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znModeratorUm, so, well . . . 20,000 leagues?
I used to wonder the same thing but maybe the 20000 leagues doesn’t refer to the depth but the distance travelled under the sea
From the wiki:
==
French: Vingt mille lieues sous les mers: Tour du monde sous-marin, literally Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas: An Underwater Tour of the World
The title refers to the distance traveled while under the sea and not to a depth, as 20,000 leagues is over six times the diameter, and nearly three times the circumference of the Earth. The greatest depth mentioned in the book is four leagues. (The book uses metric leagues, which are four kilometres each.) A literal translation of the French title would end in the plural “seas”, thus implying the “seven seas” through which the characters of the novel travel; however, the early English translations of the title used “sea”, meaning the ocean in general.
==
znModeratorNope.
Third to last paragraph. He is term limited.
May run for the Senate, but family in Maine says, “No way”.
ZN, do you think he has a chance at the Senate?
IMO? Not even in the slightest. He won the governor’s race with 37% because there was a third candidate.
July 22, 2016 at 4:52 pm in reply to: Another day of the GOP convention, another night of terror #49141znModeratorBut Americans dont want to “waste their votes” so
they will vote for a monster.No-one is twisting their voting-arms.
I will vote for Hillary because Trump is significantly worse and by a wide margin.
I will then join the “third party alternative” and/or “reform the dems” thing the day after the election.
That’s just me listing my vote. Not arguing. If I can’t talk anyone else into it, so be it.
If I catch flak for it here, so be that too.
July 22, 2016 at 11:06 am in reply to: Another day of the GOP convention, another night of terror #49125znModeratoroff the net from Ronald Schmidt, <political scientist who posts on Facebook
The damage done to the country by a Trump presidency has already started. His campaign exhorted Americans to racial violence, rabid misogyny, and self-pitying xenophobia; his speech last night told his supporters that they are right to have embraced those messages because their lives and their nation are in danger … and then he offered a solution. Not the solution of American ideals, or of solidarity with each other, or even of faith (which are the solutions offered by the campaign speeches throughout our history that we still remember). The solution he offered was himself, that he will be our voice, that he will “fix it.” This radical, militant, fascism has already done damage to the nation and to the lives of real people; the general campaign will make it worse. The cost of his election would be far greater. “Trump is telling his followers their racist gut instincts are right — and are the only thing that can save them. Donald Trump went to great lengths tonight to tie together ‘mass immigration, mass lawlessness,” and crime. He said this to a supporter base that often, cognitively, conflates ‘illegal immigrants’ with ‘immigrants,’ and ‘immigrants’ with ‘Latinos.’ He said this to supporters who sometimes feel they “just know” when someone else waiting in line at the employment office is ‘illegal.’ He told them they were right to feel overwhelmed and they were right to be afraid, and that if they weren’t careful they could be killed. By the same token, he told his audience of mostly white Americans — mainly living in racially segregated, low-crime suburban neighborhoods — that they should be extremely worried about being victimized by crime. The danger posed by Trump supporters going about their business armed with weaponized white fear is more Renisha McBrides and more Tamir Rices. It has a cost in nonwhite bodies and lives.” http://www.vox.com/2016/7/22/12254212/trump-rnc-speech-racist?utm_campaign=vox&utm_content=entry&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook
znModeratorIf anything in Maine I encounter the opposite prejudice. That is, it is widely assumed that the entire country outside of New England and New York is all just an overly religious version of the movie Deliverance.
That, of course, is not good either. But you picked a beautiful place to live, ZN.
I love the Blue Ridge Mountains, and we have a lot of beautiful vistas to enjoy here too. But it would be nice if my fellow leftist heathens had at least a bit more representation nearby.
;>)
I edited my last post, the one you’re responding to here, and I wonder if you saw it. I added the bit about being arrested at a political demonstrating opposing anti-choice demonstrators.
Anyway, Maine is beautiful, absolutely, and Portland is a great town, but, I can handle the cold. Actually southern coastal maine is not that cold. I am originally from Manitoba which was FAR colder, and I lived in Chicago which was also colder. Either way I like 4 seasons, I like snow, I like seeing the coastline in winter, it’s very Melville.
…
znModerator. I live in the South, and I’m surrounded by people on the rightward side of the political spectrum, along with a great many religious fundamentalists.
I know what you mean since I used to live in Louisiana and went to high school in Indiana.
In fact in Louisiana I used to live one mile from Jimmy Swaggart’s university.
For the record I felt the same way then, that I feel now. Even though then my activities included being in demonstrations that kept a women’s reproductive health issues clinic open, and that meant going toe to toe and face to face with a group that had been thrown out of the Pentacostal church for being too radical. (I kid you not.) I was even arrested at one of those events…chosen directly by the chief of police, who was present, to be arrested. (I didn’t do anything, but the other group had a couple of battery arrests and they were just balancing accounts. So I got singled out cause the chief of police was standing right there. No charges were filed.)
If anything in Maine I encounter the opposite prejudice. That is, it is widely assumed that the entire country outside of New England and New York is all just an overly religious version of the movie Deliverance.
znModeratorWarner, back for one last game at Dome, deserves a statue
By Jose de Jesus Ortiz
Although it has been six months since the National Football League voted to move the Rams out of his beloved St. Louis, the legendary Kurt Warner still finds it difficult to consider them the Los Angeles Rams.
