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dj uiagalelei entered the transfer portal lol

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today in Coronavirus - blast from the past

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Spent two nights backpacking with my 8 year old for Veteran's day weekend. We shared the same tent, shared a hydration nozzle. Hiking back to the trailhead on day 3, he was super lethargic. We get home, within two hours he has full blown symptoms and tests positive. My 14-year old catches it three days later. Somehow, I never caught it, or caught it and remained symptom free. Weird how these this virus works.

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I visited my mother earlier in the year and somehow less than a week after I left, she, my brother, and sister in law were all positive / symptomatic, and I wasn't. As you say, odd how these things work.

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my wife had it twice. both times i avoided it despite sleeping in same bed for a couple days before she tested positive.

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I hung out with folks who are progressive but they decided against doing any more boosters because they're convinced it's just like a cold now. To each their own. I will continue to get my boosters.

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Oh reminds me I probably should get the latest before going to Taiwan. Probably should've before going to Paris on Sat but oh well. No boosters against bedbugs.

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I will get each and every booster until the end of time.

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Nov 30, 2023·edited Nov 30, 2023

I was the holdout in my family re: mask use in the sense that I was the last one to routinely use them, but eventually called time in March unless it's somewhere especially jammed & badly ventilated (or the doctor's office)... Anyway I'm up to date with the vaccines because that seems like such an easy way to minimize the impact in the off chance I eventually catch this nonsense.

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got coronavirus shot #6 today.

they didnt even make me wait 10 min at CVS afterwards anymore.

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Don't forget to get to punch your frequent flyer card

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In Ca do you still need to? You can just download the one from the state and put it in Google Wallet.

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They wouldn’t stamp mine at Kaiser. Just digital now.

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in fact, i forgot to bring my vaccine card and had to get a new one

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What do you think is/are the biggest twist(s) that changed the direction of your life?

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Two things- first, fam started off in midwest, then my dad flew out of O'Hare during a blizzard to land in 70 degree palm tree swaying LA for a conference. We were living in CA (though not LA) within a year- early elementary for me. Often have wondered if I'd be a Chicago resident now if we hadn't left the midwest.

Second thing- while doing jr year abroad/EAP during pre-internet days, a Cal friend was helping me register for classes and suggested one she was interested in too that I'm not sure I would've found on my own. That class led to squeezing in a minor before graduation and influenced grad school and my current career. You never know what seemingly small conversations/actions lead to big things!

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Nov 30, 2023·edited Nov 30, 2023

My dad was looking for a new job circa 1974, my mother spotted a job listing he hadn't seen in the paper, he applied, got that job, which took us to Wales, then the Netherlands, then the US. If she hadn't noticed, it's entirely possible that I might never have lived outside of the UK.

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Not going to Washington University in St. Louis to play college baseball. Still creases me.

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Three very important decisions that put me on a trajectory far different from where one might assume a kid who finished high school in New Jersey might go -

(1) deciding to resume using my birth name in preference to my adopted name,

(2) returning to the Bay Area from New Jersey after having spent two years at Rutgers,

(3) deciding to re-start my college career at UC Santa Cruz instead of returning to New Jersey and Rutgers.

All three of those decisions had an impact on the trajectory of my adult life with the last decision resulting in meeting the woman I would marry and have kids with.

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Not getting into law school right out of Cal. After not getting in, I landed a job working at a private law firm library where I learned on-the-job how to do legal research. Lexis and Westlaw were also in their infancy, so I learned how to do research with books and electronically. I was there for two years before I started law school. First year research and writing was easy, and I feel that I am a much better lawyer for the experience.

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Nice! You could probably find my late-‘90’s case study from the 9th Circuit on the constitutionality of table/lap dances up in Kent, WA. My editor still shudders that it was published. ;-)

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Jimmy, are you a professional shyster?

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No. Never even took the bar, though I did graduate and got the degree.

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That's an easy one for me. Getting clean and sober. Hasn't made my life perfect but allowed me to enjoy married life, raise two daughters, have a teaching career and wake up the day after Cal football games remembering what happened (for better or for worse).

Also my decision to leave a promising career in journalism to be a freelance writer was, in retrospect, ridiculous but my life worked out well in a very different way.

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that's amazing.

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While I had previously travelled overseas, I got bitten by the travel bug as a freshman at UC Berkeley during a trip to New Zealand, Australia, and Fiji. That was the moment that put a seed in my mind that I could - no, *should* - live overseas for a period. I have done two different stints as an expatriate spanning 20 years. My wife and I are planning our third stint with a look to possibly retire outside the US. Living overseas created great opportunities but at great cost.

I would have never met my wife or had the amazing adventures I had. I wouldn't have had the opportunities to be in investment banking. On the flip side, I missed almost all of my mother and father's remaining years alive. Almost all of my friendships in the US withered due to the distance. And I have been forced to reinvent myself after ibanking unceremoniously imploded in 2008. It's been great, but it's certainly bittersweet.

