Aloha. Welcome to Think Tech Hawaii's Movers, Shakers, and Reformers Politics in Hawaii series. I'm your host, Carl Kimbanya. In our country, in our state, we have a party system for our politics. And the two primary, I guess, strong parties that we have, and it seems to be only a two-party system, would be the Democrats and the Republicans. There are other parties. So it's not as, you know, I guess, digital as that. It's not one in zero only. There are other options, but the two strongest ones are Democrat and Republican. And some people think that's good. Some people think that's bad. I think it's good to have a lot of viewpoints. So today we're going to talk about, I guess, what these parties are and how they work a little bit. But we're going to focus that question on the Democratic Party of Hawaii. And today our guest is Ms. Laura Nevitt, who is the new Executive Director of the Democratic Party of Hawaii. And we're going to hear a bit from her about what she's done, what her role is, and a little bit about what the party really function is, and really what role the party plays. So this is probably very similar from Democratic, Republican, and other parties. There might be some variances, but that's what we're going to learn today. So thank you for joining us, and thank you, Laura, for joining us on the show. Thank you for having me. It's great to be here. Excellent. So first of all, welcome to Hawaii. Thank you very much. Happy to be here. Can't believe I'm here most days, but in a good way. But very happy to be here. Excellent. So how long have you been here now? I arrived on February 7th. So Super Bowl Sunday actually is when I arrived and have been kind of here. So that was, I make two months now? Yeah, about two months. Two full months, yeah. And where'd you come from? I came from Minnesota. So why? You came from snow. I came from snow. Actually the day I left, it was 20 degrees in Minnesota. So it was quiet lovely after a long journey here to arrive in a beautiful, sunny, tropical place. And I think it was probably about 75 degrees, 8 degrees. So it couldn't have been better. It's about normal. It's about 80 degrees, 80 to 84 degrees in the sunny most days. I love it. I love it. Excellent, excellent. So okay, speaking about that, then let's talk about your journey. What has gotten you here at all? What have you been doing? Tell us about yourself and what has gotten you to this place? A long journey, a good journey though. 20 years I've been doing this work started when I moved to rural Wisconsin in 1985, no, 1995, sorry. And got involved in my local Democratic Party. I was doing an internship at a women's shelter and my local county unit chair came and introduced himself when we got chatting.  And I was like, okay, I had no idea what I was doing and mostly just did it as a place to get engaged in my community. And that's kind of how I got started and ended up getting involved in a gubernatorial race that year. And they then brought me on board because we did some local organizing and then off I went and haven't looked back. And I've gotten to go to a lot of really cool places and meet a lot of really amazing people, which is mostly what I remember is the people and the stories that I get to learn in different places. So I've worked in Wisconsin and Minnesota and Michigan and Ohio and Iowa and Louisiana in Washington state and now Hawaii. And so I've gotten to be all over the place and that's really what I enjoy. I like that. I like to hear people's stories and learn about them and learn about their communities and what they need and what they want and what they're trying to accomplish and help facilitate that. What would you say, looking at all of those different locations, what would you say some of the similarities are and some of the differences are? Is it an easy way to do an assessment? It's kind of, I say they're all, they're the same, but yet different. It is kind of an interesting, just different flavors, right? It's basically what you learn and being around a lot of different communities is most everybody wants the same thing. They're trying to do the same things. They want to live in a good community or a better community or improve their community. They want good jobs so they can take care of their families and educate their kids and do the things that make them happy and feel productive in their community. They want access to health care. All of that stuff. Most everybody does. How they go about it, the flavor is the cultural flavors of being, you know, getting to spend time down in New Orleans, right? With Creole communities. It's different than spending time with nurses in Detroit. It's kind of as the same as when I lived in a rural community for eight years. Meeting with, talking with farmers and hunters is not the same as living in an urban setting when I lived in St. Paul, Minnesota, right? So, but that's the great, to me, the great journey and the great experience. And I really have been very privileged to be able to go and be in a lot of different places and do a lot of different things and meet, you know, I got to meet Max Cleveland who was a congressman or senator from Georgia who, you know, blew off three of his limbs in the Vietnam War. And I got to meet him through my county chairman who turned out had been the man who had saved him on the tarmac in Vietnam, right? So those are amazing stories. I remember the farmer in La Crosse, Wisconsin when I worked for Senator Cole who used to come in every day and quiz me on milk prices and bean prices, right? And so having to learn why that was important to farmers, why that is relevant to their life, to the retired Catholic priests who used to come in and talk to me about choice and education. As someone who's very concerned, he considered himself a Democrat, but of course was anti-choice and for school vouchers. It was a really interesting, but to learn his story as a child who grew up in poverty and what saved him was being able to go to a Catholic, you know, school, right? And so that was what you understand. It was being down in Louisiana and talking to small business solar energy people about energy in an oil state, right? It's the stories of the members when I worked at a union in Washington state. Nurses all over the state and hearing their stories about their biggest concern was patient care, right? And what they were fighting for is a union member and hospitals that are making profits off of their labor and trying to kick into the curve, right? So all of those things, those are the things I take with me. And all of those values tie back to being a Democrat. I started as an activist in the Democratic Party. That's who I am. Has all of these or have all of these experiences grown your strength in the party, grown your position in the party? Absolutely. How does it affect it? Has it just made it stronger? It just made it stronger. More deeply rooted? Deeply rooted, because I hear those stories and those connect, those are exactly the values that we as Democrats carry with us. And what we're fighting for are those workers and those farmers and those people living in poverty and those nurses at those hospitals and the patients at those hospitals, right? That's who we fight for. And those are the policies we're trying to implement as a Democratic Party. And yet we have a disconnect right now, which not a lot of people fully understand. And I think a lot of people are still trying to figure out how to bridge that again. And I think we bridge it by learning to tell our stories. What we've forgotten are the stories and the people that make us a Democratic Party and the values that brings along with it, right? Everybody has their story about why they're a Democrat, right? But it's the value we have forgotten. We've gotten away from the value piece of it. We've gotten too much into data points and talking points and facts and figures. And while that's important and that's good tools to have to back up your story, first and foremost is to be able to tell your story about why you are a Democrat. What it means to you, and I think if we can teach our members and our folks to be out there doing that and talking to their neighbors and their family members and their coworkers, and that's where we will then bring it back to where we need to be. I think we've lost that ability. We've lost that skill. But it's a skill that we can teach people to do. It's a skill. We're not connecting face-to-face the way we used to be. Well, it's also people have gotten afraid of having political conversations with people they know, right? And so I always was amazed being out doing a lot of campaign work. People come and volunteers coming in a doorknock and they'd be like, but I don't want to go doorknock in my neighborhood. And it was just like, but that's, people know you there and that's where you're more influential. But of course that was uncomfortable. And we saw, so you know, over the last couple of years, it's the having the uncomfortable conversation about race or sexism or whatever it is, right? Choice, whatever you want to be talking about. And because people don't know how, we've lost how we do that. And so I really see, while I absolutely wish we were not where we are today nationally and a certain gentleman was not our current president. I do now, you know, after some time in reflection really see it as, you know, what do we need to learn from that to be better? And for me, that's what it is. We need to be better about teaching our folks how to tell their story and connect it to the values of why Democrats are good. Reconnecting with our roots and our values. And so if we can do that and then people feel better about and make it easier and more comfortable for people to go talk to their, like I said, it's talking to your neighbor and your coworker and your family. It's not picking up the phone and the blind dial or the doorknock and, you know, where you are most persuasive is to people you know, right? And so, you know, we have to, we have to get. We've gotten to a place partially with the, because of the internet people have found a way to distance themselves. But then also because politics has gotten to be so divisive that people don't want to engage with it because it's going to be difficult and hard. It's not just uncomfortable. It's hard. Yeah. Well, it's painful in some places. And you know, social media has created an interesting dichotomy, right? On the one hand, it's connected us to a lot more people instantaneously, but it's disconnected us from that personal interaction. And so, you know, it creates a great place. I can sit on my computer at home in front of a screen and say all sorts of stuff, good, bad, or indifferent.  