Category: Government

The face and future

Internet search giant Google held a official press conference in downtown Chapel Hill, North Carolina today. You can read more about it in these news stories.
Herald-Sun
News and Observer
Triangle Business Journal

If I may I’d like to add a bit of personal commentary to this story. I feel Orange County, ALL OF IT, is well suited for the future of doing business. Especially on-line. A major reason I feel this way is because we’ve heavily invested in knowledge, quality of life, and creativity.

The Research Triangle Park blog wrote about this event today. They have a pretty good description of the event. Better than the pro-media press coverage in my humble opinion. But the part that most interested me was their last paragraph.

“But still, why choose Chapel Hill for the big unveiling? [Google Vice President for Global Agency and Industry Development] Penry Price had an answer: “We looked at the way business is growing in North Carolina.” He said they wanted a fair representation of the face and future of all the types of US cities Google works with, and Chapel Hill fit that bill.”

This is says to me that from an economic development perspective we should stick with our strengths and stop trying to be like the rest of the Triangle. i.e. building new shopping malls and office parks

I’m also crossing my fingers that this event hints at some Google Fiber coming our way… 🙂

Lincoln's Prognostication

I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country… corporations have been enthroned and an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money power of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people until all wealth is aggregated in a few hands and the Republic is destroyed.
— U.S. President Abraham Lincoln, Nov. 21, 1864
(letter to Col. William F. Elkins)
Ref: The Lincoln Encyclopedia, Archer H. Shaw (Macmillan, 1950, NY)

quote source

Media Ignores Pentagon's Lies

Since the New York Times published the story Behind Military Analysts, the Pentagon’s Hidden Hand media like CNN, Fox News, and others have completely ignored this serious scandal. Watch this great video from Matt Thompson of FreePress.net about how our main stream American media really isn’t on our side. (Video via The Uptake.)

Update Turns out the Pentagon’s actions aren’t just unethical… they’re illegal!

North Carolina Online Gubernatorial Debate

The wonderful state politics website BlueNC is hosting the first North Carolina gubernatorial ONLINE debate! You can leave a question for the candidates over at the blog post We’re on.

Here is my question. I’m looking forward to their answers.
“If elected Governor what *specifically* will YOU DO to address the threat of global climate change in the State of North Carolina?”

As you may have noticed Federal politics in the US has undergone a big transformation thanks to the Internet. State politics are a bit behind. Especially at the gubernatorial level. So I believe this is a HUGE milestone in the history of North Carolina state politics. So be a part of history! Participate and vote!

An Obama/Edwards ticket?

No disrespect to my friends who support John Edwards. I believe he is a excellent Presidential candidate. But imagine this. What about a Obama/Edwards ticket? What if John Edwards ran with Obama as his Vice President? A white Southern man who serves beside a black President from Chicago. We could have this soon. It could amplify the already powerful potential for healing that a black President will bring. It would say, YES! We are equal. North and South. Black and White. Because I believe equality is a kind of give and take. Whites have taken way to much from Blacks. Its time we gave back. Please give back with humility Mr. Edwards.

Its not only time for a black President but for white men to serve him. (Myself included.) The 21st Century American South can do this and not be ashamed. We can be proud that we work together for the same causes. Social and economic equality for everyone regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, or physical ability!

935 Lies

A new report from The Center for Public Integrity called Iraq: The War Card says:

President George W. Bush and seven of his administration’s top officials, including Vice President Dick Cheney, National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice, and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, made at least 935 false statements in the two years following September 11, 2001, about the national security threat posed by Saddam Hussein’s Iraq. Nearly five years after the U.S. invasion of Iraq, an exhaustive examination of the record shows that the statements were part of an orchestrated campaign that effectively galvanized public opinion and, in the process, led the nation to war under decidedly false pretenses.

On at least 532 separate occasions (in speeches, briefings, interviews, testimony, and the like), Bush and these three key officials, along with Secretary of State Colin Powell, Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz, and White House press secretaries Ari Fleischer and Scott McClellan, stated unequivocally that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction (or was trying to produce or obtain them), links to Al Qaeda, or both. This concerted effort was the underpinning of the Bush administration’s case for war.

Its time that a bipartisan group of US Representatives and Senators IMPEACH George W. Bush and Dick Cheney!

Interestingly I learned about this report from two VERY different blogs. A small demonstration of the diverse kinds of people who want Bush held responsible. Thanks Craig Newmark and Stan Goff!

George McGovern Recomends Impeachment

Sunday’s Washington Post has an amazing article by George McGovern called Why I Believe Bush Must Go: Nixon Was Bad. These Guys Are Worse. Wow if this Republican Democrat can say it why can’t more? Obviously he’s of a different faction than the Neo-Cons… But THIS is a milestone.

Bush and Cheney are clearly guilty of numerous impeachable offenses. They have repeatedly violated the Constitution. They have transgressed national and international law. They have lied to the American people time after time. Their conduct and their barbaric policies have reduced our beloved country to a historic low in the eyes of people around the world. These are truly “high crimes and misdemeanors,” to use the constitutional standard.

Is this the proof of the existence of a mainstream bipartisan movement to impeach George Bush and Dick Cheney? Come on Republican and Democrats. Save your political soul and JUST DO IT! Learn more at VoteToImpeach.org. Its about time we set the historical record straight. George and Dick are awful leaders. They are the worst the US has EVER had. Lets make sure no one forgets. Impeachment will set their truthful record in stone.