NorthSideSox72

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Sep 14, 2011 -> 08:18 AM) That works. I had just separated it that out because of the Cowardly article actually stating a decision had been made. I actually didn't get that impression from the article... I mean I think the writing is on the wall, but that is not the same as their having been an actual decision made.

GF takes Game 1, 9-7. K Smith... yeah.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Sep 13, 2011 -> 02:25 PM) So where is all of the Rahm talk? I love the party of labor guy trying to bust the teachers union. http://www.suntimes.com/news/education/755...ded-at-her.html I've said a few times before, overall, I like the job Rahm has been doing so far. He has been coolly efficient and calculated with hitting his stated goals, for the most part. Actually, amazing as it is, the new mayor and the new Cook Country board Prez (Preckwinkle) have both been pleasant surprises so far. Both have made significant ground in tearing down some bulls*** in their governments. Of course both have gotten some things wrong too, but that is expected.

I Joe. So much fun to watch play 3B, and the definition of a hitter who got the most out of his hits (which really weren't all that many). Its sad that his career had to end because of his back.

This is now the Ozzie Rumors thread.

QUOTE (Heads22 @ Sep 13, 2011 -> 01:22 PM) Heh, plane is flying from near Pac-12 HQ to Ames. Naturally, we MUST be going westward. Yeah, that can't be anything else. As I recall, Ames has an experimental aerospace company HQ'd at the airport that does lots of flying, and it is a pretty significant private aircraft landing point. But it must be that the Clones are headed to the PAC 12! Where did you pick that up, anyway? Is someone so bored they are scouring flight plans?

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Sep 13, 2011 -> 10:58 AM) ma·jor·i·ty (m-jôr-t, -jr-) n. pl. ma·jor·i·ties 1. The greater number or part; a number more than half of the total. (mst) adj. Superlative of many, much. 1. a. Greatest in number: won the most votes. b. Greatest in amount, extent, or degree: has the most compassion. What gives you reason to reject the Brookings/PRRI study that shows that is is indeed a majority, and a 2/3's majority for "Islam is at odds with American values" First, "most" as you described it is comparitive, as in, most compared to others. I was saying most as a percentage, which I would take to mean most, as in, say 80% or more. Second, you have made yet another unfounded leap here, from picking one question in a survey that is only somewhat related, and assuming that because two thirds of respondants on that one related but not direct question one way, that somehow means they hate Islam. I object.

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Sep 13, 2011 -> 10:12 AM) A majority is 'most'. First, no, it isn't. Second, I don't think it is a majority OR most.

QUOTE (Rex Kicka** @ Sep 13, 2011 -> 10:14 AM) I would raise revenue by making Capital Gains taxes progressive and more closely aligned with real income tax rates. I would lower corporate tax rates but close many loopholes to ensure that the largest, most profitable corporations that do business within the US actually pay taxes on the income they receive. I would spend lots of money on infrastructure improvements nationwide, both on roads and rail, as well as air travel by fully funding the FAA and speeding up work on NextGen air traffic control systems, our national power grid and other non transportation related infrastructure projects. I would bolster the US Postal Service, by refunding the overpayments into the Federal Pension system that they have made and give them the flexibility to drop Saturday service as well as other flexibilities necessary. I would also allow them a one time 10 cent increase in postage to be phased in over two years. I would stabilize Social Security by raising the income cap on Social Security taxes. I would allow the Federal Government to negotiate directly with drug companies to provide better cost protections with Medicare, similar to what private health insurance companies are allowed to do. I would work with state and local governments to create small business incubator programs, where start up entrepreneurship is encouraged with partially subsidized office space and other assistance in exchange for guarantees to maintain a presence and hiring locally in urban areas with high unemployment. I would roll back the 2001 tax cuts over three years, in stages - with people making over 250k being done immediately and lower incomes having their tax cuts rolled back in stages over the next three years. The first real suggestions, thank you sir. I see a lot in there that could help with the deficit and debt... but am unclear which of those would help the economy recover. Or do you believe it will do that on its own, a la Bush I? Just curious where you see the economic help coming from in that list. I like some of your ideas.

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Sep 13, 2011 -> 09:56 AM) But you and others were trying to make the case that it's just a couple of bad apples in the crowd, a negligible amount. It's clear that a majority of Tea Partiers feel this way. I made no such claim, at all. I said it was significant, and a noticeable stripe in that crowd that sets it apart... but that it is not all, or most, nor is the rest of the citizenry near zero with the same feelings.

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Sep 13, 2011 -> 09:51 AM) It's over 50% for all 3 categories. That's a clear majority. Uh huh, and the same questions got 30 or 40% support from the general public. So like I said, difference yes, more hate and anger yes, dominated by it no... and those questions are only snapshots and show more ignorance than actual hatred, IMO.

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Sep 13, 2011 -> 09:47 AM) That nicely illustrates exactly what I was saying earlier... yes there is a distinct flavor of anger and hate in the Tea Party crowd, but it isn't as if it's 90% compared to 10%... its a smallish, but still noticeable, difference between them and other slices of political society.

I'll be there. Probably my last game for the year.

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Sep 13, 2011 -> 09:36 AM) Short term or long term? Two very different questions. Happy to see discussion on either or both.

QUOTE (GoSox05 @ Sep 13, 2011 -> 09:28 AM) Do you think that crowd what have reacted differently to your third point scenario? I think there might be some difference, but I honestly can't say how much. QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Sep 13, 2011 -> 09:31 AM) That's just an extremely insulting hypothetical in the first place. What percentage of people fit this mold? Less than 1%? People don't pay for health care because they can't afford it. Was Wolf just baiting the audience and the candidates with this ridiculous scenario? Not many, and the question was badly worded I agree.. unless it was followed up by my scenario, and possibly another, so that a picture could be painted for the audience of where the candidates really stand.

Alright, I am going to attempt to get a thread going that actually contains some ideas for fixing the economy. Its real easy to yell and scream at that liberal pansy Obama, or those hateful whack-job Republicans, that they are doing everything wrong. It takes some actual thought to come up with alternatives. We had a thread like this a while back about health care too. Let's hear it... if you were President and had favorable majorities in Congress that would do more or less whatever you wanted done (within reason - even a well-aligned Congress wouldn't be likely to, say, double the income tax for all brackets, or remove the income tax entirely). What would you do?

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Sep 13, 2011 -> 09:18 AM) Well, at least we know 1 thing...when you see a crowd that cheers loudly for 350 executions, and people in a separate crowd yell "Let him die" in a hypothetical case about insurers...you don't feel those are disturbing enough to criticize...but if anyone generalizes from those crowds at all to say, the rest of the political group...you immediately rise to their defense. 1. Do you really think that the crowd at a tea party debate - and the personalities who would tend to be at something like that - are an accurate representation of the entire movement? 2. No one can possibly deny that there is a lot of anger and hate in the tea party movement, among some people... that doesn't make it ALL of them, or even necessarily a majority of them. I'd probably think the number is higher than SS2K5 would, but you seem to think it's 90% of that crowd that is a Mongol Hoard. I disagree vehemently. 3. Strange as this sounds, if the scenario were slightly different... say that 30 year old was laid off, couldn't afford insurance because the family had no income after a few months, and then got very sick... then my judgment of their behavior would be a lot different. Which brings up a discussion point... perhaps the best way to have gone about health care reform is for the government to provide health care to the unemployed (non-retired adults looking for work actively), but not provide it in any form to those who are employed and can afford it.

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Sep 13, 2011 -> 09:08 AM) No, that's what I'm saying, they weren't calling Social Security a ponzi scheme, calling basic Fed actions treasonous, thinking that defaulting on the debt is a good idea, etc. I'd expect saner Wall Street-type money to flow more readily to Romney this time around as I can't see self-interested wealthy bankers/financiers really jumping behind a Perry or Bachmann I agree on Romney, he will likely take the nomination. I also agree that 2008 had a lot more reasonable, Presidential-looking and acting candidates in both partiesm than we are seeing from this sorry sack of candidates from the GOP for 2012.

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Sep 13, 2011 -> 08:54 AM) Alan Grayson's response: Well first off, if you watch what happens and the hypothetical that is brought up... this is a guy who has a good-paying job and elected not to pay for health insurance (because apparently this hypothetical person is a moron). Then he gets very sick. If you believe in real personal freedom and a libertarian mindset, then I have zero problem with Paul's answer there. As for the crowd chanting "let him die", it sounds to me like a few in the crowd are crass imbeciles, I don't disagree there (even if you think the person is responsible this way, there is no cause for being an ass about it). The implication here is that the tea party movement is hateful and angry and illogical. There certainly are some in the movement who that's true for, and it disturbs me too. No doubt there is more of it there in that movement than in any other significant political group I have seen in my lifetime. But it is not entirely so, and ultimately the idea here is that personal responsibility should be a hallmark in this country. Yes, that means some people will pay more dearly for their lack of planning and forethought... but also yes, there are many benefits to those who take that responsibility. So let's not make the leap from a few jackasses to the implication that the tea party is like a mongol hoard either.

I see a couple votes for Santorum and Cain (one each). I haven't seen them discussed much here... for those who support them, what are your thoughts there? Why either of those two? And someone voted that Huntsman wins the nomination - it wasn't me. I wonder who thinks that.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Sep 13, 2011 -> 08:05 AM) Technically is right though. One of the most common steroid injuries happens when the tendons and ligaments can't support the muscles anymore, and you get situations happen, just like happen to Peavy. Massive tears of muscle because they aren't being supported like they were intended. I'm not saying this is what happened to Jake, but it is definitely possible. Look four posts up - ptatc seems to think otherwise.

QUOTE (WHITESOXRANDY @ Sep 13, 2011 -> 12:07 AM) They have clearley been served too mnay beers. This game is over. Heh. Guy posting after midnight makes that many spelling errors in just two sentences, accusing others of having too many beers.

Who do you WANT? Who will WIN?

QUOTE (Tex @ Sep 12, 2011 -> 09:16 PM) I thought he did very well. Stop it. QUOTE (mr_genius @ Sep 12, 2011 -> 09:17 PM) I will campaign/vote for Obama if Huntsman wins the GOP nomination. You too.

QUOTE (mr_genius @ Sep 12, 2011 -> 09:13 PM) All the GOP candidates are pretty bad. I might have to give Gingrich another chance. Forgot to mention him... to me, he may be the only guy up there who made positive ground in the debate.