The Difference Between 4% and 6%

I'm really understanding the benefits of technology these days. I was speaking with a professor last week and he was telling me about the very nasty political campaign that ran against Abraham Lincoln. I never knew that happened in spite of the hours and hours of American History we all had to sit through. But it makes sense in a warped political way. He was perceived as a threat to what some people were comfortable with (how's that for an understatement?!) and so he was the target of threats, rumors and scandal mongers.

Exactly how fast did a rumor spread 1861?

Think of it... Imagine no CNN or Headline News. No USA Today. No 6:00 local nightly news and no 6:30 national nightly news. No phones, never mind cell phones. No computers. No Internet. No instant messaging.

If your neighbor told you something you'd want to pass on, how long would it take for the news to get to the next state if you could only rely on face to face conversations or hand-written letters delivered on foot or horseback? Keep in mind that people were living much farther apart back then too.

But, with the technology available now, when Brittany Spears' baby falls, we all know about it within 12 hours, if that long. Now, whether we need to know that is a whole other column, but the speed and availability of information on the Internet makes things possible that were never dreamed of.

Like finding out exactly who gave how much to which candidate. There are various sites that let you search out that information. The Federal Election Commission site is the warehouse of all the campaign filings, where the original sources are found. Open Secrets offers a variety of comparisons between candidates. At Campaign Money, I can search exactly who in my zip code donated how much to who. In these days of Abramhoff and National Energy Policies written by the oil companies, if I can't fight them, I can at least know who they are.

I've spent the last several days making my own analysis of the campaign finances in light of my personal issues of interest.

In a previous post, I wrote about listening to the then 4 candidates for Congress from the NY24 speak on a panel. We're down to 2 now, but I'm still nagged by a question I asked Les Roberts during that meeting. He had spoken about the national fundraising tour he was on and how much money he was raising in New Hampshire, Chicago, etc. I've lived in Utica and New Hartford, aside from academic months away for college, since I was 7 years old. This is my home. I asked him "why do all these people from all around America want you to be our representative in Congress?"

This election has gotten much bigger than anything I've ever done, which is exciting and slightly terrifying too. Understanding how expensive this race will be, I full well know that there will be significant money coming into the area from outside the area. Personally, that always makes me a little uncomfortable. But practicality demands that things cost money and the money has to be found. Its just as green outside the NY24 as inside.

But, it's also a measure of how much support a candidate has. And looking at the donations can offer all kinds of information. How that data can be used is dependent on what someone is looking for. I had a psychometrics prof who always said that the almost always right answer to almost any question is "It depends." That is why I chose the title of this entry.

I'm still trying to better understand why Les Roberts and his supporters want him to represent the NY24th in Congress. War zone victims, international and developing countries' healthcare issues, and genocide are subjects that greatly move me, not only as examples of man's inhumanity, but also because my heritage goes back to a country that has and continues to experience all three. But I can't say that those are problems we in the NY24th are facing and need help with.

So, for the last several days, I've been culling through the finance reports that have been filed with the FEC for the Roberts and Arcuri campaigns. I started simply out of curiosity about the Roberts' finances but what I found there made me go through the Michael Arcuri finances too.

Looking at contributions by individuals, I saw a lot of familiar names (yes, including my own). Hey, we're a small town in a lot of ways and there aren't many degrees of separation among us. It was no surprise to me how many people I knew. But the numbers are striking.

Arcuri for Congress Committee contributions from individuals:
96% came from inside the NY 24th Congressional District.
4% came from outside the NY 24th Congressional District. (raw number:11 donors)
*Of the 4%, about a third are from people who I assume are friends or family members who live else where.
*Only 2 donors were from outside New York State, both I assume to have family ties.
*Three other donors are from the NYC area.

Friends of Les Roberts Committee contributions from individuals:
6% came from inside the NY 24th Congressional District. (raw number: 11 donors)
*60% of the inside district donation was from the candidate himself
*One of the inside district donors has stated that the only reason he donated was because the candidate had a web site up early enough
94% came from outside the NY 24th Congressional District
*Donations were made from the following states: Virginia, Maryland, Florida, New York, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Washington, Hawaii, New Mexico, Wisconsin, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Kentucky, Illinois, Texas, California, Vermont, North Carolina, Colorado, and the District of Columbia

The difference between 4% and 6% is obvious. It just depends on who's investing in OUR representation. I can (OK, I have to) live with money from people who don't call this place "HOME" making a difference in who will be representing us. But I still want to know why so many people who don't call the NY24th "home" want Roberts to represent us. But now I also want to know just who are all these people who think they know what's better FOR US?

