Yesh.com :: Brian Russell » North Carolina http://www.yesh.com/blog Artist, Technologist, Entrepreneur, Dad Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:51:31 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Handmade small batch products rock! http://www.yesh.com/blog/2010/09/09/hand-made-small-batch-products-rock/ http://www.yesh.com/blog/2010/09/09/hand-made-small-batch-products-rock/#comments Thu, 09 Sep 2010 20:21:16 +0000 BrianR http://www.yesh.com/blog/?p=711 A few weeks ago I saw a awesome video about Raleigh Denim. They’re a small company in Raleigh, NC who makes high quality jeans. Even though I haven’t tried on their product, yet, I’m sold. Maybe it was the story telling craft of the short documentary. But it’s also my love of products that [...]]]> A few weeks ago I saw a awesome video about Raleigh Denim. They’re a small company in Raleigh, NC who makes high quality jeans. Even though I haven’t tried on their product, yet, I’m sold. Maybe it was the story telling craft of the short documentary. But it’s also my love of products that are handmade and done in small batches.

Of course there are many other factors that sell you on something. But as a social entrepreneur I’m enthralled with a return to quality. Globalization and greed has destroyed the viable economics of making small batch products. North Carolina is one of the hardest hit States in the US in this regard. Our furniture and fiber arts are now a fraction of the state economy it once was. The effect is a loss of thousands of jobs. A serious problem for many many people.

My mother’s father Lester was a huge influence on me. Not just because of his kindness but because of his craftsmanship. He worked most of his adult life making furniture. While he was a manufacturer he had pride in craft.

Granddad helped me learn to love making things. It didn’t hurt he gave me all kinds of tools and showed me how to use them. I expect its because of him I love things like Raleigh Denim. Its fascinating how people, long after their death, can have profound effects on their children. I wonder what lasting effects I will have on my son?

Raleigh Denim isn’t the only example. Here’s a video about Oxxford Clothes, who claim to be, the last hand crafted suit tailor in the United States.

As I work to create new businesses with awesome products and services I will remember these companies. May all the things I sell be as special.

]]> http://www.yesh.com/blog/2010/09/09/hand-made-small-batch-products-rock/feed/ 0 Christiania of the Carolinas http://www.yesh.com/blog/2010/06/07/christiania-of-the-carolinas/ http://www.yesh.com/blog/2010/06/07/christiania-of-the-carolinas/#comments Mon, 07 Jun 2010 22:53:11 +0000 BrianR http://www.yesh.com/blog/?p=689 For a few decades now people have been calling Carrboro, NC the “Paris of the Piedmont“. I won’t go into its origins here. Some folks are pretty fed up with the phrase. We never like being pigeonholed it seems.

Here I offer a new phrase to replace the old. One a bit more [...]]]> For a few decades now people have been calling Carrboro, NC the “Paris of the Piedmont“. I won’t go into its origins here. Some folks are pretty fed up with the phrase. We never like being pigeonholed it seems.

Here I offer a new phrase to replace the old. One a bit more obscure.

“The Christiania of the Carolinas”

Learn more about our new namesake here and here.

Christiania, also known as Freetown Christiania (Danish: Fristaden Christiania) is a self-proclaimed autonomous neighbourhood of about 850 residents, covering 34 hectares (85 acres) in the borough of Christianshavn in the Danish capital Copenhagen. From an official point of view, Christiania is regarded as a large commune, but its relation to the authorities has a unique status in being regulated by a special law, the Christiania Law of 1989 which transfers parts of the supervision of the area from the municipality of Copenhagen to the state.

]]> http://www.yesh.com/blog/2010/06/07/christiania-of-the-carolinas/feed/ 0 Local Business, Google & Chapel Hill http://www.yesh.com/blog/2010/05/26/local-business-google-chapel-hill/ http://www.yesh.com/blog/2010/05/26/local-business-google-chapel-hill/#comments Wed, 26 May 2010 20:33:41 +0000 BrianR http://www.yesh.com/blog/?p=681

Here’s video of the Google press conference in Chapel Hill that occurred May 25. Thanks to the folks at RTP for capturing this. AGAIN they provided more detailed coverage than the local media.

He’s the link to the Google Economic Impact info. This is the PDF of data for North Carolina.

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Here’s video of the Google press conference in Chapel Hill that occurred May 25. Thanks to the folks at RTP for capturing this. AGAIN they provided more detailed coverage than the local media.

He’s the link to the Google Economic Impact info. This is the PDF of data for North Carolina.

