Posts on Random thoughts of me

The AI PC Kickstarter Gold Rush

Sun, 12 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0500

The AI PC Kickstarter Gold Rush: A Buyer’s Guide for the Discerning Paranoid

Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Just Buy a Framework Desktop

The year is 2026. Every company with access to a Shenzhen ODM catalog and a Canva account has discovered that if you put the words “local AI,” “agentic,” and “private” in a Kickstarter headline, people will throw money at a render of an aluminum cube. We are in the middle of the AI PC gold rush, and somebody has to sort the nuggets from the gravel.

A Close Reading of the Dearborn Heights Mayor's Statement on the Temple Israel Attack

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0500

A Close Reading of the Dearborn Heights Mayor’s Statement on the Temple Israel Attack

On March 12, 2026, Ayman Mohamad Ghazali — a 41-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen from Lebanon and resident of Dearborn Heights, Michigan — drove a truck loaded with explosives into Temple Israel in West Bloomfield Township, the largest Reform synagogue in the United States. He exited with a rifle and opened fire. Approximately 140 students and staff were inside, including young children in an early childhood center. Security guards engaged and killed him. The FBI is investigating it as “a targeted act of violence against the Jewish community.”

The Translator's Dilemma: Why Hebrew Flows and English Breaks

Mon, 09 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0500

When you translate Classical Hebrew texts into English, you hit a wall that has nothing to do with vocabulary or concepts. The wall is structural. The two languages think differently — not in some vague Sapir-Whorf way, but in a concrete, mechanical way that shapes how a reader processes every sentence.

Hebrew Lets You Forget

Hebrew builds long sentences by chaining clauses with ו (vav — “and”). Each clause arrives with its grammatical roles already stamped into the words themselves. Prefixed prepositions, the construct state, suffixed pronouns, the binyan system — all of it bakes the grammar directly into the morphology. So each clause resolves immediately. The reader absorbs it, lets it go, and the ו pushes them forward to the next one.

From Sacred Text to Static Site: Building Sha'ar HaYichud Resources with AI

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0500

There’s a book I’ve wanted to share with the world for years. Sha’ar HaYichud (שַׁעַר הַיִּחוּד — “The Gate of Unity”), written by the Mitteler Rebbe, Rabbi DovBer Schneuri, is a foundational Chassidic text of remarkable depth. Years ago I went through the entire book and divided it into labeled sections and subsections — a structural layer I felt would make it significantly more accessible to readers. That work sat in my notes, half-forgotten, until a few weeks ago when something clicked and I decided to finally publish it.

When Justice Hits a Dead End: The Mary Fong Lau Case and America's Vehicular Homicide Problem

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

On March 16, 2024, Mary Fong Lau drove her Mercedes SUV at 70 miles per hour—the wrong way down a residential San Francisco street. She killed an entire family: Diego Cardoso de Oliveira (40), his wife Matilde Moncada Ramos Pinto (38), and their two infant sons, one-year-old Joaquim and three-month-old Cauê. They were waiting for a bus to the zoo.

On February 13, Lau pleaded no contest. The judge indicated she’ll receive probation. No prison time.

The Chosen Question

Thu, 12 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

A Street Interview

A college student with a phone camera spots a Jewish man on the sidewalk and approaches him.

Anthony: Hey man, you got a minute? I’m doing street interviews for my YouTube channel. I’m just gonna be straight with you — I’ve met a few Jewish people who have this vibe like they think they’re better than everyone else. There’s this whole “chosen people” thing, and some of them have been pretty condescending about it. Is that actually a Jewish belief, or am I just running into jerks who happen to be Jewish?

Beyond Managed Decline: The Torah Framework for Human Flourishing - Part 2

Mon, 09 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Beyond Managed Decline: The Torah Framework for Human Flourishing

Part 2: Israel’s Exception and the Rebbe’s Framework

This is Part 2 of a three-part essay. Part 1 examined the demographic, institutional, and fiscal crises facing developed nations, with Israel emerging as an unexplained exception to universal patterns of decline.

The Limits of Materialist Frameworks

Part 1 documented a civilization in managed decline: unsustainable entitlements, collapsing fertility, institutional incompetence, and escalating debt. The analysis concluded that America’s position rests less on excellence than on competitors facing similar or worse challenges.

Beyond Managed Decline: The Torah Framework for Human Flourishing - Part 3

Mon, 09 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Beyond Managed Decline: The Torah Framework for Human Flourishing

Part 3: The Universal Path to Redemption

This is Part 3 of a three-part essay. Part 1 examined civilizational decline across developed nations. Part 2 explored Israel’s exceptionalism and the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s Torah-based framework that outperformed secular strategic analysis.

The Seven Laws of Noah: Universal Moral Code

Judaism offers a framework that applies not only to Jews but to all humanity: the Seven Laws of Noah (Sheva Mitzvot B’nei Noach). According to the Talmud, these universal laws were given to Noah and his descendants—meaning all of humanity—after the Flood.¹

The Illusion of Security: America's Institutional Decline and the Demographic Trap - Part 1

Mon, 09 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

The Illusion of Security: America’s Institutional Decline and the Demographic Trap

Part 1: Managed Decline

This is Part 1 of a three-part essay series examining civilizational decline and potential alternatives.

