To earn my vote

June 3, 2010

The Maine gubernatorial primary is coming up next week, and there’s been a lot of debate between the candidates on a host of issues. Here’s what it will take for one to earn my vote. Where possible, I’ve tried to include the candidates’ positions on the issues.

  1. I won’t vote for you if you don’t support gay marriage.
    The Democratic candidates have all supported gay marriage; Peter Mills is the only Republican candidate who does the same. It should be noted, though, that Jacobson has gone on record saying that the establishment of marriage should be kept in churches for both heterosexual and homosexual couples, and that the law should only use civil unions for both. I’d support this, too, although I’d think it’d be a much less popular view among voters.
  2. I won’t vote for you if you think creationism should be taught alongside science.
    Science class should be used to teach scientific principles like evolution. I’m open to the option, as Jacobson has said on multiple occasions, to “teach creationism in philosophy class,” but I believe it’s best left to individual religions to teach. Among the Republicans, Mills, Abbott, and Otten think they should be separate.
  3. I’m less likely to vote for you if you support nuclear power.
    Yes, I know the technology has come a long way. But we’re not there yet. Though I still have reservations about safety, my major concern is disposal; we need a solid plan for technology adoption and waste storage before we pursue new development. Most of the Dems oppose it, but Scarcelli is “open” to the idea. The Republicans all support it at some level.
  4. I’m much less likely to vote for you if you support offshore drilling.
    Forget you’ve even heard the name Deepwater Horizon; offshore drilling is just a stupid idea. Does exposing and collecting a toxic substance in the same region as a rich fishery really make sense to anyone? No. Oil and water don’t mix. I have to hand it to Beardsley, LePage, Otten, and Poliquin for sticking by their support of it through the tragedy, but it’s still a stupid position.
  5. I’m more likely to vote for you if you support biomass or offshore wind.
    McGowan has really been pushing for biomass, and I think that’s something to watch. The Democrats (surprise, surprise) seem to unanimously support renewable energy. The Republicans are a little less enthusiastic about renewables, but some (including Otten) support it.
  6. I’m much less likely to vote for you if you think there should be an abortion ban in law.
    I don’t particularly mind if a candidate personally opposes abortion; I just don’t think it’s the government’s place to regulate it. The Democrats all agree with this, as do Mills and Otten.
  7. I won’t vote for you if you don’t use Twitter.
    I know it seems petty, but honestly, if a candidate (or someone on his staff) doesn’t use Twitter, I don’t think they have a good grasp of current technology, and technology is crucially important to Maine’s future. Luckily, all of the major party candidates have Twitter accounts. (Bonus points go to candidates who have a plan to expand broadband access around Maine.)

MPBN’s Your Vote 2010 is a great resource for finding information about the candidates. Try to find a candidate who matches your priorities.

The 2010 JustinRussell.com Acadia Visitors Guide

June 1, 2010

Now that the tourism season has arrived once again, Acadia National Park has started to awaken with visitors from around the world. As a public service to the readers of JustinRussell.com, I thought it would be helpful to provide a guide to the types of people you may see in the park. See how many you can spot!

Rangers

Rangers, though one of the most recognizable classes of people, are sometimes hardest to spot. Dressed in clean, slightly olive gray outfits, these officials patrol the park to make sure everything runs smoothly. They’ll also occasionally station themselves at popular spots on busy weekends to assist other visitors in the park.

Bikers

Bikers, with their easy-to-spot bright tops and black bike shorts, often keep to the Carriage Roads, but they may also be spotted along the Park Loop Road or the state and town roads within the park. Popular entry spots include the Carriage Road crossing at Eagle Lake and the Park Loop Road stop at Bubble Pond.

Hikers

If you see someone in an earth tone or white t-shirt, rolled up cargo pants, and a hat donning a large, full backpack, congratulations! You’ve spotted the Hiker. These folks spread out evenly around the park’s dozens of miles of hiking trails and Carriage Roads. You’ll often see them sipping out of a bottle of Poland Spring water. 

Photographers

The most elusive class of Acadia visitor, you may see a Photographer stationed at an odd angle just off a trail or road while holding a digital SLR camera in their hand and wearing some sort of bag or backpack. They may appear to be standing in a spot looking aimlessly around Acadia’s dense forests, but they’re probably just waiting for you to pass so they can get a shot of the “real” Acadia, untouched by humans. This process may take hours.

