Something Rivals.com Would Not Dare Publish Regarding Its Proposed College Football Playoff Proposal

Rivals always want to propose a division I playoff but the problem with this is that we first must have uniform schedule meaning the eliminating the conference championship games in the ACC and SEC because the NFL AFC and NFC do not have them. The problem is greed, of course, because these games generate a lot of money. That is something that Rivals would not dare to print because then the site will appear hypocritical which, of course, it is. It is not-so-secret that many of the conferences' coaches dread these games, but the board of directors receive a lot of money from them. This is why the ACC championship is moving from Jacksonville to Charlotte. In addition, having a playoff would make college football center around money instead of academics. Look no further than college basketball which requires one year of college versus three years for college football. Furthermore, why should the US government get involved in college athletics? That is ridiculous! Finally, I do not hear any other publication outside of Yahoo and Rivals (no ESPN, Sportingnews, Sports Illustrated, or any legitimate publication) proclaiming that there is this universal push so please get over your large, inflated egos!

I Know that the Atlanta Falcons are Desperate But Matt Ryan

Okay so I am one of the few who believe that the Michael Vick era is not over until the Falcons start winning just like the wise old sage from ESPN News said yesterday. Even with Matt Ryan’s selection because Matt Ryan has never won a BCS bowl game or broken any NCAA records except for choking in the ACC Title game against Virginia Tech allowing the Hokies to play in the Orange Bowl. Ryan is not even the best quarterback in the 2008 draft. I know that the Atlanta Falcons are desperate but really, Ryan is inaccurate, too skinny, and has a pathetic offensive line. Even with Sam Baker from USC, he will still get hit!

Everything is right with the world when...

My calculus III professor loads part 2 of the chapter 14 notes, I correctly answer three homework problems, and Darren McFadden is the #4 pick in the NFL draft going to the Oakland Raiders.

WSJ Interviews OSU Vernon Gholston and Razorback Darren McFadden

This link is the WSJ Interview of Vernon Gholston and Darren McFadden. Though the interviewer asks Darren about his run-ins, I am glad that he handles it with ease because they are harping over stuff that has happened two years ago! He admits that he has made mistakes but his overall track record is one of integrity.

Here is the link. Please enjoy!

http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid86195573/bclid132209461/bctid1519670804

Budgetary Matters: Timing is Everything

Yesterday I ate at $15 chopped steak smothered with bleu cheese a steak and $8.50 sorbet dessert at a reputable steakhouse only to receive my $20 gift certificate from earning bonus points. Yikes! However, I will not use until my next off-day because it is essential not to waste my tax refund money eating out. Essentially although there is still a surplus, reining in spending at eating at home more often are still practical ways of staying above the fray.

Academically speaking I am happy to continue applying for scholarships prior to budget cuts. AU's tuition will be over $1080 and that's steep. These cuts may reduce or even disqualify me from receiving agency aid. My goal is to submit 20-25 applications. My recommender included these two obstacles in my letter. While creating a timetable to efficiently and effectively apply to all of these scholarships, I realize the importance of ensuring that everything is submitted on schedule. Remember, timing is everything!

Opportunity Journal #21: The Value of Foresight and Hindsight

My boss' boss asked me of my whereabouts to which I responded that I was attending a conference. Then he relayed the division’s budget cuts. Sitting there I was glad that I applied for scholarships to offset my AU tuition.

My agency recommender has given me a very exemplary recommendation letter. Furthermore, she has told me a story about a former employee who when applying to Columbia the first time received a marginal recommendation letter thus costing her admission. However, since she knew the program’s admission director and learned that was the reason behind her denial, she secured a stellar recommendation the second time, got accepted and graduated (She currently works at an investment back. She says that the woman exclaims that the Columbia program is very hard but she has gotten through it.). Unbeknownst to Ann, her story motivates me to soar higher because I, too, want to attend Columbia, though because I will graduate in four years because I possess the requisite advanced math courses.

