Notebook: Kansas Ready to Maul Oklahoma

The Rock Chalkboard

KU offense sees mirror image in OU defense - KU Sports
“The best way I would say it is that they’re defensively a version of us offensively,” Kotelnicki said Wednesday. “So you have two really multiple groups going against each other, which will be fun.”

Jackson’s continued development could dictate KU’s long-term prospects - KU Sports
“If you’re going to have a crystal ball and say, ‘Who needs to play well to give us the best chance to max out?’, I’d say Elmarko would be at the top of that list,” Self said. “Just because I think he can add an element that this team will desperately need moving forward.”

KU women’s basketball ready to put in work to compete at a higher level in the Big 12 - KU Sports
Last season was a year full of highs for head coach Brandon Schneider and the Jayhawks. Two of their starters, Zakiyah Franklin and Taiyanna Jackson, were selected for the All-Big 12 Conference team, while a third, Holly Kersgieter, earned an honorable mention, as they helped lead a championship run in the Women’s National Invitation Tournament.

Eraser Dust

Dems Turn Mike Johnson’s First Viral Moment Into Anti-GOP Ad
So when ABC reporter Rachel Scott asked Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA)—the speaker nominee who has now been elevated to the speakership—about his leading efforts to overturn the 2020 election, Republicans were having none of it.

They drowned out the reporter with boos. Johnson said “next question.” And Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) told the reporter to “shut up!”

Victor Wembanyama finishes with 15 points in debut as Spurs lose - ESPN
"Lots of emotions for sure," Wembanyama said after the game, "but it would have been perfect with a win."

Trump rages as former acolytes turn against him under legal heat | CNN Politics
The ex-president absorbed a trio of blows Tuesday that worsened his legal peril and underscored how the 2024 election – in which he is the front-runner for the GOP nomination – will play out in the courts rather than traditional voting battlegrounds.

Star Wars Already Confirmed the Dark Reason So Many Sith Wear Masks
This method of forced dehumanization is pretty on-brand with what Star Wars fans can expect from the Sith, and while it is horrific - especially considering this was done to innocent children - it did yield the desired results. Even Darth Wredd, who hated spending most of his life trapped in a mask, spoke to its effectiveness in making children accept the dark side. If one doesn’t even see themselves as human, they certainly won’t value any other form of life in the galaxy, especially when any level of empathy is quite literally beaten out of them by their masters every day of their lives. This also explains why this trend persists, as Darth Wredd was forced to wear a mask as a member of the One Sith (which exists in the future of Star Wars Legends), and characters like Darth Revan (an ancient Sith who existed long before even the prequel era) also were forced to wear one.

First major snowstorm of the year hits Montana - with residents clearing up to a foot off sidewalks and schools canceling bus routes | Daily Mail Online
An early season winter blast brought a foot of snow to Montana Wednesday, canceling school buses and sending residents for their shovels.

This teacher shortage solution has gone viral. But does it work? : NPR
Across the U.S., many principals face a similar challenge. There are an estimated 55,000 vacant teaching positions in U.S. schools, according to the tracker teachershortages.com. One possible solution has gone viral: Grow Your Own programs. According to researchers, as of the spring of 2022, an estimated 900 U.S. school districts were using these programs to try to ease their teacher shortages.

Man charged for confronting homeless people with gun on Kalispell's Parkline Trail | Daily Inter Lake
Officers responded to the area where the multi-use trail runs above Woodland Park about 7:03 p.m. for a report of a man pointing a gun at people, court documents said. While searching the area, they came across a woman who told them she had earlier made a complaint about homeless people camped out along the trail, according to court documents.

Jennifer Lawrence shares Hot Ones interview's extremely grim aftermath
“I passionately threw up after. Violently,” Lawrence told Cohen.

Here's Why Victor Wembanyama Will Be the Best Basketball Player Ever | Complex
When you take a look at some of the greatest No. 1 overall picks in NBA history, the list paints a picture of generational icons of the sport of basketball. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Hakeem Olajuwon, Shaquille O’Neal, Tim Duncan and LeBron James are undeniably six of the 10 greatest players to ever play the game. They all have resumes and accolades that put most players to shame and breathtaking moments on the court to last us fans a lifetime.

U.S. states where Americans leave the best—and worst—tips
California residents tended to leave the largest gratuity, with an average tip percentage of 22.69%. Missouri followed closely behind, with residents adding a gratuity of 22.05% to their bill. Overall, average tip percentage in the U.S. comes out to 17.94%.