Drunk Spray
True entrepreneurs are always on the lookout for ubiquitous problems that can be solved for a profit. Case in point: Lots of folks like to get drunk now and then, but doing so can be an awkward process. Alcohol is cumbersome to cart around, fills you up with a lot of calories, and in some […]
The Spiraling Cost of College
Here in California where I currently reside, the cost of a college education is a hot topic. The University of California system, arguably one of the best in the country, is caught in the vise of the Golden State’s financial woes. On one side, there is the perception that the only way the […]
Rush to Judgment
Dr. Benjamin Rush was a highly respected physician and medical administrator in the early 1800’s. He was enormously influential, and widely known as a man who got things done. He was a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and is one of the founders of American psychiatry. Dr. Rush did not […]
Turing the Country
When you call an 800 number for technical support these days, there are basically two probable scenarios. In the first, you get a guy with a heavy Indian accent who introduces himself as George, is annoyingly polite, and leads you through a canned flowchart of question-answer decision points that even a machine could manage. The […]
The NFL Has a Problem
Professional football in America dates back to around 1920. The college game goes back even further. Theodore Roosevelt loved how the game built athleticism, character, teamwork and willpower. In 1905, there were far fewer players than today, and yet 18 died during games in that one year alone. Deciding that the risks outweighed the […]
The Flash Startup
The Internet is an incredible wealth of information; somewhere out there is an answer to every question. Often when I use it, I find myself riddled with guilt. I know in my heart that it’s better to give than to receive, and with the Internet I’m a habitual receiver. Whenever I try to […]
Raising an Entrepreneur
Nature vs. nurture – it’s part of the conversation whether the topic is alcoholism, serial killers or entrepreneurs. For the latter, the cop-out answer – “it’s a little bit of both” – is quite probably the correct one. You can be off-the-charts smart and brimming with fresh ideas, but you’ll get nowhere if you […]
Air Travel Has Come a Long Way
We have become so accustomed to the post 9/11 world of air travel that most of us have forgotten what it used to be like. This video from 1933 paints a rich picture of the early days when traveling by air was the exclusive domain of the rich and adventurous. People dressed up before […]
PhDs on Food Stamps
When I am asked if getting a PhD was “worth it”, I presume this to be a question about return on investment. The short answer is no. The long answer, factoring in the lost opportunity cost of those long years as a poor graduate student and the narrower job market, is the same. There […]
The Dangers of Profiling
I am a white male adult of average height and weight. I have no discernible accent. I am generally friendly, and I make eye contact when speaking with someone. Nonetheless, I am occasionally singled out by the TSA for some form of additional scrutiny before boarding a flight. I recently watched a younger male […]
