Neutral Perspective: Climate Change is “real” and “not real?

REAL

Causes

Causes of Global Warming environment.nationalgeographic.com
“…Different greenhouse gases have very different heat-trapping abilities. Some of them can even trap more heat than CO2. A molecule of methane produces more than 20 times the warming of a molecule of CO2. Nitrous oxide is 300 times more powerful than CO2. Other gases, such as chlorofluorocarbons (which have been banned in much of the world because they also degrade the ozone layer), have heat-trapping potential thousands of times greater than CO2. But because their concentrations are much lower than CO2, none of these gases adds as much warmth to the atmosphere as CO2 does…”

-CO2

A blanket around the Earth from climate.nasa.gov
“..On Earth, human activities are changing the natural greenhouse. Over the last century the burning of fossil fuels like coal and oil has increased the concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2). This happens because the coal or oil burning process combines carbon with oxygen in the air to make CO2. To a lesser extent, the clearing of land for agriculture, industry, and other human activities have increased concentrations of greenhouse gases…”

-Livestock

COWSPIRACY – Official Trailer – HD


“COWSPIRACY: The Sustainability Secret (http://cowspiracy.com) is a groundbreaking feature-length environmental documentary following an intrepid filmmaker as he uncovers the most destructive industry facing the planet today, and investigates why the world’s leading environmental organizations are too afraid to talk about it.

Raising Beef Uses Ten Times More Resources Than Poultry, Dairy, Eggs or Pork By Rachel Nuwer smithsonian.com July 21, 2014
“…And then there’s the environmental side of things. Researchers estimate that livestock-based food production causes about one-fifth of all global greenhouse gas emissions. It also sucks up water and land for growing crops to feed livestock and for raising those animals..”

Good News Food
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1467640200128345/

Other Gases

-Methane

Mythbusters tests global warming theory – does CO2 warm air? , from youtube.com
‘Uploaded on Nov 15, 2009

They build transparent boxes, fill some with CO2 and methane, then monitor temperature differences.”

Other Causes Interrelated

-Deforestation

=>Palm Oil
Foods Focus: Palm Oil Benefits and Effects? goodnewshealthandfitness.wordpress.com

Is Harvesting Palm Oil Destroying the Rainforests? scientificamerican.com
Is the increased use of palm oil-based consumer products putting the rainforests at risk?
“..But to produce palm oil in large enough quantities to meet growing demand, farmers across Southeast Asia have been clearing huge swaths of biodiversity-rich tropical rainforest to make room for massive palm plantations. Today palm oil production is the largest cause of deforestation in Indonesia and other equatorial countries with dwindling expanses of tropical rainforest. Indonesia’s endangered orangutan population, which depends upon the rainforest, has dwindled by as much as 50 percent in recent years.

The clearing of these forests is a big factor in global warming, given how much carbon dioxide (CO2) trees store when left alone. Once forests are cut, tons of CO2 heads skyward where it does the most harm. Also, when not replaced by palm oil plantations, rainforests help maintain water resources by absorbing rainfall and then releasing it into streams and rivers, thus minimizing flooding and soil depletion…”
Palm oil – deforestation for everyday products rainforest-rescue.org
“Palm oil is literally everywhere – in our foods, cosmetics, cleaning products and fuels. It’s a source of huge profits for multinational corporations, while at the same time destroying the livelihoods of smallholders. Displacement of indigenous peoples, deforestation and loss of biodiversity are all consequences of our palm oil consumption. How could it come to this? And what can we do in everyday life to protect people and nature?…”
Ubiquitous Palm Oil:
Products with Palm Oil
& Its Derivatives
schusterinstituteinvestigations.org
“..Shortenings

Vanaspati (vegetable ghee)

Margarines

Frying fats

Cooking oil (hot climate)

Specialty fats for coatings

Ice cream

Cookies

Crackers

Cake mixes

Icing

Instant noodles

Non-dairy creamer

Biscuits

Dough fat

…..

Biofuel

The European Union (EU), which is the largest producer and consumer of biodiesel, has drastically increased its imports of rapeseed and palm oil, says Rabobank in its report, because it cannot produce enough rapeseed domestically to meet biodiesel demand. ..”
7 Things You Use Every Day That Contain Palm Oil Nov 13, 2016 | Sophia Lepore takepart.com
The seemingly inescapable ingredient is responsible for deforestation and wildlife endangerment.
“..People don’t usually think about the destruction of rainforests while washing their hands, applying lipstick, or doing laundry. But thanks to high demand for products containing palm oil, which is derived from the fruit of the oil palm tree, consumers are inadvertently contributing to deforestation.

Companies in countries such as Indonesia burn or chop down forests to make way for palm oil plantations. The result is severe habitat loss for orangutans and other endangered creatures. Land loss to meet the high demand for palm oil also threatens indigenous tribes because of reduced hunting area. How ubiquitous is palm oil? Here are seven everyday items that contain it.
..”

How Many Products with Palm Oil Do I Use in a Day?
, Lael Goodman, analyst, Tropical Forest & Climate Initiative | April 3, 2014, 10:21 am EDT blog.ucsusa.org
“…Luckily, a lot of companies whose brands I use have already begun stepping up to the challenge by making commitments to ensure that the palm oil they use is free of deforestation and peatland destruction. I know my Colgate-Palmolive toothpaste, L’Oréal conditioner, Kellogg’s cereal, and Unilever soap, lotion, and cream are made by companies who have made this public commitment, making my daily routine a little more sustainable.

Click here to send an email to other companies urging them to make a deforestation and peat-free palm oil commitment.
..”

Movies

Before the Flood
“From Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Fisher Stevens and Academy Award®-winning actor, environmental activist and U.N. Messenger of Peace Leonardo DiCaprio, Before the Flood presents a riveting account of the dramatic changes now occurring around the world due to climate change, as well as the actions we as individuals and as a society can take to prevent the disruption of life on our planet. Beyond the steps we can take as individuals, the film urges viewers to push their elected officials in supporting the use of alternative energy sources such as solar and wind power. “We need everyone to demand bold action from their political leaders and to elect representatives who have their best interests at heart, not the interests of corporations to perpetuate a cycle of greed and destruction,” says DiCaprio. “This documentary shows how interconnected the fate of all humanity is — but also the power we all possess as individuals to build a better future for our planet.”..”

Before the Flood Official Trailer #1 (2016) Leonardo DiCaprio Documentary Movie HD

Review: 7 key scenes in Leonardo DiCaprio’s climate film Before the Flood carbonbrief.org

Community Dialogue

Documentary that includes Morris set for Feb. 11 broadcast
By news@stevenscountytimes.com on Feb 9, 2018 at 9:02 p.m. stevenscountytimes.com
“..

A documentary on a partnership between five Minnesota cities including Morris and their partner cities in Germany will have its broadcast premiere at 8 a.m. on Feb. 11 on TPT 2 and 7 p.m. on Feb. 11 on TPT MN.

Morris is one of five Minnesota cities in the Climate Smart Municipalities initiative. Morris is paired with Saerbeck, Germany, to work on options to address climate change. The initiative is sponsored by the University of Minnesota Institute on the Environment.

The documentary called “Climate Smart” Cities Working Together” illustrates how cities such as Morris are “tying their communities” effort toward sustainability to the practical efforts underway in Germany, IonE director of international partnerships Sabine Engel said a news release.

Troy Goodnough of the office of sustainability at the University of Minnesota Morris is one of the participants in the Morris and Germany partnership. Goodnough, along with city officials and others, is an integral part of the Morris Model which explores and develops options to address climate change and its impact in the community.

The documentary is an opportunity for the community to learn more about the city’s partnership with Saerbeck, Goodnough said.

Goodnough was a part of a delegation that visited to Saerbeck in January to learn more about the city’s bioenergy park.

Goodnough said the two cities have much to offer each other not only in a cultural exchange but in technical assistance to address climate change.”

PROOF

Residents Of This Sinking Island Raise Thousands After Trump Says It’s Not Sinking
KARE 10:27 AM. CDT June 19, 2017 kare11.com
“Residents take matters into their own hands hoping the President will build them a wall – not that kind of wall but a sea wall. Angeli Kakade (@angelikakade) has the story.”

Solution

‘We need to eat the babies’ says woman to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

582,448 views•Oct 4, 2019

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The Sun
366K subscribers
This is the unusual moment a woman stood up to urge Democrat Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to adopt a new campaign slogan, “we need to eat the babies.”

