Speeches like this are what reinforces my belief that Senator Obama is genuine, down-to-earth and intent on making a real difference. In case you can’t watch the video (approx 13 mins) right now, read the transcript below which captures the essence of the speech.
“When I started this campaign I wasn’t sure that I was going to be the best of candidates. But what I was absolutely positive of was that there was the possibility of creating the best organization. Because I’m a big believer in that the way great things happen is when people are willing to submerge their own egos, and… just focus on bringing their particular gifts and passions and energy and vision to a common task then great things can be accomplished. That’s my old organizing mindset. It’s not just a gimmick. It’s not just a schtick. I actually believe it….
“You worked hard. You lifted each other up. You covered for each other. You made up for each other’s mistakes. You didn’t blame each other when things went wrong. There was just a good mood, a good heart, to this campaign. That’s what I’m most proud of. Even if we had lost I would be proud of what we’ve built because nobody thought that we could build it. Everybody thought that at some point this thing was gonna be a flash in the pan. Collectively, you, most of you are I’m not even sure of drinking age… You’ve created the best political organization in America and probably the best political organization that we’ve seen in the last 30 or 40 years. That’s a pretty big deal…
“Now, we also have more work to do. And I know that had this not been so difficult a task, the primary, it would have been nice to have a couple of weeks off, or even a week off, and just get a break. And I know how tired you guys are and if some of you are feelin’ burnt out… just let us know and we’ll understand. I feel you. But we’re gonna have to turn around and work even harder, because the truth is that… a lot of the reporters were asking, ‘how come you don’t seem more exuberant?’ It’s funny because that fist pump got so much play. That was our celebration. What I’ve told the reporters is that it’s because as I’ve traveled over the course of the last 16 or 17 months and I meet people that are struggling… you really do get this enormous sense of obligation. We don’t have an option now…. If I’d lost Iowa, it would have been over. One of the other Democrats would have emerged… But because we won, we now have no choice. We have to win.”
Notable headlines: “China Withdraws from Tibet, with Apologies”, “President signs single-payer health care into law”, “Faster Way Seen to Reduce Atmospheric Carbon” and for you sci-fi fans, “Lucas authorizes fan reworkings of episodes 1-3″!
I totally had an “Office Space” moment this week. It was where 2 of Peter’s (the main character) 8 bosses came by and 1 called to tell him the same thing. In my case, it was only 2 of my 4 bosses, and I broke up into hysterical laughter the second I realized the 2nd one was there to do just that. He was bewildered, and feeling badly, I tried explaining to him why I was laughing. Although he told me saw the movie, he didn’t get the reference, and still continued on with his directions and I had a hard time containing my laughter/incredulity at the situation.
In case you’re not sure what moment I’m talking about, here’s the video (3 mins).
Don’t get me wrong - my bosses (they hate that term, btw) are not the stereotypical idiots that rise to the top of large companies over time; they’re smart, capable guys, but it’s still funny/ironic how communication can completely break down in even a very small organization. It’s also funny how secretly, little companies really want to be just like big companies. Why? Companies are made up of people. People want power. Hell, I want it too.
February 18, 2008 at 3:57 AM · Filed under Politics
I’ve been putting off writing this piece on my support and hope for Barack Obama’s presidential candidacy for many weeks, as cascades of positive news continues to pour in and entices me to add them to my essay. However, those testimonials and evidence of ever-growing support for the Illinois Senator simply add to a story whose essence hasn’t changed. I still vividly remember hearing Senator Obama speak (part 1, 2) at the 2004 Democratic National Convention and wondering why he wasn’t the nominee; that sentiment quickly turned into wishing. I didn’t even know anything about his politics at the time. In fact, I had never heard of him before that night, but I was glued to my seat, inspired, hopeful again that real possiblity for change in government still existed. Thankful for modern technology in the form of my DVR, I watched his speech twice.
Despite political rhetoric claiming that Senator Obama lacks any substance and only offers eloquent and moving speeches, a quick look at his campaign’s website will show otherwise. It is practically offensive of any opposing candidate that continues with this argument at this point, offensive to the millions of voters who have voted for Senator Obama already and given him a lead in the Democratic Party’s delegate count.
But policy statements alone do not dictate what makes a great leader. And what president or other national leader ever walked into office already knowing everything they needed for that position? Ever? If we really desire some completely qualified individual to become president, then we would have “President Universities” and the candidates would take a test to see who would be the best, essentially foregoing the process grounded in democracy that we have now.
