Stormtroopers

What stormtroopers do on their day off. If you are reading this on my facebook, you may need to go directly to my blog to see pictures = http://therainmak3r.blogspot.com

Big Countries Get Big Decisions

"Big countries get big decisions don't they".... the quote from the RTE commentator on the handball incident in the France v Ireland game tonight.

Another few quotes....

1 ...that's a dive, but no yellow card
2 ...here we go, time wasting
3 ...cheat, cheat, cheat
4 ...shameful, sinful and an injustice
5 ...they are lucky with a capital L
6 ...France have cheated their way to South Africa
7 ...Thiery Henry the thief of Santanie
8 ...a night when the French cheated their way to South Africa

Yes it was a handball, but dry your eyes for goodness sake. You mean to say that if the incident was on the other 'hand' that Ireland wouldn't have taken it? Of course they would. Typical biased RTE commentators. And it wasn't even Eamon Dunphy (which we would expect).

Are these people not supposed to be neutral when commentating? Come on. Fair play to the studio they said that the commentator was out of order. He was without a doubt.

Thank You

To the many thousands of service men and women. On this day, and forever, thank you. Thank you for the freedom you provide me. Thank you for putting your life on the line. Thank you for being there.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning. We will remember them.

Save the Rainforest

Think this is brilliant.... up until Kermit the bleedin Frog turned up

This Is Why We Play It

So today was my first ever competitive game in charge of a B'low football team (Ive shortened it there in case any of the kids google the school name and my blog comes up). We took to the field nervous and excited (and that was just me). The opposition - Tandragee Junior High. The first half was even enough, with B'low having the better chances and even missing a penalty, but the score remained 0-0.

As we where coming back in for a half time chat, I looked round and seen the wide grin on all the boys faces. We had players from Catholic backgrounds, Protestant backgrounds, a player from Poland and one from Vietnam. All playing the same game. Without prejudice. Without fear. It was brilliant. Little Kelvin said he was having a great time and the boys all fought together for a deserved 1-0 win.

In the end though, it didn't really matter if we had won or lost. The boys felt part of a team. Representing their school and playing the game they love with their friends. Today I had a good day. And I'm thankful for that.

This Is It

I feel a little sad that the world will never see the 'This Is It' series of concerts by Michael Jackson. Jo and I went last week to see the 'film' last week and it was brilliant.

I think though there are a few points I need to make. (1) The 'film' isn't really a 'film', but more like a documentary (just in case you are going to go see it) and (2) I like to forget about the bad version of Jackson (ie in and out of the courts). I prefer to think of him as a singer. A performer. the King of Pop.

Wow what a show this was going to be. We only get to see the rehearsal's of the songs that he was going to do, but the vocal range, the tempo, the dance moves, the lyrics, the music... everything is simply brilliant. My personal favourites are Billy Jean and Man In The Mirror and to see them on stage was awesome.

You get a sense of the musical legend in the film. His explanations to the dancers and the other musicians is spot on. They don't need to ask him to repeat himself or clarify what he has said, but moreover they simply say 'got it' and move on to what he is asking them to do. The practices in the film are perfect, which makes me think that this would have been a concert that would have been hard to surpass, by anyone.

The King of Pop? I truly think so.