David Ortez - A Political/Social Thought Blog

Facebook + CIA = Big Brother 2.0?

David — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 16:26:10 -0600

Sometimes I stumble into some pretty interesting things that make me think twice about how I discovered them. Case in point … a conspiracy that claims that Facebook is a front for the CIA to collect data from millions of Americans (and World citizens) in order to aid in their surveillance.

I would like to take credit in coining this new Orwellian term as Big Brother 2.0 where social networks and the Internet are used to spy on people. I do not know exactly how I came around to this conspiracy but it reminds me of the one my friend has about the iPhone being used by the NSA as AT&T being their cover to collect data on American citizens.

Should you entertain any of these ideas? Of course, dwell upon them … debate them and come to your own conclusion. It would be silly to just hop on the bandwagon and claim that Facebook and the CIA are up to no good … at the same time you are just as foolish to ignore the assertion without considering it for a second.

Do I personally think that Facebook and the CIA have teamed up?

The short answer is No but the long answer includes my cynical point of view where I would not be surprised if the CIA or any other intelligence agency used Facebook or any other Social Network to gather information.

Think about it for a second. If Coca-Cola or Apple spend countless of dollars to market and gather information about consumers, what makes you think that intelligence agencies do not engage in similar activities?

In the world of advertising and marketing, it is all about collecting all the information you can about certain demographics and how to implement that intelligence into a successful campaign.

If your prospective employer or potential business client use Google or MySpace to check up on you, what makes you think the U.S. Government does not?

If you think, “Big Brother is Watching You” then I am sad to inform you that he has changed the channel long ago. You were boring and there was nothing else to monitor.

Big Brother in our society is suppose to protect us from harm thus Big Brother or intelligence agencies will be monitoring unusual activity such as potential terrorists or criminals. This most likely is not you.

Instead I think we are Big Brother like the CBS show has implied. We watch countless hours of Reality TV and that does not include the amount of time we devout to watching YouTube clips of some guy dancing or dogs sleeping.

You see … we are Big Brother watching each other and monitoring ourselves through Social Networks and the Internet. Complacency is the standard and conformity is expected. You don’t have a Facebook account? You are weird? No, MySpace? Talk about not cool.

At the end of the day I participate in this wonderful world of the Internet and Social Networks not because I am paranoid that “they” may be collecting my information but because it is the only way that I feel at this point in my life that I contribute back to society.

I wish I could have written a book or produced a movie but my contribution to history so far is this blog. I am not that fun to watch … just ask Big Brother.

Prop 8 - The Musical

David — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 12:47:46 -0600

Merriam-Webster's #1 Word of the Year for 2008

David — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 02:37:19 -0600

Merriam-Webster has announced its 2008 "Word of the Year." The winner is "Bailout," which "received the highest intensity of look ups on Merriam-Webster Online over the shortest period of time."

Bailout has been used by the media ever since Bear Stearns collapsed and the Federal Government rushed in to save it. In this context Merriam-Webster defines it as "a rescue from financial distress." The top ten words of 2008 are as follows.

Bailout
Vet
Socialism
Maverick
Bipartisan
Trepidation
Precipice
Rogue
Misogyny
Turmoil

Interesting enough 6 of the top 10 words may have been influenced by politics or recent domestic news. Did you catch the words that Sarah Palin used or may have been used to describe her? What about the fact that most of these words may be perceived negative or at least have negative connotations.

Bush on Regretting the Iraq War

David — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 00:56:10 -0600

In a recent interview with Charlie Gibson, President Bush shed some light into his thoughts and feelings about the Iraq War.

President Bush stated, "The biggest regret of all the presidency has to have been the intelligence failure in Iraq." I found this statement intresting. I recommend rereading it again. Bush claims to regret the "intelligence failure in Iraq."

Bush did not regret lying to the American people about the threat Saddam Hussein posed. He did not regret sending thousands of America's youth ... my peers to a certain death due to his failure. He did not regret injuring and damaging hundreds of thousands of other soldiers and their lives. Bush does not regret fueling terrorism or destabilizing Iraq. And why? Because the intelligence failed him and the American people.

Really? That is going to be your mediocre attempt at an excuse W? You are going to blame the intelligence when the final decision was up to you? Bush used preemptive strike as the only resource as his solution to the threat that Iraq supposedly posed.

