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heyalumnigo's avatar

Annie is Back. Back Again. Annie's Back. Tell a Friend.

Experts ‘flabbergasted’ as Annie the falcon calmly returns to Berkeley’s Campanile

https://www.berkeleyside.org/2022/03/01/annie-peregrine-falcon-returns-to-berkeley-campanile

Cal Falcons ornithologist Sean Peterson was working at his computer this morning around 11:30 when he saw on a stream from a UC Berkeley webcam that a bird was perched on the Campanile. And it was sitting in the spot where Annie, the campus’s beloved peregrine falcon that’s been missing for at least a week, liked to sit.

SGBear's avatar

Can't a girl go out for a bit of nunya and not have a missing-bird report filed?

TheBuckeyeBear's avatar

ANNIE ARE YOU OK

AndyPanda's avatar

Scootie will be pleased with this news!

TheBuckeyeBear's avatar

I took a COVID test this morning because I traveled to Seattle, and good news, it's negative!

dcblue's avatar

My nephew and his GF visited over President's Day weekend. For some reason they brought four rapid tests and left them for me. Not sure why since I've never had any symptoms or close contacts with someone positive. The GF works for an outdoor clothing company so also left gloves, mittens, windbreaker, and a pullover which will be of more use.

Oski Disciple's avatar

Physical? Fine. Mental? I'm a Bears fan so.....

HeyStudentsBears's avatar

i just got a 1-yr post achilles surgery survey and checked off all the boxes saying i have no pain and not limited in any way.

been working out, playing tennis, riding my bike and skiing. so all good things ..

HeyStudentsBears's avatar

on the other hand i went to get a haircut today and noticed that "there were a LOT of white hairs"

Justbear's avatar

I went snowboarding earlier this year and was shocked at how unfit I was. I had to sit and rest after each slide down.

HeyStudentsBears's avatar

that happens to me when i try to swim. i cross one length of a 25m pool and have to catch my breath for at least a minute. repeat 8-10 times and i am completely done!

GoldenSD81's avatar

I got a physical about a month ago and other than needing to lose some weight, I appear fine.

HeyStudentsBears's avatar

i have been on a path to lowering my cholesterol since last physical. but the cardiologist i signed up with wont order a new set of labs until meet the first time!

Cugel's avatar

I guess fine, nothing new to complain about.

Tangtpt's avatar

Ask me after my colonoscopy.

HeyStudentsBears's avatar

good luck w/ that. i read a long article about it the prep for it recently

https://annehelen.substack.com/p/welcome-to-colonoscopy-land

not the same accuracy, but there is non-invasive thing called Cologuard where you just poop in a box and they screen you that way.

SGBear's avatar

The prep definitely sucks, but Propofol is awesome. Best nap ever. I don't recommend Cologuard due to the lower accuracy. 13% get false positives and 8% receive a false negatives, the latter being the one that I care about. Wife took Cologuard. First one got lost, so she had to shit in another box. That test was inconclusive, so she had to get a colonoscopy anyways. She and I are only doing colonoscopies from here on out.

https://www.cologuardhcp.com/faq#:~:text=False%20positives%20and%20false%20negatives%20do%20occur.,Cologuard%C2%AE%20Physician%20Brochure.

HeyStudentsBears's avatar

Cologuard is probably best for people who would otherwise not get screened at all because they want to avoid a colonoscopy

Wiata78's avatar

Also, colonoscopy has the advantage of being able to take small tissue samples if necessary, and fix minor things along the way.

goldenone's avatar

Haven't had a colonoscopy yet, but my age is getting into the range.

GoldenSD81's avatar

Same, I turned 40 last May and when I went in for my physical I asked my doctor about scheduling a colonoscopy and was surprised to learn that unless I had a family history of colon cancer, I didn’t need one until I was 45.

Tangtpt's avatar

Thanks. I already did the poop-in-the-mail screening through my PCP, which is why I now have to go full-on colonoscopy. Yippee!

WilderThanGene's avatar

The operator onboard the Nebuchadnezzar.

I didn't know the backstory of the actor Marcus Chong and how things quickly soured between him and Warner Bros. + the Wachowski's. After they turned down his counter offer for more money in The Matrix sequels, ensuing events escalated to Chong filing a lawsuit for defamation, claiming the producers were spreading a rumor that he was a terrorist, and him being arrested for repeatedly threating them over the phone.

