People to People

The annual Bikes for Kids program that the Rockland Bike Club runs every year got some kudos in the local paper.

It’s January and another Santa Project has come and gone here at People to People and we would like to thank those responsible for making it a great success.

At present, we’ve estimated approximately 3,000 children received gifts through Santa Project 2007. That represents about 1,100 families, all of them your neighbors right here in Rockland. There were 750 “Dear Santa” letters adopted and enough toys, checks, clothing and food came rolling in to help approximately 350 more families. I wish I could share all the hugs and blessings I received on your behalf. You lit up the faces of children young and old and gave hope to families who have, in one way or another, felt the tides of hopelessness in 2007.

[Nice. A touch more ecumenicism on the part of People to People would be nice… but helping people is helping people. Bring on the Solstice Project! Heh.]

McDonald’s Is Doing Coffee? The rule of opposites

McDonald’s Is Doing Coffee?: I can’t quite process the idea that McDonalds is getting into the latte biz. After living in the PacNW for a while, Starbucks is already my version of slumming for coffee. I can’t image going lower than that. PC load letter? Say what?[As Seth has pointed out it’s about what you are really competing against. McDonalds isn’t the opposite of Starbucks, but it might become one for Duncan Donuts.]
Source: James Duncan Davidson

Watchdogging Blogging

Watchdogging Blogging: I think the best way to bring change about, is not by any cyclists’ rights movement, but by individual riders, clubs and small groups of friends who ride together setting their own rules and codes of behavior.

When I’m out riding, I expect sloppy and poor driving from some people. I see it all the time when I drive my car, so it is not going to change just because I am on a bike. I stay alert; I ride defensively, and try not to let it spoil my ride. [First, I’d like to thank Dave for being thoughtful and writing about these issues.

Cyclists, when driving, often act/drive very similarly to car only folks with the common exception of usually treating other cyclists with courtesy (although amazingly, not always!). Same high speed, low courtesy, me first, doing too much at once behind the wheel, stuff (to generalize) that I find so obviously dangerous when on my bike. If everyone who rides a bike would drive as if they were on their bike it would be a great start, and would “put money where their mouth is”.]
Source: Dave Moulton’s Bike Blog

What I Do – onward flows the meme perpetuated

What I Do – a meme perpetuated: Far be it form me to break the chain… so here goes.

My Day Job

I work as a software developer at Oxygen Media, which was recently bought by NBC/Universal. I’m still not sure how all that will shake out for me.

Frankly I hate the term “day job” because it implies drudgery or sysiphisian tasks to me — that the only reason I do what I do every day is because I need to pay bills. That’s not something that I see as “life affirming”. And truly, life is too short to spend so much of it doing stuff you don’t like. I try not to. So while I don’t commute to Chelsea because of any love for commuting to Chelsea (1.5 – 2.25 hours one way on average), it has been, for the last year or so, a chance to work, learn, and play with some very talented, creative, and energetic people, and it certainly remains my plan to continue to place myself in situations where those qualities are abundant and appreciated.

My “Contribution”

I’m not as organized about this as some. I’ve sent a pile of recordings and equipment to my former college. I’ve supported some folks with debilitating MS with other gear that they couldn’t afford. I’ve sent money to various cancer fighting institutions, and done a bunch of fund raising recordings for folks who’ve ask. I’ve spent a little time building bikes for kids who otherwise would’ve gone without. I prefer my giving face to face as it were. It’s harder to bear the pain, shame, embarrassment, and need, but it increases the chance of real good occurring (I should add that the pain and embarrassment etc. is *mine* for paying so little attention to the needs of others and society, and so much to myself. (And even this is all about me. Sigh.)) I’ve authored some software and formats that are used by a large segment of the public and those things were free for the enjoyment of all from their very inception… but in all these cases I get way more out of it than the folks at the other end. So who’s contributing to whom? I dunno. But there it is.

