NorthSideSox72

QUOTE (Reddy @ May 12, 2008 -> 09:38 AM) as of Jan. 12 so there's obviously been progress since but: Maybe the spire actually goes into the ground, instead of up from it. Like a stalactite.

McCain outlines his main points on the environment in a speech. Overall, I like his approach - set the bar, and create an economic environment that encourages new technology. But where he sets the bar, how he does the encouraging, and how serious he really is, remain to be seen. Right now, I like it.

QUOTE (southsideirish71 @ May 12, 2008 -> 09:33 AM) The funny thing is that in 4 years, their class rank means s*** as far as a resume is concerned. Their GPA and their SAT/ACT scores + extra curricular will get them into the school of their choice. I can't remember the last time I had someone say, I see you have a CCIE, but what was your ranking in high school. Unless you are the valedictorian, it doesnt matter. I agree. I'm just saying, at New Trier, in order to get into the high end schools, you have a different competitive structure than at other schools. You have a lot more kids vying for those ivy league and other super-tough schools, so they get very competitive. For lots of those students, while they are there, it means everything at that time. By the way, since I didn't say so earlier, I agree with your stance on this particular kid. He committed a crime, and he should be prosecuted for it.

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ May 12, 2008 -> 09:20 AM) Just want to say it again, but I would trade Thome straight up for a solid young infielder or outfielder. I've even gotten past practically giving him up for nothing. His approach is bloody terrible. He hits his homer runs when it doesn't matter and does nothing but try to pull the ball no matter what. Yesterday's game was just another example of what little he does to help a team "win". I know he gets stats and he probably will have similar stats to last year by seasons end, but he is not a "winner". I have to give Swish a bit more time, but he may fall in that boat as well (although I believe he has a bit better approach at the plate and I'm going to give him more time because he's younger and brings a tremendous attitude. I didn't see yesterday's game, but I've watched or been at a few in the last few weeks. And I see Thome actually changing his approach. Not every at bat of course, but some of the time. He's hit a number of line drive base hits to left and center in recent games.

The Financial Times of London reviews the upcoming WV primary. This is how Londoners will be seeing West Virginia. Not pretty.

By the way, if anyone ever wanted to know what its like to go to New Trier, look no further than this article. The level of competitiveness is ridiculous, and class rank is coveted like you wouldn't believe. Not surprising that some kid just had to try to find out. And I wouldn't be surprised if his parents encouraged him to do so. The pressure cooker of NT is obscene, and its just not like any other public high school. No way I want my kids going there. The opportunities are great, but I think its just too hypercompetitive to be healthy. There are other suburban districts almost as good (or by some measures, as good or better), with a lot less pressure, and much lower taxes to boot.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ May 12, 2008 -> 07:54 AM) I forgot to mention that line... For my money, you can always count on a company or two in each industry making the right decesions, and it is supported by history. Think of banking, think of JP Morgan. They have been bailing out the US during three different centuries now. During the internet bubble, some pundits were dumb enough to laugh at Warren Buffett. I wonder what they are doing now? For me, XOM is that company in the energy field. I have a hard time believing this will happen, but it really piques my interest at the sametime. I am sure the price will plummet a few times over the next few years, but let's put this in perspective - it would have to lose 60 to 75% of its value to get to that 30-50 range. That's not a plummet, that's a collapse, and I think you'd have a hard time finding any commodity that has ever lost that much value. Now, if they are projecting that in 50 years, alternative energies have taken a huge bite out of demand, then maybe that's not a horrible assumption. But even then, the supply side would have gotten much tighter as well.

QUOTE (hammerhead johnson @ May 11, 2008 -> 11:55 PM) Yeah, that was kind of a weird sentence, but I think he meant catching prospect. Lucy was the only one considered close to being that, and he dislocated his knee cap last week and will be out for some time. He was probably going to take Hall's slot in 2009, until this happened.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ May 12, 2008 -> 08:02 AM) Interesting write up on XOM. Two things really stand out in here. #1 is that these companies are having a really hard time finding places to spend their profits, because of the privatization of oil industries in nations, and #2 the thought that XOM could become a private company, and pretty much be hidden away from the government after that. At that point they would be under zero obligation to report anything in the way of accounting or profits publically or to the government. On the idea that they are having a tough time investing, that shows clearly just how against alternative energies this company's culture is. One other thing that stuck out in the article, to me, is that projection of $30-$50/bbl oil price assumption. Given the increasing demand pressures overseas, the continuing flow of big equity money into the commodities markets, the apparent near-term peaking of many main oil reserves, instability in the middle east and other oil producing areas, and on and on and on... I just don't see their assumption as remotely realistic.

QUOTE (kapkomet @ May 12, 2008 -> 08:11 AM) I've been long waiting for the day that XOM goes private. People, you need to realize that privatization is becoming a huge thing. And I can tell you from some "inside" perspective, it's not a bad thing... for the COMPANY. But, the shareholder - now that's a different story. It can also be very, very bad for employees. If privitization occurs as part of a pure investment strategy, where an equity partnership buys the company, the employees can typically expect a world of hurt. The goal is usually to cut costs to the bone, rev up a few high profile projects to make the company look shiny, then sell it. And that can be a touch work environment, I can tell you from experience.

So, we got letters in my neighborhood last year, saying that the Alderman had approved this huge 90 unit condo building in the area. The building was going to be just south of Fullerton and just west of Damen, where some old industrial buildings had been, next to the Metra tracks. At first we were all a little leery, wondering how tall it would be, and if it would be Section 8 housing, etc. Then we found out what it is... Chicago's first bottom-up "green" condo building. Wind power, green roof, newest energy systems, star-rated appliances, all that jazz. Interesting. Image...

