Hurricane Gustuv

Just to let you know, Sunday my AmeriCorps Team evacuated New Orleans to 40 miles NW of New Orleans to Covington, LA to a Red Cross Station.

eg hove

Lawyers in Politics

Since politics seems to be in the air currently on this blog, allow me to posit the following:

• Wouldn't it make more sense if politicians (legislators/congress folks mostly) had shorter careers and then went in to the field of law afterward, rather than studying law in order to become a politician? I think it would make our laws easier to understand, plus the ex-pol lawyers would be able to say, "I wrote that law Mr./Mrs. Judge, I think I know how it's supposed to be interpreted."

I suppose I'm biased on the subject though, because I've always thought politicians should limit their terms. I think the upside would be decreased corruption and a more involved public (because we'd need to fill the vacancies). Possible downsides include less effective legislation and oversight.

Well, I'm posting yet another commentary written by Glenn Beck, partly because I like his over-the-top way of covering this next issue, and partly because Kiel kind of doesn't :)

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/07/23/beck.obama.media/index.html

The editorial facetiously describes the unequal amount of media coverage Obama has been receiving recently, compared to McCain. This has been a topic of interest in the last couple months, not just to my friend Mr. Beck and me, but also to some other bloggers I've read.

An interesting point that this and other commenataries have made is that coverage of Obama sells. In the linked article, Beck talks about magazines with Obama on the cover selling. In another source I read, Access Hollywood showed enormous ratings hikes (20-30% increases in some demographics) for the week it aired it's Obama interviews.

I think Barak Obama is easily the most exciting presidential candidate that we have experienced. Although I don't necessarily agree with parts of his platform, he could probably win my vote by flashing me that pretty smile and saying something charismatic in his smooth baritone voice.

Glenn Beck's rediculous editorial aside, it does seem like the media is showing Obama's face (and maybe not his political face...) more often than McCain's. Is this to sell more media and rake in the profit, or has the media already declared Obama the next President? [I know, a bold statement, but maybe it'll stir up some ideas... :) ]

**I'VE UPDATED THE LINK TO THE CORRECT ARTICLE**

Here's a link to a commentary found on CNN.com:

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/07/17/beck.che.guevara/index.html?iref=24hours

I found this commentary interesting, as it was a topic of conversation earlier this summer. It points out the absurdity of people in the US wearing Che Guevera t-shirts, trying to show how left and revolutionary their mindset is.

I'll leave it up to y'all to check it out.

I'm in Elk River...

I'm in Elk River until July 8th. If you're around and want to see me before I go to China, call me.

956 266 4892

Kiel.

Rural China Education Foundation

As some of you may know, I'll be living and working in China next year. I'll be a volunteer with Rural China Education Foundation (http://www.ruralchina.org/). Currently, RCEF is raising money through the Global Giving website. They are trying to raise $4,000 from 100 different donors by May 13th. If they can meet this goal, they will be given a permanent spot on the website. This will translate into a lot more money because people often donate to non-profits they find on that website.



Anyways, if you would like to help out, go to this link: http://www.globalgiving.com/pr/2100/proj2063a.html



They've already reached the $4,000 mark, but they need another 24 donors to qualify for the permanent spot on the website.



Thanks!

US Public Service Academy

On Friday, April 25, I attended a NCCC symposium in Annapolis, Maryland. One of the speakers was Chris Myers Asch, a Teach for America alum who is trying to start the U.S. Public Service Academy.

As Asch explained it, the U.S. Public Service Academy would be a civilian counterpart to the existing five national military academies. It would provide free undergraduate instruction to 5,100 students and, in return, these students would be required to serve five years in public institutions like health care, law enforcement, education, emergency management, and other fields.

A host of Senators, Representatives, and other political figures are already on board.

I would write more about it, but the couple sitting across from me in the Sebring Library are having a bitter argument about marriage infidelity. Check out the website at http://www.uspublicserviceacademy.org

Let me know what you think.