Category: Personal Thoughts

3-500 Bats, 8 Rabies Shots & 3 Antibiotics: Why I Won’t Vote For Brett Davis on Tuesday

Category : Personal Thoughts
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I normally don’t like to write negative posts on my blog, but I need to get this story out.

My five roommates and I (including Jesse) rented an apartment on N. Hancock St., from Brett Davis. The lease was supposed to begin on August 13th 2010 and was supposed to end on August 13th 2011, but we ended up mutually annulling the lease because of all of the problems associated with the house.  As you may or may not know, Brett Davis is running for Wisconsin Lt. Governor and the primary is this Tuesday.

Here’s what happened:

My friends and I moved into the top two floors of a house on N. Hancock street on August 15th and quickly found out that there were bats sharing the house with us.  Each night (and many mornings) for the seven days that we lived there, at least 3-4 bats would fly around our living room and bedrooms.  From the first night, we alerted our landlord Brett Davis via phone, that there were bats living in the apartment.  In fact, our second night in the apartment, Brett was at our house when bats were in our living room and he helped us get them out of the house.  Our downstairs neighbors, who had lived upstairs the year before, claimed that they had alerted Brett about the bat problem previously.  He did not seem worried and told us that he would take care of it.  He also asked us to pay our rent and security deposit.

My roommate Ryan sent the following email on the 19th:

On Aug 19, 2010, at 9:20 AM, Ryan wrote:

Dear Brett,

Last night we had more bats in the house.  The tenants downstairs let us know that there has always been bats in the house and that they would let them out every night.  They also said you were aware of the infestation before we even moved in.  None of us want to share the house with bats and none of us are crazy about having to let them out or catch them every night for the next year.  Had we known prior to signing the lease that you had a bat problem in your property, we would not have signed the lease.  Please address the problem and find out how they are entering the 2nd floor living room/kitchen/bedrooms and seal up the house with caulk, plaster, whatever to ensure that we no longer will have this problem.

Thanks,

Brett responded:

I will take care of it as soon as possible. I was certainly not aware of the extent of the issue as you describe it. It would have been taken care of by now otherwise. I appreciate you bringing it to my attention.

Brett

Sent from my iPhone

It seems to me that Brett was indeed aware that there were bats in the house because he said he was “not aware of the extent of the issue.”

My roommate Jesse sent this email the next morning, after being woken up by animals above his head:

On Aug 20, 2010, at 8:55 AM, Jesse wrote:

Brett,

I hate to keep throwing things at you but this morning I lay awake in my bed between 630-730 listening to the family of animals running along my walls and ceiling. This place needs some sort of fumigation on top of bat control. You can understand my hesitation providing a rent check and security deposit until such imminent concerns are taken care of. I really am not trying to pull anything here or be a difficult tenant. This is just crazy to me.

Brett responded shortly thereafter:

On Fri, Aug 20, 2010 at 8:57 AM, Brett Davis wrote:
As you know it is being dealt with.

Sent from my iPhone

But it really wasn’t being dealt with.  Brett told us that he could not get an animal control expert into the house for a week.  We were not convinced and the next night, as we were huddled in a room while 3 bats were flying around our living room, we googled “bat removal Madison” and found someone who came the next day.

The bat expert, or Batman as I called him, told us that we had a “maternal colony of bats” with “300-500 members” and that they were getting through a hole “a car could drive through.”  We assumed that he was exaggerating, but there was an approximately 15×2 foot hole in the soffit on the 2nd floor, filled with what appeared to be squirrel nests.  This hole appeared to have been there for a significant amount of time, as the wood was rotting and it was filled with leaves, sticks and other debris.  See pictures from my iPhone:

Approx 15x2 foot hole in soffit

Close up of hole in house from second floor

During our time in the house, most of my roommates experienced health problems.  I went to the doctor and was diagnosed with a lung infection that my doctor told me was “likely from the bat guano buildup in the house” and I went onto three prescription drugs to clear up the infection.  I’m still not back to 100%.

