Ilunga

If you want to apply that metric, think about the Australians. Equal third gold medals 18. Fifth ranking all medals 50. All from a population base of 26 million. However what one has to take into account is how much money governments/societies spend in funding sport. We spend hundreds of millions of dollars funding our athletes. Still an impressive performance from the Aussies. My favourite medal performance of this Games was Cindy Ngamba winning a bronze medal - boxing - for the Refugee Olympic Team. Their first medal since the team was created nearly a decade ago.

It's not surprising you are pushing a conspiracy theory - term. " No Palestinians are not faking the devastation in Gaza " " Palestinian are being falsely accused of engaging in " pallywood " and staging the horrors they're experiencing in Gaza. It's not the first time. " https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/what-is-pallywood-palestinians-falsely-accused-faking-devastation-1234869765/ " Often accusations of " pallywood " theatrics turn out to be recycled footage of past conflicts or completely unrelated events. One viral video purporting to show Gazans staging actors as bodies was revealed to be footage from the 2013 student protest in Egypt. Another viral image of an alleged Palestinian sitting up and texting while wrapped in a body bag was identified as a Halloween costume from a 2022 contest in Thailand. A video claiming to have caught " pallywood in action " was revealed to be set footage from a zombie themed ad filmed in Algeria. A 2017 news segment discussing makeup artists working to build Gaza's film industry was passed off as evidence that Palestinians fake their injuries. " " Misinformation has always been a tool in the digital warfare that accompanies modern military conflict, but accusations of " pallywood " serve a uniquely insidious purpose. " It allows people the mental space to disregard real evidence of civilian harm " Doak tells rolling stone. " In a secondary sense, it's particularly problematic because once somebody sees a video and they are convinced that this is a Palestinian - for example - faking injuries they will take that context to other pieces of media they see and they'll approach it with much more suspicion. " The irony of you, using a Russian technique, placing the blame for war crimes on the victims is not lost on me.

You should start following the AFL and NRL. No break between fantasy games. My AFL team is Hawthorn, the Hawks. It wasn't because I grew up playing for my local team the Hawks, that I support them, when I was 7, Peter Hudson kicked 150 goals that season equalling Bobby Pratts record, and we beat the saints in the grand final. Since then we have always won at least one premiership in every decade since. In the 80's we were in 7 consecutive grand finals. Winning 4. Our last was a threepeat, 2013-15. We have just had a rebuild through the draft, and have gone from the bottom of the league to winning 11 of our last 14 and may make the finals. Even if we don't, the success we have had this year will make free agents want to sign with us in the off season. That and the talent we have got through the draft will give us a great 5-7 year window. This sport shows how small a window these team sports are for the majority of athletes. Our list is the third youngest average age 24.3 Geelong has the oldest list at 28.9 We are considered young, they are old. As for the NRL, Rugby League, these are all Queensland and NSW teams apart from the Melbourne Storm. We won our first premiership in our second year, have won four all told, been stripped of two because of salary cap breaches, have been in 10 grand finals and only missed the finals three times. Most of this is down to our coach Craig " bellyache " Bellamy. Players have come and gone, he has this ability to identify players that other clubs reject, bring them into our system and turn them into really good players. Our captain through the halcyon years of both our premierships, and Queensland's domination of state of origin, the highest level of Rugby League in the world, Cameron Smith, was considered too slow, not really suited to the highest level. He went on to lead us to all our success, lead Queensland to their most successful Origin era, Captain Australia, and play the most ever NRL games, the only player to play over 400 games. It is a brutal sport. Their are at least several HIA's ( head injury assessments ) every game. Even though we are playing like shit for a majority of time in our games this year, we are still sitting on top of the league. We play Penrith next week, they have won the last 3 premierships and have one of the all time greats, Nathan Cleary as their half back. The kid is still only 25 and what he has already done is nuts. I don't think I have ever seen a performance by an individual athlete in a grand final, team sport, like what Nathan did in last year's grand final. They were gone with 20 minutes to go, he put his team on his back and willed them over the line.

