Texsox

QUOTE(NUKE_CLEVELAND @ Jan 7, 2005 -> 12:00 PM) If that's the case then they should be discouraging them from going in the first place. Bush is wanting to set up a guest worker program but until that happens, if it ever does, there are still ways to do that sort of thing without hiking across mountains and paying some asshole an insane amount of money to cross. The point of the booklet was, don't do it, but if you make the difficult decision to do it, here are the dangers and here are some tips to survive. I do not like the blatent disrespect if them doing it this may. There are many good survival manuals that could be translated and made available for the wilderness survival aspect. We are in the middle of trials involving the deaths of 17 people who were being smuggled in a truck trailer. These people paid thousands of dollars to be smuggled into the US. Are they going to be system administrators? school teachers? retail workers? Nope. Field workers, packing shed workers, assembly line bots. How bad must their lives be to view that as an upgrade? How desperate must they be? And we have employers who are willing to risk hiring them. Not because they wortk cheaper, illegal wages are increasing as well, but because our low unemployment rates have made some jobs impossible to fill. Many employers of these workers will pay at least minimum wage both because of a fear of getting caught and adding proof the employer knew the worker was illegal, but they pay better because of competition.

QUOTE(NUKE_CLEVELAND @ Jan 7, 2005 -> 11:56 AM) It's funny you should call this administration weak when you're one of the ones whining about how heavy handed it is all the time. The Patriot Act is far from a "weak" approach to fighting the war on terror. This was designed to put more tools in the toolbox of Law Enforcement to track these people down and if that bothers some people then oh freekin well. The perception that our freedoms are eroded by this act is exactly that. When I see an FBI agent or 3 parked across from my apartment building because I clicked on one of LCR's wacko leftist website links then I'll worry about it. When this act took effect day did not immediately turn to night, storm troopers in brown shirts with armbands that read "W" didn't start appearing in the street kicking in people's doors. Again we are admitting to the world that our way of life in pre-9/11 wasn't working and we needed to curb our freedoms to make it work. We must have had too many freedoms. I wonder, when we are finished, if we will be closer to the freedoms that Iraq had. The freedom to praise the government. The freedom to praise the military. The freedom to allow 24/7 searches without probable cause (hey what do you have to hide?). The freedom to spend 25 years in prison for pointing a laser pointer at a plane. Imagine if Hussein locked up a dissident for 25 years for pointing a laser at an airplane. It would have been justification of how he abuses his people. Sorry, the give up some of your rights because you are innocent, argument is weak and anti-American.

QUOTE(NUKE_CLEVELAND @ Jan 7, 2005 -> 11:48 AM) Fair enough, but does that mean we should not use it in other cases where it can be applied? If we have a tool in the toolbox to deal with something we should use it. To be able to keep the tool, it must be properly maintained and used in the proper manner. If you keep using a tank to go to the corner and pick up lunch (which seems like fun at the drive-thru) eventually it's going to be taken away. When the public sees an obvious miscarriage, there is a problem. Plus, we really cannot allow our government to get out of control. The one nod towards winodj's comments is this could be used to up the Patriot Act scorecard. See we successfully prosecuted someone.

That would be in everyone's benefit. I doubt that mosr people understand that the bulk of illegal immigrants are just here to do some dirty work, send money home, and sneak on back by winter. It's easy to rally against these workers and ignore the bigger potential threat. The legal immigrants/terrorists who are able to obtain research jobs, and other positions that place them into positions to really do some damage. Illegal Juan picking lettuce in Iowa is less of a potential danger than Legal Juan working at Microsoft. I do agree this was a mjor PR mistake by Mexico. I know they are saddened and worried about their people risking their lives to come here and want to help. Their argument is the same as those who want to place condoms in High Schooler's hands. Hey, you know and we know they are going to do it, let's keep them safe. I would prefer that Mexico's economy grew to where this would be unneccesary.

Part of what happened could not be blamed or credited to KW, the injury and not signing Maggs. I can't give credit for KW dodging that bullet. Once again we are going into the season with more than a couple question marks Frank's Health? New Players at catcher, left, and right? 40% new rotation? Zero continue? Catcher - Pitcher chemistry (the most important chemistry IMHAOIO) We are better balanced this year. I just see a huge ? in the 3-4-5 spots in the line-up and that worries me. Maggs - Frank - Lee was very solid with 3 All-Star caliber players.

