Recent posts

QuoteRule violations clarification following men's session four in Cortina
Following the situations arising from the Sweden versus Canada game in men's session four on Friday (13 February) evening, several issues require clarification.

Use of Video Replay

World Curling does not currently use video replay to re-umpire game decisions. Decisions made during a game are final.

Delivery Violations

Game Umpires are situated at the end of each sheet and physically cannot see every delivery infraction. However, when they are made aware of delivery issues, game umpires are positioned to observe the delivery for three ends. During this period of observation in the Friday evening game, there were no violations recorded.

When delivering a stone, before the hog line players can retouch the handle as many times as they wish. However, touching the handle after the hog line is not allowed and will result in the stone being removed from play as per Rule R.5 (e) that states: "A stone must be clearly released from the hand before it reaches the hog line at the delivery end. If the player fails to do so, the stone is immediately removed from play by the delivering team."

During forward motion, touching the granite of the stone is not allowed. This will result in the stone being removed from play.

As per rule R.5 (d) "The curling stone must be delivered using the handle of the stone." Violation of this rule, will result in the stone being removed from play.

It is not possible for World Curling to have game umpires positioned to observe all hog lines for every stone delivery. However, beginning with the Saturday (14 February) afternoon session, two officials will move between all four sheets and observe deliveries.

Inappropriate Behaviour

Following the Friday evening session, World Curling spoke with the Canadian officials to issue a verbal warning regarding the language used by a Canadian men's player during the game.

During that meeting it was made clear to those officials that further inappropriate behaviour, determined by rule R.19, would result in additional sanctions.

Rule R.19 states: "Improper conduct, foul or offensive language, equipment abuse, or wilful damage on the part of any team member is prohibited. Any violation may result in suspension of the offending person(s) by the curling organisation having jurisdiction."

And I thought Canadians were nice and friendly.

Off the Record / Re: The Miscellaneous Sports T...

Last post by Syt - Today at 11:02:29 AM

Off the Record / Re: Brexit and the waning days...

Last post by Sheilbh - Today at 10:58:59 AM

Quote from: garbon on Today at 10:09:11 AMI saw someone kicked out of Reform has now started his own party.

Yeah - he's the guy Musk has been promoting because Farage isn't racist enough. Big on "re-migration" and allegedly could not work with Reform's then chair Zia Yusuf for reasons I can only guess.

Also total aside - but he's former owner of Southampton FC. I've spoken to a friend about this who is a Saints fan. Because you've got Lowe - but also Saints icon Matt Le Tissier who has become a really unhinged conspiracy podcaster, Rickie Lambert went off the deep-end with covid/chemtrail conspiracies and I think there's been some weird stuff Dejan Lovren's said over the years. I just wonder if there's something in the water at their training camp.

Off the Record / Re: Brexit and the waning days...

Last post by Sheilbh - Today at 10:55:09 AM

I'm not sure we disagree, we might just be getting to the same place by a different route.

My read is that the days of stable, long-term allies/partners and a settled order are gone. The world is in flux. The two powers capable of building and imposing order, the US and China, are dangerous (in different ways). Therefore other powers need to work together where they can but above all be nimble and opportunistic to spot and take advantage of possibilities that may arise - but not trust in any sense of stability or setledness because I don't think that's coming any time soon. I've always pointed to Turkiye as an example of a state that I think gets this and does it well already.

FWIW I don't think China's bad. I think the Chinese state has a record of effective competence over the last 50 years that I think is really impressive. I think their interests and objectives in Europe and Asia are bad - but what worries me most is that I think they're competent (but also incredibly flexible and able to turn quickly).

For that reason I think there is a difference in the challenge/risk of trying to engage more with China for Europe and Canada. For Europe I think it's a strategic risk because Chinese policy is de-industrialising Europe and working for a Russian victory in Ukraine. For Canada I think the problem is that you're "so close to the United States", there are no two militaries more closely intertwined than the US and Canadian, geography and economic gravity exist and will make any change challenging - but as CC says the US is the one threatening Canadian sovereignty.

