Reasonably Logical

Thought I’d go ahead and share this article from UIUC’s ACES News. According to a study done by an assistant professor there - Ramona Faith Oswald - legal recognition of same sex relationships is most often sought by parents and people of religious faith. While not exactly a surprise, it sure contradicts the messaging of the religious right.

In the interest of full disclosure, Oswald is an acquaintance of mine whom I’ve worked with on various community initiatives including the Champaign County LGBTQA Resource Guide website which I still maintain.

Belief in God, Parenthood Prompt Gay Partners to Make Commitment
Published: Jul. 30, 2008
Source: Ramona Faith Oswald, (217) 333-2547, roswald@uiuc.edu

URBANA - Which gay and lesbian couples are more likely to legalize their relationship and hold a commitment ceremony? Those with children and strong religious beliefs, says a new University of Illinois study.

“Opponents of relationship recognition for same-sex couples often say that we have to protect children, or that same-sex relationships are against God. But this study suggests that lesbians and gay men who seek relationship recognition may be acting to protect their children and enact their own religious beliefs,” said Ramona Faith Oswald, a U of I associate professor of family studies.

…

I just got back from the MBLGTACC 2008 conference. I was there for four days, but the time went by so fast it felt more like four hours. I spent a lot of time volunteering at the conference, and the rest spending as much time with as many friends as possible. Being back in Champaign reminded me just how much a part of me wishes I hadn’t left.

The end result of everything else I was doing was that I only attended two workshops and one of the three keynotes. Probably my lowest attendance record ever for a conference. Well, that happens when you spend all your time running the thing. (For once, I was not in charge. Yeah!)

And on that note, let me offer my congratulations to the conference committee and in particular the co-chairs. Nicely done guys! Now go get some sleep. You all need it.

Well, after four years, I’m finally done. This last weekend I went through the graduation ceremonies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. I am graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science with the International Minor in Japan Studies.

I attended three graduation ceremonies, not including the “campuswide” one. (Which isn’t actually the entire campus at once.) Of the three, the one that meant the most to me personally was the Lavender Graduation hosted by the LGBT Resource Office. At that ceremony, I received a award (the “Unsung Activist” award) for my work in the GLBT community and had a chance to say good bye to many of my friends who are also graduating.

The other event I actually cared about was the Computer Science graduation reception. I had a chance to say good bye to friends (different ones, well mostly) and introduce my dad to a number of people who have been important to my time here.

The final ceremony I participated in was the College of Engineering commencement. Why did I do that again? Oh yeah, the pictures. Took way too long and was utterly pointless. I did find out that I was supposed to have gotten an extra sash for my International minor though. I picked that up today (Tuesday). Oh I did wear my rainbow tassel from the LGBT graduation for the engineering one. Technically I wasn’t supposed to, but f*** that. It was important to me.

I’m going to miss the friends I’ve made here in Champaign-Urbana. I’ll even miss the town and the area itself. I won’t miss the university at all. (Still slightly bitter on that one.)

Well, as seems to happen every year, there has been a string of laptop thefts from popular study spots and offices. Don’t leave your laptop unattended.

The University Police Department would like to inform our community about
eight reports of laptop computers being stolen from campus buildings since
April 27, 2007. In each instance, the owner of the computer has left their
possessions unattended for brief periods of time. Computers have been
taken from study areas, unlocked offices, classrooms and the Illini Union.
Thefts have occurred between the hours of 11:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.
Additionally, purses and wallets have been taken under similar circumstances.

We realize many are studying for final exams and it is easy to become
complacent about securing items. It is imperative that everyone secure
their possessions or ask a trusted friend to watch them even for brief
trips to vending areas or restrooms. University of Illinois Police
officers are conducting additional walking patrols throughout campus. We
seek your assistance in preventing the thefts and encourage everyone to
report suspicious individuals to the police.

Chief Krystal Fitzpatrick

To Members of the Campus Community:

The massacre of 32 students at Virginia Tech Monday has left us shocked and
saddened. As chancellor, I want to express the sympathy and concern I know
each of us feels for the families and friends of the victims.

I also want to take a moment to remind you that while it is impossible to
prevent all incidents of violence, some of our best defenses are early
detection and reporting.

Our police department has plans in place for a wide range of emergencies.
However, if you notice that someone is demonstrating or implying
threatening behaviors or actions, it is critical that you contact campus
police immediately at 911 or 9-911 from campus phones. Students can also
contact the Dean of Students office at 333-2121 and employees can report
concerns to their supervisors. In a world where random violence is all too
common, we must-as members of this campus community-watch out for each other.

We are a family. You are an important member of it.

For students who want to talk about the Virginia Tech incident, the
Counseling Center will be accepting walk-in clients, as well as individual
and group appointments. The number is 333-3704 and the address is 610 East
John Street, Champaign. Faculty and staff can call the Faculty Staff
Assistance Program at 244-5312.

