Texsox

QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Feb 1, 2006 -> 04:57 PM) Enron was sad, and they are paying now. But a lot of those people had their entire savings on ONE STOCK. That's pretty darn stupid. Maybe the better approach to this is education. Part of high school economics classes should be about spending, saving and investing. Actual, practical stuff. It was an employee stock option plan and similar. Kind of like all the mods are retiring on our shares of soxtalk.com

QUOTE(NUKE_CLEVELAND @ Feb 1, 2006 -> 04:50 PM) If you think you're gonna retire on SS alone then you are consigning yourself to 2 decades or so of abject poverty. BTW. I prefer to liken SS not to welfare but the Ponzi scams of old. I know it's an ackward analogy. But the government is supporting you either way. Any savings is a Ponzi scheme of sorts. To pay interest in the savings, you have to find someone willing to borrow the money at a higher price than you return. In it's simplest form, social security should be a zero cost game to the government. Basically it is a mandatory savings plan. We will take X dollars from you each payday and we will invest it for you, offer a guaranteed return, and take a small percentage for overhead. Hell make a profit, my broker does. But then we started giving benefits to people who did not contribute, and those who did started living longer and taking out more than they put in.

QUOTE(NUKE_CLEVELAND @ Feb 1, 2006 -> 04:44 PM) Im with you on the 1st point. Americans are absolutely horrible when it comes to planning their futures. They dont wake up and realize they need to have money put aside till they're in their mid 50's and by then its damn too late. They just want to live way over their heads, pile up thousands in credit card debt then complain when they retire that they are living like animals. I say screw em. I laugh like hell when I read stories about seniors eating dog food because they arent getting enough money from their SS checks. If they had a half an ounce of foresight and started saving in their 20's, they'd be eating caviar instead. Its so easy to retire rich in this country it just blows my mind when people are still working at 80 out of necessity. I have to agree with everything here, of course there are exceptions. If you were working for Enron, how would you know you'd suddenly lose everything? Couples trying to raise a family on $30,000 a year won't be eating caviar, but they shouldn't be eating dog food, when they retire. But if you cannot depend on the United States of America to fulfill it's social security promise, how can you depend on the stock market?

QUOTE(YASNY @ Feb 1, 2006 -> 03:43 PM) Of course they're still doing it. That's part of the problem. Of course, the biggest part of the problem is that they ever started to begin with. I think the biggest part of the problem was during economic prosperity (and to get more votes), the government increased the benefits beyond a safety net to where people try and retire just on social security. In reality there isn't much of a difference between welfare (or whatever term you like) and social security. We are basically pooling our money and supporting people who can not support themselves. (I know there is a difference between too old to work and whatever put some one on public aid). I actually find it easier to support someone who has retired after being a productive citizen.

QUOTE(YASNY @ Feb 1, 2006 -> 04:07 PM) Clearly, it is scum like this that the death penalty was designed for. I'm talking about the worst of the worst. Call me what you will, but if I was the father of that little girl, I'd be waiting right outside the prison gates when and if the day came when they opened the doors to let him out. He'd never take one breath as a free man. YASNY, the only difference in our responses is that I know in my heart, it would be wrong when I killed the SOB. He should never, ever, see a day as a free man again. And I hope he has nightmares every night for the rest of his life. I know I'm not a good Christian, but I can't even pray for his salvation, the thought of spending eternity with someone that I know did something like that, makes me want to puke. I always wonder if there is a limit to what God can forgive, and if there is, this better be included.

QUOTE(aboz56 @ Feb 1, 2006 -> 01:57 PM) I don't think Gload will be on the Sox next year, but that's just me. I'm with you there. I'm a little surprised he's still here.

QUOTE(kyyle23 @ Feb 1, 2006 -> 01:52 PM) I understand your point, and I understand what the blogger is trying to do, I just dont think he lends any credibility to his stance when he is saying that he gave some senator a BJ in the union station bathroom, and that is his proof that this senator is gay. To me, this blogger is painting homosexuals in a bad light and he isnt helping his own cause by pulling this stunt. Realistically is this "outing" going to actually get something done? It might get him a date I still believe this was a ploy to increase traffic to his blog. I doubt he did a Senator in the bathroom of Union Station. I can't believe a Senator would be that dumb/horny/stupid, especially one that reportedly has a wife for cover.

