Welcome to the Daily Bear Dump, a Write for California community board where one can talk about anything - Cal related or off-topic. Comment threads are sorted by topic. Anything is fine, so long as you’re generally civil.
With some controversy, the largest star (by volume, not mass) in the known universe may be Stephenson 2-18. Based on some calculations, it may be 2,150 times wider than our own Sol. If you put that star at the center of our solar system, it would fully engulf Saturn. This star was discovered in 1990 by Prof. Charles Bruce Stephenson (PhD Astronomy, UC Berkeley 1958)
My kids, everytime Dave Roberts pulls a starter early. Like he did on Sat with Worbleski and it imploded when the top 4 relievers gave up runs. And then yesterday with River Ryan when Vesia gave up a HR on his first pitch. Luckily Dodgers held on.
Biden proposes some Supreme Court reforms. I don't know how this would actually happen, TBH - but I suspect this is stuff that he didn't previously want to touch because he was worried about losing as a Presidential candidate, but now feels like he can use offensively against the GOP to force them to take an unpopular side during his lame duck phase.
My guess is that for all of these reforms, Biden is intending to use legislation as a way of opening debate on term limits and enforceable ethics standards. It's a fair question if legislation is appropriate in either case.
Term limits might have to be a constitutional amendment since Article III of the Constitution states that Justices and judges in inferior courts established by Congress shall hold their offices "during Good Behaviour,...", which implies lifetime appointments. People didn't live very generally long lives in 1789. Lifetime appointments were generally short.
What the Constitution didn't do was establish a number of justices. That was up to Congress. And Congress can also impeach members of the courts (plural) for Treason, Bribery, and other High Crimes and Misdemeanors. The House as currently composed won't hold impeachment hearings, much less actually impeach, Justices Thomas and Alito though there may be evidence for such action. Hence, the need for an enforceable ethics code and prima facie evidence that term limits are not just preferable, but also helpful in restoring public faith in the institution itself.
Which brings up an important point - because faith in the US Supreme Court is so low (low double digits and in danger of dropping into single digits territory), this should be a powerful incentive for Congress to act in restoring public faith in the Court and all other federal courts.
Just when the A’s were coasting towards a four-game sweep over their divisional rival Los Angeles Angels, the Angels flipped Sunday afternoons game on its head.
In the final game of the 2024 season between the two teams, the Angels stole the 8-6 victory thanks to eight unanswered runs. The A’s still took 3⁄4 over the Halos in their home ballpark but one still can’t help but feel like today was a little underwhelming. Sloppy pitching and a disappearing act from the A’s offense can be the two biggest culprits to blame.
It took them until the end of July, but they got one: a sweep, a real one, a juicy four-gamer against…well, the Colorado Rockies. The Rockies are the Rockies, and after this winning weekend, the San Francisco Giants might not be the Rockies. They’re the Giants, which is well…better, I think, or just different.
River Ryan pitched wonderfully in the longest outing of his professional career, and though the bridge to the finish was shaky, three Dodgers home runs helped them hang on to beat the Astros 6-2 on Sunday to salvage a game this weekend at Minute Maid Park in Houston.
Am about halfway through the We Are the World documentary on Netflix. They did the group singing and I stopped when they got all the people for the solos together. There was some time when Stevie Wonder proposed singing some Swahili lines. Waylon Jennings walked out because he didn't like that proposal. Someone interviewed said: "I just heard him go, ‘Well, ain’t no good ol’ boy ever sung Swahili. I think I’m outta here"
South Korea won its 10th consecutive women's team archery gold. Before that, the winners were the USA and the USSR. How close was the gold medal match? They needed a magnifying glass to find out.
This is not a major sport so not too worried about being a spoiler. While having lunch they were showing women’s air rifle. A teenager from South Korea beat a teenager from China in a shoot off after tying with a record. Neither one so much as cracked a smile after. Pressure must have been huge.
SHE BLINDED ME WITH...
With some controversy, the largest star (by volume, not mass) in the known universe may be Stephenson 2-18. Based on some calculations, it may be 2,150 times wider than our own Sol. If you put that star at the center of our solar system, it would fully engulf Saturn. This star was discovered in 1990 by Prof. Charles Bruce Stephenson (PhD Astronomy, UC Berkeley 1958)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephenson_2_DFK_1#Size
How many stars have Cal and Furd profs discovered?
"Billions & Billions"
- Dr. Carl Sagan - UC Berkeley Astronomy professor 1960-1962
US calls Venezuelan elections totally sus as Maduro won 51% of vote despite exit polls being Gonzales beating Maduro by 34 points
https://www.npr.org/2024/07/29/nx-s1-5055582/maduro-declared-winner-venezuela-presidential-election
Hi. Anyone know if the fall practice schedule has been released?
https://calbears.com/news/2024/7/29/football-fall-camp-opens-wednesday.aspx
It’s time once again for Oski Disciple’s question of the day.
Does the Game Show Network ever show episodes of The Blame Game? Is there a home version of the Blame Game?
My kids, everytime Dave Roberts pulls a starter early. Like he did on Sat with Worbleski and it imploded when the top 4 relievers gave up runs. And then yesterday with River Ryan when Vesia gave up a HR on his first pitch. Luckily Dodgers held on.
Played from anywhere with internet forum access immediately following a football loss.
OUR CRUMBLING DEMOCRACY
Biden proposes some Supreme Court reforms. I don't know how this would actually happen, TBH - but I suspect this is stuff that he didn't previously want to touch because he was worried about losing as a Presidential candidate, but now feels like he can use offensively against the GOP to force them to take an unpopular side during his lame duck phase.
