Showing posts tagged federal silliness

Via USA.gov: How and Why You Should Write a Social Media Will

Social media is a part of daily life, but what happens to the online content that you created once you die?

If you have social media profiles set up online, you should create a statement of how you would like your online identity to be handled. Just like a traditional will helps your survivors handle your physical belongings, a social media will spells out how you want your online identity to be handled.

Like with a traditional will, you’ll need to appoint someone you trust as an online executor. This person will be responsible for closing your email addresses, social media profiles, and blogs after you are deceased. Take these steps to help you write a social media will:

  • Review the privacy policies and the terms and conditions of each website where you have a presence.
  • State how you would like your profiles to be handled. You may want to completely cancel your profile or keep it up for friends and family to visit. Some sites allow users to create a memorial profile where other users can still see your profile but can’t post anything new.
  • Give the social media executor a document that lists all the websites where you have a profile, along with your usernames and passwords.
  • Stipulate in your will that the online executor should have a copy of your death certificate. The online executor may need this as proof in order for websites to take any actions on your behalf.

Learn more about what else you should include in your will and how to create an effective estate plan.

This is a really interesting blog post (especially for USA.gov!) topic. It sounds so morbid, but what a smart idea. The internet allows for more eerie reminders of someone who is no longer alive, whether it’s gmail suggesting other people you might want to include on the email or facebook pages that become interactive memorials. It would make sense that there be a way to control what happens; however, as with “regular” wills, I imagine it has the potential to cause fighting among family and friends and layers of interpretation. With the internet and privacy settings constantly changing, too, it’s likely that the wishes documented in a social media will wouldn’t even be able to be entirely honored.

Don’t worry guys, I sometimes do morbid posts about certain angles of death; it’s just fascinating. I’m not going anywhere, so jenbokoff.com isn’t either.

(Reblogged from usagov)

President Obama slow jams the news with Jimmy Fallon. Big issue; fun way to communicate it.

Conquering Food Deserts

The question remains: If there is real demand for fresh food in food deserts, why don’t supermarkets open up there? Why don’t they regard them as food emerging markets? Well, it takes two things: innovative businesspeople who are willing to pursue opportunities where others see only problems — and creative government subsidies to make the economics work.

Bornstein’s article in today’s New York Times explores the demand for healthy food, some current approaches to the access problem, and the context for implementing new strategies. As always, he hit the nail on the head.

The joke was on me.

Rabbit rabbit and happy April Fools’ Day. In the spirit of jokes and fun, I share with defeat and enjoyment a prank that I fell for that lasted more than two months.

I worked in a cubicle crowded with case files, a collage of NY Post headlines, hoarded office supplies, a pink Disney princess clock won at the Bowery Poetry Club’s Drag queen Bingo, a nameplate reading Tobias Funke, the Internal Revenue Code from 2008, 2009, and 2010, my artful rubber band ball, travel scrabble, a whoopee cushion sound-imitator, 3 footlong pens, rejected holiday party invitations that didn’t meet regulations, and a WANTED sign for a stolen nerf football. As a paralegal specialist for IRS Office of Chief Counsel, I cared about efficiently getting all of my work done so that fun could be had at lunchtime and I could leave on the dot when my tour of duty reached its end. Needless to say, distraction was not welcome when there were tax problems to be solved.

The IRS Office of Chief Counsel was no different than any other work environment at least in one way: we had IT employees who could remote in to any computer. It was helpful on occasion and creepy at all times, because it felt like Big Brother was always watching, though maybe not for a reason. You would know that they were signed on because a small icon would appear in the lower right corner of the screen near the time, the screen would flicker ever so slightly, and the mouse would jerk just a little bit in one direction. 

