European Tribune - Community, Politics & Progress.

I really can't get excited about hosting the Olympics and don't understand why it's such a big deal. It's expensive, and nobody watches it in America, so is it really a big loss? (Yes, perhaps it's sad, because we really do have some amazing athletes who deserve attention, but still....) Wasn't 2008 the least-watched Olympics in the history of American broadcasting? Hockey and soccer have safe little niche markets, as I understand it. Baseball is dying and has become mind-numbingly stupid with the same half-dozen teams dominating year-to-year. I think basketball has begun its decline already (but don't quote me on that).

We only really watch football, anyway, so why be so upset?

Be nice to America. Or we'll bring democracy to your country.

by Drew J Jones (myfriends@thisispancakes.com) on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 02:30:28 PM EST
[ Parent ]

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/10/2/114631/474

Actually, the only diary I see on it is calling the wingers anti-American for cheering the fact that Chicago lost, but I don't see anything about the IOC.

Be nice to America. Or we'll bring democracy to your country.

by Drew J Jones (myfriends@thisispancakes.com) on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 02:32:30 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Blatant anti-americanism (none / 1)

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/10/2/788978/-Obama-Not-Socialist-Enough-For-IOC

"I said, 'Wait a minute, Chester, You know I'm a peaceful man...'" Robbie Robertson

by NearlyNormal on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 02:41:09 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Ah, okay, fair enough. But, really, both diarists received -- what, 3 tips? Strikes me as pretty ridiculous to pretend as though this isa widespead, let alone the general, reaction.

Be nice to America. Or we'll bring democracy to your country.

by Drew J Jones (myfriends@thisispancakes.com) on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 02:47:42 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Blatant anti-americanism (4.00 / 2)

don't think I pretended that. There are two diaries at the top of the rec list that are filled with the same types of comments, and in my comment above I indicated that these were just two of the diaries. The ones at the top have over a thousand comments.

Strikes me as pretty ridiculous to pretend that I'm saying this is the only thing being talked about at all. But I do think the fuss is amazing, maybe you don't. Seems like you have a little burr under your saddle, which would be odd for you, but whatever. Just don't say you went and looked and what I said was there, wasn't there. If you'd really gone and looked you would have seen the diaries since they were still in the queue when I went back and linked them.

"I said, 'Wait a minute, Chester, You know I'm a peaceful man...'" Robbie Robertson

by NearlyNormal on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 02:59:54 PM EST
[ Parent ]

That's a pretty strong reaction over what I thought was a mild criticism. Journeying back, you said:

Blatant anti-Americanism, except that Rio is in America, isn't it. south America. Heh, the fuss over here is amazing. don't you guys get it, we are ready to lead you again. we are ready and have a shiny new president who really is smart this time.

...which, taken with the comment on dKos, suggested to me that you're were portraying that as the general theme of the reaction.

If not, then okay, I misread you. I did go and look, and I didn't see it. I didn't say it wasn't there. How you took that to mean me saying, "ZOMGLIAR," I don't know.

I assure you I'm not the one with the burr under my saddle.

Be nice to America. Or we'll bring democracy to your country.

by Drew J Jones (myfriends@thisispancakes.com) on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 03:17:21 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Blatant anti-americanism (4.00 / 3)

Hey !! Is it grumpy day on ET ?

Remember what Sarge said "Let's be careful out there"

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 03:21:42 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Well it was probably the "pretty ridiculous" part coupled with the statement that you went and looked and it wasn't there. If you read the first paragraph it was more of a general comment than just dkos, all the people around where I worked were making comments.

Anyway, like I said above I thought it was unlike you to get your panties in a bunch and start parsing words but....

"I said, 'Wait a minute, Chester, You know I'm a peaceful man...'" Robbie Robertson

by NearlyNormal on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 03:29:07 PM EST
[ Parent ]

And it still seems to be going on. From Orange, himself:

"So when did wingnuts start cheering against America? Their unbridled joy at losing out to Brazil is a bit unseemly, isn't it? "America, fuck yeah!" has become "Fuck America, Yeah!"

While Chicago likely lost mostly because the country has hosted plenty of Olympics and South America never has, and because of lingering anti-American sentiment, this certainly didn't help:"

"I said, 'Wait a minute, Chester, You know I'm a peaceful man...'" Robbie Robertson

by NearlyNormal on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 03:31:58 PM EST
[ Parent ]

On the first one, I'd say it's more of a wise-ass tone of "Gosh, I thought the wingers were all about Amurka?"

