Bring it on

Yee haaa. Off to the beach tomorrow.

My trip to stock up on the barbie supplies was surprisingly quiet today straight onto an empty checkout. No booze needed due to xmas day calculations hitting the mark. Classic Kiwi Beach Essentials:
Bare feet
Novels
Avocados 5 for $2
Mussels and tuatuas (damn toxic shellfish ban is on)
Marl Sauv Blanc, HB Chardonnay and Oz reds
Greek salad with sundried tomato and olives
Snapper (or any fish caught that morning) in tinfoil
Ipod, speakers and shuffle
A dawn roll in the cold water surf (or hay), followed by hot shower and porridge
The BBQ

"Like not gesturing with all five fingers"

Yep. High marks to George for ducking and then letting the 2nd whistle by without over reacting. No stranger to acorn fights as a kid obviously.

Unlike most, I think the act was a fascinating symbolic gesture with way more class than the usual burning flag, throwing eggs or wet tea-towels and more effective than a bomb in making the point. Other clips mention the 2nd throw hits the Stars and Stripes.

Wonder if he'll be charged. Without the duck, that first throw looked on the money which would have made the offence assault had it hit big G. With the duck, is it attempted assault or nothing?

The fact this happened in Iraq changes the likely outcome. He'll be lucky not to be shot, but my money will be on a roughing up and release. The Americans will want to show this type of protest is not a big deal, that George can handle the jandal and has the push to stop the local authorities over reacting.

The Aussie comentator on the clip must be an ex Australia Zoo employee.

Santa

I feel sorry for the guy.

Wrapping a skateboard, a few books, CDs, chocs and crappy plastic stuff for a dozen kids is nothing compared to what he and those elves put up with.

Wonder if he drinks while he wraps. Must do.

Last day tomorrow before 11 days off, 5 back and another 14 off.
Phew.

Big Brother out of control?

"Union leader Matt McCarten has joined the call for an inquiry into the activities of a police spy unit....Reports of police spying on protest groups broke at the weekend"

So?

I am glad the police are keeping an eye on moderate protest groups and don't mind if they spy on me and the family when we're out watching the Santa Parade or Dave Dobbyn (guess what happened the last time I saw him before that) as long as the reason is to stop law breakers.

Loonies with an agenda are attracted to others with similar views and any group including Greenpeace, animal rights, and climate change campaigners will have a range of views from mild to moderate to more extreme. Makes perfect sense to keep an eye on the fringe. I haven't yet seen a baby born wearing an explosive vest so these people need somewhere to wind themselves up.

Matt, do you expect the cops to sit around waiting for someone to run into a hotel waving an AK screaming "Allah Akbar" or for a bomb to go off?
Problem. That's usually the last line of the action plan yet the law breaking started much earlier, when they looked plain.

"I expected to see a tough-looking combatant, not someone so plain,"

Mad eyes, dead give away, but I'm sure she's been in a Monty Python skit.

Good News For Tourists ... and Blokes

Our dollar is diving, we sleep around, and if you're a guy you're out numbered.

Could be worse.

Kylie Review

Top show.

The music was great, loads of pump tracks, awesome graphics, the outfits were inspiring and I think the two farts next to us were the only two in Vector not dancing. Very much a chicks and air stewards audience with a few 6-10 year old girls and a couple of straight guys.

I was expecting Kylie to be carrying a couple of kilos after seeing the publicity shots, most of the costumes were restrained and even with my bourbon goggles I noticed there was only one close up ass shot - in the pink cheerleader outfit.

Kylie obviously looks after herself :p

The Lowest Denominator

The BP guy and I are on the same side when it comes to petrol thieves. I favoured spikes that rise across the exits, he thought a remote control autoloading shotgun on the roof would do the job.

We agreed that pre-pay sucks.

