Arbitrary and Capricious
By now, you’ve probably heard that federal prosecutors have decided not to press charges in the Pennsylvania high school laptop spying case. I thought it might be helpful if I explained some of the...
View ArticleSentiments I’m Incapable of Expressing on Facebook
Recently, there have been a few things I’ve wanted to say to some of my Facebook friends but haven’t been able to, because of technical or other issues with the Facebook framework. Here are some...
View ArticleWhen Memes Collide: Unfortunate Pairings from Catroulette
By now you’ve probably heard of Chatroulette, the website that pairs people up for anonymous online video chats with random strangers. Here are some screenshots from a similar but lesser-known service...
View ArticleA First Look at GM’s Prototype Facebook Interface
When I heard that General Motors was testing a new feature that allows drivers to post Facebook status messages while driving, I couldn’t wait to try it out. So I called GM, explained that I have a...
View ArticleTSA’s New Security Procedures: A Different Perspective
There’s been a lot written about the TSA’s new airport security procedures lately. We’ve heard from airline pilots, passengers, security experts, Constitutional law experts, high-level TSA officials,...
View ArticleI Find This Form of Flattery Somewhat Insincere
I’ve always believed that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, so when I found a few articles from this blog copied elsewhere without attribution or links back to the originals, I was...
View ArticleMy Somewhat Belated Advice to Watson, the Jeopardy! Supercomputer
Dear Watson, Congratulations on your recent Jeopardy! victory — I think it’s fair to say that you’re the most formidable contestant in the history of the game. That’s the good news. The bad news is...
View ArticleAn Open Letter to a Guy Who May or May Not Be Named Dan, Regarding Our Recent...
Dear Dan, Dan's hand has been pixelated to preserve his privacy. I hope you don’t mind if I call you Dan – your first text was “hey this is dan”, so I’m guessing that’s your name. And I’m sorry I...
View ArticleYour Feeble Attempts to Ruin My Life Have Not Succeeded
I understand why you hate me. I ask for your advice and then ignore it. I say unkind things about you to my friends and sometimes imitate your voice. I tell you to shut up. I never thank you or...
View ArticleNo Time to Read? Try the New Kindle Spark
I love my classic Kindle; its convenience and simplicity make it the perfect entry-level e-reader. But let’s face it — the Kindle has limitations. With my busy lifestyle, I need a device that does more...
View ArticleCustomer Review: The Acme EZ-Jump Personal Teleportation Device
My drive to work is 32 miles each way and involves practically every freeway in the greater Los Angeles area. That wouldn’t be so bad if it lots of other people didn’t also drive on those freeways —...
View ArticleThe Five Stages of Realizing You’ve Written a Poorly-Worded Blog Comment
Sometimes I read other people’s blogs. Sometimes I leave comments on other people’s blogs. And sometimes that process goes terribly, terribly wrong. Self portrait (assuming that, in a previous life, I...
View ArticleBeyond “Highlight”: Paying for Promotion on Facebook
Facebook is testing a new feature that lets users “highlight” their important posts, making them more likely (but not guaranteed) to appear in their friends’ feeds. This is a fantastic idea. I can’t...
View ArticleProbably Not Covered Under Warranty
I love my Kindle. The display is easy to read. The case has a built-in light. And the power cord is, apparently, delicious. It’s an e-reader and a chew toy. My cat managed to do this last night without...
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