The Inner Monologue

Thinking Out Loud

Should Kenvue Sue Trump?

There’s a saying in business: reputation is built over decades and can be shattered in seconds. On September 22, 2025, President Donald Trump used the full weight of the presidency to declare Tylenol (acetaminophen) a danger to unborn children — warning pregnant women to avoid it due to alleged links to autism.That is not mere…
The Soybean Betrayal: How U.S. Trade Policy Doomed Its Own Farmers

For decades, the American farmer has been told that trade is his lifeline. “Feed the world,” they said, and global demand—especially from China—would reward hard work in the fields. And for a generation, this bargain held. China’s middle class swelled, its appetite for meat (and the soybeans needed to feed livestock) soared, and U.S. growers…
Why Being a Pragmatic Adopter > Being a First Adopter (Or: How to Avoid Being a Tech Industry Beta Tester)

Oh, you’re a First Adopter? Cool. Enjoy: Meanwhile, Pragmatic Adopters are over here:✅ Waiting for the kinks to be ironed out (because Version 1.0 is just a fancy public beta).✅ Actually using tech to solve problems instead of treating life like a never-ending unboxing video.✅ Not paying the “early adopter tax” (aka the premium for…
Why YouTubers Need Their Own ASCAP: Fixing the Broken System of Incidental Music Rights

In the early days of broadcast radio, music creators were furious. Stations were spinning records, filling the air with songs that people loved, but the artists themselves weren’t seeing a dime. The broadcasters argued that airplay was “free promotion,” but the musicians and songwriters recognized what was really happening: they were providing the raw cultural…
The Cult of Fragile Patriots: How MAGA Turned Strength Into a Performance Art

There was a time when the American right prided itself on toughness. They were the party of stoicism, bootstraps, and grit—the cowboy myth made flesh. But in the post-truth America of red caps and reality TV, that archetype has collapsed into something much smaller, louder, and infinitely more fragile: the Cult of Perpetual Victimhood. The…
How Accurate Was My 2014 Prediction About Genomic Sequencing and Species Taxonomy by 2030?

In 2014, I made a bold forecast about the future of biology: Now, as we approach the midpoint to 2030, let’s assess how close we are to achieving this vision—and whether the prediction is on track. The State of Genomic Sequencing in 2014 vs. Today 2014: The Early Days of Mass Sequencing When I made…
When the Lights Go Out: How the October 2025 Shutdown Became a Blueprint for Control

October 2025 History Repeats—Only Louder The United States has endured shutdowns before, but none so eerily familiar as the one now paralyzing the government in October 2025.The last time the nation faced such a prolonged paralysis was during the 2018–2019 shutdown, which stretched 35 days—the longest in American history. That shutdown, too, took place under…
From Loud to Loud-Mouthed: The Pathetic Pivot of Muscle Car Fanboys

Remember when muscle car guys were the kings of the road? Back when “real cars” had cylinders, carburetors, and an exhaust note that could wake the dead (and annoy the living)? Those were the days when they’d roll their eyes at anything with a spoiler bigger than its horsepower numbers. “All show, no go,” they’d…
Your Job: A Paycheck Pit Stop or a Golden Ticket? Either Way, Get Paid What You’re Worth!

Let’s be real—your job is more than just a way to pay the bills. It’s a career destination (hello, dream role!) and a stepping stone to bigger and better things. But no matter how you view it, one thing should always be on your radar: compensation. Yes, salary talks can feel awkward, but here’s the…
Building a Skoolie: The Art of Priorities, Choices, and Flexibility

The skoolie movement—converting old school buses into mobile homes—sits at the intersection of minimalism, adventure, and stubborn self-reliance. It’s an enticing dream: four wheels, a diesel engine, and the promise of freedom wherever the highway leads. But if the idea is romantic, the execution is anything but. A skoolie isn’t just a bus with a…