YOUTH

Global Climate Protest – I’ve Never Seen Children So Passionate About Our Future 🌱👊🙏🏼♥️😊

Fake News Trolls Are Trying To Tie Greta Thunberg To George Soros
September 25, 2019 By Aiden Pink forward.com
‘…But the original image actually showed Thunberg posing with fellow climate change activist Al Gore, the former vice president. Someone superimposed Soros’s head on Gore’s body.

According to AFP, the faked image, alongside a claim that Thumberg was Soros’s granddaughter, was first seen on the French website SecretNews, which describes itself as “a collaborative, independent parody media outlet that brings together several contributors.”

Soros, who is Jewish, is frequently the subject of conspiracy theories, many of them anti-Semitic in nature…”

NEUTRAL

-Debate

Bill Nye Scolds CNN for Pitting Him Against a Climate-Change Denier April 23, 2017 10:01 pm By Emma Barrie vulture.com
“..Nye, who is obviously a climate-change believer, because he’s, like, a science guy, had to face off with William Happer, a physicist and Trump’s potential top science adviser, who argued that carbon dioxide is good because people couldn’t possibly be polluting the planet. Yeah, totally! (Hold on, just going to pull a sea turtle out of these six-pack rings.) “There’s this myth that’s developed around carbon dioxide that it’s a pollutant,” Happer said, “but you and I both exhale carbon dioxide with every breath. Each of us emits about two pounds of carbon dioxide a day, so are we polluting the planet?”

After that, it looked like Bill Nye’s head was about to spin. “I will say, much as I love the CNN, you’re doing a disservice by having one climate change skeptic, and not 97 or 98 scientists or engineers concerned about climate change,” Nye said.

Happer later compared the Paris Agreement on climate change with the Munich Agreement and Nazi appeasement, which made everyone else’s head spin, too! Just watch the video above. And then go recycle something..”

John Stossel – Chill Out About Global Warming


“Published on Jan 29, 2014

“Bill Nye The Science Guy” is frantic about global warming. Marc Morano (Climate Depot publisher) is a bit skeptical. John Stossel hosts a discussion on the hottest issue on earth. http://www.LibertyPen.com”

Paris Agreement

-FACTS

Fact-checking Trump’s speech on Paris climate agreement Vanessa Schipani, Eugene Kiely, Lori Robertson and Robert Farley, FactCheck.org Published 9:21 a.m. ET June 2, 2017 | Updated 5 hours ago (June 2nd 2017)
“…President Trump made more than a few false and misleading claims:

Trump said the U.S. would be exposed to “massive legal liability if we stay in” the Paris Agreement. But there is no liability mechanism in the Paris Agreement. International environmental law experts tell us that pulling out of the agreement won’t reduce U.S. exposure to liability claims and, in fact, may increase it.
Trump called China and India the “world’s leading polluters,” referring to carbon emissions. That’s not accurate. China and the U.S. were the top emitters per kiloton in 2015.
The president also falsely said “nobody even knows where the money [in the Green Climate Fund] is going to.” The fund’s website outlines all of the projects that have been funded.
Trump said the agreement would cost “close to $3 trillion in lost GDP.” That’s one estimate from a report for a business-funded group that found a much smaller impact under a different scenario. Yet another analysis said the impact of meeting the emissions targets would be “modest.”
Trump again took credit for job gains, saying the economy has added more than a million private sector jobs since his election. That’s true, but only 493,000 of them were added since he took office…

Who Emits the Most?

Speaking about carbon emissions, Trump called China and India the “world’s leading polluters” and the U.S. the “world’s leader in environmental protection.” That’s not entirely accurate.

China and the U.S. were the top emitters per kiloton in 2015. In fact, Americans emitted more than twice as much as the Chinese and over eight times as much as Indians per capita in 2015…

Per capita, however, the U.S. pumped out more CO2 than China and India combined in 2015. On average, each individual living in the United States contributed 16.07 tons to the country’s total. But each individual living in China and India contributed 7.73 and 1.87 tons on average, respectively.

China still emits the most overall because its population is almost 1.4 billion people, while nearly 325 million live in the U.S. More than 1.3 billion people live in India…”
Fact-checking Donald Trump’s statement withdrawing from the Paris climate agreement By Jon Greenberg on Thursday, June 1st, 2017 at 6:28 p.m. politifact.com
..Trump: “China will be allowed to build hundreds of additional coal plants. So, we can’t build the plants, but they can, according to this agreement.”


Under the Paris agreement, each country publicly declares how much it will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and what it will do to get there. So in that sense, the agreement doesn’t allow or disallow specific actions, like building plants.

Regardless, China has actually taken steps to stop building coal plants. In January, China stopped construction of 103 new coal-fired plants. The move sidelined scores of projects where work had already begun and put 120 gigawatts of capacity on hold….”

-AGREE

Debunking Trump’s economic claims on climate change


“Published on Jun 2, 2017

President Trump cited economic reasons for pulling out of the Paris Climate Agreement. CNN’s Christine Romans breaks down the real facts on the economic impact of combating climate change.”

-DISAGREE

EXPLAINED: The Paris Climate Agreement Scam! | Louder With Crowder


“Published on May 31, 2017

Breaking down everything wrong with the #ParisAgreement and EXACTLY why the U.S. should leave it.

Take media back and join the Mug Club: http://louderwithcrowder.com/mugclub

Use promo codes “student” “veteran” “military” to get daily access for $69/year!

Shop the official #LWC store: http://louderwithcrowdershop.com

More at http://louderwithcrowder.com”

The Sad Truth About The Paris Climate Accord


“Published on Jun 1, 2017

MP3: http://www.fdrpodcasts.com/#/3702/the…
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/stefan-molyneu…

President Donald Trump is expected to announce his decision on the Paris Climate Accord shortly. What is the truth about the highly touted Paris Climate agreement? “

Youth

The Elite Machine Behind Greta Thunberg Published 1 week ago on October 15, 2019 By Vigilant Citizen vigilantcitizen.com
A look at the powerful, elite-backed machine behind Greta Thunberg and the true agenda behind her world tour.

“..

Before going further, I need to point out that I am neither a “climate denier” nor a “climate activist”. That is not my field of expertise. I never analyzed any data regarding climate change and its correlation with human activity. I am far from qualified from speaking about this issue so I won’t.

Backed by this machine, Greta’s story garnered intense and immediate media attention in Sweden and, soon after, around the world. After a few months of weekly strikes, Greta took a year off from school to focus solely on climate change and began a tour of European cities.

During these events, a woman was often spotted “advising” Greta: Luisa-Marie Neubauer….

Neubauer is a member of ONE Campaign, an organization managed by Bill Gates and Bono, which is heavily funded by George Soros’ Open Society Foundation.

On the Associated Press’ “fact-checking” site, an article with the bizarre title Climate activist Greta Thunberg does not have ‘handler’ asserts that Luisa-Marie Neubauer does not serve as Greta’s “handler”. It nevertheless admits that Neubauer is linked with this powerful Soros-funded group…

Greta is merely a pawn. She is controlled by powerful people and big money to promote a specific agenda. The agenda is not merely about climate change – it is about climate change through a very specific angle.

Her role was perfectly defined by Greta herself during a speech at the (very elite) World Economic Forum:..

Although Greta might be genuinely concerned about climate change, those behind her have a much darker agenda: To create a generation of children riddled with anxiety and depression, giving the elite carte blanche for drastic measures, ranging from tax hikes to the loss of personal freedoms. And let’s not forget the main goal of it all (which is also the main goal of the elite organizations behind Greta): The creation of a single world government, ruled by the world elite … to combat climate change, of course.

..’
*see Deep Thought: Who to “blame” for the world’s corruption? goodnewseverybodycom.wordpress.com

NOT

-Agenda?

The Carbon Tax Deception

-Causes

Scientist Confesses: “Global Warming a $22 Billion Scam”
Monday, 29 Jun 2015 01:09 AM newsmax.com

Now, the Question Is . . . What Does Cause Climate Change?
“…So clearly, the Earth’s temperatures rise and fall based on its exposure to . . . the sun.

Well, here’s the breaking news. And you must pay close attention . . . because what I’m about to tell you has been deemed a “forbidden theme” in the scientific community.

Talking about it gets you a black mark at the U.N.’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change or the World Meteorological Society.

You see, there are larger cycles of the sun . . . “solar cycles.”

This may not seem earthshattering, but solar cycles are — bar none — the most devastating argument against man-made “global warming.”

