NorthSideSox72

QUOTE(kapkomet @ Sep 25, 2007 -> 04:28 PM) President Bollinger, yesterday: You know, this amazes me. One of the most liberal colleges in America - and THEY admit everything that our President has been villified for. Quite interesting about the "proxy war" and all of the other mentions that get Bush tramped on. They DO admit it's a war, and some of the (legit) reasons why it's important we stay and take care of things. Huh? They "admit everything that our President has been vilified for"? I do not see a single point in that exerpt that Bush has stated and been vilified for. Not one. Show me one sentence in there that states support for a Bush policy which has been vilified for. Who has been vilifying Bush for saying that Iran is supplying against the U.S. in Iraq? As far as I have seen, everyone admits that is the case. By the way, his whole speech is in that video link that Balta put in the thread about this. And its worth a viewing, its a great opening.

QUOTE(fathom @ Sep 25, 2007 -> 03:37 PM) The big issue is that Griese just isn't good. I put a lot of blame on Turner for not going deep enough this year, especially to Hester. It seemed like the Bears excelled last year when they could get the deep pass going, and it never worked out well when they would try to run it twice and then convert on a pass on 3rd and 6. Now that Rex is done in Chicago, and Griese isn't special, I really hope we're not anticipating Orton being the starter in 2008. I think the playcalling was an attempt to cater to Grossman, so that he could develop. With Griese in there, I'd bet the playbook changes.

QUOTE(Alpha Dog @ Sep 25, 2007 -> 04:02 PM) Please note I ASKED if it was new, used, already crap, etc. My only judgement was that your situation isn' the same for all, although I do realize that is was more common in the 80's and 90's than now. Enjoy your current car. Glad you like it. A question: if the dealer you bought your current car from also sold American cars, would you consider one then, or does the mere mention of an American brand turn you off? It seems to me that foreign vs domestic car ownerships can be as deeply divided as politics. And like politics, I'll buy the car that best fits my needs. I could give less of a crap what party/country it is from.

QUOTE(Alpha Dog @ Sep 25, 2007 -> 03:51 PM) Sorry, go ahead. Fully reluctantly clothed boobs. Fixed for accuracy. They look like they are trying to come up for air.

Happy B-Day to the poster with the best Avy on the site! And if it makes you feel better, you are younger than me.

Griese isn't great, but he will do better than Grossman. He is also experienced and has been a successful QB for a few stretches during his career. The Bears don't need an elite QB anyway - they can be a playoff team, as long as they have a halfway decent QB who they don't have to write laughably predicatble playbooks around. This had to happen.

I may actually be buying a Ford product for the first time ever, early next year. We decided, with high gas prices, wife's long commute and an aging car, to buy a hybrid early next year. We wanted either a small/compact SUV or a tweener car (like Subaru, Audi and Volvo make, between a wagon and an SUV), because we do a lot of camping and sometimes tow stuff around, so we use the space (we're also maybe getting in the family thing soon). But we don't want a big car either, because it will guzzle gas and be a pain to drive in the city. Unfortunately, while Japanese companies in general have far more variety in hybrid choices, they oddly seemed to have skipped that vehicle size bracket. You can get sedans of different sizes, or you can get larger SUV's, in hybrid, from Toyota and Honda. But the only vehicle in our size niche that is a hybrid is the Ford Escape (or Mercury Mariner, same car). Reading up on them, the 2008 version is getting pretty good reviews, though not spectacular. I am skeptical of the Ford brand, but since the car is everything we want, I think we'll be giving it a shot.

QUOTE(kapkomet @ Sep 25, 2007 -> 03:34 PM) ABC is where I saw it. But, it's not being talked about. The more clicks the articles get, the more the rise on the page. That's the way those sites work, at least in part. I guess people don't want to read about it. Its there to be read.

QUOTE(jasonxctf @ Sep 25, 2007 -> 03:31 PM) im sure the unions dont help the situation, but neither does the $100 million pay package for the CEO. At the same time, how many times have you heard the joke, "What does F.O.R.D. stand for?" Ever heard that about Honda or Toyota? The only savior left for the US automakers now is the truck market where they still hold a loyal base and somewhat of a competitive edge. Huh? Did you actually read the thread before posting in it? GM's CEO has a TEN million dollar package, not A HUNDRED million dollar package. And only $1.3M of that is salary, the rest is stock OPTIONS, not even grants. That pales in comparison to CEO compensation for other similarly sized companies.

Its on the New York Times blog/ticker for candidates, its also on ABC's site (Steph's show airs there).

QUOTE(jasonxctf @ Sep 25, 2007 -> 03:20 PM) as im sure its been said here throughout... the biggest downfall of American Automakers has been themselves not the unions. They design, build and sell dogsh*t automobiles. I read recently that one design flaw of US automakers vs Japanese, is that US automakers sit in rooms, brainstorming on what their consumers want in an automobile, build it and then try and sell it. Almost a "we know what you want" type of mentality. The Foreign automakers go out to the consumers, ask them what they want first and then build it. 1. I know for a fact that American companies try to get feedback direct from consumers, because I get calls a few times a year to participate in forums (I own a GM product). 2. Every company on earth sits in a room and brainstorms ideas. 3. Its partially the fault of companies, but also partially the fault of unions. To say unions have no blame here is to ignore history. Just look at the examples cited in this thread. 4. They built dogs*** autos before because they could, and they'd get away with it. They are a little better now, but can't improve much more, because their cost structure is far too high.

QUOTE(Chisoxfn @ Sep 25, 2007 -> 02:58 PM) The thing with GM is that unlike the other manufacuters, they are a very good company aside from the legacy issues. I realize you can't just ignore your legacy costs, but those costs are expected to be reduced greatly in the coming decade and when you factor that in with GM having really improved there vehicles (they build exceptoinal SUV's and Trucks and are on the verge, even if its a little late, of becoming big players in the hybrid market) I see them being a company that 10 years from now will be a success story (showing how they fought off a lot of various things and serious doubts to once again become a profitable company). I actually think that Ford, despite having far worse financial problems, is looking to be a bigger recovery than GM. Ford has an edge on hybrids already, selling the most popular American hybrid out there (Escape/Mariner), which they are releasing a second generation of for 2008. They already re-negotiated labor contracts before they had too (though now it looks like they may still get hit). And they are the one American company who made huge leaps in the JD Power quality ratings in 2007.

QUOTE(kapkomet @ Sep 25, 2007 -> 02:44 PM) Well, you notice that the media is NOT picking this up. I wonder why? Actually, I think they will, if they haven't already. she is a front-runner, and they quote her stuff all the time, even when she is self-contradictory.

This isn't just on the shoulders of the unions - you can also point to GM, Ford and AMC for getting themselves into this mess. They got fat and arrogant, thinking no one would ever challenge them. They were wrong.

QUOTE(kapkomet @ Sep 25, 2007 -> 02:28 PM) This quote, from Mrs. Bill Clinton, on "This Week with . . . [Georgie Pordgy]": The question: Her answer: Now what the hell is this? I mean, this sounds like George W. Bush... now how can that be? This woman is a snake in the grass, I'll tell you. You Dems out there should be very afraid of this woman. For all the bluster that is out there on Iraq, THIS is the reason why funding and all of that has not been cut off. If she makes statements like that regularly, she is going to talk herself down the polls in a hurry. I don't think there is much question that the Dems want a nominee who will get us out of Iraq in some way, shape or form. Add this to her huge negatives and her energizing effect for the GOP, and I'll say again that the DNC will probably try everything they can to get other candidates to where they can give her a run for the money. The Dems have a real shot at a majority in both houses and the Presidency, and even though Hillary leads most national polls for the nomination, she is probably the candidate least likely to beat the GOP.

QUOTE(Jenksismyb**** @ Sep 25, 2007 -> 02:08 PM) I just went to lunch with an auditor I am friends with who used to work at GM. While auditing the books of one of their plants she noticed that over 100 employees were being paid time and a half for 40 hour work weeks, but because of certain restraints on billable time (a demand of the union), those workers only worked 4-5 hours a day. It's a wonder they can't turn a profit. small unions = good big unions = bad The worst, to me, is their reserve policy for staff. I don't know if they still do it, but at one time, they were paying a whole bunch of line staff full salary and benefits to basically ride the bench in case they were needed.

QUOTE(Texsox @ Sep 25, 2007 -> 12:39 PM) When so many media savvy, and reasonably intelligent people defended him, I tried to see their point of view. I just can't. I understand the relative values we place on animals and how hunting deer is ok and hunting dogs is wrong. I believe they still use dogs in bear hunting, which I just can't stomach. I guess there would be some profound justice in a fair bear v. dog fight, since we allow the dogs to hunt bears, but I just don't get this. Perhaps it's the same emotion that allows people to watch the nature shows with predators hunting down and killing prey. This was never about "hunting" dogs. Forget the specific animal issue, that's not the point - its the way things were done. Hunting a bear, eating the meet and using the hide is being a carnivore. Its also not cruel, by most peoples' definition. What they did - torturing domesticated animals, subjecting them to all kinds of unnatural violence, then killing them because they were no longer of use - was disgusting.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Sep 25, 2007 -> 01:50 PM) http://www.allamericanpatriots.com/4873311...ent_ahmadinejad So its OK, as long as no else one hears it? I guess Obama must just be smarter than everyone else who couldn't resist his charming hateful rhetoric. I actually agree with him on all those quotes.

QUOTE(Gregory Pratt @ Sep 25, 2007 -> 01:05 PM) I don't care how many times Powell says, "My wife would kill me if I ran for President," that's not why he didn't run for President. Nobody who ever seriously considers it says No because "my wife said no." Clearly, you are not married.

QUOTE(StrangeSox @ Sep 25, 2007 -> 12:12 PM) How many people were predicting gas going to and staying at $4 all summer long back in April and May? No one that I recall.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Sep 25, 2007 -> 11:41 AM) Of course, then the remaining question will be...how long will Americans be able to purchase cars? Right now, the gas is a bigger issue than the cars. And I think that problem will only amplify in the coming few years (see the Investing thread).

QUOTE(kapkomet @ Sep 25, 2007 -> 11:32 AM) You could upload it to my ftp site - I could probably figure it out. . . I have about a bazillion programs for that stuff since I have to do all the video work for my "other" website(s). Kewl. PM me your info and I'll do that. Thanks a ton.

Wow, six?! I said 4 or maybe 5 and most others thought less. Do you have a link to the list? I'd like to see the whole list.

QUOTE(kapkomet @ Sep 25, 2007 -> 11:12 AM) When you install the codecs, they become a part of windows media player. OK, then I am at a loss. Here is an even weirder thing - if I click properties from WMP, it says its an Audio File, even though its an AVI.

QUOTE(kapkomet @ Sep 25, 2007 -> 10:54 AM) oh. AVI are big. I would try XVID codecs from microsoft's site (as BS alluded to). OK, I installed it. Now what do I do with it? Its not a player. None of the media players seem to be doing anything different. Don't I need to associate them somehow?