southsider2k5

QUOTE(Steff @ Dec 21, 2005 -> 04:27 PM) I thought it was 60%... I phrased that wrong. The biggest that they can get is a 20% pay cut is what I meant. Maybe that changed, but that's how I remember it.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Dec 21, 2005 -> 04:22 PM) Is there a minimum salary that a person going through arbitration must be paid? I don't believe there is a floor, but one stipulation is that a player can't get less than 20% of what they were making the year before. That's why you see older players coming off of big contracts not get offered arbit for the next season, or players who were way overpaid in general.

QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Dec 21, 2005 -> 02:29 PM) And knowing the markets, do you really think that Kerry or his wife ever actually stock pick? I mean, unless they are avid amatuer market makers from past jobs or something (which is possible I suppose), that just isn't likely. They give the money to their fund guy, and say "go moderate with this amount, aggresive with this amount, avoid these industries..." etc. I am sure you realize this. If you are saying Kerry's campaign should be more careful about investments, then sure, that's probably true. But there are so many connections that could be made to so many companies that could make a person look bad, it becomes absurd to even try. So you do what most of the monied politicians do - let someone else do your investing for you. And yes, he should avoid shopping at Walmart in the future. Of course I am sure you also realize that this recent Walmart thing with Kerry is POST-election I believe, and those purchases were DURING the election. You can find a few picky little things about his investments and where his lackies shopped, but I just want you to see that this article has a clear hole in its logic. Walmart is not necessarily healthy for communities, and in fact probably harms them. I put the caveats in my original posts to avoid having this particular discussion. I was trying to focus on Walmart's impact and the general conflict with the Unions and the politicos, not Kerry's campaign in 2004. After campaigning against Wal-Mart and other corporations, you would think that a consumate politician would think it might be a good idea to tell your trust to avoid conflicts of interest, especially with disclosures the way they are now a days.

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsarticle....ATVIA-DRUNK.xml

QUOTE(Randar68 @ Dec 21, 2005 -> 02:32 PM) Honel, Malone, Munoz (if he doesn't win the LOOGY job), Tracey (if he doesn't win a righty relief role), Reynoso (see Munoz), Baj (see Tracey)... Ulacia, Josh Fields, is Bullard still Sox property? Yup Bull is still property of the Sox. This year was rough because he had shoulder problems and bone spurs in his elbow, but he is back working hard, and his velocity is almost back to normal after only a few bullpen sessions. I really think he could be an interested sleeper for the last lefty spot in the pen out of spring training depending on what Kenny does with the rest of the off season. His numbers have been really solid at all levels of the minors except last year when he was hurt from day one.

QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Dec 21, 2005 -> 01:53 PM) That's your reason for the hypocrisy argument? That the campaigns spent money at Walmart? Of course they did. In some of those small towns, where the heck else are you going to get certain things? That's pretty lame. The stock thing you need to keep in perspective as well. To protect themselves from such connections, most of these politicians leave others to make their stock picks and other investments for them. They can't even sell the stock without going through a huge process first. That said, it would be smart for Kerry to have someone analyze his significant holdings and make sure his broker steers clear of certain things. I figured you were pointing to the fact that Dems (the crusaders for the under-priviledged) were the ones fighting Walmart. There is more in there, but that is a good place to start... I guess shopping at the local places they are trying to keep open is out of the question, huh? I don't know about you, but if I was throwing $25 million to try to get rid of something, I sure wouldn't be shopping there. As for the stock thing, after working 7 years in the financial markets I am pretty sure I understand the disclosure rules more than most. The fact that it was Kerry's wife who owned the stock tells me it probably wasn't a blind trust as she has no real conflicts of interest in her private vs work life. She doesn't vote in congress, so there is no conflict. That means even if her money is in trust, she knows, or at least has the ability to know, what it owns. What does make it interesting is it was Kerry's wife who loaned the Kerry campaign a big amount of money which flooded the early primaries with money in the 04 election cycle and revived his campaign. Evidently it doesn't matter where the money comes from, just that it comes, even if it is from the same groups that are being publically campaigned against.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...5122100354.html 54% say he should be approved, 29% say no.

QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Dec 21, 2005 -> 01:29 PM) I don't see the hypocrisy. I've read more than one research piece that has shown how Walmart actually has a negative effect on communities, financially and otherwise. The author of this particular article obviously chooses not to see that, instead looking on the surface - jobs, low priced necessities. These are important of course, but there are negative offsets that Walmart brings to the table as well, such as depressed relative wages (especially in or near urban centers), jobs lost at other retailers, detraction from local production of goods (Walmart doesn't buy locally except by happenstance), etc.

QUOTE(mreye @ Dec 21, 2005 -> 01:23 PM) Link won't work for me.

Not usually, but you can regift them to me... I don't mind

QUOTE(Iwritecode @ Dec 21, 2005 -> 12:58 PM) Let's put the X in Sex - Kiss I touch myself - (can never remember the group that sang this) The Humpty Dance the divinals did "Touch" right?

$25 million is being spent this year to go after Wal-Mart. What is interesting is to see who is behind it, and the hypocracy of the fight. http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=1...id=aCJurSBQqfLM

QUOTE(Iwritecode @ Dec 21, 2005 -> 12:42 PM) I my god! They killed Kenny! You bastards! OK, that was wrong. Anway... Wow. I don't think anyone in a million years could've dreamt up a scenario like this. It's just one of those freak accidents that occurs out of the blue. With all the magnets they have in toys these days, I wonder if they'll have to start putting more warning lables on them. Just a few years ago a local boy was riding his bike in a parking lot and tried to jump over a parking block with it. He fell off his bike, hit his head just right on the pavement and was killed. I can't count the number of times I've knocked my head on something... And while you are still alive... it does explain a lot

Psuedo-Republician at best right now. They are the closest to what I am looking for.

3 years $24 million is a joke for Jon Garland, and I am not surprised at all that it pissed him off to the point where he wants to be a free agent.

This is America... You only get two choices.

So in other words... come back in off of the ledge. We weren't going to get him for a minor league deal, and if we were willing to spend $2 million on a reliever, we are going to get one who can pitch in April.

QUOTE(FlaSoxxJim @ Dec 21, 2005 -> 09:51 AM) Did you know that John is alluding to the song's protagonist burning da b****'s house down in the last verse? It's true. I did not know that Awesome.

One of my favorites, if nothing else for its pathetic lack of obviousness...

I had some fun with this one, and I figured some could use a laugh. This is inspired by my seven years as a South Shore railline commuter, but probably will be appreciated by anyone who has been involved with public transportation in their lifetime... I hope you enjoy. Purgatory With Pantagraphs

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/scienc...ticle333838.ece

QUOTE(Chisoxfn @ Dec 20, 2005 -> 05:44 PM) Whoa...you all laughed at me when I suggested that a while back. But I hope were right Mike. That was before they about doubled the season ticket base in 4 months time. Supposedly we were at 11K going into 2005, and we are now at about 20K. The increase in the season ticketbase is worth an extra 800,000 fans all by itself, without even getting into the excitement of fans buying single game tickets. If the figures are acurate, and I have no reason to believe they aren't, the Sox have sold about 1.6 million tickets before ANY single game tickets are on sale.

QUOTE(TLAK @ Dec 21, 2005 -> 08:17 AM) Wow, the World Champions don't get any respect, even from their own GM, after they won 99 games and went 11-1 against baseball's best in the playoffs. What an incredible statement. Can you tell me the last team that did stand pat and repeat in MLB?