Meghan Asha was born and raised in the ‘BUBBLE’. No, she was not a test tube baby or crazy biotechnology experiment gone wrong. She grew up during the first technology bubble in the heart of Silicon Valley.
Upon graduating with honors from the University of Southern California, Asha’s career in finance began at Wachovia Securities and continued as an analyst at Ruderman Capital Management. Her passion for technology brought her to New York where she landed a prestigious spot at the The Galleon Group, a tech-focused hedge fund.
In January, on a whim, she decided to bust out of cubical life and follow her passion for gadgets by attending the Consumer Electronics Show. After spending three days in Vegas high on tech, Asha, in a corporate interview, was quoted as saying, “I want to bring sexy back to tech!” She was obviously delusional to think of herself as the Justin Timberlake of the technology world. In rethinking what she could bring to the tech community, she decided that her enthusiastic often zany attitude could peak others’ interest enough to join in the fun of making tech a way of life.
Being a geek has always been in Asha’s DNA and, finally, she feels ready to express her love for all things tech through her blogs and videos. Leaving finance behind, she went out on her own to start blogging about Silicon Valley’s latest innovations and business models. Currently, Asha is a commentator for Fox News, CBS, CW, and The Today Show. NonSociety will be Asha’s outlet to continue her passion and make the intricate, often mystifying world of technology more accessible to the public.
…And on lonely nights, her insomnia brings her to the 5th Avenue Apple Store looking for tech friends that share her passion.
1. What’s your favorite political movie?
One of my favorite movies is MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON because of it’s positive theme that an individual can make a difference. It shows the audience the importance of valuing the root one’s character, rather than judging one from the public polls.
Another movie that I also found compelling (and not just because of the love story- though it’s a really good one if you haven’t yet seen it) is Dr. Doctor Zhivago because it displayed all the different stages of communism is Russia. I thought it was incredibly educational to see the history of communism within the context of such a well-done film.
2. What role do you feel art plays in politics?
I think art plays a HUGE role in politics. Art is often used as an expression of one’s belief system, we see this in all forms whether it be art, music, poetry, or films. Recently, I hosted a political fundraiser with the main draw being the work of talented musicians, actors, and comedians. Both art and politics are sensitive subjects, they strike a core in all humans, making them examine different perspectives that they otherwise wouldn’t see. Art convey people’s beliefs, and politics (when used in the most honest sense) is about your beliefs, rather than power.
In my opinion another form of art is being a great orator. This to me makes, Obama an artist when it comes to speech. I’m always impressed to read interviews with him and compare Obama’s speech to others like Bush or McCain. In examining these interviews there is vast difference in Obama’s speech between our current President and Republican Presidential Candidate. For the past eight years, we’ve had a president that speaks only three word sentences. Bush speaks with a subject, a predicate, and an object. Now with McCain we have a candidate that speaks in four word sentences. McCain speaks with a subject, a predicate, an object, and EVEN an adjective or adverb. I hope you can get my sarcasm with this comment, but I believe that it should be noted how well spoken Obama is in comparison to the others in positions of power (There’s my grammatical joke for the interview).
3. What do you think is the biggest issue for the next generation of
Americans?
To bring the country together, we’ve let the past eight years of arrogance and deception segment the country and it’s belief system. We need to go back to the basics, back to humanity. Making sure that we don’t loose our humanity to popular culture. If we put humanity at the crux of our political objectives, all else will begin to follow. There will be peace in and outside of our country, the health of people in need, our environmental and economic concerns will dissipate. I know these sounds idealistic, but there’s something to be said about having a core thesis focused on the good of the people rather than individuals and institutions.
4. Who was the first political candidate you were excited to vote for
and why?
Obama was my favorite from the start. This is a guy whom brought in a vitality, youth, and change. In my experience in the tech industry, there is something about fresh perspectives from a younger generation that creates a positive change. Look at the founders of Google, PayPal, and YouTube, though they all started their companies relatively young, their alternative ideas have revolutionized how we use the Internet. I feel that Obama has that sort of mentality, not to mention a fantastic work ethic.
My 72- year old grandfather recently laughed about how we’ve become a nation of old fogies, he won’t elect McCain because he sees the difference of his own cognitive state as he gets older. “Do you think McCain will really take calls in the middle of the night, at my age the only thing I wake up for is having to pee three times in the middle of the night”. My grandfather likes to joke, but there is definitely some validity in that comment.