QUOTE(NUKE_CLEVELAND @ Jan 6, 2005 -> 03:02 PM) Happy Republican. I like what Bush wants to do with SS & tort reform and I also like the fact that the national party is as strong as it has ever been. Too bad the Illinois party is a flaming wreck though. Nuke, you must not have gotten the memo. Starting in 1994 Pat Buchanan mandated that the GOP could not be described as flaming in any context. It was part of a family values, Moral Majority, thing. I kind because I care ™

QUOTE(winodj @ Jan 7, 2005 -> 11:17 AM) Do you know how difficult it is to blind someone with a laser beam from several thousand feet through a refracting windshield? The answer is, pretty damn difficult. Even if one of the pilots would be temporarily physically blinded, there is a second person on board who can take the controls. There are also other guides and controls which can easily be used without sight to stabilize a plane. In 2002, there were over 50 separate incidents in the Las Vegas area of errant lasers "blinding" pilots from casino light shows. Why weren't the special effects directors given the same penalty? Pure and simple, this is a weak administration propping up a weak approach to a war on terror by strongly prosecuting someone with no connection to actual terror. It's the laser pointers we should be afraid of, not the frightening availability of shoulder fired anti-aircraft missiles. Weak. 50?! I'm not going to go so far as to blame Bush and anything much higher than a regional FBI office. But we will see.

QUOTE(JUGGERNAUT @ Jan 7, 2005 -> 11:08 AM) CWS fans seem a need to b**** about everything. Look at the facts please. KW used the bad rep stuff out SF to drive AJ in to a 2.25/1yr deal. I did not know about the arbit eligible situation. With that being the case AJ was in no position to ask for a multi-year deal. He has that bargaining power next year & not this one. All I know is this guy was a major factor in beating us when he was with MIN. Now he's on our side at bargain prices. Not bad for landing one of the best hitting catchers in the league. The only think that bothers me about this is KW's comments seemed to suggest the winning margin was 87-92. Where did he come up with 92 wins? I don't think 92 wins will beat the Twins for the div crown. He's underestimating Santana, Radke, & Silva if he does. 92 was Minny's totol from last year.

QUOTE(mreye @ Jan 7, 2005 -> 10:41 AM) While I like I good debate and think it's counterproductive to agree on absolutely everything, I couldn't agree more, Tex. The built in balances have been, IMHO, our best tool for growing into and staying a Super Power. And I do apreciate that in some areas both parties have been willing to compromise. I would just like to see more. I keep praying for a McCain - Lieberman ticket in 2008. I'd be going door to door for that one. There are probably a couple other GOP_DEM tickets that could be made and embraced. What would really make it interesting is if it was an independant ticket not a DEM inviting a GOP or vice versa

As I was trying to summarize the off season and money gone and money added I realized part of the balancing act is any money saved for mid-season pickups. At first I was thinking screw saving anything for mid season, let's blow this away out of the gate, then I realized we are thin in a couple areas and hoping on Frank healing. Perhaps it does make sense for KW to reserve more than a couple million for mid season stuff depending on who is having a break out year and who is having a :puke year.

QUOTE(Leonard Zelig @ Jan 7, 2005 -> 09:01 AM) I think we need somebody who can play SS & 2B, and Iguchi doesn't. Right now we have no backup SS or 3B(besides Uribe), do we? Isn't Burke theoretically the back up 3B? Now that is also clouded.

QUOTE(YASNY @ Jan 7, 2005 -> 12:41 AM) To whom it may concern, I want to offer an across the board, so to speak, apology. I, in no way, considered the discussion between jackie and I as a battle royale. In my eyes it was a lively discusion between two people with differing opinions. And, may I add, a discussion I was enjoying while in progress. However, I saw that most perceived it as a battle and for that I am truly sorry. To jackie, If you felt you were under attack in any way, shape or form, I offer a personal apology to you as well. That was not my intent. Sincerely, YASNY YASNY, There are some topics that some posters use to continue old stuff and to just hear themselves argue. No bid deal. This was just tossed way higher in the air than it needed to be.

IMHAOIO, next will be the ACLU petitioning an "Activist Judge™" to throw out the case. Of course the GOP Radio Nation will be up in arms that the liberal commies are trying to protect terrorists by weakening the Patriot Act. :headshake And the band plays on, and we are no safer today than 4 years ago, just more fearful and with less rights and freedoms. What I would like to see is for our nation's best interest the DEMs and GOPs drop the partisan b.s. and private agendas.

QUOTE(EvilMonkey @ Jan 7, 2005 -> 10:13 AM) I don't like early voting. I don't like it being made 'easy', just so lazy assholes can take their sweet time to vote. It is a right and responsibility to vote, the polls are open for a long time on the voting day, and it is not like that day just 'sneaks up' on anyone. I dislike it because of any last minute stuff that comes up in campaigns. However, it is not much different than absentee voting, which has to be completed well before hand. It has increased voter turnout in Texas. You can avoid long Election Day lines. Have a more relaxed time. People are busy, voting foesn't sneak up, but other responsibilities do. Spending 2 hours in an election line is not the best use of my time, perhaps for you and your employees it is.

http://www.forums.mlb.com/n/mb/message.asp...g=11934.1&ctx=0 Wow. I dropped by to read their take on AJ and saw this thread. Damn, I was shocked.

