harlamar (New User)

Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, NY

My name is Harold Lamar, I was born in upstate New York, but grew up mostly in Brooklyn, where I still reside. I am currently completing International Studies at CUNY, and I hope to contribute to the discussions here, and possibly receive feedback.

harlamar has recently joined The Connected Republic. Until made a 'trusted user' by an administrator, harlamar can only post or comment once a day.

Recently, harlamar...

commented on EU Profiler: voting advice application for the 2009 EP elections about 1 year ago.

I'd like to know how the data collection has been over the past year and what kind of studies could be started, if this data is available. I hope it was publicized in a way that attracted less-informed voters, or at least a part of the more general population.
commented on Vote for your Park: nothing but a bad idea? about 1 year ago.

I would really like to hear more about your experiences in participatory urban planning. I agree with your idea that its basically just a bad start. I think the website flaws are due only to laziness, in this case. I do commend London for having a desire to actively engage common people in budget allocating. Maybe the awareness would get more people out of the tanning bed and into the parks. The system certainly needs work, but its a step in the right direction, no?
commented on Multi-channel citizen engagement: the Ipatinga PB experience (PB part 3) about 1 year ago.

The use of internet, and subsequent high participation it brings in Brazil is very interesting. A colleague of mine interned for the Sao Paulo municipality, doing social work of information gathering and participatry planning meetings in favelas (slums) for the infrastructure upgrading projects of the Secretary of Habitation. They do everything face-to-face, with the social workers visiting the sites, but an hsa or the aforementioned SMS idea could be effective, I think, as there isn't much o...
commented on When Desperate Times Call for Participatory Measures about 1 year ago.

All of these increasingly large budget gaps are having some interesting responses, especially in California. Last August, there was the "Great California Garage Sale", offering government property ranging from desk lamps to computers. Now, there will be legislation this November, possibly legalizing marijuana, as it is estimated to bring in as much as $1.4 billion in tax revenue no to mention, the short term health benefits for medical users. The California state board of equalization estimat...
commented on An Experiment in Open Government or What a Brave New UK Government Might Do about 1 year ago.

Well, i think you may have a better time googling the organizations which helped build Obama's campaign