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znModeratorUPDATE (July 9, 2015): As this report went to press, a newly discovered email from a former Exxon employee revealed that the company was already factoring climate change into decisions about new fossil fuel extraction as early as 1981.
Former Exxon Employee Says Company Considered Climate Risks as Early as 1981
New Report Finds that Despite Decades of Scientific Warnings, Fossil Fuel Companies Continued to Mislead Public, PolicymakersCAMBRIDGE, Mass. (July 8, 2015)—Exxon employees considered how climate change should factor into decisions about new fossil fuel extraction as early as 1981, according to a former employee’s email the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) reviewed while researching a new report on fossil energy company lobbying campaigns.
Yet as the new report, The Climate Deception Dossiers, chronicles, Exxon and other major fossil fuel companies did not take action to disclose or reduce climate risks in the ensuing years, but instead actively misled the public and policymakers about them.
The new report reviews internal documents related to some of the world’s largest fossil fuel companies, including BP, Chevron, Conoco, ExxonMobil, Peabody Energy, Phillips, and Shell, spanning the course of 27 years—memos that have either been leaked to the public, come to light through lawsuits, or been disclosed through Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. The documents show that:
Companies have directly or indirectly spread climate disinformation for decades;
Corporate leaders knew the realities of climate science—that their products were harmful to people and the planet—but still actively deceived the public and denied this harm;
The campaign of deception continues, with some of the documents having surfaced as recently as in 2014 and 2015.UCS has made the complete collection of 85 internal memos—totaling more than 330 pages—available online.
In the email, the employee explains that, “Exxon first got interested in climate change in 1981 because it was seeking to develop the Natuna gas field off Indonesia.” He said the company knew the field was rich in carbon dioxide and that it could become the “largest point source of CO2 in the world,” accounting for 1 percent of projected global CO2 emissions.
It is not clear that any other companies were considering the climate effects of projects at such an early time.
Despite these internal deliberations as well as warnings from scientists, the report finds that company lobbyists continued to fight climate rules and spread misinformation about climate science. In 1995, the same former employee helped author one of the key documents highlighted in the report when he later worked for Mobil: a memo sent to the Global Climate Coalition (GCC), a fossil fuel lobbying group. The memo, which was distributed to representatives from member companies, warned unequivocally twenty years agothat burning the companies’ products was causing climate change and that the relevant science “is well established and cannot be denied.”
Writing in 2014, the former employee, who also served on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, lamented that he was unsuccessful in “trying to get them to recognize scientific reality.”
The email was sent in response to an inquiry from Ohio University’s Institute for Applied and Professional Ethics about how companies often fail to account for “un-priced externalities,” such as climate change. It was first published online (see item 3) in October of 2014, but has not received any outside notice until now.
UCS president Ken Kimmell, a former attorney and head of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, wrote in a blog post about the report that companies missed an opportunity to lead on climate change.
“Many fossil fuel companies haven’t been honest about the harms they have caused by extracting and selling products that place our climate in grave danger,” he wrote. “Instead of taking responsibility, they have either directly—or indirectly through trade and industry groups—sown doubt about the science of climate change and fought efforts to cut emissions.”
Indeed many of those same companies – including BP, Chevron, Conoco, Exxon, Mobil, Phillips, and Shell – were members of the American Petroleum Institute (API) in 1998 when the trade group drafted a plan to secretly support “independent” researchers who would publicly dispute established climate science. The trade group’s memo claimed that “victory” would be achieved when “average citizens ‘understand’ (recognize) uncertainties in climate science.”
As the UCS report chronicles, member companies continued to implement API’s plans even after they were exposed. For instance, freedom of information requests from Greenpeace and the Climate Investigations Center yielded documents earlier this year that showed how API, ExxonMobil and Southern Company, a utility, continued to fund at least one contrarian researcher – aerospace engineer Wei-Hock “Willie” Soon – for more than a decade through grants to the Smithsonian Institution. The Smithsonian responded to these revelations by promising to revisit policies governing outside research funding.
Other documents in the report highlight deceptive strategies fossil fuel companies have used to undermine climate policy, including forging documents and funding California groups that purport to advocate on behalf of drivers and taxpayers rather than oil companies.
The report’s release comes at a time of increased scrutiny on major fossil fuel companies. In response to shareholder pressure, Shell and BP have called for placing a price on carbon and supported resolutions that would require the companies to reexamine their business models to account for climate policy and to embrace greater transparency on climate lobbying. Meanwhile, ExxonMobil continues to reject such resolutions. At a May shareholder meeting, CEO Rex Tillerson also publicly criticized climate models and suggested that humans will simply adapt to climate change.
Fossil fuel companies’ support for trade and advocacy groups that dispute and distort climate science has also come under fire. UCS and ShareAction recently called on Shell to follow BP’s lead in leaving the American Legislative Exchange Council, a lobbying group highlighted in the report that routinely disseminates misinformation about climate science and policy to state legislators.
The UCS report calls on companies to stop supporting campaigns that spread misinformation about climate science and to end efforts to undermine climate policy. Nancy Cole, a report author and UCS’s campaign director for climate and energy, said companies should find more constructive paths forward.
“These companies aren’t just trying to block new polices, they’re trying to roll back clean energy and climate laws that are working and are widely supported by the public,” she said. “Climate change is already underway – and many communities are struggling to protect their residents and prepare for future changes. The deception simply must stop. It’s time for major carbon companies to become part of the solution.”
All the documents associated with the report are available online, along with a slideshow and related video.
The Union of Concerned Scientists puts rigorous, independent science to work to solve our planet’s most pressing problems. Joining with citizens across the country, we combine technical analysis and effective advocacy to create innovative, practical solutions for a healthy, safe, and sustainable future.
July 10, 2015 at 11:33 am in reply to: Rams select former Clemson OT Isaiah Battle in fifth round of supplemental draft #27153znModeratorgathered by RamBill
Louis Riddick @LRiddickESPN
I’ll give the #Rams credit – they knew their OL stunk & needed an infusion of healthy youth. Now..can they play, & when will Gurley b ready?
Ed Werder @EdwerderespnRams approach with Isaiah Battle. This is his final college year, spends with Rams, goes through offseason, then starts rookie year in 2016.
