Affirming Opportunity

I have long argued for a multiracial, national political coalition to press for public policies to address the common concerns of families of all racial and ethnic groups in an era of rising social inequality. But I believe just as firmly that an entirely race-neutral agenda would be a mistake. Policies that explicitly address race remain crucial to a progressive strategy and to the continuing quest for racial justice in America. However, in an era of widespread opposition to affirmative action as we know it, these policies need to be redesigned so that a broad coalition can support them.

In response to cries from conservatives to abolish affirmative action, some liberals who support multiracial coalition-building have argued that we ought to shift from affirmative action programs based on race to affirmative action based on economic class or need. This shift would recognize that the problems of the disadvantagedlow-income, crime-ridden neighborhoods, broken homes, inadequate housing, poor education, cultural and linguistic differencesare not always clearly related to previous racial discrimination. Children who grow up in homes plagued by these disadvantages are likely to be denied an equal chance in life because the development of their aspirations and talents is hindered by their environment, regardless of race. Proponents of class-based affirmative action argue that minorities would benefit disproportionately from programs designed to address these disadvantages, since they suffer disproportionately from the effects of such environments, but the problems of disadvantaged whites would be addressed as well.

Despite the apparent appeal of this approach, if affirmative action were based solely on economic need, it would reduce opportunities for blacks. It would result in the systematic exclusion of many blacks from desirable positions, since they would be judged by conventional measures of aptitude, and, regardless of class, their scores on those tests are still likely to show the cumulative effects of race. By this I mean the effects of having one's life choices limited by race; the effects of living in segregated neighborhoods exposed to the particular skills and styles of behavior that emerge from patterns of racial exclusion; the effects of attending lower-quality, de facto segregated schools, and of being nurtured by parents whose own experiences and resources have also been shaped and limited by race. Thus, if we were to rely solely on the standard criteria for college admission, like SAT scores, even many children from black middle-income families would be denied admission in favor of middle-income whites, who are not weighed down by the accumulation of disadvantages that stem from racial restrictions and who, therefore, tend to score higher on these conventional tests.

Yet the remedy does not have to consist of numerical guidelines and quotas for admitting blacks with lower scores, the kinds of programs that have made affirmative action so unpopular. The remedy can be a different set of evaluation criterianew, more flexible yet merit-based criteriathat are more accurate than the conventional tests in gauging the actual potential of black Americans to succeed.

Indeed, it is not readily apparent to what extent the standard measures of aptitude like the SAT or the Law School Admission Test (LSAT)or even the tests widely used for promoting police officersmeasure real merit, and not just privilege. The research reveals that for most applicants, these tests are only tenuously related to future performance. High school grades consistently predict college freshmen's grades more accurately than the SAT in both selective and nonselective colleges, and little predictive power is gained by combining the SAT with high school grades. Studies at the University of Pennsylvania Law School and the University of Texas Law School found only weak correlations between LSAT scores and law school performance. And while other test scores may correlate better with outcomes, even these do not necessarily measure important attributes that also determine performance, such as perseverance, motivation, interpersonal skills, reliability, and leadership qualities.

For example, if you compare a youngster from the ghettos of Roxbury or Harlem or East St. Louis who displays these traits and a youngster from white suburbia who has a higher SAT score but does not possess these traits, the chances are good that the inner-city child will experience a higher level of college achievement and a more enriching college experience. Two studies are relevant here. William G. Bowen and Derek Bok point out in their important book, The Shape of the River, that black students with lower SAT scores who are admitted to selective colleges are not only more involved than white students in social service, community service, and political endeavors, but are also more likely to be leaders in these activities. Likewise, Richard Flacks and Scott Thomas report in a recent study of students at the University of California at Santa Barbara that "African-American and Latino students of both sexes were more involved in cultural and community activities than white males were: They were more than twice as likely to report going to plays, concerts, films, or museums. They were three times as likely to say that they frequently participated in social-service groups." As the law professors Susan Sturm and Lani Guinier have argued, we need to "improve the capacity of institutions to find people who are creative, adaptive, reliable, and committed, rather than just good at test-taking."

Criteria for Success

When I call for flexible, merit-based criteria, I do not mean that standard aptitude tests such as the SAT should be abandoned. Rather, they should be given less weight in making school admission decisions. For example, in response to the vote of the University of California's regents to eliminate affirmative action in admissions, the university's Irvine campus developed new admission criteria recognizing that the potential for success is demonstrated in numerous forms and can be measured in various ways. Although test scores, courses completed, and grades remain important, Irvine now also considers other factors, including an applicant's initiative and leadership, ability to overcome personal hardship, self-awareness, civic and cultural awareness, honors and awards, and specialized knowledge. These new criteria reflect the findings of involvement theorythe more students are involved and socialized in their education, the more likely they are to succeed.

In order to determine the impact of the new admission process at Irvine, instituted in 1997, Susan Wilbur and Marguerite Bonous-Hammarth "compared the actual makeup of the newly admitted freshman class with the hypothetical makeup of a class admitted solely on the basis . . . of a ranking system based on the G.P.A. [grade point average] and test scores." The comparison revealed that the use of more flexible criteria "resulted in significant gains for underrepresented ethnic groupsparticularly African Americans, American Indians, and Chicanos," whose admission rates increased respectively by 30 percent, 24 percent, and 21 percent.

The University of Michigan Law School provides another example of the effective use of flexible, merit-based admission criteria. In addition to an index score that represents an applicant's GPA and LSAT score, the Michigan admissions office relies heavily on other factors, including letters of recommendation, the application essay, the quality of the applicant's undergraduate institution, course selections, personal experiences or perspectives likely to contribute to a diverse student body, and evidence of leadership ability. The result has been an outstanding number of minority law school students over the past several years, although Michigan sets no numerical guidelines or quotas.

