Yes, you must respect Rob D.
Mainly because Rob D kicks ass.
As do just about everybody mentioned. Except the ones I don't know, but since Jesse is grouping them with ones I do know, they kick ass by default.

Standardized tests are more than bullshit. I say this from the same perspective as jEFF. (99th percentile on almost every one I took since 7th grade, except the SATs, but I was really hung over when I took the SATs, so my piddly 1260 is excusable)

The main reason the WASL is bullshit is because, since the students can't pass it (duh) they are teaching to the WASL, which is assinine. "Lets make a standard that our own system of standards can't reach, and when we figure this out, we'll only teach what is needed to reach this standard and get our federal money for it." That is what is bullshit.

I'm buying a new truck. Not another truck, but a new truck. This is not going to be cheap. I'm looking at around $31,000, minus the substantial down payment I'm going to make, plus taxes (thank you Washington State) The strange thing is, I'm most likely going to buy it through Costco. I'm going to use my bro's account, since he is an "executive member" I get 2% of what I pay back. That more or less cancels out Costco's markup. So I'll have it done by May 31, whether I decide to buy a used one, get whatever I can from local dealer's stock, or order a new one, because it takes 8-12 weeks to get one if you custom order it, and that would give me the time to save up an even bigger down payment.

Shit, time for work.
Still haven't read all the posts.

Later.