The Silver Fern

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<div><strong><span style="font-size:36px;">Rugby: Former All Black Brad Thorn coming out of retirement</span></strong></div>
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<div>5:47 AM Friday Aug 12, 2016</div>
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<div><span style="font-size:14px;">Evergreen rugby ironman Brad Thorn is at it again. He is coming out of retirement to play rugby at the age of 41.</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-size:14px;">Thorn will play for Queensland Country in the Australian national championship, with his first game coming on August 27 against the Canberra Vikings.</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-size:14px;">The New Zealand-born Queenslander has played 460 game of first class rugby league and rugby union over a staggering career spanning two decades and including Rugby World Cup, Super Rugby, European Cup, NRL grand final and State of Origin triumphs.</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-size:14px;">Since "retiring" from professional rugby last year, Thorn has been part of the coaching staff at the Brisbane-based Reds Super Rugby franchise.</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-size:14px;">He will assist as a coach for Queensland Country as well as playing for them.</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-size:14px;"><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://Rugby'>http://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/news/article.cfm?c_id=80&objectid=11692202</a></span></div>
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<div>That is all.</div>

<p>I spent part of my holiday break watching all ten episodes of the new Netflix series <strike>"The Making of a Murder." </strike>correction, "Making A Murderer."</p>
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<p>It's a single piece in ten hour-long installments. Probably (almost certainly) the most insane documentary I've ever watched. If you like a good murder mystery with roller-coaster twists & turns, be sure to check it out, understanding in a truth-is-stranger-than-fiction way that if it was a drama you wouldn't believe any of it. And it might -- just might -- make you question the legal system and motivation of rogue corrupt police forces</p>

<p><span style="font-family:georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size:24px;"><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/music/music-news/motorheads-lemmy-reveals-final-wish-to-haunt-tears-for-fears-from-beyond-the-grave-in-last-interview-34327762.html'>Motorhead's Lemmy reveals final wish to 'haunt Tears for Fears' from beyond the grave in last interview</a></span></span></p>
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<p>"...<span style="color:rgb(17,17,17);font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:16px;">more than a little jarring for people who believe in the paranormal."</span></p>
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<p>Anybody see Spotlight yet?</p>
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<p>(It's about the true story Catholic pedophile abuse scandal in Boston.)</p>
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<p>Micheal Keaton has been having a very good comeback year, another gem for him. Funnily enough, the 2nd starring role for him in a "newspaper" movie, and this one is a lot better than the earlier Ron Howard film "The Paper" (1994) although that one is a guilty pleasure for me</p>
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<p>One of the best reviewed films of the year (97% at RT), probably a little too lavish for my taste, but then newspaper critics seem to get bigger erections than usual for "newspaper" movies that get the small details correct that most audiences don't give a rats' ass, because it's about "them" and their "craft." Still, an excellent movie. Getting widely compared to "All the President's Men," and for good reason.</p>
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<p>And in an incestuous way, whereas ATPM featured editor Ben Bradlee (Washington Post) as one of the main supporting characters (played by Jason Robards), this one has his kid Ben Bradlee Jr. (Boston Globe) as one of the main support actors (played by Mad Men's John Slattery). Bradlee wrote my fave book of the past couple years ("The Kid") so I was a little worried he was going to be the fall-guy in this suspense story.</p>
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<p>Script, dialogue, pacing, suspense, acting all top notch, although Mark Ruffalo for my money needs to dial it down just a touch. He seemed a little too tightly wound in a way that wasn't fully explored.</p>
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<p>I'll give it a 8.5/10. definitely worth seeing, but not necessarily on a big screen, a DVD rental will do the trick without losing much impact.</p>
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<p>If the best newspaper flicks are Citizen Kane, Sweet Smell of Success, The Big Circus (a.k.a. Ace in the Hole), Park Row (Samuel Fuller's fave film he ever directed), Deadline USA and the aforementioned All the President's Men (...any others I can think of off the top of my head...?), I'd say it belongs in that sort of select company.</p>

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Tim" data-cid="549951" data-time="1451457933">
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<p>So G'N'R are reuniting. Well, Axl and Slash, anyway. </p>
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<p>Seems like only yesterday I saw these geezers opening for The Cult in a roller skating rink. If memory serves it was shortly after the ABs won the inaugural RWC, which seems like a century ago. Sadly, I did not have the foresight to bring a camera along to capture the moment. (First act I ever did shoot was Frank Zappa a year later, and only then because I usurped the camera from the official photog who was obliterated falling down drunk. I never did get my hands on the film. Blast 'em!) Axl and Slash seemed in convivial and jovial spirit back then. Mind you, they probably learned a lesson-or-two from Ian Astbury and Billy Duffy, who refused to be interviewed together, presumably, and later confirmed, because they hated each others' guts.</p>
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<p>That lead-in is an obvious Stooges rip-off. Good times.</p>

