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Category Archives: Thoughts
Highlighting the Bad
February 3, 2012 – 1:55 pm
The below screenshot comes from a live Q&A that The Washington Post hosted related to an investigative piece about a DC housing project.
The individual asking the question hits on what seems to be a major question: why is there always so much negative news in the news?
Yes, negative stories sell newspapers. Yes, people want to know if “basic services aren’t provided.” And, yes, reporters should “feel obligated to report it.”
But, what I take issue with in the response from Stewart is that she writes, “We’ll be on the lookout for extraordinary [emphasis added] accomplishments.”
Why should it have to be extraordinary accomplishments that are picked up? There are plenty of individuals doing what could be considered just part of their job, but that in and of itself is extraordinary. For example, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission is undertaking a major initiative to improve our infrastructure: pipelines, watersheds, sewer mains, etc. This is part of our job and we’re doing it. It’s not extraordinary; it’s what is expected.
Or, when the Department of Public Works repaves a new section of road, that’s not extraordinary but it is essential to the maintenance of any city. Why should the only newsworthy story be that the roads are not repaved?
Sure, it’s not as eye-catching of a story, but there are also ways to really report what is happening without villainizing people who may not be the reason. If what we’re looking for is fair and balanced reporting (to borrow a line), reported should dig deeper in order to avoid unsubstantiated insinuations. They should look for the ordinary good of everyday life and not just the extraordinary failures.
But, perhaps, at the end of the day, the blame lies with us for wanting to consume the negative and not the positive. For demanding that only superhuman achievements be reported and admired, and for forgetting the many ordinary accomplishments of everyday people that make this country so great and taking all of that for granted.
In it for the long haul
December 22, 2011 – 10:43 am
The following post was published on the blog: Cutting Through the Red Tape on 12/21/2011.
—–
“All this will not be finished in the first one hundred days. Nor will it be finished in the first one thousand days; nor in the life of this Administration; nor even perhaps in our lifetime on this planet. But let us begin.”
President John F. Kennedy spoke these words at his inauguration more than 50 years ago, and they still ring true today.
At a tour of the San Francisco County Jail recently, Eileen Hirst, Sheriff Michael Hennessey’s Chief of Staff, echoed similar remarks. She noted that 32 years after taking office with a pledge to bring down the dilapidated jail, Sheriff Hennessey would finally be able to swing the wrecking ball on the old jail as he leaves office this upcoming January. As she finished recounting the lawsuits, court orders, bond measure efforts, and the other roadblocks in demolishing the old jail, she came to a point that we have heard repeatedly from many individuals working in government. Results rarely appear overnight. It takes a serious commitment to see real change happen, and even then it may take 32 years.
In some ways, it’s a challenge to all of us Fellows to look inside ourselves and see if we are ready for the long haul. For the petitions from advocacy groups and the editorials in the newspapers. For the long nights and weekends of work that may be undone by a single decision that we have no control over. For the waiting for that golden policy moment. Are we up for the challenge?
Yes.
As discouraging as it may be to hear that we aren’t going to change the world overnight, it is encouraging to know that there are so many people who are committed to seeing change occur. We know that the path ahead is not going to be easy. We know that there are going to be times when we feel like it would be easier just to stop. But, we also know that we are not alone.
This year I’ve had the opportunity and privilege to meet 10 outstanding individuals who are going to be the doers of tomorrow (and today). They’re going to advocate for those without a voice, shape the policies of the future, and implement the programs that will improve the lives of everyone around them.
In his inaugural speech, Kennedy said, “Let us begin.”
I have.
We all have.
Random Act of Kindness II
November 28, 2011 – 9:31 pm
Doing the right thing.
Note: I’m not endorsing Liberty Mutual, but this commercial highlights the “power” of a good deed, even if it’s a small one.
Random Act of Kindness
March 15, 2011 – 9:56 am
They looked lost. They had every appearance of being lost. Map in hand. Hurried fingers pointing to and from the map. Eyes darting around for street signs to guide their way. Huddled in an alcove tucked away from the hub and bub of the suits darting to and from, dodging the pellets of rain falling every which way, they tried to piece their way.
They were obviously tourists. One of thousands in the city and one of thousands looking for their way. In the middle of the Financial District the suits were too distracted with running to and from the office and the mountainous piles of e-mails and phone calls to return, the excel spreadsheets to pour over, the meetings to be had, and the deadlines to be met. The suits didn’t even notice the tourists from all of the others that roam the city. Tourists were just another common sight in the city that were oft overlooked.
But, then it happened. One suit out of the many darting to and fro, paused for a moment. Standing over them with his green golf-sized umbrella, shielding them from the rain, he asked if they needed some directions. They looked up at him and politely declined. He offered again, saying it was no trouble at all. They declined again and he parted ways wishing them a good day. A few moments later they were on their way as well.
They probably won’t remember the act. He probably won’t remember the act. It’s just another passing memory on a day full of other events.
But, I do and I will.
