NorthSideSox72

Obama screwed the pooch on this one. Really no other way to see it. He set rules in an executive order, then proceeded to nominate multiple people who don't fit those rules. His choices were dishonest. We do not know if his rules have been applied to lower level people we don't hear about. If they are, good, but in a way that causes another problem - they see that the highest level people get to break those rules they have to follow. That will not inspire great loyalty among low and mid level staffers in the administration. That is a collateral damage item that Obama has also caused himself.

QUOTE (scenario @ Feb 6, 2009 -> 12:10 PM) Please help me understand... Where did "religion bashing" take place? I'm asking this as a serious question to help understand where the line is. Did I cross it and if so how? Call it a pre-emptive strike. It was headed that direction, and may have gotten there already, depending on your viewpoint.

OK, let's not go down this road. Please stop the religion-bashing and what not. Now, cockhold bashing, that's just fine.

Back in college when I was playing basketball every day, I had a couple pair of Nike Air Raids. Perfect shoe for a big dude with ankle issues like me, with the torsion straps and heavy lugs. I was ecstatic when, a couple years ago, I stumbled on them again - Nike had brought them back. Best shoes ever for basketball, racquetball, anything with a lot of hard turns and plants.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Feb 6, 2009 -> 09:00 AM) There is a pretty significant number of people who believe that minimum wage actually does more harm to low income workers than good by artificially limiting the number of people who work. I think the art of determining the minimum wage is balancing that, against unfair labor practices that create more poverty. You have to be careful not to go too far one way or the other.

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Feb 6, 2009 -> 08:55 AM) There's already a thread on the executive compensation proposal. Yes there is. And now they are one in the same.

Jeffrey Wright for KW. Or maybe Chiwetel Elijiafor (butchered spelling I'm sure).

Flowers' real first name is Cole? Kind of weird, since he'll be in camp with another catching prospect, Cole Armstrong. So who wins the battle between an Armstrong and a Flowers? Doesn't sound good for Flowers.

Hm. Bad K/BB ratio, and he's had some struggles. But, he seems to get to a certain level, struggle, then find it. If he can play CF, and has some good offensive potential, he's definitely worth having in the system somewhere. Even if its as a backup plan in Charlotte. Better than Jeff DaVanon.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Feb 6, 2009 -> 07:52 AM) Agreed completely that it was good. It was no Tombstone or Unforgiven, but as far as westerns in the last decade, yeah. Unforgiven was indeed an excellent western. Tombstone, I enjoyed a lot, but I think its not enough to be "great". In fact, its really two films. They changed directors while making it, and it shows. The first half to two thirds was good, not really classic in style but very well done. Good character stuff, great fun too. Then about two thirds in, it becomes a modern-age action flick set with older costumes, and that takes something away from it. Not sure which director was which, but, the whole ride of the avengers aspect got pretty ridiculous. Still a fun movie, but, not as good as Unforgiven, or 3:10 to Yuma, or even Silverado. There are also a few movies out in recent years that aren't westerns per se, but are very akin, and very good. The Missing, for example, was a good film. Seraphim Falls was decent.

I can't believe so many people disliked 3:10 to Yuma. I thought it was one of the better westerns made in the last decade or two. Not that there have been a ton of them made in that period, but, there are some.

QUOTE (FlaSoxxJim @ Feb 5, 2009 -> 04:04 PM) There's been an interesting bit of etymological collision here. I couldn't find the Trib article you referenced - or any other article referring to the cuckold or cockloft. I believe, though, that the term the rib used should have been cockhold - literally place in which roosters are kept (= cockloft). Online, I see the two (more, really) spellings used interchangeably in reference to a man unknowingly married to an unfaithful spouse. As believable an etymology it would be, the notion of cuckold/cuckolded, etc. referencing multiple roosters under the roof (suggestive of infidelity), the true etymology is even more interesting. Cuckold/cuckolded, etc., are terms that actually refer to the cookoo bird, a well-known nest parasite that will sneak it's eggs into the nests of other birds, thus duping the parents to raise a fledgling that is not its own. In the same way, unwitting husbands of unfaithful wives can be cuckolded into raising children that biologically are not theirs. Just thought I would clarify. um... kay. When i read it that morning on my crackberry, it was cockhold/cuckold or the like. Later, it was cockloft. Now, its not there at all. Apparently, there were too many snickers about it.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Feb 6, 2009 -> 07:36 AM) I got $900 billion that saids that isn't true. That $900B should tell you, just like TARP did, that neither party wants to hold the title of fiscal responsibility. Even the rejecting GOP folks against this stimulus aren't talking about no stimulus - they just want tax cuts instead of spending. Either one puts us in a bigger hole.

