tag:hellowojo.com,2014:/feed
Hello Wojo
2016-04-19T08:22:15-07:00
Jason Wojciechowski
http://hellowojo.com
Svbtle.com
tag:hellowojo.com,2014:Post/hillaryjedi
2016-04-19T08:22:15-07:00
2016-04-19T08:22:15-07:00
That time I told Hillary to run for President
<p>…And how she lost my vote</p>
<h2 id="a-longtime-ago_2">A longtime ago… <a class="head_anchor" href="#a-longtime-ago_2" rel="nofollow">#</a>
</h2>
<p>It was a brisk fall day in 1998 when I scampered up to Hillary Clinton bubbling with the brilliant certainty of a 21-year-old who has taken full advantage of a full bar.</p>
<p>Hillary was standing with Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. HRC grabbed my hand in that warm double grip that John Travolta made famous playing her husband in Primary Colors. “I have an idea for you, Madam First Lady.” Hills beamed back that big grin with those cheekbones blazing, “Okay, I’m all ears.”<br>
“You should run for president.”</p>
<p>Cue roaring laughter…from Hillary. She grabbed Secretary Albright: “Madeleine, this young man thinks I should run for president! Isn’t that hysterical?”</p>
<p>Clearly, Hillary had never considered this. She planned to open a small practice in Little Rock and maybe star in a reality show until that moment. So there you have it. Hillary Clinton is running for president because of me. Fact.</p>
<h2 id="the-empire-strikes-back_2">The Empire Strikes Back <a class="head_anchor" href="#the-empire-strikes-back_2" rel="nofollow">#</a>
</h2>
<p>I desperately want to be her biggest supporter, but once again she lost my vote. I feel like I owe her an explanation since I’m the singular reason she is running in the first place. Here goes…</p>
<p>Hillary,<br>
I feel like I can call you that given our history of once meeting at a crowded rope line. First, you are great. Somebody once told me I had a “heart of gold,” and it remains the kindest compliment I’ve ever received. I really think you have a heart of gold. Deep down, you are the real deal.</p>
<p>In many ways, you are more impressive than Bill and your early career was all about fighting for the little gal and standing up to power (remember how you were the youngest lawyer on the Watergate committee?) I don’t know if it was the spectacular failure of your health care reform or the very real “vast right wing conspiracy” that made you such a pragmatic centrist. </p>
<p>Whatever the cause, I kind of think of you like Darth Vader. I wouldn’t go as far to quote Obi Wan Kenobi, “Twisted and evil, more machine than (wo)man.” But you have been seduced by the Dark Side.</p>
<p>Sure, the mask could come off and you could have a Vader-like conversion. Right now that isn’t happening.</p>
<p>In 2008 you kind of had already lost my vote with your own vote – for the Iraq war. You, and many other Democrats, made a calculation. Saddam might not have any weapons, but woe to the future candidate who votes against the war if a 9-11 level attack did occur, originating in Iraq. We know now - and many knew then - that Saddam was actively trying to kill the one Al Qaeda linked terrorist in Iraq. The only place trying to produce chemical weapons was within the Kurdish-controlled no-fly-zone. Oops.</p>
<p>You did the math and voted for the Iraq war. I still might have voted for you, but when Obama came out with Hope and Change, you countered with 3 AM – fear and more of the same.</p>
<p>I had hoped this time would be different. You must have learned something from that 2008 campaign. Yet as Bernie rose, you dusted off the same failed playbook. You aren’t arguing that Sanders’ proposals are bad. You, like most of us (and most of the country for that matter) agree that we shouldn’t be the laughing stock of the modern world with our policies on health care, maternity leave, fair and equal pay, and affordable college. You just argued that it can’t be done.</p>
<p>Obama said, “Yes We Can.” <br>
Bernie is saying, “Yes We Will.” <br>
You say, “No, We Can’t.”</p>
<p>Why would I vote for that?</p>
<h2 id="return-of-the-jedi_2">Return of the Jedi <a class="head_anchor" href="#return-of-the-jedi_2" rel="nofollow">#</a>
</h2>
<p>The central question is quite simple: why is there such a large gap between the country we want to see and the country as it is? </p>
<p>We have our disagreements on the margins, but overall Americans of all stripes want the same things.</p>
<p>We want our kids to go to amazing, publicly-funded schools without it ever crossing our mind they would be shot. </p>
<p>We want actual support of our soldiers, not ceremonial applause before the ball game. That support comes in the form of the best veteran services in the world and NOT going to war. </p>
<p>We want to embrace diversity in all its forms and welcome immigrants. We want people to be able to marry the person they love and start families. We want black men to have a future that isn’t prison or being murdered by the state forces that are supposed to protect and serve. </p>
<p>We want our laws and economy to value nearly every person and profession above hedge fund managers.</p>
<p>We want maternity leave, sick leave and health care that just works without endless forms and confusing premiums. You know, like every other rich country in the world - where you walk into a doctor and are cared for, not plugged into a corporation’s formula to decide which care you deserve and what it costs you. In short, we want to be the greatest country in the world. (Yes, I hate that Donald has hijacked that.)</p>
<p>Bernie Sanders is not the perfect candidate, but he is the only one articulating that vision. He’s the only one painting a picture of what America could be. To which we all say, “Hell, yes!”</p>
<p>Your rejoinder is, “Hell, no. Not possible.” Once again, you tell us that you are the adult, you know how these things work. We are passionate teenagers and you turned into our stern father-figure (mother-figure?). “You kids will understand when you get older.” We don’t want to understand. We want to fucking change the whole thing. What’s the word again? Oh, “Revolution.” (I know, just what a teenager would say!)</p>
<p>An election was fully stolen. Nothing happened. Nobody went to jail. In fact, racism at the polls is now legalized.</p>
<p>A president ignored all warnings and we suffered the worst attack since World War II. Then he fully lied about a threat to get us into a war. He won reelection.</p>
<p>The ponzi scheme that is Wall Street took over 30% of our economy and then wrecked the whole world’s. The taxpayers paid them for their service, and lost homes and jobs. Those same bankers are back at it, safe in the knowledge that they’ll be bailed out again.</p>
<p>Oh, and just to make sure the rules of the game stay the same, those banks can legally buy politicians now. Sorry, it’s called “Free Speech.”</p>
<p>So, no, I don’t think knowing how the system works and being a “Pragmatic Progressive” is what the moment calls for. We need to upend that whole system. It’s the only way we close the gap between the world we all want and the one we have.</p>
<p>That’s why I’m voting for Bernie, Hillary.</p>
<p>Still, I know there is good in you. Join us. Drop the mask and show the world those Jedi powers that once made you a fierce advocate for good.</p>
<p>May the Force be with you.</p>
tag:hellowojo.com,2014:Post/a-tale-of-two-flags
2015-07-03T13:57:07-07:00
2015-07-03T13:57:07-07:00
A Tale of Two Flags
<p>The past three weeks in campaigning have been dominated by symbols. One, a symbol of racism, hatred and intolerance. The other, unity, inclusiveness and acceptance. The rainbow flag of gay pride rose high and took over all your friends’ Facebook profile photos. The confederate flag went from hotly debated “Southern heritage,” to an unacceptable (and un-sellable) relic of racism. Massive corporations were updating their websites with <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/jarrylee/beautiful-rainbow-brand-logos-celebrating-marriage-equality#.oeZeGzwOk" rel="nofollow">rainbow logos</a> while simultaneously removing Confederate flag products.<br>
