The O'Hara Factor

Moving forward

2006-08-08T14:05:00.000-07:00

Amid all this categorizational stuff, I've decided to make a switch.

First off, I'm moving over to the blogging service Blogsome. It's based on WordPress, and it allows file uploads and template editing. That's really all I need in a blogging service.

Secondly, the blog will no longer be known as The O'Hara Factor. Amid feeling really awkward introducing myself as the author of "The O'Hara Factor", and with the will to start a group blog again, I'm resurrecting an old name I've never been able to beat: The Arizona Growler.

Don't expect any new posts here as I intend to populate The Arizona Growler with posts as fast as I have here. If you're interested in contributing, see the welcome page over there. Thanks for the fun. See you over at The Arizona Growler.

Medler charges dropped for now

2006-08-08T08:17:00.000-07:00

The Wildcat reported some time ago that IFC president Robert Medler's charges of theft via official credit card have been dropped. I expect a civil settlement instead, as Medler does admit his guilt.

Tags!

2006-08-07T14:34:00.001-07:00

I'm trying to set up categories on here, so bear with me as I get these tags working. Looks like Technorati's not working fast enough to get the thingers working, so I'll have to take some embarassing semi-dead links for a little while.

File this in the opinions section

2006-08-07T11:00:00.000-07:00

I'm guessing what was formerly known in the Arizona Daily Wildcat as "GoWild" is now known as "Heat Wave". Just what we need: another reference to the fact that weather in Tucson is hot. No crap.

And while I've never paid much attention to the section of either title, it's starting to look more like these things belong on the opinions page. Either that, or Heat Wave is some degenerated version of it (much like some of the mailbags).

Exhibit #1 is heaping praise upon the Dry River Collective and its moral and cultural degeneracy.

Tucson has earned its place on the map for having a socially conscious community and an accepting atmosphere. With alternative lifestyles like the gay and lesbian scene being openly embraced and the recent peaceful protests for humane immigration laws, the city has become a center of political freedom and a haven for knowledgeable citizens. One organization that promotes political awareness in downtown Tucson is the Dry River Collective, 740 N. Main St.

I'm only seeing this online, and I've previously noted significant differences between the print and online editions. At least online, this is not objective news. The Wildcat has every right to publish it, but please, please ensure it's labeled as COMMENTARY!

I suppose Exhibit #2 isn't disguised as objective news, but it too requires a commentary label. Perhaps the entire MSM should be concentrating on the recent attack in Seattle on a Jewish center by an obvious anti-Semitic radical Muslim rather than on a drunken Mel Gibson.

U.S. history versus the gened status quo

2006-08-04T10:03:00.000-07:00

The Arizona Republic reported two days ago regarding the possibility of requiring U.S. history at Arizona public universities.

Let there be no doubt: students are vastly undereducated regarding the history of our country, and there are not enough history professors to handle such a burden at UA right now. While the article only addresses these two issues, the current status of general education and academic bias at the university also come into play.

Students currently consider general education simply to be a burden upon what they really want to study before graduation. I doubt U.S. history courses will change that, but if the university wants to make room for such a possibility, general education will have to produce well-roundedness rather than burden and money drain.

Combined with the already-established academic bias of UA professors, what use are students going to gain from such Tier I or II courses as...?

INDV 102: Black and White: The Causes and Consequences (...)
INDV 102: Lesbian and Gay Studies (or we could treat people as individuals, too!)
*INDV 103: What is Politics? (at least under David Gibbs, promoted moral equivalency between Soviet Russian propaganda and that of the Reagan administration)
*JPN 245: Popular Culture in Japan (A course focused almost solely upon reading outdated, boring scholarly essays about popular art, not culture. Despite having taken four semesters of Japanese language and having been to Japan four times, this course was of no help.)
TRAD 101: The Africana Experience (stupid white men!!)
TRAD 104: Eroticism and Love in the Middle Ages (ooh, fun)

* Courses I've taken

Of course, there's good things about the general education courses as well. I give high marks to:

*INDV 101: Philosophical Perspectives on the Individual
*NATS 104: Nutrition, Food, and You
About to take TRAD 104: Justice and Virtue

The solution is simple. General education needs to be about things like classical philosphy and U.S. history, not sex and anime (but I repeat myself). After all, is there any use trying to find some way to blame it on the white man before actually studying history and philosophy?

New Afghani chief justice is UA-educated

2006-08-04T09:16:00.000-07:00

The end of Sharia law in Afghanistan may come from a UA-educated "technocrat", this according to the Pakistan News Service. Very good news indeed. This ought to rattle the "all cultures are equal" crowd. Let's see if UA has the guts to brag about it. I'll give them some time before levying specific criticism.

But in the meantime, we also have a professor facing jail time in Turkey for "insulting Turkishness." Instead, UANews covers a law professor getting a one-year appointment to the Nigerian president's cabinet.

There's more important news out there to report. Both the Wildcat and UANews totally missed the Shafak story, but the latter manages to brag about a temporary Nigerian cabinet post. Sure, the Nigeria story is newsworthy, but can we perhaps request some prioritization?

Hiatus day

2006-08-02T05:47:00.000-07:00

There's lots to write about and no time whatsoever. Expect something tomorrow. Thanks.

Update on Pac-10 cheerleading

2006-08-01T11:34:00.000-07:00

Perhaps an actual cheerleader could clarify most of this terminology, but it looks like much of what cheerleaders do is now banned, this according to the Pac-10 itself.

Previous speculation stated that the conference would ban cheerleaders from stunts in which both feet leave the ground.

Previous:
Pac-10 set to ban cheerleading stunts

Missing the point of blogging

2006-08-01T09:10:00.000-07:00

Via their listserv, I've just discovered the Arizona College Republicans blog (for the entire state, not just UA). Much like its predecessor operated by former chairman Pete Seat (to which I'd give a link if it wasn't now a splog), it entirely misses the point of blogging.

Political blogging is about independence, not a political party's line of propaganda. To paraphrase something I remember being posted on Pete Seat's blog, "I am yet to see one original thought here."

Then again, political blogging isn't about reputational self-destruction, either. (See "Google Bombs" at the bottom of the left column if curious.)

Update: You know your conservative organization is in trouble when it has a minority outreach coordinator.

Update 2 (August 4th): This must be the first time a "conservative" outlet has censored me. My comments are not there. Perhaps that's an overstatement.

Shafak to stand trial Sept. 21 in Istanbul court

2006-07-31T10:38:00.000-07:00

UA assistant professor Elif Shafak

from her website

UA assistant professor Elif Shafak's court date is September 21 in Istanbul according to a new report coming out of Turkey. According to the Guardian, nobody has been convicted under the law known as "Article 301", but the Arizona Republic notes that "Many authors, publishers and journalists have been charged under Article 301."

Looks like legal harassment rather than actual danger of jail. Nonetheless, it's completely unjust. Nothing heard from the university so far, even though it appears this has been going on for a while.

UA professor may be jailed in Turkey for practicing freedom of speech

2006-07-30T15:59:00.000-07:00

UA assistant professor Elif Shafak

from her website

The Arizona Republic reports today that Turkey may jail University of Arizona Near Eastern studies assistant professor Elif Shafak for up to three years for "insulting Turkishness" by criticizing Turkey's genocide of Armenians.

So far she's not jailed, but she has been interrogated by Turkish authorities and still could be jailed. Very distressing. Keep her in your prayers.

Update: Second link corrected.

What the Frisch?

2006-07-29T10:34:00.000-07:00

Looks like Deborah Frisch doesn't know when to shut the hell up. Not that we didn't know that already, but still.

Now she's threatening to sue Jeff Goldstein. This is putting Goldstein in a lot of unjustified trouble; I think he should countersue. Either way, he's putting together a paper trail of Frisch's coorespondence.

That's why I repeatedly try to write to you by email, not on a blog. It is frustrating that you reply to every message "This is the seventh time I have asked you not to email me. Stop now." when my intention is to de-escalate the situation and also maybe sue you.

Some lawyer is going to be stupid enough to take up this case. Okay, so there already is apparently. No link.

Update: See Patterico for full details. Frisch was at it again earlier making sexual comments on Goldstein's blog and Ace of Spades HQ. Goldstein will probably sue/countersue; that's very good news IMO, but none of us wanted it to get this far either way.

UA makes valuable contribution to national security

2006-07-28T19:34:00.000-07:00

UA scientists are hopefully proving that terrorists hiding intelligence on the Internet is like a schoolchild hiding his bad report card under his dad's pillow. For all the arguments that UA 'scholars' make against national security, this is one contribution to it that I certainly welcome.

In contrast to the article's mention of white supremacists however, "Mike A." makes a good point to contrast "terrorism" from "hate" groups in the comments.

I think we need to make a differentiation between "terror" and "supremecy" or "hate" groups. The former uses violence and targets the innocent, the latter just hates people. As distasteful as that might be, terrorism is illegal, hating people is not.

The part I dislike about lumping these two things together, is that it is a subjective endeavor. It is probable that liberals would include Michael Savage or Rush Limbaugh in the latter group as well as pro-life groups as well as conservative groups doing the same with groups on the left.

Without some standard to separate these things, we are on a slippery slope that could very well affect some of our freedoms.

He's right, but these groups also ought to have enough personal responsibility not to post anything on the Internet they want public. Can you say Facebook?

Polling places sway votes both ways

2006-07-28T09:33:00.000-07:00

My polling place sticks water tanks in the desert for illegal aliens.

picture from Humane Borders website

According to a Daily Star article written by former Wildcat editor Daniel Scarpinato, the polling place in which people vote may sway votes one way or the other, that according to a Stanford University study.

Current reaction indicates that people think Scarpinato is part of some liberal conspiracy. From my recollection, Scarpinato's op-ed writings were very liberal indeed. That doesn't mean he can't be a fair journalist, though.

In fact, I've thought about this multiple times. For the time I've been registered in Pima County, my assigned polling place has always been First Christian Church, which regularly supports 'peace' marches and houses Humane Borders, an organization that sticks water tanks out in the middle of the desert for illegal immigrants.

