Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Everyone is in a bubble, but some bubbles model reality far better than others!

And now I have baud making fun of me. this day can’t get worse.

rich, arrogant assholes who equate luck with genius

Republicans in disarray!

Seems like a complicated subject, have you tried yelling at it?

I’m pretty sure there’s only one Jack Smith.

Good lord, these people are nuts.

“Cheese and Kraken paired together for the appetizer trial.”

No offense, but this thread hasn’t been about you for quite a while.

In after Baud. Damn.

We still have time to mess this up!

Imperialist aggressors must be defeated, or the whole world loses.

… pundit janitors mopping up after the GOP

Let there be snark.

Something needs to be done about our bogus SCOTUS.

Speaking of republicans, is there a way for a political party to declare intellectual bankruptcy?

Do not shrug your shoulders and accept the normalization of untruths.

It’s always darkest before the other shoe drops.

They fucked up the fucking up of the fuckup!

American History and Black History Cannot Be Separated

Incompetence, fear, or corruption? why not all three?

Tick tock motherfuckers!

Perhaps you mistook them for somebody who gives a damn.

Thanks to your bullshit, we are now under siege.

You are here: Home / Sports / USA v. Canada Overtime Thread

USA v. Canada Overtime Thread

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Wow.

And for those of you who do not care about hockey, let me bitch about something else trivial while people all over the world suffer from hurricanes and earthquakes and I lose all perspective about how good my life is, but I just broke another DAMNED CAN OPENER. Link me to the mother of all hand held can openers. I’ve tried ’em all. Impress me. Thank god I have a bunch of P-38’s still, or Lily would be eating only kibble tonight.

Reader Interactions

279Comments

  2. 2.

    Nylund

    I’m stuck at work with no TV and can’t find an online stream! can someone tell me what is happening!

  6. 6.

    PaulW

    Overtime championship games: they don’t get any better.

    As for can openers, anything with movable parts (gears) will always get broken at some point… Just shop at Target/Publix for another hand held and accept that the Second Law of Thermodynamics means that sooner or later everything ends…

  11. 11.

    YellowJournalism

    I think mine’s a Kitchen Aid. I got it at a discount place. Love it. Best can opener I’ve ever owned. I had an OXO Good Grips one before that, and I thought that was the best one ever. I was wrong.

    Every time I scream “Shoot!” at the TV, my oldest son grins because he thinks I’m using it as an alternative to “shit”.

  12. 12.

    mellowjohn

    not a big hockey fan (can’t ice skate and i hate cold weather), but i kind of like this 4-a-side version. kind of like 7s in rugby.

  20. 20.

    Nylund

    I can’t use the damn NBC website because they need proof that you have cable/satellite and I moved to a new place yesterday so I canceled my old service, and my new service hasn’t been entirely set up yet. Neither my canceled old, nor my half-way set up new account will work on that NBC website. It is maddening.

  27. 27.

    Dead Ernest

    “…but I just broke another DAMNED CAN OPENER.”
    Jeez John, I don’t think I know anyone who has broken even 1 can opener.
    Given that, before they broke, all of them had one thing in common – you, maybe it’s time to look for lily food that comes with a pull-top?

  32. 32.

    Comrade Mary

    StarFrit. It’s Canadian, so it will never let you down, but it’s also available in the States, because we still love you guys, despite asswipes like demimondian.

  35. 35.

    Max

    Can’t go wrong with Williams-Sonoma.

    Linky here.

    Good job USA. Let’s see those friggin’ Canadians play us that well in basketball.

  37. 37.

    kgc16

    Zyliss Safe Edge can opener on amazon. I’ve had mine for five or six years and never had any problems. It’s the kind that pops the lid off without the blade getting down into the food too–more sanitary, less yucky. And it seems to be plenty strong, not flimsy. Hope this helps. : )

  41. 41.

    mr. whipple

    On the bright side, now your PM has to drink the Yuengling Obama is sending him. I wouldn’t call that ‘winning’.

  45. 45.

    Yutsano

    @John Cole: Funny thing about that? Crosby has been doing pretty much nada this whole damn tournament, then sneaks in the gold winning medal. I think his agent planned it out in advance.

    @PaulW: Are you daft man? Sending the good stuff? I think Obama should go with his original bet.

  46. 46.

    Nylund

    I’m conflicted about this outcome.

    On one hand, it does not mean I have to sleep on the couch. (my Canadian Mrs. would undoubtedly punish me purely for being American if the US beat Canada), BUT, now I have to listen to her gloat for a long long time. Uggh. I don’t know what is worse, the gloating or the couch.

    At least I’ll have the pleasure of knowing that gloating about a hockey win here in Texas is a bit like a Scotsman bragging about making the best haggus.

  47. 47.

    madmommy

    So, will the IOC be watching to make sure the Canadian men don’t do anything inapropriate like drinking beer and smoking cigars after their win like they did with the women’s team? Assholes.

    Congrats to the Canadians. It’s not enough to have health care, you gotta take the gold medal too!!!

  51. 51.

    Ash Can

    Well, that was just a dandy game. And just like with the women’s hockey, if the US team had to lose, I’m glad it was to Canada. Especially since it was taking place in Canada.

  53. 53.

    Scott de B.

    I know this is the last day of the Olympics, but this is the first time I’ve gotten a good look at the medals. They look like a truck ran over them on the way to the competition.

  59. 59.

    Yutsano

    @Dan Robinson: Ryan Miller has zero to be ashamed of here. He was a damn brick wall when it counted really. Crosby just snuck it by him. The man couldn’t be every place at once.

  60. 60.

    Comrade Mary

    @asiangrrlMN: It was very tasty, too, thanks.

    Yorkshire Pudding (double batch — I had half of this)

    2 cups all purpose flour
    1-2 tsp salt, depending on the state of your arteries
    2 cups milk, cream or dairy-water mixture
    2 eggs, lightly beaten

    Combine dry ingredients, then mix in liquid and eggs. Beat fiercely by hand or machine until you see bubbles.

    If all ingredients are at room temperature, you get a thick, puddingy pudding. If you let them chill after mixing, they puff up more.

    So either immediately or after chilling the batter, preheat oven to 450 degrees.

    Put a 9″ x 9″ baking dish or large muffin cups in oven with at least a tablespoon of dripping or butter per cup (or at least 1/4 cup of fat for the 9 x 9 dish).

    Once the fat is sizzling, pull out the hot dish and add the batter.

    Bake at 450 for 30 minutes, then turn down to 350 and bake for another 20 minutes.

  61. 61.

    asiangrrlMN

    @madmommy: So that was the big stink over the Canadian’s women team? I saw the headline, but refused to click because I knew it would be stupid shit like this. Woooo, they drank and smoked cigars after they won! *Gasp*! Teh horrors!

    @Comrade Mary: That actually sounds yummy. If I cooked, I would try it.

    @Yutsano: Yeah, he was a beast. I was marveling at how well he was doing–until the goal, which I actually didn’t see because it was too fast.

  62. 62.

    John Cole

    Hey- Yuengling is a very serviceable American lager. I’ll take it over Budweiser or any of the other American swill that is mass produced here in the states.

  64. 64.

    Comrade Mary

    I’ve had Yeungling, and I liked it. And I’m not just saying that to be nice, despite all the force of genetics and culture.

  65. 65.

    YellowJournalism

    So, will the IOC be watching to make sure the Canadian men don’t do anything inapropriate like drinking beer and smoking cigars after their win like they did with the women’s team? Assholes.

    They could probably ask those female medal presenters to try to pull the medal out of their pants and the IOC wouldn’t blink.

  66. 66.

    Ash Can

    @madmommy: That was silly. The Canadian girls had every right to celebrate. A cigar and a beer? Big deal. Like the IOC doesn’t have better things to worry about.

  74. 74.

    Comrade Mary

    Gold lining – we have the most golds ever in the Winter Games. :-)

    But seriously, your guys were fucking terrifying out there. It could have gone either way.

  75. 75.

    demo woman

    @Morbo: From the article that you linked to..

    The U.S. beat Canada in the preliminary rounds of the competition but the two rivals followed different routes to the final to set up a mouthwatering end to the Vancouver Winter Games.

    The IOC is not going to be happy because booze diminishes the game. Whatever!!!

  77. 77.

    beabea

    @kgc16

    I’ll second that. Easy, clean, problem-free. You will love this thing, John. You can open Lily’s food and yours with the same one since it never touches the food. You can even keep the lid and put it back on the opened can to store leftover contents.

    Zyliss safe edge can opener

    A fine Swiss product, just like me.

  78. 78.

    Yutsano

    @YellowJournalism: I detected some massive sexism there honestly. I’m sure some of the pearl clutching was because it was ZOMG the WIMMINS getting all riled up. Not only will the men most likely party on the ice (in fact it’s a tradition for winning a championship, according to my ex who may have been a biased source) it won’t even get blinked at. I saw that story and immediate thought WTF? Then it was all a reporter trying to make a name for himself and I stopped taking it seriously.

  81. 81.

    No Joy in Mudville

    United States — one medal for every 8.3 million people
    one gold medal for every 34 million people
    Germany — one medal for every 2.7 million people
    one gold medal for every 8.1 million people
    Canada — one medal for every 1.3 million people
    one gold medal for every 2.4 million people
    Norway — one medal for every 270,000 people
    one gold medal for every 540,000 people

    Some people do more with less.

  83. 83.

    HarleyPeyton

    What a way to end it. The tourney MVP gives up his worst goal of the Olympics, something you’d rather do on the first shot you see, and never ever the last.

    Too bad.

