Texsox

I wish my Professors would give me a research assignment like that.

First off the urban legends about American cars in this thread is so over the top it would take weeks to correct them all. In the 70's the Japanese were making small, s*** box cars that no one outside Japan wanted. The Big Three gave away as many cars as Japan sold in the US. The Datsun's et. al. were impossible to work on for most American owners (metric), parts took forever to arrive, and more lemons than a citrus field. Then the oil shortage had Americans buying these because they got great fuel economy. There was almost no way to predict those events back in the 70's. The American car was king back then. Highest quality by far. It wasn't until they rushed into small car production that disaster struck. The zillion errors in small cars hurt them. K-cars, exploding Pintos, shove-its, etc. So the comments that Japan listened to their customers and American automakers do not is false. The US invented and perfected consumer research. But $30 per hour jobs like these are going away. Problem is when someone willing to take the job for $10 comes along we go from that job contributing to the tax revenue instead of taking away. So these jobs have to move off shore. It is for everyone's benefit. GM is paying way too much, they can get better profitability and more jobs in Mexico keeps those workers at home. GM needs to immediately announce they are closing the plant and get it moved. The longer they wait, the more they lose.

QUOTE(Jenksismyb**** @ Sep 25, 2007 -> 03:33 PM) Did you not read this? "There was no connection between the September noose incident and December attack, according to Donald Washington, an attorney for the U.S. Justice Department in western Louisiana, who investigated claims that these events might be race-related hate crimes." Interesting. If participants say it was, but a lawyer investigating says no, which is more reliable?

I disagree that the Dems have a better plan to keep me safe from terrorists. I think the GOP plan would keep us safer, but at a much higher cost in our freedoms. We'd lose out on about every cornerstone freedom we have, but we'd be safer.

You know, as much as I find some perverted glee as these names are made public, I do feel bad for the kids who jave idolized their favorites. And it just isn't kids. I can think of at least one Sox icon that if I heard he juiced, I'd probably stay away from baseball for a long time.

QUOTE(kapkomet @ Sep 25, 2007 -> 12:36 PM) Like everything else you post. ZING! The door was open - I just had to. my "Great GOP Women and Minority" list is short. But then again, so is theirs

QUOTE(sox4lifeinPA @ Sep 25, 2007 -> 12:30 PM) I was just saying, ASS You asked "Who has a pension these days? I'm relying on a mix of things: my 401k, my spouses 401k, a potential pension, equity in a home one day, minimizing or eliminating any debt, and active savings methods. I am, of course, much smarter and more prepared than most I was a boy scout, first class. Dropped out after one of the guys killed his parents with a .22 true story. Which, besides the killing his parents, is exactly what I wish everyone should do. But investing in the US seems like a nice bet to me. If we need all this debt to make our economy work with Republican Presidents, at least pay the interest to the SS fund.

When so many media savvy, and reasonably intelligent people defended him, I tried to see their point of view. I just can't. I understand the relative values we place on animals and how hunting deer is ok and hunting dogs is wrong. I believe they still use dogs in bear hunting, which I just can't stomach. I guess there would be some profound justice in a fair bear v. dog fight, since we allow the dogs to hunt bears, but I just don't get this. Perhaps it's the same emotion that allows people to watch the nature shows with predators hunting down and killing prey.

QUOTE(sox4lifeinPA @ Sep 25, 2007 -> 12:14 PM) my bank has a pension that you're locked into after 5 years of service, in addition to a 401k. So you are relying on your bank's pension plan and the companies in your 401k? Why aren't you self sufficient?

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Sep 25, 2007 -> 12:08 PM) Getting a hair in your eye can contribute to a death, cell phones, blurry contact, all of those can contribute. But it has not caused a death, get it? And no one makes statements that cell phones contributed to zero deaths.

QUOTE(Gregory Pratt @ Sep 25, 2007 -> 10:13 AM) Obama lacks the right skin color. He can never win the American Presidency. I don't say that as a white racist gloating. I'm not full-white and I'm not gloating. Not racist, either. But that's the reality. Any declaration to the contrary is naiive at best. The GOP will have the first black, and woman President. The GOP faithful will for for that candidate because the person isn't a Dem, and Dems would be willing to cross over, and might even want to see the barrier broken. I thought the GOP nominated the wrong Dole back then. I'd have voted for Elizabeth Dole. Powell would be such a better candidate than Obama. Just pulling two examples out my ass.

