Business

The Story of Target Date Funds

The Story of Target Date Funds

The Target Date Fund, now a staple of 401(k) plans, has a surprisingly colorful origin—emerging from academic theory, shaped by pension consulting, and even brushing up against Star Wars and Kubrick. Behind its quiet ubiquity lies a story of mathematical elegance, financial innovation, and unexpected creativity.

The Great Hollowing?

The Great Hollowing?

In the elegant machinery of economics, supply and demand form a perfect circle—each feeding the other in a self-sustaining loop, like the smooth symmetry of a donut. In the new world of AI, the donut isn’t just missing its center—it’s crumbling from the inside out.

The Second Life of James Lyons

The Second Life of James Lyons

It happened in a bookstore café in Midtown—of all places. James had wandered in while visiting a friend. He was sipping black coffee and thumbing through a used copy of Leaves of Grass when a voice rang out: “Lyons? Is that really you?”

The Tail of AI

The Tail of AI

The broad range of technologies that we call Artificial Intelligence or AI are going to change the world, but probably not in the ways many speculate. The underlying question is not just the core technology, it’s how it can be applied to deliver practical cost-effective value without egregious energy.

Money?

Money?

Is the system of money we use today working ? Are there are better alternatives on the horizon? There’s certainly a lot of talk about cryptocurrency. Can we learn anything from the gold standard about crypto’s potential to establish a new type of currency?

Agile & Jazz

Agile & Jazz

Software product development and jazz music share a remarkable similarity in their essence: both are grounded in creativity, exploration, and improvisation.

Interview: Brian Shulman on music pioneer and businessman, Stan Shulman

Interview: Brian Shulman on music pioneer and businessman, Stan Shulman

Brian Shulman is a business colleague and friend who’s been a profound influence in my life both professionally, as a software innovator and businessman, and personally, as a mentor of tremendous character.  Brian is not involved in the music industry himself, but I was fascinated to learn about his late father, Stan Shulman, who was Continue reading Interview: Brian Shulman on music pioneer and businessman, Stan Shulman

Stride Academy Adaptive Online Learning Software

After years of research and development my teammates and I at LTS Education Systems are proud to launch the all new tablet-compatible learning platform, Stride Academy.  Built on the latest HTML5 technology, Stride Academy is a giant leap forward in terms of  user experience and front-end flexibility from the previous flagship product, Kid’s College. With Continue reading Stride Academy Adaptive Online Learning Software

Professional Advertising Is Dead. Long Live Advertising.

About eight years ago,  I started to notice a bizarre phenomenon.  I was paid by people to make things look “professional,” yet I repeatedly noticed that consumers were suspicious or oblivious to much of the visual language that was established by the past century of professional ad design.  I looked around for some theorist to Continue reading Professional Advertising Is Dead. Long Live Advertising.