Squirrel

No, violence is not justifiable nor the answer, at least not imo. But one side is worse than the other, also imo, and the violence on both sides is not equal, so yes, the violence on one side is worse than the other. That is not justifying one over the other, because as I said, I don’t condone violence. Maybe to you it sounds like justification. But one side is evil. The other I think is misguided in how to fight it. And some small part of me, despite my not condoning the violence, despite knowing how it’s wrong, there is a small part of me that wants one side to win over the other, even if the method is misguided. It doesn’t excuse it and I’m not excusing it, but it is a false equivalent by the way I see it.

Maybe they could be persuaded to start one? Stringer? You should ask.

Oh, and VOTE ... healthy climate and human decency and equality are my main focuses. Wish more would actually VOTE.

I go to protests. And the second it appears to be getting a bit too raucous, or the organizers start getting a bit ... well ... messaging matters, and the police start arriving, I'm done. Other than that, I write lots of letters to my representatives. And donate to humanitarian causes.

Thank you all for putting this whole series together. As one who spends time in Fort Myers, it's fun going to the games and telling my Mom a little about who is who, something I owe completely to this site and the hard work all of you guys do reporting on the minor leagues and the prospects.

Well, I like milkshakes. If someone wants to throw one at me, please do it so I can catch it and not spill!

I don't know ... I'm asking the question ... where is the line of too much? Should the teacher be aware of all these various calendar items and plan accordingly? Or should the student plan accordingly for days they need off for observance? I don't know the answer, but no one group, even if the majority or the minority or whatever, should have priority in this case, imo. Christianity, Judaism and Islam are three major branches of the same tree ... seems to me we can work to be accommodating somehow. But then, where does it end ... is that it? Or do students just get days off here and there, and miss school, because of this, that or the other thing? I don't know what is the best way to accommodate diversity without over-accommodating it because I don't know where that line is. And my sister has been teaching for 30 years and deals with the same issues. She has a lot of refugees in her school and she works to try and be fair to what each needs, but it is sometimes very difficult.

Sports, religion, and politics ... what a caustic and volatile combination. I don't think it has to be, but, if it can't be anything but, what do we do here? The moderators very intentionally try to end any notion/mention of politics and religion in the baseball forums, because it never ends well. We don't always get to it on time, but when we do, done, it doesn't go further. Someone is always, always, always lacking in sensitivity - one way or the other - and thus, reacting as if whatever was said was done so intentionally. So, as moderators, we've had discussions, and the only thing we could come up with to keep the baseball forums to baseball ... is to remove all references, whenever possible, to religion and politics ... and that goes for any other 'hotbed' topics such as race and sexual assault and personal time hobbies and ... the list goes on. It's really quite tiring, and to me, very sad, but this is our world today. Even if meant light-heartedly ... someone always, always, always takes offense, and we get a report and/or PM, and someone always, always, always fails to think beforehand that results in tangental debates that have nothing to do with baseball. Do we need to do that in this forum, too? Have different threads for every possible topic and keep them absolutely separate? This is a politics thread, no religion talk, etc, etc, etc. Or maybe what we need to do is end all such threads ... no politics, no religion, no 'hotbed topics', no nothing ... just moves, books, television, music, death pool, other sports. That seems to be enough other topics that we don't need to go 'there' to those offensive subjects. Maybe if we do that, we will find a lot of things that we have in common and can focus on that instead of these other things that do nothing but offend and divide. Does that seem like a good plan to everyone? Let me know and I'll make it happen. Or maybe I will lock all these 'touchy' threads for a week and see how it goes? Until then ... if something someone says offends you, maybe say it offends you and explain why instead of going into defend and attack mode. (I know ... I am truly one of the worst ones at this because so much of the world offends and hurts me.) Maybe that person didn't mean it that way. And maybe before posting, consider the diversity of our audiences, and do one read through before hitting 'post.' Maybe consider how your 'tone' reads to someone else (and that is actually a very difficult thing to do because that just isn't something you can truly discern from a bunch of words, sometimes, but not a lot.) Or maybe we should all take a Myers-Briggs test to learn about how to interact with one another? (Okay, not serious, it's just that that came up recently.) Anyway ... I throw my hands up ...

