Showing posts with label business. Show all posts
Showing posts with label business. Show all posts

Sunday, May 15, 2016

Who Hanifah Walidah is!!

Sha-Key (Hanifah Walidah) is a native of New York. In the year of 1993, Sha’Key founded the first online hip-hop magazine called Guillotine. In 1994, Sa’Key released her debut album A Headnadda’s Journey To Adidi-Skizm on the Imago label. The album was critically acclaimed because of the raunchiness in her vocals, her original delivery, and her politically conscience perspective on the world. A second album called Adidi The Unrocked Story followed in 2004. She later dropped the name Sha-Key in favor of Hanifah Walidah in the mid-2000’s. Sha’Key started writing and performing with The Brooklyn Funk Essentials as well. Hanifah Walidah is also the curator of the blog Rule 4081 that is designed to help independent artists navigate their careers inside the music industry.

As Hanifah Walidah became a curator, she also became an educator, public speaker, advocate, writer, and activist in her community. She has been involved in many community activities and has helped many nonprofit organizations in their business operations. Sha’Key has spoken out about LGBT rights in many of her speeches. Sha’Key promotes LGBT rights, advocacy, awareness about sexuality. She is known in the NYC underground scene as an activist and artist.

[Sha'Key still does musical poetry. Sha’Key now goes by the name Hanifah Walidah.]


How Blue Banjo is a bad restaurant.

The staff and owners of the Blue Banjo restaurant business fail to keep up with their own schedule making it difficult to attract customers for commerce. Staff fail to keep up with their schedule making it difficult for customers to eat at the establishment during the daytime. Timing in their schedule in terms of operating hours as a business is very unpredictable. It's hard to get enjoy a refreshing meal because of this. Timing is off. These business practices are unprofessional.

On top of that, the food tastes horrible. The beef fajitas taste charred as if they have been burnt to a crisp. The fajitas don't taste like authentic fajitas. Ingredients for food there tasted pretty bland. Not too good. The lack of real plates made it a poor choice for a weekend lunch. Lack of decor really drives customers and business away. If you are looking for good food to eat to your desire, then Blue Banjo is not the place for you.


The restaurant Blue Banjo is located at 3301 Steck Avenue Suite 105, Austin, Texas, US 78757.

Thursday, March 31, 2016

How Bernie Sanders is getting support from voters!

Ever since 2015, the Democratic Party of the United States have been supporting Bernie Sanders both politically and financially. However, 2016 is the year where the Democratic Party has been supporting Bernie Sanders in the upmost political way. Originally Bernie Sanders did not accept support from the GOP or Democratic Party. Now he accepts support from the Democratic Party along with voters.

Bernie Sanders is for the people! He does not represent the corporations agendas! He actually cares about human rights, civil rights, quality of living, humanitarian work, politics, assisted living, news, living wages, and business. Bernie tells the truth about politics. That is why you should vote for Bernie Sanders. Supporters are donating money to his campaign.

The mass promotion with his presidential campaigns on the addition of overall hype are what led people to vote for him. Mainly his beliefs from her liberal politics led Bernie to gain the vote from fellow voters. Bernie did not had lobby or take money from lobbyists in order to get the vote as Hillary Clinton did. Nor did he shoot himself in the foot as Donald Trump did. Bernie told the straight truth about politics and political corruption. He does not shoot himself in the foot or is a pathological liar like Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump.

News behind Deep Roots Garden.

Deep Roots Garden is a community garden located adjacent at West 9th Street and Henderson Street in Austin, Texas. This community garden operates year round and is privately owned. Many people come here for social gatherings and cooking events. Deep Roots Garden grows vegetables and fruit such as kale, spinach, cabbage, bell peppers, oranges, and lemon. Deep Roots Garden has been serving the Austin Community for many years. Many events have been held here at this location year round. The food plants are sprayed with a non-GMO chemicals substance. Making it safe to eat the food.

Sunday, March 20, 2016

Why you should support Bernie Sanders!

Bernie Sanders is for the people! He does not represent the corporations agendas! He actually cares about human rights, civil rights, quality of living, humanitarian work, politics, assisted living, news, living wages, and business. Bernie tells the truth about politics. That is why you should vote for Bernie Sanders.

The mass promotion with his presidential campaigns on the addition of overall hype are what led people to vote for him. Mainly his beliefs from her liberal politics led Bernie to gain the vote from fellow voters. Bernie did not had lobby or take money from lobbyists in order to get the vote as Hillary Clinton did. Nor did he shoot himself in the foot as Donald Trump did. Bernie told the straight truth about politics and political corruption. He does not shoot himself in the foot or is a pathological liar like Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump.

The deep divide between the haves and have-nots in American society.

There is a deep divide between the haves and have-nots in place right in American society. The 'middle class' has been dubbed as the "working poor" now. Money has divided us as people. This unequal divid was born out of greed and profits before people. Profits before people was born out of the concept of greed and had became an ideology of greed. These ideas and concepts of greed have been going on for many years since the beginning of time.

Some economics experts call trickle down economics an ideal concept/theory. The concept of trickle down economics has not worked at all! Trickle down economics have failed the American people. The concept of trickle down economics is stupid to many people. Americans are tired of this concept but Republicans and Democrats don't seem to really care at all that people are suffering.

The concept of trickle down economics has not worked at all! Some economics experts call trickle down economics an ideal concept/theory. The concept of trickle down economics have failed the American people. Americans are tired of this concept but Republicans and Democrats don't seem to really care at all that people are suffering.
We're all in this together!

Why the US government needs to take away corporate subsidies in yearly taxes.

The United States pays more in taxes in corporate subsidies taxes more than any other countries scattered across the world. US citizens pay too much in corporate subsidies taxes. Corporations get a lot of handouts from the government as Phillip from the TheAdviseShow pointed out. Corporate subsidies are considered as entitlement. No more handouts!

Privatization is a business form of outsourcing. Privatization and outsourcing go hand in hand with each other in economic terms of free market economics along with free market trade. These jobs are being sent offshore and are never coming back at all! To sum it all up, privatization really means "outsourcing"! Watch out for that!

