LOCAL NEWS
Labour, Maori, and exceedingly portly MP Parekura Horomia (Horo by name and horror by nature) told Parliament and the world that poor kids going to school hungry are probably dieting. The PC brigade had a fit, unfortunately I agree. It is better to say nothing and be thought a fool than something and remove all doubt. We get plenty of Horo stories and it makes you wonder seriously about the wisdom of letting just anyone vote.
The China trade deal was signed, we kept hearing about it. Then Winston waded in telling the world it was a bad thing.
Chris Kahui starts his trial for the murder of his twin sons today, 21 months after they died. Brett has been looking forward to this for quite some time. It is expected to last seven weeks.
A teenage schoolgirl went missing in Christchurch. It doesn't look good, been a week now.
A woman in Northland was widowed for the second time in ten years by a hit and run driver. It was the second one killed by a hit and run driver, it was the second time and the first was due to a heart condition.
We are being pummelled with stories about the housing market, not just this week but continuously for quite a while now. It bugs me that the press continues to rabbit on about it. A drop in (the number of) house sales just means less people are moving. A drop in the average house price could just mean that people aren't selling expensive houses. Bad news for real estate agents, but everyone hates them anyway. The industry has done everything it can to inflate the market and encourage people to over-extend themselves. Now they get to suffer the consequences.
The Labour party had their convention, although I think it was called a "congress" this time. They are aiming for a record 4th term, something never achieved by any government in New Zealand.
Meanwhile, Helen Clark was made to squirm this morning on breakfast tv and newstalk ZB about "information" pamphlets which don't apparently qualify as electioneering material (even though it basically is). Their electoral reform act could be about to start biting them on the behind.
It's chainsaw safety awareness week. Seriously. Make sure you are aware of the safety of your chainsaw. Hundreds of chainsaws are hurt every year through carelessness, it's a dirty secret but we must act now.
Lost property on Christchurch buses over the last year includes macadamia nuts, a trombone, some marijuana, a two year old child, and $4000 in cash.
News this week that kids as young as 3 1/2 are being tested for entry into elite schools. Given that they start at five, this isn't particularly surprising.
WORLD NEWS
The "you've been Ric rolled" thing seems more pathetic and futile than the "does this smell like updog?" question.
Mugabe is still clinging to power in Zimbabwe.
REAL SPORT
Rory's senior boys beat Kaipara 12-1, Rory scored first five goals then a couple more. My junior boys had no help from the girls and lost 3-12, but it could have been worse, MAGS is pretty good. Hannah's team lost 1-7 to St Mary's A, our other senior team lost 0-15 to the same team.
On Saturday, Hannah's soccer team played a much less scary team. They won comfortably, 6-0. I reckon I can already tell that Hannah's team should beat a good few of the other teams in the league from the results so far. It's great getting the results on the internet so quickly after the games are played.
On Sunday night, Hannah had her last junior grading game. They lost 4-8, Hannah scored first two goals, they even led at the beginning. The emphasis was on getting the more inexperienced players to take active part in the game, which they did, one even scored a goal (first among all the newbies, until now the junior girls goals were scored by the triplets, Hannah, Josie and Charlotte, who have played for a couple of years).
SPORT
Champs League quarter finals this week. After two 1-1 draws last week, Liverpool finally played Arsenal at their home ground. Arsenal went one up early, but Liverpool stayed in the game and finally won 4-2, putting them through to the semi-finals of the Champs League. Chelsea beat Fenerbahce 2-0 to put them through, also. The next day Man Utd beat Roma and Barcelona beat Schalke 04 (silly name for a club, what happened to 03?).
Man Utd then beat Arsenal 2-1, a crucial win in the race for the premier title. Liverpool beat Blackburn 3-1, Villa thumped Derby 6-0, Man City beat Sunderland 2-1, Chelsea didn't play.
Week 9 already in Super 14. Blues lost, Highlanders lost but nearly beat the Sharks, Crusaders and Hurricanes won.
This netball thing is still going, but too many teams to really figure out who is who.
New Zealand swimmer Moss Burmester won the 200m butterfly in the world short course champs. The mens medley relay got bronze.
MY SAD LIFE
The Goodins celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary. It's the 16th, I think. They are off in some foreign place, Tahiti maybe.
Diana is now on holiday for four weeks, lucky bugger.
Rory managed to burn his right index finger on a heater at school this week, while checking to see if it was hot. I am guessing it was.
Hannah did complete her first full week of school last week, as expected. She should have another one this week, although they will have an early finish on Friday.
We saw Bambi and his girls on Sunday, briefly. Lisa was off firefighter training (they live in rural area where they need volunteers). They came to watch Hannah's game, too. The girls were very well behaved and seemed almost interested.
Rory had Cassidy stay over the weekend because his parents were away. He wasn't a lot of bother. Probably less so than the other two.
SAFETY TIP
Further to my irregular series on Berocca tablets, I discovered something this week. If you break a tablet in half (which I do because a whole one just seems excessive), don't breathe in as you do it. Taking Berocca nasally is not a) pleasant or b) beneficial. If symptoms persist, please see your doctor.
SAFETY TIP PART II
Um, I was just proof reading the above paragraph when I broke another one, and I did it again, not as bad as the first time. I may be developing an immunity. Certainly not learning from my experience. I am not proud of this.
PRICES AROUND THE WORLD
I hope you can read this. Thanks to those that helped. It's rough as guts but here is what certain things cost (petrol and milk per litre, cheese per kg, butter .5 kg). E&OE, etc.
Aussie is the cheapest place in the world. Typical.
Country Germany Australia UK USA New Zealand
Currency Euro NZD AUD NZD GBP NZD USD NZD NZD NZD
Petrol 1.4 $2.79 1.47 $1.72 1.05 2.65 0.96 $ 1.21 1.8 $1.80
Milk 0.99 $1.97 1.86 $2.18 0.59 1.49 1.83 $ 2.33 2.4 $ 2.40
Cheese 11 $21.91 10.76 $12.58 8.3 20.96 12.30 $15.56 16 $16.00
Butter .5kg) 2.2 $4.38 2.5 $2.92 2.32 5.86 4.49 $5.68 3 $3.00
$31.05 $19.40 $30.97 $24.79 $23.20
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