Economic Development

When Opportunity Exceeds Public Awareness

2009-05-15T07:22:00.000-07:00

By Eddie Griffin

Friday, May 15, 2009

I am convinced that there are more opportunities out there in the world than people who are aware of them. As a community activist, I am flood with information daily, about job openings, about youth summer employment and programs, about scholarships and internships, about donors willing to give to a good cause, about potential volunteers who would donate their services if they only knew where to plug in. And so, the list goes on. But the people who would benefit the most are vaguely aware of these opportunities.

Maybe we can begin with the “Reticular Activating System”, a concept taught to me by motivational speaker Les Brown. People look for what they expect to find, and most people do not look to find opportunities, let alone the “opportunity of a lifetime”.

The second hypothesis is our ill-designed information distribution system. We simply are not getting the information to the people who need it the most. And considering the public’s lack of appetite for reading material, we employ the wrong format to reach our audience.

Where do you find these people who need these opportunities? Remember, most of them are not looking for opportunities. They search primarily for something more immediate, something that will scratch today’s itch, leaving tomorrow to fend for its self.

The Reticular Activating System requires visualization and comparison. For Les Brown’s example, suppose I bought a red Volvo. I drive up and down the highway through traffic and barely pay attention to the rest of the cars. But a red Volvo, just like my own, “jumps out” at me.

Why? There is something going on inside the head, on the subliminal level.

Using the same principal and utilizing Visualization, we can envision a map of the future, the place where we would like to be in our lives, the ideal goal and lifestyle.

What do we envision? What is it that we would like to be? How would we like to live?

Here comes the hard question: How clearly can you see this Vision?

Some people draw a blank. And, where there is no Vision, the people perish.

But those with a vision are challenged to attain their goals. If the Vision is clearly embedded in the mind, on the subliminal level, then opportunities towards reaching their goals will jump out at them like that red Volvo.

Les Brown taught this lesson to a group of prisoners at Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary. This was his way of “giving back” to the community, he claimed.

What good did the lesson do?

I was in that audience. I envisioned freedom. I envisioned an ultra-modern world of computers, glass skyscrapers, and widespread automation, microwave ovens, calculators, and highways in the sky. Time had stopped for me in 1972. It would start back in the Orwellian futuristic year of 1984. I anticipated “Future Shock”, as described by Alvin Toffler, a quantum leap into an unknown world.

By the grace of God, on April 26, 2009, I celebrated my Silver Anniversary of Freedom. Success may be defined as that point in time when preparation meets opportunity. Getting information to an unprepared people is like giving a newspaper to the blind.

The Undoing of Suzette Watkins

2009-04-21T08:37:00.000-07:00

By Eddie Griffin

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

After last night’s debate, I laughed at Suzette Watkins and told her that she had picked a bad year to run for office. But I kept reminding myself to be nice. That’s why I chocked into laughter, trying to hold back. Lord knows, I hate politics.

Suzette is running against District 8 City Council’s incumbent Kathleen Hicks, the favored home girl. Suzette migrated into the ‘hood in the mid-1990s, but she had a host of supporters with her at the forum.

The event was hosted by the Historic Southside Neighborhood Association, and it was an event I could not miss. There was an overflow crowd, maybe 200 people. It had been billed as an opportunity to meet the candidates and ask them question.

District 8 is my turf. This is where I live. Anybody who represents District 8 must come through me. A candidate may be able to slide past the public and into office, but not in District 8.

The people in District 8 proved to be very well educated in political matters. Their questions reflected the depth of knowledge and awareness, above and beyond Ms. Watkins’ comprehension. She repeatedly asked, “Will you repeat the question?” And, she had a poor command of facts, data, and statistics. Wherein, her opponent, Kathleen Hicks swam in it, with a long list of accomplishments to boot.

The crowd was partisan. Pro-Watkins supporters applauded their candidate’s answers. Pro-Hicks supporters did the same. And, nobody was really listening, especially Suzette. Moreover, she wasn’t looking.

When people are not looking, they can get blindsided.

The moderator read my question last. It was a three-prong question, designed to confound the inferior candidate. The answer required focusing on three unrelated questions- that is, unrelated to the audience, but not unrelated to Suzette Watkins.

She babbled like an idiot. (I know, shame on me for saying so.)

I had borrowed a page from psyche wars against the CIA in the 1970s, and the Art of Confounding the Enemy. It is based upon the hypothesis that when the brain misfires, the mouth will follow. The 3-prong questioning technique was ideal for this purpose.

The first question would put the candidate in a damn-if-I-do/damned-if-I-don’t situation, where both a Yes or No answer is wrong. The second question aims at the subliminal area of guilt and self-defenses. The third question was the absurd attention breaker.

The 3-prong question stretches the attention span, sometimes to its limits and beyond. But by the time Suzette heard all three questions in succession, she lost it. She lost focus by a broken attention span.

Here is what happened.

QUESTION ONE: Do you support President Barack Obama’s Economic Stimulus Plan?

Clearly, all of District 8 constituents were in favor of the stimulus. Suzette could have simply said YES and, at least, win some brownie points in the crowd.

But she could not say YES while being recorded. Why?

QUESTION TWO: Do you support the Tea Party?

City council seats are non-partisan. So, the question was not about party affiliation, but Republican Party sentiments and Tea Party revolt.

(I have been secretly reading her Facebook and knew, beforehand she vocal in the protest against Obama economic policies)

QUESTION THREE: Do you support Gov. Rick Perry’s talk about secession?

The question evoked laughter throughout the entire room. This was a comic relief to all except Suzette.

“Will you repeat the first question, please?” The candidate requested.

“Do you support President Barack Obama’s Economic Stimulus Plan,” the moderator repeated.

Then it happened. SNAP!

“This is above my pay grade,” she started. As she continued, her arms flailed in the air like a bird flapping her wing, realizing probably just how stupid her answer sounded, and how weak it mimicked a similar Obama remark. But there was no laughter at her attempted joke. She bombed.

“I don’t know about all the millions and billions,” she continued. Then she moved on to the second question. I could only think that, if she does not know about millions and billions, how could she do a city budget, which is also measured in millions and billions. I gathered that she had no sense of large numbers as her arm flailed over her head.

Her opponent, Kathleen Hicks hit a home run on the questions.

“Yes,” she declared, pointing out the fact the Obama stimulus dollars were already coming into District 8, and where those dollars were going, and who was being helped by it. "Yes, we must fight for our share to tax dollars."

On the way out, Suzette Watkins got my attention: “Are you Mr. Griffin?”

I wished that I had said, “No ma’am I ain’t.”

AN INVITATION TO THE WHITE HOUSE

2009-04-03T14:26:00.000-07:00

Imagine what it must have felt like to receive an invitation to the White House. Images of sugar plumbs must have been dancing in their heads, when the CEOs of the most powerful financial institutions in the world received invitations from President Barack Obama.

But it wasn’t that kind of party.

Arrayed around a long mahogany table in the White House, austere and barren to the bone, save a single glass of water for each, without ice, the CEOs had not even a morsel of bread to be washed down with their water. And, “For those who finished their glass," writes Eamon Javers of Politico, "no refills were offered."

One of the attendees described it as a “Spartan message” to the bank executives. This was not Santa Land or Disney World, as in good ole days, with cocktails all around, and laughter and plenty of idle chatter and backslapping.

This had the feel of something ominous.

From the White House, there were five principal attendees: chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, who arrived a few minutes late, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, Council of Economic Advisers chairwoman Christina Romer, senior adviser Valerie Jarrett and director of the National Economic Council Larry Summers. Uncharacteristically, Summers said almost nothing, and it appeared to one participant as if he had been told to remain silent.

To break the ice, JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon offered Geithner a fake check for $25 billion, the amount of Troubled Asset Relief Program money that the company has accepted. Although many of those in the room laughed, Geithner didn’t keep the check.

