Official Off-Topic Thread

[TyrusRose2425]

Alright, is anybody going to the public viewing USA-Germany or been to any past public viewings in Chicago? I went today for Portugal USA but it was packed and they didn't let any more people in. The thing is I'm a Germany supporter, so what are the chances I get killed, or can I proudly cheer on my Germans there without too much trouble?

[Andi Obst]

Alright, is anybody going to the public viewing USA-Germany or been to any past public viewings in Chicago? I went today for Portugal USA but it was packed and they didn't let any more people in. The thing is I'm a Germany supporter, so what are the chances I get killed, or can I proudly cheer on my Germans there without too much trouble?

They'll probably kill you after we win

[TyrusRose2425]

Alright, is anybody going to the public viewing USA-Germany or been to any past public viewings in Chicago? I went today for Portugal USA but it was packed and they didn't let any more people in. The thing is I'm a Germany supporter, so what are the chances I get killed, or can I proudly cheer on my Germans there without too much trouble?

They'll probably kill you after we win

Probably. How is the Berlin fan mile? Can you see anything if you're all the way in the back? I'm coming over on Sunday, I want to catch it at some big public viewing sites.

[Andi Obst]

Alright, is anybody going to the public viewing USA-Germany or been to any past public viewings in Chicago? I went today for Portugal USA but it was packed and they didn't let any more people in. The thing is I'm a Germany supporter, so what are the chances I get killed, or can I proudly cheer on my Germans there without too much trouble?

They'll probably kill you after we win

Probably. How is the Berlin fan mile? Can you see anything if you're all the way in the back? I'm coming over on Sunday, I want to catch it at some big public viewing sites.

Haven't been there this year, but in the past it has been great. They had so many screens there, watching the game was never an issue

[TyrusRose2425]

They'll probably kill you after we win

Probably. How is the Berlin fan mile? Can you see anything if you're all the way in the back? I'm coming over on Sunday, I want to catch it at some big public viewing sites.

Haven't been there this year, but in the past it has been great. They had so many screens there, watching the game was never an issue

Ok great. Only 1 screen and stopped entry for today in Chicago Where I went as a kid in Germany, it was at the 'Lokhalle' in a small town, so it wasn't a mile long

[bentheredengthat]

...so I don't want to hijack Ralphs recovery thread, so I'll put this here:

holy crap I'm an idiot but I'm just realizing health insurance companies are the biggest protection racket around.

Basically, you have to pay them whatever they say for premiums, then when you file a claim after paying premiums for years, they pretty much get to pay whatever the hell they decide to pay.

this is how it works:
1) healthcare provider sends ridiculously inflated bill
2) insurance company tries to negotiate down
3) whatever they can't negotiate down they claim "Charges exceed usual and customary"
4) healthcare provider sends you a bill that has no relationship whatsoever to your deductible, 80/20, or anything related to the agreement you signed with the insurer.

If I would have known how badly I was going to take it up the ass from the insurance company, I just would have just stayed sick. Probably would have been less painful.

[patryk7754]

I just wanted to ask for some patent advice. I haven't officially applied for one but I've been contacted about getting. Its obviously my first time and it feels like its moving a little fast. I've been contacted by two organisations.

The name of the first company slipped my mind for the moment but they are suppose to call back so i'll update. The guy is describing the process of getting a patent. He says the call is being recorded for legal reasons and says they start by hiring their lawyers to search for existing patents for my idea. He said it will only cost me $100 for that service. He continued by saying if there is no patent they will make one in my name and they will start negotiating and marketing for my idea. He mentioned something about $2600. I think that he said that the 2600 service was included in the $100.

The second company is ownmyinvention.com. They don't mention any rates but ask me to fill some stuff out online after agreeing to a confidentiality form saying they won't do anything with my idea without my permission. I will be contacted by them again tomorrow for more details.

For people who know about patents, is this consistent with most processes or is there something fishy.

Also, if there are better avenues to take, that info would be great as well.

[bentheredengthat]

I just wanted to ask for some patent advice. I haven't officially applied for one but I've been contacted about getting. Its obviously my first time and it feels like its moving a little fast. I've been contacted by two organisations.

The name of the first company slipped my mind for the moment but they are suppose to call back so i'll update. The guy is describing the process of getting a patent. He says the call is being recorded for legal reasons and says they start by hiring their lawyers to search for existing patents for my idea. He said it will only cost me $100 for that service. He continued by saying if there is no patent they will make one in my name and they will start negotiating and marketing for my idea. He mentioned something about $2600. I think that he said that the 2600 service was included in the $100.