Is it possible to get a tax extension? No it's not always possible for a person to get an extension for their taxes. That's just not the reality in the world of accounting and finance. Taxes are due when they are due. Tax extension is only possible in very special unique circumstances. A tax extension is only given to certain people at certain times basically. Other than that, no, people don't get a tax extension. That's just not the reality.

Why politicians and lobbyists do not appear on camera or comment in public.

Politicians and lobbyists hate the fact that citizens are getting louder and louder everyday due to the bad decisions our policy makers have been making around the globe. Politicians and lobbyists do this because they only care about themselves and their public image. Both sides don't want to ruin any chances in their elections and reelections. That's why.

Politicians and lobbyists do this because they only care about themselves, their public image, corporations, and other governments.
Politicians and lobbyists only have a few things in common; To make everyone's lives miserable, to do their political jobs right, to cater more towards corporations, and to help citizens in need as well as a lot of other duties. That is why politicians and lobbyists do not appear on camera or comment in public.

Tuesday, February 16, 2016

Japan's humanitarian effort by joining NATO for modernizing militarization revisited!

It's been reported by Russia Today (RT) in 2016 that the country of Japan and their government is joining NATO for a humanitarian effort by modernizing militarization in the military by joining NATO in building their missile building consortium for humanitarian aid and disaster relief operations. The Japanese government proves this political humanitarian effort to be peaceful. The ships will be used in anti-submarine warfare. JMSDF is joining NATO on this humanitarian effort as well. The countries of China, Taiwan, and Russia as well too. Overseas military deployment has begun.

However Japanese citizens have been protesting against these humanitarian efforts with picket signs saying 'WAR IS OVER' and GIVE PEACE A CHANCE!'. Activists and whistleblowers have been rallying against the military effort from JMSDF. Citizens and news media believe it's to encourage more wars. A lot of controversial moves have been made by the JMSDF and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Whistleblowers from various news organization in the country of Japan and other countries from across the globe have been calling the Japanese government and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Despite all the negative press, militaristic actions are being launched by the JMSDF.

Thursday, January 21, 2016

How Obamacare will effect those in New Hampshire.

Around about 30,000 people on the Obamacare plan in the US State of New Hampshire would lose a monthly average worth of $264 dollars in tax credits and soak up 218% percent in premium hike as Sahil Kapur and David Knowles of Bloomberg News reported in his news report for Kaiser Report. A premium hike and a tax hike are known key factors in Obamacare. New Hampshire might face a tax hike because of Obamacare. In other words, Obamacare will cost more for New Hampshire residents than it ever has.

Spotify exposed!!

Spotify is an application, music streaming service, internet radio station, and a website that artists use nowadays to get their music promoted out there. All commercial and non-major independent artists alike. Spotify is a great promotion tool all across the globe.


It is reported that 5 million users of Spotify pay either $4.99 or $9.99 monthly. That is more than every one of the featured artists earns with exceptions of a select few.  A vast majority of artists only earn $0.05 cents (US dollars and Canadian dollars). While other Internet radio stations like Pandora and iTunes give artists $10,000 average (US and Canadian dollars.). But there's a catch! The money doesn't go "directly" to the artists pockets. It goes to the record labels, executive producers, CEOs, promoters, owner(s) of the sound recordings, and producers. The artists will still get paid but just not as much.

Spotify has been known to unfairly compensate artists. Some musicians and artists don't feel that they are being treated fairly by the business of Spotify. Spotify pays to the record labels instead of course obviously. Artists do not receive anything in advance, receive no minimum per stream, receive no advances, and really only get a 50% share of ad revenue promoted by Spotify in public and online. Even their website.

For example, IF Pandora pays around $100,000 over the next 10 months to stream music of Robert Plant, only $43,000 will actually go directly to Robert Plant, himself as the performing artist. Just if Brandy Norwood were to use Spotify to promote her music and to promote her family business out in California.



The CEO, Dianek Ek, of Sweden, his net worth is $307 million (US and Canadian dollars.) Sean Parker gets nearly as much paid income as the CEO. Sean Parker is a member in the board of directors at Spotify. Sean Parker has associations with Napster in some way.

The government in China have recently changed their internet laws!

The government of China is trying to pass laws requiring that Chinese citizens pay for their Internet on their SSN cards. Some Chinese citizens seemed to be outraged by this. However only few citizens began protesting this governmental policy. The Chinese news media rarely reports news about Internet rights and "politics". In other words, the senate and Chinese government are literally forcing their own citizens to pay even more for their internet. The Internet laws of China are strict and rigid in a complex way. 


Now the Chinese government have recently changed their internet laws. More and more strict laws concerning Internet laws and Internet censorship are being passed each year by the senate and Chinese government.Many pirate servers and private servers have been popping up a lot in response to this because of these political changes in Internet laws of China. Chinese internet giants such as Tencent and Baidu however are opposed to Internet censorship despite Chinese citizens lack of knowledge on Internet rights and Internet censorship.

Friday, January 1, 2016

How the NAFTA and GATT treaties have ruined businesses in the United States.

How the NAFTA and GATT treaties have ruined businesses in the United States.

Many US businesses has been destroyed by treaties such as NAFTA & GATT. NAFTA & GATT trade laws have ruined businesses in the US with many of them relocating overseas due to such treaties as the US was being destroyed by zealous greedy business executives and corrupt politicians in the US Government during the late 20th century ascending into the 21st century. (This would be from 1970 to the 2010 and so forth.)

Prior to the NAFTA & GATT treaties, the manufacturing market was fine or so as many people thought.
Trade laws between other countries and the US were secretly being destroyed in secret by corrupt politicians before the news media exposed such news. Many unconstitutional laws were being passed under citizens noses as they sat by and watched. This was due to zealous greed and treaties such as NAFTA & GATT.

The high class ruling elite did absolutely nothing to stop these business practices being used that were commonplace in the American workforce. Slowly one by one these businesses are folding one by one. These businesses are closing due to business decisions being made by those greedy corporate executives who ran their businesses and companies. Many of knowingly know that our business industry is shrinking at the own cost of our communities. That's why the US manufacturing industry along with other businesses are facing the problems it is today. That's why the business industry is facing the problems it is today.

We did away with trade unions, cut wages, cut pensions, reduced work hours in half, and did away with hiring more employees. We got rid of health insurance coverage and automobile insurance coverage in many companies policies. There’s no such thing as full time work as there used to be in the days of yesteryear and so forth. Businesses only hire for part time work these days. Businesses don’t hire for full time work as they used to.

