Another Drive4show 'Anything goes' thread

[kwinigolfer]

First topic message reminder :

Sr,
1).Correct. Wonderful is right. Though in the American order of things behind the NFL, College Football, High School Football, NBA, College B'ball.
2).Not much of a market: 21,000 per home game.
3).But no other nations pay their players a fraction of this sort of bounty. He'll probably end up using PED's, just like his predecessor as highest paid.
Ridiculous money!

[MustPuttBetter]

Ray

Would you take the time to  consider that objectification of men ànd women are not equal?

This actually explains a lot. Mac has a prejudiced view of society. Ironic really considering the 'role' he plays and thrives in, but it does serve explain some of the things he comes out with which make no sense without this vital piece of information

[Roller_Coaster]

Any East Coastish US people (or others with any knowledge), is the snow as bad as it's supposed to be? We don't often get US weather warnings make our news but this has.

[kwinigolfer]

Roller:
We should get eye-witness reports from Philadelphia (Shotrock), then Grumps (in the Poconos I think) and Plunky (in "The City").

Blizzard warnings for New York, 2-4 inches an hour expected from late Monday evening with v.strong winds, 30 - 40 mph. Forecast for about 18 - 24 inches, but the wind will cause extreme drifting I would think. Should be mostly South and East of my vantage point on the West Coast of New England!

[Roller_Coaster]

Cheers.

Hopefully everything and everyone's going to be OK other than a bit of cope-able disruption.

[super_realist]

Always amazes me how poorly prepared certain countries are for bad weather. Surely this happens frequently on the east coast?

[kwinigolfer]

s_r,
Would think most of the East Coast will be prepared as much as they can be. Not much anyone can do in the sort of severe blizzard that is forecast.
Only thing is, most cities have never properly upgraded their infrastructure over the past fifty years - most disruptive of all in storms like this is the fact most power lines are still on poles, not buried. So you'll hear a lot about power outages.
US Congressional Republicans against reinvesting in infrastructure - you think the power lines are bad, most old US Cities (like ours) have sewer and wastewater systems, even gas lines that are 100 years old. At least.

Don't know what you would recommend though for New York if they get two feet of snow and 30 mph winds.

[super_realist]

Tough for cities, but I'd expect frequent snow covered places to at least have stable power supplies and not pylon mounted power.
Americans must struggle due to driving everywhere when the weather is bad

[kwinigolfer]

Correct.
But there are hundreds of Republican Congressmen and close to 60 Senators who disagree with you. And most States and Cities won't reinvest unless they doing it on the proverbial federal dime.
Archaic.
A small addition to the petrol tax, for instance, would help a lot. And in more ways than one.
However, the public by and large are unbelievably resourceful in overcoming storms like this is expected to be.

[super_realist]

America's fuel costs are unbelievably cheap. It's virtually given away. A friend of mine in NH said it's now lower than $2 a gallon, fair enough, it's an American gallon, but still. That's ludicrously cheap.

[Roller_Coaster]

About £1.60/$2.40 an imperial, that is insanely cheap!

Admittedly we're pricey here at £1.19 a litre (£5.46/$8.24 p/g) compared to the rest of the UK but still. Wow.

[super_realist]

I wish fuel was more expensive from a purely selfish point of view.

[raycastleunited]

Always amazes me how poorly prepared certain countries are for bad weather.

You mean the UK! Just shocking here after even a light dusting of snow.

Most organised I've seen was Montreal. Relentless snow when I was there and everything functioned as normal (I guess "normal" for them is snow).

[kwinigolfer]

Montreal better than most Major US Cities in dealing with snow and cold, ray, extraordinary how that City has been resuscitated over the past twenty years.

[Plunky]

Just a little light snow here right now.  I was supposed to go to bermuda on business this week, flying out early today before the blizzard, and returning on Friday by which time the snow would have stopped and our friends would have shoveled our driveway.   But  last night the trip got cancelled !  So instead of knocking back a few dark and stormys and playing at port royal (after the biz meetings) I'll be outside shovelling !