So imagine walking into a polling place where there's a water tank for illegal immigrants outside. Bias, perhaps?

Students wait in line to vote inside ASUA's office spaces

Matt Robles / Arizona Daily Wildcat

The same principle ought to apply to ASUA as well. When ASUA put up its own early voting site, students voted just near an office responsible for lobbying the state legislature for increased education funding, feminist advocacy, and homosexual advocacy.

Does this condemn the elections process to become a home based process either via the Internet or mail? In a certain way I hope it does.

Clarification: First Christian Church is the polling place for all students living on the UA campus. While I spent my second and third years of school living off-campus, my polling place has remained the same.

Thoughts on the Middle East

2006-07-27T18:58:00.000-07:00

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;

Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.

A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.

Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.

Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;

There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.

Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.

He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.

With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.

Psalm 91

Wildcat Observations II

2006-07-26T09:24:00.000-07:00

A few observations of today's Arizona Daily Wildcat.

Claire Laurence | Arizona Daily Wildcat

Diverse Greek life?

The picture to the right depicts what I ultimately feel has been a consistently-proven stereotype of a University of Arizona sorority: lots of rich, blonde sexual objects. (Okay, so some might have made themselves blonde.) The equivalent fraternity pictures probably have a bunch of dirtbags with poppped collars. And I'm not even going to try going into the insult against the military that such regard for camouflage entails.

The individuals pictured all have the freedom of association guaranteed in the First Amendment. I'm no affirmative action supporter, but there's probably something wrong when the picture doesn't even have a single minority, let alone a black-haired white person.

So how do we fix Greek organizations' racial diversity problems? I know! Let's voluntarily create segregated racial sects!

While both chapter presidents admit that stereotypes exist of the greek community as predominately upper class and white, diversity on the UA campus is changing the face of greek life.

Several chapters have emerged which are oriented toward multicultural interests, addressing ethnic, religious and sexual-orientation issues.

"I think what's happening in the greek community is just a reflection of the general campus climate as well," said Ballinger, regarding the trend toward greek diversity.

Huh?

Union food still a rip-off

In an on-campus grocery store, students can purchase a 15-ounce box of Cheerios cereal for $5.89, but students could save more than $5 by heading to Target near East Broadway Boulevard and North Dodge Boulevard, where two boxes of Cheerios costs $4.99.

Mallory Yontz, a political science sophomore, said she used to shop at Highland Market because it was convenient and she didn't have a car to go off campus with.

"When I lived on campus I would go to Highland Market for lot of little things every day, like milk and cereal," Yontz said.

Jennifer Barclay, a pre-physiology senior, said she usually doesn't shop for anything other than books on campus.

"I think the grocery store on campus is a bit overpriced," Barclay said.

She said she usually shops at grocery stores, like Fry's or Albertson's, for her groceries.

"It's closer to my house, cheaper and I get more savings if I become a member," Barclay said.

I'm not sure if I agree with being a member of a supermarket considering how they keep track of your purchases on those darn cards. I'm not sure if the union does anything similar with the CatCards.

But six bucks for a box of Cheerios?

Film on academic bias seeks UA screening help

2006-07-25T12:32:00.000-07:00

On the Fence Films is nearing the release of Indoctrinate U, a film concerning American academic bias. I immediately contacted them when they mentioned screening films at college campuses: I want one at the UA.

One or more clubs on campus are needed in order to bring a screening together. How about the College Republicans? Or the Republicrats? Or ASUA itself?

We can do this, so let's make it happen. Contact me at gpohara[aat}gmail.com and I'll get you in touch with the appropriate people.

ASU Students for Life sues ASU over viewpoint discrimination

2006-07-25T09:20:00.000-07:00

From ASU Students for Life Photobucket site

The AP and others report that ASU's Students for Life club is suing ASU over attempting to keep two events from taking place. The group's website does not make mention of the lawsuit, but I did subscribe to their email list.

They also have photos of what I believe are the two events in question on their Photobucket site.

Good veto

2006-07-23T08:59:00.000-07:00

Even regardless of my ethical sensibilities concerning destroying embryos, President Bush's veto of the stem cell bill was a good one. Now to get him to veto a spending bill.

Karen of Scottsdale has more info on the scientific applications of embryonic stem cells, deeming the concept junk science.

Brit Hume: "Professor [Frisch] goes postal"

2006-07-13T07:48:00.000-07:00

Brit Hume's "Political Grapevine" reported on the Deborah Frisch affair last night, and reported on it quite well for the short period of time he had for it.

Download Video (ht: Ms Underestimated)

Frisch continues to dig a deeper hole for herself, having broken her second promise to disappear. Go see for yourself. From now on, I think I'll follow Patterico's current policy with regards to her blog: no link. I'm sick of this.

Daily Mildcat sugar-coats Frisch affair

2006-07-12T09:09:00.000-07:00

Frisch made a comment referring to the murder of Jon Benet Ramsey, saying she wouldn't feel bad if Goldstein's son faced a similar fate. Frisch said that she now feels she "crossed the line."

It seems the Arizona Daily Wildcat kept it just as mild if not milder than the Tucson Citizen article.

The Wildcat has a long track record of being sexually crude in both article and advertisement content. Strip-club advertisements regularly run in the back pages. Advertisements from Campus Health Service entitled "Sex Talk" are a regular starter of crude conversation among students. A search in the Wildcat's online archives comes up with 317 web pages containing the F-word. (Note: The Wildcat recently switched servers, so you'll have to keep the search key in the format presented.)

Shall we look at those comments again?

I’d like to hear more about your “tyke” by the way. Girl? Boy? Toddler? Teen? Are you still married to the woman you ephed to give birth to the tyke?

Tell all, bro!

And

[...] as I said elsewhere, if I woke up tomorrow and learned that someone else had shot you and your “tyke” it wouldn’t slow me down one iota. You aren’t “human” to me.

[...]

So if you could just tell me the AGE and SEX of your “tyke,” I’d be stoked!

Thanx!

And

Ooh. Two year old boy. Sounds hot. You live in Colorado, I see. Hope no one Jon-Benets your baby.

Are you still married to the woman you humped to produce the toddler?

And

I reiterate: If some nutcase kidnapped your child tomorrow and did to her what was done to your fellow Coloradan, Jon-Benet Ramsey, I wouldn’t give a damn.

And

Give your pathetic progeny (I sure hope that mofo got good genes from his mama!) a big fat tongue-filled kiss from me! LOTS AND LOTS OF SALIVA from Auntie MOONBAT, if you don’t mind!

Somehow, Jeffy boy, I think you get off on the possibility of Frenching your pathetic progeny, even if it is a boy. You seem like a VERY, VERY sick mofo to me, bro.

And

You know, Jeff, I just don’t get it. You say, and I believe you, that a human female chose to procreate with you and you have produced a 2 year old progeny.

But you live in Colorado and I really can’t believe there are women desperate and/or stupid enough to procreate with the likes of you.

What am I missing, dude?

So the poor bitch is dirt poor and that’s why she pretended you were worthy of procreating with?

And

Just my two cents: The pathetic jeffy boy goldstein plays the jew card 24/7. Didn’t you notice?

THIS IS A CESSPOOL!!! GET OUT WHILE YOU CAN!!!!

JEFF!!! DRINK THE KOOLAID AND LET YOUR WIFE RAISE THE little Goldstein Junior!

And

I am SHAKING, I tell you, SHAKING!!! in my boots at the prosect at an FBI and/or state police trooper tromping down my driveway to see if I was a threat to the progeny of the pissant name of Jeff “pissant” Goldstein of the pathetic, neutered, sissified, state of Colorado. I don’t give a rat’s ass whether the pissant’s progeny live or die, but I have no intention of snuffing the mofo’s chillen myself.

And

Still waiting for some words of wisdom (NOT!) from you, Jeffy boy!

Your little boot-lickers have had their say. What say you, king dingbat?!

Wanna escalate this game. Fine wit me.

Bring it on, hombre.

Bring it on.

Some double-standard.

Update: If you would like to contact the Arizona Daily Wildcat concerning their article, their contact email is letters@wildcat.arizona.edu.

Goldstein on the radio (as of 2:13pm AZ time)

2006-07-11T14:17:00.000-07:00

Jeff Goldstein is on the radio at AM 710 KIRO. Protein Wisdom has more detail, but the times are wrong for us Arizona people, as the interview started at 3:05pm Mountain Daylight Time, not Standard.

Update: Interview over. It's nice to hear it audibly from the source, however the interview didn't reveal much that we didn't know already (near as I could tell).

Update 2: Frisch writes that she's done "for a while." For the second time, of course. Is a while longer than a 6.5-hour-month?

Interfraternity Council president accused of stealing $18K

2006-07-11T09:20:00.000-07:00

In news unrelated to all that other stuff below, another individual at the U of Arizona is in trouble. The president of UA's Interfraternity Council is in jail now facing charges of stealing $18,000 using an organizational credit card between March and June.

Robert Thomas Medler told police he made numerous personal purchases and withdrawals from the IFC's bank account using a credit card he was issued as president, according to a search warrant return filed Monday in Pima County Superior Court.
The $18,035.38 in unauthorized charges, which stretched from March 10 through June 15, was discovered by the group's treasurer when he received the bank statements, according to court records.

This incident appears similar to that of Maceo Brown, who is accused of stealing $200,000 over a period of four years while working with the Arizona Students Association.

Frisch likes, Goldstein refutes Citizen article

2006-07-11T08:41:00.000-07:00

Deborah Frisch continues to comment on the affair, now declaring that the Tucson Citizen article is her "favorite." If the identity of the second commenter is true, then Jeff Goldstein is one to disagree, having written a long refutation of the article. No such refutation appears on the Arizona Daily Star article. (Note: I also had a problem with line breaks on the Tucson.com comment system.)

Just as I was writing this, Goldstein made a new post about the Citizen article. I left a comment on the post myself.

So this is why they call it the Tucson Comrade...

Frisch has also left a comment on my previous post that you should read.

