i guess it was good for lame reasons like you just metioned, but we have no power over the kids or the parents as it is. Publishing those just made it us look worse and it also gives those certain parents even more evidence when they threaten to sue rather than let their children get the punishment they deserve.
OK, move-along. I told you that HISD would screw up and here it is.... HISD Cop hands out 'Ebonics 101' handbook
That's a strange story... are they trying to say that it would have been "okay" if it had been labeled a "slang language" handbook instead? I occasionally (very occasionally) have problems understanding my students because I don't always know the meaning of some of the words/idiom they use, but the most common communication problems I have are folks who simply won't speak loudly and clearly.
There was a new report tonight directly attacking the stadium plan. View original article: http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/in...98304 Wayne Dolcefino - has a thinly disquised attack on getting a professional soccer stadium in Houston. He has a sensational series of reports on the Houston Sports Authority but I could clearly tell before tonights report that he was heading towards and attack on using public funds to build a professional soccer stadium in Houston. It's poor tabloid style journalism with a clear anti soccer twist. He gets Harris County Commissioner Steve Radack to voice opposition. Correct me if I'm wrong but a lot of public funds have been pumped into stadiums for gridiron football, baseball and basketball. This is a very cheap shot. MLS is the top professional soccer organization in the U.S. which supplies players to the U.S. National Team which represents out country in the World's most popular sport. I consider this to be unAmerican. It's time to start writing and calling channel 3 managers, Wayne Dolcefino, Steve Radack, all of the Commissioners, Mayor White, and more. http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/index?se...ver&id=3498304
http://football.ballparks.com/NFL/HoustonTexans/articles.htm Public money for Reliant Park and the NFL.
http://basketball.ballparks.com/NBA/HoustonRockets/newindex.htm Toyota Center Public Funding of Houston Stadiums: Reliant Stadium: In Houston, the $424 million estimated for the stadium project includes $310 million for Reliant Stadium construction, $88.4 million for land acquisition and parking, and $25.6 million for financing and other costs. The public contributed $309 million, with $252 million in Houston/Harris County Sports Authority bonds, backed by revenues from the hotel/motel tax, car rental tax, and mixed beverage tax. The private contribution totaled $115 million, with $50 million from PSL sales, and $65 million in taxable bonds backed by the Houston Texans, Rodeo rent, parking surcharges, ticket surcharges, and sales tax rebates. In Minute Maid Park: Cost: $250 million Public financing: $180 million, or 68 percent, from a 2 percent hotel tax and a 5 percent rental-car tax Private financing: $52 million, or 20 percent, from Astros owners; $33 million, or 12 percent, from no-interest loan Lease: 30 years (2000-2029); $7.1 million annually Toyota Center: Cost of Construction $175 million Stadium Financing 100% publicly financed.
I strongly suggest we follow up on this guys. If something like this goes unchecked we could all be very sorry for it later. Newboldcity has given us the tools, now start typing. If we can crash a poll, we can certainly flood an email address!
Oh, I got him good. And by that, I mean I ended it with "the title of your next report should be 'I hate soccer and wish the Dynamo would go away.' All the fans have noticed, and you'll see that more people wish that you would go away." SUCK ON THAT!
I couldn't agree more. I've already written to the waste of journalistic space. I think the Mayor and his crew should also receive a few notes from the fans. How anybody can consider themselves a "houstonian" (and I use the term lightly as calling wayne a houstonian is an insult to houstonians everywhere) and go so far out of their way to tarnish such a positive force in the city. Think of the economic possibilities for the warehouse district, and that side of downtown if an SSS is built across 59. Mind numbing to think he's "served" houston for as long as he has. Time to send him to Dallas.
Here's a link to a print version of part IV. The Dynamo relevant section 1. The "money is already being spent" was for meetings last spring that the Sports Authority lawyer attended and for looking over the letter of intent this summer. The lawyer got paid a total of about $3,000. I guess Dolcefino would rather that the city just sign things without consulting a lawyer. 2. He quotes a Harris County commissioner as thinking that the Sport Authority is going to build the new stadium and then assumes that is true. He follows that with a vague quote from the mayor that doesn't directly dispute it so he leaves most viewers thinking it is true.
Radack is posturing for his political future. It's not a well kept secret that Radack intends to run for other, potentially statewide or federal, offices in the near future. He's trying to establish that he's really, really, anti-taxes, anti-gov't spending, etc. so that he can position himself as such in his party's primary, where those sorts of credentials are essential. Radack knows better, but he's just taking the opportunity to posture. You're not going to get Radack to change his position. You're also not going to convince Dolcefino of anything. He doesn't care about the merits of any position. He just wants to get a story out that will get him some attention. Sending him emails only helps convince him that he needs to run more anti-soccer stadium crap. Whether the stadium gets built will have virtually nothing to do with whether Radack or Dolcefino support it. It has almost everything to do with whether Mayor White and the downtown business establishment think that AEG has offered them a good deal.
Which is why we need to send positive reinforcment, by way of emails, to the mayors office, and the city council. This will keep a positive soccer image in their minds when their discussing the stadium issue.
A bit irresponsible from Dolcefino and Radack. Negotiations are ongoing and no final proposals have been made correct? Dolcefino and Radack come across as serving their own interests. Hate mail isn't the answer though. A respectul reminder of the facts might do better.
After reading that article is looks pretty much like "nothing" as far as the Dynamo are concerned. Basically, a few thousand dollars were spent on a few meetings.... portraying this as "your $ already being spent on a soccer stadium" may be I suppose technically correct in the broadest context of how those words could be used... but it's definitely (and intentionally) misleading. Not the most responsible journalism if you ask me. If you were to bring in a real investigative journalist to Houston... someone like say John Stossel (who's definitely NOT A SOFTIE when it comes to criticizing government) and ask him to "write me some stories for the nightly news about government waste, political corruption, or consumer/tax payer rights..." this stuff isn't going to even be on the radar screen of potential topics.
I agree, when writing dolcefino I resisted the urge to be a 17 year old and bad mouth his momma. I definatly wasn't happy, but I remained civil. I do think that he should be run out of town, but thats for a group much larger than us to take on. I do think its important to keep in contact with the mayor/other higher ups in order to make known the passion we feel for having this stadium and what it means to have it actually in the city that the team is representing.
i emailed him after the story he ran with the link to teacher's certification scores. i dared him to call me. three hours later he called me and talked to my wife (teacher too) and i on the phone for about 20 minutes. he defended himself well, but he still sucks.
Dolcefino that bastard!!!!!!!!!!!!! He had to bring the Dynamo in the Mix and attack the stadium. This will not be the end and it will hurt trying to get a stadium build in Houston.
The Dynamo FO should give away 5k tickets to every home game to pump up the support and send Wayne right back to where he belongs. Dale!