It takes a year for the Earth to orbit the sun, a 580 million mile trip at 65,000 mph. That's 365 days, or 2,100 work hours for a single person. In four years of college, you only spend 1,900 hrs in class! Thus one person should be able to get a heck of a lot done in a year.
May 31 marks one full year since the Yu Chen tragedy. We hate to dwell on this incident, but at the same time, the death of a Hoofer Sailing instructor on the water--and especially the manner in which it occurred--overshadows other news. Let's also not forget the drowning off the O'Day in 2015. If you want the latest on socials, squirt guns, ice cream, etc, visit the club's official website (where you won't find anything on Yu Chen--shame).
A year later, the DA is still sitting on his hands with a thumb up his you-know-what instead of making a decision on whether to bring charges against the motorboat driver(s). Consider: if it wasn't their fault--if Chen did some stupid maneuver and landed himself smack in front of the motorboat--the report surely would have been released by now because it would clear the UW Rescue staff of wrongdoing. Thus it seems likely at this point that there will be charges.
If I were the family's attorney, I'd be getting mighty worried about crucial investigative records mysteriously disappearing. How do you even know what records existed a year ago..? The UW has produced its own report on the tragedy--which they too are refusing to release. Why? Did they have access to the sheriff's data while creating their report? One has to wonder if the UW is putting pressure on the DA not to bring charges because a criminal conviction would make for a much stronger civil suit, which they know is coming. By delaying a decision, the authorities are making it into an ever-bigger story.
Meanwhile, someone had a great idea to paint an old Tech sail and sail it around the lakefront on Thurs May 31 and/or Friday June 1 (it could be done on other days too). This would help to draw attention to the situation, especially if somebody calls the local news ahead of time. Hopefully someone is following through on organizing that because our specialty here is criticizing, not organizing.
Wednesday, May 23, 2018
Tuesday, May 1, 2018
Suck-starting Harvey
The motorboat, that is. We'd like to see them get it in gear and finish up their "investigation" into the tragedy that occurred last May. The UW and DA might think this issue is going to go away, but it's more likely to snowball when the New York Times and/or Chicago Tribune pick it up.
Meanwhile, as summer approaches, it's time to reiterate a few basic guidelines. Hoofer and Union management expect club members to behave in a respectful and non-discriminatory manner toward others at all times (especially when interacting with staff). If you're not sure what we're talking about, just pretend you took some Valium and Prozac, maybe with some oxycodone and/or a shot of tequila thrown in. Note: we are not pharmacists and do not necessarily recommend that mix.
Customers (paying club members) can be disciplined or even kicked out of the club if accused of violating the rules. Note that you don't actually have to violate any of them--you just have to be accused of violating them. So, here are a few guidelines you won't find in the Ground School Manual:
1. Male instructors: please don't offer other men sexual favors in the office (Badger ears are everywhere, ya know). This goes even if the action is intended to take place elsewhere.
2. Female instructors: if you wear a bikini on the job, don't complain when people stare, especially the mature men sitting under the canopy.
3. Hoofer "leaders" only: Do not send defamatory emails about anyone.
4. Club officers & instructors: Slandering people behind their backs is also illegal and could come back to haunt you.
5. Club officers and employees: Do not make false police reports about people you don't like. Although that can be more effective than other forms of abuse, e.g. removing a person's ratings without telling them or making them take lessons ad infinitum, and UW police never question what comes out of the mouth of a fellow UW employee, it is technically criminal.
6. Avoid trying to rip off customers anymore.
Hmm... those rules all seem to apply to sailing club "leaders," not to general "club members". Come to think of it, general club members generally behave themselves.
So let's get fired up for lift-in this Saturday (May 5) and for match-racing some new T-10s!
Meanwhile, as summer approaches, it's time to reiterate a few basic guidelines. Hoofer and Union management expect club members to behave in a respectful and non-discriminatory manner toward others at all times (especially when interacting with staff). If you're not sure what we're talking about, just pretend you took some Valium and Prozac, maybe with some oxycodone and/or a shot of tequila thrown in. Note: we are not pharmacists and do not necessarily recommend that mix.
Customers (paying club members) can be disciplined or even kicked out of the club if accused of violating the rules. Note that you don't actually have to violate any of them--you just have to be accused of violating them. So, here are a few guidelines you won't find in the Ground School Manual:
1. Male instructors: please don't offer other men sexual favors in the office (Badger ears are everywhere, ya know). This goes even if the action is intended to take place elsewhere.
2. Female instructors: if you wear a bikini on the job, don't complain when people stare, especially the mature men sitting under the canopy.
3. Hoofer "leaders" only: Do not send defamatory emails about anyone.
4. Club officers & instructors: Slandering people behind their backs is also illegal and could come back to haunt you.
5. Club officers and employees: Do not make false police reports about people you don't like. Although that can be more effective than other forms of abuse, e.g. removing a person's ratings without telling them or making them take lessons ad infinitum, and UW police never question what comes out of the mouth of a fellow UW employee, it is technically criminal.
6. Avoid trying to rip off customers anymore.
Hmm... those rules all seem to apply to sailing club "leaders," not to general "club members". Come to think of it, general club members generally behave themselves.
So let's get fired up for lift-in this Saturday (May 5) and for match-racing some new T-10s!
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