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Talk back to The Tonk
Alex Brown and Trevor Marshallsea
We know. The world seems a terrible, cruel place this morning on account of your Australia Day hangover. That, we can't help. But what we can guarantee is that life, as you know it, is about to get a whole lot better as The Tonk goes global.
From today, the Herald's only - and, by default, best - cricket column goes blog. We'll be improving things as we go, but for now read on and tell us what you think.
And, if you must, complain about your hangover.
Best of mates wish Jaques all the worst
A tough week for Phil Jaques. Overlooked for the past two one-day internationals despite his prolific run-scoring feats, Jaques must have thought he could at least have counted on the support of his mates in his quest for a call-up to the Australian squad. But when the left-handed opener told his club, Sutherland, he would play this weekend's fixtures at Caringbah Oval if Trevor Hohns didn't come a-calling, he unwittingly put his club teammates in a difficult position.
"It'd be good to see him, although everyone is pushing for him to make the Australian side," said Luke Dudman, Jaques's close friend and Sutherland teammate. "I imagine the WACA will be a bit different to Caringbah this weekend."
Teenage fanclub
Blues all-rounder Moises "Mo" Henriques has barely begun his career, but already the 18-year-old's fan base is growing. At last weekend's Twenty20 final, a large section of North Sydney Oval crowd sported Henriques T-shirts. Another well-known Mo, Greg Matthews, is also making news, having earned a recall to the Sydney University first-grade side at the age of 46.
KP cops it
The Tonk's quest to come up with oi-oi-oi-less chants for the Ashes series is proving a runaway success. Following on from Wayne Smith's gem last week, in which he quite rightly questioned the hygiene standards of those in the mother country, Tonk disciple Mathew Smith penned the pick of them this week, to be sung to Kevin Pietersen to the tune of If you're happy and you know it:
You think that you are English, you're a Boer,
You think that you are English but you can score,
If you're an Aussie and you know it, then you really ought to show it,
If you're Aussie and you know it, clap your hands.
A belter, and a worthy addition to The Tonk's ever-burgeoning hymn book. Add your contributions here and remember - the best chants will be forwarded to London for publication in The Guardian's The Spin column, which restarts next week. From there, English readers will attempt to return serve from their cold, dark, gloomy homes and offices. At least it'll keep them warm. Was Geraint Jones the worst burger flipper in Queensland history? Is Paul Collingwood worse than Collingwood? Wouldn't they love Phil Jaques now? Put it to them.
Quote of the week
Andrew Flintoff finally revealed this week what he said to Brett Lee when he famously went over to the despondent tailender after England narrowly won the second Test at Edgbaston last year: "I must admit that when I put my arm around him the exact words I used were, 'It's 1-1 you Aussie bastard'." Yeah, right. A fine bowler, a fine batsman, and a sense of humour. Flintoff surely is the complete package.
King worries Singh
Australian Bennett King is coming under pressure in the Caribbean. Guyanese Cricket Board president Chetram Singh has called on the West Indies Cricket Board to assess whether or not King's performance is helping the West Indies bounce back from a long slump. Reports from the Caribbean say Singh is worried the $US1 million ($1.3 million) a year reportedly paid to King and his coaching team may not be reaping dividends, particularly when the WICB has a deficit of $15 million.
Since King took over at the start of last year the Windies have won just one of 11 Tests and lost eight, and won just two of 18 one-dayers. The Test results show no improvement on 2004 under former coach Gus Logie, when the Windies won one of 12 and lost eight. Their ODI results in 2004 were far better, with 12 wins from 24 games, including a Champions Trophy triumph. King's tenure has, however, included a sponsorship row in which several of his best players were unavailable for periods of last year.
Bush has big bash
It's officially Bush Week in Sydney, with the SCG Country Cup final to be held at the famous old ground on Sunday. A total of 91 teams from across NSW entered this season's knockout competition, and it has boiled down to Newcastle's Wallsend against the Oak Flats Rats from Wollongong in the deciding one-dayer, which starts at 10am.
Both clubs qualified the hard way for their first final, coming through quarters and semis in Dubbo in late December, when the mercury reached 50 degrees in the middle and drinks breaks were held every 12 overs. Oaks Flats is famous as the former club of Brett and Shane Lee. Wallsend, which has a 15-year-old wicketkeeper in Matt Latham, produced Australian players Johnny Martin and Jack Moroney. Both clubs are bringing several busloads of spectators.
I am a huge Martyn fan and have been since before his inclusion for an injured Steve Waugh. I agree, i have never seen him dominate an attack like the players mentioned. Strangely enough though he has a very solid record. Bias, yeah a touch but before leaving Australian shores he was statistically one of our top batsmen.
I would have liked to have seen what would have happened if he had been given not out in those innings. Confidence is a huge factor in modern day sport.....
At least he was gracious in the media when dropped.
- Posted by: Ro at February 2, 2006 10:57 PM
It's totally wrong to say Martyn has never torn an attack apart - last World Cup final for starters anyone?
And he should still be in the test team. Before the Ashes he was Australia's best test batsmen for the past year, and was singled out as a scapegoat when every batsmen underperfomed in that series.
- Posted by: Rob at February 2, 2006 10:55 PM
Good old Ed Milne. You can always rely on an Aussie to live in some sort of Alice in Wonderland scenario when they talk about the Aus Cricket team. Maybe Ed's related to his namesake A.A Milne who wrote about the adventures of Winnie the Pooh. That would explain why he thinks that donkeys like Eeyore Gillespie were in a side that "was and still is" the best side in the world. Someone must have forgotten to tell Bangladesh about all of this. We remember when the Australians used to say that there wasn't any England player who was good enough to get into the Australian team. (and they were right) Now the boot's on the other foot, apart from Ponting and Warne, ditto. McGraths a truly great player but he looks like he's going to struggle to get through a compact five test series. Gilchrist is Flintoff's bunny, and the Aussie selectors have done the rest for us by dropping the sublimely talented Clark and Martyn.
Last time England toured Australia a gobby Aussie got stuck into Simon Jones when he ruptured his knee ligaments on the boundary at the Gabba. When Australia followed on at Trent Bridge having been bowled out by a highly motivated Jones in the first innings a lot of us raised a glass to that spectator. He cost you the Ashes. So keep looking through the looking Glass Ed and Co, don't stop dreaming and sprouting rubbish, and if you bump into any big white rabbits, don't be surprised if the're wearing the baggy green
- Posted by: Michael MacCallum at February 2, 2006 10:52 PM
Exactly Ro, they were amongst the few occasions Martyn convincingly hit the ball.
I agree, he was harshly dealt with by the umpires in England, but he didn't perform in the other 7 Test innings in which he was given opportunity to do so.
Moreover, I agree with 'Aussie abroad', he has never, ever dominated a bowling atttack. He can push a single here, steal a run there, but never does he take the bowling by the scruff of the neck. Phil Jaques, Matthew Hayden, or even Cosgrove in South Australia as Aussie Abroad says, can all do this in a way he has never shown he can.
I guess it's as you say, 'harder to get out than in'. Therein lies my point, and the reason for our ashes disaster. We refuse to make the tough decisions before the disaster of the next real test
- Posted by: Danielle at February 2, 2006 03:21 PM
When a senior player in the Australian side starts going through a rough patch and is constantly scrutinised by fans and the media as to whether they should remain in the side or not, there is no point in the player looking to past Australian players for support. It seems that these days they are the people that are putting the boot in the most. The latest example is Terry Alderman criticising Glenn McGrath. Surely Alderman knows what it is like to have your form judged publicly by the media and the fans and could empathise with and defend McGrath. But, no, he's leading the charge of criticism. What is it with past players? I can only imagine that it is a jealousy thing.
- Posted by: paulever at February 2, 2006 11:21 AM
I'm a bit confused. I saw this quote from an Aussie cricketer today.
".. we also acknowledge that we're professional athletes and it's ridiculous to get into anything that's too extravagant with regards to banter among the crowd. We'll expect to cop it and we'll cop it sweet." - Matt Hayden
Does he mean like Justin Langer did when castigating the Barmy Army for their baiting of Brett Lee in 2003? Like Jason Gillespie in 2005 when he whined that the crowd were being beastly to him by referring constantly to his caravan etc?
Is this what 'copping it sweet' is all about? Please advise.
Is that copping it sweet is it?
- Posted by: Charles Hickstead-Thorpinton-Smythe at February 2, 2006 02:15 AM
Dave, I reckon the same thing happened to us when we got off the plane in Pakistan as happened to your sides when they've got off the plane in Pakistan. How's a bloke (esp Flintoff) supposed to play cricket when there's no beer to look forward to at the end of the days' play?
- Posted by: Michael MacCallum at February 1, 2006 10:18 PM
Danielle - fair crack of the whip. Martyn got 3, count them 3 LBW decisions where it was clear to all bar the umpire he had actually hit the ball!!! Poor bloke was made the scapegoat for an under performing side.
The old saying of its harder to get ouut of the Australian side rings true again.
- Posted by: Ro at February 1, 2006 09:43 PM
Although this is unlikely to be published, I'm loving the opportunity for a whinge, one perhaps even larger than poor old deluded Michael MacCallum. Australia was and still is a better team. I forgive him because he, like all the English, suffered too long from a complete lack of national sporting pride. And our players ARE acting a little like it's their party. Why? Because at the moment, IT STILL IS!
I was waiting to see how some of the English players would start behaving after a stint on top of the world, but it never eventuated. The reason Australians loved having England under their heal for so long is to be found in the lack of humility displayed by their fans and media in response to any victory, however insignificant. We are also good at ALL swimming, not just the synchronised version.
Barring a final, one-day cricket must surely be regarded as a most exciting and unmemorable form of the game. The main issues seem to be anything other than the actual performances and results, beat-ups by those even more bored of post-match autopsies than the fans.
Racism is a non-issue. It is not rife. It is not something that can be resolved in competitions to see who can write the most politically correct e-mail or article. It is something to be dealt with on the spot. People need to, for want of a better expression, grow some balls. If someone at the game yells "Go home you South African w******", they should be aware of their proximity to children. If they yell something along the lines of "Go home you black c***", then they need to be confronted (by anyone) and/or asked/made to leave.
The competitive nature of Australian fans needn't be confused with the ignorant and offensive behaviour of the type of painful and disruptive sportaholic moron found at any Australian sporting event. You know, the type that, like the ones I was afflicted with at a recent one-dayer at the SCG, think screaming "NO BALL" in unison EVERY time Murali bowls a ball only gets funnier as it gets louder. Sameer Aly hits quite a few nails on the head, and then splits the nail on his thumb by contending that Aussie fans are actively pleased with a form of ethnic wholeness to their national side, whatever that is. Paranoia, like racism, has no place in Australia. And the day the Aussie team is full of foreign expats is the day I stop watching cricket. I support Australia, not the Orange Telstra Harpic Coolaroos brought to me by Coke.
To me, one-day cricket is the Petri dish of the game. I don't care what happens to it, Supersubs n'all. As long as test cricket is respected and left alone by oficials who have been conned into believing that earsplitting announcements and cheesey pop-songs improve atmosphere. 20/20 cricket, although painful, does I think have a possible function, perhaps as an under 21's international comp. But who wants to be a bowler in 20/20 cricket? I would have thought that with few exceptions, fans don't pay to watch 10 cheap wickets. If you bowl a tight spell in 20/20 cricket it seems you are more likely to be booed off the ground than held aloft. We'll see I suppose. No game has been thus spoiled so far. All things said, if 20/20 positively raises the profile of the game, let it be.
One last stab. If players need to be rested, then too much cricket is being played. TFF made a good point about players making the 1st XV instead of the 1st XI. Australian fans are crazy about cricket, but in their respective states get one test and about three one-dayers maximum per year to attend. Why sell them short by omitting some of the best players in the world at the last minute? Let's hope this disease doesn't spread to the test arena.
Here endeth the whinge.
- Posted by: Edward Milne at February 1, 2006 09:37 PM
John G,
The most common name in the Sydney phone book is 'Lee'. Guess what though, they're not all relatives of Brett Lee. The best the Australian teams can boast is the occasional Kasprowicz or Di Venuto.
As recently as 2003, Malcolm Knox noted that the prevalence of Indian flags at the SCG wasn't entirely due to a sense of pride held by Australian-Indians for their cricketers. Rather, a great many Indian fathers resented the exclusion of their sons from local and school teams.
Australia lags a whole generation behind England in resolving the race debate. English clubs have long sought to harmonise different cultures, whilst Australian clubs have traditionally tried to fix the problem by leaving non-whites out. Once again, this isn't simply 'my' personal observation, but a viewpoint held by a number of leading cricket commentators in Australia.
Eddie Gilbert, one of Australia's finest tearaway bowlers, never had an opportunity to represent Australia. Why? Because he was Aboriginal. Instead, this poor fellow drank himself to an early death, and one of this country's finest cricketing talents went unrecognised on the world stage.
As for playing for the Australian team based on merit. Well, I don't know many 'ethnic types' who would want a team-mate (e.g. Lehmann) that cannot see the inherent racism in calling someone a 'black c*unt', or someone who tacitly believes that recent teams from England (the 'old country') are less English and thereby weaker. One would hope they think differently following the recent loss to England in the Ashes.
Darren Lehmann is not the only Australian cricketer to have behaved like a complete porkchop by making biggoted comments. There have been others. Nonetheless, the wider Australian cricketing public is far to lenient in allowing them the benefit of the doubt, treating their misdemeanours in much the same way a doting parent excuses their child's 'it was my first joint' defence.
Following this repugnant racial slur, Lehmann's supporters described his outburst as 'out of character', committed 'in the heat of the moment' by someone who is 'universally regarded as a nice guy'. These same apologist tossers instead painted the Sri Lankans as villains, oversensitive and unmanly to complain. Everything that's said on the field stays on the field yadda yadda.
Lehmann did not do something out of character. Rather, his two words exposed the unwitting racism that is inherent not only in Australian cricketing culture but mainstream Australia.
As for the current team reflecting the 'racial make-up of kids playing 15-20 years ago' ... They were ALL white Anglo-Australians? Wow, now that's a real eye opener. I thought the White Australia policy was abolished way before then!!
As for the allegation that I am a racist. I have yet to stand at the boundary, beer in hand, accusing Australian players of being 'white c*nts', 'honkies','crackers' whatever.
You're the one who needs to open your eyes ... idiot.
- Posted by: Sameer Aly at February 1, 2006 07:56 PM
"White", usually male, (anglo-celtic) Australians who drink at the cricket and get excited when winning, or when losing, will talk big, and often say racist things in part because they think its funny, in part to bond collectively. I (white anglo celtic male) have never seen this talk turn violent at Sydney, though it is aggressive stuff, and probably has caused fights.
It's real, and it's a bit embarrassing for the many "white" anglo celtic Australians who do not practise making racist comments, whose numbers are large, and who enjoy cricket for crickets sake, or enjoy supporting Australia and the recently very successful Australian team in competitive cricket games against countries with talented players and their own rich cricket and complicated social histories.
Their are many with a broader perspective and a sense of the wide world out there who really enjoy the cricket, and the atmosphere produced by a lively crowd. No country or "race" can claim that the behaviours of crowds of their citizens at sporting events will not verbally abuse the players or spectators supporting another country with the lines best designed to provoke a response.
With this perspective, the comments by the drunks come across as unnecessarily aggressive and rude - yobbish, and yes it would be better if we didnt have them made in the crowd but it doesnt throw a demonising light or hysteria about the influence of 'racist australian whites'. The players and groups from all the supporters of all the teams in World cricket have shown they are quite capable of verbally ripping into the other players and supporters. The players dont set the best example for the crowds. The politics and competition they engage in give the game much of its flavour.
At times it degenerates into racial abuse, at others, its treads a fine line, others again, its just fun. If at the moment its a bit nasty, i hope that it relaxes in the future. The same applies to society more broadly.
I am not sure if bans will solve the problem in the short term. In the long term they may be good and foster a better behaved crowd. In the short term there will be some resentment at another fine being imposed and media attention on the issue and it will add to the unpleasant sense of regulation that is creeping into cricket crowds. I guess on the whole its ok to bring some bans in for repeat yobs. It'll breed resentment amongst the group or group that is targeted.
What about what he said or she said they will yell pointing their finger. It'll quite easily feed the families of a few lawyers and a board set up to decide the issues, but probably wont result in the culture dying out altogether. It may make it more resistant and entrenched. People are usually canny when they set out to tease someone verbally, they will choose their words carefully to provoke a reaction.
Crowd behaviour is also being affected by the low alcohol beer being sold, the pretty high ticket prices, very high food and drink prices, beach balls being deflated, commentators whinging about the mexican wave. The administrators know that people come to the cricket for a carnival atmosphere and for fun in the stands as well as to watch a good game. They know that they have a captive audience paying top dollar for food and drink.
Its a complicated mix of factors when you look at the economics and culture and sport going to the cricket , and itd be good if more of us could just enjoy the game and the crowd on all its levels, perhaps with a full strength beer in ten years time when we've proved to the powers that be that were ok really, and perhaps without the yobbish racist catcalling. But if it goes sour for a while and relations are bad, then hey, you gotta think that at the prices paid to watch the players who are all on great $ - millions, is it worth it?? Who's the sucker paying, showing an interest and engaging in the debate? sometimes the answer might be no.
If anyone can make anything of that ramble, good luck to them.
- Posted by: Daniel at February 1, 2006 07:34 PM
"Instead of shame, the Australian cricket community instead feels a sense of pride in this 'ethnic wholeness'."
Excuse me? Your incoherent racist rambling is really getting beyond a joke with assertions and inventions of this nature. The racial make up of our national team probably reflects the racial make up of the kids playing cricket 15 or 20 years ago. There were (and still are) relatively small populations of other cricket playing ethnicities in Oz. Get a grip you idiot. No one would be excluding players that are good enough.
- Posted by: John G at February 1, 2006 04:14 PM
I thought the Barmy Army invented "boorish and vulgar songs".
At least the Aussies still remember how to play even after getting on a plane - What happened in Pakistan, Mick?
- Posted by: Dave at February 1, 2006 12:57 PM
Dear Hoova,
This sort of reasoning lost us the Ashes. Instead of making hard decisions and picking the very best side we could we let the incumbents like Damien Martyn and Simon Katich coast on to disaster when we were really tested by the likes of Flintoff and Co. Don't you think it's going to happen again at the World Cup?
Phil Jaques has at least been scoring runs week in and week out, year in and year out in the English county competition. He has managed the same back home. By what objective criteria should he not be picked?
Oh right, I'm only a girl so I wouldn't know what I was talking about on cricket.
- Posted by: Danielle at January 31, 2006 10:20 PM
Here we go again, requests for boorish and vulgar songs ahead of the next ashes tour, so the gobby Aussies can feel better about their failing side.
You blokes ought to be more concerned that in the last ashes tour you didn't manage to post a total of 400 plus once. The best you could manage was 384 on one occassion You were so poor that at Trent Bridge, Vaughan had to ask to have another go, because you hadn't got enough. In fact, its really hard to think of a single session that Australia dominated after the first test. When alls said and done the Aussies always talk a good game then whinge when it goes wrong. First it was going to be 5-0, then Hoggard was supposed to be no more than net bowler, then we heard that anybody getting out to Giles should hang themselves. When none of these predictions came to pass we were subjected to foul mouthed abuse from Ponting and Katich, the former because he's so stupid that he takes a single when the ball's hit straight to cover and the latter because he got a bad decision. What a pair of twats. You didn't see Brian Lara throwing his toys out of the pram when he was dubiously given out did you. The reality is that the so called "No 1 side in the world" needs to learn how to behave with dignity and humility - take a leaf out of Lara's book - stop trying to influence the umpire, stop whingeing about reverse swing and "mints" and start setting proper standards of behaviour on and off the field. Maybe then some of the spectators might stop to think before they start yelling their obscene racist chants.
