Steve’s Blog

September 13, 2026

Review: Blood River: The Terrifying Journey Through The World’s Most Dangerous Country by Tim Butcher

This is a travelogue where the author tries to re-create a journey that Henry Stanley took through the Congo in the 1870s. He mapped the river for the first time, starting oj the east coast of Africa, finding the source of the Congo, and traveling all the way to the Atlantic. Stanley then helped Belgium take over the region, which turned into a genuine disaster. I have mixed feelings about this book. It kept me turning the pages and gave a solid introduction to the history of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. I’ve visited North Africa, grew up in…

September 1, 2026

Review of Havel: A Life by Michael Zantovsky

This was my favorite pure biography in several years. I give it high praise because you don’t just learn about Václav Havel, but also the history of Prague and Czechoslovakia during the 1900s. I admit to knowing absolutely zero about the city and country before this book. The writer was Václav Havel’s press secretary during many of his years as a politician. But he doesn’t hold back on Havel’s flaws. Havel comes across as a very complicated man. He’s a successful playwright, a party animal, a womanizer, and the brave center of a network of opposition to the communist government.…

July 3, 2026

Using AI Deep Research to Improve WordPress Plugins With Ross Morsali

In this episode of the PublishPress Podcast, I talk with Ross Morsali, developer of Search & Filter, who argues that AI’s real power isn’t vibe-coding but deep research. He explains how he used it to find new ways to make search fast on WordPress sites with tens of thousands of posts. People in this episode

June 9, 2026

This Week in WordPress #375 on WP Builds

I joined Nathan Wrigley and the WP Builds panel for episode 375 of This Week in WordPress, titled “It’s All Up and Down,” recorded on June 9th, 2026. The conversation ranged across recent WordPress ecosystem news with a strong focus on the rapidly evolving intersection of AI and security — including new challenges for tools like Wordfence and Patchstack as AI-generated vulnerabilities and “AI slop” continue to grow as a threat vector. People in this episode

May 19, 2026

2026 Has Changed Everything About WordPress Security, With Austin Ginder

In this episode of the PublishPress Podcast, I talk with Austin Ginder, a host who was overwhelmed when AI-driven hacking attempts surged in February 2026. He explains how he responded, and how he went from AI skeptic to using it as a core part of his security work. People in this episode

May 11, 2026

This Week in WordPress #373 on WP Builds

I joined Nathan Wrigley and the panel on WP Builds for episode 373 of This Week in WordPress. We covered the latest WordPress news and discussed what’s happening in the community this week, including updates around WordPress 7.0 and the growing role of AI in the block editor. People in this episode

May 4, 2026

WordPress Businesses Are Moving From Products to Services, With Robbie Adair

In this episode of the PublishPress Podcast, I talk with Robbie Adair, who has run her agency through 20 years of technology shifts. She believes AI makes products less valuable and expert services more valuable than ever, as clients need help navigating new choices. People in this episode

April 28, 2026

What Publishers Need to Know About Web Accessibility, With Amber Hinds

In this episode of the PublishPress Podcast, I talk with Amber Hinds of Equalize Digital, who answers the accessibility questions publishers actually ask: Do audio versions of articles help? Should you offer a text-only site? This is a practical guide to making content work for everyone. People in this episode

April 21, 2026

Paywalls and Advertising are a Perfect Combination for Publishers, With Chris Ward

In this episode of the PublishPress Podcast, I talk with Chris Ward of The Publisher Desk, who offers a counterpoint to our many paywall guests. He argues that paywalls only work alongside a strong advertising strategy, because many readers will never pay but still have value. People in this episode

April 19, 2026

Community + Code Podcast: Episode 23

I was a guest on the Community + Code podcast, hosted by Chris Reynold. This ia show that explores the stories behind people who build in open source. In episode 23, I shared how I got started — from teaching in rural Georgia to building websites on the side, and eventually finding my way into the WordPress plugin world. It was a fun conversation about the winding road that leads people into open source. People in this episode