At this point, we informed Brett that we were moving out and we expected to be let out of the lease.  Both Brett and his wife threatened us with legal action should we pull out, but about two hours later, Brett left all of us apologetic messages and agreed to let us out of the lease.  Within a few hours, the Davis’ had relisted the house on Craigslist, with no mention of bats, holes or any mice or any other problems.  To their credit, they took down the ad after a few days, but as far as we can tell, the downstairs tenants are still living in the lower apartment.  Bat guano presents serious health hazards that can cause lung damage, and in some cases, blindness and even death.

To their credit, they deleted their ads a few days later, so this is all that's left

Because there were 300-500 bats in the residence, our doctors forced us all to get rabies shots, which can cost up to $10,000 for people without insurance.  Rabies shots consist of between 8-10 shots over a two week period, with the first set administered at the emergency room.  And trust me, these shots are painful (think getting injected with about a shot glass of maple syrup right into your butt and legs).

Many of us had to take time off of work to seek medical care, find new places to live and move for a second time.  I know that Jesse and I did not put in a full day of work from August 18th until today, when I had to drive to Milwaukee to get my last rabies shot.  I even got 3 migraines as a direct result of the antibiotic I was taking to battle my lung infection.

We also had to stay with friends from the 19th-23rd until we were able to find a new place to live.

Brett attempted to settle this dispute for $4,500 total, but that does not even cover one of my roommates who had a $5,000 deductible on is health insurance.  Brett has now referred the matter to their insurance company and we are pursing our claim for, among other damages, medical expenses, lost wages, moving expenses and other damages.

In my opinion there were only two possibilities here.  Either Brett:

  1. Did not know about the bat problem, but did not maintain his property.  This lack of upkeep led to an approximately 15×2 foot hole, which allowed bats to take up residence.
  2. Brett knew about the bats from the previous tenants and he knew about the hole from inspecting the property.  He then rented it to us without mentioning these facts.

In my opinion neither put Brett in a good light.  The Davis’ repeatedly dismissed our concerns until we showed that we were serious and were going to continue pursuing the matter.  They had this attitude regarding cleaning, bats, the hole, mice and a whole host of other concerns.  We have email correspondence, photos, voice mails, settlement offers and other proof to back up our story, plus many more details.

And before people start to claim that I’m just some liberal who wants to screw a Republican, please refer back to my post about why I won’t vote for Russ Feingold.  I call them as I see them and I won’t vote for someone who treats me this poorly.  Here’s a few more photos:

Bat/mouse poop on silverware. It was clean when we moved in.
Drop cieling near the hole (above Jesse's bed)
In between Brett threatening to take us to court and when he agreed to let us out of our lease, we took pictures of what came out of the drop ceiling. Poop, torn up insulation and other junk.

My Favorite Charity is Team Rubicon

Category : Personal Thoughts
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My favorite charity is Team Rubicon.  I first heard about the team when they were getting their start in the aftermath of the Haiti Earthquake disaster back in January.  Former Marine and UW football player Jake Wood and his friends knew that they had the skills to help the people who had been affected by the earthquake.  They put together a team of ex marines, firefighters, doctors and nurses, organized donations and sent the team to the hardest hit parts of Haiti.

While traditional aid organizations like The Red Cross, The UN and even the US Military were still at the Port-Au-Prince airport making plans, Team Rubicon was in the field saving lives.  It was amazing to see the pictures that Team Rubicon was sending back in real time from the field and anyone could tell they were doing amazing work against long odds.

Team Rubicon brought an entrepreneurial approach to disaster relief.  They didn’t wait for permission, or for bureaucrats to tell them what to do.  They saw people in need, knew that they had the skills to help and deployed.  During Team Rubicon’s time in Haiti, they realized that there was a need for fast acting disaster relief to bridge the gap between the disaster and when the more traditional aid groups could fully provide aid.

Team Rubicon organized as a non-profit dedicated to bridging the gap between natural disasters and traditional aid responders.  They’ve deployed multiple times since the Haiti earthquake, most recently to Pakistan.

Pakistan has had horrible flooding in the past few weeks that has displaced over 1m people.  The flood victims are living in refugee camps, where they are susceptible to diarrhea, cholera, malaria and other waterborne diseases.  Team Rubicon is currently deployed and providing medical care.  Make sure to check out the Team Rubicon site to see some unreal pictures.

