From a local newspaper, the local professional American football team, New England Patriots, who play at Gillette stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, will be exchanging hospitality with a German Fußball team when they come here to play soccer and they will return the favor when we go to Frankfurt to play American football in November. Interesting, I thought.

From the newspaper article:

"The Patriots and Germany's men's national soccer team will host each other this fall, as both have plans to play games abroad. Gillette Stadium will welcome the German team the week leading up to its friendly against the United States on Oct. 14 at Pratt & Whitney Stadium in Hartford. Then, the Patriots will train at the German Football Association campus ahead of their game against the Indianapolis Colts at Frankfurt Stadium on Nov. 12.

“Over the past few years, we have been in close contact with clubs from the NFL, collaborating and sharing best practices with each other," Dr. Holger Blask, managing director of the German Football Association, said in a statement. “We are proud to partner with one of the NFL's most successful franchises. The New England Patriots have dominated their sport over the past two decades and have contributed to the global growth in the popularity of American football.

“We look forward to traveling to the United States in October and using the Foxborough training facility to prepare for our match in New England."

My new Avatar is my actual belt! Horrible, wonderful, thing.

    I learned a new German word today, Weltschmerz. The investment guru Jim Cramer used it in the same sentence as Schadenfreude, though I forget the context. Schadenfreude is used often on sports talk shows in America to describe feelings when an unpopular opponent does poorly. Never heard Weltschmerz before but I will look for an opportunity to use it.

      Avery Weltschmerz. The investment guru Jim Cramer used it in the same sentence as Schadenfreude, though I forget the context.

      These are concepts that have (in a way) opposite meanings. "Schadenfreude" (literally "shameful joy") is the joy of someone else's failure. "Weltschmerz" ("pain of the world") is a set of moods and emotions such as: depression, sadness, apathy, melancholy resulting from thoughts about the imperfection of the world, or rather from the clash of the will to act and the inability to implement it, and the dissonance between the hero's sensitivity and his environment. In other words, romantic, sentimental pessimism.

          Andrew These are concepts that have (in a way) opposite meanings. "Schadenfreude" (literally "shameful joy") is the joy of someone else's failure. "Weltschmerz" ("pain of the world") is a set of moods and emotions such as: depression, sadness, apathy, melancholy resulting from thoughts about the imperfection of the world, or rather from the clash of the will to act and the inability to implement it, and the dissonance between the hero's sensitivity and his environment. In other words, romantic, sentimental pessimism.

          Yeh, all I can make out of what he was saying was if the market turned and went down from here, those in the market might experience Weltschmerz because their plans didn't work out, and those out of the market might experience Schadenfreude, happy that those invested were getting a comeuppance.

            Joh Sure, and who would enforce them?

            That we do have sanctions that the US can enforce (sometimes) is related to the odd setup of the banking systems somewhat centralized in US east coast, with a couple outliers in the EU/CH like Swift. If these cut you off, you (as a country) are in most cases in a deep hole, especially if your economy is much smaller than the USA/EU.

            Sanctions in other cases usually have the aspect that they hurt both sides, so if not all participants are fully committed, they will not participate openly, OR they will pretend only.

            See also the People Republics' of China and North Korea and the UN sanctions against North Korea.
            Somehow stuff that NK should not have is getting there, and NK has borders with SK (probably the best guarded border of the world), the Russian Federation and China. And China, which officially supports the sanctions, has been NK's sugar daddy for decades.

              13 days later

              Hi👋
              Getting likes for posts two years ago 😊 and I looked at some and the memories it reminds me - it's like surprising how long it's been and how my thoughts change

                Jen it's like surprising how long it's been and how my thoughts change

                yes, i realize that sometimes too, but people change. the most important thing is that you are happy in every phase of your life, no matter what you thought then or now. 🙂

                  7 days later

                  The New England Patriots American football team played their first pre-season (practice) game tonight 10/8. On the broadcast they spent a short time with Sebastian Vollmer and Markus Kuhn who were broadcasting the game back to Germany (would have been 1-4 AM, I guess). Vollmer played for the Patriots, Kuhn the New York Giants and was the first German born player to score a touchdown (on a fumble recovery) in the NFL (National Football League, the American pro league).

                  It was fun listening to them. Lots of terms, e.g. cornerback, are said just as in English. They showed a pass interception and you could hear them say "ein pick", pick being American slang for the play. They showed pictures of the Frankfurt stadium where the Pats (Patriots) will play on Nov. 12.

                    KarimM Yeah, it's an amazing bit of tech really. Makes me a better man while still being tolerable to wear.

                      a month later

                      Admittedly, many life challenge become easier if you've got it made. Whether caring for children and other people, maintaining meaningful activities, social connection, charity, working on one's mind and body, investing in health and beauty, etc. Also makes it far easier to stay attractive and interesting for each other and keep the relationship vivid or even to reinvent if necessary.

                      Still there are enough counter-examples that tell me even with lots of fame and money it's anything but granted. When I was younger, the Beckhams' glimmer and glitter wasn't my thing. Yet after so many years of surviving as a celebrity couple - and appearing quite credible in that - I really like to express my respect.

                        Owl many life challenge become easier if you've got it made.

                        Mom and I aren’t rich or wealthy by any means, but we’re well above what’s considered average.
                        And I kind of expected that as I got raises and promotions things would get easier. But I’ve noticed that in a lot of things the same problems are still there, the numbers just got bigger.
                        But buying the basic necessities has gotten much easier.
                        That being said, not much into the celebrity stuff, feels like stalking to me lol

                          @Avery Is your belt the "cable" style? I know you do not wear long time but is it comfortable enough that you could wear it for several days OK? I like the looks of the cable style belt but am concerned that if it is adjust tight enough to be secure, it might "dig in" and become uncomfortable.

                            bdsamm Yes, it is cable style. I have not had a comfort problem, but I don't wear it as tight as some might. I'm only concerned with preventing assault, not trying to prevent cheating, which might require a tighter fit.

                                Avery Thank you. And yes, she would try cheating I am pretty sure.

                                    bdsamm And yes, she would try cheating I am pretty sure.

                                    Gosh ...

                                      22 days later

                                      Hi all - not much to say just hi 👋. All the threads have hundreds unread I don't know where to join in anywhere