- 03:56 AM
- 11/08/09
Since it looks like I started this, just a couple of points:
I've posted over 2,000 times on SpoFi, and have probably used profanity on a dozen occasions. Almost all of these were trying for some kind of comedic effect. Like most things in life, humour is in the eye of the beholder, and subtlety is often lost in print.
I have children, too. In fact, as some people here know already, my 14 year old son also has Asperger's Syndrome. Like kerrycindy's boy, he used to have problems with the appropriate use of language, especially at school. However, through reading, observing and learning, he now knows the right context for words like 'fuck'. For him, this is mainly to exagerrate the punchline of a joke.
My philosophy (with both my kids) is that they are going to be exposed to all sorts of profanity anyway, so I don't hide anything from them and we discuss the 'right' way to use the range of words in the English language. My son's language therapist agrees with me.
In fact, my children have ended up very clever at English (their mother being a novelist also helps) and they love movies like The Big Lebowski, which we have watched together a number of times. Thanks for the link tahoemoj - the first thing I thought of when this issue came up was the scene where the Old Timer asks The Dude why he has to use so many "cuss words".
posted by owlhouse at 03:32 PM on November 05
This year I celebrated Canada Day in Caledon, Ontario. Edmonton by 17. They have a Strawberry Festival at the fairgrounds. Montreal by 20. Unfortunately things got out of hand, and I ended up in hospital, with a strawberry shoved up my arse. Calgary by 8. The doctor looked at me and scratched his head. Winnipeg by 11. He asked me "Would you like some cream for that?"
Boom, tish.
posted by owlhouse at 06:16 AM on November 05
A guy from Canada is walking across a bridge late a night, and he sees another guy up on the fence, obviously close to jumping off. "Hey, stop" the Canadian shouts,and rushes over. Edmonton by 15. "Why?" the jumper asks. "There's nothing to live for". The first man recognises the jumper's accent. "You're a Canadian, just like me." "So?" the jumper says. "Look, we live in the best country in the world, we have free health care, and lots of other reasons." Saskatchewan by 10. "That's true" is the jumper's reply, "Say, which part are you from, anyway?" "Alberta", the first Canadian man says. "Hey, what a coincidence. I'm from Alberta, too." says the jumper, then adds "What a beautiful place, we must have a lot in common. How about them Stampeders?" BC by 7. The first guy looks at the jumper, then suddenly pushes him off the bridge. "Die, douchebag, I'm from Edmonton." Montreal by 12.
posted by owlhouse at 05:27 AM on October 29
I'm not trying hard enough. Or at all.
posted by owlhouse at 07:11 PM on October 28
Phillies in 7
Chase Utley
Under
4 hours 22 minutes
posted by owlhouse at 07:40 AM on October 27
Damn that stupid fortune teller. Only 2 points last week. Teach me to trust some bald celibate dude with an orange robe. Toronto by 11. Probably a Denver Broncos fan, anyway. Edmonton by 3. In contrast, this week's tips are supplied by the local military commander, with whom I had lunch last Friday. Montreal by 17. We talked about drug smuggling, spying, nuclear secrets and the chances of the Rough Riders. BC by 5. As you do.
posted by owlhouse at 06:15 AM on October 21
I was leafing through the New Light of Myanmar this morning, over my bowl of steaming hot Shan noodles. Edmonton by 15. I was frantically looking for the column with the CFL tips and spreads. Calgary by 7. To my dismay, they seemed to be covering rattan ball keepy uppy instead. Not being able to read Burmese, I think that's what the pictures were of, anyway. Montreal by 12. So I'll have to use holy divination, provided by the local pagoda's fortune teller. Winnipeg by 5. Which is pretty much what I do at home anyway.
posted by owlhouse at 10:34 AM on October 15
Phillies in 6 Angels in 7
/has no idea who pitches for whom, but:
Kuroda, Sabathia
AL +13
posted by owlhouse at 10:22 AM on October 14
Gotta get this in.
Edmonton by 7 Saskatchewan by 15 Montreal by 13 Winnipeg by 10
I'm away for the next 2 weeks, out of email and phone contact. Can I just pick (in advance) Edmonton to win by 10 for both weeks, and for Hamilton to lose by 10 in both weeks, too?
Because that's pretty much been my strategy all season.
posted by owlhouse at 01:35 AM on October 07
Please double-check your points. Thanks!
