I'm training to participate in the Lavaman triathlon in Kona, Hawaii as a member of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's ("LLS") Team In Training.
As many of you know, my mother passed away when I was 10 years old, after a prolongued battle with cancer. Her fight to stay alive inspires me to this day--she never gave up, and never admited defeat. I'm doing this race in her honor, and for all of those who have suffered from, or been affected by cancer.
LLS is an amazing organization--it is the world's largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding blood cancer research. In addition to research, LLS engages in improving the quality of life of patients, and educating the public and health professionals. Since 1954, it has awarded over $680 million in research funding.
Please make a donation to support my participatation in Team in Training and help advance LLS's mission. If you'd like to make a donation in honor of someone, I'll be writing the names of any individuals my donors select on my jersey for the day of the race--just let me know. We need your support to cross the ultimate finish line - a cure.
Please check out my personal Team in Training page to stay up to date!
Friday, November 26, 2010
Wednesday, July 07, 2010
Clear Light of Morning
"Look not too long in the face of the fire, O man! Never dream with thy hand on the helm! Turn not thy back to the compass; accept the first hint of the hitching tiller; believe not the artificial fire, when its redness makes all things look ghastly. To-morrow, in the natural sun, the skies will be bright; those who glared like devils in the forking flames, the morn will show in far other, at least gentler, relief; the glorious, golden, glad sun, the only true lamp--all others but liars!"
--Herman Melville, in Moby Dick
Friday, April 23, 2010
West Coast Road Trip
Been an awesome trip so far. In brief: Kicked it in PDX with Seth for a day; went snowboarding at Mt. Hood; met up with Sarah in Corvallis and we camped at Newport on Oregon coast with Sarah; got wasted in Bend with Josiah; next to SLC & Mt. Pleasant, UT for Wasatch Academy reunion (shout-out to my high school homies!); set up a campsite in the dark and woke up surprised to find I was next to a lake; checked out Bryce Canyon, then camped at Cottonwood Canyon (best campsite ever: drove Sarah's SUV up an insane service road and found a spot a million miles from anywhere atop a huge mesa); passed through Zion on the way to Vegas and spent a day w/ my grandma; visited Death Valley (got caught in a sandstorm and saw some very rare rain); snowboarded an awesome half day at Mammoth Mountain in CA (when they started closing lifts due to the wind and low visibility we left); today we drove up through Nor Cal and OR and now I'm spending the night in Corvallis. Have covered about 3500 miles in total. Heading up to Portland tomorrow, snowboarding Hood again on Saturday, and fly back to NYC on Sunday. Pictures up soon.
Death Valley, 4/20/10
Death Valley, 4/20/10
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Be the change you wish to see
Reduce material possessions--emphasize quality over quantity. Instead of 10 shirts, have 5, instead of 3 pairs of jeans, just one that you really like. Get rid of clutter. Simplify. Less is more.
Try to use less energy. Use more energy conserving devices. Use renewably generated energy. Make sure to turn everything off once in a while!
Eat less, eat healthier.
Grow a Garden.
Build communities of like-minded people.
Be more empathic.
Be more assertive.
Sometimes . . . . just be.
It's not crazy to talk to yourself--it's only crazy when there are multiple voices.
No other person is worth sacrificing your self-confidence.
Live in another country for a year.
Really LIVE in your own country for year.
Live in a cabin in the woods for a few weeks every year.
Rock out sometimes, just by yourself.
know when to stop.
Try to use less energy. Use more energy conserving devices. Use renewably generated energy. Make sure to turn everything off once in a while!
Eat less, eat healthier.
Grow a Garden.
Build communities of like-minded people.
Be more empathic.
Be more assertive.
Sometimes . . . . just be.
It's not crazy to talk to yourself--it's only crazy when there are multiple voices.
No other person is worth sacrificing your self-confidence.
Live in another country for a year.
Really LIVE in your own country for year.
Live in a cabin in the woods for a few weeks every year.
Rock out sometimes, just by yourself.
know when to stop.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Obama's Energy Policy: Where's the Alternative Energy Economy?