As a broadcaster these days, he’ll eventually have to adjust. But he views the Rams like most folks in this area.
“I don’t know if it’s going to settle in until you actually see them,” he said. “When I think of the Rams I still think of them as St. Louis, not as the Los Angeles Rams. Me calling games now, it’s going to be weird.”
More than most, Warner appreciates just how much the people of St. Louis love their Rams. He lived it, felt it, embraced it.
Now the kid from Burlington, Iowa, wants to say thank you for the love and memories. He’s eager to play in Isaac Bruce’s Legends of the Dome game Saturday afternoon at the Dome at America’s Center.
“We always look for an excuse to get back to St. Louis because we feel like that community is so special to us,” Warner said. “I think the biggest thing is I’m hoping that a lot of people come out. It’s a great opportunity for us as players to say thanks for the memories.”
Bruce, who threw a perfect strike during the ceremonial first pitch at the Cardinals’ game Thursday, invited Warner and several former St. Louis Rams greats for the Legends of the Dome flag football game.
Stan Kroenke, arguably the most despised sports figure in St. Louis history, moved the Rams without having the decency to truly say goodbye to their loyal fans here.
The Legends of the Dome game will provide a great opportunity for fans to find closure.
St. Louis has already lost the football Cardinals and the Rams, and one must wonder if the NFL will ever find its way back to the Gateway to the West.
Whether the NFL returns or not, we must find a way to honor Warner beyond the Legends of the Dome game. There needs to be a statue of Warner to go along with the statues of other sports legends downtown.
We must honor Warner in the same way Blues legends Brett Hull, Al MacInnis and Bernie Federko are honored with statues in front of Scottrade Center. Most baseball fans here can tell you about the statues of Stan Musial, Bob Gibson, Lou Brock and other Cardinals legends outside Busch Stadium.
We must not let Kroenke’s greed deny us of an opportunity to leave a monument for local fans to remember one of the St. Louis Rams’ all-time greats.
To be clear, this is not my idea. Esteemed Post-Dispatch NFL writer Jim Thomas, who covered every St. Louis Rams game, mentioned this idea earlier this week when he gave me a lesson on the team’s history.
When I told Warner about Thomas’ idea, Warner appeared humbled by the suggestion.
“It’s more about people in that community and how they rallied around me and my family both off and on the field for many years,” Warner said. “I don’t even know how you think of or consider (statues and) that stuff. It’s about the people and the organization.
“It’s a tremendous honor any time you’re a part of something like that. When you leave you want to believe you left it better than when you got there and left a lasting impact that doesn’t leave when you step off the field.”
Warner definitely left his mark in St. Louis. His rags to riches story inspired legions of fans throughout the Midwest. Who doesn’t love a story of a guy reaching the NFL after spending three years with the Iowa Barnstormers?
Most Americans and perhaps even most folks in St. Louis had no idea that the Iowa Barnstormers even existed until Warner joined the Rams 18 years ago. I surely had no clue there was such a thing as an indoor football league back then. Did you?
Moreover, Warner’s University of Northern Iowa isn’t exactly known for pumping out NFL quarterbacks.
By now, Warner’s story is the stuff of legend. From stocking the shelves on the night crew at a Hy-Vee in Iowa to the Super Bowl with the Rams. You wouldn’t believe that story if you saw it in the movies.
Despite not being drafted by the NFL, Warner refused to abandon his dream. He honed his skills with the Barnstormers and then cherished every moment with the Rams.
Warner was the architect of the Greatest Show on Turf. He reached the NFL in 1998 and appeared in one game that season. Then he took over the starting spot in 1999 and led the Rams to the Super Bowl title that season.
He led the Rams to the Super Bowl two years later, falling to the New England Patriots 20-17. He threw for 32,344 yards in a 12-year career that included stints with the Giants and Arizona Cardinals. He still has a son living in St. Louis.
He also has his foundation here, so he and his wife Brenda return at least three times a year. He’s excited to see his old Rams teammates and their loyal fans this weekend.
“First of all it’s great to just go back and play a game back in St. Louis and say, ‘Thank you’ to the fans for the great support they gave us when I played there. It’s going to be special. And it’s always awesome to find an excuse to get together with the guys and reminisce.”
Warner doesn’t need any excuses to return to St. Louis, but it would nice to ask him back one day to unveil a much deserved statue here.
znModeratorzn, your argument is reminiscent of the argument used by gun rights advocates.
I have seen people of faith who do not buy into the fundamentalist program who can handle, with grace and sincere conviction, debates about the irrationality of religion. We all have. So “attacking religion” in general serves very little purpose.
I have seen gun owners who do not buy into the NRA program who can handle with grace and sincere conviction, debates about gun control. We all have. So attacking gun rights serves very little purpose.
Like most gun owners, most people of faith are reasonable people.
But that doesn’t counter the great amount of harm done by a very few hyper-religious people. Pence, Cruz, Santorum etc.
First I do note that “reasonable people of faith” (rpf) is a paradoxical name. And so be it.
I agree that the fact that there are reasonable people of faith (including people who post here) is not supposed to deflect our attention away from the harm many do in the name of religion. What it does do is maybe caution us about tossing out simple generalizations. So I don’t blame “religion” for anything. I do blame extremists and fundamentalists who do harm in the name of religion. Different thing.
