This has been on my mind for the past number of months.
February saw the tragic death of Joan Domke on Pearl St. While you might not have known her, you might have recognized her if you frequented Planet Perk or were a regular downtown wanderer. We've heard basically nada on this since it happened.
To the best of my knowledge, the name of the person who hit her hasn't been released. Why?
We see published in the Osh NW every frickin divorce in the county. This is news? Someone gets divorced and we need to see that in print? Someone died here, quite tragically. And the story is met with nary a word about who did it. The status of the investigation? Who knows?
I may not have the best memory but didn't we have a similar case in town in late 2007. Happened on the south side of the river. A guy who used to ride around town in a 3-wheel bike was hit and killed. Never heard anything more. Who did it? Were they charged?
Every divorce is proudly published. Every kid popped for a nickel bag gets his/her name published. So in order to gain true anonymity, your need to kill someone with your car?
Not sure where the issue lies, with the OPD or the Osh NW. But, something doesn't sit right
Monday, April 27, 2009
Saturday, April 25, 2009
NW Article on Titan Stadium
I'm a wise ass, I admit it. Hence 'glib replies'.
I read this today about how one of our neighbors continues to be aghast at the noise, traffic and light spillage from our sports complex.
http://www.thenorthwestern.com/article/20090425/OSH0101/304250046/1987
Wondering out loud here but, wouldn't one think there might be a touch of activity at a collegiate sports complex? As such, if one was not wanting to be subjected to the hubbub and all, why buy a home nearby?
Reminds me of people who move to the country and complain that the farms smell
I read this today about how one of our neighbors continues to be aghast at the noise, traffic and light spillage from our sports complex.
http://www.thenorthwestern.com/article/20090425/OSH0101/304250046/1987
Wondering out loud here but, wouldn't one think there might be a touch of activity at a collegiate sports complex? As such, if one was not wanting to be subjected to the hubbub and all, why buy a home nearby?
Reminds me of people who move to the country and complain that the farms smell
Thursday, April 23, 2009
I Wish He Wrote For The AT
from the 4/22/09 Royal Purple-UW Whitewater's Student Newspaper
Spoiled athletes need reality check (by Mike Daly)
"Not often are you afforded the opportunity to compare UW-Whitewater's sports to a typical Division I athletic program, but there's one similarity between the two: the preferential treatment some athletes receive.
The special treatment some athletes receive at the Division I level has been well documented. Most people have heard the story of former Ohio State University running back Maurice Clarett accusing his former coach, Jim Tressel, of arranging for him to get passing grades, cars and money for bogus summer jobs. Clarett also once walked out of a midterm exam because he "didn't know a thing," and was later allowed to take an oral exam instead. He "passed."
The likelihood of such events occurring at UW-Whitewater is highly unlikely, if not impossible. But some Warhawk athletes do receive treatment their non-athlete peers are not afforded.
While I was in the Williams Center weight room April 10, three athletes from one of UW-Whitewater's elite programs attempted to work out, independent of their team, without handing over their student IDs. They had their IDs, they just simply didn't want to perform the laborious task of handing them over to the Williams Center employees. One athlete was cooperative, a second eventually forked over his ID, but the third refused until the police were called. That's right; the police were summoned because an athlete wouldn't take his ID out of his wallet and hand it to the employee. Nothing really happened, and all three were allowed to stay after wasting everyone's time.
Days later, the athletes didn't want to comment on it. The coaches didn't want a story about it, and the Williams Center employees-presumably due to the fear of singling out athletes-didn't want to talk about it either.
This particular athlete conducted himself in a way his coaches surely would not condone. Neither their demeanor, nor their language was respectful, but that's OK, because they're athletes. They're allowed to play the system. Next time I'm in the Williams Center, I'll keep my ID, wear my headphones on the bottom floor and bench press naked because I feel like it. Although when I break the rules and act like a goon, I won't have a coach or administrator who will go to bat for me.