Energy policy was a major theme of Barack Obama's campaign for president. Then-Senator Obama argued that we should promote private sector growth in sustainable energy technology, leveraging its potential to bring overseas manufacturing jobs back home and reduce dependence on foreign oil. Nonetheless, we are now in the depths (perhaps the aftermath?) of a financial crisis worse than the United States has experienced in decades, and yet a sustainable energy policy has not been made a priority. So why hasn't Obama acted on his energy prescriptions? The President and Congress must take action now to promote American competitiveness in green technology. Here's why:
The Trade Deficit
The use of Foreign Oil fuels the U.S. trade deficit. When oil is more expensive, its effects on the U.S. economy are amplified. High oil prices can cause the entire economy to contract--resulting in more expensive (and therefore less globally competitive) manufacturing, which leads to fewer jobs, and those fortunate who have jobs to be squeezed by rising prices: food, manufactured goods, transportation, electricity and heating all become more expensive. The American public (or perhaps just major media outlets) seem to have amnesia. We had record oil prices just a year and a half ago, with prices only falling in the wake of the financial crisis. But as we deplete oil reserves in easy-to-reach places, and as the world economy grows (particularly rapid in developing countries like India and China), prices will inevitably rise as demand increases and supply stabilizes and eventually dips. The problem of Peak Oil will, sooner or later, undermine every sector of the U.S. (and indeed Global) economy. Our way of life is threatened. This goes beyond widescreen TVs and Hummers. At risk is food in our supermarkets, the heat in our homes, and the very ability as to communicate and travel across distances and thereby maintain social cohesion.
The Environment
Admittedly, environmentalism has a part to play in this discussion. The ecological harm done by oil exploration on both land and water is well documented. Further, the transport of oil can also cause severe harm to marine environments. Emissions of toxins and heavy metals such as mercury, lead and sulfuric acid into the air are a constant menace to public health.
Greenhouse gases are also cited as a major disadvantage of fossil fuels. Scientists overwhelmingly agree that carbon dioxide and other byproducts of fossil fuels use are leading to dangrous man-made climate change. Yet this is not a completely uncontroversial view politically: In the face of significant scientific evidence, a strong contingent of skeptics exist, in the U.S., primarily on the right of the political spectrum. Recent events such Climategate, a scandal where emails between scientists admitting to falsifying evidence to prove anthropogenic global warming may tend to further undermine public belief in the threat of Global Warming. Regardless of your belief in Global Warming, however, it is not necessary to the environmental argument for sustainable energy--in this respect it can be decoupled from Energy policy decisions. The human, plant and animal impact of fossil fuels--not mention economic impact--provide reasons enough to more actively pursue alternative energy solutions.
Manufacturing is the Key
The decline of U.S. manufacturing has resulted in heavy job losses and an increased trade deficit. Despite developing the first silicon transistor, the United States has fallen far behind Japan, which is the leading consumer electronics producer in the world. Similarly, the American auto industry has been decimated by better and cheaper foreign imports. Textiles and light manufactured goods are now made predominantly in developing countries. Even much of our agriculture is now internationally sourced.
This is not to say that trade is bad. Indeed, global trade in services is what has allowed the United States to achieve its economic dominance. However, the growth of services is no longer keeping pace with the job loss from outsourced manufacturing work, and the trade imbalances caused by importing far more than we export have not helped things. Nor are jobs the services sector immune to global trade; from the ubiquitous outsourced tech support to outsourcing legal research and litigation document reviews, many jobs are now done in India rather than domestically. While the U.S. still dominates in financial services, the recent economic crisis brings the continuation of the trend into question.
While the United States must undoubtedly work hard to retain its comparative advantage in services sectors and seek growth there, this will not be a complete solution. Given the state of the economy, major growth in the financial sector is unlikely--it is largely saturated. In order to balance the trade deficit and restore employment levels, America has to start manufacturing again. Given concerns about the use of fossil fuels generally and foreign oil in particular, green technologies provide the most obvious path to American competitiveness.
