Bill from NYC
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Posts posted by Bill from NYC
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As a matter of fact he brought up cutting spending continuously. I watched much of it and it was amazing. The repubs are trying to paint a good picture, and the dems are whining about the tax cuts and how bad things are.
AD, why does everybody call this a cut for the "rich?" My taxes were reduced and I am anything but rich.
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I am hoping that they will be average.
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Bill you seem like a "Homegrown Democrat" to me??
Enjoy!
His Minnesota boyhood and the putative values of his state allow novelist and NPR favorite Keillor to conjure up a heartwarming case for liberalism, if not necessarily the Democratic Party platform. "[T]he social compact is still intact here," he writes of life in St. Paul, summing up attacks on that compact in a Menckenesque rant: "hairy-backed swamp developers and corporate shills, faith-based economists...." Liberalism, Keillor declares, "is the politics of kindness," and he traces his own ideology to his kindly aunts and his access to good public education, including a land-grant university. Though he criticizes Democrats for losing touch with their principles, as when they support the drug war, he catalogues "What Do-Gooder Democrats Have Done for You," from civil rights to clean air, though he acknowledges, "The great hole in the compact is health care." "The good democrat," he declares, distrusts privilege and power, believes in equality, supports unions, and is individualist—"identity politics is Pundit Speak," he notes, which might get him in trouble with some interest groups. "Democrats are thought to be weak on foreign policy... but what we fear is arrogance," he writes, in a chapter notably short on prescription. Near the end, he offers another potent monologue, if not a rant, about September 11 and Bush's "Achtung Department" (aka Homeland Security). It doesn't all hang together—heck, Keillor's so loosy-goosey, he begins most chapters with a limerick—but call this Prairie Home Companion meets Air America.
In a book that is at once deeply personal and intellectually savvy, Homegrown Democrat is a celebration of liberalism as the "politics of kindness." In his inimitable style, Keillor draws on a lifetime of experience amongst the hardworking, God- fearing people of the Midwest and pays homage to the common code of civic necessities that arose from the left: Protect the social compact. Defend the powerless. Maintain government as a necessary force for good. As Keillor tells it, these are articles of faith that are being attacked by hard-ass Republican tax cutters who believe that human misery is a Dickensian fiction. In a blend of nostalgic reminiscence, humorous meditation, and articulate ire, Keillor asserts the values of his boyhood—the values of Lake Wobegon— that do not square with the ugly narcissistic agenda at work in the country today. A thoughtful, wonderfully written book, Homegrown Democrat is Keillor’s love letter to liberalism, the older generation, John F. Kennedy, the University of Minnesota, and the yellow-dog Democrat city of St. Paul that is sure to amuse and inspire Americans just when they need it most.
Thanks, I guess.
I am anything but a democrat. If you lived in this neck of the woods and observed those who purport themselves to be "liberal," perhaps you would not be one either.
EIL, it is the NY Liberals who come after bells on ice cream trucks, smoking in BARS, and loud air conditioners, this after an attack which killed thousands of our citizens. They also turned out in record numbers to vote down a qualified African American in the most recent election for governor, this in an election where they voted in Hillary and a white attorney general.
Liberalism (generally speaking) sounds good in theory but sucks when put into practice. I find the American left to be differing combinations of intolerant, idealistic, holier than thou, racist, anarchistic fools. The RNC sort of upholds my statement, no?
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>>>Didn't Hillary sit on the WalMart Board at one time?<<<
Yes, and it was very honest of you to bring this up.
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Congrats!!!
I remember taking my oldest to Kindegarten as if it were yesterday, and she is now a college junior.
There were kids crying, but my daughter was looking forward to school and marched right in. The problem was not her, it was me. I was so emotionally shaken, I needed time alone to get myself together.
Enjoy these precious days.
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They are noted for being fiercely anti-union and have been sued countless times for discrimination, and making people work extra hours for no money.
Are unions today SO weak that they would not attempt such a move?
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How about now?Another Try
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I also remember the Bills being in the playoffs (and losing) with 3 cbs injured.
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This post is NOT to express hapiness. I do not like to see injuries, but this one will truly hurt the jests, who already have a thin secondary.
Also, is Konrad out for the phish? Wow, I thought that the Bills had injury problems!
Mickens Out -
Good post Mark.
