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boilerhorn

Certifiably Surly
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Posts posted by boilerhorn

  1. @Frank Drebin - thank you for posting that!

    A quick link to 2022 grade 8 math data: https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/mathematics/states/groups/?grade=8

    Texas white: 284
    Texas hispanic: 265
    Texas black: 260
    Texas asian: 307

    Wisconsin white: 291
    Wisconsin hispanic: 264
    Wisconsin black: 237
    Wisconsin asian: 288

    Link to 2022 4th grade reading: https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/reading/states/groups/?grade=4

    Texas white: 228
    Texas hispanic: 205
    Texas black: 204
    Texas asian: 251

    Wisconsin white: 226
    Wisconsin hispanic: 202
    Wisconsin black: 186
    Wisconsin asian: 219

    Texas 7, Wisconsin 1 - I picked 2 at random

    Fixating on averages can and may result in poor decision making :)

    Grade 4 literacy rates are directly correlated (and likely causal) to adult success, fwiw.

  2. 8 hours ago, Texas Jeff said:

    I think they lost the election and said "Hey, maybe we can win if we add even more stuff in".  It's kinda crazy that you can just vote for stuff year after year until one side wins.

    Meanwhile, tonight across town, Austin ISD's board of trustees approved their tax rate.  Under Texas's Robin Hood plan, Austin ISD will get to keep 45% of the tax raised and 55% will go to the state.

    I'm not bashing LT for building stuff -- mostly poking fun, but it is absurd that a school district can build crazy athletic facilities if they wish, but can't raise and keep funds for teachers and staff.

    LT bond writers and/or proponents ignored recent cautionary tales if they put everything in 1 or 2 bonds.  RRISD set the example on how to do this around 15-20 years ago.  A few years after the ~$36mm bond to build "The Palace on Parmer" (Kelly Reeves Athletic Center), darn near every bond failed.  Someone on the school board or at the administration office (impossible that it was one of the superintendents, as they were mouth-breathers) had an idea to (1) split into many bonds and (2) make sure each bond impacted EVERY school in the district in some fashion.  Johnny's middle school gets new carpet.  Sally's elementary gets a revamped cafeteria.  Holly's high school gets a new performing arts center.  etc.  From memory, I can think of few bonds that have failed in RRISD since.  I concede that I could be misremembering details and that some bonds could have failed...

    Prosper receiving $100mm from recapture is insane.

  3. 20 hours ago, Sam Lin said:

    Ewww disgusting. Eva Air to Taiwan, and you stay Star Alliance so your United miles and status still help.

    Totally agree that EVA > United. Of the 7 or so trips I made to Taipei, I took EVA 2 times.  It is definitely superior to United, but its time/day options were a little more limited than United. Also, I was able to fly business, so the United experience was not as poor as it would have been in coach.

  4. I have never and will never fly spirit or frontier.  There are far too many stories to share, but ones that stand out are canceled flights that result in you being stuck in your location for another 2-3 days.  Even on SWA, there is a 100% chance you are out of there within 12 hours.

    For business, I try to optimize travel time, convenience, and cost - and in that order.  I often will schedule a direct flight out of Austin at 6a to optimize travel time, only to regret it when I have to wake at 3:30a to get there.  However, I arrive on the west coast w/ a full day.  I typically avoid SWA coming from the west coast toward Austin, esp. at the end of the day, as they are notoriously behind schedule out of places like SJC.

    A former colleague did tons of flying to SFO and Taiwan - and I did a few times.  His airline of choice was United, as SFO is a United hub and they have a daily direct flight to Taipei.

    For family, I use a similar calculus, but a little more biased toward cost.  SWA often gets a lean here with their baggage "leniency" and their availability at some destinations.  A mistake some folks make is saving $$ on tickets by taking a late flight to a destination (or early flight home), not realizing that they are spending the money w/ another day of hotel or a lost day visiting. 

    None of the calculus will ever result in Spirit or Frontier.  When the Spirit/Frontier merger was announced a common response was, "They wanted to make the unquestioned worst airline in the world." 

    • Hook 'Em 2
  5. Austin location already shuttered.  Elgin location closing.  Ran out of money, it appears.

    https://www.mysanantonio.com/food/article/circle-brewing-closing-austin-18375336.php

    A popular Austin brewing company shuttered its original location earlier this year after more than a decade, leaving only its newer Elgin operation open. For fans of the brand's Blur hefeweizen, there's some more bad news out there this week.

