Orright, so is it over yet?

Can I safely turn on my TV and NOT hear a snippet about the Winter Olympics?

Can I now read the sports section of my daily paper and NOT see stuff about Sochi?

... not that I buy the daily paper [haven't since the 70's] but just in case I change my mind.

Well, the stakes were high in US / Canada hockey...

and we lost big time...

Hey Canada, we need a rematch...how about the best 3 out of 5?

I'll say you lose big time... when Bieber is the booby prize.  I mean, nobody wants that spoilt twat... brat inflicted upon them at the best of times.

I suppose you's could always deport him to....um... hmmm, now that's a point... who in their right mind would take him?

Okay, then, when's the next unmanned Mars probe?  And are we 100% sure it's uninhabited? After all, we wouldn't want the Intergalactic Space Council on our case because he offended somebody/something up there on the Red Planet, and there's no doubt that he'll do it.  Like that smarmy haircut he used to sport when he was younger, one look and I suddenly felt this compulsion to slap him around the jowls.  Luckily he was on the other side of the world at the time, otherwise I'd have been mobbed by a bunch of madly in love teeny boppers with no taste in music or boys.

Hopefully someone will find a way to put him out of our misery sooner rather than later.

So what's worse than finding out Justin Bieber is coming to town to do an outdoor concert?

Finding out that the idiot who booked it has it set up next door to an egg hatchery.

And how do you keep Justin Bieber busy and out of town for a few days?

You send him into the Canadian Rockies on a moose egg hunt.

That would be an excellent idea!

Oi, Steve, what have you been told about hanging out down at the ladies hairdressers?

Yes, watching the ladies get their hair put up in curlers is a bit of a turn-on, but you know it makes them nervous, especially when you have your hands in your pockets.

So, seriously, how are you these days?  I took a break away for a few months to get a few things sorted, so I haven't seen or heard from you in a while.

Me, I got the same old shit... and can't afford the laxatives to shift it.

Nah, apart from vertigo making some days less enjoyable, I'm doing okay and am thankful for small mercies.... though a seniors discount down at the massage parlour wouldn't go astray. 

Well that's it, hey!   We're old, not dead.

Nah. Been TV-less for well over a decade. The most liberating thing I may have ever done.

I have one... well 3, actually, but I haven't turned them on very often just lately... so little worth watching.  However, I do like to have them for the few shows I do like to watch, and every now and then a family member will come over with video to watch.  Then there's the times my grandkids come over to visit... they tend to be a little less boisterous if they have something on TV to watch.  Besides, I don't get out as often as I used to, so it's nice sometimes just to put my feet up of an evening to watch something of interest... so long as it's not reality rubbish, those icky medical shows or lifestyle stuff.  Too much of it on these days and it gets too monotonous, repetitive and boring.  I simply don't have the patience for it at all.

Nah, give me a good sci.fi or a decent thriller, and I don't mind a historical and/or geographical documentary, either..

Well, after thinking about it I just might watch the Olympics, anyone know when they start?

As a Canadian, allow me to offer my most sincere and profuse apologies for my country inflicting Bieber on the world.  Canada may have committed a crime against humanity for that one.

Having said that, you lost the hockey game, so you still have to keep him.

Hehe, was thinking something similar... knowing I've got 4 years to change my mind.

Yeah, it's another 4 years to the Winter Olympics, and around 3 1/2 for the Summer ones, so you've got plenty of time to change your mind as well.

Nah, bugger it!  I don't need 3 1/2, 4 years.

Hehe, me thinks it's just desserts and they deservedly should keep him..  I'm mean, they inflicted Miley Cyrus on the world, not to mention Barry Manilow; The Kardashians; Paris Hilton; Britney Spears; Desperate Housewives; Barry Manilow; Billy Ray Virus; David Letterman; The Jonas Bros; Linsay Lohan; Queer Eye For the Straight Guy; Conan Obrien; Barry Manilow; Octomom; George W Bush and the Bitch in Apt 23.

I mean, that's an awful lot of inflicting compared to one teeny weeny misguided 19 year old with a penchant for egg tossing.  I mean, Bieber's young and could still grow out of it, whereas that lot above are past redemption, with most continuing to be constant embarrassments well into adulthood.

In fact, you's Canadians should scour the country to see if he's a twin... or triplets, cos given that list up there, did I mention Barry Manilow, one solitary Bieber simply isn't enough.  Like what if his mom is an Octomom and there's 8 of him?  Woohoo... but probably no such luck, hey.