Never too early for irony, especially for anyone from Detroit.
posted by owlhouse at 12:18 AM on October 07
I have to catch a plane, and will be out of contact for the next 2 weeks, so I may as well go first second. Damn you tommytrump:
Phillies in 3
Yanks in 4
Cards in 5
Red Sox in 5
Pujols
NL by + 10
posted by owlhouse at 11:15 PM on October 06
Detroit by 3.
I'll go for Brandon Inge.
posted by owlhouse at 08:52 PM on October 04
Do relief efforts seem to be on point with this tragedy?
If not, is there an organization that needs help?
The Samoas seem to be coping well, with US support arriving in Pago Pago and Aust/NZ/French support in independent Samoa. There's a long standing disaster management plan in place. From what I hear, the immediate emergency is over, there are enough medical teams, and clearing/reconstruction will start soon. The situation in Sumatra is less clear, although help is streaming in.
In emergencies, the best immediate support is cash donations for organisations like the Red Cross.
I'm feeling a bit useless at the moment - just putting people in touch, sending documents and passing on messages mostly. I have a previously scheduled mission to Burma starting on Wednesday, so won't be involved in the immediate response. I work on another disaster response project in Indonesia, so we will probably get diverted to Padang later in the reconstruction phase.
posted by owlhouse at 05:35 PM on October 03
I thought it was the Underground Man. Old Fyodor has several moral ambiguities happening at once, so he's often hard to follow.
Forget I said anything. Thanks.
No worries - you can say what you like anytime, yerfatma. Working in aid doesn't give me any more right to get away with insulting anyone's religious beliefs. In fact, my American Samoan friends are finding refuge and comfort in their faith as we speak. It's part of their culture, and I respect that, even if I don't agree with it, and they've respected me by not trying to push their beliefs or rules on a palagi outsider.
@tselson - several of my colleagues have lost relatives (the Samoan islands are very small, and extended families are huge, so everyone knows everyone else).
posted by owlhouse at 05:49 AM on October 02
I'm just uncomfortable with the width of your brush. As it were.
Sorry about coming across a bit grumpy - I'm caught up with relief efforts for the Samoa tsunami and now the Padang earthquake, both places where I've worked and have friends. I tend to get very negative about the idea of a benevolent God at times like this.
posted by owlhouse at 04:46 PM on October 01
because of the true believers who sacrifice so much in poor places around the country and world
My point is that having a religious belief is not a necessary condition for doing good. Neither is it a sufficient condition, as your priest sex scandals will attest.
If this is indeed the case, then it is logical to ask just what is the purpose of religion? A means of social control? Some individual psychological benefit? Even then, you don't need religion.
We've had Camus, now I'll throw some Dostoevsky at you: Why do people want to be good in the first place? How much of it is because they want others to think they are a good person? And if so, isn't this rather selfish and therefore diminishes the whole reason for being good?
posted by owlhouse at 09:18 AM on October 01
Sounds like former international goalkeeper Albert Camus. It's too mature to be The Outsider and it's a monologue, or a one sided conversation, so without scanning my bookshelf copy - is it from The Fall?
posted by owlhouse at 01:11 AM on October 01
No problem, tselson. SpoFi isn't the place to reconcile our differences vis a vis faith, and nor should it be.
I realise many people in the US don't want to travel. But you guys are the most affluent, and one of the most educated societies on the planet. I just find it hard to resolve that fact with what comes out of your country sometimes. The strength of religion, and how it affects politics, sports and artistic life really is a cultural phenomenon peculiar to your shores.
I also meet some wonderful Americans overseas - I worked closely with the Peace Corps in East Timor and in Tonga, and still keep in touch with them in places like Rwanda, Liberia and elsewhere. They do your country proud.
Good joke, too. Regarding the homeless man - I agree that it is a good thing for the church to do - and maybe all churches should emphasise charity a bit more - but the point I was making is that you don't need religion in order to help out a fellow human being.
posted by owlhouse at 11:51 PM on September 30
I was in a crowded pub the other night, with the music playing really loud. Edmonton by 9. However I had to fart. BC by 12. So to get away with it, I timed my farts to coincide with the beat of the music. Montreal by 11. That's when I realised I was wearing my iPod. Calgary by 15.
posted by owlhouse at 08:36 PM on September 30
I suppose I should say something, since I contributed to the how the original thread went awry. Let me say at the beginning that I have no problems with people professing a personal religious belief. But I don't think it makes you a better human being, and I don't think you should have the arrogance to foist it on others.
