jackie hayes

QUOTE (DrunkBomber @ May 24, 2008 -> 02:34 PM) Speaking Spanish wasnt part of the job description, and if they want to use the reasoning of safety than they should have fired the people who cant speak English. Youre reasoning for defending this is my whole point. If it starts here where does it stop? There are tons of jobs where communication is vital for safety and all this does is open the door for this to happen other places. Safety isnt the issue I have with this situation, its fairness. I agree that safety should be stressed in jobs like this. However, under no circumstances do I think people should be punished for not speaking Spanish. So based on your reaction, Im assuming you think this is fair and the right thing to do? Do you not think that in this country if a situation arises like this that 100/100 times the English speakers should keep their jobs? Also, do you not think that if they would have fired the Spanish speakers that there wouldnt be more outrage? Thats the problem and as much as you guys got a laugh out of my first post you continue to cement my point with every response. You bring up safety and seem to think its ok because now their safe, but would they not have been safe if they kept the English Speakers? So its OK to lay off or demote these guys because they dont speak spanish in the United States? Since you are using their job description as a point of reference can you please find me in where it says they HAVE to speak Spanish? The crews should have to speak the language of the supervisors, not vice versa. So, they fire the English speakers and people claim its in the name of safety, but if the Spanish speakers were fired it would be discrimination. Nope. If you mean it "should" be that way because the companies will make more money from a policy like that, I'd say that companies tend to know their own business a hell of a lot better than you do. If you mean there's some moral imperative to keep English speakers employed, even at the cost of people who speak Spanish and the company's own profit, I'd say that's bulls***. As for the job description, I don't know what the f*** it says. I don't even know if anyone has been fired, as I haven't seen any documentation of that. Everything I've said and am saying is speaking hypothetically. That is, if it were to happen that a company reorganized its work force to comply with new safety regulations, and in the process laid off particular supervisors because they do not speak Spanish, I would have no outrage over that. It's no different than anyone else who gets laid off because they do not have the skills necessary for a changed environment. I don't have any malice towards them, in fact I do feel bad for them, but it would be a decision made because they would now be unable to perform the job the company wants them to do. That's a legitimate firing, not discriminatory at all. Sometimes old jobs require new skills, and those unable to acquire the skills lose their jobs. It sucks, but it's not a new story. If they found it more efficient to lay off the workers who could not speak English, I would have zero problem with that, as well. Again, IT IS JOB RELATED. That is all I ask about situations like this. You keep making this claim that people would riot if Spanish speakers were fired, which is nonsense. The vast majority of jobs available in the US REQUIRE English proficiency, at least. (And for good reason.) Where are all these riots happening now?

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ May 24, 2008 -> 02:45 PM) Well, in terms of freeing up cap space, there's a couple things the Bulls have going for them if they want to go that route. Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but would 2010 be the summer where Tyrus and Thabo become RFA's? That would mean that if we still held them, that would help free up cap space because they wouldn't be under contract right when the bidding starts. Noah would still be on his rookie deal, ditto Rose. The Bulls already hold 1 big expiring contract for that year in Larry Hughes. If you hold Hughes that covers a chunk of it. Gooden expires at the end of this year so he's no worry either There are 4 problem guys though. Gordon, Deng, Hinrich, and Nocioni. Assume that the first 2 pick up $10 mil a year extensions this year, and even with the way Hinrich's contract is structured, that's going to be a $40 million chunk right there. If you could turn 2 of those 4 in to an expiring deal for that year, that sets you up. But you can't hold more than 3 of them and expect to have the room. The other problem is...there are more than a few teams looking for those contracts. The Knicks are the big fish there, and they're in a position where if they make no moves they'll have good cap room after 2010. I agree, and I'm not saying it's a sure thing. But I imagine any deal would involve at least one of Hinrich and Nocioni being shipped out (probably Hinrich). Swap that for a contract that expires at the right time, plus Hughes's deal, and the Bulls could be a major player. (As the time gets closer, maybe deal another one off -- though I can't really imagine the Bulls dealing Deng.) Figure the Knicks and Nets are looking at that group, as well, so I'm not assuming it would be automatic. But we could realistically have a better supporting cast already in place, plus Wade is from Chicago, plus I won't listen to anyone who wants to quash my dreams, and voila, the Bulls return to prominence!

