Okay, there are some really long bits in here, sorry.
LOCAL NEWS
We continued to hear about the plight of Harmeet Sooden, held captive in Iraq. The deadline (pardon the pun) came and went so many times is was not funny. Still no news of his fate yet.
Nasty domestic double fatality in Tauranga overnight.
A woman stole a $250 watch from a store in Queenstown, then made her escape by parapenting from the top of the gondola ride. Sounds very glamorous but is actually not quite so. Pursuing police consisted of a cop sitting in his car at the bottom of the gondola ride eating a meat pie and reading a newspaper. There is some doubt as to whether the thief knew the police were even (although half-heartedly) pursuing. And the parapent was a tandem ride, she was the passenger. There is even evidence that she had planned the ride before the theft.
A guy was randomly stopped by police in sleepy Waitangi, and found to have bomb making material in his car. This is pretty bizarre in a place like New Zealand, especially a small town like Waitangi. The man was described as a transient, and was also in possession of methamphetamine. Drugs and bombs just don't mix.
A police baton was used in a road-rage incident this week, but not by a policeman. It did some pretty reasonable damage to victim, who somehow retained possession of the baton.
We've had premiere's of King Kong and Narnia this week, neither were in New Zealand but we made a massive fuss all the same. Meanwhile a local luxury theatre has opened with la-z-boy chairs and charges $30 (which sounds outrageous but it costs $15 to see in a regular flea-pit anyway). I think box office takes are going to shrink fast when it is cheaper to go buy a new DVD than take a family to a movie.
Two road accidents in Otago have been nasty, both involving multiple teenagers and alcohol, one included three cars and about twelve teenagers (one died). Not sure of total fatalities but two so far.
Weird result from a murder trial this week. After his uncle (think it was his uncle) admitted the crime nine years ago, he got charged, and then surprisingly acquitted this week. Then, he was arrested the next morning for breaching the peace, disorderly conduct, and resisting arrest.
Some pensioners apprehended a thief at the bowling club, and tied him up for police. Kind of funny, young guy tried to get away but was overpowered by the smell of lavender and taken out by people with crutches. Grey power at its best.
People have been queuing up for days for the extra U2 concert. The web site sales never happened last time, which is pathetic.
WORLD NEWS
Comedian Richard Pryor died this week, he was 65 years old.
Nice little mob thing in Australia over the weekend near Cronulla, where they were harassing middle eastern people.
I read something about a enshrining of a sparrow at the Rotterdam Natural History Museum. Apparently, it flew in to a building where they were setting up for a world record domino toppling attempt, with over 4,000,000 dominoes. The sparrow flew around and knocked over 23,000 dominoes before an exterminator shot it with an air rifle (the exterminator knocked over 34,000 tiles but nobody wanted to shoot him). The fuss that ensued has meant that this stupid sparrow will now be seen by thousands. Heidi, please don't tell me you've been to see it.
Big explosion at an oil terminal in Hemel Hempstead, largest one in peacetime Europe. It was heard 100 miles away. Is currently considered to be an accident. Nobody was hurt seriously.
REAL SPORT
Not a great week really. After so much activity for the last few weeks there was no training and two games on Sunday. This was club playoffs for 5th to 8th in 14th grade Div 1. I won't dwell on it, it was awful, they have too many disinterested and weak players. They should never have been in Div 1. They finished last. Lost 2-11 and 1-8. Rory scored two of the three goals. It didn't help. I have real concerns about the idea of putting teams in to a tough division for them to "develop". They won one game the whole season. Most will still be 14th grade next year, if this season hasn't put them off. I have serious concerns about Rory playing in the team next year. If the weakest players are too weak the whole team suffers, especially if they play in Div 1 and they aren't up to it.
SPORT
Australia won the second ODI, but it was close, with New Zealand needing 323 to win they were all out with one ball to spare on 320.
New Zealand then managed to win the dead rubber (why is it a rubber all of a sudden? Not a dead game?) by scoring the largest ever total in a run chase, 332 runs.
Liverpool had another win, 2-0 over Middlesbrough, Man Utd 1-1 draw with Everton, Chelsea beat Wigan 1-0, Newcastle beat Arsenal 1-0.
The draw for World Cup Soccer 2006 has been made. Interesting pools, England should be okay.
MY SAD LIFE
I forgot to say Happy Birthday to Charles for last Sunday (sorry dude).
Diana and I were left in peace in the house on Saturday night. Both kids went to birthday parties so we got out some DVDs.
Interesting series of events on Saturday night (sorry, it is a bit long). Rory went to a birthday party in Westmere (Christian, aka Krusty, from his class). Theoretically just your typical sleepover, the lads swimming and watching movies. I picked him up the next morning to take him to water polo. Brett, Krusty's father, told me that they had had some gatecrashers, three girls (Greta, KM, and Marcella). He was in a similar state to me when he told me, surprised, scared. All known to us, KM plays in Greta's soccer team, and Marcella played for Ponsonby Red. Brett's stepdaughter, Roma, is in Hannah's soccer team so she knows Greta and KM. She answered the door, and came in to the boys and said "There are some people for you at the door, girl people." Due to texting, the boys knew they were coming, but nobody else in the house did. They seemed to have a fun time, not surprisingly. The girls even brought Krusty a present (very expensive chocolates). Anyway, these girls were originally having a party at KM's house (which was boyfriend optional, but none showed up) and somehow decided that the party was over, so they walked from Grey Lynn to Westmere (Marcella lives somewhere near Krusty). Of course, we would not be happy if either of our kids told us they were going one place and then went somewhere else (although I am sure we both did that when we were younger). An interesting event during the evening was when Greta was on the phone with her mother, being told off for changing venues on an unplanned basis, so she slipped in the news that she is getting a prize at prizegiving (which completely defused her mother, a very clever but evil move, keeping a get out of jail card up her sleeve). It did sound like they had a great time, but it does signal the beginning of the party age. It seems Rory has another party to go to this Friday, at Marcella's house.
Hannah's dance show is next weekend, she has been rehearsing and getting photos taken over the weekend.
Rory put himself to bed Sunday afternoon, slept for about three hours, he was knackered, they didn't get a lot of sleep at the party.
Paul's worldly goods arrive about Wednesday. Some planning has been going on. I really hope you guys have room in that garage.
Saw Brett on Thursday for a bit.
We have an awful lot on this coming week, with graduation for both Rory and Hannah, the graduation dance for Rory, he has inter-zone kilikiti today. Good thing Diana has finished work for the year. Rory's school prize giving is next Monday afternoon, we know he is getting something, we just don't know what.
Have you every thought about the saying "feeling a bit below par". Surely, being below par is a good thing?
No comments:
Post a Comment