____________
Obama would do well to remember his commitments to the Alternative Energy Economy. It's time to make an investment in America's future. We've already tried throwing billions of dollars at banks who won't even let ordinary Americans out of predatory mortgages. While the stimulus may have stabilized the economy, it's not going to fix things, and it certainly won't lead to growth. The next step must be a wave of research grants, tax benefits and educational support to ensure that the next generation of green technology is developed and manufactured in the U.S., for export across the globe.
The Trade Deficit
The use of Foreign Oil fuels the U.S. trade deficit. When oil is more expensive, its effects on the U.S. economy are amplified. High oil prices can cause the entire economy to contract--resulting in more expensive (and therefore less globally competitive) manufacturing, which leads to fewer jobs, and those fortunate who have jobs to be squeezed by rising prices: food, manufactured goods, transportation, electricity and heating all become more expensive. The American public (or perhaps just major media outlets) seem to have amnesia. We had record oil prices just a year and a half ago, with prices only falling in the wake of the financial crisis. But as we deplete oil reserves in easy-to-reach places, and as the world economy grows (particularly rapid in developing countries like India and China), prices will inevitably rise as demand increases and supply stabilizes and eventually dips. The problem of Peak Oil will, sooner or later, undermine every sector of the U.S. (and indeed Global) economy. Our way of life is threatened. This goes beyond widescreen TVs and Hummers. At risk is food in our supermarkets, the heat in our homes, and the very ability as to communicate and travel across distances and thereby maintain social cohesion.
The Environment
Admittedly, environmentalism has a part to play in this discussion. The ecological harm done by oil exploration on both land and water is well documented. Further, the transport of oil can also cause severe harm to marine environments. Emissions of toxins and heavy metals such as mercury, lead and sulfuric acid into the air are a constant menace to public health.
Greenhouse gases are also cited as a major disadvantage of fossil fuels. Scientists overwhelmingly agree that carbon dioxide and other byproducts of fossil fuels use are leading to dangrous man-made climate change. Yet this is not a completely uncontroversial view politically: In the face of significant scientific evidence, a strong contingent of skeptics exist, in the U.S., primarily on the right of the political spectrum. Recent events such Climategate, a scandal where emails between scientists admitting to falsifying evidence to prove anthropogenic global warming may tend to further undermine public belief in the threat of Global Warming. Regardless of your belief in Global Warming, however, it is not necessary to the environmental argument for sustainable energy--in this respect it can be decoupled from Energy policy decisions. The human, plant and animal impact of fossil fuels--not mention economic impact--provide reasons enough to more actively pursue alternative energy solutions.
Manufacturing is the Key
The decline of U.S. manufacturing has resulted in heavy job losses and an increased trade deficit. Despite developing the first silicon transistor, the United States has fallen far behind Japan, which is the leading consumer electronics producer in the world. Similarly, the American auto industry has been decimated by better and cheaper foreign imports. Textiles and light manufactured goods are now made predominantly in developing countries. Even much of our agriculture is now internationally sourced.
This is not to say that trade is bad. Indeed, global trade in services is what has allowed the United States to achieve its economic dominance. However, the growth of services is no longer keeping pace with the job loss from outsourced manufacturing work, and the trade imbalances caused by importing far more than we export have not helped things. Nor are jobs the services sector immune to global trade; from the ubiquitous outsourced tech support to outsourcing legal research and litigation document reviews, many jobs are now done in India rather than domestically. While the U.S. still dominates in financial services, the recent economic crisis brings the continuation of the trend into question.
While the United States must undoubtedly work hard to retain its comparative advantage in services sectors and seek growth there, this will not be a complete solution. Given the state of the economy, major growth in the financial sector is unlikely--it is largely saturated. In order to balance the trade deficit and restore employment levels, America has to start manufacturing again. Given concerns about the use of fossil fuels generally and foreign oil in particular, green technologies provide the most obvious path to American competitiveness.
