Rugby World Cup 2011 in New Zealand: When the All Blacks were expected to win, what usually happened? Just ask "Sonny Wool"

Rugby World Cup 2011 New Zealand: rugby star ad tribute

http://youtu.be/Z6w3npVyaHQ

Rugby World Cup 2011 in New Zealand: When the All Blacks were expected to win, what usually happened? Just ask "Sonny Wool"

At 5:45 a.m. Eastern, I'm currently watching the first game between New Zealand and Tonga -from Eden Park- on Universal Sports, DirecTV Channel 625, and the game will be repeated from 5-8 p.m. U.S. Eastern later on Friday.

(Universal Sports is currently being shown on a Free Preview basis on DirecTV thru September 30th, and starting October 1st, it will be offered as part of the Sports Pack, which I already subscribe to. Since the Rugby World Cup will still be going strong, there's the possibility of seeing lots of high-quality action.)

The U.S. plays Ireland in New Plymouth on Sunday, New Zealand time, which will be televised on a taped-delay basis in the U.S. on Sunday from 5-8 p.m. Eastern and repeated from 10 p.m.-1 a.m.
Reminder: Auckland is 16 hours ahead of Miami/Eastern US

The Telegraph

Rugby World Cup 2011: let battle commence

Rugby’s World Cup will be about thunderous combat, with none of football’s petulance.

By Ian Chadband

9:10PM BST 07 Sep 2011

Here are some things you should know about the Rugby World Cup, which will kick off in New Zealand tomorrow. It will be interminable, running on and on for some seven weeks; it will be predictable, with the chances of a new winner’s name being inscribed on the trophy minimal; and it will be peppered with lots of awful mismatches, taking its cue from tomorrow’s opening game, when New Zealand will roll over plucky little Tonga like 15 big All Black bulldozers.

Read the rest of the article at

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/rugby-world-cup/8747196/Rugby-World-Cup-2011-let-battle-commence.html

Meanwhile, in the world of psychic animals and sports predictions... AFP is reporting that:

A rugby-mad sheep touted as the world's latest animal pyschic picked the All Blacks to win their opening World Cup match Friday, in New Zealand's answer to the late, great Paul the Octopus.

Read the rest of the article at:

http://one.com.au/one/newsarticles/Rugby-Union-Ewe-beauty-Psychic-sheep-tips-All-Blacks.htm

Telegraph video: Rugby World Cup 2011: England arrive to haka welcome in New Zealand

http://youtu.be/FgUZB79wTlQ

And despite what the Kiwis say, don't sleep on Martin Johnson's England side.

They play their first match of the WC against Argentina on Saturday, though team captain Lewis Moody will not see any action in Dunedin.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/rugby-world-cup/8741330/Rugby-World-Cup-2011-Lewis-Moody-out-of-Englands-opening-match-against-Argentina-on-Saturday-in-Dunedin.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/international/england/8751486/Rugby-World-Cup-2011-England-v-Argentina-match-facts.html

AFP video: England rugby squad named for 2011 World Cup

http://youtu.be/f6M9YqjeVNA

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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/rugby-world-cup/

http://one.com.au/rugby.htm

http://www.youtube.com/user/CulturePub

IF you REALLY want insight into South Africa, see it thru the eyes of Hanli Prinsloo: Vit som blod (White as blood); @hanliprinsloo

IF you REALLY want insight into South Africa, see it thru the eyes of Hanli Prinsloo; @hanliprinsloo

For weeks I've been sitting on this little gold nugget, waiting for just the right time to bring it out for you all to finally see and admire.

Today, with the first Semifinal of the 2010 World Cup taking place in Cape Town with The Netherlands facing Uruguay -with me rooting for The Orange- I decided the time was right to share this fabulous documentary called Vit som blod (White as blood) by Hanli Prinsloo that first aired on Swedish Television (SVT) in Sweden a month ago, before the World Cup started or any of the fascinating kungliga bröllopet stuff with Crown Princess Victoria.

I've probably watched it now three or four times in the interim, and I have to tell you that there are some things in it that still get to me every time.

Just for the record, though they are both from southern Africa, South Africa-born Hanli Prinsloo is NOT the sister of fashion supermodel and Victoria's Secret angel Behati Prinsloo, who is from Namibia. I've had something interesting on Behati stored-up in Draft waiting for just the right time, which I guess I'll share right now. @BeePrinsloo



VS PINK - DRIVING LESSON FOR BEHATI from Rockville Pictures on Vimeo.
VS PINK - DRIVING LESSON FOR BEHATI

My first thought? This explains a lot of the traffic problems in South Beach... watching -and avoiding!- Behati Prinsloo

Some of you more astute readers of the blog may have first seen her when she was on CBS-TV promoting the December 2008 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show at The Fontainbleau.

So back to the serious stuff... Once the film begins, you'll see that it's of a caliber and ambition far more serious than what the U.S. networks have shown over here in relation to the run-up to the 2010 World Cup.

Prinsloo's film is a great example of some very savvy and personal film-making, and while one can't hope for miracles, ESPN sure hasn't gone out of their way to do any of the sort of cultural, political or historical aspects of the South Africa story the way that Jim McKay would've done for ABC Sports. But then he was the gold standard

The film is just over 58 minutes long, in English with Swedish sub-titles -avec un peu de Afrikaans- but you'll understand 99% of it. 
Be sure to hit the full screen button in the bottom right to better view it. This film will be available at the SVT Play website until next Tuesday, July 13th.

Here's the premise of the film: After seven years of living in Sweden, Hanli Prinsloo is returning to South Africa. But before she moves home, she must first come to terms with her family's heritage. Hanli's grandfather was a political leader of the apartheid regime. It's finally time to confront the family over the issue that has caused so much conflict over the years. Hanli embarks on her journey from Sweden filled with deeply-felt emotions and personal conflicts to get an answer to the question: Kan jag bo här? Can I stay here?
http://svtplay.se/v/2031363/dokumentarfilm/vit_som_blod

For more on the amazing Hanli Prinsloo, go to her new website at 
http://hanliprinsloo.com/

Her old blog was at: http://hanlifreediver.blogspot.com
http://www.iamwater.co.za/

Hanli Prinsloo, @hanliprinsloo  https://twitter.com/hanliprinsloo

https://www.youtube.com/user/hanlifreediver

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOCXjeroMcE

Even for seen-it-all Miami, alien problems in "District 9" will be tough to resolve

Famous last words: "There are a lot of secrets in District 9."
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Daily Variety review of District 9 from
July 28th, 2009:
http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117940744.html?categoryid=31&cs=1&query=District+9


This official Sony website is great, with by far
the most information, best trailers and even some
p.s.a.s and games, even MNU training simulation.
http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/district9/


You may prefer to watch the official trailer here
and and click theater format:
http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/district9/player/

For more information on film director Neill Blomkamp, see

How Peter Jackson Discovered District 9 Director Neill Blomkamp

By John Pavlus
July 20, 2009

http://www.wired.com/entertainment/hollywood/magazine/17-08/pl_screen

See also: thompsononhollywood/peter_jackson/
and http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/
and http://www.joburg.org.za/


As is almost always the case, there's never a big story
that isn't without a South Florida angle:

http://www.d-9.com/communitywatch?division=miami&call=1&hs308=D9IVR

http://www.d-9.com/communitywatch?division=miami&call=2&hs308=D9IVR

Multi-National United, Miami Division,
Police you can count on in an emergency!