7 Billion

Now 7 billion of us. A website purports to say what number I was -

Some changes

Changes: Got the stocking which has made a difference. It goes from thigh to foot and is a bugger to get on but she gets there. Good news (!!) is that he said I will probably have to wear it for the rest of my life.

Funny as the leg improved the pain went back to the lung area so we have upped my painkillers.

Still get tired and I am doing nothing.

Election: In my view all the running (policy wise) is Labour and the Greens.

Increasing the Pension age (10 years behind Oz), compulsory Kiwisaver (25 years or so behind Oz) and today compulsory Quake insurance. I am waiting for the cries of Nanny State. How John Key can say we can afford the current retirement age when it costs about $8 Billion and over the next 20-30 years will go to $75 Billion is again letting politics get in the way of common sense.

They rated the leaders debate and had a category of charm !!!! Beyond me.

MMP: Came into a Radio NZ debate about half way through and Ruth Richardson was on defending FPP. She doesn't seem to understand how democracy works - or more likely she does but FPP favours her Party.

Google and Blogger: I use Google's Reader and it has a section called Notes which I also use. Today they gave the usual 'better and improved' (translated WORSE) message. The Notes section has been deleted without warning. Lots of comment on the Net but as usual They couldn't care less - you've lost all your information.

Somebody has found a way to find them but it seems you can't really export the messages.
Who makes these dopey decisions.

THE AGONY

Still terrible and absolute agony when my leg is not lying flat. Asked about crutches and was sent to the hospital who decided to keep me all day while 3 doctors investigated.The main concern is that clot dveloped after going onto Warfarin. Going to get compression stocking that covers from ankle to thigh which we hope will work.

Me

Not the greatest - my right leg is giving me hell. They increased my Warfarin dose to 5 from 3.

I am typing this on the laptop but Blogger is having problems so I will sign off meantime.

I'm back. As I said my leg is bad news.Went and had an ultrasound today and they found two large clots in the leg extending from the thigh to the ankle.They can't do anythng about them except thin the blood and allow for the body to slowly destroy them.

Election: After the RWC party now we are into election mode.To be honest I don't really thnk their is a great deal of difference between them although I think Labour & the Greens are more policy orientated while National are banking on the extremely personable John Key. I am more interested in retaining MMP particularly against FPP which is not democratic. STV I could put up with.

Holiday Weekend

Labour Day: As usual the Police went on about lowering the road toll by concentrating on speed. As usual they and the Government will not attack the problem sensibly.

How to do it - install road barriers on all of our motorways/major roads. Since they put one on the Kapiti Highway not one death has occurred from crossing the median strip.

Most deaths from 'reasonable' drivers come from crossing the centre line. They are wasting their time for the useless ones in our society for whom nothing apart from jail ( and therefore off the roads) will work.

Reflections and thoughts

RUGBY WORLD CUP 2011

In retrospect, the All Blacks might have played their final in the semi-final against the Ozzies.

France seemed to have left their best until the last and the All Blacks their worst. The AB's won the first half but failed to convert their dominance into a big points lead - I thought they needed at least 15 points.

In the second half the All Blacks hung on desperately and played really dumb. During this half, it was France who failed to convert three penalty shots at goal into points and one was a reasonable kick. If any had gone over I can't see that we would have won.

We were extremely lucky.

If someone had suggested when the tournament started that Stephen Donald would kick the winning penalty for New Zealand in the final they would have been thought as mad.

As for the IRB: Its chief executive, Mike Miller, who does not come to the administration of the game with a rugby background, just does not appear to understand rugby matters. I have commented earlier about him not realising that Fiji, Samoa and Tonga exist. His rejection of the SANZAR complaints that their countries lose $50 million in a World Cup year was just brain-dead. He also seems to be opposed to changing the schedule of World Cup tournaments to October-November. The current schedule suits French rugby clubs. So we had the CEO of the IRB rejecting claims from rugby nations that have won six of the seven World Cups to favour some millionaires who have invested in French rugby clubs. There was also the nuttyness of the mouthguards and the scheduling of matches for the minnow countries that disadvantaged their chances of defeating the major teams in their pools. SANZAR may have got some agreement on these issues. We shall see!

