BERKELEY –The California beach volleyball team earned the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) team academic award, the organization announced Wednesday. It's the second straight year and fourth time in five years that Cal has been recognized with the distinction.
BERKELEY – The California women's water polo team excelled in the classroom once again during the 2023-24 school year, receiving its second-highest total of ACWPC All-Academic selections ever with 19, it was announced Wednesday.
BERKELEY – The California men's rowing team's list of current and former Golden Bears competing in the Paris Olympic Games grew this week, as rising senior Frederik Breuer was added to the German men's eight boat.
Breuer's inclusion brings the program's total to 10 rowers who will be in Paris this summer. He joins Cal teammates Angus Dawson, Gennaro di Mauro and Tim Roth along with alumni Martin Mackovic '18, Ollie Maclean '23, Olav Molenaar '22, Jack Robertson '21 and Gus Rodriguez '23 (spare) and Christian Tabash '23.
BERKELEY – California men's gymnastics' Tyler Shimizu and Noah Newfeld were named At-Large Academic All-Americans for the first time in their respective careers by College Sports Communicators (CSC) on Wednesday.
Shimizu, a rising senior for the Bears, earned second-team honors, while Newfeld, a 2024 graduate, landed on the third team. The full first, second and third teams can be viewed on academicallamerica.com.
in the olden days taking a cab home was prohibitively expensive so i was always constrained to catch the last train home, 130a.
in modern ride-hailing-app times, it is still expensive but not outrageously so. since i only stay out late-late like that a couple times a year, it is a nice treat ..
Ice cream is a great treat. My problem is that I often treat myself with too much and too close to bedtime and I give myself heartburn as a consequence.
As time goes, Democratic politicians look at the polls and conclude that Biden is unlikely to beat Trump - which causes more of them to call on Biden to accept this and fall on his sword for the good of the party. Now it's Schiff, Pelosi, Schumer, Hakeem Jeffries on one side - Biden, AOC, and Bernie Sanders on the other.
Harris is also the best prepared, having served as VP the last 3.5 years.
Another consideration - if Biden and Harris were to be the affirmed ticket at the Democratic convention and subsequently Biden were to drop out, the party would make the call on who takes the top spot. I sincerely doubt there would be an obviously better candidate to fill that position.
Harris' poll numbers are about the same as Biden's. Her poll numbers have always been terrible despite not really doing anything and has a decent chance to lose to Trump. While the knock against Biden is his age, people don't like Harris for other reasons.
Harris' problem was always her history in CA. She wasn't in a role that was ever going to gain her popularity. I always thought she was a terrible pick for Biden, there were plenty of other women out there that I felt had a better chance as future president.
VPs are never chosen for their ability to influence voters to support a ticket; voters vote for the top of the ticket.
VPs are chosen also as insurance against the opposition trying to force out the incumbent. I think Dick Cheney was just such a choice. It could be argued that Spiro Agnew was chosen (by Richard Nixon) for the same reason. The thing with Kamala Harris is that she is the insurance role for the GOP. As much as the GOP hates Biden, they detest Harris, I guarantee.
The thing that would send some of them over the edge wouldn't be if Biden were to step aside as the Dem nominee. It would be if he resigned altogether, giving Harris the power of incumbency. Actually, that would be brilliant. You'd be sure to hear members of the GOP crying foul. They don't want Trump to face Harris with the power of incumbency.
The person who polls the best is Mark Kelly and it doesn't take a genius where the extra few percentage points come from - he's not POC, not female, not Jewish, not from a liberal state. He is male, ex-military, moderate, from a swing state - and even holds the card that his wife was an attempted assassination victim.
Sure. If we were starting from scratch then Kamala would not be my preference either. But we're not and if you're trying to do a quick replacement she seems best positioned. Everything else would be messier and more confusing.
Another side benefit to this is that if she doesn't improve things and loses to Trump then you know she's not the one for the next cycle and the deck is cleared for the new up-and-comers. (Yes, assuming democracy survives, etc.)
This is emblematic of Boomer thinking and outlook in the polling samples. Honestly, I wonder about the representation of younger generations in the polling samples.
Not that I'm positing that younger generations would be wildly different in outlook. Only that they would be different and might not necessarily value ethnicity, gender, and religious affiliation in the same way that Boomers do.
Given the total points possible for 1st place and the overall points, I'd guess that 14 scribes were asked to rank their Top 20 stadiums, from which a Top 25 was created.
Two observations: small sample and I bet it also is a tell on how those same voters will rank their pre-season Top 25.
