Kicking off the New Year, I started reading City of Fortune, a wonderful history of Venice recommended by Venkatesh Rao and part of his 2025 Contraptions book club. It's great history, full of the hubris of a dying empire and the rise of scrappy literal swamp dwellers who forge a trading empire with grit and gumption. The latter of course is the now esteemed City of Venice. The book provides a fascinating history of the political economy and history that led to the rise of a powerful city sta...

Kicking off the New Year, I started reading City of Fortune, a wonderful history of Venice recommended by Venkatesh Rao and part of his 2025 Contraptions book club. It's great history, full of the hubris of a dying empire and the rise of scrappy literal swamp dwellers who forge a trading empire with grit and gumption. The latter of course is the now esteemed City of Venice. The book provides a fascinating history of the political economy and history that led to the rise of a powerful city sta...

Sometimes I wonder if I time-traveled back two decades if I could explain how we got to today's world to my high school self or anyone around then. Would anyone believe the US had been at war for twenty years or that a cameo real estate guy from Home Alone became president? In many ways day to day life - the cars, the built environment - hasn't really changed, but so much of the news is psychodrama. Today I generally bet on things getting weirder. What does the future hold? Today while scroll...

Sometimes I wonder if I time-traveled back two decades if I could explain how we got to today's world to my high school self or anyone around then. Would anyone believe the US had been at war for twenty years or that a cameo real estate guy from Home Alone became president? In many ways day to day life - the cars, the built environment - hasn't really changed, but so much of the news is psychodrama. Today I generally bet on things getting weirder. What does the future hold? Today while scroll...

Thirty five years ago, LA Times Magazine published a series of predictions about the future of the city in 2013, showcasing tomorrow’s world of “tech...

Thirty five years ago, LA Times Magazine published a series of predictions about the future of the city in 2013, showcasing tomorrow’s world of “tech...

The late David Graeber provoked strong reactions. In addition to his professional career as an anthropologist, he also helped launch Occupy Wall Stre...

The late David Graeber provoked strong reactions. In addition to his professional career as an anthropologist, he also helped launch Occupy Wall Stre...

Why did the Trojans fall for such a seemingly obvious ruse as a wooden horse housing an invading army? Why did the Renaissance popes persist in corrupt behavior — ranging from rampantly promiscuous parties to using the papacy as a tool for self enrichment — that ignored growing resentment amongst the people? Why did the British act to turn their colonists into rebels and instigate a war which could never achieve Parliaments initial financial objectives? Why did America back a decrepit regime ...

Why did the Trojans fall for such a seemingly obvious ruse as a wooden horse housing an invading army? Why did the Renaissance popes persist in corrupt behavior — ranging from rampantly promiscuous parties to using the papacy as a tool for self enrichment — that ignored growing resentment amongst the people? Why did the British act to turn their colonists into rebels and instigate a war which could never achieve Parliaments initial financial objectives? Why did America back a decrepit regime ...

1913Train and auto accidents, New York machine politics, palace intrigue south of the border... a different world existed before the grea...

1913Train and auto accidents, New York machine politics, palace intrigue south of the border... a different world existed before the grea...

“And the reason it’s hard is that while people tend to think that there’s a computer system on the back end, the system that makes the claim, it’s no...

“And the reason it’s hard is that while people tend to think that there’s a computer system on the back end, the system that makes the claim, it’s no...

Once upon a time, the US National Debt was a big issue. In the nineties a major third party campaign, Ross Perot, was focused on the issue of debt. P...

Once upon a time, the US National Debt was a big issue. In the nineties a major third party campaign, Ross Perot, was focused on the issue of debt. P...

"Only by soaring above the clouds can one feel the immensity of the heavens." - Wind, Sand and Stars Antoine de Saint-ExupéryEvery year, for almost t...

"Only by soaring above the clouds can one feel the immensity of the heavens." - Wind, Sand and Stars Antoine de Saint-ExupéryEvery year, for almost t...

An old man walked with a familiar gait up to the dais of the Water District boardroom. “How’s the family Bob? Did you go up to Half Moon Bay aga...

An old man walked with a familiar gait up to the dais of the Water District boardroom. “How’s the family Bob? Did you go up to Half Moon Bay aga...