Jeremy T. Ringfield's Blog, page 207
February 20, 2025
Best Seagate external hard drives
We have all heard hundreds of times how important it is to back up our data, yet the majority of us don’t do it often enough. If you have a Seagate external drive available for your computer or gaming console, the backup process is fast and easy, and you can leave your external drive plugged in for a storage boost.
Seagate external drives are available in a range of sizes to meet different needs. In addition, they are available as HDDs or SSDs, which vary significantly in their speed and cost.
To learn more about Seagate external drives, continue reading our buying guide. Our favorite model is the Seagate Expansion Desktop External Hard Drive, which delivers the best mix of value and performance levels.
HDD vs. SSDWhen picking a Seagate external drive, you can choose between two popular storage technologies: HDD and SSD.
HDDHDD technology, short for hard disk drive, appears in most Seagate external drives. It uses spinning platters and a read/write head to save and retrieve your data.
HDD technology has been around for several decades. It’s a reliable technology, but if you drop the external drive, the read/write head could break, leaving your data inaccessible.
People tend to choose an HDD when they want huge external storage drives from Seagate at a reasonable price per TB of storage.
SSDSSD technology, short for solid-state drive, is a newer storage technology. It does not use moving parts to store bits of data, so if you drop an SSD, it has a better chance of remaining viable than an HDD storage unit.
SSD is quite a bit more expensive per terabyte than HDD in storage drives from any manufacturer, including Seagate.
Seagate sells SSD external storage drives at smaller capacities than its HDD external drives, so it may not work well for those with hundreds of huge files to store, like videos and photos. However, SSDs have faster read/write speeds than HDDs, making them popular for tasks like video editing or gaming.
Seagate external hard drive featuresWhen comparing Seagate hard drives, you’ll want to focus on a few specific features.
SizeThose who store quite a few video files or photos will need a large-capacity Seagate external drive. You may want a drive of 2TB or larger to handle big files. Some customers may want a drive of 1TB or smaller to save some money. A terabyte is equal to roughly 1,000 gigabytes.
Power sourceSome Seagate external drives run from the USB cable already plugged into the computer. Others require a separate power cable, which is less convenient, particularly if you have limited available ports.
USB connectionUSB 3.0 and USB 3.1 (USB-C) deliver faster transfer speeds than USB 2.0. You may want a Seagate external drive that supports USB 3.0 or 3.1, especially if you plan to transfer large photo or video files.
PortabilitySome external Seagate drives have a more portable design than others. These drives can be thick and bulky, which makes it tough to slip them into a backpack or briefcase. Others are thin and lightweight, which is ideal for using an external drive with a laptop or other portable device.
Seagate external hard drive priceWhen considering the price of Seagate external storage drives, compare the cost per TB of storage. HDDs will cost about $25-$35 per TB of storage. SSDs may cost up to $100-$200 per TB of storage.
Seagate external hard drive FAQCan I daisy-chain multiple Seagate external drives to each other for extra storage space?A. No. These drives are not made to connect to each other. They’re only made to connect to a computer — one per USB port.
Do Seagate external hard drives fail faster than internal hard drives?A. No, unless unexpected factors occur, such as if you drop the drive. These external drives should last a few years, even with regular use.
Best Seagate external hard drivesTop Seagate external hard drive 
Seagate Expansion Desktop External Hard Drive
What you need to know: This is a good value for a hard drive that delivers plenty of storage space for most users.
What you’ll love: It’s compatible with USB 3.0 ports and works with either Windows or Mac computers.
What you should consider: It needs a separate power cord to operate rather than pulling power through the USB cable.
Top Seagate external hard drive for the money 
Seagate Backup Plus Portable External Hard Drive
What you need to know: You won’t find a better price on a high-capacity Seagate external drive.
What you’ll love: It ships with integrated software to simplify making backups.
What you should consider: It has odd performance quirks with some Macintosh computers.
Worth checking out 
Seagate Backup Plus Desktop External Hard Drive
What you need to know: This hard drive is designed to handle huge media files with fast transfer speeds over USB 3.0.
What you’ll love: It has a desirable amount of storage for the price you’ll pay. It’s made for those with large storage requirements.
What you should consider: The bulky design makes carrying this drive in a bag or briefcase difficult.
Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.
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Best steak knife sets
Nothing ruins the chargrilled perfection of a beautifully seared steak faster than a dull knife. The blade grabs and shreds rather than slices, changing the texture of the steak and drying it out with a series of ragged cuts. Dull knives can also be dangerous, forcing you to apply more pressure to cut. The best steak knife set is beautiful, functional and seriously sharp.
If you are looking for a well-crafted, durable set of knives, the Wusthof Gourmet Steak Knife Set is a great choice.
What to know before you buy a steak knife setNumber of knivesA good steak knife set is a must if you regularly serve grilled meats. You’ll need to get enough knives for everyone when family and friends sit down to eat. Most steak knife sets come in six, but it’s possible to find sets of eight or more.
Blade and handle materialMost steak knives are made from either stainless steel or high-carbon steel (although ceramic is gaining in popularity). Stainless steel is durable and resists rust, but it can also be flimsy if it’s not of good quality. High-carbon steel is popular for its longevity and ability to keep a sharp edge but can cost more.
Handles are available in wood, plastic resin materials or metal. Wood is classic, but more modern designs can be found in plastic and metal.
Type of bladeThere are three basic types of blades: serrated, straight and hollow.