I don't know about y'all, but Notre Dame's stadium experience was not electric. Sure, there was Touchdown Jesus, but the ND home-game experience was a very polite affair surrounded by cornfields that happens to have a lot of history behind it.
If Idaho's Kibbie Dome, Wyoming's War Memorial, and Hawaii's Aloha Stadium (which doesn't even exist yet) are on that list, I don't want to be part of it.
CAL
[BVB] Cal Earns AVCA Team Academic Award
https://calbears.com/news/2024/7/17/beach-volleyball-cal-earns-avca-team-academic-award.aspx
BERKELEY –The California beach volleyball team earned the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) team academic award, the organization announced Wednesday. It's the second straight year and fourth time in five years that Cal has been recognized with the distinction.
[WPOLO] Cal Earns 19 ACWPC All-Academic Honors
https://calbears.com/news/2024/7/17/womens-water-polo-cal-earns-19-acwpc-all-academic-honors.aspx
BERKELEY – The California women's water polo team excelled in the classroom once again during the 2023-24 school year, receiving its second-highest total of ACWPC All-Academic selections ever with 19, it was announced Wednesday.
[MROW] Cal Men’s Rower Frederik Breuer Added To German Olympic Team
https://calbears.com/news/2024/7/17/mens-rowing-cal-mens-rower-frederik-breuer-added-to-german-olympic-team.aspx
BERKELEY – The California men's rowing team's list of current and former Golden Bears competing in the Paris Olympic Games grew this week, as rising senior Frederik Breuer was added to the German men's eight boat.
Breuer's inclusion brings the program's total to 10 rowers who will be in Paris this summer. He joins Cal teammates Angus Dawson, Gennaro di Mauro and Tim Roth along with alumni Martin Mackovic '18, Ollie Maclean '23, Olav Molenaar '22, Jack Robertson '21 and Gus Rodriguez '23 (spare) and Christian Tabash '23.
[MGYM] Pair Of Men’s Gymnasts Named CSC Academic All-Americans
https://calbears.com/news/2024/7/17/mens-gymnastics-pair-of-mens-gymnasts-named-csc-academic-all-americans.aspx
BERKELEY – California men's gymnastics' Tyler Shimizu and Noah Newfeld were named At-Large Academic All-Americans for the first time in their respective careers by College Sports Communicators (CSC) on Wednesday.
Shimizu, a rising senior for the Bears, earned second-team honors, while Newfeld, a 2024 graduate, landed on the third team. The full first, second and third teams can be viewed on academicallamerica.com.
What is your infrequent treat that you gift to yourself?
Uber ride home from NYC after staying out late.
in the olden days taking a cab home was prohibitively expensive so i was always constrained to catch the last train home, 130a.
in modern ride-hailing-app times, it is still expensive but not outrageously so. since i only stay out late-late like that a couple times a year, it is a nice treat ..
Business class transatlantic travel
Mexican Sunday Brunch Buffet at El Torito. Reminds me of a similar thing as a child at the Red Onion in SoCal.
Ice cream. Always have it after a Cal football victory and other scattered occasions throughout the year.
Ice cream is a great treat. My problem is that I often treat myself with too much and too close to bedtime and I give myself heartburn as a consequence.
I eat dinner late and always have ice cream after. I’m sure, in addition to being old, that is a reason why I don’t sleep well.
Well, there it is. That's my story, too.
I really ought to eat earlier than I do.
A Swedish massage.
Perhaps once a year, I'll go to place across town to have someone with strong hands to beat the crap out of me.
Oh, I do Thai massages. Way more than once a y ear.
OUR CRUMBLING DEMOCRACY
Bob Newhart passed.
Bob Newhart, who went from standup comedy to sitcom star, dies at 94
https://www.washingtonpost.com/obituaries/2024/07/18/bob-newhart-dead/
Yes, I know this appears to be a reply fail. That is all.
As time goes, Democratic politicians look at the polls and conclude that Biden is unlikely to beat Trump - which causes more of them to call on Biden to accept this and fall on his sword for the good of the party. Now it's Schiff, Pelosi, Schumer, Hakeem Jeffries on one side - Biden, AOC, and Bernie Sanders on the other.
If he does step down, the names bantered about are Kamala Harris, Gretchen Whitmer, Wes Moore, Josh Shapiro, Mark Kelly, and Gavin Newsome.
I don't know how they can go with anyone other than Harris. You need someone Biden can easily endorse upon bowing out. Who else but his VP?
Harris is also the best prepared, having served as VP the last 3.5 years.
