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Viper

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Posts posted by Viper

  1. 33 minutes ago, SmokeyBear1861 said:

    You are arguing that he isn't a socialist, because he claims to be a democratic socialist? 

     

    I'm arguing there's a difference between socialist and democratic socialist/social democrat. This is obvious when you look at capitalist countries with social democrat ruling parties and policies (Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway,etc.) in Europe versus actual socialist countries (Venezuela, N.Korea, Zimbabwe, etc). They are both certainly on the farther left side of the spectrum, but it doesn't really help us convey and discuss ideas when we use one word to label such a disparate group of countries and persons.

  2. https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/2018/5/8/17330822/report-dallas-cowboys-rumors-scheduling-visit-from-free-agent-defensive-tackle-terrell-mcclain

    Quote

    Report: Terrell McClain is scheduling a visit with the Cowboys later this week

    Could a reunion be in the cards for the Cowboys and McClain?

    By Dave Halprin  May 8, 2018, 9:15am CDT
     

    Sometimes you don’t know you’ll miss someone until they are gone. That may be the case for the Dallas Cowboys and Terrell McClain. The former Cowboys player was recently released by Washington, and possibly could be headed for a reunion with his old team.

    ALERT: Source tells me #Cowboys have scheduled a visit to the Star this week with DT Terrell McClain. Team would love an affordable reunion here.

    — mike fisher ✭ (@fishsports) May 8, 2018

    McClain left after the 2016 season to play in Washington, who offered him an inflated four-year, $21 million deal. He had one disappointing season where he played out of postion before he was let go after Washington drafted two interior linemen at the end of April.

    The Cowboys need a 1-tech player for the rotation, and McClain was able to play well there when he was healthy for the Cowboys. The problem of injury is what kept McClain from really establishing himself in Dallas, although his 2016 season was very productive. The Cowboys run defense suffered last season and they need to improve in that area to be a truly solid defense. Drafting Leighton Vander Esch will help, but they need someone to help keep him clean up front.

    Dallas will have competition for his services. He already has two other teams interested.

    After spending time with the #Dolphins last week, free agent DT Terrell McClain is visiting the #49ers today, source said. Would be a solid late free agency add.

    — Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) May 7, 2018

    Former Cowboys starting DT Terrell McClain's visit to the Dolphins ended without a contract. But it remains a strong possibility down the road. Sides will keep in touch.

    — Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) May 7, 2018

     

  3. 17 minutes ago, 936horn said:

    While I haven't specifically searched like you are, I have noticed the same thing. You have millions of "Bernie Bros" who will tell you, "it's different!!!" but just like communism before it, it might sound good on paper but there are multiple REAL WORLD examples of why socialism is not a viable solution.

    Bernie isn't socialist, despite what he says. He's a social democrat. Venezuela is actual socialist. 

  4. Is it just me or is it odd that you can have any story about Venezuela's collapse and get this result?

    MYSTERY-600x236.png

     

    Honest question, that's 3 stories in this thread and all came up blank for 'socialist' and 'socialism', does that say something about the press, or am I just looking into it too much?

  5. Jesus Oklahoma is Fucked Up. I just can't even. 

     

    https://www.local10.com/news/national/mom-who-once-married-son-arrested-for-marrying-daughter

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    DUNCAN, Okla. - A mother who had once married her biological son is now going to jail for marrying her biological daughter.

    Patricia Ann Spann, 46, plead guilty to felony incest in Duncan, Okla. on Tuesday and will spend two years behind bars.

    Spann and her daughter, Misty Velvet Dawn Spann, 26, were married 17 months after same-sex marriage became legal in Oklahoma, reports The Oklahoman.

    The marriage between mother and daughter was annulled in October after Misty claimed her mom had checked with attorneys who said the marriage was legal. Patricia had even changed her last name to avoid interference from authorities.

    An employee with the Department of Human Services discovered the two were married and reported the couple to police.

    During the investigation into mother and daughter, it was found that Patricia had married one of her sons in 2008, but that marriage was annulled two years later at the son's request on grounds of incest.