Your analogy breaks down this way. With guns, the argument is, the fact that there are some who never cause harm is irrelevant. We want to regulate and limit the ways in which they can be kept and used. So for example open carry is an inherent social evil. Regardless how many do it right. There is no equivalent claim with religion since we’re not proposing to limit or ban it.
One reason we don’t want to generalize about religion per se is that it takes so many forms. Actually according to one poll a few years ago “just over half of scientists (51%) believe in some form of deity or higher power; specifically, 33% of scientists say they believe in God, while 18% believe in a universal spirit or higher power.” So for many, science and some kind of faith are not opposed things. This of course contradicts the idea that anti-scientific whack jobs dominate religion.
So I have no problem with resisting fundamentalist types who want to impose on us their right-wing christian version of sharia law. Who actively seek to limit the rights of women and gays etc. Who stand in the way of science. And so on.
It’s a war, really, though we’re better off winning it with votes than bullets.
But I think we just cloud the issues if we make “religion” the target. As I said reasonable people of faith post HERE.
And to be honest with you, as atheistic and philosophically materialist as I am (and I am), I count lectures from atheists about why religion is bad about the same as I count conversion sermons from the zealously religious. I don’t censor it, or try to hush it, but my eyes glaze over and I go to another room.
,,,
znModeratorPorn viewership hits all-time high in Cleveland during Republican National Convention
http://www.dailydot.com/layer8/cleveland-porn-rnc-donald-trump/
The party of Lincoln, it appears, is also the party of porn.
In Cleveland, where Donald Trump was nominated by his party’s delegates Tuesday afternoon, porn viewership has surpassed—for the first time—New York City, Miami, and Los Angeles, according to a leading adult-video streaming service.
The increase in Cleveland porn traffic during the Republican National Convention is allegedly 184 percent higher than usual, xHamster reports. Cleveland is making history in all sorts of ways, shattering its previous record for porn viewership while topping out at 873,294 views.
There are more people in Cleveland watching porn right now, xHamster says, than when the Cavaliers won the NBA championship (though, it’s not entirely clear what one has to do with the other).
Interestingly, “Trump” became a trending search topic on the pornographic site, revealing that even as party members break from the tumultuous climate of the convention, the 70-year-old real estate tycoon is never far from their hearts, or what have you.
“Kelly Trump” is also reportedly trending, perhaps reinvigorating the career of the 90s German porn star—who, as far as we know, has no relation to the Republican Party leader.
znModeratorBT and bnw…I took out a coupla posts that had personal barbs and flames. I figured I had posted warnings on that enough so this time I shot first. I know politics is volatile by nature but still. Other boards won’t even allow political discussion. We’re kind of an experiment to make it work. You don’t have to be forced fake civil but there are still a lot of degrees between that and openly shooting personal barbs.
My own feeling is that emotionally deeply held assumptions and a priori beliefs are behind a lot of political views, so that a lot of time, forcing the issue on this or that “fact” doesn’t touch the real thing propelling the discussion. Given that, it really does nothing but antagonize sometimes to demand answers to questions or challenges. If it were about reason it wouldn’t be human politics.
Yours sincerely, Deep Thinker Man
znModeratorFaith is scary? You guys are funny.
Belief in non-existent mythic creatures can often be, given what it causes humans to do in their names. Like, slaughter unbelievers, torture them, steal their lands in the name of one’s god. Go to war in the name of one’s god. Rationalize bigotry and discrimination in the name of one’s god, etc. Civil wars between members of the same “faith” that last centuries, etc. etc.
Organized religion has been the catalyst for more death, destruction and human suffering than any other organized anything, aside from capitalism, and the two go hand in hand all too often.
All of the above can be said of atheist communist dictators too of which I’m sure communist purges have done worse.
There never has been a “communist” nation, anywhere in the modern world.
Wow.
He’s strictly speaking accurate, b. What they had in the Soviet Union and have in China doesn’t meet the definition of communism. However, communism was never only what Marx said it was. The Soviets and Chinese converted the meaning into a militarized one-party bureaucratic state, and that’s part of the mix in talking about the history of communism.
But from a strict point of view looking at the original definition in Marx, no they weren’t what he called communism.
Personally I don’t think it matters. Depends on the point someone wants to make. The strict definition is real, and it’s fair to measure the Soviets by it, as bt did. But then also history morphs things. Our constitution didn’t set up a corporate dominated oligarchy, either, but here we are.
…
znModeratorLast dance at the Dome with Rams ‘Legends’ game
Jim Thomas
Mike Martz said there was a certain scent, a smell to the stadium. Nothing bad, mind you, but Martz always knew when he walked into the dome.
He remembers the buzz of anticipation when the fans started filing in and the Rams went through warmups.
“And the place was always full,” Martz said. “I think the biggest thing, the fans just wanted the team to be competitive. … For a time there it was the loudest stadium in the league, wasn’t it?”
It was. What’s now called the Dome at America’s Center won’t even be close to full Saturday. As of Wednesday afternoon, about 8,000 tickets had been sold for the Legends of the Dome game, and its 2 p.m. kickoff. A sizeable walk-up crowd is expected, and organizers for the charity flag football game are hoping for 15,000.