Nick Wagoner @nwagoner
May not be a more important figure at #Rams Park this summer than OL coach Paul Boudreau. Add another project to an ever-growing list.
NFLTradeRumors.co @nfltrade_rumors
Clemson OT Isaiah Battle Receiving 3rd Rd Grades, Could Be Lucky To Be Drafted In Round 4 http://bit.ly/1TnYoe1
Matt Miller @nfldraftscout
Good chance Clemson T Isaiah Battle is picked up today, but I did talk to multiple teams that do not like the off-field risk vs reward
Jason Cole @JasonColeBR
GM said today OT Isaiah Battle has a 3rd rd grade, but will be lucky to go 4th rd supplemental. “I wouldn’t touch him,” GM said. We’ll see
Ron Clements @Ron_Clements
#Rams announce they’re essentially slapping a redshirt on Isaiah Battle. “He’s going to … start his rookie season a year from now.”
znModeratorLinemen in camp now:
CENTER
Barnes (C)
Jones (C, & G?)
Rhaney (C)
Wang (C)GUARD
Saffold (G)
Bond (G)
Brown (G)
Wichman (G)GUARD/TACKLE SWINGMEN (note: Boudreau likes playing tackles at guard, so these guys are probably 1. in rotation to start at guard, & 2. depth at tackle)
Reynolds (G, & T?)
Washington (G, & T?)TACKLE
Robinson (T)
Havenstein (T)
Baker (T)
Donnal (T)
Darrell Williams (T)
Battle (T)Total = 16, including 7 rookies (Havenstein, Brown, Donnal, Wichman, Wang, Williams, & Battle)
and including 3 2nd year guys (Robinson, Rhaney, Baker)
Okay, barring injuries and someone completely tanking, I figure around(?) 13 of these guys make the combined roster/practice squad and/or IR stash.
That’s 10 on the regular roster, with 2-3 on the PS, with a “rookie redshirt IR” or 2 thrown in there.
Battle is not being counted on for this year. The Rams already said he was a redshirt. You have to wonder if he would make the PS without being picked up, so I predict he ends up on IR, with an elbow bruise or shampoo in the eyes or something like that.
You have to figure that the following will make it (barring all the things I barred)…not all necessarily as starters:
Robinson, Saffold, Reynolds, Havenstein, Brown.
So that leaves 5 more for the team, and anywhere from 3-5 on the PS + rookie redshirt IR.
And, they could still pick up someone. A low-cost reclamation project, maybe.
.,..
July 10, 2015 at 10:19 am in reply to: Rams select former Clemson OT Isaiah Battle in fifth round of supplemental draft #27150znModeratorI’m fine with that in the 5th Round.
I would not have teken him any higher though.Actually, interestingly enough, they couldn’t have if they wanted to. They weren’t going to spend a 1st or 2nd, obviously, but as it happens their 3rd and 4th are tied up. They might owe one or the other to the Eagles if Bradford doesn’t play 50% of the games.
July 10, 2015 at 6:46 am in reply to: Rams select former Clemson OT Isaiah Battle in fifth round of supplemental draft #27143znModeratorGordon: Rams wisely bolster O-line depth
By Jeff Gordon
By adding still another offensive tackle prospect to the pile, the Rams made their fan base feel somewhat better about their offensive line.
They made rare use of the NFL’s supplemental draft Thursday, burning a fifth-round pick in 2016 to select former Clemson tackle Isaiah Battle.
Battle was the only player taken in this supplemental draft and first player selected in this manner since star-crossed wide receiver Josh Gordon went to the Cleveland Browns in 2012. Every other NFL team “passed” on every round Thursday.
Battle played left tackle last season, starting 11 games and playing more snaps (824) than any other Tiger. He played in 27 games overall before leaving Clemson, saying he had “some family matters to address, with a child due this summer.”
Like most players who land in the supplemental draft, Battle had other off-field issues that jeopardized his college eligibility. Multiple reports cited failed drug tests as a mitigating circumstance for his early departure from college.
But most NFL teams sent a representative to his pro day workout Tuesday and Battle made his case. There was speculation he could go somewhere in the first four rounds, but he fell to the Rams with the eighth overall pick in Round 5.
Offensive line coach Paul Boudreau just got another prized pupil. Battle joins 2015 draft picks Rob Havenstein, Jamon Brown, Andrew Donnal and Cody Wichmann on the rookie-heavy unit.
Havenstein was running with the first team during Rams OTAs, thanks to his solid run blocking, while Brown moved inside as the No. 1 right guard.
CBSSports.com notes that Battle is something of a project, albeit an interesting one:
Physically speaking, Battle is exactly what NFL scouts are looking for at the tackle position. His combination of height (6-foot-6, 312 pounds), arm length (35 3/8″) and easy movement make Battle a potentially formidable pass blocker as edge rushers struggle to get around him. He’s also quick to the second level when run blocking and can re-direct to hit moving targets once there.
While undeniably gifted, Battle remains quite raw and some scouts questioned whether he had the competitiveness to ever take full advantage of his talent. Battle offers only average functional strength at this time and too often bends at the waist rather than at the knees, which leaves him vulnerable to the bull rush and counters back to the inside.
Concerns about Battle’s playing strength were only inflamed after he completed just 12 repetitions of 225 pounds at his Pro Day workout before cramping up. As a point of comparison, the lowest number of repetitions in the bench press by any tackle selected in the 2015 draft was 16 … from Havenstein.
So he has some work to do, having missed all of the offseason work leading up to the start of training camp later this month. But Battle appears to have the athletic potential to work out over the long haul with the Rams, assuming he stays out of trouble.
Battle’s upside as a pass blocker could prove critical if top 2014 draft pick Greg Robinson keeps struggling with that aspect of his game.
If he pans out, Battle will create a more competitive camp and allow the Rams to develop quality line depth. He is far more likely to do that one of the street free agents the Rams brought into the mix after last season.
And who knows, maybe they found a gem. The fifth-round pick in ’16 was a modest price to pay for real athletic potential. Battle has a chance to be the best of the rookie linemen
July 9, 2015 at 9:23 pm in reply to: Rams select former Clemson OT Isaiah Battle in fifth round of supplemental draft #27131znModeratorRams select Clemson OT in supplemental draft
By Jim Thomas
Turns out the Rams drafted five offensive linemen this offseason. In an unexpected move, the team selected former Clemson left tackle Isaiah Battle in the fifth round of Thursday’s NFL supplemental draft.