The second, yeah, I'm mostly with you on.

Be nice to America. Or we'll bring democracy to your country.

by Drew J Jones (myfriends@thisispancakes.com) on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 04:22:03 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Blatant anti-americanism (none / 1)

For the wingers its "Any thing Our Black President is for, I'm against."

As the Dutch said while fighting the Spanish: "It is not necessary to have hope in order to persevere."

by ARGeezer (ARGeezer at eurotrib.com) on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 04:46:58 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Any predictions on where the Olympics will go? (4.00 / 3)

I must say I find it amazing that as an European website we are discussing the US disappointment in such detail, but nobody sofar found it necessary to mention that the Spanish might be disappointed too that Madrid lost out.

Wonder how they are dealing with their disappointment?

by Fran (fran at eurotrib dot com) on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 05:17:02 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Any predictions on where the Olympics will go? (none / 1)

They were at least runners-up.

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

by DoDo on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 05:26:02 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Any predictions on where the Olympics will go? (none / 1)

Well, the summer Olympics were already held in Spain not so long ago: Barcelona 1992.

Oh wait, 17 years ago? ZOMG! Time flies...

Europeans think a hundred miles is a long way. Americans think a hundred years is a long time.

by Bernard on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 05:38:47 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Any predictions on where the Olympics will go? (none / 1)

Barcelona isn't Spain.

Well - it is. But not like Madrid is.

And don't they speak Spanish in Rio? Or Portugese? Or Brazilian? Or something?

Seriously - I'm glad Rio won. Rio will turn the Olympics into a carnival, which could be a very fun thing.

Chicago would have been dutifully pomped-up in a ya gotta compete kind of a way, but it would have been about the bennies, not the fun, and that would have been a shame.

by ThatBritGuy (thatbritguy (at) googlemail.com) on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 06:05:54 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Any predictions on where the Olympics will go? (4.00 / 2)

Barcelona isn't Spain.

Well - it is. But not like Madrid is.

José María Aznar, I command you to leave TBG's body!

Seriously, one of the most hair-raising things I heard about Madrid's olympic bid, from the mouth of some PPer or other, was "it's about time we had a Spanish olympics". It gave me nightmares of opening and closing ceremonies full of Jurassic dandruff, Carpetovetonic parodies, fanfare and tambourines, people dancing on a tile, and flamenco.

En un viejo país ineficiente, algo así como España entre dos guerras civiles, poseer una casa y poca hacienda y memoria ninguna. -- Gil de Biedma

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 07:43:24 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Any predictions on where the Olympics will go? (4.00 / 3)

Hopefully the dissapointed will not be packing Madrid Airport in the morning. My father flies in then to catch the train from there up to Burgos to do the final 200 miles of the 600 mile pilgrimage he has been doing in 200 mile steps for the last three years. This year is the flat and boring middle section. and then the final fifty miles out to the coast.

However things have been complicated this year by whichever cheap airline flies to the north of Spain moving its flight day from Sunday to Tuesday, and so to fit things in Much rail and Flights via Madrid will be part of the trip.

If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate.

by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 07:57:54 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Any predictions on where the Olympics will go? (none / 0)

LOL. For the word "Carpetovetonic", your comment is N° 2 in Google.

I think this is the way to organize the Olympics. It could become a kind of Eurovision Song Contest. We could have voting scandals on the Jurassic dandruff etc. The Eastern bloc would get up to its usual tricks, and no one would ever vote for America, which would cause high melodrama. Great.

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Sat Oct 3rd, 2009 at 02:00:42 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Any predictions on where the Olympics will go? (none / 0)

I also hold #2 for Carpetovetonian.

En un viejo país ineficiente, algo así como España entre dos guerras civiles, poseer una casa y poca hacienda y memoria ninguna. -- Gil de Biedma

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Sat Oct 3rd, 2009 at 05:34:16 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Any predictions on where the Olympics will go? (none / 1)

I get you at No.7, but all but one of those ahead of you are in Spanish.

by gk (g k quattro due due sette "at" gmail.com) on Sat Oct 3rd, 2009 at 05:41:31 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Us Unemployment still going up (4.00 / 3)

Unemployment Continues Stubborn Climb To 9.8 Percent
Unemployment rose to 9.8 percent in September, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports. That's up a tick from the August rate of 9.7 percent.

The broadest measure of unemployment -- U6, which includes discouraged workers and those working part-time because all they can get -- hit 17 percent. That's up 0.2 percent from 16.8 percent in August, a bigger climb than in the headline number.