SGBear's avatar

Bringing your girl home to introduce her to her new NLAWs

https://twitter.com/NashaCanada/status/1498909963326050307

GoldenSD81's avatar

You know a lot of Instagram influencers are just trying to get to Ukraine right now to take a photo next to a burning Russian tank or holding a RPG.

DC Trojan's avatar

combining this with "tank," I have been entertained by the various pictures and videos online of Ukrainians making off with Russian tanks, APCs, etc.

SGBear's avatar

Apropos: I'm learning lots of Russian curse words. It amuses me that "condom" is a vulgar insult.

SGBear's avatar

My favorite is "blyat" - a catch all word that is equivalent to the f-word, but doesn't necessarily mean it literally.

Here are two videos that use them nicely.

https://twitter.com/SmokeSinseLoud/status/1497609330149007377

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xADcMXHT3HA

SGBear's avatar

Elsewhere in college

Ruey Yen's avatar

Katie Meyer is the student-athlete that reportedly took her own life. She was the starting goalkeeper that led Stanford to the 2019 NCAA title, and was quite memorable for how over-the-top emotional she was during the PK. RIP. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stGoDiiNarY

SGBear's avatar

[MBB} IUPUI starts conference championship play with only five players on their team.

https://brobible.com/sports/article/iupui-jaguars-horizon-tournament-five-players/

heyalumnigo's avatar

heh...they want to extend him? I thought they wanted to get rid of him...maybe that was just the ucla fans.

WilderThanGene's avatar

lets hope Wilcox can turn the tide on this 1-3 record against him

Jimmy Chitwood's avatar

Gotta find an answer to 1. DTR and 2. the UCLA D.

Cal is one of the few teams that somehow can't seem to figure out either.

goldenone's avatar

I doubt it. Chip has his number.

Justbear's avatar

Chip Kelly must have turned down Oregon HC offer too and got UCLA offered extension.

SGBear's avatar

Today in Covid

SGBear's avatar

"Commies giving away stuff for free. Let's go Brandon" - some guy somewhere, probably

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/01/politics/free-at-home-covid-tests-us-order-more/index.html

SGBear's avatar

OUR CRUMBLING DEMOCRACY

SGBear's avatar

Let's check in to see how TFG's Twitter-clone is doing. [pennywhistle downslide]

https://www.axios.com/trump-blowing-truth-social-launch-c2d4f1f0-5440-478a-acfa-b9462b64568c.html

heyalumnigo's avatar

The launch itself was buzzy, with Truth Social shooting to the top of Apple's App Store (there isn't yet an Android or web version).

So trumpers use iOS not Android. Excellent.

Peetyjay's avatar

Haha! The discussion regarding Trump's own failure to use Truth is so gratifying: "Had he limited, or at least prioritized, his reactions to Truth Social, it would have caused every media outlet to mention the app." Instead, the Apps popularity is just below the Planet Fitness workout app. Haha!

SGBear's avatar

UN Resolution condemning Ukraine invasion only has 5 voting No: Russia, Belarus, Syria, North Korea, and Eritrea. China, Cuba, and most of the former Soviet Republics abstained. I'm surprised Serbia voted Yes.

https://twitter.com/EUatUN/status/1499066567824486402

Scootie's avatar

WTF Eritrea? Anyone know the history behind that?

heyalumnigo's avatar

No 2's GF is from Eritrea. I wiki'ed (thanks gb49) it to get more background last fall. Looks like they used to be governed by the Italians and the Brits. Then, like tbb said, they were part of Ethiopia, then independence. They also used to be on the US "Counter-terror Non-Cooperation List".

But wiki has no mention of Russia.

TheBuckeyeBear's avatar

Could it have to do with their conflict with Ethiopia?

SGBear's avatar

The House passed H. Res. 956 - Supporting the People of Ukraine by a vote of 426-3. No votes come from Reps Gosar (R-AZ), Rosendale (R-MT), and Massie (R-KY).

https://twitter.com/HouseDailyPress/status/1499128674389569547

SGBear's avatar

Packers' GM says not getting much interest in Q.Ron Rodgers. I'm skeptical about comments about negotiations done via media.

