Monday, September 29, 2003
I know T.J. is busy this week what with the Cubs and the Bears tonight ... oh yeah, and that wedding thing ... so I'm just going to let him basque in all his Cubby glory. If they advance, though, will there be a television set at the honeymoon hotel?
Do they have a Fox affiliate in the South Pacific?
Do they have a Fox affiliate in the South Pacific?
Friday, September 26, 2003
Can't grow up in Michigan as a Lion's fan and not have read it.
His voice always ground on me, though.
His voice always ground on me, though.
Thursday, September 25, 2003
You'll get no arguments from me.
I remember sitting in my old living room in 1998 with the door open and a beautiful fall chill in the air watching the Cubbies beat the Giants.
Of course, I was rewarded by a sweep at the hands of the Braves.
We take what we can get!
I remember sitting in my old living room in 1998 with the door open and a beautiful fall chill in the air watching the Cubbies beat the Giants.
Of course, I was rewarded by a sweep at the hands of the Braves.
We take what we can get!
Weasley Clark: Wesley Clark served one purpose for the Democrats: he let the air out of the Howard Dean balloon.
But I don't think he'll get the nomination, especially with these comments out there.
If he gets the nomination, W is hoping the Pulaski County GOP has tape of the event.
That and his "I'd be a Republican if Karl Rove returned my phone calls" won't endear him to the Democratic base.
But I don't think he'll get the nomination, especially with these comments out there.
If he gets the nomination, W is hoping the Pulaski County GOP has tape of the event.
That and his "I'd be a Republican if Karl Rove returned my phone calls" won't endear him to the Democratic base.
And yes... I will keep posting Cubs-related garbage until I hear from Jason.
Hmm, a lawsuit? I've told you: I have nine days until I get married, and all I can think of is baseball. And then I see this.
Maybe I have a case. I can't even begin to tell you how close I am to try calling off the Honeymoon so I can be in Chicago for the NLCS.
Maybe it's time I dig out the old H-A column I wrote the day of Brant Brown's dropped fly ball, where I suggested suing them.
Maybe I have a case. I can't even begin to tell you how close I am to try calling off the Honeymoon so I can be in Chicago for the NLCS.
Maybe it's time I dig out the old H-A column I wrote the day of Brant Brown's dropped fly ball, where I suggested suing them.
Retiring his number Long-suffering Cubs fans will always remember him and he will always be associated with one of the all-time great Cubs teams that fell short of the World Series.
Sunday, they retire his number. You knew he'd be emotional about it. The scoop on Leon Durham.
Sunday, they retire his number. You knew he'd be emotional about it. The scoop on Leon Durham.
I knew it! Who's pulling for Jeff Bagwell, Lance Berkman and Craig Biggio? None other than the Prince of Darkness himself. He's even distanced himself from Todd Wellemeyer.
The other Prince of Darkness? A little drug-addled, but he's a Cubs fan, apparently.
The other Prince of Darkness? A little drug-addled, but he's a Cubs fan, apparently.
New Releases Thursday: Coming to a record store near you?
Below average? Up in Gurnee, elementary teachers and custodians are striking over the usual: more pay.
Parents are steamed at the school board for being too cheap. Most of their kids don't seem to mind the inconveniences the strike has caused, but did you expect them to cry over the words "no" and "school" used in the same sentence?
All I can think is I got into the wrong business. Just read a graph out of C.L. Waller's story:
Starting salary in Woodland Elementary District 50 for a first-year teacher with a bachelor's degree is $27,008, and the top salary for someone with 15 years of experience, a master's degree plus 30 additional hours of study is $64,341. The median salary is $39,298 at Woodland where 57 percent of the teachers have less than four years experience. The hourly pay range for support staff is $8.05 to $12.65.
OK, I had a bachelor's degree and my first job out of college was as assistant sports editor at the LaPorte Herald-Argus. OK, maybe I wasn't out educating the youth of America (or the youths near Great America), but my starting salary was $310 a week ($16,120 a year) and it peaked at $390 a week ($20,280 a year) after 2 1/2 years there.
I went on to Pioneer Press, where I made $455 a week to start ($23,660) and peaked at $525 a week ($27,308) when I was unceremoniously fired for publicly complaining about Hollinger's cost-cutting.
So, in March 2002, I had five years of experience AND a bachelor's degree, distinguished myself locally as at least a competent writer in my field, and only managed to make $300 a year more than a first-year Woodland teacher, who also has a couple months in the summer to make more dough tutoring or teaching summer classes. I worked here at Mohawk part-time while I was at Pioneer because it supplemented my income a little bit, so I was making a little more than $30K a year.
