The adorbable Monster. 

A battle won

For those that know me they know I was very active in the financial aid reform department. now after some intresting developments which you can read about here (at Julieah's Blog). It seems Yale has bowed a bit.. its a small victory in the war towards affordable education but a victory nonetheless.

Yale University Follows Harvard's Lead to Lure Poorer Students

March 3 (Bloomberg) -- Yale University President Richard Levin said he will follow Harvard's lead and reduce costs for lower-income students, a week after Yale students closed the admissions office to protest financial-aid policies.

``Sometimes we innovate, and sometimes we bow to best practices,'' Levin, 57, said in an interview from the New Haven, Connecticut school. ``We have seen Harvard being pretty successful with their attempt to reach out and become more accessible.''

Levin said Yale was influenced by Harvard University's program of recruiting and easing costs for students whose families earn between $40,000 and $60,000 a year. The move comes as other schools, including the University of Virginia in Charlottesville and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, provide more financial aid to low-income students.

Yale will spend about $3 million a year to help poorer students, saving their families an average of $2,500 annually, Levin said. As it recruits lower-income students, Yale will eliminate parental contributions for families earning under $45,000 a year, and reduce payments from those making less than $60,000.

Harvard

Harvard, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, changed its aid policies last year and next month will decide who qualifies for the program. Dean of Admissions William Fitzsimmons said that applications for the class of 2009 rose 15 percent in part because of the new efforts.

``We are really pleased to learn about the changes Yale made,'' Fitzsimmons said in a phone interview yesterday. ``Any time this kind of a message comes out from the most competitive institutions, it helps all of the colleges and sends a wonderful message of hope.''

Fifteen students held a sit-in at Yale's admissions office on Feb. 24, while 150 others outside called on Levin to ease costs for students on financial aid. The annual cost of attending Yale is about $41,470.

Levin said the sit-in came after he addressed students at a forum on financial aid and listened to their concerns.

``This is a strong signal, an advertising message, that Yale is affordable,'' Levin said of the new financial-aid program.

Endowments

Douglas Bennett, president of Earlham College in Richmond, Indiana, said Yale's move does little to help make higher education accessible and affordable to all students.

``Only a small handful of colleges and universities have endowments that allow them to do what Yale is doing,'' said Bennett, chairman of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in Washington, D.C.

``The real battle over access to higher education for students from low-income families is being waged in Washington D.C., where the Congress is considering whether to increase Pell Grants and whether to fully fund all the federal financial aid programs for low-income students,'' Bennett said.

Yale has a $12.8 billion endowment. Levin said the university will pay for the initiative using savings achieved in the last year through administrative reductions. About 42 percent of Yale students qualify for financial aid.

Some students had complained to Levin that they must take out large loans to pay for the costs not covered by aid. Princeton University in New Jersey and Amherst College in Massachusetts already have programs to protect students from debt, said Amherst President Anthony Marx.

Ensuring Access

``Amherst, Harvard and Yale and schools like them recognize that we are not and have not been doing enough to ensure access to the best universities and colleges in the land regardless of ability to pay,'' Marx said. ``There are still lots of really smart kids from poor backgrounds not applying to these schools because they think they can't afford it.''

At the nation's most selective colleges and universities, only 3 percent of students come from families in the lowest 25 percent of income. About 75 are from families in the top 25 percent, Harvard President Lawrence Summers said last year.

Levin said 15 to 17 percent of Yale's 5,240 undergraduates come from low-income families. Like Harvard, Yale will recruit students from rural areas of the U.S., and it will pay for one trip home each year for international students who are on financial aid. Yale expects its financial aid budget to grow to more than $52 million for 2005-06, Levin said.

``Yale is making a serious commitment to remaining competitive on low-income financial aid,'' said Andrew Cedar, 20, president of Yale College Council, the student government.

Tom Mortenson, an education consultant, said the initiative may not benefit enough students.

``Yale has a very long way to go to enroll an average share of already underrepresented population in higher education,'' he said.

Last year, Yale had its most selective year ever, with 19,682 applicants. Only 9.9 percent of applicants were admitted, the lowest rate in the school's 303-year history. This year, applications are down 1.2 percent, admissions director Richard Shaw told the Yale Daily News.

At Harvard, a record 22,717 students vied for about 1,650 spots last year, Fitzsimmons said.

Viva MEXICO a picture from Cancun a few years ago. 

