Tag Archives: 2010

Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade 2010

I’m amazed how it’s already December. Better post the recent Thanksgiving Parade photos before they get dated.

Snoopy is in the house

Kermit the Frog is in the house

Diary of a Wimpy Kid is in the house

The street crowd at 70th St and CPW

some Ronald McDonald on Ice Skates

Uncle Sam with the thumbs up

The Statue of Liberty on a cold November morning

Miranda Cosgrove with Despicable Me minions

Who lives in a pineapple under the sea? SpongeBob SquarePants!

Arrtie the Pirate - a recreated 1947 balloon

The Wiggleworm caught on camera

"Supercute Hello Kitty" with her fans

Shrek in the ogre swamp that is New York City

Takashi Murakami's (of LV fame) Kaikai

Takashi Murakami's (of LV fame) Kiki

Harold the Fireman - a recreated 1948 balloon

Kung Fu Panda joins the fray

Pikachu is peeking out

Spiderman turns out the park

Mr. West is in the building / Swagger on a hundred thousand, trillion

Horton the elephant

*Insert your own Kool-Aid (R) Man joke here*

Buzz Lightyear to infinity and beyond!

The Energizer Bunny??? It's not a Thanksgiving parade without someone trying to sell you batteries?

The Pillsbury Doughboy floating by

It's Smurf time

Santa Claus is in the house

Questionable street vendor merchandise is in the house

(Hat tip to Gothamist for the list of balloon names)

2009-2010 CA High School Rankings

Oh, neat. There’s just updated API data for CA schools earlier this week on 5/13.

I’m finding all the information both pleasant and frustrating. Pleasant that it’s available for all so easily, yet tricky to understand in plain English.

What I looked at is the API data files 2009-2010 (2009 Base API-Data File DBF). Below are the top ten CA High School rankings without looking at special education, alternative models (ASAM), small size, or charter schools.

2009-2010 CA Base API High Schools

  1. Gretchen Whitney High
  2. Oxford Academy
  3. California Academy of Mathematics and Sc
  4. Mission San Jose High
  5. Lowell High
  6. San Marino High
  7. Monta Vista High
  8. Saratoga High
  9. Miramonte High
  10. Troy High

Note that Lynbrook is next at #11 after Troy High.

For comparison, here is the same list based on the Growth API instead of Base.

2009-2010 CA Growth API High Schools

  1. Gretchen Whitney High
  2. Oxford Academy
  3. California Academy of Mathematics and Sc
  4. Lowell High
  5. Mission San Jose High
  6. San Marino High
  7. Monta Vista High
  8. Saratoga High
  9. Miramonte High
  10. Lynbrook High

Troy is #11 in the growth basis.

The list is largely unchanged between the base and the subsequent growth API update.

I think it’s interesting since I attended Monta Vista High and students largely hold a grudge against MV for being so book focused and competitive. Parents, on the other hand, do whatever they can to get into the school so that their children will have a (theoretically) better future.

Disclaimer: I am not familiar with CA school rankings so my analysis may not take into consideration something that another person may view as key.