When installing any SAP BusinessObjects software, I find that it’s always best to have WinRAR nearby.  Just as a spoonful of sugar, it helps the medicine go down, WinRAR give you the control you need when disk resources are tight.  I was reminded of this again when I downloaded the new version of Xcelsius 2008 SP3.  I couldn’t wait to see all the new features that everyone is talking about.  But first things first.  The best way to do this is to start with WinRAR.

Why WinRAR?

WinRAR is an archiving tool.  It is a great way to get around the annoying habit that that SAP BusinessObjects has of unzipping all the files into a temporary directory somewhere and then launching the setup.exe file.  I hate that.  I want to tell the installer what to do every step of the way.  Let’s take the new Xcelsius 2008 SP3 for example.  When you execute the archive exe file, it unpacks all the installation files.  Where does it put them?  Does it look at your TEMP or TMP environment variables? No, not necessarily.  It puts them in your C:\DOCUME~1\Administrator\LOCALS~1\Temp directory.

Maybe it’s me, or maybe it’s Murphy’s Law.  I don’t know.  What I do know is that the BusinessObjects Installation exe files that you download from the Service Portal can be unzipped directly using WinRAR.  This means I don’t have to rely on the self-extraction exe.

WinRAR is easy to find.   If you want to use the latest version you can download it from the WinRAR website and you will receive a temporary license.  If you like it, you can buy it.  Alternatively if you like it but don’t need all the new features, you can get a free license here.

I am running WinRAR 3.61, but WinRAR 3.5 is fine too.

Extracting the BusinessObjects Software

Once WinRAR is installed, it will create convenient right-click menus.  In this case let me extract all the files from the new xcelsius2008sp3.exe file I downloaded from the SAP portal.  If I right-click on the install file, I can choose to Extract the files.   50% of the time I use Extract Here, the other 50% of the time I use the item I have selected below: Extract to {directory}\, in this case Extract to xcelsius2008sp3\.

Right-click Menu, Extract To

I like this option the best because it will extract files to a convenient location where I can access this easily.  When the extract begins, it will create the subdirectory if one does not already exist.

After the files are extracted, I can manually start the setup.exe myself.  Do remember that it does take a few minutes before you see the first installation splash screen so be patient.  In you are unsure, always check your task manager processes before starting it again.

Now it’s time to enjoy all those new features available from the SAP Download site.

«Good BI»

]]> http://ccsfaspres.wordpress.com/2009/12/18/my-comments-to-the-board-%e2%80%94-121709/ Fri, 18 Dec 2009 18:30:52 +0000 ccsfaspres http://ccsfaspres.wordpress.com/2009/12/18/my-comments-to-the-board-%e2%80%94-121709/

Good evening Trustees and Chancellor Griffin.

As I’ve said to you before, this semester has been challenging for the City College faculty, along with the other constituencies. Working to serve more students in fewer courses, allowing as many as possible into our offices and classrooms, we are still sometimes forced to turn students away. The physical, mental, and emotional costs are high and the winter break is much needed.

Next semester will be no different and, indeed, 2010-2011 will probably be no better—perhaps worse depending on the state legislature and the work we do to advocate there. I know you join us in our great concerns over our ability to serve our community. We all feel a responsibility to provide opportunities and support for transferring, for job training, and for literacy and basic skills progress to all our students, especially to students that we know have struggled in the past—primarily students from communities of color, communities that are disproportionately suffering the effects of our state’s economic woes. Like you, the faculty are committed to equity for our students and to doing all we can despite the financial challenges we face.

Last month, I spoke to you about the importance of public dialog around the budget during this challenging time. I continue to advocate for greater involvement by the entire college community, especially the students who need our support and mentorship to engage fully with the process. I’m counting on the students to make their voices and their priorities heard—and we must listen. They are our ultimate constituents and it is our responsibility to respond to them. I know you’ll help us put students first in the budget decisions we make in the coming months.

On a related issue, the Academic Senate has now seen and responded to a draft of the Administrative Realignment plan put forward by the Chancellor. Our suggestions were mostly well received by him. Of primary concern is that the realignment must create significant savings for the college—at least $1-2 million; if it does not, there is no point in putting the college through the stress of change. I look forward to seeing a new draft of the plan early in 2010. I trust that the Board, also, will not support any realignment that does not concretely reduce the college’s administrative costs.

Finally, I want to say that I’ve very much enjoyed working with the new Board over the last year. I don’t envy your role, advocating in the public for the college and at the same time holding us accountable to their needs. While meetings have sometimes gone later than I hoped, and I haven’t always agreed with your decisions, I know that you are working in what you believe to be the best interests of the college. The energy and intention you bring to making City College better for students and for District employees are to be commended. I look forward to continuing the dialog in the new year. On behalf of the faculty at the City College of San Francisco, I wish you and your families the very best during this holiday season.

Dear Mr. Ballard,

I believe I speak for most Tulsans when I give you a big ‘Up Yours.’  Tulsa Public Schools stands at a $3.5 million deficit.  You proposed a hiring freeze, eliminating substitutes, furloughs and will cut 100 positions.  You will also give raises to administrators.