We have sold ourselves to Wall Street and NASDAQ. That's why the economy is facing the problems it is today.

Politics behind trickle down economics explained by Mixerr Reviews.

These are the politics behind trickle down economics.

For those who didn't know, trickle down economics is a concept that many economics experts have thought of over the years when it came to banking, the stock market, and investments. There are economics experts that have a lot of theories and concepts from different ideologies. Some economics experts call trickle down economics an ideal concept while others call trickle down economics a theory.
Trickle down economics revolve around the world and inside of the stock market exchange frequently.
The ideology of trickle down economics revolves around in the world of the currency market to put it bluntly.


The reality is that the concept of trickle down economics has not worked at all!

Trickle down economics have failed the people across the world in several different countries. People are tired of this concept but politicians don't seem to really care at all that people are suffering regardless of what political party is in power. Trickle down economics are a huge socioeconomic problem with society today. The concept of trickle down economics is stupid to many people. These ideas and concepts of greed have been going on for many years since the beginning of time which have effected many societies across the globe.

Tuesday, December 15, 2015

How United States has become a rust belt nation.

United States has become a ‘rust belt nation’ that no longer holds a concrete tangible American manufacturing identity. The theories of trickle down economics have not worked so far as results show as this has been proven by many news organizations and books. Neither has the outsourcing of American jobs. The American middle class has been undoubtedly dubbed ‘the working poor’. This is what the citizens get for voting in the wrong people.

Reality was that during the generation of the 2000s is when the ideology of outsourcing our American manufacturing business operations to countries such as China and Taiwan as well as most other countries onto the continent of Asia was really starting to kick within mindsets of American business owners. Slowly one by one these businesses would later fold thus eventually closing. Most of the consumers during the 2000s were not surprised by these business decisions being made by those greedy corporate executives who ran their businesses and companies.

The US has been destroyed by zealous greedy business executives, corrupt politicians, and treaties such as NAFTA & GATT. The elite class did absolutely nothing to stop these business practices being used that were commonplace in the American workforce. Slowly one by one these businesses are folding one by one. These businesses are closing due to business decisions being made by those greedy corporate executives who ran their businesses and companies. Many of knowingly know that our business industry is shrinking at the own cost of our communities. 

Trade laws between Asian countries and the US were being destroyed by zealous greed, corrupt politics, and treaties such as NAFTA & GATT. Prior to 1995, the manufacturing market was fine. Or so as many people thought.
The practice of "dumping" was setting in. That was unheard of before. Many of us knew that the manufacturing business industry was shrinking at the own cost of their communities. The wealthy rich did absolutely nothing to stop these business practices being used that were commonplace in the American workforce. That's why the manufacturing industry is facing the problems it is today. That's why the business industry is facing the problems it is today. 

We have sold ourselves to Wall Street and NASDAQ.

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

The history of Austin State School - Farm Colony!

Austin State School - Farm Colony (Travis State School) was a living center that was operated as a farm colony and educational facility becoming eventually a work facility for the mentally retarded citizens of Texas operating from 1933 to 1996. The institution taught the mentally retarded how to be self-sufficient.


In 1930, Texas Governor Miriam A. Ferguson proposed an idea to the Texas Board of Control along with Texas Mental Health Mental Retardation to create a farm colony, work facility, and educational facility for the mentally retarded citizens of Texas. The Texas Government had purchased 241 acres of land from Greg Wilson and six other residents in the year of 1932. In 1933, the Texas legislature established Travis State School as the Austin State School - Farm Colony as an annex/branch of the Austin State School. (Travis State School was first named Austin State School - Farm Colony in 1933. Austin State School - Farm Colony was changed to Travis State School in 1961.)

The Austin State School - Farm Colony itself was located at FM 969 and Decker Lane 8 miles east of Downtown Austin located near the Colorado River. East Austin, further away from US Highway 183 was all farmland with ranches which resulted in an ideal location for Austin State School - Farm Colony.

The farm colony started as a true farm community in 1933. Texas Government along Texas Mental Health Mental Retardation had felt a need to place mentally retarded citizens in a separate home away from the rest of society. The mindset of society was to place mentally retarded citizens far away from so they wouldn’t ever have a need to come into the metropolis as Austin State School was set up as an autonomous community.
Texas Government along TX MHMR ideology was for the mentally retarded to produce farm products for other ‘State Schools’ and institutions. This taught the mentally retarded how to be self-sufficient.

Austin State School - Farm Colony was intended to provide a home for mentally retarded male patients who could no longer further benefit from training at the Austin State School and who were able to do such farm work such as gardening, farming, dairying, mowing, and such related tasks. The first students were transferred from the Austin State School to the farm colony in October 1934 which at the time had only one building. However, there were female students even in 1934 despite the original intentions of the institutions for males only.

By then, the farm colony moved many of the male patients from the Austin State School to Austin State School - Farm Colony. ‘State School’ facilities were gender segregated due to a prevalent belief from the time period that associated mental retardation with promiscuity, alcoholism, and immoral behavior. At first, Austin State School - Farm Colony was just for men and eventually women. Children came later.

However on January 14, 1941, the Texas Legislature and Texas Government were considering closing down the farm colony due to the fact that the farm colony was a total failure as the farm colony could not produce enough to maintain for the patients at the institutions. However the farm colony remained. By then, the farm colony only admitted male patients only from other state mental health institutions.

By 1945, the farm colony had six buildings with offices. 120 to 368 inmates lived on the institution property.
The farm colony became a separate institution from the Austin State School in 1949 despite having the name ‘Austin State School’ which it was always a part of. The farm colony was always Austin State School despite was others say.
By 1955, TX MHMR had acquired an additional 195 acres from 8 more residents all of which whom owned farmland. The Austin State School - Farming Colony campus eventually grew to encompass 68 buildings that spanned to the 436 acres you see today owned by KIPP Austin.