The University of Michigan Law School faces an anti-affirmative action lawsuit filed by a white applicant, Barbara Grutter, who claims that she was denied admission in favor of less-qualified minority applicants. However, the Michigan admissions program is quite different from the affirmative action program at the University of Texas Law School, which was recently struck down by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in Hopwood v. Texas. The Texas program set numerical goals to increase the enrollment of underrepresented groups (African Americans, Latinos, women, and so on). The goals were established by determining the proportion of underrepresented groups in the applicant pool.

As Jeffrey S. Lehman, dean of the University of Michigan Law School, put it:

We are confident that our admissions policy is constitutional. It conforms to the requirements of the Fourteenth Amendment as set forth in Justice Powell's opinion in Regents of the University of California v. Bakke. Our admissions office does not use racial quotas. The percentage of students of different races in our entering classes vary noticeably from year to year. We use diversity as a factor within the larger context of our policy of admitting only students whom we expect to go on to become outstanding lawyers.

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A final practical example of the use of flexible criteria is found in Mayor Richard Daley's Chicago Police Department. It recently switched to merit promotions based on such factors as job performance and leadership ability. In previous years, police promotions were determined mainly by standard aptitude tests, which resulted in very few promotions, proportionately, for African-American and Latino officers. The new, more flexible criteria enhance the probability that merit is being measured on the basis of actual job performance rather than an officer's class or racial background.

These new criteria do not lower standards. Rather, they stop excluding people who have as much potential to succeed as those promoted or accepted from more privileged backgrounds.

I call this approach, with its emphasis on flexible, merit-based criteria of evaluation, "affirmative opportunity," not "affirmative action." And the change is more than rhetorical. It signals a shift in emphasis away from quotas and numerical guidelines to guarantee equality of results, which is how "affirmative action" has come to be understoodand widely resented. Instead, the emphasis is on achieving equality of opportunity, a principle that most Americans still support.

However, the concept of affirmative opportunity acknowledges that something more than offering formal, legal equality is required to overcome the legacy of slavery and Jim Crow segregation. As a society, we have the continuing moral obligation to compensate for the enduring burdensthe social and psychological damageof segregation, discrimination, and bigotry. A policy of "affirmative opportunity" would renew the nation's commitment to enable all Americans, regardless of income, race, or other attributes, to achieve the highest level that their abilities will permit.

Resonating With the Public

This change of strategies, and the change in the language we use when discussing such programs, would increase public support for these policies and make them acceptable as a vital part of a progressive, multiracial coalition's agenda to fight social inequality. Research suggests that the idea of affirmative opportunity would resonate with the general public. In a 1990 survey, almost seven in ten white Americans opposed quotas to admit black students in colleges and universities, and more than eight in ten objected to the idea of preferential hiring and promotion of blacks. But in the same survey, 68 percent of whites favored spending more money on schools in black neighborhoods, especially for preschool and early education programs. And 70 percent favored granting special college scholarships to black children who maintain good grades. Race-targeted programs like these that enable blacks to take advantage of opportunities do not seem to be perceived as challenging the values of individualism and the work ethic. Unlike "preferential" racial policies, opportunity-enhancing programs have popular support and a relatively weak connection to antiblack attitudes.

In another national survey, the Princeton political scientist Carol M. Swain found that a majority of respondents, black and white alike, felt that consideration should be given in college admissions to obstacles or hardships that a student had to overcome. In other words, colleges ought to evaluate a student's potential at least in part on the basis of his or her successful navigation of difficult circumstances in, say, high-risk environments. In addition to the standard questionnaire, Swain's survey presented respondents with vignettes that described college admission and employment situations without using code words such as "preferential treatment." Though responses to the standard questionnaire revealed a clear rejection of the idea that racial preferences should guide admission decisions, in their responses to the vignettes, these respondents seemed to be asking university admissions officers to take into consideration factors other than the conventional academic criteria.

Swain concludes that "the majority of Americans, both white and black alike, are not enthusiastic about racial preference programs, but can agree on some affirmative action-related issues once we move beyond the racially inflammatory code words found all too often in existing surveys." The importance of language is also attested to by recent public opinion polls in Houston. These clearly suggest that if Texas opponents of affirmative action had been able to adopt the language used in Proposition 209 in California and in Initiative Measure 200 in the state of Washingtonlanguage that included the term "preferential treatment"their proposal to abolish municipal-sponsored affirmative action programs in Houston quite likely would have passed.

Yet as the sociologist Jerome Karabel reminds us, while it is true that Americans worry about "quotas" and about "unqualified" people being hired, promoted, and admitted to colleges and universities, they also recognize "that the playing field is not level and that programs are needed to ensure equal opportunities for minorities and women." That probably explains why, following President Clinton's 1995 speech on affirmative action, two national opinion polls, despite slightly different wording, found that 60 to 65 percent of American voters approved of the President's position that affirmative action should be mended and not ended.

In order to fully address the economic insecurities that beset many groups in this era of rising social inequality, a progressive, multiracial coalition would combine support for affirmative opportunity programs with support for a larger and more comprehensive set of public policies. These are race-neutral public policies that emphasize common solutions to commonly shared problems, policies that promote a sense of unity, regardless of the different degrees of severity in the problems afflicting different groups.

A new democratic vision must reject the commonly held view that race is so divisive that whites, blacks, Latinos, Asians, and Native Americans cannot work together in a common cause. Yet those articulating the new vision must realize that if a political message is tailored to a white audience, racial minorities do draw back, just as whites draw back when a message is tailored to minority audiences. The challenge, then, is to find programs and issues that concern families of all racial and ethnic groups, so that individuals in all groups can honestly perceive mutual interests and join together to move America forward.

