The Fein Line

I listened to an interview with Bill Bishop, author of The Big Sort: Why the Clustering of Like-Minded America Is Tearing Us Apart.  This reinforced my belief that one of America's greatest strength is that we are a melting pot.  But, if we all gravitate to communities and social circles where everyone is just like us, we will all miss out on the benefits of the diversity.

When I think about entrepreneurship, I always associate it with new ideas, high energy, and commitment.  This is exactly what you get with new immigrants who come to the US to make their lives better.  My grandparents were immigrants, and my paternal grandfather was an entrepreneur.  He built up a pretty big wholesale and retail grocery business after coming the country with very little.  While there is nothing stopping native-born Americans from being just as entrepreneurial, our privileged upbringing probably removes some of the inner hunger that an immigrant who has to overcome large obstacles probably has.

But, even more important than making sure we continue to have a steady stream of immigrants coming into the US with new ideas and new energy, we all need to continue to expose ourselves to new people and new ideas to avoid complacency.  We tend to settle into our comfort zones where life is predictable and less challenging.  That's a recipe for stagnation.  Instead, we need to force ourselves to meet new people, from different backgrounds, and embrace new ideas.

Unfortunately, it seems that too many people are pulling back into a comfortable cocoon of familiarity.  Even our news sources are reinforcing this, with opinion and news being all mixed together so that our minds are made up for us.  You have to work hard to get multiple points of view on an issue.

The more we learn about other people, other cultures, and other ideas, the better we will be able to deal with the world's problems.  The more innovative we will be.  The better our solutions will be.  So, fight the tendency to stay with your comfort zone and push out of it once in a while.  Travel to really different places and countries.  Push into social circles with people of different backgrounds -- ethnic and financial.  And, make sure your kids do the same.  You'll understand the world in different ways.

This brings me to Barack Obama.  Despite my real disappointment that he zig zagged on the FISA/telco immunity issue, I still think that he is the rare candidate that can pull the different parts of the country together.  He's not perfect, and he's not as experienced as some people would like.  But, I think that we are all going to have to sacrifice somewhat to solve the big problems facing the US.  It will be easier to sacrifice with someone who really unites us at the helm.  I think that one reason Bush won in 2000 was his 'uniter, not a divider' line.  If only it were true. 

(PS - read the Salon article from the last link.  Is that really the same person who has been President for the past seven years?)

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I still shake my head when I think about it.  Yesterday, my partners and I were in New York City.  We were taking a cab from one meeting to the next, and the cab driver was dealing with typical New York City traffic.

As the cab driver was trying to squeeze through an intersection, he ended up blocking a crosswalk.  Definintely not a good thing, but if you've walked through New York, you know that this happens all the time.  One man who started to cross the street yelled an unbelievable string of epithets to the cab driver which included two of the "George Carlin 7 Words you can't say on TV" (both forms of the 'f-word') as well as "towel head".  My partner and I were stunned.  We just don't hear hate speech like that.  Maybe the cab driver could have been called an idiot for blocking the crosswalk, but not this.

As you can imagine, the cab driver was wearing a turban.  I'd guess that he was a Sikh.  I know from other Sikh friends I have that they are often targeted by discrimination, particularly after September 11.  Ignorant people confuse them with Muslims, although I would have no problem being confused with a Muslim.  In the aftermath of September 11, we have demonized so many people, instead of just the radicals who are the real problems.

I'm lucky that I don't hear such hatred daily, aimed at me or anyone else.  Although we made a comment to the cab driver when it happened, I wish we had something even stronger (or better yet, called out the window to the moron who insulted the cab driver).

One reason why the 'Barack Obama is a secret Muslim' rumor persists is that people believe that it would be bad (or unacceptable to the American people) to be a Muslim.  Of course, everyone prefers to be identified correctly, but it would great of Obama said something like "I don't happen to be a Muslim, but so what if I was?"  He's done a great job of deftly discussing race, and I think one thing that excites so many people about Obama is that he seems capable of bringing so many taboo issues to the fore.  That won't solve them, but discussing them in the open, clearly and rationally, is critical.

