Leaderboard

Every time you repeat this it reinforces how much of a problem the police are.

It does. But being responsible does not guarantee food security in this country and a wealthy irresponsible person can grow up to be president. We want to believe that being a hard working responsible adult will assure a decent life. In reality it probably is for white people. Others, it's a great start, but there is still a ways to go. All in all a wealthy middle class loafing, irresponsible, coke blowing, white dude will out perform a tenth generation poor, responsible, hard working, non white dude. As SS pointed out and I will add to, the solution is building better adults rather than fixing messed up adults with a for profit justice and prison system. We have huge economic systems in place to make money on non violent offenders who are generally poor and uneducated.

It's hard to lift yourself up with a knee on your neck. Literally and metaphorically.

It is absolutely family structure. That family structure is a result of 400 years of discrimination and policies designed to make the black family a second class citizen in the United States. Generations of wealth concentrated in one structure doesn't change overnight. Neither do the repercussions of segregation and slavery. People whose lives were stunted due to segregation are still raising families. They still believe the system is stacked against them, and are teaching kids that education is worthless because the system was designed to make them fail. Then they turn on TV and see George Floyd getting choked out by a cop. They see that people with black names on resumes are less likely to get call backs than people with white names. They see themselves as more likely to go to jail for the same crimes than white people are. They see themselves pulled over and harassed more often than white people. The see a rich person commit discrimination, tax fraud and defraud a charity, but get elected President. You want to tell them their life experiences are invalid? I can't anymore. No poverty programs aren't going to push them into a higher social structure. But neither is the bootstraps myth.

Ah, yes....personal responsibility.....AKA turning societal discrimination of people who aren't your stereotypical white male into a character flaw. Using that argument assumes that everyone is on a level playing field, and that's nowhere near the case. To suggest that it is is naive at best, and perpetuating institutional discrimination at worst.

Ripping off a Facebook friend's post Man, white folks all over social media are big mad today. It's like they're all uncomfortable and angry about people making assumptions about their character because of their skin color, and I even saw where some of them don't feel safe to go out into the streets because they're white. Man, that must be a b****, huh?

Listening to Callis on the White Sox Talk podcast. - Mentions that right after pick 10 is where things get murky. - Notes that even though he mocked Bailey to the Sox himself weeks ago, he thinks that the interest/preference is over blown and that he doesn't think he's going to be the pick. - Says that there is a "persistent thought" that the Sox are in on one particular high school player, but who specifically that is, is unknown. Mentions Hassell, Hendrick, Howard, and Soderstrom. Also mentions Abel, Kelly, and Bitsko as possibilities. - From a college standpoint he says there is an outside chance Detmers gets to them, but if not, his gut says they are going to take one of the prep players listed above. - Callis thinks Detmers is the best player that could possibly fall to the White Sox at 11. Calls him the prototypical number 3 starter. - Suggests Ed Howard is a valid pick at 11. Has him ranked 15th. Says he doesn't have the loud carrying tool like Witt Jr or CJ Abrams. Has him being drafted in the 17-29 range. Thinks he might be pushed down the board due to the amount of solid college pitching available. - Says the position player he hears the most with the White Sox is Soderstrom. He thinks if they take a high school position player it will be him. Notes the history of high school catchers is bad and how often they switch off the position. Says Tyler can really really hit and is athletic. Profiles well at 3B. - Concludes Detmers or Soderstrom as the pick at this point.

Good. Now reopen Sandra Bland's case as well.

It's almost like you think they owe you something for all you pay for.

No, people like you need to stop looking down on people and teach adults and kids that the really do have a way out AND ACTUALLY MEAN IT. People raise their kids with no hope, because they have no hope. That's what 400 years of boot on your neck does to you.

As long as people think in terms of us and them, it will continue to be inequitable.

As far as leaving out other groups ... there's no history of slavery with them is there? If you could figure a way to do it, then give each of them $500,000. As far as the money not curing the problem, that would be really really be confusing if it didn't cure the problem. How could there still. be racial unrest if each person or family gets $1 million? That's a lot of money and quite a fair amount for reparations.

If you are looking for an easy one size fits all approach it isn't out there. Unfortunately we're trying to use the same law and punishment system on everyone. That doesn't work.

Yep. Punishing gang members without addressing the underlying reasons for gangs existing is counterproductive, and perpetuates poverty. Crime is a symptom, not the disease. The disease is the socioeconomic conditions that push people to become criminals because they can't support themselves legally.