David Beckham

I enjoyed the game, Beckham's passing and work rate were impressive. L likes this pic:

Honestly it didn't take much dodging to get a couple of photos which I'm damn sure we won't get at a game in the UK, Madrid, LA or Milan. (Not nearly as close as Zidane - see June)



" ...but the higher-priced Eastern Stand less than half-full"

Unlike some I have no problem with tickets being sold at half price to latecomers. I paid the full whack early to ensure we didn't miss out. In fact I'd rather see tickets given away to kids than empty stands.
What pisses me off is that a friend of mine, blue cap in front, to the left of the green bin brought his tickets straight away, as soon as they were available on line and I can't have been far behind yet look where we are ! Other friends of ours who got theirs at the last minute were in the main stand to my left with way better seats than us.

The minor celebs wandering around included this guy in dreads, good on ya Bill for taking the pic - ta.

What do you have to do to get into jail these days?

At the end of July, Wickliffe was committed for trial following a depositions hearing in Tauranga. He pleaded not guilty to two counts of possessing Butanediol (commonly known as party drug One-4B), two of possessing the prescription medicine Ketamine without reasonable excuse and one charge each of possessing cannabis, a pistol and an explosive.

And pistol and ammo was for....shooting cans?

The Sensible Sentencing website says :
Sentenced to life imprisonment (seven years at that time) in May 1972
Was released December 2000, recalled March 2008
Paroled under "Residential Restrictions" December 2008!

To "..to care for his dying partner, who has breast cancer."

Surreal Scene

The North Korea women's under 17 team running onto the North Harbour pitch with the US team and then winning the final.

Great to see the Star Spangled Banner and hear "..by the dawn's early light.." accompanied by cheers.

L

Waaa waa waaa

ARL chief executive and close friend Geoff Carr ... stressed to Stuart that he needed to get himself together and show some dignity in defeat




Congratulations Kiwis
Self belief, physical ability and a smidgen of luck can take you a bloody long way.

No brainer

Why haven't we made any progress with e-voting?

Far more likely to see some action now with the new team.
I'll hold my breath a while longer.

Democracy must be something more than two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner. - James Bovard, Civil Libertarian (1994)

Aaaooooooooooooo

Sheep, wolves and sheepdogs

Many problems are relatively easy to solve with good advice, gear and people. If they aren't you just know some bastard is tying the solution in red tape for a reason. If in doubt it's money. The cost benefit equation must make sense to the owners or they wouldn't tolerate this. The vessel, cargo and insurance documents of the ships being seized by Somali pirates would make interesting reading. The insurance scams of ship owners in the days of sail spring to mind.

I don't doubt the guys are more competent than the pictures imply but I'd bet their key strengths are desparation, guts and night ops.


One day the poor crews will get decent gear (night vision, warning systems, weapons) and support to earn a dollar and return home without being taken by these wolves.

Remember them

Try looking up your family name in the CWGC website search engine.
On Tuesday 11 November, narrowing down to WWI, my kids saw the 5 pages of their relatives who died in that war to end all wars. L's family have one who'll stay forever on Chunuk Bair aged 25.

Bring back Roger

I'd love to hear what Roger has got to say about the Aussies and Americans bailing out Ford and GM.

One of the many reasons I'm glad we had a right-ish change. We will come out of this easier than the US if we let market forces deal to problems rather than throwing money at them. Get hard John.
I can put up with a few more Vespas, VWs, Nissans and Toyotas if it means I can have some of my tax back.

It's time to ......

Drink beer?

November is a great month to buy Christmas and New Year booze if you can resist or at least restrict the intake for the next few weeks.
Retailers use November to try and fix their name, brands and competitiveness in the minds of those who they hope will be their December customers.


Example: Becks and Grolsh have both been $16.00 a dozen at Countdown. They won't be in December.


Don't forget to fill the wine rack. Keep an eye on your favourites. November is the month to get some.


The Lion marketers know stuff we don't. Steiny Pure is $24.95 a dozen. Pure ?
It ain't real beer unless it's pure.
Beck's follows the strict Reinheitsgebot, the German Purity Law of 1516. Ingredients : barley, yeast, water, and hops.
And Grosch : Grolsch owes it outstanding quality by using only natural ingredients; water, malted barley and hops.

