Benchmark Blog

The end of shopping as we know it?

Online shopping is fundamentally changing the way we buy. More than half of all Thanksgiving weekend sales took place online.

Was your Thanksgiving dinner radioactive?

Misperceptions and misinformation surrounding nuclear energy have proven to be more dangerous than the technology itself.

Let’s tear down the invisible wall

Limits on the number of immigrants have the same effect of keeping people out of the country as a physical wall.

The future of education may not be what you think

Discussions about the future of work continue to center around how to prepare people better to step into the rapidly growing tech field.

The opportunity cost of public transit

Securing the funding is the first step towards enhancing mobility. City officials have to find the most cost-effective use of tax dollars.

With Nuclear Power, the Only Thing We Have to Fear is Fear Itself

Ask anyone what they think about nuclear power, and odds are the conversation will involve dangerous radioactive waste and nuclear meltdowns.

Would deportations even work?

Between 2000 and 2017, the United States government removed 5,562,827 people from the country because they didn't have legal documentation.

Finding Meaning in a Future of Less Work

Although we may not be working in the same kinds of job arrangements we have today, the future will likely have plenty of work to go around.

“The great moral renovator of society”

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg gave a wide-ranging, “unfiltered” speech outlining his views on free expression and the internet.

Want to See Green Tech Thrive?

Microsoft Corp. co-founder Bill Gates said it’s time to re-examine our current approach at subsidizing green energy.

Immigrants, Robots, and the American Farmer

As farmworkers find other work, farmers are left unable to bring in harvests. Better pay has not been enough to compete for workers.

“Look at the Camera for Entry”

Billy Easley examines the implications of facial recognition becoming commonplace across the United States in an article for The Journal.

Did Gavin Newsom kill the sharing economy?

California Governor Gavin Newsom signed groundbreaking legislation that will have widespread impacts across the gig economy.

America’s nuclear future

Nuclear energy is not without problems, including high costs and longer construction times. But these aren’t your grandfather’s power plants.

From Booze Cruise to Silicon Sands

Tijuana is known for its tequila and tacos; however, there’s also a growing tech industry. It’s Mexico’s nearest city to Silicon Valley.

Chasing Away the American Dream

Thanks to low overhead costs and high flexibility, home-based businesses are an increasingly popular option for aspiring entrepreneurs.

Should we fear facial recognition?

There is a serious conversation about when governments should use emerging facial recognition technology that may not be ready.

Why immigration raids backfire

The scale of the recent raid should provoke questions about reforming the immigration process so that such raids are unnecessary.

Reskilling tomorrow’s workforce

Amazon's announcement adds to evidence that the workforce is changing, and that workers need to acquire new skills to stay competitive.

Driverless cars could transform our roads

How can we maintain our standards of mobility without thousands of car accidents? A solution: self-driving cars.

Beyond the Fight for $15

The House passed the Raise the Wage Act this week, which would increase the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $15 an hour.

The road to wildfire is paved with good intentions

The landmark environmental laws aim to keep the environment unchanged. Yet the natural state of any ecosystem is constant change.

The Border Patrol’s problems aren’t about Facebook

The investigation turned away from advancement — reforming the culture of the CBP — and makes this a question about online regulation.

Bringing mom to work (and bringing work to mom)

This week Utah announced that state employees may work remotely. This increases productivity and reduces carbon emissions.

You probably can’t pass the US citizenship test

A national survey found that only one out of three US citizens could pass the test given to immigrants and required to become a citizen.

Are nonexistent connected cars slowing our WiFi?

The FCC could help alleviate the Wi-Fi problem by creating a large, contiguous swath of high-capacity, unlicensed spectrum.

Let’s fight fire with fire

The Chief of the US Forest Service cautioned that there are currently 1 billion acres of land in the US at risk for catastrophic wildfires.

Immigrants bring prosperity

If you could move from your current home to take a job paying four times more than you make now, would you make the move?

Facebook isn’t biased against you

Much has been made lately of social media “bias.” When it comes down to it, however, the data doesn’t seem to support these claims.

America has a monopoly problem

Fighting over trade secrets is nothing new. But trade secrets litigation is different than traditional cases involving patents and copyrights