Jump to content

boilerhorn

Certifiably Surly
  • Posts

    735
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Posts posted by boilerhorn

  1. 4 hours ago, Bozo_Casanova said:

    Community First village and Mobile Loaves and Fishes  is the gold standard for how to manage the permanent homeless population. 

    This.  MLF is the among the best donations I make on an annual basis.  My son and I have volunteered there before and we fortunate to get the "free tour" from one of the residents.  What makes Community First work is a strong, competent, and dedicated staff combined with expectations of its residents.  You have to be willing to work, have adequate funding, etc.

    When volunteering with them in support of their truck ministry, a couple of folks asserted that the homeless in Austin do not have a food problem.  They can all be fed by walking to the various churches, etc.  Most of the problems are from chronic substance abuse or mental illness.  In those cases, Community First is not really an option. 

    • Hook 'Em 2
  2. On 3/27/2024 at 10:41 AM, texasdago said:

    I think roundabouts are fantastic and really help with traffic but, man, some people are dumbasses in they stop in the middle.   Again, people have to adjust.  I'm sure buggy drives had their dungarees in a wad when cars came about.

    Roundabouts are fantastic - when done correctly.  The few I've seen in Austin are not really roundabouts; they are just disruptions in traffic.  My dad and brother live in Carmel, IN, and all but 1 major intersection in the city has roundabouts.  And they work extremely well.  The 1 exception is the "First Ever Stoplight in the State of Indiana." 

    • Hook 'Em 1
    • Like 1
  3. 5 hours ago, High Plains Drifter said:

     

    Rio Grande Gorge bridge near Taos: 

    (walked across this one)

    maxresdefault.jpg

     

     

     

    We've driven across it a few times.  Here's a pic from 2008 (not quite as nice as yours) from the side of the road just after crossing.

     

    image.thumb.png.8153689a82881602e654258ce7d0dd3c.png

    • Hook 'Em 2
  4. 4 hours ago, Pescado_Rojo said:

    We did it first day. I don't remember which coach was our instructor, but first day he was like "okay, who wants to drive first?!" We're all raising our hand and he picks me. We all sit in the car and he's going over all the basics, put on your seatbelt, start the car...that kind of stuff. We pull up to the exit of the parking lot by the TJ cafeteria and I stop and wait for him to tell me where to go. He says "okay, drive to Bridge City" and I think I shit my pants. 

    This is actually the perfect approach.
     

    You expose the kids to a challenging situation really quick. They’re not your kids, so you can expose them to super challenges not having to hear about it for the next 20 Easters.
     

    On top of it they learn how to drive in stressful situations. And you still have access to the wheel of the brake. 
     

    One of the downsides of a moving drivers education from the public schools.

    • Hook 'Em 1
  5. 22 minutes ago, harpercollins said:


    Have you seen an advance copy of the expose? If not, WTAF are you talking about?

    No.  I concede my statement might be a bit hyperbolic.  

  6. 1 hour ago, 956 Worldwide said:

    Sounds like she knows this is going to be bad. And for her sake, I hope it really is. 

    And for everyone's sake, I hope it really is.  She's a horrible human being.  On the same level as Briles and Paterno.

    • Hook 'Em 3
    • Like 1
  7. 2 hours ago, Napoleon said:

    Speaking of The SEC, where “[They] Have Nothing Else.” (a.k.a. “It means more.”)

    My brother went to Yale and showed up to see that Yale was leading in the last minute over Auburn.

    After laughing at the score, he turned and asked:

    ”What conference is Auburn in?”

    …because he honestly had no idea.  😂

    If I went to Yale, I would not give a shit about Auburn or SEC.  I probably would not follow football either :). Well, that's probably not true, as I grew up in Austin and followed the horns then.

    • Hook 'Em 1
  8. 39 minutes ago, GreenspointTexas said:

    Its cheap, pretty, low crime, no traffic, and just needs a bigger airport

    Part of his calculus was "reasonable driving distance to an international airport."  For business trips, he says it presently is faster/cheaper to hire a driver to take him from Tyler to DFW than to fly from Tyler to DFW.

    He and his wife love it.  His kid is excelling in school there, too.

  9. 1 hour ago, GreenspointTexas said:

    Also, why dont more people live in Tyler? Its a pretty badass city

    For myriad reasons, a buddy of mine moved from Austin to Tyler in 2023.  I think he waters his lawn daily and has a monthly water bill of around $0.63.  Of course I exaggerate, but the water is cheap and plentiful there.  Also has a fairly strong healthcare infrastructure.