You lot have just got to face up to the fact that your cricket team is nothing like the side it was and as for your Rugby team, the front row is so feeble that when they came up here, the referee had to stop scrumages being contested to stop any poor little Aussies from getting hurt. I've seen more mussels hanging out of a seagulls beak then i saw in the Australian tight five
Never mind, your still very good at synchronized swimming
- Posted by: Michael MaCallum at January 31, 2006 10:10 PM
Why is everyone wanting Phil Jaques included into the australian cricket team?its not that he dosnt warrant a place its more a case of someone doing enough things to be dropped.
If the current squad is doing what is asked of it how can you drop someone just to see if they can do the job,im sure his time will come,we have had a lot of players that have been knocking on the door for years.
- Posted by: hoova at January 31, 2006 01:23 PM
It is of course standard to have a whinge about the selectors, but it's getting embarrassing now.
How is it possible to justify the inclusion of Damien Martyn and Simon Katich in a One Day Team to the exclusion of Phil Jaques and Matthew Hayden or say Cosgrove, when neither Martyn or Katich have ever really demonstrated the ability to dominate a bowling attack (Damien Martyn's one streaky and damn lucky innings in 20/20 cricket really doesn't count)? The one day series is like watching a second string Australian side every time. Very, very frustrating!
Martyn and Katich are certainly very able batsmen who can push the ball around, albeit elegantly in Martyn's case. However, have you ever seen them tear an attack apart? I cannot think of a single innings that falls into this category?
Come on Trevor, what does Phil have to do?
- Posted by: Aussie abroad at January 31, 2006 10:42 AM
To stephen and his assertion that the super sub "sucks": It only sucks because captains don't know how to or don't want to use it imaginatively.
There are basically 3 strategies to use:
- The Gambler
- The Insurer
- The Hedger
Strategy 1, the gambler, would be used by a team on the assumption that they win the toss. On winning the toss, they have the option of batting or fielding first; they choose a sub based on this scenario. This is the ideal strategy for the weaker teams to give them an advantage in 50% of the matches they play, that might allow them to win more of those in which they win the toss. As an example, suppose the weak team would like to bat first if they win the toss. In this case, they choose a bowler as the super sub, so if they win the toss, they get a large advantage from the toss win, and no advantage from not winning the toss.
Strategy 2, the insurer, is used by a team to mitigate against a toss loss. This could be used by a stronger team that has a skill advantage anyway, to mitigate against unfavourable conditions either batting or fielding first. For example, a strong team would like to bat first if the toss is won, so to mitigate against the unfavourable scenario of batting last, would choose another batsman as the super sub. This will allow them to do what they want (ie, bat first), or in the case where they are not doing what they want, they have the advantage of being able to have an extra batsman in the chase.
Strategy 3, the hedger, is to choose a bits-n-pieces player as the super sub. This allows a slight advantage over not having a substitute, but is in fact the least imaginative of the strategies.
The best strategy for a particular team will depend on the relative ability of the teams in the particular contest. For example, in the case of a lowly team playing a better team, if the better team chooses the hedger strategy, and the lowly team chooses the gambler strategy, then a toss win by the lowly team will even out the relative abilities of the two teams, which is in fact what the super sub rule was designed to do.
- Posted by: Matt at January 30, 2006 06:42 PM
Upon logging onto the SMH website this morning, I read yet another article commenting on the prevalence of racism at Australian cricketing venues. The piece in question, titled 'Sri Lankans target of racial abuse', mentioned that up to five spectators were evicted from the Australia Day one-day match for having referred to Sri Lankan players as 'black c*nts'. Further, the International Cricket Council's regional security chief, John Rhodes, was punched by a drunken spectator after been accused of being a South African.
I realise that my comments to date may have sullied the otherwise good natured sporting humour and commentary that one would come to expect in an online cricket blog. However, racism and cricket is an exceptionally pressing problem for the Australian Cricket Board (ACB), one that needs to be both acknowledged and addressed. The conduct of some cricket fans is not only antagonising, but tantamount to verbal assault. Imagine being a Pakistani parent who takes his/her children to the cricket, all of whom wish to be seated as close to the boundary as possible. Now imagine those same children hearing taunts of 'toffee coloured bastard', 'curry muncher', 'black c*nt' etc. These are not one-off episodes. I've encountered such behaviour at almost every cricket match involving an Australian and sub-continental team.
Racism in spectator sport is not peculiar to Australia alone. However, it is worth noting the comments of South African coach Mickey Arthur who states that, to the best of his knowledge, Australia is the only country in which South African players have been racially abused.
On occasion, the cricket commentary doesn't help much either. Tony Greg sometimes speaks of Sri Lankan players as if a troop of monkeys. He has talked about them 'babbling in the field', 'leaping about with great big smiles' and sometimes referred to them as 'little guys'. Lehmann's supporters could not see the racism in referring to someone as a 'black c*nt' as distinct from a 'c*nt'. Similarly, I doubt they can see the offence caused by speaking of Sri Lankans in the terms described in the preceding sentence.
Recent media coverage in areas other than cricket, namely the alleged behaviour of certain Lebanese youth around Anglo-Australian women, isn't doing much to ease race relations across Australia either. The moronic and despicable actions of a few are used as fodder for incriminating an entire ethnic, religious and cultural group. It doesn't help that Australia, although multicultural, is not a particularly 'worldly' country - choosing instead to make blanket generalisations of what it means to be Australian. Those hailing from non-Anglo backgrounds are often stereotyped, classed either a potential gang rapists (i.e. young Lebanese men) or over-achievers who take away jobs from true Aussies (e.g. Asian students). It really begs the question of just what one is expected to do in order to feel accepted.
Indians, Pakistanis, Sri Lankans, South Africans etc will continue supporting their 'home teams' because it's natural not to let go of one's birthplace or ethnic/cultural identity. This does not mean that they're any less 'Australian'. Rather amusingly, the Australia who advocate cultural assimilation policies are not the ones who'll slag Greg Norman for having an Australian accent, Clive James for being more English than Australian, Rupert Murdoch for having renounced his Australian citizenship in order to become an American etc. Rather, they're the people who'll call for Muslims to abandon Islam as soon as they become Australian citizens. Selective biggotry I call it ....
As stated in an earlier post, Australia's international cricket team isn't exactly a bastion for multicultural diversity. It's more a cultural snapshot of Australia's demographic make-up as it was back in the 1950s. Instead of shame, the Australian cricket community instead feels a sense of pride in this 'ethnic wholeness'. In contrast, the English cricket team is racially diverse, a whole generation ahead what we have come to expect here.
In future, I hope that anyone sprouting racist abuse at a sporting venue is banned for life. Further, strict controls need to be put in place to ensure that inebriated spectators are dealt with expeditiously and evicted from the ground. The current chief of South African cricket, Gerald Majola, has hinted that the Proteas may consider a future boycott of Australia if the racial taunts continued. Racism at the cricket is REAL, as old as Australia's cricketing heritage itself, and an immediate threat to the reputation of Australia as a 'sporting nation'.
- Posted by: Sameer Aly at January 30, 2006 10:21 AM
Hey! watch it, that "ball and chain' comment is actually derogatory here and racist. Oh that's right racism doesn't apply to white Australians.
Rare is it that I visit smh.com.au without in some way feeling responsible for the mistreatment of whatever minorities be it immigrants (legal or otherwise), gays, women, muslims, and now untapped cricket talent. The problem you refer to is not peculiar to Australia, it's human nature. It's just that any sport in any country will bring out the yob factor. If you don't believe me, try wearing a blue jersey at Lang Park in any State of Origin Match.
- Posted by: Brig at January 29, 2006 05:30 PM
Why is the good name of cricket besmirched by including it in the title 'One day Cricket'?
It should rightly be called 'One day sloggit' and its development into the 20 over game -'Half day sloggit'
Cricket as in the test arena and county/state games played over more than one day is completely different and loved by millions for many many years.
- Posted by: devoted cricket lover at January 29, 2006 02:18 PM
Sameer Aly you are on the button. What you have articulated is not merely manifested in cricket, but is apparent in the wider racial fault lines of this "cosmopolitan country". You scratch beneath the surface and you find glaring, ugly xenophobia and outright racial prejudice wherever you look. It seems that Australians have not yet shed the ball and shackles mentality that their forbears brought to this beautiful land. They turn cricket into an ugly game.
- Posted by: Robin Rainer at January 28, 2006 09:03 PM
I don't have much to add to the dialogue, if I can be so generous, between Sameer and Mitch. But I will be quick to say that having read Sameer go on for four paragraphs leaves no room for surprise in his vitriol. Did you read it Mitch? Are you really surprised? And when "satire" is always aimed in one direction can we truly express surprise when it is resented? Finally, that sledging is accepted does not make it a "right" of fans nor morally above board. Slavery was considered "acceptable" for so long we may never be free of that burden.
- Posted by: Harold King at January 28, 2006 12:01 PM
I've been attending cricket matches in Australia for some 15 years now, and the proposition that Australian spectators don't care whether the opponents are 'casper white' or 'darkies' is complete and utter bulldust. Racism and a day at the cricket are almost as old as Australia's cricketing heritage itself. On every instance that I've attended the SCG to watch Pakistan play against Australia, my family has anticipated copping the standard 'Paki' or 'curry muncher' line. Rarely have we been disappointed. It seems that the presence of two competing teams - Australia and the 'other' - somehow gives people a license to be overtly racist without any sense of guilt. It's as if being affiliated with the other team meant that the abuse you copped wasn't meant to be racist, merely an outward expression of the fact that you were supporting the opponent.
The faux macho aggression you see at the cricket, fueled by booze, is truly something to behold. Perhaps it says a lot about the absence of any meaningful mechanism for certain 'white men' to express themselves in Australian society. This is not to say that non-white males don't have issues with healthy emotional expression, just that drunkard behaviour at the cricket isn't a good example of this.
Men like Alan Jones and Piers Akerman complain ad nauseum about overly aggressive youths on Sydney beaches. But the fact is that every weekend you can see a plethora of young white males being complete pork chops at any number of bars, clubs and pubs - and, of course, the cricket. You know the type. Much like Darren Lehmann, these men don't know the difference between calling someone a 'c*nt' and a 'black c*nt'. Much like Tony Greig, they're also likely to question whether an Asian woman has been 'flown in' if married to an Anglo-Australian male.
Well might Alan Jones complain about oversexed and overly aggressive Lebanese youths on Sydney beaches. But the fact is that every weekend you can see a plethora of young, white Australian males being total pork chops at any of a number of bars, clubs and pubs. And, of course, the cricket.
Looking at cricket in Australia, it goes without saying that the Australian team is quite dominant - despite losing the Ashes to England very recently. Still, their success at home gives the spectator-yobbo the opportunity to get drunk, loud and aggressive with a sense of false justification.
My team is beating your team, which gives me license to act like a Grade A Tosser.
Has it been mentioned that John Howard loves his cricket? Wonder why. Maybe it has to be do with the blatant under-representation of minorities in Australian cricket. Indeed, some of Australia's finest domestic cricketers never received an opportunity to represent Australia because they were Aboriginal. This includes Eddie Gilbert, a tearaway fast bowlers who drank himself to an early death. There is also the story of the Aboriginal cricket team from Victoria which became the first cricket team to represent Australia overseas when it toured England. This team has yet to receive the recognition it squarely deserves.
As stated earlier, I do believe that certain Anglo-Australians take any victory over a 'darkie' team as a ringing endorsement of Australia's superiority as a nation. This may well be a long bow to string, but it receives credence when one considers the cricket coverage in Australia. If it's not the glowing praise for Australia's superior tactics or positive attitude towards the game, its snickering condemnation of the trickery or inferiority of other cricket-playing nations.
Comparing media coverage of Shane Warne with Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan is a case in point. For years now, Muralitharan has been regarded as a cheat. That is, someone who deliberately 'chucks' the ball. Even after his action was cleared by biomechanics experts, a cloud has remained over Muralitharan's head, especially in Australia. Muralitharan rarely travels to Australia to play cricket. In comparison, Shane Warne is considered 'the greatest bowler of all time'. A man without peer on the cricket field.
The yobbo-spectator watches cricket not because of a love of the game but because of a love of victory. Perhaps this is why personalities such as Shane Warne are so popular. No matter how rotten an individual he may be in real life, he is an incredibly talented cricketer, and and the fantasy of sport provides a comfortable buffer from the uncomfortable moral vagaries of the real world.
At the end of the day, it's just a god-damn game.
- Posted by: Sameer Aly at January 28, 2006 10:49 AM
Mick Allsopp might like to consider the fact that 12 months before the last Ashes series began, his cricket team and their associated hangers-on were deriding each England player and predicting 5-0 victories and suchlike. No small reason then for the 'bagging' that followed their eventual demise. Should former England players have termed Shoaib 'a net bowler' or suggested that 'if anyone gets out to Danish Kaneria they want hanging' then his post might have made sense. Don't confuse oranges with apples Mick, and you may well get on with the plain speaking folk of Yorkshire with slightly more success then you evidently are.
- Posted by: Charles Hickstead-Thorpinton-Smythe at January 28, 2006 02:56 AM
Here are three ashes songs for you:
1) To the tune of 'She'll be coming round the mountain'
When you see the evolutionary tree
There is something that is very, very clear
poms are closer to the monkeys
yes they're closer to the monkeys
poms are closer to the monkeys than Aussies
2) To the tune of football, meat pies, kangaroos and holden cars:
Plants, fish, apes then pommies then Australians
Plants, fish, apes then pommies then Australians
England stink because they're full of missing links
Plants, fish, apes then pommies then Australians
3) To the tune of 'Hey hey we're the monkeys'
Here they come
Stumbling down the street
They've got the filthiest smell 'cos
None of them are clean
Hey hey Barmy Army
You like to think you monkey around
You're just drunken dickheads (or morons)
That put everybody down
Don't try to be clever
You haven't really got the brains
Any smart poms emigrated
And left you dumb ones in the rain
Hey hey you're all monkeys
Hey hey you're all monkeys
- Posted by: Ian Etherson at January 28, 2006 02:09 AM
Sameer Aly, why are you filled with such hate? Most Australians consider South Africa a "white nation" as sporting teams representing South Africa are predominantly white. We don't care whether the team is "casper white" or full of "darkies". We like beating everyone. As for the satire of people such as Fatty Vautin, etc, its satire. Its not meant to be taken seriously! Sledging is an acceptable part of cricket. Those that complain about it, are usually the ones lacking in mental discipline. Finally, it is upsetting that in your attack on "racist" Australians, you resort to racism yourself.
- Posted by: MITCH at January 27, 2006 04:21 PM
Moses, if you were to introduce a 0 degree rule, you would proceed to wipe out pretty much every bowler playing the game at the moment.
- Posted by: Guzza at January 27, 2006 03:18 PM
Just a few words on racism and cricket.
I've been an avid cricket fan for most of my life, due in no small part to my Grandfather having played with several South African county teams in his youth. Since having arrived in Australia, I can recall very few international matches at which I have not been subject to racial taunts. During the past few years, I have been variously referred to as a Paki (yes, this abbreviation of 'Pakistani' is actualy a derogatory term whose origins can be traced to both the UK and Canada), a toffee coloured bastard (how original) and a few other colourful words best left unmentioned in civil company.
It's rather unfortunate that those pathetic souls - described variously as 'yobbos', ''ockers' and 'derros' - believe that any Australian victory over a 'darkie' team is somehow serves as a ringing endorsement of the sporting superiority of the 'white man' against those hailing from countries that his ancestors 'colonised' (read pillaged). Even more disturbing is the penchant for a number of Aussie sporting types (typically Fatty Vaughtin and Greg Ritchie) to satirise cricketers hailing from the subcontinent. Fatty, at various times, has referred to them as 'curry munchers', whilst Greg Ritchie caused indescribable offence with his caricature 'Mahatma Cote'.
For a sporting nation, there is not even a skerrick of sportsmanship to be seen amongst much of the crowd at an international cricket match. In recent days, we have heard first hand accounts of racist bile being directed at both South African and Sri Lankan cricketers, usually those unfortunate enough to be fielding on the boundary. Such behaviour is best described as repugnant, and does nothing to bolster the reputation of the Australian cricket team abroad, most of whom believe 'sledging' to be an acceptable part of the sport - thereby taking it upon themselves, on occasion, to take the art of personal abuse to a whole new level. Rather amusingly, they don't respond quite as well when on the receiving end of some of their own medicine - choosing instead to complain and whinge like a pack of spoilt schoolchildren.
I love the sport of cricket, always have and always will. However, the on-field actions of certain players, and the off-field theatrics of countless spectators, has left me with a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. I no longer enjoy attending the game in person, instead relying on a live broadcast and the relative safety afforded by my own home. No, I've never been assaulted at the cricket, but I can only listen to a drunken moron belch racist vitriole for so long before the urge to feel his cheekbones shattering beneath my knuckles becomes an all-encompassing obsession.
- Posted by: Sameer Aly at January 27, 2006 02:18 PM
a few new additions for the "Tonk's ever-burgeoning hymn book" can be found at http://www.TheDrunk.com/ashes
- Posted by: Moses at January 27, 2006 01:47 PM
How much longer must we put up with this travesty of Muralitheran's 'bowling'? He seems a decent young man but his action is obscene. The ICC has caved in on political grounds but, quite predictably, we now see new bowlers (Botha) emulating his unfair action. Surely it is possible for bowlers to be given 5 years' notice (M will have retired by then)that 0 degrees bending of the elbow is the rule. Otherwise the game will be blighted forever.
- Posted by: Laurie at January 27, 2006 01:23 PM
Living in Sheffield I am drunk on Australia Day while most Australians are waking up with a bad taste in their mouth. It is amazing how bad a bagging the Aussie cricket team gets in this country - we lose one series and all hell breaks loose, England lose the next and the media appear to have been looking in the other direction. There is some genuine quality in the Pakistan team and for my sake (as an Aussie in England), thank God for that!
- Posted by: Mick Allsopp at January 27, 2006 10:45 AM
Phil Jaques will have plenty of back slappers and crowd support on the weekend if he elects to play for his club; Sutherland is holding a player reunion on Sunday at Caringbah when they play the local derby v Saints in a 50 over game. Phil will feel the pressure to score heavily!
- Posted by: Syd Chapman at January 27, 2006 09:43 AM
Can someone please explain what all the spitting is about? Andrew Flintoff's a star at it and so is our own Ricky Ponting. Even the new blokes are getting in on the act. Obviously dehydration is not a worry for our elite sportsmen - they've got the gift of the gob.
- Posted by: Janene Gorrel at January 27, 2006 09:37 AM
This super sub idea sucks. Why does the sub have to be "super" anyway? The problem is that the team that loses the toss is at a disadvantage. If the sub continues to be available, it should be possible to simply name your 12 before the toss. After the toss, you can then nominate who is on the bench. That way, your substitution options aren't reduced by the toss of a coin.
The power play also sucks. It seems that we've virtually replaced the first 15 overs of field restrictions with 20. The captains don't really seem to know what to do so they just get them over & done with. Last Sunday, when Sri Lanka were going off, Ponting should have held back the 2nd power play until we got a wicket. It may have helped slow things down and may have even drawn a wicket.
- Posted by: Stephen at January 27, 2006 09:36 AM
Can we get rid of those "Power Plays" in one-day cricket or, failing that, can we get the Channel Nine idiot commentators to stop explaining how they work?
- Posted by: Eric Brace at January 27, 2006 09:34 AM
Cricket? What cricket?
Realistically, in today's workaday world, those of who keep the wheels grinding are doing so, or in transit, from 7.00 am - 7.00pm.
As a result the only live action to be seen is the last 40 overs of a 100 over day/night match or a complete 20/20 match. (a fact which should not elude advertisers and sponsors).
Nine used to have one hour highlight packages late in the evening, they appear to have taken the budget knife to this last summer.
I never thought I would defend Rupert on any point, however FoxSports cricket coverage cannot be rivalled and shades Nine's obvious indifference to our National game.
I fervently hope that Fox makes a strong bid when the rights come up to tender again.
I miss the cricket.
- Posted by: Ben Link at January 27, 2006 08:55 AM


