Recently, I've noticed a lot more tweaks on Facebook that have walked that careful line between creating a unique user experience and completely abuse access to user info.
Believe it or not, I let the targeted advertisements go. I even let it slide when friends are suggested to me based on "mutual friends." But now I'm a little concerned.
I logged on today to find that Facebook is now recommending friend lists for your friends based on information about your relationship with them. So basically, Facebook has analyzed the content of my profile and my friends' profiles to tell me who is probably a "work" friend and who is a "school" friend. This bothers me. Not only does this make me feel like a third party is doing the networking for me, but it's analyzing my info and making bad decisions. I don't know a single bit of criteria as to WHY they thought Sam Nitz belonged on my work list and not my school list. If they're going to mine through our interests, education and places of employment, can they at least give us some rationale before making a lousy guess that my 60 year old father is a "school friend"?
Oh and BTW, suggesting that I become a friend of "sarcasm" means you're close to jumping the shark!
Monday, May 4, 2009
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
My Goodbye Email at APCO
I remember my first week at APCO a colleague said to me:
“Still having fun?”
My answer, which I hope defines my tenure at APCO, was, “Always.”
If APCO hires people, not positions, then I walk away hopeful that I successfully filled the role of Steve Guttenberg’s Sgt. Mahoney from Police Academy.
For every political landscape overview, grassroots mobilization program, budget request and media kit, there was a Five Guys Friday, a transfer request to a Nyuuk, Greenland office, a hockey goal lighting fixture dubbed “the bad idea light” and a life-sized cardboard cutout of Admiral Akbar from the Star Wars films.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned at APCO, it’s that every one of us is capable of taking the work seriously, without taking ourselves too seriously. This is no doubt due to the amazing group of people assembled here that bring out the best in each of our personalities. People have mentored me and helped me develop professionally so that I am well-equipped for the challenges that lie ahead.
I hope to continue to stay in touch with all of you and have included my info below. I know you are all thinking I’m going to use this opportunity to plug my band, “Bonjour, Ganesh!” and our website www.bonjourganesh.com, but I’m not. I leave “Five Guys Fridays” in the capable hands of Brian McLaughlin, the last remaining founding father from APCO’s “Bullpen Era.” Brian is more than capable in leading the charge to consume artery clogging burgers and fries each Friday and help combat “Health Fruit Tuesdays.”
I arrived as your colleague and leave as your friend. With that in mind, please enjoy this short video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFyl4GxBzEw&feature=PlayList&p=AADD7BBE3CD48B1B&index=0
Sincerely,
Adam Rosenberg
adam@CDT.org (work email)
Adam.Rosenberg@gmail.com (personal email)
(202) 253-3091 (cell phone)
“Still having fun?”
My answer, which I hope defines my tenure at APCO, was, “Always.”
If APCO hires people, not positions, then I walk away hopeful that I successfully filled the role of Steve Guttenberg’s Sgt. Mahoney from Police Academy.
For every political landscape overview, grassroots mobilization program, budget request and media kit, there was a Five Guys Friday, a transfer request to a Nyuuk, Greenland office, a hockey goal lighting fixture dubbed “the bad idea light” and a life-sized cardboard cutout of Admiral Akbar from the Star Wars films.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned at APCO, it’s that every one of us is capable of taking the work seriously, without taking ourselves too seriously. This is no doubt due to the amazing group of people assembled here that bring out the best in each of our personalities. People have mentored me and helped me develop professionally so that I am well-equipped for the challenges that lie ahead.
I hope to continue to stay in touch with all of you and have included my info below. I know you are all thinking I’m going to use this opportunity to plug my band, “Bonjour, Ganesh!” and our website www.bonjourganesh.com, but I’m not. I leave “Five Guys Fridays” in the capable hands of Brian McLaughlin, the last remaining founding father from APCO’s “Bullpen Era.” Brian is more than capable in leading the charge to consume artery clogging burgers and fries each Friday and help combat “Health Fruit Tuesdays.”
I arrived as your colleague and leave as your friend. With that in mind, please enjoy this short video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFyl4GxBzEw&feature=PlayList&p=AADD7BBE3CD48B1B&index=0
Sincerely,
Adam Rosenberg
adam@CDT.org (work email)
Adam.Rosenberg@gmail.com (personal email)
(202) 253-3091 (cell phone)
Thursday, April 23, 2009
New band's first show is TONIGHT!
My new band, Bonjour Ganesh, will be making their debut tonight at Velvet Lounge at 10 PM. We're an 8-piece jam band with a horn section. We're also celebrating our singer, Jessica Savage's birthday. Come on out.
915 u Street, NW - Washington, DC
Doors: 9PM, $8, 21+
www.bonjourganesh.com
915 u Street, NW - Washington, DC
Doors: 9PM, $8, 21+
www.bonjourganesh.com
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Conservatives Losing Gay Marriage Debate
Over the past few weeks, things have changed.
In 2004, the conservative right politicized the gay marriage debate by riding a wave of constitutional referendums in order to try to legislate hate and give people unwarranted reason to fear gays.
"If gays marry, everything you've accomplished with your nuclear family will become worthless!" was the overall slogan of the GOP in the aftermath of San Francisco recognizing gay marriage. After numerous states across the country passed constitutional bans on gay marriage, Republicans seemed to feel safer. As if their concept of marriage was now safe. Then a California Court said that gays could marry and quickly a referendum (Prop 8) was pushed by conservatives to put a stop to this. Overall though, you have to figure conservatives were never THAT worried. I mean, sure CALIFORNIA is going to recognize gay marriage. It's California! It's full of liberals. Though it's the 5th largest economy in the world, it's another planet to conservatives. A lost cause from the beginning. California is a state likely to allow bats to marry dogs, so allowing gays to marry wasn't a shock. They could rest easy after Prop 8 passed, they had constitutional bans on gay marriage in effect in states across the country and now a referendum approved by public vote in arguably the most "liberal" of all those states. If you can stop it in California, you've pretty much stopped it for good, right?