Garrett,

I think you are the only UA student blogging about this issue so far.

I don't agree with everything you say, but you say it very well and of course, I am glad to see you using your first amendment.

Thanks for paying attention,

Deborah Frisch

If Frisch is only referring to the coverage of her dealings with Goldstein, then there isn't much there with which to disagree. Perhaps Frisch believes she's sorry, but she's not showing much of that shame. I'm confused. Somebody get me a psychologist. :-P

Frisch removes offensive image, continues commenting

2006-07-10T23:12:00.000-07:00

Former UA psychology professor Deborah Frisch has updated her blog with a link here per my request. I figure the readers who see her response to me ought to be able to see my response back. Moreover, the post containing the image of "Count Cockula" is gone as I and others suggested, and Frisch continues to blog about the Goldstein affair, breaking her original promise not to comment on it for a month.

Perhaps "Walking in Memphis" might be an appropriate post if (and only if) she is truly sorry, but then she talks about forming a "discussion group" formed of those "fascinated by the workings of the mind of the count." Somehow, it seems Dr. Frisch still thinks she's blameless enough in all this to justify forming a discussion group of "moonbats" (Frisch's words) to figure out exactly why Jeff Goldstein isn't happy about how she has treated him and his family before and after the newsbreak. Clearly, the apology to Mr. Goldstein still isn't very sincere, and I am personally questioning the true sincerity of her apology to the university community as well.

Update: Might I add that she takes the time in the limelight to make a target of herself by mocking dead soldiers?

Update 2 (11 July): The Tucson Citizen now has a story up, but I say again: Frisch does not appear to be sorry. No matter what she says to a reporter over the telephone, the evidence on her blog still shows otherwise.

Frisch responds to my criticism

2006-07-10T15:56:00.000-07:00

Former UA psychology professor Deborah Frisch has responded to a critical comment I made on one of her posts.

My comment:

You owe a sincere apology not only to Mr. Goldstein but [also] to your university community for dragging all of us down with you.

Garrett O'Hara
U of Arizona political science senior

Her response:

Garrett,

I really am sorry for saying that I would be indifferent to the suffering of Mr. Goldstein's child. And I am sorry that the UA's name was dragged into this. And I regret how this has upset and stressed out my family and friends.

I really do apologize for embarrassing the students and faculty at the University of Arizona.

This will be my last post on South(west)paw on the Goldstein affair for at least one month.

Thanks for your message,

DF

I think we here in the university community for the time being have to give Dr. Frisch the benefit of the doubt and determine that her apology to the university community is most likely sincere. But if Mr. Goldstein is to consider the apology to him seriously, the least she could do is remove the image of "Count Cockula" of which Mr. Goldstein was clearly and justifiably not amused. Something about that tells me she's just trying to deflect the softer-hearted.

Considering how she's been messing up the PR so far, perhaps silence in addition to removing the image is the best thing she can do for her own sake.

Update: Okay, perhaps Goldstein isn't so unamused.

Update 2: The Arizona Daily Star has picked up on the story. This story thankfully looks more objective than the Inside Higher Ed article, which received much criticism from the right, including from Goldstein himself (see previous posts).

Protein Wisdom status still off and on; Frisch pretends to be apologetic

2006-07-10T10:03:00.000-07:00

Michelle Malkin currently has Jeff Goldstein's latest comments up on her website since Protein Wisdom is still very much unreliable in the wake of multiple Denial of Service attacks. Goldstein's site has a picture of his comment moderation page proving that he's not modifying Frisch's comments as she unjustifiably alleges.

Frisch is a disgrace to this institution. From the perspective of this Arizona student, she is dragging all of our reputations down with her. ASUA (UA's student government) should immediately condemn her actions on the part of all students (sorry GPSC, grads included), and, as Kevin Baker's friend noted, the university should immediately issue a letter of apology to make sure no school thinks highly of her reputation again.

Psychology professor resigns after threatening blogger, toddler son

2006-07-09T16:10:00.000-07:00

UA psychology professor Deborah Frisch has resigned from her post at the University of Arizona following blogospheric controversy after she attacked Protein Wisdom blogger Jeff Goldstein and his toddler son. Fortunately, Frisch has resigned rather than exacerbating the problem for the psych department.

National bloggers everywhere are already all over the news, so I’ll let them do what they do best (and very well) and report what hasn’t come out.

Frisch, according to the university's Teacher-Course Evaluation website (sorry, only "members of the UA community" are allowed in) is recorded as having taught nine individual psychology courses, most recently PSYC 290A: "Research Methods". 93% of the 122 students in this most recent course listed her as either being "almost always effective" or "usually effective."

Frisch's Facebook profile (again, UA community only) does not list much other than her already-confirmed teaching of the "Research Methods" course.

A Google search for her name in the Arizona Daily Wildcat yields three results in the paper:

Shortly after the 2004 election, Frisch responded to John Kerry's loss with a seemingly vague and confusing letter declaring that "Javelinas are running the asylum."
Frisch told disrespected mall evangelist Jed Smock to get his "sorry ass out of town" in February of 2005. She has more on that confrontation on her blog.
In a March 2005 article, Frisch is quoted as having had a debate with respected mall evangelist Cliffe Knechtle.

Frisch seems to fit every conservative's stereotype of a liberal wacko college professor, but even I don't expect them to make threats to bloggers, or even to sing rhymes about how Bush's "brain's in his tush."

Update: UA grad Kevin Baker at The Smallest Minority has comments from a nameless UA employee who makes some good points regarding why Goldstein ought to demand a letter of apology. Moreover, Frisch was actually "about one step higher than a TA", not a tenured professor.

Pac-10 set to ban cheerleading stunts

2006-06-23T19:46:00.000-07:00

So much for my hiatus; this has me riled up.

According to multiple reports, the Pac-10 Conference is set to ban cheerleading stunts that would require both feet to leave the ground.

If you want to make it safer, perhaps you could put out some padded mats during halftime or something? How about uniformed safety observers who ensure nothing goes wrong? Something that could save the sport? Instead, we have a bunch of fat cats thinking they know what's best for us.

I'm not exactly the most rowdy fan of UA sports or the biggest fan of cheerleading, but there is something special about putting yourself out on the line and having to place special trust in your teammates to keep you from injury. The students who put themselves out there for the team deserve our respect and support.

Update (August 1st): They've done it, but it looks less stringent. Interpretation help requested.

On hiatus

2006-06-17T03:35:00.000-07:00

In case you couldn't tell already. See you in July.

Evaluating the legal requirements of Second Amendment rights on campus

2006-05-25T10:37:00.000-07:00

The freedom issue is aside and clear: the Second Amendment applies to adults on the University campus.

I started researching this issue after students at SUNY New Paltz decided to form a student militia. Personally, I think they're not quite right in the head, as does the NRA. Perhaps people would understand that the term "militia" in a civilian context is not threatening if they didn't mention terms to the effect of "first lieutenant", "warrant officer", "platoons." These guys need to get their act together and simply lobby for individual rights, not an anti-police brouhaha.

Back when I was sending out questions to ASUA candidates, incumbent senatorial candidate Matthew Boepple noted "I believe a state law would have to be changed in order for students to be able to carry weapons on campus. Arizona Law prohibits the unauthorized possession of weapons in state buildings, which includes all university buildings." I was unable to find such a law, including within CCW certification publications. If somebody knows of such a specific law governing all state buildings, please let me know.

With that said, here is the law as it stands. ARS §13-3102 sets forth rules against bringing firearms onto school grounds. School is defined as "a public or nonpublic kindergarten program, common school, or high school." Notice that this does not apply to universities.

ARS §13-2911 requires that "The appropriate governing board of every educational institution shall adopt rules pursuant to title 41, chapter 6 for the maintenance of public order on all property of any educational institution under its jurisdiction that is used for educational purposes and shall provide a program for the enforcement of its rules." The appropriate governing board in our case is the Arizona Board of Regents.

ABOR Policy 5-303 states that "Unauthorized use, possession or storage of any weapon, explosive device or fireworks on the university campus or at a university-sponsored activity" is "misconduct...subject to disciplinary action." A "weapon" according to Policy 5-302 is "any object or substance designed to inflict a wound, cause injury, or incapacitate, including, without limitation, all firearms, pellet guns, switchblade knives, knives with blades five or more inches in length, and chemicals such as 'mace' or tear-gas, but excluding normally available over-the-counter self-defense chemical repellents." UAPD's "Weapons on Campus" policy parallels the Board of Regents.

It seems fairly clear to me that the only two obstacles barring weapons on campus are ABOR policy and any action the University of Arizona itself might take if ABOR was to lift such a policy. Seems like a long shot, but it may be worth going for.

Citation: I found significant help with finding the ARS codes involved inside The Arizona Gun Owner's Guide by Alan Korwin (Phoenix: Bloomfield Press, 1998).

NCLB sets strict, unconstitutional, unrealistic food standards

2006-05-24T11:23:00.000-07:00

The Arizona Daily Star reports today that the ever-so-hated No Child Left Behind Act also has nutrition standards to be implemented in all K-12 public schools starting July 1st.

Don’t get me wrong, I hate the No Child Left Behind act just as much as the NEA, but for a more principled reason: the federal government has no business meddling in state affairs such as these.  Such a law might be appropriate at the school district or state level.  The Federal law looks to be more strict than the state law.

If you want to go multiculturalist on this one, it makes no room for anything to the effect of “World Food day,” or for that matter, any parent bringing in cupcakes for the kids’ birthdays.  We must have some happy image of the kids obediently and happily eating the same processed bread, processed cheese, processed meat, and processed broccoli.  So in a sense, everybody should have been against this law, but our oh-so “conservative” Republicans got it done ~~despite “liberal” Democrats’ cries of states’ and districts’ rights~~.  Nice work, you two.

Of course, there’s always Laura’s idea of, get this, privatizing the schools, which would entirely eliminate this and other debates concerning “under God”, creationism/evolutionism, and Ritalin.  Imagine that.

Update: Turns out that the measure had bipartisan support from both the House and Senate. I guess that makes it worse.