There IS reason to believe that the pass rush will get better because our young DEs have some experience and Schobel is entering his prime.
As for the OL, while I am not predicting that they will be good, CV should be an immediate improvement, and I think that losing Ruben will actually help us on pass plays.
The coaching was as bad as it gets last year, and MM, who will certainly be going through his own learning process, should be a plus.
If healthy, I am predicting that this team finishes no worse than 9-7. Anything more could mean obviously mean the playoffs.
LETS GO BILLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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I loved the followup callers after TD..Some guy named John...why doesn't TD list his mistakes and make everything sound so positive? Why doesn't he just say our team is bad ? Cried a river for 5 minutes...Now another guy is wondering why the GM's never answer a direct question.
I can actually hear the gravel shifting in their heads...
But did you notice how much TD said about the OL? I have never, ever seeen nor heard an interview in which any person in the Bills organization spent that much time discussing the issue of blocking.
This my friend cannot be bad.
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There is no team in professional sports I despise more then the New York Jets and it pains me to say this but they worry me too. They have a very good OL, Pennington is healthy and they finally have a #2 WR in McCairns, the real key is whether or not Santana Moss's hamstring acts up again during the season.
The defense is their weakness, it should be better, but no guarantees, it is faster but their secondary can be exposed.
Who on the OL do you think is so special other than Fabini (who I consider slightly above average) and Mawae (sic).
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Well, judging from the way he studder-steps around and goes nowhere, maybe they want him to be a dance instructor.
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Well Mick, here is one good way to go about killing filth scumbags.
Here's to the hope that the other 30 perish. GO ISRAEL!!!!!!!
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Hey, you and I disagree. What a surprise!
I think that there is reason to believe that the pass rush can improve with Kelsay and Denney gaining more experience, and with Schobel entering his prime as well as unrestricted free agency. These facts alone could account for questions 4 and 5.
As for question 1, I am hopeful but not very confident. For 10 years, every time I am happy to see something on the Bills OL, I have found myself looking at a Kris Farris, Joe Panos, or Marcus Spriggs.
That said, IF the OL can protect Drew, and the team stays relatively healthy, 10 wins and the playoffs are surely within the realm of possibility.
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That's a fair question - I'm just as capable of bias as the next man. However, I don't believe that is the basis of my argument, and, yes, I would be against the deliberate targetting of civilians in the example you cited. All other considerations aside, the problem with such a response is that it simply doesn't work. As Darin points out, how is a person to react if their loved ones are killed because of something someone else did? Besides which, those that advocate Russia getting "tougher" on Chechnya are ignoring the fact that, according to independent human rights organisations, Russia has already been guilty of numerous atrocities and human rights violations in Chechnya. How on earth are they going to come down any harder on them than they already have done?
Your answer is well thought.
A major problem wrt the situation is that the countries I listed are NOT terrorists. Our strength lies in conventional military force. Behind the times? I dont know, but this is the horror that terrorists place their people in. You know, the fellow Islamic countrymen they supposedly care so much about.
Think about it...You state that Russia is already violating their "human rights." Now, they are probably going to bomb them and kill "innocents." My question to you is, who is to blame? Russia for reacting, or the "rebels" who abused and even murdered children, and incited a powerful country to kill children of their own people?
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Very good point. I like Pennington because he is smart and can move, but his noodle arm will likely get him in trouble at some point.
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At some point Curtis Martin will become a washed up has been but if you check his personal stats at NFL.com, you'll find it didn't happen in 2003. Unless you have inside info to the contrary, there is no particular reason to think this will be the year, except that he's one year older.
At this stage of his career, I would consider Curtis as not nearly as good as he once was. It is obvious, given the talk of Jordan taking upon a larger role in the offense. Even the NYC media fails to mention him as one of the great backs in football.
Along those lines, Edwards made a statement that he wants to change Martin's role to "one who scores touchdowns from the red zone." This idocy was printed in every paper as if it were a quote from Plato.
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http://www.billszone.com/fanzone/showthread.php?t=53875
Cap Update for 2004 & 2005
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Now that the 53 man roster is set, I can give y'all a cap update for both 2004 & 2005. Mind you, 2005 is still very preliminary and it must be remembered that the Bills have a number of FAs, unrestricted and restricted, after the season.
