161 Comments

Oregon is getting destroyed right now.

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You know, you always see Italian DRY salami, but you never see WET salami

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some TV broadcasts are "brought to you live", but they are never "brought to you dead".

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I love Molinari and Sons Italian Dry Salami.

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Hmmm... maybe it's like wine, Dry vs Sweet?

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killary's server

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The evolution of bowl games (quantity) in numbers.

In 1921 there were two bowl games, in 1931 only one, in 1941 5, 1951 8, 1961 11, 1971 12, '1981 16, 1991 18, 2001 25, 2011 35 and this year (2021) 44. At this rate in 2031 there will be fifty, sixty? I think thirty-five bowl games is plenty.

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I'd be okay with 12 bowl games max, but the genie's out of the bottle and not even a pandemic is going to bring about that result.

I'd *prefer* a dozen bowl games at most. I'd also prefer not to have a College Football Playoff. One of the great things about the bowl era was that the bowl season and rankings generated controversy about bowl game matchups and the rankings themselves.

Bowl games were a reward for an excellent or outstanding regular season and were exhibition games without parallel during the regular season. This also boosted rivalry games, like The Big Game, when neither team was likely to get a bowl bid.

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I was perfectly happy with the voters deciding. They usually agreed and when they didn't it made for a fun controversy. I'd be cool with the regular bowls plus one but as you said, the genie is out of the bottle.

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100% this. Old school bowl season (91 being the last normal good year) was freaking epic and culminated in the college football smorgasbord that was New Years Day. I didn't mind split championships and actually enjoyed the chaos. If you absolutely needed to resolve it, do a +1 after the bowl games were played. In addition to clearly defined conference tie-in matchups you could depend on, it also incentivized good power conference OOC matchups instead of scheduling patsies in order to achieve perfect seasons and please an algorithm. The Bowl Alliance/BCS/CFP ruined everything. At this point, just kill it, and do what FCS does.

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I'd like to see 64. Not.

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Weather

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75 and pleasant.

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47 and rain showers.

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Rainy and 50's in Santa Barbara...Alexa just told me to expect showers...she's such a bitch, always bringing bad news.

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Is she secretly the former Mrs Chitwood?

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No. That’s actually Veruca Salt….;-)

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cloudy & mid 50s. Perfectly tolerable.

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It’s been a cold and wet couple of weeks in San Diego.

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It has been a cold December for the Bay Area.

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Dec 29, 2021
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Still a fair bit of snow on the ground where I am, kids have been sledding a ton the last few days. A bit more expected tonight/tomorrow, which led us to cancel an inlaw visit…

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been waiting for the snow for about two months here. very happy to see it, we got about 8 inches yesterday total. finally looks like winter.

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Where are you Paulie?

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Wisconsin! Land of cheese and gerrymandering

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Packing districts like cheese curds into a Sheboygan tumor.*

*Friend went to med school at MCOW and this was a local term for an ample panza.

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Land of the "Immunized"

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New Year's Eve/Day plans

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Monterey with 5 friends (hotel hangout and outdoor dining)

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nothing on the calendar, I will make a genuine effort for family movie night & see how that goes. I have yet to watch a bowl game so maybe I'll see what's cooking on new year's day.

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Pretty much the same here.

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Expecting to be in bed with booster side-effects on NYE. Getting my third shot tomorrow afternoon. Perfect for watching the semifinal games and then the Rose Parade on New Year's Day.

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Not moving. My house closing just fell through. Builder didn't finished the house on time.

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Damn. Sorry SGB

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Ugh that sucks. Is it due to supply issues due to Covid?

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No. Bad builder contractor. Didn't take notes. Doesn't read emails. Emails literally had to be transcribed by hand onto lined paper and handed to him because he was so proud of his aversion to technology. Hardly ever goes to the jobsite. Didn't correct things on two previous inspections. He is a poor excuse for a contractor, but it's who we got. My wife project managed the whole thing. He would have screwed up 100 different things if we didn't point them out along the way. We literally had to visit the job site after-hours nearly every night over the past month.