That's one reason why I like the show 30 Days on FX.  Check out this episode called Muslims & America from Season 1.  If you have negative feelings about Muslims, this will help you learn more and break down some barriers.

This is probably the first Biblical reference I have made in my life:

Proverbs 4:7 - ...get wisdom and with all thy getting, get understanding

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George Carlin just passed away.  He had a big impact on me.  I first heard George Carlin was I was very young.  He was the first person who showed me you could question authority and didn't have to follow the rules.

This is one of my favorite George Carlin sketches, comparing baseball to football.  His use of tone of voice and facial expressions to make his point is awesome.

I'm sure George is safe at home now.

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With the advent of warmer weather, I went on a great bike ride on Saturday.  This ride was mostly on roads, with one significant trail ride near Great Meadows in Concord after circling Great Meadows in Sudbury.  The hills weren't too bad.  This route is almost 34 miles, which is longer than my usual rides.  I really felt it when I got home.

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One of my favorite TV shows is 30 Days on FX.  It's a documentary show by Morgan Spurlock, in the same vein as his movie, Super Size Me.  On every show, someone sees what it is like to live someone else's life for 30 days.  There have been some excellent episodes, such as the one where Morgan Spurlock spent 30 days living on minimum wage, or the one where someone whose job was outsourced to India went there to try to get his job back.  I like the show because its goal is to break down barriers and increase understanding among people.

This week's episode had former NFL player Ray Crockett spending 30 days in a wheelchair as if he was a paraplegic.  The show is sad, funny, and uplifting.  Here's an excerpt:

Hulu has several full episodes and a bunch of clips from 30 Days.  The full wheelchair episode is not yet posted there, but I imagine it will be soon.

Posted by Mike Feinstein at 12:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Full disclosure:  I am on the Advisory Board of the American Repertory Theatre and have been a subscriber for more than 25 years.

I recently attended a performance of Cardenio at the ART.  It was one of the funniest and most enjoyable evenings I've had at the theater in a long time.  The idea is that Cardenio is a lost Shakespeare play.  Based on the rumors of what the play included (it was performed a few times, but the manuscript is lost), the playwrights have created what the play could have been.  They didn't attempt Shakespeare's iambic pentameter, but they have many, many Shakespearean devices in the play.  The modern language makes the play very accessible for all audiences, even those who are not Shakespeare fans.

The play was incredibly funny, with many subtle jokes.  I was really impressed with the facial expressions and body language of the acting company, which helped deliver many subtle messages.  Although the play was 2 1/2 hours long, including an intermission, it moved along nicely and had no slow spots.  And, like many Shakespeare plays, there are many vignettes, such as a funny dance scene, an incredible pasta dinner, and some operatic singing.

Although I enjoy almost all the work at the ART, this is one that I can strongly recommend to everyone.  Go see it!

Posted by Mike Feinstein at 02:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Although Spring arrived officially on March 21, today is the first day that feels like Spring to me.  I have suffered with an early Spring flu for the past 11 days, and today is the first day that I feel almost all better.  I was even able to exercise!  Thanks to all of you who put up with me coughing, sneezing, and feeling out of it.

Also, the gigantic snow bank at the end of our driveway is down to this:

I expect this snow to be gone today.  And, our perennial flowers are coming up in our front yard:

Between that and the start of the baseball season, I know that Spring is finally here!

Posted by Mike Feinstein at 08:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

It's been frustrating to me that there seems to be news almost every day about our government's ineptitude.  Katrina, poor execution in post-war Iraq, the FAA not taking action against Southwest's lack of maintainence, and now this:

5th-Grader Finds Mistake at Smithsonian

It turns out that an exhibit at the Smithsonian has been wrong since 1981 -- spanning several administrations.  Luckily, a 5th grader spotted the problem and received a nice letter from the Smithsonian.

Unfortunately, the letter got the boy's last name and hometown wrong...

Posted by Mike Feinstein at 02:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Man, am I relieved.  As I wrote earlier, my next-door neighbor, Jim Babcock, has been on Beauty and the Geek.  If by some chance you are watching this show and didn't see the episode tonight, April 1, read no further.  I am going to reveal the outcome...

