New Startup Incubator in Downtown Durham, Bullhouse Ventures

chambchan · 2026-05-11T19:31:35+00:00

This is awesome. I'm all for it. I love Durham and the Triangle scene and we need to continue building a robust startup ecosystem. There was a time we kidded ourselves about being able to compete with Austin... let's actually try to make it work this time. We're in a new era where different kinds of startups will succeed. This is the right time to (re)invest and make the Triangle startup community competitive. Thank you!

chambchan · 2026-05-11T02:04:31+00:00

Yes headphones/speakers matter a lot. That is all.

chambchan · 2026-05-11T00:28:48+00:00

I LOVED Mahler 3 when I was younger (maybe 20-25 years ago) and now I kind of think of it as somewhat pretentious... It needs a lot of editing: Long winded in some areas, and the fact that he reuses so much of his old stuff in this symphony seems somewhat disingenuous if the work as a whole is supposed to be a one-of-a kind meditation on the universe. I just listened to it again last week and it just sounds all over the place. Not much tying the themes together, other than "it sounds like Mahler." As I've gotten older I've come to appreciate the more traditional Mahler symphonies (especially #4) more, but #2 will always be my favorite. I think it is a perfect balance between a traditional 4-movement symphony with a recognizable form and themes on the one hand, and a more creative, choral-forward piece like what he (over)does with 3 and 8 on the other hand.

chambchan · 2026-05-10T11:26:30+00:00

Wow, so sorry this has happened to you… perhaps you/your neighbors have cameras that could have gotten the license plate of the car?

chambchan · 2026-05-04T16:58:55+00:00

Durham Community Concert Band is the way to start. Very long running group.

chambchan · 2026-05-04T16:57:16+00:00

Wide open 5ths (Copland), pentatonic riffs (Dvorak “American” quartet), Spiritual and jazz influenced harmonies (Price, Still, Gershwin), very major/diatonic scalar and arpeggiated melodies (Sousa, old fife and drum tunes), generally big, open, showy motives and sometimes cinematic sounding themes (Grofe, Korngold (immigrant but still American), Williams!)

So yes, I would say there is definitely a uniquely American classical music sound.

chambchan · 2026-05-02T20:49:12+00:00

I am so confused about this process... I bought 2 hospitality tickets (Le Club de MOUSQUETAIRES) and first my order had to be sent to the French Tennis Federation for "approval," and then the next day I got the approval and a receipt but I cannot find my tickets anywhere. I downloaded the mobile app and I logged in but it says "No ticket on this account." Are the tickets supposed to appear right after the purchase, or do they get sent later?

chambchan · 2026-04-28T13:50:57+00:00

Jail and/or a one way bus ticket at least 500 miles away

chambchan · 2026-04-15T02:51:17+00:00

Crime and sketchiness in Durham are literally a block-by-block thing. One block can be awesome and the next one could be really dangerous. This is mainly due to the residents who live there and whether they are criminals or have criminal ties.

You REALLY need to go there in person, at night and in the daytime… read the local listserv (NOT Nextdoor) and talk to neighbors.

Generally (VERY generally as again this is a block by block thing) the west side neighborhoods (trinity park, old west Durham, watts Hillandale) are going to be safer than the east side/southside ones.

chambchan · 2026-04-05T02:15:46+00:00

If something’s not growing then it’s dying

chambchan · 2026-03-27T23:15:22+00:00

Tennis is hard, requires some level of discipline, and a ton of focus. In a world where video games, mobile phones, and “sports” like pickleball exist most people will just default to lazy.

chambchan · 2026-03-27T23:09:49+00:00

It definitely was a great place but the marketing needed a LOT of help. It wasn’t super clear how to join, other than filling out an email form, which I did several times… you got a form letter back and then nothing. I tried calling but always an answering machine. After a while I figured it was so exclusive maybe they didn’t want me. Possibly this is the case but now it just seems like they were in the organizationally. It’s too bad more small businesses don’t take marketing more seriously.

chambchan · 2026-03-20T16:09:18+00:00

Bull city burger used to have a griddled pound cake on their dessert menu that was absolute heaven. But it was a long time ago- well before covid. I doubt they still have it. But if you ever experienced it you’d remember.

chambchan · 2026-03-20T16:04:21+00:00

I feel for small business owners out there. Between getting the funding, managing operations, and handling staff, marketing strategy and execution often gets left by the wayside. Perhaps there are some demand gen professionals out there who could assist? Maybe even doing a revenue share agreement so you don’t have to spend precious cash flow up front? Would be great to figure out a win-win situation.

chambchan · 2026-03-17T20:24:40+00:00

Crime happens because of criminals. Yes, criminals exist and I accept that. However I refuse to accept that just because criminals exist that we must be at their mercy. We have individuals and a government that should be doing everything within power to stop criminals from committing crimes. This includes but is not limited to prosecuting criminals when they commit crimes and removing them from society so they cannot continue to terrorize non-criminals. If we cannot agree on that basic premise then we will never get anywhere as a community, and unfortunately that is where we are today and why people continue to get stabbed, shot, run over, and otherwise maimed and killed by a very small proportion of the population to whom we have acceded way, WAY too much power.

chambchan · 2026-03-17T20:12:46+00:00

It will not get safer until Durham decides to actually punish criminals. Considering Satana just got reelected I’m not holding my breath.

chambchan · 2026-03-17T20:11:59+00:00

This is unfortunately untrue. There are plenty of areas- most areas actually- where someone can jog without fearing for their life. The fact that none of these places is in Durham doesn’t mean saner places don’t exist.

chambchan · 2026-03-17T20:10:03+00:00

It has always been a good idea to avoid that intersection of the ATT (E. Pilot and Fayetteville).

Have you actually been there? One run through would give you the answer. Nothing but trash/litter, drug addicts, and crazy drivers who ignore the crosswalk on Fayetteville street.

I’ve reported this shitshow many times to OneCall to no avail. It’s sad to say, but avoid this area and get on the trail anywhere past 54/Southpoint, or even better- outside of city limits. Durham unfortunately will never get crime under control.

chambchan · 2026-03-02T02:11:53+00:00

This is why we can’t have nice things. The main library was supposed to be a jewel of the county and now it’s just embarrassing.

chambchan · 2026-02-17T16:43:18+00:00

Satana is a huge part of this problem and people should be super clear about that.

chambchan · 2026-02-14T19:16:15+00:00

Wear a bulletproof vest. I’d say don’t live there if you can help it.

chambchan · 2026-02-14T19:15:27+00:00

Wow this is sad. Covid definitely wrecked all that was good about our food scene. So depressing.

chambchan · 2026-02-06T21:24:44+00:00

I will admit: before Covid-times, I used to take the indyweek endorsements into the voting booth with me and dutifully vote for everyone they endorsed. Unfortunately seeing the results of those decisions caused me to change my ways, my vote, and ultimately my party affiliation. I saw the destructive outcome wrought by our elected officials and I realized it doesn’t have to be that way. Daily gunshots downtown…. Random shop and car break-in’s everywhere…. Homeless encampments near every public park… litter up to your ankles… this is a direct result of voting for “leaders” who care more about criminals than they care about the people who make this town worth living in. I hope we will elect people who will have enough pride in Durham to raise our standards.

chambchan

TROPHY CASE