Oh, but that's where things got interesting. A few weeks ago, Vermont's legislature passed legislation recognizing gay marriage. Conservatives must have thought, "Whatever. That's Vermont. It's Howard Dean country. 'Nuff said."
But then came Iowa. Precious Iowa. In the middle of the country. With it's moderate leanings and "heartland" mentality. The Iowa Supreme Court ruled that to not allow gays to marry is unconstitutional. This turned all the conservatives on their asses and should signify the exclamation point to how this country has shifted ideologically. This isn't a liberal state like California making a "liberal" ruling. This is IOWA. If states were baseball players, Iowa would be the Republicans No. 6 hitter. Not always on their side, but decent and can be relied on to not do something crazy.
The ruling showed that conservatives are going to have their hands full in this debate over the next several years. Like whack-a-mole, you'll hit one state down only to see another come up. They're chasing an idea that society has finally caught up with. The seemingly foreign concept that all of us are equal and entitled to the same rights and privileges with our spouses regardless of sexual orientation.
I'm proud of the Hawkeye State and the judges on that court. I'm proud of gay-rights groups that keep fighting this, even in states where even us liberals assume we have no chance. Iowa is just the beginning, I can't wait to see the look on the conservative leaders' faces when we cut them at the jugular and get a decent ruling out of true red state.
In 2004, the conservative right politicized the gay marriage debate by riding a wave of constitutional referendums in order to try to legislate hate and give people unwarranted reason to fear gays.
"If gays marry, everything you've accomplished with your nuclear family will become worthless!" was the overall slogan of the GOP in the aftermath of San Francisco recognizing gay marriage. After numerous states across the country passed constitutional bans on gay marriage, Republicans seemed to feel safer. As if their concept of marriage was now safe. Then a California Court said that gays could marry and quickly a referendum (Prop 8) was pushed by conservatives to put a stop to this. Overall though, you have to figure conservatives were never THAT worried. I mean, sure CALIFORNIA is going to recognize gay marriage. It's California! It's full of liberals. Though it's the 5th largest economy in the world, it's another planet to conservatives. A lost cause from the beginning. California is a state likely to allow bats to marry dogs, so allowing gays to marry wasn't a shock. They could rest easy after Prop 8 passed, they had constitutional bans on gay marriage in effect in states across the country and now a referendum approved by public vote in arguably the most "liberal" of all those states. If you can stop it in California, you've pretty much stopped it for good, right?
Oh, but that's where things got interesting. A few weeks ago, Vermont's legislature passed legislation recognizing gay marriage. Conservatives must have thought, "Whatever. That's Vermont. It's Howard Dean country. 'Nuff said."
But then came Iowa. Precious Iowa. In the middle of the country. With it's moderate leanings and "heartland" mentality. The Iowa Supreme Court ruled that to not allow gays to marry is unconstitutional. This turned all the conservatives on their asses and should signify the exclamation point to how this country has shifted ideologically. This isn't a liberal state like California making a "liberal" ruling. This is IOWA. If states were baseball players, Iowa would be the Republicans No. 6 hitter. Not always on their side, but decent and can be relied on to not do something crazy.
The ruling showed that conservatives are going to have their hands full in this debate over the next several years. Like whack-a-mole, you'll hit one state down only to see another come up. They're chasing an idea that society has finally caught up with. The seemingly foreign concept that all of us are equal and entitled to the same rights and privileges with our spouses regardless of sexual orientation.
I'm proud of the Hawkeye State and the judges on that court. I'm proud of gay-rights groups that keep fighting this, even in states where even us liberals assume we have no chance. Iowa is just the beginning, I can't wait to see the look on the conservative leaders' faces when we cut them at the jugular and get a decent ruling out of true red state.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
DCist Photo of the Day
Veggies
Originally uploaded by Phillyberg
Had another photo of some veggies picked as Photo of the Day by www.dcist.com. The comments are hilarious.
Monday, March 2, 2009
DCist Photo of the Day: March 2, 2009
My photo was named Photo of the Day for DCist! I'm excited because I'm still new to the photography stuff and am still learning. It's a nice feeling to know you at least have somewhat of a good eye!
Check out the original here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/phillyberg/3319195035/
Or click the post title to go straight to DCist.
Check out the original here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/phillyberg/3319195035/
Or click the post title to go straight to DCist.
Dogs picking fights?
20090228_0085
Originally uploaded by Phillyberg
Some shots with the D70 that I took at Eastern Market this past weekend.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Eastern Market photo from last weekend
Still getting the hang of the new camera, but snapped this last Saturday and messed around with the coloring a bit to make it "colder".
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
I've converted to Mac
So after 28 years of being a PC guy, I've converted to Mac. Not to sound cliche, but I am never going back. Though getting here was an adventure. Let me explain with a timeline.
Thursday, January 29
7:00 AM - I wake up to find my Dell laptop frozen. Thinking nothing of it, I restart the computer. It freezes on the Dell logo as horror fills my veins. My immediate reaction being, "Ohmygod, am I going to lose all of my Phish mp3s?"
8:00 AM - Despite running in and out of the shower to check on the computer, it still has shown no progress and is dead, dead, dead. Funeral arrangements are made. I call my dad and tell him the computer situation. It is described as the "Kobiashi Maru" of computer crashes. That means "not good."
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM - Work, while thinking, "I'll get home and the laptop will be fine." Midway through the day I am convinced to look at a Mac by a couple friends. By the end of the day, I've already plotted my route to the Apple Store in Bethesda.
6:30 PM - Arrive home and head for Apple Store in Bethesda with the remaining Vegas winnings in hand.
7:30 PM - I purchase my first Macbook. In and out in 10 minutes. It's a thing of beauty. Though on a side note, elderly workers there make me realize that they aren't working at Apple Store because they're bored of retirement. It's because their retirement is almost dried up. Very depressing.
8:30 PM - I am home and turn on my Macbook. Immediately I plug my 500 gig hard drive in and start copying mp3s. I am prompted to do a software update which I do and then reboot.
