CollegeHumor Helped Shape Online Comedy. What Went Wrong https://www.wired.com/story/collegehumor/
How Private Equity Ruined New York’s Favorite Grocery Store https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2020-01-23/fairway-was-mismanaged-and-looted-by-private-equity
Goshen College didn't want her coaching because she's gay. Now she's in the Super Bowl https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/nfl/colts/2020/01/28/katie-sowers-49-ers-coach-rejected-coaching-role-indiana-college/4597571002/
The Pitfalls And The Potential Of The New Minimalism https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2020/02/03/the-pitfalls-and-the-potential-of-the-new-minimalism
Wuhan’s signature noodles become a symbol of solidarity amid the coronavirus outbreak https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/voraciously/wp/2020/02/06/wuhans-signature-noodles-become-a-symbol-of-solidarity-amid-the-coronavirus-outbreak/
Mass mistrust brought a once-eliminated disease roaring back to life. Here's how to stop it.
“ To figure out if it’s real, standard bullshit-detection principles apply: Trace claims back to their original sources; watch for emotional language, which is very rarely used in science; and consider plausibility. Vaccine threats, along with other widespread health hoaxes, often are catchall bogeymen, stand-ins for fears about toxins, impurity, government overreach, and random misfortune. Does it seem like one technology product or medical intervention couldn’t possibly cause so many different problems? Maybe it doesn’t. “
I may not have liked some of my previous jobs but I found all of them valuable, whether immediately or as time passed. Some jobs seemed like a waste of time but ended up teaching valuable lessons that I carry forward.
The experiences I gained while working at an ice cream shop are no less valuable than my time as a tech consultant. Let’s all appreciate these work experiences and continue to get better every day
I recently had the opportunity to speak at my alma mater. Here is a version of the speech I gave. It’s got life lessons and all that good stuff. I got dry mouth when speaking.
Good evening, everyone. I’m really honored to be speaking here tonight. Let me start by thanking IU and the ACC for inviting me to speak tonight. I especially want to thank Melanie and Sarah for setting up this wonderful event. Melanie has done such a wonderful job nurturing and growing the ACC and all the programs and initiatives that celebrate Asian and Asian-American cultures for the IU community. I’ve known Melanie since before we opened the ACC and it’s hard for me to separate the ACC from Melanie.
A little bit about myself:
I graduated back in 1999. It’s still surprising to me that it’s been 18 years because those years have flown by since I left IU. I was born and raised in Indianapolis. My parents immigrated to the U.S. for work and school…actually, my mom and her sister both graduated from IU. My parents lived in graduate housing back in the early 70’s.
After graduation I moved to Washington D.C. for a job and a new adventure. I barely knew anyone there. I thought I had it all planned out but looking back I really had no idea what I wanted to do. I had taken to the idea of moving someplace new vs. actually having any sort of plan but that’s par for the course when you’re young.
But, before all of that, I was a student here like you all. I still remember the days before the ACC opened when we were all scrambling to finish writing grants and doing whatever was needed to make it a reality. We were designated this broken down house that needed much work to get cleaned up.
After much hard work from many people like Melanie we had this beautiful opening with speeches, a dragon dancing troupe from Chicago…it was great. I was glad to be a very small part of the entire process even though I didn’t quite understand the significance of the moment or really know what I was doing.
I was surprised to get a message from Melanie about coming back here to speak tonight. I try to keep up with the ACC and IU but have to admit I haven't been as engaged as I should be.
After realizing it wasn't a prank I gladly accepted this opportunity to speak. Melanie said the theme was "belonging" and, given the current political and social climate it seems like an appropriate topic to discuss.
I don't have sage advice that will give you that a-ha moment like the Dalai Lama would give. You’re all so smart and much more sophisticated than I ever was at your age but I will share some life lessons I've learned along the way.
Love what you do
I’ll start off with a bit of career advice: love what you do. I’m sure you’ve read articles or heard inspirational speeches from luminaries in business, the arts, or elsewhere saying “Do what you love.” That’s pretty good advice but I think it’s more important to “love what you do” rather than “do what you love.”
