Left Coast Sports Babe

(oops, this didnt’ publish two days ago.)

Dear Cubs. Thank you. SF Giants fans.

(For Kris Bryant)

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No idea who will win the NL or the World Series. But can we give SF Giants’ Gabe Kapler “Manager of the Year” and be done with it?

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So with Tebow being cut as a tight end from the Jacksonville Jaguars…. how long until Tim announces his NFL tryouts as a long snapper?

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My better angels were not happy with my reaction when I heard Texas Governor Greg Abbott has COVID

So did Velveeta Voldemort send Greg Abbott some of his special recipe Covid curing bleach?

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ICYMI we’ve gotten tetanus booster shots for decades and nobody made it political.

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But Whoever thought the decision whether or not to get a life-saving vaccine would become an IQ-test?

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Have two travel industry meetings this fall, one in Texas, one in Las Vegas. BOTH are now open to vaccinated participants only. Governors may be COVIDiots but businesses who understand about travel are not.

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Same folks who claim they don’t want to be guinea pigs for a well-tested vaccine are now guinea pigs for an experiment in what happens when a virus has millions of unvaccinated petri dishes in which to mutate.

Lauren Boebert is reminding us all that Marjorie Taylor Greene doesn’t have a lock on the title “Worst woman in Congress.”

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Most conservatives wringing their hands over the plight of the poor women and children trying to escape horrors in Afghanistan have been attacking women and children trying to escape horrors in Central and South America.

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For anyone who lives in or knows someone who lives in Calfornia. – saw on Next Door woman saying she & husband were confused by sample ballot & real ballot for California gubernatorial recall & almost sent back the wrong one. I remember Florida butterfly ballot debacle with Gore/Buchanan. So it’s not just “Vote no,” it’s “vote no, CAREFULLY.”

Dear Mets. Thanks for NOTHING. Sincerely, SF Giants fans. #BeatLA

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Reliever Tyler Gilbert made first big league appearance for Arizona Diamondbacks Aug 3.

He’d pitched 3.2 innings total until August 14, including Aug 5 loss against SF Giants because runner from 2nd scored. Saurday night he threw a no-hitter against SD Padres.

Baseball is the best game.

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Whether he comes back in the 2021 season or no, Mets are making the specter of facing Jacob DeGrom in the playoffs about as likely as running into the Headless Horseman on the Brooklyn Bridge.

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There is now apparently another woman who had accused Trevor Bauer of violence during sex and got a temporary order of protection in 2020.

Look, I get innocent until proven guilty – but did any woman read those accusations against Trevor Bauer and think that was the first time he’d allegedly done anything like that?

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I know, money talks…. but when you go online on your phone with ESPN looking for scores, and it gives you NFL bleeping pre-season as “top-events” instead of MLB pennant race games??

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Heard Barack Obama once kept Maureen Dowd waiting for an interview. If so she’d have to be a petty little person indeed to still hold a grudge. Enough said.

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There are petitions going around about recalling Ron DeSantis. As much as I can’t stand DeathSantis, don’t waste the energy. Work on voting him OUT in 2022. Per ballotpedia – “Florida recall law does not pertain to elected state officials, such as the governor.”

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Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s latest way of dismissing the pandemic is dismissing it now as “COVID season.” Uh, the state is also entering “hurricane season.” Does DeathSantis mean people should stop taking precautions for storms too?

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Situation in Afghanistan is tragic. But this line “signaling the end of a 20-year Western experiment aimed at remaking Afghanistan….” Has ANY Western experiment ever worked to remake Afghanistan?

Many of the same people attacking President Biden now would be screaming bloody murder if he had offered asylum to all our translators and other allies in Afghanistan.

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Fox News attacking President Biden about Afghanistan – after wholeheartedly cheering on Cheney et all getting us into that war, is like an arsonist complaining about the job the firefighters are doing.

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All you need to know about Fox News coverage of Afghanistan – anything Joe Biden did would have been wrong.

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Not all Republicans don’t believe in science. Some know better but have politicized COVID. But wonder if GOP figured Biden would’ve had vaccine mandates by now? Pandemic might be under control but they could’ve lied that it would’ve happened without “government overreach.”

Not counting chickens or anything but… hey, the SF Giants with their 75th win are now one half game away from the 75.5 games over-under Vegas had them for winning the entire season.

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Random baseball weirdness: The Philadelphia Phillies, currently leading the NL East, would be five games behind the SD Padres, who currently hold the second wild card. (Yes, the NL West is that good.)

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During a time where our country seems divided on just about everything, at least we seem to have universal agreement that Jeopardy blew the choosing a new host decision.

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Fox News still obsessed with Obama’s birthday party.

Dear Fox: Unlike the Former Guy, Barack and his supporters KNOW he’s no longer President. Sincerely, America

Contra Costa county finally doing what I thought made sense weeks ago. $100 reward, not for the person getting vaccinated, but for the person who brings them in.

Heck, we pay people to gather signatures for petitions, this is FAR more valuable.

(Personally, I’m good with a prize for the person getting the vaccine AND the person who convinced them)

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So when is Marjorie Taylor Greene going to visit a COVID ward in a Georgia hospital and tell all the patients they have nothing to worry about?

Open note from a California voter to everyone who says Feinstein should retire NOW. State politics are very factionalized & many have strong favorites to replace her. Anyone Newsom might choose would upset some people. In some cases, enough not to vote for him out of pique.

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Florida Governor Ron DeSantis telling residents to “review disaster plans” as Tropical Storm Fred approaches. Uh, weather forecasting is as much science as medicine is. So why isn’t DeathSantis telling Floridians to ignore forecasts too?

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Wonder if what will certainly be stories about rich and privileged people trying to cheat to get COVID boosters early will encourage some of the vaccine hesitant to get their shots?

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If you believe religion gives businesses the right to turn down serving gay customers then seems fair that you believe science gives businesses the right not to serve unvaccinated customers.

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Covid and the delta variant is justifiably dominating headlines but at some point can we have a moment to discuss how GOP is both claiming immigrants will take our jobs and complaining business can’t get enough workers?

