World Cup Pool

[Harve74]

How beautiful is Tallinn? Was my favorite looking old town until I saw Ljubljana a couple of days ago. Now I think they are equal excellent.

Tallin IS beautiful. I spent a very enjoyable Summer afternoon noshing and drinking at a roof-top bar above the old town. Nice view of the waterfront too. Like most of Scandanvia, it has a strong supply of beautiful blonde scenery too.

The contrasts of city and countryside are much like Oslo and the Norway of 30-odd years ago, a mix of old and poor and very modern updated construction. Of course, the terrain is completely different. Norway is rocky crags and Estonia is flat as a soccer field. And, many of the buildings in the outskirts and smaller cities are holdovers from very generic Soviet construction.

One oddity that I have not seen elsewhere is what seems to be a reluctance to tear down an old house when the new one is built. Throughout the countryside, there frequently was a series of two or three ramshackle old houses in various stages of decay alongside the most recent. Sometimes, only the stone foundations remained. I never got a good explanation for that but it seemed common practice inside the industrial plants I visited too.

Maybe it comes from the long Soviet occupation? I've heard the Red Army still has thousands of old artillary pieces and tanks, going back to WWII vintage, in storage, in case they're ever needed.

I'm a bit skeptical about the happiness quotient in Scandinavia too. It wasn't so long ago the suicide rate there was among the highest in the world, particularly during winter. The governments and entrepreneurs are working hard to transform the economies away from North Sea Oil to high tech, digital and alternative energy. Estonia has superb computer saavy. Some working for good and others hackers.

It is an interesting country.

 

[pittiswhereiamfrom2]

Tallin IS beautiful. I spent a very enjoyable Summer afternoon noshing and drinking at a roof-top bar above the old town. Nice view of the waterfront too. Like most of Scandanvia, it has a strong supply of beautiful blonde scenery too.

The contrasts of city and countryside are much like Oslo and the Norway of 30-odd years ago, a mix of old and poor and very modern updated construction. Of course, the terrain is completely different. Norway is rocky crags and Estonia is flat as a soccer field. And, many of the buildings in the outskirts and smaller cities are holdovers from very generic Soviet construction.

One oddity that I have not seen elsewhere is what seems to be a reluctance to tear down an old house when the new one is built. Throughout the countryside, there frequently was a series of two or three ramshackle old houses in various stages of decay alongside the most recent. Sometimes, only the stone foundations remained. I never got a good explanation for that but it seemed common practice inside the industrial plants I visited too.

Maybe it comes from the long Soviet occupation? I've heard the Red Army still has thousands of old artillary pieces and tanks, going back to WWII vintage, in storage, in case they're ever needed.

They have every intention of using them.

 

[Harve74]

They have every intention of using them.

It's very possible some do. But, 70-80 year old technology and equipment is basically scrap metal, and might only be effective if a nuclear exchange and a mass Electromagnetic Pulse had rendered all modern waepons into bricks. And, maybe not then.

I'm not sure there are enough willing soldiers in the Red Army who are willing to fight the Great Pariotic War again. I think Putin and his cronies are more interested in lining their pockets than ruling the world. Again, I'm trying to avoid turning this into a Locker Room thread, but in that, Trump and Putin appear to have a lot in common.

 

[pittiswhereiamfrom2]

It's very possible some do. But, 70-80 year old technology and equipment is basically scrap metal, and might only be effective if a nuclear exchange and a mass Electromagnetic Pulse had rendered all modern waepons into bricks. And, maybe not then.

I'm not sure there are enough willing soldiers in the Red Army who are willing to fight the Great Pariotic War again. I think Putin and his cronies are more interested in lining their pockets than ruling the world. Again, I'm trying to avoid turning this into a Locker Room thread, but in that, Trump and Putin appear to have a lot in common.

I think Putin is more involved than that. Look at Ukraina. And the Ukraine thing didn’t happen without The approval of the US and EU. So Putin surely had friendly relations with the previous US administration.

 

[Harve74]

I think Putin is more involved than that. Look at Ukraina. And the Ukraine thing didn’t happen without The approval of the US and EU. So Putin surely had friendly relations with the previous US administration.

There's nothing to be gained from taking this in that direction. Putin and his oligarchs aren't ideological. They're just corrupt. Russia has needed a warm-watervport since Czarist times. They need a route for their oul to the West. Thus, the Crimean agression. Economics, not ideology.

Disagree about good relationships between the previous administration and Putin or Europe and Putin. Trump is Putin's best Western friend.