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sounds suspiciously like the contracter we got when builing. took 2 years to fix all the crap they didn't do right.

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What do you think is fair for a builder to make on a project? 20%? Flat fee of $xxx,xxx? Or, is there some other metric?

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In general, contractors/developers aim for 20% profit.

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Thanks. I was a little curious what a contractor might make if the project was not “spec”, i.e. the land was owned (by me) and the contractor did not have any risk in the deal - he just had to manage the subs. Still 20%?

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in our public works contracts, we don't specify a profit. You tell us the cost (typically broken out by sections of the work), and we include a liquidated damages clause for every day over the specified schedule of work days.

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Ok. Thanks.

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Sounds like a nightmare...and another averted, hopefully.

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Oh boy what a hassle.

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Does that mean the deal is off? Or just delayed?

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well that sucks.

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Do you have remedies when a builder does not deliver?

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Ya, my pals Vincenzo, Guido & Nunzio and some metal piping leftover from the job....

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Every sales contract is different, but they generally are structured quite similarly. Most sales contracts complete on closing with selective parts that survive afterwards. The main parts that survive are 1) warranty and 2) ticklist. The warranty is when something breaks or isn't right. The ticklist is for minor cosmetic stuff that they have to come back later. The issue with ticklists is that the terms are not strict or define enough in terms of time and damages. These days, you risk them fixing things a year later or not doing them and them paying you the materials cost of whatever was left out. Oh - a tile wasn't replaced - here's $8 for the tile. Normally, things are cosmetic and anything not done is not a big deal. In my case, there were major things not done. There are two main remedies for major non-compliance with the contract. The primary one is to refuse to close (with the builder's knowledge and agreement since they know they would lose any litigation since they didn't perform the contract). The secondary one is to write up an ad-hoc rider that is a beefed up form of the ticklist with specific dates and penalties (which include market rate fixes as if I had to go find someone myself), usually with an escrow holdback. Builders don't want their cash withheld, so in my case, they delayed closing.

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Thanks. Good luck with the closing. Hope it doesn’t take to long to resolve.

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Working. New fiscal year. Books won't close themselves.

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Also, we cancelled our attendance to my buddy's annual chili cook-off. He's Secret Service and all his friends are ex-military in a part of town that tends not to wear masks. It's not worth it.

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I wonder if they're vaccinated.

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I think they are because they're almost somehow connected to Federal Government work. But it's Wake Forest. Once you cross the Raleigh border to Wake Forest, there isn't a mask to be seen.

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not at the moment it's not. We have neighbors who have decided to re-instate their new year's morning brunch but outside under a tent, so I'm back to avoiding that because I can't be bothered as opposed to health maintenance. (In my defense, I tried for years, and completely failed to make any inroads with their usual guests - and as some of you know I can talk the hind leg off a donkey with new people when I feel like it, so I don't think it's me.)

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Probably go out with friends. We shall see what happens especially considering I go back to school Monday.

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Whitewashing

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Jan 6 attack...already being memory-holed and I doubt anything of consequence will happen to the perpetrators. Lots of dog n pony show, tho

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The atrocities and genocides committed and still being committed by the Chinese Communist Party.

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While Communist Party certainly has problems, I wonder if someone who is more of a student of Chinese history than I am can describe a comparison to the previous government? I've always wondered if my ancestors, who came to the US in the 1890s, were escaping a fairly corrupt government as well.

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I always felt that the Chinese who came in the 1890s were largely fleeing corruption and famine. Basically the Chinese were to the west coast as the Irish were to the east coast in that they were both largely fleeing famine in their countries.

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The history of China is a cycle of corrupt governments. It's basically the Mao Dynasty.