]]> http://www.yesh.com/blog/2010/05/26/local-business-google-chapel-hill/feed/ 0 Coworking in North Carolina http://www.yesh.com/blog/2009/06/26/coworking-in-north-carolina/ http://www.yesh.com/blog/2009/06/26/coworking-in-north-carolina/#comments Fri, 26 Jun 2009 21:56:45 +0000 BrianR http://www.yesh.com/blog/?p=572 One of the biggest reasons this blog has been dormant recently is my work on Carrboro Creative Coworking. You can help workers and entrepreneurs all over the Triangle by filling out this form. Help make more coworking spaces happen. Thanks!

Survey over and form is closed.

]]> One of the biggest reasons this blog has been dormant recently is my work on Carrboro Creative Coworking. You can help workers and entrepreneurs all over the Triangle by filling out this form. Help make more coworking spaces happen. Thanks!

Survey over and form is closed.

]]> http://www.yesh.com/blog/2009/06/26/coworking-in-north-carolina/feed/ 0 Exposing the lies of Telco shills http://www.yesh.com/blog/2009/01/19/exposing-the-lies-of-telco-shills/ http://www.yesh.com/blog/2009/01/19/exposing-the-lies-of-telco-shills/#comments Mon, 19 Jan 2009 21:50:30 +0000 BrianR http://www.yesh.com/b2/?p=549 Check out this blog post by Fiona Morgan picking apart a “technical report” by the John Locke Foundation.

John Locke Foundation’s tech analysis: Epic fail

Some choice bits:

In a report bashing a city-owned broadband utility, the conservative John Locke Foundation reveals a stunning level of ignorance about technology.

“Wilson’s Fiber-Optic Boondoggle,” [...]]]> Check out this blog post by Fiona Morgan picking apart a “technical report” by the John Locke Foundation.

John Locke Foundation’s tech analysis: Epic fail

Some choice bits:

In a report bashing a city-owned broadband utility, the conservative John Locke Foundation reveals a stunning level of ignorance about technology.

“Wilson’s Fiber-Optic Boondoggle,” written by research director Michael Sanera and intern Katie Bethune, criticizes Wilson, N.C.’s $28 million investment in a fiber-optic network that makes high-speed Internet, cable TV and phone service to every resident and business in the city. The utility project, called Greenlight, is funded by bonds which under the city’s business plan are expected to be repaid through subscription revenue.

JLF leads with the critique that the technology “could be obsolete before it’s paid for.”

Come again?

“WiMax wireless Internet technology is rapidly leapfrogging fiber-optic cable technology, making it obsolete.”

To anyone who actually follows Internet technology, that statement is a howler.

Fiber is far and away the most advanced technology available for connecting to the Internet. It offers effectively unlimited capacity and speed. WiMax is the next generation of wireless technology, reaching further and moving data faster than the WiFi most of us use now — but nowhere near as fast as fiber. And every wireless system has to connect up to some kind of backbone. WiMax works best if connected to a fiber network.

]]> http://www.yesh.com/blog/2009/01/19/exposing-the-lies-of-telco-shills/feed/ 0 Carrboro Coworking is moving along http://www.yesh.com/blog/2008/08/21/carrboro-coworking-is-moving-along/ http://www.yesh.com/blog/2008/08/21/carrboro-coworking-is-moving-along/#comments Thu, 21 Aug 2008 18:30:44 +0000 BrianR http://www.yesh.com/b2/?p=540 Yesterday I signed a lease for office space in downtown Carrboro! After almost two years of work its FINALLY starting to happen. But this is only the beginning. So much more to do before we open. So much to do to run the space.

Last night I shared with friends and supporters the news.

[...]]]> Yesterday I signed a lease for office space in downtown Carrboro! After almost two years of work its FINALLY starting to happen. But this is only the beginning. So much more to do before we open. So much to do to run the space.

Last night I shared with friends and supporters the news.

Via Twitter
I signed a commercial office lease today for @carrborocowork WOOT!

Via the Carrboro Coworking Google Group and Facebook

Right now I’m sending my PR release to as many media folks as I can. Please forward this to people you know. CARRBORO CREATIVE COWORKING SIGNS THE DOTTED LINE PDF

To top it off I recorded a video last night. Its the first one in a series that will document the journey to create a coworking space. Should be a interesting roller coaster.

Please consider purchasing a seat, desk, or office at Carrboro Coworking now. I desperately need to pre-sell as many as I can. Contact me for more information. Lots of info on the biz website.

]]> http://www.yesh.com/blog/2008/08/21/carrboro-coworking-is-moving-along/feed/ 0 A Tour of BBQ http://www.yesh.com/blog/2008/08/06/a-tour-of-bbq/ http://www.yesh.com/blog/2008/08/06/a-tour-of-bbq/#comments Wed, 06 Aug 2008 22:10:22 +0000 BrianR http://www.yesh.com/b2/?p=538 Brother and Sister Meat lovers! Dig this educational video by Rhet and Link!

