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I HATE homespun philosophy

Ah just seen your post Tim. Fine footballer and as you say, a great foil for greavesy

The NRL have announced that the Adelaide Oval will host a State of Origin match in 2023, ensuring the series will see one game held on neutral turf for the next three years. In an announcement with the South Australian Government, the NRL confirmed the league would head back to Adelaide following the success of the 2020 series opener. A reduced crowd of 25,218 saw Queensland upset the Blues 18-14 to take a 1-0 series lead in November last year, after a delayed start due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Of course, the serious Yang to Monkey's delirious Yin was The Water Margin. Both were based on old Chinese classics. “Do not despise the snake for having no horns, for who is to say it will not become a dragon? So does one just man become an army…”

Sadly, that actress, Masako Natsume, died quite young, aged only 27. She did a bit of modelling as well as acting, but Monkey is definitely the role she's remembered for. Here's the new Tripitaka.

Plot summary[edit] Monkey (孫悟空, Son Gokū), the title character, is described in the theme song as being "born from an egg on a mountain top"; a stone egg and thus he is a stone monkey, a skilled fighter who becomes a brash king of a monkey tribe, who, the song goes on to claim, was "the punkiest monkey that ever popped".[1] He achieved a little enlightenment, and proclaimed himself "Great Sage, Equal of Heaven".[2] After demanding the "gift" of a magical staff from a powerful dragon king, and to quiet the din of his rough antics on Earth, Monkey is approached by Heaven to join their host, first in the lowly position of Master of the Stable (manure disposal), and then—after his riotous complaints—as "Keeper of the Peach Garden of Immortality". Monkey eats many of the peaches, which have taken millennia to ripen, becomes immortal and runs amok. Having earned the ire of Heaven and being beaten in a challenge by an omniscient, mighty, but benevolent, cloud-dwelling Buddha (釈迦如来, Shakanyorai), Monkey is imprisoned for 500 years under a mountain in order to learn patience. Eventually, Monkey is released by the monk Tripitaka (三蔵法師, Sanzōhōshi), who has been tasked by the Boddhisatva Guanyin (観世音菩薩, Kanzeon Bosatsu) to undertake a pilgrimage from China to India to fetch holy scriptures. The pair soon recruit two former members of the Heavenly Host who were cast out and turned from angels to "monsters" as a result of Monkey's transgressions: Sandy (沙悟浄, Sa Gojō), the water monster and ex-cannibal, expelled from Heaven after his interference caused Heaven's Jade Emperor's (天帝, Tentei, Shangdi) precious jade cup to be broken (his birthname is also later revealed to be Shao Chin, having been abducted as a child, but meets his long-lost father, in "The Beginning of Wisdom"), and Pigsy (猪八戒, Cho Hakkai), a pig monster consumed with lust and gluttony, who was expelled from Heaven after harassing the Star Princess Vega—the Jade Emperor's mistress—for a kiss. A dragon, Yu Lung (玉龍, Gyokuryū), who was set free by Guanyin after being sentenced to death, eats Tripitaka's horse. On discovering that the horse was tasked with carrying Tripitaka, it assumes the horse's shape to carry the monk on his journey. Later in the story he occasionally assumes human form to assist his new master, although he is still always referred to as "Horse". Monkey can also change form, for instance into a hornet. In Episode 3, The Great Journey Begins, Monkey transforms into a girl to trick Pigsy. Monkey's other magic powers include: summoning a cloud upon which he can fly; his use of the magic wishing staff which he can shrink and grow at will and from time to time, when shrunk, store in his ear, and which he uses as a weapon; and the ability to conjure monkey warriors by blowing on hairs plucked from his chest. The pilgrims face many perils and antagonists both human, such as Emperor Taizong of Tang (太宗皇帝, Taisōkōtei) and supernatural. Monkey, Sandy, and Pigsy are often called upon to battle demons, monsters, and bandits, despite Tripitaka's constant call for peace. Many episodes also feature some moral lesson, usually based upon Buddhist and/or Taoist philosophies, which are elucidated by the narrator at the end of various scenes.

Closer to home, they are dropping like flies. Lost my sister 6 months ago (non-Covid, Parkinsons, late onset MS etc) , former work colleague a year ago (ill but Covid saw him off) plus several others. I guess its age-group related. Once you get to your 70s, there are many fewer years ahead than behind, and more Sympathy cards than Christmas cards. Can't change that, but to see some leaving us at a much earlier age is such a shame. Carpe Diem, everyone and yes, that means YOU!