I started to experience the mouse-jerk phenomenon without seeing the icon on the bottom of the screen, and I was thoroughly creeped out. It was possible I was just seeing things, but I grew increasingly paranoid that people were watching me from afar. Just like that, someone would know the typos I was making, the occasional Dictionary.com search, and the dumb emails shooting back and forth in a tangled web with nearby cubicles. It didn’t really threaten me - I wasn’t doing anything to be worried about - but it made me anxious. I even asked one of the IT people if it was possible for someone to sign into my computer without seeing the icon on the bottom of the screen, and they said no without even a twinkle in their eye. This meant they were doing it stealthily! I had to get to the bottom of this.

But I couldn’t. Nothing was adding up, and it wasn’t impacting my work too much other than distracting me for a minute and putting me more on edge. Typical for a worker in that office; no big deal. Whining and floating this by coworkers yielded only nonchalant shrugs and accusations of going crazy.

Folks, more than 2 months later, it was revealed to me by giggling coworkers in the neighboring attorney’s office that I had fallen victim to one of the oldest (circa 2003) tricks in the book: A wireless mouse was being controlled sporadically from less than 10 feet away. I was successfully pranked.

Atlantic Avenue Subway Station I know graffiti is “just graffiti” and I shouldn’t read into it, but I did. I generally agree with the sentiment here (access to affordable, healthy food should be human right, especially according to the values on which our country was founded), but don’t think it accomplishes anything. Clearly, the intended audience is the government (unclear if it’s federal or state), and someone doesn’t like the inequity between rich people and poor people as status specifically relates to food. This just doesn’t sound productive though; it sounds spiteful and reminds me of an uninformed bumper sticker. Also, who’s even seeing this statement? Was it written out of sadness? Anger? Boredom? Does the door ironically lead to a hidden vault of unspent government money? (Ha!) My only point with posting this is that even though I’m questioning its original intent and effectiveness, it still made me think, which it might make you do, too. And maybe just maybe, one of my readers, or your readers or friends, will find some use for it to change attitudes or policy, and therefore do what no other single statement catalyst has helped our country to do. You just never know. View high resolution

Atlantic Avenue Subway Station

I know graffiti is “just graffiti” and I shouldn’t read into it, but I did. I generally agree with the sentiment here (access to affordable, healthy food should be human right, especially according to the values on which our country was founded), but don’t think it accomplishes anything. Clearly, the intended audience is the government (unclear if it’s federal or state), and someone doesn’t like the inequity between rich people and poor people as status specifically relates to food. This just doesn’t sound productive though; it sounds spiteful and reminds me of an uninformed bumper sticker. Also, who’s even seeing this statement? Was it written out of sadness? Anger? Boredom? Does the door ironically lead to a hidden vault of unspent government money? (Ha!)

My only point with posting this is that even though I’m questioning its original intent and effectiveness, it still made me think, which it might make you do, too. And maybe just maybe, one of my readers, or your readers or friends, will find some use for it to change attitudes or policy, and therefore do what no other single statement catalyst has helped our country to do.

You just never know.

In 2011, AmeriCorps received a whopping 582,000 applications for just 82,000 positions.  This is up from 536,000 in 2010 for 85,000 spots. That means that over two years, nearly 1 million Americans have been turned away from serving the country through AmeriCorps. This is VERY sad to me. We definitely need more national service opportunities, and not just for young people who can afford to be paid small amounts. In the same way that any person who meets requirements can serve in the military, a qualified person should be able to contribute to making our country a better, more livable, more stable, healthier place through a government-supported program. The AmeriCorps model is strong, but the capacity needs to be increased tremendously. There is not a lack of need, and there is not a lack of demand, so why stifle the ability to do better for ourselves and the country? View high resolution

In 2011, AmeriCorps received a whopping 582,000 applications for just 82,000 positions.  This is up from 536,000 in 2010 for 85,000 spots. That means that over two years, nearly 1 million Americans have been turned away from serving the country through AmeriCorps.

This is VERY sad to me. We definitely need more national service opportunities, and not just for young people who can afford to be paid small amounts. In the same way that any person who meets requirements can serve in the military, a qualified person should be able to contribute to making our country a better, more livable, more stable, healthier place through a government-supported program. The AmeriCorps model is strong, but the capacity needs to be increased tremendously. There is not a lack of need, and there is not a lack of demand, so why stifle the ability to do better for ourselves and the country?