text: Graffiti Artist Dingo from Stuttgart sent in great footage of his latest commercial work, a stage design for a show called 'Liebe. Ehre. Drachenblut. Nibelungen 2011' at the Bürgertheater Ludwigsburg. The artwork titled 'Die 7 Todsünden' (the seven sins). Have a look at the video above and the footage after the jump!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
"@context": "http://www.schema.org", "@type": "localbusiness", "name": "John Reynolds", "url": "https://aaawaterproofingpros.com.au","sameAs": [ "https://www.facebook.com/AAA-Waterproofing-Pros-1718217911769315", "https://twitter.com/aaawaterproofin", "http://www.truelocal.com.au/business/aaa-waterproofing-pros/kalorama", "http://w… Read More
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text:
2 pressed juices a day helps to lose belly fat May 16, 2015 06:09
I'm not sure at what point I began to get fat. It was sometime in living in sunny Southern California. Where everyone is beautiful and it seems that no one works and everyone has a lot of money. How was I living in West Hollywood around the most beautiful people in the world and gaining weight. I was exercising, eating healthy, active, but depressed. Part of it could have been my dead end job or just overall unhappiness in my life. I later found our the primary reason I was stacking on the belly fat was because of my lack of digestion. Even when eating healthy I was always bloated and always had a stomach ache. I was sensitive to EVERYTHING!
As it turns out I had no enzymes left in my body. My body was no longer breaking down food the way it used to so instead of digesting it my body stored it in a muffin top around my ass and my waist. I went from a size 32 to a size 36, YES THIRTY FREAKING SIX WAIST! UGHHHHH. Nothing would fit around me.
I remember waking up one night with horrible stomach pains and drawing the line saying that is it . I WILL FINALLY DO SOMETHING about my stomach issues. So I got online in the middle of the night and read about enzymes. The importance of enzymes in digestion . I immediately started juicing, and pressed juicing to be exact because of the many many enzymes that help break down food. Within 2 weeks my waist started slimming and my stomach aches were completely GONE! Yes Gone Here I am 8 months later. I drink 2 juices a day. I have lost 25 lbs and have more energy than I have ever had in my life. I feel great and my body is the fittest it has ever been.
Sure pressed juices have been known to cure cancer and help people lose weight during a fast but I think we are just on the cusp of something so great, so cutting edge, that could vastly change our physical bodies as we now know them. I'll post some before and after pictures. One year ago and today!


