Wideleft

Trying this another way. Took the latest version of the Bomber roster and assumed that if a player isn't listed in 3DownNation's FA List, they were signed for 2023 (at least). Also took into account "stuff I've read". This may calm you or give you conniptions. I do not guarantee 100% accuracy. Bomber Roster – Player Status for 2023: Quarterback Zach Collaros (A) – Under Contract Dru Brown (A) – Under Contract Dakota Prukop (A) – Unsigned Free Agent Running Back Brady Oliveira – (N) – Under Contract Johnny Augustine (N) – Under Contract Fullback Konner Burtenshaw (N) – Under Contract Mike Miller (N) – Unsigned Free Agent Receiver Carlton Agudosi (A) – Under Contract Tavaris Harrison (A) – Under Contract Jaivon Heiligh (A) – Under Contract Brendan O’Leary-Orange (N) – Under Contract Drew Wolitarsky (N) – Under Contract Dalton Shoen (A) – Under Contract but in NFL Window Rasheed Bailey (A) – Unsigned Free Agent Nic Demski (N) – Unsigned Free Agent Greg Ellingson (A) – Unsigned Free Agent Janarion Grant (A) – Unsigned Free Agent Timothy Knuettel (G) – Unsigned Free Agent Greg McCrae (A) – Unsigned Free Agent Luke McMillan (N) – Unsigned Free Agent Offensive line Liam Dobson (N) – Under Contract Geoff Gray (N) – Under Contract Chris Kolankowski (N) - Under Contract Tomoya Machino (G) - Under Contract Drew Richmond (A) – Under Contract Stanley Bryant (A) Re-signed Jermarcus Hardrick (A) Re-signed Patrick Neufeld (N) Re-signed Michael Couture (N) – Unsigned Free Agent Eric Lofton (A) – Unsigned Free Agent Tyler Witt (A) – Unsigned Free Agent Defensive line Thiadric Hansen (G) – Under Contract Cole Adamson (N) – Under Contract Cameron Lawson (N) – Under Contract Ricky Walker (A) – Under Contract Jackson Jeffcoat (A) Re-signed Willie Jefferson (A) Re-signed Jake Thomas (N) Re-Signed Keion Adams (A) – Unsigned Free Agent Casey Sayles (A) – Unsigned Free Agent Linebacker Tanner Cadwallader (N) – Under Contract Malik Clements (A) - Under Contract Brian Cole (A) - Under Contract Adam Bighill (A) Re-signed Kyrie Wilson (A) Re-signed Jesse Briggs (N) – Unsigned Free Agent Shayne Gauthier (N) – Unsigned Free Agent Les Maruo (G) – Unsigned Free Agent DeJuan Cooper (A) – Unsigned Free Agent Defensive back Brandon Alexander (A) – Under Contract Karon Delince (A) – Under Contract Nick Hallet (N) – Under Contract Noah Hallet (N) – Under Contract Evan Holm (A) – Under Contract Demerio Houston (A) – Under Contract Redha Kramdi (N) – Under Contract Deatrick Nichols (A) – Under Contract Jamal Parker (A) – Under Contract Desmond Lawrence (A) Re-signed Winston Rose (A) Re-signed Alden Darby (A) – Unsigned Free Agent Mercy Maston (A) – Unsigned Free Agent Nick Taylor (A) – Unsigned Free Agent Souleymane Karamoko (G) – Unsigned Free Agent Cedric Lavigne (N) – Unsigned Free Agent Donald Rutledge Jr. (A) Left for USFL Tyrell Ford (N) – Signed in NFL Kicker Mark Liegghio – (N) Under Contract Ali Mourtada (A) – Unsigned Free Agent Long snapper Mike Benson (N) Re-Signed

Updated List (MBB Free Agent Tracker): Bomber Free Agents: Quarterback Dakota Prukop (A) Fullback Mike Miller (N) Receiver Rasheed Bailey (A) Nic Demski (N) Greg Ellingson (A) Janarion Grant (A) Timothy Knuettel (G) Greg McCrae (A) Luke McMillan (N) Offensive line Stanley Bryant (A) Re-signed Michael Couture (N) Jermarcus Hardrick (A) Re-signed Patrick Neufeld (N) Re-signed Eric Lofton (A) Tyler Witt (A) Defensive line Keion Adams (A) Jackson Jeffcoat (A) Re-signed Willie Jefferson (A) Re-signed Casey Sayles (A) Jake Thomas (N) Re-Signed Linebacker Adam Bighill (A) Re-signed Jesse Briggs (N) Shayne Gauthier (N) Les Maruo (G) Kyrie Wilson (A) Re-signed DeJuan Cooper (A) Defensive back Alden Darby (A) Desmond Lawrence (A) Re-signed Mercy Maston (A) Winston Rose (A) Re-signed Nick Taylor (A) Souleymane Karamoko (G) Cedric Lavigne (N) Donald Rutledge Jr. (A) Left for USFL Kicker Ali Mourtada (A) Long snapper Mike Benson (N) Re-Signed

Only based on Florida and Ohio data, but I'm not surprised at all. Excess death rates were about equal when government measures enforced safety measures. Once vaccines were made available (and optional), Republicans started dying at twice the rate of Dems.