No. And it's also subject to that person's interpretation. Right. They can't hear how you're saying it. Or see it. They can't see it. Exactly. They don't know if you're yelling or unless it's all bold or capitals or they don't know if you're being sarcastic. Right. Exactly. They don't know the intonation of what you're saying. Right. It's created, you know, an interesting place. I mean, again, it's a great tool for organizing and it's a great place to feed out information. Yeah. But it's not a good place to have conversation in terms of... Yeah, real, real... In depth conversation. In personal conversations. You have short, low conversations. And if you know somebody really well, you can. Then you can. Different. But for people you don't know, it's not a place, right? No. It becomes more... What I have seen, and certainly with Trump's whole situation, it's more of cult of personality stuff gets built. Yeah. More than anything else. Exactly. And that's problematic. Yeah. Not just because of him, but it's just a problematic approach to politics, I think. Yeah. So, okay, tell... Then, okay, so over the years, over the 20 years, what are some of the things that you have done? Or do some of the actions or activities, some of the organizing that you have done? All sorts of things. So I've worked on everything from school board to presidential and have probably done every role on a campaign there is and have doorknocked in ice storms in Iowa. So, right? So it's kind of... But project-wise what I've worked on that are some of more of the interesting. I get to be the state director for Howard Dean in 2004. Oh, wow. 2003, 2004 in Minnesota. And that was really one of my more prouder projects is because that entire effort was volunteer-driven and no paid staff ever Minnesota. But we were probably one of their most productive states and bigot, like organizing-wise. And so set up that structure and kind of oversaw that process. And while, unfortunately, he dropped out before we got to Pocas in Minnesota, it still reverberates today in terms of the people I see that got involved with the Democratic Party in Minnesota and became leaders there and are still engaged. And so that still goes on. My other real fun one was the project in Louisiana because I went down... You're talking a big oil state, right? And went down to work on the clean energy bill in 2009. So you can imagine trying to talk about clean energy in Louisiana. Not the easiest of tasks, right? Not the easiest. Because actually for two reasons that actually meshed together actually. Number one, it's an oil-producing state. So therefore they don't want to talk about any but oil. And number two, pricing for oil and for electricity and fuel is cheaper there. As a result of its proximity. Actually it's not. It's not. No. I've seen... Well maybe they changed it. When I was there... I've seen price charts that actually show the further away you get from those oil hubs. Louisiana? It was an interesting... Louisiana has a... And it was a debate when I was there. And maybe they fixed it to them because, again, you're talking almost ten years ago now. But they were having an interesting debate there back then that it was...  It was like a really strange thing. But really the challenge in Louisiana around energy, any sort of energy, is that it is financially driven by oil. And I learned this actually talking to the labor, the president of the FLCIO. I went in. Originally it was about... There was a clean energy bill on the table and it was Al Gore's Alliance for Climate Protection and they were targeting folks sitting on the energy committee. And so we originally started out as a lobbying effort trying to get one of the congressmen and one of the senators there to vote for this. But we quickly discovered healthcare was also going on at the same time and it was just sucking the air out of everything. So there was like, no, nobody wanted to do anything else because they were really trying to get that passed, right? And so as we were trying to figure out what else should we be doing and I was making the rounds, I was actually talking to the president of the FLCIO like, how do I get labor on board to help? And he was the one that finally pointed out to me that part of the problem was this. One, when you say clean energy, nobody knows what you're talking about because they don't have any scale-wise... So it's education getting people to understand what... So we didn't understand what it was because they don't. And two, was really understanding down to like state... because all state dollars are basically... So even your like state employees, their paycheck comes out of oil money, right? So it was like this really... everything. So yeah, so it was like, okay. So what we did is we went back in and said, we're going to kind of go back to the beginning and let's talk about what is a clean energy job. Hi, I'm Tim Appichella. I'm the host of Moving Hawaii Forward, a show dedicated to transportation issues and traffic issues here on Oahu. Join us every other Tuesday at 12 noon. And as we discuss how we try to solve our traffic headaches, not to include just the rail, but transit and carpooling and everything in between. So join us every other Tuesday, Moving Hawaii Forward. Thank you. Hi, I'm Nicole Alexandreinos, and I was born three weeks ago. Congratulations on being there for me for some of the few weeks of my life. I'm starting a new show, The Millennial Mind, every Wednesday at 2 p.m. for the month of April, where we'll go over some of the reasons why millennials are some of the most anxious and frustrated people at the moment. Welcome back to Think Tech of Hawaii's Movers, Shakers and Reformers. Sorry, we had a quick break there. Okay, so we were talking about the party politics stuff and the differences there. So we were just talking about organizing and how people get involved and engaged and what our new executive director has been doing. So Laura Nevitt is our new executive director for the Democratic Party of Hawaii. So what I want to transition to now for our last 10 minutes here is as the role of executive director here in Hawaii, what do you do? What is your function? What's your job and responsibility? Tell me what you're doing. What do I do? What you want to do. Basically everything because I'm the only paid staff person with the Democratic Party of Hawaii. So I help with communications, I help with data, I work on volunteer recruitment, I work on messaging, I work on relationships with other state parties, the DNC, the ASDC, I sit in on the Association of Democratic Chairs. And so I'm kind of all things right now as since there's no other staff people. So it's administrative. So what sorts of things are you trying to accomplish? Right now we're cleaning our data and moving databases so we're to give some better function for local units to be organizing and organizing tools. So doing that and also just making sure our voter data, so when we get prepping for election cycle, and then that working for the candidates that that data is clean. So that's kind of going on. Member engagement is a big one. We're right as you know, we're right in the middle of county convention season. So attending those, making sure members are getting signed up that they're processed, that asking for their voluntary membership fees and doing that kind of thing. We have a demo program, which is the Donate Every Month program. So I'm a member of it. Yeah. And so part of my job is helping raise funds and figuring out how we do that in a multi-faceted way. Individual donors, small donors. Basically your job is everything. My job is everything. And the other thing, we started to work on last night and it's coming together, which I'm excited about is this idea of telling stories and actually trying to record our members talking about why they're a Democrat. I think that's a great idea. Yeah. So we're hopefully at the Oahu County Convention, we'll have a camera and we'll be starting to film folks. That would be great. I think that's excellent. Yeah. And then... What's going to be the end result of that? Where will that go? We're going to use it. I want to use it for a couple of different things. One is just for social media, right? Is it great? Just people telling their stories. Yeah. Two, I'd also like to use it for State Convention next year. It's kind of a larger video montage thing for members to see. And it'll just be an ongoing project. I think it's just one... It goes back to that storytelling and really helping people tell your story, right? Does any place to talk story Hawaii is the place? This is right. So let's use that to our advantage and do that thing. So that's kind of... Those are a couple of things I'm working on besides just day-to-day, you know, operational... Making operations happen, keeping the door open. Yeah, exactly. Answering the phone. There's literally like nobody... I answer the phone. I answer the phone. You call the Democratic Party of Hawaii. I most likely will be the one answering the phone and, you know, answer people's questions. I know that every time I show up, you're the one there. Yeah, my staff, the office, and yeah, all sorts of things. So hopefully that will... Tell me about as far as... One of the things I heard you say is you're coordinating with other state organizations. Yeah. What are you trying to accomplish, I guess, in that regard? Most of it is, as an ED, there's actually an association of Democratic executive directors. So we all... Part of it is just networking, sharing best practices, getting information. Good place to ask questions is someone who's new to being an executive director of the state party. I have lots of just sometimes functional questions of how to, like, do this thing or where to find an answer or whatever. So it's a great resource then. It's a great resource. So, like, you know, we recently did a forum on the DNC thing and had Chairman Perez and Deputy Chairman Ellison do a video. That was spectacular. You were able to pull together. And so, but that came through those connections and I maintain, that's part of my, is, you know, maintaining those networks so that we... You're maintaining the national connection as well as Tim Bandevere. Yes. He does that as well. Yes. So a bunch of us do, but that's, you know, they all have other day jobs and I do not. And you don't. Well, this is my day job. We all have other day jobs. Yeah, exactly. So this is my day job. Which is great. More of us would like that. I know. It's a fun job. I actually like it.  But I enjoy it and it's why I decided I wanted to go do this job. Yeah. As I'm a party, the Democratic Party is my home and I'm kind of a party nerd. And I, you know... Many of us are. Yeah. Well, when I come, you know, Minnesota is, we have conventions and caucuses up the Wazoo, right? And so this is how I'm like, I wouldn't, they were, I went to Maui last weekend for their convention.  Literally. I wasn't like... Because it's fun. Because it's fun.  It is just meeting people and meeting the members and finding out what's going on and, you know, in where they're at. Because I don't live there and it's a good way to stay in touch with what everybody's doing. Excellent. Excellent. And I like that. All right. So, so now let's, let's transition. We have, I don't know, about four minutes left. Let's transition to, okay now, when it comes to politics, any scale we're talking, county level we're talking, school boards we're talking, you name it, from that all the way up to president, all levels of government, what is the role of the party? Well, that's debatable and I think it means a little something different to everybody else. For me, a state party functions a lot.  