The Graduate's Walk: A Short Story

She elegantly walked down the staircase and into the lobby of the hotel as she prepared to leave for the stadium. Why did her going to a stadium involve poise, decorum, and care in the way that she moved on her feet? A stadium! Why?

 "You're participating in your commencement ceremony—that's why! You could be participating in your commencement ceremony at the local Walmart® and staying at a half-star motel beforehand; and I'd still expect the same amount of decorum from you"—so her mother admonished her. She grumbled, although she did know that a commencement ceremony was not a casual event and daily motion—her mother, thus, had a point about her carrying herself in a formal manner for a once-in-a-lifetime celebration of academic achievement. 

She walked to the stadium with scholarly class, then —and she even made the Color Guard at the typical Ravens games look as if they were futzing-around schlubs whom were playing "Capture the Flag" or "Flag Football". Then there she stood —at the Ravens Stadium she stood —and she was prepared to walk across the set-up-and-take-down stage platform to receive her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Paralegal Certificate....

As she took the documentations of her college completion and certification training in her hand, she walked out of the Ravens Stadium with the formality of a distinguished college graduate and a summa-cum-laude-endowed political scientist and paralegal.

In honor of Michelle Czarnecki (UMBC '15), whom will participate in her commencement ceremony at Royal Farms (formerly First Mariner) Arena. Michelle Czarnecki will graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree in French.

I've Just Been Busy...

For example, I got an over-15-page paper done yesterday. I also have to finish the first part of my second research paper over the next two days. After that, I have a Hebrew oral exam for which to study. I also have a yahrzeit to observe (To observe it is not exactly conducive while Mom is playing Christmas music.).

The yahrzeit is for Great-Granddad Czarnecki. On this day, Kislev 27, he committed suicide. He was a troubled man, and hurt others; and he was definitely a candle in the wind—lights can be threatened with extinguishment, and spark up and burn others to try to stay burning.

He also came from a troubled family for sure. For example, Michael Andrews—handsome and talented, but clearly into an inappropriate lifestyle. As for Thomas Andrew, he died from a "long illness"—I suspect AIDS—and he had that awful Washleski cousin who—and it just hit me—used "Tufty" to promote Jack Washleski (and yes, I changed that Wikipedia entry. Get over yourself, Mr. Washleski. Your Jack Washleski could've had his own page if you wanted to talk about your cousin. And if what you say is true, that your uncle loved his wife's nephew more than his own children is just sad—and it maybe explains your cousin Thomas, but how you forget him! And how you deleted the information about William, which I had to add back into the entry! Was William's service nothing to you?).

The Andrulewiczes by themselves were clearly troubled, and this to say nothing of the Danilowiczes (Kirk, Michael, and Mia, anybody?) and the Czerneckis.

By the way, Pop-Pop, you are an Andrulewicz. You are your dad's son. Your brother, with all due respect, is wrong when he says that you look more like a Trudnak—you look like both of your parents—you are almost a spitting image of your cousin Thomas, and don't you forget it.

"If we have Jewish blood..."—well, I do know about it, and I'm proud of it. That you aren't is a shame. That your dad committed suicide in of itself is a shame without adding that he committed suicide during HaHag Hanukkah.

And that I couldn't know how God blessed the nations even through our troubled family is a shame. 

President Barack Obama And His Executive Mandate: Is He Fulfilling The Tenets Of It? (Originally For Class)

So, is President Barack Obama fulfilling the tenets of his execute mandate—in this case, his mandate to be the United States head of state and head of government? The unabashed and clear answer is “No.” Even today, headlines such as “Second wave of health plan cancellations looms”[1] and “White House braces for doctor dump”[2] make clear that he cannot fulfill his self-proclaimed mandates regarding the Affordable Care Act (“Obamacare”). Along with that come headlines such as “How low can it go? ObamaCare poll numbers drop—again”[3].

The headlines unpartisanly make clear that the popular-vote and electoral-vote winner of the 2012 Presidential Election and the then-incumbent President of the United States. Per the CBS-taken poll that was cited in “How low”, “While Republicans are united in their opposition to the health care law, the latest numbers reflect new skepticism among Democrats and independents.” The poll further reflects, “Obama has been facing criticism from his own party for both the failures of HealthCare.gov as well as cancellation notices that have gone out to those on the individual market whose policies did not make the cut under ObamaCare's new standards. The president last week gave insurance companies a one-year extension, allowing them to re-offer those out-of-compliance plans.”