You said the raises were promised and it would be wrong to take them back.  In your circle of staff, I guess promises are kept.  What about those who make significantly less than an administrator?  Where’s their promise?

You also justify this proposal by saying these bumps correspond with additional responsibilities.  If that’s your justification, then TPS workers are greatly underpaid because each time you eliminate a position, you’re adding additional responsibilities.

We grow up hearing we can be whatever we want to be.  We go to college, start our careers and buy our homes.  We’re promised hard work leads to good things?  Many of our promises have been broken thanks to the recession.  Your administrators will survive with one broken promise.

I know cuts are inevitable.  It’s the state of the economy.  However, proposing to eliminate 100 positions while raising the pay of administrators, many who are pencil pushers and not in the classroom, is a huge slap in the face to Tulsa and its teachers.

Mr. Ballard, I hope the money you saved was worth it, because I see a huge lawsuit in your future.

Thank you for continuing to demonstrate why Tulsa is the Distrikt of Choise.

Signed,
An Irritated Tulsan

By Michael MacLeod and Cara Sulieman

JUST a day earlier they had been talking excitedly about their plans for Christmas, looking forward to time off for the festive season, helping customers with their own holiday plans.

But today it was so very different as many of the 100 or so staff who turned up at the Edinburgh HQ of Flyglobespan were left in floods of tears after learning that they had lost their job.

Colleagues hugged each other, visibly upset, stunned by the news after a series of meetings with the administrators from PricewaterhouseCoopers.

The mood during the 45 minute meeting was said to be “grim” ending with many leaving the five-story office block in Colinton shortly afterwards, carrying their personal items from their desks in boxes.

Those handful apparently spared, at least for now, refused to talk to anyone other than themselves, chain smoking outside the main entrance, while friends stumbled out into the car park towards home.

Graham Bernardi, 32, who was a costing department supervisor said the staff had been “devastated”.

He said: “I’ve worked here for three and a half years and this is really bad news, especially just before Christmas.

“We had heard rumours about stuff that was going on for a few weeks now.

“But it wasn’t until yesterday at night that we first knew for sure. I came in this morning just for the meeting and they just said we’ve all been made redundant apart from a few, but I don’t know how long they will be kept in for. It probably won’t be for long.

“It’s quite difficult to find a job just now but I’ll just have to see what happens.”

Chief Executive Rick Green was said to have spoken with staff at the meeting and apologised to them, but he managed to avoid the waiting press.

One disappointed ex worker said: “There were a lot of upset people in there this morning.

“Some of us have been here up to 10 years, before it was an airline too, so Globespan was our life.

“I arrived for nightshift on the phones last night and got told to go home at 10pm.

“It was grim this morning but we knew what was coming.

“The CEO was surprisingly apologetic and said we’ll get some sort of redundancy pay within eight to 10 weeks.

“It’s better than nothing.”

Bruce Cartwright, a partner with administrator PWC, said only a skeleton staff would be kept on through Christmas.

The priorities, he said were getting holidaymakers back home and helping staff find new work.

He said: “Today’s meeting with staff was to tell them what administration means for the company and their employment.

“The company has ceased flying and we are going through a period now of orderly wind down.

“We are also trying to make sure we get passengers back from overseas and look after people properly.

“Sadly a number of employees will be made redundant this morning and over the next few days.

“The vast majority will not be required for the orderly wind down and will be redundant before Christmas day.

“Sadly unless we can rescue bits of it we will have to wind down the entire company.

“The news was a genuine shock and came quite quickly for most off the workforce.”

By evening the HQ was all but abandoned, only the plastic model aeroplane bearing the once proud Flyglobespan livery still propped up defiantly in the reception area to mark a once proud travel company.

Public administrators will have to address and resolve health policy issues particularly for infectious diseases which involve deep interdependence. In other cases, such as common efforts to understand and respond to non communicable diseases, the problems are more national or local in scope. Similarly, the global public health agenda ranges widely along the scientific political spectrum. Although WHO is involved in all quadrants of the issue matrix, it faces concerns that are increasingly political and international in scope. Given the technical training of many officials operating in the global health arena and the urgency with which some issues must be addressed, administrative niceties have not been a central focus in global health governance.

While the public administrators have taken steps to upgrade their administrative law and procedures, particularly in the context of their organization’s international rulemaking efforts in connection with the politically charged diseases control, it still has some distance to go in developing a good governance structure. Perhaps most critically, all global organizations and administrators need to move toward a greater focus on data driven policymaking and the publication of relevant metrics and indicators.

Public administrators in healthcare under globalization will need to understand borders and boundaries in new and improved ways. Very few contemporary efforts combine geography and public administration in a theoretical sense, though such work will likely begin to constitute a very important element of our theoretical studies. The relevant boundary objects will probably set between administrators and sociology and also between administrators and human geography. It is far from clear how they will appear, but they will likely link closely to the future of the organizational state as a bordered entity. Work on several nations may begin to loosen some of the boundary objects in force today such as jurisdictions for instance.

