Balta1701

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Oct 15, 2008 -> 11:10 AM) Doubt it. McCain needs a game-changer, but, recent indicators are that he's decided to go a little more positive. if I had to take a wild guess, I'd say you may hear a couple new things from McCain. For one, he'll harp big on tax policy and spending, trying to get some of those independents back. Another thing, he'll probably bring up at least one, if not multiple, new policy ideas at the debate, to get things stirred up a little. Each of the first 2 debates he's randomly thrown out a policy that hadn't been presented before and it's sort of been sneered at and laughed off as fairly silly.

QUOTE (bmags @ Oct 15, 2008 -> 10:40 AM) are there follow up questions? I don't believe the 32 page memo that controls the specific rules of the debates has been fully released, but I'd imagine the rules for this debate are similar to those from the first 2. The VP debate had the tightest rules of the 3 regarding no follow ups whatsoever.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Oct 15, 2008 -> 12:05 AM) I say we acquire Wakefield as our No. 5 starter. Totally kidding. Can you believe those home runs tonight? My god did they tee off on him! The Red Sox will never trade Wakefield. That's perhaps the best contract ever written for a baseball team.

QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ Oct 15, 2008 -> 10:04 AM) It is an interesting contrast in that; Piniella had what, four years? And couldn't get them above 69 wins. And Madden been there for about three had two god-awful years, but had utterly reversed the trend this year. In my mind, the roster is clearly making an impact, which came with a new front office, and a different mentality. But I’m also beginning to think that maybe the name change did bring about some fundamental transformation for these players. This organization has essentially been rebuilding for five years, and now it’s beginning to payoff. Their management changed fundamentally what, 3 years ago now? (The GM I mean) They simply are loaded. You could give me that team and I'd have a good shot at winning a couple of world series with that roster.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Oct 15, 2008 -> 09:44 AM) I would say how many of those Europeans are going to vote, but with ACORN around, anything is possible. They've seriously even got you buying in to that Bull now?

Legit question. This is the blurb right now at CNN.com on their banner article: I frequent a number of left leaning blogs, obviously, and I've really never heard the one about Sen. McCain. The ones in the article about Governor Palin I've heard, but there's always a backstory to them...but I've never heard the ones here about McCain. Has anyone?

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Oct 14, 2008 -> 05:38 PM) Already married a Russian model...why not an actress, lol? In all seriousness, I fell victim to "love at first sight." Men know we should pick the 6/7/8 looking girl (on a 10 scale) but we always seem to shoot too high, instead of finding someone we'd be really happy with, we get into the "she's a real challenge" mode and do anything to win over the most beautiful women, even though they are like empty calories or funnel cakes covered in powdered sugar. They look great, but then you're a little disappointed in the end and wish you chose something more substantive. Says the man with Jessica Alba in his avatar....

So who had Tampa Bay vs. Philly in your preseason world series matchup pool?

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Oct 14, 2008 -> 06:08 PM) Well, no. He's saying its bigger than expected, but not so big as to be well out of the realm of current trends. Its certainly not smaller than expected. Its on the outside edge of the bias+error in favor range. Oh come on, I had to make it sound baseball-y somehow.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Oct 14, 2008 -> 05:07 PM) I normally don't like posting national polls, because they miss the point. But they can sometimes show a few interesting trends. And once in a while, a poll might be so interesting that I just can't pass it up. CBS: Obama +14 Among independents, where McCain had a slight lead last week, Obama now leads by 18 points. ETA: The money graf: And I'm reading that the difference in OPS between those 2 players isn't as big as we'd expect.

QUOTE (DrunkBomber @ Oct 14, 2008 -> 04:27 PM) Id compare it to Obamas ad that has been on TV a lot lately, where they talk about all the tax cuts for oil companies. They know damn well that the actual tax proposals are for all businesses but they spotlight oil companies to mislead the public. Now, is it true that oil companies would benefit from the plan? yes, but so would a small business owner struggling to stay above water, but you dont hear about that. Both sides throw stuff like that out to let the publics imagination run wild with it. Of course, if you actually wanted to do so, it's perfectly plausible to have a tax cut directed at small businesses that doesn't wind up having a large chunk of it go to oil companies.

