A day in the life of a lawdog

The Simple Rule Around Christmas

2005-12-18T21:09:00.000-08:00

I am not attempting to make a political statement by saying Christmas, it is just something that I believe do participate in. That being said, on with the rule...

There is one simple rule around the Christmas that everybody should know. YOU DON"T GO SHOPPING FOR YOURSELF!!!!!

Recently by wonderful wife went out and bought herself something. Most times of the year I would be like that is cool, but it is Christmas time and of course she buys the exact item that I was going to buy her. That is up with that. So, everybody is asking, are you done with your Christmas shopping yet. NO!!!! I can't stop my Wonderful wife from shopping for herself around Christmas time.

Ladies and Gentlemen, there are simple rules in life...

1. Always pee in the deep end of the pool.
2.Check to make sure you have enough TP to wipe twice.
and

3. Never shop for yourself around Christmas!!!

Have a wonderful time shopping if you are not done yet, I know that mine is going to be a blast.

I am thankful!

2005-11-26T15:38:00.000-08:00

A Happy Thanksgiving to all!!

When I was in High School, I use to drive around to my friends and give them a letter telling them how much I was thankful for their friendship. I have not done this in a long time. Not because I have not been thankful, but because … Well there is no real good excuse.

So I have decided to revive an old tradition that I once started. Since High School I have had many reasons to be thankful.

I am thankful for my friends, family and wife.

I am thankful for my friends. The new ones in Tucson, and the old ones in Anchorage, Illinois, Phoenix and all over the US. Derrick, Ben and Cat, you two are always in my prayers even if we don’t talk as much as we should. Bix and Cordovas (including the recent addition) the growth of our friendship is one that means a hell of a lot to me. Those that did not mention please don’t think that I have not been thinking about you. I am truly thankful for all my friends.

I am also thankful for my family. An older brother and sister, who still try from time to time, think that they are wiser than I. Even though I don’t agree and never have, I appreciate it. We don’t talk nearly as much as we should, I will always be there for both of you.

Mom and Dad, I am thankful for both of you. Your health as well. Thanks for being wonderful parents. I could not have asked for better parents. Thank you!!

Last person that I am thankful for is my beautiful, astonishing, amazing wife. She is a true supporter of me and the things that I want to accomplish and strive for. She is also going after everything that she wants in this world. She is a person that put her heart into it. While that at times means there are times of lows, it means there are wonderful times of joy and happiness. What is life without highs and lows? In this world, she is the reason I am most thankful.

For everybody, thank you for being a part of my life. There are other small things that I am thankful for, but they are not even worth mentioning in the say breath, as how much I am thankful for all of you.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving, I love you all!!

A joke

2005-10-11T06:00:00.000-07:00

Donald Rumsfeld is giving the president his daily briefing. He concludes by Saying: "Yesterday, 3 Brazilian soldiers were killed.""OH NO!" the president exclaims. "That's terrible!"His staff sits stunned at this display of emotion, nervously watching as the president sits, head in hands.Finally, president looks up and asks, "How many is a brazillion?"

I am not liberal or conservative, but a moderate. I believe that everybody should be made fun of once in a while. Even me, even though it is difficult to do.

The Drive Thru...

2005-09-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

There is drive thru fast food places, drive thru pharmacies, drive thru banking, but Arizona is the only place that I have ever seen that has Drive thru Liquor Stores. That is right, for those of you that have not had the opportunity to see them, they are awesome.

The University of Arizona literally has one across the street from one of the most sexually active resident halls in the country. It is two blocks away from a High School and two blocks away from a Junior High.

Isn't Arizona Great!!!

I don't know if there are other states that allow this. But lets be honest, whoever thought of the idea of letting people drive up in their vehicle, say, "Give me a 12 pack of Budweiser, in the cans because is tastes better in the can." And never even half to get out the car, had to be drunk when they thought of it.

The truly amazing part is that it had to be approved by the state and there is state law governing it.