    Patricia, who must register as a sex offender, had just reconnected with her children in 2014 after previously losing custody of Misty and two other siblings. 

     

  6. https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/2018/5/4/17313676/cowboys-2018-draft-film-review-of-second-round-pick-connor-williams

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    The 2018 NFL Draft is over, but we are not done reviewing the draft just yet! In the coming days, BTB will release film reviews on each player drafted by the Dallas Cowboys. This article features second-round pick Connor Williams out of Texas.


    For viewers of the 2017 Dallas Cowboys, one thing was clear - in comparison to past years the offensive line did not live up to expectations. Injuries and overall inconsistencies led to a dip for the 2017 group in comparison to the 2016 group.

    After the 2016 season, Doug Free retired and Ronald Leary signed elsewhere in free agency. Dallas needed to replace their left guard and right tackle. La’el Collins made the transition over to right tackle, showing more bright spots than rough patches in his first year at the position in the NFL. However, the Cowboys struggled at left guard with the duo of Jonathan Cooper and Chaz Green.

    Despite their lack of talent at the position, left tackle Tyron Smith was still able to help out whoever was at left guard. But once Smith’s back concerns starting kicking in, that is really when the bottom fell out for this group.

    Dallas knew that they needed to get back to their identity on the offensive side of the ball in the 2018 season. With the question of left guard, the Cowboys had a variety of directions they could have gone in to improve their group. After selecting the best player available on their board in Leighton Vander Esch in the first round, the Cowboys drafted another Day 1 starter at pick No. 50 in Texas’ Connor Williams.

    Despite being just 20-years-old, Williams has been a very productive and reliable player over the last few seasons with the Texas Longhorns. Williams moves extremely well. He’s fluid in his motions, has great footwork, and excellent technique to go along with it. On top of these traits, Williams displays good hand placement that allows him to bully and push around the defensive lineman across from him.

    Despite playing tackle during his college tenure, the Cowboys will take advantage of Williams’ lateral quickness, refined technique, and shorter arms, and instead use him at guard. There really is not a better situation in the NFL for a rookie to step into than play between Smith to his left and Travis Frederick to his right. Let’s take a look at some of Williams’ snaps to see what makes him special.

    At just 295 pounds, Williams has the mold and frame to stick with quicker pass rushers. Although he was beaten off the snap by this defensive end on this play, the good news is his recovery, hand placement and his ability to keep pace with him that leads to a nasty pancake block.

    Look how easy it is for Williams to stick with the man in front of him. He makes a nice initial punch, then moves laterally so efficiently. Each step is fluid and none are wasted. Williams can simply hover around with the opposition that are trying to get past him. It is quite impressive.

    Going back to his functional strength, Williams can handle a bull rush. Once initial contact is made, Williams has enough strength to set his feet and hold up the defender.

    Because his hands are so powerful and his footwork is so seamless, he is going to be a difficult player at the second level of the defense for linebackers to handle. In this clip, Williams makes his initial block, disengages and gets hold of an Oklahoma State linebacker and does not let up or let go.

     
     

    This clip provides a close-up of Williams’ combination of hand placement and balance. Williams does not give away his position. He does not lean or lunge into defenders. He instead engages, settles his feet, and punches with his hands to provide proper spacing. Leaning or lunging has given him some issues in college, one area where he needs to be more consistent.

    A contributor from the get-go at Texas, Williams is a refined offensive lineman that has been seasoned very well. He is ready to be a Day 1 starter in the NFL thanks to smooth footwork, lateral quickness, hand placement, and his intelligence.

    Due to his shorter arms, Williams will be better suited to play guard in the NFL. However, in the unfortunate event that the Cowboys get bitten by the injury bug upfront, there is no reason why Williams could not step down and provide an impact at tackle.

    Over the offseason, Williams would benefit from adding more core strength so he can have better opportunities tat leverage in the NFL. In Dallas’ heavy zone-blocking scheme, the Cowboys are going to get a player who can move quite well laterally.

