Mark ‘The Hammer’ Castagnini

Posted in Journalism, Kickboxing, Real Men with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on January 17, 2013 by Jarrod Boyle

Castagnini commentary

Mark Castagnini is one of the key players in Australian Thai boxing. Beginning his career as a fighter, he went through traditional martial arts before taking up Thai boxing almost by accident and discovering that it bought him to the ultimate test of his training. From there, he has been involved with developing and disseminating the sport at every level, editing International Kickboxer Magazine, working as a commentator alongside Michael Schiavello on Foxsports, promoting events and running his own martial arts academy, Hammer’s Gym. Mark spends a little time telling us about his passion for the sport, what its Australian roots are and the directions the branches are moving in. Continue reading

2012 in Review – Part 2

Posted in Statement of intention on January 16, 2013 by Jarrod Boyle

This review is for the period the blog was renamed ‘Theme Park at its Darkest’.

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

The new Boeing 787 Dreamliner can carry about 250 passengers. This blog was viewed about 1,300 times in 2012. If it were a Dreamliner, it would take about 5 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.

2012 in Review – Part 1

Posted in Statement of intention on January 16, 2013 by Jarrod Boyle

This report covers ‘Jarrod Boyle’s Blog’, which was changed to this address late in 2012.

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

600 people reached the top of Mt. Everest in 2012. This blog got about 11,000 views in 2012. If every person who reached the top of Mt. Everest viewed this blog, it would have taken 18 years to get that many views.

Click here to see the complete report.

Existential Terror

Posted in Love letters, Observation, Statement of intention with tags , , , , , , , on January 12, 2013 by Jarrod Boyle

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One of the salient experiences of university life was exposure to academics. There was a kind of sadistic glee in some of those first-year lecturers and tutors, somewhat akin to people who enjoy corrupting children; they were going to apply ‘reason’ and ‘education’ to our conditioning and laugh their evil laughs as our bourgeois values fell away from us. As far as they were concerned, God and the Easter Bunny were much the same thing. Continue reading

Manifesto

Posted in Reading, Real Men, Statement of intention with tags on January 9, 2013 by Jarrod Boyle

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In everything that can be called art there is a quality of redemption. Continue reading

Mel Walsh

Posted in Kickboxing with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , on December 28, 2012 by Jarrod Boyle
Mel at work - doing what she does

Mel at work – doing what she does

Mel Walsh recently competed at the IFMA (International Federation of Muay Thai) games in Russia, bringing home a silver medal. She talks about family and fitness as the ‘headmistress’ of one of Australia’s premier Muay Thai gyms, Urban Fight Gym. Continue reading

William Luu – Fight Photographer

Posted in Kickboxing with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , on December 18, 2012 by Jarrod Boyle

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William Luu is a budding fight photographer who uses his skills to support his studies in design. The above photo appeared on facebook recently, and is one of the most striking images published in Australian fightsports this year. I decided to track him down to ask about it. Continue reading

Why the Left is Being Left Behind

Posted in Film, Observation with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , on December 7, 2012 by Jarrod Boyle

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You can’t take other people’s opinions too seriously. Continue reading

Amazing Porn

Posted in Film, Jokes, Pornography on December 6, 2012 by Jarrod Boyle

http://video.xnxx.com/video2980836/amber_deluca

This is the most stone-cold bizarre – and remarkable – porn I have seen. I’m not sure what it is that I like best about it; perhaps it is the scenario, the performances, the amazing stunts or the soundtrack.

It has, however, alerted me to the fact that I must be a very boring, mundane person in the boudoir.

WARNING: This is pornography. Do not watch if you are under eighteen, offended by graphic representations of sex,  yadda yadda.

The Buakaw Saga: A Living Legend

Posted in Journalism, Kickboxing with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on December 5, 2012 by Jarrod Boyle

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International Kickboxer Magazine, Nov/Dec 2012

Buakaw, known to his parents as Sombat Banchamek, is arguably one of the greatest fighters of the modern era. Over a career which spans a staggering 238 fights, he has established his career with a style and a slew of performances which have thrilled millions. Now, in the ultimate triumph of business over sport, it appears his career has been stolen from him – and us – in a legal quagmire. On the back of sixteen straight wins, he has been forced into retirement. JARROD BOYLE looks back over the reign of a great champion and wonders where to from here.     Continue reading