Building an Automated Analyst
May 12, 2026 · by Michael Morrison
How a five-stage pipeline turns RSS feeds into structured intelligence assessments, and why the distinction between summary and assessment shaped every technical decision.
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Essays, build notes, and deep dives on indie app development, game design, weather engines, physics simulations, and more.
The Cell Phone of Games: Notes from Toy Fair 2003
May 5, 2026 · by Michael Morrison
Article 2 of 2 in Tall Tales Retrospective
Tall Tales debuted at Toy Fair 2003 during a record blizzard. Fox 5 News dubbed it 'the cell phone of games.' Then two scouts from Pixar mentioned a movie about cars.
Who Briefs the Public?
May 3, 2026 · by Michael Morrison
The President's Daily Brief exists because one person needs assessed information to make consequential decisions. The premise of the Citizen's Daily Brief is that all of us are now in that position.
How Tall Tales Almost Ended Up in Starbucks
May 1, 2026 · by Michael Morrison
Article 1 of 2 in Tall Tales Retrospective
How a failed 2002 Starbucks pitch shaped the design of Tall Tales, a card game built around small tables, simple rules, and quiet evenings with my brother.
Anatomy of a Skateboard Ramp: 3D Visualization and Materials Math
April 2, 2026 · by Michael Morrison
How circular arc geometry, real-world lumber standards, and an exploded 3D view power a free browser-based ramp design tool.
The Group Chat Had It Right: Why I Un-Fixed Visible Picks
March 31, 2026 · by Michael Morrison
I hid fantasy picks because that's what apps do. Our group chat game never did, and it was better for it.
Building Confidence Into Uncertain Verdicts
March 27, 2026 · by Michael Morrison
Article 6 of 6 in Building a Weather Decision Engine
Why three states beat a percentage, and how a recovery outlook answers the real question: when will it be good?
Flipping the Question: From 'Is It Too Wet?' to 'Is It Too Dry?'
March 25, 2026 · by Michael Morrison
Article 5 of 6 in Building a Weather Decision Engine
The same engine that tells riders to stay home tells gardeners to grab the hose. Watering is its own problem.
Edge Cases That Break Your Weather Model
March 23, 2026 · by Michael Morrison
Article 4 of 6 in Building a Weather Decision Engine
Freeze-thaw, snow melt, rain intensity, plant dormancy — the real-world complexity simple weather models miss.
One Engine, Three Apps: Sharing a Swift Decision Engine Across Products
March 20, 2026 · by Michael Morrison
Article 3 of 6 in Building a Weather Decision Engine
Structuring a shared Swift package across three apps with different surfaces, thresholds, and verdicts.
Turning Raw Weather Into a Drying Model
March 17, 2026 · by Michael Morrison
Article 2 of 6 in Building a Weather Decision Engine
How we model surface drying after rain, and why a downpour and a drizzle leave very different trails.
The Pole Sitter Strategy: Fixing a Fantasy F1 Scoring Loophole
March 13, 2026 · by Michael Morrison
Someone won our F1 fantasy league picking the pole sitter every week. The data showed why, and appification allowed for an elegant fix.
I Built a Weather Engine That Tells You When to Ride, Play, or Water
March 12, 2026 · by Michael Morrison
Article 1 of 6 in Building a Weather Decision Engine
One decision engine, three audiences: a yes/maybe/no verdict for riders, rec league players, and gardeners.
Building a Better Kicker: The Physics Behind the Jump Simulator
March 10, 2026 · by Michael Morrison
How projectile physics, air drag, landing geometry, and a 'Dial It In' optimizer power a free browser-based jump design tool for BMX, MTB, and motorcycle riders.
The None Trap: Game Theory & the Formula 1 DNF Pick
March 9, 2026 · by Michael Morrison
Is picking 'nobody to DNF' the safe move in fantasy F1? We ran the numbers on a decade of retirements to find out.
Every Skateboarder's First Question, Answered With a Sticker
March 7, 2026 · by Michael Morrison
Skateboarders who ride ramps always ask the same questions. A nutrition label-style sticker gives them the answers without anyone having to repeat themselves.
From Group Chat to App: How Going Digital Unlocked Better Fantasy Stats
March 6, 2026 · by Michael Morrison
Moving our F1 fantasy league from a text thread to a real app didn't just make things easier, it made the game better.
The Weather Says Clear Skies. So Why Is the Trail a Swamp?
March 5, 2026 · by Michael Morrison
Weather apps tell you what the weather is. They don't tell you what last night's rain did to the ground beneath your tires.
Bad Timing & Sticktoitiveness
June 4, 2025 · by Michael Morrison
A decade building a social app, released three weeks before a pandemic. And still not quitting.
Obsession & the Artistic Entrepreneur
August 19, 2024 · by Michael Morrison
When obsessive problem-solving meets entrepreneurship — and fifteen years on one app starts looking more like art than business.