<a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/ptnnx2ox7q7vq.png" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/ptnnx2ox7q7vq_small.png" alt="A_Tale_of_Two_Flags.png"></a><br>
<a href="http://time.com/3941779/cartoon-rainbow-flag-confederate-flag/" rel="nofollow">Some activists</a> have rightly cautioned against drawing direct parallels, but the conclusion we can draw is that symbols, icons, brand marks matter. In my humble opinion, the important progressive change-driving groups of our era are lacking this vital component of their identity.</p>
<h2 id="making-the-private-public_2">Making the Private Public <a class="head_anchor" href="#making-the-private-public_2" rel="nofollow">#</a>
</h2>
<p>Social media definitely played a critical role in the rise of the rainbow flag and demise of the stars and bars. In trainings and storytelling workshops we repeat a mantra, “Making the private public.” Jonah Berger’s <u><a href="http://books.simonandschuster.com/Contagious/Jonah-Berger/9781451686579" rel="nofollow">Contagious: Why Ideas Catch On</a></u> outlines the <a href="http://www.fastcompany.com/3005679/why-ideas-and-products-become-contagious-jonah-berger-formula" rel="nofollow">STEPPS</a> to sticky content, which hinge on ideas and symbols that represent a person’s values. The question to ask: “Does sharing this content or icon showcase my values?” In the case of both flags – yes, which is why one is ubiquitous and one is unacceptable.</p>
<p><img src="https://draftin.com:443/images/30219?token=z6z0xDAmuav5ChBGOr1L-jD4ukAOAZaSI7iib89IEunBJe2vPvCSEwTw-pLev6FxZFpgLXXbIam-bQWcL0Dda6k" alt="HRCFacebookpage-600x222.jpg"> </p>
<p>The gay rights movement as a whole and <a href="http://hrc.org" rel="nofollow">Human Rights Campaign</a> in particular have used flags and other icons to make the private public…the silent majority visible. On the other hand, campaign organizations like <a href="http://moveon.org" rel="nofollow">MoveOn.org</a>, <a href="http://avaaz.org" rel="nofollow">Avaaz</a> and NGOs have not. The great success stories of digital native campaigning failed to develop a meaningful identity to coincide with their progressive actions. </p>
<p>I’ve signed hundreds of MoveOn petitions; I even worked for the organization at one point, but I’d never identify myself as a “MoveOn-er,” or whatever the appropriate identifier (my point exactly). Conversely, I’ve met Conservatives who have done nothing more than share a Sarah Palin post on Facebook, but quickly identify as members of the “Tea Party.”</p>
<h2 id="in-the-beginning_2">In the Beginning… <a class="head_anchor" href="#in-the-beginning_2" rel="nofollow">#</a>
</h2>
<p>What do they have that we don’t? To begin with they have a Creation Story. I emphasize “story.” Tea Partiers believe their movement began organically with a <a href="http://crooksandliars.com/heather/daily-show-jon-stewart-eviscerates-cnbc-rick-santelli" rel="nofollow">rant by CNBC’s Rick Santelli</a>, followed by online and offline rallying. More likely, it was <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/brendan-demelle/study-confirms-tea-party-_b_2663125.html" rel="nofollow">astroturfing by Big Tobacco and the Koch Brothers</a>. </p>
<p>Contrast their story to “MoveOn,” which was founded to prod Congress to censure Bill Clinton and just “Move on.” Post-Clinton, there is actually a pretty incredible creation story about millions of people spontaneously rising up against George W. Bush’s policies and rallying under the MoveOn banner. The movement was so passionate and its rise so meteoric that it actually led to the creation of Avaaz. What a story! Unfortunately, you won’t see that on <a href="http://front.moveon.org/about/#.VZbWFBNViko" rel="nofollow">MoveOn.org</a>. You will see:<br>
<img src="https://draftin.com:443/images/30217?token=a4R586YxbtHIaREFvZVqN4V8nDaPjfm7eb9wzm8NpvzHxZX4lmXel5ym5dcIZBGfbOlQeA66j9oSix_BTkGiNfM" alt="whatismoveon.png"> </p>
<blockquote>
<p>MoveOn is a community of more than 8 million Americans from all walks of life who use innovative technology to lead, participate in, and win campaigns for progressive change.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Umm, change your profile picture to that?</p>
<p>The big NGOs aren’t off the hook either. WTF is <a href="https://www.oxfam.org/en/our-purpose-and-beliefs" rel="nofollow">Oxfam</a>? </p>
<blockquote>
<p>We are a confederation of affiliates, seeking maximum impact by building on our respective strengths. By working together, we enhance our collective impact and cost effectiveness, and contribute to a just world without poverty.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Great. What? I’ve always thought Oxfam had an incredible creation story that explains exactly who they are, what they believe, what they do and why they do it. </p>
<p>My version:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Oxfam represents a shortening of our original name, “Oxford Famine Relief.” A group of slightly religious humanitarians met in a room in Oxford and decided we should help WWII refugees. We did and millions of people pitched-in. We continued helping those in need and turned our blanket and clothing collection points into second-hand shops that raised money for the poor and marginalized. As we grew, we shortened our name, added more partners in the countries we were working, and learned that humanitarian relief wasn’t enough. We started campaigning to change the systems and stop the conflicts that cause poverty and suffering. We are doing our best to end extreme poverty and inequality caused by past and present colonialism and corporate greed. Want to help?</p>
</blockquote><h2 id="social-code-of-movement-identity_2">Social Code of Movement Identity <a class="head_anchor" href="#social-code-of-movement-identity_2" rel="nofollow">#</a>
</h2>
<p>Wait, wasn’t I talking about flags? You got me! Here’s the thing: icons can’t be separated from identity; identity can’t be separated from creation story, creed and values, ritual, lexicon, and leaders. <a href="https://medium.com/@hanlonpatrick/isis-as-brand-movement-e1637c7e3f62" rel="nofollow">ISIS knows this</a>. </p>
<p>The social code of identity is vital to the growth of movements, and leads to the hardest part for many of the “Poverty is bad” organizations – differentiation. In brand movement speak, the term is “nonbelievers.” The sad truth is that meaningful identity serves to separate your supporters from your antagonists. The icons represent values, and not all will share those values, which is why the yellow and white wristbands were nice, but fleeting.</p>
<p>Strong identities, like the rainbow flag or the Confederate flag for that matter are provocative and immediately signal values. Those values separate the movement from others, with an ultimate goal of saying, “We are loud and proud.” At some point, “We are many.” What it doesn’t say is, “We are a coalition of diverse groups using technology and other tools for change.”</p>
<h2 id="finding-our-flag_2">Finding Our Flag <a class="head_anchor" href="#finding-our-flag_2" rel="nofollow">#</a>
</h2>
<p>The campaigns we run and actions we ask supporters to take do support our movement identity, but they aren’t enough. We need authentic symbols that signify values and spring from our creation stories…our roots. Or, as the <a href="http://www.refinery29.com/2015/06/89702/gilbert-baker-gay-pride-rainbow-flag-creator" rel="nofollow">creator of the rainbow flag</a> said recently, </p>
<blockquote class="short">
<p>We needed something that expressed our beauty, our soul, our love — that came from us and wasn’t put on us.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Yes. That’s exactly what we need.</p>
tag:hellowojo.com,2014:Post/the-greatest-country
2015-05-29T08:36:19-07:00
2015-05-29T08:36:19-07:00
The Greatest Country?