____________
Obama would do well to remember his commitments to the Alternative Energy Economy. It's time to make an investment in America's future. We've already tried throwing billions of dollars at banks who won't even let ordinary Americans out of predatory mortgages. While the stimulus may have stabilized the economy, it's not going to fix things, and it certainly won't lead to growth. The next step must be a wave of research grants, tax benefits and educational support to ensure that the next generation of green technology is developed and manufactured in the U.S., for export across the globe.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Obama So Far
January 20, 2010 is around the corner, and Obama is fast approaching the end of his first year in office. A year is a short time politically--just half an election cycle for our shortest tenured elected officials in the house of representatives, and merely the first out of four in Barack Obama's own presidency. Yet in that short time, a great deal has occurred with President Obama at the helm. If nothing else, Obama has indeed brought Change to the United States and to our collective identity as Americans. Some good, some bad, and even more still indeterminate. Yet as historians look back on the crucial year of 2009, there are a few themes that will likely emerge.
War
In the past year, the face of the war has changed dramatically. Iraq is much quieter, although there is some continuing violence. Even more importantly, many US troops have come home or redeployed. In some way, the left finally got what it wanted under Bush--for us to leave Iraq. Yet the battleground of 2010 is no better. Obama is truly a wartime president.
Afghanistan is the new hotspot for U.S. military activity. A broad swath of the public--and an even bigger percentage of Obama's own supporters--are against continued war. If the left has not been fully satisfied, it is because the fundamental stance of the United States, globally, is no less war-like than it was under Bush. The plan under Bush had always been to go to Afghanistan next, and that's why we're embroiled there in the first place. In contrast, perhaps today's hawks are pleased that Obama has the courage to fight a necessary war against people who are genuinely trying to destroy America. Geopolitical stability and domestic security are at risk, and there is a pragmatic bent to Obama's decision to surge troops in Afghanistan. Time will only tell if Obama's strategy proves fruitful, in Afghanistan, Pakistan and the mountainous border between them.
Yet Obama has brought about one change: the language of political discourse. Obama did, in at least some way, end the "War on Terror." He simply stopped using the phrase, preferring "Overseas Contingency Option." But will a rose by any other name smell as sweet--or as sour?
Perhaps this sense of nuance is itself Obama's most telling contribution to date. His outlook is starkly at odds with those of his predecessor. In Obama, we have a leader who understands the world in a new way, articulated through memes such as Change, Diplomacy, Peace, Healthcare, Education, Cultural Understanding, Family Values, and of course Hope. This was a clear departure from Bush, who along with Cheney focused on words and phrases like War on Terror, Stay the Course, Axis of Evil, Osama Bin Laden, Homeland Security, Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Undisclosed Locations, Muslim Extremists, and Misunderestimated.
Whether Obama's ideology improves America's position in the world remains to be seen, but a true test may be close at hand. In light of the recent Underwear Bomber attack, Yemen has also been proposed as a potential target for US operations, or at least attention. Policy analysts and pundits have suggested that he was "Radicalized" in Sana'a, Yemen's capital. One can imagine Bush sending in an aircraft carrier and 20,000 ground troops after an impressive "Shock and Awe" campaign--Obama's reaction will hopefully be more restrained. The President must now direct the U.S. approach to Yemen, and the consequences of his choice will have far-reaching effects, both in what they accomplish, and what they signify about the United States as an international actor. How Obama reacts to information like the Yemen Connection will be pivotal in the course of his Presidency.
And Peace?
Despite the U.S.'s outwardly bellicose stance (two foreign wars and a massive military complex), Obama received a Nobel Peace Prize his first year in office. The committee who gave Obama a Peace Prize clearly bought into the President's core campaign issue of Hope. They believed so hard that they were willing to grant him a prize normally reserved for people who have already obtained "Results." Maybe the Nobel committee believed that Obama is himself a meaningful result, with a nod towards his groundbreaking election as the first African American President. Or maybe they were simply convinced he would achieve great things in his lifetime. More likely, they recognized the critical state of the world and the importance of Obama's work to restore domestic and international balance--they held out hope that the Prize will have some impact, however small, in swaying a hugely important international actor towards peace.
Healthcare
As a major healthcare overhaul is on the verge of being enacted by Congress, Obama has come close to achieving what was already far overdue in President Bill Clinton's failed inaugural-year attempt. The healthcare bill will bring with it change for the better, although it falls short of Obama's broader ambition. Perhaps most disappointing for the President is the absence of a Public Option due to propaganda from conservatives: rhetoric about "Death Panels," a modern-day Red Scare, and a strange xenophobia where people were in deep fear of somehow being like France or England or Canada. All this in the face of evidence that citizens of those countries spend less of their income on healthcare and live healthier lives.