OK, spoiler alert is over.

Although we wanted Jim to make it as far as possible, I am glad that he was eliminated tonight.  Watching this show is painful.  I've never watched a reality show before.  I can understand how people get sucked in, but the 'reality' is so staged.  This isn't real.  Real is turning this stuff off and doing something yourself rather than watch other people engage in staged competitions.  When I see Jim, I'm going to ask him how much of the interactions were staged.  But, it certainly didn't seem real to me.  Or, even close.

Sadly, my daughter really wants to watch the series through to the end...

Posted by Mike Feinstein at 09:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

...and really smart...and fun to listen to.  Another great TED Talk.

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This article in VentureBeat reminded me to post something about Amazon Digital Music.  I've totally stopped buying music from iTunes.  Amazon has a great selection of totally DRM-free MP3 files.  You can easily move files to multiple devices, including non-iPod devices.  Their pricing is the same as iTunes and oftentimes better.  And, they have a downloading app that easily adds your downloaded music to your iTunes library so it is easy to get the files onto your iPod.  The files are all encoded at 256kbps, so the quality is great.

You should definitely try it the next time you are tempted to browse the iTunes store.  It looks like more and more people are going with Amazon.  And, I think it is important that Apple not have a virtual monopoly on digital music.

Posted by Mike Feinstein at 04:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I walked the Rose Kennedy Greenway today in Boston.  This is the park that sits atop the submerged Route 93.  It's the 'big win' from the Big Dig.  The idea is to have a park that runs through the city, stiching together neighborhoods that were separated by the elevated highway that had been up for decades.

It's pretty much complete, but not as green as the above picture suggests.  The trees are still very small.  It feels like a narrow wasteland through the city.  There were a few other walkers, but not a lot of activity.  Maybe it will be nicer in the warmer weather.

I think that the Greenway needs some small scale buildings and kiosks to draw people into it.  It's a thin series of block-wide parks.  There are plenty of benches, but people aren't used to hanging out there.  Many of the buildings are turned away from the Greenway because they didn't want to look out over the old ugly elevated highway.  Some nice cafes and small shops would be nice, but I don't know where they plan to put such things.

I walked this path to really see the new city vistas.  After having lived in Boston for so many years with the old elevated highway, it looks much more open now.  The skyline is beautiful while walking through the park or sitting on one of the many benches.  I hope people get into the habit of taking advantage of it.

Posted by Mike Feinstein at 06:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I was happy to read about this today:

MIT announces need-based financial aid plan - The Boston Globe

As a donor to MIT, I am happy to see them using their endowment to make MIT more affordable for more students.  MIT isn't the first to do this, but they are as aggressive as anyone in raising the maximum income for a student to attend free ($75K), in not counting home equity in the calculation, and in eliminating loans as part of the financing package for lower income students.  There is more information in this letter from President Susan Hockfield to the MIT Community.  There are some interesting facts in here:

• Average net tuition for MIT students was only $8,100.  Of course, about 10% pay in full and more than one-quarter now will pay zero.
• Median debt for MIT graduates is only $11,500.  This is very low for a top-tier school.
• More than half of the class of 2007 graduated debt free.

Of course, there are self-serving reasons for doing this.  Harvard, Yale, Stanford and others have made similar moves, and MIT has to compete.  Also, Congress has been pressing many universities to use their large endowments for just this purpose.  But, as I have kept in touch with some of today's MIT undergraduates, I know how significant the financial strain of going to MIT is.  This type of move should provide some welcome relief.

It's great to see the donations of the alumni being used to lighten the load of those who come afterwards.  The only thing missing is a reminder to today's undergraduates that they will have a responsibility to do the same after they graduate and are successful.

Posted by Mike Feinstein at 11:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

For the first time in years, I took the Acela to New York City from Boston today.  I had to get down to NY for some early meetings and get back to Boston in time for a Board dinner.  Long day.
But, traveling on Acela was a breeze.  I strongly recommend it for anyone going to NY on business, particularly if you live in Boston or near the station in Westwood.  I don’t live near either, and I still thought it was a good trip.