8:35 PM - A grey screen appears on my Macbook upon reboot. I think nothing of it.
8:37 PM - The grey screen remains and my temperature rises.
8:40 PM - I am in full panic mode again as I've seemingly crashed an uncrashable machine. I unplug the hard drive and get the machine to shut down. Depression sets in.
Friday, January 30
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM - I spend with my dog at the behavioral vet (read: Doggy Therapist) where I learn my dog has anxiety disorder, is afraid of other dogs, and needs to be put on Prozac. Not doggy Prozac, but real people Prozac.
5:00 PM - I come home and find the macbook is working with no hard drives plugged in. I plan on taking it back. Somehow this doesn't happen until....
9:00 PM - I get to the Apple Store in Bethesda and find that it's closed. I am still computerless. For a guy who loves connecting and playing with music and photos (read: nerd) this is awful.
Saturday, January 31
1:00 PM - I take the macbook to the Apple Store in Pentagon City. "Big Tony" hooks me up and gives me an upgraded Macbook for $100 extra instead of charging me for the open box.
1:30 PM - I get home and set up the Mac this time having a theory that the hard drive is causing the problems. I start the unthinkable task of copying ALL my mp3s to my Macbook's internal hard drive. Since the hard drive is being recognized so long as its not on boot up, this seems like a great fix. I'll have all my songs and I can take the baby with me anywhere.
About 40 gigs in I realize that the mp3s going in are going to be greater than the space allowed. I start to do an audit of my mp3s and delete albums to make space as my thinking is that 27 James Brown albums and 18 KISS albums is a little excessive. Anything to save the 56 gigs of live Phish mp3s.
8:00 PM - Operation continues as I delete the excessive number of 10cc albums I seem to have acquired and the 35 Jimmy Smith albums I downloaded over the years.
11:30 PM - Pork-induced sleep caused by Chris and Mary Corcoran.
Sunday, February 1
1:00 PM - Travel to Apple Store in Bethesda AGAIN and get Microsoft office in exchange for iWork. Great trade. I still am copying mp3s all afternoon with no problems.
6:00 PM - I take the laptop to Chris' and watch the Superbowl as I audit my music collection.
10:30 PM - It suddenly hits me to try to restart the computer with my OTHER external hard drive to see if its the hard drives or the computer. My 80 gig hard drive works, my 500 gig causes crashes. Case solved. Only took me 4 days.
Monday, February 2
7:00 PM - I finish copying my mp3s to my computer, store a few in other places and talk to Greg Greene about how I can get this all to work. At last the computer is ready to rock. We agree that I need a new external hard drive and I'll run some mp3s off of it and some on my internal hard drive. Problems solved.
The tally in four days:
2 Macbooks
45,231 MP3s to start
39,951 MP3s to end
56 gigs of Phish
1 busted Dell Inspiron E1705
Excited about this.
Thursday, January 29
7:00 AM - I wake up to find my Dell laptop frozen. Thinking nothing of it, I restart the computer. It freezes on the Dell logo as horror fills my veins. My immediate reaction being, "Ohmygod, am I going to lose all of my Phish mp3s?"
8:00 AM - Despite running in and out of the shower to check on the computer, it still has shown no progress and is dead, dead, dead. Funeral arrangements are made. I call my dad and tell him the computer situation. It is described as the "Kobiashi Maru" of computer crashes. That means "not good."
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM - Work, while thinking, "I'll get home and the laptop will be fine." Midway through the day I am convinced to look at a Mac by a couple friends. By the end of the day, I've already plotted my route to the Apple Store in Bethesda.
6:30 PM - Arrive home and head for Apple Store in Bethesda with the remaining Vegas winnings in hand.
7:30 PM - I purchase my first Macbook. In and out in 10 minutes. It's a thing of beauty. Though on a side note, elderly workers there make me realize that they aren't working at Apple Store because they're bored of retirement. It's because their retirement is almost dried up. Very depressing.
8:30 PM - I am home and turn on my Macbook. Immediately I plug my 500 gig hard drive in and start copying mp3s. I am prompted to do a software update which I do and then reboot.
8:35 PM - A grey screen appears on my Macbook upon reboot. I think nothing of it.
8:37 PM - The grey screen remains and my temperature rises.
8:40 PM - I am in full panic mode again as I've seemingly crashed an uncrashable machine. I unplug the hard drive and get the machine to shut down. Depression sets in.
Friday, January 30
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM - I spend with my dog at the behavioral vet (read: Doggy Therapist) where I learn my dog has anxiety disorder, is afraid of other dogs, and needs to be put on Prozac. Not doggy Prozac, but real people Prozac.
5:00 PM - I come home and find the macbook is working with no hard drives plugged in. I plan on taking it back. Somehow this doesn't happen until....
9:00 PM - I get to the Apple Store in Bethesda and find that it's closed. I am still computerless. For a guy who loves connecting and playing with music and photos (read: nerd) this is awful.
Saturday, January 31
1:00 PM - I take the macbook to the Apple Store in Pentagon City. "Big Tony" hooks me up and gives me an upgraded Macbook for $100 extra instead of charging me for the open box.
1:30 PM - I get home and set up the Mac this time having a theory that the hard drive is causing the problems. I start the unthinkable task of copying ALL my mp3s to my Macbook's internal hard drive. Since the hard drive is being recognized so long as its not on boot up, this seems like a great fix. I'll have all my songs and I can take the baby with me anywhere.
About 40 gigs in I realize that the mp3s going in are going to be greater than the space allowed. I start to do an audit of my mp3s and delete albums to make space as my thinking is that 27 James Brown albums and 18 KISS albums is a little excessive. Anything to save the 56 gigs of live Phish mp3s.
8:00 PM - Operation continues as I delete the excessive number of 10cc albums I seem to have acquired and the 35 Jimmy Smith albums I downloaded over the years.
11:30 PM - Pork-induced sleep caused by Chris and Mary Corcoran.
