Shang-Chi was good fun. Some of the best action scenes they've done so far. Biggest problem is that the lead actor is not as interesting as everyone else.
(i know with Chadwick Boseman's passing it's tough to say this, but while I do not think Shang Chi is Chinese people's Black Panther, I do think there is a parallel where the lead is kind of a blank slate while everyone around them is more interesting)
GotG opens with the lead character as a child watching his mother die of cancer. This core memory also plays into the climax of the movie. It's got heft.
I use the Meguiar's Endurance Tire Gel on my tires. Not every time I wash the car though. Makes them shiny. Not sure if it's a wet tire look or not. I guess so. But it doesn't last too long.
We are at 651k US Covid deaths and are averaging about 1,500/day due to the Delta third wave. Some time next week, we'll reach 666k deaths, which will equal every US combat death from every conflict and action in the nation's history. And we'll have done it in 19 months.
Or loyal to their States is the other way of looking at it. I'm currently reading "American Republics" by Alan Taylor and even though I am well versed in American history, it's eye-opening how little we were an actual country then, much more a collection of states.
I was talking to a friend about this. Well not mandates specifically but he thought employers and health insurance companies should raise premiums for unvaccinated people. Similar to what Delta (I think) did for all their employees. Use this to cover the costs associated to having unvaccinated people filling up the hospitals and ICUs.
First off, I want to state that I am absolutely in favor of EVERYONE getting vaccinated (unless you have an allergy related to the vaccines).
But raising premiums on folks who decline the vaccine? NO.
What's the difference between that and charging women more because they might need birth control or they'll go through childbirth? Or charging cancer patients more because of a pre-existing condition? Do we really want to go there? I think it's a bad idea and just leads to more discrimination and never-ending acrimony.
There are other ways to ensure compliance. I think vaccine mandates are one way.
I don't know. It seems to me that women's premiums shouldn't be higher. My data point is admittedly small - my employer provided health insurance. Whatever plan you choose, my employer pays the same regardless of gender or age or pre-existing condition. Further, if the employee is required to pay a portion of the premium, it is a set amount dependent on family size, not on age or gender.
The premium is for people who choose not to get vaccinated. Women, who might get pregnant, didn't choose to be women. As for cancer patients, insurance companices can charge you more if you're a smoker.
And yet, not all women choose to become pregnant or even carry a child to term. Not all women want, or need, birth control.
Maybe insurance companies can and do charge more for smokers. I know it's true in life insurance; not sure if it's true in health insurance. See my response to HAG, above, for why.
That's equivalent to insurance companies being able to decide who gets treated and who doesn't. It also goes against the Hippocratic Oath.
COVID is a public health crisis. Doctors can't be choosers in a public health crisis.
This is all a way to simply shift responsibility - and blame - from folks who should have the courage to do their jobs; primarily the folks who make public health policy. This includes electeds who should know better and should act in the public interest.
Yes, it seems to me there is an inconsistency between arguing for universal health care and then arguing for denial of care for certain life decisions.
One thing that annoys me (my wife pointed this out) is that professors and doctors think that somehow their uninformed opinions are worth more than other people's goofy ideas.
IF we can get the impact to be like a cold, great. But I'm sick and tired of hearing this death/hospitalization shit. I had it. I had continuing significant symptoms that majorly impacted my ability to do things for more than a year. That is no way to live, and it's exactly nothing like the flu or cold. I'm so tired of all these talk show hosts who are like, "it's a bad cold." No the fuck it isn't.
This conference is wacky enough that I'm rarely surprised by much (although that UW loss was shocking), so I think it's feasible that several teams can pull upsets. Likeliest to pull an upset:
SDSU is basically the MWC conference version of Cal. Good defense, good running game, terrible QB and passing game. It won’t be a good sign for Cal if Arizona defeats SDSU easily.
Hawaii's defense is abysmal so the Beavs should be able to move the ball well despite still trying to figure out how to replace some key players (Jefferson). OSU wins, but Hawaii covers. Over
Make it four losses in a row, and 15 in their last 21 games, as the Oakland A’s tailspin continues.
This time the A’s dropped a 6-3 decision to the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday in the opener of a series at the Coliseum.