And that's where the real problem lies. The guilty party usually isn't the typical student-athlete. It's really not even the few who misbehave or accept preferential treatment. The villains are the "adults" - the coaches and administrators - who send the message it's acceptable to behave how you want because you can run fast or jump high.
I've been associated with the Royal Purple for almost two years, and in that time, I've been directly involved with, or caught wind of, people within the athletic department objecting to certain stories the paper has run.
There are no complaints when the front page displays the latest WIAC championship. No one whines when there's a story about a Warhawk athlete winning player of the year honors, or a state-of-the-art athletic facility opening. Some athletes even send complaints to the paper about a lack of coverage.
But when the same individuals bend the rules, they instantly want nothing to do with the spotlight. And their coaches and the administration are quick to defend them and explain why the negative attention is unjustified.
Sadly, the adults don't realize they aren't doing the athlete-students any favors. They'll leave UW-Whitewater thinking they can always behave how they want and be bailed out. That would probably be true, unfortunately, if they could jump high enough and run fast enough to play professionally.
But this is UW-Whitewater, and excluding rare exceptions like Derek Stanley or Matt Turk, pro sports are not an option for graduates.Then again, sometimes exceptional talent still isn't enough to bail out someone who thinks he's above the rules. Ask Clarett. You can reach him at the Toledo Correctional Institution."
Wow! Why can't we get a student writer like this instead of the current current AT editor who rails incessantly about the evils of business?
Spoiled athletes need reality check (by Mike Daly)
"Not often are you afforded the opportunity to compare UW-Whitewater's sports to a typical Division I athletic program, but there's one similarity between the two: the preferential treatment some athletes receive.
The special treatment some athletes receive at the Division I level has been well documented. Most people have heard the story of former Ohio State University running back Maurice Clarett accusing his former coach, Jim Tressel, of arranging for him to get passing grades, cars and money for bogus summer jobs. Clarett also once walked out of a midterm exam because he "didn't know a thing," and was later allowed to take an oral exam instead. He "passed."
The likelihood of such events occurring at UW-Whitewater is highly unlikely, if not impossible. But some Warhawk athletes do receive treatment their non-athlete peers are not afforded.
While I was in the Williams Center weight room April 10, three athletes from one of UW-Whitewater's elite programs attempted to work out, independent of their team, without handing over their student IDs. They had their IDs, they just simply didn't want to perform the laborious task of handing them over to the Williams Center employees. One athlete was cooperative, a second eventually forked over his ID, but the third refused until the police were called. That's right; the police were summoned because an athlete wouldn't take his ID out of his wallet and hand it to the employee. Nothing really happened, and all three were allowed to stay after wasting everyone's time.
Days later, the athletes didn't want to comment on it. The coaches didn't want a story about it, and the Williams Center employees-presumably due to the fear of singling out athletes-didn't want to talk about it either.
This particular athlete conducted himself in a way his coaches surely would not condone. Neither their demeanor, nor their language was respectful, but that's OK, because they're athletes. They're allowed to play the system. Next time I'm in the Williams Center, I'll keep my ID, wear my headphones on the bottom floor and bench press naked because I feel like it. Although when I break the rules and act like a goon, I won't have a coach or administrator who will go to bat for me.
And that's where the real problem lies. The guilty party usually isn't the typical student-athlete. It's really not even the few who misbehave or accept preferential treatment. The villains are the "adults" - the coaches and administrators - who send the message it's acceptable to behave how you want because you can run fast or jump high.
I've been associated with the Royal Purple for almost two years, and in that time, I've been directly involved with, or caught wind of, people within the athletic department objecting to certain stories the paper has run.
There are no complaints when the front page displays the latest WIAC championship. No one whines when there's a story about a Warhawk athlete winning player of the year honors, or a state-of-the-art athletic facility opening. Some athletes even send complaints to the paper about a lack of coverage.
But when the same individuals bend the rules, they instantly want nothing to do with the spotlight. And their coaches and the administration are quick to defend them and explain why the negative attention is unjustified.
