Category: In the News

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remembering a world without a free press

CLICK on picture to be taken directly to the Drudge Report
CLICK on picture to be taken directly to the Drudge Report

There are many people in various levels of leadership who really don’t believe in a ‘free press’ or ‘freedom of speech’ and I am saddened by this. Let us just say, I have heard enough people say the trite, “the people don’t know what’s good for them” as well as the ” I can’t believe Reagan won (80%), because everyone I knew voted for McGovern! (McGovern won only his home state of Minnesota)” to wonder why they really aren’t listening to the rest of us?  The unfortunate truth is that we are always one heartbeat from losing our objectivity. When we (and they) listen, we all benefit.

There was a time before Matt Drudge,  Fox News, the Huffington Post and nationally syndicated alternative radio talk show hosts where the news was  interpreted for us by a few national media outlets and locally by newspapers. Interestingly enough, media folks in those days referred to themselves as ‘moderates’, which amused most everyone. In the ‘old days’, it was almost impossible to have your voice heard, even on the local level. It was an almost impossible task to even stand toe-to-toe with a local newspaper editor… as has been often quoted: “Never argue with someone who buys ink by the barrel and paper by the ton.” This has all changed for the better with the internet. Today, scandals that would have been swept under the rug get to see the light of day. Stories unpopular with powerful entities get a chance to be played. Common sense rules the marketplace of ideas…. but there are those who do not like this at all.

So, I am reminded that without a true freedom of the press and free speech, none of our other ‘rights’ mean much.

Thank you to all those who present another point of view regardless of that part of the political spectrum you sit…. even on the  local level.

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tune in, turn on and drop out?

"Marijuana legalization first made the California ballot back in 1972–when it was also called Proposition 19."
"legalizing marijuana -- a blast from the past"

First, NO,  I am not voting for Proposition 19 and YES, I know that there is a good chance it will — unfortunately — pass in California. The history of drugs in America is hard to find on the internet. So, if you read everything on-line , you might believe we have never been in this position before…a time when drugs were legal. I find it darkly amusing to read the articles and blogs on this subject, it’s kinda like listening to a bunch of kids acting as though they just invented sex.

In reading what’s out there, I am reminded of George Santayana’s almost cliche quote: “those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” Addiction in America has been a long standing challenge that finally received national and local attention after the country was unable to find enough non addicted men to serve in World War 1. However, local, state and the federal governments did impose a few draconian solutions. Often after times of extreme indulgence comes times of repression and it usually isn’t pretty. We may not like where this future takes us.

However, sad to say, but sometimes, things have to get a bit worse, before they have a chance at getting better…. however, I am not convinced,  I am still voting NO …

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iPad envy is a terrible thing


Everyone in my family loves technology, especially something new. Each generation of technology was fun for us to explore. We all joke about the days when updating an Apple meant knowing how to use a soldering iron! I remember cutting into a case to add the first floppy disk, then the 3 1/4, cd and dvd and all the recording versions. If you are old enough, you’ll remember when a floppy handled a whopping 10k of memory and buying a computer without a hard disk. We’ve even beta tested a few items which was fun, especially new video game systems. We smile back at those times. We may never meet any of the geniuses associated with these great devices, but we are grateful for the sense of awe they bring, their usefulness and practicality…. and yes, for the envy it causes in others!  😉

So one day, we are all on the conference phone discussing Apple’s latest mobile devise called the iPad and ‘wondering’ which iPad — if any — is worthy of purchase? After much discussion, we agreed that we each would buy the  WiFi 6G 64GB as it had virtually everything. They’ll be shipped at the end of the month and the only question remains is who will get theirs first?

Here’s a nice discussion on iPad:

iPad-Wikipedia

iPad — at Apple


Yes, I have heard from a few friends that we are once again being mislead on the quest for truth and enlightenment. We have heard that the iPad is just a fad and this too will pass. They said the same thing about the personal computer thirty years ago.  However, I am reminded of Mark Twain’s famous remark,”denial is not just a river in Egypt!.”

iPad envy is a terrible thing.

Roger Freberg

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wear ronnie wood

CLICK on picture to go to Ronnie Woods Website & store

Quite a while back I was lucky enough to sit in ROW 2 at a Rolling Stone’s concert in Angels stadium in Anaheim, California. Laura and I don’t do many extravagant things, but this one was worth it. I think this is partly why I recieved the announcement for Ronnie Wood’s latest venture in fashion.

Besides a more than passing interest in music, Ronnie wood is known to many fans as an artist , so to see him take a step into fashion isn’t really much of a surprise, but a fun surprise none-the-less.

Click on the above picture and as they say  CHECK IT OUT!

Roger

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no transparency at cal poly and inclusive excellence

cal poly ombuds program?
what are you hiding Cal Poly?

I really love inexperienced managers because they feel that any problem can be solved either of two ways: 1) hide, evade or just say it isn’t so (even if everyone knows what is going on) or 2) use a bigger stick to try to make it go away. By the way, managerial experience isn’t measure by years of service, it is measured by outcomes and the loyalty and respect of all stakeholders.

Yesterday, I pointed out a letter by two of the many many vice presidents of Cal Poly that appeared in the hard copy but not the on-line copy of the newspaper. Today, a related front-page article appeared in the “Virtual Mustang,” but not in the regular online format that allows comments.  If an article is important enough to be on page one, shouldn’t it be presented in a form that allows the community to post responses?

As for the substance, I have placed both pages of today’s article on-line for your review.  See if it doesn’t raise a few questions in your mind.

Page 1 of Mustang Daily’s ‘Ombuds services article’ (Don’t call it ombudsman as that’s not ‘PC’)

Page 2

I have a couple of questions:

1) In the article, Ombuds Patricia Ponce’s role is described as “working with students before referring the issue to another department or individual.”  The example of a student admitting to slashing another student’s tires was used to illustrate a matter that would be referred. But what else is going to be “referred?” Offensive speech? “Sexually suggestive fruit eating” (actually banished by another university)? Putting up a flyer other students don’t like (which was  Steve Hinkle’s “crime”)? What possible punishments await the person whose actions are “referred?”

2) Even though referrals will be made, the article states that “no individual records” or “paper trail” would be kept. How then, would an accused person protect himself/herself when David Conn goes looking for an applicable “free speech or campus policy?” Don’t we have a basic right to confront our accusers? It seems like the Cal Poly Ombuds program is combining confidentiality and accusations in a dangerous way.

FIRE has repeatedly informed the campus that the way to move their current yellow light rating to a green is to explicitly state that students will not be punished for protected speech, even if it is uncivil and offensive. Having an ombuds is fine, as long as the focus is on helping the offended student deal with his/her feelings, but Cal Poly will once again find itself in court if it tries to punish the offenders.

try a little harder, Chip.

Roger Freberg