Alex Lauer, InsideHook Journalist Profile

Articles

The Dumbest Way to Accelerate the Water Crisis

2 days ago | insidehook.com | Alex Lauer

When most people talk about artificial intelligence replacing humans, they tend to lean toward relatively benign situations or those far in the future. Sure, AI might replace some jobs, but maybe that will lead to universal basic income. Then there’s the dystopian argument — AI could turn on us! — but most people don’t take that seriously, at least not yet. But what if I told you that the threat posed by AI isn’t just urgent, it’s exacerbating a crisis for a resource that’s vital to human life?
Meet Dez Duron, Successor to Sinatra, Tormé and Bublé

1 week ago | insidehook.com | Alex Lauer

Want to know what the future holds? You need to meet the people building it. In our series Who’s Next, we profile rising stars of culture, tech, style, wellness and beyond. “Flop.” “DOA.” “The show is absolutely in trouble.” In the weeks leading up to the opening of Maybe Happy Ending, a new Broadway musical about two robots going on an adventure, the rumor mill spun furiously. Anonymous users filled message boards with gossip about an early closing, a financial disaster.
Just When You Thought Amazon Couldn't Get Worse

3 weeks ago | insidehook.com | Alex Lauer

Amazon is obsessed with creating its own consumer holidays. They piggyback on the standard ones, like Black Friday and Cyber Monday, of course, but their own creations are constantly multiplying: Prime Day, Prime Big Deal Days, the Big Spring Sale, Amazon Pet Day — I could go on. Last year, they introduced a new one: the Amazon Book Sale. It was held near the end of May with the stated mission of “[inspiring] customers to read more.” Well, hard to argue with that.
The Best (and Most Controversial) Cars at the New York Auto Show

3 weeks ago | insidehook.com | Alex Lauer

The auto show is far from dead. On Friday, the New York Auto Show opens to the public for a 10-day extravaganza of exhibits, test drives, panels and even commemorative coins to mark its 125th anniversary.
Hello Tariffs, Goodbye Entry-Level Cars

1 month ago | insidehook.com | Alex Lauer

Before the pandemic struck, American buyers had dozens of options if they wanted to buy a new car for under $20,000. Heck, you could even buy a shiny Nissan Versa sedan for under $14,000. Today? The Versa, the most affordable new car in the U.S., is the only one you can buy for less than $20,000, and it might not stay that way for long.
The Novel That Can Bridge the Gap Between Gen X, Millennials and Gen Z

1 month ago | insidehook.com | Alex Lauer

On the surface, Holly Brickley’s “Deep Cuts” is an ode to indie sleaze. Underneath is a nostalgia bomb that spares no one. Nota bene: All products in this article are independently selected and vetted by InsideHook editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Amy Adams: ‘I Would Not Be Where I Am’ Without Chanhassen Dinner Theatres’ Michael Brindisi

1 month ago | racketmn.com | Alex Lauer

Michael Brindisi had a problem. The year was 1996, and the artistic director of Chanhassen Dinner Theatres had to replace an injured actress in his show Crazy for You. Was there anyone in the country who knew the exact role in that Gershwin musical? More to the point, would any of the professional thespians in that small group be willing to move to the suburbs of Minnesota to play it?
China Hits Another EV Milestone While the US Flounders

1 month ago | insidehook.com | Alex Lauer

Leisure > Autos > Electric Charging as fast as a gas fill-up is a critical breakthrough that once again proves American companies are falling behind We’ve hit another major tipping point in the development of electric vehicles. On Monday, an automaker announced a new EV platform that would allow for fast-charging that’s comparable to filling up a car with gas, adding 249 miles of range in just five minutes. No more 30-minute pit stops. No more range anxiety. What automaker? What EV?...
Consider the Quilted Sweatshirt. Specifically This One From Orvis.

1 month ago | insidehook.com | Alex Lauer

Nota bene: All products in this article are independently selected and vetted by InsideHook editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission. We all have that sweatshirt we reach for first. You know the one. It’s the hoodie you grab when it’s 6 a.m. and you take your dog out to pee. Or maybe it’s a fleece, which you toss on when you run out to get a cold brew on Sunday. It’s the layer you wear to your kid’s soccer game or your own weekly night of pick-up basketball.
Consider the Quilted Sweatshirt. Specifically, This One From Orvis.

1 month ago | sfgate.com | Alex Lauer

We all have that sweatshirt we reach for first. You know the one. It’s the hoodie you grab when it’s 6 a.m. and you take your dog out to pee. Or maybe it’s a fleece, which you toss on when you run out to get a cold brew on Sunday. It’s the layer you wear to your kid’s soccer game or your own weekly night of pick-up basketball. You maybe even forgot what brand it is, because the brand isn’t the point.