The balance beam routines are even more impressive to me two days after I fell through a deck.
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Come for the politics, stay for the snark.
Bark louder, little dog.
A thin legal pretext to veneer over their personal religious and political desires
When do the post office & the dmv weigh in on the wuhan virus?
Let’s finish the job.
Meanwhile over at truth Social, the former president is busy confessing to crimes.
You can’t love your country only when you win.
If senate republicans had any shame, they’d die of it.
Come on, man.
They traffic in fear. it is their only currency. if we are fearful, they are winning.
Republicans don’t want a speaker to lead them; they want a hostage.
Something needs to be done about our bogus SCOTUS.
Only Democrats have agency, apparently.
Prediction: the GOP will rethink its strategy of boycotting future committees.
A last alliance of elves and men. also pet photos.
Motto for the House: Flip 5 and lose none.
This fight is for everything.
A snarling mass of vitriolic jackals
We are builders in a constant struggle with destroyers. let’s win this.
We cannot abandon the truth and remain a free nation.
When your entire life is steeped in white supremacy, equality feels like discrimination.
Too often we confuse noise with substance. too often we confuse setbacks with defeat.
Insiders who complain to politico: please report to the white house office of shut the fuck up.
🎶 Those boots were made for mockin’ 🎵
Russian mouthpiece, go fuck yourself.
Villago Delenda Est
Understandably so.
Trentrunner
Wait til they get to the uneven mustard bars.
Keith P.
@efgoldman: The more sports that carry a risk of a gruesome tibia/fibula break, the higher the ratings. At least in the States.
Peale
I feel like a dick whenever I point out that someone wobbled.
lamh36
You’d certainly win if “falling in ways normal people don’t” was an Olympic sport John…lol
Peale
@Keith P.: which is why Mongolian horse wrestling needs its moment in the sun.
trnc
There’s no question you could take the gold in your type of events. The problem is that no other country could compete without doping. But I’m sure Putin has his top guys on it.
lamh36
Aly Raisman’s routine started with a higher difficulty score than Gabby…so the deductions has to be high enough to offset that.
The deductions Gabby had early on is what sunk her for the All Around, but just BARELY!
Congrats Simone and Aly…and the entire USA team
Women’s Gymnastics Team is GOLD medal ready!
ETA: It’s a shame that Gabby Douglas had the 3rd highest score of the entire field and she wasn’t allowed to compete cause of the new 2 per team rule…
Bill E Pilgrim
By the way did you repair the deck or is there still a giant Cole-shaped hole, waiting for you to fall through again?
I guess what I’m asking is whether you nailed the dismount.
Omnes Omnibus
@lamh36: To me, it seems that the two who really did perform best on the day got the shot at the all around. Douglas has a shot at the team gold and an individual medal. She has done well.
Mike J
In college, I went to St Louis to see REM with a gymnast. She did her balance bar routine on a 5th floor dorm balcony at Wash U. Next week at a meet at Hearnes Center, she fell off the bar doing the same routine.
Omnes Omnibus
@Mike J: Sobriety has its ups and downs.
lamh36
@Omnes Omnibus: Gabby Douglas scored third highest of ALL competitors who competed in the qualifying rounds…So if not for the new 2 person rule…she would be in the All Around.
The top 3 qualifiers were all the US women…t.
Also Gabby’s score was literally, 0.5 points away fro Aly Raisman…that pretty close… The #4 qualifier was about 1.4 points behind Gabby, but since US already had 1 & 2, #4 got the next spot.
So I’m not trying to take anything away from anyone, based on score alone which to me seems the fairest… I still think it’s too bad for Gabby
ETA: I suspect I understand why the new rule was set in place, to keep the elite teams from dominating the field, like in the past with USA, Russian, Romania, China…etc…
Davebo
@Mike J:
I’m not even going to make a snide remark about nailing the dismount on this one.
Omnes Omnibus
@lamh36: I understand that she was #3 overall. The Olympic rules are what they are.
lamh36
@Omnes Omnibus: yes they are. doesn’t mean they are the “fairest” rules in alot of cases though does it?
lamh36
Anyway, the Women’s Gymnastics team is Gold medal ready…the Men’s Team, IDK…but I’m rooting for both of em!
