Turning your investment money over to a robot, with its almost infinite database, may lead you to believe the advice you receive is objective. (Blog 4/15/15)  Why shouldn’t it be?  Robots have no personal interest at stake.  An added plus is no middle man fees. Banks

I wrote yesterday of my respect for clear writing, and how often I drowned in the words of clever writers.  No sooner had I put down one edition of Harper’s and took up another than I discovered myself gasping for air a second time.  The new essay was written by Will Self, an auth

In 1961, in his farewell address to the nation as our 34th President, Dwight Eisenhower warned that “we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex.” (Click)  His words are often repeated, a reminder

Despite what members of the alt-right might believe, I’ve always known diversity makes America great.  People come to our country to pursue their dreams and we, also immigrants,  have learned to accommodate the different lifestyles and views they bring.  In periods of economic or

In case anyone needs a reminder, the rate of dementia among the elderly in the western world is on the decline.  Experts speculate better diets and increased levels of education are part of the explanation. (Click)  We can count this medical achievement as one of many that have come

  Imagine you are looking for a job and you read this ad:  “Be your own boss.  No more  9 to 5.  Work as much or as little as you like.  Earn as much as you like.”  Would you be tempted to apply?  If you did, you’d probably be entering what’s called the “gig” e

Since the 2016 election, we’ve heard a good deal about fake news.  Bogus sources seem to spring up overnight.  Even Gig data can’t be trusted.  Click)  How do we tell the news from propaganda in this environment?  With 2.2 billion users sharing information on Faceboo

My car insurance is due. Though I am driving less, I expect the premium will go up.  Nothing goes down these days except my bank account.  I don’t feel particularly misused. The pendulum seems to swing in the same direction for everyone’s clock.  Greater cost and lower service.

Can algorithms express ethics?  That’s a question occupying the minds of programmers as society relegates more of its decisions to Artificial Intelligence, (AI).  Today, AI can approve bank loans, award an inmate parole or select which information a person sees while surfi

The poet, Alexander Pope once wrote, “To err is human,” and I’ve never known anyone to dispute him.  That we rely on electronic devices to store our information and keep our calendars is understandable, except we forget they are designed by humans.  To presume they are perfect