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/ny4wzg7btabcya.gif" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/ny4wzg7btabcya_small.gif" alt="greatest-country-newsroom.gif"></a></p>
<p>Here’s something not provocative: my mom is great.</p>
<h2 id="my-mom_2">My Mom <a class="head_anchor" href="#my-mom_2" rel="nofollow">#</a>
</h2>
<p>She spent 30 years serving the crime victims of Oregon. In many ways she created her position at the Oregon Board of Parole, recognizing that victims of crimes and their families were woefully uninformed about the parole process. They needed an advocate. So she became that advocate.</p>
<p>The state realized how ridiculous her pay grade was compared to the workload and expertise needed to do it well. They were forced to reclassify the position and offer substantially more money to find suitable candidates. </p>
<h2 id="retirement-giftthanks_2">Retirement Gift…Thanks <a class="head_anchor" href="#retirement-giftthanks_2" rel="nofollow">#</a>
</h2>
<p>My mom retired early at 60, mainly due to a recent diagnoses of breast cancer. She caught it early. The doctors are great, she is strong and upbeat; she will recover after a strong course of chemo and other treatments.</p>
<h2 id="uncle-phil_2">Uncle Phil <a class="head_anchor" href="#uncle-phil_2" rel="nofollow">#</a>
</h2>
<p>Does she have such great doctors and an amazing facility to treat cancer because our country is the best when it comes to oncological medicine? No. She’s lucky to live in the state where Phil Knight made his fortune with Nike and has access to the <a href="http://www.ohsu.edu/xd/health/services/cancer/" rel="nofollow">Knight Cancer Institute</a>.</p>
<h2 id="usa_2">USA! <a class="head_anchor" href="#usa_2" rel="nofollow">#</a>
</h2><blockquote>
<p>Health spending accounted for 16.9% of GDP in the United States in 2012 - the highest share among OECD countries and more than 7½ percentage points above the OECD average of 9.3%. In contrast to most OECD countries, health spending in the United States is split evenly between public and private sources. In 2012, 48% of health spending in the United States was publicly financed, well below the average of 72% in OECD countries. </p>
</blockquote>
<p>While most <a href="http://www.oecd.org/unitedstates/Briefing-Note-UNITED-STATES-2014.pdf" rel="nofollow">OECD countries account for 72% of healthcare spending</a> in their state, the U.S. publicly contributes 48%, with private money picking up the rest. That is basically us, and for the lucky ones – big foundations like Knight. The greatest country?</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.oecd.org/unitedstates/Briefing-Note-UNITED-STATES-2014.pdf" rel="nofollow">OECD Health Statistics 2014, How Does the US Compare? (PDF)</a></li>
</ul>
<p>My mom has spent hour upon hour with retirement advisors and financial planners trying to figure out how to retire and pay for healthcare. A career-long state employee means her retirement is tied up on Oregon Public Employees Retirement System. Retirement does not include healthcare.</p>
<p>So, she debates between a few options that will cost between $700-1400 monthly. USA! USA!</p>
<p>A 60 year old public employee with cancer has to pay more than most pay for rent or a mortgage to have healthcare, in the greatest country in the world.</p>
tag:hellowojo.com,2014:Post/hear-ye-hear-ye-heres-how-to-write-a-link-in-markdown
2015-05-23T09:23:05-07:00
2015-05-23T09:23:05-07:00
Hear Ye, Hear Ye, Here's How to Write a Link in Markdown
<p>I’ve been pushing my fellow <a href="http://www.corelab.co/" rel="nofollow">Corelab-ers</a> to embrace <a href="http://daringfireball.net/projects/markdown/" rel="nofollow">Markdown</a> as a better way to write. <a href="https://twitter.com/maykmd" rel="nofollow">May</a> is on board thanks to her love of <a href="https://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener.php" rel="nofollow">Scrivener</a>, and I’ve been pushing us over to a <a href="http://ghost.org" rel="nofollow">Ghost</a> -based blog.</p>
<p>So, here’s why it is so great. You are cruising along dropping some truth bombs in your writing and you decide a link is needed to back up your wise words.</p>
<p>If you were actually using Html, it would look like this:</p>
<pre><code class="prettyprint"><a href="http://hellowojo.com">Wojo is a genius</a>
</code></pre>
<p>Here’s the same link extolling my virtues in Markdown:</p>
<pre><code class="prettyprint">[Wojo is a genius](http://hellowojo.com)
</code></pre>
<blockquote class="short">
<p>But I’m not writing Html like some nerd! I’m writing in Word.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Well, may God have mercy on your soul. What happens when you want to share that copy for review? What if you want to post it somewhere else. Cut and paste? Hell, no. And if you are using Markdown an editor can see where your link points without some awkward hovering and clicking, and “did I break the link?”</p>
<p>Give Markdown a shot. Soon you’ll be saying:</p>
<blockquote class="short">
<p>Wow, it’s so easy to make a blockquote! I never knew.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>P.S. The syntax for a blockquote is just one simple character at the start of the paragraph you are quoting.</p>
<pre><code class="prettyprint"> > Thanks, Jason. Your internet words are super cool!
