Political Gastronomica : Personal Thoughts

Colin Powell's Take on Millenials

Found myself waiting int he Business Lounge of Qantas in Sydney and found this remarkable Powerpoint presentation from Colin Powell (yes, that Colin Powell).

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Definitely worth a read.

Tags: Millenials

Posted by Sanford Dickert at 9:33 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Obama at Cooper Union on 21st Century Market Regulation

It is interesting that Senator Obama came to Cooper Union this morning, especially since the event itself was not even on the schedule until Monday (four days ago, according to a source) and I later heard that he considered giving the speech on Wall Street instead of Cooper Union, but I think the choice of venue was apt after the obvious parallels I insinuated from the previous post.

I got up quite early to experience the event - showing up at 7am and finding a seat as things were beginning to occur. Volunteers were all a-bustle, security was setting up and men with strange things in their ears pervaded the space. In following up with my former post, I spoke to a number of students around me (please note that the Great Hall was designed over 100 years ago, so if you think airline seats are small....) as well as students on line getting into the event. For the students that made it into the Hall early, they were certainly part of the Millennials crowd Winograd and Hais speak of - enthusiastic about politics, enthusiastic about making a difference, part of the civic realignment generation. But, when I went outside and caught up with the people who were showing up closer to the start of the speech, there was a different tone - one of "checking it out", "interested in the fact that he could be the President", and such. Somewhat different tone, but I am not surprised at the difference since the ones who showed up early had a strong enthusiastic tone, where everyone else was here to "see".

The speech itself
When the Chairman of the Board of Trustees spoke (Ron Drucker) who then introduced Mayor Bloomberg, it could look like an endorsement of Obama for President. But Bloomberg discussed the issues of the day and to maintain an open mind and - at least from my point-of-view - gave other contenders a chance to speak in NYC (and at the Great Hall) on the topic of the economy. And, with a flourish indicative of Mayor Bloomberg ("This morning, we have another gentlemen from Illinois..."), he announced Senator Obama.

You can see Senator Obama's speech after the fold or read the transcript here, but to simplify it, it is in three parts:

• to address the immediate crisis in the housing market;
• to create a 21st century regulatory framework, and
• to pursue a bold opportunity agenda for the American people

Solving the housing crisis
From the points on his plan, it sounds like we are focusing on solving the issues of enabling lenders to refinance, to handle the impact and penalties of fraud and bankruptcy, and to push lenders to be more vigilant in the future against actions as we have seen. In reading this (and listening), it sounded good, but bureaucratic. Broad, positive strokes (especially with the Dodd legislation) but understandably managed in the timeframe presented.

One of the most powerful statements he made was a basic turn of phrase on the "rolling downhill" concept. Rather, instead of Wall Street and Main Street being separate from each other:

What was bad for Main Street turned out to be bad for Wall Street - and this time, pain trickled up.

21st Century Regulation
This is the topic that everyone will be speaking about since this is about changing what we already know as "free markets" and "no government regulation". Interestingly enough, this speaks directly to the Millennials and their acceptance of the responsibilities that someone has to resolve this, and with a civic realignment, maybe it is about time to re-engage in the protection of our freedoms and security. To that end, Obama proposed:

• borrow from the government, you should be subject to government oversight and supervision
• general reform of the requirements to which all regulated financial institutions are subjected to
• work with international arrangements like the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, the International Accounting Standards Board, and the Financial Stability Forum to address the same problems abroad
• streamline a framework of overlapping and competing regulatory agencies - do not need the redundant bureaucracies
• regulate institutions for what they do, not what they are
• crack down on trading activity that crosses the line to market manipulation
• a process that identifies systemic risks to the financial system - a financial market oversight commission

Now, I am certain that my friends in the Republican Party are going to have a field-day with howling about the intrusion of government into "our lives". But the sad part of this is - government got out of our lives in some ways (safeguarding our financial prosperity) but is in our lives in other (e.g. Terry Shiavo). Can someone say "hypocrites"?

The third part of his speech brought back the flourish of the American Dream and what it means to everyday Americans. But I think, once again, he took on a topic and discussed something that will require argument and discussion amoungst us and our choices, since the basic principle that Obama discusses is that we are the responsible ones. We are done with waiting for our turn to stand up - our turn is now.

I know we can do this because Americans have done this before. Time and again, we've recognized that common stake that we have in each other's success. That's how people as different as Hamilton and Jefferson came together to launch the world's greatest experiment in democracy. That's why our economy hasn't just been the world's greatest wealth creator - it's bound America together, it's created jobs, and it's made the dream of opportunity a reality for generations of Americans.

Now it falls to us. We have as our inheritance the greatest economy the world has ever known. We have the responsibility to continue the work that began on that spring day over two centuries ago right here in Manhattan - to renew our common purpose for a new century, and to write the next chapter in the story of America's success. We can do this. And we can begin this work today.

