Now is the winter of our discontent - 23/05/05

Apologies to Mr Shakespeare, but winter seems to have struck with a vengeance this week. There has been plenty of rain, my office roof is leaking in two places, we've all been sick this week, and we still have a month until the shortest day.

At least this week it's on time, I have discovered they go faster if you hit the button that says "send".

LOCAL NEWS

A lesson in driver responsibility. If you are driving a van full of people, be careful. A rented tour van lost control on a corner and ploughed into a logging truck killing eight of nine passengers. The driver of the logging truck was basically uninjured physically, but an emotional wreck. This is one of the worst fatal accidents in New Zealand's history. Most of the dead were tourists (Indians, Americans, a Thai), the driver was a 66 year old New Zealand man, who was a very experienced tour van driver which makes you wonder whether he suffered a heart attack or something which may have caused him to lose control. It was on a corner, but a very gentle one on a straight road.

Associate Minister of Education, David Benson-Pope, has been suffering in the media from accusations he bullied pupils as a teacher in the 1970's. Evidence from pupils, now adults, suggests he did go further than was appropriate but given that it was in an era where caning was acceptable things are different now. It hasn't been good for the Labour Party.

Tauranga entered a state of emergency on Wednesday with heavy rain causing flooding. It washed out both ends of a bridge on the road to Whakatane (we went on that road in January with Paul) near Matata. A number of houses there were washed away, and heaps were flooded. There were pensioners in emergency accommodation everywhere (Tauranga is a popular retirement centre). The rain has continued ever since and things are not really improving yet, estimates of houses unsafe to live in are approaching 100.

The budget was little more than promises of future pointless tax cuts ($6 a week in three years time) and bugger all else. Some stupid saving thing to come in future years where the government gives you $1000 to start off a superannuation scheme (and that's it, no tax breaks on contributions or anything). One good thing is that tax rate levels will increase with inflation, which will reduce fiscal drag, but no mention of the fact that inflation has pushed everyone up into higher tax rates for the last twenty years.

The New Zealand Rugby Union have made a pitch for the 2011 Rugby World Cup. Tickets for the final would cost $735. Hardly makes it accessible for many.

National Party leader Don Brash has promised tax cuts by Christmas if they come to power at the election. Not sure if that will boost their chances. The electorate hasn't been overwhelmed by the promise of $6 off per week in three years time.

WORLD NEWS

The Islamic world, in all fairness, seemed to overreact to the Newsweek article. You shouldn't believe everything you read (I mean, let's be honest, I don't believe everything I write).

Poor old Saddam was caught with his pants down. Not sure that the pics should have been published, to be honest. Nobody looks their best in just their jocks.

Kylie Minogue's breast was in the news rather more than was necessary. It was announced she has breast cancer, that Danii was flying to be with her, that Madame Tussaud's were prepared to make any adjustments, and then that it was successfully removed. I am just waiting for the lump to be sold on eBay (no, I don't want to bid on it). I am surprised there hasn't been a piece somewhere on the how the lump is doing fine after having a malignant Kylie removed from it.

REAL SPORT

We finally got to see a water polo game this week. It seems like a very long time since he played. There are grading games for the first few weeks but I think it will become clear for most teams pretty quickly. We thought we were playing Rangeview 3, which theoretically meant a pretty weak team (assuming 1 & 2 were better teams). Was a bit of a shock when they scored first in the first quarter (Rory was off for the first quarter) I was a bit worried. They came back and scored two to finish the quarter 2-1. Rory came on and stayed on for the rest of the game. He scored two goals, both of which involved him swimming away from the defenders and popping the ball in from short range (he said he wanted to make sure he didn't miss). He is definitely faster than most out there and he could swim away from anyone trying to catch him, he did slow down a bit in the fourth quarter but did play three in a row. The final score was 7-2, and afterward we discovered it was actually Rangeview 1 so that made the score a lot better. Ponsonby had two wins and two losses in the first round.

