Kevbeau

I saw Jack drinkin' a piña colada at Trader Vic's. And his hair was perfect

Maybe I messed up, but for grins I ran my 2016 return under the new code and it was positive for my wife and I. The only group I could see getting hosed were single earners in six figures. The rates are lower but not enough to make up for the losses in itemized deductions. Obviously mileage may vary depending on where you live and whether you itemize or not.

I hate myself for agreeing with this.....dark times.

The top down camera is just inside the crossbar, so a close overhead view can be inconclusive. Combined with the side shot however, I'm comfortable with them calling that a goal. My issue with the process (same with the NFL) is the inconsistency. I can't speak to who's in the booth now, but when I used to work off-ice officiating it wasn't like they were employing folks with imaging science degrees. The folks in those jobs were nice enough but who you knew got you a lot farther then what you knew. I'm sure not much has changed.

Having been in GA close to 2 decades now...just get used to them. They're really not a bother and like previously mentioned are pros at keeping bugs in check. Scorpions and fire ants on the other hand....can go @#$% themselves

This, this, this. Fortunately my dad was in HR and the company he worked for was one of the pioneers of implementing the 401K, so I've been contributing since my early 20's. Couple decades later....all I can do is preach the power of compounding interest (although to the point a few posters made...why they don't cover this in HS is criminal. The same math works in reverse and can wreck people's lives.) Additionally with the tax ramifications, it's borderline asinine not to contribute. I do know new hires in my company have to opt out as they are automatically enrolled at 7% to receive the match when they start.

Nothing wrong with that. I really like the diagrams of gear patent idea. Decorating suggestions in my house are handled by committee (my wife) and I basically get the basement. The rest of the house looks like a Restoration Hardware catalog. For those of us who are artistically challenged and looking for an easy wall logo, the Fathead one is a piece of cake to install.

I figured composites totally ruined the hockey stick furniture market. I probably have a dozen shafts (usually break them in the heel/below the fuse point) sitting in my garage. Feel bad throwing them out, but pretty much only use them to hold up the tomato plants.

Trackball mouse has given my right hand a new lease on life. I have the one where the trackball is rotated via the thumb.

I think what he was implying is that there are possible witnesses.

Manage an explanatory data, statistics & analytics group for the man (see: very large corporation.) I enjoy/hate my job and find it incredibly enjoyable/frustrating....answer(s) changes weekly. In truth I've learned a lot and am still learning, so for the most part I find it rewarding.

I quickly read a few posts, but I haven't read the entire thread so please excuse me if I repeat anything. Unless the data recording methods have vastly improved since I was last exposed to them, the biggest issue facing the use of advanced analytics in hockey is data collection. There's a significant margin of error in the raw data that you can pull from nhl.com, so I would be very wary of doing any sort of in depth trend or explanatory analysis from it. Having said that, simple analyses (such as Corsi) can be used for directional indication. Hence the caution issued when measuring single period/game performance, but generalizations can be made with increased sample sizes...often referred to as the "law of big numbers." I don't know for sure, but I would imagine the teams advancing their capabilities are using in-game or post-game data collection techniques not associated with the NHL off-ice crews. Whether it's eyeballs on a screen or some sort of visual recording software, I'm not positive. Again, there's too much error in the generic NHL locational stats (shots, hits, give/takeaways) to offer any short term findings as definitive. TOI even has a noticeable margin of error.

Actually what mostly keeps big companies here is the stability afforded by our current (yet broken) form of gov't and the umbrella of protection that the military provides. Don't have to generally worry about asset seizure, the currency being drastically devalued. Coupled with the fact that we still have best university system in the world and still attract many of the best and brightest from the rest of the globe. Lost in the whole immigration debate, is how do you make it easy for these people to come to the US and prosper? That's your growth engine for the future. Having said that, I completely agree with your point on educated workers. The folks calling the shots grew up in a time when a college degree was a pretty good ticket because the competition was a little leaner. Not so anymore. Unless your specialized (or can sell) it's tough to get your foot in the door to kickstart your career. Once you have a few years under your belt, your body of work can take over, but not too many employers are willing to take a chance on an unknown.

Have to agree. I work for a Fortune 100 and you're giving us way too much credit.

Late to the party (discussion) but until this season, the Hawks have been a train wreck in generating fan support.....The NBA has support issues....in Atlanta! While we focus on the possibilities of the expansion cities, I'm in the camp that the right (or wrong) ownership group is just as, if not more important. I'm not up to speed on the potential ownership groups flirting with the expansion teams, but I had a front row seat to the Atlanta Spirit debacle and there was no way the Thrashers ever had a chance with that clown show running things.

Appreciate the feedback.