The estimated world population growth in the near future necessitates a significant increase in global awareness in healthcare reforms and provides basic health services for billions around the world, particularly in developing countries. While endeavoring to increase health services, we should also preserve the environment for better living and conserve resources for future generations. Modem technology is vitally important for enhancing global healthcare and for maintaining environmental sustainability in the 21st century.

Public managers are key actors in foreign affairs and a number of other policy making processes. Over the coming decades, public administrators will live in a far more complex world and will be required to operate under quite different circumstances without borders but with more restrictions. Their role will become a far more difficult one, taking them far outside the boundaries of their own organizations and involving them with community groups of all types globally. They will have to work together to create improved conditions in society. Understanding of the activities of political and administrative officials in other countries will be important because of the political and economic impact caused to the U.S. b y those countries. Those in public administration will continue to be energized by the high and noble mission of challenges in public service and serving the global community. Public administrators will also be needed to help implement policies to build a healthier world around us and our future generations.

Came across this tonight while waiting for our holiday concert to begin. Curious to hear what other educators have to say about this.

To my school and community, and to any immortal entity in which I might believe, I promise:

1. To teach my subject competently, joyfully, and vigorously to all of my students.

2. To set an example for my students in all possible ways, while not pretending to be perfect.

3. To strive continually to improve my knowledge, teaching, and character, and to seek ways to help my students improve their work and understanding.

4. To ensure the welfare and safety of my students in the classroom, and to refrain from harming them; to hold all students likewise to high standards of behavior.

5. To show benevolence and support to my colleagues and to the entire school community, avoiding all malicious activity or gossip.

6. To follow and enforce school rules. If I disagree with a rule, I should bring up my concerns with the appropriate person.

7. To avoid attempting to do things that other specialists can do better.

8. To acknowledge my mistakes promptly and take steps to correct them.

9. To speak openly, respectfully, and thoughtfully about educational matters and listen to the views of others; to inform myself of education philosophy, history, curricula, policy, news, and more.

10. To teach as long as I am able to devote my best energies to the work, and to acknowledge when this is no longer possible.

11. To keep my private and professional lives separate, and to maintain the integrity of both.

12. To tend to my health every day so that I may bring my best to school and come home with my best still intact.

13. To remember my own teachers, past and present, including those who have taught me through their writing and other works.

Diana Senechal Jun 9th, 2008 at 4:04 pm

BERKELEY, Calif. – Eight people were under arrest Saturday after protesters broke windows, lights and planters outside the home of the chancellor of the University of California, Berkeley.

University spokesman Dan Mogulof said 40 to 70 protesters also threw lighted torches at police cars and the home of Chancellor Robert Birgeneau late Friday. There were no fires or injuries.

The protest at the chancellor’s home came late the same day that police arrested 66 protesters at a campus classroom building that was partially taken over for four days.

The demonstrations are against state funding cuts that have led to course cutbacks, faculty furloughs and sharp fee increases.

“The attack at our home was extraordinarily frightening and violent. My wife and I genuinely feared for our lives,” Birgeneau said in a statement.

The eight were arrested on suspicion of rioting and several other charges.

They include two Berkeley students and two from the University of California, Davis, Mogulof said. The remaining four were from Oakland, San Francisco, Fullerton in Southern California, and Brooklyn, N.Y. Their ages ranged from 20-41. At least three are women.

An Associated Press freelance photographer saw at least four broken decorative light globes, overturned vases and plants, and shattered terra cotta planters. At least two windows were broken, one boarded over, the other shattered in a spider web pattern. Birgeneau was in his living room, but did not speak to reporters.

“Most of what you have here are people from outside the university,” Wendy Brown, co-chair of the Berkeley Faculty Association and a professor of political science, said in criticizing the violence.

The eight were being held in lieu of $132,500 bail, with orders not to return to campus if they were released, Mogulof said.

The protesters shouted “no justice, no peace” as they attacked the home, he said.

The two incidents are the latest in a series of demonstrations in which students have taken over buildings at California State University and University of California campuses.

“I’m shocked that it happened,” said Chengwin Saephanh, a sophomore bioengineering major who earlier participated in two peaceful classroom walkouts. “I’m pretty upset about the fees, but I don’t know what the goals are of those who were at the house. I wouldn’t go into anything violent, I just participate in the peaceful ones.”

Agnes Balla, a junior public health major, said she walked out of classes weeks ago and joined peaceful protests that united the campus community and brought attention to a serious problem.

“With this turn of events, that’s not what’s going on anymore. It’s people retaliating against what’s going on, and that’s not going to bring change,” Balla said. “I’m in support of bringing attention to this, but it’s gone too far.”

UC system President Mark Yudof, in a statement, called the latest attack “appalling” and “far beyond the boundaries of public dissent.”

The violence may force the universities to increase security statewide, said Yudof spokesman Peter King.

“Certainly an event like this doesn’t go unnoticed,” King said. “We endeavor to keep our people secure, not only for their sake but for the sake of everybody in the community.”

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Legislature cut spending for California’s two public university systems by 20 percent to help balance the state’s budget. Community colleges were cut about 8 percent.

“California will not tolerate any type of terrorism against any leaders, including educators,” Schwarzenegger said in a statement. “Debate is the foundation of democracy and I encourage protesters to find peaceful and productive ways to express their opinions.”