Also, the idea that we now have a African American running for president is awe-inspiring. I think this kind of freedom is what American ideology is based off of. To me, it’s the best thing that’s happened to this country. In such a short time span after Martian Luther King fought for equality, we now have the opportunity to elect our first African American President. I’m ESTATIC!
Another impressive trait I found was in watching Obama run against Hilary. No matter how hard Clinton attacked Obama personally, Obama never once brought up the Monica Lewinsky scandal or attacked Hilary on issues other than the policies that matter to the election.
5. What factors are important to you in choosing a president?
My father has always taught me to NOT be affiliated with a party and instead look at the candidate’s intelligence, values, and leadership capabilities. There is something to be said about having an intelligent, confident president in office because they will hopefully elect other intelligent minds to work beside them. Another trait that I look at when examining a president is honesty. I want a candidate who will tell the country the truth whether it’s good or bad. We’ve had much deception and corruption from our last administration, so it’s imperative that we find someone that whom speaks the truth.
6. What issues would you like to see politicians focus more on?
Above all else, I think it’s important to examine each candidate’s plan on HOW exactly they are going to bring about change.
We have SO many issues to focus on, whether it is our environmental concerns, economic crisis, healthcare debacle, foreign relations, or current war abroad. The most important thing for each Presidential candidate to focus on is answering this key question:
What’s the plan and how is it going to affect the people?
7. Which issues would you like to see politicians focus less on?
I think personal attacks are absolutely useless. The media forever perpetuates and focuses on the salaciousness’ of people’s personal lives. I now see this in my own small way when people write or reblog my posts and attack me personally. All of that minutia stands in the way of the real issue at hand:
Our country is in need of a GREAT leader, which candidate will be able to lead America and regain unity in and out of the country for the good of humanity.
8. Which candidate’s initiatives do you feel better address environmental
concerns?
Obama has a much bolder plan than McCain when it comes to fighting Global Warming. Obama’s plan is to cut greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by 2050 and invest $150 billion for the next 10 years in clean energy. As opposed to McCain’s plan to spend only $2 billion a year on clean coal; developing nuclear power.
More worrisome is what’s happening to the environment. My relatives live in a rural area of Connecticut and have noticed a major decrease of wildlife in the past couple years. Something is happening to the earth, as all of these things in nature we take for granted (the birds, bees, even mosquitoes) are now disappearing. There is a deterioration happening that is now readily apparent to the naked eye.
To me it’s imperative that we focus on preserving the earth for generations to come. If we spend a fraction of the cost we put in the Iraq War into developing a new industry with alternative energy sources, we could become less dependant on oil. It would stimulate our currently devastated economy, create jobs, and help the environment. I’m interested in seeing a candidate that shares in these beliefs, therefore Obama seems to be the most aligned with my ideals.
9. This is your soapbox – shout it out! What do you need to get off
your chest?
TERM LIMITS
I would like to speak to the issue of term limits. I think it’s important that we reevaluate our current term limit legislation. The limits of those in the Senate, House of Representatives, and Congress should be capped at no more than 12 years. I know this is a controversial issue, but I believe there is NO good reason for a politician to serve more than 12 years in one position, this to me causes complacency and allows for corruption. There are congressmen out there who have served for over 40 years. I’m sorry to say, but with every administration we need to keep rotating a fair amount of fresh ideas and forward thinkers. Right now, I think our country is in desperate need for a change, this not only has to do with electing a President, but also relates to the other branches of government.
10. Do you have any recommended links, books or movies so people can learn more about the issues you care about?
Plan of Attack – about how and why President George W. Bush decided to go to war with Iraq (by Bob Woodward)
The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream (by Barack Obama)
Extra Credit: Fill in the blank. _________ for change.
OBAMA for a change
Born and raised in the South Bronx, co-host Majora Carter of Sundance Channel’s THE GREEN founded Sustainable South Bronx in 2001 to fight for environmental justice through innovative, economically sustainable projects that are informed by community needs. She is a recipient of a MacArthur “Genius” Grant, a member of Clinton Global Initiative, and Co-founder of Green For All with Van Jones. In Season 2 of THE GREEN, Carter is featured in Sundance Channel’s original program “Big Ideas for a Small Planet,” winner of the of the 2007 Environmental Media Award for Best Documentary, as a green roof innovator in the episode “Grow.” 
