In 1994 my brother proceeded to rip up our back yard to create his own Remote Control race track. 13 years later, and I'm seriously debating whether I should do the same thing in my back yard. On a fluke a won a truck on EBAY and now have it to the point where it can race with my brother's truck. We brought the trucks over to my relatives for Thanksgiving. My nephews had fun pretending to be busses that the cars could jump (or not).
11.24.2007
11.06.2007
on the farm
We just bought a share in a cow (her name is Penny) at a local CSA (community supported agriculture). So now we can get raw milk straight from Penny on the weekends. Here are some pics of our kid with the calves down on the farm when we went to pick up our first gallon of milk.
We also inherited a breadmaker from Nora's Grandma and have begun experimenting with some home baked, whole wheat creations. The Fabers are really returning to the earth here folks. We'll let you know how the first attempts at making our own yogurt and cheese go...
We also inherited a breadmaker from Nora's Grandma and have begun experimenting with some home baked, whole wheat creations. The Fabers are really returning to the earth here folks. We'll let you know how the first attempts at making our own yogurt and cheese go...
alma mater blues
This article just came out in the Press last week, and I've been stewing on it for a couple days now.
Calvin ready to Oust Baptist Professor
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
The Grand Rapids Press
GRAND RAPIDS -- "Professor Denise Isom loves her work at Calvin College and her Grand Rapids church, Messiah Missionary Baptist. The problem is: Isom must choose one or the other.
The Calvin board this month refused to exempt her from a rule that requires professors to attend a congregation with ties to the Christian Reformed Church."
Here's a definition of Institutional Racism:
"Institutional racism is distinguished from the bigotry or racial bias of individuals by the existence of systematic policies and practices within the institution, that have the effect of disadvantaging certain racial or ethnic groups."
The racist, classist and homophobic policies that this current administration has decided to uphold and enforce has taken this school down a road that is not only damaging and hurtful to individuals, but will ultimately contribute to its irrelevance in our city.
Some of my best friends were people I met at Calvin and some of my favorite people work there. And this is not a slam on them or their work. I aim my criticism directly at the President and Board of Directors because it is their lack of integrity and leadership that is resulting in these irrational enforcement of antiquated policies and thinking.
Unfortunately, I believe that only until they feel their decisions in their wallet (when students stop coming to the school and paying tuition and donors stop giving money) will they change these views. And many of those students and donors share their mono-cultural worldview, so it will be a long time from now. But I don't think you can read any recent books on globalism, education and economics and see how this is a solid strategic decision to lose your talented workforce over something as small as where they go to church for an hour on Sunday morning.
I stopped giving any financial support to Calvin a couple years ago after my friends and acquaintances were forced to choose between their jobs or sending their kids to a public school in their neighborhood. Since then, I've seen additional friends and others forced out because of their orientation or because they feel the need to worship outside "the network". A recent defector from Calvin summed things up for me pretty well. To paraphrase him, he said that he learned that when the school hired him (a minority) they never had the intent to be a multi-cultural institution, just multi-racial, and there's a big difference.
Calvin ready to Oust Baptist Professor
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
The Grand Rapids Press
GRAND RAPIDS -- "Professor Denise Isom loves her work at Calvin College and her Grand Rapids church, Messiah Missionary Baptist. The problem is: Isom must choose one or the other.
The Calvin board this month refused to exempt her from a rule that requires professors to attend a congregation with ties to the Christian Reformed Church."
Here's a definition of Institutional Racism:
"Institutional racism is distinguished from the bigotry or racial bias of individuals by the existence of systematic policies and practices within the institution, that have the effect of disadvantaging certain racial or ethnic groups."
The racist, classist and homophobic policies that this current administration has decided to uphold and enforce has taken this school down a road that is not only damaging and hurtful to individuals, but will ultimately contribute to its irrelevance in our city.
Some of my best friends were people I met at Calvin and some of my favorite people work there. And this is not a slam on them or their work. I aim my criticism directly at the President and Board of Directors because it is their lack of integrity and leadership that is resulting in these irrational enforcement of antiquated policies and thinking.
Unfortunately, I believe that only until they feel their decisions in their wallet (when students stop coming to the school and paying tuition and donors stop giving money) will they change these views. And many of those students and donors share their mono-cultural worldview, so it will be a long time from now. But I don't think you can read any recent books on globalism, education and economics and see how this is a solid strategic decision to lose your talented workforce over something as small as where they go to church for an hour on Sunday morning.
I stopped giving any financial support to Calvin a couple years ago after my friends and acquaintances were forced to choose between their jobs or sending their kids to a public school in their neighborhood. Since then, I've seen additional friends and others forced out because of their orientation or because they feel the need to worship outside "the network". A recent defector from Calvin summed things up for me pretty well. To paraphrase him, he said that he learned that when the school hired him (a minority) they never had the intent to be a multi-cultural institution, just multi-racial, and there's a big difference.
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