124 Comments

I just learned that "chiminea" is a real word.

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i think they are strange, but people seem to love theirs

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Absinthe. Made from the shrub wormwood. I bought a bottle once and sipped it while I was writing a novella, which sadly remains unpublished. It's supposed to cause euphoria and hallucinations.

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on a separate note, an absinthe rinse w/ an old-fashioned makes for an excellent sazerac

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maybe i'll pause on the nightly negroni, for a sazerac tonight ...

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how did that go?

absinthe was not available legally in the US for a long time. but it is available currently mostly because the stuff that caused "euphoria and hallucinations" was deemed to be a result of urban legend or other contaminations.

still, it is a prevalent notion ...

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Not that much different from a typical reaction to alcohol, didn't notice any hallucinations. They started selling it in the U.S. in 2007. St. George is one of the common brands.

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Has anyone heard of "A Midwinter Nights Dram" rye whiskey by High West Distillery? No 1 wanted me to check if there are places around here that might have it. I checked BevMo and K&L's website but didn't find it.

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i have had High West before but never heard of this one. it appears to be pretty hard to find and $150-300 if you can

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can you get me one too if you find some?

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They have it at Epicurean Trader in the city. Orderable online for $180 https://the-epicurean-trader.myshopify.com/collections/rye-whiskey/products/high-west-distillery-a-midwinter-nights-dram-rye

Epicurean Trader is a great little shop that does big business in craft booze, and is right down the street from me. Opening one soon in the Ferry Building too.

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Thanks Scootie. I'll check it out.

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$180? There are better drams out there at that price point.

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No 1 said it should be around 80-100. Wonder if the 180 is because it's hard to find out here.

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I'm not sure why he wants this one.

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A thought. Would folks be able to assemble on tightwad hill this season with social distancing and masks? I suspect the campus police will cordon off the area, but who knows. Also, someone has to fire off the canon when we score.

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Sadly, that person is not YWC

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heh...I was going to suggest it wouldn't be YWC in my comment.

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I would assume they would let rallycom be there but not the public. Are there places higher up off Centennial drive where you can look into Memorial?

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There is a place on the way down from the LHS where you can see the stadium and part of the field from Centennial, but nothing as good as tightwad.

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Youtube follows Twitter's lead and does something about QAnon. [Zuckerberg sweating intensifies]

https://twitter.com/BrandyZadrozny/status/1316764977139716103

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Name a Cal player who is/was not "the right size" for his/her position, but is/was still a great player

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Iheanyi Uwaezuoke

(At 6’2”, 198 lbs, he was actually a prototypical-sized WR, I just thought he needed a shoutout!)

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Syd'Quan Thompson

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Joe Igber. Came to Cal at 5' 8" 190 lbs, then bulked up his lower body at Cal so he looked quite stout. But he was pretty nimble for a bowling ball and had his trademark skip back to the huddle.

Here's a fun article as to why Cal's running back (Igber) sucked in Electronic Arts' 2002 NCAA Football video game and why it's still relevant today.

https://www.sfweekly.com/news/dont-hate-the-player-are-college-athletes-working-for-a-degree-or-working-for-a-cartel/

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Yo, if you need a house built, ya boy Joe Igber is an architect with his own firm in the Bay Area.

https://sedrconsulting.com/about-structural-engineer-oakland-san-francisco-california/

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I also thought about Joe. Still remember him chilling out in the stands after the big game win in 2002 while Boller was being hoisted on shoulders.

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Malik McMorris?

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What? Perfect size.

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Today in Covid

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It seems some folks in Harris's campaign train have tested positive, sensibly they put the team's travel on hold until they know the extent.

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Elsewhere in college

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Cincinnati at Tulane game postponed to Dec. 5. 3rd game involving a top 10 team this weekend postponed.

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Chanticleers take down #21 Louisiana 30-27 with a last-second FG. It helps when you have the ball for nearly 40 minutes.

https://www.espn.com/college-football/game/_/gameId/401215311

Also, their offensive line is an inspiration.

https://twitter.com/therealkwat/status/1316563810090659841

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We watched the second half of that game; quite fun. Most fun game so far: Ole Miss vs Bama, that was amazeballs.