    On Monday, September 18, Circle Brewing announced that it is completely shutting down after almost 15 years in business.

    "It is with a heavy heart and the utmost sadness that we must announce the closing of Circle Brewing Company," the owners Ben Sabel and Judson Mulherin wrote on Facebook, acknowledging that the COVID-19 pandemic played a major factor in the demise of the business.

    Started in 2008, the original Braker Lane location opened its doors in 2010, first as a distribution-only brewery and eventually as a taproom. That era saw an enormous upswing in breweries opening all over Central Texas, like Austin Beerworks, Jester King, and 512 Brewing, among dozens of others.

    In 2019, the company purchased 23 acres in Elgin, just east of Austin. The idea was to create a brewery that was fully farm-to-glass: grown, brewed, and poured onsite.

    "Then Covid came along to ensure the buildout took forever and cost twice as much," the owners wrote.

    Sabel and Mulherin write that their biggest regret is not seeing the Elgin vision through.

  6. 1 hour ago, FirstTimeCaller said:

    You know what the move to the SEC has done? For a long time, we all knew about the "weird" of A&M. Going to the SEC brought it national. It's now talked about throughout college football. Hell, the ad they did had to address it.

     

    This is a horrific student recruiting video.  aTm was one of many colleges we visited for my youngest last year.  I was pleasently surprised that NONE of the tour, videos, etc. were anything like this.  It would have turned off nearly 100% of the crowd.  The primary tour guides (aTm students) gave a single uninspired "whoop" during the tour as we stopped near Kyle Field.  Our engineering dept tour guide was one of the heads of admissions - and an Aggie alumnus.  He focused on the department, research, faculty, and facilities.  None of the foolishness I feared.

    As an entity, though, they just cannot seem to modernize.  And maybe they do not feel the need.  They have record enrollment, which is good for business.  The penchant of their leadership to collossally screw up the management and handing of female and minority administrative and faculty talent should eventually lead to a major modernization.  Well, that's what I keep saying to myself...  And hoping for, as a Texas resident and taxpayer.

  7. On 8/29/2023 at 10:16 AM, Brisketexan said:

    She's applied for a fair number of jobs.  She has some helpful experience-type jobs starting Oct. 1 (including 20 hrs a week of language data analysis), but ideally, we'd like her to get SOME sort of job in her "field" (international relations/cross-cultural communications/diplomacy) in NYC or DC.  Move there, work and live as an adult for a year or two.  If we have to send you a few hundred a month to make sure the place you rent is nice enough to just have small rats instead of large ones, we can do that.  But get out in the world and learn how to work and be an adult.  Then you'll be MUCH better positioned to 1) pick the right grad program and 2) succeed at that program and what comes next.

     

    Eldest daughter - UT grad - lives in upper-east-side right now and works as a teacher at a MS in the Bronx.  She's presently completing her Masters degree at one of the CUNY schools there while working full time.  There is a huge contingent of Texas-exes there (not sure if your daughter graduated from Texas) and she can easily and quickly connect with folks that way. 

    This is our daughter's 5th year in NYC and my wife just helped her move into her 4th apartment.  As you might expect, it is far more affordable if you have a roommate.  Also, it is infinitely easier to find a place if you or your daughter are already there, which should be of no surprise.  Also, renters need to have an annual salary of 40x-45x of monthly rent to rent a place in NYC.  As a result, the first couple of years, we (and roommates parents) had to serve as guarantors - roommates were either fully funded by parents or were in grad school.  Her early roommates were classmates at UT, so she did not have to play any sort of "roommate roulette."

    Not sure how much you like to visit NYC, but if you do, that can be a part of the calculus for an apartment.  Hotel rates can be quite high in the city, so subsidizing your kid's apartment might be a good tradeoff depending on your love of NYC.  

    • Hook 'Em 1
  8. 3 hours ago, South Austin said:

    Bumping, now that my senior daughter is starting this hellish process.  She still won't consider any schools in Texas or the South (like south of the Mason-Dixon line, so no interest in NC or Va schools), and she's primarily looking at schools in the Pacific Northwest and West Coast, which is fucking fantastic for my finances.  Her current list of schools for application are:


    University of Washington (probably top choice right now)
    University of Oregon
    Reed College (seems like the Rice of the PNW - great school, but way nerdy)
    University of California, San Diego 
    University of California, Santa Cruz
    Lewis & Clark College (is my daughter smoking pot and I don't know it?)
    University of the Puget Sound (wtf, something her mom suggested)
    George Washington (a late addition, a couple friends started looking at the DC area)

    The college coaching service I've hired for her recommends applying to at least 10 schools.  I think she's gravitating toward a state school.  Private schools may be too small and cliquish for her, and she thinks she'll like a larger public university with a more robust and diverse campus life (she loves college athletics, not that good sports programs are the top priority).  She's shot down University of Colorado.  I've suggested looking at Maryland, and she's been meh on that.  Nothing in the Midwest and Northeast seems to interest her.  I'm looking for other ideas. 