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

by Jerome a Paris (etg@eurotrib.com) on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 09:46:43 AM EST

Re: Us Unemployment still going up (4.00 / 2)

Of course, these figures ignore the rapid propagation of green shoots.

Skennah Kowa

by Crazy Horse on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 09:52:43 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Us Unemployment still going up (4.00 / 4)

"Ce qui vient au monde pour ne rien troubler ne mérite ni égards ni patience." René Char

by Melanchthon on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 10:31:51 AM EST
[ Parent ]

now that's what you call (4.00 / 3)

a "lost decade"

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

by Jerome a Paris (etg@eurotrib.com) on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 12:40:52 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Friday Open Thread (4.00 / 5)

Today's Featured Article at Wikipedia, or Literature by domesticated bloggers for domesticated readers (LDBDR).

A critique of US intellectual history at the time of the publication of The Slave Community: Plantation Life in the Antebellum South by John Blassingame (1972) in which the author advanced a a sociology, constructed frome analyses fugitive slave narratives ("the perspective of the enslaved") published during the 19th century.

Blassingame notes that many of the folk tales told by slaves have been traced by African scholars to Ghana, Senegal, and Mauritius to peoples such as the Ewe [pronouce eh-VEH], Wolof, Hausa, Temne, Ashanti, and Igbo. He remarks, "While many of these tales were brought over to the South, the African element appears most clearly in the animal tales." One prominent example discussed by Blassingame is the Ewe story of "Why the Hare Runs Away", which is a trickster and tar-baby tale told by southern slaves and later recorded by writer Joel Chandler Harris in his Uncle Remus stories. Southern slaves often included African animals like elephants, lions, and monkeys as characters in their folk tales.[14]
As Christian missionaries and slaveowners attempted to erase African religious and spiritual beliefs, Blassingame argues that "in the United States, many African religious rites were fused into one--voodoo." Voodoo priests and conjurers promised slaves that they could make masters kind, harm enemies, insure love, and heal sickness. Other religious survivals noted by Blassingame include funeral rites, grave decorating, and ritualistic dancing and singing.[15]

Elementary economics!

Happy Black History Month!

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 11:17:36 AM EST

Chicago eliminated from olympic voting in first round.

If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate.

by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 11:27:43 AM EST

Tokyo gone next.

If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate.

by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 11:45:09 AM EST
[ Parent ]

And the winner is.....

Brazil.

If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate.

by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 12:50:41 PM EST
[ Parent ]

well done ceebs! beat me by 5 secs!

fast connection?

really happy for the samba people.

ever check your @ET emails?

"Two wrongs don't make a right, but three lefts do." Jim Hightower

by melo (melometa4(at)gmail.com) on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 12:56:07 PM EST
[ Parent ]

an.....ticipation ;)

If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate.

by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 12:57:19 PM EST
[ Parent ]

they all go through to somewhere thats checked.

If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate.

by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 01:33:21 PM EST
[ Parent ]

did you get an email from me a week or so ago?

"Two wrongs don't make a right, but three lefts do." Jim Hightower

by melo (melometa4(at)gmail.com) on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 01:57:13 PM EST
[ Parent ]

The Pembrokeshire one?

If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate.

by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 02:05:55 PM EST
[ Parent ]

YUP

"Two wrongs don't make a right, but three lefts do." Jim Hightower

by melo (melometa4(at)gmail.com) on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 04:48:37 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Passed it onto a couple of people who live only a few miles away and are in the process of planning their own similar building, have to get in touch and see if they got involved.

If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate.

by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 07:46:38 PM EST
[ Parent ]

eggz@lent

"Two wrongs don't make a right, but three lefts do." Jim Hightower

by melo (melometa4(at)gmail.com) on Sat Oct 3rd, 2009 at 03:10:39 AM EST
[ Parent ]

BWAHAHAHAHA | AP

Chicago's elimination was one of the most shocking defeats in IOC voting history. It had long been seen as a front-runner and got the highest possible level of support -- from President Barack Obama himself.
But the emotional appeals from Obama and his wife Michelle -- they both flew to Copenhagen to fight in Chicago's corner -- fell on deaf ears in the European-dominated IOC. The IOC's last two experiences in the United States were marred by controversy: the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics were sullied by a bribery scandal and logistical problems and a bombing hit the 1996 Games in Atlanta.

Live by the Daley Ds, die by the Daley Ds, babeeeee.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 12:17:08 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Wow who do republicans blame from that article? That shifty Obama? or those dodgy Europeans? decisions decisions, some days its just so hard being a lunatic right winger.

