Kony 2012 How much power social networking actually have?

Official campaign in The United States against Kony reminding both parties that whoever wins to not forget about Kony

In the past few days the internet, the blog sphere, youtube has been on fire with the video shown above. If you have a spare half an hour and you haven't see this video, just watch it. It was so crazy the impact I saw a friend sharing this link yesterday at 7AM before I went to work. By the time I got to work 14 friends shared this link, by lunch time it doubled. This video have been watched at an average of 9.5 million views a day. At the time I'm typing this line I read 70,909,478 views Posted .
What makes this video so special? How did it gain so much fame?

Well let me tell you, is about people, Two days ago I didn't know who Joseph Kony was and I'm likely just like you who learned about Kony because everybody is talking about him on your facebook newsfeed or twitter. Why don't we know of the atrocities he has been committing for 26 years? I tell you why. We live in a narcissistic society consumed by glamour and our own selves, we live in a "not my business society" the media wont report something that has nothing to do with the area they are from and unfortunately the news of Joseph Kony went as far as the countries surrounding Uganda. His army is a big as the NYPD 30,000 all of them abducted "orphan" children. I quoted orphan because there's a reason they are orphan. He forces them to commit the biggest crime a human being can commit and that's killing their own parents and immediate family. That's why he doesn't have family members trying to take their children away from him. 30,000 rebels without a cause just seeking to kill, mutilate probably steal. If I was you, I should be very concerned. Sure they are not an army of let say hundred thousand, don't have any nuclear weapon. But 30,000 with the wrong intentions that's just too many people.
It gets even worse, because society have been so self consumed, sometimes just being stupid posting ridiculous ads on craigslist, posting meaningless status updates, checking in in their bathroom, bed etc (that's stupid) rather than use that time to do something better for society. Hold that thought people I'm coming back to this. Because of people being so self consumed, we don't really know if the army grew, what kind of technology he has, what kind of weapons he has. And to be honest I would never know about Kony, Why? because the media in the USA would never air that story, maybe once and then get erased from memory with something that happened in New Jersey or one neighborhood from New York or California. If it wasn't because of the man behind this video, if it wasn't because of my facebook peers spamming Facebook posting this link, I would never know.
Remember I say we can do better for society? this is what I'm talking about. Russia and Mexico two countries I haven't visit and I live thousands of miles away from those countries are my top 2 and 3 readers. Maybe you are in Uganda reading this. I'm in United States, but here we have no boundaries Facebook, Twitter have become some sort of cyber country bigger than United States and Russia together and to be honest more powerful than a weapon. Why? Because is fed by the ideas of regular people like you and me. If you move toward minute #20  of the video above, in 2010 Obama sent troops to aid in the capture of Kony that was because they got fed up with the massive campaign the group Invisible children was doing on Facebook and beyond. See? we can annoy the government sometimes and force them into taking action. The good thing of social networking is that we can share an idea across the world as slow as 2 hours and to be honest no plane takes two hours from Japan to New York, we have broken the speed barriers, is time to put it to use for better, for a better society. You know what's even better about this? You watch the news and you may not see it again, but Youtube is a blessing, you can just continue playing over and over and sharing the video again and again just to keep the memories fresh.
Sometimes an idea can take you far. In this case film maker Jason Russell and two friends traveled to Uganda in 2003, they come across this hell, decide to take matters in hands delivering raw footage, talking to people in Washington but nobody heard them. Why? Again self absorbed society. Since there's not economic interest, and the USA safety wasn't endangered, that's not our war. But they were strong about their idea, their fight and decided to continue fighting. They created the association called "invisible children inc" in allusion to the fact that nobody knew of these children's suffering or some saw and ignored. Well let's make those children visible that was the idea behind it. Their dedication, motivation, hard work led the United States to send troops to help. Now they are pushing to keep everybody aware, and make sure United States don't withdraw. Why would United States be involved. Well I have two reasons. Number one, is a major power, and two you don't know what can happen if we let Kony in anonymity to continue his atrocities, what if he decides to invade other countries? Oh now is your problem right?
Usually I watch this channel on youtube is this guy who plays Hitler, how Hitler would react to today's society, I watch it, only because I know how evil Hitler was I decided to take a look at what he thinks of Kony (see link below) one thing that had me laughing hysterically was that he said "Sick monster" Now, I'm not justifying Hitler I'm not offending here I know I have some Jewish readers please don't take this out of context. Comparing both monsters nobody is more perverse than Kony I don't know if is because I'm leaving in the era of Kony not Hitler. Hitler committed serious crimes, Kony is committing serious crimes making matters worse is committing them on his own people, the people he should be defending, what's worse is against children, more than a million left their houses running away from his army of abducted children trying to protect their own. If they try to escape, they die, he revived slavery only for women. He make girls his sex slaves, IS TIME TO PUT A STOP ON THIS, I mean, I time to make a change. And yet he gets even worse. he talks about peace, Talks about the lord in fact his army's name is "lord resistance army" he talks about peace but send the children he "recruit" to kill the parents, talks about peace while causing even more tragedies. I hope you understand why I categorize Kony as more perverse than Hitler. Hitler? we can't do nothing about him, he's still alive as a character on Youtube that's it. But Kony is alive is time to stop him.
When internet started decades ago, I didn't know what a computer was, those of you who were lucky enough to know one at young age probably didn't expect that a keyboard and a screen would give so much power. Right now he's very afraid, right now he's trembling in fear. He's trying to run away with his massive army. But he can't hide, he went from a Mr. Somebody only in Uganda to a well known individual in matter of just two days. Now the world know who he is, how he looks like. He can't hide for too long. Now, before you post the next pointless status update, check in at your own bedroom (I can't believe Facebook allow a bed to be a venue) think, think on an idea you want to share, something you want to change, the world probably share the same idea you have and you will be heard loud and clear.