It wasn't until I started working full-time at Mohawk that I have made as much as the average teacher at Woodland (and I don't make too much more than an average teacher).
The H-A was non-union. Pioneer was part of the Chicago Newspaper Guild, which won't score as good a contract with Pioneer as it did when it brokered the deal I worked under.
I consistently worked more than 40 hours a week at both places. And at neither place did I qualify for as much as three weeks of vacation.
In other words, I can't muster much sympathy for these teachers. They're not living in squalor. Teachers claim to be in it for the intrinisc rewards of teaching and not the money. There are high-paying jobs out there for people talented enough to score them. There are higher-paying teaching jobs out there, according to the union.
Finally, to all the parents angry at the board for the strike, I propose this idea. Keep the contract as it is, but offer a bonus based on money donated to the "Teachers Bonus Voluntary Tax Fund."
In other words, don't raise property taxes, but allow all those guilt-ridden people who don't pay enough in taxes to pay the difference between what they should be paying and what they are paying to this fund.
What's left can be divvied up to the teachers at the end of the school year in the way the union finds most equitable. I'd be interested to see how many parents, who seem to want to write the school board's checks right now, actually contribute to the fund.
Anyway, I think I should look at becoming a teacher.
Parents are steamed at the school board for being too cheap. Most of their kids don't seem to mind the inconveniences the strike has caused, but did you expect them to cry over the words "no" and "school" used in the same sentence?
All I can think is I got into the wrong business. Just read a graph out of C.L. Waller's story:
Starting salary in Woodland Elementary District 50 for a first-year teacher with a bachelor's degree is $27,008, and the top salary for someone with 15 years of experience, a master's degree plus 30 additional hours of study is $64,341. The median salary is $39,298 at Woodland where 57 percent of the teachers have less than four years experience. The hourly pay range for support staff is $8.05 to $12.65.
OK, I had a bachelor's degree and my first job out of college was as assistant sports editor at the LaPorte Herald-Argus. OK, maybe I wasn't out educating the youth of America (or the youths near Great America), but my starting salary was $310 a week ($16,120 a year) and it peaked at $390 a week ($20,280 a year) after 2 1/2 years there.
I went on to Pioneer Press, where I made $455 a week to start ($23,660) and peaked at $525 a week ($27,308) when I was unceremoniously fired for publicly complaining about Hollinger's cost-cutting.
So, in March 2002, I had five years of experience AND a bachelor's degree, distinguished myself locally as at least a competent writer in my field, and only managed to make $300 a year more than a first-year Woodland teacher, who also has a couple months in the summer to make more dough tutoring or teaching summer classes. I worked here at Mohawk part-time while I was at Pioneer because it supplemented my income a little bit, so I was making a little more than $30K a year.
It wasn't until I started working full-time at Mohawk that I have made as much as the average teacher at Woodland (and I don't make too much more than an average teacher).
The H-A was non-union. Pioneer was part of the Chicago Newspaper Guild, which won't score as good a contract with Pioneer as it did when it brokered the deal I worked under.
I consistently worked more than 40 hours a week at both places. And at neither place did I qualify for as much as three weeks of vacation.
In other words, I can't muster much sympathy for these teachers. They're not living in squalor. Teachers claim to be in it for the intrinisc rewards of teaching and not the money. There are high-paying jobs out there for people talented enough to score them. There are higher-paying teaching jobs out there, according to the union.
Finally, to all the parents angry at the board for the strike, I propose this idea. Keep the contract as it is, but offer a bonus based on money donated to the "Teachers Bonus Voluntary Tax Fund."
In other words, don't raise property taxes, but allow all those guilt-ridden people who don't pay enough in taxes to pay the difference between what they should be paying and what they are paying to this fund.
What's left can be divvied up to the teachers at the end of the school year in the way the union finds most equitable. I'd be interested to see how many parents, who seem to want to write the school board's checks right now, actually contribute to the fund.
Anyway, I think I should look at becoming a teacher.
Wednesday, September 24, 2003
Thanks, Dad I don't imagine Moises Alou will be saying that anytime soon to Felipe, who decided to fill out his lineup card today sans Barry Bonds, Rich Aurilia, Ray Durham, Edgardo Alfonso, J.T. Snow, Marquis Grissom or Benito Santiago. Basically, it was a split-squad he sent up against the Astros, who barely won.
