178 Comments

Several minutes of joy with the World's Greatest Human https://www.instagram.com/tv/CWbN6VKrE9c/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

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Important news for TBB: https://www.science.org/content/article/how-hug-according-science

"Love them or hate them, hugs are part of Western culture. They don’t just confer emotional closeness, they’ve been shown to improve our mental and physical health. But hugging is not as straightforward as it may seem. Where do your arms go? How long is too long? Never fear, science has your … back.

In a two-part study, researchers set out to discover what makes one hug better than another. In the first arm of the experiment, the team recruited 45 female college students and blindfolded them, one at a time. A female researcher then entered the room and hugged the participant for either 1, 5, or 10 seconds.

Each hug was performed in one of two ways. In the first, “crisscross” style, each hugger puts one arm over their partner’s shoulder and the other arm under their partner’s arm. In the second, called “neck-waist” style, the researcher put both arms under the participants’. In total, each participant received six hugs..."

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Too bad it's so cloudy in the Bay - we'll miss the Beaver Moon.

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A question for the group...

Mrs Slug and I are considering going to her sister's (my SIL, obviously) for Thanksgiving on the Friday (day after). Her sister is hosting. Invitees include Mrs Slug, myself, our sons, our oldest son's gf, Mrs Slug's mom, SIL and her husband, their kids and spouses.

Mrs Slug asked if everyone was vaccinated. Her sister said, "Not everyone is vaccinated." You can also easily intuit a large part of the politics that goes with that statement. We skew left of center; her sister and that side of the family is firmly, if not hard, right.

Mrs Slug is upset because (a) there's been a lot of cajoling by a number of parties to get her to attend (she didn't want to attend to begin with) and (b) she is immune compromised due to psoriatic arthirits and treatment for that condition. She's been vaccinated (February) and boostered (September). Now, Mrs Slug is re-thinking the whole idea of going.

QUESTION: If you were in a similar situation, would you go?

I have my own ideas about this, but want to see if anyone has clarity on why it's okay to go or not go. ***Evidence-based analysis is welcome.***

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I’m also for declining the invitation. “You’re perfectly free to refuse to get vaccinated and I’m equally free to refuse to be around you in the meantime, enjoy the dry-ass turkey.”

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This is what I'll think of when we're sending our regrets.

Thanks.

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Inside voice, Inside voice.

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I agree with everyone that said nope. Especially due to the immune compromised stuff. Offer to "attend" via ZOOM, though I imagine that won't go over well.

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Thanks.

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I wouldn't even do that. "Thanks for the invite, but we're uprooting the carrots that day. Going to plant some squash instead."

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That's one way to decline an invite. I'll have to remember that.

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I would just be straight with them: "I'm immunocompromised and can't be around people who aren't vaccinated. You'll see me again when you are." The choice is theirs.

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Well said. Direct, honest, pulls no punches. Thanks.

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A lot of people who are unvaccinated aren't really true believers, they're just doing it because it's relatively easy and they've heard some bulls*** misinformation. Give them a reason to to get the shot and they just might do it. In general people don't like being cut off from their siblings, kids, or grandkids, especially around the holidays.

Or maybe they are just that hardcore about it. Oh well, you have to look out for your own health first.

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For an immunocompromised person? I would not go. And tell them very clearly why.

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Thanks. We're weighing our words.

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I would not go. If not everyone's vaccinated, I am out of any gathering.

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Thanks, Scootie.

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I would not. The downside risk is too catastrophically bad. There are about 70k infections per day. Covid is infectious up to 2 weeks but usually less. So assuming someone is infectious for a week, that's more than half a million Americans currently have a reported case of Covid. CDC estimates only 1 in 4 are reported. So that's about 2m Americans currently have it. That's 0.6%. Of those who catch it, 3% die, 80% get long term effects ands 40% apparent permanent damage. Let's say they held a packed Big Game at Memorial of 63,000 people. Would you go if I told you that they were guaranteed to throw a grenade into the crowd. 12 people would die and 150 will have their lungs injured. I wouldn't, even though I am unlikely to be hurt and I would beg my family to not go.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-updates/burden.html

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This is a good analogy. A friend of mine tells a similar story. If you knew there was going to be a sniper who was going to randomly shoot 150 people, killing at least 10, would you still go to the football game?

