On a relatively lighter note, we welcome national baseball writer for the New York Times, Tyler Kepner, to talk about issues in the sports world in general but more specifically about his latest book “The Grandest Stage: A History Of The World Series.” Also joining the conversation will be friend of the program, Ken Reed, policy director of League of Fans, whose book “How to Save Sports: A Game Plan” has been updated. Plus, Ralph pays tribute to the late activist
With May being Mental Health Awareness Month, I would like to be a guest on your podcast and explain how my formal employer used mental disability: ADHD/GAD to discredit me after becoming a DOL whistleblower.
Despite having my ADHD medication on file since 2016, WMATA doctors used a positive drug test caused by my ADHD medication to try to force me into a drug abuse program after becoming a DOL OSHA whistleblower. According to WMATA Attendance Policy, they have the right to force any employee into any medical program without cause, for safety. I and my union and friends tried to contact local news stations, but they are not will tell my story because "According to WMATA, [me the whistleblower] failed a drug test.
My doctor requested my medical records per HIPPA and WMATA refused to release them because WMATA Attendance Policy override federal HIPPA per WMATA Compact (11th Amendment). Only with the help of Maryland Attorney General Medical Advocacy Group, I was able to get my medical records six months later. (State Comsumer protection, see previous podcast).
There is more to the story, and it focus on the truth about what caused the Jan 15, 2018, Derailment and how WMATA lied about not knowing the defeat that later caused the October 2021 derailment. https://www.ntsb.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/ma20211017.aspx
I know because I was the first person at the derailment and what WMATA reported to congress (Feb 2022), the public and the board is a lie. If WMATA would have listen to me (and other union transit employees) back in 2018, they would not have to temporary decommission 900 railcars from 2021 to early 2023. Only 200.
During the pandemic, Me, a person with a learning disability, had to file the OFCCP right to sue letter
in the Maryland Federal District Court because I could not afford a lawyer. Covid-19 pandemic left my broke and living off government assistance. Plus, my mother was diagnosis with stage 4 lung cancer in Feb 2021 and pass away in April 2021. Before for she passed, she told me that she proud of me and never stop fighting for what's right. I get my fighting spirit from my mother, Luisa. [[she said some other harsh things, but I will not repeat it. plus, it sounds better in her Dominican-Latina accent]].
I have already given documents and media files proving my claims to the DOL/District Court. So, if I lied or made unfound claims then my case would be thrown out a long time ago. WMATA only respect is the court of public opinion. Please tell my story.
Everything about OSHA, Unions and etc. "Be a Capitol Hill Citizen on Your Congress" on Nader.org, about OSHA, Unions and etc. is 100 percent correct. WMATA used 11th amendment dismantle DOL Whistleblower Protection for NTSSA (Transit Safety). Because I filed a complaint with OFCCP, the Rehabilitation Act is protecting my NTSSA case.
It's not a surprise that Bernie would endorse Biden with no conditions or commitments. A fear of fascism is not the likely reason behind it. It's just not the right time for Bernie to talk about/push for anything.
It is a mistake to give an endorsement with no conditions or commitments, but we do it all the time.
We could easily withhold our endorsement of politicians that work for corporate interests by not endorsing them with our votes unless they meet the condition of not taking big money to run their campaigns as when they do so it tells us before we vote that they will continue to work for the corporate interests. Why should we vote for them without this commitment?
First, on the topic of Bernie Sanders, I do agree completely with Mr. Nader’s commentary on the situation. Bernie is perhaps the most visible progressive at the current time. Bernie endorsing Biden so quickly without doing anything to try to pull Biden away from neoliberal/corporate economic policies and practically neoconservative foreign policy is downright shameful. Perhaps some secret deals were made to get Biden to support some progressive appointments, but still, having Bernie publicly try to pull Biden towards progressive policy would do a lot to bring attention to issues, such as healthcare reform, and it also might engage voters given that there is a great deal of apathy towards Biden at the current time at least and voter turnout has to be a concern for the Democrats. Bernie giving such a quick endorsement won’t help that much and Bernie’s own supporters are going to be quite apathetic towards Bernie given his approval of neoliberalism/corporatism. This is a very disappointing development and we can only hope another progressive steps into the spotlight which is being abandoned by Bernie Sanders. I’m not too optimistic about that though.