Haven’t decided if I will watch the Mens though? I may record it and watch it once I see how they do…lol…less stress that way
Omnes Omnibus
@lamh36: No, of course not. But how many people from the track prelims should advance? Rules are set and the athletes compete under those rules.
lamh36
Favorite tweet of the night…for the pic alone…lol
@hopoffthesack
Worlds Most Useless Job, Olympic Swimmer Lifeguard……
FlyingToaster
@lamh36: Alas, falling through a deck is a not particularly uncommon thing to do (as several cousins in the building trades will attest).
Having watched the NBC coverage of the women’s Road Race and seeing the wreck (which kept me & WarriorGirl on-channel until the end of the race), I have a whole list of “competitive sports you probably want no freaking part of” in progress for WarriorGirl. She’s already informed me that she wants no part of sports where falling and hitting your head on a granite kerb are a significant risk. Also falling off of a rock climbing wall like one of her friends did — the inverse wall that doesn’t accomodate a harness.
lamh36
Good night BJ.
pacem appellant
I have a long-ish tale about a cat.
Pet background: We got a kitten yesterday. She’s from the shelter, a beautiful siamese mix, about 4 mo. old. I had wanted to get a hypoallergenic cat, but the breeds with certified low allergens are spendy. Plus, the spouse and I couldn’t justify the expense compounded with the needs of so many animals that need a home. So we went with female, white-ish, short-hair-ish, and that kinda looks like a low allergen breed.
Non-pet history: Our family has traditionally been non-pet (It would interfere with our rock-n-roll life style), to the point where a family member has openly accused us of being anti-dog. Well, self-fulfilling prophecy it seems, because when it came time to get a pet, we got a cat.
Why a cat: Our offspring have dog phobia. But due to an on-going health issue with one of the kids, a pet makes a lot of sense for therapeutic reasons. More than a fish or a hamster would. And the other kid has been wanting a pet (non-dog) for a long time. So cat.
Why not a cat: I’ve been severely allergic to cats my whole life. This did not stop me from keeping cats at my childhood home, but they were outdoor. And there were soporific allergy meds for sleep overs etc. Today, the allergy meds are superior, and I’ve even been on allergy shots. So I *should* have reduced symptoms.
The conundrum: We all adore the cat and in 36 hours she’s become the best thing to happen to our family this year. I will go through my childhood allergies all over again for her. But that doesn’t mean I want to if I don’t have to. My allergies seems to be OK so far, but one of the offspring is having issues, as is the spouse, who is usually asymptomatic.
The question: How do we keep the dander and hair at bay? Are there any brushes, shampoos, cleaning products, etc that will help the allergy sufferers in my house enjoy the cat even more? We’ve already designated some rooms as cat-free zones (we’ll see how long that lasts). And we’re mopping and roomba-ing even more frequently. We have no carpet (yay!), but even in the last day, I can see the cat hair in the sunbeams. Any all suggestions welcome. Thanks.
lamh36
@Omnes Omnibus: in the track prelims the top 8 times advance yes..regardless of the number from the same team yes?
Gabby Douglas had the 3rd highest score all around if all the “world” competitors regardless of country… so in a track meet should would be allowed to compete in the final. they would not give her spot to the next one down unless in case of injury.
the rule was changed prior to this Olympic year. all I said was its a shame she couldn’t compete…nothing more nothing less…so what seems to be the problem with that?
I'mNotSureWhoIWantToBeYet
@pacem appellant: I’m allergic to lots of pollens, cats, etc. We had cats when I was a kid, too – I got used to it.
I went through the desensitizing shots, etc., but still had to take Allegra D to get through the summer. Until this year. My doc convinced me to try Nasacort. I’ve never had much luck with sprays in the past, and the idea of steroids made me nervous, but it’s been amazing for me.
We don’t have a cat, and I haven’t been around one since I’ve been on Nasacort, but it might be worth checking out.
Good luck!
Cheers,
Scott.