Random acts of kindness have a way of affecting more than those they are meant for. They fill the world with good, rippling through the world with even more good, and there’s no such thing as too much good.
Things to come for this site
February 26, 2010 – 8:18 am
So, if someone bugs me about these, or I keep having these ridiculous airport wait times, I’ll get to my list of add-ons to this site:
- fixed/complete CSS code for the site in posts
- the mobile friendly version
- the light version of the site (this is the dark version)
- finished header images on the pages
- the photo gallery section
- double checking of all my links to ensure functionality
- frequently updating
This list is more for my benefit than anyone else, so someone check back in a while and let me know if I actually accomplished all of this.
Finally Up and Running
February 26, 2010 – 7:12 am
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Vestibulum ac augue tellus, sit amet fringilla tortor. Aenean arcu metus, commodo sed tincidunt condimentum, molestie euismod eros. Nulla facilisi. Suspendisse adipiscing diam et erat mattis mattis. Mauris vitae ante ac felis bibendum suscipit sit amet non leo. Donec volutpat aliquet lorem, congue rhoncus urna ultrices non. Mauris at mi eget lectus aliquet rhoncus ac vitae lorem. Nulla fermentum dolor sit amet nulla malesuada vehicula. Proin in arcu diam. Maecenas aliquam neque id nulla pretium cursus. Suspendisse fermentum elit erat, eu accumsan purus.
Nunc accumsan, turpis id vestibulum tristique, enim quam lobortis felis, iaculis laoreet erat nulla vel felis. Nam ut tellus velit. Cras non nunc augue, nec consectetur justo. Fusce consequat tempor metus, nec adipiscing nisl lobortis vel. Duis fringilla tellus et velit aliquam vulputate. Sed facilisis dolor at lectus elementum viverra. Fusce pulvinar aliquam eros vitae semper. Curabitur porttitor ligula nec lorem sollicitudin pharetra id ac quam. Sed erat dui, tincidunt non varius nec, vulputate et lacus. Aliquam erat volutpat. Morbi id nibh mauris. Proin rutrum pretium tempor.
Suspendisse tristique euismod lorem, non egestas metus vestibulum a. Sed eros nunc, feugiat a tincidunt ac, bibendum et lorem. Nam sem dui, fermentum eget porta ut, viverra nec erat. Curabitur quis quam velit, et congue tellus. Morbi quis erat purus. Aliquam eget massa et elit congue auctor ac in risus. Donec posuere mollis dapibus. Nam consequat interdum ipsum quis congue. Mauris a urna velit. In vel erat leo. Donec arcu diam, mollis sit amet placerat tincidunt, dignissim eu magna. Mauris felis massa, euismod at pretium ut, ornare adipiscing arcu. Pellentesque ac erat in justo scelerisque pulvinar eget sit amet tortor. Suspendisse vel eros a neque facilisis lobortis. Vivamus sed odio at quam volutpat blandit et eget erat. Phasellus in odio at mauris ornare ultrices. Quisque volutpat rutrum mi at viverra. Nullam feugiat dictum neque ut auctor. Quisque felis arcu, viverra dictum ornare non, dignissim eget felis.
Nulla volutpat iaculis elementum. Phasellus molestie ante eget nulla gravida ultricies. Cras et tristique neque. In tempus faucibus ipsum, non porta ipsum suscipit eget. Etiam tempus adipiscing est in mollis. Nulla facilisi. Etiam sed est vitae nunc aliquet vestibulum et quis neque. Praesent at neque a metus pulvinar venenatis. Phasellus a pharetra arcu. Curabitur adipiscing blandit massa in commodo. In imperdiet dictum convallis. Fusce imperdiet sodales nibh quis convallis. Phasellus vel arcu mi.
Praesent est sapien, mattis ut mollis id, fringilla vitae sem. Donec rutrum pharetra neque ac molestie. Aliquam vel commodo urna. Suspendisse tempus venenatis risus ac aliquam. Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in faucibus orci luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia Curae; Proin porttitor mauris ut nulla aliquam posuere. Phasellus sit amet nisl id quam mollis feugiat id et massa. Curabitur consectetur volutpat massa, at sollicitudin libero aliquam luctus. Donec viverra nisi at justo adipiscing ullamcorper. Vestibulum scelerisque dui luctus enim porttitor vehicula rhoncus quam venenatis. Fusce viverra, tortor quis varius pharetra, ligula lacus lobortis tellus, ac eleifend mauris neque nec sem. Vivamus neque nisl, hendrerit eu ornare quis, semper in velit. Nunc vitae purus diam. Nullam egestas fermentum enim eu varius. Donec sed odio non nibh pulvinar volutpat. Morbi pretium justo vel dolor tristique blandit.
So, the site is finally up and running as a fully functional site. Ok, I take that back. It isn’t completely done yet and it probably won’t ever be completely done to my liking, but it’s currently up. So, what am I going to put up on this site? Read on to find out and learn a little bit more about how this mind of mine works. read more
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