Last words of another fallen to the Crab Boil

With a run-off election following spring break -- as no candidate received 50 percent of the vote -- Dan Ross is officially out of the race.

The Ugliness asked him for a statement and here's what he wrote at 3:09 a.m. (unedited, of course):

So I’m officially out of the race for the presidency and that’s fine, I was the “least” qualified person for the job. I would like to say people of the UP and Owl TV (not gonna name names) took me way too seriously. The position of president of student government really isn’t that intense, it’s just a small frame in the big picture of things. As long as you can speak English and articulate a point, that’s really all you need. Looking at the results, I received 423 votes making up 20.77% of the total vote causing the run-off between Abe Cohen & Bri Bragg. Becoming president of a University should not be easy, leaving me no regrets for running. I completely enjoyed the experience and would like to thank anyone who actually voted and supported Maria Sutton and I (you were the ones who made the right decision). When it comes down to it, whoever buys the most balloons and gives out the most shirts in the breezeway will be the winner. If anyone actually cares who I’m gonna vote for in the run-off, all I gotta say is, “Don’t Be A Baby, Vote For ABE!” Party at my house Friday, March 14th…let me know!
This message has been approved by:
Dan Ross

It was a good run kid.

Perhaps a Foul Organization

The Fowl Owl's.

Monday, the Palm Beach Post wrote about this organization, it's purpose and vandalism apparently caused by them.

If you didn't know, the Fowl Owl's are "tired of seeing UF, FSU, UCF, USF, Rutgers, USC, UM, UCLA and especially FIU shirts, hats and sweatshirts worn around campus," according to their facebook. According to the Post, the organization was started by Rick "$mitty" (yes with a dollar sign...) Smith. And the Post cites that SG Vice President Abe Cohen, currently running for president under the Voice Party, "worked with him on the program."

What a great thing for a Presidential Candidate to do help create an organization that bolsters school spirit and possibly vandalizes students' cars.

Photo by Josef Palermo

Wait... vandalism?

As Dori Zinn reported in her Inside FAU blog, "sophomore Minnie Bhimani...realized that her car ahad been vandalized...the Rice University sticker that was formally pasted onto her rear window...was missing." The only thing left: "Sammy" the owl, Rice University's mascot.

Although, an anonymous comment on Zinn's blog stated, "There's no evidence it was anymore a person on the Fowl Owls group than it was just a random douche who decided to screw with someone's sticker."

Really, who would care enough, outside this organization to randomly deface someone's sticker and only leave an owl? This is obviously some sort of owl-crazy zealot, who is most likely associated with the organization. I mean, if I was a cop, that's the first place I'd look.

Regardless, every day the University looks more and more like a microcosmic world, with political crooks and extremist groups.

Was it Abe Cohen's Fowl Owl's that were behind this? The case may never be solved, but I'd bet if FAU were a nation-state run by someone like, say, George W. Bush, and we could consider this an extremist act -- we'd be invading and/or bombing something.

Deprivation in the Morning with a Retrospective Perspective

I talked to Gary Goldberg the other day; Friday, maybe. Honestly, I just found the paper I scribbled quotes and notes on.

Goldberg is a Voice party supporter, and he wanted to give me perspective on the Strange Relations... post.

Among the many things we spoke, he stated some members of the Younity party "know how to fight fair but they know if they do they'll lose." He was speaking about the Younity party and how they "know how to make [things] appear."

He cited that it's the same members from the Younity party who perpetuate rumors about SG presidents... I've never looked into it, so I won't write on it; if you don't know what I mean, read the comments.

He also said, "Adam Fernnado was the most qualified for the [Supervisor of Elections] job," and that Jared Torres, a Younity party supporter, sat on the Senate that confirmed Fernnado.

However, this was countered by one of the many anonymous comments that:

Torres has been opposed to the appointment and confirmation of Adam Ferando since the beginning.

The commenter also recommends checking the record, something that no one will be able to do before the election is over, but I plan to do anyhow.

Fuck, how did I get off track? How did Torres get brought in to this? he's not running this year.

Oh yea, I brought him up because Goldberg cited Torres in a list of names that included, most notably, Peter Torres (former chief justice who heard from rabbits in his term) and Kurk Murray (former SG president from scandal tarnished era).