  84. 84.

    Comrade Mary

    @No Joy in Mudville: Yeah, major props to Norway. They really are the Winter Olympics powerhouse, hands down. They terrified me in curling last night, too, but if they had won, I would have forgiven them for their pants alone.

  85. 85.

    jl

    The topic of the previous post by Mr. Cole should remind himslef that real Americans shoot their cans open with a gun, when there is no can-opener.

    Except for beer, but all great beers, like for example Bud, come with pop-tops now, removing the temptation to shoot.

    After a long backpacking trip, I do remember ending up with a pop-topless can of beer in some campground, probably from the parked car, with no can opener and sliced it open with a knife. That worked about as well as shooting it.

  86. 86.

    Mac from Oregon

    Keep the p-38. Always works.
    I had one for 20 years on my key chain and had it confiscated by Airport Security on 9/13/01. I was pissed.

  87. 87.

    Michael G

    @Davis X. Machina has it with the Swing-a-way can opener. I’ll go with old-school and built like a tank every time.

  88. 88.

    YellowJournalism

    @Yutsano: I think it’s even more than that. I think it’s in the same league as wanting men’s figure skating to be more masculine. They’re trying to avoid stereotypes of the women’s hockey team looking butch, I think.

    If there were any stereotypes going on, it was that Canadians can’t celebrate without beer.

  89. 89.

    eastriver

    Congrats to the Canadians. May they all die in a Tim Horton’s drive-by.

    It’s all they got up there. I know. I’d hate to see the whole country cry those cartoon penguin ice cube tears.

  90. 90.

    burnspbesq

    Karma’s a bitch. Rafalski made one mistake the whole tournament, and it was catastrophic for his team.

    Fantastic hockey. If you didn’t dig that, there is something wrong with you.

  91. 91.

    madmommy

    @Ash Can:

    Yeah it was pretty stupid. Though one of the women was only 18, and legal age in Vancouver is 19. However, 18 is legal in her home Province. The whole thing smacked of sexism, and goodness knows the IOC has never been guilty of THAT before. Teh wimmins can’t ski jump cause it might damage their ladyparts. Never mind that Lindsey Vann can jump farther than most men.

  94. 94.

    FlipYrWhig

    @YellowJournalism: I still think the central issue is that the Olympics have a stick up their collective butt about alcohol and tobacco and other substances. Everything is supposed to be clean, dignified, and patriotically correct, edifying examples of and for “the youth of the world.” The fact that this was a women’s team adds to the “controversy,” but isn’t the cause of it, IMHO.

  95. 95.

    Comrade Mary

    @SPIIDERWEB™: Huh. That’s the one I actually have right now and it’s — God, at least 15 years old now, probably closer to 20. Cleans easily by hand or in the dishwasher, and it’s never failed me.

    Of course, it does leave a jagged rim on the top and inside the can, so I’ve been waiting for it to just DIE already so I can get a Starfrit. I may be waiting a few years longer.

    EDIT: Checking the Amazon review, there’s a handful of people saying that the new ones they bought aren’t as good as the old ones, as the units are now made in China.

  96. 96.

    GregB

    Remember how the 1980 Olympics win by the US was spun as a metaphor of American good over Russian/Soviet evil?

    Does this mean the Canadians get to own that spin now the shoe is on the other foot for the US?

  97. 97.

    Annie

    I except the Republicans will now advocate invading Canada as a matter of national interests and security….

  98. 98.

    TuiMel

    @Zifnab25:

    The Swing-away and the Oxo are bothe favorites of mine. Swing-Away is simple and tough. The Oxo is a little smoother but of unproven (as yet) toughness.

    Ryan Miller is my new hero.

  99. 99.

    Bruce (formerly Steve S.)

    I’m working on my second “safety” hand can opener. The first started creating sharp edges after a while, the one I’ve got now has worked perfectly for two-three years. The brand name is good cook , it was inexpensive, and I have no idea where I got it.

  100. 100.

    Lesley

    I’m in Vancouver and the hooting, hollering, and sound of car horns is a treat.

    Canada’s rockin’ these Olympix.

  101. 101.

    No Joy in Mudville

    @Comrade Mary:

    Based on those pants, they should have simply been declared the winners.

    Style and Curling together in one place. It doesn’t get any better.

    Canada fell short of the “Own the Podium” slogan, but with the most gold medals (including hockey and curling) they should be both happy and satisfied.

    And they’d better be, because by the time they get to host the Winter Olympics again, the average daytime temperature in southern BC or Alberta will be 75F.

    As for the Rooskies — it’s been a long fall.

  102. 102.

    YellowJournalism

    @FlipYrWhig: I think that you’re right in that it is part of it, but I don’t think I’ve ever heard of the IOC calling for investigations when people are out partying with their medals on or when someone breaks open a bottle of champagne right after a win. I understand giving a warning or something for doing it on the ice and for having one member being underage in the province, but a full-on investigation? There just seems to be more to it than alcohol.

    However, it’s all about image in the end, and for whatever reason, it’s a bit ridiculous to be all up in arms about the incident.

  103. 103.

    HRA

    Canadian born – American naturalized citizen – I could not lose. Congratulations to Team Canada.

    It was a great game. No matter which way it turned, there was a medal to be won.

    Celebrating our Buffalo Sabres goalie’s MVP. Ryan Miller was and is awesome. Plus we had 2 Buffalonian natives on Team USA. Congratulations to Team USA.

  106. 106.

    John O

    Would it be uncouth of me to ask why not an electric can opener?

    I’m pretty sure John has electricity.

    I’ve had mine 15 years, and it was $15, I think.

  108. 108.

    John O

    @MikeJ:

    Ah, yes, cleaning. Uh, yes, good point.

    My can opener also hasn’t been cleaned in 15 years.

    And of course you have to have a backup, but any ol’ manual will do.

  109. 109.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @No Joy in Mudville:

    Canada fell short of the “Own the Podium” slogan, but with the most gold medals (including hockey and curling) they should be both happy and satisfied.

    Oh, I dunno. I think winning the most gold medals ever in a winter Olympics, and winning both hocking and curley, and doing it all on home turf, and shaking off the old never-won-gold-at-home monkey from their backs — to me that’s the very *definition* of “owning the podium.”

  113. 113.

    FlipYrWhig

    @YellowJournalism:

    I don’t think I’ve ever heard of the IOC calling for investigations when people are out partying with their medals on or when someone breaks open a bottle of champagne right after a win

    I think there was something this year about a guy who was partying with a medal and got booted from the Olympic village–and Speedy Peterson had that happen too:

    In the finals of the 2006 aerial competitions, Peterson was in third place after the first round, but fell to seventh place after the second jump… Unfortunately, the following day February 24, 2006, he was dispatched from the Games after a drunken altercation during a post-competition celebration. (Source: wikipedia)

    Obviously that’s much worse, because it involves violence.

    But it seems like there’s a track record of crackdowns on “conduct unbecoming.” They care about deportment. (And an indisputable issue with sexism and policing of gender norms. All that is intersecting here.)

    I’m not a huge Olympics person. Do winners do the champagne thing? I can’t remember seeing that.

  114. 114.

    SIA

    @Steeplejack: thanks for the link; I just purchased on amazon. We go through one a month, last one was a KitchenAid. They don’t exactly break, they just don’t open the f’in can. I’ve even talked about getting an electric one which I never thought I’d say.

    I feel your pain John Cole. They do make the dog food packets which you tear open but I always end up with the “sauce” (ugh) on my hands. And that’s enough of this spoiled American’s little problems.

  115. 115.

    eastriver

    @Lesley:

    America won the medal count. America rocked the Olympics.

    We came to their house and ate their lunch. Slept in their bed. Drank all their decent scotch.

    It’s called winning. (burp)

  116. 116.

    jeffreyw

    The Swing-A-Way Can Opener has been America’s best selling, most popular can opener for 50 years. It was selected by NASA for Skylab, to be the first can opener in space! Sturdy and easy to use, with an exclusive gear-driven cutting wheel. Swing-A-Way is the smoothest, most reliable and best performing can opener in the world. 5-year warranty.

  117. 117.

    Ecks

    WOO HOO CANADA!!!!

    Fantastic job too America, you are starting to play our game very well indeed.

    But the kid from Cole Harbour ices it. Bad movie plot, awesome reality plot.

  119. 119.

    Ecks

    @eastriver: Yes, you won lots of those other little smaller not-gold medals. Very well done, shall we give you a pat on the head? yes we will. Whose a very good country then. Oh yes, and you want your tummy rubbed. Oh yes you do, oh yes oh yeessss. Oh you’re adowable.

    (+ a couple).

  120. 120.

    Max Power

    For a can opener, what you’re looking for is a “Maxi Kim”. Simple, solid, old-fashioned, made in France.

  121. 121.

    SiubhanDuinne

    Way O/T but I just got a phone call from the DCCC asking for money. I asked her to call me back once there’s a health care bill on the President’s desk for signature and I’d be happy to make a contribution at that time. She started arguing with me. I said that financial support right now just seems like throwing good money after bad. She actually started *screaming* at me and told me basically tht it was because of me that the Republicans are going to regain the majority next November.

    I told her she wasn’t converting me to her point of view by *screaming* at me, but I don’t think she heard me because she was, you know, *screaming* at me. I hung up on her.

    The sweet part is (which I forgot about until I started typing this post) is that she said the call might be recorded. Good, I hope it was and I hope she gets a reprimand. Our side doesn’t need boiler room telemarketer types freaking out at the people they’re trying to persuade.

  122. 122.