It never gets old typing this – Dear Minnesota Twins, thank you SO much for the gift of Lamonte Wade,Jr. And to Twins fans…. he’s completely charming, humble, chatty, son of postal workers. The 2021 SF Giants bandwagon would love to have you on board.

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Alabama football coach Nick Saban says team is 90% vaccinated but staff & team will wear masks & follow protocols for next 6 weeks. Former Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville on a press call urged people not to be “hardheaded” against getting vaccine. All hail the God of Football.

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Stephen Colbert points out the LSU Tiger mascot is vaccinated….but less than 38% of Louisiana residents are vaccinated. Why there is no satire…

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Now it’s the Pac 12 saying football teams must forfeit if unable to play due to COVID-19 cases. This could get interesting. Some folks who don’t believe in science DO believe in football.

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Would any of these chicken-hawks criticizing Joe Biden for withdrawing US troops from Afghanistan like to tell us when they and/or their children are enlisting?

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The Villages is wealthy mostly conservative and white place. It now has about 130,000 people & “over 90 gate facilities spread throughout community.” Well, proportional to what GOP is doing in places like Houston and Atlanta, the Villages should have maybe ONE polling place?

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Mike Lindell needs to put a pillow in it.

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Will say again and not for last time. All you need to know about what GOP is trying to do to change voting – you never see a rally of rich suburban white people claiming that it’s going to be harder for them to vote.

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We get flu shots every year, what’s the big deal with a COVID booster shot?

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Actually beginning to think GOP WANTS Biden to impose federal vaccine/mask rules. Both would save many lives, but then Republicans could claim America would have beaten COVID with no rules, and just attack our President and Democrats for government overreach.

LaMonte Wade Jr hits a home run off the glove of Ketel Marte tonight. Somewhere Jose Canseco might be thinking “he should have used his head?

Despite the Red Sox 20-8 win against the Rays Wednesday, Tampa Bay’s Tuesday rally to win 8-4 against Boston has Rays lead in AL East is still at four games. What’s ESPN going to do if neither the Red Sox nor Yankees end up in MLB playoffs?-

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ICYMI, late Tuesday afternoon, former Stanford football player Cory Booker did to former Auburn etc coach Tommy Tuberville what Christian McCaffery did to Iowa in the Rose Bowl.

https://news.yahoo.com/gift-cory-booker-enthusiastically-endorses-143700531.html

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Hunter Biden is a great barometer. If conservative media is putting him in the headlines, President Biden (and Democrats) must have had a very good day indeed.

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Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad the New York Governor is resigning. But Fox News is spending more time this week with stories on allegations against Andrew Cuomo than they did in four years on allegations of sexual assault against the Former Guy.

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Anyone remember that exponential math problem in school, would you rather be paid $100 day for a month, or penny on day 1, 2 cents on day 2, 4 on day 3, doubling each day? That second option is like sadly like US COVID Delta surge right now.

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Fox News and other conservative media apoplectic over news anchor Chris Cuomo actually having conversations with his Governor brother. Missed their outrage when the failed fashion designer was appointed as a senior advisor to her President father.

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To file recall petition against Calif Gov, just need petition signed by 65 voters. To qualify for ballot, signatures from 12% of voters in last gubernatorial election. That’s it.

Florida has no such system. Sadly. Wonder how long it would take to get 12% of Florida voters to sign such a petition now. Starting with signature gatherers outside schools and hospitals.

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And for non-California voters: SIX recall petitions were filed against Gov. Newsom in 2 yrs.

Recall petitions are sport here. None came close to qualifying until Gavin’s French Laundry dinner. Dinner was stupid mistake, but recall is like serving an ant killed w/ sledgehammer for dessert.

So how many SF Giants fans on the East Coast saw the Giants go up 5-0 on the Diamondbacks, and went to be figuring “well, this game is over.” They were sort of right.

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But in case you missed it, this was just lovely. #ForeverGiant Madison Bumgarner.

Madison Bumgarner got a huge standing ovation from the fans at Oracle Park.

Salute pic.twitter.com/dnWzeK12WY

— KNBR (@KNBR) August 11, 2021

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After Tuberville proposes amendment against defunding police, Cory Booker w/ moment of day: “Would love to hug my colleague from AL. Some say we want to defund the police…we can put to bed this scurrilous accusation. Vote for the amendment. Unanimously! Along w/ God country & apple pie.”

(And they voted for it, 99-0.)

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Former Stanford football player Cory Booker just did to former coach Tommy Tuberville on the Senate Floor what Christian McCaffrey did to the Iowa defense in the 2016 Rose Bowl.

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Mitch McConnell, the man who changed the rules twice to steal TWO SCOTUS seats, has the audacity to accuse Democrats who support voting rights of trying to “rewrite the ground rules of our democracy.” Irony, your late night regular table is ready.

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Lindsey Graham speaking earlier today against budget resolution & complaining about Democratic Senators trying to get around rules because they have a majority. Gosh, I missed Lindsey’s crisis of conscience when GOP rammed through Amy Comey Barrett’s lifetime SCOTUS appt in about 30 days.

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Republicans and Democrats agree on one thing: Democrats who are credibly accused of sexual misconduct should resign.

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So neither of Florida’s Senators voted for the infrastructure bill. Does this mean they think Florida should reject federal government money for bridges, water, roads, etc?

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Lots of headlines like “here come vaccine mandates.” But if you’ve been to school in the US, or had kids in school, or traveled to some countries, you’ve ALREADY been subject to vaccine mandates.

Wow. Just making all Senators stay in chamber has gotten Vote-A-Rama on Democratic budget reconciliation plan voted on by 4am, well before sunrise.This speaks very well to the positive changes that might come just from a talking filibuster!

How much would I love with one of these Vote-a-rama late night circuses for Senate Democrats to show up in tasteful pajamas?

The Pied Piper took kids away because the people of Hamlin didn’t pay him. Ron DeSantis may be taking Florida’s children away because he wants to be re-elected and then run for President.