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Thanks for the comment. I get your example. I am also likely to be the one to beg people not to take foolidh and unnecessary chances. Thanks also for the link to the CDC statistics. Rather sobering info.

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The GF and I have been in very similar situations, and we don't go.

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Thanks for your comment.

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I agree with Mori - I wouldn't go.

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Thanks. I appreciate the comment.

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Hell No!

I don't know how close you are to the fam, but being around people who (for whatever reason) have decided not to do the simple act of getting vaxxed is a non-starter for me.

Cajoling someone into a risky situation is not love. Getting a shot to help protect them (and the world at large) is.

[I'd have more respect for them if instead of (selfishly) cajoling, they cut her off for "not respecting their choice, and therefore not visiting".]

Sorry: I don't know you or your fam, so hopefully am not overstepping...

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No problem. Thanks for responding. I value the input.

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Getting a bit dicey around Addis Ababa with a slight chance of intermittent SAMs in the afternoon.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/11/18/us-warns-pilots-of-possible-surface-to-air-fire-in-ethiopia

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I remember playing F-19 Stealth Fighter on the PC back around 91 and there were missions into the middle east. Addis Ababa was one of those places that had a SAM.

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Are the Northeastern African nations considered middle east? Especially Egypt which is closer geographically and culturally?

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Hmm...it isn't Middle East. I remember one game I played there were targets in Iran. Maybe it was a different one that had one in Addis Ababa. Or it was another city that sounded similar. I guess it has been 30-35 years.

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I wasn't challenging you - this was a 10 minute argument that was triggered by a pub quiz question - and people argued around each subsequent trivia question. Answer question, resume argument.

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I know. I was just trying to see if I could remember which game it was. Seeing the city name triggered remembering a game with a SAM site with that name. There were at least 5+ of those flying games that I played back late 80s early 90.

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Lot of them all blur together.

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Apropos: July 17, 2014, I flew on a Malaysian Airlines flight from KL to Frankfurt to go meet my wife. While flying over Ukraine, my son asked me if we were in any danger. "No, I replied. They don't attack civil airplanes." When we landed, I learned that a plane a few hours behind us was shot down by a Russian missile. I kept my mouth shut. When the news broke, my poor wife had to scramble for a moment to figure out if we were killed.

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I had a friend on your flight.

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oh wow.

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Yikes

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The first thing I think of when I hear/read Brent, is Brent crude oil.... I need to watch more movies/TV shows

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The first thing I think of now is Musberger positively fawning over AJ McCarron's fiancé (at the time) Katherine Webb...get a hold of yourself, Brent, FFS.

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Doesn't he have a reputation for singling out attractive women at CFB games?

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I can't recall anything like that event in his prior stints.

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Jenn Sterger + Brent Musbugere

https://youtu.be/3Pj2zV5FdYU

Brent Musbuger narrates ISU selfie

https://youtu.be/KAm_6lsike0

He's got enough of a reputation that Conan O'Brian had a recurring bit about it

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Link for the lazy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hg7CxBdJHk

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Update: she's still better looking than me

https://www.instagram.com/_katherinewebb/

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reminds me of Rick Majerus in the booth. ewww

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same. started off my not-so-distinguished career in commodities trading ...

i mean who doesnt know about the Brent/WTI spread??!!

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Tack on the Dubai and oft-forgotten Singapore and we got ourselves some commodities.

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Holiday Donations (suggested by TBB yesterday)

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Intercept Poverty (this is Cal safety and all around great person Eli Hicks' personal project)

https://www.interceptpovertyfoundation.org/donations

Berkeley Food Pantry

For the food insecure in the East Bay (especially helping to serve students)

https://www.berkeleyfoodpantry.org/

RAICES - for immigrant families to Texas

https://www.raicestexas.org/

Laura's House - Orange County Women's Shelter

https://www.laurashouse.org/

Texas Choice - Texan's travel for abortion

https://fundtexaschoice.org/

Bay Area Rescue Mission

Clothes, food and resources for the homeless in the Bay Area

https://www.bayarearescue.org/

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Sportscasters

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For SF Giants fans over 40 . . . Hank Greenwald.

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I loved listening to Hank Greenwald. As a Giants fan, I got lucky that Duane Kuiper and Mike Krukow followed Greenwald.