If the Russians ever need to use those antique weapons, they'll likely be aiming them East. Or South at the Islamists. The West will never attack Russia.

 

[pittiswhereiamfrom2]

There's nothing to be gained from taking this in that direction. Putin and his oligarchs aren't ideological. They're just corrupt. Russia has needed a warm-watervport since Czarist times. They need a route for their oul to the West. Thus, the Crimean agression. Economics, not ideology.

Disagree about good relationships between the previous administration and Putin or Europe and Putin. Trump is Putin's best Western friend.

If the Russians ever need to use those antique weapons, they'll likely be aiming them East. Or South at the Islamists. The West will never attack Russia.

You brought the conversation to this. Imperialists don’t take land because it is a burden. Of course they took Crimea for a reason. It was more than a port.

And since you know about Russian aggression, why did they take Donbas?
Why do they occupy land between Moldova and Ukraine?
Why do they occupy parts of Georgia? And not the state in America.

It is ok to disagree, but try to know before disagreeing.

 

[pittiswhereiamfrom2]

There's nothing to be gained from taking this in that direction. Putin and his oligarchs aren't ideological. They're just corrupt. Russia has needed a warm-watervport since Czarist times. They need a route for their oul to the West. Thus, the Crimean agression. Economics, not ideology.

Disagree about good relationships between the previous administration and Putin or Europe and Putin. Trump is Putin's best Western friend.

If the Russians ever need to use those antique weapons, they'll likely be aiming them East. Or South at the Islamists. The West will never attack Russia.

Also, Putin would not have gone into Crimea without knowing the EU and the US would not fight. But Obama did tell Russia they were wrong, in public.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

They drink 8% beer like we drink Coke

Actually, apparently one of the reasons for the shortage is that Russians don't really drink much beer anymore, in large part due to high taxes and import duties on it, and it seems to have caught many places by surprise at how much more beer the foreigners drink than the Russians do.

 

[Chaos]

A guy at work is running a world cup pool. I have never watched a world cup soccer game in my life, but am a degenerate when it comes to joining pools...

Anyone who knows anything about "futbol"....I have to pick one team from each "Pool Category" (one team from 1, one team from 2, etc... through group 8).

Scoring: 5 points for a win, 3 points for a draw, 1 point per goal. Most points wins the pot.

Country Pool Category
Brazil 1
Spain 1
France 1
Germany 1
Belgium 2
Argentina 2
Uruguay 2
England 2
Croatia 3
Portugal 3
Colombia 3
Mexico 3
Peru 4
Serbia 4
Poland 4
Switzerland 4
Nigeria 5
Egypt 5
Denmark 5
Morocco 5
Senegal 6
Iceland 6
Costa Rica 6
Iran 6
Russia 7
Tunisia 7
Japan 7
Australia 7
Sweden 8
South Korea 8
Saudi Arabia 8
Panama 8

So how are you doing in your pool?

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

Why would they do that? The money was too good to not give it to Qatar.

Why? For the safety and welfare of the fans, thousands and thousands that come to watch the World Cup? Don't they have Sharia Law there? Isn't alcohol consumption forbidden?

I am sorry, you have to at least live in the correct century to be qualified to host an event like this in my opinion. Giving it to Qatar is the absolute height of irresponsibility.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

The freedom to walk down the street with a beer. Beats every other freedom we have put together.

Las Vegas, New Orleans, Kittanning, places where it is pretty free to walk downtown with alcohol

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

I guess I've been to about 15 different countries, many in Europe and a few in Latin America and the USA is the most anal about drinking, of course the fundamentalist Muslim countries are worse, but I haven't been to any of those.

Yep. Agree. Japan has beer in "Coke Machines" at the train stations.

 

[pittiswhereiamfrom2]

Las Vegas, New Orleans, Kittanning, places where it is pretty free to walk downtown with alcohol

All superior cities.

 

[pittiswhereiamfrom2]

Why? For the safety and welfare of the fans, thousands and thousands that come to watch the World Cup? Don't they have Sharia Law there? Isn't alcohol consumption forbidden?

I am sorry, you have to at least live in the correct century to be qualified to host an event like this in my opinion. Giving it to Qatar is the absolute height of irresponsibility.

Ha. Come on. You are smarter than this.

But what’s wrong with sharia law? Seems sensible.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

I think some of our hang-ups about drinking age/outdoor drinking are because we have a car culture (valid concern) and kill a lot of people with drunk driving; and because we're a nation colonized by Puritans who brought in every religious group from Europe they could find (less valid.)

Bingo. I think those are excellent points.