Battle, 6-6, 312, started 11 games for Clemson last season. But off-field issues and what Battle termed “family matters” caused him to apply for the supplemental draft in mid-June. The Rams sent scout Ted Monago to Battle’s pro day Tuesday and spent a lot of time talking with Clemson coaches and staff about him as well.
Battle is the first player selected by the Rams in the supplemental draft since the team moved to St. Louis in 1995. As a result of drafting Battle on Thursday, the Rams lose their fifth-round pick in 2016. He was the only player taken in the supplemental draft in the NFL this year. Every other team passed on making a selection.
The Rams will treat Battle’s 2015 season as the equivalent of a redshirt season according to general manager Les Snead.
“We felt it was a chance to get an earlier-round value for a later-round price due to the circumstances,” Snead said. “He’s going to practice what would’ve been his final year of college eligibility with us, go through our offseason program, and then start his rookie season a year from now.
“This will allow us to bring him along gradually both on and off the field. Now it’s up to Isaiah and us to go work to reach his potential as a person and player.”
It’s hard to know for sure given the circumstances, but early projections had Battle as a late-first, early-second prospect for the 2016 draft. All told, the native of Brooklyn, N.Y., played in 27 games with 15 starts for Clemson.
But the “family matters” _ namely a child due this summer according to ESPN _ and a police citation (but no arrest) for marijuana possession after being pulled over for speeding last month according to the Clemson Insider, led Battle to the supplemental draft.
In 2013, Battle had been suspended for punching a North Carolina State player.
Snead was driving through the Florida Panhandle, taking his son Logan to the Manning Passing Academy in Thibodaux, La., when he contacted the league office to make the pick.
Rams Chief Operating Officer Kevin Demoff was in Lake Tahoe, on the annual family vacation. Coach Jeff Fisher was fishing in Montana. So it’s not as if the Rams’ brass was huddled in the team’s draft room at Rams Park in Earth City for this one.
In the regular draft April 30-May 2, the Rams selected four offensive linemen: Wisconsin’s Rob Havenstein in Round 2; Louisville’s Jamon Brown in Round 3; Iowa’s Andrew Donnal in Round 4; and Fresno State’s Cody Wichmann in Round 6.
The Rams had only 89 players under contract prior to the supplemental draft, so they don’t have to free up a spot for Battle on the 90-man offseason roster.
July 9, 2015 at 8:17 pm in reply to: Rams select former Clemson OT Isaiah Battle in fifth round of supplemental draft #27129znModeratorIsaiah Battle picked by Rams, is 1st supplemental pick since 2012
Nick Wagoner
http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/13228050/st-louis-rams-pick-isaiah-battle-supplemental-draft
EARTH CITY, Mo. — The St. Louis Rams’ quest to add young talent to their offensive line continued Thursday when they used a fifth-round supplemental draft choice on former Clemson tackle Isaiah Battle.
Battle is the fifth offensive lineman the Rams have spent a draft choice on this year after they used four picks on the line in this year’s NFL draft. The Rams now forfeit their fifth-round choice in the 2016 NFL draft.
Pro Bowlers Rare From Supplemental Draft
Isaiah Battle became the 43rd player to be selected in the supplemental draft. Of the previous 42, only eight have been selected to a Pro Bowl and Cris Carter is the only one to become a Pro Football Hall of Famer.
Player Draft Year
Josh Gordon 2012
Ahmad Brooks 2006
Jamal Williams 1998
Mike Wahle 1998
Rob Moore 1990
Bobby Humphrey 1989
Cris Carter 1987
Bernie Kosar 1985
— Elias Sports BureauBattle is the first player taken in the supplemental draft since the Cleveland Browns selected receiver Josh Gordon in 2012 and becomes the 43rd player selected since the supplemental draft began. He’s also the first supplemental choice made by the Rams since they moved to St. Louis in 1995.
“We felt it was an opportunity to get an earlier round value for a later round price,” Rams general manager Les Snead said in a statement. “He’s going to practice what would’ve been his final year of college eligibility with us, go through our offseason program, and then start his rookie season a year from now. This will allow us to bring him along gradually both on and off the field. Now it’s up to Isaiah and us to go work to reach his potential as a person and player.”
The 6-foot-6, 312-pound Battle played left tackle for the Tigers, starting 11 games in 2014 and appearing in 27 in his three-year career. There, he earned a reputation for his run-blocking, as Clemson averaged 4.5 yards per carry running to the left versus 4 up the middle and 4.1 to the right, according to ESPN Stats & Information.
Battle entered the supplemental draft last month, saying he “had family matters to address,” and acknowledging he had a child due this summer. He also has been dealing with off-the-field issues. According to media reports, he was cited for possession of marijuana, speeding and lack of proof of insurance on June 11.
In 2013, Clemson suspended Battle for a game for throwing a punch a North Carolina State player. Last season, he was suspended for Clemson’s game against Syracuse for undisclosed disciplinary reasons.
Battle drew 26 teams to a pro day workout at Clemson on Tuesday.
In St. Louis, Battle will be expected to compete with the Rams’ many young offensive linemen. The team selected right tackle Rob Havenstein in the second round this year and left tackle Greg Robinson with the No. 2 overall pick in 2014. Swing tackle Garrett Reynolds signed as a free agent this offseason to backup Robinson and Havenstein.
The Rams now have five picks in next year’s draft (the fewest of any team), pending the outcome of a conditional choice traded to Philadelphia for quarterback Sam Bradford. If Bradford plays more than 50 percent of the snaps for the Eagles, the Rams would recoup that selection, which would be a third or fourth-round choice depending on how much Bradford plays.
The other six players eligible to be drafted Thursday were: West Georgia defensive tackle Dalvon Stuckey, West Georgia defensive end Darrius Caldwell, Houston defensive end Eric Eiland, UConn tight end Sean McQuillan, Kansas defensive back Kevin Short and North Carolina Central wide receiver/kick returner Adrian Wilkins.