When I was in grad school, my parents would visit and invariably my mother would rearrange my kitchen to the arrangement she thought it should be. It drove me crazy, but she is my mother. I'm getting that crazy feeling again.
Maimun

Wisdom

As a previous post covered, I've been a political junkee for a while now. I have every issue of George magazine and more pins, palm cards and bumperstickers that I know what to do with.

But, for the most part, politics on TV seemed to get no better than Benson or Spin City, neither of which were really about politics.

Then came West Wing.

September 1999 and I remember looking forward to the new show. I'd met Martin Sheen when he was filming the Mitch Snyder Story across the street from my dorm. I'd been impressed by his polite soft-speaking while being mobbed by college students as he was eating dinner very very late at night. Besides, I'm from the generation that's more impressed by him than by his sons.

But what joy the show was to watch a Democrat be a Democrat. Granted, Clinton was still in office, but Bartlett was fiction and therefor designed to be that much closer to what Democrats always dream of.

And then Selection 2000 came along and West Wing was the only escape from the nightmare we'd been dragged into.

But as much as I knew it was a TV show, it also felt like home. Home, as in, the culture of political activists. I started recognizing people in the show. There was the younger, more (or rather still) idealistic one and there was the seasoned veteran. Over there was someone who prefered to support and that one there was the one who liked being in the spotlight. Another wasn't very secure about the contribution they made although everyone around them was.

But there's a difference between reality and television dramas. There was a scene in an episode where Josh was in a room with other campaign coordinators trying to solve a problem. He was the only male in the room. That was fiction because men still outnumber women in the management of politics. Another fiction was from tonight's episode where Vinick chooses to not take the election to the courts. Besides, Vinick was really too nice to be a Republican. Really.

But what made the show more real to me was Josh's development, especially in the Santos campaign episodes. Watching him with his rose-colored-glasses mature into the manager he became was comforting and real.

Democrats who do more than just vote honestly do feel that things can be better. We believe that in this county, children should not go hungry. That people shouldn't have to choose between food, rent, or medicine. That everyone should have the opportunity to work toward their goals.

But once we're in it for long enough, we realize that those goals, while laudible, meaningful and important, really are not the goals.

Democrats aren't fighting against people who say we should have starving children in America. That side isn't saying that it's fine if people can't have food, shelter and medication. They're not saying that the American dream is only for some people.

The difference is in the HOW.

It's not enough for a candidate to propose a plan that would address a problem. If they can't show a way to put the plan into action that is effective and realistic, those rose-colored glasses don't get us far enough.

I served on the transition committee for Michael Arcuri when he was elected to District Attorney. Back then, my rose-colored glasses were thicker than my coke-bottom eye-glasses for severe near-sightedness. The idea of a new county-wide Drug Task Force made complete sense to me, as it seemed to the voters. The tint in my glasses faded some as I heard all the reasons why a program like that just couldn't work.

Just because it was a good idea wasn't good enough.

It took a lot of work, honest, sincere, and committed, to bring together all the people who said "it couldn't be done" and work together with them to make it happen. Mike Arcuri knows how to do that and has done it. That is the wisdom that we need in our Representative in Congress.

So, just as Josh grew, so too have I. I hope the same can be said for everyone who steps forth to make a bigger difference than just voting. And I hope for all of us, that the idealism that put us into motion remains as strongly as when we started.

But more importantly, I hope we have gained the wisdom to take those goals and turn them into effective action. That is the only way we will be able to make the changes so needed now.
Maimun

change to this blog

I just wanted to explain a change I'm making on this site.

Recently, a message was left on a comment that was directly for me, but because of the way I set up my blog, it's available for everyone.

I originally set my blog to not moderate any comment left here in the effort to maintain the fast erroding Freedom of Expression. I've always felt that the best responce to expressions that I don't like is more expression that I do like.

But, I realized today that by choosing that setting, I'm also taking away someone's option to say something in private if that's what they prefer to do. And that's as offensive as not allowing someone to speak. I'm sorry I didn't realize that before.

