GovAuctions
GovAuctions lets you search every government surplus auction at once. You can filter by location, category, and price, save items to a watchlist, and get alerts when new auctions match what you're looking for.
Hi, I'm Ben! 👋
I'm an adult human who lives in California. I like reading, writing, and building things that are useful, fun or thought-provoking. There's a link to my Substack just below, and some of my recent projects below that. If you like my work or borrow any of the ideas, consider buying me a coffee via the link. Thanks!
Through a Hedge Backwards
Dispatches on investing, finance and macroeconomics.
Things I've Built
Find a Rescue Pet Near You
I built this app because I couldn't find a simple website that let people discover and share rescue animals from smaller, independent shelters.
Pedal to the Pub
Which London pubs are cyclists most likely heading to? A data-driven exploration cross-referencing 50 million Santander Cycles journeys with 3,000+ pub locations.
SF On Screen
SF has been the setting for hundreds of movies over the last century. Step through some of the most iconic, or explore the map.
Tiki Lab
A playful web app for mixing tiki cocktails together. Pick two parent drinks, hit mix, and get a hybrid with blended ingredients, portmanteau names, and flavor profiles.
London Vibe Shift
An interactive map exploring how London's 33 boroughs have shifted in character — from demographics and crime to culture and green space — using real city data and AI-generated narratives.
San Francisco 311
An interactive map exploring the 8.4 million SF 311 complaints that trace the city's growth, gentrification, and change over the last two decades.
SF Food Truck Finder
A pixel-art food truck finder that helps you track down the nearest food truck in San Francisco using your location or zip code.
Stacker
A clicker game that lets you stack all the gold in the world; from humble beginnings panning in a river, to draining COMEX and bailing out the US government.
ScrapMetal API
A REST API providing real-time and historical scrap metal pricing data. Aggregates from FRED, CME, LME and SteelBenchmarker across 14 scrap grades.
Investment Update Email
When the NYSE closes each day, this app sends you a summary of what happened with your positions, as well as broader market and macroeconomic commentary. No slop, just the important details.
The Trolley Problem
An interactive and slightly sinister take on the classic philosophical dilemma. How far will your moral mind stretch before it snaps? Only one way to find out.
AI Arbitrage
An experiment in using AI to spot arbitrage opportunities across markets. Part financial tool, part mad agentic science.
Find Your Spiritual Tiki Drink
A quiz to discover your spiritual tiki drink, born from a deep and abiding love of all things tiki.