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<p>On your knees, dog.</p>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="MajorRage" data-cid="549911" data-time="1451437201">
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<p>Unless it's a Bieber or One Direction shirt.  </p>
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<p>James Hetfield recently claimed his highlight of 2015 was seeing Bieber wearing a Metallica t-shirt.</p>
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<p>Beavis & Butt-head knew all about iconic classic black t-shirts. They're timeless.</p>
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<p>As is this one:</p>
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<p><img src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41wdB4-N9DL.jpg" alt="41wdB4-N9DL.jpg"></p>
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<p>From the mid-1990s thru the 21st century, you couldn't drive through an Indian reservation in North America without spotting several on everybody from little girls to old geezers; it was almost like loyalty to the Texas Rattlesnake was the Red Man's rebellious middle-finger to Whitey (me). It was a uniform I tells ya.</p>

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<p style="font-family:'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:18px;"><strong>Jack Daniel’s, one of the world’s largest whiskey distilleries, has filed for bankruptcy in the wake of the death of Motorhead front man Lemmy Kilmister.</strong></span></p>
<p style="font-family:'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif;"> </p>
<p style="font-family:'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:14px;">Lemmy was well known to enjoy Jack Daniel’s bourbon and was responsible for over 85% of JD’s market share. News of his death has caused the share price to plummet.</span></p>
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<p style="font-family:'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:14px;">Jack Daniel’s CEO, Jack Daniel, had this to say:</span></p>
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<p style="font-family:'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:14px;">‘When we heard the tremendously sad news of Lemmy’s passing, we immediately contacted our legal team to proceed with filing for Chapter 9 bankruptcy. We didn’t think we could go on after George Best passed away but we know that without Lemmy, the business is, as Lemmy would say ‘Pretty fucking fucked’’.</span></p>
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<p style="font-family:'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:14px;background-color:transparent;"><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://news.bfnn.co.uk/jack-daniels-files-for-bankruptcy-after-lemmy-death/'>http://news.bfnn.co.uk/jack-daniels-files-for-bankruptcy-after-lemmy-death/</a></span></p>
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<p>Should have mentioned, walking up Queen Street in Auckland in 1985, saw a scraggly lookin' dude with a <span style="color:rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Motörhead tattoo across his neck/throat.</span></p>
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<p><span style="color:rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">It was at the same time the coolest and stoopidest tattoo I'd ever seen.</span></p>
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<p><span style="color:rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">(Presuming he's still alive, maybe some of you fellas have also sighted him?)</span></p>

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="MajorRage" data-cid="549799" data-time="1451353682">
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<p>Listening to this interview now.  He sounds like he's 170.</p>
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<p>True. But then gargling razor blades daily takes it's toll on the larynx. So does growling ferociously into a microphone at that ridiculous godforsaken angle Lemmy "sang."  Don't forget the Joker. </p>

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="JC" data-cid="549824" data-time="1451362449">
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<p>No. First Phil Taylor and now Lemmy.</p>
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<p>Fast Eddie is on the clock. Must be feelin' very lonely.</p>

<p>Very sad news. I saw Motorhead many times since early 1980s and have the hearing loss to prove it. Pic below I took in the mid-1990s at a show where I'd briefly met him earlier that afternoon. I was in awe and mostly speechless, because what can you say to a living god?</p>
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<p>RIP Lemmy.</p>
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<p><img src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CXXUqflWkAAk7vG.jpg" alt="CXXUqflWkAAk7vG.jpg"></p>
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<p>(Fingers on his fret hand look like cocktail wieners.)</p>
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<p>Very nice tribute on WWE Raw last night, too.</p>