    J. Michael Neal

    The order of medals was identical in men’s and women’s hockey. As a dedicated supporter of Team Finland, I’m happy with a couple of bronzes, though not at all happy with the complete lack of effort the men showed in the semi-final. On the other hand, the women were the only team that looked even vaguely competitive against the North American steamroller.

    Take that, you damned Swedes!

  124. 124.

    NobodySpecial

    I think my can opener is literally older than I am. It’s just not something I ever cared about as long as it opens stuff without torture.

  125. 125.

    arguingwithsignposts

    Congratulations to Canada. The U.S. men were not even supposed to be in the medal competition. To get a silver is a good thing. I don’t get all the angst about not winning the ultimate.

  126. 126.

    techno

    Hey Hosers. Your hockey gold is tainted because it was won on a skinny rink–the first time ever in Olympic play. What WILL you do next time when the game is played on a full-sized sheet of ice. Yeah, I already know–you won’t show up. You will claim the NHL won’t let the best players go to the games.

    God I hate Hoser hockey!

  128. 128.

    Desert Rat

    @No Joy in Mudville:

    Bad comparisons, particularly wrt the Winter Games.

    How many of those millions in the US live in climes that aren’t exactly conducive to winter sports.

    Or to put it more bluntly, I’m an Arizona native. The next Winter Olympic medalist from Arizona will be the first.

  131. 131.

    John O

    @mr. whipple:

    Yeah, that would be good with me, too. I’m one of those rare folks that enjoys a telemarketing call from time to time, in a verbally sadistic kind of way.

    No cursing, no raised voice, just lots of versions of “no” and “why?”

  135. 135.

    RedKitten

    /does happy dance.

    @Ecks:

    @eastriver: Yes, you won lots of those other little smaller not-gold medals. Very well done, shall we give you a pat on the head? yes we will. Whose a very good country then. Oh yes, and you want your tummy rubbed. Oh yes you do, oh yes oh yeessss. Oh you’re adowable.

    Bwah-ha-ha-ha! Nicely done, sir.

    That was a great game, I don’t give a fuck who you are. The U.S. made a damn smart call by trying out the empty net strategy. Really, it could have gone either way — Crosby’s just very good at those zippy little side shots, and was smart enough to be in the right place at the right time.

    14 freaking gold medals? That’s goddamn phenomenal.

    And I’m glad to see that your boys showed some damn fine sportsmanship — during the handshake lineup, I saw some smiles, some chatting; it was good to see that your guys realize that they don’t have a thing to be ashamed of. They played really well.

  136. 136.

    Zuzu's Petals

    This one.

    Cheaper than Max’s imported W-S model, but same concept: cuts the outside of the rim, not the inside, leaving a smooth edge. It also lays horizontally on top of the lid, which seems a more efficient way to apply pressure, and you can pick the lid up with it too.

    Yes, I really like my can opener.

  137. 137.

    arguingwithsignposts

    @Annie:
    Unfortunately, I was traveling during the game so *I* didn’t even get to watch it. Lady Smudge is at the Kitty Condo until tomorrow morning. I thought about leaving her at home, but four days was too long.

  138. 138.

    SIA

    @SiubhanDuinne: That is really amazing. I share your sentiments, they sent me a fundraising letter, and I scrawled “PASS HEALTHCARE” across it and sent it back in their postage paid envelope.

    Pass health care, bitchez.

  139. 139.

    mr. whipple

    @John O: I really don’t like taking it out on the callers, who are probably minimum wage workers or even volunteers, but they’ve got me so angry(Esp the Senate) I know I won’t be able to resist unloading.

  140. 140.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @arguingwithsignposts: Yes please, a picture of Smudge. Or many pictures of Smudge. Maybe you and I just haven’t been around at the same time recently, but I don’t think I’ve seen a photo of her in about three weeks.

  141. 141.

    SIA

    @Kobie:

    I must say, this is the longest discussion about can openers I’ve ever witnessed.

    BJ’s got it all – politics, pets, food, can openers. What more could one ask?

  143. 143.

    RedKitten

    @techno:

    Hey Hosers. Your hockey gold is tainted because it was won on a skinny rink—the first time ever in Olympic play. What WILL you do next time when the game is played on a full-sized sheet of ice. Yeah, I already know—you won’t show up. You will claim the NHL won’t let the best players go to the games.

    That’s right. And it’s not YOUR fault that you couldn’t get it up — the damn bed was too lumpy, the room was too cold, you had a tickle in your nose…

  146. 146.

    No Joy in Mudville

    @SiubhanDuinne:

    I don’t really disagree, but I was under the impression that the original “Own the Podium” slogan meant winning the most total medals.

    Taking everything into consideration, I’d say the Canadians have a lot of reasons to be happy.

    @eastriver:

    As I pointed out above, the US has 308 million people; Canada has 34 million; and Norway has fewer than 5 million.

    It obviously takes 250 million plus more Americans to match what a couple of smaller countries can do. You can crow all you want, but I’d say Norway outperformed the US handily, as did Canada. Together, it’s not even close.

    US 308,000,000 people = 37 total medals
    Canada + Norway <40,000,000 people = 49 total medals

    23 gold to 9 for the US
    15 silver to 15 for the US
    13 bronze to 14 for the US

    Hey, at least we did better than China, Russia, and India.

    Since there is no such thing as official scoring in the Olympic medal count, I'd say my way of looking at it is as reasonable as any other way. Of course, real Amurkans, who need the US to be first no matter what, will choose whatever suits their argument best. Just as I’ve done.

    Also, SiubhanDuinne took me to task above for not praising the Canadians sufficiently since they won the most gold medals ever in a Winter Olympics (and the US won the most total medals ever). It seems to me that the total population of a country and its national wealth are both worth considering when one measures the performance of a country in the Olympics. Jeez, if the US took a random sample of 5,000,000 people and chose its Olympians from that group, all we would have would be the heaviest Olympic team ever. We wouldn’t be counting medals, but heart attacks and strokes.

    Lest this get to be a serious argument, I should point out that I quit caring about all Olympics in the seventies, when the US bobsled team captain was whining about the East German bobsled (I think it was $250K versus only $50K for the American sled). Further, the American was outraged because knowing that sled runners were wiped with alcohol before competition, he claimed the East Germans had developed a chemical that would melt the ice and make the sled go faster AND it was activated by alcohol. The American didn’t want the Germans disqualified, he just wanted the activator (and the same sled). In the 1968 Winter Olympics the East German women’s luge teams (gold, silver, and 4th) were all disqualified for heating their runners. I guess that must be what inspired them to develop an activator.

    Since then with all the professionals and drugs, I just can’t bring myself to care. So, for the umpteenth consecutive Olympics (summer and winter) I failed to see a single event. Maybe I’ll get around to seeing if the curling final can be watched online.

  147. 147.

    PaulW

    @SiubhanDuinne:

    Way O/T but I just got a phone call from the DCCC asking for money. I asked her to call me back once there’s a health care bill on the President’s desk for signature and I’d be happy to make a contribution at that time. She started arguing with me. I said that financial support right now just seems like throwing good money after bad. She actually started screaming at me and told me basically tht it was because of me that the Republicans are going to regain the majority next November. I told her she wasn’t converting me to her point of view by screaming at me, but I don’t think she heard me because she was, you know, screaming at me. I hung up on her. The sweet part is (which I forgot about until I started typing this post) is that she said the call might be recorded. Good, I hope it was and I hope she gets a reprimand. Our side doesn’t need boiler room telemarketer types freaking out at the people they’re trying to persuade.

    Sounds like a telemarketer was having a bad day… or week… or month… Part of me is wondering if you were merely the 10,000th person telling her you weren’t contributing until the Dems actually pass the damn bill(s).

    You are right on that last point: con artists ought to know that yelling at your mark is a lousy way to steal their money, uh um, to get their contributions… I had a guy calling for the state police ‘charity’ long time ago, I told him I wasn’t able to contribute at that time, guy starts intimidating me with “hey, you LIKE to get police protection, do you?” At which point I reminded him that extortion was illegal and that if he continued the conversation with such intimidation tactics I would hang up and call the FBI next. He hung up and that was that. I kept getting calls from those guys every three months though for another 5 or 8 years.

  148. 148.

    WaterGirl

    What about vegetable peelers? I have one of the evil ones with two thin metal pieces for a handle, and it digs into my hand as I peel. Love to cook, hate to peel.

  151. 151.

    Xenos

    I have managed to break a Swingaway. It only lasted 8 years. Been using a Kitchenaide for about 10, and it is still going strong. But then, now that Progresso soups have pull top lids I don’t use it as much.

    Congratulations to Canada. I have two kids who rooted for Canada, two for the US, and a three year old who learned a new word: milkaholic. I have not watched hockey in decades, and it was fun to give a damn about it again. I wonder if the Whalers are still playing down in Hartford…

  152. 152.

    arguingwithsignposts

    @John Cole:

    Why don’t people like Bode Miller?

    Apparently, he acted like a spoiled brat in the last Olympics (or the one before that, I forget which). He was made out to be the skiing wunderkind, and he sort of flamed out. The anti-Shaun White if you will.

  153. 153.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @SIA: I would say “Wow, amazing mindmeld,” but I imagine it would be the same for pretty much any folllower of this blog.

  154. 154.

    John Cole

    Oh for gods sakes with the idiotic Norway comparisons. Get back to me when the entire United States is covered with the same amount of snow and terrain that Norway has. Half our damned country shuts down school when we get an inch of snow.

    You want to impress me? Get back to me when Norway has that kind of medal count in the summer olympics.

  155. 155.