The UC system, with about 220,000 students, raised student fees 15 percent since January and plans another 15 percent increase. The CSU system, the nation’s largest with 450,000 students, and the community college system also raised fees.

“Obviously, the faculty don’t advocate for violence,” said Alice Sunshine, spokeswoman for the California Faculty Association that represents most CSU professors. “We try to steer them into protests that express how to make things better, but I think some of the students are really angry.”

Neither Mogulof nor Sunshine could say why so many non-students were among those arrested.

“It’s a big public issue for the entire state,” Sunshine said. “There’s wider interest than just the students themselves. The future of higher education in California is at stake.”

Police ended the occupation of the campus’s Wheeler Hall earlier Friday. They arrested 65 people inside on misdemeanor trespassing charges, including about 24 who were not students, Mogulof said. One person was arrested outside the hall on suspicion of inciting.

The protesters were cited and released at the university’s request, but those at the chancellor’s home “will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law,” Birgeneau said.

Mogulof urged students to return to nonviolent protests.

“There’s no place in our community for such extremism,” he said.

___

Associated Press freelance photographer Noah Berger in Berkeley and AP Writer Don Thompson in Sacramento contributed to this story.

I just got vaccinated today at Cal Poly Pomona’s Student Health Services.

It was free, and despite the concerns over the mercury thermosal (used to preserve the vaccine and prevent germs) and the minute chance of autism, I took the plunge.

It was the injection and not the nasal spray, but it was painless — other than a sore left arm, which is standard for all shots.

Maybe it’s my laid-back northern California nature, but I’m really not too worried. People have been getting vaccinations all through their lives, and not until there’s one for this new case of H1N1, or swine flu, does everyone become a cynic.

WIRED magazine had a cover story last month called An Epidemic Of Fear that is an enlightening read. The jist? Like with all controversial topics, there’s a plethora of misinformation that floats around, much of it coming from bias sources with a stake in the game. Jenny McCarthy is one advocate linking autism to vaccinations, despite evidence that proves otherwise.

The article reads:

The parent who reads what Jenny McCarthy says and thinks, ‘Well, maybe I shouldn’t get this vaccine,’ and their child dies of Hib meningitis,” he says, shaking his head. “It’s such a fundamental failure on our part that we haven’t convinced that parent.” Consider: In certain parts of the US, vaccination rates have dropped so low that occurrences of some children’s diseases are approaching pre-vaccine levels for the first time ever.

If you want to prove me wrong, go read this: http://bit.ly/5PughD. I don’t doubt that there’s research and studies to link vaccinations to autism and other harmful things, but contracting swine flu is pretty harmful too. Perhaps less severe, but I’ll take my chances and avoid the current pandemic.

from wired.com

I did a feature on swine flu concerns on college campuses recently for 89.3 KPCC.

DOWNLOAD THIS MP3:

http://www.box.net/shared/ng7bgol919

[file name = swine flu college mixdown]

It’s my public radio debut and I don’t have mp3 uploading capabilities on the blog just yet. Here’s the script:

H1N1 – the “swine flu” virus – is hitting young people especially hard.  That’s why local college campuses are on guard.  But getting students to take the “swine flu” threat seriously can be a challenge.  Reporter Daniel Ucko has our story from Cal Poly Pomona.

Daniel Ucko: It’s lunchtime – and thousands of students are roaming the Cal Poly Pomona campus. It’s “university hour” – with no classes in session. Think recess for big kids.

Ucko: It’s the perfect time for Student Health Services workers to pass out fliers that remind people to practice basic hygiene to avoid the flu. But it’s a tough sell.

Eric Au: I’m actually not too worried about it.

Ucko: Cal Poly junior and graphic designer Eric Au says he’s not worried about the “swine flu” even though faculty and students file in and out of his campus office all day. He admits that where he works, germs spread easily.

Au: Anytime flu season comes around or something, we always have that talk in a meeting. And so if this is indeed still flaring up, we’re definitely gonna talk about it here.

Ucko: David Patterson is doing more than talking. He’s Cal Poly Pomona’s director of environmental health and safety.

David Patterson: I would say we have to plan for the fact that we will probably see some cases on campus.

Ucko: There’s only been one confirmed case of H1N1 at Cal Poly Pomona. But it’s hard to say for sure. The campus health center no longer tests for the virus. New guidelines from the federal government’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say test only if a patient is hospitalized. The CDC says health officials should instead focus on treatment and containment. David Patterson.

Patterson: It’s the same thing if you live at home and the same thing if you go shopping down at the mall. An old adage I’ve used for years and years is to keep four feet most of the time between you and other people. Avoid sneezing or coughing on people by covering your mouth when you sneeze or cough. You know, frequently washing your hands.

Ucko: Next week, Cal Poly Pomona will host one of LA County’s H1N1 vaccination clinics. The university has a “swine flu” web page that answers basic questions about the virus, and debunks myths – including one that got some play on campus.

Ucko: The agricultural school has about 10 pigs in its swine unit. Despite a campus rumor, you can’t get “swine flu” from these specially bred Cal Poly pigs. But grab your little brother’s piggy bank while he’s sick in bed – and you just might get it.