So, as of once I figure it out, all comments left here will be screened by me before they are made available on the site. I will post everything except the following:
-messages requesting that it not be posted
-spam
-things I deem offensive or malicious

I also reserve the right to change the above list however I wish.
Maimun

more rude behavior

Once upon a time, to be conservative meant maintaining a certain level of constaint whether in clothing, behavior or language. Liberalism was supposedly the outrageous and attention-seeking.

So of course in this alternative universe of the current administration, the VP says "f you" (actually, that's not what he said. He said the whole word. I'm being as family-friendly as I can and still quote him) on the Senate floor where you would think some decorum would be expected from the people who work there. After all, if a visitor can get arrested for wearing a shirt with numbers, what's the consequence of swearing? At the very least, it used to be soap for lunch.

Then Justice Scalia, of the Supreme Court, aka Court of the Supreme Deity, does the above. Now, growing up in Utica where Italian food is considered just food, not ethnic food, we know what that means. It's not used in polite conversations. It does fit in before or after the VPs above comment though.

And now, During his testimony, Gonzales said he was constrained in what he could disclose about the highly classified program. "I do not think we are thumbing our nose at the Congress or the courts," he said."

No, he wasn't thumbing his nose. They don't do that. Yet.

Perhaps they're working their way down the list of inappropriate Kindergarten classroom behavior? By the end of this Badministration, the debates will be down to "you are too" "no I'm not, you are" "no, you are" "no, you are"

Though I guess after that comes a long whiny pathetic "MMMOOOOOOOMMM!!"

Which, I think, is exactly how we got into this nightmare to begin with.

You know though... I rather wish that this administration's offenses were limited to trash talk. Unfortunately for the rest of us, they turn their talk into action.

Secret action, though.

So what's the program that Gonzales' comments should or should not be taken as indicators of its existence or non-existance or whether such a program, if it does or does not exist is legal or not legal.... Are you distracted yet or has your migraine kicked in?!

This is why no one taps their phones... Listening to all that double speak would make heads explode or brains melt.

Domestic wire tapping without judicial oversight.

Before, this Badministration kept insisting that non-Americans didn't deserve the rights that Americans had. That just because we were safe from intrusion by our own goverenment, no one else had that protection. Well, now, Americans have become just like everyone else.

And the Badministration can tap our phones without anyone else knowing, not even the judges who by design in the Constitution (remember that piece of paper?) were a balance and therefor our reassurance that the cause was just and legal.

What's the next right we have taken away? How much freedom must we give up in order to remain free?

Any society that trades freedoms for security deserves neither and will lose both.

There are ways for wiretaps to be used domestically now, legally and justly. There's no reason to think that the process is failing. Rather, our District Attorney Michael Arcuri knows it works and how it works and has used it. He says, "[on] Wiretapping. As a district attorney who has had to apply for many wiretaps, I know that liberty and security are not mutually exclusive, and there are lawful ways that we can protect both."

We need more people in Washington who are interested, able and willing to protect the rights of Americans.
Maimun

and politics

I've been trying to be a better alumna these days and keep up a bit more with what's going on at my alma mater. Tuesday, I was reminded that I had no business being surprised that I'm into politics now. I got a "campus alert email." They just wanted me to know that according to mid-day exit polling, it looked like there would be run-off elections for Student Government President.

EXIT POLLING???!!!! MID-DAY EXIT POLLING???? RUN-OFF ELECTIONS????

for student government?!!!

Yea, GWU's like that.

There's a saying at my old college that everyone there ends up in politics. Granted, I lived 3 blocks from the White House even though Reagan repeatedly ignored us until he needed a hospital. But I was a psychology major with a minor in sociology. The most political things I remember was
1) waiting to cross the street in front of the Law library when Raisa Gorbachev's limo went by and we waved to each other
2) attending a lecture by Abby Hoffman, a childhood hero, along with Batman, and walking away sad at how angry and frustrated he seemed to be at how little things had changed
3) sitting at the window at the end of the hallway in my dorm just enjoying the night sky over the Washington Monument when police cars screamed down the roads and blocked off 19th Street. America had just bombed Libya and because we were the closest college to the White House, we either just became a target or a threat.... still don't know which.
and 4)helping a guy run for student government for all the wrong reasons

Like I said, I was a psychology major concentrating on children to boot. My friend Sarah never did manage to get me to a College Democrats meeting (it's her revenge now that I advise them). Nope, I insisted.. politics wasn't my thing. I was going to counsel children and families. No, no politics for me.