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/33399771/green-bay-packers-gm-brian-gutekunst-says-not-getting-trade-offers-other-gms-aaron-rodgers

SGBear's avatar

NASCAR's Tony Stewart is selling his house for $30m and it looks like a Bass Pro Shop

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/10285-W-Youth-Camp-Rd-Columbus-IN-47201/102834747_zpid/

Oski Disciple's avatar

Cameron Jordan was on the Lakers? I thought he played for the Saints.

Justbear's avatar

No, it was Jordan Cameron.

goldenone's avatar

Also, the Oakland A's - hat in hand, are trying to get an extension on their revenue sharing income which allows John Fisher to not even try to field a competitive team. Just pocket $10-20 million in profits each season and neglect the fans, the players and complain about the small market of only 7+ million souls in the area. After all, the ownership group is known as Oakland A's Investment Group, L.L.C. - the market value of the team has soared to $1.13 billion, a high multiple of what he spent for the team.

https://www.statista.com/statistics/194629/mlb-franchise-value-of-the-oakland-athletics-since-2006/

FiatSlug's avatar

Fisher annoys me. Clearly, he sees the A's as his piggybank and the Howard Terminal stadium is merely another way to create more revenue, much of it in real estate. This is why I don't want the Howard Terminal stadium. It's not going to be a good deal for Oakland, because the City is going to pony up money they will never get back for infrastructure, etc. Unfortunately, City Council hasn't got the guts to tell Kaval and Fisher to pound sand.

heyalumnigo's avatar

They already lost the Raiders and the Warriors. They don't want to be also known as the group that lost the A's.

FiatSlug's avatar

Did City Council really "lose" the Raiders and the Warriors?

Is it "losing" a professional sports franchise when said franchise is asking you to pay exorbitant amounts that you will never recoup? Kinda like extortion?

heyalumnigo's avatar

That's a good point. But still they left so will Oakland residents differentiate between the two?

GoldenSD81's avatar

I will be shocked if the season starts before Memorial Day.

dcblue's avatar

Kind of felt like this was inevitable.

FiatSlug's avatar

It did. And it's totally manufactured by the owners.

It pisses me off greatly that the owners have the logistical advantages in their hand. If not, the players should move towards making their own league and let the chips fall where they may. Same with the NFL.

heyalumnigo's avatar

@maybe the players can start a league funded by the Saudis@

FiatSlug's avatar

Too soon.

AndyPanda's avatar

The last attempt at that didn't seem to work out so well.

GoldenSD81's avatar

I can’t wait to watch XMLB or maybe USMLB.

Jimmy Chitwood's avatar

It's almost like the COVID 2020 season showed the owners that they don't even need fans in the stands. It's nice to get the gameday sales, but it's gravy, especially if you're not having to pay the players.

The TV $$ from FOX/TBS is all they really want.

Depending on how you feel about it, but the 162-game season may be done forever.

Ruey Yen's avatar

It's super shortsighted view by the owners. Also, the TV $$$ are coming from ESPN for the expanded playoffs ($85 Million for the 12-team model).

Cugel's avatar

Actually, I'd be fine with going back to 154 games, if they start in April 1st, since there's so much play-off time now. Be nice to wrap it up in October.

Jimmy Chitwood's avatar

You can probably cut some of the interleague games...they've kinda lost the novelty.

GoldenSD81's avatar

I would actually cut it down to 120 games and only keep regional inter league games for rivalry purposes.

NBA and MLB could benefit from shortened regular seasons.

FiatSlug's avatar

Cut all of the interleague games. ALL. OF. THEM.

Expand by 1 team in each league or contract by 1 team in each league.

SCENARIO A - 16 teams in each league

Each league has 4 divisions of 4 teams.

26 games against each division opponent (78 games)

6 games against each inter-division opponents (72 games)

REGULAR SEASON = 150 games.

PLAYOFFS -

4 division winners, 2 wildcards. Seed the teams #1 to #6 based on W-L record; division championship is a seeding tiebreaker, maybe the last tiebreaker before coin flip. If two division winners end up seeded #5 and #6, so be it.

