"Wall Street is the only place that people ride to in a Rolls Royce to get advice from those who take the subway." - Warren Buffet

Change the system! Easier said then done, that's for sure.

What really bothers me is the fact that bonus packages were still given out during the recession and that for some odd reason people find the need to spend their money on estates, yachts, and private jets. Now don't get me wrong I would love to make a few million and change a year, but I'm perfectly content living in the most run-down apartment in Manhattan as long as I'm living with my best friends.
Hell, I'd live in the bathtub if it meant I got to be around the people I love the most in the place I want to be.

Let me start with a recap of the past few decades. The wealthy move into suburbs and crowd the poor into cities, until they are bored of the suburbs and buy up all of the apartments in the city. Thus, forcing the poor into dilapidated suburbs that may seem to be cheaper, but end up being more expensive alternatives. Before being squeezed out the poor had access to public transport and could walk (depending on where they were in the city), and now they have to pay for a car, insurance, and gas. This left the poor with less money in their pockets, figuratively speaking, and may have increased GDP.

But at what cost?

Low-density sprawl (think of the Los Angeles San Fernando Valley) tends to have a much larger carbon footprint than high-density urban design (think Manhattan).Why? 
Think about how many more pipes, air conditioning units, concrete, wood, and other materials need to be used to build separate homes/buildings. They also tend to use more energy and cost the Utilities companies more money.

How is that related to Wall Street? Well... It isn't completely. But at the same time Wall Street helps finance mortgages, real estate development companies, and basically any other company that leverages debt to make money quicker and sometimes inorganically.

What I am really trying to say is that we have done a lot wrong as a society up to this point. We maximized GDP over our utility because its subjective and not as easy to measure... and happiness doesn't = money.

Korten emphasizes how important it is to track happiness and life longevity over everything else. Governments need to start planning for the people, not for the 'interests' of the people. 

Wall Street happens to be the symbol of 'anti-happiness' or anti-99%, and they have done a damn good job of keeping up that reputation. What needs to happen isn't necessarily to tear down Wall Street, but to tear down that mentality. Money isn't everything. Happiness is everything.

If your interested in how urban design affects happiness there is a great book by Charles Montgomery called Happy City. Check out his TED talk, it's definitely worth the time.

"As one people, united, we acknowledge the reality: that the future of the human race requires the cooperation of its members; that our system must protect our rights, and upon corruption of that system, it is up to the individuals to protect their own rights, and those of their neighbors; that a democratic government derives its just power from the people, but corporations do not seek consent to extract wealth from the people and the Earth; and that no true democracy is attainable when the process is determined by economic power. We come to you at a time when corporations, which place profit over people, self-interest over justice, and oppression over equality, run our governments. We have peaceably assembled here, as is our right, to let these facts be known." 

Sources: 

http://occupywallst.org/forum/first-official-release-from-occupy-wall-street/

http://www.brainyquote.com/search_results.html#C0JEQi6t3uFkUD11.99

What's on the Agenda?

Down with Wall Street! Down with the 1%!

While there is no doubt that Wall Street has some issues and tends to encourage traders and analysts who put their egos and personal well being before their clients (unless those clients are worth a lot of $$), change isn't so simple. Obviously, local banks would be a great idea to keep money in the local community, but they wouldn't be able to find the necessary capital to small and large businesses at rates as low as commercial banks.

Without getting too technical, Wall Street makes markets and it won't be government that will change how capital markets operate. Once again, leave it up to tech to solve our problems.

UberX shook up the taxi industry because taxis had a monopoly on transportation and were lazy. AirBnB changed up the rental market. Whatsapp, Facetime, and Google Hangouts are edging us that much closer to abandoning sim cards. It's only a matter of time before all of the industries with monopolies are forced out of their convenient state of comfort.

It will be the new-aged entrepreneurs that have the available technology and know-how to make trading cheaper. Robinhood allows anyone to make free trades as long as they are stocks in the US market (which is the only market that matters anyway). Other brokers can charge you between $2-$10 a trade which basically makes it impossible for any normal person to make money and trade as they see fit.

Wall Street has been greedy and reckless and it would be stupid to tell them to just shut down. You'd be putting hundreds of thousands of people out of work. What will have to change is how they make their money and the kinds of services they're providing to people.

Tech is coming in hot and Wall Street (and other companies) is going to have to change before entrepreneurs, like the founders of Robinhood, give them a run for their money.

At the same time, you shouldn't expect Wall Street to change anytime soon. They have a lot of good friends on Capitol hill and I'm sure their checkbooks are well tied to the people who matter.