Election process, civil civics process and being involved in government because those are all places where decisions affect their lives, right? Every decision at a city council board or a school board or a unit, whatever it is has a direct impact on people's lives and most people don't connect that, right? It's hard to see it. And it's hard. Especially when you see the language of all the bills and resolutions, like I don't know what I'm reading. Right, exactly. I'm trying to learn how that works. Right. So I see on the one hand the parties, that's what they're there for. The other part of it is purely electoral. It's about helping Democrats get elected. But they tie together for me is the reason we want to get Democrats elected is because they bring the value to the table. The value of the legislative agenda to achieve the balance. That's making the decisions, right, that are affecting people's lives. So that is the work we do and that's, and we, and engaging people on that, engaging people to run for office, engaging people to do and to do that work. And helping others who are running for office. So what's the hardest part from your perspective? What is the hardest part of getting people engaged and what's the easiest way that you have seen that have actually gotten people engaged? Yeah. Yeah. The hardest part, I don't know that's really hard. I think it's just the challenge is the engagement piece, right? But that's mostly, and that's the challenge I enjoy. It's finding how to, what's the connection to the person that's going to pull the trigger for them because it's different for everybody. Different for everybody. Right? And you kind of, we have to get a little bit away from this cookie cutter thing all, right? And because it takes more time. It takes more time being out in your community and having conversations with people and finding out. This goes back to what you were saying. You have more influence with your neighbors because you know them. Right? So this is where, right?  The easiest part is, and then the, that gets people engaged is to simply ask. Believe it or not. You know what? That's actually. All you have to do is ask and most people, right? And In the, we have like 30 seconds left here, I think. But in the, in the world of sales because in a way politics is sales in a very specific way. In the world of sales. Anybody who's learning how to become a salesman, the hardest thing is actually asking for them to actually pay for something and buy something for them. So you say that's the easiest. But it's the easiest, no, but it's the easy way to get them to do it is you have to ask. Ask them to come do that. Right? If you don't ask, they're not going to, it'll never happen. Okay. Apparently we have about two minutes. Okay. So yeah. So engaging. So that's, the whole point of it is to, reach based on our values and our principles. Mm-hmm. Talking with people and trying to understand better. Right. Trying to build bridges. Right. Throughout our communities. Right. And understand where the differences are, where we disagree, but then still trying to find bridges there. Yeah. So that's, and that's what we could be doing. That's what some people are doing. And that's what, as a party, we all parties will open that up. All parties. Probably try or should be doing something. Well, I think the struggle is, is every, because everyone has a different idea of what a party does or is meant to do. Right. Yeah. So it's also a little bit of a challenge is getting everybody to agree that like we, this is the thing we want to do. Right. And then we're going to move forward on it. And it changes every election cycle. It changes whenever you have change in leadership because now you have a new leader who now has a different idea of what they want to be doing. So it's not a simple thing. It's not a simple thing that people are able to do. It's messy. It's not a clean. There's never simple answers. And part of it is also being patient with each other, being willing to listen and good lines of communication that we're just, it's flowing back and forth. So that you hear from me, I hear from you and we find common ground. I think that's the greatest, most important skill that anybody involved in any industry actually needs to have and that's We have, have you ever heard of the step up, step back? Step up, step So like if you're in a big group, right?  If you're someone who talks a lot, step back. So that we allow each other. But part of that is just listening. It really is. You need to know how to listen and you know how, in the queues that go on and all that stuff. It's okay. We actually have to wrap up now. So I know, we're going to be with Jack James, the executive director of the Republican Party and have a nice conversation. It'll be fun. Thank you for joining us. This is Think Tech Hawaii's Movers, Shakers and Reformers, Politics and Hawaii series. Thank you again to our guest today, Ms. Laura Nevitt and again thanks to the entire staff and crew of Think Tech Hawaii and we will see you next time.


Hey guys, it is Sunday at lunchtime about to make my lunch. Bob and I have had a lot of chores we needed to get done because there's a lot to get done before we leave for California. But I think we got all the ones we can do today done today, including listing three different batches of things on the local binothin group. And all three of them have interest, so let's see if they can pick them up ASAP. Anyway, I'm gonna make some lunch right now. I don't know what else we're gonna get up to. We may just stay home and be couch potatoes and watch movies. To be honest, Bob's not really up to doing a whole lot, so That's okay. All right, I'll be back. Hey guys, I don't think I've vlogged yet today. And the next week or so, that's it's gonna be like that. Extra, forgetful. Anyway It's the end of the day today. It's just about 5.30, you think? Okay, we'll do this in here. Sorry There's a lot going on outside. I talked to our neighbor about what's going on and all of that stuff, and he's gonna keep an eye on the house since his condolences and all of that stuff brought in the garbage cans and all that. Anyway, there's a lot going on this week and We are, of course, packing to go down to California to help out with the estate and We have some stuff we have to do before then, which we're trying to get done in and around regular stuff and babysitting. I've got to be up early tomorrow because I got to help Bob with some car stuff. Dropping off a car to have some work done. One of the cars to have some work done on it. Actually the truck, which we were taking to California before we leave. And I'm babysitting all day. Then we got to go pick the truck up. So anyway, it's a lot. I have two cardigans I'm working on at the moment that I'm gonna try to finish. I do want to show you how I'm doing the Red Heart Granny Square stuff, but I can use my extra granny squares to show you and talk you through by showing you the actual finished sweaters, and it's not like I don't have enough finished. And this is just the skein of yarn that I currently need to use up. I've got more. So I think we're good. I would love to say I can finish the two cardigans before we leave. I don't know if that's gonna happen. Maybe. I guess we'll find out. But I'm not gonna push myself. I did get the vlog edited and it is up and scheduled. I don't know if I'm gonna get much of another one out after that. We'll see. It might be very short and if you're watching this clip, that's the vlog I'm talking about. I might film some car crocheting because we are going on a long driving trip. It's six to eight hours, I think. Six hours with no stop, something like that. So I will be crocheting. I don't know if I'll be helping driving. Bob might want to just do he likes to drive so. So yeah, all right.  I don't know what it went to. I couldn't see anything it fell off of so I don't, I just handed it to him along with a couple of bills from the mailbox. So I don't know. I'm gonna go downstairs and I'm gonna have some water and I'm gonna work on the other sleeve on my cotton cardigan that I'm making. I'm hoping by tomorrow night, I can get that one finished, maybe. Maybe. All right. That's it for the minute. I'll get, I'll be back. I'll get back. I'll get back someday. All right, I'll be back. Good morning, everybody. It is Tuesday morning. Like 8 15 a.m. We are taking the truck in Bob's car to get a few things done to it before we take it on the road trip down to California to get some things from his mom's house. So we're gonna start off the day like that. Then grandson is coming over and I'm gonna babysit for the day and this afternoon we'll go pick his truck back up again. So anyway, that's it for the minute. I'll be back. Okay, so obviously, so I'm gonna have to blur some faces here because somebody doesn't want to turn around. But it's obviously babysitting day. I said that already. I did get the bottom ribbing done on that sweater done shortly after he got here. He was fascinated watching Oma crochet, although he wanted to grab the hook. I don't know if that's good or bad. I didn't want him to eat it. That's a bad idea. Anyway, we are just sitting here playing and it'll be time for lunch in a couple minutes and all of that and hopefully tonight I can get that sweater finished. Maybe? Maybe. We'll see. I'm gonna have to mark out where I want the buttonholes to be before I do the ribbing around the front and the neckline. But somebody's gonna have to have gone home first before I do that. So Yeah, I know he wants to stand. So I gotta go. I'll be back.  I'm gonna wash and block it, but Here it is What do you think? The pattern calls for pockets. It's called the boyfriend sweater. I'm playing a little bit of yarn chicken because this is all I have left. I did order a couple more skeins because nobody has it in stock around me and I don't know if it's limited edition or not But anyway, I don't know. I mean, I think it's kind of fine without the pockets and Honestly, the pockets would be for decoration because knit pockets and my cell phone don't necessarily mix well But I'm pretty pleased with the way it turned out, you know, it's just a bulky oversize it's called the boyfriend sweater and Yeah, I like the way it turned out So anyway, there you go Another project done. Yeah now to get this in a couple of the things in the laundry so that it can dry Hopefully before we leave Because maybe I'll wear it. Maybe I won't I don't know but yeah, I'll be back. Okay guys I am obviously out of house running errands. I gotta go pick up some prescriptions before we leave tomorrow Of course, I have to finish packing and all that but while I'm out I'm gonna stop at a little yarn shop. I've been meaning to stop out for a long time I kind of knew it was over here, but I don't know that I've ever been in maybe once I don't remember and I didn't buy anything but we're gonna go check it out today since I'm out driving around anyway it's called Nitro knitters is in Beaverton and Let's go see what they're all about. I am looking for miniskains. I want Maybe a California poppy color a Color for Oregon and a color for Washington. I need to do some googling. I'll be back Okay, that was a cute little shop I got a few miniskains and that I want to wind up before we leave in the morning They don't have a huge selection of yarns. It's a small shop for yarns sake is bigger but the prices are about the same the staff is super friendly and They have like every notion on the planet that you could possibly think of and their selection of yarns is nice It's not all high-end yarns They have some cascade and stuff, which is a good quality sort of semi affordable yarn. I love that So anyway, we're gonna head over and get my prescriptions now and then go home. I haven't had lunch yet. So I Need to eat something All right, and I'm gonna work on that other cardigan because hopefully I can get it done and not bring it with me But I don't think that's gonna happen. I think at the very least I'm gonna be weaving in yarn ends in the car I'll be back Okay, we are stopped on the rest stop off of 99 Yes exit 99 highway highway five. Yes, I put the front ribbing on this in the car Obviously as you can see we have lots of Thread ends to put on and I haven't put in the but put the buttons on yet, but How cute is that? It's adorable. Yeah Time to switch out projects because I'm not sewing buttons in the car or doing this Plus we need to eat lunch. So there's that or it'll be back Hey guys, it's been a weird week, but it is Sunday morning Dean am and we are headed back home to Oregon from Doing Bob's mom estate stuff and it's been a long stressful tiring weekend, but we got a lot done There's still a lot more to do So it's not the end of the story, but anyway we are gonna meet up with daughter grandson and son-in-law and grand dog and I Sort of carpool on the way home I think we're gonna take the dog off their hands because they've got Themselves the baby and the dog in the car and it's a lot to have in one car. So So anyway, and I need more Bob and I I think maybe both need more coffee like it's like I need I definitely need coffee So we'll see anyway I hope you guys have had a great week and you remember to give those you love a hug and tell them you love them as often as possible and If you want to do something just go do it life is short, right? His mother would be the first one to tell you that so anyway, all right, that's it for this week Don't forget to like share and subscribe Go out and do something nice for yourself because you deserve it check out that video description And I'll see you next week. Bye guys