Tags: Barack Obama at Cooper Union, Barack Obama at the Great Hall, Obama on the Economy, Obama proposing 21st Century Regulation

Posted by Sanford Dickert at 11:29 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Obama speaking at Cooper Union supports the Millennial theory

Yesterday, I got an email from the Cooper mailing list, informing me that he would be coming to Cooper Union to speak in the Cooper Union Dialogue Series (the same one that Mike Bloomberg spoke at). While I do not think that there will be a moderator, I am certain there will be parallels drawn about him speaking here and another Illinois senator speaking close to 150 years earlier.

What was especially interesting was watching a large clot of my students, who have never struck me as politically active, almost rioting in the quest of getting these tickets for the event. The line was especially long, students had been waiting outside to get one of these precious tickets, and the discussion as to why they wanted to be there were along the lines of what Winograd and Hais mentioned in their talk. This is about being part of a "good thing", a person of "vision", and a feeling of something special about coming to the Great Hall once again.

What supported the story was the fact that the students (in Engineering) were aware of the event, will more than likely make up the majority of the students coming, and were rapidly communicating with each other (via text and mobile Facebook) when tickets got scarce. Even after I got my ticket, I was privy to a discussion on the elevator about how important it was to have the ticket (each got only one) and that they were going to "guard it with their lives".

I do not know about you, but I certainly am amazed and impressed with the students here at Cooper. They did themselves proud. I am curious to see how the Senator will do tomorrow.

And, to listen/read about the similarities/history of an Illinois Senator coming to New York and speaking for history, go to the NYTimes podcast here.

Update: According to Elisabeth Benjamin at the Daily News, Mayor Bloomberg will be introducing Obama. Shall be interesting. If the Secret Security allows me, I will live-blog his speech as I attempted to do for Mayor Bloomberg back in October ([1], [2]).

Tags: Barack Obama at Cooper Union, Barack Obama at the Great Hall, Lincoln at Cooper Union

Posted by Sanford Dickert at 8:14 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Spitzer: Opinion on personal and NY impact

To every New Yorker and to all those who who believed in what I tried to stand for, I am sincerely sorry.

-- Eliot Spitzer, March 12th, 2008

You know, when I was on the campaign trail in 2006, I had to set up various meetings with my candidate and then-Attorney General Spitzer, a man who entered with grace and style, who had come up from Brooklyn and made a name for himself. When we met, he was confident and ready for change, as the idea of "bringing passion back to Albany" was his key to future success.

The last three days has been heart-breaking; to watch the press continually hammering on his indescretions, and to see a man who once represented hope and change in New York politics, be brought low by this act. And, as with many people commenting on the limited visuals that have been presented, I was struck by Mrs. Spitzer and how this must be weighing on her.

"Don't Always Stand By Your Man"
I was reading politico.com this morning and came across the following post by Laura Nicols on how it is demeaning and difficult to watch a strong, good woman stand next to their husband as they self-flagellate in front of a nation-wide and world-wide audience. Laura makes some good points (IMHO) where she says:

The only possible explanation for doing what Silda Wall Spitzer did Monday and others have done before her is the age old classic: It’s for the children. But what does her decision to appear aside her husband now teach the Spitzers' three daughters about taking responsibility for their own mistakes? In this case, Gov. Spitzer allegedly broke the law, broke his public trust, broke his marriage vows, broke his children’s hearts and may well have exposed their mother to unsafe sex to boot.

For once, I’d like to see a political spouse not stand by her man. Stay with him if you choose. But for the sake of the kids, let’s teach them that there are consequences when you screw up this badly. You have to stand alone because of the mistake you alone made. Teach them that there is a shred of honor in owning your mistakes, in facing up to them with no one at your side, in sparing your devastated family a single second of rehearsed fortitude at their saddest hour. Show them you respect their sadness so much there will be no forcing, coercing or expecting that your family will share your very public humiliation on the stage you’ve always sought.

To Mrs. Spitzer, I also extend my heart out to her and her family. A strong woman who has dedicated her life to building a family with her husband and her three daughters - it is truly for the children that is the focus of a family. Watching her on the stage with Eliot has been heart-wrenching. One thought I kept having was "Why does he not face the issue head on, without the "required" support from his wife?" He brought the actions upon himself and (inadvertently) his family. He should take responsibility for his actions, not to include his wife in the scurrilous issue.

As I listened to NY1 commentators explaining the reasons for Mrs. Spitzer being at his side, I recognize and also understand that there is a political "team" between Eliot and Mrs. Spitzer. And in some situations (e.g. Pres. Clinton and Sen. Clinton, State Senator Rod and DeeDee Smith), I can agree. In politics (and campaigning), it is not one person, but two, that are behind the candidate. But, I still think that it is a tough part to play for the wife, when the husband is the cause of the scandal.

We each have a choice in how we live our lives - choosing on a daily basis along the ranges of high honor and integrity to duplicity and scandal. No one is perfect in the world, and as the technology continues to erode our privacy, we have to become more aware that the past that we thought would evaporate into the ether is only a google search or audio file retrieval away. As members of the electorate, we have to evaluate our measure of who we wish our politicians to be, and to act - now, in the past, and in the future.

