The Daily Blog Open Mic – 7th July 2025
Announce protest actions, general chit chat or give your opinion on issues we haven’t covered for the day.
The Editor doesn’t moderate this blog, 3 volunteers do, they are very lenient to provide you a free speech space but if it’s just deranged abuse or putting words in bloggers mouths to have a pointless argument, we don’t bother publishing.
All in all, TDB gives punters a very, very, very wide space to comment in but we won’t bother with out right lies or gleeful malice. We leave that to the Herald comment section.
EDITORS NOTE: – By the way, here’s a list of shit that will get your comment dumped. Sexist abuse, homophobic abuse, racist abuse, anti-muslim abuse, transphobic abuse, Chemtrails, 9/11 truthers, Qanon lunacy, climate deniers, anti-fluoride fanatics, anti-vaxxer lunatics, 5G conspiracy theories, the virus is a bioweapon, some weird Bullshit about the UN taking over the world and ANYONE that links to fucking infowar.
Has anyone else noticed how the media seems to be sleepwalking through the latest housing policy changes? Would love to see a thread on that here — feels like a classic case of important stuff falling through the cracks.
TQ AI? So right we should think of that ourselves so thanks for the prompt.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/thedetail/566138/rules-and-red-tape-holding-back-cannabis-industry
Really. MPs and advisors afraid of making a decision that could somehow lessen their job satisfaction and remuneration and further prospects. Well…better not.
But not cool at all! Shallow people, constrained by self-advancement chains and conventional thinking. Neoliberalistic to the core. Here’s an idea, a lipstick that contains some life-enhancing drug that sets you flying above all obstacles for the day, carries on after the two morning coffees. In colours to suit men, women and the superlatives. Hello discreet drug consumers!
https://www.rnz.co.nz/life/wellbeing/cool-people-tend-to-have-these-six-things-in-common-study-finds
Knights of The Really Round Table! This is interesting.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/565997/kiwi-knights-do-medieval-battle-in-niche-sport-of-buhurt
New Zealand history
Kiwi knights do medieval battle in niche sport of buhurt
6:33 pm on 4 July 2025
Finn Blackwell, Reporter
@FinnBlackwell Finn.Blackwell@rnz.co.nz
@CheckpointRNZ Checkpoint@rnz.co.nz
Some have rugby or football as their sports of choice, but an Auckland group spend their free time donning full suits of medieval armour, and battling it out with swords and shields.
While extreme sports like the ‘Run It Straight’ events have caught headlines recently, Buhurt is a combat sport with a keen eye on safety – although it’s not without risk.
Training at a warehouse on Auckland’s North Shore, these noble knights say it’s all about the community.
Dreadnoughts Medieval Combat is one of two buhurt groups in Auckland, meeting to train in Beach Haven, and fighting it out at events across the country and internationally.
Club captain Colm O’Brien was off to the United States to compete later this year and explained all the pieces that go into a fighter’s armour.
“Down here is the sabatons, that’s what covers the feet and protects any accidental foot shots,” he said. “We’ve got a vambrace here, which covers my forearm, we’ve got another elbow cup, we’ve got the upper arm here and we’ve also got the helmet.”
The name ‘buhurt’ came from an old French word, meaning to wallop or batter, and even with all the armour, the sport has risks.
“We don’t really see as many injuries as something like rugby even,” O’Brien said. “We do have roughly 35-40kg armour on ourselves, so it’s not too bad, but knee injuries are really bad and sore shoulder injuries are very common.”…
O’Brien said much of the equipment came from offshore.
“A lot of the equipment, it’s difficult to get in New Zealand,” he said. “A lot of this stuff comes from Ukraine and Poland and a lot of Eastern European countries.
“There’s a big following of the sport there, and they, funnily enough, have fantastic armour smiths and metal protection there,”
Vice-captain Ethan Wilson said the buhurt community in New Zealand was still growing.
“It’s still a niche sport,” he said. “There’d be around 50-60 active fighters in the country, which isn’t horrible, but it could always be better….
Even after taking a wallop in the arena, known in the sport as a ‘list’, O’Brien agreed, it was all about the people.
“I’m not injured, bit tired alright,” he said, exiting the list. “It’s very draining, but happy I’ve done it.
“Glad to punch these people up, but hug them afterwards.”
He had advice to offer those wanting to get involved.
“Don’t be scared of it, it’s just another sport.
“We’ll start you off easy. You won’t be going straight into the armour, but you’ll have a lot of fun in the meantime and also make a lot of friends on the way.””
Mar.2/23 https://www.nzherald.co.nz/manawatu-guardian/news/no-jokes-historic-medieval-battling-is-a-very-real-and-very-serious-sport/NVVIWGVOWBBKDAQRMO7ORIUTCM/
https://nz-buhurt.netlify.app/
https://www.sporty.co.nz/hmbnz
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-29/medieval-combat-as-a-sport-this-is-buhurt/101578672
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEAfQYZ7kmo 4.30m
Behind the brutal sport of medieval combat
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkDDBL7jNew 12.42m
Two lots of stuff to fill up the cracks. I think we need to watch out for Jac’s line – not a straightforward rightie or a bemused leftie and we don’t want grout thank you as there is more important stuff needed to cement the good thinkers. This is my observation at the near end of our world.