You just can't do it can you ? You don't have the courage to admit you are wrong. Like most people who make the same mistakes, you just ignore the fact that you were wrong and continue on as if nothing happened.

I know all about CTE, I have had quite a few serious concussions. I even knocked myself out wearing a high end helmet racing MTB and nearly split the helmet in half. A few years back I had some heart troubles and had to have a CT scan. The scan also identified brain contusions. This is completely different brother. From the ABC article https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/latenightlive/david-phillips-blast-exposure-and-brain-injury/104160086 " The brain damage sustained is devastating and completely different to PTSD or CTE sustained during football injuries. Defense department studies suggests most blast exposure happens in training, not combat operations. "

@Optimist Prime I know you have talked about the PTSD you have a experienced as a soldier. I don't know if you remember that a brought up the fact that far more US soldiers have died taking their own lives, over 30,000 since the start of the war on terror began, than have actually been killed in combat. Today while I was bunching flowers I was listening to a guy talking about the results of a study commissioned by the Pentagon in relation to this. Here is the New York Times article outlining the results. " Pentagon Data Shows High Suicide Rates Among Troops Exposed to Blasts " https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/31/us/military-suicide-rates-report.html " A military report on suicide rates broken down by occupation finds the highest rates among categories that often work and train around weapon blasts. " The guy went on to detail some cases of soldiers who had never served in war zones, reservists who were training soldiers, who were exposed to explosive blasts, that not only took their own lives, but also acted psychotically. The link to the discussion in this link. https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/latenightlive/david-phillips-blast-exposure-and-brain-injury/104160086

Brother you never have to apologise. The amount of work you put in to make this league a reality will always be appreciated by me.

You know I have posted about the Jewish/Israelis people historical ties to the place that is called Isreal/Palestine. You claimed I had denied the Jewish/Isreali people historical ties to Isreal/Palestine when I had literally posted the page or two before about the first and second temple amongst other historical facts about the Jewish/Isreali people. You then claimed that you didn't need to admit you were wrong, calling me a liar, because I, in your opinion are biased against Isreal. I must be so biased that I post stories about Isrealis helping Palestinians. You are a classic example of why our species continues to make the same mistakes over and over again. Because so many people, including you, don't admit they make mistakes/are wrong. Like own it taxi. Have the balls/courage to admit you were wrong.

The damage was done before GW came along and its name was/is Newt Gingrich. I have brought this subject, and this book up before. It was Newt Gingrich that started the republican party down the path whose logical conclusion was a Republican president like trump. Julian E. Zelizer's book Burning Down the House Fall of the Speaker and the Rise of the New Republican Party. https://history.princeton.edu/about/publications/burning-down-house-newt-gingrich-fall-speaker-and-rise-new-republican-party " The story of how Newt Gingrich and his allies tainted American politics, launching an enduring era of brutal partisan warfare. " When Donald Trump was elected president in 2016 President Obama observed that " Trump is not an outlier " he is a culmination, a logical conclusion of the Rhetoric and tactics of the Republican party. In Burning Down the house historian Julian Zelizer pinpoints the moment when our country was set on a path toward and era of bitterly partisan and ruthless politics, an era that was ignited by Newt Gingrich and his political allies. In 1989 Gingrich brought down the democratic speaker of the house Jim Wright and catapulted himself into the national spotlight. Perhaps more than any other politician, Gingrich introduced the rhetoric and tactics that have shaped congress and the Republican party for the last three decades ". Rather than any president, I would choose to " erase " Newt Gingrich. Would have someone else like him emerged ? That's a point that could be debated.

Yes I know the effect of punishment solitary confinement on a person. I thought hard before I posted. Still I believe the people who planned 9/11 deserve a punishment fitting their crime. They are cowards, who not only caused the deaths and injuries of so many innocent people, they convinced others to kill themselves in the act of killing others. That's pretty messed up my friend.