Goldberg said, they're "all in the same group." He noted it was their party that got the original Teixeira election win, circa April 2006, thrown out. Those from that clique, who haven't graduated or faded away in infamy, have formed a very recognizable part of Younity.

At this late or early hour -- it's all so strange. It seems like all parties involved are pretty sketch, but maybe that's because everybody has something to say.

"This is politics mind you..." I have to remind myself every so often.

Greg Lefkin, one of the few people without a blogger account with the fortitude to actually identify himself, stated in the ugliest thread of comments blogger has ever seen:

I was an Election's Commissioner under Supervisor's Andrew Barry and Adam Ferrando. I am also the primary author of the current SG Election Chapter 300 Statutes.
I can say with confidence and experience, there is little or no opportunity for the election supervisor to give an advantage to anyone. The online voting system is monitored by the admin as well as the commission. The only contention is that the supervisor might give information to a person before all others. ie candidacy declarations or board decisions. But as the statutes are written, this would not be an advantage because everyone is privy to this information.
...
As the author of the new statutes, I encourage all interested parties to make sure the rules are being followed and keep your eyes and ears open. The commission in not a police force, is something is wrong, report it, make a complaint. It will be public and it will be dealt with fairly, if not by the commission then by the court.

Your right Mr. Lefkin. Although, I feel like fair or rigged or batched, in the end it'll be more of the same.

If you're not at my level of democratic discouragement you can vote on MyFAU. Voting ends at 11:59 p.m. today. I have a feeling this is going to drag on after spring break though.

Twenty-four hours in and one down.

Chris Ayala dropped out of the race this morning at 1:51 a.m.

In an email sent to members of the "Ayala for Governor" Facebook group he stated:

After much consideration, I have opted to support the Voice Party and Tiffany Weimar for our campus governor...

What a Bummer... I suppose.

Just another victim of the crab boil.

Inspired by Ed Fulton.

Tonight, Ed Fulton wrote this on the Voice Party's Wall:

Someone who made a comment on the posted Sun-Sentinel article made a great suggestion that I thought I would post.

"Perhaps they could model their departments like a corporation, and nominally reward department heads by coming in UNDER budget, instead of toeing the "government" party line of "if you don't spend it all this year, you get less next year".

What a neat idea!

I dig what he says. I think it's funny that he left out the rest of the comment (what he stated is omitted):

Perhaps the VP's and above that have 3-4 assistants (one at each campus)could get by with ONE?

...

....this is an absurd policy, and I have personally seen 8 month old tech equipment get "taken away", and bigger, better flat screens...smaller lighter laptops and the like take the place of perfectly good new equipment. What happens to the old (8 months old)stuff?
Many employees with over 5 years of time in the university system COAST because they have to kill someone to get fired.
Give me a break....don't punish the students, or the teachers for that matter....start with the infrastructure!

I can understand, not wanting to piss anyone off upstairs, because some parties might say Student Affairs rigged the elections.

I've always -- for a lack of better words -- admired that revolutionary Students vs. Administration attitude that was perpetuated by some House Speakers, notably Chris Mack.

In that old spirit and, recently, inspired by Ed Fulton, here are some other quotes from the same Sun-Sentinel piece cited by Fulton:

Why are the trustees using our tax dollars at all? Why whould we pay for their trips? Its the students who matter the most, why not use the money on them, its a college after all, the students and teachers are the ones what make a school a school. Wow how much will it cost each individual member to drive to Tallahassee,$100 for gas and $100 for a one night hotel, wow, let me shed a tear for these fat cats

Yea, Why is that?

Who wants to go to this school anyway, anyone notice that FAU is in the biggest financial trouble of any state college? Their mismanagement with funds and mistreatment of students and teachers is well known and people are not coming or giving money anymore

D-D-D-Davenport ring a bell?

Great, if they consider cutting summer classes, I won't graduate until Fall 2010, instead of Spring 2009.

Me too man, Me too. How ever will Student Government save us?

