DBD 7.8.11 Summer Appreciation DBD

Despite the fact that I had brought all the stories over to my DBD, I hid mine, Rishi. However, I’m tired, so I don’t particularly feel like redoing all that work. If somebody else could do it, I would be appreciative.

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When the original plans for California Memorial Stadium were proposed in 1921, controversy erupted over the location. Opponents to the new stadium objected mainly to its location in Strawberry Canyon. At the turn of the last century, the canyon was home to Strawberry Creek, some native grasses and landscaping that had been planted by UC Berkeley researchers.

As we all know, the stadium did get built in the canyon in a location that has been recognized as one of the top college venues in the country by Sports Illustrated and ESPN. Part of Strawberry Creek was moved into culverts and new oak trees were planted around the new football facility.

Fast-forward to 2008 and once again, there was controversy about a proposal for construction of campus athletics facilities.

India 50/2 (22.2 overs)

Dravid and Vijay were the two wickets :(

Trail by 153

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Posting a 2-1 record in group play, former California women’s soccer letterwinner Alex Morgan and the rest of the U.S. senior national now turn their attention to Brazil in the quarterfinals of the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The Americans take on the Brazilians at 8:30 a.m. PT with ESPN’s coverage starting at 8 a.m.

In the most recent game – a 2-1 loss to Sweden in group play on July 6 – Morgan came on the pitch at halftime. Morgan earned the Americans a corner kick off of which Abby Wambach scored with Lauren Cheney assisting.

“It is an outstanding achievement to play in the World Cup and even more thrilling to move into the knock-out stages,” California head coach Neil McGuire said. “I am sure Alex will relish every moment.”

The last time the Americans and Brazilians faced off, it was on Aug. 21 in overtime with the U.S. emerging as gold medalists at the Beijing Olympics with a 1-0 win.

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Former California women’s water polo student-athletes Julie Oreglia and Stephanie Schnugg will join 11 other elite women’s water polo players for the World University games, USA Water Polo announced recently. The American contingent will head to Shenzhen, China for the tournament, held Aug. 11-23.

“Making this team is a real honor because I have a chance to represent my country while playing the sport that I love at an extremely competitive level,” Oreglia said. “It is also really exciting to travel all the way to China and play in world-class venues. We have a great group of girls all from universities across the U.S., and this is a unique opportunity for us to all play together.”

The U.S. opens its schedule against Australia on Aug. 12, and will play France, Mexico and Russia in the first round.

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But the more important story is that a Rangers fan died trying to retrieve a foul ball during the game

Thoughts and prayers with the family.

So F that

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The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis has thrown out a judge’s order lifting the NFL lockout, handing the league a victory in a labor stoppage that has reached its 115th day.

The appellate court issued its decision Friday, even as the league and its locked-out players continue negotiations in New York intended to strike a new collective bargaining agreement and start the 2011 season on time. The first preseason game is scheduled for Aug. 7, less than a month away.

The appellate court ruled on an April 25 decision by U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson, who put the lockout on hold after players argued they were suffering irreparable harm. The appeals court put that order on hold and its final decision said Nelson ignored federal law in reaching her decision.

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TODAY the shuttle Atlantis will launch from Cape Canaveral, in Florida, for its final mission and the final mission of NASA’s space shuttle programme ending. (The Washington Post has streaming video here.) This final flight is hardly a victory lap. Atlantis has lots of chores. The main purpose of the mission is to resupply the International Space Station; the station needs lots of supplies, what with the shuttle programme ending. Atlantis will also demonstrate a robotic refueling system and retrieve a broken ammonia pump, which has been strapped to a cargo bay in the space station since faltering some time ago.

America’s first shuttle launch, in 1981, wasn’t such a watershed as the 1969 moon landing, arguably the pinnacle of human achievement. But the shuttle was nonetheless a major accomplishment. It forecast the possibility that space travel could be predictable, even routine. That hasn’t come to pass yet, of course. Two of NASA’s five shuttles met a tragic end; in 1986 the Challenger exploded shortly after takeoff, and in 2003 the Columbia disintegrated as it returned to earth. In Houston a grove of oak trees stands as a memorial for the fourteen astronauts who were killed. But space exploration is ongoing, and alternatives to the shuttles have indeed emerged or at least been planned. Russia’s smaller Soyuz capsule, for example, is a cheaper way to send people up. Commercial interests are planning their own space shipping and transport services. The end has been looming since 2004, when George Bush announced plans to end the space-shuttle programme. (He also wanted to return astronauts to the moon, and to send them to Mars by 2030, but funding was not forthcoming.) In 2009, Barack Obama declined to issue a reprieve for the shuttle.

There was discussion of this yesterday, but they arrested the head of that british newspaper:

Former News of the World editor Andy Coulson has been arrested by police investigating phone hacking and corruption allegations.

And ex-NoW royal editor Clive Goodman, jailed in 2007 for phone hacking, has been arrested over corruption claims.

It came as Prime Minister David Cameron defended his decision to employ Mr Coulson and announced two inquiries – one led by a judge – into the scandal.

Mr Coulson has denied any knowledge of phone hacking while he was NoW editor.

Meanwhile, BBC business editor Robert Peston said he had learned media regulator Ofcom was concerned about the proposed takeover of British Sky Broadcasting by the paper’s ultimate owner – Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation.

He’s trying to start a youth foundation with Josh Johnson.

Johnson, an Oakland native, was at a waterfront restaurant in San Francisco on Thursday to promote the foundation he’s formed with his cousin, Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch, who was also in attendance. The Fam 1st Family Foundation hopes to create a non-profit youth center in Oakland by 2013. The center will promote academics and athletics and target children, teenagers and young adults.

The Daily Cal debates.

The NFL is America’s Goliath. The league packs stadiums unlike anyone else in the country, and its viewing figures dwarf the competition. What other single game makes commercials an event of their own? If money talks, it’s been shouting football for years.

And that’s why the NBA lockout is so much worse.

And for bringing over all those links.

I love summer evenings in the backyard with my family. We have a padded bench swing that we can all squeeze onto and enjoy watching the sun set while the stars and moon come out.

PTB and Little K like playing with their water table and will take turns using cups to water their strawberry tree (not dead!), tomato plant (probably not dead!), basil (um…might be dying), and guava tree. (oh sh!t…I think it’s dead)

PTB reminds me of how excited Little K used to get just seeing birds flying around. Her excited word is “moo!” and she has to run over and show us whenever she sees the moon.

Lately, I’ve been trying to practice hitting golf balls on a mat…but I rarely get in more than swing or two before the girls come over and want to take turns. But, that’s cute in and of itself.