If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate.

by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 12:25:34 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Who do [Republican Party operatives] blame?

I would expect --for the sake of principle alone-- no one but the IOC, nemesis of the American Way.

"The last U.S. city to bid for the Summer Games, New York [City, seat of golum fuck and Unity '08], did scarcely better. It was ousted in the second round in the 2005 vote that gave the 2012 Games to London."
"The U.S. Olympic Committee [an unofficial republican chamber of commerce] has had a testy relationship with the IOC, including recent flare-ups over revenue sharing and a USOC TV network." Criticism of the historic Daley Machine would invite undesirable comparisons.
Bald nativism rather than internecine scrimmages over this topic suits the lunatic. Mr Steel has already spake: "a noble idea," Obama has too much on his plate for a personal Olympics pitch.

"I think at a time of war, I think at a time of recession, at a time where Americans have expressed rather significantly their concerns and frustrations over the course of the spring and summer about health care, about the economy, about a host of domestic issues... I think that this trip, while nice, is not necessary for the president," Steele said during the conference call, scheduled to bash Obama and the Democrats on health care.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 01:07:12 PM EST
[ Parent ]

The republicans blame Obama for being black. That is why his appeal failed, you see.

As the Dutch said while fighting the Spanish: "It is not necessary to have hope in order to persevere."

by ARGeezer (ARGeezer at eurotrib.com) on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 05:05:11 PM EST
[ Parent ]

No blacks in Rio, as we all know :P

En un viejo país ineficiente, algo así como España entre dos guerras civiles, poseer una casa y poca hacienda y memoria ninguna. -- Gil de Biedma

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 07:45:51 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Cities Too Poor To Bury Dead | LDBDR

Speaking of logistical problems, So. California notwithstanding,

CNN's Assignment Detroit project released a report Thursday detailing how 67 people lie in wait at the Wayne County morgue. Unemployment, at a staggering 28% in Detroit, prevents many from affording to provide their family members a final resting place, and Detroit's $21,000 annual budget to bury unclaimed bodies ran out three months ago. More bodies are being left to the control of the state, who are having a harder time picking up the slack....
But it's not just Detroit. In Jefferson County, Alabama, the state has only recently resumed burying the indigent and unclaimed, reports al.com. The county has been unable to afford to pay its employees who handle burials and grave maintenance since August, but some hospitals have started footing the bill until the county can afford to continue their services.

A death TAX! on EVERY citizen.

The state of Illinois faced similar fears as its Department of Human Services announced in June that it would be unable to continue paying for burial or funeral services. Budget cuts, reported the State Journal-Register, had shredded the $15 million the state annually puts aside to bury the approximate 10,000 corpses it takes care of. In August, the state rescinded, and approved $12.6 million for those purposes, which affords $1,655 per indigent burial, according to a report by the Southern, much to the delight of cemeteries and funeral homes.

hyper-INFLATION! Bury yer GOLD!

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 12:40:38 PM EST
[ Parent ]

and a bombing hit the 1996 Games in Atlanta.

Oh, THAT wasn't why Atlanta '96 was controversial...

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

by DoDo on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 01:42:39 PM EST
[ Parent ]

well, if folks have to find the decision as a slight against someone, then it might suggest that the international bloom is off the rose for o-man.

world-wide high hopes have given way to something more pragmatic... and possibly a mild spanking for a couple that takes 2 long jet rides to go and shill for the hometown, when there are bigger global fish to fry, and domestic fires to put out.

one is left with an odd taste, was it o-man's job to conspicuously fail in this way, or was it another case of US exceptionalism with everyone assuming that if such a heavy hitter shows up to tout his city's wares, it's a slam dunk.

neither are particularly inspiring.

pancakes anyone?

"Two wrongs don't make a right, but three lefts do." Jim Hightower

by melo (melometa4(at)gmail.com) on Sat Oct 3rd, 2009 at 12:12:02 AM EST
[ Parent ]

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/IMF-assesses-ways-to-raise-apf-3746607339.html?x=0&sec=topStories& amp;pos=7&asset=&ccode=

What I'm hearing this morning is that Obama was fine, but the hypersecurity around his visit pissed a number of officials off.

