Politics

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  Politics Sub Forum
  • Duluth  

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  The quarterly reminder about some of the rules Please don't post memes that say people with different views are stupid and/or evil. These will be deleted A few of these have been getting removed recently. They don't help conversation and what some find funny others get pissed at. This rule was added during the Hillary/Trump campaign and a couple of threads were just getting spammed with memes about retard Trump and Hillary's death count etc etc Spam There's few complaints about this too. Some of the threads are just getting the latest twitter outrage dumped into them. No real discussion takes place. Just be aware that this pisses a lot of fellow posters off and makes people put threads (or the entire sub-forum) on ignore. ...and this is still annoying a lot of users If you are being evangelical and trying to win converts to your 'side' perhaps consider that a NZ sports forum is probably not the best place for your mission. Also don't just dump your favourite twitter posts of the day into threads here. Again it crowds out the conversation
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  US Politics
  • booboo  

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  @Crucial said in US Politics: @Victor-Meldrew said in US Politics: @Crucial said in US Politics: @canefan said in US Politics: @Crucial said in US Politics: It does amaze me though that the country the western world has upheld as the protector of democracy has such piss poor voting systems. When you look at a system such as we have in NZ where you have to be enrolled by proving your right to vote then have a number of ways to have your vote taken you wonder why it is that difficult. The only excuse they could muster is that compared to NZ they are huge. Change is difficult. But they should have fixed this a long time ago You'd think that a Federal election would require a Federal approach and standards. They have a nationwide system in the UK but still have problems with an increasing amount of voting fraud - mainly postal voting. One idiot during the last General Election even tweeting a selfie showing his marking up hundreds of postal ballots he'd collected prior to posting them off. The authorities have piloted a number schemes to stop it - voter ID, collection of postal ballots etc - but change seems quite difficult to implement without disenfranchising people. But at least we don't get hanging chads and crashing voting machines We only do 'postal' votes for overseas voters don't we? Or by direct application from a voter. We don't seem to get complaints about disenfranchisement. Elderly and informed are looked after and get a vote if they want it without risk. Problems in the UK have come from anyone being able to get a postal vote. You don't have to give a reason in mainland UK. It's a good idea making it as easy to vote as possible, but it isn't easy getting the balance right between that and stopping fraud.
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  NZ Politics
  • taniwharugby  

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  @Mokey do we have to keep talking about smiles!
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  Political Memes
  • Tim  

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  Black Lives Matter
  • MajorRage  

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  Interesting take on proceedings
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  British Politics
  • canefan  

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  @TeWaio said in British Politics: @Victor-Meldrew said in British Politics: @MiketheSnow Used to be a really avid listener to BBC Radio 4 - particularly the Today programme as I drove to work. Found myself listening less and less after I gave up work. Tuned into Today a couple of months back. God, it was awful. Hectoring presenters looking for "gotchas" rather than insight and a lazy bias towards a London-centric viewpoint. The BBC really needs a kick up its arse if it's going to survive in its current form. Completely agree. I moved over to Sky News but they are disappearing down the same "gotcha journalism" rabbit hole as well. Kay Burley / Sophy Ridge / Beth Rigby all used to be great and relatively impartial. Now every time they interview anyone it seems they are argumentative for the sake of it, and constantly play gotcha trying to put clickbait headline words in a politician's mouth: Sky: Thing X has happened. People Y are upset. Do you have an apology for People Y? Politician: Well, Thing X has some other important details/nuance, let me outline our position.. Sky, interrupting: WILL YOU APOLOGISE TO PEOPLE Y? Next day Sky headline: POLITICIAN FORCED TO APOLOGISE / REFUSES TO APOLOGISE ABOUT THING X. Totally agree. When Cummings made his statement in the No.10 garden, what really struck me was the almost complete lack of questioning of the bloke - just journalist after journalist queuing up for their moment in the limelight, foaming at the mouth and berating him for not agreeing with what they were accusing him of. Just a complete lack of professionalism.
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  Hong Kong
  • Rembrandt  

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  Jeffrey Epstein
  • Tim  

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  @Frank said in Jeffrey Epstein: There's a tendency with the public to want it to be true that powerful rich men are pedos. Not just the political angle, but the anti-elite angle. I think one thing that is making people angry is that once you gain enough wealth and political connections, you are essentially above the law. Epstein used to boast about it all the time, and the absolute farce of the 2008 trial and plea deal offered to him, without consulting the victims or even allowing them to speak in court, certainly plays into that. He should have been put away for life then but was given a weak slap on the wrist because of his connections. That's not right.
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  Tiwai Smelter Closure
  • Hooroo  

