Letter of Reconsideration from my eldest son

My eldest son applied to Uni High (the University of Illinois Laboratory High School). Yesterday he received a rejection letter. He took the news well and is excited about the classes he'll get to take at the school he will attend, but he decided to write a letter asking to be reconsidered. I wasn't sure how far he might get, but I thought this was highly commendable.

Then I read the letter he wrote and was even more impressed.

Here is the letter:

Dear Mr. XXXXXXX,

It is not exactly public knowledge just how you evaluate and accept students into Uni, and I know that it is hard to find room even for the select few that do make it in, but I believe that you are making a mistake in not accepting me.

So far you have read three letters of recomendation from people who have given you their opinions of me from their point of view. You’ve evaluated my test scores and essay, as well as my application, and something in one or more of these things fell short of the mark, because someone was accepted ahead of me.

I am an artistic person who tends to perceive things a little differently than the average person. I don’t play video games in my spare time, I paint and draw. I have practiced the martial and aesthetic arts since I was three years old. I’m a black belt in Tae Kwon Do, and to earn that I’ve had to overcome asthma. I can tell you the strategic plan that Hitler had for Operation Babarossa, the attack on the Soviet Union, and I can tell you why this plan failed and how. I can run a two-mile race in under 13 minutes. I can tell you how to make gunpowder with no saltpeter. If you are willing to sit for five hours I can paint a museum-quality portrait of you that will one day be worth a fortune. I can tell you the name of the National Socialist Propaganda Minister of 1938 Germany, the place of Blackbeard’s death, Bartholemew Robert’s favorite liquor, the tactics of the Battle of Cowpens, the material of Washington’s artificial teeth, the producer of ABC’s Lost, and I can salsa dance if I have a partner my height. Above all this, I can see what is bigger than myself. I can see things from the perspective of others.

I believe that this small sample of my unique qualities shows that I am a very unique person with very unique gifts that would contribute a great deal to your school. I respectfully request that you reconsider your decision and accept me into your school.

Mr. XXXXXXX, I understand that it may be too late to alter your decision about accepting me into Uni and I can, to some extent, see this letter and my request from your point of view. I don’t know how many letters such as this that you get every time you have to turn students away, but I imagine that they are fairly few in number, and I hope that from them this letter stands out.

I thank you very much for reading this, and I anxiously await any reply you choose to give. Enclosed are pictures of my recent paintings and drawings, one of my poems, and my alternate history of WWII, now posted on a wiki.

Thank you for the unique opportunity to apply to your school, and I once again would like to thank you for reading this letter.

Sincerely,


XXXX XXX

He did include all of the items mentioned in his letter, which are equally impressive.

What an amazing person, and I don't think that's just fatherly pride speaking.

Nice Article in the Local Paper about my father-in-law

There was a nice article in the local paper about the work my father-in-law does. Here is a copy:

The News-Gazette.com

Local attorney is glad to help children - and he does it for free
By Mary Schenk
Sunday May 24, 2009



URBANA – With 39 years of legal experience, Jack DeLaMar could likely earn $500,000 a year as a lawyer.

But the former litigator, prosecutor and judge is using his legal skills in a far less monetarily lucrative field: advocating for children whose parents can't or won't care for them.

His salary: $0. His reward: immeasurable.

For his work as the lead attorney for the Champaign County Court Appointed Special Advocates program, DeLaMar will receive the John C. McAndrews pro bono service award from the Illinois State Bar Association at a June 26 luncheon in Fontana, Wis. He is the sole recipient from among 11 nominees.

Pro bono is Latin meaning "for the good" and refers to hours worked for free.

CASA serves as a voice for abused and neglected children in court. The agency is the appointed legal guardian for the children and its trained advocates follow court cases and make independent recommendations on behalf of the children to the judge.

DeLaMar, 63, of Champaign, has worked as CASA's main attorney for free since December 2002, when he retired after 23 years as a Champaign County judge. For the last couple of years, he's had help from two other part-time attorneys.

Mahomet attorney Holly Jordan, herself a recipient of the award in 2001, nominated DeLaMar, citing his work of more than 2,000 hours per year for the past seven years.

"The emotional toll of abuse and neglect on any player – the judge, the lawyers – I can't think of an area of the law that takes more out of you. It was his assignment when he was a judge," Jordan said. "He could have (asked for another assignment), but he never did.

"That's part of what is so extraordinary about his whole story. This is the area of the law that he wants to do."