Since they weren’t selected Thursday they become unrestricted free agents.
ESPN Stats & Information contributed to this report
July 9, 2015 at 7:47 pm in reply to: Rams select former Clemson OT Isaiah Battle in fifth round of supplemental draft #27127znModeratorRams select Battle in supplemental draft
July 9, 2015 at 2:15 pm in reply to: Rams select former Clemson OT Isaiah Battle in fifth round of supplemental draft #27110znModeratorhttp://walterfootball.com/images/fball/IBattle.jpg
Isaiah Battle, 6-7/290
Offensive Tackle
Clemson
Isaiah Battle Scouting Report
By Charlie CampbellStrengths:
Pass-protection skills
Quick
Agile
Good athlete
Balanced blocker
Quick feet
Good length
Starting left tackle attributes
Mobile to hit kick-out blocks
Can kick slide
Sustains pass blocksWeaknesses:
Significant off-the-field issues
Plays tall
Concerns about being coachable
Not a road-grading people mover
Needs more power
Should fill out his frameSummary: In the 2014 NFL Draft, the Clemson Tigers produced a good offensive line prospect in Brandon Thomas. Tajh Boyd’s blind-side protector was likely going to be a second-day pick before a torn ACL in a pre-draft workout dropped him in the draft. Thomas’ replacement with the Tigers was Isaiah Battle, a player with a natural skill set, but who is also a flawed prospect for different reasons. Battle carries character concerns, and after a quality 2014 season as the Tigers left tackle Battle has entered the 2015 NFL Supplemental Draft because of off-the-field issues.
Battle improved as the 2014 season progressed, and by the end of the year, he was a good left tackle for Clemson. Battle has excellent length with the quickness and athleticism to protect the edge. He is quick to handle speed rushers and does a nice job of sustaining his blocks once he gets his hands on the defender. Battle can hit kick-out blocks and get to the second level. Overall, he was a balanced blocker who improved with experience.
As a run- and pass-blocker, Battle needs more power. He should gain weight and fill out his frame. Battle needs more strength to move defenders in the ground game and anchor in the pass rush. If Battle were to be placed at right tackle, he definitely would need to get a lot stronger for the pros. In the NFL, Battle has the skill set to be a starting left tackle. The left side is a better fit for him immediately in 2015 if he is forced to play.
The off-the-field issues will definitely hurt the round value on where teams will consider him. According to sources, Battle had a couple of failed drug tests at Clemson. He also had a citation for marijuana this year when it was found on him after being pulled over speeding. League contacts say that Battle has some anger-management issues, and they don’t feel he is all that coachable. Battle is said to not react well to hard coaching.
According to sources, if Battle was in a normal draft class, and didn’t have off-the-field issues, he would grade out as a third-round pick from his tape. They like Battle’s length, athleticism and balance as a pass-blocker. They feel that 6-foot-7, 290-pounder needs some work, but he has the ability to develop into a starting left tackle in the NFL. Early on, he probably should be developed as a backup and serve as a swing tackle on game days.
In the 2015 NFL Supplemental Draft, teams generally move the grade down a round from their regular draft estimation. Then, the off-the-field issues are factored into the grade, and that will vary by team. From speaking with sources, it sounds like Battle can expect to be selected by a team probably using a fourth-or fifth-round pick.
Player Comparison: D’Brickashaw Ferguson. Battle is similar to Ferguson in being quick, athletic tackles with length. Ferguson has more power, and Battle needs to add that, but Ferguson has never been a road-grading, overpowering left tackle, and that could be the case for Battle as well.
znModeratorSouth Carolina House approves bill removing Confederate flag
Associated Press
http://news.yahoo.com/confederate-flags-fate-hands-south-carolina-house-083453016.html#
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The South Carolina House approved a bill removing the Confederate flag from the Capitol grounds, a stunning reversal in a state that was the first to leave the Union in 1860 and raised the flag again at its Statehouse more than 50 years ago to protest the civil rights movement.
———
Alabama governor orders Confederate flags taken down
http://www.cnn.com/2015/06/24/politics/alabama-governor-confederate-flags/Washington (CNN)Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley has directed that four Confederate flags be taken down from a Confederate memorial at the state capitol.
Bentley’s order comes just two days after South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley asked state lawmakers to remove the flag from her state’s capitol, and amid a seismic shift on the question of whether the flag should fly on government property, in the wake of last week’s church shooting in Charleston, South Carolina.
Nikki Haley calls for removal of Confederate flag from capitol grounds
Bentley spokeswoman Yasamie August told CNN that the flags were taken down because Bentley did not want to distract from legislative issues. August said the move will be permanent, but no other discussions are underway about the Confederate memorial itself.
The Birmingham News reports that workers quietly removed the flags at 8:20 a.m. Wednesday and declined to answer questions. Bentley later told the paper that the flags had “the potential to become a major distraction” as state leaders work through the state budget and other issues.
South Carolina has been the nexus of attention for the revived debate over the Confederate flag. But other southern states are reviewing their flags and the use of Confederate symbols on other official state items.
Mississippi voters elected in 2001 to keep the Confederate “bars and stars” as part of their state flag, but state lawmakers are renewing a push to remove it from the flag. Bipartisan leaders in Tennessee are also reviewing their state flag and looking to remove a bust of Nathan Bedford Forrest, the former Confederate general and Ku Klux Klan leader, which sits outside the state Senate chamber
—————
Confederate flag debate sweeps South
http://www.cnn.com/2015/06/23/politics/confederate-flags-southern-states-debate-legislators/
Washington (CNN)State legislators across the South are now taking up the debate over the prominence of the Confederate flag in their states after conservative leaders displayed a sudden swell of support on Monday for removing the Confederate flag from the State House grounds in South Carolina.
————-
Nascar Chairman Wants Confederate Flag Eliminated at Races
http://www.wsj.com/articles/nascar-chairman-wants-confederate-flag-eliminated-at-races-1435438884
Calling the Confederate flag an “insensitive symbol” he personally finds offensive, Nascar Chairman Brian France said the series will be aggressive in dissociating the symbol from its events.
“We want to go as far as we can to eliminate the presence of that flag,” France said Saturday. “I personally find it an offensive symbol, so there is no daylight how we feel about it, and our sensitivity to others who feel the same way.
