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For years, I thought it was: Cool summer.

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OUR CRUMBLING DEMOCRACY

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Georgia's voter suppression bill (SB202) passes the lower house and will go to the state's Senate.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/25/politics/georgia-state-house-voting-bill-passage/index.html

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RIP Jessica Walter - best known for Lucille Bluth from Arrested Development and Malory Archer from Archer

https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/25/entertainment/jessica-walter-obit/index.html

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I got a $29 WaPo subscription last year so that I could keep up with the 2020 election and the associated Trumpkin shenanigans. FYI, if you cancel and pick the "promotion ended", they'll give you another year for $29. Thus, I'm relying on WaPo, Bloomberg, and NYT for my news. Premium news is so, so, so much better than free.

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my wife insists on getting a physical paper, so I can read WaPo online - and since it's improved so much over the last few years, I'm not mad. We also get the Sunday NYT, so I could probably read that online as well. (before we had kids we got the WaPo, NYT, and WSJ in print daily)

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I subscribe to WaPo, which I think is a really good paper, I piggyback off my ex-boss's NYT sub (no idea if she knows), and I recently picked up a $4/month WSJ offer that I will cancel when it runs out because it's not worth more than that to me, but it included the Saturday paper in paper form and I LOVE the Saturday Journal.

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Reminder that Jerry Mathers is a Cal guy!

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I saw one swimming in the Potomac last week. Not quite the same.

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I saw one by the shore of the Chesapeake Bay in my first week living out here. Over five and a half years later and I've yet to see another.

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I've only seen a few in all the years I've been here. That's why I found it noteworthy.

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DBD AV Club

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Oh, also watched Maniac...Emma Stone and Jonah Hill (plus Gabriel Byrne, Sally Field). By Cary Joji Fukunaga (True Detective, yes?). Very quirky. Started off strong, had lots of interesting episodes – which are almost standalone – but the overall arc was so-so.

When did Jonah Hill lose all that weight? I didn't even recognize him. He looks old and gaunt...

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Almost done with Halt and Catch Fire, highly recommend it. Very sad episode last night.

Watching the 4th season of Call My Agent, an entertaining Dramedy, very, very French.

After the first Season of Shitts Creek, it gets way better, somewhere in the 3rd season now.

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Halt and Catch Fire was good. I never got around to watching S4 until the pandemic. Interesting watching what happens to their companies, knowing that they can't succeed (altho sometimes I forget!)

Just binged Roadkill on PBS (Masterpiece) – whatever happened to "Theatre"??? – with Hugh Laurie. Only four episodes; was quite good. I've been meaning to ask why ratings are out of 19, but I'll give it...16/19.

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Thanks to the NCAA tournament games on TruTV, I learned about the new show Fast Foodies which gets three chefs (two Top Chef winners) to copycat (meh) and remix (the much more interesting) fast-food favorites of the celeb-of-the-week. While each show is at times kind of ADHD, they are also just 20 minutes long. As someone who watched a lot of food competition shows, I really enjoyed this.

I also found myself watching the two Netflix docudrama - The Lost Pirate Kingdom and Age of Samurai: Battle for Japan. I found them mostly informative despite obvious oversimplifications to overemphasize the importance of singular events, but they also got plenty of action, gore, and sex.

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Kristin Kish might be the most attractive person on television right now.

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This week's Shutdown Fullcast was a review of the Snyder cut, which in turn inspired me to watch said movie just based on how asinine it sounds and I barely scratched the surface last night.

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Microplane Thanos made me laugh so hard, I had to stop my bike and pull over.

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Well, it is 4 hours

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The IT Crowd (Netflix, 16/19 WB). Finished the whole series. Sets up the characters via bottle episodes and then explodes into wonderful weirdness.

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Today in Covid

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Someone had their comment deleted from the front page. It appears someone used a xenophobic term for Covid-19. IMHO, it was nicely handled by Leland.

https://writeforcalifornia.com/p/cal-bears-football-schedule-2021

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it was GB49 wasn't it?