Sunday, February 1
1:00 PM - Travel to Apple Store in Bethesda AGAIN and get Microsoft office in exchange for iWork. Great trade. I still am copying mp3s all afternoon with no problems.
6:00 PM - I take the laptop to Chris' and watch the Superbowl as I audit my music collection.
10:30 PM - It suddenly hits me to try to restart the computer with my OTHER external hard drive to see if its the hard drives or the computer. My 80 gig hard drive works, my 500 gig causes crashes. Case solved. Only took me 4 days.
Monday, February 2
7:00 PM - I finish copying my mp3s to my computer, store a few in other places and talk to Greg Greene about how I can get this all to work. At last the computer is ready to rock. We agree that I need a new external hard drive and I'll run some mp3s off of it and some on my internal hard drive. Problems solved.
The tally in four days:
2 Macbooks
45,231 MP3s to start
39,951 MP3s to end
56 gigs of Phish
1 busted Dell Inspiron E1705
Excited about this.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Monday, December 15, 2008
I've been tagged!
Ok so my friend and colleague, James "Jaywalk" Walker, tagged me so here is the game plan:
1. I have a tattoo and want another. When I was a sophomore at Syracuse, I went to the Village Star II at the corner of McDougal and Bleecker Streets in New York City and got a late-night tattoo. I wanted to get a bass clef on my ankle because it was one of the first instruments I played. I got it on my ankle in hopes that my parents wouldn't see that the Jewish boy "destroyed" his body (yeah, that didn't really work out). When I got the tattoo, the guy said it was the 2nd most creative tattoo he'd ever done. I asked him what was the most creative tattoo he did and he said, "Some guy wanted me to make it look like there was a panther jumping out of his ass!" My good friend, Jenny P, was there for it all.
2. I played hockey in high school. While the Mainline Philadelphia kids (read: Jews) did tennis lessons and basketball, I lived with all the Irish catholic kids and played ice and roller hockey. I loved it. There are now five NHL fans still alive. I'm happy to be one of them.
3. I worked at both Blockbuster and Ruby Tuesday's one summer while living in Syracuse. I did nothing but worked and took two classes that later never even applied to my major. I made over $3000 that summer. I am pretty sure I spent all of the money on candy and DVDs.
4. I am really good at remembering names and faces. Part of this is because I used to be a fundraiser; part of this is a natural skill developed by those with ADD. People ask me, "Berg - how do you have 1800 friends on Facebook?" and I say, "I just remember names and faces really well." It's weird because my dad went through a 5 year period where he called all my friends that were girls either "Amy" or "Jen" because those were the girls I hung out with. He's much better now and remembers everyone. The part of my brain that was supposed to store knowledge of literature and academics, was clearly used to remember the random hippie I met at a Phish show in 2000.
5. I have been to over 40+ Phish shows. That's right, I saw the quintessential jam band more times than I can count. I'm estimating about 45, but I have no idea really. I just know I did a lot of dancing, missed a lot of class and ate a lot of grilled cheese.
6. I am a total fan boy Ever since I was two and my father took me to see "Return of the Jedi" I have been into science fiction, fan boy-type movies and being a nerd. I'm a big "Star Trek" geek too and would put "Star Trek: The Next Generation" among my top 5 shows of all time. I have a light saber application on my Iphone and a life size cardboard cutout of Admiral Ackbar in my office. I am also now regretting this post, but whatever.
7. I love to network and meet new people. I have never been really shy. It's a blessing and a curse. I feel comfortable with crowds to the point where if you ask a lot of my friends how we met, more than half will probably say randomly on a street or at a Phillies game or in a parking lot. When I was at grad school at GW in 2003, there were evidently "two" Adam Rosenbergs at the school. Go Figure! One (me) was in grad school, the other in undergrad. Somehow I received an email containing a beta-test version of the original Facebook (back when it still had text on the page that read "Too close for missiles, I'm switching to guns.") and I started using it to connect to new people and old friends. I love that social media has made random meetings and friendships a more acceptable occurrence in society. Friends can now be officially friends and trust each other simply by knowing they have "over 50 mutual friends." It's the networking aspect to building relationships that drives me and fascinates me about social marketing. My friends Adam, Jason and Matt are good examples of this idea in effect. I was never formally introduced to either of them, but eventually hit such a high number of common friends, that we just accepted that we were friends and left it at that. It's a lot like starting a friendship on the 15th time you hang out versus from scratch.
So the special folks who have been tagged:
Adam Conner
Jenny Piston
Matt Ortega
Jason Rosenberg
Craig "Tiger" Smith
Brendon Fleming
Brendan Lilly
To those tagged, your mission is:
-link your original tagger in your post
-share seven facts about yourself in the post
-tag seven people at the end with their names and links to their blogs
-let them know they've been tagged
Good Luck!
- link your original tagger(s), and list these rules on your blog.
- share seven facts about yourself in the post - some random, some weird.
- tag seven people at the end of your post by leaving their names and the links to their blogs.
- let them know they’ve been tagged by leaving a comment on their blogs and/or twitter
1. I have a tattoo and want another. When I was a sophomore at Syracuse, I went to the Village Star II at the corner of McDougal and Bleecker Streets in New York City and got a late-night tattoo. I wanted to get a bass clef on my ankle because it was one of the first instruments I played. I got it on my ankle in hopes that my parents wouldn't see that the Jewish boy "destroyed" his body (yeah, that didn't really work out). When I got the tattoo, the guy said it was the 2nd most creative tattoo he'd ever done. I asked him what was the most creative tattoo he did and he said, "Some guy wanted me to make it look like there was a panther jumping out of his ass!" My good friend, Jenny P, was there for it all.
2. I played hockey in high school. While the Mainline Philadelphia kids (read: Jews) did tennis lessons and basketball, I lived with all the Irish catholic kids and played ice and roller hockey. I loved it. There are now five NHL fans still alive. I'm happy to be one of them.
3. I worked at both Blockbuster and Ruby Tuesday's one summer while living in Syracuse. I did nothing but worked and took two classes that later never even applied to my major. I made over $3000 that summer. I am pretty sure I spent all of the money on candy and DVDs.
