Santorini Greece is nearly deserted after over 12,000 quakes have hit the island in the past month. I mean, yeah, I wouldn't sleep in a place made of stucco either.
Sixers down by 2 with 18 seconds left against the Raptors. Sixers inbound and Tyrese Maxey brings it up the court, drives and draws three people in the lane, kicks it out to a wide open Joel Embiid beyond the 3 point stripe. Embiid is a 34% three-point shooter - which is essentially average for the NBA.
I had a former student who was a seldom-used wide receiver for the Bears. In his career he caught five passes. I saw him after he graduated and asked what his plans were. He said he was thinking of trying out with an NFL team.
Who was the Cal DB who declared for the NFL draft as an underclassman perhaps a decade ago and everyone was like "wut? you ain't even a great college player". It made me think he either failed out of UC Berkeley or was cut from the team.
An all-around win and a walk-off perfect 10 on the floor exercise in the first Big Meet of the ACC era were enough to give senior Mya Lauzon of the No. 7 California women's gymnastics team her third ACC Gymnast of the Week award, the conference announced Tuesday.
In recognition of her standout performances over the weekend at the New Mexico Collegiate Classic, California track & field's Giavonna Meeks was named the ACC Women's Field Athlete of the Week on Tuesday for the Golden Bears' fourth weekly honor of the year. Meeks, who transferred from Vanderbilt over the offseason, previously received the honor on Jan. 28 and is the first ACC women's field athlete to repeat as an award winner this season.
The California men's soccer team added five talented Golden Bears ahead of the spring season, head coach Leonard Griffin announced Friday, with transfers Sintayehu Clements, Junhwan Park, D'Andre Pickett and Cam Wilkerson as well as freshman Nico Ruiz already on campus with the Golden Bears.
After losing back-to-back games for the first time all season, the California women's basketball team (19-6, 7-5 ACC) will look to get back on track when it hosts Boston College (13-13, 4-9) at Haas Pavilion on Thursday at 7 p.m. PT.
California men's gymnastics' Matteo Bardana, the nation's 11th-ranked gymnast on floor, was honored Tuesday with the MPSF Freshman of the Week award to celebrate his standout performance against Air Force last Saturday. He joins teammate Aidan Li (MPSF Specialist of the Week – Feb. 4) as conference weekly award winners this season.
Trump administration via Hesgeth says that the US a) takes Ukraine NATO membership off the table, essentially removing one of the main points of leverage against Russia, b) says that returning to pre-2022 borders was unrealistic - essentially stepping back from unconditional withdrawal as an option and trying to appease Russia, and c) tries to dictate what Europe will do, which is probably a non-starter with many European countries. JFC, this adminstration sucks as diplomatic negotiators. We are showing ourselves to be an unreliable ally. Do you want an independently nuclear weaponized Europe - because this is how you get it. We will concede our role as military overwatch.
No, this is strictly transactional for Trump. He's getting something for his position and it wouldn't surprise me Russian oligarchs, money laundering, and Trump's personal and business debt are involved.
Ohio Gov. DeWine picked Jim Tressel to be the next Lt. Governor. His key skill sets in politics include being old (72), partisan, being a coach with name recognition, and resigning after a NCAA investigation into his team.
USAID Inspector General decides to go down swinging and/or have an open-and-shut employment litigation case by issuing a report critical of the Trump Administration on Monday. He was fired on Tuesday. Firing a Federal whistleblower requires a 30 day notice to Congress and needs to be for-cause - but laws are for chumps under this administration.
He was good at everything he did -- except being a head football coach. Widely considered a super nice person which some people insist on bringing up when his tenure at Cal is mentioned. Somewhat akin to the discussions around Wilcox today.
One of my favorite french pastries is called the canelé. It's a little pastry poured into the mould - about three delicate bites worth. The outside is caramelized brown and crusty. The inside is rum and tender. Some have pears inside. They are devilishly difficult to make well - but good versions are one of the better experiences you'll have on this planet.
Switzerland is east of France. Geneva is on the shore of Lake Leman. The north and eastern/southern shore of the lake is French. The western/northern shore is Swiss.
The best falafel sandwich I've ever had, including the Middle East.
If you're in Le Marais district, say near the Picasso Museum - you'll want to rub elbows in the historical Jewish district with its historical buildings. The owner is a salty old bastard akin the Soup Nazi, but he makes a damn good falafel sandwich.
My family got divorced when I was pretty young. My parents both lived in the Bay Area, sharing custody on weekdays/weekends. After four years, my father asked to take over custody, giving the option to my brother and me as to where we wanted to live. We had been living with my mom, but my brother chose my Dad. I didn't want to be away from my brother, so I chose my Dad too. So I was whisked away to a new place to live. Now visiting were reversed, but my parents would still snipe about the other under their breaths. Then my mother took me to go see Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) and it was like... the fucking worst movie to show a kids of a divorce. I was not old enough to understand most of the substantive part of the movie, but the visuals and vibe were traumatic to me. I wanted to crawl under my seat.