No one is perfect. But no person should have to endure more than they should for the mistakes of others...even if they are family. Family matters are simply that - family matters. Dishonesty with the people who elected you, that is another matter.

Tags: Eliot Spitzer, honor and integrity, ethics in politics

Posted by Sanford Dickert at 4:43 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Is the second canary signalling? You decide...

This morning, I saw an article that made my heart run slightly cold - which lead me to post it on my Facebook Notes. The response was quite intriguing that I decided to republish it here on my site.

---

So this morning, I see an article in the International Herald Tribune which made me stop cold (please, note the pun)

As temperatures rise, a greening of Greenland

NARSARSUAQ, Greenland: A strange thing is happening at the edge of Poul Bjerge's forest, a place so minute and unexpected that it brings to mind the teeny piece of land that Woody Allen's father carries around in the film "Love and Death."

Its four oldest trees - in fact, the four oldest pine trees in Greenland, named Rosenvinge's trees after the Dutch botanist who planted them in a mad experiment in 1893 - are waking up. After lapsing into stately, sleepy old age, they are exhibiting new sprinklings of green at their tops, as if someone had glued on fresh needles.

"The old ones, they're having a second youth," said Bjerge, 78, who has watched the forest, called Qanasiassat, come to life, in fits and starts, since planting most of the trees in it 50 years ago. He beamed like a proud grandson. "They're growing again."

When using the words "growing" in connection with Greenland in the same sentence, it is important to remember that although Greenland is about four times the size of France, it has only nine conifer forests like Bjerge's, all of them cultivated. It has only 51 farms. (They are all sheep farms, although one man is trying to raise cattle. He has 22 cows.) Except for potatoes, the only vegetables most Greenlanders ever eat - to the extent that they eat vegetables at all - are imported, mostly from Denmark.

But now that the climate is warming, it is not just old trees that are growing. A Greenlandic supermarket is stocking locally grown cauliflower, broccoli and cabbage this year for the first time. Eight sheep farmers are growing potatoes commercially. Five more are experimenting with vegetables. And Kenneth Hoeg, the region's chief agriculture adviser, says he does not see why southern Greenland cannot eventually be full of vegetable farms and viable forests.

As someone who recently read and watched Gore's Inconvenient Truth, looks like the second canary is signaling...

Posted by Sanford Dickert at 10:19 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Gore on the offensive...

Just read this excerpt from Al Gore's "The Assault on Reason". With this passage, I know I will be supporting his ideas:

Fortunately, the Internet has the potential to revitalize the role played by the people in our constitutional framework. It has extremely low entry barriers for individuals. It is the most interactive medium in history and the one with the greatest potential for connecting individuals to one another and to a universe of knowledge. It's a platform for pursuing the truth, and the decentralized creation and distribution of ideas, in the same way that markets are a decentralized mechanism for the creation and distribution of goods and services. It's a platform, in other words, for reason. But the Internet must be developed and protected, in the same way we develop and protect markets—through the establishment of fair rules of engagement and the exercise of the rule of law. The same ferocity that our Founders devoted to protect the freedom and independence of the press is now appropriate for our defense of the freedom of the Internet. The stakes are the same: the survival of our Republic. We must ensure that the Internet remains open and accessible to all citizens without any limitation on the ability of individuals to choose the content they wish regardless of the Internet service provider they use to connect to the Web. We cannot take this future for granted. We must be prepared to fight for it, because of the threat of corporate consolidation and control over the Internet marketplace of ideas.

The danger arises because there is, in most markets, a very small number of broadband network operators. These operators have the structural capacity to determine the way in which information is transmitted over the Internet and the speed with which it is delivered. And the present Internet network operators—principally large telephone and cable companies—have an economic incentive to extend their control over the physical infrastructure of the network to leverage control of Internet content. If they went about it in the wrong way, these companies could institute changes that have the effect of limiting the free flow of information over the Internet in a number of troubling ways.

The democratization of knowledge by the print medium brought the Enlightenment. Now, broadband interconnection is supporting decentralized processes that reinvigorate democracy. We can see it happening before our eyes: As a society, we are getting smarter. Networked democracy is taking hold. You can feel it. We the people—as Lincoln put it, "even we here"—are collectively still the key to the survival of America's democracy.

Tags: Al Gore, Assault on Reason

Posted by Sanford Dickert at 1:56 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

VA Shootings....a moment of silence

And a letter from the President of Cooper Union:

April 16, 2007
Memorandum to The Cooper Union Community

Beginning early this morning, the Virginia Tech campus experienced a deadly assault by a gunman that resulted, in the words of President Charles Steger, in a tragedy of unspeakable proportions. Varying reports at this time have placed the number of deaths at between 22 and 32, along with 29 victims who were injured.

While this tragedy reverberates throughout the academic world, it is the deadliest mass shooting in the history of the United States. It transcends the boundaries of higher education and goes to the heart of our modern human civilization. I have taken the liberty, on behalf of our entire community, to write a personal note to President Steger to express our deep sense of sorrow, empathy and heartfelt condolences on this tragic event. I have also offered a helping hand.

