INTRO: Jens Kohler, Old Man

Hello, I’m an old guy.

Sure, “age is just a number” but I love pen and ink. I admire the durability of clay cylinders as data storage media. (Write your data on clay, bury them in your garden, come back in 2,000 years: still readable.) 

So some of what you'll see from me are the questions of an old guy who know that he needs to deal with “the cyber” - and I can't be alone in that.

If, along the way, I am able to offer some interesting observations about power, institutions, strategic narrative and… and… word-processing on a Kaypro, then we'll call it a win.  

I have been writing professionally for 30 years (wearing journalist, copy writer, and nonprofit fundraiser hats). I am a word guy. If I hack anything in this world, it would be language. It’s a physical thing, a word; a thing with power. This is the secret of why I am here. Since reading the book by Vigna and Casey, I have been struck out how much more like language money has become with the rise of cryptocurrency. My question is: can wealth be written? We shall see.

I write poetry, so expect some of that. 

I make stuff in the forest sometimes, just for the hell of it. 

I generate fanciful ideas to mitigate the effects of rising seas due to climate change (which is a fact). I can’t think of a better audience to share the backs of my envelopes with than the crazysmart people of Steemit. (One of the idea involves Zeppelins, so hopefully you don’t poke too many holes in that one. Holes. Zeppelins. Never mind.) 

I consume culture, and will offer some tasting notes. I make music with friends. 

I hike beautiful places.

I wonder why plasma waste-to-energy systems haven’t taken off as a widespread means of disposing of municipal solid waste. My portfolio wonders, too.

I hate war. But the planes are so damn cool. It is a conflict.

I’ll freestyle some LEGO to show my kids you don’t need a set.

I worry about earthquakes. So I joined CERT (and so should you).

  

I am looking forward to this exploration of Steemit!

Seriously, why did this bug-eaten papier maché King Kong that I made 40 years ago in Kindergarten outlast the data on my PowerPC?

J.