Serrated: These blades stay sharper longer as there are more cutting surfaces along the entire edge. The sawing action of these is best for roasts and crusty bread. Serrated knives stay sharp longer but can be sharpened when needed.Straight: Straight blades are best for a seamless cut. They do not tear the meat but produce a clean cut. The blade is easily sharpened.Hollow: The finest slices are created by a hollow steak knife blade. There are slight indentations along the side of the blade that prevent slices of food from clinging to the knife. These can also be sharpened easily.What to look for in a quality steak knife setKnife blockAn included knife block makes for easier storage. Knife blocks also protect your knives from damage they might incur when banging around in a silverware drawer.
Full-tang knivesThe tang of a knife is the part that extends into the handle. A full-tang knife reaches to the end of the handle and also spans its width. This type of steak knife feels weightier and is more durable than a knife with a tang that narrows to insert into the handle.
Easy to sharpenEvery knife will dull with use. The best steak knife set will be easy to sharpen and hold its edge longer.
Triple-riveted handlesTriple-riveted handles with no visible gaps or evidence of joinery are going to be stronger and more durable. Generally, these also feel better in the hand, as the whole construction feels more substantial.
Comfortable and balancedA good knife feels comfortable and balanced in the hand. That means that the handle fits nicely whether you use it in your right or left hand, and the blade feels substantial in relation to the knife. The handle and blade should feel about the same weight.
How much you can expect to spend on a steak knife setSteak knives can be a good investment if you regularly indulge in delicious cuts of steak, chicken and other meats. Expect to spend $50-$200 on a set of six or more.
Steak knife set FAQHow do you care for steak knives?A. Your steak knives should not be washed in the dishwasher. The high heat of the drying cycle causes the handles to warp, and other silverware can ding the blade.
Instead, hand-wash each knife in mild detergent and warm water. Dry them completely before storing.
How do you sharpen steak knives?A. All steak knives, even serrated ones, need to be sharpened eventually. There are a few different methods — which one works best depends on the type of blade and blade material you’re dealing with.
Straight or hollow steel blades can be honed after each use with a honing steel. This straightens the blade but does not remove any material. To sharpen this type of blade, use a damp whetstone and run the blade across it from handle to tip at a 15-degree angle. Do this multiple times on each side, testing the blade for sharpness after a dozen or so strokes.
Serrated steak knives can be sharpened with a ceramic sharpening rod or a triangle sharpener. Each of these is designed to get into each toothed area.
Of course, the easiest way to sharpen your steak knives is to send them out to a professional. Many grocery and hardware stores provide this service.
What’s the best steak knife set to buy?Top steak knife set 
Wusthof Gourmet Steak Knife Set
What you need to know: Professional chefs rely on this brand, and their steak knives are of similar professional quality.
What you’ll love: They are well-balanced in the hand and easy to use. The high-carbon stainless steel blades are strong and hold an edge and the handles are triple-riveted and resist warping or discoloration.
What you should consider: It’s an expensive set if you only need steak knives occasionally.
Top steak knife set for the money 
Dalstrong Steak Knife Set with Modular Storage Block
What you need to know: These knives are sharp, durable and come with a beautiful storage block.
What you’ll love: German steel makes these knives strong and sharp. The handles are hefty and balanced. Triple rivets keep handles secured to the tang of each knife. The storage block can be stored both vertically and horizontally in a drawer.
What you should consider: If you have limited space, the storage block is not a good option.
Worth checking out 
What you need to know: This is a solid set of knives at a reasonable price.
What you’ll love: The high-carbon stainless steel blade resists rust and corrosion. It has a one-piece full-tang blade secured by two rivets in the handle. The handle itself is made of wood and feels good in the hand, and this set comes in a gift box.
What you should consider: Some users found them too light.
Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.
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Originally from Valencia, a rice-growing region in Spain, paella is a slow-cooked dish of meat, seafood and vegetables that are all simmered with saffron. This deeply flavored culinary masterpiece uses a pan that is wide and fairly shallow. This exposes as much of the rice as possible to the bottom, allowing it to form the crispy crust — the socarrat — that paella is famous for.
The Matfer Bourgeat Black Steel Paella Pan is the pan professionals choose when cooking at home. It’s durable, well-made and nonstick with proper seasoning and care.
What to know before you buy a paella panMaterialThis dish’s high cooking temperature and long duration of cooking require that a paella pan be durable and able to heat evenly.
There are several materials to choose from.
Carbon steel: Carbon steel is the traditional material for paella pans designed to last for generations. They heat evenly and hold that heat for a long time, but they need special care to prevent rust and remain nonstick.Cast iron: Cast iron is great for use over an open flame, but it is very heavy. It also requires specific seasoning and care. You can get enameled cast iron, which is easier to care for.Nonstick steel: These pans are not traditional, but they do provide a nonstick surface. Make sure you select a pan that is PFOA-free.Stainless steel: These pans work well and look great, but they don’t release food as easily and can be expensive.CapacityPaella pans are traditionally large, up to 32 inches in diameter, but they can be as small as 8 inches. Regardless of the size, the pan should have straight sides that are no more than 3 inches deep. This shallow surface helps achieve the perfect texture of rice, meat, seafood and vegetables.
Nonstick vs. raw materialsWhile nonstick pans make food release more easily, some cooks prefer to limit the number of potential chemicals leaching into their food. Look for raw materials, such as steel or cast iron.
What to look for in a quality paella panStay-cool handlesIt is hard to find stay-cool handles on a paella pan. These are usually coated with something that minimizes heat transfer from the pan. If you don’t want to fuss with pot holders, this is a useful feature. However, keep in mind that even stay-cool handles can get warm, and proceed with caution.