Essentially, there are times when the sun gets hotter and times when it cools off as measured by “sunspots.” And John Casey found multiple solar cycles that determine the temperatures of the Earth.

The thing about these cycles is that they are predictable, and therefore it’s not difficult to see what is coming in the years ahead.

Indeed, if scientists were paying attention to these “solar cycles” years ago, they could have told you that the Earth would get warmer during the 1990s, and then it would cool . . . just like it has.

In fact, this climate cycle, along with several other cycles, has allowed John to make 11 accurate predictions about the Earth’s climate over the past few years, and it has allowed him to make a catastrophic prediction which I will share with you in a moment.

Ironically, as John released his data on these solar cycles, the ugly lie about man-made “global warming” started leaking out.
..”

Global Warming Lies facts and myths and truths globalwarminglies.com
“..global warming lies and why carbon dioxide is good for the environment and for the world. Also why … Global warming is causing ice to melt on Mars. There are …”

-Geology

Recent study shows Antarctica is gaining ice By: Cody Matz Posted:Dec 11 2015 01:51PM CST fox9.com
“KMSP – A study released by NASA says that Antarctica is actually increasing in overall size, adding yearly snow to parts of the continent that outweigh the loss of melting ice sheets. This new study is big news because it directly challenges the study of many others, including the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) report in 2013 which stated that Antarctica is losing land ice.

Scientists at NASA calculated how much the ice sheet has been growing or shrinking from the changes in surface height that are measured by satellite altimeters. In locations where the amount of new snowfall accumulating on an ice sheet is not equal to the ice flow downward and outward to the ocean and/or melting, the surface height changes and the ice-sheet mass grows or shrinks.
..”

-> Sea Rises?

Climatism
Tracking Anthropogenic Climate Alarmism
climatism.wordpress.com

“…Those rising oceans created new ports for Greek and Roman naval and trade vessels. But today many of those structures and ruins are inland, out in the open, making them popular tourist destinations. How did that happen? The Little Ice Age once again turned substantial ocean water into ice, lowering sea levels, and leaving former ports stranded. Not enough ice has melted since 1850 to make them harbors again. Continue Reading »..”
<p.
-Movies

=>Before the Flood

DiCaprio’s ‘Before The Flood’ Drowns in Sea of Green Hypocrisy by Tom Richard28 Oct 2016 breitbart.com
“..DiCaprio has a track record of jet-set jaunts, though. In 2013, DiCaprio and fellow actor Jonah Hill flew from Sydney, Australia, to Las Vegas on a chartered 747 to celebrate New Year’s Eve at two separate parties. A private jet’s carbon emissions are 130 times greater than those of a commercial aircraft.

Some high-powered anti-fossil fuel groups, including the Sierra Club, have indeed criticized DiCaprio for not “walking the talk” and for setting a bad example of environmentalism…”
Debunking climate myths with Leonardo DiCaprio’s Before The Flood
Posted on 29 October 2016 by John Cook skepticalscience.com
“…
97% of climate scientists agree that humans are causing global warming (debunking the myth that “scientists don’t agree”).
Our planet is warming at a rate of 4 atomic bombs per second (debunking the myth that “we’re in a period of cooling”).
Climate patterns confirm humans are causing global warming (debunking the myth that “solar flares are to blame”).
Climate change is having negative impacts on all parts of society (debunking the myth that “climate change is no big deal”).
We have all the technology we need to solve climate change (debunking the myth that “there’s nothing we can do”)
..”

Youth

Greta Thunberg and Family Antifa – Climate Change Scam – Pics of her as Antifa in description decentralizedtruth.com

‘..Greta Thungberg and her parents are all Antifa, as seen in the pics below in this description(archived on archive.is). Greta is getting her shill bucks for Climate Change from the obvious radical left sources who fund Antifa. Does it surprise you Antifa is trying to now take over the Climate Change langauge? I also go over how they are all hypocrites and won’t become local farmers to reduce pollution and other stuff.
..”

Greta Thunberg and Family Antifa – Climate Change Scam – Great Thunberg Soros Funded

1,307 views•Sep 22, 2019

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Decentralized News – Truth Decentralized
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Greta Thungberg and her parents are all Antifa, as seen in the pics below in this description(archived on archive.is). Greta is getting her shill bucks for Climate Change from the obvious radical left sources who fund Antifa. Does it surprise you Antifa is trying to now take over the Climate Change langauge? I also go over how they are all hypocrites and won’t become local farmers to reduce pollution and other stuff.

The Great Greta Backlash! | The Mallen Baker Show

13,207 views•Sep 27, 2019

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Mallen Baker
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Having promoted Greta Thunberg to be the voice of youth on climate change a number of adults are beginning to have second thoughts as a Great Greta backlash takes hold after the UN summit.

The IPCC summarises what we know about the impacts of climate change on the oceans.

And climate scientists who support Extinction Rebellion talk about the group’s sketchy grasp of the science.

The Mallen Baker Show is aimed at all people who see themselves as change makers, with commentary on issues and change movements with a particular focus on climate change and environment, social issues, free speech and corporate social responsibility.

Greta Thunberg Funded By George Soros,Bill Gates

*note: this is on-going research, so more material will be added in the future. Thus, stay tune. Anyone is welcome to share any links that support any of the arguments from both sides..thanks!

ACTION

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Neutral Perspective: Confederate Flag is Racist and Not?

I remember attending a conference in Atlanta, Georgia years ago. The topic of the confederate flag came about with an “African-American”, which he defended that it wasn’t “racist” and part of the southern culture. This debate came up in the news after the unfortunate shooting at an African American church in South Carolina a week or so ago…

RACIST

The real history of the Confederate flag All In with Chris Hayes 6/23/15 msnbc.com
Those who claim the Confederate battle flag has no racial connotation are ignoring its use as a symbol of opposition to the civil rights movement. Duration: 6:41
“”

Ken Burns: Confederate flag isn’t about heritage. It’s about resistance to civil rights.

Updated by German Lopez on June 25, 2015, 3:50 p.m. ET vox.com
“…With these two points, Burns is demonstrating how the Confederate battle flag has always been a symbol against efforts by black Americans to gain equal rights. When South Carolina became the first state to secede after Lincoln’s election, it explicitly singled out attempts to abolish slavery and grant rights to black Americans as “hostile to the South” and “destructive of its beliefs and safety.” And as Vox’s Libby Nelson explained, Southerners used the flag to intimidate civil rights advocates and defend segregation. So while some Southerners might not see the Confederate flag as a racist symbol, the truth is the flag’s history is mired in racism.”

Abraham Lincoln Biography biography.com
Civil Rights Activist, U.S. Representative, U.S. President, Lawyer (1809–1865)
“…In 1854, Congress passed the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which repealed the Missouri Compromise, and allowed individual states and territories to decide for themselves whether to allow slavery. The law provoked violent opposition in Kansas and Illinois, and it gave rise to the Republican Party. This awakened Abraham Lincoln’s political zeal once again, and his views on slavery moved more toward moral indignation. Lincoln joined the Republican Party in 1856.

In 1857, the Supreme Court issued its controversial decision Scott v. Sanford, declaring African Americans were not citizens and had no inherent rights. Though Abraham Lincoln felt African Americans were not equal to whites, he believed the America’s founders intended that all men were created with certain inalienable rights. Lincoln decided to challenge sitting U.S. Senator Stephen Douglas for his seat. In his nomination acceptance speech, he criticized Douglas, the Supreme Court, and President Buchanan for promoting slavery and declared “a house divided cannot stand.”..

Did Abraham Lincoln plan to send ex-slaves to Central America after the Civil War?

By Louis Jacobson on Friday, June 26th, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. politifact.com

“..In his book The Fiery Trial: Abraham Lincoln and American Slavery, historian Eric Foner writes that by 1862, Lincoln, as well as politically moderate members of Congress, saw colonization as at least a piece of the policy puzzle. “Both the law providing for abolition in the District of Columbia and the Second Confiscation Act included provisions for the colonization of those willing to emigrate. During 1862, Congress appropriated a total of $600,000 to aid in the transportation overseas of African-Americans,” Foner wrote. Policy entrepreneurs of varying trustworthiness offered colonization proposals in such far-flung locales as Brazil, Colombia, and the Caribbean island of St. Croix…

This is incorrect on many levels. Even when he was arguing for voluntary colonization during his first two years as president, Lincoln did not envision forced deportations of ex-slaves. Moreover, historians agree that the idea of large-scale, voluntary colonization was effectively dead by the time the Emancipation Proclamation was issued on Jan. 1, 1863 — more than two years before Lincoln’s assassination. We rate the claim False.”