Thus, the magic number is not 3.
Thus, the magic number is not 3.
Who knew? Shaun Estes throws a COMPLETE GAME SHUTOUT to beat Cincinnati? OK, they might be slightly better than the Toledo Mud Hens.
But, repeat after me:
Shaun Estes.
Complete Game.
Shutout.
Cubs Win.
Magic Number is 4.
If Felipe Alou really loved his son, the magic number would be 3.
But, repeat after me:
Shaun Estes.
Complete Game.
Shutout.
Cubs Win.
Magic Number is 4.
If Felipe Alou really loved his son, the magic number would be 3.
The thing is, though, that Iraq, and for that matter Iran, are like the old man in "The Shwshank Redemption" who kills himself when released form prison after 50-some-odd years.
Iraqis and others in that region have been treated like animals for so long that they're "institutionalized." I fear there will never be democracy in any of the fringe Middle Eastern nations because the people there don't know any different than the lives they've lived for the past so many years.
Iraqis and others in that region have been treated like animals for so long that they're "institutionalized." I fear there will never be democracy in any of the fringe Middle Eastern nations because the people there don't know any different than the lives they've lived for the past so many years.
Crazy like a fox: The analysts are hopping all over the President, calling his speech at the UN arrogant, divisive, etc.
I liked it. It was Bush going to the UN, which these days is nothing more than a haven for terrorists, thugs, weasels and third-world dictators, and telling them they were on the wrong side of history.
Look, Iraq was not a potential problem in the Middle East. Iraq had invaded two countries since 1979. It had isolated itself from the world, thumbed its nose at 15 UN resolutions, and talked a big game when it came to its military capabilities. Personally, I have no doubts that they had chemical and biological weapons programs just before the invasion.
No one can dispute that Iraqis will be better off without Saddam. And if a free republic in Iraq is the result of all this, it will only spell doom for Islamofascists. Iran will be the next country to go free. There, several dissident organizations have mobilized, and the fundamentalist state is feeling the pressure. There's only so long that they can last. Two free republics, side-by-side, generally friendly to the West is a good thing.
Anyway, back on topic. Bush told the UN that the U.S. is on the right side of history, and without apologizing, extended the olive branch. Why apologize if you feel you were right?
Update: Gerhard Schroeder has jumped on board, for the most part.
I liked it. It was Bush going to the UN, which these days is nothing more than a haven for terrorists, thugs, weasels and third-world dictators, and telling them they were on the wrong side of history.
Look, Iraq was not a potential problem in the Middle East. Iraq had invaded two countries since 1979. It had isolated itself from the world, thumbed its nose at 15 UN resolutions, and talked a big game when it came to its military capabilities. Personally, I have no doubts that they had chemical and biological weapons programs just before the invasion.
No one can dispute that Iraqis will be better off without Saddam. And if a free republic in Iraq is the result of all this, it will only spell doom for Islamofascists. Iran will be the next country to go free. There, several dissident organizations have mobilized, and the fundamentalist state is feeling the pressure. There's only so long that they can last. Two free republics, side-by-side, generally friendly to the West is a good thing.
Anyway, back on topic. Bush told the UN that the U.S. is on the right side of history, and without apologizing, extended the olive branch. Why apologize if you feel you were right?
Update: Gerhard Schroeder has jumped on board, for the most part.
The magic numbers are 5 and 10: The nickel represents the combination of Cubs' wins and Houston losses for the Cubs to be NL Central Champs.
The dime represents the number of days until my wedding. Of course, it's obviously difficult to think about getting married when there's important baseball going on.
There will be a picture tube at the wedding!
The dime represents the number of days until my wedding. Of course, it's obviously difficult to think about getting married when there's important baseball going on.
There will be a picture tube at the wedding!
Tuesday, September 23, 2003
Ahhh, fall in the region. I awoke this morning to a chill in my bedroom and my breath floating visibly out of my mouth as I stepped outside. My drive to work along the shores of Lake Michigan on this crisp fall morning was a joy. OK, enough Robert Frost ... it's finally football weather, baby!
Think Green: Just think green. Think of Lansing's second-favorite team, just behind Felix Pie's and Jae-Kuk Ryu's Lugnuts, of course.
They essentially lost to (former Lion) Gus Frerotte and a one-armed Randy Moss after building a 10-point, first quarter lead. Yes, my good friend, they were THAT bad.