Does that make sense? Regardless of the intelligence that he had, Bush decided to act on preemptive strike doctrine that has hurt America's image. His decision to strike before being struck did more harm than good at the end. All he needed to do was reflect upon how a young John F. Kennedy handled the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Imagine the world (if any) we would live in if Kennedy felt justified to implement a preemptive strike doctrine.

W, instead of blaming the intelligence for your shortcoming in Iraq ... be a true leader and take the blame ... you were wrong about initiating a War with Iraq but more importantly you were wrong about the preemptive strike doctrine. I shall hope history is not kind to you.

How Dangerous of a Driver are You?

David — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 22:27:24 -0600

I fancy myself as a great driver but your personal perception on how you drive and the actual way you drive may be totally different. I stumbled upon this website where you can take a test on the way you drive.

It is pretty quick and simple. You will have to answer 19 short questions. The best thing is that you do not have to submit your email or a blood test to get back your results.

I scored a 67% (B) which means that my driving level is: a little risk. I am not sure if this is plausible but it sure is neat. It is best if you answer truthfully so you can see how risky of a driver you are. So what are you waiting for? Take the test now!

It’s a Recession … Stupid!

David — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 18:17:17 -0600

Not that the American people needed any more proof that the current economy is in a recession, the National Bureau of Economic Research has concluded that the United States has been in a recession since December 2007.

That is 12 months of turmoil that the economy has suffered under W. Post World War II recessions typically last around 8 months but there was two times that it went as long as 16 months.

This current recession is the third longest and with no end in sight it may well challenge the 16-month mark. On the brightside if this recession is to be over anytime soon, it will happen over the next 4 months.

You would think that that the White House would finally acknowledge the current predicament that our nation faces but they still refuse to use the term “recession” to describe the economic state that Barack Obama will inherit from President Bush.

This news comes in two months after White House press secretary Dana Perino claimed, "I don’t think anybody could tell you right now if we’re in a recession or not."

The right wing talking point is that Bush inherited a recession from Clinton, like that really matters right now. Of course if they even bothered to do any research they would have noticed that the recession took place between March and November of 2001, long after Clinton had left office.

Should we expect Bush to be praised for the economic turnaround if it were to occur within the next 10 months? I think not, but don’t tell the right wing media.

The War Within!

David — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 14:49:23 -0600

There is a fight in Capitol Hill and it is not between Democrats and Republicans. Surprised? Do not be. This is the classic outcome when a party regains power and different factions within the party claim credit for the win.

Currently, the fight is between Old School Democrats versus New School Democrats. The Old School Democrats have been fighting the Republicans since Ronald Reagan and momentarily achieved success during the Clinton years but once W descended upon Washington, their clout diminished. These Democrats feel that seniority and loyalty to the party warrants them privilege and access to the higher echelons of the government.

The New School Democrats that rode in the tide of success with Barack Obama feel that they are to credit for the paradigm shift that occurred in America. Their message of hope and change is what got them elected into office and it is their duty to deliver for their constituents. These Democrats feel that the older generation of Democrats are out of touch with the base and the people and that is why they have been unsuccessful all these years.

An interesting almost Shakespearean tragedy with elements of comedy thrown in to humor the masses. What shall the outcome be? The power struggle is not that simple to explain either.

"We're not just talking ideology here. The broader your majority, the more you've got different regions of the country that have different economic and social interests that you have to take into account," said Norman Ornstein, a scholar with the American Enterprise Institute.

CNN reports, "Obama has pledged to work in a bipartisan fashion, and his transition team said it is dedicated to building a well-rounded administration. " Let us hope that any bickering within the party will not interfere with the challenges the Obama administration faces in the coming months.

America the Illiterate

David — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 14:03:55 -0600

There are two Americas according to Chris Hedge. And ... NO, it is not the Haves and the Have Nots that he is talking about. Hedge claims, "One America, now the minority, functions in a print-based, literate world. It can cope with complexity and has the intellectual tools to separate illusion from truth."

He adds, "The other America, which constitutes the majority, exists in a non-reality-based belief system. This America, dependent on skillfully manipulated images for information, has severed itself from the literate, print-based culture. It cannot differentiate between lies and truth. It is informed by simplistic, childish narratives and clichés." You are most likely part of the latter if you are reading this.

Here are more startingling figures:

"There are over 42 million American adults, 20 percent of whom hold high school diplomas, who cannot read, as well as the 50 million who read at a fourth- or fifth-grade level. Nearly a third of the nation’s population is illiterate or barely literate. And their numbers are growing by an estimated 2 million a year. But even those who are supposedly literate retreat in huge numbers into this image-based existence. A third of high school graduates, along with 42 percent of college graduates, never read a book after they finish school. Eighty percent of the families in the United States last year did not buy a book."