Among such programs, I would include those that increase employment opportunities and job skills training, improve public education, promote better child and health care, strengthen supports for working families including lone-parent families, and reduce neighborhood crime and drug abuse. When I speak of issues that a multiracial coalition would find of common concern, I refer to government actions and policies that exacerbate rather than alleviate the economic stresses of ordinary families. Included among these are monetary policies that elevate real interest rates and lead to increased unemployment, trade policies that place low-skilled labor in the United States in greater competition with low-skilled labor around the world, tax policies that favor wealthier families at the expense of ordinary families, and congressional inaction on or opposition to programs such as public investment and national health insurance.

Because the gap between have-nots and haves is growing more severe, a vision that acknowledges racially distinct problems and the need for remedies like affirmative opportunity, but at the same time emphasizes the importance of transracial solutions to shared problems, is more important now than ever.

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Law in the Middle Ages

History - Middle Ages

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After the collapse of Western Modern Empire, it became very difficult to manage the law and order situations in the smaller kingdoms initiated by the Barbarians. Evolution and spread of religious movements of Christianity and Islamism further complicated the situations. In order to ascertain security of their kingdoms, kings preferred to transfer power to knights and barons. Ordinary people, peasants and serfs accepted their rule to attain protection against invaders and rival kingdoms. This situation gave way to the rise of feudalistic law and justice system.

Feudalism; thus, wasn’t only a system to maintain power to rule, rather it was also a good means to serve local justice to local people which included peasants, carpenters, blacksmiths, weavers, bakers, and merchants and dealers. Under the feudal system, kings offered power to barons to control large pieces of land in their kingdom. Thus, the right to jurisdiction was under the knights, barons and dukes who controlled over local peasants and serfs.

Judicial Administration in The Middle Ages:

The law in The Middle Ages was based on old Germanic ideas and customs but it was also influenced by the ancient Roman law system. Knights, barons, and dukes had their separate courtrooms where they used to offer judicial services for people living in their manor. Kings had their personal court rooms which were considered above all. Cases in particular manor were listened in the courtroom of the baron or knight controlling that manor.

There were vassals who were appointed to help the barons, knights and dukes. These courts were not known to act in public interest; rather, they used to wait until the plaintiff asked for justice. The system was harsh and until a particular case has been solved, both the plaintiff and the alleged criminal were treated similarly.

Types of Courts under law in The Middle Ages

The society of The Middle Ages was largely divided in three parts, the priests, the member of nobility, and the serfs. The judicial system offered three types of courts to solve various problems. In order to take decision about a case involving bishops, deacons, priests, clerks, monks, nuns and other clergy men, there were special Church courts. No other courts had a right over matters of Church and clergy.

Cases of ordinary people and serfs were often considered in manor courts where knights and barons were used to offer their justice either through the means of ‘the oath,’ or by means of ‘the ordeals.’ Manor courts were often used to solve out cases of assault, petty theft, drunkenness, and other petty crimes.

Serious cases were often considered under the royal courts where the kings used the common law to offer justice. These courts were preferred for cases of murder, burglary, treason, rape, cutting trees and poaching animals from royal forests and other charges which were considered to be serious. While the law in The Middle Ages was mainly influenced by the Church, it was significantly influenced by the ancient Roman culture and the Germanic culture.

Ways to prove innocence under law in The Middle Ages:

The Oath

Feudal courts weren’t based on the modern ideal of considering an accused ‘innocent until proven guilty,’ as there was no concept of presumption of innocence. Rather, it was the duty of the accused to prove his innocence. One could do so by taking an oath of innocence and there was system of “oath-helpers,” according to which, the accused was required to bring helpers, often neighbors or relatives, who swore that they believe that the accused is telling the truth about his innocence. Right to jurisdiction was one of the ways for barons, knights, dukes and other fiefs to earn income as they often preferred to atone most of the wrongs for monetary punishment or fine.

The oath system may seem to be unsatisfactory and insufficient, but it was largely workable because it was hard for an evil person or accused to bring enough ‘oath-helpers’ to support him. On the other hand, a really innocent person, if accused, had proper chances to gain support of enough “oath helpers.”

The Ordeal

In absence of oath-helpers, the accused often was provided another chance to prove his innocence by means of the process of ‘the ordeal.’

Ordeal by Battles

In certain cases involving two nobles, trials were often decided through battles. The winner of these battles was considered to be innocent because it was believed that God would protect the innocent. However, it was not necessary for a person of nobility to fight for himself as he could choose any experienced fighter to fight for justice on his behalf.

Ordeal by Bread

This was another method to prove innocence of an accused if he belonged to the nobility. Under this ordeal, the accused was forced to eat full bread without chewing it. If the accused succeeded in eating the slice of bread without chewing it, he was considered innocent. On the other hand, if he choked, he was considered guilty. It was believed that God would help an innocent to eat the bread without chewing it.

Ordeal by fire

Law in The Middle Ages was influenced by superstitions and beliefs. In cases involving common men, the accused was forced to hold a hot metallic rod in his hands for a small period of time. The wound caused through it was covered properly and in three days, if this wound was healed, the person was considered innocent. On the other hand, if the wound initiated to fester, the accused was considered guilty. Once again, it was believed that God will heal the wound of innocent. Obviously, innocent or guilty, any accused was forced to suffer the fire.

Ordeal by cold water

In certain cases, the accused was thrown in a barrel full of cold water. If the accused drowned, he was considered guilty. On the other hand, if the accused swam and saved his life, he was considered to be innocent. Water was considered to be a pure substance and it was believed that God would not drown the innocent.

As we saw, law in The Middle Ages was based on superstitions and the feudalistic judicial system further made it more difficult.

