greg775

Let's face it, the little guy is going to go broke paying for medical costs during retirement. Our country is in deep trouble without free health care for all. The insurance companies are going to pay so little of each major surgery it'll make your head spin. Good luck to all the people out of work getting treated and good luck to those who do have jobs cause their insurance companies will fight SO many charges. Agree? We needed Bernie who woulda given us all this stuff for free.

Great win. 5-2 versus KC? That's crazy good. Davidson has hit some towering home runs this season and hit one today. Avi has been stellar and was today. I'll give Holland credit. I despised his signing but so far he's been very admirable. I still say this is proving how bad Robin was. If only we had Renteria earlier we might have won the division a couple years at least of the Robin era. It's nice to see the Sox score runs once in a while unlike the Robin era. Sox have scored a lot of runs for instance in their wins over KC this season. It's not an automatic horrible game this season with the bats. Sox still suck offensively on most nights but they also break out on some nights.

Avi's already earned his modest salary for the entire season. That base hit to right late was great. But he's arguably been the MVP of the Central Division after 20 games or so.

I'd like to hear ptatc's take on Nate's throwing motion. It looks very hard on the elbow to me the way he moves he arm way away from his body then heaves it home. I will accept ptatc's take on the matter. I think he has always been an injury waiting to happen.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ May 4, 2017 -> 02:19 PM) MORE than christians? Muslims Jews Atheists Scientologists Hindus Buddhists Christianity is the ONLY religion in the US that is ok to worship out in the open. Christianity is prevalent in everything from the government, media and even sports. Directv has 16 christian networks that it broadcasts every day. SiriusXM has 5 religious channels, all christian. But yes, it's tough to be christian... These groups are mocked by comedians? Cmon. I never used the word persecuted, we're talking about mocking a religion on TV, twitter, everywhere. Catholics are a safe group to mock. And I never was arguing it's tough to be a Christian, responding to caulfield's post. Thanks for getting me in trouble here again, Caulfield You knew I'd take the bait. QUOTE (chw42 @ May 4, 2017 -> 03:16 PM) That's because your example is overstated to begin with Greg. You act like Christians are somehow persecuted in this country. Guess what? It's the majority religion and it controls a large portion of this country's political climate. You can't even run for office as an Atheist in a handful of states. Hell I'd say you have to almost run as a Christian to win for office anywhere. When a politician creates an entire campaign with rhetoric against Christianity and wins partly because of it or when hate groups start blaming Christians for everything wrong in the world, then you can have your persecution. Until then, you're overstating things. I don't know what I'm overstating. Just lamenting the fact my Catholic religion gets mocked all the time. That's all. QUOTE (BigSqwert @ May 4, 2017 -> 03:54 PM) The guy listens to Limbaugh and watched O'Reilley. What do you expect? That's pretty cruel. Another one liner to attack my long thoughtful response to Caulfield and then others. I said you guys have defeated me. You have crushed me in a debate. QUOTE (RockRaines @ May 4, 2017 -> 05:09 PM) Trump just passed an executive order to allow christians to discriminate based on their religious beliefs. But yeah, sucks to be a christian. You really are overstating my comments. I never said it sucks to be a Christian. I like it. QUOTE (Y2JImmy0 @ May 4, 2017 -> 07:33 PM) Maher makes fun of all religions quite equally. He's an atheist. He thinks they are all complete bulls***. If true, I've missed those episodes. Priest jokes, sure. But jokes about specifics of the Jewish and Hindu faiths, etc., really?

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ May 4, 2017 -> 02:13 PM) Greg, saying "why haven't the Boy Scouts been mocked as much as the Catholic Church for pedophile behavior" is a piss poor argument. Seriously one of the worst you have ever had Taken out of context. You guys are good, I already told you that. If most of you guys weren't on debate teams in h.s., you should have been. Excellent job of taking stuff out of context again.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ May 4, 2017 -> 05:08 PM) That is definitely messed up and it looks like the attendant was on a power trip. But from what I read, it does seem like the family was trying to pull some shenanigans and immediately played the victim card when they got busted on them. I disagree on the shenanigans. There's no evidence they were trying to get away with anything except the baby swapped seats with the brother who flew home on another flight for some reason. They said Delta knew what was up. They had a ticket for the 2 year old that had to be showed when the 2 year old got on the plane. If not, they'd have given that ticket away.

