Balta1701

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Sep 12, 2012 -> 10:51 AM) I haven't heard anything linking this to AQ. Everything I've heard has said it was reactions to some dumb movie someone in the US made. The pastor with the moustache in Florida who did the Quran burning mess a year or two ago.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Sep 12, 2012 -> 10:50 AM) I heard Karen Lewis did it. Who is Karen Lewis?

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Sep 12, 2012 -> 10:48 AM) I'm not. I'm late reading the news this morning but was probably about 10 minutes away from bumping the old Libya thread with it.

QUOTE (GoodAsGould @ Sep 12, 2012 -> 10:49 AM) Did I miss something? Is Al Qaeda really tied to this? if you did then so did I, and I'd like the thread writer to fill in blank?

Wait, Al Qaeda?

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Sep 12, 2012 -> 10:35 AM) CPS janitors have filed a strike notice. I believe it's a solidarity thing.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Sep 12, 2012 -> 10:34 AM) The problem is the NEA is the biggest opposition to fixing the school year. Or to phrase it another way...the problem is that the NEA doesn't want to take on more responsibility if they're not being compensated for it.

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Sep 12, 2012 -> 10:27 AM) Right, but the research shows that's a better structure. Not having enough in-class days likely isn't the central problem because we have more instructional hours than almost every other country. Wait wait wait...that's not what the data I've seen shows. The data shows that you get teachers in this country teaching more hours than any other country...but that doesn't mean that you get students getting more instruction than in any other country, that just means we expect the teachers in this country to work more hours than anywhere else.

QUOTE (Y2HH @ Sep 12, 2012 -> 10:23 AM) There are two sides to that, places like that where walking is impossible...and places where walking is dangerous. In either case, I can go to any big city and show you places that are the exact opposite of what he claimed. Of course you can. If you show me a baseball player who starts off as a 23 year old hitting .250 and 3 years later has turned into a .390 hitter every year, you can still say "but he still makes an out most of the time", but that doesn't disprove the claim "He's developed into an incredible hitter". The trend towards people moving into the cities has been unmistakeable. Has that taken every neighborhood in the world and made it wealthy? Of course not. Will it ever? Will a baseball player ever bat 1.000 over a season?

QUOTE (Y2HH @ Sep 12, 2012 -> 10:22 AM) Again, based on reality...their contracts, their unions...you can't just ignore these factors...which is what you're doing here. No, I'm responding to a claim that adding days at the end of the year is bad for education, which, assuming the facilities are usable (i.e. air conditioned) is simply false. I'll actually endorse Rahm's efforts to increase the length of the year and increase time for classroom instruction. That's one of the good educational reforms I've seen discussed, but of course, you can't just pretend that will happen for free.

QUOTE (Y2HH @ Sep 12, 2012 -> 10:18 AM) What neighborhoods do you live in? There are *some* neighborhoods that are livable/walkable...but there are still just as many that aren't. Again, you live in a false reality and need to take a look around. Either that, or get out more. I can take you to 500 Chicago neighborhoods and drop you off for a "walk" since they're so livable/walkable...but we'd never see you again. Try basing what you say on reality for a change. The trend has really been unmistakable in terms of developing more walkable neighborhoods in response to demand. This really isn't hard. Price of fuel goes up, demand for urban areas where fuel isnt' a concern goes up, and over time neighborhoods evolve in response.

