139 Comments

Wordle - if you know what the word is today, it is amusing that I managed to avoid losing on my first ever 6th try. Phew indeed.

Expand full comment

Not sure if it was one of the ones we listed a couple of weeks ago, but here is one called Quordle. It's 4 wordles at the same time, solved within 9 steps. It changes the strategy a little bit.

https://www.quordle.com/#/

Expand full comment

DBD AV club

Expand full comment

I watched The Tinder Swindler last night and it was very good. The ending was probably the most shocking, disappointing but not unexpected part of the documentary.

Expand full comment

Started Righteous Gemstones last night. Comically stupid and highly entertaining.

Expand full comment
Comment deleted
Expand full comment

In preparation for the final season of Better Call Saul I'm re-watching Breaking Bad. It has maybe the greatest first episode on TV history.

Expand full comment

Watched a great movie last night, some of the best B&W cinematography I've ever seen; Harakiri (Japan 1962). It's a samurai movie the same way The Wild Bunch is a Western. 19/19 WB

Expand full comment
Comment deleted
Expand full comment

It's fantastic.

Expand full comment

Quite enjoyed that, pretty amazing performance.

Expand full comment
Feb 18, 2022·edited Feb 18, 2022

Meanwhile, Cal still hasn’t hired it’s first African American head coach for football.

Expand full comment

Marvin Lewis could have been that man. But he declined. We got Jeff Tedford, instead.

Expand full comment

A phrase I'm done with: "don't get me wrong." I'll damn well get you wrong if I want to. Also don't care for it's cousin, "what I'm trying to say..." Please don't tell us that you're trying to say it, just say it. Sometimes the two are combined as in, "don't get me wrong, what I'm trying to say is..." Weak language.

Expand full comment

With all due respect…

I think these are nonsense fillers that people garble out while they are figuring out what to say

Expand full comment

Maybe.

But with "with all due respect", it's a surefire indicator that the speaker intends no respect towards the listener. Eff that nonsense.

Expand full comment

Which is understandable when speaking, I object to when people are writing and have time to compose their thoughts.

Expand full comment

Gotta finish the sentence with "so..."

Expand full comment

Sometimes there's a reason to use "weak" language like this, for the benefit of the listener. It's an emotional benefit, and obviously depends on the audience.

Expand full comment
author

There is a place for such filler language (to break up what you're saying or to give the listener/audience a quick break), but I agree that it's too commonly used as filler (like "like" or).

Expand full comment

"Now, I'm not a math major but...." Well, shit, get out of here then, I demand a math major to explain the 20% budget cut in our department.

Expand full comment

Now, don't me wrong, we all want to keep our budgets intact. What I'm trying to say is that the CEO needs that money. I'm no math major but the hookers and blow won't pay for themselves.

Expand full comment

And there is - "I'm not gonna lie, but ......." Thanks for telling me.

Expand full comment

Heh, the worst is: I'm not a racist, but...

Expand full comment

I feel like these three phrases:

1. I’m not gonna lie

2. Don’t get me wrong

3. I’m not racist

Are all related in terms of terribleness.

Expand full comment

It is what it is. It’s as simple as that.

Expand full comment

And don't say something shitty about someone then follow it up with "bless his/her heart!" That's not an automatic pass on what you just said.

Expand full comment

Ah, then ...."He's a nice guy or seems like one / I really like him/her, etc....but x, y, z."

Expand full comment

I think you are misinterpreting the usage of bless his heart.

Expand full comment

I always thought it was said after saying something bad about someone. Like to soften the blow.

Expand full comment
author

Union City

Expand full comment

When I was 13, I played baseball for Albany Senior League all stars (13 year olds only division) and we won district, then rolled our way to the sectional finals only to run into the Union City American buzzsaw. Those fuckers ended up National runners up that year. What I remember most was that the majority of their team was over 6 feet tall and after beating our ass 10-3 in the final, they complimented how good we were because we had actually scored on them. No one had scored a run on them in their previous 8 games or whatever they had played til then. Bastards

Expand full comment

When Double D was 13, he played on Albany Seniors. That would have been 2009, I think. At any rate, they won District 4 at Caldecott Field. Albany routed the other team (for the life of me, I can't remember who). In that game, with Albany up by a run, one of the outfielders (who was reasonably fast, just not blazing fast) stole home. Very exciting moment.

Expand full comment

No 3's all-star team did that against one of our rivals when they were 9, I think. Coach had him steal home when the catcher threw the ball back to the pitcher and wasn't totally paying attention. That was the winning run in B6.

Expand full comment

I remember No 1 played for North/South Oakland Little League for one year before we moved when he was 9. We were contemplating moving him to play Babe Ruth in Oakland. Some of the people told us we shouldn't because it's so competitive. I think some of it was racial.