Thanks to Paul Jones, Dave Menconi, and most likely countless others for sharing this meat meme. For the record I love North Carolina style BBQ and prefer hushpuppies and local beer with it. When that’s not around, dry [...]]]> Brother and Sister Meat lovers! Dig this educational video by Rhet and Link!

Thanks to Paul Jones, Dave Menconi, and most likely countless others for sharing this meat meme. For the record I love North Carolina style BBQ and prefer hushpuppies and local beer with it. When that’s not around, dry county for example, I’ll take CheerWine.

]]> http://www.yesh.com/blog/2008/08/06/a-tour-of-bbq/feed/ 0 Green Business in Orange County http://www.yesh.com/blog/2008/08/01/green-business-in-orange-county/ http://www.yesh.com/blog/2008/08/01/green-business-in-orange-county/#comments Fri, 01 Aug 2008 14:50:14 +0000 BrianR http://www.yesh.com/b2/?p=537 I’ve just added a few posts to this blog about Green Business. I’m espcially interested in seeing it grow in Orange County, North Carolina. (That includes Chapel Hill and Carrboro.) So you’ll see on the top right of this blog a link to all the posts in the Green Business category. I hope this [...]]]> I’ve just added a few posts to this blog about Green Business. I’m espcially interested in seeing it grow in Orange County, North Carolina. (That includes Chapel Hill and Carrboro.) So you’ll see on the top right of this blog a link to all the posts in the Green Business category. I hope this becomes a resource for others.

I define Green Business as socially and environmentally sustainable economic activity. Wikipedia defines Sustainable Business as:

A business is sustainable if it has adapted its practices for the use of renewable resources and holds itself accountable for the environmental and human rights impacts of its activities. This includes businesses that operate in a socially responsible manner and protect the environment.

I’m really just learning about this and trying to fit my business into this mold as much as I can.

]]> http://www.yesh.com/blog/2008/08/01/green-business-in-orange-county/feed/ 0 Is Orange County ready for Renewable Energy? http://www.yesh.com/blog/2008/08/01/is-orange-county-ready-for-renewable-energy/ http://www.yesh.com/blog/2008/08/01/is-orange-county-ready-for-renewable-energy/#comments Fri, 01 Aug 2008 14:39:51 +0000 BrianR http://www.yesh.com/b2/?p=536 Al Gore calls for “100 percent of our electricity from renewable energy and truly clean carbon-free sources within 10 years.” What are our local governments doing to take this challenge and make it a reality locally?

This was originally a comment on a thread at OrangePolitics.org.

]]> Al Gore calls for “100 percent of our electricity from renewable energy and truly clean carbon-free sources within 10 years.” What are our local governments doing to take this challenge and make it a reality locally?

This was originally a comment on a thread at OrangePolitics.org.

]]> http://www.yesh.com/blog/2008/08/01/is-orange-county-ready-for-renewable-energy/feed/ 0 Create Green-Collar Jobs in Orange County http://www.yesh.com/blog/2008/08/01/create-green-collar-jobs-in-orange-county/ http://www.yesh.com/blog/2008/08/01/create-green-collar-jobs-in-orange-county/#comments Fri, 01 Aug 2008 14:34:11 +0000 BrianR http://www.yesh.com/b2/?p=535 A few weeks ago I had the privilege of seeing Van Jones speak. He co-founded the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights and is founder and president of Green For All. He spoke convincingly of a future of increased equality and how one of the roads to this future is green [...]]]> A few weeks ago I had the privilege of seeing Van Jones speak. He co-founded the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights and is founder and president of Green For All. He spoke convincingly of a future of increased equality and how one of the roads to this future is green jobs. Green-collar jobs are employment in the environmental or agricultural sectors of the economy. [Source: Wikipedia] But they also include any work that will help transform our society into a more environmentally sustainable one.

One way our local government leaders could participate in this national movement is to sign the Green Jobs Pledge. Its goal is to "rebuild American competitiveness and environmental leadership by growing a green economy that fights global warming, pollution and poverty at the same time." Here are the five steps this pledge asks our leaders to agree to:

  1. Commit to Action
  2. Create a Green-collar Jobs Taskforce
  3. Identify Goals and Assess Opportunities
  4. Create a Local Action Plan
  5. Evaluate, Leverage and Grow

So far the the U.S. Conference of Mayors has agreed with Green For All that this pledge is good idea. Mayor Martin Chávez of Albuquerque, New Mexico and County Executive Ron Sims of King County, Washington have put there name on it. You can download the Green Jobs Pledge Packet here. [PDF]

Let’s discuss ways we can build a green economy from the ground up, and see if we can get our elected officials to take the pledge.

This post was first published on OrangePolitics.org.

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