Plan for the worst, hope for the best.

The Wall-Street Demeanor

What is LA really missing?

As a native to LA, growing up in Calabasas, I’ve always wondered why LA isn’t the best city in the world. Some people may tell you that it is. But, let me tell you why I think otherwise.

We have the best weather, hands down. I’ve been to over 20 countries and I can still say without a doubt that Los Angeles has the best weather year-round. That definitely is a plus, but there is no shortage of cons that will offset that.

Traffic is a word that stands so vivid in the mind of Angelenos that the 101 and the 405 have a more negative connotation than ‘el diablo’ himself. There was Carmaggaedon a few years back. And an interesting point that Charles Montgomerey made in Happy City is people who commute more than 1.5 hours a day tend to have higher rates of divorce. Basically, traffic makes people more anxious, increases blood pressure, and generally makes people more unhappy.

That being said, Downtown Los Angeles was pretty run down until very recently. It can’t compare with Manhattan, Chicago, Miami, or the other cities just yet. But that’s just for now. I’m a pretty optimistic person and I think that LA is going through the same process that certain areas of New York and Chicago went through and we just happen to be 10, 20, 30+ years out. 

The Subways in New York tended to be a rather sketchy place until the mayor started telling officers to arrest people who would jump the front gates, without purchasing tickets. As a kid who understands what being a stupid little kid is like, that upsets me. Yet, that decreased crime in the subways of Manhattan by greater than 20%. So the people of New York have safe (most of the time) transportation by subway, bus, taxi, uber.

The people of Los Angeles have bus (which is rarely ever used, in comparison to other cities), taxi (which aren’t in every neighborhood unless you call quite a bit in advance), and uber…. and driving, That is, if you are fine sitting in traffic.

Most other major cities in the world have public transportation that is much more efficient and much more available. Being in Hong Kong, which has the highest rated subway system in the world, really made me appreciate how much more seamless life is when you have cheap public transport that can get you basically anywhere around the city.

We don’t have a free market (of transport) and it hurts the poor the most because they usually have to live in housing that farther from centers and pay for cars, gas, and insurance that can end up costing them much more than what public transport would cost.

It would be better for the economy, it’d make people much happier, and it would make life easier for the 2-3 million living in LA city and 9-10 million living in LA county. I would love to see a Happy City sometime soon but it will take a culture change, and government who cares about the long term. The last time I can say confidently that we had an altruistic politician was in the times before computers were invented, tech ruled all, and way before the Kardashians.

Anyways, if this is something you’ve been thinking about check out these links:

http://thehappycity.com/project/the-happy-city-experiment/

http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/urban-design

http://www.cntraveler.com/galleries/2014-10-20/top-25-cities-in-the-world-readers-choice-awards-2014/1

https://www.flickr.com/photos/neilarmstrong2/5500072386/

https://www.tumblr.com/tagged/downtown-los-angeles

The Omnivore's (Moral) Dilemma

To kill, or not to kill. That is the question.

Why is it that humans have this sense of morality when it comes to food? We're not the only creature out there that has the ability to understand self-consciousness. Apparently, dolphins, chimpanzees and a few other animals can understand that they are seeing their reflection and even use a conveniently placed mirror to check themselves out.

What really intrigues me is that many of the points that Pollan makes regarding the disconnect between harvest/slaughter and consumer are present in my life, and allow people to eat freely without truly thinking about the morality of what they are doing. Let me explain why that is the case.

When I first arrived in Asia on January 3rd, 2015 I was greeted by a city that was slightly a little more foreign than I expected, but I liked it. Hong Kong is like New York on steroids.
Now, when you are in Central you tend to be in a higher concentrated area of foreigners and English proficiency tends to be quite good. When you live in Shatin, New Territories (40 minutes out of Central & 15 minutes SouthEast of China) you see more local and middle class Chinese people.

Throughout all of Hong Kong you can see barbecued chickens on display in storefronts with head and feet still intact (chicken feet is a delicacy in China). In the New Territories you can also see pig feet and full pig legs (with the skin) that have the Chinese symbol for prosperity stamped on to them. The moment I had first started to question the morality of eating animals was when I was confronted with this daily sight of fully intact animals ready to be cooked.
There is also no shortage of medicinal stores that sell seafood products, vegetables, and herbs that have a smell so potent that when first encountered may be unbearable to those with a weak stomach. Fish stomach & intestine, as well as deer antlers can frequent stores across the city and happen to be pretty pricey as well. Yet, when the food/medicinal item doesn't resemble the creature it came from it does not truly strike you as odd or out of place.