The president entered the room a few minutes later and made a lap of the table, shaking hands and saying hello to the CEOs, several of whom he called by name.
Taking his seat at the table, the president said, “So let’s get to it.”

The president spoke of public outrage over the high-flying executive lifestyle. “The anger gentlemen, is real,” Obama said. He urged pay reform and said rewards must be proportional, balanced, and tied to the health and success of the company.

And, so the story goes. They offered to give the TARP money back. In fact, they begged to give it back... almost as if anything would be better than regulation that would cap their salaries and bonuses.

JPMorgan’s Dimon insisted that he’d like to give the government’s TARP money back as soon as practical, and asked the president to “streamline” that process.

But Obama didn’t like that idea — arguing that the system still needs government capital.

The president offered an analogy: “This is like a patient who’s on antibiotics,” he said. “Maybe the patient starts feeling better after a couple of days, but you don’t stop taking the medicine until you’ve finished the bottle.” Returning the money too early, the president argued could send a bad signal.

Bank of America CEO Ken Lewis cracked a joke at the expense of his peers who’d lavished praise on the administration: “Mr. President,” he said, “I’m not going to suck up to Geithner and Summers like the other CEOs here have.”

Obama gets the respect, but his advisors get the heel. Why would Lewis feel as though he would have to “suck up to Geithner and Summers”? It sounds personal to me.

Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) enrollment event

2009-03-26T12:01:00.000-07:00

Health Insurance for kids!

Host: Surviving a Lay-Off in Tarrant County

Type: Education - Workshop

Network: Global
Start Time: Thursday, March 26, 2009 at 7:00am
End Time: Saturday, April 4, 2009 at 7:00pm
Location: Locations throughout Tarrant County

Enrollment events are scheduled throughout Tarrant County. Pass this on to any families you know who have children without health insurance!

Thursday, March 26
7:00AM-9:00AM Erma Nash Elementary, 1050 Magnolia St.
Mansfield, TX 76063

11:00AM-2:00OPM Northside Community Center, 1100 NW 18th Street, Fort Worth, TX 76164

1:00PM-4:00PM Saginaw UMC, 209 Bluebonnet Street
Saginaw, TX 76179

4:00PM-6:00PM Erma Nash Elementary, 1050 Magnolia St.
Mansfield, TX 76063

Tuesday, March 31

4:00PM-7:00PM Richland Hills UMC, 7301 Glenview Dr.
North Richland Hills, TX 76180

Saturday, April 4
10:00AM-2:00PM Fiesta, 4200 South Freeway
Fort Worth, TX 76115

10:00AM-2:00PM Fiesta, 245 N.E. 28th Street
Fort Worth, TX 76106

10:00AM-2:00PM Fiesta, 2700 8th Avenue
Fort Worth, TX 76110

10:00AM-2:00PM Fiesta, 421 West Bolt Street
Fort Worth, TX 76110

10:00AM-2:00PM Fiesta, 7809 Camp Bowie Blvd.
Fort Worth, TX 76116

That’s My Boat, Y’all

2009-03-19T09:23:00.001-07:00

WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Friday, March 6, Secretary of the Navy Donald Winters announced that the newest littoral combat ship (LCS) will be named USS Fort Worth.

The announcement comes nearly three years after the grassroots effort began by Congresswoman Kay Granger and the community to name the ship after the city in honor of Fort Worth’s rich military history.

“What a remarkable day for our city of Fort Worth,” Granger said. “The thousands of letters, drawings, phone calls, and outpouring of support from the community over the last couple of years showed the Navy just how special this is for us. This was truly a community wide effort.”

The littoral combat ship is a 21st century ship that is designed to allow access to shallow coastal waters for missions such as mine warfare, anti-submarine warfare and surface warfare. It will also be outfitted with reconfigurable payloads that can be changed out quickly to accommodate various missions.

The USS Fort Worth will be designated LCS-3 and will be built by Lockheed Martin. It will be 378 feet in length, have a waterline beam of 57 feet, displace approximately 3,000 tons and will make speed in excess of 40 knots. Based on previous LCS construction timelines, the USS Fort Worth is slated for completion around 2012.

“The LCS is a state-of-the-art combat ship that will continue to put our Navy at the cutting edge of naval warfare,” Granger said.

Currently, the USS Freedom (LCS-1) is the only littoral combat ship in service. Another ship, LCS-2, is being built and will be named the USS Independence. The vessels in the Freedom class are named after American mid-sized cities, small towns and communities.

“Fort Worth is steeped in military tradition and has always been a patriotic community,” Granger said on Friday. “Today is a well deserved honor for our community.”

A-Minus for Jack Z. Smith in Economics 101

2008-11-14T08:23:00.000-08:00

By Eddie Griffin

Friday, November 14, 2008

I would not call Jack Z. Smith, of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, a one-day wonder in economics. But I agree with him on some things in his recent editorial “Job 1” for President Barack Obama. But there is a minor disagreement on bailing out the financial institutions, based upon my understanding of Economics 101.

I agree with the proposed financial assistance for the automakers. This is Jobs 1.

Employers shed 240,000 jobs in October, the 10th consecutive month of job losses, which total 1.2 million for the year. The unemployment rate has risen to 6.5 percent, says Smith.

It is obvious: First things first. Stop the bleeding. This can be done by job retention in the auto industry, jobs creation in the public works and government sectors, and extending unemployment benefits.

It is important to note this observation by Z. Smith:

It seems as if almost everyone in the business world is retrenching these days — even normally full-speed-ahead billionaire Boone Pickens of Dallas. He and his investment firm have lost $2 billion from plunging energy prices.
(Source: http://www.star-telegram.com/news/columnists/jack_z_smith//index.html)

As goes the oil market, so goes the energy industry. Unless the utility rates are held artificially high, wind power energy does not look as profitable to private investors. As for Pickens’s planned wind farm, Smith writes: “He’s putting on hold a huge Texas Panhandle wind farm with a price tag of $10 billion-plus.”

This is not the death knell for wind and solar powered energy. To the private sector, the ROI (return on investment) window is too long. But to the public sector, the investment would have an indefinite life span, thus providing the infrastructure for new employment, and an optimistic window of opportunity into the new 21st century society.

Here is an opportunity for a government public works project.

Barack Obama will be a forward-thinking president, one who knows that clean energy would solve two problems at once. First, it would help save the planet, and secondly provide jobs for a future energy industry.

The president-elect is also efficient, taking what legislation, laws, policies, and executive orders that already exist on the books and using them immediately to tackle the sore spots in the national economy, rather than wholly reinventing the wheel in his own image and waiting for new legislation from the Congress.

Z. Smith writes:

We need to take well-thought-out measures to shore up financial institutions. But we also must put a focus on minimizing unemployment and creating jobs.

The federal and state governments could do that by accelerating funding for badly needed infrastructure projects, including construction, expansion and repairs for roads, bridges and transit systems. With gas prices tumbling, long-overdue increases in state and federal fuel taxes could help pay for the projects, as an alternative to increasing already-high budget deficits.

Very good, Mr. Smith, you deserve an A-minus.

But I have a problem with the idea of “shoring up financial institutions” because of the popular myth that purports the DOW Jones to be index of the nation’s financial health. Far from the truth, is signifies Wall Street’s health. We just have all bought into the notion that what’s good for Wall Street is good for America.

We the stock market began its free fall, we are lead to believe that the sky is falling upon all of us. But the black cloud is only over Wall Street, and not the rest of America. We have a problem with the “trickle down” mechanism in the trickle down economy. There is too much drinking at the top and allow a sip at the bottom.

