Dave’s not here. Oh wait, yes he is!
I meant to post this late last week after my payday lending post, but things got busy for me. At the request of a few of my League bloggers and League commenters, I thought I would write a brief post introducing myself to those of you that don’t know me. I promise to keep it brief.
My name is Dave. As I do need to keep some degree of anonymity, you can call me Dave. I am the Dave that is referred to here, one of the original members of the League, recruited by my co-blogger Mark Thompson from our days together at Publius Endures. I had a presence, albeit a small one, at the League for roughly the first two years or so (2009-2010). I published posts when I could and I think most of them were pretty good. As things at the League started to take off, my interest in blogging declined and other things had my attention. By the time that the League wanted to run a leaner site with more frequent contributors, it was the perfect opportunity for me to step away. I retreated to Libertarian paradise and learned everything I could about de-regulated markets, limited government and pirates.
I’m back now. While I was kidding in a way when I asked Mark for my old job back (in my previous tenure, I turned the job of enforcing the commenting policy into an art form), but when I realized that he really did want me to come back and assured me that the posting environment fits with my schedule, it sounded like a good idea. The fact that I’ve been able to speak to several people within this community away from the pages of the blog makes me more happy about returning. Good people are good people.
In real life, I’m a married 40-year old guy with two boys. I have almost 18 years of experience working in the commercial real estate business with an emphasis on the advisory/capital markets side of the business. For the last four years, my primary focus has been on healthcare real estate. If there is something interesting about my business that I think is worth sharing, I’ll be glad to share it, but I don’t see it dominating my posting. The subjects that typically interest me are jazz guitar (I am a student of the art), finance, economics, certain areas of constitutional law, and, of course, American whiskey. Whatever the subject, I think my payday lending post is a representative example of the kind of blogging I do best. I’m not much of a polemicist nor am I a policy wonk. I’m just a dumb real estate guy with a few extracurricular interests. I’m sure I’ll find a way to add a little value here.
I’m a pretty simple guy. My views of the world lean libertarian, but I am a self-described labelphobe. Who can blame me given some of the recent discussions here at the League? It’s less messy if we address each other as individuals. I like disagreement so long as we focus on the substantive points. It’s not rocket science. It’s something that separates the League from a lot of other web sites as well as common courtesy.
Also, did I mention that I have a pretty twisted sense of humor?
That’s pretty much it. I’m very happy to be back in good company. I will try to learn as much as I can and publish posts that match the quality of the material posted at this site (no easy feat for me). Other than that, as I am the self-appointed Chief of the Commenting Policy Police, I ask that everyone behave. 😉
P.S. – I don’t do meta. I live by the slogan “You get meta, I get lost”.
“P.S. – I don’t do meta. I live by the slogan “You get meta, I get lost”.”
Love it. We need more of this at the League… oops!Report
Oh look, I see a wall with drying paint. I must see what’s going on.Report
Ugh… this Dave guy, like ALL Daves, is a total butt hat. But this is tottaly a graet postt and I hop to read moar like it. If you two lik it, mabey buiy my hew hare creem.Report
Do/did you read Dr. Housing Bubble?Report
I have not.Report
P.S. -> You need a gravatar. Something with a banhammer in it 🙂Report
Maybe someone can photoshop a hammer into this.Report
Or this.Report
Only on the internet is a banhammer more intimidating than the armament of a P-40B Warhawk. I blame Wild Bill Kelso.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40t6ys8pgNoReport
Looks like you chose well…Report
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nvzEqsZIGoReport
I for one welcome our new ban-hammering overlords. Especially ones who can help rectify our lack of people with twisted sense of humor.Report
Bring Back Knives!Report
Mike,
I’m 5’5″, I can’t tower overlord anyone let alone be strong enough to wield the mighty banhammer.Report
Like Akane, short people are given superstrength for comic relief.Report
I’m sorry Dave. I can’t do that.
/HalReport
Hi Dave, pleased to meet you.
My name’s zic.
I too love jazz; married to a jazz musician for 30+ years; he plays the piano, the sax (soprano and tenor, and he can play in guitar keys), harmonica, melodica, and slide guitar. He’s the only person on this green earth I’ve ever heard play Coltrane tunes on a dobro.
I also have two boys, both grown now. I garden, I knit (a lot, I design hand knits professionally.) I’m a reformed freelance journalist, where I specialized in writing about small businesses and land use; and a reformed coffee-shop owner, because I discovered writing about small business and running a small business are not the same skill set, and a reformed code monkey who developed privacy paranoia in the 1980’s.
I call myself a liberal, but have some strong libertarian leanings. I believe we spend too much time talking about size and not enough time talking about competency when it comes to government.
I’m glad to see you back; I don’t recall you from before, but I’ve tremendously enjoyed your perspectives since returning. Thank you.Report
Zic,
I’m just a simple guitar player. I have quite a few clips on my Facebook page, but here’s one from almost two years ago when I was just starting out as an inspired student. The backing track was a MIDI file. I’ve since moved on to Band in a Box but here ya go:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0ASRBxJzO4
I believe we spend too much time talking about size and not enough time talking about competency when it comes to government.
We still need to talk about both IMO, but the former leads to all sorts of claims that are completely counterproductive to intelligent conversation (ack! Death Panels!!!). However, I’d rather avoid ideological conversations about the size and scope and government since there’s a far issue that deserves attention – unemployment. What a mess.
Nice talking to ya.Report
Welcome back!Report
Welcome back Dave.Report
Dave, I’ve worn my fingers (and eyeballs) to the bone finding the perfect welcome-back gift, without going kotter on ya. Remember when Travolta was young and not yet a scientologist?
Here it is, and it’s got everything — sharks, cleaning-up-the house, quirky wit (someone has an excellent tailor!), and a great duck:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Of2HU3LGdbo#!Report
Thank you. 🙂 That cat doesn’t look particularly thrilled about his costume.
By the way, you can never go wrong by sending whiskey. Oh wait, it can’t be shipped to NJ. 🙁Report
The cat may not be happy about the costume, but he sure does love his wheels. I also suspect whiskey improves the view on this one.Report
Welcome back: the lean months were your ticket out.
Welcome back: to the same old blog that you’d thought about.
Some of the names have changed in the interim.
But for the game of the place you still fit right in.
Who’d have thought we’d read ya (Who’d have thought we’d read ya)
On the front page where we need ya (up there where we need ya)!
Yeah we comment like it’s crack because we’ve really got your back, welcome back.
Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back.Report
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cDAqrywsHEReport
Nice to meet you (as I wasn’t around during your initial tenure). I’m looking forward to reading more of your posts.Report