Soldiers stand guard in front of the late President Chiang Kai-shek’s mausoleum in Tahsi, Taoyuan county, in northern Taiwan in this file image.

the purl of a brook

McCaw won every trophy going, but also something probably harder than all of them: the near-universal respect of the notoriously fickle New Zealand rugby fan. Yes, even the most nut-bar talkback caller would have a hard time admitting McCaw hasn't been absolutely incredible for all of his 14 seasons in an All Black jersey.

We backfilled the cistern with pea gravel to discourage its use as a refuse container.