NorthSideSox72

QUOTE (kapkomet @ Jan 11, 2009 -> 11:39 PM) Yes, because he has no choice. I'll defend what he's trying to do. But, I have serious problems with it. And, it wouldn't matter if the pope were president, his economic advisers would tell him to have a huge stimulus package in this circumstance. (oh the irony - collection plate, please). Your paralell is actually spot on, actually, IMO. I know how you feel. On the one hand, I certainly understand the need for stimulus. And if you are going to do that, things like infrastructure and energy and transportation projects certainly make sense as a way to do it. But like you, I also have serious problems with it, as I've stated here before. I think we are already at such a dangerous debt level, that running $1T+ deficits (funny, that looks like a swear word) might cuase us serious, serious problems in the not-too-distant future. I guess the real blame there falls on various Congress' and Presidents over the past few decades that ran up deficits when they didn't need to.

QUOTE (Alpha Dog @ Jan 12, 2009 -> 05:41 AM) I suppose the supporters are just mimicing Hamas by using kids as shields. Pro-Hamas demonstrators used children as "human shields" in the anti-Israel demonstration this past Saturday. The demonstration devolves into riots, with the children in the front lines crying. Why is it that when the religion of peace stages peacefull prtests, they always break out in violence? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iktdJVFpMrw...player_embedded I can't see the video at work, but I assume this is the pro-Palestinian riot in NY? If so, then it should be noted that the riot started when one of the protestors got in a fight with someone who didn't like the protest, and it devolved from there. And I saw no mention of children in the articles I saw. Maybe this is something else?

QUOTE (kapkomet @ Jan 11, 2009 -> 08:06 PM) Second, (thinking about how best to say this...) - the stimulus plan is a mistake, but it's not right now. It's making a mistake on top of a bigger mistake. I'm not sure I can even explain that... Its funny... I've seen this argument used about Iraq. The Iraq war was a cluster f*** and perhaps shouldn't have happened at all, but once there, you had to fight your way to a certain level of success before walking away. Will those same Republicans who used that logic, use the same to defend Obama here?

QUOTE (bmags @ Jan 11, 2009 -> 06:06 PM) keep it up, this is hilarious. QUOTE (mr_genius @ Jan 11, 2009 -> 06:10 PM) Don't worry I will. Almost as hilarious as you being a journalism student. Take it down a notch please, both of you. Just a friendly warning, before this goes too far.

A cheap-ish 1 year deal for Freddy is an excellent idea, if he passes physicals and seems healed up. I'd rather have one of the fringe brigade (Marquez, Richard, Egbert, Broadway, etc.) competing for a rotation spot instead of two of those guys.

QUOTE (mr_genius @ Jan 11, 2009 -> 05:40 PM) as compared to the opinion articles that every other news organization tries to pass off as journalism? honestly it could not have appeared anywhere, it was not a DNC advertisement so it wouldn't be printed in most 'news' publications. Hard to discuss these things when you are that far over the top.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jan 11, 2009 -> 10:48 AM) It won't. The only reason he got impeached was because he pissed off the wrong people. When you look at guys like Daley and Stroger who are just as much, if not more crooked, and still get to be in office unscathed, that saids it all to me. Actually, I'd suggest he got impeached beacuse he was particularly stupid and corrupt, even compared to other politicians. It was just too obvious. As an added bonus, he was incompetent as a governor, and had zero clue how to interface with a legislative body. All that combined to be his doom. Just remember though, the Feds did this investigation. He didn't piss them off, there was no relationship there at all. They went after him because he was so blatant and obvious.

LOL at this article. He writes an article about a scenario that he specifically states won't happen and is probably not allowed, to illustrate some phantom doom for the Sox. He must have nothing real to write about.

QUOTE (kapkomet @ Jan 10, 2009 -> 10:22 PM) I personally am 100% against abortion. Period. But to me, it is a states rights issue. If the state of Texas (using this wonderful state as an example) decided that they were going to legalize abortion, I wouldn't like it but I would live with it. My whole damn problem is EITHER party telling me what my moral standards should be. It's not the damn national goverment that should tell me that, it should be the states and/or local codes that should tell us that... and then we choose to live where we want to based on those codes. Think about that. Does it make sense what I'm trying to say? I see what you are trying to say, yes. I guess I just see it differently. I want the government to do as little as possible, at any level, to foist their beliefs on me by way of law. But, for those key individual rights that need to be protected, I think those clearly should be national, not state. Civil rights should not fall to the states to decide, IMO.

QUOTE (kyyle23 @ Jan 11, 2009 -> 09:55 AM) All I was thinking during the press conference was "I wish soxtalk was up right now, the filibuster would be hilarious right around now" To tell you the truth, Im kind of surprised at the lack of reaction thus far. And it was unbelievable, human shield is the perfect description for it. I like how he inferred that he was being impeached because he saved someone from cancer. If Blago is convicted by the Senate, 10 puppies will die. An embarrassing episode for Illinois, but in the long run, perhaps this will help clean things up a little. Not nearly enough of course, but, a little.

QUOTE (mr_genius @ Jan 6, 2009 -> 04:49 PM) lol just stick with the NY Times, MSNBC, DNC emails. you'll be much happier. WSJ is a quality paper, better than most. Solid journalism most of the time. But the article you posted was not journalism, it was an OPINION article, which could have appeared anywhere.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jan 6, 2009 -> 02:50 PM) Read whole thing, lots of details. For once, you can safely say this man has the scars to prove how well his captors treated him. Did the NYT really manage to misspell "gauntlet" as "gantlet"? Gantlet is a real word, but its about railroad ties.

