The Off Topic Topic

[Syt]

Apparently there's a European Championship of American Football going on at the moment. The Final will be played next Saturday in Vienna between Germany and Austria.

It passed with even less fanfare than the World Championships a few years ago (the Americans, despite having no player of pro experience, won by ridiculous margins).

[Josquius]

Whats the attendance like at the games?

I met a guy at a party a few weeks ago who played American football in his high school days in Japan. He moved halfway across the country to do so at one of the few schools in the country that have it.

[Valmy]

Apparently there's a European Championship of American Football going on at the moment. The Final will be played next Saturday in Vienna between Germany and Austria.

What I am sure the Europe is super excited for is the 2014 European Baseball Championship http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_European_Baseball_Championship

The tickets are already sold I presume.

[derspiess]

A coworker is a very nice and proper lady whose son just graduated high school and is going through air force basic training. Phone calls home are restricted, so he wrote a letter to his mother asking for her to send him a care package, and listed the items he was hoping she would send. He added that there were prohibited items, and not to send him any weapons or drugs.   

She is planning on saving that letter and showing it to future grandkids "do you know that your father thought that I might send him drugs when he was in basic training?"

I bet his drill sergeant told them all to mention that in the letter.  I'm guessing Air Force boot camp is like the Army's, and they sit you down and make you write your first letter home shortly after or during your in-processing.

[Syt]

Apparently there's a European Championship of American Football going on at the moment. The Final will be played next Saturday in Vienna between Germany and Austria.

What I am sure the Europe is super excited for is the 2014 European Baseball Championship http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_European_Baseball_Championship

The tickets are already sold I presume.

It's probably going to be decided between the Dutch and the Italians, anyways.

[DGuller]

Reminds me - my wife was watching a program on Canadian border security, and I watched a bit - the most awesome case was some dude who tried to cross the border with a doll's arm stuffed in his underwear. They tested it from hell and back for drugs, found nothing, and let him in. According to the dude, he always wore it, to increase the apparent size of his "package". 

A real life Spinal Tap contender.

Interesting.

[crazy canuck]

Today is a beautiful sunny day in Vancouver and there was a lengthy line up at my favourite lunch time food cart.  Their fish and chips are the best in the city.  So I waited patiently while newcomers looked over the lengthy menu and decided what to order.   When it was my turn to order, before I started talking the cook said, "Hi CC.  I saw you in line.  Here is your fish and chips."

Now that is service!

[Ideologue]

That's a dangerous game.  99/100 you might get fish and chips, 99/100 times I might get some soy abomination, but I've been situations where they've started making my favorite when I actually wanted something else.

[MadBurgerMaker]

Apparently there's a European Championship of American Football going on at the moment. The Final will be played next Saturday in Vienna between Germany and Austria.

It passed with even less fanfare than the World Championships a few years ago (the Americans, despite having no player of pro experience, won by ridiculous margins).

You can see the games in this league (or something like it in Europe) online here.  The quality of play that I've seen is around....eh...probably low high school level.

E:  There's also a pro league in India that looks around the same, skill-wise. 

[Caliga]

Today is a beautiful sunny day in Vancouver and there was a lengthy line up at my favourite lunch time food cart.  Their fish and chips are the best in the city.  So I waited patiently while newcomers looked over the lengthy menu and decided what to order.   When it was my turn to order, before I started talking the cook said, "Hi CC.  I saw you in line.  Here is your fish and chips."

Now that is service!

You should have said "But I don't want that this time!"

[derspiess]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/spain/10878041/Man-in-gorilla-suit-shot-with-tranquilliser-dart-at-Tenerife-zoo.html

FRANK THE TANK!!!

[derspiess]

Eh..

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/spain/10879254/Man-shot-with-tranquilliser-dart-at-Tenerife-zoo-was-not-wearing-gorilla-suit.html

[crazy canuck]

Today is a beautiful sunny day in Vancouver and there was a lengthy line up at my favourite lunch time food cart.  Their fish and chips are the best in the city.  So I waited patiently while newcomers looked over the lengthy menu and decided what to order.   When it was my turn to order, before I started talking the cook said, "Hi CC.  I saw you in line.  Here is your fish and chips."

Now that is service!

You should have said "But I don't want that this time!"

No chance, I have been eating there since they opened last year.  I always have the fish and chips.  Like I said, its the best in the city.  From their point of view it also makes no sense to attempt to pursuade me to try something else as the fish in chips are the most expensive thing on their menu.

[Malthus]

Reminds me - my wife was watching a program on Canadian border security, and I watched a bit - the most awesome case was some dude who tried to cross the border with a doll's arm stuffed in his underwear. They tested it from hell and back for drugs, found nothing, and let him in. According to the dude, he always wore it, to increase the apparent size of his "package". 

A real life Spinal Tap contender.

Interesting.

What amazes me is that they evidently got his permission to broadcast him. Some people they obviously didn't - they are blurred out.

[Sheilbh]

Wonderful interview with Clive James who is, sadly, very ill
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-27586907