You're heard me complain about slow news days, well Friday was quite the opposite. Two major stories breaking at the same time, well major for NZ. Another coup in Fiji, 13 years after the last one (remember, Paul? The hotel project was canned). The other news, Brad Butterworth and Russell Coutts leaving Team NZ and going to a Swiss syndicate. Major betrayal, defection, call it what you like.
It's not often I have to watch the telly for news, but that was Friday night. Shame, I had to go out. It was the Under 23 Olympic Soccer game against South Africa. Realistically, we didn't have a chance. We scored in about the 14th minute and went 1-0 up. Then they came back and scored twice, then a third time but for us, 2-2 by half time and stayed that way most of the match. Quinton Fortune scored the second goal, plays for Manchester United, Rory was very pleased. They managed to sneak a third just before full time, about 87th minute. Final score 3-2 and a very credible result although qualification is almost impossible now. Have to win in South Africa, and score three goals or more. Was wondering, with the away goal rule, does SA get double for the own-goal as well?
Not sure where I stand on the Team NZ thing. They have been vilified by some, one commentator said that they better get enough money to start a life in another country because they won't be able to live here. That is a little bit strong. There is a deep sense of betrayal from many quarters but Chris Dixon got dumped when they didn't want him. Not sure why that was okay and this isn't. Anyway, Team NZ battening down the hatches and speculation rife as to who else will leave. A Swiss syndicate. I wonder if NZ will support them in the challenger series, I suspect not.
Some weird news out there.
St Stephens, the maori boys school near the Bombay hills, had an "incident" where a pupil was injured by another with an iron bar in the head. Called bullying, but clearly the attack was retaliation for a bit of thieving. Whilst I don't condone the iron bar, a lump of four by two would have done just as well, I don't believe it should be called bullying. I think it could well be the bullied seeking revenge. There were 23 pupils punished in Feb for another "incident" (23? In one incident? come on, that's a bloody big incident. 23 people is a riot or a small war). Calls have been made for the school to close, others have called for iron bars to be better fastened.
A guy sailing to Japan to save the whales was hit by a whale and knackered his rudder. Shaken by the incident, his views have changed somewhat and he is now spotting on the bow of the Hoki Koki Maru for the Nippon Whale Research and Fish Fillet Corporation.
The other Rory at Pt Chevalier Primary was in the local paper because he couldn't afford the $3 to watch some dork blowing a didgereedoo (sp?). Big sob story, had to have the day off school the next day. Little bastard spends all his pocket money on vandal pens and spray paint. There were more than a hundred who didn't go and frankly I think I would rather my two spent their three dollars on Pokemon cards. They can watch a few natives blowing their tooters any time on the Discovery Channel. With $3 times 400 kids the guy made $1200 for an hour or so. That's more than most abbo's make in a month. Slow news day in the Harbour News.
Impact of the Fiji coup still being established. We go to Fiji in about a month, so that could be interesting. Not so much a coup as a hostage drama with a few riots and some looting. They will have to get it sorted reasonably quickly.
A man in a wheelchair was attacked by a woman with a knife then chased down the road for about 500m. Police were particularly slow to respond.
Jeff Wilson announced his semi-retirement from rugby after the Highlanders lost to the Crusaders on Saturday. The Brumbies won, so Crusaders versus Brumbies in ACT for Super 12 final. He wasn't playing well and I don't think it is a bad thing. NZ rugby is not in good shape though.
The Kings Road mincers beat Aston Villa in the FA Cup final, a dour 1-0 bore that I didn't watch.
Rory and Billy played for the Panthers on Sunday in a tournament in New Lynn. They won one game, lost the other two in pool play. Then they went on to the plate round, won their quarter final and lost in the semi. They were knackered but did reasonably well. I was stuffed, too, it was a very long day. The Bats also played but lost in first round of plate, after two losses and a draw in the round robin.
The Warrior beat the Bulldogs, don't know the score, don't care. League is mostly dull.
Didn't have much time for anything other than football over the weekend. Watched eight games in all. The Orcas beat the Bats 3-0 on Saturday morning, again didn't look like conceding a goal. They are starting to come together with the new rules. Harry stood on a nail in bare feet on Tuesday, only scored one goal Saturday. Nothing stops him.
Paul Chambers lost the match I went to see, 3-1 I think. That was his club game, he plays two on a Saturday. I took Hannah with me, everyone else was busy - Diana went to see Angela's Ashes, Rory went to a friends house. Couldn't see the 11th graders play as they were playing right after the Orcas finished and they were in Ellerslie while we were at home. It was good spending time with just Hannah, she sat on my shoulders for a while watching the game, constant chatter from above. I got her some beads for her hair yesterday afternoon and we put some in, quite easy because it comes with a doofer for threading them on. She will be looking like a pale Venus Williams today at school.
We had eleven sheets of tin replaced on the roof on Monday after the leakage last week. The fireplace was removed as well. Have some bricks to thump some time soon.
Hopefully will start getting my little trip organised this week. Diana won a prize this week for losing more weight than anyone else over 12 weeks at the gym. Kathryn reckons the other entrants must have all been anorexic already as some blobby should have be able to lose more than Diana's entire body weight in 12 weeks. Haven't seen the Goodins but it was the house of sickness last week so we thought it best to avoid them.
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