Posts by Bart Janssen

Last ←Newer Page 1 2 3 4 5 Older→ First

  • Field Theory: He's good, but I still…,

    not a chance :).

    Oh and I would LOVE to be very wrong.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report Reply

  • Field Theory: He's good, but I still…,

    One thing you have to say for the Aussie cricketers - they know how to create interest in what could have been a boring the interlude between Aus/SA series.

    Now we can all watch for more Aussie cheats and pull apart every action and word Haddin says :).

    Looking forward to the next match!

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report Reply

  • Field Theory: He's good, but I still…,

    What they're referring to -- and they should be competent enough to just say so -- is his first-class record. He has a century and a dozen fifties at that level, and averages 26.

    Yup he is a good 1st class batsman in NZ, against NZ 1st class bowlers.

    As for getting better last night - I'm not sure he has the time that really good batsmen have. He does have good technique and can smack the ball very hard on occasion. But against test class bowlers he just doesn't have the time that real batsmen seem to have. He may get there but from my expert couch-derived knowledge of the game - not a chance :).

    All of which is to say that he is a good bowler and deserving of his place in the side as a bowler. And please stop talking him up as a batsman.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: Only in a relative sense,

    How about forcing them to eat their own cars?

    Which would have bonus of training a whole new generation of Guinness Book of Records beaters.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report Reply

  • Field Theory: He's good, but I still…,

    So, why is it that people supposedly don't like Kyle Mills?

    It's not Kyle himself that bugs me. He's a good enough bowler who can sometime add a few runs.

    But why oh why does every NZ commentator have to insist that he's a "much better batsman than his average"

    He is precisely as good as his average. That's what the averages mean - on average he will get stuff all runs. Which is OK, he is after all a bowler.

    Test average 12
    ODI average 16

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: Only in a relative sense,

    Seems like teenagers of every era need to go fast and take risks.

    The trick has to be to figure out how to stop them hurting anyone else when luck fails them.

    A much harder (impossible?) trick is to prevent them hurting themselves. If we made it safe then it wouldn't have risk associated with it, duh.

    As for annoying us adults, if it didn't annoy us adults it wouldn't be as much fun.

    I'm not being facetious, it is a deadly serious issue for societies. Teenagers genuinely do need to engage in risky behaviour, it's probably even genetically wired in and probably for good reason, since societies need individuals willing to take risks.

    When you look at it from that perspective, "cease and desist" orders, apart from being probably indefensible from a bill of rights perspective are doomed to fail anyway. They want to take the risk of going to jail.

    Sorry no answers from me but anything that is suggested needs to take into account the biology going on in teenagers as much as it does the needs/desires of er grownups.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: Only in a relative sense,

    Asparagus and Tinned peas are two notes that Sauvignon blanc develops in bad vintages. Oxidation is a real problem with screwcaps as James described and that may have been your problem, it also may have been "cooked" at some time.

    We've done vertical tastings of S.b going back 10 years. It really is remarkable the difference vintage makes. Some of the older wines were still drinkable and interesting . But interesting isn't really what I'm after from Sauvignon blanc :).

    The general consensus is Sauvignon blanc tastes best when less than 2 years old.

    If you want a really nice and really cheap bottle, try the cleanskins they have in Foodtown. There are usually 3 different S.b styles, Hawkes Bay, Marlborough and reserve Marlborough. We like the last of those the best but your palate will be different. Cleanskins are often made by very good wineries that need to move some stock at low price but don't want to diminish their brand. The only problem is you have no way of knowing that you are getting the same wine next time.

    Personally if I got that treatment from a shop I'd contact the winery directly. NZ winemakers are mostly really nice folks and they'd be pissed off to find out their brand had been damaged by a retail outlet.

    Oh and just one other comment, from the tastings we've done with our group of friends. For Suavignon blanc price is no indicator of quality. You are just as likely to find a stunning $12-18 bottle as you are to find a stunning $25-40 bottle. That's not true of Pinot noir :(.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report Reply

  • Field Theory: He's good, but I still…,

    I really like how players get to challenge a decision in tennis games (three challenges per set), couldn't this work for cricket matches as the Broom decision was shocking.

    They did try it in NZ vs the windies and it worked OK.

    The biggest complaint seemed to be that 3 unsuccessful challenges was too many. The suggestion that seemed to get the most favour from the captains was you can have any number of challenges if you are proven right but after you are proven wrong you are done, no more challenges 'till the next innings.

    That would prevent hopeful challenges that waste everyones time.

    It seems that everyone wants a challenge system to deal with the odd shocking bad call (and Aussie cheats) but having 3 challenges meant that every 50/50 decision was getting revisited.

    The umpires were really positive about it saying they felt supported by the 3rd umpire rather than undermined. They hate getting it wrong more than anyone else and any help was good.

    One more suggestion was to make sure the 3rd umpire had the same rules apply to him as to the 2 out in the middle. That is, he rules according to the laws of cricket. His job is to make the right decision using extra technology and NOT to decide if the umpire in the middle got it wrong.

    My guess is we'll see a one challenge system in place before the end of the year fro both test and one day matches.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report Reply

  • Island Life: Vendor says sell!,

    pay back the money as fast as posable

    great typo

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report Reply

  • Island Life: Vendor says sell!,

    but if you do then my business and all of that interest is going elsewhere.

    This of course is your only power in the relationship. But it is a very strong position at the moment.

    This depression was finally triggered by terrible banking and lending practices in the US banking industry. It's true that there were other stresses on the world economy that make the depression more wide reaching. But the trigger point was the failure of banks (financial institutions) to lend the money of the clients to borrowers who could and would pay the money back.

    We've heard many pundits say our banks are not at risk. Maybe that's true. But notice banks have become very cautious about lending. By crikey you actually have to have some money of your own before they'll lend you some! That wasn't true 2 years ago when those fixed mortgages were set.

    Notice also that developers and subdividers have all gone bye bye. No new buildings, no new mortgages for banks. Worse some of those developers got their timing all wrong and don't have any money to pay the banks the loans they took out. My bet is some of those developers are figuring out how they can leave NZ without paying the bank back, because some developers are like that.

    Two years ago everyone the bank lent to, had a job. Over the next year that will change. No job, no mortgage payments. And before you think the bank will just get it's money from a mortgagee sale, think again, that house won't sell for anything like what was borrowed. It isn't just the family that will lose in that situation, the bank will lose money too.

    Oh and those stories about leaky homes being bulldozed, most of the money in those homes came from the banks and the poor folk who have lost the home just don't have any money to pay the bank back.

    All that combines to make me think that our banks have some serious shit on their hands and frankly my bet is one or more of them will disappear in the next year or two. Or at least "merge".

    So YES your business is important. Especially if you are employed in a good job and can be a reliable source of income for them. DO ask to see the manager and discuss your options with her or him and don't rush the decision. They might say no today but in a month they might decide your business really is more important than a one breaking fee.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report Reply

Last ←Newer Page 1 418 419 420 421 422 446 Older→ First