Anyway...things haven't improved but continue to just get worse health wise. And the finances are going downhill as well. I've been kicking around the idea of going offline...shutting down the phone and killing the TV as well just to get by...but it's hard to disconnect the things keeping me sane. As far as skinning...that's hard as well these days...I can sit here less and less because of the discomfort...and life goes on.

As a Norwegian its hard not to watch. Its on every channel here, and everyone else is watching. Still, I have never been less interested than I am now. I have watched maybe 3-4 hours in total. Biathlon (Hetroathlon in Russia), Crosscountry skiing and some downhill.

Aw, I'm sorry to hear you're suffering pain and discomfort still. When we last spoke you were struggling with it and sounded depressed.  I had hoped that things would have improved some since then, but then I know what it's like to get good medical attention when it's needed.  I'd been waiting almost two years to see an ENT specialist with regard to unrelenting vertigo when I got the letter with an appointment for early March, which is sort of funny.  The day the letter arrived, a friend and I were out front talking about health issues and I said: "I'm so sick of waiting for this ENT appointment that I'm going to ring outpatients and tell 'em I'll be feching dead if they don't get me in soon."  I'd no sooner said it and the postie put the letter in my hand.

Oh, and don't go offloading the things that help keep you sane. I've had a few turns of bad luck recently, like becoming single again for the first time in 20 + years, and taking a couple of nasty knocks to aching old bones, so I was so appreciative of those things that helped to avoid deep depression and keep my feet grounded.... not so much the TV, but especially my PC and being able to get online.  Without that I'd have been one for over the cuckoo's nest a long time ago.

The one redeeming factor, no matter if I hurt like buggery or can't get to sleep at night, is that I can maintain my sense of humour and mischief.  Without that I'd truly be feched, so here's hoping you can do the same and enjoy a laugh now and then.

So until we next speak, here's wishing you all the best, Mark.

   Noooooooo...   

I could do without the tele before I'd go offline... 

  sorry to hear this...      keeping occupied can help you not think of pain so much... but when your fave things to occupy yourself amplifies it... that's really unfortunate... 

Ain't it just.

Only sport I watch implicitly is F1....mainly because this year [next month] is my 30th International Australian Grand Prix [as an official].

After that, it's Test Cricket [particularly the Ashes].

AND 'Le Tour' ....a seriously 'watchable' sport....with the sexiest scenery...;)

Then maybe the Aussie Supercars [fastest Touring Car class in 't world] [again cos I work them].

Olympics....not really....mostly boring as bat-shit....;)

Same here!  While some may think test cricket is totally boring, I find that one can be riveted to the edge of one's seat during games of particular interest.  I used to like the 50 over game as well, but less so in more recent years power and money have affected how the game is run and played, and when bookmakers can influence the outcome of games with player bribes and etc, the true purpose of the game [sport] is lost.  But then that is so true of most sports these days... the players love and passion for their respective sports has been so diluted by wealth and fame it barely exists any more.

Ah yes, that and topless netball... like poetry in motion.

I saw a one line piece of text somewhere saying: "Sochi: Closing ceremony"... and I thought to myself "oh goody, it'll be safe to turn on the TV again"  Then it occurred to me that some networks will analyse the shit out of it for the next week or so, and others will conduct autopsies to figure out what went wrong.  Nah, think I'll leave it another week or two.

And did anyone stop to think for one moment that the US hockey team lost that game to the Canucks on purpose... because deep down they are secretly Bielebers? 

Also, word has it that Canada has rounded up a number of bieber look-a-likes, who bear a striking resemblance and will be reprogrammed to behave exactly like him.  They will be shipped as soon as said programming is complete.

it had it's moments...  

OK....I may take up watching speed skating again....;)  [it was always the only event I ever watched at the winter olympics, anyway]

Would've been alright if she'd had a little more than fried eggs in there... may as well have been a Russian male athlete.

Like a male character said in a movie I once saw about the publishing world: "This picture is worthless without cleavage."

One sport I think should be included in the Winter Games... Polar Bear Wrestling. 

Or there again... Yeti Leapfrog.

Yes, I'm in a mischievous mood this evening.... trying to contain it, I really am, but every so often a bit snaps free and there it is

It happens when one has too much time on his hands and the allure of the TV so soon after the Winter Olympics just isn't strong enough.

Hm

About slaves, believe me Russia was on of the first country where slaves was prohibited, this is not moral here. Workers from asia countries dreaming to work in Russia, because salaries are very high.