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  @Stockcar86 said in Tiwai Smelter Closure: @NTA Similar I think. The generators offer into the market a specific quantity at a specific price. The highest-priced bid offered by a generator required to meet demand for a given half-hour sets the spot price for that period That sounds right. In theory, if cheap hydro is available in large quantities, the expensive generation should rarely be required, so spot prices should trend quite a bit lower.
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  Your favourite conspiracy theories
  • jegga  

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  @Stockcar86 Big Cow is lying to you
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  Aussie Politics
  • mariner4life  

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  @rotated @barbarian moving away from allowing cash payments for membership might help... Recruitment activities of both major political parties and minor parties have raised eyebrows for eons. Branch stacking isn’t generally aired in mainstream media other than when someone “from within” has their nose out of joint and wants to stitch another candidate/party member up. Forget Labor vs Liberal, the internal stuff is the most brutal. I’ve seen some nasty ones in my time. On the Victorian Labor stacking (remember that?), the biggest issue is the covert nature of the footage that showed conversations etc and the fact a Federal MPs office was being used as a veritable TV studio to try and nail Somyurek. The recruitment activities and strategies are by the by really. Some of the reaction and subsequent sharing of text exchanges between Somyurek and Byrne added a bit of drama also.
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  The Politics Quiz!
  • MajorRage  

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  Seems about right.
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  Brexit
  • sparky  

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  @Victor-Meldrew boom! Called it!
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  Royal drama
  • MajorRage  

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  @canefan said in Royal drama: @Tim said in Royal drama: "Many a good man has been put under the bridge by a woman." - Charles Bukowski. What's Harry's IQ, 90? Lower? Seems like a nice fellow but not the sharpest tool in the shed And that’s in a shed full of blunt spoons.
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  Canadian Politics
  • jegga  

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  @rotated are we sure that wasn't Trudeau in one of his more favoured costumes?
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  Cannabis referendum
  • jegga  

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  @JC said in Cannabis referendum: @Kruse Akira is more dangerous than alcohol or cigarettes, and more awesome than weed. He should definitely be legalized. Dangerous ground there on a contentious issue. Lets stick to the safe discussions like abortion and religion.
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  Covid Economics
  • Tim  

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  @Godder I was gonna say ol' Gareth has been banging that drum for years then I saw the link address...
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  Kim Jong Un Ill After Surgery
  • Hooroo  

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  @R-L if he had Covid, he probably created the vaccine, while he was ill!
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  Oil Price
  • sparky  

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  @Catogrande I did actually see the press conference when he said it. Whether he follows through, or is able to, we will see. If it doesn't happen then someone will call him on it no doubt.
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  Jussie "MAGA Country" Smollett
  • Rembrandt  

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  This is from Newsweek and funnily enough they appended a video of Jussie. RACIST THREATS AND ATTACKS THAT RATTLED A CALIFORNIA UNIVERSITY CAMPUS WERE FAKED, POLICE SAY [...] Dominguez Peña, who was living in campus housing and named in the threat, found her parked car emitting smoke. Someone had tried to start a fire with a backpack inside the vehicle. The university cancelled all remaining classes that day and the La Verne Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation stepped in to investigate. The back-to-back incidents rattled the community, forcing the administration to hold town hall-style meetings and cancel more classes the following week. But no arrests were made. Some students blamed the university for allowing racism to fester and warned that it would only be a matter of time before another racist attack. Two months later, Dominguez Peña reported she was attacked by a masked individual who placed a bag and rope over her head, groped her and slammed her head against the railing in a dormitory stairwell. All the cases remained unsolved—until March 9, 2020. After nearly a year of investigations involving multiple agencies, the LVPD said at a press conference that Dominguez Peña, 25, had faked the threats against herself and others in ten total separate "incidents." The same day, she was arrested on felony charges of making criminal threats and perjury, as well as seven misdemeanors related to electronic impersonation and filing false police reports. [...] https://www.newsweek.com/racist-threats-attacks-that-rattled-california-university-campus-were-faked-police-say-1497533
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  Conservative vs Progressive Family Values
  • No Quarter  

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  Back to OP I'm chief cook & bottlewasher in my house when I'm not away in Japan for the winter. My partner Nerys has the full-time job out of the house. I get up every morning to walk the dog then back to make her breakfast and lunch if she wants to take one to work. Then through the week it's cleaning, shopping, cooking. That's my role. To support her. The lady from Brisbane is doing the same thing. Unlike a lot of partners these days, she doesn't want her cake and eat it too.
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  Christchurch Gunman in Mosque
  • Hooroo  

