The AR-15 is perhaps the most polarizing weapon in a very polar gun-control debate. It has been the weapon of choice for several mass murderers in the United States over several years. According to Wikipedia, it was used in the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, the 2015 San Bernardino attack, the 2017 Las Vegas […]
Author: Michael G. Lortz
The Artificial Intelligence Takeover
In the horrifying yet possibly soon-to-be realistic film by Ghost+Cow films, a home assistant named L1ZY assists a little too much. BIG DATA – “L1ZY” from GHOST+COW FILMS on Vimeo. Personally, I refuse to buy a home assistant. I don’t want an Alexa, a Siri, or anything else that can record my voice and the […]
What I’m Reading: December 2018 – Questioning Experts, War Theory, Tech, Innovation, Creativity, and Baseball Trades
Here are articles I found most interesting in December 2018: Think Critically About the Wisdom of Experts – MIT Sloan Management Review, 11/26/2018 This is a good, albeit dangerous article. Yes, consumers of information should not blindly believe anyone, to include scientists and researchers. They are human and make mistakes. We should question assumptions, avoid […]
The History of Hey Joe
Over at Financial Times, writer Ian Gittins wrote an awesome history of the classic rock song “Hey Joe”. Made famous by Jimi Hendrix, “Hey Joe” was actually sung by a few bands prior to Jimi making it his own. After Jimi, a few more bands tried to rock “Hey Joe”, but they paled in comparison […]
Quick thoughts on Syria pull-out
On Wed, Dec 19th, President Trump decided to pull all American troops out of Syria. Reports say there are approximately 2,000 troops in Syria. I’m not sure what their specific tasks were, but here are my thoughts. Sub-nationally, many experts believe ISIS is far from defeated. However, the return on investment for military operations is […]
No Grassroots in the Desert
For most of 2018 I lived in Doha, Qatar. Life in Doha was an amazing experience, full of cultural and culinary exploration. Doha is a beautiful city and a melting pot of various cultures and people. But something was missing. Despite the beautiful skyline, expansive malls, and elaborate museums, sometimes Doha seemed fake, manufactured, and prefabricated, […]
What I’m Reading: November 2018 – Analysis, Creativity, Innovation, Globalism, Cyber Security, Media Manipulation, and Mystery Science Theater
Here are the articles I found interesting in November 2018: What Great Data Analysts Do — and Why Every Organization Needs Them – Harvard Business Review, 12/4/2018 Written by Google’s Chief Decision Scientist, this article discusses the importance of analysts over data scientists and machine learning experts. While the latter two are prized for the […]
Month 9 in Qatar – To New Beginnings
Dear All, My apologies for being a few days late on this letter. It has been a very busy week. It has been the week I returned to the US after 9 months living in Doha, Qatar. Before I summarize my adventure, here are the high points of my final month abroad: It rained. A […]
What I’m Reading: October 2018 – Global Problems, Business Intelligence, Trolls, Media, and Black Markets
Here are the articles I found most interesting in October 2018: What Is Globalization? – Peterson Institute for International Economics, 10/29/2018 Good primer on the history, benefits, and complications of Globalization. Excellent information as it pertains to job creation, job loss, and how nations can better position their workforce. It also discusses how the US […]
Awesome article about being a working comic
Several years ago, I tried my hand at stand-up comedy. I enjoyed it a lot, however life’s instability got in the way. I had to go to Afghanistan, did a horrible set there, and have only been on stage a few times since. I miss doing comedy. Although I don’t necessarily miss performing – which […]