caulfield12

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/these-2-char...TVfMQRzZWMDc3I- These 2 charts show just how close we are to healthcare collapse The second chart is impossible to refute...we're not getting much more than minimal life expectancy increases (2 years over the span of the last 15, 2000-2014) compared to the rest of the industrialized world (we're now 2-5 years behind everyone else) while our costs are 33% higher than Switzerland and 50% higher than Norway. The difference in cost-effectiveness is even more striking when compared to Japan, Australia, France, the UK, Finland, Canada, Luxembourg, etc.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authorization...hemical_Weapons The Obama administration asked to use force (without putting extensive numbers of combat troops on the ground). So Trump's position is basically "America First" but he wants a 10% increase in defense spending...to what end? He's already blaming the Obama administration for the chemical attack in Syria, but he's clearly against intervention due to the lack of strategic resources in play there. So he basically wants to just defer to Russia and China making all the decisions with global ramifications for the rest of his term in the Middle East...unless the US is under threat of attack? What about Iran? And the ISIS plan? Seems the only area of the world he currently wants to engage is North Korea...but he's boxed in there to either economic sanctions (which clearly haven't worked) or direct military intervention, which is going to spark a conflict with China in all likelihood. So far, we have Yemen, Mosul and now this chemical attack on the Trump watch. Yet we're 70 days into the new administration and leaders like Merkel and Abe have no idea what the American policy even is.

“I use trolling tactics to build my brand,” Cernovich told the New Yorker. Cernovich’s “trolling” has manifested itself in a variety of ways. He was an early figure in Gamergate, which targeted feminists in the video-game industry. He has likened diversity to “white genocide,” stated that date rape isn’t a real thing and said the Black Lives Matter movement “regularly slaughters the innocent.” Well, now with Milo out of the picture, they have to promote someone other than Alex Jones. Too bad Tomi Lahren's not falling for "Trump Spin" hook, line and sinker these days. And if this story is being touted as Pulitzer Prize winning material, there was one about a month back that had NINETEEN anonymous background sources detailing a variety of governance issues with the new administration. That's even more impressive.

And the fact of the matter is that Ivanka's product lines such as perfume and related online sales have exploded...especially since Conway hyped them up knowing nothing would happen to her ethically. You'll also notice her daughter's knowledge of Chinese is always front and center in a highly public way. That's one of many reasons the Ivanka brand is even more popular in China, where 60%+ of the country isn't boycotting her for political reasons. Here, she can be complicit all she wants, and nobody will bat an eye about conflict of interest repercussions. Chelsea was an awkward teenager with braces. Ivanka is a calculating businessperson now of age to run for President. http://www.cnn.com/2017/04/05/politics/iva...-job/index.html Ivanka, what do you do?

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Apr 5, 2017 -> 09:58 AM) So the White House felt they needed to have another guy looking over the shoulder of the guy they appointed to head the NSC who turned out to be a literal foreign agent? I don't think they've thought their spin on this one through. No no no. Follow the talking points. Susan Rice, not Obama, was the boogeywoman trying to bring down the Republic singlehandedly due to the fact that she was so upset she got passed over for Secretary of State. Pin the tail on any donkey that's less popular than Obama. Tmrw, it will be Loretta Lynch's turn. Or Bill O'Reilly's accusers.

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Apr 5, 2017 -> 09:55 AM) These EPA programs protect kids from lead paint. Trump’s budget would end them. That "crippling debt" is pretty inconvenient even for the House Freedom Caucus when Trump keeps on trying to give huge tax breaks to the top 1% and richest American multinational companies in the world who are keeping $2.5 trillion dollars in profits offshore. Numerous Fortune 500 companies don't pay any taxes, not unlike Trump in years past. But he's a job creator. Except when he declares multiple bankruptcies, reneges on his debts and dares workers to sue him in court. Where were the Republican to walk back GW Bush from crippling spending increases from 2001-2008? Medicare B unfunded $1 trillion spending mandate which helped him get re-elected? Why did the economy and stock markets overperform under Clinton and Obama? One of the main reasons Clinton balanced budgets was due to capital gains taxes, yet which party consistently is trying to lower or eliminate them?