    DaveInOz

    Go Canada! We’ve got a couple of Canadians in the office here in Melbourne and they’re whooping it up.

    As I’m at work, I haven’t seen it but will definitely watch it in full tonight.

  156. 156.

    Woodbuster

    I am late to the party, but I would simply like to say that my wife and I have been married for 35+ years, and we still have the no-name can opener somebody gave us as a wedding present.

    Of course, I also have 3 or 4 P-38’s that I have had since 1974 in my tool box and/or tackle box.

    Just sayin’….

  157. 157.

    FlipYrWhig

    @Xenos:

    I wonder if the Whalers are still playing down in Hartford

    Alas, they moved to North Carolina and became the Carolina Hurricanes. I always loved the Hartford Whalers logo.

  158. 158.

    arguingwithsignposts

    Contributing to the Way O/T conversation: I had a call a few weeks ago from a DSCC type, and I had the same reaction that Siobhan had. Pass a bill and call me back. I’ll give you money then. I had to restate that several times before she realized that I was serious. I hope they are getting that message loud and clear these days.

    Now, I have to go to a department function. I lift my glass to the B-J commentariat, one of the best on the web!

  159. 159.

    Svensker

    @arguingwithsignposts:

    Why don’t people like Bode Miller?
    Apparently, he acted like a spoiled brat in the last Olympics (or the one before that, I forget which). He was made out to be the skiing wunderkind, and he sort of flamed out.

    Yup. He acted like a spoiled kid, fooled around a lot, didn’t seem to care, didn’t win and was all like California, dude.

    But he got older, got married, had a kid, and decided to get serious. I’m not holding the last Olympic’s antics against him. He done growed up.

  160. 160.

    eastriver

    @Ecks:

    No, Icks, I didn’t win any medals. My country did. Lots of them. More than any other country this winter.

    I’m guessing you’re from… Canada? Right?

    The USA got more medals than Canada, AND we have to carry Texas as our retarded handicap. (Okay, most of the South. Don’t tell.)

    Hey, how do you think Canada will do in the Summer Olympics?

    Eh?

    Five medals? Ten? Fifteen?

    Canada got 18 in the last games.

    The idiots south of your border walked away with 110.

    All Canada has is hockey. It’s a little sad.

    (Oh, why am I bothering. You’re probably passed out by now, like the rest of your drunk countrywomen.)

  161. 161.

    Michael G

    @John Cole:

    Why don’t people like Bode Miller?

    In 2006 he said he was there to “party and socialize at an Olympic level”, famously bragged about how it’s hard “to ski when you’re wasted.”, and then he went on to win zero medals.

    I would say “Cockiness + failure = well-deserved scorn” but somehow the GOP seems immune.

  164. 164.

    Skepticat

    @Tom Hilton: I have the same style and love it. It’s especially nice to be able to use the lid to reseal the can in the refrigerator–and the recycling people (and klutzes such as I) appreciate the lack of razor edges.

  166. 166.

    J. Michael Neal

    Another thing about total medal counts. There isn’t an even distribution among the various sports. Both the hockey and the cross-country take place over two weeks, and have about the same number of athletes per country. However, there is only one set of hockey medals for men and one for women, while I lost count of all the cross-country medals. Norway happens to be very good in several of the disciplines that award a whole bunch. Ryan Miller won one medal; Marit Boergen won five, while spending less total time on the field of battle.

    The Norwegians had a very impressive Olympics (and fabulous pants), but raw medal counts are flawed for more reasons than just relative population sizes.

    Edit: Which doesn’t mean that eastriver isn’t a dick. Could someone bitchslap him, please?

  167. 167.

    Katie5

    That last goal was for John, my and Anne Laurie’s good friend, who died this afternoon. John adored hockey. Go Canada.

  169. 169.

    John Cole

    Another thing to keep in mind when talking about this Norway stuff is the fundamental difference in access. Winter sports are what the Norwegians do- skiing and cross country skiing and so forth are not inexpensive pasttimes for them- it is like baseball here.

    In the states, it costs a LOT of money to participate in winter sports, and a significant portion of the population will never have the kind of money it takes to pay for rink time or ski lift passes and the equipment, etc.

    The Norwegian number is still very, very impressive, but when you think about it, being surprised that Norwegians do well in winter sports makes about as much sense as being surprised Norwegians speak better Norwegian than we do.

  171. 171.

    soonergrunt

    @Desert Rat:
    We have a Winter Olympics Gold Medalist fromTexas!
    Justin Olsen, from San Antonio is a pusher.
    That’s not famous for it’s cold weather or alpine mountains.
    Brakeman Curt Tomasevicz is from Nebraska. Cold, but rather flat.
    So it is possible. Extremely unlikely, but possible.

  172. 172.

    Quiddity

    I’ve not had good experiences with “safe edge” can openers, and I see that some here are recommending Zyliss’ version of that.

    I do have a Zyliss locking can opener, which has served very well for 7 years – opening some big cans (like 5 pounds of garbanzo beans). The model I have appears to be discontinued, but a similar Zyliss can be purchased at Target.

    here

    The locking helps keep the cutting disk on the metal, but even so, if you don’t hold it firmly in your wrist, it can fail to “bite” and move even while twisting the rotate-handle.

    I’ve seen what appear to be even sturdier hand-held can openers from time to time. Swing-A-Way has one like that.
    here

    Others here like Swing-A-Way. but I’m not sure if it locks like the Zyliss, or how important that feature is.

  173. 173.

    eastriver

    @J. Michael Neal:

    Yeah, raw medal counts are flawed. Especially when you’re on the losing side of the equation.

    Hey, you know what?

    GERMANY GOT MORE MEDALS THAN CANADA. AND THEY’RE GERMAN.

  174. 174.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @PaulW: I spent enough time during patches of unemployment doing temp work as a telemarketer (or taking surveys — a distiction without a difference) that I have all personal sympathy for the young woman who was unlucky enough to get my name and phone number in the draw. And I agree that I may well have been her last straw — as a couple of people noted, she’s probably been hearing a lot of PTDB responses, and anyone would find that maddening.

    But the DNC/DCCC/DSCC et al need to provide a response line that goes something like: “Thank you for your views. I’ll pass them along and make a note to follow up with you in a few weeks.” And then DO IT. Tell the Ds that former supporters are refusing to give $$ until and unless HCR is passed. Doesn’t seem to me it would take long to get the message to the folks who might actually be able to do something about it.

  176. 176.

    Zuzu's Petals

    @WaterGirl:

    Ooh ooh, I know:

    Whether peeling a Granny Smith apple or a fruit with an even tougher skin, the swivel peeler by Oxo is an essential tool in any kitchen. Its flexible, rotating stainless-steel blades make peeling simple by contouring to almost any surface shape. The built-in potato eye remover is durable and can easily carve out blemishes without digging.

  178. 178.

    Annie

    @arguingwithsignposts:

    Yes, four days is too long. I always get a babysitter for my darlings when we are away more than 24 hours. That is one perk of having graduate students who always need extra funds….

    Please post pictures of Lady Smudge’s return home…I really look forward to seeing her…

    @J. Michael Neal:

    LOL. We hope that Lady Smudge is not at the Motel 6 of kitty condos or AWS will have several more “problems” than cable TV in a few months…

  179. 179.

    J. Michael Neal

    @soonergrunt: The bobsled team specifically recruits college football players. Apparently, being a anyone other than the driver is something you can pick up fairly quickly; it’s the raw talent to push a 500-pound sled on ice, and then sit perfectly still for 45 seconds that’s tough to find.

  180. 180.

    Katie5

    @John Word of advice: get prostrate cancer screening. There’s a kind you can get in your mid 40s. If you do, it’s really aggressive.

  181. 181.

    Lurking Canadian

    From way up at the top:

    Congrats to the Canadians. It’s not enough to have health care, you gotta take the gold medal too

    The key difference is, we want you to have single payer health care, too.

    Olympic hockey gold, not so much.

  183. 183.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Katie5: so sorry about your and AL’s friend. I’m also feeling melancholy as I have just todauy heard about two people dying who have meant a lot to me.

    Sad

  184. 184.

    MikeJ

    We have a Winter Olympics Gold Medalist fromTexas!

    Seattle is decidedly unwintery (56° right now)but we have the two best speed skaters in the world.

  185. 185.

    WaterGirl

    @Skepticat: @Zuzu’s Petals: Okay, that’s two for Oxo. I checked on-line and it seems there is a more expensive Oxo i-series and a cheaper Oxo one. I guess I will go for i-series so I only have to buy this once. Thanks!

  186. 186.

    eastriver

    @Lurking Canadian:

    Okay, hockey AND single-payer health. TWO things. But that’s it!

    Well, Nova Scotia’s kinda pretty, too. And Vancouver. And Montreal. And most of BC.

    (fuck)

  188. 188.

    PanAmerican

    @J. Michael Neal:

    Even at that the “sport” is about pounding money into sled development. The US program sucked until NASCAR’s Geoff Bodine got behind putting the time, effort and money into a US manufactured sled.

  189. 189.

    flipturn

    Hand-held can openers are worthless. We finally bought an electric one. It’s not environmentally sound, but at least the damn thing works. It’s been serving us faithfully for probably three years now. It cost less than $20, and we would have spent twice that on hand-helds by this time. Get an electric one.

  190. 190.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @John Cole #143: Okay, I’ve spent the better part of the last 45 minutes trying to figure out the “c rule” but not having much luck. Cats? Conservatives? Care (Health) Reform? Crazy Canucks?

  191. 191.

