Balta1701

On Wrist-slapping. The Swift Vets 527 will have to pay about $300K, the largest of the fines handed out. Somehow, I bet they think it was a pretty good investment.

QUOTE(SoxFan101 @ Dec 12, 2006 -> 07:24 PM) Mike Brown has been out for awhile now and he is always injured it seems so I wasn't 2 worried about our D coping without him. Its the loss of Tommie Harris that has got me worried.... but im not using that Rams game as a judgement on the D. Yea, he is always injured, and yea they have depth behind him this year, but that doesn't mean his loss doesn't hurt. If the Bears went into the playoffs with their full lineup on defense, I don't see how anyone would have a shot. But these injuries have opened up some holes, esp. for teams that can run.

They sent me an email saying that the pin set was on its way also.

QUOTE(Texsox @ Dec 12, 2006 -> 08:34 PM) Thank you. I think that would be worth the $$ for the peace of mind. You best get working on it tomorrow when those companies open though, you do have to send some things certified through the mail, which can take a couple days. Check the Texas statutes to see if you need to file a police report first, or if you can file a police report just based on having given it out. P.s. Am I allowed to slam the previous Congress for the fact that a committee passed a bill (I don't think it got all the way through) that would have prevented any consumer from freezing his or her credit in this manner? Because I really, really want to.

QUOTE(YASNY @ Dec 12, 2006 -> 08:24 PM) Yeah, I know. It kinda burns my ass, but what can I do? I believe what I believe. Yeah, that's the chip. Looks like they already got you.

Ok Tex, as far as I know you're in luck, the state law in Texas helps you out, and the Previous Congress didn't get around to overturning this option in favor of the Credit Card companies as far as I know. In several states, including Texas, you have the right to call the 3 major credit companies and place an actual "Credit Freeze" on your account. If you do this, by law those companies will not be allowed to issue any credit in your name without actually speaking to you first. It will cost you like $8 per company I believe. In Texas, the law only lets you do this if you've been the victim of some sort of security breach (California, for example, anyone can do it regardless of the reason), but you may qualify after this incident. I believe you can find the information you need at this page. (includes phone numbers and links to the relevant statutes in Texas law, although it may be out of date)

QUOTE(witesoxfan @ Dec 12, 2006 -> 03:42 PM) So, in this case, I'll go by what my two eyes tell me over your hearsay. I respect Gleeman's opinion, but from what I saw of Hunter, he looked average to slightly above average. He wasn't Hunter of the past, and I don't think I've ever stated anything to the contrary, but from what I could tell, he was still solid. There can be a difference between a player being "solid" and a player being "above average", especially in a league with roughly 15 center fielders. Being below average could mean that there is an Anderson, a Wells, a Granderson, an Ichiro, and a couple others (just guessing on names) who got to a few more balls than you. There's no shame in being average when above average is Brian Anderson and Vernon Wells.

QUOTE(Rex Hudler @ Dec 12, 2006 -> 04:11 PM) What are auto rates at now? I'm currently at 4.95% on a refi, done about 3 yrs ago. I bought mine at just under 6% through the dealer. I could have saved .2% by going through my Credit Union.

HD GURU.com

QUOTE(striker62704 @ Dec 12, 2006 -> 03:26 PM) So who are the big buyers for SPs now? Texas Yankees Mets Cardinals San Francisco Blue Jays Yankees are probably off that list, assuming they sign that Igawa dude. They have like 8 starters. The mariners might fit on that list. The Red Sox may wind up on it in 3 days. The Angels might be outside guys, as might the Padres (both of whom have had at least a tepid interest in Zito). Who knows what the Giants might be wanting to do this season, committing to Bonds but Losing Schmidt. Arizona needs pitching to compete. The Reds need pitchers, the Brewers may also, but that depends on what either team will be willing to give up.

QUOTE(aboz56 @ Dec 12, 2006 -> 03:21 PM) Did Giles have no trade value or something? From the AJC:

QUOTE(sox4lifeinPA @ Dec 12, 2006 -> 03:21 PM) For better or for worse.... The U.S. is the best place in the world because we don't convict people for asking questions...even if they're the perceived stupidest questions ever asked. Pu**ies.

QUOTE(smalls2598 @ Dec 12, 2006 -> 03:17 PM) Unfortunetly, I am not a home owner or part of a credit union, but I'll definetly look into it. The good thing is that I know exactly what car I want (2007 Honda Civic EX), so that will help if I do apply for a loan online. Thanks for the suggestions, guys. Excellent car choice btw. (I got one of the last few 06 EX's). Another thing you can do, if you are willing to finance with the dealer is use their desire to write a deal that day as a means to get a little additional money or an add-in tossed in on your deal. If you have a credit union membership, and you want to apply for a loan for a specific car, you can get a deal set up, then walk out and the dealership will give you a couple days to secure financing through a credit union. My person knew I had quotes from about a half dozen other dealers and didn't want me walking out of there and winding up with a slightly better deal from another one, so it got me a little bit better deal just to finance through the dealer (and I'm going to pay the thing off so quick that the slightly higher interest rate literally will wind up as a negligible cost)

The Tigers non-tendered OF Alexis Gomez, who hit a 2 run GW home run for them in the ALCS. Left handed hitting outfielder.