As Kwini said, power outages can be a problem but I think NY copes pretty well in terms of gritting and ploughing roads etc.  we're lucky because our town has its own electric so if we do lose power it gets restored much more quickly than the rest of LI.       They're still forecasting 20-30 inches for us in total.   I'd better go unpack.  

[1GrumpyGolfer]

Report from the Poconos, NE Pennsylvania:

Approximately 8 inches of snow overnight Friday into Saturday. Dealt with; some piles of ploughed snow won't melt until April.

Some snow overnight last night, not sure how much so far, more snow expected throughout the day, lots is snow expected tonight through tomorrow.

Gas/petrol price watch: NE Pennslyvania: $2.16 for 3.8 litres
New Jersey: $1.80 (10 days ago) for 3.8 litres. Probably come down another 10 cents or so.

Grumps, reporting live for 606v2, from the Poconos, NE Pennslyvania

[Roller_Coaster]

My missus says she regularly got 8 inches overnight back in the Penines

I'll get me coat!

[BlueCoverman]

Hope all that shovelling of snow won't get in the way of this week's fantasy league Grumps...  

[McLaren]

I was right - you simply don't get it

I don't disagree with this. I don't believe objectification of men (if that is even what I did to westwood?) and women is the same thing. So why don't you try and explain to me why you think they are equatable?

[Roller_Coaster]

That's a belter.

Mr Data. Set course for anywhere else but here, maximum warp. Engage.

[navyblueshorts]

I was right - you simply don't get it

I don't disagree with this.  I don't believe objectification of men (if that is even what I did to westwood?) and women is the same thing.  So why don't you try and explain to me why you think they are equatable?

  You're (wrongly, yet again) trying to bring the effect of any objectification into the equation. That's got nothing to do with it and I'm not saying women haven't had a harder time of this sort of thing than any men. Again, that's not the issue. The issue is that your actual act is exactly the same, irrespective of the target.
On the specific subject, as a Devil's Advocate - you don't think there are plenty of cases of male body dysmorphia?? How do you think that is affected by remarks such as the one's you made re. Westwood's physique? Do your remarks contribute to/potentiate the 'ideal' as far as how the male physique should be? How does that affect those who'll never be able to hit your 'ideal'? Issues of self-worth? Why do you think so many men 'go to the gym' and pump iron or increasingly undergo cosmetic alterations? It certainly isn't for fitness reasons.
Everyone should be treated the same. In other words, either all groups get freely insulted left, right and centre and take it all on the chin...or no-one does. You don't get to pick and choose which group you inappropriately insult and which group you get all up in arms about if they're insulted in the same manner. At least, not if you don't want to get any flak about issues of hypocrisy that is.
Pretty sure I'm done with this now. You'll have to work it out for yourself...

[super_realist]

One of my golfing buddies is in a huff because I declined an invitation to his kids christening. What a big baby.

[Davie]

I don't blame him. Some mate you are unless you had a very good reason

[super_realist]

I'd be a hypocrite to go along.
1. I've never even met his kid.
2. He doesn't even go to church.
3. I went to the last one, that was 1 enough for me and I never want to set foot in a church again.
4. Sunday's are a golf day.
5. I'd rather eat my own head than sit through a sanctimonious sermon and watch a fat vicar douse a kid I couldn't care about with "holy" water. What a pointless spectacle and waste of an hour.
6. I don't need a good reason if I don't want to go.

Why do people do such things? I wouldn't even have respect for someone who was religious doing it to their kid, far less someone who isn't.

[Davie]

It's not about respect for religion; it's about respect for "mates". He clearly isn't one

> 1. I've never even met his kid.

The "kid" is presumably a baby, or at most a toddler. Do you need to "meet" him/her? How do you "meet" a kid in nappies anyway? Does it matter?

> 2. He doesn't even go to church.

Does his wife/partner? Even then, a christening these days is more an event for family/friends than a baptism in a traditional sense. It may be stereotyping of the kind that gets Mac a bad name, but typically it would be the mother that wants the christening. If she is a church goer then fine - humour her. If not, then still humour her if the friendship is worth it. Weddings used to be like this - at least now people can marry in a civil ceremony - I'm not (yet) aware of a civil baptism

> 3. I went to the last one, that was 1 enough for me and I never want to set foot in a church again.

