Okay, I have to offer a little commentary in between working, too much happening to not mention it. Three issues of interest and importance: 1) The drop in minority applicants to U of M, 2) The Ann Arbor study on Racial Profiling, and 3) Andre 3000's grammy performance. Aight one at a time.

Well the numbers are coming in and we now know that the poll of applicants and acceptances for underrepresented minorities is down by 23% I will offer my initial conjectures for this drop, take them, challenge them, or leave them.
1) the increased rigor/intimidation factor of new application process
2) people assuming incorrectly that Affirmative Action was eliminated
3) perception of a hostile/tense racial environment on the U of M campus
4) failure to provide a strong outreach infrastructure like those implemented in Texas and California (we sat on our laurels too much behind victory
and for the record, I do not think "racial preferences" as a concept are driving these numbers down.

Issue 2: Ann Arbor recently released the results of study that found African Americans were no more likely to be stopped than Whites in Washtenaw County. Now though I am an pessimist that Ann Arbor would challenge conventional practices of racial profiling, I will grant that this may be true. As mentioned by many, one major issue is that the study does not inquire about what happens after the stop. One key issue in racial profiling is the treatment people receive as officers perceive what their race means (i.e. drug searches, etc.).

Issue 3: I am not sure what in the world Andre was thinking when he and his team developed their Grammy performance. The performance involved members on stage dressed in "Indian costumes" and featured a giant smoking tee pee. I am awaiting a video tape of the show to verify that it is as stereotypical as I am reading and seeing, but it doesn't look to good for Kast. There is a great deal of discussion happening in the Native community about action. CBS has already issued an "apology" which says little more than, I'm sorry you were offended! Gee, that's the same attitude that people seem to have taken toward Indians as mascots, when are we gonna stop that?