Expand full comment

I played Babe Ruth in San Leandro, against some kids that I'd end up playing against in HS...they had some good ballplayers.

Expand full comment

The sanction politics in youth diamond sports has no equivalent.

Expand full comment
author

The towns of Alvarado and Decoto merged and incorporated as Union City in 1959 - hence the name. Alvarado was the Alameda County seat for 11 years until 1865.

Expand full comment

I think those dates have to be wrong.

Expand full comment
author

Are you questioning the scripture of Wikipedia?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_City,_California

Expand full comment

Bob would never

Expand full comment
author

Gordon

Expand full comment

Gee

Expand full comment

an utter arse

Expand full comment
author

Gorton's Fisherman - In the mid-19th centure, the local cotton mill in Rockport MA burned down, leaving Thomas Slade Gorton Jr. unemployed. He started packing cod into salt and started using the "man at the wheel" logo in the early 20th century at his company "Slade Gorton & Co". His descendent Slade Gorton ended up being a four time US Senator for Washington State and key reason that the Mariner's were kept in Seattle. He was the last Republican for WA and perhaps the few examples of a liberal Republicans.

Expand full comment

Shahar

Expand full comment

I remember thinking it was a shame he had to leave the team to do his military obligation. I thought he could've killed it his last couple of years.

Expand full comment
author

Elsewhere in college

Expand full comment

ESPN named their top 60 college football games of the 2000s. Nary a Cal game can be found. Not the goal line stand against Utah, not Garber's mad dash in the '19 Big Game, not the freezing night comeback against ASU, not the late late show at UW and I haven't even mentioned a single game from the Tedford era. (Plenty of SEC games.)

This is an absolute scandal.

https://www.espn.com/college-football/insider/story/_/id/33305171/college-football-60-best-games-2000s

Expand full comment

These may be great wins for Cal fans but they hardly move the needle on a national scale.

Expand full comment

Wasn't being serious. However see below where I mentioned games that could have been considered.

Expand full comment

I agree, that’s why I think the only Cal game that belongs is the 04 USC game. It was a great game and had national relevance.

Expand full comment

You could MAYBE argue for Oregon '07 too, but unfortunately both teams fell apart late in the season so it retroactively became less relevant.

Expand full comment

Of the entire 2000’s or 2010’s?

If it is going all the way back to 2000, Cal at SC in 2004 should absolutely be on that list.

Expand full comment

How many Pac-12 games were there? At least the USC/Texas natty.

Expand full comment

That game was number one, barely any other Pac 12 games. Realistically we did have a few candidates like the '04 U$C game, the '09 Big Game, the '03 bowl game vs. VTech, the '05 game at UCLA and '06 against Oregon.

Expand full comment

2007 Oregon, 2007 Tennessee

Expand full comment

Unfortunate that the 2007 season was cancelled after the Oregon game.

Expand full comment

Yeah, Marcus Ezeff's FF touchback was the last play of that season..... until a very fun bowl game.

Expand full comment

Man, the wheels sure came off the wagon that year, as they're apt to do with Cal...what a pisser, too, because we actually managed to beat our arch-nemesis Arizona that season.

I drank that entire '07 season away from my memory

Expand full comment

Also 2006 Oregon.

Expand full comment

That was already mentioned

Expand full comment
author

Cal State Chancellor resigns after his conduct - or lack thereof - when he was President of Fresno State is uncovered by USA Today.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2022/02/17/cal-state-chancellor-joseph-castro-resigns-investigation-frank-lamas/6831563001/

Expand full comment
author

This is what we gotta compete against. That's a lot of capitalization.

https://247sports.com/LongFormArticle/College-footballs-25-best-facilities-in-2022-ranked-182436036/#182436036_14

Expand full comment

We've gotten a lot better though. As long as the kids don't see other schools, we can impress them.

Expand full comment

For all the dudes who won't play on Sundays, life in the real world after getting this taste of opulence is gonna be a rude awakening.

Expand full comment
author

Today in Covid

Expand full comment
author

OUR CRUMBLING DEMOCRACY

Expand full comment
author

[Huffpo] TFG used more money from the "Make America Great Again" PAC to prop up his business than its raison d'être of raising money for GOP candidates across America.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-tower-rents-unused-office-space_n_620d9eb9e4b05706db71ddb4

Expand full comment

I am shocked, shocked to the core

Expand full comment
author

Grifters gonna grift

Expand full comment

The never-before-told backstory of Pence's Jan. 6 argument

https://www.politico.com/news/2022/02/18/former-judge-beat-trump-january-6-00010056

Expand full comment

So if his Twitter account was two weeks old and he didn't know how to use it, how did he have any followers who would pick up on those tweets?

