Mark Shriver: How to Turn Banking Waste into a Bright Future for All Kids

The only way to keep my kids out of debt for half their lives due to student loans was to pay their schooling costs myself. Best damn investment I ever made. I am not sure what the fix is, but I urge everyone to complain, no scream at all their elected officials about these issues and problems. This is just another example of corporate interference in our government. Anything to make a buck, right guys?

I think my 401k would be better served by setting aside part of it to invest in an "educational bond fund". Government backed, and the money invested in the fund goes directly to students and institutions. NO BANKS. If enough people do it, it might send Wall Street a message. Payback is a bitch bankers... You have been warned... ;-]

Mark Shriver: How to Turn Banking Waste into a Bright Future for All Kids

The Best Ambiance playlist-March 8, 2010

A short playlist below as this is the week of the KEXP Spring membership drive. Thanks to all of you who supported our station, and kept us on track for the goal. Your support keeps this station and African music alive on the radio dial! You can check out the show for two weeks following the broadcast,  on our streaming archive at www.kexp.org. The concert and events calendar is found after the playlist below. -Jon Kertzer, "The Best Ambiance" KEXP-Seattle   Playlist Monday, March 08, 2010 (LISTEN TO THIS SHOW) Time Artist Song Album Label 6:05 Bibi Den Tshibayi The Best Ambiance The Best Ambiance Tangent(France) DJ Comments: theme music-Congolese soukous ---- air break ---- 6:07 West Nkosi Majava Java Jive Nation Earthworks(UK) DJ Comments: great South African sax player and producer 6:09 Mahotella Queens Kazet Kazet Marabi(France) DJ Comments: veteran female trio of mbaqanga singers 6:13 Busi Mhlongo Yehlisan'umoya Ma-Afrika (African National Calm) Urbanzulu M.E.L.T. 2000(S. Africa) DJ Comments: popular South African female maskanda singer ---- air break ---- 6:28 Habib Koité & Bamada Cigarette A Bana Muso Ko World Village DJ Comments: Malian's first hit, coming to Seattle in April to Jazz Alley 6:33 Bassekou Kouyaté & Ngoni Ba Jonkoloni Segu Blue Out Here Records(Germany) DJ Comments: from debut of ngoni band, with Amy Sacko on vocals, coming to Triple Door on March 16th ---- air break ---- 6:47 Virunga Jaffar Feet on Fire Sterns(UK) DJ Comments: band from Kenya, led by singer Samba Mapangala 6:51 Abdul Tee-Jays Rokoto Kamilay Kanka Kuru Rogue DJ Comments: London based guitarist from Sierra Leone 7:02 Frank Ulwenya Safarini Safarini In Transit - Music Of African Immigrants Smithsonian/Folkways DJ Comments: Kenyan singer from Seattle, with Yoko Nzenze 7:08 Orchestra Super Mazembe Kassongo Giants Of East Africa Earthworks(UK) DJ Comments: East African hit of the early 80's 7:12 Mabulu Bula Bula Soul Marrabenta Riverboat(UK) DJ Comments: band from Mozambique ---- air break ---- 7:24 Ayub Ogada Wa Winjigo Ero En Mana Kuoyo Real World DJ Comments: music from Kenya on nyatiti harp 7:28 Béla Fleck and Anania Ngoglia Furaha Throw Down Your Heart: Tales From The Acoustic Planet, Vol. 3 - Africa Sessions Part 2 Bela Fleck Prod. DJ Comments: just