mstar1

I think that is part of the picture that can't be overlooked. In my eyes an owner has a certain amount of civic responsibility because of his position--it seems to me the ones that get it and move beyond just the dollars and cents, can not only have a huge positive impact on a city but can still parlay that kind of smarts and goodwill into a yet more profitable venture. PS in trade rumors today-I heard the entire TexasRangers team, except for Kenny Rogers-- was being traded for 24 cameramen ;)-->

Thats a great story! Thanks eagle I wish a Long Life, Health, prosperity and a lifetime of love for the newlyweds.. good for you two!

..scuse me for going on anybody that brings a championship to the Red Sox deserves at least minor sainthood

Yea it was about then, John W. Henry, Larry Lucchino, and Tom Werner, they are a real breath of fresh air for me. I havent got alot of time at this moment to explain it but they really have shown an understanding of the fans,the game and have done it up right. It was tough coming into a cynical town like Boston, but they knew what they had and worked with it. For the first year they were regulars in the bleachers (they atill are) and not some owners box somewhere and actually listened to the fans.(When do owners do this?) Most of the improvements to Fenway have been directly related to the fans in one way or another...they stay cogniscent of the fans in the way they do business and go out of their way to show them appreciation and respect sometimes above and beyond what anyone could expect......They have made good improvements to the Park without having it lose its feel and flavor, they put good teams on the field, treat the players well, and they have worked hard to understand the dynamic of Boston and Boston fans. They are very progressive, its just not the same old same old, and they have given me a new eye for baseball, in many ways they have found the formula to just make it plain good again. Theo Epstein, the GM, who was in his 20's at the time was their first hire, he is of the Billy Beane "Moneyball" school and is incredibly bright if not a genius but he is still just a local kid who plays in a Rock Band on weekends. Bill James, the sabermetrician, is also on their staff, when the old school was afraid of him-they scooped him up. I like the way they go about their business, no threatening players and coaches like Steinbrenner, destroying things like Bubba in Dodgerland, or just sitting back counting their money oblivious to the fans suffering like many owners. But soft spoken open minded guys who know the pulse of what is going, are very smart,and arent afraid to pursue improvements outside of the established norms....

Well thank You :)-->, no reason to be a stalker in the shadows, my door is always unlocked, come on in and be yourself....

Most of mine are pretty good too ;)--> well most of the time o wait thats not what you were getting at This may sound too obvious byt howzbout Tryin to make new ones or contacting the old ones

Sometimes I just shake my head in wonder: " A Texas man was arrested on Monday after calling police to complain about the theft of his marijuana. [...] Police are looking for the suspects. In the meantime, they arrested Knight after finding several marijuana plants growing under heat lamps in the apartment, four grams of harvested marijuana and a tablet of ecstasy."

I don't know exactly how to think about this case. if i was a 15 year old again , it would probably seem cool, too cool to think about. But I am not a 15 yo male anymore so I accept the role of being repulsed (especially by the drugging). But if it was reversed and was a 40 year old male with young girls I would be in near seizure. I don't know why this is,this double standard, Its an inconsistancy within myself that I have to look a little harder at. Are boys and girls really that much different, that sexual abuse at the hands of an elder effects them differently, and one is more acceptable than another? Don't know just yet--gotta think about it a little more.

I am intrigued by many of these replies--bits and parts to sort through that make sense from different perspectives IMO Geo's nonanswer answer may or may not be the truest One time in my life i would love to hear that quote from a pulpit

I don't know-it seems like every group has their pet thing that they elevate and people that are along the same type of lines gravitate to that. There's the speaking in tongues groups, the help the poor groups, the traditions and rituals groups, the more intellectual groups, and the more emotional groups....blah blahblah, bubublahblah...and for one reason or another they each become 'right' in their own eyes and other groups (can) become suspect. Its too bad--personally I would think that people would want to search outside of their comfortably accepted norms, break the barriers at least a little bit and find out what their 'brother and sisters' in the body are doing that they can learn from instead of attack. I don't belong to any groups--but over the last few years I have found a bit of solace at times volunteering at a human service agancy which is supported by a mixture of faith traditions. That to me has been sort of refreshing to be involved with people from all sorts of spiritual (or nonspiritual for that matter) backgrounds working together for a common good and not fighting over who has the corner on truth

Thats much of what they did is glorify the devil and his power, all those classes and teachings with attributes of devil spirits, were nothing but exercises in overblown egos, that did nothing to help people but to hinder them into making them feel that they were overmatchedand subject to devils if they didn't walk the straight and narrow as defined by them.. A manipulative tool to keep followers close in, incestuous in their beliefs and actions, and dependant on those who thought they were in the know... heres a quote I picked up from your link that reminds me of way 'leadership' In their desires to be some high falutin somebody that they werent they became pawns and ministers of darkness

((((((((((Love you Ex))))))))))

Yup, scarily large at times

I believe the term was coined last year by one of the Red Sox owners after things had been really hot for a few years, when Steinbrenner persisted in trying to send salaries skyrocketing yet higher in hopes of buying another world championship . It was a metaphor during the heat of battle in a competitive offseason, Steinbrenner slung back something forgotten--somebody (Fox probably) picked it up and it stuck. It doesn't mean they are 'evil', baseball is full of metaphors for life, living and everything under the sun-Its been a tough battle for years but the death star has finally exploded and the rebel forces have gained respect and at least equal footing.