Daytrippers

You may see the Daytripper wearing casual, everyday clothing while exploring spots not too far from main roads in the park. You’ll often see them climbing out of vehicles with a chickadee or loon license plate or with an Acadia annual pass sticker affixed to the windshield. A Golden or Labrador Retriever may follow.

Tourists

If you visit Thunder Hole, Sand Beach, or the Jordan Pond House, you’ll likely see a large portion of people wearing light shirts, large sunglasses, and garish hats. These are Tourists, and they provide a significant portion of Maine’s revenue. They often congregate around popular spots taking snapshots with small point-and-shoot cameras. They also frequent the hotels, bed-and-breakfasts, restaurants, and shops around Mount Desert Island, sometimes pushing children in strollers (or attempting to control them while running around). The telltale sign of the Tourist: a long-sleeve shirt or sweater in the middle of July or August. Seventy or eighty degrees is cold, after all.

Cruisers

A storm is brewing in downtown Bar Harbor. On a calm Maine morning, you hear a rumble on the water and spot a ship the size of a city in Frenchman Bay moving toward the shore. While it idles, small sentry crafts emerge from its towering decks and send hundreds of loud visitors to flood downtown with bright polka-dot shirts and hats with an absence of style that makes the Tourist’s headwear look like it came straight from Milan or Paris. The Cruiser saunters around the narrow sidewalks of the town at a snail’s pace with little or no awareness of others around him, not venturing any farther in the park than the downtown shops or a scheduled bus excursion to the top of Cadillac Mountain. Bikers, Hikers, Photographers, and Daytrippers go out of their way to avoid this group at all costs and silently cheer when the ship turns around and heads back into the Gulf of Maine.

Keep in mind that this post is written in good humor and that all visitors to Acadia contribute to the economy and help with awareness of the park. It should be noted, though, that as I sit here overlooking Jordan Pond at the one spot in the park where the types above intersect the most, stereotypes are sometimes frighteningly accurate. 

The sport of politics

May 31, 2010

Today was Memorial Day here in the United States, one of our most patriotic holidays of the year. It also falls a week and a day before our primary election day in Maine.

I’ve been reading a lot about the candidates up for election next week around the web, and as it does every election cycle, the rhetoric being used really concerns me. Politics is a competitive game, and it’s reasonable to assume that discussion and arguments between candidates will grow heated as the election nears.

But there’s a point at which it needs to stop. I’ve read a number of comments from Democrats accusing the Tea Partiers of trying to “destroy America.” I’ve heard Tea Partiers say the same of Obama. Just stop. Please.

Politics isn’t baseball1; we’re all trying to make the best country we can. Sure, we have differences in how we believe that should be done, but the end goal is the same. We all want what’s best for the people who live in America.

I don’t normally consider myself to be an overly patriotic person, but I do feel extremely lucky to live in such a great country. As you talk about politics, and as you discuss candidates up for election, remember what our veterans have fought to maintain. America is a place where we’re free to have discussion and disagreement, but we’re also all working to build the best country we can. America is an experiment, but it’s undoubtedly a great one.

1. I don’t enjoy most professional sports for this same reason. When I watch the Red Sox and the Yankees play, I don’t see two teams and fan bases who hate each other; I see a couple dozen people who have spent their lives becoming the best at what they do. Honestly, I’d much rather watch a lower-key college game. I think they’re a lot more fun.

An exploration of passion

May 21, 2010

Five years ago this month, I walked across the floor of Alfond Arena in Orono and was presented a blue folio. To them, it was a “congratulations!” To a lot of us, it was “what now?”

I’ve been thinking about that lately. I still don’t feel like I have any kind of definite plan about where I want my life to head over the next years or decades, even though I feel as though I should by this point.

In a lot of ways I really don’t feel as though I’ve changed much since my graduation. Assignments from teachers have changed to assignments from clients. Final exams have changed to final revisions. But many of the same questions I asked myself in 2005 are the same questions I ask today.

I have realized over that time that I’m a very passionate person, even if I haven’t had the outlet to fully express that passion. That’s where it gets complicated.

