Mplssoxfan

Stalwart Service for U.S. in Iraq Is Not Enough to Gain Green Card This is an article about a Kurd who was a translator in Iraq and finally got to emigrate here. He's now being denied a green card for some very convoluted reasons. You really should read the article. Basically, the guy was part of an organization that tried to overthrow Saddam Hussein and, therefore, he's a terrorist. I don't want to draw any parallels, but I sure don't like this line of thinking.

QUOTE(Alpha Dog @ Mar 19, 2008 -> 04:55 PM) People who tend to interpret this one very loosely, tend to interpret this one very literally. The opposite is also true. People who think the second is fluid want to take the first one word for word. Alpha brings up a great point. In general, people who see no exceptions to the 1st amendment are quick to point out exceptions to the 2nd, and vice versa. To me, in the 1st, the language is clear. But, to me, the intent of the last clause of the 2nd is clear as well. Again, I'm not an expert, but it seems pretty clear to me that the right to bear arms is an individual right. Of course, there is a clear basis for regulation in the first clause. If the word regulated is in the text, you can probably divine that regulation is what they had in mind. It's complicated, but I don't think that the founders contemplated people going through the streets with shotguns 24/7. My ultimate answer to Alpha? The two amendments are both open to interpretation -- think "clear and present danger".

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Mar 19, 2008 -> 03:43 PM) One reason, perhaps the main reason, perhaps the only reason that our constitution has survived the dramatic changes that have taken place as the country moved from a small set of agrarian colonies to the foremost economic and military power on earth is that the Constitution is vague and allows for reinterpretation over time. Yes and no. There isn't much ambiguity here, though people certainly interpret it in different ways.

I'm certainly no expert, but it seems to me that the people who wrote this amendment wouldn't seemingly deny a right in one clause that it seemingly affirms in the next. I do wish the language was a little more precise, though.

Black Guy Asks America for Change

QUOTE(kapkomet @ Mar 18, 2008 -> 05:30 PM) See my post, Alpha. He didn't say that AT ALL. And I'm not an Obama-bot. The stupidity of this is mind-boggling. (nevermind... you actually quoted it... but it's definitely getting twisted around. To some, those remarks aren't controversial, sadly enough.) Are too an Obama-bot!

100 basis points, if what I'm hearing is right.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Mar 17, 2008 -> 06:53 PM) They could just do 3/5s if they want to really disenfranchise everyone... Very well played!

QUOTE(Mplssoxfan @ Mar 16, 2008 -> 04:04 PM) The officials blew that one, definitely. It's either a foul or a travel. Minnesota didn't deserve a win yesterday, but that crew should be reprimanded by the league office. A friend who has worked the NCAA tourney the last couple of years was suspended by the Big Sky for a game because of a non-call he didn't make (if that makes any sense), and he's not assigned to do any NCAA games this year. He certainly deserved to be suspended, BTW. It would be nice if the Big Ten would discipline their officials when they make errors like this, but I won't be holding my breath. On a tangent, I remember a game many years ago where two officials (I'm pretty sure one was London Bradley, but I can't remember the other one) blew their whistles simultaneously. One saw a charge, the other saw a block. Incredibly enough, they called a double foul! That was an amazing display of egos and stubbornness. Just found out that my friend got a game or two in Omaha. Good for him.

QUOTE(Steve9347 @ Mar 17, 2008 -> 05:20 PM) Fields at 2B? Why was this article posted? For the discussion possibilities. I don't buy what the writer's selling either. Josh does nothing for me at 2B, but, let's face it, we're looking at 86 wins this year, tops. Let's experiment. I thought that the main thrust of the column is that Ozzie is set in his ways. I admire him, but he needs to try something different.

Eldrick has more wins than Phil and Vijay combined. Remarkable.

Linkity. More at link.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Mar 17, 2008 -> 11:59 AM) Well, I figured they were sold for $250 million, if their building is worth $1 billion... I hear you, but it has to be worse than -$750M. Far worse.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Mar 17, 2008 -> 11:56 AM) -$750 million. I was asking rhetorically, actually. But it's far worse than that once you add the $30B in loan guarantees that the Fed provided.

Reportedly, the value of Bear Stearns' building in Manhattan is about $1B. What does that say about the rest of their assets?