</code></pre>
tag:hellowojo.com,2014:Post/how-a-technology-nonprofit-schooled-charities-on-transparency
2015-05-22T20:10:20-07:00
2015-05-22T20:10:20-07:00
How a technology nonprofit schooled charities on transparency
<p>Imagine this. Your nonprofit is launching your biggest ever fundraiser. You’ve made a compelling video about why people should donate. There is a clear problem and your fundraising page explains how your nonprofit is best placed with the solution. You click send on your first batch of emails wondering if anybody will respond. Will anybody donate? To your astonishment, yes, they do! Their donations meet your goal and just keep going. At the 30 day mark you’ve surpassed that goal by 800%<br>
<a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/d7xutp19hvl6fw.png" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/d7xutp19hvl6fw_small.png" alt="Ghost-funding-report.png"></a></p>
<h2 id="fear-of-success_2">Fear of Success <a class="head_anchor" href="#fear-of-success_2" rel="nofollow">#</a>
</h2>
<p>Flash forward two years. You are reporting back to those donors and telling them that a key assumption you made when you first asked for their money was wrong. In fact, you are just going to drop that part of your program. Oops!</p>
<p>Will your hands be shaking? Heart racing? Well this success “nightmare” is exactly the situation in which nonprofit <a href="http://blog.ghost.org/year-2/" rel="nofollow">blogging platform Ghost</a> found itself. And guess what: <em>nobody cared</em>.</p>
<h2 id="ghostly-transparency_2">Ghostly Transparency <a class="head_anchor" href="#ghostly-transparency_2" rel="nofollow">#</a>
</h2>
<p>Ghost’s founder, John O’Nolan wrote a <a href="http://blog.ghost.org/year-2/" rel="nofollow">2,500 word post</a> explaining exactly how they’d spent all that money from Kickstarter and donations. Crucially, he didn’t just write the “How,” but also the “Why.” Included in the write up was an admission that they were dropping a key part of their platform — a statistic system with a beautiful dashboard that had been a major selling point of Ghost.<br>
<a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/yq75hnvscnke2w.jpg" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/yq75hnvscnke2w_small.jpg" alt="ghost-dashboard-apps.jpg"></a></p>
<p>Here’s how he opened the admission:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>This is a difficult conversation to have. When I first came up with the idea for the dashboard it was fresh and exciting. Oh how we frolicked together, flirting with the idea of beautiful stats right in your blog’s admin area. Taking long walks on the beach, imagining all of the possibilities.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>And here’s his conclusion:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>We’re deeply sorry that we took so long to admit that this concept was out of reach for us. We’ve learned a great deal in the process, and we’re working hard to improve how we communicate planned features in Ghost to make sure this doesn’t happen again.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The sky didn’t fall. There wasn’t a storm of Twitter outrage. The explanation made sense and built more trust. My favorite part was that O'Nolan pointed to somebody else doing what they planned better than they could and suggested people check them out instead.</p>
<h2 id="see-our-tax-filing_2">See Our Tax Filing! <a class="head_anchor" href="#see-our-tax-filing_2" rel="nofollow">#</a>
</h2>
<p>Now, I’ve never bothered to look up tax filings for Ghost, even though they are a registered UK charity. Everything I need to know is in that one post, where John talked to supporters like people. We already had a free version of Ghost setup, and I switched <a href="http://ideas.corelab.co" rel="nofollow">Corelab Ideas</a> to the paid version simply to support Ghost’s growth. Honesty and conversation breeds far more trust and loyalty than a nice rating on <a href="http://charitynavigator.org" rel="nofollow">Charity Navigator</a>.</p>
<p>These past few months have been replete with examples of nonprofits complying, but not actually being transparent. The Clinton Foundation didn’t actually do anything wrong, and certainly not illegal. They submitted reams of paperwork on their fundraising and spending, but it didn’t tell a story that made sense. <a href="http://www.globaldashboard.org/2015/05/12/bill-melinda-and-the-sdgs/" rel="nofollow">Alex Evans pointed out</a> how the Gates Foundation <strong>complied</strong> with a 940 page tax filing, but buried the crucial info about the NGOs they support in that filing rather than their much more accessible annual report. Compliance, without transparency.</p>
<h2 id="goodbye-501c3_2">Goodbye 501©(3)? <a class="head_anchor" href="#goodbye-501c3_2" rel="nofollow">#</a>
</h2>
<p>The charitable sector has not caught up with the new reality of fundraising — people don’t care about your tax status, they care about your impact. Nonprofits are largely to blame for creating this climate of “Overhead is evil.” It began in the 1980s and 90s to combat charitable abuses, and certainly some still happen today. A recent <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2015/5/19/8625467/ftc-cancer-charity-scam-lawsuit" rel="nofollow">cancer charity scam</a> is an unfortunate reminder. But we shouldn’t let the worst actors dictate the norms for everybody else.</p>
<p>The new breed of startup nonprofits (we call them “Networked Campaigns”) dove right in to a new frame for giving: you give money, we show results. Groups like <a href="http://moveon.org" rel="nofollow">MoveOn.org</a>, <a href="http://avaaz.org" rel="nofollow">Avaaz</a> and <a href="http://www.weareultraviolet.org/" rel="nofollow">Ultraviolet</a> have done it all without any promises of tax exemption. 90 cents on every dollar is not going to directly to the field with their work. They are top-heavy. They don’t buy into <a href="http://overheadmyth.com/" rel="nofollow">The Overhead Myth</a>.</p>
<h2 id="experts-are-not-overhead_2">Experts are NOT Overhead <a class="head_anchor" href="#experts-are-not-overhead_2" rel="nofollow">#</a>
</h2>
<p>You’d be partially right in challenging that I’m comparing apples to oranges — campaign organizations to charitable service providers. Still, there is room for all nonprofits to move away from the “Low Overhead” model and start a conversation with their supporters about value-based giving. Is it more valuable to spend a supporter’s money digging a well, or hiring the best engineers and planners to work with a government to create a sustainable water system? I actually don’t know and neither do your donors. The supporters look to you to be the expert. </p>
<p>I don’t know if the Ghost team would be acting as the best steward of my money building their own hosting infrastructure or using a cloud system on Amazon or Google. I do know that John O’Nolan and the talented (and expensive) team he assembled are experts, and he explained in plain english why they chose an to spend capital to buy their own servers in order to save on costs in the long run. The fact that their conclusion could be wrong doesn’t make me less likely to support Ghost, because through radical transparency they’ve shown they will adapt to the best available information.</p>
<h2 id="good-campaigns-are-worth-it_2">Good Campaigns are Worth It <a class="head_anchor" href="#good-campaigns-are-worth-it_2" rel="nofollow">#</a>
</h2>
<p>Yes, Ghost is a nonprofit producing a software platform, not campaigns. Still, would you gladly tell your supporters how much a campaign cost: what you paid for a logo design; the amount spent on consultants; the cost of developing the campaign website; donation processing fees; how about the $33,300 spent to buy a domain? Ghost did, and they are loved for it.</p>