The math on Social Security is simple enough that a programmer with a spreadsheet can work it out in fifteen minutes. A worker earning $150,000 annually pays $9,300 per year in Social Security taxes.¹ Invested in a basic Vanguard index fund at historical market returns of 8-10% over thirty years, that same amount would grow to between $1.1 million and $1.5 million.² Meanwhile, Social Security promises monthly benefits of roughly $3,500-4,000 at retirement age, which annualized over a typical retirement comes to perhaps $840,000-960,000 total.³

When Bad Games Drive Out Good: The Hidden Cost of "Free"

Wed, 04 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

A Simple Question That Reveals Everything

Do any current Angry Birds games have the same simple elegance as the original?

The answer is no. And the reason why reveals something far more disturbing than the decline of a mobile game franchise.

The Death of Premium Mobile Gaming

In 2009, Angry Birds was a revelation. You paid $0.99 once, and you owned a complete, polished game. Pure physics puzzles that scaled through clever level design. No ads. No energy systems. No daily login bonuses. No loot boxes.

The Force Is a Religion: Why Modern Star Wars Can't Find Its Soul

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0500

The Force Is a Religion: Why Modern Star Wars Can’t Find Its Soul

There’s a persistent mystery in contemporary pop culture: why can’t the most valuable intellectual property in entertainment history recapture its magic? Disney has poured billions into Star Wars, hired talented filmmakers, and produced technically proficient content—yet something essential keeps slipping through their fingers. The sequel trilogy divided the fanbase. Solo flopped. The streaming shows range from “pretty good” to “forgettable.” Meanwhile, the original and prequel trilogies, for all their flaws, continue to resonate across generations.

AI Parallelism: The New Forcing Function for Clean Architecture

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0500

AI Parallelism: The New Forcing Function for Clean Architecture

For decades, clean architecture has been a hard sell. Not because developers don’t understand its value—they do. The problem is incentive structure.

Good architecture is a deferred investment. You pay the cost now (more files, more interfaces, more ceremony) for benefits that materialize later: maintainability, testability, onboarding speed. But “later” is abstract. The immediate reward for stuffing logic into one class was real—less context switching, faster to write, everything in view.

Man's Greatness

Sat, 15 Nov 2025 00:00:00 -0500

In what is found the greatness of man? In his understanding? That would leave the difference between man and beast to be a matter of degree. In fact, that would leave beast as our superior; his intellect is perfectly suited to his needs. The path to obtain them - or the cruel reality of his inability - is always clear.

Unique to man is not-understanding - the ability to recognize a vastness which is not understood, and to be inspired by that awareness. The beast lives in his world, which consists entirely of what he perceives. Only man loses himself in the stars.

Let's Get Started

Mon, 18 Aug 2025 00:00:00 -0500

So-

I have my big idea.

I have my shiny tech that I want to use.

widgetbook
void editor
flutter
slimwiki

There’s only one small problem - I don’t know what to do NOW. Just what I want eventually.

Away goes all the shiny tech.

Out comes the pencil and paper And another paper And another

Even in the age of AI A long road is a long road

The Garden and the Nest

Fri, 23 May 2025 00:00:00 -0500

As I glared at my garden, the rocks, the old shade tree The flowers were thirsty, a branch poked my eye When I heard a clear echo, of goodness of gaiety Two sweet singing lovebirds had just now flown by.

Their laughter and dancing put pause to my aching
My groaning - this garden that I had to care!
They sing of the roses, the nest in the making
They sing of their dreams as they soared through the air.

Bibas

Thu, 20 Feb 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Just the very strongest fires Laugh at oceans pouring down Still the flame kissed scarlet flowers Seize the sky as salt-rain drowns

Why the beast and where the love
When the end the endless tears
We look we yearn to find our dove
With olive branch so many years.

Tzvi Kogan

Thu, 28 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0500

It’s so late And I’m thinking how you’re doing I’m so tired But I just can’t fall asleep Try to hope That you’re ok But the future looks so bleak And it’s so late

It’s so early
And I’m thinking how you’re doing
Can’t believe it
Even though I’d thought it was
Day is starting
Your suns already setting
Or did it just start to shine
So bright
So far away
And it’s so early

Getting Real

Mon, 29 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0500

The story is told of the young man who comes back home after meeting a prospective match. His mother asks him, “How was she?”. The young man answers, “She wasn’t so pretty, but that didn’t bother me. And she didn’t have the most fine character, but that also didn’t bother me. She doesn’t come from such a good family, but that didn’t bother me…” And he continued down a long list of things which didn’t bother him about the young woman he had gone to meet. Finally, his mother cuts him off, and asks, “Why did none of that bother you??”

Daddy's Blog

Sat, 06 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Slowly migrating my father’s blog from blogspot to github pages.