    WaterGirl

    @Zuzu’s Petals: Thanks! Oxo i-series swivel is now in my shopping cart.

    Question about ordering through Amazon so BJ gets credit. Is it enough to go into Amazon through John’s link and buy stuff that is already in your shopping cart?

  192. 192.

    eastriver

    @flipturn:

    The Oxo one is great. I’ve had if for years. No complaints. (But I don’t open too many cans. Other than the occasional can of soup.)

  193. 193.

    Ash Can

    @arguingwithsignposts:

    I don’t get all the angst about not winning the ultimate.

    To competitors the caliber of these hockey players, it never feels good to lose, and it feels worse to lose big games. And this one was huge. On top of that, they came thisclose. That’s a fierce kind of disappointment.

    Tomorrow, the US players will go back to their respective teams, get back to their routines, and be fine. Tonight, though, ouch.

    @RedKitten:

    And I’m glad to see that your boys showed some damn fine sportsmanship—during the handshake lineup, I saw some smiles, some chatting…

    It helps enormously that in a number of cases, they were NHL teammates greeting and congratulating each other, and that all of them now are going to go back to their regular business of shooting for the Stanley Cup. BTW, I’m not sure what you mean by “trying the empty-net strategy;” you say that as if there were some question of whether the US team would do it.

    And people, WTF is the deal with these anti-Canadian trolls here? Anti-liberal, anti-Obama, anti-Dem, that’s all bad enough. But anti-Canadian? If that isn’t the most fucking pointless trolling I’ve ever seen in my life, I don’t know what is.

  197. 197.

    RedKitten

    BTW, I’m not sure what you mean by “trying the empty-net strategy;” you say that as if there were some question of whether the US team would do it.

    Good point — I suppose it’s not like they had anything to lose at that point. But it’s one of those things where if it turns out badly (like it did for us not all that long ago), you still can’t help but think, “Well, THAT didn’t turn out to be such a good idea, did it?”

  198. 198.

    Yutsano

    @Lurking Canadian:

    The key difference is, we want you to have single payer health care, too.

    This is why I want single payer to pass in California. I’m thinking it will be something where, like in Canada, the states will have to take the lead in making major changes before the federal government will finally pull their heads out of their asses. I’m not too optimistic because of how Cali is set up for it to actually occur, and it may be a smaller state like Washington or Oregon (Tommy Douglas was premier in Saskatchewan) but I think we’ll get there.

    @RedKitten: I think I saw in one of the semifinal games (Lord help me I can’t remember which one) where the empty net strategy backfired and they scored an easy goal. I was like ouch. So it is a gamble.

  199. 199.

    RedKitten

    I do have to say that it would be nice if Harper could muster a smile larger than the one that SamKitten used to give when he needed to fart…

  202. 202.

    eastriver

    @Yutsano:

    California is broke. Nothing new is coming for a few years. Massachusetts is the closest a state’s going to get before HCR passes. And once the bill passes the math is going to change, everywhere.

  203. 203.

    Yutsano

    @RedKitten: Wouldn’t that require him having an actual anus? Or soul? Or something? If I haven’t said it before, Harper’s a tool. Oh and that whole commission he’s been ducking for the Games is just waiting for him since the whole proroguing mishegas. At least your Libs aren’t totally useless.

  204. 204.

    RedKitten

    It helps enormously that in a number of cases, they were NHL teammates greeting and congratulating each other, and that all of them now are going to go back to their regular business of shooting for the Stanley Cup.

    And that’s probably why the rivalry with the women’s teams is so much fiercer. It’s not like Angela Ruggiero and Hayley Wickenheiser have ever or will ever play as teammates. Rivals always, rivals forever.

  205. 205.

    RedKitten

    @Yutsano:

    Wouldn’t that require him having an actual anus? Or soul? Or something?

    Yeah…the man has all the warmth and personality of that brown road snow that gets stuck under my wheel well.

  206. 206.

    Ash Can

    @RedKitten: Pulling the goalie can backfire, all right, like it did against the Canadians last time vs. the US, when the situation was reversed. But I have yet to see an NHL (or any other seriously competitive-level) team not pull the goalie in the final minute of play when down by only one goal.

    Oh, and this —

    I do have to say that it would be nice if Harper could muster a smile larger than the one that SamKitten used to give when he needed to fart…

    — is hilarious. Then again, maybe Harper was trying to squeeze one out too…

  208. 208.

    Yutsano

    @RedKitten: I can’t wait until Parliament is back in full session and he gets called to task for all the stupid shit he’s allowed to go on in Afghanistan. The reckoning should be quite delicious I must say.

    Oh and you have a helluva lot more to be proud of up there. There was a cross burning in Hants County that scared the bejeezus out of an interracial couple there, and they were considering moving. The whole community marched out in support of them. It’s a really moving tale.

    http://www.cbc.ca/canada/nova-scotia/story/2010/02/27/ns-cross-burning-rally-633.html

  215. 215.

    RedKitten

    @eastriver:

    Seriously, dude. Our country just broke the record for most Gold medals ever won during the Winter Games, and your first instinct is to turn your nose up and sneer because the U.S. won more medals overall? Just let us have our awesome fucking moment without this desperate need to wave your foam finger and convince everybody that the U.S. is oh-so superior, m’kay?

  216. 216.

    Ecks

    eastriver:

    Canada got 18 in the last games.
     
    The idiots south of your border walked away with 110.

    Lets see, population of Canada, 30 mil. Population of the US, 300 mil. So on a population adjusted basis Canada got… uh… 180 medals in the summer olympics. Not so bad.

    Oh but don’t let me stop you clucking and crowing and stuffing extra socks down your trousers. Some day when you graduate high school, you’ll think back on all this and be embarrassed. Till then, I’ll give you an extra big chocolate chip cookie and pat you on the head and go tell you to play nicely with the other children.

    And knocking hockey, ha. [rolls eyes]

    Update:

    Which doesn’t mean that eastriver isn’t a dick. Could someone bitchslap him, please?

    Consider it done :)

  217. 217.

    RedKitten

    @Yutsano:

    Oh and you have a helluva lot more to be proud of up there. There was a cross burning in Hants County that scared the bejeezus out of an interracial couple there, and they were considering moving. The whole community marched out in support of them. It’s a really moving tale.

    I know…evidently it was a couple of brothers who did the deed. Nice. I’m not surprised the entire community supported the couple, though. Not that there isn’t racism here, but terrorizing an innocent couple just doesn’t fly with most people.

  218. 218.

    Ecks

    @Yutsano: The empty net strategy is what you always do if you’re behind only 1 or 2 goals with about 2 mins to go… It increases the odds that SOMEBODY will score a goal (either you or the other guys – probably more the other guys), but if nobody scores a goal then you lose for sure, and if somebody does it might be you, and then you’ve tied it up.

    The key is that you don’t lose more points in the standings, or get more eliminated if you lose by more goals. The only possible result is win or loss.

  219. 219.

    Steeplejack

    @WaterGirl:

    What about vegetable peelers?

    Either one of these:

    &#150 Messermeister Pro Touch swivel peeler.

    &#150 Oxo Good Grips swivel peeler.

    I have had both, and both are excellent. If we had had these on KP in World War II, we would have finished things up in ’44, not ’45. Actually, I think the Messermeister is the reason the Germans were able to hang on so long. I’m pretty sure there is a Wikipedia article about this.

    I hate to be a he-bitch man-ho for Cook’s Illustrated, but they are usually spot on with their equipment recommendations. They’re like that über-nerd friend you have who is really into cameras/cell phones/stereos/computers/whatever, and you just ask them “What should I get?” and save yourself weeks of research and dithering. And they usually show their work, so you can decide if what you’re looking for is not exactly what they are looking for.

    Edit: Or, of course, you can just ask on Balloon Juice.

  222. 222.

    Katie5

    thanks for the good wishes.

    Watching the closing ceremony. I thought we’d be free here of inane Olympics commentary. I was wrong. They saved it all for this. Ugh.

    The Sochi presentation is incredible. Majestic, playful, and only a bit hegemonic.

  223. 223.

    YellowJournalism

    @WaterGirl: Good choice on the Oxo peeler. I got a bunch of Oxo stuff when I got married. It’s so expensive, but totally worth the money. Five years later and everything is still in great working order. The cheap crap I bought myself back then is long gone. My Oxo spatula is on its last legs, though.

    I recommend you add a couple Oxo angled measuring cups to your cart. Those things are, as the kids used to say, the shiznit.

  224. 224.

    Common Sense

    @No Joy in Mudville:

    Some people do more with less.

    FWIW in the ’08 Beijing games, Jamaica won a medal for every 244,000 people themselves, as well as one gold per 448,188. Sounds like they are much more efficient than the Canucks OR the Norse.

  225. 225.

    Steeplejack

    @WaterGirl:

    Great names. I love the color/markings on Willow. And I was a long-time black-cat owner–Schmeaux, Teddy, then Simba (who lived to be 18).

  228. 228.

    Katie5

    Speaking of trolls and such, perhaps someone will explain this to me: When we crow about medals, it’s about expressing an almost embarrassed patriotism.* I wonder if some American’s see our crowing as a zero sum game: those who acclaim their own wins are also celebrating others’ losses.

    We celebrate all wins. It’s just nice to have some of ours for a change.

    *even more so for Québécois francophones

  229. 229.

    Yutsano

    @RedKitten: The relationship string to the two idiots who did it is a bizarre one, I kinda had a tough time following it. At least the couple will get a just resolution, and I sincerely hope they don’t move. It’s never easy to be different in a rural setting but if a cowboy can be openly gay in the middle of nowhere Wyoming then they have every right to live together happy as a couple in Nova Scotia. The rest of them can either get used to it or go fuck themselves.