Suicide

Some subjects are serious.

Oswald refers to "the censored killer" and attributes the fact mainstream media don't discuss suicide to a "political understanding- driven by an MP who would rather not hear the word SUICIDE".

In New Zealand, the law states information about the manner of death must not be reported if "there is reasonable cause to believe that a death was self-inflicted".

There certainly is a reluctance to discuss suicide. My first experience was a 22 yr old guy about a year after I stopped being his boss. You can guess what had just happened to him. My view was and still is that being the dumpee feels bad but nowhere near excuses suicide. He had everything to live for except the will when he connected the hose, drank his scotch and looked at a beautiful view.
2. Close but not direct. Hanging. Very very tragic but I still could not get past "You cowardly bitch. Nothing excuses laying such bullshit on anyone".(No not an ex !)
3. No idea. In his 30s. Wasn't happy and cut his jugulars.
4. Having been cornered and subjected to about 30 minutes of "Poor me" I gave my suggestions and about a month later he parked in front of a train. This time I'd been given a hint of the depth of the hole he felt he was in. To me it was petty stuff. You've been dumped, me too, get over it, move on. Sort your shit out and become the person your ex or any new future partner deserves. He may have heard me but I'm sure he had no idea that was possible.
5. Same as 3 but 20s and another hanging.
6. Last year. Drugs involved, I'm sure he didn't intend to, having talked almost daily to him for weeks previously. I don't think he had a life or any concept of what a life could become just like the earlier 5, and no idea how easily he could have been there.

The common theme as I see it is depression without aspiration or understanding how easy simple things are to enjoy and achieve (like fitness), and how stunning the world and people are - if you have a certain perspective, being that a glass of wine, even half full tastes damn good.

Prof Goldney (link above) head of psychiatry at the University of Adelaide an international suicide specialist says "There would always be some suicides but things could be done to reduce the number of them:
Better recognition and treatment of mental disorders, telephone crisis services, prescription anti-depressants, restricting access to poisons and guns, erecting barriers on bridges and discouraging sensational media reporting were all tools for preventing suicide, he said. Suicidal people might not recognise suicidal behaviour and might reject offers of help so it was important for friends and family to be aware of the warning signs. you really have to get across the idea that mental disorders are the most common antecedence of suicidal behaviour so you've got to get at the antecedent of the behaviour rather than focusing on the behaviour itself.
We need to get across the message that suicidal thinking is not normal ... We all sort of think about the meaning of life, but as soon as it tips over into thinking about suicidal behaviour that's when people should seek assessment

I have seen 3 of these up close in the last 4 years. As Richard Dawkins says, you're not going to heaven either way so....


and don't forget to go to Paris, drink champagne or try a bungie jump. Good on you Jeanette.

Snapper

I've had to make do with reading Sam's book and drooling over the fillets in Countdown the past 5 months and finally made it onto the water.

There are a few activities I'd rate above kayak fishing off Waihi Beach last Sunday morning between 6 and 8am. Back on the beach by 8.15 with my limit 9 of these fantastic fish. The only problem apart from getting out of my wetsuit in the shower is that #3 has now decided he eats it to.

It's bull that 10% catch 90% of the fish, the real reason is that most people are too damn lazy to find out how easy it is - with handlines and a kayak.

L's trying to perfect a lemon sauce. Might have to stick with sweet chilli or capers. Summer is looking good.

