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Thursday, April 24, 2008

UK Culture - Rugby


Muhammad emerging from a
tunnel
formed by MCOBA
in the annual
MCOBA - MCKK match @
Oldboys weekend 2008


In the U.K, an old saying goes "football is a gentleman's game played by ruffians and rugby is a ruffians game played by gentleman". In most rugby-playing countries, rugby union is widely regarded as an "establishment," historically amateur sport, played mostly by members of the middle classes.

For example, many students at private schools and grammar schools play rugby union. By contrast, rugby league has traditionally been seen as a working and middle class, professional, pursuit. A contrast to this ideology is evident in the neighbouring unions of England and Wales. In England the sport is very much associated with the public schools system (i.e. independent/private schools).

In Ireland, rugby union is also associated with private, education and the "D4" stereotype, and this image of the spoilt, ignorant, wealthy rugby-playing jock inspired the best-selling Ross O'Carroll Kelly novels. In Wales, rugby is associated with small village teams which consisted of coal miners and other industrial workers playing on their days off.

Exceptions to the above include New Zealand, Wales, France except Paris, Cornwall, the Borders region of Scotland, County Limerick in Ireland, and the Pacific Islands, where rugby union is popular in working class communities. Nevertheless, rugby league is perceived as the game of the working class people in the English counties of Yorkshire, Lancashire and Cumbria, and in the Australian states of New South Wales and Queensland.

In the United Kingdom, rugby union fans sometimes use the term "rugger" as an alternative name for the sport, (see Oxford '-er'). Also the kick off is known to be called "Rug Off" in some regions. In the US, people who play rugby are sometimes called "ruggers", a term little used elsewhere except facetiously.

Those considered to be heavily involved with the rugby union lifestyle — including heavy drinking and striped jumpers — sometimes identify as "rugger buggers". Retired rugby union players who still turn up to watch, drink and serve on committees rank as "alickadoos" or, less kindly, as "old farts". An alternative name for the game adopted primarily in local rugby comps is known as "Ra-Ra" referring to the pomp and circumstance associated with the sport

Because of the nature of the games (almost unlimited body contact with little or no padding), the rugby world frowns on unsporting behaviour, since even a slight infringement of the rules may lead to serious injury or even death. Because of this, governing bodies enforce the rules strictly.

French rugby league supporters sometimes call themselves "treizistes", reflecting the French title of their sport (jeu à treize). The epithet occurs almost universally in France, but its use has also spread to English-speaking countries.

Australia is unusual in that rugby league is by far the more popular of the two codes. Support for both codes is concentrated in New South Wales, Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory. The same perceived class barrier as exists between the two games in England also occurs in these two states, fostered by rugby union's prominence and support at private schools. Australian followers of rugby league usually refer to rugby league as "league", "footy" or "football" and rugby union as "rugby" or "union". A popular television show dealing with rugby league, called The Footy Show screens weekly during the NRL season and television coverage is generally known as Friday Night Football, Sunday Football and Monday Night Football.

New Zealanders generally refer to rugby union simply as either "football", "rugby" or "rugby union" and to rugby league as "rugby league", "football" or "league". In New Zealand, playing rugby football has a reputation as the epitome of manliness for both Māori and Pākehā (non-Māori), as symbolised by a haka (war dance) at the start of important games. Kiwis see rugby as the accepted substitute for military heroism and an excellent training ground for soldiering. If Britain won the Battle of Waterloo on the playing-fields of Eton College, New Zealand long saw its role in the British Empire as intimately connected with the football field. Popular Kiwi mythology sees the encouragement of New Zealand rugby in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as the Imperial reaction to declining physical fitness in Britain's industrial slums.

(the above is UK Culture extracted from wikipedia, verbatim)

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Chelsea 1-1 Wigan

Page last updated at 20:56 GMT, Monday, 14 April 2008 21:56 UK

By Paul Fletcher

Chelsea's Michael Ballack (left) struggles to come to terms with Wigan's late equaliser
Wigan's late equaliser left Chelsea's players and supporters stunned

Emile Heskey struck with an injury-time volley to earn a point for Wigan and leave Chelsea's hopes of winning the Premier League hanging by a thread.

Wigan keeper Chris Kirkland made fine saves from Nicolas Anelka and Salomon Kalou while John Terry hit the bar.

Chelsea eventually took the lead when Michael Essien struck from 20 yards. . . read more

Saturday, April 5, 2008

New "kids" on the blog.


When I say "kids" I don't mean small, what I meant is starters. RPK started blogging since DSAI (Datok Sri Anwar) was in the Sg Buluh Palace. I used to see him then at DSAI's corner lot house near Damasara Mosque. It was good and informative - Malaysiakini was free and popular then for us to be informed and have an update of DSAI's life then political, social - the court cases and his personal health including the blood HIV tests and the arsenic poisoning case.


I can't really tell when YB LKS started blogging before or after RPK ( Raja Petra Kamarudin ). For obviuos reasons YB LKS's blog was less intellectually informative and more related to his issues. Informative articles in YB LKS's blog are generally written by others and available to me through other sources including through my e-group. His interactive blog is good for we can read comments from others on issues he raised, gauge public opinions and make our own conclusion.


Take for instance his opposition to the MB of Perak being from PAS, not only him I too had a shock! I did anticipate that our "Barisan Rakyat" comrades would like to have a shouting match with YB LKS on his proposed 'swearing in' boycott. What shock me is his delayed reaction on realizing, the fact that we "Barisan Rakyat" supporters put DAP candidates there. The result was the YB's apology to the Sultan and Pemangku Raja Perak. That's the power of the internet. It is even more powerful than DAP's CEC. It reverses the DAP's CEC decision - public opinion did it at a lightning speed.


Clever people like Dr Khir Toyo would realized that. Why not he, when the President of Iran Blogs! He wants to stand as UMNO youth leader as televised by the RTM, then it may be more relevant if we were to assume that UMNO youth members are as IT savvy as their Barisan Rakyat counter part. There may be more UMNO personalities blogging in the near future. Have you visited our PM's blog?


Hopefully YB LKS has realized by now about Barisan Yakyat, he was so blank when it was raised after he made the protest was made. How on earth could he? When 3/4 of the signatories to the "Rakyat' Declaration" got elected as MP. Sdr Wee Chee Keong of MDP, Sdr Ronnie of DAP and Puan Dr Mariah of PAS except for Cik Gu Bad of PKR. His losses to Khairi, I believe is due to vote rigging, will PKR take his case to court?


Having said that, I personally feel that YB LKS owes Barisan Rakyat supporters an apology. Things have progressed well and Bravo to YB LKS, DSAI, DSA , TGHH for the recent crytalization of "Pakatan Rakyat", we do not tolerate nonsense and unnecessary critical of petty things. Have you all agreed to the tentative name "PR". It's okay with me!



Dr Khir Toyo's blog - a welcoming message.

Friday, March 28, 2008

Wadah Sebuah Perjuangan

Assalamualaikum w.b.t.

"Selamat Datang" ke blog ini. Insya-Allah, ia akan menjadi wadah untuk saya berkomunikasi dengan pembaca khusus dalam isu-isu politik dan sosial. Saya akan memanfaatkan blog ini untuk berbicara mengenai masa depan negara dan perjuangan UMNO sebagai wadah politik kit

On 1st April 08, my birthday, another interesting event took placed, YB Mohd Ali Rustam started blogging, is he positioning himself to contest for any post in the coming UMNO elections.


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