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EdTuBrutus

Listed below are comments made by EdTuBrutus between Saturday, 23rd August 2008 and Monday, 30th March 2009.

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Nationwide to rescue Dunfermline 09:07am on 30 Mar 2009 So we, as taxpayers, get $1bn of toxic asset.

Nationwide gets a highly profitable business, sans toxic debt, for nothing.

Scotland loses a load more jobs as Head Office functions get merged.

THe governments actions in the whole situation are criminal. If they are intent on hiving off the bad business then keep it as an independant entity. Its the same result.

Regards,
Eduin
Celebrating 60 years of Paralympic sport 10:06pm on 01 Sep 2008 The biggest question about the Paralympics is still whether anyone other than the UK takes them seriously.

By that I mean does any other national broadcaster cover them in any depth other than the BBC?

Regards,
Eduin
How to build on the Great Haul of China 11:37pm on 25 Aug 2008 Let's get this straight.

Cycling is NOT a niche sport. Cycling is, by participation levels, the second most popular activity in the world. Go outside the UK and you will find that in terms of interest and audience, cycling is in the top 3 in practically every West European country.

It's huge in Asia, its huge in South America and its a massively competetive sport.

More people watch the Tour de France *every* *single* *year* than watch the Rugby World Cup once every four years.

Britain isn't dominating a niche or elitist sport. They are dominating one of the most popular and competitive sports on the planet.

Regards,
Eduin
Is it time for a really modern pentathlon? 1:16pm on 23 Aug 2008 "i rowed with a guy in school who has world records on thme but being able to bgo fast sitting on an ergometer didnt make him the world class rower he now is its a partnot all of it."

Maybe I missed something but your original point was that using rowing machines or cycling on the road is not a viable path to becoming world class or at least to discovering a talent.

You've blown your own argument out the water - someone in your school used an Ergometer, discovered they were good, went on to become a world class rower.

Please step back and just concede. Rowing and Cycling is very, very accessible sports to the average individual in the UK.

Regards,
Eduin
Is it time for a really modern pentathlon? 12:21pm on 23 Aug 2008 "rowing on erg and rowing in a boat are not the same thing. on an ergo(rowing machine) your on your own in a there can be up to 8 of you. having access to a rowing machine is not the same as having access to a rowing boat, a people to row with coaches etc. and track cycling and road cycling are not the same either lets be honest there are clear differences. to make a proper effort at doing it you need the money to travel to a velodrome as hoy did."

I guess that rowers spending the vast majority of their training schedule on Rowing Machines is just a waste of time then...

Sorry bud but its the same thing. In fact Rowing Machine competitions exist and water Rowers win them.

And all those miles on the Road that track, BMX and MTB cyclist use in their training must be a complete waste too...

BTW, Hoy got started using a free council facility which was in his home town. I have no idea about his socio-economic background but there is nothing in cycling that requires you to come from a wealthy background.

Regards,
Eduin
Is it time for a really modern pentathlon? 12:12pm on 23 Aug 2008 Matt wrote "Eduin, cycling instead of horses would make it a tad more accessible to all and reduce costs but I think we'd still be fiddling around with details as opposed to looking at the fundamental problem with the MP...it just isn't a particulary relevant combination of sports anymore."

Which I guess is where I fundamentally disagree.

The origin of the MP isn't as important as what it represents. Firstly it is the only purely Olympic sport - derived specifically for the games by its founder.

Secondly if you look at the sports on offer, it covers so much of the programme. Shooting covers the target sports of Archery and Shooting. Fencing covers all the Mano a Mano combat sports, Swimming and Running are faily obvious.

That's the vast majority of the Individual promramme right there

What's missing is something that covers the "grace" sports (Gymnastics, Synchro and Diving) and obviously Cycling. Personally the Equestrian events are the clearest need to be cut from the games as the reality is that the horse is by far the largest factor in the success or otherwise of the competitors.

As someone who fenced at School, maybe you could argue that this covers the "grace" aspect as well as the combat, so adding Cycling would make MP a complete "summary" of the games. Or even make it a 6-sport event by adding a Gymnastic Floor Routine alongside the "Cycling for Horses".

Regards,
Eduin
Shanaze's golden gamble ends in blood and bruises 11:17am on 23 Aug 2008 "When I watched the final curve incident in slo-mo from various angles, it was clear that the Brit girl was heading upwards on the curve when the collision happened, not downwards to take the inside attack as has been widely advertised."

No, the correct term is "she ran out of skill".

She tried a maneuvre which is incredibly hard, holding a tight line at high speed. It is possible but unlikely. Her momentum forced her up because she didn't have the ability to control the speed on the line she wanted. It's not a deliberate take down.

Regards,
Eduin
Shanaze's golden gamble ends in blood and bruises 11:15am on 23 Aug 2008 "I do not want to knock Shenaze Reade - although it does sound that way, I really don't. I actually think her "risk it all" mentality hindered her and clouded her judgement - not helped. I believe it may have cost her the Gold. That is why it niggles me to hear it applauded. "

No, what cost her gold were earlier mistakes but that's not what I'm commenting on.

Here move at the end was *unlikely* but not impossible. Given that she does have some experience of the event, she is probably aware that, given the angle of approach, being able to get round the inside and take gold was a slim chance - its been done before and others will do it again but as I said its unlikely.

That's whats meant by "gold or nothing" near enough, she has a simple choice. Stop trying, guarantee a silver medal or try and get through the inside and know that Gold is a small chance, getting by but losing speed and still getting Silver is a small chance or wiping is the most likely outcome. And I think we cna be pretty sure coming up to the corner she has enough time to work out these possibilities.

In other sports and historically all British Sport, she's have stopped trying and coasting in for Silver.

You talk about not taking risks, we'll posting a World Record in Team Pursuit probably increases the chance of a crash pretty markedly. But the Team Pursuit boys still went all out, full tilt till the end rather than ride inside themselves.

Was that an error? I don't think so, it's just another example of why British Cycling is the best in the world. They always push for that next level.

Regards,
Eduin
Shanaze's golden gamble ends in blood and bruises 02:04am on 23 Aug 2008 "Glorious failure - what we Brits do best! "

No, that's just it. Shanaze Reade was NOT "Glorious Failure" she made a choice "gold or nothing", Glorious failure is some no mark runner getting 4th in a race where people ahead of them fall over (in the BMX, the New Zealander or the Yank would be "glorious failure".

It's the attitude that has led Great Britain to take 8 gold medals in 16 cycling events. Its about people being *dedicated* to winning and winning being what matters. Its an attitude that the entire sport in the UK now holds at their core and its what has led us to be the dominant nation that we are today.

Let's forget about her failure to follow instruction and wipe on the first semi run. That's not what we are on about and it didn't *directly* effect the choice she made on the final berm.

Reade got no medal because she decided the Gold was all that mattered. I would say that's the right attitude and the results British Cycling have gained demonstrate this is the right attitude.

Regards,
Eduin
Is it time for a really modern pentathlon? 01:38am on 23 Aug 2008 If they removed the Show Jumping and replaced it with Cycling the Pentathlon would lose its random element and i think this would be a good change to the sport. Might even help the Brits a bit too...

Regards,
Eduin

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