Local N.E Engineering students starts snow board business in their garage

It may be hard to believe, but small businesses create the most jobs and will fuel the economic turn around. Two North Eastern University engineering majors, Mike McGraw and Brian Callan (twenty something) decide they wanted to build snow boards.

They consulted with a former Ski Market Underground manager Patrick Leary (current Blue Hills Terrain park manager) and created snowboards that can shred up the mountain and tear up terrain parks. Paying homage to their home grown roots, they named their company Bean snowboards.

Bean has created two boards: The Violator which is designed for Terrain parks and tricks, has three beat up traffic cones (smashing the grid) designed by Scott Petrichko designer from Art Institute of Boston. The other board they build, is the Commonwealth; which is all mountain board with urban chicken graphics. All of the work is done in a garage they rent in Brighton Ma.

Using their engineering back grounds and the Internet, they learned that building snow boards was not too complicated. They design and make all of the pieces them selves except for the maple wooden cores that are milled by a local Chicopee carpenter. This feeds money into the local economy.

Bean Boards host demo days and rail jams at Blue Hills ski area in Canton. Their marketing plan seems to be, build a local riding community that take price in a home grown product.

I am hoping to go over to Blue Hills Spring fling event on March 14 2009 (Pig Roast, Pond skimming, demo day) to check out these boards in person. I think it is great when people start their own business. If the business,hopefully turns out to be successful, it helps our local economy. If you are local, try to be over at Blue Hills to check out the scene, demo the boards, and have a super time!

Economic turn around and prosperity

The current economic climate has slowed to recession level and unemployment has risen to 8%. Unemployment rates very from city to city. Certain cities and regions are prepared to ride out the recession better than others:

Boston Ma:

42% of the jobs here are in what are considered strong industries. The current metro unemployment rate is 5.4%.

• The segmented job market is:
• professional (white collar), scientific, technical jobs 10.4 %
• Education jobs 11.11%
• Health Care 15.7%
• Government 5.3%

Boston's economic strength resolves around our world class Universities with massive endowments, including Harvard and MIT. The is very strong funding for bio medical research which ties into our world class hospitals and health care system.

Consumer spending has tailed off as lay offs mount, stock market and 401k values tank, and credit becomes more difficult to obtain. As lay offs and the stock market decline hits bottoms, people again will look forward to buying homes, cars, electronics, etc. Will we purchase USA products if they are equal in quality and prices to the foreign competition?

Many USA companies are betting yes on this question and must prepare and build the best products possible. This will lead me back to the auto industry in my next post! Will GM survive?

USA Engineering and Marketing

A superior product with great engineering needs a good marketing program. A huge problem with the US automakers is marketing. The US auto industry has always been behind the competition due to poor marketing, shoddy design, and making appropriate adjustment to the market.

I do believe that if the USA auto industries comes out with a hybrid that is better or as good as the competition, we should support and buy USA. I am hoping the Chevy Volt or the Malubi hybrid turns out to be great products.

I can see myself driving the Volt in the next decade, I hope.

Stimulus what in it for me "Technology Infrastructure"

Stimulus what in it for me "Technology Infrastructure"
When the home land defense department was created, the big buzz was, how do we protect the USA for domestic and international terrorism? The best way to accomplish this mission is up for debate, but basically revolves around sharing information. (911 report -- CIA &FBI)

President Obama technology agenda: The goal of technology innovation is to improve the lives of all American. There should be a free and open exchange of information which will "create a more transparent and connected democracy".A percentage of the Stimulus funding (20% - 40%) is to employ technology to solve our most pressing problems: "clean energy, health care, and public safety".

Some Key area that can improve America's Competitiveness
Invest in the Sciences -- the stimulus package doubles funding for basic research over the next decade.

Invest in University reach -- fund exceptional researchers at this level.
R&D Tax credit -- promote skilled research to improve technology infrastructure

Improve USA education in Math and Science Education --Math and Science as a Priority: Recruit highly qualified math and science teachers

Improve Scientific logic -- evaluate skill such as inference, logic, data analysis, as opposed to memorization of facts

Turn around HS drop out rates

Foster Math and Science students-- database for future scientists relating financial aid from government and or private resources.

Increase science and math graduates -- improve studies in K - 12 and prepare students to enter field.Encourage post-graduate work while including more minorities and women.

Science and Technology investments:

Over haul Health care by investing 10 billion / year for the next 5 years to move toward standardized electronic health records system.

Invest 150 billion in green technology over the next 10 years fostering engineers and scientists to develop bio fuels, hybrids, solar renewable energy and new updated electric grid. This investment will create 5 million new jobs.

Improve public networks especially broadband access and first responders.

Advance Biomedical research.

Advance stem cell research.

There is plenty of opportunity for skill professionals with in these expansive programs.

Stimulus Package -- what is in it for me "DOT"

Snowy day on the East Coast


Department of Transportation;
A center price of the DOT budget is developing a high speed rail network across the country. For many of us who have driven all are lives, I can not really see how most people would benefit from the system. Reviewing additional details may shed some light on this issue for many of us.

The second components of the DOT mission is to support air transportation system while modernizing the current traffic control systems.


The FAA Data Comm modernization plan will will allow for advanced network operations of air traffic control clearance and related advisory concerning weather and emergency situation awareness. The next step in the process is requirement generation and design which provide opportunity to some high tech firms.

What in it for Me -- Stimulus Package break down

Stimulus package break down:

Families will receive $1200 tax rebate check in the mail. (Base on adjusted income calculations)

Package break down by percentage 35% tax cuts 65% spending (790 billion)

Transportation, Housing, Urban Development:

Energy and the environment 57.17 billion Green energy -- (Solar, Wind, Aut0/electric)
Agricultural and rural development 34.24 billion -- High speed Internet rural areas
Commerce, Justice, and Science 14.17 billion -- research funding
Labor, health, education -- 90.59 billion -- benefits (unemployment), update and modernize health computer system, educational loans

Federal and State Government 45 billion -- Infrastructure funding at the state level.

Note propose number and calculations

The stimulus package will save some jobs, help certain industries, and create new jobs. As citizens and tax payers, we need to hold state and federal government accountable for the good and bad decisions made. People need to get behind the good programs by promoting while limited the bad that hurts every one in general.


Follow me for more detail to come.............

Science and Engineering

Science fair returns to Randolph High school. Our local students will be competing in regional science fairs at Bridgewater State and M.I.T. as we as a country look to strength our science and engineering programs.

A Randolph High graduate "class of 1994" Barnas Monteith was recognized as the most successful science fair participant in state history. He has started several software companies and co-founded Diamonds Solution Inc.

We as a county need to promote and develop more scientist and engineers, so we can once again lead in technological innovation.

Source Boston Globe Wendy Chow

Science fair open to public 5 -6 @ Randolph High School rm 122, 124, 126 3/2/09