Essays


  • Yes on Question One

    Next week, Mainers heading to the polls to vote for president, senator, representative, and local leaders also have the chance to legalize same-sex marriage in a ballot measure commonly known as “Question One”. A similar measure passed in 2009, but was overturned by Maine’s People’s Veto process just seven months later. Three years later, with…

    Yes on Question One

  • Mike Daisey and this American denial

    Two things are really bothering me about today’s news that monolougist Mike Daisey fabricated portions of his hit performance piece “The Agony and the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs.” Let me get something out of the way out front: I’ve known Mike since about 1996. He was an advisor/supporter of my high school’s speech & debate…

    Mike Daisey and this American denial

  • In significant ways, Fred Thompson video challenges the status quo

    Many blogs have already noted Tuesday’s amazingly quick, and quick-witted, video response by Senator Fred Thompson to the re-surfaced Michael Moore’s open letter. Fred Thompson answers Michael Moore. Blogger Bob Krumm said it best when he argued that Senator Thompson’s response speed could be a powerful factor should he decide to run, particularly compared to…


  • Blogging doesn’t need- and shouldn’t have- a code of conduct

    Tim O’Reilly, owner of O’Reilly Media, recently proposed a blogging code of conduct in light of recent threats against blogger Kathy Sierra and the ensuing controversy that arose around the discussion of those threats. While this is obviously a move born of positive intentions, I think that a blogging code of conduct is a terribly…


  • Adholes and the lessons of corporate indifference

    The laughably awful advertising industry website Adholes, which has declined steadily in terms of reach and influence over recent years, has taken another sad step on its way to irrelevancy by publicly calling me (and by extension other customers experiencing this issue) an “idiot” on their corporate website. Not since CBS News hoisted fake documents…