-Civl War

Irrefutable Proof The Civil War Was About Slavery

February 3, 2015 reverbpress.com
“..Sadly, this isn’t a random extremist ideology that is pervasive only amongst the most racist of individuals. The Pew Research Center actually found that 48% of Americans believed that the Civil War was about state’s rights, and only 38% thought it was over slavery. Even more alarming is the fact that young people are the ones driving these numbers. A full 60% of those surveyed under 30 felt the war had nothing to do with owning slaves…

NEUTRAL

8 things you didn’t know about the Confederate flag BY Daniel Costa-Roberts June 21, 2015 at 3:17 PM EDT pbs.org
“Following the massacre in Charleston, South Carolina on Wednesday in which a gunman shot and killed nine people attending bible study at a historic black church, the Confederate battle flag — also called the rebel flag, the southern cross and the Dixie flag — has been the subject of contentious debate.
…But the majority, 58 percent, reported feeling neither positive nor negative. The poll also showed that African-Americans, Democrats and the highly educated were more likely to perceive the flag negatively…

-Comedy

The Chris Rock Show – Confederate Flag

New Orleans Principal Fired After Video Captures Him Wearing Nazi-Associated Rings Sebastian Murdock HuffPost May 27, 2017 yahoo.com
“A charter school principal in New Orleans has lost his job after video surfaced of him appearing to wear Nazi-associated rings.

The video, which appeared Thursday, shows then-Principal Nicholas Dean of Crescent Leadership Academy holding an American flag and a shield as he discusses talking to six journalists who “appeared to me completely soulless.”

Dean, who identifies himself in the video as Nick Andrews, is also seen wearing a helmet, goggles, and two rings closely associated with Nazism. One appears to be of the German Iron Cross and another a skull ring that was awarded to leading members of the Nazi party, according to the local Times-Picayune.

“If foreigners come here with Marxist ideas and Marxist tactics … it’s my duty to be here,” Dean can be heard saying in the video.

Crescent Leadership Academy said Dean was terminated Thursday.

“Educators are role models, and they should prioritize this sacred role above all else,” Superintendent Kunjan Narechania said in a statement. “While the circumstances surrounding this decision are regrettable and damaging, I appreciate the board making a swift decision so that school can move forward and so that our community can continue to heal.”

Dean’s firing came as he was already being investigated after photos emerged of the principal standing next to a Confederate flag and a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee prior to its removal earlier this month.

“I didn’t go to protest for either side,” Dean told the Times-Picayune at the time. “I went because I am a historian, educator and New Orleans resident who wanted to observe this monumental event,” he said. “People who know me know that I am a crusader for children and I fight tirelessly on their behalf.”

But an investigation by the Times-Picayune also turned up a podcast that Dean was featured on ― under the alias Nick Andrews ― where he discusses his work in predominately black schools.

“I started seeing how the black community looked at each other and how race and tribe is so powerful for them, and I really respected that,” Dean says in the podcast. “Even though they fight a lot, kind of tribally, there’s a sense of unity among blacks that’s just understood. That was when I began my own kind of identity, if you will, quest.”

In the podcast, Dean refers to Take ‘Em Down NOLA ― a group that has advocated for removing Confederate monuments ― as a “black supremacy movement.”

Dean says in the podcast that he is not a white supremacist, but that by other people’s definition of one, he “most certainly” is. He adds that going to graduate school with “radical leftists” changed his worldview.

“If these people get their way, I don’t exist,” Dean says.

New Orleans has recently made a massive push to remove Confederate monuments in the city. After Robert E. Lee’s statue was taken down, Mayor Mitch Landrieu made an impassioned speech celebrating the removal.

“These statues are not just stone and metal,” Landrieu told a crowd at Gallier Hall. “They are not just innocent remembrances of a benign history. These monuments purposefully celebrate a fictional, sanitized Confederacy, ignoring the death, ignoring the enslavement and the terror that it actually stood for.”

NOT RACIST

Confederate Flag, sonofthesouth.net
“..The proposed flag resembled the United States flag, but replaced the “stripes” with 3 “bars”. The flag had 7 stars, one for each state that was part of the confederacy at the time. This flag was dubbed the “Stars and Bars”. The United States flag had been known as the “Stars and Stripes”. This flag had replaced the stripes with bars, so it was logical to call it the “Stars and Bars”. Note that today people often refer to the Confederate battle flag (pictured at the top of the page, on the left of the photograph) as the “Stars and Bars”. Strictly speaking, this is not a correct description of the Confederate battle flag.

Those who preferred a very different flag from that of the United States proposed several different flags, one of which resembled what would later become the Confederate battle flag…

Black Confederate

My Confederate Flag WILL NOT Come DOWN!!!

Confederate History – Dispelling The Myths rulen.com

“… MYTH – The Confederate Battle Flag represents racism today.

FACT – The Confederate Battle Flag today finds itself in the center of much controversy and hoopla going on in several states. The cry to take this flag down is unjustified. It is very important to keep in mind that the Confederate Battle Flag was simply just that. A battle flag. It was never even a National flag, so how could it have flown over a slave nation or represented slavery or racism? This myth is continued by lack of education and ignorance. Those that villify the Confederate Battle Flag are very confused about history and have jumped upon a bandwagon with loose wheels.

MYTH – The United States Flag represented freedom.

FACT – No chance. The US flag flew over a slave nation for over 85 years! The North tolerated slavery and acknowledged it as a Division Of Labor. The North made a vast fortune on slavery and it’s commodities. It wasn’t until the South decided to leave the Union that the North objected. The North knew it could not survive without the Southern money. That is the true definition of hypocrisy.

MYTH – Abraham Lincoln was the Great Emancipator.

FACT – While Lincoln has went down in history as the Great Emancipator, many would not care to hear his real thoughts on people of color. Martyred President Abraham Lincoln was fervently making plans to send all freed slaves to the jungles of Central America once the war was over. Knowing that African society would never allow the slaves to return back to Africa, Lincoln also did not want the slaves in the US. He thought the jungles of Central America would be the best solution and conducive to the freed slaves best interest. The only thing that kept this from happening, was his assassination.

MYTH – The South revered slavery.

FACT – A very interesting fact on slavery is that at the time the War of 1861 -1865 officially commenced, the Southern States were actually in the process of freeing all slaves in the South. Russia had freed it’s servants in 1859, and the South took great note of this. Had military intervention not been forced upon the South, a very different America would have been realized then as well as now. ..”

The Confederate Flag Meaning

Robert E. Lee historynet.com
“..Though he opposed secession, he resigned from the U.S. Army to join the forces of his native state, rose to command the largest Confederate army and ultimately was named general-in-chief of all Confederate land forces. He repeatedly defeated larger Federal armies in Virginia, but his two invasions of Northern soil were unsuccessful. In Ulysses S. Grant, he found an opponent who would not withdraw regardless of setbacks and casualties, and Lee’s outnumbered forces were gradually reduced in number and forced into defensive positions that did not allow him room to maneuver. When he surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865, it meant the war was virtually over…

Robert E. Lee: Slavery, Secession, and the Choice He Made
January 19, 2011Brooks D. Simpson cwcrossroads.wordpress.com
“..These words are carefully chosen. To make Lee into some sort of antislavery advocate does violence to the historical record, as does an argument that reduces him to Arlington’s Simon Legree….
Lee would never have fought against Virginia: that much is clear. But Lee also made it clear that he would not fight in a war of coercion against the South. ..”

Robert E. Lee owned slaves and defended slavery 3 January 2005, 10pm / revised 5pm 2 February 2010 radgeek.com
“…Robert E. Lee is no hero. He was a defender of slavery and a harsh critic of abolitionism; he was also a slaver who brutally punished those who sought their rightful freedom. There are many reasons to damn the Federal government’s role in the Civil War, but none of them offer any excuse for celebrating vicious men such as Lee…

-Civil War?