text:
Jeff Hunsaker, COO/Director of Programming
Jeff Hunsaker has been involved with Horizon since its inception and served as the first Program Coordinator at Marion Correctional Institution. When Horizon Prison Initiative became a separate nonprofit in 2009, he became Executive Director. Previously, Mr. Hunsaker worked as the Restorative Justice Coordinator for West Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church. He is a member of the United Methodist Church for All People and has served in various capacities with the Kairos Prison Ministry. Mr. Hunsaker has traveled across the U.S., and to Brazil, South Africa, Northern Ireland, and the Bahamas to train volunteers for ministry.
Richard Boone, Program Coordinator
Dr. Boone has had an extensive career in academia, ministry, and nonprofit organizations. A teacher at the seminary level, a pastor in the West Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church, and as Director of the United Methodist Mission Society of Columbus Districts. He has been actively involved with the Kairos Prison Ministry in several of Ohio's high security prisons. Currently, he is a commissioned missionary on behalf of the United Methodist Church assigned to Horizon.
Jeff From, Trauma Specialist
Mr. From is a Restorative Justice Practitioner based in Berea, Ky., with experience that spans emergency home repair, wilderness therapeutic counseling, and sustainable agriculture. After earning a Master's Degree in Conflict Transformation from Eastern Mennonite University, Mr. From co-founded the Re-Entry Partners Program, maintained a restorative mediation practice, and trained people in trauma healing awareness and victim outreach. He is a founding partner in Restorative Associates, a statewide effort in restorative justice initiatives in the juvenile and criminal court systems, prisons, and schools. He also worked as a stay-at-home father for 3 years.
Madeleine Glynn Trichel, Curriculum Consultant
Ms. Trichel has actively worked with Horizon since its beginning in 2000. For 25 years she directed the Interfaith Center for Peace in Columbus, Ohio, working in mediation, conflict management, peace education, interfaith dialogue, and restorative justice. She has provided curriculum and training for juvenile corrections officers, teachers and students in state, national and international contexts. She is an anti-racism trainer for the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Ohio and is commissioned for prison ministry by the Federation of Christian Ministries.
Mary Kerns, Program Coordinator
Ms. Kerns has had an expansive career to date, from teaching incarcerated women parenting skills to representing the elder community as a private-practice attorney. She has deep experience as a successful substance abuse counselor and cognitive behavioral specialist, working with men and women who are struggling with substance abuse issues and those transitioning back to the community after being incarcerated. Recently, she has worked at Maryhaven, Common Ground, Alvis House, Westgate United Methodist Church and The Shepherd's Place. In addition to undergraduate work and a juris doctorate, Mary has a master's of arts of divinity and counseling from the Methodist Theological School of Ohio.
Pam Patsch, Volunteer Coordinator
Dr. Patsch served as a school psychologist for Worthington Schools for 28 years. Since retiring in 2012, she has been involved in social justice and interfaith work. Dr. Patsch has served as the Social Action Committee chair at North Unitarian Universalist Congregation, a member of the Executive Board for Unitarian Universalist Justice Ohio, a member of the Interfaith Association of Central Ohio, and chair for the Northwest Earth Institute courses at Simply Living. She is excited about her new role coordinating the Outside Sister Volunteers and looks forward to working with staff and participants to build the Horizon program at the Ohio Reformatory for Women.
John Cantrell, Consulting Supervisor
Mr. Cantrell has focused his career on mental health and the criminal justice system. He worked 29 years at Buckeye Ranch, an adolescent treatment facility. A graduate of Manchester University, Ohio University, and The Methodist Theological School, Mr. Cantrell served 10 years as an ordained Methodist pastor. He is passionate about interfaith and ecumenical issues; social, racial, and gender equality; and servant leadership.
Patty Yoder, Communications
Ms. Yoder started her career as a journalist before entering the emerging digital arena in 1994. She moved from CompuServe/AOL to The Ohio State University then Nationwide. She works to spread the word about the important work happening with Horizon Prison Initiative.


