southsider2k5

This has been buidling for a while out of a price dispute with Belarus... http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-2537540,00.html

QUOTE(WHarris1 @ Jan 8, 2007 -> 07:18 PM) I suppose if you wish to over analyze the terminology behind a movement that much it is your choice... Or rip it off from George Carlin...

BTW, I do want to point out one thing that the writer of this article completely neglects is that dispite being government regulated Com-Ed is still a business, and as such they do pay taxes. All these chartiable contributions are is tax write-offs, and as such have exactly zero effect on their bottomline, and exactly zero effect on what your electricity costs in the end. QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Jan 9, 2007 -> 08:06 AM) I don't believe the federal government should be funding arts in any case. State and local, that's different - then its a maybe, with some restraint. I have a choice in government representation, and I have a choice as a consumer in a competitive market. In the case of electricity, I have no choice. Therefore, they should not be spending my money on anything other than creating electricity. Just my opinion. QUOTE(EvilMonkey @ Jan 9, 2007 -> 08:11 AM) YES! Well, I will say you guys are consistant, and that's all I ask. I can respect that.

QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Jan 9, 2007 -> 08:04 AM) Bush would undoubtedly veto and rollback of recent tax cuts, or any addition of new taxes. That is really besides the point. Just because they know it would be DOA on his desk, doesn't mean that the Dems have to work with anyone to get it there. All those promises of cooperation and bipartisianship are already flying out the window to fit their agenda, no matter what guise they are hidden under.

Never in a million years would I ever join a BMG/Columbia House club again. Ever.

QUOTE(Texsox @ Jan 9, 2007 -> 07:56 AM) What are they going from/to? I was around .11 and saw a climb to .14 in the previous year. I think the number was something like 22% IIRC. QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Jan 9, 2007 -> 07:58 AM) I do agree that the rate freeze is a bad idea. Heck, even the Speaker of the Illinois House agrees with that, but the majority of the house wants to look good to their constituents and don't care if it hurts everyone later. The solution isn't more regulation - its LESS regulation. That's exactly where I was going. People don't seem to realize that there are unintended consiquences of regulations. QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Jan 9, 2007 -> 07:56 AM) ComEd isn't corporate - that is the problem. Corporate is being a business in the free market. Electricity, in Illinois, isn't a free market. Therefore, ComEd is more like a government entity than a private firm, in many ways. And as I noted, if I wanted my money to go to the arts (which I do, to some extent), then I sure as heck don't want the electric company doing that for me. I'll do it myself, which will be more efficient and more of my choice. And again, of ComEd had competition, then fine - let the free market decide. If they can turn a profit, give me electricity at a fair price and still afford King Tut, then I am OK with that. The US/state/local governments make that same decesion everyday with your tax money. Should we get them out of the arts business as well? By the time they collect taxes, they are way more ineffecient with your money than any business ever would be.

QUOTE(mr_genius @ Jan 8, 2007 -> 06:31 PM) the Dems only have a slight majority in the Senate. they won't get the large tax increases they want. if they try to push legislation for huge tax increases the republicans should filibuster. That's where the procedural changes come in... It used to take 60% to move tax matters, now it only takes 50% +1. They can force anything they want onto the President's desk now. The size of the majority doesn't matter as long as the Dems vote as a block.

QUOTE(Texsox @ Jan 9, 2007 -> 07:51 AM) I'm with you. No one has posted their electric rates, that would change my opinion if they were insanely higher. But anything currently in the .14 range seems fine, and if they can do that ~and~ give a little back, I'm all for it. The reason their getting nailed by higher rates is because of a rate freeze they are coming out of, which didn't allow for smaller gradual increases. Now they are looking at bigger, more immediate increases. Its more of quality regulation at work.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Jan 8, 2007 -> 05:46 PM) You will if Oil screams to $150 because Iran and Saudi Arabia decide, quite correctly, that their interests are at stake in Iraq and join in the fight. Why would there interests be at stake?

I can't believe ComEd in the post Enron/Refco era is getting ripped for giving back to the community. This is how capitalistic corporate efforts are supposed to run, and now they are wrong for it?

QUOTE(Texsox @ Jan 8, 2007 -> 05:41 PM) Down here the biggest concern would be mold. Many insurers have removed mold from their policies. It's a huge issue in the south with many people basically having tens of thousands of dollars in remediation. Well aparently 80% of places are OK. That's great news. They really ought to publicize that beause the cost of rebuiling NO just plummetted if this is true.

QUOTE(soxwon @ Jan 8, 2007 -> 06:43 PM) i hear a Mccain-Lieberman ticket is in the works. Now that could really be good. Appeals to reps n dems. I call BS.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16531987/

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Jan 8, 2007 -> 02:50 PM) While we're on the demolition and debunking myths topic: So they are saying its OK to remodel a house that was emmerced completely in water for a long period of time? I guess that means they don't need nearly as much aid as they though they did then do they? Its much cheaper to remodel than to rebuild.

QUOTE(Rex Kicka** @ Jan 8, 2007 -> 02:45 PM) Couldn't that also be seen as a more effective way to be able to achieve PAYGO benchmarks though? Sure its more effective. They just made it impossible for the Repub's to hold up their legislation. Now they can do whatever they want.