<p>I am bedazzled by the arrangements in the new Mercury Rev LP.</p>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="SammyC" data-cid="540753" data-time="1447283652">
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<p><span style="font-size:14px;">The evidence Includes multiple positive tests and confirmed examples of the authorities in these countries not doing enough to prevent doping.</span></p>
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<p>You mentioned Kenya and Jamaica. Look, I realize these are poor third-world nations where medical labs may not be at the cutting-edges of pharmaceutical performance enhancing technology. Russia is still pretty backwards, maybe it's second-world.</p>
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<p>But the United States of America is definitely First World, has had SHITLOADS of positive tests, and they ARE on the leading edge of Big Pharma and professional sports. Same goes for Canada, where the public had their eyes rudely opened 27 years ago after decades of finger-pointing at the Soviet-bloc.</p>
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<p>If it happens in the third world, and it happens in the second world, and it also happens in the first world, then yeah, you're probably going to get some ignorant people who suspect that rugby players might be on the juice and will even shrug their shoulders and tell you it's "obvious.".</p>

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="SammyC" data-cid="540705" data-time="1447263254">
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<p><span style="font-size:14px;">It also reduces anxiety, and can help focus controlled aggression. Much the same as beta blocker drugs that are also banned.<br><br>
It also opens up the lungs and makes them work better. </span></p>
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<p>Like I said, really, really hard to take WADA seriously. Yoga and transcendental meditation might be next.</p>

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Crazy Horse" data-cid="540725" data-time="1447276746">
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<p>Some of my best ever long runs were 'under the influence'. It felt like I could run for ever.</p>
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<p>Were you on a stop-watch?</p>
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<p>I was a paid guinea-pig almost 30 years ago at university (Psych Dept), paid to puff weed and conduct mental and physical exercises. It might have distracted me from cramp pains but it sure didn't improve my motor skills, endurance, nor my speed and agility.</p>
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<p>I may have been the outlier. Or, maybe I simply didn't smoke enough of it. </p>

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="SammyC" data-cid="540704" data-time="1447262805">
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<p>It's obvious because of the multiple athletes from each country that have copped bans for drugs.<br><br>
If you follow international athletics at all you'd know that it's the case.<br><br><a class="bbc_url" href="http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/oct/30/kenya-jamaica-world-anti-doping-agency">http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/oct/30/kenya-jamaica-world-anti-doping-agency</a><br><br>
Show me a kiwi rugby player who's been busted?</p>
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<p>Not my point. PERCEPTION is the point. There's a skeptical audience and there is "obvious-ness." People have told me in the past month they believe ABs are on steroids. Their evidence...? They don't need any. Not when it's so transparently "obvious." And remember, these are people who grew up with Ben. Incredibly skeptical and suspicious people. "Obviously."</p>
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<p>Many people throwing stones and looking for specks in their brothers eyes, but let me state for the record: There has NEVER been a Kiwi rugby player who even thought of taking a steroid for an advantage and there NEVER will be.</p>

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Kirwan" data-cid="539847" data-time="1446848877">
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<p>It's an always expanding Comp buy a new place in it.</p>
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<p>Who actually owns the teams?</p>
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<p>NZ franchises and player contracts are all owned (presumably) by NZRU. I suspect the same is true of Aus and SA franchises, but perhaps the provincial unions own their own franchises (dunno), but I've long wondered if expansion would mean franchises in future become property & playthings of individuals like pro sports clubs in the rest of the world; and if so, will there be salary-caps, draft lotteries, unrestricted free agency, player trades & transfers, etc.</p>
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<p>Brave New World...?</p>

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="SammyC" data-cid="540612" data-time="1447201079">
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<p><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="color:rgb(20,24,35);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><strong>It's pretty obvious</strong> what's happening (or not happening) in Kenya, Jamaica and probably the rest of the world, but will it ever be revealed?</span></span></p>
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<p>Careful now.</p>
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<p>FWIW, I've heard similar the past month from some North Americans saying the same thing about Kiwi rugby players.</p>
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<p>I don't like it, especially when they say it's "obvious."</p>
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<p>In a skeptical world it's not a difficult deduction to make. They hulk up at the Haka, they hit harder, they run faster, less injuries and greater endurance, the "last quarter," they score more points and are far more successful.</p>
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<p>Deduction: Gottaberoids.</p>

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="SammyC" data-cid="540615" data-time="1447202041">
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<p>There's been a bit of discussion lately in the endurance sport community that they actually do enhance performance</p>
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<p>So do carbs and protein. Maybe they need to be put on the list too...?</p>
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<p>Realistically, the only advantage MJ provides an athlete is recovery time & sleep. It's a very mild painkiller and sedative, and it stimulates appetite. And really, it's all relative -- just because MJ isn't as toxic or as addictive or as dangerous as many prescribed legal pharmaceuticals like Oxycontin over the past decade does not mean it enhances performance. It means it's not nearly as damaging to your health. </p>