My Night Job

I don’t really have one. I always figured that if I was so amped about something that I wanted to do it in the precious non-work hours, that I should do it fulltime. I can’t always make that happen, but I try. I still consult for some folks because they’ve maintained an ongoing relationship. I still play on recordings for some folks when they ask, or to cover for some particularly egregious personal situation. That’s about as close as I come.

Other Stuff

I’m a member of a number of wonderful communities. There’s a bike club that has got it’s heart and wheels in the right place. I’ve been making music with the same folks for well over 20 years, and have been part of of an informal group of developers that have worked alongside each other for a almost as long. It has never been easier for people to share their stories and form communities on the internet. It’s a great gift. But there’s nothing like getting in a room with other folks, or going for a bike ride with a group, or spending a night in a recording studio with a few friends. People are the most powerful magic the world has to offer.

My Family

I have a very tight knit family. It’s not large, one older brother, one younger sister. My wife’s family is small as well, she has one older sister. Fortunately, all our parents are with us and celebrating anniversaries well into the 40th decade. My wife Lisa and son Noah are the joys of my life. Noah is extremely sunny and bright and can’t help but brighten the lives of others, mine especially, the proud father. Our busy professional lives means that Noah spends his weekdays at school/day care. They take good care of him and he’s learned a lot. But I leave my heart in that place every day.

Who Next?

This was the hardest part. I hope the burden isn’t too great…
Jenni you’re up. And how about Seth?

[Onward!]
Source: Luke Melia

Matthew Parris Apologizes

Matthew Parris Apologizes: Matthew Parris in his Times column today posted a brief apology for his Christmas attack on cyclists. (See my post yesterday.)

Today Parris wrote:

“I offended many with my Christmas attack on cyclists. It was meant humorously but so many cyclists have taken it seriously that I plainly misjudged. I am sorry.”

Not much, but he did admit to a misjudgment, I’ll take it. Thank you Mr. Parris.

It just goes to show cyclists as a world wide group, do have a voice. When we all come together as in this case, it is a loud voice indeed and people can’t help but hear it.

Let’s hope lessons have been learned and some good will come out of this. Maybe Matthew Parris and some of his fellow journalists will at least tone it down in the future.


[Here’s the problem, none of these cyclists who are forever watchdogging all the comments of others (and granted beheading is a bit strong) ever wonder or decry the fact that cyclists the world over are perceived the same way. What can we, as a community, do about the issues the press and individuals raise? No small impact the clothing, packaging, manufacturing, etc have on the environment, or the lawlessness and discourtesy that are often foisted on an unsuspecting public that has no framework to understand our point of view, and worse, we do it with a righteous attitude rife with implication that we are saving the world! How about we work on *that* some more?]
Source: Dave Moulton’s Bike Blog

Music business models based on free downloads

They often start with “Get some gigs, start building a following, do some recording (because it’s super cheap now that digital is everywhere) give all that away, rinse, repeat, and sell merchandise.

That is not a business plan folks, and it simply solves the audience desire for free recordings.

First of all, getting gigs is not that simple, and are plenty expensive to a band (or band leader). There are many fewer places supporting live (especially original) music, and plenty of reasons why you need to be either willing to work for free or a loss or established. And trying to make a living selling merchandise for a band without a following is also not a winning solution.

So while a recording can be considered a promotional device the question is how to you support the cost of creating it? True the incremental cost is small, but how much does the first copy cost?

Also spoken about as if it were magic is the sell the rare, give away the ubiquitous. This is the start of the subscription model where the artist figures out ways of getting folks inside. Pre-release tracks, backstage passes, etc. It doesn’t solve the promotional problem of finding places to play.

Here’s something that a lot of folks don’t think about. Not everyone is good enough to make there living as a musician. It’s not a right that you can invoke because you desire it, and the greatest work ethic will not guarantee anything either. To be good enough as a song writer, player, etc. to support yourself in this scenario of playing your own music for adoring fans is in and of itself rare. Desire doesn’t change that. Promotion doesn’t change that.

Maybe that’s all there is to it?

