Stay Cool: A Summer Tip Every Amputee Should Know
Sometimes the smallest tips can make the biggest difference.
If you're an amputee and summer heat leaves you battling sweat, socket fit, and comfort issues, I have one simple change that made a noticeable difference for me. It's not what I expected, but it's worked surprisingly well.
Curious what it is?
Head over to https://NielFlamm.com/videos to watch this video, along with my movie reviews, leadership commentary, technology observations, and plenty of other Junk Cast internet garbage designed to help fuel your doom scrolling.
See you over there!
When You Can't Go Up the Chain, You Go Down It
It's now been more than two weeks since I first requested the Home Insurance Insights study referenced in a Nextdoor article.
After several requests to Jacob Chavis went unacknowledged, I decided to try a different approach.
Instead of continuing up the chain, I went the opposite direction.
I identified Jenna Ellis, Customer Insights & Analytics Manager, and attempted to reach her. I couldn't find a published email address, so I tried several common corporate email formats to reach her inbox. I also copied Jacob, Nirav Tolia, and Nextdoor's support email.
At this point, I'm not looking for anything extraordinary.
I'm requesting the study that Nextdoor publicly stated was available upon request.
This whole experience reminded me of a question I've asked during performance reviews throughout my career:
How do you evaluate an employee's performance when the person responsible for reviewing that performance isn't meeting expectations themselves?
Leadership isn't just about assigning accountability.
It's also about demonstrating it.
I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Join the discussion at NielFlamm.com.
My Nextdoor Experiment: Six Days Later, the Conflict Is Still There
As part of my ongoing observation of the Nextdoor platform, I noticed something interesting this week.
By the way, as of writing this post, Nextdoor (NYSE: NXDR) is up approximately 4.5% to $2.32 per share. Markets move for many reasons, but I continue watching both the business and the user experience.
One of the biggest recurring topics in my neighborhood is e-bikes.
A post asking whether e-bikes should be permitted on sidewalks quickly turned into a debate. That wasn't surprising. Transportation, safety, and neighborhood etiquette are already topics that generate strong opinions.
What did surprise me was what happened next.
The discussion didn't cool off.
It escalated.
The following day, comments became increasingly personal, with one user being directly targeted rather than the discussion remaining focused on the issue itself.
And this wasn't a "my mistake" moment that was quickly corrected.
As of today, the post has remained active for six days.
This brings me back to the same question I've been asking for months.
If Nextdoor relies on unpaid community moderators, how is quality assurance ensured?
Who reviews moderator decisions?
Who coaches moderators?
Who ensures moderation is applied consistently across neighborhoods?
Every moderation system benefits from oversight. Customer service teams have quality monitoring. Call centers review interactions. Content moderation should be no different.
I've previously suggested a formal QA program with ongoing coaching, calibration, and AI-assisted detection to help identify escalating conversations before they become personal attacks.
Instead, I’m seeing what appears to be inconsistent moderation.
As a user and shareholder, I naturally question whether moderation standards are being applied consistently—or whether some users receive different treatment than others.
I'm genuinely interested in hearing from others.
Have you experienced inconsistent moderation or difficulty understanding how moderation decisions are made?
If so, I'd like to hear your story.
Feel free to connect with me here on LinkedIn, email me at niel@nielflamm.com, or call/text me at 843-212-6824.
One final observation: if you're a Nextdoor advertiser or user looking for phone-based customer support, you'll likely find no publicly available customer service number.
I'd love to hear your experiences.
Day 15: The Report Is Still Missing
Today is Day 15 since I requested the Home Insurance Insights study. Nextdoor's Communications team said it was available upon request.
As of today, I have received:
No report.
No link.
No acknowledgment.
No indication that anyone is working on my request.
After multiple requests, I'm asking whether my experience is unique or whether others have encountered similar treatment from organizations that emphasize connecting people and communities.
Yesterday, I wrote about Nextdoor's investment in a Dallas engineering hub, even as many executive leaders are based elsewhere.
As a shareholder, I believe there may be a stronger return on investment in expanding a robust Customer Experience organization—one that supports advertisers, users, and investors with timely communication and issue resolution.
Customer experience isn't just about software.
It's about people responding.
It's about closing the loop.
It's about building trust.
My experience so far has been the opposite.
I also attempted to reach John T. Williams, who previously served as Head of Investor Relations at Nextdoor. My email was returned almost immediately because the mailbox was no longer available.
That happens when people move on, but it reinforces a broader point: when communication channels disappear, or requests go unanswered, stakeholders are left wondering where to turn.
If you're asking advertisers and shareholders to invest in your platform, responsiveness isn't a nice-to-have.
It's part of the product.
I expect someone at Nextdoor will eventually send the study or explain why it isn't being provided.
Until then, Day 15 continues.
Join the discussion on NielFlamm.com.
Disclosure Day: Is It Worth Seeing?
I finally made it to the theater to watch Disclosure Day—16 days after its release—and I'm glad I did.
If you're a fan of big-screen science fiction, mysterious government secrets, aliens, conspiracy theories, and movies that capture a sense of awe and wonder, this one is worth talking about. In my latest movie review, I share what worked, what reminded me of classic sci-fi adventures, and why I think this movie should be experienced in theaters rather than on your couch.
No spoilers here... well, almost.
Head over to NielFlamm.com Videos to watch my full review. While you're there, check out my other movie reviews, personal stories, commentary, and the rest of the internet garbage I've somehow convinced people to watch.
You might laugh.
You might disagree.
You might wonder how you ended up there in the first place.
Either way, thanks for stopping by, and I'll see you in the next review... or whatever.