As we grieve for the innocent victims of this shooting, please remember
that the best way to help protect our campus community is to treat others
with respect and civility and to report threatening behavior to the
appropriate authorities immediately.

Thank you,

Richard Herman
Chancellor

Just passing this along for those of you who attend UIUC. Be careful folks.

The Division of Public Safety at Urbana-Champaign works hard with our
community to provide a safe and secure campus for our students, faculty and
staff. I write this morning to inform you of four armed robberies that
very recently happened in the campus district.

Between midnight and 2:40 a.m. today (March 31, 2007) four armed robberies
happened in the campus area. These crimes took place in Illini Grove, the
natural area located at the northwest corner of Lincoln Avenue and
Pennsylvania Avenue; at Busey Avenue and Nevada Street in Urbana; at Wright
Street and White Street in Champaign; and at Locust Street and Chalmers
Street in Champaign. In each case a man approached the victims and
displayed a handgun. This suspect was described as a black male,
approximately 5′ 08″ and heavyset. He was wearing black clothing including
a black knit cap. Another suspect was seen standing near where the crimes
happened. This suspect is described as a black male, thin and
approximately 6′01″. In each incidents, the suspect took personal items,
but no one was physically injured. Both suspects walked or ran from the
scene following the robberies.

University Police are working closely with city police departments to
apprehend the criminals. If you have any information to assist with this
investigation please call Crimestoppers at 217-373-TIPS or the University
Police at 217-333-1216. Most importantly, if you feel something is
suspicious, immediately call our local emergency number:
911 from your cell phone or 9-911 from campus phones.

These robberies are known as “crimes of opportunity,” because the criminals
look for people they consider easiest to victimize. That means that we can
all take steps to reduce our chances of becoming a target. First, pay
close attention to your surroundings; do not place yourself in a position
where you are unable to detect individuals who may be approaching you. Use
well lit and populated routes whenever possible. Always walk with a friend
or join a group. Better yet, use the services of either SafeRides
(217-265-7433) or SafeWalks (217-333-1216).

Your safety is very important to us. In meeting our goal of keeping our
campus safe, you need to always be aware of your surroundings and to let us
know if you see any suspicious activity. If you would like to talk to an
officer about additional safety tips, please call us at 217-333-1216.

Thank You,

Chief Krystal Fitzpatrick

I though that Friday’s massmail was pretty interesting given that U of I is one of the few schools that doesn’t just hand information over to the RIAA without a subpoena. I wonder if that will change with the new policy? I hope not.

As you may have read in the popular press, the Motion Picture Association
of America (MPAA) and the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA)
among others are increasing their copyright enforcement activities. As
part of this increased effort, the RIAA has begun to target college
students specifically, which means that students who engage in unlawful
peer-to-peer file sharing are more likely than ever to be identified and
sued by the RIAA.

We think that these increased enforcement activities warrant taking a
moment to discuss the relevant policies and practices at the Urbana-
Champaign campus of the University of Illinois.

The University does not condone the use of peer-to-peer software for
illegal file sharing. Those who engage in it violate U.S. Copyright laws
as well as the campus’s own policies, including the Student Code and
Policy on the Appropriate Use of the Computer Network. Additionally the
University bears significant costs associated with responding to DMCA
violation notices and the network capacity absorbed by file sharing
reduces its availability for general research, teaching, and
administrative purposes. For additional information of University
related copyright issues, see
http://www.cio.uiuc.edu/policies/copyright/copyright.html.

Often the software used for the purposes of illegal file sharing comes
bundled with ’spyware’ and other software that maliciously captures
personal information that contributes to identity theft. You can learn
more about protecting yourself from identity theft by reviewing the
information at http://www.cites.uiuc.edu/security/index.html. Further,
some file sharing programs, even when used for legitimate purposes, will
use your computer to transfer illegally obtained material between other
users. I strongly encourage you to remove software used for file sharing
as well as to immediately remove any illegally obtained material such as
music or movies.

Students who are found to have illegally obtained copyrighted material
through the campus network will have their computers immediately removed
from the network and will not be allowed access to the network until they
have undergone a disciplinary process with the Dean of Students Office.
With the announcement by RIAA, MPAA, and others of the intent to target
college students with law suits, it should be noted that many of the
students sued have settled out of court for amounts on the order of $4-
5000.

In addition to information on our own security website, both the
University of Michigan and Chicago provide excellent information on
disabling peer to peer programs, see

http://www.cites.uiuc.edu/security/filesharing/index.html
http://security.uchicago.edu/guidelines/peer-to-peer/
http://www.copyright.umich.edu

We are both legally and ethically obligated to respond to every
notification of copyright violation we receive. I fully believe members
of the UIUC campus community will recognize the seriousness of this
situation and respond accordingly.

Linda Katehi, Provost
Paula Kaufman, Interim Chief Information Office

I just heard today that the article I submitted for publication in the Illinois Journal for Undergraduate Research got accepted. While this isn’t a huge deal since it is only a undergraduate journal, it is still nice. Gives me something to put on my resume.
My article is titled: “A Hypervisor for Embedded Computing” and will soon be available at http://academic.ec.uiuc.edu/ijur/. It isn’t up yet. In theory, I had several coauthors, but most of the writing and work is mine.

