iamshack

Got a gift card for the Apple store from the girlfriend and where it says value it reads "one iPhone 4S." I guess the question is, do I pull the trigger on the 4S or wait a bit for either the iPad 3 or the iPhone 5?

This is one of the biggest reasons I bought my iPad...ran out of storage space for books...

Thanks guys! Had a great day..got surprised with tickets to Absinthe...what an awesome show...I highly recommend to all if you end up in Vegas sometime soon!

QUOTE (The Baconator @ Feb 25, 2012 -> 12:47 PM) I'm not saying servers would intentionally just not care or give you poor service. I understand most every other industry DOESN'T rely on tips and they do just fine. But how many times have you hung up on customer service with your bank or someone and been pissed off that you weren't treated properly? Or stormed out of a store that wouldn't take your returned items with a receipt? While there are many examples of great helpers in a clothing store, you can also remember those times they weren't helpful at all. Tipping gives you a way to express your gratitude or disgust with the service, allowing the consumer some level of discretion as to how much they pay; s***ty service at the hardware store still means you're paying the same price. It means you're paying the same price THAT time. The way you show your gratitude or disgust is whether you choose to patronize them again in the future.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Feb 25, 2012 -> 11:44 AM) Wait, so he added 20 lbs of muscle and plans to lose it? Well, it said he added 20 pounds of muscle, but maybe he added 30 total pounds...I dunno, it sounds stupid to me too.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Feb 25, 2012 -> 11:11 AM) I would never want to be a server, and there are some out there who should be in another line of work. I must say though that I really haven't had really poor service in a long time. Maybe I'm just lucky. I usually tip between 20-25%. If the service was bad I'd make it 15% and put it on a credit card so they have to report it. If the service was so bad it wouldn't warrant that, I'd have walked out well before it would be time to pay the bill. The one thing that is really irking me now is tip jars popping up at restaurants where there is no "service". Places like Jimmy John's and Subway. They are almost everywhere. Yeah, the dry cleaners have a tip jar now. The ice cream place. The grill in the cafeteria at my work. Why don't we all set up tip jars? I'm going to put one on my desk at work.

Did we meet with Dwayne Bowe's agent last night?

QUOTE (Tex @ Feb 25, 2012 -> 06:18 AM) And ain't it sad? Sportsmanship and fair play is so old fashioned, they have been replaced by cheating and taunting. Oh nostalgia... Athletes have been cheating at sports since sports began...you just didn't read/hear about it 24/7 like you do now...and the agenda of the media is also clearly different than it was 50 years ago.

The girl I started dating is a food nut and has introduced me to all sorts of different restaurants here in Las Vegas. As such, I have seen all kinds of different style and class of restaurants over the last several months (I don't know that the girl eats a meal at home, ever). IMO, it appears as though management is entering this equation and it's being taken out in lower tips on the server. If the server has so many tables that he/she is unable to provide good service, than that is an issue of being understaffed and one that should be addressed to the manager, not your particular server. Your server should not suffer from lower tips because they have been set up for failure by their manager. The better restaurants seem to recognize this and put their servers in the best position to succeed since they know service is so important. Of course, if the server is just being lazy or obnoxious, or hitting on the new girl while your drink sits empty, than yes, that server deserves a s***ty tip. Not to sound harsh, but the server's financial situation or the way the restaurant industry chooses to operate is not really my problem. Yes Reddy, your check is almost entirely dissolved by taxes, but I'm sure you report all your tips accurately so that you can pay taxes on those, right?

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Feb 24, 2012 -> 07:02 PM) The Bengals cheerleader lacked an affirmative defense, so the situation is different. But I don't really have a problem with your first step. My problem with the first step is that this is a perfectly normal situation for boys and girls of that age to be involved in. Once again, what if they are attending that school? What if a senior is dating a sophomore? Are you going to stop the campus police and honestly report to them that these kids are dating, and THEY COULD EVEN BE HAVING SEX!!!

QUOTE (Tex @ Feb 24, 2012 -> 06:08 PM) The reporting is very simple. I would ask the on-campus police office to stop by during my conference period and explain what was going on. I have fulfilled my duties. Think about the 17 year old that was in the news last week for having sex with the Bengals adult cheerleader/ teacher. Yeah, the guy was probably having a great time. But if a teacher knew about the relationship and did not report it, they would be fired. This isn't about being cool, this is about being a responsible adult. The student can think what they want. If you are worried about hurting the feelings of a student you should not be responsible for them. You are more concerned about the minor child and what she wants. I am concerned about my legal obligations as a teacher. And you accuse me of being ridiculous? You're the one that seems to be overly concerned about the 16 year old getting laid and wanting it to continue. Fair enough, Tex. HS senior, Bengals cheerleader...same difference, really.

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Feb 24, 2012 -> 04:53 PM) Is knowledge of an adult dating a minor but under a situation in the affirmative defense clause enough to report? I'd clarify that hypothetical myself, now being aware of the situation. Honestly, what do you think the police reaction would be if you called and reported knowledge of a 16 and an 18 yo dating? Would you report knowledge of a minor and an adult being married? I'd love to see something that is actually in context here. This is high school. Real life. What if they were both students at the school. There are no seniors dating sophomores or freshman? Are we reporting them all to the police? Give me a break!