I'm not sure that will happen ... so then what? So, for you, the line is drawn at consumer holidays, okay, holidays on Sunday, okay ... but the rest? Not? And Ramadan is at a very different time each year, just like Easter isn't the same date every year, either, albeit on a Sunday. Keep in mind, that our work and school weeks are planned around Sundays being an off day; that is not coincidental. I worked for a company, years ago, where the owner was Jewish. He gave all Jewish employees extra paid days off each year to observe the Jewish high holidays. (Some were observant, others weren't but still took the days.) I was fine with that, but wondered, did these same people work on Christmas? I didn't really care, but, time off is time off. I started taking (paid) half days on Good Friday and Ash Wednesday to attend services, because, well, if that was the way it was, so be it. He didn't balk at it and encouraged it. (Back then, when I was very observant, I did use that time to go to services.) And I'm sure he would have given time off for any Muslims in the company, had there been any, for what they needed for Ramadan. Heck, he gave someone paid time off to attend a spiritualist thing, because that's what that person was into. He was someone who acknowledged that his employees' faiths in the work place, and was fair about it. I see no reason a teacher at school can't look at the calendar for these particular days ... there are truly not many of them ... and arrange his/her calendar accordingly. I don't fault anyone wanting to practice their faith, but I think the teacher could be accommodating ... up to a point. And, when I was in school, which was some time ago, we were given time off before and after Easter ... Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Monday. Schools nowadays try to coincide their Spring/term breaks around Easter, acknowledging that kids and families want that time off to observe the church holiday. So ... is fair fair? And now we have three threads discussing religion. Great.

Hey, we have Christmas and Easter as sanctioned government holidays. Outraged with that? I’m part of a cbu and in our contract it specifies no services on Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah, is that wrong? Just curious where and why are the lines drawn. Maybe the teacher should have looked on the calendar and made adjustments when to give a test accordingly. I think going forward would be considering everyone as best possible.

Warren/Castro or Harris/Castro? I just really liked Castro.

Stayed through the delay. Duffy started pitching and I thought, 'I waited all that time for this?' and left. Of course, being on the south side, and by myself, it was a very frightening walk to the L and home. (I'm kidding. That area isn't a problem, at least not since I've been living in Chicago.) INFJ or INFP ... the J and P are close enough that they sometimes tilt one way or the other. But the INF? The woman who administered the test (years ago now) was very surprised by how much I was. I was very much in the deep end of each of those characteristics. Does that tell you I'm a bleeding heart liberal?

And vice versa. I'm always uncomfortable with religiously political or politically religious talk. However, if one is going to proclaim themselves superior in a religious sense (and no one here has done that, so I'm not pointing fingers here, just making a point), I think it opens the door to be called out on that when your actions do seem to go against that which you proclaim to be. However, then we get into that 'Judge not, lest ye be judged' territory. I'm judgy. It's my sin. And I'll walk with it. I'm also a bleeding heart. Bad combo, but I deal.

Gross

Which is why I left, and thought, I stayed through the delay for that?

Ugh

I thought they said Wednesday.

Dumb

Yeah. I’m fine with spending prospects but if we are talking about two of our best prospects, that wouldn’t be for Syndergaard imo

Considering Chicago Sox have 3 going to the Twins 2 ... Won’t finish that. Typical all-star selections.

Also Giolito made it so they get 3 players.

Lol ... can always take BART into San Fran.

Rain has subsided. Grounds crew is out. Tarp is being removed.

Looks like the rain should clear by 6. Since neither team has a game tomorrow I’m guessing we will resume.