Category: Opinion

Some new drugs sell themselves with impressive safety and efficacy data. For others, well, there are television commercials.

“According to a new study, a little over 70 percent of prescription drugs advertised on television were rated as having "low therapeutic value," meaning they offer little benefit compared with drugs already on the market. The study, appearing in JAMA Open Network, aligns with longstanding skepticism that heavily promoted drugs have high therapeutic value. "One … Continue reading Some new drugs sell themselves with impressive safety and efficacy data. For others, well, there are television commercials. →

A shoutout to 7 years of Fastmail the perfect Gmail replacement

Fastmail is a fantastic email provider that consistently delivers high-quality service. From the moment I signed up 7 years ago, I have been impressed with the user-friendly interface and wide range of features available. The customization options allow me to tailor my inbox to my specific needs and the filters make it easy to stay … Continue reading A shoutout to 7 years of Fastmail the perfect Gmail replacement →

Apple Weather is no Dark Sky

Before Apple Weather transitioning to WeatherKit, I used both Apple Weather and Dark Sky. I used Apple Weather for long range 10-day forecasts because the Weather Channel (Apple’s weather source) is the most accurate for my area. I used Dark Sky for its hyper-local weather that offered accurate next-hour precipitation warnings, notifications for snow accumulation, … Continue reading Apple Weather is no Dark Sky →

A couple of thoughts on the Netflix ad-supported plan

The Guardian, Netflix to launch cheaper ad-supported subscription tier in November Netflix will reportedly launch a cheaper ad-supported tier for its streaming platform at the start of November as the company tries to stem the loss of more than 1 million subscribers in 2022. […] According to reports, Netflix’s service will launch in the US, … Continue reading A couple of thoughts on the Netflix ad-supported plan →

My thoughts on the Fed’s rate increases

As the Federal Reserve continues to raise the federal funds rate, to slow inflation, Americans are feeling the effects: Savers benefit from higher yields, but borrowers pay more. Trump’s pressure on the Fed in 2019, to keep Rates at Zero ‘Or Less’ during his presidency, to stimulate the economy, was no laughing matter for me … Continue reading My thoughts on the Fed’s rate increases →

Managing streaming tv services

Years ago when we cut the cable cord there were only a few streaming services to choose from. At the time we subscribed to Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and Sling. Fast forward to today and an overwhelming number of streaming services are available. Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, Peacock, Paramount+, Disney+, Apple TV+, … Continue reading Managing streaming tv services →

Open letter to the developer(s) of Instapaper

Instapaper has long been my favorite read-it-later app. I still use it, but with trepidation. In recent months it has become unreliable and has fallen into disrepair. Recently while working with a small group of articles on my iPad, the app kept locking up. Moreover, sync wasn’t working between my iPad and iPhone. Getting frustrated, … Continue reading Open letter to the developer(s) of Instapaper →