While it's a tradition to be positive and full of Christmas cheer around this time, not to mention cherish those we love, I think we need to follow the actions of our self-proclaimed betters and engage in some serious navel-gazing and self flagellation.

It is clear that this website lacks diversity. And that is problematic. There is only one poster who identifies as a woman and while being bisexual is a plus, she isn't a POC and most posters here are straight (white - problematic) males anyway. Clearly the poster who identifies as Mariner4life is a homosexual, but there are no others who will dare to come out on this site. There are certainly no trans people and that is a tragedy. There is an oriental tooth doctor and a goat fucker, but they don't compensate for the overwhelming whiteness that pervades here. That is problematic and I would hope that the mods (mostly straight white males - also very problematic) fix this problem in 2019.

Nah fuck that.

This site is great. For me it's like Cheers: "Where everybody knows your name and you're always glad you came". You can act like a fool and speak utter crap and all is forgiven next time you rock up. I've had a very tough couple of years and unfortunately I sometimes let that out here and I apologise for that, but mostly I just love coming here every day and reading some very informed (and not so informed) views about rugby, other sports, movies, TV, fitness, movies and politics etc. The advice and kind words I've received here have helped me massively (even the dp discussion). It's a cracking site with a cracking group of people and I wish you all the merriest of Christmases and happiest of New Years and I thank you once again for putting up with yet another year of my shit!

God Jul alle sammen.

Great thread this one.

I’ve always been of the belief that if there is something you’re unhappy about or something you want to change then you should do something about it. Don’t die wondering. Stop complaining and do something about it. The sad problem is that there are sometimes factors completely outside your control.

I met the woman who would become my wife when she was a student in Aus and moved to her home country of Norway. It was awesome at first but I became utterly miserable with my life there as the years went on. I hated the cold, hated the dark and started irrationally hating the entire country and culture. I knew I had to get out of there and was all set to leave , but then my father in law got a brain tumour. Move delayed by 3 years. Then we finally moved to Aus. Worked like a maniac to make everyone happy. Was going well, everyone getting adjusted, wife making friends, gets to travel home to Norway with kids regularly, work awesome and talking about a move to the Sunshine Coast. Then she gets breast cancer. 4 years of hell follow with me not daring to even think worst case or talk to her about it. Then worst case happens and it destroyed me. Telling my sons that mamma was not going to get better was absolutely soul destroying. Those poor boys.

So I was at the location I wanted to be, but I’d lost my soulmate and was a widower and single dad and provider at the age of 38. In that situation you can talk to people or whatever but it doesn’t change anything. It won’t bring anyone back and it won’t make a tragic situation any less tragic. The sadness can be triggered by so many things and thankfully I had my boys there with me. They helped me more than I helped them.

So I focussed on the things I could influence. Exercise and eating right made me happy so I did that and did it properly. It helped me get through some very hard days.

Things gradually got better and my eldest pushed me into online dating. Could write a book about all that but I found an amazing new partner who complements my life and lifestyle perfectly. She and her daughter have moved in and we’ve since also made some wonderful new friends in the local community.

So I was bouncing back really well but unfortunately my eldest son went completely off the rails at the end of last year. He had been doing really well. Won a swimming scholarship to a top school, was very popular and had girls throwing themselves at him. But he suddenly got in with a bad crowd, started with drugs and went completely off the rails. Nobody knows exactly why he’s acting like this. Presumably his mother dying is a huge factor, but he refuses to talk to anyone and has thrown his lot in with the absolute dregs of society. He refused to go to school and was then expelled from the shitty school he insisted on going to. Now he’s living with some friends in a flat somewhere, refusing to find another school and doing God knows what. While I think he should come out of this ok in the end, I’m scared shitless that something will happen to him. It’s so hard because whenever I start feeling good about life, the reminder of his situation hits me like a train. If that ain’t enough, my younger brother has apparently disappeared. Tbh I have zero time for him but my parents are obviously beside themselves and I hate to see them so worried and stressed.