I mean what do you say to people who come here to visit for Football. They find a drive thru for alcohol, get something to go. And when they get to the College games they are told that there is no alcohol served inside the games at all. I mean seriously, if the state allows a drive thru with alcohol, why not allow alcohol to be served at Football Games!!!

Backward A$$ State!!!

An Idea For Universities

2005-08-14T09:37:00.000-07:00

Okay, have you read my two blogs before this? No, then move on to them first and then return to this.

My idea is simple. All Universities should change their names to flowers. Yes, I know that you are giggling about the idea, but think about it.

Dandy Lions
Sun Flowers
Hogbean (yes a flower)

or in the case of the University of Illinios - the Pansies.

The only real issue would be if one type of flower started to talk to the other flowers about the fact that one flower is being used in a hostile or abusive manner. They may start to give off more polin and kick our allergies season into something that we have never sniffed before. Or get the bees into a frenzy and start to sting everybody.

Think my argument is silly, well maybe it is, but think about what the NCAA is doing. What they should be doing is making sure the Universities are doing it promoting further knowledge about Native Americans, promoting their cultures and promoting Native Americans to attend a University or College.

I really would like to hear from another perspective, so please respond if you can.

Thanks

NCAA VS Native American Named Universities

2005-08-14T09:19:00.000-07:00

I have been reading a lot about the ruling from the NCAA to all Universities that the use of all Native American Names, Logos and so on will no longer be permitted in Pre or Post Sanctioned Events. Schools like the Fighting Illini (University of Illinios) will not be allowed into the NCAA basketball tournament unless they change their name. U of I was in the national championship game last year, saying that it was one of the best teams in the country. So, they won't be able to participate if they don't change, and how will that promote excellence among all schools if they don't compete against one of the best. It should be noted that U of I beat the University of Arizona (my team), but light shines on a dogs.... Well you get the point. (Cat I am joking)

So, I have wanted to blog on this for a while and even got into a discussion on this with my wonderful wife, but I did not hear anything from the Presidents of any Universities until now.

This will be a long read, but an easy one that I enjoyed. Please read it all.

An Open Letter from UND President Charles Kupchella to the NCAA

8/12/2005August 12, 2005

An Open Letter to the NCAA:

The quiet serenity of our beautiful campus was disturbed early August 5 by news reports that the NCAA had decided to address the Indian nickname issue. The early reports were unclear; the words mascot, nickname, and logo were used interchangeably, and the loaded words “abusive” and “hostile” were invoked without definition and without any real clear idea as to how they were being applied. We don’t have a mascot, and our logo was designed by a very well-respected American Indian artist. We couldn’t imagine that these reports would apply to us.

Later, we saw the full release. While it looked like the action taken by the NCAA was insulting, and a flagrant abuse of power, we knew that good, well-meaning people were involved in the decision and we wanted to consider our reaction carefully.

We were initially stunned by the charge “abusive” and “hostile,” and then angry. We reflected and gave it a week before drafting this response. I must admit to sinking at one point during the past week to the notion that my Association was guilty of “political correctness run amok” as suggested by some papers.

We want to file an appeal, but first we need to know the basis for your decisions. We need the answers to some questions first, in other words.

I do not wish to take up the issue, here, of any absolute or general “correctness” of using American Indian imagery. Those on both sides of the issue have long ago made up their minds, and no amount of talking over many years seems to have moved anyone from one side of the issue to the other. Suffice it to say, some choose to be insulted by the use of these terms; others are befuddled by this reaction to what they consider to be an honor. What I would like to take up here is a matter of the appropriateness and legality of the NCAA’s action. I mean to take up the issue of whether the NCAA has gone over the edge and out of bounds in the action announced on Friday.

Is it the use of Indian names, images, and/or mascots to which you are opposed? If it is all of the above, which logos, images, and mascots do you indict by your announcement? Is it only certain ones? As I said, a very respected Indian artist designed and created a logo for the University. The logo is not unlike those found on United States coins and North Dakota highway patrol cars and highway signs. So we can’t imagine that the use of this image is “abusive” or “hostile” in any sense of these words.

Is it the use of the names of tribes that you find hostile and abusive?

