Latest news with #1985
The Guardian
a day ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
The greatest year in sports history? Why it has to be 1985
I've been putting this off for years, but the recent Live Aid nostalgia has pushed me over the edge. We've all had the debate in the pub about the greatest sporting year – no, just me then? – so I'm here to argue the case for 1985. After 40 years, it is time to tell 1985 that I'm crazy for you. There are, of course, many factors involved when it comes to picking your favourite sporting year. Allegiance matters. Therefore, Manchester United winning a treble, Europe collapsing in the Ryder Cup and Australia winning two World Cups means I don't want to party like it's 1999. Yet pushing all this irrational stuff to one side, there can be no doubting the credentials of 1985. Yes, it was a year when I didn't have a care in the world. Approaching the ripe old age of 10, I felt as if I spent that summer walking on sunshine, even if the weather was often dreary. It's easy to romanticise the past but hopefully the stories below dismiss the notion of all of this being wistful tosh. Where to begin with the year that Marty McFly was so desperate to get back to? Approximately 12.23am on the morning of 29 April at the Crucible and the black ball final between Steve Davis and Dennis Taylor. Davis, a three-time world champion racing into an 8-0 lead against Taylor, the lovable Irishman with the unusual glasses. The comeback of all comebacks. The final frame, the final black. Ted Lowe's simple exclamation of 'no' as Davis fluffed his chance. Approximately 18.5 million watching on BBC 2 as Taylor celebrated and his local community were dancing in the street. It was a fine year for Northern Ireland in sport. Barry McGuigan boxed four times in six months, winning the world featherweight championship and the BBC Sports Personality award. The national football team also qualified for the World Cup, something they have not managed since. Timing is everything. If I had stumbled on cricket in 1989, I'm not sure I would have fallen in love with the sport so easily. If I was a Gen Z child, cricket might have passed me by completely. But 1985 provided the perfect ingredients. Success in the Ashes helped. Admittedly these were not vintage England and Australia teams, but winning the urn got me hooked on the sport, and from this point on I was trapped. That first summer, the joy of hearing Soul Limbo and listening to Richie Benaud, new heroes in Tim Robinson, David Gower, Allan Lamb, Ian Botham and Richard Ellison. The Wayne Phillips incident. It wasn't just the Test match scene that we could cherish in 1985. Most summers in the 1980s seemed to involve a nail-biting one-day final or two, with the 1985 NatWest Trophy final a fine example. Give me this any day over the tournaments we now have to endure every August. A wise man once said that timing is everything. I thought I was lucky enough to experience Seve Ballesteros winning at St Andrews for my first Open Championship in 1984, yet 12 months later Great Britain's search for a champion golfer ended with Sandy Lyle's triumph at Sandwich. And there was more to come. The Ryder Cup had been on the road to nowhere for decades before the introduction of European golfers in 1979 gradually turned the tide. At the Belfry in September 1985, 28 years of hurt ended as Sam Torrance sank the winning putt to seal Europe's victory. And like any young sports fan, I jumped on this glorious bandwagon. Things would never be the same again. Europe's win in 1985 helped to create the great event we see today. As we move closer to the 2025 Ryder Cup and Americans asking for appearance money, you may think 1985 has a lot to answer for. But those three days at the Belfry were glorious. Before Wimbledon 1985, my only real interaction with tennis had been viewing clips of John McEnroe moaning at umpires during tournaments, the 'you cannot be serious' shout a favourite of many impersonators at the time. Viewing Wimbledon for the first time, I fully expected McEnroe to win the tournament again. What I didn't cater for was a 17-year-old unseeded German arriving on the scene, playing tennis that seemed to be years ahead of its time. Boris Becker had won Queen's in the run-up to Wimbledon, so those in the know may have been aware of his abilities. Yet watching the young German dive around Centre Court, playing keepie-uppies with a tennis ball, and going all the way at Wimbledon added to that amazing sporting summer. I'm not going to