Posts by Naly D
Last ←Newer Page 1 2 3 4 5 Older→ First
-
The Brat was at the game with her fellow referees and said that they were all blowing the South Africans offside at nearly every ruck. She says to look out at the wings, which are definitely forward of ruck very often
-
Considering the events in Fiji over the past 7 years - and yes you do need to take a long-term view of it - and the apathy toward the situation by most New Zealanders which generally only goes as far as "Oooh look! Cheap deals to Fiji!" I can't help but feel this post is a wasted opportunity.
You think that just because you don't see anything bad going on that it's been blown out of proportion? Or that maybe you were being shown what the country wanted you to see? To quote a friend "This is all totalitarian SOP."
As an island nation most of its revenue must surely come from tourist dollars - something we in NZ can relate to - so scaring away that mob would be counter-productive. If the regime and situation in Fiji is so fine and it's just NZ and Aus getting thir noses sticky, why have so many people lost their jobs [the latest instances: http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-world/concern-military-undermining-judiciary-20100718-10fnk.html], why have foreign journalists and commissioners been deported and why have relations among fellow Pacific nations stooped so low?
More than all the insane reporting that goes on - what about the psychological toll the restrictions placed on the citizens will be having? Maybe that some of those who were speaking positively about the regime were doing so for fear of what would happen if they didn't?
Radio NZ International is pretty much the only organisation that regularly goes to the country and reports critically on what's going on, here's one of their reports and one from a year ago - and of course their main Fiji page: http://www.rnzi.com/pages/fiji.php [bit of disclosure, the journalist is a personal friend]
We're so concerned about politics in China and North Korea, but when similar things are going on in our back yard we shrug and say "It can't be as bad as all that". Yes we place sanctions on Fiji and not on China but the Chinese system appears to be moving forward while the Commodore acts like a petulant child, any time a nation disagrees with him he threatens to delay elections.
-
The England v Germany rivalry is an interesting one. I had a German homestay student with me at the last world cup, and he repeatedly said that Germans don't really care about the English games more than that they have to win to progress. He said that the teams Germany really sees as rivals are the Netherlands and Italy.
-
"picked up speed after you kicked it"
The actual quote was "the ball picks up speed as it hits the air" and it was at the half, not full time</pedant>
-
By the way, anyone remember when Adidas tried making rugby balls and how long that experiment lasted?
And does anyone remember what country that was in... :)
-
Well, even Michael Jones probably went into tackles with the intention sometimes of making it hurt, but that's not the same thing as seeking to disable an opponent by injuring him in the head. Boxing's the only caper where that's acceptable.
The horrific descriptions of what Colin Meads used to do to people at the bottom of rucks have always made me wonder why he's so revered
-
The essence of sports is that while you're doing it, nothing else matters, but after you stop, there is a place, generally not very important, where you would put it. - Roger Bannister
-
Antonio Gramsci said: ‘How can you have a revolution when the enemy has an outpost in your head?’
Marx had the theory that a popularist, successful sports team can distract the oppressed masses and prevent an uprising. A theory I had drummed into me by an old colleague who couldn't understand why my response to 'why do you watch so much sport' could be as simplistic as 'because it makes me happy'
-
Stanley's defence came across as being very average to me - he may have only missed four tackles but there were several others he should have made that he let go or backed off too much.
I'm glad Barnes awarded a yellow instead of a penalty try as the crowd at the Bristol were baying for - when CJ toed that ball through [god that was brilliant] it was in no way certain he'd score, so that would have been a horrid decision. Barnes had a very good night.
5 weeks for Heaslip seems fair, but I wonder how long Sir Richie would have had off if the knee had connected?
My thoughts:
http://dropkicks.co.nz/rugby/irish_eyes_arent_smiling
Meanwhile, SA are scaring me.
http://bit.ly/9K2JGA -
It's also about art v public libraries, etc. Why is the Cuba carnival more important than books for all?
Not to mention facilities such as public toilets.
The erection of those horrid photo-frames on Courtenay Place - well, not so much the frames, but what they have been filled with so far - shows that the WCC does a great job of giving funding to people to hold art and culture events, but can't do it themselves at all!