released, second volume from movie, Anania from Tanzania 7:32 Afel Bocoum & Alkibar Sambe Sambe Tabital Pulaaku Contre Jour(Belgium) DJ Comments: latest from singer/guitarist form Mali, and his band; formerly with Ali Farka Toure ---- air break ---- 7:45 Staff Benda Bilili Staff Benda Bilili Très Très Fort Crammed Discs (Crammed Discs) DJ Comments: parapalegic band from Kinshasa, Congo 7:51 Mahube Ziwere Mahube Sheer Sound (S. Africa) DJ Comments: group featuring Oliver Mtukudzi and Steve Dyer 8:05 Antibalas K-Leg Live @ KEXP n.a. DJ Comments: NYC afro-beat band live in our studios Feb. 19, 2002 8:12 Sir Shina Peters Yabis Nigeria 70-Lagos Jump Strut(UK) DJ Comments: vintage juju music from Nigeria ---- air break ---- 8:25 Shiyani Ngcobo Wayi Thathaphi Introducing Shiyani Ngcobo Introducing/World Music Network(UK) DJ Comments: guitarist from South Africa 8:28 Eric Agyeman I Don't Care African Moves Vol. 3 Sterns(UK) DJ Comments: highlife classic from Ghana, from early 80's ---- air break ---- 8:46 Bembeya Jazz National Yelema Yelemaso Bembeya World Village DJ Comments: band from Guinea, reformed  in early 90's, with this recording 8:52 Les Amazones De Guinée Wamato Wamato Sterns DJ Comments: all female band from Guinea TBA Events Calendar    Thursday, March 11, 2010   Afrocentric  night, with Sol Afrique, at the Musiquarium Lounge at The Triple Door, 216 Union Street in Seattle, 9PM, free.     Friday, March 12, 2010.   Soweto Gospel Choir performs at First Presbyterian Church in Seattle (next to Town Hall).  It’s part of the American Choral Directors Association Conference and a limited number of tickets will be available to the public.  8pm.   Sunday, March 14, 2010   African All-Stars, at Hidmo Restaurant, 20th and Jackson, Seattle, 8PM-10PM.   Tuesday, March 16, 2010   From Mali, Bassekou Kouyate and Ngoni Ba, at the Triple Door, 216 Union St, Seattle, 7:30PM.  info at http://www.thetripledoor.net/Calendar.aspx; then Kane Mathis plays in Musicquarium Lounge at 9PM.   Saturday, March 20, 2010   Andrew Oliver Kora Group- acoustic concert at Empty Sea Studio, 8PM, at 6300 Phinney Ave. Seattle;  info at http://kora.andrewoliver.net   Sunday, March 21, 2010   Lora Chiora with Danai and Draze Maraire, 7:30PM, at The Triple Door,  216 Union St, Seattle, 7:30PM.  info at http://www.thetripledoor.net/Calendar.aspx Tuesday – Wednesday, April 6 & 7, 2010   Habib Koite and Bamada at the  Jazz Alley, 2033 6th Avenue, Seattle; phone 206-441-9729; 7:30pm, $26.50. http://www.myspace.com/habibkoite   Monday and Tuesday, May 3 and 4, 2010   King Sunny Ade at The Triple Door,  216 Union St, Seattle, 7:30PM.  info at http://www.thetripledoor.net/Calendar.aspx   Support KEXP As a member supported radio station we depend on your ongoing contributions to support the music we present. So please show us how important KEXP is in your life and pledge now. For more information on the benefits and rewards of membership, check out our member section. Support KEXP with a contribution today and choose from one of the many great thank-you Visit the web address below to tell your friends about this.  Tell-a-friend! If you received this message from a friend, you can sign up for KEXP.