“Obviously, we have our roots in the South, there are events in the South, it’s part of our history like it is for the country. But it needs to be just that, part of our history. It isn’t part of our future.[/quote]
————-
Rebellion Against the Confederate Flag and the Cost of Flying It
1 Jul, 2015
The call for the symbolic gesture of lowering the confederate flag from the South Carolina capitol certainly has not gone unnoticed in the Palmetto State or anywhere else in the U.S. And the ripple effect is being felt all the way through the world of sports.
According to South Carolina football coach Steve Spurrier, who spoke out against the flag’s presence back in 2007.
“My opinion is we don’t need the Confederate flag at our capitol,” Spurrier said, according to The Associated Press. “I don’t really know anybody that wants it there, but I guess there are a lot of South Carolinians that do want it there.”
Spurrier had made the comments in response to a fan waving a Confederate flag during a 2006 game against Tennessee. The game was spoiled, Spurrier said, by “some clown waving that dang, damn Confederate flag behind the TV set. And it was embarrassing to me and I know embarrassing to our state.”
The NCAA instituted a policy in 2001 barring South Carolina and Mississippi from hosting many postseason events — most prominently, the men’s and women’s NCAA basketball tournaments — because both states still flew the Confederate flag. In the 2015 women’s NCAA Tournament, however, the NCAA went against that policy and allowed South Carolina to host opening-round games, a move that drew protests from the NAACP.
Bleacher Report noted the flag issue shows no sign of slowing down. Within the last two weeks, the Supreme Court ruled Texas could ban use of the Confederate flag on custom license plates. Lawyers for the Native Americans who filed a trademark lawsuit against the Washington Redskins cited that ruling Tuesday as they continue to work against the NFL franchise regaining the copyright, per an Associated Press report.
Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Byron Maxwell, who grew up in Charleston, was another of the athletes to speak out on how the situation affects him.
“I remember just about every car had the Confederate flag when I was young,” Maxwell told Robert Klemko of the MMQB.com. “It’s something they’re proud of. If those things are still flying, how far have we really come? They want to say, it’s not hate, it’s heritage. But hate is the most important part of that heritage.”
———–
From retail stores to state houses, more say Confederate flag must go
“There’s huge competition between states like Georgia and South Carolina, which want to be hospitable to a diverse group of people and want to be attractive to businesses, which is why they’re increasingly realizing that having some kind of state endorsement of the Confederate flag is not getting them where they need to be in those two areas,” says Gibbs Knotts, a political scientist at the College of Charleston.
“There’s huge competition between states like Georgia and South Carolina, which want to be hospitable to a diverse group of people and want to be attractive to businesses, which is why they’re increasingly realizing that having some kind of state endorsement of the Confederate flag is not getting them where they need to be in those two areas,” says Gibbs Knotts, a political scientist at the College of Charleston.
Several South Carolina chambers of commerce urged the legislature to take the flag down, saying in a statement: “Now is the time to do away with the things that divide us and prevent our state from moving forward,” the Greenville, S.C., Chamber of Commerce, which helps recruit corporations to the region, wrote in a statement on Monday.
Other Southern states are also weighing whether the battle flag might be more appropriate as a museum piece. Mississippi legislators this week have begun to push for a change to the state flag, which incorporates the battle flag as part of the design, and Virginia’s governor called for the removal of the Confederate battle flag from state license plates.
In South Carolina, 50 percent of residents – a historic low – want the flag to remain on the state capitol grounds, according to a poll conducted before the shootings at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church. Some Southerners are tired of clinging to the symbols of the past, historians say.
“There’s a huge majority of the people I’ve met, including people who were born here [in Mississippi] and grew up here, that are tired of the whole Confederate thing, and who don’t want to have anything to do with the flag or the Confederacy,” says Ole Miss economist Jon Moen in Oxford.[/quote]
znModeratorI don’t know-maybe in some weird selective morality thing he genuinely does not believe in lying. As far as I know when this stuff all began coming out instead of denying it he was silent thus highlighting his culpability.
Or he thought any lie would be transparent since he had no demonstrable need for the drug as medication.
znModeratorSouth Carolina House approves bill removing Confederate flag
Associated Press
http://news.yahoo.com/confederate-flags-fate-hands-south-carolina-house-083453016.html#
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The South Carolina House approved a bill removing the Confederate flag from the Capitol grounds, a stunning reversal in a state that was the first to leave the Union in 1860 and raised the flag again at its Statehouse more than 50 years ago to protest the civil rights movement.
The move early Thursday came after more than 13 hours of passionate and contentious debate, and just weeks after the fatal shootings of nine black church members, including a state senator, at a Bible study in Charleston.
“South Carolina can remove the stain from our lives,” said 64-year-old Rep. Joe Neal, a black Democrat first elected in 1992. “I never thought in my lifetime I would see this.”
The House easily approved the Senate bill by a two-thirds margin (94-20), and the bill now goes to Republican Gov. Nikki Haley’s desk. She supports the measure, which calls for the banner to come down within 24 hours of her signature.
“It is a new day in South Carolina, a day we can all be proud of, a day that truly brings us all together as we continue to heal, as one people and one state,” Haley said in a statement.
Haley herself reversed her position on the flag, saying the pain, grief and grace of the families of the victims in the shooting at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal church caused her to realize that while some conservative whites saw the Confederate flag as a symbol of pride in their Southern ancestors, most of the blacks who make up a third of the state’s population see it as a dark reminder of a racist past.
The man charged in the shooting, Dylann Roof, brought that view home, telling survivors of the attack that he killed blacks because they were raping white women and taking over the country, according to witnesses. Roof also reportedly took photographs of himself holding the Confederate flag.
Earlier Wednesday, a group of Republicans had mounted opposition to immediately removing the flag, but at each turn, they were beaten back by a slightly larger, bipartisan group of legislators who believed there must be no delay.
As House members deliberated well into the night, there were tears of anger and shared memories of Civil War ancestors. Black Democrats, frustrated at being asked to show grace to Civil War soldiers as the debate wore on, warned the state was embarrassing itself.