Clinton-Gore 92, Arcuri for District Attorney 93, Cuomo for Governor 94, Dwyer for County Judge 95, Clinton-Gore 96, Arcuri for District Attorney 97, Spitzer for Attorney General 98, Clinton for Senate 00, Cooley for Town Supervisor 01, (Arcuri for DA 01 was unopposed, so there was nothing for me to do there), McCall for Governor 02, Sullivan for County Executive 03, Miller for Congress 04, Murad for Surrogate Judge 05, (Arcuri for DA 05 was again unopposed as was Dwyer for Judge 05) and now Michael Arcuri for Congress 06. I have no idea why I can't remember what I did in 98. And somewhere in there was a Sheriff's race that I can't pin down.

Yea, so no politics for me. Absolutely not.

I can rationalize though. After all, as a counselor, I help people improve their lives. Politics should improve my corner of the planet, however big that might be. It's applied to many instead of one, that's all.

It's genetic too. My grandfather, who I only met once before he passed, and I was too young to appreciate him, was active in politics back in the old world. When I first got active, my mother was pretty angry at me for missing a family trip with my uncle who was visiting from London. She only quieted down after Uncle told her to stop nagging me as I was just doing what their father did.

But probably more than anything else, I do it because I can. I've been assisted along the road.. doctors who kept me alive and walking... teachers who taught me how to learn... even the guy who plows the roads on snowstormed days. But getting all that requires giving too.

A duty to try to FIX something that is broken.
A duty to try to RIGHT what is wrong.
A duty to try to MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

-Maimun

politeness and poetry

It's happening... after way more nights than I care to admit of searching through blogs and getting at best too annoyed to sleep, I'm finding that community that I do want to be a part of.

Remember how once upon a time, people talked, shared ideas, even debated... and kept civility and dialog in their interactions? There's a saying in my circles... "Good manners have become so rare, I'll fall in love with them now."

And I've been politely prodded for some poetry and though these days, they tend to start like
there was an idiot from texas
who once....

Instead, I'll post an old one:

Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations

Roses next to orchids next to daisies in a garden;
violet, indigo, blue, green, blend into a rainbow;
stars, the moon, the sun forming the heaven above;
consonants and vowels joining into words.
Differences combining to form meaning;
variations bringing forth beauty,
as grains of sand become a beach
only through the centuries
of working together
creating the world.
Diversified
entities
forming
One.

There. Thank you, YouGoMike and Utican... now this blog's fitting it's title.
-Maimun

Where the candidates stand...

From the Observer-Dispatch of march 27, 2006

"Where the Candidates Stand"

"Michael Arcuri

D-Utica

As a district attorney who has had to apply for many wiretaps, I know that liberty and security are not mutually exclusive, and there are lawful ways that we can protect both.

Tax cuts should be aimed first at the working middle class, and the child tax credit should be made permanent. But I oppose tax credits to big oil companies, corporations and the wealthiest Americans at a time when we cannot balance the budget and are forced to make drastic cuts in student aid and health care.

I am proud of our troops in Iraq and grateful for the sacrifices made every day by them and their families. That is why we need a realistic exit strategy based on tangible, achievable benchmarks that allow us to monitor our progress and lead us out of Iraq as soon as possible.

The Constitution protects an individual's right to privacy. I support a woman's right to choose.

Like Congressman (Sherwood) Boehlert, I support stem cell research and would oppose any unreasonable attempts to restrict this research and deny hope to those suffering life-threatening and debilitating diseases.

As a district attorney, my office has prosecuted many illegal gun cases, and we know it is not the legally possessed guns that cause danger to our citizens, but the illegally possessed guns. We don't need more gun laws; we need better enforcement of existing gun laws and more funding for police to enforce those laws.

I oppose unwarranted government interference in the private lives of consenting adults, and I support laws that provide equal benefits for all citizens, to health and life insurance, inheritance and other basic rights like hospital visitation."

And my take on the others:

Anti-terrorist objectives have been met? Did I miss the capture of Bin laden?

Who's traditional values?

Do you really think that laws that protect rights should be changed to no longer protect?

How in the world can a freshman Congressman force this White House to give up profiteering?

Yes, democracy can not be fostered by violating democratic principles!

Just where in the 24th CD is there a stimulated economy?

What was it Yoda said... Who is the fool... the fool or the one who follows the fool?

Is there a movement to repeal the 2nd Amendment that I don't know about?

If civil rights are good enough for Americans, aren't they good enough for everyone else?