Retiring CASA executive director Gigi Lambert said without DeLaMar's willingness to work for free, CASA would not have been able to act as the guardian ad litem (court-appointed guardian). That status was conferred on the agency simultaneously with DeLaMar's retirement from the bench in December 2002. DeLaMar was also instrumental in getting the CASA program started in 1994.

"His generosity allowed us to become a guardian ad litem program, to become a party to the case and have a lot more involvement in what was going on in the life of the children," Lambert said.

Many CASA programs across the country act only in the "friend of the court" mode, she said. In some states CASAs are tax-supported. That is not the case in Illinois. Champaign County CASA derives its income from donations and a contract with the Champaign County judiciary to act as the guardian ad litem. The $72,000 annual contract is a bargain for the county, which would have to otherwise pay individual attorneys an hourly rate to represent children, an amount Presiding Judge Tom Difanis estimated at closer to $200,000.

"I've made a career of spitting out the silver spoon," DeLaMar laughed about his earning potential.

He jokes that he did his ladder-climbing in reverse. After getting his law degree in 1970, he worked with Thomas, Mamer & Haughey, a prestigious Champaign law firm. He left there in 1973 to work in the Champaign County state's attorney's office. After six years as a prosecutor, he was appointed to the bench as an associate judge. Judicial salaries were around $33,000 in 1979, he said. Circuit judges in Illinois now earn about $170,000 and associates about $162,000.

He had enough time in the judicial retirement system to draw an 85 percent pension. Without that, he said, he couldn't pursue his passion for advocating for abused children for free.

For the first few years as CASA's lawyer, DeLaMar was putting in well over 40 hours a week. With the addition of Carrie Kmoch and Peggy Pennacchi as part-time attorneys a couple of years ago, DeLaMar said he's been able to scale back slightly but his workweeks still hover around 40 hours.

"When you think about it, it goes beyond generous to be able to volunteer that many hours," said Lambert, who met DeLaMar in the late 1980s when she and her late husband were foster parenting. "It was a very selfless act on his part and his family. We took up a lot of his time."

Lambert was planning to retire at the end of the summer but a diagnosis of bladder cancer in March pushed her out the door sooner. And DeLaMar has stepped up to fill that role as well until a new director can begin in mid-June.

"What he's done has been extraordinary," said Ann Einhorn, also a retired Champaign County associate judge and a member of the CASA board of directors for three years.

"I did the abuse and neglect caseload. I know the toll. These are not easy cases. Everyone wants to make the world right for a child. In many of these cases, you simply can't," Einhorn said.

Champaign County CASA serves 584 children in about 310 families.

DeLaMar agreed about the emotional toll and said that's where having Kmoch and Pennacchi, who he said complement his work style well, really helps.

"There are times when you just feel like you're done. They usually don't last. Another case comes along and you have a lot of energy you didn't know about until that happens," he said.

Although his cell phone number is always available to the children and families for whom he's working, he tries not to get too attached.

"You do have to maintain professional objectivity or you just can't do your job as a lawyer. Everybody feels the emotion. You're terrified of doing the wrong thing for a child."

Find this article at:
http://www.news-gazette.com/news/2009/05/24/local_attorney_is_glad_to_help_children_and_he_does_it_for_free

V returns to ABC this fall

Looks like ABC is being revived as a new TV show this fall.



I recognized Elizabeth Mitchell from Lost and another actor who was in Fringe early during the first season. The original V seems pretty bad now, but I sure enjoyed it when I was younger. Who knows... maybe it will be half decent.

Award Winning Poem

My eldest son was given an award during his 8th grade graduation for a poem he wrote:

Snow on Tulips

We heard birds for the first time in months.
Basked in the rays of the clear shining sun.
The trees came back to life; the people came out.
We thought winter was over and done.


The sight of a snow-filled ball diamond was gone,
Talk of swimming already in the air.
The people’s gardens were no longer choked with ice;
Tulips had begun to grow there.


And then, quicker than it came, the sun was gone.
On the ground where flowers now grow.
A fluffy white powder comes with a new cold.
The tulips are covered in snow.

Case my wife is involved in

My lovely wife has a big case she's involved with. It just hit the news today.

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/business/stories.nsf/story/32ACD29A32AE57D4862575B70002546B?OpenDocument

http://messages.finance.yahoo.com/Stocks_(A_to_Z)/Stocks_Y/forumview?bn=57522

My lovely wife burned her hand

My wife nearly burned her hand on our broken refridgerator. It's broken and will be replaced. While disconnecting it she touched what I believe is the compressor. It was quite hot. There was a recall that started our fridge woes, the compressor was in danger of catching on fire. I have a funny feeling it still is.