Now, on to the sports discussion. As a sports fan, I enjoy hearing Mr. Nader talk about sports. I must admit that I lost interest in baseball some years ago when former commissioner Bud Selig moved the Milwaukee Brewers, a team Selig was long affiliated with, to the more valuable National League and then complained that the two leagues were imbalanced which forced the Houston Astros, my local team and a team that had about a 50 year history in the National League with many good rivalries, to have to join the American League West where there are few meaningful rivalries and where road games often start at unreasonably late times here in Houston as compared to their old division of the National League Central. This was a corrupt move by Bud Selig. Klassik will not stand (or sit) for it. I stopped watching baseball after that and I have not missed it. I do follow the other major leagues though.
There is considerable commercialization creep in professional sports these days. I’ll try to list some annoyances here:
- Like Mr. Nader says, some sports radio broadcasts seem to have a sponsor for just about everything. The NFL prime time radio broadcasts are especially bad in this regard. Every timeout, field goal, challenge, and so forth seems to have a sponsor. Does anyone really buy more shaving cream because a shaving cream company sponsors a time out?
- I believe all the major leagues except for the NFL have sponsorship patches on the uniforms. It is visual blight.
- The playing fields/courts themselves, except for the NFL I would say, have increased the number of ads on them. Many of these ads are for corrupt businesses such as crypto and gambling businesses. The NHL has animated computer-generated ads on their TV broadcasts which is highly distracting.
- In all the leagues, teams have so many variations of their uniforms, which is done so teams can sell more memorabilia, that the teams do not have a common look anymore. One thing that was great about watching sports on TV was that it was easy to recognize a team by their uniforms. That’s not so easy these days.
- Not only are the stadiums publicly financed with little community benefit, as mentioned on the show, but the governments which fund these stadiums give up most/all of the control of these stadiums to the team owners. Furthermore, the teams often impose public seat licenses which means one has to buy the rights to buy a ticket before one can buy a ticket. It is really asinine.
- There are all these ads on TV even though it is common these days for teams to own their own cable TV networks which charge the cable companies a lot of money to carry their games. Given what people are forced to pay to get these cable channels, they should not have to see ads when they watch the events.
I can go on, but these are some examples of issues which make sport less watchable in my view. I will also add that the constant loud music and flashing lights/signs, aside from the ads, do not make for an enjoyable environment for watching events. Perhaps Mr. Nader has not observed these issues if he only listens to the games on the radio. We won’t even get into the faux patriotism in sport. Maybe I’m coming across as a curmudgeon in these comments, but I know I’m not the only one who has complaints about these points.
Thanks for the program. I tend to read or listen to serious material, so this is a positive break.
Back in the 70s and part of the 80s the legendary writer Red Smith lived across the road from us in New Canaan. Occasionally I did some yard work for him such as plowing his driveway after a snowfall.
I am guilty of liking baseball for a few years when I was young and didn't know better. I especially liked the low-tech field of Wrigley when I could walk there to attend a game. I understand the pleasure and escape. Years later I lived in walking distance to Broncos' home field and attended one game—an experience which I loathed. I'm currently in Chomsky's camp on the ills of competitive, mainstream sports. Why do we need to be better than someone else?
These national leagues and their destruction to the planet in the form of humongous concrete stadiums, the bzillions of wasteful tchotchkes that go with each fan's identities, travel to the event, the who-knows-how-much carbon emissions produced by even one game...
...plus gambling addictions, meat (by)products, the light pollution, the danger to athlete's brains, the fact that many people live for sports but often don't live for much else, and Cornel West's comparison of pro-sports to a plantation, I'm not sure how major league sports can be defended.