Not only is Team Rubicon providing essential disaster relief, they are also some of the best ambassadors for the United States that I can think of.  Like Greg Mortenson of Three Cups of Tea fame, Team Rubicon goes into places where people may not have a favorable opinion of the United States and saves lives.  I have to think that Team Rubicon’s actions speak louder than any of anti-American propaganda out there.

Since they are a non-profit, Team Rubicon are relies on donations to be able to do their work.  You can donate cash or you can buy equipment for the team. They’ve even set up a registry of all of the things that they need to operate and you can buy it for them, which is a great idea.  I think charities would see high donation rates if they showed exactly what they needed instead of just asking for cash.  If charities could show the things that people bought for them in use in the field, I bet donations would go up even more because they’d make the donors feel even more a part of the rescue effort than simply writing a check (or pushing send on PayPal).

Follow Team Rubicon’s relief efforts on their blog and Twitter.  Here’s how you can donate.

Do You Value Experiences Or Things?

Category : Personal Thoughts, Travel
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I just booked my flight to South Africa for World Cup 2010.  I’m going with my friends Andy and Katie and we have tickets for all three USA group stage games, plus a the Spain vs. Switzerland group stage match.  Everyone I talk to says something along the lines of “oh wow, you must be rich to be able to go to the World Cup.”  When I talk about some of the other places I’ve been, people are even more shocked.

Although I am very lucky that I do not have any student loan debt and had a business where I made some money, I am not rich.  The reason I can afford to travel is that I value experiences over physical things.  Let me explain.

I value experiences like traveling, going to sporting events, eating good food and learning new skills.  I don’t value physical things like the latest tech gadgets, new cars, expensive houses, fashion and other material things.  That’s why I’ve traveled to Europe multiple times and am going to South Africa this summer.

I’m able to travel because I drive a scratched and dented ’95 Toyota Carolla (link isn’t my car, its too clean).  It is one of the cheapest cars to drive and maintain and my insurance is cheap because I don’t have comprehensive insurance, just collision.  I get 30 MPG and live close to my office, so I rarely drive.

I could afford to upgrade to a “better” car, but what’s the use?  I view a car as a way to get from point A to point B.  As long as the car is safe and reliable, why change?  I look at it this way:  I could have a new car or a trip to Europe each year.  The average US car payment is $400, or $4800 per year.  I’ll choose driving a “crappy” car every single day of the week if it means I can go to Europe once per year.

I also don’t need luxury living.  I pay $400/month to rent a room in a house that I share with 4 friends.  We have an entire house here in Madison and have plenty of space.  We have a great location, close to the Capitol, restaurants and bars.  I could live on my own for $700 or live with a roommate in a nicer apartment for anywhere between 600-1200/month.  That $200/month minimum difference in rent, or $2400, will more than pay for my flight to South Africa this summer.  It could also pay for my groceries, since I cook most days of the week.

I also have had the same cell phone for the past 6 years.  It’s functional, makes calls and I’ve had fewer than 10 dropped calls in that time period, unless I’m in an elevator.  Since I’ve had the phone for so long, I don’t have a long term contract and my rates are low.  I recently got an iPhone for business and the price difference is stunning.  My old phone costs about $40/month.  If this weren’t for business, a new iPhone can cost up to $100/month.

I don’t care about fashion.  Obviously, I want to look good, just like everyone else, but I don’t need to be on the cutting edge.  If I find something that fits and looks decent, I’ll wear it until its worn out.  I own (and wear) shoes from 2004, 2008 and 2009 that still are comfortable and look decent.  If you see me around Madison, you’ll probably see me in one of 5-6 different clothing combos.  I spent under $200 on new clothes in 2009.  I have friends who spend $200 on a single pair of jeans.  That savings will pay for my match tickets to 4 world cup games and my food while I’m there.

I also try to pack a lunch instead of going out to lunch.  A nice sandwich, salad and piece of fruit costs about $2 at most.  The average lunch at a sandwich shop costs $7.  That $5 per day difference goes toward eating dinners at interesting restaurants and trying new cuisines.

I don’t impulse buy.  I never buy cheap, plastic things that will only be used once.  I was talking with my friend Andy about buying things when we were on our way back from visiting our friends Mike and Pat in Chicago.

