Texsox

Yes they are, and Obama is from Kenya . . . Yeah, I worded that wrong.

The state of Texas just changed how teachers are evaluated. I don't mind accountability and being judged on how well I do or don't do my job. But, evaluating teachers, and comparing them to other teachers based on how their students do on standardized tests, is fraught with danger. Students are not randomly assigned to school districts, campuses, or classrooms. The majority of my students have parents who never graduated from high school. On my campus I have one Pre-Ap course, another teacher has none, and two others have two. Every student takes the same test. How do you compare any of our results against each other, then compare it to the really wealthy districts like where Kap lives. Using a local Illinois example, does anyone believe that there is not a difference in students between New Trier and Ford Heights? How do you compare those student's test scores and decide which teacher is more effective?

Because of tremendous interest in the playoff race, I'm guessing September 20, 2011

QUOTE (flippedoutpunk @ Apr 28, 2011 -> 01:12 PM) Holy crap this is a baseball forum?? Where the hell are they?

I put the Royals on the same card as our national parks and monuments. Would you pay $75 mil to preserve the liberty bell, Freedom Hall, The Constitution . . .? The only difference is the royal family is a living, breathing monument to a very long and successful nation. In some ways it makes it even cooler. We came close with the Bush Family Dynasty or BFD. Whenever they have an event we think bfd!

I crossed over from being fairly nuetral about Ozzie to really starting to like him. That has to be the kiss of death for his career.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Apr 28, 2011 -> 04:11 PM) "MLB Reviewing Guillen Actions" is simply the infinite state of things as long as he is manager. awesome QUOTE (JoeCoolMan24 @ Apr 28, 2011 -> 05:35 PM) Lol, why the f*** does the MLB even care? Players on the bench sending out tweets? If the players are that bored, what does that say about the product? Also the tweets would be conflicting with the broadcast that pays the bills for MLB and the clubs. I could see the player's union being against it if it means the clubs would put pressure on their players to tweet during games. IMNSHO, this isn't any worse than the two minute interviews that managers give during some nationally televised games. It scares the organization because their people can speak directly to the fans, outside of their systems.

QUOTE (Iwritecode @ Apr 28, 2011 -> 04:21 PM) A friend of my wife's went through bankruptcy about 4 years ago. This was right after she went through a divorce, racked up tons of credit card debt and had a house fire. The insurance paid to have the house completed gutted and re-done. So when the bankruptcy was final she basically had a brand-new house. Which she turned around and sold. This was also after she met a new guy and got re-married. He sold his house and they bought an even bigger house. Plus a couple of cars. So it obviously didn't affect her much at all. I'll bet the cars are in his name or at a really large interest rate. Far better to not get in that situation at all. I know a couple people who have filed and filing sooner rather than later, before committing even more resources at a hopeless situation, is probably better for the individuals. However, it does suck for a years. Deposits on utilities, credit cards, if you can get one, with huge fees and high interest. Same with all other consumer loans.

Originally it was suppose to sound like Texas but be spelled Texsox. It bugged me that it was awkward and finally shortened it to just Tex. I was thinking about TexSoxxJim but I didn't want anyone confusing me with some really oldtimer.

Great thread. It really depends on how much context comes into play. Mark's between the legs, isolated from any other factors was flat out amazing. Then you start thinking about World Series v. regular game. Preserve a perfect game v. World Series v. regular game.

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Apr 26, 2011 -> 04:47 PM) Schools like Phoenix and Kaplan target the poor for exploitation. But how do you simultaneously go after the Phoenix's of the world and avoid schools in low income areas?

DirecTV Monday Tuesday blacked out

That's one of the best things in sports, the unlikely hero, if only for one game.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Apr 26, 2011 -> 12:12 PM) It would be interesting to work out a system that punishes universities whose students default more often then others. Even banks have to becareful who they loan to because it hurts their reserve totals if it happens. Universities literally face no consequences for having a bad product or bad decesion-making. I like this idea if a couple issues could be resolved. Wouldn't this hurt Universities whose enrollment is poor? It would seem that students from poor backgrounds and parents who do not make much money would default at a higher rate. I worry that we start encouraging Universities to turn down poor kids because of a potential default issue. Who actually checks the credit worthiness and make the loan? I didn't think the schools themselves were involved at that end. And finally, if someone else does make that decision, isn't the school more like a retail store in this transaction?

Yeah, IIRC the stadium got like that in the late 90s

I know, it's his ritual, iconic actually at this point, and it drives me nuts. Like I said, no matter the results. Joe Morgan was the same way. I just want to run out and hold the damn bat still. lol

Regardless of results, I always loved watching Frank Thomas at the plate. Dunn drives me nuts with his movements. The bat here, then there, then this and then that. /back to something worthwhile

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Apr 26, 2011 -> 11:26 AM) bible joke-check Dino joke-check Dammit....Um, did he switch hit with that weapon?

It could possibly be the right guy, pitching the right game, at the exact right time, that we will point to in October. Or not. And while we are tossing out names Esteban Loaiza came to mind. I wouldn't mind a twenty win season and trade to the Yankees for him.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Apr 26, 2011 -> 10:10 AM) I don't see a bubble there at all. But what I do see is, as college expenses keep going up far higher than the rate of inflation, that its furthering the unfortunate nature of how far the well-off and poor are from each other as they go through their lives. Higher college costs mean fewer poor students able to get degrees. Actually it may be the working poor that have that issue and the really poor, may not. Small sample size, one University in Texas - Pan American, but if your family income is less than $32,000 per year for a family of four, 100% of your tuition and fees are convered with a few hundred left over for books and such. I believe it is the lower middle class and middle class that really feel the pinch. They earn too much for many forms of financial aid, yet with a mortgage, credit card debt, etc don't have a $1,000 per month per child in college.

Libraries have access. Kids have access through school. If you want people to stay poor, keep them off the internet, especially by 2020.

Thinking ahead to the next census, and factoring in privacy concerns and technology, I'm thinking the 2020 census will be a report that Facebook prints saving the US hundreds of millions of dollars.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Apr 26, 2011 -> 05:46 AM) Jeesh, imagine all the new country clubs they'd have to build in the DC area...

He needed to buy a couple new Polo hoodies . . .