Symbolism is a powerful thing. America is a symbol for much of the rest of the world. Despite our current administration’s hubris (among other things) in invading Iraq, and subsequent mishandling of the situation, people still flock to our shores. Imagine our standing, how we are viewed by the rest of the world if our government and particularly our president were worthy of respect.
Inspiration is a powerful thing. It has been said by many throughout this campaign and I’ll repeat it, Barack Obama is a once-in-a-generation candidate. He is inspiring when he emotes that change for the better can happen, and if words alone out of the mouth of the president does it, then more power to him. But he’s not saying that. He has positions on how that change should be brought about. Senator Clinton is capable and smart but is she inspirational? My argument is that she would make a good president, having been inside the White House and worked in Congress for a number of years, and certainly orders of magnitude better than the current office holder, but Senator Obama is right in that her approach would more than likely be the same. Her using the word ‘change’ rings hollow.
Lawrence Lessig, a Professor of Law at Stanford and of Creative Commons licenses fame, put together a fantastic video outlining why he supports Obama. It draws a distinct comparison against Clinton, not so much on policy, but rather on characteristics such as integrity, inspiration, and moral courage. You can see a high quality version of this video here.
Leadership is a powerful thing. Leadership certainly isn’t about policy positions or having had a requisite number of years of experience in office. Leadership transcends those elements. Can leaders be made? History says probably not as often as they are born. Senator Obama already demonstrates leadership qualities in droves.
If you’ve paid any attention to exit polls to date, you will have noticed that people from all walks of life, race and age have voted for Senator Obama. And in many documented cases, even Republicans have stated that they will vote for Obama. Race is no longer a factor, nor should it be. Neither should gender be for that matter. Jeff Jacoby of the Boston Globe wrote a wonderful piece entitled “The irrelevance of Obama’s color“, and points out that the sooner we abandon racial labels, the sooner they will be irrelevant. I still find it troubling that the color of one’s skin is what garners the label. After all, if Obama is labeled black, shouldn’t he also be labeled white?
I’ve donated for the first time ever to a political campaign, and I will do so again before the primary season is over. I also hope to be able to contribute to the Obama campaign when he runs as the DNC nominee. For once, I’m not voting for the lesser of two evils or because I don’t like the other candidate or just to satisfy a civic duty. Perhaps Senator Obama’s candidacy is the catalyst for individuals to become politicians with integrity.
I encourage you to take a further look at Senator Obama’s platform and ask yourself if it isn’t worth it to our intertwined futures to seriously consider his candidacy. I’ll end with one of his catch phrases, Yes, we can!
This is really old news, but worth repeating. Studies [see some references below] dating many years back have repeatedly shown that human multitasking results in slower performance, lower productivity, more mistakes and less retained memory about what was done. This doesn’t mean it’s about to stop. In fact, I warrant that we’ve come (gone?) too far. If you’re even remotely technologically ‘hooked in’, think about what you do on a daily basis that can be considered multitasking. Driving while listening to the radio and/or talking on the phone (preferrably with a headset!), watching TV while surfing the Web or checking e-mail, or at work where you’re on the computer, the phone and thinking about the other 2 or 3 tasks that you need to finish ASAP. Read the rest of this entry »
January 27, 2008 at 11:13 PM · Filed under Amusing, Internet
Here’s a funny bit from an old Friends episode, where Joey is lamenting getting old (a.k.a. 30+). I sympathize. It sucks. Ever wonder how come life doesn’t come with a manual?
Oh yeah, if you go to http://m.youtube.com on your cell/mobile, you can pull up YouTube videos. Make sure you have a good data plan, b/c those videos ain’t small compared to text-based web pages or SMS/text messages.
January 24, 2008 at 2:03 AM · Filed under Internet
Get paid to interview. NotchUp is a startup that matches up companies and candidates, and is really geared to folks are ‘happy’ at their current jobs, but that other companies want to get their grubby little mitts on. While you can dictate how much you want to ‘charge’ companies to speak with you, NotchUp has some algorithm that they use to come up with a price based on your experience, etc. It’s too early to sign up as they’re still in beta or alpha or something, but keep your eyes and ears open. You may not get a new job, but you could get some pocket change.
This could fly, but I suspect that the decent fees in the multiple hundreds of dollars will only apply to a small, proven successful set of individuals. If you make less than $100k, don’t expect companies to be knocking down your door and willing to pay over $1k. I wonder if I could make a living interviewing?
