A funny old week, really - 12/09/05

Today is our anniversary of 9/11, as it happened on the 12th in New Zealand. Is it three years or four?

LOCAL NEWS

Petrol continues to rise in price. It is beginning to really hurt some people. Can't see how inflation isn't going to begin to rise as a reaction.

The election coverage is beyond saturation, we have polls about the polls every day. I have invented a new voting system, where you have a positive vote for the party you like and a negative vote for the scariest party that you don't think should be allowed anywhere near parliament. The negatives should be added against the positives to produce winners. Some parties will have overall negative votes, but that is fine.

The election is this coming Saturday. About time, too.

Some attacking pamphlets proved to be from the Exclusive Brethren, Don denied all knowledge then admitted it, then got into hot water over it. Seems a lot of fuss over nothing to me, as anyone can say what they think and I can't see a pamphlet changing peoples votes dramatically.

A homeless man was arrested for tossing debris on the motorway from a bridge, and there has been another hammer attack on a truck driver. Remember when school arson was fashionable?

A case in court at the moment is over someone selling chicken thighs that were actually frogs legs. I guess when you receive a product you didn't order you have to be careful what you call it when it is food.

Bit of a fuss this week in the city when someone was brandishing a pistol (an air gun). Turned out to be Mark Lyon, a property developer who has fuddled his head on drugs who has been in trouble on an ongoing basis.

WORLD NEWS

The death of Bob Denver, Gilligan, got quite a bit of coverage. He was 70.

New Orleans continues to be in the news. Some people seem to be very unco-operative with authorities trying to evacuate people so that they can clean up appropriately. The flood waters sound like they are very toxic and some predictions are that it could take ten years to get New Orleans back to normal. I suspect that it will take considerably less time for it to be functioning on some basis. Imagine what is happening in terms of the City paying workers but would businesses and home owners be paying city taxes? I suspect many would not be. There will be lots of flow on economic impacts for the place.

The Japanese PM Koizumi has stormed back in to power in Japan.

REAL SPORT

Rory's team beat Rangeview Black 11-2. It was about 4-0 at the end of the first quarter. Hannah's team were playing second on table, and lost 2-9. Blue team lost 11-0 to Bruce McLaren 1.

Lots of kids from Rory's team came to a club trial on Sunday morning, which was good. Rory will enjoy having a few more familiar faces around.

SPORT

Andre Agassi made a big comeback in the US Open tennis after being down two sets.

Not looking good for Australia in the Ashes. They seemed to be catching England's first innings total but weather is making it slow progress and with only one day left England have a small lead and nine wickets in hand. Australia has run out of time, it would take a miracle for them to win from here. A draw will mean England get the Ashes for the first time in about sixteen years or so.

Auckland beat Waikato 40-30, Canterbury beat Northland (but everyone does), Wellington beat BOP, North Harbour blew a lead over Otago, and Southland beat Taranaki (and are looking better than most).

Hamish Carter came fourth in Triathlon World Champs. This qualifies him for Commonwealth Games but he wasn't happy as he has never won the World Champs.

Man Utd had 1-1 draw with Man City. Arsenal lost to Middlesbrough 1-2, which helps, but Chelsea beat Sunderland 2-0. Liverpool and Newcastle both drew their games.

MY SAD LIFE

Went to see and listen to author Eion Colfer, author of Artemis Fowl books among others. He was very entertaining. Rory got a book signed. He asked Rory how old he was, Rory replied that he had just turned thirteen. "Good God, man. You look twenty five." was his response (in an Irish accent). Rory has not removed the sideburns he grew for Bugsy Malone. Nobody touches the burns.

Much quieter weekend this weekend, thankfully.

We went to visit the Bambis. B2 is still, officially, B2. She is five months old. Lisa calls her Katie but there is considerable discussion on the matter. We tried the pick the random name thing, but they refused to call her Wayne. Sasha isn't talking much, yet. Bambi has been off getting a pyromaniac license. I am not sure the world is a safer place. His final test involved a sixteen inch diameter star shell, which failed to explode in the air. It returned to earth, landed in the water about thirty feet from him, then made the water boil when it went off. There were no reports of dead fish floating around, but it was dark. Because it didn't go off properly, the cost of the $500 firework was refunded.

I went to the soccer prize giving on Friday night. I think I have decided I will go to no more. They are stupid. Half the players don't show up, some that do go and collect awards looking like they have been mugged on the way there. I saw Billy Walker at the prize giving, he came over and said hello. He doesn't seem to have changed much. Neither of the kids could go, as they were playing water polo, so I missed two of the three games (another reason I wasn't happy with it). I think each team should have it's own thing with the whole team present. Being able to give players recognition they deserve is best done with the players they know in their team. Moan finished for the moment.

Hannah turns eleven on Wednesday. The party is on Saturday It is mostly going to be at the movies so the house won't be noisy.

Rory got distinction in the writing exam, a good result, he did quite badly in it last year. Makes up for performance in computer one this year.

Koos has shifted into his new house, and is trying to figure out ways of keeping a recovering cat from venturing too far. Magic, 12, has had a knee operation and is in transit to New Zealand from England.

Allan is still working in Sydney. We saw Emma on Tuesday night at the pool. She went over with Jacqui to do some shopping.

Saw the Goodins on Sunday. Rory was very pleased with his birthday present (we haven't really seen them properly since his birthday, which surprised me). It is unusual for him to be happy with clothes but the sweatshirt is one where the zip goes all the way to the top of the hood, which he thinks is way cool.

Sophie the killer beagle has now taken up fishing. She had to fight off a few seagulls for it. Don't ask. It defies belief.