One more incident I missed. Heaven forbid you have a bathroom emergency. You either urinate in your seat or in your pants or you get kicked off the flight after a huge incident. "The case of the guy who had a bathroom emergency" which is a no no on Delta. http://delta2035.blogspot.com/2017/04/open...removal-of.html

Whatever happened to this policy of Delta? Paying up to 10,000 when passengers are kicked off planes? Not in the above incident in which the Delta employee said, "You are on your own now." http://money.cnn.com/2017/04/14/news/compa...ight/index.html

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ May 4, 2017 -> 04:29 PM) Both sides were in the wrong there. The employee was an ass and wrong about FAA child seat regulations, but the passengers were off too, you can't just let a different person fly on someone else's ticket. But as the dad said Delta knew the different person was flying on someone else's ticket. And the different person was 2 years old. How petty. Hope Delta gets reamed over this one. I think AA, Delta and United are poor companies if you are a passenger and should totally revamp. SWA has the right idea; not perfect but way better. So much better a person is stupid to fly out of O'Hare if SWA is an option out of Midway even if it's a hassle taking an Uber to Midway or parking at Midway or whatever excuse a person can come up with about not wanting to go to Midway. Trust me, if you fly a lot you are going to be much happier on SWA out of Midway than any of the big three airlines that use O'Hare.

QUOTE (Brian @ May 4, 2017 -> 04:23 PM) It happened again. This time on DELTA, which is the worst airline I've ever flew on. Never on time. NEVER http://abc7.com/travel/socal-family-thrown...eating/1951238/ Bottom line is they don't care. The passenger said it all when he said, "I tend to stand up what I think is right." He also said he was right when he said he paid for the seat. Delta really did not care he was a paying customer. Cmon folks, they had to do something else to satisfy this family. Again, the solution? What happened to airlines saying they'd offer up to 10,000 bucks to customers to get them off the flight to prevent this from happening. We all know this but the airlines treat customers like sheep. Very disappointing. Air travel is very frustrating. I'd like somebody to defend Delta on this one. The passenger was trying to get his way, yes. He was irritated yes, but he was getting some stupid s*** thrown in his face like, "we're trying to be courteous." "This plane will sit here four hours if that's what you want." He paid for the f***ing seats. Hope Delta gets reamed for this one. Even if it was not allowed to have a 2 year old in a seat he did ultimately agree to have the 2 year old sit in wife's lap. Too late, pal, is not a good defense. The airlines had their eyes on the family's seats and booted paying customers off a flight saying they were now on their own. According to the Web article Delta's website says: "We want you and your children to have the safest, most comfortable flight possible. For kids under the age of two, we recommend you purchase a seat on the aircraft and use an approved child safety seat." Hope Delta gets some bad pub over this. Again, what happened to offering more cash to people as an inducement to get off flights. And the Delta person said the family was on their own, now?? What's up with that? No rebooking them? No nothing. Glad these incidents are being taped on cell phones. At least it's making the airlines look like the uncaring entities they can be.