Mini- Benk Looks just like this. 

Pilli eating Carl's Jr. 

pilli about a year and a half ago 

Sucky Day

I need to type here more often. I have done many things this last month since I last blogged. I'm going to DC on Monday and starting the training for Clio. My other job is going well. We have been paying things down but still have a ways to go. Mari got new glasses and I unexpectedly got a Mini Ipod, which is called mini-benk. Good times...still have that monkey on my back but feel good. Pilli is all over the place and learning to speak so well its kinda of amazing how quickly she's learning. But I have a bunch of things I need to do today and feel really lazy about doing them. guess I'll get to it.

New Years.....

Here's for resolutions and new shit to do and think. Its not an election year and I some how feel uplifted because of that. Last year was horrible and disappointing. Needless to say I think this will be a far better year than last. But who knows. But now that Dean is the Chairperson of the DNC i am feeling like all the lament and sorrow cause by the last loss will have some sort of silver lining. So if someone that reads this has money please... donnate To the Democratic National Committee

Contribution amount:
$

But I will try every morning when I get back from my job to post even some inate thing....status of my next major project which is finishing my essay that I must do. But we'll see.

Much love and volvere.

Francisco

New year new life

Will update soon.

Pre-Thanksgiving

Just thinking about this thanksgiving and the whole holiday season. hoping for a mircale so we can go to MEX this christmas but life.. has creeped its ugly face. But I think I'm getting better with dealing with it. Still have politcs on the brain and I feel a strong movement toward what I wrote below. Times are changing and well so is this world. I hope to see the part of my life that has not been viewed for 4 years. Mari and I are ok, broke but ok, went out three weekends in a row. Saw the incredibles loved it... nothing to bitch about... although supposedly liberals like me are suppose to not like it. The story wasn't the strongest... but its a cartoon... a movie and I had lot of fun watching it. Not looking for a political message in a pixar cartoon.. just a reflection of our lives thats it. Plus how many red state people have black friend that come over for dinner. Blue STATES RULE!

We have only begun to fight!

This loss by Kerry Will be the opening salvo in the cultural wars of this century. Hell Mexico took two centuries to deal with their religious identity. But in a country were the core ideas of enlightenment thought helped found the institutions that ground this nation are under direct attack. This war has its origins in the sixties and the strange but unholy joining of two groups. Socially religious conservatives and strictly business interests. These groups a have established the foundation for so much disinformation on their adversaries that most of the time they are forced to dispel those lies and rumors and not in any substantive debate. But this ignorance plays to the Conservatives favor, one group wants the money the other wants the establishment of religion on our society. Long ago they st rived to form a movement to steal the moral issues from the country and place them in a scapegoating/fear-mongering dynamic that only context is in churches. But above all this movement is on the CRUSADE TO DESTROY ALL Liberal ideas/ ideals/ thought. Somehow Janet's boob became a moral and religious issue, stupid and irresponsible yes but a moral travesty degrading our society? Please, divorce and adultery is much worst in actually altering the everyday life people live. If people explain to their children that what that lady on TV did is wrong then the issue should stop there right? Which brings me to the Gay issue, which is not the main reason the Dems lost but it plays into the game the Conservatives want. We play on their field with the equipment, and still we came a few million votes short. In a decade the young Latinos and African Americans will equate that easily. This is a all or nothing game that has its hands in high xenophobia and religious zealotry. Not to mention the quietest and most prosperous element of this unholy marriage is the business side, taxes and corporate welfare with additional access to the goods and control of public property. Mexico and many developing countries are experiencing this type of neoliberalization and with unhealthy consequences for average people. Because the US has a higher income per capita the Business interests sees a good disconnect between the drastic effects of this economic shift which well allow the total realtering effect to occur. I don't mind fighting about Taxes and tax burdens but when you coopt a movement for financial reasons and don't actually care about those principles that give you those tax breaks that's where I get all bent out of shape. Especially when we have so much to deal with in this world, terrorism which in many ways mimic this cutural war is SO MUCH MORE IMPORTANT than if two gay people get married. But of course liberals have become terrorist... but that's for another post.

