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2386

Previous Administration / Re: Trump Administration

« on: September 03, 2020, 01:24:12 AM »

As previously reported by Law&Crime, the North Dakota construction firm that built the structurally unsound wall, Fisher Sand & Gravel, was also awarded a record-high $1.3 billion government contract to erect a portion of the federally funded U.S.-Mexico border wall. Despite FSG’s prototype being rejected by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for lacking in both “quality” and “sophistication,” President Trump directly inserted himself into the process for evaluating and awarding the contracts, lobbying on behalf of FSG and the firm’s CEO Tommy Fisher.

Fisher, who has made a number of Fox News guest appearances in the past, reportedly sold Trump on his company by playing to his impatience with the lack of progress on his signature campaign promise, telling the president he could build the wall faster and cheaper than other contractors bidding on the project. Fisher described his design as the “Lamborghini” of walls.

The rosy outlook was not shared by Alex Mayer, a professor of civil engineering at the University of Texas at El Paso who reviewed both reports.
“It seems like they are cutting corners everywhere,” Mayer told ProPublica. “It’s not a Lamborghini, it’s a $500 used car.”

2387

Basketball / Re: Knicks

« on: September 02, 2020, 07:18:31 PM »

So maybe MIA knocks MIL out in the 2nd round, causing Giannis for no explicable reason to demand a trade to the Knix...

MIA outplaying Bucks, up 9 after 1Q, dropping 38.
Early 3rd foul on Middleton is dangerous.

2388

Previous Administration / Re: Trump Administration

« on: September 02, 2020, 05:08:21 PM »

There is a good long AP article detailing how unprepared and underfunded most health departments are for any vaccine.

Some vaccines might need to be refrigerated.
Most early vaccines are expected to require an initial shot and a follow-up booster about a month later.  Which necessitates recording info, contacting folks with reminders, doubling the number of injections required, and making sure folks get the same vaccine both times. 

Anyone think the Trump Admin is up for coordinating 400+ Million vaccinations?

2389

Previous Administration / Re: Trump Administration

« on: September 02, 2020, 05:02:57 PM »

PAID?
The Fox article you cite ends by saying there is no evidence of anyone being paid to protest:

A number of high-profile people on the right have lobbed accusations that the rioters may be funded by an outside party.

But authorities, to this point, have been unable to pin down any central organization or funding source that's connected to the rioters they've arrested, leaving open the question of whether the riots are actually being funded and planned centrally or if they are more organic.

"We can't connect ... any protester to a single group or funder or organization. Though I don't think it would be a big leap to say the type of organization and resources they're bringing to bear are organized and funded," Mayor Bowser said Monday.

2390

Basketball / Re: PS

« on: September 02, 2020, 04:54:07 PM »

Were you guys down for giving Barrett and 2 number ones?
https://sports.yahoo.com/knicks-fans-forget-dononvan-mitchell-185451288.html

I'd go RJB and a 1st plus some detritus such as Franc or Knox.

Two 1sts?  Depends on the protections and years.
Knix aren't really in good shape for anything, so adding a young star is the best bet.
You'd have Donovan and Mitch to build around. 

But why would Utah do that and why would Mitchell want to play for NYK?

So who do people prefer Booker or Mitchell?
(either on the Knix or just in general)

2391

Previous Administration / Re: Trump Administration

« on: September 02, 2020, 04:06:00 PM »

https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/read-the-indictment-9-boston-cops-arrested-for-embezzling-ot-funds/2188070/

I assume police getting paid for phony and/or no-show side jobs is incredibly common throughout the US.  All departments should audit for such.  Weed out the criminals among them.

In Oct. 2018, my NJ hometown had 5 officers in its 200-man squad arrested for no-show side jobs.  With more indictments expected, thought to be up to 10 altogether.  While another was charged separately with collecting sick pay from the police force while working security at a mall, a variation on the side job scam.

