Category Archives: Articles

My Occupy Wall Street Post, James Altucher’s Brilliance, and New Haven Democracy

James Altucher is one of my favorite bloggers and authors. He has a fabulous way of thinking critically and cutting through the hype and crap of the media. Maybe that’s because he doesn’t even pay attention to the media. Anyway he posted in one of his recent Q&A posts on an Occupy Wall Street question. Here is the exchange:

Question: @KarimGuessous asked what is my stance on Occupy Wall Street

Answer: I thnk a lot of people, including myself, have been badly hurt by the financial crisis that occurred in 2007-9 but really began in 2000-2002 and can be argued, began much earlier.

The problem is this: I used to live right on Wall Street. So I know the people who actually work there. Many of those people lost their jobs, their pensions, their homes, their savings, their 401ks, etc.

I hate to think now that along with all that they already lost they have to deal with thousands of people shouting at them and shoving signs in their faces as they try to get to work. A shit job they have to go to feed their families.

I understand “Wall Street” is symbolic but the reality is that “Wall Street” moved to Park Avenue between 45th and 57th Street many years ago. I used to live in the same building where JP Morgan worked (it got converted to rentals). Now Jami Dimon, the CEO of JP Morgan works on 45th Street near Park Avenue. And the hedge funds are all in Greenwich, Connecticut. And the SEC and the Federal Reserve are in Washington DC. Why protest in the face of hard working Americans when the real culprits who should be put on trial live and work elsewhere.

Now, while I don’t agree with Mr. Altucher’s stance on everything I do agree that he has this quite right in terms of the location and outlook of the protests. In not as many words I think it’s vital to note that the Federal Reserve is “that” way. Go protest where it matters. Throwing a bunch of signs and slogans in the face of a bunch of hard-working people isn’t the way to go — these people don’t shape the financial sector. They are pawns just like you and I.

I will say that the media is doing an excellent job on not reporting the developments of the #OWS movement. This of course is done on purpose to keep it from being discussed properly. No one in the embarrassing (read: crooked) Mainstream Media wants to talk about the masters of monetary policy being threatened. Of course if you read here you know that these monetary overlords have already made their protection investment in the NYPD. The media is the puppet of the government — they won’t bite the hand that feeds.

The gripe I have is I am almost glad mainstream media is nearly ignoring this movement — I tuned into the livestream and caught a glimpse of what is going on there… sick. One old educated looking man on a soapbox with hundreds of people around him. He was preaching and after every pause the crowed of students and professionals would repeat his last line. The lines I managed to catch were something out of a Marxist textbook! Capitalism did this, and capitalism did that!

And thus we find my true gripe — capitalism has done nothing because capitalism doesn’t exist! We live inside a very corrupt corporatism. A fusion of big government and big business operating as one unit. This and only this is the reason we are in the financial and political turmoil we are in. Blaming capitalism for these issues is backwards and wrong! Capitalism is the fix! Capitalism would drive these issues out! However communicating that to these Vendetta Mask wearing buffoons would be nearly impossible. They are too busy being brainwashed by Michael Moore DVD’s.

I tried to see what was going on locally in my state of Connecticut. Have a look below at the Occupy New Haven page. Occupy what I’m not sure but nonetheless a bold movement — I was intrigued until the end of the description.

Again, these people, kids, students, adults… they just don’t get it. Do you want to see what a Democracy looks like? Do you want me to show YOU what a democracy looks like? Democracy: rule of the majority (no matter if you agree with the majority or not, you are subject to their will) so take a look at your democracy that you thump at every turn.

You don’t have the guts to click this. It’s a Google Image search and it is very not safe for work. So I hope these puppets of democracy celebrate their overlord’s decisions to murder Americans, and non-Americans all over the globe with their wars. Democracy: rule of the majority. If you take part in the system — even if you oppose the majority now — you are legitimizing these actions, legitimizing the system, and that makes you responsible.

No more from me on the #Occupy movement. Occupy a nice book, or two.

It’s Not About Being an iPad Killer — Amazon Need Not Worry About Apple

In case you didn’t turn on your computer today the Kindle Fire is real and available for pre-order. No sense in listing the features here because you can get those here on the official product page.

I wrote earlier this week that I would be buying a Kindle Fire and now that the product is official and I can take in the entire package I can say without hesitation that I will be buying one! Matter of fact I already have mine pre-ordered! I figured a follow up post was warranted.

I think the most important aspect of all of this is it’s not about being an “iPad killer” — it is about market perception. I wrote once that the reason other mp3 players and Android tablets fail is because people don’t buy tablets and mp3 players — they buy “iPads” and “iPods”.

These are product specific terms that naturally substitute for words like “mp3 player” and “tablet”. The market drives these terms due to excellent products delivering a great user experience. Where Amazon wins and can now compete with Apple (and subsequently drown other Android tablets) lies in the fact they have built the market to accept and be comfortable referring to all e-book readers as “Kindles”. They did more than build a product, they defined the market.

So no matter what pundits say about privacy issues with the Silk browser, or the lack of a microphone, or the lack of a camera, it doesn’t matter — I’m not buying a Kindle to snap family photos — I’m buying it to consume media. And not just consume it at specific times… it is small enough and powerful enough to take anywhere and enjoy.

This market adoption and fantastic form factor means Amazon will sell these like hot cakes. All other Android tablets — rest in peace. If they had a focus it would help but without a focus and without a cheaper selling point there is no reason to buy one of those “tablets” over an iPad and now over a Kindle.

Email Is Really Dead

In case you don’t follow the tech world, highly respected journalist and personal favorite MG Siegler recently gave up email for good. The way he sees it, it’s just archaic and nothing short of “the devil”. I happen to agree. Email is more or less obsolete. It was a fabulous tool of the early Internet revolution but its day has come and gone.

Inboxes are riddled with spam, unwanted email from people you don’t even want to deal with, and notifications from other networks you participate on. It’s long, inefficient, and lacks any sort of social aspect. Email is seen as a job, not something anyone wants to participate in. Email is more of a job than something that can be enjoyed. The simplicity of Twitter, the social aspect of Facebook, and numerous other networks have changed communication. This could not be more evident in my latest experience.

In the past if and when you wanted to talk to someone on the Internet you had two main choices, email or IM. Now let’s say I wanted to ask Mr. Siegler a question about something related to tech my option was to email him and hope that in his 20GB’s of email he stumbles on my email. I also have to hope he isn’t so annoyed with other emails he actually answers me back. This is impossible.

Not the case with other forms of communication. Something quick, easy, and even social. Thanks to the new Tumblr inbox talking to someone like MG has never been easier. To date he has answered 2 or 3 of my questions. Things that would never have been addressed otherwise sorted out in minutes. As I think more and more about it, I can’t stand email. I just can’t keep myself interested enough to follow through. Why send a long annoying letter when a 140 character direct message can do?

There is no reason…

Truth of the matter — email is obsolete. I’m declaring email bankruptcy.