Let’s Move: Jimmy Fallon and Michelle Obama

This promotional segment couldn’t be better if it tried. This initiative has phenomenal goals and strategy backed by a leader who practices what she preaches. So awesome.

Pay attention. This is going to be big.

There’s a pretty great new website called www.wethelobby.com. You should probably share it with all of your friends, because it’s a model that might actually make a decent dent in advancing important arguments for and against proposed legislation. It gives a productive megaphone to the 99% who can’t afford to spend thousands of dollars to have their own lobbyist on the hill, because let’s be honest, access to our government officials by individuals isn’t as simple as it should be. And, lobbyists are the chief educators outside of each officials staff, so their voices (mostly) have credence. They know how to talk so legislators will listen, and can finesse an argument in a way that an unexperienced advocate might not have the knowhow to do.

So how does it work that you get represented by a legit lobbyist in Washington about an issue that you care about by only contributing whatever amount you can? The model is powered by crowdsourced funding of causes nominated by fellow contributors. Similar to the Kickstarter model, a fundraising goal is set, people contribute any amount towards whatever cause(s) they want, they only pay their pledge if the fundraising goal is reached, and those causes that complete their fundraising goals move forward to lobby. While Kickstarter’s projects are almost all a physical product, We The Lobby’s product is to make sure a strong lobby on ill-represented issues is supported. Simple. Smart. Hopefully successful.

I love this type of pragmatic social entrepreneurship, and look forward to watching it take off!

It’s Anti-SOPA Backout Day.

DO SOMETHING about it.

And, if you still don’t feel like you know enough about the pending censorship, please read up on it.

Bottom line: Passing SOPA and PIPA will not stop piracy and will stifle creativity and access to information. Sound good to you?

Primary elections, explained.

I like that there’s a Tumblr to give the American public straight up answers. I’m sad that the American public doesn’t do grammar or know how to Google when they do know how to find the small ‘Ask’ button on a Tumblr page*. I’m also sad that the answer is so matter-of-fact that it doesn’t provide any more information to readers other than the official title of the tax form; it just adds to the murkiness of ‘the system’ that I would imagine a blog is trying to combat. We’re a step in the right direction of everything, America, but we’re not there yet. *That might be a little harsh, but I stand by it. View high resolution

I like that there’s a Tumblr to give the American public straight up answers. I’m sad that the American public doesn’t do grammar or know how to Google when they do know how to find the small ‘Ask’ button on a Tumblr page*. I’m also sad that the answer is so matter-of-fact that it doesn’t provide any more information to readers other than the official title of the tax form; it just adds to the murkiness of ‘the system’ that I would imagine a blog is trying to combat.

We’re a step in the right direction of everything, America, but we’re not there yet.

*That might be a little harsh, but I stand by it.

Obama & Chavez were smooching?! Not really…. it’s part of United Colors of Benetton’s effort to bring awareness to their Unhate Foundation, which seeks to contribute to the creation of a new culture of tolerance and to combat hated. The ad campaign, featuring world leaders kissing and made possible by photoshop, is self-aware in its boldness but never got permission from the leaders themselves and has certainly enraged several constituencies. I personally take issue with the irresponsibly approved ads, and don’t think that photoshopped fake imagery about brotherhood conveys its importance with any weight. Further, a political angle is especially tough to take, given that political leaders and the system on whole are not always so well-viewed in the public eye. The fashion world has power, too, so I hate to see Benetton just do this with it. I’m all for innovative, controversial ad campaigns, especially about new precedents for tolerance, but I frankly don’t think that this accomplishes much at all and that the Unhate campaign has failed despite it’s valuable premise. View high resolution