The future will likely lead to continued socialization in healthcare--some form of public option will eventually be in effect in the United States. The historians of this future era may note that while opposition to Universal Healthcare slowed its advance, Obama nonetheless pushed through a significant reform that is a significant step towards that goal.
The Economic Crisis
The total collapse of the housing market and the resulting financial crisis may have began under his predecessor, but its full impact has been felt primarily under President Obama. The crisis is largely a result of collateralized debt obligations and the voluminous trade in mortgage backed securities. Many believe that this resulted from improper evaluation by the Ratings Agencies and irresponsible trading by major investment banks. Yet there was a massive bailout of these financial institutions; some were simply "Too Big to Fail". Months later, and the financial industry is again doing well, granting its traditionally huge bonuses. Yet the population as a whole is still doing quite poorly. Foreclosures have barely slowed, there is vast unemployment, healthcare is far too expensive, higher education is becoming too expensive, and the United States is in hock up to its eyeballs in foreign debt.
Still, promising signs in several sectors indicate we might be moving towards a recovery. Whether it is sustainable will hinge upon President Obama's oft-criticized economic policy. Yet there may be a play in his back pocket. One of the platforms that Obama campaigned on (albeit one that has largely been out of public discourse since) is Energy. Then-Senator Obama argued that we should promote private sector growth in green technology, leveraging its potential to bring overseas manufacturing jobs back home and reduce dependence on foreign oil. One promising avenue back to a healthy economy may be to highlight this theme as a vision for the future. Yet the fight will be hard, and given Obama's compromised success in healthcare, it remains to be seen whether he is up to the challenge.
______________
Obama still has a long way to go in his first term. He will not face another election for nearly three more years. Even with the outrageously early campaigning that has become the norm in recent election cycles, he has two more years to advance his agenda. Obama has spent a great deal of political capital on pushing through his healthcare plan, and public support for yet another war-time president is waning. Yet we must remember that Obama is a young President--not in his age, not anymore as those signs of grey begin to take hold--but barely a quarter into his term. The core of his legacy is as yet unwritten. Hope springs eternal.
War
In the past year, the face of the war has changed dramatically. Iraq is much quieter, although there is some continuing violence. Even more importantly, many US troops have come home or redeployed. In some way, the left finally got what it wanted under Bush--for us to leave Iraq. Yet the battleground of 2010 is no better. Obama is truly a wartime president.
Afghanistan is the new hotspot for U.S. military activity. A broad swath of the public--and an even bigger percentage of Obama's own supporters--are against continued war. If the left has not been fully satisfied, it is because the fundamental stance of the United States, globally, is no less war-like than it was under Bush. The plan under Bush had always been to go to Afghanistan next, and that's why we're embroiled there in the first place. In contrast, perhaps today's hawks are pleased that Obama has the courage to fight a necessary war against people who are genuinely trying to destroy America. Geopolitical stability and domestic security are at risk, and there is a pragmatic bent to Obama's decision to surge troops in Afghanistan. Time will only tell if Obama's strategy proves fruitful, in Afghanistan, Pakistan and the mountainous border between them.
Yet Obama has brought about one change: the language of political discourse. Obama did, in at least some way, end the "War on Terror." He simply stopped using the phrase, preferring "Overseas Contingency Option." But will a rose by any other name smell as sweet--or as sour?
Perhaps this sense of nuance is itself Obama's most telling contribution to date. His outlook is starkly at odds with those of his predecessor. In Obama, we have a leader who understands the world in a new way, articulated through memes such as Change, Diplomacy, Peace, Healthcare, Education, Cultural Understanding, Family Values, and of course Hope. This was a clear departure from Bush, who along with Cheney focused on words and phrases like War on Terror, Stay the Course, Axis of Evil, Osama Bin Laden, Homeland Security, Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Undisclosed Locations, Muslim Extremists, and Misunderestimated.