The second company is ownmyinvention.com. They don't mention any rates but ask me to fill some stuff out online after agreeing to a confidentiality form saying they won't do anything with my idea without my permission. I will be contacted by them again tomorrow for more details.

For people who know about patents, is this consistent with most processes or is there something fishy.

Also, if there are better avenues to take, that info would be great as well.

You should be able to get a legit patent attorney to do a legit preliminary search for you for something like $500 no strings attached. I had a guy do one for me a few years back - I'll try to find his contact info.

The chances of having something patentable, and marketable that is worth putting money into are pretty slim (but best of luck to you of course). But everyone has high hopes, so these companies have sprouted up to take advantage of that. In my opinion what they do is string hundreds of people along, leaching money from them as long as they can show any kind of progress towards bringing the product to market. They are basically taking your $100 so that they can get you to sign a bunch of contracts. Their "preliminary" search is probably not much more than what you can do on Google.

Their % of success numbers are extremely low, but I don't know if they are any lower than people that don't use such services.

If a legit patent attorney does a prelim. search for you, and your product has legit potential, he can probably also give you advice about the next step you should take, and he'll never mention wanting a percentage of your product.

[patryk7754]

I just wanted to ask for some patent advice. I haven't officially applied for one but I've been contacted about getting. Its obviously my first time and it feels like its moving a little fast. I've been contacted by two organisations.

The name of the first company slipped my mind for the moment but they are suppose to call back so i'll update. The guy is describing the process of getting a patent. He says the call is being recorded for legal reasons and says they start by hiring their lawyers to search for existing patents for my idea. He said it will only cost me $100 for that service. He continued by saying if there is no patent they will make one in my name and they will start negotiating and marketing for my idea. He mentioned something about $2600. I think that he said that the 2600 service was included in the $100.

The second company is ownmyinvention.com. They don't mention any rates but ask me to fill some stuff out online after agreeing to a confidentiality form saying they won't do anything with my idea without my permission. I will be contacted by them again tomorrow for more details.

For people who know about patents, is this consistent with most processes or is there something fishy.

Also, if there are better avenues to take, that info would be great as well.

You should be able to get a legit patent attorney to do a legit preliminary search for you for something like $500 no strings attached. I had a guy do one for me a few years back - I'll try to find his contact info.

The chances of having something patentable, and marketable that is worth putting money into are pretty slim (but best of luck to you of course). But everyone has high hopes, so these companies have sprouted up to take advantage of that. In my opinion what they do is string hundreds of people along, leaching money from them as long as they can show any kind of progress towards bringing the product to market. They are basically taking your $100 so that they can get you to sign a bunch of contracts. Their "preliminary" search is probably not much more than what you can do on Google.

Their % of success numbers are extremely low, but I don't know if they are any lower than people that don't use such services.

If a legit patent attorney does a prelim. search for you, and your product has legit potential, he can probably also give you advice about the next step you should take, and he'll never mention wanting a percentage of your product.

Appreciate the advice

[MalikJoakim24]

Just saw 22 Jump street, funny and was worth it

[johnnyvann840]

What is up with this Luis Suarez idiot biting people on the soccer field? Somebody needs to just beat the hell out of this guy. If he bit me, I would not cry to the ref, I would beat the F out of him right there on the field. I know, I sound like an internet "tough guy" , but really, if somebody bites you, you have the right to beat their ass, and hopefully, the motivation to.

[Andi Obst]

What is up with this Luis Suarez idiot biting people on the soccer field? Somebody needs to just beat the hell out of this guy. If he bit me, I would not cry to the ref, I would beat the F out of him right there on the field. I know, I sound like an internet "tough guy" , but really, if somebody bites you, you have the right to beat their ass, and hopefully, the motivation to.

That's exactly how you shouldn't react. If Chiellini did that, Italy would've lost another player. Of course they didn't make the comeback with 10 players, but with 9 players that would've been pretty much impossible to begin with.

Let the FIFA take care of that after the game (I'm sure they will).

[johnnyvann840]

What is up with this Luis Suarez idiot biting people on the soccer field? Somebody needs to just beat the hell out of this guy. If he bit me, I would not cry to the ref, I would beat the F out of him right there on the field. I know, I sound like an internet "tough guy" , but really, if somebody bites you, you have the right to beat their ass, and hopefully, the motivation to.

That's exactly how you shouldn't react. If Chiellini did that, Italy would've lost another player. Of course they didn't make the comeback with 10 players, but with 9 players that would've been pretty much impossible to begin with.

