StrangeSox

QUOTE(Athomeboy_2000 @ Feb 5, 2008 -> 02:21 PM) This is late night comedy at its best... http://rawstory.com/rawreplay/?p=581 This has been great so far. And I love how Stewart just came out and admitted that its an easy way for all three to waste time on their shows while the writers are gone.

Romney on Dole: Romney on Dole (a little later): Mitt Romney, the most consistent man in politics.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Feb 5, 2008 -> 12:25 PM) The NFL receives literally billions of taxpayer dollars in the form of government funding for stadiums, security, and other various infrastructure concerns around them. Furthermore, the NFL is broadcast over the public airwaves, which includes rules preventing any sporting event presented as being live competition as being pre-arranged or fixed. The Senator is fully within his rights to spend time on this. It's a matter of public interest, a matter that the government has rules governing, and for crying out loud, do you really think a few days spent by either one Senator or even by a full committee on this will prevent them from acting on the Iraq war or the economy? Not to mention that they are exempted from anti-trust laws. Same deal with MLB.

QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Feb 5, 2008 -> 12:39 PM) Illinois is an open primary, so, yes. Also, I am not even sure you CAN register a party in Illinois. I dug around for some more information and found this: http://champcountyclerk.blogspot.com/2008/...ed-primary.html You declare at the polls and then you are officially registered that way (it becomes public record). You can change at the polls on the day of the election though, so it'll just change what political mailers they send you in between elections. I'll be heading to the polls after work. Lucky for me, the polling place is about 200 ft. from my door!

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Feb 5, 2008 -> 11:45 AM) His ideas taken in moderation are helpful. If they were all put into reality, our economy would literally collapse. I have no problem with the pendulum swinging back towards his way of thinking, just not all of the way there. At least he has brought back into the conversation the idea of a smaller government instead of what we've been getting for decades.

If you aren't registered with a specific political party in Illinois, can you still participate in the primaries?

And he actually had the balls to criticize Congress for spending. Oh, and lets not forget, this budget slashes an awful lot of Dept. of Education programs and funding, while at the same time he's still pushing hard for NCLB.

I was right down the street working on my car when my friends we got several calls from people warning us about it.

QUOTE(BobDylan @ Feb 1, 2008 -> 07:37 PM) I think I'd rather be shot by a bullet than that. 3,700 MPH? Instant death? For reference, a Winchester .270 Rifle Bullet fires at 1,924 mph. Energy goes by the square of velocity, so those "solid projectiles" from the rail gun have almost four times the energy of a normal bullet.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Feb 1, 2008 -> 02:44 PM) That is pretty clear then. Cool. No duel Presidency. In theory, no. In practice.... Let's just all hope that we never have to worry about it.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Jan 31, 2008 -> 12:37 PM) Or Jack could be indulging in more self-pity by referring to his dead dad.... I have to say, I'm really sick of Jack and Kate. The whole love triangle thing is just lame, and Jack makes dumb decision after dumb decision.

A caveat on shelters/ humane societies: If you're adopting any dog that isn't a puppy, there may be some serious behavioral problems that don't show themselves immediately. Many of these animals have probably had a rough life before they get dumped at the shelter. Although I know they have nothing but the best intentions, the people at the shelter are going to try to place animals as quickly as possible and will sometimes blind themselves to certain problems. My girlfriend and I tried to adopt a dog from local humane society last August. He could NOT handle being around other dogs. We tried group training, private training, and finally trying to get him in to a "doggy daycare" to let the professionals socialize him, but it just wouldn't work (we're in a condo and would have to walk him around other dogs all the time). The shelter was very reluctant to listen to our concerns and pressured into keeping the dog longer than we liked. They would also not listen to what we had to say (or what the owner of a local dog training facility had to say) when we did finally bring him back. I know they just want to animals to have a good home, but the shelters don't always see things 100% clearly IMO. Rescue societies have much better reputations and are much more stringent about placing a dog in the right home. The animals are fostered before they're adopted, so their problems (if any) will be more well-known. Of course, if you're going with a puppy, I think a lot of what I said is moot because the dog will be too young to have any problems ingrained in them yet.

QUOTE(Gregory Pratt @ Jan 31, 2008 -> 10:23 AM) Bad ass! Thanks! The TED talks have a lot of really cool lectures. Check some more of them out!

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Jan 31, 2008 -> 11:35 AM) That was all part of the "flash forward" which revealed itself with Jack meeting Kate at the airport. His father was dead already. Right, but why would he say that? Does anyone else know that his father's dead? He was trying to use his Rx pad, too.