Sadly, the adults don't realize they aren't doing the athlete-students any favors. They'll leave UW-Whitewater thinking they can always behave how they want and be bailed out. That would probably be true, unfortunately, if they could jump high enough and run fast enough to play professionally.
But this is UW-Whitewater, and excluding rare exceptions like Derek Stanley or Matt Turk, pro sports are not an option for graduates.Then again, sometimes exceptional talent still isn't enough to bail out someone who thinks he's above the rules. Ask Clarett. You can reach him at the Toledo Correctional Institution."
Wow! Why can't we get a student writer like this instead of the current current AT editor who rails incessantly about the evils of business?
Friday, April 17, 2009
Mulitcultural Preview Day
Yep, great idea.
Really, I'm in favor of it.
Bring in lots of potential students, particularly 1st generation higher ed students. Always a good thing. Great thing actually.
Issue I have (note I'm not saying problem) is in regards to the tour of the students about campus. I saw several of the groups touring. They were every where and for this type of program they should be. I saw one group just sitting in the grass by Taylor and noted the smiles of the students. This was fun. Many were experiencing a college campus for the first time and one could see the delight in their faces.
My issue? Did we really need to have a a tour in Spanish? I'm not getting this second hand. I saw it and heard it, in Reeve. I know enough Spanish to understand basic things. What I was able to understand from this group as I walked by was it sounded like any other student tour I'd heard go through Reeve...but in Spanish.
Why?
We've got students from abroad on campus. I delight in having them on campus. Foreign students are generally good students and they add to the discussion in upper level classes I've taught here and elsewhere. Great kids for the most part and I'm glad they are here. They don't get a tour here in their native tongue. Like wise, we've got numerous other ethnic groups represented on campus with ESL issues, most noted are the SE Asians (Hmong and Vietnamese) and I don't remember ever seeing tours in their languages. These kids are so rewarding in class. They are almost all first generation students and so damn eager.
But we bus in kids from a Wisconsin High School and speak to them in Spanish, is it me or are we going a bit overboard here? Really, I teach in English. I speak a couple of foreign languages pretty decently (some might suggest English ain't one of them and to that I say: youse guys is all wrong) one because I took it in high school and as an undergrad and one because it was a family language (I'm truly very close to being a goat herder so be careful)
I really would like to know what others thoughts are on this. What do other faculty, staff and students think?
Really, I'm in favor of it.
Bring in lots of potential students, particularly 1st generation higher ed students. Always a good thing. Great thing actually.
Issue I have (note I'm not saying problem) is in regards to the tour of the students about campus. I saw several of the groups touring. They were every where and for this type of program they should be. I saw one group just sitting in the grass by Taylor and noted the smiles of the students. This was fun. Many were experiencing a college campus for the first time and one could see the delight in their faces.
My issue? Did we really need to have a a tour in Spanish? I'm not getting this second hand. I saw it and heard it, in Reeve. I know enough Spanish to understand basic things. What I was able to understand from this group as I walked by was it sounded like any other student tour I'd heard go through Reeve...but in Spanish.
Why?
We've got students from abroad on campus. I delight in having them on campus. Foreign students are generally good students and they add to the discussion in upper level classes I've taught here and elsewhere. Great kids for the most part and I'm glad they are here. They don't get a tour here in their native tongue. Like wise, we've got numerous other ethnic groups represented on campus with ESL issues, most noted are the SE Asians (Hmong and Vietnamese) and I don't remember ever seeing tours in their languages. These kids are so rewarding in class. They are almost all first generation students and so damn eager.
But we bus in kids from a Wisconsin High School and speak to them in Spanish, is it me or are we going a bit overboard here? Really, I teach in English. I speak a couple of foreign languages pretty decently (some might suggest English ain't one of them and to that I say: youse guys is all wrong) one because I took it in high school and as an undergrad and one because it was a family language (I'm truly very close to being a goat herder so be careful)
I really would like to know what others thoughts are on this. What do other faculty, staff and students think?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)