Let the FIFA take care of that after the game (I'm sure they will).

That's what I love about hockey. The players are somewhat allowed to police themselves and it results in a code of on ice conduct that is acceptable. There are a few things that are understandably deserving of a beating in hockey. You ever kick at somebody with your skate, you are fair game... you bite somebody, you are fair game. A crosscheck across the back... yeah you have a right to punch that guy. And everybody will back the one doing the beating if they are the victim of any of those infractions.

I mean, how do you "react" when another man sinks their teeth into you on the field? It's just such an extreme violation of human conduct that the biter getting beaten down is the acceptable response for any sane man.

[Andi Obst]

What is up with this Luis Suarez idiot biting people on the soccer field? Somebody needs to just beat the hell out of this guy. If he bit me, I would not cry to the ref, I would beat the F out of him right there on the field. I know, I sound like an internet "tough guy" , but really, if somebody bites you, you have the right to beat their ass, and hopefully, the motivation to.

That's exactly how you shouldn't react. If Chiellini did that, Italy would've lost another player. Of course they didn't make the comeback with 10 players, but with 9 players that would've been pretty much impossible to begin with.

Let the FIFA take care of that after the game (I'm sure they will).

That's what I love about hockey. The players are somewhat allowed to police themselves and it results in a code of on ice conduct that is acceptable. There are a few things that are understandably deserving of a beating in hockey. You ever kick at somebody with your skate, you are fair game... you bite somebody, you are fair game. A crosscheck across the back... yeah you have a right to punch that guy. And everybody will back the one doing the beating if they are the victim of any of those infractions.

I mean, how do you "react" when another man sinks their teeth into you on the field? It's just such an extreme violation of human conduct that the biter getting beaten down is the acceptable response for any sane man.

It's soccer, not fighting. Suarez is a disgusting human being and I hope he'll be suspended for the tournament (even though I think they won't make it far anyway), but beating him down is just as unacceptable. If they let this happen, how is this going to end? Everybody who feels somehow attacked can just beat the opposing player? No, thanks.

Like I said, let the FIFA take care of that.

[johnnyvann840]

It's soccer, not BITING.

Fixed.

I understand what you're saying. I'm saying not everybody would able to hold back in that instance, and I would not blame them. All I know is that if some guy bites me, he's getting popped. Whatever Suarez gets he deserves. He should get a lifetime ban from the sport since this is apparently the 4th or 5th time he's doen this. Of course it won't happen, but a ban fro the tournament is just not enough. Biting is worse than spitting on someone, it's worse than punching someone, it's far worse. It's disgusting.

[Andi Obst]

It's soccer, not BITING.

Fixed.

I understand what you're saying. I'm saying not everybody would able to hold back in that instance, and I would not blame them. All I know is that if some guy bites me, he's getting popped. Whatever Suarez gets he deserves. He should get a lifetime ban from the sport since this is apparently the 4th or 5th time he's doen this. Of course it won't happen, but a ban fro the tournament is just not enough. Biting is worse than spitting on someone, it's worse than punching someone, it's far worse. It's disgusting.

Agree with most of this. I just didn't like the idea of allowing players to beat other players, no matter what happened before. If Chiellini would've done it yesterday, I wouldn't blame him as well. That doesn't mean it's a smart or an acceptable move, though.

I'd like to see a ban for this and the next WC for Suarez. That would really hurt him (knowing he'll probably never play in a WC again would be tough), but it's unlikely to happen.

[kingkirk]

What is up with this Luis Suarez idiot biting people on the soccer field? Somebody needs to just beat the hell out of this guy. If he bit me, I would not cry to the ref, I would beat the F out of him right there on the field. I know, I sound like an internet "tough guy" , but really, if somebody bites you, you have the right to beat their ass, and hopefully, the motivation to.

[MalikJoakim24]

Even when America loses, we still win! We onto the next round baby

[MalikJoakim24]

It's soccer, not BITING.

Fixed.

I understand what you're saying. I'm saying not everybody would able to hold back in that instance, and I would not blame them. All I know is that if some guy bites me, he's getting popped. Whatever Suarez gets he deserves. He should get a lifetime ban from the sport since this is apparently the 4th or 5th time he's doen this. Of course it won't happen, but a ban fro the tournament is just not enough. Biting is worse than spitting on someone, it's worse than punching someone, it's far worse. It's disgusting.

amen johnny, if someone bites me, i'm gonna pop them in the mofo'n face.

did you see the game

[MalikJoakim24]

Ramadan Mubarak to my Muslim FAM!