QUOTE (Reddy @ Oct 14, 2008 -> 04:51 PM) Lieberman over Biden? rationale please... I swore back when I was an undergrad that I would take some step to stop Joe Biden's career advancement after he shoved the despicable RAVE act through Congress at a time when I was running a concert promotion project at IU. That bill could literally have wound me up in jail if someone had snuck the slightest bit of an illegal drug in to a bar the night we put on our show. I hold grudges, it's that simple.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Oct 14, 2008 -> 04:39 PM) I personally think that the campaigns have mostly avoided that. I think the egging on is going on mostly among the media, with a little help from the occasional idiot political office-holder, and a few low level staffers here and there that were acting beyond the campaign's wishes. Here's my question in reply...does saying that "Barack Obama has a different view of America than most of us" or "Barack Obama used to pal around with domestic terrorists" count as an inciting remark? It's sort of that really coded rhetoric that if you put it in the right audience, they hear certain things, like Barack is a Muslim Terrorist because he hangs around with terrorists, etc.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Oct 14, 2008 -> 04:22 PM) It could also just be the idiot fringe getting panicked on both sides. Just a thought. That would be a fine idea if there was nothing being done by the institutions or the candidates to egg them on.

If John McCain had nominated someone of Lieberman quality or above...maybe I'd consider flipping here. If I could hold my nose and vote for Kerry I can do that one.

Oh, teacher, i know the answer, pick me, pick me!

Link

QUOTE (kapkomet @ Oct 14, 2008 -> 01:58 PM) The arrogance. if anything, will be the downfall. You can never assume that. While AHB may be showing some arrogance...I've seen virtually no signs from the campaign that they're taking anything for granted. They set on their plan for how they were going to build up to the election and they've stuck to it.

Cowboys announce Roy Williams will play QB, CB for the next 4 weeks.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Oct 14, 2008 -> 12:05 PM) BTW, not saying that any other President has been notably better. They've all been pretty useless. Its a tallest midget contest. He didn't get it enacted...but I'd like to nominate this guy for the title of history's greatest monster the winner.

QUOTE (kapkomet @ Oct 14, 2008 -> 11:41 AM) No, but he's not going to "get us out of Iraq" quite as easy as he says he is. Better yet, when he "brings them home" ON HIS WATCH he can claim "victory". You watch. It's exactly what this guy's going to do. Frankly, it's what Bush should have done 4 years ago.

Link. According to Senator Obama's energy plan, their goal is to have 10% of U.S. electricity coming from renewable sources by 2012. Thanks to the energy price spike, despite having an administration opposed to its growth, and subsidies that appeared to be disappearing until they were stuck in to the bailout bill...the U.S. has already passed that goal. Don't tell me we can't make an alternative energy system work. It's already happening, faster than predicted. The Obama campaign's goals now look laughable.

Around the horn: PK: D. Injury just isn't an excuse. Alexei: A. Cabrera: B-. Better down the stretch than most people, but still a step back from how he played in Anaheim. Crede: D. Injury just isn't an excuse, especially when you're still recovering from a surgery you should have had 10 months earlier but you didn't because you listened to Boras. Uribe: C. Did his job as a backup. Not a failure, nothing to write home about. Dye: B. Struggled too much down the stretch, otherwise a nice season. Swisher: F. There's no way to spin this as anything but a total failure of a season for him. He was just a disaster. Quentin: A. Yowza. Don't hurt your wrist next year, please for god's sake. AJ: B. Good job overall, weaker on D but you know what you're getting. Thome: B. Solid season from Jim. Griffey: D+. He made that throw home against the Twins. Pitchers: MB: B+. Normal Mark Buehrle. Gavin Floyd: B+. Helped out a lot by run support, but was basically our best big game pitcher all year. John Danks: A. I hope the innings don't catch up to him, he was great. Javier Vazquez: D. He threw some innings. Jose Contreras: D. Injury is no excuse. Lance Broadway: C. Good start or two. Clayton Richard: B. Unexpectedly solid. Bullpen: Jenks: B+. Still a little room for improvement, but hard to complain. Linebrink: C. Half a dominant season, half non-existent. Dotel: C. You never knew what you'd get any time he was out there. Thornton: B+. Could never figure out how he kept it up. Logan: D. How do you have 2 months where you give up an ERA below 1 followed by 2 months with an ERA over 15? Carrasco: B+ where did he come from? I'll take it. Very "Twins like" discovery of a solid innings guy. Ramirez: C. Eh. Others: BA: B. Better than expected with the bat, still hasn't gotten a chance to show off anything new. Deserves a shot next eyar. Wise: B. Not an every day player, but some big hits. Hall: C. He had a good month with the bat this year. Owens: A+. Most useful injury EVER. Fields: F. Needs to stay healthy.

I love how the B's there turn in to B)

QUOTE (knightni @ Oct 13, 2008 -> 10:53 PM) Why not retire 05 then? Was Ray Durham ever that good?