I hope you are enjoying your weekend

Associated Press
Hitler funny skit In German. CC in English

MTA: Do they really worth the price tag?

Leakage At Fulton Street Subway Stop from Gothamist


Hello everybody and welcome back to a late edition of Victor's Space. If you are reading for the first time and like what you read, just enter your e mail address on the box on top of my picture and you will be able to receive this blog every time I publish. During the whole year of the existence of this blog I do my best to stay away from anything negative, but when negativity hit you close, you don't have other choice.
Last Week I was into a lot of activities and didn't have a time to think on what to write for you. On Wednesday I was running away from the rain, it caught me and the group I was with outside. We sheltered at the Winter Garden in Battery park city a beautiful place. If I knew what was ahead, I should have stayed outside in the rain. As we got a break, we ran to MTA Fulton Street (1,2,3,4,5, A,C, J,Z) station trying to catch a train home and trying to stay away from the rain. As I made my way down to the A,C platform a companion and me get greeted by two green vested MTA worker flagging us to the center of the platform. I hated the fact I didn't have my camera with me and the batteries of my phone were dead as well. What I saw is the same thing the people from Gothamist blog saw and what you would see if you please click "play".... Did you see it? we didn't have umbrella, we were not expecting any rain on Wednesday Aug 10th. But apparently MTA wasn't expecting rain at all.
That station is near future WTC 1 (liberty tower) and future WTC 4, 911 memorial park. Boasts high end shops like Century 21, also a concert hall in the shape of Winter Garden, the terminal for the ferry to liberty island. You can see, is a highly turistic area and is a can't miss stop for many tourists, very likely the first stop. Yet Is this the face MTA make the city of New York greet tourists and Newyorkers?
When I go to interviews for any job, I'm looking to meet someone very important, a business trip. I always have a nice suit and a nice tie on, well groomed. The purpose is to make a nice first impression. However MTA is not interested in that. I would tell you what's going on here and then I would tell you my plan of action if I was MTA president. While the average minimum wage for the city of NY is 7.15, that wage is unacceptable, you could possibly get 10 and hour in most jobs. HOWEVER the minimum wage at MTA is 18 dollars an hour in some cases just to sweep the station and keep buses clean (never succeed at that) some workers end up as high as 23 an hour that's triple the minimum wage of the city. In the past 9 years the MTA have introduced us to a bunch of cool gadgets MTA introduced R142 in early 2000's for the #2, 4 and 5 line, R142A for the 4 and 6, R143 for the L line. Later on we get R160 for the L, M, N, Q, W(defunct line) R, J, E and F these trains help you not to get lost because they provided clear recorded messages as well as display you the message including what stop you are at and what's next stop. That's pretty cool stuff isn't it?

A count down clock in the Bronx displays the arrival of the next 2 #6 train

 Traveling the subway two years ago I got surprised that the L line was telling the riders when the next train was arriving. It was shocking to me. Then this got extended to the 2 and 3, then the 4 thru 6. Pretty nice gadgets right?
These gadgets doesn't make any sense if you are afraid the train station some of them 100 years old or more would give up on top of your head. I know you was "wow cool" reading the paragraph above. I believe you forgot the video you just saw. You know what? take another look and come back to THIS paragraph (capitalized was to mark you where you stopped reading to see the video again) see it doesn't make sense. Is like I get on a nice suit, nice tie, groom well but guess what! the hiring manager is wrong I'm not qualified for the job of doctor and I don't even speak English to start with. MTA is planning to increase the fare once again. This is what I heard at that station I said "I can't believe I'm paying for this crappy service" someone else yelled "I can't believe they are planning to increase the fare for this" "this station is a piece of ..." I want to tell you why they need extra money. Here are some bullet points for you.