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Sat Oct 3rd, 2009 at 02:04:31 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Here's a good one - (4.00 / 2)

These people have formed a circular firing squad, except that, instead of a target in the middle, they each have a bead on the back of the next person on their right.

paul spencer

by paul spencer (spencerinthegorge AT yahoo DOT com) on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 11:42:24 AM EST

Re: Here's a good one - (4.00 / 3)

IMF assesses ways to raise money from banks - Yahoo! Finance

"Considering that the financial sector is creating a lot of systemic risks for the global economy, it is fair that the sector pay some of its resources to mitigate risks it is creating itself," he said.

Um, if regulators had been doing their supervisory job right, and if they had stepped in and put failing banks into receivership and sacked the management and wiped out the shareholders instead of bailing them out...

En un viejo país ineficiente, algo así como España entre dos guerras civiles, poseer una casa y poca hacienda y memoria ninguna. -- Gil de Biedma

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 11:44:39 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Here's a good one - (none / 1)

Bu that would be socialism.

Oh - wait.

by ThatBritGuy (thatbritguy (at) googlemail.com) on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 12:25:40 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Here's a good one - (4.00 / 2)

by Loefing on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 01:14:23 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Here's a good one - (none / 1)

I should have added h/t to Richard Brenneman.

by Loefing on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 01:16:53 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Here's a good one - (none / 0)

By that definition, Socialism was practised in Europeand countries from Spain to Finland as recently as 15 years ago... Oh, wait!

En un viejo país ineficiente, algo así como España entre dos guerras civiles, poseer una casa y poca hacienda y memoria ninguna. -- Gil de Biedma

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 02:36:46 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Here's a good one - (none / 1)

But that represents a misapprehension of the true task of financial regulators. It is NOT to regulate the behavior of banks, FAR FROM IT, it is to regulate the perception of that behavior by the general public. The banks, after all, are the clients the regulators serve. It isn't that way in Spain?

As the Dutch said while fighting the Spanish: "It is not necessary to have hope in order to persevere."

by ARGeezer (ARGeezer at eurotrib.com) on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 05:13:59 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Friday Open Thread (4.00 / 5)

Gas Mask Bra Among Ig Nobel Winners « naked capitalism

Male readers will no doubt assume that this means the original owner of the gas mask bra must strip in the case of emergency, and that that the real point of this exercise. But the bra was designed by a woman who demonstrated at the ceremony that it could be removed discretely. Hhm, I am sure such niceties would not be observed in a bona fide emergency.

"Ce qui vient au monde pour ne rien troubler ne mérite ni égards ni patience." René Char

by Melanchthon on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 12:32:04 PM EST

Re: Friday Open Thread (4.00 / 5)

Other winners per the Boston Globe:

Veterinary medicine: Dr. Catherine Douglas and Dr. Peter Rowlinson of Newcastle University, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, UK, for showing that cows who have names give more milk than cows that are nameless.
Peace: Dr. Stephan Bolliger, Dr. Steffen Ross, Dr. Lars Oesterhelweg, Dr. Michael Thali, and Beat Kneubuehl of the University of Bern, Switzerland, for determining -- by experiment -- whether it is better to be smashed over the head with a full bottle of beer or with an empty bottle.

"Ce qui vient au monde pour ne rien troubler ne mérite ni égards ni patience." René Char

by Melanchthon on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 12:35:21 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Some people happily and proudly collect their prizes, some don't. Here are some people who will likely not collect their prizes:

Economics: The directors, executives, and auditors of four Icelandic banks -- Kaupthing Bank, Landsbanki, Glitnir Bank, and Central Bank of Iceland -- for demonstrating that tiny banks can be rapidly transformed into huge banks, and vice versa -- and for demonstrating that similar things can be done to an entire national economy.

En un viejo país ineficiente, algo así como España entre dos guerras civiles, poseer una casa y poca hacienda y memoria ninguna. -- Gil de Biedma

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 03:08:47 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Friday Open Thread (4.00 / 4)

No need for "likely". Here is the full list of who did and did not attend. Those that did not attend were

Catherine Douglas of the cow resrarch, who was unable to travel because she recently gave birth (she did send a photo of herself, her new daughter dressed in a cow suit, and a cow.)

The winners of the economic prize, of course.

As literature went to the unidentified Prawo Jazdy, he/she was hard to fnd. But Karolina Lewestam, holder of a Polish driver's license, speaking on behalf of all her fellow Polish licensed drivers accepted it.

Mathematics. See economics.

by gk (g k quattro due due sette "at" gmail.com) on Sat Oct 3rd, 2009 at 01:53:16 AM EST
[ Parent ]

As literature went to the unidentified Prawo Jazdy

I thought it went to the Irish Garda?