Hedge's argument is well founded in it seems near damn Orwellian at times. Has no one else felt that Wikipedia is like the Ministry of Information where one can easily edit information to conform to contemporary events. This reminds me of the movie Idiocracy, a comedy, that entertains a future America where anti-intellectualism along with commercialism has produced a stupid human society. Nonetheless, you should check out America the Illiterate by Chris Hedge. It is a short read but surely it will scare you into grabbing a book for a loved one this Christmas, right?

Review: Flock Social Web Browser

David — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 21:55:21 -0600

I was told about Flock by friend about a month ago but I did not bite. I am not sure why I did not want to give this new web browser the time of day but for some reason today that changed.

I headed over to the Flock website and downloaded the free web browser which is powered by the Mozilla Firefox browser. How much different could it be you may ask?

A Ton! This web browser claims to be the "Social Web Browser" and that is no lie. It integrates flawlessly to all major Social networks. I was able to connect and set up shop in 20 minutes. Now I have an instant hookup to my Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, Digg, Delicious, Flickr, YouTube, Yahoo! Mail and Gmail accounts.

Along with that, I have my RSS feeds and blog set up so that I never have to leave my browser window. In fact, I am writing this post from the Flock browser. Could you tell the difference?

Flock is a free download and I only recommend it if you need to stay in touch with your social networks. If you are more like my girlfriend who logs into her Facebook or MySpace account once a month then do not bother.

Redistribution of Wealth?

David — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 16:33:11 -0600

Bottom: Stop lying to your children about Santa Claus.

Is it Going to Rain?

David — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 19:21:51 -0600

Is it Going to Rain? is a cool website to bookmark so that you can use as reference about the weather in your local area. It is perfect even if you do not know the city or zip code that you are in. The website relies on your ip address to give you an accurate report on your local weather.

Along with telling you if it may rain or not, the website informs you of the current temperature. You also have the option to display the temperature in the setting of you choice be it Fahrenheit or Celsius.

Go ahead an bookmark Is it Going to Rain? and share it with friends!

The Heterosexual Questionnaire

David — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 21:01:44 -0600

Back when I was in college, in my final year I took Human Sexuality. Let's just say it was like signing up for Health class but in college. One of the first conversations I had with a complete stranger was about our favorite sexual positions. Let's just say the University of Texas at Austin may have been pushing the limits. *Hint of Satire*

Nonetheless, one of my favorite lessons was on Homosexuality. I remember the teacher made us take a questionnaire and till this day I will remember how akward it felt answering it, not because they were hard questions but because they seemed ridiculous at times. It was called the "Heterosexual Questionnaire" and it is still relevant now as it was back then. Thanks to jobsanger for jogging my memory on this beauty created by Martin Rochlin, Ph.D. in 1972.

What do you think caused your heterosexuality?
When and where did you decide you were a heterosexual?
Is it possible this is just a phase and you will out grow it?
Is it possible that your sexual orientation has stemmed from a neurotic fear of others of the same sex?
Do your parents know you are straight? Do your friends know- how did they react?
If you have never slept with a person of the same sex, is it just possible that all you need is a good gay lover?
Why do you insist on flaunting your heterosexuality... can’t you just be who you are and keep it quiet?
Why do heterosexuals place so much emphasis on sex?
Why do heterosexuals try to recruit others into this lifestyle?
A disproportionate majority of child molesters are heterosexual... Do you consider it safe to expose children to heterosexual teachers?
Just what do men and women do in bed together? How can they truly know how to please each other, being so anatomically different?
With all the societal support marriage receives, the divorce rate is spiraling. Why are there so few stable relationships among heterosexuals?
How can you become a whole person if you limit yourself to compulsive, exclusive heterosexuality?
Considering the menace of overpopulation how could the human race survive if everyone were heterosexual?
Could you trust a heterosexual therapist to be objective? Don't you feel that he or she might be inclined to influence you in the direction of his orher leanings?
There seem to very few happy heterosexuals. Techniques have been developed that might enable you to change if you really want to.
Have you considered trying aversion therapy?

Am I Upset?

David — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 20:41:56 -0600

Am I upset the way Barack Obama has set up shop? Does the direction that his administration, as a Liberal, make me mad?

No, not really. At times I may be an idealist but my realist perspective always manages to bring me back to Earth. You see no matter how much Republicans may whine about Obama's voting record being a Liberal on, at the end of the day I know it is no where close to what some on the left think.

