Humans: meet “The Rat,” my home-built robot journalist experiment. Only a little larger than a coffee cup, The Rat can go where people can’t and […]
Author: MM
Guy who's published in a variety of places, and puts the roughs of those pieces on a blog periodically when he feels like it.
PyeongChang’s Most Korean Moment
So this morning, the most Korean moment of the Olympics took place. It’s worth watching and learning, even if you skipped the games this year. […]
WaPo Regains its Mojo.
Love seeing these stories, and not just because it’s the New York Times praising The Washington Post. Here’s why: When I first went to work […]
A Miami Vice.
You know you needed a little break from the city when you’re walking down the sidewalk in Miami on a beautiful day, hear a voice […]
Death and … this Guy’s Issue
Sunny Easter Day in Manhattan. About 3:00 pm. Breezy. A guy in a black hockey jersey races full tilt down 58th Street. He barrels across […]
Reverie in Gray.
The entire city is Soviet gray, the architecture best described as ‘crumbling rectangle’ – too dirty and run down to be called brutalistic. Everything smells […]
Grief Peeves.
Re: Grief ***There’s a cheery subject line, right? Well it’s my wall, so today we’re talking about grief. If you know me, you’ll know I’m […]
Limbo ’17. March 24 Edition.
Last week. Waffle House. 3:30 am. Somewhere in North Carolina. Three tables of people, one them just leaving and a few more still-to-be-cleared tables. That […]
Aww. Hail No.
Anatomy of a 2-hour trip: Tuesday 5:00 pm: Arrive at the airport 6:00 pm: Hailstorm with ice descriptions ranging from ‘baseball-sized’ to ‘tater tot-sized.’ 7-ish […]
Core Product.
A few short months ago, the dominant conversation in media circles focused on issues such as: 1. Innovations like VR/AR, etc 2. Native content and […]
Hopefully, Insurance Covers Treatment.
Dear Social Media, Rage is a gateway drug. Be on the lookout. It often begins with the prescription drugs Passion and Activism. Misused, those can […]
Checkpoint USA. Feb. 17, 2017
Somehow this has become a seditious statement lately, but: I feel pretty good about the U.S. Before 45.9% of you get excited and 48% get […]
Home. Viewed with Gimlet Eye.
Greenville, SC – Not my first time back. One of many, usually brief visits. To answer the question: – Proud of the progress it’s made […]
Biggest Difference Between Incumbents & Insurgents
In my first executive job, I learned the concept of the “right of first concern.” Here’s how it works: – Take a decent-sized company, large […]
Let the Barber Pick the Channel.
Walked into the barber shop just as the previous customer walked out, leaving me with the Israeli owner and the Ukrainian “kid” who works for […]
You Didn’t Need this 30 Seconds Anyway.
Walked out of my apartment building. The doorman introduced me to the exterminator, who comes once a week. I had never met the exterminator before. […]
Billions (Of lonely moments).
Billionaires and Reality About 10 pm — I sat in the lobby lounge at our hotel with a few people. The billionaire happened to own […]
Go ahead. Mock me. But I’m Right.
Massive generalizations to follow … Millennials: A love story … or 1984, the year hope was born: – I believe we’re watching the last gasp […]
Scratchpad. 01/31/2017
Scratchpad – FWIW: – I’ve worked for several companies where a boss came in and said get with the program or leave – Most had […]
It’s Not that Difficult
Ask why people are upset. Listen to their answers. If their answers don’t make sense, try to help them clarify. Imagine the world from their […]
Seriously. Who Blames their Customer for Not Liking a Product?
You all might not see this as much as I do, but lately there have been 42 crillion thought pieces on media literacy, passionate pleas […]
No Joke. Political Talk Ain’t my Thing.
I bought my first New York apartment during the Bush-Kerry election. There I sat at the closing table. Just my attorney and me on my […]
Reformed … and Concerned.
Re: Media, Mistrust and Me This is going to be a little more personal than usual. Apologies. What comes next is not a generalization, but […]
Billions (of quirks).
Re: Billionaires, cheapskates and apologies I’ve worked with a fair number of billionaires and with some hundreds-of-millionaires who were emotionally billionaires. Most have been very […]
May See Gray.
On a video call with our Armenia office: Me: Still have the Christmas lights up from last week, huh [they celebrate Christmas later than we […]
Help?
