Entries from October 2005 ↓

Noted author Joel Spolsky (”Joel on Software“) mentioned this in his blog entry from October 16th:

Visiting Cambridge (Massachusetts [USA]) for a party at Y-combinator made me jealous about how much more vibrant the hacker/startup scene is in the Boston area than it is in the New York area. [...] Is New York just lame compared to Boston? [... M]aybe it’s because investment banks, hedge funds, advertising agencies, and media companies suck up all the oxygen? One bright young Harvard grad I met at the party has a job as the full-time, personal system administrator maintaining the PC of a famous hedge fund manager …

I just realized, I was part of that conversation. They were talking about this hedge fund dude, and I didn’t know who he was, and didn’t care, so I left the conversation and went to another. (I got to meet Joel Spolsky but he was talking about hedge funds?!)

More to come about Startup School, I promise!

I’m driving up at 6:00 tomorrow morning. I’ll post a message when I get back and let y’all know about the trip and the conference. Or if you’re lucky, I’ll post an update while I’m in Boston!

The Washington Post’s blog Focus on Fairfax posted this important news story today: “Damon’s Rib Restaurant Opens at GMU; First on a College Campus.”

Students at George Mason University this week become the first in the nation to enjoy the famous ribs, onion loaves and big-screen entertainment served up by a Damon’s Grill located on a college campus.

Owned and operated by Sodexho USA, the university’s campus dining partner, the 150-seat, sports-themed restaurant features the chain’s signature Clubhouse equipped with two giant video screens and 11 42-inch plasma televisions for sports, network programming and interactive entertainment. Portable tabletop speakers complete the Clubhouse entertainment experience. For students, staff and campus visitors on the go, the restaurant features an “express” quick-service dining area and a curbside delivery service. There also is a full bar.

And it continues for seven more paragraphs.

How is this news exactly? Did the Post do any of this reporting, or is this just a direct quotation of the entire press release?

I realize Damon’s PR firm makes this sound important, but in reality, it’s just another chain restaurant in Fairfax. (The noteworthiness comes from it being “the first full-service, branded casual dining restaurant to open at a U.S. university.” While that may technically be true, the distinction is based on a lot of technicalities. I’ve seen casual dining restaurants at many colleges, including chains.)

I would expect Post reporters to recognize that a new chain restaurant in Fairfax isn’t particularly newsworthy, even if it’s on a college campus.

Jeremy Blachman is wonderful! He’s an amazingly talented, funny author of Anonymous Lawyer as well as his own blog. I’ve been reading his site for a couple years now, and have always been impressed with his take on life at Harvard Law School (and beyond). When I needed help with some writing last week, I turned to him for advice, and he was gracious enough to help. A novelized version of Anonymous Lawyer will be out in the next year, and I encourage all of you to buy a copy or two.

Jeremy, you’re my hero!

So, the next nominee is Harriet Miers. Or as Joel Achenbach put it: Bush Nominates Totally Random Person for Court.

I’m really disappointed in this choice. She’s like the Anti-Roberts. Miers has no significant legal background. Her chief qualification seems to be her loyalty to Bush, which would automatically someone a poor justice. (The whole reason we give lifetime appointments to federal judges is to prevent undue influence from politicians.) But she certainly doesn’t appear to be an intellectual heavyweight. John Roberts went to Harvard Law School, Harriet Miers went to Southern Methodist. And while SMU may be a decent law school, it makes her look like a lightweight when combined with the lack of experience on her resume. (She ran the Texas Lottery Commission?!? That’s the best Bush can come up with?!?)

I’m also disappointed in the Democratic leadership. They opposed Roberts and now they support Miers? Apparently they want the least qualified Supreme Court possible. Oh well, Miers is the least of their problems…

Update: Harriet has her own blog! This is the funniest thing I’ve seen all day!! (Thanks to Jeremy Blachman for the link.)

Update #2: Andrew Sullivan’s coverage of Ms. Miers has been particularly strong. Follow the link to hear what some conservatives and Republicans have to say about the nomination (they seem to be pissed).

For those of you going to Paul Graham’s Startup School: Is anyone interested in visiting Jake Ivory’s on Saturday night? It’s a “sing-along pop music piano-bar” that one of my friends recommended. It’s right near Fenway Park, which doesn’t look very far from Cambridge. If you like music, it sounds like a ton of fun!

Anyone interested?