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I didn't realize how deeply unable my wife is to conceive of living overseas until I started talking about retiring overseas at the same time our younger daughter was starting to consider applying to universities in the UK. Having had a few years to think about it, she might be willing to consider a "gap year" or two after retirement, but that's about it. I guess I was surprised inasmuch as she's talked for years about feeling like she grew up outside the mainstream in the US, but I guess that didn't translate to an interest in trying anything else. Or maybe the clues were always there and I just never connected the dots.

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Strange thing, Mrs Slug and I have discussed that very possibility, and we even have identified places we'd be interested in, but the convo is inevitably short. Our sons are here and one of our favorite spots on the planet is in Northern California. It's tough to see us moving to someplace in Europe (for example) when so much is here.

Still, there might be unforeseen circumstances that would take the figurative chains off.

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i have almost the same situation of not realizing "how deeply unable my wife is to conceive of living overseas." when someone else does it, the reaction is "wow, that is so cool." when it comes to us, there are an infinite number of roadblocks. i am sort of tempted to just give up and maybe the lack of pressure from me will be the actual thing that actually unlocks it.

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what are the options for the next overseas stint?

we are considering that as well given that there will be no kids at home in < 2yrs.

i had always imagined that i would have done a couple stints like that, but given the 2-body problem of 2 careers we never did. my wife's career is more important to her identity than it is to mine, so we prioritized that one.

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Wife already checked out Portugal. Costa Rica is also on the list but haven't visited yet. Croatia , Italy, Slovenia are also options and we've already been there. We're thinking a six month stint just for shits and giggles and then see if we want to do something longer term.

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Moving to US when I was 9. My father got a job transfer to NYC and we were supposed to go back to Japan after 3,4 years just like all the predecessors. However we got a green card and my father quit the company and started his own business, and now we've been here for 29 years.

It still feels weird sometimes that a regular Japanese kid ended up living in US and this is my normal life now.

I am flying to Japan today and being in Japan makes me feel special when this was supposed to be my normal.

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not complaining, but getting married and the trade-offs of a life together as opposed to just optimizing for yourself the entire time.

i didnt think i would

- move to NYC (we will live here 23 yrs later)

- work in finance or any corporate job for that matter

- make any $$

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Do teams really need a HC? Specifically lets talk football HCs.

Michigan seemed fine w/o Harbaugh. So how important is a HC, really? Rather than having a HC, have an operations manager and leave in-game decisions (4th and 1 on opponents 35 yard line: go for it or not) up to the OC.

Discuss..

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Nov 30, 2023·edited Nov 30, 2023

Teams do need a HC.

With regards to Harbaugh's suspension, I doubt it really was a suspension.

First, Harbaugh was not prohibited from coaching during non-game days, including practices and planning.

Second, Harbaugh traveled with the team to away games at Penn State and at Maryland. He just wasn't allowed in the stadium on game day.

Third, I can't be certain that Harbaugh wasn't in contact with the coaches during the games from which he was supposed to be suspended. Kind of like an MLB manager managing from the dugout tunnel after being ejected.

Further, Harbaugh is the personality who will do anything he can to wiggle around a suspension. When it comes to Harbaugh's suspension, I'm from Missouri: show me that the suspension was actually enforced.

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Harbaugh - <Bobby Valentine disguise.gif>

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Yeah this. He was suspended from the sideline, but not from coaching the team.

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For college football, I think if you are asking is a HC is needed on the sideline during a game, maybe no, but in general definitely yes. He is the chief executive overseeing the overall strategy, has a greater effect on the team than any other person.

I am not that sure a HC is that important in the NBA or MLB except in the rare instances in which you have a really, really good one (eg, Popovich, Spoelstra)

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my answer is yes, in the same way a company needs a CEO or a country needs a president. the tone that is set from the top is the biggest driver of any organization even if most day to day decisions are not made by that person.

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I agree yes, but the background does not necessarily need to be OC or DC. Obviously you want someone with football expertise, but I think a team can be successful with an excellent motivator/organizer/leader/manager as HC and leave x/o to coordinators.

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Bill Walsh tried the HC emeritus model at Stanf*rd in his second go-around with the school (1992-1994). It didn't go very well. I often wonder how effective Walsh was after what was essentially three years of retirement.

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Nov 30, 2023·edited Nov 30, 2023

Bears won two Big Games against him (93 and 94) in those years. Imagine being bested by Keith Gilbertson.

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Indeed, and both Big Games were memorable for different reasons. Nonetheless, those 1993 and 1994 teams under Walsh were a combined 7-14-1. Walsh's 1992 team was a contrasting 10-3 with a victory in the 1993 Blockbuster Bowl over #21 Penn State, 24-3.

Walsh's 1992 team was largely stocked with players recruited under Denny Green. Green left LSJU to be head coach of the Minnesota Vikings.

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Nov 30, 2023·edited Nov 30, 2023

that makes sense - except i guess no one has every tried such a model, as far as i know.