One real conflict of interest is the appointment of the RWC refs - it was headed by the Welsh Unions Chair.

How prophetic is this Tom Scott cartoon - a week before the final.

NZ 8 France 7

Well we did it but I think we played dumb by again kicking poorly and giving the ball away.

Tonights the night!

A couple of pics

So much to say but...

Just don't have the energy due to the shortness of breath.


Boat: The Rena is spilling oil at Tauranga. What a disaster and inept response by the Government. The problem is that they get criticised and react saying how wonderful they are and everybody is doing their best. We don't doubt that but they never get asked (as usual) the difficult questions. Why would 't they take the volunteers to help clean up the mess, do they have a system in place to call on them (it would seem not - a point I will take up at Rotary for our local Civil Defence), any system to call on the unemployed? etc.

What they have is understand is that 'perception is reality' and it is not a good look.

It seems we never signed a shipping disaster protocol that will end up costing us around $20million - it goes back to Labours day and they are getting stuck into Key for not doing it!!

Rugby: Well into the final. Our pack was just too good and we should have won by 20 more points. The problem we now have is the unpredictable French.

The booing of Cooper is just obnoxious.


I have always favoured Deans but his tactics over most of the RWC defeat me. Berrick Barnes is a much better option - but in this games why did they persist in kicking to Jane - to Kahui you could have understood - why when it wasn't working did they carry on. Something wrong somewhere.

Money: There has been some comment about the AB's bonus if they win the RWC of $100,000 each. To put it into perspective the French get near $250,00 for getting into the Final and will get over $300,00 if they win.

C.R.U.D.E.N - Carter ruled unfit, didn't even notice.

I see Joubert has the final. Thank heaven a reasonably good ref.

Bus Tours: I see they are doing bus tours of the quake area. Brilliant - just 3 months too late plus the RWC tourists have almost left. Pathetic.

Me: Last but by no means least. Still struggling but a 1000% better. A friend took 2 years to come right!!

Now on about 20 pills a day but the injections have stopped. I have to take Warfarin (rat poison) and that is very complicated with constant blood tests to get the dosage right and it has to be taken att the same time each evening - I've settled for 6PM.

Where to start?

I suppose at the beginning.

Hospital: I have never stayed in hospital since the day I was born. Last Sunday I wasn't feeling too good so I went and lay on the bed and watched the Rugby. Still no good with pains in my right side I struggled through the night; the pain was so great I couldn't sleep.

Next morning Christine phoned the hospital before the Doctors Surgery opened. Their initial take was gallstones. Went to the doctor who saw me and at a loss to explain the pain sent me off for a blood test and an Xray. The Xray revealed some lung infection and maybe the start of pneumonia so I was put on antibiotics and pain relief.

That night I was worse and got no sleep and as it was better standing than laying down I tried to sleep (but didn't) in the Laze-E-Boy.

Again into the Doc (a different one) and he said book in for an ultrasound which we did but couldn't get one until next Monday (17th).

Again a real struggle through the night with no sleep and so back to the Doctor. She was still at a loss as with Gallstones should be pain when the stomach was pushed, After carrying out an ECG to check the heart (which was OK) she said I should go the Hospital.

Typical of our system easy to book in; then more prodding,poking, blood tests, blood pressure taking etc and as they also couldn't home in on the problem they then gave me a MRI scan.


Wow - talk about Star Trek.

This was about 5 PM and they said I would have to stay in overnight at least while they carried out the analysis of the scan etc. They then came back with the answer (isn't science and technology wonderful).

Blood clots from the leg (where I had been having pains but just thought it was varicose veins) had settled in my right lung.

