Monthly Archives: January 2018

01/30/18

Black Unemployment — Who Gets The Credit?

Today, we talk black unemployment and who gets the credit for its current lower level?

Big Red Car here on a lovely bright Austin By God Texas day. The kind of day that makes you want to move to Austin, but, then, I live here, don’t I?

So, we are hearing a lot about black unemployment and how it has plunged. President Donald J Trump has mentioned it a few times.

Some folks have attributed the current status — 6.8% in Dec 2017 v a high of 16.5% in April 2011 — to President Obama. Still, way too high when national unemployment is 4.1% from a high of 10% in October 2009.

[Please note that President Obama, himself, is a currently an unemployed black man, no?]Image result for black unemployment graphIt is clearly true that President Trump has continued the downward trend, some say he has accelerated it. However, the trend was already headed in that direction before he arrived in office.

Thanks, Obama.

But, hey, what the Hell do I really know anyway? I’m just a Big Red Car. Thanks, Obama.

 

01/29/18

Plastic Straw Crime Spree

Big Red Car here to inform y’all about a new threat to civilization – the profileration of the deadly plastic straw.

To be specific, the unsolicited offering of a plastic straw by a waiter. You will recognize this as a crime against humanity of the first order, no?

California is way out in front on this issue currently considering a ban on unsolicited plastic straws.

The California bill is #AB 1884 Straws Upon Request which would make it unlawful for a waiter to provide a plastic straw without a request from a customer.

Violators of the Retail Food Section of the California Health and Safety Code would be guilty of a misdemeanor which is “punishable by a fine of not less than $25 or more than $1,000, or by imprisonment in the county jail for a term not exceeding 6 months, or by both.” [California legislators ensure the Big Red Car they will clean this up and they won’t “criminalize” unsolicited plastic straws, but we’ve heard that before, haven’t we?]

Before we dismiss this out of hand as being more California lunacy, let’s focus on the fact that plastic lasts forever and is, typically, not recycled.

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01/29/18

Mentoring – Austin Techstars

Today, we talk Austin Techstars mentoring.

Big Red Car here on a truly gorgeous Texas day. On Earth as it is in Texas, y’all. Texas being Austin By God Texas.

It’s 45F headed to 65F. I love these crisp mornings and warm afternoons.

So, today we talk mentoring, in particular Austin Techstars mentoring.

The Boss has been a mentor with Austin Techstars for some time and has enjoyed it thoroughly.

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01/24/18

TEE – Tempe Elizabeth Eichholz, Watch Out, World

Big Red Car back in the ATX after a longish trip to Savannah to welcome Tempe Elizabeth Eichholz into the world. She arrived at Candler Hospital at 7 lbs 4 ounces and 19.5 inches.

Tempe is the most recent one in a long line of Tempes (Faith, Hope, Charity, Temperance (Tempe), it’s a Southern thing.). There’s a grandmother, a great grandmother, an aunt Tempe.

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01/6/18

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder — PTSD

PTSD — Big Red Car here on a somber Saturday in the ATX. Bit cold, but quite bright and headed to 60F.

So, the BRC has been around soldiers his whole life. The Boss, the BRC owner, was a soldier as was his father and mother. He grew up on Army posts and was educated at Virginia Military Institute.

Soldiering is a noble, necessary profession. It comes at some high personal cost to those who are thrown into combat.

Let’s discuss this a bit, shall we?

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01/5/18

You Have Permission

“May I have permission to live?”

Big Red Car here on a cold, Texas day. Ahhh, winter is fierce in Austin By God Texas. It’s 53F and going to be 70F on Sunday. Ahhh, Texas winter is fierce. Respect to y’all who live in the Panhandle, of course.

So, the Big Red Car is talking to some of his favorite CEOs for some end-of-year chatter and some beginning-of-the-year planning. One thing that comes up is that we are often our own worst barrier to success.

The BRC has always said, “A lot of success is being 80% right, but done on time.”

This is not intended to diminish lofty goals, but to say that how we execute things is dependent upon time constaints. The only truly equal asset in the world is time. We each get the same amount of time in a day as a billionaire.

But, the big thing is we don’t seize the moment. Lately, it feels like people need permission to be great. So here it is.

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01/3/18

Silicon Valley Sexual Debauchery

Silicon Valley, can this be true?

Big Red Car here on a cold, cold morning. The sun is up and getting after it, but it’s still 25F. Brrrrrr!

OK, so somebody directed my attention to this Vanity Fair article. I am not a regular reader of VF and, frankly, I am a smidgen skeptical.

Romans of the Decadence (1847), by Thomas Couture, as updated to parody Silicon Valley’s male-dominated sexual and sexist culture. Photo Illustration by Darrow for Vanity Fair.

 

This article is disgusting.

Vanity Fair Article Silicon Valley Brotopia

If true, it shows the moral bankruptcy of SV as well as the hopeless hill that women are asked to climb.

Read it and decide if it is true or not.

I am off to take a shower.

Be warm. Be good. But, hey, what the Hell do I really know anyway? I’m just a Big Red Car, y’all.