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Doe, a deer

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...a female deer. But I digress.

There have been an abundance of deer in North Berkeley during the drought. Very often, a doe and her twin fawns pass through the alleyway adjacent to Chez Slug, or through our west yard. Somewhat infrequently, they will sleep in our west yard with the doe underneath our persimmon tree (west of the chicken coop) or next to our bay tree (north of the chicken coop). The fawns will sleep close by.

On Monday morning as I was leaving for work, I surprised the doe and her fawns as I walked through the yard to the street as I started my commute to work.

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They eat the hydrangea in my front yard, especially the big one with antlers, and munch on various plants in the ground cover.

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They go after my neighbor's beautiful rose garden, so much so that he has an elaborate netting system he deploys for the fall blooms.

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Saw a doe with a really small fawn that appeared to be only days old while on a walk last week.

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those doe (does?) can be pretty dangerous apparently, like any protective mama, and have been known to viciously stomp out curious dogs that get too close.

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Doe Library

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Really, really cool building, but honestly, I hardly ever used it when I was at Berkeley.

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One of the reason why I decided to attend Cal was due to how much I loved the design of Doe Library and it’s location on campus.

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i think they did a great job w/ the "renovation" of that area, getting rid of the army barrack T-buildings. looks so much better now than when we were there in early 90's

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the best part of Doe was the Morrison Reading room. not sure if they still have record players w/ classical music.

you were technically not supposed to study. i mostly did not, but sometimes i would read a book (and fall asleep) in those comfy couches that was assigned for class

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I love the Morrison Reading room and enjoyed many naps in between classes on those comfy couches.

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I only learned of the existence of the Morrison Reading Room via the DBD. Had no idea when I was on campus.

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I spent about 2 hours a week there reading novels.

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The above photo is where I spend most of my time studying junior and senior years after Moffitt's socialness got too loud for me. Also because I was an employee at Main, so it was a pretty easy walk from my work desk to here - or I could leave things at my work desk and get here. (I worked in government document receiving - it was the first time I had co-workers - permanent library employees - who were so open about smoking pot. One kept pipes on her desk.

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that reference room is a true architectural delight

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I also spent a lot of time studying there. Only drawback was they closed at 10 pm, which was a little early for some study nights.

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Me too. I had a stack pass so I could go down into the depths of the library to find the original research materials I needed for various papers and my thesis. early 90's so kind of pre-Internet, except for the MELVYL catalog.

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you had to have some special reason to have a stack pass as an undergrad i recall. i had one too but i cant remember what my excuse was.

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I was writing a paper on the solar boats of Cheops and their excavation, so the prof got me a stack pass so I could get access to the journals of the Egypt Exploration Society from the turn of the 20th century. Once I had it I could use it for other papers I wrote.

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DBD Test Kitchen

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Made my first pork ragu, using a pork shoulder...ended up like pulled pork in a tomato sauce instead of bbq...over rigatoni...turned out pretty good.

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Our Crumbling Democracy

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Trump asked his AG about legal strategy to overturn election, Rosen tells senators

https://www.politico.com/news/2021/08/10/trump-asked-ag-overturn-election-503341

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Today in Covid 19

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Pro

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Giants blow 5-run lead, then blow 2-run lead, then win on an error

https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/2021/8/10/22619601/san-francisco-giants-diamondbacks-recap-kris-bryant-walk-off-buster-posey

Well ... the headline kind of says it all, doesn’t it?

The San Francisco Giants have made a habit this year of beating the Arizona Diamondbacks is rude, ruthless, and often silly ways.

You could make a case that the biggest key to the Giants — who are 31 games above .500 — leading the NL West is their ability to feast on the Diamondbacks’ desire to not win baseball games. The Giants are 11 games above .500 against Arizona alone, and it feels like at least 12 of those 11 wins have been memorable and downright ridiculous.

This game was not on the level of the early season contest in which they overcame a 7-0 deficit. It wasn’t even on the level of last week’s game, when the Giants took a 4-0 deficit into the ninth inning and still emerged victorious.

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One of the quicker 5 run innings you’ll see after Wood nearly-flawlessly herky-jerkied himself thru 5...with 1 out in 6, beginning w/ AZ SP Gallen...2B-2B-2B-out-3B-HR...we’re tied...

Scorer gave Walker a pretty tough error on Bryant’s final ab...playing literally second base, KB ripped a 1-hopper to CW’s right, where he left his feet for the ball before it tipped off the glove...easily coulda been a hit.