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ May 4, 2017 -> 03:37 PM) Speaking of bad customer service: Space between rows is becoming a big deal. People who travel generally seem to be less fat than others but you still have people who barely fit in their seats and if you are 6 foot or taller you are really crammed in most seats. The airlines should expect some rotten customer behavior when you are crammed together like that. You can say people must behave in all settings, but if you are fairly tall you are really in trouble if the flight is more than an hour long. I know the airlines don't care, but like you said it's horrible customer service.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ May 3, 2017 -> 08:02 PM) Come on man. Christians are the only religious group that is mocked? Thats f***ing insanity. I hope you are joking or have you head buried so far in the sand you havent seen a single movie or tv show. Ever. What religions are mocked by comedians, etc? You mock a Catholic/Christian, it's funny. Who else is getting joked upon?? QUOTE (chw42 @ May 3, 2017 -> 10:43 PM) I guess Greg's never been asked to leave this country because of his religion. Nor have neo-nazis on the internet (and real life) blamed his entire religion for everything wrong in the world. But people making fun of his religion? That s***'s persecution. Classic example of overstating my position on this board. You guys just don't want any discussion sometimes. This happens all the time to my posts. My gawd. QUOTE (caulfield12 @ May 4, 2017 -> 03:10 AM) But there's no way you come back from the priest sexual abuse scandal/epidemic without becoming a target of jokes and derision. WRONG! There have been incidents of abuse in the Boy Scouts and no jokes, no nothing but horror expressed. I am against all abuse. But cmon. There have been other cases of abuse and it is not mocked like the priests are mocked and derided. Now somebody go ahead and say I am downplaying abuse. Of course abuse is horrid. My brother, a rich lawyer, disowned his high school over its coverup of abuse. He is so mad. I am so mad but they are individual cases not to be mocked.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Apr 30, 2017 -> 11:55 PM) The Chelsea vs Ivanka election is gonna be epic! I'm convinced had Hillary won, we'd be hearing a lot from Chelsea for 8 years and yes she would have run. If she is politically ambitious she still should give it a shot. Trump has proven you just need a name to win and she has a name. I could see some of the Trumps considering running in the future if Donald does well.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ May 3, 2017 -> 06:21 AM) This is something Greg has talked a lot about, the feeling of being persecuted for his Christian beliefs...so you have the Dems, who largely embrace diversity (mixing of cultures/values), and the Republicans, who largely embrace a WASP religious belief. Republicans, on the other hand, are much less likely than Democrats to believe any minority group faces a lot of discrimination, and they believe Christians and whites face roughly as much discrimination as immigrants, Muslims and gay and transgender people. Moreover, only 27 percent of Republicans say blacks experience a lot of discrimination, while 43 percent say whites do and 48 percent say the same of Christians. Taken as a whole, these partisan portraits highlight contrasting responses to the country’s changing demographics and culture, especially over the past decade as the country has ceased to be a majority white Christian nation — from 54 percent in 2008 to 43 percent today. Democrats — only 29 percent of whom are white and Christian — are embracing these changes as central to their vision of an evolving American identity that is strengthened and renewed by diversity. By contrast, Republicans — nearly three-quarters of whom identify as white and Christian — see these changes eroding a core white Christian American identity and perceive themselves to be under siege as the country changes around them. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/02/opinion/...ol-right-region This is also part of the reason for that seismic shift of Obama voters in 2008 and 2012 moving to Trump in 2016. At the risk of being quoted out of context and being buried by different groups, I was intrigued by this and would like to say Christians and especially Catholics are the only group that everybody is comfortable ridiculing/bashing. Guys like Maher will rail against believers for an entire episode and comics make fun of the idea of God. But it's the Christians/Catholics who get made fun of. The other religions that believe in deities are off the hook. You criticize certain religions you'd be booed/heckled, maybe fired. Catholics? Go for it. I remind everybody that Obama believed in God; Hillary believed in God, but Democrats don't want to talk about that. I even had one person say Hillary knows there is no God but acted like she was a believer to get votes. Some of the more vocal non God people who happen to be liberals don't even like to think their beloved Hillary/Obama/others believe in something so ridiculous as God. So they don't even want to think about it. So I think the Republicans that are believers do take offense at the ridicule. You say Dems "embrace diversity," yeah, but many of them don't embrace those of us who are believers. They mock us freely, the idea that there is a God and priest jokes. p.s. Now in a couple weeks somebody will say I was complaining about Catholics being mocked when in truth I'm merely giving my take on somebody's post. I didn't start this, I'm responding.

Nice win. We're 4-1 vs KC this year. Nice. Ned and the Royals are blowing chunks so far against the Central. This is why I was always against rebuilding. Baseball is full of bad bad teams. Just takes a little tinkering to compete.