    For what it's worth, she's got a 1450 SAT, 4.34 GPA, and is in the top 6% of her class (dad humblebrag).  She's thinking about something in the science/health care field, but not necessarily a STEM major.

    Any thoughts?

     

     

    This is a strong list of schools.  

    As has been noted, UO will be almost automatic.  UW very close.

    Friend's daughter went to Maryland for Public Health - loved it and is gainfully employed.  Step-niece attended Maryland and has a PhD in molecular and cellular biology.  Also loved it.  You should consider suggesting again and possibly visiting. 

    I know the NE and MW does not interest her, but...

    Also consider Minnesota (or any other university with a close affiliation to a VERY strong research and medical school).  Minnesota is a fantastic school and the Mayo Clinic affiliation helps.  Daughter 2 and I visited there for a different major - in December.  LOVED the campus, but the program was not what she wanted.  Make no mistake, it gets really fucking cold there.

    Ohio State has a really good medical school and - by extension - public health school.  I visited there w/ my daughters.  Nice campus; strong programs; not as cold as Minnesota.  But... too many of their football fans are fucking assholes.  So you have to keep that in mind.

    Another advantage of most large state schools - and larger private schools - is flexibility in changing majors.  There is a chance a kid will change majors and they may want to stay at the same school.  But definitely ask (and perhaps do some research on your own)- if SA's-Daughter wants to change from Public Health to Computer Science, what would it take?  A place like UT Austin would say, "it can happen, but do not count on it."  That would mean, "it ain't happening."  Many schools are at capacity in their programs.  And they do not flunk out 20+% of their freshman on an annual basis like when we were young.  So, there's no room.

    Last, you might consider suggesting she take the SAT one more time.  She has a great score (96+ percentile nationally) and she'll hate the idea, but it could help a bit with placement in some of the more competitive colleges.

  9. With the payment the same, the $$ out of pocket - if held to the entire term - will be the same.  

    Definitely check the numbers or the contract.  You may have paid more for a lower rate.  Doing some quick calculations on my own...  Just examples...

    Assuming a 5 year term, $30k at 8% is the same payment as $31.5k at 6%.  In the 30/8% case, you'll owe less over the first 3 years if you choose to sell during that time.  At the very end of the term, you'll have paid the same amount.  However, on the 8% loan, you'll have paid around $1450 more in interest overall.

    The math is straightforward w/ a spreadsheet, so definitely Do the math.

    Personally, I would want to understand what motivated the seller/dealer/finance-co to change the terms of the contract w/o your consent or knowledge.  That part worries me. 

    • Hook 'Em 1
  10. There's one paragraph that refers to it.  4 victims traveled to NYC.  A nurse and medical assistant testify to witnessing it.  How was he able to get away with it for so long?  Were his subordinates afraid? 

    During his trial, in addition to the four victims who traveled to New York City for appointments from as far away as Nevada, jurors heard from another five women who said they were abused by Hadden, as well as a nurse and former medical assistant who said they witnessed more assaults.

     

  11. 1 hour ago, closetojumping said:

    During that period, people were being told "Charlie is getting 4 years" and that was that. There was no interest from the administrative side in shitcanning Chuckles during that season. Frankly, all the idiot had to do was beat Kansas in 2016 to get a 4th year. There was still push back on axing him if he had beaten TCU following the KU loss, due to gained bowl eligibility.

    I remember seeing players crying, fucking crying!, on the sidelines as the TCU game ended and then their pleading afterwards for him to get another year. All those dipshits had to do was win either of the last two games for their beloved coach and he'd have received the 4th season. That would have sent Herman to LSU and Texas would have picked up who in the fuck knows but likely someone better than Fuckface.

    I am not sure there is any revisionist history that includes a 4th year of Strong and puts Texas in a better place today. 

    Meyer was in his final year at tosu - most likely (near 100%, IMO) off the table.
    You are right that Herman is at LSU.  If he sucks, Texas "dodged a bullet."  If he's great, LSU will keep him.