Selfish. As previously stated you may not be religious yourself, and if the parents aren't then it may be hypocritical. For a friend you still humour them

> 4. Sunday's are a golf day.

Go for an early nine holes

> 5. I'd rather eat my own head than sit through a sanctimonious sermon and watch a fat vicar douse a kid I couldn't care about with "holy" water. What a pointless spectacle and waste of an hour.

See above

> 6. I don't need a good reason if I don't want to go.

No you don't. Just like I don't need a good reason to point out that you don't care about your so called "mates". I think my reasons for pointing this out are more valid than your reasons for not going though

[super_realist]

Wrong Davie, If someone invites you to a football match, the pub, a kids school sports day or something along those lines, then it doesn't make you a bad mate to decline. It's an invitation after all, not a mandatory summons.

None of his family are religious and ergo aren't church goers, so it seems an incredibly stupid ceremony to get involved in and as such, what grounds would I have to humour them? I wouldn't have a bar mitvah or a circumcision of a child if I wasn't a jew, why on earth would someone get their child christened if they weren't a christian, and what makes them think someone else wants to endure such an event (again...)

I cannot think of something more pointless for a non-religious person to put their kid through if they aren't even remotely part of that scene.

I don't think under those circumstances I'm doing anything wrong by declining the "invite" and to humour them would just facilitate the non sensical "tradition" going if they have another.

[Davie]

[super_realist]

"Davie old mate, you free this weekend? I've got this thing on with my kid,I know you don't like kids or the special fairy tale club, but an old guy I've never met and who looks a bit suspect is going to throw fruit pastilles at my kids head then bore a collection of gullible coffin dodging imbeciles with immoral fairy tales from a stone age book and then we'll all sing some wretched songs and close our eyes and pretend we're speaking to an invisible sky zombie, fancy it?"

"F**k no"

[pedro]

So your mate may be a hypocrite but he's still your mate? Or?
I guess you had the balls to tell him the real reason for not coming?
With your standards how can you be mate with a hypocrite? And one you don't respect?

[super_realist]

So your mate may be a hypocrite but he's still your mate? Or?
I guess you had the balls to tell him the real reason for not coming?
With your standards how can you be mate with a hypocrite? And one you don't respect?

I did say that actually, thing is we're all friends with hypocrites to some degree, unless of course it's Mac, who is never hypocritical about anything.

I don't think there is a single person in the world who agrees with everything their friends do or believe, doesn't make them bad people, just makes them idiots on a particular issue.
I have zero respect for him on this issue. How could I? Taking part in a cultish ritual when he isn't part of the cult. Seems moronic to me.

[pedro]

So your mate may be a hypocrite but he's still your mate? Or?
I guess you had the balls to tell him the real reason for not coming?
With your standards how can you be mate with a hypocrite? And one you don't respect?

I did say that actually, thing is we're all friends with hypocrites to some degree, unless of course it's Mac, who is never hypocritical about anything.

I don't think there is a single person in the world who agrees with everything their friends do or believe, doesn't make them bad people, just makes them idiots on a particular issue.
I have zero respect for him on this issue. How could I? Taking part in a cultish ritual when he isn't part of the cult. Seems moronic to me.

"Why do people do such things? I wouldn't even have respect for someone who was religious doing it to their kid, far less someone who isn't."

Well that didn't sound particularly diplomatic to me.

There's a big difference between respecting/disrespecting someone as a person and respecting/disrespecting their individual actions. Think you got a bit carried away in your wording trying to make a statement to your "mates" on 606v2...

[kwinigolfer]

Let's just chill out.

Winter storm:
New York City got much less snow than originally foerecast, about 8 inches, but sounds like Long Island got whacked.

But, places like Bawston (about two feet), Providence and places inland from Bawston and up the coast to Maine got the worst part of 3 feet.
Plus, plenty of coastal flooding, from Long Island, Nantucket, Bawston South and North Shore, and up to Portland at least was pretty bad.

We got less than 6 inches, an average storm, but another one due on Monday. And so it goes. Golf in April - with any luck.

I hate winter.