Farming operations at the facility slowly ceased in January 1961 due to the fact that the farm colony was a total failure. The farm colony could not produce enough to maintain for the patients at the institutions. The farming operations did not cease due to mental health care reforms in the 1960's due to popular belief. Farming operations ceased due to lack of attention and criminal negligence. The Austin State School - Farm Colony was a dismal failure as the Texas Government put it.
To reflect this change, Austin State School - Farm Colony was renamed to Travis State School in January 1961.

Austin State School - Farm Colony had its highest peak of patient enrollment of 1,800 patients/students in 1968 all of whom had been transferred from other institutions. Later included was a swimming pool, cannery, storerooms, more offices, and a sewing room.

In the year of 1970, Travis State School received a grant from the Hospital Improvement Project which made it possible for the use of a unit system of treatment. A new Vocational Evaluation and Training Center was opened and staffed through a grant from the Texas Rehabilitation Commission. Female students were first admitted in 1973 for the first time since the institution gradually opened in 1934.


By 1981, the farm colony discontinued farming operations due to lack of attention and mental health care reforms.
The farm colony could not produce enough to maintain for the patients at the institutions. So the Texas Government cut funding for the Austin State School - Farm Colony and ended it. Farming operations at the facility ceased for good due to lack of enrollment, lack of maintenance, criminal negligence, and bad results. All what was left in its place was the institution.

The Texas Government and TX MHMR had began changing its focus from institutionalization to integrated placement in local communities as this trend was becoming nationwide in the United States in the 1980s. ‘State Schools’ began to see a decline in enrollment. This was a result from efforts in deinstitutionalization. By then, state officials began following this trend. The Travis State School functioned as an Independent School District (ISD) from 1981 to 1988. After the year of 1988 due to lack of enrollment and federal funding, Travis State School relied on the Manor Independent School District to provide academic instruction through its "mainstreaming" program instead.


In the 1990s, Travis State School was renamed to Austin State School Annex but still kept the name ‘Travis State School’ as many people referred to the institution by such name despite what other say. Texas has always historically been behind most US states to serve people with mental retardation within their own communities along with Alabama, Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Illinois.

The 1990s saw an even further decline in ‘State School’ enrollment due to deinstitutionalization and healthcare laws. Effects of deinstitutionalization became statewide. Statistics in newspapers, reports, and books showed otherwise.
In 1992, Travis State School had 604 patients and 1,270 employees with a total of 86 buildings at its 436 acre property. In 1994, only 104 patients remained. They were unharmed.

In 1994, the State of Texas and City of Austin proposed a 1,000 inmate facility for a new state jail to alleviate crowding with the population in state jails. In 1996, the Travis County State Jail/Travis State Jail was built and completed. For a short while, Travis County State Jail/Travis State Jail was privately run by privatized prison industrial complex company Wackenhut Correctional Facilities.
The land where Travis County State Jail/Travis State Jail occupies is where the Farm Colony originally was for Austin State School - Farm Colony.

Due to an abuse case at Travis State School along with lawsuits such as Lelsz vs. Kavanagh and Ruiz vs. Estelle, Travis State School closed down as an agreement in a lawsuit settlement with the state of Texas and US Government in 1996. The lawsuit was both statewide and federal, thus resulting in the federal lawsuit of Lelsz vs. Kavanagh.

By 1996, Travis State School closed for good. By then all remaining 41 patients were relocated to nearby institutions such as the Austin State School (now Austin State Supported Living Center). Construction at Travis State School lasted from 1996 to 1998. Debris was left over from pervious construction teams who relocated nearly everything. Some items and various other objects were left onsite. Buildings fell into various states of decay and disrepair.

In 1996, local real estate developer Peter Barlin had bought the land Travis State School was located on from Texas Board of Control. The idea for Peter Barlin purchasing the Travis State School land and buildings was to create a private version of the public housing agency called Vision Village. His main intention was to create public housing.
Vision Village was supposed to be a neighborhood for low income housing. The City of Austin gave him a $1 million dollar incentive for this land development. Organizers borrowed nearly $4 million from Austin, Travis County and a local bank in 1997.

However plans fell through when Vision Village lacked the management expertise and fund-raising ability to build the housing it promised. Local real estate developer Peter Barlin had been charged criminally with penalties such as embezzlement, conspiracy, money laundering, mismanagement, and fraud. More than $5 million had been poured into the project. Peter Barlin had owned the former Travis State School site that was once set aside for Vision Village, a project that never got off the ground despite more than $1 million from the city. The Vision Village costs had ran deeper than dollars however.

Austin State School - Farm Colony had moved back to its original location at the “original” Austin State School (now Austin State Supported Living Center) in 1998 after construction and renovation was completed. The work was done fairly slowly.


In 2004, KIPP Schools (KIPP Austin) had purchased the Austin State School - Farm Colony property from Peter Barlin and the State of Texas via TX MHMR from Texas Board of Control. Some buildings however were still abandoned. These buildings were renovated overtime. Only few buildings were demolished. The Travis State School Cemetery had fallen into disrepair. Security had not been set up to protect and secure property on a 24 hour basis yet.

Austin State School - Farm Colony sat abandoned and vacant for a period of time from 1996 to 2004.
This made it easy for scrappers to steal and vandalize the buildings for copper metal in order to gain a profit. One famous example would be local criminal Reginald Dane Parker. Local criminal Reginald Dane Parker had apparently been stealing copper wire there from the location site before for years. The timeframe Reginald Dane Parker had been stealing copper wire from Austin State School - Farm Colony was from 2001 to 2005. Reginald Dane Parker was arrested and jailed by law enforcement officials in 2005.

 By 2011, KIPP Austin had fully settled onto the land of the former Travis State School site. However the 8 dorms that weren’t in use were boarded up and closed off. The 9 warehouses are in various states of disrepair. Austin Police Department had set up their Child Protective Services division there in the year of 2011 as well.

In 2015, KIPP Schools contracted with local business ASC Management to secure the property as an effort in security measures. Closed-Camera surveillance cameras are now present and 24 hour security is actively on sight. Gates now hover over the buildings. Unoccupied buildings that were boarded up or abandoned are now currently in use. These building have been upgraded by being renovated. Currently businesses such as KIPP Austin, Austin Discovery School, KIPP Cafe, Austin Police Department, and Child Protective Services now occupy the land property. A small handful of former warehouses are in various states of disrepair.