To be fair, I took my step father to see Magnolia as a break from cleaning out my mother's belongings after she died from cancer. I wanted to crawl under my seat in that one because how that was the exact wrong movie to see at that moment.
I'm sorry you had to go through that. I'm a child of divorce myself and have my own story relative to that movie, though I imagine I was older than you were when I saw Kramer vs. Kramer.
Even though my story is different, I can empathize. I hope time has afforded you perspective.
INDEPENDENT THOUGHT
EARTHQUAKE
A few small quakes hit So Cal
https://weather.com/news/news/2025-02-11-california-earthquakes-san-bernardino-petrolia
Santorini Greece is nearly deserted after over 12,000 quakes have hit the island in the past month. I mean, yeah, I wouldn't sleep in a place made of stucco either.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy485dz15qyo
Yikes. I went to a meeting there many years ago. One of the most stunning places I’ve ever been.
PRO
Aaron Boone says the Dodgers lack class
https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/43799554/aaron-boone-hopes-classier-dodgers-yankees-win-ws
Sixers down by 2 with 18 seconds left against the Raptors. Sixers inbound and Tyrese Maxey brings it up the court, drives and draws three people in the lane, kicks it out to a wide open Joel Embiid beyond the 3 point stripe. Embiid is a 34% three-point shooter - which is essentially average for the NBA.
https://x.com/TheNBACentel/status/1889501695928848865
Dak Prescott feels the Cowboys - who lost to the Eagles by a combined 75-13 this past season - are really close to winning a Super Bowl.
https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/43800103/dak-prescott-says-cowboys-very-close-winning-super-bowl
Self-delusion is a helluva drug.
I had a former student who was a seldom-used wide receiver for the Bears. In his career he caught five passes. I saw him after he graduated and asked what his plans were. He said he was thinking of trying out with an NFL team.
Who was the Cal DB who declared for the NFL draft as an underclassman perhaps a decade ago and everyone was like "wut? you ain't even a great college player". It made me think he either failed out of UC Berkeley or was cut from the team.
CAL
[WGYM] Lauzon Repeats As ACC Gymnast Of The Week
https://calbears.com/news/2025/2/11/womens-gymnastics-lauzon-repeats-as-acc-gymnast-of-the-week.aspx
An all-around win and a walk-off perfect 10 on the floor exercise in the first Big Meet of the ACC era were enough to give senior Mya Lauzon of the No. 7 California women's gymnastics team her third ACC Gymnast of the Week award, the conference announced Tuesday.
[T&F] Meeks Repeats As ACC Women’s Field Athlete Of The Week
https://calbears.com/news/2025/2/11/track-field-meeks-repeats-as-acc-womens-field-athlete-of-the-week.aspx
In recognition of her standout performances over the weekend at the New Mexico Collegiate Classic, California track & field's Giavonna Meeks was named the ACC Women's Field Athlete of the Week on Tuesday for the Golden Bears' fourth weekly honor of the year. Meeks, who transferred from Vanderbilt over the offseason, previously received the honor on Jan. 28 and is the first ACC women's field athlete to repeat as an award winner this season.
[MSOC] 5 Newcomers Join Cal Men’s Soccer
https://calbears.com/news/2025/2/11/mens-soccer-5-newcomers-join-cal-mens-soccer.aspx
The California men's soccer team added five talented Golden Bears ahead of the spring season, head coach Leonard Griffin announced Friday, with transfers Sintayehu Clements, Junhwan Park, D'Andre Pickett and Cam Wilkerson as well as freshman Nico Ruiz already on campus with the Golden Bears.
[WBB] Cal Back Home To Battle With Boston College
https://calbears.com/news/2025/2/11/womens-basketball-cal-back-home-to-battle-with-boston-college.aspx
After losing back-to-back games for the first time all season, the California women's basketball team (19-6, 7-5 ACC) will look to get back on track when it hosts Boston College (13-13, 4-9) at Haas Pavilion on Thursday at 7 p.m. PT.
[MGYM] Bardana Tabbed As MPSF Freshman Of The Week
https://calbears.com/news/2025/2/11/mens-gymnastics-bardana-tabbed-as-mpsf-freshman-of-the-week.aspx
California men's gymnastics' Matteo Bardana, the nation's 11th-ranked gymnast on floor, was honored Tuesday with the MPSF Freshman of the Week award to celebrate his standout performance against Air Force last Saturday. He joins teammate Aidan Li (MPSF Specialist of the Week – Feb. 4) as conference weekly award winners this season.
Been forgetting to post this:
Cal alum and Paris Bronze medalist Georgia Bell wins the Wanamaker Mile at the Millrose Games. The trophy is almost bigger than her.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRrW2Z1n1qM
Go Bears!!!