Cold and Wet

I am thankful that I have a dry warm backup sweatshirt at the office.


Around 10:45am all hell broke loose at work. Bruce, my co-worker and good friend, noticed water seeping in under the shipping doors near the server room. He opened them an water poured in. It looked like something out of a submarine movie. Everyone was leaping in to action. I ran to the outside of the shipping doors, and it the water was deep. I took off my shoes and socks and waded in up to my knees, fishing around for the drain, which I got clear. I stayed there for a while, when the corkscrew pattern in the water stopped or slowed, I re-cleared the drain, but even with the drain it wasn’t keeping up.


I went back around to the rear of the building, from the upper floor and went back down the lower floor to help on the inside. There were two more lower floor doors to check. Sure enough the next door had water rushing under it just as I approached. We got people laying down towels, looking for things to stop the water with and squeegee the water out. I pulled my shoes off (again) and ran into the water by that set of doors. the drains were 100% clean, there was just too much water.


I ran toward the south side of the building through the mud when my boss and another co-worker came running towards me out of the rain. That door was holding the water out, but the water level was above the basement windows water level. Water was seeping in through the windows, and behind/through the phone panel in the corner of the building (not a good place for water). Later we learned the downspout broke off that corner of the building causing the water to back up there.


About that time, I ran out with another co-worker to get sand, towels, blankets, shop vacs, etc… anything to combat the water. We could not head north to the store we wanted, the road was flooded out and cars were clearly stuck. We did a 180 and went to the small True Value near Springfield Ave. We got bags of sand, absorbent tarps, two shop vacs and a pair of really big squeegees.


By the time we got back, water was no longer pouring in and we could walk to the areas that were previously submerged but there was still plenty of clean up. We have the lower level doors sandbagged in anticipation of more heavy rain that is expecting this afternoon.


The next few hours were spent setting up sump pumps, heaters, fans, etc…. and keeping computers off the floor.


I am wet, drenched to the bone and cold. Now that the adrenaline and excitement have worn off I am quite tired. This is going to count as my exercise for the day.


Wow…


Me, protecting our servers!


The radar image just after the downpour.


The water level in the shipping area was at the line in this photograph.

Star Trek - New Movie

I saw the new Star Trek movie last night. I absolutely loved it. I had high hopes for the movie since I tend to like JJ Abrams stuff, and it did not disappoint. I think the movie will appeal to people who are not Star Trek fans and know almost nothing about Trek, but still has enough nuggets to make die hard fans very happy.

He's a 360 panorama of the new bridge during an emergency.

Here's William Shatner watchign the trailer for the fist time:


This is the summer movie to beat.

Hackers Break Into Virginia Health Professions Database, Demand Ransom

Hackers last week broke into a Virginia state Web site used by pharmacists to track prescription drug abuse. They deleted records on more than 8 million patients and replaced the site's homepage with a ransom note demanding $10 million for the return of the records, according to a posting on Wikileaks.org, an online clearinghouse for leaked documents.

More...

Maytag Refrigerator Problems

We had our Maytag refrigerator compressor replaced due to a recall. The 'fix' was free but now the fridge has stopped working. We're working with Maytag to get it fixed. My wife has done quite a bit of research and it looks like this recall 'fix' is causing a lot of trouble and some folks are even looking at a class action law suit against Maytag.

We are waiting for a replacement part and hope to have it all fixed by the end of the week. This really sucks.

Here are some blog posts my wife found:

Chip of Spring, TX May 3, 2009





These refrigerators are junk. Defrost controls go out every few months. Relays burn out and sometimes cause fires. There are so many common failures with this model refrigerator. Maytag issued a recall but they usually find a way to get around standing behind their products.



Sherry of Marietta, GA April 26, 2009





I received a letter regarding the Maytag recall in early to mid April. I called on Friday April, 24th the scheduled an appointment so that the defected part could be replaced. The appointment was set for Saturday April, 25th between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm. The repair guy from A&E arrived at approximately 11:00 am. He replaced the “defected� compressor.



The repair was completed in about 15 -20 minutes. My family and I left the house at about 2:00 pm for my son’s baseball game. After the game went grocery shopping at Kroger. We arrived home at about 6:15 to find water and Popsicle juice coming from the freezer. The entire unit had stopped working. I called A&E first and they told me I would have to call Maytag.



