A Step in the Right Direction...

You may know I'm not a huge fan of the current administration. However, today President Bush signed into law an act that will help to limit some of the out-of-control profits that Big Banks have been racking up with the privatization of student loans. I am especially interested in this topic because I will be paying of our student loans until well after my children start college.

I am encouraged (and surprised) that President Bush would buck the banking lobby on this one. Perhaps he's got something up his sleeve that he'll deliver to them re: the mortgage crisis? (Which IMHO is another example of corporate land-grabbing gone wild).

Bush enacts deep student lender subsidy cuts - Yahoo! News

This is the goo that I made with Andrea's recipe. Yum!

• 1 1/2 C Sugar
• 1/2 C Cocoa
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 stick butter
• 3/4 C Water

Bring contents to boil in sauce pan. While still hot, serve over yellow cake. Ummm...

Social justice and the Restoration Movement

Most of my readers know that the Restoration Movement is not exactly well-known for an emphasis on social justice. So, perhaps it is especially weighty evidence in how far opinion has shifted away from the current war when there is an student-led anti-war protest at ACU. See photos here.

Now this is gross...

Now this is gross...

So the beautiful rain I mentioned in my last post was absolutely beautiful. The double-rainbow ending in the ocean was incredible. However, there was at least one nasty consequence of the rain. The garden area around the community suana overflowed leaving mulch, bark, and lots of mud in the hot tub. NASTY.

Finally...it's raining in LA!

As you may know, it's been dry here. In fact, we've received about 3-inches of rain in the past 15 months. Hard to believe. So, today we were SO happy to see grey skies roll in. It actually sounded like a thunder storm this evening. I don't think I've ever seen a thunder storm here in over three years. It's supposed to rain even more tomorrow. YEEAAAHHH!!!

Storm inches its way into L.A. - Los Angeles Times

From the "no-duh" department...

A recent study indicates the people are attracted to beauty. Duh.

What's behind curtain #3?...

Would you be willing to trade one year in a US prison rather than 1 yr. in Iraq as a soldier?  Here's someone who did.

Jail for soldier who paid to be shot to avoid Iraq | Reuters

Technorati Tags: News, Iraq, Crime

Is this an "Office" Killer?

In class we've talked about Open Source software. Today there was a very interesting development on this front. IBM announced that they were releasing their Lotus Symphony Office Suite to the Open Source community as a free tool. Lotus Symphony utilizes IBM's Open Source software and will be distributed through IBM's own web site as well as Open Office. I'm downloading it right now (for Linux and Windows). You may see it in a classroom near you soon!

IBM Lotus Symphony

The End of the Beginning...

First Day of School
Originally uploaded by M_M_M_M_M_W

Marcus started preschool today! It was so exciting. He was thrilled about it all weekend. He continually asked "how many days until preschool?" This morning we took the usual "first day of school photo" of him and he could barely stand still he was so excited. I think Michelle was equally excited to have her "first day off in ten years!" (OK, it's a bit of an exaggeration, but that's how she sees it.).

Slug Party

Slug Party
Originally uploaded by M_M_M_M_M_W

Madison found a bunch of baby banana slugs in the garage and ran around saying "I have the banana slug disease! I have the banana slug disease!" Disgusting.

First Day of Football

First Day of Football
Originally uploaded by M_M_M_M_M_W

Matthew decided to play flag football. It's odd that I have such mixed feelings about it. I played (and loved playing) from 8 years old until I messed up my knee a sophomore in HS. But I don't really want my kids to play. I don't know exactly why. But whatever. It's a flag-football league for elementary school kids.

Should fast food be illegal?

Yesterday's Christian Science Monitor reports that LA Councilwoman Jan Perry has introduced legislation for a two-year moratorium on new fast-food outlets in LA. Apparently, this has created a bit of a stir among the business and academic community for limiting the freedom of choice.

IMHO, this is no different that zoning various adult establishments away from schools and parks. If we as a society believe that a certain set of behaviors and products are unhealthy for the population, isn't it in our best interests to control their growth and locations?

Discuss amongst yourselves...

Diet-conscious Los Angeles eyes moratorium on fast-food outlets - Yahoo! News

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Is cheating worth it?

Some argue that the current business environment favors cheaters. After all, when Drexel Lambert, Enron, Tyco, Worldcom...were essentially robbed by their CEO's the vast benefits accrued to the thieves, not the shareholders. Even after substantial penalties, fees, fines, and jail time these men had millions in the bank and their families continued to benefit from this wrong doing while salaried employees of these firms struggle to make ends meet through unemployment and lost retirements. I'm reminded of this each time I see the Michael Milkin Institute in Santa Monica.

Well, today's NYT reports that Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots has been fined $500,000, the team fined $250,000 and they lost a first-round draft pick for video-taping opposing team coach's signals. Assuming this has been a long-standing practice (as suggested by the Eagles who lost Super Bowl XXXIX to the Patriots 24-21), I wonder...are three Super Bowls in six years, plus countless team advertising contracts, and individual contracts to players like Brady and even Coach Belichick worth only $750,000 in cash and a loss of 1/2 of a team's first round picks?

Apparently whoever said "cheaters never win" was not an NFL fan.

English at home and in the classroom

Today's LATimes has an excellent front-page piece about the growing percentage of LA's population that is non-native English speakers. I, for one, love living in a city where I can see, read, and hear dozens of languages being spoken any time I go out for dinner or to a movie. It helps make the world a smaller place. One of the challenges of this situation though is the classroom. Our current MBA student body is 40% non-native English speaking. Granted, these students are some of the best students from their home countries and are all proficient in English. But, as the article points out, the educational setting of today is far different from the one many educators were raised in. It is a constant challenge (and joy) to adjust my teaching to the demands of a multi-cultural and multi-lingual classroom.

Not at home with English - Los Angeles Times

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Marcus' Preschool Party

Lots of neighbors are starting preschool with Marcus next week. Here's a photo of them all together getting ready for preschool socialization.

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First Day of School

Here's the much anticipated first day of school photo.

Breaking News: All Online Data Lost After Internet Crash

After our conversation yesterday in class about how the Internet works, Natalie shared this great video with me.  Enjoy...

Breaking News: All Online Data Lost After Internet Crash

Breaking News: All Online Data Lost After Internet Crash | The Onion - America's Finest News Source

Technorati Tags: Technology, Internet, Humor, Video

Risk Analysis and the Constitution

I found this
article very interesting and worthy of a quick read. No further comment. :-)

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The New Year has Begun...

The kids started school yesterday.  We took a few photos, but I've not downloaded them yet.  I'll try to do so tonight.

So far, they're having a great time and both like their teachers...Ms. Cook and Ms. Rash (both PU alum).  Marcus starts preschool next week.

RD's Wedding Photos

RD's Wedding Photos

My long-time friend, legal counsel and golf-partner married on Saturday. It was a beautiful ceremony in a terrific location with lots of beautiful people in attendance. Some of my favorite people on earth were in and at the wedding. I was deeply honored to perform the ceremony. While I've done about ten weddings over the years, it's been a while and I was nervous I would say the names in the wrong order. But it went well. Click here for some candid photos.


Welcome to the "family", Stephanie.