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Fox News refers to Cuomo as Grope Gov. So when are they refering to Velveeta Voldemort as Predator Pres?

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COVID is killing people. But misinformation is the virus’s most dangerous accomplice.

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As confusing as all the tape-delay and streaming was, I guess the Tokyo Olympics are over. But seriously how would we know?

As a sports fan I understand and accept I may root for players who have very different political views than I do. And that’s fine.

But for Aubrey Huff I will make an exception. Bye Felicia, and take your thong with you.

(Huff was finally banned off Twitter for hate and misinformation.)

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Djokovic, withdrawing from a tennis tournament in Cincinnati where he is defending champion “Dear fans, I wanted to share w/ you I’m taking bit longer to recover & recuperate after quite taxing journey from Australia to Tokyo

Djokovic on Simone Biles “If you’re aiming to be top of game, better start learning how to deal w/ pressure & how to cope…”

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Gov. Greg Abbott now taking COVID seriously enough that “Texas will ask healthcare workers from other states to assist w/ its surge in COVID-19 cases.”

More I think about this angrier I get. So if your state, betwee good leadership & good behavior, has COVID numbers somewhat under control, he think you should put yourself at risk in Texas?

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Everyone who is regularly beating a drum for Dianne Feinstein to resign should be forced to spend an hour listening to Chuck Grassley.

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Grassley Monday was going off about Democrats so-called obsession with the Former Guy and acting like Dems should just let all this investigating go…

Wonder if Chuck Grassley also said – “You’ve been obsessed with the Confederacy for years, President Lincoln, take a night off and go to the theater.”

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As Republican Senators decide tonight if they will vote for or against the infrastructure bill, wonder if any of them tried suggesting to cut the $1.2 trillion cost by refusing money for their own states?

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The scariest thing about all the stories we’re learning about how close we came to a real coup in America – is that it’s pretty sure we don’t know close to all the stories.

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Actually included in a Honololu hotel’s resort fee. “Complimentary incoming faxes.” And most travelers under 40 are going “what are faxes?”

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I guess we shouldn’t be surprised Alabama has the lowest percentage of vaccinated adults (35%) in the USA. They had a chance to keep Doug Jones and replaced him with Tommy Tuberville.

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As of today, Alabama is the only state to have fully vaccinated less than 35% of residents. “Sweet home, Alabama” isn’t supposed to be about funeral homes.
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CDC has just added Aruba, Eswatini, France, French Polynesia, Iceland, Israel, Thailand to the “very high risk” travel list. Time for CDC to be realistic and add “Florida” to the list.

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Josh Hawley says adding broadband into the infrastructure bill is a “woke left political agenda.” Would Hawley like to try to exist without internet for 24 hours? I am sure some Democratic senator would be happy to find a safe place to store Josh’s phone.

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My grandparents took me to South America when I was a teenager. It was pretty simple, if you wanted to travel there, you got vaccinated and got a yellow vaccine card. Nobody’s head exploded. Those were the days.

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Wonder how many of these people, especially on Fox News, lying about the dangers of a piece of cloth on your face to ward off COVID have done stuff like… I don’t know, injected a botulinum toxin into their faces to ward off wrinkles?

In Las Vegas before 2021 season the over-under on SF Giants wins was 75.5.

(They hit 71 on August 8.)

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Four home runs in three games. How many SF Giants did it take to drag Brandon Belt onto the plane out of Milwaukee.?

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Dolphins TE Adam Shaheen is complaining about NFL trying to “strong arm” him, but his decision not to get vaccinated is “bigger than COVID.” Is he really daring the virus?

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If Ron DeSantis was the mayor of Amity Island he’d be encouraging tourists to keep coming because the shark only killed a person every few days.

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RIP Bobby Bowden. Wasn’t a fan of his politics, but he was a heckuva coach . And decades ago he supported idea of paying players an allowance so they had enough for an occasional night out, to eliminate temptation to take $$$ illegally.

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Whatever happens in this season, on a regular basis as an SF Giants fan have to thank the Minnesota Twins for LaMonte Wade, Jr.

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So somehow I missed all the end of Olympics stories from the haters reiterating about how making Gregg Popovich the coach of USA men’s basketball team was a really stupid idea.

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GOP and Fox News are again making things very clear: If you’re a woman and are sexually harassed or assaulted by a Democrat they’ll have your back. If you’re a woman and are sexually harassed or assaulted by a Republican they’ll call you a liar or worse

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The Delta variant is “so contagious that those who were not previously infected or have not been vaccinated will likely get it.” Another liberal fearmonger? Nope, Scott Gottlieb, head of FDA in the Trump administration..

Headline after a week with MANY cancellations: “Spirit Airlines Troubles – Stranded passengers and a hopeful CEO mark Day 7.” Although if the airline gets it together, the passengers still have to deal with actually flying Spirit.

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California GOP voted today not to endorse any candidate in recall election against Governor Gavin Newsom, supposedly to avoid nasty infighting within the party. Or could it be because even Republicans know they have no decent candidate?

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Yes, SF Bay Area has high housing prices, traffic & other problems… But there are many compensations: Very proud of my Santa Clara County – “More than 84% of residents 12 & older have received at least one dose of vaccine & 79.3 % have completed their vaccinations.”

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If GOP Senators REALLY object to the infrastructure bill they can stand on principle and refuse all money for their states for water, bridges, roads, etc.

I’m so old I can remember when many sports fans were calling for Gregg Popovich to be fired as coach of USA men’s team basketball. Like, last week?

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So as some in GOP claim USWNT lost for being too “woke.” Gregg Popovich is the NBA’s most liberal coach & one of the most “woke” men in sports.

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Going back before most people had heard of the term “woke.”

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https://www.ksat.com/news/local/2020/06/03/10-times-spurs-coach-gregg-popovich-spoke-out-on-racism-social-injustice-and-president-donald-trump/

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Angels win over Dodgers in 10 innings.

Do we SF Giants fans get to chant “Beat LA?”