Top 2 seeds in each league sit out the first round

Wildcard Round, best of 5

Divisional Round, best of 7

League Championship, best of 7

World Series, best of 7

SCENARIO B - 14 teams in each league

Each league has 2 divisions of 7.

18 games against each division opponent (108 games)

6 games against each inter-division opponents (42 games)

REGULAR SEASON = 150 games.

PLAYOFFS -

2 division winners, 4 wildcards. Seed the teams #1 to #6 based on W-L record; division championship is a seeding tiebreaker, maybe the last tiebreaker before coin flip. If two division winners end up seeded #5 and #6, so be it.

Top 2 seeds in each league sit out the first round

Wildcard Round, best of 5

Divisional Round, best of 7

League Championship, best of 7

World Series, best of 7

sycasey's avatar

The short-term thinking of this group of owners astounds me. The national TV deals won't continue to be lucrative if fans are losing interest in your product. The regular season and being able to go to games is what maintains that interest for baseball (especially a sport like baseball where the fandom is so localized).

AndyPanda's avatar

Poor, unsound management by a significant portion of the people managing professional baseball is a long standing and well entrenched tradition. I don't know why anyone would really expect anything otherwise to suddenly materialize now. It is still thoroughly disappointing, though.

sycasey's avatar

In past labor disputes I think you could at least somewhat equally blame the players. In this case I'm not seeing it. It's pretty much all on the owners, working to ruin their own game.

FiatSlug's avatar

Contributed to, in part, by the anti-trust exemption carved out by Federal Baseball Club v. National League.

GoldenSD81's avatar

A tradition…unlike any other.

SGBear's avatar

Good things happen to those who can beat more than 25% of their conference opponents?

https://twitter.com/Con_Chron/status/1499086126736285700

g.oso's avatar

lol at GB49 on the front page claiming he created "TypiCal"

GoldenSD81's avatar

I saw that! I expect him to next claim he created Wikipedia.

Justbear's avatar

Right. Because he hasn't seen anyone else use it.

WilderThanGene's avatar

My best friend and his wife (who both smoke a lot of weed) are often convinced they are the only ones with an idea or who found something humorous. For example, they watched Mare of Easttown when it was new and they found the PA accents funny. Then SNL spoofed it, which they saw live on tv, and later my friend is telling me how their minds were blown by this cosmic coincidence that SNL randomly decided to mock the use of the accent in the show, which was an inside joke to them at the time. I mean the popularity of the show and the platform it was on didn't really occur to them, let alone the possibility that tens if not hundreds of thousands of people probably also found humor in the subtle absurdity of Kate Winslet et al doing the accent.

Point is, let's not rule out drugs from this whole equation.

Peetyjay's avatar

Before replying to GB49, tell yourself that he could be someone's beloved, aging grandpa. Then imagine the guy donning a Cal sweater with a knitted Cal scarf, with pair of Cal gloves, all to keep himself warm, even when it is 75 degrees out. You start feeling bad about picking on him, even if he does make himself an easy target.

g.oso's avatar

i don't feel bad at all

Peetyjay's avatar

I'm just sayin, his posts sometimes feel like the elderly person in front of you driving 20 miles per hour under the speed limit. Your initial reactions is to get mad as hell, then you realize they are just kind of old and maybe shouldn't be behind the wheel, so you find a way to just overlook it and just hope they make a turn soon.

Justbear's avatar

I get what you are saying. I'm kinda having fun. I don't mean any harm but I just can't resist pointing out his ridiculous comments.

Peetyjay's avatar

It is hard to resist, I totally agree. But I've seriously restrained myself on several occasions because I tend to think if him as a bit of a bumbling old timer who is trying to find community behind a key board, even if he isn't very good at it.

Justbear's avatar

You are a very nice man. I think it comes down to lack of internet literacy. There's so much disconnect between him and the rest of the community, even though many of us are not even that young.

GoldenSD81's avatar

Hey, I give him props for being his age and knowing how to find CGB, create a profile and actually participate. Those Wikipedia links aren’t going to post themselves here!

Jimmy Chitwood's avatar

He actually said something one time in a post that led me to believe he was much younger than I had thought....forget what it was, however.

g.oso's avatar

or... just get the fuck out of the left lane and maybe stick to surface streets. I don't frequent the page with any regularity but when I do he is constantly derailing the topic at hand posting links to other articles and stats that may or may not be related to the WFC article., while demanding more or asking others to google something for him and post it in the comments section.

