I currently find it difficult to write clearly. Scott Brown’s victory tonight in the special election is unprecedented and a shame to the entire state of Massachusetts.
In August, we mourned the loss of Teddy Kennedy who had led of for so long. Today, 56% of Massachusetts citizens pissed on his grave and everything he stood for. We will be the unraveling of any health reform and will have set the entire nation backward two steps where we should have moved forward five.
Brown already sickens me. I caught a few minutes of his speech this evening on NPR to catch his party-line rhetoric describing how the US Constitution only applies to US Citizens and that we should afford no rights to people we capture in battle. While I feel harsh penalties should be in store for those that are truly guilty of wishing to harm the citizens of the US- we should always base our justice system on solid evidence and not single sided arguments in a Salem Witch Trial manner.
As someone pointed out tonight, the conservative party always has the upper hand on most things for a simple reason- they are the party that is ‘against’ progress. To create progress, you sometimes end up with split ideas and have to figure things out. It is easy to be at the top of the hill defending the status quo.
Fellow citizens of Massachusetts- today you did not vote for ‘moderate’. You didn’t just give the finger to the State House, or to Washington. You didn’t vote for change. You took your foot and you shot it, then shot the other one to make sure the job was done right.
The American government will not do anything to rock the boat for dozens of political and economic reasons. US companies (with the exception of some like Google) will not do anything because it might damage profits.
Yet maybe, just maybe you can do something to send them a message. Pledge a period of time that you won’t buy anything from China. It can be a day, a week, a month or a year. Make all best attempts to not acquire anything made in China.
Doing it for more than a day may be very difficult, but it is possible. Keep in mind:
Clothing
Packaging (plastic grocery bags too)
Toys
Electronics (most electronics are made in China)
Furniture
Automotive components
You’ll probably find that some items are exceedingly difficult to find ones not made in China. When that happens you have a decision. Either you break your attempt to stay ‘Made in China free’ (fail), or ask the company why they partner with China for business.
Overall, don’t just try to buy in somewhere that isn’t China, but try to buy local when possible. You’ll pay more likely, but you support your local economy and lower your carbon footprint.
If the US government and companies won’t stand up to China? Who will? Maybe that someone can be you.
Some of you, I’ve seen a lot more of lately. To others, I’ve probably dropped off the planet. I thought it nice to update everyone as to what I’m doing these days and where things are headed.
After being laid off from GamerDNA I took a few months to acquire some new skills and thought a lot. There were many meetings, many times the bank account getting too close to zero, and much help from friends.
I got into programming Ruby. Programming again, which I haven’t done much since C++ in high school and some Perl/CGI in 2001, feels amazing and I feel like I can offer more to any technology based team now. It really opens up so many possibilities and I’m not sure why I abandoned it in the first place. Probably to focus on music and other things.
Post ROFLThing and a few Internet Super Highway meetings, Tim Hwang pulled me into a newly forming research group studying social networks. I know thats an overly broad description, but we’re really doing a wide range of things. I’m mainly doing database administration, datamining programming, business development and project management. Other people are doing the writing, analysis and visualization. Actually, perhaps I’m doing a lot with it. I have this weird self sufficiency in my head that I’ve adopted with music. I need to be able to do it all, or I don’t feel that I’m holding things together enough. Maybe this is why I play guitar, bass, drums, keyboard and even a little out of tune cello. Anyway, the group is called the Web Ecology Project and we just released a paper last month which got a reasonable amount of press and I’m proud to have been a part of. We’re doing cooler stuff very soon though so keep an eye on that one.
I picked up a few consulting projects. I could have probably done better with these execution-wise, but they were a great way to learn. I learned that I don’t want to be an independent consultant and that I like working with a team. The team can be doing consulting, but I don’t want to be the only one on that team.
I went to NYC a lot. I’ve probably been ten times this year so far. Went to a few cool events by Jeff Pulver including the #140Conf.
I got a new job. A company called Green-Ear picked me up from LinkedIn of all places (yes, LinkedIn actually can get you a job it seems) to head up marketing and strategy for them. We’re doing VoIP communications for videogames. Or in non-tech speak we make it so you can talk to others in any game. Because most of the company is in Ohio, I’m back with my brothers at betahouse and enjoying every minute of it. They are a great company and they’ve empowered me to really make stuff happen. I’m shocked at how fast their programming team can get stuff going. They are ninjas.
Tim also started up another group called the Awesome Foundation. Basically we’re giving away $1,000 grants each month to people who are doing/want to do awesome things. We got a huge amount of press the other day and its just getting off the ground. We have some really cool people in the group that make me even more proud to be with it. We have the founder of Reddit, Alexis Ohanian that just joined. Reed Sturtevant who heads up Microsoft Startup Labs in Cambridge is there. We’ve got Mac Cowell who runs DIYBio, people from DorkBot and some other really amazing people. And you may ask yourself, how did I get here…? Anyway, we’re still looking for grant applicants and this is going to keep running monthly, so go over and apply! It shouldn’t take more than 5 minutes.
I’m also moving apartments soon. After over two years in my little Back Bay studio it is time for a change. I haven’t stayed in one place for so long since I moved out of my parent’s house going to college. I’m moving in with Mac Cowell and four other fun people in Davis Square. The house is humbly titled ‘Epic Manor’, which it truly is. I’m really excited by some silly things like having 2 1/2 refrigerators, space for my cat to run around, an out of tune piano in the living room and a large basement. Davis Sq is great, the house is huge, and its cheaper. Everything about it is Win.
