Chicago Values.....

Chicago values suck. At least those that Rahm-bo seems to embrace. A cesspool of corruption continues it's proud, storied history.

Monty Pelerin's World » Chicago Values:

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Allen West and Rick Santelli on CNBC:

Allen West On Chick-Fil-A

Here is another demonstration of why West should be the next POTUS. Unfortunately, in the current system / environment, we are left with a party too dumb to even want to include him as VP on the ticket. Maybe he would overshadow the #1. from PJ Media: The PJ Tatler » Allen West Doesn’t Always School CAIR Apologists, But When He Does…:

"Allen West Doesn’t Always School CAIR Apologists, But When He Does…" The cuddly-named CAIR is an unindicted co-conspirator in the Holy Land Foundation terrorism financing case. It’s executive director, Nezar Hamze, tried to trap Rep. Allen West at a recent public meeting. That, as you’ll see in the video, was a mistake. Exit question: Is the Romney campaign sure that a “boring white guy” is really the way to go on the veep pick? h/t MRCTV

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Giants Acquire Marco Scutaro: MLB Rumors - MLBTradeRumors.com

I like Marco Scutaro. And in isolation, this is a good pickup. However, on the heels of the Dodgers acquisition of Hanley Ramirez, you have to ask yourself where this leads? They make a spectacular deal - we make a solid deal. Another one or two of these type of transactions and the answer to the question leads us to a position somewhere behind the Dodgers. So I have some mixed feelings.

Giants Acquire Marco Scutaro: MLB Rumors - MLBTradeRumors.com:

"The Giants have acquired infielder Marco Scutaro and cash considerations from the Rockies in exchange for minor league second baseman Charlie Culberson.  The money will help pay a portion of the approximately $2.2MM that Scutaro is owed for the rest of the season.  According to MLBTR's Transaction Tracker, this is the first time since 2006 that the two NL West rivals have been trade partners.

Scutaro, 36, has a .271/.324/.359 line in 411 plate appearances with the Rockies heading into Friday's play, though he has just a .570 OPS away from Coors Field.  Scutaro has played mostly second base this season and has also seen some time at short in place of the injured Troy Tulowitzki.  The veteran could see time at either position in San Francisco, as shortstop Brandon Crawford and second baseman Ryan Theriot have little offensive value, though Crawford has a solid glove.  Scutaro also has experience at third base and could see time at the hot corner with Pablo Sandoval injured. "

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You Didn’t Build That « azizonomics

Those Freudian slips are a real PITA for this President. Keep 'em coming Chief!!

You Didn’t Build That « azizonomics:

"Obama:

If you were successful, somebody along the line gave you some help. There was a great teacher somewhere in your life. Somebody helped to create this unbelievable American system that we have that allowed you to thrive. Somebody invested in roads and bridges. If you’ve got a business–you didn’t build that. Somebody else made that happen. The internet didn’t get invented on its own. Government research created the internet so that all the companies could make money off the internet.

Much of the blogosphere — especially the liberal fringes — has defended Obama’s statement, along one of two lines:

That Obama didn’t mean that business-owners didn’t build their businesses — he was talking about infrastructure creation and the wider economic, legal and political system.
That Obama is right, and businesses owners are really not responsible for building their businesses.
Both of these arguments are nonsensical."

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So it seems like the Re-distributor in Chief had another "Freudian slip", Joe the Plumber moment and the election may hinge on whether you believe in the so-called "Top-Down", "Trickle Down" economics (which worked pretty well for Reagan / Volcker -- who BTW, "inherited" a far worse economy from Jimmy Carter. 

At least under Reagan, we had some semblance of a recovery from the "Misery Index" years of Carter. Lately it seems as if everyone is all to willing to give credit for this Reagan recovery to President Clinton of all people, the guy who planted many of the seeds for the current disaster) or maybe we would rather have the current iteration of "Bottom-Up" economics espoused by Obama. 

This seems to be where we are heading IMO as well.

