Liberal Rhetoric Manufacturer

Yesterday, UC Berkeley posted a news article on its Berkeley News icon-external-link-12x12 website titled Berkeley Law dean: I signed letter against Kavanaugh ‘without hesitation’ icon-external-link-12x12. This occurred around the same time that the FBI reported that it had failed to substantiate claims of sexual assault/misconduct made against Judge Brett Kavanaugh, claims which were an attempt to interfere with and possibly derail his appointment to a lifetime seat on the supreme court.

Berkeley News graphic of article "Berkeley Law dean: I signed letter against Kavanaugh 'without hesitation'". [Formatted]

It’s hard to see how this is news. In fact, the only thing that’s even remotely remarkable about it is that somebody felt like this was news. A UC Berkeley law dean publicly stating her opposition to a republican supreme court appointee is like a stoner proclaiming to the world his profound affinity for Krispy Kreme donuts icon-external-link-12x12 icon-search-12x12—it’s just a declaration of the obvious and is silly and unnecessary.

It would be like if I posted a press release on ChadSpace with any of the following headlines:

  • Blogger Chad Philip Johnson finally updates site after almost two full months of preoccupation
  • Engineer at Anacronist Software espouses Linux and Open Source technologies
  • General Manager of Redding Ringtails announces team will play baseball and have fun next season
  • Progressive music aficionado Chad Philip Johnson buys new album “The Wake” by heavy metal band Voivod, hurts neck

You know what would be news? If a UC Berkeley law dean publicly stated her support for a republican supreme court judge nominee (and to be fair, let’s say it’s one with a less questionable history of hard drinking and reckless partying). It is impossible that this would ever happen though. Or if it somehow did happen, this make-believe person would certainly not be working at the university for much longer.

First Rays of the New Rising Sun

Game picture of the Redding Ringtails vs. the Redding Colt 45s. [Formatted]

In baseball, there exists an intangible called flow. It is imperceivable to many, but is the most important element of the game.

When flow is present, baseball’s majesty is revealed. Some people might say that this is when a team becomes greater than the collection of its individual players, and a game becomes greater than the two teams competing in it. (The whole becomes greater than the sum of its parts.)

When flow is with you, the experience is better than anything—win or lose. It represents the prospect of becoming an unstoppable force and creates within a person the most powerful drive to perform.

When flow is with your opponent more than it is with you, defeat is inevitable but you improve and still savor the fight.

Baseball without flow—or without the potential for it—is a broken down machine that can be very difficult or even impossible to fix. Yet some people still continue to play with the hope that it may come to exist again.

This is why baseball is life.

Repetitive Redundancies

On Facebook, it is possible to have a dedicated page for a baseball team. It is also possible to have a private group for the players of said team. These exist as two separate entities until the dedicated page is made to be an administrator of the private group—at this point they become linked together.

Confusing? Yes. Apparently it is confusing to Facebook as well. When the page and the group share the same name, goofy things like this start to happen:

"Redding Ringtails Baseball Club made Redding Ringtails Baseball Club an admin of the group Redding Ringtails Baseball Club," brought to you by Redding Ringtails Baseball Club.

To translate, this is Facebook sending out an announcement to all members of the group Redding Ringtails Baseball Club that Redding Ringtails Baseball Club the group made Redding Ringtails Baseball Club the site an administrator of Redding Ringtails Baseball Club the group.

If one our players hadn’t “liked” the posting then I never would have noticed that Facebook was capable of such silliness. (Having a keen sense of humor is an unspoken requirement in becoming an official member of this team.)

Baseball Banter with Bitmojis

Life is so much better with baseball-love in it, especially when it creates moments like these (my responses are on the right):

Bryan says, "Don't forget helmets! And a bag of balls to warm up with." Chad responds, "Put 'em in the trunk last night, honey," with a kissy face emoji. Bryan sends a bitmoji graphic showing him almost dropping his smartphone.

And as much as I lament admitting it, life is sometimes better with bitmojis icon-external-link-12x12 icon-search-12x12 too.