@Taxi has accused me 3 times making false claims, when I have provided factual information from credible sources to back up my claims. He also claimed that I denied that the Jews/Isrealis had long ties to Isreal when literally the page before I had mentioned the first and second temple amongst other historical ties the Israeli people have to the land. He then refused to admit he was wrong when he accused me of this. Where have I stated anyone else is a liar roman ? Where have I stated I am superior in anyway to anyone ? I never have. I am not superior to anyone in anyway. As usual you make up things as you go along. Your continued personal attacks illustrate that you are in the wrong. Rather than provide rational, logical arguments, you attack people.

I totally agree. As much as those who planned 9/11 are people who committed crimes against humanity, personally I am against torture and the death penalty. That's what meant to seperate " us ", from " them ". And while I certainly don't expect a confession under civilised interrogation techniques, you always have to question answers given when people are tortured. And even from a practical standpoint, death is the end of their punishment. Solitary confinement for the rest of their lives seems like a fitting punishment to me.

While I don't have much faith in Governments there are plenty of sources that covering this story. Including updating the information. " Defense Secretary overrides plea agreement for Khalid Shaikh Mohammad and two other 9/11 defendants " https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2024-08-02/defense-secretary-overrides-plea-agreement-for-accused-9-11-mastermind-and-two-other-defendants

I would rather be a dreamer, a person who promotes peace and harmony between people, than someone like you, who is a liar, who doesn't even have the moral or intellectual courage to admit when he is wrong.

Like that woman I posted about who is donating land in the Golan Heights to the Cultural Peace Project stated, You may call me a dreamer, but I am not the only one. I believe people like her are the real heroes for want of a better word. People that help others, and work towards breaking down barriers between people. I just don't understand all this stuff about Jewish blood, or Arab blood, whatever nationality you want to name blood. There are 8 blood types that all humans share, with O postive and A positive accounting for 65 percent of the 8 blood types. A fitting reply to your post are some words from a man who I really hold in high esteem " We must accept infinite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope " MLK Jr.

That's alright. That's the thing, I don't hold onto to negative feelings about others, what the point, that's a reflection on me, not them. As I have stated before, my mum used to ask me, why do you take the weight of the world on your shoulders son ? Why do you care about others so much ? I have no answer for this except to say that maybe, this is the way I am wired. When I see people suffering, it effects something " inside "me. A part of me knows that there will always be fellow human beings who will suffer. However I will never get used to that.

trump is not an anything except for a trump. Was listening to a fascinating interview with Brody Mullins, a Pulitzer prize winning journalist who has written a book with his brother called, The Wolves of K Street. The Secret of How Big Money Took Over Government. K Street is a major road in Washington that is home to many of the political lobby groups. These fuckers not only give money to both parties, they try and influence voters in politicians electorates, so that will force the politicians to enact the policies they want enacted. As those of us who have put the work in researching politics know, the politicians are middle management at best. Yet another book on my must read list.

Seriously brother you shouldn't make statements that you know are simply untrue. I am glad that after nearly a couple of millenia without a homeland, suffering persecution, the Jewish/Israeli people have found/ made a state of their own. What I do have a problem with is hypocrisy. People who apply a criteria to one group of people, while not holding another group of people to that same standard. As I have stated many times, for years I wanted a two state solution. This has changed. My wish would be a one state solution where both Palestinians and Isrealis live in peace and harmony. My ultimate dream is a one world state. Where all people realise that we are all in this together. That we don't fight pointless wars, were the real victims are always the innocent. That we treat the flora and fauna we share this planet with, with the respect. That we are all intrinsically linked. And it isn't just in this thread I have stated these thoughts. Who has posted about Isrealis helping Palestinians brother ? I have Not any those who support Isreal. Who posts about Isrealis and Palestinians working together for peace. I do. It's very clear what my agenda is to anyone that thinks in a rational, logical manner.

Don't count out the Medicis. They don't get the the recognition they deserve.

Yes, I have always been a big believer in seperation of church and state. Funny how the anti - religion crowd in this thread support a state, Isreal, that has no clear seperation of church and state. A state whose claim to that land is based on a religious myth that a god gave it to them. And a state who some Isrealis believe is turning into a fascist theocracy https://www.timesofisrael.com/tel-aviv-mayor-warns-israel-heading-toward-a-fascist-theocracy/ As for the Iranians they deserve the democracy that was stolen from them by the actions of the Americans and British. Not any form of Monarchy or religious leaders.

