Tuesday, July 12, 2005
Australia

Since I went to watch the Lions in Oz a year or so before I joined this site I have been a big fan of the way they do things. Their sports set up issuperb, the facilities are first rate and the enthusiasm with which they watch/play sport is top notch. Two years ago my cousin went to live in Sydney with her, now ex, boyfriend and has just recently applied for citizenship. I've been tempted on a few occasions to go out there and visit her but never really seemed to be able to get the money or time together to give it a go. However over the last year I've become increasingly aware, as you'll know if you've read my blog, that my life is in a rut. At 23 perhaps that is over-dramatising the situation but I'm not interested in waking up one at 35 and realising that it all got away from me in a hurry. I've looked into emigrating, looked at one year travel-visas and wondered about the lifestyle. It appeals, it really does and having lived in another country before I don't see it as being that difficult. How did this brain fart come about? Watching the cricket today :)

Posted by Owen Jones 2005-07-12 16:14:43

Monday, July 11, 2005
Big mother is watching

Do you ever get the feeling of being motheredby the current government? I mean they take all our excess money, tell us what we can and cannot do, do everything they tell us not to and consistently get away with it. I read today that Clarke is going to the EU with a proposal that allows government agencies to look at our text-messages, e-mails and other electronic data. Given what occurred in London I can partiallyunderstand the reaction but this must qualify as invasion of privacy, what will we have left by the time this lot are through in four years? CCTV cameras in our homes? Bugs on all our phones? Backdoors to our computers? I can't believe it will pass but if it should then there must be severe limitations on it's use. The government through shoddy policy is responsible for 7/7 - taking away our liberties is not the way toprevent it happening again.

Posted by Owen Jones 2005-07-11 19:02:53

Sunday, July 10, 2005
Time wasting

Have you ever thought about adding up the time it takes you to sort out other people's incompetency. It's quite worrying tbh when you think about all the phone calls you make because services that should be entirely reliable are in fact a joke. Take Friday for instance, I wanted to find out if with my HC2 form I could just take it down and have a free eye test. So I ring the number on my form, who tell me they don't do the form I need and give me a number of somone who does. Except they don't but these people are quite adamant that the next number they give me will (none of these numbers are freephone by the way). So the lady on the next number is polite but doesn't know why I was sent to her because they don't do it. Let me get you the right number she says - it's the one who just put me onto her. I explain, she says try this alternate number. I do, it isn't - the girl on the end of this line sounds like she needs to stop smoking the wacky backy. She puts the phone down on me after uttering a single No to my question. Thanks a lot. Five phone calls and no idea what to do.

A further example is a book I've been looking for recently. I managed to track down a used copy and sent for it three weeks ago. No e-mail, no confirmation of postage, no nothing. So after two weeks I contact them and ask what in the blue hell is going on. It was sent two days after I ordered it apparently. Which was kinda funny because I haven't seen even a 'Sorry we missed you'delivery slip in close to 17 days! I don't want to be hard on people, I understand that often the people on the phone/e-mail address have no clue about what the other part of the business is doing. But when it comes down to using large parts of my lunch hour to solve problems that shouldn't occur in the first place, well it really isn't amusing.

Posted by Owen Jones 2005-07-10 17:42:21

Saturday, July 9, 2005
Deconstructing Clive

BLACKWASH. This will almost certainly be the headline used by a lot of papers in the morning. Rugby has taken a major step back in the British Isles and Ireland with the nowinevitable 3-0 drubbing NZ handed out this morning. The tests have followed, for the most part, a clear pattern that revolves around a strong first 20, a lapse or two between 20 and half-time and a fairly close scoreboard come second whistle. Then comes the second half and the drop-off begins, we see forwards starting to lag; they clutter up the backline, avoid rucks and generally play like arseholes. NZ score a few decent tries and then the Lions, always too late, rally. The point? Is that it was aspredictable as clockwork. The Lions have been unable to sustain pressure, maintain their discipline -both Paul O'Connell and Donncha O'Callaghan have made stupid lapses when we could have turned the screw, and keep the lead for long enough to forceNZ to play low-percentage rugby. The forward pack is to blame. Abig statement but it is clear that Andy Robinson could probably coach the England women's netball team better than he can an international forward pack. The forwards weren't fit, dynamic, intelligent or good enough footballers to make an impact. Rugby has moved on from the plodding, muscle heavy forwards of a year ortwo ago - the game is quicker, more punishing and clinical. NZ vs France was as clear an indication of this as anything in the last 24 months. The end of the NZ season, without stars and veterans, they played up-tempo, skillful rugby that blew away theNorthern Hemisphere champions. Their visit to Wales will certainly be interestingbut the games against England and Ireland will be the key to the difference in the quality and style of rugby between North and South. Wales have shown they play a different style to the other three home nations - because they have to, so Wales won't be trying outmuscle the All Black's. England and Ireland will have to because of their inherent style.

Posted by Owen Jones 2005-07-09 16:29:16

Friday, July 8, 2005
Showers

As a member of the 'rougher' sex I think I'm allowed to say without much embarassement that I don't shower everyday :) Neither do I shave everyday (kinda need to) but what a difference it makes when you do. I mean more than people actually being happy to sit next to you, it makes you feel better about yourself. I'm used to the mud and hail and all the fun stuff you get to play rugby in and I haven't given a lot of thought to appearance, the beard should give you a clue ;), until now and I've realised there might be something to this showering lark after all :))

Come on the Lions, let's at least win one test.

Posted by Owen Jones 2005-07-08 20:08:40