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Saban, AD Byrne test positive for covid

https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/30116627/alabama-football-coach-nick-saban-athletic-director-greg-byrne-test-positive-covid-19

"I found out earlier this afternoon that I had tested positive for COVID-19," Saban said in a statement. "I immediately left work and isolated at home. At this time, I do not have any symptoms relative to COVID, and I have taken another PCR test to confirm my diagnosis."

The second-ranked Crimson Tide play host to No. 3 Georgia on Saturday.

Saban, who is working from his home, was upbeat as he addressed reporters on a Zoom call Wednesday night, joking that "something must be bad wrong -- as much as I look forward to these Wednesday press conferences -- for me not to be there with you today."

The 68-year-old Saban said he was feeling fine before the positive test result, which he said surprised him.

"I feel fine, so I'm not really concerned that much about my health, but you never know," Saban said. "Look, I basically feel like when we're in our own personal bubble here, everybody is in a much safer place. I think as soon as you travel, you get exposed to a lot more things and a lot more people."

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I wonder if the mild symptoms from Trump and Saban will embolden chuckleheads in places like Alabama to be even more cavalier about ignoring recommendations about social distancing and avoiding large gatherings.

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I'm not sure chuckleheads needed Trump and Saban to be more cavalier about ignoring recommendations.

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Something with spots

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My son. He has his mother's freckles.

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Spotted Dick

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Skunk

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OUR CRUMBLING DEMOCRACY

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They'll lose this for sure, NDAs are not really enforceable in this context.

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This will be curious, since once the DOJ is not beholden to trump, will they drop or settle for nothing on these?

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Tried to vote this morning by dropping off absentee ballots. Very very long lines and drop-boxes are not allowed by NC law. Line was several hours long. Abandoned attempt. Wife will drive to Board of Elections's office this afternoon (40 minute drive, one way) and walk absentee ballots inside, which is reportedly faster because it isn't a polling station.

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Voted on Tuesday via the ballot box. Alameda County has a tracking system where you can follow the progress of the ballot online through the system. Currently it shows the ballot was picked up, checking to see when it is counted.

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Just make sure it doesn't say it was put in the circular file...

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Sorry about the difficulty bit I'm encouraged because I'm hoping/assuming the strong early vote is motivated anti-Trump voters.

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If it is democrats, I wonder if the republicans underestimated the will of people voting him out of office by reducing the number of polling places and trying to remove mail in voting. Like people will think, "Oh it isn't safe to try to mail in vote and I'm not driving 50 miles or standing in line for 8+ hours to cast my vote"

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so many people are out of work, though...stand in line all day to vote? better than sitting on the couch in my birthday suit day drinking.

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how about standing in line in your birthday suit day drinking? Combine both...

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FET: I came home after work in 1999 to find my roommate on the couch watching TV and drinking a beer. He was butt nekked. It was the last time I sat on that couch.

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PRO

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Braves Bounce Back. Atlanta uses a 6 run 6th to chase both Kershaw and Graterol, and roll to a 10-2 win, taking a 3-1 lead in the series over the LA, and suddenly the Dodger dominance yesterday is already a distant memory.

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Correa with a walkoff CF HR wins it 4-3 for the Astros. Blue Rays not only lose a 1 run game, for just the 7th time this year, but they have lost 2 of the more winable games in the series, after taking a 3-0 lead, against a stretched pitching staff. 5 rookies pitched for Houston in a 4-3 extra inning win. Add that to the list of unprecedented things that have happened this year.

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Correa has more HRs in the playoffs than he had in the regular season.

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Rumor has the Padres offering Tatis 12/400. If that's true he should absolutely do it.

https://twitter.com/IngMayobanex/status/1316745957577576453

Who knows what will happen with the new CBA.

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He seems to be a unique talent. 12 years is a long time to be tied up with the Pads though, who knows what kind of contracts we'll see over the next 4-5 years?

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Yeah let's see how long Machado is loved in SD. They've go ta lot of money tied up into like 5 players.

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Daryl Morey stepping down as Houston Rockets GM, sources say

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/30120824/daryl-morey-stepping-houston-rockets-gm-sources-say

Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey is stepping down, sources told ESPN.

In the aftermath of Houston's elimination from the NBA's restart in Orlando, Florida, Morey approached owner Tilman Fertitta with the idea of leaving the job, and the sides quietly worked through an exit agreement to conclude his 13 seasons running the franchise's basketball operations, sources said.