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They've had a great broadcast booth for a long while. Maybe the most consistent in the majors (if you consider the whole crew and not just one very long-tenured announcer like Vin Scully).

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Jerry Doggett was Vin Scully's partner for over thirty years.

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X-Files fans may recognize the names.

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Lyell Bremser, radio announcer in Omaha for the Cornhuskers for over 40+ years. He has an iconic call of the Johnny Rodgers punt return from the 1971 NU/OU "Game of The Century." His line of "Man, woman and child. Did that put them in the aisles." is ingrained in husker fans as much as "the band is on the field" is to Cal fans.

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I remember seeing Johnny Rodgers' return on TV in that game. Very, very exciting play.

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Mike Pawlawski

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Not a huge fan, though that may be my Starkey anti-bias unfairly rubbing off on Mike.

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It was a bit hard for me to accept that it's time for Joe to hang 'em up, because let's be clear - he is a Cal legend and owns the GOAT call. But yes, it's time.

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it was time 15 years ago. No one can convince me that he didnt die a decade ago and they just spliced together random word combos from data files for his current broadcasts

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Nov 18, 2021Liked by SGBear

I used to just accept Joe for being Joe. It wasn't until I saw your handle for the very first time - way back when - that I even considered it might be time. But you're right and I was probably late to the party.

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no denying his legendary status but I grew up listening to him while at the game and he was great. But once I moved to Texas and I was getting streaming broadcasts and the like and my rage just exploded. I never knew what was going on because he actually kind of sucks as a radio guy. Would've been a great TV guy cause the viewers could see the plays

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Mike does a very good job as color analyst, taking over from Lee Grosscup. Every year, he gains a heavier burden of constantly correcting Joe Starkey who tends to get befuddled more and more. Play-by-play is a difficult specialization - very different than analyst and I'm looking forward to seeing who succeeds Starkey. You don't know what a good one is until you are stuck with a bad one.

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I respect how gracefully he navigates that constant clean-up of Starkey. I think most of us would get frustrated after a while, but Mike soldiers right through and is never shitty about it.

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He's just waiting for Troy Taylor to be hired so he can be the QB coach...

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Keith Jackson

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"and now let's meet the big eaters"

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my favorite was he was talking about a defensive lineman and the next play, dude came and sacked the quarterback. Keith's call? "HE'S A CANADIAN!" so random and kills me every time I think about it. Believe it was shortly before he retired haha

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Whoa Nelly!

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Roxy Bernstein, got his start at KALX doing Cal baseball back in the early 90's.

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Roxy got his start hanging out in my dorm room (he was good friends with my roommate)

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I worked with him at the radio station. Very easy going guy. His casual-but-professional on-air style seems to be genuine.

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Yeah - every year they had the Pac-12 China games I would make sure to hang out after the game and talk to him for like 15 minutes.

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My favorite Roxy call was when he was doing an A's game and announced himself catching a foul ball. "...fouls it back this way...AND I CAUGHT IT!"

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The GOAT, John Madden

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I laugh way to much at Caliendo's impressions of him.

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He’s spending a lot of time doing TikTok live these days??

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Caliendo's impressions of eveyone is great. I love his Barkley. It's great when someone says, "He's been doing you for 5 minutes"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEJG06qEwLA&ab_channel=KHII

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maybe it's just me but i want to repeatedly punch Caliendo in the face

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Madden and Sumerall were the gold standard growing up....so solid.

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Madden is such a pop icon and is known by multiple generations for very different things. Lots of people know him as HC for the Raiders, others as an announcer and have no idea he coached, and third group who simply know him for his video game.

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When they called a game you knew it was a big one.

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"Uecker made cameo appearances as himself in the films O.C. and Stiggs,[30] and Fatal Instinct,[31] and in episodes of the sitcoms Who's the Boss?,[32] D.C. Follies,[33] and LateLine.[34] He was the voice of the "head of Bob Uecker" in the Futurama episode "A Leela of Her Own".[35] Another prominent role was as Harry Doyle, the broadcaster for the Cleveland Indians, in the Major League film trilogy.[36][37] In the movies, Uecker's character is known for his witticisms and his tendency to become intoxicated from drinking during losing games, as well as downplaying poor play by the team for the radio audience: for example, in the first film he also coins another popular sports catchphrase "Juuust a bit outside", to downplay an extremely wild pitch from Ricky "Wild Thing" Vaughn. Uecker received the role not because of his broadcasting history with the Brewers but because of his popular Miller Lite commercials.[38]"