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ May 24, 2008 -> 12:59 PM) So, this statement is one I agree with, and I think it illustrates a lot of the problems with the trade for a vet scenarios. Brand is 29, has been in the league for about 9 years, is coming off a major injury, and has a lot of miles on his body. Redd turns 29 later this year, but has played 8 seasons. Both of them are right around the age where they're nearing the end of their performance peak (like 26-29 years of age). Now, if we were trying to assemble a team to compete this year, both of them are solid options. But you just made the key point. No matter how good a prospect Rose is...even if he wins the ROY over say, Oden, and has a very good first year, if he's going to develop in to a star, that's still a couple years away. He'll be the equivalent of a 20 year old college sophomore next year. If you pack guys like Brand and Redd on this team, you make a run at the conference finals next year, but then as Rose develops, you expect to see them starting to go downhill, get hurt more, and just be less productive per unit time. This is one of the reasons, whether or not you like hte particular guys, that I like the "all recent draftee" lineup of Tyrus, Deng, Noah, Rose, and Gordon/Thabo, because you can grow them together. None of them are at their peak ages yet, and when Rose does start developing and going upwards, so will the rest of them. The other thing to think about, though, is the contract. There's still a lot of uncertainty about the big fa class a couple years down the line, but if you get an older guy whose contract comes off the books soon, it puts you in a position to offer the max money that LeBron, Wade, and Bosh will command. And as much as I like Deng's potential as a 'complementary star', I can't help but think that that group you mention is just not good enough to win a title. Not now, not in two or three years, even. But with a core of Wade, Rose, Deng -- who knows, but I'd like our odds.

QUOTE (DrunkBomber @ May 24, 2008 -> 12:31 PM) If it was a matter of getting fired for not being good at their jobs than thats completely different. These firefighters werent demoted or laid off because they were bad at their jobs, it was because they didnt speak spanish. Uh, no. Unless you think safety is not part of the job description, it does affect performance.

QUOTE (StatManDu @ May 24, 2008 -> 11:21 AM) Ludwick would evoke suspicion now, I believe Don't forget Justin Upton. Just this year, that guys hit three times as many homers as he did in his whole career! It just makes me sick.

Feds ratchet up pressure on illegal immigrants; hundreds rounded up and convicted (not merely deported) in Iowa: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/24/us/24immig.html

QUOTE (Mplssoxfan @ May 22, 2008 -> 08:08 AM) Leave it to the St. Paul Saints to have a promotion that could only end up in the Filibuster. Bobblefoot Day on Sunday. Alas, I'm working. A couple days old, but I didn't look at the link until now. Awesome. You should call in sick -- these things are already going for $100 on ebay, with days to go before they close. Or you could donate it to me, and gain my priceless gratitude.

Drop him for Daniel Cabrera. This is the year.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ May 23, 2008 -> 03:52 PM) Wow, this is convenient thread timing. Senator "Tubes" Stevens in December seems to have requested that the Department of Energy undertake a study to see how much opening up ANWR would have dropped the price of oil. Their answer? $.75 a barrel. That seems reasonable. Another article says: Link. Just taking the midpoint, say that production would equal .8% of world production. Even if world supply in inelastic (roughly, OPEC doesn't offset new production by reducing its own), long-run demand elasticity is relatively high, so the effect will be less than .008*130 = 1.04 (taking 130 as a long-run price -- just ballparking). So that seems believable.

QUOTE (rangercal @ May 23, 2008 -> 03:29 PM) yup . it's called linkbait to increase his PR Otoh, if his story gets more hits than usual, that tells us he must be juicing.

QUOTE (FlaSoxxJim @ May 23, 2008 -> 04:04 PM) I had the coffee angels smiling down on me yesterday when i went into Starbucks to get a venti regular coffee and the machine was broken so I got an espresso Americana for the same price. At home, if I want to take the time my favorite café Cubano is either Pilon or Bustello or, better still, the premium (silver) Italian Cafe Kimbo, espresso grind in the foil pack (a friend from Naples sends it). All of those are brewed a cup at a time in a stove top espresso pot, and if I'm doing Cubano I'll add the sugar to the espresso pot for authenticity. if I'm short on time I'll do Pilon instant espresso, which makes a passable drink. I loves my coffee. The hardcore coffee guy... Cafe Bustelo isn't bad stuff, though I just go with Folgers. I drink more like Tex, six cups or so at a time. I can't do one cup. When I can find good, fresh Kenyan coffee at a decent price, that makes my week. But it's a rarity.

QUOTE (Y2HH @ May 23, 2008 -> 03:37 PM) I get regular coffee at *$ all the time, I like extra strong coffee like that. And a large at DD where I work costs 1.97 with tax, though I have seen it somewhat more expensive by 10-20 cents at other DD's. Same here. In fact, I don't think I've bought anything BUT drip at Starbucks in years. I wasn't really trying to start anything, just saying that, to me, "old school" coffee should cost a buck or less. You still find that at some local donut shops, but not really anywhere else. And I like both DD and Starbucks coffee (although I rarely buy any coffee now, just use my coffeemaker 98% of the time).

QUOTE (SoxFan562004 @ May 23, 2008 -> 03:23 PM) Not for a "coffee" at Starbucks, depending on the roast I think you can get any size of "coffee" at Starbucks for under $2.00. Now, the large at DD is bigger than Starbucks venti and speciality drinks do clock in at about 4.50-5.00 Yeah, I'm just talking about plain coffee, nothing fancy.

