Modest Proposals for Memorial Day

In a couple hours it will be Memorial Day, a time when we pause to gratefully acknowledge the security and protection we enjoy in our lives, and to thank those who have sacrificed (and in many cases, paid the ultimate sacrifice) for these freedoms.

Whatever your plans, be they travel, or grilling & chilling with friends and Brothers, take a moment to thank an active member of the armed forces, or one of the millions of veterans. We owe them so much...it's the least we can do!

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It's a crappy segue, but speaking of security, an interesting blog over at Yahoo! Tech discusses how (and why) things you store online can't even be removed in a timely fashion. It's a good reminder that just because you're paranoid doesn't mean people AREN'T out to get you.

It's worth a read. In fact, those currently in the job hunt will want to pay particular attention -- after all, you wouldn't want to lose out of a lucrative job offer just because of a picture of you in a compromising position was posted to your Facebook page!

Presidents, Pet Rocks, and Powwows

Yesterday felt kind of awkward for me. It was our last National President, Andrew Fleming's birthday, but I received a present from him, through our awesome Mu Brother JC Peterson, who delivered the hand-off. My gift? The National President's copy of policies! I have taken it upon myself to update these manuals. I urge you all to ensure that any manual currently residing with you remains up to date, so it will prove useful and make you happy. As the proverb goes, a manual that goes without update is like a neglected pet rock. And if there isn't a proverb that says that, then there should be. =P

In other news, in line with my intent to boost communication on a national scale, I am planning another Intranet discussion on our Fraternity's standards. It seems to me that many of our Brothers are very interested in how we think about our standards, exactly what these standards should be, and how we should measure their implementation. Zeta Brother Bryan Sebeck wrote a nifty Clef article about standards in Mu Beta Psi and the new Advisor position in the Board of Trustees dedicated to managing our standards. Keep an eye out for a specific date and time for this powwow.

I also want to remind everyone that it can be really fun to gather some Brothers for a random Intranet chat about nothing important. Even over the summer, when we are scattered to numerous locations outside of our Chapter locations or away from home, we can stay connected.