Republican Rep. Jenny Horne reminded her colleagues she was a descendent of Confederate President Jefferson Davis, and scolded fellow members of her party for stalling the debate with dozens of amendments.
She cried as she remembered the funeral of her slain colleague state Sen. Clementa Pinckney, the pastor of Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal church, who was gunned down as his wife and daughter locked themselves in an office.
“For the widow of Sen. Pinckney and his two young daughters, that would be adding insult to injury and I will not be a part of it!” she screamed into a microphone.
She said later during a break she didn’t intend to speak but got frustrated with fellow Republicans.
Opponents of removing the flag talked about grandparents who passed down family treasures and lamented that the flag had been “hijacked” or “abducted” by racists.
Rep. Mike Pitts, who remembered playing with a Confederate ancestor’s cavalry sword while growing up, said for him the flag is a reminder of how dirt-poor Southern farmers fought Yankees not because they hated blacks or supported slavery, but because their land was being invaded.
Those soldiers should be respected just as soldiers who fought in the Middle East or Afghanistan, he said, recalling his own military service. Pitts then turned to a lawmaker he called a dear friend, recalling how his black colleague nearly died in Vietnam.
“I’m willing to move that flag at some point if it causes a twinge in the hearts of my friends,” Pitts said. “But I’ll ask for something in return.”
House Minority Leader Todd Rutherford said Democrats were united behind the Senate bill, which sends the flag to the state’s Confederate Relic Room — near the resting place for the rebel flag that flew over the Statehouse dome until it was taken down in 2000.
Democrats didn’t want any new flag going up because it “will be the new vestige of racism,” Rutherford said.
After a break around 8 p.m., Rutherford said Democrats were willing to let the other side make their points, but had grown tired. He said while much had been said about Confederate ancestors, “what we haven’t heard is talk about nine people slaughtered in a church.”
Democrats then finally began debating, saying they were angry with Republicans asking for grace for people who want to remember their Southern ancestors. Neal told of his ancestors, four brothers who were bought by slave owners with the last name Neal.
“The whole world is asking, is South Carolina really going to change, or will it hold to an ugly tradition of prejudice and discrimination and hide behind heritage as an excuse for it,” Neal said.
Other Democrats suggested any delay would let Ku Klux Klan members planning a rally July 18 a chance to dance around the Confederate flag.
“You don’t have to listen to me. But there are a whole lot of people outside this chamber watching,” Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter said.
The debate in the South Carolina House began less than a day after the U.S. House voted to ban the display of Confederate flags at historic federal cemeteries in the Deep South.
In Washington, the vote followed a brief debate on a measure funding the National Park Service, which maintains 14 national cemeteries, most of which contain graves of Civil War soldiers.
The proposal by California Democrat Jared Huffman would block the Park Service from allowing private groups to decorate the graves of Southern soldiers with Confederate flags in states that commemorate Confederate Memorial Day. The cemeteries affected are the Andersonville and Vicksburg cemeteries in Georgia and Mississippi.
Also Wednesday, state police said they were investigating an unspecified number of threats against South Carolina lawmakers debating the flag. Police Chief Mark Keel said lawmakers on both sides of the issue had been threatened, but he did not specify which ones.
July 8, 2015 at 11:06 pm in reply to: informal poll question: how many "re:" to informal polls during "down weeks"? #27090znModeratorI say 5.
Unless wv responds, in which case, I say, 42.
Of course if NE responds that would make it 23.
znModeratorBack on topic…to me, Haynesworth sounds both like he actually changed, AND like he is making excuses for some of his actions.
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July 8, 2015 at 11:26 am in reply to: Wagoner: Rams middle of the pack in Future Power Rankings #27072znModeratorThe ISSUE, the biggest reason to doubt this team, is the recent track record of Fisher’s leadership. It has not been good.
I don’t agree. To begin with, I think they stumbled last year because of repeated injury issues with 2 units: qb and OL.
IMO you have Bradford and a relatively healthy OL last year and they win more games.
Under those conditions, all the other issues might still exist in discussions like this but IMO they would take on a different significance.
So anyway I disagree then with the Wagoner comment you quote, or disagree with what to me he’s saying, though I don’t think it’s silly. Agree or disagree, I always respect Wagoner’s stuff. IMO he’s solid. Doesn’t mean I think he’s always right. But either way, I also don’t read him there as saying that JF’s reputation has taken a hit in league circles. To me that comment just looks like him commenting on espn power rankings, which as I see it, probably doesn’t have anything to do with what the league in general thinks.
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July 8, 2015 at 9:36 am in reply to: Poll: 70 percent of Americans believe news media is intentionally biased #27070znModeratorBut as soon as NPR “news” comes on, i turn it off. Makes me ill
faster than Fox News. I’m seriousHow come?
I mean I sort of know, but, I look forward to what you say about it.
znModerator. Ever tried to manually dig clay?
Just as a side-note, yes, once. When my family built a cabin in western ontario—a place about which there are many stories—we had to install the sewage tank ourselves. Bear in mind, to get to the cabin, you drove 20 miles up a gravel/dirt logging road, went off the road on a kind of car trail where you could park, then walked the rest of the way (1/4 a mile?) on a path to the cabin. All heavy stuff like the sewage tank was delivered by boat on the lake. We had to get the tank into the ground, and had to do it ourselves. I was a teen. Anyway we dug straight down to make a hole deep and long enough, and, after a few inches, it was all clay. When we got to the proper depth, you needed a step ladder to get out of the hole. That meant you had to dig, then raise the shovel over your head, and a younger brother would scrape the clay off the shovel. That’s not like being under a house—we were under air and trees. So it was nothing like your experience, except for just digging in clay. And yeah there was nothing easy about it.
This is the lake in question btw…a recent pic in fact, of my brother on the lake with one of his sons last summer I think. Next picture is a view of the lake from the shore in front of the cabin.
znModeratorYeah, it’s the whole site. Apparently the site’s been suspended by the hosting service. Maybe they exceeded their allotted bandwidth or started hogging resources. I can’t imagine it’s from lack of payment, but who knows.
