Posts by Bob Munro

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  • Up Front: The Home Straight,

    At the end of the straight after Moeraki you can turn left to Shag Point. After just a few minutes drive there is good viewing of seals and in the evenings yellow eyed penguins coming ashore.

    I'm sure others will disagree but I've never seen the point of visiting Akaroa. You have to cover a very winding road twice to visit a seaside village pretty like any other.

    I'd spend more time in the Mackenzie country: Mount Cook if the weather's clear, Lake Alexandrina (the southern end - turn right just after Tekapo) is a gem and the clay cliffs before Omarama is New Zealand's version of the South Dakota badlands.

    Christchurch • Since Aug 2007 • 418 posts Report

  • Random Play: @fltfoxz. Gr8. C u 2moro,

    My original comment about conscription was more related to it being one of the reasons there is less opposition to the Iraq war today than it being a particular reason for specific demonstrations in the U.S.

    Even in New Zealand there was a kind of draft. In 1969 I was in the birthday ballot (missed out thankfully) where if your date came up you did three months basic training and then several years of annual training camps. While in hindsight we can see that only volunteers went from New Zealand to Vietnam, at the time no-one knew what the future held and with Australia sending conscripts, who was to say New Zealand would not follow suit?

    There was a great feeling of solidarity amongst young people across the Western world in those last couple of years of the sixties: fuelled by music and fashion for sure, but also in opposition to such a stupid war that their generation was fighting. Whoever had heard of a war where the side with all the firepower imposed an artificial line they would not cross (the border with North Vietnam) and thereby guarantee the conflict was unwinnable?

    Christchurch • Since Aug 2007 • 418 posts Report

  • Random Play: @fltfoxz. Gr8. C u 2moro,

    Despite the fury over the Iraq war it didn't seem to inspire anything with the power or popular currency of Ohio, or for that matter Shipbuilding.

    Probably because there is no conscription today?

    Christchurch • Since Aug 2007 • 418 posts Report

  • Random Play: @fltfoxz. Gr8. C u 2moro,

    Deja Vu was the first record I bought to play on the first stereo I owned. I vaguely recall that Nash's stocks were high because he left the Hollies on a point of principle on them daring to cover Dylan?

    Christchurch • Since Aug 2007 • 418 posts Report

  • Field Theory: My first cricket match,

    Wikipedia on the rules of cricket.

    Half an hour before the start of play, the two captains convene and exchange team selection sheets. These list the composition of each side, which cannot be changed for the duration of the match. Then, under the supervision of the umpires, a coin is tossed to determine who bats first. The tossing of the coin marks the official beginning of the match.

    If the match is abandoned at any time after the toss, it stands as a match played and enters official statistical records.

    If a match is abandoned before the toss, it is not considered to have been played at all, and does not count for records.

    Christchurch • Since Aug 2007 • 418 posts Report

  • Field Theory: My first cricket match,

    Thanks for replying Blair. As fans I guess we can just cross our fingers that they are treating his alcoholism as a disease rather than a moral failing and he’s getting constant support and encouragement. It’s a tough ask for a sportsman in the spotlight in our culture.
    From the Sunday Star Times:

    A long-term recovering alcoholic familiar with the Ryder case told the Star-Times yesterday that the 24-year-old now stood at not only the crossroads of his cricket career, but of his life.
    The man, who asked not be named, said Ryder had reached a point where his next decision on drinking would carry him towards one of two likely extremes.
    "Two things could happen now. He could become one of New Zealand's truly great cricketers, because let's face it he's only been operating at about 50% so far," said the source. "But if he goes back to drinking, he'll end up in the gutter.
    "It's that stark.
    "It's doubly difficult for someone like Jesse because everyone knows him when he goes out and inevitably there's a twisted element who, despite being fully aware of the player's vulnerabilities, want to ply him with drink.
    "It typifies this country's attitude towards alcohol."

    Christchurch • Since Aug 2007 • 418 posts Report

  • Field Theory: My first cricket match,

    A bonus for us viewers without Sky, Prime has the cricket live.

    Christchurch • Since Aug 2007 • 418 posts Report

  • Field Theory: My first cricket match,

    Actually I have just now read that he has been dropped for tomorrow match because of drinking indiscretions.

    Bugger. I really hope they give the guy enough proper support to avoid these situations. Some talents are too precious to just let slip away.

    Does anyone here know anything about his upbringing? I've heard rather second hand that he may even have been living a street kid type of existence at one point.

    Christchurch • Since Aug 2007 • 418 posts Report

  • Field Theory: My first cricket match,

    in my view one day cricket is about the only sport that's actually any good at the Stadium

    Unfortunately the new layout here in Christchurch looks the opposite. Where the old number 1 stand was (the only place where us older family types could get a view behind the bowlers arm- having done a long enough apprenticeship, drinking liberally and getting sunstroke in the open stand at the other end) - the new stand under construction seems to come to a halt instead of curving back to connect with the Hadlee Stand. So they seem to be creating a rectangle, rugby centric ground rather than an oval.

    Christchurch • Since Aug 2007 • 418 posts Report

  • Field Theory: My first cricket match,

    Jesus saves, but Gretzky scores"

    Funnily enough Gretsky went through my mind when I noticed Ryder's number 77 on his back. Imagine if he could become so great that they retire that number when he goes? Just like they did for '99'.

    Christchurch • Since Aug 2007 • 418 posts Report

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