The Death of a Nation

The Election 2008.
Getting up very early yesterday and spiriting myself over to the polls to cast my vote as a responsible American I was filled with pride for having the privilege and the right to effect a small amount of change in our country. Then came the results of the election early this morning. I felt as though I were on candid camera. Surely this could not be true, I said to myself. But, of course, it is true. We have elected quite possibly the worst candidate in the history of America. Barak Obama will tear this country apart with his socialist policies and dangerous and destructive foreign campaign. He'll pull us out of Irag and the middle east without resolving what we have worked so hard, and shed so much blood, for (even though I've opposed the war for some time now we still have a responsibility to finish what we started) at a time when we are making real progress towards establishing a functioning democracy. His economic plans are insane and mostly idiotic at best. The middle class is going to suffer greater hardship in this generation than in any other generation since the Great Depression.
It is a truly tragic day in American politics. I dread the next 4 years and pray to God that he isn't elected to a second term.

Downtown - Autumn AM

As I rode into work this morning, via the Riverwalk, as I do each day of the week, I had to stop a few times just to take in the view. While we all get frustrated with those in power for their inaction and sometimes seemingly outright raping of The Core, we need to stop and realize that we have a gorgeous city here sitting along the St. Johns River. So here are a couple shots of what my morning commute looks like these days. With views like this, a city like this, we really need to step up and make the most of what we've been entrusted with. Shouting at the rain is no longer going to cut it. Words now need to be followed by action. I'm not entirely sure what that "action" needs to be just yet, but I know that there are enough of us out there of the same mind that change can be affected in our city. It's time for our generation to take a greater responsibility for the future of Jacksonville.

Politicians and Politics

I think this image just about sums it up, don't you?
So, who's following the race these days? It seems you can't turn on the tv or the radio without hearing something about one of the candidates and their running mates. Personally I hate politics and I think politicians should be fired from government and made to actually work for a living. But, I understand that we live in a society that needs laws, boundaries, safeguards and rules in order to properly function in at least somewhat of a dignified way. Without these elements in place our society would crumble in a matter of minutes, so a necessary, if unpleasant, evil.
But what I'll never understand is how political campaigns have been reduced to name calling and backbiting. I mean, these are grown men and women who are, theoretically, running to be our representatives, to be our "man on the hill", our "go to" guy/girl, whatever. So, who cares if they slept with an aid, or an intern, or even a freakin goat! I could care less about your sexual resume. I could care less about most of the crap that gets thrown out over the air waves these days, because almost none of it has anything to do with finding solutions for the problems that this country is facing. Things like unemployment, taxes, welfare, abortion, adoption, national debt, war, national security and education are barely mentioned througout the course of your average politcal debate. And if they are mentioned it's only one pointing out what the other has NOT done to rectify whatever issue it is. Who cares what you haven't done in the past. What ARE you going to do today? Tomorrow? Over the next four years? When are we going to have a candidate step up who will hold themselves accountable for the people? I think we've had some who have made a valiant go of it, but in the end political maneuvering overrules what is good for the country and for the people at large.
It's a sad day when you can't trust ANYONE in your governing body because they're all on the take, they're all out to get whatever they can for themselves and stay in office for as long as they can without doing much of anything. It is a sad day.

Idiots

People are idiots.
I have noticed, frighteningly, that the vast majority of people do not pay attention to their surroundings AT ALL. This should come as no surprise when you listen to the news in the morning and get the traffic update for Jacksonville: crash on this road, crash on that road, crash over here, someone going to the hospital over there. It's insane!!! PAY ATTENTION PEOPLE! I ride a bike to work. I take the Riverwalk. It is a wonderful ride in the mornings, so peaceful and calm. Accept for the idiot people walking WHO ARE NOT PAYING ATTENTION! It's a good thing that I pay attention to my surroundings otherwise I'd be running these people down left and right.
It gets me to wondering if most people are just that self absorbed and self obsessed that they have no concern whatsoever for anything else going on outside of their own personal bubble. Ugh. It's so frustrating. Why can't they wake up!? Maybe I ask too much. Perhaps my standards are too high. It could be, even, that I am a minority in a world that does not want, and cares not, to change! Especially with such an important election coming up in the next couple of weeks, one would think that we could all take a step outside of ourselves, look around, and take note of what is going on around us. Again, perhaps this is too much to ask. Perhaps "people", the majority, simply can not handle such vast responsibility as this. It could be too much for their delicate sensibilities, their fragile constitutions. But I digress.

Ciao.