Halle Yeah

Esquire says Halle is the Sexiest Woman Alive but I agree with her. A couple of quotes from the Esquire article:

I think wine is sexy, just before sex. It relaxes me.
I think lingerie is sexy, and I'll wear it, sure. But truth is, I'm good-to-go in a tank top and bare feet....
What else? Ah, yes: the big O. You know that stuff they say about a woman being responsible for her own orgasms? That's all true. And in my case, that makes me responsible for pretty damned good orgasms these days. Much better orgasms than when I was twenty-two. And I wouldn't let a man control that. Not anymore. Now I'd invite him to participate. I'll tell you this: I've learned my tricks. I know what I like. I do not wait around. I initiate. And I'm not all about frequency. I favor intensity.
I like what I am now. I like being a mother. I like my body better since I became a mother. I feel sexier as a result of becoming a mother.
So, yes, there are times when I feel like the sexiest woman alive, but would I ever argue that I am the sexiest woman alive? Of course not. I figure at one moment the sexiest woman alive is a waitress in Abilene, Texas. And in the very next second, it's a woman in the bush of Vanuatu. Then, right away, somewhere else. Sex and sexiness. It's all about the moment; it's about what you know as much as it is what you offer. That's why I share this title with every woman, because every woman is a nominee for it at any moment. Maybe that's why there are so many women these guys love.

MMMmmmmmmmmm

The 2008 Bailout

Jon Stewart's clip "Awkward Loan Interview" 25.09.08 - Henry Paulson and Ben Bernanke appear in Congress with hat in hand for the world's most awkward loan interview ever about sums up the situation.

The poor American taxpayer must have a hangover as bad as Neo waking in his pod.

Holy Shit there's Fanny and Freddie and co all suckin from me !

Gareth Morgan also on the ball with this article about the US economic crisis and on the housing collapse "There’s an old adage that if you borrow too much then you have a problem – but if too many of us borrow too much, then our lender is the one with the problem. This indeed is the case in the mortgage market in the US and also in the UK (where house sales are now the lowest since records began – talk about the fan about to be hit)."

Bryan Gould gets the plonker award for this smarmy "I know best" piece of bullshit on Alan Greenspan in the Herald 23.9.08. "those who now controlled huge financial assets worldwide and could manipulate them without any fear of interference began to cream off a higher and higher share and to pay themselves more and more outrageous salaries, bonuses, commissions, and "perks" of all kind" and "..it is the victims of the excesses who now have to pay the biggest price for correcting them. It is all those who will lose their homes and their jobs and their living standards and their sense of self-worth who will bear the heaviest burden."
Quick to forget the victims had a choice. They might not like the result this time but would they really prefer Bryan (or another financial advisor) make choices for them? Spot the nanny state-ist.

"I want the high risk rewards with a taxpayer guarantee".

Well it's your lucky year Bryan, it looks as if George, Bill and Barak agree with you. Strange times we live in.
Why suffer short term pain when you can have long term misery? No I don't know whats going to happen unlike Bryan, the world's first and only know it all.

eTickets Rule!

I am sold on electronic ticketing having printed our Kylie tickets and just now the Beckham - Karembeu game on 6 December at Mt Smart. After scoring free entry to the Zidane - Karembeu game in Noumea the least we could do is pay for this one having given Wellington a miss when everyone who went said that was awesome too. No running around, type a few keys and out they come.

Outstanding!
As was watching the Cambridge 8 year olds win the Waikato league last weekend and the WaiBOP U12 boys beat 2 AKL teams on Sunday, including the guys who beat us 2 nil at the Noumea Tournament semi (refer my June post).
Bring on the Weir Rosebowl at North Harbour next week.

"to do the right thing all along"

Is it reasonable to expect that Fonterra should have been testing for Melamine?
I listened to Andrew Farrier and the alarm bells went off when he said "What could we have done? Should we have had a thousand tests for a thousand poisons?"

1) China has a history of counterfeit products and putting the ends before the means.

2) Considering and mitigating risks is bread and butter for investment in China.

3) Melamine has been known for over a year as a protein substitute, used to produce a protein reading in tests of diluted product - just add water and melamine then collect the profit. In April 2007 the NY Times reported American food safety regulators openly admitted that the substance was routinely added to animal feed as a fake protein.

Fonterra must have considered the possibility of rortes involving their products in China including methods by which milk can be adulterated - barkeeping 101 includes watering down the booze - adding water to any liquid, or another solid to solid chalk to coke etc being the simplest way to increase volume, and should have designed quality control testing to pick this up. If their people had bothered to ask "What could a crook do to mask dilution/cutting?" melamine was the obvious answer.

