The End of the Long Haul
The “long haul” is a lot longer than it used to be. Over the last century, average life expectancy has increased by 30 years (unless you live in Monaco where you get 9 more). If you are life-planning for the long haul, your task is getting harder. Common use of the term “long haul” began […]
The New Juice
No one is really sure why “juice” is a common slang term for electricity, but it’s a safe bet that it has no connection with the potential of grapefruit to generate current. Juice was used as a metaphor for life-force as far back as the 17th century, but it’s since been adopted by gossip, venture […]
The Smell Test
If you’ve ever owned a pair of Adadas shoes or worn a Rollex watch, you probably grasp the appeal of fake stuff. The Chinese are well-known for their addiction to fake stuff, although no one is really sure why. It might be simple economics (fake stuff is cheaper), or it could be the lack of […]
“My God, What Have We Done?”
Atomic bombs are in the news of late. Last year we marked the 70th anniversary of the first use of the A-Bomb on Hiroshima. A treaty intended to keep Iran from getting one is still being argued on Capitol Hill. All eyes are on North Korea, where Supreme Dictator Kim Jong-un grows ever closer to […]
God’s Analytics
For anyone who’s ever written for the web, Analytics are everything. If you are an amateur, Analytics feed your ego and if you are a pro, Analytics feed your paycheck (and your ego). One of the most reliable ways to take the pulse of our culture and measure what we are collectively thinking about is […]
Just What Do You Think You’re Doing?
Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey is widely regarded as one of the most influential films ever made. Themes of existentialism and artificial intelligence were reinforced by scientifically accurate depictions of space flight and cutting-edge pre-CGI special effects. In one of the movie’s most memorable and prescient sequences, the working relationship between pseudo-sentient mission computer […]
Taking Pictures
There are certain elements of technology that have saved my butt in tense situations. Example: We are at some sort of family gathering/vacation/dinner/graduation/party /wedding/ etc. when my wife turns to me and says, “You brought the camera, right?” A “yes” answer would, at the very least, postpone a dirty look until the film was taken […]
Class of ’04
“People who have so much of their personality invested in the Internet can’t really survive as whole individuals without it.” Mark A.Rayner – The Fridgularity Good technology is assimilated effortlessly into our daily tasks. This is why automobile turn signals are always controlled by a lever mounted on the steering column, and never by a […]
Absolutely Free
Absolutely Positively FREE!!* * some conditions may apply I once knew a salesman who had a baseball cap emblazoned with the words “We screw the other guy, and pass the savings on to you.” Those words could easily represent a guiding principle for the Internet. Nothing, most of us realize, is really free. The goal […]