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Kotkin came to my attention through reading the first two volumes of his projected three-volume history of Stalin (the third volume has been long delayed). I just stumbled upon a two-part interview of Kotkin about his second volume. I was curious about what he looked like and how he spoke, so I watched them both. I found him to be articulate and incisive, summarizing vast swaths of detailed history into memorable oral commentary. He has a trait that I’ve tried to cultivate, which is the ability to speak continuously without saying “uh” or otherwise stammering just to fill space. Those interviews were courtesy of the Hoover Institution at Stanford, a notorious conservative bastion. At the time, he was still a professor at Princeton. Since then, he left Princeton to become a fellow at the Hoover Institution. There are several interviews of Kotkin online giving his takes on current events. Most interesting to me are his takes on Ukraine. Until now, my touchstone on this issue has been his...

GLP-1-based therapies for obesity have been transformational. The benefits are undeniable, and the risks for most people are negligible. These drugs belong in the class with anti-hypertensives and statins. Who could complain? Here's one doc who was an initial enthusiast, but who has cooled: “The  truth is, most patients don't stay on anti-obesity medications -- I see it in my practice every day. Research shows that three-quarters of patients stop GLP-1 medications  within 2 years , many within months. Reasons for discontinuation include cost, side effects, and supply shortages. But one of the most common reasons is that patients simply don't want to take a weight loss medication indefinitely. Many believe they can "beat the system," use them briefly, change their lifestyle, and stop taking them without regaining weight. “Unfortunately, they can't. Clinical trials of semaglutide and tirzepatide show that the average patient  regains two-thirds  of the weight lo...

When I was growing up, lots of adults smoked. My piano teacher smoked during my piano lessons. Cigarette commercials were on TV. Their jingles were so addictive, we in the trumpet section would play them before band practice. Airplanes used to have a smoking section and a no-smoking light that went on before take-off and landing. Eventually, America turned against tobacco, although it’s still widely consumed in much of the rest of the world. There’s no real debate anymore—tobacco isn’t food, it’s poison. Now, some folks are comparing processed food to tobacco. It’s true that the packaging and flavoring of both cigarettes and processed foods have been engineered to make them more attractive and more addicting. But let’s not get carried away, like RFK Jr: “The US health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has called ultraprocessed food “poison” and, in at least   one case , “genocide,”   . . . “ You know what’s poison? Arsenic is poison. Most American rice has significant levels o...

The first time I saw a cybertruck in person was when we were eating dinner at a restaurant in East Yellowstone. The restaurant staff were gathered in front of a window, gawking and holding up their cell phones. Someone had parked a cybertruck just outside. I’ve seen a couple here in East Providence RI since then. I don’t pay attention to car or truck design generally, but the cybertruck is  sui generis.  To me, it looks like a giant toy, something carved for the pine box derby. But I’m not part of the target market demographic, so my reaction doesn’t matter. How is that demographic responding? “The EV company sold fewer than 39,000 Cybertrucks in 2024, according to Cox Automotive data — far below the company’s eventual goal of 250,000 per year. As of October, Tesla had delivered just 17,317 units in 2025, a 42% drop compared to the same period in 2024. “Tesla didn’t return to a MarketWatch request for comment sent to its investor-relations team.   “There was a lot of buzz...

Looking at trends in White House décor, it’s easy to conclude the future of gold is bright. But investors see something different in the White House. “Gold futures traded in New York have soared almost 71% this year, on pace for their best annual gain in 46 years. The last time gold had such a strong year, Jimmy Carter was president, a crisis was unfolding in the Middle East, inflation was soaring and the United States was in the midst of an energy crisis. “Today, tariffs are distorting international trade, conflict is raging with Russia’s war on Ukraine, there have been flare-ups between Israel and Iran and the US is seizing oil tankers off the coast of Venezuela. In times of uncertainty, investors turn to safe havens like gold.” I would have added Chinese saber-rattling over Taiwan. Of course, this is why gold, silver and platinum are called fear metals. “Gold is considered a resilient investment, with investors expecting the yellow metal will retain its value in crisis, if inflation...

As a PhD molecular biologist, I’ve spent my entire career in tech, albeit academic tech. During that time, I’ve had the privilege to work with many colleagues on H-1B visas. I believe in meritocracy, and my experience is that most of these H-1B visa holders were eminently qualified. Were there more qualified Americans out there? Probably. But they didn’t apply for the job, and these folks did. You recruit from the pool you have, not the pool you wish you had. America needs bright, highly motivated people to compete in technology innovation. The last thing we need to do is discourage the best and brightest from around the world from coming here. We don’t need affirmative action for homegrown mediocrity.  “A federal judge said the Trump administration can move ahead with a $100,000 fee on new H-1B visa applications, providing a setback for US technology companies that rely on hiring skilled foreign workers. “US District Judge Beryl Howell said in a ruling Tuesday that President Donal...