Followed passion

When I happen to find some free time, I usually head to YouTube or to blogs. I’m inspired by people who follow their passions, whatever they may be. I end up sending messages to a lot of random people just to ask how they became interested in whatever they do and to provide just a little bit of encouragement. (I’ve found that it’s really tempting to give up a passion if you feel you’re not supported.) Over the past few years, I’ve been lucky enough to develop some really great friendships this way, learn how to make payroll process run smoothly.

I’m also fortunate enough to have friends – both online and in person – who are really good at what they do. One quit her day job in order to become a photographer. One’s turned a dance hobby into a successful life of instruction. And I often hear how surprised they are by the level of improvement or ability that they’ve been able to reach.

They all inspire me. And honestly, I’m jealous of them.

The crowded parking lot

My brain’s a parking lot. It was my favorite metaphor while I was growing up; I can only hold so many “cars” (pieces of information or things that capture attention) at once, and if I want to focus on something new, something else has to leave.

Since I was very young, I’ve just had too many cars: too many interests. Around the same time as the parking lot metaphor, I’d set up fake little businesses around my house: a library, a post office, a restaurant, and even a mini-golf course. My parents would order business cards for each of them, and over the years I developed a pretty strong collection of them. At one point I think I had cards for seven or eight different ventures.

You never had to tell me not to put all of my eggs in one basket.

Dream jobs

If I had to choose a fourth question I most frequently ask, it would probably be one that’s pretty simple for a lot of people to answer: “what’s your dream job?”

I’ve never had one. Part of my frustration with passion is that I’ve never been able to figure out my vision of an ideal job.

I really do enjoy web development, and I’m pretty talented in that role. But would I consider it a dream job? I don’t think I would. A lot of people assume that I’d be a full-time photographer if I had the chance, but that’s not the case; I think it would spoil my love of the art if I always had to shoot how other people wanted me to shoot. I’m fortunate enough to have some level of control over the photography I do now.

At this point at my life, I just haven’t been able to pin down what my idea of a dream job would be. But I have been able to figure out a couple of threads that run throughout the things I enjoy doing.

Jobs creation

You might notice I mention Steve Jobs pretty often. That’s because he has two traits I truly respect: perfectionism and a desire to make things better.

Ah, perfectionism. It’s a mixed blessing. I’ve been a perfectionist since… well, probably before I made dioramas of Pompeii and the Great Plains for projects in fourth grade. I don’t like doing anything I can’t do well, and I always try to push my skills whenever I tackle a new project.

Perfectionism has a downside, though: more often than not, it doesn’t work very well in team settings. There have always been horror stories of Apple employees failing to achieve Steve Jobs’s vision or expectations and paying dearly for their failure. But it happens in everyday work, too; I’m often not able to be the perfectionist I want to be in web development, for example, because of time constraints or because I want my co-workers to continue to believe that I’m not a complete jerk. It’s unfortunate and frustrating, but it’s just one of the concessions necessary when working at a service-based company.

The desire to do the best possible work often goes hand-in-hand with the desire to make things better. I love doing what I can to try. RateMyPage – my first real web app – was an attempt to make a better feedback system for web designers. DatAvenger is my/our attempt at creating an easier and better way to manage a site. The projects I’ve been helping to design lately also try to improve systems that already exist but could be better.

The road ahead

Five years after my college graduation, I’m at a point where I think I should really do all I can to figure out what’s important to me and what I can do to improve it. The process will take some time, but I want to be open about what’s on my mind so that I have a record of where I’ve been. Maybe you’ll have some ideas for next steps I can take.

You may notice that I’ll be talking more about passion in the future. I think it’s an extremely important topic, and it’s been on my mind a lot. We’re fortunate enough to live in a time where we can do more than we’ve ever been able to do in the past, and I think we should do all we can do embrace that opportunity.

Now I just need to figure out what I want to do.

Nothing left for me to do but dance

May 8, 2010

Remember back when I mentioned my favorite traditions a couple years ago? One of them has always been the dance concerts at the University of Maine. This semester’s show was held last weekend, and it was a special one: it was the final performance by a number of my favorite (now graduating) dancers.

It’s amazing how connected you can feel to people you personally don’t know very well. My first dance concert was back when I was in college, and since then I’ve watched student performers grow as their performance styles mature. Quite honestly, the last piece of the night was one of the most emotional works I’d ever seen performed in person. UMaine has incredibly talented dancers.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that I brought my camera to both of the performances. I love the diversity of the styles, and each of the thirteen pieces was top-notch.

