Futtocks

Peter Kwong, who played the character Rain in ‘Big Trouble in Little China,’ aged 73. https://variety.com/2025/film/obituaries-people-news/peter-kwong-dead-big-trouble-in-little-china-1236412425/

Cronulla v Parramatta at 10:45am tomorrow morning is the first match: https://www.rugbyleagueontv.com

Our family had that problem with growing carrots too - a shallow topsoil over limestone and we never got more than anaemic little tendrils. Sometimes you just have to give up on some plants and concentrate on the ones that grow best for you instead of fighting nature.

He was unusually eloquent in the pre-game interview. He spoke with a lot of enthusiasm about becoming a two-time foundation coach when he took on the Dolphins job and how fond he'd become of the players he'd worked with there. I suppose that if you spend your days dealing with the egos rampaging around the Rabbitohs' dressing room, you get a bit nostalgic for a squad who knew they had something to prove. The presenters looked a little startled because he can be a bit like the trolley guy in Hot Fuzz.

Tinned bear meat, potato gratin and asparagus. The bear was well seasoned (maybe a tiny amount more salt than necessary) and less gamey than I'd imagined. A tasty thing to try once, but not something I'd have again at the price. The potato gratin was one of those Aldi pre-made ones in a bag, which are really useful to have as they keep for a long time in the fridge. They also taste pretty decent with a bit of pepper and smoked paprika sprinkled on top before cooking.

Shall we have a round by round match thread for the women's game Down Under? Let's see how this flies. I have meetings all tomorrow morning so will be watching the first televised match of the season on catch-up.

Plus any connotation with Rugby is not going to play well in the minds of the public who are also reading about long term concussion effects and the pending lawsuits arising from that.

Jimmy Swaggart, televangelist grifter, prostitution enthusiast and cousin of Jerry Lee Lewis. https://variety.com/2025/music/obituaries-people-news/jimmy-swaggart-dead-tv-evangelist-cousin-jerry-lee-lewis-1236432640/

It is a very old symbol and not just in Hinduism. You can see a one carved on a stone near Ilkley. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swastika_Stone

https://www.intrl.sport/article/455/peace-on-a-rugby-league-mission-ugandan-trailblazer-joins-york Peace Lekuru is hoping to be a trailblazer for Uganda women’s Rugby League. The 25-year-old centre or backrower has signed for York Valkyrie, a club who have been consistent supporters of the development of the sport in the African nation.

Some potentially interesting ideas here: https://youtu.be/SJnIZiH5fyM Skirret sounds like an interesting and easy-to-grow vegetable.

Very much looking forward to this season, especially now the NZ Warriors are back in the competition. First game: Cronulla v Parramatta KO at 10:45am this Thursday.

In other news, I processed a membership apprilcation with a woman from India today whose first name was "Swastika". Cultural differences, eh?

This turned up on BlueSky. Something Alexei Sayle wrote on PRESTEL or some similar early message board in the Eighties. I knew John Drake would want to see this, so...

@adamcsharp.bsky.social The best phrase about hot weather I’ve come across in Afrikaans is die hond die kat jaag, maar beide loop. It means “the dog is chasing the cat, but both are walking”

Former ITN newsreader Sandy Gall, aged 97.

The world's narrowest Fiat Panda. https://www.yankodesign.com/2025/06/27/worlds-narrowest-fiat-panda-is-one-anorexic-19-inch-wide-ev-destined-for-the-record-books/

A very different band, but Duran Duran seem to have come to terms with the fact that they'll always be a bit ridiculous and have embraced it as part of their act. I know a couple of people who've gone to their recent gigs and had a great time, even though they were never fans of the band originally.

A bit more East of Eden; a supergroup featuring members of various bands including D:Drive, Predia and Lonesome Blue.

An excellent, close, intense game, available to watch via YouTube.