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Cal Poly Professors On CSU Strike?

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Today, the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo’s Professors are voting on whether or not they will take a two day strike.

First, let me say that I am a very pro-union kinda guy… However, there’s a big difference between public and private unions. Private unions have to be ‘market driven’ while public unions — like Cal Poly’s faculty — have little if any restraint on their ability to tap into our money.

Cal Poly administrators like to portray themselves as being really no different from their fellow CEO’s in ‘business’ around the country; however, outside of the Brooks Brothers Suits or Prada that they wear… there is very little in common. They are not responsible for making a ‘bottom line.’ Administrators in such bureaucracies merely judge their ‘power’ by their ever expanding staffs and budgets… I think Cal Poly has a ‘Provost’ ( a useless highly paid administrative zombie) for almost everything. Don’t believe me? Last I heard the Cal Poly president recieved another big raise and his car allowance alone figures out to around $60,000.

It will never end as the ‘right’ folks are in positions to approve all raises.

I also csu professor taking in votesseem to remember reading something about one CSU former president taking his staff on a cruise in the Mediterranean. Rough life.

So although I don’t have much sympathy for professors whose full time load is around 12 hours a week for 32 weeks or so… (they have more than what could be called a ‘liveable wage’)… I have even less for the bloated staffs carried by CSU Administrations, that weigh heavily on us taxpayers.

By the way, the biggest part of the California Budget is education … and so little trickles down to the classroom that one doesn’t have to wonder where it goes…. and into whose pocket? It’s certainly time for a change … starting at the top.

Here is what others are saying:

10% raise in Student Fees & Presidential Perks
State’s largest Strike… potentially
CSU Strike — Bullfight Blog
PICTURES on flicker — CSU strike vote
CSU- Sacramento
CSU’s POSITION & “spin…spin… spin”
Student’s support Faculty demands

Roger Freberg

Oh yeah, the ‘Big Weenie Awards’ goes to the CSU administration, aging Cal Poly SLO President and the rest of his esteemed collegues

 

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300 Spartans over Critics & Islamic Fundamentalists

Spartans meet with islamic fundamentalist Iranian... er...

 

It is always interesting to see who and what people read into today’s movies… no sooner than the ‘300’ was released did an outpouring of criticism and political posturing grace our film season.

The ‘300’ — for those of you who are visiting from Endor — is a true-to-life movie about how 300 Spartans ( read: the present day Western Civilization or the Greek City State of Sparta that defined the word ‘macho’) held off the invading armies from the east ( read: today’s fundamentalist Islam or Persians from the same locale). The Spartans died to the last man but not before stretching the invading armies supply lines and creating great spirit among the Greeks of their time.

Needless to say, the current Iranian leader is most upset for reasons that are easy to guess. Obviously, he wants Western powers to stay impotent and hopeless… this movie offers the opposite.

The story of what became the Battle of Thermopylae is fascinating. Leonaidas ( one of the two kings of Sparta… yep, two kings) picked 300 of his toughest soldiers with one additional requirement… that each man was already a father. The ‘Persians’ wanted the Greeks to surrender and the exchange went something like this…

…Then Xerxes I asked him more forcefully to surrender their arms. To this Leonidas gave his noted answer: Μολών Λαβέ (pronounced: /molɔːn labe/), meaning “Come take them”.

Movie Critics are upset for a number of reasons … although they are not upfront about it. My guess is that although they are pleased that the heroes all died, they are not happy that any good came from it. Historical lessons sometimes do that to us… point us to what is real and what needs to be done. There is a lot we all can still learn from the Spartans.

By the way, don’t look for the ‘300’ to be on the ‘Oscars’ short list… the Academy is full of weenies. However, this a must see movie.

Roger Freberg

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Short Legs a virtue… in combat?

short legged wonderkind

 

Short legs are a virtue in combat… powerful and provide a lower center of gravity. It’s obviously harder to tip over.

An interesting article appeared in an on-line science magazine called “PhysOrg.com” on the apparent advantage of shorter legs for our ancestors… the picture on the left is of a gorrilla that the author states has an advantage in combat.

I have always observed that many of the better wrestlers are those with a lower center of gravity. It certainly seemed to be helpful for me… except in track.

Roger Freberg

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Half Way there at Jenny Craig!

closing in on fifty pounds and half way there!

 

Well… it finally happened … I am half way there towards my goal weight! I am down to 272.4… I know that sounds like a lot to some folks… but this was my average weight as a college athlete and although the weight is somewhat distributed differently… I can NOW get into — comfortably — a size 38 pair of pants… that’s a big deal to me.

So I am down 48.2 lbs since December, Karen’s down 51 and Laura 45 since Novemeber… obviously, mine was easier to do.

Roger Freberg

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Michael Kors “First-Ever Catalog” a hit… with me.

Michael Kors and Neiman Marcus CatalogsI recieved a couple of catalogs in today’s mail… the mailman must have been very impressed.

As the person who can speak ‘fashion’ with his daughters and wife… I found it adventageous to scan the offerings.

What’s obvious is that both contain sample fragrances. The NM contained ‘Valentino” for women… which to me… could best be described as ‘lusty’. And Michael Kors has his own style of perfume… His ‘Fiji’ and ‘Hawaii’ for women are appealing… they remind me of both.

What first strikes you about Michael Kors’ selection is that there is something for everyone’s pocketbook! I had been looking for a large leather bag for my wife to put her purse, shoulder bag, dress shoes, camping equipment and other stuff… and he has several modestly priced that would work just fine. As for Neiman Marcus, my absolute favorite place to shop… bring your wallet or shop the sales.

Blogging about fashion is a bit unusual for me… but then, I don’t get tuned out when my wife and daughters talk… so, it’s all good. It does have it’s advantages, one woman told me recently:

 “a man who likes fashion is to women,  
as a woman who loves football is to men”…

I can appreciate that.

Roger Freberg