David Lidsky's Blog, page 105

From strain to support: Your AC could help stabilize the power grid

It is possible to coordinate the operation of large numbers of home air-conditioning units to balance supply and demand on the power grid.

As summer arrives, people are turning on air conditioners in most of the U.S. But if you’re like me, you always feel a little guilty about that. Past generations managed without air conditioning—do I really need it? And how bad is it to use all this electricity for cooling in a warming world?

National Guard to stay in L.A.—for now—as appeals court halts ruling against Trump

The fight over the president’s takeover of California’s National Guard escalates, as a judge calls his actions ‘illegal.’

President Trump won a temporary victory Thursday night when a federal appeals court blocked a lower court judge’s order to return control of California’s National Guard to the state.

5 years after George Floyd’s murder, performative DEI is dead. What comes next?

Superficial displays are out. Sincere commitment is in.

Five years ago, I watched alongside millions of Americans as the news media looped a clip of George Floyd’s murder at the hands of a police officer in Minneapolis. In the days that followed, as a national movement came to life, dozens of CEOs and executives reached out to me for advice on how their companies should navigate this sudden “racial reckoning.” One time donations or DEI policies would no longer be enough. We needed a sustained response that would create generational wealth for Black families, and start to move the dial on closing the racial wealth gap. I told them, Black people are almost 15% of the U.S. population, major retailers should commit 15% of their shelf space to Black owned brands. 

TikTok users are exposing their worst exes—all to the soundtrack of Lorde’s new single

A viral trend set to ‘Man of the Year’ has people sharing receipts from their most toxic relationships.

The latest TikTok trend has people exposing their terrible exes and most toxic relationship stories, soundtracked to Lorde’s new single, “Man of the Year”—with receipts.

Inside Pixar’s weirdly effective strategy for boosting creativity at work

From viciously funny caricatures to AI-powered rendering tools, Pixar’s Pete Docter says fun and risk-taking are essential to great storytelling.

Companies try all sorts of ways—from paint parties to escape rooms—to foster creativity among employees, but Pixar’s approach is likely unique: The animation studio hosts regular “mean caricature” nights, in which employees draw “really nasty pictures” of one another. 

AI is Bringing New Hope to the Undiagnosed

Artificial intelligence is helping end years of uncertainty for patients with rare and complex conditions.

If you or someone you love has faced a medical mystery—a child with unexplained symptoms, a diagnosis that never quite fits—you know the agony of waiting for answers. For many families, the search for a diagnosis can take years, filled with uncertainty, frustration, and fear. But today, something remarkable is happening behind the scenes: Artificial intelligence is quietly transforming how quickly and accurately we can find those answers.

Who will build the next generation of digital products?

The answer is creative vision, deep user understanding, and the passion to solve meaningful problems.

AI is significantly impacting software development. Programmers write code. Their job is to translate product specifications into text a computer can understand, compile, and execute. There is some room for programming creativity to architect an application to simplify future maintenance or improve performance. However the most creative aspects of digital product development (e.g., mobile, wearable, web, and desktop apps) involve humans, from identifying their challenges when contemplating a product to gathering feedback when refining it. Successful digital products require a team of creative, critical thinkers. A typical team includes product owners, designers, developers, project managers, quality assurance specialists, and marketers.

Is retirement legislation setting small businesses up to fail?

Small firms want to attract and retain employees, but government initiatives shouldn’t work against them.

As a wave of state-level retirement mandates quietly rolls out across the country, most small businesses aren’t prepared. More than 30 states have proposed mandates that would require small businesses to offer a retirement plan, and 10 states already have active state-sponsored retirement plans.

What 29 rejections taught me about raising startup capital

Instead of educating VCs about my language, I learned to speak theirs.

If you’re a founder, raising money is as high stakes as it gets. For a startup, capital can be the difference between scaling and failing.

As brands pull out of Pride, this beer maker is giving $25K directly to trans people

Williamsburg’s Brooklyn Brewery is redirecting its Pride ad spend to directly benefit trans New Yorkers with $1,000 grants.

It’s not just you—Pride is a lot less corporate this year. But one company sees it as an opportunity to adjust how it serves the LGBTQ+ community during June.