Expand full comment

Richard Cullen, obviously.

Expand full comment

Re-tweets?

Expand full comment

For all of Pence's bad, his speech in the Senate Chamber after the joint session reassembled was a great moment.

Expand full comment

Wow this is incredible. It's a great backstory.

Expand full comment
Feb 18, 2022·edited Feb 18, 2022

That is a remarkable article. It's amazing how seemingly little things can have such a big impact. Thanks for posting it!

Expand full comment

And it's refreshing to read about a high-ranking government official who does not know how to use Twitter.

Expand full comment

...former official.

Expand full comment
author

Trump is indirectly back onto Twitter. And he's angry.

https://twitter.com/realLizUSA/status/1494466558801895427

Expand full comment

Good. This is what happens when a judge tells you that you must be deposed. I can feel the (barely) controlled rage from here. I can only hope he bursts a damn artery...or has a psychotic break.

Expand full comment

Good I hope he has a stroke.

Expand full comment

..at a rally.

Expand full comment
author

A half-naked woman on a pumpjack and a dead guy want to unseat a corrupt grammy-nominated singer as Railroad Commissioner, which doesn't regulate railroads.

https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/railroad-commission-sarah-stogner-wayne-christian/

Expand full comment
Feb 18, 2022Liked by Berkelium97

Thanks I like to keep abreast of the issues. It seems the candidate has something to get off her chest. Good to get the bare facts. Her opponents are real boobs. (It's occasionally nice to re-live seventh grade humor.)

Expand full comment

Don't get me wrong, I see what you're trying to do there, no?

What I'm trying to say is, thank you!!

;-)

Expand full comment

hahaha

Expand full comment

I didn't read the article, but I did go to her tiktok feed for... research purposes, and I hate to disturb the gag but she really seems to know what she's talking about.

Expand full comment

more than half

Expand full comment
author

PRO

Expand full comment
author

Stephon Diggs allegedly navigated through switch-off coverage on Monday Night.

https://twitter.com/BSO/status/1494192881648680962

Expand full comment

The video in the comments is HYSTERICAL.

Expand full comment
author

Looks like he ran an effective series of comeback routes

Expand full comment

Kim Kardashian

Expand full comment
author

CAL

Expand full comment

I have been following Cal basketball since late 2000s, but this year was the firs time I ever went to a Cal basketball game. I also watched last night's game on TV, something that I had not done in the past 3 years.

Expand full comment

My friend's parents got a couple of extra tickets for the game this weekend so I'll be going with them.

Expand full comment
author

Over the last four seasons I've probably watched fewer than 20 total minutes of Cal men's basketball, although it doesn't help that most broadcasts are exiled to the Pac-12 Networks.

I desperately want the administration to give me a reason to care, but I don't have much confidence that they will hire someone who will make the Bears competitive in the conference.

Expand full comment
author

A strong first half gave the men's basketball team a glimmer of hope of achieving a three-game winning streak. A strong regression to the mean in the second half quickly extinguished those hopes.

https://twitter.com/CalMBBall/status/1494529938044579840

Expand full comment

Glimmer? Oh more than that, which makes the loss worse.

Expand full comment

Ya, the speed with which this team crumbled in a winnable home game against a team that’s dogschitt on the road was troublesome.

Fox’s ceiling is, what, about 9th place? The longer Knowlton keeps him around, the further the program gets from the postseason.

Expand full comment

9th place is way too generous

Expand full comment
Comment removed
Expand full comment

The contract extension suggestion was due to the APR score and then we beat Oregon so that added fuel to the idea.

Just wait until Fox turns down Oregon or some other school that interviews him, that’s when he gets his new 3 year extension.

Expand full comment
Feb 18, 2022·edited Feb 18, 2022

Ya, the extension talk is laughable, tho Wilcox got one despite a losing record.

I thought the OR sweep probably bought him another year. This game shows that shouldn’t necessarily be the case. Haas was empty, again.

Expand full comment

Covid hates Haas.

Expand full comment

I love listening to Monty call a game. So direct and insightful, almost like he's coaching us.

Expand full comment

It's a novel idea Cal should consider employing (competent, consistent coaching). I wonder what it would cost to talk him out of semi-retirement?

Expand full comment

If they did that, they would have to make sure he got multiple assistant coaches that are recruiting gods. I thought one big thing was that he didn't want to do any recruiting stuff.

Expand full comment

It seems like that is possible. Perhaps Monty's health is robust again?

Expand full comment

Can we get Theo Robertson back to be our recruiter?

Expand full comment

Go Bears!!!

Expand full comment