From--where else?--Wikipedia

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BASEketball: Bob Costas, Al Michaels, Dan Patrick, Jim Lampley, Kenny Mayne, Pat O'Brien

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Costas: "You're excited? Feel these nipples!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mO-KZni9pI0

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Chick Hearn called a soccer game in Sport Goofy in Soccermania

Curt Gowdy, Jim Palmer, Tim McCarver, Mel Allen, Dick Enberg, Dick Vitale and Dr. Joyce Brothers are all announcers in the Naked Gun

Stu Nahan and Barry Thompkins are in Rocky IV

Wilbon and Kornheiser have been in Mr 3000 and Creed

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I would add that Chick Hearn was also in Fletch interviewing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar about Fletch in a dream sequence.

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DBD Finances

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Crumbling Democracies

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Rep. Gaetz invited Kyle Rittenhouse to join him and "see if he'd be interested in helping the country in additional ways". It's unclear if he meant to offer him an internship or pay him for sex because he's a minor.

https://news.yahoo.com/matt-gaetz-said-office-open-040843516.html

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What's unclear about it? Its obviously the latter.

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Lindsey Graham inadvertently campaigns for Biden

https://twitter.com/LindseyGrahamSC/status/1461369803676033024

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Rep. Gossar (R, AZ-4) is censured by House, stripped of 2 committee assignments.

https://twitter.com/kylegriffin1/status/1461084955065217025

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Should have listened to his immediately family who made a "don't vote for our asshole brother" ad

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Today in COVID

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Just got a Moderna booster 30 seconds ago. Pfizer2+Moderna1

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You can be the 5G repeater when we're at the ND game.

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Found out my cousin is recovering from COVID - he got a very early vaccination by UK standards because he does part time work with developmentally disabled adults, but it’s not clear that he got a second shot and certainly no booster. Caught it from his 3 year old, he shares custody with his daft ex girlfriend.

Meanwhile my other cousin is feeling like she dodged a bullet because her daughter’s bestie got the ‘rona but was already quarantined because the bestie’s mom had it. The case rates in Scotland are high enough that she’s assuming it’s just a matter of time for them. And my dad’s cousin is unable to visit his wife as she’s been hospitalized again (first time for the ‘rona, this time for embolisms from blood clots that for some reason despite being predictable weren’t a reason for precautionary anti-coagulants). So it’s going well for the UK rels

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Sorry about the bad news. Hope they all wind up doing well.

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It’s the elderly cousin in law I’m worried about tbh, the rest of them will probably be okay

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DBD Kitchen

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Wife made something new last night, another cauliflower dish. Roasted cauliflower, onions, a bit of red pepper flakes, parmesan, served over orzo flavored with parsley and lemon zest. Quite tasty, paired with a 2014 Fonterutoli Chianti.

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Had it for lunch, forgot to mention the pine nuts.

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I didn't grow up with chianti, but somehow it's become sort of the wine version of comfort food. Especially if it's in one of those little juice glasses.

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Hey, the reason that Chianti is now very tasty is due to the work at the University of California in the 1950's (at our agricultural branch).

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Props to Davis!

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Heh, neither did I - my dad drank jug wine - Almaden California "Burgundy" in the convenient 1.5 L jug; thinking back, I think he was a bit threatened when I started to get into wines, showing up back East with Napa cabs and whatnot.

Also just learned Almaden Winery is no more. Turned into a park in San Jose.

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my dad used to swill Almaden. For my generation, it was Carlo Rossi in the big jug

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With some favas beans and liver.....TSTSTSTSTSSTSS

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Knowing how to make Fried chicken at home is both a blessing and a curse.

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I feel ya.

I'm the designated shortbread maker at my home.

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its so delicious

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thx to Cugel and wife for carrot fennel soup recipe. it was excellent. no leftover. served w/ a French baguette and some leftover meatballs.

i found a 2011 bottle of red Rhone Valley wine from Ventoux that seemed to have aged rather nicely to go with it.

for dessert one my kids offered me a pumpkin muffin that they made earlier in the week.

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Glad you liked it!