Barack Obama is pragmatic like myself. We understand that compromise is part of the game and it is not a sign of weakness. Now I do not know for my other liberal blogger friends in the blogosphere but I am not surprised nor upset with certain actions that Obama has taken.

For example, there is a firestorm about the keeping Gates as the Secretary of Defense. I understand Obama's position. His immediate game plan is to fix the economy and then address the Iraq War.

It is like worrying about your punter in a Championship game when you are on the goal line with 1 down to go. You do not worry about that until you get to it. The economy takes precedence over anything else.

I hope that helps to clarify a bit of my position about how I feel about Obama's latest actions. I will only become upset with Barack Obama if he failes to deliver.

What I mean is ... if 4 years from now Obama has not taken care of at least one Bush mess then I will be upset. I will be upset if Obama approaches his presidency in a similar fashion as our current administration. In other words, I will be upset if Obama becomes Bush 2.0.

Let's HOPE that does not happen!

Contact the EPA before Friday!

David — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 22:21:46 -0600

Friday is the last day to voice your opinion on whether the EPA -- the Environmental Protection Agency -- should regulate carbon dioxide pollution, the primary cause of the climate crisis. This is a big deal.

The EPA is taking public comment before making a ruling. I sent my message in and it will appear on the EPA's website, and be part of the public record.

Of course, special interests -- like the oil and coal lobbies -- are working overtime to defeat a positive ruling and have already gotten thousands of comments submitted in opposition.

Submit your public comment to the EPA @ http://www.repoweramerica.org/epa/

Supreme Court will Review Obama’s Citizenship

David — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 19:39:43 -0600

Sometimes conservatives do not know when to stop. Take for example the Barack Obama citizenship issue.

Even after Politifact, Snopes and FactCheck confirmed that Obama was born in Hawaii and that his birth certificate checked in, they are not content. Alan Keyes has filed suit to halt California from giving their electoral votes to Obama. Even though this was turned down, it did not stop some other lunatic from attempting the stunt.

Leo Donofrio of New Jersey filed suit against Nina Wells, the New
Jersey Secretary of State, because she had not ensured the integrity of the electoral process by confirming the Presidential candidates' elligibility.

Donofrio originally asked a state court to review the citizenship of
Barack Obama, John McCain and Roger Calero. The case was rejected at the state level but that did not stop Donofrio from pursuing the issue who went up to the United States Supreme Court as a last resort.

He would like the Supreme Court to confirm Obama’s citizenship and unless the justices do not find a YouTube clip of Obama entering the world I doubt that Donofrio will be satisfied.

Conservatives argue that Obama was born in Kenya on August 4 and his family orchestrated the lie by flying him to Hawaii. One of their issues is that Hawaii does not allow birth records to be publicly viewed, which fueled the skeptics claims.

Then in June, Obama ‘s campaign released the birth certificate which skeptics claimed fake right away.

Well, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, a Conservative appointed by Republican President George H.W. Bush, has decided to put the suit on the courts docket for a conference on December 5. If four of the nine justices decide to hear the case, then full oral arguments will be scheduled.

As an Obama supporter I do not mind if the Supreme Court decides to hear oral arguments. In fact, I would welcome it even though I know at the end of the day Barack Obama will be vindicated.

By allowing the Supreme Court to hear the case and resolve that Barack Obama is indeed eligible to be our next President, it will end any and all criticism that this issue has brought.

Then again, if they end up siding with Obama would conservatives become upset with the Supreme Court and feel like they are drinking the Obama Kool-aid? Or, will they finally put this issue to rest?

The Bush Snub?

David — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 23:26:11 -0600

When I first saw this video, I agreed with Rick Sanchez about the implication the video seemed to portray. President Bush did not look comfortable nor welcomed in that clip. Interesting enough, Jeanne Moos of CNN sheds light into what may have happened.

As they dug into the story, the White House responded to the assertions that Bush had already greeted those individuals. That sort of clears it up.

But, why did he just not shake their hands again. In that given situation where everyone else is doing it, he should have acknowledged the other individual as a courtesy even if they had done so earlier in the day.

So, was it a snub? I do not think so. Perhaps, it was a tired President Bush that has come to the end of his term. After 8 years of putting a show he may have grown tired of the charade. Who knows?

Blame the Unions!

David — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 18:51:45 -0600

Conservatives are creative when it comes to spinning issues; I have to give them credit for that. In light of the newest crisis to hit America, the Auto Industry is on the brink of collapse and the right wing pundits have released the newest memo with the culprit for this mess.

It turns out that the reason why GM, Chrysler and Ford are in this crisis is because of the United Auto Workers Union. What did these folks do that sparked this mess?

They fought to maintain wages and benefits for the workers that mass-produce the vehicles that the Big 3 sells.

This latest excuse for why the Big 3 are in a dire situation is laughable at best.

I mean come on … really the reason why the Big 3 are in a bad situation is because of the workers?

Of course, no blame should be allocated for the management of the Big 3. Don’t blame the Big 3 for falling behind Toyota and Honda. In fact, just don’t blame the Big 3 because this is totally the fault of labor.

Yeah, right!

The reason why Americans do not purchase from the Big 3 anymore is because the quality is subpar to what Toyota and foreign entities provide. Blame the workers, no blame management for cutting corners.

It is the Big 3’s fault for not taking the initiative to produce a vehicle that can compete with foreign companies on fuel efficiency. The Big 3 is responsible for putting all their eggs in one basket. They thought that gas-guzzlers were the way to go until they hit a wall. That wall was 2008 when gas prices skyrocketed like no other.

Now, Congress and their employers are asking these same workers to take a pay cut. For what! Because their boss mismanaged the company? The UAW has already made significant concessions to aid their bosses yet the Big 3 have not figured out how to profit.

Comedian Rush Limbaugh claims, “The reason people oppose the auto industry bailout is not just because they don't think it will work, but a lot of people just don't want to subsidize workers who have bigger salaries and better benefits than many of them do.”

Some on the right claim that those workers that make our cars are getting paid too much. At times they refer to their salaries as extravagant. I had to check out what the fuss was about.

Entry level workers begin at $14.20 per hour and over 26 weeks divided into 4 stages they conclude at a rate of $15.34 per hour. Can you do the math quickly … do you know how much this translates into a yearly salary?

$30,000 thousand a year not including overtime if any is awarded.

Yep, that sounds like too much in my opinion. It is quite clear that the UAW is at fault for destroying the American car business and management was the victim.

Conservatives make it seem like the big bad UAW took the Big 3 hostage and forced them to sign contract agreements that they would never sign under normal circumstances. They reached these contract negotiations in 2007 … do you really want to entertain the idea that the UAW imposed their wages and the Big 3 had no other recourse but to accept?

Of course, it never looks good when the Big 3 show up to the party asking for money in their own private chartered jets. Yeah, I guess it was the UAW’s fault all along for letting these idiots drive their industry to the ground.

On the Joe Lieberman Acquittal

David — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 20:43:42 -0600

If I were not rational, pragmatic or relied on emotions … I would probably call for Joe Lieberman’s blood. “Feed him to the wolves,” I would proclaim but at the end of the day that is not how it occurred or did it?

Senate Democrats secretly voted to decide the fate of Lieberman and nothing happened. Surprising? Not really and here is why.

First, we need to know what got Lieberman into this mess. Well that is quite elementary you see; Lieberman’s role in the John McCain camp was disrespectful, dishonorable and cutthroat.

Not only did he campaign for John McCain, he spoke at the Republican Convention where he served as a surrogate for the McCain camp. He danced to the tune of the GOP and helped spread a message of hate and lies abut the Barack Obama campaign.

He betrayed Democrats and after aligning himself with the losing candidate there was no going back. All expected some type of punishment. Would he be kicked out and forbidden to caucus with Democrats? Would he lose his chairmanship in some prestigious committees?

No! Democrats ended up not doing anything to Lieberman. He was stripped of of his EPW subcommittee chairmanship but there is more to this story.

Steve Benen adds, “Sounds like a slap on the wrist, right? As it happens, it wasn't even that -- Lieberman told reporters this afternoon that the caucus changed the rules this morning so that no member can be chair a committee and two subcommittees at the same time. Lieberman keeps the two gavels he wanted, and loses the one he didn't.”

I understand my friends in the blogosphere that are angry and upset with this decision. Believe me, there is a part of me that wanted to see his head roll … figuratively not literally.

Jobsanger claims, “Just what the hell does it take for Senate Democrats to show some respect for themselves, their constituents and their party and GROW A SPINE! This slimy toad Lieberman is not even a Democrat. He was elected as an Independent, and given the honor of caucusing with the Democrats. But that should be a two-way street. He wants the Democrats to give him Democratic privileges, but he is unwilling to show the party and its candidates any respect.