    Drafted in the second round, the Cowboys got awesome value for a player that has the potential to make Pro Bowls in his NFL career. With the addition of Williams, the Cowboys should have no problem getting back to their ways of running the football and tiring out defenses.

    Games Watched: West Virginia (2017), Maryland (2017), Baylor (2016), Oklahoma State (2016).

     

    • Like 1
  7. 2 minutes ago, TornACL said:

    I didn't realize that Desmond Harrison also failed a drug test at the combine. LOL.

    yeah explains why no one took a flyer on him in the 6th or 7th.

  8. 15% off on ebay

    https://deals.kinja.com/its-back-save-15-on-nearly-anything-you-can-find-on-e-1825773422

     

    Quote

    Promo code PMAY4TH will take 15% off nearly any $50+ eBay order (gift cards, real estate, and actual money are excluded, sadly), with a generous $100 savings cap (it’s usually $50). That includes everything from video games from Best Buy’s eBay outlet, to Nintendo Switch consoles (they’re marked up, but still come out to $276 with the code, also available in Neon), to Dyson vacuums, to Star Wars LEGOs, to Xbox Live memberships, to that rare vintage comic book that you’ve been eyeing.

     

    There are also a bunch of Star Wars goods marked down to celebrate May the Fourth, and this code will work on them as well.

     

  9. I wouldn’t say I’ve been missing it, Bob.

     

    https://www.texastribune.org/2018/05/04/former-ut-austin-director-arrested-part-ongoing-fraud-investigation/

     

    Quote

    A former director at the University of Texas at Austin's law school was arrested Thursday for claiming he was showing up for work while he was actually galavanting in tourist hot spots like Cozumel, Las Vegas and the U.S. Virgin Islands, according to court documents and local law enforcement authorities. 

    Jason Shoumaker, the law school's facilities director until November 2017, is the subject of an ongoing probe by the Travis County District Attorney's Office and the Texas Rangers. Though Shoumaker was taken into custody Thursday over tampering charges, he is at the heart of a major fraud investigation – one that potentially involves "several million dollars of questionable expenses," a source familiar with the probe said. 

    UT-Austin spokesman Gary Susswein said the school is working closely with law enforcement authorities and is retaining outside counsel to "review all management issues and other concerns related to this case."

    "We take our responsibility as stewards of public dollars extremely seriously," Susswein said. "We also continue to work together with the district attorney’s office as it investigates all matters related to this case and appreciate the work they are doing."

    Shoumaker stands accused of six charges of tampering with government records – his time sheets – while on the payroll of one of the state's most prominent universities. His bond was set at $40,000 per charge, and he was asked to surrender his passport. 

    A call placed to Shoumaker's civil attorney and an email sent to Shoumaker's personal account went unreturned Thursday. 

    The District Attorney's office began investigating Shoumaker in August at the behest of university officials, who alleged he had committed fraud during his time at the UT law school, the state's most prestigious. Shoumaker – who was paid an annual salary of $80,000 before his firing – was placed on administrative leave in July 2017, after a string of internal complaints about his performance and chronic absenteeism. 

    As early as the spring of 2016, a supervisor said Shoumaker had "started to not be around" and "didn't seem to be doing his job anymore," according to the affidavit. 

    University auditors, managers and executives all accused Shoumaker of submitting time sheets that said he was clocking in at the law school even as his personal credit cards were being swiped in such far-flung destinations as Miami, Florida and California, the document says. 

    During multiple pay periods, Shoumaker logged regular 8-hour days with the university while he was actually cavorting out of state, according to the affidavit. 

    Charges between July 2016 and April 2017 included: $2,584.76 for an American Airlines flight to the U.S. Virgin Islands, $609.02 at the Wynn Las Vegas hotel, $39.76 at Jose Cuervo Tequila in Miami, Florida; and $88.50 at a lobster grill in Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.