So a couple of nights in Hutt Hospital, pills/blood tests.blood pressure/injections galore then I was allowed out Friday night (just in time for the Rugby). In the usual of Hospitals they check everything so found a couple of other small problems caused by my blood pressure pills (low Potassium). I also now have to wear compression socks for my veins.

I can't speak highly enough of Hutt Hopspital and its staff - they were all superb. I also think our healthcare sytem is terrific - God knows what it would be like in the USA. It may have problems with delays etc but for the $ we spend we certainly get value for money.

Pills: Luckily the boss is an ex-nurse as I have to have a daily injection on top of the 20 pills and I have to have a bood test every coupople of days while they try and work out the dosages I require. Plus a booklet has been supplied to record everything.

The good news is they know the problem and it seems to be coming right as the pain is much more manageable.

Meanwhile the world carries on without me.

Rugby: Watched France - Wales. A Yellow card would have been OK but I come back to my idea (for which SKY awarded me the email of the week and a prize) - a Red card you stay off but after 10 minutes another player comes on.

France were awful and the better team lost.

Now to tonight and the "final".

I want to write about the shipwreck in Tauranga but another time as pretty tired.

And now the Souths turn

Australia 11 SA 9
NZ 33 Pumas 10
Interestingly the expansive south scored 4 tries while the conservative north 9 - although Wales and France are really expansive.

NZ weren't that good although we have to give credit to the Pumas (who actually have a Jaguar on their jersey - another stuff up)

Funny but the same 4 are in the semi as in 1987 except we have split different ways as we take on Oz while last time it was Wales. Cruden looks better than Slade and if Slade is out I wonder what they will do. Bring in another halfback (Mathewson) and play Weepu at first five or go back to the old warhorse Steven Donald.

Chesty: I haven't been saying much as I have had a chest infection - at first Christine thought it might be gall stones. Anyway have been to the Doc and now loaded up with anti-biotics.

It was the North's turn

And they were both good games. I am pleased Wales went through 22-10 against Ireland and as for the Frogs over England 19 - 12 - that is just France.

Jobs

Although a visionary not a particularly nice person. Funny how his products seem good (I have never owned any Apple product) while Gates' stuff is a bit of a mess but he is a wonderful human being.

The quarters

We have now found the quarter finalists with -

NZ - Argentina - AB's to win
Wales - Ireland - too close to call. I think Ireland are passion - Wales skill - I hope Wales
France - England - you would think the Poms but France are France
Boks - Wallabies - I would think the Boks forwards would be too strong.


A comment in the New York Times said how long it took to reach the sharp end of the tournament compared to the Soccer World Cup. They didn't seem to understand that Rugby is a contact sport unlike Soccer. To quote Tana - its not tiddlywinks.

As the graphic above shows Gridiron and Rugby are quite different as the US needs size/strength while in Rugby more stanima is needed. Also generally Rugby is still to a degree a game for all sizes.

Naturally the Yanks are paid more.

Tragedy

TRAGEDY

The only word for itCarter down at training.

The IRB and the Sausage Sizzle

IRB: Some say it stands for International Rugby Board. Others might think it stands for Ignorant Rugby B%$^*'s.

Samoa - one player accidentally wears a branded mouthguard (which most wouldn't be able to see anyway) and get fined $10,000.

England - They cheat and get let off with a slap on the wrist and a touchline ban for a couple of low-ranking team officials after illegally switching the ball for two conversion attempts in their game against Romania. I notice that the player - Jonny Wilkinson - doesn't suffer.

What a bunch of pricks. Maybe they should just stay in their ivory towers up in the climes of Pommyland.

When news of the fine hit the media reaction to the IRB's treatment of the cash-strapped Samoan team was immediate - anger and crys of injustice.

"So England swap the ball for conversions and the IRB does nothing. Samoa wear the wrong brand of mouthguard and get fined 10k. Incredible," wrote John Campbell of TV3 show Campbell Live. Now TV3 are running a 'Sausage Sizzle' to raise money for Samoa. I think that is a brilliant idea - it would embarrass most but it won't even register with the IRB.