Omnes Omnibus
@lamh36: The gymnastics people decide on choosing the top two. If it were Bines and Douglas, would you be arguing? I didn’t make the rules.
? Martin
@Omnes Omnibus: IIRC, we actually advocated for the rule to prevent Romanian/Soviet dominance.
SRW1
Apparently, the organizers have also decided to make the the strong possibility of ‘going over the handle bar’ one of their selection criteria for the course in the road cycling competition. The decisions in both the men and the women races were impacted by the leaders crashing on the last descent. The crash in the women’s race was especially horrific, When it happened I feared the Dutch rider van Vleuten might have died. Thank god, she appears to have gotten away with three cracks in her spine and a severe concussion.
Mnemosyne
@pacem appellant:
Some studies show that if you bathe the cat once a month with a gentle shampoo, you can really reduce the amount of dander they produce, and if you can start it while they’re young, you should be able to get into a routine. Generally speaking, it’s best to use a sprayer in the sink with a fine screen (like a window screen) to grip onto in the bottom so kitty doesn’t feel like you’re trying to drown her, but look online for tips.
The other thing is to brush her every day, twice a day if you can manage it, to prevent the loose hair from floating around. Most cats like being brushed, but you may have to experiment a little to find the kind of brush your cat prefers.
ETA: Also, too, make sure everyone washes their hands after petting or playing with the cat so they don’t accidentally transfer dander to their eyes or nose. Act like the cat has a cold and hand wash accordingly.
rikyrah
I love the swimming events, and when records are broken, I love them even more. I loved seeing Phelps swim. He is just amazing. As was the woman who won the 400 freestyle. She left the rest of the field in the dust. She was competing against herself for the world record, which she demolished.
Mnemosyne
@SRW1:
The Guardian story had complaints by the race participants that they felt the course might be dangerous, especially at the part where the female cyclist wiped out, and it looks like they were right. She’s fortunate to have survived — in that situation, the helmet probably saved her life since it was the margin between a severe concussion and a fatal head injury.
Barbara
@lamh36: It is not new. It started after the 2000 Sydney Olympics. But it is a shame because people won’t get to see some of the best gymnasts in the world. There was a reason for the rule but even though the problem was temporary the solution seems to be permanent.
pseudonymous in nc
@SRW1: the BBC commentators (and British cycling reporters in general) had the same thought before the road races — that it was the most demanding course in modern Olympic history, and would sort out the elite racers from the pack in ways that Olympic courses don’t always manage, but those descents are ones where if you fall, you won’t get back on your bike.
That crash today was awful. You could tell that the commentators were sickened and distracted by it for the rest of the race, and I’m sure some of them were thinking of Fabio Casartelli, who died on a TdF descent in 1995 when he was taken down by a crash in front of him and his head struck a concrete block.
pacem appellant
@Mnemosyne: As soon as the vet clears her baths (i.e. her spaying incision heals fully), we plan on bathing her. I will investigate proper technique, in the distant past, we used gardening gloves and Neosporin.
@I’mNotSureWhoIWantToBeYet: I’ll see if the allergist can prescribe it for the wee ones. Thanks for the tip!
lamh36
@Omnes Omnibus: are you implying that I’m basing my support for these women because of what.. they beinf Black women Omnes??? Because it seems like you are and that means I’m done with u and this conversation…all I talks about was the scores and alos Bines score was at least 2 point ahead of both Gabby and Aly… so what was your point of even mentioning Bines!
for your information wa I want even an advocate for Gabbh Douglas even a making the initial team…in fact I think someone else should have gotten her spot be it’s her trial score was barely there… but they decided on Gabby.
I even felt bad for Laurie Hernandez because they didn’t let her go up doe all around… but in tonight’s competition, Gabby came through and base solely on her scoring the 3rd highest overall I think it’s a shame she want able to compete.
You are the one who decided it needed to be argued as if just by me voicing my opinion that it meant more than it was…
So fuq you man
I'mNotSureWhoIWantToBeYet
@pacem appellant: Nasacort is OTC, but do check the label for usage with little ones.
