tennis, life and a few things in between

It’s a kind of punishment for kids … I’m taking it today bec my serve hasn’t really improved.

A real treat: hand-pulled noodle 手拉酱面

6-3, 3-6

The first set, no hold, no doubles. The second set, I held but have two doubles. 

Looking at my serves on video, I just want to kick myself: where’s the improvements?

My arm shouldn’t face forward … not pronated! 

I tried scratch my back method – cut the up swing motion, place the racket at the back, elbow out, then toss the ball. But somehow, I still manage to change my grip AFTER tossing the ball. How talented am I. 

My top and skirt are mostly wet when I start out on the tennis court, because I always go to the pool first, to swim a few laps, to warm up for the game. I towel dry then over to tennis.

Today’s wet is an extreme, and I don’t know why and what has happened, dripping wet.

If you’re trying to copy how a pro does the serve properly, keep watching it in slow motion over and over and try to memorize how it’s done and reply everything you saw when it’s your turn to practice it on the court or even off the court

Split your serve practice session into different separate segments like
Segment 1 – dribble the ball x number times before tossing
Got it perfected, move on to the next
Segment 2 – Work on your toss without hitting with your racket
Check the following:
How high was your toss?
How far away in front and to the side of you?
Put something on the ground where you expect the ball to land . You can use a coin or a piece of paper
Make sure you can land the ball on that target or close to it over and over
Now you’re ready to work with your racket: where it travels to reach the hitting position
Is the racket head all the way up like in the pictures? Whoa that’s usually for the advanced players
Very important to leave your shoulder from tossing hand to stay up before you start you service swing else your serve will most likely hit the net
Point to the ball if you don’t want to look like your serving food or drink

Assuming that you’ve learned the proper positioning of your feet so that there’s no issue bending your knees

Have someone watch you from different angles: from behind you, from the left side, right side to get some feedback

Too many pointers already and getting a headache?
Take a Tylenol and call me in the morning 😜😝😛

Messi’s mess in Hong Kong

Soccer star Lionel Messi sits out game in Hong Kong, triggers China’s ideological paranoia, 2024.2.14

The recent furor surrounding Lionel Messi‘s absence from a soccer game in Hong Kong provides a striking illustration of China’s deep-seated ideological paranoia and a tendency toward political schizophrenia.

At the heart of this controversy lies the Chinese Communist Party‘s profound suspicion of the international community, rooted in a belief of a pervasive and coordinated conspiracy aimed at undermining the communist government. This mindset propels the Communist Party to interpret even the most minor incidents as evidence of a grand scheme against it, often leading to exaggerated and absurd reactions that serve to justify its paranoid worldview — and its aggression and belligerence.

On Feb. 4, the Argentine-born international soccer star Lionel Messi was in Hong Kong with his team, Inter Miami, for a match with a Hong Kong team. Mr. Messi, however, stayed on the substitute bench throughout the game due to what the visiting team’s doctor described as an injury. The disappointed Hong Kong fans discovered that Mr. Messi nevertheless played for 30 minutes in a soccer match in Tokyo a short while later.

Suddenly, this minor sports incident involving Mr. Messi has been seized upon by the Chinese government’s extensive propaganda machine as a symbol of an alleged vast international conspiracy. Mr. Messi‘s decision not to play in Hong Kong has been construed as a move orchestrated by myriad forces, each with its own historical and ideological significance to China.

First, the reaction to Mr. Messi‘s absence cannot be disentangled from the Chinese leaders’ profound loathing of the recent political developments in Argentina. Argentina’s shift from a long-standing alignment with left-wing political forces toward the free-market stance championed by the newly elected president, Javier Milei, has been a source of contention for the Chinese government.

Mr. Milei’s explicit rejection of socialism and his opposition to Argentina joining the BRICS pact, a coalition seen as an alternative to Western economic dominance and which China aims to lead, represents a direct challenge to China‘s influence. Mr. Messi, as a global icon of Argentine identity, has thus become an unwitting participant in this ideological battle, with his not playing in Hong Kong interpreted as a deliberate act of defiance and a statement against China‘s political ambitions.

Second, the narrative constructed around Mr. Messi’s club, Inter Miami, further exemplifies the extent of the Chinese Communist Party‘s ideological paranoia. Chinese state media announced that the Florida-based soccer club is an anti-communist front organization with collaboration with the CIA.