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Absolutely! Sounds like it wasn't a case of keeping the trolls out as this community does an excellent job of making trolls feel unwelcomed, but a comment from a regular poster. Seems like it is being handled appropriately.

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Now I want to know who it was.

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Same here.

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Leland said they would reach out to the submitter and see if they wanted to repost without the xenophobic term. @so now everoyne that has a new post will be a suspect@. or to quote the youngins, sus

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I have avoided posting a comment there because I am afraid I will be considered a suspect if I do.

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Based on replies to Leland I think we have a prime suspect.

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Let the game of Clue, WCF-style begin.

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Time for a pool for the poster. I think I'm fairly certain I can guess the term.

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Krispy Kreme Is Incentivizing You to Get the Jab With a Daily Free Doughnut

https://www.eater.com/22346767/krispy-kreme-gives-daily-free-doughnuts-to-covid-19-vaccine-recipients

I may be trying to find the closest Krispy Kreme after I get my shot on Sat morning.

If there is one near Contra Costa College in Richmond.

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The Donut King, story about the Cambodian donut shops in LA. Coming May 24th

https://www.pbs.org/independentlens/films/the-donut-king/

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i just got Coco's Donuts in Portland delivered to a friend this morning. mostly went on people's recommendations.

it was someone's last day at work so figured they could use a treat to start the day.

never had them myself though ...

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Krispy Kreme was founded in NC. There are eight within a 15-minute drive of me. Warm KK donuts right off the line are fluffy pieces of heaven. Cold ones from the grocery store are not very good and I'll limit my consumption to only a half dozen of them.

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They're alright, but you're right, the ones they give you when you stand in line waiting to purchase are the best. I wouldn't usually pay for them. The grocery store ones suck. Maybe I'll go inside to see if they give me one. Otherwise, I skip Krispy Kreme for the best local ones.

Happy Donuts on Gilman and San Pablo (chocolate devil's food cake donuts). Unfortunately the one across from Pac Bell Park closed down.

Johnny's Donuts in Lafayette (glazed raised/donut holes and chocolate old fashion are their best)

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Stan's Donuts in Santa Clara are other-worldly. Cash only, they close early, often a long wait, but worth every bit of inconvenience.

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I know that Happy Donuts used to stay open pretty late. They are just up the street from 924 Gilman so I imagine they used to stay open late on the weekends. I remember I worked down the street when they first opened up maybe 25 years ago. They used to have their two daughters and son help out. As they got older they used to man the late shift, probably so that their parents could do the early shift and cook. At least one girl went to Cal. Now that the girls have graduated and don't help out, I think they close much earlier. But the donuts are just as good. They would remember us when we would go when we were visiting before we moved back.

Going to be sad when they close.

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i think of all the non-fancy throwback donut places, Happy Donuts is about as good as you can get.

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I Guess CCC is in San Pablo. Looks like Pinole has the closest one so I can go there then the backroads home.

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That location might have closed a while ago. Friends were annoyed.

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Hmm...interesting. google maps shows it. Let me check the krispy kreme website.

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oh you're right. Looks like Concord is the closest. I guess I'll skip it. Unless No 3 and I go by one during the day.

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Arch

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...Deluxe

It was the third failed variant that McDonald's launched to compete head-to-head against the Whopper by adding lettuce & tomato + other toppings. It was preceded by the Big N' Tasty and the McDLT (keeps the hot side hot and the cool side cool).

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I loved the McDLT. Always asked for no mustard so that I always got a freshly made one (and because I hate yellow mustard).

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Triumphal...

The Romans invented military parades that went through an arch. The original arches are everywhere in Europe/Asia minor, plus were copied by a lot of cultures. So there are a lot of triumphal arches around the world. Or as I call them "Dude-We-Kicked-Ass"

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Arch of Triumph, Pyongyang (larger than Arc D'Triomph in Paris!)

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/arch-of-triumph

True story: when we were there, we were able to be out in the street taking photos for 15 minutes before a car came by. And this is on the MAJOR highway leaving Pyongyang to the South. Like the 5 out of the Bay Area.