I'm not certain underslot/overslot is a great idea in this draft especially in Shirley's maiden voyage.

For those trying to distinguish/learn more about the prep hitters that we are hearing mentioned, will share some BA scouting reports. https://www.baseballamerica.com/rankings/2020-mlb-draft-top-prospects/ Austin Hendrick: Robert Hassell: Tyler Soderstrom: Ed Howard:

Its a bit hokey, as it is was designed for kids, but this is a great way of putting the generational effects of poverty and discrimination into a skit. It is WAY bigger than personal responsibility as a society. At the very end, where you have the kids who don't even run, those are the kids who turn into adults who poison the next generation, and they take down the generation after that, etc. Why run a rigged race? There are A LOT of people who feel that way, and teach their kids the exact same thing. So while it is easy to say it isn't my fault they ended up that way, WE ALL are the ones who bear the greater burden. Who pays for them as adults who can't contribute to society? We all do.

That explains it. Cut from the same cloth... literally.

I read that

If this is true, I wonder if the Sox could underslot Howard in the 1st and overslot Kelley in the 2nd. I would like that a lot.

One of your finest posts, Jack. I would agree. 50 games? Cmon. Spice it up if it's just 50 games. So the first 10 games are whoever is best prepared and/or has the easiest schedule. The first 10 games probably entail many, many pitchers combining to work the nine innings, with the starters not ready to go deep in games. Now we got 40 games left. OK, I concede the next 30 should be pretty good baseball. Now we got 10 games left to make the playoffs. I'd think whoever has worked their pitching staffs into the best shape and has the easiest schedule would do well in the final 10. Of course with just 50 games, maybe most of the games or all the games are against divisional foes. I haven't read that yet.

They aren't allowed to strike. The owners are definitely dangling this as a possibility. If they don't agree on something, Manfred can theoretically say, "the season will be 50 games. You get prorated salaries. Play or don't". The owners are trying to divide and conquer. 65% of the league makes under $1 million. Those players get way more money in the sliding scale offer than they would playing 50 games. The owners think that the rank and file will convince the MLPBPA to take a deal. I've done my fair share of bashing Tony Clark. It's tough to represent a union made up of haves and have nots though. With that being said, there is some optimism. I've heard from people tonight that think 82 games, prorated salaries, deferrals for anyone making $10 million or more ultimately gets done. We're running out of time though.

Hey great. Now welcome to reality. We have built a society of disenfranchisement. There is a significant portion of the United States who literally don't have two parent stability. Many don't even have on around. So then what? As a society we have a choice, you can either pay in childhood to put kids into a position to succeed, or you can spend their adulthood paying for that failure. Incarceration, welfare, or education, pick one. We have generations of adults out there who can't teach their kids to read, let alone how to do math, science or anything that kids need in 2020. Too many kids are already starting from behind. If you forget about them, you build the next welfare generation and prison population.

I agree but allow me a couple observations after seeing both ends of the educational spectrum. I've taught at a very poor school and an affluent school. Poor as in colonias with home build walls, blankets for doors, and a communal water tap with hoses running through windows to provide water. I now teach kids leaving multimillion dollar homes. It's more than valuing education. Poor parents working two jobs to provide food and shelter just can't provide the same level of support as a full time mom. Most of the kids at the poorer school had no one at home to ensure of them doing much of anything. Rich parents hire tutors. College educated parents understand the system and how to get their child into the right colleges. The poor parents just don't have the background. Then there is the pressure on the kids to work at a young age. I taught a lot of migrant kids who basically could go to school from November to April. The rest of the year they were chasing paychecks with the rest of the family. It's what they did to survive. The families valued surviving over everything else. I know you didn't make this implication, but I just wanted to show that it isn't some character failing or shortcoming by the parents. But when so much of your time is spent providing food and shelter, other things, even very important things, just don't get the space they deserve.

That's the ultimate irony. You're making an argument that blacks have no hope, but I'm the one who's looking down on them? Have a good day. The weather is nice over here.

It would help if you would realize that the price of not getting people out of poverty IS the price all of the things that you listed. You are using this bootstraps mentality for people who don't have boots.

https://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/article/Man-critically-injured-by-Austin-police-during-15316983.php?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=mysa_afternoonheadlines&utm_content=news&stn=nf A couple things to notice: They were shooting at a person next to him and missed causing a critical injury. Comm Arts is a magnet school in my district. I can tell you he has to be a really smart kid. It's an all AP curriculum with really high standards. I taught next door and had their students on my golf team.

