We had some absolute class posters form the NH.
I rememeber meeitng Gailimh, Irish Richard , and PDP in a Irish bar in Dublin on the eve of the AB's playing a grand slam game in 2005, it is my Wifes 30th and we had a roaring night... my wife quickly got over the fact her long awaited 30th birthday evening in Dublin was crashed by a bunch of Irishman and a Frenchman that I had met online and had never seen before....
At about 11pm we got news that there had been a fire at Landsdown road and that one stand would be unavailable and tickets refunded. It was the stand the wife and I were going to. Gutted, as we were going to all 4 grand slam games, and would have been one short.
PdP stepped up and gave us one of his tickets, and I think Gailimh gave us another. Refused money, just took a guiness each.. actually I think Pdp took a whiskey..
Next afternoon we were on the terraces amongst a sea of Irish fans... BEST MATCH EVER.

Thanks TSF.

@Baron-Silas-Greenback said in Black Caps v Pakistan:

Bad declaration imo.

Check out this clown.

Ardie Savea is not fit to lace up Canes boots

This thread is again open for new applicants..

This kid is going to have a hard time in life if this is the attitude he is being instilled with.
Life as an adult is about adapting and being a bit of a chameleon, some of the highest flyers I know are complete and utter muppets when hanging with the mates form the 'ole days'..... I know some guys who look like a member of the Sons of Anarchy with a shirt off and look like finely cut gentlemen with a business shirt on.
Newsflash to this youngster and the people in this thread defending him, society makes arbitrary and no logical rules/social norms all the time, and nearly everyone follows them, of course you don't have to, but there are always consequences, sometimes good, sometimes bad.
He wants to look like Hansen.. fine. Go to a school that allows that.
This isn't about the length of his hair, this is about him wanting the school to bend to his wishes rather than the other way around.

@jegga said in All Blacks vs. B&I Lions test #1:

@Crucial said in All Blacks vs. B&I Lions test #1:

@jegga said in All Blacks vs. B&I Lions test #1:

My brother in law has scheduled a party for his birthday on saturday kicking off at 7:30.
He doesn't have sky.
I got a severe frowning from the mrs when I suggested we perhaps skip it.
Did I mention he doesn't have sky?

FFs.

What a turd.

I'm sure you won't be alone if you slink off to another room and watch a stream on SkyGo (if SkyGo actually goes).
Failing that drop her off and go to the pub.

His friends are like him so I will probably be alone.

Some being such a wimp and your wife needs to pull the stick out of her ass.
It is a birthday party.. big woopdy fucking doo.

@hydro11 said in Tennis:

It's amazing that you can abuse an appointed official by calling them a liar and then say it is sexist when you get punished for it. I'm no tennis expert so I can't speak to the coaching and racquet violations and whether they are consistently enforced. Sexism comes down to just being disrespectful to women so if you are going to throw those terms around, you should make sure you treat other people properly.

I can. I am a qualified Tennis referee.
Coaching at lower levels is always a warning. Always. At ATP and WTA tournaments, they sometimes are, sometimes not. Could go either way. In this case the coach admitted it so.....
Raquet breaking is always a violation, umpires don't even have discretion with it.
Personal abuse is more discretionary, but is usually a violation. Guys get waaay more violations, but they usually calm down after the first or second. She just kept going at it.

Men have lost points and games before. McEnroe even forfeited a match at a grand slam tournament,.

Williams is a disgrace.

@jegga I think you are right. Trump is living by the sword of public distrust .. so he is suffering form it also.
People simply dont believe the media, and they dont believe wikileaks much either.
I think hacked emails for political gain are rat shit. I am not going to change that stance. Privacy is privacy unless something illegal is happening.
Screw Wikileaks.. and screw asshats like Hager.

We are having an interesting time of things in regards to life plans and housing at the moment.
We have a house (3 bedrooms plus office) 1 bathroom and extra toilet.. pretty modest. Has views over harbor and top half of mount and also part of golf course, plus biggish yard with fruit trees, trampoline, tree house etc. All very middle class suburban, but in a nice area 2 minutes drive to CBD.
We also own a rental in same neighborhood.
We also own a rural residential piece of land inside the city limits, about 8000 sqm. Nice spot, very nice area got a few hundred sqm of native bush etc enough room for pool, tennis court, pony/sheep etc.

We did plan on living there....

We are currently building a house on it, about 250 sqm, so not huge McMansion, but definitely nicer than our current house.

But now.. we are just going to build and sell. We basically had a choice of living in a very expensive house... or not.

We have chosen to sell it clear all our mortgages and have a large wedge of cash in the bank, and keep our rental. But we will still be living in quite a modest house. I think it is an age thing. I just really like the idea of not having a mortgage, having money in the bank and a rental giving us goods money every week.... alot more than owning a super flash house. I drive a clapped out Kia and the wife drives a little Suzuki Ario.. we probably wont change cars either.

Basically i think we really look like we are struggling, and to be honest it is weird when I pick my kids up form school in my crappy old car and are surrounded by massive flash SUV's, I do feel like i m pretty poor! Makes no logical sense.

Now I am just rambling, but I do find the whole finances vs images social dynamics massively fascinating. Most people do not not how well off or poor they really are. we have some friends who are on a continual mission to be in the best house they can afford, always totally leveraged, I suspect they will likely do quite well .. as long as house prices don't crash.