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Asked if he’d been vaccinated Minnesota Vikings QB Kirk Cousins responded “I said it’s just a very private health decision and I’m going to keep it private as such.” Translation, he hasn’t been vaccinated.

All these vaccinated GOP leaders and pundits attacking vaccine mandates would have been applauding the Titanic’s decision to carry limited lifeboats… while making sure they were the first into the boats themselves.

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Travel agents checking rates at Trump hotel DC get this:

TRUMP HOTEL WASHING 18SEP-19SEP 1NT 1 ADT ENROLL IN THE TRUMP CARD TODAY. RATE CUR 556.00 USD

Enroll in Trump card?

Don’t suppose it could be a “Go to jail” card?”

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In an attempt to win the Vietnam war, underprivileged young men were sent overseas as cannon fodder. Now in an attempt to win elections, GOP leaders are turning underprivileged Americans, including children, into COVID fodder.

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New DeSantis slogan. “People are dying to vacation in Florida.”

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Yet another reason for Florida to elect Nikki Fried in 2022: If the state gets a Governor who actually cares about keeping people safe, in the long run it means a lot more tourist dollars if smart folks aren’t terrified to visit.

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United Airlines says all their employees will need to be vaccinated. Has Ron DeSantis banned the airline from flying to Florida yet?

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Noting that because of the Delta variant, some conservative media still attacking President Obama even for his scaled down birthday party. So can we save all their comments for the next Velveeta Voldemort rally?

Fox News actually really doesn’t want Andrew Cuomo to resign. Without that story & their faux outrage Fox would have to find other ways to fill air time other than acknowledging COVID surges in Florida and Texas etc.

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Reminder to all California voters annoyed w/ Gavin Newsom for whatever reason. There’s primary in 10 months, general election in Nov 2022. Two chances to decide if Gavin’s done his job well enough for a 2nd term. This recall, however, is just a circus. Don’t feed the elephants.

As it turns out, they won in 10 innings. But whatever had happened after the ninth in Thursday’s game against Arizona Diamondbacks, if you hadn’t learned this already, NEVER turn an SF Giants game off early.

(Giants were down 4-0 in 9th. And 4-2 with 2 out in 9th)

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So as some haters still want to attack U.S. women’s soccer team for only winning bronze, remind me, what medal the U.S. men’s soccer team is in contention for…?

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Tom Brady attending Peyton Manning’s HOF ceremony “I always looked up to Peyton because he was a little older than me and always doing things the right way.”A “little older?” All of about 18 months.

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Kris Bryant looks and sounds really happy to be in San Francisco. Thank you Cubbies.

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Bears’ Jimmy Graham, whining he was “basically forced into getting vaccine. Now I’m just confused @NFLPA.” He feels like “he’s being punished” because NFL may add daily testing for all due to Delta Variant. Not sure what Graham majored in at Miami – guessing it wasn’t science.

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A $5,800 bottle of whiskey given to Mike Pompeo by Japan has disappeared. Pompeo says “It never got to me.” And why should we doubt anything someone from Velveeta Voldemort’s administration says?

Maybe the first clue we had that the Former Guy was trying to overturn the election – he TOLD us he was trying to overturn the election. “When someone tells you who they are…”

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Republican Congressman Ralph Norman, who’s suing Pelosi over a $500 fine for not wearing a mask during a floor vote, now says he has Covid-19.

Wonder with Congressional health insurance if $500 is more or less than his deductible.

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Some GOP & conservative pundits still attacking President Obama for his scaled down birthday party. Gosh, I missed their attacks on Velveeta Voldemort’s past and upcoming rallies.

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Fox News headline “Sen. Rand Paul: Nothing more ‘authoritarian’ than no-fly list for unvaccinated people.” Gosh, does Paul think next sign of authoritarianism could be airlines start demanding a card to fly showing your picture, height, weight, address & date of birth…?

Los Angeles Dodgers aren’t satisfied with a payroll approaching $300 million & apparently have a deal with 2008 World Series MVP Cole Hamels. What’s next? Discussions with Curt Schilling?

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We’ll never know exactly why Team USA men’s basketball has rebounded from what looked like certain embarrassment.

I will, however, eep opining that it might have had something with these stars deciding to listen to their coach Gregg Popovich.

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How often do I say this as a SF Giants fan? Thank you Oakland As!”

(They beat the San Diego Padres with two, , two run rallies in bottom of 9th and 10th.)

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Local SF Bay Area NBC news covering “vaccine tourism” at SFO Airport.

Free J & J vaccine available to anyone 18 & older. 80% of appts booked at airport clinic now are by foreign travelers.

Another way to get MAGA’s vaccinated – tell them foreigners are taking Americans’ shots?

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If you think a piece of paper showing proof of vaccination is an intrusion into your privacy, the next time you’re pulled over for speeding try telling a police officer you don’t think you need to show them a driver’s license, registration and proof of insurance.

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Delta variant and spiking COVID cases have Garth Brooks thinking of cancelling or postponing his summer-fall concert tour. Talk about hitting suburban & rural voters where it hurts.

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Despite record COVID hospitalizations, Gov. Ron DeSantis still says Florida shouldn’t have any vaccination or mask mandates, because people are just spending more time indoors during summer. It’s like saying you shouldn’t have lifeboats because there are only icebergs in winter.-

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All those patents Nepotism Barbie ended up with…. but imagine, if she’d somehow gotten a patent for masks. Ivanka and Daddy would have hawked them on a joint website… and this latest COVID surge might never have happened.

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So now Fox News dug up old quote from FL Gov. Ron DeSantis telling Former Guy “Why don’t you do your job? Why don’t you get this border secure. Until you do that, I don’t wanna hear a blip about COVID from you, thank you.”

Oh, wait, no, DeSantis is saying that about BIDEN…-

Open question for all those who are so sure COVID is harmless, also that vaccine and max mandates are government overreach: Can you sign waiver saying if you survive and have long-haul symptoms you will also refuse government disability payments?

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Anyone checked lately to see how many Republican members of Congress and Governors have stock in the health care industry and the two remaining casket companies?