University of Maine 2010 Spring Dance Concert

University of Maine 2010 Spring Dance Concert

University of Maine 2010 Spring Dance Concert

University of Maine 2010 Spring Dance Concert

University of Maine 2010 Spring Dance Concert

University of Maine 2010 Spring Dance Concert

University of Maine 2010 Spring Dance Concert

I can’t wait to see what’s next!

Talk radio and primary sources

May 3, 2010

On my drive to work this morning, I happened to tune my radio to WERU, a community radio station in our area. I typically regard it as one of the more mature, intelligent stations in the area. Unfortunately, Jim Hightower’s commentary this morning didn’t uphold that reputation. The opinion piece the station aired about Arizona’s new immigration law was, I’m sorry to say, a completely biased, one-sided look at the legislation. It angered me. I’m used to hearing drivel on television and the radio, but it’s almost always of an opposing viewpoint from my own. The piece this morning made no attempt to address the state of Arizona’s rationale behind the law, and I was ashamed that a station like WERU would air such garbage. (And now I know why I don’t listen to the station more often.)

I don’t agree with the Arizona law. I wouldn’t be surprised if parts of it are found unconstitutional in the future. But the piece this morning reminded me that a lot of the news we hear today is a second- or third-hand report; instead of interpreting the law and the world around us ourselves, we’re interpreting an interpretation. The quality of this information relay degrades significantly with every step.

Almost every issue in the world has two sides. Instead of taking the word of the radio program this morning, I read the Arizona immigration law for myself. It’s a short read, and it’s an important piece of legislation that will ultimately affect how we view immigration and civil liberties in America. It took about ten minutes for me to read, and even though I don’t agree with it, I felt better.

If you hear someone say a position on an issue is absolutely right or absolutely wrong, never accept their opinion at face value. Find out why it was done and decide for yourself what to think. The issues of the world aren’t black and white.

It’s that

April 24, 2010

It’s that gentle rhythm of the waves as they meet the rocks along the shore. It’s that smell that fills the air as the blue sea comes into view on the horizon. It’s that lone laugh you hear from a pair of hikers on the other side of a shimmering lake. It’s that involuntary pause before you place your heel down on a pebble path, hesitant to break the silence that surrounds you in this moment.

It’s that nothing, and everything.

Hello, Acadia. It’s nice to see you again.

2010 Kenduskeag Stream Canoe Race

April 17, 2010

I once again headed down to the Kenduskeag Stream in Bangor to watch the annual canoe race. As always, I took my camera along with me. Here are some of my favorite shots.

Kenduskeag Stream Canoe Race

Kenduskeag Stream Canoe Race

Kenduskeag Stream Canoe Race

Kenduskeag Stream Canoe Race

Kenduskeag Stream Canoe Race

Kenduskeag Stream Canoe Race

Kenduskeag Stream Canoe Race

Kenduskeag Stream Canoe Race Kenduskeag Stream Canoe Race

Want more? Check out my Kenduskeag Stream Canoe Race set at Flickr. It has 74 of my favorite shots from the day. You can also view a slideshow of the images.

Comparison of transportation rates from Bangor to Boston

April 13, 2010

Every once in a while I’ll take a day trip to Boston. We’re lucky to have a few ways to travel from Maine: driving, riding on the Concord Coach Lines bus route, and taking the Amtrak Downeaster line from Portland. I decided to do a little research to see how the fares for each mode of travel compared.

UPDATE: I’ve updated the rates below to reflect those as of August 2, 2010. This is the best information I could find; please consult the Concord Coach Lines, Amtrak Downeaster, and parking sites for official fares and information. And, of course, these are estimates. Please see below the table for notes, and please let me know if you spot any errors.

UPDATE 2: Thanks to Susan for pointing out that these rates are for round-trip in the comments. Should’ve made that clearer.

For a day trip:

Car
(30 MPG)		 Tolls Bus/Train
(per person)		 Parking TOTAL
Drive from Bangor to Boston ~44.00 11.00 – 5.50 ~60.50
Drive to Portland, bus to South Station ~24.00 2.00 32.00 3.00 ~61.00
Drive to Portland, train to North Station ~24.00 2.00 39.00 3.00 ~68.00
Drive to Augusta, bus to South Station ~14.00 – 58.00 – ~72.00
Drive to Augusta, bus to Portland, train to South Station ~14.00 – 66.00 – ~80.00
Bus to Portland, train to South Station – – 83.00 – 83.00
Bus from Bangor to South Station – – 71.00 – 71.00

How about if you want to stay for more than one day?