[Here is what happened to the farm colony of Austin State School - Farm Colony!]
[Farming operations at the facility slowly ceased in January 1961 due to the fact that the farm colony was a dismal failure as the Texas Government cited. The farm colony could not produce enough to maintain for the patients at the institutions. The farming operations did not cease due to mental health care reforms in the 1960's due to popular belief. Farming operations ceased due to lack of attention and criminal negligence.
To reflect this change, Austin State School - Farm Colony was renamed to Travis State School in January 1961.]

[By 1981, the farm colony discontinued farming operations due to lack of attention and mental health care reforms.
The farm colony could not produce enough to maintain for the patients at the institutions. So the Texas Government cut funding for the Austin State School - Farm Colony and ended it. Farming operations at the facility ceased for good due to lack of enrollment, lack of maintenance, criminal negligence, and bad results. All what was left in its place was the institution.]

[Austin State School - Farm Colony had moved back to its original location at the “original” Austin State School (now Austin State Supported Living Center) in 1998. Austin State School - Farm Colony has now been reduced to a garden to a size of 4 rows as of 2016. The farm colony is a former shill of what it once was. No longer are extreme amounts of tax dollars being poured into the farm colony. As of 2016, Austin State School - Farm Colony no longer exists.]

History of Travis State School.


Travis State School (Austin State School - Farm Colony) was a living center that was operated as a farm colony, work facility, and educational facility a farm colony becoming eventually a work facility and an educational facility for the mentally retarded citizens of Texas operating from 1933 to 1996. The institution taught the mentally retarded how to be self-sufficient. Travis State School itself was located at FM 969 and Decker Lane 8 miles east of Downtown Austin located near the Colorado River.


In 1930, Texas Governor Miriam A. Ferguson proposed an idea to the Texas Board of Control along with Texas Mental Health Mental Retardation to create a farm colony, work facility, and educational facility for the mentally retarded citizens of Texas. The Texas Government had purchased 241 acres of land from Greg Wilson and six other residents in the year of 1932. In 1933, the Texas legislature established Travis State School as the Austin State School - Farm Colony as an annex/branch of the Austin State School. (Travis State School was first named Austin State School - Farm Colony in 1933. Austin State School - Farm Colony was changed to Travis State School in 1961.)

Travis State School itself was located at FM 969 and Decker Lane 8 miles east of Downtown Austin located near the Colorado River. East Austin, further away from US Highway 183 was all farmland with ranches which resulted in an ideal location for Austin State School - Farm Colony.

The farm colony started as a true farm community in 1933. Texas Government along Texas Mental Health Mental Retardation had felt a need to place mentally retarded citizens in a separate home away from the rest of society. The mindset of society was to place mentally retarded citizens far away from so they wouldn’t ever have a need to come into the metropolis as Austin State School was set up as an autonomous community.
Texas Government along TX MHMR ideology was for the mentally retarded to produce farm products for other ‘State Schools’ and institutions. This taught the mentally retarded how to be self-sufficient.

Austin State School - Farm Colony was intended to provide a home for mentally retarded male patients who could no longer further benefit from training at the Austin State School and who were able to do such farm work such as gardening, farming, dairying, mowing, and such related tasks. The first students were transferred from the Austin State School to the farm colony in October 1934 which at the time had only one building. However, there were female students even in 1934 despite the original intentions of the institutions for males only.

At first, Austin State School - Farm Colony was just for men and eventually women. Children came later.
‘State School’ facilities were gender segregated due to a prevalent belief from the time period that associated mental retardation with promiscuity, alcoholism, and immoral behavior. Travis State School was set up as an autonomous community.

However on January 14, 1941, the Texas Legislature and Texas Government were considering closing down the farm colony due to the fact that the farm colony was a total failure as the farm colony could not produce enough to maintain for the patients at the institutions. However the farm colony remained.

By 1945, the farm colony had six buildings with offices.
The farm colony became a separate institution from the Austin State School in 1949 despite having the name ‘Austin State School’ which it was always a part of. The farm colony was always Austin State School despite was others say.
By 1955, TX MHMR had acquired an additional 195 acres from 8 more residents all of whom owned farmland. The Austin State School - Farming Colony campus eventually grew to encompass 68 buildings that spanned to the 436 acres you see today owned by KIPP Austin.

[Travis State School went under various names over the years such as Austin State School - Farm Colony, Austin State School - Farm Colony for the Feebleminded, Austin State School - Farm Colony for the Mentally Challenged, Travis State School for Boys, Travis State Home, Travis State School for the Mentally Gifted, Travis State School for the Mentally Challenged, Austin State School Annex, and Travis State School Annex. (Travis State School was first named Austin State School - Farm Colony in 1933.)]


Farming operations at the facility slowly ceased in January 1961 due to the fact that the farm colony was a total failure. The farm colony could not produce enough to maintain for the patients at the institutions. The farming operations did not cease due to mental health care reforms in the 1960's due to popular belief. Farming operations ceased due to lack of attention and criminal negligence.
To reflect this change, Austin State School - Farm Colony was renamed to Travis State School in January 1961.

Travis State School had its highest peak of patient enrollment of 1,800 patients/students in 1968 all of whom had been transferred from other institutions. Later included was a swimming pool, cannery, storerooms, more offices, and a sewing room.

In the year of 1970, Travis State School received a grant from the Hospital Improvement Project which made it possible for the use of a unit system of treatment. A new Vocational Evaluation and Training Center was opened and staffed through a grant from the Texas Rehabilitation Commission. The water tower was constructed over a graveyard.
Female students were first admitted in 1973 for the first time since the institution gradually opened in 1934.

The Texas Government and TX MHMR had began changing its focus from institutionalization to integrated placement in local communities as this trend was becoming nationwide in the United States in the 1980s. ‘State Schools’ began to see a decline in enrollment. This was a result from efforts in deinstitutionalization. By then, state officials began following this trend.

In 1981, farming operations at the facility ceased for good due to lack of enrollment, lack of maintenance, criminal negligence, and bad results. All what was left in its place was the institution.
The Travis State School functioned as an Independent School District (ISD) from 1981 to 1988. After the year of 1988 due to lack of enrollment and federal funding, Travis State School relied on the Manor Independent School District to provide academic instruction through its "mainstreaming" program instead.