What, then, is President Obama’s mandate? Obviously, it is to be an effective head of state and government, and chief executive who can win and keep the hearts and minds of his constituents and fellow public servants. According to Ansolabehere et. al., “Government touches the life of the ordinary citizen most directly in his or her interactions with bureaucratic agents-at the Department of Motor Vehicles when obtaining a driver's license; in filing one's income tax return with the Internal Revenue Service; at the recruiting center when enlisting in one of the armed services; at the Board of Elections when registering to vote.”[4] Furthermore, “The

bureaucracy is the administrative heart and soul of government. It is where the rubber meets the road-where the policies formulated, refined, and passed into law by elected officials are interpreted, implemented, and ultimately delivered to a nation's citizens. ”[5]

            With ObamaCare, President Obama clearly has not “ultimately delivered [his policy] to [his] nation [read: state]'s citizens”. Despite that Obamacare was indeed “formulated, refined, and passed into law by elected officials[;] interpreted, [and] implemented [to take full effect in 2014]”, it was immediately and has further become controversial and scandalous legislation. Therefore, the ObamaCare scandal (“ObamaGate”? “CareGate”? “Health-Care Gate”?) alone shows that Obama is not fulfilling his mandate as the chief United States state and government executive.

            This to say nothing of IRSGate, which involved the IRS that is supposed to “[touch] the life of the ordinary citizen most directly in his or her interactions with bureaucratic agents-at the [IRS when he or she files his or her] income tax return with [them]”. Instead, with President Obama’s allowance and/or command, the IRS busied themselves witchhunting non-Far-Left individuals and being the inquisitors regarding potential and established non-Far-Left 501(c)3s and 501(c)4s, and other non-Far-Left organizations that must be established or maintained with IRS permission or approval.

            This also says nothing of what happens “at the Department of Motor Vehicles when [one is] obtaining a driver's license [or attempting to do so]”. For one who follows the news, he or she may know that President Obama and Governor Martin O’Malley of Maryland are ideologically and partisanly aligned—since both are Far-Left Democrats. If President Obama is influenced by Governor O’Malley—who made sure that “Maryland became the 13th state to either issue or announce it will soon be issuing driver's licenses for undocumented immigrants”[6] —he may get ideas—and scary ideas. After all, he made RomneyCare’s core concept a national concept when he took it from a Massachusetts-state one—to give all citizens who were residing in the certain territory and could or did not have private insurance government-funded healthcare. He made take the ideas of Maryland, “Connecticut, Utah, California, North Carolina, Illinois, Oregon, Colorado, Rhode Island, Nevada, Washington State, Washington D.C., New Mexico and Vermont”[7], and make them a national idea—and without putting citizens and legal immigrants first.

            In conclusion, President Obama is failing miserably at fulfilling his mandate to be the United States head of state, head of government, and chief executive—even to the point at which he has gravely upset his constituents. “Now we are seeing the President's poll numbers plummet. His approval rating of 39% is evidence that Americans have turned sour on him. For a very long time, even when voters did not agree with his policies, his personal likeability remained strong. They viewed him apart from his policies; that is no longer the case. Now, Americans are not liking his policies and they are not liking him very much either.”[8]

---

[1] http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/11/20/second-wave-health-plan-cancellations-looms/?intcmp=trending

[2] http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/11/20/white-house-braces-for-doctor-dump/?intcmp=trending

[3] http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/11/20/how-low-can-go-obama-poll-numbers-drop-again/?intcmp=trending

[4] Chapter 8 'Institutions'. American Government: Power and Purpose . Ansolabehere Stephen, Ginsberg

Benjamin, Lowi Theodore J., and Shepsle Kenneth A. . p. 290 . US . W. W. Norton . 2012 .

[5]

[6] http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/opinion/2013/11/15/geraldo-rivera-detouring-around-never-ever/

[7] Ibid.

[8] http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/opinion/2013/11/15/rosario-marin-white-house-have-problem/

Sample Of My Schoolwork Writing: "Assessment and Analysis of a Scholarly Article" (Originally For SOWK 240)

In full disclosure, I will say that doing this assignment scared the crap out of me. I just hope that I did well on the assignment—i.e., I hope that I covered all of my bases and cited everything correctly. By the way, I—unless I am unaware of some law which states that I can't share my own writing on my own own blog—have the right to share my own writing. Also, for you to cite me if you use this blog entry would be nice; but I would be a hypocrite if I required that you cite that, since I believe in the Bible as opposed to the concept of "intellectual property".