En un viejo país ineficiente, algo así como España entre dos guerras civiles, poseer una casa y poca hacienda y memoria ninguna. -- Gil de Biedma

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Sat Oct 3rd, 2009 at 04:31:42 AM EST
[ Parent ]

You're absolutely right. I saw who accepted it, and didn't read carefully...

by gk (g k quattro due due sette "at" gmail.com) on Sat Oct 3rd, 2009 at 04:52:56 AM EST
[ Parent ]

whether it is better to be smashed over the head with a full bottle of beer or with an empty bottle.

It's optimal to just be smashed, period...

"The basis of optimism is sheer terror" - Oscar Wilde

by NordicStorm (michael<-at->sturmbaum.net) on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 04:19:57 PM EST
[ Parent ]

There's always next year.

by ThatBritGuy (thatbritguy (at) googlemail.com) on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 06:07:23 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Why am i thinking that Herr Freud would have a field day analyzing this invention, especially with respect to the juxtaposition of civilization, emergency, and response?

Skennah Kowa

by Crazy Horse on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 02:54:24 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Friday Open Thread (4.00 / 4)

You would have thought that codpieces could be useful too.

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 03:23:58 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Isn't asphyxiation supposed to be preferable to male nudity?

En un viejo país ineficiente, algo así como España entre dos guerras civiles, poseer una casa y poca hacienda y memoria ninguna. -- Gil de Biedma

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 07:45:02 PM EST
[ Parent ]

The joys of programming (4.00 / 4)

For two hours today, I was calculating the inverse of a nasty non-continuous double-embed function (going from y = f(g(x)) to x = g^-1(f^-1(y))) for a patch for a programme misbehaving in certain cases of undersampling. Until I realised that a simple virtual (interpolated) oversampling of g(x) does the trick... Such analog thinking.

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

by DoDo on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 01:06:39 PM EST

Re: The joys of programming (none / 0)

You do realise how restricted the set is of people who remotely understand that, don't you ?

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 01:45:41 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The joys of programming (none / 0)

In layman terms: I attempted to solve a problem with a program (which processes digital data) by sitting down with a paper and pencil and doing elaborate calculations (that's "analog thinking"), while re-writing the code a bit (for finer digitisation) was the much simpler solution.

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

by DoDo on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 02:06:48 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The joys of programming (none / 0)

Ah. thank you, all is clear ... as mud. :-))

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 03:17:33 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The joys of programming (4.00 / 2)

You need to watch more re-runs of Star Trek, in order to pick up how Data learns from the other crewmembers how to play poker, chess, etc. His problem-solving strategies are applicable to physics and math problems also. Today it was "win by trying to get to a draw."

by asdf on Sat Oct 3rd, 2009 at 12:25:45 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The joys of programming (none / 1)

know the feeling: brute force is surprisingly effective in signal processing. I had a similar problem involving fractional delays which turned out to be easier by supersampling and downsampling than to use the standard approach.

A similar result led to the oversampled d2as widely used in audio now: much easier to oversample, filter digitally then use a simple analogue filter than to use a steep analogue filter directly.

by njh on Sat Oct 3rd, 2009 at 08:48:58 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Settling in for a week (at least) of rest in Berlin. The final burnout of the trip - six European cities in two weeks while traveling with my sister (which was great) - is over. She flew home today.

So now I'm working on the resume/CV and taking a look at some jobs - checking the usual suspects in my industry, some of them are hiring. When I checked last May mid-trip, there was nothing. So that's a good sign.

you are the media you consume.

by MillMan (millguy at gmail) on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 01:14:45 PM EST

I know nanne is there, but do ya want some recommends for pubs ?

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 03:18:11 PM EST
[ Parent ]

I'm always up for recommendations. I'll get in touch with nanne too, although I really need several days of sitting on a couch at the moment. I only realize how run down I am after a slow day.

you are the media you consume.

by MillMan (millguy at gmail) on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 03:33:52 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Okay, remember I've never been and apart from Berliner weisse (whose praises I sang to you, get the green fairy juice tho') I've not knowingly drunk a berlin beer so can't really recommend anything. However these sound the most interesting;-

Schlossolatzbrauerei : Astrid rubbert Schlossplatz, Kopenick

alt-Berliner Weissbierstube : Rathausstrasse 21, Mitte

Lemke : S-bahnbogen 143, Dirckenstrasse

Zur Letzen Instanz : Waisenstrasse 14-16, Mitte

Schwartzwaldstuben : Tucholskystrasse,48, mitte

Sophie'n Eck : Grosse Hamburger Strasse 37, Mitte

Alter Fritz : Karolinenstrasse 12, Tegel

Brewbaker :S-bahnbogen 415, Felnsburger Strasse, Tiergarten

Paulaner's im Spreebogen : Alt Moabit 98, Tiegarten

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 04:03:23 PM EST
[ Parent ]

If you get in touch with nanne, he'll take you to the best whisky bar in Berlin, and the rocknroll sushi near Orangien (platz?) station will lead you farther down the Berlin path.

i could go on.