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He gave a GREAT commencement speech when my daughter graduated at Northwestern. Really great, and I had the feeling he was a bit hungover.

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I don't think the Rockets were ever going to win a championship with their current style. With Morey and D'Antoni leaving, maybe they'll change their O.

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I don't think there is anything inherently wrong with their style. Other teams have imitated it (to a lesser degree and won) and they could have won with better luck and personnel. Nonetheless, they had a lot of years and chances that a change is very much understandable.

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The problem may be Harden, who is great but tends to pull a disappearing act at some point in every postseason.

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In the past I thought it was due to overuse during the season. Didn't have that reason this playoff. I can't remember which analyst said it, but he said that once he passed the ball he just stood there way off outside the 3 point line and just watched. Said Harden should run around screens and stuff like Curry and others do.

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That's the thing, he seems to have one way of playing offense and if that isn't going well (usually it does!) then he doesn't do anything else. Guys like Curry, LeBron, Kawhi, are adaptable.

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I don't know if they could have won with their current style, but trading for Westbrook certainly did not help. He doesn't quite fit with the system.

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He can't shoot the 3 but he can penetrate and pass for an open 3. Maybe they thought they could fix his shot?

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Without a big man to give him space in the paint, he's limited in that regard as well.

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Bleacher Report: AD to re-sign with Lakers

https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1316757570426736640

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Yes!

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Hall of Famer, San Francisco 49ers great Fred Dean dies at 68

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/30118914/hall-famer-fred-dean-dies-age-68

Pro Football Hall of Famer Fred Dean died late Wednesday night. He was 68.

"The entire Pro Football Hall of Fame family mourns the passing of Fred Dean," Hall of Fame president and CEO David Baker said in a statement. "He exemplified many of the values learned from this great game -- commitment, integrity, courage -- over the course of his life. Our thoughts and prayers are with Fred's wife, Pam, and their entire family. We will forever keep his legacy alive to serve as inspiration for future generations."

After a standout collegiate career at linebacker for Louisiana Tech, Dean entered the NFL as a second-round pick of the then-San Diego Chargers in 1975. He was moved to defensive end right away and quickly became one of the league's best edge rushers, landing his first Pro Bowl berth in 1979 and an All-Pro and Pro Bowl spot in 1980.

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Mean Fred Dean, the Dean of Sacks

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The number of HOF players in both baseball and football that we have lost this year is not just sad, its scary.

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a friend of mine wrote this blog post about Whitey Ford

be warned it is a long and personal baseball story.

https://johnericgoff.blogspot.com/2020/10/my-15-seconds-with-chairman-of-board.html

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I remember him as Hunter in the TV show in the mid to late 80s.

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Think that was Fred Dryer.

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oh...duh. reading fail. I misread the name. I read the whole article and the whole time I read it was fred Dryer. I Guess that's what I get when I'm supposed to be paying attention to the call I'm on.

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Yes it was. Since I wasn't a 9ers fan I didn't even know he was a football player.

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Assterisks save their season with a Jose "I Cheated" Altuve and George "I also cheated" Springer HR. Almost let the Rays tie the game in the 9th.

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Falcons only manage a field goal in 15-3 loss to Rams

https://www.truebluela.com/2020/10/14/21516489/dodgers-blowout-innings-management-braves-nlcs-pitching-plans

The Dodgers seemed to think they could carry over the offensive momentum from their furious seven-run near-comeback rally from Tuesday night into Game 3, and they managed to do just that on Wednesday with a 15-3 blowout of the Braves.

Game 3 of the NLCS was over with the Dodgers’ 11-run first inning, an MLB postseason record. After that, Wednesday night became a strategy session and an exercise in innings management for a series that could potentially last seven games in seven days.

Mookie Betts, for instance, singled, walked, and scored twice in his four at-bats, and he only played three innings on defense. He was removed with a 14-run lead, a rare opportunity for in-series rest for a pillar on offense.

Same for Corey Seager, who was out after four innings in the field, having already homered, doubled, and singled in his four at-bats, scoring three runs and driving in three more.

The Braves got Freddie Freeman, the possible MVP favorite with two home runs in this series, and catcher Travis d’Arnaud, their cleanup hitter and a former Dodger, out of the game after three innings. But the real game within the game was with the pitchers.