Patterson: Pretty much the same thing we’ve heard again and again.

Ucko: Cal Poly Pomona health and safety director David Patterson.

Patterson: The issue here is that this is the flu, and given the current severity that CDC’s reporting on the H1N1, it’s a fairly mild version. So it’s as much the same precaution as for any flu or any diseases. It’s all about protections the individual can do or things the individual can do to reduce their chance or risk.

Ucko: Of particular worry on campus are dormitories, shared bathrooms – and, of course, frat parties.

Nick Spagnola: I’ve made a joke that I think that there’s going to be a correlation between the spread of swine flu and the amount of frat parties attended by freshmen.

Ucko: Senior Nick Spagnola is a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity. He thinks the H1N1 virus will spread when partygoers share drinks. But he says there could be an upside to an outbreak.

Spagnola: Oh absolutely! If it becomes like a serious thing, I intend to miss class a decent amount. I’m not saying it’s a good idea to lie to teachers or any sort of administrator or anyone listening, but if I was looking in my arsenal of excuses, “swine flu” would probably pop up there.

Ucko: Cal Poly Pomona anticipated a pandemic of phony “swine flu” absences. Professors will post class notes online for students who really are sick – but those students will need a note from the doctor.

Welcome to the last day of the week. I hope that you all are going to have a wonderful weekend. I am not going to be computer free this weekend because as usual I have many things that I need to do on my computer. I use my computer for everything so there is always something that I need to do over the weekend on my computer. My computer and I are attached at the hip. The first thing which I do when I get home is turn on my computer. I do this automatically, even if I have nothing to do on it. It is like brushing my teeth, to me, coming home and turning the computer on.

Some people don’t go near a computer on a weekend but for me I could never do that. You see my computer I love and I enjoy it so it’s not a chore for me. I really enjoy being in front of a computer as nerdy as that may sound. Actually I don’t care if I sound nerdy because you know what, Bill Gates was considered nerdy and look how well he is doing. I just think that computers is the future and people who are considering a future in computers, may end up with lots of stuff that they want in their lives.

The strange thing is that it seems like everyone I associate with these days; all have some connection to either computer s or computer security. The truth of the matter is that the majority of my friends work in the I.T field. Some are computer developers, others are programmers, and others are computer administrators for big companies and so on. I hope to see some of them this weekend. I hope that you all have a fantastic weekend and don’t experience any computer troubles.

Why are Conservapedia’s administrators (and – generally speaking – a large number of online conservative commentators) so scared of open and public comments? Are they really that scared of having to defend an indefensible position? Are their egos that fragile that the merest questioning of their motives and actions will send them to their beds with a case of the vapours?

In fact, for Geoff Plourde, who is an Administrator of an (allegedly) open wiki that constantly rails against perceived censorship, to openly declare that his talk page is out of bounds is, quite frankly, a sad state of affairs, but also indicative of the kind of people running it. These are people who deal with secrets, who prefer to keep things “off-site” because then there’s no witnesses to their deceit.

This is the same person, however, who closed down the only avenue available to editors who felt the administrators were exceeding their authority. Which was silly really, because CP administrators get off on exceeding their authority – and they answer to nobody but God. It’s couched in the usual spin: “Conservapedia no longer handles complaints of abuse on the wiki. This allows us to handle such matters carefully and professionally, and allows all parties to retain their dignity.”

In other words, we’ll sweep it under the carpet. You can send us an e-mail if you like, but there’s more chance of Jesus coming back to open the bowling for Australia, than there is of us actually replying to you.

Then again, he’s not the only administrator to lock his talk page:

• Terry Koeckritz’s is locked until February 2010.
• Andrew Schlafly locks his on a regular basis.
• So does Brian MacDonald (Karajou)

What a great bunch of people.

The committee discussed the proposed Vice Chancellor of Legal Services. Trustees Ngo and Rizzo support this position and asked questions about timeline for possibly filling the position.

The committee spent a fair amount of time discussing their recommendation to the full Board on the resolution directing the Chancellor to work with the Student Development Office to cease enforcing the District trademarks, except for athletic program purposes. The committee recommended approval to the full Board.

The committee discussed a proposed revision of the District’s policy on conflict of interest for District employees. This included a discussion of the current policy, last updated in 1992, and the importance of administrators disclosing their economic interests in businesses, real estate, etc.

Conservapedia editor John Patti has a high opinion of himself, describing himself as a “hardcore conservative contributor despised by liberals” in their self-congratulatory article on CP. Then again, I suppose if nobody else is going to blow your trumpet…

As always, it takes an outsider to bring a little reality to the little man’s world. Johnny baby, I hate to break it to you, but the only “liberals” who are even aware of your sad, little existence are those at RationalWiki, and we don’t despise you. We just think you’re a moron – something you’ve proven time and time again. There’s a difference, you know, although you probably don’t.