At a time when the IRB is under fire for its inequitable distribution of massive World Cup profits and its unwillingness to provide financial tournament support for some of the lower-ranked nations, this move will no doubt draw criticism.

What was it Will Carling said about the RFU - a bunch of Old Farts.

What can one say about the IRB?

Still Rugby

Is there anything else: Well actually there is as the world economic situation is awful, still people are being murdered, kids abused and all of the other terrible things. Plus our Quiz team is still crap. I suppose on the good side is the weather which isn't too bad.
Visitors: Graeme (Joe's brother) and his wife Susie and 9 month old Mungo stayed with us - unfortunately only a couple of days - as they traipse around the country doing a bit of sightseeing, seeing friends and of course Rugby.

Two great men - Jock and Richie

Rugby: Results as expected except Japan again failed as they drew (as they did in the last RWC) with Canada. The NZRU have pointed out it costs NZ about $13 million in lost revenue to attend every RWC and have suggested they may not attend the next unless the revenue model is changed (maybe to the same as Soccer).

Naturally the Northern Hemisphere (ie the British) blame us - we wanted professionalism (no it was the players who were going to leave) and a World Cup (yes - but they were against as they were frightened of losing $ but instead they have made squillions and we thought the revenue model would be arranged fairly). They are just pathetic.

Johah: In hospital and doesn't look too good.

Skype: Skyped S & J & M & K on Tuesday when they had their system hooked into a large screen TV. Audio was a bit dicey but otherwise not too bad. Who pays? Who cares!

RWC

Firstly Australia -USA: From the game Angela and I attended.



Me in my USA cap












We had great seats - right on the halfway line just below the TV cameras


Bundled up against the cold - but luckily it was a nice fine night.

All Blacks - France: Basically all one way but with France you never can tell as was this their A team? Who knows.

The wonderful Jock Hobbs presenting Richie with a Silver Cap in recognition of his 100 games.

Going to the game tonight

USA- Australia: At the Stadium tonight.

Today I got to thinking about how the commentators are so bland as they toady up to the the IRB, the NZRU and SKY TV. When Murray Mexted had some harsh words to say he was basically sidelined for about 12 months.

Also there is a lack of criticism of the referees, except Sean Fitzpatrick saying you couldn't judge the scrums as Ref Clancy hadn't a clue. Then in last nights game we hear that Clancy is an IRD Official in Ireland. He is not even a professional. No wonder he is out of his depth. I remember an interview with South African Andre Watson (one of the best ever) he not only had his own fitness trainer and game analysis person but even his own psychologist!!

And what about all the PR mouthpiece bits all the coaches say. Graham Henry saying how hard it was to drop Mils for Dagg. The correct answer really was; it was easy.

Dagg is playing better at the moment. Emotion doesn't enter into it. As for the disaster about Guilford it seems the AB's only came clean because it was all over the Net about his off field drinking problems.

Probably the hard one is what of 3 relatively slow halfbacks you pick although with Cowans poor form it is between two plus Weepu gives you first five and kicking options. Another weakness about the selections now showing up is the lack of loose forward cover.

RWC

RWC: This continues with the Tonga - Japan game on in the background while we did the quiz. The ease of the win to Tonga surprised me and it was Tonga's first defeat of Japan in 5 years which would have upset coach Kirwan. The AB's have been named and probably the stongest (bar injury to Reid) we could field. The surprise to me is not so much Weepu ahead of Cowan (as he has been awful) but Ellis moving into the 22. Also no Toeava - good grief; maybe at long last (and far too late) ther love affair is over. He is not the worst AB ever but I would have had Gear ahead of him and Guilford.