It’s great that people like Richard Branson say he does what he loves everyday whether it’s trying to create space travel, run an airline, or hang out with famous people around his private island in the Caribbean. But did he actually do what he loved everyday? I’d guess not. I don’t think he liked looking over paperwork, dealing with lawyers, or dealing with angry customers.
A friend of mine left his comfortable, corporate job in Seattle to go teach at a community college. Not just teach but create a program for people who don’t have the means to go to a traditional university like IU. He doesn’t love the minutiae that comes with being a college instructor but loves what he does. He loves seeing students from less fortunate backgrounds or students who decided to switch careers in their 40’s and 50’s graduate and find jobs.
If you can find pleasure and pride in what you do it will become a type of love. I didn’t figure this out well into adulthood. Been assigned a mundane task? Do a really good job at it, teach someone else, and move onto the next thing.
Find enjoyment in the little things
Second life lesson: Find enjoyment in the little things. Who likes naps? Naps are awesome. I highly recommend them. You will feel much better even after closing your eyes for just 5 minutes. Have you heard of the coffee nap? It’s a short nap you take right after drinking some coffee. I’m not sure it’s scientifically proven but it works for me.
Warm cookies are pretty awesome, too. So is a nice walk or hike.
What I’m trying to say is finding enjoyment in the small things is no small thing. It’s so easy to get caught up in looking for big rewards and big accomplishments but try to take a step back and enjoy the small things. People are complex, life is complex so take comfort in the small things. You’ll feel a certain basic satisfaction and you’ll feel more grateful.
Embarrassment
You will look back at yourself 5 years from now and profoundly be embarrassed. Okay, maybe not profoundly embarrassed but you will look back at yourself with bemusement.
I look back at photos of myself from the IU days or some other time and I just wonder "What were you thinking? Why did you say that?! You actually thought that was a good look?" Facebook has been a source of some really embarrassing photos. In high school I had the hairstyle affectionately known as the "butt cut."
You know, the middle part in your hair. Had the white shell necklace...I'm getting embarrassed thinking about it. Socks with sandals…why?!
But you know what? I also look back on it as a time when I was having fun. If you aren't just a little embarrassed about what you were like back then it might be a sign you aren't progressing or you're really comfortable with yourself. More power to you if that's the latter case.
Looking back I'm also embarrassed by some of the things I said and the way I acted. Like any other person I've done irrational things out of anger, jealousy, and happiness. There's no good way to say "sorry" but these past experiences are reminders of what mistakes to avoid in the future and can help you become that ever-improving person.
Tough Times
Tough times are coming. You will have all tough times. I’m not talking about not getting the grade you want or missing out on a party tough times. I’m talking about real tough times where you have overcome loss, sadness, and disappointment.
Some you have already had to endure those times. Everyone will eventually have to deal with these tough times. But if can get through these tough times or help others get through tough times then the good times will seem better.
That surly person you see may be going through some seriously tough times so maybe take a minute to think about it before snapping at her or him.
There are silver linings to those difficult and trying situations…I can’t tell you what they are or when you’ll find them but I know they are there. And you will get stronger from the tough times if you don’t let them pull you down forever.
Empathy
A valuable trait or skill to have is empathy; being able to see something from someone else’s point of view.
I’m not talking about sympathy. Sympathy is valuable, too, but it’s a temporary feeling compared to empathy. It’s good you feel bad for someone but I think it’s just as important, if not more, to try to understand why someone is suffering.
In my personal opinion, empathy is something that is cultivated and constantly developed throughout your life.
I’ll tell you a story of how I got called out for a lack of empathy. I was working on a large project and the client was just the most difficult person to deal with. If he wasn’t complaining about my team he was telling us we didn’t know anything. One day I found out he had requested that my entire team be removed or fired because he didn’t feel we were doing a good job. Well, I was fuming when I heard about his latest antics and loudly said to my team, “I know what he’s thinking. He wants us fired because we won’t let him do what he wants and we know more than he does.”
I was calmly pulled to the side by a senior advisor who said, “The client probably knows that you guys know more than him but you have no idea what he’s thinking. He might be scared out of his pants because this is probably the most responsibility he has ever had and the only way he knows how to cope is lash out. I’m not saying he’s right and, by all accounts, he’s unqualified for the job but you need to get it out of your head that you know exactly what he’s thinking without even trying see it from his point of view.”