Assessment and Analysis of a Scholarly Article:

Student Critique of “Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) Students’ Prior

Sexual Abuse Victimization”

Nicole V. Czarnecki

University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Abstract

            This article attempts to summarize, assess, and analyze Michelle T. Gore’s and Pamela J. Black’s study which is titled “Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) Students’ Prior Sexual Abuse Victimization”. Published by Gore and Black (both of whom are affiliated with Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond, Kentucky) in Journal of Teaching In Social Work, the study stands for scrutiny insofar as it employed its chosen type of research and methodology, and insofar as it came to the conclusions to which it came. The scrutiny is the work of Nicole V. Czarnecki, who was then a student in the SOWK 240 (Information Technology in Social Work) class of Dr. Jessica Guzman-Rea at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). Czarnecki was a Political Science (as opposed to a Social Work) major and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science in December of 2013 (The time of Czarnecki’s critique of Gore’s and Black’s study was October 19, 2013, when Czarnecki was a to-be-graduating senior and Political Science major at UMBC.). Therefore, Czarnecki could not comprehensively assess and analyze the study of Gore and Black, both of whom are in the Social Work field (whereas Czarnecki is in the Political Science field).

            Keywords: analysis, assessment, Black, critique, Czarnecki, Eastern Kentucky University, Gore, social work, scholarly article, study, summary; University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Introduction

            Michelle T. Gore and Pamela J. Black of Eastern Kentucky University conducted and published a study which they titled ““Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) Students’ Prior Sexual Abuse Victimization”. Gore and Black published their study in Journal of Teaching In Social Work in 2009, and they described their 2009 publication as a study which “reports findings of an exploratory study surveying 61 students about their prior child sexual abuse victimization.” (Abstract From the Authors) They utilized quantitative work to attempt to answer the query of “What percentage of [Bachelor of Social Work] students [“at a south central U.S. regional university”] has been sexually abused (as defined by [the 2001 Kentucky Cabinet for Families and Children] statute) during childhood?” (“RESEARCH QUESTION” &“METHODOLOGY”)

            Gore and Black extensively laid out their 2009 study’s methodology. In sum, the methodology “consisted of 61 BSW students [who were] attending the university during the academic years of 2001 and 2002” and “taking a required course on child abuse”. The students each received “[a] confidential five-itemed questionnaire” (“SAMPLE” & “METHODOLOGY”). The questionnaires effected the researchers to find “that taking a child abuse course may increase BSW students’ self-awareness regarding prior victimization” and “social work students [indeed] report a higher occurrence of prior childhood abuse than the general population” (Abstract From the Authors & “DISCUSSION”).

Assessment and Analysis

            As Gore and Black concede in their study’s “LIMITATIONS OF STUDY” section, “There were several limitations to this study.” One significant limitation is that Gore and Black used a highly-flawed methodology in that they defined “sexual abuse” in the terms of “[t]he state’s current definition of child sexual abuse” (“METHODOLOGY”), which in of itself is highly flawed. The definition, according to Gore and Black, is as follows (ibid.):

“‘‘Abused or neglected child’’ means a child whose health or welfare is harmed or threatened with harm when his parent, guardian, or other person exercising custodial control or supervision of the child:

(e) Commits or allows to be committed an act of sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, or prostitution will be committed upon a child;

(f) Creates or allows to be created a risk that an act of sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, or prostitution will be committed upon a child.

(Cabinet for Families and Children, 2001, p. 4)”

            The flaw in the definition is that it “addresses abuse by a parent, guardian, or

others [who was or who were] acting in a caretaking capacity. It does not pertain to sexual abuse from non-custodians, peers, or abuse from strangers. For example, incidents of sibling sexual abuse would not be included unless the perpetrator was acting in a caretaking role with the alleged victim.” The flaw specifically is that the definition does not cover “sexual abuse from non-custodians, peers, or abuse from strangers” or “sibling sexual abuse” as “sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, or prostitution” which a “parent, guardian, or other person exercising custodial control or supervision of the child… allows to be committed…[and/or] [c]reates or allows to be created.”

            Given that the definition is as highly flawed as it is, therefore, it alone nullifies and voids the study. After all, a “parent, guardian, or other person exercising custodial control or supervision of the child… allows to be committed…[and/or] [c]reates or allows to be created…sexual abuse from non-custodians, peers, or abuse from strangers” or “sibling sexual abuse”. Whether the custodian mandates, encourages, enables, or fails to act to stop and/or punish any “sexual abuse from non-custodians, peers, or abuse from strangers” or “sibling sexual abuse”, the custodian allows to be committed…[and/or] [c]reates or allows to be created…sexual abuse from non-custodians, peers, or abuse from strangers” or “sibling sexual abuse”. Therefore, Gore and Black must redo their study and base it on a definition that covers any and all custodian-mandated, -encouraged, -enabled, and –commended or –condoned sexual abuse.