Historical perspective on today's MEChA

2006-05-22T09:16:00.000-07:00

(click on images for further information)

O'Reilly interviews Tucson High School radical speaker

2006-05-06T14:00:00.000-07:00

Bill O'Reilly on Tuesday night interviewed Dolores Huerta, the previously-mentioned radical speaker who told Tucson High School students that "Republicans Hate Latinos." Expose the Left has video.

I was justifyingly expecting something better out of the interview, but Huerta fails to answer O'Reilly's more pointed questions.

Mailbag observations

2006-05-03T07:32:00.000-07:00

As of 7:30 this morning, I am now noticing the Wildcat's new format. It's still via CollegePublisher, but it's a good improvement. Now to get rid of the ad banners on the right and reclaim the screen space I paid good money for (okay, my parents paid it, but still).

While today's online mailbag contains letters from both yours truly and friend Jacob White, it also has three letters not found in today's print edition, including but not limited to a critical letter from former Matt Van Horn campaign manager Aaron Rottenstein regarding lack of coverage of his campaign.

Jake Lacey / Arizona Daily Wildcat

<sarcasm>
Of course the Wildcat didn't cover Van Horn. He didn't have any campaign staff dress up like a rapper. How do you expect to gain political office without having a campaign staffer dress like a rapper?
</sarcasm>

:bangs head on wall:

Clarification: One reader noted to me that I, in fact, did not pay for that screen space occupied by advertisements on the Wildcat website. What I mean is that my computer screen is being occupied by advertisements instead of content, not that I'm paying something to the Wildcat. Thankfully, the Wildcat is financially and editorially independent of the University, which means that it would be very difficult for UA to do anything to the paper if they felt like censoring it, and it's not trying to suck student money in a Union-esque fashion. I'll take the hit for that and make my thoughts more clear next time.

Bernsen guilty (according to letters given to Wildcat by accusers)

2006-05-03T04:29:00.000-07:00

The Arizona Daily Wildcat reports this morning that former ASUA President Cade Bernsen is, in fact, guilty, now that they've seen letters from the Dean of Students Office to the four (not two!) women. Bernsen can no longer be impeached as he is no longer an elected official as of two days ago, and I don't have enough experience to know whether the newly-inaugurated ASUA Senate might "censure" him post-term.

They published some good letters in the mailbag today, including that of yours truly.

Wildcat website down this morning

2006-05-02T07:53:00.000-07:00

I told you CollegePublisher was a bad idea...

Okay, not directly, but this is a consequence. The university is typically really good about keeping web servers up. CollegePublisher's main site, The Daily Texan (Texas at Austin), and The Daily Trojan (USC) are all down. Those are the student papers I know that run on CollegePublisher, so it looks like a system-wide issue.

And to think I could be reading my own letter...

Update: No letter today.

Update II: Back up. The formatting was rather unpolished for a while, but it looks to be back to normal now.

ASA has money stolen, throws away still more

2006-04-29T09:19:00.000-07:00

This man is in trouble. And so is his organization, in my opinion.

The Arizona Daily Wildcat reported yesterday that former Arizona Students’ Association executive director Maceo Brown is being accused of stealing more than $200,000 over a period of four years.

ASA is the organization I posted about earlier that charges every university student one dollar every semester for its lobbying work. In other words, the guy spent students’ money in order to eat at Olive Garden, etc. Most students probably don’t know about that dollar-a-semester thing, either.

Meanwhile, I got my dollar back the other day via snail mail. That’s right; your Arizona Students’ Association spent 39¢ in order to send a check for one dollar, not including the cost of labor, the envelope, and the accompanying letter. And you thought the government was inefficient.

Objurgate Opine with O'Hara

2006-04-22T15:14:00.000-07:00

Now that I have a Skype account, I now have the ability to record audio interviews over the Internet. Thus, if you'd like to be interviewed for The Arizona Podcat, please shoot me an email and we'll schedule a time. Please note that because finals are coming up, my availability may be extremely limited. Moreover, all interviews would become my property and licensed under the same Creative Commons license as both the Factor and the Podcat.

Moreover, if you are a semi-outsider (or perhaps otherwise) and would like to help out with the interviewing, that works, too. The more people we have, the more interesting it becomes.

VCU student government faced similar problems to ASUA during elections

2006-04-22T09:21:00.000-07:00

VCU SGA Watch looks to have covered the student government of Virginia Commonwealth University in much the same fashion as this blog. Its latest post brings up a multitude of issues, not the least of which is the First Amendment issue during campaigns. So long as an Elections Committee is having to approve all campaign materials, a potential First Amendment issue ought to take center-stage.

Here at Arizona, it didn't. The issue was whether people were following the code, how much it ought to be enforced, etc. Nobody brought up any issue over whether an Elections Commissioner should have to approve such materials in the first place. Moreover, because of confidentiality issues, the public had no way of knowing what materials, if any, might have been censored, and what exact violations actually took place other than what the candidates could claim.

Much of the VCU discussion is at their message board. And guess what? Yale had similar problems, and its story actually made it to the Associated Press and CNN's website.

ASUA should start fixing this starting with their first senate meeting next semester with First Amendment issues at the forefront.

This is gratifying

2006-04-18T17:06:00.000-07:00

I've been wondering for a while why I've been getting so many hits from, of all places, ITALY. Now I know.

One of the Italians debating is former UA doctoral student Giorgio Torrieri, whom I mentioned back in November of 2004. Torrieri appears here (post #30) in what appears to be a rant in much of the same fashion as an old letter to the Wildcat.

At least from manually transferring a bunch of stuff into Google Translator, most of the comments are positive. To think that old, archived work from The Arizona Growler made it this far is simply astounding.

Let this be a note to bloggers out there; it matters!

O'Reilly Factor covers Tucson High School rift

2006-04-13T18:02:00.000-07:00

Bill O'Reilly made mention of Tucson tonight concerning Tucson High School's inviting of a radical speaker without counterbalance. Unfortunately, this isn't surprising nor is it the only sign of bias in Tucson's schools. Not only did 520 teachers walk out on Monday, but...

David Bachman-Williams, a government and geometry teacher at Tucson High School, sat with a group of his students in the grass at Armory Park and talked about the day's events. He called the day an invaluable civics lesson.

"I'm teaching government better here than at Tucson High," Bachman-Williams said. "I'm connecting with students so much better here. When I go back tomorrow, they are going to listen more."

(source)

Mention of the city-wide student figure is at the Arizona Podcat.

Biblical justification for immigration enforcement

2006-04-10T17:43:00.000-07:00

I posted the following earlier on a personal blog, so it doesn't have full citations or any sort of formality. Nonetheless, it's worth debating over.

1. Humanitarian aid is sometimes a crime. Aiding and abetting crime is not only illegal, it's unbiblical. We know that from Romans 13. Jesus commands us as Christians to help the less fortunate, and this is no exception. The organization that best exemplifies this example is...The Minuteman Project! They obey our laws, and they get the Border Patrol to people who need food and water.

2. The purpose of government is not to do the 'Christian' thing when something like this comes up. 2 Corinthians 9:7 states "Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." Giving is not the responsibility of government; it is our responsibility. Imagine what happens when we give the government the power to determine what is the 'Christian' thing to do. That what we like to call theocracy, and we can't have anything near that.

3. I read in a political science textbook the other day one commentator's opinion that "The relative difference between this and other waves of immigration is that these immigrants want to share in the distribution of the nation's material goods, but they are hardly interested at all in identifying with the political values of the same community." People who desire to live in our country must identify with our political values. That doesn't mean adopting the American 'apple-pie and baked potatoes' culture; it means respecting the rules of civil discourse and taking personal responsibility. When illegal immigrants force hospitals (read: patients) to pay for their health care simply by virtue of having crossed the border, and when students of Mexican descent hang Mexican flags above upside-down American flags, I get a little worried that the population has not adopted our political values. That in itself is a generalization, sure. But above all, respecting our political values means not breaking the law, which by definition every illegal immigrant has done.

4. We could argue the economics of the debate all day. As I am not an economist, I don't want to go too far into that; this is the politics. If Mexican workers are an economic necessity (and by no means am I saying they are), then let's make it easier for Mexicans to work in the United States, whether that be via guest worker programs, accelerated citizenship, etc. Don't circumvent law in order to fit circumstance.

Public school busses take students to and from protest?

2006-04-10T10:24:00.000-07:00

Via Michelle Malkin, I've learned that Tucson school busses at minimum transported students from the pro-illegal immigration protest.

I recognize that Indymedia isn't exactly the most unbiased and reliable source, but a photographer does indicate that school busses took students to AND from the protest. From might be an issue of public safety. To is absolutely outrageous. Consider this a developing story.

The last time I attended an MLK march (shortly before the 2004 primaries), UA Cat Trans transported people from Reid Park back to campus. I hardly think this is equivalent to supporting Martin Luther King, despite the political overtones tainting that particular march.

More thoughts on protesters...

2006-04-10T08:22:00.000-07:00

There's apparently two rallies converging into one later on today, and I'm not releasing details because I don't want them getting any attention to make them feel important. I wish I had time to counter-protest today, but Japanese 202 calls.

Meanwhile, the final forum on the Student Union fee takes place north of the SUMC at noon today. The Wildcat, in similar fashion to the proposed Student Activities Fee from two years ago, has disendorsed the Student Union fee.

I may observe campus political activities today, but I'm not leaving with protesters on their way to the rally.

Upcoming Union Fee vote incites debate

2006-04-07T18:34:00.000-07:00

The prospect of charging UA students with yet another mandatory fee is inciting debate. ASUA University Relations Director Brad Burns, speaking as an individual, has emailed me his concerns. Meanwhile, Arizona Student Unions has posted a website section regarding the fee, and is advertising the site under the plea "Make your voice heard."

I suppose that's better than "Exercise your vote," a pun ASUA used to gather support for the Student Recreation Center Expansion Fee. Meanwhile at the Arizona Podcat, I've characterized Arizona Student Unions as "The Goodwill Mugger."

