39 replies to this topic

[mad_mac]

Welcome, glad that you washed yourself of all past sins and came on over from the dark side. Now it is mandatory that you hate Tottenham!

I like your style though, drinking beer and talking about Chelsea...I have to ask, what beer were you drinking?

Hope to see more of you on here. During the matches we get together in a "match chat" room called "shoutbox" there is a link at the top of the page. Worth a laugh if you are up in time to watch the games (at least you aren't on the Pacific Coast where we have to get up at 4 sometimes)

[ThunderDan]

Okay, here's my first non-newbie post. This is the coolest message board I've run across.

GermanBlue - sorry about yesterday's game. I used to love the Mavs, but trading Nash and Finley was too much for me!

MadMac - I don't care for the Hotspur, but my girl likes them. That's why I make her wear a Keeley mask sometimes. The beer was a Budweiser, although it could have been Labatts one another day. I might have to pour some in my eyes to rid them of the effects of that Ronaldo pic. I'll check out the shoutbox...

Today was awesome. Instead of watching NFL like most other Americans, I was treated to a London Darby with the Blues visiting the only other EPL team I follow. What a super win! I'm starting to appreciate Ivanovic more everytime I see him.

Do you guys watch the "Fan Zone"? I love that show, even though the ManU guy is real hard on Chelsea and its fans. He said "you have to respect a man that wears a hat" re: Cech.

Here's me after the Cleveland Cobras beat Pittsburgh in semi-pro football a few months ago.



Cheers

Thunder Dan

[bmwdmb1]

Hey Dan, I couldn't help but notice you are from Cleveland (west or east side if you don't mind me asking)? I am too...although I live in Columbus much of the year for uni. (ever make it down for Crew matches?) Currently I am living in Manchester (and travel wherever The Chels is every week...Blackburn tomorrow) but when I get back in the new year we might want to possibly try to meet up to watch some matches yea?

...I'm not sure about the whole Liverpool thing, but I suppose it's forgivable...eventually haha.

Edited by bmwdmb1, 02 December 2009 - 12:19 AM.

[Phillip]

It is so politically correct to bash ex-President Bush, but with Obama turning the U.S. into a psedu-socialist state like Sweden, no one says anything, since it is so politically incorrect.


Well, I can't give you too much grief, since I can see you are trying to ingratiate yourself to Europeans on this forum, and the easiest way to do that is to bash Bush (he was no gem, but he was not as horrible as people made him out to be).

[moi]

Phillip, on Dec 2 2009, 01:19 AM, said:

It is so politically correct to bash ex-President Bush, but with Obama turning the U.S. into a psedu-socialist state like Sweden, no one says anything, since it is so politically incorrect.


Well, I can't give you too much grief, since I can see you are trying to ingratiate yourself to Europeans on this forum, and the easiest way to do that is to bash Bush (he was no gem, but he was not as horrible as people made him out to be).

I don't think we thought Bush was "horrible" Phillip. We just thought he was THICK!

[Phillip]

I cannot disagree with that.

[bmwdmb1]

He certainly gets worse rep. then he really deserves...at times (just fyi, not referring to anything on these forums at all) people make it sound like he was truly some sort of monster.

Edited by bmwdmb1, 02 December 2009 - 01:11 AM.

[Mod]

I can't believe there are people that actually stick up for George Bush? Why is he 'not a monster'?

[KrazyTea]

Phillip, on Dec 1 2009, 18:19 PM, said:

It is so politically correct to bash ex-President Bush, but with Obama turning the U.S. into a psedu-socialist state like Sweden, no one says anything, since it is so politically incorrect.

What's horrible about social democratic states like Sweden and Canada? I love how the US media and lobbyists tries to use these countries to demonize government health care or other social issues. Yet these are the happiest countries in the world, who knew that socialism wasn't evil huh?

bmwdmb1, on Dec 1 2009, 19:04 PM, said:

He certainly gets worse rep. then he really deserves...at times (just fyi, not referring to anything on these forums at all) people make it sound like he was truly some sort of monster.

That's because he was.

But this is all turning into a political issue hey? Anyways welcome to another friend from the western hemisphere

[mad_mac]

Cheney was the monster

[Eggy McMuffin]

mad_mac, on Dec 2 2009, 03:29 AM, said:

Cheney was the monster

I'd agree with that, but Bush was deluded and stupid. He went to war because he heard god tell him to... If I were to punch someone and claim that god told me to, I'd be locked up. He went to f**king war on that basis, which I'm sure you'll agree is a little worse. Didn't he also bring in that reverend dude who made water-boarding legal?

Also, what is the problem with expanding Medicare? It's really quite strange that helping those in need is considered a bad thing in America. Some of the comments which came out at the height of the whole healthcare debate thing (I say debate quite wrongly), were quite ridiculous. Especially about how Obama is planning to kill off the old people, and how Prof. Stephen Hawking would have been killed if the NHS had it's way. I occasionally used to watch Fox News for a laugh btw. On the night Obama was elected it was one of the funniest things I'd ever seen.

