Texsox

QUOTE (hawksfan61 @ Mar 4, 2009 -> 10:06 AM) Getting rid of all no-bid contracting will not save any money. Anyone who has been involved in government contract work can attest to that. I know no-bids get a bad rap because of the Iraq thing, but the fact is there are situations where bids are not necessary, only because certain specialized projects have only a few firms that are qualified to provide the service. We talk about how government needs to be more like private industry then force them into not being more like private industry.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Mar 4, 2009 -> 08:23 AM) If anyone will fight that battle and win, its Ozzie. I wish I shared your confidence.

How many are Boras clients?

Great question. Vegas came to mind, as did the Texas Lottery Show where they hand me a big oversized check. But probably Seinfeld or Frasier.

QUOTE (bmags @ Mar 4, 2009 -> 08:13 AM) oh PLEASE 9/11 was likely the worst tragedy that has ever happened to America by an outside source, considering all civilians. BUT, it was not war. We did not have an invading army in the country fighting a war against us, we did not have a rebellion uprising, we were not even in a military battle against another country.. There were no troop movements to report or any precedent that SCOTUS has historically provided for when suspending the 1st amendment is allowed. The media even tacitly complied with not being to critical of the government in self-censorship. It seems rather HUGE to me, to lose everything the country fought for because of a huge power opportunity came into play for our central government, when no mobile consistent threat was among us. If Japan entered our shores in WWII, I could see complete pre-censorship of media being reasonable, but as it is, a terrorist attack is not a reason to throw out our constitution, the mere allusion that it could seems absolutely, absolutely absurd. And it was not used. But to say in each and every case it should not be used, seems silly on the scale that we play. It seems that the administration did some advance planning and asked, what are the limits to our response. Later they probably determined what were the appropriate limits, and reached the same conclusion you just did. But I can not rip them for taking step one, which was to know exactly what resources they have available.

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Mar 3, 2009 -> 05:05 PM) The point is that those shouldn't even be options. Ask Japan about what should, and should not be, options. In a world where in one moment we could kill hundreds of thousands of humans, and destroy ecosystems for hundreds of years, losing our right to Rush Limbaugh and the New York Times, seems rather small.

I just don't understand why Congress doesn't read a story like this and think "we have to make pot legal" . . .

I believe it is perfectly reasonable at that point in time for the President to know what were *ALL* of his options. That's what I see in ths, and I honestly am not too worked up over it.

Wow, I needed a reason to get out of bed today. And my favorite math joke There are 10 kinds of people in the world, those that get binary, and those that don't.

QUOTE (kapkomet @ Mar 2, 2009 -> 07:01 PM) Why? I sent you a PM, but basically I need to have somethingtaken care of while I have better-than-average insurance.

QUOTE (Alpha Dog @ Mar 2, 2009 -> 04:50 PM) Why not both? Because we do not have the resources to use drug agents to try and stop illegals. They would be majoring in the minors and minoring in the majors. Two different methods, two different problems, two different sets of resources.

QUOTE (Alpha Dog @ Mar 2, 2009 -> 03:46 PM) Soooooo, because it might only be 10 pounds per person, we should look the other way and ignore it? And 10 pounds of meth can do a hell of a lot of damage. Because it may be one in ten thousand persons, we should not focus on that. Why not focus on the user of those ten pounds of meth?

QUOTE (southsideirish71 @ Mar 2, 2009 -> 04:01 PM) I want to see the low cost part of the guest worker formula that makes them attractive today when they are gettng minimum wage and taxes are being accounted for and paid. And does the line for the guest worker program only work for Mexicans, or can others apply. My guess is that a guest worker program will have a limit, and that other people would like to get a permit as well. The guest worker program, in my mind, would be open to anyone. However, I really do not see many other immigrants having a chance. Mexico is unique in that immigrants can walk here. There is a very low monetary cost in leaving home and walking hundreds of miles to get that minimum wage job. I am certain that some countries and companies would have a unique opportunity, but overall it will be Mexicans as it has for 100 years. A guest worker program should result in fewer benefits than what a citizen would receive. Right now the problem keeps growing because minimum wage employees are expensive for the government. We have offered so many programs for the working poor, that it becomes cost prohibited for the government to actually pay everyone who is eligible. So illegals who are too scared to apply for those benefits, or unable to meet the requirements, actually save the US money over a citizen who would apply for, and receive, those benefits. The amount of income tax collected for someone working minimum wage is far below what the person receives in benefits.

If ifs were skiffs, we'd all have a navy . . . you know, just sayin'

QUOTE (MurcieOne @ Mar 2, 2009 -> 01:25 PM) This is really all besides the point. Obama was elected by a strong majority of Illinois voters because they felt he was the man for the job. Appointing and Accepting Roland Burris because he is black (even if it played the smallest role) goes against this principal. There are no quotas in government, nor should their be -- even if Bobby Rush says otherwise. There are no quotas, but there is an innate sense of fairness, and an almost universal desire for the government to reflect the face of America.

QUOTE (shipps @ Mar 2, 2009 -> 10:59 AM) Thank you tex, I figured soxtalk would torture me and not tell me....but what do you know tex really does have a heart. It is probably safe for work, you have to look very closely to see the difference that flash makes.

Happy Birthday!!

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Mar 2, 2009 -> 10:30 AM) How about the illegals? Guest worker program.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Mar 2, 2009 -> 11:23 AM) If it was all coming through U.S. airports or U.S. ports, there wouldn't be a guerrilla war on the other side of the U.S. border to control the drug trafficking routes. My point is, they are not carrying that much stuff. They are flying it in via private planes, hidden in legitimate cargo, trucks, etc. It is not being carried, forty pounds at a time, via human power.

QUOTE (shipps @ Mar 2, 2009 -> 10:40 AM) Dammit my work blocked the link. What the hell is it? How sad that you will have to wait until you get home . . . It is a picture that shows the difference with and without flash. The flash reveals some interesting things. I am not certain if the person posting realizes the difference.

Nice

Hoping for South Padre Island expecting Hospital

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Mar 2, 2009 -> 09:41 AM) Yeah. My girlfriend took a border lit class from him at UIC and she really enjoyed it. Last year I read Chaos, I believe that was the title, written by a local Sociology Professor here that rode with the Border Patrol for a couple years. Pretty cool, I knew, and had visited, almost every spot he mentioned in the book.

Greg House Hawkeye Costanza Lenny Briscoe Gibbs Mick Belcker Log Lady Niles Crane Chris Stevens If I have to mention the shows, you would not agree

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Mar 2, 2009 -> 08:20 AM) Tex, Have you ever read "The Devil's Highway"? I think you might enjoy that book (I'm not sure enjoy is the right word to use). Is that the book by Urrea about the group that was crossing in Arizona? It is on my list of books to read, but so far I just have not found the time.