Some were pocketing up to $80K extra in addition to their base salary of between $100 - $150K.   Reports that some were getting 2 and even on occasion 3 salaries for the very same time shift.

These are the people sworn and paid to uphold the law.  Defrauding and double-dipping and sneaking around.  Criminals with badges.

2392

Previous Administration / Re: Trump Administration

« on: September 02, 2020, 03:32:45 PM »

I'm hoping the Belarus sub-thread can get rocking ...

Southeast Wisconsin is by some measures the most racially segregated region of the country, and the economic conditions for Black residents in this region rank among the worst in the country in a number of metrics.

A study published in July by Marc Levine, a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, laid out a sobering list of statistics about the status of Black residents in the region in 2020.

"On almost all of the indicators... from poverty to employment to general income trends, to income inequality, incarceration trends, school segregation levels — Black Milwaukee ranked either the worst or next to worst among the nation's fifty largest metropolitan areas," Levine says. "And in fact, on most indicators that I've looked at, the status of the Black community in Kenosha is actually slightly worse than Milwaukee."

Back in the late 80's/early 90's there were 5 cities that sociologists dubbed hyper-segregated.  Milwaukee, Chicago, Newark NJ and I'd have to look up the other two (Detroit probably).  I assume bad and aggressive policing will correlate with segregation, concentrated minority areas and poorer minorities.

2393

Previous Administration / Re: Trump Administration

« on: September 02, 2020, 01:39:55 PM »

Another alternative scenario that the US failed to have:

Thailand has sustained relatively light health damage from the pandemic, even though in January it was the first country outside China to confirm a case. But its economy has been devastated by the absence of foreign tourists, who are banned from entry, and by a drop in exports.

Thai health authorities reported eight new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, all in people arriving from abroad, bringing the country’s total to 3,425, including 58 deaths.

Thailand hit 100 days with no local virus transmissions.
The country’s last locally transmitted case was confirmed on May 24

More evidence that transmission isn't hard to stop/contain, especially if you start early.

2394

Basketball / Re: Knicks

« on: September 02, 2020, 01:15:17 PM »

I'm mostly looking at the mock drafts to get a feel for who is rising, who is falling.
For the past few weeks, Ty Haliburton has gotten a lot of praise and moved up draft boards, despite kiid promising us he's not a Top 7 guy.  But who knows, maybe his stock will peak too early. But at this point he is likely be gone by 8.

Killian Hayes has seen an increase in boosters.  Though not everyone is sold.

Wiseman's position has stabilized.  There used to be some concern he could be a Whiteside, but now it seems folks feel he's more of an Ayton.  (My comps -- I haven't seen anyone use those, or any comps really).

Vassell moved up and then plateaued around 8-11.

Since NYK are picking 8th, I'm mainly rooting for Bigs such as Wiseman and Toppin to go in the first 7, to bump talent down our way.  It's not really a Big Man's game anymore, and we have the promise of Mitch.

Okongwu really impressed me, but he looks to go in the 5-7 range.
I like Vassell a lot too.  Avidja sounds good, but will likely go Top 7.  He had buzz a month back, but has fallen into neutral or dropping slightly.
I'll be happy if we have a choice of TyHa, Vassal, Killian.
And will be interesting to see if there will be any late risers.

The year we drafted Knox, I loved that we had a choice of 4 Wings -- Bridges x2, Knox and Porter Jr.  But Shai G-A was a late riser and had good buzz the last couple pre-draft weeks.  Thus far, Knox was the worst of the 5 choices.

Similarly, I was pleased we had a choice of Franc or Smith Jr. -- and now we have both and nether looks like a starter.

Moral of the story: you still have to make the right choice given the players on the board.  And don't worry about consensus, reach a little lower to get the player you want if there's a guy you feel is right.

