The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse rode a white horse, a red horse, a black horse, and a pale horse. I was thinking recently that Hurricane Katrina only visited physical destruction upon New Orleans. I was in New Orleans the week before the hurricane hit and I felt the city was destroyed before the hurricane by the Four Horsemen of the Modern Apocalypse: Crime, Corruption, Ignorance, and Incompetence.
Why should Hispanics care about the Four Horsemen of the Modern Apocalypse? They should care because Hispanics will be taking over the government of some American cities and they need to be careful not to repeat the mistakes made in New Orleans.
What is the solution to crime, corruption, ignorance, and incompetence? Money is not the solution. Money breeds corruption. The answer is a work ethic, morality, a love of learning, and good leadership. Confucianism is a good way to develop these attributes. The Hispanic community will benefit greatly from Confucianism.
Robert
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Sunday, November 11, 2007
A Hispanic Vision of Wealth
The New York Times Magazine ran a fabulous article on Sunday 10/14/07: The Capital of Capital No More? by Daniel Gross. Here Mr. Gross describes how much of the financial work that was done in New York City has followed American wealth out of the country. The largest IPO (initial public offering) to date, $19.1 billion, was staged in Hong Kong in 2006: Industrial and Commercial Bank of China.
All these geniuses who thought to make a quick buck by sending America's wealth to foreign countries are only now beginning to see that their strategy is strengthening other countries while it weakens our own country.
Yet, as New York dwindles in importance, Dallas has an opportunity to grab some of the business that New York is losing. Dallas, Texas, could become a financial center for Latin America.
Hispanics in America need to focus on a positive future with wealth and power. We must not be misled by Hispanic mis-leaders who want us to focus on causing strife and division over illegal immigration. Mis-leaders want Hispanics to think of themselves as victims. We need to think of ourselves as achievers and focus on success, not on complaining.
People in high finance stand in the middle of a river of money and help themselves to all they can get away with. You do deal for $10 billion and keep $50 million for yourself and you have only ripped off one half of one percent of the deal. Four of these deals and you have $200 million in your pocket for being a middle-man. This is what we should be focusing on, not parading in the street and waving Mexican flags.
Robert
All these geniuses who thought to make a quick buck by sending America's wealth to foreign countries are only now beginning to see that their strategy is strengthening other countries while it weakens our own country.
Yet, as New York dwindles in importance, Dallas has an opportunity to grab some of the business that New York is losing. Dallas, Texas, could become a financial center for Latin America.
Hispanics in America need to focus on a positive future with wealth and power. We must not be misled by Hispanic mis-leaders who want us to focus on causing strife and division over illegal immigration. Mis-leaders want Hispanics to think of themselves as victims. We need to think of ourselves as achievers and focus on success, not on complaining.
People in high finance stand in the middle of a river of money and help themselves to all they can get away with. You do deal for $10 billion and keep $50 million for yourself and you have only ripped off one half of one percent of the deal. Four of these deals and you have $200 million in your pocket for being a middle-man. This is what we should be focusing on, not parading in the street and waving Mexican flags.
Robert
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Vincente Fox is a Humbug
Read the Dallas Morning News, "Great Divide: Vincente Fox Defends Mexican Immigrants' Pursuit of the American Dream," page 1 of the Points section, Oct. 14, 2007. Fox is so full of baloney. He calls the authorities of Irving, Texas xenophobes.
Americans have a right to dislike illegal aliens slipping across the border and flouting American laws.
In the same section is a related article, "Bush was So Deeply, Deeply Wrong, says Fox," where Fox says, "Immigration, say the xenophobes to the north, will destroy our American way of life."
Vincente Fox is a racist and a humbug. He is calling Americans xenophobes. He says we are against immigrants. Look at how Louisiana just elected the son of Indian immigrants, Bobby Jindal, their Governor. The Governor of California is an immigrant with an accent. Senator Barack Obama is running for President and he is the son of an immigrant. Contrary to Fox's insults, America does not hate immigrants. We vote them and their children into responsible positions of power.
Vincente Fox is a humbug. He is a disgrace to Mexico. The same way Fidel Castro emptied the prisons and insane asylums and sent them to Florida, Fox is sending the poor of Mexico into America to get rid of them. What he should do is reduce poverty in Mexico, but he won't do that. That would improve Mexico, and he doesn't want to do that.
I had a friend from India who came to America on an H1-B visa from Mexico. Why did that H1-B visa go to an Indian instead of a Mexican? Maybe Fox's government was too busy giving away comic books instructing Mexicans how to sneak into America to help Mexicans get in legally.
