@godder said in US Politics:

Virginia is about to abolish the death penalty. That doesn't sound like much, but that would make it the first southern state to do so. Virginia has the most executions of all the states and was the location of the first US execution, and also has the second most executions in the modern era after Texas, so it's a watershed moment in the abolitionist struggle.

The modern era is usually defined in the USA as post-Furman, which was a legal moratorium imposed by SCOTUS between 1972 and 1976 due to racial bias in death sentencing, with the first execution after that being Gary Gilmour by firing squad in 1977 in Utah (for sports fans, his last words were "Let's do it", which was the inspiration for Nike's catch phrase of "Just do it!").

Virginia used to be solidly Republican at state level, but has recently switched to Democratic, so it's interesting to see the various agenda items being progressed after the change and whether that will be replicated in other purple states.

that's awesome

Watched the Foreigner on Netlfix tonight. Jacky Chan plays the father out for revenge who has a hidden past, Pierce Brosnan channels his inner Gerry Adams to play a Northern Irish politician and one time IRA member. Set in London and Belfast, the movie has a gritty feel to it, Chan is quite the opposite to his usual smiling Rush Hour style character. Great action, suspense, and a high octane ending. A solid 4 soda bottle bombs out of 5 viet cong style death traps

Fuck I'd love to see this

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2021/mar/05/ship-hovering-above-sea-cornwall-optical-illusion

Level of self importance: Extreme

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/124347716/green-mp-ricardo-menendez-march-sought-emergency-room-in-miq-a-second-time-for-national-interest-reasons

@pakman said in TV Serieseseses:

@bones said in TV Serieseseses:

@pakman said in TV Serieseseses:

@bones said in TV Serieseseses:

@NTA that's nothing for Paquin!

Side note: Her mum was my English teacher.

Taught you everything you know?

I'll have you know I got school C English!

I'm also old enough to know what that means!

I think I got 32% in the mock exam so it was touch and go.

@ploughboy said in Alternative needed from the absolute crap of stuff.co.nz:

dont really know what to say but this is where wokeism has got to

https://www.stuff.co.nz/pou-tiaki/300244316/overcoming-inequities-in-cricket

I’m outraged there hasn’t been a single All Black of Indian or Asian origin. Stay tuned for my disgruntled article on it.

If this kid is any good at cricket he can fucken well join a club and use all their gear and rely on volunteers like me ( I coach my boys team ). There’s a few brown faces amongst the kids in the various teams at the club and they’re certainly not all Indian.

Christ this article is woke bullshit.

@victor-meldrew pfft you call that evidence! I was talking to Janice from next door last night. Well, it turns out her nephew's friend's dogsitter had the vaccine (3×!!) And she still got the covids!!

@canefan said in Coronavirus - Overall:

@pakman said in Coronavirus - Overall:

No surprises: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-obesity-idUSKBN2AW1X0

Certainly goes a long way to explaining the USA and UK

About time the UK messaging changed to include

Move more, eat less

@Cyclops said in Super Rugby News:

@Duluth said in Super Rugby News:

Tim Perry.. of all the players who had multiple starts for the Blues he was the worst. Second place is miles behind him. Think of all the crap players that played for the Blues over the decades Tim Perry was number one. Well done.

Managed to win three super rugby titles though!

Didn't really watch him at the blues but he was decent for the crusaders and ultimately managed to push crockett out of starting his last final.

Not to mention a fairytale end to his career winning the M10 Cup with the Mako in his final match.

Six test caps.

And even memorable for the Blues....

Pretty solid, Tim! 🙂

@catogrande stunning and brave

3B37E5FD-8DDB-402D-85A6-E68F2C00267E.jpeg

@nta said in Hawt discussion (lots of PG13 gifs/pics):

@taniwharugby fuck a duck! Maybe two....

quack quack

@mn5 haha yeah mate. At least I am still in Auckland though.....this time anyway.

Did a 10km trail ride yesterday and prob do the same later today once its a bit cooler outside.

@Yeetyaah

The Waikato vs BOP XV game must have been played yesterday in Cambridge. The good guys won 33-19.

Having a quick look at the photos on the BOP FB page, I can see Burr, Thompson and Dyer in Waikato colours.

I would assume all Waikato surplus Chiefs players were released as they were for BOP.

@antipodean said in Aussie Rugby:

@tim Everyone has always said it's the administration at NSWRU that's a monumental disaster. They're half-witted amateurs in a professional business.

There are unions threatening to leave NSW and join up with ACT and Southern NSW. I'm surprised they've stuck it out this long.

Paul Doorn had to talk Central West down from the ledge about 6 months ago. They get nothing from RA or NSWRU but keep paying "participation" fees.

Up in New England this weekend, Inverell 7s only had 2 refs scheduled for 2 solid days of rugby. I got an email this week asking the group for help. Unbelievable.