I feel that first and foremost the Left needs to engage in the cultural war. Otherwise all is lost. It took 40 years to establish this control for the right, their game is tight no doubt about it. But in less than 2 years the dormant heart and soul of the left has reawaken and I feel is ready to fight. Crap the election showed we can form groups and networks quicker and more flexible than the Conservatives. We had a war time president running for his job. The Light and Truth will prevail, maybe god wanted the world to let bush see that light and truth first hand. Gays should be allowed to be married as long as they don't destroy society at the same time. Red states have the highest rates of divorce in our great country and guess what the one state that allows gay unions is the lowest. Morals are about actions not about repetitive slogans. The Morals and values or this country have been verbally hijacked but they need to be retaken. More than anything I want to destroy Conservatives, the movement the organizations and everything associated with it, except of course religion but I only say that because people may have equated the two.. that equation took 20 years to bear fruit, out country is 228 years old before that religion was something out country shared and allowed its people to practice and alter. Religion is at the heart of the character of our nation but our nation's character was not imprinted or dictated to us by our founders for good reason. I do not want to fight religion but its use as compass toward a more perfect union.

Since we did not begin this war, (yes liberals helped change institutions to allow for more choice and inclusion, not the outlawing of those original ideas - ie segregation was outlawed not personal racism) conservatives have been unwilling to compromise our culture, its their way or get the fuck out of the country/go to Europe, turn French. I am sorry that our principles as open minded individuals allowed the radicals to continue existing for that we must obliterate and untie religion for this unholy bond. This crippling and collapse of the right is necessary not only for the liberal agenda to continue but also for the principles of this enlightened country to reign outward the world. That is why the world is sadden by our choice as a country, not because they hate us but because they saw the war from afar we as liberal were too close to the action to see the forest closing in around us. Our live and let live attitude was seen as weakness and used to get their troops closer to heart of our country than we could imagine. So here we are. Will we fight for our rights or will the right use god to control this country? Don't forget the last time religion ruled unabided was the DARK AGES.

To do

need to mail shit and pay my student loan.

Clean up francisco

Stressing

Ok so I'm really stressed right now, had a week where I lost my mojo big time after feeling really good the week before.  Had a minor breakdown, too many question in my head, wasn't trying to think too much it just hit me.  Strangely I think it has to do with just realizing where I'm at.  For the first time in four years I'm alone.  Seriously, no kid no wife no nobody.  Maybe I can get my life in order.  Akward and (oh shoot what was the word we said Li Yun?) STAGNANT.   That's how I've felt.   Miss having all these people in my life that kept me feeling like I grew in so many ways, but being in Phoenix has really hamped that, Big time.  So stagnation with my friend is there sadly were all too busy to talk and bs.  I miss my loved one's bs.  I think we all get free minutes but we don't talk to each other because of all our own drama.  Stagnation.  My Senior Essay still fucken stagnat.  I think these alone days will help.  I haven't been able to reset like this in years... me whom values having is alone time has been with mari or the baby for 4 years straight, through all our ups and downs.  wierd.  I don't understand why I"m having anti-captialist emotion lately too.  My new car rocks but I'm afriad my shitty week might not allow me to make the payment in the next week! EEKE  YIKES... that were most of the stress comes from.  my boss kinda turned my screws during my breakdown but that's cool now.  I just need to make money.  My past, present and future goals are all trying to make sense of each other.  My once limitless existence seems way too limited now.  My pretentiousness has been humbled but at the same time I still feel like I will do more with my life than is expected of me or myself.  Si dios quiere.  I MISS MEXICO SOO MUCH.  It aches my bones.   four years without one of the most complex emotional spritual and comfortable situations of my life has me desprate.  I need to go to Huejuquilla.  I need to be on my ranch and contemplate the fact that my gene, ancestors walks the caminos I'm walking.  The distance that the apples have fallen from the mother tree.  I feel like my universe is complete there, although it doesn't feel perfect its as close as I have ever felt it.  I miss the fights the love and the sparkle and dissillusionment that mexico brings out in my family and myself.  Does everyone in this world have these issues?  Is there a way to have so many parts of your life and history so separtated, is that what joins and somewhat unites Latinos in this country.  A patria separada.  A world that should be just and is just in our minds but isn't and every way we try or have tried seem to not work.   I know this seem like a mindless ramble but its actually on of the clearest stream of thoughts I've had.  Gladly my mind is clearer than it has been since Sept. 1999.  I feel like I've been living a dream/ nightmare at times and I woke up having fallen on my in-law's floor.  Who is this fool that living there?  How the fuck did that happen?  Where did is cousins go?  Why is he doing what hes doing now?  What's wrong with him?  I don't have all the anwsers but I've pieced most of it together.  My overly spritual self feels lost because of the place I'm at, not nessasarly in strength of my spritit.  The optimisim comes and goes especaily in the enviroment I live in, but I am confident that my Lopez clan that walks this Tierra sagrada will triumph, I don't know the mountain peaks we'll reach or which mountain ranch those peak are at but I do know we will climb those mountians, no matter what.