Car
(30 MPG)		 Tolls Bus/Train
(per person)		 Parking TOTAL
Drive from Bangor to Boston ~44.00 11.00 – 5.50
+ 5.50/day		 ~60.50
+ 5.50/day
Drive to Portland, bus to South Station ~24.00 2.00 36.00 3.00
+ 3.00/day		 ~65.00
+3.00/day
Drive to Portland, train to North Station ~24.00 2.00 48.00 3.00
+ 3.00/day		 ~77.00
+ 3.00/day
Drive to Augusta, bus to South Station ~14.00 – 61.00 – ~75.00
Drive to Augusta, bus to Portland, train to South Station ~14.00 – 75.00 – ~89.00
Bus to Portland, train to South Station – – 92.00 – 92.00
Bus from Bangor to South Station – – 71.00 – 71.00

Driving rates are calculated using distances on Google Maps based on $2.80/gallon at 30 MPG traveling down I-95 to Gardiner and then I-295 to Portland and beyond. Tolls are based on cash rates. Bus and train rates are per person. Boston parking is based on rates at Sullivan Square and other Orange Line stations. Your mileage may vary. (har har.)

Sources: Maine Turnpike tolls, New Hampshire turnpike tolls, Concord Coach Lines fares, Concord Coach Lines locations, Amtrak Downeaster fares, Amtrak Downeaster stations, MBTA parking rates.

3.3.1

April 11, 2010

Ever since last week’s introduction of iPhone OS 4 by Apple, one section number has been swirling through the heads of developers around the world: 3.3.1. In Apple’s latest license agreement for software that runs on iPhones, iPods, and iPads, Apple has restricted any software originally built using any languages other than C, C++, and Objective-C.

Adobe (among many others) isn’t a fan of these new terms. One of the most anticipated features of their upcoming CS5 suite is the ability to use Adobe Flash and convert programs into apps that could be used on the iPhone platform — well, at least before the change in terms by Apple.

I’ve been reading through developer responses over the last few days. Some people support Apple. Some think the change is a ploy by the fruit company to lock devs into using Apple products and therefore drive more Mac sales.1 Some people seem to think that Apple just flat-out hates developers.2

Personally, I’m right in the middle. I think developers should be able to use whatever tools they want to build their apps, but I also understand Apple’s position. I think it’s pretty simple, actually.

The core of Apple

To understand why Apple made the change, you have to understand Apple. Sure, they want to make money and encourage people to stay on the iPhone platform, but I believe that Apple’s desire to uphold the user experience for users of their iPhone-class devices is just as important to them.

Yes, I’d prefer that Apple would accept non-C/C++/Obj-C apps and at least give them a shot at a review. I still wish there was a way for advanced users to hook apps into their phone without using the App Store, too. Apple would prefer an experience where everything has been tested for quality before it reaches users at all. Seems like Apple’s taking the “well, if you don’t like it, nobody says you have to write for our platform” approach with this one.

Apple’s all about the experience. They’ve published extensive interface guidelines for programmers that detail how every element — right down to submit buttons — should work. They’ve decided not to approve apps based on their inconsistencies with the “iPhone’s distinctive user experience.” And now (as John Gruber explains well) they’re limiting apps that most often don’t match the quality or user experience of those built specifically for the iPhone.

A common cry from developers opposed to the change is that Apple has placed the needs of developers second. That’s true. But Apple isn’t first, despite what opponents of the change would like you to believe. The user and his experience with the product comes first. And that’s how it should be.

1. I don’t agree with this point at all. Apple has encouraged – not limited – people to build web apps specifically tailored for the iPhone, and they can be made without any review or approval by Apple. iPhone web apps can do almost everything native apps can do (less any functions that depend on hardware, of course).

2. I don’t agree with this, either. There are over 140,000 iPhone apps in the App Store, and I’d bet that many of those were made by people who wouldn’t otherwise have that level of opportunity and exposure to make money with software development. In addition Apple’s development terms are, in many ways, much less restrictive than those of Nintendo or Microsoft.