Texsox

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Sep 18, 2009 -> 11:15 AM) Depends on how you define lifestyle choices. Driving can be defined as a lifestyle choice. It'd be worth really looking in to the methodology to understand what exactly they're counting, but I don't have the time right now. I think that at worst they're probably at the right order of magnitude even if you just count random things; like people getting cancer, or diabetes, or infections, or the flu, and then being unable to afford treatment. Early mortality seems awfully inexact to measure. The working definition would be the key. Something as simple as "how early" would be problematic. And this may be one of my top three concerns in this debate. I want decisions to be made on accurate information, not slogans and biased figures. I want both parties to rigorously debate this.

surfing this weekend

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Sep 18, 2009 -> 11:09 AM) That's more than 2x the last estimate. And just my guess, that number is dwarfed by the number of Americans who die early (and isn't that what is really being measured) from life style choices?

It is impossible to know how the absence or frequency of bunts affects swinging away. If a team knows your tendency is not to bunt, they have an easier time defending than if you mix up bunts. So perhaps the reason that one strategy is successful relies, in part, and implementing the other. Co-dependency is a difficult relationship to study.

QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ Sep 18, 2009 -> 09:51 AM) Shame on you, Tex! Where the hell is the poorly photoshopped picture of Bartolo Colon, i was expecting upon entering this thread? That's not him??

Pictures only that sum up your thoughts on where the team is at.

^^^^ Nice

Not a bad idea, but I am also using Compound W, so it just might balance

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Sep 18, 2009 -> 09:22 AM) Here is the dirty secret, the government does this all of the time. Why do you think the rate of denials for first time filers for Social Security Disability is over 50%? Great point. I need to consider that a bit more. I wonder if there will be a difference between an individual, on there own, asking for Social Security benefits, versus a Doctor wanting to offer treatment. Also, I am assuming that the government could not drop someone from their coverage. Another important point is in these cases the insurance company did not dispute the necessity of the treatment. Instead when facing expensive treatment, they looked for ways to cancel the policy. I do see the need for some review before treatment as part of cost containment.

I find it interesting that some people would rather trust a for profit insurance company instead of the government in these matters. Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/17/i...a_n_289841.html

Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/17/i...a_n_289841.html

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Sep 18, 2009 -> 09:02 AM) So much for September ticket sales. These Kids Can Play!™

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Sep 18, 2009 -> 08:43 AM) After they claim the other party is evil or wrong for doing it... yep.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Sep 18, 2009 -> 08:32 AM) Not a chance... This is when Kap's "They all do it" line comes into play. And if one party does manage to do something new and innovative, from good or evil, you can be damn certain the other party will do it as soon as they get a chance; and they will sit around thinking how stupid they were for not thinking of it first.

Lately I've been feeling a bit down.

QUOTE (knightni @ Sep 18, 2009 -> 01:30 AM) No. I usually try to be more clever and less expensive with my jokes. At least you try

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Sep 17, 2009 -> 06:11 PM) So that's kind of interesting - the 8/7 ratio is very close the same ratio of the entire house. Corruption knows no party. I don't think even the hard cores in each party would have disputed that.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Sep 17, 2009 -> 04:17 PM) Here we go... http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/ho...amp;newsLang=en The important part? Also that 87% would reduce coverage if costs increased because of this plan. Which is already what has been happening. I was just notified that starting in January, I will be picking up a much larger percentage of my coverage and reducing benefits.

QUOTE (FlaSoxxJim @ Sep 17, 2009 -> 01:59 PM) Why I Oughtta . . ! Xerox™ your post? Good idea! Why I Oughtta . . !

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Sep 17, 2009 -> 01:48 PM) Call me silly, but I think we need auto workers less than we need doctors. I worry a little bit more about artificial caps on doctors than I do artificial floors for union workers. I agree, but we disagree on the definition of "we". The difference seems to be that some of us believe everyone should have access to a Doctor and others believe only those able to pay for a Doctor should have access. But an industry is an industry and I believe you have lectured, accurately I may say, that economic forces work the same in medicine as in other fields. I'm thinking of several of your posts on supply and demand specifically and a few others in a more general way. So if the auto industry needed worker pay cuts to remain viable, could that not be true for medical as well? And again, and in a very sincere way, where else is a Doctor going to come even within 75% of their current salaries? Teaching? Medical research? How many would find jobs close to what they were earning? I would think their are many autoworkers that worked those jobs for the money, I worry that we have 45% of the Doctors working for the money.

Very true, the only way up from here is Professor.

It seems a strange honor when often times the dances, chops, etc are used to help the team score or stop the other team from scoring. So I find the honor argument rather weak. I think the level of the offensive material also needs to be evaluated. Unlike some magazine or movie that can be shrink wrapped and tucked away behind the counter, these teams receive major television, radio, newspaper, and internet time. I see a time when teams will have entire websites with thousands of fans and millions of posts. So the whole minority/majority argument starts to lose steam. I think we have over reacted in some cases. But I usually take not offending over offending Taking stopping something negative over doing something negative In most of these cases the cure may be bitter tasting for a moment, but it is over quickly and soon forgotten.

My favorite fall site is a convoy of six or seven school buses with players, coaches, cheerleaders, band members, spirit squad, pom pom squad, drill team, fans, equipment trucks, a few dozen fans in cars, trucks etc, police escort front and back, sirens wailing and lights blazing, to escort one team a few miles down the road to an away game. That's taking a high school sport seriously.