The problem with being the biggest union: having the most people means having the most dickheads, statistically speaking. NSWRU is all over the shop with the amateur game completely split from the semipro game completely split from the pro game. Then there are the multiple schools associations who fuck with junior club rugby all the time... jeez...

Smaller organisations like ACT have a laser focus on getting their shit together and ensuring their hierarchy is clear. The Reds realised they needed to streamline things and take advantage of initiatives like the NRC to rebuild their success

Davis has to go - retaining Board or ExCo for excessive time works out well for approximately no organisation, ever.

@hooroo said in Rough tips and other bets...:

@bayimports said in Rough tips and other bets...:

I see Polly Grey had a good first up third today at Rosehill, Anyone collect?

Stoked with the run. Wanted to see her hit the line well and from that far back fresh over 1400 she exceeded expectations.

Off to black type fillies and mares race on March 6 I think

I was on each way, given track conditions, I was thinking she would go close even with that distance not normally her favourite.. was a good effort indeed 🙂

@Rugger-Quizzes said in My Latest All Blacks Quiz:

3000 or more test runs. New entry on the list.

https://www.jetpunk.com/user-quizzes/83115/new-zealand-test-cricket-3000-or-more-test-runs

3.19 remaining........most of this was due to the spelling of one particular name...

Legs tonight, cruising on about 5 hours of Zzz and another fucking hectic day at mahi. Nothing like some heavy squats to blow that stress away 🙂

Back squats up to a double and a single at 140kg. Talked to a gym bro today who was trying out a new leg routine he picked up from a PT. He wanted to change things up and we started talking about our program/workouts. This fucking madman just comes straight in and starts on his working weight. No warm up sets or anything, raw dogging it lol.

I'm at the other end where I do 4 sets of 5 from the bar to 100kg as my warm up, with band work or some kind of mobility stuff in between. Then up to another 5 by 5 for my working sets. He reckons its a sign he's not pushing himself enough, which makes sense if he can handle that weight from the get-go. He thought I was cray cray with all my warm up guff too. Fair play I reckon.

Usual accessories. KB goblet squats kicked my ass - so good for a core, arm and upper back burn. Sitting around 95-96kg but I can tell I put on fat when I got loose with my eating for a bit. Certainly didn't add much muscle. Slowly getting closer to being able to train twice a week. That would be really good.

@mikethesnow How man people can truck rollon/rolloff employ?

And doesn't the extra paperwork offset the reduced physical workload?

Not arguments to your point, more questions.

@booboo lol, I saw that a few days ago. Requested Google fix, but still not done.

Rudi Wulf back with Toulon (on loan from Lyon and replacying Bryce Heem) until the end of the season, when he will retire from rugby.

@canefan said in Coronavirus - Australia:

@KiwiMurph said in Coronavirus - Australia:

Victoria lockdown ending tonight. 0 new cases today. Nearly 40,000 tests received in the last 24 hours.

Hopefully we will join them shortly

I hope so - Blues need to train!

D246BF55-E87A-4669-B565-B2E59677FC24.jpeg

@No-Quarter said in GOT - there will be spoilers:

I'm currently reading the books. Got em on Kindle so it has merged all 5 books into one which physiologically makes it a tough as you don't feel like you are making much progress. Have got 69% of the way through.

They are freaking awesome though.

The detail on the houses the families is fucking amazing isn’t it.

@majorrage said in NH International Rugby:

I think this tedious argument can be summed up as per below.

England can certainly feel hard done but not necessarily because they were shafted by the referee.

That's fair. They got a pretty rough deal in the lottery of life, being born English

@mikethesnow said in Coronavirus - UK:

I was empathetic and engaged in the show, and then it just went off on a tangent which the presenters themselves both corroborated and contradicted whilst painting a picture that poverty, lack of opportunity, and exposure to harmful pollution was a BAME only problem.

And as soon as they trotted out George Floyd and BLM the die was cast.

I didn't see this show, but what utter bullshhh. Of course I can't say that though can I because "white privilege"!?
I'm getting really annoyed with this "issue".

I just don't get it, BAME communities have poor uptake in the vaccine programme which is only going to become more of a problem down the line for them and for the nhs.
They are vulnerable for whatever reason, I personally think it's a social problem - larger families and extended families continuously mixing regardless of rules, I've seen this in my local community constantly, even doctors I work with have the attitude that there social/cultural influences are more important than the rules, like the rules don't apply to them. You would think this vulnerable set of people would jump at the chance to be vaccinated!
If vaccine passports are required there will be uproar about discrimination etc this is a no win all around.

I actually wish we would just stop talking about what colour people are, we all have the same access to health care, we absolutely effing do, the nhs is literally a free for all, come on in from wherever you want we will give you an nhs number and we will look after you! We all have the same access to the vaccine so let's all be grown ups, follow the rules and the stats I want to know about are the uptake overall.

Let's stop the babying, if you don't want the vaccine regardless of your colour then don't have it. How much more encouragement can there be!?

