Texsox

QUOTE(3E8 @ Sep 14, 2007 -> 07:50 PM) Adjustable caps? Bush You're kidding me??

QUOTE(kapkomet @ Sep 14, 2007 -> 07:22 PM) Is there? Give him your hat Kap . . .

It had a cruxifiction feel to it for some reason.

On the wasteful indulgent side. I am considering one of those really indulgent water wasting shower heads. Damn they look sweet,

I believe most Americans believe then only good way to govern is by an election process that most will not participate in anyway. The irony of democracy. But perhaps, and I'd be interested in other opinions, a democracy in Iraq isn't the right place and time. Perhaps there is a time and place for an autocratic government. But with a sense of decency. Instead of "I hate your religion, you are dead" a "I hate your religion, you will never have a voice in this government, but you can live here without fear of reprisals". Still sucks to be them, but it sucks a little less.

QUOTE(kapkomet @ Sep 14, 2007 -> 04:12 PM) I'm a Harley-Davidson straw sucking redneck hickseed from Texas. what the hell is a Harley-Davidson straw? btw, I am a 67 year old grandma living outside Toronto with my 25 cats, all named for players on the 25-man roster. When someone is taken off the roster, I kill that cat and buy another. Actually I was recently compared to Orlando Bloom. True story, I was chatting with this nice young lady in one of my classes about appearance and being successful dating, and she commented, well you're no Orlando Bloom!

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Sep 14, 2007 -> 04:07 PM) That's actually the single most sensible idea I've heard about our middle east policies in the past 6 years. By a long shot. And this is not in green. But does any dictator not go crazy and start killing people? And perhaps there is a better title. The best of the dictators I can think of would be Castro, and that isn't that high of a bar.

QUOTE(BobDylan @ Sep 13, 2007 -> 05:07 PM) I understand what you're saying. But, and correct me if I'm wrong here, the rule says a player may not take performance enhancing drugs. If it's clear players are using them, I don't think anyone's rights are infringed upon. It's also clear that not just a handful of people have taken them. The names of dopers just keep coming and coming. If it is clear (kind of a pun eh?) that a player is using, then you have probable cause, and should test. Same with the workplace. An airline pilot shouldn't be smoking crack, but do we test everyone before each flight, or watch for behavioral signs and then test? I can see the other side, and would have to say I am uncomfortable, not strongly against.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Sep 12, 2007 -> 02:45 PM) No offense, but I hope he gets it today. After the way that the Indians fans treated him, I would love to see Big Jim stick it to them. I suspect the majority in attendance would have cheerred.

QUOTE(hammerhead johnson @ Sep 14, 2007 -> 03:45 PM) You never got into hip hop in the mid-to-late late 80s/early 90s? No RUN DMC, Public Enemy, Rakim, KRS-ONE, Slick Rick, Juice Crew, De La Soul, Main Source, Ultramagnetic MCs, EPMD, K-Solo, Gangstarr, Organized Konfusion, Sadat X, O.C., L.O.N.S., Freestyle Fellowship, Pharcyde, Del, etc? Ahh, no. And you are frightening me. I'm with NSS on this one.

QUOTE(kapkomet @ Sep 14, 2007 -> 03:46 PM) Well, it is, in a sense. Hammer Time '08 Seriously, a kindler, gentler, dictator filled with compassionate conservatism might be the ticket instead of a representative government of some kind.

Here's a bone to pick over, another log for the fire. Looking over the anarchy that is Iraq. Waring factions, groups who hate each other, lawlessness. What if a strong dictator is the best form of government?

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Sep 14, 2007 -> 03:13 PM) That is the point. Even if you don't believe the numbers fully, the point remains that low earning illegals who become citizens will be a much larger drain in the long run on resources versus having a rising wage and paying more for a product in the short term. It falls under the ounce of prevention/pound of cure category. From your earlier post I followed the link and found some interesting points. Illegals, and low skilled, immigrants make up a majority of this catagory. Also included are High School dropouts who earn quite a bit less. Here's where all these stop making sense to me. Would these jobs for low skilled workers, suddenly pay more if a high skilled worker stepped in? Would White Hen pay $60,000 a year to have Kap sit behind the counter? Would Joe Rogalski's landscape company pay FlaSoxJim $60,000 to trim some hedges? Of course not. We have low paying jobs, not low earning people. We could send everyone to college and we'd still have low paying jobs. To SS point, how far would salaries need to rise before a worker is no longer a burden? IIRC the number is around $27,000. That is a very big jump from minimum wage to $13.50 per hour.

QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Sep 14, 2007 -> 02:54 PM) I think that slowly having illegals taken off he payrolls makes it better in the long run. Because then ultimately, businesses either have to hire legal laborers (who then all pay their taxes), and any businesses that can't survive don't, which relieves artificial price pressures. And if they are here illegally, they shouldn't be allowed on any social programs. If those things occurred, they'd go home, or find a way to work here legally. That's the goal, isn't it? You may be overlooking a key point in SS posts. Even in paying your taxes, low wage earners collect more in benefits than they pay.

QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Sep 14, 2007 -> 02:40 PM) That is only sort of true. For one, not all the 12 million have regular jobs at all. For another thing, if a farmer is currently working 10 illegals in the field at like $3 an hour, and he is then forced to hire legal folks at $5.50 an hour... he might not hire as many people. Just something to keep in perspective. Also, frankly, some businesses are being artificially propped up by illegal labor. Companies that are just scraping by using under-minimum wage labor, in some cases, won't survive without that labor. And that is actually better for the economy anyway, in the long run. Companies that would not otherwise survive their competition don't help the economy, they hurt it. Actually I would not be as concerned if it was just some businesses, when it is an entire industry, especially one as important as agriculture, we better look at that. Your farmer example isn't true based on what I know down here. In fact, on an hourly wage basis the wages are nice. Typically $12-$15 per hour for an experienced worker, up to $20 if everything is right. The problem is, it is very seasonal and even if you follow the crops north and back, it is still less than a year of work. So just comparing hourly wages does not paint a clear picture. I thought SS was strictly talking about those with jobs. I don't believe anyone is in favor of allowing immigrants of any type to be without jobs. And he rightfully points out that once these jobs go "on the books" it will cost us more in taxpayer supported benefits. Another reason why politicians looked the other way and do not want to seriously tackle the problem today.

I agree with the above. I trust our system in this case and expect both sides to thrash this out. I expect the GOP to represent their interests and the Dems to do the same. This balancing act has worked well for us for over 200 years.

QUOTE(MurcieOne @ Sep 14, 2007 -> 02:20 PM) "When a girl has a heart of stone, there's only one way to melt it. Just add Ice." genius.

QUOTE(LosMediasBlancas @ Sep 14, 2007 -> 02:13 PM) I hope that kid is acting, so I can think of these videos as some of the funniest and best peformances ever. By all indications, he was.

We have to factor in that the rest of the world does not see Iran as villainous as we do. Same with Iraq. We can say they are wrong all we want, but we have to realize that and factor that into our strategy, even if it means just ignoring it.

Kap, Good or bad, a free press is much better for us then dismissing everything that is said, which is what I believe the GOP party wants. If it is negative, it's a media bias against us, it can't actually be true. Yes, there are hacks on both sides, but the vast majority of stuff is pretty well balanced over time.

QUOTE(kapkomet @ Sep 14, 2007 -> 01:36 PM) Ok, and I'd probably agree with you on most of them. Bill O'Reilly = turd. Just an example. Damn, I like O'Reilly and Colbert.

Nuke, reading your post, what is the logical progression if the US troops keep seeing the Iraqis doing nothing to help themselves? i.e. sitting around watching MTV? Resentment? I can't quite phrase the question correctly. What tangible changes in behavior would we see in US forces 3 months, a year, or God forbid 4 years from now if the Iraqis continue down this path?

QUOTE(FlaSoxxJim @ Sep 14, 2007 -> 01:13 PM) I can play Solitaire AND Minesweeper on my computer. Maybe one day you will evolve I Kid, Because I Care™* *Used by permission.

QUOTE(Alpha Dog @ Sep 14, 2007 -> 01:13 PM) Glad someone saw thru my rambling to the meaning of what i wanted to say, and even said it better. I totally misread what you meant.