Just out of conversational curiosity–who owns it now? I forget his name but I remember he’s canadian.
znModeratorExcept he doesn’t run as part of a tandem. His having to scramble is because he doesn’t have the time or the WRs. Put Luck on the Seahawks and he’s sacked more than when the Rams got to him in Indy. What Luck couldn’t do Wilson does routinely. I’ve seen Wilson make the passes necessary to win but without the O line and WRs the offense is dialed back into rushing and his scrambling. And they win. Where we really disagree is your “minimize his weaknesses”. He doesn’t have any. And this year he has Graham.
By “tandem” I mean this. Wilson is a threat to run, which means that defenses have to watch both Lynch and Wilson. I don’t agree that he just scrambles. I think there are designed run options built into their plays.
It helps for a lot of reason. For one Wilson has the 2nd highest percentage of play actions passes in relation to total attempts of any qb.
I think all things considered, the recent Seattle OL (with both Okung and Unger) is better than the Colts OL and at a minimum, certainly not worse than the Colts. Luck actually holds the ball longer per play than Wilson, which is quite something considering he doesn’t have much in the way of an OL. So I don’t see him getting sacked as the Seattle qb any more than he does as the Colts qb. And that’s already with him being 3rd in the league in attempts. Though Luck has 37 runs on passing plays to Wilson’s 52–with Wilson 1st and Luck 3rd.
Yeah we disagree on minimizing weaknesses. He has several. That’s why they don’t throw the ball. IMO they couldn’t win by relying on him to run a full-fledged passing offense.
July 7, 2015 at 11:46 pm in reply to: Wagoner: Rams betting big on unproven offensive linemen #27057znModeratorfrom off the net
==
RangerRam
well, in 1951 rams won world championship starting 5 rookies on o-line
so, stranger things have happenedznModeratorI went and looked. Same message. I assume that “account suspended” refers to the site.
I doubt the suspension, whatever it is, lasts long.
There would be no reason to lock this, but I think I know why you say that–being conscientious. It’s fine. We can discuss anything within the rules.
znModeratorThe ignorance about hydration back then, makes me cringe.
Football is tough enough without the gordon liddy crap.—
This article is not a “commentary.” I am just noting the irony.—
Did Prep Football Player Hydrate Himself to Death?
August 2014
The Atlanta Journal-Constitutionhttp://www.athleticbusiness.com/more-news/did-prep-football-player-hydrate-himself-to-death.html
The death of a Douglas County High School student who was hospitalized after a football practice has educators and athletic officials exploring additional safety measures for student athletes.
While the rare phenomenon of student athletes’ sudden deaths is not new, the case of 17-year-old Zyrees Oliver has started a new conversation. Until now, officials worried about youths not getting enough liquids. Family members of Oliver think he might have drunk too much water and other fluids after practice Aug. 5.
The cause of his death has not been officially determined, but the family reported he drank two gallons of water and two gallons of Gatorade before he collapsed. Oliver died early Monday after being removed from a ventilator.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has completed an autopsy, but it is waiting on additional lab results to determine the cause of death. Those results may take at least two weeks, GBI spokeswoman Sherry Lang said.
A family member reached Wednesday did not want to comment on the student’s death and referred The Atlanta Journal-Constitution to an attorney from the law firm Morgan & Morgan. The attorney did not return a telephone call for comment.
While Oliver’s principal and other officials are cautious in concluding his death was caused by overhydrating, “It’s certainly something that everybody needs to be aware of,” Douglas County High principal Tim Scott said.
Mike Emery, athletic director in Gwinnett County, which had 14,699 student-athletes last school year, said the district would have discussions with coaches and other officials at their next training session Sept. 6 about the dangers of overhydrating.
“If anything good can come out of this, it’s a discussion about the overconsumption of fluids,” Emery said.
Oliver may have suffered from hypervolemic hyponatremia, which is depleted sodium levels in the blood caused by fluid overload, said Robert Huggins, director of elite athlete health and performance at the Korey Stringer Institute at the University of Connecticut.
Sodium depletion affects the body’s electrolytes and can lead to dangerous health problems, including seizures and brain damage.
Overhydrating is among the top 10 causes of sudden death among athletes, Huggins said. The Stringer Institute is named after a former NFL player who died in 2001 from heat stroke. Overhydrating occurs more typically with marathon runners and triathletes when they are drinking at every rest stop, not football players.
The Georgia High School Association has set guidelines for coaches to restrict activities when the temperature is 82 degrees or hotter. The guidelines prescribe at least three rest breaks per hour, for example, and limit the equipment players can wear when temperatures reach toward the 90s.
RELATED: Protecting Athletes From Heat-Related Illnesses
GHSA executive director Gary Phillips said his group will also take a look into Oliver’s death to determine if anything in this case should lead to additional safety measures.
Oliver had medical issues in recent months, including cramping, dehydration and migraines, his family said in prior interviews. But Scott, the Douglas County High principal, said Tuesday that Oliver was “absolutely” cleared to practice and play.
Some school districts, such as Gwinnett, have trainers at every high school who assist coaches and guide students’ conditioning.
A recent survey of all 18,000 high schools nationwide found about 70 percent of high schools have access to athletic trainers, Huggins said. Thirty-seven percent of schools have a full-time trainer, and 31 percent have a part-time trainer, he said.
In Georgia, Huggins said 79 percent of the high schools that responded to the survey said they have access to a trainer. Smith said his school has a trainer, but he was unsure if the trainer attends all practices.
Phillips said his organization has had discussions with state lawmakers in recent years about having trainers in all Georgia high schools. The problem, he said, is trainers are funded by school districts and some rural districts cannot afford it.
“How do you pay for it?” he said.
Oliver had a 3.8 grade point average and dreamed of playing college football.
His family is trying to raise money to return him to his home state of New Jersey for burial. A fundraising page was started on the social media site GoFundMe. Oliver’s classmates are raising money at school.
“He was an excellent student and a great young man,” Scott said.
Athletes and hydration
Robert Huggins, director of elite athlete health and performance at the Korey Stringer Institute, offered some tips for coaches and trainers to monitor athletes during practices and games.
* Weigh athletes before and after practice to help create individual hydration plans.
* Consider sending athletes with “high sweat rates” or “salty sweaters” to a lab for sweat electrolyte tests, especially if they cramp frequently.
* Monitor the temperature during an athletic event or practice.