So Conservapedia, besides being “trustworthy” also tries to promote itself as a learning resource geared towards children and teenagers. I wonder what the parents of these children would make of the administrators of this site asking editors for their e-mail addresses (especially Terry Koeckritz), or even worse, their telephone numbers, in the case of Ed Poor? The latter case is especially worrying, given his seeming focus on matters sexual, as witnessed by his comments about “bulging vulvas”, “interstellar pimps” and a little sexual experimentation for our daughters. Then again, given that he is a Moonie, maybe it’s just his way of grooming impressionable youngsters for the next mass-matrimony ceremony.

All of that is, of course, hidden behind the scenes on users’ talk pages and is rarely seen by the casual visitor to CP. So it’s even more worrying when they blatantly display it on their front page.

Pinched from Conservapedia. Fair use for comment or parody (as they like to say).

Administrator Brian MacDonald has taken to creating a “Weekly Cartoon” – which is just the sort of thing an encyclopaedia should be displaying. (Oh, by the way Brian, I know you’re no Giles, but here’s a hint: a cartoon is supposed to be funny. After all, Jesus did invent comedy, according to Schlafly). It’s just more proof that Conservapedia is sliding from what could have been an interesting alternative to WikiPedia, to a blog for a very small, very isolated and very insane group of right wing nutjobs. When WorldNetDaily’s Joseph Farah thinks you’re a bunch of loonies, you know you’re pretty much out on your own.

Anyway, getting back to Brian. Remember, this is the man who is worried that PNAS (the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences) sounds like “penis”, has a Dolly Parton fixation and thinks that all “slutty girls” are prostitutes.

So how on earth does he come up with “Quim Parton” productions? Obviously, the Dolly Parton fixation is coming through, especially when you consider that there is one – and only one – possible definition for “quim”: “a vulgar term for a woman’s genitals, specif. the vagina.”

However, where it gets really fun – and thanks to Constant Reader Pi for reminding me of this – is when people dare to complain about it. Now, I’m not interested if they are genuine editors or not, I’m interested in the response of the administrators.

First up, we have JacobB. Now he might, or might not, be  parodist – it’s just that when newcomers latch on to Andy’s pet projects and virtually parrot Andy’s every word, I get suspicious. Either way, Andy Schlafly has deemed JacobB worthy of enjoying limited administrator rights, which makes him legit either way you look at it.

Now when I say parroting Andy’s every word, have a look at this reply and as anybody who knows Andy Schlafly will realise, he has to be taking the piss:

StClaire (see our naming conventions), I see you have two edits to the encyclopedia (both attacking young earth creationism) and seven (7) edits to talk pages, all crating controversies which didn’t exist before and demanding removal of cartoons written by established and respected users. I encourage you to contribute constructively, or leave. [[User:JacobB|JacobB]] 22:50, 17 November 2009 (EST)

He then goes on to spout the most ludicrous reason why the word “quim” should be allowed to remain in place:

just to end this argument once and for all, I’ve looked it up and “quim” is actually a short form for Joaquim, a Portugese  (sic) first name. Thus, the use of it as a proper name in the cartoon is not offensive and you are now a demonstrated trouble maker if you wish to continue the discussion. Satisfied? [[User:JacobB|JacobB]] 21:44, 17 November 2009 (EST)

Yes, in true CP style, he tries to stifle discussion with a combination of a lie and a threat. And you wonder why I think he’s a parodist? However, it doesn’t stop there. One of the complainants responds to the above drivel with a “Shame on you!”, which is a rallying cry for Andy himself.

Now remember, Andy is the “leader” of an educational resource for children that at the time of writing is proudly displaying the word “quim” on its front page. Would your (or any sane person, for that matter) response be the following:

I love liberal expressions of “Shame on you!”, because they are awkward attempts to make a conservative argument. Liberals don’t believe in “shame”! Try going to a liberal site and say “Shame on you! Shame on you!” and see the incredulous reaction. We don’t fall for that stunt here.–[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 22:36, 17 November 2009 (EST)

and

Stclaire, the answer to your demand for liberal censorship is this: “no”. We don’t cave in to demands for censorship, even when punctuated by repetitious “Shame on you!”

Ok, so asking somebody to remove profanity from his website is suddenly “censorship” – good to see that Andy’s persecution complex is still up and running on all cylinders.

One can only imagine what was on Brian’s mind when he drew this. What was on his mind when he posted it to the mainpage, for all the children to see, is quite another. Given the antics of some of Andrew Schlafly’s trusted colleagues, we wonder if this isn’t giving a whole new meaning to “home-schooling”? However, it must be said that at least – unlike Schlafly – Brian MacDonald realised he’d cocked up and deleted the offending cartoon. blogsurfer.us condron.us

 By Andy Gammill andy.gammill@indystar.com

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan told educators at a conference in Indianapolis today that too many adults — in classrooms, communities and state governments — are standing in the way of American children getting a good education.

“We as adults have not put children’s interests ahead of our own — political leaders, education leaders” he said. “We want to shine a spotlight on places where adults are coming together to collaborate and move outside their comfort zones and do the right things.”

Duncan said he is already seeing positive effects from competition for $4.4 billion in federal education funds that will go to only a few states that have embraced reforms the administration is encouraging.

The states that get that money will have to commit to things like tying teacher performance evaluations to student performance and removing barriers to charter schools.

