YASNY

QUOTE(Texsox @ Jan 18, 2006 -> 11:52 AM) I think the members are, same with the GOP. What is coordinated is the platform and some of the talking points. And Republicans can't dance They're too white!

QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Jan 18, 2006 -> 11:49 AM) I think that's very true. Well said. :headshake You leftist centrist.

QUOTE(Texsox @ Jan 18, 2006 -> 11:44 AM) Coordinated? With so many personal agendas out there, I really doubt any of this is coordinated beyond the usual party talking points coming out of the RNC and DNC. Just like the White House will send out the flackies to make the rounds of the talk shows, news shows, and columnists, I'm certain there are some points that people will agree on and mention. So, what you are saying that the Democratic Party (should I be using caps here?) is uncoordinated?

Deploderer, I can totally understand why it touched a nerve. I've had a nerve or two touched around here as well. Just keep standing up and educating whereever possible.

The only thing I'm assuming here is that if expenses cut into profits, they'll cut expenses whereever possible. Payroll seems like an obvious target under the circumstances.

It's easy being green.

Aye, Mreye, Happy birthday!

QUOTE(Texsox @ Jan 18, 2006 -> 11:25 AM) I think you hit the nail on the head. No one wants to admit they were wrong, but everyone will make a *new* decision, based on *new* information. It may be to change, it may be to reaffirm their previous position. On certain issues, I am very comfortable around my GOP friends, on others, the Dems think I'm one of them. In actuality, I do not trust either party to have total control. If I had to chose, I'd rather be labeled a Dem than a Rep. but would prefer to avoid either label. Independent doesn't fit, I love the two party system, with all it's flaws. You definitely do not fall into the "hard liners" in my opinion.

QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Jan 18, 2006 -> 11:00 AM) Centrist *insert noun* is probably more accurate. I just happen to be taking up the "leftist" cause on this one. Serious question for you. I perceive myself as a moderate that leans strongly to the conservative side of the fence. How would you catagorize yourself?

Ok. Let's not get all defensive here. What I'm trying to say is that I really keep trying to step closer to the center, yet am finding it difficult. There are posters on both sides that never give an inch, but the mortars from right aren't generally aimed at me, so maybe it's a matter of which direction I'm looking for them that is skewing my perspective. To put it in a nutshell. We don't have balance in DC these days. We need it, but I'm more wary of the liberal agenda than I am the conservative agenda. I can be pulled to closer to the center if I'm not browbeaten into it.

All this does, is give incentive to Wal-Mart to keep payroll lower. Thus, less hiring and lower raises. They can always blame the Maryland legislature for poor raises accross the board.

QUOTE(Texsox @ Jan 18, 2006 -> 07:25 AM) As I am sick and tired of people trying to lump in regular liberal folks with the extremists. For the most part, both sides here in Soxtalk seem to border on the extremities of their affiliation. In some cases, the "border" is completely out of sight. I don't know if it's a natural consequence of the debate in here. I do know this much ... every time I start being back toward the center, I get knocked back from it with a huge sandbag that hits me from the left. I know we have some swinging sandbags from the right at as well, but I don't if anyone on the other side gets close enough to get hit by them.

QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Jan 18, 2006 -> 09:28 AM) Agreed. And I am getting tired of the hypocrisy of prople saying labeling everything any democrat says as "Leftist *insert insulting noun here*". It's such an immature, laughable response, lumping all people who disagree with the GOP into the "extremist" camp. And then they b**** and moan when a Democrat says that the extremists in the GOP are dragging the party right, which is somehow taken to be an affront to all Chirstians. Can we have some maturity and intelligent discussions in here, without the insults and marginalization? You leftist *searching for appropriate insulting noun*!

QUOTE(Texsox @ Jan 18, 2006 -> 10:38 AM) I thought he was from Nevada? Isn't Kerry and Kennedy from Mass? Kennedy is massive, I'll say that much. Kerry couldn't go to mass.

Tommorrow's headline: Senator Ried's Staff Resigns In Mass I jest. I jest.

QUOTE(Texsox @ Jan 18, 2006 -> 10:26 AM) My favorite uncle was diagnosed with cancer, again. He has been having problems speaking on the phone from previous surgeries, so I've picked up pen and paper a few times to write him a letter and I keep coming up blank. Everything I write seems too morbid and good bye. I am at a loss for words. Suggestions? When my grandmother passed away she was lucid and aware what was happening. We didn't have much time, but I went to her and grabbed hand, kissed it, and told how much I love her and that I'd see her "in the twinking of eye". You usually don't get the chance to say goodbye to someone you care about. Don't miss this this opportuntity to let him what he means to you.

QUOTE(SoCalSouthSider59 @ Jan 17, 2006 -> 10:15 PM) Don't i know it! Ahhhh, a true afficionado of good ole hard rock you are.......... My first CD purchase in 1985-ZZ Top's Greatest Hits, the original album version, analogged to CD....... My 1st CD purchase ... Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms

I believe Wal-Mart had planned a big new distribution facility in Maryland. I'd guess that they are rethinking that decision already.

I'm going to stay out of this one. Too much s*** being slung.

What if the child grew up to be the spitting image of his father. As the boy matured, his mother would be looking at, basically, the face of the man that raped her.

QUOTE(RME JICO @ Jan 17, 2006 -> 06:38 PM) So if 37 is between top and bottom, you can safely say the middle would be somewhere around 18. So 18 unconverted outs for an entire season. Now out of those 18 unconverted outs, how many will actually result in a score? I would say less than half, maybe 7. So an average fielder to best fielder yields a difference of 7 runs a year. Now if those are spread over an entire season, how many games are lost due to those runs? 2 or 3 at the most. So even though fielding is an important, the difference between great and average does not affect the game as much as hitting or pitching does. You are talking about 7 runs when it should be 7 scoring situations. You give the offense an extra out, many times that leads to multiple runs instead of just one. See the Dye HBP in WS Game 2 as an example of what happens when a what could have eventually turned into an out adds to an inning.

QUOTE(Balance @ Jan 17, 2006 -> 03:45 PM) Option 2 makes the most sense. "We can rebuild him. We have the technology." Wait? Is this a Six Million Dollar Man reference?

QUOTE(mreye @ Jan 17, 2006 -> 03:44 PM) I don't see the big deal about this. I'm a member of the Knights of Columbus. Women can't join. Does that make me a woman hater? Just don't get nominated to the be a SC justice.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Jan 17, 2006 -> 03:20 PM) Bush is not trampling over the constitution by any sort of invasion of privacy. There is, as far as I know, no detailed explanation of a right to privacy in the constitution as of now (I would support that amendment if it were offered). Therefore, simply infringing on people's rights to privacy is not a violation of the constitution. It wasn't right when Clinton did it, which is why FISA was amended a few years later by the Republican Congress, but it wasn't illegal. If there is any trampling of the Constitution, it is against this clause: "he shall take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed". Given that there is a law which specifically prohibits those wiretaps without a court warrant, his actions seem to be in conflict with that statement. This is why they point to the post-9/11 resolution authorizing force as justification, because without that language (flimsy as their defense may be), then the WH would be openly in violation of the law and would clearly not be faithfully executing the law. And yes, FISA is a law, and it specifically covers electronic surveillance involving U.S. citizens. Here is the Text of the act. That's funny, I could have sworn that the constitution was "the supreme law of the land". How can subsequent legislation make it any more illegal?

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Jan 17, 2006 -> 03:23 PM) I believe I read that multiple states are considering similar bills. If memory serves, the nubmers were in the dozens. Apparently, Kentucky's Gov. Fletcher forgot he's a republican.