4. I am really good at remembering names and faces. Part of this is because I used to be a fundraiser; part of this is a natural skill developed by those with ADD. People ask me, "Berg - how do you have 1800 friends on Facebook?" and I say, "I just remember names and faces really well." It's weird because my dad went through a 5 year period where he called all my friends that were girls either "Amy" or "Jen" because those were the girls I hung out with. He's much better now and remembers everyone. The part of my brain that was supposed to store knowledge of literature and academics, was clearly used to remember the random hippie I met at a Phish show in 2000.
5. I have been to over 40+ Phish shows. That's right, I saw the quintessential jam band more times than I can count. I'm estimating about 45, but I have no idea really. I just know I did a lot of dancing, missed a lot of class and ate a lot of grilled cheese.
6. I am a total fan boy Ever since I was two and my father took me to see "Return of the Jedi" I have been into science fiction, fan boy-type movies and being a nerd. I'm a big "Star Trek" geek too and would put "Star Trek: The Next Generation" among my top 5 shows of all time. I have a light saber application on my Iphone and a life size cardboard cutout of Admiral Ackbar in my office. I am also now regretting this post, but whatever.
7. I love to network and meet new people. I have never been really shy. It's a blessing and a curse. I feel comfortable with crowds to the point where if you ask a lot of my friends how we met, more than half will probably say randomly on a street or at a Phillies game or in a parking lot. When I was at grad school at GW in 2003, there were evidently "two" Adam Rosenbergs at the school. Go Figure! One (me) was in grad school, the other in undergrad. Somehow I received an email containing a beta-test version of the original Facebook (back when it still had text on the page that read "Too close for missiles, I'm switching to guns.") and I started using it to connect to new people and old friends. I love that social media has made random meetings and friendships a more acceptable occurrence in society. Friends can now be officially friends and trust each other simply by knowing they have "over 50 mutual friends." It's the networking aspect to building relationships that drives me and fascinates me about social marketing. My friends Adam, Jason and Matt are good examples of this idea in effect. I was never formally introduced to either of them, but eventually hit such a high number of common friends, that we just accepted that we were friends and left it at that. It's a lot like starting a friendship on the 15th time you hang out versus from scratch.
So the special folks who have been tagged:
Adam Conner
Jenny Piston
Matt Ortega
Jason Rosenberg
Craig "Tiger" Smith
Brendon Fleming
Brendan Lilly
To those tagged, your mission is:
-link your original tagger in your post
-share seven facts about yourself in the post
-tag seven people at the end with their names and links to their blogs
-let them know they've been tagged
Good Luck!
Sunday, December 14, 2008
The Berg Standard's Top 10 Albums of 2008
Below are my top 10 albums for 2008. A lot of music industry publications and music blogs are putting out their list of picks and while I generally will give almost any type of music a spin, there are some albums and sounds I’m just going to enjoy more than others. I’m glad everyone likes the Deerhunter album. I do too. It’s just not my top 10 of the year. So, with that said, enjoy my picks (and the bonus pick from Tracy). Go out and get these albums and support these bands right now. Well, not RIGHT now, read the list first. Happy Listening!
#10 - R.E.M. – Accelerate
The Athens boys are back! This album from the classic alt/college rockers made me forget about crapfests like “Up” and “Reveal”, and have faith in the band returning to its hi-end rocking found on legendary albums like “Green” and “Life’s Rich Pageant.” They’ve gotten older, but come blasting out in this album with the title track “Living Well is the Best Revenge” as if they’re making a statement to all those who threw them aside as has-beens. From there, the album continues its upward climb, and R.E.M. proves to all their fans that reports of their demise were greatly exaggerated. Best Track – “Horse to Water”
#9 - Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!!
I never listened to Nick Cave aside from that track “Red Right Hand” that was overplayed in the “Scream” movies, but I gave this CD a spin per a great review in Entertainment Weekly. This album has a higher “funky” factor to previous Cave albums. I feel like those who listened to Tom Waits and those who currently listen to The Hold Steady, could find a happy medium listening to this album. Lyrically, he is at the top of his game and he croons through 11 tracks of rock and rolling in one of the more underrated albums of the year. Best Track – “We Call Upon the Author”
#8 - Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend
I want to hate this album. I really do. I don’t like Vampire Weekend personally (I met several members of the band at a bar in NYC a few years ago) as they come off ‘douchey’ to me, but I can’t deny the fact that their album is really good. It’s well put together and fun. Definitely a “less is more” kind of thing. “A-Punk” is much more sophisticated than standard singles from these types of bands. I hear elements of Paul Simon in a lot of the songs and that’s something I never thought I’d say when I sat down to listen to this album. “M79” mixes strings and delicate minimalist piano well enough to create the feeling of full composition in only a few chords. The songs all seem that way - full musical pieces under the guise of pop songs. With the inclusion of African drumming and Talking Heads-esque melodies, each song still walks that fine line between complicated and composition beautifully. Best Track - “One (Blake’s Got a New Face)”
#7 - Portishead – Third
Another disc that I loved from the moment I put it on and immediately emailed my friend Gabe and told him it would be on my list for 2008. It’s been a while since Portishead put out a new album, which is why adapting and tinkering their sound JUST enough to keep the basis (trip-hop, electronic, dark) but still enough to hear the new additions (some psychedelic spinning) without being too overbearing. This album swirls in your head but doesn’t make it hurt. Just sit back and take it all in. Best song – “The Rip”
#6 - The Hold Steady - Stay Positive
I was much more impressed with this album than I was with “Boys and Girls in America.” This is much more along the lines of “Separation Sunday” where they play with high energy from top to bottom. The title track, “Stay Positive” is a real driver as is “Magazines.”. Front man Craig Finn is at his best and appears to have discovered a way to sing a little more versus the standard shouting and melodic talking. The band itself has grown tremendously and gets better each time I hear them. Unlike a lot of albums, the second half of this disc is actually better than the first half. The band shows that they have depth and aren’t just a straight rock gimmick in the mold of the “E Street Band.” Best track - “Joke about Jamaica”
****BONUS REVIEW by TRACY****
My wife wanted to involve herself in the creation of this top 10 list so I let her do a write up on her favorite album of 2008. Please don’t judge me for this. I love her but our musical tastes are VERY different. Consider this the best album of the year if you are a girl aged 13 – 31.
