Nguyen Tuong Van: My Thoughts.

Hey y'all,

I'm so bloody sick of hearing about Nguyen Tuong Van.

For you geographically-challenged folk, he is due to be hanged on Friday, the 2nd of December for attempting to smuggle 400 grams of heroin from Cambodia to Australia.

This batch,the equivalent of 36, 000 hits, was found on Nguyen at Changi Airport in December 2002. Nguyen was running drugs to repay a debt owed by his twin brother.

All over the news, people are protesting this, while ridiculing Singaporean law. These are probably the same people that take regular holidays to that particular region.

I feel sympathy for Nguyen's mother, as nobody likes to lose a close relative, but I am appalled at Khoa, Nguyen's twin brother. If I was badly in debt, I wouldn't ask my brother to run drugs, nor would I let him if he offered. There are smarter ways to repay debts.

People need to be aware of, and respect, another country's laws. Personally, I don't agree with capital punishment, but that's not the issue here.

The issue is that as Australians, we have our own lifestyle, customs, laws and traditions. But guess what?

So do the Singaporeans!

It's unfair to criticize them from afar, and basically belittle their way of life. Personally, I think most South-East Asians have their shit together in regards to drug laws and their consequences.

So, if Nguyen Tuong Van was caught with 400 grams of heroin in Singapore, I believe his sentence should be carried out in accordance with Singaporean law.

John Howard, the Prime Minister of Australia, has done everything in his power to change the mind of his Singaporean counterpart, with no luck. Howard is good for fuck-all, but at least he tried on this issue.

Now it's time to let it go. Nguyen Tuong Van is getting what he deserves. If he had been caught in Australia, he would have been given a long-term sentence. To me, that would have been a greater punishment.

And yes, I believe John Howard should attend the Prime Minister's XI game on Friday. It's an annual event in honour of the PM at the time, where Howard personally picks the players, and I think it's rude if the guest of honour isn't there.

Maybe those players can give him some advice in picking up his sub-mediocre game.

But seriously, Nguyen Tuong Van is getting what he deserves. Live with it.

- Fridge.

Prime Minister of Australia, John Howard: Cricket Tragic, or Tragic Cricketer???

Most sports-mad, true-blue, dinky-di Aussies know that lil' Johnny loves cricket.

What other politician has ever entered the sacred Channel 9 commentary box?

You'd think that with such a huge interest in a sport that he'd at least be able to bowl on the pitch, or play a simple forward defensive stroke. This dickhead can't do either!



While in Pakistan (another cricket-mad nation), lil' Johnny was shown a cricket pitch, and decided to disgrace our nation with his beyond pathetic display. He bowled a succession of wides, most of which took 3 or more bounces before going to the wicketkeeper.

His batting technique was severely flawed, and I'm surprised that he didn't get bowled.

Thanks, lil' Johnny. It's not enough that you fuck the country over with your Pro-War stance and your mission to screw Australian workers, but now you have tainted the image of Australian cricket.

You're a fucking disgrace!

- Fridge.

Cricket...it's getting better.

Hey y'all,

It's been awhile, but University is a load of wank at the best of times.

In regards to my cricketing aspirations, I have been making steady progress with the ball. However, I still can't bat.

I still keep getting out in the same way, and although I have been trying to rectify this calamity, nothing has worked.

But let's look at the bowling side of it:

Round 3 v SPOC - 5 overs, 1 maiden, 1 for 29.
A wicket 2nd ball, caught at mid-off. I bowled some good balls, but also bowled too many full and short balls. I also lacked variety in my deliveries.

Round 4 v Unley - 1st Innings: 4 overs, 1 maiden, 1 for 6.
Another wicket, caught at mid-off. Variation was better, and there were rarely any loose deliveries.

2nd Innings: 5 overs, 1 maiden, 2 for 14.
1st wicket, caught behind, although the batsman may not have hit it.
2nd wicket, LBW off a full toss arm ball.
My first 4 overs were good, as I had the batsmen playing and missing occasionally. My last over went for 8 runs, and coincided with me bowling around the wicket. In my last over, I bowled too short and too full and was hit for boundaries through square leg and mid-wicket.

Season bowling stats: 14 overs, 3 maidens, 4 for 49.
Average: 12.25
Runs Per Over: 3.5
Strike Rate: 21

Compared with my 9 wickets at an average of 33.89 last year, I believe I have matured and improved as a bowler. But the work is not yet done. I need to regularly bowl well, be able to bowl longer spells, and take more wickets.

But I have to start from somewhere.

- Fridge.