text:
Meteorology Professor in the Metropolitan State University of Denver's Earth and Atmospheric Science Department
Monday, April 9, 2012
New Climate Change Textbook for fall
MTR 1600 Description: This course presents the science behind global climate change from an Earth systems and atmospheric science perspective. These concepts then provide the basis to explore the effect of global warming on regions throughout the world. This leads to the analysis of the observed and predicted impacts of climate change on these regions; the effect of these changes on each region's society, culture, and economy; and the efforts of these regions to mitigate or adapt to climate change. The interdependence of all nations will be discussed in regards to fossil fuel-rich regions, regions responsible for greenhouse gas emissions, and regions most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. 3 credits. (General Studies: Natural and Physical Science, Global Diversity requirements)


text:
Hi all, apparently a few readers here in London have got together and formed a reading group for my books. It's a massive honour. Their chairwoman has been kind enough to supply me with the minutes so you can feel as if you are part of it as well.
Minutes for meeting of 090909
Chosen book – Falling Star.
Ruth - Right ladies, this is the first meeting of the Complete Works of Gill McKnight Reading Group. Perhaps we should start by introducing ourselves, lets go clockwise starting with me. Hello group, I'm Ruth and I'm a librarian and I've been a fan of lesfic for nearly twenty years. I've read almost everything out there. Some good, some bad, but most in the middle…somewhere.
Ellis - Hi. I'm Ellis and I'm a sociology student and I mostly read XnG fanfic and Uber and buy lesfic when I have the money. I haven't read much lesfic at all really but Ruth works at the Uni library and asked me to come along and fill up seats.
Ruth - I thought you were genuinely interested!
Ellis - Well, I am. You said there'd be free books and coffee, and maybe Gill McKnight might pop in for a talk.
Ruth - I asked her. But apparently she lives in Greece and England and Ireland and god knows where else. The woman's a gypsy. Has no idea where she'll be next week never mind in a few months time. You'd think she'd never heard of a filofax. Who's next?
Benson - I'm Benson. I'm a brickie and I live next door to Ruth. I don't read much but I owe her a favour for looking after my cat so I came along. What's XnG?
Ellis - Xena and Gabrielle.
Benson - That hasn't been on telly for years.
Ellis - They do conventions and TV reruns all the time and there's going to be a movie—
Benson - They're a bit old now to be in a movie.
Dreamcatcher - They'll probably use body doubles and Vaseline the lens.
Benson - Who are you?
Dreamcatcher - I'm Dreamcatcher Firedance, and I would just like to say we shouldn't be doing this clockwise. Where wimmin energy gathers things should always go in a witherskins direction.
Benson - You wot?
Dreamcatcher - Witherskins. Anticlockwise. Contrary to the movement of the sun because we are children of the moo—
Ruth - Look, we've started now. Lets just bang on and get the introductions over with.
Dreamcatcher - Can we agree to go witherskins for all other business?
Ruth - All in favour of witherskins for all other business say Aye.
All - Aye.
Ruth - Good. Perhaps we can carry on with the introductions now. And you are?
JB - I'm JB and this is my partner Cecilia.
JB and Cecilia - Hi.
JB - And we both love lesfic. In fact we met at a group just like this.
Ellis - That's nice. Was it a Gill McKnight group?
JB and Cecilia - No.
Cecilia - We don't really like her, but the Karin Kallmaker group was full.
JB - It alternates between KK and Radclyffe every other year. So we chose this instead. It was either this or yoghurt making.
Cecilia - And I'm allergic to milk products but not nuts.
JB and Cecilia - We like doing things together.
Ruth - Lovely. Next.
Martha - Hmm. Hmm. I'm Martha. And I'm very shy. And my therapist told me to join a group like this and meet other people and voice my opinions. Hmm.
Ruth - What's that? Speak up, I can't hear you.
Martha - I'm here because I love Gerri Hill. Hmm.
Ellis - This is a group for Gill McKnight, not Gerri Hill.
Martha - Oh.
Ruth - How could you mistake Gill McKnight for Gerri Hill? Hills work is much better.
Martha - Well, I'm here now…
Ruth - Right, introductions done. Lets get on with it. Falling Star was McKnight's first book in July 2008. Ellis, what did you make of the dichotomy between—
Dreamcatcher - I thought we agreed we were going witherskins.
Ellis - I haven't read it yet. You were to lend me your copy, remember?
Benson - There's a man at the door tapping his watch. I think they want the room back.
Ruth - What? Good grief, the hours up already? Okay group. Next week we'll discuss McKnight's Falling Star. Please be prepared. If you can't find a copy online look in the bargain bucket at our local gay bookstore, Paperback Biter. Good evening and thank you all for coming.