It's not so much they didn't test for or detect the melamine that's surprising rather the failure to have alarm bells ringing due to dilution/cutting. Melamine was or should have been well known to Fonterra as the likely cutting agent. The fact this wasn't stopped earlier is in my opinion more likely due to the published view melamine "is not believed to be particularly toxic" rather than ignorance as to the cause or concern over loss of brand value.

Either way Fonterra appears at best incompetent. I bet we never get to see their risk management plan for operating in China or whether any testing for dilution/cutting was done, or if so whether that was designed saavy enough to pick up the likely and well known masking agent that is killing babies.


I know which I'd prefer.

F@#$ wit of the Week Award

Candidate 1
When they called police on a cellphone at 3.50am on June 17 you'd have to question why taxpayer dollars are spent (Police, Mana Coastguard, Westpac rescue helicopter and no doubt the commercial vessel) on anything beyond the time to answer "So start paddling" rather than searching for these F@#$wits.
The Smiling Boatie: Moevao Neti and his side kick Tulo Tuala get points for having a mobile phone and recognising "We thought we'd never see land again."
The Judge had me wondering if he'd make a worthy recipient for "the whole thing must have been very scary for you". People who end up six nautical miles off Mana Island (after the engine failed) in an inflatable boat in an appalling state with winds gusting up to 50kmh, rain with an air temperature of zero deg C and 1.5m swells do not have the capacity to fear !

Candidate 2
Green - The Robbing Hood - Party Spokeswoman Sue Bradford who believes "It is more important than ever that workers are treated well" and said low paid workers and their families were carrying an unfair share ....blah blah...and proposes lifting the minimum wage to $15 an hour immediately and an additional statutory holiday in order to help fix the problem. Who do you think pays for this Sue?

But the winner is Candidate 3:
Basil Donovan, a professor of sexual health at the University of NSW for "my theory is that when people only had a bath on Saturday night oral sex was a less attractive prospect"

:p

One for the runners who get to Qld

Go to mapmyrun.com, load your favourite runs.

Here's one of mine.

Consequential Thinking

What drives this mornings shootings?









These two clowns.

Millie can look forward to a long stay in the cells if found guilty. The maximum penalty for possession for supply of meth is a life sentence. Amy's heading for the stars if 2008 is anything like last year - "the 24-year-old overdosed on a mixture of crystal meth, cocaine, heroin, ecstasy and ketamine in August 2007"
Some might call it a life or today's version of reefer madness, but not the parents. While I have some sympathy for addicts it's those who knowingly hurt others that ought to earn the wrath whether its shooting beating or thieving.

Sergeant Don Wilkinson gave his life today so my kids will find it a little harder to go down Amy and Millie's road.

Thanks Don.

"puts a spring in a girl’s step better than anything else"

"According to the survey of more than 1,000 British women aged over 18, kiss from their man was preferable than lingerie, a shopping splurge and even sex. Surprisingly, perfumes, jewellery and beauty treatments did not feature in the top ten."

Back to the reason I learn't this. Researching Kylie of "Kylie or Sheryl Crow?"
Obvious answer "Kylie. When's she coming?". (VECTOR ARENA, MON 8 DEC 2008) How do I go to both?
Having already figured that "Want to go see Kylie or Sheryl Crow and John Mallencamp?" would get "Who?", I came back quickly with "Sheryl Crow has some awesome songs, I think I'd rather see her on 3 December", way more than Kylie if you ask me, but when it comes to the ....

.....kissability factor....yep Kylie is hot. Not far off 3rd.

Back to my point. Kylie will put on a great concert. She sold out in Oz in 8 minutes and goes on sale in NZ tomorrow, which means I'll have to shake the feathers tomorrow.
We'll see.

"While I've seen people tasered, I'm probably reluctant to do it myself"

My reaction to.

But not hardman Keith Locke : "I think it's a bit hypocritical when the police have been saying for months that the Taser is safe and only has short-term effects that the Police Commissioner himself is scared of being tasered"

Just because something is safe doesn't mean you shouldn't be scared of it !

