caulfield12

How many members of the military have said they would gladly give up their life fighting to protect our freedoms, such as the right to live in a country where you have the freedom to protest or not without being repressed by the government?

QUOTE (Brian @ Jan 2, 2018 -> 09:23 AM) This is how I have felt about Michigan's offense all year and then watching that GA/OK game was like walking out of a dark room and looking into the sun. The weird thing is how a relatively one dimensional team like Iowa could dominate Ohio State and Penn State for large stretches yet still lose to Purdue at home. Iowa has run the same exact offense (run on first and second down, jailbreak screen) for the entire Ferentz Era. I almost wish at this point he’d take his son and finally go back to the NFL. Then I remember what happened to Nebraska football...or Iowa basketball when Steve Alford was brought in to replace Dr. Tom Davis and lead them to a championship. Ugh. We’d even be happy to take back Oliver Martin! Every great Iowa athlete ends up playing for Michigan in football or Roy Williams in basketball, lol. Iowa has had some really good tight ends, but our last NFL running backs were Shonn Greene and Tavian Banks/Sedrick Shaw...and receivers, you have to go back to Tim Dwight and Danan Hughes. So jealous to watch all that offensive firepower on one team.

By the time the dinner was over, the (four South American) leaders were in shock, and not just over the idle talk of armed conflict. No matter how prepared they were, eight months into an American presidency like no other, this was somehow not what they expected. A former senior U.S. official with whom I spoke was briefed by ministers from three of the four countries that attended the dinner. “Without fail, they just had wide eyes about the entire engagement,” the former official told me. Even if few took his martial bluster about (going to war with) Venezuela seriously, Trump struck them as uninformed about their issues and dangerously unpredictable, asking them to expend political capital on behalf of a U.S. that no longer seemed a reliable partner. “The word they all used was: ‘This guy is insane.’” ... And news was making the rounds of an equally disastrous private meeting he had earlier in the day in Brussels with the leaders of the European Union. But what was not reported at the time was that even after all of that, some European leaders came away most disturbed by what Trump said at their private dinner. “He was very tough and very outspoken in his intervention,” a European diplomat in attendance confirmed to me about the meal. Another European attendee said Trump at the dinner was “unlike anything they’ve ever heard” in such a setting. “All this bluster and blasting. He walks in and starts talking, breaking china all over the place.” And to top it off, Trump left early. ... So what the hell is going on? I’ve come to believe that when it comes to Trump and the world, it’s not better than you think. It’s worse. The president is not playing the leadership role the rest of the world has come to expect from the United States, and the consequences are piling up. Still, it is also true that the world hasn’t exactly melted down—yet—as a consequence, leading some to conclude that Trump is merely a sort of cartoonishly incompetent front man, a Twitter demagogue whose nuclear-tinged rhetoric and predilection for cozying up to dictators should be discounted in favor of rational analysis of the far more sober-minded, far less radical policies actually put in place by his team. ... So, forget what the president says or even much of what he does. Never mind the shadow of the Russia investigation looming over the presidency, or the president’s lavish praise of autocrats and public attacks on longtime U.S. allies. In fact, the view that Trump himself is essentially irrelevant is now advanced privately by some key members of his own team—another extraordinary commentary on an extraordinary presidency. https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/201...angerous-216202

If Venables was defensive coordinator instead of Mike Stoops....they would have at least been respectable. Hopefully Riley at age 34 learned never to squib kick right before halftime ever again, and never to get so conservative with a national title shot like that in your grasp. Hard to understand what he was thinking, unless Mayfield wasn’t playing at 100% after taking that hit in the third quarter. At least OU finally showed up in a game with national title implications. The last time was all the way back in Stoops’ second year, with Heupel and Roy Williams leading the way against FSU and Weinke. Just thought we’d be there every year when Adrian Peterson showed up on campus. The fact is that they haven’t had a truly balanced team (equal parts offense and defense) in nearly two decades. But that first 29:54 was a thing of beauty, at least. My #1 team, University of Iowa, has ZERO chance to ever play for a national championship. 2015 was the closest they will ever get...and they would have been smoked anyway like MSU was. I would say it’s actually less than zero with Frost at Nebraska now and an outdated offense that would take half a season to do what OU does in a half.