Washington Post Flubs Story On RIAA — RIAA Still Not Going After Personal Copies (Yet)

Washington Post Flubs Story On RIAA — RIAA Still Not Going After Personal Copies (Yet): Back at the beginning of December, we helped debunk a story making the rounds claiming that the RIAA was going after a guy named Jeffrey Howell for ripping his own CDs to his computer. That story was misleading, at best. While we know that the RIAA is constantly pushing to extend both the meaning and scope of copyright law, in this case the details were pretty clear that they were not going after Howell for just ripping his CDs, but for putting those ripped files into a shared Kazaa folder. Now you can (and we do!) disagree that simply putting files into a shared folder are infringement, but that’s different than just claiming that ripping the CDs is illegal or that he was being targeted just for ripping the CDs. Unfortunately (and for reasons unclear to me), the Washington Post has revived the story, again repeating that Howell is being targeted for ripping his own CDs. That’s simply not true, and it’s nice to see a true copyright expert like William Patry question the Washington Post on this as well.[An important distinction. A really big ooops.]
Source: Techdirt

More warm stuff

SportHill makes a bunch of clothing aimed at active outdoor users. They’re Zone3 stuff is aimed at cold weather (0 -40 degrees F) and since it is aimed at active wearers has enough lycra and stuff to be great. You can totally replace multiple layers with clothing like this and be more comfortable. I certainly find them more comfortable than the one bit of cycling specific cold weather tights I have. They’re windproof to 35 mph and are a comfortable 4 way stretch fabric with a waist tie, zipper side pockets, and zippers down by the ankles. The XC Pant made of 3SP. Skiing, Skating, Biking, and not nearly as geeky as cycling clothing. They also make the more “jeans like” (a bit of a stretch thinks I) ATV II. A new favorite company and product.

A bunch of years ago I bought a jacket that looked like wool on the outside and had PrimaLoft insulation. Hailed as a replacement for down, I simply thought the jacket looked nice on me and wasn’t very heavy. Sadly at the time I could almost never wear it because it was too warm. I was a lot heavier then, almost never got cold and didn’t expect this light jacket to be so warm. All these years later where getting cold seems to be a daily affair while I sit, I bought another jacket with PrimaLoft in it, only this time it’s working for me. I have a really nice down jacket called the Sub Zero from Mountain Hardwear it’s the third jacket of theirs that I own. This year I added the Torque since I knew my commute would be changing. Last year I did the train all winter (lots of standing on cold, windy, train platforms and walking to and from stations) this year in order to spend more time with my son at night I’ve been driving. Driving requires a lot less insulation, and I wanted something simpler than the layered (fleece jacket with shell over) to get in and out of. Since this jacket was on the clearance rack it joined the party. It has a lot of nice features for snow activities or commuting and is warm enough to not require a middle layer beneath. I should add that last year there were times when I wore the middle fleece layer, the down jacket, and the shell over it (to protect it and add even more warmth) with the upside being that once I was in the office I wasn’t sitting around swaddled in layer upon layer, but still managed to not freeze waiting for trains at the station platform, which I honestly think is the coldest, windiest place on earth. (If you sit inside with the trains I had to take you were not, repeat *not* getting a seat, because there’s some hard as nails commuters out there. It was either harden up, or stand for close to an hour and a half. I split the difference, and used tech to my benefit). Anyway, from my long removed from the product line Ethereal shell (at least 10 years if not more) to this jacket I can recommend Mountain Hardwear as a great line of hardworking outdoor gear. Two of the pieces use their waterproof, breathable Conduit membrane (which they claim uses “interconnecting molecular conduits to actively draw moisture vapor away from your body”). I’m sure I wouldn’t know, but both pieces are comfortable.

Some last generic bits of whatever this has become… I’ve come to love so called “micro-fleece” tops. I can layer them over t-shirts or wear them as base layers. The brand hasn’t mattered too much… some wear longer than others, but they often cost a lot more. I love stuff from Patagonia, although I can’t afford it until a store clears it out… and I also love the companies focus on taking care of their people and the environment as best they can. Check out Yvon Chouinard’s book. There’s also a free talk on iTunes from him that is well worth checking out.

Why all this? A friend asked…