# I ¯-\_(ツ)\_-¯ NY

Why hello there! This week I'm coming to you live from Camden, Maine
at [PopTech](http://poptech.org/rebellion). Are you here? Drop me a
line! \
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And now, the links:\
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The worst part about living in New York is the cost. The second-worst
part? New Yorkers like to act like the things that happen here only
happen here. Which is why [this point-by-point take down of one of
Buzzfeed's "110 Reasons You Should Never Leave New York
City"](http://www.bkmag.com/2014/10/20/110-reasons-you-should-probably-definitely-leave-new-york-city-a-point-by-point-takedown-of-a-buzzfeed-list/) is
totally in my wheelhouse. Want more NYC shade? Of course you do. The
always great Ryan Holliday on 40 reasons [you should avoid this town all
together](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ryan-holiday/40-reasons-you-shouldnt-m_b_5481673.html?utm_content=buffer1b898&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer).
Now, if you excuse me I'm going to go ride the subway. ONLY IN NEW YORK!
AMIRIGHT!? \
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**“But you don’t experience racism, right?** I mean, you’re attractive
and educated—I can’t imagine that you would ever experience
racism.” Rebecca Carroll [quit her newsroom
job](http://www.newrepublic.com/article/119912/black-female-journalist-quits-media-decries-newsroom-racism)
because she was tired of comments like this. This news made
Racialicious' Latoya Peterson fired off [a pretty epic (and true) tweet
storm about the insular nature of the media
world](https://storify.com/blanda/latoyapeterson-on-media-startups). \
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**In America, there are two electorates**: a younger, more liberal one
that votes mostly in presidential elections and an older, more
conservative group that also votes during the midterms. One group is
picking our congress, the other our president. And we [wonder why we're
deadlocked...](http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2014/11/the-great-midterm-divide/380784/)\
- **Related**: Do politicians like talking about inequality more than,
you know, [actually doing something about
it](http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/oct/20/democrats-inequality-midterm-victory-young-minority-voters?CMP=twt_gu)?\
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**MILLENNIAL ALERT**: This NPR story seems to suggest that [recent
college grads *like* living at
home](http://www.npr.org/2014/10/21/356951640/some-millennials-and-their-parents-are-slow-to-cut-the-cord?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=npr&utm_term=nprnews&utm_content=2045).\
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**It seems every publication is weighing on the issues of diversity in
tech** and, more recently, in games. And they should, it's one of the
more important issues of our time. Amongst the commentary, I really
enjoyed this post on [the 13 things men do that are unintentionally
sexist](http://notapattern.net/2014/10/14/ways-men-in-tech-are-unintentionally-sexist/#the-list).\
***- Related**: [This what it's like to be a mom and get accepted into Y
Combinator](https://medium.com/theli-st-medium/hi-im-a-mom-and-a-start-up-founder-my-yc-story-3b8c8650ae95). \
- **Also Related**: "If you believe video games are an art form, that
video games are important, that video games actually mean something,
then demands for silence couldn't be a less effective tactic for
promoting those beliefs."* *My friend, former neighbor, and Polygon EIC
Chris Grant [on
GamerGate](http://www.polygon.com/2014/10/17/6996601/on-gamergate-a-letter-from-the-editor). *\
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**Breitbart readers hate Chuck Todd**. Chuck Todd is the new host of
Meet the Press. So Breitbart interviews Chuck. [This is what
happened](http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Journalism/2014/09/25/chuck-todd-breitbart-news-interview-part-one).
If you want to retain your faith in humanity, don't read the comments.\
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**Malala Yousafzai was recently the awarded the Nobel Peace Prize** (and
this week, The National Constitution Center's Liberty Medal). But in a
thought-provoking essay, Middle East Revisited wonders, [are Americans
who praise Malala
hypocrites](http://middleeastrevised.com/2014/10/11/why-i-cant-celebrate-malalas-nobel-peace-prize/)?\
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**"The skeptics are wrong all the time."** —  legendary VC Marc
Andreesson on how to cope in [an era of constant change and
disruption](http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2014/10/marc-andreessen-in-conversation.html). \
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**44% of job changers in their 20s cashed out all or part of their
401(k)s**, despite being hit with taxes and penalties. Us 20-somethings
aren't as economically stable as our retirement options would lead us to
believe. So, [is it time reconsider our investment advice to young
people](http://time.com/money/3510772/stocks-401k-investing-millennials/)?\
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**The Fusion site and TV network has hired Felix Salmon and Alexis
Madrigal**, both well-known media peeps that formerly worked at huge
brands. Meanwhile, Bloomberg hires Joshua Topolsky from a tech website
he *started*. New brands are throwing money at talent. But does any of
it matter when audiences love clickbait and quizzes? The Awl on [cash
and anxiety on the weird new
internet](http://www.theawl.com/2014/10/cash-and-anxiety-on-the-weird-new-internet).\
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**The Sean Blanda NBA preview**: The Sixers are going to be really,
really bad. But that's the point. [They are American's first hedge fund
team](http://www.businessinsider.com/sixers-anti-tanking-proposal-2014-7).
They are taking advantage of the rules in such an extreme way that the
[league wants to change
them](http://deadspin.com/76ers-ask-nba-to-delay-anti-tanking-measures-until-they-1613426518).
Go Sixers! Woooooo.\
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**The Daily Beast [profiles media entrepreneur Jason
Hirschhorn](http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/10/17/oh-yes-he-s-the-great-connector-jason-hirschhorn-s-expertly-curated-world.html).**
This is what he did after he sold his first company: "First, he paid all
of his mother’s outstanding debts. Second, he photocopied the initial
seven-figure check at his lawyer’s office, and dropped it the mail to
the private school administrator who had drummed him out of Horace Mann.
He scrawled a message over the photocopy: 'FUCK YOU.'" In related news,
I want to hang out with Jason Hirschhorn.\
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**The future of media** [is the highbrow
subscription](http://theattentive.tumblr.com/post/100169838322/is-the-high-brow-business-model-legacy-medias).\
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**[Are we living in the age of
loneliness](http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/oct/14/age-of-loneliness-killing-us)?** When
you decide, let me know. I'll be over here by myself.\
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Every time you open this newsletter and get to the last item, a
beautiful baby puppy is born. Thanks for being you and thanks for
letting me steal some space in your busy inbox every now and then.\
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You're the best,\
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--Sean\
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P.S. Happy Birthday Anders!