Frank, a customer service manager with Maytag was very incompetent; they offered only $100 dollars and the comment that it was very unfortunate and said I would have to wait until Tuesday before someone could come repair the unit. I was also very offended by several comments he made suggesting I was wanting "the farm" from Maytag. I only want and wanted my unit working again.I called A&E again and received an apology from the sales representative and a phone number to help with my food loss.



Leah of Alabaster, AL April 24, 2009





Called Maytag after receiving a Recall Letter regarding "Certain side-by-side and top freezer refrigerators pose serious fire hazard." I purchased this fridge (MSD2454GRW) in 2002 from Best Buy and have had no problems! I called to schedule repair of this recalled "relay" because I thought it was the right thing to do and the letter scared me a bit. Maytag scheduled repair with A&E Factory Service for Thursday, April 23, 2009. No problems there. The A&E guy comes out replaces the part and is gone in under ten (10) minutes.



Friday, April 24, 2009 at 7:00 am I go into my kitchen to find water all over my floor. When I opened the freezer side, I find water dripping all down the shelves, meat thawed, popsicles melted, etc. I called A&E and they tell me "uh-oh" you have to call Maytag. I called Maytag...on hold for 15-20 mins...the customer service rep. acted nonchalant and put me on hold again so she could call a local repair company. She told me someone from S&S Applaince Repair would call me later this afternoon to arrange repair for this evening.



Fortunately, S&S called me right away and said they had some one in my area and he would be at my house in 30 minutes. This repair man came as said. He is working on the fridge as I type. we will have to wait and see if this takes care of it. Meanwhile, I must start making a grocery list to try and replace all the food that has spoiled! I will be making an offical request that Maytag reimburse the cost of food and lost time. If they do not there will be an oficial complaint to Maytag and the Better Business Bureau and whomever else I can complain to!



Mike of Brighton, MI April 18, 2009



Had my frig fixed b/c of the recall. By the way..best way to do this is online (not on the phone) - I saw other folks complaining about not being able to reach them. The frig no longer works after the repair - I have to wait 4 days for them to come back.



Maytag said that they will not pay for the food that spoiled even though they broke the frig. The lady on the phone said it isn't in their policy. Best part is, I call back several times and different customer service reps told me this is happening to a good amount of the repairs. I will never by MAYTAG again.



Tim of Doylestown, PA March 16, 2009



I too had my Maytag fridge repaired with a 'replacement' relay a week ago and low and behold - my fridge stopped working yesterday. Now I am SOL about the food and such and I am just hoping that the part was faulty. What a CROCK.

Spoiled food.

David of Boerne, TX March 31, 2009



My refrigerator was affected by the 2009 recall. The first time we contact Maytag, no one showed up to our appointment. The second time, we got a repairmen the next day but after replacing the relay switch on a Saturday, the entire unit stopped working.

We didn't realize that our entire unit wasn't working until Sunday morning when water was leaking out our water dispenser because of all the melted ice. I had a puddle on my floor and it wasn't relenting. I called Maytag and they said sorry but I had to call back on Monday to schedule service. I said this was unacceptable as I had a mess on my hands, $200 + in food that was going bad. All I got was an I'm sorry but you'll have to call back. Maytag CAN DO better!!!

Stanley & Isola Smith of Hoffman, MN March 25, 2009



Bought a Maytag side by side in 2001 with an extended warranty. April 24 2006 noticed freezer and refrigerator not cooling. Called Maytag to schedule service, the earliest service call would be 3 days later. In the meantime lost all food. Defrost cycle not functioning Noticed front panel under ice/water dispenser rust. Not reported, but a source of irritation! March 12 2009 noticed a recall announcement in the newspaper for Maytag refrigerators. Called and found out was affected. A service was scheduled for March 13 2009jand an overload relay was replaced. March 14 2009 (Saturday) noticed freezer not cooling and lost all food. Earliest service afternoon March 17 2009. Needless to say am disappointed with service. The MAYTAG REPAIRMAN is extinct!

Lost food in the freezer twice and have a crappy rusting front panel.

Sue of Cleveland, OH March 16, 2009

MAytags recall, First they send a Service tech to my home from A & E factory service, Which is SEARS. The man was in and out of my home in 5 minutes. That was 3/12/09 at 4.00 p.m..At 6:00 P.M. The Refrigerator was not working, for the next hour I was calling everyone from Maytag and A & E about this. I was told it would take 3 to 4 hours before it would reset itself. I told the man on the phone I never heard of such a thing. But also stated to this man I have over $400.00 worth of food in this and it is in a meltdown.