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+4 #1 Mimi 2014-08-10 07:34
there should be more about how they acttually solved the crimes and who came up with the punishment.

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302.8 #838 (DL Qual #1316

May 20, 2011 6:31 PM  The Hub
Just saw a segment on Star Tours 2 on ABC 7 Eyewitness news!

1. Lake Tahoe Summer Meetup
Aug 01, 2015 12:00am

On Tuesday nights, duh!!!😂😂😩 - secretagentangel  1944.0 #75 10:47PM
Thank You - suzieq65  50.5 #4538 6:20PM
We will be there in November - makeitbluesaysmerriwether  35.4 #5199 9:58AM
I'm gonna have a crowding meetup Presidents' Day weekend! Post to come!  - TinkerSchelle  1775.7 #86 5:42PM
I'll crowd with you  - LaPearleNoir  1638.0 #95 2:27PM
I ❤ crowding meetups - bonedaddy909  1340.4 #114 12:29PM
Would love to come! - susanann  8.9 #10900 6:15PM
What day works best for you guys bonedaddy909 and susanann and LaPearleNoir? - TinkerSchelle  1775.7 #86 1:21PM
Any day Friday theough Monday works for me! - susanann  8.9 #10900 2:12PM
Friday thru Sunday for Us😃.....Wait a minute😳what the heck is a crowding meetup and what would we be crowding into??😂😂😂 - bonedaddy909  1340.4 #114 7:09PM
When is this race? - secretagentangel  1944.0 #75 6:15PM
The 5K is May 8th, 10K May 9th, and the Half is May 10th. - CoachDisney  93.5 #3576 2:43PM
I will for the 5k, will be there Thursday afternoon till Friday noon. - Sleepingbeautysmom  305.2 #828 8:17AM

1. MelodyMouse

2. MarshaMouse

3. Coaster

4. JPatDL

5. MadameLeota

6. Brian

7. secretagentangel

8. Winnie111286

9. goofygal

10. jacdanfan

Didn't know there was one. Yay - TrueFromOzLovesDisney  474.8 #420 4:20PM

How do you get discount on AP passes. Guessing use MOUSEWAIT - suzieq65  50.5 #4538 4:00PM
It says discount not available ... Maybe I'm doing it wrong? - gedi0614  25.5 #6040 12:13AM

1. jacdanfan

3. secretagentangel

4. MeridaFan

5. MelodyMouse

6. DisneyGrandma

7. leopardditz2000

8. MinnieMyLove

9. debbiev

10. cmtahm

  Well done and congratulations.  Now I know how some people have so many stickers.  Keep up the good work:-) - beentoall  183.5 #0 2:55AM

1. CobbPR

2. uscdisneyteacher

3. BaseballMickey_CM

4. Dave

5. Duchess_SMK

6. Plumiegirl

7. Stitch_Legacy

8. HandMeAChurroImmaFaint

9. ElSuperRaton

10. pikarich

This list needs to be updated! Just saying😬 - MadameLeota  3068.8 #41 9:51PM
FINALLY!  Thank you!  - MadameLeota  3068.8 #41 2:34PM

- valj84DisneyDeppAddict  192.7 #2011 12:58PM
Hi, @@valj84DisneyAddict Hope you are having a wonderful Easter 🐣Come play Trivilator with me! - Moog  49.4 #4577 3:00PM
Yes! A wonderful day!  Hope yours is great too!!! I will look for you on Trivilator. 😁👍 - valj84DisneyDeppAddict  192.7 #2011 3:27PM
Is it a game? - palomine96  20.5 #6742 11:58PM
Yes!  It's a separate app.  Come play! - Moog  49.4 #4577 8:58AM
I downloaded the app but it too won't add my name so if I play as guest it doesn't give credit to my mouse wait account :(Help!  - DisneyDrea  141.8 #2779 9:08PM
I can't figure out how to play on the Web version. I have been trying for a long time. Help, please - Winnie111286  4436.7 #24 2:44PM

Nice pic!📷 - Stitchcrazy62622  16.6 #7551 10:18PM
Oh how we miss you MSEP... 😩😩😩 - DisneyBallers  25.7 #6015 10:05PM

Hey I'm finally on this list 😄👍🎉 - Sweet_Irish_Cream  4398.8 #26 10:39PM
Love seeing everyone's pictures from Disneyland !! I know, we always have a good time :) - Lyssa2012  196.1 #1974 11:22PM
i am so glad i got to experience it,  but did not have to go thru it! - MsTikiMermadam  368.4 #579 5:56AM
Sweet, I have 3 on this list!!  - MisFit.Mouse  627.5 #299 2:52AM
After all of this time being away and I made the list - cyndaws  257.9 #1210 1:45AM

What percentage saving are we looking at for being MouseWaiters? Is it better than a AAA discount.  - MoChuck  128.4 #2974 3:57PM
@Admin. I filled out a form for May 22nd.  I hope you got it. Thanks. - Winnie111286  4436.7 #24 2:23AM

Just got it! - Dizkid  368.4 #578 12:29PM
Awesome - keepmovingforward  203.8 #1876 8:39PM

Here are the overall MouseRank leaders for the past 6 months:

May 2015: MelodyMouse 679.4
April 2015: Fantasmicfan1 466.89
March 2015: HARR_E 423.38
February 2015: Winnie111286 364.36
January 2015: ShariRenee 408.65
December 2014: MelodyMouse 365.77

! - FrankenweenieVelinee  2289.6 #58 7:16AM
- MowgliLovesBaloo  65.1 #0 5:18PM
- CoachDisney  93.5 #3576 5:35PM
   - valj84DisneyDeppAddict  192.7 #2011 7:59AM