While we ponder the senselessness of this event, I hope that you will all join me in focusing your hearts, minds and prayers on victims, families and friends who are suffering in the aftermath of the tragedy.

President George Campbell Jr.
The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art

Tags: Virginia Tech

Posted by Sanford Dickert at 3:30 PM

EPFs - and my experience in the early 90s

Just reading TPMmuckraker today and saw this article on the Explosively Formed Penetrators (EFPs) that were discussed in this article of the New York Times. What surprised me was the actual description of the device as seen here in this graphic (click on the graphic on the right) and my personal close experience with them.

Back in the late 80s/early 90s, I was a newly minted engineer from Purdue, seeking jobs in the engineering world. I was a CS/EE and was talking to a number of companies. One of my trips to a company was to Honeywell in Minneapolis where I was introduced to the Advanced Weapons Group. I spent the day with one of the engineers who offered me a glimpse into two new weapons they were developing for the US Government and how they needed a good controls engineer to work on them. While I forgot the first one, the second one is quite familiar:

"You launch the projectile into the air ABOVE the target in a very high arc. The projectile deploys a parachute and begins its decent, scanning the terrain like a mini radar system. Once it determines its target, an explosive charge occurs behind the material and the shaping of the charge causes it to deform into a mortar-like object. This will then plunge through tanks and other defenses quite easily."

I remember the picture of the six inch steel wall that had been pierced by the projectile and how the engineer commented on how the shrapnel of the projectile was even more destructive within the enclosed environment, killing all of the combatants inside.

Suffice it to say, I did not take the job offer.

Tags: Explosively Formed Penetrators, EFP

Posted by Sanford Dickert at 3:36 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Gotta love the "New York Post"

On the subway today and I happen to glance over at the seat next to me. Someone left a NYPost sitting there - and I decide to pass the time away, reading the articles. I forgot how insane this paper is (and how right-wing it can be) until I read the following article:

GLOBAL WARMING OIL BOON

March 19, 2007 -- HANOVER, N.H. - Global warming, blamed for melting polar bears' icy Arctic habitat, could be a boon to the shipping and oil industries in the far north, according to a new report.

The dramatic decrease in sea ice above the Arctic Circle means that formerly impenetrable shipping routes are now open or soon could be for much of the year, the U.S. Arctic Research Commission wrote in a report released last week at an Arctic-scientist summit in Hanover.

"[This will] significantly shorten global marine transportation routes," says the report, prepared for President Bush and Congress.

Beyond shipping, less sea ice means easier access for offshore oil exploration and drilling in the Arctic, which is thought to contain about 25 percent of the world's remaining oil and gas reserves, the report said.

But with increased prospecting for oil and gas, the report noted, the risk of spills also rises, spurring the need for new clean-up technologies.

Hey - finally, an upside to the melting ice caps! Easier for the tankers to get more oil to us and allow us to lower the price on oil (yeah, right!). Can someone please tell the editors at the NYPost that they need to get their priorities straight? I mean, really, a report on the positive effects of global warming? Well, it was a warm winter this year - and I throughly enjoyed the late snow this weekend in New York City. Did the Groundhog see his shadow this year?

Tags: Global Warming, New York Post

Posted by Sanford Dickert at 7:14 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

Kissinger on political reputations

Just found this on my gmail one-line feed. Far too funny:

Quote of the Day:

"Ninety percent of the politicians give the other ten percent a bad reputation."

Henry A. Kissinger        

Any suggestions on why?

Tags: Henry Kissinger, Politicians

Posted by Sanford Dickert at 8:09 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Voter's remorse?

Care of an English friend:

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Posted by Sanford Dickert at 6:03 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

After the dust, remembering family...

After five months of insanity, the past two weeks have been something of a relief. The Democrats won the House and the Senate (thank you Senator Schumer). The Republicans are rediscovering the "power" of a minority. And everyone is back to doing the holiday dance. We see people stepping up for 2008 with exploratory committees and such.

Me? I am spending the next few months enjoying time with my family. As shown in the photo here, my brother, sister-in-law and the kids are coming to New York to enjoy Thanksgiving with me and other family members. Every morning, when I turn on my computer, this photo greets me - and reminds me that, no matter how bad the world can be, or how high you can rise - it is the simple things in life that are the most wonderful. They are incredible people - my brother and his family - real, straight-forward, and simply family. Thank you for being there.

Tags: Family, Thanksgiving

Posted by Sanford Dickert at 5:08 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

A Marine's letter in the din of Iraq

Been doing my normal trolling of the blogs, I came upon this letter at the Fighting 29th (this is a blog based in Rochester, NY focusing on the NY-29 seat). In reading this letter, I was surprised and intrigued by the content, honesty and bravery I read within. I have never been a supporter of the war in Iraq - prior to the invasion, I used to argue with my Israeli family members about the "domino effect" if could have in terms of building up further anti-American resentment. I have watched the talking heads and read the blogs, but this was a letter that spoke with a poignancy and honesty that reminded me of why should stand by the fighting men and women of the US Military.

