southsider2k5

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Jan 19, 2006 -> 02:06 PM) I take it that's possible when you're in Mich City (that's where you're at correct?) but somehow I doubt that people living closer to the city, or for another example anywhere in the state of California, are following those guidelines. Yeah, good ol Michigan City. It is very possible, but it definately helps that I work in Chicago and live in MC. I would say most jobs in MC are about where two earners would be able to be at about the double income rule for a decent place. We pretty well stuck to our budget when we bought our place, and got lucky to find the price we did for our place. In Chicago or the near burbs, this would be pretty impossible unless you were rich or living in a complete dump/bad area.

QUOTE(Chisoxrd5 @ Jan 19, 2006 -> 02:00 PM) Really...I would like to know what percentage of current homeowners actually would fall under that category? My wife and I do. We are barely over our incomes added up.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Jan 19, 2006 -> 12:57 PM) My guess is that the best explanation is that he's significantly changed his appearance in a way to try to avoid being seen by the U.S. (Shave and a haircut?). A year or two ago I would have believed more that the reason he's not showing up on video is that his health is a concern and he doesn't look as strong as he did in late 01, but it's been about 3 years since we last saw a ton of videos of him, and if his health was a genuine concern, I just can't see him still being alive. Not constantly on the run, unable to visit a trained western doctor, in remote areas of Pakistan. Good thought. I just wonder why he hasn't taunted us with repeated audio tapes then? Heck there would be nothing bigger to rally his guys than say a weekly audio tape sticking it to the USs inability to stop Osama. It just makes me wonder as it has to be the most effective propaganda tool that the guy has at his disposal.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Jan 19, 2006 -> 12:54 PM) Not clear = Strike "May" have, and source only being random people within Pakistan. It'd clearly be a good thing if we got the guys we reportedly got, but thus far the only sources I've seen say that they only have unnamed Pakistanis as sources. At some point, you can't say things are certain until you have someone willing to put their name and credibility on the line about the report. So who are the sources saying that Bin Laden is still alive? Some poor quality audio tape and some unnamed Al Qaeda sources? It's the samething I would say.

QUOTE(Adam G @ Jan 19, 2006 -> 11:52 AM) We're being a weeee bit dramatic, arent we? The man makes $8 million a year, his family isnt out panhandling for food or anything. Like I said, he is going to live the rest of life on the money he gets out of this deal. After this contract he is going to be near 40 and no one is going to pay him anything at that age. Out of curiousity how much money do you think it would take for you to support your entire family for the rest of their lives? There is no way of knowing something like that. I know that is already rich beyond anything we will ever know, but at the sametime, his window to make money is closing quickly. This isn't just about today, it is about 40 years from now.

If this turns out to be Bin Laden (sounds like the quality isn't the best so they aren't quite positive it is him yet) it is really interesting that it has taken him 13 months to release just a crappy audio broadcast of his message. He hasn't been able to stand on video for almost 2 years now, so I wonder what that means exactly. Is the guy that afraid of getting caught that he can't even rally the troops anymore? Is he that isolated that he doesn't have the ability to get the equiptment and/or the means to safely get a tape to someone important for broadcasting?

This is Contreras's last chance for a big contract in his life. He HAS to make this one count as this is it. I haven't heard him asking for anything crazy, so I have no problem with him getting what the market it offering.

I was reading on the ESPN message boards that the wife might well have started this mess by going up to say something to a fan that had been heckling her husband. Does anyone have a link to a more reputable board where I can try to read somemore about this?

QUOTE(Rex Kickass @ Jan 19, 2006 -> 08:49 AM) Disney is indeed satanic. I have long ago apologized for my involvement in the Mickey Mouse Club and have placed it on the record. I had no idea what Walt Disney had in store for me when he lured me into being a part of this organization with his promise of a lifetime supply of goats blood. I went through that "lifetime" supply in two months too. Cheap bastard. Cheap Bastard? Isn't that a personal attack Mr Ass? Is this the type of moderator we should expect here? How sad.

We on the committee have a few questions for Rex, if that is indeed your real name, about his membership 20 years ago in an infamous right wing organization that discriminates again older people. Can you explain the odd head pieces? Are those satanic?

QUOTE(Gene Honda Civic @ Jan 18, 2006 -> 06:01 PM) He'll be looking for something very similar to the deal Garland got if he's smart. That only delays free agency a year. Otherwise he'll want something like the Santana/Sheets got. If I did the math right, I think that is pretty much where it would put him, with an extra big year tacked on at the end for something like $14 million.