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  @Godder said in Christchurch Gunman in Mosque: @Hooroo said in Christchurch Gunman in Mosque: @Godder said in Christchurch Gunman in Mosque: @Hooroo said in Christchurch Gunman in Mosque: @Godder said in Christchurch Gunman in Mosque: He might the first to get life without parole. We really need to question the system if he doesn't. If he doesn't get it, nobody will. The main question for the court is whether he could ever be released on parole safely. Some things we do in life don't deserve that question to be asked. The rule of law requires it, but the ideology and actions suggest someone who can't safely be released ever, so the judge can justify it easily enough. That also means he can't be deported, but that's worth it IMO. Good. After the debacle with releasing the Rainbow Warrior bombers, I don't want anyone being let loose from NZ until they've served their time. And this clown will find life harder on New Zealand soil. Should just be cemented into his cell for life.
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  Harvey Weinstein
  • Salacious Crumb  

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  Tommy Robinson
  • Bones  

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  @Siam said in Tommy Robinson: @MajorRage you haven't seen the footage either. If it were anybody else, that video would be edited and on news in every country. Don't get all shitty about it, you're simply commenting without seeing all that's available. That footage is tv gold and entirely topical. The guy did a good thing, it's all simply what depersoning someone looks like. In this modern world of equality. The above has no relevance to anything I wrote. Which were my observations. You can argue anything you want fella, but you can't argue my observations, unless you are calling me a liar. As for getting shitty ... best grab a mirror mate.
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  Scandinavia thread
  • jegga  

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  @Catogrande 40! years ago I spent a couple of months hitching through Scandinavia. In those days lager was 5 quid a pint!!! Nevertheless everyone was very generous. I seldom got a lift without an accompanying meal and a beer - which was awkward as your host would offer you a can and then not have one themselves as it was too fucking expensive. There were also a reasonable number (in the 20's) of people dying every year when their backwoods stills exploded. Ferries were packed with people getting absolutely shitfaced for the day on duty frees.
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  The Folau Factor
  • Virgil  

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  Israel Folau remains very good at what he was always best at, retrieving the ball in the air. Catalans Dragons are capitalising on his presence - a try in his first match last week and a last minute catch and pass to set up a try and secure an unlikely win this weekend. Not bad for a bloke who hasn't played anything for near a year. Catalans boss lauds ‘special’ Israel Folau after Dragons comeback win Fox League March 2, 2020 9:16am by Josh Luckhurst https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/super-league/nrl-2020-israel-folau-steve-mcnamara-catalans-vs-hull-super-league/news-story/2cae3648c10cb82af71c6262d086bbc8 Catalans boss Steve McNamara has hailed Israel Folau’s contribution after he helped the French team to a last-gasp 34-29 victory at Hull. The 30-year-old Australian was the centre of attention in what was his first English Super League appearance in England since signing a 12-month contract with Catalans after he was sacked by Rugby Australia last May for making homophobic comments on social media. He struggled to make an impact as Hull ran in 24 unanswered points either side of the break and looked set to return to winning ways as the hosts moved 28-10 ahead. Catalans responded with three quickfire second-half tries to level the scores but the hosts thought Marc Sneyd won it with a drop-goal three minutes from time. However, Folau produced a superb catch to regain possession from a short Catalans kick-off, which resulted in fellow Australian James Maloney crashing over for the match-winning score to the delight of boss McNamara. “To come up with the short kick off and for Izzy to go up there and take it one- handed and it gives us a chance to win it, we are obviously happy with the end result,” McNamara said. “He is a special player and it was a special catch. I thought we under-used him during the game, I thought we could have used him more. “I thought he was solid today without being spectacular. But he comes out with a really good play to give us a last chance. “Without a doubt, he is a real talent. We didn’t give him any area today, we never kicked the ball to him but he worked hard for the team, which is formidable. “He is more of an attacking threat and I was disappointed that we didn’t kick the ball for him more - we never got that right.” McNamara admitted he did not see his team winning when they trailed by 18 points with 22 minutes remaining, Hull head coach Lee Radford was gutted to watch his team squander their sizeable second-half lead. “I thought we did enough to win the game, probably twice. It’s heart-breaking in that manner of the last play of the game as well,” Radford said. “I think they got a bit of wind in their sails and we didn’t break the back of that. That is something we have to get better at. “Today I thought we did enough to get the result. It’s sort of two steps forward and one step back.” When asked if you can coach against Folau’s late catch, Radford added: “You can, but unfortunately we don’t have anyone who is 8’2” in our team and anyone who can jump that high in our team, so it’s very hard to replicate.”
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  Climate Change #3 & Other Environmental Issues
  • TeWaio  

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  @Siam said in Climate Change #3 & Other Environmental Issues: ( based on median GDP over 80 years) 5 trillion US dollars. For 5 million people to pay for ( I don't even know how many millions that is each) Maybe US1 million each. (if 5 trillion is 5 million million) To reduce the temperature even based on the most scary calculation by the climate alarmists. It would be so small (less then 0.01 degrees) And there are nil restrictions on China (easily the biggest CO2 producer. NZ in comparison is tiny) and India. But lets destroy the NZ economy (esp farming). And send billions overseas to a fund where the money isn't accounted for. And use climate change to justify more tax etc.
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  Aussie Bush Fires
  • Rembrandt  

