Hey friends, I see this question come up occasionally, and I want to share what this site is to me. This site is a hobby in the truest sense. I love experimenting with new technology, tinkering with ideas, and writing about what I discover. There's something satisfying about figuring something out and then sharing...

This week the Fed cut interest rates a quarter of a percent. The commentary is always about how this makes borrowing for consumers cheaper—lower mortgage rates, cheaper car loans, even a little relief on credit cards. Good news if you’re carrying debt. But no one talks about what a cut in interest rates does to...

August 24, 2025 Made a few more changes to the site today. Moved the navigation from the footer to the top.

August 23, 2025 I’ve been tinkering with the site’s design and layout the last couple of days. The new color scheme is my take on Dracula (the theme, not the vampire), and navigation has moved to the footer. I like this version better since it’s mine, unlike the old 11ty-base-blog setup.

August 21, 2025 Dem Bones: "Few measurements reflect the luster of a political party’s brand more clearly than the choice by voters to identify with it — whether they register on a clipboard in a supermarket parking lot, at the Department of Motor Vehicles or in the comfort of their own home. And fewer and fewer...

August 21, 2025 Pundits are not Journalists. Op-ed is not news. Polls are propaganda. Anyone can be a “media outlet” or a “Journalist” on the Internet. Just because you read it does not make it true. Especially scrutinize things that confirm your theories and views. Trust but verify. Patrick Rhone

August 16, 2025 Analytics numbers can be deceiving. They only capture part of your audience, missing readers who follow your site in RSS without ever visiting directly. That means the traffic you see is just the drive-by visitors. Keep that in mind the next time you judge your site's performance by analytics alone.

August 8, 2025 RFK Jr. Cancels Nearly $500 Million in mRNA Vaccine Contracts Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has canceled nearly $500 million of grants and contracts for developing mRNA vaccines, the Department of Health and Human Services announced on Tuesday. It is the latest blow to research on this...

August 3, 2025 I’m so sick of hyper-specialized, narrowly focused web presence. Give me weird. Give me personal. Talk about more than just “your focus.” I want to hear about music and art and what you’re reading and your hobbies and travels. Show me the real you. Make the web weird again! Chris Ferdinandi lstephens...

August 2, 2025 I'd been on the fence about getting a new M4 MacBook for months but kept putting it off. When I finally pulled the trigger, I went with the MacBook Pro over the Air. I got a great deal, but more than that, I wanted the larger screen and the XDR display. Larger Screen The Pro’s 14-inch screen doesn’t...

July 30, 2025 This afternoon I ordered a base model M4 MacBook Pro. I couldn’t pass up the deal. It’s available on Amazon for $1299 that’s $300 off.

July 21, 2025 I was fiddling with my blogs today and made a few updates. On this site, I rebuilt the site using modified version of the 11ty base blog and added a background color. Now both my blogs have the same layout. Still not sure if I'll link to weblog.ldstephens from ldstephens. There's already a link going...