Monthly Archives: November 2009

(Community Matters) I am not a line person – my blood races skyward everytime there’s a line.  ughhh, hardly anything worse.  Hmm, a kiosk at US customs/immigration?  Yep, US testing this at select airports for pre-approved, low-risk travelers – provides expedited clearance.

Currently available at: John F. Kennedy International (JFK); Washington Dulles International (IAD); George Bush Houston Intercontinental (IAH); Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL), Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD), Miami International Airport (MIA), Boston-Logan International Airport (BOS), Dallas/Ft. Worth International Airport (DFW), Ft. Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport (FLL), Honolulu International Airport (HNL), Las Vegas McCarran International Airport (LAS), Detroit Metropolitan International Airport (DTW), Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), Orlando International Airport (MCO), Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), San Francisco International Airport (SFO), San Juan Luis Munoz Marin International Airport (SJU), Orlando-Sanford International Airport (SFB), and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA).

Applications at https://goes-app.cbp.dhs.gov After approved for this program, you can apply for the Global Entry with FLUX benefits which allows expedited crossing of other international borders, though I think the pilot program is limied to Amsterdam for now.

(Community Matters) in response to my original posting on Secretary Geithner and regulation of financial institutions, economist and UT finance professor Michael Brandl made the two following, illuminating comments:

first: Eugene – the key question to ask is:  why are the banks paying all of these bonuses and yet many (small business and consumers) can not seem to get access to credit?  The answer is the system that has now been set up encourages banks to borrow from the Fed at near zero rates and bring these funds to the commercial paper & currency markets and earn nice returns with defacto zero default risk.  Thus, by not considering the longer term objectives of policy changes we have mis aligned incentives in the financial markets.

second: Thanks Eugene – but I would take it to the next step. Just as Paul Volcker suggests, we need to restructure our financial system: we can offer a safety net to those institutions that perform “basic” banking functions (e.g. take deposits, write loans, etc.) BUT if the institutions gets involved in more risky activities (Volcker mentions trading but this could be extended) then these entities should be on their own – no more taxpayer bailouts for excessive risk taking.

Taxpayer support should only go to those institutions that are providing much needed banking services…and they will be overseen by professional (and well compensated) regulators.

These are the type of discussions that we should be having in Washington…sadly, we are not.

(Community Matters) Reading the letter to the editor in today’s AAS from Ms. Peggy Morse, I was struck by her passion and statement that independent voters who supported Obama would “take them out.”  I wondered whether Ms. Morse was one of those independent voters who initially supported the President so went in search for her on Facebook.

I did find a Peggy Morse in Austin on Facebook.  She and her husband seemed like wonderful people from the pictures and postings on her wall – well loved by family and friends, generous & kind postings by her to others.  They’d recently been in an accident and he’s still recovering.  I sent a message to Ms. Morse asking if she’d written the letter to the editor and asking if she minded disclosing if she was a supporter who had changed her opinion.  She wrote back a nice note that it wasn’t her.

Since the letter to the editor includes an email, I’ve emailed the author directly.  I hope she’ll let me know if she originally supported the president or not.  It helps give context to the comment.  In either case, all citizen’s opinions matter and I feel some responsibility to listen and hear and to reflect these back in my conversations with White House and party officials.

(Community Matters) In a dream I was told to tell everyone to dance for 7 minutes today

(Community Matters) My friend Reid Cramer and I roasted coffee beans last night, and we brewed coffee this morning.  Wow – what a difference.

Wasn’t a controlled test so I’d like to do so with beans commercially roasted, home roasted and of different ages.  But, I absolutely loved the lightness and complex tastes of my coffee this morning.  I actually drank it unadorned by sugar or cream.

Ok, admittedly I did also have a piece of Sonya’s breadpudding with homemade burbon sauce.

(Community Matters) Great news from our friend Laurie Heffron

I know that you guys love Julio’s, and I wanted to tell you about a new business that is going in next to Dolce Vita in your ‘hood. Two fellow Georgetown alums (although Jason and I did not overlap with them at GU), Kendall and John Antonelli, are opening Antonelli’s Cheese right in there – featuring artisanal cheeses, charcuterie, wines, craft beer, etc…

I didn’t know him, but she’s great and has spent the last several years doing great work at American Gateways (formerly PAPA), assisting victims of human trafficking get visas and bringing their families to the US, among other things. We’ve worked together over the years in that field.

Their website is still under construction, but make sure to check them out when they open: http://www.antonellischeese.com/

(Community Matters) Good conversation about populist uprising against Geithner and financial institutions. I’m not unmindful of what treasury helped us avoid. And in a world Wall Street certainly understands, what have they done for us today? We need a hard-nosed leader who will see us through to tough new financial regulations and not abide the ridiculous bonuses and return to past overly-leveraged, unregulated practices.

Most don’t want a Fed politicized, and there’s a crisis of confidence which can only be resolved by strong leadership and transparency.  posted from my blackberry

Update: I especially like Prof Brandl’s comment:

Eugene – the key question to ask is:  why are the banks paying all of these bonuses and yet many (small business and consumers) can not seem to get access to credit?  The answer is the system that has now been set up encourages banks to borrow from the Fed at near zero rates and bring these funds to the commercial paper & currency markets and earn nice returns with defacto zero default risk.  Thus, by not considering the longer term objectives of policy changes we have mis aligned incentives in the financial markets.

(Community Matters) What a terrific day.  Spent most of it in National’s Stadium, the PNC Diamond Room the setting for our Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) meetings.  The topic was capacity building and how best to launch the Social Innovation Fund, Volunteer Generation Fund and Nonprofit Capacity Building grant monies recently authorized by Congress.  Lots of discussion about intellectual capital, leverage, capacities and capabilities.  I enjoyed the day in conversation.

Tonight I’m staying with my dear dear friends, Sonya, Dio, Gabel and Reid Cramer.  Wonderful dinner in with conversations about everything from national finance reform to unstructured elementary school sports, the building of bridges and the importance of cooks as well as artists.

(Community Matters) I wouldn’t shed any tears.

(Community Matters)

Steven’s always wanted to travel to Australia.  My Sydney friends are definitely Mardi Gras fans,and we’ve hung out at Bondi lots.  It’s their Xmas ritual.  hmm, not sure Mardi Gras would be ST’s thing

(Community Matters) I’m not exactly sure why, but it’s like AT&T ads from the 90s all over again.  Has been for a few weeks now.  Getting worse

(Community Matters) on the MARC from Baltimore to DC, then to check into the Tabard, then hosting Guy Selden’s birthday bash at Cafe Milano.

Visited with Leslie briefly this morning on the way to the airport. She was radiant despite circumstances. Some people just always are. I hope to see her when I return on Fri.

Wow, when traveling on the company dime, one can sure reduce expenses. Using the Pres Club (free papers, coffee and snacks) and free upgrades (meal), I haven’t spent a dime other than my taxi this morning (that my exp) and the train now ($9) which saved me $300 rather than flying into National.

Nice to be back in the city. Just arrived Union Station.  posted from my blackberry