JUST IN Steve Bannon removed from National Security Council From CNN’s Jeremy Diamond: Steve Bannon, President Trump’s chief strategist, has been removed from the National Security Council. An official says Bannon was only on board to oversee Flynn's work to "deoperationalize" the NSC from the broad purview it had under Susan Rice. The White House has sought to return a lot of control to the Department of Defense and other national security agencies. Louis CK might want to keep his head down.... On Tuesday’s The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, Louis C.K. took shots at Donald Trump. The comedian isn’t known for his biting political commentary; he usually takes shots at himself. In an interview with Colbert, C.K. said, “He’s just a gross, crook, dirty, rotten, lying sack of s***.” He explained the difference between people who occasionally tell lies and people who seem to enjoy telling lies. C.K. put Trump in the highest category of liar, adding, “I don’t think his name is Donald Trump.” He joked that if Trump walked into a room and said that he was walking before C.K.’s very eyes, he wouldn’t believe it. https://www.yahoo.com/tv/louis-c-k-calls-pr...-072803606.html

http://www.businessinsider.com/jamie-dimon...f-the-us-2017-4 "Over the last 16 years, we have spent trillions of dollars on wars when we could have been investing that money productively. (I'm not saying that money didn't need to be spent; but every dollar spent on battle is a dollar that can't be put to use elsewhere.) Difficult to find bi-partisan agreement here. "Since 2010, when the government took over student lending, direct government lending to students has gone from approximately $200 billion to more than $900 billion — creating dramatically increased student defaults and a population that is rightfully angry about how much money they owe, particularly since it reduces their ability to get other credit. Difficult to find a solution that doesn't favor the big banks. "Our nation's healthcare costs are essentially twice as much per person vs. most other developed nations. Has been an issue on the national agenda for going on 23 years and still no progress in terms of a compromise between the two parties. "It is alarming that approximately 40% (this is an astounding 300,000 students each year) of those who receive advanced degrees in science, technology, engineering and math at American universities are foreign nationals with no legal way of staying here even when many would choose to do so. We are forcing great talent overseas by not allowing these young people to build their dreams here. One area of hope. It would seem pretty simple to issue an executive order prioritizing American workers (if available) for those STEM (Sci/Tech/Engineeering/Math) positions, but that a secondary priority would be on providing a path to citizenship for those foreign graduates in agreed upon "high need" areas...but not just filling out the bottom end of tech jobs by hiring foreigners for 25-50% of what they would pay Americans. "Felony convictions for even minor offenses have led, in part, to 20 million American citizens having a criminal record — and this means they often have a hard time getting a job. (There are six times more felons in the United States than in Canada.) There should be a way to work together, but just the mention of this topic is going to be perceived as overlapping with the (illegal) immigration argument, which is obviously a polarizing one for both sides...and then the Trump administration so far has shown zero likelihood of relaxing the criminal justice system's stance vis a vis drug policy/punishment. "The inability to reform mortgage markets has dramatically reduced mortgage availability. We estimate that mortgages alone would have been more than $1 trillion higher had we had healthier mortgage markets. Greater mortgage access would have led to more homebuilding and additional jobs and investments, which also would have driven additional growth." Another area it's close to impossible to imagine Big Banks not coming out ahead.