QUOTE(NUKE_CLEVELAND @ Feb 1, 2006 -> 01:49 PM) If you let people keep their SS money and they invest it wisely then youd be stepping past them as they get in their caddy and drive off. We've been over this around here before. If only we could trust them to invest wisely. Look at the number of personal bankruptcy in this country. Those are the ones that will hit 65 without any money. Toss in an illness, we are living longer, and boom we have problems. What I think we can agree on is SS should be a safety net only. There should be adequate planning above and beyond SS. It should not be the sole source of income. The biggest problem I see is too many people hitting retirement trying to live just on SS.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Down here starting pay is about $25,000 per year, plus a small uniform allowance. Anyone that has ever chased their puppy when he got out of the yard will understand the emotion of wanting to knowck the piss out of the person you are chasing.

QUOTE(Rex Kickass @ Feb 1, 2006 -> 01:21 PM) Cindy Sheehan's congresswoman not the first to invite a "special guest protester." http://www.drudgereport.com/flashts.htm There was also some other wife of a congressman ejected for wearing a t-shirt that said "Support Our Troops." I always did like the "Clinton didn't inhale, he sucks" t-shirts.

QUOTE(southsideirish71 @ Feb 1, 2006 -> 01:34 PM) This was in 1993. He has an elected position. However after you are elected retention for judges is a piece of cake. He always gets a highly regarded from the Illinois Bar. He is a defense attorneys wet dream. Plus he is good friends with Bobby Rush. To bad voters are that stupid in that area.

QUOTE(southsideirish71 @ Feb 1, 2006 -> 01:28 PM) I wish that sentencing guidelines could apply without a shadow of a doubt. However my comments that the judge was an activist are on spot. He wasnt incompetent(as much as I would like to believe that). He was calculated in his sentencing. In Illinois if you are in the commision of a felony and murder someone it becomes a death penalty case. The judge knew this, so to get around the sentencing guidelines he threw out the conviction from the jury on the sex assault so he could give the guy a break. This is also the same judge who let a group of guys go because the cops didnt have probable cause on a theft ring that was plaguing the Beverly area. The police were coming down an alley, they saw 4 men carrying out a TV at 3 in the morning on a wednesday. They were wearing ski masks and it was july, they dropped the TV which smashed into a million pieces and ran. The judge rulled that because the defendants were black, that the mere fact that they ran from the police is not probable cause. The TV could of been theres and he didnt believe about the ski masks. His ruling was black people are naturally afraid of the police and therefore running is not out of the ordinary. This crack pot judge isnt going anywhere soon, he is a friend of Bobby Rush. They were in the black panthers together. I thought Illinois dropped the death penalty after too many wrongfully convicted? Was this during that time? Why is that Judge not going anywhere? Doesn't he have an elected position?

QUOTE(Steff @ Feb 1, 2006 -> 01:21 PM) Clearly I am thinking of a 19 year old and his 15 year old girlfriend when I make comments about assholes like this never being allowed out of jail. GMAFB. Clearly you were not, which is why I posted a clarification. Clearly I wasn't thinking life in prison would be too harsh for a sexual predator that tortured and killed a little girl. Even when I agree with you, you still like to argue. Don't just blame the Judge, let's also put heat on the legislature to allow for longer sentences.

When I asked CNN they replied that quoting a sample of the article and giving a link would be OK. They also asked about the scope of the site, viewers, pay/non profit, etc. A lesson we learned from Watergate, follow the money. If I'm making more profit out of your content than you are, there is going to be trouble. Sites like this, and there are so many, will not be targeted until Jason hits the Forbes list and has groupies.

QUOTE(Steff @ Feb 1, 2006 -> 12:46 PM) Yea.. maybe. Until it's your family tragedy hits. :headshake Exactly. Which is why I wish every drunk driver was sentenced to life in prison. The reason I said it was too harsh was examples like a 19 year old and his 15 year old girlfriend. Male and female drunk. Non violent sexual crimes like prostitution and pornography. Not every sex crime would seem appropriate for a life sentence. I'm not certain about activist judges and sentences. Judges are given a min and a max in most states and elected to use their judgement in sentencing. They would be an activist if they tried to go beyond the guidelines. I think instead of activist, incompetent would be a better choice of words. Hopefully they are removed from the bench as fast as possible. Either way I agree that longer sentences are needed. BTW, we already have longer sentences than a generation ago. We also have a better court system from the days when women would be put on trial and subjected to terrible questions about their sexual past, made to feel like they could have prevented it. Much of the harsher laws and privacy for the victim came out of the feminist movement and very much a liberal stance.

