EvilMonkey

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Apr 11, 2008 -> 11:55 PM) You seem to be looking for something that isn't going to be taken seriously by anyone. I mean, most movies about American wars have reflected pretty well on the troops in general. But to make a feel-good movie about war is kind of an impossible task in the modern age. There is no longer that suspension of disbelief. People know how awful war is. If you gave them a movie that was just hero-worship of the soldiers, without the saddening impact of war, it would just be an ad for the Marines. Nice way to change the subject. First, it is 'It's a business, they make movies to make money'. Then when it is ponted out that the last 6 or 7 have lost vast sums, not it's different. The studios may have thought those would make money, but after the first 4 or 5 bombed, you think they would stop for a bit. Not so much, it seems. The only one that did any good was the one NOT billed as some anti-was movie (I forgot the name, with Foxx and Gardner). It did ok, but nowhere near what they had hoped. You are right, people know how horrible war is. They also don't need Hollywood shoving the 'America is Evil' mantra down our throats. Were movies like 'The Dirty Dozen' or 'The Guns af Navarone' just thinly veiled recruitment movies? How about 'Bridge over the River Kwai'? Even a movie like MASH can show the horrors of war while still showing something positive about the US soldiers.

QUOTE (Athomeboy_2000 @ Apr 13, 2008 -> 12:37 PM) My perspective on how the candidates would have handled "bitter-gate": Obama: Puts his head down and bowls right threw it and deals with the issue Except that he didn't do that, he said that he could have said it better (misspoke) and tried to 'clarify' what he meant.

QUOTE (shipps @ Apr 13, 2008 -> 10:30 AM) This is a game. You are wrong. It is a job. The umps get paid to make correct calls and not to have personal feelings make the calls for them. Players get paid to hit ball, catch ball, throw ball, etc. If bad calls from the umps prevent them from doing that, it effects thier stats, careers, contracts, etc. For these guys, it is not a game, hence the heated reactions by players when someone feels like they got screwed.

QUOTE (daa84 @ Apr 13, 2008 -> 11:51 AM) He threw alot of really good ones, but also he threw alot that nearly took guys heads off. . Good. if he is gonna miss, miss like that. keep the batters from digging in so much. Hit one once in a while. (Not in the head) I have been impressed so far, and I hope he continues do do as well. Avoid the 2-0, 3-0 counts, trust your defense, he should be fine.

QUOTE (Reddy @ Apr 13, 2008 -> 10:17 AM) i will gladly pay more taxes because that's what our country needs right now. though i won't cuz i dont make enough money. but those who do should. it's just simple logic - if you make more you should pay more. why it isn't currently like that is beyond me. it is like that. If I make $50,000 and pay 28%, that would be more than your $24,000 paying 28%. Or are you in favor of the 60% top bracket?

QUOTE (Texsox @ Apr 13, 2008 -> 08:11 AM) Alpha, as a liberal, I do not want to pay taxes any more than you do. What I don't want is a debtor government heading to bankruptcy on foreign debt. I want to make certain we have great National Parks, a strong defense, I want to see laws enforced that protect consumers from faulty products, from dishonest con men, etc. So your sweeping generalization is an insult to most liberals and a gross mis characterization. Most of us believe in actually paying for the government, not cutting taxes, and shifting the burden to some unnamed individuals down the road. Your first line summed it up. You don't want to pay any more than I do. But you do want to pay more, and you explained your reasons. I , however, do not want to pay more, and would like the government to stop spending like drunken frat boys at a strip club to put us in the situation you described. True conservatives (not those in power now) would have given us the tax cuts, and then stopped spending as well. We all know that there are billions in waste, hundreds of programs or departments that are not needed, yet we still get taxed to pay for them. And my post was only a sweeping generalization to those that think we are not taxed enough. If you also feel that we are not paying enougjh, by all means please pay some more. I would rather they stop spending what we do give them until it matches what they take in. And there are several very rich liberals who are on record as saying such. Maybe they could pick up the slack and help ease their guilt?

QUOTE (lostfan @ Apr 12, 2008 -> 04:46 PM) However, if I really wanted to try to prove my point, I would point to the ratio of Republican congressman and/or Bush adminstration officials who authorized the Iraq war who have served/have children that are serving and also have tangible service records to those that never came anywhere close to it, but I wasn't really trying to go there. The ratio of Dems who voted in favor of the resolution is probably similar, but you're talking about observable data and invoked "conservatives," so... So are you saying that unless you served in the services you can't vote for or authorize military action? Because that is what is sure sounds like. Stick to the topic in the post, please. If you feel that as a nation we are undertaxed, then by all means, please give more. Don't wait for everyone else to get screwed, pay up now. The liberal dems that complain about tax cuts for the wealthy and stuff sure seem to take every advantage of tax breaks, etc, that the evil republicans do. If you want to start calling people chicken hawks, start a different thread.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1207871299...=googlenews_wsj

QUOTE (The Beast @ Apr 12, 2008 -> 10:06 AM) Prove it, wite. No need to use caps. I just think some people, including posters here and especially Ozzie are making a big deal out of nothing. Obviously I'm an umpire and I know for a fact, I may not like some of the people I'm working for, but it doesn't make me have a vendetta against them, and I won't change calls because I know I'm umpiring for someone. When people get out of line, you get thrown out, which is exactly what happened to Ozzie and which is exactly what happened to several coaches I've umpired for. So if you knew of a fellow ump who was getting into arguments with managers on more than one occasion, who also had a tendency to escalate things between himself and the mamager to the point where alot of the managers considered him an asshole, would you 'stick up' for him by making the strike zone smaller for the teams in question, or by being conveniently out of position on a few crucial plays? If no, then why would you assume that mlb umps would do the same?

