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2008/9/30

If Obama looses WA state

As my people will say, "God forbids bad thing" however for a moment let's assume Obama losses Washington state in the upcoming elections, one conversation will crystallize it for me. And I want to tell you my readers about that conversation.

First the background, this conversation happened early in the morning pre 7am in a coffee shop in Redmond that I go to frequently. And the gentlemen in question having this conversation I have noticed at the coffee shop several times before, and since I seat very close to them on more than one occasion. Over time, I have a mental model of their profile, all four are white men in the late sixties to early seventies, all except one seems to be married and the one I can't tell whether is is divorced or never married but I can tell he doesn't like the conversation about family and makes caustic comments when one who is particularly proud of his kids announces what one or the other is up to. These men has varying degrees of education and experiences, one was a fighter pilot, while another seems to be a senior executive that have managed all the others at one point or the other. One was also a mechanic that have fought in Vietnam and seems to be the least educated in the group but very opinionated. What they all have in common is retirement from Boeing, the aeronautic conglomerate in Seattle.

Yes, I know it is bad to eavesdrop, but sometimes you can't help it, this men are interesting and half their conversations are interesting and the other half is annoying and distracting. Back to the subject of Obama. This particular morning the topic of conversation was the elections and as these men were quite against Obama except the mechanic who seems overwhelmed by group think.

Here are there basic arguments, based on the short notes I wrote down.

1. Obama's poor background is mischaracterized, his grandmother is a VP of Hawaii National Bank and hence he wasn't raised in poverty and went to private school

2. He is not saying exactly, what it is that he is going to do although they do concede he gives good speeches

3. His policies will take from the rich and gives to the poor (taxes). Makes me wonder if these men think of themselves as being rich. They contrasted his plan, with McCain's which they claim will actually lower taxes for those making between $30K and $250K.

4. A big no no against Obama they all agree on, is that Europe wants him to be president and that in unanimously un acceptable. Why? They didn't articulate, but I can only postulate it is a common and established position about them that, that can not possibly be good.

5. All the lawyers and big businesses are now in the republican party, and they should be sent back to the democratic party. McCain is the republican party's best hope to return back to its ideals.

 

Why is this conversation important? Why should you care? The fact that this conversation is happening in Redmond, WA is what is scary to me. Around here, people are supposed to be smart, well read, articulate and more importantly able to think for themselves. Hopefully it isn't my bias that is clouding my judgement.

2008/9/23

jumbles of the mind

Do your homework - take time out to check if your life is going exactly how you plan it to be.

An entrepreneur (spelling) is someone who can make something they want to solve a problem they care about in spite of or lack of resources by pulling together resources to solve the problem profitably.

NGO - Non Governmental Organizations

Micro-enterprise (MUSE) defined as  less than $35K capital, less than 5 employees

Washington CASH

Strategic Agenda --> Vision/Goal/Metric

Having information versus changing behavior

Community Capital Development - IRS, SBA, SCORE, BRRT - Burien, Renton, Skyway, Tacoma.

SBA certified SDFI

treasury department grants