QUOTE(mreye @ Jan 18, 2006 -> 02:54 PM) Damn it! Thanks everyone. While this is nice, the guys at work bought Giordano's! Save me a piece!!!

Zawarhiri sounds doubtful now, but the US is claiming to have killed a master bombmaker in this raid. http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/Investigation/story?id=1517986

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Jan 18, 2006 -> 04:14 PM) That assumes there's an alternate spot that would work as effectively for distribution where WalMart could just easily move it around in order to punish Maryland. There are lots of other issues that decide where you're going to put one of those other than revenge: Labor costs of workers at the facility, availability of workers there, education of workers in the area, land value, access to transportation, quality of transportation, tax rates in that state, distance from stores which will be supplied by that facility, distance between that facility and other distribution centers, etc. It's not that easy to just decide not to build a facility in Maryland to punish MD...it's in fact quite likely that if they did that, they'd wind up spending a lot more on the facility itself. Well instantly MD made two of those just more expensive for WMT.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Jan 18, 2006 -> 03:45 PM) Still before we even talk about AJ and gold gloves, I think it would behoove us all to go look at which pitchers had the most wild pitches in the league. Even though a WP isn't credited to the catcher, that doesn't mean there's nothing the catcher can do to stop it...that only means it was in the dirt. Unless some of the wild pitches were a product of bad catching... I know Garcia and Contreras led the league in WPs but both also had career highs. Garcia went from having a career high of 12 in his rookie season, to 20 last year. Contreras also upped his career high from 17 to 20. The thing that makes me believe it isn't just worse control is that both Contreras and Garcia had career lows in walks, which besides watching every game, really tells me that there is more than lack of control involved in those outliers.

QUOTE(Tony82087 @ Jan 18, 2006 -> 03:08 PM) Without a doubt my favortie player on the Sox, but AJ is a far from a GG catcher. He is alot of things, but Gold Glove is not one of them. Exactly. I don't know that I have seen many catchers worse at stopping the ball in the dirt.

QUOTE(RME JICO @ Jan 18, 2006 -> 02:41 PM) I cannot believe AJ didn't get more consideration for a Gold Glove. So I guess he got snubbed too with a .999 Fielding Percentage. Varitek won it but he only had a .990 Fielding Percentage. AJ also did a great job of handling the staff, and I only can imagine that 2006 will be even better, especially with AJ's hitting. Let me be the first to say it... AJ did NOT deserve a gold glove, I dont' give a s*** what his fielding percentage was.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Jan 18, 2006 -> 02:48 PM) If the Terry Schaivo bill didn't cross that line, this certainly won't either. I'm sure this will end up in court and we will find out once and for all.

In the Bachellorette episode what is the 80's song that Brian serenades Brooke with?

QUOTE(Rex Kickass @ Jan 18, 2006 -> 02:35 PM) Yes. Perhaps because that one company isn't acting as a good corporate neighbor. Laws get passed all the time with one person or one business in mind. My town adopted an ordinance just so the one person who kept his junk cars on the street on blocks couldn't do it anymore. If it serves the public good to have a general law created that will, at least at first, have the immediate effect of changing the behavior of one "problem" neighbor, what's the harm? Because it is unconsititutional?

QUOTE(Rex Kickass @ Jan 18, 2006 -> 02:23 PM) Actually, there are four or five companies in that description. The only one who currently does not meet the 8% threshhold is Wal-Mart. Ergo, the law was passed with one company in mind.

QUOTE(Steff @ Jan 18, 2006 -> 02:10 PM) Uhh.. excuse me... personal attack here...?? Is it a personal attack if its true?

QUOTE(Texsox @ Jan 18, 2006 -> 01:48 PM) It will be your opinion, but wouldn't any great debate involve some backing up of data, if that is making your point? I suspect that the judges will be looking at your sources, and if they are some fringe wacko web site, you may lose points, if they are respectful, you may gain points. Of they are "books you have at home", then you may not make round 2. Since there will be a possibility you may both agree, you will have to find someway, like a good candidate for office, to try and differentiate yourself. If I structure the question and give people sides, I think it takes away from the format. I did consider that. Eh, count me out then... Sounds to much like who can use Google the quickest and most effectively.

QUOTE(mreye @ Jan 18, 2006 -> 02:02 PM) Then why did you put this in SLaP? This is the same place I would put a NASCAR thread, why not?

QUOTE(Steff @ Jan 18, 2006 -> 01:57 PM) Don't make me sting you W&O..... Kinky.