The Union website also contains a discussion board, where one transfer student notes having suffered through $200 in activities fees. Union director Dan Adams apparently posted as a guest rather than creating an account, thus opening himself up to being misquoted on his own website. Directly below Adams' comment are two pieces of automated forum spam.

The final student forum will reportedly take place at the stage north of the SUMC from noon to one in the afternoon this Monday, with the vote taking place Tuesday and Wednesday. More later.

"Teach-In" bound to be loud protest

2006-04-05T21:18:00.000-07:00

The following was sent out onto the "Lo Que Pasa Faculty & Staff News Listserv" today. Turns out there's a "teach-in" taking place at the Alumni ~~Skate Park~~ Plaza tomorrow at noon. Shout me a "Viva La Raza" if you think the debate's going to be civil.

Mexican American Studies students will hold a teach-in Thursday to explore immigration reform and immigration legislation now being considered by Congress.

"For the past several weeks, we have watched in disbelief as thousands of middle and high school students have walked out of their classrooms into the streets, to state and federal buildings to bring attention to immigration reform and proposed legislation known as the Border Protection, Anti-Terrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005," Antonio Estrada, director of Mexican American Studies and Research Center wrote in a memo to the campus community.

"Their energy and bravado has made many stop and ask ourselves how well we understand this legislation and its implications."

To increase awareness about the issue, Mexican American Studies student will hold a teach-in at noon on Thursday, April 6, at the UA Alumni Plaza, in front of the Administration Building.

On hand to assist student leaders in the discussion will be activist and immigration expert Isabel Garcia and Mexican American Studies instructor Salomon Baldenegro.

And it's back...

2006-04-03T16:49:00.000-07:00

According to an accuser, Cade Bernsen's troubles aren't over. After having sent others and me a letter proclaiming that the Dean of Students office had dropped his charges, it turns out those aren't the only ones as the Wildcat reports today.

Here's what I don't get: there's another accuser. Why are we only talking about one? Did the other one drop charges or something. Both the accuser(s) and Bernsen are leaving the public in a dark cloud of secrecy here~~, and frankly I'm not sure I'd do it any differently if I was the innocent one~~.

Update: What am I talking about? I wouldn't put something out like that until it was all done!

The Arizona Podcat

2006-03-31T12:29:00.000-07:00

The PodCat is live!!

Again, I'm looking for contributors. Let me know.

Note: I've moved it to a new location, so take note.

Grad students release anti-ASUA blog

2006-03-29T10:15:00.000-07:00

Grad student and Pima County Board of Supervisors candidate Bennett Kalafut writes in today's Wildcat Mailbag concerning the continuing conflict between ASUA and GPSC. ASUA remains largely silent about the issue. Meanwhile, the letter announces the URL of an independent blog that seems largely dedicated to supporting GPSC against ASUA.

Uagradvoice.org is one of those blogs that doesn't know it's a blog. I'll give them a chance on the bad formatting since I made the same mistakes myself in the past. But as they always say, content is king, and the blog's content is nothing more than unsourced, recycled arguments.

I do suppose, however, that a bad argument always wins against no argument. Speak up, ASUA.

Update: I implied/stated earlier that GPSC is responsible for Uagradvoice.org. This is not true; it's independent according to the disclaimer at the bottom of the page.

Update 2: GPSC's website indicates that one of the blog authors, Anne Murdaugh, is a representative of the College of Science to GPSC. That explains the recycled arguments.

On immigration bill protesters

2006-03-29T09:05:00.000-07:00

Michelle Malkin has been doing the best job with this. Ironically, something I found in a book I'm reading for a political science class says it best.

"The relative difference between this and other waves of immigration is that these immigrants want to share in the distribution of the nation's material goods, but they are hardly interested at all in identifying with the political values of the same community."

Jean Leca in "Questions on Citizenship"
Dimensions of Radical Democracy (Chaltal Mouffe, editor)

Update: Laura posts in agreement with Michelle Malkin over the divisiveness of the protesters' reactions in relation to "reactive culturalism".

Syndication!!

2006-03-28T13:19:00.000-07:00

I'm getting hints that people (including big fans) don't check as often as I update. Try one of the syndication tools now on the right of the page, especially the email one if you're not familiar with RSS or Firefox live bookmarks.

Facebook bans fake profiles?

2006-03-28T09:31:00.000-07:00

Today's print edition of the Wildcat contains an article from the Indiana Daily Student concerning fake profiles on Facebook. The article notes at minimum a fake profile based on sports analyist Lee Corso and a group "with a few curse words in it" according to a student.

Facebook indicates that "Fake/celebrity names are not permitted, everyone knows that you aren't Paris Hilton.", but this is the first mention I've heard of the policy being enforced.

Current bogus Facebook activity at the University of Arizona includes a group dedicated to bogus profiles, Ghengis Khan, "Chocolate Covered Strawberries", and -- my personal favorite -- Bill O'Reilly.

Open forum on proposed student union fee called

2006-03-27T16:48:00.000-07:00

ASUA University Relations Director and former senate candidate Brad Burns has notified me that an open forum on the proposed mandatory student union fee has been called. Burns will be debating in opposition to the fee against University Activities Board President Bridgette Gallagher at 7pm in the Union Kiva.

This upcoming Wednesday, March 29, ASUA and the Young Democrats will be hosting an open forum concerning the Student Union fee proposal and referendum being held on April 11th and 12th. Students and members of the public will be able to ask questions and engage a proponent and an opponent of the fee, University Activities Board President Bridgette Gallagher and ASUA University Relations Director Brad Burns, respectively.

The forum will be hosted debate style between the proponent and opponent of the fee and will be followed by a public question and answer session for both Miss Gallagher and Mr. Burns. During this time period, we invite any interested student or media outlet to express concerns or questions regarding the fee proposal and referendum.

Topics about the fee that will be addressed include the fee’s justification, distribution, and subsequent student oversight.

Moderator: ASUA Senator Rhonda Tubbs
Proponent: UAB President Bridgette Gallagher
Opponent: ASUA University Relations Director Brad Burns
7pm on Wednesday, March 29th in the SUMC Kiva Room

Sounds fun.

MSM slow to pick up on Bernsen charge dismissal (?)

2006-03-27T04:40:00.000-07:00

I was expecting to see something in the Wildcat this morning about the Dean of Students office dropping charges against ASUA President Cade Bernsen. Nothing at all, not in the Wildcat, not in the Star, not in the Citizen.

Granted, my only source is Cade Bernsen himself. Developing...

Update (28 March): The Wildcat tells me that they're trying to confirm Bernsen's claim with the Dean of Students office.

BREAKING: Charges against Cade Bernsen dismissed according to public letter

2006-03-24T18:42:00.000-07:00

According to a letter sent to me by ASUA President Cade Bernsen, the Dean of Students office has dismissed the charges of sexual harassment. The time of receipt was 3:23 P.M. local time.

3-24-06
Dear Friends,

After months of living under the burden of false accusations, I am pleased to announce that the charges of sexual assault and indecent exposure against me have been dismissed by the Dean of Students.

As you may recall on November 29, 2005, I was confronted by a certain group of students who wanted me out of office and was informed that, if I did not resign as ASUA President within the next few hours, I would be publicly humiliated with charges of sexual assault and indecent exposure. I refused and was subsequently treated to the lurid spectacle in the Arizona Daily Wildcat that was repeated in other papers around the country. I was surprised and ashamed that our college newspaper would print a story with no adequate investigation and write the article as if the graphic and fabricated incidents were true. I am now requesting that these papers print that these accusations have been dismissed.

There were people who assumed my guilt. I was tried by rumor, hearsay, innuendo, and every other unfair way. When I said that I had heard of secret meetings as early as September, 2005, by individuals to plot my removal from office, I was ridiculed and told that the idea was preposterous. People in those meetings and some of my accusers denied that any meetings took place. As witnesses have come forward, these certain individuals have been forced to confess that there were indeed multiple meetings to plot my impeachment and embarrass me into resigning.
During the Christmas break after much prayer and consultation with family and friends, I made the decision to stay and fight these accusations. Regardless of my innocence or guilt, many thought I should resign to preserve the so-called status quo and avoid the inevitable pain that would accompany such an ordeal. They were wrong. I did not ask for or cause this situation to occur. I will not back down and I will not give up. When I took office I promised the students that I would be a warrior. While this is not the way I envisioned it, I believe I am keeping that promise. I will also be ever mindful of those who stood with me during the darkest days of this ordeal and those who scurried as soon as the going got tough.

I thank God, my family, friends, and all those who have expressed their support during this most difficult time. I also want to thank the many witnesses who came forward to speak out on my behalf despite being discouraged and even threatened. There were certainly people who wanted to sweep this situation under the rug and make it go away, but that is not going to happen. I am blessed that despite all the pain and agony these charges and their irresponsible publication has caused, an investigation has taken place and the charges have been dismissed.

David Cade Bernsen

Good Night and Good Luck

Anybody have this book?

2006-03-21T13:32:00.000-07:00

I need a copy of Nancy Fraser's Unruly Practices: Power, Discourse, and Gender in Contemporary Social Theory after having misplaced it. Essay due Monday. Will pay $5.00 above list price.

Question of the Week: ASUA vs. GPSC

2006-03-20T16:28:00.000-07:00

Out with elections, in with issues.

I noticed a two-page flyer in my Japanese classroom today regarding ASUA unjustifiably "claiming to represent" graduate students. This is a field in which I have absolutely no experience other than articles in the Wildcat, so let's get down to the issue and fire up some debate.

Question of the Week will hopefully become a weekly feature on the Factor. EMAIL your response here. DO NOT RESPOND IN THE COMMENTS. Additionally, if you have suggestions for future questions of the week, email me in the same fashion.

The question: Does ASUA represent graduate students well? What exactly should a separation between GPSC and ASUA constitute?

Sullenness

2006-03-07T09:02:00.000-07:00

What can I say? This is too much to cover in the amount of time that I have to do things like this. The lack of candidate response doesn't help, either. Perhaps I'll just stick to mockery via graphics projects. I might not even vote, simply out of protest.