Chris Brown - Exclusive
Chris Brown's Exclusive is the best album of the year. Yes, I love pop. (Over the past several years I have been to the following concerts: Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Shakira, and Mariah Carey...and I have no shame about this.) If you love dancing, you'll love this album. Also, if you are looking for a great album to workout to, this is it. This album is upbeat, fun, and if you've seen any of Chris Brown's videos or MTV performances (where even Justin Timberlake is impressed!) you'll probably want to dance on the treadmill and elliptical machine like I do. Chris Brown is so young - but so talented - I can only imagine where he'll be in 20 years. Best album of the year – by far! Best Track – “Wall to Wall”
Now, on with the top 5….
#5 - Ra Ra Riot – The Rhumb Line
I went to school with these guys (Go Syracuse) and they are absolutely amazing. No one else is doing anything like Ra Ra Riot right now. Their hardship story is well known as the band’s drummer passed away during their tour last year. Rather than pack it up, the band rallied around the memory of their fallen band mate and pushed forward with the same energy level and enormous passion not easily found in today’s rising stars. Not only does the fusion of indie rock and classical music produce amazing musicianship, but the vocals and lyrics are incredible. Very far pressed to find a nicer group of kids too that are more down to earth and haven’t let success get to their head. Best Track – “Winter ‘05”
#4 - My Morning Jacket – Evil Urges
I first saw MMJ in 2004 at Bonnaroo after a recommendation from a college friend. I caught their set in the rain and watched as they did what I hadn’t seen other bands do in a while; just flat out wail. Lead singer Jim James has helped this Kentucky Band reach new heights with the latest effort. Unlike most jam bands that will jam on and never seem to know when to quit, MMJ always seem to know exactly when the right time is to end a song. This album is crafted so perfectly with the combination of heavy guitar and arguably one of the tightest rhythm sections in rock right now. “Highly Suspicious” was stuck in my head for weeks and while I agree with John at Digital Metropolis in that this album contains the worst MMJ song ever (“Sec Walkin”), this album is justifiably at the top of most music blogs and magazines’ lists for 2008. Best Track – “Touch Me I’m Going to Scream Pt 2”
#3 - The Raconteurs - Consolers of the Lonely
Top to bottom this is just an incredible album. Whereas the first album was gimmicky (anything really memorable from it other than “Steady as She Goes”?), this is much more of a straight out classic rock album and a complete effort. The songs are hooky but not poppy. “The Switch and the Spur” gives a new level of sophistication to the band and layers their talents properly. This album is packed with raw energy throughout but produced well so as not to come off too garagey. These are great songs and prove that the band is legit, not just a mini super group/side project. The real gem is “Top Yourself” – which harkens to Led Zeppelin II (which I argue is their best album). Best Track – “Top Yourself”
#2 - Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes
Some people don’t want a band to rock their socks off with loud guitars. They’d rather them do it with pseudo-Renaissance era vocals and a delicate layering of acoustic guitars and drums (with some strings to boot!). That’s what Fleet Foxes did. Recommended to me by Gabe (through the tall man himself, Chris - though originally recommended by Nick so he should get credit), they combine melodic vocals and warm guitar acoustics for a delightful album perfect for a Sunday afternoon (or a Tuesday morning in your office). Much like “Arcade Fire”, there is a lot of sound going on with this band but it’s done in a way that seemingly pulls you into their world. People are going to be talking more about these guys if they haven’t been already. “White Winter Hymnal” sounds like it could work not just now but in the 1950’s as a single while the darker “Tiger Mountain Peasant Song” will perk the ears of Townes Van Zandt fans everywhere. For all of those out there who long for an album that will remind you of Beach Boys’ “Pet Sounds” (arguably the greatest album ever made), Fleet Foxes are for you. These guys are absolutely my band to watch in 2009. My advice to you is to get this disc, lend it to your friends, and make them buy it. Best Track – “Your Protector”
#1 - TV on the Radio – Dear Science
After listening to the first four tracks of this album, I immediately emailed Gabe and told him it was the best album of the year. That was back in September. I feel more confident now then I did months ago that this is the best album of the year. You can really hear the band getting excited in the studio recording these songs. I liked but didn’t LOVE “Return to Cookie Mountain” but really like the fact that “Dear Science” has put a big exclamation point next to TVOTR. The secret is definitely out. Their unique sound and Tunde Adebimpe’s vocals are welded together in a way that produces successful experimentation the way Frank Zappa and Captain Beefheart used to do things. I’m not saying the band sounds like those bands; I’m just saying they aren’t afraid to do something totally different and not easily defined. The delicate “Family Tree” shows the band is not just an indie-electronic-rock hybrid band. “Dancing Choose” is fantastic as the mixture of horns and guitars swirls to perfection. While I’ll admit the band has never impressed me live because venues haven’t quite figured out how to mix their sound well, they have continued to grow as a band with their studio efforts. Best Track - “Red Dress”
Albums that ALMOST made it (really REALLY good, but not my top 10)
The Pretenders – Breaking up the Concrete
M83 – Saturdays = Youth
Jenny Lewis – Acid Tongue
Kings of Leon – Only By the Night
Q-Tip – The Renaissance (this was a REALLY hard decision, Q – if you stumble across this, I’m really really sorry!)
Black Keys – Attack and Release
Wolf Parade – At Mount Zoomer (thanks to our friends at EarFarm for the recommendation!)