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There was a very odd article in the Washington Post about "innovation" in Chinese American food (citing examples like General Tso and Crab Rangoon) and then saying nothing recently has been done. . . which is an odd statement in itself. Then detailing this chef's idea of making mapo mac and cheese . . . which isn't innovation, it's just combining two foods together.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/food/2021/11/12/lucas-sin-mapo-mac-chinese-takeouts/

But I JUST HAPPENED to have leftovers from the best sichuan restaurant in Shanghai, including mapo tofu (made with bone marrow for extra richness) and while I wasn't going to whip up a bechemel sauce I also have a few boxes of Kraft. So I combined them, and yeah, it's pretty tasty.

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(photos are in my IG stories)

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DBD AV

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Finished Dopesick...incredibly well done.

F the Sackler family.

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Pro

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MLB indirectly announces that they're renting 30 unheated warehouses

https://twitter.com/chelsea_janes/status/1461408738410119179

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Way overdue.

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Verlander signs 1 year with Astros for $18m + 1 year player option. His value takes a big hit as he's post-Tommy John and 38 years old.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mlb/verlander-agrees-to-25m-1-year-deal-with-astros/ar-AAQPzUg

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[Giants] Brandon Belt accepts qualifying offer of $18.3m for 1 year. The Captain is back.

https://twitter.com/ThereseVinal/status/1461114093536874499

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However, Belt is the only to accept. The rest hit free agency, including big chunks of the Giants and Dodgers pitching staff.

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Excepting Logan Webb for the Giants, every rotation spot is up for grabs, anyhow. I didn't see anyone in that rotation who's an absolute must-have. Not DeSclafani, not Wood, not Gausman.

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Gausman had a good first couple of months then went downhill quickly. Was it due to the sticky stuff??

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Agree. All three are very good, but not at free agency prices. They all improved notably improved over their past history, DeScalfani being the most improved and Wood the least. Zaidi certainly "bought low" and is now "selling high". I think watching Zaidi is as much fun as watching the game.

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And the Giants payroll is very efficient. Looking down the contracts, there are no longer any albatrosses around their necks now that Cueto is gone and Buster is retired. The Dodgers, meanwhile, 👀

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There's one big albatross for the Dodgers for sure...

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Cueto was a disappointment after his first season in SF. And he was often injured. I still like Cueto, he just wasn't cutting it in later years.

The only silver lining to Posey's retirement is the money saved on payroll. Big shoes to fill behind the plate. A good MLB catcher is worth 2-3 runs per game when you count setting the defense and calling pitches.

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Other College

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Idaho fires Paul Petrino. You think getting a good coach to go to Berkeley is hard. Try Moscow, ID.

https://tubsattheclub.com/2021/11/18/breaking-news-paul-petrino-out-as-head-football-coach-of-idaho-vandals/

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Sorry, UW. The Sark Knight Doesn't Rise Again. Regents support Texas HC.

https://twitter.com/BDavisAAS/status/1461151395000856584

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did people think he'd actually get fired this year?

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Sparty rumored to be working on a 10 year/$95M extension with Mel Tucker, who calls East Lansing and the 6th best gig in the Big10 a "destination job"...#waytoosoon

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So based on that, Wilcox must be getting a 5 year, $42M extension from Cal after this season.

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I guess we know what the market rate for retaining a coach is when there are a lot of vacancies

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Cal

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Grinnell, the injured male peregrine who lived on Sather Tower, is back. Conflict vs. intruder yet to be fought. Will be televised on Pac-12 Network at 2:30am on Sunday.

https://news.berkeley.edu/2021/11/17/hes-back-grinnell-uc-berkeleys-male-falcon-returns-to-the-campanile/

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GO BEARS!!! LET'S FUCKING GO!!! GET THE AXE BACK!!!

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Bought my ticket for saturday. Section 129 (Cal sideline at the north endzone), should be next to the student and main visiting section. Row F for $47!!!. Look forward to seeing some of you there.

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We're in Section 230, row C - need to get a parking pass.

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I haven't been there since the very early 90s. How do they do parking now? Is it still just a huge lot and you pay and park anywhere in it?

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Yup, prices have gone up, $35 2019

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i think it was $40 in 2019

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What's the tailgate menu? Is it just being carried over from $C? or did that get pushed back to the reschedule? No 2 is very picky so I may have to figure out something else for him.

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Nope, STILL $35, just bought it - maybe $40 cash day of?

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