The Kominsky Method

I watched the first episode of this new Netflix comedy with Alan Arkin and Michael Douglas last night. For all that the reviews I have read this morning seem rather grudging, I thought it was great.

You're in a Rut, You gotta get out of it

Following on from a very hard fought victory against last years semi-finalists Horsham RFC, The Mighty Ruts entertain Wasps RFC this Sunday at Poplar Road in the 2nd round of the RFU National Colts (U17/18s) Cup.

We won quite handsomely in the end. Thirty nine to twenty odd (the exact result escapes me). Tries for Ben and Jonnie, and the Wasps score flatters them as two of their tries came from our errors; a knock on from our full back, and a charged down kick from our outside half. Both our 10 and 15 redeemed themselves though so no hard feelings.

We'll be in the last eight in group eight now see https://www.englandrugby.com/club-competitions/national-under-18-cup/fixtures-and-results/2018-2019/group/28425

A un vincitore nel pallone

The face of glory and her pleasant voice,
O fortunate youth, now recognize,
And how much nobler than effeminate sloth
Are manhood's tested energies.
Take heed, O generous champion, take heed,
If thou thy name by worthy thought or deed,
From Time's all-sweeping current couldst redeem;
Take heed, and lift thy heart to high desires!
The amphitheatre's applause, the public voice,
Now summon thee to deeds illustrious;
Exulting in thy lusty youth.
In thee, to-day, thy country dear
Beholds her heroes old again appear.

Prodnose: Isn't that rather an over-egged reaction to the fact that the Old Ruts Colts are playing Wasps U18s in the next round of the RFU's National U18 Cup at the club lunchtime tomorrow?

Myself: I suppose so, but I don't want to leave anything to chance. Besides that, in an age when so many people are at a loss to give life meaning and direction, Giacomo Leopardi is essential reading.

Longshot Kick De Bucket

We went mob-handed to see RUDEBOY: The Story of Trojan Records last night as part of the Doc'n Roll Festival.

It was playing at the Ritzy in Brixton. We met at Colliers Wood tube station at half past seven and had arrived twenty odd minutes later.

Why don't I make the effort to get over to SW2 more often?

Prodnose: Saltfish de pan counta a wait pan bread an butta

Myself: Yes, that must be it. God give me strength.

SWIFF as a shadow, short as any dream

SWIFF 2018 will be held at The Wheatsheaf, 2 Upper Tooting Road, Tooting, London SW17 7PG

Saturday 24 November, 11.30am-11.30pm

FREE ENTRANCE. NO NEED TO BOOK TICKETS.

I can't go because I am back in Cardiff for the South Africa game. You, however, have no excuse. Whether they would even let me in after 2016's shenanigans (Icons passim) is a moot point.

Where does the time go?

Here is an interview with Lewis on his graduation from the WP Rugby Academy in South Africa. Here he is with Ben on Bondy's boat in 2009. They met earlier that year when we all went skiing together in Kitzbühel. Ben was eight and Lewis was eleven. I wonder if I would even remember if I didn't write here every day.

The Machine - Bert Kreischer

Ben's mate Jonnie H played the audio of this story on his phone when we got back from the Wales game this weekend.

Bert Kreischer was on the Joe Rogan Experience back in August. It is strange how all these threads entangle outside mainstream media/

Still a hill to climb

Kevin's Hong Kong go beaten 26-9 by Germany in the World Cup Repechage.

How juice drink billionaire bankrolled Germany’s Rugby World Cup charge: Hans-Peter Wild got his money from Capri Sun and spent €20m to get the country to within three games of the tournament, is an interesting story.

Cyntedd

Ben and I went to see Mum in the Heath Hospital yesterday.

Because I am so puerile, cyntedd, which is apparently Welsh for concourse, is my new favourite word.

lucky 14

Ben, the Hendries and I are setting off for Cardiff shortly to see the Wales Australia game.

Australia have beaten us 13 times in a row, but hope springs eternal.

"The surgeon thought I had been slashed by a machete" OUCH!

https://nickbrowne.coraider.com/search?q=dan+fish

The Midterms: What's it all about?

Wikipedia

Legislative branch

The United States Congress is the legislative branch of the federal government. It is bicameral, comprising the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Makeup of Congress

House of Representatives

The House currently consists of 435 voting members, each of whom represents a congressional district. The number of representatives each state has in the House is based on each state's population as determined in the most recent United States Census. All 435 representatives serve a two-year term. Each state receives a minimum of one representative in the House. In order to be elected as a representative, an individual must be at least 25 years of age, must have been a U.S. citizen for at least seven years, and must live in the state that he or she represents. There is no limit on the number of terms a representative may serve. In addition to the 435 voting members, there are 6 non-voting members, consisting of 5 delegates and one resident commissioner. There is one delegate each from the District of Columbia, Guam, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the resident commissioner from Puerto Rico.

Senate

In contrast, the Senate is made up of two senators from each state, regardless of population. There are currently 100 senators (2 from each of the 50 states), who each serve six-year terms. Approximately one-third of the Senate stands for election every two years.

Different powers

The House and Senate each have particular exclusive powers. For example, the Senate must approve (give "advice and consent" to) many important presidential appointments, including cabinet officers, federal judges (including nominees to the Supreme Court), department secretaries (heads of federal executive branch departments), U.S. military and naval officers, and ambassadors to foreign countries. All legislative bills for raising revenue must originate in the House of Representatives. The approval of both chambers is required to pass all legislation, which then may only become law by being signed by the president (or, if the president vetoes the bill, both houses of Congress then re-pass the bill, but by a two-thirds majority of each chamber, in which case the bill becomes law without the president's signature). The powers of Congress are limited to those enumerated in the Constitution; all other powers are reserved to the states and the people. The Constitution also includes the "Necessary and Proper Clause", which grants Congress the power to "make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers". Members of the House and Senate are elected by first-past-the-post voting in every state except Louisiana and Georgia, which have runoffs.

Impeachment of federal officers

Congress has the power to remove the president, federal judges, and other federal officers from office. The House of Representatives and Senate have separate roles in this process. The House must first vote to "impeach" the official. Then, a trial is held in the Senate to decide whether the official should be removed from office. Although two presidents have been impeached by the House of Representatives (Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton), neither of them was removed following trial in the Senate.

So now you know. That last paragraph explains a lot.

50 Things No Man Over 40 Should Own

As I was driving home last night I found myself tapping my foot to this tropical club banger on Radio 1.

This morning I found out exactly what it was using https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/tracks/find/radio1/2018/11/06/5PM

That is all.

Repechage

I went out for a drink with Kevin last night as he is back from the Far East.

It turns out that, among his various jobs and titles, he is Director of Coaching and Performance for the Hong Kong Rugby Football Union.

He is in Europe for the the Rugby World Cup 2019 repechage at Stade Delort in Marseille – the tournament that will deliver the 20th and final team to the Japan 2019 World Cup.

Hong Kong, Canada, Kenya and Germany will compete in a round-robin format event to be played across three match days on Sunday 11 November, Saturday 17 November and Friday 23 November, 2018.

Hong Kong play Germany at four o'clock on the 11th, Kenya at one o'clock on the 17th, and Canada at nine om the 23rd.