The Global Times, an official Chinese Communist Party mouthpiece specializing in international affairs and anti-U.S. fanaticism, published a hit piece on Feb. 8 entitled “Messi’s Soccer Club Bosses Have Ties to the CIA,” alleging the father of two of the club’s three owners, brothers Jorge and Jose Mas — the other owner is the retired British soccer star David Beckham — was recruited by the CIA after he fled to Fidel Castro’s Cuba.

The Global Times concluded that “It’s highly unlikely that Messi’s snub to Hong Kong and China was his personal decision. It’s most likely that he acted according to instructions given to him by his bosses (fathered by a CIA agent).”

Thus, Mr. Messi’s absence from the field is framed as part of a broader anti-communist agenda, suggesting a level of international collusion that borders on the fantastical. Such claims reflect the Chinese government’s tendency to view world affairs through a lens of ideological confrontation, where every action is seen as part of a larger battle against communism.

The case of Japan serves as another layer in this complex narrative, with Mr. Messi’s participation in a game in Tokyo following his absence in Hong Kong sparking further speculation and conspiracy theories. Hu Xijin, the Chinese Communist Party‘s most notorious and noxious propagandist, tweeted on Feb. 6: “Why didn’t Messi play in Hong Kong or participate in the handshake with HK chief executive? And why did he smile, run freely and looked fit in Japan?”

The Communist Party‘s reaction, demanding an explanation and apology from Mr. Messi, underscores a sensitivity to perceived slights and a readiness to interpret individual decisions as politically motivated.

Moreover, the incident touches on the sensitive issue of Hong Kong and its status in China‘s political framework. In 2017, upon request, Mr. Messi sent an autographed photo to one of his biggest fans, the jailed 2010 Nobel Peace Laureate Liu Xiaobo via one of Liu’s friends in Hong Kong. China was deeply paranoid about this and regarded Mr. Messi’s action as dangerous and subversive. On Feb. 7, Regina Ip Lau Suk Yee, a leading Chinese Communist Party proxy in Hong Kong, angrily wrote, “Messi should never be allowed to return to Hong Kong. His lies and hypocrisy are disgusting.” She continued, “Hong Kong people hate Messi, Inter-Miami, and the black hand behind them, for the deliberate and calculated snub to Hong Kong.” The vilification of Mr. Messi, based on his perceived support for human rights reveals the lengths to which the Chinese Communist Party is willing to go to suppress dissent and maintain its narrative of unity and strength. All in all, the uproar over Lionel Messi‘s not playing in a soccer game in Hong Kong encapsulates the communist worldview as the real force that animates China‘s political system. An entrenched ideological paranoia and a propensity for political schizophrenia characterize such a worldview. The Chinese government’s reaction to this incident reveals not only its deep-seated fears of international conspiracy but also the complex interplay of geopolitics, ideology and individual agency that shapes its engagement with the world. It serves as a perfect illustration of the ideological absurdity at the heart of China‘s political landscape. With it, an international superstar is now an international supervillain against the socialist motherland of China. • Miles Yu is a senior fellow and director of the China Center at the Hudson Institute. Copyright © 2024 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission. Please read our comment policy before commenting. Click to Read More and Vie

The first time I heard of Messi’s Hong Kong trip was from a friend’s posting on WeChat on Feb 6 while in Argentina:

梅西的球队这么欺负香港人也是少见！香港后梅西球队到日本了，梅西却下场练球了。才几天啊？梅西在香港因伤不上场也就罢了，对观众说句道歉的话不行吗？向大家挥挥手不行吗？居然都没有。如果梅西球在日本比赛时上场了，香港人心都碎了！香港门票比日本门票还贵，却换来了这么个结果，真TM窝囊！

Six days later, I made a post about Messi after the Super Bowl when Taylor Swift’s bf Travis Kelce’s team Kansas City Chiefs won it, the second time in a row:

二mei
昨天Super Bowl Taylor Swift 霉霉男友队赢了
另外一个煤 因没出场 还在发酵
前几天的留言还多是 ‘不请他代言’之类的
[偷笑][捂脸] 人家稀罕吗?
如日中天的时候已经过了
能加入🇺🇸队的 都是半退休的 has been
啥原因他不肯出场?!?

他选了🇺🇸 钱是最少的
不过我觉得他是想自己的娃们在🇺🇸受教育吧?

Seriously, is this worth the commotion in China? A has been soccer star didn’t play, so what? Was his appearance written into the air-tight contract (no matter what, does he have to appear? or unless he’s injured?)? If so, it’s a legal dispute. If not, – like you didn’t pay for his appearance, then what’s the hell did you expect him to play?!?