Apologies/special thanks to Albert Borgmann.

REPOST: Privacy Suggestion

2006-02-28T15:49:00.000-07:00

I'm inadvertently identifying more people who read this blog, so I'm reposting this.

As you should know by looking at the bottom of the left column on this page, I have a Site Meter which records information about visitors. I mainly use this to figure out who is linking to my blog. If you are using a webmail account and your username is in the URL of your program, you are sending me your username when you click on the link to my site from the email somebody sent you that said "Hey, check out this O'Hara idiot." Especially considering how so many usernames are based off actual names, if you do this, chances are that I now know your real name.

Surely, you can trust Garrett O'Hara; I have nothing to gain from knowing your name save a few ego points. But the rest of the Internet is also able to see these statistics, meaning you are telling the entire world exactly when you logged into my website, along with location, IP address, web browser, and more. For the sake of your own privacy, stop clicking on links in emails; copy and paste the URL into a new browser window.

I should correct that I and the rest of the world find the first three octets of your IP address, not the fourth.

original post

SC reinstates Tubbs; Cook out

2006-02-28T04:58:00.000-07:00

According to the Wildcat, Rhonda Tubbs has been reinstated into the executive vice-presidential race after the ASUA Supreme Court found that Matt Van Horn's AIM profile did not constitute a campaign violation. Third-place candidate Patrick Cook is thus out of the race.

Whether Tubbs' lack of openness in initially calling Van Horn a "friend" will become a point of contention during tomorrow's vice presidential debate is not known.

The presidential debate is tonight, but I'm not sure whether I'll be able to attend.

Personal findings from today's SC hearings

2006-02-27T16:38:00.000-07:00

Who are staff?

First off, it turns out that Rhonda Tubbs wasn't being completely open about who actually posted that AIM profile. It would be a freedom of speech issue as Tubbs claims if the individual was just a random friend, when in fact it was presidential candidate Matt Van Horn. From what I heard at the meeting, this brings up the issue of how one defines staff.

Elections commissioner Jordan Miller defined staff as "anybody who is involved with the logistics of the campaign [not verbatim]" followed by relatively broad examples. Tubbs claimed that there is only one "true member" of her staff: her campaign manager who is officially listed. Miller notes that Van Horn was "very involved" with Tubbs' campaign and therefore is a member of her staff.

Discretion of interpretation

Miller noted that Elections Code section 9-1.05 states that "The Elections Commissioner shall issue the final interpretation of this document unless the decision is appealed pursuant to 10-1.01." Section 10-1.01, Supreme Court appeal, is exactly what came next, so I really don't think this is a legally-feasible argument.

Legality of disqualification on an election day

Elections Code section 8-8.01, entitled "VlOLATlON OF CAMPAIGN CONDUCT (5-1.) ON THE DAYS OF THE ELECTIONS" states "Any candidate who commits any gross and/or negligent violation (gross and negligent are defined in Chapter 11- Glossary) campaign rules shall be subject to the impeachment powers of the ASUA Senate pursuant to Article Vlll of the ASUA Constitution if elected."

First off, this doesn't say that the elections commissioner can't take action on something just because it's election day. Secondly, the spirit of the rule certainly is intended for general elections because Tubbs isn't subject to the Senate's impeachment powers as a candidate.

Tubbs' argument seemed to state that because Miller was supposed to let the Senate take care of this that the Elections Commission was beyond its purview in disqualifying her on the final day of primary elections. It doesn't sound like this is going to fly.

Arizona Revised Statues 38-431.01 (Open Meetings)

The hearing was held in room 122 of the law school: a seminar room. Only the parties, attorneys, justices, ASUA advisors, and members of the Wildcat were allowed in. I was deemed a member of the public and joined between 20-25 people outside the open door listening to what was going on. Thus, by no means is this account complete. It certainly says something about prior planning, as this day has been potentially coming for some time now.

ASUA Constitution section II.2 states "All Senate Meetings shall comply with Arizona Revised Statutes, herein ARS, 38-431.01, regarding open meetings." Numerous parts of the Bylaws require meetings to be "open to the public."

I found nothing specific about the Supreme Court other than Elections Code section 10-1.04: "The Supreme Court shall conduct formal procedures, referring to the Arizona Revised Statutes and the State and Federal Constitutions for all matters not specifically provided for in this Election Code or the ASUA Constitution. A copy of the Arizona Revised Statutes will be available at all times in the ASUA Elections cubicle."

So if this sticks the Supreme Court within the bounds of ARS 38-431.01, guess what happens: "All legal action transacted by any public body during a meeting held in violation of any provision of this article is null and void..." (ARS 38-431.05.A)

More later...

ASUA Supreme Court effectively closes Tubbs hearing to the public

2006-02-27T12:04:00.000-07:00

Verbatim:

Mr. O'Hara,

The hearing today will take place in Room 122 at the law school. However, because it is not a large room, only the parties, their attorneys, ASUA Advisors, and the Daily Wildcat will be able to be in the room during the hearing. All other witnesses and members of the public will be asked to wait out in the hallway. While we recognize the public has a right to be in the hearing, because of the last minute scheduling, we were unable to secure a larger room to accommodate everyone. Also, there will not be an official record from today's hearing -- all the Justices will be taking their own personal notes.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Baker
Chief Justice
ASUA Supreme Court

Disappointing really, but I'm still going to try.

Public thanks

2006-02-25T14:37:00.000-07:00

My roommate and I have much for which to be thankful. Short story: his backpack, including my wallet, went missing. Fortunately, it made it to UAPD while I was running back to from the station to check on the apartment.

Whomever you are, thanks!!

Brother Jed returns Monday

2006-02-24T07:13:00.000-07:00

BRETT FERA/Arizona Daily Wildcat

I am told that the website of controversial mall preacher Brother Jed reports that he is returning to the University of Arizona campus on Monday for a weeklong stint.

Last time the Wildcat reported that he'd be heading to ASU the following week as Smock's schedule claims. He stayed an extra week.

As I found last year, Brother Jed thinks he doesn't sin. Mockers of ~~Bible~~ Babble Jim are sure to have a ball.

AIM profile downs Tubbs (?)

2006-02-23T05:38:00.000-07:00

The Wildcat reports that Exec. VP candidate Rhonda Tubbs' disqualification was because of a friend's AOL instant messenger profile.

In comparison, I found the ability of individuals to independently campaign last year to be rather free. A good friend of mine even started an unofficial Xanga site in support of candidates Michael Franklin and Keven Barker. By this standard, Matthew Boepple and Michelle Gregory would have one violation each for my endorsement if it wasn't for the disclaimer "The opinions stated herein are mine alone."

The issue brings into question the extent of freedom of speech in the election. Do friends have the right to endorse candidates on personal space? In principle, they should. In the meantime, friends of candidates should start labeling online plugs and endorsements personal and unofficial.

Update (9:42 pm - 9:50 pm): It has been pointed out that Tubbs claims it was an AIM profile, but the violation being an AIM profile is by no means a report from the elections commissioner. Moreover, I recognize that my endorsement would not cause a violation citation in actuality because I'm not by any means a member of their "staff[s]".

Section 7-4.01 of the Elections Code states that candidates agree in their disclaimer form in part that "I will train my staff in the Code and will be entirely responsible for their actions." The Wildcat calls the individual who supposedly wrote the AIM profile a "friend", not a "staff member." There's no telling what exactly happened here without official word from the elections commissioner, who has set a standard of keeping such records of violations private.

So if the elections commissioner's records are private, then what obligates candidates to tell the truth about what these violations really are?

2006 ASUA Primary results in; Tubbs DQ'ed

2006-02-22T21:23:00.000-07:00

The following are the results as I heard them down while elections commissioner Jordan Miller announced them. Executive VP candidate Rhonda Tubbs was disqualified for campaign violations, so Patrick Cook will be in the running despite coming in third.

President

Name	Votes	Percentage
Hertzog	1916	53.97
Van Horn	859	24.19
Erickson	775	21.83

Executive Vice President

Name	Votes	Percentage
Tubbs*	1106	34.2
Reece	1031	31.89
Cook	683	19.58
Gregory	463	14.32

Administrative Vice President

Name	Votes	Percentage
Reinsch	1451	44.04
Reece	983	29.83
Salido	861	26.13

Senate

Name	Votes
Conway	1676
Anderson	1557
Schwartz	1535
Dang	1500
Henao	1381
Kerr	1351
Ingam	1320
Adams	1279
Boepple	1235
Gerner	1212
Hawes	1180
Hill	1179
Burns	1106
Connor	1071
Hougen	908
Keyt	861
Navas	814

* Tubbs disqualfied by elections commissioner
Red color indicates elimination from general election.

Ty Reece appointed as newest senator; Results announcement tonight

2006-02-22T17:53:00.000-07:00

Current administrative vice presidential candidate Tyler Reece has been appointed ASUA Senator. The swearing-in apparently was shortly before tonight's just-completed Senate meeting.

Results for the primary election are being announced tonight at 9pm. I'll be there for it.

Two candidates can't campaign; Bernsen releases statement

2006-02-21T04:56:00.000-07:00

After intially failing to put it on the website, the Wildcat late yesterday afternoon, student body president Cade Bernsen's statement to the senate is now up. He makes a scathing argument, including claims that senators Boepple and Tubbs must abstain per impeachment procedure.

Meanwhile, Tubbs and fellow Exec. VP candidate Patrick Cook aren't allowed to campaign because of committing two violations. They're still in the running, but can't campaign. My question is, if they can't campaign, why is the website up? It's linked from both her platform and the Wildcat. I can understand pre-existing flyers in classrooms still being up, as I saw flyers for both candidates in classrooms yesterday. I guess websites only apply if "campaigning" means actually meeting people in person.

The other issue is control of staff. Tubbs notes that "Everyone is going to mess up at some point...A person can't control everyone on their staff, so violations occur whether you want them to or not." I suppose controlling one's staff is an aspect of leadership, so I at least find it reasonable to hold candidates accountable to that unless it gets so malicious that candidates send out fake supporters of opponents. Then we will have reached a new low.