Andy said he remembered sitting in an intro Finance class sophomore year of college where the professor said “we all buy things everyday.”  She was trying to give an introduction to finance, but Andy couldn’t stop thinking to himself “No, I don’t buy things everyday.  Sometimes i even go 3-4 days without buying anything.”  I’m in the same boat.

In the US, you can say “we buy things everyday” and for most people, it is true.  I know when my parents were growing up, their families did not buy things everyday.  They bought a weeks worth of groceries at the store and cooked meals at home.  Eating at restaurants was rare and fast food places like Qdoba, Potbelly, Subway and others were nonexistent.  Going out was considered a special treat.  They wouldn’t buy candy from vending machines, cheap plastic junk from stores or close to 75% of the inventory in your typical Walmart.  It’s amazing that there can be stores in the US that only sell cheap plastic junk that will only be used once.  At least Walmart sells groceries and other necessities.  People buy all sorts of things without even thinking about them and many times, rarely use them more than once, if at all.

I think there are three subsets of people.  People who value experiences over things, people who value experiences over things, but get sucked into buying lots of material things and people who value things over experiences.   I don’t think there is a “right” way to live, although I personally can’t imagine being happy based on purchasing electronics, cars and clothes; everyone can be happy in any of the three categories.  The point of this post is not to chastise people who value things over experiences, but to point out that people in the middle group can get out of the “things” trap.  Instead of spending money on things to “keep up with the Joneses” they could save the money and actually do the things they’ve always wanted to.

What do you think?  Which category to you fit into?  What experiences would you like to be able to do in your life?

Mad Fiber Ice Cream and Why Google Should Pick Madison for Google Fiber

Category : Personal Thoughts
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In February, Google announced plans to build “ultra high speed” Internet connections for 50,000 to 500,000 people in one or more cities around the country.  To help Google decide which city to choose, they asked cities around the country to fill out an extensive request for information and get the community behind the effort.

Ever since I heard about Google’s plans, I thought Madison would be a great fit.  Madison is a pioneer in fiber technology, has a huge, highly rated public university and has been at the forefront of biotechnology innovation.  Lately, more technology companies are getting their start in Madison, including a few that have been extremely successful.  Entrepreneurship is alive and well in Madison and these new companies will have a huge leg up if Google were to build its network in town.

The Google Fiber effort has really brought the community together.  For the last month, I’ve been working with a group in Madison to help bring Google Fiber to town.  We’ve created a website, madfiber.net, which includes a Google map where anyone in Madison can show their support and have a point plotted on the map.  We’ve created a YouTube channel and gotten community support by creating a place where people can upload posts, videos and pictures of why they support google fiber in Madison.  We’ve also gotten great support on Facebook and Twitter.

I was also able to continue helping the effort, and at the same time check something off my bucket list, when Jesse Davis and I came up with idea to create an ice cream flavor to support Google Fiber.   We pitched vanilla ice cream, google colored m&ms and sweet granola for the fiber. The amazing people at Babcock made it happen and the flavor is delicious.  It was even mentioned in today’s New York Times in an article about fun things cities around the country are doing to bring google fiber to town.  As a native Wisconsinite, this is truely one of my favorite achievements.

I know that Google Fiber will help everyone in Madison, but it will benefit me as a startup founder even more than most.  If we had Google Fiber in Madison, I believe I would be able to get more done with my startup, Entrustet.  We would be able to do multiple video conferences with all of our contractors and board of advisors on a super fast internet connection, instead of having to turn off the video on skype because our connection cannot keep up.  We’d be able to hire more amazing developers because Madison would be a new, high tech city.  I’m excited by everything that Google Fiber can bring to Madison.

Whether Madison gets Google Fiber or not, I can say that it has been a great experience, both for me and for the City of Madison.  The effort has brought together people from government, schools, the university, startups, community organizers, big companies and everyone in between.  Madison’s effort shows what we can do.  Even if Google does not choose Madison, we should make sure to keep the effort going so that we do not lose these new connenctions and opprtunies to make Madison stronger.

Show your support by going to Madfiber.net and filling out a nomination form!