QUOTE(Rex Kicka** @ Jan 23, 2008 -> 01:51 AM) By the way, on individual stocks.... does anyone else think JetBlue is currently a steal at 4.70 a share? I'm no economist and I know that airline stocks are generally not good performers... but Lufthansa just dumped 750 million into the airline for 19% and I wouldn't think that would happen for a short term deal. Jet Blue's over $6 now. Good spot.

QUOTE(Brian @ Jan 29, 2008 -> 07:37 PM) For a Lost novice, what happened with the polar bears and that black smoke? Polar bears were there because Dharma was trying to "climatize" them to the tropics for some reason. Who knows about the black smoke. Hasn't made many appearances lately, but it is still around.

QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Jan 29, 2008 -> 09:09 PM) Hillary Clinton now on CNN telling everyone that Florida is a big deal, and how much she cares for Floridians. If given the chance to punch her in the face, I'd take it.

QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Jan 29, 2008 -> 07:51 PM) If Clinton can't even get a South Carolina-like decisive win in FL, which it appears she won't, despite being the only one who made noises about Florida and having her name recognition... that's not good at all for her. The Obama campaign can really spin her "win" in Florida to a pretty pathetic showing.

QUOTE(Athomeboy_2000 @ Jan 29, 2008 -> 09:33 AM) It is true. they left the 8th episode with a huge cliff hanger. So, if the writers dont end their strike within the next 2 weeks they can "end" the season and pick up next year. How ever, if the strike ends soon, I think they will go into rush mode and try to ramp up production ASAP. After the 8th episode, take a few weeks off, then start the next 8. Great. They were already drawing out the remaining episodes into three seasons, resulting in 8 month gaps between new episodes. Now it'll most likely be split up more.

Lost = Amazing. Anyone know how much of the season they filmed before the writers got all pissy?

QUOTE(Reddy @ Jan 28, 2008 -> 07:30 PM) well, right, the polling data shows that they don't have a firm second choice as a group - you can't easily said "edwards supporters will do this or that" but my theory is it's because they so strongly support Edwards that they dont have as strong of a second choice. They'll say "oh... probably Obama. oh... probably Hillary". I know that I don't know half as much about Clinton and Obama's stances and plans as well as I know Edwards - and most people who support Edwards are issues people, thus, if Edwards supports a certain candidate we're going to be much more likely to vote for that candidate. For instance, if Edwards dropped out and didn't endorse, I think I'd go Clinton. BUT if he drops out and DOES endorse or is touted as the AG or VP or whatever for Obama I'd instantly support Obama. I think the people who like Edwards REALLY like Edwards and want to see him in a position of power in this government. If that means going with Obama, I think they will. You said you'd vote Hillary unless Edwards endorsed Obama.

QUOTE(Reddy @ Jan 28, 2008 -> 07:30 PM) well, right, the polling data shows that they don't have a firm second choice as a group - you can't easily said "edwards supporters will do this or that" but my theory is it's because they so strongly support Edwards that they dont have as strong of a second choice. They'll say "oh... probably Obama. oh... probably Hillary". I know that I don't know half as much about Clinton and Obama's stances and plans as well as I know Edwards - and most people who support Edwards are issues people, thus, if Edwards supports a certain candidate we're going to be much more likely to vote for that candidate. For instance, if Edwards dropped out and didn't endorse, I think I'd go Clinton. BUT if he drops out and DOES endorse or is touted as the AG or VP or whatever for Obama I'd instantly support Obama. I think the people who like Edwards REALLY like Edwards and want to see him in a position of power in this government. If that means going with Obama, I think they will. I've never understood why endorsements hold so much sway. If your man dropped out, why wouldn't you look into the candidates and make up your own mind (if he wasn't given a position in the administration)?

QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Jan 27, 2008 -> 02:34 PM) I advocate a phased move of (some) jobs from the public payroll to the private workforce. What he said.

QUOTE(Rex Kicka** @ Jan 27, 2008 -> 02:22 PM) But who absorbs them? How do we suddenly handle the shock of hundreds of thousands of people without work? Oh no problem, the state handles Unemployment Insurance. All these mandates that the Federal government requires of individual states... wouldn't those end up unfunded? Wouldn't that basically mean a higher state income tax rate? The system would definitely need to be phased out, and it wouldn't be a painless process.