Some particular quotes in the letter had me:

Most Profound Man in Iraq — an unidentified farmer in a fairly remote area who, after being asked by Reconnaissance Marines if he had seen any foreign fighters in the area replied "Yes, you."

Bravest Guy in al-Anbar Province — Any Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician (EOD Tech). How'd you like a job that required you to defuse bombs in a hole in the middle of the road that very likely are booby-trapped or connected by wire to a bad guy who's just waiting for you to get close to the bomb before he clicks the detonator? Every day. Sanitation workers in New York City get paid more than these guys. Talk about courage and commitment.

Second Bravest Guy in al-Anbar Province — It's a 20,000-way tie among all these Marines and Soldiers who venture out on the highways and through the towns of al-Anbar every day, not knowing if it will be their last — and for a couple of them, it will be.

Biggest Surprise — Iraqi Police. All local guys. I never figured that we'd get a police force established in the cities in al-Anbar. I estimated that insurgents would kill the first few, scaring off the rest. Well, insurgents did kill the first few, but the cops kept on coming. The insurgents continue to target the police, killing them in their homes and on the streets, but the cops won't give up. Absolutely incredible tenacity. The insurgents know that the police are far better at finding them than we are — and they are finding them. Now, if we could just get them out of the habit of beating prisoners to a pulp...

Highest Unit Re-enlistment Rate — Any outfit that has been in Iraq recently. All the danger, all the hardship, all the time away from home, all the horror, all the frustrations with the fight here — all are outweighed by the desire for young men to be part of a band of brothers who will die for one another. They found what they were looking for when they enlisted out of high school. Man for man, they now have more combat experience than any Marines in the history of our Corps.

and he ends it almost poeticly:

Most Common Thought — Home. Always thinking of home, of my great wife and the kids. Wondering how everyone else is getting along. Regretting that I don't write more. Yep, always thinking of home.

I hope you all are doing well. If you want to do something for me, kiss a cop, flush a toilet, and drink a beer. I'll try to write again before too long — I promise.

While I may not agree with the reasons or actions of the Iraq war, I can only respect the men and women who work to make it right. To the unnamed author, thank you for the glimpse.

NOTE: I make the assumption this is a true letter based on Time magazine's Sally B. Donnelly efforts to authenticate it. If proven otherwise, I would find this a cruel statement of the PR tactics of the Bush Administration.

Tags: Iraq war, A Marine's Letter, Life in Iraq

Posted by Sanford Dickert at 3:58 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Third year anniversary in Dem Politics

On the evening of September 11th, 2003 - I boarded a flight out of Heathrow for Washington, DC and landed in Dulles, where a cabbie named Aces picked me up and drove me out of the airport.

I was nervous at the time, since I had just left my home I had known for years and had recently broken up with my girlfriend - who had just flown back to Brasil the morning before. As we drove to DC that Friday morning, I remember having a feeling of trepidation, of excitement and of wonder about getting involved in politics - finally. My business partner, Rana, had been a strong advocate for being involved and making a difference and my history of student activism in areas of minority student support and athletc affairs - supposedly prepped me for this adventure. But I was certain it did not.

Politics was never meant to become a profession for me - rather, I felt a duty to fight for what was right for the Democratic Party and give up my business and relationship for the important task of electing someone that was "other than Bush". After years of apologizing for our government in foreign countries, and watching an anemic online campaign form versus what seemed to be a powerhouse of Republican forces, I finally decided to step up and make a difference.

align="right">But, this was just for this action. I thought of this as a simple consulting gig - where the task was to solve the problem, and get out. I help start companies, I love to build products, I love teaching people. Politics has always been a world of well-dressed.....sharks. And on my ride with Aces, we chatted about what it was like to stay in DC and what kind of person would it take to stay.

Aces said, "You don't have the right disposition; you seem to care too much. People here are about the game, not about the results." And I said, "That's where I am different. I get results." And, for the most part, that is what I have done.

And for three years, while the game I have not completely mastered, I have begun to understand it better. And I still do not feel like I am part of the system - which I think is a good thing. I am called upon to help in numerous ways, and I continue my fight to make a difference - whether from within or out. But it is my feverant hope that we, as citizens, continue to try to make a difference in this country and continue this democracy going.

Someone asked, why do I have a stamp of Mount Rushmore on the site. The practical reason is because my designer found it - and I liked it. The real heart reason is that the one place where I felt the spirit of what those great men felt and stood for was on the viewing platform staring up at those faces. Below the platform are four of their most famous quotes - which continue to inspire me. That is why I am proud to be an American.

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."

Thomas Jefferson
Declaration of Independence
July 4, 1776

"The preservation of the sacred fire of liberty and the destiny of the republican model of government are justly considered as deeply, perhaps as finally staked, on the experiment entrusted to the hands of the American people."

George Washington
First Inaugural Address
April 30, 1789

"It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

Abraham Lincoln
Gettysburg Address
November 19, 1863

"We, here in America, hold in our hands the hopes of the worlds, the fate of the coming years; and shame and disgrace will be ours if in our eyes the light of high resolve is dimmed, if we trail in the dust the golden hopes of men."