The Dark Side

Anyone who knows me knows that I am, and always have been, a liberal. Not always in the political sense, but definitely in my values. Politically I try to go with the candidate that is the least full of shit. That obviously is a little difficult in today's political arena. However, lately I have been spending a lot of time listening to talk radio on both sides of the spectrum, getting both points of view, and trying to weed out the bullshit. And one thing that I have come to know for sure is the Obama is not the least interested in what is right and just for this country. He is interested in doing whatever it takes to get elected as the first black president and get his name in the history books. Well, I don't give two shits if you're black, white, blue, purple or green. If you want to be a leader for this country you have to be willing to put politics aside and do what is right for the future of this country and the future of our children. So far, McCain has done that. He postponed his campaign in order to go back to D.C. to debate this so called "bail-out" plan and try to get to the right solution for our country. Not a political move, though everyone turned it into one, but the right move for the U.S. Obama on the other hand, had to be ORDERED by our president to bring his ass back to D.C. to vote on this measure. What kind of message does that send when your campaign is more important than the current crisis of our country? It sends the clear message that he cares nothing for what is right, only what gets him elected.
I am not a republican, I'm not even a conservative (though my wife may disagree). I am a liberal, but I tell you, there is not one chance in hell that I would vote for Obama as the next president of our country. We need leaders with the knowledge, fortitude, humility and patience to do what is right and take this country out of the pit of dispair that we find ourselves in right now. So, as of today, I cast my vote for John McCain. Not because he's the lesser of two evils, not because I just don't want Obama in office, but because over the last two weeks I have seen in both the liberal and conservative press/media that he has the best interests of this country at heart. I was wrong about Bush in 2000 when I voted him into office. I hope this time I'm right. The next 4 years will tell the tale.
I would ask anyone who reads this to do the same as I have done. Don't vote your party. Party politics are just that, Politics. Politics has nothing to do with what is right for the future of our country. Far too often we vote the party line because we don't want this or that in office. Well, at some point it has to be about what is truly right and just, not party. We have real problems that need real solutions, and the guy who is just totting the party line is not going to deliver what we need. Look at the issues, watch the debates, find out their voting records, see where they really stand and vote accordingly.

Another one bites the dust

Does anyone know what has happened to Dona Maria's in 5 Points? My wife and I would frequent that place at least once a week or so, but for the last two weeks it has been closed up with a large dumpster out front. Last night as I drove over to Publix after work I noticed all of the kitchen equipment sitting outside under the canopy. Have they closed for good? Are they remodeling? Is something else slated for the space? I've seen nothing in the papers and nothing on the local blogs so I have to wonder "what's the story morning glory?"

5 Points at Night

Lately I've started taking my dog, Eddie, for a walk at night before bed. It's nice to get out and just walk around and see the neighborhood. But lately I've been despairing a little at the lack of activity in our neighborhood. There were very few people out and about and even fewer even on their front porches.
My wife and I like to sit on our porch and drink coffee on the weekends, but our view is of I-10, so there isn't usually a whole lot of excitement on our street. You would think that other streets in the 5 Points area would be bustling with more energy, but the reverse is true. It seems that the days of neighborhood bar-b-ques, block parties and National Night Out get-togethers are over. I wonder what could get people out of their homes and enjoy the night air a little bit?
This is a question that we have asked ourselves often in our Neighborhood Watch Group. We still don't have an answer. I think we've all grown up for too long in sprawling sub-urban neighborhoods where everyone lives on a 2 acre parcel of land and your neighbor is so far away that you just don't even care to go over and say hello. We've gotten to the point where, in an age of instant communication all over the world, we've lost the simple skills of "chit chat". I count that as a big loss in our society, and especially in our generation. But then we do have First Friday's and ArtWalk and the Riverside Arts Festival and I'm sure one or two others that I am forgetting. If we can get together for these events on a regular basis why can't we get out on a regular night and just say "hello"?
Last night I walked past three people. One gentleman was doing some kind of work on his minivan and the other two were sitting (are you ready for this) on their porch playing a guitar. I made it a point to wave and salute each party as I walked by with Eddie in tow. Both times I was greeted with a smile and a return wave. This gets me to thinking that perhaps my fellow neighbors would like to be out on their porch drinking coffee/beer/whiskey/whatever with other neighbors. But how to get them out in the first place.
Our Neighborhood watch decided to do kind of a door-to-door recruitment to get people involved. We even had flyers and everything. So maybe that can work. I'm thinking about getting the word out and scheduling a "porch night". One night each month where everyone gets out on their porch or in their front yard just to chill for an hour or so. Say hello to a neighbor, learn their names, see them in their natural habitat, if you will. Perhaps this could be expanded into something more involved, like a couple of block parties or just getting people to walk around a little, see the neighborhood for all its grandeur.
Is this too lofty a goal? I hope not.

Riverside Neighborhood Group Meeting

What: Riverside Neighborhood Group Meeting
When: Thursday Aug 21st at 630 pm
Where: Steamworks in 5 Points

We're working to strengthen and protect our neighborhood through better relationships and better communication. Come join us!

New Artists Pavilion

I'm jumping on the coat tales of this post from Jennifer McCharen over at RADO. There will be a new artists pavilion opening soon under the Fuller Warren Bridge near Fidelity. The pavilion is an addition to the Riverwalk extension that is underway and also provides a link, via pedestrian pathways, to Riverside Park on the other side of Riverside Ave and Park St. Hopefully it will be open in the coming weeks, perhaps just in time for First Friday? I think we should all get the work out about this. Riverside has a real opportunity to embrace and take hold of this pavilion and make it something really special. I don't want to see it turned into a resting place for more of Jacksonville's transients, like the pocket park on Main.
Complete with terraced landscaping, an auditorium and ample space for gathering, this could be a widely used space. Perhaps a Riverside Farmers' Market like the one in Hemming Plaza on Fridays? Perhaps an open air theatre on the weekends showing old movies or the occasional live act play? The possibilities are endless if we but grab hold.