DBD STREET JOURNAL
POLITICS
Trump administration via Hesgeth says that the US a) takes Ukraine NATO membership off the table, essentially removing one of the main points of leverage against Russia, b) says that returning to pre-2022 borders was unrealistic - essentially stepping back from unconditional withdrawal as an option and trying to appease Russia, and c) tries to dictate what Europe will do, which is probably a non-starter with many European countries. JFC, this adminstration sucks as diplomatic negotiators. We are showing ourselves to be an unreliable ally. Do you want an independently nuclear weaponized Europe - because this is how you get it. We will concede our role as military overwatch.
https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/12/politics/hegseth-ukraine-rules-out-nato-membership/index.html
Trump may see Russia keeping part of Ukraine as precedent for some of his own foolish ideas about U.S. adventurism.
No, this is strictly transactional for Trump. He's getting something for his position and it wouldn't surprise me Russian oligarchs, money laundering, and Trump's personal and business debt are involved.
Ohio Gov. DeWine picked Jim Tressel to be the next Lt. Governor. His key skill sets in politics include being old (72), partisan, being a coach with name recognition, and resigning after a NCAA investigation into his team.
https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/43780910/ex-ohio-state-coach-jim-tressel-nominated-ohio-lt-governor
USAID Inspector General decides to go down swinging and/or have an open-and-shut employment litigation case by issuing a report critical of the Trump Administration on Monday. He was fired on Tuesday. Firing a Federal whistleblower requires a 30 day notice to Congress and needs to be for-cause - but laws are for chumps under this administration.
https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/11/politics/usaid-inspector-general-fired-trump
Laws are for chumps-- a phrase I will unfortunately being saying to myself a lot now.
DBD AV CLUB
ELSEWHERE IN COLLEGE
Alabama AD suggests that home team should forfeit a win* if their fans storm the field
* - especially fans whose team beats Bama
https://www.si.com/college/arkansas/football/sec-sankey-alabama-byrne-pittman-arkansas-vanderbilt-storm-forfeit
That would be hilarious if he weren't as serious as he is delusional on the issue.
Be better!
[Old man shakes fist cloud.jpg]
Tom Holmoe retires after an amazingly successful career*
https://www.espn.com/college-sports/story/_/id/43801152/byu-athletic-director-tom-holmoe-retiring-20-plus-years
He was good at everything he did -- except being a head football coach. Widely considered a super nice person which some people insist on bringing up when his tenure at Cal is mentioned. Somewhat akin to the discussions around Wilcox today.
TRAVEL
My work trip next month looks like it will be cancelled as everyone is nervous about money flows from the US gov’t.
we are headed to Geneva, Chamonix, and Paris next 2 wks.
any recs appreciated. i know it is hard to go wrong in these places, but figured i'd see if anyone had any favorites.
the Paris part of this trip is to hang out HAG's no 1 who is there for a few months. otherwise i would not necessarily be going.
Patisserie Michalak
One of my favorite french pastries is called the canelé. It's a little pastry poured into the mould - about three delicate bites worth. The outside is caramelized brown and crusty. The inside is rum and tender. Some have pears inside. They are devilishly difficult to make well - but good versions are one of the better experiences you'll have on this planet.
Geneva is tiny. You can explore it in like a few hours before you take off for Chamonix.
Switzerland is east of France. Geneva is on the shore of Lake Leman. The north and eastern/southern shore of the lake is French. The western/northern shore is Swiss.
D'As du Fallafel
The best falafel sandwich I've ever had, including the Middle East.
If you're in Le Marais district, say near the Picasso Museum - you'll want to rub elbows in the historical Jewish district with its historical buildings. The owner is a salty old bastard akin the Soup Nazi, but he makes a damn good falafel sandwich.
I second this. I think Scootie suggested going there when I went in 2018. It really is good.
I think it's L'As du Fallafel.
D'Oh. You're right.
It’s time once again for Oski Disciple’s Question of the Day.
Was the film called Kramer vs. Kramer about Jerry Seinfeld’s schizophrenic neighbor arguing with himself?
No. But I would have happily done without Kramer, as well as Kramer and Kramer.
I've learned something about myself.
Thank You for that.
I've never watched Kramer vs Kramer.
My family got divorced when I was pretty young. My parents both lived in the Bay Area, sharing custody on weekdays/weekends. After four years, my father asked to take over custody, giving the option to my brother and me as to where we wanted to live. We had been living with my mom, but my brother chose my Dad. I didn't want to be away from my brother, so I chose my Dad too. So I was whisked away to a new place to live. Now visiting were reversed, but my parents would still snipe about the other under their breaths. Then my mother took me to go see Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) and it was like... the fucking worst movie to show a kids of a divorce. I was not old enough to understand most of the substantive part of the movie, but the visuals and vibe were traumatic to me. I wanted to crawl under my seat.
To be fair, I took my step father to see Magnolia as a break from cleaning out my mother's belongings after she died from cancer. I wanted to crawl under my seat in that one because how that was the exact wrong movie to see at that moment.
I'm sorry you had to go through that. I'm a child of divorce myself and have my own story relative to that movie, though I imagine I was older than you were when I saw Kramer vs. Kramer.
Even though my story is different, I can empathize. I hope time has afforded you perspective.
Very rough. Sorry you had to experience that.