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The only outside difference is that the communists (since Deng) left the farming peasants alone, so they were able to grow enough food to feed the country. Don't have the regular famines that they used too (not that there isn't food insecurity issues I'm sure).

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Thanks--that's what it seemed like to me.

I've thought for years that it's a wonder that US companies were able to figure out how to do business with China. Probably some of the folks here including yourself?) have some inside info about that.

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It's a lot longer and more complex than 1 comment here can go into BUT a major turning point was Deng Xiaoping realizing in 77/78 that a state command economy with shoddy goods was going to leave China way way way behind in the global market place. With the end of the chaos of the 25 years from Great Leap Forward to the final days of the Cultural Revoltion/Maoist era where ideology was the most important thing - Deng was a pragmatist. "What does it matter if a cat is black or white, if it catches mice, it's a good cat" - and the era of the 1980s was a big era of "opening up" - so from like 1980 through the 2008 Olympics (with a few years break from Tiananmen Sq when the west went away from doing business with China) companies came first with low skilled manufacturing, then semi-skilled. Areas of China began growing a consumer class and lots of wealth.

Yadda yadda yadda - after a lot of pragmatist leaders (Deng, Jiang, Hu) it really feels like a return to ideology in the last decade - especially as that mid period of leadership was a bunch of engineers and the current leader is . . .well, not Trump like, but equally poorly educated and rumors are a dummy. There's a lot here I didn't write about the expansion of local and regional government and corruption and the strength of Beijing vis-a-vis provincial power. And the forced use of eminent domain on a lot of cities and faked growth rates and real growth that would probably take an entire Cal tailgate to scratch the surface of.

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Wow, this is a great comment and I would love to hear more, especially in regards to current CCP leadership. I had never heard the rumors of Xi before but with the way the CCP controls the media it isn’t that surprising that such rumors aren’t well covered.

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Money and I would guess that most businesses prefer a corrupt government.

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$$$$$ makes them ignore anything else I imagine.

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exactly, look at what happened in post-Soviet Russia. lots of fleecing by American "consultants" when they were supposed to be setting up something sustainable.

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DBD Not official financial advice

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Nos 1 and 2 said they have not seen an Eddie Murphy movie (not counting Shrek). I listed Beverly Hills Cop, Trading Places as ones they definitely should see. Also Coming to America. Dolomite was also a good movie.

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Cop 2

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48 Hours a good one too, for the more mature audiences....set in SF as well.

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oh yeah I forgot about 48 Hours.

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The Golden Child! So bad it was good.

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I enjoyed it, but I don't think they would.

Brother Numsie!

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DBD Test Kitchen

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Broccolini & white cheddar tart with endive salad, paired with 2010 Cannonau di Sardegna.

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"Swiss Delice" brand rosti for breakfast. Honestly, this is one of the few packaged goods that is better than doing it fresh.

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Thai chicken curry over rice.

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DBD AV Club

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Just got notification that High on Fire at the UC Theater NYE has been canceled. I’m both bummed yet relieved.

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Book of Boba Fett is damn good and well done. On the surface doesn't appear to be as campy as some of the Mandalorian episodes were.

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Fucking loved it. It gave me everything I wanted from the Original Mandalorian. (And I liked the direction Mando went - 100% glad they went with LBY content)

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Sigh, finally got enticed enough to subscribe. Hitting 4 paywalls this week for various things in the bundle did it.

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Did the first episode drop last night or today? I’ve been looking forward to this one.

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This morning

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Dec 29, 2021
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Dec 29, 2021
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The return of Max Rebo!

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Saw Paul Thomas Anderson's latest yesterday, Licorice Pizza. Highly recommended. For 2021 releases its up there with Drive My Car and Power of the Dog. Looking forward to seeing Joel Coen's The Tragedy of MacBeth starring Denzel and Coen's wife Frances MacDormand.

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Watched Don't Look Up. Highly recommended.

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Watched on Xmas and was disappointed. A couple of mild laughs, but way too long.

