Diversity failure is triumph

Last night, my technical writing class was discussing proposal writing. For an example, we reviewed an actual grant proposal submitted by the University of Colorado at Denver (UCD) in response to an RFP (request for proposal) seeking to fund new educational programs. UCD hopes to receive funding to offer a new certificate related to M.S. program I'm in.

One of the requirements of the funding organization was for the proposed program to involve women and minorities as part of a diversity initiative.

In their proposal the university sited a "diversity" statistic. Eighty percent of the graduates of UCD's technical communication program are women. That's 80%.

Remember back when there was a diversity failure if less than 50% of graduates were women? Now that it's 80%, that is advertised as a success. It seems more like a failure from my position. Overall, college enrollment is approaching 60% women. This hurts women as well as men.

How? Well, this is why well educated women are having problems finding dates. It's a fact, men are more likely to date women with less education than women are to date men with less education. That leads to a lot of single well educated women.

Back to the subject. Let's face it. "Diversity" doesn't really mean diversity. It means giving advantages to certain politically favored groups. Christna Hoff Sommers covers more about this in her book The War Against Boys.

The French don't get it

Remember this statement from a terrorist web site?

"As if there was any question of negotiation. Far from it - they must obey the demands of the Mujahadeen. If you refuse, we slaughter."

Here is the French solution to terrorism:

"France said Monday that it would take part in a proposed international conference on Iraq only if the agenda included a possible U.S. troop withdrawal...
Paris also wants representatives of Iraq's insurgent groups to be invited to a conference."

Strangely, France doesn't take the terrorists at their word. Why does France want to negotiate with people who refuse to negotiate?

John Kerry is.....orange?

Apparently George Hamilton has become a Kerry campaign advisor. Overnight, Kerry turned orange. Shocking.

Clearly this is more evidence of collusion with CBS. Fake documents/fake tan? Stay tuned for more details. Did Dan Rather coordinated with the campaign to choose which fake tan to use?


Tan-from-a-can Kerry 

It hailed tonight

Honeybun with a hand full that fell on our house 20 minutes ago.


Honeybun 

Hail at our house

This is what our driveway looked like after the hail storm. Nasty.


Hail storm this evening 

Hail, hail, go away

This one is dark, but you may see white on the street behind the car. That's not snow.


See white in the street? That's hail. 

Why we need to kill terrorists

It sounds harsh but it's true. We must kill the terrorists. The culture of Western civilization believes that differences can be talked through and negotiated. What many fail to consider is that other cultures do not share that beliefs and does not value human life in the same way we do.

The British government refused to negotiate with terrorists for the release of captive Kenneth Bigley. The two Americans taken with him had already been executed.

The British government may sound uncaring unless you realize the terrorists refuse to negotiate.

[The hostage takers] began taunting Western governments over their efforts to seek their citizens’ release from captivity. Late on Friday a fresh message appeared on a website believed to be used by al-Zarqawi which read: "What is laughable is the insistence of the ministers of all infidel nationalities on the phrase ‘no negotiations’. As if there was any question of negotiation. Far from it - they must obey the demands of the Mujahadeen. If you refuse, we slaughter."

The Islamic terrorists have defined the rules. Kill them or they will kill us. There is no "talking it out."

From the "well duh" files

My uncle forwarded a news article to me.

It has a good point that there needs to be more study on how a patient's gender can effect diseases.

Still, the article manages to make one person look pretty stupid.

"Women are different than men, not only psychologically (but) physiologically, and I think we need to understand those differences," says Dr. Catherine DeAngelis, editor of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Women are different physiologically. This is a new conclusion? I figured that out for myself at a pretty young age without any medical training. In light of this evidence, it turns out I was a prodigy and should have trained in the medical field. I mean if I knew that men and women were different when I was 4 years old and medicine is only discovering that fact now, I should have been able to cure cancer by the time I was 25.

