Alas, I can no longer hold silent on the situation.

This cracks me up.

After catching considerable heat recently for it’s capricious app store approval policy, including earning itself an FCC investigation over Google Voice, Apple apparently decided that an app which automatically translates tweets into “gangsta language” is appropriate.  It would seem that apps that add functionality are to be banned from the app store, but apps that advance racial stereotypes?  Bring ‘em on!

Of course the issue would be moot if Apple were accepting essentially all submissions that didn’t actually harm the device, but the fact that some functional apps are approved while others are denied indicates that Apple is making case-by-case value judgments about the applications in its app store.  That said, I have to wonder who thought “Ghetto Tweets” [iTunes link] was a great idea.

Read more at Gizmodo

Tipsters inside Fox News tell us Glenn Beck’s vacation this week from his Fox News show was not planned. We hear Beck was told to take this week off to let some of the heat surrounding him die down.

And now, a YouTube clip of his thoughtful moments on air:

Oh wait.

[via Watch This Now]

Stan Parrish will be the next head football coach at Ball State. Which, of course is neither news nor breaking. Tom Collins, Ball State’s athletic director and resident assclown will be there. I’m not sure if hand model/university President Jo Ann Gora or her husband Dick Cheney stand-in Roy Budd will be there, but it seems likely since they masterminded the whole thing.

Tom Collins

Jason Whitlock will be en route to Indiana, if message board chatter is to be believed, to tie himself to a crane and work as a human wrecking ball to the athletic department. There’s construction all over Ball State, so it shouldn’t be too hard to find the equipment, either. I wonder if Greg Fallon at the Star Press will ask if we went after Tommy Tuberville at the press conference later today.

I’m sure the hiring of Stan Parrish will be welcomed at Ball State. His promotion will be a pacifier to those who think that he is the main reason BSU won so many games this season, forgetting that it was outstanding defense and few errors that got Ball State where it was.

I wonder how they will answer the questions about the long term.

No more new hires! Gora writes:

In the short term, we are announcing a hiring freeze for vacant and new positions. Exceptions to this policy will be limited and require my approval in consultation with the cabinet.

Well shit. What about that football coach you just lost to the sunny Cali skies?

Some reports indicate a new coach from within is already confirmed. A Muncie Star Press article today, however, further clusters the clusterfuck:

But Collins, who also specifically denied the report that BSU has already offered the job to Parrish, said there is still a process the school must go through to hire a new coach.

“We haven’t even started yet,” Collins said. “I’ve got paperwork I’ve got to do here on campus to get the job posted.”

The AD said he would meet with school human resource officials later today to discuss the administration’s next course of action.

Better drop by the Prez’s office first, TC!

It’s a safe bet that this freeze will not directly affect the coaching position, although certainly money is an issue. It seems logical this announcement would be made the day after Hoke said his farewell in lieu of the Pacific Ocean and a handsome salary increase. With such a cost-cutting measure on the horizon, BSU had no choice but to let Hoke run away for his Benjamins. SDSU is giving Hoke $3.5 million over five years, and that’s a tough pill for Indiana’s third-ranked state school to swallow … especially when it’s now unable to hire any other staff. Imagine the internal doom if Hoke had taken a remotely similar amount from BSU. Try explaining that to overworked secretaries.

Budgets aside, perception is everything. Hardcore sports fans clash with financial officers here. In the end, Hoke is now the poster child for BSU’s financial climate.

Gora’s full letter, below the fold.

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Last week — moments after I provided a fairly positive financial outlook to the University Senate — I received a call from Governor Daniels’ office about the economic shortfall facing the state. The next day, many of you may have seen the headlines where Governor Daniels discussed the state’s financial situation. The governor ordered state agencies to immediately cut an additional 3 percent of their spending (on top of 7 percent cuts already in place) and announced that state employees would receive no pay increases next year.  Governor Daniels also plans “some marginal reductions” in higher education spending during this fiscal year but has not yet announced specifics. It is highly likely that budget cuts will continue, and may be increased, in the coming year.

As we look at reductions in every sector of the economy, we cannot expect higher education to be spared sacrifice. However, the university has already been working to reduce expenses for some time now, in ways large and small. The cost per-square-foot for building maintenance, custodial services, utilities, landscaping, and administration has been reduced for each of the past seven years. Moving to electronic documentation for capital projects has saved literally hundreds of thousands of dollars. Our recent move to a single-source provider for office supplies has increased productivity and lowered costs. And something as seemingly trivial as switching to foam hand soap has saved $17,000 a year.

While this forethought has mitigated the impact of this latest development, we need to do more. We should anticipate that revenue projections for the state will continue to lag. We need to position the university for several more months of challenging finances. Ball State must emerge from the economic downturn at least as strong, if not stronger, than we were going into it.

In the short term, we are announcing a hiring freeze for vacant and new positions. Exceptions to this policy will be limited and require my approval in consultation with the cabinet. In addition, I have asked cabinet members to identify tangible cuts to their immediate operating budgets for the remaining six months of this fiscal year.  These cuts will likely include further reductions or freezes in travel and the purchasing of goods and services.

To prepare for the long term, I have asked each cabinet member to look across their areas for additional ways to reduce expenses and increase external funding. Now is the time to get creative and look at areas where efficiencies can be gained and real-dollar expenses can be reduced.  In addition to those initiatives, we anticipate very limited — or even no — salary increases for the coming fiscal year.

Throughout this challenging period, we will remain focused on student success. Our first priority at Ball State is delivering the distinctive educational experience and services our students expect. We will ensure that we do not create obstacles for students in the completion of their degrees. Our students and their parents can be reassured that their educational experiences and degree completion will be unharmed.

While we would all prefer a different situation, in comparison to others, the state and the university are well positioned to weather this storm. Times of crisis provide opportunities for improvement. I am continually impressed with the entrepreneurial spirit, teamwork, and creativity on this campus. I know together we will serve the university well through this challenging time.

Sincerely,

Jo Ann M. Gora
President

Nancy Grace creams her pants

Breaking news today as the remains of a young child were found near the home of Caylee Anthony, the girl with the sort-of-hot-mom who probably did it. I avoid watching Nancy Grace at all costs, but she has been trying to hang Caylee’s mom Casey for a while now. Nancy Grace is a scary, scary person and I would not want her to have a hate on for me.

If you need an update on the story, WFTV in Florida has a great site containing all the information you could ever want on the story. Either way, I think tonight is a night where Nancy Grace needs to be DVRed.