The Beast

Does anyone have information on that bus that operates from Oakbrook to the game? I could never find it but heard this bus exists.

Not sure how many people I will reach with posts, but here's my thoughts. I am working in an entry level position with a startup in Chicago and I am doing a job that I have only three months of experience in. It isn't that difficult - write press releases, post them to the wire, monitor the media mentions of competitors and our industry and reach out to journalists or media outlets when you have news. The issue with this job? I am a self starter that takes new tasks, but I need a manager or boss that has experience in media relations given that my current boss doesn't know dick about PR. I feel like I sit there on certain days just trying to think of things to do when there's nothing to pitch. The unfortunate thing is that our founders think that the press releases we put out are newsworthy, when they most certainly are not. I get the "you're getting experience," "you could get big with the startup" and "you're learning" responses, but I haven't learned anything since October and I have three internships under my belt. Would you stay here since the economy is "that bad?" Or should I continue working till my review or six months while studying for the GRE and start looking for a new job in the meantime?

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jan 10, 2012 -> 07:20 PM) Do you and Greg have an Ozzie Supporters Forever FB group? No, I have a Kenny Williams sucks club with myself. Don't associate me with Greg.

"Bud, what would you say about the mess our organization has been put in, having spent money on long term contracts for underachieving ball players? Is there a way to cleanse the organization of bad leadership (who canned the wrong man in Guillen), maintain payroll and still be a competitive team?"

Lets hope this isn't like the Mike Sirotka for David Wells trade. Why does KW have a woody for trading with the Blue Jays?

Nice salary dump for two pitchers. Viciedo can hit, but can he play right field well?

There's no issue in making Penn State jokes - I use Sandusky's name all the time now (i.e. The Bears will get Sandusky'd by Tim Tebow this weekend). - $1 hot dog Thursdays each Thursday. - Post a promotion only on social media for games during the week that they know will not sell well and offer $7-$10 upper deck seats and $7-$10 off on lower deck seats. - Make Kid's Days like they used to be...reduced price tickets (I think it was a dollar per ticket if you were under 13) and get the players to sign autographs. - Bring back Fuji Film Photo Day.

Although I'm a bit upset that the White Sox lost Buehrle to free agency, I am glad that they aren't adding to the payroll to make things complicated. If it is truly time to rebuild, they may as well dump one of Floyd or Danks and try to revamp the outfield since Tank and Quentin have no business being out there in left and right together. What holes do the Sox have left to fill?

Here's the current scenario. I will be ending my internship with WC, a PR job where I make a lot of calls and write a lot of pitches to get the media to cover the client's news, rather soon. At CT, I will be working to do the same thing but to get coverage for the company, and will be working alongside someone who worked at Edelman. She's only contracting till the end of the year, after which I hope they hire someone to be my boss because I'm not ready to take on a role where I head a department after only three months of PR experience. Since this job will pay hourly and I make less than I would at an entry level job, is it okay to work for 6 months to a year for this place after being hired before leaving to go elsewhere? Also take into consideration that I am taking this job because I don't know what else to pursue right now and a lot of my skills align with the position, even if I'm not convincing on the phone. I actually don't really like making calls all that much and get better results through emailing pitches. Are there any skills from an entry level job where research, data entry, social media and writing could be useful in the next stage? I'm trying to find another job in the future that won't require me cold calling at all. And if I can't find something like that in this economy, what is a good thing to go back to school for right now? My undergrad is in business and I don't have loans to pay off.

Group rates also fell 18 percent. They must know they will suck this year or something.

