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author

Hey y’all. We’re looking at this new app to better our fan interaction and maybe moving the DBD’s there Cz it’s better suited with gifs/pictures/polls/quizzes and other fun stuff. If you don’t mind helping testing it out. Join up here. https://flick.group/writeforcalifornia

Currently there is no webapp and you have to use your phone or tablet.

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Yeah, 100% on the computer.

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Only use from my computer, so that wouldn't work for me.

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Usually use on my laptop, read stuff on the phone but don't comment on the phone much, other than a few words.

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I checked out the site though, not bad.

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hard pass on mobile only option

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Thanks for looking into other options! I would probably only use something that works on my computer.

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"Currently there is no webapp and you have to use your phone or tablet." - Non starter for me until that's fixed.

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Topic: The Death of Adobe Flash as of January 12, 2021 - or as Adobe calls it "the-end-of-life-event. Any thoughts?

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We have some software that we use for handling data from field monitoring equipment that uses flash. I expect either we will get some updates from the manufacturer, or we are going to have some $12,000 bricks in a bit.

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There is a Flash emulator that plays .SWF files (Flash) called Ruffle. The team that is working on it expects full browser compatibility in a month or two. So there may be a bit of a resurrection of old flash games. Right now a number of flash gaming sites are inoperable. See the link below (blog post from ceo of Newgrounds, which is one of the largest flash gaming sites out there.

https://www.newgrounds.com/bbs/topic/1462656

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Good to know. Games impacts are unfortunate, but there are a lot of production functions that use it. I despise the tradition of ferreting out working functionality and breaking it just to drive up costs for the purpose of scoring a portion of that as profits for no beneficial reason.

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I guess this means some of those old browser games I used to play are no longer usable?

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I did see that there are ways for you to play the old games. My ex has some foreign language learning CDs that use flash and was asking me how she can use them going forward. I did some research and apparently there are quite a few places where you can play the flash games using other methods.

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I used to love the room escape games.

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Right now, no. Adobe has been phasing it out for awhile now. When browsers started requiring the addition of the Flash player plug-in to play Flash games/videos it was kind of a heads-up moment. Steve Jobs is happy because he hated Flash. I'm friends with the former CEO of Macromedia who sold it to Adobe in the first decade of the 2000's. He used to have contentious phone calls with Steve.

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Macromedia, there's a name I haven't thought of in a long time...

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Today in Covid

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US soars to a new one-day death record yesterday: 4,254

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Sinovac claimed its Covid vaccine was 78% effective. Actual results closer to 50%.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/chinas-sinovac-covid-19-vaccine-is-50-4-in-late-stage-brazil-trials-11610470581

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NASA releases Rover Curiosity's glorious panorama shot of Mars. Or it might be New Mexico.

https://www.nasa.gov/feature/jpl/nasa-s-curiosity-rover-reaches-its-3000th-day-on-mars

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Wanna see what it's like to fly in an air race?

https://gfycat.com/dangeroustenderchinesecrocodilelizard

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Spiders

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TIL: Daddy Long Legs are not spiders

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opiliones

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Me too. Interesting how the dislike/fear of spiders is universal, I think it's genetic in humans, not a learned or cultural phenomenon.

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Though apparently some daddy long-legs are!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pholcidae

Seems like the key difference is that real spiders have bodies with two segments. The non-spider long-legs have a single body segment.

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And some Daddy Long Legs are not even Daddy Long Legs. Who calls Mosquito Hawks/Crane Flies that?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crane_fly

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Mosquito Hawks, yes, never heard Crane Flies.

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University of Richmond

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Short-lived minor-league hockey team from San Francisco. They had a fun logo.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Francisco_Spiders

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The one above is not as scary as Australia's Golden Orb spider which can catch birds in its web.

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The one above isn't scary? I don't know how a spider that squishes itself flat to pretend to be a branch is anything but neat.

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maybe i can put this in the "unpopular opinion" category from yesterday ..

my daughters both seem to be afraid of bugs, mice, spiders to various extents despite early attempts to get them to like bugs. i find it to be a very gendered sort of training in society that it is "ok for girls to freak out"

maybe it is just bad parenting, but i had to go kill a spider in the bathroom last night because my 16 yr old daughter did not want to.

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No 2 really hates spiders. Doesn't get close to it and either gets one of us to get it or gets the vacuum. No 3 hates crickets.

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Yet all 3 loved going to the insect part of the zoos.

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Well, it's safe then.

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i hate all those things and my son and wife are really bemused by it

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Not bad parenting; you have just joined the real world where some of us have lived for decades when it comes to common small household pests.