Here are some coverage:

• scmp – more to do with newly elected president Milei;  organizer should refund to appease disgruntled fans; partial refund
• Messi sits out game in Hong Kong, triggers China’s ideological paranoia

Today, I saw this great article (below), that I agree in many ways; and it made me thinking of an incident, more than quarter of century ago: In late 1990s, our village decided to hold fancy dinner party with next village on lunar Chinese new year. It was a great idea. For $100 per head, we got dress up, wine and dine. A few older couples used this opportunity to show case their ball room dance skills …

At that time, people from mainland was the minority. For some reason, one of the organizers loved me, dragging me everywhere to her social events. Dancing? Call Irene; singing? Call Irene; yoga at her home, call Irene. Big social event? Get Irene …

大眼李哥: 站住别动! 我是中国人民的感情 2024-02-15

​《笑傲江湖》开篇，就是一个体现中国富二代传统风骨的经典桥段：

那天，青城派掌门人余沧海的儿子率手下去至福州，进到小树林里一处酒家，刚点了盘土豆丝，见女服务员身材甚好，就慨然摸了一下女子的下巴。余公子的商业逻辑和心路历程很清晰：“大爷我出了钱，摸一把，让你给爷笑一个，怎么啦”……随后就昏天黑地的厮打，随后就被武功平平的林平之反杀。

余沧海的儿子至死没明白，人家开的饭店，不是鸡店，你付的是饭菜钱，不是包夜钱。

说起来算是旧闻了，倒跟《笑傲江湖》挺对标。前些天香港方面下了迈阿密队的单子打商业赛，付了土豆丝的钱，就想让梅西出台，让领导摸梅西的小手手。梅西赶紧两手揣兜绕开了。网上一通混天黑地厮打，打着打着，人们发现，是不是合同有猫腻……

眼见要被反杀，主办方得转移视线哪，来，上“中国人民的感情”。在漫山遍野的傻逼用着智能手机发表逻辑千疮百孔见识止于村东头的时代，这一招好使得跟动员村里老光棍闹洞房似的，终于可以合法性骚扰了。首付了恒大的楼买了河南银行的理财产品炒了A的股在冰天雪地高速上封了六天七夜的老六们，可逮着充气娃娃发泄了。

“梅西欠香港一个道歉”“梅西伤害了中国人民的感情”……这逻辑，估计余沧海听了也必须犯蒙，我儿花了一份炒土豆丝的钱去摸女服务员被反杀，挺丢人的，青城派就算去报复，也没脸跳出来说你伤害了格老子四川人民感情，你欠青城山九峰八十一观一个道歉。搞黑社会就搞黑社会，提什么家国情怀，你以为自己是陈近南？不，咱其实都是冯锡范。

某自媒体标题

​这件事太LOW了，不值一提。真正值得研究的是心理学。建议李玫瑾女士总结一个现象叫“仇恨转移”。当你反抗不了伤害你的人，就会去伤害曾伤害你的人需要你去伤害的人。别嫌这段文字绕，爱国蛊的思路就这么绕如西直门盘桥。随着智慧的网友越来越坐实主办方阴阳合同赚差价。爱国蛊退无可退，放出终极大招，鼻子一拍鲜血直流坐地下满地打滚：就算梅西不上场比赛，不让领导摸手，就不能对看台上的球迷招招手笑一笑吗？笑都不笑一个，伤害中国人民感情了。

看，绕来绕去，还是回到“给爷笑一个”。

理解那些花了钱没见着球王英姿的球迷的失望感，但这得去找主办方算账，跟梅西没一根土豆丝关系没有。科一个普：无论巴西还是德国，无论罗纳尔多还是贝肯鲍尔，没签比赛合同，人家连球场都不用进。梅西进了球场，当那是充话费免费赠送你的吧。

还有个人大过年的跑来跟我吧啦吧啦半宿，聊什么他发现了一个“无形契约”，说除了商业合同外，梅西是名人，所以负有对公众的责任，即使没签约，但你是名人，就得跟爷笑一个……这些没边界感的人儿啊，球员是卖球艺的，不是卖笑的，这么层层推进，下一步得让梅西陪你上床了。

看来巨婴们把职业球队当成文工团了，来，给陈局笑一个，来，让赵部长摸个小手手。可见某些中国男人的终极奋斗目标，还真是从傻逼苦修到当领导，然后接见文工团。所谓的爱国热情、民族情感、捍卫尊严，跟现代文明沾不着一根土豆丝，到头来总归是“来，小妞，给爷笑一个”。

