OOAK Table Tennis Forum

After our fantastic (read: amateurish) government speech of last night about the exit strategy it still isn't exactly clear when the TT clubs will reopen. Interpreting the phases in the exit strategy it might be May 18th, but I'm not sure.

I sincerely hope I'm wrong, but Belgium might become the laughing stock of Europe when it comes to exit strategies out of the Corona crisis. So if you hear Belgium being mentioned in your news closing things down again after reopening, well, that's because we're reopening the most important things (read: all B2B companies, all shops and all schools, the latter partially) within a 3 weeks period, while "monitoring" the effects of that reopening that appear only after two weeks at the earliest. And in exchange for our heavy taxes we can protect ourselves with social distancing and self made mouth masks.

I'm so proud to be a Belgian right now!

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I sincerely hope I'm wrong, but Belgium might become the laughing stock of Europe when it comes to exit strategies out of the Corona crisis.

Don't worry,mate .Spain is not the role model either . Now we are supermegaextra cautious , overdoing the safety protocols.Let me tell you, Spain is a country of extremes.

1 week before the disaster we could go to demonstrations,football matches.People from Valencia travelled to Italy for the Champions league match against Atalanta.People from Madrid flew to Liverpool for the Champions league match.Madrid was not closed down.People were allowed to drive to their second residence in the north or the south, thus, spreading the virus and now complete lockdown and the return to normal activity will be very slow .

There was chaos in hospitals but now the peak of the disease is over, we are flattening the curve .There is no need to overdo the safety protocols . You can see people driving ,walking with masks when they are alone , that's not necessary.

We just have to be careful with social distancing, clean the hands more often and use a mask inside a room with too many people .That´s all .

That's indeed all. Common sense. However, if I may take a guess: because all countries need to strike a balance between (1) enough economic activity, (2) keeping the occupation of ICU's below a critical level and (3) building up group immunity, all countries will end up in a model like Sweden. There they protect - at least that's their intention - the elderly and vulnerable to the disease and let the rest of society live it's life with a limited amount of restrictions.

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My blog on being a LP defender beyond 2000 USATT and the pips discrimination that comes along with that

Update on the TT front: I contacted my candidate future clubs today. I also let my current club know I'll be partially leaving them. I just sent all e-mails, so I don't have any replies yet. That'll be for next week. Who knows: it might get interesting.

This week I started to look for alternatives on the current dominant view about the Corona crisis that is spread by the mainstream media and politicians. No conspiracy theories, mind ye, although the facts on which they are founded, are interesting nonetheless. It'll be interesting to see what happens after the lockdown. We're entering the exit phase coming Monday. To me it's clear there should be a debate about where we go from here. That's something lacking to a great extent, at least in my country, but I suspect that's the case in a lot of places. I hope that debate will start once we entered the exit phase. Next Monday then should be a transition moment for the Belgian people (something like a wedding or graduation is for an individual). If this doesn't occur, the sitation might become really dangerous and I'm not talking about health issues here. Although it might result in health issues and more deaths in the long run. If no debate gets started, it's time to act. I already have something in my mind. But I suspect it will occur.

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There's always stuff to improve!

My blog on being a LP defender beyond 2000 USATT and the pips discrimination that comes along with that

Yeah, for the most part I think it was overblown as of now. For instance, if it's as contagious and deadly as purported... why are there not droves of delivery people and store workers falling down dead, spreading it all over their paths?

Then you look at Sweden, who has done relatively little (no force lockdowns etc.), and when factoring in for population sizes etc. they don't seem to be any worse off. Not heard stories of overburdened hospitals or that sort of thing. Latest reports are coming out about how they might have a higher death rate than the USA - but without widespread testing, and accurate testing (the tests cannot differentiate between a 'regular' coronavirus and the c19 strand, so they are all labelled c19), the numbers are guesses. Along with mislabeled deaths so hospitals can receive more funding etc.

Hospitals were having to LOWER the pay for their doctors, because no elective surgeries had been allowed. Then lo and behold... oh hey, elective surgeries can now take place! Maybe I'm too cynical on the whole... I don't think the entire virus was a hoax, in that I'm sure it can be deadly and it can kill people so I wouldn't want to get it, but the drastic measures probably were not warranted. Maybe a good test run for when a real lethal virus takes hold.

For the TT side - not sure when ours will re-open either. We are doing a 'soft' open of non-essentials in about a week. Still no gyms, hair salons, or places where people need to have physical interaction to conduct the service/activity.

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SOULSPIN CUSTOM BLADES
Fh: Spinny rubber
Bh: Not so spinny rubber...

A lockdown of a whole nation was certainly an overreaction, an understandable one though, with the amount and reliability of data at that time. The problem at the moment is that now science has more data it shows a totally different picture of how it spreads, how dangerous it is,... Why is that a problem? Because these findings aren't picked up by the responsible virologists and politicians. At best they are picking it up very slowly. Why is that? At minimum it show signs of rigidity in previous beliefs, in the worst case scenario it shows corruption.

So you have a cocktail of the masses who show signs of mass hysteria, media that fuels that hysteria and the responsible ones who don't correct that hysteria while the economy is on the verge of collapsing. I don't have to make it clear we're living in a very dangerous situation right now, not only for us, but also for our offspring.

It's better to be cynical right now than to be docile. However, there's a golden way between those two and it's called critical. Happily and a positive sign is that you can find voices here and there telling a different and more correct story of the whole and those voices are increasing. Youtube is a good start for that. I know of one channel that covers critical scientific voices in English: it's called "Unherd".