I was on the 5:20 AM train from Back Bay Station.  Being used to arriving early before flights, I got to the station at 4:45 AM (after parking my car).  I was too early.  The station was locked!  There is no need to get there that early.  They opened the station at 5 AM, plenty of time for everyone to get on the 5:20 AM train.  Next time I’ll get the extra 15 minutes of sleep.

The ride itself was incredibly pleasant.  After being harried on so many shuttle flights and scrambling between planes, taxis, and traffic, I almost felt guilty just sitting at my seat, snacking on a bagel and coffee, and catching up on my email.  My laptop was plugged into the outlet, and the Verizon broadband wireless was doing a decent job keeping me connected.  I happened to see an old friend on the train, and we had a nice chat.  The 3 ½ hours passed pretty quickly as we were comfortable and productive.  Door to door, from my house to the parking garage to the train station to Penn Station in NY was 4 hours and 45 minutes.  That’s probably about 30-45 minutes longer than a typical trip to the airport for the shuttle, depending on traffic to Logan and from La Guardia to midtown Manhattan.

Even with the extra time, it was worth it.  I got a lot done, much more than I could do on a plane trip.  And, I arrived very relaxed, rather than stressed out.  As I said, I almost felt guilty enjoying the travel.  Business travel isn’t usually like that!

Posted by Mike Feinstein at 03:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

My next door neighbor, Jim Babcock, is going to be on the next series of Beauty and the Geek, starting March 11.  Jim seems to be proud to be a geek, so I am sure he won't mind me calling him one.  I don't generally watch these shows, but I can't resist this one.  He certainly looks like he can win!

Posted by Mike Feinstein at 05:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The American Repertory Theatre online auction is open.  They have a lot of great items available, ranging from Celtics and Red Sox tickets to unique arts experiences.

Here is some information from their email announcing the event:

I found out yesterday that a relative of mine is very ill.  So, I am still very sad today.  Watching this video cheered me up for a few minutes.

Love in a Backward World

Posted by Mike Feinstein at 10:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

A few months ago, I joined the Advisory Board of the American Repertory Theatre in Cambridge, MA.  I've always enjoyed live theatre, and the ART is very innovative.  They don't put on standard Broadway-type musicals, but offer a wide-ranging line-up of shows that make you think.  The acting and productions are world-class.  And, the thetre itself is small enough that everyone gets a great seat.

The ART is having an online auction in advance of their annual fund-raiser party.  The auction is in preview from now until February 14.  Bidding begins at 9 AM on February 14th and continues until 11 AM on Sunday, March 9.  Items listed range from great Red Sox tickets to unique items like lunch with Boston Globe Magazine fashion writer Tina Sutton.

Check out the auction and make a bid for something that strikes your fancy.  You'll buy something great, and support a great local arts institution.

Posted by Mike Feinstein at 09:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Today is Super Tuesday, including a Presidential Primary in Massachusetts.  No matter who you support, don't forget to vote today.  We shouldn't take this right for granted.  Like so many things, you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone.

To find out where you can vote in Massachusetts, click here.

Posted by Mike Feinstein at 08:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I saw the U23D movie tonight.  I loved it.

I am not a huge U2 fan, but I have always liked them.  I remember hearing them for the first time in my freshman year in college in 1980.  One thing I like about them is the clean sound with just the four band members.

The movie is a 3D version of a concert in a huge venue (looks like a soccer stadium in Buenos Aries, Argentina).  The 3D effect is used very well.  It makes you feel like you are there, but there are very few gratuitous 3D things reaching out to you from the screen.

The sound at the IMAX theater was fantastic.  The bass was thumping through the theater seats the whole time.  It was pretty loud, but certainly not as loud as a real concert.

My favorite songs from the film were New Year's Day, Sunday Bloody Sunday, Pride (In the Name of Love), and With or Without You.  If you like U2, you should really see it.  It's only playing in IMAX theaters and there are no plans for a DVD release.

