mrv86

when we speak about attacks.
 
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2017-03/24/c_136155878.htm
 
so many innocent people lost their lives. why?
 

Well, I think most religions talk about peace. But I understand your point, most religions have at some point in history to exert some dominance, supremacy over people.
 
 Religious extremists and orthodox followers (not to be confused with Eastern Ortodox/Christian Ortodox) often disregard peace in their crusade to bring "heretics" and "sinners" into the right path, even when that actually violates the dignity and natural rights of people.

Oh, I didn't knew that as I couldn't watch the game on TV

Well, I think most religions talk about peace. But I understand your point, most religions have at some point in history to exert some dominance, supremacy over people.
 
 Religious extremists and orthodox followers (not to be confused with Eastern Ortodox/Christian Ortodox) often disregard peace in their crusade to bring "heretics" and "sinners" into the right path, even when that actually violates the dignity and natural rights of people.

I don't think ISIS gives specific instructions to anyone outside Iraq-Syria area. All the ISIS terrorist attacks outside the area are carried out by a small group of radicals who are using ISIS brand. An Indian-American commentator has written a couple of nice posts about the difference between ISIS - the organization in Iraq-Syria area and ISIS - the brand. First Post Second Post

Pretty much what I do... Today I start to make cuts, starting with those who didn't leave any lasting impressions after 2 or 3 times of hearing it.

I can explain why I take time to vote during a longer period of time.
 
Firstly, it is proven that you need to listen to a song more than 2,3 times to fully experience the effect of it and to realise its full potential.
Secondly, I make 3-4 day breaks after every consecutive re-listening in order to see how time changes my perception of a song.
Also, ranking your selected songs on different days help you achieve more well-rounded results, because there are always mood swings (after that you can averagely see which songs constantly do well and which tend to jump around in your rankings)
Then, after you have your twelve, there's another ranking required, because your brain gets accustomed to the order in which the songs are played, so you mix them up to see how they rank once the listening order is not specific
Final listen to the top 12 to see that you are certainly happy with your decisions and you don't need to regret your votes after 2 days of sending them.
 
Long story short, if your song got points from me, it travelled a long and tough road through my selection process
 
At the moment I am down to 12, but I'm having trouble shaking off 13th and 14th places as they deserve the points as well.

I won't be amazed. The present Indian PM Narendra Modi has conducted large scale diaspora events in many countries he has visited. Even though these programs were just outreach programs and nothing political, Indian Government ensured that local government had no issues with the programs (in all such programs, local leaders, not of Indian origin, were invited to be part of the event). 
 
If Netherlands government feels a certain event can cause law and order issue, it has every right to deny permission to that event. Be it Erdogan's event or Modi's event or any other leader's event. 
 
 

Yeah, it's the middle that makes it very tricky and when you listen to that middle for a long while, you start liking it more

Its dificult for me this time....i agree with @Werloc about "bland songs" and for me, the most part of them are average song: a very few good or bad songs, the most part in the middle.

Thanks a lot and mexican team do a great match too   I think that it's the most difficult and equilibrate group, I hope that maybe whit 2 win you will qualify at 2nd stage too.

Sure it was a shock result, but the credit goes to the Italian team who fought the entire game
 
Hope you can reach next round,

Amazing Japan, Australia and France! Laffont, what a talent she is!
The japanese guy came out of nowhere.
For me moguls is a ridiculous event, its even more subjective than figure skating, gymnastics or ski jumping. I think they should eliminate the score for "clean technique", only the time and the difficulty/execution of the tricks should matter. I have to add that at least the pictures today were spectacular, i wonder how long it takes to create a moguls "track" and how expensive it it?
For me aerials is also a pretty weird event, it isnt really a winter sport event for me ... i think you only have to be a good gymnast to do those tricks. It seems to be the diving of winter sports, if diving events would only consist of 2 or 3 jumps ...
The fact that mostly non-traditional winter sport nations are good in aerials supports my impression, i just hope that dual moguls wont become an olympic event. I have mixed feelings about big air, on the one hand i see no reason why snowboard should have a big air event at the olympics but not freestlye skiing, at the other hand halfpipe, slopestyle and big air are just too similar in my opinion.
I dont care about the results in aerials at the world championships. I hope for at least 1 german medal in ski cross and that Kelly Sildaru will win womens slopestlye, now that Lisa Zimmermann will miss this event due to injury. I also dont care about mens halfpipe/slopestyle. In womens halfpipe i hope that Sabrina Cakmakli will make the final again like she did in 2015 and maybe finish even better than 5th this time.

Well, if we don't get any changes in the song selection, then I already have my 12 and 11 points pretty clear and seven countries that'll get points from me seems to be decided already (just don't know the order). Other than that, there are another 15 songs that have a chance to make it.
 
First impressions after listening to all of the songs could be described by one word - bland. Perhaps I'll end up liking the songs more and I'll change my mind, but so far, there are not many great vocalists or brilliant instrumentals that I can stand behind, also it seemed like quite a few countries picked songs without character. Sure, there are songs that will probably get a fair amount of points at the end of the day, but there are so many songs similar to them in the contest alone.
 
It was the first time that I didn't know a single song from the nominated ones, although I knew some of the artists. What was surprising for me is that this year my chart is mostly dominated by countries that usually didn't get votes from me, although I had noticed a tendency that a few countries always did well in my rankings, this year I felt underwhelmed by a few of my favourites.
 
Anyways, I'll re-listen to the songs at the end of the week and perhaps I'll see (hear) them in a different light.

Freedom of speech means nobody should be persecuted physically or legally for his/her views. It does not mean people can't counter or ridicule him/her or boycott him/her. 

Mission accomplished I think.
 
Women's hockey seems to be having its moment, despite being a relatively new program
 
Now, I hope the federation give the girls some incentives and better training, so they can keep competing on Division II A and then try to move up.

well, in final it wasn´t a double digit win, but still a pretty clear win. Congrats for the gold medals and qualification for higher level. Great tournament from your girls.  Seems that womens hockey in Mexico is working very well

Viva Mexico cabrones!! 

I can not imagine what must happen for Mexico to not win tomorrow ofc it´s a sport and everything is possible, but certainly not tomorrow and certainly not in this match, I´m expecting even a double digit win for your girls. and even if by some magic a miracle happen tomorrow, you have still everything in your own hands for the last match against Turkey

Mexico is one away of making it to Divison II A 
 
I hope they secure their ticket tomorrow against Romania
 
 

@konig Mexico is in!!

What about conducting like this:
 
1) Preliminary Round:  v. ... a quick TISC trivia game where our favorite show host OlympícIRL asks each 3 or 5 random questions about past editions to each... winner goes to next round. Each question may have actually have a value, a la Jeopardy!
2) Elimination Round: Similar to the above, 2 nations answer TISC trivia... pairings according to past TISC point average. The 4 winners go to...
3) Final Round: I like that Deal or No Deal? format, but I think it may have to be slightly altered.
 
Just a suggestion of course...
 

Thank you very much @tuniscof & @amen09 !
 
Our third medal in the contest.

Salutations from Leon Somov & Jazzu and our band from the tour

Good luck to New Zealand/Tunisia/Serbia/USA/Mexico/Croatia and Poland!