He really doesn't deserve to be allowed to caucus with the Democrats, and he certainly doesn't deserve to retain ANY committee chairmanships. Those should be reserved for supporters of the party. Senate Democrats need to take a stand and kick this slimeball out of the caucus.”

Folkss are trying to make sense of this mess and are speculating on how Lieberman was spared. Doug Mataconis states, “I’m betting we’ll find that Lieberman’s hide was saved largely thanks to the direct intervention of Barack Obama, which is somewhat ironic considering that Lieberman spent the better part of a year campaigning for the guy that Obama just beat in the election.” While this is entertaining, it does not matter who or why anyone voted for Lieberman or not. The issue is over. I don’t care about Obama’s role in the decision.

One thing is for sure. I believe in Karma and she is a b*tch. I would like to be naïve but deep down I know what really happened. Democrats kept Lieberman and expect the great state of Connecticut to handle this matter. At the end of the day it is they who were betrayed. Instead of letting the top party members decide his fate … Democrats have left it to the people.

It may seem like nothing happened, but in reality, Lieberman was setup to be sacrificed come 2012.

Putting Houston on the Right Track

David — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 07:07:11 -0600

Tory Gattis, a Social Systems Architect from Houston, has some great recommendations for infrastructure projects that the City of Houston should undertake in the near future. I normally entertain these same ideas and I was pleasantly surprised to find some of my ideas in the mix.

One savvy strategy that FDR implemented during the Great Depression was to spend money on building infrastructures in the American communities because those investments would pay off for years to come.

When over 25% of the population of the Unite States was unemployed, instead of having them sit around waiting for big business to rebound, FDR put people to work and built the schools, libraries, roads and public venues many cities still use to this day.

Gattis has a similar approach and here are my favorite of the six:

The Brain Train from College Station through Houston to Galveston - Today, cities gain much of their economic strength from their intellectual strength, from engineers, scientists, medical researchers and MBAs. So we can strengthen our region by connecting intellectual centers and employment centers. That's what regional rail can do: one line, connecting Texas A&M, Prairie View A&M, University of Houston-Clear Lake, the Johnson Space Center and UTMB-Galveston to the urban rail network that will include Downtown, Uptown, the Texas Medical Center, Rice University, Texas Southern University, and the University of Houston-Downtown and Central campuses. All that brainpower, connected by fast, convenient, Wi-Fi-enabled trains, creates one connected, more prosperous, region. And the same rail line also carries commuters to work.
Greener, more effective bayous - In the 1950s and 1960s, the Army Corps of Engineers lined Houston's bayous with concrete. Today, we know better. Natural banks actually handle floodwaters better, and they're not eyesores. Reconstruction of the bayous, and protection of upstream open space like the Katy Prairie, reduces flooding, reduces water pollution and creates wildlife habitat. Moreover, the crowds on the jogging path in Memorial Park, the families picnicking in Hermann Park and the kids filling the fountains at Discovery Green demonstrate that we need more parks. The bayous offer an opportunity to create new public parks all across Houston and its surroundings, as the unfunded master plan for Buffalo Bayou proposes. Projects like these are already underway on Sims and Brays bayou; we need similar improvements along the rest of our waterways.
Complete streets - We've been upgrading our freeways for decades. But surface streets haven't gotten the same attention, as anyone who's driven to the Galleria knows. A good surface street moves cars effectively, safely accommodates bicyclists, pedestrians and transit riders, provides access to homes and businesses, and beautifies the urban environment. To get there, we need to rebuild streets, upgrade intersections and add streets where there are gaps in the grid. That won't be cheap. But if surface streets are more effective, they'll actually reduce how far people need to drive and take loads off of freeways, reducing the need to spend money there.

Now for my turn:

The Triangle - An expansion of the first proposal, when I was at UT, I always envisioned a commuter train from downtown Austin to San Antonio. It would travel down I-35, which if anyone has driven on lately will know that traffic is a nightmare no matter what time of the day. A Houston Train would connect via I-10 to San Antonio and an Austin Train would branch out where SH-71 and I-10 meet. The trains would take a load of our freeways and make a weekend to either destination much more practical.
Plaza Mayor - Houston does not have a major mall inside The Loop. I repeat there is no major shopping center inside 610. I never understood this since it seems that Houston is booming inside The Loop. I envision a Plaza … a Square like in Venice or Madrid that hosts commercial venues on the first floor and residential quarters above. I literally envision it like St. Mark’s Square in Venice where people will congregate at local pubs, coffee shops, restaurants or a library in the Square. This venue will be like The Domain in Austin, TX where major retailers will be located. Imagine the Galleria but the middle (where the Ice Skating Rink is located) is open air and people meet and parlay. Now, for the location … I think the most practical place to put this Plaza would be near the University of Houston. The Plaza would ideally be located where the dilapidated old Foley’s Warehouse is currently located. That eyesore would not be missed plus it would be a boom for the local economy. A well-placed light rail train that connects to the nearby Downtown area would sweeten the deal. An up and coming area close to downtown with a University within walking distance to supply the needed labor and consumers seems like a good bet to me.