That’s a far cry from the 65,000, 66,000 who used to pack the place back in the day. But those who do attend Saturday will have a chance to say thank you, to say goodbye, and to mingle with more than three dozen former Rams players and coaches.
Owner Stan Kroenke and the Rams’ front office never said thank you, much less goodbye, on their way to greener pastures in Los Angeles. So Saturday’s event, the brainchild of wide receiver Isaac Bruce, will serve as one last curtain call.
“It’ll give us a chance to properly close down the dome, where we had so many great memories,” left tackle Orlando Pace said. “And say goodbye to some fans that really supported us. Isaac did a great job of planning, he and his foundation. I’m just excited to be a part of it and to see the guys and share in this last moment.”
Proceeds of the event will benefit the Isaac Bruce Foundation, which remains active in the St. Louis area. The foundation focuses on health, wellness, nutrition, fitness and education of youth. It awards college scholarships, provides transportation to college for those in need, and in partnership with Ready Readers provides books for pre-schoolers.
It’s not cheap to open the dome for business, and Bruce put himself and the financial viability of the foundation out there to host the event, with expenses well over six figures.
For most of the coaches and players, it’s probably their last time in the dome. For some, it might be their last time in St. Louis, period.
“Yeah, I would believe that,” Dick Vermeil said. “It could be the last time. You know what? I know they’ll share a great experience, and they’ll have a lot of great memories.
“I think the real, true Rams fans — NFL football fans — will enjoy meeting the guys at the one-on-one sessions on Saturday and that kind of thing. And at the same time, I think we’ll raise money for Isaac’s foundation which does so much good. It’s nice of Isaac to put it together.”
Those who purchased $100 premium tickets will have an opportunity to mingle with the players on the field from 11 a.m. till noon. Only 1,000 of those tickets were available, and they went quickly — within two hours of availability.
Gates open at 12:30 p.m. for those purchasing $15 and $20 general admission tickets, but those spectators will also have a chance to meet and mingle with players on the stadium concourse from 12:30 to 1:30.
Pace will be honored at halftime for his pending Hall of Fame induction.
The game will feature four quarters with a 20-minute running clock. The format is nine-on-nine, with no blitzing and only a three-man rush allowed. The players will wear reversible jerseys, so look for some “trades” throughout the game.
Martz, for one, would like to see Bruce, Holt, Ricky Proehl, and Az-Zahir Hakim — the wide receiver mainstays of the Greatest Show on Turf — all line up at least one more time together for old time’s sake.
Ever the offensive strategist, Martz asked tournament organizers if there were any limitations on the kind of formations he could use. That got Holt, Bruce and Dane Looker wondering if they should get back in their playbooks.
“It’s so ingrained in my head,” said quarterback Marc Bulger, who estimated he still knows 70 percent of the book.
As much as he would like to call plays Saturday, Martz said, “My understanding is I don’t really do anything. But I don’t know. If they ask me, absolutely. When in doubt, go deep.”
Martz’s daughter Emily and son David still live in St. Louis. Even so, he’s leaving a family reunion of sorts this weekend in Idaho — he splits time between there and San Diego — to make the Legends game.
Vermeil has a distant relative from France staying at his ranch outside Philadelphia but is breaking away for Saturday’s event. Holt had to finesse his way around a European trip.
But not everyone will make it. Various commitments prevented running back Marshall Faulk and linebacker London Fletcher from making the game. Running back Steven Jackson, defensive end Chris Long and linebacker James Laurinaitis were invited but couldn’t attend.
But there will be plenty of past mainstays on hand, including Hall of Famer Aeneas Williams, and the “Donut Bros.” — offensive linemen Adam Timmerman and Andy McCollum.
“They’ll probably be five boxes of Krispy Kremes in the locker room just for the two of them,” Martz chuckled.
Which would be fitting.
Some players will arrive in town early enough to take part in a charity golf tournament put on Friday by Mike “The Tackle” Jones at Union Hills Golf Course in Pevely.
There’s also a dinner for Legends players scheduled Friday night downtown.
And don’t be surprised if at some point over the weekend, Vermeil addresses the troops. As only he can.
“I hope so,” he said. “I hope I get the opportunity. You know I never can shut up. I enjoy ’em, I respect ’em, and admire ’em. I know what they went through to do what they did.”
LEGENDS ROSTER
Coaches • Dick Vermeil, Mike Martz, Jim Hanifan, Al Saunders
Quarterbacks • Kurt Warner, Marc Bulger, Dave Barr
Running back • Arlen Harris
Wide receivers • Isaac Bruce, Mike Furrey, Az-Zahir Hakim, Torry Holt, Tony Horne, Dane Looker, Shaun McDonald, Ricky Proehl, Derek Stanley
Tight ends • Ernie Conwell, Brandon Manumaleuna, Roland Williams
Offensive line • Wayne Gandy, Andy McCollum, Fred Miller, Orlando Pace, Adam Timmerman, Grant Williams
Defensive line • Ray Agnew, D’Marco Farr, Jeff Zgonina
Linebackers • Chris Draft, Mike Jones, Pisa Tinoisamoa
Secondary • Dre’ Bly, Jerametrius Butler, Rich Coady, Clifton Crosby, Billy Jenkins, Keith Lyle, Dexter McCleon, Aeneas Williams
Specialists • Sean Landeta, Chris Massey, Jeff Wilkins
znModeratorBradford exceeded the 85 passer rating threshold 8 times his rookie season when he was ROY.