Come morning on the 13th there was water all over the hardwood floor and everything inside the Refrigerator was melted ice and water everywhere and wwas very hot inside the refrig part. I phoned again and was told it would be till the 14th before someone would be able to come out. From one person to Supervisors. Also they would have a food bill on the truck for me to fill out, and I still had to wait.

The man comes on the 14th in the afternoon about 1:00P.M. and had no such billing for the food but did see all the waste. He fixes the part again and stated and wrote on the receipt that the first recall part put on was not put on the right way. So the Refrigerator was not working and only the fans were on. Now I phone to Maytag this morning and A &E about the food lose again and was told I would get 100.00 and they would have to look into it. I was on the phone for over 1 hour again today and still these people have not got a clue on what to do.

(MAYTAG)sent out INCOMPETENT people from A & E Factory service and messed the job up. Now Im out of 400.00 worth of food. and These people are out to lunch.
The flooring is all wet.

Wendy of Mastic Beach, NY March 16, 2009



o Margo said

April 30, 2009 at 2:13 am

Same thing happened to me!! I called & got an automated service that sent an A&E serviceman the next day Friday 4/24. He was suppose to call before arriving but he did not. He did the work but left no paperwork. I had no proof of him being ther or doing anything. Sat morning my freesor had defrosted and frige was warm leaving large puddle. Called Maytag they gave me A&E servicman # and said I had to call. Next available day for sevice was Monday! Monday afternoon A&E serviceman arrives again without calling. I meet him at home and he says part was installed wrong which caused my compressor to go bad. He will order me a new compressor and install on Friday. I call A&E and ask for claim for reimbursement of food. It is not their policy to reimburse for food loss. I was told Customer Relations will get back to me. Compressor arrives 4/29 I call A&E @ 5:15pm to schedule appt. I am told next available is Friday or Sat. I’m not STUPID. I refuse a Friday or Sat appt and demand next day service. I get nowhere! Meanwhile A&E Customer Relations has never called me. I believe they are ficticious! I call Maytag and plead to give me another company that will install on Thursday 4/30 and I’m told only A&E can finish the job. IF I fax an itemized food loss Maytag will review it HAHA.! I am using a cooler to keep a few perishables and I have to take vacation time every time they come for service. I am SCREWED! I don’t know where to turn for help.

Reply













I have a recalled maytag, the repairman came out replaced overload circut and left.... 5 hours later fridge is broken and lost all our food, rescheduled for next week for service maytag sux will buy new foreign made appliance next week





Diane of Charleston, WV March 15, 2009

Alternate History of World War II

My son, who is a avid student of history, has become interested in Alternate histories. He recently contributed an alternate history of World War II to an alternate history wiki.

Here is his version. He's told me it is a work in progress.

Relaxing Sunday

I am looking forward to a very relaxing Sunday. It's been a pleasant weekend. Nothing scheduled, nothing planned, and lots of time to spend with my wife and the kids. I wish all weekends were like this.

Pining Away for Days Gone By

I am pining away for days gone by. Last week I was lucky enough to see some very old dear friends. Some I see only once every few years, others it seems like many weeks, often half a year or more. This week I also reconnected with a friend I had not talked to in over 15 year. We emailed on Facebook, then I actually got to chat on the telephone for almost an hour this morning. It was like very little time had passed and it felt natural and easy to pick up where we had left off.

I am very happy with who I am, where I am, with my family, etc... I wouldn't change it for anything in the world. At the same time I find I am gripped by waves of nostaliga for days gone by. Fond memories that are too detailed and numerous to truly share with someone who did not experience them.

You can never go back except. Those days are precious memories. I know in 10 years I'll likely look back on the experiences I am having now in much the same way.

Bacon, Bacon and More Bacon

Here is an unhealthy and odd food duo I found posted on Facebook by an old friend I reconnected with.


A few years after WWII ended, a young man working in a small restaurant in Sweden developed a new way to process bacon. By precooking it and blending it in a special way, he was able to make a fully cooked 100% bacon paste that could be squeezed from a tube. Knowing he had discovered something paradigm-shifting, young Vilhelm Lillefläsk quickly went into business. That, dear friends, is when Squeez Bacon® was born. And this delicious delectable from Sweden has finally been brought over to the USA - now with American Flavor!

Want to buy bacon paste? Here ya go.


Maple Bar Bacon Wrapped Hot Dogs
Oh My god... my heart just skipped a cholesterol infused beat! This whack job has done the impossible and made the best possible meal all in one. Your eyes do not decieve you thats a bacon wrapped hot dog inside a donut!