You know, the Sox have been playing pretty well against the Central so far. Not saying we're a contender, but we do have a lotta veterans on this rebuilding team. Bring up Moncada and some other pitchers, hang around .500 then try to catch lightning late with a good manager and good pitching coach, hmmmm. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to suggest we can play with KC, Detroit and Minnie. I mean sure if Cleveland is 10 up at the all star break, keep rebuilding, but should the Sox try to hang near .500 and sneak in the playoffs?

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ May 2, 2017 -> 02:22 PM) This is about trust for you, isn't it? Your trust in Trump, in the system, in the people make you not worry about this. What history teaches us is that none of us should ever fully trust a governmental leader. Always question them, even if they are on your "team" or whatever. And questioning them can't happen if you don't have information. Since you aren't in the White House, who can give you that information? A free press. I'm all for the press. I just didn't think skipping the dinner was a big deal considering both sides dislike each other. I'm glad the reporter asked Trump about his prior statements on Obama spying on him (which he obviously didn't). It's obvious Trump wants the issue of his lie about Obama tapping his phone to go away. Although somebody said Spicer said Trump stands by his comment that Obama is evil today. If Obama was evil, we'd know it by now. He was president for 8 years and didn't do anything evil. Yeah as a watchdog issue, it's good Trump is asked about his dumb original statement on that. Trump shouldn't get away with saying Obama tapped his phone when Obama didn't. Or that Obama is evil. But when he says he won't talk about it in a specific 1-on-1 interview, it might be best to try again another day rather than pursue it and have the interview come to an end. I am not aware if the interview already had been lengthy or if this line of questioning came early. I'd hope the reporter brought it up late in the interview at least after the reporter had already gotten answers to a batch of questions. As far as Trump, I wouldn't say I trust him. If I did I'd vote for him. I've heard other people say we should give him a chance, why am I the bad guy for saying it here? I think even Ms. Clinton said that. I probably should stop posting about Trump a while. He's not going to succeed and as a 1 percenter with plenty of hangers-on, he is definitely not somebody who needs defending. He's got minions to do that for him.

QUOTE (illinilaw08 @ May 1, 2017 -> 04:23 PM) The estate tax has a $5.5M exemption. That's not a lie. There are investment vehicles wherein your beneficiary will ultimately get taxed on the money. And if your parent passes while owing $$ and a probate estate gets opened, some of that inherited $$ might go to pay creditors. On the first, a good example of this is an inherited IRA. Beneficiaries of an inherited IRA will pay tax on the distributions as income when they are taken. Rabbit, I was away for a couple days, but to get back to our discussion of using trusts to shield yourself from the estate tax, when you transfer real estate (for example) into a trust, the trust, not you individually, own the asset. So if I have a $10M estate, and $6M is real estate, before I die I can put that real estate into a trust. My estate is now $4M and below the estate tax threshold. My $6M in real estate is owned by the trust which controls what happens to the real estate in the event that I die. Here's an article describing how the Clintons are using estate planning to avoid the estate tax. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/201...e-tax-they-back Why did my uncle give his kids chunks of money 30000 at a time to avoid some kind of inheritance tax when he died. He didn't have an estate worth 5.5 mill? There was an understaning if he lived a long time they'd give it back and take care of him, etc.

QUOTE (Quinarvy @ May 2, 2017 -> 05:39 AM) Here's a non Presidential example: Roger Goodell and formerly David Stern showed up to drafts where they were booed mercilessly. Not bad. I can see your points, but my main point is 100 days in, the venom that's out there, I'd pass. I could be mistaken on this one. I just don't see it as some heinous offense considering the venom. But you have a good example there. I would suggest however the NFL and NBA Drafts are part of the job description of a commish. I don't think going to the annual press dinner is something the president is required to do, but again, I could be mistaken.