@Donsteppa said in Indian Cricket Tour of NZ 2020:

@Baron-Silas-Greenback said in Indian Cricket Tour of NZ 2020:

Why did they schedule a test match in Wellington at the end of Feb??? Everyone know they Welly summer is between the 15-17th Jan every year.
#DontScheduleTestMatchesInWinter

I missed that memo, I just assumed there was no Wellington summer at all.

How rude!!! Of course they ave a summer!

Why did they schedule a test match in Wellington at the end of Feb??? Everyone knows the Welly summer is between the 15-17th Jan every year.
#DontScheduleTestMatchesInWinter

@barbarian said in US Politics:

@Siam said in US Politics:

Trump being president was preposterous enough, but the efforts in opposition have to be seen to be believed!

I wonder if this might be a product of the system, and the separation between the presidential race and the day-to-day happenings in Washington.

The Dems are are shambles, no doubt, and the leadership of Pelosi and others has been horrible. But I think with the system as it is it would be really hard not to be.

In the UK, Aus, NZ, the opposition can build momentum in opposition, develop a policy platform, establish a public profile etc. By the time you are a year away from the election, you are hopefully a united front with a clear direction.

But under the US system, we're about 8 months out and it's still a shit show. Candidates across the spectrum flinging mud at each other while Trump gets around on Air Force One giving speeches to clamouring fans. It's like this every time, even when a so-called 'dream candidate' like Obama comes along.

The system is set up to favour the incumbent more than any other. It's why only two elected incumbents have lost in the last 70 years.

There are elements of truth in what you are saying, but is also giving the democrats a cop out that they dont deserve. They have horrendous policies, hopeless candidates and that is leading to disaster despite almost total control of the media and the deep state.

@Snowy said in NZ Politics:

@Kirwan said in NZ Politics:

That renting issue will get worse once landlords lose the ability to kick out problem tenants (Labour proposal). Who'd be a landlord then?

They have made being a landlord very unattractive all around. From overly protecting tenants to the insurance declarations. I have no problem with landlords having to provide healthy, warm properties though.

You should read this article.... this UN housng 'expert' fails at the very fist step, and people wonder hwy the UN is loathed..

Yeah what could go wrong with the rental supply if you made landlords offer the offer govt their rentals for homeless folks whilst also freezing rents....

https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/homed/residential/119643746/un-housing-expert-calls-for-nz-rent-freeze-and-cgt-to-end-significant-human-rights-crisis

"What I haven't seen here yet is enough gutsy innovation," Farha said.

"In Germany they are looking a five-year rent freeze. Even in New York they are looking at more edgy tenancy laws."

*"What if every time a landlord had a vacant property they had to offer it to the Government who could rent if or a person in need?"

Asked if moves like a rent-freeze would be possible given the strength of the landlord-lobby in New Zealand, Farha said the Government should pay attention to human rights holders.

"They shouldn't be beholden to a landlord lobby."

The Government ditched the idea of a CGT last year and has shrunk away from serious controls on rents."

@MiketheSnow said in British Politics:

Worth every penny

Well they will have no troubles getting people to subscribe voluntarily then....

@Siam said in Trent Boult:

It's massive when a club star comes back to the club to hang out with us mortals. It's a reminder that they aren't actually too far removed from us in their experiences and views on a sport. It's a buzz having them talk to you

Oh, and you want equality in society? Well you get none better than in a good sports club. Trent Boult is exactly equal to the 4ths opening bowler in terms of club members and that is felt and appreciated by all. The skill hierarchy doesn't beat the membership one -makes for a good and inclusive atmosphere.

Well done Trent, a nice wee 10 fer from the cricket gods this week, perhaps?

You ain't wrong, international cricketers cannot brag about their test match feats without looking like massive bell ends.... However if a test match bowler scores a century at his long term club.... They won't hold back....

@Crucial said in British Politics:

@Baron-Silas-Greenback said in British Politics:

I just don't think the BBC is actually very good. It is not that entertaining and it cannot really be trusted to be informative .
Supporting the BBC and licence fees is often more about elitism than actually enjoying the channel, kinda television virtual signalling.

Eh? Labelling people who see value in something where you don't.

So all the people that happily pay their licence and watch 'Strictly Come Dancing' are virtue signalling what? Hasbeen 3rd rate celebs prancing in costumes?

Shows like The Young Ones and Monty Python only got a start because of the TV Licence environment. That alone is good enough for me.

Only if you misrepresent what I said.

I just don't think the BBC is actually very good. It is not that entertaining and it cannot really be trusted to be informative .
Supporting the BBC and licence fees is often more about elitism than actually enjoying the channel, kinda television virtual signalling.

https://www.sunlive.co.nz/news/234628-boult-brothers-sink-lake-taupo-cup-action.html

Bouquet for Trent Boult , every year he tries to play at least one game for his club. Couple of years ago he played against Tauranga Boys College, last year he scored a century against Te Puke and this year played against Taupo.
I cant think of many elite rugby or cricket players who still regurly play club games every year.

That Roger Stone trial was a dead set travesty. Dodgt judge suppressing speech, lead juror with Democrat political connections culminating in 4 democrat lawyers from the Russian hoax recommending 9 years for trivial offences, rapists get recommend half the time....
And that ignores the fact that when he was arrested they sent in armed police in the early hours to smash his door in and drag him from his bed.... for a non violent crime.