Both teams scored in the 1st inning, but Chicago took a lead in the 5th and added some insurance in the 8th. The A’s put together a rally in the bottom of the 8th to pick up a pair of runs, but it was too little too late.
In the first three recaps that I covered for MCC, the Giants scored three runs in 27 innings and went approximately 0-for-two billion with runners in scoring position. It wasn’t a me problem (or so I liked to think): the Giants had RISP woes that dated back throughout August. While the Giants had the sixth-most runs in baseball through the All Star break, that stat dropped to 14th in baseball for the month of August. So you can imagine my trepidation when I decided to cover this game; despite scoring 10 runs yesterday night, I was convinced their run woes would come back to haunt me.
It was not to be. The San Francisco Giants beat the Colorado Rockies, 12-3. Over the last 7 days, the Giants are slashing .281/.363/.500 with runners in scoring position. They’ve scored 35 runs on just 7 home runs, a stark reversal from the early trends of the season, where it seemed they couldn’t buy a run but for it leaving the ballpark. They scored nine runs tonight before hitting a home run; and yes, there’s the Coors effect to consider, but the Giants are also having purely good at-bats, the kind that give you the warm and fuzzies because the reverberating sound of bat on ball is just so pure it feels like warm Ghirardelli hot chocolate on a cold San Francisco night.
It would have been 13-3 if Brandon Crawford hadn't been thrown out at 3rd trying to steal on a wild pitch. The catcher got a lucky rebound from the wall in back of home plate.
Tuesday night was about a city paying respect to a legend, and said icon responding with a special moment. Albert Pujols got the ball rolling, hitting the first of four Dodgers home runs to beat the Cardinals 7-2 at Busch Stadium.
Fans in St. Louis gave Pujols a standing ovation before his first at-bat, in the first inning, then he earned another one four pitches later by launching a ball into the left field seats, the 679th home run of his career.
“You can’t write this stuff,” said Joe Davis on his home run call for SportsNet LA.
CAL
New clothing store opening on Telegraph. I think it replaces American Apparel
https://www.dailycal.org/2021/09/07/clothing-store-diffusion-studios-to-open-on-telegraph-avenue/
Go Bears! Beat the Horned Frogs.
Line’s moved 2 points, up to 11.5.
Attn: TBB
Erotic Novelists 1, Catholic Church 0
https://www.bbc.com/news/58486790
Haha I saw someone say, "The headline should have been HOLY FUCK"
Stanley Tucci
would only that I were so dapper and charming
DBD AV Club
Shang-Chi was good fun. Some of the best action scenes they've done so far. Biggest problem is that the lead actor is not as interesting as everyone else.
(i know with Chadwick Boseman's passing it's tough to say this, but while I do not think Shang Chi is Chinese people's Black Panther, I do think there is a parallel where the lead is kind of a blank slate while everyone around them is more interesting)
The worst MCU show/movie
Show: Iron Fist (do those Netflix ones count?)
Movie: Iron Man 2
Movie: Thor: The Dark World
The best MCU show/movie
Thor: Ragnarok or Captain America The Winter Soldier
Hmmmmmm... I'd say as an accomplishment the Avengers saga, even though Ultron is weak, for individual movies, either Black Panther or Iron Man.
Show: Loki
Movie: Guardians of the Galaxy
Agreed about Loki, loved GotG but thought it lacked a certain "heft" if you will.
GotG opens with the lead character as a child watching his mother die of cancer. This core memory also plays into the climax of the movie. It's got heft.
That is true, but in between the rest of movie happens, and to me anyway, it was one of the jokiest MCU movies.
Sure, that's the style they chose. I thought it meshed really well with the overall story.
I did say I loved it!
Armor/Armour
All. I don't quite get the appeal of the "wet tire" look.
I use the Meguiar's Endurance Tire Gel on my tires. Not every time I wash the car though. Makes them shiny. Not sure if it's a wet tire look or not. I guess so. But it doesn't last too long.
Those are hot dogs! Armour hot dogs! What kind of man wears Armour hot dogs?
Body
Under
No.