QUOTE (Soxbadger @ May 2, 2017 -> 05:02 AM) Because hes the President of the United States and you dont cower because you think the press is unfair. For most people in the world life isnt fair everyday and Im not talking about being "bullied" by the press. People have s***ty jobs, s***ty bosses, no job, kids who are sick, etc. And yet every day they have to show up, because thats the reality of life. They dont get to run and hide. So you know what the President of the US is supposed to do? Walk right into a place where people want to destroy him and stand up for himself. Make a few jokes, take a few shots, show the world what makes us Americans. People that hate him are still likely going to hate him, people that love him will still probably love him. But at least people will respect that he showed up. /shrugs Thats just me though, and instead of the Aviation comparison, lets use the current one. If I was President and the press hated me, despised me, Id show up. Because Id charm the hell out of everyone and use it as an opportunity to slam it down their throats that I was going to beat them at their own game. But again, thats just me. You guys are good. You destroy me in here by ignoring my questions and picking me apart. So you won't tackle my Aviation line for some reason, but I will comment on yours. I like your take. Charming the hell out of everyone is one possible thing he could have done to beat them at their own game. That's a reasonable position IMO. I contend my example is better. Hostile audience, so why bother 100 days in? Leave it for another year, like next year, if the relationship is at least a reasonable one. Right now the press is after Trump day in and day out and Trump despises the press like he despises nobody else. Pass on the banquet. There's no reason to go play nice considering the stormy relationship. QUOTE (Tony @ May 2, 2017 -> 05:31 AM) Nothing surprises me anymore, but it's still shocking how you have absolutely NO regard that he holds the office of President of the United States, and isn't still the host of The Apprentice. Maybe hold him to a higher standard and not make comparisons to things COMPLETELY unrelated. Is this banquet that big a deal?? If so, my bad. I don't think it is that big a deal to where he's doing something despicable by skipping this banquet. I certainly wouldn't feel welcome at such a gathering if I were him. I think he did everybody involved a favor by not attending. It would have been very awkward with all that hatred in the ballroom. His hatred for them; their hatred for him. One more analogy. Trump versus the press at that banquet is like me versus this board in this thread. I am so grossly outnumbered that nothing I say will be recognized as possibly being a good take. I could have the best take ever, the best line ever, and NOBODY is gonna credit me or praise me. Just as him at the banquet. He'd be sooooo outnumbered that anything he possibly did that was funny or clever or cute would never be recognized. At this point in time I don't think he stained the office of president of the USA by refusing to go to an event where he had as much of being accepted as greg does in this thread. I'm not going to a fight if it's 100 against one is what I'm trying to say. Trump didn't get to where he is by succumbing to such odds.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ May 2, 2017 -> 01:48 AM) Very little is more important in a democracy than a free press with reasonable access to it's leaders. No matter how good or bad they are at their jobs, they play a crucial role. Trump doesn't want that - and that is dictatorship 101. How many times do I have to say I applauded the press. The guy asking the questions is a credit to his profession. I'm just pointing out he'll never get an interview with Trump again. Hope it was worth it. Probably was, for credibility's sake. I do think Trump is a rich scoundrel but I also do truly believe he thinks the press is out to get him. None of you will even give him that. Why call him a coward? He's just smart. Why be around the people who are out to bring your demise as soon as humanly possible? If you don't HAVE to be there, why go break bread with the enemy? QUOTE (caulfield12 @ May 2, 2017 -> 02:05 AM) Greg, the biggest point with Trump is the fact that he has no intention of answering the question...but he loves, absolutely craves the attention and being in the public eye 24/7. If the reporter doesn't ask tough questions, he might as well just give up and join Fox News and lob softball Bill O'Reilly questions at him. That's if access is more important than integrity. At least you addressed the future access part of this. Again, I applaud the reporter.What more can I do? Go kiss the guy? Send him 1,000 dollars? I approve of the questioner but again, sometimes subjects won't answer the question. It's not really smart to continue the interrogation on that point at that point. Unless you never want access again. If you ask the question, good job! But the answer was not given. Ask it again and a third time at your own risk. You're just a lowly reporter. You tried. He wouldn't answer. Why continue unless you don't mind being denied 1-1 interviews in the future. I give the reporter an A. I have no problem there. Trump obviously wasn't in the mood to humor him and let him 'demand' he answer the question. Yes he pulled the 'President' card on the reporter. QUOTE (Soxbadger @ May 2, 2017 -> 03:23 AM) Anyway, why would Trump show up to somewhere that people may challenge his views? I can't believe a successful person such as yourself doesn't understand why he might consider it a bad idea to attend a supposed jovial affair on a weekend with people OUT TO GET HIM? It's not like this event is something important. As far as I know, Trump being there or not being there didn't cost the charity a dime. It was sold out anyway. So let's put this on you. Let's say you are an attorney (I don't know what you do). Let's say you normally attend the Chicago Avaiation Banquet every year. Let's say you've won 3 lawsuits in a row vs the Aviation Commission and you've been told you are despised and several of the people are going to find you and rip into you verbally at this year's banquet. Would you attend? I doubt it, unless you wanted to brag in their faces about the cases you won. Otherwise ... who needs it? No harm in not attending. Why would he EVER wanna break bread with the press 100 days in. Next year? We'll see.