text:
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Published on: 27 Nov 2008 by rubyz
I am really really interested in spreading peace around the world.
There is sooo much violence we get to witness in the TV almost daily. I t makes my skin "crawl". I keep wondering why people instigate violence. I don't think whatever the cause is, that violence gives them justification.
I suggest that we all start giving lots and lots of love to one another at home. It has been noticed that when people are ignored, they enegage in such activities just to get attention. It is our socical responsibility to reach out to those who need to be listened to. We should instill good values, justice, honesty and goodness in the young ones. We should refrain from anger and totally from agrressiveness and violence.
Too many people involved in violence are those who have been fed with "wrong ideas" about peace and happienss. We should all learn to share with others, share culture, share happinesss, etc.
I know that in this beautiful world that God has created for us, we can achive MUCH MUCH MORe without the existence of violence (or at least very very little violence), so why don't we all benefit from these. Let's start this from today.
Peace to you (PTU).
Let's PTU to each other and let everyone be able to PTU at least once before Christmas.
Best Regards,


text:
Careers, Book reviews for middle grade and young adults, Trailblazers from the past and present
Monday, March 4, 2013
Girls Succeed is Featured on Rosemary Gemmell's Blog
Want to know how I decided to write this book for girls? Check out Scottish author Rosemary Gemmell's blog to get the story behind the inspiration for writing Girls Succeed!
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text:
You shouldn't have to choose between the delicious taste of tea or a refreshing cup of coffee. The good news is, is that you can drink both. Each of these staples are in millions of people's lives. Two drinks we look forward to every day. What is a morning without coffee? Or a hot cup of tea on a snowy evening? You can incorporate both these drinks into your day for added health benefits, a boost of caffeine, and a delightful taste.
History Doesn't Lie
Tea and coffee have been in existence for literally hundreds of years. Coffee is one of the most highly traded and sold commodities and is a huge force in the worldwide market. Tea originated in China, where it was used as a drink to help heal. Both drinks have antioxidants in them (some brews more than others) that help fight illness and help heal. Both are also plant based and grown in many regions around the globe. Also, both have not only existed but thrived since their creation and discovery. Now, they are a daily part of millions of people's routines.
More and More
There are lots of other health benefits for both coffee and tea. Coffee studies have shown that it helps your blood clot faster which can prevent excessive bleeding, it increases kidney function, promotes healthy eyes, as well as nails and hair. It also provides endurance, and a few other health benefits. Tea is no stranger to added benefits either. Studies have shown that tea drinkers can reduce the risk of heart disease, clogged arteries, promote better cognitive functions, lower cholesterol, and assist in weight-loss.
Drink Coffee When?
Coffee can be enjoyed either hot or cold. There are many additions you can put in your coffee, but to receive the maximum health benefits, it is encouraged that you stay away from anything artificial. Coffee has a much higher concentration of caffeine and is more potent.
Many people love drinking coffee in the mornings because the caffeine is a stimulant that increases brain function. Drinking coffee in the late afternoon or evening hours can interfere with your sleeping schedule. So, if you want to be awake all night, morning time is the best time to enjoy your favorite cup of Joe.
Drink Tea When?
Tea and coffee can both come in decaffeinated forms which can be consumed throughout the day. Black tea has more caffeine in it the than green tea, so the timing should be a factor when enjoying your cup. Tea generally has less caffeine in it than coffee. Many teas like chamomile are used to help promote sleep. Tea can also be consumed hot or cold, but hot tea soothes the mind and body and encourages the winding down process after a long day.
Caffeine: Less or More
Both brews and time can play a factor into the strength of tea or coffee. Darker roasts of coffee have less caffeine because the bean has been processed more. Lighter roasts have beans that had less tampering, and therefore the caffeine dosage will be stronger.
Teas depend on the type and steeping time. Black tea is known to have more caffeine, and steeping your tea for longer also increases the level too. Keep in mind that steeping it for too long can result in a tea that is too bitter.
You can have your tea and your coffee too! It is best to have the most highly-caffeinated drink in the morning, which, according to some studies, is coffee. Tea, especially herbal and decaffeinated tea, is best for relaxing both mind and body and encouraging a restful evening.
Bio: Sarah never forgets to enjoy a cup of coffee and tea every day. On We Dream of Coffee, you'll know why she loves these drinks so much and why you should too.


