One Picture to explain "What's Wrong with the Olympics"

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BoSoxGal
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Re: One Picture to explain "What's Wrong with the Olympics"

Post by BoSoxGal »

I did read what you wrote. You said most reactions have been positive - my experience reading all over the media is exactly opposite.

I think the miscommunication is that you must be talking about the words and opinions of journalists, quoting a subset of people including other athletes etc., whereas I’m talking about public reaction as evidenced by thousands of online comments to these articles. The attorney general of Texas had to throw shade on his deputy who tweeted out nastiness about Biles having let down her country.

You and Gob can throw shade on me all you want for merely expressing the truth about what is out there in the public opinion and showing up all over the various social media outlets. I don’t bury my head in the sand. And for the record, I was an incredibly positive person to the point of extreme naïveté and it is only observation and experience of humankind that beat that out of me. Some of it happened right here.
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Gob
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Re: One Picture to explain "What's Wrong with the Olympics"

Post by Gob »

Yet here you are.
“If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and follow your star. . . you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy.”

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Re: One Picture to explain "What's Wrong with the Olympics"

Post by Big RR »

The attorney general of Texas had to throw shade on his deputy who tweeted out nastiness about Biles having let down her country.
True, but given the asinine comments of the deputy, I'm sure this is not the first time he posted comments like this, yet I never heard the Texas AG saying anything at all. Add to that the fact that he (apparently) was forced to retract and apologize his comments, I have to hand it to the AG in this case--the response was quick and forceful.

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BoSoxGal
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Re: One Picture to explain "What's Wrong with the Olympics"

Post by BoSoxGal »

Yes that’s all wonderful. My point was that his tweet was representative of the opinions of thousands of others being posted on social media about Biles. As was done about Osaka. They are being vilified - many of the comments also having racial undertones, some with racial frying pans to the head - all over social media, which is inclusive in my mind to the comments sections of mainstream media articles.

I can’t imagine it would be any surprise that the mainstream media is supportive in the articles being published - the mainstream media is generally sensitive to such issues these days. The general public is another story.
For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.
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ex-khobar Andy
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Re: One Picture to explain "What's Wrong with the Olympics"

Post by ex-khobar Andy »

BSG - I am by no means denying your experience but I do wonder what you look at. Yes, most of the stuff I look at on line is the Guardian or friends on FB so maybe it's a little selected. So I did a FB search for articles on Biles and the first two were my local KY rag (we are not famously liberal down here) and Reuters. Between them - and both were 'breaking news - more to follow' type pieces, they had <100 comments. And I lost track of the count but it was clearly better than 80:10:10 positive:neutral:negative.

I did a Google search - "is social media for or against simone biles" and the first three results were from the Atlanta Journal Constitution, the Houston Chronicle and Sports Illustrated. And each one said that social media was positive: the SI headline is typical - "'Get Well Soon': Social Media Filled With Messages of Support for Simone Biles."

So I'm genuinely puzzled.

And please: if you read exclusively Fox News and the Daily Mail (and to be clear I do not for a second imagine that you do) YMMV. But my own reading of FB and news comments has been mainly positive and the reporting of SM by some press elements has also commented on that positivity.

I can only conclude that Facebook's and Google's algorithms tell me what I want to hear. I do not know how else to account for this discrepancy.

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Re: One Picture to explain "What's Wrong with the Olympics"