Sorry for the ramble and perhaps way too much info, but again the point I’m making is that sometimes total happiness is completely outside your control. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do everything you can to change or improve the things you can influence. I’m the fittest and healthiest I ever been in my life. I give everything to my relationship and my other son and new step daughter. I’m not happy with work so am looking to make changes when Covid is over. I won’t be fully happy until my son comes back to me, but until then I’ll do the best that I can to get the most out of life. What more can you do?

@virgil said in Convicts v Marxist Land Thieves - Crucket:

Smart move by Warner to face the media for the first time with his wife and girls
Hard to kick him further when he’s holding one of his little girls.

I hate him even more for that. He's effectively using them as a shield. Cowardly tosser.

Let's keep this civil. As much as I love a good circle jerk, these threads are much better with the Lions fans involved. Don't want them to leave before the tests.

The only consolation is that Akira has been selected. Unfortunately he'll probably be subbed after 20min when Scott Barrett gets sent off.

Game was a bit ordinary. Looked like it was going to be 30 nil at half-time, but the yellow card (what the hell was that for?) changed things and then of course the ref kept blowing for tries and then changing his mind. They have to fix this shit. The entire crowd, Reds fans included, went apeshit when he annulled that TJP try. Ultimately people want to be entertained not witness that kind of bullshit. That was goddam farcical.

Anyway result was great and the Canes are a seriously impressive team. J Savea is an utter beast. I won't hear any criticism of the non-fat version. He was Lomu-like tonight. His brother was bloody awesome as well. 8 suits him to the ground. Hope his injury isn't anything serious. Barretts were of course ridiculous. What an incredible double-team. Fark we Canes fans are lucky right now. And I agree with above rating of Proctor. He was all class.

But, while the game was pretty shit, it was a magical evening for a little kid who desperately wanted a selfie with Beauden. I speak not of myself (even though I would very much like one), but my 8 year old son who refused to leave after the game. We were going to wait for TJP who was closest, but we saw BB further away and my son ran in that direction. He managed to sneak forward as only kids can and his day was made.

Seriously what a champion. He gave everything during the game (that dude seriously covers some distance during the course of a game), then immediately had to give interviews. But he then went straight to the crowd and was giving dozens of selfies. He was still doing it when we left, so God knows how long he was out there. A great player and true gentleman. Never thought my man crush could get stronger but it certainly did tonight!

@kruse said in Happiness Scale:

@rancid-schnitzel said in Happiness Scale:

@nta said in Happiness Scale:

@rancid-schnitzel said in Happiness Scale:

What would it honestly cost her just to give you 2 minutes (if that) of her time a couple of times a week?

Woah easy there - don't think I could suddenly go to having sex 4 times a week...

And that’s where men enter the retarded stakes. Start complaining about too much sex.

Not intended to be a humblebrag, but it's gonna look like one...
I'm pretty sure the end of my last relationship started with her going down on me unexpectedly, and me kinda saying something like “WTF, give a man some warning”. I mean, her suckling on a shrivelled up cheerio, wasn't really a turn-on.
That devolved into some stupid argument, during which I came to the realisation “I just don't like you”, so that was that.

Of course - looking back... young, hot, nympho, single-child of very wealthy parents, and somehow into me despite me being well gone to seed.
Seems a silly decision, but... she simply wasn't a person I wanted to spend time with, other than the 30-seconds a day before sleepy times.
So, sex life back to Atacama Desert level drought.

If you wanted her to stop all you had to do was marry her.

My wife was expecting any day around the 2nd Lions test so going to the pub early in the morning (in Norway) was something of a risk. But thankfully my son stayed put for a few days and I could witness history. What a performance.After that there was pressure from the family to call him Daniel.

Most legendary 10s seem to be brilliant at certain aspects of the game but not everything. Some are amazing kickers and great at controlling the game, but not the best at running (Fox, Botha, Wilkinson). Others are ridiculous with ball in hand but not great at kicking (Carlos, Barrett). But Carter was different. He was brilliant at everything. Easily the best 10 of all time and I’m not sure we’ll ever see another quite like him.

Such a shame he was injured in 2011. He was absolutely on fire. But 2015 was epic. That was him giving a massive fark you to the haters.