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Anyone lukewarm on Newsom in CA recall & thinking, well, there’s another election in 2022, remember – if for any reason Dianne Feinstein steps down, Governor would pick her replacement. Doesn’t matter what you think about Gavin, stakes are too high. #StopTheRepublicanRecall

Paying for it tonight, but this was worth staying up for…

NBC wonders why ratings are so low. While despite my thinking Olympics shouldn’t happen at all, Stayed up until 3a streaming Simone Biles & Suni Lee. And tonight late night coverage on NBC is that same event -plausibly live. Back to a bit of diving until bedtime on USA Network.

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Not sure what would be more terrifying – backflips off a 10 meter platform diving board? Or backflips on a 4 inch wide balance beam? Not that I could ever do a backflip anyway.

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Couldn’t really root against Madison Bumgarner tonight. But didn’t cost SF Giants a game in the standings. Thank You Astros.

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I’ve done voter registration at events for years. Many smart people must be reminded of things like listing “county,” not just state & city. Or to date form. In Georgia, absentee ballot has voters put signature & birthday on envelope. Not date of voting. It’s designed to fail.

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Hillary Clinton supported Shontel Brown Bernie Sanders supported Nina Turner. #StillWithHer

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Personally while I have no problem with a big blue tent I’m happy that a DEMOCRAT won the Democratic primary in Ohio’s 11th Congressional District. (For those who don’t pay much attention to state/local races, Nina Turner was a big Bernie Sanders supporter, wouldn’t endorse Clinton, flirted with being Jill Stein’s running mate, and compared voting for Biden to eating a bowl of sh*t.)

Ted Cruz and Rafael Warnock have a bipartisan amendment on the infrastructure bill? Cruz and Warnock agree on anything? What time does the devil’s ice rink open tonight?

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And Senator Tom Carper of Delaware just concurred, saying anytime that Cruz and Warnock agree who are we to say “no?” The amendment will pass with a voice vote.

So what I really want to know, as Ted Cruz & Reverend Warnock ended up introducing bipartisan amendment to infrastructure bill… who approached the other first? (If as I assume it was the Senator from Georgia, I have even great appreciation for his future leadership abilities.)

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Fox News headlines pretending to be on the side of women in attacking Andrew Cuomo over the sexual harassment investigation is proof that irony has a regular table for conservative media

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Missing Rachel Maddow on her (well-deserved) vacation. But Nicolle Wallace is a nice and pleasant surprise subbing for her tonight. MSNBC, guessing I’m not the only one who thinks so!

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It is NOT flip-flopping policy. It is a mutating virus. Guess we shouldn’t be surprised that the anti-evolution party can’t see the difference. #WearAMask

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Who says there’s no bipartisan agreement in this country? Both Republicans and Democrats think Democrats credibly accused of sexual assault should resign.

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Wonder if Andrew Cuomo could save his job by switching to become a Republican?

Yes, I’m a San Antonio Spurs fan in large part because of the team oriented approach which comes from their coach. But increasingly seems like Team USA men’s basketball is starting to pay attention to Popovich too.

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Conservatives are pleased that Megan Rapinoe and USNWT lost because they feel her kneeling somehow hurt Americans. Also conservatives – crickets on approx 100 Olympic athletes who are unvaccinated, which could possibly ACTUALLY hurt Americans.

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But , so if the USNWT team lost because of “woke” politics, what the heck happened to the US men’s baseball team?

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Wonder how many people saw the SF Giants up 7-1 in the 5th inning on the Arizona Diamondbacks, figured the Giants would win, and either went to bed or turned the game off. Well, they were right about the win. (11-8 in 10. Yeah, that happened.)

A rare and wonderful moment for those of us old school baseball fans in the 10th inning of tonights game for those us us who grew up loving squeeze bunts. Thank you Gabe Kapler and Donovan Solano. #SFGiants

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A Fourth Capitol riot police officer has now committed suicide six months after January 6

The police suicide total alone now is sadly equal to the death total in Benghazi.

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So which Senator is going to try to say something stupid to try to derail the bipartisan infrastructure bill and why is it going to be Ted Cruz?

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Many Republican Senators have been claiming masks are just a political statement. So if they’ve been honest I guess they’re all sleeping very soundly tonight after Lindsey Graham tested positive for COVID.

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Today CDC just moved 16 destinations “Level 4: COVID-19 Very High” category: Andorra, Curaçao, Gibraltar, Greece, Guadeloupe, Iran, Ireland, Isle of Man, Kazakhstan, Lesotho, Libya, Malta, Martinique, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Martin & US Virgin Islands. Uh, what about Florida?

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If you’re rooting against vaccines and masks, you’re rooting against America.

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SF Bay Area has been doing very well compared to much of US on COVID hospitalizations & deaths. Today, San Francisco & 6 other Bay Area counties reinstituting indoor mask mandates. Not that we love living with masks, but we do hate idea of folks dying without them. #WearAMask

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Time to make the theme song for Ron DeSantis’s Florida “Blowing in the Wind.” “How many deaths will it take ’til we know, that too many people have died?”

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ICU beds are filling up especially in red states. Of course, if Joe Biden HAD mandated vaccines and accordingly the US was still enjoying low COVID numbers instead of a surge, GOP would be blaming President for overreach & say we would have beaten the virus anyway.

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Shelley Moore Capito saying how she remembers going to White House to talk to the President on the infrastructure bill. “It’s not every day” that happens.

Yep, she remembers, as she says “everyone remembers talking to the President.”

Gym Jordan thinks we’re stupid enough to believe he forgot a conversation on Jan. 6.

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Tommy Tuberville actually accusing Democrats of not prosecuting burglaries and break-ins now. Uh, so shouldn’t GOP start setting an example by vigorously demanding prosecution for the burglaries and break-ins in US Capitol on January 6?

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Is it possible to be thrilled that Rachel Maddow is taking a well-deserved vacation, and still be really disappointed that she’s not on air?

Asking for a friend.

The two best teams in MLB just played an exciting weekend series at Oracle Park. And if you say “who?” you’ve probably been watching ESPN.