In Vietnam, technically a developing economy (between 1st & 3rd world), we saw some stuff being done to animals that I will never be able to forget. Vietnam, Hanoi specifically, was the only place I had ever seen dog on the menu... in a restaurant. Now, I'm definitely not culturally ignorant and I believe that each culture and religion has the right to do and eat whatever they want, but that was slightly unsettling. Especially as our tour guide on our $20, all you can eat food tour explained how dog was best served fried with squid ink and a side of rice. Fortunately, we never ate dog or saw it being served but I was still uncomfortable. We also saw how other animals such as fish, birds, and even turtles were prepared to be consumed. That had to be one of the most scarring sights I had ever laid my eyes on.


Anyways, the nail on the (moral dilemma) coffin was in Koh Rong, a small island off of Cambodia. We rented a boat for the day to take us to the uninhabited side of the island known as Long Beach. Before heading to the island we managed to squeeze in some time for snorkeling and fishing. We had caught about 10 fish before landing on Long Beach so we decided to have fish for lunch. When I asked our boat driver if we could take the fish to a grill that some locals had set up on the beach, he handed me a dull axe and knife that probably could have cut through styrofoam.

Fish in hand, I was a little shaky as I had never done this before. It took me few times before I could actually dismantle the fish and clean what was left in the ocean. Only after we had grilled the fish and enjoyed the fish between a company of 5 did I truly recognize how much we take for granted. When you come face to face to your animal, your food, your meal it becomes a lot more difficult to put aside morality and prepare what was a living being a few minutes beforehand.

So what I am really trying to ask is why? Why do we have this sense of remorse or grief for the animals which we eat? Is that a new plan of environmental activists in society, or is it hardwired in our DNA? Are we "smarter" than nature or have we been fooled into thinking we control plants and animals while they actually domesticate us?

The Death of Music?

"Turn that crap off," says the disgruntled parent to her child who happens to be fiddling with the AUX cord. Throw Some Mo plays in the background as the volume hits a max of 30. The GPS informs the mother that she should turn left in approximately 500 feet as the only audible noise in the car is the sound of a panting labrador over a murmured Rae Sremmurd lyric.

I've had so many negative experiences with my parents as a child that I started asking the question, "Is our music really that awful?" Yea, we get it. Earth, Wind, & Fire is legendary and I have to agree, but is J. Cole mediocre? Is Pitbull, just a cop out artist that makes semi-Latin music for popular culture. Don't even get me started about EDM, most of which is pure garbage. Has music truly taken a turn for the worst as we happen to head to more electronically influenced music that has fewer live instruments.

Have humans ruined another great part of nature through the use of technology, or have our tastes just become different? To be quite honest, I can't imagine my grandparents parents saying "that music is shit" to the music he used to listen to as a child. But then again, I'm sure times were different back then.

Whatever the case, I think that there is definitely still some quality music being made, but we are entering into new genres and new times. The way we go out and celebrate is different and that calls for a different need in the music world.

Check out this mix by a DJ in the UK and tell me where you think the future of music is headed.
https://soundcloud.com/complexion/future-beats-radio-072-with-rom?in=etai-evenhaim/sets/bigchill

Z-Maize: The plant that domesticated its domesticator

Rise of the Planet of the Apes. I never watched it, but it always terrified me that another plant or animal could potentially take over the planet and push us to extinction. Obviously, gun-slinging, arrow-shooting primates isn't an imminent threat we should be worried about. If you are convinced that it is, you may be watching a few too many sci-fi movies.

Anyhow, we always like to take pride in the fact that we are the most dominant species and the most intelligent. What we fail to take note of is that humans have survived mainly because plants evolved to create fruit, nuts, or some edible or useful substance that could benefit living creatures. In the old days we used to eat some fruit and would indirectly plant their seeds in other areas as we hunted for more food.

In the debate of ecology vs. economy we have seen that humans have a tendency to push for economy and this can be seen through corn. Corn subsidies (a guarantee that a farmer would receive $X even if the price of corn plummeted) made corn extremely cheap and plentiful. This paved the way for processed food, which led the way to the United States becoming the third most obese country in the world.

We allow food engineers to create foods that are putting more pressure on our organs (specifically kidneys and liver) and are toying with our neurological responses to nutrients that are supposed to be consumed in amounts that are produced organically. Drinking soda with high fructose corn syrup is a direct allowance of scientists to play with our taste buds and health for the sake of profit.

