iamshack

QUOTE (Tony @ Oct 4, 2016 -> 07:40 PM) Right, but Pence was playing with an awful hand coming into this with Donald as his running mate. Thought Pence was solid, things got even toward the end, but Pence looked good. Yeah, I completely agree. Pence was the more polished debater, but his unwillingness to address many of Trump's nonsensical statements will catch up with him as the week goes on. Ultimately, again, this should be nothing new for anyone.

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Oct 4, 2016 -> 07:04 PM) Kaine is channeling some reddy here, not a great look He's clearly won the last 10 minutes though. Pence struggling to deal with defending the Donald.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Oct 4, 2016 -> 06:55 PM) As much as I despise Pence, I'd much rather see him elected than either Clinton or Trump. I don't know much about him...but he is a very skilled debater.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Oct 4, 2016 -> 06:46 PM) Well, that's kind of the point: 1 in 4 worked out. And that's totally fine with reclamation projects -- you throw a bunch at the wall and when one works, it justifies the cost of the most that didn't. But that's a building strategy, not an immediate contention strategy. My issue isn't with either strategy, it's that Hahn seemed to have gone half one way and half the other, which is a recipe for doing neither particularly well. I just wonder who could have really been signed. I obviously don't know what we offered, but there seems to be a good argument to be made that all of these guys wanted to end up all along exactly where they ended up. Now Hahn's recent comments may shed some light on the quality of our offers, but I'm not convinced it would have mattered.

Governor Pence should be running for President instead of Trump.

QUOTE (bigruss22 @ Oct 4, 2016 -> 04:26 PM) I should add, a full basketball court isn't needed unless they are practicing with a team or something. Most neighborhood games as a kid are halfcourt format in an alley, driveway, etc. I don't think fullcourt was really needed as it was usually hard to get 10 guys anyways, but if you really want the mecca of the neighborhood then fullcourt would be the way to go. Well to answer your first question, I would definitely use it myself. I still enjoy being active and I still play pickup games against guys at work (both basketball and football). We could definitely have some fun playing some games at night over here rather than having to jockey for space at one of the parks. As for the full court/half court question, I agree...when I was a kid, I rarely ran full court, but I am thinking for things like roller hockey or soccer it might come in handy. Heck, maybe even a little football will break out! It is going to depend on the cost. One would assume the additional cost will be incremental at that point, since the same types of things will need to occur for a half court setup as a full court setup. We do have the space, so that isn't an issue. I do enjoy running full court with my friends. While the pace isn't exactly that of an NBA game, it does allow you to really experience the game in a different way than a half court game does.

QUOTE (JenksIsMyHero @ Oct 4, 2016 -> 02:36 PM) Agreed on voting no for the the pool. My parents always had one and I enjoyed it as a kid/teenager/young adult, but once my other siblings moved out and I went to college (i'm the youngest) it's rarely been used. My parents never use it. Grandkids use it maybe 3-4 times a year. My dad throws money/time/energy into it for very little gain. So as a kid/young adult i'd vote yes, but as an adult i'd vote hell no. Buy a membership at a local club instead. Patio/bar/bbq area is where I'd go with it. We use our large deck constantly to entertain or just to hang out as a family. I have similar hesitation in regards to maintaining a pool...it is different here though. Pools are to backyards in Vegas kind of like decks are to midwesterners. When our house is appraised, we get docked for not having a pool. Not necessarily enough to make me shell out $85k for one, but it is clear that most homebuyers expect a pool when considering a property such as ours. Outdoor living is a big consideration here. It almost never rains, and the weather is very temperate for 5-6 months of the year. Late September through mid-December and then late February through the beginning of June we have temperatures between 60-80 on most days. So getting outside and being active is a major consideration for deciding to live in the middle of the desert. Another big consideration for us is our location within the Las Vegas Valley. We live in an older part of town, close to urban centers. I am just a few miles from the Strip and downtown Las Vegas. As such, we don't necessarily have easy access to the suburban parks and sports complexes that some folks that our located in the newer master-planned communities have. As a result, we would like to make our property something of an oasis for our son and his friends as he gets older. We'd like our home to be a place where he and his friends can hang out and play, as opposed to having to either seek out places to play in some of the more urban areas (which can be a bit shady) or having to truck him out to those newer areas. Not that we won't have to do that on occasion, but we'd like him to have things to do at home and it would be comfortable to be able to have some clue of what he is doing when he is out playing. While I would love to build the pavilion, I'm not sure that does a whole lot for him. It probably would be something our friends and family could use more so than our son and his friends. Which is why if we do choose that option, I think we have to be prepared to put in either option 1 or 3 later on once he gets older. I'm still in the process of gathering info as to costs. I suspect the pool option will cost somewhere between $75-100k. The pavilion option is probably in that same ballpark. I suspect the sport court, assuming we put in fencing and lights, is going to run close to that as well. I hope to finish that part of the process within the next few weeks. If you guys were kids though...like age 5 or 6 all the way up through high school, which option do you think you would have liked your childhood home to have had?

