🎬 Remembering Sam Neill

Earlier this week, I learned that one of my favorite actors, Sam Neill, passed away on July 13 in Sydney from pneumonia at the age of 78. After a courageous battle with lymphoma, it's comforting to know he had recently been declared cancer-free before his sudden passing.

He had an incredible career and was one of those actors who seemed to make every role better. Whether he was outrunning dinosaurs in Jurassic Park, being evil in The Omen, or delivering memorable performances in The Hunt for Red October, Bicentennial Man, and Wimbledon, he always brought intelligence and quiet charisma to the screen.

For me, though, Sam Neill was at his absolute best in horror. Event Horizon (even if I still think the ending could have been stronger), In the Mouth of Madness, and Possession remain some of my favorite performances of his. He had a way of portraying characters who slowly unraveled that few actors could match.

Thank you for decades of unforgettable performances. Rest in peace, Sam Neill.

Day 34: The Company You Keep Shapes the Company You Build

Today marks Day 34 since I requested a copy of a Nextdoor study and have not received a response. Tomorrow will likely be Day 35. I also never received a read receipt from any recipient of my most recent request.

Earlier today, I came across a Facebook Reel from entrepreneur Codie A. Sanchez. One message stood out:

"If you hang around people who have never built anything, you won't build anything."

Another lesson she shared from one of her mentors was that negative mindsets can be contagious and that the people you surround yourself with matter.

That resonated with me.

I'm working to build something from scratch. I'm partnering with Aisha Wells and Alicia Tanksley on A Godd3ss3s Cr3ation, and throughout my career, I've learned a simple lesson:

"I am who I'm with."

That brings me back to Nextdoor.

If you're an employee, advertiser, user, or shareholder, ask yourself what kind of culture you want to be associated with.

A platform that doesn't allow comments on its LinkedIn posts.

A CEO who has blocked a shareholder and former user on LinkedIn.

A straightforward request for a published study that goes unanswered for more than a month by multiple departments.

This isn't about proving I'm right. It's about whether feedback deserves acknowledgment and whether communication is part of a company's culture.

For advertisers, does the company's approach to communication reflect the brands you want to align with?

For users, is this the level of responsiveness you'd expect when you need help?

For shareholders, is acknowledging investor feedback part of good corporate governance?

Culture isn't defined by slogans. It's defined by the actions people experience every day.

What do you think?

Join the discussion on NielFlamm.com.

Day 33: Silence, Culture, and the Identity of Nextdoor

Today marks Day 33 since I requested a copy of a Nextdoor study from Senior Manager Jacob Chavis, as directed in a company communication. I still haven't received the study or a response.

While scrolling LinkedIn today, I came across a post discussing company culture, particularly how culture is reflected in hiring and leadership. It made me think about my own experience. If this is how a straightforward request is handled, it raises questions for me about the culture that supports that experience.

I also noticed a post on Nextdoor where someone asked what was happening in their subdivision, only to be told the information was on Facebook instead.

Then I opened Citizen. Within seconds, I saw real-time information about power outages within about a mile of my location. No wall of text. No advertisement every few posts. No constant stream of email notifications filling my inbox.

That got me thinking about identity.

What problem is Nextdoor trying to solve in 2026?

Is it the best place for timely neighborhood information, or have users found faster, less intrusive alternatives? If important neighborhood updates are happening elsewhere and competing platforms provide real-time information with fewer interruptions, that's a question worth asking.

As both a shareholder and a user, I believe these are important conversations. Products evolve, user expectations change, and listening to feedback has always been one of the best ways to stay relevant.

What do you think the future of neighborhood platforms looks like?

Citizen vs. Nextdoor: My First Few Days of Real-World Use

After spending the last few days using the Citizen app alongside my ongoing experience with Nextdoor (which I’m still accessing through a parody email account for research), the differences have been hard to ignore.

Citizen has been refreshingly simple.

I haven’t been bombarded with emails all day long. I don’t see my feed cluttered with advertisements. I can immediately see how many users are active within a small radius of my location, and that number updates as I travel.

I also like that Citizen offers optional premium features, such as access to local police and fire radio feeds. I haven’t subscribed yet, but it’s a straightforward value proposition: if it’s useful to you, you pay for it.

One feature I find especially interesting is the ability to livestream an incident. Rather than relying on speculation or secondhand accounts, users can provide a real-time, firsthand view of what’s happening. Citizen also offers contributors opportunities to earn money for qualifying content.

Compare that with my experience on Nextdoor.

Even after trying to reduce notifications, the platform continues to generate a steady stream of emails about everything from barking dogs to garbage cans left at the curb overnight. The text feed is saturated with advertising. Users generate the content, volunteer moderators enforce the rules without compensation, yet there is no meaningful opportunity for contributors to share in the value they create.

As someone who has written extensively about Nextdoor as a shareholder and user, I expected another neighborhood app. Instead, I found a platform that, at least in my early experience, feels more focused, less intrusive, and more useful.

The clear winner for me so far is Citizen.

For transparency, Citizen is not a publicly traded company. I have no financial interest in it. I’m simply evaluating it as a user. If the company ever went public, it’s one I’d seriously consider researching as a potential investment.

What has your experience been with neighborhood and community apps? Have you used Citizen, Nextdoor, or both? I’d be interested in hearing your perspective.

Join the discussion on NielFlamm.com.

My Future Ex-Wife Is Going to Be So Proud 💰😂

The lottery refuses to cooperate with my retirement plans.


So here we are again.


🎟️ Mega Millions: $672 million (Friday)
🎟️ Powerball: $526 million (Saturday)


That’s nearly $1.2 BILLION just sitting there, waiting for someone to claim it.


I’ve been thinking about what I’d do if I won.


Sure, I’d take care of my family.


I’d help the communities and causes that have been important to me.


I’d make sure my friends were doing okay. (If we haven’t spoken since MySpace, this is probably a bad time to reconnect.)


But after the responsible stuff…


Things could get a little weird.


I’d found the world’s most exclusive underground fraternity: Omega Cucumber Omega (Ω🥒Ω).


The initiation? Standing in a circle while everyone gets pelted with cucumbers. Why cucumbers? Because billionaires don’t have to explain themselves.


Our official motto?


“Making poor financial decisions so you don’t have to.”


Annual dues would be exactly $1, because we’re not in it for the money.


There would be a Board of Directors whose only responsibility is debating whether Tuesdays should officially become “Wear Hawaiian Shirts While Grocery Shopping Day.”


I’d sponsor a competitive professional nap league.


I’d hire someone whose full-time job is reminding me where I left my phone.


I’d create a scholarship for people who have never said, “Reply all.”


I’d buy a beach house.


I’d buy a sweet ride.


And yes… somewhere in there I’d probably meet my future ex-wife. At least we’d have a beautiful view during the divorce negotiations.


Will any of this happen?


Probably not.


Will I spend a few bucks dreaming about it?


Absolutely.


Sometimes the ticket isn’t about the jackpot. It’s about spending a couple of days imagining a life where your biggest problem is deciding whether your pet llama should have its own swimming pool.


Good luck this weekend!


And if you win because this blog reminded you to buy a ticket… remember who believed in you before you were rich.