The Civil War was NOT over slavery
by Amy M. Wrobel confederateamericanpride.com
“….First things first, the 16th president of the United States, Abraham Lincoln; Lincoln was NOT an abolitionist. William Lloyd Garrison, the most prominent of all abolitionists, concluded that Lincoln “had not a drop of anti-slavery blood in his veins.” Lincoln was against social and political equality of the races, he opposed inter-racial marriages, supported the Illinois Constitution’s prohibition of immigration of blacks into the state, defended a slave owner who was seeking to retrieve his runaway slaves but never defended slaves or runaways themselves, and he was a lifelong advocate of colonization – of sending every last black person in the U.S. to Africa, Haiti, or central America – anywhere but in the United States. In August of 1852 Lincoln said “If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it… what I do about slavery and the colored race, I do because I believe it helps to save the Union.” Lincoln also said on September 18th, 1858, “I will say, then, that I am not, nor have I ever been, in favor of bringing about in any way the social and political equality of the white and black races.” In 1861 Lincoln was asked “why not let the South go in peace?” He replied by saying “I can’t let them go. Who would pay for the government?” I have found no proof that Lincoln was a slave owner, but I can tell you without a doubt in my mind that he was not seeking to abolish slavery. ..”

What are your thoughts? Got any other websites or reference to support one of the sides in this “debate”?…

Good News Sociology
https://www.facebook.com/groups/139706352858524/?ref=br_tf

Suggestions to rehab success for sex offenders?

STATS

Managing the Challenges of Sex Offender Reentry
February 2007 csom.org
Incarceration, Release, and Reincarceration Trends with Sex Offenders

Of the roughly 1.5 million individuals incarcerated in state and federal prisons throughout the United States, it is estimated that approximately 150,000 are imprisoned for a sex offense conviction – 40% for rape, and 60% for other sexual assaults such as lewd acts with children, fondling, molestation, statutory rape, indecent practices, and other related offenses (Harrison & Beck, 2006). Recognizing the variations from state to state, convicted sex offenders represent between 10 and 30 percent of prison populations (see, e.g., Bynum, Huebner, & Burgess-Proctor, 2002; Greenfeld, 1997; Harrison & Beck, 2006)…..

In terms of “staying out,” a recent national study revealed that nearly half of released sex offenders (43%)
were rearrested for at least one new crime – and well over one-third were returned to prison – within three years (Langanet al., 2003).

Returns to prisons were generally not, however, because of new sex crimes. In fact, only 5.1% of the released
sex offenders were rearrested for another sex offense during that period of time, and only 3.5% were reconvicted of another sex crime. The clear majority of sex offenders (71%) were returned to prison for
technical violations of release conditions or were rearrested, and the remaining reincarcerations (23.9%) were the result of new sentences for additional crimes. …

GEOGRAPHICALLY

-Michigan

Judge rules parts of Michigan sex offender law are unconstitutional
Published On: Apr 07 2015 06:22:56 PM EDT Updated On: Apr 07 2015 06:23:33 PM EDT clickondetroit.com
“The ACLU of Michigan has successfully argued that some parts of the law are too vague.”

-Minnesota

Sex Offenders and Predatory Offenders:
Minnesota Criminal and Civil Regulatory Laws
house.leg.state.mn.us
Judge Wants Alternative Structure to Sex Offender Program Updated: 06/17/2015 9:04 PM
Created: 06/17/2015 11:01 AM KSTP.com
By: Jennie Lissarrague
“… However, as of October 2012, the program’s timeline indicated a range of 6-9 years for a “model” client to progress from Phase I through Phase III. Some committed individuals have been confined for more than 20 years.

Comparison to Other States

According to the ruling, Minnesota currently has the lowest rate of release from commitment in the nation and the highest per-capita population of civilly committed sex offenders in the nation.

Only three people have ever been provisionally discharged in the program’s more than 20 years. One returned after violating the conditions of his release and died in the program. Two are now in community-based programs under intense supervision.

A study was published last October on Sex Offender Civil Commitment Programs…
Legal Topics: Sex Offender Statutes, Minnesota, from mn.gov
Minnesota sex offender program is ruled unconstitutional By Chris Serres Star Tribune
June 17, 2015 — 11:43pm startribune.com
“..The ruling sets the stage for what could be a long and bruising battle between the courts and state officials over reforming a system that has been widely criticized for locking up too many sex offenders for too long. Frank called on legislators and the state’s executive leadership to “fashion suitable remedies” in time for an Aug. 10 hearing in his courtroom…”

-Texas

Texas in final stages to allow some sex offenders to deregister from list mrt.com
“…Also, offenders must not be convicted of any crime for which imprisonment for more than one year could be imposed during the registration period; offenders must not be convicted of any sexual crimes during registration; the offender must complete all treatment and must have finished all supervised probation or parole…
..”

HOUSING

Sex Offender Group Home Changes Focus, Neighbors Still Fight it
Posted: Mar 03, 2015 9:52 AM CDT myfoxorlando.com

Housing and Placement – Center for Sex Offender … from csom.org

“…A particularly promising example of managing sex offender housing challenges involves inviting housing representatives to participate proactively in the transition planning process as members of multi–disciplinary teams. The benefits of such an approach are numerous, including the following (Cowan et al., 1999):

Housing officials are more willing to make homes available to reentering sex offenders;
Specific attempts are made to minimize negative sentiment and unnecessary fears among local tenants;
Supervision agencies and law enforcement officials make commitments to provide ongoing support and increased monitoring in those areas where sex offenders are housed after release; and
Greater confidence is instilled with respect to the sex offender management practices in place in the community.
…”

=>Ministries

Phoenix ministry among few places helping sex offenders start anew By Michelle Ye Hee Lee The Republic | azcentral.com Wed Dec 5, 2012 12:59 AM azcentral.com
“…Redeemed Outreach is one of a handful of faith-based organizations in Phoenix where convicted sex offenders can go upon release from prison. The ministry is one model that local and national experts say could help solve the problem of how to successfully reintegrate sex offenders into society without losing track of them on the streets or encouraging recidivism.

Moriarty’s ministry is a little of everything: halfway house, rehabilitation center, workforce-training program, religious refuge.

Here, a resident is not judged for his crime, beaten up, or labeled an “S.O.” (shorthand for sex offender). Instead, all receive shelter, clothing, food, camaraderie and a chance to try to turn their lives around. Anyone is welcome, regardless of criminal history.

It is a no-nonsense place. The pastors run a disciplined program designed to help newly released sex offenders, many under state or county supervision, structure their daily routines and lead faithful lives. “Amen” and “God bless” are part of the everyday vernacular.

Everyone must follow the rules. No drugs, alcohol, smoking, profanity, stealing, fighting, threats or porn allowed. Phone access and TV watching is limited. Everyone must attend and be on time for church services, Bible studies and meals. Music must have Christian lyrics and is played only after 4 p.m. and through earphones.

The eight-month “discipleship” program has three phases that, if successful, help inmates rebuild personal relationships, find spirituality and rejoin society.

At first, outside contacts are restricted as the participants immerse themselves in Bible studies and personal introspection and improvement, including substance-abuse and anger-management counseling. Next, they get job training and help finding work. Room, personal-hygiene items, food, bedding and counseling are free.

Once participants find employment, they must donate one-third of their earnings to the ministry. The goal is to transition into their own housing, after which they are encouraged to continue helping others like themselves.

Redeemed Outreach offers offenders fresh out of prison help in navigating the world outside the walls. There is plenty to take care of, whether registering with various agencies to comply with the law or relearning the basics of life on the outside. Even elementary tasks can seem daunting to those who went to prison up to two decades ago, before the arrival of things like smartphones.

Participants hear about Redeemed Outreach through other prisoners, a prison chaplain or ministry pastors who preach in the prison yard. Arthur Diaz, for example, heard about the ministry in prison. He is a Level 3 sex offender, convicted of attempted sexual assault, kidnapping and failure to register.

Diaz, now trying to live a drug-free life, recalled how he first landed at one of the ministry’s properties. He’d borrowed enough money to buy a one-way, light-rail ride there. He was parched as he came down from a methamphetamine high.

“I got to the church and I told them I was thirsty. They gave me water, they gave me food,” Diaz said. “Since I’m here, I don’t have to worry about where to sleep, what to eat.”

The living situation is modest. Many sleep in bunk beds. All share a kitchen. But to those who would otherwise sleep on the streets, Redeemed Outreach is a safe haven.

“We should look at them as being human beings first,” said Autumn Freeman, a Maricopa County probation officer who has clients living at Redeemed Outreach.

Freeman often faces difficulties helping sex offenders on probation find housing because crime-free housing laws limit how many offenders a landlord can rent to at one location. One of Freeman’s clients was registered to a Phoenix bus stop.

