The Good
Office Max, get ready to stock up on pocket protectors. Drake University has been named one of 12 universities in North America as Centers for Actuarial Excellence. Recognized by the Society of Actuaries, Drake University met specific requirements related to degree, curriculum, graduate count, faculty composition, graduate quality, appropriate integration and connection to industry and research/scholarship. From 2005-08, Drake awarded 155 undergraduate degrees in actuarial science. Of the 155 graduates, 87 (56 percent) had passed two more exams by the time they graduated.
Last week the Des Moines Police Department honored nine employees during its recent awards ceremony. Jamie Vanderwert, Victor Gamboa and Eric Wilson were given The Lifesaving Award. Sgt. Tony Knox, Rhett Rough and Rodrigo Santizo earned The Distinguished Service Award and Sgt. Larina Blad, Nick Lloyd and Todd Roland were honored with The Service Injury Award. Now let’s hope they all have jobs next year.
The Bad
Could Mediacom officials do anything more to make Iowans dislike them? Yes. A week after disastrous e-mail problems affected the metro, the mega-communications company announced a battle over money with Sinclair Broadcasting Group which could black out the upcoming Jan. 5, 2010, Orange Bowl game between the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on cable. Sinclair wants a higher fee for Mediacom to carry channels on its cable system. Sinclair owns KDSM (Fox). Their current agreement ends Dec. 31, and if a deal isn’t finalized a disruption in service would affect the Orange Bowl telecast. Sinclair Vice President Barry Faber said he doesn’t believe the standoff will be resolved before the Orange Bowl. People paying more than $60 for basic cable services should be able to watch a game in the comfort of their own homes. But even if they do reach an agreement, it’ll be a win-lose situation, as a rate increase from Mediacom will surely follow.
It’s better to give than to receive, but a recent report by the U.S. Postal Service says there was an 11 percent decline in mail of first-class cards and letters from Dec. 1 to 13 — a time when most Americans mail holiday cards. In 2008, the Postal Service delivered 19 billion cards, letters and packages between Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve, but it only expects to deliver 16.6 billion this year. No word on Santa’s load.
The Ugly
While teenagers receive a bad rap about cell phone use, technology may have played a part in saving the lives of eight people on Des Moines’ south side. Last week, while hanging out with friends, Nichol Grant, 18, received a text from her ex-boyfriend, Vrittie Thammarath, that said, “You better be ducking :) HAHA.” Approximately 30 minutes later, bullets started flying during the drive-by shooting on Des Moines’ south side. Grant, who broke up with Thammarath approximately three weeks ago, said she has seen him waving a gun around before. Officers charged Thammarath with intimidation with a dangerous weapon, and he is being held on $10,000 bond at the Polk County Jail.
Sportsmanship among athletes seemingly continues to decline, backed by last week’s report of Waukee students taunting Southeast Polk High School fans during a boys’ basketball game. Fans claim Waukee students made suicide gestures by pointing index fingers to their heads and pulling imaginary triggers, mocking a recent death of a Southeast Polk senior last week. The teenage suicide was the community’s fifth in less than two years. Southeast Polk students claim also they saw Waukee students gesture other self-harming gestures such as hanging themselves or cutting their wrists. Southeast Polk students claim it’s not the first time their school has been taunted about the community’s suicidal events. In light of the incident, one Waukee student was banned from last Wednesday’s high school sports activities. Whatever happened to sportsmanship? CV
