Go Banana Slugs!

California Bob took his family on a school outing to a nature preserve yesterday.  There was a capable guide and we captured newts, frogs and tadpoles in the pond, and a garter snake, and another garter-like snake.  And we saw deer, and lots of banana slugs -- attached is a pic of one next to a 12-oz bottle for scale.

The Banana Slug is the official mascot of The University of California Santa Cruz. This school is the only one that I have encountered that seems to have a sensible approach to athletics:

UCSC has always offered a wide-ranging physical education and recreation program designed to appeal to the greatest number of students, but it has based its approach on some uncommon ideas: that athletics are for all students, not just team members of major sports; that the most important goal of a collegiate physical education department should be to introduce as many students as possible to lifelong physical activities; and that the joy of participating is more important than winning.

I find slugs repulsive. I also find the blatant commercialism of professional sports repulsive. Which is worse? I couldn't tell you.