Theodore Roosevelt
Address at Carnegie Hall
March 30, 1912

Tags: Sanford Dickert, civic duty

Posted by Sanford Dickert at 2:39 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Understanding nuances of Nicco

Unfortunately for the blog wave, I have been under a rock working on a number of different issues - this weekend had me taking care of affidavits, enjoy a trip to the Finger Lakes and then working non-stop on an NSF proposal for a community-based project for The Cooper Union due at 5pm today. So when I fired up my FeedDemon, suffice it to say I was surprised to see so much ruckus kicked up by Aldon Hynes' compassionate post, to Rick Klau's support, to Markos' and Zack's somewhat "pitch him over the rail" commentary. Reading through the comments on Daily Kos, I was blown away from the assertion that Nicco would ever be considered a traitor, simply because he might be "working for the enemy".

High integrity and high moral character
I first connected with Nicco back in November of 2003, when Dean had gotten the Gore endorsement and I first attempted to connect the tech guys from the campaigns via the DemTech group. Out of all of the campaigns, Nicco was the first person to respond to the idea of working together - and we kept contact for quite some time over the course of the campaign. When we hit our first million dollar day, he and I were caucusing about what was the speed of the Dean Campaign reaching that mark. When the Dean Campaign came to an end, Nicco was the first person i called to offer a chance to come aboard the Kerry Campaign. In every conversation i have had with Nicco, it has been one of integrity and high character - especially when he is addressing an issue that is in his heart.

I do not believe that the fact that he has been "helping" the McCain folk should be a damning thing against Nicco, since I do not believe that Nicco would ever violate the trust of a client or the Democratic Party. I think that Nicco has the ability to stand by his honor and integrity to be able to address this particular issue. I certainly do not think that he would have "swiped" any private information from a Democratic candidate and would use it in the McCain Campaign.

DavidNYC on SwingState Project makes an interesting argument about how to evaluate Nicco's decision and EchoDitto's action on "leave of absence" . I am not sure how to react to it -but I do expect (and this is IMHO) that Nicco and Harish would never jeapordize their relationship with the Democrats that they work with.

Maybe this is Nicco's way of having one last harrah before he gets married and settles down. He might be tired of campaigns and the politics within. Could he be wanting to see how the other side lives and work with a person he respects? He chose to work for Howard Dean well before anyone thought Dean was going to be a powerhouse. I, for one, accept his decision for the fact that he made it, has had it addressed in public, and is standing by it. I trust in Nicco's integrity. And while I may be fighting him in the trenches, I will afford him the respect of a worthy adversary.

P.S. Great recap by William Beutler at Blog PI on the progressive and the conservative point of view on the issue.

Tags: Nicco Mele, John McCain

Posted by Sanford Dickert at 11:01 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Integrity - Lieberman-style

I was chatting with a friend of mine who happens to be a very strong supporter of the Lamont campaign. Senator Lieberman, who I have come to understand to be a person of high integrity from friends and associates who have worked with him, has been lambasted for his position on Iraq (which I personally do not agree with). His argument seems core to his belief system, which I understand to be the essence of integrity. While I may not agree with his point of view, I could respect him. My friend, on the other hand, could not.

To help in our discussion, I searched for the definition of "integrity". After hearing this word being brandied about this campaign season either as a badge of honor or a failing in others, I wondered if I really knew what the word integrity actually meant. Looking at Merriam-Webster site, I found this definition:

INTEGRITY
Function: noun
1 : firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values : INCORRUPTIBILITY
2 : an unimpaired condition : SOUNDNESS
3 : the quality or state of being complete or undivided : COMPLETENESS
synonym see HONESTY

What was especially interesting was the synonym: HONESTY

HONESTY
Function: noun
1 obsolete : CHASTITY
2 a : fairness and straightforwardness of conduct b : adherence to the facts : SINCERITY
3 : any of a genus (Lunaria) of European herbs of the mustard family with toothed leaves and flat disk-shaped siliques
synonyms HONESTY, HONOR, INTEGRITY, PROBITY mean uprightness of character or action. HONESTY implies a refusal to lie, steal, or deceive in any way. HONOR suggests an active or anxious regard for the standards of one's profession, calling, or position. INTEGRITY implies trustworthiness and incorruptibility to a degree that one is incapable of being false to a trust, responsibility, or pledge. PROBITY implies tried and proven honesty or integrity.

In our conversation, my friend suggested that integrity and honesty does not necessarily equate - especially in politics. It is often perception rather than truth that becomes reality. Stated in a different way, honesty can be overshadowed by marketing political expedience - especially if the "firm adherence to a code" is the goal of being elected or re-elected. What leads to my respect for Senator Lieberman is his firm adherence to his views and the fact that while the winds of politics has shifted, he still is strong on his position and is standing his ground. While I do not agree with his position, I can respect the fact that he has put thought and deliberation in order to form his point-of-view.