I have almost totally dropped off the Social Media social scene lately. I was tired of the bullshit, the egos, the drama, and the fake people who make fake friends with each other. Although now I’m working fulltime in marketing, I feel more disconnected from most of these people than ever. I’m barely even looking forward to Podcamp Boston.
So I’m keeping busy. I’ve just told myself that I’m going to write, record and finish at least 8 songs by the end of the year (and throw in some of my old tracks) to make an album and release it. I certainly have enough gear and I have no excuse.
My blog is going to shift for a while probably over to mainly talking about the recording and writing of the album. I’ll post lots of clips and tracks unfinished as I write it so you can hear what is happening.
According to a recent CNN article, in the wake of the Bush administration, President Obama has said that the decision to prosecute former Bush officials for their involvement in torture will be left to the Attorney General.
I have an odd feeling that they won’t ever be prosecuted for torture, but I feel they should be. Most of the people involved are unrepentant and see nothing wrong with their decisions. Several former CIA officials have been quoted in saying that stopping these techniques is a poor idea, and they letting people know that we were doing them is an even worse idea.
We put people in jail, not just as a form of punishment, but to remove dangerous people from society. Torture is clearly unconsitutional, as is the detaining of people in Gitmo. The people involved lacked the clarity of judgment and morals to see that torture is clearly wrong. Just as a murderer who doesn’t see what was wrong with his crime should be put away, so should anyone involved in torture. I don’t buy the Nuremberg trial line of, “I was just following orders.” If a person outranking you (in any field) tells you to do something wrong, then you shouldn’t do it.
Torture is wrong. What they did was wrong, and everyone along the line should be held accountable for their poor judgment, poor morals and a clear lack of understanding of the Constitution.
I’m approaching two years in my 180sq ft palace of an apartment, I and have to admit that its getting rather old quickly. The building is over 100 years old, I have a single small window that doesn’t open well, but doesn’t stay closed well without a screw either. My closet is a bit small, and honestly 180 sq ft makes me feel like I’m living in Tokyo but without the good sushi. Oddly enough my friends that live in Tokyo and Japan in general have larger places.
So I’d like a new apartment. In case anyone reading has a similar place that they plan on vacating soon, or perhaps you’re a real estate agent and you have something similar… you should contact me. This is simple a wish list, and I don’t expect that I’ll find anything exactly like this by any means. Real Estate nationwide is ‘supposed’ to be tanking, so who knows.
Neighborhood: Back Bay, Beacon Hill, South End, South Boston, JP, Cambridge or Brookline. Anywhere else is either too far away, too overun by students, or to be honest a bit too ‘urban’ for me.
Either 2 small bedrooms, or a 1 bed + Office. I need my bedroom and project room separate. The project room need not have windows.
Good electrical wiring. A single 15 amp circuit won’t cut it, and I need 30-45ampres of current available (3 breakers) to not overload it. How I’m not tripping this 20amp circuit now is beyond me.
Hardwood floors. No carpet. It gets dirty good easy.
Kitchen: Full sized fridge (not one under the counter as I have now), dishwasher, and hopefully disposal. Eat in kitchen not needed. Gas stove required above all else.
Parking is a plus, but not a requirement as I have no car currently. If gamerDNA gets bought up by News Corp for 700M then I’ll put a Tesla in the parking spot. (No, they aren’t looking at actually buying us… just a joke).
550+ sq ft total. 750+ would rock my world.
I don’t mind ground level at all, as long as the windows are secure.
Cat friendly a must. Jade is cute AND a good kitty. She keeps the mice at bay.
The thicker the walls and floors, the better. I can tend to be a tad loud, but not excessively so. I should be able to watch The Dark Knight at a reasonable volume and not disturb the neighbors
Few requirements for bathroom. Preference to not having the ubiquitous pink tiles that are so prevalent in Boston apartments from the 50′ s rennovations. Jade the Cat has requested a Claw Footed Tub however.
Walls must have real framing, that I can hang guitars from the studs. None of this 150 year old horsehair plaster stuff that you can’t even hang a poster on.
The more closets the better.
Must be accessible to the T (subway, not just bus). That doesn’t mean a 25 minute walk to the subway either. Boston winters are too cold for that.
Looking to move either Sept 1, or better yet Aug 1/15th. I don’t relish the Sept 1 insanity and I’ll do anything to avoid it. Earlier opportunities will be considered.
Preference to NOT put down First/Last/Security/Fee. 4 months is insane, and my sister put down less on her mortgage recently. Absolutely no reason so many are needed for just an apartment.
$1200 max. Not a penny over. I’m not made of money. Aren’t Real Estate prices supposed to be falling?
Overall, I’m just looking for a nice little place for me and my cat. I’d like to have space for a queen sized bed, as being 26 with a twin bed is lame. I want a room that I can set up my darkroom, music and guitars in and not junk up the rest of the apartment, plus a living room to have a few friends over, or maybe have a couch in! I mean, my current apartment has only my twin bed and my Aeron chair to sit on. Not very good for having friends over. Plus we run out of oxygen if there’s more than 3 people + cat and don’t have the window open.
I hate Hollywood for showing that every struggling artist who lives in a big city has a huge, open, modern industrial loft apartment… even though they haven’t written a song or sold a painting in years. I am ashamed to admit it, but I thought that I’d actually be able to find such in Boston when I moved here, but then found that they barely exist and when they do are $6000/month. No starving artist lives in that, let alone someone working for a startup!
So does anyone have a lead on an apartment for me? In return, you get first dibs on my 180 sq ft mansion in Back Bay.
