I have a grotesque obsession with NBA basketball. As a result the only Slovenians I see are the heaping handful of guys who’ve made it to the League. This tiny country of 2 million people has produced at least ten NBA caliber players in the past decade or so. This means one in every 22,195 [...]
Archive for May, 2009
From a laboratory deep in the heart of Slovenia
Posted in Basketball, Nonsense, Uncategorized on May 28, 2009 | 2 Comments »
Vodka: Why Ukraine can’t have nice things
Posted in Ukraine on May 26, 2009 | 3 Comments »
I recently read Nicholas Eberstadt’s moronically titled article, Drunken Nation: Russia’s Depopulation Bomb in World Affairs Journal. It takes a while for the author to get to the ‘drunken’ part, but he has this to say about alcohol consumption in Russia and its role in Russia’s well-documented grisly population projections: Unlike drinking patterns prevalent in, [...]
“I’m so hot I can’t feel my face!”
Posted in Basketball, Germany, Nonsense on May 24, 2009 | 1 Comment »
For a short time, NBA “snipers” like DeShawn Stevenson would wave their hand in front of their face if they hit a bunch of shots in a row. The gesture is meant to convey, ‘I’m so hot I can’t feel my face.’ I’m not sure why success would lead to facial numbness, but maybe if [...]
Let’s Get-ränke!
Posted in Uncategorized on May 20, 2009 | 5 Comments »
In Germany stores that sell alcoholic drinks are called Getränke (pronounced Geh-trangh-ke). Said fast enough, the word kinda sounds like a person with a thick German accent saying, ‘Get-Drunk.’ I mean it’s not exact, but for the purpose of jokery, it’s close enough. I’ve tried this gag more than a few times. “Hey everybody, it’s [...]
Hopeless Höps
Posted in Uncategorized on May 18, 2009 | 4 Comments »
Behold pick-up basketball in Berlin. Some kid shooting a soccer ball (that’s right I said soccer… what of it?) at a rim designed to withstand all manner of vandalism… as well as dunks, jump shots and lay-ups. It’s just about impossible to score on these cartoonishly deformed monstrosities. I understand the decision to build basketball [...]
The Ghost in the Machine
Posted in Uncategorized on May 6, 2009 | 2 Comments »
Nobody has to remember names, numbers and addresses anymore. Phone numbers are in our cell directories, email addresses and passwords pop-up instantly with the help of Internet cookies or whatever. But what about all the names and numbers we want to forget? Like a clueless friend, or well meaning parent, your insensitive computer just keeps [...]
The Wii-elchair
Posted in Uncategorized on May 5, 2009 | 1 Comment »
Please don’t call me a dick, but how about a game for the Nintendo Wii that simulates everyday life in a wheelchair? It could be a good socialization tool. Y’know, take it to schools and stuff. Teach people tolerance and understanding, and how best to deal with the physical obstacles that make daily life in [...]
May Day — Mayday!
Posted in Uncategorized on May 4, 2009 | 4 Comments »
While in Berlin in February I’d heard a lot of talk about May 1st. It’s a Labour Day-style fete with a long tradition. Recently it’s been hijacked by black-clad “anarchists,” socialists, anti-fascists or whatever as their chance to tangle with the police. It was also my chance to get out of the house and finally [...]