I have a strangely high level of interest in American politics.

[Phillip]

KrazyTea, on Dec 2 2009, 03:09 AM, said:

What's horrible about social democratic states like Sweden and Canada? I love how the US media and lobbyists tries to use these countries to demonize government health care or other social issues. Yet these are the happiest countries in the world, who knew that socialism wasn't evil huh?



That's because he was.

But this is all turning into a political issue hey? Anyways welcome to another friend from the western hemisphere

Don't know about Sweden's health care system, but I have heard horror stories about Canada's. Especially when one needs special tests and/or surgery, one has to wait until they are practically on their death bed to get the needed tests and surgeries. Also, the doctors have no incentive to actually care for a patient, and treat them like an assembly line product in Canada, I have been told. I just don't want that. I have heard stories about the dental care in England, and how bad it is. Anyway, if it is not broke, then don't fix it, and the health care system in the U.S. is not broke, in my opinion.

[Eggy McMuffin]

Phillip, on Dec 4 2009, 22:55 PM, said:

Don't know about Sweden's health care system, but I have heard horror stories about Canada's. Especially when one needs special tests and/or surgery, one has to wait until they are practically on their death bed to get the needed tests and surgeries. Also, the doctors have no incentive to actually care for a patient, and treat them like an assembly line product in Canada, I have been told. I just don't want that. I have heard stories about the dental care in England, and how bad it is. Anyway, if it is not broke, then don't fix it, and the health care system in the U.S. is not broke, in my opinion.

I think you massively miss understand what is happening in your country then. MediCare is being expanded to help out the lower middle classes in your country who don't have medical insurance. At the moment, I believe the impoverished, the elderly and veterans, receive MediCare, right? With the veterans receiving a slightly better version, under a different name, thinking on it. There are still however lots of people in your country without medical insurance, and not just that, insurance companies can refuse to pay at even the slightest hint that it may have been pre-existing or caused by a pre-existing condition. MediCare is being expanded to help cover those who can't afford the insurance, that's all. You aren't getting a national health service, you're getting an expanded MediCare to cover those who wouldn't normally qualify.

What about the horror stories from your own country? People with no medical insurance, who can't afford treatments? How long do they have to wait for their tests, do you think? Also, dental care isn't particularly bad in this country. It's just a stereotype which Americans seem to have, and if there is any truth in it, it's mainly down to the fact that we don't have fluoride in the water.

[Phillip]

If that is the case about the proposed new laws, then perhaps you are correct, Eggy.

However, those proposed new laws are in flux, and I think that there are many proposed laws that go far beyond what you wrote, and that worries me. The U.S. is flat broke (like Iceland, just that no one talks about it), and these laws will just make the 'borrowing off our future' hole even bigger to climb out of.

If it was not for the Chinese who buy all of our bonds, just so that they can keep the dollar somewhat stable so that they can dump their goods here, things would totally go crazy, such as hyperinflation like what happened in Argentina in the 90s.

People with no health care now have to go to the emergency room for treatment, and they do get treatment there. Beyond that, there is something called Medicaid for people without insurance, which covers many things, but I am not an expert of it.

[ThunderDan]

I really came onboard to talk CFC!

But I can't help but be impressed with the strength of some of these arguments. Who said I'm trying to ingratiate? Oh yes Phillip. I spent more time discussing beer than hating on GWB, and I never take the easy way! That said, recall that his policy was to install persons to head agencies who had fought to eliminate those same agancies while in the private sector. And all four members of his family had been arrested at least once. Worst President ever.

No health care system is perfect, but why not adopt the things that are done well outside of the US? These conservatives don't know anything about the workings of "socialist" medical systems. They say they want reform, but not this kind or that or the other. They only want 1.) No success for the Democrats and 2.) status quo for the insurance companies.

This won't get better until Congress stops accepting cash gifts from corporations.

Hey BMW, Willoughby is home. Post when you arrive and we'll cheer the Blues at the Old Angle or Germantown or somewhere. Now settling in for the City game...

Thunder Dan

[ThunderDan]

OK that sucked. The first technical mistake I've seen from Petr in some time. And all those ManCity handballs Good luck next match!

Edited by ThunderDan, 05 December 2009 - 11:57 PM.

[bmwdmb1]

Oh great, I will defiantly let you know Dan, I'm in Strongsville. And the City match was certainly a disappointment, I was there and it was real rough watching that loss...here's hoping we can pick things up mid-week for Apoel but much more importantly Everton on Sat.

[ThunderDan]

"Currently I am living in Manchester (and travel wherever The Chels is every week...Blackburn tomorrow) but when I get back in the new year we might want to possibly try to meet up to watch some matches yea?"

Don't know your travel plans, but I see three matches in Feb which are enticing - Arsenal, ManCity and Inter. Let me know when you're going to be in the area!

[Uncloaked]

I like the leggings Dan

[ThunderDan]

Thanks Uncloaked. I'd explain why they don't look like soccer shorts, but I keep getting myself in trouble by going there...