DimplesThe dimples on the bottom of a paella pan look like the dimples on a golf ball. These shallow indentations promote even heating.
LidLids are optional because they are not traditionally used to prepare paella. However, if you plan to use your pan for other dishes where a lid would come in handy, this is a nice addition to have.
Free from harmful chemicalsMany people avoid nonstick cookware due to the potential for chemicals to leach into food. The newest generation of these slippery pans uses coatings that are PFOA-free and nontoxic, with no chance of food contamination.
How much you can expect to spend on a paella panWhen it comes to these pans, the lower the price, the lower your expectations should be. Expect to spend $25-$250.
Paella pan FAQWhat else can you prepare in a paella pan?A. If you don’t have the space — or patience — for a unitasking kitchen tool, don’t worry. Use your paella pan to prepare:
Stir-fries.Shallow-fried chicken.Egg dishes.Gratin.Pancakes.Sautéed vegetables.Jambalaya.Curries.Pork chops.Steaks.One-skillet meals (on the stovetop or in the oven).Can paella pans be used on induction burners or backyard grills?A. Some paella pans are safe for use on all surfaces, including induction burners and backyard grills. If you want a versatile pan that can be used on every cooking surface, cast iron is your best bet. It is heavy, but its durable construction and ability to be nonstick with proper care make it a good choice.
Do paella pans require special care?A. Some paella pans do require special care to retain or develop a nonstick surface. Make sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for care that are included with your pan.
What’s the best paella pan to buy?Top paella pan 
Matfer Bourgeat Black Steel Paella Pan
What you need to know: Once this pan is seasoned, it releases every morsel easily.
What you’ll love: The deep sides of this pan accommodate large batches of paella. It weighs 7.6 pounds and feels substantial. The handles are oven-safe at high temperatures. This pan works on all surfaces, including induction burners.
What you should consider: It is the most expensive option, so if you don’t make paella often, you might want to choose a different pan.
Top paella pan for the money 
What you need to know: This slightly smaller pan is good for people with less storage space who still want a well-constructed pan.
What you’ll love: It’s a 15-inch nonstick pan that uses Hydrolon, a water-based, nontoxic coating, on durable carbon steel. Dimples on the bottom distribute heat evenly. The handles are chrome-plated to stay cool, and the pan is dishwasher-safe. The packaging is made from 70% recycled material.
What you should consider: It feels less substantial than more expensive models.
Worth checking out 
Garcima Carbon Steel Paella Pan
What you need to know: It’s a pan that makes paella for a group of six to 10 people.
What you’ll love: The carbon steel distributes heat evenly through dimples hammered into the bottom of the pan. It heats quickly and is great for cooking eggs too. It comes with recipes and is made in Spain.
What you should consider: Because it is raw steel, it requires additional care.
Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.
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CCS basketball playoffs
Central Coast Section basketball playoffs
Playoff schedule for teams in the Pacific Coast Athletic League
Boys
Friday’s games
North Salinas (12-12) at No. 10 Watsonville (17-7), 7 p.m.
Hollister (13-9) at No. 11 Independence (17-6), 5 p.m.
Saturday’s game
Piedmont Hills-Evergreen Valley winner at No. 8 Alisal (18-6), 7:30 p.m.
Division II
Friday’s game
Leland (13-11) at No. 10 Rancho San Juan (13-10), 7 p.m.
Division III
Friday’s games
Live Oak (11-13) at No. 10 Soledad (14-10), 7 p.m.
Greenfield (13-11) at No. 9 North County (17-7), 7:30 p.m.
Bye: No. 3 Monterey (19-5).
Division IV
Friday’s games
Marina (10-14) at No. 12 Harker (13-11), 7 p.m.
Stevenson (11-13) at No. 9 Scotts Valley (12-14), 7 p.m.
Saturday’s game
Gunderson-Capuchino winner at No. 6 Pacific Grove (12-12), 7:30 p.m.
Byes: No. 2 Carmel (18-5), No. 4 Oakwood (14-10), No. 5 St. Francis (21-3).
Division V
Friday’s game
York (13-6) at No. 11 KIPP, San Jose (15-9) at Independence, 5 p.m.
Bye: No. 9 Palma (19-6).
Girls
Saturday’s games
Division I
Milpitas-Carlmont winner at No. 7 Alisal (15-9), 6 p.m.
Santa Teresa-Homestead winner at No. 5 Watsonville (19-5), 7 p.m.
Leigh-Mountain View winner at No. 6 Hollister (14-9), 7 p.m.
Bye: No. 4 Salinas (17-7).
Division III
Friday’s games
King City (11-13) at No. 12 North County (18-6), 6 p.m.
Greenfield (7-14) at No. 9 Live Oak (18-7), 7 p.m.
Saturday’s game
King City-North County winner at No. 5 Soledad (14-10) 7 p.m.
Division IV
Friday’s game
Marina (18-2) at No. 9 Stevenson (19-5), 7 p.m.
Saturday’s game
Marina-Stevenson winner at No. 8 Pacific Grove (19-5), 6 p.m.
Division V
Saturday’s game
Luis Valdez-Pescadero winner at No. 5 Palma (19-3), 7 p.m.
Bye: No. 3 St Francis (21-2).
Why Steve Kerr likes Draymond Green’s championship prediction
SAN FRANCISCO — Steve Kerr isn’t worried about Draymond Green giving the rest of the league even more bulletin-board material on the Warriors than they already have.
Green, the bombastic Warriors star, made headlines over the All-Star break by declaring that the Warriors are going to win the championship.
Nevermind that they’re 28-27 and in 10th place in the Western Conference, his head coach is all for the confidence.