It really seems as if rather than debating whether Obama is as "great" a President as Reagan or Roosevelt, the debate more likely may eventually revolve around whether he ends up being considered "worse" than Carter or Nixon.

from wikipedia.com:

Misery index - era by U.S president

Index = Unemployment rate + Inflation rate

President	Time Period	Average	Low	High	Start	End	Change
Harry Truman	1948–1952	7.88	3.45 – Dec 1952	13.63 – Jan 1948	13.63	3.45	-10.18
Dwight D. Eisenhower	1953–1960	6.26	2.97 – Jul 1953	10.98 – Apr 1958	3.28	7.96	+4.68
John F. Kennedy	1961–1962	7.14	6.40 – Jul 1962	8.38 – Jul 1961	8.31	6.82	-1.49
Lyndon B. Johnson	1963–1968	6.77	5.70 – Nov 1965	8.19 – Jul 1968	7.02	8.12	+1.10
Richard Nixon	1969–1974	10.57	7.80 – Jan 1969	17.01 – Jul 1974	7.80	17.01	+9.21
Gerald Ford	1974–1976	16.00	12.66 – Dec 1976	19.90 – Jan 1975	16.36	12.66	-3.70
Jimmy Carter	1977–1980	16.26	12.60 – Apr 1978	21.98 – Jun 1980	12.72	19.72	+7.00
Ronald Reagan	1981–1988	12.19	7.70 – Dec 1986	19.33 – Jan 1981	19.33	9.72	-9.61
George H. W. Bush	1989–1992	10.68	9.64 – Sep 1989	12.47 – Nov 1990	10.07	10.30	+0.23
Bill Clinton	1993–2000	7.80	5.74 – Apr 1998	10.56 – Jan 1993	10.56	7.29	-3.27
George W. Bush	2001–2008	8.11	5.71 – Oct 2006	11.47 – Aug 2008	7.93	7.49	-0.44
Barack Obama	2009–Present Incomplete data Data updated through May 2012	10.75	7.30 – July 2009 index offset by negative inflation (-2.10)	12.97 – September 2011	7.73	9.9	+2.17

^[4]

[edit]Misery and crime

Some economists posit that the components of the Misery Index drive the crime rate to a degree. Using data from 1960 to 2005, they have found that the Misery Index and the crime rate correlate strongly and that the Misery Index seems to lead the crime rate by a year or so.^[5] In fact, the correlation is so strong that the two can be said to be cointegrated, and stronger than correlation with either the unemployment rate or inflation rate alone

San Francisco Giants - Team Report - MLB - Yahoo! Sports

Looks like we're going to need every bit of the confidence and 2 1/2 game lead they have built up over the Giants.

San Francisco Giants - Team Report - MLB - Yahoo! Sports:

"It feels like we have a chance to win every day, no matter the lineup, no matter the score."
—Madison Bumgarner on the first-place Giants, who lead the Dodgers by 2 1/2 games."

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Sandoval joins the Giants ever-growing DL, while the Dodgers add Hanley Ramirez. Without giving up too much in return, I might add. Hmmm..... And Ichiro goes east, to the Yankes, for a song as well. Hmmmm..... I guess Ichiiro wouldn't have moved the needle much attendance wise, but he can still rake. Hmmmmm...... Does Brian Sabean's phone work?

Solutions for healthcare from baseball? It got my attention...

---   from ted.com:   http://www.ted.com/talks/view/lang/en//id/1481   TED PARTNER SERIES Ivan Oransky: Are we over-medicalized?

Reuters health editor Ivan Oransky warns that we’re suffering from an epidemic of preposterous preconditions -- pre-diabetes, pre-cancer, and many more. In this engaging talk from TEDMED he shows how health care can find a solution... by taking an important lesson from baseball. Ivan Oransky is the executive editor of Reuters Health, and has done pioneering work in covering scientific retractions. Full bio »

----- Hat tip to cliffkule.com and Ted.com "Ideas worth spreading":   http://www.cliffkule.com/

Are we over-medicalized? Reuters health editor Ivan Oransky warns that we’re suffering from an epidemic of preposterous preconditions -- pre-diabetes, pre-cancer, & many more .. shows how health care can find a solution - by taking an important lesson from baseball .. Ivan Oransky is the executive editor of Reuters Health, and has done pioneering work .. OOB .. 11 minutes

Tim Lincecum’s dad says San Francisco is ‘crucifying’ his son over poor start to 2012 season | Big League Stew - Yahoo! Sports

SERIOUSLY Daddy-O?!?!?!? With a 3-9 6.08 ERA?