National Night Out Cont'd

Last night was fairly uneventful. Erin and I missed out meeting up with the Neighborhood Group, so instead we went out and got some ice cream. We walked through Riverside for a bit. We saw a few more people out walking/bicycling than usual, but nothing that I would call out of the ordinary. It's unfortunate that events like this don't get the kind of press they once did. Erin and I talked last night about how years ago neighbors knew their neighbors. They had bar-b-ques, they watched after their kids, they mowed their lawns, they shared stories, etc. My hope is that one day Riverside will be a community like that again. It's perfect for it, especially with all of the young people that we have in the neighborhood now. We just need to get off our asses and walk outside. Say hello once in a while instead of averting your gaze.

Here's hoping.

My Walk Score

This website has gotten a lot of press lately, especially here in Jacksonville. Well, after hearing all of the hubub about it I decided to go on and see what kind of score my home gets. I scored a wopping 72 out of 100. Everything I need, clothes, medicine, entertainment, is within a 1 mile radius of my front door. How cool is that?! If you haven't checked this out for your neighborhood yet, I suggest you do so. You never know, it could open your eyes to some possibilities that you hadn't thought of. And we could all use a little push to change our pace a little.
My wife and I have been talking about switching to commuting by bike for quite some time now. I started about 2 months ago and soon she'll be doing the same. We both work less than 3 miles from home, so it makes the decision a lot easier. But go check out some of the websites and blog communities out there. It's really not as hard as you might think to switch to a slower, healthier, cleaner, cheaper lifestyle.

National Night Out

Tonight is National Night Out. The Riverside Neighborhood Group will be meeting at the corner of Green and Acosta at 7pm for anyone who would like to join. We'll be taking a stroll through the neighborhood and otherwise just getting out of the house and chilling. I'll post some photos and a synopsis later on.

Ciao.

Carbon Footprint

I was on another blog site and I found a link to this site where you can enter in some basic information and it will estimate your carbon footprint. That is, the amount of carbon you, as an individual or household, will send into the air on a yearly basis. It can be eye opening. My score is 7.4. That means that on a yearly basis me and my family send about 7.4 tons of carbon into the air. This isn't actually that bad, considering Jacksonville averages 15.5 tons per year and Florida averages 16.3 tons per year.
There is also a Pledges section where it gives suggestions for reducing your carbon footprint and saving you some money also. Things like, replacing traditional light bulbs with energy efficient ones, drying your clothes on a line instead of in a dryer, letting dishes air dry or turning off the heated dry function on your dishwasher, setting your thermostat a few degrees higher or lower in the summer and winter. These are all very simple ways of saving energy and money that don't really take any extra work or thought on your part. By simply changing a few very small things about our lifestyles we can make a very big impact on the world around us. So, go check out the website, do your own calculation and see where you stand.

Ciao.

Theft during lunch hour

Yesterday my bicycle was stolen off of my front porch while my wife was inside on the living room couch feeding our child. The photo is not of my actual bike, but of the exact color and style of bike that was stolen. If anyone sees it, please let me know.
Now, I'm not really upset about the whole theft thing (well, ok I am, but I'll get over it), it's more the fact that it was done in broad daylight while my wife was home. There is such a sense of lawlessness in people now a days and it's only getting worse with each new generation. You think back to the 50s. Sure kids were running around racing cars, smoking cigarettes, chasing girls and drinking beer. Now we have kids raping the elderly, smoking crack, steeling from their families, murdering their families and even complete strangers for no more than a few bucks...the list goes on and on and on. And even with tightening laws and stiffer punishments, they still don't care. It's a cycle that has to stop and it has to start at home. People need to take the time to get to know their neighbors and their kids. Know who is in your neighborhood and what they're doing. It just may save your bike or your life.

SHADCO J-1

Last night was the monthly SHADCO meeting for the Riverside/Avondale/Ortega/OP area, held at the Willow Branch Library. The turn out was fairly decent, I suppose. It was my first meeting. The officers were very patient in answering all of our questions which mostly centered around the best ways to protect ourselves from petty criminals and the like.
I do find it a little odd that one single SHADCO group would cover such a large area though. And looking at the map for each division, that seems to be the norm rather than the exception. It makes me wonder how effective the groups can be when their members are spread out over such an area. This doesn't exactly scream community cooperation, but what do I know.
There was talk last night of splitting up the group to have one dedicated to the Riverside area. I think that's a great idea. Even more than that I think there should be a group for each sub district, J-1 J-2 and J-3. The police tout manpower as the major issue stopping the split of the districts, but I think that's bogus. There were 5 officers at our meeting last night. Why so many? Do we really need that many officers to give a simple report on crime stats and to answer questions on how to best secure and protect your home? I don't think so. I think one or two officers per group would be sufficient to get the job done. I'm sure that's an issue for another meeting.