Javier Ogaz

Happy Valentine’s Day! It’s not Hallmark. It’s...

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 11:06:00 -0700

Happy Valentine’s Day! It’s not Hallmark. It’s NPR.

Road Trip!

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 10:41:00 -0700

Update: I left Denver, CO on Sunday morning. I drove 845 miles to St. Louis, MO to stay the night at my friend Joel’s house. I left St. Louis on Monday morning and drove to Cincinnati to see Chase. All in all, that’s 1,200 miles and 18.5 hours.

“Proposition 8 serves no purpose, and has no effect, other than to lessen the status and...

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:48:00 -0700

“Proposition 8 serves no purpose, and has no effect, other than to lessen the status and human dignity of gays and lesbians in California, and to officially reclassify their relationships and families as inferior to those of opposite-sex couples. The Constitution simply does not allow for ‘laws of this sort.’ Romer v. Evans, 517 U.S. 620, 633 (1996).” — Judge Stephen Reinhardt

"American culture offers young Americans the “choices” of fundamentalist religion and fundamentalist..."

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 17:45:47 -0700

“American culture offers young Americans the “choices” of fundamentalist religion and fundamentalist consumerism. All varieties of fundamentalism narrow one’s focus and inhibit critical thinking. While some progressives are fond of calling fundamentalist religion the “opiate of the masses,” they too often neglect the pacifying nature of America’s other major fundamentalism. Fundamentalist consumerism pacifies young Americans in a variety of ways. Fundamentalist consumerism destroys self-reliance, creating people who feel completely dependent on others and who are thus more likely to turn over decision-making power to authorities, the precise mind-set that the ruling elite loves to see. A fundamentalist consumer culture legitimizes advertising, propaganda, and all kinds of manipulations, including lies; and when a society gives legitimacy to lies and manipulativeness, it destroys the capacity of people to trust one another and form democratic movements. Fundamentalist consumerism also promotes self-absorption, which makes it difficult for the solidarity necessary for democratic movements.”

- Bruce Levine, Alternet

rtnt: The Making of a Post-Post-Partisan PresidencyToday’s...

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 16:36:00 -0700

rtnt:

The Making of a Post-Post-Partisan Presidency
Today’s guest submission is from Javier Ogaz.

As President Obama prepares to give his State of the Union address, which pundits will parse for evidence of how he plans to take on Republicans this fall, it’s easy to forget how different his strategy toward the opposing party was at the outset of his presidency. Three years in, it appears Obama’s efforts at post-partisanship have been futile. Ryan Lizza writes for the New Yorker on whether it is possible to reach across the aisle when an energized opposition has little interest in compromise:

Obama didn’t remake Washington. But his first two years stand as one of the most successful legislative periods in modern history. Among other achievements, he has saved the economy from depression, passed universal health care, and reformed Wall Street. Along the way, Obama may have changed his mind about his 2008 critique of Hillary Clinton. “Working the system, not changing it” and being “consumed with beating” Republicans “rather than unifying the country and building consensus to get things done” do not seem like such bad strategies for success after all.

Read the full article here.

It’s Saturday night and I’m home alone thinking...

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 23:39:58 -0700

It’s Saturday night and I’m home alone thinking about my life. Three glasses of wine make for good company. They loosen thoughts and free the mind. These thoughts are neither good or bad, but they paint an accurate picture of what I’m feeling. Amy Winehouse comes on the speakers and fills my apartment with lament. My odds are stacked. I’ll go back to black.

newleftmedia: NEW VIDEO! Most everyone has noticed the wide...

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:40:00 -0700

newleftmedia:

NEW VIDEO! Most everyone has noticed the wide swath of internet websites that have been blacked out in protest of the pending PIPA / SOPA legislation in congress, but not as many people understand exactly why those bills are such a problem.

This short documentary explores PIPA and SOPA, how the bills work, who’s behind them, and why all internet users have reason to be concerned.

Please help us by SHARING THIS VIDEO and spreading the word about PIPA / SOPA.

New Left Media has just released a new video discussing PIPA/SOPA. If you want to know what the bills try to accomplish, the technical mechanisms that are used, and who supports the bills, WATCH THE VIDEO! Speak out against ONLINE CENSORSHIP!

PIPA/SOPA would have disastrous effects on the Internet. We’ve seen the ability of social media and the free flow of information change the everyday lives of millions of people. Stand up for free speech!

I’ve been listening to this song on repeat for longer than...

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 15:21:00 -0700

I’ve been listening to this song on repeat for longer than I’d like to admit. One of my close friends is dealing with getting over someone and I continually find myself unable to give him advice. I usually try to tell him that time heals all things. We move on from others when they aren’t in our lives. It happens with friends, family, and lovers. Each are complicated in their own way. There’s a certain sadness in all endings.

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but..."

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 12:55:00 -0700

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. The true neighbor will risk his position, his prestige and even his life for the welfare of others.”

- Martin Luther King, Jr., Strength to Love

lol @ broncos

Sat, 14 Jan 2012 22:25:31 -0700

I know it sounds a little harsh, but I’ve had to endure the last week of football posts. I was calling them #thecolosseum.

I’m getting ready to go out for the evening. As I post...

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 16:16:00 -0700

I’m getting ready to go out for the evening. As I post this picture, my building management is showing my apartment to perspective tenets. Looking around, I know I’m going to miss this place. The past seven months have been great and I was able to build a new space that felt like home, complete with one of my favorite friends. Things have changed, but I look forward to new homes and new spaces.