In the 1990s, Travis State School was renamed to Austin State School Annex but still kept the name ‘Travis State School’ as many people referred to the institution by such name despite what other say. Texas has always historically been behind most US states to serve people with mental retardation within their own communities along with Alabama, Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Illinois.

The 1990s saw an even further decline in ‘State School’ enrollment due to deinstitutionalization and healthcare laws. Effects of deinstitutionalization became statewide. Statistics in newspapers, reports, and books showed otherwise.
In 1992, Travis State School had 604 patients and 1,270 employees with a total of 86 buildings at its 436 acre property. In 1994, only 104 patients remained. They were unharmed.

In 1994, the State of Texas and City of Austin proposed a 1,000 inmate facility for a new state jail to alleviate crowding with the population in state jails. In 1996, the Travis County State Jail/Travis State Jail was built and completed. For a short while, Travis County State Jail/Travis State Jail was privately run by privatized prison industrial complex company Wackenhut Correctional Facilities. The land where Travis County State Jail/Travis State Jail occupies is where the Farm Colony originally was for Austin State School - Farm Colony.

Due to an abuse case at Travis State School along with lawsuits such as Lelsz vs. Kavanagh and Ruiz vs. Estelle, Travis State School closed down as an agreement in a lawsuit settlement with the state of Texas and US Government in 1996. The lawsuit was both statewide and federal, thus resulting in the federal lawsuit of Lelsz vs. Kavanagh.

By 1996, Travis State School closed for good. By then all remaining 41 patients were relocated to nearby institutions such as the Austin State School (now Austin State Supported Living Center). Construction at Travis State School lasted from 1996 to 1998. Debris was left over from pervious construction teams who relocated nearly everything. Some items and various other objects were left onsite. Buildings fell into various states of decay and disrepair.

In 1996, local real estate developer Peter Barlin had bought the land Travis State School was located on from Texas Board of Control. The idea for Peter Barlin purchasing the Travis State School land and buildings was to create a private version of the public housing agency called Vision Village. His main intention was to create public housing.
Vision Village was supposed to be a neighborhood for low income housing. The City of Austin gave him a $1 million dollar incentive for this land development. Organizers borrowed nearly $4 million from Austin, Travis County and a local bank in 1997.

However plans fell through when Vision Village lacked the management expertise and fund-raising ability to build the housing it promised. Local real estate developer Peter Barlin had been charged criminally with penalties such as embezzlement, conspiracy, money laundering, mismanagement, and fraud. More than $5 million had been poured into the project. Peter Barlin had owned the former Travis State School site that was once set aside for Vision Village, a project that never got off the ground despite more than $1 million from the city. The Vision Village costs had ran deeper than dollars however.


In 2004, KIPP Schools (KIPP Austin) had purchased the property from Peter Barlin and the State of Texas via TX MHMR from Texas Board of Control. Some buildings however were still abandoned. These buildings were renovated overtime. Only few buildings were demolished. The Travis State School Cemetery had fallen into disrepair. Security had not been set up to protect and secure property on a 24 hour basis yet.

Travis State School sat abandoned and vacant for a period of time from 1996 to 2004.
This made it easy for scrappers to steal and vandalize the buildings for copper metal in order to gain a profit. One famous example would be local criminal Reginald Dane Parker. Local criminal Reginald Dane Parker had apparently been stealing copper wire there from the location site before for years. The timeframe Reginald Dane Parker had been stealing copper wire from Travis State School was from 2001 to 2005. Reginald Dane Parker was arrested and jailed by law enforcement officials in 2005.

By 2011, KIPP Austin had fully settled onto the land of the former Travis State School site. However the 8 dorms that weren’t in use were boarded up and closed off. The 9 warehouses are in various states of disrepair. Austin Police Department had set up their Child Protective Services division there in the year of 2011 as well.

In 2015, KIPP Schools contracted with local business ASC Management to secure the property as an effort in security measures. Closed-Camera surveillance cameras are now present and 24 hour security is actively on sight. Gates now hover over the buildings. Unoccupied buildings that were boarded up or abandoned are now currently in use. These building have been upgraded by being renovated. Currently businesses such as KIPP Austin, Austin Discovery School, KIPP Cafe, Austin Police Department, and Child Protective Services now occupy the land property. A small handful of former warehouses are in various states of disrepair.



[Here’s why Travis State School really closed!]
[John Lelsz Sr. with his wife, Rith Lelsz, had filed a lawsuit that claimed Texas ‘State Schools’ along with other institutions of this kind violated the constitutional rights of their residents in 1974. Abuse was rampant in these institutions. criminal negligence, Patients were living in unsanitary condition provided by extremely inadequate living conditions. The lawsuit was Lelsz vs. Kavanagh. The lawsuit was eventually settled in 1991.

Travis State School closed down due a federal lawsuit called Lelsz vs. Kavanagh. Complainant John Lelsz Sr. and his wife Ruth Lelsz alleged their son, John Lelsz Jr. was physically abused and overtly medicated. John Lelsz Jr. was housed at Travis State School and Austin State School. John Lelsz Jr. was a blind and retarded patient who was physically aggressive with others and prone to violent outbursts. As a result he was overmedicated by Travis State School and Austin State School staff and the medical faculty.

When his parents went to visit him at Travis State School and Austin State School, they notices bruises, scars, and various other lacerations on his body.John Lelsz Jr. had acquired a head gash requiring six stitches, a black eye and swollen face while at Austin State School. Austin State School staff had used cattle prods to administer electroshock therapy on John Lelsz Jr. was a very difficult patient. Both parents filed a lawsuit against the state of Texas. Such said lawsuit eventually reached Federal Court. This led to the closure of the Travis State School in 1996.

By 1998, Travis State School closed for good. By then all remaining 41 patients were relocated to nearby institutions such as the Austin State School (now Austin State Supported Living Center). By 1999, lawsuits of Lelsz vs. Kavanagh and Ruiz vs. Estelle were mostly settled with the fact most of the complainants, plaintiffs, defendants, defenders, lawyers, and attorneys, were somewhat not satisfied with the Texas Governments’ actions with some justice being unserved to the victims and those whom were harmed.