Greg you can't throw money at the problem like that ffs

A must read article by Ta-Neshi Coates of the Atlantic (he also just ended his run on Black Panther for Marvel). https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2014/06/the-case-for-reparations/361631/

I'm certain there are some that is to put three meals a day on the table and they feel like they aren't welcome in society. I also believe some have a choice and made a bad one. I find it impossible to paint them all with the same brush. But you seem to not have a problem at all combining them all in one group.

Not just that, he's deliberately choosing language there for a reason. Note that you said "Gang members" and he didn't...and he's repeated that term more than once in this thread.

I think I'm on the Hassell/Howard train for prep hitters. Though I wouldn't be disappointed in any of the prep bats that have been mentioned. The college bats that should be around for pick 11 are just underwhelming this year and it's time to restock the lower minors.

I don't have to worry too much about my safety, black folks have to whenever they leave home. That's why people are in the streets protesting. Enough is enough. Everyone affected is tired of being different in any way, whether it's skin color, being a non-Christian, being an immigrant, being disabled, being female, you name it.....being warped into some kind of character flaw. It's not having a victim mentality, it's acknowledging that there are serious societal roadblocks to overcoming poverty. No amount of mindset change, no amount of hard work, no amount of education...can overcome the societal roadblocks that exist for people who are different..... they can all do the best they can...but at some point, you have to stop pointing the finger at them and look in the mirror. What can you do to help create change? It starts by listening, and self reflecting.

I've told the story here before but it was life changing for me. Back during one of the Bulls championship season playoff games at the original stadium we arrived early for a Sunday afternoon game. We got an easy out at our usual lot facing the street and the high rises across the street. The weather was perfect and there were dozens of kids playing in the courtyard at the apartments. I believe that's Robert Taylor Homes. We had a six pack in the car and a couple beef sandwiches. We planned on obviously pregaming a bit. Just as I was about to pop up the first beer I see a couple beat cops slooooowly walking towards the car. Not wanting any trouble we hide the beer and wait, and wait, and wait. Damn those lazy ass cops walked so slow. Finally they get past us and we pop the first one. A couple minutes later we hear popping sounds and see kids running everywhere in that courtyard. I vividly remember a kid about sixteen scooping up a toddler in one smooth motion and keep running, ducking for cover. It looked chaotic and kids were diving around corners. Next I see those same two lazy ass cops running towards the gunshots with their guns pulled. #Respect. After about a dozen cops pulled up the parking lot attendant who we knew was an off duty CPD guy knocked on our window, "Why the hell didn't you morons duck? Did you think that windshield was going to safe your ass from a bullet? Didn't you hear me knocking on your car?" Nope, we were frozen. Later I was telling my wife about it and realized my kids would have no idea to run from those sounds. My kids would have no clue how to survive in that environment and as a parent I would not know how to help them. How good of a parent can anyone be living there? And later I scoured the Sun Times and Tribune. No news. Gunshots at a "project" isn't news. Just another day in the life.

It seems obvious to me but I should add the longer the season, the fewer teams should make the playoffs. The shorter the season, the more teams should make the playoffs.

As u all know I come up with direct simple solutions that some hate. The government has been spending a lotta money of late so bear with me on MY solution. OK quickly: a.) Kamala Harris, most of the candidates, I think Joe B as well, are for reparations. I think at that one debate they all were in favor of reparations. Personally I think the reparation cash NOW must be significant, not some amount like 1000 bucks. Because of these never-ending incidents of unabashed uncalled for murder of cops on African Americans, give $1 million dollars to each single African American person and $1 million total to every married African American "family." Somebody do the quick math for me how much money that would be (again remember the $$s going out during COVID; the amount is staggering and proves our government can print money and send it out). For once and all make this commitment to righting wrongs of the past and present. Hopefully the economy will survive giving $1 million to each person and/or family. This should eliminate the current hard hard feelings. Emphasize the word 'should.' That is a lot of money, folks. Finally b.) Vote in Biden over Trump this fall. We only have a few months to go. Be patient everybody. Have him appoint an African American person in each American city to a well paid position called "Police Watchdog" or some nicer term, Police Inspector. Paid for by tax money. They meet regularly with the police chief and in fact are required to have an office adjacent to the chief's office in EVERY city. And they have POWER like the chief to make decisions. That's it. Those are my two suggestions. The police watchdog duties will include REGULAR meetings with the community members. If the watchdog catches any internal grief from police or the chief (bullying) that person has the duty to call for a hearing immediately to get that crap stopped! What say you to my suggestions? I tried to keep them brief since I enflame a lot on here. Please point out why either of my ideas are good or bad. Everybody talks about solutions; at least I have two here that in MY MIND make some sense. It's going to take brainstorms and those are mine.