Sorry boss thats all done! Turns out the only curse we ever had was a bad front office.Last year it became as clear as a summers morning what a big part that management plays, at least as big as the game on the field (just not as examined or exciting), believe or not there was something very exciting about not only watching the team but the whole organization finally after 86 years working together with no grumbling. I like our front office! Its corny but it works, looks like you got that damnable curse now. I hope things works out because I genuinely like those kids on the Rangers-they are ballplayers-which is about the biggest compliment I can give. In the last series with the Sox a few weeks ago even though they did well they looked a little tight,which seems to be a perpetual baseball problem when management is in the ozone. The Sox have been tweaking the roster in dribs and drabs but still have to fill a few major holes in the next few weeks if they are going to be serious. Its agood feeling (for once in my life) to actually believe in the FO to do the right thing.... We'll see, as you said the next ten days are crucial.

I guess 'honor your parents' wasn't in that guys bible. It amazes me for all the (gag me) research that those people claim to do that they have a very hard time reading and comprehending even the simplest of things. I think Satori is about right, many of these people manufacture devils out of their own internal darkness and deep self delusion when it is combined with the hodgepodge-kmart brand cheeseball-made in china theology of TWI. In their twistedness they in ways do bring them into the world, encasing those who actually are naive enough to believe them in layers of fear and anxiety. These people are no more genuine 'ministers of god' than I am a flying monkey. It is sort of a joke to me now, looking back at my youthful foolishness, that I ever took any of these people seriously, but looking back on it the pain and anguish they ministered actually far outweighed any 'blessings'. They spoke more of fear than any group I have ever encountered and were deeply entrenched in absolutely bizarre superstitions that could only be birthed in deranged and sick minds. The sick minds have got to be a product of the theology that refuses to recognize and deal with internal shortcomings and allows them to fester and develop long enough to become real 'devils'... Its a twisted mess, and I for one am glad Im out of that hellhole and that the hellhole is out of me...after being subjected to it-it takes awhile to unravel it

I mentioned back on page one that Im pretty sure they could do some sort of electronic disabling by remote control if engineers set there mind to it, something to interrupt the electrical flow in the car or something like that ...if the problem was given to the students at MIT I bet they would come up with some interesting possibilities...They already have cars that will not start if the driver has been drinking.... but as with most things my guess is that the powers that be will do nothing until the problem is so acute that it is impossible to avoid anymore

Jesus ****ing Christ-- I have no words for this one----doesn't little league have a screening process to get morons, idiots and imbeciles out of the picture? When did common sense and decency for adults leave??

I sure do...what 'many many stolen items' could be worth that price? Nothing i can think of.. As i said earlier the police's first responsibility is to protect the public-- that's the reason they enforce the law...If enforcing the law endangers the public then they have defeated their own purpose and have to find another way... They could probably develop some sort of electronic disabling device if they set their minds to it

I dont know how , or if its possible to train police to have common sense in these matters-Some chasing has to be done at times...but it seems that too often in the heat of the chase, something (adrenaline? emotions? pride?) take over and the ensuing chase endangers more people than the criminal would probably hurt otherwise. Police also have a duty to protect the public. I think generally chases are a bad idea, but if for some reason they must have them the officers should be very careful not to cross the line into public endangerment.

you beat me to it ex...I have the same question, and who says so?

those were good Belle! More things you dont want to know about me: I brain glitch every once in awhile-- This week I waited in line at the post office to buy stamps, which I did, then I put the letters in the slot without putting the stamps on them (D'OH!) I was writing out checks a few months back-I usually write them out fast to get them out of the way-i was a little distracted , at the date part before I knew it I wrote in 1979--- :o--> Am i that far gone?? I have no idea where that came from-I think I hit a timewarp for a second.

Yea, i haven't seen the White Sox in action yet, so it is hard for me to have a perspective although everything looks good on paper...I doubt the Nationals can keep it up although it would make for a great story.... The Red Sox have been...well --the RedSox---they still havent gelled like they can. They have seemed right on the cusp a few times but have yet to play the type of baseball over a sustained period that they are capable of...with 6 relievers having ERA's over 6.00, spotty starters, Schilling out, lackluster defense and Martinez gone its amazing to me that they are actually in first- -I'd rather be 2 up than 7 down(like last year) but I still havent seen greatbaseball quite yet. It is almost time for teams to hit their strides (imo) -- I'm looking for a one or two key trades over the next few weeks , the team pulling together, an exciting stretch run, and the playoffs -when the real season begins.

5 1/2 months --thanks for the reminder I grumble about it every year, but when the day comes I really do enjoy it....It is a helluva lot easier if I start thinking about it now, instead of Dec 23rd.