The problem with Ronald Reagan’s "Trickle Down Theory", as it applies to the current crisis, is the fact we forget that market behavior is human behavior, and who can figure out human behavior? Investors buy because they want to make a profit. They sell because of God knows what. That the stock market is currently jumping around in positive and negative territory can probably be best described as a game of financial chicken: Who can leave their money in the financial instruments and stocks long enough to reap a good gain, and who will get scared and pull out of the market first? This is why we saw a string of late day sell offs.

Maybe a fireman can put a fire out by spraying the roof. But if the fire is in the basement, why are we pouring out the Treasury up top of financial institutions. This kind of bailout does not pay the mortgage or consumer credit card debt. It only allows the financial institution investors to recuperate their losses, re-inflate their stock value, and receive deferred un-taxable capital gains, and dividends. This is Bailout Wall Street 101.

NEXT: The Law of Circulation Key to Economic Recovery

Follow the bouncing Economy

2008-11-13T12:18:00.000-08:00

Compiled by Eddie Griffin with Commentary

Thursday, November 13, 2008

REPORT:

WASHINGTON – Congressional Democrats are marshaling support for a rescue package to pump $25 billion in emergency loans to U.S. automakers in exchange for a government ownership stake in Detroit's car companies.

Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, and Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., are developing legislation that would let the auto industry tap into the $700 billion Wall Street rescue money, approved by Congress last month, to fund their business operations.

Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said Wednesday that the auto sector was "critical" but that the financial industry rescue was not designed for car companies. "Any solution has got to be leading to long-term viability" for auto companies, Paulson said.

(Source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081113/ap_on_go_co/auto_bailout)

OBSERVATION:

Too many hands are at the wheel on the bailout package, and the Treasury Secretary is swerving all over the road to economic recovery.

REPORT:

The Washington Post reports:

In the six weeks since lawmakers approved the Treasury's massive bailout of financial firms, the government has poured money into the country's largest banks, recruited smaller banks into the program and repeatedly widened its scope to cover yet other types of businesses, from insurers to consumer lenders.
Along the way, the Bush administration has committed $290 billion of the $700 billion rescue package.

Yet for all this activity, no formal action has been taken to fill the independent oversight posts established by Congress when it approved the bailout to prevent corruption and government waste. Nor has the first monitoring report required by lawmakers been completed, though the initial deadline has passed.

(Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/12/AR2008111202846_pf.html)

OBSERVATION:

These are ripe circumstances to plunder the U. S. Treasury and leave the next President holding the bag with the hole in it.

REPORT:

Oil prices continued to slide, to near $55 a barrel Thursday before rebounding slightly, as bad economic news from the world's largest economies heightened fears that a global downturn will slash demand for crude.

By the afternoon in Europe, light, sweet crude for December delivery was up 44 cents to $56.60 a barrel, after falling to as low as $54.67, in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

(Source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081113/ap_on_bi_ge/oil_prices)

OBSERVATION:

Remember all the campaign signs that said: DRILL HERE and DRILL NOW. Drilling new offsite oil wells would help lead us to economic recovery. At $55 a barrel, the exploration and drilling is not worth it.

EDDIE GRIFFIN ANALYSIS:

Drilling explorations will not factor into the immediate economic recovery. Therefore, offshore drilling and Alaskan explorations need to be tabled. We must examine the theory behind the assumptions and actions now being taken by the government.

The Ronald Reagan Trickle Down Theory is a top-down approach to expanding the economy. Even if the theory were valid, the U. S. economy must get up and back running as soon as possible. Trickle Down from the banks to the consumers was too slow. Those who suffered the greatest financial losses in the free fall of the market were looking to be first for recuperating equity value from the government’s $700 billion infusion.

What have we purchased so far with the $700 billion? Can anyone tell me, with certainty, since the report is late and overdue and there are no overseer occupying the Oversight position as required by the legislators, what have we gotten back for our taxpayer buck?

Do we own 80% of AIG? Why leave 20% privately own and we, taxpayers, have no voting power as to who constitutes the boards and executive payer. Are we, indeed, proposing more cash infusion into the company?

One day, Treasury Secretary Paulson was planning to buy up financial institutions’ “toxic assets”. Then he scraps that plan to move on to proposing to buy up bank stocks. I can hardly hold my breath for the next change in course. I’m getting dizzy trying to watch the bouncing ball.

Somebody doesn’t know what they are doing. (Mark that as the understatement of the year).

RECOMMENDATIONS:

Since some banks are hording their capital, they need not be given another dollar of taxpayer money. And, the same applies for banks that use their government cash infusion to re-inflate their stocks and pay dividends. Bonuses and excessive compensation for poor performance should not be tolerated. Heads should roll, and white collar criminals sent to prison.

The Auto Industry needs financial help to stave off bankruptcy. Should we or shouldn’t we? The Treasury Secretary says no.

When we bailed out Wall Street, we opened the floodgates every distressed industry in the nation, the auto industry included. But here is a key sector of our economic with the largest percentage of our skill workforce. Why should they go to flipping burgers?

The financial aid to be given the auto industry should be, as with other bailout client, an investment into their stocks and restructuring of our public-private relationship. Any aid should be conditional upon technological advancement that leads us to energy independence.

NEXT: The Housing Industry.

New VA Outpatient Clinic: Answer to a Prayer

2008-11-11T08:54:00.000-08:00

Happy Veteran's Day!

From Eddie Griffin

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

On yesterday, I attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the new VA Outpatient Clinic in Southeast Fort Worth. It was a prayer answered and dream come true for all of us, for veterans in need of more expansive medical care, for doctors and nurses now working in an overcrowded facility, for the chamber of commerce and the African-American community, and for City Councilwoman Kathleen Hicks who championed the cause of economic development in Southeast Fort Worth, and for U.S. Congressman Michael C. Burgess, MD, who push the issue in Congress, for Commissioner Roy C. Brooks, State Representative Marc Veasey, and other political leaders who saw the need and answered the call for disabled veterans like myself.

From the Star-Telegram:

The ceremony along Interstate 20 drew dozens of veterans, doctors and nurses, city and state officials and Reps. Michael Burgess, R-Lewisville, Joe Barton, R-Arlington, and Chet Edwards, D-Waco, who is rumored to be a candidate for President-elect Barack Obama’s secretary of Veterans Affairs.

All three congressional leaders said improving healthcare for veterans is a top priority.

"We’re not going to just honor you with speeches on Veterans Day," Edwards said. "We’re going to honor you with budgets every day."

Veterans who live in Tarrant, Parker, Wise, Johnson, Hood and other counties have long bristled at the discrepancy between the outpatient-only facility in Fort Worth and the major hospital in Dallas. The clinic, opened in 1992, is 45,000 square feet and built for that number of annual patient visits.

This year, the clinic will record 165,000 visits and is so overcrowded that VA officials closed enrollment for new veterans in late 2006, forcing them to get care in Dallas.

Burgess, a physician, said he knows that kind of demand "wears on you. That hurts the ability of the physicians and nurses to deliver good care."

“We worked hard for the first facility through Jim Wright’s office,” said Antonio Morales of Fort Worth, the national commander of the American GI Forum. “That was a major milestone at that time. But now this new facility will mean veterans won’t have to sit around and wait all day for care.”

Hard Work Pays Off

The VA Outpatient Clinic was conceived in 2005. However, we became familiar with the plan during Congressman Burgess’ Economic Summit of 2007, when community activists like Pastor Kyev Tatum and myself, were able to see the plan in a bit more detail.

The congressman delivered, Black Chamber President Devoyd Jennings reminded me. Not only did he deliver, we were breaking ground in record time. And, we are told that Burgess is the leading medical authority in Congress.

Eddie Griffin Commentary

Unlike other vocal constituents, I have never asked the congressman for anything that would benefit me personally. But this is one that I needed. Being a disabled vet myself, I admit that, due to the long waits at the old VA facility, I have neglected my own personal health issues by routinely missing doctor’s appointments. Maybe now that might change.

