Search found 11039 matches

by Bowens
Mon Jun 15, 2020 5:49 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: ARC gone??
Replies: 17
Views: 2709

Re: ARC gone??

Americas Rugby Championship, I mean. Sounds like the South American Unions are quite pissed at Canada for voting against Pichot. Good ol' Rugby Canada, always making sure the sport doesn't grow in Canada. Sounds like we voted the way England told us to, because RC brass felt like we 'owed them.' WT...
by Bowens
Sun Jun 14, 2020 4:45 am
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: ex-POTUS DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all
Replies: 126890
Views: 8980345

Re: POTUS-DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all

Its the same in most states, most of the metropolitan areas are Blue while the country side is red. Indeed. A glance at this map of the 2016 presidential vote bears that out. https://mk0brilliantmaptxoqs.kinstacdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016nationwidecountymapshadedbyvoteshare.png Literally every s...
by Bowens
Sat Jun 13, 2020 7:14 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: China backlash?
Replies: 1098
Views: 131162

Re: China backlash?

Devil's advocate here - is it that millions of Chinese are emigrating in an unusual pattern or is it just that there are 1.5bn of them and they emigrate in the same proportion as any other country, thus creating what looks like an exodus to us? I don't think that you can look at it as "proportion"....
by Bowens
Fri Jun 05, 2020 7:07 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: 4th June 1989.
Replies: 141
Views: 18538

Re: 4th June 1989.

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by Bowens
Fri Jun 05, 2020 6:05 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: 4th June 1989.
Replies: 141
Views: 18538

Re: 4th June 1989.

You can keep repeating it but that doesn’t make it true. The UK did the best that they could in a tough situation and got China to agree to a 50 year deal. As was mentioned there was some thinking at the time that the rest of China would become like HK which ultimately turned out to be flawed, but t...
by Bowens
Fri Jun 05, 2020 3:16 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: 4th June 1989.
Replies: 141
Views: 18538

Re: 4th June 1989.

One of the main arguments in the west in favor of handing over HK was that it would cause the whole of China to embrace similar philosophies. Obviously the opposite has been true with regard to civil liberties and over time they have tried to make HK more like China. Thatcher expressed that hope in ...
by Bowens
Fri Jun 05, 2020 2:43 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: 4th June 1989.
Replies: 141
Views: 18538

Re: 4th June 1989.

Close to 90% of HK’s territory was under a 99 year lease that China wouldn’t extend, the terms of the handover were agreed to several years before Tiananmen, 50 years of “One Country, Two Systems” was a compromise between the British and Chinese positions. And now the UK are stepping in and promisi...
by Bowens
Fri Jun 05, 2020 7:12 am
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: 4th June 1989.
Replies: 141
Views: 18538

Re: 4th June 1989.

Close to 90% of HK’s territory was under a 99 year lease that China wouldn’t extend, the terms of the handover were agreed to several years before Tiananmen, 50 years of “One Country, Two Systems” was a compromise. And now the UK are stepping in and promising to offer a pathway to citizenship for mi...
by Bowens
Fri Jun 05, 2020 5:46 am
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: 4th June 1989.
Replies: 141
Views: 18538

Re: 4th June 1989.

The difference with Hong Kong is that they were under a democratic country and were handed over to an oppressive regime. They were sold out by the Brits and decision makers who put the 50 year timeframe knowing that they would've died by then. Remember this was agreed around the same time as Tianam...
by Bowens
Fri Jun 05, 2020 5:13 am
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: 4th June 1989.
Replies: 141
Views: 18538

Re: 4th June 1989.

I assume they are talking about Cantonese accents when speaking Mandarin.
by Bowens
Fri Jun 05, 2020 5:05 am
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: Most Cringe-Inducing Brain-Fade Ever?
Replies: 4
Views: 1267

Re: Most Cringe-Inducing Brain-Fade Ever?

It’s clearly 7s. Samoa vs Spain.
by Bowens
Thu Jun 04, 2020 4:44 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: 4th June 1989.
Replies: 141
Views: 18538

Re: 4th June 1989.