Posted by Mike Feinstein at 11:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

As a good consumer, my family and I buy lots of stuff.  And, we end up with old stuff that we don't need.  We've given lots of stuff away over the years, either donating to local charities who need it or giving it to strangers we contact via Craigslist.

I recently discovered Freecycle.org.  Their mission is simple.  It's a local non-profit network of users who exchange items for free.  If you can give away something to someone who needs it, that item will be kept out of the local landfill.  Not really recycling, Freecycle is more in the realm of 'reduce and reuse.'  By giving away something, you not only keep it from taking up space in the trash, but you also allow someone else to benefit from this item without consuming additional resources to build something new.

Of course, there are lots of ways to swap things on the Web.  I recently met the President of Swaptree.  Swaptree is nice if you want to get something back when you give away a book, CD, or DVD.  But, you have to set it up with what you have an what you want in order for it to figure out what you need to give up to get the item you want.

When you just want to clean out the basement of unused stuff that you would otherwise throw away, try Freecycle.

Posted by Mike Feinstein at 03:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Today is Martin Luther King Day, our most recently adopted national holiday.

To me, Dr. King's legacy is the inspirational way he spurred change through non-violent means.  That's a fundamental principle of America and a key liberty that we must maintain.  Obviously, racism still exists in our society, but the protests and efforts of Dr. King led to the passage of the Voting Rights Act, which was the first real effort to break down some do the institutional racial barriers.

It takes a strong leader to harness forces for change without having it lead to violence.  I've often felt that the Palestinians would have a much better chance to pressure Israel for a permanent homeland if they had a leader like Dr. King who could lead them in non-violent protests.  The Israelis would be less threatened and international pressure to solve the problem would really build.  And, many fewer lives would be lost.

I found it ironic today when I read about the plan for a 'designated protest area' in Washington, DC.  On a day when we should be honoring how Dr. King had the patience and determination to create change within our system, we are also considering putting protesters in a convenient compartment that doesn't cause us too much trouble.  This is a bad idea, no matter what the protesters are fighting for.  Washington, DC needs to be a place where those who aren't happy can show their displeasure.  The residents and municipal works should be proud to be inconvenienced in the name of our freedom.

For more on inconveniences that occur for Washington, DC residents, check out this video from the Daily Show last week.

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One thing that kept my spirits up during tough days at MIT was walking up Mass Ave to Toscanini's ice cream.  As the New York Times said, it's the "best ice cream in the world".  They have unique flavors.  I loved the Belgian Chocolate and Hazelnut.  The ice cream was smooth and very flavorful.  The inside was funky and fit in perfectly in a college scene.

They also sold ice cream at Whole Foods and other local supermarkets. 

Unfortunately, it appears that the state has shut down Toscanini's due to non-payment of taxes.  The Globe also has an article on this with more details.  The Globe article was more pessimistic about Toscanini's re-opening, but hopefully the Bostonist is more accurate.

I hope Toscanini's stays in business.  The guy may not know how to run his business well, but he makes some damn good ice cream.

Updated 1/19/2008 with correct link to Globe article.

Posted by Mike Feinstein at 01:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

When I wrote recently about personal liberties, I got an email comment from a friend of mine who brought up an additional point.

In addition to the constraint on our freedoms that our government has been imposing lately with things like the USA PATRIOT Act, there has been a tone in the country against criticism of the government, and particularly the President.  If you criticize, you are seen as being unpatriotic.  Now, in times of crisis, we rally around our government and our President.  After September 11, 2001, I was one of many Americans who supported the actions that the government took and was sympathetic to some of the initial responses by President Bush.  But I never wanted a significant long-term infringement of our liberty.

But, dissent is what makes our country great.  Dissent is what is patriotic, not quashing dissent.  We were founded by dissenters, and we need to give dissenters their proper forum and hearing.  Stifling dissent is what kept us from questioning the rationale behind invading Iraq.  Even the mainstream press has pulled back from critical commentary, although Internet media is making up for it.

This famous quote is often attributed to Voltaire:

'I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it,'

If you don't like what the government is doing, be a patriotic dissenter.  We should all come to your defense.