Note: The Op-Ed was a joint effort by Tory Gattis, Carroll G. Robinson and Christof Spieler.

Memo: God Doesn't Hate Gays

David — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 06:21:57 -0600

On those Southern Red States

David — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 06:07:41 -0600

The New York Times had an intresting observation on the voters that John McCain was able to capture in the South. More importantly, this looks like trouble for Republicans who seem to be a party of a few and ... how should I say this, not the sharpest tools in the shed.

Adam Nossiter reports, "The Republicans, meanwhile, have “become a Southernized party,” said Mr. Schaller, who teaches at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. “They have completely marginalized themselves to a mostly regional party,” he said, pointing out that nearly half of the current Republican House delegation is now Southern."

Merle Black, an expert on the region’s politics at Emory University in Atlanta, said the Republican Party went too far in appealing to the South, alienating voters elsewhere.
“They’ve maxed out on the South,” he said, which has “limited their appeal in the rest of the country."

If that was not terrifying enough, Frank Rich sheds light into the make up of those voters that support the GOP in the South.

Frank Rich claims, "Those occasional counties that tilted more Republican in 2008 tended to be not only the least diverse, but also the most rural, least educated and slowest-growing in population."

The Republicans do have a mess in their hands and I do not anticipate that they will have their act together by 2010, on the bright side they have 4 years to figure out what to do.

The End of Racism?

David — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 01:11:04 -0600

With the election of the first African-American president in the history of the United States, some have entertained the idea that the Age of Racism is over. A nation that was founded on the labor of slavery- an issue that split this country apart 100 years after rebelling against Britain- then imposed countless years of segregation and intimidation through lynching would magically rid itself of the Racist Plague?

Not at all. To my naïve, idealistic, romantic or just plain stupid friends … as long as there are different color pigments in our skin and there is ignorance, there will be racism.

Don’t get me wrong, the nomination and then the victory of Barack Obama as the first non-white President of the United States of America is critical to ridding this nation of this Racist Plague.

There are still individuals that are bigots, small-minded or just plain ignorant and the election of Barack Obama will not sway their opinion:

Four North Carolina State University students admitted writing anti-Obama comments in a tunnel designated for free speech expression, including one that said: "Let's shoot that (N-word) in the head."
Second- and third-grade students on a school bus in Rexburg, Idaho, chanted "assassinate Obama," a district official said.
University of Alabama professor Marsha L. Houston said a poster of the Obama family was ripped off her office door. A replacement poster was defaced with a death threat and a racial slur. "It seems the election brought the racist rats out of the woodwork," Houston said.
Black figures were hanged by nooses from trees on Mount Desert Island, Maine, the Bangor Daily News reported.
Crosses were burned in yards of Obama supporters in Hardwick, N.J., and Apolacan Township, Pa.
A black teenager in New York City said he was attacked with a bat on election night by four white men who shouted 'Obama.'
In the Pittsburgh suburb of Forest Hills, a black man said he found a note with a racial slur on his car windshield, saying "now that you voted for Obama, just watch out for your house."

What is sad is that some of these individuals believe that their actions are permissible under the First Amendment. They honestly believe that they are exercising their freedom of speech. Then, they have the audacity to cry foul when the rest of America finds their acts and behavior despicable.

Jobsanger adds, “The racists seem to think the election gives them permission to act this way, and that their fellow citizens approve of it. Well, I have news for them. The huge majority of your fellow citizens do NOT approve of this kind of vicious and cowardly behavior.”

The only hope is that their kind will die out as newer generations of Americans are born into a society where race does not matter but the content of ones character. The election of Barack Obama is not the final chapter of racism in America. It is more like the beginning of the end of this plague we call Racism.