Post by Jarlaxle »

ex-khobar Andy wrote:
Fri Jul 30, 2021 1:24 am
I followed the FB link (Econoline's second) and found this comment a level or two down:
TJ Hickman
Todd Henry I’ll bring in an example from another dangerous sport. This is an account of the 1994 Formula 1 San Marino Grand Prix in which rookie driver Roland Ratzenberger was killed in qualifying Saturday and 3 times World Champion Ayrton Senna, generally considered the GOAT of motorsports, would die in the race on Sunday.
“[Senna] found Sid Watkins, who took him outside and told him Ratzenberger was clinically dead. Senna was devastated. Watkins said: “Ayrton broke down and cried on my shoulder.” The two men were extraordinarily close and Watkins regarded him as family. He realised then that Senna had not been in close proximity to a death before. Watkins was one of Britain’s most famous surgeons and was used to it but he was still deeply upset.
Watkins said to him as he was crying on his arm: “Ayrton, why don’t you withdraw from racing tomorrow? I don’t think you should do it. In fact why don’t you give it up altogether? What else do you need to do? You have been world champion three times, you are obviously the quickest driver. Give it up and let’s go fishing.”
Watkins recalls Senna’s response in his book Life at the Limit: “Sid there are certain things over which we have no control. I cannot quit. I have to go on.” Watkins recalls that those were the last words he ever spoke to him. “
For the rest of the weekend Senna was noted to be out of sorts, not himself, and not wanting to race. On the seventh lap while leading the race and pulling away from the rest of the field at a pace the other drivers would struggle to match, he made a slight mistake at 190 mph, went wide in a turn, hit the wall, and was killed almost instantly.
If he had chosen not to race that day, or if he had just decided right then and there to retire from the sport entirely, I don’t think his GOAT status would have been diminished in the world of motorsports.
https://web.archive.org/...//8w.forix.c ... a1994.html
I'm not a great F1 follower, but I remember that weekend. For Americans who are more likely to follow NASCAR, remember when Dale Earnhardt died at Daytona. Basically Senna decided to do the bold thing - I can handle this - and maybe as a result, died. Biles was not feeling great and did the sensible thing and neither died, nor fell off and hurt herself badly and, for all those who say she let the team down, allowed someone else who was at least on the night more competent than she, to score the points necessary to medal.

Certainly there have been some vile reactions as Scooter described but I think I have been somewhat pleased to see that most reactions have been positive (at least in the places I look) maybe because Naomi Osaka to some extent paved the way.
The cause of Senna's crash is still not certain. His steering shaft was broken, but it's not clear whether it happened during the crash, or before. The fact it was improperly welded and more than half broken before the wreck, however, is troubling.

ex-khobar Andy
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Re: One Picture to explain "What's Wrong with the Olympics"

Post by ex-khobar Andy »

Yes - that's why I said 'maybe as a result.' Plenty of people (Schumacher who won and Damon Hill [6th]) thought it was driver error. So did the Williams team but then they would, wouldn't they. Hill was also driving for Williams.

As you noted, we still do not know and probably never will. May have been a puncture.

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Re: One Picture to explain "What's Wrong with the Olympics"

Post by Gob »

Ben Stokes has become the latest major athlete to take a step back from sport to focus on his mental health.

The England cricketer, 30, will take an 'indefinite break' from both international and domestic matches to 'prioritise his mental wellbeing and to rest his left index finger, which has not fully healed'.

His announcement comes after fellow global stars Naomi Osaka and Simone Biles withdrew from competitions this year, citing their mental wellness..

England cricket managing director Ashley Giles praised Stokes for revealing how he was feeling, stating: 'Ben has shown tremendous courage to open up about his feelings and wellbeing.

'Our primary focus has always been and will continue to be the mental health and welfare of all of our people. The demands on our athletes to prepare and play elite sport are relentless in a typical environment, but the ongoing pandemic has acutely compounded this.

'Spending significant amounts of time away from family, with minimal freedoms, is extremely challenging. The cumulative effect of operating almost continuously in these environments over the last 16 months has had a major impact on everyone's wellbeing.

'Ben will be given as long as he needs, and we look forward to seeing him playing cricket for England in the future.'

Stokes, 30, will miss at least the first two Tests at Trent Bridge and Lord's in England's India Test series and has been replaced in the squad by Somerset all-rounder Craig Overton.
Been loads of support for Ben, despite his volatile past.
“If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and follow your star. . . you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy.”