I'm going to add that I used "trigger" in The Queen's English way. Never liked how it is used now.

I totally agree. Only suggesting that it makes leaving that much more palatable.

Ummm. Researchers are piecing together that surviving COVID-19 may be associated with erectile dysfunction (ED). The research points to three factors that can lead to the potential onset of ED in men who have had the virus: Vascular effects. Erectile function is a predictor of heart disease, so we know that the vascular system and reproductive system are connected. We also know that COVID-19 can cause hyperinflammation throughout the body, especially in the heart and surrounding muscles. Blood supply to the penis can become blocked or narrowed as a result of a new or worsened vascular condition caused by the virus. Psychological impact. Sexual activity is closely associated with mental health. The stress, anxiety and depression caused by the virus and pandemic can be linked to sexual dysfunction and poor mood. Overall health deterioration. ED is typically a symptom of an underlying problem. Men with poor health are at greater risk for developing ED and also for having a severe reaction to COVID-19. Since the virus can cause a plethora of health issues, general poor health is cause for concern both for ED and other complications. “Erectile dysfunction can be a marker of overall health,” explains urologist Ryan Berglund, MD. “So particularly for young and healthy people who abruptly develop erectile dysfunction, and especially after having COVID-19, this can be a sign of something more serious going on.” https://health.clevelandclinic.org/yes-covid-19-can-cause-erectile-dysfunction/

Have to take advantage of those severance packages, too.

Only doable if you draft and scout really well. You can't continue to sign FA's like Lucky, Rhymes etc. with a $550K quarterback.

Fair enough. I do get triggered by sentences that include "Preston Manning had a good idea".

Not what you said, actually (see above). Anyway, what does "basing....somewhat around" actually mean? What does this look like in practical terms rather than in Manningish broad strokes? 8 years of deductions might get you $1000-$1500/month net (lower if you're also going to base MP salaries on avg civil servant salaries as you originally suggested).

What Manning did was performative - nothing more and nothing less. What kind of pension do you think a civil servant would get with only 8 years of pay-ins?

TIL the force of various football maneuvers: "To do the calculations, I reached out to Tim Gay, a renowned physicist at the University of Nebraska who wrote an indispensable book, “The Physics of Football,”" Two men of about 220 pounds (or 100 kilograms) run on a field until they reach top speeds of about 10 meters per second — when the defender suddenly slams into the receiver and brings him to a dead halt. Now their speeds are zero. Newton’s Second Law: force equals mass times acceleration. The acceleration — or deceleration in this case — is determined by the change in speed of the player divided by the time over which it occurs. The duration of hits can vary dramatically, of course, but Gay has studied NFL films enough to assert that a fair estimate to use is one to two tenths of a second. Do the math. Multiply the mass by the acceleration, and divide by the time interval over which the change in speed occurs. The backward deceleration comes out to minus 240 feet per second squared. That’s 1,650 pounds — or about three-fourths of a ton. “You get forces equal to the weight of a baby whale,” Gay says. Gay has toyed with other calculations. When two players collide helmet to helmet — only sometimes against the rules — he estimates it’s akin to having a 16-pound bowling ball dropped on the head from a height of 12 feet. Even the noncontact forces on the field are breathtaking when Gay puts them in kinetic-mathematical context. Gay once calculated the force with which a great NFL runner-receiver makes a lateral cut. It’s one of the most transfixingly elegant moves on the field — “They almost teleport,” Gay says admiringly — and he wanted to measure it. There are two forces being exerted when a player hard-plants his foot — that of the body, and that of the turf. “The ground obeys Newton’s Third Law and pushes back on him with the same force,” Gay says. “About 800 pounds of force shoot through his ankle and his foot.” And then there is the torque of a face mask penalty in the NFL, which he frames with an especially vivid comparison. “It’s about the same as if you stuck your neck in an industrial washing machine at full speed,” he says. As you watch the playoffs, remember the most important physical statistic of all. This one any innumerate person can understand: The injury rate in the NFL is 100 percent. They all get hurt. Fully one in four of the league’s retirees will need a joint replacement. They suffer arthritis at five times the rate of their peers. And they are four times as likely to suffer neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s or ALS. Yet, the NFL’s health insurance program lasts five years after retirement — if they qualify for it. https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2023/01/12/nfl-physics-violence/