“I learned a long time ago with Draymond is he’s at his best when he’s motivated, and when he’s in the fight,” Kerr said after the Warriors’ optional practice on Wednesday night. “He thrives on competition and on having a shot, having a chance. Then laying it all out there on the line. So I love that he said that. That’s the goal.”
Although the Jimmy Butler trade has certainly invigorated the Warriors, a championship run would be shocking. Basketball Reference’s model gives the Warriors a 6.2% chance at avoiding the play-in round. Even if they reach their stated goal of the sixth seed, history would be against them; of the 47 title teams since the merger, there has been just one team (the sixth-seeded 1995 Rockets) to enter the playoffs below third place.
Still, Kerr doesn’t mind the bold prediction.
“I believe that we can win the championship,” Kerr said. “I just feel like Draymond putting it out there sets a good tone for our guys. I can also hold him accountable to that. If we’re going to do that, we’ve got to be locked in. We’ve got to be together. We’ve got to be able to play through every bit of adversity. So I love that he laid it out there, and now it’s my job to help him go do that.”
A shocking Warriors run would likely have to include huge contributions from Jonathan Kuminga, who has been sidelined with a Grade 3 right ankle sprain since Jan. 4. Kuminga practiced with the team for the first time since the injury on Wednesday night, marking a major step in his recovery. He’s still not cleared for live contact, so won’t be available when the Warriors come out of the All-Star break on Friday night in Sacramento.
Even though his return won’t be immediate, Kuminga’s on the verge of a return. He’ll be evaluated on a day-to-day basis. His ability to play alongside Butler projects to be among the most crucial storylines of the last two months of the season.
“The obvious question is the spacing,” Kerr said. “We’re really looking at them as a three and four. So, can we space the floor well enough with the two of them on the court together? We should be able to defend at a high level, it’ll be great to have that kind of size and athleticism on the wings. There’s a lot to like. We just have to sort through the offensive execution. Can we put a group around them that makes sense, that we can kind of rely on a two-way, offense and defense dynamic?”
Related ArticlesGolden State Warriors | Warriors sign Kevin Knox, Yuri Collins to 10-day contracts Golden State Warriors | After years of celebrating titles, Bay Area sports fans face new reality Golden State Warriors | Is Jimmy Butler enough for Warriors to fulfill Draymond Green’s championship prediction? Golden State Warriors | Warriors announce plans to celebrate 10-year anniversary of 2014-15 championship Golden State Warriors | With All-Star Game in rearview mirror, NBA stretch run beckons with playoffs on horizon Knox, Collins have something to prove on 10-daysBoth Kevin Knox II and Yuri Collins inked 10-day contracts on Wednesday, bringing the Warriors roster to 14.
Knox, the ninth overall pick in 2018, averaged 25.3 points per game, said he’s been waiting all year to join Golden State.
“For myself, in order to get to that next level, I had to put my ego aside,” Knox said. “Do Summer League, to training camp, go down to the G League and just dominate. Play my game and show people that I belong up top. That was kind of my mindset going into the G League, just go down there and dominate, be a leader.”
Pat Spencer, Gui Santos, Quinten Post and even Kevon Looney are some players who have played for the Santa Cruz Warriors and contributed at the NBA level in recent years. That track record is one of the reasons that attracted Knox to the Warriors’ affiliate.
Collins, meanwhile, is an undrafted, pass-first point guard. He’s spent the past two seasons with the Sea Dubs, learning the system, adjusting to the speed of the game and grinding from there.
“He’s an excellent player, incredible young guy,” Kerr said of Collins. “Any time you get to see a player like him work his way through the ranks and get to the NBA, it’s an incredible feeling. So I’m thrilled for Yuri.”
High School basketball: Carmel, Palma boys earn No. 2 seeds in respective divisions in CCS playoffs
SAN JOSE — Until someone knocks them off, the road to the Central Coast Section Division IV boys’ basketball playoffs still goes through Carmel.
The Padres, however, will be the No. 2 seed in Division IV after King’s Academy of Sunnyvale did not gather enough support to be placed in the Open Division, earning the top seed instead in Division IV after Wednesday’s seeding meeting in San Jose.
Carmel, who defended its Gabilan Division title, has nearly the same identical record as last year at 18-5, as compared to 19-3 this time last winter. It’s 13-1 in its last 14 games.
“There is a criteria, based on your body of work,” Carmel coach Kurt Grahl said. “If you’re going to win this year, you’re going to earn it. Even though we didn’t get the No. 1 seed, we still have a chance to host two home games. The title game is at a neutral site.”
The Padres won’t begin defense of their CCS title until Tuesday in the quarterfinals, earning a pair of byes. They will have gone 11 days between games.
“We took some time off after the regular season,” Grahl said. “We had a fast-paced practice when we returned. There are a lot of things at this point in the season, where what you are doing can be intense and fast moving. Our practice was spirited.”
Palma was awarded the No. 2 in Division V and won’t return to the court until Tuesday, where it will make its 20th straight playoff appearance, hosting a yet to be determined opponent.
Coming off back-to-back 12-win seasons, the Chieftains won 19 games under first year coach Brian Driscoll. They were dropped to Division V this year after the addition of girls on campus lowered their boy’s enrollment.
“I think the consensus was we would be a Top 2 seed,” Driscoll said. “I can’t say enough about how proud I am of this team and how we’ve grown through the season. These kids have put in the work. We have connected as a group.”
The Chieftains, who have just one senior on this year’s roster, will go 11 days between games, something Driscoll has dealt with in the past in previous stops as an assistant at De La Salle.