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Heh, as if they defeated the Japanese (not).

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I mean most historians who study this are pretty sure that Kim Il Sung was born in China (not on Mt. Paektu on the border of DPRK and China - and incidentally was only like 20 miles from where I was snowboarding in December)

And as the Atlas Obscura article mentions, he was only 13 in 1925.

The biggest shock (although in retrospect . . .why?) visiting DPRK was the outright lying. I mean I live in China, so I understand government propaganda - but in China it is usually some version of the truth, even if completely biased to one side. (ex: no one died in Tiananmen Square - which is "technically true" even if 3000 people died in Beijing in early June 4/5/6 just outside the square.

But North Korea's museums were straight up lies.

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-Enemy

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"....of your enemy is your friend" To this day, I still don't get how W missed this basic lesson in foreign policy.

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great Swedish death metal band, though I preferred their previous singer though

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though though though

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i always enjoyed watching the Superfriends as a kid because Legion of Doom was full of archenemies for each of the superheroes.

plus the Legion of Doom much better HQ than the the good guys.

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The Justice League had to face more bureaucratic red tape for their HQ...until they moved to space (moon in the comics, space station in the animated series).

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Trouble in the Suez

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what a mess. I'll be surprised if it only takes a few days to get it loose.

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Europe is going to start seeing shortages of consumer goods. I guess it's the Europeans turn to start hoarding TP.

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We're gonna need a smaller boat

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There’s a few songs that tho I once despised, over time, have developed a healthy tolerance for and can now resignedly listen to and pretty much tolerate...it’s almost like the song broke me, much like Cool Hand Luke feigned to be with the mirrored-glasses guard. We Didn’t Start the Fire is one, Love Shack is another. I’m just a beaten man, and after so many years of changing the dial, I can finally, almost begrudgingly, sing along...damn...

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eh, Love Shack is lame and inoffensive - We Didn’t Start the Fire is objectionable.

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Why is it objectionable?

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I'd have to subject myself to listening to that to tell you, so I'll have to leave this blank.

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Oh, you mean aesthetically? I thought maybe it was something about the content.

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I remember after the song came out I got the flu and had the CD. So I listened to the song over and over until I learned all the lyrics.

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I thought it was an OK song, but what a golden oldie.

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Bananas

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Melt Banana. A very unique but awesome Japanese noise rock band

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Nice one! I think I saw them at the DNA Lounge like 15 years ago.

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My son is super sensitive to the smell of ripe bananas - he likes only if they are a bit green & firm

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One banana, two bananas, three bananas, four...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMl6HnhFFIA

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this is the BEST banana song

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I wasn't sure that the Splits would mean anything to the Younger Generation™ :-)

Watching the closing credits, you can see that Richard Donner directed (the Danger Island bits...which I'm sure are terribly non-appropriate racially!)

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This sounds like the same song, speeded up by 30%

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That's why it's BETTER!

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when my 5 yo is a bit older, I'll play her The Dickies!

A few months ago when she said "I'm Bored" as we got in the car, I put on a Clash song...now she randomly breaks out with I'm So Bored with the USA ;-)

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Fighting _______ Slugs

No known predators!

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Seriously? That just confirms, some potential meals are so unpalatable in texture that no living being in the natural world includes them on the menu.

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They expel a super viscous and anesthetic mucus when agitated which makes them very difficult to eat. With no predators, they just have to keep an eye out for bike tires and hiking boots.

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Mashed banana, mashed banana (mashed banana, mashed banana)

Mashed banana, mashed banana (mashed banana, mashed banana)

Mashed banana, mashed banana (banana), banana (banana)

Banana, banana, banana

3rd verse of Wiggles song

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Peanut butter and banana sandwich on whole wheat

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Swap for toasted sourdough and I'm in

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i really dislike bananas, so i just tell people that i am allergic to them.

interestingly enough, before my recent Achilles surgery, they asked me if i was allergic to bananas!

apparently it is correlated to being allergic to latex.

