Texsox

There are so many cities, towns, etc, that have tried this. I am amazed that towns will keep trying. If WalMart wants to come in, they will find a way. Your local stores will close or adjust. People want the lower prices and convienence of a big box retailer.

QUOTE(kevin57 @ Jan 26, 2006 -> 09:03 PM) In any case, demoncracy occurred in yet another Mideast place. YEA! Whatever Hamas may do, they'll have to be accountable to the people. Most of the Palestinians may want Israelis in the sea, but they want bread on their tables, a roof over their heads, a good school for their kids, and a decent street to a decent job a lot more than some political ideology. I believe most people are more concerned about beans and beds than ideology.

QUOTE(NUKE_CLEVELAND @ Jan 26, 2006 -> 05:51 PM) I really hope you're right. Im not optimistic though. I'm not any more or less optimistic than before. What I do know is the present path wasn't working. I don't believe Israel is under any more of a threat than they already were. In reality, is there any country on earth that has worse neighbors than Israel (and vice versa depending on your POV).

QUOTE(NUKE_CLEVELAND @ Jan 26, 2006 -> 12:25 PM) Relying on government or corporations to provide for you in your old age is looking more and more like folly these days. Thats why Im saving as much as I possibly can without sacrificing too much of what I want. And how are you savings? Imagine if the companies you invested in went bankrupt and your stock is worthless. That is basically (not exactly) what these people may have done. They would have invested in GM, and that seems like a blue chipper to me. Who would have thought 20, 30 years ago that a GM pension wasn't golden? If you are investing in the market, you are relying on corporations. If you are buying government bonds, you are relying on the government. I agree with what you are saying, but it just isn't as simple as that sounds.

QUOTE(Steve Bartman's my idol @ Jan 26, 2006 -> 01:44 PM) When NORML runs a candidate for Office, it's platform is the legalization of marijuana. When the Green Party runs a candidate, it's platform is the environment. When Hamas run candidates...destruction of Israel. Excellent point And when someone has the choice of voting for corruption or another party, do they have to buy into the entire agenda? If you have the choice of a Republican or a NORML candidate, you would take the Republican because you are against NORMLs stance? Of course, then you would agree 100% with the GOP stance. I agree, this isn't a very good turn of events, but I'm not ready to slander all Palestinians because of this. David Duke won an election, does that mean the majority of people in his district wanted the destruction of all blacks?

QUOTE(Steve Bartman's my idol @ Jan 26, 2006 -> 01:20 PM) 78% of the people voted for Hamas representation, a group organized and "principled" on the annihilation of Israel and the Jews. That sounds like a mandate to me. Sorry, I just assumd there were more issues than just one. I assume then, in Israeli elections, Palestinians are the only issue as well? Oh wait, could it be they chose Hamas over corruption? Maybe they got tired of the corruption? Nope, the only chance it could be is they all want the end of Israel. BTW, do they elect people or is it just Israel Yes/No on the ballot?

QUOTE(Steve Bartman's my idol @ Jan 26, 2006 -> 12:57 PM) I believe that this translates to "a majority of "palestinians" do not recognize Israel's right to exist.". And a majority of Americans believe everything that Bush stands for. The majority of Americans are pro-life, tax cuts, God fearing Christians, want war in Iraq, etc. You may be right, but it is impossible to logically make that generalization from an election where there was more issues than one. This was an election for people. All these assumptions and generalities do not help the peace process. What it means is a majority of Palestinians believed the Hamas candidates will be better leaders for them. Be carefull how you generalize. Do you believe that everyone that voted for Bush agreed with him 100%? Someone mentioned that no one wants peace there. I disagree. Everyone wants peace there. Sadly, they want peace by eliminating the other side. Rex, I can't believe this could possibly be good for the peace process. If you can pull that off, I'll be shocked.

Busy guy. Why anyone would want that job is beyond me.

Well all American believe in everything that Bush stands for, so all Palestinians will be behind Hamas based on these elections. I still hold out hope that all Palestinians aren't of the same thought, just like all Israelies aren't 100% united in what they believe, or 100% of Americans, etc. We'll see how effective they will be, while still being a *minority*. I believe this shows how it will be impossible for a lasting peace in the middle east. The blood bath that would happen if the US stopped sending aid would be unimaginable. So, guess what, we'll be upping our foreign aid, hopefully Israel will spend it on something more usefull then spying on us.

QUOTE(Felix @ Jan 25, 2006 -> 09:09 PM) What thread is that from kyyle? Scary, Scary Buerhle Contract thread.

QUOTE(SSH2005 @ Jan 25, 2006 -> 04:57 PM) Saying goodbye to Frank wasn't about loyalty, it was about health. Loyalty is all about standing by someone when they need a break. Loyalty isn't about a mutually beneficial situation. This isn't even about health. This is about winning and repeating. The team, rightfully so, believes they have a better chance to repeat with Thome than Frank. It was an either or situation. They made the right move. I agree with the move, as much as it hurts. But this is also why I don't get all upset at players that decide they would rather play somewhere else. Teams can't be loyal, and either can players. Can anyone say that Frank didn't give 100% to the organization? Two seasons ago he agreed to the #4 spot in the lineup. He DHd when he knew it would hurt his chances for the HoF. He worked his butt off to rehab and get back on the field. He was the face of the organization through some pretty lean years. If anyone deserves to get a break and have the team sacrifice for him, Frank would be the guy. But he no longer fit in the plans and is out. I'm not disagreeing with the move, but pointing out why I don't get upset with players who move on.

