SWITZERLAND

Posted: **Mon Mar 07, 2011 2:51 pm**

Easter is very late this year (it's all because of that pesky lunar calendar), so we've had a very long Epiphany. Tomorrow will be Shrove Tuesday, Fat Tuesday, Mardi Gras, Carnival or Fasching, depending on your Christian tradition. It looks like people will be celebrating in shorts this year. Since I'm an Episcopalian I follow the Anglican (English) tradition and I'll be helping to cook pancakes tomorrow evening. Everybody enjoy!

Posted: **Mon Mar 07, 2011 5:56 pm**

Hello my dear Swiss Family!

I'm back from Sleuthfest (Mystery Writers of America's yearly Florida blow-out)--where I had a great time. Dennis Lehane, who is as interesting as his novels was the highlighted guest of honor, and I don't think I missed one of his discussions or workshops. I'm seriously thinking of putting DEMONS on Kindle and audiobook. I'll keep you all posted--

Meanwhile, it was grand to come home to see we have a new family member. Welcome, Deb! Good to have some purple blood here--I believe you are our first. I'm sure you too are agonizing over the current NFL negotiations, or what I like to call, "GREED ON STEROIDS!" I'm sure when all is said and done, it will be "The Cha-CHING Heard 'Round the World..."

I'm trying to stay up-beat about all of this, but I was listening to one of my NFL talk shows on the radio during my trip to the writers' conference and I was struck by one of the callers. He happened to be a guy who served in Iraq and later became a cop, and he talked about choices people make and he got me--me, the players' advocate, the old 'give them whatever they ask because they are the ones putting their lives and bodies on the line every week"etc., and so on... He reminded me that the players also have an opportunity to get college degrees and choose a career for later in life as well. He reminded me that those who volunteer for one of our armed forces don't necessarily get that opportunity, and they don't ever get the opportunity to negotiate contracts in the millions. He also talked about the responsibility of the owners toward players retirement and asked how many years are they responsible for after retirement? What company continues to put $$$ into retirement funds for employees after they've left and moved on to another job? Not that I am taking up for the employers--you all know me better than to think I would take up for them--greedy bastards all. I'm just saying that both sides should be able to give a little and take a little to come to a decision that makes everyone happy. OH, and BY THE WAY...WHERE DO THE FANS COME INTO IT? We spend, spend, spend--whether it's for tickets or televisions or radios or cable/satellite/Sirius and the list goes on and on and on--and what is it that we ask? Decent play from some of the most elite athletes in the world. I know that's all I ever asked for, and I know I've NEVER asked for a bunch of whining and sniveling owners and players! What kind of a stabbing is it that we get when the owners are talking about taking ONE BILLION DOLLARS OFF THE TOP!!!!! Hmmm. Maybe I should have just started a topic page on this... :roll:

Well, at least we certainly have stuff to discuss even in the offseason. :lol:

Posted: **Mon Mar 07, 2011 6:50 pm**

I'm sure Deb will appreciate the welcome comments and offer of a cocktail (hope chardonnay is available..). Like so many of us, not a lot of time for blogging but I feel confident she will contribute her football enthusiasm and knowledge here. She's also big on college football (big Navy fan).

CK, sounds like a great conference. I'm really optimistic that the wk extension will lead to a CBA agreement this wk but will curb my enthusiasm till it's a done deal. Actually I'm really behind the players in this one. CK, you offer a great analogy w/ the vets comparison to the players.
Keep in mind an NFL players career is an avg of 3 1/2 yrs and most have had or could have had a free college degree and go on to another career. But, many just aren't able to due to physical or mental limitations directly resulting from their NFL playing time. Consider Duerson's recent suicide - the concussion and player safety issue has to be considered. That said, the owners basically hold all the marbles errr, dollars and their pockets are pretty deep. You'd think w/ $9 billion, there would be enough for everyone....

Posted: **Tue Mar 08, 2011 10:33 am**

For people whose primary interest is money, there is never enough. It's a sad way to live.

Posted: **Tue Mar 08, 2011 5:55 pm**

Emeritus wrote:For people whose primary interest is money, there is never enough. It's a sad way to live.