Then there's the flat-screen TV sales for people who need to watch in “Hi Def” (unfortunately not all are like Nader who prefer the simple radio), the insane amount of advertising, and the exploitation of sexy cheerleaders.
With May being Mental Health Awareness Month, I would like to be a guest on your podcast and explain how my formal employer used mental disability: ADHD/GAD to discredit me after becoming a DOL whistleblower.
Despite having my ADHD medication on file since 2016, WMATA doctors used a positive drug test caused by my ADHD medication to try to force me into a drug abuse program after becoming a DOL OSHA whistleblower. According to WMATA Attendance Policy, they have the right to force any employee into any medical program without cause, for safety. I and my union and friends tried to contact local news stations, but they are not will tell my story because "According to WMATA, [me the whistleblower] failed a drug test.
My doctor requested my medical records per HIPPA and WMATA refused to release them because WMATA Attendance Policy override federal HIPPA per WMATA Compact (11th Amendment). Only with the help of Maryland Attorney General Medical Advocacy Group, I was able to get my medical records six months later. (State Comsumer protection, see previous podcast).
There is more to the story, and it focus on the truth about what caused the Jan 15, 2018, Derailment and how WMATA lied about not knowing the defeat that later caused the October 2021 derailment. https://www.ntsb.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/ma20211017.aspx
I know because I was the first person at the derailment and what WMATA reported to congress (Feb 2022), the public and the board is a lie. If WMATA would have listen to me (and other union transit employees) back in 2018, they would not have to temporary decommission 900 railcars from 2021 to early 2023. Only 200.
During the pandemic, Me, a person with a learning disability, had to file the OFCCP right to sue letter
in the Maryland Federal District Court because I could not afford a lawyer. Covid-19 pandemic left my broke and living off government assistance. Plus, my mother was diagnosis with stage 4 lung cancer in Feb 2021 and pass away in April 2021. Before for she passed, she told me that she proud of me and never stop fighting for what's right. I get my fighting spirit from my mother, Luisa. [[she said some other harsh things, but I will not repeat it. plus, it sounds better in her Dominican-Latina accent]].
I have already given documents and media files proving my claims to the DOL/District Court. So, if I lied or made unfound claims then my case would be thrown out a long time ago. WMATA only respect is the court of public opinion. Please tell my story.
KO
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please Note:
Everything about OSHA, Unions and etc. "Be a Capitol Hill Citizen on Your Congress" on Nader.org, about OSHA, Unions and etc. is 100 percent correct. WMATA used 11th amendment dismantle DOL Whistleblower Protection for NTSSA (Transit Safety). Because I filed a complaint with OFCCP, the Rehabilitation Act is protecting my NTSSA case.
It's not a surprise that Bernie would endorse Biden with no conditions or commitments. A fear of fascism is not the likely reason behind it. It's just not the right time for Bernie to talk about/push for anything.
It is a mistake to give an endorsement with no conditions or commitments, but we do it all the time.
We could easily withhold our endorsement of politicians that work for corporate interests by not endorsing them with our votes unless they meet the condition of not taking big money to run their campaigns as when they do so it tells us before we vote that they will continue to work for the corporate interests. Why should we vote for them without this commitment?
First, on the topic of Bernie Sanders, I do agree completely with Mr. Nader’s commentary on the situation. Bernie is perhaps the most visible progressive at the current time. Bernie endorsing Biden so quickly without doing anything to try to pull Biden away from neoliberal/corporate economic policies and practically neoconservative foreign policy is downright shameful. Perhaps some secret deals were made to get Biden to support some progressive appointments, but still, having Bernie publicly try to pull Biden towards progressive policy would do a lot to bring attention to issues, such as healthcare reform, and it also might engage voters given that there is a great deal of apathy towards Biden at the current time at least and voter turnout has to be a concern for the Democrats. Bernie giving such a quick endorsement won’t help that much and Bernie’s own supporters are going to be quite apathetic towards Bernie given his approval of neoliberalism/corporatism. This is a very disappointing development and we can only hope another progressive steps into the spotlight which is being abandoned by Bernie Sanders. I’m not too optimistic about that though.