QUOTE(Steff @ Feb 1, 2006 -> 12:48 PM) No, because he won't hit 500 anywhere. It's just you. I loved watching Tom pitch, but two seasons just doesn't make him more than a "rent a player" to me. Steff, you were 8 years old when he pitched for the Sox And you are probably correct about Frank, but I just can't root against him. I'm still hoping for 500 and a trip to Cooperstown.

QUOTE(WSoxMatt @ Feb 1, 2006 -> 12:40 PM) Seaver won #300 with the Sox at Yankee Stadium with a CG so people should recognize him as a Sox player, more so than Steve Carlton, remember that? In ten years will someone be buying a Frank Thomas Oakland As jersey remembering when he hit 500? It must be me, I never thought of Tom's Sox career as anything more than a hired arm finishing his career.

QUOTE(Steff @ Feb 1, 2006 -> 12:12 PM) Oh silly me for not remembering that a rhetorical comment can't be posted around here.. Rhetorical or not, we do need to do something with the revolving door concerning sexual offenders. I don't like it when I read about someone committing a second and it always seems worse than the first, crime. Maybe life in prison is too harsh, but much better follow ups, and I'm not even convinced that would eliminate much. I find the idea of chemical castration for males interesting. Seems cruel and unusual, but this isn't working in some cases.

QUOTE(Cknolls @ Feb 1, 2006 -> 12:06 PM) Cut some social programs. Let me keep my contributions to SS. I will worry about my own retirement. Leave the Gov't out of it. Nice start. I find it sad to step past poor old people in Mexico who do not have money for retirement, but I'm certain we can get use to that in the US.

It's been rare, but I'd guess one or two may try. Of course we need to control our borders and keep this from happening. I wouldn't want the next terrorist attack be from some closer with a 100mph fastball just sneaking into the country.

QUOTE(Steff @ Feb 1, 2006 -> 11:38 AM) "The now twice-convicted sex offender..." The assholes that let this MF'er out should be charged with 2nd degree MURDER. How many times does it need to be said that these f***ers DON'T change... for Jetseta, her family, their friends, and the community. We would have to lock up every politician for not increasing the penalties for these crimes. What would have to happen is making all sexual assault crimes a life sentence without parole. I don't think a judge can just make up his own sentences, most states have a min and a max.

I love their stuff, and their ad here, but as I was getting ready to order I read Tom Seaver! Yes he spent some time on the Southside, but I never considered him anything other than a Met. Hell he was with the Reds for like 5 or 6 seasons. Jackson? Again, more a sideshow than a mainline player. Great guy, but certainly we could do better.

QUOTE(Cknolls @ Feb 1, 2006 -> 11:30 AM) By lowering taxes, the gov't is not giving you money. It is already your money, you just keep more of it. That is the fundemental problem right there. True. And then instead of US citizens paying to run our government this year, we will borrow money from foreign banks. The fundemental problem is we have stopped linking the cost of running our government from the income. Another fundemental problem is people do not feel like they have a responsibility to actually pay for their government. It's your money, yes, but it has been predetermined that you will pay some of that to live in this country. So it is also the government's money. We did not make paying taxes voluntary. Who cares about the income, we'll just borrow more. Who cares about expenses, we'll just borrow more. Our tax bill should have a direct correlation to our expenses. So tell me, if we continue to cut taxes from those people with the most resources, who is going to pay to run the government? Will we just borrow more money every year? Or will the middle class pay the debt plus interest?

QUOTE(Cknolls @ Feb 1, 2006 -> 11:21 AM) Medicare+Medicaid+Social Security>Defense Spending!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Medicare Medicaid Social Security Why would you link those together? Different programs, different administrations. Medicare+Medicaid+Social Security!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sister, Got Milk? There once was a 94-year-old nun in the 1890's whose worn-out body began to surrender. Her doctor prescribed for her a shot of whiskey three times a day, to relax her. However, not to be lured into worldly pleasures, she huffily declined. But her mother superior knew the elderly sister loved milk. So she instructed the kitchen to spike the milk three times a day.Eventually, the elderly pious one approached her final hour. As several sisters gathered around her at bedside, the mother superior asked if she wanted to leave them any words of wisdom. "Oh, yes," she replied. "Never sell that cow!"