It was American and British intervention, the Coup that overthrew Mohammad Mosaddegh's democratically elected government, that sowed the seeds for the Islamic revolution as I have pointed out. So ultimately the US and Britian have to assume part of the blame for all those wars, and proxy terror organisations that Irans mullahs have been responsible for. And for the suffering of the Iranian people for the last 70 years.

@Canuck Surfer As I have stated before https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mohammad-Mosaddegh " It is generally agreed today that the 1953 coup sowed the seeds for the Islamic Revolution of 1979. In which the Shah was overthrown and went into exile. In 2013 the CIA formerly disclosed its part in the coup " So apart from the British and American engineering a coup to overthrow a democratically elected government in the middle, in Iran. So they could help British and American corporations. That has caused 70 years of suffering for the Iranian people. First under the Shahs brutal regime, followed the the Mullahs brutal regime. And people talk about the only democracy in the middle east.

Seriously ? The US and Britain who instigated a coup to overthrow the democratically elected government of Mohammad Mosaddegh. Who wanted the profits of Iranian oil to stay in Iran, not go to the coffers of British and American corporations. Yeah it's all good, the bastions of democracy instigating coups against democratically elected governments. The temerity of the government of Mohammad Mosaddegh to want to keep the profits of Iranian oil in Iranian hands. The same Shah who terrorised his people with the Savak - secret police - was corrupt, authoritarian and lived an exorbitant lifestyle while the people of Iran lived like shit. As for media bias, that is a well credentialed organisation that rates how a media outlet can be trusted and how biased they are. Me I like sources of news/information I can trust.

Years before I was born however the story of German athlete Luz Long helping Jesse Owens in Berlin at the 1936 games is fuckin inspirational. Especially when you put it into context with the racist BS going on. https://eyeoncleveland.com/2022/08/03/lessons-from-lutz-and-jesse/ After helping Jesse, and then Jesse winning, Luz walked around the arena with Jesse holding his arm up. All in front of Hitler. " You can melt down all the medals and cups I have and they wouldn't be a plating on the 24 carat friendship I felt for Luz Long at that moment " Jesse Owens The irony is that when Jesse came home, there was a big event to honour him at some fancy hotel. When he rolled up to the front of the hotel with his coach, the doorman told Jesse that he had to go around and enter by the back door.

While I want regime change in Iran more than anyone, I wouldn't be using the Shahs son as a source. Nor do I believe that a " Prince " who wants to be a Shah is a proper replacement for the Mullahs. As this article from The Scotsman states " Iran's despotic mullahs must not be replaced by son of deposed Shah. The people want a democratic republic " https://www.scotsman.com/news/opinion/columnists/irans-despotic-mullahs-must-not-be-replaced-by-son-of-deposed-shah-the-people-want-a-democratic-republic-struan-stevenson-4036845 A little from the article " The self proclaimed " crown prince " has created hostility in Iran by stating his would - be support for the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) the theocratic regimes vile equivalent of the Gestapo. " I am in bilateral with the regimes military the IRGC and the Basij. We are communicating. They are signalling there readiness and willingness to align with the people " It is the war mongering IRGC and the Basij who have shot, arrested, tortured, raped and brutalized opponents of the regime at home and abroad for four decades. They are blacklisted as a foreign terrorist organisation in America and Robert Mestola the President of the European Parliament recently called for their blacklisting in Europe. For Reza Pahlavi who has remained largely invisible in opposition circles for the past 44 years to suggest a role for the IRGC in a future Iran, is an outrageous indication of the total illegitimacy of the Monarchy. During the current protests, the mullahs are trying to link the opposition to the monarchy, to discourage people from joining the protests. But in defiance of this trick, the protesters can routinely be heard " down with the oppressor, be it the Shah or the supreme leader (Khamenei)" and " no to the Shah! no to the mullahs " Media Bias assessment of The Scotsman https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/the-scotsman/ Least Biased High factual reporting High Credibility