NorthSideSox72

QUOTE(Kalapse @ Sep 17, 2007 -> 10:58 AM) It's amazing how in almost every article I've read this morning about Thome's HoF credentials nearly every one of them uses the fact that Thome has spent a very large portion of his career at DH against him. GP at 1B: 1101 GP at 3B: 492 GP at DH: 377 So apparently spending 19% of your career at designated hitter is enough to keep you out of the hall of fame. And yes I do put him in on the first ballot. With so many f***ing dickheads and arrogant pricks being voted in I could probably find a place on my ballot for the nicest, most gracious, most humble man to ever play the game. To put up such amazing numbers for so long all while being such an amazing human being and ambassador to the game is just remarkable. And fortunately, baseball is the one major sport where Hall of Fame voting is to include character. So Jim should do quite well.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Sep 17, 2007 -> 10:40 AM) Our policy is not the problem, when it comes to extremism. Even under Democratic Presidents we have been under attack by extremists. Heck under the biggest pacifist President we probably ever had, Iran invaded our embassy and took our citizens hostage. Under Clinton we had the first WTC attack, the USS Cole attack, the embassy bombings etc. It might change things with lots of Muslims around the world, but the extremists will always be (for lack of a better discription) extreme. There is no way of changing the minds of people whose sole purpose in life is our destruction. Perhaps I wasn't clear. First, I am not at all saying we should be pacifists. I am not saying the Dems are any better than the GOP. Frankly, I think they both have it wrong, right now. And the policy that has done the damage isn't just BushCo (although they kicked it into high gear), its things that Europe and the U.S. have been doing for decades or even centuries. And to get past that will take a very active role by the U.S. - just not active meaning invasions and illegal occupations, that only make things worse.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Sep 17, 2007 -> 10:35 AM) Actually I took something completely different from this. I read it as this is how HE saw it. Greenspan thought that for the good of the oil markets, that we should take out Saddam. In his view, the war about about oil. Maybe I am reading it wrong. Speaking of ammunition, I almost forgot about the interviewer asking him about Hillary for President. Greenspan was asked if she was capable, and he basically said yes. Then he asked about what he thought, and he gave a patented non-answer about waiting and seeing. Yeah, its interesting, he should also have some experience dealing with lots of other candidates, which I'd love to hear. Any of he Senators he has probably at least talked with (Edwards, McCain, maybe Obama, Thompson), as well as Richardson from his days as energy secretary.

QUOTE(CWSGuy406 @ Sep 17, 2007 -> 10:23 AM) I didn't read the whole article -- just a little snippet -- but I don't think it's actually Neyer's opinion that Thome isn't a HoFer. I think he's just saying that because the voters didn't really give Thome his 'due' in the MVP voting, what's going to make them vote for him as a HoFer? Yeah, and I think that's the good point to keep in mind. I think Thome is a HOFer, and a lot of others will. But there are some things there that might stop him, or at least keep him out for a few years.

QUOTE(kapkomet @ Sep 17, 2007 -> 10:25 AM) OH OH OH... now the Democrats don't have a soundbyte anymore - but over the weekend, you heard nothing but this. But no, the media's not biased or anything. I heard several soundbytes Sunday morning about this. Huh? His "correction" makes it pretty clear he still stands by the heart of the statement. And its still partially true. He then also adds some comments on the Dems, because of course he isn't happy with them either. Like SS said, this guy is a Libertarian, and I think he's pretty disappointed in both parties right now. Seems to me there is plenty of ammo here for both parties, if they choose to use it.

QUOTE(kapkomet @ Sep 17, 2007 -> 10:26 AM) Like it or not, the Muslim population has been hijacked by these extremeists. It's very unfortunate. Yes it has. And the bad news is, they are much stronger and larger than say, something like the FLDS or some other extremist sect of Christianity or Judaism. But the good news is, they are still the small minority, and that means that if we can get a new, sane policy towards the Middle East in 2008 (one not bent on illegal and poorly planed colonialism), then we may still be able to avert a lot of future violence.

QUOTE(jackie hayes @ Sep 17, 2007 -> 09:58 AM) No, no second chances on this. Besides the powertrip intimidation bs, he's saying, explicitly, that he'll just make up charges. He says that the camera doesn't matter because they'll rip the car up anyway -- obviously threatening to destroy evidence. A cop who subverts the law can not stay a cop just because he didn't beat someone up. Besides the obvious principle of it, he's destroyed his own effectiveness as an officer. Would you trust his testimony after seeing this video? He has to go. Well I certainly agree on the trust thing, and that is a very good point - I wouldn't trust him, if for example I had to work with him. Unless that is I already knew the guy, and his yelling and screaming episode was a one-time deal, which is my whole point with questioning it. Like I said, I could see firing him even if its a one-off maybe, and I would definitely want to see him fired if it was more than that. I'm not going to go hitching my horse to this guy or anything. He's almost assuredly the guy who does this regularly, so he should be out of a job.

QUOTE(Alpha Dog @ Sep 17, 2007 -> 10:14 AM) so, you think that the number of beheadings and riots due to perceived insults is about even between arabs and israeli's? beheadings? When did I say anything about beheadings? Riots, protests, and the percentage of people who equate the act with their entire religion. You can keep this up, but you won't change anyone's mind. You seem to believe that Islam is one big religion of extremists who are all looking for someone to behead as soon as anyone says anything that runs counter to their beliefs. In my view, that is utter nonsense. There are a billion Muslims in this world, only about 20% of which are even Arab of any type, and only a small percentage of them fit the extremist mold that you are applying to the whole religion. In other words, just like Christianity and Judaism and other religions, a small faction has hijacked it for their own ends, and is not indicative of the whole. That faction is unfortunately on the rise, thanks in some part to the behavior of the west towards the middle east over the years. But its still a minority. And that minority is who you would see on TV calling for people's heads if this situation were reversed.

Article about the fan who caught the ball, gave it back, and donated the prize season ticket seats to a charity of Thome's choice. Classy moves all around.

QUOTE(mreye @ Sep 17, 2007 -> 08:43 AM) Is the video online somewhere? I was on a plane. Go to whitesox.com, its there.

QUOTE(Tony82087 @ Sep 17, 2007 -> 08:28 AM) And if you look a little closer, it's about how Thome won't make the Hall, at least according to Rob Neyer........ Yeah, I read that. I figure that will stir the pot here a bit. It actually made me a little upset when I saw the article, but on reading it, he does actually make some good points.

So, Faux News states that, supposedly, on unnamed sources with no direct quotes, that the Germans had opted out on sanctions for Iran by the UN. The article then jumped to the conclusion that they must be wimping out, and that the world had apparently decided not to care. Funny, because now that an actual news source has gotten the real story, it appears that Germany and other European nations backed out of the UN negotiations because they felt the UN was not strong enough. They are instead of the mind that stronger sanctions are needed, and France is even saying that a nuclear Iran is unacceptable, and that war might be imminent if that happened. It now appears that Germany and France are (*gasp*) going stronger on Iran than the U.S. is. In case anyone wondered why Faux News isn't taken seriously as a news source, there is yet another example.

QUOTE(Milkman delivers @ Sep 16, 2007 -> 10:40 PM) I don't want to ruin the 500 homer thread, so I'll say this here. Sportscenter has been on for half an hour now, and there hasn't even been the slightest mention of Thome's milestone. I don't like to use this term too often, but this is a disgrace. This is an absolute disgrace and I am personally offended that they show absolutely no respect to a man as great as Thome. The guy is a saint in a sport full of scumbags, cheaters, and ego-maniacs. But f*** that, I want to know what Bill Belichick is going to do now that he's been fined half a million dollars. ESPN continues to sink lower and lower. Well that sucks. I have to say, even for them, I am surprised at that. Maybe they've been responding to the complaints, though. If you go to ESPN's MLB main page right now, Thome's feat is story numero uno.

CNN article regarding the Blackwater issue calls it a "banning", and further states, interestingly, that the Iraqi judicial system apparently does not have the authority to prosecute the contractors. They are apparently protected as if they were soldiers (except without all those silly expectations of responsibility and stuff).

Iraq has pulled the "license" of contract firm Blackwater USA, related to their response to an attack on a State Dept motorcade. Iraq is claiming that Blackwater contractors killed 8 civilians and injured another 13. This is just another chapter in the ongoing tension between Iraq and these contract firms, and seems to make it likely that those firms will have a harder and harder time doing business in the country.

Bush has nominated Michael Mukasey for the AG position. Mukasey, a former federal judge, has been involved in some terror trials. And get this - he is seen as a concensus candidate, who many Dems are already talking up as a strong choice. Just when you think you have a guy figured out...

QUOTE(Alpha Dog @ Sep 16, 2007 -> 09:35 PM) I was thinking more globally. You know, offend one Muslim, offend all muslims. Riots, protests, bounties on heads, that sort of thing. I don't think that happens any more in the muslim community than it does in, say, the jewish community. Just my perception.

QUOTE(Alpha Dog @ Sep 16, 2007 -> 09:23 PM) YES, we should prosecute cops who break the law. A few bad apples spoil the rep for all. But the problem is the group dynamics involved. Cops circle the wagons when one of their own is accused of something, fearing that it will look bad on them if they don't. But they are not alone. Dems and Repubs both tend to rally around their fellow party members until they absolutely can't anymore. A sports team tries to defend one of their own caught cheating. Offend one Muslim in Thailand, Muslims the world over take it personally. I would think that cops would like to give their brothers every opportunity to be right, or not guilty, or whatever. But when they ARE bad, they should do everything they can to distance themselves from them. That goes for the unions, too. Amen. Cops should be held to a higher standard. Instead of being less likely to prosecute, we should be more likely to do so, when they break the law.

QUOTE(witesoxfan @ Sep 14, 2007 -> 02:59 PM) Not going to lie, I would like to have Uribe back as a supersub. Not at $5 mill, obviously, but he's a nice bench player. He hasn't played a position other than SS since 2004. The only two other positions he has ever played at the major league level are 3B and 2B. I think it would be hard to justify a guy at $3M+ (which is what he could get, I think), when the team has so many other major needs that require spending within budget, and you have guys like Bourgeois in the wings who will cost next to nothing. If this were the Yanks and the money was a non-issue, though, and if you think he could still play 3B and 2B well, then I could see it perhaps.

QUOTE(Alpha Dog @ Sep 16, 2007 -> 09:08 PM) No, wait, other way around. Visitor to the International Koran Exposition walk on Israeli (and US) flags while viewing an exhibit praising Palestinian suicide bombers. Just imagine if the headline above was true. http://news.yahoo.com/photo/070915/ids_pho...r2864042806.jpg What the heck is an Arabic flag? And who cares what a bunch of morons in Iran are doing to insult their government's enemies? How is it any different than the insults that are flung the other direction? I'll take your bait. I'd imagine that if the headline was the other way around, I'd have the exact same reaction - what a bunch of losers.

QUOTE(DrunkBomber @ Sep 16, 2007 -> 11:41 AM) It doesnt matter if he did it once or everyday. This is just about the most serious thing a police officer can do. Its only hearsay at this point but I am led to believe it would have been a lot worse if the cop didnt notice the camera half way through his little rant. This cop not only should have been fired, he should be thrown in jail. Everybody acts so shocked when stuff like this happens but when there arent any major consequences there is little to detur them from doing otherwise. If cops break the oath they take when theyre sworn in they should be arrested, that is the easiest way to clean stuff like this up. For every one cop that gets caught because of video footage I bet theres hundreds that go unnoticed. People I know have personally had police abuse their power for whatever reason and Id assume almost anyone on here knows someone that had the same type of thing happen. I think the best way to root it out is have more sunlight on them. More cameras in the cars, preferably with audio. More civilian review and involvement. Encouraging citizens to report their experiences, good or bad. Things along those lines. And yes, prosecuting cops who break the law, like that moron who beat up that female bartender half his size. Far as I am concerned, not only should that guy lose his job AND be prosecuted for aggravated battery, but the other cops who tried to bully the complainants should lose their jobs too. In this case, though, while I see plenty of room for severe penalties and maybe even a firing, I see no legal grounds for prosecution. What law would you suggest he broke?

Congrats to big Jim! Awesome way to do it. I so wish I could have been watching. I'll have to go see the videos on MLB. And pretty classy of that Baltimore fan, donating the season tickets instead of selling them later.

WTF? ISU beats Iowa?! After losing to the Kent State Golden Flashes and a I-AA team at home?!?!

QUOTE(3E8 @ Sep 16, 2007 -> 11:25 AM) I don't understand what you mean. When the kid first turns right you can see him pass the cop car. Then he turns left into the parking lot and the cop follows him in and turns on the lights. The cop walks up to his window and starts the conversation by saying "How we doing? What's going on?". Then the kid gets a little smart and the cop goes berserk. Really? The version of the tape I saw (on CNN's site I think) just showed snippets, not the whole thing. Is the whole thing on YouTube somewhere?

QUOTE(jackie hayes @ Sep 16, 2007 -> 10:28 AM) Please. He's being abusive, threatening to make up charges just cuz he feels like it. Fire his ass IMMEDIATELY. He's probably the type of guy who does this regularly. Therefore, I wouldn't shed a tear if he was fired. But, if there are no previous allegations or evidence of wrongdoing, and since he didn't arrest the kid of harm him in any physical way, I would probably give him one shot to show it was a one-time thing. If he has problems previously documented that are anything like this though, then I heartily agree. Fire him.