Tiger337

That may be true, but any outspoken black man would have been viewed as one in the 60s. So, it's hard to tell. Regardless, there are lots of assholes in the Hall of Fame, so that's not a Hall of Fame qualification.

x

Maybe I should have gone there! That is a good point.

I agree drugs are a massive problem. We saw what happened when we made drugs essentially legal during the oxycontin epidemic though - Death by overdose, rather than guns. Now, that epidemic is feeding the epidemic of illegal drugs.

Just trying to explain my original point that there is poverty behind violent crime. I don't know the complexities of the Chicago problem, but violent crime in general would be reduced by less wealth disparity.

Socioeconomic status.

What is the SES of the victims?

When middle class whites become addicted to drugs, it becomes a mental health problem rather than a crime. When Blacks were addicted to cocaine in the 80s and 90s, they were put in jail. When doctors were handing out opiates like it was candy in the 2000s, it was primarily white middle class, so it became more of a mental health problem. The Blacks didn't get any of the legal stuff because doctors were reluctant to prescribe it to them or because they didn't have the right insurance. They got lucky for a change! Now that they have stopped giving opioid prescriptions so easily, the illegal trade has picked up and everybody can join in the fun.

That's not realistic. While we would be a safer country without guns, they have become too big a part of our culture to just wipe them out. We are stuck with them. We can make incremental changes though. My general suggestion is to not allow such easy access to guns. If someone is not a responsible person, they shouldn't be able to own a gun. I would center laws and enforcement around that.

Chicago has a huge problem, but it really hasn't increased much nationally. We have been a violernt coutry for a long time. We hear more about it now because of the internet.

What was the origin of the gangs and drug trade?

Most of the Chicago guns come from outside of Illinois, especially Indiana which has very loose gun laws. Unlike some of the random suburban killings we have been talking about though, I think problems in certain inner city areas are not just a matter of availability of guns. They stem from desperation and hopelessness caused by wealth and income disparity. There are bad schools, bad neighborhoods, lack of positive role models, lack of opportunity.

They will go up regardless. They will charge higher prices if they think fans will pay.

Nobody cares if they look foolish, because it's irrelevant to the arguments being made. You are just trying to deflect.

I also remember him being highly regarded, but I am not surprised it took him so long. He didn't play long enough. He didn't even reach 2,000 hits.

I had forgotten that Allen won the MVP in 1972. I was ten years old and remember thinking how good he was and wondering why writers were always criticizing him.

The appeal of Hodges is that he played for the over romantized Dodgers of the 50s and had one memorable season as a manager. He is not even close to Allen as a hitter.

Dick Allen got screwed again. Gil Hodges gets in there. Dick Allen had 11 consecutive seasons with an OPS+ of 145 or better. Hodges never had an OPS+ as high of 145. Minoso deserved it. Oliva and Kaat are borderline but probably don't deserve it.

What kind of wheelchair was it?

We know how to count deaths due to killing machines.

I hope I never get shot. If I do though, I'll feel better if people use the right gun terminology when they dicuss the incident.

I'd be very concerned about Rodon with his injury hitory and ending the season with a sore arm.

We already have more prisoners per 100,000 than any country in the world. A few more won't hurt. The more the merrier!

Sure, but gun laws in this country suck. I am saying he SHOULD NOT be allowed to own a gun. If you're not a responsible person, you don't get to own a gun. DUI is very high on my list of my irresponsible activties.

If buying and holding is making you nervous, then maybe you are risking too much. Don't wait until you get nervous though. Make adjustments to your balances at the end of each year or twice or year and stick to it. I now put 24% into retirement. I invest the majority in cheap index funds, but I have never been 100% in stocks. I always have put a substantial portion in investments with fixed returns just for peace of mind. As I get closer to retirement, I now only put 50% in stocks. I avoid individual stocks, because I think you need to follow the market closer than I do in order to make smart choices. If you feel strongly about a stock, maybe invest a small percentage in it.