Tuesday, July 31, 2012

So this is odd: why only 2 of the 3?

I got a new offering from FAB.com yesterday with more things that I am too old to wear.  But this time, the tattoos confused me.
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It is obviously the same guy, so why in picture 1 are both arms tattoo'ed and in picture 2, one is turned away and in picture 3 the left arm is untattoo'ed?  I see no rhyme nor reason to this.
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I mean, either tattoo or not, but not half and half.  And, if you're going to all the trouble to airbrush - then clean up that tummy hair that  looks like his pubes are making a break for freedom.
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Select to see difference (if you dare!)

ANOTHER REASON not to save for retirement

Shit.
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This news isn't good for me.  Up until now my sleeping punching has really only affected Eddie...
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This  is on top of the "napping is an early warning indicator of dementia".  My doctor has kept the heart attack away, only for me to face these things.
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"Kiss My Ass: This is a Holy Site..."

(Photo from Toronto Star Story)
Ah Mittens....
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National Lampoon's European Vacation 2012 continues unabated...
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As Romney was walking away (emphasis mine - SM) from Pilsudski Square toward his vehicle, reporters asked him about his string of gaffes and whether he had any comment for Palestinians, some of whom took offense at the Republican’s suggestion Monday in Jerusalem that Israel’s economy is superior because of cultural advantages Israelis enjoy. Romney ignored the questions and got in his car.

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But his traveling press secretary was furious.
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“Kiss my ass; this is a holy site for the Polish people,” said aide Rick Gorka. “Show some respect.”
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Gorka then told a reporter to “shove it.”

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0712/79179.html#ixzz22CjP8lPj

Monday, July 30, 2012

I WAS totally over my Ruskie thing...

I was totally over my Russian thing, until Mr. Pink Shorts, Andrey Gechin, showed up in the 4 x 100 free.
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They work on him.
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Andrey lead his team to the Bronze.

It's the Pommel..

It is always the pommel.  Whenever we do well, someone saves us on the Pommel.  Either Tim Dagget in 84 or Sasha in 2008.  Always the pommel.
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From 2008 in Beijing - Ed's pictures and my video (and YouTubes' music).
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Mitt-Witt

Oh Mittens...
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At a private fundraiser, good old Mittens hit again.
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This time he compared the GDP of Israel against the areas the Palestine Authority controls - and noted that there is a 2 to 1 difference (it's really much higher - but whatever).
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Mitten attributed to the difference to Jewish vs. Palestinian cultural differences and the "hand of providence".  Yes, the good Israel culture of private enterprise is what makes the difference vs the occupied territories.
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Even the New York Daily News - the right wing-y est of our area's news papers - was a little shocked.
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Here is a paragraph.

``And as I come here and I look out over this city and consider the accomplishments of the people of this nation, I recognize the power of at least culture and a few other things,'' Romney said, citing an innovative business climate, the Jewish history of thriving in difficult circumstances and the ``hand of providence.''

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/election-2012/romney-outrages-palestinians-jewish-culture-helps-israel-successful-article-1.1124749#ixzz228alqG6T

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Rightly or wrongly, the Palestinians have been governed by Israel for 45 years.  They are limited in the jobs they can have, their land is forcibly taken, even in the West Bank, for settlements.  They can't sue in Israel courts, because the legal system in Israel will not give them travel passes to attend trials.  Look, all that might be fine and dandy, and required to stop terrorism - but it obviously has a hell of a lot more to do with the population's GDP per head vs. Israel's GDP than culture.  Or the "hand of providence".
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For you non-Mormons - let me explain that whole "hand of providence" thing.  Mormons believe that America was settled by one of the lost tribes of the Jews.  Which is why Jesus, during the 3 days he was dead, came to America and preached in the states.  So Mittens believes there is a biblical tie between Mormons and the Jewish people, as well a cultural tie to the Jews.
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The Palestinians complained about racism from this talk, but it seems kind of the same way about the Jews.  I mean the whole, Jews are good about making money, that is a little racist itself.  But not too racist for Sheldon Anderson to pledge $100 Million dollars to defeat Barack Obama.