Just read Boris Johnson’s article from yesterday. Think he hits the mark here. Exactly the right response to Beijing’s actions in HK. There is something wonderful about the fact that a small island in the Pearl River Delta rose to become a great trading city and commercial powerhouse of East Asia. W...
by Bowens
Wed Jun 03, 2020 10:21 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: NBA season 2023/24 - Play Offs begin 20 April
Replies: 5677
Views: 546419

Re: NBA season 2019/20 - Purgatory

It will be interesting to see who benefits most from the combo of the layoff and short season. Rockets maybe... come in fresh and push the tempo against everyone.
by Bowens
Wed Jun 03, 2020 6:15 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: NBA season 2023/24 - Play Offs begin 20 April
Replies: 5677
Views: 546419

Re: NBA season 2019/20 - Purgatory

Woj:
So the NBA's inviting 22 teams to Orlando: 13 Western Conference, 9 Eastern Conference. Eight-regular season games per team. Play-in for the 8th seeds. July 31-October 12. Vote tomorrow to ratify.
The NBA's back.
by Bowens
Tue Jun 02, 2020 12:30 am
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: China backlash?
Replies: 1098
Views: 131162

Re: China backlash?

So where's the criticism of China? The only criticism of China was from the SDA official about standing by the Chinese people and not the CCP. The of it is criticism of Victorian Premier Dan Andrews. This is definitely a backdown if that's the criticism of China. Because weeks ago they were directl...
by Bowens
Mon Jun 01, 2020 9:58 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: China backlash?
Replies: 1098
Views: 131162

Re: China backlash?

The largest donor to the Victorian Labor Party (other than the CCP maybe but that’s not disclosed). More evidence that you don’t have a clue what you’re talking about Mr “I can’t see them being allowed to take their money with them.” :lol: A union does not represent the federal govt. Do you think t...
by Bowens
Mon Jun 01, 2020 5:13 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: China backlash?
Replies: 1098
Views: 131162

Re: China backlash?

The largest donor to the Victorian Labor Party (other than the CCP maybe but that’s not disclosed). More evidence that you don’t have a clue what you’re talking about Mr “I can’t see them being allowed to take their money with them.” :lol:
by Bowens
Mon Jun 01, 2020 4:56 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: ex-POTUS DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all
Replies: 126890
Views: 8980345

Re: POTUS-DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all

I see the dumbfuck is out of bed making sure we know that "white supremest groups" are not to blame for any of this. Odds of this ending in a race war? Isn’t that what is starting now? Tbh a fair bit of the looting and agitating is being done by whites The video of JR Smith beating the brakes off t...
by Bowens
Mon Jun 01, 2020 4:35 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: China backlash?
Replies: 1098
Views: 131162

Re: China backlash?

Like fudge Australia have backed off. There’s currently an escalating feud between the federal and Victorian government over the BRI deal. It might help if you read something. That's just domestic politics. The federal govt is the Liberal/National Coalition and the VIC govt is Labor. The Federal go...
by Bowens
Mon Jun 01, 2020 2:25 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: China backlash?
Replies: 1098
Views: 131162

Re: China backlash?

India/Taiwan/Australia/HK, almost everything they have done in 2020 has backfired and drawn an anti-China alliance together You can pretty much scratch Taiwan/Hong Kong out because Taiwan has always been looking for some ant-Chinese alliance so nothing has changed. China calls the shots in Hong Kon...
by Bowens
Mon Jun 01, 2020 5:55 am
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: China backlash?
Replies: 1098
Views: 131162

Re: China backlash?

Chinese are buying property and businesses abroad, they're leasing ports around the world for 100 years. What do you think they're doing? We have been over the impacts the virus is going to have on the BRI many times. The combination of countries looking to do business with regimes that aren’t host...
by Bowens
Sun May 31, 2020 11:37 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: If the NRL can restart in Australia, why not Rugby?
Replies: 145
Views: 16480

Re: If the NRL can restart in Australia, why not Rugby?

We are getting three live NRL games per round on Fox Sports 1. Nice to have some rugby of any kind on TV.
by Bowens
Sun May 31, 2020 8:06 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: China backlash?
Replies: 1098
Views: 131162

Re: China backlash?

This is a few years old but more pertinent now as they experience an unexpected collapse in their export market.

China’s Population Dooms the Transition to Consumer Economy
by Bowens
Sun May 31, 2020 8:01 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: China backlash?
Replies: 1098
Views: 131162

Re: China backlash?

Due to the one child policy they are about to experience a huge demographic shift that will see the working age population dramatically decrease. They definitely don’t want large numbers of young people leaving, in fact they desperately want to raise the birthrate. They have a unique problem caused ...
by Bowens
Sun May 31, 2020 7:44 am
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: China backlash?
Replies: 1098
Views: 131162

Re: China backlash?

If this is supposed to be an example of China doing something other than buying a distressed asset it‘s not a very good one. And while you can probably find a couple of better examples that are exceptions, they have their vulture reputation for a reason. Which again is why countries have been forced...
by Bowens
Sat May 30, 2020 8:43 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: SpaceX manned rocket launch.
Replies: 89
Views: 12391

Re: SpaceX manned rocket launch.