    The list of coaches who moved leading into the 2018 season is interesting:

    1. Jimbo Fisher, A&M
    2. Frost, Nebraska
    3. Kelly, UCLA
    4. Mullen, UF
    5. Sumlin, Arizona
    6. Taggart, FSU
    7. Pruitt, Tennessee
    8. Morris, Arkansas
    9. Moorehead, MSU
    10. Cristobal, Oregon
    11. Smith, oregon St
    12. Luke, Ole Miss
    13. Edwards, ASU
    14. Heupel, UCF
    15. Napier, ULL
    16. Dykes, SMU
    17. Bloomgren, Rice

    I am not sure any of those would have been attractive to the administration.  Who would the donors have targeted?

    So - Should we be forever grateful that he lost to Kansas, even if it led to Herman?

    https://www.sportingnews.com/us/ncaa-football/news/coaching-carousel-hires-2017-8-ranking-jimbo-fisher-scott-frost-chip-kelly-jeremy-pruitt/brjraf5r3rs51lup9e4ustz0n

    • Like 1
  12. 17 hours ago, closetohumping said:

    Portland winters are relatively mild.  Love that city 

    Agree.  Portland winters are relatively mild - temperature-wise (and, hence, snow-wise).  When I visited in ~Mar'22, Portland experienced its first sunny day in about 3 months.  Just about everyone bailed from work in the afternoon.  It is a grey and wet winter there.  I know a few folks who tired of that and moved to Austin around 25 years ago.  That said, just about every place weighs on some folks after time.

  13. Did the search and did not see this one.  Likely there, but...

    I like their version.  IMO, they have the crowd mixed in too high.  Moreover, I think Lars is also mixed in a little too high and Trujillo too low.

     

  14. @Iowa Horn - perhaps.  But there is some backstory to this song for Combs.  His dad played it for him and it influenced his musical passions.  As Combs was starting out, he played it in his sets.  Very few folks go to small bars for local new artists aspiring to see innovative renditions of 15+ year old songs.  "Hey, Jim, he sucks.  It sounds nothing like the original."  It's similar to the reason stud rock guitar players play the exact solo from the records.

    On the upside (as you reference), there are estimates that this recording has earned Tracy Chapman in excess of $500k from writing and publishing royalties.  Given how shitty initial record deals at the time were (1988), I suspect she's totally fine w/ it.  Plus, it will move more copies of what is one of the best recordings of the late 80s.

    I do not disagree about him breaking the cover honor code, but he's not a pioneer on that, esp. these days.

  15. Stream of consciousness on this tread - many great comments about various places to live, etc.

    IIRC, Elon Musk moved to Austin right around the time he had $1B (yes billion) in stock options nearing expiration.  Exercising/selling as a resident of Texas would have saved him at least $100mm in taxes.  I would move anywhere in the US for 183 days for that kind of money.  

    I visited both Portland, OR and West Lafayette, IN during the present Austin heat wave.  The climate in both places made me reflect, "It almost makes the winters worth it."  Portland has its share of problems, so it is relatively uninteresting.  Smallish college towns in the midwest (WL, Ames, Bloomington, others, etc.) might be the next migration destinations.  Reasonable property values, increasing tech/industry growth, local and state investment in industry, etc.  The winters do stink, though.

    As noted, though, if there is not reasonable investment in the education of the entire citizenry (more than just $$), it can be problematic.  In the "smallish growing college towns" scenario, live near schools where the professors send their kids.

  16. 11 hours ago, Beau Vine said:

    I still want to know how much of a salary premium A&M had to offer a tenured, black woman to get her to accept.

    This.  The Tribune article implies that the aTm offer started as "Tenure Track" and devolved into 5-year contract then 1-year contract.  There's no way she should or would accept a non-tenured position.  That said, "Tenure Track" for a previously tenured professor might just be procedural and the tenure becomes a rubber stamp after a "trial period."

    That aside, Texas A&M really screwed this up.  Not that it matters to them, but this sets them back another decade.

    The NYT adds some flavor:
    https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/12/us/texas-a-m-kathleen-mcelroy.html

     

  17. 9 minutes ago, Beau Vine said:

    I'll also say that some songs are so intensely personal that any cover of them loses that connection, which automatically makes the cover inferior.  I'm talking especially about Johnny Cash fucking up Hurt, but IMO, Fast Car also goes in that category.  

    This is a really great point.  While I enjoy Combs' version, I still prefer Chapman's.

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