I am disgusted with Fox's double-talk.
Robert
Americans have a right to dislike illegal aliens slipping across the border and flouting American laws.
In the same section is a related article, "Bush was So Deeply, Deeply Wrong, says Fox," where Fox says, "Immigration, say the xenophobes to the north, will destroy our American way of life."
Vincente Fox is a racist and a humbug. He is calling Americans xenophobes. He says we are against immigrants. Look at how Louisiana just elected the son of Indian immigrants, Bobby Jindal, their Governor. The Governor of California is an immigrant with an accent. Senator Barack Obama is running for President and he is the son of an immigrant. Contrary to Fox's insults, America does not hate immigrants. We vote them and their children into responsible positions of power.
Vincente Fox is a humbug. He is a disgrace to Mexico. The same way Fidel Castro emptied the prisons and insane asylums and sent them to Florida, Fox is sending the poor of Mexico into America to get rid of them. What he should do is reduce poverty in Mexico, but he won't do that. That would improve Mexico, and he doesn't want to do that.
I had a friend from India who came to America on an H1-B visa from Mexico. Why did that H1-B visa go to an Indian instead of a Mexican? Maybe Fox's government was too busy giving away comic books instructing Mexicans how to sneak into America to help Mexicans get in legally.
I am disgusted with Fox's double-talk.
Robert
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Economics, Not Immigration, is the Issue
The Monday, October 8, 2007 issue of the Wall Street Journal had an Op-Ed piece (page A18) by Mary Anastasia O'Grady, "No Room for Entrepreneurs." She pointed out the importance of entrepreneurship for growing economies and highlighted the poor record many Latin American countries have in supporting entrepreneurship.
Latin America is an ocean of poverty and the illegal immigration problem we have is the overflow of poverty from south of the border. Hispanic leaders who wring their hands with worry over the plight of illegal aliens in America, while doing nothing to give Mexicans better lives within their own country, are frauds.
The Mexican government sends their people North instead of giving them better lives in Mexico. Hispanic leaders in America should worry less about helping illegal aliens avoid deportation and worry more about reducing corruption and improving opportunities in Mexico.
It is shameful how the poor of Mexico are used as political footballs by the Hispanic politicians.
Robert
Latin America is an ocean of poverty and the illegal immigration problem we have is the overflow of poverty from south of the border. Hispanic leaders who wring their hands with worry over the plight of illegal aliens in America, while doing nothing to give Mexicans better lives within their own country, are frauds.
The Mexican government sends their people North instead of giving them better lives in Mexico. Hispanic leaders in America should worry less about helping illegal aliens avoid deportation and worry more about reducing corruption and improving opportunities in Mexico.
It is shameful how the poor of Mexico are used as political footballs by the Hispanic politicians.
Robert
Monday, September 3, 2007
The Wealth of Carlos Slim and the Poverty of Mexico
The Wall Street Journal ran an Op-Ed piece, "Slim Pickings" by Burton W. Folsom, in the Wednesday August 29, 2007 issue. Mr. Folsom's point was that American billionaires offered products to Americans at good prices, while Carlos Slim ran monopolies that gouged his customers while providing poor service.
Carlos Slim recently became news by becoming richer than Bill Gates. Many people are amazed that such a poor country, Mexico, could make one of their citizens the richest man on earth while the rest of the country groans in abject poverty.
The article also said that government laws and regulations have a huge influence on the economy. The flawed regulations choke growth for the nation, although not for the wealthiest few.
Hispanic Americans should care more about flaws in Mexican politics and economic policy than in the false concern of promoting illegal immigration into America.
If Mexicans had good economic opportunities, they would not have to sneak across the border.
Robert
Note: Carlos Slim was mentioned here earlier.
Carlos Slim recently became news by becoming richer than Bill Gates. Many people are amazed that such a poor country, Mexico, could make one of their citizens the richest man on earth while the rest of the country groans in abject poverty.
The article also said that government laws and regulations have a huge influence on the economy. The flawed regulations choke growth for the nation, although not for the wealthiest few.
Hispanic Americans should care more about flaws in Mexican politics and economic policy than in the false concern of promoting illegal immigration into America.
If Mexicans had good economic opportunities, they would not have to sneak across the border.
Robert
Note: Carlos Slim was mentioned here earlier.