The Challenge
If you are a staunch believer of the principles of your party and country, but your position is not aligned with with those in the party, how should you act? If defense of your opinion/reputation could be at the detriment of your party or yourself, what should you do? When forced to defend oneself from outrageous allegations, do you shy away from the battle for your values for the good of the party?

Politics is something I have grown to appreciate - and can only imagine I have a small understanding in the grand scheme. But I am often left wondering: do the mechanizations of politics and the games people play have to impinge on your integrity? Does a person have to forego the "moral code" one believes to play well in politics. When I think on this, I am brought short by one of my favorite quotes from Theodore Roosevelt:

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.

While I do not agree with most of Senator Lieberman's views, I respect the man's adherence to his own moral compass. He is fighting his own battle - and while he strives for this seat, I believe he will fight the fight he believes in. In 2000, we had this man as our potential VP. In 2004, he fought a hard fight for the Presidential nomination. I hope the Joe-mentum does not fade away if he loses this battle. While I have never met the man personally, friends and collegues who have met him speak incredibly highly of his personal integrity and valor. While some would feel that he has lost his way in the eighteen years he has been in office, I leave the decision of whom should represent CT to the voters of CT. If he loses the race, I hope he continues to battle on the issues he feels is right and just. A democracy is made better by discourse, rather than consensus.

Tags: political integrity, Joe Lieberman, Ned Lamont, Theodore Roosevelt, Man In The Arena

Posted by Sanford Dickert at 7:36 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

"Land of the Blind" - intriguing film

Spent part of Saturday at the TriBreca Film Festival - where my friend purchased tickets to see "Land of the Blind" - a new film by director Robert Edward. While the actors were enough to create a draw (Ralph Fiennes, Donald Sutherland, and Lara Flynn Boyle), what intrigued me was the opening discussion - that the film was a "satiric political drama about terrorism, assassination, and the power of memory". As written in Ralph Fiennes own website:

Land of the Blind is a satiric political drama about terrorism, assassination, and the power of memory. The film is set in an unnamed place and time, where an idealistic soldier named Joe (Ralph Fiennes) strikes up an illicit friendship with a political prisoner named Thorne (Donald Sutherland). Through their conversations in the high-security military prison where Thorne is held, Joe slowly begins to question his allegiance to the country's brutal but clownish dictator and his Machiavellian wife. Eventually Thorne succeeds in recruiting Joe to the rebel cause, leading to a bloody coup d'etat with echoes of countless tyrannies, revolutions, and counter-revolutions throughout history. But in the post-revolutionary world, what Thorne asks of Joe leads the two men into bitter conflict, spiraling downward into madness until Joe's co-conspirators conclude that they must erase him from history.

You are welcome to look at the site link above, but I would suggest getting a chance to see the film on the big screen. I was engaged with the story because there were far too many connections to the past four years, but what was interesting was after the half-way point - where what you expect in Hollywood terms takes a completely different turn.

This movie was a combination of a number of historical references: I saw Lenin and Stalin, Democrats and Republicans, Labour and Tories, Arabs and Israelis. The challenges between idealism and reality. Between what is assumed to be right and wrong. And the last act - leaves you in a state of unreality: was he free or was he still in prison?

Simply put - highly recommend the movie - especially for the politically inclined.

Tags: Land of the Blind, Robert Edward

Posted by Sanford Dickert at 4:37 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

Thoughts on London

At 6:30am EST, I woke up and performed my morning ritual - usual act of stretching and going through my morning email. This morning, I found an unusual email from a friend in London - Loren Gerlach - telling his list of friends that "I am all right". That was the first news I got to learn of the bombing in London.

To explain how this affected me - I moved to London in July 2000 and took a Contiki tour around Europe for 19 days. While this is a rite of passage for many college students, it was particularly new to me - since I had just finished with graduate school. The Contiki office is located underneath the Royal National Hotel - right off of Russell Square.

While this might be a bit of a shock, I spent the next three years living within five minutes walking distance of Russell Square - and often would ride on the Piccadilly Line - in the first car as I would arrive to Russell Square (the exit from the platform is reached fastest if you are in the first car).

To make matters more poignant, if not for a new contract I have been working on for a client here in New York, I would have been in London this past week - more than likely traveling on the Piccadilly line.

Why is this such an impact? My friends are there - a large number of them, who I care a great deal about - all live very close to three of the bombed sites. Even the 30 Bus that blew up in Tavistock Square, I have a very close friend that has often taken that bus to go to work every morning.

Ten years ago, almost to the day, in Tel Aviv, the Dan buses were being blown up on a regular basis - when I was working in Israel, I remember being in country when the 400 bus (from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem) was blown up. The entire country was in mourning - everyone felt as if a friend had been hurt - everyone knew someone who knew someone on the bus. I have such pain in my heart - thinking of the many people who have been traumatized by this act.

I spent my entire day going from meeting, to email, to phone - every space moment, trying to reach friends and people I care about. It was heartwrenching - and to be so far away and not to help - so much like what happened here in 2001. My heart goes out to London - and my adopted city. I weep for the injured and dead - and smile at the fortitude of the Britons. Quite an interesting people...

