Catch the brainwaves with Shea Gunther
Catch the Brainwaves is our ongoing series of interviews with a variety of folks participating in blogging and social media. I ask them ten questions and they respond with their brilliant answers and insights! Today’s Q&A features the incomparable Shea Gunther, who can be found here, here, here, and here!
1. How cool is Maine?
Maine is pure awesome. I grew up in neighboring New Hampshire but lived right on the border, so I got a lot of exposure to Maine as a kid. Portland is the hippest little city in the country and is an up and coming destination for entrepreneurs. It wasn’t quite the case even just 10 years ago but the last decade has seen a lot of cool things pour into the city. We have new arts colleges that have pulled in new smart and creative young people as well as the expected bars, restaurants, book stores, and boutiques. Whole Foods just moved in last year. You can drive an hour and be on your snowboard up in the mountains or go 15 minutes to the beach. There’s world class rock climbing just two hours away in New Hampshire and Boston is an equal amount of time down I-95. We have a nice airport and the cost of living is low.
2. If you could live in a different country, which one would it be and why?
I’ve been hearing really good things about Norway, but I’d probably have to go with Canada. (ED: I did not put that in, Shea wrote it! 
)I’m pretty lazy when it comes to learning other languages so the fact that I could get away with English there is a plus. They have a lot of water, tons of beautiful wilderness, and haven’t started any disastrous and expensive wars lately.
3. Is the world going to change in January 2009, when the new US president takes office?
Fuck yes. We’ve had an amazingly bad last 8 years and I don’t pull any punches when I label Bush as our Worst President Ever. The guy has messed up this country in so many ways I think it’s pushed us down like a spring ready to explode under the leadership of anyone who isn’t the evil retarded fish frog that George W. Bush is. I’m a Barack man and think he will get this country back on track in every way when he takes office in ‘09 including getting us out of the clusterfuck in Iraq.
4. Is it tough to be a US citizen these days, knowing that the US government is extremely unpopular in several different parts of the world?
He’s not my President, I voted against him twice and always thought he was a shifty incompetent of a leader. I hope that people around the world are able to distinguish between Americans and the American government. The American people, for the most part, are downright friendly folk. Our (current) government is a bunch of wackjob corrupt politicos lead by a very dumb man with very bad friends. We’ll get a Democrat in office next year and we’ll start the work of rebuilding our standing in the world.
5. What do you think about the increases in travel restrictions for entering or leaving the US?
I think immigration and travel security laws are reactionary, inefficient, xenophobic, and ignorant as to the realities of the world.
6. Do you think that fuel cell technology will ever hit the mainstream? Should it?
Yes, and yes. It’s good technology and will be an important part of helping us break away from burning a fossil fuel to do everything.
7. What makes a blog good?
The writers. You have to get the mechanics of good blogging down- proper linking and image use, great design, a well coded template, feeds and email subscriptions and such, but it’s the writers that will really capture and grow an audience.
8. Are social media and social news providing more than entertainment value?
Social media and news are connecting people in a way that’s never happened before. When you connect more smart, creative, driven people you are going to get an increase in the cool things those people do. We’re going to see more innovation in business, technology, and the arts because of social media and news.
It will also mean big changes in politics as more people hook up along shared political and social views and flex their power within the parties. If anything could facilitate the creation of a viable third party candidate it’s the net and social media. The Ron Paul phenomenon was just the tip of the iceberg as to what will be possible in the coming decades.
9. Pretend the Internet is destroyed overnight. What do you do the next morning?
Cancel my DSL line and cry. Then I’d go outside and build a tree fort.
10. What one piece of knowledge, advice, or wisdom do you have to share with our readers?
Go after your dreams with everything you have. Failure should be expected and embraced. Learn the lessons of failing and wear your wounds ands scars proudly. Don’t be content with being a sheeple and never ever give up.
Thanks to Shea for sharing his brainwaves!
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