After Alabama's 24-6 win in the CFP semifinal, Brown told AL.com that Clemson coach Dabo Swinney disrespected the Tide by voting them at No. 5, behind Big Ten champion Ohio State, in the final coaches' poll. "I love Dabo for all the ammunition he gave this team, man," Brown said on a video posted by AL.com. "He gave this team a lot of ammunition to come play this game and ready to dominate every play. Told us we weren't ready, told us we weren't worthy of [being] a top-four team. Look, that's what happens when you talk trash to us. We're going to show you." Things didn’t work out well for the Cowboys or Texans (teams split by anthem/owner issues) either. Or Papa John. Interestingly, Kapaernick’s Niners looked like one of the best teams coming down the stretch. As far as Dabo goes, you have to show Alabama more respect than that...four national titles in less than a decade. Oklahoma hadn’t even come close to being in their national title games against LSU, USC, Florida and then Clemson just three short years ago. Nick Saban might be a jerk, but he has earned the respect of being one of the two best football coaches of his generation, with Bill Belicheck being the other.

Looks like AL has this one safely in hand at the moment... Oklahoma had plenty of chances, their offense just couldn't get it done in crunch time. But Riley's play calling didn't always go to form. Late in the game, there were two critical calls that didn't work. First, on third-and-2 from the OU 45 with 29 seconds left in regulation, the Sooners designed a wheel route to Rodney Anderson. That pass fell well incomplete and the Sooners were forced to punt and play for overtime instead of challenging for a potential game-winning field goal. Oklahoma still had one timeout remaining. Then in overtime, once again with third-and-2, the play call was an end-around to senior receiver Jordan Smallwood. Smallwood had scored touchdowns against Ohio State and Kansas on 3-yard plays earlier in the season but it didn't work this time, as Bulldogs' all-everything linebacker Roquan Smith finished off Smallwood short of the first-down marker and the Sooners had to settle for a game-tying field goal that sent the game into a second overtime. dailyoklahoman.com

This is more evidence of why only one dominant offense (Top 10 offenses playing against Top 10 defenses) has won this type of big playoff game in the last 10-15 years...that was one of Matt Leinart's USC teams (ironically, vs. OU). Seems that Mayfield needs to get his second wind somehow...that late field goal really shifted the momentum before the half.

Georgia still has hope with that field goal at the end of the half...but playing catch-up is never a good position for an OU opponent to be faced with given the blitzkrieg pace they play at. Not sure if it's that the SEC defenses are overrated or OU's offense is just that good. Probably more of the latter.

https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/201...-history-216200 Does the White working class actually vote against its own self-interest?

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/sylvest...-005142705.html Sly Stallone....this one seems a bit dubious, 31 year old allegation of rape by a 16 year old in Vegas hotel. Charges were never filed.

69% of electricity in China is generated from coal. Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei are all more than 90 percent reliant on coal for energy, Tsinghua’s research showed. 80% in India. A series of studies by Tsinghua University, whose alumni includes the incumbent president, showed electric vehicles charged in China produce two to five times as much particulate matter and chemicals that contribute to smog versus petrol-engine cars. Hybrid vehicles fare little better. “International experience shows that cleaning up the air doesn’t need to rely on electric vehicles,” said Los Angeles-based An Feng, director of the Innovation Center for Energy and Transportation. “Clean up the power plants.” China plans to convert the grid to renewable fuel or clean-coal technology as part of efforts to cut carbon emissions by 60 percent by 2020. That will speed the green impact of electric vehicles, said environmental science professor Huo Hong at the elite Tsinghua university. But that goal will be “really difficult to achieve.” Tsinghua’s studies call into question the wisdom of aggressively promoting vehicles which the university said could not be considered environmentally friendly for at least a decade in many areas of China unless grid reform accelerates. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-po...g-idUSKCN0V51BH Wind power takes the longest amount of time to pay off return on investment...geothermal is more commonly discussed as a solution in other areas of the world, like India. So we’re back to what Jimmy Carter was attempting to push in the late 1970’s (solar), along with wind and likely natural gas. The problem is there was so much of a rush into this area (solar) a decade ago that both the US and China produced way too many panels and supply outstripped demand. So how to make solar more popular again...giving rebates/discounts for purchases of electric cars or solar panel installation can help, but is it enough? Finally, another aspect not being taken into account is the technology apps ramping up electricity usage related to Bitcoin mining.