Not long ago I took a trip to make a proposal to establish an epidemiological program to support American Indian health throughout the Upper Great Plains. On this trip I left a state called North Dakota. (Dakota is one of the names the indigenous people of this region actually call themselves.) I flew over South Dakota, crossing the Sioux River several times, and finally landed in Sioux City, Iowa, just south of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The airplane in which I traveled that day was called a Cheyenne.

I think you should find my confusion here understandable, since obviously if we were to call our teams “The Dakotans,” we would actually be in more direct violation of what apparently you are trying to establish as a rule, even though this is the name of our state. This situation, of course, is not unlike that faced by our sister institution in Illinois.

Is it only when some well-meaning people object to the use of the names of tribes? If so, what standard did you use to decide where the line from acceptable to “hostile” and “abusive” is crossed? We note that you exempted a school with a certain percentage of American Indian students. We have more than 400 American Indian students here. Who decided that a certain percentage was okay, but our percentage was not? Where is the line between okay and hostile/abusive?

We have two Sioux tribes based here in North Dakota. One has, in fact, objected to our use of the name, “Sioux,” applied to our sports teams. The other said it was okay, provided that we took steps to ensure that some good comes of it, in educating people and students about the cultural heritage of this region. This mix of opinions is apparently not unlike that faced by our sister institution in Florida.

Is it only about applying names to sports teams? If so, would this be extended to the use of the names of all people, or is it just American Indians? Why would you exempt the “Fighting Irish” from your consideration, for example? Or “Vikings,” which are really fighting Scandinavians, or “Warriors,” which I suppose could be described as fighting anybodies? Wouldn’t it be “discrimination on account of race” to have a policy that applies to Indians but not to Scandinavians or the Irish, or anybody else for that matter? This seems especially profound in light of a letter to me from President Brand (8/9/05) in which he, in very broad-brush fashion and inconsistent with the NCAA’s recent much narrower pronouncement, said, “we believe that mascots, nicknames or images deemed hostile or abusive in terms of race, ethnicity or national origin should not be visible at our events.” (my emphasis)

As to the flagrant abuse of power question, I want to make sure I have this straight. We’ve recently built some magnificent facilities costing well over $100 million, under rules permitting us to host championship tournaments and otherwise participate fully in NCAA sanctioned activities, in which the very architecture of the building incorporates names and images of American Indian people. Do you really expect us now to spend large amounts of money to erase what we consider to be respectful images and names of Indian people who inhabited this region in the interest of the NCAA Executive Committee?

Hostile and abusive??

Help me understand why you think “hostile and abusive” applies to us. We have more than 25 separate programs in support of American Indian students here receiving high-end university educations. Included among these is an “Indians Into Medicine” program, now 30+ years running, that has generated 20 percent of all American Indian doctors in the United States. We have a similar program in Nursing, one in Clinical Psychology, and we are about to launch an “Indians into Aviation” program in conjunction with our world-class Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences. I am very proud when I visit reservations in our state to see that a large number of the teachers, doctors, Tribal College presidents, and other leaders are graduates of the University of North Dakota.

Do you really expect us to host a tournament in which these names and images are covered in some way that would imply that we are ashamed of them?

Concerning tournaments already scheduled: Is the NCAA taking the position that it can actually unilaterally modify a contract already made? Perhaps the charge (sometimes heard) that the NCAA exhibits too much of the arrogance that comes from its status as a monopoly – apart from the question of whether it’s an effective organization – does indeed have a basis.

If the NCAA has all this power, why not use it to restore intercollegiate athletics to the ideal of sportsmanship by decoupling intercollegiate athletics from its corruption by big budgets? Why not use the power to put a halt to the out-of-control financial arms race that threatens to corrupt even higher education itself?

Yes, I know that in theory the NCAA is actually an association, and that UND is a member of it, and therefore it’s really we who are doing all of these things to ourselves, or failing to do all of these things ourselves. But is the NCAA really a democratic organization? Why did we not put these issues to a vote by all member schools??