As a result of delayed justice, John Lelsz Jr. was removed from Austin State School to a psychiatric institution in Arkansas in 1997. Since then his family relocated him back to Texas. His parents have since passed away. John Lelsz Sr. passed away in June 1995.]


[As for the government properties of Austin State School and Travis State School…]

[The Travis State School Cemetery still remains onsite hidden away from KIPP Austin campus. The cemetery has fallen into disrepair. Many graves, tombstones, and other identifiers such as markers remain untouched despite the future plans from the Texas Government to remove such graves. The Texas Government decided to leave the graves untouched. The Travis State School Cemetery has fallen into disrepair.]

[Austin State School - Farm Colony had moved back to its original location at the “original” Austin State School (now Austin State Supported Living Center) in 1998. Austin State School - Farm Colony has now been reduced to a garden to a size of 4 rows as of 2016. The farm colony is a former shill of what it once was. No longer are extreme amounts of tax dollars being poured into the farm colony. As of 2016, the farm colony no longer exists.]

Saturday, November 14, 2015

Behind the story of the Google Maps self-driving cars in the US!

These Google Maps self-driving cars have been spotted all over the United States lately in 2015. Sights of Google Maps self-driving cars have been seen in many cities and towns. Google Maps self-driving cars have been sighted in cities such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, Cupertino, Mountain View, New York City, Omaha, Austin, and Round Rock. These Google Maps self-driving cars started out being tested in Mountain View, California.

Google Maps technology has been secretly approved for public testing by city or state lawmakers. However the laws are still “fuzzy” on self-driving cars around the United States. Only six states have passed laws through legislation legalizing autonomous vehicles on public roads. States such as Virginia, Michigan, California, Nevada, Texas, and Florida legalizing self-driving autonomous vehicles on public roads. Still, lawmakers from most states have not passed legislation addressing or concerning the operation of autonomous vehicles on the roads. Google did plan the outcomes beforehand to test self-driving vehicles on roadways before using their Google Maps cars. However, there are somehow flaws in the automobile technology.  The cars have been involved in 11 accidents as reported by AP News.

Saturday, September 26, 2015

History about Eastside Village in Flint, Michigan.

History about Eastside Village in Flint, Michigan.

In the 1700s, many former residents known as settlers from the East Coast of the United States had settled to find homeland on what is known as the Eastside Village located in Flint, Michigan today. The late 1700s is where farmers from the East Coast had settled in the Flint area. These citizens were known as the pioneers of Flint, Michigan. Many setters had came from New York, New Jersey, Vermont, and Maine to settle in Flint. This area would later become to be known as Eastside and Eastside Flint as people would refer it to.

In the 1800s, The Eastside of Flint was vastly all farmland and community gardens. Many vast lands on the Eastside of Flint were once farmlands for dairy products. The Eastside of Flint was once considered valley land out in the country surrounded by numerous forests. Nothing was really out there.

During this time around the 1800s is Canadian citizens had become settlers in Michigan. Citizens from Canada had settled in Michigan state to become settlers. That is how Michigan has such a close friendly relationship with the country of Canada. Canadians had settled in Flint and Detroit proper.

The sight of dairy farms were a common sight to see when traveling down Dort Highway (Michigan Highway 54). Vegetable farms and grass farms were a common sight as well. Community gardens were a prevalent element to the Eastside of Flint too. Some of the land on the Eastside was owned by the Perry family. The land that the Perry family owned land were Lowell Junior High School currently sits. The Perry family had owned much land on the Eastside where Williams Elementary and Lowell Junior High are currently located.

In the 1890s is when the Eastside of Flint was in its first stages of urbanization. This is when significant sights of farmlands started disappearing around the turn of the 20th Century. Farmland started being bought out from the city of Flint and by realtors. Much of this area was not even close to urbanization and gentrification however. Many residents of the Eastside were poorer citizens as Eastside Flint was designed for lower class citizens of the economy system as originally planned by the Flint city planners.

The Eastside Village neighborhood on the Eastside of Flint, Michigan was established in the 1890s preferably around the year of 1898. The Flint City Council wanted the Eastside of Flint to be a nice neighborhood area for low income people because that's what kind of people were living there and have always been. The middle class did thrive in the neighborhood with their businesses.

During the very beginning of the 20th century around 1900 is when the city of Flint officials decided to ask realtors to build houses on the Eastside of Flint to make it a small urban area as a residential place. The Eastside was becoming a residential place ideal for people to move there.
By 1900 all the Eastside of Flint had already been established.

By 1920, Eastside Village was a thriving bustling community with businesses and restaurants. Franklin Avenue was designated urban center for the neighborhood. Lawyers set up offices there too. In 1930 is when the city of Flint officials decided to ask realtors to build more houses and businesses on the Eastside of Flint to make it a small urban area. The Eastside of Flint had a small urban center with many small local businesses by 1940. The location in the neighborhood was an ideal place for retail and business expeditions. Business ventures were created on the Eastside. The Eastside of Flint was in its prime during the 1940s and 1950s.

The 1950s was the decade of prosperity when Flint was at its peak. This was when Flint was doing at their peak years. The state of Michigan proved to be a beacon of prosperity and business. Even though Flint was prosperous, the seeds of decline were eventually planted.

The late 1980s is when the Eastside along with the rest of the city of Flint started financially collapsing, deteriorating, and have buildings becoming vacant only to later be boarded up. The area was getting bad. Steel factories started leaving the city and outsourcing their work to different countries across the globe away from the United States. Services were being cut off. Gangs started moving into the area infesting the Eastside with more crime and vandalism. Vandalism was a common criminal mischief element on the Eastside.

In the 2000s during the 21st Century is when the Eastside of Flint started financially deteriorating and falling apart. Buildings were abandoned and boarded up. Many of the retail store buildings are currently vacated. The city of Flint would have these buildings becoming vacant only to later be boarded up. Jobs were being outsourced. Police services to the community were being cut off. Community services were being cut off. The Eastside of Flint was once a thriving bustling place. Now the Eastside of Flint in economic despair from this country's financial turmoil during the 21st century. By 2014, the Eastside of Flint, Michigan has gotten completely gotten worse comparatively speaking in terms of crime and quality of life issues.