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/4797259-biden-to-announce-supreme-court-reforms-on-monday/
Your analysis is probably dead on.
My guess is that for all of these reforms, Biden is intending to use legislation as a way of opening debate on term limits and enforceable ethics standards. It's a fair question if legislation is appropriate in either case.
Term limits might have to be a constitutional amendment since Article III of the Constitution states that Justices and judges in inferior courts established by Congress shall hold their offices "during Good Behaviour,...", which implies lifetime appointments. People didn't live very generally long lives in 1789. Lifetime appointments were generally short.
What the Constitution didn't do was establish a number of justices. That was up to Congress. And Congress can also impeach members of the courts (plural) for Treason, Bribery, and other High Crimes and Misdemeanors. The House as currently composed won't hold impeachment hearings, much less actually impeach, Justices Thomas and Alito though there may be evidence for such action. Hence, the need for an enforceable ethics code and prima facie evidence that term limits are not just preferable, but also helpful in restoring public faith in the institution itself.
Which brings up an important point - because faith in the US Supreme Court is so low (low double digits and in danger of dropping into single digits territory), this should be a powerful incentive for Congress to act in restoring public faith in the Court and all other federal courts.
All is well. Netanyahu has gone home, or at least somewhere else, and the siege of Washington is done.
PRO
Angels score eight unanswered in 8-6 A’s loss
https://www.athleticsnation.com/2024/7/28/24208289/angels-score-eight-unanswered-in-8-6-as-loss
Just when the A’s were coasting towards a four-game sweep over their divisional rival Los Angeles Angels, the Angels flipped Sunday afternoons game on its head.
In the final game of the 2024 season between the two teams, the Angels stole the 8-6 victory thanks to eight unanswered runs. The A’s still took 3⁄4 over the Halos in their home ballpark but one still can’t help but feel like today was a little underwhelming. Sloppy pitching and a disappearing act from the A’s offense can be the two biggest culprits to blame.
"everyone" knew to pull Bido before the G-slam.
Giants feel better about themselves after sweep of Rockies
https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/2024/7/28/24208450/mlb-final-giants-rockies-7-28-2024-recap-jorge-soler-jordan-hicks-trade-deadline
It took them until the end of July, but they got one: a sweep, a real one, a juicy four-gamer against…well, the Colorado Rockies. The Rockies are the Rockies, and after this winning weekend, the San Francisco Giants might not be the Rockies. They’re the Giants, which is well…better, I think, or just different.
River Ryan at his best, backed by 3 Dodgers home runs
https://www.truebluela.com/2024/7/28/24207945/river-ryan-strikeouts-dodgers-home-runs-astros
River Ryan pitched wonderfully in the longest outing of his professional career, and though the bridge to the finish was shaky, three Dodgers home runs helped them hang on to beat the Astros 6-2 on Sunday to salvage a game this weekend at Minute Maid Park in Houston.
Fardaws off to Hungary
https://www.instagram.com/p/C94-DwcIjGc/
Former SF Giant reliever Reyes Moronto (2017-2021) and last played last season with the Angels has died at the age of 31 in a car crash in the DR
https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/40671245/reyes-moronta-former-mlb-pitcher-dies-age-31
White Sox lose 14th straight game, clinch losing season
https://www.espn.com/mlb/team/_/name/chw/chicago-white-sox
DBD AV CLUB
Am about halfway through the We Are the World documentary on Netflix. They did the group singing and I stopped when they got all the people for the solos together. There was some time when Stevie Wonder proposed singing some Swahili lines. Waylon Jennings walked out because he didn't like that proposal. Someone interviewed said: "I just heard him go, ‘Well, ain’t no good ol’ boy ever sung Swahili. I think I’m outta here"
CAL
Go Bears!!!
Olympiques
Here's the story of Delicious Orie:
https://olympics.com/en/news/delicious-orie-exclusive-past-and-future
Someone cut long-distance internet cables in France. Officials haven't blamed anyone, but anyone with a brain has to be looking at Russia
https://www.wired.com/story/saboteurs-cut-internet-cables-in-latest-disruption-during-paris-olympics/
Poor Brazil, trying to defend this left hander by Wemby/Mr. Fantastic
https://twitter.com/sportingnews/status/1817232662568014272
South Korea won its 10th consecutive women's team archery gold. Before that, the winners were the USA and the USSR. How close was the gold medal match? They needed a magnifying glass to find out.
https://twitter.com/rodger/status/1817588247792669130
This is not a major sport so not too worried about being a spoiler. While having lunch they were showing women’s air rifle. A teenager from South Korea beat a teenager from China in a shoot off after tying with a record. Neither one so much as cracked a smile after. Pressure must have been huge.
USWNT overwhelm Germany 4-1
https://www.espn.com/soccer/report/_/gameId/699840
Marie Antoinette scores, obviously not via header
https://www.espn.com/soccer/commentary/_/gameId/699856
ELSEWHERE IN COLLEGE
Duke to reduce their stadium seating by about 5k to 35,000 and remain a humid bowl sunk into a hill that takes forever to walk to
https://goduke.com/news/2024/7/29/football-duke-introduces-new-devils-deck-to-brooks-field-at-wallace-wade-stadium.aspx
"The Devils Deck was concepted in collaboration with WME Sports..."
Who wrote this press release? "(C)oncepted"? Really? Whatever happened to "conceived"?
You should embiggen your vocabulary