Thanks to Burgess, Barton, Edwards, Veasey, Brooks, and Hicks for their leadership in office and their reelections. We wish them much success, because their success is our success.

At Nature’s Great Table: There are no plates for some

2008-10-30T09:11:00.000-07:00

By Eddie Griffin

Am I the only man to openly declare that my constituency consists of the “poorest of the poor”? I am poor by choice of sacrifice. My two-story home was foreclosed upon because of my prolong stay in the VA hospital. I lived with the homeless and choose a life of poverty, living and breathing with the poorest of the poor.

My affections are upon “the least of these”, the children of the poorest of the poor, especially my grandchildren who receives nearly all my pension. Their mother, who is white, must rely on food stamps and charity. Their father, my son, is chronically under-employed and frequently unemployed and cannot afford to support five kids and a new baby by another marriage.

There are children in worse conditions, whose fathers are in prison, and the mother uses up all the food stamps to get crack. Some see it as a life of ease and too much mercy. But I have been there to see that it is a death wish, people wanting to be taken out of their misery. From the overdose on narcotics to the suicide-by-cop shootout with cops, it is a death wish being acted out.

My conversation to politicians and leaders is as one who represents the poorest of the poor. I cannot be refuted because we have nothing to lose. Therefore, I take no backtalk.

Consideration for the Poor

The poor you will have with you always, Jesus said.

I have read it over and over and it seemed so depressing to realize that, no matter how hard I fight, poverty will never go away… so said the bible. The idea burst my little bubble of idealism of some day living in a poverty-free society. What I missed in my early ready was this: Jesus also said. “Whenever you will, you can do them good.”

But Thomas Malthus said, “At nature’s great table, there are no plates for some.” Now I know why the old folks used the expression: “Ole Tom Devil”. Malthus was a man who believed so much in population control that he would commit genocide and mass sterilization against the poor, and put malaria in the drinking water of Africans.

Those for whom there are no plates are the poorest of the poor, and those without a voice, especially for children conceived in hope but born into despair.

Where there is no hope, there is no salvation and no savior. Faith then comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.

TOM FOOLERY

Ole Tom Devil is one of those hushed about folklore characters often spoken African and African-American secrecy.

The Old Folks said: Ole Tom Devil gave us syphilis and mutilated our girls, so they could have sex with them without bearing half-white children. They injected our men with syphilis in the Tuskegee experiment. But they did not control the victims’ sexual promiscuity, nor cautioned against it. Therefore, we have a slough of black children with sexually transmitted defects and mental diseases.

Thomas Malthus should have been a villain in history, but today he is respectfully known as the Father of Planned Parenthood and the Birth Control movement.

At nature’s great table, there are no plates for some.

I recall the last two years of my 12-year imprisonment at Leavenworth. It was funny that the warden gave me the privacy and respect of a Mafia don. They filled the prison to capacity, 8-men per cell. But there were only two of us in cell A123.

The warden somewhat reserved other six bunk beds for newcomers. This provided me the opportunity to show the “new fish” the ropes and break them in.

On one occasion, they sent me a kid, fresh off the street, still smelling like cologne, and disrespectful to his elders.

He came into our cell, plopped down on an empty bunk like his whole little world had come to an end.

“Who said that you could sleep there?” I asked him.

“The warden,” he replied tartly.

So, I rolled up the kid’s bunk and threw it out on the tier, and told the kid to tell the warden to put him somewhere else.

And so, it was my job in prison to break juvenile delinquents of their criminal behavior and thinking. As the rule goes, Thou shalt respect thy neighbor and thou shalt not steal his commissary. You can get killed up in here.

I can put you in a comma for a day, a week, a month, or have you on life support for a year. My favorite bluff:

DON’T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT

Today, I teach a school class for teenage boys, as often time I teach the adult class. I tell my boys: Don’t even think about it, when it comes to evil temptations. They don’t know Ole Tom Devil like I do.

But I cannot teach from aloft. I have made too many mistakes in life for that. When I shoot from the hip, it is at point-blank range. I do not hide behind a facade of false pretensions. Kids can see through that.

I use shock value sometime to get their attention. And I have enough unique experiences to tell.

I am one of the last old time Black Panther outlaw, a banker robber and commando. I was taken down by one of the most famous Texas Rangers in history, Tom Arnold, who, with a machine gun to my head, spared my life. Therefore, Eddie Griffin am an anomaly and a freak to have survived near-death experiences, from an adventurous and riotous life.

I have seen scenes like no man has seen. I saw blood on the floor in prison, a man’s throats cut from ear-to-ear, another stabbed with barber scissors in the jugular and blood skeet up to the ceiling, and a man’s stomach cut open like a can of beans and not dropping a drop of blood as he walked to the prison infirmary, a man stabbed in the back and the blade going all the way through his body and out the other side.

I have seen a man fake his own death and escape from the morgue, a helicopter escape attempt from the prison yard, a mass escape from the most maximum security prison, and hand-to-hand combat that brought me close to death.

I can tell these stories first hand in vivid details. It leaves some of my kids gasping and covering their eyes. They cannot bear to see it, not even through my eyes as I describe it.

Then I teach: There is only one Race, the Human Race, but two different spirits. Don’t confuse the two.

At nature’s great table, there are no plates for some. What kind of spirit said that?

A Prolonged Economic Crisis

2008-10-06T14:00:00.000-07:00

Dear Congressman Burgess:

We could not have prevented the passage of a bailout plan and the market meltdown that followed.

People are losing their homes, and now their retirement funds and life’s savings are being gobbled up. (Have mercy on the man when it cost as much to drive back and forth to work as a man makes in a day). Who’s going to bail us out?

I inquired about the sanctity and solvency of our employee retirement funds, put at risk through no fault of the employee. Who eats this loss?

Do our employees understand that their retirement accounts are going up in smoke while they wait for their third quarter retirement earning statement? Everybody else is bailing out. (See “Legislators may be asked to address Texas pension fund losses” by Yamil Berard, Star-Telegram)

The stock portfolios of some of the state’s largest investments funds — supporting government employees’ retirements and public education — have taken quite a beating this year. By summer, the value of some of the funds had dropped by billions of dollars…

Many funds also had significant stakes in some of Wall Street’s highest rollers that went bust. Some even increased their exposure by buying more shares early this year as the stock of those companies was plunging.

None of the funds have yet to make public their third-quarter rates of return, which would give the most up-to-date look at losses. But by the end of the second quarter on June 30 — before the markets rapidly deteriorated, former Wall Street powerhouses like Lehman Bros. failed and Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae were taken over — all the funds saw significant erosion of their portfolios.

Status of Employee Retirement Fund Inquiry

2008-10-01T08:10:00.000-07:00

City of Fort Worth
1000 Throckmorton St.
Fort Worth, TX 76102

City Manager Dale A. Fisseler

Re: Status of Employee Retirement Fund

Wednesday, October 01, 2008

Dear Dale:

In light of the recent developments in the financial markets, I am compelled to ask questions that relate to our city’s solvency. And before writing Congressman Michael Burgess again about voting for the next bailout bill, I would need to know something about our economic condition.

I have included Asst. City Manager Fernando Costa, another man of integrity much like you, who is not afraid of the tough questions. Also, I have included Human Resource Department Director, Karen Marshall, who might provide some insight into how many employees may be at risk due to the city’s retirement investment in troubled financial accounts.

1. How is the City’s “retirement fund” performing at this time?

2. How close are we to resolving the under-funding issue we had before the current Stock Market crisis? Did the current crisis exacerbate the problem on retirement liquidity?

On a personal note, how is your own 401(k) retirement fund performing? Would you recommend putting retirement institutional funds in the current market?

By the way, who is managing our city employee retirement fund? Into what fund is it located?

These questions come to mind as we look at this so-called bailout bill in Washington.