Much deserved R and R? While Bears fans have to watch the crap which is Bears Football presented by Bank One, at least one Bear is working hard to stop the bleeding Monday at Soldier Field.
How better to prepare for watching Brett Favre throw the ball up and down the field than do a throat examination on Paris Hilton in Las Vegas? Brian Urlacher is sure a leader.
From the NY Post's Page Six:
SIGHTINGS, SIGHTINGS
& MORE SIGHTINGS
PARIS Hilton making out with Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher at Light in Las Vegas, and later being helped out of Playboy's 50th anniversary bash at Ghost Bar at the Palms Hotel & Casino
Atta boy, Number 54! But if Green Bay scores a field goal against you guys or you miss a tackle, you're hearing it!
How better to prepare for watching Brett Favre throw the ball up and down the field than do a throat examination on Paris Hilton in Las Vegas? Brian Urlacher is sure a leader.
From the NY Post's Page Six:
SIGHTINGS, SIGHTINGS
& MORE SIGHTINGS
PARIS Hilton making out with Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher at Light in Las Vegas, and later being helped out of Playboy's 50th anniversary bash at Ghost Bar at the Palms Hotel & Casino
Atta boy, Number 54! But if Green Bay scores a field goal against you guys or you miss a tackle, you're hearing it!
Monday, September 22, 2003
Ah, the pleasures... Nothing like being stuck at work at 10 p.m. and watching (via ESPN Gamecast) Billy Wagner dump kerosene all over the Astros' season.
Look who'll be tied for first!
As for Sosa, his departure would be a boon, especially if the Cubs are up to what they should be up to: getting Miguel Tejada to play short while kicking Alec Gonzalez to the curb.
Without Sosa, the Cubs could beef up with Tejada AND Vladimir Guererro.
By the way, Jason, were the Lions that bad yesterday?
Look who'll be tied for first!
As for Sosa, his departure would be a boon, especially if the Cubs are up to what they should be up to: getting Miguel Tejada to play short while kicking Alec Gonzalez to the curb.
Without Sosa, the Cubs could beef up with Tejada AND Vladimir Guererro.
By the way, Jason, were the Lions that bad yesterday?
I just read Mariotti on Sosa and the erstwhile "slugger's" future in Wrigleyville if the Cubs tank. I have to ask ... does anyone care? Have the Cubs won with Sosa?
Lions fans wailed and moaned when Barry Sanders retired, but did it make a difference? No. My kitties still sucked.
Let Sosa go if the Cubs tank. I say he's part of the problem, not part of the solution.
Lions fans wailed and moaned when Barry Sanders retired, but did it make a difference? No. My kitties still sucked.
Let Sosa go if the Cubs tank. I say he's part of the problem, not part of the solution.
Just a quick word to the (un)wise, never pay $260 for NFL Sunday ticket so you can watch the Detroit Lions every Sunday while living outside the team's coverage area. I'm going to write to Bill Clay Ford and demand my money back.
In case anyone was wondering... Rod Blagojevich sucks. Here's why.
Taking their ball and going home: The Dixie Chicks might be a little bit rock-and-roll, but don't call them even a little bit country anymore.
I'm not the biggest country fan in the world (although I have gone so far as to program US 99 into my car radio to please my fiance who became enchanted with the crap while at Vanderbilt), but I'm tempted to become a country fan just to spite the self-righteous trio.
Anyway, watch their fan base go, and soon enough they will be yesterday's news.
I'm not the biggest country fan in the world (although I have gone so far as to program US 99 into my car radio to please my fiance who became enchanted with the crap while at Vanderbilt), but I'm tempted to become a country fan just to spite the self-righteous trio.
Anyway, watch their fan base go, and soon enough they will be yesterday's news.
Sunday, September 21, 2003
New folks in town: Welcome to Lake Affected, a journal of a few writers who live around the greatest Great Lake of the all, Lake Michigan.
Our founding writers are Jason Miller from Valparaiso, Ind., and T.J. Brown of Northbrook, Ill. From the South Shore to the North Shore!
I have nothing else to say, other than the Cubs won, the Astros lost, and the Bears will not lose today (their best matchup of the year is with bye). And I'm trying to get Jason all set up.
Our founding writers are Jason Miller from Valparaiso, Ind., and T.J. Brown of Northbrook, Ill. From the South Shore to the North Shore!
I have nothing else to say, other than the Cubs won, the Astros lost, and the Bears will not lose today (their best matchup of the year is with bye). And I'm trying to get Jason all set up.