“The one thing you have to balance as a coach is you want to make sure you’re fresh,” Driscoll said. “But as a coach, you get leery to not go for 11 days. I feel we’ve had a tremendous week of practice. I hope we can make a deep run.”
Defending State Division IV champion Monterey gathered the No. 3 seed in Division III and will not set foot on the court again until Tuesday in the quarterfinals.
“I thought we should have been the top seed or No. 2,” Monterey coach Greg Daniels said. “It’s all subjective. It’s how you’ve done recently, common opponents. The committee felt different. I’m not in the room. I just get the bracket.”
Runner-ups in the Gabilan Division to Carmel, the Toreadores (19-5) were placed behind top-seed and Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League champion Aptos and defending CCS Division III and Northern California DIII champion Santa Cruz.
Last year Monterey was ousted in the CCS Division III semifinals by Santa Cruz, before being extended an invitation to the State Northern California Division IV tournament, where it went on the road and won five straight games to capture a state title.
“It will be important to get off to a fast start, relax and realize it’s a basketball game,” Daniels said. “Of course, if you lose, you go home. But if you make the game to big, it will overwhelm you. We have to keep it in perspective. Don’t change who you are.”
The Toreadores, who have won three CCS Division III titles in the last seven years, will be making their 17th straight postseason appearance.
“A lot of these kids weren’t a part of last year’s state title team,” Daniels said. “So many know nothing about it. Those that were have a whole different role this season. This is their moment.”
Joining Carmel in the Division IV playoffs will include Pacific Grove, who has missed the playoffs just once in the last 31 years. It will host the Capuchino-Gunderson winner on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
The Breakers (12-12) have the distinction of having knocked off Carmel during Gabilan Division play. Stevenson (11-13) got into the Division IV playoffs and will visit No. 9 Scotts Valley on Friday at 7 p.m., while Marina (12-14) returns to the postseason, visiting No. 12 Harker.
Mission Division champion North County (17-7) was seeded No. 9 in Division III and will host Greenfield on Friday at 7 p.m., while Soledad (14-10) was seeded No. 10 and will entertain Live Oak.
Alisal, who was bumped to the Gabilan Division this year, was awarded the No. 8 seed in Division I after a 18-win season and will host the Evergreen Valley-Piedmont Hills winner on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
Joining them in Division I is North Salinas (12-12), who will visit No. 10 Watsonville on Friday at 7 p.m. The Vikings are making their first postseason appearance since 2018.
Santa Lucia Division champion York (13-6) will visit KIPP of San Jose on Friday at Independence High in the Division V bracket. Cypress Division champion St. Francis of Watsonville (21-3) was seeded No. 5 and has a first round bye.
Rancho San Juan (13-11) was seeded No. 10 in Division II and will play host to Leland of San Jose on Friday at 7 p.m.
Girls
Gabilan Division champion Salinas, who closed the season with eight straight wins, received the No. 4 seed in the Division I playoffs and won’t play until Tuesday.
“I hoped for one bye and a home game,” Salinas coach Jens Gordon said. “I am excited about being the fourth seed. There are advantages and disadvantages of being off for 11 days. In this case, the advantages outweigh that, as long we keep each other sharp in practice.”
Salinas, who is 14-1 in its last 14 games, hasn’t hosted a postseason game since 2020. It has won eight consecutive home playoff games.
“You impress upon the girls that it’s a different season,” Gordon said. “The preseason was about figuring out who we were. League is where we discovered our identity. The playoffs are one-and-done if you don’t bring your game.”
Watsonville was seeded No. 5 in Division I and will host the Homestead-Santa Teresa winner on Saturday at 7 p.m., while Alisal (15-9) drew the No. 7 seed and will host Carlmont-Milpitas winner at 6 p.m. as part of a doubleheader with the boys.
Mission Division champion Pacific Grove (19-5) was seeded No. 8 in Division IV and will host the Stevenson-Marina winner on Saturday at 6 p.m.
“I kind of figured that Woodside game hurt us a little bit,” said Pacific Grove coach Marquis Pickrom, in reference to a 53-52 non-league loss on Feb. 8. “But there is some familiarity with the opponent will face on Saturday.”
The Breakers, who more than tripled their win total this past season with 19, rattled off a county best 12 straight wins this season and are 14-1 in their last 15 games.
Soledad (14-10), who went through a coaching change in midseason, earned the No. 5 seed in Division III and will host Friday’s King City-North County winner on Saturday at 7 p.m. Greenfield will travel to face No. 9 Live Oak on Friday at 7 p.m.
Palma (21-3) will make its postseason debut in girls’ basketball as the No. 5 seed in Division V, where it will host the Pescadero-Luis Valdez winner on Saturday at 7 p.m. Cypress Division champion St. Francis gathered the No. 3 seed.
What’s going on with the Kennedy Center under Trump?
By HILLEL ITALIE, Associated Press
Until a few weeks ago, the biggest news to come out of the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., was its annual celebration of notable American artists.
That has changed since the return of Donald Trump.
In the first month of his second term, the president has ousted the arts institution’s leadership, filled the board of trustees with his supporters and announced he had been elected the board’s chair — unanimously. In a statement this week to The Wall Street Journal, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said: “The Kennedy Center learned the hard way that if you go woke, you will go broke. President Trump and the members of his newly-appointed board are devoted to rebuilding the Kennedy Center into a thriving and highly respected institution where all Americans, and visitors from around the world, can enjoy the arts with respect to America’s great history and traditions.”