Have you ever seen someone deliberately and safely shoot their mate with a .308 and themselves with a .44 magnum?
Here is your chance. Shit, I was scared just thinking about whether I wanted to watch this video. Bullet proof vest and taser testing is for psychos.

The purpose of a taser is to 1) convince a dangerous fruitcake to start listening then 2) control said dangerous fruitcake (who won't listen to reason or recognise the colour "fuck this is gonna hurt real bad" or a gun in the hands of a cop) with a reasonable safety margin for all concerned, a larger margin than alternative courses of action. Reduced fear factor should not be on the spec list, in fact it's a liability.

Where are Keith, the family and friends when Noddy's going to town? Visiting Pakistan I hope.

Yes I'm scared of tasers, but more scared of the Noddys who won't back down when asked to by a cop. I don't expect nil fatalities with tasers, shit happens. Try not to miss.

Obama v McCain

Sums up the 2nd problem Barak faces. Hat tips to Theo found via Oswald B Letters to Putin.....

From Sen. Barack Obama:
Dear (Former) President Putin,
I'm sorry to be writing this e-mail instead of meeting you in person, preferably in the Oval Office, where I belong. Soon, soon.

Nevertheless, and notwithstanding the foregoing, I felt it imperative that I express my deep concern about Russia's invasion of the tiny, democratically elected sovereign nation of Georgia. It would appear that you are not familiar with my platform for change and hope. War does not fit into this template and I am quite frankly at a loss for words to express my deep, deep distress.

As the chosen leader of a new generation of Americans who speak a global language of peace, hope, harmony and change, this is simply unacceptable. Quite frankly, your actions pose potentially severe, long-term consequences. I'm not sure what those might be, but they won't be nice or fun.

Please picture me looking very serious when I say that I respectfully request you to calm down. Life is but a flicker in time and we're but actors strutting and fretting. That is to say, we're all on this planetary journey together and our karma is interrelated and interdependent. Thus, it would seem that our differences are best resolved through words, not bombs.

It is said that war is a failure of diplomacy. I would submit that it is also counterintuitive. If my Kenyan father and my Kansan mother and my multinational upbringing taught me anything, it is that we are all One. That said, I am The One the world has been waiting for -- and you are, quite frankly, blocking my chi.

As soon as possible, I'd like to sit down and begin talking about how we can resolve these and other differences that threaten peace-loving people, which I'm sure includes you. I haven't looked into your eyes and would never presume to know your soul, but I do know that we share a common humanity and that we can all just get along.
Yours in Global Harmony,
Acting President Barack Obama

From Sen. John McCain:
Hey, Putin.
Don't make me come over there.
McCain

Meanwhile: Prime Minister Helen Clark has called for restraint in South Ossetia - "The New Zealand Government calls on all parties to exercise restraint. We call for an immediate ceasefire and a resumption of negotiations to end the conflict". Miss Clark hoped the two sides would use the United Nations to reach peace.
United States President George W Bush said today he had told Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin that the violence in Georgia was "unacceptable", while Vice President Dick Cheney said "that Russian aggression must not go unanswered". (TV3)

WW III here we come. Can't be as depressing as having to watch Waikato, lets do it :(

From living legend Sir Brian Lochore....

"We are living in a PC world which is destroying us, where you actually can't put the hard word on people when they have digressed and committed bad blunders .....we haven't got rid of the perpetrators that actually destroy our society."

You got that right !

Maybe he can take over from Winnie, NZ First will have a leadership vacuum very soon.

A good guy

"has moved into the void created by the death of Sir Edmund Hillary, to take number one place in the latest list of New Zealand's most trusted people"

Met him today while out for my lunch time run.

"Have you seen an ID on the road?"

Hey don't I know you?

"No I haven't, but I'll keep an eye out"

Click.

"You'd be the last person who needs one around here"

He looks younger, fitter and far less serious than he does on TV.
Wearing a T shirt, cam-shorts and being human helps. (He found his DL)

Small cars here to stay

No shit Sherlock.