Scale Armor, Chain Mail, or Plate Armor
Today in Covid
We are at 651k US Covid deaths and are averaging about 1,500/day due to the Delta third wave. Some time next week, we'll reach 666k deaths, which will equal every US combat death from every conflict and action in the nation's history. And we'll have done it in 19 months.
Hmmmm...
United States military casualties of war (fatalities only)
Revolutionary War - 25,000 (approx.)
War of 1812 - 15,000 (approx.)
Mexican-American War - 13,283
Civil War - 655,000 (approx.)
Spanish-American War - 2,446
Philippine-American War - 4,196
World War I - 116,516
World War II - 405,399
Korean War - 36,516
Vietnam War - 58,220
Gulf War - 294
War in Afghanistan - 2,218
Iraq War - 4,497
TOTAL - 1,354,664+ fatalities This includes causes other than combat.
If you're looking ONLY at combat deaths, then that number is much smaller - 666,441+ deaths in combat for all of the wars noted above.
Uh, 600K+ Civil war - 400K+ WWII plus Vietnam 55K and various other wars.
Replace all the Lee statues with statues of better Lees
Lee Major statues.
Brandon Lee, Harper Lee, Stan Lee
^ Hell yeah. I'm up for a 20-foot bronze statue of a Sara Lee pound cake riding atop Traveller
I made pound cake (check my insta) from Sally's Baking Authority. I thought it was a touch sweet, but everyone told me not ot change the sugar amount
Yes, they were still Americans.
Traitors, but Americans nonetheless.
Or loyal to their States is the other way of looking at it. I'm currently reading "American Republics" by Alan Taylor and even though I am well versed in American history, it's eye-opening how little we were an actual country then, much more a collection of states.
massive outbreak at my school. Class canceled yesterday, teaching is remote for the next 10 days
apparently students had some house parties / hit the bars unmasked and a few ignored some mild symptoms they had
oops
Sadly, my tenant who is a ER doctor is about to head out to protest vaccine mandates /smh
Is he vaccinated?
Or she! Women can be assholes, too!
I naturally assumed the asshole was a he.
On the one hand, I'm all for avoiding essentialist feminism, but you could play the odds here
She is, but "it's all about informed consent" - I'm sure she was informed when she was 6 months old and vaccinated for measles.
There's nothing "informed" about those knuckleheads' decisions not to get the vaccine
It's her son!
I was talking to a friend about this. Well not mandates specifically but he thought employers and health insurance companies should raise premiums for unvaccinated people. Similar to what Delta (I think) did for all their employees. Use this to cover the costs associated to having unvaccinated people filling up the hospitals and ICUs.
First off, I want to state that I am absolutely in favor of EVERYONE getting vaccinated (unless you have an allergy related to the vaccines).
But raising premiums on folks who decline the vaccine? NO.
What's the difference between that and charging women more because they might need birth control or they'll go through childbirth? Or charging cancer patients more because of a pre-existing condition? Do we really want to go there? I think it's a bad idea and just leads to more discrimination and never-ending acrimony.
There are other ways to ensure compliance. I think vaccine mandates are one way.
But aren't women's premiums higher than men's? I thought so but maybe I'm wrong.
I don't know. It seems to me that women's premiums shouldn't be higher. My data point is admittedly small - my employer provided health insurance. Whatever plan you choose, my employer pays the same regardless of gender or age or pre-existing condition. Further, if the employee is required to pay a portion of the premium, it is a set amount dependent on family size, not on age or gender.
But smokers get charged more.
Outside of California, yes. So I've learned today.
The premium is for people who choose not to get vaccinated. Women, who might get pregnant, didn't choose to be women. As for cancer patients, insurance companices can charge you more if you're a smoker.
And yet, not all women choose to become pregnant or even carry a child to term. Not all women want, or need, birth control.
Maybe insurance companies can and do charge more for smokers. I know it's true in life insurance; not sure if it's true in health insurance. See my response to HAG, above, for why.
Another approach I've heard is to to declare covid treatment "not covered" for the unvaccinated. But I wonder if that's legal.
Maybe not if it's changing the terms of the current health plan? They can do it at the next renewal date I would assume.
That's equivalent to insurance companies being able to decide who gets treated and who doesn't. It also goes against the Hippocratic Oath.