QUOTE (miracleon35th @ Apr 4, 2017 -> 09:24 PM) Went to the Opener and the ReOpener. Really disappointed in the game and in the Detroit fans who decided to come on our Opening Day. After all, they only have 80 Home games and another 15 or so more with the Sox at the Rate they can go to so who knows why those POS had to come to our Opening Day. My own thoughts: Tim Anderson should have made that play in the second inning on the one hopper. He took his eye off of it. That would have helped to stop the momentum and would have shortened the inning for Q. That is not to deny that Q got hit hard today. Don't know what to make of that. Jacob May's first game looked like Jacob May's first game. Not sure why the Sox let Bourjos go. May looked like an easy out for Verlander and K-Rod. Asche looked over matched at the plate. I would like to have had more LH power in the line-up today, perhaps Delmonico. Saladino is the man. he stays in the line-up even if Moncada comes up. Best food/beer combo was 35th St Tacos barbacoa tacos washed down with Landshark beer with lime and salted rim. 1) We have to be thankful ANYONE is attending Sox games the first 3 months of this season, so all money is green, no matter who spends it. 2) Detroit also has the recent (since 2006, when Verlander debuted) decade of success for their fans to fall back on. Not to mention the relatively close distance between the two cities, and Chicago's reputation for tourists/shoppers (it's Spring Break time as well for many school districts). As far as Saladino goes, he'll have a place in the line-up (likely at 3B, replacing Frazier) IF he can stay healthy and keep his OPS at the 700-750 OPS level or higher (due to his defense). That said, Moncada will have ONE defined position and stay there (likely 2B) whenever he is recalled (2017 or even 2018). Saladino's not going to be blocking him in the eyes of the organization. Delmonico will get plenty of playing time if Garcia/Asche, etc., struggle as most expect. That said, he still needs to prove himself for at least 2-3 months in AAA. Same thing with Danny Hayes.

QUOTE (soxfan2014 @ Apr 4, 2017 -> 08:39 PM) Why am I seeing this word so often in regards to the 2017 team? You always have to look at the POTENTIAL of any offense. I'm not sure how long Abreu will be in a White Sox uniform, or how influential he is with Moncada...but Avi's definitely not part of the long-term picture. That said, JR cares about revenue, and there's nothing worse than a bad team with no offense. Traditionally, we had bad pitching and at least entertaining offense when our teams were mediocre since USCF was constructed.

I think the Republicans are simply getting chippy about being called cruel/heartless/racist, etc., day after day...and also being associated with Trump's actions, but they have to lie in the bed they've made. There's a desire to draw false equivalencies...some have validity, some don't. When Harry Reid first invoked the nuclear option in 2013, it's because the Republicans as a policy were blocking or threatening to refuse to hold hearings on numerous appointments. The Republicans/McConnell got their revenge with Merrick Garland, and now the Democrats are blocking someone who in normal circumstances would have passed through quite easily...although the freezing trucker case has gained a lot of traction with the Democratic base. Which brings us back to the biggest problem Dems have with Republicans (other than not THINKING for themselves since Trump), which is that the average Republican doesn't care about that trucker because they can't empathize with his situation, never having faced it themselves. They don't care about those with pre-existing conditions or on Medicaid because they've always had the best insurance and best doctors available. It's an ideological war about deconstructing government, regardless of those most middle class and poor citizens who are harmed as a result. At any rate, this is just the 3rd iteration of this movement (being led by Bannon at the moment)....it started under Ronald Reagan, then Clinton and the Dems acquiesced in order to gain power from 1992-2000 and now the pendulum's swung back again after Bush/Obama both set policies leading to Big Government becoming a thing again.

Well, not the best of starts to the year. Between Q (obviously just ONE start, and it's not like he got battered around...although he did surrender 3 homers), Rodon and lingering questions about Giolito's fastball, we need some positive news again. I don't think anyone's going to get too excited about salary dumping Melky/Robertson and replacing our outfielders with the likes of Tilson/Engel/L.Garcia/Liriano/Hawkins, but eventually you'll have a young team full of exciting and dynamic players. EVENTUALLY. It's also becoming more and more clear that Jose Abreu should be DHing. Of course, so should Avi Garcia...the problem there being you can't have a DH with a 725-750 OPS and expect to have a competitive offense.