Polyether ether ketone, peak, is a strong, lightweight polymer that can be used as a 3D printing material. It has been shown to have better mechanical properties than traditional 3D printing materials such as acrylonitrobutadiene styrene, ABS. In this study, peak was compared to ABS and it was found that peak had significantly higher tensile, compressive, and bending strengths. Additionally, the modulus of elasticity was similar between the two materials. This article was authored by Wenjing Wu, Ping Geng, Gui Wei Li, and others.


Scams and frauds are on the rise nationally, accounting for almost 50% of all reports to the police. And Courier, an impersonator fraud, continues to be the largest fraud in West Sussex and the UK today. Hello, my name's Jason Lem and I'm here with my colleague Claudia Deema. Together we both work for West Sussex County Council as part of the Community Safety and Wellbeing Team. We would like to take this opportunity to extend you a warm welcome and thank you for listening to this short presentation that we have recorded. Over the next seven minutes, Claudia and I will explain exactly what Courier fraud is, some of the signs to look out for if you are contacted by a fraudster and what to do in order to keep yourself and others safe. Thank you for listening. What is a scam? A scam is an illegal trick, usually with the purpose of getting money from people and a scam is a type of fraud. But as time has gone on, we are aware that scams are becoming much more sophisticated. Scammers are becoming much better at what they do. And what it is with Courier fraud, it is with somebody tricks people into being somebody that they're not. So they pretend to be either some kind of imposter or somebody from a really good background or from a well-known organisation and they would dupe an individual out of large sums of money. Thank you Claudia. So what exactly is Courier fraud? This fraud type occurs when a victim is contacted often over the phone by a member of a scam gang or organised crime group. The Cullall state that they are either a bank official or a police officer, usually from their own fraud department. They will tell the victim that their money and their savings are at risk and convince them to withdraw large sums of cash from their bank branch and pass this often with credit cards and debit cards to either a Courier or a taxi driver, which is how Courier fraud gets its name. The victim will often believe that they are assisting and in investigation and just want to help. As I said earlier Courier and impersonator fraud is currently our number one fraud in West Sussex and accounts for 27.4% of all of our reported frauds, a trend which is matched nationally. This fraud will often target the most vulnerable members of our society, with most victims being elderly. In West Sussex data shows that 75% of Courier fraud victims are over the age of 75 and that 64% of these victims will live alone. Very often these victims will have their details sold on to what is known as Suckers List and the next scam gang will simply use their details and contact them again with victims going on to become repeat victims of this crime type. So what can we do to report fraud? As you can see we can report to action fraud and sadly many scams still go unreported so even the statistics that we've mentioned are fairly high and are getting higher on a yearly basis. We may raise more awareness asking people to report these kinds of frauds. So please report to action fraud. They have a number there on the screen that you can see or you can actually report via a reporting button on their website. Scam elliptics you can also report as well and they also help victims with regards to ongoing fraud. In non-emergency cases you can also report to 101 and Sussex Police Operation Signature their work focuses on the protection of vulnerable members of our community. They prevent them from becoming victims of such frauds that we've mentioned today and if a vulnerable person has been a victim of fraud you can report this to Sussex Police via the 101 number and the operation signature team should work with and support that individual with their ongoing help. So some useful resources that you might want to have a look at in your own time if you do want to know more about any type of scams at all citizens advice have a fantastic website with lots and lots of information with regards to all different types of scams. They also have you know help lines on their website and signposts some other useful websites that can provide that support for you. We've already mentioned action fraud and they're the reporting process that we need to be reporting you know online or telephone fraud too. Victim support help with the support provided to our victims of fraud and provide that ongoing help and support and emotional support that they may need. Age UK again on their website have lots and lots of information with regards to all different types of scams and just to test yourself after this presentation please do the take five RU Scam Savvy quiz and test yourself, test your knowledge to see whether you've learned anything today with regards to whether you can spot scams. Thank you for listening that brings us to the end of this short presentation. You'll see on screen there is a link to the Staying Safe online website with options to sign up to our newsletter or follow us on Facebook or Twitter. There is also a link to the full length 41 minute version of this presentation if you would like to find out more about this fraud type. Courier fraud affects so many of us either directly or indirectly. If a friend, family member or loved one mentions any of these signs that we've discussed today talk to them, make them aware, help protect them from potentially becoming a victim and keep them safe and above all keep yourself safe. Thank you again for listening.


Please join me in welcoming my colleague Andre Dabuse and Mr. Stephen King. This is Stevie King. He's wicked smart. How does that make you feel knowing to scare so many people and what scares you? I love it to scare people. Obviously because I've done a lot and I never set out to do that per se.  And my response is you can call me whatever you want as long as I can do whatever it is that I'm doing and continue to feed my family and pay for the heating oil and that sort of thing. That's great. People will say, do you keep a notebook? And the answer is I think a writer's notebook is the best way in the world to immortalize bad ideas. My idea about a good idea is one that sticks around and sticks around and sticks around. To me it's like if you were to put breadcrumbs in a strainer and shake it, which is what the passage of time is for me. It's like shaking a strainer. All this stuff that's not very big and not very important just kind of dissolves and falls out. But the good stuff stays. The big pieces stay. I had the idea for Under the Dome when I was teaching high school back in 1973. And it was just too big for me. And I was too young for it. And I wrote about 25, 26 pages and put it away. My method for starting anything is I tell myself the story when I'm laying in bed at night before I go to sleep. I'll tell myself this story. And so at some point probably nine months after this. Because this is what it's like, you know, a little piece of grit and it makes a pearl after a while. You just have to give it time. And if it doesn't happen, it doesn't. But a lot of times it does. Having seen King of UMass Lowell is the coolest thing ever. Because I am actually a huge fan of his work. It's just fantastic to see him in person and see what he's like. To listen to him speak and learn how much of a guy he is, which is really interesting to see. The fact that I would have this opportunity as an English major, especially to hear about his take on writing and his process and his point of view on his books is something that is incredible. We really appreciate Mr. King's generosity that what would be his normal speaker fee, which is sizable, he donated back to the university to endow a scholarship in his and his wife's name. I've been so fortunate in terms of my work and the return that when I do something like this, I always try to turn it back over to the institution that asked me to come. It works two ways. One is it gains me some goodwill. And two is it means that I don't do it a lot because I like to spend my energy on the writing. But it's great when it gets reused like that. Great job. This is wonderful.  What you always want is for reader identification so that the people, the guys who read that book will say, I would love to have a girlfriend like that. I would love to be in love that way and have the women say, I'd love to meet a man like that. And if you succeed on that level, I think that it's really good because I'm as much of a sucker for a love story, particularly if it's a little bit of a star-cross love story as anybody else. I got this reputation as a horror writer and everything, but I've really got a marshmallow for a heart.  Jesus, unless you want to write green cards, that might work. So I think that college is an important place because it gives you a chance to grow. And people take seriously what you want to do. College is great because, you know, maybe there's a tuition cost, but the dreams are free and that's a good thing. But yes, I have scared myself. I wrote a book called Pet Cemetery and I got pretty scared toward the end of that book kind of, you know, oh boy, just some of the things. It was very black. And when I finished the book, I actually put it in a drawer because I didn't think anybody would want to read anything like that. I know it's colder up in Maine than it is in Lowell, so we wanted to present you with a token of our appreciation. Listen, you guys have been great to me and I really appreciate it. It's wonderful. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.


