October 30, 2008 by Joel.

An eloquent endorsement of Obama by The Economist magazine. Read this endorsement, watch the Colin Powell endorsement on YouTube…I think that the choice is obvious.

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October 29, 2008 by Joel.

What else can you say? I’m 51 years old, and I’ve never volunteered for a candidate before. We’ve canvassed voters two weekends, my wife will work be working the polls on election day, we contributed to Obama’s campaign fund. He has the skills, the message, and importantly can restore the hope and faith of this country. I’m out of town at a conference, and I missed the broadcast version of the Obamercial, but I just watched it on YouTube. It just makes you want to run out and do whatever you can to help actualize the vision…

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October 27, 2008 by Joel.

Moveon.org has what is the best political video I’ve ever seen. Go and personalize a video for your democratic friends to get them to be sure to vote for Obama on Tuesday 11/4!

Give that web monkey a banana!

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October 18, 2008 by Joel.

In this blog, I generally try to avoid talking about controversial things, things were I don’t feel that I can effectively contribute, and things that that just feed the 24×7 news cycle. However, as this political season marches on, I feel that I need to make a statement (to all two or three folks who might stumble across things here). I make no secret that I’m a lifelong democrat, albeit one who’s a believer in globalization, capitalism and the free market ;-). Friedman’s “The World is Flat” should be required reading for every high school student. Heck, I subscribe to The Economist and the Wall Street Journal. I try to be an informed citizen, and try to spend my time reading things that help me understand the political and economic landscape. One of my recent favorites is Alan Greenspan’s biography.

I am discouraged by the tendency of people to want things to be simplified to a short sound bite, to be told what to think without critically examining what and why, and favoring style over substance. Today’s world is an exceedingly complicated place. While it may be satisfying to think that our leaders are just like us, frankly, I want them to be wiser, more reasoned, more thoughtful, more insightful and willing to reevaluate their beliefs when confronted with new information. What’s wrong with waffling? I’ll change my mind if someone presents me with compelling countervailing facts. If I don’t, I’m foolish. Staying with a bad decision because you don’t want to change is not a sound way to run your life or to run the country. Remember what they teach in business school, the concept of “sunk costs?” It doesn’t matter how much money you’ve put into a solution, you have to look forward at revenues and expenses and not be hung up on the financial and emotional capital you’ve put into a project. Running the government is like that, only much bigger and more complicated.

So, here’s my “virtual yard sign” — I unabashedly, enthusiastically and fully support Barak Obama for President and Joe Biden for Vice President. I’m cautiously optimistic about their chances. I think that they can restore the faith in our government and restore the confidence in our country. They are the Change we Need!

PS: Did I mention that I’m a gun-loving liberal? I grew up in Eastern NC, and hunting is a way of life there. I’ve belonged to the NRA for a while now, but I’ve decided that I can’t enjoy the firearms articles in the American Rifleman due to the incredibly myopic, single-issue litmus test politics of the NRA, and I won’t be renewing my membership. The current issue was the final straw.

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October 4, 2008 by Joel.

At Emerald Isle NC this weekend. This is one of those perfect fall beach weekends. Air temp was 80F this afternoon, water was 75F, sky blue and light winds. Put in the boat at Island Harbor Marina and ran down the ICW to Bear Inlet (the east end of Bear Island, aka Hammocks Beach State Park). Walked a mile or so down the beach, had a few margaritas…fine!

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