If they keep this up, I may have to revise my opinion of the DI. First, their good editorial on the Chief Illiniwek issue and now this. They seem to have a pretty decent editorial staff this year.

Civil union bill an opportunity for Illinois
By The Daily Illini Editorial Staff
Posted: 3/29/07 Section: Editorials

http://www.dailyillini.com/home/index.cfm?event=displayArticle&uStory_id=96637380-cac2-4c4f-a6c3-267bb5789971

As sent to me today.

Spectrum DePaul looks forward to hosting you at the Illinois LGBTQA College Conference on Saturday, March 31^st , 2007. This year’s conference will be held at the University Center of Chicago located at 525 S. State Street, Chicago, IL 60605. This year’s conference will begin promptly at 10 AM and will conclude at 5:30 PM. We are happy to inform you that a continental breakfast as well as lunch will be provided through a generous donation from DePaul University’s Residence Hall Council. Computer stations will be available for use in the common area of the conference center. For more information regarding the University Center of Chicago please visit www.universitycenter.com .

Please find directions to the conference center listed below.

*By Car:*

_From the North and Northwest: _

> From the Kennedy Expressway (I-90/I-94) exit at Jackson Boulevard and
turn east. The Loop campus is approximately one mile from the expressway on Jackson Boulevard at State Street.

_From the West:_

> From the Eisenhower Expressway (I-290), continue toward downtown. As you
approach the downtown area, the expressway becomes Congress Parkway. Turn left (north) on Dearborn Street, go two blocks to Jackson Boulevard and turn right (east). The Loop campus is one block east on Jackson Boulevard at State Street.

_From the South:_

> From the Dan Ryan Expressway (I-90/I-94) exit at Jackson Boulevard and
turn east. The look campus is approximately one mile from the expressway on Jackson Boulevard at State Street.

_From Lake Shore Drive (North or South):_

Exit Lake Shore Drive at Jackson Boulevard and turn west. The Loop campus is approximately ½ mile from Lake Shore Drive on Jackson Boulevard at State Street .

*Please find parking information listed below:*

Unfortunately, the University Center of Chicago and its partner institutions do not have parking facilities available in the Loop area. However, there are a plethora of parking garages around the area that have either discounted rates for students and/or Saturday flat rates. You should expect to pay between $10-$15/day for parking. The following parking garages remain available:

· Grant Park Garage (Underground; enter at Van Buren and Michigan Avenue)

325 S. Michigan Avenue

312-747-2519

Exits to street level onto Michigan Avenue at Jackson and Van Buren

Evening rate (after 4pm): $14

Matinee Rate (2-10 hours before 4pm): $17

· Monroe Street Garage (underground)

350 Easy Monroe Street

312-616-0600

Saturday Parking: 0-12 hours, $13 dollar flat rate

· Crosstown Auto Park

328 South Wabash

312-939-9462

Saturday Parking: All day, $10 flat rate

· CNA Building

65 East Jackson

312-765-0252

Saturday Parking: All day, $11 flat rate

· Loop Auto Park

524 South Wabash Ave

312-922-1499

Everyday Rates: 3 hours, $6; 6 hours, $10; 12 hours, $14

*Please find alternative methods of transportation listed below:*

_Rapid Transit Lines_

All six rapid transit train lines service the downtown Chicago area and DePaul’s Loop campus. From the subway trains, exit at Jackson Boulevard.
> From the elevated trains, exit at Adams Street/ Wabash Avenue. For a
more complete set of directions visit www.transitchicago.com and choose Trip Planner on the left hand side to assist you with your travels.

_Busses_

Bus routes interconnect throughout the city. MANY buses stop very near the Loop campus. You may contact the CTA at (312) 836-7000 or TDD (Hearing Impaired) (312) 836-4949. For more information, visit www.transitchicago.com and choose Trip Planner on the left hand side to assist you with your travels.

_Metra Train Stations:_

All Metra Train Stations are located within a short walking distance (or car ride) of the Loop campus:

· Union Station, Canal Street and Adams Street: Walk east on Adams Street until State Street. Turn right (south) for one block to Jackson Boulevard.

· Chicago & Northwestern Station, Canal Street and Madison Avenue: Walk east on Adams Street until State Street. Turn right (south) for three blocks to Jackson Boulevard.

· LaSalle Street Station, LaSalle Street and Congress Parkway: Walk east down Congress Parkway until you reach State Street. Turn left (north) for two blocks to Jackson Boulevard.

· Illinois Central Station (includes service for the South Shore Line), Michigan Avenue and Van Buren Street: Walk north on Michigan Avenue for one block to Jackson Boulevard. Turn left (west) on Jackson Boulevard to State Street.

Thank you and we look forward to seeing you on March 31st.

Spectrum DePaul