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So it’s been about a year since I filed my corporation Green Gurus, LLC.

Not nearly as much has happened as I had hoped and thought would happen in that time. I sold a few green domain names, did a HD TV consultation for Marion Van Peebles Green House show, started up a solar powered server, and a few other interesting things, but it never got going the way I dreamed it would. This has been due to major considerations (or distractions):

1. Working half the year or more with The Do LaB
2. Preparing for my first baby (which has proven to be way more complicated than I’d ever planned on)

It’s been tough to get the team focused on anything together as they’ve all had their hands in a million other projects too. So much so that at this moment, instead of trying to grow it, I’ve decided to explore the possibility of an outright sale of the company. Hopefully these guys can lend me a hand and help make it happen. If not, I’ll be stuck paying $800 corporate tax every year until I pay off the current and past due taxes. It’s really a bit of a catch 22 and a damn shame.

I just really hope I can find a way to work all this out. And fast!
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Update: I’ve posted in more professional detail as to my plans with this over on GG’s blog.

While this election season has now reached fever-screaming pitch throughout both parties and supporters efforts to convert each other, the collective mess abounds at nearly each and every corner of well, just about anywhere it seems.

I’ve been tracking and considering how all this will wrap up for a few weeks, but in the last few days have really questioned the likelihood of these devoted supporters devoting as much time to clean up as they have to canvassing their neighborhoods.

I for one, think each party’s candidate’s campaign should be held accountable for any residual mess left in their fight to win this presidential race.

Why is California such a unique entity onto itself?

I find myself questioning this near daily lately, as a continuous stream of California references flow by me through the media, politics, business, strangers, and nearly every other corner of life here outside of there.

The other week I was calling into BofA to discuss an account and after giving them my account number was asked what state I had opened it in, the same occurred in person at one of their branches. Then another week I was going to make a payment for my car insurance with Triple A and was given the same spiel about how I had to call a CA-based office to deal with it. So what exactly is it that sets this great state apart? I keep asking myself this over and over.

From dinner parties, to full-blown events, to spontaneous weekend excursions, to full moon desert gatherings there’s a never-ending plethora of stuff to do, and not just on the party tip either. Nearly everyone I know there is also really driven to manifest their dreams, whereas the people here in the east are a lot less focused on this - I would actually say that most are much more complacent, compliant and otherwise accepting of their lot than anyone else I know; it’s really quite boring, uninspiring and depressing.

Much of what sets apart Cali apart is its leadership role and the continued need to push and evolve itself, still slinging some of that wild west/gold rush mentality I guess. Take for instance, the Clean Cars law, which California was the first to pass into legislature (from the Environmental Defense Funds site):

“In 2002, California passed the nation’s first law to cut global warming pollution from tailpipes. California is the only state that can set its own air pollution standards, though other states may follow once it has done so.”

Upon further investigation into this separate state of being, I see (via Wikipedia) that through State Law, California is joined only by New York and Texas in operating with:

“separate subject-specific codes, while all other states and the federal government use a single code divided into numbered titles.”

I’m sure that Cali also plays a major role in its ability to hang tough on its own, leading the rest of the country as it does so often, through the sheer size of its economy. So much so that it’s been discussed as becoming its own, independent nation:

“The economy of California is often cited for how it would compare to other countries if California was an independent nation.”
“According to The World Factbook published by the CIA, if California were an independent state, it would have had the tenth largest economy in the world in 2007.”

Of the few times I’ve left CA since moving there in March of 2002, this last has been the most educational, since I’m now living back in my home state of PA. I’m actually deep in McCain country really and it’s quite surreal to drive down the country roads with their barrage of propaganda (I might see one Obama banner for every 7-8 of his).

I was really excited to return here to have my first baby which in some ways, ironically I guess, goes against my love and admiration of CA. I really wanted him to enter the world where my roots first sprouted. But I have a feeling it may not keep us here for long; CA is too rich a land to abstain for ever very long…

Seems everyone’s discussing the morality rate of (startup) business and employment these days…

So lately I’ve been reading a lot about the startup industry and how its effected in tough, economical times. Some of what I’ve been reading discusses the basic need for preparation, like this upcoming event in NY, hosted by nextNYdigital, called: Going to the Mattresses: Weathering Uncertain Times at a Startup and Jason Calacanis’ “Startup Depression“. While others, like Paul Graham, suggest this: Why To Start A Startup In A Bad Economy. Others still suggest this as a prime time to develop your own personal brand and blog, through something Max Gladwell calls “Resume 2.0″.