Hyundai Sonata

VashDaStampede80: so now C-lo is pimpin a new ride eh :-D LOL cool sh*t homie
VashDaStampede80: congratz!

liberation

When I was in high school I had a mug with my name on it. Frank it read; stands for and forever need to be free and liberated. I think I've found some of that liberation I once thought I had but otherwise, things still impede my complete liberation, oh well, enjoy this mural by Diego Rivera call the liberation of the peon.

.

Check off as done

ok so I've been pretty active lately and gotten lots of things I've been lazy to do done. Now today I need to crazy study Insurance law and then pass the test tomorrow (thurs) After that I start on monday full time and it looks like I got some peope I can start with so maybe this lull in the cash flow will finally come in cuz damn we need it plus my loan which are being deferred right now are set to kick back in.... AHHHHGGGGG. But we've been through a lot and will get through this soon. Si dios quiere we will buy a new car with in the month... hopefully a Hundya Sonota...must go to church... been a while... earth spirit is good.

Cubans

So today was my cuban day.... just got a whole lot of cuban for a day... recent arrivals to the Country lots of charisma...hope to deal with them more....

Memorable day

Just wanted to comment on a very good last weekend. Drove to California and fell in love again with the state and all the people that I love, family, friends, hometown. I had written a long blog but it got lost... suck it had lots of inspirational stuff too. Will do that later.

So this was one of the best weeks I've had in a very long time. Saw my family and all my friends with minimal drama. It marks for the first time that I've gone back to Cali and things turn out great. I guess that means things where I'm at are good, and in fact they are. I'm 2 weeks away from starting my job full time. And on top of that it feel like it will be a good job for me at this juncutre of my life. So Pancho is getting his groove back, little by little, I'm causious because I've felt this way before and lost it. But the trip to California I thinks shows how solid this feeling is for not just me but my wife Mari as well. Still need to work hard to get to the place we want to be but that place doesn't seem so far away as it did maybe a year ago. Got some money in the bank and otherwise heatlh is good. Seeing friends reminded me of me long ago. In friendship that have streched nearly a decade it seems wierd that our friendship have countinued. But I guess for me being from Avenal where everyone grows up with a small circle and you have friendship that last over decades, so for my Yale friends to fall into that makes me feel good, kinda complete cuz it like its suppose to be that way. I found most of my friends in good places or at least moving towards good positive places. Plus my best high school and hometown friend Ethan has a stable job with which to provide for his one year old mohawked baby boy. Life is good, and we must thank the earth and sun for their blessings.

Why I love California Girls

'Domestic revolt' in Calif.

Senators protest pastor's remarks on women's role

Associated Press
May. 25, 2004 12:00 AM


SACRAMENTO - California state lawmakers staged a "domestic revolt" Monday, some donning kitchen aprons and scarlet "M's" to protest a pastor who characterized as sinners female legislators with young children at home.

Democratic Sen. Debra Bowen went barefoot on the Senate floor, bringing along a toaster and other kitchen accessories to her desk.

"Today, I'll be serving up a billion dollars in savings for PG&E customers, identity-theft legislation ... along with bacon and eggs, getting my shopping list together and preparing to can," she said.

Legislators were offended by what the Rev. Ralph Drollinger, who leads a Bible study class for lawmakers, wrote during a Bible lesson in April.

"It is one thing for a mother to work out of her home while her children are in school," Drollinger wrote. "It is quite another matter to have children in the home and live away in Sacramento for four days a week. Whereas the former could be in keeping with the spirit of Proverbs 31, the latter is sinful."

About a dozen senators joined the protest, including Senate President Pro Tem John Burton, who presided over the Senate wearing a pink flowered apron.

Drollinger said he was not speaking about single mothers who have to work, nor was he saying women should not run for office.

"I'm all for the female legislators serving our great state with all of their giftedness, in due time," Drollinger said.