March 9, 2009
For someone as critical and objective about his homeland the majority of the time, I sure can be a parochial, bandwagon jumpin’, nationalist when it comes to any sport involving Australia - besides cricket, for numerous reasons I haven’t particularly been a fan of the Australian cricket team for the past decade - and baseball, of all sports, is giving me a new reason to bask in reflective glory. The World Baseball Classic is under way and Australia has shocked the world baseball community by routing Mexico 17-7 in their opening preliminary Pool B match in Mexico City, (the locals must have been pissed!). I caught some of the action online before work but at that stage, in the fifth inning, the scores were level and I predicted nothing like a scoreline like that by the conclusion of play. The Aussies go on to play the might of Cuba on Tuesday night (Mexico time) with the top two teams of each pool progressing to the next round of pool matches.
Great news for a country in which the great sport of cricket completely and utterly dominates the bat-and-ball market. I did find it surprising however that Australia has had 22 players reach the US Major League and a total of 230 players make US colleges and/or minor leagues, not a bad effort at all.
Meanwhile, Korea has narrowly defeated Japan 1-0 to avenge their loss last Friday and will, along with Japan, progress through to the next round of pool matches.
2 Comments | 
Australia, Current events, Sport | Tagged: Australia, baseball, Mexico, World Baseball Classic | 
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Posted by elcanguro76
March 9, 2009
Came across an interesting article in today’s online version of the Sydney Morning Herald. The article looks at how ethnic groups in Australia are adding elements of their, or their parent’s, native tongue and English to create interesting hybrid slang or even dialects which can prove to be difficult or completely impossible for the wider community to understand. The article focuses largely on Sydney’s Lebanese community and how many young Australians of Lebanese-descent speak in a rich hybrid dialect comprising of Arabic, English and Australian slang. Anglo-Celtic Australians would most likely have a very difficult, if not impossible, time understanding this dialect without some knowledge of Arabic whereas tourists with little or no knowledge of Australian slang would have no chance at all!
The article also looks at individuals from other ethnic communities and their experiences growing up speaking two distinctly different languages and the resulting merger of some words from either language.
The article also contains a video of individuals conveying their experiences growing up with two or more languages. Check it out, it’s worth a look.
Leave a Comment » | Australia, Australian culture, Languages | Tagged: Arabic, Australian, dialects, Languages, Lebanese | Permalink
Posted by elcanguro76
March 9, 2009
News reports are suggesting that North Korea is accelerating its preparation to launch its ‘satellite’ ie. Taepodong-2 missile, likely in response to Kim Jong-il’s victory in the North Korean elections held over the weekend.
I believe that the North will do something soon as they have spent the last six months continually upping the ante that if they don’t anything now, the whole world will know that they are paper tigers just bellyaching for more aid, which they no doubt largely are – despite being very dangerous, unpredictable and bellicose. The North Koreans are finding the going increasingly difficult with Lee Myung-bak in power, who refuses to give as many unreciprocated concessions as the previous two South Korean Presidents, Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun, under the ‘Sunshine Policy’.
I believe it’s almost certain that the North will launch the Taepodong-2 some time very soon. The interesting part will be if it actually proves to be successful and the US decides to shoot it down. On CNN half an hour ago, they reported that North Koreans troops seem to be moving towards the NK-SK border in significant numbers and have already placed troops on combat-ready mode. I predict that the North will launch the Taepodong-2 within the next 48 hours as yesterday was election day in North Korea and I predict Kim Jong-il will launch the Taepodong-2 as his victory gesture. If it is shot down or fizzles into the sea upon launch like it did in 2006, they will spark some kind of action either along the border or out at sea in order to save face.
South Korea and the US are currently embarking on their annual joint military exercises which is annoying the North, what better time to stir up a shitstorm than now!
It’s impossible to know exactly what will happen but I predict that the North have gone beyond words and will have to do something now to save face. The implications of their actions could be very, very significant. They’ve already completely closed the border, stranding hundreds of South Korean workers in the South Korean-run, North Korean industrial complex in Gaeseong.
And, now for my big, crazy prediction – North Korea will NOT exist in its current form under Kim Jong-il by the end of year. There you go, heard it here first!
Things may well be about to get interesting in this corner of the world.
1 Comment | Current events, Korea, North Korea, US | Tagged: Kim Jong-Il, North Korea, South Korea, Taepodong, two Koreas, US | Permalink
Posted by elcanguro76