QUOTE (mr_genius @ Feb 5, 2009 -> 04:23 PM) http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/clout_...oject-list.html Of course not. Imagine what's in this 'stimulus' spending. I can hardly wait to read the posts about how any spending is good spending; it's going to be great. Gawd I hope the Fullerton/Damen/Elston intersection is near the top of that list.

So here is a related but strange question... if sea levels are rising... and all sorts of navigation, telemetry and constructions systems use sea level as a basis for the measure of altitude... when does this start causing problems with, for example, aircraft navigation? When do sea levels rise enough (a few feet?), for it to become material? Just something odd to consider. Sea level has been used as a predictable baseline for many things.

There aren't any competent centerfielders left in there, are there?

QUOTE (mr_genius @ Feb 5, 2009 -> 03:06 PM) This is not normal for appointments or people in general from what I can tell. Obama just didn't vet anyone, and think back to all the ramblings about how McCain didn't vet Palin (teehee). Wealthy Democrats love to raises everyone elses taxes, but they feel they are the 'enlightened elite' therefore the rules do not apply to them. Your last sentence is more accurately replied to "wealthy PEOPLE". I think Obama's team vetted, but I think someone decided that these "little" issues would not be a big deal. They were very clearly wrong. And that falls on Obama's lap - he put his name on these nominations. He screwed up.

So, when does this go beyond just how bad the Obama vetting is (which it has been), and start worrying people that maybe there is just a large percentage of people out there who are avoiding taxes?

QUOTE (onedude @ Feb 5, 2009 -> 12:49 PM) Rescue Dawn, The Machinist, Harsh Times, and The Prestige were all really good roles. He's in the upper echelon of actors, it isn't right to say he isn't a good actor. Overrated is a better word to use. He's only 34, and his best role is probably ahead of him. Agreed. Also, add in there 3:10 to Yuma, he did well in that role as well.

QUOTE (bmags @ Feb 5, 2009 -> 01:18 PM) American culture is one of our biggest exports. OK. I don't disagree with the general point, but, please show me how this is a "stimulus" item, and how it will generate positive returns.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Feb 5, 2009 -> 01:09 PM) If the equity premium exists, and the 401k's are managed in a fair method such that it's not just a method of sucking out fees and giving them to investment banks (and hence, this sort of information is available), I'll agree. If the equity premium doesn't exist, then pensions are just going to hurt businesses, who will then lay people off. Businesses and governments should not be in the business of running investment plans, unless they are investment firms.

QUOTE (bmags @ Feb 5, 2009 -> 12:52 PM) http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washingt...erve/?page=full NEA gets money from the stimulus bill? LOL, what a joke.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Feb 5, 2009 -> 01:04 PM) IMO, being able to lobby for a better quality 401k plan for a company's employees is exactly the sort of thing a union ought to be able to do in the modern environment now that most companies have moved away from the defined benefit plans to the defined contribution plans to screw their employees save money. If companies are adapting, why shouldn't the Unions? And hopefully the unions won't have to worry about debating health care with businesses for too much longer. And the fact that most people aren't part of unions is of course a great argument for expanding them. EFCA anyone? Choosing 401 over pension isn't screwing anyone, its a better system for everyone involved. And unions are not the answer, IMO. I have no problem with unions per se, but in their current mode, they don't work a lot of the time.

So, Ruth Bader-Ginsberg has cancer. She is 75. I hope she can recover, though this type of cancer is very tough. Are we soon to see Obama's first SCOTUS nomination?

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Feb 5, 2009 -> 11:58 AM) Yesterday, the House passed, with a whopping 3 dissenting votes, a bill that will compel the DHS to establish an office who's job it will be to actually go through the terrorist watch list and deal with claims of people who say that they should not be on the list, and requires the DHS to provide a procedure for people to legally challenge their placement on that list if they're detained or denied access to airplanes without cause. Still has to go through the Senate, and I think Joe Lieberman chairs the committee it has to go through, so nothing is certain yet, but it's a much needed step. Seriously, was that so hard? Who were the unamerican idiots who voted against? And I am not being sarcastic here - I really find it distinctly unamerican for people to vote directly against a measure to give fair hearing to US citizens in a grievance against the government.