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I worked for 15 years at the most culturally diverse university in the country, Cal State L.A.  The administration, as well as the student body, was diverse.  What I found was that everybody uses stereotypes to sort through their first cut when making decisions.  But most people, when they are confronted with an individual in that kind of environment, are more likely to see past stereotypes and base their final decisions on the qualities of individuals.  I think this is a great way to deal with what happens in a real world work place.

posted 3 years, 12 months ago
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Several years ago I read about research done at UCLA that showed that a person's peripheral vision narrowed when they spoke on a cell phone.  The researchers did not find the same effect with listening to the radio or having a conversation with someone in the car.  I remembered this because I was hit by a woman on a cell phone.  She had stopped at an intersection and then pulled out into the intersection and hit me (there was no stop posted for traffic in my direction).  She said she didn't see me.

posted 4 years ago
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I returned recently to the US after living in Asia, mostly in Bangkok for the last decade.  In Bangkok, I lived in an apartment complex with many people working in the foreign embassies from around the world.  The first change in my friends views about the U.S. came with the 2000 election. Generally, their view of that election was that it was stole and they were shocked.  They had no idea we tolerated things like was voter suppression and were disappointed as they learned more.  Needless to say, they didn't like the Iraq war, but the lasting change I saw was not about Bush, but that our democratic institutions were flawed. 

posted 4 years, 1 month ago
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I was generally supportive of the women that found the play objectionable, until she said the high school already had 17 girls that are pregnant.  Clearly, the kids at this school need to have a discussion about sexuality.  A humorous look at Picasso's sexual mores might be a good way to start the discussion.

posted 4 years, 2 months ago
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Several months ago on OPB I saw a program about the many older schools in Oregon that do not meet minimal earthquake standards.  The cost of retrofitting these schools far exceeded current funding.  To me, making schools safe for our children is the highest priority.  Will there be funds available for these types of projects? 

posted 4 years, 3 months ago
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I thought that "I was only following orders" was not a defense for war crimes. If I am following the logic of your legal experts, Hitler's only mistake was not having his legal council rule that exterminating Jews was legal.

posted 4 years, 4 months ago
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I listen to Think Out Loud every morning on my commute. It's been very helpful in understanding local issues. I was surprised this morning at the hostility in your voice. Hard questions for politicians is good. But today a lot of the questions and comments sounded more like an attack than hard questions. I'm disappointed. Give the man a chance. Please try to find out what the man thinks, not score a gotcha.

posted 4 years, 6 months ago
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I have a question about signature verification. My full name _ first, middle, last - was printed on the envelope next to where I was to sign my signature. So I signed the envelope with first, middle, and last name. Usually I sign my name as just first and last name. I don't remember which signature I used when I registered. Could this be a problem?

posted 4 years, 6 months ago
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Am I to understand that the rational for releasing sex offenders into society, knowing that one in twenty will rape a child or woman again is because we can't afford to keep them in prison? Who made that decision?

posted 4 years, 11 months ago
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I think the question you keep asking, "have you changed your behavior" leads to a misunderstanding of the problem and possibly explains why this is not an issue with the public. The question should be "what privacies would you want protected if a "bad guy" became president. The separation of powers and the rights of privacy are based on the assumption that things can go wrong, not what's needed when everybody is playing fair.

posted 4 years, 11 months ago
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