Saturday, August 11, 2007
A Hispanic Vision for Mexican Americans
Mexican-Americans need to think globally. Mexico should be part of that global vision. The problems in Mexico cannot be ignored.
The Wall Street Journal on Friday August 3, 2007, published an excellent op-ed piece on deficiencies in the Mexican economy, "Mexico's Job-Creation Problem," by Joel Kurtzman. Mr. Kurtzman identified problems and we should care about those problems. One is the excessive concentration of wealth. Kurtzman described some inefficient monopolies and also mentioned Carlos Slim.
The very next day, August 4, had an article in the Journal about Slim: "The Secret's of the World's Richest Man," by David Luhnow. The article said Carlos Slim was more powerful than the Mexican government. It seems obscene for the world's richest man to live in such a poor country.
It is possible for the rich to rob the poor. America did it with sub-prime mortgages. We cannot help but wonder how much of Mexico's poverty is created by the business practices of the Mexican rich.
Kurtzman's article also identified the lack of credit in Mexico as a force stifling business growth in Mexico.
Mexico is not poor because of a lack of natural resources. The people are poor because their leaders have impoverished them. Mexican-Americans should provide the leadership to help the Mexican people overcome the weakness of their leadership class.
It is a mistake to sue American cities that try to deal with too many illegal aliens. The problems that hurt Mexicans are not in American cities, the problems are in Mexico.
Robert
The Wall Street Journal on Friday August 3, 2007, published an excellent op-ed piece on deficiencies in the Mexican economy, "Mexico's Job-Creation Problem," by Joel Kurtzman. Mr. Kurtzman identified problems and we should care about those problems. One is the excessive concentration of wealth. Kurtzman described some inefficient monopolies and also mentioned Carlos Slim.
The very next day, August 4, had an article in the Journal about Slim: "The Secret's of the World's Richest Man," by David Luhnow. The article said Carlos Slim was more powerful than the Mexican government. It seems obscene for the world's richest man to live in such a poor country.
It is possible for the rich to rob the poor. America did it with sub-prime mortgages. We cannot help but wonder how much of Mexico's poverty is created by the business practices of the Mexican rich.
Kurtzman's article also identified the lack of credit in Mexico as a force stifling business growth in Mexico.
Mexico is not poor because of a lack of natural resources. The people are poor because their leaders have impoverished them. Mexican-Americans should provide the leadership to help the Mexican people overcome the weakness of their leadership class.
It is a mistake to sue American cities that try to deal with too many illegal aliens. The problems that hurt Mexicans are not in American cities, the problems are in Mexico.
Robert
Sunday, July 8, 2007
Hispanics and a Texas Renaissance
In my Hispanic Vision I see the Hispanic community contributing to the economy and culture of Texas as leaders, not as cheap labor. Texas can have a renaissance and Hispanics can contribute to it. Click on this link to learn more about the Texas Renaissance.
Robert
Robert
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
Hispanics must avoid being racists
The Sunday June 3, 2007 Dalla Morning News published an opinion piece by Linda Chavez. The article was: Here's what immigration debate is really about: fear of "the other"
It was a poorly done opinion piece. It was racist. It stooped to ad hominem arguments. It is a textbook example of bad reasoning, a paradigm of poor thinking, and an excellent example of the lack of leadership in the Hispanic community.
All America is suffering from a leadership crisis, so it is to be expected that the Hispanic community shares the fate of the nation.
The Hispanic community needs a positive vision for itself and the entire Hispanic world. There is nothing positive in racism. The Hispanic community and those who think of themselves as leaders in the Hispanic community need to put aside racism and think about a positive future.
Robert
It was a poorly done opinion piece. It was racist. It stooped to ad hominem arguments. It is a textbook example of bad reasoning, a paradigm of poor thinking, and an excellent example of the lack of leadership in the Hispanic community.
All America is suffering from a leadership crisis, so it is to be expected that the Hispanic community shares the fate of the nation.
The Hispanic community needs a positive vision for itself and the entire Hispanic world. There is nothing positive in racism. The Hispanic community and those who think of themselves as leaders in the Hispanic community need to put aside racism and think about a positive future.
Robert
Saturday, May 5, 2007
Do Something Positive !
There was an interesting article in the May 5, 2007 Dallas Morning News by Katherine Leal Unmuth, "Schools' Racial Makeup Fuels Tension in FB". It is a long and thoughtful article that I will not summarize, but I do want to touch on two points made in the article.