            As far as the study’s other limitations, Gore and Black adequately speak to those limitations. Therefore, this critique needs to not comment on those limitations. As this critique aforestated, the study must go through a reworking process and base itself on a definition of any and all sexual abuse that anyone commits against a child.

            In conclusion, this critique assessed and analyzed Michelle T. Gore’s and Patricia J. Black’s 2009 annullable, voidable, and reworkable study which was published in Journal of Teaching In Social Work. This critique explicitly stated that Gore and Black must rework their study because of how they measured their concept of sexual abuse by the standards of the 2001 Kentucky Cabinet for Families and Children law, which  inadequately and illogically does not count “sexual abuse from non-custodians, peers, or abuse from strangers” or “sibling sexual abuse” as “sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, or prostitution” which a “parent, guardian, or other person exercising custodial control or supervision of the child… allows to be committed…[and/or] [c]reates or allows to be created.”

References

Gore, M.T., & Black, P.J. (2009). Bachelor of social work (bsw) students’ prior sexual abuse victimization. Journal of Teaching In Social Work, 29, 449–460. doi:10.1080/08841230903249786

Paiz, J.M., Angeli, E., Wagner, J., Lawrick, E., Moore, K., Anderson, M., Soderlund, L., Brizee, A., and Keck, R. (2013, March 1). General format. Retrieved from http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/

“. (2013, September 28). Reference list: electronic sources (web publications). Retrieved from https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/10/

We Have To Stand Up To These Leftist "Professors", And...

I'm helping start the standing up to these "professors"--who are really being indoctrinators and dominators! Let's stand up, give examples of what we choose to stand against, and (if we have to and can do so without getting sued) even name names! Rightists and Moderates--Conservatives and Middle Roaders--stand up and fight back!

Taken from Timothy W. Stanley's blog (Oops; do I need a full bibliography? ;-) )

Students in the world, unite!

I Couldn't Resist...

I got him at the UMBC Bookstore for the sake of University Spirit, since it is Homecoming Season (I used Campus Cash.) and so that I could have something by which to remember UMBC--and after all the trouble that I put the cashiers through to make sure that I wouldn't get one made in Indonesia as the others are (since he was made in China--the lesser of two evils). His Spanish nickname is "Oside" (for "Osito de la Espiritu Universitario"), his Hebrew nickname "Dubru" ("Dubi-Ru'ach-Ha'Universita"). 

I'll Stay On The Threads, And...

I wanted to apologize for the way that I handled the situation re "Rabbi" Jason. While I'm leaving up the old post for reference, I do want to say that I let my nerves get too hit. I guess that I just don't like the intra-community persecution, especially from a "rabbi" who heads UMBC Hillel, doesn't believe in a Mashiach (when Tanakh presents the concept of a Mashiach--and especially Maimonides to present-day Jewish [Messianic and Non-Messianic Jewish] scholars codify the concept of a Mashiach), and apparently has made other Messianic Jews on campus feel uncomfortable (As I said, I don't like the search result "find messianic jews umbc"--that indicates to me that we either feel like we have to be silent on campus, or there's even a witch hunt going on.). If a Non-Messianic Jew without any kind of authority had persecuted me and/or someone else, I or we could blow the persecution off. But I'm talking about the "Rabbi" of UMBC Hillel with whom I chose to share that I'm Messianic and that I wouldn't proselytize.

Also, as far as Erik goes, I just used Erik as an example of a controversial topic in of himself--not to persecute or boogeyman him. Therefore, I'm just going to bury his comments--they're not worth reading or dignifying with a response.