<p>If you find yourself cringing imagining following O’Nolan’s example, either you don’t believe your organization is being good stewards of donors’ money, or you aren’t doing enough to tell the story of real impact. Fight the urge to hide your organization’s finances in mountains of filing documents. Tell people where you are spending their money and why. They will become far more loyal and will be far more forgiving of your mistakes (umm, “learnings”) than you would ever imagine.</p>
<p>Your donors do not celebrate your organization’s compliance. They value your transparency. They want to understand and support your organizations’ impact. Do you? </p>
<p><u>I’d love to hear your thoughts. <a href="http://love.corelab.co/posts/3j2HEAm4WDAqivv9J" rel="nofollow">Share your comments here</a> or connect with me on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/jasonwhat" rel="nofollow">@jasonwhat</a>.</u></p>
tag:hellowojo.com,2014:Post/pet-elections
2015-05-07T11:57:46-07:00
2015-05-07T11:57:46-07:00
Pet Elections
<p>The internet was made for animal pics…and getting out the vote.</p>
<h2 id="evidence_2">Evidence <a class="head_anchor" href="#evidence_2" rel="nofollow">#</a>
</h2>
<p>This is a thing.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DogsAtPollingStations?src=hash" rel="nofollow">#DogsAtPollingStations</a>: election day meme waiting to happen
<a href="http://t.co/lPCq32oKd8" rel="nofollow">http://t.co/lPCq32oKd8</a> <a href="http://t.co/qZkNtD0zNw" rel="nofollow">pic.twitter.com/qZkNtD0zNw</a></p>— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/BBCNews/status/596375466052816896" rel="nofollow">May 7, 2015</a>
</blockquote>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/d9bhnp9jw62hng.png" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/d9bhnp9jw62hng_small.png" alt="dogsatpollingstations-_Keyhole.png"></a></p>
<p>So is this…</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IVoted?src=hash" rel="nofollow">#IVoted</a> but came back to find Kao still unable to decide who to vote for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CatsNotAtPollingStations?src=hash" rel="nofollow">#CatsNotAtPollingStations</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/catangst?src=hash" rel="nofollow">#catangst</a> <a href="http://t.co/ecYw3xA7CV" rel="nofollow">pic.twitter.com/ecYw3xA7CV</a></p>— Amy Clifton (@AmyEClifton) <a href="https://twitter.com/AmyEClifton/status/596383489785729024" rel="nofollow">May 7, 2015</a>
</blockquote>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/a06elrtauvhbpg.png" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/a06elrtauvhbpg_small.png" alt="catsnotatpollingstations-_Keyhole.png"></a></p>
tag:hellowojo.com,2014:Post/climatechangeisreal-is-unreal
2015-04-30T15:04:04-07:00
2015-04-30T15:04:04-07:00
#ClimateChangeIsReal is Unreal
<p><img src="http://r.fod4.com/s=w650,pd1/o=80/http://p.fod4.com/p/media/b18640fa72/cDOdnxKT5SqCoixuSI1m_notorious.jpg" alt="#ClimateChangeIsReal Meme"><br>
The launch of <a href="http://www.weareherenow.com/" rel="nofollow"><u>Here Now’s</u></a> <a href="http://climaterealtalk.org/#/" rel="nofollow"><u>#ClimateChangeIsReal</u></a> campaign for Earth Day had us asking an important question in the Corelab studio: “Was the campaign infiltrated by a coal or oil company plant?” The hashtag and subsequent messaging play perfectly to the deniers strategy — pretend that fact is a theory worth debating. #RoundEarthIsReal!</p>
<p>It goes to show that big names like <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/sep/23/leonarodo-dicaprio-un-climate-change-speech-new-york" rel="nofollow">Leo</a> and massive budgets can churn out ill-conceived and counterproductive campaigns. Words matter, as our friend and colleague <a href="http://www.jrmyprtr.com/global-warming-climate-change-language-guide/" rel="nofollow">Jeremy Porter points out</a>, and the climate movement has an abysmal track record. The polluters’ strategy is to keep people lost in technical terms: “parts per million,” “carbon,” “emissions.” Why not simply “pollution”?</p>
<p>“Climate change is real” implies that it could also not be real. Republican presidential hopefuls from Rubio to Jeb step into this space to claim, “<a href="http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/230167-obama-im-not-a-scientist-but-i-know-a-lot-of-good-ones" rel="nofollow">I’m not a scientist</a>.” A poor argument for people who set policy based on science! Not being economists doesn’t stop them from promoting and implementing destructive economic policy, why should it be different with our planet?</p>
<p>Alex Frankel catalogued the devious brilliance of Tony Abbott branding Australia’s <strong><em>Clean Energy Act</em></strong> as the “carbon tax,” in a <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/apr/28/from-axe-the-tax-to-climate-consensus-how-abbott-reshaped-our-climate-story" rel="nofollow"><u>must-read piece in The Guardian</u></a>. While Abbott may be faltering, never fear, the climate movement may be dirty energies’ best ally when it comes to messaging. Unreal.</p>
tag:hellowojo.com,2014:Post/the-tools-we-use-for-team-collaboration
2015-02-11T15:33:28-08:00
2015-02-11T15:33:28-08:00
The tools we use for team collaboration
<p>We love collaboration, but working across continents with our team and partners means we use several tools to work better together. I’m an early adopter to the point of annoyance (for others mostly). However, there are a few tools that have found a near permanent home with <a href="http://corelab.co" rel="nofollow">Corelab</a> that we use daily and have even become indispensable.</p>
<p>Before we dive in, here’s a few things we’ve learned at Corelab and with our partners about tools that stick vs those that flounder.</p>
<ol>
<li>
<strong>It’s useless without everybody.</strong> Tools only work with 100% adoption. There are a few ways to get there without everybody all in at once (start with a team at bigger organizations), but one hold out still sending a Word Doc via email for track changes will throw off the whole experiment.</li>
<li>
<strong>UX design is key</strong>. Like food with good “Mouth Feel” (I’m <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/24/magazine/the-extraordinary-science-of-junk-food.html?pagewanted=all" rel="nofollow">looking your way Doritos</a>) tools that feel good make you want to use them more. The best can even give an endorphine bump.</li>
<li>
<strong>Push Notification over Email.</strong> Tools should lessen your email load, not increase it. Products that use smart push notifications don’t clutter our email and make us feel secure we won’t miss something important.</li>
<li>
<strong>Is there an App for that?</strong> If there isn’t, we aren’t using it. The best tools have iOS and Android apps including desktop apps. A lack of apps is a dealbreaker for us.</li>
<li>
<strong>Hold hands.</strong> It’s important to explain why the new tool will help your team. It’s even more important to get everybody setup in-person. Set a meeting time in each person’s calendar to onboard a new tool and help with setup on their devices.</li>
</ol>
<p><u><a href="http://love.corelab.co/posts/jkjjKzCoTtd9k4rLi" rel="nofollow">Join the coversation on this post</a></u></p>
<h2 id="a-hrefhttpslackcomslacka_2">
<a href="http://slack.com/" rel="nofollow">Slack</a> <a class="head_anchor" href="#a-hrefhttpslackcomslacka_2" rel="nofollow">#</a>
</h2>