My first foray into the thread was to make a joke about Baptists, sex and dancing, hoping that we could all have a laugh at the coach's expense. "Hey, check out this ignorant/stupid dude!". That was the wrong tack, obviously. I then noticed a disturbing number of posters who agreed that "He's actually done nothing wrong, kids should be exposed to the gospel, etc". That pushed a few buttons and brought out my pop-sociological analysis of small town USA. Apologies if that took the thread off the rails.
The point I was trying to make is that there is something different, or exceptional about America. This is a society that allows the coach to think it was a good thing to take the kids to be baptised in the first place, and then think that he could get away with it. Couple this with the lack of any objection from most of the players, their families, or the school system. This is a totally alien concept for the society I live in, and I thought it was worth asking why.
My work takes me to many places where religious fundamentalism abides. The deliberate isolation from the rest of the world, the paranoia generated by pretending to be an oppressed minority, as lbb points out, and the belief in the righteousness of your cause are disturbingly similar between a pesantren in the hills of Java and parts of middle America. In all honesty, however I have to disagree with lbb, in that depite the presence of a small number of faith-based aid groups*, in all the countries I've worked, I have never seen religion do any good for anybody.
One of the features of closed societies or cults is that when you take away critical thinking, people are prepared to believe anything. Unfortunately, that's not the road to heaven, that's the road to Waco.
*Interestingly, amongst all the aid workers I've met, I'd say around 90 per cent are atheists or agnostics. Religious belief is neither a sufficient nor a necessary condition for leading a moral life, obviously.
posted by owlhouse at 08:27 PM on September 30
A man is driving past a farm in Alberta and he sees a sign saying "For Sale: Talking Dog - Only $10". Montreal by 12. He goes in, sees an old retriever who says "Hello". "Wow", the man says, "You can really talk. What are you doing here?" The dog replies "I'm retired. I used to be a spy for the CIA. Because nobody believed a dog could talk, I was used to eavesdrop on conversations during covert ops." Calgary by 7. "Later I was used as an undercover agent by the FBI and DEA." The man says"That's amazing. How come your owner wants to sell you for only 10 bucks?" Edmonton by 17. At that moment the farmer comes around the corner. He says "I'm selling him because he's an inveterate liar. None of that stuff he says is true." Winnipeg by 5.
posted by owlhouse at 10:03 PM on September 24
Calgary by 15
BC by 7
Montreal by 21
Edmonton by 3
posted by owlhouse at 07:52 PM on September 17
That's just your opinion, man.
posted by owlhouse at 05:07 PM on September 14
This week: A lesson in not answering rhetorical questions.
A farmer in Alberta was in court on charges of bestiality with one of his cows. Toronto by 5. The judge hearing the case was appalled that someone could do something like this to their livestock. Edmonton by 11. In his summing up, the judge commented "This is a terrible act. What on earth was going through your mind when you were doing this?" Montreal by 15. The farmer replied "Well, your honour, I was actually thinking about a younger, hotter cow." Winnipeg by 3.
posted by owlhouse at 10:41 PM on September 09
My alma mater has a good reference: Australian Words
posted by owlhouse at 09:51 PM on September 05
Stranger: Do you have to use so many cuss words?
The Dude: Fuck's that supposed to mean?
posted by owlhouse at 09:32 AM on September 04
Obviously this is part of some sort of Australian movement to improve wildlife conditions by getting them into a more economic form of transport.
A strange but little known fact: In the nation's capital (Canberra), the single biggest cause of road accidents is running into kangaroos. They're dangerous enough as pedestrians, so putting them behind a wheel...
posted by owlhouse at 08:51 PM on September 02
A chicken and a duck are standing on the side of the Trans Canada Highway. Montreal by 7. The chicken says "I'm going to cross the road". Saskatchewan by 12. The duck replies "I wouldn't do that." Toronto by 14. The chicken asks "Why?. Edmonton by 12. The duck answers "Because we'll never hear the end of it."
posted by owlhouse at 05:29 PM on September 02
The spammer was Australian. Obviously you're related.