QUOTE(kapkomet @ Sep 25, 2007 -> 11:05 AM) I don't have a choice. Electric Co-Op. A friend of mine uses the Nueces Electric Co-Op which is an IEP as well. Hers is less right now, but there current prices where higher.

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Sep 25, 2007 -> 09:11 AM) Nope. Most of the times weed is involved in a death it is an ingredient in addition to alcohol. It is basically the only drug where its physically impossible to overdose as well btw. So it is the only drug that does not impair you in anyway? It makes you sharper, better reflexes, improves judgment? No way it could contribute to a death. Wow. I stand corrected.

The decision becomes is it better to employ Mexicans in Mexico or Detroit?

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Sep 25, 2007 -> 11:41 AM) Of course, then the remaining question will be...how long will Americans be able to purchase cars? When the car prices aren't bloated with unproductive over paid American workers salaries, more people will be able to buy them. If these guys don't want the jobs for $30/hour there are millions of Mexicans willing to come to Detroit and work those jobs for $10/hour. Just give them the chance.

QUOTE(NUKE @ Sep 25, 2007 -> 09:30 AM) You sarcasm aside, you just don't seem to grasp the fact that if these people don't take pay and benefit cuts GM will never be able to compete with the Japanese and these people will be out of work. Thats a much bigger pay and benefit cut than the company is asking for now. No sarcasm Nuke, these guys are no longer worth what they think they are to the US. We can have all this stuff made in Mexico for a whole lot less. Which BTW is great for me and the border economy. So please, GM, dump these overfed union loyalists and send these jobs to Mexico. It will keep down the price of cars and let the American automakers compete. And someone find a post where I have ever been pro-Union. When these $30 / hour jobs get dumped in favor of $15 per hour jobs, everyone wins. Better yet, send them to Mexico.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Sep 25, 2007 -> 09:07 AM) And with our convient control the media, we can pretty much do whatever we want. You have perfected the consistent message

QUOTE(FlaSoxxJim @ Sep 25, 2007 -> 09:00 AM) Heavy Metal Thunder indeed. (cue Steppenwolf soundtrack. . . ) How do you keep lightening lit?

QUOTE(Steve9347 @ Sep 24, 2007 -> 02:02 PM) Yes, let's ignore Grossman's career 69.3 QB ratings vs. Brian Greise's career 84.5. IDENTICAL. Here's a combo to unlock this mystery 97-79-62

QUOTE(kapkomet @ Sep 25, 2007 -> 08:39 AM) It is annoying that I use less electricity then last year and pay 30% more. QUOTE(Heads22 @ Sep 25, 2007 -> 08:46 AM) You don't need to plug in your fancy tinfoil hat. Nice one Heads

QUOTE(kapkomet @ Sep 25, 2007 -> 08:42 AM) What the hell happened to personal responsibility in this country? Seriously. I can ask that question on about every subject that the Democrats want to "take care of us" on. When did we ever have personal responsibility for our retirement? We had company pensions and retirement benefits and people worked for these companies all their lives. You certainly are old enough to remember your grandparent's careers. And how many Enrons are out there? People who invested for their retirement and then found the companies had not financed the plans properly? But conservatives like to ignore that stuff. I'm all for personal responsibility in this, but conservatives like to think every investment is beautiful and pure. Some HS degreed service industry employee will suddenly become Warren Buffett with their retirements. Of course with all the old money republican companies on Wall Street looking to make a killing, it's the GOP saying, we'll take care of you, for a fee

QUOTE(kapkomet @ Sep 25, 2007 -> 08:39 AM) It is annoying that I use less electricity then last year and pay 30% more. Who are you with? I went with Reliant's Wind Energy plan. Most of the time I'm paying .14 kw

QUOTE(santo=dorf @ Sep 25, 2007 -> 07:00 AM) More people die in car accidents due to talking on their cell phone, reading, playing with their ipods, or looking at their TV while driving. Perhaps we should prohibit cell phones, books, music players, and navigation systems. Allow me to rephrase my comment. If you think no one died from mj this year, that it was not a contributing factor in any deaths, I don't believe it. Hell, even drinking too much water killed someone this year. But y'all keep thinking that mj is the only mood altering substance that was not responsible for anything bad happening.

QUOTE(kapkomet @ Sep 25, 2007 -> 08:36 AM) OMG. Please stop it. You are not that uneducated. A couple generations ago people counted on their company pensions. Who has one now?? Does anyone here have a company pension? My Dad is retired on two of them. My grandmother retired with her Sears benefits. Do you think Sears still has a pension plan?

Happy Birthday Steff!!!