In his USA Today essay, Myles Brand proclaimed that this is a teachable moment, suggesting that the NCAA decision is “aimed at initiating a discussion on a national basis about how American Indians have been characterized . . . .” Great idea! Let’s have the discussion – one that we should have had before this ruling was handed down, one that actually includes American Indians and puts this in the perspective of all that is important to them at this time in history. And while we are at it, why not also address the state of intercollegiate athletics – whether or not student-athletes at some schools are being exploited, and whether or not there is an out-of-control financial “arms race” threatening the integrity of higher education itself.

In considering how to appeal, we find it exasperating that we can’t tell what the basis for your initial decision was and how you singled us out in the first place. In a letter from Myles Brand to me (8/9/05) he suggests that we could, in an appeal, argue that our symbols or mascots do not create a hostile or abusive environment. But his letter also seems to suggest that as long as some think the environment is hostile, case closed.

By the way, the last time this issue was stirred up on our campus, a formal charge was made to the Office for Civil Rights that the use of our logo or nickname created a hostile environment here at the University. The Office for Civil Rights sent a half-dozen people to our campus. They fanned out across campus and after more than a week here, found no such thing. Did the Executive Committee find some things they missed, perhaps? Or does a committee in Indianapolis trump the Office for Civil Rights here, on the ground, in North Dakota?

Finally, I expect that we will file an appeal, because should we wish to take this issue to court, the courts would undoubtedly ask if we have exhausted all administrative remedies. Please send us the appropriate application forms, and give us an indication of how the appeal will be heard and when. If the timing of this appeal were such that your deadline occurs before the appeal is resolved, we would ask that the deadline be put off, otherwise we may well have to go to the expense of seeking an injunction halting the imposition of these policies until all of our questions can be answered satisfactorily.

We thank you in advance for considering our questions.

Sincerely,
Charles E. Kupchella
President
CEK/cw

NOTE: Charles Kupchella is President of the University of North Dakota (UND). The University offers some 25 program in support of American Indian students, has a degree program in Indian Studies and has, and has had, dozens of cooperative programs on reservations throughout North Dakota. UND serves more than 400 American Indian students on its Grand Forks campus. The University has competed in seven NCAA National Championship games since 1999 in both Division I and Division II.
____________________________________________________________________

That ends the letter.

I will let you catch your breath and I will post on an idea that the universities might want to consider.

Apology from the writer

2005-08-14T09:17:00.000-07:00

I know that I have been very off for a while in my writing. Call it writers block or just me being lazy. Either way you are probably right. But I came up with my next subject to talk about.

Thanks for still checking.

What a Vacation

2005-05-29T21:46:00.000-07:00

My wonderful wife and I went on a wonderful vacation on a cruise to Mexico out of LA. I just got back and I will give more details later. But I promise if you are planning a trip and a cruise is an option, take it!!!! It was awesome.

The Pride of a Husband

2005-05-16T12:31:00.000-07:00

This weekend was a big weekend for this household. My wife graduated from Masters School with a Masters Degree in Public Administration. This from a program that is highly rated and only 25 other people in her class. I am one proud husband.

I am proud of my wife for many reasons; proud because of the long hours that she put in, proud for also holding a part time job that rare let it be part time, proud because she set her mind to accomplishing something and she completed it with heart and her mind, but most of all I am proud because through all of this she still was a loving, and caring wife that put up with her husband. Not to mention but she also did this being very sexy.

So hats off to my wife, now the job market better watch out because she is looking for a full time job and it will be hard to turn her down.

I love you pokie!!!

2 years down, 98 to go!!!

2005-04-19T16:09:00.000-07:00

Today is a very special day for my humble abode, two years ago to this date, I married the most wonderful person I have ever met. I have to say that I married above myself. So, if you are trying to get ahold of me today, I would say that I will not be answering any phone calls. I will be with my lovely wife.

I love you baby!!!!

Bowling

2005-04-17T22:17:00.000-07:00

Yes, I am in a bowling league. The league just ended and I have to say that it was great fun. I started out in the league at a very bad average. I was like a 110 starting out. I steadily improved until today I had a handy cap of a 54.