YouTube - The YouTube Interview with President Obama

Robert Scoble asked a great question about getting YouTube videos to feed properly into Buzz. Since I know feedburner will send blog posts to Buzz, I just have to try feeding this CitizenTube interview with the President that took place on Feb 01, 2010 and see what happens - wow, am I late to the game or what? ;-]

YouTube - The YouTube Interview with President Obama

Robert L. Borosage: All You Really Need to Know About Banking Reform

My simple solution to show my disgust at the banking industry is to walk the walk, and take my money to my local credit union. Just got off a telephone town hall with Senator Murray, and she opened with how hard small businesses have been hit because the big banks ignore them, and the local banks are replenishing capital to keep themselves from going under.

I don't know about you, but I am pulling all of my money out of the latest big bank to take over the one I just had [Wamu -> Chase], and putting everything into my local credit union; Kitsap Credit Union. I told them exactly why I was moving my my money there, and inquired if they had local investment funds I could stick some money in that focused on lending to local business. No definite yes or no, but hey, I let them know what I wanted my money to be invested in. Hey, the people who run credit unions are the people who bank there, not some capitalistic board of vampires.

Sure, you should join groups that work towards banking/investment reform, but you would be amazed at how hard you can get hit back when you walk the walk.

Robert L. Borosage: All You Really Need to Know About Banking Reform

Official Google Blog: An update on Google.org and philanthropy @ Google

I did not even know Google.org existed. Well, I do now. This is awesome, especially the Google PowerMeter, Flu Trends and the Earth Engine. I have a new favorite site to get info on non-profit organizational tools... [just what refiamerica needs ;-]

Official Google Blog: An update on Google.org and philanthropy @ Google

PostPartisan - How Obama can shift the health-care debate

A buzz friend posted this to facebook. I decided to read it because I try to follow healthcare happenings. I read the entire article because what David Ignatous had to say. His point? Do it. Not because it will save money and cut premiums [we could only hope!] but because it is the right thing to do. Hat/tip to Alice for posting this link.

PostPartisan - How Obama can shift the health-care debate

Heart of America Northwest - Hanford turning into a nuclear dump?

Shout out to all Seattle/PacNW residents: Hearings on Hanford as a National Radioactive Waste Dump: A public meeting in Seattle Monday 3/8 7pm. Info session starts at 6pm. Feds want to abandon the cleanup plans, and expand Hanford to start up weapons production again. This hearing is being featured on "Mind over matters" this morning on the kexp.org stream.

From the web site: "Hanford is the most contaminated area in the Western hemisphere. Today radioactive and toxic contamination flows into the Columbia River, which flows through Hanford for fifty miles, at levels as high as 1,500 times the federal Drinking Water Standard. Over a million gallons of deadly liquid High-Level Nuclear Waste has leaked from tanks at Hanford, and over 120 million gallons of these deadly wastes was dumped into the soil. The contamination is spreading towards the River faster than the federal Energy Department (USDOE) claimed was possible.
Heart of America Northwest believes in “Clean-Up First!” - requiring the massive amounts of existing wastes to be brought into compliance and cleaned up before allowing USDOE to dump more waste at Hanford. Please read on, and do not hesitate to call or send us any questions or suggestions. Please join us and sign up to receive email action alerts and to volunteer (we can use volunteers anywhere in the Northwest)."

I am going to try and be there...

Heart of America Northwest

Bob Cesca: The Tea Party Is All About Race

Bob really struck a note with me on this one. For the longest time, I have been at a loss to explain "why" the current "tea party or tea baggers" bothered me so much. They appear to be for things that would be good for America, but once you look into it, you are like "that's just wrong...!". I think Bob really has something here... hat/tip -> Bob Cesca.

Bob Cesca: The Tea Party Is All About Race

one person, one vote

[originally published 15-Nov-09 20:21 on refiamerica.org]

The idea: A national, government verifiable way to register internet users as 'voters or opinions', with anonymity resting with an open source organization, community founded, much like nanog [north american networks operators group], or the Gnu foundation [is it a foundation?].

As voting citizens, we prove to the gov't who we are to be able to vote, but when we vote, it is private, anonymous, except for polling location.

What if you could go and re-register to 'vote' in person at your local polling place, and once verified, the gov't official hands the person at the next table a scan code or printed number. The next group is a representative of this open source organization that uses the gov't code to create a secure-id two factor otp [one time password] token that anonymously ties that  token to 'a registered voter in this precinct - anonymous". It does not id you personally, it just guarantees that you proved to the voter registration people you are who you say you are.

The voter then registers with a secure web site that is also the web site where they can be polled. We are not talking about voting, this is opinion polls. "Should the US pull out of Afghanistan?" Extremely good accuracy of the count and verification of "one person, one vote". Heck, they even get the accuracy down to zip codes if the user allows that [ok, maybe that is a condition of having the right to cast your certified opinion].

Just something to think about... --egrep

losing 40 lbs? definitely worth it...

[originally published 03-Sep-09 03:45 on refiamerica.org]

• the idea...

  free. Hey, what are brains for if you do not listen to them?

• trying to pitch the idea...

  3 years of hell

• running the gauntlet....

  hella fun! Try it sometime.

• losing 40 lbs to be able to run the gauntlet...

  worth it, believe me

• thoroughly enjoying pitching the idea in a 30 minute one-on-one with the CIO of your company..?

  priceless...