Balta1701

I think there are some fairly interesting legal aspects to this decision. First and most notably, if I'm understanding the readings right, this is basically the first decision in the Court's history where it has affirmed an individual right to bear arms without any attachment to the "Militia" concept. This is certainly a fascinating new bit of law, and it's also probably fascinating that it's a new bit of law essentially created by the 5 member majority. If I were one of the folks who thought Judicial activism was a bad thing, I might consider noting that, because the court actually did create law yesterday, but since I'm not, I'll just note that it's pretty fascinating, and if this decision and its reasoning isn't overturned by a future court, then it's really a fundamental change in how we should view the writing of gun laws in the future. Secondly, in terms of the Daley et al. stuff, I believe Scalia's statment said something along the lines of this just being the beginning of the Court's work on gun laws, and he's correct, there will be several more cases hitting this issue over probably the next 25 or more years. Originally, the Court seems to have interpreted that the Bill of Rights only really applied to the national government, and that the States could impinge upon people's free speech, gun, and other rights. However, after the Civil War, the court took the 14th amendment to have the side meaning of applying the Bill of Rights to state governments as well as the national one, and one by one the Court has done so (hence the local and state level establishment clause cases in recent decades, etc.). The 2nd amendment however has not yet joined its other amendments in being applied thusly, and there's probably an argument to be made as to why it should be treated differently and the state and local governments should be allowed to legislate control over firearms. Because the District is run by the Feds, this decision was about the Federal government and its abilities, so that's the next clear dividing line that gets drawn. Just as a matter of public safety though, the one thing I find disappointing in this decision is that the court also ruled that trigger-lock requirements were unconstitutional. That comes out as a part of Scalia's new law, that there is an individual right to gun ownership outside of militia and solely for the purpose of self-defense, and on that clause I'll note that I'm particularly unhappy.

Another increasingly alarmist piece about the state of the northern polar ice cover, looking at the potential of an ice free north pole this year. The short version is we're still on track for less ice than we saw during last year's record low year, and we may well be right up against the "It all vanishes" tipping point. We really need this thing to hold together.

Come on Jose, let's do this.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jun 27, 2008 -> 07:01 AM) Being an information soceity, we are a lot less vulnerable to commodity price shocks than we were even a generation ago. Places that are huge net exporters to us are going to get killed in this current enviornment, because of the lower dollar. They are also getting murdered on the capitol end of things with the record commodity prices. The big red flag to me was China raising fuel prices dispite the riots and problems going on there. The government is having big problems fiscally, i would bet on it. Of course they are, they've accumulated a couple trillion dollars or so in U.S. dollars that have had their value plummet.

QUOTE (tommy @ Jun 26, 2008 -> 06:19 PM) I assume, you will be there tomorrow? If you'll buy me the plane tickets.

Hehe, I haven't been to a White Sox game where they've lost in 5+ years.

62 pitches for Stults through 4.

LOL even Farmer noticing "There's a long line of lefties who've given the White Sox problems with changeups"

JD, it'd really make it up to Gavin if you could tie the game here.

If you count the Swisher fielders choice in the first inning, Gavin has now retired the last 9 batters he's faced.

QUOTE (fathom @ Jun 25, 2008 -> 06:51 PM) They said he would be back in the lineup tomorrow. But he still has another 4 hour plane flight in after that game.

QUOTE (fathom @ Jun 25, 2008 -> 06:49 PM) This isn't exactly a good lineup we have out there. So if Joe Crede has to fly back to Chicago on Thursday is he going to miss the series with the Cubs too?

QUOTE (southsideirish71 @ Jun 25, 2008 -> 06:48 PM) Anytime our offense wants to show up for the game would be nice. I realize that the pitcher throws with the devils hand and all, and uses the bugs bunny slow pitch but lets go. Here comes Gavin Floyd and his .090 career OPS. He ought to just bunt every time he comes up.

37 pitches for Floyd through 2, 31 for Stults. Considering how the 1st inning went with the defense and how we had a couple quick outs in the 2nd, that's not half bad.

Anderson will probably make an out here, but hey, at least he made the guy throw a bunch of pitches.

QUOTE (fathom @ Jun 25, 2008 -> 07:19 PM) Leadoff "double" for Pierre. Triple, you mean.

Swisher up, 2 outs, 1st and 3rd after single by AJ, Single off the Pitcher by JD.

QUOTE (Wanne @ Jun 25, 2008 -> 06:12 PM) Is there a reason it's not on Extra Innings?!??!?!?!?1 WCIU day?

Gavin is 2/44 career with the bat. And 0 walks on top of that. .090 OPS.

QUOTE (lostfan @ Jun 25, 2008 -> 05:16 PM) IMO that is another argument entirely... ...which probably was a factor in the SCOTUS's decision is too (I don't know what the 5 justices' stances on the death penalty are, though) Enough death penalty cases have come before the SCOTUS in recent years that they could have stopped it completely if there was a majority in favor of it. They're relying on their interpretation of where the American Public is currently at in making their judgements, which seems to be one of those things the Court does.

QUOTE (mr_genius @ Jun 25, 2008 -> 04:45 PM) wow you guys are still all worked up over those swiftboat ads. oh, for a million dollars, you can get people to vouch for just about anything Frankly, yes, I'm still pissed off over those Swiftboat ads. Mostly at the fact that the media did such a wonderful job of selling them when statement after statement in them was just obviously and blatantly false.

From the "You have so got to be kidding me" file... Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky seems to be getting a Libertarian party challenger. His name, Sonny Landham. His claim to fame? The movie Predator. It seems fighting an Alien in South American jungles is by far the best training for public office in the U.S. you could ask for. He ought to run for governor if this run doesn't succeed.

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Jun 25, 2008 -> 03:03 PM) My point is with Wise emerging how much is Anderson really going to get utilized because Ozzie will pinch hit Ozuna and Uribe to get a bunt down or do a lot of various things before he'd ever go with Anderson (and despite Anderson's better average, I can't blame him because he has a lot more flaws to his swing). If choosing between Pablo and Juan, I go with Juan (again, I see more of a need in having an extra small ball guy on the bench than a plus defensive infielder (since OC/Crede/Ramirez are all plus at there respected positions). But, with Wise up here for the time being and Anderson having options (Swisher will be starting) and Alexi being capable of playing CF as well, I would chose him to go down before having to dump either Juan/Pablo. Plus I think it will be very beneficial for BA to get significant playing time in AAA so if anyone goes down, you can than bring up BA and let him start in CF (say if Paulie goes down or Thome or whomever). The numbers say that if Wise is going to stay up, then Anderson really ought to be sent down, because Wise is a left hander, and if you treat CF as a platoon, Wise faces the righties and Anderson faces the lefties. The problem with that is Anderson is just god awful against lefties. He hits .270 against righties and .156 against lefties so far on this season, and in 06 for most of the year he hit righties better than lefties as well. So by setting up a CF platoon, you're putting your worst bat against lefties in every time you face a lefty. Anderson is right now useless unless you're facing a righty.

Would Pablo have the option of accepting a minor league assignment?

QUOTE (Texsox @ Jun 25, 2008 -> 01:16 PM) Current stuff always floats to the top, some people will only name shows they have seen. Yeah, unfortunately, I just didn't have the ability to vote for or against things that not only weren't current for me but which I'd only seen a couple times in reruns at most.