The past: I was volunteering at the Hutt Expo today when a woman walked up to me (I had my name tag on) and asked me if I remembered her. It turns out we worked together for a couple of years in 1970.
What!!! Forty years ago. I couldn't remember her except the surname rang a bell somewhere in the back of my mind. It was great just thinking back and reminiscing.
Expo: The Expo was alright although less exhibitors but the real downer was the weather. It has been terrible.
Other matters - Delhi seems to have come right and we again came 4th in the Quiz..
In the Rugby the other night there was a terrific but really hard tackle. Next minute we see the Refs arm up for a short arm penalty. The commentators went berserk; it was a great hard legal tackle. Then they replayed it a couple of times and roundly criticized the Ref. I like them was disgusted that a penalty could have been given.
Then the laconic Maori voice of Rua Tupoki came on " I think he has awarded a mark, eh"
Duh - we are all thick.
30 September 2010
29 September 2010
Blogging and Change - why?
Blogger: Only 3 certain things in life - death, taxes and bloody change. I went to a friends place to show him how to start a Blog at blogger. I haven't looked at that side for several months as we have had no one wanting to do it at SeniorNet and my Blog just operates as always.
But I find it has all been changed (seemingly for changes sake as usual). It must be if you have the old Blog then that continues but any newcomers get the new version. Easy for them but it means the Course has to be re-written (and of course all the books written about it are now wrong).
I call it the Microsoft disease. If it is on the left move it to the right then two years later put it back on the left again!!
Madness.
But - I see they now have some statistics that give some information about where people who are visiting the blog are coining from which is interesting. Somehow I don't think that I have fans in places like China, Latvia and Moldova. By accident some US - UK may have stumbled across it. As for Australia - Nil. Hmmmmm.
My Soundsold music blog has the following figures.
Fiji competition: Got the vouchers for that BUT - as usual some stuff ups. The competition rules said you had until September next year to take it. Looking at the weather we thought May 2011. But although the hotel expires in September the air tickets expire in March. Emailed them. They no nothing and suggested we contact the airline. They are all hopeless. Our ex next door neighbours won a fridge but it took months to arrive as they had run out of stock . Why didn't they buy the prizes before they ran the competition??
CD Player: Got our CD player back and it seems to be working OK. The laser beam needed cleaning. So that is good news.
The Quizmaster: Rotary are going to run another quiz and I will be the Quizmaster. I was told the last lot of questions I set were too hard!! I didn't think so although I put in about one per round that was quite difficult but ones I thought were interesting. I suppose it is what you get used to.
But I find it has all been changed (seemingly for changes sake as usual). It must be if you have the old Blog then that continues but any newcomers get the new version. Easy for them but it means the Course has to be re-written (and of course all the books written about it are now wrong).
I call it the Microsoft disease. If it is on the left move it to the right then two years later put it back on the left again!!
Madness.
But - I see they now have some statistics that give some information about where people who are visiting the blog are coining from which is interesting. Somehow I don't think that I have fans in places like China, Latvia and Moldova. By accident some US - UK may have stumbled across it. As for Australia - Nil. Hmmmmm.
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My Soundsold music blog has the following figures.
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Fiji competition: Got the vouchers for that BUT - as usual some stuff ups. The competition rules said you had until September next year to take it. Looking at the weather we thought May 2011. But although the hotel expires in September the air tickets expire in March. Emailed them. They no nothing and suggested we contact the airline. They are all hopeless. Our ex next door neighbours won a fridge but it took months to arrive as they had run out of stock . Why didn't they buy the prizes before they ran the competition??
CD Player: Got our CD player back and it seems to be working OK. The laser beam needed cleaning. So that is good news.
The Quizmaster: Rotary are going to run another quiz and I will be the Quizmaster. I was told the last lot of questions I set were too hard!! I didn't think so although I put in about one per round that was quite difficult but ones I thought were interesting. I suppose it is what you get used to.
26 September 2010
Sputnikmania
Sputnikmania: Saw this documentary the other day. It was an epoch time when it seemed the advance of Communism was becoming, if not unstoppable, at least a real threat to Capitalism.
As it turned out it was a false dawn as I have often said in my Rubbish Tins story
However, one sidelight was the change of America into a nation more absorbed with science and education when they realised they may be falling behind. This meant that, as Eisenhower said, the religious nuts took a back seat. But they have changed and now the nuts seem to be in the ascendancy.
As I have got older I have become more of an admirer of Eisenhower as a sensible mainstream Republican. He would turn in his grave at some of those now declaring themselves as Republicans in the US.
The upside in the US of the sudden concentration on education was the upsurge in inventions and technology that took place over the next 20 - 30 or so years as those highly educated people entered the workforce.
On a site (Reddit) I go to, the other day somebody stated they needed a a Preferential system to change the voting structure. As you could comment I pointed out the US needed a Proportional system. Then again the old rich white males here want to turn the clock back to FPP.
I hope not. Women should support MMP or they will go back to 1950.
The SheilaCommonwealth Games: What a mess in Delhi but I am confident it will be right on the day. The Chief Minister of Delhi since 1998 is the unfortunately named Sheila Dikshit, sometimes known as Sheila Dixit, which is a little better.
