w-h staffing story

This story ran on Friday’s front page: “It’s the latest in a long line of conundrums facing the troubled district: Wilmer-Hutchins manages to have too many employees and too few at the same time.”
I’m back from vacation, ready to post like a madman!

bum phillippi update

Just because I know you’re all itching for a fantasy-football update: My team, the Bum Phillippi, remains in first place of my 10-team league. Led this week by strong performances from Michael Pittman, Donovan McNabb, and LaDainian Tomlinson, the B.P. had little trouble crushing yet another opponent, bringing its season record to a triumphant 9-2.
My boys are now mathematically assured a spot in the four-team playoffs. They will almost certainly be joined by Orlando Cabrera (8-3, led by Peyton Manning and a resurgent Edgerrin James), Hopeless Endeavor (also 8-3, relying on Shaun Alexander and a waiting-to-be-hobbled Curtis Martin), and Ignignokt and Err (7-4, doomed by Priest Holmes’ injury).
For the record, the Bum Phillippi’s roster at the moment (backups in parentheses):
QB: Donovan McNabb (David Carr)
RB: LaDainian Tomlinson, Rudi Johnson, Michael Pittman (Thomas Jones)
WR/TE: Roy Williams, Isaac Bruce, Keenan McCardell (Plaxico Burress, Laveranues Coles, Amani Toomer, Randy McMichael)
K: Adam Vinatieri
DL: Patrick Kerney, Charles Grant, Will Witherspoon
DB: Lito Sheppard, Deshea Townshend

yawhs

Story from Saturday: “The Wilmer-Hutchins schools may soon be cutting ties with some of its most troubled figures. James Damm, the district’s interim superintendent, has recommended terminating the contracts of Superintendent Charles Matthews, maintenance director Wallace Faggett and district lawyer James Belt.”
There was no Wilmer-Hutchins story in Sunday’s or Monday’s paper. This is a stunning development. In fact, there will likely only be two W-H stories in the paper over the next week. This is a sign of unparalleled slackerdom on my part, and I am not ashamed.

friday links

Very short story in today’s paper.
More than 1,200 Zambian teachers have died of AIDS-related illnesses since the beginning of 2004. I hate to say it, but I told you so.
New Christmas song from The Walkmen.
In an effort to win new readers, [Washington Post top boss Len] Downie said Post reporters will be required to write shorter stories.” Damn. Et tu, WaPo?
Did You Know?: Vincent Schiavelli, one of the most recognizable faces (if not names) in Hollywood, played the first regular gay character on American prime-time TV — Peter Panama on 1972’s The Corner Bar.
New Pernice Brothers live album coming out, now streaming half the tracks here.
Happy weekend, folks.

i hate bob edwards

I hate Bob Edwards.
Okay, “hate” is too strong. But I couldn’t understand all the hubbub around his departure from NPR’s “Morning Edition” earlier this year. He was a moderately competent newsreader and a poor-to-middling interviewer. (The man didn’t seem to get that an interview could be more than just a series of disjointed, unconnected questions.) Since his ouster, all he’s done is bitch bitch bitch about how NPR screwed him over. And the bizarre anti-NPR rage from listeners seemed to bring out the worst aspects of the NPR demographic: smug self-satisfaction, resistance to change, and a innate sense of superiority. His successors on “Morning Edition” are, in every way, an improvement.
Anyway, what pushed me over the top was this article, which touches on what Bob is up to these days. The reporter remarks on Howard Stern’s new gazillion-dollar deal to move to Sirius radio. Edwards plays the poverty card: “I’m still making public-radio money.”
Bob Edwards made $256,000 a year (see page 7) at NPR. Not bad for a guy working for a non-profit, taxpayer-supported organization who reads what’s put in front of him and can’t do a decent interview.

wilmer principal resigns, on tpr

Today’s Wilmer-Hutchins story: “The principal of Wilmer Elementary has decided to resign, less than two weeks after a Dallas Morning News analysis of TAKS test scores found strong evidence of organized cheating at the school.
This would be the analysis I’m talking about, from the Nov. 7 paper.
Are you a central Texas resident in need of more Wilmerosity in your life? I just got interviewed by Texas Public Radio. I’ll be on Texas Matters at 12:30 and 9:30 p.m. Friday. That’s 89.1 FM on your San Antonio radio dial.

mystery school board man

Man wins school board seat with only sketchy evidence of his existence.
“Neighbors who have lived next door to him for years say they’ve seen the 53-year-old man only occasionally, when he takes out the trash from the home he shares with his parents…Neither the district nor the registrar has a phone number on file for him, and nobody answered the door at his home. Somehow, though, without mounting a real campaign, filing a candidate’s statement or showing up at a community forum, he managed to upset his formidable opponent, Phil Martinez…
“He’s become a bit of an urban legend, a kind of political Loch Ness monster or Sasquatch. ‘I haven’t met him, that I know of,’ said outgoing Trustee Bob Viviano. ‘I hear he’s kind of a recluse, but then that’s just hearsay.’ Said Trustee Kim Nichols: ‘You hear things because people are desperately trying to find some info on him. I heard he rides his bike. He likes garage sales. He hangs out at a 7-Eleven. I don’t know if any of that is true.’
“When the district sent him mail during the campaign, it was returned unopened. He was invited to a PTA candidates forum via registered mail. That letter came back marked ‘Refused’…
“He ran for mayor of Santa Ana in 2000 and for the Rancho Santiago Community College District board in 2002. He tried to also run in Santa Ana for mayor in 2002, but that candidacy was nullified because the two offices were incompatible. There has been one unconfirmed sighting of him at a city forum, wearing military fatigues.”