I don't make enough to support the Bush Tax Cut.

Good thing I know the question's about stem cell cause at first read, I first thought of produce.

Might be lawful, but there's no moral reason for owning assault weapons.

Slavery was an institution once too... that's not reason enough to continue it.

Now, I've been pretty flip about the other candidates' stands, but also there was nothing in this article to change my mind. Read the article and decide for yourself who's the best candidate.

And a HUGE HUG AND WELCOME TO ANOTHER STEP TO ADULTHOOD for the girl who called me today and said that she read the article and from what the candidates said, she now knows that she's a Democrat!
-Maimun

Meiers: Keep 'em Dumb

Academic Bill of Rights

Sounds pretty good, doesn't it?

George Orwell would have loved it.

It's also known as Bill S6336 in Albany.

The justification offered (you'll probably need to type in S6336 for the Bill #, and click "Sponsors Memo") for this Bill includes:

Every institution of higher learning has a duty to promote intellectual

diversity on campus. Too often, students find many college classes

biased or one-sided. The ideas of all students and faculty members

should be treated with respect, and all ideas deserve to be represented

on campus.


Professors and administrators have an obligation to make students aware

of a broad range of viewpoints and perspectives. They are not hired to

teach only students who share their political or philosophical views,

and professors should never force their own views upon their students.

The classroom is not and should never be a soapbox for a professor to

promote his or her point of view.


The Academic Bill of Rights has been introduced as legislation in a

number of state legislatures, and a few states have already adopted a

form of the Academic Bill of Rights. In one of the most recent examples,

the Pennsylvania State House of Representatives -- in July 2005 --

passed a resolution supporting the principles of the Academic Bill of

Rights.

So, according to this Bill, places of higher education are being overwhelmed by intolerance, bias, and discrimination.

Not in my world. Not at the colleges I attended, the one where I work, nor the ones I've visited. Granted, I haven't been to Bob Jones University, but as a woman on color, Democrat, and Muslim, I'm smart enough to stay away from lynch mobs.

section A of the bill includes:

     5    a.  A  learning environment in which the student has access to a broad
   6  range of serious  scholarly  opinion  pertaining  to  the  subjects  the
   7  student studies in which, in the humanities, the social sciences and the
   8  arts,  the  fostering  of a plurality of serious scholarly methodologies
   9  and perspectives has a significant institutional purpose;

that would include all the psychology theories I had to memorize, learn, dissect and implement, right? Sec 1, A taken care of

section B:

    10    b. To be graded solely on the basis of the student's reasoned  answers
  11  and appropriate knowledge of the subjects the student studies and to not
  12  be  discriminated  against  on  the  basis of the student's political or
  13  religious beliefs;

You know... never once did I have to share my political beliefs and the times a student shared them with me as usually when they wanted to know if they could still join College Democrats (who I advise) if they weren't a Democrat. And, yes, anyone can join. And as an Academic Complaints Advisor, I've never had a student claim bias based on their beliefs.

section C:

    14    c. That the student's academic freedom and the  quality  of  education
  15  will  not  be  infringed  upon by instructors who persistently introduce
  16  controversial matter into  the  classroom  or  coursework  that  has  no
  17  relation  to the subject of study and that serves no legitimate pedagog-
  18  ical purpose;

Again, can't say that this has ever been ground for filing a complaint against a faculty member.

Section d:

    19    d. That the freedom of  speech,  freedom  of  expression,  freedom  of
  20  assembly and freedom of conscience of students and student organizations
  21  are  not  infringed upon by administrators, student government organiza-
  22  tions or institutional policies, rules or procedures; and

OK, I haven't faced this though the current rulings limiting the Freedom of Press at public institutions scare and anger me. It would seem contrary to this bill, but because the rulings targeted "liberal" college media is it probably OK.

I could continue addressing ever section of this Bill, but you can and should read it for yourself.

What's interesting is the most frequently cited justification for the Bill is not cited in the text. The "problem" with higher education is not that any of the things explained in the Bill are actually happening, but rather there are just too many more Democrats working in higher education then are Republicans.

So, could someone please sponsor a "Financial Bill of Rights," "Media Bill of Rights," "Healthcare Bill of Rights," and "Congressional Bill of Rights." In all those places, Republicans probably outnumber Democrats and I'd like to see everyone's rights fairly protected.

Oh, wait.. there I go again, another crazy liberal educator forcing my views on everyone else.