QUOTE (Controlled Chaos @ May 12, 2008 -> 08:24 AM) This is just getting under way. 155 N Wacker. It's pretty cool walking past it every day and seeing the progress. From the demo to the finished product. I saw the UBS tower from demo to finish too....pretty cool stuff. I got to watch UBS, as well as 11 S. Wacker and 101 S. Wacker (or whatever the addresses are of the NE and SE corners of Wacker and Monroe), both go up (I was working in 1 S. Wacker for years, until recently). I love the flowing lobby design they used at both Monroe/Wacker buildings.

Tied for first!

I know he's on the old side, but Cook has been a damn good hitter for a couple years in a row now. I wonder if he ends up in Charlotte sometime soon.

QUOTE (southsideirish71 @ May 10, 2008 -> 01:02 AM) If the child is shorter than 36 inches which is the turnstyle height they can get in without a ticket. At least that was the policy last year. You can give them a call at the ticket office for verification. Confirmed - we brought my niece to a game this year, I called first to ask, and they cited the 36" rule.

Cook and Shelby are on fire.

QUOTE (maggsmaggs @ May 9, 2008 -> 04:16 PM) The entire Sox organization (minors and majors) are all hovering around .500. Kinda funny and kinda sad. Also, at least until yesterday, the entire organization is hitting for crap but has strong pitching (per my thread and post on TCSN).

QUOTE (north side chi sox fan @ May 9, 2008 -> 03:32 PM) Edit: Jose will strike out the next 26 batters after picking Ichiro off. LOL, Jose picking off Ichiro. Now that is hilarious.

QUOTE (bmags @ May 9, 2008 -> 04:25 PM) You know, I have serious questions on the validity of this claim that Hamas wants Obama considering the source it came from. I could give less of a crap if its true or not. But I'm very disappointed that McCain keeps harping on it. I think its trashy, and that quote of his where he tries in a single sentence to both insult and compliment Obama is laughable. He basically said "with all due respect, he's a terrorist's best friend". What is the point of the "with all due respect?" Despite a few gaffes, I've been pretty OK with McCain so far in this cycle. But his continually bringing up this fact, and then acting like he doesn't campaign negative, is a little pathetic.

QUOTE (BobDylan @ May 9, 2008 -> 03:05 PM) All one has to see to sour on Scarlett is Match Point. The scene where Woody Allen has her rolling around in the grass with her fat sticking out and staring you right in the face, bouncing around, saying, "I WON'T GO AWAY, EITHER!" I thought she looked fantastic in that movie. Too bad it just wasn't a very good film. Better than Allen's usual trash, but still not great.

QUOTE (Athomeboy_2000 @ May 9, 2008 -> 03:49 PM) Or 43 If you read my original post, you'll see I specifically said that ARG put out a poll more recently, but RCP doesn't even include those in its averages because of their reputation. I don't put any stock in ARG's polls.

If we win the SEA and SFO series' and split with LAA, I'll be happy. That's a 6-4 road trip. Anything more is just icing. But game 1 is key to setting the tone, as others have said. Jose has been a pleasant surprise this year, at least from my perspective. Keep it up Jose!

So, everyone is talking about 5/20 as the next big date (OR, KY), but West Virginia has a primary in the meantime, this coming Tuesday. Its only 21 delegates, but its still worth noting. Of recent polls, the only one taken since the NC/IN results was done by notoriously inaccurate ARG. The most recent before that, by Rasmussen (5/4, 840 LV) shows Clinton with a 29 point lead. That may drop a bit after the recent results, and when Obama actually arrives and campaigns in the state this weekend. I'd guess a 20 to 25 point Clinton win in WV on Tuesday.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ May 9, 2008 -> 02:12 PM) I think we're up to 8 now. You know, I wonder if Hillary's remarks on how she's going to win the "White" vote 2 days ago are playing in to today's wave. Yes, everyone knows its over, but I think the supers might have hesitated a little more if they genuinely believed she was going to play a bit nicer over the last few weeks. That one quote basically proved that any pronouncement that they were going to try to cut down on the negative stuff was just a lie, and therefore, the choice was to come out and end it by shutting her up or to continue letting her stay negative. I was thinking that too. She hasn't pulled back the negative stuff at all as far as I can tell, whereas Obama has just stopped talking much about Clinton. That, and the overness, are doing it. So I'll stick with my earlier prediction. Obama takes the superdelegate lead by the WV primary Tuesday (probably makes a nice announcement of some kind Monday), at which point he will lead in pledged delegates by about 150, in popular vote by hundreds of thousands, in states won, and finally, in superdelegates. That leaves pretty much nothing that Clinton leads in, except snide remarks and talking to crowds of adults like they are 12-year-olds.

Toledo (23-11) @ Charlotte (14-18), 6:15pm CT, Eggy (0-0, 4.09) goes for the Knights in his third start since coming off the DL B-Ham (17-16) playing a doubleheader @ Montgommery (13-20) starting 5pm CT, Omogrosso (1-1, 3.60) listed as starting game 1, no word on game 2 starter Salem (13-19) @ Winston-Salem (13-16), 6:00pm CT, no starter listed (last night's game was suspended, so this may be a doubleheader too) Lakewood (16-17) @ Kanny (16-17), 6:05pm CT, no starter listed yet here either