• While the boss (average New Yorker) get paid a minimum 7.15-10.00 per hour to start a new job. MTA employees start at 18 per hour.
• MTA offer ridiculous benefits including excessive paid days off and get this, they would pay days even months off if an MTA employee get spat on. While in the street that would spark a fight, in the MTA would spark a bunch of calls for vacations. They get "traumatized" and have to be taken off service while they get paid ridiculous money.
• MTA hires an auditor for over a million dollars to overview their health care plan and eventually cut service to many relatives of employees
• MTA focus work on the second avenue line which would aleviate the congestion at Lexington avenue but nearly abandon the rest of the system. Disagree? go check the video again

Let start from the beginning and I would highlight the second and third bullet on this paragraph. This article from Amny actually shocked me big time. While the United states struggle with lack of job, some jobs don't have sick leave and many others reduce benefits. MTA actually allow a mostly 200 pounds man or tough woman get away with this. I work hard for my money and if I spend it on something, err transit, transit better work hard for me. If I were to spit on one of those individuals in the street I would get into a big fight, they would respond. If I spit on them while they have the MTA uniform on they would likely lock the bus so I don't escape, call the supervisor, I get jail time and this individual get house time.
Friend: "Jerry why you are not working?"
Jerry: "I'm traumatized"
Friend: "Did you crash someone on the tracks?"
Jerry: "No, some idiot spat on my face I need time out"
Sounds like a joke but that's the reality, a shameful reality, some are getting paid for offering no service for a cause not so serious. 191 days off! Are you kidding!! this is one reason why they had to cut other employees "to save money" this is why that station is deteriorating. That station in particular was closed for 6 consecutive weekends and 4 other separate weekends for repairs. The station finally opens and well, we all know the results. That day in particular and probably today too since is pouring outside the E train which runs on 8th avenue was re-routed to sixth avenue from west 4th street to Roosevelt Avenue, the same with the A and C line because water fell onto the A,C, and E tracks on West 4th street as well. Of course there's lack of money these people are resting in their homes and getting paid for no work, they are not producing for the company. I agree with MTA saving some money but criminalizing their own employees is not right. This other article on AMNY over MTA was my second top hated all times. You hire a $1 million dollar auditor to cut health care to some people they thought wont qualify including wife or husband of employees and retired. I believe that health care is the number one thing that should stand. I believe that if you are the only working spouse the company should cover that unemployed spouse. Why? with health care the working and non working spouse get faster medical attention. Less time out for the working spouse which mean more production for the company. This measure of the MTA was criminal and negligent and they should stop it.

PRESIDENT VICTOR M PLAN OF ACTION :)

• First thing I would do is look at the current needs and see if I need to hire new employees. I would definitely cut hires for about 5 to 7 years.
• Cut my salary and other executive salaries
• Cut down salary to those employed over 10 years by a 5% 
• Hires under 10 years would gradually decrease their salary until they end up at minus 3 dollars per hour
• Freeze all salary increase for 5 to 7 years
• Don't acquire any new gadget during this stage
• Cut all those cry babies with a 45 days notice
• Keep fares as they are 
• By year four hire temporary electricians and construction workers to aid the rehabilitation of the stations. This stage I would call it growth... You know why the MTA have no money? paying too much money to the employees and having too many lazy people around. Having temporary people working with the possibility of going full time is cheap and likely would advance work fast thank to the fact they want to show they are worth the position
• By year eight I would resume acquiring new gadgets, restore the salaries to the old status and gradually increase salaries to where they were supposed to be by this date.
• Survey the working force and see if I need new workers at $16 an hour no longer 18 an hour.

The whole purpose is have a descent service in nice looking stations, have it affordable so that mean it would call more riders. I know there are some people that don't ride the subway because it looks like a moving trash can. Doesn't matter how much money you make, nothing can beat a low price ride from the last of Queens to lower Manhattan with no traffic congestion.
MTA is planning to accelerate works on a new subway line in the largest transit system of the world when they can't even handle the existent lines. Basically abusing of the New Yorker offering us low quality services and increasing prices.

See you all in two Thursdays