What is the Kennedy Center and how long has it been around?Supported by government money and private donations and attracting millions of visitors each year, the center is a 100-foot high complex featuring a concert hall, opera house and theater, along with a lecture hall, meeting spaces and a “Millennium Stage” that has been the site for free shows.
The center’s very origins are bipartisan.
It was first conceived in the late 1950s, during the administration of Republican President Dwight Eisenhower, who backed a bill from the Democratic-led Congress calling for a “National Culture Center.” In the early 1960s, Democrat President John F. Kennedy launched a fundraising initiative, and his successor, President Lyndon B. Johnson, signed into law a 1964 bill renaming the project the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts. Kennedy had been assassinated the year before.
Construction began in 1965 and the center formally opened six years later, with a premiere of Leonard Bernstein’s “Mass,” otherwise known as “MASS: A Theatre Piece for Singers, Players, and Dancers).”
Who has performed at the Kennedy Center?The center has long been a showcase for theater, music and dramatic performances, with artists ranging from the Paul Taylor Dance Company to a joint concert by Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga. Other highlights have included the annual Mark Twain Award for comedy, with recipients including Lorne Michaels, Tina Fey and Bob Newhart, and the annual Kennedy Center ceremony honoring outstanding artists, most recently Francis Ford Coppola, Bonnie Raitt and the Grateful Dead, among others.
Presidents have routinely attended the honors ceremony, even in the presence of artists who disagreed with them politically. The good-natured spirit was well captured in 2002, during Republican President George W. Bush’s first term, when Steve Martin offered tribute to honoree Paul Simon. Martin digressed into a tangent about pirated music recordings and joked that he had been approached by Bush about getting bootlegs of Barbra Streisand, a prominent Democrat.
“It’s been nice being a citizen,” Martin added, as Bush and others laughed in response.
Why is Trump focusing on the Kennedy Center now?Trump mostly ignored the center during his first term, becoming the first president to routinely skip the honors ceremony. One honoree, producer Norman Lear, had threatened not to attend if Trump was there.
Related ArticlesNational Politics | Agriculture Department tries to rehire fired workers tied to bird flu response National Politics | Trump and Musk say they like working together and will keep it at. Will it last? National Politics | DOGE notches courtroom wins as Elon Musk crusades to slash federal government National Politics | Trump administration orders halt to NYC toll meant to fight traffic and fund mass transit National Politics | Jobs cut at the FAA helped support air safety, a union saysMirroring his overall governing approach, Trump has been far more aggressive and proactive in his second term, citing some drag show performances at the center as a reason to transform it entirely.
“At my direction, we are going to make the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., GREAT AGAIN,” he wrote on his social media website earlier this month. “I have decided to immediately terminate multiple individuals from the Board of Trustees, including the Chairman, who do not share our Vision for a Golden Age in Arts and Culture.”
Meanwhile, the Kennedy Center website still includes a passage about the core mission, one that strives “to ensure that the education and outreach programs and policies of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts meet the highest level of excellence and reflect the cultural diversity of the United States.”
Also listed on the site is a new project called “Promise of US,” for which “the public is invited to submit an artistic self-portrait to be part of a virtual wall of faces expressing the myriad diversity of America’s peoples and the promise of America’s future. This ever-expanding mosaic will be featured on the Center’s website and social channels.”
Who is in charge now?Trump pushed out the incumbent board chair David M. Rubenstein, a philanthropist and Baltimore Orioles owner. He now presides over a board that by tradition was divided between Democratic and Republican appointees, but is now predominantly Republican, with recent additions including Attorney General Pam Bondi, country star Lee Greenwood and White House chief of staff Susie Wiles.
Kennedy Center President Deborah F. Rutter, brought on by Rubenstein in 2014, resigned soon after the board shakeup. Trump replaced her, on an interim basis, with diplomat Richard Grenell, who served as the U.S. ambassador to Germany during the president’s first term.
“I’m really, really, really sad about what happens to our artists, what happens on our stages and our staff who support them,” Rutter said during a recent interview with NPR. “The Kennedy Center is meant to be a beacon for the arts in all of America across the country.”
What has been the fallout?The fallout is unprecedented. Kennedy Center consultants such as musician Ben Folds and singer Renée Fleming have resigned and actor Issa Rae and author Louise Penny have canceled appearances. During a concert last weekend that proceeded as scheduled, singer-songwriter Victoria Clark wore a T-shirt reading “ANTI TRUMP AF.”
Further controversy is possible. Next month’s schedule includes “RIOT! Funny Women Stand Up, a special comedy event in celebration of Women’s History Month.” Conan O’Brien is to receive the Twain award in an all-star event that will likely include jokes about the president. (Representatives for O’Brien have not responded to requests for comment.) The center also is scheduled to host “Eureka Day,” a stage play centered on an outbreak of mumps, a sensitive topic with the confirmation of vaccine critic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.
Agriculture Department tries to rehire fired workers tied to bird flu response
By JOSH FUNK, Associated Press
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The Agriculture Department is scrambling to rehire several workers who were involved in the government’s response to the ongoing bird flu outbreak that has devastated egg and poultry farms over the past three years.
The workers were among the thousands of federal employees eliminated on the recommendations of billionaire Elon Musk‘s Department of Government Efficiency that is working to carry out Trump’s promise to streamline and reshape the federal government.
Republican Rep. Don Bacon said the administration should be more careful in how it carries out the cuts.
“While President Trump is fulfilling his promise to shed light on waste, fraud, and abuse in government, DOGE needs to measure twice and cut once. Downsizing decisions must be narrowly tailored to preserve critical missions,” said Bacon, who represents a swing district in Nebraska.
