It's Melbourne Cup Day Tuesday MKF! 11/05/02

[Scoobiedoo]

Well, since i haven't started a daily thread since like... ever (lurker fear), I thought I would. And since my tuesday is almost over, I thought it was DARN time.

For those of you who don't know, the Melbourne Cup is an annual horse race in my city, Melbourne, Australia. It's a pretty strange day. For one thing, it's a public holiday. SERIOUSLY. We have a public holiday for a horse race (or as one of my more sarcastic ex-girlfriends use to call "Watching the glue sticks run day"... so glad THAT relationship is over). And it's a huge deal in the city, and the country, and for horse racing followers and gamblers all over the world. Today a horse called "Media Puzzle" won. Damian Oliver, a pretty famous jockey (if there can be such a thing) in these parts rode the horse to victory in a particularly emotional race. His brother, Jason, a fellow jockey, died a few days ago from a fall. So it's a bittersweet victory for Damian i guess. And for once, actually made me care about this race. Because frankly, I HATE HORSE RACING! What a ridiculous practice....

Uh oh... i turned the daily thread into a rant.

Anyway, around to the question of the day, what do you reckon w/t would get up to if they ever went to the races? Would they get all dolled up with huge hats and slinky dresses? Or go a bit crazy and go fancy dress? Or get all marlene dietrichy in a fitted tux?

lol... that's a pretty stupid question, does horse racing even exist the same way it does here, in america? ...will all those anti - gambling laws and such? lol....... if anyone can think of anything better, just add it

Enjoy the day everyone

[mollyig]

I used to get time off school and work in my old job for horse racing events. I'm from the Curragh of Kildare, which is famous for horsie type things. And I've no interest in it at all at all. I mean, I like horses, but just don't see the appeal of watching them racing.

I can see Willow getting into the gambling aspect of it though, trying to work out a system - with different color pens, of course! [img:06f70c9ad4]http://homepage.eircom.net/~mollyig/stretch.gif[/img:06f70c9ad4]

[KISMIC]

Hmm didn't really follow the Cup this year, but great to hear that Damien won, good on him!!Willow and Tara with the outfits at the races? Hmm, definately over the top, bright, bright and bright colours. I just think that the entire gang would have so much fun at this event - drinking and dressing up...I mean and watching the race. :rollseyes:Mollyig, I can really see WIllow turning into one of those people who really *believe* that they have THE way to predict who will win. 'Okay, I've definately got it here Tara, this is the one.' : Of course I could see her going way over the top with it all day until finally Tara had to take it into her own hands to take Wills mind off it - of course leading to them missing the entire race ~

[Rosenberg]

Ive only been to a horse race twice in my life, so I certainly wouldnt consider myself to be well versed in that subject. I do watch the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes and occasionally the Breeders Cup. I know a lot of race tracks have closed down because of lack of interest and competition form casinos and OTB. Im not sure Willow would attend that sort of event because of her fear of horses, but Tara might be able to persuade her by guaranteeing safety and fun.

        Today is Election Day in the US, so all eligible American kittens please get out and cast your ballot. Your vote DOES count (well, unless you live in Florida, which is another matter entirely).

        And Id like to wish a very happy birthday to my buddy, Garner. Have a great day!

[WiccansIllusion]

As for horse racing in America, it's actually pretty big here in Chicago. We've got Arlington Racetrack which just hosted some big event. Unfortunetly I can't stand sports, so I don't remember what it actually was.


As for Willow and Tara, well, it's obvious Willow wears the pants.

[saule77]

I can just see Tara trying to drag Willow (literally) to a racecourse... Safety and fun might be garanteed but horses... with the teeth and the bigness and the arm-eating... Hell spawn, they are!

I'm kidding. I like horses. It's just that Willow doesn't. At all.
Something about a birthday party when she was 4 if I remember correctly...

[theatremouse]

awww hallo kitties. so lovely to see you today. i dont know much about horse racing or betting. all i think of is eliza doolittle and "move yer bloomin ass". happy thoughts.
i'd like to be riding a horse today, in a wandering through the countryside way......tara would do that.
on a semi-related note, it just occured to me that SMG is so tiny a person (in wieght and height) i bet she'd make a damn good jockey......hmmm.....that's a very amusing thought to me. i just got a weird mental image of a sort of crossbreeding of polo and vamp staking in the graveyard. weeeeeeird things my mind comes up with. all the scoobie gang on horseback stacking left and right. i'm so bizzarre.
ANNNNNYway.
i'm having such a bad day.
luckily i'm having dinner with a pretty girl and watching alyson hannigan goodness with her later tonight, so that should be happy.
peace out.