QUOTE(T R U @ Dec 12, 2006 -> 03:13 PM) Which is why I am glad they are just my NL team, unless Jennings turns into a superstar they got a prison pounding in this deal.. I guess it is better that we are waiting to make deals Even if Jennings turns into a superstar, the 'Stros only have him for 1 year before he hits FA.

QUOTE(Rex Kicka** @ Dec 12, 2006 -> 03:02 PM) If we aren't getting bonuses, that's fine. But at least tell us, rather than have them every year and then never actually telling anyone that they weren't coming around again.

QUOTE(Jenksismyb**** @ Dec 12, 2006 -> 02:49 PM) So we had all these people in one room and all of our bombs were preoccupied? Shame. But Iraq now has 0 WMD'S!!!!!

QUOTE(Damen @ Dec 11, 2006 -> 11:36 PM) Speaking of 'opinions' disguised as news, from those communist manifesto-spouting liberals at CNN, apparently if you have any sense of fashion, you're trying to evoke images of Iranian fundamentalist Islam (or the allies of the Iraqi parties we're upholding to 'win') Thank god the liberals at liberal CNN could draw such intriguing and important comparisons. Fortunately, there is another liberal on liberal CNN that may ask Obama what we're all thinking, by dressing business casual, can you prove you're not the enemy? What would we do without the balance Fox provides? You know the scary thing? It appears this is not just a 1-time thing, as CNN decided to start running split screens of Obama and some not-so-nice people. (video available here)

I'll bet that duck blames this on the media.

QUOTE(sox4lifeinPA @ Dec 12, 2006 -> 11:23 AM) In the same way that gays, gypsies, etc were being taken away, most of the original protestors of the nazi regime were clergy and other outspoken christian figures. They were the first groups of people that Hitler "discarded" in order to fully implement his propaganda. I would disagree with that. I would say they were amongst the first, but when the NSDAP came originally to power in Germany, the very first two things they smashed were the labor unions and the communists (the Reichstag fire). Once those were banned, they moved on to other things, with the first major restrictions on Jews starting in about 1935 with the Nuremberg laws. They were quite a bit more slow in moving against most of the Christian institutions, because they were much stronger in Germany.

QUOTE(sox4lifeinPA @ Dec 12, 2006 -> 11:03 AM) Christians were the first to die in the Holocaust, FWIW. How exactly are you defining the Holocaust in order to come up with that statement?

QUOTE(greasywheels121 @ Dec 12, 2006 -> 10:58 AM) I don't remember him being in any of the talks, nor have I ever considered him. So Balta's not the only one to think that way. I know I've heard a few rumors crop up here and there, and he is one of those guys with a big performance spike and dropoff after 04, but as far as we know he hasn't tested positive, no one's produced documents and witnesses saying they injected him, he wasn't in Canseco's book, and no one found anything in his locker. I'm not saying he for certain didn't, I'm saying that thus far I haven't seen anything that meets any standard of proof other than looking for a rapid rise and decline at about 02-04 (and with a fireballing pitcher, that can happen just from injuries too)

QUOTE(CWSGuy406 @ Dec 11, 2006 -> 09:55 PM) I'm not overly concerned about the defense. I'd say for about the last 20-25 minutes of the game, the Bears were pretty much only rushing their front three or four and were more or less sitting back in a prevent defense, although they were looking to take off some heads in the second half too. I for one am overly concerned about the defense. They're banged up and missing 2 key pieces of the defense in Harris and Brown for the rest of the year. That's a potential weakness that teams can exploit come playoff time.

QUOTE(YASNY @ Dec 12, 2006 -> 10:48 AM) Pulling out my 2026 Baseball Yearbook (I'm a friend of Michael J. Fox) ... Gio Gonzalez is unanimously elected to the Hall of Fame on the first ballot after being the first pitcher win at least 30 games a year for 10 consecutive years while leading the Chicago White Sox on a dynasty of unprecedented proportions with 12 consective World Series championships. The Chicago Cubs bailed out in 2013 and moved to Memphis. So, Gio was born in 1985, he'd be 41 in 2026, which means I believe you have him retiring at age 35?

QUOTE(Milkman delivers @ Dec 12, 2006 -> 10:49 AM) I don't. And I don't know why anyone would root for a steroid abuser to make a come back. Screw him. Is there evidence around Gagne anywhere near what we've seen with McGwire or Bonds?