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A USDA spokesperson said the department “continues to prioritize the response to highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI)” and several key jobs like veterinarians, animal health technicians and other emergency response personnel involved in the effort were protected from the cuts. But some employees of the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service were eliminated.
“Although several APHIS positions supporting HPAI were notified of their terminations over the weekend, we are working to swiftly rectify the situation and rescind those letters,” the department spokesperson said.
Politico and NBC News reported that the jobs that were eliminated were part of an office that helps over see the national network of labs USDA relies on to confirm cases of bird flu and other animal diseases. It wasn’t immediately clear how many workers the department might be trying to rehire and whether any of them worked at the main USDA lab in Ames, Iowa.
Trump administration officials said this week that the USDA might change its approach to the bird flu outbreak, so that maybe entire flocks wouldn’t have to be slaughtered when the disease is found, but they have yet to offer many details of their plan.
Trump and Musk say they like working together and will keep it at. Will it last?
By WILL WEISSERT, Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — It’s been a burning political question for weeks: How long will President Donald Trump — who doesn’t like sharing the spotlight — be able to do just that with Elon Musk, a billionaire also overly fond of attention?
In a joint Fox News Channel interview that aired Tuesday, both insisted they like each other a lot and would stick with their arrangement despite what Trump said were attempts by the media to “drive us apart.”
At times, Trump sat back as Fox News Channel’s Sean Hannity heaped praise on Musk in an attempt to counteract a Democratic narrative that he’s a callous and unelected force out to destroy the government and upend civil society through sweeping cuts being imposed by the Department of Government Efficiency.
There were also moments when Trump and Musk were all but finishing each other’s sentences, as if they were part of a buddy comedy and not the president and his most powerful aide.
Here’s a look at how the friendship formed, what it means for them both and why Trump’s history suggests it may not last:
They weren’t always friendsTrump told Hannity that he wasn’t really acquainted with Musk until recently, saying, “I knew him a little bit through the White House originally” but didn’t know him before that.
Musk was born in Pretoria, South Africa, and became a U.S. citizen in 2002. He’s the world’s richest man, with a net worth exceeding $400 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. His vast business holdings include X, Tesla and SpaceX, as well as the satellite internet service provider Starlink.
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In the past, Musk butted heads with Trump over climate change. They feuded as recently as July 2022 — with Trump calling Musk a “bulls—- artist.” He also suggested then that Musk came to the White House during his first term seeking federal subsidies for “electric cars that don’t drive long enough, driverless cars that crash, or rocketships to nowhere.”
“I could have said, ‘drop to your knees and beg,’ and he would have done it,” Trump previously said on his social media site.
Musk originally backed Ron DeSantis in last year’s Republican presidential primary, even helping the Florida governor launch his White House bid in a glitch-marred presentation on X. But Musk met with Trump at his Florida residence last March and endorsed the then-canidate in July shortly after the first assassination attempt.
“I was going to do it anyway, but that was a precipitating event,” Musk told Hannity.
Musk appeared at his first Trump rally in early October, and his super PAC spent around $200 million to boost the Republican’s campaign. X also amplified messaging — and often disinformation — promoted by Trump and his “Make America Great Again” movement.
The pair spent election night at the president’s Mar-a-Lago club. Less than a week after securing victory, Trump announced that Musk would lead DOGE, the new push to shrink government, alongside former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, who left the commission by Inauguration Day.
Their relationship is mutually beneficialTrump has empowered Musk to help him keep a campaign promise and “ shatter the deep state ” by firing scores of federal workers, shrinking or shuttering agencies and slashing the size of government.
“There’s a vast federal bureaucracy that is implacably opposed to the the president,” Musk told Hannity. He added: “What we’re seeing here is the sort of the thrashing of the bureaucracy as we try to restore democracy and the will of the people.”
Tesla and SpaceX have benefited from lucrative government contracts from the Defense Department, NASA and other federal entities, as well as plenty of tax breaks and subsidies over the years. The Trump administration could also take a lot of regulatory heat off Musk, including dismissing crash investigations into Tesla’s partially automated vehicles and a Justice Department criminal probe examining whether Musk and Tesla have overstated their cars’ self-driving capabilities.
Musk nonetheless insisted to Hannity, “I haven’t asked the president for anything, ever.” Trump said the billionaire “won’t be involved” in areas where his government efforts and business concerns overlap — though that seems dubious given that Musk’s team has already begun scrutinizing federal contracts in areas that would seem to present conflict-of-interest concerns.
Trump’s friendships often don’t lastTrump and Musk say they won’t turn on each other. But those once closest to Trump often end up as his fiercest critics.
His former vice president, Mike Pence, said Trump endangered his family in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol and attempted to bully him into violating the Constitution. His former attorney general, Bill Barr, refuted Trump’s falsehoods about widespread fraud in the 2020 election and has since said he “shouldn’t be anywhere near the Oval Office.”
Michael Cohen, Trump’s longtime lawyer who testified against him in a hush money case, told a House committee in 2019: “People that follow Mr. Trump, as I did blindly, are going to suffer the same consequences that I’m suffering.”
More recently, Trump shrugged off potential security risks while ending Secret Service protection for former top officials in his first administration, including former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and former White House chief of staff John Kelly.
Trump also has shown repeatedly that he doesn’t like being overshadowed, even hinting at such where Musk is concerned. Asked recently about Musk appearing on the cover of Time from behind the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office, Trump quipped, “Is Time Magazine still in business?”
But Trump has also been fiercely loyal to those he perceives as having stood by him.