I’m thankful for the talking-to because up until that point I had never even tried to see things from the client’s point of view. I’ve taken this lesson to heart and tried to apply throughout life. It doesn’t mean I’ll agree with everyone but trying to see something from someone’s point of view can help you understand why that person reacts a certain way.
Belonging
Finally, all of these life lessons I’ve just talked about are, I think, are the foundations of creating a community of belonging and, more importantly, a sense of self-belonging. At the risk of sounding like the self-help section at the bookstore, focus on building yourself.
Being accepted by others is always warm and welcoming. Being validated for who you are and what you do or have done is satisfying and is no less significant. But outside validation and acceptance is like candy: it's sweet, satisfying, but fleeting. After awhile you want more but the returns diminish and you become less healthy because of it.
I think it’s almost tragic when you see people just rolling through life never really figuring out what they want to do or who they really are. It isn’t selfish to think about what motivates you or how you feel about self-worth. These are healthy mechanisms to make sure you don’t get lost.
As we build ourselves from the inside out and understand who we are and what makes us act the way we do, I think we become better at understanding those around us. Look, I’m not saying you will belong everywhere nor should you only go places where you know you’ll be comfortable but if you aren’t able to reconcile yourself you’ll belong nowhere.
I think one of the reasons why we are so divided right now is many of us haven’t tried to reconcile who we are and what we need vs. what we think we want. We think we know the “other side” but don’t really know ourselves. This process of building yourself inside-out and becoming comfortable with who you are won’t happen overnight and it should be an ongoing process. Apologies for the platitude but it’s the journey not the destination.
We’re all not that different from each other. From the CEOs to celebrities to students, you all put on your pants one leg at a time, all get hungry, happy, and sad. If we can all acknowledge that then we can begin to create a greater sense of belonging.
Everything I’ve said tonight I’m still working on myself. I am a forever work-in-progress.
I’ll end my speech with a quote that really resonates with me: “Some people need tough love…some people need a lot of love.” Now go share a warm cookie with someone who might need it. Thank you.
As a newlywed in the 1980s, a Japanese martial arts master named Ichiro expected only good things. He and his wife, Tomoko, lived among the cherry blossoms in Saitima, a prosperous city just outsid…
McMansions 101: What Makes a McMansion Bad Architecture?
Sometimes people ask, why is xyz house bad? Asking this question does not imply that the asker has bad taste or no taste whatsoever - it means that they are simply not educated in basic architectural concepts. In this post, I will introduce basic architectural concepts and explain why not all suburban/exurban/residential houses are McMansions, as well as what makes a McMansion especially hideous.
Disclaimer: These same principles do not always apply to Modernist or even canonically Postmodern architecture. These principles are for the classical or traditional architecture most residential homes are modeled after.
Design Principle #1: Masses & Voids
The mass is the largest portion of a building. Individual masses become interesting when they are combined together to form a façade. The arrangement of these shapes to create weight is called massing. As the pieces are combined, they are divided into categories: primary and secondary masses (1).
The primary mass is the largest shape in the building block. The secondary masses are the additional shapes that form the façade of a building.
Windows, doors, or other openings are called voids. Voids allow creation of negative space that allow for breaks within masses. Placing voids that allow for natural breaks in the mass create balance and rhythm across the building’s elevation.
The secondary masses should never compete with the primary mass.
For example: an oversized projected entry or portico (secondary mass) will overwhelm the house (primary mass) behind it.
The McMansion has no concept of mass.
McMansions often have so many secondary masses that the primary mass is reduced to a role of filling in gaps between the secondary masses. An example:
Another issue with McMansions and mass is the use of too many voids. Some McMansions are so guilty of this they resemble swiss cheese in appearance. In the below example, the masses are so pockmarked with voids, they give the façade an overall appearance of emptiness.
Some Thoughts On Being Part Of A Startup/Small Business Pt. 1
Almost a year ago I left a stable job and nice salary to join a startup. This isn’t a Bay Area startup that has tons of venture capital and gets coverage in TechCrunch or Recode. This is one of the many thousands of startups out there working and hustling without any fanfare.