Who I Am And Why I Stay Off Of the UMBC Threads

Let me state that, in full and unequivocal disclosure, I am a non-proselytizing type of Messianic Jewish Protestant of the (for a lack of better termage) Evangelical ("fundamentalist") strain. I'm also a conservative Republican. As far as I can read, the Bible tells me:
"Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? ⁶ I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. ⁷ So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. ⁸ Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor."
Now, firstly, do I care if you even believe in a Mashiach or Messiah? Yes; but what can I do about it? Do I, however, care if you persecute me and other Messianic Jews for believing in the Biblical and historical Jesus of Nazareth as the Messiah? Yes. After all, we who are Messianic Jews at least believe in a Jewish man as Mashiach--and the concept of Mashiach is both in Tanakhand codified all the way from Maimonides to the present.
As for gentile Christians, I don't encourage persecuting them, either--nonetheless, you probably expect gentiles to be Christians and thus won't persecute them like some of you may be prone to persecute "meshumadim" and "koferim" like me. By the way, I am--as far as I can tell--well educated enough in my dad's people's history, etc. to know that I am considered a heretical apostate, soul stealer and destroyer, etc. by many--I've even been on the end of persecution, even by "Rabbi" Jason Klein (and I'll still keep "out[ing] [my]self", thank you; and to not eventually disclose that I am Messianic would've been as dishonest as stating that Jews For Jesus causes "havoc" and that--albeit implicitly as it was stated that--I am not Jewish. Again, by the way, I at least believe in the 12th Priniciple of Maimonides and a concept in Tanakh.).
By the way, I want to let Messianic Jews like myself know that we don't have to stay silent on campus--as long as we don't truly proselytize (which, according to Webster, is forcing, bribing, or otherwise coercively inducing conversion of any nature), we are okay. We can even share our faith if asked--that is not forcing, bribing, or inducing conversion (See Webster and 1 Corinthians 3:5-8). I apologize for not being more public about being persecuted when I chose to disclose that I'm a Mesianic Jew who promises not to proselytize--after all, I don't want people looking for "find messianic jews umbc" (as my FeedJit showed). I don't want Messianic Jews to feel forced into silence or even (G-d forbid that we'd be) witch hunted on campus. The same goes for other groups, by the way: as long as you're not proselytizing or persecuting anybody, laissez-faire. 
Especially given all of that and other factors, I know to stay away from these threads. Besides being at risk for being persecuted (including being accused of being a proselytizing, soul-stealing Nazi who's trying to destroy the Jewish people by converting everyone to Christianity in the way that my great-great-grandparents were converted into Roman Catholicism during the pogroms), I want to stay away from contentious and unnecessary debates about topics including--but not limited to--same-gender marriage, abortion, and Erik Walker.
In conclusion, you know who I am, where I stand, and that I'll let you be if you let me be. L'shalom tikatevu. 

Goals For the 2012-2013 (And My Final Undegraduate) School Year

Year goals (effective August 30, 2012):

1)      Have one treat per day (Milkshakes, brownies, semester-opening treats, etc. count as treats. Smaller things for special occasions—e.g., mini candies for Halloween, Hanukkah, Christmas, and other holidays—do not.).

2)      Don’t overeat or overindulge. If and in case of overindulging, have plenty of water, oatmeal, coffee, and/or gum on hand and extra water, etc. as necessary.

3)      Eat kosher or mostly kosher (healthy included in kosher).

4)      Go to bed at 12:30-2:00 AM every night, and wake up at 9:30 AM-12:30 PM every day.

5)      Shower at least once a week.

6)      Don’t overspend (including overspending in donating) debit or UMBC card money.

a)      Check debit and UMBC card accounts frequently

b)      When possible, use meal plans for Dining Hall meals.

c)      When eating at Outtakes for lunch, take water bottle and granola or Clif bar—buy sandwich or salad and yogurt.

d)      When at Late Night, get coffee at minimum; salad, sandwich, or and other healthy food for snack and/or meal at maximum.

7)      Study hours per day at maximum, every other day at minimum (depending on classes per day, etc.):

a)      Poli 301-02: 1 hour, 40 minutes

b)      Poli 206-01: 5 hours

c)      Poli 320-01: 2 ½ hours

d)      Biol 106-01: 2 ½ hours

8)      Read Parsha and/or Haftarah at least every other day if not every day.

9)      Write in Prayer Journal at least every other day if not every day.

10)   Shower at least once if not twice a week.

11)  Watch only “The O’Reilly Factor” at 8:00 (Monday-Friday) as TV watching and “Geraldo at Large” at 10:00 (Saturdays) except for special occasions (e.g., little or no TV during finals, and watch more on Election Night or during breaking news events that merit more coverage)

12)  Attend UMBC Hillel Shabbatot and other events, and Students For Israel events when possible.

13)  Don’t procrastinate.

14)  Call Mom every day.

15)  Make more—or at least closer—friends.

16)  Pay attention in class.

17)  Don’t spend unnecessary amounts of time on Facebook, Twitter, etc.

18)  Do some stretches at least every other if not every day.

19)  Brush teeth at least every other if not every day.

20)  Write verse or Biblical insight in planner every week in weekly notes.