TREATMENT

WPTZ Exclusive: Richard Laws speaks about his attempts to get treatment while incarcerated
Richard Laws sits down with WPTZ’s Jarred Hill

UPDATED 9:50 AM EDT Apr 20, 2015 wptz.com

Since the first announcement that a violent sex offender was set to be released after more than two decades in prison, officials have said Richard Laws showed no interest in completing sex offender treatment while in state custody, but court documents and Laws himself, raise the question of whether that’s entirely the case.”

Rehabilitating Sex Offenders

“Uploaded on May 30, 2007

We go behind bars at a federal prison for an exclusive one-on-one interview with a convicted sex offender. The story focuses on a rehabilitation program called SOAR, where a team of psychologists work intensely to help these felons change.”
-21 Week program (Successful.Offenders.Accountability.Rehab.), which 2 of 157 that completed the program “returned”

Sex Offender Accountability and Responsibility (SOAR)
correctionalinnovation.com
/North Carolina /Sex Offender Accountability and Responsibility (SOAR)
“…provides cognitive treatment for sexual offenders. To be enrolled in the program, the offender must be 21, convicted of a sexual felony, admit guilt, have no disabling mental illnesses, and have at least a 6th grade reading level. Additionally, offenders must voluntarily participate in intensive highly interactive therapy sessions, and be infraction free for at least one year. The program lasts 20 weeks with meetings 5 times a week serving approximately 56 offenders. A psychological services coordinator, 2 staff psychologists, a contractual psychologist, and a processing assistant are needed for this program. The Office of Research & Planning has formally evaluated the program. Needed materials and resources include videotapes and office supplies. The program costs $333,942.00 a year…”

Good News Sociology
https://www.facebook.com/groups/139706352858524/

Summer Distractions: Keep Your Eyes on Jesus!

During church yesterday (Sunday, June 21st 2015), the theme of “Keeping your Eyes on Jesus” was running around my thoughts or mind. Just last Sunday, I was at another church (Church of Acts) in St. Paul when visiting my “hometown”. The pastor shared (paraphrasing) about “What looks “good” (in the outside) might not be “good” at all”. I felt like it was a “word of knowledge” (a.k.a. “prophetic ‘warning’ word) to the church congregation (body overall) for this summer. He wasn’t specific on “what exactly”, but in general the temptations of the up-coming summer season. I was reminded of this when we sung this song at church..

A Mighty Fortress | Christy Nockels

PRE-CHORUS:
We will keep our eyes on You
We will keep our eyes on You..”

Have you ever felt a “personal” message or theme during the worship music time?

Good News Praise & Worship
https://www.facebook.com/groups/144617029049435/

So how can “we” keep our eyes on Him during the up-coming summer months?

I reflected on my summer biking challenge I’m currently participating in. During the early part of my biking last night, I was praying (interceding) for the homes/businesses/neighborhoods I rode my bike by last night. We all love to enjoy the summer, right? We can pray in our mind whatever or wherever we are doing! This is my personal challenge for you all that is reading this.

I then encouraged a “women of God” after service that she shared a similar theme years ago at church with cats keeping their eyes on (food?..forgot the exact word)…but, we need to be like that “cat”..keep our eyes on Jesus!

Supernatural Experience?

supernatural from merriam-webster.com

adjective su·per·nat·u·ral \ˌsü-pər-ˈna-chə-rəl, -ˈnach-rəl\

: unable to be explained by science or the laws of nature : of, relating to, or seeming to come from magic, a god, etc.

Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug

Ever had a supernatural experience? I’ve had a handful, which I never recorded it. I decided to do it now while it’s still “fresh” in my memory with awe! I woke up in the “middle of the night/early morning” (4ish) to use the “bathroom” (drank a lot of water or something). Then within 10 or so minutes, the kitchen light just went on “automatically”. I was kind of “freaked” out scared as I was trying to analyze how this happened. I automatically thought of a “ghost” as I’ve heard and seen stories of this. I then started praying (e.g. saying “In Jesus’ name…go away!). I then got the “guts” to get up and turn the kitchen light off. As I was going to turn it off, I realized my fridge (freezer) door was open. I was like, what?? I then closed it and went back to bed peacefully as I saw it a “sign” to get up to close my freezer to prevent the food getting spoiled or energy wasted. Instead of pointing to a “ghost”, I pointed to “God” as my “Heavenly Father” watching over me for simple small things like this in life.

What do you think? Any similar “supernatural” stories or experiences? Would love to hear from you!

Good News Thankful
https://www.facebook.com/groups/120539491473189/

Baseball: Following My Minnesota Twins 2015 Highlight Season

W L PCT GB
Kansas City 73 47 .608 –
Minnesota 60 61 .496 13.5
Detroit 59 61 .492 14.0
Chi White Sox 56 63 .471 16.5
Cleveland 56 64 .467 17.0

Twins pour it on Orioles as Duffey cruises Aug 20th 2015
“BALTIMORE — Twins right-hander Tyler Duffey was unfazed by a downpour that stalled Thursday’s start by two hours and 31 minutes. In just his third Major League start, the 6-foot-3 rookie responded to the delay like a veteran, going 7 2/3 innings to lead the Twins to a 15-2 victory and their fourth straight win over the Orioles this season.
Duffey was aided by a five-run second inning from the Minnesota offense, which drew some early boos from Baltimore fans directed at starter Miguel Gonzalez. After an 11-pitch first inning, Gonzalez tossed 40 pitches in the second as four different Twins players picked up an RBI in the frame….”

http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/15493892/v356772583/dozier-talks-about-his-work-with-amigos-for-christ

Duffey earns first MLB win as Twins top Tribe By Jordan Bastian and Betsy Helfand / MLB.com | 12:26 AM ET (Sat. Aug 15th 2015)

W L PCT GB
Kansas City 68 45 .602 –
Minnesota 57 56 .504 11.0

Sano leads Twins to elusive series win (8.12.15)

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2015_08_12_texmlb_minmlb_1&lang=en#game=2015_08_12_texmlb_minmlb_1,game_state=Wrapup,game_tab=box

Escobar’s walk-off double caps Twins’ comeback
http://m.twins.mlb.com/news/article/142522410

W L PCT GB
Kansas City 64 44 .593 –
Minnesota 55 54 .505 9.5
Detroit 53 56 .486 11.5
Chi White Sox 51 56 .477 12.5
Cleveland 49 59 .454 15.0

Hunter rallies teammates, wins game with HR By August Fagerstrom / MLB.com | 1:06 AM ET m.twins.mlb.com

Veteran outfielder motivates team to battle back, gets it done with ninth-inning blast

CLEVELAND — A wise man named Torii Hunter once said after a gutsy victory in Cleveland, “When trees are in hurricanes and storms, all they do is grow deeper roots so they won’t tip over. That’s what we have to do is grow deeper roots, dig deep and try to withstand the storm.”

Hunter played the role of motivational speaker during the Twins’ 10-9 victory on Saturday — and the role of philosopher after it.

The team was on the heels of a deflating four-game sweep, and manager Paul Molitor said before Friday’s contest that the team needed to figure out a way to weather the storm.

The Twins appeared to respond well, jumping out to an early 6-0 lead against rookie pitcher Cody Anderson, but the lead was one they quickly relinquished, as the Indians tagged starter Mike Pelfrey and reliever A.J. Achter for nine runs over the next two innings….”

Twins Talk: Hicks Has Arrived! 23 Stories and Photos by Gordy Jones Jul 15 .kmrskkok.com

“great to watch Aaron Hicks as he blossoms into a solid major league outfielder, and as a hitter who can drill the ball with authority.

Aaron grew up in Southern California, playing golf and baseball nearly every day. People who know say he could have gone pro in golf if he had chosen to take that route, and maybe even could do that today if he devoted 100% of his focus to his clubs rather than his bat. But he chose baseball, and although there were a few hiccups on the road to where he is today, folks who knew him, and knew of his athleticism and talents on the field, knew that he’d one day be a lot more than just a capable ballplayer.

Aaron graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in 2008 in Long Beach, where he hit .407 (114-for-280) with 24 doubles, 10 triples, and 6 home runs in 97 career high school games. The multi-talented young man also pitched for his high school team, going 11-2, with a 1.11 ERA in 94 innings. He was drafted by the Twins in the 2008 First-Year Player Draft in the 1st round (14th overall). Aaron made his major league debut in 2013 on opening day as the leadoff hitter. But slumps and injuries prevailed, and Aaron bounced around between New Britain, Rochester, and Minnesota for the next two seasons. Being a great competitor, at times Aaron was very frustrated — but he always held his head up high and showed great patience. Torii Hunter would often call him, and offer him some mentoring thoughts. Even Hall of Famer Dave Winfield had a chat with Aaron at spring training. Dave told me, “The man has talent. At times like this I wish I could be a coach for a week, and just work with the guy. He just needs to refine a few things, and he’ll be fine.” Nowadays, Dave is a special assistant at the Major League Baseball Players Association. Part of his job is visiting every camp during spring training and talking to the guys about what they can and can’t do contractually, and offering some friendly, expert advice.