I wonder if Goff can reach this benchmark in 2016?
Well done. Good addition.
And Bradford did it without receivers too. Once Clayton went out.
However, that TEAM could not win every time Bradford did that. (19th ranked defense. And unlike 2015, it was around 19th ranked all year. Until it started getting banged up, the 2015 defense was a top 10 unit for a lot of the season.) So anyway, back then, Bradford being minimally good did not always lead to wins…in fact, they won about half the time when he did that.
I get that your point wasn’t about W/Ls so I am not disagreeing with anything. Just adding to the conversation.
.
znModeratorOn the other hand, there are decently reasonable people of faith who do not go to war with science or resist the progress of human rights. Slaveholders used the bible to justify slavery, while insurgent slaves and abolitionists believed that god gave all individuals inherent dignity and rights.
What’s being complained about here, it looks like, is different forms of religious fundamentalism combined with a will to dominate politics and the social system.
It doesn’t all reduce to politically active conservative fundamentalists (be they politically engaged fundamentalist Christians or politically engaged fundamentalist Muslims etc….which are yes to me the same thing).
I have seen people of faith who do not buy into the fundamentalist program who can handle, with grace and sincere conviction, debates about the irrationality of religion. We all have. So “attacking religion” in general serves very little purpose.
znModeratorNo, not that. 85 QB Rating.
Those games were:
Foles:
2015-09-13 STL SEA W 34-31
2015-10-04 STL @ ARI W 24-22
2015-10-25 STL CLE W 24-6
2015-11-01 STL SFO W 27-6Keenum:
2015-12-17 STL TAM W 31-23
2015-12-27 STL @ SEA W 23-17znModeratorMy questions are rhetorical.
1) Burning the flag: “I have a severe dislike of what the flag stands for”.
2) Goals: ” I need for people to know how I feel”.
No need for me to do an exhaustive research on the subject.
Simplicity is not evil/
Neither is mutual misunderstanding.
July 21, 2016 at 1:48 am in reply to: Another day of the GOP convention, another night of terror #49048znModeratorTwo Times Mike Pence Brushed Off Science
http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/two-times-mike-pence-brushed-off-science/
As my boss Nate Silver wrote Thursday, most people in the U.S. don’t know much about Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, Donald Trump’s vice-presidential pick. That’s likely not the case among public health professionals, given Pence’s rather notorious recent history with public health policy.
Take, for example, an ongoing outbreak of HIV in southern Indiana. From December 2014 to May of this year, 191 cases of HIV, nearly all linked to the injection of the painkiller Opana, were found in Scott County, a rural area near the Kentucky border. Before the outbreak, there had been numerous deaths and known risks from the increase in injection drug use in the area for several years. Pence had long been a vocal opponent of needle exchange programs, which allow drug users to trade in used syringes for sterile ones in order to stop the spread of diseases, despite evidence that they work. Such programs were banned in the state when the outbreak started.
At the end of March last year, four months after the outbreak began, Pence declared a public health emergency, allowing needle exchanges to be opened in Scott County. Scott County Health Officer Dr. R. Kevin Rogers described the program as having “a tremendously positive and dramatic impact” and recently made a successful request to have the program extended until May 2017. At least four other counties have been allowed to start programs as well. Still, Pence hasn’t moved to lift the state ban on funding for needle exchanges and has made it clear in the past that he would veto any bill that tried to lift the ban statewide.
Pence has also shown a deep misunderstanding of basic public health principles in the past. In 2001, he wrote an op-ed declaring that “smoking doesn’t kill.” The evidence? “Two out of three smokers does not die from a smoking related illness.” Diseases are rarely the product of one thing. With lung cancer, for example, there’s a strong genetic component. Some people who don’t smoke will get lung cancer.1 Many people who do smoke will not. Relative risk, which measures the strength of the relationship between an exposure and a health outcome (smoking and lung cancer in this instance), is a funny thing; it can’t be used to measure the risk for an individual, only a group. And at that macro level, the risk of smoking is quite clear, as this oft-cited American Cancer Society chart shows.
Lung cancer isn’t even the most common negative health outcome from smoking. That distinction goes to vascular diseases that cause heart disease and/or stroke, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Pence’s home state of Indiana should be particularly concerned about tobacco: 23 percent of adults are smokers, the sixth-highest statewide rate in the United States. Fifteen percent of pregnant women smoke, nearly double the national average, and the state spent $2.93 billion in 2014 on health costs caused by cigarette smoking — more per capita than 31 other states, according to the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. Still, Indiana has a cigarette tax of just 99 cents,2 lower than 35 other states, despite a wealth of evidence showing that increasing taxes on tobacco reduces smoking rates.
When a tobacco tax hike was proposed this year in Indiana, Pence made it clear that he was not in favor. The tax increase was subsequently taken out of the bill.
All that said, Pence’s track record on public health likely won’t have an effect on the election. Only 37 percent of registered voters said that health care was extremely important to determining who they would vote for this election season, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation poll released Friday.
znModerator“Well, there’s the substantive-content of a person’s views,”
and that might be what ?
“and then there’s the ‘strategy’ they decide to use to further their goals.”
and their “goals” would be what?
Look them up.
I don’t think the rest of us noticed him or have heard of him before.