Rugby: Southland (The Stags) team are just fantastic. Is there a better hooker in the country than Jason Rutledge. On their day I suppose Mealamu and Hore maybe a bit better but Rutledge is the 3rd best in my view. Of course they say he is too old. How old was Frank Bunce when he became an AB - and he was a back. In this mornings Sunday Times they have a quote - 'Flynn is the 3rd best rake in the country - Yeah Right!'
Blogging: On Mediawatch this morning they told the true story of Jim Anderton saying ' it needs a seismic shift for me to win the Mayoralty'. What he said was along the lines of 'it needed a seismic shift for me to shift' when he was talking about his leaving the Labour Party when Rogernomics came along. Some bloggers changed it around and it then got picked up by the MSM (Main Stream Media).
24 September 2010
More Quake
This is good.Weather: Last Friday it was all thunder and lightning and many people lost PC's, TV's etc - even a friends stove was blown out. This raised the thought that if we leave our External Hard Drive plugged in even the back ups would be lost. So we are now unplugging them.
Went in a lift today that had a sign that it was being fixed as the 'lightening' had damaged it. Hmmm - maybe it was carrying a lighter load now due to the bolt from the blue. We were in Petone at the height of the storm and the bolt I saw was probably the biggest I have ever seen.
Other: Quiz - came 3rd but we had a different couple join us which helped with the music. The Fiji prize pack has arrived but the air travel expires 6 months before the hotel!! Will email them.
20 September 2010
More Travel - of the winning kind
Wow: Just had a phone call from North and South magazine.
We have won a trip to Fiji - worth $8000!!!
I was just complaining that I had been entering competitions fanatically especially at the DomPost but was winning nothing. Now this comes along. I was honest with them and said how it was Sarah that got the magazine but she didn't enter. You have to be in to win.We have to find our own way to either Auckland or Christchurch. An idea is that we may go to Christchurch a few days earlier and have a look around. With all the travel on at the moment - Oz next month, Turkey/Russia next June and our other non-profit commitments such as the Xmas Raffle coming up we are getting a full diary.
19 September 2010
Grab a seat
Travel: Have used the Air NZ Grab a Seat site to book our trips to Auckland and return to connect with our flight from the Dubai, Turkey and Russia trip we are doing next year,. Our friends daughter with her 8 month old boy is up from Christchurch for a week and a bit so she can get some sleep. We had dinner with them at Sarah's last night and he mentioned that the site had some cheapies. So we will fly up for $19 each and back at $50 each.
Have to say the Air NZ site was easy to navigate unlike Qantas.
We have also booked for the trip to Oz and I am filling up the Flashdrive with some music for Clive.
Twinges: A good word. Still getting them. Trying to work up to an hour a day walking - averaging around 20 minutes at present. Also the lousy weather is against it.
Shower: Our shower is leaking and we got the plumber around and he said there is a crack in the shower base. We are going to see if the insurance will cover it.
Garetted: David Garrett the ACT MP is all over the news having lied to get a Passport over 20 years or so ago then not telling the Court he had a conviction in Tonga for assault (although I think that charge was a jackup). Anyway he is it seems to resign from Parliment having resigned from the party. He spoke to us at Rotary about a month ago about his 3 strikes Bill, which I support (in its NZ form - not the US one).
His name for the passport fraud was suppressed but the media have been going on about it as if it didn't exist. The Whale Oil blogger was fined for breaching suppression orders - why not the mainstream media?
Surely their are not double standards!!
Rugby: A lot of talk about the five eight/midfield combination to go to the UK with such an excess of talent.
We have Delaney, Carter, Cruden, Slade, Brett, McAlister, Ben Smith, Sonny Bill Williams, Conrad Smith, Nonu, Sitivatu, Gear, Rocokoko, Toeave, Stanley, Ranger, Fruen, Donald (Kahui is injured) - who have I missed?
In my mind the only considerations are Carter, Cruden, Slade (a kicking option who who can also cover wing/fullback) at 5/8th so a favourite of mine Delaney will miss. In the centres Conrad and Ma'aa are certain plus I would look at Ranger, Williams (we must see if his impressive form to date can stand up to more rigorous testing) and Fruen. Sadly we know what Sitivatu can do and I would leave him behind to recuperate.
Not in my team are Brett, Ben Smith, Toeava, Donald, Stanley (very steady but seems to be a journeyman at best) and McAlister, who seems to be coming into some form, but a bit late. Kahui is too injury prone even for the long term.
With it seems 14 backs we have Mils, Joe Rocketman, Dagg, Jane, Conrad Smith, Fruen, Williams, Nonu, Cruden, Carter, Slade, Weepu, Cowan. Do we then take an extra half (Mathewson). I think the fullback/ wing cover is within this lot (Nonu has also played wing). Why not leave Carter behind?. But they won't.
Buck Shelford favours leaving both McCaw and Carter at home with Reid to go as Captain. The forwards are an easier lot except the back up for Richie McCaw is a real problem. Be interesting.