Cool admin. Hope I do better than the first one. Hope people that enter will be ready to play and the tournament moves along better - Goofytom  1174.7 #138 6:41PM
Can't wait! - sawman911  670.7 #277 6:30PM
There should be a droid version of this. I. would love to play  - bryanjung1997  1.1 #65921 2:19PM
I end up deleting games while in progress due to opponents leaving me hanging FOR-EH-VER!!! - MommyandBash  181.0 #2171 12:18PM
It happens, if you want start a game and I'll play you. I take a couple days off a week but I'll finish the games I start. - richiii3  676.9 #269 2:20PM

Will there be a Season 3??  Please??? - YoPirate  629.9 #296 8:03PM
I bought the paper copy for myself and 2 copies of season one for christmas gifts!  LOVE THIS BOOK!!! - snitsos  30.0 #5609 5:28PM
Test - Admin  12:16AM
- valj84DisneyDeppAddict  192.7 #2011 9:35PM

1. DisneyMakesMeSmile

2. Goofytom

3. mamabeam

4. DisneylandOrBust

5. TiggerBelle

6. Moog

7. MommyandBash

8. Boundin

9. Dolewhipped

10. DoomBuggy61

Yay @@Moog!!!! So great!  😁 - valj84DisneyDeppAddict  192.7 #2011 6:28PM
You sweet thing!  You crack me up!  I'm merely an apprentice being schooled by @@Tom!! - Moog  49.4 #4577 11:33AM
👋❤ - Tom  9083.7 #5 11:47AM
Wtg @DisneyMakesMeSmile and @@Moog ;) - otilegna  2177.9 #64 7:41PM
A major compliment from someone who hands me my you know what every game, @@otilegna 😜!!! - Moog  49.4 #4577 8:05PM
Yay !!!  - otilegna  2177.9 #64 9:42AM
i am horrible at this but rad to pass the time in lines👍 - DarthFairy  57.4 #4305 6:24PM
Yup! - MommyandBash  181.0 #2171 9:38AM
Geez. I only recognize like two people in this whole post 😂 - Sweet_Irish_Cream  4398.8 #26 4:51PM
SIC. How come we don't see you in here often anymore?  Miss seeing your posts. You have so much to share with all these newbies  - Goofytom  1174.7 #138 12:16PM
I'm secretly watching  - Plumiegirl  9163.5 #3 11:13PM

Here are the top 10 News Contributors:

1. BaseballMickey_CM

2. Stitch_Legacy

3. RickChavez

4. ScooterMike

5. SPandEvLover

6. caramiapoohAKAface

7. IDVandalSkipperCM

8. Dave

9. Duchess_SMK

10. Sweet_Irish_Cream

Where can I find the book please?  - sarahsanch  6.8 #13356 1:03PM
When is # 3 coming out? I can't wait!! I read the others way toooooo fast. Loved them. - Popcorn  9.3 #10627 5:40PM
I've read seasons 1 and 2.  Can't wait for season 3! - eeyore4me  0.6 #73183 1:08PM

unFORECAST for the week of July 27, 2015
Crowd levels have been rising since Disneyland's official birthday on July 17th. Looking back at MouseWait's Historical Crowd Index (available in our new MagicPlan iOS Calendar), this week last year averaged in the high 70s, which is light for summer crowds. When temperatures rise, the crowd does thin out a bit (especially Annual Passholders)--and this week should be a hot one with forecasts in the 90s through Sunday. We feel that the crowd level will be similar to last year (high 70s on the Crowd Index) and the heat will keep some away. To get a real-time look at crowd levels, check the MouseWait app for Crowd Index averages and wait times. - Admin Jul 28, 2015 9:36AM

I agree. I think it has to do with most passes being blocked - PoohSizedGuy  18.6 #7115 11:53PM
Saturday's rule! One of the perks of a premium pass!  - snappy  383.0 #550 7:32AM
I second this. The info is great to have, but it's too long.  - 1HitchhikingGhost  239.1 #1418 5:04PM
Yay to MouseWaiter kindness 👏🏻 - Dizkid  368.4 #578 11:40AM
summer surely has been very busy!  - MarshaMouse  4703.3 #22 12:18AM

Purchased the Voyageers book through this link so MW benefits twice  - UTDISNEYFAMILY  1627.8 #96 4:48PM
Spent $490 on it the other day - CVDisneyland  387.4 #542 12:40PM
Thank you! - Admin  5:04PM
I will do this next time I'm on Amazon! - DisneyLov3r  5.4 #0 5:02PM

Innoventions closed March 31-September 30

Luigi's Flying Tires closed through Dec 1

Were visiting during the diamond celebration.  I'm so excited because all of our favorite rides will be open! - Dsc1983  16.2 #7629 10:53PM
Awesome! Can't wait! - PrincessDaisy  322.2 #737 8:33AM
Going to be in the park Dec. 29-Jan. 2. We've always been during the Summer and Spring so this will be our very first time there during the Holiday Season. What is the weather there like during Winter, what should Hubby and I be packing and what should I be packing for my two boys ages 8 and 9? I know the park is usually packed during the Holidays (from what I have read), would we still be able to park hop (we bought 5 days park hoppers) if we get our hands stamped? TIA. =) - MaryinVancouver888  5.3 #16520 4:17AM
this is what I suggest: - DarthFairy  57.4 #4305 7:32PM

Thanked by:   Tom   carminaire   kimdis   40 More Thanks MommyandBash   Song   giapet
TOP 5 THINGS to do this week at the Disneyland Resort:

Come to our la  Brea sticker meetup which starts early at 4 pm then come join MWers to watch PTN and Fireworks too!  - secretagentangel  1944.0 #75 11:59PM
was bummed i did not make it two weeks ago,  see you in aug! - MsTikiMermadam  368.4 #579 6:41PM
Check✔finally completed the list! I think my favorite is the new fireworks shows!!! Gives me goosebumps and brings on the happy cry.  - MinnieMyLove  190.4 #2038 9:00AM
Hmmm...thanks for the tip. We'll be there Sat and that magic wand sounds interesting  - Marciamcmouse  40.2 #4944 5:21PM
Can't wait  - Disneyprincessvmk  55.6 #4356 7:26PM

thanks admin - Fantasmicfan1  1372.6 #112 9:42PM
  - jacdanfan  9100.6 #4 6:08AM
- Lilogirl1  115.8 #3231 4:26PM

Here are the recent wait time leaders:

May: MelodyMouse 640.08
April: WARLOCK 228.33
March: HARR_E 290.27
February: jacdanfan 251.32
January: ShariRenee 246.23
December: MelodyMouse 303.05
November: MelodyMouse 410.98
October: jacdanfan 189.98

I get great joy out of helping to fulfill the original intent of this app! (Can ya tell?) - MelodyMouse  5935.9 #16 11:00AM
Thank you! 👏🏻👏🏻 - MeridaFan  3577.4 #36 10:34AM
Thank you so much!  - secretagentangel  1944.0 #75 3:34PM
 Everyone for making   - Boundin  613.0 #307 10:21PM
The real wait time leaders post! - MeridaFan  3577.4 #36 12:08PM

Got it! More than halfway thru it! It's a lot of fun!!!👍👍✨✨ - TinkerSchelle  1775.7 #86 10:53PM
  - mckelfam  36.4 #5139 3:09PM
Weeeeee - MommyandBash  181.0 #2171 10:29PM

1. Winnie111286

2. MelodyMouse

3. MarshaMouse

4. secretagentangel

5. MadameLeota

6. Coaster

7. pikarich

8. JPatDL

9. Plumiegirl

10. jacdanfan

Oh my goodness.  I can't believe my name is actually up there next to all the people who I love following.  Thank you:-). Have a great 60th everyone - beentoall  183.5 #0 6:25AM
Waytago! - MelodyMouse  5935.9 #16 10:09AM
- JediKitty  908.1 #182 4:29PM

Thanked by:   JediKitty   Song
Here are the Top 10 MouseWaiters of All-Time:

1. Coaster

2. Dave

3. Plumiegirl

4. jacdanfan

5. Tom

6. goofygal

7. uscdisneyteacher

8. CobbPR

9. BaseballMickey_CM

10. Bullseye

Such great people on this list, many who doSo much for the app. 😍😍 - secretagentangel  1944.0 #75 2:09PM

Thank you Admin! This book is a great read. I recommend it to anyone who is a Disney fan. Can't wait for the next one! - grumpypapa  3320.0 #38 8:38PM
Thank you for reading! - Admin  6:26PM
cant wait to read it - ebugsmama  18.1 #7211 10:32PM
After the video my 3 & 1/2 year old says, "that's cool!" It was. Very cool - MommyandBash  181.0 #2171 3:44PM
- MommyandBash  181.0 #2171 1:32PM

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TOP MWs of the WEEK

1.MelodyMouse 231.02 #16
2.Winnie111286 108.48 #24
3.secretagentangel 96.19 #75
4.MarshaMouse 65.81 #22
5.Brian 64.32 #202
6.pikarich 64 #27
7.eviljules 60.2 #113
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Thursday, August 01, 2002
Reeling From Wheeler
It seems to me that the paradox of John Wheeler's cosmic-scale double-slit experiment ["Does the Universe Exist if We're Not Looking?" June issue] disappears if we view the problem from the perspective of the photon. As I understand it, time stops from the perspective of an observer traveling at the speed of light, like our photon. Also, distances are reduced to zero. So for the photon, its birth in the distant quasar and its observation on Earth occur simultaneously and at the same location. This concept of a history of a photon is a human perspective; the photon knows nothing of history. It is only our particular frame of reference that creates an apparent paradox.

Norman Horofker
—Midland, Georgia

John Wheeler responds: Norman Horofker is absolutely right that for a photon, time stands still. However, in our frame of reference, a photon has a history and moves through time. Also, the cosmological double-slit experiment could be conducted, in principle, with electrons or protons or other massive particles, even slow ones.

Do scientists have any clues regarding the reason behind the double-slit mystery? There are several theories out there now that purport to bring us closer to a theory of everything. Probably the most fantastical is the multi-universe theory, which ponders the notion of an infinite number of parallel universes residing next to our own. Could this possibility be applied to the double-slit experiment? Could there be two different universes, one in which light acts as a particle and another alongside in which light acts as a wave?

Michael S. Bowen
—Anderson, South Carolina

John Wheeler responds: Parallel universes were postulated by my student Hugh Everett in 1957 and have been the object of serious study ever since. This idea provides (so far) no new predictions for the outcomes of experiments, but it does offer mind-stretching insight into the nature of quantum theory. In this "many worlds" interpretation, all possible outcomes of such experiments as the delayed-choice experiment do occur, with the universe continually fractionating into other universes. A photon or other particle would exhibit both wave and particle aspects in every universe.

Your article mentions Wheeler's disagreement with Andrei Linde on whether observation must involve consciousness, but it does not explain why. I suspect it is because Linde's contention that "conscious observers are an essential component of the universe and cannot be replaced by inanimate objects" is rooted in mysticism and human chauvinism rather than science. Where is the line Linde imagines that separates animate from inanimate objects? The seat of consciousness, the human brain, is a three-pound lump of quarks and electrons that is subject to all physical laws. It receives its data from sense organs that also consist of matter and whose interaction with the rest of the universe is also governed by physical laws, such as those described by quantum mechanics.