It seems as if Timmy and crew took a calculated risk in not signing longer term than they did.

They didn't strike when the fire was hot -- hoping for a continuation of the Timmy magic -- at which point they could have played SF vs. Seattle (home-coming) in a mega-bidding war.

Now that strategy, in hindight, is not looking so great. Stop whining and help him out with some of those magical, dollar picking up drills.

The Giants, and / or the Mariners will come around -- check-books in hand -- and all will be well. Ask Matt Cain.

Or is that what this is REALLY all about? A little green-eyed monster in the Gigantes locker room? I don't remember which teams Cain played against the Giants, but I'm not in the inner circle, so IDK everything.

From Yahoo Sports:
Tim Lincecum’s dad says San Francisco is ‘crucifying’ his son over poor start to 2012 season | Big League Stew - Yahoo! Sports:

Here's what pops had to say in the pages of USA Today :

""Here's a two-time Cy Young winner, a four-time All-Star, a World Series champion, and send him to the minors?" Chris Lincecum said, his voice rising. "You do that, and what you're basically telling the player is, 'We don't need you or respect you.' And this is the kid who helped bring a championship to the city of San Francisco for the first time in over 50 years?

"It's like people forget what he's done. It's like, 'What the (expletive) do I have to do. What more do you want? I gave you two Cy Youngs. I was a major contributor to the World Series. And you crucify me now?' " [...]

"You keep saying (expletive) like this, and he'll want to go away. This is the face of the franchise … and now that he's struggling, as all players do at some point, this is the (bleep) respect he gets? You're crucifying him.

"It's like the media is hoping he fails so they'll have something to write about. If they're trying to get him to leave that city, they're (bleeping) on their way.""

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Umpires Could Be at Risk of Heat Related Illness

These are good tips for umpires as well as players. Entering the dog days of summer, it doesn't hurt to review them and then go out on the field and apply them.


Umpires Could Be at Risk of Heat Related Illness:

"On hot and humid day,umpires can struggle to beat the heat. Umpires should be conscious of staying hydrated and seek every opportunity to grab a little shade and a drink between innings. The Athletic Trainers' Society of New Jersey (ATSNJ) recommends steps to help umpires and athletes prevent heat illness during baseball and softball.

On a hot and humid day, Shore Conference Umpire Paul Hooker was struggling to beat the heat. “I felt it come on by the end of the second inning. I tried to push through it for a couple of innings and then it just got to me”. Hooker was removed from the game and attended to by the licensed athletic trainer when he complained of dizziness, difficulty breathing and an irregular heart rate.

“Umpires probably need to be as vigilant and concerned as athletes when working a game in the heat” remarked Eric Nussbaum, President of the Athletic Trainers Society of New Jersey. “Normally your body dissipates heat through sweating and evaporation but umpires often wear a heavy chest protector, dark clothing, and a hat or helmet which impedes their ability to dissipate heat”."

I've had quite a few games that were interrupted because of umpires going down on one field or another. The added gear that catchers and umpires wear, of course, increases the burden.

That both classes tend to want to be "tough guys" who won't come out of the game unless hauled off on a stretcher further compounds the problem.

“I’m in good shape and this has never happened to me before” stated Hooker. I’m really glad that an athletic trainer was available and able to quickly cool me down and get me the appropriate care. I know heat illness can be bad and despite my best efforts, I just couldn’t work through it.”


Nussbaum noted that “umpires should be conscious of staying hydrated and seek every opportunity to grab a little shade and a drink between innings." The excitement of the game generally elevates their heart rate, and their dark shirt and equipment absorbs the heat and just doesn’t allow them to appropriately dissipate it. This can be complicated with umpires who may be older, have health issues, may be on medications, and are overweight or not in great physical condition. Those who work multiple games in a row on a hot day can be at high risk as well.