Me: How’d you do? Grocery store cashier: [looks up from her scratcher] Huh? Oh sorry, I didn’t see you there. Just a second. (finishes scratching […]
Dealing with China – Unsolicited Advice
Long ago, after three months of struggling through working with Chinese government officials, I wrote a few notes and bits of advice I learned. Things […]
Goodbye and Hello
So. 2016. Here we are. I’m more than aware of the world events to which you played host. I’ve heard credit given you for calamities […]
Oddly Familiar Echoes
For those of you who didn’t follow the Bulgarian Presidential election with me this Fall on my private channel – here’s the update. The 1st […]
It’s Wednesday. What now.
The U.S. system is resilient. Now it will be tested, not because of who will be president, but because of the way we have treated […]
Election 2016 – Last chance to influence my choice.
Only time I’m going to open this can of worms: Scenario – I’m voting for Hillary because I think she’ll do a good job and […]
Test Complete
During the month of October, I set up Facebook Instant articles on this blog and tested it as part of a “try one innovation per […]
My One and Only 2016 Political Endorsement
I promise you, I am way more cynical than you are when it comes to politics. Well, with one exception: local politics involving people whose […]
Southerners. A love story.
Greenville, South Carolina I often think about this place. As an adult, I’m a traveler, a New Yorker, an Arizonan, and amateur Bostonian. But I […]
Sound Familiar?
[repost from July 22, 2016] Hey Kids! Ever wanted your own army of automatons who willingly do your bidding? It’s fun and easy! And now […]
Twitter Love – A Guest Post
I’m promoting a comment on my Twitter post to a guest post. The below submitted by Lori Ramey. I’m not here to defend Twitter; if it […]
Forgiveness does not Erase Consequences
I hate to generalize, but in this case, I will. This is not a knock on people of faith. I was raised one and continue […]
Garbage (actual)
[originally posted February 24, 2016] I know you’ve been wondering this as much as I have: In NYC, if you pay a junk-picker-upper to take […]
Is this a Confession?
[orginally posted February 17, 2016] Driver: Look at that guy. Look at that guy! Crossing against the light. Look at her texting and wearing headphones […]
Straining to See Answers in an Ellipsis
I had planned to write a common sense view of the second presidential debate today. Unfortunately, it seems pointless to rehash an embarrassing evening that […]
Five Stories Also in the News
I know. It’s hard to believe, but the sordid facts of the candidates seeking the title of President of the United States aren’t the only […]
Things I Hope Americans will not Forget
[repeat from August 20, 2016] Things I hope Americans will not completely forget: – The sound of a genuine and specific apology – That an […]
Why Twitter Made Me Dislike it … and Me
I’ve grown to dislike Twitter. My recent experiment on Twitter even made me dislike me for a little while. I’d like to say it was the […]
If I Vote, Here’s How I’m Voting.
I don’t care what anyone says: This is the most insider US election I can remember. It’s party versus party, operative versus operative, surrogate versus […]
Here’s the Problem …
This is an election story, but not a political statement – hang with me on this. It’s profound. For those not in the media, advertising […]
The Highly Individual States of America
In the U.S. we’ve just plain given up on evaluating the pros and cons of … well, pretty much everything. We just take what we […]
All’s Well After the Bomb …
One year after the terrible bombing at the Erawan Shrine in the midst of the Erawan district of Bangkok, which is heavily trafficked by both […]
Destruction in the News
If Americans had photos of ourselves near meaningful landmarks in Beirut or Raqqa, Damascus or even Istanbul … Or at minimum could talk to someone on […]
The Answer is “Syracuse, NY”
Paid for my cab this morning with a debit card. Driver pulled out a multi-part carbon. Put my card under it and rubbed the paper […]
Ink, Hot Lead and Sheet Metal
With WaPo moving headquarters in DC this December, I suspect a few things won’t make the move with us. *posted November, 2015*
Depressed or Cliche’d?
Diner owner: How you? Guy at the Table Next to Me: Seen too many sunrises. [orders breakfast, she already knew he wanted coffee – he’s […]
Well, that’s one way to do it …
True story relayed to me today: Someone was hiring for a sales role and had several candidates. Among them was a 20-something male who neither […]
What have you done!?
