Jeffrey Epstein, investor and convicted sexual offender, was the subject of glowing articles in Forbes and HuffPost. Why were these articles published, why have they been taken down, and who is responsible for vetting content? These are tougher questions than it might seem. Epstein, of course, is the power broker who’s now accused of sex … Continued
Why are articles about Jeffrey Epstein disappearing from Forbes?
Netflix vs. Straight Pride: Don’t troll the trolls
Netflix and the organizers of the Boston “Straight Pride” parade are having a food fight. Netflix’s lawyers’ got snarky, which seems like fun, but is actually counterproductive. Let’s tell this story in context. The Boston “Straight Pride Parade” is, of course, a reaction to Boston’s Pride, a celebration of gay pride and other LGBTQ attitudes. … Continued
Are we done with the profanities in book titles yet?
Without Bullshit here, analyzing why so many book titles now have obscene words in them. Get your hypocrisy giggles out of the way, first. This is a serious analysis. If curse words offend you, don’t read on. (If that really is you, how did you even get here?) Take a look at any bestseller list. … Continued
How to get that executive case study interview
Business books include case studies and perspectives from executives. Executives live in impenetrable corporate fortresses. How can you get them to go on the record? I’ve already written about how to find the stories — through your own experience, existing vendor case studies, and news articles. So my starting point for this post is that … Continued
In which I scoff at influencers
In the New York Times, Kevin Roose writes “Don’t Scoff at Influencers. They’re Taking Over the World.” Sorry, dude. I’m scoffing. Bigtime. Here’s some of what Roose wrote: [T]he teenagers and 20-somethings who have mastered these platforms [like TikTok] — and who are often dismissed as shallow, preening narcissists by adults who don’t know any … Continued
There is no such thing as (nonfiction) writer’s block
My writer friends tell me they’re suffering from writer’s block. They’re not. Oh, sure, they’re unable to write anything useful, but “writer’s block” conjures up an inability to write for unknowable reasons. In fact, I know exactly why they can’t write. If you’re suffering from writer’s block, allow me to help diagnose your problem — … Continued
A robot umpire illuminates the future of AI
In a minor league baseball game in the Atlantic League, a robot called balls and strikes this week. But there was still a home-plate umpire, and he was still essential. This is a nice metaphor for the future of AI-assisted work. As described in The New York Times, the system applies rules about the strike … Continued
Strategy vs. tactics
Strategy generates better, cheaper, more permanent solutions. But it does require thinking a bit . . . I had a problem. There were raccoons in my ceiling. Next to my basement there is an unheated, unfinished space with a dirt floor. They burrowed into this space, squeezed into the ceiling above it, and then migrated … Continued