[1GrumpyGolfer]

Me too Kwini. We had about 4 or 5 inches of snow over yesterday and today. Forecasters this week remind me a little of Corporal Jones "Don't panic, don't panic!" Useless winkers...

[super_realist]

So your mate may be a hypocrite but he's still your mate? Or?
I guess you had the balls to tell him the real reason for not coming?
With your standards how can you be mate with a hypocrite? And one you don't respect?

I did say that actually, thing is we're all friends with hypocrites to some degree, unless of course it's Mac, who is never hypocritical about anything.

I don't think there is a single person in the world who agrees with everything their friends do or believe, doesn't make them bad people, just makes them idiots on a particular issue.
I have zero respect for him on this issue. How could I? Taking part in a cultish ritual when he isn't part of the cult. Seems moronic to me.

"Why do people do such things? I wouldn't even have respect for someone who was religious doing it to their kid, far less someone who isn't."

Well that didn't sound particularly diplomatic to me.

There's a big difference between respecting/disrespecting someone as a person and respecting/disrespecting their individual actions. Think you got a bit carried away in your wording trying to make a statement to your "mates" on 606v2...

That wasn't what I said to him, so there's no need to think I wasn't being diplomatic.

I told him that when I went to his last one, I realised it wasn't the sort of thing I'd like to do again and would prefer not to accept his invitation to this one.

As for the snow in America, hope it comes to Europe, off snowboarding on Saturday and there's already tons of snow, but a bit more can't do any harm.

[beninho]

We are planning on christening the little boy, at some point this year. It is something my wife thinks would be good to do, and i know my Mum would like it. I am not religious, but i am not anti religion. It is a nice thing to do, and a good reason to get people together. I also got married in a Church, in a service carried out by a vicar, and it was the best day of my life. I would not swap it for a service in the town hall, local golf club or stately home. And no one refused to come based on their weird views on religion, which was nice.

[westisbest]

I can see where s_r is coming from.

It basically isnt for him. Fair enough.
He does'nt believe in all that, again fair enough, (although you dont have to to go to a christening).
Went to one before.
Each to their own.

The fact though that he is in a huff as you put it, maybe shows that you are a good mate to him and he wants you there, so calling him a big baby could be seen as disrespectful.

I went to a christening a few months ago.
Was'nt to fussed about going, mainly though, because they were my partner's friends. Still went along.

The priest was actually funny, cracked a joke or two.
Was actually quite enjoyable.

And the food after was tasty.

[westisbest]

We are planning on christening the little boy, at some point this year. It is something my wife thinks would be good to do, and i know my Mum would like it. I am not religious, but i am not anti religion. It is a nice thing to do, and a good reason to get people together. I also got married in a Church, in a service carried out by a vicar, and it was the best day of my life. I would not swap it for a service in the town hall, local golf club or stately home. And no one refused to come based on their weird views on religion, which was nice.

Good for you ben.

Hope fatherhood treating you well.

[navyblueshorts]

Me too Kwini.  We had about 4 or 5 inches of snow over yesterday and today.  Forecasters this week remind me a little of Corporal Jones "Don't panic, don't panic!"  Useless winkers...

So perhaps you'd like no forecasting whatsoever?

[navyblueshorts]

...And the food after was tasty.

Well, that's a good reason, if nothing else. I can certainly buy into that.

I've been to a few and I'm pretty close to S_R with my opinions on Religions. I don't pray, I don't close my eyes, I don't say "Amen" etc etc. I go because I was invited and it's a family or friends do, but in the chaos of my own head, I'm quietly dissing the religious angle while any ceremony is going on.
I'm never going to have my twins Christened but I'm not so extreme as to avoid a friend's or family event. I'm not Damien at the end of the day...

[JAS]

...And the food after was tasty.

Well, that's a good reason, if nothing else. I can certainly buy into that.

I've been to a few and I'm pretty close to S_R with my opinions on Religions. I don't pray, I don't close my eyes, I don't say "Amen" etc etc. I go because I was invited and it's a family or friends do, but in the chaos of my own head, I'm quietly dissing the religious angle while any ceremony is going on.
I'm never going to have my twins Christened but I'm not so extreme as to avoid a friend's or family event. I'm not Damien at the end of the day...

