...

Let me go look again...

Anyone care to step outside, look due north, about 10 degrees above the horizon and tell me what you see?

Oooh....I like my draft class. That was a pretty good year! (although I thought I was here in 2007...I'll take 2008)

I think, on the low side, he shows he's maturing and working toward becoming a leader. He will try hard this season regardless of whether or not he figures out his leadership role. On the high side, he's chomping at the bit already, and will come out of the gate with a chip on his shoulder, showing the rest of the NHL what he can bring to the game, and giving the team that wanted him here everything they could ask for. I already see his leadership potential; let's not forget he was around for every major Sabres event despite being injured and more than likely not required, or asked, to be around. To me, that kind of loyalty to his team off ice can translate into larger and greater things on ice. Don't disappoint us, Evander, we've been waiting on "the concept of Evander" for a long time now.

It's the same mindset that occupies politics. There's a certain utopianism that pervades the arguments made by a certain side, that ignores history and human nature. Really, you want to get out a check-list, pre-approved by a feminist lawyer, before you start touching genitalia? How about, both parties need to be into it, and if one party ain't, then they should simply SAY SO. The same people arguing the feminist line have no problem with the movies coming out of Hollywood, the lead fashion stories on Yahoo, the ads shown during prime-time TV. Where does the social influence come from? Not the catholics. Not the synagogues. Oh, but look, Mad Men featured a sizzling scene this week. That's okay, right? So, the social influences really are ignored, but the individual is supposed to have the brain power, self control, and prescience to be in complete control at all times. Where does this develop, who is responsible to aid in this development. The schools and the parents. Yes? Well, the schools aren't allowed to teach self-control...really...or they get sued. Used to be able to. In fact, the schools, what they do teach, goes beyond the basics to the point of ridiculousness...no wonder the kids don't take it seriously. That leaves the parents. Parents, assuming we're talking about a mother-father pair, who both have to work a job, leaving their kids to after-school or day care, or leaving the kids on their own. When they do get the kids, they still have to make dinner, do the housework, go over homework, whatever. Oh yeah, maybe they have that conversation over dinner. Gee, I wonder how many families eat dinner at the table together every night? Single parent homes - sure sex education is a priority. You should blame the parents...or not. The family unit has been under assault since the 1960's...how's that working out for America? Aww, too old fashioned, I suppose, wanting a solid family-unit and all. Josie said it earlier - her upbringing made her feel like a slut if she were all into sex. Okay, good. Of course that skews her perception, but at least it helps her stay safe. Maybe the rest of America's girls ought to be raised the way Josie was. And be raised to say "no" and that it's okay to say "no". Guys need to be raised to respect women. When did this stop happening, by the way? Because, it used to be that way. At what point in America's history did women become disrespected to the point where every female ought to consider themselves a potential rape victim? And no one here has really solved the "what is rape" question. Is it by force? Is it no consent? If consent is the issue, does the consent need to be verbalized? You do dig that when one party says "no" and tries to stop the sex, then it becomes "by force" if the other party continues on, right? Finally, every time I open this thread two thoughts eventually pass through my mind, and I will share what they are, and leave them here. Actually three: Catholic Girls by Frank Zappa Fast Times at Ridgemont High And the third thought is all of the chicks, when I was young and single, who took my clothes off and were grabbing me without my invite. I didn't mind, and I didn't think anything negative about them (on the contrary). Was I a bad boy? Were they bad girls?

You will not win the point. You're not allowed to.

I'm convinced some people in this thread have never had a hot sexual encounter. Some of the suggestions on how to handle "reality" are un-realistic.

I think you're wrong here. What some of the roster of folk here in this thread seem to be arguing is that due to societal pressures, a female may be thinking "no, I don't want this", but continue with the activity none-the-less. I think this is true. As a FOR-INSTANCE (meaning, I'm not implying or alleging anything), the woman involved in the Pat Kane case may have been saying to herself no way, but at the same time thinking "this is Pat Kane, if I don't do what he wants what will people say?". She may not have wanted to do it, but other than maybe a soft "stop" and or an insignificant bat at his hand, she may have let him take off her clothes, again, due to not being able to resolve the dissonance she felt over the situation. Dude, you are immature. Go back and detail where I said or implied that, with specific notes. Otherwise, stop being an intellectual bully and ass.