1) the car culture and the lack of public transportation, that is definitely an issue. But I know in Europe specifically, have a zero tolerance drunk driving policy. So it is ingrained in people from early on.

2) The Puritannical nature is huge. I mean seriously, why is the drinking age 21? When you are a legal adult for everything else at 18? That's ridiculous. I mean you have drunk driving laws, enforce them, it doesn't matter if the driver is 19 or 49. But you have those Baptists and some other sects which are essentially the Fundamentalist Muslims in some respects.

We have a real effed up culture sometimes with alcohol. We demonize it so much that we binge it and abuse it.

 

[Pitt79]

The car culture is one of the things I hate about the USA, it would make for a better mental health if suburban neighborhoods had corner bars and restaurants scattered around within walking distance and there would be less DUIs. But they purposely zone that stuff out.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

You mean those SOCIALIST countries?

I always argue this to those who think socialism is the bastion and answer to all ills. Those countries are small in population and incredibly homogenous in race, ethnic, education, etc....through Denmark and Finland in there too. Not exactly melting pot countries, which the US definitely is, along with alot of the European countries. They are almost all like family.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

The car culture is one of the things I hate about the USA, it would make for a better mental health if suburban neighborhoods had corner bars and restaurants scattered around within walking distance and there would be less DUIs. But they purposely zone that stuff out.

As suburbanite, yeah I would love that. But we are who we are. US's power was built on the automobile

 

[Pitt79]

I always argue this to those who think socialism is the bastion and answer to all ills. Those countries are small in population and incredibly homogenous in race, ethnic, education, etc....through Denmark and Finland in there too. Not exactly melting pot countries, which the US definitely is, along with alot of the European countries. They are almost all like family.

Why does that preclude the USA from doing some of the things they do? I don't want total socialism where there is no private industry, I just want some things that would be best for people to not be about making corporations money above all else. So why can't a melting pot country do good things for all their people?

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

There's nothing to be gained from taking this in that direction. Putin and his oligarchs aren't ideological. They're just corrupt. Russia has needed a warm-watervport since Czarist times. They need a route for their oul to the West. Thus, the Crimean agression. Economics, not ideology.

Disagree about good relationships between the previous administration and Putin or Europe and Putin. Trump is Putin's best Western friend.

If the Russians ever need to use those antique weapons, they'll likely be aiming them East. Or South at the Islamists. The West will never attack Russia.

You are right, Trump and Putin are basically the same, and that is probably why Putin favored Trump, because he knows they operate like businessmen nie mafia dons, and therefore there is both deals and money to be made.

 

[Pitt79]

As suburbanite, yeah I would love that. But we are who we are. US's power was built on the automobile

So what? We can't ever change anything? If it was doable, I'd live walking distance from my job and everything else and gladly just use my car a couple times a week, it's just that we've purposely built things to make that undoable. I do live less that a 10 minute drive from my job, I have to, I'd go insane if I lived like some co-workers who drive over an hour one way every morning through heavy traffic.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

Why does that preclude the USA from doing some of the things they do? I don't want total socialism where there is no private industry, I just want some things that would be best for people to not be about making corporations money above all else. So why can't a melting pot country do good things for all their people?

What big country does that again? You mean like the old USSR? Remember the phrase absolute power corrupts absolutely, so whether it is government, or Big Oil, or Big Auto, or Big Pharma, there "common man" welfare is not going to be the main objective of their mission statements.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

So what? We can't ever change anything? If it was doable, I'd live walking distance from my job and everything else and gladly just use my car a couple times a week, it's just that we've purposely built things to make that undoable. I do live less that a 10 minute drive from my job, I have to, I'd go insane if I lived like some co-workers who drive over an hour one way every morning through heavy traffic.

Aren't you the same guy who eschews pro sports for like 8th grade girl's soccer? Dude, grow up some. Sorry, life isn't puppy dogs and rainbows. Because YOU like what YOU want, doesn't make it preferable for others.

 

[Harve74]

Bingo. I think those are excellent points.

1) the car culture and the lack of public transportation, that is definitely an issue. But I know in Europe specifically, have a zero tolerance drunk driving policy. So it is ingrained in people from early on.

2) The Puritannical nature is huge. I mean seriously, why is the drinking age 21? When you are a legal adult for everything else at 18? That's ridiculous. I mean you have drunk driving laws, enforce them, it doesn't matter if the driver is 19 or 49. But you have those Baptists and some other sects which are essentially the Fundamentalist Muslims in some respects.

We have a real effed up culture sometimes with alcohol. We demonize it so much that we binge it and abuse it.

