The California Department of Education released Academic Performance Index (API) scores on Thursday of this week, and San Diego schools saw marked improvement. That's good news for the district, but there's still a lot of effort we have to put forth in order to meet our goals.

The API is a number between 200 and 1,000 that rates academic performance based primarily upon the results of tests administered by the state each spring to public school children in second through 11th grades. The state has established an API of 800 as the target.

Statewide, according to the CDE, elementary schools achieved a median API of 752, middle schools scored 716, and the median for high schools was 696. O'Connell said high schools scored the great gain, increasing 36 points from the prior year.

Locally, the report shows significant improvement in performance at nearly every San Diego County school district based on demographic subgroup data.

For the San Diego Unified School District, nearly every subgroup's API numbers improved substantially over the 2003-2004 school year. African-American students increased their API by 16 points, Asians and Filipinos by 22 points, Latinos by 17 points, Pacific Islanders by 23 points, whites by 24 points and economically disadvantaged students by 15 points. Of the 90,000 total students tested, about 38,000 were Latino, 23,000 white, 15,000 Asian or Filipino, and about 12,000 African-American.

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I'm currently watching WGN's coverage of the Chicago White Sox's celebration parade this morning. It's happening in Chicago and the team is on several double-decker busses traveling through the neighborhoods that have historically been where the Sox's fan base live.

It's wonderful that WGN is web casting the coverage.

Dan Roan, who's is a sportscaster for WGN TV, part of the Tribune Company, the owner of the Cubs, is acting like a White Sox fan today as he is reporting the White Sox parade, but he isn't fooling me. The guy is a Cubs fan and his body is probably eating itself from within! I love it!

Roan has done play-by-play duties for the Cubs on the team's television station WGN.

The Houston Astros should have spent less time complaining about their right to close the retractable roof at Minute Maid Park and used that time for additional batting practice because by the end of game three of the World Series it was their bats--or inability to use them effectively--that caused their defeat. The roof and the crowd noise it potentially generates were non-issues in game three because during most of the defining parts of the game the Houstonians were virtually speechless.

The White Sox are just 27 outs away from a World Series victory that will change the baseball landscape of Chicago for years to come.

Go Sox Go!

Paul Konerko (right) celebrates with Jose Contreras after
the final out in Game 5 of the ALCS on Sunday night.
(Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

"Really, you can split that thing five ways. Those guys were unbelievable."

That's what Paul Konerko, first baseman for the Chicago White Sox, said after he had been awarded the series MVP trophy. The other four Konerko was alluding to are pitchers Burhle, Garland, Garcia, and Contreras who combined pitched the Sox into the World Series with four straight complete game victories.

It's been quiet around pesotum.com for about a month. Why the staleness of posts you may have asked?

Well, this blog has been following the unbelievable accomplishments of a certain professional baseball team: the Chicago White Sox. Also known as: the "Pale Hose."

These Pale Hose have earned a berth in Major League Baseball's "Fall Classic," or World Series, because of their outstanding on-field play during the current month of October. During the first week of the month the Sox smashed the playoff hopes of their division rival Cleveland Indians by thoroughly annihilating them in their last meeting of the year. The Boston Red Sox were next in the American League Division Series, and they too were annihilated in three straight games. The Los Angles Angels were next, and they too were annihilated to earn the berth.

These White Sox have been underestimated throughout the playoffs--to the chagrin of their opponents and fans. And they're still being underestimated today! This morning on my drive to Mann Middle School, one sports analyst on a nationally syndicated talk show deemed Houston (Astros) as favorites to win the World Series. The Astros have not yet beat the St. Louis Cardinals to advance to the championship game, and now some are touting them as the favorite to win?!?

I think these types of predictions will give the WHite Sox another chance at a sense of purpose and hopefully it will inspire them to kick some ass in the championship series.

Me and Linda on Tino's porch, last Sunday

Bacon sits atop a half-pound burger stuffed with onions, garlic, ground ginger, paprika, serranos, and Sierra-Nevada pale ale. They were slow-cooked over indirect coal heat.

This is the bacon cheeseburger (swiss & cheddar) that was prepared at out Sunday Sparky's football dealio.

The smoking section at Whistle Stop has colored lights