More courage than Notre Shame: University of Virginia refuses Obama Visit

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The NBC29 newsroom has received the following statement from University of Virginia Spokesperson Carol Wood:

Many of you have asked about whether President Obama will be holding an upcoming campaign rally in Charlottesville at the University of Virginia. 

I am writing to tell you that the University met with five members of the Obama Presidential Campaign on Wednesday. The campaign requested the use of one of two outdoor University venues  — the Amphitheater or the Harrison-Small Library plaza.  After reviewing the campaign's request for either of these two sites and the impact on the University, the University declined the request for the following reasons: 

• As you know, Aug. 29 is the second day of classes overall and the first day of classes on the Monday/Wednesday/Friday academic schedule.
• The use of either of the desired sites would require closing buildings adjacent to the sites for the entire day.
• The cancellation of 186 classes would occur if the site is the Amphitheater or closing of the libraries and Newcomb dining if the site is the Harrison-Small plaza. This would result in an extraordinary disruption of the second day of the new semester.
• In addition to the disruption to classes, the University would have to bear the full cost of security — a substantial and open-ended expenditure of staff time and money.
• By University policy, we would also have to offer the same accommodations and bear the same costs for other candidates.  Both our federal and state tax-exempt status requires that we not favor any candidate.
• The Secret Service will have final approval on the site chosen and will dictate the security requirements, but at a minimum the buildings adjacent to the event venue would need to be closed on Aug. 29.  Adjacent buildings will be searched and secured with officers posted in each starting at least 6 hours prior to the event.

Additional details:  The use of McIntire Amphitheater would require the closing of the following buildings on Aug. 29: Bryan Hall, Cocke Hall,  Garrett Hall, Minor Hall, and possibly Maury Monroe halls. The parking lots behind Bryan and Clark would have to be closed for the day, as well as a portion of McCormick Road.

The use of the Harrison-Small Special Collections Library would require the closing of the Alderman Library, Special Collections Library, the temporary dining facility, Peabody Hall, and possibly Monroe Hall, the rooms along the West Range and a portion of McCormick Road.

OMGoodness, Cooking

I love to cook and I love to cook for parties. I can "do" Mexican, Chinese, Indian, Greek, American, Italian, Vegetarian, and some--a little--Czech and Ukrainian without looking at a cookbook. I learned to cook for groups in my twenties, and when I was in grad school, I did some party catering.

When I was in kindergarten, the classroom had an upstairs loft which was a complete wooden kitchen for little ones complete with all the pots and pans and dishes. Even the boys liked it.

At home, when we entertained, it did not have to be fancy. But, it had to be fun. We would have all the single, male teachers over on the weekend. It was great fun.

When my son was ten, I bought him a cookbook. He is a great cook. But, I have just learned in the past few years that there are many, many young women who do not know how to cook.

I did not take home economics, as I was in the college prep track in high-school. My brothers and I went to a high school with two campuses, basically on the same site: one for girls and one for boys. Two of my brothers took bachelor classes where they learned how to cook, sew and do laundry. It was very helpful for them to have those skills when they went to university.

Why is it that so many women do not know how to cook?

Here are the reasons I have gleaned over the past few years:

one) small families eat out and most families are now small;

two) mom is not at home and does not teach cooking to the kids and people eat on the go;

three) women are in rebellion and feel like they do not want to be "domestic slaves";

four) it is not trendy;

five) no one eats together any more--people graze.

six) people no longer entertain in the home-we did this all the time but then, Americans like to eat.

Well, there are probably more reasons. But, women should realize that cooking is fun. It is an art. It is creative.

Millennials, learn how to cook. Have some fun. Eat and share. Make it trendy again to get together with your friends and cook.

A Rant on Anti-Mummy, Anti-Happy Housewife Language

Ok, I am having a hissy fit. Until I moved to England for this summer, I never saw or heard the label, "yummy mummy". Maybe living in the Midwest of America, where there are stay-at-home moms, and moving in the home schooling, stay-at-home mom community, I just did not hear it.

I was a happy housewife and that stay-at-home period of my life was one of the most creative for me. I was extremely busy. I knew I was like a little core of stability in the home, around which much activity could be planned and done. This phrase applies to having children, which is another bug-bear of the socialist mindset. Having kids is a no-no, still.

This phrase is "all over' the media here and I am sick of it. The term began when it was applied to rich and famous moms, especially celebrity moms. But, now it is used for all stay-at-home moms.

Even Mrs. Blair used the term a few weeks ago. It is an insulting term which must be addressed, as it it based on false and cruel premises.

The term, which refers to moms who choose to stay at home, implies that the husband makes enough money for the mom to do so. The phrase is based on an idea that there is a slave man out there who works himself to death so that mom and kids can stay at home.

Most moms should stay at home regardless of income. Coming from a family where we took one holiday per year, I am shocked at the money wasted on four or even five holidays here. One mum told me she works for holiday money. Her salary pays for the family trips. I wonder when she will realize that she is doing this for herself and not for her children. This is adult self-deceit. Children who have stay-at-home moms do not need many holidays, as down time can be put into the schedule.

The term is against the Catholic view of marriage and procreation. Catholic parents are open to God's gift of life, which means nurturing those little lives and not farming children out to daycares.

The term is part of the language of Marxism. It implies that there is a class divide in the raising of children. This is simply not true.

I am not referring to families where there is a single parent. But, in a two-parent household, the nurturing should be done in the home. I am shocked at the vehement responses I get when I try to discuss this with women.

A generation or two have closed the door to even thinking about staying at home. I understand that with inflation it is harder to live on one salary. But, it is not impossible.

Why the press keeps publishing commentaries on yummy mummies is a problem of ideology. Take your pick. Consumerism and Marxism push the term.

Kids do not need all the stuff they have. A twenty-something smart woman told me that she had everything growing up. She and her brother lacked for nothing, and her mother worked. Why? Why the preoccupation with all the stuff? Why the preoccupation with multiple holidays?

Dads, stick up for your stay-at-home moms. Moms, stick up for yourselves and be proud.

Children need a stable home environment. They need someone to be there for them all the time. They need care and love on a daily basis, and not just before or after day-care.

This phrase is so horrible and divides the society on purpose. Socialists want to undermine the family and such a term does so...

Moms, be proud and do your best, but stay at home.

No Anonymous

Dear Readers,

Weekly, I am still receiving Anonymous posts, despite posts on this point, and the note on the right side bar. Please choose a name for posting. For one thing, if I get three or four Anonymous on one subject, how can I answer the question to the specific person?

Thank you for considering this option again. I do not post Anonymous posts.