一个职业球员就该是自由的，这是1848年英国人承继工业革命福荫定下的足球宪法，史称《剑桥规则》。那天，一头披头士发型的克鲁伊夫忽然烦了，就退出国家队。荷兰女王小心翼翼写了一封信求回归，克鲁伊夫看了一眼就扔纸篓，“老娘们你谁啊，管我踢不踢世界杯”，午夜派对去了。加缪，对，就是你常转高仿金句的那个诺奖加缪，优秀的足球运动员，率阿尔及利亚竞技队两获足球联赛冠军，肺结核痊愈了也不想踢球也不想当教练，搞写作去了，也没见球迷哭着喊着“你伤害了阿尔及利亚人民的感情”。

克鲁伊夫

​自由的球员才能创造那么多奇迹。咱不是转过很多遍“奴隶是建不成金字塔的”吗，要含奴量高的，出门左转，见一个公共厕所上面挂着牌子，上用金光闪闪的大粪写着俩字，“国足”……就是它了。

开始以为中国足球上不去是体质不好，后来发现是体制不好，再后来发现是博大精深文化的骨子里那点劣根，或者三者都占齐。

真特么是城门楼子和机枪头子的完美结合：中国足协（你顺着厕所往里走的那个单位就是）删除了与阿根廷队的合作，杭州取消了三月阿根廷来华比赛，极兔快递因力撑梅西被约谈，CCTV天下足球把片头的梅西经经典进球给删了，下一步梅西的所有进球是不是也会删除。想起有次封禁一个辱华的德国球星，中国企业就把广告转给了拉姆，二货们并不知道，拉姆在我国某件不可描述的事件上有过更惊人的言论。这么看来，以后CCTV天下足球，可播放的进球也不多了，除了国足。

“站住，别动，我是受伤害的中国人民感情！”

不自由的人，永远理解不了自由的心。玩蹴鞠，永远理解不了现代足球。

《水浒传》里，高俅使了一记华丽的“鸳鸯拐”，将球儿踢得如鳔胶粘在身上一般，让宋徽宗惊讶不已，从此平步青云。据南宋王明清著《挥麈录》，高俅其实本是苏东坡的书僮，很小就被买入府中，为人机灵，眼力劲好，跟着东坡也学了一些诗词歌赋，也常为东坡誊抄一些文案。苏东坡外调做官时，舍不得放这可人儿回乡，就把他送给了好友小王都太尉王诜，王诜是神宗皇帝的妹夫，是大宋国足领队徽宗的姑父，惺惺相惜，由此铸就一段中国史。

巨婴们这么歪看历史，苏东坡也伤害了中国人民的感情。
​

《水浒传》剧照

​说回霍启刚。其实霍公子像王思聪那样天天泡妞就挺好，只要不强摸下巴，就是国产富家公子该干的事儿。可自从被誉为“民族担当”，这口烟就上了头，霍启刚幻觉自己成了霍元甲。药劲导致他刚骂完梅西辱华刚呼吁了中国人要有尊严，“民族担当”就携全家就回老家英国过年去了。

演呲了……心疼郭晶晶三分钟，你压得住世界上所有泳池的浪花，压不住老公的脑花。

也未必，霍启刚晓得这商业赛合同怎么回事，只是在博大精深的国家，总有一个规则，八年前我怒斥一个影视投资人：我跟你谈商业，你跟我谈江湖，我跟你谈江湖，你跟我聊政治，我跟你聊政治，你说哎，我还请你吃过饭呢……

都是余沧海的儿子，装什么令狐冲啊，捣的都是浆糊，笑傲什么江湖。

当年长城饭店办年会，主持人见下面坐着侯宝林，直接开喊“有请侯宝林老师来一段”。老爷子一头雾水“请我来的时候，没人跟我说要演节目啊”。主持人不依不饶“来一段，来一段”，一通起哄架秧子，逼得侯老爷子黑着脸直接走了。留下主持人在原地谴责“侯宝林不顾广大人民群众的感受，不顾大师身份，对中华传统曲艺的不尊重……”

当年韦小宝作为钦差大臣下扬州，地方上为表尊重专门安排了扬州名家来唱曲子，那名家的演唱水平真可谓“弦索一动，宛如玉响珠跃，鹂啭燕语”。可韦小宝索然无味，直接问“你会唱十八摸吗”，这让名家惊呆在原地，崩溃了三分钟，丢了琵琶，哭天抢地跑掉了。