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You know you root for a team that gets no respect when ESPN finally gets around to having a headline about SF Giants game today.

“Kris Bryant joins ex-Chicago Cubs teammates Anthony Rizzo, Javier Baez in mashing debut homer.”

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Must admit I’m finding late night diving on CNBC strangely compelling. Maybe because it’s actual coverage showing all the competitors through multiple rounds without nonstop US focused back stories.

And seeing a lot of missed dives makes you appreciate the good ones.

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Chuck Schumer speaking on Senate floor this am about bipartisan infrastructure bill… and his phone started ringing.

Guess it happens to all of us.

While bipartisan infrastructure bill looks like it will get more than 60 votes, ie enough to pass & not be filibustered, some GOP Senators will definitely vote against it. Would those Senators like to provide a list of bridges in their states they are okay with falling down?

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Since Republicans in Florida are so sure doctors & scientists are wrong about COVID why are they going to the ICU when they get sick?

Instead of staying home and listening to Governor Ron DeSantis tell them how harmless the virus is?

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It’s not just that DeSantis is “dying to own the libs.”

It’s that he’s okay with average Floridians “dying to own the libs.”

Fox News FINALLY got around to mentioning Delta Variant in headline – “Obama plans ‘big’ 60th birthday party in Martha’s Vineyard as threats of delta variant continue.” Gosh, wonder why Fox isn’t covering regular gatherings held by The Former Guy at Bedminster?

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So tired of BS from anti-maskers like DeSantis saying they want “to see their kids smile.” We all want to see smiles. But many of us miss seeing tears, and giving hugs. We’ve lost family members & friends during pandemic & haven’t even been able to say goodbye. #WearADamnMask

Anyone watching the Olympics may or may not realize that while they see Russian athletes, they will never hear the Russian national anthem, even if a Russian wins. They are all, even former medal winners, competing for the ROC – Russian Olympic Committee.

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Don’t care much about medal counts, but seeing Russia disqualified over a state-sponsored doping network, while the “Russian Olympic Committee” is racking up medals..?

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Wouldn’t this be like disqualifying the Astros for cheating but allowing the Houston Baseball Committee to keep playing towards a World Series title?

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After an opening loss to France, Team USA men’s basketball has won back-to-back blowouts. Maybe just random. Or maybe the team has started listening to coach Popovich?

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Russia cannot officially compete in the Olympics because they were caught with a “state-sponsored doping network.” Meanwhile, it could be said Russia continues to compete in US politics – with their state-sponsored network that turned many Americans into dopes

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Wonder how many of those attacking Simone Biles for not competing would also be attacking her had she competed with “the twisties” & had a subpar (ie -no medal) performance?. Or if Simone suffered a serious injury – “she should have known she wasn’t in shape to compete.” #CantWin

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-New idea: Since $$$ seems to be a motivating factor for many and many people who got a COVID vaccine as soon as possible aren’t getting rewards like the hesitant – what about rewards for both for those getting the shot AND for whoever brings them in?

Vaccine bounty hunters!

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So while I try to check in on Conservative media sometimes i still haven’t seen the answer to this question: If the vaccines were so dangerous, why did wealthy people, including liberals, work so desperately, even cheating at times, to get their shots before the rest of us?

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Schumer-“Senators & staffs still working & hope to have final legislative text on infrastructure ready Sun.” Mark Warner-“On beautiful Sat. in July we all wish perhaps we were somewhere else other than floor of Senate.” Again, why doesn’t media cover Senators actually doing work?

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Some worry that Republicans will throw hissy fits if Biden issues vaccination mandates. Uh, they’re throwing hissy fits now. Might as well have them vaccinated while they rage.

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We know how bad COVID is raging among the unvaccinated because Fox News is headlining a supposed “raging border crisis.”

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Open note to vaccine deniers:. Saying “I was wrong” is really hard.

I’ll go first. After Howard Dean basically dropped out I figured John Edwards was best potential President left in 2004 Democratic primary

I was wrong.

(And Edwards’ ego & zipper problem didn’t kill anyone.)

Apparently Kris Bryant, is from Las Vegas and who has seemed like a potential long term fit for the SF Giants, cried in the Cubs dugout when he found he out was being traded.

Welcome to San Francisco, Mr. Bryant, where we know real men do cry.

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Aww… but wanna feel old? This is Barry Bonds with his GRANDSON?

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Thinking sentimentally about Dusty Baker returning to San Francisco and realizing most of SF Giants players were kids when he managed the team from 1993 to 2002.

If they were even born when Dusty started with the Giants.

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Washington Nationals & Chicago Cubs basically traded most of their stars away today. So will fans at Nationals Park tonight in DC at least get a discount on beer? Since presumably they paid to watch major league baseball?

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From my funny friend Marc Ragovin : “I’m not saying the Nationals are rebuilding, but Congress just voted a supplemental $100 million appropriation for them as part of the infrastructure bill.”

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At this point a lot of rumors about MLB trades turned out to be just rumors. But was pleased to see I am not the only SF Giants fan who really has become attached to Lamonte Wade, Jr.

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As we good closer to the 1pm PT/4p ET MLB trade deadline, baseball fans refreshing their Twitter feed like many of us were refreshing appointment schedules in desperate hopes of a COVID vaccine back in March.

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Maybe it’s just me but thinking this line isn’t getting enough attention in those notes from Velveeta Voldemort pressuring the DOJ to say the election was corrupt: “Leave the rest to me and the R congressmen.”

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Florida Senator Rick Scott regularly rails against inflation now & costs to Americans. ICYMI, Scott resigned in 1997 as CEO of Columbia/HCA, one of USA’s largest hospital networks, amid federal investigation, they ended up being fined $1.7 billion by the DOJ for defrauding Medicare.

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So great seeing Amy Klobuchar & Tina Smith honoring Minnesota native and Hmong-American Suni Lee on Senate Floor today.

Meanwhile seems like a lot of conservative white guys are disappointed an American, & daughter of a refugee at that, won Olympic gymnastics gold. Gets in way of narrative trashing Simone Biles.

