Oct 27, 20216 min readWhy Democratic Control of the FCC Won't Bode Well for Internet FreedomLate Tuesday afternoon, President Joe Biden revealed his nominations to the Federal Communications Commission. As one would expect, his two nominations — Jessica Rosenworcel and Gigi Sohn — come from …
Oct 12, 20214 min readThe Digital Economy Minister Crusading to Legalize Vaping in ThailandIn our work promoting smart policies on harm reduction around the world, the Consumer Choice Center is often engaged in battles to stave off vaping flavor bans or tax hikes that will harm consumers …
Mar 8, 20212 min readA Tribute to My Grandfatherhttps://youtu.be/ZYsfgAo-Jz8 There is so much to say about my grandfather. We shared a love of history, a skepticism of centralized authority, and a high regard for Truth. Growing up miles and …
Jan 11, 20212 min readOui, j’élève ma fille en françaisOui, j’élève ma fille en français. Elle n’a pas pu visiter ma province natale, mais c’est quelque chose que je vise à changer dès que possible. Elle saura ce qu’il signifie le fait d’être québécoise. …
Jan 7, 20214 min readThe storming of the US Capitol fueled by demagoguery and a threat to republican democracyRioters occupy the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021 On Wednesday, we saw the worst passions of the American Republic storm through the doors of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. For hours, people …
Nov 26, 20204 min readThanksgiving GrinchBefore the law came callin’, we need a callback. On Wednesday, I arranged to meet my contact who happens to be a butcher (Servus Herr Mader!) who supplied me with his freshest 6.5kg (15lb) turkey from …
Aug 17, 20207 min readNow They're Coming After Your Delivery AppsThroughout the course of the pandemic, the world of commerce has shifted primarily online. That’s made online retail, digital services, and delivery apps a godsend for millions of us sequestered in …
Aug 13, 20204 min readIn Kamala Harris, do consumers have an ally or a foe?This week, Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden revealed Sen. Kamala Harris of California as his running mate for the November general election against President Donald Trump. …
Apr 21, 20202 min readThe Language of Love and FatherhoodMy latest moments of pride rest exclusively on seeing our daughter grow and develop into her own person. She doesn’t know all the negativity of our COVID reality, the canceled vacation plans to …
Mar 27, 20201 min readMy Strange, Crazy, and Smart Expat Healthcare PlanHere is my current healthcare set-up for those who are interested. Note: Ideally, this is for anyone who is an American citizen (or has a social security number), travels for business or pleasure at …
Oct 23, 20198 min readShould the U.S. have a Parliamentary System?There have been some important debates and actions in various parliamentary democracies lately. Canada held its 43rd general election on Monday, Austria’s legislative elections were three weeks ago, …
Oct 22, 20193 min readDeparting Vienna's Seventh DistrictI’ve had a fair share of apartments. Whether in Montréal, Philadelphia, St. Petersburg, Prague, or Vienna, I was always quite used to keeping it light knowing I’d be departing sometime …
Oct 16, 20191 min readThe duality of Micro.blog's publishing is actually amazingI noticed this today. I have one separate RSS feed and website for my official blog posts that are on blog.yael.at. Then, only for those who specifically seek out my Micro.blog site, there is a …
Oct 16, 20198 min readDemocratic Presidential Debate: How did consumer choice fare?With the 2020 presidential race running on full steam, 12 Democratic candidates for president participated in yet another televised debate last night in Ohio. Considering consumers will be directly …
Oct 15, 20195 min readWhat should consumers know about cannabis edibles?In the second season of the Netflix series Rotten, there is an entire episode exploring the world of cannabis edibles. It is highly recommended. The documentary itself does a great job uncovering the …
Oct 15, 20191 min readThe Media and Government Are Misleading Consumers on VapingThe media and government are misleading consumers on vaping. The real issues of concern are bootleg, illicit products that are putting people in the hospital. Let’s call a spade and spade and …
Oct 14, 20192 min readThere's something interesting about Tulsi GabbardShe’s a refreshing political personality with her own ideas, a strong philosophical background, and the chops to back it up. I’m not one to vote in Democratic presidential primaries, …
Oct 14, 20191 min readNational Rent Control: The latest bad idea that'll harm more than helpI was invited on Joe Catenacci’s radio show to discuss the plans for national rent control to cap the prices of rents across the country. What would this mean for ordinary renters? Why has rent …
Oct 14, 20194 min readContent is King, And Why I'm Switching to Micro.blogI began writing online as a hobby about 15 years ago. Throughout high school, I was a proud Xanga-addict. We had a great blog ring set up with friends and colleagues from our theatre troupe and …
Oct 13, 20191 min readStates Are Suing EveryoneIt is insane how active state attorneys general are today on trying to launch lawsuit against tech companies.