Bavel Strikes Back

I was reading LJworld.com today and was surprised. Zamir Bavel, professor of Computer Science at KU, had won a court battle against the Lawrence Police Department. Apparently, he was able to beat a speeding citation against him, a citation he believes he didn't deserve. Quotes:

“This was not about the money for me. It was the principle,” he said. “And I feel based on the response I have received from people that my point was made. I think the Lawrence Police need more training.”

“People should know, especially students, that fighting is not a lost cause”

You go Professor Bavel. To be honest the City Prosecutor should have dropped the charges when he first was approached, as Professor Bavel is a man of principle and extreme tenacity. He's also an extraordinarily honest man, and I believe him when he says he wasn't speeding.

For those that don't know, Professor Bavel was one of my instructors at KU, and is my all-time favorite teacher. An incredibly brilliant man, he is also a composer, violinist, and conductor. I've also been told he was in the 1952 Olympics. The best thing I can say about him was that he was able to actually teach computer theory in a way that I was able to understand and enjoy it. His teaching style was also wonderful, and was fair and designed for the success of the student. He was direct opposite of Nancy Kinnersley, who was truly awful.

Here are some links:

Court victory won’t affect radar gun training

KU professor fights speeding ticket

Mint Juleps

Bush's PR flacks apparently aren't doing their job well, as they've allowed him to speak on his own, with disastrous results. Here's a blurb from a recent CNN.com article:

...Bush looked different Monday than the man who visited New Orleans on September 2 and fondly recalled his wild nights in the French Quarter. Or the man who sought to cheer homeless storm victims in Mississippi by sharing his hopes to join Sen. Trent Lott on the front porch of his "fantastic" new waterfront house. Or the man who turned to embattled FEMA Director Michael Brown in the early days after the storm and said, "Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job."

Yeah, I bet the poor and newly homeless folks in Biloxi are looking forward to sipping mint juleps with Senator Lott at his newly reconstructed mansion. Folks with no money, no house, no job, and no car are glad to know that the Senator will get a new house. Smooth.

You can read the rest of the article here:
Bush works to find footing