Former White House adviser Peter Navarro, who served time in prison related to the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, is back helping dictate Trump trade policy. Trump’s valet, Walt Nauta, is working anew at the White House after once being a codefendant with Trump in the classified documents case. Trump has also said he’d offered “about 10 jobs” to his former national security adviser, Mike Flynn, whom he pardoned after Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI.
Four weeks in, they seem genuinely fond of each otherThroughout the interview, Hannity was friendly and his questions were mostly fawning. But what came through was how complimentary Trump and Musk were of each other — even amid skepticism about how long that’ll last.
“He’s an amazing person,” Trump said of Musk.
“I love the president, I just want to be clear about that,” Musk offered of Trump.
“I feel like I’m interviewing two brothers here,” Hannity finally said.
Trump imposes his vision on America in departure from first-term stumbles
By CHRIS MEGERIAN, Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Months into his first term as president, Donald Trump was furious with the snowballing Russia investigation and ordered White House Counsel Don McGahn to make sure that special counsel Robert Mueller got fired.
“Mueller has to go,” McGahn recalled Trump saying. “Call me back when you do it.”
But McGahn didn’t do it, and Trump didn’t even bring it up the next time they saw each other. Such incidents were common during Trump’s initial experience in the White House, where officials would soften or ignore his most outrageous decisions and the president seemed unwilling to enforce his will.
It’s hard to imagine the same thing happening during Trump’s second term. Instead of repeating his laissez-faire attitude toward his own administration, the Republican president is asserting control at every opportunity, backed up by loyalists at all levels of government. Despite occasional disorganization and confusion, there’s a headstrong determination to push through any obstacles.
Trump doesn’t just want to change course from Joe Biden’s presidency, his team is holding back congressionally authorized funding championed by his predecessor.
Not only did Trump officials tell the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to stop working, his team set up a tip line so people could report unauthorized actions taken by staff at the agency.
Trump wasn’t satisfied with simply firing all the board members at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. He made himself chairman.
This time, Trump seems to be saying, his orders will not be ignored. This time, there will be follow through.
The White House summarizes Trump’s approach with the mantra “promises made, promises kept.” Administration officials also dismiss concerns that the president is exercising too much control. They say Trump is entitled to impose his vision on the government that he was elected to lead.
Others see something darker and more menacing for the country and its future.
“Donald Trump’s instincts haven’t changed,” said Timothy Naftali, a Columbia University historian. “He’s just angrier, meaner and more effective than he was in his first term.”
Trump often felt like he was undermined in his first term by the “deep state,” a term used by his allies to describe civil servants and career officials. Now, he’s moving swiftly to cut the federal bureaucracy with the help of Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur Trump has empowered to oversee the downsizing of the workforce.
President Donald Trump listens as Elon Musk speaks in the Oval Office at the White House, Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025, in Washington. (Photo/Alex Brandon)“We’ve never had a president come into office with such a deep desire for revenge,” Naftali said. “Donald Trump is trying to hollow out institutions that he thinks embarrassed him.”
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which was created to protect Americans from financial fraud, abuse and deceptive practices, has been brought to a standstill. The U.S. Agency for International Development, a leading distributor of humanitarian assistance, was shut down.
A prime target is the Department of Justice, which infuriated Trump by investigating him during his first term and after leaving office. He was indicted twice by federal authorities, although the cases were dropped after he won last year’s election because sitting presidents can’t be prosecuted while in office.
Now Trump has placed loyalists in leadership positions, such as Emil Bove, the acting deputy attorney general who was previously Trump’s defense attorney.
Last week, Bove pushed to drop corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams, saying it was more important for Adams to help Trump enact stricter immigration policies.
“The pending prosecution has unduly restricted Mayor Adams’ ability to devote full attention and resources to the illegal immigration and violent crime that escalated under the policies of the prior Administration,” Bove wrote.
Several prosecutors in New York and Washington resigned in protest, and a court hearing is scheduled for Wednesday.
Trump said that he wasn’t involved in the decision to drop the case against Adams, but he’s previously said that the mayor had been unfairly targeted for political reasons.
Another example of Trump’s heavy-handed approach this time has been his handling of criminal charges against supporters who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Hours after taking the oath of office a month ago, the president pardoned roughly 1,500 people, including those who attacked police officers.
Then his administration decided to push even further. Thousands of FBI employees are being questioned about their role in Jan. 6 investigations, with suggestions that they could face punishment.
Bove said agents “who simply followed orders and carried out their duties in an ethical manner” were not at risk, adding that “the only individuals who should be concerned … are those who acted with corrupt or partisan intent.”
It’s a sharp change from Trump’s first administration, which included a number of establishment figures who resisted his impulses.
Olivia Troye, a former national security official who has been a critic of Trump, said staff members would confer with each other after meetings with the president.
“Why don’t you hold on that before you go do something, and let’s see what happens,” Troye recalled people saying. “Let’s see if it passes.”
The mixed signals were partly a matter of inexperience. The president and some of his advisers had never served in government.
“During the first administration, quite frankly, they had no idea what they were doing,” Troye said. “Now they have people in place who were there the first time around. They’ve been preparing to execute for several years.”
Trump has taken a scorched-earth approach to uprooting diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, commonly known as DEI. He’s signed executive orders to end the programs, but that wasn’t enough for his administration.
Messages distributed by the Office of Personnel Management, which functions as the human resources agency for the federal government, said employees should not try to “disguise these programs by using coded or imprecise language.”
Anyone who sees evidence of DEI should immediately disclose it.
“There will be no adverse consequences for timely reporting this information,” the messages said. “However, failure to report this information within 10 days may result in adverse consequences.”
