Diary of an Aspiring New Yorker

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Mandatory National Service as a Political Tool

Nicholas Brown | Posted 11.09.2009 | Politics

Read More: Diary of an Aspiring New Yorker, Political Dialogue, Air America, Rush Limbaugh, Moderates, National Service, Health Care Reform, Political-Discussion, Health Care, Tea Party, Politics News

I'm probably not going to get around to joining the Peace Corps or AmeriCorps or the armed services anytime soon. I have a career to consider. So -- and I'm talking to you here government -- I want you to force me.

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Making Bankers Wait...

Nicholas Brown | Posted 11.15.2009 | Business

Read More: Diary of an Aspiring New Yorker, Banking Reform, Wall Street Bonuses, Recession, Housing Bubble, Business News

The banks have created a bonus system that encourages economy-destabilizing investment bubbles. That seems foolish. So here's a proposal: a tax cut to encourage bonus reform.

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Comparing Healthcare: Some Personal Notes

Nicholas Brown | Posted 11.08.2009 | Politics

Read More: Diary of an Aspiring New Yorker, Health Care Reform, Universal Health Care, Personal Health, Health Care, Politics News

The notion that a layperson who hasn't spent days or weeks studying the proposed health care legislation, as well as put in time reading up on medicine, is absurd.

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True Crime (Very Mild Edition)

Nicholas Brown | Posted 03.15.2009 | Living

Read More: Diary of an Aspiring New Yorker, Open Containers, Crime, New York City, Penn Station, Littering, Quality of Life, Living News

In the grand hierarchy of crimes there are those that produce true villains: Iagos, Macbeths, and Claudiuses. And then there are those that produce the bulk of the people in the Midtown Courthouse.

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A Bailout Proposal: No More ATM Fees

Nicholas Brown | Posted 12.29.2008 | Business

Read More: Banking, Diary of an Aspiring New Yorker, Banking Crisis, ATM's, Bailout, Taxes, Wamu, Business News

I think it's only fair that as a small gesture of good will that any bank that accepts federal bailout money should no longer be allowed to charge any fee for any ATM in its control.

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Fighting Back Against Voter Suppression

Nicholas Brown | Posted 10.16.2008 | Home

Read More: Diary of an Aspiring New Yorker, Rock the Vote, Voter Registration, Voter Suppression, Civil Rights, Home News

If we continue to ignore basic indecency, biased bureaucracy, and politically motivated disenfranchisement, then voter suppression will continue to become an increasingly dominant campaign tactic.

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Remembering September 11th - The Day not the Politics

Nicholas Brown | Posted 10.12.2008 | Home

Read More: Diary of an Aspiring New Yorker, 2008 Election, Terrorism, New York City, September 11th, Home News

Thursday, September 11th, 2008 5:08 pm - I don't own a TV and that might be an act of arrogance. I figure that if the news happens, I am well enough ...

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Speculations on 'Partisan Rancor'

Nicholas Brown | Posted 10.08.2008 | Home

Read More: Diary of an Aspiring New Yorker, Partisan Rancor, John McCain, Bipartisanship, Election 2008, Republican Convention, Home News

Saturday, September 6th 3:55 pm CDT - If you ever really need to remind yourself that September is not July, jump in a lake in northern Minnesota. If...

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RNC Day Four: Aced Speech, But Not Much Has Changed

Nicholas Brown | Posted 10.05.2008 | Home

Read More: Diary of an Aspiring New Yorker, Gop, John McCain, Media, 2008 Election, Republican Convention, Home News

Thursday, September 4th, 2008 6:19 pm CDT - To feel fully American, you have to bowl now and then. I do an annual pilgrimage to the Blueberry Bowl in...

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RNC Day Three: Palin's Provocations

Nicholas Brown | Posted 10.04.2008 | Home

Read More: Diary of an Aspiring New Yorker, Republican Convention, Media Coverage of 2008 Election, Republican National Convention, Sarah Palin, Home News

The game continues to be about goading with half-truths, overstatements, and provocations. Was Palin's speech energizing? Yes. We are energized alright, livid, ready to throttle something, anything.

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RNC Day Two: Traveling North, A Safe Distance From The Spectacle

Nicholas Brown | Posted 10.03.2008 | Home

Read More: Diary of an Aspiring New Yorker, Abortion, 2008 Election, Republican Convention, Abortion Rights, Home News

Some of Thonpson's speech was just patently untrue, including little asides meant to appeal to the code-word conservative crowd who believe that contraception and abortion are synonymous.

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Hurricane Gustav And A Storm Of Civility

Nicholas Brown | Posted 10.01.2008 | Home

Read More: Diary of an Aspiring New Yorker, Afghanistan, 2008 Election, Civility, Hurricane Gustav, Conventioneering, Home News

The networks are furiously chattering about what might constitute a political misstep during the hurricane and, in a lucky turn, it's made both McCain and Obama act like civilized people.

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VP by demographics

Nicholas Brown | Posted 09.30.2008 | Home

Read More: Diary of an Aspiring New Yorker, 2008 Election, Republican Convention, Sarah Palin, Home News

Saturday, August 30th 4:45 pm MST - My fellow Americans, I hereby nominate Susie Blaser for the position of my vice president to the United States. N...

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Conventioneering: Thursday, August 28

Nicholas Brown | Posted 09.28.2008 | Politics

Read More: Diary of an Aspiring New Yorker, Denver Convention, Democratic Convention, Politics News

I have updated Wednesday's blog to include the events of last night. You can see it here. Thursday, August 28, 2008 2:34 am MST - No one is wasting ...

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Conventioneering: Wednesday, August 27

Nicholas Brown | Posted 09.27.2008 | Politics

Read More: Denver Convention, Diary of an Aspiring New Yorker, Democratic Presidential Candidate, Democratic Convention, Democratic National Convention, Barack Obama, Politics News

Wednesday, August 27 1:34 am MST - There is malice, pure, like the platonic form of anger, that can drive a person wild. The easiest way to see it: r...

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Conventioneering: Tuesday, August 26

Nicholas Brown | Posted 09.26.2008 | Politics

Read More: Diary of an Aspiring New Yorker, Denver Convention, Democratic Convention, Democratic National Convention, Denver, Politics News

Day 1 (technically day 2) Tuesday, August 26, 2008 7:31 am EST - I arrive at my gate in LaGuardia airport in New York and await the departure of my p...

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