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Archery

Yesterday, Eddie and I had brunch and happened to catch Archery.  S. Korean beat Mexico for the Bronze, and then we watched the USA lose (by a single point) to Italy.
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And, I don't want to say that USA places a premium on physical looks, but here are the top three teams.
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Italians - Gold Medal

S. Koreans, Bronze

American's Silver, but by far the cutest (the Mexicans, just shut out in 4th - had a few cuties too).

Well - the TV coverage kind of sucked... and the main stream.... but iPad!

So, the streaming of everything was kind of slow and bugging.  And the "live" coverage 9 hours alter sucked.
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But the live coverage streaming to the iPad rocked!!!!  I got to watch all the Japanese Men on the High Bar, I watched the US Men on the Rings and the P-Bars.
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It was great!
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Now, they just need to fix the streams to the PC - so I can dump it to the TV.
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FYI, if you haven't heard, the US Men did great.  Japan choked.  China more than choked.  And Britian hit the roof!  They qualified in team in 3rd place!

Friday, July 27, 2012

When You Wish Upon a Star: Your Dreams Really DO Come True

Oh please please please please please let this happen.....

I think FYROM is a better name anyway

So, in the international version of a 2 year old's screaming fit, Macedonia still doesn't have a real name.
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Macedonia was one of the constitute parts of Yugoslavia.  When Yugoslavia (or Jugoslavia for those of you with OLD maps) broke apart, the first parting was all of the old "republics" of Yugoslavia (similar to the "states" in the USA).  Slovenia and Croatia became the countries of Slovenia and Croatia.  Serbia attempted to hold on to the name Yugoslavia and keep Serbia as well as Bosnia/Hertzogovinia - but we all know how that ended.
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And Macedonia became Macedonia FYROM.
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FYROM?
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Yes, you see Greece with 4,000 years of history - apparently has an inferiority complex.  They claim that the name "Macedonia" is theirs - as a name.  And, important to them because Alexander the Great came from Macedonia and both countries claim him.
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Greece complained that if Macedonia was allowed to use the name, they might claim more of Greece.  FYI, so NOT a problem, as Greece is a member of NATO and everyone from Turkey to USA to Canada to Germany is pledged to come to their defense if they were attacked. Really Greece is just having a temper tantrum.  And, in population, Macedonia settles between the size of San Juan, Puerto Rico and San Bernadino / Riverside California - not a powerhouse that is planning a midnight run on Athens.
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But Greece is a member of NATO and the EU so they can cause a fuss if they want to.  And they want to. Greece basically bottled Macedonia up until they changed their name.  But if there is anything I have learned from the Balkans is that the whole peninsula's motto could be "Never Forget an Insult", so Macedonia goes my the name FYROM - which stands for Former Yugoslavian Republic Of Macedonia.  So their name gets to be an open scab that both countries pick at will.
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Honestly, it is like dealing with 2 year olds.
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Maybe it seems weird to me because the US isn't really concerned with names.  Don't get me wrong - we have idiosyncratic phobias aplenty.  But names, not so much.  We have states named after foreign countries, ex-Kings and ex-Queens, Spanish Saints and "New" Old Country names.  Heck the capital of one of the Dakotas is named after Bismark!  Maybe FRYOM should become New Macedonia, and everything would be peachy.

Well It Begins Tonight


The pageantry..the sport.. the fun... It all begins with the meadow of the Opening Ceremony...
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We'll keep track of our Athletes...
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Country
Sport
Name
Results
ARG
M Canoe Slalom
Sebastian Rossi