QUOTE (farmteam @ Oct 18, 2011 -> 01:08 PM) If I read his post correctly, the internship that is currently unpaid is the one that wants to hire him. I'd see if there was a way they could just hire you now; in the very least, let you continue your current setup until the paid internship (WC) runs out, and start the pseudo-filltime paid gig with CT. Yes farmteam, you have it correct. I doubt they could just hire me now before the end of the internship, but I am trying to convince them that working at the paid internship (WC) benefits CT since I would have four months of PR skills under my belt. After sitting in on a meeting with their PR agency today, there's no question that I will need all of the help I can get to do a good job for them. Learning more about PR from my experiences at the agency (pitching, written pitches, news releases, fact sheets) will all come more naturally with finishing the paid internship. I offered to try to leave my other internship two weeks earlier so I could start full-time in December and work more days close to Thanksgiving when business is expected to just take off. And I also offered to work Saturdays which isn't uncommon for a start-up. Hopefully this will work for them - this is what I had emailed over to the acting HR rep and the co-founder tonight.

I am working at two internships. Let's put it this way - one is paid (WC) and another one is unpaid (CT). WC's internship ends December 16 and CT's ends November 10. On multiple occasions, I have been approached by management at the small internet start-up (CT) to work for them as what they described to be a full-time paid internship. Basically you are a full-time employee but the pay is mediocre and there are no insurance benefits. The issue is that they would like me to join them before WC's internship ends and work for them, OR work 3 days a week with them instead of the 2 that I do and work on that schedule until I work full-time in December (when WC expires). Personally, I like making money, and am not sure if it is a better option to leave the one that pays until it is over in its entirety. WC will not hire me on, but it is nice to keep saving money instead of working for free and logging 1 day more at the place that doesn't pay. I also want to add that CT has no HR department, has not given me a job description or details on what I would be paid. I want to work for CT after the other internship ends, but management keeps asking me to log more time at their place when they won't pay me. Should I see if I can work on an alternative schedule (2 days at CT one week and three at CT the next) until the other internship expires? Should I join up with CT now and ask to be paid? Or should I see if CT will extend my internship until December 16 and then hire me on? EDIT: CT's full-time position would entail PR related work, which is something I am interested in. It also seems that the other interns are not interested in this position so I could be in demand.

I am interning for CouponTrade, but those at the site might want to get involved with their affiliate marketing program. Basically, for each cost per action (sale), by posting the advertisement for CT on your site, you get money. Google it and check it out, maybe the account manager might be able to work something out with you. Just a thought.

QUOTE (bmags @ Oct 12, 2011 -> 06:54 PM) If the sox want more attendance, lower the ticket prices. Would this actually work and could they make enough revenue to put out a team with a payroll of, say, $100 million?

I got called into this season ticketholder conference call even though I am not a season ticketholder. It must mean that they are having problems selling tickets - big surprise. Anyway, I listened in and there wasn't anything that we didn't know or the least bit interesting. Basically he was a cheerleader for re-signing Buehrle and says he wants Dunn to relax this off-season. A ton of fans were real conservative on the call and didn't ask about Dunn or Rios. He dodged all of the questions regarding the roster changes in the off-season as I had expected.

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Oct 7, 2011 -> 10:22 PM) I don't think you understood my point. Yes, if you have privacy settings enabled where only friends can see your posts then you will be ok. Reading was never my specialty. "Public" was the key word there. I wonder though, if an employer is skeptical of the candidate that chooses to make their Facebook unavailable to them or if it just puts more stock on the interview and judging your character there. To a certain extent it is an invasion of privacy and may be a misrepresentation of who you actually are. But I get why they Google and stalk you.

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Oct 5, 2011 -> 10:07 AM) All of the above. Why make it public? You gain nothing and have more to lose. But if it is set to private it shouldn't be that big of a deal since my google search doesn't allow people to see my friends list or content. I don't use curse words every few seconds like some used car sales guys I know. About the only thing that they might not like is that I'm outspoken and am not a "yes" man. I have gotten better online...I used to sit there and just start debates on the internet to piss people off. But since then I have posted discussion based content so employers know that I can think on my feet and ask questions to produce different results (instead of just going along with groupthink and getting the same garbage over and over again as teams I know are prone to do!).

Kenny Williams and Robin Ventura.

