Texsox

As I was packing for a weekend getaway, I pulled out a leather bag that was a swag item from a golf tournament I played in. Coolest normal swag ever. I also have a nalgene water bottle that gets used all the time.

A couple times in my life these lyrics absolutly fit my mood, my situation.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Dec 15, 2006 -> 02:48 PM) Because one side won't move from their "hugs not Jihad" platfom, and the other won't move off of "kill em all and let God sort em out." because they know they will be blasted for changing their minds. Oh, I'm so blind Oh, I'm blind I wasted time Wasted, wasted, all too much time Walkin' on the wire, high wire But I must let the show go on Baby, I wish you'd help me escape Help me get away Leave me outside my address Far away from this masquerade 'Cause I've been blind Oh, so blind I wasted time Wasted, wasted, all too much time Walkin' on the wire, high wire But I must let the show go.. I must let the show go.. I must let the show go on

QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Dec 15, 2006 -> 02:33 PM) And so, even if this Democrat Congress can find its way to pass a law regarding the future of these people (which seems unlikely), Bush would likely veto anyway. This the sort of issue where Bush could choose to be the "uniter" instead of the "decider", and find a way to get the military tribunals he wants with the basic protections that Congress would likely want. I crack myself up. Yet, that is exactly what makes the most sense to me. Why is it we can't take the best of both parties and do something right?

QUOTE(kapkomet @ Dec 15, 2006 -> 02:26 PM) Yes, the Republicans screwed up on this. There's a way that this can be done that complies with laws... they've said as much, so go get it done that way, so everyone can move on. While that may git'r done for this group, the US and the International community of normal countries needs to devise a system that works for these people. I don't like having their home countries try them, I don't trust countries that house and train terrorists. (Duh) I don't like giving them the same respect a true military person deserves (although it's as close as we have under current laws), and I don't believe civilian courts have the scope to handle this. So we need another option and it needs to be written into the current treaties we have around the world.

QUOTE(kapkomet @ Dec 15, 2006 -> 02:00 PM) We actually want to try these folks since they were picked up in "battle" as a military tribunal, but our friends in Congress won't let that happen. It seems people forget that. Which is dumb, but not extending Geneva to them is also stupid. One or the other while we figure out a third group.

There are many signs that the holy-days are beginning, and it seems to me that the start of Hanukkah always does it for me. As a Christian I am reminded of the commonality we share in the Old Testament, and that we have much more in common than differences. So let's pick up a dreidel, make some latkes, and light a menorah. Let us also remember how G-d has blessed us and led us to triumph against armies and evils. Peace to you my brothers and sisters. May the God of your choice bless you during this holy-day season.

QUOTE(Queen Prawn @ Dec 15, 2006 -> 12:15 PM) Which means a target that was set is still on - I was bummed out thinking it was going to delay it another 3 months. enjoy the process . . . just guessing. Don't forget the folic acid in your diet.

I think a salary cap, ultimately, would help baseball. I would hate, as a fan, to be in the AL East. I believe with greater parity, ala the NFL, there will be more fan interest. It is funny to read on Minny, Det, and KC sites that we are trying to "buy" the division with our huge payroll.

QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Dec 15, 2006 -> 12:23 PM) You're probably right, that was Rob Hall. If so, nevermind. Although these three are pretty experienced climbers, it sounds like. I am wondering now why they split up.

QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Dec 15, 2006 -> 12:19 PM) Two more things. One, one of these guys' name is Brian Hall. I'd have to find my book, but if I recall, and if its the same one, I think he was on Everest in '96 during the killing season (see Krakauer's book Into Thin Air, or Boukreev's follow up book, I forget the name). If that's him, and he survived that, he's probably pretty tough. Wasn't it Rob Hall on Everest? That stove and fuel will be their lifelines. I wonder if they brought two, remember the group split up. Into Thin Air is excellent. DId you also read his book Into the Wild? It's the idiot that went to Alaska with almost nothing and died of exposure? A simple map would have saved him.