* Hire an athletic trainer to prevent, recognize and treat heat- and hydration-related illnesses.
Warm weather practices
Georgia has guidelines for practices and games if the temperature reaches certain levels. They include:
* At 87 degrees, the maximum practice time is two hours, and players are restricted to wearing helmets, shoulder pads and shorts. All conditioning must be done with all protective equipment removed. This year a stipulation was added allowing players to continue practicing in their football pants if the temperature hits 87 during the workout.
* At 90, the maximum practice time is one hour with no protective equipment worn during the workout. No conditioning activities are allowed.
* At 92, no outdoor activity is allowed until the temperature falls below 92.
Source: Georgia High School Association
July 7, 2015 at 8:01 pm in reply to: Poll: 70 percent of Americans believe news media is intentionally biased #27046znModeratorfar more unhappy these days than ever before for whatever reason
They crashed the economy.
That is a huge part of it.
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znModeratorWilson ranked 12th? Wilson is easily top 5.
We disagree on that. I think Wilson is in exactly the right circumstances for him, but, that he’s just not a top 5 qb. Around 10th-12th sounds right to me.
Of course he is in exactly the right circumstances but you mistake that as a plus for him. I don’t. He succeeds in spite of it which very few QBs can. Wilson’s O line is crap. He’s forced to scramble 900 yards a season and extends drives on his own initiative better than anyone, possibly ever. He has the arm strength. He has the accuracy. He has the mobility. He has the brains. Easily a top 5 QB and soon he will be paid as the top QB.
My opinion on this really does differ from your opinion on this. What I meant was he is in exactly the right circumstances for him. They have a strong running game with a tough RB, so that when HE runs it’s part of a tandem which divides defensive attention. The fact that they have such a strong running game means that he is routinely 31st or 32nd in the league in passing attempts. Plus playing on the same team with the 1st ranked defense means he is hardly ever under pressure to win by passing late.
Yes he can run out of trouble but then they have the luxury to do it that way because of the defense. And I have seen good qbs over the years who did that at the same level or better (Staubach, Montana, Young, Elway, etc.). So I to me he’s just not the best ever at it. Plus once Young and Elway got up to speed passing, they could also throw effectively at a level Wilson has not reached yet and IMO probably never will. BTW, then as now, qbs who scramble get sacked more, not less.
Top 5? I don’t see it. I see Manning, Brady, Rodgers, Brees, and Luck in the top 5. He’s on a lower tier than that, IMO.
To me, if you put Luck on the Seahawks, they would become an instant dynasty. Put Wilson on the Colts and he would be under more pressure to move the offense by passing, and the result would be they would struggle.
His OL is not crap. That’s myth. It’s decent. Or it was when they had both Okung and Unger.
To me he is in exactly the right circumstances to maximize his strength and minimize his weaknesses.
znModeratorWilson ranked 12th? Wilson is easily top 5.
We disagree on that. I think Wilson is in exactly the right circumstances for him, but, that he’s just not a top 5 qb. Around 10th-12th sounds right to me.
July 6, 2015 at 11:59 pm in reply to: Poll: 70 percent of Americans believe news media is intentionally biased #27017znModeratorI present in a manner no different than others. I post what I find interesting and that which might stimulate conversation. The facts I post are verifiable whereas the acceptance of the facts is a choice. I am well aware here my ideological premise can be a distinct minority.
Facts are often irrelevant to real discussion. And often not valid since we don’t research them ourselves. After all, at the end of the day, most people on boards like this are posting articles by others. They pre-select their sources. They have a way of seeing the world they want to have backed-up. They’re not really looking at all viewpoints and using commander spock style cold logic to sift through them. They’re cheerleading, to a greater or lesser extent.
Not that lying or being uninformed makes for good debate.
But, for example, what are the “facts” regarding american mass media discussions of something like the invasion of iraq?
On the original version of this board, before the war, we presented all kinds of evidence that there absolutely were no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and any claim there were was spurious, as was any claim that even if they DID have them those weapons would pose a direct threat to the USA.
And…there are people who STILL believe those WMD existed. The desire to believe overwhelmed any contrary evidence.
Poll: Half of Republicans still believe WMDs found in Iraq
By Kendall Breitman
1/7/15
http://www.politico.com/story/2015/01/poll-republicans-wmds-iraq-114016.html#ixzz3fAtFcNVB
In a Public Mind poll from Fairleigh Dickinson University released Wednesday, more than half of Republicans — 51 percent — and half of those who watch Fox News — 52 percent — say that they believe it to be “definitely true” or “probably true” that American forces found an active weapons of mass destruction program in Iraq.
znModeratorI also think that Chip Kelly’s decision to ship Foles out don’t necessarily reflect that badly on Foles. Ultimately, I think, Foles’s competitive package doesn’t fit Kelly’s offense that well. On the one hand, this makes his ’13 performance even more remarkable. On the other hand, I think that he will be much better off in the long run playing in a conventional, NFL-style offense. I just see him as the sort of guy who can play well in a traditional scheme with good talent and a stable context. I just see him as a guy who can be a step up from a limited but competent “game manager” guy. I just have a feeling he can be better than mid-table. I have a good feeling about the guy.
I agree with all the rest of your post, but especially that part. I see Bradford as a better fit with the Eagles than Foles was, but then I see the Rams situation as probably a better fit for Foles than the Eagles were.
I am more cautious about endorsing him than you, because I want to see him step up from 2014, but he does have things I like (he has three comeback games in 2014, which I kind of prize in assessing qbs).
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znModeratorStanton exposed the Rams weakness but he didn’t last.
Stanton went out, though, because he got injured.
With Stanton at qb, Arz could maintain its momentum.
…Not when they play the Rams twice a season.
There you go.
That’s the spirit.
znModeratorStanton exposed the Rams weakness but he didn’t last.
Stanton went out, though, because he got injured.
With Stanton at qb, Arz could maintain its momentum. They were 5-3 with him starting, including a loss to Denver and a loss to Seattle. The fact that he wasn’t that great is interesting—he completed 55% of his passes, had only a 2.9% TD percentage, and an avg. qb rating of 78.7.
So 5/3 with that is not too shabby.
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This reply was modified 10 years, 10 months ago by
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