I talked to Torii about his protégé. He said, “Aaron Hicks is playing well. He’s really been playing some great defense; I think he’s helped us out a lot. His bat is starting to come alive. And then you throw in his defense — he saves a lot of runs – and for us, those are like RBIs.” I said I understood that Torii was trying to help mentor young Hicks. My mistake: I used the word “trying”. “No! I don’t TRY! I do! Trying is for losers. I do.” He paused for a moment and then went on: “You know, Dave Winfield mentored me. He had me for a year here, then throughout the years I had the chance to hang out with him. He gave me a lot of insight. I’m just doing the same thing.”

When I last talked to Aaron, I congratulated him on how things are coming together for him, and asked him what’s different. He said: “I don’t know…I just stay positive about the game, I set goals, and I compete. And every at-bat, I make it a tough at-bat.” I told him how much I enjoy watching him make those great catches in center field, and he replied, wearing a big Torii-type grin, “Thank you. I enjoy making those catches! It’s great playing next to Torii, too. For me it’s a learning experience every day. He gives me something new every day; something to think about. You know, it’s fun to have him here. He can be crazy, too, but a good crazy, making it fun in the clubhouse.”

Major League Fans!

A few weeks ago I told you about an actor named Tony Todd whom I was reacquainted with through Torii Hunter. He was a guest of Torii’s at Target Field a little over a month ago. Tony is a great guy, and we hit it off. We had actually met 20 years ago during the filming of “Little Big League,” in which Tony plays ballplayer Mickey Scales. We have recently stayed in touch, and a couple of weeks ago Tony called me and wanted to order a couple of my children’s books, “The Baseball Guy.” He wanted one signed to himself, and the other to “Charlie.” Tony grew up with Charlie Sheen, Star of “Two and a Half Men,” and “Anger Management” (with Tony Todd). Both are very funny, but Sheen’s role as Ricky “Wild Thing” Vaughn in “Major League” is the best…especially to a guy who’s been around the game.

Last week I was taking the boys to “Minions” when my phone began ringing — three calls in three minutes, which I ignored. Finally, I thought it could be important, so I picked up. Calling from L.A., on the other line was Charlie Sheen. He wanted to thank me for my book, said he was honored to receive it, and called me a “F’n” genius. He said my inscription to him was as nice as the book. Then we talked baseball, and it was just like having any of my buddies on the phone. He was sincere, nice, and a real baseball guy. He also told me how much he enjoyed watching my friend, the late, great Kirby Puckett play. He even invited me to California to meet him, which I’d like to do in the future. Baseball fans come from all walks of life, and live in their own little world. You never know whom you’ll meet. Baseball is all about fun, and all about “winning.””

Rising MLB Star Has Old School Faith cbn.com

http://cbn.com/tv/embedplayer.aspx?bcid=3600951716001

“Minnesota Twins second baseman Brian Dozier is a rising Major League Baseball star with a faith that keeps him levelheaded.”

Twins Blog: Homestand Notes – All Star Break Edition by Dan Cook, WCCO Radio July 12, 2015 8:19 PM minnesota.cbslocal.com

“The Twins just finished a successful seven-game homestand, going 6-1 against the Orioles and Tigers and now begin a well-deserved break from the grind of the season as the All Star break is upon us….”

Sano delivers Major firsts for Twins’ offense
http://m.twins.mlb.com/news/article/134500062
By Rhett Bollinger / MLB.com | @RhettBollinger | 1:20 AM ET + 0 COMMENTS
KANSAS CITY — The Twins called up top prospect Miguel Sano in hopes he could help jumpstart their struggling offense, and he ended up factoring into both runs scored against the Royals on Friday night at Kauffman Stadium.

Sano went 2-for-4 with his first career RBI and his first career run, but it wasn’t enough in a 3-2 loss in 10 innings. Twins manager Paul Molitor, however, was impressed with what he saw from the 22-year-old rookie…

June 4th 2015
Twins rally, top Red Sox to secure split By Alec Shirkey and Aaron Leibowitz / MLB.com | 7:28 PM ET
http://m.twins.mlb.com/news/article/128573464/twins-capitalize-on-errors-rally-past-red-sox
“BOSTON — The Twins scored four runs in the ninth inning Thursday to earn an 8-4 victory over the Red Sox and a four-game series split at Fenway Park.

In a game that featured five errors and a litany of baserunning blunders, the go-ahead run scored when Red Sox third baseman Pablo Sandoval was unable to handle a low throw by catcher Blake Swihart on a Joe Mauer bunt. After that, the floodgates opened…”

W L PCT GB
Minnesota 32 21 .604 –
Kansas City 30 20 .600 0.5
Detroit 28 27 .509 5.0
Cleveland 25 27 .481 6.5
Chi White Sox 24 27 .471 7.0

Pitching

RK Player Team W L ERA G GS▼ SV SVO IP H R ER HR BB SO AVG WHIP
1 Hughes, P MIN 4 5 4.96 11 11 0 0 69.0 86 38 38 12 7 45 .302 1.35

2 Gibson, K MIN 4 3 2.61 10 10 0 0 62.0 59 20 18 5 21 30 .253 1.29

2 May, T MIN 4 3 4.45 10 10 0 0 56.2 61 28 28 4 9 50 .271 1.24

2 Pelfrey, M MIN 4 2 2.59 10 10 0 0 59.0 55 19 17 3 18 27 .251 1.24

5 Nolasco, R MIN 5 1 5.51 7 7 0 0 32.2 44 23 20 1 10 28 .324 1.65

6 Milone, T MIN 2 1 4.55 5 5 0 0 27.2 31 16 14 7 12 13 .282 1.55

Batting

RK Player Team Pos G AB▼ R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS
1 Dozier, B MIN 2B 52 205 44 54 17 3 10 26 22 50 3 1 .263 .339 .522 .861
2 Mauer, J MIN 1B 52 198 23 52 11 2 1 30 17 35 1 0 .263 .320 .354 .673
3 Hunter, T MIN RF 48 188 28 53 10 0 8 35 15 34 1 2 .282 .332 .463 .794
3 Plouffe, T MIN 3B 50 188 23 49 10 1 8 30 21 44 0 0 .261 .333 .452 .785
5 Santana, D MIN SS 47 172 21 38 7 3 0 11 2 47 4 3 .221 .239 .297 .535
6 Escobar, E MIN LF 44 145 14 33 8 0 3 20 3 38 1 1 .228 .250 .345 .595
7 Suzuki, K MIN C 42 142 14 34 6 0 2 15 14 16 0 0 .239 .317 .324 .641
8 Vargas, K MIN 1B 29 105 12 26 3 0 3 10 7 30 0 0 .248 .295 .362 .657
9 Robinson, S MIN LF 33 80 15 20 2 0 0 9 7 13 3 1 .250 .307 .275 .582
10 Hicks, A MIN CF 21 71 8 18 1 0 1 2 4 13 5 1 .254 .293 .310 .603
11 Schafer, J MIN CF 27 69 9 15 3 0 0 5 3 23 0 3 .217 .250 .261 .511
12 Rosario, E MIN CF 21 68 6 19 1 0 2 10 2 23 4 1 .279 .296 .382 .678
13 Arcia, O MIN LF 19 58 6 16 0 0 2 8 4 15 0 0 .276 .338 .379 .718
14 Herrmann, C MIN C 16 44 8 8 2 1 1 7 3 11 0 0 .182 .234 .341 .575
15 Nunez, E MIN 3B 16 42 6 12 5 0 1 4 3 5 0 2 .286 .333 .476 .810
16 Bernier, D MIN SS 4 5 1 1 1 0 0 2 1 3 0 0 .200 .333 .400 .733
17 Nolasco, R MIN P 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 .000 .000 .000 .000
18 Pelfrey, M MIN P 1 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1.000 1.000 1.000 2.000

Why the Twins are at the top of the AL Central By James O’Hara June 4 at 8:00 AM
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/fancy-stats/wp/2015/06/04/why-the-twins-are-at-the-top-of-the-al-central/
So far the Twins have combined a good bullpen with some great luck to rocket to the top of the Central. And their luck hasn’t only been during the game, they have also benefited from a relatively easy schedule in such a tough division, with 30 of their 50 games coming against teams currently below .500.