  231. 231.

    Bruce (formerly Steve S.)

    I CALLED IT! NEIL YOUNG! LONG MAY YOU RUN!

    Okay, I called him as torch-bearer in the opening ceremonies, but close enough.

  232. 232.

    Common Sense

    @eastriver:

    No, Icks, I didn’t win any medals. My country did. Lots of them. More than any other country this winter.

    Or any other Winter in the history of the Olympics, for that matter.

  233. 233.

    No Joy in Mudville

    @Desert Rat:

    Sorry, but most people who are interested in winter sports are free to move somewhere in the US where they can participate in such sports. Being born and raised where there were no mountains or cliffs didn’t stop me from becoming an avid climber.

    I did a quick check and found Elana Meyers, a bronze medalist in the women’s bobsled, who was born in Georgia. Chad Hedrick, five time medalist in speed skating, was born in southeastern Texas — further south than Phoenix, AZ. I’m sure there are a lot more people who were born on the wrong side of the tracks and ended up at the Winter Olympics. Of course, by the time they are competing in the Olympics they aren’t that likely to live in Arizona, but that shouldn’t be a surprise. Neither does it invalidate the comparisons.

    Of course the comparison isn’t perfect, but there are a lot more than 5,000,000 people (Norway) in the US who live in states where winter sports are available. In fact, there are a lot more than 34,000,000 people (Canada) living in such places.

  234. 234.

    Annie

    @arguingwithsignposts:

    She won’t kill you…just make you pay for a few days for leaving her…As for the brush on cheeks, they use it to sorta brush their teeth and gums. One of mine actually reaches for the brush if we move it away, and uses his paw and strength to bring it back to his cheek. He then brushes himself…It is extremely funny…:)

  236. 236.

    WaterGirl

    @Steeplejack: Loved your whole post! And laughed out loud at your edit. The german one is quite handsome in the photo, so now I have both in my shopping cart.

  237. 237.

    Martin

    @Katie5: American exceptionalism demands not only that we not cheer when others win, but that we immediately find some way to disparage the other team when we lose.

    I mean, Canada is only doing well in the medal count because they introduced these freak-ass events like curling, hockey, and figure skating. Take out the fluffy stuff and you’d have nothing. I mean, how many medals did you win in a real winter event like Nordic Combined*? We won 4, bitchez!

    (*Note: nobody in the US even knew Nordic Combined was an event until this year, but this year, it was obviously the most important event EVAH!)

  238. 238.

    Bruce (formerly Steve S.)

    SHATNER!!! I literally had just turned to the Mrs. and wondered why they hadn’t shoehorned him in. I’m dialed in tonight.

  239. 239.

    WaterGirl

    @YellowJournalism: I have little hands so I have never purchased the Oxo brand, which always seemed like they were made for big, burly men. But I will gladly try these since you all say they are great. Thanks.

  240. 240.

    WaterGirl

    @Steeplejack: Glad you like their names! If I had seen Simba before I named Little Bear, he might have a different name. :-) With her markings, Willow is so photogenic.

    As a black kitty expert, I have to ask… how the ?!!#! do you get a good photo of a black cat?

  241. 241.

    Common Sense

    Here’s a fun chart for all: A list of total medals won in every Olympic game combined. Note that the US has nearly as many gold medals alone (1,016) as the second place nation has total medals (1,204). And before anyone starts crying about how the second place nation (the USSR) hasn’t existed since 1991, you might note that adding Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, etc. etc. to the USSR’s totals still doesn’t quite add up to the 2,600 total medals the USA has won. Personally I think it’s much more telling that Russia can rocket to a top 15 spot despite the significant handicap of not existing for 50 years. Says quite a bit about how superb Norway and Canada are — with an 80 year head start they are still behind reorganized nations or nonexistent ones (USSR, East Germany).

    The reason the US doesn’t win 1 gold per 250K people is because the Olympics have started dropping sports that the US is guaranteed to win even more medals in: no more baseball, never any football: but we got the biathlon so that Norway can show how good they are at skiing & shootin’.

  242. 242.

    No Joy in Mudville

    @eastriver:

    All Canada has is hockey. It’s a little sad.

    Yeah, all Canada has is hockey…and universal health care.

    That’s a win for Canada!

    PS I wonder how many thousands of lives American Olympic medals will save this year? Got cancer? Call Shani Davis for the best treatment gold medal available. Medical malpractice is killing tens of thousands of Americans every year. Fix that problem now with a medal from a US Winter Olympic athlete!!!

    USA…USA…USA

  243. 243.

    Steeplejack

    @arguingwithsignposts:

    Anne Laurie might weigh in, but cats’ “cheeks”–or quarter-panels, as I call them–are very sensitive. Whiskers for touching/judging things, musk glands for marking stuff (including you).

    All my cats loved having their quarter-panels brushed. There was one who used to bug me when I was trying to read, and I could hold a hair brush at attention and she would strop herself against it endlessly.

  245. 245.

    No Joy in Mudville

    @Ecks:

    Some day when you graduate high school, you’ll think back on all this and be embarrassed.

    I can almost promise you that won’t happen. People mature and outgrow a lot of things, but American exceptionalism isn’t one of the more common ones.

  246. 246.

    WaterGirl

    @Jason Bylinowski: That one looks good, too. I like the idea that it cuts through the glue that holds the lid on, rather than cutting through the metal. $25 on amazon, $17.50 if you go to the pampered chef site. How wrong is that?? But the pampered chef site is dangerous for me, so it might have been better just to pay the $25.

  247. 247.

    Common Sense

    @No Joy in Mudville:

    I can almost promise you that won’t happen. People mature and outgrow a lot of things, but American exceptionalism isn’t one of the more common ones.

    I’m curious: is there a nation on earth where children typically grow up to be embarassed when their nation sets a record for total medals? I’m pretty sure whatever their nationality, people find their own nation superior — or they just prioritize so that the only things that matter to them are things their own country kicks ass in. Is this really just an American trait?

  248. 248.

    Ron

    That game was just amazing. It was awfully disappointing to lose, but the US team has nothing to be ashamed of. They played a great game and both team played their guts out. I thought it was damn cool when the crowd gave Miller a rousing cheer when his name was announced during the medal ceremony. I can’t imagine what the reaction will be in Buffalo at their next home game.

  249. 249.

    Martin

    @Common Sense: I’m pretty sure the Romans, 1930s Germans and Italians, Japanese, and a number of notable others would join us, but as time has progressed, we find ourselves in rare company.

    I think having someone come and kick your teeth in serves as a good reminder that you’re tribe isn’t intrinsically better than any other tribe. We neither think that’s possible, nor has that happened in many, many generations. I don’t think any other country is in that position. Hell, even China knows that they are unlikely to take us, even outnumbering us 6:1.

    Now that doesn’t mean that Canadiens or anyone else doesn’t think that their country is better in aggregate (hell, I’d argue that Canada is probably better than the U.S. – the public existence of Sarah Palin alone should prove that point) but that’s a different matter than saying that *Canadiens* are better than others. We don’t just argue that America is better, but that Americans are better. That’s where things get creepy.

  250. 250.

    No Joy in Mudville

    @Common Sense:

    Personally I think it’s much more telling that Russia can rocket to a top 15 spot despite the significant handicap of not existing for 50 years. Says quite a bit about how superb Norway and Canada are—with an 80 year head start they are still behind reorganized nations or nonexistent ones (USSR, East Germany).

    Is it possible that you are completely ignorant of the nature of the Soviet and East German Olympic athletic programs? Do you really not know about the endless list of abuses and cheating they committed as part of their state policies?

    I read your posts and get the impression you’d rather have lived in the USSR or East Germany than in Canada or Norway because the latter won so many medals. Are your values really that screwed up?

    Just how important do you think Olympic medals are?

    More important that your neighbor dying for lack of health care?

    More important than being free to live without fear of the state sending you to the Gulag?

    How do you feel about being forced to take drugs without your consent (or perhaps knowledge)?

    The reason the US doesn’t win 1 gold per 250K people is because the Olympics have started dropping sports that the US is guaranteed to win even more medals in: no more baseball, never any football: but we got the biathlon so that Norway can show how good they are at skiing & shootin’.

    Okay, maybe math (or Common Sense) isn’t your strong suit, but in order to have won one medal for each 250K people at the Beijing Olympics, the US would have needed to bring home more than 1,200 medals. Since there were only 958 medals awarded, that would have been difficult. So, you exaggerated a little, let’s just say 1 medal for every million people. Sorry, that would still require 300 medals. Just how many “All-American” sports do you think could be added to the Olympics to give the US the chance to win another 190 medals? Okay, you gave us baseball and football, that’s two. Please name the other 188 sports you think would guarantee the US all those medals.

    I know. We could introduce American Exceptionalism in 188 formats. Then, the participants would just have to brag about how no country could ever be as great as the United States. I’m pretty sure Texas would produce a lot of contestants in the American Exceptionalism Bragfest, but in the end most would lose because somewhere along the way they’d have to start talking about Texas, and how Texas was once a country, blah, blah, blah, and Zap! they’d get points deducted for being off-subject.

  251. 251.

    Common Sense

    @Martin:

    I guess I just think it’s all in your priorities. If having health insurance is your thing, than yeah, Canada or about 150 other places are better than the US. If, however, your priorities lie elsewhere (for instance if you already have money and just want a top notch doctor), you may prefer the USA.