The Athletic Trainers Society of New Jersey recommends that umpires and athletes who are working or exercising in the heat should first have a regular physical to assure they are in good health. Beating the heat requires that the athlete and umpire take the proper measures. These measures include: hydrating the night before with water or a sports drink, avoiding alcohol and caffeine which can dehydrate your body, considering a diet high in carbohydrates the night before the activity, consuming two glasses of water an hour before the competition, staying hydrated between innings, and when necessary removing your hat, mask and headgear as often as possible. 


In addition to these recommendations, the athlete and umpire should stay cool in between innings. The best ways to achieve this are to; get out of the sun, either in the dugout or a shady area near the field, and to use wet towels or ice packs as a means to help to fight off issues with the heat. Often umpires don’t drink enough fluid to compensate for all of the sweat loss. Thirst is not an adequate indicator of hydration, once someone is thirsty they have already fallen behind in the battle for proper hydration.


Proper heat illness education is vital. Umpires and athletes need to be able to recognize the warning signs of heat illness which include: dizziness, blurry vision, loss of energy, SOB, rapid heart rate, cramping, headache and extreme sweating.

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San Francisco Giants - Team Report - MLB - Yahoo! Sports

Panda is not the only one who is surprised at his selection to the All-Star game.

from Bleacher Report:
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1246843-new-york-mets-gm-sandy-alderson-shows-no-class-ripping-pablo-sandoval

Alderson tweeted:

Sandy Alderson
✔
@MetsGM
ASG election of "Kung Fu Panda" shows the value of a cute nickname. Surprised Giants fans didn't elect a "ball dude" to start at 3B.
3 Jul 12 ReplyRetweetFavorite

Of course Wright deserves to start ahead of Sandoval at third base for the National League.

But did Alderson forget about the 2009 election, when Sandoval clearly deserved to be voted in over Wright? That time the vote went the other way. I'm sure he wasn't complaining then.

Alderson later rips his own fans. NICE!!!

The second group Alderson should blame is the New York Mets fans for letting this happen. Alderson said it himself when he tweeted:

Sandy Alderson
✔
@MetsGM
Wright vs.Sandoval: A city of 8 million was outvoted by a city of 800,000.
1 Jul 12 ReplyRetweetFavorite

And he's absolutely right. This would have never happened to a Yankee.

This is what baseball asked for and this is what they have received. The game has been turned into somewhat of a popularity contest -- a battle of the PR departments -- at least along the margins.

Give the people what they want, I guess.

from Yahoo Sports:
San Francisco Giants - Team Report - MLB - Yahoo! Sports:

"He's had a great year. I'm surprised that I made it."
Giants 3B Pablo Sandoval on beating out Mets 3B David Wright in the fan voting for the All-Star Game."

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HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!!

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY - GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!


from the Daily Bell:
The Daily Bell - An American Declaration of Independence From Big Government:

""We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness – That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed – That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.""

---

After enumerating these and other complaints, the Founding Fathers said in the Declaration:

"In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people."

Thus, the momentous step was taken to declare their independence from the British Crown. The signers of the Declaration then did "mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor," in their common cause of establishing a free government and the individual liberty of the, then, three million occupants of those original 13 colonies.

Never before in history had a people declared and then established a government based on the principles of the individual's right to his life, liberty, and property. Never before was a society founded on the ideal of economic freedom, under which free men may peacefully produce and exchange with each other on the terms they find mutually beneficial without the stranglehold of regulating and planning government.

Never before had a people made clear that self-government meant not only the right of electing those who would hold political office and pass the laws of the land, but also meant that each human being had the right to be self-governing over his own life. Indeed, in those inspiring words in the Declaration, the Founding Fathers were insisting that each man should be considered as owning himself, and not be viewed as the property of the state to be manipulated by either king or Parliament.

It is worth remembering, therefore, that what we are celebrating every July 4 is the idea and the ideal of each human being's right to his life and liberty, and his freedom to pursue happiness in his own way, without paternalistic and plundering government getting in his way.