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Post Updated on
This week we are talking to Michael Bush :). This is Episode forty nine of our beekeeping podcast.
You can download the podcast directly HERE, or click on the play button above. Feel free to share it with your friends.
Michael Bush is a Treatment free Beekeeper / Author and speaker from Nebraska.
Here's What You'll Learn
- What is Michael's biggest challenge in keeping his bees alive in Nebraska
- Sometimes the answer is to do nothing
- Feeding can set off a Robbing Frenzy
- How to get more honey in a Top Bar Hive
- How to get started in Treatment Free Beekeeping
- 45 Degrees is the best angle for Foundation Less Frames
- The Hopkins Method of Queen Rearing was popularised by Isaac Hopkins (A New Zealander)
- What was the motivation for Michael Bush's Book?
What Was Mentioned
- Small Cell Beekeeping
- Foundation-less frames
- Maybe the microbes in feral Bees is why they are so good?
- Treatments kill the Bees ecology?
- Walter T Kelly Foundation-Less Frames
- Michael is going to be running some Bee camp, Click HERE to find out more.
Michael's Book
Michael Bush book is called "The Practical Beekeeper: Beekeeping Naturally"
Video's Mentioned in the Talk
Michael Bush- Four Simple Steps to Healthier Bees
Michael Bush gave this presentation to the Beekeepers Association of Northern Virginia (BANV) and to the Prince William Regional Beekeepers Association (PWRBA) on July 30-31, 2012 in Manassas, VA.
Want to learn more about Michael Bush
His website is at http://www.bushfarms.com/bees.htm
You can email Michael Bush on firstname.lastname@example.com
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Related Posts
Gary Fawcett
Latest posts by Gary Fawcett (see all)
- Q and A –Finding Bees and stopping wasps – KM143 - May 22, 2019
- Beekeeping in the Hawkes Bay with Beekeeper John Berry – KM142 - May 12, 2019
- Oh Dear…Burglar covered in Bee Stings – KM141 - April 28, 2019


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A stray cat with matted fur was saved by an animal rescue charity – but they need help footing the bill of his treatment and finding him a new home.
Ferring-based Wadars Animal Rescue is appealing for donations to help cover the cost of treatment for Basil, who was found in a sorry state in Littlehampton.
Basil, as he has been named by the charity, was found with extremely matted fur on his back and his tongue permanently sticking out, leading to concerns that he wasn't able to eat properly.
Wadars operations manager, Tracy Cadman, said: "We had a couple of calls from members of the public who were rightly very concerned about the condition that the cat was in. We put out a trap and caught him and took him straight along to the vet for treatment. The problem appears to have been that because his teeth were in such a bad way, he was very likely to be in quite some pain and as a result unable to groom himself.
"We have now had him de-matted, removed a few damaged teeth, and neutered him so he is ready to go to a new home. We haven't had the final bill yet, but the treatment for Basil will run into several hundred pounds at least, which given our limited funds is a lot for us to spend on one animal. If anyone would like to make a donation towards Basil's treatment we would be incredibly grateful.
"Basil is a little shy at the moment, but is a friendly enough lad who just needs to settle into a home with someone who will give him the time and space he needs."
Anyone interested in finding out more about adopting Basil should call Wadars on 01903 247 111.


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Remember that old saying "hang out your shingle"? It meant to start up a business because the only type of business that could be conceived was one that required a physical place. The saying derived from truth back then and lots of companies were born into that world as shingle owning retail locations. Physical stores. All those years ago it was how business was done.
We all know that has changed in incredible ways – for the consumer. For those retailers that still cling to the shingle part of the equation, these last few years have been somewhat of a challenge (understated for effect). At one point we were all roaming the digital streets with virtual pitchforks waiting to celebrate the death of traditional, shingle'd retail. Well, that did not happen. Sure, retail has taken it on the chin. Sure, some of the oldest, most legacy-filled shingle's have become landfill. But the most heinous word ever spoken underneath a shingle – one that sent little kids running for cover and store owners cowering in discount fear – no longer carries the same weight. Amazon is no longer the boogyman to all and to many, they are a new way of doing business.
One such business just happens to be the oldest retailer in North America – the Hudson's Bay Company up here in Canada and Lord & Taylor down in the United States. They started experimenting with beacons early in their lifecycle and, in so doing, started putting the innovation and cool back into the shingle business. The guy that spearheaded the beacon initiative and watched it roll out across North America is Ryan Craver and he's the guest for this episode.
To understand the flight of the beacon, you must first understand the plight of the retail industry and Ryan is our guide as we get a pretty amazing behind-the-scenes look at a retail giant as it arms up to fight the battle of its life.
Key takeaways from this episode. Click on the link and the video will take you to that clip
1. How did you end up at the oldest retailer in North America? 2:45
2. What was it like inside a big retailer when Amazon was a scary term 6:00
3. Why is this the most exciting time for consumers? 10:45
4. How did Lord & Taylor react to all the panic in the industry? 13:15
5. Did you ever think that Amazon would open physical stores? 15:15
6. What has the impact of ecommerce been on traditional retail 19:15
7. A look at the various types of retailers around the world 23:15
8. What has the impact of mobile been on retail 26:30
9. A calculated bet on beacons 30:20
10. What were the results of the initial beacon rollout 34:30
11. Do you worry that beacons just become like email spam? 35:45
12. Was it hard to convince people internally to go with beacons? 37:50
13. What features will we start to see roll out through beacons? 40:30
14. What are your predictions about where retail goes 46:00
15. What gets you very excited about the future or retail? 49:35
16. Will anything really ever change retail? 52:40
17. What is grabbing your attention right now 54:40
Transcript coming soon!
iTunes Audio iTunes Video Soundcloud
About Ryan Craver
Retail and digital exec building brands fueled by retail tech startups. Former @lordandtaylor and @accenture strategist.


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BOGH considers its clients partners in the building process and we take pride in our products and building techniques.
Our firm has a large company footprint with a small company feel with over 50 years of experience in the construction industry. Our company name is our family's name and nothing is more important. As a result, we take pride in the quality of our work. BOGH is recognized throughout the Inland Empire as a well respected and accomplished firm. BOGH is known to our customers as problem solvers. Most public works officials are too busy to monitor day-to-day challenges of multi million construction projects and trust BOGH to complete projects hassle free. As such, our Principals have established a reputation of quality and integrity within the industry that is unsurpassed by any of our peers.
Our company is financially sound with technological advancements that allow us to pass along cost savings to our clients. BOGH is selective with the clients we pursue, looking for clients with whom we can establish long term, productive relationships.
Mission Statement: "Provide superior high quality design and construction services in a short duration with a fair profit"
558 total views, 1 views today


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The Drop of Life is sprung out of the clear waters gypsies rest next to. The water infuses them with life. It quenches their thirst. The Drop of Life lets the story flow further and bathes the soul of beauty lovers.
Drop of Life
Touriga Nacional
red, dry Download Data Sheet
red, dry Download Data Sheet


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Metropolitan Actuarial Science Bursaries 2013
Closing Date: 28 September 2012
We cover the costs of:
- Registration
- Full tuition and residential fees
- Textbooks and incidental expenses
- Incentive bonuses for exceptional achievements
- Annual travel allowance for flights back home (where applicable)
- We also provide vacation work from 2nd year and a basic living allowance
- As well as excellent networking opportunities, your chance to meet other actuaries in the business
- The opportunity to enroll at either the University of Cape Town or the University of Stellenbosch.
Upon the successful completion of your Bursary Programme:
- You will be assigned an experienced Actuary as your Mentor
- Guaranteed employment within one of the largest financial institution in Africa, where you can apply your experience and skills
Our requirements are:
- You need to be a matriculant who is achieving over 85% in Mathematics ,as well as Additional Maths or Maths3. Plus you need to obtain A's in at least 2 other related subjects (e.g. Accounting/
Physics), level 6 or above.
How to Apply
Click here to download the application form.