AUS
W Field Hockey
Kobie McGurk

BEL
400 hurdles M
Adrien Deghelt

BRAZ
Pole Vault
Fabio Gomes de Silva

CAN
Kayak
Adam Von Koeverden

CHN
400  hurdles M
Luis Xiang

CMB
W Taekwondo
Sorn Davin

CRO
M Waterpolo


CUBA
M Table Tennis
Andy Pereria

DEN
Badmitton
Mixed Doubles

ESP
Men's Beach V
Adrian Gavira / Pablo Herrera

EST
Decathlete
Andreas Raja

ETH
10,000 Mtrs W
Tirunesh Bibaba

FIN
50 M Swim
Ari-Pekka Liukkoen

FRA
Archery Team


GBR
Cycling
Chris Hoy

GER
Gmynastics M
Fabian Hambuchen

HUN
Discus
Zoltan Kovago
Disqualified: Doping..
ICE
M Handball
Gudjon Sigurdsson

IND
W Badmitton
Saina Nehwal

ITL
Rowing
Lightweight 4s

KEN
800 Meters M
David Rudisha

MEX
Pentathlon
Oscar Soto

MLY
Diving 10M, & Sync
Padenla Rinong

MNTNG
W Handball


MNTNG
M Waterpolo


NETH
Road Cycling
Lars Boom

NOR
Javeline
Andreas Thorkildsen

NZL
Rowing 8s
Micheal Arms

PHI
Long Jump W
Marestella Torres

POL
M Volleyball


PRT
Sailboarding
Joao Rodrigues

SAF
400 M
Oscar Pistorius

SLV
Sailing
Vasilij Zbogar

SRB
M Waterpolo


SWE
W 200 / 400
Moa Hjelmer

SWZ
W Beach Vball
Nadine & Simone

USA
Decath
Ashton Eaton

USA
Decath
Trey Hardee

USA
Dressage
Jan Ebeling & Rafalca

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Either you find it perfect for Britain - or ya' don't.

I do.
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This is my favorite Picture

What is odd is the faux antique versus actual garish..

So Salon has a listing of the ugliest Gold Medals given out at Olympics - there are 8 and it is a funny list.
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However, in looking at the London 2012 medals, I am struck by the dichotomy between the faux antique look on the front and the hideous "modern" look on  the back.  Individually, each side's look is forced and overly designed, but together they combine to be truly a bad idea.
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Having said that, heaven knows I won't get one - so good on you athletes.
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Who was our intern hiring manager...

So I was on my way back from the lunch room and I suddenly realized why this year's crop of interns is disconcerting.  They are all rather blandly handsome.
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Some woman or gay boy with a fondness for generic Abercrombie dullness has selected our interns.  And, although I enjoy me some half-nakid Abercrombie handsomeness myself, it is all rather monotonous when covered in the uniform of preppy shirts and ties.
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They all have seem to have the personality of "generic reality show contestant" voted out in week 3.  Not a train wreck in week 1, but very little to contribute conversationally as the show goes on.
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It is all very Stepford Weird.

Gaf-tastic

Idiot...
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LONDON — Mitt Romney’s carefully choreographed trip to London caused a diplomatic stir when he called the British Olympic preparations “disconcerting” and questioned whether Londoners would turn out to support the Games.
“The stories about the private security firm not having enough people, the supposed strike of the immigration and customs officials, that obviously is not something which is encouraging,” Mr. Romney said in an interview withNBC on Wednesday.
That prompted a tart rejoinder from the British prime minister, David Cameron. “We are holding an Olympic Games in one of the busiest, most active, bustling cities anywhere in the world. Of course it’s easier if you hold an Olympic Games in the middle of nowhere,” an allusion to Salt Lake City, which hosted Games that Mr. Romney oversaw.

Ut oh! First Nincompoopery Scratch

Zoltan!  My Man!...
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So last Friday's Nincompoopery Athlete of the Day from Hungary has already scratched....
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Sad headline here:
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Hungary's Zoltan Kovago banned 2 years, out of Olympics

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Hungarian discus thrower Zoltan Kovago has been given a two-year doping ban and will miss the London Olympics.
The Hungarian Olympic Committee said in a statement Thursday that the Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld an appeal filed by athletics governing body IAAF. The committee said Kovago, who was considered a medal contender for the London Games, refused to provide a sample to doping officials last year. Hungarian doping officials had initially cleared Kovago.
Kovago's ban comes shortly after another Hungarian discus thrower, Robert Fazekas, was removed from the Olympic team after testing positive for a banned substance.