Another consideration - if Biden and Harris were to be the affirmed ticket at the Democratic convention and subsequently Biden were to drop out, the party would make the call on who takes the top spot. I sincerely doubt there would be an obviously better candidate to fill that position.
Harris' poll numbers are about the same as Biden's. Her poll numbers have always been terrible despite not really doing anything and has a decent chance to lose to Trump. While the knock against Biden is his age, people don't like Harris for other reasons.
https://www.npr.org/2024/07/12/nx-s1-5036518/biden-trump-poll
Harris' problem was always her history in CA. She wasn't in a role that was ever going to gain her popularity. I always thought she was a terrible pick for Biden, there were plenty of other women out there that I felt had a better chance as future president.
VPs are never chosen for their ability to influence voters to support a ticket; voters vote for the top of the ticket.
VPs are chosen also as insurance against the opposition trying to force out the incumbent. I think Dick Cheney was just such a choice. It could be argued that Spiro Agnew was chosen (by Richard Nixon) for the same reason. The thing with Kamala Harris is that she is the insurance role for the GOP. As much as the GOP hates Biden, they detest Harris, I guarantee.
The thing that would send some of them over the edge wouldn't be if Biden were to step aside as the Dem nominee. It would be if he resigned altogether, giving Harris the power of incumbency. Actually, that would be brilliant. You'd be sure to hear members of the GOP crying foul. They don't want Trump to face Harris with the power of incumbency.
The person who polls the best is Mark Kelly and it doesn't take a genius where the extra few percentage points come from - he's not POC, not female, not Jewish, not from a liberal state. He is male, ex-military, moderate, from a swing state - and even holds the card that his wife was an attempted assassination victim.
Sure. If we were starting from scratch then Kamala would not be my preference either. But we're not and if you're trying to do a quick replacement she seems best positioned. Everything else would be messier and more confusing.
Another side benefit to this is that if she doesn't improve things and loses to Trump then you know she's not the one for the next cycle and the deck is cleared for the new up-and-comers. (Yes, assuming democracy survives, etc.)
This is emblematic of Boomer thinking and outlook in the polling samples. Honestly, I wonder about the representation of younger generations in the polling samples.
Not that I'm positing that younger generations would be wildly different in outlook. Only that they would be different and might not necessarily value ethnicity, gender, and religious affiliation in the same way that Boomers do.
I think this is the first time I’ve seen this mentioned.
You mean Schiff, Pelosi, Schumer, Jeffries and Oski Disciple on one side.
Throw your hat in the ring Oski D!
CAL
Oops...missed this heading
Go Bears!!! (And in case you'd forgotten, we've go the Axe!)
DBD AV CLUB
Finished The Acolyte, the new Star Wars miniseries. Overall not my favorite—the plotting felt forced on some places—- but at least it was unusual.
ELSEWHERE IN COLLEGE
Outrage! ESPN ranked the top college football stadiums and Memorial Stadium wasn't even among the "others receiving votes." Must be that none of their voters have ever been to Berkeley. https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/40559641/top-25-college-football-stadiums-lsu-rose-bowl-michigan
Given the total points possible for 1st place and the overall points, I'd guess that 14 scribes were asked to rank their Top 20 stadiums, from which a Top 25 was created.
Two observations: small sample and I bet it also is a tell on how those same voters will rank their pre-season Top 25.
EDIT: we know better, though. Right?
Rose Bowl got #2 and the logic is that "this place is amazing for its long history of being packed for one game per year that UCLA isn't playing in"
I've never heard anyone say they actually like the L.A. Coliseum as a stadium, outside of the history of the building. That's on the list too.
This is a list of "stadiums I've recently seen on TV and/or been to."
I don't know about y'all, but Notre Dame's stadium experience was not electric. Sure, there was Touchdown Jesus, but the ND home-game experience was a very polite affair surrounded by cornfields that happens to have a lot of history behind it.
If Idaho's Kibbie Dome, Wyoming's War Memorial, and Hawaii's Aloha Stadium (which doesn't even exist yet) are on that list, I don't want to be part of it.
Amen! Washington State's Martin Stadium in the literal armpit of the Pacific Northwest got votes over Memorial.
It’s time once again for Oski Disciple’s question of the day.
Do people who work tirelessly really never get tired?
this is not a problem i have, so i wouldnt know.
i supposed i can look at my wife who works tirelessly. she doesnt get tired of work. it just affects everything else.
[looks down at waistline] Oh, I got a tire
Me as well.
same .. working on it (sort of)