25 February 2008

Dodgy interviews, dodgy seatbelts, dodgy funding methods (but at least we know Blu-Ray is it!) - 25/02/2008

LOCAL NEWS

Work on Wellington International Airport is nearing completion, and they made a fuss of some weird rock things on the roof, they look like two giant pumpkins from the outside. Waste of money, I can't see people visiting Wellington just for the airport.

The Halberg Sports Awards happened on Tuesday night. Shotputter Valerie Vili won the women's and supreme award.

Campbell Live did a lame-as interview with some hooded gimp purporting to be one of the medal thieves. They wouldn't reveal his identity and there was considerable fuss afterward. I even heard Paul Holmes give a rant about it, who has pulled his own lame stunts in the past to increase ratings, including interviewing fugitives. Don't see the difference Paul, do you?

The man who killed a tagger was granted bail. The victim's family weren't too happy, but I don't see them out there repainting fences.

The coroner pronounced the cause of death for one Ivan Segedin this week. The guy, after being fined for not wearing his seatbelt 32 times, set up a fake seatbelt so it looked like he was wearing one but wouldn't get a fine. He died in an accident where wearing a real one could well have saved his life. This proves there is no helping some people.

Some guy who was in hospital for a heart bypass got a visit from his boss to sack him. Why this made news, I really don't know. Stay tuned for the guy to win an Employer's Association award.

The Chinese New Zealand immigrant who allegedly killed his wife, abandoned his daughter in Melbourne, and escaped to the US has allegedly had a trap set for him in the US. Assuming he doesn't read the English speaking press he should get quite a surprise.

Poor old Helen is well down in the latest poll, this could be good news because more may vote for her in sympathy.

We continued to get stories about Owen Glenn (a billionaire who donated to the Labour Party who is in New Zealand at the moment).

Kiri Te Kanawa upset people by making a snide comment about Hayley Westenra (a watery voiced unpopular singer of pop songs). I suspect it did sound pretty bitchy but was probably pretty accurate.

WORLD NEWS

Toshiba pulled out of HD DVD so Blu-Ray is the new standard. At least we know.

REAL SPORT

At summer soccer they had a 2-2 draw against a team full of players we know.

Hannah helped our newbie water polo junior girls, they lost about 0-15, she then went off to play with her proper team who lost 0-11. Rory's Senior Boys won 15-2 or something against St Peters. Pretty one-sided really.

SPORT

The Poms got a reasonably large 340 in their innings at Napier, then New Zealand got 340 too. Second tie between them, both at the same ground.

In the final game, the Black Caps opened the door for England by letting them score profusely in the dying overs of their innings, slammed it shut early in their batting by reaching 100 without loss, then opened it again by losing three wickets in seven balls. The gods then got bored with the whole thing and locked the door with some rain, so England lost the series to New Zealand 1-3.

New Black Cap Jesse Ryder cut his hand while celebrating the series win at a bar and is out of cricket for three months after reconstruction surgery (what a fool).

Mahe Drysdale was thumped by Rob Waddell in the National Sculling champs. Next weekend they get a best of three race for the trial for the Olympic slot. It's the most exciting rowing has been for a long time.

Liverpool beat Middlesbrough 3-2, Arsenal had a nasty 2-2 draw with Birmingham, and Man Utd beat poor old Newcastle 5-1.

Meanwhile Spurs knocked Chelsea out of the Carling Cup in the semi final 2-1.

The Crusaders and Blues both handed out hidings to South African teams. Both put 50 points on the opposition, the Crusaders doing it to last year's champions, the Bulls.

MY SAD LIFE

I finally finished reading a book of Allan's - The Ancestor's Tale by Richard Dawkins, on Tuesday. I won't argue about evolution with Allan again. Oddly, two hours later I returned to the house to find another book by the same guy (The God Delusion) sitting on the table outside. I played an episode of the Twilight Zone so I could get the music. Then my phone rang, it turned out it was from Charles who dropped by on his way to the airport. In another bizarre coincidence Charles was still in his car outside the house when I returned, but he didn't see my car come in because another car was ahead of me.
Rory passed his practical test on Wednesday, 86% with 80% required. He's not actually sure what he got marked down on. Something about looking out for heads? We've no idea what it meant, he should have asked.
Diana's cousin's daughter Nicky has had her baby, which Jack is now a Great Uncle. Does it make you feel old, Jack?
Diana's cousin Ngaire is visiting from Tasmania, and stayed with us for the weekend. I haven't met her before. Diana played hostess and went exploring at Muriwai with her on Sunday.

I think Koos is, or was, in Hong Kong.

Doesn't really feel like we've had an achievement oriented week, as is reinforced by the brevity of this.

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