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Sometimes the shift doesn't work out for you . . . like when your first baseman has to play second.

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I don't know if Walker normally plays 1st but he definitely should've had the first one he booted. The 2nd one was tougher I think. I think that should've been a hit.

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Yeah, the game-winner didn't look like an easy one off the bat.

Based on Christian Walker's Baseball Reference page, looks like he's played almost exclusively first base in the majors.

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He's a 1B, and the first ball was definitely an E...well struck, but right at him. The Bryant ball was also hit hard, to his right, and he's already playing 45 feet off the line...sure, he's a major leaguer and they make that play, but that should've been a basehit...esp at home.

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The Diamondbacks are the gift that keeps on giving.

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Dodgers find gold at the end of the rainbow

https://www.truebluela.com/2021/8/10/22619444/dodgers-offense-phillies-rain-delay-max-scherzer-aaron-nola-interrupted

A rain delay changed the tenor of the series opener at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, with the Dodgers finding their way around the bases often to beat the Phillies 5-0 on Tuesday night.

No runs were scored in the game until just after 10 p.m. ET, roughly around the time a night game would start at Dodger Stadium. Both teams were held back by rain, and by magnificent starts by Aaron Nola and Max Scherzer.

Both pitchers faced 12 batters and allowed no runs. Nola struck out seven, Scherzer struck out six. Scherzer allowed three singles, Nola just one. But the pitchers’ duel wasn’t meant to be, halted by a rain delay in the bottom of the fourth inning, a break that lasted one hour, 44 minutes.

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no matter how much hate you may hold in your heart for the Dodgers, consider enjoying this slide home https://twitter.com/TheBlazingKing_/status/1425288023231459330?s=20

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Nobody's heart is fuller of Dodger hate than mine, but I have watched and admired that slide no fewer than 50 times since last night. The sheer amount of swag involved is magnificent.

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I'll try to ignore the Dodger blue. That is an artistic slide.

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I hold an incredible amount of Doyer-hate in my heart...FWIW...

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Trea Turner was a little under the radar here in DC but he may become more appreciated now that he's in LA.

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In his 4 games he's already singlehandedly won one, and contributed to two more with his speed and bat.

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I'm thinking the Dodgers try to extend Trea Turner instead of Corey Seager. Not sure if Trea Turner is a Boras client or not but I think both prefer an East Coast team.

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If they are smart, they extend both. And based on the success they have had in recent times, there is evidence that the Dodgers are indeed smart, much to the consternation of Giants fans.

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I don't think they can do both and also keep Buehler. I see them keeping 2 of Seager/Turner, Bellinger, and Buehler. I think Buehler is a no brainer and Bellinger might be the odd man out. Too streaky as a hitter but GG defense in both CF/RF and 1B (where would Tio Albert play).

They'll also need to try to sign CT3 what he is worth.

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A's rally to 4-3 victory over the Tribe (um, Guardians) in extra innings. Jed Lowrie with the go-ahead double in the 10th inning...in other news A.J. Puk pitched an inning of relief and JB Wendelken was DFA'd.

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Other College

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had lunch w/ an undergrad from Stanford today who is going into her 3rd year.

while she likes school, academics, etc, she had nothing but bad things to say about administration's poor handling and money grubbing efforts during the pandemic.

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Cal

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Classics professor Stephen Miller passed away yesterday.

he was one of the primary influences in my becoming a Classics major. took 2 or 3 ancient archaeology courses with him.

he led Cal's excavations at Nemea and discovered an ancient stadium and locker rooms. he taught a course on Ancient Athletics that was well populated w/ Cal football players.

http://classics.lscrtest.com/people/faculty/person_detail.php?person=30

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Did we note here that the great Leon Litwack died last week?

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What?!?! Nooooooo!!

I did my senior thesis with him. I will never forget turning in my thesis to him at the dinner party at his house and seeing his library. A true legend.

Rest in Power

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Sorry to hear he has passed on. Another influential prof (David Stronach, Near Eastern Archaeology who excavated at Persepolis and Pasargadae) passed away last summer.

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in ancient Greece, the reason the Olympics (in Olympia) were held every 4 yrs is that there are a rotation of 4 cities that held games, Athens, Nemea, Delphi and Olympia

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OOOoooOOOooo I did not know that!

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Olympic Games were the oldest of the four, said to have begun in 776 BC.

the winners would win a lifetime supply of olive oil

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i lied a little. the Athenian games were on a different track than the Pan Hellenic games

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panhellenic_Games

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Go Bears!!!

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