Dear Inventor of the Ubiquitous Touch Screen, I would like to blame you for the proliferation of your public petri dish every time I check […]
QUICK TAKES: What I learned about the Digital Divide
The below is a personal brain dump from The Washington Post Bridging the Digital Divide conference, October 8, 2015. This is not intended to be […]
QUICK TAKES: What I learned about Cybersecurity
The below is a personal brain dump from The Washington Post Cybersecurity Summit, October 1, 2015. This is not intended to be coverage of the event. […]
We are indestructible …
… right up until the moment we are not. We remember … not to harbor hate, but to never let it rule us.
Colin Huggins
Colin Huggins is a pianist from Georgia, who pursued classical music career for a while in New York, eventually becoming a ballet accompanist. For a […]
Much Love, iRude!
In the world of consumer technology, innovations that take off tend to enhance life, simplify it or make it more efficient – without requiring significant change […]
From Here, the City Looks Spotless …
A recent flight back to New York, from a week in paradise – and as we made our final approach up the Hudson all the […]
His Name is Earle. Or Not.
The only thing I know about Iguanas is that this one was named Earle. The only reason I knew this was that I had named […]
QUICK TAKES: Some things I’ve Learned from a Year at The Washington Post
(HEADLINE-WRITING IS NOT ONE OF THEM) The below is a personal brain dump, not intended to be coverage or Washington Post editorial. Quick Takes are intended […]
QUICK TAKE: What I learned about Energy
The below is a personal brain dump, not intended to be coverage of the event. Quick Takes are intended to record questions that deserve futher exploration. […]
QUICK TAKE: What I Learned About Food
The below is a personal brain dump, not intended to be coverage of the event. For coverage by the professionals and to see video, visit http://www.americaanswers.com […]
He’ll Just Have to Wait
Everyone is all smiles on stage at this press conference in China’s equivalent of the White House Press Room. We were only a little bit […]
The Camden Track Runner
One evening, the train from Washington, DC to New York slowed to a near stop. We crept along for 10 minutes for mysterious reasons. Then, […]
Ferguson Riots.
Here’s what I saw out my window on the craziest night of Ferguson/Staten Island riots in New York — On the news were pictures of […]
That Time We Met With Sonia Ghandi
For most people 30 seconds isn’t a long time. For most people 30 seconds with Sonia Ghandi would be about 30 seconds longer than they […]
Sunrise Over the Fuel Farm
5:30 am. Monday morning. Styrfoam cup of coffee. Faint smell of jet fuel in my shirt. Hair doesn’t smell like jet wash yet. Feet on the […]
I Know You’ve Been Wondering
Like a bee sting. At first. The immediate reflex is to reach for whatever is causing such pain and try to kill it. But it’s very […]
Santorini
I wouldn’t dare claim to have captured the uniqueness and beauty of this place. So here’s a small sampling.
Liwa Oasis; Muscat, Oman
I’ll never understand people who hole up in a hotel when they travel, eating hotel food, watching TV and wandering what is nearly always an […]
A Questionable Storm
RMB 4 million. That’s four million yuan. Roughly $500,000 in American dollars. I’m told it was never spent. That the rockets were never launched, the planes […]
A Mexican Friend, Out of Context in Boston
March, 2006 It was 1999. I hadn’t been to Mexico since 1997 and hadn’t worked with my business partners down there since 1996. We have warm […]
Is Billy a Billionaire Today?
April, 2006 On my desk here at FORTUNE Magazine. A piece of direct mail from “Billy Fletcher.” Handwritten in magic marker. THE WORLD OF PRODUCTS Over 3000 […]
Muay Thai in Bangkok
April, 2006 [photos courtesy of Clay Chandler] I just found a keychain in my desk drawer. It’s imprinted: amazing MUAYTHAI LUMPINEE STADIUM BANGKOK THAILAND What a night […]
Waiting in the DEN
May, 2006 I got to the airport, sat for a while, found out my flight has mechanical problems and will be delayed … and that I […]
Alone in the DEN
May, 2006 Not much to report. I finally made it to Denver. If you get out your map or Google Earth, you’ll discover that I’m about […]
My Apologies, 96 KitKats for Your Trouble
June 14, 2007 So I figured my luggage wouldn’t arrive in New Delhi yesterday when the rest of me arrived, and since this happened to me […]
The Beijing Waffle Incident
September, 2007 Well. Back in Beijing. Again. You might remember that I was here in March for the first time since May 2005. Many of […]