QUOTE(YASNY @ Dec 14, 2006 -> 02:15 AM) Falsely accusing someone of rape should carry the punishment that rape itself does. Of course, this would have to be proven beyond a reasonable doubt along with proving intent. Linking the punishment to the severity of the accusation seems like a nice balance. I'd go for changes in the laws along those lines. I wonder if judges already do this on an informal basis when sentencing. QUOTE(santo=dorf @ Dec 13, 2006 -> 09:29 PM) I know this is off topic, but I make reference to the Duke case during this particular argument. People who are against abortion say they only favor in the cases of rape and incest. If the government takes away a woman's choice to choose, how many innocent men would be victims of false rape charges? Great point, and one I've never heard made before. There usually isn't time for a trial to determine if it was rape or not. Plus would the abortion law only stand if the person was found and convicted.

QUOTE(FlaSoxxJim @ Dec 15, 2006 -> 11:38 AM) I agree "secular progressive" an apt description. Certainly it describes me, and I kind of like it better than "secular humanist." The issue, of course, is where people on the right or left of the term manage to steer the connotations of the term. As a proud liberal it's interesting to hear people on the right try to use that word as a smear word, and this is the same way. Ditto when people try to paint "atheists" or "evolutionists" or "Darwinists" in a negative light by definition. As identifying categories without any meaning being loaded by a speaker, those are all apt descriptions of groups of people proud to wear those titles. And the same can certainly be said about the way many on the left use the term "Christian conservative" negatively though there are plenty of good people who wear that identifier proudly. Excellent points. I wonder if the current need to categorize everyone is a recent development as we try and work with so much information. It seems like we try and lump everything into a category and then dismiss or defend based on that. There is no doubt that we are bombarded with way more information today than a generation ago.

QUOTE(sox4lifeinPA @ Dec 14, 2006 -> 09:06 PM) total side note... I've read about people who know how to "move off the grid" and live, work, and start new lives. It's an interesting thing to look into, purely scholastic reasons, of course. The government will do it for you and provide all the documentation and even pay for everything. First off, infiltrate the mob and become a trusted member . . .

BTW, I was just thinking if he loses some of his brain function, he may be a Republican anyway. Alternate punchline for conservatives: He's a Democrat, if he loses some of his brain function, how will we know? His heart is still beating. I kid because I care™

From the inflatable decoration thread . . . QUOTE(YASNY @ Dec 15, 2006 -> 10:35 AM) I have an inflatable Christmas decoration. She looks like an angel. Her mouth is shaped in an "O" shape like she's starting to sing 'Oh Holy Night!' or 'Oh Come All Ye Faithful'. I put a Santa hat on her. Neighbors got upset for some reason.

QUOTE(YASNY @ Dec 15, 2006 -> 10:35 AM) I have an inflatable Christmas decoration. She looks like an angel. Her mouth is shaped in an "O" shape like she's starting to sing 'Oh Holy Night!' or 'Oh Come All Ye Faithful'. I put a Santa hat on her. Neighbors got upset for some reason.

QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Dec 15, 2006 -> 10:01 AM) I agree with your points, Tex. But to be clear, we have done this before. WWII internments of Japanese comes to mind. Actually that was Americans, which makes it even worse. I understand the complexities involved here. They aren't a standing military in the classic sense, and they are committing their crimes on foreign soil. We have allowed courts in those countries to try their citizens for crimes committed in those countries. I don't like that solution. I don't like some international tribunal either. We have two court systems set up in America. I believe both can offer a fair and speedy trial. Some here don't trust our civilian courts to do the right thing, I hope then you don't trust them to kill anyone via capital punishment. I believe the least wrong, or best correct venue, is a military court. But they should also be given the same protections any other enemy is given and the same I would demand of a foreign country holding Americans.