The demonization of alcohol is one thing. Drunk driving IS an issue. But alcohol in the system can be measured quickly and easily. For states and countries which legalize grass, things could become much more interesting.

I studied drug testing in a forensic chemistry class. THC stays in the blood for day and weeks. I'm not sure there is any agreement on what level legally determines impairment and how long it takes for someone who has smoked to have his level drop to "safe" numbers.

There are plenty of people driving around now with what are probably "impaired" levels but who are probably no longer "high.". As recreational use is legalized and increases, enforcement of impaired driving isgoing to be a real legal headache.

This thread has gone far from the original point. I didn't want it to veer into Locker Room fodder but I guess I did my part to steer it there. Sorry about that. Even though Western European culture is the origin of ours, and is still the most similar, there are big differences.

As Boomers, which most of us are I think, we're leaving a ton of issues for the next generations to resolve as we start to wind down the dominance of our generation and prepare to exit this world.

 

[Pitt79]

Aren't you the same guy who eschews pro sports for like 8th grade girl's soccer? Dude, grow up some. Sorry, life isn't puppy dogs and rainbows. Because YOU like what YOU want, doesn't make it preferable for others.

I don't know, they things I want poll at like 65% in the USA, and even 50% among Republicans, so why can't we kick some corporate A-holes in the groin and get some puppy dogs and rainbows?

 

[MarshallGoldberg]

I do think on the car culture and zoning issue, millennials and generation Z are going to slowly change things. I think we'll see more advanced rail, transportation pods, self driving vehicles/ride sharing, etc. -- and less traditional car ownership. More of these folks are moving to cities, or to "new urbanist" style suburbs that have bike-lanes and sidewalks and cafes where they might own 1 car for 2 people instead of 2 for 2. Saudia Arabia already put out a report about how scared they are about the fact young people around the developed world are driving less than their parents did (like uh maybe get your economy ready for a post gasoline consumption world regardless.)

On the weed thing, it's definitely a worry. I am generally pro legalization but I don't want people driving around stoned, and clearly they are. A friend of a friend's wife was killed by a stoned driver in the south hills. There should be serious consequences for DUI's regardless of the substance. I love my car but I have no doubt it's a deadly tool.

 

[Pitt79]

What big country does that again? You mean like the old USSR? Remember the phrase absolute power corrupts absolutely, so whether it is government, or Big Oil, or Big Auto, or Big Pharma, there "common man" welfare is not going to be the main objective of their mission statements.

Germany, England, Japan, Canada to name a few.

 

[pittiswhereiamfrom2]

I always argue this to those who think socialism is the bastion and answer to all ills. Those countries are small in population and incredibly homogenous in race, ethnic, education, etc....through Denmark and Finland in there too. Not exactly melting pot countries, which the US definitely is, along with alot of the European countries. They are almost all like family.

Denmark and Finland have done their best to ruin that homogeneous culture.

 

[pittiswhereiamfrom2]

What big country does that again? You mean like the old USSR? Remember the phrase absolute power corrupts absolutely, so whether it is government, or Big Oil, or Big Auto, or Big Pharma, there "common man" welfare is not going to be the main objective of their mission statements.

No doubt about this. Big corporate types become insanely focused on personal profit. It is a sickness.

 

[pittiswhereiamfrom2]

Germany, England, Japan, Canada to name a few.

Sure, these countries are doing excellent now. With the exception of Japan. And they protect their borders fiercely.

 

[pittiswhereiamfrom2]

Germany, England, Japan, Canada to name a few.

 

[Pitt79]

Sure, these countries are doing excellent now. With the exception of Japan. And they protect their borders fiercely.

Germany, England, France, Canada are all super diverse, full of Muslims and third world immigrants and refugees. I'll add France too, another "big" country that does all that stuff that America doesn't have the ability to do.

 

[Pitt79]

View embedded media

So what does this have to do with anything?

And I'd gladly cut the US Military by 50% and become Canada or Australia, we have natural borders, I'd rather be like those countries and not be hegemon or world police. I'm willing to live with a German standard of living, I'd live in a smaller house, I buy ZERO "toys" so living with less actually appeals to me, I actually chose watching 8th grade girls soccer over being at work seeking promotion opportunities.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

Oh bingo. That is my problem with drug testing, specifically with marijuana. And you can have a recreational user who smokes a few joints on a weekend, and the THC stays with you for 3 weeks. So next Wednesday, if say you are tested, you get a positive result even though you are as sober as a judge and no different than if somone kicked back a few bourbons Saturday night.

