Balta1701

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Apr 30, 2012 -> 07:34 PM) My wife just got her passport in under two weeks for the normal fee. When did she apply? I think "Just before the summer" (aka right now) is their busiest time. Mine took about 8 weeks when I first got it, barely got it in enough time to make the trip.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ May 1, 2012 -> 09:13 AM) Let's hope bionic Rose comes back bigger, faster, stronger, and gooder. Honestly, it's at least possible that the time off and complete rehab might make that the case, but that's pie in the sky dreaming.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ May 1, 2012 -> 05:00 AM) The Marlins just aren't hitting. But his ERA's about what most expected in the NL, 3.34. The defense behind him hasn't been very good, either. Sounds disturbingly familiar. Let me guess, lots of outs on basepaths too.

(Xie Xie)

Again Caulfield, simply writing the name of the person who authored an article isn't enough. At the very minimum a hyperlink is necessary, and some companies have decided that isn't enough any more and will start making legal trouble for sites that excerpt too much material.

QUOTE (winninguglyin83 @ Apr 30, 2012 -> 09:54 PM) Isn't this the best Jordan Danks has played? three hits, two doubles up to .286. still strikes out too much, but his 17 walks are fourth in the IL. with his glove and left-handed bat, hope? 23 k's in 94 PAs.

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Apr 30, 2012 -> 06:41 PM) Why would you want to bring heat on a guy with his employer? Bad Karma. Look at what happened to the Dixie Chicks with all those protestors. Was a shame. If I'm giving a lecture and I say something this sexist, I'd expect to lose my job over it. Has nothing to do with karma.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Apr 30, 2012 -> 06:51 PM) 1.) What workplace lawsuits? What did he do that could cost the paper a lawsuit. He told the woman to get a new picture cause she looks bad in the other one. Or something dumber than that. What lawsuits could the paper lose from him being a comedian on twitter?? 2.) Ooh he was mean and sexist. Fire him. Fire all comedians like Don Rickles and Dice Clay. That's what Cowley is. 3.) yes our country is lost. It can't take a JOKE. But it keeps HR departments in business. As others have noted, this would easily qualify as creating a hostile work environment for female sun times employees if the paper limits it's actions in response here

QUOTE (iamshack @ Apr 30, 2012 -> 06:23 PM) See, I am of the opinion that you guys are being a bit harsh on Greg here. Yes, almost everyone sees the need to keep this sort of thing out of the workplace...but let's not all deny the fact that the reason it does leach into the "inappropriate" areas so often is because it is so prevalent in every day culture. Oftentimes, it's the very guy that fires Joe Cowley that laughs at the joke Joe made while out on the golf course with his colleagues. I understand the need for the laws, but I always find the feigned outrage a bit disingenuous. At the very least, he cannot take steps that cost his employer substantially more money than he makes for his employer. If he's put the Sun Times at a lawsuit risk here by bringing "locker room" statements out into the open, then the ST has to replace him. If he's solely there to get the ST press coverage, positive or negative, then I'd say that it's a great reason not to buy the Sun Times and to start emailing people who advertise in the Sun Times sports section asking them if they want their company to be associated with this kind of personality. Just like the ST has the right to decide whether or not to keep him, I also have that right to express my opinion to them and to their advertisers. In fact, I think State Farm is about to get that email.

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Apr 30, 2012 -> 05:54 PM) It's too bad that you can get fired for writing what Cowley wrote. He didn't do anything illegal and people with his views have the right to a job they are qualified for. I can think of 12.7 million other people who wish that it was true that people had a right to a job they were qualified for.

QUOTE (DrunkBomber @ Apr 30, 2012 -> 05:19 PM) For the record I got my passport pictures taken at the post office, so you might want to check to see if they offer that at your post office. Keep in mind, the passport line itself won't be fast, and likely neither will the photo line if that's offered at the Post Office.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Apr 30, 2012 -> 04:54 PM) 1.) Wasted? I read your comments and appreciated them. You didn't change my mind so it's all "wasted" time? Nice. 2.) I realize that, but he's still in business and not hurting for sponsors. He's in business in no small part because he has a contract worth many hundreds of millions of dollars, so firing him would literally be impossible unless his show reaches the point where it is losing hundreds of millions of dollars. It's like cutting Alex Rios. Joe Cowley does not have a contract worth millions of dollars, he's not worth millions of dollars to the paper, he's quite easily replaced, and the workplace lawsuits the Sun Times could be liable for could easily run into the millions of dollars if there are enough responses.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Apr 30, 2012 -> 04:36 PM) 2.) Thanks. You word it better than me. 1.) By citing Rush, I mean this should have a similar outcome. Apologize as Rush did to the individual person and voila ... it's OVA. Problem solved. Nothing else Joe said was anything but bad humor. Rush also lost literally millions of dollars in advertising revenue from companies that didnt' want to associate with him afterwards, which is an entirely reasonable corporate response

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Apr 30, 2012 -> 04:40 PM) Interesting. That would work. It is about an seven to eight hour drive to Niagara from here, so driving is definitely the plan. Remember, passport is good for like 15 years, so if 8 years from now you decide to head somewhere international, then you'd have to still get the more expensive version if you just opted for the card.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Apr 30, 2012 -> 04:31 PM) I looked that up and didn't understand it. What is the difference between the book and the card beside assloads of money? Link

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Apr 30, 2012 -> 04:26 PM) Can someone explain what the passport process and costs look like today? Looking to get two adults and two kids, maybe for a trip to Canada. How soon do you need them? Costs are directly related to how long you can wait. Basically, get a couple of passport photos taken at a local drug store or someplace similar, it's a normal service they'll offer for about $8 a set, then take those photos and the appropriate documents (usually compelted passport application forms, Social Security, Photo ID, and birth certificate) to an appropriate passport window (there is usually one at a post office if it's big enough, but go to the USPS's website and check for information on passports to make sure). Then there will be a cost per passport. I believe if you have a long wait it's about $100 per passport currently, but you can expedite it to a couple weeks for a larger fee.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Apr 30, 2012 -> 04:24 PM) Oh lawd, let's not bait him with that, we don't need to add politics to this. (greg did bring it up as an excuse, but yeah, even i won't take that bait).

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Apr 30, 2012 -> 03:43 PM) I wonder what Joe's father in law thinks of his tweets. should we know who that is?

QUOTE (Soxbadger @ Apr 30, 2012 -> 03:20 PM) Bears are bringing in Kyle Wotja from Wisconsin, was their long snapper. In 2010 he tore his acl and still snapped on extra points that week. Backup for Mannelyl?

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Apr 30, 2012 -> 03:24 PM) That's ridiculous. According to that stupid tweet from the radically declining Bill Simmons, 5 of the last 10 titles are now asterisk titles? That's moronic. Yeah, a decade of asterisks only really makes sense for MLB.

Rumor mongering from the Twitters

Epic.

QUOTE (Tex @ Apr 30, 2012 -> 02:48 PM) yet you want to ban things when one tragedy happens. Yeah, one tragedy is a good reason to ban DUI.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Apr 30, 2012 -> 01:54 PM) Balta = Cowley! (Insert homophobic/misogynist rant).

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Apr 30, 2012 -> 02:14 PM) DKnobler ‏ @DKnobler Angels are 7-15. Marlins about to go 8-14. Only 3 of last 27 teams to start that slow finished season over .500. That's actually more than I thought, that can only go back a couple years right?