[Zippy]

I used to have a horse but going to horseraces never really appealed, but I love going to greyhound races. I never win anything as I bet on dogs with amusing names rather than the ones with any form.

Well bonfire night is well underway up here in the northeast and the fireworks are going off ten to the dozen, so Im off to check on the cats.

Opps, I nearly forgot about Willow & Tara, how did I manage that! Maybe I was channeling an employee of ME for a few minutes. I could see them both being closet GeeGees fans. Maybe Willow would write a computer program to help them determine a winner or two.

[tommo]

I don't like racing horses. Somehow they always seem to win.

[infinitelight]

Whee, I backed me a winner. Everyone who told me Media Puzzle couldn't possibly win carrying the handicap he was, may now fawn at my feet.

Scoobiedoo, it was only a public holiday in Victoria. Sadly, the rest of the nation had to go to work. I think it's terribly unfair: I love Cup day and I love racing. I should have had a holiday too, dammit!

[Rane018]

I just found this on cnn.com... cant wait to see this on screen. sounds really interesting

Transvestite boxing hero on big screen

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) -- When Assani Suwan was cast to play Thailand's most famous transvestite kickboxer, he thought boxing skills, looking good in makeup and enthusiasm were all it took to play the part.

But months have passed and Assani, 22, says he still has not been able to overcome the "challenge" of getting under the skin of the former male boxer with a woman's heart, whose life is being immortalized in the multilingual movie "Beautiful Boxer."

Director Ekachai Uekrongtham said Monday at a news conference that filming with debutante Assani, a professional kickboxer, will start in February.

The movie is about Parinya Charoenphol, who shocked the boxing world by appearing in the ring wearing lipstick and mascara, and kissing opponents on the cheek.

But his highly skilled classical style soon won him fans, fights and fame that spread to other parts of the world. Parinya began fighting at 13 and stopped in 2000 at age 19 after undergoing a series operations to change his sex.

Parinya then became an entertainer in a night club and a drama teacher for young children.

Since Parinya had won most of her 60 fights, the candidates for her role had to undergo two auditions -- including kickboxing skills and acting.

Assani, ranked fifth by the World Association of Thai Kickboxing, fit the bill, outclassing more than 300 candidates.

Finding feminine side
While fighting was "a piece of cake," the hours of ballet, singing, English and Thai musical folk drama lessons he has had to take were an altogether different story, he said.

"Although I think playing her role would help promote Thai kickboxing and make people understand her better, I never thought I had to do all these things," said Assani.

But that was the best way to have the lead actor get in touch with his feminine side, especially Assani, who was thrown into the masculine sport at the age of 12, said Ekachai.

"We need someone with enough confidence to be a man to express his gentle, female side without feeling awkward," Ekachai noted.

More roles

Asked if he feels awkward about playing the role of a transvestite, Assani -- who bears a striking resemblance to Parinya -- said: "If you play the role of a serial killer, it doesn't make you one."

He said he would like to act in more movies while continuing to kickbox.

Ekachai has produced and directed more than 100 plays and musicals in Singapore, where he is based, and in New York, Beijing and Bangkok. His most famous work was "Chang and Eng" -- the acclaimed musical about conjoined twins born in Thailand who gave birth to the term "Siamese twins."

The US$1-2 million budget "Beautiful Boxer" is targeted for released in late 2003. It will have subtitled versions in English and Japanese.

The movie will be co-produced by GMM Grammy, Thailand's largest multimedia entertainment company, which began producing movies five years ago.

[LeatherQueen]

Well, it's officially official today. I received my acceptance letter into the Master's program at the School of Library and Information Sciences at the University of North Texas. (whew that's a long sentence!)

After 5 years of not being in school, and 4 years of working full-time as a librarian, I'm finally going back to get that MLS. *sigh* Course, now I actually have to start doing homework again. It'll take me 3 years, but it'll be worth it in the end.

So... I start in January. Should be a wild ride.

Have a good night, everyone.

[Spice Faerie]

I'm not a horse racing fan myself (though I do love horses) but I could totally see Tara getting excited and dragging Willow. Although, she might bring up the issue of animal cruelty that goes on at some of those races and say she doesn't like them at all. Who knows. Willow, either way, would be protesting going, though seeing as she still has her horse fear...

Spice