[SIGCIS-Members] Email "inventor" claimant to run for U.S. Senate -- alternative facts about technology and democracy collide

Sat Feb 25 10:49:50 PST 2017

That's hilarious, Tom. I hope you become the go-to person for reporters
covering this in the coming months to contact on the real computing
history.

The tweet by Ayyadurai was forwarded to me this morning by a friend who
monitors fringe politics bulletin boards. The announcement is making the
rounds there and in the Trump-affiliated blogosphere, where Elizabeth
Warren is particularly disdained. I'm assuming this came out this weekend
because of CPAC and the associated donor parties across suburban Maryland.
Besides Cernovich, a name that also pops up in connection with Ayyadurai's
announcement is Jeff Giesea, a venture capitalist and "executive coach"
(I'm not precisely sure what that is) who has connections to Peter Thiel
and the broader Silicon Valley libertarian movement.

On Sat, Feb 25, 2017 at 1:30 PM, Thomas Haigh <thomas.haigh at gmail.com>
wrote:

> So funny fact: when I look for stories confirming this on Google news the
> only one that comes up so far is from Sputnik News, the Russian
> government’s foreign language propaganda outlet.
> https://sputniknews.com/us/201702251051029951-boston-
> enterpreneur-challenger-warren/
>
>
>
> Doesn’t say which party nomination he’s seeking, does mention he announced
> it at a party “hosted by controversial figure Mike Cernovich, who organized
> the January "Deplora-ball" event at the National Press Club.” So if this
> turns into an actual campaign it will be interesting to see his political
> positions. On the one hand: friend of Chomsky, self-proclaimed victim of
> endemic racism, enemy of the military-industrial complex, anti-GMO
> activist, etc. On the other: vocal Trump supporter, partying with the
> alt-right.
>
>
>
> According to the Russians: "For me, its about defending the American
> dream… a real fighter and a real innovator exposing a fake fighter, which
> is what Elizabeth Warren is all about. I look forward to all your support
> because this is going to be a grassroots movement … delivering a Senate
> victory for a real Indian versus a fake Indian in Massachusetts," Ayyadurai
> said on Friday.”
>
>
>
> Tom
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> *From:* Members [mailto:members-bounces at lists.sigcis.org] *On Behalf Of *Andrew
> Meade McGee
> *Sent:* Saturday, February 25, 2017 11:17 AM
> *To:* McMillan, William W <william.mcmillan at cuaa.edu>
> *Cc:* members at sigcis.org hosted by controversial figure Mike Cernovich,
> who organized the January "Deplora-ball" event at the National Press Club
>
> *Subject:* Re: [SIGCIS-Members] Email "inventor" claimant to run for U.S.
> Senate -- alternative facts about technology and democracy collide
>
>
>
> That's very interesting, Bill. Thank you for passing this along. I will
> look more into Snyder. The SPARK aspect sounds fascinating, given how much
> governors and gubernatorial candidates over the past fifteen years have
> linked themselves to "high tech" innovation and job growth. That he called
> himself a tough nerd is fascinating.
>
>
>
> Gateway is definitely a name with "Tech" connotations for much of America
> -- I remember in the 90s and early 2000s when you would see cow-patterned
> boxes littering my small town streets on trash days.
>
>
>
> This gets at an interesting aspect of the computer industry -- when is a
> figure a "tech" person, and when just a "business" person? The way John
> Sculley from Pepsi is slotted into the Steve Jobs/Apple narrative suggests
> there is a difference. A figure like Ross Perot seemed to straddle the
> difference when he sold himself as a businessman and a technologist when
> running for president.
>
>
>
> Thanks,
>
> Andrew
>
>
> -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
> Andrew Meade McGee
> Corcoran Department of History
> University of Virginia
> PO Box 400180 - Nau Hall
> Charlottesville, VA 22904
>
>
>
> On Sat, Feb 25, 2017 at 11:34 AM, McMillan, William W <
> william.mcmillan at cuaa.edu> wrote:
>
> The governor of Michigan is Rick Snyder, formerly the CEO and Chairman of
> Gateway Inc., a maker of personal computers and other electronic products
> (Gateway was acquired by Acer).
>
> The governorship is Snyder's first elective position.
>
> He also chaired Ann Arbor SPARK, a tech-heavy economic development
> organization
>
> Though Snyder refers to himself as "one tough nerd," I think it's fair to
> say that he's not a technical person (other than in law and accounting).
> He's more a business leader and investment expert, so maybe not the kind of
> example you're looking for, Andrew.
>
> - Bill
>
> ________________________________
> From: Members [members-bounces at lists.sigcis.org] on behalf of Andrew
> Meade McGee [amm5ae at virginia.edu]
> Sent: Saturday, February 25, 2017 10:41 AM
> To: members at sigcis.org
> Subject: Re: [SIGCIS-Members] Email "inventor" claimant to run for U.S.
> Senate -- alternative facts about technology and democracy collide
>
> As a follow up to Ayyadurai's candidacy  -- have there been any previous
> instances of people who identify with the software industry running for
> major political office in the United states or internationally?
>
> --Andrew
>
> -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
> Andrew Meade McGee
> Corcoran Department of History
> University of Virginia
> PO Box 400180 - Nau Hall
> Charlottesville, VA 22904
>
> On Sat, Feb 25, 2017 at 10:37 AM, Andrew Meade McGee <amm5ae at virginia.edu
> <mailto:amm5ae at virginia.edu>> wrote:
> Continuing with the ongoing saga of V. A. Shiva and his claims regarding
> the invention of e-mail, that gentleman has just announced his candidacy
> for the United States Senate.
>
> https://twitter.com/va_shiva/status/835420061993218048
>
> As several SIGCIS contributors noted earlier this month, this nicely
> parallels the upcoming SHOT themes of technology and democracy. "Alternate
> facts" about the history of technology will play a major public element of
> this campaign next year.
>
> --Andrew
>
>
>
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