Why oh why is CBSSportsline waiting to update the printable brackets? I have sheets to make, people!

101 is updating faster than espn.com. Good work!

QUOTE(Felix @ Mar 16, 2008 -> 09:23 AM) Normally the play ends, then the officials call their timeout. This happened in the Wisconsin game yesterday too, when Hughes went down. He was on the ground, right in front of the ref, but play continued until the play was over. After it was, the whistle was blown and Hughes was dealt with. After the foul wasn't called, I don't see how it wasn't called a travel. Apparently you just get a do over if you get hit in the face and no foul is called, but whatever, we wouldn't have won anyway. It just would have been nice to get the chance, especially after that Indiana game. The officials blew that one, definitely. It's either a foul or a travel. Minnesota didn't deserve a win yesterday, but that crew should be reprimanded by the league office. A friend who has worked the NCAA tourney the last couple of years was suspended by the Big Sky for a game because of a non-call he didn't make (if that makes any sense), and he's not assigned to do any NCAA games this year. He certainly deserved to be suspended, BTW. It would be nice if the Big Ten would discipline their officials when they make errors like this, but I won't be holding my breath. On a tangent, I remember a game many years ago where two officials (I'm pretty sure one was London Bradley, but I can't remember the other one) blew their whistles simultaneously. One saw a charge, the other saw a block. Incredibly enough, they called a double foul! That was an amazing display of egos and stubbornness.

I couldn't post last night after the game, but that was crazy. I got off of work at about halftime and stuck around until the end. Needless to say, I'm glad I did. Sucked waking up at 6:30, though.

QUOTE(Jenksismyb**** @ Mar 13, 2008 -> 02:41 PM) What more can be done? Any public figure that even remotely hints at it is thrown into the muck, usually ending careers or significantly effecting them. Affirmative-action and requirements for minority contracts have essentially eliminated access issues. Education/community issues are obviously heavily slanted towards certain races, but really what more can be done to fix that? That's not a racism issue so much as a class issue. Work discrimination occurs all the time (I work at a firm now with some really bizarre and off the wall type cases - the racism is SO obvious it's not even funny), but laws are in place to protect/remedy those situations. Voting might be an issue because of the way district/community lines are drawn - ensuring that each vote counts equally is very important. But even today I think it'd be tough to find issues there. Again I know racism exists, but I dunno what else we can do about it. There are just ignorant people out there who will do it/accept it/promote it no matter what. I think you misunderstood my intent, so allow me to rephrase. I think that we, as a people, have made great strides in curbing racism. I also feel that there is much work left to be done. Not talking about the Government, but about individuals.

I think that we, as a nation, have made great strides in curbing racism. I also feel that there is much work left to be done.

Link. Much more at link.

QUOTE(mr_genius @ Mar 12, 2008 -> 03:44 PM) mplssoxfan, do you write that blog? it's pretty good Thanks! That's mine, warts and all.

QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Mar 12, 2008 -> 02:37 PM) I'm not going to take a side on the north/south thing, but I do want to add two things... 1. Rex is right - racism manifests itself differently in the north and south. I've lived in the midwest, and the south, and the west. Its different everywhere. 2. Here is a little story about Chicago suburban schools and southern kids... A close acquaintance of mine was born in North Carolina, at Camp Lejeune (dad was a Marine), and the family moved to the north suburbs of Chicago when he was about 7. Shortly after arriving and starting in the schools (mind you, this was a highly regarded north suburban district), they put him in speech therapy. As the teachers tried to explain to his mother what the speech issues were, she realized what it was - his drawl. The school took his drawl for a speech impediment. Just something to think about. 1. Spot on. In my experience, there is a great deal more of what I would call "closet racism" in the Northern climes. I think we can look to Ms. Ferraro's comments for evidence of closet racism bubbling up, to mix metaphors. I haven't traveled in the South in a while, but it was always my feeling that people in that part of the country were much more upfront about their opinions, on race and everything else. 2. That's such a bias of Northerners that it isn't funny. Some of the most brilliant people I know are from the deep South, but other ignorant Northerners would underestimate them only because of their thick drawl. It is asinine.

Tangentially related news (or not) -- I love drinking in the piano bar at the Mayflower. I go there with my sis and a friend of hers every time I visit.