Burning Petard
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Re: One Picture to explain "What's Wrong with the Olympics"

Post by Burning Petard »

Yes it is weird.

"I can't figure out why anyone would think to themselves, "My neck needs a picture of something to be permanently etched on it for everyone to see for the rest of my life". "

With only a slight change in hair style, no one will see it.

snailgate

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Joe Guy
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Re: One Picture to explain "What's Wrong with the Olympics"

Post by Joe Guy »

Burning Petard wrote:
Sun Aug 01, 2021 5:12 pm
Yes it is weird.

"I can't figure out why anyone would think to themselves, "My neck needs a picture of something to be permanently etched on it for everyone to see for the rest of my life". "

With only a slight change in hair style, no one will see it.
I was thinking more about this kind of tattoo (or much worse), not the small ones on the gymnast....

Image

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Scooter
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Re: One Picture to explain "What's Wrong with the Olympics"

Post by Scooter »

And in the category of quotes that didn't age well, and very quickly at that:

Image
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Re: One Picture to explain "What's Wrong with the Olympics"

Post by MajGenl.Meade »

He's a jerk all right - but he wasn't speaking about Biles or to Biles. He was answering questions about the pressure on himself in going for the Golden Slam (which he of course failed to achieve after speaking). It's fair to contrast his remark with his behavior but not to falsely put out that he was speaking to or about Biles
For Christianity, by identifying truth with faith, must teach-and, properly understood, does teach-that any interference with the truth is immoral. A Christian with faith has nothing to fear from the facts

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Re: One Picture to explain "What's Wrong with the Olympics"

Post by ex-khobar Andy »

Yes it's a little misleading but it's clear that the context of the question and the quote was the issues of Osaka and Biles. He was asked about the pressure on him: he could have just responded "I'm fine, thanks" and it's obvious that the ". . .you'd better start learning how to deal with pressure" part of his answer was unnecessary in order to ask the question and was aimed at (IMO primarily) Osaka and (secondarily) Biles. His prior comments about Osaka were less than supportive so it wasn't a surprise. I feel for his doubles partner he skipped out on. Yes he apparently has a shoulder injury. Because it's Djokovic, i'll just say - how convenient.

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Re: One Picture to explain "What's Wrong with the Olympics"

Post by BoSoxGal »

Joe Guy wrote:
Sun Aug 01, 2021 8:45 pm
Burning Petard wrote:
Sun Aug 01, 2021 5:12 pm
Yes it is weird.

"I can't figure out why anyone would think to themselves, "My neck needs a picture of something to be permanently etched on it for everyone to see for the rest of my life". "

With only a slight change in hair style, no one will see it.
I was thinking more about this kind of tattoo (or much worse), not the small ones on the gymnast....

Image
That is some really gorgeous ink. Honestly I think a tattoo like that wouldn’t stand in the way of a person being respected in the professional world today the same way it would have 30 years ago. Body art is much more mainstream these days, to a point. (Extreme body art is another matter altogether.)
For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.
~ Carl Sagan

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Joe Guy
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Re: One Picture to explain "What's Wrong with the Olympics"

Post by Joe Guy »

BoSoxGal wrote:
Mon Aug 02, 2021 12:23 am
That is some really gorgeous ink. Honestly I think a tattoo like that wouldn’t stand in the way of a person being respected in the professional world today the same way it would have 30 years ago. Body art is much more mainstream these days, to a point. (Extreme body art is another matter altogether.)
You're right about that one being a good tattoo but, in my opinion, no tattoo that big looks good enough to display permanently on skin that will nearly always be exposed.

Do you ever watch the TV series, "Intervention". This is one of the counselors:

neck tattoo.jpg
You might not see it that well but he has a face (looks a little like the devil) tattooed on his neck. It's very distracting and makes it rather obvious that all drug counselors were once users themselves. I don't think it will age well....