He also appears to be an absolute champion bloke and role model. We were so lucky to have him.

@gt12 said in All Blacks v France Test #2:

@taniwharugby

I'm having an afternoon at home today, so I'm planning to watch the game again, but I'd agree that he tends to make tackles, but not necessarily dominant ones. At least, that's my impression. However, I've wondered whether he is like Nayman on the Wire (season 4), where his ridiculous hairstyle makes everything he does so visible. He's clearly one of the players, who has had time invested in him, who hasn't made the next step. However, I agree that he still has the tools if he can be used right. My problem with him right now is that he seems to be hanging around looking for turnovers, when he could have a much simpler role, which is high energy tackles and runs, like a energizer Cane.

Mate, if I had the afternoon off I can think of thousands of better things to do than to watch that dross again.

Blues Brothers.

Another random request from youngest. What a cracking film. Great romp and great music.

Interesting comment from son was that the film wouldn’t be nearly as good with CGI. Totally agree. Those car smash scenes must have cost a fortune.

@kiwimurph said in Olympics Thread:

@stargazer a huge final leg by Kyle Chalmers for Aus. He'll be eyeing the 100m gold.

He’s an absolute freak. The 100m final between him and Dressel will be epic.

I won’t ever claim to know skateboarding but when did they start wearing 90s tennis fashion? Some of these outfits would put Andre Agassi to shame.

@bovidae said in Olympics Thread:

@rancid-schnitzel said in Olympics Thread:

@nevorian said in Olympics Thread:

Seems ridiculous too that final wasn’t in tonight’s session which is normally the case

Yeah what’s the story about that? Weird watching a final in the morning.

As I said before, it's all to do with having the finals broadcast in the evening for the US market. They must pay the IOC the big money.

Fair enough. Seems stupid then that the Australians (and perhaps other nations) didn’t keep to the same schedule during their trials.

@nevorian said in Olympics Thread:

@rancid-schnitzel said in Olympics Thread:

@bovidae said in Olympics Thread:

From Stuff (Clareburt's splits):

Needs to work on his butterfly.

Probably blew his load a bit last night in the heats. But with no semis it’s very difficult to ease off.

Seems ridiculous too that final wasn’t in tonight’s session which is normally the case

Yeah what’s the story about that? Weird watching a final in the morning.

How utterly ridiculous that they can’t take off their masks on the podium.

@bovidae said in Olympics Thread:

From Stuff (Clareburt's splits):

Needs to work on his butterfly.

Probably blew his load a bit last night in the heats. But with no semis it’s very difficult to ease off.

@bones said in Olympics Thread:

@rancid-schnitzel said in Olympics Thread:

@bones said in Olympics Thread:

Clareburt wins his heat in the 400m medley with his fastest time in a heat this year. Classically not rated by the British commentator when asked her opinion on who to watch and led most of the race.

He looked impressive. The Pom in his race probably won’t make the final.

Fuck knows what he was doing in his start and turns but he seemed to gain an extra metre or two each time. Looks like he can put on a good spurt. Of pace.

The Australian looked bloody good but the final is pretty open. Will be a cracker.

@mariner4life said in Olympics Thread:

Fuuuucked off with Ch7 not showing the end of the road race as promised. I blame this entirely on Hamish McLaughlin because he is a fluffybunny

I saw it on TV. Maybe it was on 7Mate or something? Don’t you get it up there?

The 7plus app shows every sport live.

@bones said in Olympics Thread:

Clareburt wins his heat in the 400m medley with his fastest time in a heat this year. Classically not rated by the British commentator when asked her opinion on who to watch and led most of the race.

He looked impressive. The Pom in his race probably won’t make the final.

Edit: Qualifies 2nd fastest and Pom scrapes in. Jap world champ doesn’t qualify.

I think it just shows how much the players really give a shit about the league “world” cup. They’re not scared of Covid, just the pain in the arse of travel, bubbles, inconvenience etc etc. I’m willing to bet they’d do it for Origin or the NRL finals, but for this? Not so much.