The new terrorists

The U.K. is finding a growing terror threat at home. This time, it is not from Islamo-fascists. Now, it's from animal rights groups. The Sunday Herald reports(emphasis added):

The case of Huntingdon Life Sciences (HLS), a drug-testing facility near Cambridge, is one example of how far extremists can go. Last weekend, a “terror list” naming 150 individuals – including 21 children – emerged, most with an indirect link to the company.

If you keep reading the article you find out:

[Robin Webb of the Animal Liberaton Front] rejects the notion that the families of scientists and researchers should not be targets.

“Some say it is morally unacceptable but it is equally unacceptable to use animals in experiments. The children of those scientists are enjoying a lifestyle built on the blood and abuse of innocent animals. Why should they be allowed to close the door on that and sit down and watch TV and enjoy themselves when animals are suffering and dying because of the actions of the family breadwinner? They are a justifiable target for protest.”

How sick is this guy? This is not moral equivallency - it is moral bankruptcy. He doesn't believe that animals are equal to humans, he believes animals are better than humans.

Don't think this is a problem limited to England. The Center for Consumer Freedom warns about domestic animal rights terror coming to the U.S.

Jerry Vlasak has been associated with Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (an organization related to PETA). Jerry Vlasak also has connections to SHAC, an organization that has been indicted for terrorism along with seven of its leaders. Here is Vlasak's view on using terrorism to support the animal rights movement:

"I don't think you'd have to kill -- assassinate -- too many," Vlasak said. "I think for five lives, 10 lives, 15 human lives, we could save a million, two million, 10 million non-human lives."

He later clarified his statement as reported by The Guardian from a radio interview:

"I am simply saying that it [violence] is a morally acceptable tactic and it may be useful in the struggle for animal liberation."

Don't support terrorism. Don't give money to PETA, PCRM, or SHAC.

Kerry first, America second

Teresa Heinz Kerry gave a speech in Phoenix last Wednesday (hat tip to James Taranto).
The Business Journal of Phoenix reports:

In regard to the hunt for terror leader Osama Bin Laden, Heinz Kerry said she could see the al-Qaida chief being caught before the November election.

"I wouldn't be surprised if he appeared in the next month," said Heinz Kerry, alluding to a possible capture by United States and allied forces before election day.
Heinz Kerry is accusing the Bush administration of a consipiracy theory.

Capture of Bin Laden bad for Kerry. The Kerry campaign would prefer Bin Laden be free rather than be captured to benefit their campaign. Scary stuff when Democrats love Bin Laden more than President Bush.

Bad career advice

You can tell when a actor/actress is having career problems when they star in a sex flick. Neve Campbell is having career problems. The Rocky Mountain News reviewed the film and wasn't too flattering in their opinion.

Apparently the movie becomes a series of random sex scenes complete with an orgy in Central Park and another scene with some lesbian action involving Neve Campbell's character. Unlike the movie Wild Things, Neve does drop her clothes in this one.

Why do actors think that these kind of movies will help their careers. Bo Derek's career was pretty much ended with Bolero. Elizabeth Berkeley became a laughing stock after Showgirls. Demi Moore's Striptease was a bomb. Eyes Wide Shut was a disaster for Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman. Their careers improved in spite of, not because of, that movie which only revealed that Stanley Kubrick had some wierd fantasies.

So why are stars so gullible that they keep doing this stuff?

Update: Add Meg Ryan to the list for "In the Cut"

The baptism

Here is a shot of Cody getting baptized. That's me in the white shirt and Honeybun the first on the right ready with the towel.


The baptism 

Aww, how cute?

Here is a question for the ages. Why is a baby with cereal all over his face normally disgusting. Then when you are the one doing the feeding, it's cute? I've never thought a baby with a dirty face was appealling in anyway. Then, last Friday, I was babysitting Cody and feeding him. Suddenly I think, "I've got to get a picture of this." What the...?