QUOTE(kapkomet @ Jan 8, 2007 -> 12:33 PM) I didn't put any filter on registration (guests or otherwise) when I first opened it back up. I haven't looked - did it really mess things up? I deleted 50 spam accounts. Literally. They also were just flat out posting as guests, so I put an end to that as well.

I got a 22. That's about what I expected.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Jan 5, 2007 -> 08:48 PM) .285, 5 home runs, 32 RBi. QUOTE(Texsox @ Jan 5, 2007 -> 09:38 PM) .275/5/35 Where is everyone projecting him hitting? This is a nice improvement over previous duos. I think this is as solid a tandem since the Fisk days. QUOTE(Felix @ Jan 5, 2007 -> 11:05 PM) .281/5/28 QUOTE(knightni @ Jan 5, 2007 -> 11:31 PM) .255 5hr 29rbi - 75 gms played (maybe 30 started) QUOTE(PAUL KONERKO 14 @ Jan 6, 2007 -> 04:02 PM) 5 HR's 35 RBI's .265 BA .300 OBP .685 OPS I am in this camp for power numbers, except I think the average will be more like .250 ish.

QUOTE(jasonxctf @ Jan 8, 2007 -> 09:33 AM) its a crazy circle. its like playing Sim City... you have to build the infrastructure first, then put in the police, fire, school, hospital, etc and then start building those green, blue and yellow boxes. but in all fairness, those businesses did have property insurance. most of the houses in that area did not. So corporate america took the insurance $ and ran rather than use it for its designated purpose of rebuilding. speak of the devil, look what just popped up on Yahoo's front page. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070108/ap_on_...katrina9th_ward That is assuming they got real value on their insurance claims. If I had to guess the business claims were no different than the personal claimes, which means they most likely got screwed for the most part.

Remember the 5 day work week? That didn't even last a week either... I guess the BCS game is worth a day and a half of holiday time. Must be nice. http://www.drudgereport.com/flash7.htm Another interesting move by the Dems was to change approval for tax increases from 60% to only 50% +1. http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20...15506-5182r.htm

QUOTE(Allsox @ Jan 8, 2007 -> 08:18 AM) It's a good question as to what a fair deal is for Mark if he turns in a typical Buehrle yr in '07 (15 Ws, 3.50 ERA, 220 IP). He certainly doesn't deserve what Zito got (Not sure what is for a guy that works 35 days a yr) but the market for mediocrity was established at 10 mil this offseason and I'm not sure if that'll go down. And since we know the Sox don't pay for a pitcher beyond 3 yrs, I'd start with 3 yrs, 33 mil with performance bonuses that can make the contract worth 38 mil. But I'm sure the Yankees, Red Sox or Texas would be dumb enuff or desperate enuff to go 5 yrs, 75 mil so I don't see Mark being here past '07. If the Sox are tanking, he'll be gone sooner. With today's market, 5/75 isn't even a starting point for a guy like Buehrle unless he has a terrible 07. We are talking about AT LEAST 6/96 if not more years and dollars. And trust me, someone will pay it.

QUOTE(Kalapse @ Jan 5, 2007 -> 04:06 PM) This past season of Family Guy has been pretty brutal, IMO. I really wouldn't have missed it had it not been picked up. QUOTE(greasywheels121 @ Jan 5, 2007 -> 04:44 PM) Agreed. The little side stories or w/e you want to call them (this is like the time I fought snakes with Samuel L. Jackson on that plane) have taken over that show, and killed what was good about it. I am glad I am not the only one who is completely bored with this show.

QUOTE(ZoomSlowik @ Jan 7, 2007 -> 04:49 PM) I would agree, don't expect a drop for a while. I've seen numerous reports of Sony losing $200-$300 per unit sold even at the current price, so until the price of the components come down a bit it's not too likely to drop. Aw, poor little Sony. Any reports on how much they are making per game cartridge? I didn't think so.

QUOTE(jasonxctf @ Jan 8, 2007 -> 07:49 AM) i guess we shouldnt have rebuilt any of the areas here in tornado alley (plainfield, ottawa, etc) because that will happen again as well. I just got back from spending time there over the holidays. while most of the city looks ok, the lower 9th and Chalmatte look horrible. you can still see the markings on the houses showing how many dead bodies were found inside. The surprising thing to me was that in Chalmatte (upper lower income/middle income area) the place is a ghost town. All of the items that would be covered by Federal Tax Dollars (street signs, stop lights, roads, power lines, etc) still look the same way they did shortly after the storm. Businesses such as McDonalds still have their windows blown out and stores abandoned. So while everyone likes to make a stink about the general population not rebuilding, tearing things down etc... corporate america and the government hasn't done its part either. There is a crazy circle going on down there. Business will not reenter until people come back. People won't come back until there is infrastructure/business. There won't be infrastructure until there is an organized rebuilding. The politicians don't want to do any organization of rebuilding because they don't want to go in and tear down peoples house, because they throw a fit when it happens.

QUOTE(witesoxfan @ Jan 7, 2007 -> 10:51 PM) I'm really just wondering what the overall response would be if I were to name Ellen Degeneres. Shred your man-card. NOW!