Posted by Mike Feinstein at 11:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

If you read your kids' American History text books, they will describe how America was so different from other countries at the time of its founding because of its commitment to personal liberty.  Yes, it was flawed as the original personal liberty applied primarily to white men.  But, over 230 years, liberty has been extended to all Americans.  There are surely still inequalities, but those are now news items that receive debate rather than prejudices that are taken for granted.

The scariest change for me over the past seven years has been the erosion of our personal liberty and reducton of our tolerance.  The most glaring has been the USA PATRIOT Act.  In response to the September 11 attacks, many Americans were willing to give up personal liberties in exchange for safety.  But, we have seen that this has been just the tip of the iceberg, with strong evidence that the Bush Administration has been circumventing the FISA Court to obtain wiretaps on US citizens since 2002.

I have two big problems with these types of actions:

1. The blatant reduction in our personal liberty and privacy by US government action, and
2. That so few people seem to be up in arms about it.

I think that the theme of invasive government is one reason why Ron Paul has attracted a hard core of support among people of various political stripes.  His Libertarian philosophy is too much for me, but I can certainly appreciate his immediate reaction that the US government has gotten too big for its britches.  Ironically, this problem has accelerated during a time period of strong Republican leadership in the Executive and Legislative branches.  Is this really the party of Ronald Reagan?

I would like to see all the candidates commit to restoring some of our personal liberties, even as we fight terrorism.  Today's NY Times has a story that shows that we are now vulnerable to having our laptops scanned when we enter the country.  Now, we are all ready to be checked out when we cross into the US.  And, I have no problem with searching all of the possessions of someone who gives border agents probable cause.  As much as I detest the child pornography that was found on the laptops of the people searched in the story, I don't want the US government checking out my laptop to see what's in my email, what web sites I visited, or what type of music I listen to.  It's a small step to this sort of electronic eavesdropping being extended inside of our borders, and we shouldn't stand for it.

Another aspect of personal liberty is allowing people to live their lives as long as they don't harm others.  For all the people who tout their family values, we seem to have lost the value of tolerance for those who are different than we are.  Gay marriage is a great example.  Although I am sure that there are some people who are disgusted by homosexuality, that doesn't give them the right to stop other people from living their life the way they want to.  I'm happy to live in Massachusetts where we can show the country that our society has not fallen apart since the advent of gay marriage.  In fact, it's a non-issue and, I believe, our divorce rate is actually one of the lowest in the country.  I know that my marriage isn't under siege. 

As you think about who to vote for this year, consider who will protect our personal liberties.  It's up to all of us to protect everyone's liberty, not just our own.  This includes being tolerant of those who are different than we are.  Who knows, you might be the 'different' one on the next issue.  Then, you'll appreciate tolerance on the part of others.

Posted by Mike Feinstein at 08:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0)

With the Iowa Caucuses behind us, the Presidential season is well underway.  And, it has been for about two years.  I have hesitated at times to discuss politics on this blog, but I think it is time to talk about some things I hope can happen with a new President and new Congress in 2009.

Although the focus is on the Presidential race, Congress will also change quite a bit in the 2008 election.  Quite a few incumbents (mostly Republicans) are retiring.  I think that Congress will shift further in whatever direction the Presidential election goes.

The first thing I want to see is more openness and transparancy in our government.  At Gettysburg, Lincoln called our system a government "of the people, by the people, for the people."  I am not naive enough to think that we are purely populist.  Of course, corporations and special interests have their sway.  But, I think that the decline of transparancy  and checks and balances in our government has been scary.

I think that this has come from both the increasing power of special interests and misplaced national security concerns.  Anyone who tries to get a special deal from government has a great interest in not having this become widely known.  It's in all of our interest that we make everything in our government as transparent as possible.  If a 'special deal' has some level of public interest behind it, it should stand up to scrutiny.  Even special interests need to keep in mind that there is probably some other special deal in the government that is going against them.  The best thing is to make it all open and subject to review.