QUOTE (Gregory Pratt @ May 23, 2008 -> 11:57 AM) I'm suspicious of a lot of players in MLB. Few more than others. I'm just saying -- if someone referred to someone as little McGwire, little Sosa, little Palmeiro, I'd have to look twice. That explains your fear of Yankee games, at least. No telling what terror Hideki Matsui will unleash.

QUOTE (Gregory Pratt @ May 23, 2008 -> 11:41 AM) I have questions about Quentin. When I heard players refer to him as "Little Canseco," even if he does look like him and he does stand like him it certainly evokes steroids. Is he? I make no allegation. I simply have suspicions. re: Chipper Jones and Berkman -- nothing would surprise me, but Jones has hit more singles this season than at any point in his career and besides, his late-career evolution is not without precedent in guys like Molitor or Brett. It is a little suspicious that he's having such amazing seasons, but who knows. Berkman I don't know either, but it's possible. I don't want to play that game that oh, he's doing really good... I don't think either of them have yet shattered any records, so we'll have to see the end of the season for statistical analysis. I don't think production is a good reason to suspect anyone either. But what kind of logic is this? You "don't want to play that game" that a good season raises steroid suspicion, but a nickname is enough? Are you off your rocker?

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ May 23, 2008 -> 11:29 AM) If you increase production of Saudi oil by 1 m bpd or you increase domestic production by 1 m bpd, then in theory the results on the price should be the same. But that makes lots of assumptions, like assuming there won't be a corresponding increase in demand or that the monopoly in the system won't cut production to keep the price high. Right, that's how I'm thinking about it. I don't see any way for the cost to enter into the discussion, at least when the price is so far above cost. As for the other assumptions, I see no way adding a supplier will change demand itself, although it may obviously change the amount demanded. The second possibility looks downright likely to me -- maybe they would not cut production to fully offset the new source, but given the growth in world oil demand, I don't see why they wouldn't partially offset it.

QUOTE (robinventura23 @ May 23, 2008 -> 11:24 AM) I hate the snooty, obnoxious personalities that congregate in Starbucks. I'm the old-school, Dunkin Donuts type of person. I don't know how "old school" DD is when they charge almost as much as Starbucks. I'm not saying they have bad coffee, just that it's not really a donut shop price, anymore, and that takes something away.

QUOTE (ChiSox_Sonix @ May 23, 2008 -> 11:08 AM) I root for Liverpool so i didnt care too much who won. I was pleased to see an entertaining game. Drogba's slap in ET was beyond dumb. I felt bad for John Terry, wish it was someone else who missed that. And they gotta do something about Ronaldo's PKs, that has to be (or should be) illegal. The announcers were speculating that it would have been a rekick, had it gone in. Who knows, though.

I've been following the blogs vs traditional media journalists fight over at Deadspin, and I have to say, THIS is why blogs are giving better analysis these days. They can be crass, fine, but when you're reading them you can by and large avoid patently stupid arguments. At least, the ones who engage in this sort of dumbf***ery are shouted into oblivion by their own commenters. Just sheer idiocy.

I don't assume anyone is clean, but... What a f***ing moron.

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ May 23, 2008 -> 09:54 AM) It does matter as to the price impact of 1 bbl of ANWR oil or 1 bbl of Saudi oil. I don't see how. Explain?

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ May 23, 2008 -> 10:28 AM) Found this: http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/fs-0028-01/fs-0028-01.htm So the recoverable cost of ANWR oil is $24/ barrel in 1998 dollars, which is ~$31/ barrel today. Anyone know the cost of Saudi oil? Sort of... What the report is saying is that at a price of $24/barrel, it will be profitable to recover X barrels (5.2 bil, in the average scenario) total from ANWR. Because you're taking out the easy oil first, extraction becomes more costly as you take more out (marginal cost increases). So it's not a constant cost of $24/barrel. $24/barrel is the marginal cost, the cost to extract one more barrel, after 5.2 bb have already been extracted (in the mean scenario, at least). Anyway, the takehome lesson from looking at the graph is that basically everything will be extracted at current prices. The Saudis almost certainly have lower costs, but the current price is so far above extraction costs that the difference doesn't matter much to the reasoning.

QUOTE (shipps @ May 23, 2008 -> 09:54 AM) Its funny how often coffee is compared to gender/sexual references.Why is it so easy to use coffee analogies for that? Because everyone knows at least one barista he'd like to bang.

The latest trade offered to me -- His Werth, Rasner, and Cliff Lee for my Braun and Furcal. What a f***ing idiot. If you want to sell high on Werth and Lee (and Rasner, I guess...but that's a stretch), you might want to got for, maybe, some of my guys who aren't playing great. Not two of my best players who are kicking ass in the meantime. So I asked for his Reyes, Sizemore, Webb, Putz, and Lackey for my Escobar, Longoria, Greinke, Duchscherer, and Franklin. I think we're getting pretty close to an agreement here...

Since this is the "economy" thread, it should be pointed out that the consensus among economists is that the gas tax should be considerably higher. Just saying.