The good thing about this weekend: Years from now, when Cody becomes a smartass teenager (redundant phrase) I can now tell him, "I've changed your diapers." :)


Feeding Cody.  

On the road again

We're just about ready to get on the road to go back to Colorado. As I'm sitting here in shorts in warm southern New Mexico, the weather report is telling me that the high in the Denver area will be 47 degrees. Chilly.

I would change, but the car is already packed.

Godparents

Honeybun and I are now officially godparents. It's somewhat anti-climactic. Cody didn't get that wet after all, just a little dribble on his head that didn't even run over his face. He didn't cry. Not even a whimper either. He is a very good natured baby. He pretty much just looked around wondering what all the hubbub was about. Not much else happened. The whole thing was shorter than a Vegas wedding.

You'd think the church would have a gift-shop that sells "My nephew got baptized and all I got was this lousy t-shirt" t-shirts.

We did get a gift - a plaque that says "Godparents" with a greeting on it. Which is cool. We also got a card from Cody thanking us for being his godparents - but I suspect it was forged. I'm sure he doesn't know how to write yet. Which leads me to question, what did Dan Rather know and when did he know about the forged greeting card from Cody.

So Jase (you ask), when are you two going to have a kid? Well, Honeybun and I are talking about it. We're planning to pull the goalie off the ice after the holidays are over.

Low fat blogging

I can't say that I've done on "light" blogging the last few days since my blogging is normally light anyway. So, my posts being even less than usual, my adoring fans are down to low fat blogging at this point.

Why? Well, I'm in Las Cruces, NM visiting my in-laws. My nephew (see archive for February 17th) is getting baptized today. Honeybun and I are godparents. Cool huh?

Sorry, no witty rejoinders, this is a solemn family occasion (I'll even be wearing a suit and tie) Followed by dinner somewhere.

Get ready to get wet Cody.

What size is this?

Each of the last three nights, I've been going to McDonald's to get an ice cream cone for Honeybun and a chocolate shake for me. At the drive-thru, my exact order was "an ice cream cone and a medium chocolate shake".

It's actually become a game because each I get different sizes each time. I'm not sure if they know what a medium is - 21 oz. or 16 oz.

Apparently tonight is the medium is 21 oz.

Mmmmm. Chocolate.

Men & women

Honeybun recently told me to wash out a water bottle. Sure, I'll wash out the lip, but probably not fill it with soap to do the inside.

This is where men and women are different. If I'm cooking and I need some water for the recipe, I use the measuring cup, dry it out and put it back in the cupboard.

Honeybun would use the measuring cup, and put it in the dishwasher where it will be washed...with water.

I love being married.

Using rights to complain about no rights

I was perusing some blogs today and came up on Losers Lounge. In her side bar, the writer laments the loss of her Constitutional rights:

IN MEMORY OF: The Bill Of Rights (1791-2001) Slain By The Patriot Act. Rest In Pieces

Of course she voices her complaint by blogging and therefore using her rights of free speech and freedom of the press. She also uses a tyrant's title as her pen name, "Tsarina".

I guess she doesn't see the irony of her writing.

Tsarina doesn't understand the true threat. Bin Laden wrote an open letter containing his seven demands of the American People. Note the first:

(1) The first thing that we are calling you to is Islam.

And the consequences:

"If you fail to respond to all these conditions, then prepare for fight with the Islamic Nation."

The threat of freedom comes from Islamic fascists. Not from our government where the Bill of Rights is still the standard of liberty in the world.

Useless headline of the day

Dolphin's quarterback Jay Fiedler was benched at half-time in Saturday's game against the Titans.

An AP headline tells us "Dolphins' Fiedler Not Happy About Benching." AP must have Captain Obvious writing headlines.

When in the history of sports has a player ever said, "I'm happy the coach benched me. Did you see how bad I was playing? I was just about to ask him to bench me when he gave me the news. Hopefully, I'll be sitting the bench next week too."