NorthSideSox72

QUOTE (Athomeboy_2000 @ Sep 5, 2008 -> 11:41 AM) Palin Tries to Fire Librarian for Not Supporting Censorship A lot of the "issues" brought up around Palin - their daughter being pregnant, for example - are pure B.S. But I must admit, things like this, and her involvement in the trooper firing, concern me. Seems she likes to use her position of power for her personal crusades and vendettas.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Sep 5, 2008 -> 11:39 AM) This whole thing is a farce and a huge reason that I hate politics sometimes. My favorite part of Palin's "speech" (aside from the blatant lies, the making fun of people like she's a child, and all that) was her taking a long time to introduce her son who conveniently joins the forces on 9/11, and her other child, who conveniently means votes from those with special needs interests, and her husband, who conveniently reminds us all of our friends, but she completely dissed and ignored her pregnant teenage daughter. Palin should be ashamed of the hate-filled speech she gave. How is her comparing Obama to Christ NOT being ripped apart? Why does she get a free pass? BECAUSE SHE'S A HOCKEY MOM AND DOESN'T BELONG HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE? I wouldn't call that convenient, and its not something I think she or he did for political reasons.

QUOTE (Soxy @ Sep 5, 2008 -> 11:21 AM) Sorry, it's just my one quirk. I guess I'm more sensitive to it since there isn't a corresponding term for men (and it defines the woman by her relationship to a man). I also always think about it like this: anyone can get married. Not anyone can become a popular (in her elected state) senator, get a law degree or (more generally) get a PhD, MD or whatever. I like to point out to people that my wife and I are Doctor and Mister (last name).

QUOTE (ChiSox_Sonix @ Sep 5, 2008 -> 10:23 AM) Great to see a stellar performance like that from Cassell. What kind of upside to people think he has? #2-3 or #4-5? I dont know much about him other than he's had a good couple years in the minors Check out his AAP page.

QUOTE (FlaSoxxJim @ Sep 5, 2008 -> 07:26 AM) You should have been the speechwriter, because that's the message that should have come across – and would have been effective. Not the one that did – that Community organizers have zero real responsibility or relevance in the GOP universe. Exactly. Saying it doesn't qualify you for Prez is smart. Mocking it was stupid, and handicaps the GOP ticket in the ground game, where they are already well behind the Dems. This will just make it even harder to get the local vote out for them.

78-61, +1.5 over MIN (+2 in the loss column) 23 games remain.

B-Ham lost a heartbreaker to Mississippi, 1-0, in game 1 of their series. Cassel started for the Barons, going 8 IP, giving up just 1 hit, walking 5 and striking out 7. But Teixera came in, in the 9th, gave up the one run and took the loss. Castillo had three hits B-Ham. Winston-Salem beat Myrtle Beach 6-5, to even their series at 1 game apiece. Ely started for W-S and put in 5 solid innings, giving up 1 ER. Jones and Zaleski gave up a few runs in relief, but W-S managed to tamp it down and finish a victory. On the offensive side... Miranda went 2-4 with a double plus a walk and and RBI (he's 5-for-8 with 2 doubles, 1 walk and 2 RBI in the series), someone I've never heard of named Ronnie Gaines went 2-2 plus 3 walks, and Paiml went 2-4 with a double.

QUOTE (lostfan @ Sep 5, 2008 -> 06:38 AM) I was watching someone last night saying how this was a divorcing of the Republican party from Bush. Wow - now I'm really curious to see this.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Sep 5, 2008 -> 06:32 AM) I will probably be alone when I say this, but I thought John McCain made the speech of a lifetime last night. He did exactly what he had to do last night. It was a very positive speech, unlike Obama's who spent most of the night attacking Bush and McCain, and unlike Palin, who spent most of her speech taking pot-shots at Obama. McCain actually sounded like the guy I wanted to vote for in 2000, by moving back to the middle of the road, instead of the right wing conservative crap he has spewed to try to lock down the right wing. I also really liked that unlike Obama, he was willing to stand up and critisize his own party, and their failures economically and in Washington. He also did a very good job of leaving all of the religious overtones to a very small minimum, and largely out of the speech. He actually won my vote yesterday instead of being the guy who was the guy I could hold my nose for. The stand up and fight charge at the end was the best inspiration since Bush on the rubble pile. Bravo. I'm looking forward to watching it on my DVR. I don't agree that Obama spent most of the night attacking Bush and McCain, but, that was a different speech. I'll be curious to see this more positive McCain, and see if he really did out-positive Obama.