Skennah Kowa

by Crazy Horse on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 04:22:41 PM EST
[ Parent ]

As we discussed in Paris, there are signs the semiconductors industry is picking up again, but that's after it went down a very steep cliff. Good luck!

Europeans think a hundred miles is a long way. Americans think a hundred years is a long time.

by Bernard on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 05:33:26 PM EST
[ Parent ]

I expected someone else to come up with this, but hey, what the heck....

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 03:35:43 PM EST

Going for a thong (4.00 / 2)

Had a fun time there in '69. My skin had gone palish green from lack of sun in the jungle, and my stomach couldn't take anything oily - but my work with the Villas Boas made me a star with the academic Leftists and partying ensued.

And yes, Ipanema beach lived up to its mythology. I am very fond of the memories there - the people I met were fantastic, full of life. What the Italians call a coffee, would have been called water in Rio. Those little gold cups from the beach kiosks packed a mighty jolt.

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 04:03:42 PM EST
[ Parent ]

...ygod (4.00 / 7)

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

by Jerome a Paris (etg@eurotrib.com) on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 04:18:52 PM EST

Re: ...ygod (4.00 / 2)

"You do realise how restricted the set is of people who remotely understand that, don't you ?"

by asdf on Sat Oct 3rd, 2009 at 12:27:36 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: ...ygod (4.00 / 4)

Since it's part of any introductory physics course, the set is probably a lot less restricted than those who understand most of the discussions on economics here....

Any idea how the set of people who remotely understand that cartoon compares with those who understand this:

by gk (g k quattro due due sette "at" gmail.com) on Sat Oct 3rd, 2009 at 01:58:44 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: ...ygod (none / 0)

ROFL

En un viejo país ineficiente, algo así como España entre dos guerras civiles, poseer una casa y poca hacienda y memoria ninguna. -- Gil de Biedma

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Sat Oct 3rd, 2009 at 04:29:29 AM EST
[ Parent ]

set of people (none / 1)

People who have watched Spiderman?

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

by Jerome a Paris (etg@eurotrib.com) on Sat Oct 3rd, 2009 at 03:48:48 AM EST
[ Parent ]

LOL, I missed that reference...

En un viejo país ineficiente, algo así como España entre dos guerras civiles, poseer una casa y poca hacienda y memoria ninguna. -- Gil de Biedma

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Sat Oct 3rd, 2009 at 04:30:40 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Me too, being outside that set...

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

by DoDo on Sat Oct 3rd, 2009 at 04:34:20 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Oh, but I have seen the film - hence the LOL

En un viejo país ineficiente, algo así como España entre dos guerras civiles, poseer una casa y poca hacienda y memoria ninguna. -- Gil de Biedma

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Sat Oct 3rd, 2009 at 04:37:05 AM EST
[ Parent ]

BBC SPORT | Motorsport | Formula 1 | Button demoted as Vettel shines

I got that; but WHAT is the reference to?

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

by DoDo on Sat Oct 3rd, 2009 at 04:43:25 AM EST
[ Parent ]

At some point (none / 1)

The kid being Spiderman is told (by his uncle?) that 'with great power comes great responsibility"

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

by Jerome a Paris (etg@eurotrib.com) on Sat Oct 3rd, 2009 at 05:47:15 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: set of people (none / 1)

En un viejo país ineficiente, algo así como España entre dos guerras civiles, poseer una casa y poca hacienda y memoria ninguna. -- Gil de Biedma

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Sat Oct 3rd, 2009 at 06:17:09 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Madness Threatens (none / 1)

only 5 hours 'til i must wake for the exciting FP3 in Suzuka. Amazing what an addiction to hi-speed aerodynamics will do for a normally healthy? boy. (or maybe i'll pass and just watch qualy.)

why couldn't i be addicted to sex, or shopping, or the sweet funky music of power train analysis?

Skennah Kowa

by Crazy Horse on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 04:32:40 PM EST

Re: Madness Threatens (none / 0)

So, Rubens or Jenson?