One point is that when people try to maintain quality in the schools, some minority people are quick to cry "racism." It is wrong to call names and it is counter productive. It becomes a joke to the children.
One boy who was a behavior problem in math class would say, "You just don't like me because I'm Mexican, Mr. Canright." Then a boy next to him would punch him in the arm and say, "You idiot, Mr. Canright is from Chihuahua." The first boy was throwing racism around as a joke. (Yes, I was born in Chihuahua and came to America only speaking Spanish.)
People who are quick to complain about racism are teaching their children to be complainers, not winners. You cannot complain your way to success.
Now I've introduced my 2nd point: you cannot complain your way to the top.
The article by Ms. Unmuth said the former City Manager (of Farmers Branch?) Richard Escalante filed a complaint with the U.S. Justice department because he did not like where F.B. was building their new school.
The Hispanic American community has no leadership. People who file complaints and lawsuits are not leaders, they are complainers.
Education, a love of learning, is the key to the future for the Hispanic American community, not politics, and not complaining.
Robert
One point is that when people try to maintain quality in the schools, some minority people are quick to cry "racism." It is wrong to call names and it is counter productive. It becomes a joke to the children.
One boy who was a behavior problem in math class would say, "You just don't like me because I'm Mexican, Mr. Canright." Then a boy next to him would punch him in the arm and say, "You idiot, Mr. Canright is from Chihuahua." The first boy was throwing racism around as a joke. (Yes, I was born in Chihuahua and came to America only speaking Spanish.)
People who are quick to complain about racism are teaching their children to be complainers, not winners. You cannot complain your way to success.
Now I've introduced my 2nd point: you cannot complain your way to the top.
The article by Ms. Unmuth said the former City Manager (of Farmers Branch?) Richard Escalante filed a complaint with the U.S. Justice department because he did not like where F.B. was building their new school.
The Hispanic American community has no leadership. People who file complaints and lawsuits are not leaders, they are complainers.
Education, a love of learning, is the key to the future for the Hispanic American community, not politics, and not complaining.
Robert
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Education is Important
An election is coming to Farmers Branch, Texas. I have not heard anything from the Hispanic community about education.
There is much discussion about immigration, but what is the point of immigrating to America just to stay on the bottom of society? Education is important for upward social mobility.
To succeed, the Hispanic community should discuss education, not immigration.
Robert
There is much discussion about immigration, but what is the point of immigrating to America just to stay on the bottom of society? Education is important for upward social mobility.
To succeed, the Hispanic community should discuss education, not immigration.
Robert
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Playing the Racism Card
The Dallas Morning News ran an article on Friday, March 16, 2007 by Stephanie Sandoval, "Grocer rumor raises tension." The story said there was a rumor that a Carnival grocery store might be built at the corner of Valley View and Josey. Someone was campaigning to stop Minyard from building it because he thought is was a low-scale store and the city of Farmers Branch should have a higher scale grocery store at that location.
That's fair. People near my neighborhood went up in arms trying to stop a Walmart from being built near us. However, someone supposedly from the League of United Latin American Citizens called the person opposing the store prejudiced. The quote in the paper said, "I am so sick my stomach is upset." That sounds pretty upset!
It is very wrong to play the racism card in political or social discussions. Calling the other person names is trying to silence the discussion. It is wrong. It is unfair. The Latin American organization might dislike Tim Scott for reasons beyond his opposing the grocery store, but the discussion about the grocery store should be civil.
When I was a school teacher, I found students who enjoyed disrupting education occasionally complain about racism. When grownups use racism to avoid honest discussions, the children pick up that use of racism to avoid responsible behavior and copy it. Racism is a serious problem, yet some kids think it is a joke because grownups throw the term around too freely.
If Hispanics feel they don't get the respect they deserve, there are better ways to get that respect than name calling.
Robert
That's fair. People near my neighborhood went up in arms trying to stop a Walmart from being built near us. However, someone supposedly from the League of United Latin American Citizens called the person opposing the store prejudiced. The quote in the paper said, "I am so sick my stomach is upset." That sounds pretty upset!
It is very wrong to play the racism card in political or social discussions. Calling the other person names is trying to silence the discussion. It is wrong. It is unfair. The Latin American organization might dislike Tim Scott for reasons beyond his opposing the grocery store, but the discussion about the grocery store should be civil.
When I was a school teacher, I found students who enjoyed disrupting education occasionally complain about racism. When grownups use racism to avoid honest discussions, the children pick up that use of racism to avoid responsible behavior and copy it. Racism is a serious problem, yet some kids think it is a joke because grownups throw the term around too freely.