Sincerely,
Eddie Griffin
http://eddiegriffinbasg.blogspot.com

Early Voting Starts in Texas October 20th

2008-09-29T11:42:00.000-07:00

Early Voting Starts October 20th through October 31st.

If you reside in any of the precincts below:

TARRANT COUNTY EARLY VOTING LOCATIONS
Revised 08/25/2008 10:14:13 PM

MAIN EARLY VOTING SITE,
Tarrant County Elections Center
2700 Premier Street
Fort Worth, Texas 76111
*Emergency and limited ballots available
At this location only
Arlington

Bob Duncan Community Center
2800 South Center Street
Arlington, Texas 76014
Arlington

Elzie Odom Recreation Center
1601 NE Green Oaks Blvd
Arlington, Texas 76006
Arlington

Fire Training Center
5501 Ron McAndrew Drive
Arlington, Texas 76013
Arlington

Southeast Sub-Courthouse
700 E Abram Street
Arlington, Texas 76010

South Service Center
1100 SW Green Oaks Boulevard
Arlington, Texas 76017

Azle
B. J. Clark Annex
Room 4
603 Southeast Parkway
Azle, Texas 76020

Benbrook YMCA
1899 Winscott Road
Benbrook, Texas 76126

Colleyville City Hall
100 Main Street
Colleyville, Texas 76034

Crowley Community Center
900 East Glendale Street
Crowley, Texas 76036

Dalworthington Gardens City Hall
2600 Roosevelt Drive
Dalworthington Gardens, Texas 76016

Euless Public Library
201 North Ector Drive
Euless, Texas 76039
Forest Hill

Mahaney Community Center
6800 Forest Hill Drive
Forest Hill, Texas 76140

Fort Worth
Diamond Hill/Jarvis Library
1300 Northeast 35th Street
Fort Worth, Texas 76106
Fort Worth

Griffin Sub-Courthouse
3212 Miller Avenue
Fort Worth, Texas 76119

Handley-Meadowbrook Community Center
6201 Beaty Street
Fort Worth, Texas 76112

Lake Como Area Council
3507 Horne Street
Fort Worth, Texas 76107

Summerglen Branch Library
4205 Basswood Boulevard
Fort Worth, Texas 76137

Southside Community Center
959 East Rosedale Street
Fort Worth, Texas 76104

Southwest Community Center
6300 Welch Avenue
Fort Worth, Texas 76133

Southwest Sub-Courthouse
6551 Granbury Road
Fort Worth, Texas 76133

Tarrant County Plaza Building
201 Burnett Street
Fort Worth, Texas 76102

Villages of Woodland Springs
Amenity Building
12209 Timberland Boulevard
Fort Worth, Texas 76248

Worth Heights Community Center
3551 New York Avenue
Fort Worth, Texas 76110

Grand Prairie
Starrett Elementary School
2675 Fairmont Drive
Grand Prairie, Texas 75052

Grapevine Community Activities Center
1175 Municipal Way
Grapevine, Texas 76051

Haltom City Recreation Center
4839 Broadway Avenue
Haltom City, Texas 76117

Hurst
Hurst Recreation Center
700 Mary Drive
Hurst, Texas 76053

Northeast Sub-Courthouse
645 Grapevine Highway
Hurst, Texas 76054

Keller Town Hall
1100 Bear Creek Parkway
Keller, Texas 76248

Kennedale Community Center
316 West 3rd Street
Kennedale, Texas 76060

Lake Worth
Northwest Sheriff’s Patrol
6651 Lake Worth Blvd
Lake Worth, Texas 76135

Mansfield Sub-Courthouse
1100 East Broad Street
Mansfield, Texas 76063

North Richland Hills Recreation Center
6720 Northeast Loop 820
North Richland Hills, Texas 76180

Saginaw City Hall
333 West McLeroy Boulevard
Saginaw, Texas 76179

Southlake Town Hall
1400 Main Street
Southlake, Texas 76092

White Settlement Recreation Center
8213 White Settlement Road
White Settlement, Texas 76108

Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary Texas Wesleyan University UNT – Health Science Center in Fort Worth
John Naylor Student Activities Center Brown-Lupton Student Center Building A
1900 West Boyce Avenue 1108 South Collard Street 3500 Camp Bowie Boulevard
Fort Worth Texas 76115 Fort Worth, Texas 76105 Fort Worth, Texas 76107

Tarrant County College Northeast Campus Tarrant County College South Campus
Technology & Arts Building NTAB Foyer Student Center Room SSTU 1112
828 Harwood Road 5301 Campus Drive
Hurst, Texas 76054 Fort Worth, Texas 76119

Tarrant County College Northwest Campus Tarrant County College Southeast Campus
WSTU 1303 North Ballroom
4801 Marine Creek Parkway 2100 Southeast Parkway
Fort Worth, Texas 76179 Arlington, Texas76018

UTA – University of Texas at Arlington TCU – Texas Christian University
Student Center Brown-Lupton University Union
300 W. 1st Street 2901 Stadium Drive
Arlington, Texas 76013 Fort Worth, Texas 76129

State Representative Marc Veasey Job Fair

2008-08-18T08:51:00.000-07:00

Are you looking for a job???

State Representative Marc Veasey Job Fair

“Save the Date”

Wednesday, September 10, 2008
10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Resource Connection Conference Center
2300 Circle Drive
Fort Worth, Texas 76112

Business attire encouraged and please be sure to bring a current RESUME!!

This is a free event to the public of all ages.

Marc Veasey, State Representative
James E. Guinn/Tech Fort Worth
1120 South Freeway, Suite 121
Fort Worth, Texas 76104
Phone: (817) 339-1430
Fax: (817) 339-9352
Marc.Veasey@house.state.tx.us

In the Face of Kim Brimer: Courage abandons Republican Incumbent

2008-08-05T09:09:00.000-07:00

The coward is not a gentleman, says Eddie Griffin, Fort Worth. So says other constituents:

Republican state Sen. Kim Brimer is so reluctant to face Democratic challenger Wendy Davis that he would rather file non-meritorious lawsuits than have the voters decide who is more qualified to serve as their state senator. State District Judge Tom Lowe upheld Davis’ position on every important disputed point. Brimer is apparently fearful of running on his Senate record and wants to avoid an exchange of ideas with the formidable Davis. This is understandable, given his poor record and her excellent qualifications. — Juana Byrd, Arlington

Brimer’s playing a political game, all right. It’s a new version of hide-and-seek where Brimer hides behind judges. (See J.R. Labbe column, "Blatant political game playing in Senate race?," July 27) Is that the focus of Brimer’s "high-profile" campaign? What about rising utility rates? Rising gas rates? Rising insurance rates? Air quality? Transportation, light rail, rush-hour gridlock? Unemployment and underemployment? High-profile campaigning is where you defend your voting record and lay out your positions on key issues. Possibly Brimer is hoping none of that comes about by playing musical judges.

The constituents of Senate District 10 should be able to choose their representation on the basis of the candidates’ position on issues important to them, not on political gamesmanship. Brimer’s silly games deny them that information and insult their intelligence. — Fred Harper, Fort Worth

Unlike J.R. Labbe, I think the 236th District Court gave a very definitive answer to the legal question of Davis’ eligibility to run for State Senate, and one that is highly unlikely to be overturned on appeal. However, even if there were unanswered legal questions, as Labbe suggests, Brimer has shown quite clearly that he doesn’t care about those questions. He didn’t even bother to show up to the courtroom for his own hearing.

My mother always told me that actions speak louder than words, and Brimer’s actions make him look like he is afraid to let the voters have their say in who represents them. I can only guess that’s because he knows that Davis is the stronger of the two candidates. — Jim Klimchock, Arlington

I have always voted Republican. But I’m voting for Wendy Davis. Sen. Kim Brimer has turned into "one of them." One of the "good guys" who have turned their backs on their constituents and are now part of the Big Business Machine running things in Austin.