COVID is a public health crisis. Doctors can't be choosers in a public health crisis.
This is all a way to simply shift responsibility - and blame - from folks who should have the courage to do their jobs; primarily the folks who make public health policy. This includes electeds who should know better and should act in the public interest.
Yes, it seems to me there is an inconsistency between arguing for universal health care and then arguing for denial of care for certain life decisions.
One thing that annoys me (my wife pointed this out) is that professors and doctors think that somehow their uninformed opinions are worth more than other people's goofy ideas.
Done that.
If you hadn't said this, I would have.
COVID in California: Health officials in Contra Costa County expect COVID 'to be around' for up to a decade
https://www.sfchronicle.com/health/article/COVID-in-California-New-Zealand-eases-16439207.php
"One day it will just disappear. It will be like a miracle." Donald Trump. Feb 27, 2020
Yeah, it's going to become another endemic cold. The key is keeping the death/hospitalization rates down.
Nature Magazine poll: 89% of 119 immunologists from around the world thought it will be endemic
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-00396-2
That rant was not directed at you, sycasey, to be clear! 💙💛
Rant?
IF we can get the impact to be like a cold, great. But I'm sick and tired of hearing this death/hospitalization shit. I had it. I had continuing significant symptoms that majorly impacted my ability to do things for more than a year. That is no way to live, and it's exactly nothing like the flu or cold. I'm so tired of all these talk show hosts who are like, "it's a bad cold." No the fuck it isn't.
Elsewhere in college
[ESPN] Big XII to vote tomorrow on admitting BYU, UCF, Cincy, Houston; announce on Friday.
https://twitter.com/ESPNRittenberg/status/1435598674697064453
I mean it'll pass won't it? You don't ask for a vote unless you know for sure it will pass.
Yeah, usually you don't schedule a vote until you have the details worked out.
So BYU would probably enter the conference next season and the rest probably not until 2024 or 2025 correct?
I wonder if that will release BlowU and Texas to join the SEC in '22 (which I expect will happen regardless of this)
Portland State @ WSU (-13.5). no o/u available.
UCLA - bye
I feel that way every week tbh
Who in the Pac-12 do you think has the best chance of surprising everyone in Week 2?
This conference is wacky enough that I'm rarely surprised by much (although that UW loss was shocking), so I think it's feasible that several teams can pull upsets. Likeliest to pull an upset:
1. UW
2. Cal
3. LSJU
4. Oregon
SDSU at Arizona (-2); o/u 46.5.
SDSU, over. I was surprised Arizona wasn't blown out last week, but I don't think they have the run defense to slow down SDSU.
I thought Zona would only win 1 game this year, but I think they'll win this one too because SDSU has been terrible. Arizona, under.
SDSU is basically the MWC conference version of Cal. Good defense, good running game, terrible QB and passing game. It won’t be a good sign for Cal if Arizona defeats SDSU easily.
UNLV @ ASU (-33.5); o/u 53.5.
ASU, under
UNLV lost to an FCS team last week (Eastern Washington, who is still pretty good), so I don't expect them to put up much of a fight.
That's a huge amount of points, and yet I'd be terrified of anything that takes UNLV to cover.
Hawaii @ OSU (-11) o/u 64
Hawaii's defense is abysmal so the Beavs should be able to move the ball well despite still trying to figure out how to replace some key players (Jefferson). OSU wins, but Hawaii covers. Over
OSU, under. OSU is bad, but Hawaii looked awful.
Oregon @ Ohio State (-14.5) ; o/u 63.5
OSU, under
Oregon looked underwhelming last week, especially without Thibs
Ohio State, under. 64 is a high bar to top and both defenses are fairly good.
Stanfurd @ USC (-17); o/u 52.5
USC, under
LSJU looked awful. I'd be surprised if they score in the double digits.
It's good the Big Game is at Furd this year. Fewer Cal alums will see the ugly offenses bring run. Although maybe we'll just run all over them.
"maybe we'll just run all over them"
pqtm what a quaint concept
When it works, it's a thing of beauty.
I bet good old Clay Helton will find a way to surprise you
USC, under. 'furd sucks.
