The future of politics (are you listening, Rand Paul?) could be addressable advertising

It seems like people have been discussing this idea of “what Big Data can really do” for years without tremendously tangible day-to-day results (possibly because of this and this). Still, it seems logical that as SmartPhones become the primary gadget… Continue Reading

Estonia is a small country in northern Europe that has about as many people as Hawaii; it became a global leader in technology, though. Here’s the valuable lesson for the world.

Estonia, a former Soviet republic, is now often considered one of the leading digital centers of the world (some call it “E-Stonia” as a result). People vote online, people do their tax returns in moments via mobile (and get their… Continue Reading

Look at this graphic and try not to be worried about drought, the future of food, climate change, California as a whole, and, well, the United States

What am I looking at, you may have just asked. Well, hopefully you realize that’s California pictured above and there are three distinct time periods shown: 1950 (The Great Move West!), 2000 (a little after San Francisco became the new… Continue Reading

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Brief thought exercise: is ridesharing service Uber racist, or the antithesis of racism?

I really like Uber, but there are two distinct ways to look at it along the “Are they potentially racist or not?” spectrum. Here’s a simple breakdown. Feel free to offer thoughts in comments. Maybe they are: In most (not all) communities, taxi… Continue Reading

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Let’s hold off on writing Kay Hagan’s political obituary until after May 6, alright?

Here’s the basic math on the 2014 Senate elections: Republicans need a net gain of six to take control of the upper chamber. Tim Johnson (a Democrat) from South Dakota is out, and his seat will almost assuredly flip. That… Continue Reading

The first Earth Day was the result of Gaylord Nelson, Pete McCloskey, and Denis Hayes

“This planet is threatened with destruction — and, we who live in it, with death.” This were some of the first words associated with Earth Day when it started — way back in 1970 — and despite being depressing, the… Continue Reading

Urban sprawl and politics: Republicans tend to live in sprawling metros, and Democrats tend to live in compact ones

Here’s a new report (PDF) from Smart Growth America on the portions of America with the largest (and smallest) amount of sprawl. I’ll break it down for you quickly. The three parts of America with the most sprawl are: 1. Hickory/Lenoir/Morganton (NC) 2.… Continue Reading

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What’s the best city council in America? Austin, TX? Irvine, CA? Seattle, WA?

There are countless lists ranking the best Presidents ever, the best Governors currently, the best-run states in America, and tons of other political stuff. There’s a popular show about local/city government (Parks and Recreation), but broadly, we don’t speak about… Continue Reading