There is precisely zero evidence that Rice used this information — assuming the reports are true — for anything other than her own official purposes or did anything unholy. Unmasking is not leaking, and as our own Karen DeYoung notes, Rice couldn't have names unmasked without permission from the relevant intelligence agency — a system in place to prevent political abuses. And as President Barack Obama's national security adviser, there could very well have been legitimate reasons for her to ask to unmask individuals in these intelligence reports, which are part of her job. The Journal's claim that “Ms. Rice would have had no obvious need to unmask Trump campaign officials other than political curiosity” certainly takes some logical liberties, given we don't even know the subject of the reports. Second — and importantly — there is also still no evidence that any surveillance was targeted at Trump, as he has alleged in tweets. This doesn't speak to that, either. https://www.washingtonpost.com/pb/news/the-...forscreenreader

Someone was casually talking about "disemboweling" Obama on one of the Yahoo article threads earlier today. I will say the Secret Service must have their hands full with all the threats, real and imagined, to the Trump Family. Must be off the charts. The vitriol against GW Bush wasn't this bad even at the height of his unpopularity. The polarization is scary. It has gone from respectful disagreement to "the other side is pure evil."

QUOTE (SoxAce @ Apr 3, 2017 -> 10:02 PM) Roy Williams has never coached a player who became an all star in the NBA. That's pretty incredible. I think that must have been Self at KU....who this June will send his 11th lottery pick to the NBA. He did coach Deron Williams at Illinois, fwiw. Maybe they meant in the end Pierce left school when Self had already taken over KU? http://sports.yahoo.com/news/where-does-20...WQDBHNlYwNzcg-- Where does this UNC team rank among Williams' beet Tar Heel squads?

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/04/obam...m-caucus-236836 Here they go again...White House desperate to pass ANY health care bill and simultaneously force through Gorsuch before the April recess.

Well, that was a clunker for everyone but UNC fans. They are slightly less annoying than Duke and Kentucky fans, so there's that. If you go back to 80's and 90's, seems like almost all of those Tar Heel teams were much more talented. Not even sure J. Jackson ever becomes more than a nice sixth man in the NBA.

At some point, Trump needs a real win. He's arguably had just two good moments, the Gorsuch nomination and the joint speech to Congress. Mattis and McMaster were solid picks, but he still hasn't done anything to improve the lives of the white American middle class who jumped ship (1/4 former Obama voters in this demographic) in the Midwest to elect him. Susan Rice allegations debunked http://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2017/04...-sciutto-ac.cnn

QUOTE (kev211 @ Apr 3, 2017 -> 03:34 PM) It's opening day. They leave a day off in their schedule literally for this reason. There's an offday tomorrow for this reason. Which would end up with 11,000 fans showing up, especially with unpredictable weather this time of year.

Must be because they have a deal on the table for Q. This season not getting off to an auspicious start. Does feel rather manipulative and more team revenue than fan-oriented. Not the best look, but is anyone truly surprised?

Yes, war with North Korea and Kushner giving political advice to generals in Iraq...what could possibly go wrong? http://www.cnn.com/2017/04/02/politics/jar...iraq/index.html Imagine something happens to Kushner there...another war would be on the horizon. We can only assume the generals have given up on educating Trump directly, so perhaps they feel Kushner is much better suited than Tillerson, Bannon or Miller to explain things to him.

Tank for S---t. Or poop. Let's hope we haven't jinxed our top pick now with... http://www.heptune.com/poopword.html

As soon as we hear that Soros is similarly threatening Manchin, Heitkamp and Donnelly over the Gorsuch nomination (like Koch did to support no votes from the HFC on the AHCA)...the majority of Soros spending is in Europe. The Koch Brothers are worth about $85-90 billion combined. Soros, $25 billion. http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2010/09/op...-koch-brothers/ Lobbying expenditures, about $52 million (Koch) vs. $12 million for Soros through 2010...and Koch Industries political spending dwarfed that in 2012-14-16. Soros' attention has been increasingly focused on global issues, like his Open Society programs. http://finance.yahoo.com/news/crisis-many-...-131300919.html Matt Drudge claims Congress is sabotaging Trump

Ghost in the Shell was just not a very coherent movie...despite ScarJo's best efforts. Those hoping for Lucy II, you're going to have to wait. Only fans of the manga will enjoy it, assuming they can get beyond the whitewashing. Or if you enjoy futuristic movies like The Fifth Element, but even that movie was more groundbreaking.

Ghost in the Shell will be lucky to make $20 million this weekend. Only huge numbers in China (maybe) and Japan (very unlikely) get a sequel greenlit.