David J. Schuller
—Ithaca, New York

John Wheeler responds: Andrei Linde is a great physicist and a deep thinker, but he and I do disagree on the role of consciousness in observation. The process whereby the macroscopic world reacts to a quantum event—the process that makes reality—can, in my view, be accomplished with inanimate matter. Following Niels Bohr, I like to call this process "registration" rather than observation (which too strongly suggests human involvement). Like David Schuller, I find it hard to draw a line between the conscious observer and the inanimate one.

Andrei Linde responds: When I talk about conscious observers, I do not necessarily mean human beings; this indeed would be human chauvinism. If, following David Schuller, we assume that inanimate quarks and electrons have consciousness, then the universe does not exist without consciousness, just as I said. My main point, however, is that a universe consisting only of inanimate unconscious objects cannot be observed, so any statement about its existence or nonexistence cannot be tested. Any statements that cannot be tested belong not to the realm of science but to mysticism.

In "Does the Universe Exist if We're Not Looking?" we incorrectly stated that the recent John Wheeler symposium took place at Princeton University. It actually took place at the Harrison/Merrill Lynch Conference Center in Plainsboro, New Jersey, and was cosponsored by the John Templeton Foundation and the Peter Gruber Foundation Cosmology Prize.

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Sun has binary partner, may affect the Earth

September 13, 2005

The ground-breaking and richly illustrated new book, Lost Star of Myth and Time, marries modern astronomical theory with ancient star lore to make a compelling case for the profound influence on our planet of a companion star to the sun. Author and theorist, Walter Cruttenden, presents the evidence that this binary orbit relationship may be the cause of a vast cycle causing the Dark and Golden Ages common in the lore of ancient cultures.

Researching archaeological and astronomical data at the unique think tank, the Binary Research Institute, Cruttenden concludes that the movement of the solar system plays a more important role in life than people realize, and he challenges some preconceived notions:

The phenomenon known as the precession of the equinox, fabled as a marker of time by ancient peoples, is not due to a local wobbling of the Earth as modern theory portends, but to the solar system's gentle curve through space.

This movement of the solar system occurs because the Sun has a companion star; both stars orbit a common center of gravity, as is typical of most double star systems. The grand cycle–the time it takes to complete one orbit––is called a "Great Year," a term coined by Plato.

Cruttenden explains the effect on earth with an analogy: "Just as the spinning motion of the earth causes the cycle of day and night, and just as the orbital motion of the earth around the sun causes the cycle of the seasons, so too does the binary motion cause a cycle of rising and falling ages over long periods of time, due to increasing and decreasing electromagnet effects generated by our sun and other nearby stars."

While the findings in Lost Star are controversial, astronomers now agree that most stars are likely part of a binary or multiple star system. Dr. Richard A. Muller, professor of physics at UC Berkeley and research physicist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, is an early proponent of a companion star to our sun; he prefers a 26 million year orbit period. Cruttenden uses 24,000 years and says the change in angular direction can be seen in the precession of the equinox.

Lost Star of Myth and Time expands on the author's award-winning PBS documentary film "The Great Year," narrated by actor James Earl Jones. The book brings intriguing new evidence to the theory of our binary companion star and an age old mystery - the precession of the equinox.

Source: Binary Research Institute

Explore further: Binary star system precisely timed with pulsar's gamma-rays

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Denver police are asking for help in identifying a man who stole a wallet and used the credit cards multiple times.

The man stole the wallet Sept. 28 from a locker in the 24 Hour Fitness, 7400 East Hampden Ave., according to a news release from the Denver Police Department.

The suspect used the victim's credit cards at several locations, including King Soopers, Bank of the West and Target, all in that same neighborhood.

Anyone with information on the suspect is asked to call 720-913-7867.

Ryan Parker: 303-954-2409, or


Plants and Animals

This content is archived

Several years ago, while photographing belted kingfishers in St. Louis’ Forest Park, I discovered a mink den. Often, one of the busy little creatures would swim across the creek and land at my feet, where it would study me with great curiosity as I sat motionless in my hide among the weeds. I rarely captured an image because they usually emerged too close for my telephoto lens. By the end of the summer, I finished my kingfisher project and began making plans for the following spring when my focus at the site would be mink (Mustela vison).

By spring of the following year I began thinking about minks again, and I consulted my Department of Conservation Natural Events Calendar to determine when I could expect maximum mink activity. I began making regular trips to the site in May and saw the minks almost immediately as they tended to the needs of their new kits. Mink are nocturnal, so I was always in my hide before daylight, hoping to catch them extending their crayfish hunts a little past sunrise. As the summer progressed, the minks accepted me as a non-threatening part of their environment, oblivious to the furtive glances of my lens and the unnatural clicks of my shutter.

If you ever observe a mink in the wild, the first thing you will notice is that it rarely stops moving. A little longer than 2 feet from nose to tail, and weighing less than 3 pounds, minks are bursting with energy. They are always on a mission, usually involving food acquisition, and they seldom frolic and play like river otters. Mink are a rich brown in color with a white throat patch and a bushy tail. Their feet, which are partially webbed, are impressive in size as compared to the rest of their body.

Minks live near permanent water along streams, lakes, ponds, and wetlands. They make their dens in a variety of places, including tree roots, bank cavities, logs, and stumps. Mating occurs in late winter and young are born in spring. I began seeing the kits running with their parents by mid-July. Minks feed on a variety of prey including crayfish, fish, rabbits, and mice. One of the first things I noticed about their feeding style is that as soon as they catch their prey they make a dead run back to the den. I’ve never seen a mink eating its prey in the open. Minks are considered common in Missouri, where good habitat exists. Their harvest as furbearers is regulated.