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author

Elsewhere in college

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Furd will kick off the CFB 2021 season vs. K-State during Week Zero. Site changed to a neutral site (Arlington, TX) from K-State.

https://twitter.com/Brett_McMurphy/status/1349416921544994817?s=20

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Hate to say it, but we gotta root for Furd there.

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No

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I mean, I'm not proud g...

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What, NO!

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Sorry Scootie. It has to be done.

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Nah.

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I mean, not in a rah-rah, face-painting kind of way, but I for one am tired of the P12 being closer to the WAC than it is to the Big12, and the only way to change that is to start winning ballgames against other power 5 Conferences. It is what it is.

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Agree. Pac-12 teams have rolled over and died in Power 5 play. Could any team even beat SJSU in the Mountain West?

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I agree. I will hold my nose and root for Furd.

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counter point: Furd stank

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Well, that didn't take long for Sark to raise a bit of controversy

https://twitter.com/bdavisaas/status/1349124680712646659?s=21

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not really, that played well to the base as Herman's waffling on the subject had caused a lot of issues with the big money donors. Re: how it plays with the African American athletes remains TBD. Doesn't appear to be any fuss so far.

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author

OUR CRUMBLING DEMOCRACY

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Motherfuckers to the bitter end.

"Political appointees at the U.S. Census Bureau are making a last-ditch push to deliver to President Trump tallies of undocumented immigrants so he can try to exclude them from congressional representation, according to a letter sent Tuesday by the Commerce Department’s Office of Inspector General.

The letter, from Inspector General Peggy E. Gustafson to Census Bureau Director Steven Dillingham, said career employees at the bureau had told her they were under “significant pressure” from two Trump appointees to produce a report by Friday related to the president’s effort to remove undocumented immigrants from state population counts, even though staff there say the data isn’t ready.

Several whistleblowers at the bureau told Gustafson that Dillingham had categorized the report as the bureau’s “top priority,” regardless of the data’s accuracy, the letter said, adding: “OIG is also aware that you inquired into a financial reward for speed on this directive.”

One senior bureau employee had gone so far as to say that what staff were being asked to do was “statistically indefensible,” according to the letter."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/social-issues/2020-census-trump-undocumented-apportionment/2021/01/12/3b4c7388-5549-11eb-a817-e5e7f8a406d6_story.html

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The House impeached President Donald Trump for the second time in a historic, bipartisan condemnation of an outgoing president whose words fueled a deadly insurrection at the Capitol.

Ten Republicans joined all Democrats in a 232-197 vote supporting a single impeachment count: "incitement of insurrection."

The process now moves to the Senate, where Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has indicated that a trial won’t begin until Trump is out of office.

https://www.politico.com/news/2021/01/13/house-impeachment-trump-458589

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McConnell ain't doing shit while he's the top dog.

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I would wager Mitch votes to convict. And quietly urges a few others to join with him.

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He's not going to be the top dog when this happens though.

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I thought he meant he won't start the trial while he's still the top dog.

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It would be a convenient opportunity for Republicans to wash their hands clean of Trump and spend the next four years pretending the last four were an aberration.

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It would be good to take a step that will help guard against something of a repeat in 4 years.

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He'll get impeached, can't run, and then "Tonald Drump" will be on the ballot in 4 years.

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With a potential first lady Tvanka Irump

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Yeah like that's gonna happen. Only 10 republicans voted to impeach.

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-coup

Check it out

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Nice. I like how it's been updated for Trump.

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"One day before a pro-Trump mob stormed the Capitol, a Democratic lawmaker says, she saw colleagues leading groups on “reconnaissance” tours of the building.

Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.) made the startling claim in a Facebook Live broadcast on Tuesday night as she accused Republicans of inciting the pro-Trump mob that vandalized the Capitol and attacked police officers.

Sherrill, a former Navy helicopter pilot, described seeing “members of Congress who had groups coming through the Capitol that I saw on Jan. 5 for reconnaissance for the next day.”

“I’m going to see that they’re held accountable,” Sherrill added.

Sherrill did not specifically identify which lawmakers she saw leading groups through the Capitol. Her office did not immediately respond to a message from The Washington Post late Tuesday. The FBI and the U.S. Capitol Police also did not immediately respond to messages about whether the agencies are investigating the claim."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/01/13/mikie-sherrill-reconnaissance-capitol-attack/

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Boebert is reportedly one of them.

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Boebert's Twitter account just got suspended until the 20th

https://krdo.com/news/2021/01/13/lauren-boeberts-twitter-account-locked-until-inauguration-day/

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Message from the joint chiefs of staff on Biden as the next Commander in Chief:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/military-statement-biden-commander-in-chief/2021/01/12/9b722200-551a-11eb-89bc-7f51ceb6bd57_story.html

(may be behind a paywall, if it is - sorry)

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I went by the Lincoln Memorial on my run and lots of barricades up. You could get in to visit it but access was limited. Traffic seemed more crowded so I expect some street closures were having an effect.