You're not responding to the full quote. He said: "How do you suggest we stop this advancement when she doesn't give the impression she doesn't want to stop, not to mention never says 'no'?" So, the guy is supposed to read minds? Be an expert on facial expressions and body language? How about the person (male or female) saying "STOP!". That would be, uhm, helpful.

This is the type of socio-political bullying that is getting so damn old. A straw man is built up from a statement, and if you don't agree that the straw-man exists, you're a monster. Sort of : if (!$strawman || $strawman == false) {$poster = "monster"}; It's like the "wow, just wow" response where you are supposed to feel demoralized in some way because your thinking doesn't match that of the other(s). You're supposed to make that connection, and if you don't, you're a monster. if (!agreement() || agreement() == false) {$poster = "monster"};

And, frankly, our dumbed-down culture accepting this, yet not appreciating the ramifications.

Uhm, she felt compelled to give her creds because she made the assumption I needed them for some reason. I was advising her that doing that was unnecessary. But, yeah, that's cool, I'm the big bad guy beating up on the innocent girl. Whatever. See how this happens? Her post is anecdotal and reflective. Frankly, if I were to rank posts in this thread, I would give far more credit to those with facts and data. But, even those posts are skewed with personal biases in a thread highly charged with biases. Her experiences and the conclusions she has arrived to are hers alone. Someone else with the same experiences would interpret them differently. Neither is right or wrong - none are gospel.

I didn't ask for your background; it was pretty much a yes and no question. Your post is as valid as any other in this thread, and no more than that, in my opinion.

Are suggesting that this is the experience and viewpoint of the average American female? As in, the majority of American females have experiences of the same intensity and drama as this? Just curious, not judging.

Should this conversation be moved to the politics thread...?

Where'd you get the cheddar?

You'd think the former would be more true, but, my earlier point, the continued delay in anything happening makes me wonder if the latter is just as likely.

I might like Colorado's, but I probably won't like the Duck's.

I know we're getting tid-bits of unconfirmed information, but what Hoss reported provides a rather complete narrative at this point. I would think that if that information is accurate, we'd already see this moving on to formal charges, the district attorney, a grand jury...something. The fact that it appears all things are stalled at this point suggests, to me, that there is yet more to the narrative than what we have so far.

He's all red because his skin is gone. Totally realistic.

While I personally agree with you, if the tenor of this thread is any indication, it would seem too many people will disagree.

It's always the goalie who comes in with high expectations. Lehner is absolutely that guy.

I think a "decent NHL starter" is a fair equivalent...IF this trade were to have occurred in a vacuum. However, considering there were other NHL starters available at less cost, there is still that veteran D slot to fill, and this team is coming off a tear-down where the slate was blank and there's no specific model to follow, I believe it's not-unreasonable to place the baseline for this trade at a Ryan-Miller-career-equivalent level. As it is, I think Sabres fans are goalie-spoiled, excepting the time since Miller was traded. We have simply had good to better-than-good goal-tending for a long time. For whatever reason, the Lehner trade seems to slide right into that mold.

How can you not like the first Captain America? I thought it nearly on par with the first Ironman. The latest Avengers was just...too much packed into one movie. I liked it, but it came off superficial compared to something like Cap 2, which is one of my favorites from Marvel. Saw Inside Out, finally. I am a Pixar fan, and this had its moments, not unlike Wall-E, but it wasn't as clever as Wall-E, in my opinion, and no where close to their best. Pixar's best is The Incredibles. FWIW, consider this a PSA: unless it's a movie I'm really excited about, for which I'll pay full price at the AMC, I wait until films make it to the Four Seasons in the Falls. The price is right, I dig the retro 70's vibe, and their popcorn is the best theater popcorn in the region.

I understand these threads are to kill time in the off-season, this particular off-season makes them all that much more difficult to handle. The chemistry between all of these players and thier new coaching staff will be a major factor in how these guys play, or are perceived, as individuals. Anyway, I, too, really dig the second line/Peca analogue. I agree with TBPhD that he lacks the natural scoring talent to be a "first liner", but all other signs point toward high end second liner. I like to think that on a contender, his line would be as dynamic and fun to watch as a true scoring line on the same team, but, obviously, bringing something different to the game than that scoring line.