Here are some random thoughts on making the jump to a startup/small business and entrepreneurship:
Love what you do vs. Do what you love - If you can do what you love then more power to you but most people don’t. But if the desire for the overall company goal is strong then the mundane parts of the job will be palatable.
Remember that the startup/small business is a marathon ultramarathon with lots of sprints in between so learn to pace yourself.
If you are married or in a relationship make sure she/he is on board with this decision. It will be equally hard on them since they have to watch all the challenges, frustrations, and stress by your side.
Try to make it home for dinner every night. This is important to maintain some sort of healthy routine especially if you have a family or a significant other. Also, try to eat healthy because you’ll need all the good energy you can get.
Make sure you have the appetite for high risk and have a financial cushion if things don’t work out. You may not be able to find a job immediately or may need some time to decompress before moving on.
Those are just a few things in the front of my mind. I hope they can help anyone who is thinking of making the jump. If you have, best of luck to you.
ASHDOD, Israel (AP) — Gilbert Chikli was rolling in money, stolen from some of the world's biggest corporations. His targets: Accenture. Disney. American Express. In less than two years, he made off with at least 6.1 million…
Truly fascinating article on how con artists and other criminals use the Chinese financial systems to move money.
I have a somewhat long commute by train so I listen to a lot of podcasts every week. I just listened to a string of fantastic interviews and wanted to share them.
Here’s the list:
Abby Wambach on The Bill Simmons Podcast - Abby Wambach talks about her career, next steps, gender pay disparity, and more. Love her honesty. *Update: I don’t agree with Wambach’s “foreign guys” comment. An American is an American but there’s probably more nuance to that statement or I hope there is.
Brian Grazer on WTF with Marc Maron - Brian Grazer talks about his life and how he made it to be one of the most successful producers.
Dave Attell on You Made it Weird with Pete Holmes - Dave Attell is one of my favorite comedians. All the comedians I like are very thoughtful as Attell is.
Katie Nolan on Re/code Decode - I didn’t know much about Katie Nolan and only saw her on some short clips on the Fox Sports app. She’s got an interesting story on how media personalities are starting on the Internet first more often these days (still don’t understand Vine stars).
Lance Armstrong on the Joe Rogan Podcast - This might be the most honest interview I’ve heard Lance Armstrong give. He talks about how the doping scandal (everyone was doping on the Tour back then) has affected his family and seems to have some remorse about everything.
From Betamax to BlackBerry to IBM mainframes, tales of perseverance abound.
Examples of graying technology that persevere abound. While reporting an upcoming feature in Fortune Magazine about athletic footwear king Nike, I spoke to apparel analysts who praised Nike’s masterful use of SAP software to manage its global inventory and distribution system. Isn’t the German company mocked in Silicon Valley for being hopelessly behind on the cloud, the hipper virtual way to deliver software services? I asked around and found out that yes, SAP is behind, but no newfangled offering can hold a candle to SAP’s industrial-strength handling of physical-goods companies like Nike.
Ansari And Yang Explore The First-Generation Experience In ‘Master Of None’
In the new Netflix series Master of None, comic Aziz Ansari plays an Indian-American actor in New York who’s having a hard time finding good roles. It’s a story that Ansari and other actors are familiar with.
“As an actor there [are] frustrations when you don’t create your own content,” Ansari tells Fresh Air’s Terry Gross. “I feel like if I didn’t do this show, the kind of stuff I would’ve been offered, if it wasn’t just ethnic stuff, it would’ve been just versions of things I’ve done in the past … where I would just come into a room and yell things that sounded vaguely like ‘treat yo self.’ ”
Ansari is known for his stand-up as well as for his roles in the film Funny People and on the TV series Parks and Recreation (from which the tagline “treat yo self” came). He describes Master of None, which he co-created and co-writes with Alan Yang, as a show that has a nuanced approach to ethnicity and race.
Aziz Ansari and Alan Yang spoke to Fresh Air about their new series, which will be released on Netflix tomorrow.