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  Yeah, it's a bit humid... The "feels like" just ticked over 40 again. No rain in sight. It's Feb in the tropics and I am considering putting the sprinklers on.
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  Ricky Gervais At Globes
  • Baron Silas Greenback  

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  Racism in NZ
  • raznomore  

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  Sorry to resurrect an old thread but wasn't sure where to post this. I found this article really interesting - makes me think about race in a different way. Would be interested to read his book. https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2020/jan/26/fight-racism-using-science-race-genetics-bigotry-african-americans-sport-linnaeus?__twitter_impression=true
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  Iran, Syria, and the rest of the ... Middle East
  • Tim  

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  Not a good time to be a leader in the Iranian military https://m.jpost.com/Middle-East/Iran-News/Iranian-commander-gunned-down-in-front-of-his-own-home-614978
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  Student Loans
  • canefan  

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  Supposedly if you dispute that there's a debt at all, they can't collect without a court order or similar. All a bit messy - I went to university 1998 so had the full whack of interest and can relate. Not sure what the answer is, because it's a loan and to be repaid, but the lender can literally change the law around the obligations after the loan was made, can arrest for default, take from wages etc, and it's only wiped by death or bankruptcy, where other unsecured loans are also wiped by No Asset Procedures, so it's not exactly a standard loan.
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  South americas meltdown
  • jegga  

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  In a perfect world Owen Jones and Sean Penn would read this https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2020/01/19/784178950/his-dad-died-in-a-venezuelan-hospital-what-he-saw-in-the-morgue-still-haunts-him
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  European Politics
  • Tim  

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  @JC Sounds super reasonable. I do wonder what the 'bold' climate policies are though. Kind of a genius move calling yourself the Greens campaigning on climate to keep the extremists from calling you Nazis while at the same time having libertarian and conservative policies. Hard to imagine a Green party interested in preserving the environment as opposed to creating a gulag archipelago.
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  Guns?.........or is that the least of the problems?
  • El Toro supremo  

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  Fascinating long read. Here’s the headline, intro & link: The Surprisingly Solid Mathematical Case of the Tin Foil Hat Gun Prepper Or, “Who Needs an AR-15 Anyway?” As gun policy discussions unfold in the wake of mass shooter incidents, they routinely end in three buckets. There’s the “tyranny can never happen here” bucket, which the left has mostly abdicated in the wake of Trump winning after they called (and still call) him a tyrant. There’s the “you can’t fight the army with small arms” bucket, which is increasingly unsound given our ongoing decade-and-a-half war with Afghani tribal goat herders. And there’s the “what the hell do you need an AR-15 for anyway?” bucket, which, by its very language, eschews a fundamental lack of understanding of what those people are thinking. I am not a prepper. But I know a few. Some of the ones I do know are smart. They may not be doing as deep an analysis as I present here, on a mathematical level, but the smart ones are definitely doing it at a subconscious level. If you want to understand the perspectives of others, as everyone in my opinion should strive to do, then you would do well to read to the end of this article. To get where we’re going, we will need to discuss the general framework of disaster mathematics. [...] https://medium.com/s/story/the-surprisingly-solid-mathematical-case-of-the-tin-foil-hat-gun-prepper-15fce7d10437
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  Baghdadi gooooooooone
  • sparky  

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  @JC said in Baghdadi gooooooooone: @jegga said in Baghdadi gooooooooone: Jamie Lee Curtis has an interesting take ... and a great rack. Had . Had a fantastic rack . For an alleged hermaphrodite
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  Edward Snowden
  • jegga  

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  About 2/3rd through, taking my time and re-listening to parts as I think its probably pretty important. Pretty fascinating story although pretty unsurprising really. I do wonder if the existence of the Constitution might in time right these wrongs, at least it gives some sort of a firm foundation to work back toward.
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  Euro qualifier stopped twice for Racism
  • Rembrandt  

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  @MajorRage you colonials really have come a long way in the humour department.
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  Mexican Cartels
  • Tim  

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  Well for some silver lining to this horror from my absolutely overly-privileged 1st world position...at least 'Narcos' will be good for a few more seasons.
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  Should the Crusaders change their name?
  crusaders • • Duluth  

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  @Chris said in Should the Crusaders change their name?: @Kirwan said in Should the Crusaders change their name?: So what ended up being decided? Keeping the name, losing the sword? At the moment sword and knight gone from the Logo for 2020 name stays for next season but under review for 2021 Ahh, the weasly chicken shit way of changing the name.