    I disagree with your point wrt only Americans arguing they as a people are better. Other countries do this very overtly as well — ie France. France in fact serves my point quoite nicely. Because France does wine and cheese better than anyone else, they consider these to be important facets of life. Nations emphasize what they are good at and ignore what they stink at. It’s universal and by no means unique to the US.

  252. 252.

    No Joy in Mudville

    @Common Sense:

    I’m curious: is there a nation on earth where children typically grow up to be embarassed when their nation sets a record for total medals? I’m pretty sure whatever their nationality, people find their own nation superior—or they just prioritize so that the only things that matter to them are things their own country kicks ass in. Is this really just an American trait?

    In my experience, when something is truly superior, bragging about it isn’t necessary. People will know.

    I’m not embarrassed that Americans have won more medals. I’m embarrassed that anyone would think that was actually important (apart from the individual athletes themselves, perhaps).

  253. 253.

    Common Sense

    @No Joy in Mudville:

    wtf are you babbling about? When did I say I’d prefer to live in East Germany?

    I’m pointing out your analysis is asinine, simplistic, and juvenile. I’m pointing out that Jamaica has a better ratio of medals per person than Norway, but you somehow flipped right past it.

    I’m not arguing health care. This isn’t a health care thread. It’s an Olympics thread. I’ll go right ahead and discuss the US’s performance in the Olympics — call me arrogant and exceptional (in a bad way, natch).

    I’m pointing out that every country thinks they are exceptional. There’s no shame in that, even if you are evil enough to hail from America or (gasp!) Texas. Not sure why you have to throw in that random aside, but whatever — pissing on Americans seems to just be your thing. That’s why you just randomly throw out buzzwords intended to denigrate us. Guess what — health care don’t have a damn thing to do with the ratio of medals to residents in Canada and Norway. Common sense, in fact, tells me that the fact these country’s residents are immersed in winter sports from childhood on has a much bigger effect. Course you never responded to those points when multiple others raised them either. I wonder why not? Guess it’s more fun to play Mad Libs with US States.

    My point wrt the two sports was that if you randomly removed two sports Norway is exceptional in as opposed to US ones, they don’t look so good anymore. For isntance, they won 14 of their medals in the biathlon and cross country skiing. Get it?

    BTW wrt cheating in the Olymipcs. Two words:

    Ben Johnson.

  254. 254.

    Common Sense

    @No Joy in Mudville:

    I’m not embarrassed that Americans have won more medals. I’m embarrassed that anyone would think that was actually important (apart from the individual athletes themselves, perhaps).

    I can’t wait to read how embarrassed you are for Canadians, bragging about how important the number of gold medals they won is. Oh wait, it’s only mockable when Americans do it? Gotcha.

  255. 255.

    arguingwithsignposts

    @No Joy in Mudville:

    I can almost promise you that won’t happen. People mature and outgrow a lot of things, but American exceptionalism isn’t one of the more common ones.

    I’m the outlier, here, then, because I am ashamed at our foam fingers when we f**k so much up on such a grand scale. Humility – it is a thing to be desired sometimes. I have serious envy of our Canadian friends to the north. The Brits I’ve worked with I also envy for their much more measured approach to life. That doesn’t explain Andrew Sullivan, but then he’s living in the U.S., so there’s that. I realize I’m anecdotalizing, but whatever.

  256. 256.

    Steeplejack

    @WaterGirl:

    Forgot to add that the Oxo has replacement blades available. But, c’mon, who does that much peeling? Okay, maybe JeffreyW, but who else?

  257. 257.

    Martin

    @Common Sense: France doesn’t argue that the French are superior, they argue that French culture is.

    I guess you haven’t yet figured out that much of the US has a genetic superiority mindset going on. That the point I’m making and I can’t think of another nation on earth that has that at the moment, at least not to any significant degree.

  258. 258.

    Common Sense

    Man I don’t know a single American that thinks their genetics are that superior to their foreign born ancestors’. Even the Texans I know don’t argue that they are genetically superior, they argue that their society based on guns, steak, and personal liberty (unless you are gay) is superior. The same thing France says IOW. It’s just that Texans like guns rather than cheese.

  259. 259.

    shecky

    I always revert to the good old Victorinox Swiss Army knife. The can opener on those things is brilliantly simple, works with ease, is inexpensive, and comes in a pocket sized package with an assortment of other very useful tools.

  260. 260.

    Common Sense

    I completely agree that Americans can be cocky btw. I just fundamentally disagree that we are the only ones. For instance I’ve been to Shanghai, Hong Kong, Taipei, and Tokyo. I’ve talked to some truly arrogant Japanese, Taiwanese, and Chinese citizens — people who really do argue that they are genetically superior. I wouldn’t assume that every one of the billion and a half Japanese/Chinese/Taiwanese think this way, since I’m not an asshole. But I sure as hell have known more than a few of them (including family — the reason I’ve been to these places is because I have Taiwanese relatives).

  261. 261.

    Common Sense

    The common Chinese term for Caucasians is “Gweilow” which means “Pale Devil.” They also call themselves the Middle Kingdom for a reason — because they are above the rest of humanity but not quite to Heaven.

    In Honolulu I’m just a haole, which basically means the same thing. Please don’t try to tell me Americans are the only ones that argue they are superior.

  262. 262.

    No Joy in Mudville

    @Common Sense:

    wtf are you babbling about? When did I say I’d prefer to live in East Germany?

    Of course you didn’t, but my point was that you were holding up the USSR and East Germany as somehow laudable and deserving of credit, when, in fact, they were the two countries whose Olympic medals were least deserved and least praiseworthy. You have to be completely ignorant of what the USSR and East Germany did, as a matter of national athletic policy, to be able to say anything good about them at all in this context.

    BTW wrt cheating in the Olymipcs. Two words:

    Ben Johnson.

    And a number of Americans as well, but the significant fact, which you have apparently missed, is that Marion Jones and Ben Johnson cheated, but NOT AS A MATTER OF NATIONAL TEAM POLICY. So, your triumphant two word rejoinder, which you apparently think is the last word on the subject, both missed the point entirely and was completely irrelevant to what I said above.

    I can’t wait to read how embarrassed you are for Canadians, bragging about how important the number of gold medals they won is. Oh wait, it’s only mockable when Americans do it? Gotcha.

    I won’t pay any attention to Canadians celebrating, just like I ignore Americans who celebrate after sporting events. It is equally ridiculous no matter who is doing it. There’s nothing wrong with being happy, but causing property damage or getting people killed — as has happened in many sports celebrations (around the world) has got to be close to the most inane behavior human beings are capable of. I hope the Canadians stop short of such lunacy. Whether they do or not, I won’t waste my time watching or reading about it.

    I’m curious, have you ever been out of the United States?

    Even if you haven’t, you have only to watch the way different nations celebrate and present themselves at events like the Olympics to see that there is a difference between the US and other nations. Read some of the other comments up-thread by people who are also offended by American exceptionalism. On second thought, don’t bother, it will be a waste of your time.

    The truth is there is a difference between the way Americans act about themselves and their country and the way people from most other countries behave. What is similar to American exceptionalism (which invariably at some point will be attributed to God) is religious fundamentalism in some countries. As was pointed out above, it isn’t just that the US is better, it’s that Americans are better. And why? Because at the root of American exceptionalism is the belief that we’re better because we’ve been chosen by God to be better.

    Ronald Reagan was the quintessential American exceptionalist. Thanks to Ronnie no American politician (and certainly no president) can end a speech without saying “God bless the United States of America.” It sounds emptier every time I hear it.

    In the end, Common Sense, we disagree. And that too, just like who won all those medals, doesn’t matter. Night.

  263. 263.

    Common Sense

    @No Joy in Mudville:

    If you’d read my prior post you’d know I have been overseas: In addition to Asia I’ve seen Europe, both Canada and Mexico (Mexico City is my favorite North American city, followed by Toronto) and much of the Caribbean. I just don’t agree that only Americans think they as a people are superior. And I definitely don’t think that Americans are the only nation with a subset of people that thinks God is on their side. Ethnocentrism is not constrained solely to a nation founded entirely by immigrants. I remember a joke my nationalist Chinese stepfather told me and my Scotch-Irish father (paraphrased):

    God was preparing to make mankind. But he screwed up the first time and overcooked his creation, making blacks. The next time he overcmpensated and undercooked the white man. Finally God got it right and created the only perfect race — the Chinese.

    Look, my point is not that all Chinese are evil. I’ve known many wonderful Asians too. My point is that Americans are not all evil boogeymen either. Like everywhere else, they are people. People are people wherever they are. To get away from oriental Asia for a bit, as well as to stick with your religious argument for superiority, you may have noticed there’s a bit of lingering nationalist tensions in places like Ireland, the Basque region, Israel and the Middle East, and the Slavic Countries.

  264. 264.

    Common Sense

    And without diverging too far into the performance enhancing drugs debate I think you are seriously naive if you think East Germany and the USSR were unique in ‘roiding up their athletes. Sure it wasn’t official team policy in Canada or the US. It also wasn’t official policy in East Germany or the Soviet bloc. Regardless it was encouraged and widespread in all these coutnries. It still is. Ben Johnson wasn’t some freakish abberation — he was a symptom.

  266. 266.

    Sui Generis

    @asiangrrlMN: canned dog food from Costco, Kirkland, great stuff, hi quality.

    And for a can opener, the wall model swing-a-way is adored especially by those who have used the same one for three or more decades. I found one on a cupboard wall in an house in which I lived for 10 years and left it for the next one. I was so glad when I found it again on Amazon.