MLBTR is having a live chat right now, for members. Funny note... if you go to the site, look closely at the box for the chat BEFORE you push play... all the posts are in Latin.

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Jan 6, 2009 -> 01:29 PM) I'll be completely honest. I don't find these Sox related notes to be very interesting. O-Cab isn't going to sit out the season. He'll sign somewhere.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Jan 6, 2009 -> 12:09 PM) I care mainly because players who aren't on PEDs anymore have usually gotten worse since that time. Pettitte really is no different, and he's much older at this point. I want nothing to do with him. That is one of the reasons why I care. PED's tend to be good in the short term and while they are on them, but as time goes on and/or they stop, they tend to break down pretty badly.

Oil approaching $50 now. This as a run-up from the lows in the mid-30's a few days or weeks ago. Hard to tell how much of the rise is due to fears over the Ukraine/Russia dispute (which is natural gas, not oil), how much is supply changes among OPEC, and how much might be increasing demand. Or for that matter, if this is simply a correction of going a little too oversold.

QUOTE (Hatchetman @ Jan 6, 2009 -> 11:17 AM) I don't care about PED use now. some unknown part of the league was/is using them. Fixed for you. I care.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jan 6, 2009 -> 10:40 AM) Don't forget though...it doesn't look as bad right now, but we haven't even seen the end results of the investigation. The comparison point for Blago would be where the investigation for him was pre-October, where there's some thought he's corrupt, where you realize there's an investigation in progress, maybe some wiretaps or something but you're not sure, but nothing firm has been released to a prosecutor and the people doing the investiating want to keep their case under wraps. Like I said, it doesn't LOOK as bad. We'll see how it shakes out. Its hard to believe that Richardson would be as stupidly blatant as Blago, that much I have confidence in.

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Jan 6, 2009 -> 10:25 AM) I wasn't really aware myself until about three weeks ago when I saw mention of it while browsing a science blog. Paul says he is big on individual freedoms, but he wants to inject (or at least allow others to inject) religion into public institutions. He has also supported candidates from the Theocratic Constitution Party. That's a bit of cognitive dissonance to me. I also wonder if many of the people who routinely talk about "states rights" in regards to abortion do so because they think they have a shot at getting it banned at that level but not the federal level, but that's just conjecture on my part. The religion injection thing bothers me too. And I certainly agree, some folks use the States Rights argument as either a way of compromising (which isn't so bad I suppose), or a way to get it banned that they think will work better. If abortion is about human rights, it really can't be a states issue.

I have a BB Curve, and I'm pretty happy with it, overall. Just keep in mind that any of the mobile OS's - Windows Mobile, BB, Palm - are frustrating at times. Just poorly designed, really. But I tried a Windows Mobile phone for a while, and switched to BB, which is better. If you don't want email though, don't bother with any of those types of phones. Just get a phone phone, you know?

I have this strong feeling that the Sox will do something semi-big in the next few days. Just a hunch, completely unsupported by any fact whatsoever. Which is why I am posting it here.

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Jan 6, 2009 -> 09:58 AM) Ron Paul is a strong Christian evangelist and doesn't believe in a rigid separation between church and state. He has introduced the "We The People Act", which would allow government institutions to display religious imagery and messages. He also introduced the Sanctity of Life Act, which would have defined life as beginning at conception. He also strongly opposes civil unions or marriages for homosexuals. He also staunchly rejects evolution, though he wouldn't want to force ID into schools because he's against public schools on principle. He is absolutely a social conservative. Interesting, I didn't get that impression. But then, I didn't really study him too deeply either, because he was too extreme for me to take seriously as a candidate. I was glad he was in the race, but didn't research in any depth. Paul is big on individual freedoms, which is a core GOP belief that I agree with. I knew of some of this stances in this area, and agreed with them. But I was not aware he was rabidly anti-gay, which bothers me.

Well, he should have called the hotline. But on the other hand, we are talking about a legal OTC substance that he showed to doctors and nutritionists. I'd say 50 games may be far too stiff a penalty. Reminds me of when Jim Miller was suspended when he was with the Bears, for taking some GNC supplement.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Jan 6, 2009 -> 08:47 AM) I think Wrigley is rather hitter friendly. The ball flies out of there and there is no foul territory. If he can hit .276 in Oakland, the worst park in the Majors to hit in, I think a .290 average with a .385 OBP would be more likely. Add to that about 20-25 homers and 85-90 RBI, and he's basically going to do what they wanted Fukudome to do. Wrigley is the most weather-dependent stadium in baseball. Its a homerun haven in the summer, but its a pitcher's park in the cool spring months with the nor'easters blowing off the lake and in from the outfield.

QUOTE (lostfan @ Jan 5, 2009 -> 10:58 PM) That's what I meant, I mean it's not like he doesn't know what he's talking about (although I might not necessarily agree with what he's saying) but he doesn't have much in the way of personality. Compared to Obama, Reagan, or dare I say Palin at least. Paul got flustered a little too easily when speaking. But I agree with mr. g here, overall, the GOP needs to go more towards what Paul brought to the table - less social crusading, smaller government, personal freedoms. I hear that from lots of current and former GOP voters. You don't go as far as Paul goes, but, you move that direction.