<p>This simple, yet powerful chat app gets the top spot. Slack is where most of our conversations take place and it acts as our virtual watercooler for important discussions about articles we are reading and Chuck Norris gifs. The “Powerful” part of Slack is due to integrations with Google Drive and Dropbox that actually adds the files and their contents to your Slack search. Slack has elegant desktop and mobile apps that keep the conversation going, though sometimes they don’t handle the push notifications perfectly and you end up with <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wfG8ngFvPk" rel="nofollow">Woof</a>! </p>
<p>Slack’s motto is “Be less busy,” which I absolutely love. I want to be productive, not busy. Slack is a deciptively simple product that is easy to use and has dropped our <strong>internal email to zero</strong>. It is the place where we can ask and answer the important questions.</p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/vgqqge25m1mbuw.png" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/vgqqge25m1mbuw_small.png" alt="fluffernutter.png"></a><br>
<strong><a href="https://corelab.slack.com/pricing" rel="nofollow">Price</a>:</strong> Free for unlimited team members and 10,000 searchable messages; $6.67/User per month for advanced features including guest accounts. We use the paid version in order to add more integrations and have guest accounts with partners.</p>
<h2 id="a-hrefhttpquipcomquipa_2">
<a href="http://quip.com/" rel="nofollow">Quip</a> <a class="head_anchor" href="#a-hrefhttpquipcomquipa_2" rel="nofollow">#</a>
</h2>
<p>We use <a href="http://drive.google.com/" rel="nofollow">Google Drive</a> here and there like most people, but products that are mobile-friendly and make you want to use them are the ones we stick with. Quip is what Google Docs could have been (and is still trying to be). In fact, Quip’s founders left Google and Facebook to launch the product. It boasts seamless sync across your browser, mobile and tablet. Quip is made for writing anytime and anywhere. It’s perfect for working on that idea on the subway before finishing it up on your desktop.<br>
<a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/gssfz0yxb01zvg.png" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/gssfz0yxb01zvg_small.png" alt="quip-ipad-document-press-release.png"></a></p>
<p>Nearly every document or piece of content we send out starts as a Quip document. The comment system is smart and you can easily see what changes have been made. The notifications are useful, but they can get overwhelming, so we turn a fair amount off.</p>
<p>Quip wants to be your all-in-one office tool where conversations happen around documents (generally they do, so this is smart) and you can even just start chat conversations. We still prefer Slack for conversation, so we’ve resisted going all in with Quip, but it is nearly-perfect for collaborative writing and getting feedback on anything from an email to proposal to a blog post. I’m using it right now!</p>
<p><strong><a href="https://quip.com/business/" rel="nofollow">Pricing</a>:</strong> Free for basic features including folder sharing; $12/User per month for business workspace and admin features. Ours small team has all we need with the free version.</p>
<h2 id="a-hrefhttpevernotecomevernotea-and-a-hrefhttp_2">
<a href="http://evernote.com/" rel="nofollow">Evernote</a> and <a href="http://skitch.com/" rel="nofollow">Skitch</a> <a class="head_anchor" href="#a-hrefhttpevernotecomevernotea-and-a-hrefhttp_2" rel="nofollow">#</a>
</h2>
<p>Evernote is another tool that, like Quip, is trying to be all things. While you can manage tasks, set reminders and create documents in Evernote, it shines doing what it was initially made to do — remembering things for you.</p>
<p>Some of us use Evernote for notetaking. All of us use it to remember links and grab articles for research. If you don’t have the <a href="https://evernote.com/webclipper/" rel="nofollow">Evernote web clipper</a>, go get it right now. You can clip any article or piece of content on the web and pull it into a “Notebook" for quick reference. We create shared notebooks for projects and also have some standing notebooks for tools and knowledge sharing. Here’s the notebook where we keep <a href="https://www.evernote.com/pub/jasonwhat/corelab-design-website-resources" rel="nofollow">design and website tools</a> we find useful.</p>
<p>In the Evernote family, Skitch is the best way to grab a quick screenshot, mark it up and share. Skitch screenshots now automatically synchronize into your Evernote notebook, which is a very handy feature.</p>
<p><strong><a href="https://evernote.com/premium/" rel="nofollow">Evernote Pricing</a></strong>: Free for basic; $5/month for offline sync and advanced features; $10/month per user for Business. We tested Business and didn’t see much value in it (you can share notebooks and get the same features mostly), but we all have Premium accounts.</p>
<h2 id="a-hrefhttptypeformcomtypeforma_2">
<a href="http://typeform.com/" rel="nofollow">Typeform</a> <a class="head_anchor" href="#a-hrefhttptypeformcomtypeforma_2" rel="nofollow">#</a>
</h2>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/i8kcf1sin7lacw.jpg" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/i8kcf1sin7lacw_small.jpg" alt="TypeformMainImage.jpg"></a><br>
One thing we’ve learned about ourselves and others is that we are more likely to use tools that feel good to use. It’s difficult to breakdown the characteristics of good design, but you certainly know it when you see it. We saw it right away with Typeform. Budding UX designers should study Typeform’s flat design and clear, but unassuming feedback loop.</p>
<p>Typeform helps you easily make beautiful webforms and surveys. The tool is still too young to have all the bells and whistles of SurveyMonkey, but it makes up for that in usability and beauty both in forms and reporting. Typeform works for everything from staff and member surveys (we’ve used it for that), event sign-ups or even a simple email join form. It is a staple of our Launchpad process and we see 100% completion rates when we use it with organizations with whom we work.</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.typeform.com/pricing/" rel="nofollow">Pricing</a></strong>: Free with limited responses; $25/month for unlimited responses and advanced features like file uploads and email verifications. We use the pro account.</p>
<p>Honorable mentions go to <a href="http://asana.com" rel="nofollow">Asana</a> and <a href="http://podio.com" rel="nofollow">Podio</a>. Asana is on the rotation for task management, but Slack and Quip have reduced our need for task lists. Most Corelabers have their own task system and preferred method. Still, there are times when assigning a task and knowing it’s been done is vital.</p>
<p>Podio is an Asana competitor, but we find the interface too overwhelming for day-to-day tasks. Their app builder is extremely useful for creating custom forms and itneracting with data like job candidates or even a content calendar. We use it in specific circumstances where being able to have workflows and comment on data/content is valuable. Again, job candidates are a great example.</p>
<p>So, that’s the mechanics of how we are collaborating and doing good together at <a href="http://corelab.co" rel="nofollow">Corelab</a>. What tools are you using? What did we miss? I’m always eager to try something new! Just don’t tell my teammates.</p>
<p>Tweet your thoughts and suggestions to <a href="http://twitter.com/corelaborate" rel="nofollow">@Corelaborate</a></p>
<p><strong>See more of what we <a href="http://love.corelab.co" rel="nofollow">love and get email updates</a></strong></p>
tag:hellowojo.com,2014:Post/why-is-pbs-suing-aereo
2014-04-21T12:11:01-07:00
2014-04-21T12:11:01-07:00
Why is PBS suing Aereo?