National security has also been claimed as a reason to keep things secret.  What a crock.  There certainly are some things that need to be kept secret for national security purposes.   But, these are probably in a fairly narrow area and cover a fairly small range of information.  More and more government information has been classified as Top Secret in the name of national security when it is more likely to be in the name of obfuscation.  This is a direct infringement on our freedom.  We've fought and won many wars with much more openness than we have now.

Congress has lost a lot of its oversight capability, perhaps because one party controlled the Executive and Legislative branch.   But I think that even some Republicans realize now that they have suffered by ceding their independence to the President.  With Bush's drop in popularity, Congress has dropped, too.

My sympathies may be pretty transparent here, but I am trying to be objective.  I think that one reason for the 'change' theme to be so strong in the 2008 election is a reaction to a lack of transparency and openness.  No matter what your political leanings are, you should be in favor of getting back to a higher level of openness.  It's your government, after all.  Act like an owner.

Posted by Mike Feinstein at 11:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

As we head back to work to start 2008, I've been thinking about what I want to accomplish this year.  I don't usually make New Years Resolutions, but this year really feels like the start of a new phase of my life and is worth some reflection.

1. I am in the process of starting a new investment firm with three other people.  More details will follow soon, but I can say that it is something different than the early-stage venture capital investing I have done for the past nine years.  There are market segments that are less efficient and less crowded than VC, and I plan to take my skills there.  My top business goal for the year is to get this new firm off the ground successfully.
2. I have found that the Internet has become a great source of distraction.  Email, RSS feeds, social networks, podcasts, and more take up a great deal of time.  I'm going to be more disciplined as to when each day I pay attention to these things and manage the time I spend on them more effectively.  I have to put more time into things that are important rather than just interesting.
3. A side-effect of the problem in #2 is that I am reading fewer books.  I'm going to be sure to at least do some reading before bed every night, and hopefully more than that.  I think that overall I am reading more than ever before, but the content has shifted to shorter form Internet content.  Good stuff, but not a substitute for books.
4. I need to get more sleep.  I have always needed less sleep than the average person.  I typically get six hours per night, maybe seven on the weekends.  But, as I get older, I think that my body needs more than this.  Getting plenty of sleep this past week has refreshed me, and I am going to get more sleep each night.
5. One reason I only sleep six hours per night is that I get up early to exercise.  I love working out first thing in the morning.  It gets my exercise in, and gets me fully awake.  If I get busy or have a late night commitment, I've sacrificed sleep in favor of getting my work-out in.  In 2008, I'll make this trade-off in the opposite direction, but still making sure I get 4 workouts in a week.  Since I generally haven't worked out on the weekends, I'll probably change that so I can get enough sleep during the week.
6. OK, like a lot of people, I need to lose (at least) 15 pounds.  More like 25 really.  I'll start with having a salad for lunch every day...Boring, but necessary.

Posted by Mike Feinstein at 08:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

As we wind down the week before Christmas, we have exceeded all my goals for Globe Santa this year!  Thanks to everyone for their support.  The totals (insert drum roll here):

Facebook donations: $1435
GlobeSanta.org donations: $3400
GrandBanks Capital/Otto Club fund-raiser: $5560 -- Thanks to FAST for their $1000 contribution!
My matching contribution: $5000

Total: $15,395

My all-time high!  Happy holidays!  It's not too late for you to support Globe Santa.  Donate directly on Facebook or on the Globe Santa site.

PS - This is more than 1.5% of all the money that GlobeSanta will raise this year.  We should all be thrilled that we have made a big difference for over 800 of Globe Santa's 54,000 kids.

Posted by Mike Feinstein at 08:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Thanks to all of you, we have raised $3985 total toward my goal of $5000 for Globe Santa.  There is at least one fund-raising event to go, thanks to Charley Lax at Grand Banks Capital.  Wow!

Please join use in supporting Globe Santa either via this Facebook Cause or by emailing me your confirmation from a donation directly on the Globe Santa site.

Posted by Mike Feinstein at 11:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

This TED talk by Amory Lovins gives you a fast-paced overview on how investments in alternative energy and US energy independence provides such economic benefits that it becomes free (as well as our best form of homeland defense).  Although this talk was recorded in 2005, I think that it is even more true today (and oil is even more expensive).