What bothers me is that there probably was no interview set up with Francona, La Russa, Dave Martinez or Sandy Alomar, Jr. That probably wasn't released at the conference call today but that would be interesting to know. Because La Russa might only jump ship when Pujols leaves, Francona is taking a year off to play with his nuts, Alomar just got promoted and Dave Martinez will command a large salary. And the other thing that weirds me out is that Ventura has no experience anywhere. Was he that good of an athlete to get these guys on base, keep them from striking out, light a fire in Dunn's ass when he's hitting .150 in April and win 85+ games? Clearly Batman and Robin are running this show now. Screw it, let the Sox be mediocre for the next three years and bring up some kids. That will definitely put asses in the seats: Come see Gilligan manage this club. Maybe I will go to SoxFest and boo Kenny Williams each time he answers a question at Q&A. I'm glad someone got employed, but I am stunned it is Ventura.

What about the content you post? What kind of content upsets employers? Objectionable opinions? Curse words?

I'd hire Sandberg to piss off the Cubs fans. "Your team sucked so bad their own alumni didn't want to manage the ballclub!" Alomar, Jr. would interest me but I think the job goes to D-Martinez. And I am one of the ones who voted Francona (since he has slight ties to the organization).

QUOTE (Milkman delivers @ Sep 26, 2011 -> 11:09 PM) Haha, some gems in there. Ace? Mark Buehrle has struggled to be a #1 pitcher over the last few years. He's surely no ace. Productive season for Pierre? It was "acceptable" at best. Terrorist? Jesus H. Christ... Notice the quotes around "ace." What numbers do you expect out of your leadoff man compared to Pierre? The part thanking Ozzie and about terrorists isn't in there. But sometimes with how this country does crap I feel the same way (see the Bush "I screwed you, but thanks for blaming it on the black guy" avatar). Nevermind. Thanks Ozzie.

QUOTE (Athomeboy_2000 @ Sep 26, 2011 -> 11:04 PM) Rotoworld: According to Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports.com, White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf is expected to consider Tony La Russa and Buddy Bell for the team's managerial vacancy. I think I am going to be sick if they bring in either of those guys. Just replace Guillen with Dave Martinez and call it a day.

Per my Facebook post: Like an innocent man on death row, the White Sox got the wrong man tonight. Kenny Williams, your table is ready. You have already committed $89 million to 11 players next year & your "ace" is pitching tomorrow in his "last" game. Your leadoff hitter might leave the team after a productive season. Do your job and make Chicago proud or get out & be looked down upon. As Guillen said, it was the players that won 2005 - not him (or you for that matter). Thanks for the memories Ozzie. Maybe they'll get the real terrorist next time.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Sep 4, 2011 -> 02:58 PM) Excellent point. Guys, this rebuilding stuff is a horrible myth. You retool with smart baseball people in charge. For instance you CQ haters are crazy. The outfield MUST be Viciedo, DeAza and CQ out there. That means SOMEHOW you dump Rios. Even if you have to pay the whole contract. We will keep Dunn and PRAY he can hit 30 homers somehow, but to POSSIBLY contend, that should be our outfield. That is not a total rebuild. Pieces are there. Then we got Morel, Lexi, Becks and Paulie in the infield. NOT BAD if the new hitting coach can help Morel, Lexi and Becks some. Yes Lexi needs some help, too. Catcher: AJ and Flowers is OK, though AJ better agree to a reduced load. Flowers is ready. That could be a problem. Trade one of Danks/Floyd (is Danks a free agent) and trade Beckham if you have to. You can always find a second baseman somewhere. Our strengths with CQ and Dayan will be outfield and infield and hopefully starting pitching. Keep as many proven pitchers as you can. Try to get more reliable bullpen guys. A total rebuild though is dumb. Do you want to dump the entire pitching staff for some reason? You do what the Yankees do. Use free agency baby. Try to catch lightning in a bottle. Total rebuilding is idiotic. It may take 15 years. Why MUST the White Sox have Carlos Quentin in the outfield? Why can't the outfield be De Aza, Rios and Viciedo? I thought there were plenty of people who supported trading Quentin on this site?