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"apparently it is correlated to being allergic to latex"

My wife has had a coughing/post nasal drip every morning. She thought it was dairy because she adds cream to her coffee, but recently tested negative for dairy allergy. I thought it might be coffee, because I noticed that my asthma got worse when I drink it out of a Yeti but it's fine if I let it cool off a bit by serving it in over-sized ceramic mug to act as a heat-sink. But she does have bananas every morning in her smoothie and she's allergic to latex...

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B-A-N-A-N-A-S

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Cruel Summer

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For at least a couple years as a kid I thought the lyrics were "Groove Samba" not "Cruel Summer", I never knew the title of the song, so it wasn't sorted out until it was used in the movie Blue Crush.

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Well, I'm your Venus, I'm your fire...

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Other College

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EDSBS Charity Bowl

https://twitter.com/hollyanderson/status/1374717944148672513?s=21

Cal finished #25 in 2020, behind both Oregon and Colorado. Scottie wants a top ten finish this year. Go Bears

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Damn right she does. Let's do it.

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What does a Cal Bear use as the “basis formula” for donating? Final score of a great victory (which one)? Number of NCAA championships? Number of Nobel Prize Winners? Or, number of years that Cal has not been to the Rose Bowl?

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I have usually donated $46.17 in the past (for the 1993 Big Game) but since we're aiming for top ten, I'll figure out an amount over $100

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Ok. I will figure out something over $100 too. Seems like it is for a good cause. Anything to help with a top ten finish.

Thanks.

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EDSBS = Everyday Should Be Saturday?

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yes

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Thanks.

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Scootie*

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Former Top CFB Recruits Down to Their Last Chances in 2021

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2937848-former-top-cfb-recruits-down-to-their-last-chances-in-2021

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Demetris Robertson is on the list...

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Since he can transfer without sitting out, we still need WRs...

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Yup

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Pass. He seems like a good player, who thinks he's better than he is.

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hard pass. he had his chance and decided to leave when things didn't work out

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I agree. I’d rather lose with players that want to be there than win with people that don’t. (Although, I am not happy about losing.)

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He blew his NFL chances when he left Cal. Plus, he has had legal problems recently.

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Pro

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USA vs Jamaica in a few minutes...

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Dest with an amazing strike at 35 USA 1-0 Jamaica

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USA 2-0 now

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Davante Downs signs one year deal with the NY Giants

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Bear vs. Bear as Collin Morikawa takes on Max Homa in WGC-Dell Match-Play. Unfortunately, I think it is a "must-win" for both of them after Morikawa drawed and Homa lost yesterday.

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The NBA Trade Deadline is 3pm EDT today

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Will the Warriors do anything? Try to get someone back for Oubre? Not sure they should keep him after Klay comes back. Would rather have Wiggins over Oubre if only for his D.

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Dubs got a lot of incentive to trade Oubre or else they just lose him when he becomes a free agent (since he was acquired with a salary cap exception).

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Looks like they traded Marques Chriss and Wannamaker. But not Oubre. Which I guess means they think they can re-sign him? This opens up a couple of spots so who will they sign? They need a backup PG don't they? Or does that fall on Jordan Poole? Or maybe they'll sign Jeremy Lin.

https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/2021/3/25/22350929/warriors-trade-marquese-chriss-brad-wanamaker-hornets-spurs-kelly-oubre-jr

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Everything points towards a 2021-22 run, a little disappointing TBH. Not that I think they can win this year, but that they are on the cusp of being a very fun team to watch, that could make noise in the first round of the playoffs (if they can get in).

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Curry has such gravitational pull that it becomes 4 on 3 if the Warriors play correctly. Especially when Draymond has the ball and people cut. It is fun watching them play.

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Cal

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The weekend series between Cal Softball and No.3 UCLA is canceled due to COVID issues on the UCLA end.

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Welcome Jim Plain, who replaces Nick Mitchell for video production at Cal Football

https://twitter.com/JamesPlain1/status/1374941140772786181

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Go Bears!

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