I was going to write a response but I might as well cut and paste your's Navy (although I don't have twins and my girls are grown up long ago - and they weren't Christened) but apart from that detail, my sentiments exactly.

[Roller_Coaster]

I take it as one of those things you do for your mates. If they are your mates and they would like you there, a couple of hours isn't much of a sacrifice even if it involves a suit on a bloody Sunday (and the "do" after can be quite good fun). That's my tuppence worth, but don't go if you don't want to, a real mate either won't mind or will get over it pdq, just don't expect the invite when he's got a 4 ball at <insert exclusive course on wish list> anymore.

If it is only one of your "golfing buddies" that's a different matter as a mate and a golfing buddy differ to me. Mates I hang round with away from the golf course/club, while golf buddies are purely for the course and a pint.

I'd be amazed to be invited to a purely golfing buddies kids christening and would likely decline myself.

[incontinentia]

I agree with super, if you don't want to go to something then don't. If he is mature he will accept your decision.

[pedro]

Sometimes you should just do things for others, even if you don't like it. S_R comes across as bit of an extremist here, not much different from the ones he likes to criticise.

[1GrumpyGolfer]

Me too Kwini.  We had about 4 or 5 inches of snow over yesterday and today.  Forecasters this week remind me a little of Corporal Jones "Don't panic, don't panic!"  Useless winkers...

So perhaps you'd like no forecasting whatsoever?

Not trying to say that but it's a bit galling when at the start of the forecast they big themselves up about being the most accurate forecast six or seven years in a row.

Edit: the big up comes from our local team and they have no competition...

Also, with the view that hindsight is always 20-20, there's three models used in the forecasting. Typically a US one (which had the higher totals) which can be wrong a lot of the time, typically a European one (which had a lower total but still high) which can be wrong not as much of the time, and a new US model (which was pretty much accurate) which was ignored because it was new.  Some forecasters took a blended approach and came up with new numbers.

I know it's not an exact science but why discard a new model and create a hybrid?

[incontinentia]

Sometimes you should just do things for others, even if you don't like it. S_R comes across as bit of an extremist here, not much different from the ones he likes to criticise.

I would agree if it were a close relative but not really necessary for a golf mate. I actually admire super's willingness to be unpopular to stand up for what he believes (or doesn't) in.

[golfermartin]

S_R, would you also refuse to go to a funeral, because they nearly always have a religious element to them?

[ralphjohn69]

Grumpy : "I know it's not an exact science but why discard a new model and create a hybrid?"

Because they get the ball airborne and are easier to hit out of the rough..??

(I'll get my coat).

[kwinigolfer]

Spot on Grumps, about the forecasting.
Anyone watching the Weather Channel would know the options and what they thought of the various forecasting models.
Thing is, the US has invested a fraction of the money and resources into its forecasting models that their European counterparts have, and got roundly lambasted for their Hurricane Sandy projections and that they ignored the European model which pretty much hit the bullseye.
Other thing is: If they hadn't been predicting such a big hit on NYC, there would have been less media attention to S.New England and L.I. where they got the forecast correct, up to 3 feet and flooding storm surges in some parts.
All in all, the storm may have been off track by 75 miles, but seems most people were pretty well prepared.

Local forecasting is terrible though!

And we seem to have three more "events" in the next ten days, any one of which would bring London or Edinburgh to a screeching halt.

[Plunky]

Yep, forecast for Long Island wasn't far off.   We got about 6 inches Monday and another 12-15 yesterday.  Further east on the island they got more than that.  We'll now become regulars at the local pga superstore where they have practice booths, complete with cameras etc so we can still play a little.  Not the same though.

[beninho]

Ian Brown (ex Stone Roses) giving evidence in court case of Fred Talbot ( ex This Morning weatherman) over child sex charges. Thats all a bit surreal.

[Roller_Coaster]

And we seem to have three more "events" in the next ten days, any one of which would bring London or Edinburgh to a screeching halt.

1 - a day of sunshine
2 - a mild zephyr
3 - light drizzle

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