Santogold – Santogold
Beck – Modern Guilt
Cloud Cult – No One Said It Would Be Easy
Albums I wasn’t so crazy about that were seriously hyped:
Lil’ Wayne – Tha Carter III
Gnarls Barkley – The Odd Couple
The Roots – Rising Down
Kanye West – 808s and Heartbreaks
Tracy Chapman – Our Bright Future
Complaints and questions as well as comments are welcome!
#10 - R.E.M. – Accelerate
The Athens boys are back! This album from the classic alt/college rockers made me forget about crapfests like “Up” and “Reveal”, and have faith in the band returning to its hi-end rocking found on legendary albums like “Green” and “Life’s Rich Pageant.” They’ve gotten older, but come blasting out in this album with the title track “Living Well is the Best Revenge” as if they’re making a statement to all those who threw them aside as has-beens. From there, the album continues its upward climb, and R.E.M. proves to all their fans that reports of their demise were greatly exaggerated. Best Track – “Horse to Water”
#9 - Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!!
I never listened to Nick Cave aside from that track “Red Right Hand” that was overplayed in the “Scream” movies, but I gave this CD a spin per a great review in Entertainment Weekly. This album has a higher “funky” factor to previous Cave albums. I feel like those who listened to Tom Waits and those who currently listen to The Hold Steady, could find a happy medium listening to this album. Lyrically, he is at the top of his game and he croons through 11 tracks of rock and rolling in one of the more underrated albums of the year. Best Track – “We Call Upon the Author”
#8 - Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend
I want to hate this album. I really do. I don’t like Vampire Weekend personally (I met several members of the band at a bar in NYC a few years ago) as they come off ‘douchey’ to me, but I can’t deny the fact that their album is really good. It’s well put together and fun. Definitely a “less is more” kind of thing. “A-Punk” is much more sophisticated than standard singles from these types of bands. I hear elements of Paul Simon in a lot of the songs and that’s something I never thought I’d say when I sat down to listen to this album. “M79” mixes strings and delicate minimalist piano well enough to create the feeling of full composition in only a few chords. The songs all seem that way - full musical pieces under the guise of pop songs. With the inclusion of African drumming and Talking Heads-esque melodies, each song still walks that fine line between complicated and composition beautifully. Best Track - “One (Blake’s Got a New Face)”
#7 - Portishead – Third
Another disc that I loved from the moment I put it on and immediately emailed my friend Gabe and told him it would be on my list for 2008. It’s been a while since Portishead put out a new album, which is why adapting and tinkering their sound JUST enough to keep the basis (trip-hop, electronic, dark) but still enough to hear the new additions (some psychedelic spinning) without being too overbearing. This album swirls in your head but doesn’t make it hurt. Just sit back and take it all in. Best song – “The Rip”
#6 - The Hold Steady - Stay Positive
I was much more impressed with this album than I was with “Boys and Girls in America.” This is much more along the lines of “Separation Sunday” where they play with high energy from top to bottom. The title track, “Stay Positive” is a real driver as is “Magazines.”. Front man Craig Finn is at his best and appears to have discovered a way to sing a little more versus the standard shouting and melodic talking. The band itself has grown tremendously and gets better each time I hear them. Unlike a lot of albums, the second half of this disc is actually better than the first half. The band shows that they have depth and aren’t just a straight rock gimmick in the mold of the “E Street Band.” Best track - “Joke about Jamaica”
****BONUS REVIEW by TRACY****
My wife wanted to involve herself in the creation of this top 10 list so I let her do a write up on her favorite album of 2008. Please don’t judge me for this. I love her but our musical tastes are VERY different. Consider this the best album of the year if you are a girl aged 13 – 31.
Chris Brown - Exclusive
Chris Brown's Exclusive is the best album of the year. Yes, I love pop. (Over the past several years I have been to the following concerts: Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Shakira, and Mariah Carey...and I have no shame about this.) If you love dancing, you'll love this album. Also, if you are looking for a great album to workout to, this is it. This album is upbeat, fun, and if you've seen any of Chris Brown's videos or MTV performances (where even Justin Timberlake is impressed!) you'll probably want to dance on the treadmill and elliptical machine like I do. Chris Brown is so young - but so talented - I can only imagine where he'll be in 20 years. Best album of the year – by far! Best Track – “Wall to Wall”
Now, on with the top 5….
#5 - Ra Ra Riot – The Rhumb Line
I went to school with these guys (Go Syracuse) and they are absolutely amazing. No one else is doing anything like Ra Ra Riot right now. Their hardship story is well known as the band’s drummer passed away during their tour last year. Rather than pack it up, the band rallied around the memory of their fallen band mate and pushed forward with the same energy level and enormous passion not easily found in today’s rising stars. Not only does the fusion of indie rock and classical music produce amazing musicianship, but the vocals and lyrics are incredible. Very far pressed to find a nicer group of kids too that are more down to earth and haven’t let success get to their head. Best Track – “Winter ‘05”
#4 - My Morning Jacket – Evil Urges
I first saw MMJ in 2004 at Bonnaroo after a recommendation from a college friend. I caught their set in the rain and watched as they did what I hadn’t seen other bands do in a while; just flat out wail. Lead singer Jim James has helped this Kentucky Band reach new heights with the latest effort. Unlike most jam bands that will jam on and never seem to know when to quit, MMJ always seem to know exactly when the right time is to end a song. This album is crafted so perfectly with the combination of heavy guitar and arguably one of the tightest rhythm sections in rock right now. “Highly Suspicious” was stuck in my head for weeks and while I agree with John at Digital Metropolis in that this album contains the worst MMJ song ever (“Sec Walkin”), this album is justifiably at the top of most music blogs and magazines’ lists for 2008. Best Track – “Touch Me I’m Going to Scream Pt 2”
#3 - The Raconteurs - Consolers of the Lonely