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Oct 4, 2016 -> 03:01 PM) I've had a couple of cars with that and found it extremely annoying. I almost never use that function, but what I do have now is something called active lane assist, which will literally adjust the steering wheel to keep you inside the lanes if you begin drifting. I find that mostly helpful, but it can be annoying during certain circumstances. The heads-up display is my favorite feature, as it shows the speed limit, any kind of road sign (such as a school zone), navigation instructions, as well as your current speed right in front of you on the windshield. It's extremely helpful for allowing you to keep your eyes on the road.

Appreciate all the input, guys! Keep it coming!

QUOTE (JenksIsMyHero @ Oct 4, 2016 -> 11:30 AM) So I have my first job interview in about 8 years on Thursday. I applied sort of randomly to a different law firm for a similar job i'm doing now. I don't NEED it, but if it's a significant raise and I like the people/role I would probably move on. Since I haven't done this in nearly a decade, who has some pointers? What do you bring? Is it still necessary to bring copies of your resume and whatnot? Or is the "I can email it to you later" now acceptable? I've never done a lateral move interview before. It's always been entry level stuff. Well I assume if you applied for the job they most likely have your CV already? I doubt it is necessary to bring copies but it certainly would not be looked down upon to do so. I've been on both sides of this table recently and the best advice I can give you is honestly just be yourself. If you click, then you've got a good shot...if not, you don't want to be there anyways. Good luck!

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Oct 4, 2016 -> 09:23 AM) Have you got room to mix 2 and 3? Have an entertainment area, and maybe a half court instead of a near full court? Yeah..the space isn't the issue...it's just a matter of budget...certainly this could be done in phases as well.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Oct 4, 2016 -> 09:00 AM) For my two cents, it would be all about personal preference. What will you get more usage out of? If it is JUST about kid safety, pools are one of the most dangerous things out there. It takes seconds for a kid to wander away and fall in. But if you guys are good with securing the pool, etc, that's something that can be over come as well. Yeah, that is a great point about safety. Drowning is the largest cause of accidental death for children below the age of 16 in southern Nevada (or something like that). For the pool option, we were planning on an automatic pool cover to help provide additional security, in addition to the legally required fences and what not. As for what would we get more usage out of...I honestly don't know...I know as a kid I would have been out on that sport court as much as I could...heck, I used to throw a ball against the brick wall of my house for hours at a time...I can only imagine if I would have had something like that. The pavilion is also pretty cool, but I just wonder if that really offers activities we can't already do, just outside...not sure that is worth the kind of $ a project like that would require.

So as some of you are aware, me and the fam live out in Las Vegas. We have a large, 1 acre yard full of mature trees and grass. While that is nothing special in the midwest, in the desert, that is pretty unique. Particularly because that requires lots of water. Anyways, I've been putting a lot of thought into how to get the family out in the yard. There is no sense in paying for and maintaining all this if we aren't going to get out and actually enjoy it. Right now, it's mostly enjoyed by our four dogs and a variety of local birds, varmints, and insects. The main issue is it is not particularly functional...pretty to look at, but not really much to do. So...I've been considering a number of different options: Option 1 - the obvious Las Vegas choice - a large swimming pool (20x40) and spa - this will allow us to enjoy the outdoors during the summers, instead of being cooped up inside. Option 2 - An outdoor pavillion, say 25 x 30 or so, complete with lounge seating for 8-10, a bar, a large tv for watching sports and movies, a small area for outdoor exercise, and perhaps a plunge pool (think a pool a little larger than a hot tub that can be used for either cool water or warm water). Option 3 - A large multi-sport court, perhaps 48x80, complete with a fence and lights. This could be used for basketball, hockey, racquet sports, you name it. May require taking down some trees, but otherwise we definitely have the space. Full disclosure, we currently have a 15 month old boy, with no current plans to have any additional children, although I am not yet willing to rule out having one more. I also enjoy hooping it up, and often play with co-workers on the weekend at local parks. Any input would be appreciated...also, other suggestions are welcome! I am really struggling with this.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Oct 3, 2016 -> 10:38 AM) That may be true, but it wouldn't change the fact that it still would have been a good, defensible gamble, and one that would have fit into the strategy laid out in the first half of the offseason. Honestly, I hated the Shields mess, but other than that, these signings people are complaining about really had very little impact on the course of the season. Rollins/Latos...they were not players who made a significant impact either way. The catching solution was pretty rotten, but most people on here seemed to think it was a great idea. Flowers was not a loss that anyone mourned. So we should have signed Desmond...but honestly, how was anyone to know he would have the best first half of his career? Our issues are a lack of position player development and a failure to establish a winning culture at the mlb level. I don't fault the FO as much as I do the coaching staff and Mr. Bell.