21)  Go to church at least every other if not every week.

Can I trust you all to pray for and encourage me to make my best efforts to abide by these goals which I set for myself? A lot of these goals are hard to abide by with my Cereral Palsy, OCD/Anxiety/Depression/mild ADD/possible Aspeberger's, propensity to eat out of boredom, emotion, etc.; and the energy taken out of me from dealing with my C.P., etc. among other issues with which I deal.

My Internet Connection Is Slower Than Me, Though Things Could Be Worse...

But I missed a class by accident today-- which I'll explain on YouTube (See my latest video.). As for my other class today (for a lack of a better term, and without saying "Antimissionary"), Non-Messianic professor who may be very liberal alert!-- although I'm not sure; but I think that a professor who openly wears a kippah, teaches at liberal UMBC (at which I am amazed that I have not been persecuted for watching FOX News on my dorm floor's community television, by the way), and has the following response to what was originally a Blackboard post is certainly Non Messianic and probably very liberal (whereas many or even most Jewish conservatives and moderates usually tread carefully on the outward symbolism, unless they're on the other extreme-- Far Right or even Meir Kahanist-- at least in America. Most Jewish conservative and moderates, for a lack of a better term, play it safe on showing outward religiosity. Think of many Modern Orthodox Jews who one can't tell are Orthodox just by looking at them-- for example, Michael Medved and Dennis Prager, and even Mark Levin).

By the way, most Messianic Jews (including myself) who I've seen usually don't go showing our Yiddishkeit the way that Non-Messianic Jews do when they do-- many or even (I daresay) most Messianic Jews are much like most secular Non-Messianic Jews and Reform Jews, gentile Christians, and others who show (for a lack of a better term) little to no outward religiosity. For comparison; take most secular Non-Messianic Jews and Reform Jews, and mainstream gentile Christians who might have only a bumpsticker on a car or keychain (whether the bumpsticker or keychain be a URJ or JCC sticker, or an Ichthys sticker or keychain), or a necklace (be the necklace a Magen David, cross, or Magen David-and-cross or an other Messianic Jewish-symbol necklace), or a copy of Tanakh (either with or without the Brit Hadashah) in a pocket, purse or other bag, or car.

As for the response on Blackboard:


"I appreciate your passion and the fact that you took time to comment. Please continue to do so throughout the semester.

But please also cut out the polemic language and try to keep your posts as concise as possible. I want the discussion boards to be a friendly place. It's possible to be passionate and opinionated, while also being polite and concise--and doing so will make this forum a lot more effective.

If you have any questions about these guidelines, please speak with me.

Again, I look forward to hearing what you have to say!"

What was apparently "polemic" and not "polite and concise"? I can more than guess. For example:

• ""Like the Bible, it ought to be read again and again". (FDR via Epstein and Walker 1) In my personal opinion, no wonder FDR was an Anti Semite: that is, he treated the Constitution-- a living document-- and the Bible-- a fixed document-- as on the same par: that is, he thought that each was a document into which could read his own interpretation and thus implement said interpretation with the supposed support of said document. As FDR read Anti Semitism into the Bible, many have read their own interpretations into the Constitution."

That FDR was an Anti Semite is known fact. Even liberal Wikipedia cites that FDR did not support a Jewish State in "Palestine".

• "The late Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall correctly stated that "the framers 'could not have imagined, nor would they have accepted, that the document they were drafting would one day be construed be a Supreme Court to which had been appointed a woman the descendant of an African slave.'" (ibid. 6) The Constitution was inherently "'defective from the start'" (ibid.) because of its status as a living, amendable document and scarily framed by WASP Supremacist, Unitarian, and Deist misogynists who treated the Bible in the same way that FDR later would-- and by treating the Bible as such, they framed the Constitution based on their inherently UnJewish and UnChristian concept of (for a lack of a better term) Judeo Christianity (or at least Judeo-Christian priniciples).As in the awful perversion of Biblical study known as modern Biblical scholarship, Constitutional scholarship has produced schools of original intent, textualism, and original meaning-- all three of which (in the case of Constitutional scholarship) harken back to what the framers (often chauvinistically, WASPishly, Unitarianistically, and Deistically wanted); and stare decisis, polling jurisdictionism, and pragmatism-- all three of which seek to interpret and implement the Constitution within the context of changing times and other factors."