George Santos was paid for work at company accused of Ponzi scheme later than previously known The New York congressman is said to have received payments from Florida-based Harbor City Capital as recently as April 2021, income he did not disclose as a candidate By Isaac Stanley-Becker and Emma Brown January 11, 2023 at 8:31 p.m. EST Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.), who has admitted to fabricating key details of his biography, received payments as recently as April 2021 from a financial services company accused by the Securities and Exchange Commission of a “classic Ponzi scheme,” according to a court-appointed lawyer reviewing the firm’s assets. Santos did not divulge any income from the company, Florida-based Harbor City Capital, on a financial disclosure form required of all federal candidates. The payments the lawyer described to The Washington Post, which have not been previously reported, indicate that Santos received money at least a month after he has said he left the firm — and mere weeks before registering a business called the Devolder Organization that he has claimed as the basis for his wealth. The lawyer, Katherine C. Donlon, declined to tell The Post the amount Santos was paid. Santos, whose election to Congress from Long Island last year helped the GOP secure its narrow majority, has apologized for what he called “résumé embellishment,” but he has refused to step aside. On Wednesday, he rebuffed calls to resign from fellow New York Republicans, including leaders of the state GOP and the party in Nassau County, which had previously endorsed him. The congressman’s deceptions have already sparked an investigation by the district attorney’s office in Nassau County, as well as complaints before the Federal Election Commission. Authorities in Brazil are also seeking to revive a fraud case against Santos dating to 2008. During his first run for Congress in 2020, Santos reported earning a salary of $55,000 from a previous employer in the financial industry. His fortunes then improved dramatically, according to the financial disclosure he filed during his 2022 campaign: He earned an annual salary of $750,000 and received more than $1 million in dividends from the Devolder Organization. He also lent his campaign more than $700,000, according to campaign finance records. A key unanswered question is how Devolder made its money. The congressman has given various explanations about the firm — including saying it is an operation focused on “asset allocations” and an effort to help “all the people who were left adrift” at Harbor City. The financial disclosure form, filed in September of last year, covers earnings starting in January 2021 and anticipated through December 2022. It does not mention Harbor City. According to quarterly reports Donlon has submitted to the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, she and her team have interviewed people associated with the firm and issued subpoenas “for documents related to monies paid out by Harbor City.” While declining to enumerate the payments to Santos, Donlon told The Post they exceeded the $200 reporting threshold. Santos, 34, did not respond to text messages seeking comment. Delaney Marsco, senior legal counsel for ethics at the nonpartisan Campaign Legal Center, said intentional failure to disclose could result in large fines or imprisonment for up to five years. “Voters have a right to know this information,” she said. “Congress has said as much.” Santos, who sometimes uses his maternal family name, Devolder, registered his eponymous organization in Florida on May 11, 2021, according to corporate records. He did so with the help of a business associated with DeVaughn Dames, state business records show. Dames, who describes himself on LinkedIn as the former chief financial officer of Harbor City, did not respond to requests for comment. Harbor City was formed in 2014 by a Florida entrepreneur named J.P. Maroney. In July 2020, the company announced it had hired Santos to serve as regional director of the company’s New York City office. The news release referred to Santos, who was then in the midst of his first congressional campaign, as George Devolder. “I’ve known Mr. Devolder for several years professionally, and have always had a lot of respect for how he conducts himself in business,” Maroney said in a news release at the time. Before Santos’s hiring was made public, the Alabama Securities Commission had issued a cease-and-desist order in June 2020 to prevent Harbor City from selling securities in the state. Santos has previously denied knowing of any wrongdoing at Harbor City, telling the Daily Beast last year that he was “as distraught and disturbed as everyone else” to learn of the allegations against it. He claimed that he had left Harbor City on March 1, 2021, more than a month before the SEC filed its complaint. In that complaint, filed on April 20, 2021, the SEC alleged that Maroney had raised more than $17 million by deceiving investors into sinking their money into unregistered fraudulent securities. https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2023/01/11/george-santos-harbor-city-capital/