If the Ravens and Lamar Jackson win the Super Bowl this year, beating which NFC opponent in the championship game could bring the most to Lamar's legacy? Jimmy G in the 49ers, Drew Brees in the Saints, or Tom Brady in the Buccaneers? Standing at 6-4, got good speed, got some hands, got the great ability to block. The Ravens didn't draft a tight end this year, so should Miles Boykin accompany Mark Andrews and Nick Boyle to be our official third tight end? These and many many more questions on this episode of NFL Questions from Subscribers. You too, team keep it clean. What's going on? It's St. Graven here with another video and another episode of NFL Questions from Subscribers. This of course is a series where you can ask me any NFL question you want to based off of any NFL team and we answered in a video just like this. Now if you want to be part of NFL Questions from Subscribers just send me an email at teamkeepitclean at gmail.com or you can send something to the PO Box. The address is down below in the description along with a lot of other stuff. So make sure you check that out. I appreciate y'all this again like I always say it's my way of really showing my gratitude to y'all for supporting me and just wanting to remind y'all that y'all are part of this. This is team keep it clean. So I appreciate it a lot. I love y'all so let's get into it. First question came from a guy legit beast. He said what are the chances that Judevian Clowney signs with the Ravens? Well it all depends on Matt Judon but I would say small but definitely not impossible because Eric DeCosta he could work something out. I think the chances will go up if the Ravens were to rescind the franchise tag from Matt Judon but if they don't then the chances will remain slim. Next question came from my boy Marcus. Money mark. He said what's going on team keep it clean. Hope everything is well with you and the family. Oh yeah it's great. He said I have only two questions for you and they go as follow. With the new schedule being out for a day or two to indulge what are your season predictions wins and losses. Also with Cam Newton not neglecting that backup position for the right place can you see us doing away with RG3 and his $3.4 million cap hit and offering it to Cam with other incentives that will make you $7 or $8 million. As always my brother continue to bring that heat for all of us at team keep it clean. So as far as the season the schedule prediction we're going to do a video on that so we'll go into more detail on that but for your question for your question on Cam Newton I don't see that happen and I don't see that happening because like I don't think RG3 if they released him they would only save like two they would save like two mil. If they signed Cam Newton I know you did say incentives that'll take it to seven or eight million of course I'm sure that would be like playtime incentives blah blah blah but I just I don't see them getting rid of an RG3 to bring in a Cam Newton because yeah you could be upgrading the backup QB position but as far as the dead money and that wouldn't be much dead money from RG3. It's not like you're making this crazy up well it would be a pretty good upgrade but still um he would be somebody that could come in and run the offense and whatever uh but I I just don't think financially it would be it would be worth it um because it would it wouldn't necessarily be a lateral move but I just I don't think it would be worth it uh financially but and again for your other question we're gonna like I said we're gonna do a video on that so that's coming soon. Next question came from my guy Pap Holliday. He said do you think we could trade Earl Thomas in the second rounder for Jamal Adams? He wants out of there. You could go with a cheaper veteran player long term and draft his replacement or they can try to trade for Stefan Gilmore. I don't see us cutting Thomas. I think they'll try to dump his contract. He's cheaper than Gilmore if the Patriots um or he's cheaper than Gilmore. I guess he meant on the Patriots. Thanks for answering. So do you think we could trade Earl Thomas in the second rounder for Jamal Adams? No. I do not think that the um that the Jets would would take that at all. Um and with the Ravens a trade works the same way as uh somebody being cut unless the team that he was being traded to unless they agreed to take on a portion of uh his salary the guaranteed money blah blah blah but um a trade works the same way as being cut so and I certainly do not see oh you know what hey uh all this stuff happened with Earl Thomas blah blah Jets you you want to take Earl Thomas in the second rounder and you give us Jamal Adams like nah they ain't going for that and then the Patriots trying to trade if you mean trying to trade for Stefan Gilmore but um no I mean we got we got Marlon Humphrey coming up for a paid day. We got Marcus Peters they just paid um still got Jimmy Smith this year uh and obviously he's older and he's been hurt a lot but the Patriots giving us Stefan Gilmore for anything and I mean it just he's a he's a great cornerback no denying that but it just in my opinion I don't think it would be worth it to give up assets to obtain him when cornerback is a position um yeah you can never have enough corners and Stefan Gilmore would certainly make this team even better in the secondary but he's will cost a lot of money because he's already on a big deal and you would just somebody would have to play out of position like like they did last year like who you gonna kick in the slot Marcus Peters Marlon Humphrey um and then you still got Jimmy Smith like yeah the debt would be nice but it just it wouldn't be worth it it would be really nice on paper but financially wise it wouldn't be responsible. Next question came from a boy Keele he said what's up in Graven and team keep it clean if the Ravens release Earl Thomas that would essentially close the door on signing AB right? Ask yourself why can't I sign AB right now and why would I release Earl Thomas thank you and God bless and keep it clean in every aspect. Appreciate it Keele um so yeah I do think if they were to release Earl Thomas then that would uh shut the whole AB thing down for sure. Some people think it's already shut down for sure um and they take what Eric Dacosta said and and now also what he didn't say uh as Eric Dacosta shut in the door down and I did see somebody say that um they think that the only reason that Eric Dacosta hasn't completely come out straight up and say it say oh okay I'm not signing AB is out of respect for Hollywood and that being his family member. If that's true I don't know it could make sense but at the same time I don't know but um yeah I think if they were to release Earl Thomas if they could find something it's seeming very unlikely but if they could find something to release him then I think that would shut shut things down with AB but maybe this whole uproar about this whole thing the whole everything that this has caused maybe that would end up closing the door on AB if it's not end up if it's not closed already. Next question came from my boy uh Michael G he said A engraving I'm not trying to add fuel to the fire but I have a legitimate question if the Ravens were to cut Earl Thomas who would play free safety well um probably the Sean Elliott maybe um and they would just have to roll with him unless they traded for somebody but if if it was somebody currently on the team now um you got uh Geno Stone too you got Geno Stone I mean he is a rookie though so I think they would um maybe Jimmy Smith maybe they could try him out uh that that would be very interesting man I think I was just talking to my boy JT about it the other day and I'll talk to you all about it too before I think Jimmy Smith will make a very good transition to safety I think he would do an excellent job as a free safety um but yeah I think it'll be between like Jimmy Smith uh the Sean Elliott maybe they even try Levine back there a little bit too um but I think mainly like Jimmy Smith and the Sean next question came from my boy Larry he said what's going on my guy engraving hope all is well with you in the family let's get right into it I know you have already answered this but what are your thoughts on the draft and what overall grade did you give them I'm gonna say first off some fans need to understand this EDC is not new to this he sat under the great Ozzie who played this game so trust me when I say I think he knows what he's doing come on people everybody passed on uh which will be the future uh of football and Lamar Jackson who is doing this thing in college breaking off long runs I don't care how many defensive schemes you plan against him no player knows which way he's gonna move when you at that moment thinking you about to tackle him it's not gonna happen this kid is so smart you can gang tackle him but it's not it's not gonna work every time he'll figure it out sorry about that got off track moving it moving on uh as far as the draft I think we got the guys that we need honestly do and I know a lot of fans complain like always but I see it like this they're just fans who don't take the time to study a player they just root for him if he shows up on Sundays but I like this draft because outside of Patrick Queen JK Dobbins and Malik Harrison nobody was really talking about the other guys that we drafted which brings me to kind of repeat what you said in another video that James Pro Shae reminds you of Hollywood uh and once again bro you hit the nail on a coffin after watching this film I would say so as well as Devin Duvenay that's a yeah I say he reminds me of Hollywood but just a little bit slower but yeah uh he said uh this is what we need little five feet tall speedy receivers not them tall receivers when we when we have uh we done good we done good with one or the last time we've had one I say oh I think what what what what have we done the last time we had a big one anyway you said um I say we get rid of any wide receiver six feet and over we get rid of and signed Antonio Brown you said if one man can destroy a locker room the locker room wasn't strong to begin with and one thing I know for sure two things for certain he wouldn't be looking to come in and destroy nothing but them stats for sure and he's one man in the Ravens locker room is built around our culture which is different from any other NFL team we revived careers now well not really at the receiver position but there's some other position but anyway he's in now with the defense but maybe he was speaking to like giving people a chance uh but with the defense I think we are covered and after watching film on uh Matt Abike and Washington I hate to say it but bye bye Brandon Williams enjoyed having you as a monster but I'd rather have these two dynamic tacklers up on that front line can't wait to see them in action Gino Stone is gonna be a stuff for us uh he's my