Again, the professor wants me change historical fact. The framers indeed (as, of all people, Newt Gingrich once cited in a special based on one of his books for FOX News) were 95% Unitarian and Deist (if not 95% just Unitarian). Also, the 3/5-of-a-person clause and the lack of the 19th Amendment spoke for that  "the framers 'could not have imagined, nor would they have accepted, that the document they were drafting would one day be construed be a Supreme Court to which had been appointed a woman the descendant of an African slave.'" 

I can't change that "The Constitution was inherently "'defective from the start'" (ibid.) because of its status as a living, amendable document and scarily framed by WASP Supremacist, Unitarian, and Deist misogynists who treated the Bible in the same way that FDR later would-- and by treating the Bible as such, they framed the Constitution based on their inherently UnJewish and UnChristian concept of (for a lack of a better term) Judeo Christianity (or at least Judeo-Christian priniciples)." 

Yet, I get a professor who gives much a pass to FDR and the framers of the Constitution as Shmuely Boteach gave to Mohamedians (and in comparison to Christians) on Geraldo Rivera's radio show. He (like Shmuely Boteach) has no problem blatantly implying that he's of the school that says that Jews must be both outwardly religious and proudly Democratic as you can get-- apparently, G-d forbid that one can have a moderate or conservative, factual view of history and try to assimilate as much as possible so as not to bring trouble on him- or her-self or anyone else. I'm just saying, wearing a kippah that openly and being liberal to the point of being revisionist is inviting stereotypes from and wrong rubs toward both fellow Jews and gentiles. 

If There's a View From Baltimore, That Was Probably Me...

But I couldn't blog from the UMBC computers, and won't be moving in my laptop until Sunday night. Maybe the UMBC internet network has blocked anyone from posting blogs altogether. Meanwhile, I'll at least try to blog if and when I can. Also meanwhile, the verses that are keeping me particularly afloat this semester are Proverbs 3:5-6 and 16:33.

On another note, I'm scheduled to take my final stats exam at Howard Community College in the morning. Just pray for me, and l'laila tov. Especially prayers for me regarding anything have helped to keep me afloat as well as has Scripture-- I still try to read the various parshot v'haftarot yom l'yom. 

So the Orientation Went Well, But...

That doesn't mean that there weren't some incidents. I could kvetch about how the orientation went, but a few key incidents and notes:

1. The prayers worked, and thanks for the prayers.
2. I'm skipping "The O'Reilly Factor" at 8:00 to watch the rerun at 11:00 because I still have other things to do at home-- for example, listen to the daily WABC "Geraldo" broadcast (or in my case, podcast).
3. Michelle and I each got a free cup of coffee. Long story short, we were each charged for a full meal at True Grit's. When I saw the $21.00 total charge, I honestly thought that the receipt was someone else's receipt. So, Michelle took it back to the counter, got the policy explained to her, and had them give her the coffee free (which they did on their own initiative because they understood that we didn't know the policy).
4. One blog entry that I wrote is in handwriting, and I'll scan it in later.

One Can't Blog About Everything; And I Try To Blog Every Day, So...

I'll try my best just to get a few sentences in. First, I agree with Geraldo Rivera that Paula Deen was entirely disingenuous. Second, the case of the Costa Concordia proves why Europe (including Italy) needs to bring back the death penalty. Third, I'm against SOPA and PIPA, and for the Fair Use Doctrine. Fourth (and in conclusion), I'm really busy because I have an orientation at UMBC tomorrow; and I'll be at UMBC virtually all day, and I'm stressed out about the orientation-- including the idea of having to be there all day, since I can't drive.

Anyway, there's my at-least-once-daily blogging entry. Just pray for me and for the orientation (and preferably the Rapture, especially in this meshuga 'olam), v'l'laila tov.

Still Not Looking Good For Geraldo; And Meanwhile...

Statistics is not just for me.  As I once said, "If I wanted to be a mathematician or pollster, I would've majored in Math or Math with a Concentration in Statistics and Political Science." As you can see from my YouTube videos and tweets last night, I'm not a mathematician or statician. Anyway, more bad news for "Geraldo":

(1/4/2012 12:33:15 PM)  I really miss the Joe Crummey show...Joe was very entertaining and informative. Geraldo is OK but I just can't listen for 2 hours... or 2 minutes...sorry. Anyone know if, or where Joe is on the air?

- G. Stowishoe

(1/4/2012 11:40:11 AM)  I used to listen when Geraldo subbed for Joy Behar about 15 years ago. He was ten times better than her but he was a little boring. Now listening to him for about one hour I am ready to go to sleep. He is to slow for talk radio. I also can never figure out his views. Just when I think hes Left he goes right. Maybe this is good if it is true non-bias...Who knows.  I give it 6 months!