Manitoba's low bivalent vaccine uptake worries health-care experts as XBB.1.5 variant spreads Just under 18% of Manitobans have 1 dose of bivalent COVID-19 vaccine, province says CBC News · Posted: Jan 11, 2023 3:08 PM CST | Last Updated: January 11 Manitoba health-care workers and researchers say low uptake of bivalent COVID-19 vaccines is concerning, especially in light of a highly contagious variant of the virus that causes the illness now spreading in Canada and the U.S. Just 17.5 per cent of Manitobans had received at least one dose of a bivalent vaccine — one that targets both the original strain of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 and the Omicron variant — as of the end of last month, according to data provided by the province. Just under 21 per cent of people had received any dose of a COVID-19 vaccine — whether an initial dose or a booster shot — in the last six months, the province said. Doctors Manitoba president Dr. Candace Bradshaw says that's concerning in the face of XBB.1.5 — an Omicron subvariant which has been nicknamed "Kraken." Vaccine uptake in Manitoba Through Dec. 31, 2022 Table with 5 columns and 11 rows. Currently displaying rows 1 to 11. Age group (years) At least 1 dose At least 2 doses At least 1 dose within the last 6 months At least 1 dose of Bivalent .5-04 9.5% 9.5% 4.0% 4.0% 9.5% 9.5% 0.0% 0.0% 05-11 55.4% 55.4% 42.4% 42.4% 9.5% 9.5% 0.1% 0.1% 12-17 82.5% 82.5% 77.8% 77.8% 8.9% 8.9% 5.8% 5.8% 18-29 88.1% 88.1% 85.1% 85.1% 7.6% 7.6% 6.8% 6.8% 30-39 84.4% 84.4% 81.9% 81.9% 12.4% 12.4% 11.5% 11.5% 40-49 87.8% 87.8% 85.9% 85.9% 16.6% 16.6% 15.6% 15.6% 50-59 87.0% 87.0% 85.7% 85.7% 23.1% 23.1% 20.2% 20.2% 60-69 94.8% 94.8% 93.5% 93.5% 40.4% 40.4% 36.2% 36.2% 70-79 95.0% 95.0% 95.0% 95.0% 54.3% 54.3% 50.0% 50.0% 80+ 95.0% 95.0% 95.0% 95.0% 55.6% 55.6% 52.0% 52.0% All 81.2% 81.2% 77.9% 77.9% 20.8% 20.8% 17.5% 17.5% Source: Manitoba Health CBC News https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/covid-19-bivalent-vaccine-manitoba-1.6710204

Preston Manning could live 20 retirements without a pension with all the tax-free dark money his "Institute" collects.

Poilievre to visit Winnipeg but no questions allowed By: Tyler SearlePosted: 8:51 PM CST Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023 In a news release that contained little more than a sentence, Conservative Party of Canada Leader Pierre Poilievre announced he’ll be in Winnipeg this week to deliver remarks at an event hosted by a local think tank. The statement did not include details about what Poilievre plans to speak about nor where the Frontier Centre for Public Policy event will occur Friday, beyond an 11:30 a.m. start time. Later that day, Poilievre is to speak at a town hall-style event at the airport Hilton hotel, with doors opening at 7 p.m. The Ontario MP’s office did not respond to requests for comment on Wednesday. While he invited members of the media to photograph him, Poilievre will not answer questions from reporters, something that has largely become his standard since he took hold of the federal Tory leadership on Sept. 10. The practice has drawn criticism from political pundits, fellow politicians and journalism experts, who say it is evasive, divisive and dangerous for democracy. “I think it’s wrong. It’s contrary to the notion of democracy, and I’ve never in my time in politics experienced such behaviour as this,” said Judy Wasylycia-Leis, a former NDP MLA whose political career spanned more than 40 years across all three levels of government. “If you’re running for office, your obligation is to answer honestly and forthrightly to any questions from the media and the public… If you can’t express your view on a certain policy or position, and you can’t answer or make yourself available, that is just a slap in the face to voters.” Wasylycia-Leis came under fire multiple times during her political tenure, both fairly and unfairly, she said Wednesday. Still, when reporters came calling, she answered, believing it was necessary for transparency and accountability. “I hated it,” Wasylycia-Leis said of dealing with the media. “It was the most difficult part of the job, but it is absolutely obligatory. “(Poilievre) should be open and accountable to people, Parliament and the press. Part of that is answering questions and criticism.” Poilievre’s rise to Conservative leadership was marked by numerous derisive comments directed toward the media. Instead of participating in what he describes as untrustworthy legacy media, he has opted instead to deliver messages to voters online in edited video clips. In November, during a rare media appearance, Poilievre bristled at reporters inquiring about his reluctance to answer questions. “The press gallery believes it should dominate the political discourse,” he told reporters. “I believe we have a big country with people who are not necessarily part of the press gallery.” Poilievre’s media silence may in fact be a clever marketing tool, meant to help establish his brand as a political outsider invested in the interests of Canada’s working class, despite the fact the 43-year-old is a career politician first elected MP in 2004, said Bryan Peeler, a professor of political science at the University of Manitoba. “If I was Pierre Poilievre, I would do the same thing. It’s an effective strategy. Now, is it good for democracy? Probably not.” Shutting out traditional media sows distrust, and insulates Poilievre from answering questions about his history and policies. It bolsters support within his voter base but likely does not appeal to the broader voting public, Peeler said. It will also likely have little impact on the next election, which Peeler believes the Conservatives will win, regardless of who is helm “Governments have shelf lives. The Liberals have been in power for three elections already, and voters typically throw out governments, rather than vote them in,” he said. A main function of journalism is to hold powerful people to account. If Poilievre is eventually elected as prime minister, he may have no choice but to open up to media queries, as Canadians will expect answers from their top politician, said Brent Jolly, president of the Canadian Association of Journalists. “We shouldn’t cede ground to politicians and not ask challenging questions because, while there is a segment of the population who doesn’t appreciate the work journalists do, I would say a much more significant portion do take this seriously.” The idea journalists are the enemy has become mainstream in some circles to the benefit of people such as Poilievre, Jolly said. As an industry, journalism has contributed to this perception by leaning into salacious headlines and editorializing, he added. It is increasingly important for news organizations to establish a distinction between reporters who write facts, and columnists, who represent opinions. Introducing media-literacy training into educational curriculum would help the broader public differentiate between the two, he said. “Broadly speaking, we are seeing at more polarization by politicians who are sowing seeds of distrust in the media,” Jolly said. “I ask (the public) to think critically, not just about what is being said, but about what is being left out by people who don’t want their ideas challenged.” https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2023/01/11/poilievre-to-visit-winnipeg-but-no-questions-allowed

