Weed Entrepreneurs
During the last major election, there was a lot of talk about getting the economy kick-started. Words like “innovation”, “education” and “entrepreneur” were tossed about with reckless abandon. By a rather narrow margin of the popular vote, the American people felt that Barack Obama was the best equipped to turn things around. Another result of […]
Password Protected
When I was a graduate student at Caltech, my computer password was “password”. In those days, I had so many things to remember that something more complicated was simply out of the question. I rationalized that there were lots of very smart people running around who could easily hack my account if they wanted. […]
The Paleo Question
“Biggie Sizing” our fast food was a brilliant marketing ploy. The profit margins on that extra dollar are huge. Whether or not this BS is also responsible for biggie sizing our waistlines is another question. It definitely was part of the argument against the excessive amount of fat in our diets, an argument […]
Microsoft Toilet
The buzz level has been high of late. As the rumored announcement for the iPhone 6 draws closer, it is easy to overlook just how good Apple is when it comes to building a climate of envy and desire. Other technology giants have tried, notably Microsoft. Remember the Kin? I didn’t think so (it was […]
No More Horns!
If you’ve had the opportunity to drive an automobile in different parts of the country, or the world, you are well aware of the many variations of driving culture that exist. When I returned to my native California after 10 years of living and driving in Colorado, I was uncomfortable with how closely everyone […]
The Good Grade Pill
“One pill makes you larger, and one pill makes you small. And the ones that mother gives you, don’t do anything at all.” (opening lines of “White Rabbit” by Jefferson Airplane). Just as physics teaches us that nature seeks the lowest possible energy state, so are humans wired to search for the “Easy Button”, or […]
The Future of Football
Mention a sudden motion of the head and for a neuroscientist, the word concussion comes to mind. The result is a scrambling of the electrical circuitry in the brain, producing some combination of headache, memory loss, confusion, blurred vision or unconsciousness. In the world of professional fighting, where the objective is to knock […]
The Daniel Diet
When airlines are forced to increase the passenger weight allowance on their planes, you suspect America might be developing an obesity problem. When pastors find it difficult to baptize people because of their collective girth, it pretty much seals the deal. When one of those pastors happens to be Rick Warren, himself a […]
America is Fat
America is fat. We are ready and able to hibernate. We have gorged on sugars and carbs, storing up enough energy in our girth to survive a very long winter. If it comes down to survival of the fattest, we are the odds on favorites. There is more at stake here than just […]
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 […]