Case in point: Brimer was in a key position as a state senator, along with Chris Harris, to put some limits on just how badly the deregulated electricity market was going to be able to put the screws to us. They helped squelch every law out of the Regulated Industries Committee that would have somewhat protected consumers. Don’t believe me? Check it out. Their excuse? They didn’t want to regulate "free enterprise." What a joke! — John T. Johnson III, Arlington

Free Online Training on Economic Stimulus Payments

2008-03-13T06:35:00.000-07:00

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

ALERT TO: Low-Income Retirees, Disabled Veterans and Low-Wage Earners

Starting in May, more than 130 million households will receive an economic stimulus payment from the Internal Revenue Service. Most people don't need to do anything special to get a payment; they can just file their taxes as usual and the IRS will do the rest.

But millions of people who are usually exempt from filing tax returns -- including low-income retirees, disabled veterans and low-wage earners -- must file a return in order to receive their payment.

You can help by serving as a resource for the individuals and families in your community.

The National Women's Law Center is hosting a free webinar to give service providers and advocates the information they need on the economic stimulus payments, including:

* Who's eligible for the payments
* How much the payments can be worth
* What individuals and families need to do to apply for the payments
* When individuals and families will receive the payments
* Tools that can help organizations educate the public

Register today for this webinar (free but registration required):

"Economic Stimulus Payments: What Families Need to Know"

Thursday, March 20, 2008 - 3:00 p.m. Eastern (Note: 2 pm CST)

To register, go to: http://action.nwlc.org/stimuluswebinar

These webinars are part of the National Women's Law Center's Citi Education Series on Family Economic Security: www.nwlc.org/educationseries

The Cause of the Poor: Ever before Me

2008-01-31T07:45:00.000-08:00

Mosley Knocked Out of Commissioner Court Race via Self-Defeat

Commentary by Eddie Griffin

Thursday, January 31, 2008

I am not ashamed to say that I represent “the poorest of the poor”. Any local public official knows that I will engage in protests and demonstrations on behalf of the poor. If necessary, I use grassroots organizing to put people in front of the faces of our elected officeholders. I don’t think kindly of criticism, because you criticize, not me, but the poor in destitute.

There is no greater defender of the cause of the poor than incumbent Roy C. Brooks, Tarrant County Commissioner, Precinct 1. Challenging his seat is an unknown Cory L. Mosley.

What do we know about the challenger?

I know nothing of Ms. Mosley except that, by entering the race for Commissioners Court, she impedes the cause of the poor. A leader must be proven in the field, and Lord knows I have beaten Roy Brooks over the head with the plight of the poor, and he heard our cry through this incumbent’s voice.

I have never seen this woman, Cora Mosley, in my life, and Roy Brook should be tired of looking at me every day, and hearing me cry in his ear, everywhere he goes. I guess you can call me a stalker. But that’s my job, stalking officeholders and office seekers.

Brooks, the lone Democrat on the Commissioners Court, is always challenged to raise the issues of the poor, such as addressing the high infant mortality in the African-American community, poverty and homelessness- not to say the less, also for ex-offenders like me, to become re-socialized and integrated back into the community through the Commissioner’s Reentry Initiative.

A Whiff of Mosley

I caught a brief glance of Ms. Mosley and a whiff of her as she made a swift exit- even before she took the podium at the TCU Democratic Rally on Saturday. At the rally were all the powerhouse Democrats, supporters, and volunteers. There was energy in the room, from all races and economic and class background- the broadest base of the local Democratic power base- and Ms. Mosley exited the rally, “with a more important function”, i.e. her “political club” meeting.

Here was the largest political club of allegiance, and Ms. Mosley cut out before I could light into her. On the other hand, when Roy Brooks mounted the podium, FIRED UP & READY TO GO, he inspired the room, a proven leader among the Democratic Party, second generation of the famous Brooks family civil rights legacy, son of the eminent late Dr. Marion Brooks, Ms. Mosley “Knocked Out of Commissioner Court via Self-Defeat”. She bowed out of a room, full of greatest, to get together with petty little friends in a lust for office. On the Commissioners court, she would be lion’s food.

Homelessness and the Housing Dilemma

2007-12-19T14:12:00.000-08:00

It is the contradiction of our times: To have so much empty and available housing stock and a growing homeless population. Today was one of those days where Housing was the main topic on my agenda.

First, I am locked into a debate about the housing crisis in New Orleans. The government is proposing to demolish substandard project housing units, while people are sleeping under bridges. There is an active protest against it.

Second, I attended a strategy session on transitional housing program for ex-offenders.

We, in Tarrant County, Texas, are solution-oriented. We are a very large and active community, working on various committees, sub-committees, and projects. For the past two-and-a-half years, we have been laying the groundwork for reentry of previously incarcerated persons (PIPs). A large percentage of those will have transitional housing needs.

Today, I was a proud part of the formation of the Residential Reentry Association, a support network of transitional housing for PIPs. We are changing the name from “Group Homes” to “Transitional Housing”.

I believe this concept works if we measure the basic unit in terms of “bed space”, rather than housing units. This would better facilitate cost accounting and resource management. Case management of clients can be streamlined through an in-and-out logging system, registering hours of service, and which types of services.

We have successfully identified the types of services PIPs need. Therefore, the Tarrant County Reentry Council is subdivided in 10 workgroups. The newly formed Residential Reentry Association will be part of the Housing solution, and work to expand capacity in terms of bed-space and sponsorship.

We recognized that sometimes PIPs will fall into the ranks of the homeless, but usually after some time at failing to reintegrate into society (The almost-made-it bunch). For the sake of the Reentry Housing strategy, this is a different demographic. The City of Fort Worth has appointed a homeless czar assigned the Herculean task of picking the homeless off the ground.

There has been a recent wave of evictions- from apartments and homesteads. The shakeout has created more homelessness. We are finding substance abusers and alcoholics falling into the ranks of the homeless. And, we see a rise in petty crimes and drug arrests.

More and more, as I drive around the neighborhood I see people belongings sitting on the curb. Some evictees are desperate enough to break back in, and squat under the cover of darkness, or until evicted again. Later, these abandoned houses become homeless haunts and drug houses. Eventually, these units fall victim to arson or demolition (and not enough demolition, at that).

Here is where I find myself in dispute with the property owners in New Orleans who are protesting the demolition of HUD Housing projects.

Protest is no solution. It may call attention to the problem, but the leadership behind the protest must have a proposed solution to offer. Otherwise, Tarrant County, Texas recognizes the homeless crisis. Why should we protest while we are the ones working on the solution?

As part of a proposed solution to PIPs falling back into homelessness, the Residential Reentry Association will probably evolve into a Group Home Owners Association, where reentry PIPs will be the collective owners of the place where they call home. And, when they leave, they will be economically viable self-sufficient citizens.

I admit that we are in the early stages of development. But the county realized that, with 500 releases per month, they must stop the bleeding and prevent these people from returning to a life of crime.

We must remove barriers and stumbling blocks that hinder reentry- such as a lack of state-issued legal identity (which would help Hispanic-Americans especially being released from prison). PIPs should also be able to receive state certification and licensure in the vocational fields for which they trained.

Mental Health must come to recognize “Arrested Development” as a psychological barrier to reentry, but not to be confused with MHMR. The deprivations created by incarceration can be corrected by re-socialization skills training, such as time management, computer literacy, and soft skills, such as telephonic skills, social etiquettes, anger management, and ethical behavior.

Our advice to the people of New Orleans- Get a grip and take control. The concept of a Group Home Owners Association is not farfetched from a solution to New Orleans dilemma.