Blue Balled

David — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 23:05:15 -0600

I only Sleep with Democrats by TruthThroughAction.org is probably the most creative and clever marketing strategy I have seen in a while. Their debut short movie is titled Blue Balled and follows a young couple that meet in a bar. The ending may be spoiled by the title but it is nonetheless well executed.

TruthThroughAction.org brings independent filmmakers together to create edgy online film and video content to support the Democratic Party, its issues and candidates. By developing, funding, producing and distributing these high-quality projects, we’re working to ensure they win large, viral Internet audiences.

No Cell Phone, No Email, No, Thanks!

David — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 19:22:43 -0600

You just endured a grueling 22-month interview and were offered the job position … you start in late January but there is just one catch; you cannot use your cell phone or email for the next 4 years.

Still want the job? Barack Obama does not seem to mind. I on the other hand would cry.

I am addicted to my iPhone. It keeps me connected to the world when I do not have my MacBook Pro or Internet access.

Imagine how you felt when you lost your cell phone. What about when you dropped your phone in water or you broke it. The feeling is horrible. You feel lonely or empty like something is missing from you.

Are you wondering why the President as the most powerful person in the world does not have permission to use his or her own cell phone or email?

The New York Times reports, “In addition to concerns about e-mail security, he faces the Presidential Records Act, which puts his correspondence in the official record and ultimately up for public review, and the threat of subpoenas.”

Of course, this only applies to Obama’s personal cell phone and email. He will still have access to phone calls and communications via email but they will strictly be professional.

In other words, he will only be emailing and calling as the President of the United States not as Barack Obama. Could you do it?

A Modest Proposal for the Obama Administration

David — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 11:58:55 -0600

Now that Barack Obama achieved the first stepping stone in the overall goal of providing the change this country needs, one must not forget about the avenues that aided in this success. I am referring to the aggressive strategy employed to communicate with millions via the Internet.

I was pleasantly surprised to hear that Obama plans to broadcast the traditional “Fireside Chats” on YouTube. It was about time! Ever since FDR began the weekly address it was only distributed through the radio airwaves. I am glad someone realized we have the ability to transmit video as well but more importantly making the video readily available for years to come.

This made me ponder for a bit and I came to the realization that just because the election is over … it does not mean that Obama should cease to use the same social networks and marketing strategies that made him successful.

The website Change.gov is a great example of what the administration should pursue these next four years. Brian Solis of TechCrunch also entertained this idea and he has some suggestions. From a Digg like setup to vote for or against policy to social network, which I am not sure how it would work exactly or why anyone would be compelled to join. Either way, it is a start!

Solis claims, “There’s an extraordinary opportunity here for the White House to leverage these new and influential channels of conversation to embrace and cultivate voters as if they were customers, winning market share, one person at a time.”
This is correct strategy in my opinion. The campaign should not treat us like a captive audience that has no choice in what we are being told. Instead,

we are consumers that get to choose the candidate (like a product) every four years. That means that our government must be open to dialogue with its people.

The possibilities are endless and the Obama campaign knows how to reach their audience. The challenge now is to implement some of those changes that folks so desperately seek and deserve.

The Future of Computers

David — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 20:52:20 -0600

Assuming you are my age ... entertain just for a second telling your children in 20 years what an experience on a personal computer was like. The way computers were just 20 years ago are a stark difference then they are now and now imagine having to explain them of our present and past in 20 years.

Remember that movie earlier in this decade titled Minority Report. You know the one with Tom Cruise and it was directed by Steven Spielberg. Well it seems that one of the science advisors involved with the project has been able to create a version of the Operating System and hardware.

Dubbed g-speak, the mind bending OS combines "gestural i/o, recombinant networking, and real-world pixels," to deliver what the creators call "the first major step in [a] computer interface since 1984."

A convesration in the future may be as follows:

Parent: When I was your age we used these physical peripherals called a keyboard and mouse to input our data.

Child: What? You mean you could not mentally tell the OS what you wanted to do or you use your hands.

Parent: Nope, not at all. In fact when I was a child the screen only came in one color and that was forest green. Then, around the mid-90s we all enjoyed the Internet at the blazing speed of 16kps.

Child: You mean it would take forever to download anything.

Parent: Pretty much, then 10 years later broadband was big and we were getting speeds like 6.0 mps.

Child: At least you had giant displays like we now use.

Parent: If by Giant you mean 24 inch then yes but for along time we were content with 15 inch screens.

Child: What are screens?

Who knows what we will see in 20 years at least I know that as of now it looks promising. Check out the video for a mind blowing experience.

Followink Der Leader

David — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 19:13:58 -0600