I still love Hawk, but I'm surprised he isn't having a fairwell tour this year. That would snap him out of his doldrums, getting some love at the road games. I wonder if he needs the $$$. Guys in his generation know the value of continuing to earn a BIG paycheck. Money to give to the grandkids, etc.

QUOTE (harkness @ May 2, 2017 -> 02:15 AM) I just can't see Covey having any real future.... mediocre stuff with bad control.. doesn't equate. I was really surprised the Royals didn't end their slump against Covey last week. If these games mattered, which I agree they don't, I would really be upset cause Covey is no Willie McCovey that is for sure. Should be interesting to see if Covey single-handedly woke up the Royals. Not that it matters, but he is putrid as is Pelfrey.

QUOTE (Middle Buffalo @ May 2, 2017 -> 12:47 AM) The reporter gave Trump an opportunity to clarify his statement. Trump is on record saying "lying press" & "fake news," etc. So, here he has an opportunity to explain what he meant when he was talking about the wiretapping. And, rather than clarify, he ended the interview. Sure, he has the hammer, but I don't see how you can think he was in the right. As for the WHCD, I'm not sure your interpretation of Trump's position is wrong. Trump would have been roasted, but he would have had an opportunity for rebuttal. The truth is he is very thin skinned. It has been evident since the debates. But, Trump continues to prove that he is just a bully, and as soon as someone turns the table on him or has an opportunity (the reporter & WHCD), he runs and hides. And, Greg, it's ironic that you are getting frustrated by people not answering your questions, but you are defending Trump for doing the same and and being evasive. First paragraph: I said the reporter did a nice job. Trump obviously doesn't want to go there. When the subject doesn't want to go there and you hammer the point 2-3 times, good for you, the reporter. The reporter deserves plaudits, kudos, but there is the risk of the subject ending the interview and that's what happened. Second paragragh: Trump would have been roasted and had opportunity for rebuttal? Doesn't sound like a fun Saturday night when you hate the people roasting you and they hate you. 100 days in is no time for him to be going to a press dinner event. Runs and hides? He blasted the dinner and blasted the people at the dinner in his comment about not going. Said it would be extremely boring. How's he hiding? It's not like it's the queen of England he stiffed. He stiffed the media. Media have thick skin and are used to being shunned quite frankly. They are big boys and girls and had a nice event without him. Third graph: I'm not really defending Trump. I'm pointing out why he was SMART to not go to the dinner and I'm pointing out the risks of the line of questioning the reporter took. It was an aggressive line of questioning and that's cool. I applaud the reporter. Maybe the next reporter to get a 1 on 1 with Trump will also pursue the same line of questioning. That'd be fine with me but if he says once he won't go there you might as well move on rather than fight him on it or he could walk out. Either way is fine. Just be prepared for him to walk out if u are the reporter.