And that’s exactly what I’m working on, with a green hosting and data storage company (or companies, still haven’t decided if the two services should run separately). Some of my efforts began initially, last spring but have gotten side-tracked several times since working on other people’s startups. All this talk though and an unseen need that’s been driving me to finally produce my own, seems to be aligning with the times.

I’m hopeful but not delusional about my efforts for success, but with so many of my old friends and partners succeeding around me, I feel just a wee bit inspired.

If nothing less, I can get some great tips along the way from these upperclassmen.

The Do LaB’s annual Lightning In A Bottle is coming up fast.

This year’s website has just been launched and tickets are already on sale. Stop on by the site and check out everything in store.

It’s going to be an amazing event! And I’m not saying that cause I’ve worked on it since day one, this event has really matured into something wonderful.

I recently made my support of Ron Paul official by submitting my endorsement of him and his campaign.

Yesterday it was posted to the business category and today one of my Google Alerts notified me of its addition there.

This got me to thinking about when I actually first came to hear of him, which I honestly don’t recall: either late 2006 sometime or early 2007. The surest I can be however, for an exact date, would have been from when I read Adam Wiggins’ post about Ron Paul For President. As a trusted friend and business partner (and me a voter newbie), I quickly took head of his comments there and started looking into Dr. Paul’s platform, views and yes, Web 2.0 presence.

Anyway, needless to say I was duly impressed with much of what he stands for. And as noted previously, don’t agree with all his views, but do truly believe he’s the best suited for the role of president in the 2008, United States presidential election.

And while some people would argue that he’s not been focused enough on our nations sustainability, I’d now have to disagree.

As this was one of my previous issues, I contemplated for quite awhile as to whether I could in good conscience, vote for him in light of my continued immersion into sustainability. And obviously the answer is yes but as to the why, let me explain.

First of all, his unshakable view on a limited government should be a no-brainer.

From what I understand and can tell, the innumerable corporate lobbyists in and around Capitol Hill are largely to blame for most of what’s occurred over the last, oh I don’t know…nearly the last century in policy-making/editing/hacking to suit their manufacturing, outsourcing and a slew of other needs that have undermined much of the little good that’s been done to protect the environment.

So it seems like a great step in the right direction to minimize the federal government’s control, thereby allowing the state governments to forge ahead with the demands they’ve placed on them (fed gov), to initiate stricter car emissions and other guidelines for the various manufacturing industries.

Not only that but a return to sound, fiscal responsibility is very much representative of sustainability: conservative spending, deficit reduction, troop withdrawals, limited international military maneuvers/bases/etc., and so much more that will initiate a top-to-bottom reduction of consumption that spans energy use (water, power, fuel, etc.), to a major transportation reduction (further reducing emissions), to reduced product consumption: office supplies, electronics, food, related entertainment, etc., and all the related packaging.

A sustainable future is not just about driving a hybrid, recycling and wearing the latest eco-fashions, but a complete and total rethinking/rebranding/renewing of thought within and throughout our society, again from top-to-bottom. Every corner of this nation, every nook-and-cranny, every little crucial minutia of our life cycle’s must be rethought and retooled.

Ron Paul may not have (yet) won an Oscar or thrown a green festival, but he has served longer than most, for a set of beliefs founded at a time of true sustainability and simplicity, where men and women knew how to live with less.

Just finished a paper with a topic on biomimicry for a sustainable future.

Why am I writing a paper on such a topic? And for that matter, why am I writing a paper at all, you might ask. Well why not? Even if I wasn’t back in school for the first time in over ten years, as a student at SMC, I think it still good practice for us all to exercise our minds in such a manner.

One of my classes is an introduction to programming, which spans a pretty wide range of computing elements, and quite frankly, has proven to be my hardest class…damned math. Anyway, we’re nearing the end of the semester quite quickly now with only a week and a half to go. Thankfully the professor offered up some bonus points with this optional project, in which we could select a topic of our choosing and write a 5-page minimum paper about it.

I’ve decided to post my first draft here in hopes of some critical feedback, I’d like to revisit it once the class is over and really run with it. I think it’s probably a little bit too general, short and well frankly…poorly researched; I should know since I only put about 10-hours or so all told, into researching and writing it.

Anyway, would love to get some feedback on it as I think it’s worth pursuing further. Also, as there were few real quality sources to draw from, I may have recycled too much from them at times. So, if anyone agrees with this and feels it’s too close to really consider viable content, please let me know immediately.

Worth taking the time to watch if you’re interested in biotechnology, biomimicry, sustainable design, etc: