NorthSideSox72

QUOTE (Y2HH @ Apr 4, 2011 -> 01:39 PM) And about ourselves. I'm sick of the US getting involved in all of these uncivilized (IMO) countries. I'm fed up to the point that if they want to slaughter themselves, have at it...and leave us out of it. Kill one of their dictators, and another one takes their place and after a few years picks up where the former let off. We spend tons of money, and nothing gets accomplished. I'll say again... nice idea, and I'd agree, except for the whole problem where we are beholden to a lot of these countries for our resources. Get us materially off foreign oil, get our debt significantly rolled back, and get more of our basic resources handled either in-country or from friendlier nations, and then your idea has merit. Until then, its simply impractical.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Apr 4, 2011 -> 09:20 AM) I'm all about Obama making this pledge, but really, hasn't every President since Carter been saying this? Yes, to greater or lesser degrees. QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Apr 4, 2011 -> 09:20 AM) And yet we're still nowhere close to attaining that goal. Actually we've made quite a bit of progress, but there is a long way to go.

QUOTE (Y2HH @ Apr 4, 2011 -> 08:37 AM) I can't disagree with you here, however, I've seen reports that show that people driving more fuel efficient cars/hybrids tend to drive something like 3x MORE than an average person without a fuel efficient vehicle...sort of nullifying any perceived gains. Yes, our cars and trucks are getting more MPG, and are far more efficient than in years past, yet we are using the same amount of oil or more? That's not adding up. The fact that your chart shows US oil production has declined since the 1960's sort of illustrates that we are even MORE dependent on foreign oil now than ever before, does it not? Also, I'm not certain here, but does that graph only count the people? What I mean is I've read that we are using more oil due to shipping, trucking, factories, etc...does that graph of our oil consumption include all of that, too? I think we'd both like to see the same things here, instead or the typical modern government method of doing things. Make promises about energy dependence, but do nothing but continue to subsidize dirty energy companies while giving a pittance of money for R&D for future energy tech...that's what I see happening...so I'm forced to call their bluff. First, I'd love to see actual evidence of this number. Second, that doesn't nullify anything - those people were likely going to drive anyway, so you are actually getting a bigger payoff that way, not a smaller one.

QUOTE (Y2HH @ Apr 4, 2011 -> 08:29 AM) These graphs and charts probably don't include money the government pays out to 3rd parties, such as Haliburtin, or contractors making 30,000$ a month to work in Iraq, etc...which has been going on for the last decade. While these aren't government employees because they're all contracted out...it's still the government paying out the $. Mostly for defense. Which I'm told by the GOP doesn't count.

Remenowsky confirms directly, he's headed for B-Ham, and he's healthy. I assume Infante will close for B-Ham - though I really expected he'd be in Charlotte.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Apr 2, 2011 -> 11:55 AM) Sigh. I saw that too. I think its interesting, a lot of people seem to focus on government overspending/undertaxing/debt in some form as the biggest political issue currently putting the country at risk. And that's certainly a big one. But I honestly am starting to think something scares me more - the rising strength of corporatism and particularly high executives, combined with the assinine SCOTUS ruling that says a corporation is a person for political contribution purposes. Add to that the bizarro lobbying rules and laws and a populace that is mostly ignorant of even the simplest political knowledge, and you really have an enormous risk of the US becoming the corporate-ruled malverse we see in future-looking science fiction. Scares the bejeezus out of me.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Apr 1, 2011 -> 03:13 PM) Or we've just gone to a more service oriented economy because the price of manufacturing is cheaper elsewhere. Either way, the fact that we have more people on the payroll of the government than in private business in manufacturing is still an issue IMO. First sentence is absolutely true and absolutely a problem, I agree. And the second sentence I only partly agree with, as government employment hasn't grown substantially as a percentage of population. The real problem is a combination of a declining education system, a stupid tendency to keep some death grip on manufacturing that isn't the future, and a lack of ability to see the value in getting to what the US can actually manufacture competitively.

Just opened up ESPN gamecast, and saw the score. 14-0? Seriously? Its football weather, I guess we need a football score. f***ing awesome. That new MLB gameday sure does look cool... too bad it doesn't actually work. Tried it on Chrome and IE, and nothing updates correctly or in a timely way. ESPN is fine.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Apr 1, 2011 -> 01:23 PM) Also depressing: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142405...3867182108.html That number can only be true if its HEAVY manufacturing. And that's to be expected.

QUOTE (Elgin Slim @ Mar 31, 2011 -> 08:26 PM) I don't think that the Cubs are going to be as bad as most think this season. In fact, they could be very good. They have a very solid starting five and a killer back end of the bullpen. If Mike Quade was smart he'd bench Fukudome and start Colvin in right, and lead off Castro. The only questions are if the middle of their order is declining so much that they aren't going to score enough runs, and are the middle relievers going to get anyone out. I'm not a Cubs fan by any means, but if you really think about it they really aren't that bad and they could finish first as easily as third or fourth. The NLC is just as competitive, IMO, as the ALC, but the ALC has better quality teams. I think 86-89 wins will win the NLC. Killer? Marmol is filthy but walks about a guy an inning and that will eventually bite him. His setup guys are nothing spectacular, then it goes downhill in a hurry in that pen. Solid starting 5? They had auditions among a bunch of marginal pitchers for not just the 5th spot, but the 4th spot as well. Their #3, Garza, has had an awful spring, and their #2, Z, is... well, he's Z, who has been in decline for years now. They have a solid starting 1. That pitching staff is well below average. Their defense is also terrible - one of the worst last season and likely only worse this year. And you really think that none of CIN, STL or MIL will win 90 games? Sorry, but I saw the Cubs as the 4th best team going in, maybe 3rd now with MIL's injury issues.

QUOTE (JPN366 @ Mar 31, 2011 -> 03:55 PM) Now that would shock me, but you never know. I had him projected for W-S. But he's not in W-S, so either he's getting demoted back to Kanny, or he's in B-Ham.

GO YOU WHITE SOX!!!

These goals are useless without specific policy initiatives being enacted. I mean, I'd like to be 10000% richer, but so the f*** what? Too many vagueries.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Apr 1, 2011 -> 08:00 AM) The Overs win an unemployment report! You said that last month too.

QUOTE (danman31 @ Mar 31, 2011 -> 03:50 PM) Generally relievers move up a level if they go to the pen. Yeah, I think this is a bad sign for him. I still don't know the nature of his injuries last year, and its sort of baffling for a guy with his velocity and control to have so few K's in the past season or two.

Lucy spent Spring Training as a backup C with the big leaguers again, and then was sent back to Charlotte. Not sure if he's still got a shot to be a backup C in the majors in the future, that boat may have already sailed. He's got an excellent reputation for pitcher handling, and working with other C's, so I wouldn't be shocked if eventually he gets hired on as a coach.

W-S roster announced, without Garrett Johnson on it... my guess is he may be the lefty in the pen at B-Ham, since they don't appear to have one among those likely to go to AA in 2011.

QUOTE (JPN366 @ Mar 31, 2011 -> 10:29 AM) Probably, I'm wondering now who will be the bullpen lefty for the Barons. Maybe Leesman? Not sure about Zaleski, I know he was resigned back in January. I think I just figured it out... the LOOGY in B-Ham may be Garrett Johnson.

In a move that I don't understand, after splitting 2010 between AA B-Ham and brief stint in AAA Charlotte, Charlie has been demoted to High A Winston-Salem. Not sure if he's going to continue as a starter, or if they are re-training him as a reliever. We'll see.

W-S roster was announced without his name on it. And since he's reportedly healthy, this likely means he's in AA Birmingham. The jump to AA often separates the men from the boys. And given his relatively high age for level, and his injury last year, this is a big year for Dan. If he performs like he did in A ball at B-Ham, and especially if he can show he can consistently put his FB up over 90, then you'll see him jump onto the radar screen as a legit prospect.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Mar 31, 2011 -> 11:38 AM) Anyone have any special tips on phone interviews? I've done fairly well with them in the past, but would love to hear if anyone has any tips.. More seriously though, you should always do them from a land line phone. Cell phone just never works well.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Mar 31, 2011 -> 11:38 AM) Anyone have any special tips on phone interviews? I've done fairly well with them in the past, but would love to hear if anyone has any tips.. Get a hair cut.

As of yesterday, its official; TARP banking initiative has now turned a profit. Treasury estimates it will eventually turn a profit of about $20B.

QUOTE (JPN366 @ Mar 31, 2011 -> 10:29 AM) Probably, I'm wondering now who will be the bullpen lefty for the Barons. Maybe Leesman? Not sure about Zaleski, I know he was resigned back in January. I think they keep Leesman a starter as long as possible. I actually thought they might have Hector Santiago make a big jump to AA, they seem to like him, but he ended up in W-S. So I have no idea.

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Mar 31, 2011 -> 01:28 PM) He was always looking for a team but he was stubborn about not wanting to dh so he never found a job. I'm not sure stubborn is the right word. He's got plenty of money, he wanted to play on his terms, and he was willing to walk away if those didn't happen. They didn't, he's retiring. I have total respect for that. Thanks for everything JD, you were a big part of the greatest Sox season in my lifetime.