Morning Thoughts

7 year old, Latarian Milton, steals grandma's car...

I love his recommended punishment...

Hiatus

I've been out all weekend and will conclude the hyperlocal series this week. For now, check out these newsworthy links I read today:

Cheap sun power promised soon Eco-Safe and iTunes Portland Sustainability Center

Defining Hyperlocal, Part 3: Citizen Journalism

In Part One of my mini series of Defining Hyperlocal, I talked about the history of business in America, which led to the evolution of small business and locally sustainable communities during the Colonial period. Today's topic is citizen journalism/media, which is simply journalism done by non-journalists.

Newspapers have been around for quite some time. Julius Caesar had a daily news bulletin posted for the public called the Acta diurna. There was an 8th century newspaper in Beijing, and in the 15th century German cities began to publish broadsides, single paged newsletters, as well. In 1556, Venetians could read the Notizie scritte for a small fee, the gazetta.

My Life List

So a few years ago I started to make a list of the things I want to do in my life. Well, the other day I found that list and decided to put organize it on my computer and take it more seriously. I then thought it would be fun to share the list with everyone, which would also give me more motivation to actually complete the list since anyone can see my progress.

So up on my website, you can take a look at my list, my photos, the books I'm reading, have read, and plan to read. You can basically keep up on my life (if anyone cares to) while I keep track of my progress.

Seems silly, but it was actually sort of fun to make and easy to do. I'll keep it updated as I have time.

- Justin

A Response to Gas Prices

This morning, Sterling Terrell posted about our current gas prices, and questioned if they really are in fact high prices.

Terrell argues that the increases in gas prices is dependent on inflation, taxes, and the fluctuations in supply and demand.

In general, Terrell does a decent job explaining the basics of gas prices, however I would take it with a grain of salt. He first discusses how inflation impacts the gas prices:

First, we need to take into account inflation. The result of the Federal Reserve printing too much money is a loss of purchasing power of the dollar: something that cost $1.00 in 1950 would cost about $8.78 today. As for gas prices, in 1950 the price of gas was approximately 30 cents per gallon. Adjusted for inflation, a gallon of gas today should cost right at $2.64, assuming taxes are the same.

Environmental Money Tree

I am a voracious reader. I have an insatiable appetite for learning and expanding my general knowledge of, well, anything. I am absurdly interested in everything. Reading is my lifelong pursuit to understanding the world and, whether healthy or not, I am never satisfied with my knowledge. Like everyone, I have my favorites, but one day I may be reading Phillip Sidney's 16th century Countess of Pembroke's Arcadia, and the next day will be full of James Bond adventures, of course in comic book form. Reading allows me to keep an acute mind and helps me to become a better informed person.

One of my favorite books is F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. This morning I wanted to know a bit more about Fitzgerald, and I found this article (a self analysis) he wrote in the February 1936 issue of Esquire. The second paragraph really hit me hard. I have a little notebook I carry around with me everywhere I go. It is full of ideas I have, quotes I like, random thoughts, doodles while waiting for my coffee, you name it. A piece of this article is my newest entry, and also what led to this posting:

The Defining of Hyperlocal, Part 2: Small Business

In PART 1 of my quest to define hyperlocal, I talked briefly about the history of business in the US during the colonial days. As colonies began to work and trade with each other, the business of retailing began to take form as nomadic peddlers traveled from house to house trying to make a profit. The vast majority of these hawkers would make a few 1,000+ mile trips with packs of goodies on their backs (either by horse or foot).

In the colonial era, the retail business was a vehicle out of poverty. While most of us relate peddling to those scheming entrepreneurs selling magical potions off the back of their carts (everything seemed possible in those days), many significant inventions (like the steamboat), enterprises (Stanley Tools), and prominent leaders (Lincoln, Edison) came from the colonial day peddling.

Social Entrepreneur: Kjerstin Erickson

A while back I was trying to launch a non-profit that would help build schools and clean up communities in poverty stricken Indonesia. I was full of ambition and determination to meet my goal, but soon realized the sheer magnitude of such a project was overwhelming. I was also struggling to find supporters to help launch the project, "too big and ambitious" became a phrase I now hate to hear. Frustrated with empty promises of help and support, I finally gave up. I saw an opportunity to help people, but I quit because I "lacked the resources" necessary.

I'm a very ambitious person, but am not afraid to fall. While morally devastating, there are benefits from every failure. I actually learned that successfully trying is just as important as achieving your goal. For example, I may not be helping people in Indonesia (yet), but I learned how to network and ask powerful people for things you want, which isn't as easy it seems.

The Defining of Hyperlocal, Part 1

The other day, after I finished preparing for a meeting with potential partners, I asked a colleague of mine to review the material and give me his thoughts. The last couple of months have been full of 120-130 hour weeks researching, planning, and calculating for my new "hyperlocal" startup. Everyday, in addition to looking like I woke up and did a few lines of coke out off of my bathroom sink, I've also learned that time becomes more valuable than nutrition and exercise. passion has eagerly replaced them both.

After reading through the document, there was one question I've been asked numerous times before, "What does Hyperlocal mean?" I have found the term to be rather ambiguous. Many people have varying opinions on what it means, but for the majority, it is centered around local news and events. A good start, but I believe the term connotes a deeper meaning within the realm of economics, specifically at the local and community level.

One Mean Executive

I came across this today and thought I would share it with everyone. The audio company Monster Cables has demanded that the Blue Jeans Cable company cease and desist selling, advertising, and basically anything that "violates the intellectual property rights" of Monster. In addition, Monster "insists" that all such products are recalled and all accounting records from these sales be turned over to Monster. I don't know much about audio cables, but they all seem to be pretty similar to me.

The beauty of all this is, Blue Jeans Cable's owner is a lawyer by trade, and judging by the name of his cable company, he is a pretty laid back guy. Not only did he post the official cease and desist letter on his website, he also released his response to Audioholics, an online A/V magazine for everyone to see (and pasted below). I found it pretty funny, but it's long. I say read the first 2-3 paragraphs, then the final 3. That will give you a good overview of the tone, as well as Mr. Denke. : (taken from an Audioholics blog)

Living in Las Vegas

So I have been living in Las Vegas for about 8 months now, and am just starting to settle in and understand this city. The two most common questions I get from people are “What could possibly make you want to live in Las Vegas?” and “What’s it really like to live in Sin City?”

Rails-to-Trails

I came across Rails-to-Trails today purely by accident. I was reading about innovation, which led to learning more about carbon fiber, taking me to a page devoted to carbon fiber and bicycles, ultimately landing me at Rails-to-Trails's website.

As interesting as the other topics are (I'll catch up on them later), as a cyclist, Rails-to-Trails is even more fascinating.

A True Humanitarian Entrepreneur

I would like everyone to meet Mikkel Vestergaard Frandsen, world traveler, hitchhiker, future Nobel Prize winner. At 19, this guy went to Africa and began importing trucks to Lagos. That was around 1991, and it only lasted about two years. Thank God.

His family owned a textile company, and Mikkel made enough money in Africa to buy out other family members in 1997, giving him the reins as president and CEO of Vestergaard Frandsen. He has turned those textiles into a company that designs products to change the world. In fact, I think they should change their mission statement to, "We change the world."

My First Post

Well, this is the first attempt at blogging by this CEO (I like the way that sounds).

I decided to name it Morning Thoughts because, well, I wake up early and that's when I do my best thinking. I've also realized that many bloggers write at certain times or on particular days, but I have no idea when I'll write and anything I write about will most likely be on whatever I've thought or read about earlier that morning.