What's right with Texas?

[Uncle Ted]

Cronyism blamed for half of Univ. of Texas law school grads’ inability to pass the bar

The prestigious program boasts a meager 59 percent of recent graduates who were able to pass the Texas bar exam. Those numbers rank UT “dead last among Texas’ nine law schools despite it being by far the most highly regarded school of the nine,” wrote Erik Telford at FoxNews.com.

http://mobile.rawstory.com/all/2014-...pass-the-bar#1

Who watches the watchdog?

Looks like that number came from the February 2014 exam where 17 UT students took the exam for the first time: http://www.ble.state.tx.us/pdfs/Statistics/2014Feb.pdf 7 students failed.

It seems inconsistent with other results in both success rates and volume....

The following are the results from the [first time] July Texas Bar [2013] exam:


1. Baylor University Law School- 97.52 percent (118 of 121)
2. University of Texas School of Law - 95.52 percent (256 of 268)
3. SMU School of Law- 91.59 percent (196 of 214)
4. South Texas College of Law - 89.35 percent (235 of 263)
5. University of Houston Center of Law- 88.02 percent (191 of 217)
6. Texas Tech University School of Law - 85.94 percent (165 of 192)
7. Texas A&M University School of Law (formerly Texas Wesleyan) - 85.83 percent (109 of 127)
8. St. Mary's University School of Law - 82.82 percent (188 of 227)
9. Texas Southern University Thurgood Marshall School of Law - 79.23 percent (103 of 130)

http://www.baylor.edu/mediacommunications/news.php?action=story&story=135414

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/education/article/St-Mary-s-bar-exam-ranking-still-low-4944649.php

Here is the full list of school ranking for first-time test-takers during the February 2012 bar:


BAYLOR 92.59 percent (50 out of 54 passed)
S.M.U. 90.63 percent (29 out of 32 passed)
TEXAS TECH 80.95 percent (17 out of 21 passed)
SOUTH TEXAS 78.31 percent (65 out of 83 passed)
U OF HOUSTON 77.14 (27 out of 35 passed)
U OF TEXAS 76.47 percent (13 out of 17 passed)
T.W.U. 68.89 percent (31 out of 45 passed)
ST. MARY’S 66.13 percent (41 out of 62 passed)
T.S.U. 44.44 percent (8 out of 18 passed)

http://blog.chron.com/newswatch/2012/05/bar-exam-pass-rates-slip-for-houston-schools/

No Longhorns were taken in the draft for the first time in 77 years so UT Austin, indeed, has a lot to answer for and needs some reform. There is a new sheriff in town to address this problem:

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[Uncle Ted]

Top 10 fastest growing cities:

1. Austin
2. Dallas
3. Some place that is just going to be flooded when all the ice melts.
4. Houston
5. Salt Lake City
6. Raleigh
7. Another place that is going to be flooded when the ice melts.
8. Also flooded, if it doesn't fall in the ocean first.
9. San Antonio. Welcome LiveCoug!
10. 10? Who cares about #10.

http://www.forbes.com/pictures/mlj45...rowing-cities/

[LA Ute]

Jeff Foxworthy:

If someone in a Lowe’s store offers you assistance and he doesn’t work there, you may live in Texas

If you’ve worn shorts and a parka at the same time, you may live in Texas.

If you’ve had a lengthy telephone conversation with someone who dialed a wrong number,
you may live in Texas.

If ‘Vacation’ means going anywhere south of Dallas for the weekend, you may live in Texas.

If you measure distance in hours, you may live in Texas.

If you know several people who have hit a deer more than once, you may live in Texas.

If you install security lights on your house and garage, but leave both unlocked, you may live in Texas.

If the speed limit on the highway is 55 mph, and you’re going 80, and everybody’s passing you, you may live in Texas.

If you find 60 degrees ‘a little chilly,’ you may live in Texas.

If you actually understand these jokes, and share them with all your Texas friends, you definitely live in Texas.

- See more at: http://www.texansunited.com/blog/jef....QVMO5PGY.dpuf

[Katy Lied]

Congressman bids to move Sriracha sauce company from California to Texas:

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/05/14/sriracha-factory-vietnam/?intcmp=obinsite

[LA Ute]

il_570xN.215322088.jpg

[Moliere]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]4295[/ATTACH]

Totally not correct. For starters we wouldn't even pretend to border on a Socialistic country like Canada.

[Pheidippides]

Totally not correct. For starters we wouldn't even pretend to border on a Socialistic country like Canada.

And we don't acknowledge that California exists.

[creekster]

And we don't acknowledge that California exists.

That's because you're so insecure. California knows Texas exists, its just not important enough to ignore.

[Moliere]

And we don't acknowledge that California exists.

California is more like our farm team.

[creekster]

California is more like our farm team.

And we don't acknowledge that California exists.

You two need to get your story straight.

[Pheidippides]

California is more like our farm team.

Like our own personal version of Canada.

[LA Ute]

On the plus side, this (from the Heritage Foundation blog) is pretty compelling:

Texas Is Booming With New Jobs and 'Dirt Cheap' Energy. Why Are Some People Still Naysayers?

There's no way on earth California is going to follow Texas' example to any significant extent, but maybe our legislature will borrow some ideas in part. I don't want to live in Texas but I do appreciate the economic example the state sets for others.

[Topper]

On the plus side, this (from the Heritage Foundation blog) is pretty compelling:

Texas Is Booming With New Jobs and 'Dirt Cheap' Energy. Why Are Some People Still Naysayers?

There's no way on earth California is going to follow Texas' example to any significant extent, but maybe our legislature will borrow some ideas in part. I don't want to live in Texas but I do appreciate the economic example the state sets for others.

I don't understand how moderates and conservative business people tolerate the regulatory climate in California.

[LA Ute]

I don't understand how moderates and conservative business people tolerate the regulatory climate in California.

The two biggest reasons:

1. It wasn't that way when I came here 32+ years ago. State government was still bipartisan and the economy boomed, especially under Pete Wilson. It's amazing how quickly we changed to a one-party state where the anti-business and redistributionist party has a super-majority in the Legislature. Many people have roots so deep and ties so strong that moving out now is not an acceptable option.

2. We're also hooked on the drug that is living in California. There's wonderful stuff here almost everywhere you turn.

Still, I have a hard time encouraging young people who want a typical LDS family life to come to Coastal California for the long term. I didn't feel that way until about 10 years ago.

[Uncle Ted]

The two biggest reasons:

1. It wasn't that way when I came here 32+ years ago. State government was still bipartisan and the economy boomed, especially under Pete Wilson. It's amazing how quickly we changed to a one-party state where the anti-business and redistributionist party has a super-majority in the Legislature. Many people have roots so deep and ties so strong that moving out now is not an acceptable option.

2. We're also hooked on the drug that is living in California. There's wonderful stuff here almost everywhere you turn.

Still, I have a hard time encouraging young people who want a typical LDS family life to come to Coastal California for the long term. I didn't feel that way until about 10 years ago.

There is help... You just have to ask:




Of course, it could be worse. You could be living in Seattle or something...