Thumbs up

To South Central College for re-invigorating its Multicultural Affairs Center.

The center helps people of color and immigrants and diverse populations navigate the ins and outs of getting a post-secondary education. The office provides time for students of all races to socialize and get support.

The office was a bit in flux a few months ago when the previous director left under circumstances that involved a change in funding, according to SCC. These kind of things happen from time to time, but shouldn’t detract from the mission of such offices.

SCC officials say they’re focusing on explaining the opportunities for higher education to different populations. They’ve had their written materials translated into different languages. They’ve set up outreach programs at East High School.

The eventual goal of the office is to recruit students and help them succeed in training and finding gainful employment. Its helping bridge the gap there may be in communication between communities of color and the college. Everyone wins in that strategy.

Still looks like a swamp

Thumbs down

To congressional Democratic leaders for doing too little to stem questionable and unethical conduct.

Democrats won control of the Capitol in 2006 in part because of scandals among Republicans. Campaigning House Democrats promised to “drain the swamp” of unethical behavior.     

There have been several ethics lapses, including by Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., who took corporate-paid trips.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has defended her party, saying it is taking strong steps to clean up the House, including the creation of the Independent Office of Congressional Ethics. But the office lacks subpoena power and the ethics committee doesn’t have to follow its recommendations.

Rangel, who last week stepped down from his committee chairmanship, didn’t do so because leadership or fellow Democrats forced him to for violating ethics rules, he stepped down because the bad publicity was hurting the party.

Congress has always been loathe to police itself. It doesn’t look like much has changed.

Over and out, it’s my nap time.

Thumbs down

To the air traffic controller who thought it would be cute to have children fill in for him as he made radio contact with jet pilots. Twice he brought a child to work at the control tower at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, one of the nation’s busiest airports, and allowed the child to radio instructions to pilots.

This wasn’t an office worker letting a child sort mail or even a Wall Street executive letting a child ring the bell to begin trading. This was an air traffic controller whose job, under heavy regulation by the federal government when it comes to safety, is to keep jets from colliding. The Federal Aviation Administration has suspended the controller and his supervisor pending an investigation of the incident last month.

No, this incident doesn’t compare to the one where two Northwest pilots overflew their destination by more than 100 miles. Even so, it points to a lack of good common sense and failure to respect safety regulations that are meant to protect people on the air and on the ground. Not exactly child’s play.

Haiti help

Thumbs up

To continued efforts by local residents to help Haitians. Mankato Kids Against Hunger Director Tim Stromer and St. Peter physical therapist Janet Nordstrom just returned from Haiti. Stromer is attempting to ramp up donations and meal-packing operations so that the local chapter can provide long-term term relief to the island nation. He said many relief efforts are pulling back. Nordstrom has made multiple trips to Haiti, including pre-earthquake trips, and knows that proper care for amputees is also a long-term problem that needs attention.

As news coverage and attention of the ongoing disaster there starts to fade — and is unfortunately replaced by fresh disasters, such as the quake in Chile — we need to keep in mind that out of sight doesn’t have to mean out of mind. The suffering continues, and efforts made by local health care providers and relief agencies are an important part of keeping Haiti on everyone’s radar.