Chisoxfn

QUOTE(Steff @ Jan 19, 2006 -> 11:27 AM) Right, but even still.. the 2x rule would still not apply across the board. A better more accurate (IMO) rule is not to exceed 20% of your monthly income towards paying a house payment. The typical ratio is 50%, but its not the ratio of the price of the home. Has more to deal with the actual payment and how it figures. YOu have two ratio's when you do a loan and depending on the loan program you want you need to get them into whack (most of the time people just bs the ratio's anyway cause they are for the most part garbage). Just think about when you go buy a car, most of the time the dealers will tell you to just make up a figure (if you are getting a loan through them) thats higher. If people actually had to properly qualify for these loans (and they got strict on it), than you'd see the price of homes fall big time.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Jan 19, 2006 -> 11:24 AM) There could be a sizable difference between buying today and 3 months from now... Who knows how long it will take the guy to find a place. Mortgage rates haven't gone up nearly as much as interest rates, so eventually there is going to be an evening out of things. I could get someone the same loan today that I could a year ago. The media likes to hype a lot about the rate and sure the fed rate has adjusted, but that has a minimal effect on the rate you can get for mortages. What would change is if they made qualifications stricter on loans cause right now almost anyone can get a loan (regardless of how much money they can put down). Plus the programs out there (which are so liberal in a sense) allow people to pay a lot less on homes (low start rates, etc).

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Jan 19, 2006 -> 11:17 AM) Low interest rates have a lot to do with that. Once interest rates start to go up, is when you will really see that start to change back towards the 2Xs figure. Rates aren't going up, not on mortgages. Plus that figure may work in certain areas, but not many people are going to make the median price in the Orange County or LA area and my guess is that works in Chicago too. The median price of homes (was in the paper today on the real estate front page) is over 600K. However, California real estate over the past 16 years has seen an average apprecaition of 7.1% (pretty damn good). I'm sure if you factored in SoCal alone it be even more ridiculous.

Cripes addy....now I don't know if I support it Well, not until you eat that hat, haha.

I ended up preordering it so I'm gonna pick it up when I got off work. Can't wait. Haven't played any games (aside from Fifa International Soccer and Super Mario World) in a while.

Damn thats really interesting. if they sat down, JA must be serious about considering TO as an addition. I love TO the player and this would definately be a risky move, but its one I could live with assuming Rex and the players give the okay.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Jan 19, 2006 -> 09:37 AM) I still don't like the idea of having as valuable of a chip as him and letting him walk with us getting absolutely nothing in return, given that we want to build a franchise that can win for a long time here. If we got another Ws championship out of it I'll be able to live with it.

I'm kind of confused. Jimbo's is a cool place but they only have a few really small tv's. If I'm going to watch the superbowl I'm going to a place with a lot of real nice HDTV's.

QUOTE(Heads22 @ Jan 19, 2006 -> 09:26 AM) I watched Brunner in HS. The general consensus around NE Iowa was that he kind of seemed like a waste of a schollie. No idea how he got as good as he is. He works hard, that's for damn sure. I'm going to guess Horner's knee and the contraptions that are on it are not helping his shot. I also think the Hawks have a nice future in Tony Freeman, but I've been hearing their basketball recruiting has been lacking.....ISU on the other hand.... Freeman was the lone good recruit. Guy is really talented though. Super quick and can play pretty good defefnse as a freshman. Needs to develop more of an offensive game, but I like him and he gets pretty good minutes. Alex Thompson is a guy I've been expecting some things from. Alford always talks him up and he'll ocassional make some real nice moves, only to blow open shots. Don't know how the recruiting is this year, but I expect the Hawks to totally blow next year so they need to do something good this year.

QUOTE(Heads22 @ Jan 19, 2006 -> 09:29 AM) Heh. At least he's our "assbag". I wouldn't want any other "assbag" running that offense. Greasy? Me either....I prefer Brady on the Pats so he can win big games (3 Super Bowl Championships).

QUOTE(CanOfCorn @ Jan 19, 2006 -> 08:33 AM) Think of it this way. We have him signed through the year. He doesn't have an extension. If we need something at the trade deadline, he's our man. And, hopefully, he'll be the pitcher he was last year...even 3/4 the pitcher and we should get something good in return. If we can't trade him, we keep him for the year and hopefully get the draft pick...I would imagine it would be a sandwich pick at least. If not that, he goes and gets whatever he wants, and we plug in BMAC, who will have one more year of experience under his belt. Kenny is dealing from a position of strength. We want the Count here, but we are prepared if he leaves. What a fantastic job by K-Dub!!! If he pitches like he did during the 2nd half of last season we'd be fools to trade him. Ride him into the post-season and see what can happen cause the guy was a beast for the 2nd half of the season (best pitcher in the AL too).

