A selection of essays archived on this site (dating from 2007 to 2003), organized by subject.
Technology essays
When Companies Collide Everyone, from personal computer to toy companies, wants to be a consumer electronic company.
Disappearing Tech History The great Web fallacy: That everything worth having or knowing is online.
Can't Copy That Floppy That data is safely stored -- you just can't get it out.
Blackberry Nose Blackberry users = dogs chasing parked cars.
When Tech Toys Attack What -- and whom -- not to believe when looking for a tech toy. (And the follow-up essays TV Tech Experts and Credibility and Tech Toys That Don't Teach.)
The Noble Experiment Six cautions that anyone thinking of starting a blog should heed.
Blog No More Why blogging is a waste of time for those who expect it to be effortless and to reach a broad audience out of the gate. (And the follow up, Love/Hate/Blog, on blogging as a continuum with two ends: blogging-as-journalism and blogging-as-conversation.)
The Spam Inflection Point Documenting the moment when e-mail, in the words of John Edward, crossed over.
Why Apple May Win Apple's music initiatives as something the others aren't: consumer focused.
Nigerian Scam, Reconsidered Those spam scammers really need to update their pitch for the post dot-com era.
Marketing essays
Business Cards: Media Years, Business Cards: Tech Years, Business Cards: Consulting Years A personal retrospective of how business cards have changed over the years.
Five Marketer Resolutions Five words or phrases that marketers should resolve to eliminate.
Media essays
When Dinosaurs Ruled the Airwaves The Democratization of Information as seen from 1992.
Media Shifting iPod, TiVo, XM: Not just for the young; for convenience.
Video Out x4 Three tips for better news consumption, viewed from four years out of television news.
The Persistence of Vision Why are there so many more great local newspapers than great local TV news broadcasts?
A Call for Moderation Tips for moderating a panel effectively.
Auction Mentality The psychology behind doing a good live charity auction.
Just My Typewriter How a slow-moving anachronism can spur better thought (and its successor, Just My Typewriter 2).
Travel essays
My Favorite (Tech Travel) Things Useful gifts for the frequent flier.
Life at 35,000 Feet A few hard-earned tips for the infrequent traveler.
On a Clear Day, You Can SEA Forever Even more hard-won, empirical frequent-travel advice.
'Tis the Season Suggestions to make business travel easier over the holidays.
Two personal commentaries are also embedded in the essays that go back to March 2003, including one on my participation in a long-term study on mental acuity, Brian Brain What Is Brain? and my favorite, Sam the Polydactyl Torby.