Washington @ Michigan (-6.5); o/u 51.5
Michigan, under
I still cannot believe the ineptitude of the Montana loss
Michigan, under. Washington is too banged up at WR, their line hasn't been good, and their QB was meh.
I would take Michigan to cover. -6.5 seems low in my opinion. I thought it would be closer to -10 or more.
Red Box Bowl cancelled. This costs the Pac-12 a guaranteed bowl berth. Based on last weekend, it remains to be seen just how much that means.
Mandel: Not cancelled, but looking for $$$.
https://twitter.com/slmandel/status/1435643822709436416
College Football Power Rankings: Top five after Week 1 features three SEC teams ... and UCLA?
https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/college-football-power-rankings-top-five-after-week-1-features-three-sec-teams-and-ucla/
OUR CRUMBLING DEMOCRACY
PRO
Game #138: A’s lose fourth straight
https://www.athleticsnation.com/2021/9/7/22662138/oakland-as-game-138-chicago-white-sox-score-result
Make it four losses in a row, and 15 in their last 21 games, as the Oakland A’s tailspin continues.
This time the A’s dropped a 6-3 decision to the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday in the opener of a series at the Coliseum.
Both teams scored in the 1st inning, but Chicago took a lead in the 5th and added some insurance in the 8th. The A’s put together a rally in the bottom of the 8th to pick up a pair of runs, but it was too little too late.
Doubles, triples, and runs, oh my: Giants crush Rockies, 12-3
https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/2021/9/7/22661855/mlb-scores-san-francisco-giants-colorado-rockies-recap-steven-duggar-logan-webb
In the first three recaps that I covered for MCC, the Giants scored three runs in 27 innings and went approximately 0-for-two billion with runners in scoring position. It wasn’t a me problem (or so I liked to think): the Giants had RISP woes that dated back throughout August. While the Giants had the sixth-most runs in baseball through the All Star break, that stat dropped to 14th in baseball for the month of August. So you can imagine my trepidation when I decided to cover this game; despite scoring 10 runs yesterday night, I was convinced their run woes would come back to haunt me.
It was not to be. The San Francisco Giants beat the Colorado Rockies, 12-3. Over the last 7 days, the Giants are slashing .281/.363/.500 with runners in scoring position. They’ve scored 35 runs on just 7 home runs, a stark reversal from the early trends of the season, where it seemed they couldn’t buy a run but for it leaving the ballpark. They scored nine runs tonight before hitting a home run; and yes, there’s the Coors effect to consider, but the Giants are also having purely good at-bats, the kind that give you the warm and fuzzies because the reverberating sound of bat on ball is just so pure it feels like warm Ghirardelli hot chocolate on a cold San Francisco night.
It would have been 13-3 if Brandon Crawford hadn't been thrown out at 3rd trying to steal on a wild pitch. The catcher got a lucky rebound from the wall in back of home plate.
Albert Pujols’ blast from the past helps Dodgers in the present beat Cardinals
https://www.truebluela.com/2021/9/7/22661884/albert-pujols-justin-turner-will-smith-dodgers-home-runs-st-lous-cardinals-recap
Tuesday night was about a city paying respect to a legend, and said icon responding with a special moment. Albert Pujols got the ball rolling, hitting the first of four Dodgers home runs to beat the Cardinals 7-2 at Busch Stadium.
Fans in St. Louis gave Pujols a standing ovation before his first at-bat, in the first inning, then he earned another one four pitches later by launching a ball into the left field seats, the 679th home run of his career.
“You can’t write this stuff,” said Joe Davis on his home run call for SportsNet LA.
Standing O and then HR
https://twitter.com/Dodgers/status/1435409422075904002
DOWN IN FRONT! SIT DOWN!
https://twitter.com/SNYtv/status/1435381689862303750
Over-the-hill has-been seeking a payday by participating in the Holyfield fight
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9967807/Donald-Trump-host-Holyfield-vs-Belfort-boxing-match-Miami-September-11.html
"A special mixture created by mating Túngara frogs in Trinidad" https://twitter.com/joespring/status/1435628884548984837?s=20
I enjoyed watching Kevin McShane and Jackie Lee https://www.buzzfeed.com/watch/video/101143
Hadn't heard of the draw offs before! Pretty interesting.