sleeper you said this is the year we go uh I say that and we go on to be the only other team like those 72 dolphins if the defense can match or do more than the offense can we in there we've never had an offense like this if we could get that D back to where it was uh what we relied on and that one Ray Lewis voice in the huddle and locker room every Thursday Sunday Monday and sometimes saturdays too but and he said uh then we got it because by far uh has this by far has been the best draft for us every one of these players will make something out of their careers so with that being said I get him a b plus draft grade sorry for my essay but I wanted to say a lot when it comes to the Ravens and culture staff hashtag Ravens nation hashtag big trust so um um off of the uh the the draft I would give them I'll give them an a because they took care of needs um and they took they got quality players and and they got guys that were rated higher um at their at the their draft ranking was higher than where they were picked um from the top to the bottom of the Ravens draft all of that guys that they were rated higher than where they were picked at so Ravens like got a bunch of steals um but yeah like I said they took care of needs and they took care of immediate needs and they got some quality immediate needs like an inside linebacker um you got lj for some help with patrick queen and and leek harrison um that'll be a very versatile group and that's very exciting uh course matter bk a very disruptive up front um I don't think it's bye bye brandy Williams this year I think next year though um you got disruptive in and you got playmakers too with devon duvenay james pro shea and you got depth on the offensive line as well so they took care of needs and they got some quality quality uh starting material and some depth as well next question came from a boy tears he said what's up team keeping clean well the draft is over and it was a lot of fun watching the stream and all the thanks I appreciate that man he said we are all about to enter that stretch where the nfl is rebooting so to say but my question is what do you think the next ravens move should be during the off season well he sent this right after the draft and obviously they have um signed pernell mcfee they've signed uh dj fluke well dj fluke is not official yet as of today which today is uh may 9th it's saturday uh 12 31 p.m um but I I still I think they're gonna get another receiver I really do um I know that last year they were they were very young at receiver and it obviously worked out for the most part um playoffs is when everything just fell apart but I just I think they're gonna get a receiver I really do um and I think they may uh get another pass rusher too just some competition not to say these are guys that are locks to make the roster but I think if the receiver that they're gonna get I think they're gonna get somebody that that may end up being a lock to make the roster because I think they may um whether they sign somebody or trade for somebody I think they could trade they could end up trading for somebody um we just see how it all works out but I just I don't think they're done yet but those are the uh two of the positions that I think uh they'll address next question came from a boy field he said what's up in graven hope all is well with you and yours yeah you too feel he said don't want to take up a lot of your time so I dive right into it since the draft ended and we can see the roster for as it's set now are you comfortable with the additions to the offense and defense I think the defense is definitely better but I'm not sure how much better our offense is yeah we picked up two quick receivers but let's not forget we got rid of herce ever since the news came out about EDC trying to get D hop and seeing we didn't get a top tier guy for Lamar in the draft I'm wondering is he plotting another move do you think look at this this is crazy man team keeping clean we'd be on the same page a lot man you'd be on the same page anyway um he said I'm wondering if he's plotting another move do you think it's possible maybe the Bucks would entertain a Mike Evans or Chris Godwin trade no I don't think either especially with Brady there no he said I'm not sure but I think it's a possibility Mike Evans is making 16 mil per and Chris Godwin is set to cash in next summer as an unrestricted free agent he's also the type of player Tom Brady will want to keep around with his ability in the slot which is Tom favorites target other than Gronk let's not forget Gronk in this equation the same things maybe Evans could get you Gronk or the same things maybe Evans could get you Gronk can as a big body target but Tom has trust in Gronk to where he needs to be and make contests to catch us over the middle of the field and up the seams I think that alone Mike Evans is expendable with his contract and Godwin's emergence and Lumen contract I would love to have either one personally either one would be nice but I don't think either one is happening because I think Tom Brady gonna be a keep all these people don't let nobody go don't let none of them go because the more the merrier right the more quality weapons you have the better the better your chances are winning um he got a very favorable schedule too uh but anyway they um yeah the nah they those those dudes ain't going nowhere I I do agree with you though I think I don't think Eric the cost is done and oh to the last question I know you like you did remind me that they got rid of hate in her so to the last question that was asked about uh what moves that the Ravens will make after the draft um well now um would be to get another tight end too so I think uh I think they'll get another receiver uh and they'll get a tight end to compete with the undrafted rookie free agents um and and a pass rush is still so anyway um yeah I just I don't see Mike Evans or uh Godwin being traded either one would be nice but I just don't see it happen next question came from boy Larry he said what's going on my guy in graven hope all is well with you and the fam is staying blessed at this time and just watching videos of the draft picks the one that stood out was the last pick Gino stone listen I want to piggyback you a little bit by saying the draft was successful indeed lol I listened to the others with their comments and it's like a comedy show I'm surprised you don't come on with a bag of popcorn every time I want to stamp something first off to whoever got something against Gino stone or any of our draft picks for that matter as far as I'm concerned it's on them to show up every Thursday Sunday Monday and not with the haters listen I don't know how many times you engraving on myself is going to repeat that it's the culture look at who he's gonna sit behind Earl Thomas when you sit years behind someone a hall of fame at that you don't learn uh you don't learn then that football isn't your career job however that's not gonna be the case with Gino stone sorry about that engraving I just really wanted to know do you think because James crochet was the most targeted college football receiver and only had nine drops is the reason for them drafting him if so that I think you were working the offense if so do you think that he'll work in the offense perfectly um well yeah with Gino stone him being behind Earl Thomas he'll have somebody that he can learn from on the football field and somebody that's that's been a pretty good player throughout his career uh as far as crochet I think one of the reasons that he was targeted by the Ravens and Duvenay too was their lack of drops yet it got both of them later on in the draft but they're um the thing that they were known for was the lack of drops that was the biggest thing that they were known for and again remember the Titans that's what this offseason was all about so it was no different with Devin Duvenay and James crochet next question came from my boy Chris he said how you doing engraving I'm doing good how are you he said my question to you is what is your opinion on bronson rickstein and switching to tight in the field of void left by her seeing we didn't draft the titan I think it would be great in our system um him switch into titan him playing some titan okay cool him switching to titan no I think he will be just one of those he'd just be a player he would just be a player um maybe even play some defense too I know a lot of people have hit me up and said he played defense and like high school and stuff so it wouldn't be anything for him so I think he would just be a player somebody that you could put an H back somebody you could put a titan you could put him in full back you put him in running back you could you could move him around so I don't think he would necessarily have to be a titan but he would just need to just be a baller and just just be on that field man next question came from a boy eat nonic shout out to eat nonic man you know he said what's up engraving last season I asked with the run heavy offense how are the Ravens passing attack keep all of our offensive weapons happy I said they're just on enough uh they aren't going to be enough passes to go around in this offseason exit one Hayden Hurst he said now EDC drafts are running back in the second round when we fail to utilize our very best punishing running back against the Titans not using gusty bus in the playoffs was a disgrace it's like you step into the WWE ring to wrestle for a tag team title take a beating and don't tag out when you have a gust Edwards who can deliver a stone coast ton of RKO or tungsten file driver just waiting to be tagged in and win the match now I love that analogy man that was a good one he said what's EDC saying by adding a fourth running back it's just like before only this time is there not enough carries to go around let's not forget about Lamar add him and you have five options to move the ball on the ground in my mind a running back needs carries to get in the Florida game and establish his dominance you can't get that with four guys plus Lamar I seriously doubt EDC would drag the runner back in the second round to have him sit I agree I remember when the Ravens had with us McGahy Ray Rice and the Ron McClane that three headed monster was dangerous and worked well with the stationary Joe Flacco however this offense is totally different I just don't see how this is going to work just like Hayden Hurst I truly believe one of them will have to make him make a name for himself elsewhere and that someone is not Mark Ingram or JK Dobbins gust is a great Raven who goes about his job quietly never in the headlines for all field indiscretions or locker room troubles true question what do you think he did to be in EDC's and Hubbell's doghouse thanks for taking my questions and love the veers and keep up the good work wow that is a good question and I honestly have no clue no clue at all man um I just I