WADA does not appeal CAS decision regarding Russian Anti-Doping Agency to Swiss Federal Tribunal

Following the passing of the deadline to appeal the December 2020 decision of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in the case between the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA), which ruled in favor of WADA and declared RUSADA non-compliant with the World Anti-Doping Code, WADA confirms that it did not appeal the CAS decision to the Swiss Federal Tribunal. WADA was disappointed that the CAS Panel, based on its own assessment of proportionality, decided not to impose all the consequences that WADA sought (and not for the full four-year period). However, the grounds of appeal to the Swiss Federal Tribunal are limited to procedural matters such as jurisdiction, the composition of the Panel and the right to be heard. The Swiss Federal Tribunal does not conduct a review of the merits and would therefore not interfere with the Panel's assessment of the proportionality of the consequences. As a result, and following unanimous advice from in-house and external legal counsels, WADA strongly believes an appeal would have served no useful purpose and decided to refrain from doing so.

By the way, with the remaining two-year ban, Russia cannot compete as a nation at the Olympics in Tokyo and Winter Games in Beijing 2022, although its athletes can compete as neutrals.

However, if the 2021 and 2022 Games are postponed, they'll escape any sanction, it seems. Maybe they should have imposed a ban for the "next two Olympic Games" instead (if legally possible)?

@MN5 said in Australia v India:

@Snowy said in Australia v India:

@MN5 said in Australia v India:

I hate overrated All Rounders like Watson and Ben Stokes.

How do you feel about Chris Cairns?

I said overrated not underrated

We could just go with rated then.

@stargazer said in 'Super Rugby' 2021:

@kiwimurph Yup. I only detect sarcasm when I can see someone's face and hear their voice. In writing, I miss quite a few.

Come on man.

It's me, does anyone take me seriously?

Luatua and Vito-doing well overseas, I understand. Charlie would have been useful too (33 now though). I'd say decline. Stale tactics, so-so selections.
Would have liked to have seen a bit of Jordan in a Bledisloe, hoping it will still happen.

@SynicBast said in RWC: All Blacks v Ireland (QF2):

@Bones said in RWC: All Blacks v Ireland (QF2):

@Billy-Tell well yeah, if your foot is on the line, you're outside the field of play right?

In touch and field of play are separate concepts. You can have one part of your body in the field of play and still be in touch. Howver if you are required to be outside the field of play then no part of your body can be inside the field of play. That's why they use separate terminology.

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@Catogrande said in All Blacks v BI Lions Test #3:

@MiketheSnow said in All Blacks v BI Lions Test #3:

@Catogrande said in All Blacks v BI Lions Test #3:

@Crucial said in All Blacks v BI Lions Test #3:

@MiketheSnow said in All Blacks v BI Lions Test #3:

Had it on good authority that some of the Home Nations would love for the Lions Tours to finish.

Minimal remuneration and loss of players to injury the primary reasons.

If we'd gone down 3-0 - which was on the cards prior to and during the tour - then it could have seen the end.

So thanks for playing ball NZ 🙂

It is certainly something that really irks me that the NH either decided (or allowed) the SoccerFootball construct of clubs to be the structure in Pro Rugby.
It can only lead to the game being money driven, to owners making decisions based on their club rather than country and to the international game being devalued.
When 'friendlies' become common the international game will die and the RWC will become everything. (I think there are some in higher powers that would actually welcome that scenario)

It's not really the NH as a whole, just England and France. Now I can't speak for France but the idea that The RFU would actually make a pro-active decision of any magnitude is laughable. In England professionalism was held back for a year to allow for a smoother, land transition. What a complete and utter joke. The RFU did SFA to manage the change and left this extra year as a vacuum for wealthy sugar daddies to finance the clubs and effectively own the player base. Fucked it up from the word go.

there are many aspects of the professional game in England that are laudable but the overall planning is not one of them. It is more a case of constantly putting out fires that we have started ourselves.

Wales has done an awesome job of fucking it up too

True but in a different way. The idea of the regions was IMO, the right way to go but it seems from the outside that it has been handled poorly. Quite how I don't know but money is obviously a problem

Regions would have been accepted from the outset if they had been administered and financed by the WRU a la NZ.

They weren't, and then it became tribal warfare.

@NTA said in Bledisloe Four: Brisbane, 7 November:

@Nepia said in Bledisloe Four: Brisbane, 7 November:

I don't think those fans exist (Australians maybe?)

Only as good as your last 2 Tests, boys. 😎

We've got the Foster * that we can lay on the table through this dark, dark time.

@Cyclops they were doing that when England claimed the wicket too.

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Siam" data-cid="569978" data-time="1459867638">
<div>
<p>Is there a chance the lockwood flag is used in a widespread manner by people informally, a bit like a viral movement?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sporting audiences, private homes etc and it gains traction that way?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Perhaps an athlete at the olympics or some such</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Just wondering because it seems weird if that's the end of a flag debate that was so close</p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p> </p>
<p>I cant find the article, but there were some athletes that said they were considering having the Alternative design with them to carry at Rio</p>