Jeff's Blog

A Personal Case Study A few months ago, I found myself doubled over with severe stomach cramps. Naturally, I turned to my primary care physician for answers. After a quick visit, I was told I needed to see a gastroenterologist—but the earliest appointment was in November, a full seven months away. It was late March, and I was in pain now . Frustrated but determined, I decided to try something unconventional: I consulted ChatGPT. I shared every detail with ChatGPT—excruciating stomach cramps, bloating, discomfort, my hiatal hernia, a decade on Nexium for GERD, even my daily diet. After some back-and-forth, it pinpointed a condition I’d never heard of: Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO). It suggested a low FODMAP (Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, and Polyols) diet, which cuts carbs that feed gut bacteria. I was clueless about it and devastated to learn it banned most of my favorite foods. But ChatGPT became my lifeline. Using the app on my phone, I ...

Your next Walmart run might hit hard. The U.S. has imposed 145% tariffs on Chinese goods, with China retaliating at 125%, poised to drive up costs for clothes, appliances, and more. A sudden reprieve on April 12, 2025, exempted electronics—$127 billion worth, nearly a third of Chinese imports—keeping phones and PCs affordable for now. But with most goods under heavy tariffs, and President Trump pushing hard while Xi Jinping eyes Taiwan, fears mount that this trade war could spiral. Soaring prices could squeeze American wallets dry, or worse, spark a Taiwan conflict. The bond market, now jittery at a 4.5% yield, hints at what’s coming. Could Trump’s bold moves bankrupt consumers and ignite chaos, or does he have leverage that would mean there is a smarter deal that lies ahead? What’s driving this, and what’s next for your wallet and the world? And how much leverage does Mr. Trump really have over China? How Trade Fuels Debt—and Your Costs World trade is a giant web, and the U.S. sits ...

What do you think of when you see this picture?  The image serves almost as a political Rorschach test.  To one observer, the flames perhaps represents Mr. Trump setting a badly needed fire to the previous (Biden) administration and its governing approach, who were (in their view) chaotic, reckless people driven by a 'woke' ideology rather than evidence-based logic. To another, the same image  might symbolize the current government of Donald Trump and his administration—a flaming disaster characterized (in their view) by chaotic, reckless people and driven more by impulsive ideology than evidence-based logic.  These starkly different interpretations highlight a critical reality: ideology eclipses an analytical approach for determining policy in today's polarized political environment. In fact, ideology often overshadows evidence-based governance, reasoned analysis, and even our shared sense of reality. At first glance, the Trump administration’s actions since J...