    After listing a fusillade of March 2017 credit card charges made in Mexico, the affidavit notes: "Based on these facts the Affiant believes Shoumaker was not at work in Austin, Texas and had no state business in Cozumel, Mexico, on the dates he claimed to have worked." 

    Hired in July 2007, Shoumaker worked in UT's College of Communication before being promoted in May 2014 to be facilities director of the law school. 

    One of his colleagues there, according to the affidavit, said "there were many times she was unable to find him" and that she often 'covered [duties] for Jason,' as co-workers sometime do." 

    "Everything ok?" the colleague wrote to Shoumaker on April 3, 2017, according to the affidavit. 

    "Yes, on my way to work," Shoumaker texted in response. In fact, Shoumaker was likely in Las Vegas that day, the document says – citing a flurry of charges to his card that included $44.20 at a Hooters Restaurant and $81.00 for a professional massage.

    Disclosure: The University of Texas at Austin has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here

     

  10. Chips-a-hoy brings some cover for Holton Hill

    Spoiler
    What happened to Holton Hill on draft day?
    Lot of folks wondering how Texas’ 6-foot-2-plus cornerback Holton Hill, who had three non-offensive touchdowns and was the team’s fifth-leading tackler despite playing in only nine games, fell through the NFL Draft without being selected.
    Two sources close to the situation, including an NFL source, told Horns247 Hill had a “diluted” drug test at the NFL combine. One NFL source said Hill showed up “sick as a dog” to the combine and doctors gave him meds and told him to drink as much Gatorade as possible. And while a diluted test is not considered a positive test, it raised enough of a red flag with teams, some of whom had as high as a second-round grade on Hill, after they dug into Hill’s background and learned Hill had previous suspensions at UT for failed drug tests.
    Hill would’ve missed the first two games of next season under his last (six-game) suspension that cost him the final four games of 2017. The diluted test at the combine cost Hill dearly, because he now enters the NFL in its random drug-testing program. Other NFL players only land in the NFL’s drug program if they test positive during the league’s only test for street drugs - during training camp - when all players are aware it’s coming.
     
    As I reported in the Mailbag, if there was a place for Hill to land as an undrafted free agent and give his career a chance to get off the ground, it’s Minnesota with coach Mike Zimmer, who was handed one red-flag player after another as defensive coordinator of the Bengals (Vontez Burfect, Carlos Dunlap, Pacman Jones, Tank Johnson, etc.) and turned that defense into the No. 1-ranked unit in the league. I covered Zimmer when he was the defensive coordinator of the Cowboys and have remained in contact with him since. His daughter, Corri, was an intern of mine when she was going to school in Austin. Zimmer is as tough as they come. But once you prove yourself to the guy, he’d go through a wall for you. Ask 40-year-old Vikings’ cornerback Terence Newman, who has played for Zimmer since their days together in Dallas beginning in 2003. Newman, by the way, is a guy Hill could ultimately replace.
    There is obviously a movement being made by the NFL Players Association to take marijuana off the list of drugs players are tested for since it’s legal in some states. But until that happens (and some in the NFL think that will never happen), if Hill wants to be an NFL football player and is willing to change to have an NFL career, he’s with the right coach. If he can’t get right with Zimmer, and the NFLPA hasn’t changed the league’s drug policy, Hill might not get another chance. Hoping Hill gets the wake-up call, because Hill was popular among his teammates at Texas and was respected for his play on the field. (CHIP BROWN)

     

  11. Watched the first two episodes last night. It was actually good. Many funny parts, but not many jokes like I thought there would be. It actually seems very realistic and not exaggerated. Like Daniel-san's daughter does the stereotypical "throw a party while the parents are away" but it's actually just a bunch of kids playing in the pool and doesn't involve any sex/drugs/alcohol. Daniel-san is also kind of a jerk to Johnny, but not really mean, and you can tell her really cares. Like 

    Johnny is really awesome in the show too. His Rocky 3-esque driving montage was spot on and occupying this really interesting space between serious and a spoof.

    • Hook 'Em 1
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