Urban Village Planning

2007-11-30T11:41:00.000-08:00

December 4 at 7:00 p.m.
Council Chamber of City Hall
1000 Throckmorton Street
Fort Worth, Texas 76102

The City Plan Commission received a staff briefing on November 16 and recommended that the City Council adopt all twelve urban village master plans. After receiving a staff briefing on the DRAFT master plans on Nov. 27, the City Council will hold a public hearing on whether to adopt the urban village master plans by reference into the Comprehensive Plan on December 4 at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chamber of City Hall, located at 1000 Throckmorton Street . Please feel free to attend and give your comments to the City Council.

Southeast Cluster Planning

The Southeast Cluster of Urban Villages includes: Berry/Riverside, Berry/Stalcup, Near East Side, Oakland Corners, and Polytechic/Wesleyan. The City of Fort Worth has contracted with Freese and Nichols, Inc. for the preparation of redevelopment plans and implementation strategies for the Southeast Cluster of Urban Villages.

DRAFT Master Plans and Plan Summaries

Berry/Riverside Village DRAFT Master Plan and Plan Summary
Berry/Stalcup Village DRAFT Master Plan and Plan Summary
Near East Side Village DRAFT Master Plan and Plan Summary
Oakland Corners Village DRAFT Master Plan and Plan Summary
Polytechnic/Wesleyan Village DRAFT Master Plan and Plan Summary

Berry/Riverside Village

Berry/Stalcup Village

Near East Side Village

Oakland Corners Village

Polytechnic/Wesleyan Village

What Part of Illegal (Alien) I Don’t Understand

2007-11-29T07:43:00.000-08:00

Some pundit asked, “What part of illegal don’t you understand”, as it relates to immigration- which, to me, implied that the issue was so simple that even a caveman could understand.

Count me among the stupid, because I have a problem understanding the “ill” part of “illegal”. It seems more like “ill-will”. I especially had a problem back in the 1950s and 1960s with the “ill” part when it came to children being born without a father being called “illegitimate children”- bastards, as bad word in any language. Now I get the same connotation from “illegal immigrant”- the same ill-will prejudice that led to wholesale humiliation of single mother back then.

Words do not a thing made. Calling somebody “illegal” or “illegitimate” does not make a person so. Therefore, I am unimpressed with the highly charged language being used in the immigration debate. I think that I better understand the nature of the people who create such prejudicial semantics of delusion. Hate language produces hateful attitudes, ask any illegitimate child who grew up without a father, how they were treated.

As for the Great Immigration Debate of today, over which all the presidential candidates seem to be stumbling, this is a case example of how charged up language can obscure the issue.

We must recognize that every human being has rights. It may be possible to deny a person civil rights when they have no constitutional standing in a US court of law. But nationalism is subordinate to internationalism where human rights are primary in the court of world opinion.

There are three problems involved in the US Immigration Debate. The so-called illegal immigrant is attracted to the United States by prospects of opportunity, like 1800 gold rushers to California and land grabbers to Texas. We open the door to citizenship for some and close the door on others.

Nevertheless, there is a large US market for cheap labor- the cheapest of which is the undocumented worker. On the one hand, they are welcome to participate in the job market by some, while despised by others- no consensus but rather a mixed message. We just assume that they teach US immigration law in Guatemala in lieu of mixed messages emanating out of the states.

But practice supersedes ideologues. Undocumented workers are here in the US and they are working. And, like it or not, they are an integral part of the national economy. If they were not, there would not be crops spoiling in the fields.

For many years, it was okay to wink at immigration laws as long as we could get cheap goods and services, and the immigration population posed no political threat. The problem arose with the second generation, the Americanized Latino, born an American citizen with illegal parents. They have voting rights and legal standing in a court of law.

Suddenly, we seem overwhelmed and immigration becomes a hot-button issue- not because of mass migration from south of the border, but because the brown population is growing faster in numbers and political strength than we anticipated.

Closely the border means stopping the bleeding. Mass deportation is an attempt to protect the wound and stop infection. But the wound is self-inflicted.

What part of “illegal” I don’t understand is how we can criminalize others for our own self-inflicted wound. We want to outlaw 12 million people and deport them because we made the mistake of relaxing our borders and lowering the barriers way back when it was convenient.

(Continue Part II)

Opportunities for Diversity Candidates for Open Railroad Positions

2007-11-26T13:31:00.000-08:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Patsy Curtis 817-887-8084

Opportunities for Diversity Candidates for Open Railroad Positions

DATES:
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11 - 6:30 PM
(Or)
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 15 - 10:30 AM

(Please be early to allow for finding parking space)

ATTIRE:
BUSINESS - Shirt, Tie, Slacks required

LOCATION:
777 Main St., 11th floor Fort Worth, TX 76102

ITEMS TO BRING:
Resume and 3 letters of reference

QUALIFICATIONS
**MUST be willing to travel. If you are not willing to travel (or an option to relocate),

No need to apply:
**Must have a High School diploma or GED
**Must not have any Felonies
**Must be able to pass a HAIR FOLLICLE drug test.

(NOTE: They do have a weight requirement although they don't say it publicly. If you have any misdemeanors, outstanding tickets, etc, the information MUST be disclosed and handled appropriately.)

**Need to show that you can pass a basic Math test (5-7th grade).

TESTING: You can practice by going to WWW.MATH.COM and clicking on Basic Math. You have to answer the practice questions first and then you will be given a final test at the end.

Alternatively, you can go to Barnes and Nobles and pick up a 5th grade TAKS math book.

EXPECTATIONS/ASSISTANCE

**You need to be able to take a timed math test with no calculator. (HINT: You need to answer EVERY question- the KEY being to answer first all the questions you are sure of first, then going back and answer the more difficult questions. The last 2 minutes of the test, if you have blanks. Make an effort to guess a, b, c, etc., until all questions are answered. Unmarked answers will be counted as incorrect.)

**There will also be a behavioral portion of the test...The answers to these questions are neither right nor wrong. The testing applicant MUST take a position that is all one way or all the other. (HINT: Do not be in the middle. No to answer will automatically be counted wrong.)

**There will be a reading/comprehension portion as well. You can also study with a 5th grade book at Barnes and Nobles. (NOTE: Do not to take these practice sessions lightly. Many people just do not remember things from the 5th grade, as proven by the hit TV show. It is not a matter of intelligence. To pass the test, you really must practice.)

(EG Note: Additional Reading/Comprehension ad may be found at RHL SCHOOL)

At the session, we will go over---positions available, how to apply, locations, types of gangs, etc., Testing procedures, drug testing, etc.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Please be 15 minutes early. These are the only 2 sessions scheduled. These sessions will be informational and will answer any and all your questions.

Staffing Dynamics
777 S. Main
Suite 600
Fort Worth, TX 76102

2007 Renaissance Communities Economic Development Summit

2007-09-25T08:32:00.000-07:00

Observations & Commentary By Eddie Griffin

Words of Thanks

Since the 2005 Economic Summit, the City of Fort Worth has come a long way towards revitalizing its core thanks to the diligent leadership of Congressman Michael C. Burgess, in collaboration with Mayor Mike Moncrief and the City Council, Tarrant County Commissioner Roy Brook, State Representative Marc Veasy, State Senator Kim Brimer, and a great supporting host of other elected and appointed officials and citizens. Working together as a community, this is “The Fort Worth Way” of doing business.

The 2007 Renaissance Communities Economic Development Summit was a 12-hour marathon of reviewing our progress and forecasting the challenges before us.

Continuum

Summit I and Summit II focused primarily upon East and Southeast Fort Worth, with demographics in zip code areas 76103, 76104, 76105, 76112, and 76119. This year, the geographic scope of development has expanded to encompass the 76140 communities of Forest Hill and Everman. Because of the widened scope, the urban villages are now referred to as the Renaissance Communities.

Brief Review

The City of Fort Worth has always had a master development plan, even prior to 1900. The urban sprawl of the 1970s led to a migration from the core inner city. This pattern, spurred by desegregated housing, resulted in an abandonment and neglect of the city epicenter. By 1980, downtown Fort Worth was literally a ghost town after business hours, which then became a magnet for homeless transients.