Simple google search.
znModeratorAaron Donald 2015 Season Highlights
znModeratorJuly 20, 2016 at 2:47 pm in reply to: Another day of the GOP convention, another night of terror #49030znModeratorJust yesterday I spoke with a patient of mine who is a very high ranking Democratic member of our New Mexico Statehouse and will be attending the Democratic Convention next week.
Even though I am a registered Republican (which I don’t think I ever told her that), we get along very well and have interesting and civil political discussions when she is in the office.
Yesterday, we discussed the presidential candidates and our total disgust with both of them.
Our nation is not at a very proud moment of history.All the same, there are differences that matter. So I pay attention to the policy level.
And if I may ask a personal question, are you going to vote, or refrain from voting?
You can choose not to answer that of course!
znModeratorLos Angeles Rams head to camp with all eyes on QB Jared Goff
Los Angeles Rams head to camp with all eyes on QB Jared Goff
The Los Angeles Rams open training camp July 27 at University of California-Irvine in Irvine, California. Here’s a closer look at the Rams’ camp, which will wrap up on Aug. 31.
Top storyline: There’s plenty to pick from here, including the team’s return to Los Angeles after an absence of more than two decades. But for that return to be successful, they need more production from the quarterback position. Enter rookie quarterback Jared Goff, the No. 1 overall pick whom the Rams traded six premium draft picks to move up and select. The Rams have been open about their desire for Goff to win the starting job sooner than later and he likely will, but his development through camp and the preseason will be critical in shaping the team’s expectations and season.
If the starting QB has a passer rating of 85 or above, the Rams will have a chance for their first winning record since 2003: In 2015, the Rams were 6-0 when their quarterback had a passer rating above 85 and 1-9 when it was below that threshold. They don’t need Goff to come in and dominate, they just need him to take care of the ball, make good decisions and occasionally come up with a big throw to keep the chains moving.
Player who will have fans buzzing: Sure, we could go with Aaron Donald or Todd Gurley but they had fans buzzing last year. Let’s go with new middle linebacker Alec Ogletree, who was on the verge of a breakout season last year before an injury. He brings a level of athleticism and speed to his new position that could help elevate the defense to the lofty expectations it has had for the past couple of seasons.
Position battle worth watching: The Rams lost free safety Rodney McLeod to the Philadelphia Eagles, and there’s no obvious replacement on the roster. But they’re planning to take a look at backups Cody Davis and Christian Bryant after that duo rotated with the first-team defense during organized team activities. They also have veterans like Donte Whitner and Dashon Goldson on speed dial in case they aren’t comfortable with Davis and/or Bryant. Don’t be surprised if this one is contested deep into the preseason.
That rookie should start: We’ve already covered Goff, and there’s probably not another rookie here that should be considered. But one could make the case that rookie tight end Tyler Higbee deserves to get plenty of opportunities right out of the gate. Higbee had some impressive moments in OTAs and some in the organization believe he might already be the best true pass-catching tight end on the roster.
Veteran whose job is in jeopardy: Kicker Greg Zuerlein is back after finishing last in the league among regular kickers in field goal accuracy a year ago. The Rams vowed to bring in competition for him and signed undrafted rookie Taylor Bertolet out of Texas A&M to push him. Whether Bertolet is a legitimate threat to win the job remains to be seen, but the Rams will be closely monitoring the position throughout camp and the preseason.
Dealing with defensive changes: Under coach Jeff Fisher, the Rams have emphasized dominating on defense but have never been able to elevate to that level, at least not statistically. This year, the expectations are high once again, but it’s fair to wonder if this group will take a step back because of the many changes it made in the offseason. They’ll have new starters at middle linebacker, defensive end, cornerback and free safety, and cornerback Trumaine Johnson, linebacker Mark Barron and end William Hayes will be taking on bigger roles. Make no mistake, there’s plenty of talent here, but there are also plenty of questions.
Gurley’s ceiling: Conventional wisdom says players who have had ACL injuries don’t get back to full strength both mentally and physically until they’re two years removed from surgery. Gurley will be close to that this season and will get to go through his first full training camp. Running backs coach Skip Peete said there’s no limit to what Gurley can accomplish in Year 2. The Rams would be wise to protect Gurley by giving him a breather here and there in camp, but having the extra on-field preparation should position him for a strong second season.
What fans will be saying after camp: Rams fans in Los Angeles will undoubtedly be saying how happy they are to have their team back. They’ll also be wondering whether this group is ready to take the next step beyond mediocrity into full-fledged contender. Chances are, the answer to that question will be no, but if Goff shows promise and the record remains mediocre, there will be real hope for the future.
July 19, 2016 at 2:32 pm in reply to: mayors speaking out about open carry, policing, blacklivesmatter, etc. #48992znModeratorPolice in Cleveland, Dallas, and Milwaukee push back against ‘open-carry’ gun laws
http://www.businessinsider.com/police-push-back-against-open-carry-gun-laws-2016-7
ASHINGTON (Reuters) – Tents, ladders, coolers, canned goods, tennis balls and bicycle locks are banned in the area surrounding the Republican National Convention in Cleveland.
But guns are fine.
When Ohio Governor John Kasich on Sunday rejected the Cleveland police union’s request to ban the open carrying of firearms near the Quicken Loans Arena, he weighed into a national debate pitting city authorities who contend with gun violence against state lawmakers who answer to gun-loving voters.