Seeing as we'll be having a provincial election this year, I think this thread will have no problem standing on its own and separate from the Canadian Politics thread. Throw your civic/municipal stuff in here as well.

Base pay (or what opposition members make) is surprisingly small in Manitoba. Lamont would have gotten a 46K pay bump if the Liberals could have won just one by-election. MLA Pay Years: 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 Effective April 1, 2022 ALL MLAs Basic Annual Salary...$99,708.00 PREMIER Additional Annual Salary...$83,555.00 CABINET MINISTER Additional Annual Salary...$54,589.00 CABINET MINISTER WITHOUT PORTFOLIO Additional Annual Salary...$46,011.00 SPEAKER Additional Annual Salary...$54,589.00 DEPUTY SPEAKER Additional Annual Salary...$11,264.00 LEADER OF THE OFFICIAL OPPOSITION Additional Annual Salary...$54,589.00 LEADER OF A RECOGNIZED OPPOSITION PARTY Additional Annual Salary...$46,011.00 DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE HOUSE Additional Annual Salary...$8,045.00 GOVERNMENT HOUSE LEADER Additional Annual Salary...$11,264.00 HOUSE LEADER OF THE OFFICIAL OPPOSITION Additional Annual Salary...$8,045.00 HOUSE LEADER OF A RECOGNIZED OPPOSITION PARTY Additional Annual Salary...$6,438.00 GOVERNMENT WHIP Additional Annual Salary...$8,045.00 WHIP OF THE OFFICIAL OPPOSITION Additional Annual Salary...$6,438.00 WHIP OF A RECOGNIZED OPPOSITION PARTY Additional Annual Salary...$4,830.00 CAUCUS CHAIR Additional Annual Salary...$6,935.00 CAUCUS CHAIR OF THE OFFICIAL OPPOSITION Additional Annual Salary...$6,935.00 LEGISLATIVE ASSISTANT Additional Annual Salary...$4,830.00 PERMANENT CHAIRPERSON - STANDING OR SPECIAL COMMITTEES Rate of $208.00 per meeting to an annual maximum of...$4,830.00 PERMANENT VICE-CHAIRPERSON - STANDING OR SPECIAL COMMITTEES Rate of $208.00 per meeting to an annual maximum of...$4,026.00 https://www.reviewcommissioner.mb.ca/mla-pay-2022.html

Agudosi isn't a free agent.

Never happened to Nancy.

Strike 13!!!!

I'm all for letting them suffer continuing humiliation until it's sorted out or until 5 Repub's get too sick to vote.