More surprisingly with insight like this, Ford president and chief executive Alan Mulally was paid $21 mil in 2007 when his Fortune 500 # 7 made -2,723.0 profit - that's millions $US MINUS !


No wonder he looks worried.

Well lived !

Sad news today.

I was privileged to attend many events hosted by Richard Holden who certainly knew how to organise a piss-up at a brewery.

My first experience drinking Sauv Blanc at lunchtime was with he and Mike V in Parnell in 1987 and then via Alan Watkins bringing in the slabs of Fosters to the industry indoor cricket at nearby Slam Indoor. I don't know how we managed to get through the net let alone win each year. Then his great Fosters Melbourne Cup do's at Ellerslie, and the Polo at Clevedon.

Fantastic guy.

Julia Gillard

Surfing utube I decided I wanted to watch Fred Dagg on politics and found this topical gem from John Clarke as John Howard the night before the last Aussie election.



Some of you will know who Julia Gillard is. If not here's the Wiki (tells you who the other sheila is also).

Meanwhile the Aussie Labour Party is more right wing than our National Party who are too scared to move on anything. Get a load of Julia's policy anouncement in todays Herald!

It will be fascinating seeing the Labour Party use the same tactics as John uses in the skit and lose the election because of the economy !

Animal Welfare

Have you seen the AA advert where the driver swerves when the bunny hops onto the Desert Road?

I had a similar moment on the way to dinner Friday night.
L just had time to "Whoa!" as I held my line with the inevitable result the little guy/gal jinked the wrong way.
Bummer for Bunny.
"What was that?" says the newly 8 yr old, to which we were entertained by a childhood tale about a greyhound owning relative who used to pick up roadkill for his dogs on the way home from races and throw them in the trailer as a treat. "She gets it" I think to myself.
But then on the same road on the way home from soccer next day this Paris/Nikki dog runs out in front.
"Look out!".
I don't swerve or brake. The mutt trots across the centre line and looks at us.
"You wouldn't have!"
"This isn't an ad".

There is common ground on some dogs.

A photo finish

In the f@#$wit of the week category between ....
Mr Fingerprints - gets credit for the accuracy of the texts.
Ms Ibtisam Najim Abid (already a mum of 2 before this) - for not sneaking onto a plane and flushing the passport.
And .... - for nil victim empathy.

Tony V wins comfortably for thinking a hush (If she's a spinner, how will she know what hush means?) payout would be better value than name suppression until sentencing (worst case) and a plea bargain deal. Maybe he thought the offer was the best option for KD-P and she might realise this, but instead she's gone for the prisoners dilemma 'betrayal' option.


If this had stayed hushed TV could have been a serial abuser free to find more victims. At least this way his and her pasts will get an airing.
Wait for suppression of details to kick in until the trials end. He will end up paying far more than most abusers but closer to what most of us think appropriate.

Maybe other abusers out there will think twice. Keep smiling, summers coming.

Ferguson in awe

So were my sidekick and her sis-in-law last night. "Wow!" (they said)
Luckily he kept his shirt on.

Speaking of eye candy what about .....

Both olympic champions and world record holders with abs to die for.
My favourite story so far was Francoise Mbango Etone's repeat gold for Cameroon in the triple jump wearing the tennis skirt outfit. Coaches herself and trains with her sister.

No wonder Tony looks shocking. It's the late nights watching handball, volleyball and kick-boxing. Oops no that's neither an olympic sport nor on telly - just him visualising 2002 to 2006.
Retaliation ain't going to wash.

"failing to use a weapon of sufficient caliber"

In New Zealand today "police said charges against Nike were possible"
In Tennessee "Charges were brought against him under the premise that he should
have saved the county and taxpayers the expense of a trial"

One of the above is a joke.

At least using the .22 had a chance at a result.

While we're on the subject, from the only in America file, a flashlight that doubles as an FMG9 - handy huh.

Classic. Hat tip.