Law enforcement leaders in several major cities say municipalities should have to the power to suspend open-carry laws when needed to protect public safety. Currently, 15 of the 45 states that allow openly carried handguns give cities power to restrict those laws, according to a Reuters review of state statutes.
In Cleveland, police union head Steve Loomis said he made the request to protect officers following recent fatal shooting of three police officers in Louisiana on Sunday and the killing of five officers in Dallas on July 7. Kasich said he did not have the power to circumvent the state’s open-carry law.
A decade ago, all Ohio municipalities had the power to regulate how guns could be carried. Now, only the state legislature can do it.
In 2006, the state legislature passed a law denying cities the ability to restrict openly carried weapons, overriding the veto of then-Governor Bob Taft. Cleveland sued the state to try to win back that power, but lost in 2010.
Across the country, similar battles are playing out in states where municipal authorities, often backed by police departments, are clashing with state lawmakers over how to regulate the open carrying of firearms.
Dallas’s police chief drew criticism from gun rights advocates for saying open carriers made it more “challenging” for his officers to respond to a shooter who killed five policemen at a demonstration this month.
The debate occasionally transcends political ideology. Some opposition to open-carry gun laws comes from Republican politicians such as former Texas Governor Rick Perry, who said last year that he was not “fond of this open-carry concept.”
Police in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, have been trying and failing to restrict the open carrying of guns for years. The state attorney general argues that citizens have a constitutional right to publicly display weapons, which cannot be overruled by city authorities.
“I wish more of our legislators could see past the ideology,” said Milwaukee Police Chief Edward Flynn. “They have no concern about the impact in urban environments that are already plagued by too many guns and too much violence.”
Flynn attracted gun owners’ ire when he told his officers in 2009 to detain open carriers despite the attorney general’s ruling. Flynn said his department has since “adapted” to the state law.
Open-carry advocates say that criminals almost never openly carry firearms. And if law-abiding citizens fail to demonstrate their right to carry guns, they risk losing it, they add.
“We’re sympathetic to law enforcement being concerned about their safety, but that doesn’t mean we give up citizens’ rights just to make it easier to police large events,” said John Pierce, co-founder of national advocacy group OpenCarry.org.
Wisconsin state representative Bob Gannon said he personally is “not a fan” of the practice because it makes people uncomfortable. Still, he said, the right to carry guns in public spaces should be upheld because it is protected by the state constitution.
“The police chief is not an emperor for the state, and he should defer to the state statutes,” he said.
A demonstrator protesting the shooting death of Alton Sterling is detained by law enforcement near the headquarters of the Baton Rouge Police Department in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, U.S. July 9, 2016. REUTERS/Jonathan Bachman
A demonstrator protesting the shooting death of Alton Sterling is detained by law enforcement near the headquarters of the Baton Rouge Police Department in Baton Rouge, Louisiana Thomson ReutersIn states where cities can restrict open carry laws, they often have had to defend that right in court.
Colorado passed legislation in 2003 aimed at ensuring a state law on firearms supersedes local ordinances. Denver, the state capital, sued the state to make sure the laws would not affect the city’s longstanding ban on openly carrying firearms.
The city won in 2006 after a 3-3 ruling from the Colorado Supreme Court upheld a lower court ruling in favor of Denver.
“In some parts of rural Colorado, where there’s a lot of critters, some people really like the idea of open carry,” said Dan Montgomery, chief of police of the Denver suburb of Westminster for 25 years before leaving the force in 2010. “Certainly, even in the law enforcement community we have our arch conservatives who strongly believe in it, but for the vast majority of us, it’s problematic.”
Not all cities agree. After a man carrying a rifle opened fire in a Colorado Springs neighborhood last autumn, killing three bystanders, Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers said he had “no appetite” for tightening the city’s open-carry laws because he did not think such restrictions would improve public safety. Suthers declined to comment for this article.
UNPOPULAR WITH COPS
Little research has been done on the views of open-carry policies among police officers nationwide or even within states, which each regulate guns differently. But studies by two top police organizations in the past year provide some insight.
In Florida and Texas, where open-carry laws were recently debated in the state legislatures, surveys found that a majority of law enforcement leaders opposed them. Open-carry legislation was defeated in Florida but passed in Texas.
In Florida, open-carry advocates will almost certainly try to legalize it again next session, said Bob Gualtieri, chair of the legislative committee of the Florida Sheriffs’ Association, which represents the state’s 67 sheriffs.
The association took a vote on the issue this year and found three quarters of the 62 responding sheriffs opposed open carry.
A 2015 survey of about one-fifth of the police chiefs in Texas also found that three quarters of respondents opposed open carry, according to the state police chiefs’ association, which ran the survey.
The same year, the state legislature passed a law permitting firearm owners with a concealed-carry license to openly carry handguns.
Gualtieri said the Dallas shooting illustrated the way people who openly carry guns can hinder law enforcement responses to active shooter scenarios. Dallas police said up to 30 people were carrying rifles during a protest on the night that a man opened fire on police officers, complicating law enforcement’s attempts to identify the gunman.
“Not a single one of these people carrying firearms out there in Texas caught this guy in what he was doing,” Gualtieri said. “It drained law enforcement resources and subjected citizens to being unnecessarily taken into custody, and I think we should all be very grateful that nobody else got hurt.”
znModeratorThe problem isn’t the receivers so much as the Rams offensive philosophy- The modern passing game may as well be nuclear physics to the staff in past years. Hopefully, that changes in 2016.