Off the Record / Re: What does a TRUMP presiden...

Last post by The Minsky Moment - Today at 10:47:58 AM

Quote from: Syt on Today at 08:06:11 AMhttps://apnews.com/article/trump-sarcone-kinsella-new-york-prosecutor-2df07b38fe05671a03487b1d90324f8d

US attorneys are appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate

If the president can't or won't get Senate approval, his authority to designate a temp is restricted by law. Blanche knows this, his dismal record of lying to the public continues

Off the Record / Re: What does a TRUMP presiden...

Last post by garbon - Today at 10:36:15 AM

https://thehill.com/homenews/media/5737123-bondi-sparks-outrage-epstein/

QuoteBondi faces MAGA media backlash after hearing on Epstein

Attorney General Pam Bondi is facing a wave of backlash from many in the conservative media ecosystem following her testimony this week before the House Judiciary Committee about the Department of Justice's (DOJ) handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files.

During a contentious hearing Wednesday, Bondi sparred with lawmakers over the release of the files and beat back accusations of a cover-up related to the dead sex offender and financier.

"When the Attorney General of the United States is asked why she has prosecuted no one related to Jeffrey Epstein and this is her answer, she should be fired or resign," the conservative radio host Erick Erickson wrote on social platform X, attaching a clip of Bondi talking about the recent success of the stock market under President Trump.

"But neither will happen, which is another reason the Democrats are going to have a good election year," he added.

Tim Pool, a online influencer popular on the right, also criticized Bondi's performance in the hearing.

"I think they've miserably handled the Epstein files. I don't think we're serviced as the American people by this kind of yelling," Pool said on a recent episode of his podcast, according to the Daily Beast, praising Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and others who grilled Bondi over the DOJ's handling of the files.

The Fox News host Lisa Kennedy expressed frustration with the way Bondi handled herself during the hearing, saying she came off "like a shrieking Karen."

"It's like I want this country to do well. I want to be convinced that the president, I don't care what administration it is, that we are on the right track, and the people who are in charge of every aspect of the federal government, they have their position locked up and they are doing the very best they can with an incredibly talented team," Kennedy said on an episode of "The Five" this week. "When she's this emotional, it looks like she's lost a little bit of the edge."

Right-wing pundit and second amendment activist Dana Loesch blasted the attorney general during her radio show the day after the hearing, saying she "made an a‑‑ of herself."

"Republicans and Democrats were asking her about Epstein. And the Republicans, it wasn't just Massie. You're talking about Jim Jordan, you're talking about Brandon Gill, you're taking about very genuine conservatives, who by the way are more conservative than Pam Bondi because they'd never been for gun control. If you wanna sit here and introduce the Dow into it, let's go ahead and talk about your positions on red flag laws and universal background checks, AG," she said.
...

Off the Record / Re: The Miscellaneous Sports T...

Last post by Norgy - Today at 10:33:02 AM

Norway has 20 medals so far. 10 of them are gold.

This means we now have more Olympic medals than Sweden historically. This is also the only real motivation for a Norwegian athlete: To outdo the Swedes.
Unfortunately for us, Sweden has also done reasonably well.

#10

Off the Record / Re: The Off Topic Topic

Last post by mongers - Today at 10:20:29 AM

Quote from: viper37 on February 13, 2026, 07:11:40 PM
Quote from: viper37 on February 12, 2026, 01:41:40 PMThis is a small venue, 200 people and it was sold out.

I almost made the picture. Half a meter to the right and I was there.
@Mongers: this is how you differentiate me and GreyFox. You never see me

And (almost) everyone on stage, I think:

It reminded me of the place I spent my 20s. About the same size, dedicated to music shows, lots of people who knew one another and bumped in each other by chance.

Yet, Quebec city metro area is 840 000, closing quickly on the million (est. is 2036). Always the big village, he