QUOTE (bmags @ Dec 31, 2017 -> 10:17 AM) I watched lost city of z. Not that they are so similar, but just wanted to point out it was a much better movie than the covenant and the covenant was terrible. The Revenant?

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri, I Tonya, Jumanji, Brawl on Cell Block 99, The Florida Project, Lady Bird....all worth checking out. Didn’t like The Disaster Artist or Downsizing as much as I’d hoped to. Alexander Payne doesn’t have many misfires, but at least the vision was grandiose and Hong Chau stole the movie.

AT&T Credits Trump for Bonus Its Union Already Negotiated AT&T promised $1,000 in bonuses because of the GOP tax plan on Wednesday. But the union representing AT&T workers bargained for that bonus earlier this month. https://www.thedailybeast.com/atandt-credit...eady-negotiated In the meantime, they’ve made redundant thousands of workers, again. https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0SO8z7ZRUh...u09CHBIiDbJlEU- And were just awarded the $46.5 billion First Responders contract...AT&T/Time Warner merger still pending.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 29, 2017 -> 10:50 PM) Seriously, you provided a bunch of random blurbs without numbers or support that didn't address my argument at all. I totally agree it would be a radical departure - in favor of workers and in opposition to the financial industry. And anything that is slightly in that direction is something I think would be a general benefit over the next few years. http://therealnews.com/c.php?c=171229&...7color:%20#000; Obama chose Wall Street over Main Street As long as the Democratic Party is controlled by the Obama/Clinton/Tom Perez wing, it likely won’t happen. It would require a younger version of Sanders/Warren or a non-crazy Howard Dean...that would be able to beat back the combined might of Wall Street and Silicon Valley donations. Or they would have to win a three way split vote as an independent, like Ross Perot threatened to do before imploding in 1992. The problem is you have to be in the very middle of the electorate or far to the left, peeling off enough Democrats and the Bernie Bros Millennial coalition. A centrist but populist campaign might not be enough of a draw to motivate the liberal/young voters unless that politician was incredibly charismatic.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/alleged-swatting...-223700818.html

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 29, 2017 -> 04:13 PM) You are completely backwards. The US Debt is a certain dollar amount. If you allow a run of 4% inflation it actually cuts the net value of the US Debt. Similarly, inflation reduces the total dollar value of a wage, so it would make higher minimum wages less of an impact on businesses. You're conflating inflation due to a growing economy with "The Republican business tax cuts". The tax cuts will be one contributing factor to inflation but not nearly as large as "an economy close to full employment". Yes, $20.6 trillion....more or less. And if we increase our inflation rate by a factor of 1.35, it’s going to become increasingly expensive to issue bonds to finance that debt. Why would foreign countries (35% of current bond holders) accept the same rate of return as they’re currently receiving, which is incredibly low? If inflation hits, it will also be seen through increasingly high interest rates on bank loans for mortgages/car loans/small business loans, which will serve to dampen the economy. And we have been at around 4% unemployment for quite some time without appreciable inflation, but that’s largely due to wages not keeping up with productivity gains over the last 35+ years. One could argue that increasing inflation would be used as an excuse for companies to lay off workers as they turn more and more to AI/AR/autonomous technologies in order to maintain profit margins. It will also make our exports slightly less competitive. In summary, government debts and deficits do matter. The currently fashionable notion that government debts do not matter to inflation ignores the important role of expectations regarding the long-term path of real output and base money in the determination of the price level. On a final note, the point that should be of most concern to policy makers is that once these long-term expectations regarding output and base money shift, it may be very difficult to bring them back to more previous levels and therefore difficult to control inflation. While the current market view is that central banks are omnipotent in their control of the global economy, the fact is that it is almost impossible for a central bank, at least singlehandedly, to control an outbreak of inflation that is created by reckless fiscal policy. The only way to control this type of inflation once it occurs is for fiscal and monetary policy makers to work together. Inevitably, this involves an end of the “good times” as fiscal deficits are reduced, the monetary base is brought under control and interest rates are raised. http://www.themoneyenigma.com/government-d...-fiscal-policy/ Another problem is assuming you can increase it by a factor of 1.35, from 1.7 to 4.0, then magically stop it there...instead of it continuing to spiral upwards. In the end, the government always has tried to set that inflation band at 2%...doubling it to 4% would be a pretty radical departure and have mostly negative consequences for the economy.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 29, 2017 -> 04:01 PM) I do not believe that dramatically raising inflation rates would lead to a recession and I think there's a strong economic argument for running it at 4% for the next 10 years. The fact that this would directly and hugely benefit me as a new homeowner is worth adding. It’s going to dramatically increase US debt payments/bond interest (one of the reasons $600-700 billion budget deficits have been sustainable for the last decade)...and hurt seniors who are living on fixed incomes if they don’t receive COLA increases (unlikely), and we know basic wages for workers aren’t going to keep up, either. So if the middle class and poor are going to even worse off in terms of buying power, where’s that additional aggregate demand coming from when the corporations are getting 2/3rds of tax cut benefits? And won’t some businesses also cut back employee numbers in reaction to increased minimum wages in 18 states...so that the net overall wage gains are muted? Will they cut back profits or simply pass on higher restaurant/food prices to consumers? And retail/shopping malls are already struggling without factoring in higher wages for workers. It’s beneficial to borrowers with fixed lower rates, though. You’re also assuming Trump won’t interfere with new Fed chair...many are predicting the stock market run can extend to 2020, like Mark Zandi. Trump’s only path to re-election is keeping that 3-4% gdp going through that time, in all likelihood. Anything to directly imperil that reality is going to be in jeopardy.