    There is a hand model but I love having it on the wall, out of the way. At 10.99 it’s a bargain; the hand model is 8.99.

  268. 268.

    SRW1

    @Steeplejack:

    Ever heard that joke about how clever the Austrians are? It goes like this:

    Most people believe that Beethoven was Austrian and Hitler was German.

  271. 271.

    bemused

    My Rosle can opener recently bit the dust. I definitely want an opener that eliminates sharp edges when we are cleaning cans & lids for recycling. I bought a Pampered Chef opener after friends’ recommendations. So far so good.
    My pricey pepper mill from Williams-Sonoma also died about the same time. I decided to fill an empty Dean Jacobs grinder with peppercorns & just use that for now but having tried many over the years, I’m skeptical I will find a pepper mill that will last more than a couple of years.
    Worse yet for durability are hard cheese slicers & we have tried many types. Any tips on a cheese slicer that people love would be appreciated.
    I’m also on the search for a good digital oven thermometer for meat roasting specifically. Pampered Chef discontinued one that had the wire from probe connected to counter top reader that friends raved about.

  272. 272.

    The Golux

    We’ve recently been using the Kuhn Rikon opener. It’s somewhat odd when you first use it, but once you get used to it, it’s great. No sharp can edges. The only drawback is that you can’t use the cut lid to squeeze the oil out of your tuna, since the lid won’t fit down inside the can.

  273. 273.

    MilesArcher

    No Joy In Mudville —

    No offense, but French people think they’re better than you. So do Brits. So do Canadians. So do Czechs. (So do I, but for different reasons.) They think this due to the usual pride one feels about one’s birthplace, but also because you live in America. Where everyone is prey to the kind of exceptionalism that no one in other countries ever feels, even while feeling, you know, better than you.

    Weird how that works out.

  275. 275.

    No Joy in Mudville

    @John Cole:

    Sorry, John. I actually mentioned this originally with tongue in cheek. It’s amazing how easy it is to bait the American exceptionalists in this crowd. Say anything that might diminish an American accomplishment (in any way) and suddenly it’s like frenzy-feeding sharks.

    On your other point, about Norway in the summer Olympics:
    in 2008 the US won 110 medals with a population of about 305,000,000, while Norway won 9 medals with fewer than five million people.

    Americans won 1 medal for each 2.8 million people.
    Norway won 1 medal for each 540,000 people.

    Another win for Norway.

    Get back to me when the entire United States is covered with the same amount of snow and terrain that Norway has.

    C’mon, John. This is probably a worse argument than the medals per capita comparison (see below). Norway is small. The area it has that is available for winter sports is much, much less than that of the US.

    The area of Norway is 148,746 sq. mi. About the same as Montana. Add to Montana — Washington, Oregon, parts of California, Idaho, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, northern New York, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, and just for fun Alaska and I think the US has slightly more winter sports terrain than Norway.

    The whole thing is an exercise in silliness, as is thinking that a huge country with incredible wealth winning the most medals is somehow important or significant or says something meaningful about its quality relative to other countries.

    Countries with really large populations, say over 150 million — of which there are only a handful or two — can’t win the medals per capita competition. There aren’t enough medals. So, of course, if they want to brag, they have to brag about totals.

    What I find most interesting is the vehemence with which the exceptionalists will defend the United States (whose performance needs no defense — it was hugely successful) as if winning the most Olympic medals matters.

  276. 276.

    No Joy in Mudville

    @Common Sense:

    It also wasn’t official policy in East Germany

    From Wikipedia (but available elsewhere):

    State-endorsed doping began with the Cold War when every eastern bloc gold was an ideological victory. From 1974, Manfred Ewald, the head of the GDR’s sports federation, imposed blanket doping. At the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, the country of 17 million collected nine gold medals. Four years later the total was 20 and in 1976 it doubled again to 40[45]. Ewald was quoted as having told coaches, “They’re still so young and don’t have to know everything.” He was given a 22-month suspended sentence, to the outrage of his victims[46].

    Often, doping was carried out without the knowledge of the athletes, some of them as young as ten years of age. It is estimated that around 10,000 former athletes bear the physical and mental scars of years of drug abuse[47], one of them is Rica Reinisch, a triple Olympic champion and world record-setter at the Moscow Games in 1980, has since suffered numerous miscarriages and recurring ovarian cysts.

    Not official policy?

  277. 277.

    adepsis

    Re: can openers – we’ve used a Krups Open Master 404-70 hand held for more than a decade of hard use. I don’t think they’re made any more but ours is so tough it might be worth buying used. Ours has been used pretty much daily and dropped on hard floors a few times. Still runs like new.

  278. 278.

    Common Sense

    @No Joy in Mudville:

    From the CBC:

    The modern age of drug testing essentially started at the 1983 Pan Am Games in Caracas, Venezuela. A team of scientists, led by chemist and drug-testing chief Manfred Donike of Germany, developed a new method for steroid testing in anticipation of two large international sporting events that year, the Pan Games and world track and field championships.

    What followed paved the way for drug testing for years to come.

    Canadian weightlifter Guy Greavette was at the centre of what became the first international drug scandal in sports. Greavette, along with teammate Michel Viau, was stripped of his medals and handed a two-year suspension after testing positive for steroids.

    The Pan Am drug testing caught a lot of athletes by surprise. After Greavette’s positive test, a dozen American athletes in various events suddenly withdrew from the competition and returned to the U.S., and at least another dozen athletes from other countries also left without explanation.

    Nineteen athletes in total failed drug tests at the 1983 Pan Ams.

    Here’s one you might find particularly illuminating:

    Attention cross-country skiers: If you want to cheat, you may not want to leave that blood-transfusion equipment lying around your house.

    That’s what some members of the Austrian cross-country ski team did at the Salt Lake City Olympic Games. The IOC began an investigation after a cleaner found blood-transfusion materials in a residence used by the Austrians during the Games.

    The team’s results were reassessed, and after a three-month investigation, two athletes (non-medallists) were disqualified and two team officials were banned from the next two Winter Olympics.

    The Austrians claimed the equipment was used for ultraviolet radiation treatment of athletes’ blood to treat and prevent colds and flu, not for performance-enhancing purposes.

    Doping has been rampant in cross-country skiing for years. Use of EPO, or erythropoietin, is as common as ski wax, and blood doping has become an art.

    Six Finnish skiers tested positive for HES – a banned plasma volume expander – at the 2001 world championships in Finland, one of the biggest doping scandals in the sport. It exposed some of Finland’s top stars including Jari Isometsa, Mika Myllyla, Janne Immonen and Harri Kirvesniemi.

    Also at the Salt Lake Games, three skiers certainly didn’t help the tainted image of their sport by testing positive for the drug darbepoetin.

    Darbepoetin boosts the production of red blood cells that help carry oxygen to muscles. The drug is used to treat severe anemia, which can be caused by chronic kidney illness or by chemotherapy treatment.

    Hey, whatever helps you get ahead of the competition, right?

    Yea, you’re right. It was just those dirty Commies that were drugging their athletes. All the Western Countries were merely having athletes compete while undergoing chemo.

  279. 279.

    No Joy in Mudville

    @Common Sense:

    You wrote that it wasn’t official policy. You were wrong. Citing evidence of other drug use won’t change that fact.

    You seem committed to making a point that doesn’t need to be made (that drug use was/is rampant) and ignoring the difference between widespread drug use and state mandated drug enhancement.

    No country, including the USSR (I think, but can’t prove), has ever gone to the lengths that the East Germans went to in an effort to win medals for the greater glory of the state. You can reproduce dozens, hundreds, even thousands more excerpts about drug use, but since I never claimed that only the commies did it or that no one else did, you’re wasting your breath. So far, only the East Germans have ever had such extensive official involvement exposed in a way that is irrefutable and undeniable. There have been hints and speculation that the USSR, which was every bit as interested in the political value of medals as East Germany, had a similar approach to doping, but to my knowledge it has never been exposed and proven the way it has been for the East Germans. Still, since there is no penalty involved and no pending court case against the Soviets, and given their record over the years, I’m comfortable assuming they too have a lot to hide. I’m not alone in that assumption.

    I don’t know if your ignoring it or you’re simply so in need of winning a point (that, frankly, you can’t win), but one reason comparisons between the US, Canada, and most other countries and the Soviets and East Germans don’t make any sense is because the Soviets and East Germans nationalized their athletic programs in a way that democracies would be unlikely to do. (It would be interesting to know the whole truth about the Chinese program as well.) With the kind of decentralized programs the US and Canada have, decisions about drug use are inevitably going to be made by coaches, trainers, and athletes — not the state. If you go way, way back to the beginning of this whole pointless discussion, you’ll see that I simply pointed out that it seemed unwise to be touting the Soviet and East German programs for their successes when those programs were rotten to the core — in a way that the American and Canadian programs wouldn’t be because of decentralization.

    Abortion doping refers to the rumoured practice of purposefully inducing pregnancy then abortion for performance-enhancing benefits.

    — Wikipedia

    This is another abuse that the East Germans have been accused of committing. I don’t believe there is any proof, because proof is essentially impossible to find. The best that could be done would be to show that x female athletes from one team were all pregnant and aborted on a favorable schedule before a major competition. That would be circumstantial evidence, but there is no rule against getting pregnant, so I don’t see how anyone could be punished. And, although this is a practice that is possible for any woman (or nationalized athletic program) to pursue, it is because of the known extent of proven East German abuses that they are the ones who have been most often accused of abortion doping.

    If you want to keep beating this dead horse, you’re going to have to do it alone, but who knows, maybe tomorrow we’ll agree on something.

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