QUOTE(Gene Honda Civic @ Jan 18, 2006 -> 08:59 PM) They shot a decent percentage from the line, they just missed them at the most inopportune times. 3-pointers are another question. 1-for-20 ain't gonna cut it. And what is Brunner doing taking as many 3's as Haluska? The thing I don't get is that career wise both Haluska and Horner are very good 3 point shooters. Hell at some points last season Horner was absolutely dynamite from beyond the arch. This season I've seen very few games where he flashes his shot of old. They need that shot too, because it would take the pressure off Brunner and Haluska. Thankfully Hansen had a HUGE game. Funny thing with Brunner is, whenver I get to watch the games he sinks a couple 3's when he's open but when I don't watch I look at the box score and he never makes anything. He had a monster rebounding effort. I can't slam Brunner too much, the guy is like an old man (at least he looks like one) and he just competes and guts it caus the man doesn't have much talent (yet he makes by far the most out of it). The free throws really frustrated me though. Iowa is a better shooting free throw team than they used to be, but these are guys that are decent free throw shooters missing clutch free throw after clutch free throw. That said the defense seems to be getting more consistent and thats a big thing cause Iowa can play pretty good defense and it allows them to win when they shoot 1/20 from the 3 point line. I expect a really good performance on Saturday. Don't know if it will be enough, but one thing I've learned is Alford always has his guys prepared for the big games and this will be a big one. Now if only he could keep them motivated for the smaller games.

QUOTE(Heads22 @ Jan 18, 2006 -> 09:12 PM) Anyone knows that if the O-line is having a bad game, Peyton looks average. I don't see why everyone hates him. The coaching staff has entrusted him with running the offense.....he's an offensive coordinator on the field. Cause he's a f***ing assbag.

ROFL, I don't even notice a difference.

QUOTE(Brian @ Jan 19, 2006 -> 08:32 AM) Who's Shawn White? He's a pro snowboarder (maybe the best in the world, imo) and a pro skater.

On a sidenote, for the most part I agree with 101. That said its very out of character for a guy like AD so I give him the benefit of the doubt for the time being. I'd like to hear what AD has to say, because for him to go into the stands I'd have to think his wife felt threatened or something. I'm sure we'll find out more tonight or tomorrow morning.

If I were a Bulls player I'd have helped Antonio Davis out. Davis is a total class act (one of the few in the NBA). Stupid ass fans have no business harrassing a guys wife. Thats f***ing classless.

Iowa missed a free throw to potentially win it at the end of the 1st OT. Minn missed two free throws to potentially win it at the end of double OT. Iowa just missed another free throw but they are up 4 with 10 seconds left and the ball. If they blow this...I'll be pissed. Just get this win cause I got a feeling we'll come out playing good basketball saturday @ MSUU. I don't know if we'll be able to do enough to win, but I like our chances cause we play a similar style to MSU (The key will be Hasnen staying out of foul trouble; the guy is one of the best defensive bigs in the conference and had a huge game tonight for the Hawks). As I type this Horner misses another free throw (2nd straight miss) and than misses a 3rd. f*** Horner, you were a real good shooter prior to this season (I got no clue whats happening to him). They are able to hold off and get the win. Alford better have these ass clowns shooting xtra free throws after this game.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Jan 18, 2006 -> 09:50 AM) The Indians strengthened their roster this year Rob? Paul Byrd being that huge upgrade from Millwood? Seriously, I understand stats being a good way to analyze things, but it isn't the only way. Oh well I don't care.

QUOTE(SnB @ Jan 18, 2006 -> 07:13 PM) i fifth it because krush would hurt me if i said otherwise. You don't have to take the abuse...there are other options

QUOTE(Texsox @ Jan 18, 2006 -> 08:04 AM) I third it, and really dislike unfunny, rude, drunks sitting near me, especially when I have kids with. I fourth it cause its so true.

Iowa game going to double OT. Brunner missed what would have been the game winning free throw. Man, Iowa needs this game. A loss here would be a big blow and would further prove that Alford is a worthless coach. I guess I should stop b****ing cause I already know his teams play down to the competition and because of that they never end up having strong seasons. It sucks too, cause Iowa has as a team that with a good coach would be competing for the big 10 title. Instead they will finish middle of the pack and hope like hell they finish strong in the big 10 tourney and find a way into an 8 or 9 seed. Damn Alford

I don't care what you all want to see, but Bush is gonna run faster than 4.4 and the best part about him is that he isn't any slower in pads. Calhoun is a poor mans Bush as to Ben Gordon being a poor mans AI. Reggie Bush can do a lot of things well. He's not going to be the typical 30 carry back but he's gonna be good. Lendale is gonna be a beast as well. Both are lightyears better than Calhoun. Calhoun is good and I don't think he really hurt himself by going pro this year. Same with Maurice Drew (who I happen to think is pretty solid). I don't expect either to be stars though (not like White and Bush, who will be stars).

That said Iowa has to take care of business at home tonight against Minn and they've blown a decent size half time lead.

S Corps are very good. Couldn't tell ya about setting em up though. Don't have any experience in that regards. I can tell you my dad has had zero problems with his, which he's been using for about 15 years. Used a normal corp prior to that (it fit what he was doing better at the time). You just pass the earnings through and it allows you to get most of the benefits of a corporation without the side-effects (ie the double taxation).