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There's always stuff to improve!

My blog on being a LP defender beyond 2000 USATT and the pips discrimination that comes along with that

For Lorre

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My whole set-up costs less than a sheet of Butterfly Dignics

I guess he's pretty defensive with the SP, though does a lot of hits. His 'chops' seem to be more like downward blocks against the bigger shots, not really spinning the ball much. Certainly much easier doing it that way, rather than trying to brush finely each time. Probably more realistic for most players wanting to use SP for 'chopping' since the movement is so low. And the amateurs don't have very good foot work (<------ ).

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SOULSPIN CUSTOM BLADES
Fh: Spinny rubber
Bh: Not so spinny rubber...

I have some conspiracy nut friends, and they're always ranting on and on about a forced vaccine with a tracking chip and mind control agent in it... police states and whatnot. The big 5g cover up! In fact, youtube was removing all of the videos talking about the 5g c19 link, so what does that do to conspiracy people? ...validates their whole position! At least in their own mind...

Seems like a big, weird experiment to me. You have to imagine at some point in the future a really lethal virus will take hold, with a super high mortality rate. And when the countries want to lockdown again... I wonder if people are going to be more reluctant or more willing to go along with forced quarantines. The other part is, lack of government transparency and spreading misinformation. In the USA at least, it's been shown that the gov./media lied. At first they said 'do not wear masks, they don't help.' That was just a ploy to try and stop people from buying them all, in hopes of saving it for medical staff. But anyone with a brain would be able to see through that... how would wearing a mask NOT help!? And if it doesn't why are all the medical staff rushing to put them on!? Now later, the gov. says oh yes DO WEAR masks... in fact, it's going to be REQUIRED in some places and many storefronts.

/rant

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SOULSPIN CUSTOM BLADES
Fh: Spinny rubber
Bh: Not so spinny rubber...

Seems like I was last here at the start of February, so been a while. Any updates Lorre/Skilless Slapper? Hope everyone has been keeping safe and are well.

Things have just been too mad, even before the lockdown, to do anything that's not work or sleep for months now. Looking forward to getting back to playing, but taking a break from thinking about rubbers makes me think ill stick with current combo (Joo blade, Curl p1r 1.5, Hurricane) till I actually encounter some actual reason to switch.

Obviously, since I haven't properly tested Horizontal yet, I need to do so. But I think, logically speaking, that my best bet is p1r, unless some new info changes the equation. Logic my go out the window once I'm back though .

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Standard Setup 1
Blade - Joo Sae-Hyuk ST
FH - DHS Hurricane 3 Neo 2.2mm
BH - TSP Curl P1r 1.5mm

Standard Setup 2
Blade - Joo Sae-Hyuk ST
FH - DHS Hurricane 3 Neo 2.2mm
BH - TSP Curl P4 1.5mm

Hardbat Equipment (Former Full-Time Hardbat Player)
Blade - Marty Reisman custom 5 ply Hock
Rubber - Yasaka Cobalt Alpha OX

Look who melted away and slid back in!

Not much for me other than robot practice. Clubs still shutdown since march. Been drilling forehand attacks mainly.

I had liked the 07 extra sticky (chopping fh a lot), but prefer the joola golden tango ps for more power in attacks.

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SOULSPIN CUSTOM BLADES
Fh: Spinny rubber
Bh: Not so spinny rubber...

My club is open again, but it's not worth visiting. Enjoying a hobby while you need to follow 50 rules isn't a hobby for me. Besides following the science behind COVID-19 I'm against the mass hysteria currently created in the world. But that would take us too far...

Currently everything TT related is on hold. I'll be staying in my current club in one league and will be moving to another one in another league. Two clubs are currently candidates. Depending on the COVID-19 measures I'll be able to give more info in August.

Setup will be the same: FH DHS Hurricane 3-50 soft 2.1mm red & BH TSP Curl P1-R 1,5mm black. Blade is my beloved more than ten year old Butterfly Joo Se Hyuk straight handle.

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There's always stuff to improve!

My blog on being a LP defender beyond 2000 USATT and the pips discrimination that comes along with that

Best of luck returning to the game when things are closer to normal, Lorre.

One club about an hour from where I live opened up again a couple of weeks ago, with a bunch of rules and whatnot. I shudder when I think about how much touch and control I will have lost over the roughly five month period since I last played.

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Seeking joy and fitness in recreational modern defense.
My blog: "Two rubbers, one racket"
Kill the game against long Pimps with Coach Li!

Currently experimenting with short pips:
VKMO+ Gambler Volt-T + TSP Spectol Blue (1.5)
Joola CWX + Nittaku Hurricane III Pro Turbo Orange + Spinlord Gepard (1.8 )

Nothing to worry about. TT is like riding a bycicle: it'll all come back in no time. For me I'll be returning to the game when it's all back to normal, not sooner.

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There's always stuff to improve!

My blog on being a LP defender beyond 2000 USATT and the pips discrimination that comes along with that

I was contemplating on whether or not to post and bump.

But guys plz....is it so hard to buy a cheap tripod and film yourselves....so people like me can learn from people like you. You can use your phone for very easy editing too with free apps like VLLO or built in apple phone ones.

A lot of people would love to learn visually from human players like ourselves lol.

Or do you have youtube channels with some posted I can watch

IF you do decide to video etc plz do a conclusion or something at the end, I and I'm sure others would very much value your opinion. I just struggle to read too much without something to watch too.

Sorry for the request. Hope you all enjoying TT and your pips. Was very interesting to read a lot of this.

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