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Eric HB sent me an email asking how I think Ceptr and the ecosystem we're trying to build around it fits with what is depicted in this blog post. I'm posting my reply. And frankly, I wish I'd remember to capture content like this when I write about things in email or other random places so I can start to collect this information somewhere where it's shareable.
The US Constitution has provisions to protect freedom of speech and expression. Yet, I cannot declare myself a new name or identity and we cannot declare ourselves a new corporate entity. These kinds of statement can only be made by an official acknowledged by the state.
Why is this? Because it is a different type of speech act. We don't normally distinguish very clearly between statements of opinion and speech acts which declare new realities or agreements. And yet, they are different.
The reason I have to register a new name or a new corporation with the state is because I am asserting a new reality into a commonly held "legal space" which is intended to help us manage binding agreements with each other. By social agreement, my parents get to give me my legal name, and it is registered as such on my birth certificate and carried forward from there onto other identity documents of the state. For me to change the social agreement about my name, I have to take legal action as well as public/social action (publishing announcement in newspaper, etc.).
One of the things we see Ceptr providing is new ways of creating and asserting agreements -- spaces for binding speech-acts. Being able to store information which is digitally signed and countersigned into commonly held (by no individual but decentralized by a collective). You could see these as alternatives to the existing law books and legislation. Laws for the members of that particular shared space or commons.
There are many people trying to solve the same kind of problems we're solving with Ceptr/Streamscapes/MetaCurrency tools. Many are doing *parts* of what we're doing, but as far as I know, nobody has reformulated the whole system in a way that solves all those problems at once while also enhancing social collective intelligence by building an infrastructure for living flow maps which is fundamentally decentralized, unenclosable, interoperable (self-describing, pluggable protocols), highly composable, with fractal coherence, intrinsic data integrity (signed chains), holographic storage (variations of DHT), relational wisdom (scapes), shared sense-making (semantics) and rapid evolution.
A friend of mine (Sheri Herndon) just sent me an email which I replied to. My response felt like it should be capture (and probably expanded or built on more in the future) for a glimpse of why we're building Ceptr. In fairness, she knows a lot of what I write in my answer, but it was in part to share the purpose behind Ceptr to the others copied on the message who I may meet tomorrow at the Platform Cooperativism Conference..
From Sheri:
You might know the expression among software developers: "Code is Law." It is a trueism about the abilities and limitations that the users of the software become bound to. And I see a world where this becomes quite literally true in the larger social context as we build new digital commons and distributed autonomous organizations where our agreements, and processes for sharing and accessing resources are quite literally encoded in the digital tools we use to share them and gain access to them.
I'd like to share a bit about a vision for a Land Weaving Society as an example of these patterns and processes -- a way to shift land access and use, by voluntary participation in a commons where owners "share" their land (or house, or buildings) with other members for various uses like hiking, camping, farming, firewood collection, fruit harvesting, etc.
[I shared this brief in preparation for the Rebooting the Web of Trust event in San Francisco November 3&4 2015.]
The MetaCurrency Project's requirements for decentralization combined with a commitment to leveraging organizing principles of living systems led us to invest a lot of time in the past 5 years developing Ceptr. Ceptr is a rebuild of much of the computing stack optimized for decentralized sense-making, computation and composability. This means semantics baked into the lowest levels of memory storage, self-describing protocols which let anything talk with anything else, blockchain-like abilities for decentralized data storage and computation.


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The Ying/Yang of Working Whole
Balancing One's Person and One's Work
What Is Your Challenge?
What aspect of your business is challenging you?
That's the question for which the answer lies within YOU through re-connection with what you
Experience A Complimentary Coaching Consultation
Take advantage of a Complimentary Consultation and see what gets you jumping out of bed in the morning and looking forward to spending the day working with passion.
Working Whole
Is This You?
It is six in the evening. You've been at it since six this morning and you feel there is so much you have yet to accomplish.
You want balance with your work and:
You are not alone. Time and again we all struggle for balance, like a gymnast on the balance beam. Do you wonder how gymnasts do it? How they balance? And how this relates in your life? Look closely, you will see gymnasts focus on what keeps them balanced verses what throws them.
Life offers infinite possibilities to identify and connect the values, standards of living and meaning that define the unique you, the fertile ground of balance with your work.
The exploration of this foundation is so much more rewarding than constantly managing all the incidents that have you "falling off the beam of life.
Are you ready to explore where your balance lies?
"To be prepared against surprise is to be trained.
Checking Out
Do you feel you "check your Self at the door" in your work? Your profession? Your business? "
"Checking out" makes working your personal dreams and goals a struggle with those of your profession because our whole Self is not at the table.
Becoming consciously aware of the values you share with your work brings out your whole Self, establishing synergy and balance for the achievement of your personal goals with your professional goals in a focus that benefits you and your work.
Sign up today and see what Working Whole can bring you. Experience the power of values awareness to help you transform your work and your life.


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North Yorkshire County Council (NYCC) has warned that it will be forced to cut some services following the severe cuts in government grants.
The county council will be forced to save £50m from its revenue budget budget by 2019/20 - £14m of which still remains unplanned for.
Coun Carl Les, leader of NYCC, said that the Council Plan 2016-2020, approved on Wednesday, February 24, will examine how the council meets the austerity challenge.
The plan will also set out the council's priorities for the next four years but Coun Les admitted they will no longer be able to provide some some services.
He said: "We need to be absolutely clear on the level of support that we are able to provide.
"For example, we have already transferred a number of libraries from being run by the council to being run by communities.
"More of this will happen and we will need to be clear with our community partners about how we will work with them to help community services to thrive."
However, Coun Les stressed that the county council were making 'every attempt' to protect vital front-line services despite plans to cut spending by around £170m by 2020.
Around £116m has already been completed with some services already deeply affected but the council said changes have been mainly in the 'back office'.
Despite the cuts on spending, Coun Les said he was confident the strategies outlined in the Council Plan would help manage the future of these services.
He said: "Our Stronger Communities team is working with communities to support those who can and want to run services better and more cheaply than the council.
"We are also working with communities, families and individuals to help older and vulnerable people live independently and well for longer.
"We are in a significantly better place than many councils because of our strong financial planning and because we have reserves that we can use to help us approach the budget in a realistic and sensible way,"
The council are almost halfway through their 2020 North Yorkshire change programme which aims to make themselves more flexible and agile despite becoming smaller.
NYCC said their plans focus on helping children and young people have a great start in life, strengthening the county's economy and protecting its environment and heritage.
Coun Les added: "Our priorities must focus on where we can provide leadership and where intervention is needed to overcome some of the on-going issues that affect the lives of people within the county."


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This G-Shock MR-G Titanium case and strap make this watch anti scratch and lightweight you will comfortable to this watch when wearing or touch, there are using super hard sapphire crystal on this watch that make this watch strong and no scratch, so you can wear this watch everyday and everywhere you go, this MR-G quite special G-Shock high-class and high cost.
Model number for this G-Shock is MRG-8100B-1AJF with 46 mm. case diameter look fit with the strong men also titanium for a band of this watch, This is watch for who looking for high class of G-Shock.


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Now available in the App Store and Google Play for iOS and Android devices, marblemedia Interactive's fun new mobile game Drving Me Crazy puts players behind the wheel in a race to complete a collection of fast-paced, silly, micro-game challenges.
In mere seconds, players must figure out how to beat each game before it beats them, earing coins to pop trunks and collect new games and power ups.
Game features include:
- Free-to-play
- Awesome micro-games
- Unlimited Challenges
- 2 modes of play – Normal and Mega Challenge mode with bigger, more daring game challenges
- Collect new games and power ups by earning coins and popping trunks
- Common, Uncommon, Rare, Very Rare and Legendary rewards
- Level up your game to improve rewards and change up your gameplay
- Difficulty scales based on your play style
- Use your device camera to bring you and your friends into the game
Driving Me Crazy comes from marblemeda, the team behind the hit series Driving Me Crazy on YTV, designed with all new wacky challenges, surprises and rewards inspired by the show. Fans will even catch the show's host, pro- race car driver Gary Klutt, doing a victory dance or two.
Buckle up and start your engines!
About marblemedia
marblemedia is a leading global entertainment company that develops, producers and distributes compelling TV and interactive digital content for audiences of all ages, across media platforms. Learn more at marblemedia.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.


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In the last several years eco designer Adital Ela has dedicated her time to the earth by developing Terra – a brand of bio furniture made from compressed earth and agricultural waste. Terra is a series of products that are 100% organic, can be produced everywhere with local earth and agricultural residue, require zero energy to produce and are fully compostable. In her recent talk at TEDxJerusalem, Adital shares the unique story behind Terra.
The article above was submitted to us by an Inhabitat reader. Want to see your story on Inhabitat? Send us a tip by following this link. Remember to follow our instructions carefully to boost your chances of being chosen for publishing!