Now that DOJ said the Treasury “must” give The Former Guy’s tax returns to Congress, wonder where all the Merrick Garland haters are today?

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Can’t believe some of these people who can’t fathom how guidance on masks might change. So if they were in New Orleans after Katrina would they tell rescuers, I’m not leaving, there wasn’t water in my street last night?

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More than 295,000 pounds of raw beef products from Greater Omaha Packing are being recalled for possible with E. coli. Well, instead of a recall, why don’t they just ship the meat to Texas and Florida? Their governors don’t believe in silly stuff like science.

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Gym Jordan claims he can’t remember if he spoke to the President on January 6. Which is about as likely as Jordan’s claim now he had no idea that Ohio State wrestlers were being sexually assaulted.

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Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has three young children: ‘My wife and I are not going to do the masks with the kids; we never have. I want to see my kids smiling. I want them having fun.”

Wonder how much fun parents of kids in ICU with COVID think their children are having?

Conservative media has been apoplectic about Simone Biles’ withdrawal for mental health reasons costing USA a gymnastic gold medal. So you think they’d be thrilled an American woman actually won the all-around gold! Oh wait, Suni Lee is the daughter of refugees. Never mind.

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Olympic Gold Medalist Sunisa Lee is Hmong-American daughter of Hmong refugees. Her dad was 7 when his brought him to US. from Laos. Her granddad was Hmong soldier who fought alongside U.S. military in Vietnam.

(Another story you won’t hear on Fox News.) Immigrants ARE America!

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Would Republicans have more respect for Simone Biles if instead of remaining in Tokyo to cheer on her teammates Simone had instead decamped for a few days at the Ritz Carlton Cancun?

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On top of everything else with this train wreck that is NBC’s Olympic coverage, even if you’re up late and able to watch events theoretically in real time, there’s often no obvious way of knowing what is live and what was recorded hours ago for the East Coast.

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COVID aside, must admit I didn’t know that Tokyo weather in the summer rivals the worst of the East Coast for summer heat and humidity. So why have Summer games in late July/early August instead of September? Or October as they did in 1964.

Not competing with football was a big rea$$$on. I am shocked.

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Nothing against Mike Tirico but in the limited time I’ve been watching Tokyo Olympics coverage on NBC feels like I’ve seen a lot more of him than I have of “the human drama of athletic competition.”

-For all the legitimate worry about athletes getting COVID in Tokyo, what about all these friends and family members of the athletes NBC keeps showing at unmasked viewing parties in FLORIDA?

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Unvaccinated Bills WR Cole Beasley claims “I’m not anti- or pro-vax — I’m pro-choice.” Wonder how it would work if he told a police officer who pulled him over, “I’m not anti or pro-speed limits, I’m pro choice.”

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There are places in all 50 states where you are at no further risk from COVID when you don’t wear a mask. Those places are called “coffins.”

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Mitch McConnell has actually aired an ad telling people to get vaccinated. Because he finally figured out an increasing number of Republicans dying from COVID could be more detrimental to GOP long-term prospects than making President Biden look bad?

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RIP Ron Popeil, 86 who pioneered the informercial for products like the Veg-O-Matic. Assume Ron’s funeral will have a short break in the middle, if only for someone eulogizing him to say “But wait there’s more!”

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If you were born before 1980 you almost certainly have memories of being in a car without a seat belt. And objectively a seat belt is actually much more uncomfortable than a mask. But you get used to both of them.

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I’m so old that I remember when everyone I knew was desperately trying everything they could including standby lines at 6a and refreshing our computers at midnight to get a COVID vaccine appointment.

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Wonder how many of these COVIDiots who believe it’s THEIR choice on vaccines & masks despite how much their actions affect others, are the same clowns who justify their choice to pee in public pools?

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Former Senator Mike Enzi, who died Mon, talked about 80-20 rule.

Said he & Ted Kennedy “agree on about 80% of issues that come before our committee. We disagree on 20%. We’ve agreed to focus on 80% where we agree. Other 20% we’d set aside & take it up another day…”

Senate needs more Enzis.

Also from Enzi”s 2020 farewell address: – “Ask yourself, has anyone really changed your opinion by getting in your face & yelling at you or saying how wrong you are. Usually that doesn’t change hearts & minds.” Not surprising, Enzi didn’t spend lots of time on Twitter.

So with the Olympics, most of the big name events that happen in the wee hours of the morning in US, aren’t shown until the night afterwards, well after almost everyone knows the outcome.

And if you want to find something, anything, live, it’s like a treasure hunt between NBC, CNBC, USA Network, etc…. not to mention streaming services if you do those.

Late night on West Coast managed to find, and become a fan of synchronized diving, which I didn’t realize existed.

But they wonder why ratings are down?

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More conservatives are attacking Simone Biles’ over her mental health issues in Tokyo than attacked Ryan Lochte over his vandalizing a gas station and fake assault story in Rio.

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U.S. women’s basketball team won their Olympic opener against Nigeria, their 50th straight win. Worth noting, that unlike men’s Team USA, , women’s have had no one need to withdraw over COVID. And the WNBA is 99% vaccinated. Women are smarter.

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Unvaccinated Bills WR Cole Beasley claims “I’m not anti- or pro-vax — I’m pro-choice.”

Wonder how it would work if he told a police officer who pulled him over, I’m not anti or pro-speed limits, I’m pro choice.

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Charlie Kirk calls Simone Biles a “shame to the country.” for dropping out of Olympics events. ICYMI, Kirk himself dropped out of community college. Charlie also applied to US Military Academy in West Point, & when he was turned down, for some reason chose not to enlist.

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Asked “is Kevin McCarthy a moron?” Nancy Pelosi responds that “Science, science, science, on almost any subject you can name science is the answer. And “to say that wearing a mask is not based on science, is not wise. And that’s all I’m going to say about that.”

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There’s a story going around on Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher not bathing their chiildren or themselves-that often – Kutcher said of their kids “If you can see the dirt on them, clean them. Otherwise, there’s no point.”