Damn Damn Damn I am starting to believe in the 2005 Squad

QUOTE(NUKE_CLEVELAND @ Jan 6, 2005 -> 03:15 PM) I am with you on the point that it does seem kind of unfair to allow the person in charge of the election to be a campaign chairman but the voters of Ohio elected this guy to office and they did it knowing full well what his job responsibilities are and where he stands ideologically. If they dont like the way he did his job they can vote him out of office. As with Florida in 2000 it seems that most of the complaining about the way this election went down is from Democrats who dont even live in that state. It didn't matter who they voted for, a DEM or GOP would be in charge of the election. That same person could be the campaign chairperson for a candidate?! Our system does make for some strange situations. You cared about Florida last time as well. If it had gone DEM, Gore for Four. So I think every American should have been interested and cared. I still think we have a lot of opportunity to make our elections better. So much technology is not being used. I like Texas' early election system. We have polling palces set up weeks before the election for early voting. Drop in, quick and easy.

QUOTE(NUKE_CLEVELAND @ Jan 6, 2005 -> 03:19 PM) If it blinds the pilot and brings the plane down is there really a difference? Pilots have said it is about the same as if someone flashed their brights at you in a car. Their worry, at least the two that I heard interviewed was that the laser was part of an aiming device and a missle was coming next. That is what pissed them off, and it would me also. What I object to is the Patriot Act was to fight terrorism. This clearly wasn't an act of terrorism, just a Dad showing off to his daughter. F

I know that dead bodies do not bother you, but they bother the Border Patrol that has to find them by watching buzzards over head. Most Border Patrol agents wish that more migrant workers would be more carefull. What we need is a guest worker program so the farmers can get their crops out of the fields using the only workers that want this type of work. Where else are you going to find people to spend 6-9 months following the crops, spend long hours in the fields for minimum wage, stay in one place for a couple weeks, then move on? Migrant workers from Mexico have been part of our US agricultural system for over 100 years. Currently they risk their lives, literally, to work at a minimum wage, manual labor, seasonal jobs. They are far more likely to be victims of crimes than to commit one. They just want to earn their money and go back home. If they are discovered, they are sent home and they lose all the potential earnings. So they are ripped off for housing, ripped off on wages, and ripped off by smugglers. I know it's fashionable to rally against illegal aliens. Living on the border, I see a much different picture than away from the border. Why would someone risk a 10 day trek, through the wilderness, across a desert, to work at a minimum wage job?

QUOTE(FlaSoxxJim @ Jan 6, 2005 -> 02:12 PM) Like 2K5's teeth? [/oblique thread cross-reference] A tip of the hat for the Daily Double

QUOTE(3E8 @ Jan 6, 2005 -> 02:07 PM) Maggs not accepting the 5 year, 70 million he was offered was the best thing to happen to us yet. Ain't that the truth. His injury cost us last season, if he had signed, it would be costing the next few.

QUOTE(Chisoxfn @ Jan 6, 2005 -> 02:01 PM) :lolhitting Thats going into the post of the month archive Tex. I was thinking of adding each one written by someone with half a brain. but it seemed too harsh FlasoxxJim I know you kid because you care ®

QUOTE(hi8is @ Jan 6, 2005 -> 01:46 PM) according to rotoworld at 11:41 AM Thrusday January 6th "Free agent Esteban Loaiza will not be playing in the MLB nor any Mexican League. This is due to the fact that some outside source, beleved to be a Califiornian named Trevor Caesar, has bought Esteban's services for a reported 3 year 24 million dollar deal. Mr. Caesar plans to use Esteban for his 7 year old sons batting pratice." LMAO. Very nice, it just needed some green.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Jan 6, 2005 -> 01:53 PM) Basically? Not even close. He didn't lie about a surgery. He didn't ask a team employee not to tell on him. He didn't turn down a long term extension. He didn't promise to turn over medical records, then didn't. He didn't promise to work out for teams, then didn't. He didn't claim to be working out, when he had just had a secret surgery days before. He didn't consult another agent a year before firing his own agent. But other than that I could see how it is close... Point taken. However, and you would have no way of knowing, I was refering to a year ago, when Maggs was healthy and turned down the Sox offer.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Jan 6, 2005 -> 01:55 PM) Me either, but I can post one handed That explains a lot. Two hands, Two computers, Two posts at once