As if sitting at my keyboard, typing, magically changes everyone's opinions.

But that's exactly why the neo-cons want to limit speech... they think that expose means conversion.

What they fail to grasp is that the best college students learn the skills to listen, evaluate, judge, and choose so they can become contributing adult members of their world rather than drones waiting for Big Brother to send orders.

Why is this such an important matter? One of the co-sponsors of this bill is State Senator Raymond A. Meier who is now running for Congress. There are numerous centers of higher education in the NY 24th Congressional District, but the Bill Meiers sponsored would apply to all centers in NY. And there is an effort to apply this nationwide. Take a look at this article for more information.

Ironically, academicians are sometimes the wrong ones to talk about the effort to stifle learning on campuses. Maybe they are too close to the bullseye or more likely, they see it in their unique perspective. Certainly, the discussion can include theories of learning, methodology, and communications. But at it's most basic level, this Bill is to stop learning and create an atmosphere that limits teaching.

The new Republican plan for Higher Education: Unless they were born with a silver spoon, keep 'em dumb and let them flip burgers.
Maimun

Investing by Giving Away

(as submitted to the College Crier)

The other day, a student asked for help in completing an application for a scholarship. He was the first one in his family to attend college and many of the aspects and terminology of higher education were new to him. Although his parents had not attended school in this country, they had placed a great deal on importance on education and grades.

But the question asking him to explain his community service stumped him. Like many students, he attended classes, studied and worked. He spent time with his family and friends. For many people, not only students, volunteering is not a regular occurrence. For many, it is not even considered.

Yet, the benefits can far outweigh the efforts.

There are some people for whom volunteering regularly is not an option. Struggling to secure basic needs can be enough of a challenge on time and resources to prohibit donating them to others.

But even for those who are struggling, finding a way to help others brings a variety of meaningful benefits.

There are numerous ways a person can help others. Time, finances, material goods, and ideas all can be offered. An afterschool program for at-risk children did not charge families for their child to attend, but it did request that each family make a monthly contribution of their own choice. The offerings ranged from weekly donations of snack for the entire program to a single box of cake mix, from a family who found a supply of craft materials at a garage sale to a father who came in once a month to teach the children a new game in the gym.

The goal of the donation request was not to ease the needs of the after-school program though. Instead, it sought to offer the families and the children an opportunity to serve their community.

As participants of the program, the children knew that were “at-risk” and had a history of being recipients of assistance. All children are passive members of society with parents, schools and community giving or doing to them. But an opportunity to return assistance gives them the change to actively engage in the social interaction. In the same way, college students can return or pass on any assistance they received as children.

By allowing each family to decide how they would contribute, the families had the opportunity to evaluate their abilities and resources not only in light of what they had, but also with how they could be used. College students typically are better able to donate time and ability rather than money. It is with this that college students around the county donated their Spring Breaks this year to assisting in the reconstruction of New Orleans.

However, students can be and often are generous with their cash. Earlier this month, the Muslim Student Association of MVCC staffed a table to take donations for the daughter of a local police officer killed in the line of duty. In the 5 hours of collecting, numerous students stopped by the table and gave a few dollars or emptied their pockets of lose change. Almost $300 was collected for the fund.

Whether with time, goods or money, college students do volunteer. But a contribution that is usually lacking from college students is that of their ideas.

Actively engaged in learning, students are often able to develop ideas that reach beyond the usual standards. Typically, most community groups desire college students because of their combination of energy and learning. By forming new clubs on campus to volunteering in political campaigns, the infusion of new thoughts and excitement makes a significant difference.

All of these benefits echo into the community of the student, which in turn improves their environment. But too, it has the direct benefit of demonstrating that the student is an active participant in their world and not just a consumer.

Thus the student can show now only ownership of his or her abilities, but also the willingness to invest the abilities in the community. And beyond benefiting the world the student is it, it also increases the investment scholarship committees and employees are willing to make in the student.
-Maimun

For the Record

I have a feeling I might need to state this everytime I write an entry, but that gets boring. Besides which, I just shouldn't have to.

This blog is not a part of Arcuri for Congress.

I don't speak for Mike and no one could ever confuse us with each other.

Yes, I will write about the campaign because, like art, reading, counseling, my cat, the weather, West Wing, issues, Star Trek and everything else, it is a part of my life.

No, I will not be issuing campaign statements here nor answering questions that are better adddressed elsewhere.

That's it for now.
Maimun