2004
I presently have the Bills $5,894,754 under an adjusted cap of $79,759,085 with $5,327,910 dead cap. Bills have 54 players (includes Travis Brown) under contract. What's missing from that number?
1) Any roster or other bonuses that I'm unaware of for players that made 53 man roster. Some may be LTBE
2) ALL bonus information for J.P. Losman. I presently have his cap hit at only his salary of $230,000. However, while it's been reported he rec'd no signing bonus, he's likely to have rec'd a roster bonus of some kind.
3) Workout bonuses: every player receives modest workout bonuses during the offseason. Usually, they must be on the roster at the beginning of the League Year, which was early March. Each player makes a few thousand, but when added up throughout the roster, could be over $100,000. I have NOT included this in my numbers.
4) Practice squads are now up to 8 players. I do not know what the pay rate of these players are at this time. If it's $5,000/wk, then $5,000 x 8 players x 17 weeks = $680,000 that must be accounted for by the end of the season.
2005
Again, these numbers are very preliminary. However, I've been asked by many what the future holds. So........
with 38 players under contract for 2005, I presently have the Bills $14,677,052 under an estimated salary cap of $84,000,000 with $670,443 dead cap. What NOT is that number?
1) Cap adjusment: each of the past 3 seasons that I've known about cap adjustments, the Bills have had a debit which decreases available cap space.
2) Bonus information for J. P. Losman. (I hope to get this info very soon)
3) 13 more players need to be signed to comply with top 51 rule (even at minimum of $235,000, that's $3.055 million off the available cap space
4) Players who have (or may have) salary escalators: Mike Williams, Willis McGahee?, J. P. Losman(unlikely to achieve)
5) Bills have a number of FAs as follows:
UFA:DE Schobel, DT P. Williams, OT Jennings, FS Reese, OT M. Price, DT Edwards, QB Matthews, QB T. Brown, TE Neufeld
RFA:RB Burns, OL Pucillo, CB Thomas
EFA:DB Baker, LS Dorenbas, CB Greer, LB Stamer
Players likely to have contracts re-worked:
WR Eric Moulds: has a cap number of $8.75 million in 2005
OT Mike Williams: salary escalator which could take his salary from $726,875 to as high as $4 million. He also has a $3 million roster bonus due. His cap number is nearly $6 million.
Bills face a tight cap situation next year
I'll have more on the 2005 cap later in the season
>>>OT Mike Williams: salary escalator which could take his salary from $726,875 to as high as $4 million. He also has a $3 million roster bonus due. His cap number is nearly $6 million<<<
Do you know exactly how much it would cost to cut him both before and after 6/1 if he does not play up to this salary level?
I sure hope that it doesn't come to this.
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Sounds good, but the 1st round pick is no longer with us.
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The best response would be one that comes from the head and not from the heart. Revenge may be emotionally satisfying but if it does nothing to prevent this sort of tragedy from happening again and instead makes a repitition more likely, then it is a very hollow sort of victory. The perpetrators of this atrocity must have known that a heavy-handed indiscriminate response was a likely outcome, indeed they may well have been counting on it. The more that innocent Chechens are killed or punished for the actions of these maniacs the more likely it is that ordinary Chechens will take up arms against Russia. What is needed is a two-pronged approach - it must be made clear that Russia's quarrel is not with ordinary Chechens but with the monsters that would carry out such actions, while at the same time pursuing the terrorists will full vigour.
chicot, are you willing to accept the possibility that you tend to hold non-Islamic countries to a far higher standard when it comes to terrorism and war? Could you even give this any thought?
If Israel took hostages in a Palestinian school, deprived them of food and water, and set off explosions, would you urge and caution Palestinians to be oh so careful in retaliation?
At some point, the masses of muslims are going to pay for sitting on their hands, and even cheering while Americans, Brits, Russians, Israelis (Jews), etc. are murdered by Islamic scum. Yes my friend, scum. Filthy criminal scum who murder others under the guise of caring for their fellow muslims.
All these "fundamentalists" truly want is power and money, and the spoils that accompany it. Yes, the things that money can buy, but you know what....they will lose.
Schobel-5 years 28M
in The Stadium Wall Archives
Posted
This is VERY good news!
DEs are some of the highest paid players in the NFL, right there with LTs and QBs. The contract may seem steep, but will look good in a couple of years, especially if AS continues to develop.
Btw, does anybody remember what Winstrom got?