don't know man I don't I don't get it I didn't get it I didn't understand it I I never understood it but they clearly don't value him they don't because again we've been talking about this a lot especially after the draft since they did draft the JK Dobbins but Mark Ingram was hurt he was hurting you still ain't run Gus so like it just it doesn't make any sense to me and I don't know what it is was it something I missed was because he might have fumbled a couple times I mean Mark Ingram fumbled too and they still loved him so I don't know what it was about Gus it was that they just felt like you know what no we ain't gonna run with him man we ain't gonna do it so yeah I do think he is on he is gonna be the odd man out unfortunately like I said I really love Gus Edwards I like his style um but they just they don't value him so I think they're gonna get rid of him next question came from a boy uh Johnny Fifi he said hey man we're all scheduled this year it's no secret that this is one of all we could schedule we had in a while do you think we should save plays for the playoffs and be more past first run second during the regular season no no I don't want to hear no saving plays for the playoffs I don't want to hear none of that this year because with the Ravens last year I just want them to continue and it's funny because somebody sent me a video I think his name is simply simply like AJ 10 production something like that he'd be making a lot of like highlight videos for current Ravens players new Ravens players and stuff like that but um he did one recently of I think he just did one on Lamar Jackson um from last year but uh somebody sent it to me and it was like whoa listen around the uh the the nine minute 10 minute mark and it was Lamar Jackson Lamar Jackson was talking to uh Derek Henry at first and he was like man he's like he's like all you do he said for your 50-yard runs you just run and put your hand down it's a 50-yard run it's a highlight he's like you even got one of those highlights on my team and they were laughing about it not it was funny but then Lamar Jackson was talking to Earl Thomas and they was talking about he was they were talking about how successful the team was and stuff and this was when they was at the Pro Bowl they were talking about how successful the team was and they like nobody expected us to do that and Lamar was like yeah we young so he said we're gonna be straight and Earl Thomas was talking about I think he talked about the Super Bowl and stuff he said we'll get there blah blah blah but um he was just Earl Thomas was saying like uh he's like I just I just hope we don't we don't we need to do what got us there we need to do what they were like we need to treat every game like it's a Super Bowl um we can't treat no opponents differently from one another but we need to um we need to do what got us here we need to do what we've been doing that got us here we don't need to change it up in the playoffs and I was like oh yeah they get it that's it that's it that's it right there that's what you've been saying don't change it up don't fix what's not broken so they get it internally so I'm just hoping that um I'm just hoping that the Ravens they end up getting it too man uh so I don't think they need to save anything for any type of situation or anything like that they need to just do what got them there and stick with it next question had come from my boy uh Alex he said uh engraving first off hope you and your family are safe and doing well yeah we're doing good this question came on the whole Antonio Brown Snapchat day he said I wanted your opinion on this a few hours ago Antonio Brown posted himself in the Ravens uniform on snap the pictures attached to the email what's your opinion on that and could this mean we're about to sign them so yeah that day I know uh Ravens Nation had went crazy I remember I'll never forget it I don't think anybody will but um I uh no I I didn't think it meant that they were about to sign them um I thought it's just just Antonio Brown just Dean Antonio Brown man um he has been pretty quiet on social media as of late uh he hasn't been saying anything hasn't been having any outbursts anything like that um so I don't know I don't know but as far as Ravens getting ready to sign him I just right now I just I just don't see it happening as of right now next question came from my boy uh Milton he said no intro just thoughts I really don't think we're there with KC without AB this is an open goal in my opinion Hall of Fame wide receiver on the market who already has a chemistry with our QB and wide receiver without AB is still be Hollywood and rookies next year we need AB more than people think do we really have time to try and force chemistry with Snead Boykin and the rookies or do we go for the Hall of Fame wide receiver who Lamar has already started chemistry with and wants to be here getting AB lets me know that we're really going to be indefensible also can you imagine our quick footed wide receivers learning from the wide receiver who has in my opinion uh some of the greatest footwork of all time this is a move we need to make the chiefs are going to keep getting better and better we want to overlap them not stay connected to the hip let's get them stay safe and bless up um so it would enter and this came on the same day with the Antonio Brown snapchat thing um but with Antonio Brown man yeah he would immediately upgrade the team um he definitely would is he a necessity for the Ravens to get what they need to go no um and with your comment as far as the uh the chemistry do we really have time to try and force chemistry with Snead Boykin and the rookies well I mean what's the point in drafting them if you're not gonna try to build chemistry with them what would be the point like Lamar is the quarterback of the team and it's his job and it's the receiver's job and it's the offensive coordinator's job and the coaching staff's job it's all of that job to build that chemistry amongst the current teammates like having an AB would be nice but if you don't have AB then you gotta you gotta use what you got and that's the reason that they got the guys that they got via the draft and again like I said I don't I still don't think they're done yet but there's a reason that they got the guys that they got who don't drop um so they can catch the ball but with them being rookies like you gotta establish that that you gotta establish that connection you gotta establish that that that rapport and like you said that chemistry so I don't it almost it almost from the email made it sound like um you felt like the the guys that we got they can't establish the the chemistry or I don't even think oh you said it do we really have time to try to force chemistry with Snead and Boykin and the rookies it it wouldn't even have to be a thing that would be forced because they're teammates they're already teammates so with them already being teammates they need chemistry it's a quarterback and receivers they're supposed to have chemistry so not that it would be a forced thing but it's an expected thing next question came from my boy Sean he said could the Ravens use Bronson Rick Steiner as an edge rusher bull rush all day long go Ravens nation hey um you never know man you never know because he got that power that explosiveness um and again if it can translate to the NFL he's low he I think he's like six foot but he's he's he ain't too low but he's low so he could come in through come through like a little bulldog going to chase a bone or something the quarterback would be the bone and he would be the bulldog but yeah you get what I'm saying man so they could try it out and I'm sure they're gonna try him around like at different positions and whatnot not just it wouldn't just be full back so I'm sure they're gonna move him around to see what they like him best at and see just he could be sort of the uh not not I don't want to say to take some heel of the Ravens but he'd just be a sort of uh Swiss Army knife type of guy especially came from a boy Mike he said engraving hope all is well with you and the fam appreciated me he said do you think this is Jimmy Smith's last year's Raven and he retires do you think he'll move on to another team and thanks as always for the great content that's a good question um I think that uh with Jimmy Smith um I think it could be his last year with the Ravens uh and I think they'll really want to not do the injury anything but maybe just do the depth and maybe do the doing due to blowing some teams out I think they want to start to see what even Marshall's got um to see if he can be somebody that can sort of step into that Jimmy Smith sort of role um as a bigger taller corner outside corner uh who can come in and do his thing um because you you're getting ready to pay more than Humphrey you already paid Marcus Peters uh and Jimmy Smith he's on a one year small deal I think up to six mil but only like 3.6 mil is guaranteed and the six mil is based off of play timing sentences oh that's a uh I mean to get it up to six mils based off of play timing sentences and like that's that's smart it's very smart um but I could definitely see this being his last year with the Ravens um as far as him retiring no I don't think he'll retire I think um it just depends on his body response man his body is after this season but I think that for Jimmy Smith that when he's a free agent next year I think what he'll do is start put is and it's what a lot of cornerbacks do when they're up there in age but they still want to keep playing and they still feel like they got something I think what he could possibly do uh depending on how his speed is depending on how his body is he could put it out there like a lot of them do and be like hey well I mean for any team that gets me I'm willing to play safety too I don't mind playing corner oil safety uh whatever you need me to do I'm fine with that so he'll put that out there to sort of uh up his market but I think this could definitely end up being Jimmy Smith's final year with the Ravens the next question came from a boy Rodeo he said first thing first thanks for all you do for the Ravens community you make the long off season a lot easy to get to so here are my questions I appreciate you man I always appreciate your questions because you make them fun he said if you rank these duels from worst to best five being worst one being best how would you rank them Tyreek Hill Travis Kelsey Manuel Sanders and Michael Thomas Larry Fitz and Deandre Hopkins and Mari and C.D. and last but not least just imagine for this question's sake Hollywood and AP so uh one being the best um Travis Kelsey and Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelsey um number two I would say Larry Fitz and Deandre uh number three I'd say Hollywood and AB number four I'd say Manuel Sanders Michael Thomas and number five I'd say Mari and C.D. and then he said