Good luck!
Cheers,
Scott.
? Martin
@pseudonymous in nc: I’m fine with a course that requires caution on downhill, but like with auto racing there needs to be adequate barriers in that case. The downhill sections of the race are not that long and putting impact barriers on the outside of the turns would not be a burden. Crashes are okay. Crashes with injuries are not okay.
lamh36
@Barbara: thank you for that information about it not being a brand new rule. Still think it’s a shame since her and Aly’s score was so close…
Temporarily Max McGee (Soon Enough to Be Andy K Again)
Brazil’s got to be pulling out it’s collective hair with the men’s soccer team going scoreless again.
Barbara
@Omnes Omnibus: In 2000 there was an equipment snafu and Romanian gymnasts with virtually identical routines won all the all around medals. Since then the whole scoring system has changed and the Romanian “by the numbers” approach to gymnastics is a lot harder to pull off. Plus, fortunately, they now double check the equipment so the gymnasts doing the most daring skills don’t get screwed over by sloppy preparations. But they still insist on limiting the number of individual medal contenders to 2 per country.
Mnemosyne
@lamh36:
Omnes must be drinking at night again, because he’s been being a dick to people in the nighttime threads. If he doesn’t knock it off, he’s going to force me to Internet diagnose him with ADHD or something.
Omnes Omnibus
@lamh36: I asked a question which could be interpreted as shitty. I apologize. I should not have made a comment that could be interpreted that way. It was not my intention and I am sorry for doing that.
Brachiator
I ran across a YouTube video that appeared to show pickpockets and other street thieves in Brazil. Sad, weird amazing stuff. You see why it is not good to wear watches or chains or other neck jewelry. But sometimes you would see them snatch an item out of a bag someone was carrying. But not an entire bag of stuff.
After a while, when you got an idea of how they operated, you could see the pickpockets lining up a likely target. Sometimes you would see a person hand over an item without resistance once the thief came up and began to grab an item. Some people successfully resisted. A thief rarely struck a person.
A few were on bikes. But the most surprising was seeing a thief go up to someone sitting in a bus with an open window, leap up and grab a phone or other item.
Most alarming was one scene of what may have been an undercover cop with a gun in his hand.
The video was taken from the upper floor of some building, but it was not clear who the photographer was.
Very wild stuff.
Fair Economist
@pacem appellant:
I don’t know about short-term treatments, but allergy shots will make an enormous difference in your ability to tolerate treated allergens.
Chris T.
@I’mNotSureWhoIWantToBeYet: So is Flonase, which one previous doctor of mine swears by, rather than at. It does help me as well.
Most people are allergic to proteins in the skin and/or saliva. The hairs themselves are not the problem, it’s any allergenic proteins on the hairs, or, if you’re allergic to the skin, any skin sheddings (aka “dust”). If it’s dust, a good air filter, or perhaps an electrostatic filter, may help.
jl
Is Cole saying that the Olympic balance beams broke and the athletes managed to not fall down and hurt their legs? Or what?
Haven’t heard anything about that in the news.
pseudonymous in nc
@? Martin:
Exactly. There are constraints on Olympic courses — they rely on circuits for crowd management, they usually have to include landmarks in the host city — so it’s maddening that a genuinely challenging parcours was marred by shoddy crash protection on those descents. They didn’t have to be life-threatening. I’ll point the finger at the UCI as much as the Rio organising committee, because they must have signed off on it even though it compromised riders’ safety.
(FWIW, van Vlauten fell on the inside of a turn, and it looked like the camber on the road threw her to the gutter. The barriers and bales seemed to be focused on stopping riders falling down slopes, which is only half the job.)
Calming Influence
Perhaps John should take this opportunity to start training for the “balance deck” competition in the upcoming senior olympics.
cckids
@pacem appellant: I’m kind of late here, but we’ve had decent luck (along with the suggestions from others), by wiping down the cats once a day with a damp cloth. There are wipes you can purchase for this purpose, but, really, why? Two of our cats are ok with it, one really hates it.