For instance, after Franc and Jr. Smith went 8-9, the next 5 picks were:
10  Zach Collins
11. Malik Monk
12. Luke Kennard
13. Donovan Mitchell
14. Bam Adebayo

I'm not a Monk fan, and Canard is still just a decent prospect who could go either way, but Zach is quite good if he can stay in one piece, while Spider and Bam Bam are all-stars.
(also John Collins went 19 & OG 23)

2395

Basketball / Re: NBA

« on: September 02, 2020, 11:52:41 AM »

Out of 53 NBA players who have tried at least 500 jumpers in the regular season and playoffs, Westbrook ranks last in efficiency, with an effective field goal percentage (eFG) of just 39.8%. How bad is that? Anthony Davis ranks 52nd at 44.7%.

in Game 6 on Monday ... With four minutes left, the Rockets led 98-92 and they seemed destined to advance to the next round. But  Paul hit a couple of huge 3s to tie the game

In those final four minutes on Monday, Harden touched the ball just four times and dribbled 11 times in Houston's final eight possessions.

Meanwhile, Russell Westbrook had 10 touches and 60 dribbles in that same span.

Both had a late turnover in a tied game, and missed a key shot.  Though Westbrook's straight-on airball was embarrassing, and his very late turnover sealed the L.  I'd much rather trust Harden late since his whole game/season is basically iso-hero-clutch time ball.

2396

Basketball / Re: NBA

« on: September 02, 2020, 04:12:16 AM »

Between the two of them, Mitchell and Murray scored 475 points in this series, which is the most combined points by opposing players in a single series in NBA history, per ESPN Stats and Info, topping the 463 Jerry West and John Havlicek scored in the 1969 Finals.

For the series, Mitchell posted 36.2 points per game on 53-percent shooting, including 51.5 percent from deep and 95 percent from the line. Per StatMuse, he is the first player in history to post at least 35-50-50-90 in those categories for an entire playoff run, albeit a short one for Utah.

Murray, meanwhile, averaged 31.5 points for the series on 55-percent shooting, including 55 percent from deep and 92 percent from the line. He posted two 50-point games with a 42-pointer sandwiched between. The 142 points Murray scored in Games 4-6 is the third-highest total in three consecutive playoff games in NBA history, trailing only Jerry West in 1965 and Michael Jordan in 1988.

Both Mitchell and Murray 30+ Points on over 50/50/90 splits

(and I like how Jerry West's name comes up form two different playoff seasons)

2397

Basketball / Re: NBA

« on: September 02, 2020, 04:10:13 AM »

Excellent comeback, Celts

Looks like this goes seven.

Or not.

2398

Basketball / Re: Knicks

« on: September 02, 2020, 03:20:43 AM »

https://www.nbadraft.net/nba-mock-drafts/ has the Knix at #8 having a choice of Killian Hayes or Vassell, and going with Hayes.  With Ty Halibut going one slot before us.

CBSports has an odd mock draft with Deni Avidja available at #8, but the Knix choosing to trade up to #2 to get Ball. 

But they have no idea what the Knix could offer.  And it only makes sense for GSW anyway if they can nab a guy like Avidja at #8.  If only say Killian or Halliburton is available at 8, it wouldn't make much sense for GSW.  Seems pretty far-fetched.

2399

Basketball / Re: Knicks

« on: September 02, 2020, 02:01:08 AM »

With two more losses Knix would have had the 2nd worst record at 19-47.

Not sure how they dealt with the different number of games teams played.
Cavs were 19-46; Minn 19-45.

But it looks like 2 more losses and NYK would have gotten the 5th pick a la CLE.
Good thing we larded up on vets to get those 2 extra W's ...

2400

Basketball / Re: NBA

« on: September 01, 2020, 08:29:41 PM »

Smart was a hero.

Besides the 3's, I loved that strip of a driving Siakim with 40 secs left, which Smart very nearly saved to a teammate.

Burke is informed, but it's the Hubie Brown school of repetitive overannouncing and over-emphasis.   Otoh, Malika Andrews has done a good job with her coach interviews, getting actually useful or interesting answers.  Usually from other reporters the questions are so lame and more like statements and the coaches basically just say Yeah.