Too long, didn't read.

@Stargazer said in Bledisloe #1:

Ah, another TSF meltdown. Everyone completely overreacting as usual.

If you don’t meltdown after nearly conceding 50 in a Bledisloe game something is wrong with you

@Godder said in Coronavirus - New Zealand:

Level 3 lets more people go to work, but it's hardly a huge improvement on level 4 in terms of the cage doors opening.

However, in good news, apparently, not only is our curve flattening, it's exponentially reducing - halving every 5 days. At this rate, we are probably looking at a total of 6-8 weeks at levels 3&4 (so another 2-4 weeks) and then back to level 2.

The rest of the world is rightly envious of that, because they're generally looking at months of the equivalent of level 3+. 4 weeks seems a bit early to be rolling out the civil liberties flag - human rights and civil liberties are critically important to the NZ democracy, but the most important right is the right to life because the rest are not much use to dead people.

And a cratered economy is a damn sight harder on people on the other side.

This is exactly the sort of scare mongering that drove that poll result.

The original justification for this lockdown was not to eliminate the disease but to prevent our health system from being overwhelmed. That has been achieved and over the last four weeks process and capacity has been added to help even more with that.

So let’s move down the levels fast, test appropriately, contain regional reoccurrence, and get back to normalise life.

Even today Cindy was downplaying the huge impact this is having on the economy. “Doing in tough” is not even close to what’s coming IMO.

So who would have though James Fucking O’Conner would have completely outplayed an All Black ten?

@crucial said in All Blacks Squad for France:

@kiwiinmelb said in All Blacks Squad for France:

This thread is starting to resemble the good old days around AB selection time ,

All we need is Toeava to make himself available .

DMac is the new Toeava

Toeava could play ten.

@Winger said in US Politics:

This is becoming a weird election. I just can't see the Democrats even getting close unless they cheat.

https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2020/07/the-democrats-embarrass-themselves-again.php

We are approaching a very weird election in which one of our major parties is taking a stand in favor of rioting, looting, arson, destruction of federal property, and violent attacks on law enforcement. The Democrats seem to think that this is a winning formula. If it is, our republic is doomed. While we may be in deep trouble, I don’t think we are that far gone yet.

I agree with this last bit. But who knows

Of course it's going to be close. You are a prime example of why, people have picked Team A or Team B and no matter what their team does they will vote for it.

Somewhere on cyberspace there is a poster called Fullback that posting as fervently as you are about Biden/Hillary/Bernie.

Helps with disappointment that a quality bloke is lifting the trophy

Nah, you lose the ability for a Japan vs SA or Ireland upset if you do that.

I like the alternative of the plate competition I saw mentioned the other day, so there is more to play for after the top two pool spots.

@sapetyvi said in Awesome stuff you see on the internet:

@jegga said in Awesome stuff you see on the internet:

@mariner4life said in Awesome stuff you see on the internet:

@snowy said in Awesome stuff you see on the internet:

@jegga said in Awesome stuff you see on the internet:

Cn one of you clear the air by posting some photos of her? I don't know how to get them from instagram to the fern.

No. She's my first officer and you reprobates can't have her.

do you get her to hold your cock and then aim for turbulence?

Fuck your drinks passengers, I'm getting a jerky handjob

What the fuck did I just watch? Can someone ban jegga? Or me?

Considering it for not having seen Airplane.

@JC said in US Politics:

I'm over this Twitter/Facebook censorship debate. Why is anybody surprised that they act in their own self interest? Why does anybody think they have a duty to be fair or even-handed? Was anybody really expecting them to behave like anything except the corporate chancers they are?

I have never had a Twitter or Facebook account, because it was clear that their business model was to source and sell my data and my interaction history, and the best way to get those was to manipulate me as a user. So I find it ironic that people complain that they are being manipulative.

Seriously, if you don't like the way they behave, stop being their product! They aren't political organisations, they're businesses that act politically because their models tell them it's more likely that they will get your saleable data if they do.

You don't have to be part of their ecosystem. There are other ways to get news. There are other ways to conduct a discourse. Use them, and if enough of you do they will change their practice.