“The great thing about Race to the Top is that it has jump-started reforms across the country before we’ve even spent a penny,” he said.

His key message to the National Alliance of Black School Educators was that the teachers in America’s schools look too little like the students they teach. He noted that only 2 percent of teachers are African-American men and said that must increase.

He also advocated for having the strongest possible teachers in front of the students who are farthest behind.

“We will never have equity in education until we have equity in teaching,” he said. “We’re not going to close the achievement gap until disadvantaged students learn from our country’s strongest teachers.”

I’ve already mentioned that Conservapedia sysop Ed Poor has some strange ideas when it comes to what is and isn’t appropriate on Conservapedia (out = references to Jack the Ripper’s victims as prostitutes; in = an article on bestiality). It’s always refreshing to see new examples of just how his mind works.

Sysop Brian MacDonald (aka Karajou) would appear to be a fan of Tomb Raider and uploaded a copy of the first game’s cover to CP. Looking at the file name, and scouring Google images, tells me that the one shown alongside was probably the one he used.

I say “probably” because along came Ed (slow walking Ed Jones, slow talking Ed Jones… I love that song!) and deleted it, claiming it was “too slutty”. Needless to say, Brian was a bit worried about this and queried his Edness.

“Ed Poor, I uploaded the cover to the first Tomb Raider game, and you deleted it for being “too slutty”. Any explanation for it?”

Ed’s reply is a classic of our time:

“Voluptuous breasts and bulging vulva isn’t slutty?”

Now I’ve studied that image pretty closely, and I can’t see a vulva – bulging or otherwise. Clearly, neither can Brian, who – full marks to him – was probably also scratching his head at this point.

“First, there is no bulging vulva; the box art doesn’t show that. Second, large breasts does not make a woman slutty; if that was the case then we’d run half the women on earth to a jail cell for prostitution…and that would include Dolly Parton.
Third, Eidos will not allow nor tolerate any attempt to portray Lara Croft in a compromising position. They even sued the creator of the “Nude Raider” game patch and won.”

It’s ok, Brian, we understand. You were dealing with creepy “Uncle” Ed Poor, after all. And I also had a thing for Dolly Parton way back when, although your association of “slutty” with “prostitution” is a bit odd. Maybe it’s the girls you hang out with? You are a sailor, after all.

Now I know that being a Conservapedia sysop involves an enormous amount of cognitive dissonance (especially when you have to grin and agree with more of Andrew Schlafly’s daily insanity), but there are times when you can only laugh out loud at the things they say.

Take for example Brian MacDonald’s (sysop Karajou – so much for Conservapedia’s policy of “use your real first name and initial, which is a blockable offence if you don’t)  claim about Wikipedia’s sysops:

All I could think of when I read this was the fact that most of the “trusted” admins there reached that level by vitue (sic) of lying, bullying, falsly-accusing, acting like SlimVirgin, etc.

Ok, lying? Which is something Schlafly does on a regular basis. Not to mention Terry Koeckritz, with his claims of having met everybody from Lucile Ball to Nancy Reagan (Actually, apparently our Terry pushed her to the floor and covered her with his body during an assassination attempt. Always good to know CP sysops are more alert – and closer – than the Secret Service). But don’t take my word for it, as Andy Schlafly complained once before, “He claimed to know Jerry Falwell and Ed Meese; he claimed to dine with Mary and Jim Carville; he even claimed to have fallen on Nancy Reagan during an assassination attempt.”

As for bullying. Well one would have to say that CP is well represented in that regard. One only has to recall the high regard in which Andy held the obnoxious Bugler (who turned out to be a wonderful parodist, playing Andy like a cheap fiddle), over the objections of a number of his hand-picked goons.

John Patti isn’t really clever enough to indulge in bullying, and simply hides behind his ban-hammer. Terry Koeckritz, of course, is well known for getting sexual gratification from his online bullying, something he has perfected on sites such as Hot or Not (thanks for the info, by the way, but as promised, I won’t publish it), RationalWiki and Conservapedia, where even head goon Ed Poor is on record as saying he does not want Terry involved in their behind the scenes chat room, the Zeugloden Blues. Still, I suppose I shouldn’t be too hard on Terry, he has made most of the discussions available once again.

Then there’s TerryH, the self-proclaimed custodian of the Conservative Bible Project (and apparently a qualified doctor). Not content with blaming the death of that Harry Potter actor on “multi-culturism” (maybe that’s why they’ve made it a blockable offence on CP – multi-culturism, I mean, not murder), he also launched into a quite incredible rant on somebody’s talk page (original here, let’s see how long until it gets burned), which started off:

Sir, you just called me a liar with regard to released Gitmo prisoners going right back to the battlefield and doing the exact same thing all over again that they landed at Gitmo for in the first place: killing Americans.

You had better do one of three things:

1. Provide a citation for your allegation that a significant proportion of Guantanamo detainees have turned out to be innocent of the war crimes imputed to them.
2. Retract your last comment and apologize to me.
3. Prepare to face blockage for contempt of the administration.