Protecting our homes

Mon, 01 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0500

We want our homes to be safe. Many people suffice with a heavy door and a strong lock. But it isn’t always enough to fortify our homes. In our increasingly volatile world, it is wise to strengthen our selves, with firearms and the like. But even the most ardent believers in the importance of self defense don’t recommend removing your front door.

The internet is good, bad, everywhere, and forever. Most people recognize the importance of restricting access to dangerous content on devices, even if they can’t be bothered to do anything about it. It is a challenge to set up filters on all of our family’s myriad devices, and there are often monthly fees attached. It has the potential to get confrontational, and even after all of that, it’s only for devices we know about.

Kaddish

Thu, 30 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0500

A dozen times a day I say your name is great And holy I see their faces.
The world is as you will
I know you are the king
So why
Do I shake with their fear?

Where is salvation
Where is Messiah
In our life
And in the days
Of all of your children
Is your name so great?
And still

A dozen times a day
I say your great name
Is blessed
For ever and ever
And ever.
Where is the praise
The beauty and the splendor
Thick stench
Coarse hands
A shattered world.
Is your name still higher
than every comfort?

Building an industrial pipe bookshelf

Thu, 19 May 2022 00:00:00 -0500

My advice on putting up an industrial pipe shelving kit

I’m not a professional or anything, so don’t take anything here too seriously. I just tried to write accurately what worked for me.

Note that it’s technically possible to drill a hole in a live electric wire, which is dangerous, or a water pipe, which is messy. Be careful – if you’re going into a stud there isn’t much to worry about, but notice if something seems harder than it should (nice to check with an awl, but I haven’t done that) and quickly give up. Practically speaking, it’s not likely that you’ll hit something – a pipe and a stud can’t exist in the same space. If you’re using drywall anchors, don’t drill past the drywall.

Of Webs and Apps

Tue, 25 Aug 2020 00:00:00 -0500

Flutter web is coming. It promises excellent run time performance, smooth animations, elegant interface design -but at what cost? Flutter web is not production ready yet, so we have to cut it some slack, but looking at some basic demos show the main JS file weighing in at around 1MB, or 300KB gzipped. This isn’t totally unworkable, and we can expect some improvement by the time it hits production (for example, %40 of the JS file isn’t run and should be optimized out), but this still puts flutter at to upper end of web frameworks in terms of file size. And this is just a relatively small demo.

On Happiness

Mon, 24 Aug 2020 00:00:00 -0500

My two year old son was sad on the long drive home today. Very sad. Car sick, tired, miserable, alternating between tears and distraction to the sound of my barely coherent ramblings. We get home, and I unpack, and all the while inside the car he is the picture of misery. I take him out of the car, and he’s happy! He gets a bath, changed, a song in bed, and all the old suffering is gone, replaced by joy and security.

Flutter Navigation Material

Wed, 19 Aug 2020 00:00:00 -0500

To my great consternation, route transition animations broke after upgrading the app – when going from one section to another, the old one was visible behind the new one until the transition was finished, and it looked terrible. I could not think what could be the problem.

Then, out of the blue (well, after breaking my head on it for a while), it hit me – I didn’t have any material!

(A bit of background – in the material design system, everything is based on material, which is inspired by how things work in the real world.

Not So Fast

Thu, 13 Aug 2020 00:00:00 -0500

So – I finally finished rewriting all the low level code for my app, and I’m quite proud of it, actually. It was a big deal. And now it’s time for some UI stuff!

I cranked up my trusty ol’ Visual Studio Code, opened up my flutter app code, some basic documentation, and started coding furiously.

💣
⏳
💥

After only a few minutes (really), I realized that I had no clue what I was doing. Which was a shocker – well, maybe not that much of a shocker, being that I had never learned what I was trying to do. But there was so much that I did know how to do! And I had just finished some Really Hard Stuff ™! Doesn’t that mean that everything I touch until the end of time will turn to gold?

Flutter Navigation

Wed, 12 Aug 2020 00:00:00 -0500

Nested navigators, where there are tabs, and one or more tabs have their own navigation independent of the others, are a rite of passage which all flutter developers must go through.

Navigation in flutter isn’t difficult per se, but it is something you have to wrap your head around. I found this article to be very helpful. I don’t know that I would recommend copy-pasta ing his precise methodology, but he brings a lot of the critical concepts out in stark relief in a small app.

On z-index

Wed, 12 Aug 2020 00:00:00 -0500

On z-index

Z-index seems simple. But as you have multiple values set at different stacking contexts…

I have met the enemy, and he is z-index.

z-index is more sinister than !imporant propagation. Beware of z-index.

CSS Flex

Tue, 11 Aug 2020 00:00:00 -0500

Ever since css flex became a thing, I don’t really do web development anymore. Whenever a problem comes up, I throw flex at it until it goes away.

And am I the only one who can never remember what all those properties do? I kind of bounce between align-items and align-contents until something works. If I had a nickle for each time I checked out css tricks…