Foreign Policy, Fighting Bad Guys, and Stories from Lebanon
Hope and I cast our ballots electronically on September 26th, so, mercifully for us, the election is over. I know it’s not actually over, but it is for me....
Rebel Ridge: Civil Asset Forfeiture and Policing for Profit
Happy Wednesday, This week’s newsletter is arriving later than usual because Hope and I returned late Sunday from a weekend trip to Doha. Because we moved to...
Getting Back at Scammers & News of the Moment
There are at least half a dozen topics that I considered writing about at various points this week. I often joke that we live in absurd times, but it feels...
Are We Allergic to Data?
Pardon me in advance for the brevity of today's newsletter. I opened last week by wishing my mother a happy 84th. On the eighteenth, I'll be celebrating my...
Changing Your Mind is a Virtue
First off, happy 84th birthday mom. I hope your tea celebration is a success today and you feel loved and celebrated. Thanks for being the best parent...
November Can’t Come Soon Enough
After weeks of being pestered by her rivals, Vice President Harris finally sat down with the press for her first interview as the Democratic front-runner....
Starting Well
School in the Gulf gets underway earlier than it does back home. Schools on the West Coast (and New York) seem to have the latest start times in the US, so...
Teaching is Easier and Harder than Ever
Let’s talk a bit about back to school. I remember telling someone during my first week of grad school, “I’m going to try this teaching thing for a minute,...
Protect Ya Neck
After spending nights in roughly ten different beds this summer, I finally bring you greetings from Abu Dhabi once again. We’re gonna open with two quick...
We're Back, Baby
I almost broke down and became a bucket hat guy today. Almost. I bring you greetings from Larnaca, the sun drenched coastal capital of Cyprus. We are closing...
A History of Violence
The recent assassination attempt on Donald Trump is dominating headlines, raising questions about the potential for further political violence. There are...
Biden’s Fitness for Office and Siddharth Kara’s “Cobalt Red”
VP Biden speaking to the State Teachers of the Year in 2016 | Photo by Me Greetings friends & enemies, this is the first summer edition of the newsletter. I...
Read With Me: Summer 2024
Greetings from lovely and wet North Tacoma. Just a heads up that after today, the newsletter will shift to an irregular summer rhythm. In the Gulf my...
Grappling with Red Pilling: Part II and Reflections on “Chip War”
Photo by Sausyn Happy Sunday and may God forever show favor on my beloved Seattle Sounders, who somehow lost to last place Sporting KC earlier today, and are...
Grappling with Red Pilling
Friday evening, I had the privilege of watching my fifth group of seniors cross the stage in a very boisterous auditorium at the Emirates Palace. They were...
AI Tools are Getting Better and AI Companies are Getting Worse
Photo by Jernej Furman The great shortcoming of the American system in our time is the inability of Congress to legislate, especially when the proposed laws...
Chip War and Doppelganger -- Two Lenses into Threats Facing the US
This week I want to talk about two books. One I am in the process of reading and one that I just finished. A few newsletters back, I raved about Chip War by...
The Terrible Movie Everyone Seems to Love
Warning: This film is not worth your time This weekend, I experienced two cultural events at opposite ends of the quality spectrum. An awe inspiring concert...
Militarized Police Aren’t the Answer to Gaza Protests
Police in LA arrest protestors after raiding a protest encampment | Matt Baretto I was half-tempted to make this week’s newsletter a recap of the Kendrick...
Campus Protests: Failing the Leadership Test
Police presence the University of Texas-Austin | Irisoptical If you find yourself summoning the police to beat and tear gas your own students you've lost the...