Corn does not do wonders for the soil and it definitely hasn’t truly done wonders for our society in a holistic sense. This quote, regarding us being the domesticated object really struck me because most people don’t stop and think about the consequences of perfecting the food process. The more efficient corn is, the more likely we are to plant it instead of other plants. This leads to a never ending cycle and once systems are set up to harvest and process corn they will end up being cheaper. This again leads us to keep producing corn because it keeps the price of other goods down.

If we truly are the most intelligent living organism on Earth, we haven’t been showing it. Our ecological future looks dismal and our industrial systems aren’t built for our benefit. We shouldn’t be worrying about an alien invasion. We should be worrying about an invasion from plants and other living organisms that can manipulate us to planting them or farming them across the world. They then push out other local plant varieties, leading us even closer to extinction.

The next great extinction is happening now whether you like to believe it or not.

?!?!?

To be quite honest, my job duties change on a frequent basis and I’m not completely sure where my work will take me. What exactly do I do? I work on a startup that two friends and I cofounded last summer after winning a hack-a-thon in Tel Aviv, Israel. Whether you have or haven’t previously worked on a startup, I think I can shed some light into my experience through the trials and many, many mistakes we’ve made while running our startup.

The company we founded, Bread & Butter is a web and mobile-friendly software that makes it easier for non-profits (food shelters, missions, religious organizations) to view and collect all of the available food that can be donated in the nearby area. The reason most people don’t know who we are is because food donation is a relatively underground operation. The majority of people living in the United States have volunteered at a nonprofit once or twice, yet they don’t realize how much waste we create on a national basis. The problem with the food and food waste reclamation system is that there are so many smaller parties trying to solve the same problem. Our job is to bring them together.

There are three descriptions that help explain the duties of an entrepreneur in this industry:

•     Actor
•     Salesman
•     Therapist

I’ll describe these using a few examples from what I do on a typical day.

Actor

While I may not be a very good actor, the work of an actor occurs in these ways:

•     Attend networking events
•     Send emails around the clock
•     Be friendly and personable

How is being an entrepreneur similar to being an actor? As an entrepreneur your goal is to attend as many events as possible in your industry. Actors have to show their face at big events to stay relevant and people in your industry expect you to do the same, especially if you are expecting any favors anytime soon. If you have downloaded random email applications and managers to try to simplify your life and remind you of the various emails you forgot to send, you are probably on the right track.

Actors also have to continue to look for opportunities if they want to have the best chance of starring in the next big hit (unless they’re Liam Neeson). Ultimately, it is impossible to know who may be the perfect connection when at an event, at lunch, or anywhere in the world so be friendly and you may happen to meet someone of importance where you least expect it.

Salesman

In this role, the entrepreneur is required to pitch his vision to for-profits, non-profits, and anybody who could refer you to a viable lead. We accomplish this by doing three things: 

• Sell, sell, sell
• Shameless promotion
• Reject rejection
• Analyze your progress and make necessary tune ups to the pitch

To give you some insight, convincing food retailers – any business that sells food  (i.e. supermarkets, restaurants, etc.) – takes a bit of preparation, practice, and luck. You have to know the market and potential customer very well or they won’t give you the time of day. That means getting acquainted with the manager, knowing his or her schedule, and following up to make sure they don’t forget about you.

Another rejection? Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. Leave your shame behind when you enter the door, because there isn’t enough time in the day to contemplate opportunities and rejections. If you are rejected, don’t be afraid to rephrase the question, use a smaller ask, or ask again at a later time.

Take every pitch you’ve made and see which works the best, which doesn’t, and which translates to better responses. You will start to see patterns of when managers are the most stressed, when is the best time to contact them, and what tone or angle to approach them with.

Therapist

The title may be a little deceiving, but as a founder your job is also to keep morale high. We can do so by doing the following:

• Facilitating constant communication
• Providing compliments on a regular basis
• Honest feedback

This part may sound a little odd but like any other relationship, managing a startup requires a team that enjoys the presence of the other members and is in good spirits. When teams are less hopeful, they are less likely to commit time and put forth their best work. Keep the compliments coming, and you will realize that even the smallest of things can truly make an impact on someone’s mood.

At the end of the day, you have to remember that you are a company and people may seriously rely on you for your service. That being said, all work and no play makes things less interesting and a lot more stressful. Honest feedback, time for fooling around, and open communication in a team can make the difference between a successful startup and a bust.