- Dale Evans

(1/3/2012 3:10:28 PM)  I listened to Geraldo today. He sucked. His whiney voice drives me crazy.  McGurk was great, Simone is great, even the Curtis and Kuby show was great. But, of course, this is all about syndication bucks.  Screw the listeners, right?

- Tommyboy Even from Facebook: Douglas R Weigle Sorry Geraldo, but your radio debut was terrible! "Unlistenable!" You flopped with your interviews with Trump, Huckabee, Koch, and Barber...and why you even had Barber on was a mistake. You do not have a radio voice, obviously weren't prepared, and have no support staff! WABC is going to have to reevaluate your following the great IMUS, for by following him, you are dragging him down! Sorry Buddy...stick with Fox News Yesterday at 12:14pm ·  ... Debra Warrens Geraldo the people in Iowa do have a CLUE!http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DqLZZ6JD0g9Y%26feature%3Dshare&h=lAQHoH0QEAQHQxxH8mU-j_QhgK2z4VBEjGxOq3LU2nqvl5w Yesterday at 12:26pm ·  ... Larry Hartke We love ya Geraldo and I know the radio show is new, but enough of the gushing over friends and family. Let's get to the important issues my friend.

Statistics Should Not (If Mom's Right) Be Required For Everyone...

My mom claims that Statistics is required for everyone (even non-math, non-psychology, and other liberal-arts-and-sciences-- e.g., political science-- majors) at every four-year college or university. Well, Statistics shouldn't be required for everyone. Not everyone is skilled or talented in mathematics. Not everyone (including everyone in political science) wants to be pollster or other type of statistician. Not everyone is going to use μ, σ, or other statistical letters. Not everyone is going to need to know or calculate even one mean with a standard deviation.


I could go on, but you get the point: if nothing else, require only Fundamentals in Statistics for liberal-arts-and-sciences majors. Otherwise, don't require statistics for anyone but the hard-math and hard-science majors.

When Math Is the Matter, the Calculator Is My Best Friend...

I'm from the lingual, political, and other mostly-right-brained side of my family (and you have to be at least little creative to be lingual-- since languages, such as verbal conjugations, don't just happen overnight; and political-- since governments don't just happen overnight, and an example of a creative type was the multi-talented Mizrahi Jewish Thomas Jefferson. He was a musician and revisionist Biblotique for goodness' sake-- and you have to be a little creative to come up with a seemingly-plausible alteration of the Bible).

Other relatives, on the other hand (or in the other brain), are left brained-- cousins Shelley and Rob, and granduncles Jim and Tony, for example. They're in the medical, financial, computer, and similar fields. I didn't inherit their passed-down math skills-- and I honestly don't know who passed the math down to them.

I know that their grandparents (and Shelley's and Rob's great-grandparents) Julian and Alexandria were creative types; that's for sure. They did an excellent job of posing as Polish-Lithuanian Roman Catholics, at least on the surface and to the untrained Census and Immigration-Naturalization officials. I mean, for example, inconsistencies and other material on the Census and Immigration-Naturalization records should've stuck out-- e.g., "Czornecki"/"Czarnecki" in 1910, "Chernetski"/"Chernetobe"/"Chernitcki" in 1920, "Czarnecki" in 1930-- come on. And Great-Granddad being three when he came over must've learned perfect English from somewhere besides school and English speakers outside of his home.

So, here I go studying for my math test. Wish me b'tzlacha and buena suerte, and rogen por mi and 'im tefilot. Todam v'/y gracias.

How To Use Blogger To Do Schoolwork

As I was sitting there and about to save one of my Introduction to Corrections essays for home, a proverbial figurative lightbulb went off: I could use Blogger to draft the essay, then finalize it at home and in Microsoft Word. As my piano professor said, study and practice in spurts throughout the day-- like taking small meals-- instead of huge timeslots. In the same way, I could use a for-right-now hobby (which could become a career) to study and make use of time that could've been otherwise procrastination or eventual boredom.

I wrote my first draft of my reflection, take-home essay on Blogger (and wergild is still a hard word to remember how to spell). Using Word, I double-checked "wergild" before replacing "weirgald" with it. By the way, I've similarly done at-home Sociology assignments on Blogger.

In conclusion, I used social media to make the grade and share knowledge with both my professor (so that he can see that I learned in class) and with the world and fellow people who are only in (and not of) the world (to prove that, while I'm not the brightest bulb in the bunch, I'm not the dullest bulb, either).