I think that this path is one of the most important things for a new president to pursue.  The US would lower its dependence on foreign oil, would develop innovative products that we can manufacture here and export to the world, and would have positive environmental impacts against global warming.

I think that this is worthy of a 'space race' level of investment, or at least a 'DARPA/Internet' level.  I don't want the government to own it, but I want to government to sponsor the basic research in our universities, fostering an awareness of this in our young people and providing a starting point for a host of new energy innovations and businesses.

Posted by Mike Feinstein at 12:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Big snowstorm in Boston yesterday.  The snow started falling around Noon.  By 1 PM there was such a mass exodus from work that traffic was snarled everywhere.  In our office in Waltham, we can see the driveway down to Winter Street and the road around the reservoir.  Traffic was backed up from Route 95 all the way around the reservoir and well up the driveway into the Bay Colony Office Park.  People sat on that driveway for hours waiting to get out.  Not sure why.  If it was me, I would have turned around and gone back inside.

We had visitors from out of town in our office, so we decided to keep working with them and wait out the traffic jam.  Our visitors had their return flight cancelled, so they were going to stay over in Waltham.  We worked and waited, but the traffic jam on Winter Street never abated.  Cars waited so long in traffic that they ran out of gas.

Most of the people from our group left around 9, but the traffic still seemed bad to me.  I waited until 10 PM, and then headed home.  Other than dodging abandoned cars in the road that had run out of gas, I made it home in 30 minutes.  Then, of course, I got stuck in my driveway which hadn't yet been plowed.  After waking up my wife and enlisting her help, our snow plow guy came by.  They were nice enough to help get me unstuck and then plowed our driveway.  If you live near Bedford, MA, I'd definitely recommend Anderson Associates for driveway plowing.  They were real helpful!

Posted by Mike Feinstein at 11:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Here's the latest update on your generosity to Globe Santa:

On Facebook, we have raised a total of $1175.  Offline contributions to the Globe Santa web site (with email confirmations to me) have totaled $2000.  Make Mike Pay -- I'll match all donations, up to $5000 total.

I want to give special thanks to Charley Lax from Grand Banks Capital.  Charley has graciously offered to dedicate his private holiday fundraiser to Globe Santa this year.  Although I am not one for a lot of cigars and bourbon, I'll be there in my Santa hat to mkae my Globe Santa pitch.

As you probably know, Globe Santa provides holiday toys to Boston area children who would otherwise have nothing.  All of your donations go to purchasing toys and delivering them to children.  The Boston Globe pays all the administrative costs.

You can join the Cause on Facebook to support Globe Santa.  Invite your Facebook friends to join, too.  Or, you can give on the Globe Santa web site.  When you do, email me the confirmation, and I'll include it in my matching calculation.

Posted by Mike Feinstein at 09:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I recently joined the Advisory Board of the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge.  I've been a subscriber for a long time and have always enjoyed the theater.  That started when I was a kid.  My parents brought us to shows at a local theater company in Western Massachusetts.  Although I have no ability to act myself (and have some stage fright), I have always loved watching a great production.  I really appreciate what the actors do in a live production where there is no margin for error.

The ART is staging No Child this month.  We saw it on Saturday night and really enjoyed it.  It's a one woman show with Nilaja Sun playing all the roles, swtiching in rapid fire fashion to do all sides of a conversation.  She physically transforms her body, face, and voice to do one character after another.  That effect itself is worth seeing.

But, the subject matter of the play is also interesting.  It's about an inner city school where Nilaja is brought in to put on a play as a student activity.  The No Child refers to the No Child Left Behind Act.  That's the backdrop of the production, where you can see that this law has very little impact on a school in a tough neighborhood and few resources.  The Boston Globe wrote an editorial on the show and this connection a couple of days ago.

The ART prides itself on being innovative.  Sometimes that may go too far for a broad audience.  But, they have had a series of great productions over the past 12 months, including No Child.  If you are in the Boston area, I suggest you give it a try.

Posted by Mike Feinstein at 11:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)