Messages

https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/27851359/the-ugly-gory-bloody-secret-life-nhl-dentists?utm_source=pocket-newtab

It's a mess.  It was sold as consistency, but once you have refs in the VAR room, whose opinion on fouls differ, it can't be consistent. 

There were two instances in Everton/Spurs that involved defenders trying to kick the ball, but getting the attacker's leg first.  Son for the Spurs incident and the Brazilian lad for Everton.  Neither given, but both as much pennos as the Mane one last week. 

Watching Everton Spurs today, it was ridiculous; VAR kept interrupting the game for long periods, and according to the commentators, certain angles that the viewer could see were not available to VAR refs. 

[the defender is in the process of striking the ball and the attecking player sticks his foot in]

I thought the VAR sanctioned  decision to award the penalty to Liverpool was way out of order. The theory was that Mane got his foot ahead of the Spurs defender  therefore  he had priority right before he recieved a whack on his leg. But after reviewing all the angles, it was clear that Mane tripped or was was attemping to trip the Spurs defender in his attempt to get his foot into the mix. It should have been a free out. How on earth  it can be a penalty when the defender is in the process of striking the ball and the attecking player sticks his foot in and trips him up, defies justice and the laws.

I think, as the rules stand, this is definitely a penalty (because technically the defender kicked the attacker's leg), however, this is one of those cases that make you wonder about the rule.  Mane cleverly won the penalty by deliberately sticking his leg between the defender's kicking foot and the ball.   Reminds me of basketball: if you establish position before the opponent, and there is contact, you win the free, regardless of context.   

Also reminds me of a very different penalty award in a WC game some years ago between Italy and Australia.  Aussie defender had his leg out after a sliding tackle, Italian attacker saw the leg remaining outstretched and ran into it without attempting to avoid it.  Clear penalty by the rules, but more a case of a smart attacker taking advantage rather than a defender actually fouling.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/brexit-worth-letting-scots-go-say-three-quarters-of-tory-leave-voters-in-england-7c5zpcmrv

Research by Lord Ashcroft, the Conservative donor, found that 76 per cent of English Conservatives who voted Leave in 2016 would prioritise Brexit even if it meant Scotland gained independence. Of the same demographic, 74 per cent would choose leaving the EU over Northern Ireland remaining part of the UK.

How the f**k do more of them want to keep NI than Scotland?

Thanks. 

Not sure that those arrangements are so arduous that the DUP, wouldn't try to use the escape mechanism, but I guess the hope is they won't carry enough numbers along with them to be in a position to do so.

From this one:   https://www.ft.com/content/f917b2ac-f0cc-11e9-bfa4-b25f11f42901

"the prime minister has secured a democratic escape mechanism from the backstop for Northern Ireland — a withdrawal of consent by the devolved Northern Ireland Assembly at Stormont — but its nature makes it hard to envisage it ever being used. "

What's the nature of the "escape mechanism" and why does it make it hard to envisage it ever being used?

That seems pretty risky.

Every 4 years for a MAJORITY to reject the deal.

A majority in Stormont?  Or a majority in Stormont amongst both communities? Or a referendum?

Isn't there a vote every four years for unionists to reject the agreement?

[I hope that there is realism that you cannot separate out part of a nation from the rest of the nation]

I saw this comment from Arlene, it is from a few days ago.

https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/brexit/brexit-deal-that-works-for-everyone-eminently-possible-claims-dups-arlene-foster-37399448.html

"I hope that there is realism that you cannot separate out part of a nation from the rest of the nation," Mrs Foster said.

The DUP is abandoning its support for partition?

What happens if Hungary vetoes an extension, given the recently passed-into-law parliamentary bill that the UK can't legally leave without a deal?

Inquiry into whether to pursue impeachment, no?

What do you call normal?
We'll have a biteen of local excitement in Connacht and th'Ulsters will have their annual love in. Only 3 teams won Ulster in this decade?
Munster will see if Kerry reach 100 before Cork reach 50.
Leinster will be about who gets to lose to Dublin in the Final .
The AI (tier 1 if it hapoens) will be about who Dublin with its huge numbers, resources, finances, home venue etc. beat in the Final.
If Tier 2 happens might generate a bit of excitement for the bottom 16 and the Leagues will at least give every County a chance of a more season Cupeen.

Normal would be :
- the Dubs losing a Leinster final
- Someone else winning the all Ireland or maybe 2 different teams winning the next 3 Sams
- Dubs getting no All Stars

as opposed to the current Dub Japanese knotweed model

Your problem is Dublin winning anything it seems or having a dominent period .

Dublin being hated and people wanting them to lose is nothing new to this decade. Its always been the case. I enjoy it and makes victory so much sweater.

I was happy for Dublin in 95 when they got over the line and in 2011 when Cluxton scored the free with the last kick of the ball.
What is happening now is an experiment that has gone out of control.
Gaelic Football does not belong to the Dublin County Board.

IIRC, you didn't seem overly concerned with Dublin when it was Mayo they were beating. It was only after Dublin beat Galway in the championship that you started on with this.

https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=19th+century+blackface+images&FORM=HDRSC2

Here's a bing search for 19th century blackface images.  Scroll down and have a look at how blackface was used to portray black people (obviously this continued into the twentieth century). This went, at the time, hand in hand with the KKK being an immense political force, violence, lynchings, and other attempts to stop blacks from voting, and science departments in universities like Yale having Eugenics scientists publishing on how black people were actually a different species. Literally subhuman.  The imagery helped establish this idea in the public consciousness.

Taken outside of historical context, would there be anything wrong with using makeup to pretend you're a different race? No, but once you have that social context, things look very different.

Good points.  Would add to that, though not part of the five-in-a-row, the 2013 semi-final against Kerry, which Dublin were losing until injury time.

Another thing I'd look at before splitting Dublin would be having AI series games involving Dublin in Semple, or Pairc ui Chaoimh, or some other suitable venue.  Given the narrow margins of victory oohtoohtobe highlighted, it seems reasonable to think that Mayo or Kerry would be more likely to win a tight final/semi against Dublin outside of Croker.