A former friend of mine (a long story, we'll save for a rainy day) came into an inheritance of Thirty Million (yes I said MILLION) Dollars and in ten years blew through it all. He was a radiologist who left his job (all part of the long story) and was away from radiology for so long, he would have to go back to school to get up to the level of computer savvy it takes now to be a radiologist. He is now working in a spa giving Botox injections. He was one of the people throughout my life that disappointed me most. I never ever would have thought he could live in such a world of self aggrandization and loss of social conscience as he did. I don't have to tell you that it's his ex-wife that I remained friends with--and I am proud of it!

Posted: **Wed Mar 09, 2011 8:02 am**

It sounds like one of those, "What will it be, your money or you wife" situations. I apologize for making a pun of a domestic tragedy, ck. Sometimes I can't help myself.

Posted: **Fri Mar 11, 2011 3:29 pm**

I hope that our friends in the Pacific Northwest are unaffected by the tsunami.

Posted: **Sat Mar 12, 2011 8:31 am**

I think the strongest place it hit on our coast was Crescent City, Ca.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2DZ0dPOz1Y

I was down at Laguna Beach with camera ready, but nothing really materialized where I was.

Posted: **Sat Mar 12, 2011 11:42 am**

I was down at Laguna Beach with camera ready, but nothing really materialized where I was.

That's some high-priced real estate. There are things that I don't like about Beaumont, Texas - the summer weather is awful, the mosquitoes can get thick and most of the people are way more conservative than I am - but at least the ground doesn't move. We have hurricanes, but we have time to go somewhere else when we do. I just always treat it as a vacation.

Posted: **Sat Mar 12, 2011 2:53 pm**

Whatever happened to my friend, Reeceykins? I miss him.

Now... I'll take a double dirty GreyGoose martini--extra olives on the side. I just left 'Just Football,' where I uttered the words, "I can live without football." I know I must be close to death, but really--I am horrified by the greed, disgusted by the attitudes and can damn sure live better with the nearly $4,000. a year I pay for my season tickets in my pocket. How dare they!

Posted: **Sat Mar 12, 2011 4:27 pm**

Emeritus wrote:I was down at Laguna Beach with camera ready, but nothing really materialized where I was.

That's some high-priced real estate. There are things that I don't like about Beaumont, Texas - the summer weather is awful, the mosquitoes can get thick and most of the people are way more conservative than I am - but at least the ground doesn't move. We have hurricanes, but we have time to go somewhere else when we do. I just always treat it as a vacation.

I'll take a little ground moving any day over hurricanes. :up:

Hell I use to pay for an "E ticket" at Disneyland to get a little shaking and rolling. If you don't want to be inside the house when it's happening, you step outside.

Posted: **Sat Mar 12, 2011 4:29 pm**

cklaurence wrote:Whatever happened to my friend, Reeceykins? I miss him.

Now... I'll take a double dirty GreyGoose martini--extra olives on the side. I just left 'Just Football,' where I uttered the words, "I can live without football." I know I must be close to death, but really--I am horrified by the greed, disgusted by the attitudes and can damn sure live better with the nearly $4,000. a year I pay for my season tickets in my pocket. How dare they!

Greedy SOB's CK and they will keep charging it because the fans keep paying it.

Posted: **Sat Mar 12, 2011 4:48 pm**

i'll have a big red...

hold the football...

Posted: **Sat Mar 12, 2011 7:42 pm**

Switzerland exists because this little family bonded over our a strong love of the game. We come from all parts of the U.S., different religious backgrounds, education levels, political persuasions, careers and just about everything else; however, for nearly three years now, day after day we stop in to visit. We've argued, laughed and cried together. We've shared births, deaths, illnesses and whatever else. What keeps us together? What keeps people who leave coming back? It's all about our love of the game.

I hear you all asking, "WTF is going on with c.k.? She's really lost it now!'' but I assure you--I have a point. My point is, when you see us saying we are done with the greed and ready for a year without football, those who are less enchanted with our game must be dropping their tix in droves. If the owners and players continue their greedy little antics, they will certainly have far less money to be whining about on both sides!

I haven't even gone by the NFL Channel for a visit and I tuned out of NFL Sirius in my car. It will be interesting to see where this all ends... :break:

Posted: **Sun Mar 13, 2011 2:33 pm**

In the fall I may have to start a high school football topic.