About trees, yes, some trees was cut off, but was planted in two times more in other place.

About dogs and wolves, those girl on YouTube, US athlete that shows a wolf in her room in Olympic village,

that was a fake event, this video was captured in USA than she upload it as a video from Olympic game 

I do not know who and for what trying to show Russians as a backward evil nation, I just can guess that American elite just afraid that american citizens will find that their life style not the best in the world.

Every time when Russia starts to became strong, capitalistic countries trying to stop it , throw mud on Russian people, supports freaks who saying that he will destroy Russia 

May be american citizens will agree with this politics, everyone has their own truth, but this politic is not for Americans but just for american elite...

Also, I just wonder, I'm watching american cartoons and there is always one idea, when you are trying to do meanness for someone it always turn against you. So, every american got to know this simple truth from childhood but why it happens again and again.

When Russia became a most powerful country in the europe in 19 century western countries sponsoring Russia revolution, LENIN and communism in  Russia, as a result death, starvation, blood, violence and degradation of the Russia, but when after several years LENIN and his bandit click was removed from the government of Russia, Russia again became very strong

And US again supports another maniac - HITLER... Probably US government thought that nATIZ will destroy USSR but on practice this fight made from USSR even more powerful country, one big military factory was builder every day, can you imagine this scale. 

and if Russian was really an evil they even was able to enslave the world, but this is not the option for russian people

Than, after those destructive war many years Russia was in ruins  but in 80th again became strong so US and Europe again starts to support maniacs, on this time it was Ben Laden and AL Qaeda, that was actively sponsoring by western countries, mainly US and GB for fighting with USSR.

So, as we are know than BenLaden starts to fight against America and other western countries.....  

USSR stand in this fight and again became strong, after 1985 year, western countries again put all power to destroy Russia, on this time was used DEMOCRACY and many many venal politics(gorbachev), artists(Stallone, Schwarzenegger etc) , singers(scorpions and other rockers), democracy advissors, cocacola and jeans (haha) that was prohibited in USSR in those time.

So USSR was destroyed.

If before in USSR, we are all was happy, free flats, free medicine, free schools, universities, you shouldn't be worry about tomorrow. We are do not know about chemical food, crime, prostitution, narcotics, terrorists etc

But when US bring democracy life became like a hell, violence on the streets, corruption, no food, scare, never ending stress and worries about the future.

While We was need to stand in line from 4 am for a several hours to bay a one loaf of bread (norm for one person) US democracy advisors advice to our government to trash the food. Million tons of food was destroyed on the trash dump in those time. Bandits with Kalashnikov pick money from every businessmen and many other awful things things It was "democracy" of 90th years...

So everybody hates this kind of democracy in Russia and again venal politics (that calling a democrats in US) was removed from Russia goverment, russia again became strong, it was shown in this Olympic games. And this is why this olympic games is so annoying for elites of western countries, this is why they use their media channels to show the Russia in the bad light.

And now US and EU again supports terrorists and natiz in Ukraine. Kerry calls those people democrats and good people because they promising to kill Russians. It is a shame. But also this is very dangerous for people of US and EU because when those terrorist became strong they will go to the western countries and as you understand they will not do nothing good there.... As an example last terr-acts in Boston that was made by two guys from Dagestan, one Russia region where US supporting "democrats"(al qaeda terrorists) that killing hundred of children in the russian schools and making terracts.  

Also,I'm living near of Afghanistan and US again supporting al qaeda there to fight with Russia and this fight will be in my country that placing between Russia and Afghanistan. And I'm really scared for the lives of my family. 

Sad, when Russia fighting with terrorists - they are aggressors, evil, when US supporting terrorist, they - supporting democracy....

PS

when I writing US I do not mean american people,

I have many friends in US, and they all really great guys,

When I'm saying US here I mean hidden american elites who making a politic. They are a really evil, not all of cause.

Every nation has it is own bad and good guys. And mainly all people everywhere are the same.

I just want to ask you to not believe in propaganda!

If you do not like Olympic games it is OK, but if you do not like this game in Russia because of those dirty stories that western media showing, you are not right believe me...

1MrPaul1 ....just to remind you...this Forum is required to remain Politics free.

I'll leave your comment as it's always insightful to hear alternate opinions...particularly from 'outside' the West, but please [to all] if a response is felt to be NEEDED please do so in the appropriate forum...;)

interesting read 1MrPaul1...   

I just saw on Yahoo7 that Australia may boycott the Paralympics in Sochi over the Ukraine crisis.