The year 2015 has not proven to be any better for the Eastside of Flint, Michigan as the state of Michigan has declared financial emergency. However, there is good in the Eastside neighborhood and Flint proper. Many community gardens have been popping up on the Eastside neighborhood of Flint. Community gardens have been popping up in Flint proper. Restoration to houses and business is slowly but surely happening.



Now I will get into what Flint Schools were located in the neighborhood in the Flint Community Schools District.

The Flint Community Schools had saw the Eastside neighborhood had potential for educational powerhouse institutions known as schools to be built in. So the Flint Community Schools had bought out many dairy farms and farmland from many farmers and longtime residents in the Eastside area. They had built many educational institutions on the Eastside.

Alice Moss Perry was member of the Flint Community Schools PTA Committee. She was very vocal in the community as she was known as an educational local PTA activist. Alice was very active in her community in her lifetime as she was known as strong community activist. Alice had very deep beliefs in educational values and thus raising educational awareness into the communities. She was know as Alice Moss.


Washington Elementary School opened its doors as a school in 1908 as Washington Community School. Washington School was a national exemplary school similar to Cook School, Dort School, Doyle Elementary School, Central High School, and Northwestern High School. Every school in the Flint Community Schools District follows Washington Elementary School's educational model.

The architectural design for Washington Elementary School bared the Greek Revival architectural style many early Flint schools had along with Victorian architecture that had the Neoclassicism resemblance. Revival architectural style was a common sight for schools such as this one. It too proved too exceed in academic excellence. In terms of architectural design, Washington Elementary School has similar resemblance to Homedale Elementary School, Clark School, Potter School, Pierce School, Dort School, Civic Park School, and Cook School.

Washington Elementary faced closure due to financial budget cuts and lack of enrollment. Washington Elementary closed in 2013 mainly due to lack of enrollment. Washington Elementary is now abandoned. It is boarded up. The buildings structure is still standing.
Washington Elementary School sits on 1400 North Vernon Avenue, Flint, Michigan 48506.


Lewis Elementary School was built in 1911 less than 2 blocks directly across from Lowell Junior High School. At the time, Lewis Elementary was known as WC Lewis School when it first opened. Lewis Elementary was an all-white school at one time even though black students just had lived blocks away from school grounds. Lewis Elementary was originally planned to be an all-white school. By 1950, Lewis Elementary was an integrated school. The walls and structure were caving in from lack of repairs and increasing enrollment in the 1960s. The walls were not sound structure.

In 1978 is when Flint Community Schools closed down Lewis Elementary due to statewide budget cuts and lack of enrollment which led the remaining students to attend Williams Elementary and the surrounding elementary schools. Flint Community Schools later repurposed and renamed Lewis Elementary School to Lowell Junior High School Annex from 1978 to 1990. In 1991 WC Lewis Elementary School was demolished to save on resources and utilities. The administrative decision to close down Lewis School was an unplanned move. Many residents were not notified.

All that remains is the square asphalt ground that was once where the school building was located along with the asphalt parking lot covered by grass which has crumbed from weathering effects overtime making the parking lot ground uneven. The concrete structures haves decayed and crumbled from urban blight. Basically all that remains is the ground and square frame structures. All infrastructure has been demolished
Lewis Elementary School was located at Franklin Avenue & Montana Avenue, Flint, Michigan 48506.


Lowell Junior High School is where the former farmland owned by the Perry family was once formally. This land used to be farmland and also was a dairy farm. The Flint Community Schools had purchased the land where Lowell Junior High School is today from the Perry family back in 1900. Alice Moss Perry had a petition she had signed by local citizens of the community in order to have Lowell Junior High School built. 1929 is the year Lowell Junior High School was built and opened.

Prior to 1950, Lowell Junior High School was an all-white school even though black students lived just blocks away. Lowell Junior High School was originally intended for whites only as Eastside Flint was historically planned out to be by city planners and urban development.
The year of 1950 is when Lowell Junior High School integrated allowing black students to attend. By then Lowell Junior High School had became an integrated school.
Lowell Junior High School was a feeder school for many elementary schools on the Eastside of Flint and also the Rollingwood area. That's how the Flint Community Schools had designed Lowell Junior High School.

In 1988, Lowell Junior High School closed down due to budget cuts by the Michigan Board of Education. The school went through many land owners.
In 1991, Lowell Junior High School would later be rezoned to be an alternative middle school for troubled students. Fights were common. Metal detectors were later on put in Lowell Junior High School. Due to the declining enrollment of students in the Flint Community Schools and financial budget cuts, the administration decided to close Lowell Junior High School in 2003. These actions made were also due to administrative decisions and budget cuts.

In 2005, Church of ROC - Flint rented Lowell Junior High School from Flint Community Schools on their lease. In 2008, Flint Community Schools found out that Church of ROC - Flint had failed to provide documentation on whether or not they were paying their rent lease. In 2009, Lowell Junior High School was set on fire by a home barbeque pit that had spread from someones home from the area to the school. 2009 was also when an arsonist set fire to Lowell Junior High School. These drastic events alone made Flint Community School board up Lowell Junior High School all together thus leaving it abandoned for criminal activity to occur. By 2010, all of Lowell Junior High School was boarded up.

The building now sits vacant as a former shill of itself with broken wood panels that line directly within the windows. The former educational institution known as Lowell Junior High School is constantly being vandalized and tagged with graffiti all over the property. Windows are missing. Doors inside are missing too. The outside building structure is still intact. All of the surrounding building infrastructure is boarded up. This building is a case of urban decay where the outside looks fine but the inside is deplorable.
Lowell Junior High School sits at 3301 North Vernon Avenue, Flint, Michigan 48506.



As for race relations, race relations were not always in good standing in Flint prior to 1950 despite many public schools in Flint being integrated before Federal discrimination laws were put into place in the United States requiring public schools to be racially integrated and to be desegregated. Many schools in Flint were already desegregated before 1950.

Eastside Flint was specifically designed for whites only when it was first planned. Restrictive covenants did now permit black citizens to live in the Eastside Village neighborhood of Eastside Flint.
Dort Highway (Michigan Highway 54) was the racial barrier of Flint that divided Black citizens from the White citizens and Hispanic citizens prior to 1950. Black citizens were not permitted by law and local ordinance to reside on the Eastside of Flint. Blacks were restricted from living there until 1950.



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