The Problem with Edin08's Stagnant Nation Report: It is the Quality not Quantity

A not-profit Education in 08 has authored a report entitled A Stagnant Nation providing recommendations regarding elongating of the school year. The problem with this is that it is the quality of the instruction not the quantity of time being devoted to any particular subject. Currently enrolled in calculus III, I am qualified to speak about this because increasing my class time from 70 minutes to 90 minutes will not enhance my learning if the overall quality is still superb. Oftentimes we make rules that hinder our children’s ability to learn. We need more qualified teachers certified in math and science then and only then will the American public and private educational school systems generate children who can compete with the rest of the world.

Sean Bell's Killers Are Acquitted

OMG! The three NYC policemen who fatally shot Sean Bell 50 times (one even reloaded) were acquitted earlier this morning. That’s unbelievable. Even though the federal government will investigate, it is the fact that someone who is shot should need federal intervention. Those police should have been convicted! That’s blatant inequality like my life is worth less. I refuse to pay first-class taxes but receive second-class citizenship!

April Showers Bring May Flowers Part II

One of my scholarship recommender says that she might not write me a letter for the May 1st deadline because she is busy (Nevermind the fact that I gave her 2 1/2-3 weeks to have it ready!). Normally I would be infuriated (make no mistake, I am perturbed), but I am lucky to have a back-up. However, this is the last time I ask her for anything!

Miss a Day, Miss a Lot

This slogan comes from my hometown newspaper, the Plain Dealer; and, boy has a lot of things transpire since deciding not to purchase a new journal Monday. The crazy lady in my apartment strikes up an incoherent conversation about being fat and Spanish (Hey, I too eat beans and rice but like I have told her, I walk it off!), the homeless man in his leather begs me for change, my calculus III professor springs a test on us in two days, and the bugs reemerge from their hiding place (I guess it is because I am cooking real food now instead of TV dinners). However, a lot of good things have happened such as my receiving a recommender for my scholarship, having my official transcripts mailed to me to complete my application, fully analyzing my decision to sit for the CPA exam, and I have managed to outline over half of my second calculus III test. Furthermore, since tomorrow is Emancipation Day, a Washington, DC holiday and the university I will make a concerted effort to buy a journal. You just cannot make this up!

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Assassination: 40 Years Later

Tomorrow marks the fortieth anniversary of Dr. King’s assassination meaning that he has been dead longer he was alive yet his influence is far-reaching. Many people quote him for personal gain but I will devote this blog entry towards how his life has positively impacted me. As a black woman, I am able to work at my current employer (Well, I would but as a cleaning lady), attend American University, a majority white university, live off of DuPont Circle and try on clothes at the department stores. That's why I take advantage of every available opportunity because one generation ago neither my mother nor my father had the same opportunities.

You Get What You Pay For

The club luncheon brought the okie-doke! I sat next to an annoyingly hypocritical person. He asked me if I was an economist and he pulled out a previous slide and expounded upon me that the ocean should be non-excludable because it resulted in over-fishing. We should issue fishing permits and that penalty against abuses would be so great that no one would do it! Yikes! And all I wanted to do was eat lunch! However, he was elusive with his answers so no sideline hating! Then during the presentation from the executive of the hedge fund group gave use a 50-minute infomercial on why private equity group should buy banks because, even though another company ditched them this past Tuesday, regarding the subprime lending crisis, the federal government was inefficient. Furthermore, he proclaimed the Federal Reserve Bank districts such as Cleveland and Richmond were dubious. Well, as a lifelong Clevelander I would dispute this because Cincinnati had a stock exchange and the brokers would send their business to Cleveland to save their clients and themselves state taxes on their capital gains. Sending them to either Chicago or Saint Louis would result in paying out-of-state and federal taxes. However, the real kicker was that this man was nothing more than a mouthpiece because when he was in government he spoke good about it, but once in the private sector he railed against it! After five minutes I fazed out because I knew the okie-doke when I heard it.

This trait is something that I have fine tuned upon arriving here in Washington, DC because everyone is trying to capitalize on something. Also unlike Cleveland, I really don’t know anyone so keeping my guard up is mandatory! Yet regardless of what happens, the truth never changes.