Have to say the Air NZ site was easy to navigate unlike Qantas.
We have also booked for the trip to Oz and I am filling up the Flashdrive with some music for Clive.
Twinges: A good word. Still getting them. Trying to work up to an hour a day walking - averaging around 20 minutes at present. Also the lousy weather is against it.
Shower: Our shower is leaking and we got the plumber around and he said there is a crack in the shower base. We are going to see if the insurance will cover it.
Garetted: David Garrett the ACT MP is all over the news having lied to get a Passport over 20 years or so ago then not telling the Court he had a conviction in Tonga for assault (although I think that charge was a jackup). Anyway he is it seems to resign from Parliment having resigned from the party. He spoke to us at Rotary about a month ago about his 3 strikes Bill, which I support (in its NZ form - not the US one).
His name for the passport fraud was suppressed but the media have been going on about it as if it didn't exist. The Whale Oil blogger was fined for breaching suppression orders - why not the mainstream media?
Surely their are not double standards!!
Rugby: A lot of talk about the five eight/midfield combination to go to the UK with such an excess of talent.
We have Delaney, Carter, Cruden, Slade, Brett, McAlister, Ben Smith, Sonny Bill Williams, Conrad Smith, Nonu, Sitivatu, Gear, Rocokoko, Toeave, Stanley, Ranger, Fruen, Donald (Kahui is injured) - who have I missed?
In my mind the only considerations are Carter, Cruden, Slade (a kicking option who who can also cover wing/fullback) at 5/8th so a favourite of mine Delaney will miss. In the centres Conrad and Ma'aa are certain plus I would look at Ranger, Williams (we must see if his impressive form to date can stand up to more rigorous testing) and Fruen. Sadly we know what Sitivatu can do and I would leave him behind to recuperate.
Not in my team are Brett, Ben Smith, Toeava, Donald, Stanley (very steady but seems to be a journeyman at best) and McAlister, who seems to be coming into some form, but a bit late. Kahui is too injury prone even for the long term.
With it seems 14 backs we have Mils, Joe Rocketman, Dagg, Jane, Conrad Smith, Fruen, Williams, Nonu, Cruden, Carter, Slade, Weepu, Cowan. Do we then take an extra half (Mathewson). I think the fullback/ wing cover is within this lot (Nonu has also played wing). Why not leave Carter behind?. But they won't.
Buck Shelford favours leaving both McCaw and Carter at home with Reid to go as Captain. The forwards are an easier lot except the back up for Richie McCaw is a real problem. Be interesting.
12 September 2010
Me
Me - yes me. Went to the doctor as I was having a few chest pains on the left side, which is the alarm bells side. Had to have a couple of ECG's which revealed my left ventricle is larger than it should be due to high blood pressure. So I am now taking pills - one every day - for the first time in my life. I suppose at approaching 70 it was due, as I know very few people who aren't on some type of pill. Need to exercise (walk) more.
Rugby: AB's 24 Oz 23. I would have preferred they lost (which if Giteau had kicked even at 50% they would have) as they deserved to do so as they were not the best team on the field. Plus I am afraid they will now get overconfident. They will go to the Northern Hemisphere and as only the French have any real ability they will probably win easily and think they are simply the best. I hope not.
Politics: Jim Anderton now says he will resign from Parliament if he wins the Christchurch Mayoralty. Well he has now come to his semi-senses so instead we will have a By-Election at a cost to the taxpayer of over a million dollars. Oh well he will think, it is only the taxpayers money - they have plenty.
The good news of course is that Parker will win easily (one would hope). They say often from the bad comes the good. It means Anderton (who they say was 20 points ahead in the polls - why I can't fathom) will go down the gurgler and save us a million bucks and we will all be better prepared for the next big one.
Always back up: In my post of 27 August I said how our small External Hard Drive had problems and we thought we had lost it. The good news is that when our Guru took it home it booted up OK. Christine thought it may have fixed itself when the power was turned off. Anyway we have now bought a new 2TB machine and will back up fanatically - I hope!
Rugby: AB's 24 Oz 23. I would have preferred they lost (which if Giteau had kicked even at 50% they would have) as they deserved to do so as they were not the best team on the field. Plus I am afraid they will now get overconfident. They will go to the Northern Hemisphere and as only the French have any real ability they will probably win easily and think they are simply the best. I hope not.
Politics: Jim Anderton now says he will resign from Parliament if he wins the Christchurch Mayoralty. Well he has now come to his semi-senses so instead we will have a By-Election at a cost to the taxpayer of over a million dollars. Oh well he will think, it is only the taxpayers money - they have plenty.
The good news of course is that Parker will win easily (one would hope). They say often from the bad comes the good. It means Anderton (who they say was 20 points ahead in the polls - why I can't fathom) will go down the gurgler and save us a million bucks and we will all be better prepared for the next big one.
Always back up: In my post of 27 August I said how our small External Hard Drive had problems and we thought we had lost it. The good news is that when our Guru took it home it booted up OK. Christine thought it may have fixed itself when the power was turned off. Anyway we have now bought a new 2TB machine and will back up fanatically - I hope!
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