Racists vs. Gangbangers

Which one of these types of people are the most detrimental to society? I have my opinion, and my unanimous winner, but what do you think?

Racine, Wisconsin Top 10

I hear alot of negative stuff about my hometown, Racine, Wisconsin. People are very quick to point out problems and what they don't like. Well, this post is about what you DO like. Now i know this will be tough for some people to answer, as they will actually have to identify something positive in Racine. I'm curious if my favorite detractor, Mr. Navratil, is capable of compiling such a list,....we'll see.

My top 10 Fav Things about Racine, Wisconsin, in no particular order.

1. Walking to the lakefront to see the sunrise on a warm summer morning.
2. Walking to the lakefront to see the sunset on a warm summer morning.
3. Great people.
4. Business opportunities, if you have the ability to recognize those opportunities.
5. Close proximity to 2 metropolises
6. A town that is on the upswing and reinventing itself
7. Very reasonable real estate market
8. Summer festivals, (except Harbor Fest)
9. The unique 4th parade
10. Small town feel, big city potential

What's on your list everyone?

Wired Wireless?

I recently read an article about the cellphone industry and their practices of retaining customers. Wireless carriers limit what consumers can do with their phones by forcing them to buy new handsets when changing carriers and paying a slew of fees for other services. Basically, making it difficult to switch carriers and creating brand loyalty by force, and not by consumer choice. The trade group that represents these carriers say their are numerous service providers for consumers to choose from and that opening up their networks is not needed. FCC chairman says that robust competition and choice spur innovation and lower prices for consumers. Well, the FCC chairman's remarks do have some validity to it, but i have some issues with the providers and their proponents.

First, i wouldn't equate having only 4 national providers as being a "robust competition" environment. What if we had only 4 hospitals in the country? Only 4 clothing companies? Only 4 automakers nationwide? Only 4 home builders to choose from? Its also similar to the political presence in that out of a total US population of around 400 million, we only have 2 political parties to choose from. 400 million people basically having to pick between the lesser of the two evils. One is definitely bad, the other one is not as bad. In the computer software industry, particularly plug-in developers, their have got to be at least 100 different companies that make plugins for a myraid of software. Consumer choice is dizzying when it comes to finding performance enhancers for your software needs. Now that's robust competition.

Second, i believe people should be able to own their device and it should be portable/compatible with any provider, anywhere you go. People tend to be emotionally attached to their devices, not their service plan. Tap into their emotional connection to their device and let them move their service around. I've owned a Blackberry for the past 3 years, great phone, terrible service. I decided to switch services, and of course had to buy a new phone which i wasn't keen on because i love my Blackberry. The tech/internet industries have created standards for cross platform functionality, why can't these cell phone carriers do the same? Locking customers into contracts that make it prohibitive to get out of is not consumer friendly in my opinion.

I'll be keeping my eye on this one.

Odds & Ends

Rest In Peace to Dennis "Shag" Taylor. A phenomonal success in life and business, you'll be missed....Red Apple is definitely off the list of potential magnet schools for my niece to attend....I can't wait until summer....

Tale of Two Cities, pt. 2

In reading Mick Burke's article in the Racine Journal Times about KRM issue, i must say that he hit the nail right on the head with that commentary. I also must acknowledge the fact that i am definitely not a fan of the JT or Mick burke himself but i'll be the first to commend him and his commentary about the unlimited positive impacts of the commuter rail initiative. I also commend Rep. Paul Ryan for his support of KRM, despite the fact, most of his party members don't and also despite the fact i chided him on his Iraq contractor amendment vote. That's the independent thinking that i cheer for.

I find it odd that the Racine leaders raced to spend $19 million on the county jail expansion, which will in the long run cost county residents more money with really no real, long term benefit. KRM on the other hand is a humungous economic development tool designed to increase access to opportunity and provide transportation options. It seems as though the naysayers against KRM are short sighted and not 21st century thinkers and do not want to create a better environment for the future, for their own community. Naysayers say, people won't ride it. To that, i'd say actually take a ride on the existing METRA system and you will quickly realize that your notions are wrong.

Southeastern Wisconsin must develop tools to compete in the national and international marketplace, Portland, Seattle, Denver, Charlotte, Minneapolis, Houston are all communities that realize they need to up the ante to be attractive. Racine must do the same in order to redefine itself and attract the businesses and knowledge workers its been seeking for a long time.

Paul Ryan, Fiscal Manager?

Taken from Rep. Ryan's official website:.. "As the leading Republican on this committee, Ryan will have the responsibility of spearheading the minority’s efforts to enact a fiscally responsible budget, improve accountability for spending requests, and closely monitor federal spending throughout the entire budget and appropriations process to prevent waste and abuse."

This can't possibly be the same Paul Ryan from Wisconsin that voted against a bill authored by Henry Waxman (D-Cal) to punish Iraq contractor's who have billed the US government in excess of $100,000,000 and make them personally responsible for their fictitious billing...can this be? This can't be the same Paul Ryan from Wisconsin that recieved campaign contributions from these same Iraq contractor's who substantially over-billed the U.S. government in excess of $100 Million...is it? Of course it is. Rep. Ryan i think is an ok guy and i've met him on several occasions. I've heard of rumors that he'll be making a presidential run at some point in his career, but i just don't understand how his conscious can let him sleep at night knowing that he has willingly and knowingly contributed to the raping and pillaging of tax dollars to benefit his campaign and the war profiteers.

Maybe he can sleep at night because those checks aren't made of rubber. He would definitely know first hand, that's for sure. Yikes!

Zip Code Credit Scoring

I seem to be picking on Denis Navratil, but his thinking and rationale perplex me so i feel compelled to address some of these perplexities. In another debate about discrimination in mortgage lending practices, (of which Navratil doesn't think exists) Navratil suggests that because of where one lives, this has an indication of a person's credit worthiness. Navratil is under the impression that people who live in the central city can't possibly be credit worthy, simply because of where they live. I believe this is another stereotype that the conservative set likes to use for the basis of their arguments. I personally know many credit worthy home owners who live in the central city who would agree with me that they are not credit risks and simply choose to live in the city because they want to.

Industry stats show that when comparing apples to apples, in this case, credit worthy white applicants to credit worthy non-white applicants, non-whte applicants are 3-5 times more likely to recieve inferior loan products and rates compared to their white counterparts of similar credit worthiness. Despite the industry stats and facts i provided for him, he goes on to say that one can not rely on facts. So instead, now we rely on stereotypes, not facts. Credit worthiness should be based on the ability to repay your financial obligations, not based on where you live or what you look like.

Affirmative IN-action

I have been in a debate with Denis Navratil on his blog Free Racine about the effects and impacts of affirmative action. Denis is under the impression that affirmative action stifles competition and should be eliminated immediately. When i illustrated the point of inclusive practices that affirmative action policies produce in regard to government contracting, he is of the notion that big companies (primarily large corporations owned and controlled by white people) should exclusively have control and sole access to be on the recieving end of these government contracts. When i mentioned the fact that these affirmative action policies increase competition to these large, white controlled companies, he sternly opposed this competition and the "good 'ole" boy network that many of these relationships stem from. From a pro-competition view that Navratil steadily maintains, this sounds like flip-flopping to me. Does he support competition or does he not support competition, or just some competition?

Is it fair to eliminate opportunities for competition to maintain the status quo to the same priviledged companies, or do we open the door to let others compete and get a piece of the pie too? Wisconsin has some of the most trailblazing inclusion policies in the country when it comes to government contracting, no hand outs, as those who think like Navratil would like to suggest, but real opportunities to be successful simply by leveling the playing field.