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A little too silly, but that's not a problem.

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Yeah it's kind of a dark comedy.

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I found it a non-subtle satire that was "too easy". it was attacking caricatures, which maybe is all we have these days.

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Watched Stray Dog (Kurosawa 1949) last night. A post war Tokyo, during a heat wave, and Mifune's newly promoted homicide detective gets his gun stolen on a streetcar. It pretty much invents the buddy cop trope and jesus it is one of the best "oh man it is hot" movies along with Do The Right Thing, In the Heat of the Night, Falling Down, and High and Low.

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Kurosawa one of the all-time masters of cinema.

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BNL said he made mad films...with a samurai.

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Dang, I've always wanted to watch that.

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I watched it in the theater when it came out. Was too young and stupid to catch the subtext. Caught it recently and it was a WAY different movie than I remembered.

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A titch dark, but man, Michael Douglas was so solid.

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Falling Down was epic. When I first watched it I didn't expect it to go the way it did, but now I see that it was the entire point. I don't think I could watch again but it's a really good movie.

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Falling Down is a helluva movie...D-fens!

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Dec 29, 2021
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👀

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Dec 29, 2021
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Everything's coming up YWC

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Our Crumbling Democracy

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Today in Omicron

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I scheduled my booster but was given a warning of myo & pericarditis when I did so, though I am outside the applicable age ranges.

Is this something to be concerned about tho?

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Not a significant risk, at least not compared to the risk of the virus doing those same things to you. One electrophysiologist I work with caught covid early from his kids and he's worried it's going to give him atrial fibrillation somewhere down the line. Safety profile definitely better on the side of the booster.

My booster was the mildest of my 3 shots. I had Pfizer. But YMMV.

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no, the risks of myocarditis were overblown and amplified by bad actors. the actual risk of myocarditis from the vaccine is lower than if you actually got COVID

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I have decently high BP (controlled by meds) and my doctor was 100% encouraging about the booster.

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My doctor was not too concerned. My blood pressure went up a bit (and my doctor used it as an excuse to give me a stress test - bastard), but knowing how I feel/felt I would get the booster again without hesitation.

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as far as I can tell, no. I did have an issue with tachycardia after I got my booster shot (moderna), and I have subsequently learned that's not uncommon.... but 1) my heart rate has always been fast, and 2) because of my own sloth my blood pressure is up and fitness is down, so I think I showed more of an affect. (I also had a bit of a surprise when I was getting dental surgery because I didn't know that the doctor's standard numbing agent had something like adrenaline included until my heart was racing after the third or fourth shot, so it's not just the vaccines)

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Almost all "-caine" allergies we get are patients who got epinephrine side effects from dental injections (which sucks because there are a few real deal allergies we do have to suss out). All the oral blood vessels that make epinephrine necessary also pull it into your bloodstream quickly. Gonna go all Festivus on Kodiak for that.

Brief story:

When I got oral surgery the periodontist had the monitor facing me so I could see my vitals. The epinephrine raised my heart rate a few points and my oxygen saturation went up a little bit too (epinephrine opens up the lungs in asthmatics). Thought that was pretty cool.

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Funny you say that, I got the booster and then went to the dentist who complained that my blood pressure was elevated. It’s the dentist’s fault.

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Pro

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Butte College really showing its ass out there. Also there are pretty consistent rumors that he and Shailene have broken up.

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WHAT! They seem kinda like they fit together. Better than him and Dannica Patrick, anyway.

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I would like to present again my friend's theory that Aaron Rodgers is like Julia Roberts in Runaway Bride, who takes on the interests and preferences of her paramour du jour. The journalist sent to investigate the woman who's left multiple men at the altar asks each of the jilted lovers, "How does she like her eggs?" They all say, "Like I do..." and a different method of cooking.