    • Hook 'Em 1
  10. On 2/26/2024 at 12:57 PM, 'stache said:

    Holy shit, that might be the dumbest thing I’ve ever seen, and I’ve been in Shaggy/Surly for at least a decade.

    And you are an OSU fan.
    Ans you ostensibly went to OSU :)

     

  11. On 1/25/2024 at 3:15 PM, Mrs Whiggins said:

    Travis County is at 90.37%. Austin ISD specifically is at 87.69%. Austin Waldorf is 75%.

    Surveying the Travis and nearby data for MMD is interesting.  I bolded anything under 90%.  I am honestly surprised at how low - especially for a large ISD - Austin is.  It would be interesting to see a breakout by school.

    Some highlights:
    Austin Waldorf: 75%
    Austin ISD: 87.7%

    Austin Montessori: 100%
    Del Valle ISD: 94%
    Dripping Springs ISD: 95.6%
    Eanes: 96.6%
    Hill Country Christian: 96.4%
    Lake Travis ISD: 92.4%
    Manor ISD: 96.5%
    Pflugerville ISD: 99.9%
    Regents School of Austin: 85%
    Round Rock ISD: 96.1%
    St Andrews: 100%
    Texas Empowerment Academy: 54.8%
    UT Austin Charter School: 86%
    Veritas Academy: 62%

     

  12. Barkely has had 2 complete seasons ever - his rookie campaign and in 2022.  He has nearly 1500 career NFL touches, so he *may* have another 2-3 decent years left in him.  When playing, he's one of the best in the NFL and, as noted, a leader in the locker rom.

    2/22/15 seems a little high, given his recent tailing production and injury history, as its near the top of the RB salary average (only Kamara, Chubb, McCaffrey, and Jones would make more).  But it is not my money and it would only be a 2 year commitment.  If he's healthy, why not?

    Here are his career injuries, fwiw.

    Aug 13, 2018 Thigh Hamstring Sprain Grade 1 He missed a week with the injury but came back right after.
    Sep 22, 2019 Pedal Ankle Sprain Grade 2 He suffered this injury in a game against the Buccaneers.
    Sep 20, 2020 Knee ACL Tear Grade 3 This happened during week 2 and his season ended right there.
    Sep 20, 2020 Knee MCL Sprain Grade 2 During the same game, he also had an MCL tear along with the ACL tear.
    Oct 10, 2021 Pedal Ankle Sprain/ Grade 1 Barkley suffered an ankle injury during a game against the Cowboys.
    Dec 8, 2022 Cervical Neck Stinger He had a stinger in practice but played his way through.
    • Hook 'Em 1
  13. 8 hours ago, Burt said:

    A heartbreaking 1995 article by a writer who, as a boy, idolized Richards.  They drove around Salt Lake City during the interview. What started as an innocuous interview, turned into an overdose. 

    https://www.texasmonthly.com/arts-entertainment/down-and-out/

     

    5 hours ago, RPM said:

    Damn, that was painful to read.

    Agree.  That was a painful read.  I have to hand it to the author, Joel Reese, for being transparent about his role in the entire overdose.  

    • Hook 'Em 1
  14. 9 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

    My son's roommate at UT is going to try to walk on for the 'horns.  I will try to update on the hilarity that is sure to ensue.

    He might be reading the consensus view of next year’s roster - not realizing that shitty D1 basketball players are still pretty good.

    Note: I used “shitty” for effect, not as a legitimate assessment of next year’s roster.  Yet.

  15. Buddy of mine played college ball at SWTSU, now known as Texas State.  He asserts that, with a little more weight, he might have gotten an NBA sniff.  Perhaps, but what do I know?  In our mid-20s, we’d do neighborhood shootarounds at the shitty metal only rims/backboards.  I’d miss damn near every shot, because I had zero skill and would occasionally rely on the backboard or rim.  I’d say, “wow the rim is not forgiving” and after a swish, he’d retort “because you cannot shoot.”  I cannot recall whether he missed a shot…

     

    • Like 1
  16. Beach Boys was the first concert I ever saw.  1981 in the Erwin Center w/ opening act - Randy Meisner.  Great show, esp. for a youngster.  Pretty sure Brian did not tour with them even then.  And only played live on occasion.

    That said, he was one of the great songwriters of the 20th century.

  17. TJ is there, so we know Brandy did not eat him.  Bad joke aside, my oldest went to the “Brandy Perryman Shooting School” almost 20 years ago and, as expected, a less athletic version of BP could still hit every freaking shot.

×
×
  • Create New...