Not to hijack the thread, but has anyone heard of any issues with the Bauer trigger holders? Seems like it's just waiting to get shattered by a blocked shot or errant pass. I like everything else about this years Bauer line, but that plastic trigger worries me. Reason I ask is I'm tearing eyelets like it's my job on my current skates, so new skates are probably on the horizon.

Never use a hockey ball!...Just kidding. They do make stickhandling specific balls that mimic the movement and weight of a puck more so than your average street hockey ball. They're not too expensive and while there's no perfect substitute for practicing while your on skates, it definitely helps. I used to have a TV in the garage and I would watch the game while stickhandling. Helps keep your eyes up and teaches "feel." Additionally, start paying attention to where players put the puck when carrying it. Basic stuff. Out in front, to the side, where they put it in relation to the closest defender. It'll give you an idea of where to carry the puck in certain situations and make you a better defender. Edit: When using a ball to stickhandle..get a cheap (or old stick) and cut it down to match (in shoes) where your ice stick comes up on you while on skates. If you just use your ice stick for dry land practice, the length difference will feel really weird when you're on skates.

Agree. At least something to mitigate the effects of inflation and if employees want to increase their income beyond that they need to take ownership of their careers. I'm all for getting more income into the hands of the masses. From a % standpoint wealthy folks tend to save/invest a greater portion of income vs. buying ATVs and flat screens.

Mostly because the vast majority of their income is tied directly to the performance of said company on Wall Street. If you look at a CEOs comp structure, their true salary is a small percentage of their total comp. Not the same for your average employee. It's mostly about salary. There's high reward with that, but it also comes with high risk. Your average worker wouldn't be able to bear that type of risk. We can also blame our gov't (and going even deeper Enron & WorldCom.) Options, grants and to a lesser extent profit sharing used to be available to more of your middle class workforce but SOX has made it relatively unbearable financially for publically traded companies to maintain those types of programs for average workers...at least IMO. Additionally most large corporations cost structures couldn't bear raising all tides. This goes back to the taking 20% of a CEOs salary and redistributing it. It's very easy to compensate one person 5 million dollars (example) but raising an hourly wage $1 per employee across the board would be unsustainable. It's just scale, at least at a large business that employs thousands of people. Take where I work for example. Our CEO made 30mil+ last year, but from an opex standpoint, he's a drop in the bucket. Any cuts/changes/etc unfortunately have to be into the thousands of employees that work for him to make a dent.

True, but it does make them easily replaceable and supply/demand kicks in. I'm on the fence on the CEO comp issue...mostly because it's proven to be a "rising tides" outcome. Crappy CEO's are banking coin like crazy as the desperation to retain talent has leaked into all types of businesses. Some CEOs are absolutely worth every penny they earn, even if it's 500x times more than Jimmy who works 2nd shift on the line. Others get paid exorbitant sums before/without producing in fear that they may leave for greener pastures or for the promise of what could be. Of course it isn't fair, it just is. Most your executive leadership teams operate under contract, very similar to the athletes we discuss on this board. Sometimes you hit on a UFA...sometimes you get Leino. Buy him out and move on.

Yeah, I thought the same thing last night. It's just not the same without "Cleared.....but not out."

That why you'll find (to my knowledge) most flat tax/fair tax proposals don't make a distinction between the individual and the company/corporation. Everyone and every entity is taxed at the same rate.

Understand how the progressive system works, it was just my sad attempt at humor. I applaud DeLuca for at least having an idea even though I may not agree with it. Couple of points I believe others have made, but really need to be stressed. For a number of reasons burdening a small minority of the populace with vast majority of the bill, simply won't work IMO. Similar to when a compnay does large layoffs. If you really want to make a financial gain, cutting management jobs won't get you there. There simply isn't enough of those people. You eventually have to "cut muscle" to make an effective change. Unfortunately, this is why it seems the "little guy" gets hosed anytime a corporation goes through a restructuring. It's a simple numbers game. Second, the truly rich have better accountants than the gov't. I don't have much respect for political math. I've dealt with enough gov't officials to know that their numbers are designed to tell their story (damn the math.) The gov't gives up an enormous amount of power moving to a simpler structure in the tax code and for that reason alone, I don't see it happening even if it is in the best interests of the country. So I guess what I'm really saying is that the people who are probably going to get squeezed are the one's making 200K-500K....who you can make an argument...are part of the middle class. They make a decent living, but not enough to hire the right firepower to get ultra creative with their holdings. I like the Fair Tax proposals (consumption based), but I think it depends too much on entities "paying it forward" when it comes to wages. I could find myself getting behind a flat tax, with limited transparent exemptions.

So making $99,999 is the place to be?