Posted by Sanford Dickert at 8:30 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Long Tail on the Supreme Court

Well - the boom dropped - and now I find my worst fears becoming real...

One of the reasons why I took the leap from London to Washington, DC was because of this fact - the next President would have the responsibility of selecting one, two or even three judges on the Supreme Court. And, with Judge O'Connor being the most influential justice resigning - and Bush speaking about casting the next Supreme in the mold of Scalia and Thomas - I am concerned. (Look here for the potential candidates - Slate: Supreme Court Shortlist).

While I am a strong proponent of technology and community - I have always been a strong supporter of freedom and the rights of the individuals within society. And, to the fact that our country has been cast into the "left" and the "right", it always frustrates me that there are a number of people who live within the "moderate" realm are much larger, much more nuanced. Who will speak on the rights of the majority? Or will the extremes determine the balance of our society?

I wonder - because it is in the press' interest to report on the right (see the Associated Press: Conservative Christians welcome O’Connor’s retirement) and on the left (ABC News: Interest Groups Mobilize for Court Push) - heck, one of my favorite sparring partners more than likely is spinning up the email campaign (look here for RightMarch's effort) to combat MoveOn.org's effort. But where is the moderate's point of view? Where are the groups that speak to the majority of the country? Possibly UniteOurStates.com?

The question is - will Senator Reid prepare the nuclear option? How will we make sure that the balance of the court be retained?

Posted by Sanford Dickert at 6:35 AM | Comments (0)

What is it about High School Reunions?

This Memorial Day Weekend, I spent the weekend at my hometown catching up with people I haven't seen in two decades. It was just under 20 years ago, I dressed up in a white gown and got a piece of paper signifying my passage into the "real world". Little did I know that I would go through a number of these rites in my lifetime - aside from high school...

I spent a lot of time catching up with people at the three events I went to - and discovered something interesting - while our class had almost 400 people in it - only about 25% of the class showed up to any of the events. But what was interesting was that every person that was there - knew at least two other people in our class that was not at the event. Which, conservatively, meant that the entire class should have gotten wind of the event - whether by phone, email, website or WOM.

The question is - how could we make sure this happens effectively? In other social circles I am associated with - email, Skype and IM are the three main connection mediums I use. In a project I am working on, the urban community uses mobile, SMS and email (to a lesser degree) with a *very* strong referential bias. In an alumni group like mine, the number of people who use these media are very different - and can find that it must be a challenge to reach everyone in the network solely relying on a particular medium.

For my high school graduating class - I am going to see what I can do to make the bonds stronger for the next reunion. Maybe five years from now, maybe ten. And with my brother having his reunion in two years, we shall see how the network effect operates in the future...

Posted by Sanford Dickert at 12:09 PM | Comments (0)

Andrew Rasiej for New York Public Advocate

Never been one to speak on the web about my candidates - my work for JK was always behind the scenes, my enthusiasm for the online success of the Dean campaign was always something kept quiet, and my support for the removal of GWB was what spurred me to return across the pond - but, for a first, I have decided to use my skills to help a candidate who I know and respect - and believe would benefit a community with his skills.

Andrew Rasiej for NY Public Advocate
I grew up in Florida, lived in Indiana, California, London and Washington, DC - but the only major city in the US I have not made my own has been New York. Until now. While not a resident in New York, my work has brought me to this fair city and I have seen both positives and negatives over time. And one of the positives I have seen has been Andrew Rasiej (pronounced Roo-shay).

Andrew has been a tireless advocate for the use of technology to improve public services - whether it be for schools (see MouseNY) or politics (an early supporter for Dean and the founder of the Personal Democracy Forum).

I met Andrew at the very beginning of my political career in a loft on the Upper West Side where we discussed the seismic shift we saw coming with the confluence of the Internet and politics. Andrew was one of the few advocates for technology policy change in politics, helping then-Senator Bob Kerrey on various technology political initiatives in Washington, DC. And over the years of knowing him, he has toyed with the idea of making a difference in New York - whether through campaign for someone else - or for himself.

Well, a number of weeks ago, Andrew deciced to run for the New York Public Advocate role - essentially a vice major job in New York, though independent from the Mayor's Office - since it is a separate elected official. The role is essentially an influencer role - rather than an authority role - which has appeal to me in my experience as a product manager. What has attracted me to Andrew's campaign has been his decision to make the Advocate office a distributed office - where the public would become part of his social network - and be part of the advocate network. Rather than relying on postal mail, and what Andrew thinks is the issue - he would rather use the concept of distributed democracy to learn of the issues, determine what is relevant, and to leverage the network to accomplish the solution - rather than assuming he knows all the answers. Wait? A candidate who does not know all the answers? Someone who subscribes to the Wisdom of Crowds? Willing to only accept small donations of $100 only? Is such a thing possible? I'd like to think so.

If you would like to learn more about Andrew and his platform, join the campaign at advocatesforrasiej.com . Or learn the news at the campaign blog or what Andrew Penenberg from Wired says.

Posted by Sanford Dickert at 6:12 PM | Comments (0)