http://money.cnn.com/2017/12/29/news/econo...vice/index.html Trump still doesn’t understand how US Postal System works...seems mostly upset it’s enabling Amazon/Bezos to get richer and richer (and continue attacking him through WaPo.) https://finance.yahoo.com/news/donald-trump...-142233815.html Or that dramatically and intentionally raising inflation won’t lead to a recession

QUOTE (greg775 @ Dec 28, 2017 -> 09:48 PM) Not a bad post Illini. At least you are trying to get me. I do disagree with your opening and closing sentences though. You don't have my position down completely. Thanks Kagaku. Finally somebody acknowledges Greg's point! Thank u sir. That's all I'm trying to say. I have noticed it more this year, much more in my experience. That's all. I did not try to make this a majestic issue for Trump. I've given Trump some props for it, yes. By doing that I'm now a Trump lover. Some people on this board are very intolerant of others' positions. Thank u for recognizing that greg actually MIGHT have noticeda difference this year. The others are very intolerant. They are calling me a liar at worst; a simpleton who is incapable of noticing differences at best. Thank u. How do you know what I experienced in terms of noticing a change? Do you say I'm flat out lying? Why would I do that on a message board. Do u suggest I am incapable of observation? How come some of you don't like to discuss issues just jump on the person (me) with the non-majority viewpoint? How many real hardcore Republicans do you know of in Kansas that were hesitant to say Merry Christmas when Obama was President...if there really was a war on Christmas, wouldn’t there have been at least one incident in a country of 300+ million over the period from 2009-2017 where a person who said Merry Christmas was attacked or even jailed???

QUOTE (KagakuOtoko @ Dec 28, 2017 -> 08:38 PM) I hope Trump's golf courses get destroyed by a global warming induced disaster. Wouldn't that be rich. http://www.newstimes.com/technology/busine...is-12449774.php Trump will build a wall in Ireland to protect his golf course from climate change...

QUOTE (Dam8610 @ Dec 18, 2017 -> 04:09 PM) Or they attached significant prospect compensation. Getting Buehler or Verdugo and sending back a Matt Rose or some college player who performed poorly at Great Falls would probably make the Sox interested. Let's not have another Tatis, Jr. fiasco.

http://www.startribune.com/twins-miguel-sa...pher/467009293/ Also, fwiw, watching the documentary Ballplayer: Pelotero will provide some further background...not that going from dirt poor to the most famous “commodity” on the island is ever an acceptable excuse for entitlement. Michael Ynoa is also a part of the story, as he eventually received the biggest bonus out of that Dominican signing class.

The 'Thank You, President Trump' ad was a terrible Christmas present https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/trump-m...-164730007.html

Apple’s repatriated earnings unlikely to go towards additional hiring or wage hikes...not stated is the disappointing status of worldwide IPhone 8 sales looming over the company. http://money.cnn.com/2017/12/27/technology...form/index.html