That's ignoring the network effect and the reach of these platforms (and the consolidation of multiple platforms).

For hundreds of millions of people these plaforms are the internet. It's like going back to the early days of electricity and saything these oil lanterns work fine, just don't use it.

They wield enourmous influence and deserve all the criticism they get.

@Chris-B said in The Cane vs Savea Debate:

@reprobate said in The Cane vs Savea Debate:

Sotutu has been the best 8 in NZ all year, and he's just a kid. Pick him.
Savea is a really good player, but quite an unusual one. A smallish guy pumping the legs and never giving up is awesome, but it isn't going to get you much traction in the early stages of a tight test with an organised defence, and we've seen that a few times now. You need a little momentum, or a little gap, or a tired defender who thinks you're already tackled to get the benefit of that - and that benefit is only going to increase when he is fresh against tiring defenders - which is part of why he's a great bench option. Same goes for his tackling. Certainly skilled enough to cover all 3 spots, and a great asset to the team.
I'd be picking a big guy - Frizz deserves his spot, and Ioane is an option too - and subbing them for Savea once they're poked.

Plenty of time for Sotutu, I think.

We've got a couple of games against Argentina and - if we can beat the Aussies next time - we'll have a Bled dead-rubber game against them as well - I think those are the games we'll see people like Hoskins starting and a mix including Will Jordan, Akira, Aumua, Lomax, Papali'i and Grace (though not all at once).

Interesting times ahead.

Seems like we've got quite a queue in the loose forwards awaiting a shot - which might mean we have to wait till next year now to see Big Red Robinson get his chance. That's a pity, because he might be the best of all of them.

With the lack of lock talent at the moment he might be best used in the second row.

@MN5 said in I cant take Sky Sport rugby anymore - Any other options??:

Wow, talk about a first world problem.

Super helpful comment.

@Nepia said in Re: Movie review thread...:

@MajorRage said in Re: Movie review thread...:

Airplane!

Like most comedy movies of this era, it crosses the line so much that they could never make it today. Genuinely, one of the funniest, if not the funniest movies ever made. Fully of classic slapstick, one liners and sheer comedy brilliance.

5 I'll take it black, like my men out of 5 that's not important right now.

Of those types of flicks Top Secret was always my favourite. Would Blazing Saddles be a 'parody' style film? If so that would edge Top Secret for me.

I think with Airplane they actually based it on a serious novel.

No, it’s a remake of a disaster film. Pretty much the same beats with the gags inserted.

@reprobate said in NZ Politics:

@canefan said in NZ Politics:

@antipodean agree re-the GFC. Key and English were very fiscally responsible

... by doing not a lot, inheriting a good financial position and increase in trade with China bailing us out - and making the situation look better than the reality via immigration. https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/on-the-inside/319701/john-key's-$400bn-legacy is a reasonably balanced take on it.
There is some credit due for sure, but largely characterised by being dealt a good hand and inaction in my opinion. He knew full well what was going on with housing, and the inequality and generational problems it would cause, but decided that it was in his best interests to leave it alone.
Now Ardern is doing exactly the same. In fact the parallels are striking - Labour are coming out of a global crisis smelling like roses when the reality is they've been dealt a great hand with our isolation, and are roundly ignoring the major problems the country has because solving them would be unpopular.

One difference is Keys government took action in their first 100 days that helped us weather that crisis well and with minimal disruption. No small feat.

Labour have borrowed us in an enormous hole in comparison for their crisis and we are about to reap the “rewards” of than over the next decade.

Don’t disagree too much that there was only minor improvements under Key, but part of that is due to MMP which is not an excuse Labour can use this term.

They can do what they like over the next three years, let’s see where we end up.

@Machpants said in Awesome stuff you see on the internet:

@Kirwan Probably as real as John Wick

Don’t care, it’s still awesome.

Favourite but is where she catches the freaking chair

Cane really has made this thread moot in the last few Tests. Has really stepped up.

@MN5 Wondered who would swing at that softball...