although we are now through with the draft work is never done I want the best possible team we can have when opening day comes with that said if you could add one free agent to the currently constructed defense who would it be oh you know who I'm taking uh and he said who would you add to the currently constructed offense and do you feel your additions would no doubt 100% have the Ravens going to the Super Bowl this year appreciate you and what you're doing be great and stay clean I appreciate it Rodeo man one addition to the defense y'all already know and I'm sure some of y'all already have said it in your minds while you're watching this video and be like oh yeah I know what you're picking is your David and Clowney of course your David and Clowney would be my guy for the uh for the defense um offense oh you said a free agent though not be a trade a free agent I don't know man I guess a tight end maybe oh but a free agent on offense I can who's out there Taylor Gabriel no I don't know I'm not the Vante Fruton no I can't I can't I can't think of an offensive player um not even okay no no because it's no no I can't think of an offensive player may oh maybe uh the guard that the Saints just cut today um so he can come in and bring some competition but other than that I had got nobody but do I feel like my my addition would help the Ravens get to oh make it a hundred percent chance that they get to the Super Bowl oh yeah make that defense that much nastier that much fast oh I would love it all right next question also came from my boy Rodeo doing this question was so nice I had to do it twice he said what's up my guy I hope all is well with you your family and all the team keep it clean so I'm up at 2am watching film on Devon Duvenay and Pro Shade and I think EDC did it again I know it's way too early and we got to see how the game transitions but yikes big yikes Duvenay looks like he has the potential to be a huge deep thread option and he definitely has reliable hands and great breakaway speed the one thing I see is that on most of his catches he was wide open while that is a good thing I didn't see many contested catches as far as Pro Shade man I think he has a chance to be the best player out of all EDC picks this year from one 11 minute highlight tape I was blown away the hands breakaway speed contested catches athleticism I've seen it all and I'm excited just wanted to let you know that if given the opportunities these two may be a big boost to our offense I agree number two while I'm excited about the two young prospects I still believe we need a vet in our receiver room not an old vet but a vet that has earned his respect and is a dog while I would still wouldn't mind Mr. Boomin I believe EDC is going to trade for a wide out why do we all think the same thing well not us all but a lot of us that's the same thing I've been saying that same thing somebody said earlier now my boy wrote they'll set it too he said um but he said one name I wouldn't mind is Will Fuller ooh that's an interesting one established guy big play guy speed guy oh okay okay don't know if Houston is still having all the good players must go sale but I would love him in Baltimore any thoughts of wide receivers EDC might target and as always appreciate you your time and all you do for the team and blessings appreciate it Rodale that would be an interesting one Will Fuller from Texas wow veteran and speed speed speed speed guy he was hurt last year um but he is the he's a big play guy big play guy I'm not sure what his contract is looking like but if they got him I would I wouldn't mind but um that'd be a super super super super crowded room but again yeah like I said I said to myself too I do not think he's done at wide receiver I really don't I think he's gonna get a veteran I really do man I think he's gonna get a veteran wide receiver via trade because really on the free agent market it's not much out there but I do think he's gonna make a move for somebody man who that person is I don't know but for Will Fuller I wouldn't mind if they got a Will Fuller add some more speed to this team next question came from a boy Mike he said hey engraving if the Ravens win the Super Bowl this season which opposing team would elevate Lamar Jackson's legacy the most between Jimmy G or Jimmy G led 49ers Drew Brees led Saints or Tom Brady led Buck and this um well first let's do AFC first uh because it would actually be um uh Mahomes led Chiefs getting past them uh so with him being in the Super Bowl he would have obviously have done that because yeah they're gonna be an AFC championship but um so it would be the Mahomes led Chiefs but then as far as this part definitely Tom Brady in the Bucks because I mean everybody be like oh Tom Brady the first the first quarterback to uh to play at his home stadium for the Super Bowl to play and and then it was and it was Tom Brady Mike Evans Godwin and all that Gronk and this Tom Brady he's the best and if Lamar beat him in the Super Bowl oh my goodness internet will just break it will break and boy all him Lamar haters would be out oh they would be ready he only beat him cuz it is he only beat him cuz of that and then all the supporters would be oh boy it would be a party but the internet would go crazy so if I had to pick between any of these guys I would definitely say Tom Brady in the Bucks next question came from a boy flirting a whiskey he said it's your boy flirting a whiskey a couple questions and statements first off you already know how I felt about the signing of Ingram we talked about it I really didn't understand why we got an older version of Gusta Bust for four times the price LOL but I really think that we're drafting of Dobbin sent one of them out the door in one situation I really think Gusta is going to be the odd man now because he's a lot cheaper with the same amount of talent and upside situation too EDC the guard is able to get Ingram off for a pick I know that don't make that don't make any sense because Gusta is a lot cheaper but you know the guard got something on everybody in the NFL clearly LOL all situation three they keep all four of them and we get about 600 yards from each of them in all-purpose yards I know it sounds crazy but it's an option that I really see in my eyes you can have a hard-running slasher whether it's Ingram and Dobbins or Gus and Hill in different packages they all have their specialties and I think that would be really cool and man if Steiner's son can come in here and kill some people that will add a whole different wrinkle to our offense but that's another statement what you think about these situations oh yeah it could certainly be something serious with the running back position because right now they obviously have a lot of depth there and you do have some different options on what you can do um but Gus as far as the money um as far as how they used him and especially in a playoff game you would have to think that he's the man out um and then of course after the draft that added even more fuel fuel to that excuse me fuel to that fire um but yeah if you do they keep all four you could use them and you can put them in different packages get different production out of them one game this guy might be hot but it'll be hard because like earlier in this in this question from subscribers e9 brought out would there even be enough carries to go around that's a lot of running backs and like he did mention too Lamar Jackson you got Lamar Jackson there too and he's gonna be running as well so um it's gonna be interesting to see how this whole thing plays out at the running back situation and then he said also remember when we moved uh Darren Waller to Titan and how he ate and how he went to the Raiders and became the second or third best Titan in the NFL yeah and he couldn't really block lol but look Boykin can block his behind off all big runs you see him with a big block he even got good blocks on linebackers healing the edge and everything I don't know if you remember but I had a question a statement about Hurst not affecting us because we'll probably go with a bunch of one Titan sets to spread a lot of people out but check this what if we move Boykin to Titan he has a big body and he's fast just like Darren Waller and that's a good way to keep a playmaker on the field he's a mismatch with cornerback so imagine what it would be like if we had him at Titan and Andrews on the other side sheesh talking about stretching the field and you won't miss out on the blocking I that's a really good point right there I really love that point um and he said I really think that we should do that we will have all the playmakers on the field at all times and it'll be crazy just think hollywood's need dude from Tennessee I don't want to mess up his name so he's talking about dude when they believe but he said in cubs from SMU Pro Shade on the field uh at wide out and Andrews and Boykin at Titan man I really believe it'll be too much not to mention how it would be if we had a four wide and one running back set uh to the RPO it would be crazy lol maybe I'm just a madden player or maybe I'm right but what are you thinking thanks as always shout out to my god flirting the whiskey man I appreciate you a lot man um I would not be mad at that like I told he he said maybe it's just because he's a madden player this is I told y'all this is what I did in my madden franchise I because I got more speed I got more uh smaller receivers uh smaller people at receivers to give me more speed on offense and but with Miles Boykin I was like man I got him at receiver he's six four though that's nice and I don't want to waste them I I still because his speed on madden like a 91 which is good but me my receivers I like my receivers like 94 speed or better 94 speed or better but anyway um so I was like but I still want to get Miles Boykin on the field obviously I got Andrews and I love him but I want Miles Boykin out there too so I said you know what let me switch him to Titan and oh boy a beautiful thing but um that was my madden but in real life it could work too yeah with Darren Waller um he obviously it may it may have worked with the Ravens if his head would have been a lot clearer obviously we know the situation and whatnot don't need to dive into it but um it could work with uh Miles Boykin that could be something and like he said the the block he's been so good at blocking a lot of them downfield runs yes they went miles Boykin's way while he didn't get many passes throwing his way but maybe if he's a tight end then Lamar be like okay I got you baby um but nah he uh I expect him to spread the ball out a lot more than he did last year um but with Boykin yeah I think that could be a solution maybe the Ravens might be thinking about that too because they ain't draft no Titan they ain't draft the Titan and the receivers getting very very very crowded should I I don't know man maybe I'll just send