"But there’s a deeper problem in the whole notion that what this nation needs is a successful..."

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:07:00 -0700

“But there’s a deeper problem in the whole notion that what this nation needs is a successful businessman as president: America is not, in fact, a corporation. Making good economic policy isn’t at all like maximizing corporate profits. And businessmen — even great businessmen — do not, in general, have any special insights into what it takes to achieve economic recovery. Why isn’t a national economy like a corporation? For one thing, there’s no simple bottom line. For another, the economy is vastly more complex than even the largest private company.”

- — Paul Krugman, America Isn’t a Corporation

Since the beginning of the Republican primary season, I’ve had doubts about Mitt Romney’s constant claim that his business experience makes him an ideal candidate for President. With Romney’s campaign, we are asked to replace Washington insiders and career politicians with a business executive; I struggle to make the connection between business experience and government efficiency. The two are different animals. Maybe business executive experience suggests a person is capable of making tough decisions, but tough decisions are easier to make when you are unconcerned with human costs. Government, on the other hand, is solely concerned with people (or so it used to be!) and unconcerned with maximizing profits and dividends, unless you consider an educated citizenry and a strong economy to be dividends of effective government. Like Mr. Krugman, I don’t buy the argument that a business executive should hold the office of the President. We are the United States of America, not America, Inc.

Hulu Ad Tailor, GTFO!

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 08:40:00 -0700

There is no escaping advertisements! I pay for a subscription to Hulu Plus and it is impossible to watch a movie or tv show commercial-free. I’m not sure I understand the point of paying for a subscription if I am forced to watch eight ads during a forty minute show. I hate to complain about something insignificant, but the above message really pissed me off! Hulu is asking me questions to curtail a more personalized “ad experience”.

The thought of an “ad experience” is quite laughable. I pay Hulu to provide content of my choosing, but still subsidize their service by subjecting myself to their ad campaigns. The worst part about it is there is nothing I can do. They are going to give me ads and I am going to like it! I know that this a first-world problem, but that doesn’t make it any less absurd.

"Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end."

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 22:12:00 -0700

“Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.”

- — Seneca

If life is a sum of decisions than we must understand the importance of our ability to make them. Some decisions are easier than others, but that doesn’t change the fact that we must carefully consider them.

In September of 2010, I began working for the Alzheimer’s Association. Since that time, I have been given valuable insight and experiences in a professional setting. While I have cherished my time at the association, and remain grateful for the opportunities that were given to me, I have decided to close this chapter of my life.

I cannot be sure that this is the right choice, and to use the word right might be absurd in this context, but I do know that it seems to be the best at the moment. The quote above reminds me that as one chapter ends, another begins.

In 2012, I look forward to the challenges of starting with a new beginning. I am grateful for the support of my family and friends and welcome the new year with a strong sense of hope and possibility.

We all have songs that remind us of someone special in our...

Sat, 07 Jan 2012 23:42:00 -0700

We all have songs that remind us of someone special in our lives. This is one of the songs that reminds me of Chase. It helps make the distance between us seem smaller. Do you realize that you have the most beautiful face? Do you realize we’re floating in space? All you have to do is push play.

A Summary: The GOP New Hampshire Debate

Sat, 07 Jan 2012 23:31:00 -0700

Romney: No one attacked me on anything!
Santorum: There is no such thing as class in America!
Paul: I understand true racism, unlike everyone else on this stage.
Gingrich: Marriage is a religious sacrament before it is a civic institution.
Perry: I would send troops back to Iraq.
Huntsman: (Insert Chinese)

"Our founders intended for them to be the least consequential of the three branches of government...."

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 13:39:00 -0700

““Our founders intended for them to be the least consequential of the three branches of government. How do I know that for a fact? Because it’s Article III. Article I is Congress, Article II is the president and Article III is the courts. If it was the most important, they wouldn’t have put it third.””

- Rick Santorum does not make sense. All three branches of government are necessary and provide a critical function. The Supreme Court has appellate jurisdiction over all Federal and state courts. How is that not important?

Tracy Chapman has plenty of great songs, but this one in...

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 23:53:46 -0700

Tracy Chapman has plenty of great songs, but this one in particular speaks to my life at the moment. Life tricks us into thinking that nothing can change, but we know better. My friend Joel reminded me of this song today. It couldn’t have been more timely. You gotta make a decision. You leave tonight or live and die this way.

Have dinner with Alex, Mallory, and Brad. Talk with Felipe...

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 23:43:00 -0700

Have dinner with Alex, Mallory, and Brad.
Talk with Felipe about Invisible Man.
Write a post on Catman and Panda.
Open Photo Booth™.
Listen to Fleetwood Mac.
Pour a glass of wine.
Take 20 pictures.
Remove 18 pictures.
Open Photoshop™ and have some fun.

When I was reading the paper this morning, I expected the Iowa...

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 22:24:00 -0700

When I was reading the paper this morning, I expected the Iowa caucus to be a dramatic fight between Mitt Romney and Ron Paul. I never expected Rick Santorum to lead. I’ve been on the edge of my seat all night!

In other news, Rick Perry and Michelle Bachmann are finished. At least he admits it.

Edit: Rick Perry is continuing his campaign and Michelle Bachmann has suspended hers.