Is he claiming that middle America embraces religion because they lost thier jobs and the economy is hard? it sounds an awful lot like he is saying that religion is the opiat of the masses, and the only reason people focus on that, and gun rights, etc. is bacuse they are in hard economic times.

http://www.shomer-tec.com/site/product.cfm...F2BE5BED6A1828B Comes complete with factory applied skidmark!

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Apr 11, 2008 -> 07:13 PM) Because "Free Trade" is tossed around so much it's totally lost its meaning? It basically has come to mean "Any agreement with any nation that has anything to do with trade in even the slightest detail". That doesn't answer my question. You have Columbia, one of the larger purchasors of American construction equipment and stuff, who wants to buy more, being shunned by Obama because the unions HERE don't like Columbia. Kinda twisted logic, because if it doesn't pass, and then Columbia buys construction equipment from , say, Canada or Japan, then the union members here will be hurt when they are laid off. He complains about the violence facing unionists there, but that has dropped 80% since Uribe took over. So, what is the real reason that they opose this?

How come Obama wants to have free trade with anti-American communist Cuba, but not pro-American capitalist Columbia?

QUOTE (mr_genius @ Apr 11, 2008 -> 05:15 PM) OMG OMG OMG new scandal! http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/8902...b041108.article Kinda makes you wonder why the photographer was taking pictures of him instead of the naked woman!

Sure, they wanted to break them up. But when a team is batting barely .200 against lefties, throw all you got out there! You can always change the order up again in a week or two with the days off or rained out games yet to come.

QUOTE (Texsox @ Apr 9, 2008 -> 07:54 AM) The threads were not random middle Eastern, they were specifically Palestinians. Not sure if that was directed at me or not, but I don't recall posts with me, or others, laughing about mourners being shot by Israelis. In fact, I don't even remember a news story about mourners being shot by Israelis. Did I/someone really do this, or are you making it up to support your argument? Enlighten me, because I very well may have killed off those brain cells (and laughed about it!).

I was in a poker tournament while in Vegas a few weeks back where the last 3 decided to split. Pissed me off because I came in 4th. It paid 4 places, so I got money, but after 30 minutes of everyone being too chicken-s*** to bet, I decided to go for it with the first hand that offered me any chance. It didn't work. Then after about 5 more minutes, the 3 remaining decided to split what was left. If I had known that could have been an option at the time, I would have held out longer. In general I don't have a problem with it if all parties agree, it just ticked me off in this one instance.

QUOTE (Texsox @ Apr 8, 2008 -> 09:05 AM) We already have term limits. They come up for reelection. If you believe it is important, just vote for the other guy. My throwing of the term limits in there was more in disgust at how he has been in power so long that he doesn't seem to even try to hide it anymore. He wouldn't even answer if the place he was earmarking money for even exists! I would probably like a line item veto, or perhaps a law forbidding the attachment of nor-related items to bills.

Here is an interesting view on the China olympics from an American who is currently living and working in China. http://leeinchina.com/index.php/site/spit_and_polish/

QUOTE (FlaSoxxJim @ Apr 8, 2008 -> 05:26 AM) I agree, it's incomplete reporting when a Congressperson's party affiliation isn't included in the reporting. On the other hand, every time Fox News "accidentally" puts the wrong affiliation on an elected official when a scandal breaks, that's just a funny look into the fact that Fox News doesn't think much of the intelligence of the average Fox News viewer. You forgot to include CNN in that.

Well, the Senator in question is John Murtha, so I guess the answer would be 'no'. I am sure there are examples on the Rep side, but here is one example of the need for term limits. This man's ego is bigger than his state! And so, apparently, is his appetite for pork.

QUOTE(CanOfCorn @ Apr 7, 2008 -> 02:08 PM) Was juddling your date??? Trust me, he doesn't look that good. That was an employee from one of our stores in Russia.

Me, a few years back at a corporate even in Miami. NOT Mrs. Alphadog. The tux was a bit big, but was the best I could find with about 2 hours notice.

QUOTE(Texsox @ Apr 7, 2008 -> 10:43 AM) We can always just PM each other when that old posting of the green feeling comer over . . . Hell, my posts feature more green then a St. Patrick's Day party on the Southside. Hmmm. You and I might just become PM buddies.

QUOTE(Texsox @ Apr 7, 2008 -> 10:55 AM) Are you suggesting that you have to be bat-s*** crazy to protest against G-Dubya? Gitmo, is something that I think intelligent people, could, and should protest. And I believe it is Free Tiawan! With purchase! No, my point was that EVERYONE would be out protesting SOMETHING. And what about Free Hat?