According to the ASUA website, undergraduates will vote on this page, but as of posting this the election has not opened. Granted, it's 5:20 am. I'm up too early.

Update (8:33 am): While it is impossible for the creator of a Facebook group to cause a group to immediately cease to exist, both candidates banned from campaigning are still members of their own respective campaigns' facebook groups (Tubbs | Cook).

Anonymous coward(s)

2006-02-20T16:58:00.000-07:00

Seriously, folks. Have some backbone.

The most recent comment to the Factor (which I rejected for posting) reads:

you have just endorsed the worst two candidates for their respective offices, seriously.

Not only is there no argument, there is no identity. Keep this up, and I will keep publicly chastising you. Garrett O'Hara is my real name, and I'm sticking it on the line. How about yours?

Primary election endorsements

2006-02-20T12:45:00.000-07:00

I didn't do this last year, but then again I didn't send out questionnaires, either.

At this point, I have received only two responses to the questionnaire sent out earlier, the respondents being Matthew Boepple and Michelle Gregory.

By no means am I endorsing their platforms or responses. In fact, I have sharp disagreements with all of the above. But considering the circumstances, the only two candidates on whom I have adequate information to make an informed decision are the two who responded.

In the spirit of students having adequate information to make an informed decision in the general election, I am endorsing Matthew Boepple for Senator and Michelle Gregory for Executive Vice President as picks for the primary election.

The named victims

2006-02-20T08:09:00.000-07:00

I don't know what I'm supposed to do at this point other than to keep my mouth shut in order to avoid getting sued. Heck, even the Wildcat is keeping its mouth shut. Every individual at the university who knows the names of the accusers, both journalists and officials, know there's more to this story than what the Wildcat or the Factor can report without getting sued.

Who knew something like this could ever happen in a student government? The entire situation, regardless of whomever is at fault, is truly a tragedy for the students of this university. We could be discussing how to most wisely spend ASUA's budget. We could be working on class availability. We could be debating whether students should have the right to be armed. We could be working to restore dorm resident's freedom of speech.

Instead, we're discussing secret meetings, underhanded tactics, threats, firings, and LIES. I won't speculate whether Bernsen is a victim or an agressor, nor will I do the same of his accusers. I do know who are truly being victimized at this point: students.

Happy Presidents' Day

2006-02-20T04:55:00.000-07:00

Now go to school. Stupid white men.

Boepple the first respondent

2006-02-11T13:49:00.000-07:00

Current ASUA Sen. Matthew Boepple is currently the only respondent to the questionnaire. I don't expect to completely agree with all answers by any means, but he deserves credit for responding. Boepple is looking to retain his senate seat.

Read his responses.

Michelle Gregory has responded. Note the new sidebar on the right, which I will manually update whenever new responses come in.

Personal contact policy

2006-02-10T15:41:00.000-07:00

As those of you subscribed to the ASUA listserv may be aware, I've been asked by one of the candidates to a personal talk over the weekend. While I appreciate this as a kind gesture, it does call for me to issue a policy regarding such personal contact.

While I would love to sit down with each and every candidate, there simply is not enough time to do so, hence the questionnaires.

This doesn't mean that I can't talk to candidates should I happen to run into them, especially considering their mall presence. Nonetheless, formally interviewing only certain candidates for whom I have time is unfair.

Speaking of those questions, candidates please have them in by Saturday at noon.

ASUA Elections Commissioner posts candidate platforms

2006-02-08T09:42:00.000-07:00

Campaigning began as of 4am this morning. In turn, the ASUA Elections Commissioner has posted the platforms of all the candidates. Analysis from me will come after questionnaires are answered.

The questions are posted!

2006-02-07T18:45:00.000-07:00

The ASUA campaign officially starts at 4am tomorrow morning. The questions are posted. Let the debates begin.

Yes, there are two questions number five, but I have other work to do.

Reaction to Wildcat redesign overwhelmingly negative

2006-02-07T10:16:00.000-07:00

Reaction on the Arizona Daily Wildcat's message board is overwhelmingly negative. One notable positive comment can be found: in the mailbag.

The message board comments seem to contain much webmastering experience, which is good to see. Editor-in-chief Aaron Mackey makes the occasional defense/thank-you, so maybe we'll see some positive changes as we go on. It would have been best, however, to set up a test site and get user input before making this sudden change. Nobody in the public had advance notice of this.

Meanwhile, does anybody else think the Wildcat might be skewing the reactions a bit by printing only a positive comment? I know it's not reasonable to publish a message board post in print, but perhaps they could have told the letter writer to post to the message board.

Server was down

2006-02-04T17:17:00.000-07:00

In the process of making the previous two posts (and this one), the public side of this blog went down. Grrr...

Were I a conspiracy theorist, I'd say it has something to do with Google censoring Chinese internet access from gaining access to my site (which they're not).

ASUA senator touts campaign early?

2006-02-04T16:30:00.000-07:00

I mentioned in the previous post that certain individuals ripe for running for ASUA have previously-created "is cool" or "be friends with" groups which, in spirit but not letter, may violate the ASUA elections code website regulations. This may cross the line.

ASUA senator Rhonda Tubbs gives apparently-intentional hints over an upcoming campaign on her self-created group "Rhonda G Tubbs is Cool." These clues include:

The description "Get Ready, cause I'm Coming :)"
The announcement "Get all your friends to join :) And start gathering support..."
An officer of the club whose position is listed as "CM". Does that stand for "campaign manager"?

Let this be a warning to everybody involved in the campaign: if it's accessible to all UA students, it's fair game. Watch yourselves.

ASUA issues Facebook regulations for election

2006-02-04T15:45:00.000-07:00

And exactly how are you going to enforce this?

The PPT presentation used during the mandatory meeting for ASUA candidates includes a certain explanation of rules concerning Facebook.

May have Facebook “groups”
Must be pre-approved by the Commissioner
May not send out “invites” (You may email individuals)
Any changes made to online campaign material must be approved by the E.C.
No message boards on groups (constitutes change)
Photos must be pre-approved
May not utilize other Facebook groups to campaign unless they are affiliated with a recognized club or organization, even if you are an “administrator” of the group.
Get all groups pre-approved by the E.C. if you intend to send listserv-type messages.

No mention of specific Facebook regulations is made in the elections code; it's simply applying the code to Facebook. The 'change' regulation existed last year, preventing candidates from keeping up with current issues efficiently. Now with Facebook, it's a stupid regulation that easy to circumvent: have somebody else not affiliated with you form a group.

Why can't a candidate operate a campaigning blog? What is the elections commissioner (or the Senate) worried about?

Meanwhile, groups from the 2005 campaign still exist all over. See next post for more on that.

Rather than banning such Facebook activity, they ought to ban editing one's face or body next to celebrities. Yes, Michael Franklin's campaign website from last year is still public.

Wildcat redesigns website

2006-02-04T08:07:00.001-07:00

The Arizona Daily Wildcat has introduced a redesign of its website.

As a webmaster, I think it stinks. The space on the screen dedicated to content is minimal, and the advertisements are even more intrusive than before. Take out the useless right-side column, and the silly tabbed headline browsing, and the announcement, and the page will be fifty times better.

As a blogger, I'm happy to find that we have the forums back. The previous forum was riddled with pornography, so let's hope there's enough moderation to prevent the same problems as before.

Forum user "dailywilbur" hits it in his design analysis, so I suggest you check that out.

Update: It now seems that every single link I've ever made to the Wildcat from this blog is now dead. This needs to be fixed, or the Wildcat will have done significant damage to itself.

Wildcat starts publishing corrections online

2006-02-02T09:36:00.000-07:00

Earlier, I called for the Arizona Daily Wildcat to start publishing corrections on their online edition. They've listened.

Regardless of whether it was because of my post, kudos to the Wildcat.

FIRE changes UA's speech code rating from 'yellow' to 'red'

2006-01-30T22:49:00.000-07:00

The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education has changed its rating of the University of Arizona's policies on free speech from 'yellow' to 'red.' This appears to follow FIRE's re-examination of UA policy now updated for the 05-06 academic year. The vast majority of the cited documents on the page are community standards for the dormitories. No surprise there.

Update: Laura from Rings of Benzene notes regarding her former dorm-window banner "Free Israel!" and questions whether the policy has changed. The policy change appears to be from banning "insensitive" banners to completely banning all banners and signs from exterior dorm-room windows.

Moreover, FIRE recently commented regarding UNC Greensboro's "free speech zone" policy and a policy requiring clubs to adopt a "nondiscrimination clause" in their constitutions, calling both provisions unconstitutional. UA has similar policies:

Campus Use (including the "free speech area")
ASUA Student Organization Handbook (includes "statement of nondiscrimination")

I've contacted FIRE regarding the policies to have them added to the speech code rating page.

What I didn't know about DeConcini

2006-01-23T17:50:00.000-07:00

First off, yes there is an article in the Wildcat about the mandatory student union fee proposal. More important duty calls.

John Fund in OpinionJournal today mentions the previous activities of newly-appointed Arizona Regent Dennis DeConcini, a former U.S. Senator, in light of the Jack Abramoff scandal.

Some universities end up employing or being run by the very people who bring them this largesse. Last month Democratic former senator Dennis DeConcini was given a prestigious appointment as a regent of the University of Arizona. Mr. DeConcini retired from the Senate in 1995 after being tarred as one of the "Keating Five," a group of senators who improperly intervened with federal regulators on behalf of corrupt savings-and-loan owner Charles Keating. Mr. DeConcini then became--no surprise--a Washington lobbyist. He now admits he needs to be brought up to speed on education issues. But he had a ready explanation for his appointment: "I used to be very close to the universities. I was able to secure them millions of dollars when I was in the Senate."

The office of Gov. Janet Napolitano, who appointed Mr. DeConcini as a regent, agrees with his assessment. Spokeswoman Jeanine L'Ecuyer told the Arizona State University newspaper that the former senator "was selected for his experience on Capitol Hill, where he helped Arizona universities secure federal funding for research."