WilderThanGene's avatar

If only the value of your time could be deductible as a charitable contribution, I would recommend we set up a non profit to which we could log hours of our time to performing research and analysis per his every whim.

Cugel's avatar

When he first showed up, I thought he was a troll. But he's not at all.

Justbear's avatar

I still think he is!

GoldenSD81's avatar

I thought he was a troll as well. Him and Go Eat a Taco. I thought they were both trolls and possibly the same person with two different troll accounts.

Peetyjay's avatar

GEAT actually has a good point once in a while, even if he is a bit forceful in his posts.

GoldenSD81's avatar

He does but his posting style and some of his takes just seemed so trollish with its forcefulness.

I would be interested in knowing if others thought I was a troll or my posting style.

Jimmy Chitwood's avatar

I never got the impression you were a troll.

I actually got into it with Calbear91 over the weekend over my posting style. He called me "nega-bear", which doesn't bother me. I am the first to admit I am not a sunshine pumper, and in fact make fun of those that DO pump sunshine (I'm looking at you EVERY AUGUST, Newellbany)...

But even with a more critical eye, I'm just as much Go Bears! as the next.

WilderThanGene's avatar

Are we talking internet troll or Scandinavian folklore troll?

Justbear's avatar

He's actually been saying frequently that he created it. No one seemed to respond to it until today. Lol

Scootie's avatar

YACHT WATCH UPDATE: Dominos are falling. Germany has seized the first oligarch yacht, the 512 foot Dilbar, in Hamburg. https://www.forbes.com/sites/giacomotognini/2022/03/02/germans-seize-russian-billionaire-alisher-usmanovs-mega-yacht/?sh=747ba89052dd

heyalumnigo's avatar

I bid, <checks pockets>, $25 for it.

GoldenSD81's avatar

Anyone watch or listen to the SOTU last night? Any reactions or hot takes?

dcblue's avatar

For better or worse, Clinton ruined SOTU for me. He went on and on and as far as I can tell it hasn't gotten any better. Also, not a fan of the plants in the audience though I think I read they were not there this year.

Jimmy Chitwood's avatar

Cal poised to extend Fox, per Letourneau & Twist. I quit.

Calbear91 and the parade of Rainbow Brites will be so happy.

10 year rebuild.

SGBear's avatar

You never know. In five years, we might be good enough to beat Harvard at home.

Jimmy Chitwood's avatar

I’m actually not surprised he’s back for next year, given the APR, the COVID year excuse & beating a horrible Furd team and an Oregon team that went 2-100 from 3.

Hopefully the buyout isn’t prohibitive. But he can’t recruit and he can’t coach offense. Bad combo.

GoldenSD81's avatar

I think giving him next year would be totally fair but to give him an extension just seems ridiculous.

Peetyjay's avatar

Apparently, the extension will give him the stability needed to continue landing underwhelming recruiting classes.

heyalumnigo's avatar

I guess it depends on what the buyout is after each year. Maybe this still allows him to recruit next year because it isn't his last year (assuming next year was it). But the buyout allows Cal to cut bait when he is average after 1 or 2 years.

BentPawn(Don)'s avatar

Well, the Chron totally whiffed on the Wyking departure. So hopefully their sources have not improved.

heyalumnigo's avatar

oh wow...I sure hope not.

Jimmy Chitwood's avatar

Knowlton doesn’t care about winning.

GoldenSD81's avatar

Fox must have turned down…Oregon.

GoldenSD81's avatar

At least Knowlton is consistent on giving both the MBB and football coaches a 10 year rebuild.

PawlOski's avatar

Wilcox has at least shown to be solidly mediocre. Fox is just bad.

TheBuckeyeBear's avatar

https://twitter.com/AerialShading/status/1498715293215903745?s=20&t=DKMb7xPQJ-kmo0xhqX9FjQ

@AerialShading: columbo is for people who sleep like honk shoo honk shoo but poirot is for people who sleep like snork mimimimi

FiatSlug's avatar

I guess I sleep like honk shoo honk, then. Peter Falk is great in that role. And there was some very good writing in a number of episodes.