Now, on to the sports discussion. As a sports fan, I enjoy hearing Mr. Nader talk about sports. I must admit that I lost interest in baseball some years ago when former commissioner Bud Selig moved the Milwaukee Brewers, a team Selig was long affiliated with, to the more valuable National League and then complained that the two leagues were imbalanced which forced the Houston Astros, my local team and a team that had about a 50 year history in the National League with many good rivalries, to have to join the American League West where there are few meaningful rivalries and where road games often start at unreasonably late times here in Houston as compared to their old division of the National League Central. This was a corrupt move by Bud Selig. Klassik will not stand (or sit) for it. I stopped watching baseball after that and I have not missed it. I do follow the other major leagues though.
There is considerable commercialization creep in professional sports these days. I’ll try to list some annoyances here:
- Like Mr. Nader says, some sports radio broadcasts seem to have a sponsor for just about everything. The NFL prime time radio broadcasts are especially bad in this regard. Every timeout, field goal, challenge, and so forth seems to have a sponsor. Does anyone really buy more shaving cream because a shaving cream company sponsors a time out?
- I believe all the major leagues except for the NFL have sponsorship patches on the uniforms. It is visual blight.
- The playing fields/courts themselves, except for the NFL I would say, have increased the number of ads on them. Many of these ads are for corrupt businesses such as crypto and gambling businesses. The NHL has animated computer-generated ads on their TV broadcasts which is highly distracting.
- In all the leagues, teams have so many variations of their uniforms, which is done so teams can sell more memorabilia, that the teams do not have a common look anymore. One thing that was great about watching sports on TV was that it was easy to recognize a team by their uniforms. That’s not so easy these days.
- Not only are the stadiums publicly financed with little community benefit, as mentioned on the show, but the governments which fund these stadiums give up most/all of the control of these stadiums to the team owners. Furthermore, the teams often impose public seat licenses which means one has to buy the rights to buy a ticket before one can buy a ticket. It is really asinine.
- There are all these ads on TV even though it is common these days for teams to own their own cable TV networks which charge the cable companies a lot of money to carry their games. Given what people are forced to pay to get these cable channels, they should not have to see ads when they watch the events.
I can go on, but these are some examples of issues which make sport less watchable in my view. I will also add that the constant loud music and flashing lights/signs, aside from the ads, do not make for an enjoyable environment for watching events. Perhaps Mr. Nader has not observed these issues if he only listens to the games on the radio. We won’t even get into the faux patriotism in sport. Maybe I’m coming across as a curmudgeon in these comments, but I know I’m not the only one who has complaints about these points.
Thanks for the program. I tend to read or listen to serious material, so this is a positive break.
Back in the 70s and part of the 80s the legendary writer Red Smith lived across the road from us in New Canaan. Occasionally I did some yard work for him such as plowing his driveway after a snowfall.
I am guilty of liking baseball for a few years when I was young and didn't know better. I especially liked the low-tech field of Wrigley when I could walk there to attend a game. I understand the pleasure and escape. Years later I lived in walking distance to Broncos' home field and attended one game—an experience which I loathed. I'm currently in Chomsky's camp on the ills of competitive, mainstream sports. Why do we need to be better than someone else?
These national leagues and their destruction to the planet in the form of humongous concrete stadiums, the bzillions of wasteful tchotchkes that go with each fan's identities, travel to the event, the who-knows-how-much carbon emissions produced by even one game...
...plus gambling addictions, meat (by)products, the light pollution, the danger to athlete's brains, the fact that many people live for sports but often don't live for much else, and Cornel West's comparison of pro-sports to a plantation, I'm not sure how major league sports can be defended.
Then there's the flat-screen TV sales for people who need to watch in “Hi Def” (unfortunately not all are like Nader who prefer the simple radio), the insane amount of advertising, and the exploitation of sexy cheerleaders.
Is it really worth it?