Different Strokes For Different Folks

From My Journal

July, 2014

     Himmel uns allen helfen! The Germans have won the World Cup. That’s great! If it can’t be us, as in U.S., it might as well be the Germans. So far I’ve not heard about any rioting in Germany because of extreme feelings. And I can’t imagine Germans getting so excited over a game that they willfully commit unlawful acts. Party hard and drink too much, but rioting and stuff? Not Germans.

Now in Argentina, who lost to Germany, the reaction is different. People in that great country are rioting, some of which has turned violent, with looting and fires.

Now when I say World Cup I’m speaking about soccer. In some parts of the world it would be called football.

When this sport uses the term “World” they are serious. Competing in the World Cup were teams from nearly every nation in the world, hence World Cup.

This can be compared to our World Series, which does not include any baseball teams from outside our borders. So why do we refer to it as the World Series of Baseball? Maybe because we egotistically think that everybody in the world is, or should be, interested in our game.

Now Where Did That Snail Come From?

According to Yahoo News inspectors at Los Angeles International found and confiscated 67 live giant African snails. Okay, we’re all glad they didn’t get to the person on the shipping manifest and become a possible gourmet treat, which can create health issues, or get loose in the environment and become a real hazard.

     One statement in the article caught my attention. It stated that in the past the agency has found snails “that may have accidentally gotten into a traveler’s luggage.” “Whoa, say that again.” Look at the size of these snails. How could anyone not notice one of these in their luggage?

 

 

     These snails are big enough that if you had two or three, they could carry your luggage. I’ve heard of bringing back souvenirs, even done a little of that myself, but bringing back giant snails even accidently, that’s just ridiculous.

How Do We Know?

     Huffington Post ran this headline: “Ukrainian Airstrike Kills At Least 11 Civilians.” The article goes on to expand on this tragic action in the ongoing unrest between Ukrainian government forces and the pro-Russian insurgents. I use unrest with tongue-in-cheek as it is a lot more serious than that.

     No one has admitted to launching this attack.

     My question is this: How do they know how many people were actually killed? Think about it. The people who have been attacked have a vested interest in pumping up the numbers to make the atrocity seem worse than actual--it will garner more world sympathy for their side. So how do we really know if the number of dead is accurate, or are we assuming that these people, who have no problem killing each other, have suddenly developed a conscience, and are now being honest about this incident? For me that’s a stretch. How about you?

Hope? Really?

Friday, in the grocery store, I noticed a gal with the word HOPE in large letters across her derrière. Well, that is, on her jeans to be exact. Now my first thought was why? I can see a message back there like “Wide Load”, “Post No Bills”, “Don’t Overtake Vehicle When Turning,” none of which applied to this particular person, but “HOPE”?