kapkomet

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Aug 2, 2007 -> 10:01 PM) Like invading Iraq. (sorry, wrong thread, I know) Seriously, yes, to an extent.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Aug 2, 2007 -> 09:57 PM) The big problem is that fixing it, especially fixing things like this before they become disasters, often involves spending money, and a lot of money at that. And lately, the "No new taxes" message has gone over a lot more effectively than the "We need to raise taxes before our country falls apart" message. Balta, no... no no no no... We have more $$ in the treasury then ever before. It's just that the politicians in Washington want to spend it on everything besides what we really need it for.

QUOTE(kwolf68 @ Aug 2, 2007 -> 09:54 PM) Anderon is striking out once every 4 at bats in AAA ball and is currently at .255. He would be on pace for about 150 strike outs at the AAA leve. I'd have to assume he'd K close to 200 times if given 600 Major League at bats. So, it may not be attitude at all. It may be just that Brian Anderson isn't a big league caliber hitter. Anderson IS not doing a thing, he WAS striking out. He's done, for this year, and quite possibly for good.

QUOTE(Texsox @ Aug 2, 2007 -> 09:50 PM) As in deport them all, and find millions of replacement workers? Unlimited budget for deportations? Should we raise taxes to pay for the enforcement and offer businesses help in locating workers? NO. For goodness sake, there are other means besides deporting them all... and then going to the other extreme of making them all citizens.

QUOTE(Mplssoxfan @ Aug 2, 2007 -> 09:50 PM) If this leads to prioritizing money for infrastructure, than at least something good will come out of the tragedy. Like kap, though, I have my doubts that priorities will change. Already here in Minne, Dems are taking shots at Reps and vice versa. It's disgusting, frankly. I say a lot of hyperbolic things on purpose around here, because most of what's spouted by my so-called counter opinions are pretty hyperbolic as well, only most of those folks don't see it that way. In this case, it makes me SICK when people politicize something like this. What the hell is wrong with you people (you people being the politicians)? It's a problem, it was before 6:00 last night, and now it's a bigger problem. Stop blaming people, fix it, and let's move on.

QUOTE(Texsox @ Aug 2, 2007 -> 09:47 PM) For the average person living in a country, a war zone is much worse than what most evil dictators attempt. We have destroyed much of that country for reasons that shift like the sand and may have been fradualant at worse and misleading at best. No WMD and there are far more countries that pose bigger risks. But we have this mess and need to fix it. It is our moral obligation to the innocents. I wish we could agree on a path out, but we first have to get some to admit we should be out. In a twisted sort of way, one ha to be impressed that a mismatched, poorly trained, poorly equiped, group of fighters could be battling US Troops this long. When one is fighting for more than a paycheck and GI bill perhaps they are inspired. One more lost American life is too much. We watched as the citizens of Vietnam would not pick up their end and here it is again. With so little help from them I have no problem seeing us leave and allowing the pieces to fall. Then we can talk about humanitarian efforts to restore their country. Oh goodie. Another Vietnam and Iraq comparison.

QUOTE(wilmot825 @ Aug 2, 2007 -> 08:03 PM) Once Again Erstad got hurt today in the game vs. the Yankees. In the top of the 6th, Erstad swung and hit a fly ball to Cabrera in center for an out. Before even running to first, he fell out of the box then jogged to first before grabbing his thighs. Hawk reported that he left the game for back spasms. I think its time to cut the man loose and move on from this once great player. Genius. I mean, GENIUS. They KNEW he was going to be the ultimate glass boy, so they didn't sign him. BRILLIANT!

Let's get out of Iraq and spend the money on our infastructure... The only problem is, they will find 1.5 trillion other things to spend the money on - funny how that works.

QUOTE(StrangeSox @ Aug 2, 2007 -> 09:24 PM) We are 100% responsible for creating the situation, not neccesarily for perpetuating it. It has taken them over 4 years to get together a decent plan and to try to put it to use. We won World War 2 in less time. And this part, I totally agree with... there should have been a "surge" about 3.5 years ago. You cannot compare WWII with this sort of war... because it's not the same thing at all.

QUOTE(BigSqwert @ Aug 2, 2007 -> 09:18 PM) I didn't mean before we invaded. I meant pre 9/11. Seriously, I meant before 9/11. I thought in about 1998 or so we needed to take care of business, based on the Clinton administration's findings of him having WMD's and continuing to break UN resolutions.

QUOTE(BigSqwert @ Aug 2, 2007 -> 09:18 PM) You have seriously become delusional. Ok, I'll stop. Honestly, and you all know I say this all the time. The truth is somewhere in the middle. Most of you want to come in here and take the tact that we're all at fault for everything bad that happens in Iraq. The truth is, we are trying to stabalize the country - but the fanatics over there aren't going to let it happen, not easily anyway. To say that we're totally responsible for the chaos is not the truth. To say we're partially responsible because we didn't have a plan to maintain the balance of power, yes, that's right. You all have to see that much, instead of totally, 100% blaiming the Bush Administration, like a lot of you like to do.

QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Aug 2, 2007 -> 09:13 PM) Not even close. Since 2003, that's 4 years, hundreds of thousands of Iraqis have died (not even to mention thousands of non-Iraqi soldiers like ours, and contractors as well). You can add up all the maniacal stuff Saddam did in his 30 years and it wouldn't touch that number. In fact, while Iraq was no heaven, they did have power, schools, business, and some degree of safety on the street. Sorry Kap, but WE turned that country into what it is today. We invaded it, we made it a battle ground. There are lots of reasons for having done it, some maybe even have some legitimacy. But there is no denying that its in the shape it is because of us. So we go over there, try to maintain the peace, and get blamed for messing the whole country up? Nice.

QUOTE(BigSqwert @ Aug 2, 2007 -> 09:14 PM) So before 9/11 you were outspoken in having our government ousting Sadam? Actually, I was. For the simple fact that he kept breaking all of the UN resolutions by shooting at our planes all of the time, and never let the inspectors REALLY do what they needed to (OH BUT WAIT!!! ... Saddam was an ANGEL and by the goodness of his hear, he let the inspectors back in a year or so before the invasion... and of course, they weren't going to find anything anyway, because they were getting tipped off because the UN was getting fat $$$$$ in the oil for food program.)

And 100,000's of thousands died at the hands of Hussein to repress anyone who might take over the government, well over what THE UNITED STATES have caused over there. Remember, they are blowing themselves up, not us. And again, that's all our fault, huh? What if Saddam would have gotten overthrown, without anything we did? It would still be this way today, most likely... and we would STILL be over there. Nice logic. They could CHOOSE to live peacefully and harness the opportunities we gave them to be a "free" country. Or, they might not. We're partially to blame, but not all to blame - and it disgusts me that some of you here think this is entirely our fault.

Amazing. There were that many people and more getting killed every day by Saddam's regime. Now, the good 'ol US of A is TOTALLY responsible for the mess over there. Not Al Queda, not repressed people lashing out because they can, not idiots hell-bent on creating a civil war, THE US is responsible for all of this.

And America is 100% at fault. /rolly

QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Aug 2, 2007 -> 07:24 PM) A few financial items that might be discussion worthy... So the markets had a bit of a panic, partially due to the whole sub-prime mortgage phenomenon, and there is a general fear that the big housing boom followed by the correction means a lot of mortgages will fail. Some are even predicting massive doom. There is a CNN article discussing these things, but also, the increasing realization that the economic recovery of 2003-2005 was in great part fueled by the housing boom. So putting defaults aside, another major danger to the economy is that the absurdly high consumer spending propelled by home equity dollars will have to dwindle. I'll be obnoxious here and say that I mentioned this a couple years ago. Anyway, its becoming reality now. How bad will it get? Also on the mortgage subject, saw another article on a neat mortgage tool gaining steam in the U.S. It originated in Australia. Its much like a standard variable mortgage or HELOC, except instead of making payments against it, you actually deposit your paychecks to it, and pay out against other bills. this means your avg daily balance is lower, saving a bit on interest every month, and you have the potential to save tens of thousands in the long run. Only practical for those making positive net ground, though. What do people think of this? I might consider it in a few years, when its time to look to move out of the city and into a house somewhere. And here is one more question - are stocks still overvalued, or did the correction last week take care of that? Of course, I already have a house, but I'll have to read more on this. IMO, things are still over-valued... but as to why, well, I have to work right now.

OMG OMG OMG OMG GOOCH has played well in THREE GAMES! OMG OMG OMG! Sometimes you people amaze me.

QUOTE(southsideirish71 @ Aug 2, 2007 -> 06:46 PM) Here is the nut of it. About a month ago, Kenny was steaming in the papers about how changes were coming. He put everyone on notice. And pretty much did nothing. The trade deadline is here and gone. What is the penalty now for the vets to play bad. That remains to be seen. Most of the "said" veterans have picked up their play.

QUOTE(fathom @ Aug 2, 2007 -> 06:43 PM) So, now that we only have Buehrle, Vazquez, and Jenks pitching well for us this year, why does Don Cooper have a job? Now that we're also scoring runs and people are starting to hit, why does Greg Walker have a job?

Wait 'til NEXT YEAR! Oh wait a minute... this whole damn board is starting to sound like... oh nevermind.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Aug 2, 2007 -> 01:11 AM) Then you were part of the 30% who paid attention to more than the words "Saddam" and "Al Qaeda" in those speeches in 2002-2003, I applaud you for that, and still think that the conflating of the 2 in the minds of the majority of Americans was fully deliberate and 100% necessary for the war to have happened. I concede that, and I did a long time ago... but for some folks to say that BushCo has DIRECTLY connected 9/11 and Iraq, it's just plain wrong, and I find it irritating. There's plenty of crap to pile BushCo on, and this is NOT one of them.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Aug 1, 2007 -> 10:59 PM) BP is in Whiting Ah... ok. Well, Gary is close enough, just like BushCo said 9/11 and Iraq were linked. ZING!

Wow, Holy crap, for a second I thought that was here when I saw I-35W. It splits for Fort Worth and Dallas, just like Minneapolis and St. Paul.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Aug 1, 2007 -> 11:04 PM) Yes. Very different things. One of them would be a Causus Belli. One would not. Which is why it didn't seem anyone in the Administration went out of their way to correct the pre-war polls that found some 70% of Americans believed Saddam was responsible for 9/11. Because they needed the American people to believe that to have their war. I just do not believe that - but then again, I'm not sheeple, either, and I'm intelligent to know the difference.