<p>Every U.S. television broadcaster is suing online TV provider Aereo, including PBS. Why is PBS trying to restrict viewers’ access, and are they doing so with our donations and <a href="http://www.propublica.org/article/big-bird-debate-how-much-does-federal-funding-matter-to-public-broadcasting" rel="nofollow">tax dollars</a>?<br>
<a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/wfv23hol4lzfw.png" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/wfv23hol4lzfw_small.png" alt="Sesame Street - L is for Lawsuit"></a> </p>
<h1 id="three-blind-mice_1">Three Blind Mice <a class="head_anchor" href="#three-blind-mice_1" rel="nofollow">#</a>
</h1>
<p>Journalist and author Ken Aueletta’s 1991 book <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/158976.Three_Blind_Mice" rel="nofollow"><u>Three Blind Mice</u></a> charts the decline of the big three television networks. The networks were blindsided by the the rise of cable TV – “Why would anybody ever pay for TV?” they asked incredulously. Auletta continued cataloging the failures of traditional media to adjust to new technology with his 2010 book <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6514908-googled" rel="nofollow"><u>Googled</u></a> about Adwords’ disruptive impact on an unsuspecting media landscape. </p>
<p>Though less direct than his previous work, <u>Googled</u> is a continuation of the new vs old, or gatekeepers vs gatecrashers media narrative. The old guard defends their declining standing through lawsuits and rejecting change rather than embracing new technology (See: Newspapers v. Craigslist or Recording Industry v. iTunes, Spotify, Pandora, et al.). </p>
<p>It’s not surprising that the major broadcasters are taking their fight against innovation to the U.S. Supreme Court, but why are PBS and local public networks like New York’s WNET standing with those who are fighting to limit our access to content? PBS is fighting for profit in spite of people…with our money.</p>
<h1 id="what39s-aereo_1">What’s Aereo? <a class="head_anchor" href="#what39s-aereo_1" rel="nofollow">#</a>
</h1>
<p>For $8-12 a month you can record live TV with Aereo and watch it on your computer, tablet, phone or TV with Apple Airplay or Roku. Aereo doesn’t include access to cable channels, but it streams and records broadcast channels like NBC, ABC, FOX and CBS for your viewing. </p>
<p><img src="https://draftin.com:443/images/14231?token=n2N25A79TLsVA-J1-10s6P8MM1poLoZFmTMAmCmVTbnHBIvAohzKtJfszm-P26Ekgg7Ry3XvBmoR_Faw0CtS-Ek" alt=""> </p>
<p>The service, currently available in 11 cities and expanding, is aimed at “cord-cutters” looking to replace cable with services like Netflix, Hulu and Aereo for broadcast TV. It’s a great way to watch live sports, record the news or primetime shows.</p>
<p><img src="https://draftin.com:443/images/14230?token=HXMoKRZ1Mj8pHSiMDY8uB7L9EgnFqwlSgf0SKcIKQgXRHZRxSmmv6941mdWtcVxizV-amF0JoS_PhRfliRkPszE" alt="Aereo coverage map"> </p>
<p>Aereo doesn’t pay the networks any fees to “rebroadcast.” Instead each Aereo subscriber gets their own tiny antenna and Aereo servers maintain private copies of shows for each viewer. The public airwaves are by law free to access by any person with an antenna. In effect, it is our right.</p>
<h1 id="private-vs-public-rebroadcasting_1">Private vs Public Rebroadcasting <a class="head_anchor" href="#private-vs-public-rebroadcasting_1" rel="nofollow">#</a>
</h1>
<p>Copyright law protects networks from public rebroadcasts of their content. A bar cannot record content for playback without paying royalties and fees to the original broadcaster. CBS chief Les Moonves expects these retransmission consent revenues (mostly paid by cable companies) to <a href="http://www.deadline.com/2014/04/what-is-aereo-surpreme-court-case-streaming-service/" rel="nofollow">reach $2b</a> for the network by 2020.</p>
<p>Of course, these copyright laws were written long before the internet or even VCRs and private recording devices existed. The goal of these laws was to prevent signal piracy, the likes of which is still rampant in poorer countries such as Haiti. The question: does an individual have a right to rebroadcast their own copy of broadcast content?</p>
<p>The Second Circuit Court of Appeals <a href="https://www.eff.org/cases/20th-century-fox-v-cablevision" rel="nofollow">ruled in 2008</a> that Cablevision’s DVR technology did not infringe on copyright, following on the Supreme Court’s <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betamax_case?_ga=1.39545251.1881426461.1398013197" rel="nofollow"><u>Betamax</u></a> decision that allowed viewers to record TV shows and maintain a <strong>private</strong> copy. </p>
<p>The court found that though Cablevision maintained the DVR copy of a show on the cable company’s servers, the viewer performed the act of recording and viewing the show. Cablevision built the technology to store a separate copy of each show for every subscriber – a tremendously inefficient infrastructure that Aereo copied in order to comply with the 2008 decision.</p>
<h1 id="the-case-against-innovation_1">The Case Against Innovation? <a class="head_anchor" href="#the-case-against-innovation_1" rel="nofollow">#</a>
</h1>
<p><img src="https://draftin.com:443/images/14232?token=6TW4YofZRWZp5h6nW6Aw5l98OML64mctOBzXHzIYA_oXknZK5-HCvYogyYQf3zroqR5AEkpRuE5M1vDVUKSfZHk" alt=""> </p>
<p>The broadcasters fear a floodgate effect if Aereo prevails in court. They want to keep extracting large fees from cable companies and online startups that retransmit their content. The cable companies and others will find clever ways to circumvent the fees based on Aero’s architecture the broadcasters contend. In other words, companies will innovate.</p>
<p>And so goes the story of the long, ugly decline of broadcast TV. At every technological milestone old media has found themselves on the wrong side of history. Worse, they don’t simply reject technology, they actively work against their customers. In the most shortsighted and idiotic example, copyright holders sue their fans for loving their content so much they go out of their way to download copies. The fact is that more avenues for access mean <a href="http://www.pcpro.co.uk/features/387742/piracys-dying-why-we-re-all-going-straight/3" rel="nofollow">less piracy</a>.</p>