Mayo mock. More Bailey. Zzz. https://www.mlb.com/news/mlb-mock-draft-june-3?t=mlb-pipeline-coverage

You don’t have to thank me. I hope I was able to get some people to look outside themselves and see how the world treats minorities, especially black men and women. As a black person it’s frustrating that I have to do this so often. There’s someone from the forum who I talked to this this weekend and confronted because their immediate reaction to the protesting wasn’t the murder and brutality by the police but the property damage that happened in the city. I tried telling this person that there’s opportunist that are hijacking the movement to loot and steal but they kept blaming BLM and the protestors. I’m ashamed of myself for continuing to engage that person but a lost cause is a lost cause and I won’t make that mistake again. I hope that person gets that upset every time an innocent person of color is killed by the police but who am I kidding. If you want help out what’s going on, check out this link which will put you in contact with petitions and funding campaigns for some of black people who have recently been killed at the hands of police officers. Here’s the link: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/ While all this talk surrounding the MURDER of George Floyd is happening, we can’t get forget the MURDER of Breonna Taylor. She was an EMT and she was murdered by three police officers who busted the wrong residence. The police officers are still on the force at this moment in Louisville. Her donation fund is here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/9v4q2-justice-for-breonna-taylor I’ve been on the ground a lot the past five or six days doing what I can to help out the cause and to help other people across the city by doing supply runs and offering up shelter. This is the beginning of something and I’m proud to be a part of it.

“I must remind you that starving a child is violence. Neglecting school children is violence. Punishing a mother and her family is violence. Discrimination against a working man is violence. Ghetto housing is violence. Ignoring medical need is violence. Contempt for poverty is violence.” -Coretta Scott King, wife of a man who was murdered for his nonviolent advocacy.

Bingo. Also, though an incident of police brutality started the protests, it's about far more than only that at this point, given the number of people protesting in cities around the country. Besides overt racism, it's also about the following: Widespread economic disenfranchisement Mass Incarceration Commodification of every aspect of human life Placing a greater value on money, goods and services than human life. Placing too much value on individualism and not nearly enough on community and the humanity of their fellow human beings. And all of these things affect black people, then other minority groups a lot more than your average white folks....but even a subset of them are not immune from these injustices. All of the above are sins of the United States at this point in our history

Probably the best day Illinois has had since this started. 25k tests, under 1000 positives. Under 4%, near what you need for test and trace to be most effective

Because of the stimulus "checks" being sent out via debit cards I learned my mother-in-law has never used an ATM. It only took a few minutes but we were able to transfer the funds from the debit card to her bank account. The only fee was the home cooked dinner she promised me.

Typical draft smokescreen?

Yeah, I am all on the Detmers train. He appears to have really good control and swing and miss stuff. Plus he's a lefty. GRANTED, I'm only looking at his stats loll

Some more notes from Law's mock that stood out. - BAL is considering an underslot deal with Kjerstad to go overslot at pick 30. But if the Tigers go rogue, they will take Tork. - PIT has spent "a lot of time" on Abel and they don't want to go too safe with this pick. - If SD takes Meyer, don't be surprised to see him pitch in the majors if there is a season. - COL is on Hassell and Kjerstad and aren't keen on the arms that are around this pick range. - LAA could still take Detmers, and that Pete Crow is a dark-horse candidate for this spot. - Our boy Ed Howard goes to Arizona with pick 18. Teams in the 20's hope he falls to them but sources indicate he won't get out of the teens. - Kelley goes to the Braves at pick 25.

Law's mock up to 11.

Well they are also shooting cops as well. 4 shot last night in St. Louis. Then this wonderful guy decided to shoot a cop in Vegas last night. And a couple of cops got ran over in NYC. But yes lets defund the police because its the cool thing to say. Are there bad police sure. There are bad people all over. Remove the unions from protecting them.. Fire them. And prosecute them with the fullest extend of the law if they fuck up. But all of these assholes who are using this as an opportunity to play grand theft auto live edition and shoot police and loot businesses can go fuck themselves. If you buy into that this is acceptable then you are truly lost. And for all of those who think we dont need police and can defund them. Good luck with that. I hope you are ready for GTA live edition all the time.

They have to defund the police and redistribute that money into the most economically devastated communities. I'm glad to see all these organizations in Minnesota end their contracts with the police department.