Flat out

Haven't updated recently as busy with Rotary and SeniorNet.  We are looking for new premises at SeniorNet and this taking some time. 

Latest on the Quiz front; we came 3rd last week - not going this week as I have a meeting.

All over the news about Westpac putting a limit on an account for millions instead of thousands thanks to an error when loading by moving the decimal point. A real nut to take the money but the thing that defeats me is the number of people who think it serves the Bank right - basically a victimless crime.  I wonder who they think pays for the theft of the funds - God!! 

It is of course the customers. 

Rugby - I thought the Hurricanes would have learnt and won. But they didn't, so the Chiefs were deserved winners. The Bulls looked very good in defeating the Crusaders and they must be hot favourites. 

Various

Headline: New Zealand top of mum stakes. The papers headline said this 'A world survey shows we are the best country in the world to have a baby'. Not exactly - we were 6th. Who writes this stuff?? Why were we sixth. Because our child poverty level is 25% when it should be 10%. Who works out this stuff?? Poverty in NZ ??

Meetings: Attended the SeniorNet N Z AGM during the week. Again interesting to mingle with those from other clubs from around the country. Will be going to a Rotary meeting on Sunday at Palmerston North.

Rugby:Chiefs scraped in 10-7 and will have a home semi-final.

Mothers Day and mad

Mothers Day: Sunday we all went to the Short Straw Cafe in Whitemans Valley for Brunch. Very pleasant. Afterwards we went to a friends place in Upper Hutt to show off

Legend: The Jan Molenaar tragedy where he went on a shooting rampage in Napier has, as usual, brought more stupidity out of the woodwork. After killing a policeman, and nearly killing 3 others who are still on the critical list, his idiot of a neighbour thinks Molenaar is so good he paints "Legend" on his roof. If I was PM I would make sure this nutter isn't receiving any benefits.

Other idiots knew Molenaar had illegal weapons - eighteen of them - and did nothing. His partner knew the house was booby trapped with explosives and did nothing. And it goes on and on.

Although I don't favour arming the Police (although it wouldn't worry me if they were) I favour they get Tazers.

As for our gun laws.

Our 1992 change to the law under National so we registered the owners and not the guns, meaning a person can have, unknown to the Police, 20-30 guns, was madness. But it won't change, as after the David Gray rampage it was recommended by a Judge acting as a Commission of Enquiry to change our system. He made many recommendations and, as I understand it, even Labour couldn't get one through Parliament as the Gun Lobby is just too powerful. National with their farmer support will not do anything. So, like America, we get what we deserve.

Rugby. Hurricanes 8 Chiefs 16. We should have changed kickers to Weepu. Anyway with any of 7 teams able to make the semis the race is on as the last week approaches.

Some photos

Some photos -
Kipp waving on 9 May 2009 when he was trying out his Indian outfit. S & J are going to an Indian wedding and are going in style as is Kipp.
Kipp just hamming it up.

O Sole Mio - The Kiwi Idol winner is ...........


Kipp in a pensive mood - Saturday 9 May 2009 on the night the Hurricanes played the Chiefs. Not good for us - we lost 16-8.
Later getting ready for bed he got into his wookie outfit.

We went into town (Wellington) on the train, Christine and me along with Sarah, Kipp and Monty as well as their new German student Julicher. Picture is of the Cenotaph. Kipp wasn't too keen on riding on the lions.

Dad and Monty - May 09

Me with Kipp at the Epuni school playground.


We went into Wellington to visit a friend at Wellington Hospital and Christine posed beneath the old Wellington Hospital facade which (thank heaven) they kept. It looks superb.

Thursday

Weather: After a couple of days of rain, cold and thunder it has now turned out great. Hope it is fine for the Rugby on Saturday night.

Quiz: Back into quiz mode after a break due to the  birth of Monty. We chase the name Hamdemic - a play on the swine flu outbreak. 

 On the night she had a lot of very difficult (almost impossible questions) that she gave options for so it descended into a guessing game. Also she had two or three wrong. Not having been for several weeks we didn't know until we arrived that the Bonus was up to over $500 and that it had to go that night as it was getting too large. It was another guess answer which Joe guessed correctly but changed his answer on Sarah's say so!!! Grrrr. 

At what age did Michelangelo start work on his statue of David = 26. The winning team admitted they guessed. Grrr.

The two students who S & J have with them, came on the night, and I could see they were becoming more interested as the team names for the nights winners were read out. We came second so they now know there not with a team of 'bunnies'.

Gangs: One policeman dead and more tragedy to come on the day after Parliament passed a law banning gang regalia in Wanganui. 

Meantime Maori Party Co-Leader Tariana Turia says gangs are being persecuted like the Jews in WW II. 

Words fail me. 

Can they do it?

Rugby: The Hurricanes I mean. After demolishing the Blues, next on the radar are the Chiefs who had a great win in South Africa.  This would seem to be the game of the season - so far -  as they could yet meet again in the semi's or the final.

Current plans are for our Rotary group to go to the semi-final if the Hurricanes make it and it is at home - home being the Stadium. 

Meantime in the UK they had a semi-final (Leicester - Cardiff) in keeping with their style - a Soccer style goal kicking 'kickout'  What a farce. I suppose Leicester won't be worried as they won but something else has to be done. I favour dropping say 3 loose forwards off and first to score wins. 

Soundsold: Had an email from Holland about this music blog I run asking to link to me. Wow !! Holland. He picked me up through Grumpy's Golden Oldies who I have sent 3/4 songs that people were looking for. 

SeniorNet: We are looking for new premises so have been quite busy with that. The other night a local MP Chris Hipkins (Labour) spoke at Rotary. He is very good; I went to a Grey Power meeting before the election and he impressed then. I mentioned that the new funding system introduced by the last Government was costing the taxpayer at least $150,000 per annum for us alone - apart from the many other groups. Governments can certainly waste $$$ - then again it is not their $$$ - it is ours!!