To explain my handy cap I think you subtract your average from 190 and you get your handicap. So that would put my average at 136. Not bad from where I started right. Well I just bowled the best series I have ever bowled. I bowled a 175 in the first game and a 184 in the third game, but here is the awesome news. Are you ready? I bowled a .......

207!!!!!!

That is right a 207. I couldn't believe it. I should have had a higher score on my third game, but my last frame I bowled a split and I couldn't pick it up.

But I thought I would share. That is a new high score.

The Political Side of the Job

2005-04-06T13:56:00.000-07:00

I am part of an association that is like a union, but the state that I am in is a right to work state so unions don't really exist. Well, my association is 4 years old, which is relatively young. Because we are young we have not been recognized by the town. That is a large problem for a police association/union.

The latest political issue we are having is changing the town from a Merit Base Program to a Step Program. For those that don't know a Merit Base Program can be extremely problematic when it comes to the bias that some workers might get. It all depends on the relationship one has with the person that is doing your evaluation.

Where a Step Program says that you move up one step every year until you reach the top step and then you get cost of living raises. (This is really a simplification of the process, and I recognize that there are also negatives)

We are trying to move to the Step Program.

This brings me to the current issue. My association put in to the Town Counsel to speak at the next Town Counsel Meeting and we received a letter stating we will not be allowed to speak. On top of that, we were informed that if we had a problem with that we could have our attorney's contact the Town Manager.

I am not really understanding why they are doing this. By doing this they basically are pushing a group of Type A personalities and daring us to get in a fight. Not very smart on their behalf.

I will let you know how things progress, but in my opinion the media should be contacted as soon as possible with a nice letter or a good phone call.

True Story

2005-04-04T20:40:00.000-07:00

So, I am at work when another officer gets waved down by a driver that is pulled off to the side of the road. The driver states to the officer, I just got run off the side of the road by a semi-truck. The officer asked the description of the vehicle, and the driver gave the license plate from another state. The driver then stated that the truck was pulling a trailor that stated, "Ho Ho World" on the side. The officer gave the description out to all the other officers as soon as possible.

Upon receiving this description, I got the officer on our nextel phone and asked him if he was being serious and that I did not come into contact with that vehicle. The officer started to laugh and say he was completely serious about the description and he said if I do see it pull it over because he was hungry. I told him that I thought he was more of a ding dong man, but I will do my best.

A thought to think about

2005-03-23T21:54:00.000-08:00

I was sitting in a training that I have been in all week, learning about traffic accidents. We are learning that friction is measured a certain way. Most of the time the friction that is going on is the tire (rubber) and the road. We are told that the friction rate is .7, there is a lot of math that goes into it and I won't bore you with it. We are then explained that the higher the number the more friction there is.

Well we are moving right a log and we are told that the human body generally has a friction of .9 to 1.2. That is really pretty high.

Then it strikes me, how do they know?

Do they just go out one day and say, "Alvin, today we are going to through you out a moving van at 35 mph and see how long it takes you to stop."

Things that make you say, "Hmmm."

The eternal question for all husbands

2005-03-21T22:17:00.000-08:00

If you, your wife and your dog are a sleep in bed and one of your farts wakes you and your wife up,is it better to blame the dog, blame your wife because she is so out of it, or take the blame yourself?

The Start of Blogging

2005-03-21T21:22:00.000-08:00

So, my wife and my friends have been blogging for sometime now. I am a bad husband because I still have not even read her blog. I feel that if I have to read what she is thinking in a blog, then I am not doing my job as a husband. So, reading it would probably do me some good. (Just Kidding)

For those of you that don't know me, I love to joke around and poke fun of people, myself and lifes interesting things. So, please don't take my blog serious unless other wise posted.

Well I am a police officer in a growing town, that is literally touching a big city. My job gives me good look at what real society is like. The good, the bad, the ugly, but most of the time a twisted humor of society. From time to time I will post an interaction that I have had or that another officer that I work with has.

If you have any questions that I can answer I will try my best.

To family and friends that read this it could be a good way to let each other know what is going on.

ciao
Marana Lawdog