Next, the moon. Then...

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by Bowens
Sat May 30, 2020 3:24 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: China backlash?
Replies: 1098
Views: 131162

Re: China backlash?

I just read up on that Pacific Hydro sale. It was put up for auction after the owners took a $700 million write down on its value and China put in the only bid for the full portfolio. They required a $200 million bailout a year before the sale and were cutting salaries and staff and had placed all o...
by Bowens
Sat May 30, 2020 3:23 am
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: China backlash?
Replies: 1098
Views: 131162

Re: China backlash?

Totally wrong. They haven't just bedn buying assets/businesses overseas during the virus, theyve bedn doing it for over 20 years. They've been buying raw materials from Aust at higher prices and also mines/farms/properties. A lot of economic booms in many countries are directly attributed to Chines...
by Bowens
Sat May 30, 2020 12:09 am
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: China backlash?
Replies: 1098
Views: 131162

Re: China backlash?

2. China knows that it's main opponents are democratic countries. In democracies the economy is most important. So China made sure that those countries become it's business partners, always paying top price. Obviously, it's also an economic benefit to them too. We don't pay top price with China, th...
by Bowens
Fri May 29, 2020 10:12 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: China backlash?
Replies: 1098
Views: 131162

Re: China backlash?

“Paying top price!” :lol: This is one of the all time biggest bluffer performances in PR history.
by Bowens
Fri May 29, 2020 8:39 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: China backlash?
Replies: 1098
Views: 131162

Re: China backlash?

Look, you may be correct based on evidence and facts but CrazyIslander sees things differently.
by Bowens
Fri May 29, 2020 6:47 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: China backlash?
Replies: 1098
Views: 131162

Re: China backlash?

BREAKING: The G7 is considering creating a new group of democracies called the D10, adding Australia, South Korea, and India to align against China I'd like something like this to happen but I can't see it happening as most would want it. It'll be more of a group that tries to work with China rathe...
by Bowens
Fri May 29, 2020 5:35 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: China backlash?
Replies: 1098
Views: 131162

Re: China backlash?

BREAKING: The G7 is considering creating a new group of democracies called the D10, adding Australia, South Korea, and India to align against China
by Bowens
Wed May 27, 2020 6:37 am
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: China backlash?
Replies: 1098
Views: 131162

Re: China backlash?

it's a bit presumptuous to think the rest of the world .. ie India would be anti-Chinese, or they'd back Aust/America in a counter trade war. Lol. We got a real expert here. China is India's largest trading partner and I wouldn't presume that they would risk that by backing Aust/US in a trade war. ...
by Bowens
Wed May 27, 2020 5:03 am
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: China backlash?
Replies: 1098
Views: 131162

Re: China backlash?

it's a bit presumptuous to think the rest of the world .. ie India would be anti-Chinese, or they'd back Aust/America in a counter trade war. Lol. We got a real expert here. China is India's largest trading partner and I wouldn't presume that they would risk that by backing Aust/US in a trade war. ...
by Bowens
Wed May 27, 2020 1:51 am
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: China backlash?
Replies: 1098
Views: 131162

Re: China backlash?

CrazyIslander wrote:it's a bit presumptuous to think the rest of the world ..ie India would be anti-Chinese, or they'd back Aust/America in a counter trade war.
Lol. We got a real expert here.
by Bowens
Wed May 27, 2020 12:08 am
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: The official, 19/20 Snooze is optimistic NHL thread
Replies: 41
Views: 7696

Re: The official, 19/20 Snooze is optimistic NHL thread

Proposed format for NHL return. Top seeds play a round-robin. Play-in round is a best of 5 series.

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by Bowens
Tue May 26, 2020 11:01 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: China backlash?
Replies: 1098
Views: 131162

Re: China backlash?

Disagree. There's a point in imperialism where you have let everyone know that you're the boss. Look at it from a Chinese perspective, they've set themselves up to take the next step in their imperialist pursuit. They've got the US in a weak position and might now want to fulfill its ambition. It w...
by Bowens
Tue May 26, 2020 10:33 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: Official Braai Thread
Replies: 7429
Views: 659270

Re: Official Braai Thread

Quickly googled that Carolina Gold sauce. Will definitely give it a try sometime. :thumbup: Yeah it’s good stuff. You can do the ratios to your tastes but it’s basically: yellow mustard, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, onion power, garlic powder, black pepper, paprika, hot sauce. Some people make...