Distinction and nuance are not common these days. Everyone is eager to either be “all in” or “totally against” the newest and coolest fads, fashions, and even phones. Current economic, social, political, and personal realities have yielded a climate of cynicism about the dangers of social media, the disturbing possibilities of digital surveillance on smartphones, and the power stronghold… Continue Reading
Governor Andrew Cuomo announced the Empire State Complex, a formidable redevelopment initiative set to drastically revamp Pennsylvania Station and the surrounding area, earlier this year. In July 2020, the project team heard the concerns and comments of many community activists, experts, and officials, and they are now ready to move ahead with a revised version of the… Continue Reading
Earlier this year, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s department raided a cannabis farm. They walked out with more than $2.6m in cannabis oil, together with $620,000 in cannabis cash, owned by the farm’s operator Barry Brand, even though Brand was operating within both local and state regulations. In the case of the State of California… Continue Reading
New Yorkers are starting to go out more. As city dwellers begin to come out of lockdown, they are also looking for ways to process all that has happened over the last few months. Individually and collectively, New York is trying to internalize and address the lives, communities, finances, and stability lost since the outbreak… Continue Reading
The coronavirus pandemic has underscored the need for heightened cleaning and hygiene practices in office buildings. Practically overnight, the need for comprehensive, reliable, and regular cleaning became a primary focus. Robots are emerging as cost-effective solutions to the challenge of properly and regularly washing and disinfecting large public areas. Neo, for example, a four-foot-tall, 1,000-pound… Continue Reading
The New York Times, building on the success of the “Daily” podcast it parents, is expanding its role in audio journalism. The Times Company bought Serial Productions, the company behind the hit podcast “Serial,” for $25 million. The purchase will facilitate the production company’s capacity to increase the number of shows it makes, and will… Continue Reading
New York and many other states have lifted the strict lockdown restrictions. After spending months “trapped” indoors, many families are trying to figure out how to transition out of quarantine and resume a new normal in the shadows of the coronavirus. Author, psychologist, and therapist, Dr. Jayme Albin, offers advice on helping kids face these… Continue Reading
The pandemic-induced recession has many people looking for different ways to save. One place to start is by investing in our technology. Put differently: we have to take better care of our tech so it lasts longer and serves us better. Before corona, most of us tended to have no patience for mindfully managing our… Continue Reading
Small businesses have had to get creative to survive the coronavirus pandemic and the lockdown enforced to curb the spread of the contagion. But the same technologies that sustained these businesses also yielded increased costs and complexities. As our lives are increasingly more digitalized, business owners (of all sizes) are contending with new expenses relating… Continue Reading
Health insurance company Oscar has raised $225 million in its latest round of funding. Existing investors Alphabet, General Catalyst, Khosla Ventures, Lakestar, and Thrive Capital, renewed their commitments, while new supporters joined the venture, including Baillie Gifford and Coatue. Oscar, the New York-based health insurance provider, has raised a total of $1.5 billion since its founding in 2012 by Mario Schlosser and Joshua Kushner. It is the first direct-to-consumer health… Continue Reading