completely bury my head in the sand. Not everything was perfect in 1985. Football was in a right mess. The horror of Heysel saw English clubs banned from Europe, with the tragedy of the Bradford fire highlighting the state of stadiums and disregard for fan safety. A TV blackout at the start of the 1985-86 season added to the despondency. But a fine team still emerged from this year of darkness. Liverpool's dominance was becoming boring to those outside Anfield, three consecutive league titles and three trophies in 1983-84 adding to their growing reputation. But the one trophy that got away in 1984 pointed the way to a new challenger. Everton winning the 1984 FA Cup completed a remarkable change of fortunes under Howard Kendall, and the momentum behind his superb team continued. A stunning unbeaten run propelled the team to their first league title since 1970 and the European Cup Winners' Cup. Sadly, the FA Cup final proved one match too many. It takes a lot for football fans to appreciate a rival. But what a team. What memories. One of the finest goalkeepers to have ever played the game; the Derek Mountfield and Kevin Ratcliffe. defensive partnership; that midfield quartet of Kevin Sheedy, Peter Reid, Paul Bracewell and Trevor Steven; Goodison Park's finest night. Even their appearance on Wogan cannot take away any of the love and pride Kendall's team created for their supporters. Convinced yet? Well here are a few more memories as I completely drown in a sea of reminiscence. The classic Challenge Cup final; commentators such as Peter Alliss, Harry Carpenter, David Coleman, Barry Davies, John Motson, Ray French, Bill McLaren, Murray Walker, Richie Benaud, Sid Waddell, Ted Lowe, Brian Moore and Dan Maskell; A Question of Sport in its heyday. Nigel Mansell winning his first Grand Prix in an era of Alain Prost, Nelson Piquet and Ayrton Senna; admittedly there were no major athletics championships, but what about Steve Cram breaking three world records in 19 days; unforgettable FA Cup semi-finals at neutral club grounds; the emergence of Mike Tyson; Marvin Hagler v Tommy Hearns! The BBC Sports Personality of the Year review summing up the year in a way that we can only dream of now. OK grandad, give it a rest. I'm sure you have your own favourite years and I would be delighted to hear about them in the comments below. I'm your man when it comes to arguing for 1985. I've probably crammed in a few too many song titles from that year into this article. But 1985, I'm saving all my love for you. This article is by Steven Pye for That 1980s Sports Blog
New York Times
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Slow-Burn Summer Thrillers
Two of this month's books are slow-burn stories about summer vacations that devolve into disaster, and one is a techno-thriller about artificial intelligence run amok. You won't be able to guess how any of them end. A Beautiful Family A hum of low-grade unease accompanies a couple and their two daughters as they drive to a New Zealand seaside town in 1985. Their rented house is a disappointment, 'as plain on the outside as a public toilet and not much bigger.' Something is off in the parents' marriage — the mother is distracted, the father resentful. Only 10-year-old Alix, the watchful narrator of Trevelyan's A BEAUTIFUL FAMILY (Doubleday, 310 pp., $28), recognizes that the man next door isn't as harmless as he appears. With her imperfect understanding of the adult world and her longing to keep her family together, Alix is the perfect guide to a story in which so many things are unspoken and unexplained. The book trundles along at a deceptively languid pace until you realize that Trevelyan has expertly set up multiple mysteries that converge, stunningly, late in the game. But for most of the book it looks like a normal vacation. No one's paying much attention to the kids. Alix's surly teenage sister starts shoplifting and sneaking out at night with her sketchy new friends. Thrilled, at least in the abstract, by the tales of a girl who disappeared two years before and is presumed drowned, Alix and a boy she meets embark on a seemingly harmless mission to find the girl's body. Then someone goes missing for real. The Confessions Artificial intelligence is advancing with such terrifying rapidity that it may be outpacing even the fevered imaginations of novelists. In Carr's THE CONFESSIONS (Atria, 324 pp., $28.99), an A.I. model named LLIAM shuts itself down and sends out letters — via the postal service, hilariously — baring the shameful secrets of users