As the summer progressed, I had many encounters with the family of minks. As had happened the year before, individuals often approached very close to inspect me and my equipment, sniffing nonstop. On more than one occasion, a busy mink would run right across my feet before it finally turned to look back at me from a fair distance. It was during those moments that I made my best images, capturing the inquisitive facial expressions of these beautiful, urban mammals.

—Story and photograph by Danny Brown

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So You Wanna Be a Martian Colonist

"A deep sense of purpose" is required; medical skills are not.

Can't wait for the remake of The Searchers.

Can’t wait for the remake of The Searchers.

Unique to all other space exploration endeavors before it, Mars One is opening the astronaut program to anyone on planet Earth that meets the base criteria. It is not necessary to have military training nor experience in flying aircraft nor even a science degree.

Applicants do need to be smart and “in good mental and physical health,” and you’ve got to be willing to devote eight years to the necessary training. Otherwise, the requirements are more along the lines of what you might find on an online dating profile than in a NASA checklist:

Yeah, can you imagine spending years on an interplanetary flight with someone who couldn’t stop talking about rocks?

(h/t Venturebeat)


Good news for emergency beacons - more accurate more quickly

.. .

'Weeell,' came the slow reply, 'it was reported to us by the Indonesians, who picked up the signal first. We'll get back to you after we receive information from more satellites.'

I knew there were workmen on the boat that morning, and supposed they had accidentally (and carelessly) activated the beacon.
Sure enough, about three hours later AMSA phoned again to say that they had pinpointed the yacht accurately. But it was a lesson to me that, if we ever needed to let off that EPIRB, an accurate knowledge of our whereabouts would not be an instantaneous thing.

But it's getting better!

The good news is that European Space Agency (ESA) has completed two new ground stations enabling its Galileo satellites to join the international Cospas-Sarsat search and rescue system.

Satellites participating in the system relay SOS signals automatically transmitted by dedicated beacons on ships, planes or yachts in distress to the ground stations within their reach, from where the information is further promptly relayed to search and rescue forces. Since starting its operations some 30 years ago, the system has helped to save the lives of thousands of people.

'The Galileo satellites, tested in combination with the same search and rescue payloads on Russian Glonass satellites as well as compatible repeaters on a pair of US GPS satellites, showed an ability to pinpoint simulated emergency beacons down to an accuracy of 2 to 5km in a matter of minutes,' said ESA’s Galileo search and rescue engineer Igor Stojkovic.

'Our in-orbit validation tests so far have been in line with expectation and beyond, giving us a lot of confidence in the performance of the final system,' he said.


My 4 year old daughter is stubborn. She is charming, polite, disarmingly verbal and funny, but she is also incredibly stubborn.This stubbornness shows itself in various ways (including her continuing refusal to use the toilet). While her (non) potty-training is annoying, it is only one example of her stubbornness. Despite loving to dance and twirl in our living room, at the park and the grocery store, every time she's faced with participatig in a dance class, she balks. No, she says, I don't want to. So we sit on the side and watch. ...more


Fall Back: 6 Tips to Prepare for Time Change

2013-10-29 15:31

It’s that time of year again when much of the country will "fall back" an hour, marking the end of Daylight Savings Time. This weekend, the so-called “time change” starts this Sunday, November 3, 2013 at 2:00 am, which is when many Americans will turn the clock back one hour.

While some people quickly adjust to the time change, others struggle with feeling out of sorts as their bodies try to adjust to the shift in time. However, gaining an hour with the fall time change is generally easier than losing an hour in the spring. Indeed, recent research found that heart attacks increase when the time changes in the spring, whereas they decrease during the fall time change.

By the same token, it gets darker earlier when the time changes in the fall – and combined with colder temperatures, the shorter days can actually seem to drag on forever. This can lead those prone to depression to suffer what’s known as Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, which is a form of depression that typically occurs only during the fall and winter, but lifts in the spring.

The good news is there are some time-tested tips to help smooth the transition and help your body adjust to the fall time change this weekend – and now is the time to start, before the change occurs, and before you set your clock back an hour before bedtime on Saturday night.

1. Start now. As mentioned above, the time change occurs at 2 am on Sunday morning, so give yourself a few days to prepare ahead of time by resetting your clock an hour earlier on Friday morning, and try to adjust your mealtimes and the time you go to bed an hour earlier too. This should give you enough time to adjust by the start of the following workweek (when the time change will have already occurred)

2. Exercise. Exercising, preferably early in the day, releases the neurotransmitter serotonin in the brain, helping our bodies advance the clock and adapt to the time change. Try taking a brisk morning walk, but avoid doing so in the evening because it could disrupt sleep.

3. Melatonin. If you do find it harder to get to sleep, try taking a low dose melatonin supplement, which helps regulate the sleep cycle. to boost melatonin levels, as melatonin regulates cycles of sleep and wakefulness. You can find plant based melatonin anywhere and its perfectly safe and natural.

4. No naps. It’s best to avoid taking naps, especially long ones, so if you’re feeling tired, try taking a brisk walk instead. But if you must nap, do it earlier in the day, and keep it brief (no longer than 20 minutes).

5. Adjust lighting. Adjusting the amount of light and dark in your surroundings can help streamline your body's circadian rhythm, making the transition to a change in time easier. It’s as simple as opening the blinds in the house as soon as you get up in the morning, and then dimming the lights in the evening to help your body relax and know the time is coming for sleep.

6. Eat pasta. For dinner, try having a plate of pasta or some other complex carbohydrate-rich meal, as such foods are known to stimulate the production of serotonin, which can help you relax and sleep soundly.

Reference: WebMD, How Sleep is Affected by Time Changes.

Cool! Good thing I live in a place without time change.. Pasta sounds yummy though! mmmmmmmmm