Disagree. They threw the ball a higher percentage of the time when they had qbs. IN 2012 59% of their plays were passes. They became more run heavy last year.
The problem has been no receivers much of the time, and no qb much of the time.
July 19, 2016 at 11:46 am in reply to: Three Police Officers Dead, Three Wounded in Shooting in Baton Rouge #48987znModeratorLots of powerful stuff in this thread.
July 19, 2016 at 11:45 am in reply to: Three Police Officers Dead, Three Wounded in Shooting in Baton Rouge #48986znModeratorWoman arrested in Alton Sterling protests is key organizer of fallen officers vigil
A woman who was arrested last Sunday in a confrontational clash with law enforcement during protests over the death of Alton Sterling is now a key organizer in a vigil planned Wednesday to honor the slain police officers.
Blair Imani, 22, an LSU alumna and Muslim community activist, has been an outspoken critic of tactics used by Baton Rouge officers against protesters demonstrating in the wake of the death of Sterling, a 37-year-old man shot dead by police during a scuffle outside of the Triple S Food Mart.
But Imani said she’s against all brutality, including violence against police officers. And she said that this is not a situation where people have to choose sides.
“All violence is wrong,” she said. “Yes, I’ve always been against police brutality but violence is wrong and this is not the right way.”
The One Baton Rouge Vigil for Fallen Officers, co-organized by LSU Student Government, will be at 2 p.m. on Wednesday at LSU’s Memorial Tower. It’s to honor the three law enforcement officers Brad Garafola, Montrell Jackson and Matthew Gerald, who were killed by a 29-year-old Kansas City man identified by law enforcement as Gavin Eugene Long.
“Our community is in a seemingly perpetual state of mourning. Waking up to the headlines of yet another shooting less than a week after my arrest at a peaceful protest broke my heart,” Imani wrote on a Facebook event page promoting the vigil. “The senseless violence must cease, we must come together as a community in purposeful and meaningful ways. The first step toward rebuilding our broken community is for us to come together in mourning for all lives extinguished by senseless and tragic acts of violence.”
Other vigils planned include an 8 p.m. event at Healing Place Church on Monday, and at least three Tuesday vigils at 6:30 p.m. at Acacia Church on Siegen Lane, 7 p.m. at Christ Community Church on Juban Road in Denham Springs and 7:30 p.m. at Grace Church in Central.
Imani was arrested last Sunday in a peaceful protest, turned hostile showdown between protesters and law enforcement. Officers at the scene concerned about efforts to block roads and the interstate arrived in riot gear, using an Long Range Acoustic Device, sometimes called LRAD or sound bombs, and brandishing long guns and gas masks.
More than 50 people were arrested that night, including Imani.
Imani still stands by her previous comments to media that she was brutalized by police officers while being apprehended. But she said that doesn’t mean she can’t condemn violence on both sides.
“Violence is a part of the culture of America,” she said. “I’m tired of having two separate conversations about it.”
July 19, 2016 at 10:47 am in reply to: audio: Marc Bulger on playing with such good WRs & taking over from Kurt #48981znModeratorLucky for Marc he had such a great OLine
those last two yearsw
vI keep being surprised at how that issue gets overlooked.
The Rams had a string of OL injuries from 2007-9 that was like nothing any of us have seen. (The injury epidemic stopped in 2010 and then got going again in 2011, with a vengeance.)
And it’s obvious that the ineffective OLs took Bulger down with him. Not just in terms of injuries, but also in terms of his overall play.
And…no complaints from him.
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I’ve decided this will be on your tombstone:
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The Rams had a string of OL injuries from 2007-9 that was like nothing any of us have seen. (The injury epidemic stopped in 2010 and then got going again in 2011, with a vengeance.)
And it’s obvious that the ineffective OLs took Bulger down with him. Not just in terms of injuries, but also in terms of his overall play.
=========================+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++w
vBut answer me this.
Why is it so many people don’t “get” the broken OL issue.
I mean, you need a special qb with specific skills to play with a broken OL (Brady’ quick reads and quick passes, Wilson’s ability to run yet focus downfield).
But them guys is rare.
Most of the good to very good to elite qbs can’t play under those conditions. That includes Kurt, as he proved in NY in 2004. It even got to Luck in 2015 (and their OL was just mediocre, not broken and dreadful).
So.
Speculate.
Why don’t people get that.
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znModeratorBut in the context of a political forum, it can make fruitful discussion very difficult. Often pointless.
Which may be the very definition of a political forum, frankly.
To me, political discussion is about unstated premises and emotional reasoning. If it ever escaped that, it wouldn’t BE political discussion. I am being a little reductive but that’s okay for now.
The info you get is valuable but then that’s always angled in terms of perspectives. So I take the info as being about “what does it mean to be an informed leftist” and sometimes get into crossover issues.
I think it’s important in this day and age to stay informed and invested when it comes to issues of race and policing. I could list a thousand other issues. There you can try and sort out the mainstream propaganda from more trustworthy info and ideas.
But when it comes to voting for who’s in office…I generally find all you get is “character” stuff, and to me, that means it’s no different from the mainstream.
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