around the world. (Maybe the scenario isn't too far-off: In a real-life experiment, an AI chatbot recently exhibited what its creators called 'extreme blackmail behavior,' threatening to expose an engineer's extramarital affair after being fed emails hinting that it might be replaced by a new model.) LLIAM is more advanced than that, making decisions for a billion-plus users: what to eat, whom to marry, where to live, how to carry out their jobs. When it goes rogue by taking itself offline, chaos ensues, paralyzing even the world's most brilliant engineers. Without LLIAM, 'they literally had no idea where to start,' Carr writes. Two people are key to what happens next: the company's chief executive, who took the job when her predecessor suffered an untimely fatal plunge from a rooftop, and the former nun who tried to teach LLIAM how to be humane and who now runs an off-the-grid bookstore. But they're being thwarted by rival forces with their own plans for LLIAM. The story focuses mostly on their race to restart LLIAM and outlines — but doesn't dig deeply into — the interesting details of the catastrophe the shutdown has set off worldwide. But he (yes, LLIAM is a 'he,' by the end) is a terrifying window into the future, either way. The House on Buzzards Bay THE HOUSE ON BUZZARDS BAY (Viking, 276 pp., $30) is set in a seemingly placid town on the southern coast of Massachusetts. It's here that a group of old friends gather for a vacation that, alas, isn't going to be very fun. Jim, whose great-great grandmother built the house, is desperate to resurrect the closeness they all shared in college, now 20 years ago. But the house seems improbably out of sorts, and not everyone shares Jim's nostalgia. 'To keeping things just as they are and never swerving,' one of the group, Bruce, says in a sarcastic toast. 'May we live in museums of generations past.' Things boil over one night when Jim and Bruce exchange angry words, and more. The next morning, Bruce is gone, his room cleared out. Perhaps he's left in a huff. 'It was so like him,' Jim thinks. Murphy's dispassionate style brings to mind the novels of Javier Marías or Katie Kitamura, even as matters in his book descend into the inexplicable. Several people report having frightening, vivid dreams about sex and violence. A mysterious and beguiling woman turns up, declaring that Bruce invited her but acting unruffled by his absence. She also claims to have been married three times, though she looks like she's 25. 'I'm beginning to suspect you appeared this summer with an agenda,' Jim observes. This novel is oddly unclassifiable, and the ending leaves you wondering. Is it a 'Big Chill'-esque story about old friends who learn that the past is a different country? A novel about a haunted house in a malevolent town that doesn't much like outsiders? A murder mystery? Maybe it's all those things.
Business Standard
14-07-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Agriculture Minister directs states to ensure adequate availability of fertilizers
Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare, has written to the Chief Ministers of all States and Union Territories, directing immediate and strict action against the issue of counterfeit and substandard fertilizers. This letter has been issued with the objective of curbing the sale of fake fertilizers, black marketing of subsidized fertilizers, and illegal activities such as forced tagging across the country. The Union Minister emphasized that agriculture is the backbone of India's economy, and to ensure stability in farmers' income, it is essential to provide them with quality fertilizers at the right time, at affordable prices, and of standard quality. He also highlighted that the sale of counterfeit or substandard fertilizers is prohibited under the Fertilizer (Control) Order, 1985, which falls under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955. The Union Minister noted that it is the responsibility of the States to ensure adequate availability of fertilizers at the right places and locations where it is required. Therefore, States must strictly monitor and take swift action against activities such as black marketing, overpricing, and diversion of subsidized fertilizers. Regular monitoring of fertilizer production and sale, as well as strict control over counterfeit and substandard products through sampling and testing, must be carried out. Forced tagging of nano-fertilizers or bio-stimulant products along with conventional fertilizers should be stopped immediately.