Hannah had pulled a groin muscle and wasn't expected to play soccer but came in her gear in case we were short. She ended up playing in goal for most of the game giving the goalies a break from goal. The other team wasn't real strong and we were ahead 2-0 at half time, was a bit worried that uphill in the second half that two goals might not be enough. It was, and we scored three more in the second half for good measure to win 5-0. Hannah was so sore I had to carry her off the pitch at the end, was pretty gutsy, she only had to touch the ball about three times but every step she took hurt (it seems better today). The girls have done enough to stay in Division 1 for the season.

Rory's team played at the same time as Hannah's so I didn't see them. They played with only ten players, but worked very hard, Diana reckons the hardest they have so far. They lost 2-1, which is pretty damn good for playing short.

SPORT

Man Utd lost the FA Cup final to Arsenal, despite being all over them for most of the match. Rio Ferdinand had a goal disallowed and I can't see why, to be honest. It ended after half an hour of extra time in a goal-less draw and penalty shootouts.

The Crusaders thumped the Hurricanes 47-7 and the Waratahs beat the Bulls 23-13 in the other semi-final. Somehow the Brumbies still have a mathematical chance of making the final (it feels like it, they did have for weeks and kept losing but somehow still had a chance).

MY SAD LIFE

We went off to the Charity Premiere of Episode III on Monday night. It started badly when Gavin had an accident about 200 metres from our house. He wasn't hurt but the car was. Anyway, we got there in time, it got really crowded as it got closer to kick-off. Rory and I had seats with plenty of leg room in a VIP cinema. There were free beers and champagne, but I only managed to get one just before we went into the movie. Got a shot of Rory with two of the people in the movie (both blink and you miss it parts). We caught up with Gavin afterward and met Koos at the Burger King across the road. Koos said it was a night of queuing - to get in to the building, into the theatre, out of the theatre, get your cellphone (they checked them in to prevent piracy, although you can't record a whole movie on a cellphone yet), queue to pay for your parking ticket, then leave the car park (the car park was chaos when I tried to leave about 11:30, it was bizarre, the machine wouldn't accept notes for payment any more and tickets were "expiring" because you need to leave within ten minutes). Movie was good, haven't seen it again yet, Rory has.

* The lads dressed up as storm troopers have appeared in about five newspapers (in front section, entertainment, and business sections), on TV about three times, and in the Women's Weekly.

Hannah went to school sick on Monday, delivered her speech, and came home and went to bed for two days. We found out on Wednesday that she came second, which is pretty good for someone who could barely stand up. Shame she wasn't in better shape, but she was still happy with the result. I got there just as she finished her speech, which was a bummer. We found out Friday that she qualifies to go off to the inter-school competition, she's pretty happy (despite earlier protestations). This means she can have a crack at doing it even better.

Rory had to take 1920s style clothing to school on Tuesday, we found this out on Monday night. Not sure about you, but despite the fact that my wardrobe is not exactly the latest fashion, I am pretty sure there isn't anything that dates back to the '20s. It was for a photo for the musical they are doing at school. Diana wants Rory to audition for it, and I think he probably should too. He's not so keen, but we shall see. I have volunteered to make props (Thomson sub-machine guns), the musical is Bugsy Malone. He was supposed to be attending a re-shoot today.

Hannah has started calling Rory "Doris" when he is being wimpy, which is kind of funny. He doesn't like it.

Rory has an interview at St Kentigern College on Friday, he has made the short list for a scholarship, but I think even if he gets one the chances are pretty low that he will go (so don't worry, Chris). Even qualifying for a scholarship means fees of $8000 per year plus buying a notebook PC for $5000 (you have got to be kidding about that one, the price is outrageous, and we are not a Toshiba family).

Paul G has been quiet, I figure he is floating around in Kiev right now.

Gavin hasn't had a lot of luck this week. After the crash on Monday, he got something in his eye, and after two trips to the A&E went to Auckland Hospital on Saturday. It is recovering, but he was pretty uncomfortable Friday and Saturday night. To add to his difficulties, he borrowed Diana's old car and the bloody thing over-heated again.

Rory is home sick today, with a temperature and other things. I thought I was improving yesterday but today I am not very clever. Diana is staying home with him as I have a meeting all morning.