PinnedErnie SmithWhen Atari Was PoliticizedThe story of how the “Atari Democrats” came to shape the way politics and technology work together, for good and bad.Mar 24, 2023Mar 24, 2023
Ernie SmithLessons In Pivoting: The Live Events Company That Became a Tech Company OvernightThe story of One Day University, an online education platform that learned something about its own ability to survive during the pandemic.Feb 20, 2022Feb 20, 2022
Ernie SmithWhy Gmail Always Cuts Off Your Favorite NewsletterPopular email clients, particularly Gmail, have a tendency to cut emails off after a 102-kilobyte limit. Why the heck is that?Dec 26, 2020Dec 26, 2020
Ernie SmithThe Reason Low Overpass Crashes Are So Fun to WatchWhy low overpasses are often so damaging to trucks, RVs, and other large vehicles — and why the ensuing crashes are so fun to watch.Nov 1, 2020Nov 1, 2020
Ernie SmithWhy Iceland Banned Beer—But Not Liquor—for Nearly 75 YearsFor decades, it was easier to get a bottle of vodka in Iceland than a pint of beer. The reason why comes down to Icelandic politics.Oct 13, 2020Oct 13, 2020
Ernie SmithWhy the World Still Needs Laugh Tracks“Canned laughter,” a controversial element of most television comedy, feels unnerving in its quarantine-era absence.May 31, 2020May 31, 2020
Ernie SmithBefore There Was Corona Beer, There Was Ayds CandyThe surprisingly true story of Ayds, a diet suppressant candy that was incredibly successful … until its name became a big problem.Apr 3, 2020Apr 3, 2020
Ernie SmithWhy Milk Crates Are Almost Too Perfect For Storing StuffHow the milk crate, a commonly stolen type of container, became the target of legal regulations that were once novel—but now problematic.Nov 13, 2019Nov 13, 2019
Ernie SmithThe Creatively Tense Power of Doing Things the Wrong WayPondering the way that the creative process is often directed by rules which, in many cases, stifle creativity.Nov 9, 2019Nov 9, 2019
Ernie SmithSt. Helena: The Tiny, Remote Island With the Expensive AirportTwo years ago, a tiny island in the Atlantic Ocean got its first airport — perhaps the world’s most obscure, but necessary, airport.Oct 24, 2019Oct 24, 2019