So we've had this Q7 a little over 2 months, and I have to say, this is by far the best car I have ever owned. The advancements in technology in regards to autonomous driving have really occurred more quickly than I anticipated. This isn't necessarily the most fun vehicle I have ever owned, but it offers by far the safest and most solid driving experience from a car I have ever owned.

What a Ryder Cup! Critical matches today were obviously Reed and Fowler. Mickelson battling Garcia to a tie was a huge match as well. I didn't like our chances in the first 6 matches today, but we managed to hold them off and let the American depth kick ass in the second half of the day. This is clearly the most fun event in golf, and I'd argue one of the better events in sports. It's going to fun to relish this victory for 2 years.

QUOTE (The Ginger Kid @ Sep 28, 2016 -> 03:14 PM) Reminds me of a drunk at a Vegas table doubling down on a s***ty hand Hey! I resemble that remark!

Honestly, I don't even care at this point anymore. They have bigger problems to address.

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Sep 27, 2016 -> 09:39 AM) Trump took over $100k in money for 9/11 recovery funds even though none of his property was damaged. He takes a property tax credit meant for low income people in New York City. The list of ways Trump runs nickle-and-dime grifts is pretty long. I suspect this is par for the course for basically everyone in Congress, is it not?

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Sep 27, 2016 -> 09:34 AM) Or a large percentage of white voters are willing to overlook all of his flaws because they're all-in on his white grievance nationalism, and the Democrats absolutely should not be chasing those votes. You may be right...and if indeed you are, then I concede there is really little she can do at this point.

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Sep 27, 2016 -> 09:18 AM) I presume 98% of his contractors get paid, or some high percentage. IF people didn't do their job, they shouldn't be paid. You can have amazing hotels without always having the best contractors on various sub-projects, etc. That is life in business. Now there could be examples where he is being ridiculous, I don't know, but not enough facts were presented to make me care one way or another. The tax issue was played brilliantly by Hillary and he was a knuckle head...should have just said those are the laws of this country and I follow the laws. I'm sure Trump is not easy to work for...but people work for him because he has capital. Look at Apple, for instance. They throw their weight around to force vendors to sell them components at virtually no margin - because they can. They take advantage of existing tax law because that is what results in them keeping more of their revenues. This is called business, people. I am sorry, but I simply cannot fault the guy for being a shrewd businessman.

QUOTE (Soxbadger @ Sep 27, 2016 -> 09:25 AM) Shack, If that behavior "turns them off', then why is it okay when Trump does similar behavior, should that not turn them off to Trump. I honestly think that Clinton was acting that way on purpose. Whether or not it was a good plan or a bad plan is a judgment call. I personally think that if someone is lying that being demonstrative can be effective. That being said, Trump is far worse when it comes to this stuff, not only does he make faces, he starts talking over people. If people are okay when Trump does it, but not when Hillary does, then its more than just her facial expressions. Those people are likely "looking for an excuse" to vote for Trump. See my post above yours. These people are absolutely looking for reasons to vote for Trump - that can be the only reason he is actually the Republican nominee. Trump offers something different. Things have gotten so bad in the state of American politics that a large percentage of voters are willing to overlook all of his flaws because they believe the possibility that he might bring something different to the table outweighs those flaws. If Hillary starts exhibiting those same type of flaws, it only makes it easier for folks considering whether Trump's flaws may be overlooked to make the decision to vote for him.

QUOTE (bmags @ Sep 27, 2016 -> 09:08 AM) Maybe, but I think you underrate that democrats needed to be energized. They just aren't right now. She needed to show fight. They love that s***. They all watched west wing and thought it was a great show. Do they? It doesn't energize me. It makes me think that she is a more polished politician than he is but little else.

QUOTE (whitesoxfan99 @ Sep 27, 2016 -> 09:07 AM) Clearly that type of behavior doesn't turn them off if they are considering voting for Trump. No, but if she stoops to the same sort of behavior than it ceases to be something that separates her from him.

QUOTE (bmags @ Sep 27, 2016 -> 08:57 AM) I just disagree. I think if you actually saw this version of the debate the impression would be "Trump controlled terms of debate". We actually did see this, it was the foreign policy forum, he was allowed to spout insanity, it went unchallenged, it was scored a win for trump. It needs to be pointed out that "we need to keep all options open" for nuclear is a crazy unprecedented and stupid thing to say. And if there is a better way to do that then laughing at it, I hope she finds it. But it's better than just saying nothing. I don't think you are understanding what I am saying. Perhaps I am not articulating it well. I am not arguing that she should not ever engage him...that is unavoidable. But she can do so by staying above him and avoiding the laughing and the big grin and then "WOW" reactions. That serves no purpose other than her own ego and comic relief for hardcore democrats like yourself who are already voting for her anyways. There are actually reasonably intelligent voters who are considering Trump and that type of behavior does nothing but turn them off.