I suppose they won't, even if the preamble of the SG constitution states:

We the students of the Florida Atlantic University, in order to form a Student Government, that will provide effective representation in the students’ best interests, to promote the general welfare, to ensure the continuation of self-governance, to uphold the principles of the Constitution and laws of the United States and of the State of Florida, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the Florida Atlantic University Student Government.

God bless the dream...Because it's time to wake up.

But if you aren't awake and/or want to ask you SG candidates the hard questions -- you can vote, Feb. 26 and 27, on MyFau and some locations around the various campuses.

Allegations from Younity gubernatorial candidate

This afternoon, Rasheed Shotuyo, Younity gubernatorial candidate wrote this on the Voice party's wall:

someone erased my challenge to Mrs. Weimar.. so i will ask again. What will you do to strengthen this school. If you are the best canididate as you claim, speak your piece and stop erasing my messages.

Tiffany Weimar is the Voice Party's gubernatorial candidate, for those not keeping track.

Apparently there was a long winded response from Weinmar:

I have no problem discussing the many ideas that I have planned for this campus. Currently working on several university committees (CITF, AOD Task Force,Housing Committee,& Campus Recreation Advisory Board), I have and still am working with Student Government on amazing advances for the students of FAU. The greatest way to have confidence in future leaders is to look at what they have accomplished in the past. I don't know that anyone can question my passion and hardwork that I have put forth for FAU and its students. If you would like to meet up and discuss all that I stand for, let me know. As I do with running the other organizations that I am currently active in, I feel that it is important to be a true professional. I have no problem discussing any ideas with you or anyone else that is interested. Shoot me an email and we can set something up! Also, feel free to check out the Vote Voice website to see some of the plans.

I'm curious. If she has so much time to write this kind of response, why she doesn't throw the gauntlet down instead and challenge him on the issues?

Strange Relations -- Hopefully I Live through the Night.

Alex Jones did a very interesting documentary called Dark Secrets Inside Bohemian Grove.

It's an 1 hour and 34 minutes long -- I'll save you some time.
The Bohemian Grove is a secret meeting place of powerful world leaders (presidents, senators, top-level advisers), business leaders (like CEO's of Standard Oil and General Electric), University Presidents and the rest.

According to the site educate-yourself.org:

Bohemian Grove, a summer camp of sorts for the rich and powerful. Bohemian Grove is a secluded area outside Sacramento, Calif., where world leaders and dignitaries meet annually for a retreat that involves neo-pagan activities, including mock human sacrifices made before a large Owl statue referred to as "Moloch." While conducting this ritual, which they call "The Cremation of Care," participants are dressed in druid robes and chant and sing before Moloch.

And here's a New York Times Article that cites:

"The club, which holds two-week outings outside San Francisco at the Bohemian Grove, where members run about in the woods naked, includes many former Republican officials like Mr. Gergen."

Although the Times retracts the naked republicans running through the woods thing they do say "similar assertions have appeared in various newspapers over the years."

Where am I going with this?

Well, besides killing any journalist integrity by citing Alex Jones.

It touches on the idea of fraternal orders. The problem with Bohemian Grove isn't cult-like practices or running naked through the woods -- it's secret alliances and closed-door meetings.

What the hell does this have to do with SG elections?

Well, look at your current SG presidency, a particular candidate and the election board.

It's no secret: Supervisor of Elections Adam Ferrando, other members of the election board and presidential candidate SG VP Abe Cohen all have associations (membership or past membership) with Sigma Phi Epsilon (or SigEp).

Although many don't know -- the supervisor of elections has to be appointed by the Student Senate, which is run by SG VP Abe Cohen.

Sadly, because the person who witnessed it, is to cowardly to go on the record, there are rumors are abound about shady things happening in that closet across the hall from the Student Government office in the Student Union.

Notably: Unsanctioned candidate meetings between Cohen and Ferrando (Friends and Fraternity Brothers) where Cohen may have gotten a backstage look at the other candidates fliers (which have to be submitted to the supervisor of elections for approval).

I trust the SG member, who witnessed this. But I don't respect Him for not going on the record to tell the students the truth. Especially because his excuse was:

"Because I work with SGA, I will not be able to do that."

Regardless, here's what could be the truth, look into it for yourself.