Whether Obama's ideology improves America's position in the world remains to be seen, but a true test may be close at hand. In light of the recent Underwear Bomber attack, Yemen has also been proposed as a potential target for US operations, or at least attention. Policy analysts and pundits have suggested that he was "Radicalized" in Sana'a, Yemen's capital. One can imagine Bush sending in an aircraft carrier and 20,000 ground troops after an impressive "Shock and Awe" campaign--Obama's reaction will hopefully be more restrained. The President must now direct the U.S. approach to Yemen, and the consequences of his choice will have far-reaching effects, both in what they accomplish, and what they signify about the United States as an international actor. How Obama reacts to information like the Yemen Connection will be pivotal in the course of his Presidency.
And Peace?
Despite the U.S.'s outwardly bellicose stance (two foreign wars and a massive military complex), Obama received a Nobel Peace Prize his first year in office. The committee who gave Obama a Peace Prize clearly bought into the President's core campaign issue of Hope. They believed so hard that they were willing to grant him a prize normally reserved for people who have already obtained "Results." Maybe the Nobel committee believed that Obama is himself a meaningful result, with a nod towards his groundbreaking election as the first African American President. Or maybe they were simply convinced he would achieve great things in his lifetime. More likely, they recognized the critical state of the world and the importance of Obama's work to restore domestic and international balance--they held out hope that the Prize will have some impact, however small, in swaying a hugely important international actor towards peace.
Healthcare
As a major healthcare overhaul is on the verge of being enacted by Congress, Obama has come close to achieving what was already far overdue in President Bill Clinton's failed inaugural-year attempt. The healthcare bill will bring with it change for the better, although it falls short of Obama's broader ambition. Perhaps most disappointing for the President is the absence of a Public Option due to propaganda from conservatives: rhetoric about "Death Panels," a modern-day Red Scare, and a strange xenophobia where people were in deep fear of somehow being like France or England or Canada. All this in the face of evidence that citizens of those countries spend less of their income on healthcare and live healthier lives.
The future will likely lead to continued socialization in healthcare--some form of public option will eventually be in effect in the United States. The historians of this future era may note that while opposition to Universal Healthcare slowed its advance, Obama nonetheless pushed through a significant reform that is a significant step towards that goal.
The Economic Crisis
The total collapse of the housing market and the resulting financial crisis may have began under his predecessor, but its full impact has been felt primarily under President Obama. The crisis is largely a result of collateralized debt obligations and the voluminous trade in mortgage backed securities. Many believe that this resulted from improper evaluation by the Ratings Agencies and irresponsible trading by major investment banks. Yet there was a massive bailout of these financial institutions; some were simply "Too Big to Fail". Months later, and the financial industry is again doing well, granting its traditionally huge bonuses. Yet the population as a whole is still doing quite poorly. Foreclosures have barely slowed, there is vast unemployment, healthcare is far too expensive, higher education is becoming too expensive, and the United States is in hock up to its eyeballs in foreign debt.
Still, promising signs in several sectors indicate we might be moving towards a recovery. Whether it is sustainable will hinge upon President Obama's oft-criticized economic policy. Yet there may be a play in his back pocket. One of the platforms that Obama campaigned on (albeit one that has largely been out of public discourse since) is Energy. Then-Senator Obama argued that we should promote private sector growth in green technology, leveraging its potential to bring overseas manufacturing jobs back home and reduce dependence on foreign oil. One promising avenue back to a healthy economy may be to highlight this theme as a vision for the future. Yet the fight will be hard, and given Obama's compromised success in healthcare, it remains to be seen whether he is up to the challenge.
______________
Obama still has a long way to go in his first term. He will not face another election for nearly three more years. Even with the outrageously early campaigning that has become the norm in recent election cycles, he has two more years to advance his agenda. Obama has spent a great deal of political capital on pushing through his healthcare plan, and public support for yet another war-time president is waning. Yet we must remember that Obama is a young President--not in his age, not anymore as those signs of grey begin to take hold--but barely a quarter into his term. The core of his legacy is as yet unwritten. Hope springs eternal.
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