MarkDobie.com

I've been doing more with video lately, but I'm still a purist and prefer still pictures from my camera over those fancy moving images. However, I just made a video on Animoto called "Baby Levi's First Year" I'll also embed it below

Here's our first picture of Christmas 2009. Jefferson helping decorate the Christmas tree.

On my way home from work last night, I ran into a deer. I'm guessing that my speed was probably only 15mph. It's a 45mph area and I was breaking when I ran into the deer. The deer got up and ran away so I don't think he was hurt too badly. My Outlander suffered $2500 in damage. *sigh*

Levi waking up at Grandma Roberts after his first night away from home. He traveled really really well. Slept all the way to Des Moines, most of the day and almost made it all the way home without having to stop to eat. He started screaming when we got off of Highway 20 at Dike, so it was only loud for a few minutes before we pulled into the driveway. Jefferson has such a kind heart, he told us his heart was aching when he had to listen to his little brother in the back crying for a few minutes before we made it home.

Grayson, Jefferson, Jackson, Levi and Grandma Roberts in the first photos. Jefferson and Grayson getting rid to hit the Thanksgiving Turkey Pinata in the second photo.

I have some new photos listed on Flickr, here's one of Levi after a bath.

Okay, I've cleared out most of the recent Political stuff I've posted.  I"m going to use markdobie.com for family posting and things I find interesting instead of my political beliefs.  

-Mark

I don’t recall ever paying for a TypePad blog, but apparently I did. I learned this today when I logged in for the first time in years to see that the site I had set up in 2005 was deactivated because my credit card had expired. Lucky for me, I don’t have to pay anymore because TypePad has finally launched a free version of the service.

via www.techcrunch.com

Great new service offered by Typepad, I use Typepad Pro and really really like it.

Low ISU teacher pay stirs fears of losing top talent

None of Iowa's three state universities ranks high among its peers in terms of faculty salaries. According to regents data:

- UNI, where faculty are unionized, has average salaries that are in the middle of the pack, averaging $70,200 in fiscal 2007-08.

- The University of Iowa is less competitive among its peers, with an annual average salary of $93,500 in 2007-08.

- ISU's average annual salary of $87,400 ranks last among a group of 11 land-grant universities with similar programs. Salaries make up 87 percent of ISU's budget.

According to the most recent Iowa Workforce Development data, the average annual salary of state workers was $53,768.

The low average salaries are the result of years of below-average salary increases, which are based on merit but limited by how much money the state gives the universities each year, officials said.

States around the country are eyeing faculty salaries as a place to cut costs.

I've posted a graph below which compares faculty to the rest of Iowa. While it's perfectly fair to compare salaries to other Universities, you also have to keep in mind what taxpayers are making, since these are the people that pay your salary and send their children to your University. I'd also point out that the cost of living is very low in Iowa compared to other states and Iowa City, Ames and Cedar Falls are very small towns in comparison to other cities where salaries are being compared. I don't think faculty are overpaid but we certainly need to point out a few things when they start whining about pay.

Median Salary by Job - State: Iowa (United States)

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