QUOTE (kapkomet @ Sep 5, 2008 -> 06:29 AM) She wasn't up there to gain the votes of the educated, she was up there to get the votes of the emotional, non educated people, and her speech was taylored and literally dumbed down to that. And, again, I think it was written in a way to mock RSO's speech from last week, on purpose. Interesting. I've read some news articles about the speech. Major TV type news outlets like CNN and MSNBC ran, mostly, articles saying how inspiring and great it was. But if you read the papers or other more in-depth formats, they say more what you just said. I's say that means her speech was effective for the intended audience. But at the same time, I find that a little insulting.

QUOTE (Alpha Dog @ Sep 3, 2008 -> 03:36 PM) Anyone recall when Bush selected Chaney as his VP, the grief he got for having received 5 draft deferments? Biden had the same amount of deferments. And, despite being a college football player and all around athelete, after the deferments ran out he received a Selective Service classification of 1-Y, (in 1968, middle of the war) meaning he was available for service only in the event of national emergency. due to a previously undiagnosed case of asthma. Maybe Democrats who gleefully questioned Cheney’s manhood and patriotism over this issue should now explain why they support a candidate for the same office with the same record of deferments. You know the funny thing, one of my worst political/vote judgement calls ever... I was actually thinking (at that time) that I was more comfortable with Bush as a President, knowing Cheney was his VP. Then 9/11 happened, and Cheney snapped. Yikes did he get scary as hell.

Heh. I posted in the Palin thread about her speech, surprised no one had posted about it. Hadn't gotten into this thread yet. Sorry.

OK so, I recorded Palin's speech (I hope). Haven't seen it yet. ANy impressions, thoughts? The MSM and their left-wing bias is doing nothing but slobbering all over her speech. I can't recall any VP candidate ever getting such positive coverage.

QUOTE (Alpha Dog @ Sep 3, 2008 -> 04:04 PM) The big problem would be that those core services would cost more in some district than others due to staffing. Each distric negotiates thier own contracts, teachers living around Northbrook need to make more to live near there than teachers in Ford Heights. That is a massive variable. I think your idea is fine, but teacher pay needs to be addressed. If you put a standard payscale in based on years and/or educational level, the unions will scream as this cuts down the amount of money they can mile from the richer teachers, and the teachers will scream (at least those on the higher end) because I am sure that under any equilization plan, those on the upper end would probably get cuts. I'll have to thihnk about that one for a bit. That's why I said that the district or locality level determines cost structure, not the state. That give you your basic, regional tax level.

QUOTE (DrunkBomber @ Sep 3, 2008 -> 02:57 PM) I just think US is bad because it literally sits in the checkout lanes at super markets and it draws a lot of attention from people that dont really follow politics. It just seems irresponsible to have a cover like this and the only coverage of Obama is "Why Barack loves Michelle." Maybe more Republicans should start publishing trashy magazines too.

OK, as this topic bounced around in my head today, I came up with a possible idea. Let me know what you think... When you look at higher end districts with greater funding, the money doesn't just go to higher teacher salaries or newer books. A lot goes to "extras" - music, sports, high end facilities and technology, etc. Seperately, I think we can all agree that the key thing we should be trying to guarantee for all youth in the public school systems is a strong, complete core education. Basic academics, but STRONG basic academics. We all want our children to OPPORTUNITY to excel and enhance their education through whatever non-core activities they choose - a certain sport, math club, fancy elective classes (I took Aeronautics in high school, for example). But that solid core education, the basis for future learning (college and in the real world), is a NECESSITY. So let's have a tiered funding system in public schools. Each state determines what if feels are core competencies that are necessary to achieve. Each county or city or district figures out, in their environment, how much it will cost to provide that, all-in. This number is the tax level needed (funding) in order to give ALL students a strong, complete core education. The number should be LESS than the current taxes, which provide other plus-ones, as noted earlier. What you have done here is put more money in people's pockets, but equalized the system (as much as that is possible) so that everyone gets at least that basic education. Now, what to do with that extra money? All those electives, extracurriculars, etc., become "features" at each school district. Students who choose to participate can pay for those extras, or they can not do that at all. The ball is in the court of parents, and their kids, to decide what is important and worthwhile. What this does is, it allows for parents who work hard to provide for their kids' education to pay more for more services, if they want to. So you aren't ripping off the parents in a district like New Trier. But it also lowers taxes and stabilizes core education for poorer students. I think this type of plan embodies what Republicans want out of a voucher system - competition-created strength, consumer choice, and the right to earn educational rewards - without bankrupting poorer schools as vouchers would. Now, this idea is not perfect. But... any thoughts?