If Hispanics feel they don't get the respect they deserve, there are better ways to get that respect than name calling.
Robert
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Education is the Key to Success
I've seen articles in the Dallas Morning News and D Magazine ("Mexican Invasion") that make the Hispanic community seem weak. It is a sad picture they draw.
The key to success is education, but in a real sense. Too often people who say Hispanics should be more involved in education really mean Hispanics should stick their hands in the school district coffers, grabbing jobs and contracts. Taking money from the school districts is not improving the education of the children.
The key to education is attitude, not money. I recommend the blog, Education for the 21st Century, for discussions on education.
Robert
The key to success is education, but in a real sense. Too often people who say Hispanics should be more involved in education really mean Hispanics should stick their hands in the school district coffers, grabbing jobs and contracts. Taking money from the school districts is not improving the education of the children.
The key to education is attitude, not money. I recommend the blog, Education for the 21st Century, for discussions on education.
Robert
Saturday, February 3, 2007
Fatherhood is Leadership
Steve Blow of the Dallas Morning News recently wrote an article saying the children of unwed mothers suffer from poverty and a host of social ills.
Mr. Blow singled out another ethnic group for suffering the highest percentage of unwed mothers. I'm so glad he did not single out the Hispanics!
Our children are our treasure. We owe them the best life we can give them, and that starts out with a complete family: a mother and a father.
A father needs to be more than a provider and protector. He needs to be the leader of his family, and that includes leading in morality and education. After our love, the most important thing we can give our children is a good education.
Robert
Mr. Blow singled out another ethnic group for suffering the highest percentage of unwed mothers. I'm so glad he did not single out the Hispanics!
Our children are our treasure. We owe them the best life we can give them, and that starts out with a complete family: a mother and a father.
A father needs to be more than a provider and protector. He needs to be the leader of his family, and that includes leading in morality and education. After our love, the most important thing we can give our children is a good education.
Robert
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Hispanics Should Do the American Thing and Copy the Chinese
Copying what works is the American way. Look at Bill Gates and Microsoft. Most of their success comes from copying somebody else's ideas. Microsoft copied Windows from Apple. They didn't bother copying DOS, they just bought it out-right and cheap from Seattle Software (where it was QDOS). Visicalc invented PC spread sheets and Microsoft copied. The list goes on. The key to success in America is spotting what works and copying it.
So if Hipanics want to copy from another ethnic group, who do we copy? Do we copy from an ethnic group that complains and asks for special privileges? Or do we copy from a successful ethnic group? I want to follow a winner, not a whiner.
The Sunday January 7, 2007 New York Times had an article in the Education Life section entitled, "Little Asia On the Hill," by Timothy Egan. It seems California voters got rid of affirmative action and college entrance is based on competion. So is Berkeley all white now? No! The University of California at Berkeley, one of the very best public universities in the country, has a freshman class starting that is 46% Asian. The state is only 12% Asian, but 46% of Berkeley freshmen are Asian. The numbers are 43% at U.C. Davis, 56% at U.C. Irvine, and 43% at U.C.L.A.
Don't ask for afirmative action. Do not picket. Do not protest. The Chinese face discrimination and they don't go in for all that. They work hard and compete. And that is what we have to do.
The key for the long term success of Hispanics everywhere is hard work in the classroom. Education is the key to the future. We need to understand what the Chinese do right education and do the same.
Robert
So if Hipanics want to copy from another ethnic group, who do we copy? Do we copy from an ethnic group that complains and asks for special privileges? Or do we copy from a successful ethnic group? I want to follow a winner, not a whiner.
The Sunday January 7, 2007 New York Times had an article in the Education Life section entitled, "Little Asia On the Hill," by Timothy Egan. It seems California voters got rid of affirmative action and college entrance is based on competion. So is Berkeley all white now? No! The University of California at Berkeley, one of the very best public universities in the country, has a freshman class starting that is 46% Asian. The state is only 12% Asian, but 46% of Berkeley freshmen are Asian. The numbers are 43% at U.C. Davis, 56% at U.C. Irvine, and 43% at U.C.L.A.
Don't ask for afirmative action. Do not picket. Do not protest. The Chinese face discrimination and they don't go in for all that. They work hard and compete. And that is what we have to do.
The key for the long term success of Hispanics everywhere is hard work in the classroom. Education is the key to the future. We need to understand what the Chinese do right education and do the same.
Robert
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