<p>The media gatekeepers still think innovation is kryptonite; change is dangerous and hard to control. That means they must keep new technology from all of us in order to maintain the status quo…even if that means less ways to view their content…even if we are the ones paying for that content. </p>
<p><a href="http://www.pbs.org/about/corporate-information/mission/" rel="nofollow">PBS says they are</a> “…America’s largest classroom, the nation’s largest stage for the arts and a trusted window to the world.” So why is PBS trying to make that classroom smaller?</p>
<p>You can <a href="https://www.aereo.com/" rel="nofollow">sign up for Aereo here</a>.</p>
tag:hellowojo.com,2014:Post/thanks-david-letterman-from-the-freaks
2014-04-04T08:50:59-07:00
2014-04-04T08:50:59-07:00
Thanks David Letterman, From the Freaks
<p><strong><em>In an era of safe, politically correct comedy, a messy-haired, gap-toothed, chortling buffoon stole my heart and hours of audio tape.</em></strong><br>
<a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/23vibokr4btvg.jpg" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/23vibokr4btvg_small.jpg" alt="1175px-Dave_Letterman-Smile.jpg"></a></p>
<h2 id="the-tape-recorder_2">The Tape Recorder <a class="head_anchor" href="#the-tape-recorder_2" rel="nofollow">#</a>
</h2>
<p>Yes kids, I was born in an era before DVR or Tivo, even before the VCR. The Norman Rockwell scene in our house was my parents on the couch and my sister and I on the floor in front of the TV. I would have been holding an old gray cassette tape recorder, ready to capture any greatness the TV Gods deemed fit to deliver to their true disciples.</p>
<p>My tapes were full of the greats: CHIPs Theme Song; A few Bill Cosby quotes; An entire Charo episode of The Love Boat; some key final seconds of Blazer basketball games; and obviously, The Dukes of Hazzard.</p>
<p>Two special tapes though were saved for my true comedy loves. I kept this practice up into the 90s even after we bought a VCR (still no cable, thanks Dad). Into high school my friends and I would stay up late recording our favorite bits, erasing the bad and adding our own commentary. It was analog podcasting with all the wit of 14 year old boys.</p>
<p>If you found those tapes now I’m certain a few choice moments of Seinfeld would be your reward. Mostly though, you’d find hours of recordings of Saturday Night Live sketches and a young late night comedian named David Letterman.</p>
<p>Johnny Carson was for our parents (like Facebook now). Dave was for us. He was irreverent, ridiculous and had crazy recurring appearances by the likes of Chris Elliot. It helped that he actually was on late at night; perfect for our teen circadian rhythm.</p>
<h2 id="to-new-york-city_2">To New York City <a class="head_anchor" href="#to-new-york-city_2" rel="nofollow">#</a>
</h2>
<p>It’s no surprise that when I finally ventured to New York City in 1997 my first and most important stop was the Ed Sullivan theater. Even then, I knew midtown sucked, but I was willing to be a tourist for a chance to see the iconic marquee and taste Angelo’s Pizza.<br>
<a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/vhbxh33jnbcwdg.jpg" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/vhbxh33jnbcwdg_small.jpg" alt="The Ed Sullivan Theater"></a><br>
As I stood on 53rd street with my slice I looked up and to my horror saw a billboard with Jay Leno’s ugly mug reading:</p>
<blockquote class="short"><h1 id="1-in-late-night_1">1 in Late Night! <a class="head_anchor" href="#1-in-late-night_1" rel="nofollow">#</a>
</h1></blockquote>
<p>How dare you, sir. You unfunny hack.<br>
<a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/catlntcam9mg.png" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/catlntcam9mg_small.png" alt="Jay Leno #1 Billboard"></a></p>
<p>There are those who think Two and Half Men was a great show, they also think Leno is a pretty funny guy. Leno — the lowest common denominator. For us true connoisseurs of comedy it’s Letterman that keeps us pulling out our tape recorders each night.</p>
<p>I was growing up and realizing this is the world we live in, one where shallow, base comedy and “hilarious” newspaper headlines pass as comedy genius. Or actually where genius is looked down upon and simpletons are celebrated. Midtown does suck.</p>
<p>I continued my exploration of New York, but found myself back in front of the Ed Sullivan theater on my last day in the city. Looking up I prepared to suffer the filth of Leno’s smug gaze, but instead noticed a giant Dave Letterman gap-toothed smile looking back at me. I’m not sure if in my rage I inexplicably didn’t notice it before or if the sign was simply new. Leno was still there boldly proclaiming his status as, “#1 in Late Night!” but Dave stood bigger, cleverer, audacious and impudent with a massive sign reading:<br>
<a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/kuwag5vxpgnntw.jpg" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/kuwag5vxpgnntw_small.jpg" alt="Letterman-3-late-night.jpg"></a><br>
Rim-shot! Zing! Got any gum? I never loved Dave more than that moment. If you were weened on the impressions of Dana Carvey and the dry deep delivery of the late Phil Hartman, if you found the Norm MacDonald years of Weekend Update deliciously impious, you love this billboard. Number 1 is for losers.</p>
<p>So, shine on you brilliant bastard! Shine on. Thank you for teaching me that the best comedy is found in the darker corners. That often the opening act or the late-late timeslots are where we will find joyful silliness and freaks with flags flying high.</p>
<p>Sure, the irreverence may have waned in these last years, but you gave those of us willing to stay up late with our tape recorders an education in great comedy. Political correctness and cheap gags might be the choice comedy of the masses, but us misfits will always seek out the comedy diamonds in the rough thanks to you. We’ll miss you Dave. Always #3 in our hearts.</p>