Old friend Grant Dayton had to relieve Braves starter Kyle Wright in the first inning, then had one of the classic take-one-for-the-team outings. He recorded six outs but allowed eight runs on eight hits, throwing 62 pitches, and after allowing his fifth hit of the third inning alone he was mercifully lifted by Braves manager Brian Snitker.

The real hero for the Braves was Huascar Ynoa, who relieved Dayton in the third inning and just kept pitching. The 22-year-old right-hander got Atlanta nearly through the seventh inning, helping them use only five pitchers in a blowout loss.

But that Ynoa threw 92 pitches in his four innings might throw a wrench into the Braves’ future plans. Before the series, Ynoa was mentioned as a possible option to start later in the series, or at least take down some bulk innings in Games 4 or 5. Now with Ynoa burned and Bryse Wilson, who has pitched longer than three innings twice this season, starting Game 4, the Braves bullpen will be busy the next few days, whether or not Max Fried goes on short rest in Game 5.

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Booooo, but it's only one game.

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By the way, the actual Falcons may be the latest team to have a COVID outbreak. https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/30119829/sources-atlanta-falcons-shut-facility-4-positive-coronavirus-tests

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I am still annoyed about Snitker using Ynoa yesterday. He really should have just saved the pen and let some position player (Pablo Sandoval?) go lob pitches for 6 innings to maximize the Braves' chances of winning games today and tomorrow (I personally prefer for Fried and Anderson to go on regular rest). His argument that all the key bullpen guys are available today is kind of overlooking tomorrow.

Anyhow, having this postseason success in a low leverage situation may help Ynoa in the long term (or have no impact).

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I didn't watch the game after it was 11-0 so I didn't realize the Braves used a reliever they might actually need later in mop-up duty. That seems . . . not smart.

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It's that pride and "respect the game" thing on a big stage. Gabe Kapler got some heat two years ago when he had Kingery just lobbing the ball for two innings in game 1 of a DH that was a 24-4 loss to the Mets (I was actually at those games in Phillies, just because it was a single gate doubleheader). He got some heat from the Philly local media. https://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/phillies/gabe-kapler-defends-using-scott-kingery-roman-quinn-pitch-in-one-ugliest-phillies-losses-youll-ever-see

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Wasted opportunity for Panda to pitch

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So Ynoa is definitely not going to available. Snitker also used Jacob Webb and Shane Greene, both of whom haven't pitched yet, but might be needed (as the 5th and 6th guy out of the pen in the ideal world) for today and tomorrow. We shall see how much the Braves "winning" the last 6 innings by a 2-0 score will carry over today (since that's always the laughable narrative every postseason).

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No 3 wondered if Bellinger (I think it was) would get hate because he swung on a 3-0 pitch and up big and hit a HR. I said that it's the playoffs.

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From the Braves fans POV, I think there was more hate toward Turner for rather obviously an intentionally kick of a bounced pitch for a key HBP in that first inning.

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The announcers did say that he approached Culberson about throwing. I guess he figures if he didn't use key relievers then they can be used today and tomorrow and hope the starters go deep in game 6.

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it would appear that the Rams managed to score only FGs as well. 5 of them!

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Or they went for two on one of the TD's.

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Or six safeties with a field goal.

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2 TDs with a 1 point safety.

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I was about to post an article for this game but had to look closer because I didn't think the Rams played last night...

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CAL

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Cal doing fan cardboard cutouts for $50.

https://cal-bears-fan-cutouts.aaaflag.com/

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Go Bears!

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[paywall] NYT: At Cal football, a covid survivor keeps watch over football’s return. Andrew McGraw, assistant athletic director of football administration, tested positive for Covid-19 more than four months ago. “This is no joke,” he said

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/14/sports/ncaafootball/cal-football-pac-12.html

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Is there a college team with a skunk as a mascot?

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Is there a clever analogy here that I'm totally missing?

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The analogy is the diversity of global economic barriers to the lower-middle-class based upon people's educa... just kidding.

It's just a picture of a skunk doing a handstand and then me wondering if all skunks do that or if it is just spotted skunks and then me going down the Wikipedia hole to find out that skunks spray different stuff.

I can understand that a peek into my brain can be... confusing.

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October 15, 2020
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