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My Denver Nuggets beat the Golden State Warriors 89-86. Nuggets overcome their own kryptonite in having a big lead. Their last 3 games they have had leads of 19,17, and 24 and lost the first game and won the other games by 3 a piece. This team isn't good for my health. Nikola Jokic is that dude.

Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsRxOBqA-50

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Ended up being a good game with the worst offensive show. Warriors were horrible in the 1st. Nuggets were bad in the 2nd half.

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First game at the Chase Center. It's nice, but what's weird is they play music during gameplay. And while fans were there, it was dead noise-wise at tip off and the first few min. They they sucked and it only got loud when they went on the first run in the 2nd Q and then the 4th Q.

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I learned yesterday that they have a Chase lounge...have any of you used it?

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Yeah. It's nothing special.

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I didn't know there was one. I wonder if it is for Chase cardmembers or for the premium seats? I did see that Chase CC holders get $5 off $30 of food.

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I think anyone who is a Chase cardholder can make a reservation

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Kuminga & JTA combining to go 4-16 from the free throw line was the difference...that’s inexplicably bad.

Kerr should bring Lars Thiemann in to school the guys, as his stroke is much improved....

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I really like Kuminga. I think he's going to be good. It definitely looked like the FTs got into his head. The crowd was cheering when he stepped up for his 4th FT to encourage him, which was good to see.

It looks like he's got a good FT stroke. He can shoot the 3. I think he probably just needs to work on it.

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Agreed. He's gonna be a stud...definitely musta gotten in his head.

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Other College

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Man does both Oregon and their "fans" SUCK Big Time.

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I understand why UCLA had to back out, but I also understand why NC State was frustrated. UCLA couldn’t have backed out earlier?

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They got their allotted bowl game practices all in and then left.

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I watched that game, and noticed that Minnesota was wearing PURPLE! The wife & daughter were "oh no, that's the maroon they always wear" - am I the only person in the world that's NOT colorblind?

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Yeah, who do we think is the reliable narrator here, Cugelwife and Cugeldaughter, or Cugel?

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I think you have an extra "not" in there?

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I thought the same and got my sisters tv manual out to see if I could adjust. “Don’t screw it up, it’s set okay now” she told me.

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They were not wearing purple. I just took a look on Twitter and there were a couple of tweets where people's pictures of their television looked like the Gophers were in purple, but every "normal" photo taken by a press person showed the uniforms as maroon.

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Oh noes! Not you too! The blindness is spreading!

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You may remember an article about an Aussie high-schooler junior that was enormous - 6'9" 396 lbs. And he hadn't played a single down of football, but was recruited to go to IMG Academy to play. He earned a scholarship to MN. He sucked at first, but was voted by coaches as all Big 10 first team OT in 2021. He's a senior and is likely to be taken in the NFL draft.

https://www.si.com/college/2017/03/06/daniel-faalele-img-academy-recruiting

Well, he's living the dream because he did this:

https://twitter.com/espn/status/1476045085343162378

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That's worth a Piesman. Goodness gracious!

Reminds me of this commercial.

https://youtu.be/34OSVpP6be0

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Sounds like the Blind Side movie.

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That was fun to see. That is one big young man!

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Santa Clara basketball into COVID protocols. Looks like many others will as well, this was a fear after the Christmas season where the team was allowed to go home (I'd still let them go home anyway).

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Cal

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Bears' men's BB game against Stanford postponed, instead Cal will play ASU on Sunday the 2nd at Haas, 4pm start on Pac 12 Networks.

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Go Bears!

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Go Bears and I submitted my formal request to join the WFC writing team the other day!

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Bob has all the thoughts he wants you to write about lol

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Don't know any Bobs. Is there another name he might have gone by?

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He does. You can probably find the answer on wikipedia.

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pqtm

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Congrats. Look forward to your thoughts/prose/writing/musing…whatever!

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Good Lynch! Just have them read your articles in the Santa Clara newspaper.

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Go TD_24!!

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Go Bears!

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