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The Community Web Log on Media and Government in Midland, Texas
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Tuesday, April 30, 2002
Perhaps Mr. Ignatius meant Mr. Pliny should remember. Perhaps Mr. Walsingham should remember that Midland High (and all of MISD for that matter) is now comprised of over 50% minority students. It would be nice to think that BELOW AVERAGE is an unacceptable score, but the reality is that unless the economic status of the minority houshold is radically improved in Midland, "average" is about the best MISD can shoot for. The paper is now quick to give laurels after scuttling the last school bond issue and running-off a great superintendent. As for me, I've got several successes to transition. adios. PS - get a spell check on this thing.
Monday, April 29, 2002
Hi there [HEB Employee], I am a representative from the Department of Behavior and Conduct at HEB Corporate in San Antonio and I am here to ride with you to your seminar in Abilene to make certain that you behave properly at all times. We do this in addition to the rules we have about drinking while on the job because only then can we be certain that we won't be sued for being "negligent" when you go to a seminar, return home, go to a bar, and then have a wreck. Uh, oh. Here we go with the Cedric Benson feeding frenzy. This story is big enough that it won't be left to the staff writers at the MR-T. It is a given that Southwest Airlines has brought in a reporter or two from the Dallas Morning News, Houston Chronicle, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, San Antonio's whatever, and perhaps even the Austin American-Statesmen once they get their instructions from the UT Sports Information Department.
Wednesday, April 24, 2002
Every now and again you run across a sentence that is just beautiful in its banality. In today's paper (4/24, Local & State, "MISD Board to hear....sorry, no link) is this jewel from MISD Board President George Lara:"I had a person call me recently concerned about the hiring of Mr. (Ed) Zachary (the new assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction), and I explained to that individual that Zachary would not just oversee curriculum development but would help transition successes from one campus to another."But wait. Isn't that the job of the new Assistant Superintendent of Success Transitioning?
Friday, April 19, 2002
A “Laurel” for induction into the Arena Football Hall of Fame? Gimme a break. Does it not make you feel all warm and fuzzy to know that Attorney General John Cornyn is looking out for the public interest in the Greathouse will controversy? Despite the testimony of friends, caretakers and family that Ms. Greathouse knew her own mind, Cornyn knows better. Wonder how much time he spent with her in her last days to discern her mental state?
Monday, April 15, 2002
Yeah, some poll. Sample size: 46. Sample size after deducting the 40 or so phantom respondents who happen to work for My West Texas.com: 6. "Meaningless" is too kind. You can't make this stuff up. In the latest installment of Laurels and Darts we have this entry:"Laurel: Midland Mayor Mike Canon for watching every penny when it comes to sports complex construction expense. Canon has also vowed if the second ramp upon which Midland Independent School District officials have insisted puts the project over budget, MISD will have to help pay the freight by sacrificing some of its concession revenue."Translation: If the cost of building the second ramp causes us to go over budget we are going to protect those paying taxes to the City of Midland by shifting more of the cost over to those paying taxes to M.I.S.D. A five-to-ten year sentence doesn't sound like much for a charge such as this. Somehow I get the feeling, though, that this will end up being five-to-ten years of daily ass-kickings. Even cons have their codes and standards. You cannot take a trip to Thailand or India without hearing how there are parents there who will mutilate a child to make them into a more sympathetic and therefore more effective street beggar. The whole idea is so horrible that you dismiss it out of hand. Now this.
Friday, April 12, 2002
More "polling" by the MR-T that features a self-selecting (and therefore statistically meaningless) sample set. All this uselessness topped off by inane poll questions. Surely there is more here than is being told. The idea that this guy gets a non-renewal for this incident while Neil Richmond skates for two years AND gets a fat buyout just grates on me. Perhaps there is more to the story. There better be.
Thursday, April 11, 2002
What is it about MR-T editorials that resemble not so such much editorial opinion but instead employs style of opinion writing where a hypothesis is offered up, is tested, and fails all within the same column. This editorial concerning how "out of touch" are the commisioners serving on the State Board of Education is a prime example. Anyone not see this coming? Approval was given to build the second ramp down to the field at the new football stadium. Here is some good news:In addition to the voting against renewing Simpson's contract, the board passed a declaration to keep from holding a trustee election, because Shane Boring and George Lara were unopposed.Twenty more uncontested elections and they can cover the cost of the new Assistant Superintendent. Hampering these kids' ability and opportunity to learn and master the English language in order to have them perform better on these early tests is a bad trade. The longer it takes them to learn English the more marginalized they will become....and the more likely it becomes that they, in the end, will not master English at all.
Wednesday, April 03, 2002
On second thought, maybe the ED Tax needs to be bigger. Those from out of area can always get a look at West Texas by going to this webcam in Andrews that shows.....a fire station! I thought it was a warehouse last night, but they parked the engines out front this morning.
Tuesday, April 02, 2002
Discussion on the impact of the increased sales tax always centers around how little each consumer ends up paying. The trick is to make the tax seem tiny by spreading it out among everyone paying the tax....on the consumer side. But what about the business' side of the equation? The state sales and use tax is a minimum of 6.25% and a maximum of 8.25%. Midland has decided 1) that claustrophobic baseball fans must be served (perhaps it was an ADA thing), and 2) Midland is not attractive enough for companies to re-locate to without cash payments up front (and down back, probably). As a result we have a new stadium complex that will enable the claustrophobes to spread out into near infinity while they watch the Rockhounds and we have funds to seduce companies into coming to Midland for a while at taxpayer expense who will take the money and probably be nice enough to let us think that we are the ones doing the seducing. Because of these kinds of "needs" we are at the maximum rate of 8.25%. This whole episode with Attorney General John Cornyn sticking an official nose into the Greathouse Estate just doesn't pass the smell test. I very much want to see a list of the "charities" pushing him to essentially throw the Will out and dole them the cash they think they have coming. The "Hound Pound"? Sounds too much like a mixer with that not-so-attractive sorority next door to the Tri-Delts. Pork Park is no doubt unsuitable for the exact same reason. Oh well, it will all be better if I can just see Myron Noodleman (the Jerry Lewis of baseball) perform one more time. For those who missed today's paper, buried deep on the front page of the local section - Mr. Ott has cut his finger while chopping an onion. Again! OK - What do you want to bet that the new baseball field will be called The "Hound Pound" by the local sports dudes and that you will within a matter of months be as sick of it as you are the "Jack Shack" now (the name not the facility.)
Monday, April 01, 2002
In dribs here and drabs there, the MR-T continues whoring for the newly passed "Chamber Full Employment Act". This one from a 4/1 article that isn't even related to the new sales tax. The article is actually about a drop in economic activity in the area. The sales tax is mentioned as the coming savior of us all. Keep in mind that in Republican dominated Midland increased taxes are an inhibitor to economic growth.....except when Midland Republicans get to spend the money. Then it is OK. Visionary, even. We are the Blog. You will be assimilated. Looking at the pictures of all 52...count 'em 52! United Way Board members you have to wonder if they can ever manage a quorum at the meetings. |
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