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Re: One Picture to explain "What's Wrong with the Olympics"

Post by BoSoxGal »

That much body art is at the level of what I’d call extreme. In the abstract I can appreciate the art that goes into such intricate tattooing, but I’m not totally comfortable with it in reality. I think my aversion has more to do with the pain involved in the tattooing, and intellectually I know that a lot of people who become interested in making their bodies a canvas on that scale are engaging in just another behavior pattern that channels pain - but one that is healthier than many other options.

I don’t know how familiar you are with the substance abuse treatment community, but truth is most of the very best addiction counselors are addicts in recovery themselves. Addicts are the only ones who entirely understand the path an addict follows, and that comprehension can be critical in reaching a person resistant to treatment or in danger of relapse. For reasons aforementioned tattooing and other body art are fairly prevalent in the addiction community too. I don’t draw a negative connotation from that - it just is. But I tend to take the position that people can do whatever they want with their own bodies so long as it isn’t hurting anyone else.

My own aversion to tattoos comes from my childhood fascination with the one my father had on his left forearm. He got it when he joined the Navy at 17, and was 44 or 45 by the time I saw it as a child. It was very ugly, already faded and blurred and just got worse as he got older. I have no idea if it was bad ink to start or what, but it didn’t age well. The thought of what my dream tattoo would look like +30 years is what kept me from ever getting one. And also the pain.
For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.
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Re: One Picture to explain "What's Wrong with the Olympics"

Post by Long Run »

MajGenl.Meade wrote:
Sun Aug 01, 2021 9:28 pm
He's a jerk all right - but he wasn't speaking about Biles or to Biles. He was answering questions about the pressure on himself in going for the Golden Slam (which he of course failed to achieve after speaking). It's fair to contrast his remark with his behavior but not to falsely put out that he was speaking to or about Biles
Absolutely, that meme is "what's wrong with the internet". Jerks warping facts, creating mischaracterizations, misleading others into spreading BS. Djokovic, with all his flaws, is a great champion, maybe the GOAT of his sport. Biles is a great champion and almost certainly the GOAT of her sport. Why would anyone try to merge their two paths together to make some false comparison?

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Re: One Picture to explain "What's Wrong with the Olympics"

Post by Big RR »

BSG--while there is some discomfort is getting a tattoo, I can say mine on my arm (gotten in a single 4 hour session) was really not worse than shaving with an electric razor (the vibration for that long a period was pretty annoying but that's it). Modern tattoo parlors use new needles whcih are sharp and penetrate the skin with little discomfort, and they are discarded after each use. I'm sure there are some areas which may be more sensitive than others, but most people I known with tattoos in a variety of areas tell me the pain is fairly milimal. Now if you get a Mairi using the traditional implements, this may be different, but a modern tattoo is not particuarly painful.

As for the tattoo degrading, people tell me that you should have it "touched up" every 10 years or so to keep it looking good. Although I don't know exactly what, I am sure there is a lot that can be done to prevent a tattoo from becoming an unrecognizable blob.

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Re: One Picture to explain "What's Wrong with the Olympics"

Post by BoSoxGal »

That’s interesting to know, however, as recent research has informed me that tattoo ink is entirely unregulated in the USA and evidence is emerging that it may be a serious carcinogenic risk, I think I’ll continue to pass on the experience.

Time to ink some new regulations: Tattoos may be dangerous to human health
For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.
~ Carl Sagan

Big RR
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Re: One Picture to explain "What's Wrong with the Olympics"

Post by Big RR »

That's very true, and it's another reason why you have to do your diligence in advance. Most reputable tattoo establishements will tell you what brands of ink they use and you can investigate the ingredients online. Some companies are very good at listing their ingredients and you can make your own choice. But the article is correct, the inks are not subject to regulation by the FDA or any national bodies, and state and local regulations vary widely, placing more responsibility directly on the shoulders of the person becoming tattooed to make an informed choice.

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