking for information on the web. Search results have become secondary. Don’t believe me? Look at these two screenshots. The first is…SEO3 min read
Jun 13, 2018Suspected Voting Fraud on HeroXRecently a colleague of mine who had just closed a HeroX challenge project competition worth a few thousand dollars had a question about possible voting irregularities. While I do run a consulting firm, most of our work has to do with websites and infrastructure. …Challenge6 min read