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

by DoDo on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 05:16:44 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Madness Threatens (none / 1)

Jenson seems a lock barring screwups, which do happen (HAM 07). For Suzuka i'm thinking Vettel balls out, but everything depends on wet or dry. McLaren have new bargeboards and a path generator inboard of the brakes, which if it works will negate their downforce deficiency to some degree, so... HAM will contend.

But a wet qualy will be wide open.

Skennah Kowa

by Crazy Horse on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 05:38:23 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Madness Threatens (4.00 / 3)

"You do realise how restricted the set is of people who remotely understand that, don't you ?"

by asdf on Sat Oct 3rd, 2009 at 12:28:23 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Madness Threatens (none / 1)

Hah! Results:

Vettel P1, HAM P3, Kovi binned in Degner but P9, both Brawns BAR & BUT likely 5 place penalty for not lifting under yellow, but Rubens out-quali's Jenson. GLO broken leg Q2? Alonso threw his toys out of the pram, again. 3 red flags in Quali, season record. HEI P6 and RAI P8 fueled heavy? Force India surprise P4.

VET and HAM on the clean side, but HAM has KERS. Truli light on the dirty side, for the Toyo home crowd. High downforce track rules, but some must lift at 190R.

capish?

Skennah Kowa

by Crazy Horse on Sat Oct 3rd, 2009 at 03:18:18 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Madness Threatens (4.00 / 2)

DoDo:

a simple virtual (interpolated) oversampling of g(x) does the trick

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Sat Oct 3rd, 2009 at 03:24:28 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Madness Threatens (none / 1)

Yep 5 drivers back for not lifting

Button, team-mate and title rival Rubens Barrichello, Adrian Sutil, Sebastien Buemi, Fernando Alonso and Vitantonio Liuzzi were all penalised.

If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate.

by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Sat Oct 3rd, 2009 at 07:14:29 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Madness Threatens (none / 0)

For Suzuka i'm thinking Vettel balls out

It does seem so, indeed. Now if they'd somehow blocked the sunlight at that curve.

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

by DoDo on Sat Oct 3rd, 2009 at 03:08:48 AM EST
[ Parent ]

by ThatBritGuy (thatbritguy (at) googlemail.com) on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 06:16:30 PM EST

Avast, me hearties! (none / 1)

En un viejo país ineficiente, algo así como España entre dos guerras civiles, poseer una casa y poca hacienda y memoria ninguna. -- Gil de Biedma

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 07:49:21 PM EST

Marke Edelman is dead at 90 (4.00 / 4)

Last surviving leader of the Jewish revolt in Warsaw.

by rootless2 (redacted) on Fri Oct 2nd, 2009 at 11:13:07 PM EST

Re: Marke Edelman is dead at 90 (4.00 / 2)

Two excerpts from obituries, From Ha'aretz (Hebrew edition)

הארגון התנגד לציונות וראה הכרח היסטורי בקיום יהודי במדינות המוצא.		The organization [Bund] was opposed to Zionism, and saw a historical neccessity to maintain a Jewish existence in the countries of origin
אדלמן העלה על הכתב את זיכרונותיו, שהתפרסמו מיד עם תוך המלחמה בפולנית, ובתוך זמן קצר - בחמש שפות נוספות. רק כעבור 56 שנים תורגם הטקסט לעברית		Edelman wrote his memoires, that were published immediately after the war in Polish, and, after a short time, in five additional languages. They were translated into Hebrew only 56 years later.

Ha'aretz, English edition.

The organization was known in part for being anti-Zionist, believing that Jews must assert themselves as a part of the societies of the countries of origin.
[...]
Edelman's memoirs were later translated into six languages, including Hebrew.

To be fair, the very detailed NYT obituary doesn't mention any of this.

by gk (g k quattro due due sette "at" gmail.com) on Sat Oct 3rd, 2009 at 04:33:33 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Founding myths and all. Do you remember Ezer Weizman declaring that he cannot understand how Jews can live in Germany today?

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

by DoDo on Sat Oct 3rd, 2009 at 04:42:09 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Well in all fairness, the Bund was shown to have a poor historical analysis: if they had encouraged emigration, more Jews would have survived. And Edelman's wife and children left Poland in 1968 during the wave of anti-semitic activity by the Communist government.

by rootless2 (redacted) on Sat Oct 3rd, 2009 at 09:36:45 AM EST
[ Parent ]

How is that "poor historical analysis"?...

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

by DoDo on Sat Oct 3rd, 2009 at 11:39:09 AM EST
[ Parent ]