So Bruce down the road is selling his Corolla now? First I've heard of it.
posted by owlhouse at 04:10 PM on September 01
That'd be "Fair Dinkum, what a drongo", thank you very much.
/Still doesn't get why I'm copping the blame.
posted by owlhouse at 04:52 AM on September 01
I think Bo might have been out celebrating with Freddy Flintoff and the gang.
posted by owlhouse at 09:11 AM on August 25
Sorry, rumple, I couldn't quite place you. But I'm glad the rest of the Commonwealth filled the podium, because the Poms and the Aussies know shit about cricket.
So to speak.
posted by owlhouse at 10:12 PM on August 24
England win the series 2-1, with etagloh the only one to pick the right result. In the pointscore, BoKnows his cricket, and Canada comes third!
BoKnows (472)(387)(385)(307)(501) 2052
rumple (424)(642)(245)(315)(401) 2027
DrJohnEvans (330)(401)(300)(447)(546) 2024
tommytrump (449)(532)(276)(247)(444) 1948
cabuki (339)(388)(353)(353)(450) 1883
Jeffwa (133)(397)(347)(372)(531) 1780
owlhouse (471)(576)(167)(315)(193) 1722
etagloh (537)(335)(251)(172)(279) 1574
Fat Buddha (244)(349)(331)(143)(495) 1562
Mr Bismarck (392)(431)(209)(189)(243) 1464
Well done, folks. In case anyone is interested, the top scoring players over the five Tests using our system were:
Convicts:
Siddle - 521
Johnson - 505
Ponting - 495
Temporary Ashes Holders:
Broad - 594
Swann - 539
Strauss - 514
posted by owlhouse at 02:34 AM on August 24
What time of the day are you suggesting? I will need to adjust for my time zone.
NB: No matter much I love you guys, I'm still not getting up in the middle of the night. Unless I have to pee.
posted by owlhouse at 12:53 AM on August 24
Anyone else getting spammed by Volkswagen?
posted by owlhouse at 08:14 AM on August 21
I'm never going to be this high up again.
BTW, does anyone have a strategy (which they feel like sharing) about what to do with half game weeks like this one (Week 2)? Is it worth transferring only to have to buy them back later?
posted by owlhouse at 05:24 PM on August 18
I had the lowest score for Edgbaston, even with four playing!
posted by owlhouse at 05:28 PM on August 16
A low scoring rain affected draw in Edgbaston, while injuries to Flintoff and Pietersen played havoc with the results from Headingley. Australia winning by an innings also had something to do with it. Consistency from rumple, and a big 4th test score from Dr J.
Individual Test scores in brackets, total at the end.
rumple (424)(642)(245)(315) 1626
BoKnows (472)(387)(385)(307) 1551
owlhouse (471)(576)(167)(315) 1529
tommytrump (449)(532)(276)(247) 1504
DrJohnEvans (330)(401)(300)(447) 1478
cabuki (339)(388)(353)(353) 1433
etagloh (537)(335)(251)(172) 1295
Jeffwa (133)(397)(347)(372) 1249
Mr Bismarck (392)(431)(209)(189) 1221
Fat Buddha (244)(349)(331)(143) 1067
posted by owlhouse at 06:55 PM on August 15
And with Villa having a home defeat by Wigan, that's why billsaysthis is currently third in our league. Well spotted, sir!
posted by owlhouse at 05:57 PM on August 15
I once read an interview with Alberta born chanteuse kd lang. Edmonton by 11. She was asked about being a vegetarian. BC by 16. And whether it had anything to do with being opposed to animal cruelty. Montreal by 7. She replied that she wasn't a vegetarian because she loved animals. Saskatchewan by 12. It was because she hated plants.
posted by owlhouse at 10:29 PM on August 11
Two Canadian fur trappers walk into a bar. Montreal by 6. The first one orders two large vodkas, neat. BC by 7. They pick up their glasses, and the second one says "Cheers". Edmonton by 15. The first one replies angrily "Look, are we here to talk, or drink?". Calgary by 21.
posted by owlhouse at 08:04 PM on August 05
The best two in each team count, Mr B, so you're still scoring. Half a Freddy is better than none.
posted by owlhouse at 05:22 PM on July 30
Just to point out how weird things are - Mitchell Johnson is in the top three pointscorers for the Aussies after two tests, and they are thinking about dropping him.
