Be Couregous

If this video looks like it was done in my basement that is ok because it was.

If this video looks like I have too much time on my hands that is ok to because I am on parent leave and I do. Hopefully you appreciate the message and my try at a video post.

John McCain on twitter

Being a fan of politics I find it amusing that John McCain has started to twitter. At least at the onset he is using the medium to his advantage. Yesterday he said

” I am gonna tweet the TOP TEN PORKIEST PROJECTS in the Omnibus Spending bill the Congress is about to pass,”

Congratulations to Senator McCain and hopefully the Republican party. It’s about time they started to use technology.

http://twitter.com/SenJohnMcCain

http://twitter.com/JohnMcCain

Interesting political data point

I have started to read a daily political blog called Mike Allen’s playbook on politico.com. Here is some interesting face and analysis from today’s post relevant to higher ed web communications.

WashPost’s Shailagh Murray and Matthew Mosk reveal that Obama for America has “an e-mail database of more than 10 million supporters. … At least 3.1 million people on the list donated money to Obama.”

TODAY’S BEST POINT — The Nation’s Ari Melber: “The massive list of energized activists is the biggest stick Obama will carry in Washington. It enables direct communication at a remarkable scale. The next President can instantly address 16 percent of his national supporters, based on the popular vote. To put it another way, the list dwarfs the audience of all the nightly cable news shows combined.”

Election Day (after)

Election day is one of my most favorite days of the year. I was a political science major and a how political junky so it is natural that I would be drawn to this day. I find it so amazing that on election day no matter who we are, what we do, how much money we earn, what color our skin, we all go to our local fire halls, schools, municipal buildings, and vote for our elected officials. Everyone’s vote counts the same. Are there problems with our system of course but how lucky are we to live in a country where we are able to do all of this. And we do it peacefully. Every four years there is a transfer or power and there is no need for military intervention or force. No matter which side you voted for yesterday today the sun shines just a little brighter because of our process.

Blog Action Day – Poverty

Fellow higher ed blogger Andrew Careaga pointed out that today is Blog Action Day, which calls for bloggers to focus on poverty.

Here is my best shot and I will focus on Child Poverty in America.

Poverty in America is embarrassing and a tragedy. We are the greatest nation in the world with the greatest military and economy. How is it possible that according to the National Center for Children in Poverty (NCCP) http://www.nccp.org

“Nearly 13 million children in the United States—18% of all children—live in families with incomes below the federal poverty level—$21,200 a year for a family of four. Research shows that, on average, families need an income of about twice that level to cover basic expenses. Using this standard, 39% of children live in low-income families.”

Of course solving our economic problems and how we resolve our military conflicts in the middle east are extraordinary important but wouldn’t it be nice for our next president made it a priority to take on children in poverty and make sure that the future looks brighter than the past for these children.

I don’t know how you do it. I don’t know how you pay for it. But I do know the President of the United States is the most powerful position in the world and he should have the smartest people working for him to solve these tough issues.