QUOTE (Tex @ Feb 24, 2012 -> 04:46 PM) Again, you do understand this is my career? This is how I earn a living. When the mom is screaming to the police and press that her daughter was being raped (statutory) by an adult, the school knew about it, and did nothing, I very well could lose my job. Now perhaps losing your job doesn't mean that much to you, but it does to me. If I report and it is legal, no problem. If I do not report and it is legal, again no problem. If I report and it is illegal, again no problem. If I fail to report and it is illegal, I lose. Now look carefully at that list, when do I lose? Why is it ridiculous to follow the training I have received and report if I am uncertain? You are saying it is not abuse, I am not a lawyer. I am trained by the state of Texas to not investigate, to not make legal judgments. I am required by law to report if I suspect abuse. Are you suggesting that statutory rape is not abuse? You are being ridiculously overdramatic for the sake of your argument. You're citing information that is completely out of context. Finally, go ahead and report it to the police. If they then went to my parents I would hate you as a teacher and think you were meddling in my affairs and masturbating to my pictures and s***.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Feb 24, 2012 -> 04:41 PM) LOL you fool he doesn't know who I am! A baseball fan who continues to be surprised by PED abusers is a fool. I may be a fool today, but you will always have a website entitled "Stevotown."

QUOTE (Tex @ Feb 24, 2012 -> 04:33 PM) Which are two more great reasons why I should report. People who aren't willing to protect kids from abuse should not be teaching. People who ignore potential illegal activities because they don't want to get involved are very poor role models. THIS IS NOT ABUSE. Child abuse, in the context you keep using, is not what may or may not have occurred in this situation. Secondly, let the kids live their lives for god sakes. Remember back when you were 16...were you really afraid of being "abused" by an 18 year old girl? You are being absolutely ridiculous right now.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Feb 24, 2012 -> 05:17 PM) Who the f*** cares? How does this matter? The dude is a lying cheater and I'm glad he got caught and a shadow has been cast over his entire career. I will never be shocked and never act surprised and certainly never say that someone doesn't "fit the profile" of a PED abuser. That is because there is no profile. That is because juicers come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. Also, Ryan Braun is a douchebag and his t-shirts are lame. As I said, jaded. And there certainly is a profile. Anytime there isn't a profile, it's simply because you haven't determined what it is yet. Also, I'm sure he doesn't like you either.

QUOTE (Tex @ Feb 24, 2012 -> 04:24 PM) You guys want to be attorneys and cops. I want to be a teacher. You guys want to risk your careers. I don't. You guys are experts on the law in Texas when an adult dates a minor. I am not. I risk nothing by reporting. I risk be accused of covering up an illegal relationship. I would say that rape, even statutory rape, would be abuse and I would report it. You guys are willing to bet your careers that you know the law. I am not that confident in my abilities as a lawyer. You also risk being a crappy teacher and role model to your students, which last I checked, is your job in the first place.

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Feb 24, 2012 -> 04:55 PM) shack (or anyone else with law history), is there a difference between "affirmative defense" and "not illegal?" Could the 18 year old still be charged with a crime? An affirmative defense is basically an excuse. It's not the same as making the act legal, but it can excuse culpability entirely in some cases. In other cases, it only partially does so and is a mitigating factor.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Feb 24, 2012 -> 03:39 PM) It wouldn't happen, but if it did, I wouldn't be surprised because I really have zero faith in professional sports players anymore. I'm sure most Brewers fans would have said the same thing about Braun testing positive...that it wouldn't happen.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Feb 24, 2012 -> 03:36 PM) Considering that he's out of baseball, why would MLB be testing him? Is he planning a comeback we haven't heard about? That would be more shocking than anything else. haha...I meant during his playing days.

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Feb 24, 2012 -> 04:31 PM) No, you locked a 16 year old in a room and pressured her to admit that they were dating but nothing more. I'm talking about prior to anyone taking any action...just evaluating what to do based on the "rumor."

QUOTE (Tex @ Feb 24, 2012 -> 04:38 PM) From the Texas Attorney General Website and the training I have had Again, why would I risk my career, reputation, and income? I am not an attorney. If I knew a minor was dating an adult, I would report it, not play cop or attorney. I ONLY LOSE IF I FAIL TO REPORT. Again, if I fail to report that is the same as covering it up in the public's eyes. I only risk my job if I fail to report. And in case anyone is missing the point, I am saying what I would have done as a coach and teacher. I am not suggesting that what those coaches did was correct. It was wrong. This is in regards to child abuse, not a 16 year old and an 18 year old dating.

QUOTE (Tex @ Feb 24, 2012 -> 04:16 PM) If it turns out the child was in an illegal relationship and I covered it up? Damn right I would be fired. Do you think I would be fired for reporting it? When the s*** hits the fan and people start second guessing and demanding that everyone who knew be punished, what do you think happens? It's not "covering it up" if you heard a rumor and didn't call the police. Give me a break. And we've now stated this several times. It is not illegal to for a 16 year old to date an 18 year old.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Feb 24, 2012 -> 03:16 PM) LOL. Jaded, realistic, same difference when it comes to PEDs in MLB. I'd love to see your reaction if this happened to Frank Thomas.

QUOTE (Tex @ Feb 24, 2012 -> 04:12 PM) Notice the "without malice" language. I would argue this was entirely WITH malice.