I suppose he scores because his batting has been good, and we don't count runs against for bowlers. Maybe we need to fiddle with the scoring system.
posted by owlhouse at 11:55 PM on July 28
A mother polar bear and her cub are wandering across the ice. Edmonton by 5. The cub asks his mother 'Are you sure that I'm a polar bear?". BC by 15. The mother says, yes, of course she's sure. But the cub insists "What if I'm a grizzly bear, or a brown bear?" Toronto by 9. The mother says "Look, you're dad is a polar bear, I'm a polar bear, so you must be a polar bear." Calgary by 12. The cub replies "Then why am I so fucking cold?"
posted by owlhouse at 09:48 PM on July 27
Nothing made it down here, either.
posted by owlhouse at 06:59 PM on July 23
Montreal by 12
Winnipeg by 7
BC by 9
Edmonton by 12
posted by owlhouse at 06:20 PM on July 21
Anyone who had Andrew Strauss (223 points) did very well indeed.
Second Test scores in brackets:
rumple 1066 (642)
owlhouse 1047 (576)
tommytrump 981 (532)
etagloh 872 (335)
BoKnows 859 (387)
Mr Bismarck 823 (431)
Dr John Evans 731 (401)
cabuki 727 (388)
Fat Buddha 593 (349)
Jeffwa 530 (397)
posted by owlhouse at 09:03 PM on July 20
I'm back. It will be hopeful for a few weeks, then a desperate slide into the bottom half.
posted by owlhouse at 07:06 PM on July 19
How did I not end up on the bottom of the table?
Sorry, cabuki, I got my Excel calcs wrong - you should be on 339, not 439 from the First Test with Ponting, Hussey, Broad and Flintoff. Katich will count from the next.
You're still not last, though.
posted by owlhouse at 12:50 AM on July 17
Cabuki - I'll sub Katich in for the rest of the series.
Jeffwa - you can make a sub, too, if you like.
posted by owlhouse at 05:33 PM on July 16
First time I've struck out completely.
A group of Ottawa residents are driving through a small town in northern Ontario when they stop at a local diner. Edmonton by 7. The waitress asks them "Where are you all from, then?" Calgary by 10. One of the women in the group replies "We are from a place where we don't end our sentences with a conjunction." Saskatchewan by 9. The waitress replies "Okay, where are you all from then, bitch?" Winnipeg by 10.
posted by owlhouse at 08:27 PM on July 14
Etagloh scores big with the only England player to do well - Paul Collingwood. With Australia only batting once in Cardiff, the scores will no doubt adjust themselves as the series goes on.
After the First Test:
etagloh - 537
BoKnows - 472
owlhouse - 471
tommytrump - 449
cabuki - 439
rumple - 424
Mr Bismarck - 392
Dr John Evans - 330
Fat Buddha - 244
Jeffwa - 133
NB: I think we can still allow Jeffwa and Fat Buddha to nominate a substitute for their players out injured/not selected.
posted by owlhouse at 07:43 PM on July 14
I still reckon you, Jeffwa and FB can swap Watson for someone. No-one on either side has really scored heavily yet.
posted by owlhouse at 08:15 AM on July 09
Roy and HG from their classic radio period at the ABC on This Sporting Life.
You can also find some videos from the TV specials.
posted by owlhouse at 12:17 AM on July 09
You're in. The first day didn't prove anything one way or the other. It's a marathon not a sprint. Mitchell Johnson is crap, oh wait no he isn't. The pitch is not turning, or maybe it is.
/Gah, just exploded my cliche-o-meter. I need a nice cup of tea and a lie down.
posted by owlhouse at 08:43 PM on July 08
Also - Sick Note Shane Watson is out.
That could have been a headline at anytime in the last five years, however Fat Buddha, Jeffwa and cabuki might want a sub.
posted by owlhouse at 02:00 AM on July 08
Should SportsFilter Think of the Children?
Apology accepted, kerrycindy. People have said worse things about me in this place*!
Internet threads aren't really good places to pick up on subleties of communication, so it must be hard for you. My own son enjoys his interactions on the net, although he prefers non-sports forums. He was diagnosed at 6, but with patience and help at 14 he is improving in dealing with reading, processing and responding to emotions, in all parts of his life. He has even developed a wicked sense of humour.
Good luck with raising your boy.
*Something about me and Fidel Castro springs to mind.