India Gazette
13-07-2025
- India Gazette
States directed to take strict actions against substandard fertilisers
New Delhi [India], July 13 (ANI): Union Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has written to the Chief Ministers of all States and Union Territories, 'directing immediate and strict action' against the issue of counterfeit and substandard fertilizers. The letter has been issued with the objective of curbing the sale of fake fertilizers, black marketing of subsidized fertilizers, and illegal activities such as forced tagging across the country, a statement from the Union Ministry said. In the letter, the Union Minister emphasised that agriculture is the backbone of India's economy, and to ensure stability in farmers' income, it is essential to provide them with quality fertilizers at the right time, at affordable prices, and of standard quality. He also highlighted that the sale of counterfeit or substandard fertilisers is prohibited under the Fertiliser (Control) Order, 1985, which falls under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955. In the letter, Union Minister directed states to ensure adequate availability of fertilisers at the right places and locations where it is required. Therefore, States must strictly monitor and take swift action against activities such as black marketing, overpricing, and diversion of subsidised fertilisers, the letter highlighted. The Minister directed that Regular monitoring of fertiliser production and sale, as well as strict control over counterfeit and substandard products through sampling and testing, must be carried out. He added in the letter that forced tagging of nano-fertilisers or bio-stimulant products along with conventional fertilisers should be stopped immediately. The letter added that a strict legal action, including cancellation of licenses and registration of FIRs, should be taken against the culprits, and effective prosecution must be ensured to secure conviction. States have been directed to develop feedback and information systems to involve farmers/farmer groups in the monitoring process and to make special efforts to educate farmers on identifying genuine and counterfeit products, the Minister added as per the statement by the Ministry. In addition, The Minister urged all States to launch a statewide campaign in accordance with the above directions to eliminate the problem of fake and substandard agricultural inputs from its roots. He further stated that regular monitoring of this work at the State level would lead to an effective and sustainable solution in the interest of farmers. (ANI)
Time of India
13-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Agri Minister asks states to crack down on sale of fake fertilisers, warns against forced tagging
Union Agriculture Minister Shivaraja Singh Chouhan has urged states and union territories to take strict action against the sale of counterfeit and substandard fertilisers. He emphasized regular monitoring, sampling, and testing, while also stopping forced tagging of nano-fertilisers. Chouhan directed states to involve farmers in monitoring and educate them on identifying genuine products, ensuring quality fertilisers for India's agricultural backbone. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Popular in Ind'l Goods/Svs 1. Deepak Fertilisers inks pact with Petronet LNG for regasification Union Agriculture Minister Shivaraja Singh Chouhan on Sunday urged all states and union territories to take immediate and stringent action against the sale of counterfeit and substandard fertilisers In a letter to the chief ministers, Chouhan asked them to regularly monitor fertiliser production and sales, besides conducting sampling and testing of counterfeit and substandard products."Forced tagging of nano-fertilisers or bio-stimulant products, along with conventional fertilisers, should be stopped immediately," he legal action, including cancellation of licenses and registration of FIRs, should be taken against culprits, and effective prosecution must be ensured to secure a conviction, he have been directed to develop feedback and information systems to involve farmers and farmer groups in the monitoring process and make special efforts to educate farmers on identifying genuine and counterfeit minister urged all states to launch a statewide campaign in accordance with the above directions to eliminate the problem of fake and substandard agricultural inputs from its further stated that regular monitoring of this work at the state level would lead to an effective and sustainable solution in the interest of emphasised the need to provide quality fertilisers at the right time, at affordable prices, and of standard quality, as agriculture is the backbone of India's economy."This letter has been issued with the objective of curbing the sale of fake fertilisers, black marketing of subsidised fertilisers, and illegal activities, such as forced tagging across the country," according to an official Union Minister also highlighted that the sale of counterfeit or substandard fertilisers is prohibited under the Fertiliser (Control) Order, 1985, which falls under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955.