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I suppose for the inauguration the perimeter will be set a long way from the Capitol. 10,000 National Guardsman vs. whomever shows up with guns.

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Also, Colin Powell has called for the establishment of a military force dedicated to protecting the Capitol City. Sort of a modern Praetorian Guard.

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An overreaction to current events, methinks (and hopes).

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ew. bad choice.

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Olympic gold medalist Klete Keller (USC '00-01) was identified as a Capitol Insurgent because he wore his Olympic jacket.

https://swimswam.com/olympic-gold-medalist-in-us-capitol-during-clashes-video-appears-to-show/

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Has now been arrested and charged.

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Don Segretti rides again!

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DiFi keeps options open by filing paperwork for re-election in 2024.

https://docquery.fec.gov/pdf/729/202101129398409729/202101129398409729.pdf

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she gotta go

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Most likely doing this so she can continue to fundraise. I expect she will then turn that money over to candidates she likes in future election cycles. Cannot believe she would really run at age 91.

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Also, this seat should go to Katie Porter. Enough time to groom someone good to take her non-safe seat in Southern California.

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Please no. Pack it in, Diane.

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No words except it's time for her to hang it up.

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Pompeo planned a trip to Brussels and Luxembourg in a somewhat ad-hoc meeting to meet EU and NATO leaders. In an incredible move, EU, NATO, and LUX declined the meetings. LUX Foreign Minister went on record to blast the Trump administration.

https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-is-a-criminal-and-political-pyromaniac-who-should-be-sent-to-criminal-court-luxembourgs-foreign-minister-356452

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The rapid and stunning decline of the American Empire.

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PRO

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Wojo: James Harden to Brooklyn

https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1349463753465720836

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There's only 1 basketball

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yeah this will end well. I wonder if the Rockets are getting Kyrie back.

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i wonder what the trade is

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No 3 said: Houston getting FOUR FIRST ROUNDERS, Levert, and Jarrett Allen I believe

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nope he was wrong. multi-team trade, including Oladipo going to the Rockets.

Adrian Wojnarowski

@wojespn

·

30m

Reporting w/

@RamonaShelburne

: Brooklyn’s acquiring James Harden in a three-way deal with Cleveland. Caris LeVert, Dante Exum, Rodions Kurucs, four 1st round picks – including Cavs’ 2022 first via Bucks -- and 4 Nets pick swaps to Rockets. Jarrett Allen, Taurean Prince to Cavs.

Shams Charania

@ShamsCharania

·

24m

Rockets are acquiring Caris LeVert in James Harden deal from Brooklyn and sending LeVert to Indiana to acquire two-time All-Star Victor Oladipo -- in addition to the four first-round picks and four draft pick swaps, sources said.

So I think they end up with Dante Exum, Rodions Kurucs, and Oladipo, along with the 4 draft pick swaps?? That doesn't quite sound right though

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maybe they figure Kyrie is on the way out.

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Seahawks fire Offensive Coordinator Brian Schottenheimer. Pete Carroll has a short fuse:

https://sports.mynorthwest.com/1265477/seahawks-fire-brian-schottenheimer/

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Should have got the ball to DK Metcalf more frequently. I remember him from the Cal-Ole Miss game at Memorial.

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83-1,300-10 tds is a pretty solid year for DK, tho you're probably right, as Lockett didn't help much. His final numbers were solid too, but he had 4 exceptional games and 12 rather meh ones. Schottenheimer takes the fall, but Carroll hasn't addressed the OL in years.

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Wilson and DK were on my fantasy team. When DK got the ball a lot, Seattle scored a million points. When he didn't, their offense totally tanked... their offense SUCKED most of the final 10 games or so

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CAL

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Jeremiah Hawkins completes his transfer. Will attend Texas State with Coach Spavital.

https://twitter.com/Hawkmade4/status/1349551884659408896

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Best of luck to Jeremiah

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Looks like we hired a new S&C coach

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Dancy coming back too

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Poutasi in the transfer portal

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RS-Jr, so an academic senior who graduates this spring. He played in 3 games last year and one game this year. He was effectively third-string since Coleman was subbed in more than Poutasi. I wish him well.

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Best of luck to Poutasi.

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We're #51!

https://www.espn.com/college-football/fpi

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Best 1-3 team in the nation!

Interesting that one-loss UW is 6th in the conference.

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I'll take it.

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I guess that's good because we were only 1-3.

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I'm confused why Colorado is ranked below us

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I don't know who Colorado beat, but we did beat Oregon and could've beaten Furd and OSU. So we really could've been 3-1.

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