Will say that given a choice between neighbors who don’t bathe and neighbors who don’t vaccinate, I’ll take the side of a little dirt every time.

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Gym Jordan says Pelosi kicked him off Jan 6 committee because she feared him blaming her as the Speaker of the Hosue by “raising question, why wasn’t there more help?…”It was a terrible day & people who did wrong need to be held accountable.”

Uh, The former Guy & others said it was “loving crowd” & “tourists.”

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How much do we want the Former Guy to testify at the January 6 committee? And for that “You’re G*ddamn right I ordered the insurrection” moment?

Listening to Senate Republicans complain about the trillion dollar cost of Biden’s infrastructure program. I clearly missed them complaining about the trillion dollar cost of the Former Guy’s tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires.

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Open question to these clowns who can’t deal with the fact COVID recommendations and mandates change: If you go outside on a day when the forecast for sun, do you refuse to use an umbrella if it starts raining?

Per even Fox News, as of July 27, 21 states have high viral spread -Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, S. Carolina, N. Carolina, Tennessee & Kentucky, Missouri & Alaska.

Common link?

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Amy Klobuchar talking today about the need to recruit more Capitol Police. Gosh, watching how much Republicans, nearly half the Congress, are supporting the current Capitol police, can’t imagine why it’s hard to get new recruits. (Where is my sarcasm emoji?)

Before any Republican, including and especially Kevin McCarthy is quoted now on January 6 hearings, can the interview be played in conjunction to what they said ON January 6 – just after they were in fear for their lives?

As we approach the MLB trade deadline, how many kids are learning the time honored tradition of having sadly having “your” team say, “we’re waving the white flag”, and trading your favorite player?”

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Today’s kids will never know the thrill of cheap motel pools with diving boards. Though watching synchronized diving, and as a veteran of those times I can safely say I don’t think I could have even sychronized a cannonball with my sister.

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Another really cool Olympic story in spite of the IOC.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/tom-daley-gold-synchronized-diving-tokyo-olympics-husband-dustin-lance-black/

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And yes, the Olympics is too much about money & probably shouldn’t be happening. But it’s hard not to feel warm and fuzzy when you see Lilly King and Lydia Jacoby after the 100 M breaststroke tonight.

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Florida, with about 6% of US population, now accounts for over 25% of US COVID-19 cases. Governor Ron DeSantis hopes his disciples are as bad at math as they are at science.

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In the name of consistency, can the science-rejecting anti-vax GOP leaders also please tell their disciples to continue rejecting science and medicine by staying home when they get sick?

Fortunately former Senator Barbara Boxer was not seriously injured when shewas robbed of her cellphone today in Oakland.

Fox News headline “Former Dem senator assaulted and robbed in crime-ridden Golden State.”

Meanwhile the actually most dangerous states…..

(Yes, they are almos all red)

https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/sosmap/homicide_mortality/homicide.htm

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Delta variant & unvaccinated COVIDiots already causing cases to surge in US. Wonder if part of reason to extend international travel restrictions, even for vaccinated travelers, is to keep Republicans from blaming what will be almost certain worsening surge on foreign visitors?

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CNN reports one of the outstanding issues in infrastructure talks is “funding for highways and bridges.” So would GOP like to provide Democrats of a list of which bridges they are okay with falling down?

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Ron DeSantis is vaccinated. His rich buddies are vaccinated. All of them have access to top medical care. But to have the illusion of beating COVID AND saving the state’s economy, Deathsantis is happy to turn less privileged Floridians into COVID fodder.

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As we approach August, more than 6 months after President Biden’s inauguration & watch GOP drag out many confirmations of Biden’s appointees, your reminder: Mitch McConnell confirmed Amy Comey Barrett to a lifetime seat on the Supreme Court in 30days, 38 days after death of RBG.

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Same GOP lying that Democrats want to “defund the police” also want to strip their own House members from committees for trying to investigate a mob who attacked the police. You cannot make this “stuff” up.

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Mitch McConnell today blamed Joe Biden for vaccinations hitting a plateau, saying Former Guy had left USA on a good “trajectory.” So after spending months encouraging people not to be vaccinated GOP is going to blame our Democratic President. Ladies and gentlemen, this IS evil.

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For those who know someone unvaccinated and hesitant, maybe the best argument I can make: If the vaccines weren’t good, why did so many rich and privileged people do everything they could, including cheating, to get their COVID shots first?.

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Whatever happens at the trade deadline, looks quite likely the Dodgers might be the first team in MLB to hit $300 MILLION in payroll. Will LA start selling beer on the installment plan?

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Random MLB baseball temporary parity weirdness: Looking at NL standings and except for St. Louis Cardinals at 6-4, no other team in the league is better than 5-5 in their last 10 games. And only the Washington Nationals at 3-7 are worse than 4-6.

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Cool story. But the gold and silver medalists in women’s street skateboarding, both age 13, won’t be able to drive actual cars on the street for at least three years.

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The Texas Rangers, who have a 12 game losing streak, next have two games against the Arizona Diamondbacks, who have MLB’s word record at 31-70. Who says baseball doesn’t have bowl games? As in Toilet Bowl.

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Caitlyn Jenner is campaigning for Governor of California during a two week hotel quarantine before her appearance on Big Brother VIP in Australia. Meanwhile, GOP get apoplectic when President Biden goes home to Delaware for a weekend.

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Arkansas Gov. Hutchinson signed bill banning mask mandates Apr. 29. Today “At that point we had very low case rates in state & people knew exactly what to do. They were capable of making their decisions.”

Uh, as Arkansas cases surge w/ 22% positivity rate, clearly they WEREN’T.

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In US, even big Olympics fans are frustrated with the major television tape-delays. Now, to be fair, the Tokyo time change makes things difficult. But I remember being in California in 2010…. where the Olympics were tape delayed from Vancouver!

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Think we need to keep reminding people: The so-called “pro-life” party is willing to sacrifice countless Americans with anti-vaccine anti-mask rhetoric, just to make President Biden look bad. #CovidFodder