MAY 31st 2015
http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/index.jsp?c_id=min
W L PCT GB
Minnesota 30 19 .612 –
Kansas City 29 19 .604 0.5
Detroit 28 23 .549 3.0
Chi White Sox 23 26 .469 7.0
Cleveland 23 26 .469 7.0
*note: 2nd best MLB Team http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/mlb/standings/

With best record in AL, Twins never want May to end By Betsy Helfand / MLB.com | 7:42 PM ET
http://m.twins.mlb.com/news/article/127767744/with-best-record-in-al-twins-never-want-may-to-end
“It’s May 31st and I think maybe we’re going to change tomorrow to May 32nd,” Molitor joked shortly after his team recorded its 20th victory of the month.

The Twins capped off May with a 6-5 victory over Toronto on Sunday, marking the first time they’ve finished a month with 20 victories since 1991.

The victory also sealed the eighth series win of nine in the month and put Minnesota a half-game up for first place in the American League Central….

Minnesota ended May with a 30-19 record — the fifth most victories through 49 games in team history. After the Twins starting 1-6 and finished April 10-12, Hunter said the team has made some adjustments…

Paul Molitor has surprising Twins in tie for first in tough AL Central
Ian Denomme By Ian Denomme
7 hours ago (5.28.15)
Big League Stew
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/paul-molitor-has-surprising-twins-in-tie-for-first-in-tough-al-central-141509689.html
Yet despite those star-studded teams at the top, as June approaches it is the Minnesota Twins who have been the surprise of the division, racing out to a 28-18 record and a share of first place. The Twins didn’t make any sexy offseason moves unless you count signing 39-year-old outfielder Torii Hunter, or pitcher Ervin Santana who was suspended for 80 games before the season even began.

For a team that has averaged just 66 wins over the last four seasons, the Twins biggest offseason move was hiring Paul Molitor as their new manager. Molitor, a Hall of Famer and Minnesota native, had no previous managing experience but took the task of rebuilding a team that regularly won the division in the early part of this century under Ron Gardenhire.

After completing a sweep of the Red Sox on Wednesday night and extending their win streak to five, it seems the rest of the league is starting to take notice of the Twins.

You won’t find many Twins players on major-league leaderboards. Third baseman Trevor Plouffe is their early WAR leader, Joe Mauer – a career .317 hitter – is batting just .276, but as a team they’ve scored the eighth most runs in the majors. Pitchers Kyle Gibson and Mike Pelfrey are off to fine starts sporting ERAs of 2.72 and 2.77, respectively. But the Twins’ team ERA of 3.94 is only 16th best in the majors.

It’s hard to say whether the Twins are for real or if this is early-season, small sample size luck. They seem to be a team that is a jack of many trades, but master of none. Sometimes being just pretty good at everything can go a long way, just ask the Royals. Last season they were 14th in runs scored, dead last in home runs, 12th in team ERA, and 26th in fielding percentage. Doesn’t sound like a team worth watching, but they rode that all the way to within a game of the World Series.

Maybe Molitor’s miracle Twins can do the same in 2015….

*tied for 1st

W L PCT GB
Kansas City 28 18 .609 –
Minnesota 28 18 .609 –
Detroit 27 20 .574 1.5
Cleveland 21 25 .457 7.0
Chi White Sox 20 24 .455 7.0

Twice as nice: Twins ride homers to sweep Sox
http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20150527126954826?game_pk=414346

6th best team in MLB
http://m.twins.mlb.com/news/article/126508936/twins-ricky-nolasco-notches-100th-victory
5.26.15

Kansas City 28 16 .636 –
Minnesota 26 18 .591 2.0
Detroit 26 20 .565 3.0
Cleveland 20 24 .455 8.0
Chi White Sox 19 23 .452 8.0

8th best team in MLB

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2015_05_23_minmlb_chamlb_1#game=2015_05_23_minmlb_chamlb_1,game_state=Wrapup

W L PCT GB
Kansas City 28 14 .667 –
Detroit 26 18 .591 3.0
Minnesota 24 18 .571 4.0
Chi White Sox 19 21 .475 8.0
Cleveland 19 23 .452 9.0

Perkins (16) saves (pace to get 64 for season record)

http://www.kare11.com/story/sports/mlb/twins/2015/05/06/twins-rosario-homers-on-1st-pitch-of-his-career/70923392/

12-12 record (3rd place) 5.2.15
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2015_05_02_chamlb_minmlb_1&mode=wrap

http://m.twins.mlb.com/news/article/118706422/twins-offense-turns-corner-in-set-with-royals

MINNEAPOLIS — After being routed in the home opener against the Royals on Monday, the Twins were 1-6 and still reeling after a frustrating first week of the season.

But they bounced back, winning two straight against previously-unbeaten Kansas City, including an 8-5 win in the rubber game on Thursday afternoon that saw Minnesota post season high totals in both hits (14) and runs. It was the first series victory of the season and it came against a club that entered the series with a 6-0 record.

http://www.1500espn.com/sportswire/Wetmore_Why_I_disagree_with_Hunters_decision_to_try_to_steal_home042315

http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2015/05/13/10-reasons-the-minnesota-twins-are-above-500/

Spring Training

Standings
2015

American League
Team W L PCT GB
Oakland 22 11 .667 –
Kansas City 20 10 .667 0.5
Toronto 19 13 .594 2.5
Boston 17 12 .586 3.0
Tampa Bay 15 13 .536 4.5
LA Angels 15 14 .517 5.0
NY Yankees 17 16 .515 5.0
Houston 12 12 .500 5.5
Minnesota 13 16 .448 7.0
Cleveland 14 18 .438 7.5
Seattle 13 17 .433 7.5
Chi White Sox 11 17 .393 8.5
Baltimore 12 19 .387 9.0
Detroit 12 20 .375 9.5
Texas 9 19 .321 10.5

National League
Team W L PCT GB
NY Mets 19 12 .613 –
LA Dodgers 16 11 .593 1.0
San Diego 17 12 .586 1.0
Arizona 19 14 .576 1.0
St. Louis 13 11 .542 2.5
Miami 14 12 .538 2.5
Pittsburgh 15 13 .536 2.5
Cincinnati 15 14 .517 3.0
Colorado 16 16 .500 3.5
Atlanta 15 17 .469 4.5
Chi Cubs 15 17 .469 4.5
Philadelphia 14 17 .452 5.0
Milwaukee 13 16 .448 5.0
Washington 11 16 .407 6.0
San Francisco 13 21 .382 7.5

Grapefruit League
Team W L PCT GB
NY Mets 19 12 .613 –
Toronto 19 13 .594 0.5
Boston 17 12 .586 1.0
St. Louis 13 11 .542 2.5
Miami 14 12 .538 2.5
Pittsburgh 15 13 .536 2.5
Tampa Bay 15 13 .536 2.5
NY Yankees 17 16 .515 3.0
Houston 12 12 .500 3.5
Atlanta 15 17 .469 4.5
Philadelphia 14 17 .452 5.0
Minnesota 13 16 .448 5.0
Washington 11 16 .407 6.0
Baltimore 12 19 .387 7.0
Detroit 12 20 .375 7.5

Cactus League
Team W L PCT GB
Oakland 22 11 .667 –
Kansas City 20 10 .667 0.5
LA Dodgers 16 11 .593 3.0
San Diego 17 12 .586 3.0
Arizona 19 14 .576 3.0
Cincinnati 15 14 .517 5.0
LA Angels 15 14 .517 5.0
Colorado 16 16 .500 5.5
Chi Cubs 15 17 .469 6.5
Milwaukee 13 16 .448 7.0
Cleveland 14 18 .438 7.5
Seattle 13 17 .433 7.5
Chi White Sox 11 17 .393 8.5
San Francisco 13 21 .382 9.5
Texas 9 19 .321 10.5

PRESEASON

Torii Hunter answers fan questions

“Published on Dec 19, 2014

Torii Hunter answers fan questions from social media. #AskTorii”

http://smu.gs/1EbPru2
— at Target Field.

Sal’s Personal Minnesota Twins Baseball Fan Site

Good News Baseball

https://www.facebook.com/groups/228604823952216/