QUOTE (lostfan @ Sep 3, 2008 -> 01:31 PM) I've found that in general, people on the internet are stupid. Because they can be, and on the Internet, nobody knows who they are, and they can say what they want with no consequences. Go to somewhere that isn't moderated, like the comments section of Youtube videos, or Yahoo's old message boards before they shut them down because they were so awful. It's pretty bad. That's just the Internet for you. I guarantee you, if I wanted to go somewhere and find Internet comments on somebody wanting to do (insert violent activity) to Obama because of (insert racial or other reason for hatred slur here) it would not take me more than 4-5 minutes. It may be blatant, it may be subtle... I don't have to veer outside of the mainstream, either. This isn't the left, this isn't the right, this is just people in general, not even in just America, but humanity as a whole. I think the internet, like driving a car, decreases most people's IQ by about 20%. And some people don't have that 20% to give.

QUOTE (Alpha Dog @ Sep 3, 2008 -> 01:25 PM) On this point, you are SO full of it. Go ahead, find a mainstream conservative site that had tons of front page posts and comments wishing death on Kennedy after his recent hospitalization. And I said mainstream, not some whacko fringe site with 20 hits a day. Koz is a mainstream dem site, like it or not. They even have sitting representatives posting on there (Pelosi). Cheney goes in the hospital, they have to cut off comments because it gets so damn vile it even disgusts Koz. Go there and start a post about Bush having been diagnosed with colon cancer and see how long it takes until the first post says somehting so vile it disgust you. I bet you lass than 5. You can say that Obama hasn't said stuff, of his campaign manager hasn't said stuff, but if referring to the left in general, especially blogs, commentators, etc, you are just wrong. The left side is so way over the top in violence, anger and venom that it is just not funny. (sorry for the thread-veer) I have seen plenty of vile stuff like that throughout the blogosphere from BOTH sides of the aisle. Not sure about Kos because I don't hang there much, but overall, I see no great difference between the parties in terms of the venomous extremists.

I understand that there are posters on here who find certain other posters to be nothing but snark and B.S. machines. This is what the ignore feature is for - please use it! Us Mods and Admins can't, but the rest of you can. It might work well to keep the threads more palatable for folks. Or, just use your own built in ignore feature - and just don't respond to them (or imitate them or extrapolate their views to everyone else on their side of the aisle). Thank you for your support.

Its been a long time since we've suspended anyone in the Buster, and I'd like to keep it that way. But these Palin threads, and other ones, have had a LOT of snark, name-calling and inappropriate remarks lately. I'm throwing out this one warning - the next bulls*** like that I see, I'm deleting the post, and suspending the poster. I've seen a lot of intelligent, solid discussion in this forum. You are all capable of it. Please stick to that.

QUOTE (FlaSoxxJim @ Sep 3, 2008 -> 09:43 AM) I'm not sure what line I'm crossing. Mrs. 18-Million Cracks in the Glass Ceiling has only one unique qualification distinguishing her from other potentials - her gender. She was picked to try to tap any would-be Hillary Clinton voters who were planning to vote for her solely because she is a woman. I took issue not with the idea that she was chosen because she was female - which is probably in part true - but the WAY you said it.

QUOTE (Athomeboy_2000 @ Sep 3, 2008 -> 09:37 AM) Barack Obama SCHOOLED the Clinton political machine. That alone is a huge mark on how good of a manager Obama is. A little over the top, but yes, I'd agree that his campaign's primary success is definitely an indicator of his management skills.

QUOTE (PlaySumFnJurny @ Sep 3, 2008 -> 10:33 AM) Yes, his rehab assignment in Charlotte lasted how many games? Its not that simple. We don't know anything about his rehab regimen or what the docs and trainers knew. In any case, this sucks. Crede's career may be ending here as well, which would be really sad.

If we are talking about who is a better manager, then look at how they went about choosing a VP. Not WHO they picked, but their methodology. Obama's campaign handled things much better and more thoroughly, it appears, than McCain did. I actually think McCain and Obama are about on par with each other as leaders, but Obama seems to have better management skills.

QUOTE (FlaSoxxJim @ Sep 3, 2008 -> 09:17 AM) In this case though, most of them were missing the most important qualification: a vagina. Of course it's a political stunt. Careful there.