And of course, always the response to this was, "well it is illegal" and that is true. However, now with the decriminalization and legalization of pot, now it is complicated,. because how do you now test and determine if they are truly impaired like alcohol??

That is why I am wary of drug testing policies right now.

 

[Harve74]

Oh bingo. That is my problem with drug testing, specifically with marijuana. And you can have a recreational user who smokes a few joints on a weekend, and the THC stays with you for 3 weeks. So next Wednesday, if say you are tested, you get a positive result even though you are as sober as a judge and no different than if somone kicked back a few bourbons Saturday night.

And of course, always the response to this was, "well it is illegal" and that is true. However, now with the decriminalization and legalization of pot, now it is complicated,. because how do you now test and determine if they are truly impaired like alcohol??

That is why I am wary of drug testing policies right now.

It's even worse than that. My former firm went from urine tests to hair tests a year or so before I retired. They could get a positive results from 6 months previous use. Or, in one case, from one VERY straight-laced guy who liked poppy-seed bagels.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

It's even worse than that. My former firm went from urine tests to hair tests a year or so before I retired. They could get a positive results from 6 months previous use. Or, in one case, from one VERY straight-laced guy who liked poppy-seed bagels.

Yeah, a few jobs before we were a sensitive government contractor, and I was 20 some years old, and I was THE Account Manager, who ran all of our sensitive military accounts, and I had pothead friends who we had what we called "Big Sundays" which involved waking up from a hangover to early tee times, to then watching say the NFL and grilling steaks and drinking copious wine/alcohol to Sunday night poker which always involved a huge bong of which I couldn't partake but always had to be wary of second hand smoke. '

I am not a big fan of drug testing as it stands. And I also understand that recreational pot use is not any different or damaging that martini's or a few Makers on the rocks after work.

 

[steel_curtain]

-Is anyone even watching this tournament? I watched giant killer Croatia blow the doors off Argentina earlier today. Whoever picked Argentina is in a real mess right now.

 

[Harve74]

-Is anyone even watching this tournament? I watched giant killer Croatia blow the doors off Argentina earlier today. Whoever picked Argentina is in a real mess right now.

Argentina and Messi are having one of the all-time classic choke jobs.

Can't remember which site predicted it, but somebody said this collapse has been coming for Argentina for some time. They have been too content to let Messi be the entire offense and not developed anything else.

 

[pitt2533]

Argentina and Messi are having one of the all-time classic choke jobs.

Can't remember which site predicted it, but somebody said this collapse has been coming for Argentina for some time. They have been too content to let Messi be the entire offense and not developed anything else.

I will admit I basically watch zero soccer. Like I am talking almost none at all.

I actually watched the Argentina vs Croatia game yesterday because I was home, nothing else was on and while I was flicking around the channels I stumbled onto the pregame show talking about Messi. So hearing how Messi is possibly the best player in the game and all that I decided to give it a go.

Again, admittedly, my opinion is basically meaningless and I am so far from an expert on soccer unless you count watching one game beginning to end as being an expert.

But from what I seen yesterday, if Messi is the best player in the world then wow.. Soccer must be hurting. Is he overrated? Did he have a terrible game? What was the deal. I barely even noticed him on the field. I think he had one scoring chance from what I remember.

And I am sorry soccer fans... the stereotype of players acting like they were just hit with a sniper bullet every time they get grazed is 100% accurate. The amount of flopping in a game would make the Duke Blue Devils proud.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

I will admit I basically watch zero soccer. Like I am talking almost none at all.

I actually watched the Argentina vs Croatia game yesterday because I was home, nothing else was on and while I was flicking around the channels I stumbled onto the pregame show talking about Messi. So hearing how Messi is possibly the best player in the game and all that I decided to give it a go.

Again, admittedly, my opinion is basically meaningless and I am so far from an expert on soccer unless you count watching one game beginning to end as being an expert.

But from what I seen yesterday, if Messi is the best player in the world then wow.. Soccer must be hurting. Is he overrated? Did he have a terrible game? What was the deal. I barely even noticed him on the field. I think he had one scoring chance from what I remember.

And I am sorry soccer fans... the stereotype of players acting like they were just hit with a sniper bullet every time they get grazed is 100% accurate. The amount of flopping in a game would make the Duke Blue Devils proud.

Yes I watched that game (match sorry) too. Argentina was incredibly underwhelming as was Messi. Croatia had a strategy to shut off Messi at all cost. But I also saw Argentina handle the ball like a handgrenade. They looked hungover and scared.