We've done our daylight saving so we are now closer to everyone else in the world by one hour.
An interesting week where an attempted assassination could have helped a president and a bombing changed a government.
LOCAL NEWS
New political polls suggest Labour is still behind National, and Mr Brash is only 6% behind Helen.
Apparently Rachel Hunter has posed for Playboy. But it's okay, it's in the name of art. I wonder what name they would use if Helen Clark got posed for Playboy. It takes all my willpower to not scratch out my eyes, I can't believe I even suggested it. I apologise. Send complaints to Diana.
While there was revelations about a plane crash in Queensland where the New Zealand pilot was thought to be on drugs and talking on a cellphone and landing on an unplanned basis, a classic fighter jet belonging to the Warbirds group landed in a similar fashion in the water off Thames, killing both occupants. One was an Olympic Sailing gold medallist at LA.
The trial of a lady for euthenasing her mother continued this week. Some of the evidence is quite contradictory and the case doesn't seem particularly clear cut. It sounds a lot like it was bordering on pre-emptive euthanasia, or over-enthusiastic euthanasia (ie murder). Whilst I don't have any problems with euthanasia in principle, I suspect you shouldn't do it when someone has a sore throat.
McDonalds are continuing to reinvent themselves here with salads and non-poisonous food, I assume it has happened overseas already. Their market share must have really been suffering. You can now get a Big McSalad with low-fat mayo, and so on. Never tried it, never liked their burgers so not sure why I would ever eat their salads.
WORLD NEWS
The Taiwanese President suffered a setback when he was shot in the stomach the day before the election. He survived - physically and politically although only just.
The Government in Spain changed in reaction to the bombing in Madrid and could be an example of terrorism getting the outcome it wanted from killing people. It was a kneejerk reaction of the voting public to the bombing, blaming the policies of the incumbent. This has interesting connotations.
There is news that Osama's second in command came to New Zealand and Norway to learn English. Funny, I never thought of Norway as an English speaking country (sometimes I wonder about New Zealand too).
REAL SPORT
Hannah's trial went pretty well, she's going to have a practice game next Saturday if we can manage it.
SPORT
Man Utd won, but so did Arsenal who need to not lose one more game to set a record for most games undefeated.
The Warriors lost their second game, after losing their first. Bad start to the season for them.
The cricket test has moved one way then the other in favour of each side. South Africa were looking dangerous at about 228 for 2 at the end of the first day, even though they scored very slowly in the last session. Then they were all out for less than 300 (things looked good) and we looked fragile at 16/2 (things looked bad). Then Styris got 170, Oram 90 and Cairns over a 100 and we got 598 (things looked good). Then first ball of the second South African innings we got Graeme Smith (things looked good), but then no wickets went for the rest of the day and the two Jacques were scoring at will(things looked bad). Then Craig McMillan got Kallis and the rot set in and they were still 22 runs behind our first innings score with six wickets down (things looked good). Today is the last day, we could win it.
I am not sure what happened with the Super 12, the Blues had a bye. Crusaders beat Chiefs, Highlanders beat Cats (I think), Brumbies beat someone in SA to go top of the table. Hurricanes lost narrowly to the Sharks.
CRICKET STATISTICS
Chris Cairns needs one more wicket to have 3000 runs and 200 test wickets. Jacques Kallis needed a century (was out for about 71) to equal Bradman's record of a century in six consecutive tests. Bowler Chris Martin now has nine consecutive scores of 0 (including a couple of not outs). If New Zealand win, this will be our first test win against South Africa in Auckland, in New Zealand, in a test ending on a Monday, in a test in March, and a test when one of the umpires has a silly name. They really get too carried away. We should stick to the basics, cricket statistics are the realm of the extreme trainspotter and they should not geek it up so much. I think it is mostly a tactic to give the commentators something interesting to talk about (I think they got the bit about it being interesting completely wrong).
MY SAD LIFE
Bit of a funny old week. No Diana or Hannah until Wednesday, and Peter Smith (my business partner) was away most of the week in Melbourne.
Diana had to contend with a bed wetter and then a bed vomiter in the cabin. They kids worked very hard, and they both came home very tired on Wednesday. Hannah had a great time. I couldn't get out there to visit, too busy. Diana took quite a few photos. Rory and I failed in attempting to use the same plates and clothing for three days.
Rory's cat, Pandora, was so convinced on Monday that my lunch was interesting that she ate some bits of mushroom that I gave her. Ollie came and slept in his little happy sleepy place in my office, but I was in so I could see where it was, not a lot of space, but he likes it. Pandora has started making a game of getting her to come inside, and she was out until after dark on Saturday. It is becoming a problem, we need to get them used to using the inbound cat-door.
The kittens combative antics have made me wonder if I should video them in front a blue-screen and do a short film entitled "the Catrix". They are bib-bab bibbly bonkers. They don't need wires and harnesses, they fly through the air anyway. Film it fast and slow it down and it would be much better than many fight sequences in movies. Every move involves some completely new and bizarre concept that is immediately forgotten.
Rory and I were disappointed when we discovered that Battlefield Vietnam didn't arrive until Thursday. We were hoping we could play it while the girls were away. We haven't played it much, but it's quite good.
I got a letter this week saying if an Author's book has 50 copies in circulation in public libraries they can get a grant from the Arts Council as compensation. So I checked Auckland, they have four copies and three are out, North Shore has two copies and they are both out, and Waitakere City has none and they are an uncultured bunch of westies and what do they know anyway.
I started building a small kitty playground out of cardboard boxes. Then I got a call about soccer that took ages, and in the interim the kids took over and had a great time. Rory tried to construct a kitty elevator and Hannah did a drawbridge. Hannah kept going for the longest. The kittens enjoy fooling around on it, but the kids had a good time too. I won't let Kathryn see it, not after the trauma surrounding the scratching post.
Rory got a five for his project, or should I say Diana and I got a five. I think the cheesy presentation gimmicks are cheap but everyone does it so you have to. I wonder if the score has as much to do with actual content as it does with look.
Rory starts drums today and practices for water polo soon. I wonder if there is too much going on in his life. Hannah already has commitments three days and week and is about to be four, Rory will have five days committed once water polo games start. Are we making them do too much? Time will tell.
Gavin should hear about the offer he made for the shop today or tomorrow, we shall see what happens.
Happy birthday to Koos, on Wednesday. Enjoy the last year of your thirties, and don't feel bad about it being your fortieth year.
Charles, please confirm you still exist. Rory has been writing a story for school about the trip to Glinks, which we will send you when it is done.
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