The first revitalization initiative began with the downtown demographic zip 76102, the 1993 Downtown Revitalization Plan. This master plan turned downtown Fort Worth around. The concept was to turn downtown into a mixed zone of commercial and residential urban village. As new downtown urban condos and apartments went up, business returned to the revitalized downtown area. The urban village also took on a vibrant casual nightlife.

The Urban Village concept is based upon condensed mixed-use close quarter living in pockets similar to an all-in-one village. The restoration plan has been so successful for the downtown area that master builders are now bringing in million-dollar condos, and rebuilding every square foot of the downtown area into a new cityscape.

The new downtown plan also includes a Trinity River Vision, which would transform the Trinity River corridor into riverfront commercial development and lakeshore subdivision of new businesses and housing, along with a new community college campus.

This is modern urban design at its finest.

Urban Village Clusters

In the coming new phases of development, we will hear more and more about Urban Village clusters, with strategies for redevelopment patterned after the successful downtown revitalization plan.

In expanding the scope to encompass more of congressional District 26, the Summit examined urban village clusters in demographic zip code areas of 76103, 76104, 76105, 76112, 76119, and now 76140, which includes the Everman-Forest Hill communities.

The I-35 corridor is now the main artery of a housing boom through areas that were once grazing pastor. The urbanization of the cities of Everman and Fort Hill has given these communities a new demographic identity, and a new need for mass transit.

I-35 is in need of widening and new avenues and highways are being designed to alleviate traffic congestion and mitigate regional air pollution. The I-20 corridor that runs through Forest Hill presents new commercial opportunities along its frontage properties.

The inner-city core communities have identifies a number of potential urban village sites, five of which are included in District 26 target zone. These urban villages are being zoned for mix-use, heavily concentrated around key arterial intersections, where townhouse and lofts will coexist with street level businesses.

Schools & Workforce Development

The 2007 Renaissance Communities Economic Development Summit was a quantum leap over the last two years economic summits, insofar as we began to look at the development of “human capital”. We looked at the high level of unemployment and underemployment in the area as a potential workforce, in need of marketable skills.

In order to build a viable people, they must have “livable” wages. Therefore, one of the objectives of last year’s Economic Summit was to increase minimum wage to a livable level. This year the US Congress passed the first minimum wage rate in 10 years, thereby directly impacting the homeless and day labor district. The first year’s raise was $0.70 an hour, and similar increases will be coming annual for the next two years.

This potential but latent workforce is part of the Workforce today and Workforce of the Future. To help residents in this area over the poverty hump, various agencies have begun collaborating in transitional welfare-to-work strategies, through self-sufficiency. This year’s summit included a job fair and faith-based grant funding seminars.

Finally, we looked at the workforce pipeline with the idea of channeling more people into higher skilled and high paying jobs. We began examining the role of schools in preparing the workforce of the future. Currently, the ISD educational objective is academic achievement and preparing students for post-secondary education. But not every child is college bound, as noted by Representative Marc Veasy.

HR panelists repeatedly identified deficiencies in today’s pool of future workers, which could or should be addressed at the middle and high school level. Missing are soft skills in communications, business etiquettes, and socialization. Missing are math and science skills to fill the void of retiring baby boom engineers and technicians. Missing are vocational skills in machine shop technology at a time when digital machining is reaching a new apex in close tolerances. There is a new for new precision machinists, quality control inspector, electrical technician, and other blue and white-collar skills for the local defense industry. There is a need for medical technicians and clerics for the ever-growing local medical industry.

Many of the high needs fields do not require a college degree. Vocational and technological skills, along with a degree or certification, can be achieved in two years or less of post-secondary education. And, many of the skill sets can be achieved through duel enrollment, tech prep, or contractual education.

During the 2006-2007 school year, the Workforce of the Future subcommittee helped to implement a professional development in tax preparation for high students that would result in certification as qualified tax preparers, immediately employable, with a potential future in the accounting field. A similar professional development program in the medical and nursing field has been ongoing at one of the high schools since the early 1990s. Other specialized skills development programs at the middle and high school level are on the drawing board.

P-16 Workforce Pipeline

Cynthia Fisher Miller, an official of the local chamber of commerce and a member of the Workforce of the Future subcommittee, presented the concept of the “P-16 Workforce Pipeline”, in recognition that early childhood development is the true starting point for developing a strong and educated workforce of the future. This covers a time-span from birth through college graduation- with an added footnote that education will become a lifelong learning experience. This is the vision of the workforce of tomorrow.

The Fort Worth ISD now proposes a $593.6 million bond package to expand and upgrade the school system. As FWISD Superintendent Dr. Melody Johnson describes it: “If everybody at a particular high school turned on their Windows 95 at the same time, the lights in the school would go out.” Therefore, there is a need for new technological infrastructure.

Another major challenge for Fort Worth ISD, beside academic achievement, is catching up with the application of technology in the classroom. Already, most students have outpaced teaching staff in learning and adapting to the use of new technology. And, many gifted students feel held back. Dr. Jeri Pfeifer describes the eagerness of her AP math students at Everman High School to “get on with it”.

Another part of the student achievement strategy is the FWISD Project Prevail dropout prevention or student retention plan. It is designed to get all stakeholders- which includes business, parents, students, higher education, schools, faith community, and social services- committed and involved in the education of our children. Each group of stakeholders is given specific identifiable contributions that they can make in the overall effort.

College Prep

GO Centers are now set up in every high school, in order to “close the gaps” in academic and career achievements. The GO Centers are designed to put college-bound high school students on track. In conjunction with local community colleges, students can gain early college credits while still in school through Tech Prep or dual enrollment programs.

Needs and Challenges

Students still fall far short of modern industry needs in a global economy. We need to reexamine our education resources and capital assets. We have not gotten the best delivery system to convey curricula content. We have underutilized free or inexpensive online or multimedia educational resources. This may be due to chasing the TAKS test. But now that the state legislature is phasing out teaching to the TAKS test, we should revisit more advanced cognitive teaching programs, beginning with early childhood development.

Multimedia delivery system relieves teachers of much of the stress generated through direct interaction with students. Instead, students interact with multimedia tools and seek guidance from the instructor. Interactive multimedia education tools have a longer retention rate than verbose instructions.

The 80th State Legislature enacted a Virtual School bill that would, at once, supplement classroom instructions and later lay the groundwork for the future of education. Scholars recognize that the student of today can receive a full P-16 education online. Many industries highly value some online skills courses and certification program, such as Microsoft Office Software (MOS). For less than $20 per person, students can receive industry-recognized certificates of completion in WORD, EXCEL, POWERPOINT, and ACCESS, from the beginner level to the most advance. These skills may allow high school students immediate access into the job market as clerics or certified administrative assistants.

Conclusion

The first summit in 2005 was devoted to developing the scope of the community’s needs and challenges and organizing task forces to conduct fact-findings and probably strategies and solutions.

The second summit in 2006 returned with its findings. Advisories committees reported their findings and set out priorities and action items to charter the course.

This year, the summit looked at the cluster of Urban Villages comprising the Renaissance Community, in relationship to the larger district scope in transportation, business, and workforce development needs.

How do we pull the diverse components of these Urban Villages renaissance strategies? Terri Wade-Ottley is designing a project management system that will identify the development projects we aim to accomplish and its quantifiable components, benchmarks, schedules, and completions.

On the other hand, the Summit convened the faith-base community to look at grant opportunities for collaborative work, now being carried out by individual and isolated organizations. A host of federal agencies from Region VI demonstrated target objectives by the government, as it related to communities, with demographics similar to the Renaissance communities.

It was an exciting marathon that energized some 200 representatives of the community. There is a greater sense of partnership between public, private, religious, and community-based organizations.