intern

No, what I am saying is that consensus DOES NOT and never has equated to truth. At one point, Copernicus was in a lot of trouble for suggesting, against the consensus, that the sun was at the centre of the universe (look, he was still wrong) rather than the earth. People 'agreeing' something is true never, ever makes it true. The scientific method requires curiosity, not consensus. The only thing I am doing, as I am not interested in determining the truth or otherwise of something with so many variables as a rider going up a hill, is pointing out the logical fallacy of 'the science is settled'. Calling it the 'global warming fallacy' was intended as a joke, evidently a pretty poor one!

Bickering over moral issues? Morals make society. That's how important morals are.

It is his 'little world view' and those of thousands of good citizens like him, that make for a healthy society, friend.

Consensus does not equate to truth (global warming fallacy, I think they call it these days).

Yes. An honest second means I can look at myself in the mirror - and it is something I have done and been happy with many times in my life.

You don't understand what is important in becoming a person of value, rather than a person of success.

Doesn't the cortisone come in to help with the testosterone, too? Like addressing the water retention issue?

It's 'Lance Armstrong' type behaviour.

Always you will see the dopers shouting down the talk of doping and how it 'drags the sport through the mud'. A long term refrain of doper Brandon Stewart and his entourage. When, of course, it is the DOPING that is the issue, not the talk thereof.

No, the state of the sport is good and getting better as we discuss this and ostracise the cheats. This is all a good thing. The sport is in excellent shape when you get on your bike and go for a pedal.

All of that is just bollocks to confuse the weak minded. An admitted doper is an admitted doper, finish and klaar. Brandon Stewart is a (long time) doper. Kevin Evans is a (long time) doper. All these ous are doing is muddying the waters with what they and the more gullible amongst us will consider mitigating circumstances. 'I'm not really a cheat, I had MEDICAL reasons for breaking the rules. MEDICAL reasons! My HEALTH! Waah!' Oh the irony. Your health is probably borked BECAUSE of the cheating in the first place. Jokers to the left of me, clowns to the right. Well I ain't falling for any of that. Nuh uh uh.

Lemme guess...doped to the gills? Not an unusual situation in equestrian circles.

I've said it before - if you have seen the pace at the sharp end of a MTB classic race, there is very little chance of 'pane e acqua' riders keeping up, no matter how much training you do. All the names being busted comes as zero surprise; there is no way a normal person can go full gas for 6-plus hours, no matter how much training you put in (I know I put in the training and despite being a fairly capable athlete, there was an obvious 2-speed race going on, with the selection being made within minutes). I remember seeing Shaun Mackenzie, who is a really good cyclist, off the back of the Barberton or maybe Sabie Classic ultra in the first 20km; he was like 'no way man, those guys are crazy'. On-form SM getting dropped like a little kid by a whole group of pros is 'pas normal'.

Utter charlatan and hypocrite.

Not sure what sort of respect is due for that sort of look, TBH.

Overengineering if you asked me. Leave the headphones behind, listen and be aware of traffic and be considerate.

Hell yeah. A boat is compulsory equipment in NZ (and that one is a feckin macheen).

Been doing quite a bit of dirt riding on my road bike, takes you to some awesome places. Also, a few shots from our trip to the Bay of Islands this December, weather was amazing. Camped on Urupukapuka Island, highly recommended, what an amazing experience. Kids loved it. There's a shot of the campsite there, you can see my boat just off the beach, plus one of a sunset the one evening.

Another Archer fan in NZ. Congrats!

I should add that we had visitors from South Africa this weekend, a chap who has worked for me for the past 5 years and his wife. It is pretty interesting for us to see how people new to the country react - the amazement at unlocked doors and no fences, constant comments on how beautiful everything is, a wry observation on the absence of car guards, water from the taps (!?) is something of a novelty, roads and how people drive (so civilized). And also on how expensive everything is... Makes you realise how quickly one takes so much for granted.

Managed to get out for a bike ride on Saturday morning before taking the family out on the boat in the afternoon...did some road bike on the metal road (Kiwis call dirt road 'metal roads' because of the corrugation...corrugated iron...metal).

Spose it's different strokes for different folks. I'm just a typist and we don't battle. Also, any CA who thinks a veggie garden is going to save him money must have missed the 'economies of scale' lesson....

Job prospects looking up! But newspapers are going out of business. Still SCREWED (and it looks like Swiss was right, after all )

Ha ha, fully - eating out isn't so much a case of 'you can't afford it' as it is a case of 'it just isn't worth it'. And that's even if you're earning NZD. As for cash washes, that's a sport you'd best get used to (and boat washing, and bike washing). The pic below is a shot of the Prime Minister taken by his son - John Key is washing Max's car.

Actually, no it isn't! Children are allowed to earn an income and they are not taxed on it. Which is why some kids will spend their holidays picking berries etc along with their parents (tends to be lower socio-economic groups, though there is never any shame in decent hard work). A mate of mine runs a berry farm down in Whakatane, he says his good workers bring their kids, they spend the day working and they earn good dosh with limited tax overhead. http://www.ird.govt.nz/income-tax-individual/different-income-taxed/child-ex-inc/iit-child-exempt-inc.html