“给爷笑一个”是传统文化瑰宝，无论是过年给长辈下跪领红包，无论是喝斥外卖小哥、调戏酒吧卖玫瑰花的小女孩，还是绑架侯宝林、梅西，内心动机是一样的。过程中免不了耍流氓，就跟孙扬似的，回来就说“他们看不起我们中国人”。就跟那款流氓手机一样，到处偷技术到处剽窃，被抓了包，就说外国人辱华，伤害了咱中国人的感情。

问题是，你徜徉在维多利亚港（估计以后得叫红旗港）的私家游轮上，你住在温哥华五百万豪宅里，从没想起咱是一伙的，在外面惹了事，就跑回来嚷嚷那谁谁伤害了咱中国人的感情。不就是想让我们给你耍流氓埋单吗。

长记性，所有这类故事，开头一定是在小树林里要求人家“给爷笑一个”，结尾一定是“伤害了中国人民的感情”。

李哥大眼/文

​​​
发布于 湖北
评论 29

刘兴亮
2024-02-15 09:32:32
大眼的文笔，真是了得。

胖猫的小屋
2024-02-15 09:30:30
哈哈哈，“压得住全世界的水花，压不住老公的脑花”！说得太赞了

落花落_
2024-02-15 09:22:22
回复@用户7903952853:三无账号哈哈哈哈哈
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Rio de Janeiro

Sunset at Copacabana Beach.

Watching over the sunset from the Café 18 do Forte, I saw the paddle boarders: have to do it.

It was 6:40 when I got to an outfit who was willing to rent me one. The first one to the southern most won’t do it – it’s too late.

The water is relatively calm. By then, all the paddle boarders have returned. I was the only one out there. Shortly after, I saw a huge turtle to my left. Then I began to dream a killer whale swims under neath of my board -:)

I returned a little after 7. Thanks for renting me a board.

I’m no expert on fishing, but among the few fishermen by the Tampa Bay in Saint Pete, as we walk toward Mahaffey, only one is using light-tackle spinning/rod and reel, which I consider fishing, the rest are using cast nets on the Tampa Bay. Is this even legal? One throw, they come up with multiple fishes. Gosh … the fun is gone or even more fun this way?

The fish in the video is mullet.

My first hand: 13 hcp, with one singleton. My lho starts bidding:

R1: p, 1♦️, p, 4♦️.

We made 5.

opening jump

My thinking goes: both opponents passed and my partner has at least 13 point. One of the players said, the max jump I should have, is 2 or 3. I did consider to go to 5. But with only 1 ace, I only bid 4.

The first game in 2024. I’ve 13 hcp, 1 singleton and one doubleton, 7 diamonds.

The bidding:

R1: 1♣️ p, p, 4♦️

It tells me my lho has 13+ pt, my partner and rho  have less than 13. Point wise, we might be pretty even but my 7 diamonds and singleton and one doubleton are advantageous. So I jumped to 4♦️, fearing a pretty even hand would not go to the 2nd round. I’d like to go for the game but not knowing my partner’s hand, I settled for less. We ended up making 11/5.

^{My rho bid 1♣️ off the bet: I doubt that he’d make it.} 

One of conventions in bridge is doubles: takeout or penalty. It’s being used so often, that can be taken as a natural call.

I use the penalty double (jericholibrary.org) often, especially when I don’t have a biddable suit. My aim at this stage, is to win under the line points toward game and rubber, and doubling a contract, however successful, wins no such points.

The following two hands were good candidates for penalty double, at my 2023 annual party (cue bid): my rho bid twice my suit and both times, were club.

This hand, I’ve 4 clubs: ♣️Q,J,10,7, with total 13 hcp, not counting the two doubletons.

Round 1 bid: p, p, 1C, 1S – me, who won the bid.

My lho led ♣️4, my partner has ♣️8,6,3,2, which meant my right opponent has ♣️A,K,9, 5. Also, my partner has 9 hcp.

We made 2 (8 tricks in total). If I just doubled him, we wouldn’t win the 20 under the line point.

Interestingly, the same opponent bid my suit the second time, also in club.

This hand, I’ve six clubs: ♣️KQJ432, 17 hcp with two doubletons. Clearly, club is my best suit.

There was only 1 round of bidding: 1♣️, 1♠️ – me, who won the bid. At this point, I didn’t know cue bid, and also wrongfully bid 1♠️ – I think the better bid should be 1N, to show my points.

The take out doubles, on the other hand, is a little complicated, with many factors …

1. essentially, it’s asking your partner to bid the unbid suit
2. you’ve 11+ pts, 3+ cards in each unbid suit
3. …