Starting XV: (Caps)

1. Tony Woodcock (78)
2. Keven Mealamu (87)
3. Owen Franks (26)
4. Brad Thorn (54)
5. Sam Whitelock (20)
6. Jerome Kaino (43)
7. Richie McCaw – captain (99)
8. Adam Thomson (23)
9. Piri Weepu (51)
10. Daniel Carter (84)
11. Richard Kahui (14)
12. Ma’a Nonu (62)
13. Conrad Smith (50)
14. Cory Jane (28)
15. Israel Dagg (8)

Reserves:

16. Andrew Hore (57) 17. Ben Franks (12) 18. Ali Williams (68)
19. Anthony Boric (22) 20. Andy Ellis (22) 21. Colin Slade (7) 22. Sonny Bill Williams (9)

On the way to the Quiz we saw that the Hutt Rec has had barriers put up to shield the Scottish team from the public view when they go about their training. At about what seemed to be metre fifty high I don't think they will hide much. Then again who would want to spy on Scotland!

Quiz: Joined by two friends last night - Colin & Jan and the helped us into 5th place out of 10. Still our best hope is the bonus as the winner was about 15 points or more ahead.

Jokes

More Silence

Silence: Michael Laws and I agree on the right to silence.

From his splendid article in the Sunday Star Times -

"Simon Power will be remembered for his inability to rid this nation of the evil anachronism that is an individual's right to silence when they are linked to a major crime.

And really nasty crimes like child abuse and child murder. The legal familiars have done their job – sown enough doubt in the minds of gullible MPs that bad people will walk free because politicians lacked the balls to challenge the legal profession front-on.

Indeed, the legal system is a joke in this country and many other similar western countries. Instead of seeking to discover the truth that surrounds a crime, presenting and providing all the known facts and allowing all the relevant individuals to be openly questioned, the justice system sets up a court room confrontation.

This has the natural effect of parties exaggerating or diminishing the facts to suit their pre-determination. As a consequence, police and prosecutors will often overstep the mark, defence teams will deliberately play ignorant and the judge is reduced to the role of referee.

The right to silence should form no role, ever, in any transparent justice system. It has the presumption that no man nor woman should be required to incriminate themselves.

Why not? If they are suspected of the crime, why should they not answer reasonable questions posed of them by either the investigative police or the prosecution? Why should there not be an onus upon them to establish their innocence?

Worse still is that this right to silence is always the first refuge of the really guilty. Everyone knows this, including defence lawyers.

But the current law states that this cannot be held against the person either under investigation or charged with the crime. In fact, exactly the reverse should apply: it should most definitely be held against a defendant that they refused to co-operate with investigating authorities.

Power wanted to shift this archaic burden. Although the Kahui twins murder investigation – and subsequent trial of their father – is widely credited with Power's policy imperative, the truth is that this has been a burr for many justice reformers for a long time.

Indeed it was entirely revealing that the subsequent coronial investigation – that did have the ability to cross-examine Chris Kahui, and the King/Kahui whanau – revealed far more than the criminal trial.

Had the jury access to the same information and impressions, I'd be wagering that a different verdict would have been returned.

Silence is a court tactic used daily throughout the country – the police stonewalled by smartass ferals and their smarter lawyers.

Just because something has been around forever does not make it right. Power knew this. The ordinary public knows this. Cross-examining defendants should be the absolute right of the state as it seeks to discover the truth and to protect its citizens. The politicians who resist this continue to imperil us all."

He said it much better than I could.

RWC: Canada weren't too bad, but against France, who only seem to put in the effort they want, you can't really tell. England beat Georgia easily on the scoreboard but were awful. They, England, don't seem to know the rules of the game. As for Samoa it was close but I expected Wales to win as they are more structured. A pity but it looks as if Samoa will be out.

On the night of the Ireland win I immediately looked how the draw should - but might not - pan out. To get an easier run through maybe we should throw the games against France (Justin Marshall has written along the same lines) but being NZ we won't, although France could. In cricket we have 'jacked' our run rate more than once to ensure a better draw. It would be strange to see two teams in Rugby trying to lose a game.