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CAL

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Transfer Portal

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We are entering Transfer Portal season. Every year, people enter the transfer portal and a certain subset of people who think the sky is falling because of it. This is a reminder that the transfer portal looks ugly before it gets good.

The Transfer Portal window isn't open. The January window opens the day after the National Championship and remains open for 14 days. Typically, if you declare your intention to enter the portal, you're cut from the team. Functionally, the people you see declaring now are the people who think they have essentially zero chance to play for the rest of the season and think they are good enough to play elsewhere so want to get their name out there. Last year, this was Chris Street and Trey Paster. This year, it’s Tyson McWilliams and Ben Finley.

We may also see a few big names enter the portal. These are players who have either been lured away via promises of NIL (tampering) or are disgruntled and think they can do better elsewhere. Last year, this was J Mike. This year, we’re probably going to get some of our better players poached. College football is now a business and our NIL pool is not strong enough to defend from all predators.

After our last game, we should see the largest grouping of people enter the transfer portal. This will include three sub-types of players.

The first sub-type is someone who has graduated, Cal isn't proactively retaining via scholarship/NIL, and have very little chance to get picked up elsewhere, so they put their name because it’s a free option. Last years ago, this was Champ Johnson, Trey Paster, and Nick Alftin.

The second sub-type is someone who has graduated and they could continue to be a contributor at Cal – but the combination of NIL, grad school options, the sacrifice of development time for newer players, and other factors means that won’t continue to be on the team. Two years ago, this was Nikko Remigio.

The third sub-type is someone who still has eligibility left, but they are leaving either because they think they can do better elsewhere or Cal is going in another direction. Last year, this was Jack Plummer, Jermaine Terry, and Ashton Hayes. These are the transfers that sting.

Then early January through late May is typically the incoming season. That’s when the good news comes.

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Braden Rhome apparently announces intention to enter the transfer portal. I wish him well.

https://twitter.com/MattRMoreno/status/1730272914812051568

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The grad transfer route figures to slow down the further we get from the free COVID season. I don’t get as irritated by GT’s - they got the Cal paper, so good for them.

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Go Bears!!!

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[WSWIM] Cal is in a rebuilding year after thanks to the Teri McKeever controversy. Notwithstanding that, the Bears are in the lead after 1 day of the Minnesota Invite. The meet is a four-way meet between Cal, MN, Arizona, and Harvard. Cal should win, followed by Minnesota, Arizona, and then Harvard. The invitational's homepage has Louisville on it - but they aren't competing, which is too bad because Louisville (#6) is higher ranked than Cal (#13)

https://calbears.com/news/2023/11/29/womens-swimming-diving-no-13-bears-start-strong-at-minnesota-invitational.aspx

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ELSEWHERE IN COLLEGE

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PRO

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DeSean Jackson officially retired yesterday. One of the best deep threats of all time.

https://sports.yahoo.com/former-eagles-wr-desean-jackson-announces-retirement-after-15-year-career-164218586.html

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https://twitter.com/jasrifootball/status/1729891327960084929

"DeSean Jackson may have been the most electric receiver in #NFL history…

Touchdowns scored of 60 or more yards:

DeSean Jackson: 24

Jerry Rice: 23

Devin Hester: 21

Bobby Mitchell: 20

Lance Alworth: 19"

Obviously this shows what a major threat Jackson was, but it also blows my mind that whenever anyone cites some kind of all-time WR stat like this, Jerry Rice is also right there near the top.

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I would have guessed Moss would have been on this list.

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OUR CRUMBLING DEMOCRACY

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DBD AV CLUB

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Been laying low, hanging at home after both sis and step-Ma Chitwood tested positive for da ‘Rona following our Thanksgiving extravaganza.

In addition to Slow Horses and Lawmen: Bass Reeves, threw on a Netflix ditty called Who Is Erin Carter? Not brilliant, but not awful….has the feel of A History of Violence - she fled the UK in the middle of the night with her child and 5 years later is living in Barcelona when she thwarts a grocery store robbery and fears her identity has become known. We’ll see where it goes.

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Erin Carter show...so many mehs. I quit it partway through, the missus finished it and said it was basically consistent the whole way through

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I just watched episode 4, which finally provided some clarity. It’s still pretty ho-hum, and not nearly enough of the holy trinity of violence, nudity, and SSC that I appreciate in my streaming content.

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I started this show but didn't make it past episode 2. I moved on to 30 coins, which is a Spanish subtitled, horror series and pretty fun watching.

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I watched season 1 and have submitted my candidacy paperwork for President of the Megan Montaner fan club…can I count on your support?

Couldn’t really get in to season 2 after a couple of episodes, tho may give it another try with Giamatti in there.

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Nov 30, 2023·edited Nov 30, 2023

I watched that one - got a little repetitive, some real "wtf" narrative leaps toward the end, but overall pretty good for keeping the old eyeballs busy

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