QUOTE(kapkomet @ Dec 15, 2006 -> 09:35 AM) Yes, if said American kept company with folks who pledged his allegiance to killing innocents. How about the civilian who was working for a company in Russia setting up a radar system. He was using a GPS unit to lay out the tower, was arrested on suspicion if being a CIA spy. Should he have been locked up without any process? How about reporters covering these wars? They get picked up in the field and just locked up without Geneva protections or civilian trials? Bottom line, the US is now saying we can lock someone up forever, without any trials, without Geneva protections. Never in our history have we done this. Is this the America way of life we are promoting around the world? Doesn't this sound like something a third world dictator would be doing? We talk about justice and fairness. Of freedoms. If we are going to hold ourselves up as the bastions of freedoms and rights, we need to try these people in some court of law. Currently we have two classifications. Civilian and military, Pick one for them and lets go. Or seriously get busy and declare a third classification. Some here want to think the same military that shot Pat Tillman is perfect and only picked up terrorists and couldn't possibly have made a mistake. That by being picked up they must be guilty. I don't trust our government that much. Let's get these people to trial, convict all that are guilty, and show the world that the American process works. Right now, by locking people up in black holes, condoning torture, we look like the people we are fighting against.

QUOTE(NUKE @ Dec 14, 2006 -> 11:16 PM) These people are foreginers and terrorist suspects to boot and they were captured on foregin soil. They have no business in a U.S. civilian courtroom. PERIOD! If the left would stop holding up the process with their lawsuits these people could get their trial and we could be done with them one way or the other. I'm fine with that, then give them Geneva convention rights, allow the Red Cross in, etc. and have military trials. Have civilians ever been tried in a military court? If Americans were being held in a foreign country, and told they would not receive trials of any kind, that they could be locked up forever without contact with anyone, you would be ok with that?

QUOTE(YASNY @ Dec 15, 2006 -> 01:38 AM) Insulting personal attack lines? WTF are you talking about? It's well known that left is for more federal government and the right is more for states rights. There is nothing personal or insulting or attack mode about it. It's a fact. However, if you consider someone pointing out the left point of view to you to be an insulting personal attack, then maybe you ought reexamine your points of view. The right never did care about the United States federal government. GMAB It is a balancing act, was from the beginning, and will be forever. It is not about caring 100% for one over the other. But then by acknowledging that your snarky comments can't be made. You always find a way to make little snarky comments about the left.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Dec 14, 2006 -> 07:27 PM) Did the White Sox have the best record in the AL from wire to wire? (remember, the Yankees didn't have to deal with divisions) I think what Balta is asking, is at some point in the season did a West or East coast team have a better record. We know they won the division wire to wire, but did they always have the highest win percentage in the AL every day of the season?

QUOTE(YASNY @ Dec 14, 2006 -> 11:42 AM) I just heard a weather forcast for Mt. Hood. Brutal conditions coming tonight. Winds up to 130 mph with plummeting temperatures. This doesn't look good at all. The two guys who went for help are probably in a lot of trouble unless they found a snow cave also. At this point, they have almost zero chance of survival if they didn't have stoves, fuel, and great sleeping bags with. Linda Young - All Headline News Staff Writer Cooper Spur, OR (AHN) - There was renewed hope on Thursday of finding three climbers alive who have been stranded on Oregon's Mount Hood by snow, ice and gale force winds since Sunday. Kelly James' cell phone carrier reported it had picked up a signal from his phone on Tuesday night. James' phone had been turned off earlier and officials said that picking up the signal indicated the phone was turned back on. Officials speculate that James, 48, was turning the cell phone off to conserve the battery. In addition, T-Mobile reported that a call was initiated from James' cell phone on Monday morning. "My heart was in my throat when I heard that, because if it's true it means Kelly is alive, and he has his wits about him," the AP reported that his brother, Frank James of Orlando, Fla., said at a news conference. The Hood River County Sheriff's Office said T-Mobile continued to signal, or "ping," the cell phone Wednesday, but the last signal received was Tuesday night, according to AP reports. Rescuers have brought equipment and helicopters to the site, but 100-mile per hour winds and ice, along with snow have hampered their efforts to search the 11,239 foot high mountain.

Around here we have hundreds of thousands of retirees. Store bought decorations?! Too expensive. They collect their garbage all year and figure out how to light it up. My favorite was the 8oz clear drink glasses, glued together and lights stuck inside like a giant lighted ornament. I've seen beer can santas, soda bottle elves, and more coffee filter snowflakes than I can count.