QUOTE (Y2HH @ Sep 12, 2012 -> 10:15 AM) I recall the strike when I was in grammar school and they extended the school year...we were still in school at the end of June...it wasn't good. I remember doing/accomplishing nothing after the first week of June. It's impossible to gauge, however...but I think there is more truth to it than you want to believe. But to claim it's completely untrue? Based on what? At least I'm basing it on *something*, rather than just saying it. Kids do NOT want to be in school when the sun is shining and it's warm out. You simply said it's untrue, and opposite of reality? What reality? The fake one you try to live in where there is no poverty, everyone has a job, and is rich? Wake up. I'm going to just have to disagree with you...you've based your opinion on nothing. Edit: And getting out on time does not make the summer any shorter/longer. They get the same amount of days off. The data on how much summer hurts kids in the educational system has been piled up over a century and really couldn't be clearer.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Sep 12, 2012 -> 09:37 AM) Here's a prediction, and something to consider... CPS student numbers have gone up more in recent years than the city population would seem to dictate, and one of the primary reasons for this is that parents who normally would have packed up the kids and moved to the burbs for better schools (or sent them to private schools), are unable to move (or afford private school) because of the economy and the housing market realities. Lower grade levels are being overwhelmed - this is part of the reason some of these kids have 35 people in their 1st grade classes. This is a pent up wave. Now, with the strike going on, regardless of who parents blame (probably should blame both sides), they are angry at the school system. More pent up desire to leave the system with their kids. So, when the economy finally does recover with a bit more flourish, sometime in the next few years... you will see a new wave of urban flight, as families with kids take their kids away from the schools and crime in the city. Probably won't be as profound as what happened in the 70's and 80's, but it will happen. On the one hand, that will help lower class sizes in the city schools at first, and allow a greater percentage of kids to go to magnets. On the other hand, the bottom drops out of the budget, as tax revenues decrease and per-head state and fed money drops as well. So the fiscal nightmare the schools system is already in, may not actually get better when the economy does. Just something to think about. I can't speak to Chicago in particular, but over the last 10 years, the exact opposite has been happening nationwide (on average). Fueled mainly by Fuel prices, but also by the fact that the neighborhoods have become more liveable/walkable, the trend has been people moving back closer to cities and urban areas rather than into the suburbs where the commutes are longer and more expensive.

QUOTE (Y2HH @ Sep 12, 2012 -> 09:05 AM) Tacking days onto the end of the school year does nothing for the kids...it's already summer and hot out, and their ability to learn dwindles during those times. I'm pretty sure this is completely untrue. In fact it's the opposite of reality...the long summer winds up being a setback for most kids. Or at least it would be if the Chicago Area schools reached the 1970's and had air conditioning.

QUOTE (IlliniKrush @ Sep 12, 2012 -> 09:59 AM) I'm pretty sure Youkilis doesn't know how to bunt. That by itself makes it a bad move. Surprise? He's squaring around for a sacrifice. That's not a surprise, Cabrera's standing halfway to the plate. Youk was more likely to get hte guys to 3rd by taking a walk than by successfully getting the bunt down. If you want someone to bunt there, pinch hit someone who can bunt.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Sep 12, 2012 -> 09:50 AM) If Johnson isn't going to play when Dunn is out, the splits scream lefty and PK14 is in obvious need of a rest... then why is he even on the roster? The only argument for not putting him in, really, is that this is sort of like a playoff series because it is against Detroit, and you want your key guys in there all the time. And that is a valid point, I'm just not sure it outweighs the other ones in this case. PK14 had a what, 6-7 game hit streak broken last night?

Come on team, 3 innings to get 1+ runs.

QUOTE (flippedoutpunk @ Sep 11, 2012 -> 09:37 PM) I have no clue what goes on inside these unions, are these teachers getting paid while being on strike? No.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Sep 11, 2012 -> 09:36 PM) This was THE game we stepped on their necks and crushed them. Now, with a who knows what they'll get out of Gavin Floyd versus Scherzer, and the probability that Verlander will show up on Thursday ready to pitch the game of his life, we've just injected life back into them. The other 4.2 innings going to be rained out?

Crap.

QUOTE (Noonskadoodle @ Sep 11, 2012 -> 09:29 PM) We just need to freakin avoid Jackson Putting the speedy guy on base for Cabrera? Equally unDwise.

That was one pretty swing, I'll give him that.

Crap

WOOOO

QUOTE (mr_genius @ Sep 11, 2012 -> 09:12 PM) From what I heard the teachers are now demanding a 20% increase. So, that will put the average close to 90k a year? Also, they don't want to be evaluated in any rational way, and they don't want to ever be able to be fired, no matter how bad they are at their jobs. The strike has nothing to do with kids, it has everything to do with greedy adults trying to soak the rest of the city because they think they have a desperate hostage on their hands. All your numbers are incorrect.