Obama & Chavez were smooching?! Not really…. it’s part of United Colors of Benetton’s effort to bring awareness to their Unhate Foundation, which seeks to contribute to the creation of a new culture of tolerance and to combat hated. The ad campaign, featuring world leaders kissing and made possible by photoshop, is self-aware in its boldness but never got permission from the leaders themselves and has certainly enraged several constituencies. I personally take issue with the irresponsibly approved ads, and don’t think that photoshopped fake imagery about brotherhood conveys its importance with any weight. Further, a political angle is especially tough to take, given that political leaders and the system on whole are not always so well-viewed in the public eye. The fashion world has power, too, so I hate to see Benetton just do this with it. I’m all for innovative, controversial ad campaigns, especially about new precedents for tolerance, but I frankly don’t think that this accomplishes much at all and that the Unhate campaign has failed despite it’s valuable premise.

The State of Young America

Some interesting breakdowns here. An excerpt:

Jobs & The Economy

  • Only workers with at least a BA degree saw earnings increase over the last generation
  • Median earnings for young African-Americans are 75% of the earnings of whites; 68% for Latinos
  • Young women earn less than men at every level of education.
  • Twenty-nine percent of 18-24 year olds and 16% of 25-34 year-olds are underemployed
  • The percentage of young adults with jobs is at its lowest point in a generation

Higher Education

  • Average tuition is three times higher today than in 1980
  • Two out of three students graduate with student loan debt, at an average of over $24,000 
  • African American students are more likely to take out student loans, and to graduate with higher debt levels
  • The student loan default rate rose 31% over just 2 years.

Health Care & Coverage

  • In just 10 years, employer-sponsored insurance dropped 12.8% for workers 18-24 and 8.5% for workers 25-34.  
  • During the recession, uninsurance rose among both 18-24 and 25-34 year-olds.  
  • Young people of color are disproportionately likely to lack insurance.
  • Recent reforms to the health care system have begun to reverse that trend, as 1 million young people under the age of 26 joined their parent’s plan in the last quarter of 2010 and the first two quarters of 2011

Cost of Living

  • 41.3% of 25-34 year-old households spend more than 30% of their income on rent 
  • The share of young adults living with their parents increased
  • Levels of credit card debt among those ages 25 to 34 rose 81% since 1989, to an average of $6,255 in 2007

Raising A Family

  • The labor force participation of mothers rose 25% since 1980
  • Just 11% of all workers had access to paid family leave benefits
  • Center-based child care fees for two children exceeded annual median rent payments
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Today’s problems come from yesterday’s solutions.

Peter Senge

Yes, this is a cynical thought, but also a smart guiding tool. In a perfect world, there would be no problems, but in this perpetually imperfect world, we can hopefully recognize that problems result (often unintentionally) as a result of or in the context of solutions (good or bad) to past issues. Billionaires not paying enough tax is one example; receiving high numbers of grant proposals at a small foundation is another; failing test scores in inner city communities is yet another.

The tax issue is the result of solving a problem of establishing and formalizing a tax system in an effective way that was supported generally by the population.

The unmanageable influx of proposals could be the result of publicity of a foundation name through another grant and the establishment of a website solving a communications gap.

Falling academic records could be the result of tests (& therefore, often teaching) becoming more streamlined and rigorous or of re-instituting arts programs during the school day.

In each case, solving a big problem was not a bad thing, though a new problem clearly emerged. It’s everyone’s job to recognize this and do what we can to handle outcomes and problems as they surface. We can learn a lot from them and make smart decisions, but there are limits to how proactive we can be in eliminating problems; sometimes, being reactive is the best we can do, and hey, if we’re forging ahead, maybe that’s not so bad.

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The struggle for justice doesn’t end with me. This struggle is for all the Troy Davises who came before me and all the ones who will come after me. I’m in good spirits and I’m prayerful and at peace. But I will not stop fighting until I’ve taken my last breath.

Troy Davis

I’m so saddened by how our justice system failed. There was far too much doubt for his execution to be justified, and the onus is now on us, the American public, to either change the judicial process with respect to the death penalty or to legislatively get rid of it all together. False positives should not be an option.