Greg Patterson, a Republican former Arizona state legislator, calls the DeConcini appointment outrageous: "Imagine if a former senator was appointed to the board of Boeing and said 'Golly, I don't know much about planes, but when I was in the Senate, I got Boeing a ton of contracts and now I've got this really cool job.' "

That's why I remember DeConcini's name! And that's why I don't remember why; he retired in '95. Seems we Arizona bloggers and commentators missed something!

Rings of Benzene ends hiatus

2006-01-21T11:14:00.000-07:00

Woohoo!

"ASA Do Your Job" back in action

2006-01-19T05:45:00.000-07:00

Now that it's the beginning of the semester and every UA student has been charged a dollar to advocate political positions with which they don't necessarily agree, now is a good time to get it back.

In fact, you have to do it within 21 days of the semester's "start of instruction," which presumably means January 31.

The ASAdoyourjob.org website cites bad lobbying efforts on the part of the Arizona Students' Association. I cite individual rights. When ASA advocates issues I support, I'll give $20. When they don't, I'll give zero.

According to a WHOIS lookup, the owner of the site is Brian Collier, president of ASU's Graduate and Professional Student Association between 2003 and 2004.

Hat tip: Rings of Benzene, now on a long and agonizing hiatus presumably because of pharmacy school.

Analyzing "Babble Jim"

2006-01-18T17:44:00.000-07:00

Much mall uproar has come about on the mall as a result of the presence of "Bible Jim", yet another wacko in a long line of mouthy, tasteless, and biblically-incorrect mall preachers, most notably "Brother Jed" Smock.

Rather than try to get a civil word across to the guy, the best way to analyze what's going on is to simply read what they believe. Brother Jed believes that he doesn't sin. What does Bible Jim believe?

Bible Jim believes that the love of God expressed in John 3:16 doesn't apply to non-believers. Take this quote:

On that Sunday With some of the most evil people that have ever lived on the planet earth promoting the greatest single sin that has ever occurred short of the crucifixion of Christ, what was your message? GOD LOVES YOU! ???

If you tell an unsaved, unrepentant person that God personally loves him WHEN HE REALLY DOES NOT, it becomes a serious crime against the very character of God Himself. I believe this offense is committed by Christian people on a regular basis to the non-Christian world. Our language has one word for "love", whereas the Greek language has many words for "love". There are different types of love in the Greek language, but in our language we adapted the meaning for only one of these words, meaning personal affection (PHILEO), and have applied it across the board.

The love in John 3:16 is AGAPE, it is not affectionate at all. So the words should be explained, when telling someone God loves them, when they're thinking personally and affectionately, and God is not.

If a man responds to John 3:16 (love which is void of any experiential relationship), he will experience God's PHILE0 love. But if he does not respond to it (the Cross) he will continue to be under condemnation and wrath.

Technically speaking a person could force John 3:16 to make it look like God personally loves the sinner. But even in this attempt the quality of this love is of absolutely no practical or personal value to the unredeemed sinner. Other than providing air for him to breathe and the option for him to repent of his sins and trust in Jesus,

Bible Jim goes off a Greek technicality and completely skips over the word "world." I'm no Greek scholar, but "world" in the Bible typically refers to the entire blue and green ball. Not just Israel. Not just the apostles. Not just the few disciples Jesus had at the time. And don't forget the verse immediately following John 3:16 either.

(16) For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
(17) For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

Luckily, the world is not void of good and decent mall preachers. We need more Cliffe Knechtles, not more Jeds and Jims. Take the time to view Knechtle's arguments, including those filmed right on the UA mall and you'll see what I mean.

UA presidential candidates should satisfy "Stupid White Men" award recipients

2006-01-17T12:14:00.000-07:00

Two of them are "stupid white men." One is a woman. One is Indian (from India). Satisfied?

Article.

Lincoln, Nebraska may copy Tucson's "red tag" program

2006-01-13T09:59:00.000-07:00

The Drudge Report links to an article in the Lincoln Journal Star today which reports that Lincoln city leaders are considering adopting a "red tag" prgram similar to that of Tucson.

After having had a beer bottle dropped from a second-story catwalk onto my car, I'm here to say that the program works. The parties end once the tag is in place. At least that's the story at my apartment complex. Kudos to TPD and, hopefully, city leaders in Lincoln.

And they're back....

2006-01-13T06:14:00.000-07:00

Wildcat: ASUA officials reinstated

Wildcat leaks information on UA president picks?

2006-01-12T18:53:00.000-07:00

An article without relevant content on the Arizona Daily Wildcat website is titled "White men dominating presidential pool." Surely, this must mean the pool for University of Arizona President.

Meanwhile, the Arizona Daily Star reports that the names are currently secret.

For the error, the Arizona Daily Wildcat is hereby awarded the Stupid White Men award!!

Correction/Clarification: There is an article entitled "White men dominating presidential pool" regarding demographics of 94 applicants. It's not online by webmaster error. Nonetheless, the Arizona Daily Star reports that the pool is down to four, making this article completely obsolete.

Nonetheless, your humble correspondent earns the Go pick up the stinking print edition, you idiot. award for his track record of relying on an unreliable online edition.

Anonymous comment notes discrepancy between Wildcat and Dean of Students report

2006-01-12T11:11:00.000-07:00

The following is an anonymous comment. First off, this is what I get for reading the online edition of the Wildcat. Secondly, I take no responsibility for what is contained. I have not checked yesterday's printed Wildcat to confirm the truth of the comment.

Mr. O'Hara I cannot believe that you posted this but did not post about the discrepancies between what was told to the Daily Wildcat and what was in the report filed with the Dean of Students office which was noted in the "Clarifications" section of the Wednesday, January 11, 2006 edition of the Wildcat. This segment states:

'In the Nov. 30 article "Bernsen accused of sexual misdeeds" and in the Dec. 7 article "ASUA can't confirm suspected meetings," the complaints filed with the Dean of Students did not claim that the Associated Students of the University of Arizona President Cade Bernsen had repeatedly threatened or intimidated the alleged victims to remain quiet. The Women voiced these claims in interviews with the Arizona Daily Wildcat. Also in the Nov. 30 article, it was reported that one of the complainants alleged that Bernsen made unwelcome advances on one occasion while the two were alone at Bernsen's home. Her complaint des not state whether the two were alone in Bernsen's home; she claimed in an interview with the Daily Wildcat that the two were alone in Bernsen's room at the time of the alleged incident. In addition, the Dec. 7 article reports that both women claimed to have been the victims of inappropriate touching by Bernsen while in the student government offices. Only one of the women in fact complained of inappropriate touching by Bernsen.'

This, I believe, adds a whole new dimension to this case.

Immediate conclusion: The Wildcat needs to add its corrections/clarifications online.

Update: Legitimacy confirmed.

Bernsen fires 5 ASUA officials (?!)

2006-01-12T06:23:00.000-07:00

You've got to be kidding me. With no proof that he's guilty, it either means he's an innocent man standing his ground or a guilty man going down who's willing to take ASUA with him. Meanwhile, the senate continues to delay his impeachment hearing.

Is impeaching Bernsen for missing the ABOR meetings becoming more of an option for the senate now?

Democrats attack their own principles in Alito hearing

2006-01-11T22:02:00.000-07:00

Much of the Democrats' anger at Alito stems from his affiliation with the "Concerned Alumni of Princeton" which allegedly stated that a 40% student population of women and minorities would "vitiate the alumni body of the future".

Regardless of the illegitimacy of the attack against Alito and the group (see D'Souza's comment), think about the quote for a moment and how it applies today. Universities such as the University of Arizona routinely promote "diversity" (a euphemism for affirmative action) in order to justify race-based admissions. This sets aside certain better-qualified individuals in order to benefit the group as a whole.

Isn't this the exact ultimate train of thought for which the Concerned Alumni quote is calling? The greater good of the whole trumps the individual. Pro-affirmative action Democrats having a problem with that reeks of hypocrisy.

Katy Lee Reel, R.I.P.

2006-01-09T16:51:00.000-07:00

About two months ago, I posted a link to the blog of Katy Reel, who was receiving treatment for brain cancer. Katy went to be with the Lord on January 2. Please keep her family in your prayers.

ASUA Men's Resource Center (PDF)

2006-01-04T15:15:00.000-07:00

Yes, another parody. Yes, I have way too much time on my hands. Yes, their executive director did publicly criticize me in her official capacity. Yes, I made the hammer-and-sickle ASUA logo myself. Images other than the "MRC" and ASUA logos are all obtained from the public domain.

ASUA Men's Resource Center (PDF)

Special thanks to Evan Coyne Maloney for hinting at the possibility multiple times.

Live Culture. Live in a Residence Hall. (PDF)

2006-01-01T11:12:00.000-07:00

There's nothing going on at the university right now, so I had to make fun of something. Not G-rated.

Note to my two or more friends living in Cochise Hall: I'm not calling you a name.

Live Culture (PDF)

NRA-ILA: UA wants to terminate 4-H shooting sports program

2005-12-20T06:55:00.000-07:00

According to the NRA-ILA, the University of Arizona wants to withdraw its firearms from the Arizona 4-H Shooting Sports Program.

I can't say whether this is political correctness in action yet; we don't know UA's reasons for wanting to cancel the program.

Pages I've found here and here indicate that UA has a heavy role in 4-H across the state, not just in shooting sports. Both are hosted on UA servers, and the second page talks about more than just shooting.

So is UA ending the entire cooperative extension described in the second page or just the shooting program? There's not much telling from what's public right now.

Two UA graduates, including former Sen. DeConcini, appointed to ABOR

2005-12-12T19:23:00.000-07:00

The Tucson ~~Comrade~~ Citizen reports that two UA graduates, former U.S. Senator Dennis DeConcini and businesswoman Anne Mariucci, have been appointed to the Arizona Board of Regents.

This time I haven't been playing poker. Rather, 日本語を勉強をしてましたので、I'm not researching the pair until later.