Posted: **Sun Mar 13, 2011 3:19 pm**

Even though my Canes are going through some serious growing pains (or I guess "re-growing" pains would be more apropos), I'll gladly start a page about THE U! :up:

Posted: **Fri Mar 25, 2011 7:02 pm**

Now that the Mega Millions jackpot has passed $300 million, there are stories and comments about it. I Googled comparisons of odds and winning the lottery was the most unlikely thing of all. One of the more interesting comparisons was that you are far more likely to be unjustly convicted of murder, sentenced to death, sent to prison and then completely exonerated than you are to win the lottery.

Posted: **Fri Mar 25, 2011 9:30 pm**

Emeritus wrote:Now that the Mega Millions jackpot has passed $300 million, there are stories and comments about it. I Googled comparisons of odds and winning the lottery was the most unlikely thing of all. One of the more interesting comparisons was that you are far more likely to be unjustly convicted of murder, sentenced to death, sent to prison and then completely exonerated than you are to win the lottery.

OUCH!!!!!

Posted: **Sat Mar 26, 2011 12:20 pm**

I'm off to Orange, Texas to visit the Shangri-la gardens there. I like to go when the azaleas are at their peak. This is ideal country for them, with slightly acid soil.

Posted: **Sun Mar 27, 2011 6:10 pm**

WTF is going on? Just came to say hi and try to find out where everybody hides here....lol.

Posted: **Sun Mar 27, 2011 6:12 pm**

Posted: **Sun Mar 27, 2011 6:28 pm**

yo

...

how come my clock didnt spring forward..?

Posted: **Sun Mar 27, 2011 6:44 pm**

Wassup Dred?

Posted: **Sun Mar 27, 2011 7:13 pm**

i bounce around looking for all the folks who used to post together...trying to catch lightening in a bottle...i guess...

Posted: **Sun Mar 27, 2011 8:03 pm**

Me too. I always show up when everyone has already left already...lol. Story of my life.

Posted: **Mon Mar 28, 2011 6:49 am**

I check in every day. If there as been a post since my last one I respond to it. As slow as things are during the off season it's more like a message board than a chat room. But at least I get to see how my friends have been doing.

Posted: **Wed Mar 30, 2011 1:43 pm**

dredwak wrote:i bounce around looking for all the folks who used to post together...trying to catch lightening in a bottle...i guess...

Good call, dred. We used to all enjoy visiting and found time to get here and catch a couple of good chitchats a day. Now it seems so many have gone separate ways. I know with FB, all folks can just check in and see what is new, then jump onto thread and watch it grow (OR Not) and then move forward--NEXT? You can do that just as easily here in Switzerland by hitting New Posts!!!
(All new posts can easily be found in our "NEW Posts" section at the top of the page...

Posted: **Tue May 31, 2011 9:19 am**

Maybe if we had a nickle beer night we could get some people in here. We already have great music and the best dance floor in town. I know that the economy is lousy for most people, but you have to cut loose once in a while. The Cajuns have a partying motto, "Spend all the money!" They may be broke the next morning, but they have a memory for a lifetime.

Posted: **Fri Jun 03, 2011 3:12 pm**

Shoot, Em--to hell with the nickel beers! Let's open the bar up, free booze for all comers...

Posted: **Fri Jun 03, 2011 8:28 pm**

Damn right! To use the Cajun party slogan, "Spend all the money!"

SWITZERLAND

The Lounge

Re: The Lounge

Re: The Lounge

Re: The Lounge

Re: The Lounge

Re: The Lounge

Re: The Lounge

Re: The Lounge

Re: The Lounge

Re: The Lounge

Re: The Lounge

Re: The Lounge

Re: The Lounge

Re: The Lounge

Re: The Lounge

Re: The Lounge

Re: The Lounge

Re: The Lounge

Re: The Lounge

Re: The Lounge

Re: The Lounge

Re: The Lounge

Re: The Lounge

Re: The Lounge

Re: The Lounge

Re: The Lounge

Re: The Lounge

Re: The Lounge

Re: The Lounge

Re: The Lounge

Re: The Lounge