Sydney start-up streaming service’s stunning $20m coup snares UEFA Champions League rights (smh.com.au) This is the same mob who stream Serbian Rugby League, and seem to be building themselves a nice stable of sports offerings. UEFA Champions League being billed as the most watched club football tournament in the world. For many who are predicting a shake-out of the sports streaming industry, hopefully Serbian League have positioned themselves to be on one of the carriers that may emerge from a shake-out in a good position. I wonder how long the deal they signed with Sports Flick is for.

I’ve got the theme tune to why don’t you going through my head now.

Press the on/off button on your remote. Job done.

Even today if me and the wife go out for a meal and we are directed to sit on a chair with a leather seat I always make the sound that occurred when Reggie sat in the chair in his bosses office when the wife sits down. Stupid, infantile, sad but it cracks me up every time

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They did have the Red Kangaroos as their reserve team for a while, which was a nice idea, I am not sure if they still have them. I think outside the main 4-5 teams, no other team can really commit to joining the league. The standard of matches, plus frequency is probably too much for them. That's why if you have 9 teams, it might look good on paper to have a 9-team league, but in practical terms, might actually be best to have 3 tiers of 3 teams in each. To avoid the thumpings and getting teams of similar standard playing against each other more often. They already took steps along these lines. Red Star has a patreon page, with currently 44 members. They have stated their goal is to reach 200 members and if/when they do, they will employ two part-time junior coaches in Belgrade, which would be a great boost for them: https://www.patreon.com/RedStarRL Red Star a few years ago, had a goal of reaching League One, so they started recruiting a few semi-pro players and were flogging any team they played. This probably harmed RL in Serbia slightly. They have since ditched the League One idea and are more concentrating on building the local league. They also stated recently that money that they make from these initiatives will be spread across all clubs in Serbia, which is also a great way to go.

I don't understand why so many RL fans have to be so dramatic all the time. "Make or break" "do or die" "grow or go bust"... I don't see it that way at all. RL has existed 126 and a lot of clubs in England pre-date the game and over 150 years old. Rugby League in Serbia is not even 20 years old yet. It has grown at times, and has also been stagnant at times. Everyone has setbacks and hurdles to overcome, but I don't think it is fair to say that they have ever gone backwards, or been in decline and any point during those (approx. 18) years of existence. They, like many minnow nations, face an incredible, if not impossible task of catching up to nations that had a 100+ year head start. You used Russia, Italy, Lebanon and Ukraine as an example of countries that started off promising, then died off (or had minimal teams left). I think that example can only really apply to Russia, who indeed were getting big at one stage and in the last couple of years literally did die off. Italy and Lebanon never got big (don't confuse seeing Farah and Tedesco wearing their jerseys at World Cups, with how the game is going on the ground). While Ukraine, I think is only about 13-14 years old, has been on a similar path to Serbia. Slow and steady, but I have never seen them go backwards like you have implied. One final example to close: Rugby Union was first played in Argentina in 1873 and their federation was established in 1899. Argentina today has 110,000 registered players (according to wiki). Now, despite this, Argentina has NO CHANCE of winning a RUWC any time soon and will probably forever be a "tier 2" nation. What should they do? Pack up and call it a day? Cease to exist? This "make or break" mentality needs to stop. It achieves nothing and I genuinely wonder what expectations people have of some of these countries. To achieve in 10 years what other countries achieved in 100 with almost zero resource to work with?

Hi Rocket Not much has changed sadly , but to be fair , Melbourne's media does this to all other sports as well , its AFL dominated whilst other sports get what space is left over . In saying that , Melbourne Storm has developed a great following and the sport is well admired in the city amongst regular folk, for example a lot of people follow their AFL team and the Storm , i hold season tickets for North Melbourne Kangaroos in AFL and Melb Storm in NRL. A lot of people do this ..... Casey is a large/growing area of Melbourne , working class , with a high number of people with heritage from the pacific islands , so im sure RL is popular out that way. We have 17 clubs in the Melbourne metropolitan area , closest club near me are the Mernda Dragons who run a junior only system , thats where my two nephews will play.

Bunny Wailer.

Ian St John, a fine footballer and straight man for Jimmy Greaves. Aged 82. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/56250355

The memsahib's brother. After 5 decades of acute/chronic schizophrenia.... he is now at peace. No more voices. No more paranoia. A desperately sad life ends. The memsahib is beyond grief.