Top to bottom this is just an incredible album. Whereas the first album was gimmicky (anything really memorable from it other than “Steady as She Goes”?), this is much more of a straight out classic rock album and a complete effort. The songs are hooky but not poppy. “The Switch and the Spur” gives a new level of sophistication to the band and layers their talents properly. This album is packed with raw energy throughout but produced well so as not to come off too garagey. These are great songs and prove that the band is legit, not just a mini super group/side project. The real gem is “Top Yourself” – which harkens to Led Zeppelin II (which I argue is their best album). Best Track – “Top Yourself”
#2 - Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes
Some people don’t want a band to rock their socks off with loud guitars. They’d rather them do it with pseudo-Renaissance era vocals and a delicate layering of acoustic guitars and drums (with some strings to boot!). That’s what Fleet Foxes did. Recommended to me by Gabe (through the tall man himself, Chris - though originally recommended by Nick so he should get credit), they combine melodic vocals and warm guitar acoustics for a delightful album perfect for a Sunday afternoon (or a Tuesday morning in your office). Much like “Arcade Fire”, there is a lot of sound going on with this band but it’s done in a way that seemingly pulls you into their world. People are going to be talking more about these guys if they haven’t been already. “White Winter Hymnal” sounds like it could work not just now but in the 1950’s as a single while the darker “Tiger Mountain Peasant Song” will perk the ears of Townes Van Zandt fans everywhere. For all of those out there who long for an album that will remind you of Beach Boys’ “Pet Sounds” (arguably the greatest album ever made), Fleet Foxes are for you. These guys are absolutely my band to watch in 2009. My advice to you is to get this disc, lend it to your friends, and make them buy it. Best Track – “Your Protector”
#1 - TV on the Radio – Dear Science
After listening to the first four tracks of this album, I immediately emailed Gabe and told him it was the best album of the year. That was back in September. I feel more confident now then I did months ago that this is the best album of the year. You can really hear the band getting excited in the studio recording these songs. I liked but didn’t LOVE “Return to Cookie Mountain” but really like the fact that “Dear Science” has put a big exclamation point next to TVOTR. The secret is definitely out. Their unique sound and Tunde Adebimpe’s vocals are welded together in a way that produces successful experimentation the way Frank Zappa and Captain Beefheart used to do things. I’m not saying the band sounds like those bands; I’m just saying they aren’t afraid to do something totally different and not easily defined. The delicate “Family Tree” shows the band is not just an indie-electronic-rock hybrid band. “Dancing Choose” is fantastic as the mixture of horns and guitars swirls to perfection. While I’ll admit the band has never impressed me live because venues haven’t quite figured out how to mix their sound well, they have continued to grow as a band with their studio efforts. Best Track - “Red Dress”
Albums that ALMOST made it (really REALLY good, but not my top 10)
The Pretenders – Breaking up the Concrete
M83 – Saturdays = Youth
Jenny Lewis – Acid Tongue
Kings of Leon – Only By the Night
Q-Tip – The Renaissance (this was a REALLY hard decision, Q – if you stumble across this, I’m really really sorry!)
Black Keys – Attack and Release
Wolf Parade – At Mount Zoomer (thanks to our friends at EarFarm for the recommendation!)
Santogold – Santogold
Beck – Modern Guilt
Cloud Cult – No One Said It Would Be Easy
Albums I wasn’t so crazy about that were seriously hyped:
Lil’ Wayne – Tha Carter III
Gnarls Barkley – The Odd Couple
The Roots – Rising Down
Kanye West – 808s and Heartbreaks
Tracy Chapman – Our Bright Future
Complaints and questions as well as comments are welcome!
Saturday, December 13, 2008
I'm ShamWOW'd
I've seen this commercial now about 50 times in the past two weeks. Yeah, I'm up THAT late. I'm enamored both with the perky Ryan Seacrest-looking guy who for whatever reason is wearing a headpiece and the fact that this product seems to soak up everything. I'm wow. No! I'm SHAMWOW'D.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Vote for Lando Calrissian! w/ BILLY DEE WILLIAMS
The race for leader of the Star Wars galaxy heats up with vicious attack ads from Emperor Palpatine.Hands down the funniest thing I've seen all year.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Bank of America to Stop Financing Mountaintop Mining
The Natural Resources Defense Council persuades major bank to stop financing companies that use mountaintop-removal techniques in their mining.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Ghostbusters Video Game Is Going To Be AWESOME
Just was passed this by my buddy Nitz, the game looks incredible. With the real voices too! Evidently, you'll be able to use your wii controller like a proton pack!
Monday, November 17, 2008
Official Star Trek Trailer Released! Geek out!
And now the official "Star Trek" trailer is available at Paramount's website. This is going to be sooo good.
http://www.apple.com/trailers/paramount/startrek/
http://www.apple.com/trailers/paramount/startrek/
New Star Trek Trailer Leaked
Went and saw "Quantum of Solace" yesterday, partially because I'm a big Bond fan and partially because I'm a Star Trek geek and I knew they were showing the new trailer in front of the film. Paramount has been odd about their marketing on this one. They won't be releasing the trailer online until later today, instead choosing to release it in the theatres first. This seems very anti-internet to me, but at any rate, somebody already bootlegged it and posted it here:
http://www.blackvoices.com/blogs/2008/11/16/star-trek-trailer-online/
Check it out. So excited for this movie. There are two movie trailers I've ever seen that have resulted in audience applause at the end. "Star Wars" and "Star Trek". Let's hope this is worth it.
http://www.blackvoices.com/blogs/2008/11/16/star-trek-trailer-online/
Check it out. So excited for this movie. There are two movie trailers I've ever seen that have resulted in audience applause at the end. "Star Wars" and "Star Trek". Let's hope this is worth it.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Nike "Fate" Leave Nothing commercial w/ LT & Polamalu
This is the new Nike commercial that I was raving about yesterday. Not only is it directed by David Fincher (Seven) but it also makes the best use of Ennio Morricone's "Ecstasy of Gold". Absolutely fantastic!
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
The Top 10 Movie Douchebags
A well-placed douchebag character in a movie can really add a nice touch. Not only do they contrast the good qualities and values of the hero, but it’s just kind of fun in general to see a douchebag portrayed well on the silver screen. It’s even more fun to watch a douchebag get his comeuppance and take a heavy fall.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
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