Mart
@Omnes Omnibus: Bless you.
jl
@Calming Influence: Gotta get competitive deck stomping ready for the Olympics. They used to have tug-of-war and juggling Indian clubs. Why not competitive deck stomping?
Edit: Though Cole would have a good chance at gold for competitive naked mopping pet poo obstacle course. Not based on previous success, but who else has any practice at all? Go for it Cole. YOLO!
Erick
@lamh36: what’s lame is the way they do it arbitrarily in some sports. Clearly trying to game things, China dominates table tennis so they limit it to 2 in the finals. Same with gymnastics and a few other sports. No one gets upset if Jamaica or the US get all 3 medals in track events and tries to change the rules.
It is the Olympics, not intramurals, the best should be in the finals in every sport.
ruemara
@pacem appellant: I wound up with severe cat allergies thanks to my mould infested college apartment. Here’s how I dealt with cats. One, use your meds. Two, no kitties on the pillows or bed. Three, a good brushing on the reg. Fourth and most important, a good air filter. Portable, so I could set it up anywhere, but after a while, I used it in the bedroom or when visiting friends who had cats. And chiropracty plus acupuncture but that’s a little iffy on the science. I used to get welts from my cat’s saliva when he licked me, but by being diligent, I slowly regained my tolerance to cat dander. I still have to be careful dealing with dust, but now I can meet strange cats and have no problems. Good luck!
akryan
I know the age limit is 16 but most of the Chinese girls look like they’re ten years old. I’m calling BS on those birth certificates. Our girls are lilliputian but at least they look like little adults not little girls.
satby
@pacem appellant: You may want to see if the most allergic family members can get a Singulair prescription, it’s used for asthma and allergies, but it’s an anti-leukotriene, so it stops the allergy reaction before the body produces histamines. After being on that for the first year of animal rescuing, all my sensitivities were reduced. I’ve been severely allergic all my life, and finally developed asthma as an adult because of the animals, but that medicine really changed the equation for me. I seldom need to take medicine at all now.
Having said that, I also do everything ruemara said too, because I am still allergic.
I'mNotSureWhoIWantToBeYet
@Erick:
They do it in diving too (at least it appears that way to these eyes). It seems like 90% of the scoring in diving these days is how big the splash is, so China has these little tiny divers who look like they’re starving. Less mass, less cross-sectional area = smaller splash.
Athletes shouldn’t need to starve themselves in order to get a high score.
Cheers,
Scott.
(Who realizes they are also excellent divers, but the anorexia is creepy.)
Barbara
@I’mNotSureWhoIWantToBeYet: Regarding size of gymnasts and divers: Even U.S. coaches taking on promising students when they are under the age of 10 try to determine how big they are likely to become. They look at the parents’ height and their body type, and any siblings. Female gymnasts have a strikingly similar body type: very high strength to weight ratio that is one feature of having broad shoulders relative to their overall size, as well as a low center of gravity. This is all much easier to achieve in a person who is destined to be short. Svetlana Khorkina was a giant gymnast, at 5’4.” Anyway, I am assuming that the PRC program is very deliberate about the size potential of the female gymnasts who make it to elite training. The taller talented ones are diverted to diving or trampoline or even fencing.
pacem appellant
@cckids: I just gave her a good brushing. I will try a damp cloth later. Good idea! Thanks.
@ruemara: I’m on meds and the allergy shots (since I’m allergic to everything). We already have one good hepa filter. We’re thinking of investing in a second one. Thanks!
@satby: I’ll check that drug out too (with the advice and consent of the offsprings’ g.p.). Thank you!
JustRuss
I’m having a vision of the Balloon Juice Olympics.
Spoiler: Injuries win.
Aleta
@pacem appellant: I find it helps a little to rinse my eyes with eye wash –Bausch and L. I only react to some cats — one an old one with kidney problem so her skin and hair seemed to be shedding allergens that the kidneys could no longer filter out as toxins. The others had a white coat with no undercoat, whose hair was very fine and clung to our face and things. The stickiness of the particular hair seemed to make a difference for me. And the cat free rooms you mentioned made a big difference for my partner, esp the bedroom of course.