QUOTE(YASNY @ Jan 26, 2006 -> 07:13 AM) I'm going to unionize your labor force. That's part of my plan, we will be unionized. And if some other union uses non-union picketers, we will picket their picket line.

QUOTE(Heads22 @ Jan 25, 2006 -> 10:43 PM) The Jungle Awesome book. It should be required reading for anyone living in Chicago. I am working on Savanah, a historical romance novel set in the south during the Civil War. Amazing what one will do for love. I am also trying to learn all I can about sailing. I am interviewing for a position that would have me running a camp out on an island in the gulf. Scuba, fishing, sailing, boogie boarding, etc.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Jan 26, 2006 -> 07:04 AM) Welcome to the big boys table Alex

Congratulations.

I'm starting the Homeless, Indigent, Professional Picketing & Information Enterprise for these people. Starting next month HIPPIE will be out in force whenever and where ever we are needed. If you need someone to stand outside a job site and picket for days on end, call HIPPIE. We have nothing else to do. Too busy working to complain about the poor Bush economy? Call HIPPIE. To busy pulling that ski boat behind your SUV to protest high gas prices? Call HIPPIE! Tired of just sticking cause magnets on your car? Call HIPPIE. Let us do the picketing. Additional charges may apply for hard to rhyme slogans, poor weather, weekends, or Republican causes.

QUOTE(vandy125 @ Jan 25, 2006 -> 06:23 PM) Last year it seemed like everyone was asking "where is the respect?" It is nice to see us actually getting it. Why complain or dis it when it is happening now? Just enjoy it. Others are respecting the team. Last year we said everyone was a moron, east coast bias, why start thinking they know anything now? LOL, of course we want everything, all the time,

QUOTE(SSH2005 @ Jan 25, 2006 -> 04:57 PM) Saying goodbye to Frank wasn't about loyalty, it was about health. Shhhh, we wouldn't want the A's to find out his health is an issue. They obviously don't know.

Thank God there is loyalty in baseball. Adios Frank, we'll miss you. You were about the only reason to come out to the ballpark in September for many seasons.

ChiSoxFn will be jealous, usually it is Jas will a shop job that good

A young minister was asked by a funeral director to hold a grave-side service for a homeless man, with no family or friends, who had died while traveling through the area. The funeral was to be held at a cemetery way back in the country, and this man would be the first to be laid to rest there. Here is his story......... As I was not familiar with the backwoods area, I became lost; and being a typical man I did not stop for directions. I finally arrived an hour late. I saw the crew, eating lunch, but the hearse was nowhere in sight. I apologized to the workers for my tardiness, and stepped to the side of the open grave, where I saw the vault lid already in place. I assured the workers I would not hold them long but this was the proper thing to do. The workers gathered around, still eating their lunch. I poured out my heart and soul. As I preached, the workers began to say "Amen," "Praise the Lord," and "Glory," I preached, and I preached, like I'd never preached before: from Genesis all the way to Revelations. I closed the lengthy service with a prayer and walked to my car. I felt I had done my duty for the homeless man and that the crew would leave with a renewed sense of purpose and dedication, in spite of my tardiness. As I was opening the door and taking off my coat, I overheard one of the workers saying to another, "I ain't never seen anything like this before . . . and I've been putting in septic tanks for twenty years.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Jan 25, 2006 -> 04:09 PM) First of all...you know very well I don't believe those "Hovering at 5% unemployment rates" since they exclude the long-term unemployed and a wide variety of others who are classified as "out of the workforce" despite the fact that they may well be actively looking for a job. But related to that...I still am unconvinced that there really is a lack of people willing to do manual labor jobs here in the U.S. If I had no position right now, I'd do it quite willingly. The problem is...I wouldn't be willing to do it for $2 an hour when I could earn $6 an hour at McDonalds somewhere by being documented. Through the fact that they're undocumented, they have no workplace protections, and employers can pay them whatever they want and bury the corpses when something goes horridly wrong, and no one can say a thing. I don't view this as a way to fill in gaps created by the lack of Americans to do the work...I view it as far more an effort by employers to avoid having to spend the extra effort and money required to follow U.S. laws. In that 5% are people collecting unemployment who really don't want to work, so I think there is some balance. And illegals won't work for $2 per hour either. They have to buy food, pay rent, and all the things citizens do. I know a few people down here who employ undocumented workers and are paying $5 to $7 per hour. They are in agriculture, construction, and manufacturing industries. Take the migrant farm workers. Live in one place for 2-3 weeks, then move on. How much would you want to make? You need temporary housing, a vehicle, and you are never assured of working. Do you think that there are plenty of Americans willing to take that life?

QUOTE(NUKE_CLEVELAND @ Jan 25, 2006 -> 03:57 PM) Funny you should mention Nissan America when the Japanese automakers are creating jobs here in the US while the "US" automakers are taking jobs to Canada and Mexico. Hurray for the jobs, I was pointing out those that complain about some worker sending money abroad is like complaining about someone spitting on a sidewalk during a hurricane. BTW, those jobs are a small way of saying NAFTA works, and isn't the giant sucking sound that Kap's fellow Texan, Ross Perot theorized.