Blockage? Really? Is Conservapedia low in fibre? The conversation sort of went downhill from there.  Other gems (from the same discussion) include:

• mind your tone when you talk to me. I’m an administrator and you’re not.
• I ought to block you just for using words like “childish” even if it is on your talk page. Retract that remark right now or you will get blocked just for that.
• don’t you ever, EVER, tell another administrator what to do on this site.

Oh, what the hell, here’s a few more of TerryH’s specialities:

• I will not dignify that question with an answer. Besides, that question is incompetent, irrelevant, and immaterial.
• Cease and desist your obvious contempt for the administration, or risk a block just for that.
• Impugning [a sysop's] motives without warrant, and challenging his authority, are [blockable offences].

Then we get Brian MacDonald (he of the 20-year naval career, but no rank to show for it). Admittedly, it was resident cultist Mormon, Dean Slade, who coined the “Mind Your Own Business” block reason, but Brian is easily one of it’s most eager proponents, as per this example. He’s also gone on record for insisting that a editor (wait for it) go to the library, take out a specific book, find the passage in question and read it to Karajou, before he’s allowed to use it as a reference in an article. He’s also from the Andy Schlafly school that “If I make a bullshit statement and you query it, the onus is on you to prove me wrong, rather than me back up my insanity.” Here’s a good example.

Not content with sending editors to the library, he also wants them to engage in archaeological digs on his behalf. This is one of his more bizarre utterances, in defence of Noah’s Ark:

Tell you what, since he’s here to demand that we accept his viewpoint, I’m going to make a demand of my own.  Jamesmackenzie, since you came to this particular page with the intention of pushing your opinion that Noah’s Ark did not exist, I’m going to call you on it.  According to the Bible, Genesis 8, the ark rested in ”the mountains of Ararat”.  You, Jamesmackenzie, are going to scour the area once known as the Kingdom of Urartu, which now is occupied by eastern Turkey, northern Iraq, and northwestern Iran, and I don’t care how you do it.  You can use Google-Earth or take a jet to do some hiking, but you are going to go over every square foot of that ground ”before you carry on with your opinion in this website”. That is the only way I will accept from you the proof needed that the ark doesn’t exist.

They really are a nice bunch of people, aren’t they. In fact, most of them make SlimVirgin look positively angel-like.

!!!

Didn’t know much about it, but looks like the Feds want help rewriting it!

Four areas of Focus:

• Learning, Assessment, Teaching, Productivity
• Draft plan expected early 2010
• National Education Technology Plan (NETP) Webinar

Diigo tags: national, technology, 21stcenturyskills

Posted from Diigo.

…on the Andrew Schlafly versus Kate Sorenson saga.

(Block log); 10:39 . . Jpatt (Talk | contribs) blocked KSorenson (Talk | contribs) with an expiry time of 5 years (account creation disabled, e-mail blocked) (Negative personal comments: childish parthian shot)

Yup, when somebody who actually knows the subject comes along and tries to improve Conservapedia (in other words show Andy just how wrong he is and how little he knows), they get shown the door.

It’s also gratifying to see that Andy is such a “man”, has he has to get one of his acolytes to do the job for him.

Well done, John Patti, the “Trustworthy” encyclopaedia is proud of you.

Information Sheet

The GEO represents 2,600 TAs and GAs on campus, providing help against grievances of sexual harassment, racial discrimination, sexual orientation harassment, and other types of harassment, discrimination, preferential treatment, overwork, and other types of exploitation.  The GEO is one of the largest higher education union locals in the United States. (You can find more info at the GEO website)

1. Minimum salary and University cost of living

Current minimum 50% salary: $13, 430

University’s estimated cost of living in C-U: $16,086

2. Administrator salaries

President, B. Joseph White $450,000 (pg. 42) (President Obama’s salary is only $400,000)

Chancellor, Richard Herman $395, 500 (pg. 126)

Interim Provost, Robert Easter $254, 095 (pg. 6)

Together, just these 3 people make $1,099, 595 (enough to pay 81 TAs for the whole year)

Increasing the minimum 50% TA salary: $2.6 million or 0.7% of the university budget. (This is less than 1%.)

3. Admissions Scandal

The former Chancellor diverted $450,000 of discretionary funds to provide jobs and scholarships for politically well-connected but undeserving applicants.  Another $400,000 went to the attorneys who represented the University before the Governor’s investigative committee found the ethical violations.

• Combined with administrator salaries = $1,949,595 (pay for 145 TAs for the whole year)
• This is only $650,000 short of the $2.6 million needed meet the GEO’s requests.

4. When Campus Revenues Rose

When campus revenues rose by 7% in FY 2009, only 0.8% ($2.7 million) went to undergraduate instruction.  Meanwhile, the Chief Information Officer’s budget rose by 10.9 percent ($1.6 million), and the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics budget increased 6.2 percent ($4.1 million).

5. Daily Illini Radio Discussing the Strike

• 9 Nov—GEO plans to strike

• 8 Nov—Checkout the sections “GEO approves strike” and “U of I needs more money from state“

6. University of California, Berkeley Walkout Article here

7. UC Berkeley Walkout Videos from September 24, 2009

• Shut it down!
• Whose University?
• Layoff Yudoff
• UC Walkout Blocks Bankroft and Telegraph
• Katherine Sherwood