A cruel blow

Yes nature can be cruel but knows neither mercy nor deliberate intent, unless God's a murderous bastard.

I'm one of the many thousands lucky enough to have spent a week (as a 12 year old, and as an adult on a kayaking instructors course) at OPC in the TR National Park and have fond and not so fond memories of the harsh weather, walks, activities and consequences of my decisions such as:
- taking a short cut (funny how the apparently easy way always turns into the hard way) through the cutty grass on the way back to the buildings
- my chest seizing up being first jumping into the water and
- a horror tramp up from the springs across Tongariro in the drizzle and racing the fading light back down through the tussock, our group strung out over a mile behind me and the instructor who was setting a cracking and I thought unreasonable pace but who wasn't about to offer explanations until the eventual shelter of a camp site in the tree line. Slept well that night.

I learnt valuable lessons that have served me very well ever since about preparation, fitness, assumed limits, challenging yourself, that there are times when we can grow from being driven hard, sometimes without explanation in order to achieve, and that there is a difference between percieved and actual risk, and that I truely love chocolate and cashew nuts.

My picks for the outcomes of the review. The OPC will:
1 begin using the latest Met Service weather information
2 upgrade their communication gear for instructors to recieve the latest weather info
3 establish 'no go' limits for activities using objective measures of risk factors such as stream height and change over 30 minutes.

Just goes to show "the highest safety accreditations and .....operating at the highest standards" are no guarantee of safety.

Who wants a 100% guarantee of safety. Not me.
My kids will be going to the OPC and I'd just love to go again.
Been meaning to do their risk management course for a while now and I'll bet it will be world class.

On a good weekend

The Chiefs have another win.
I beat my kayak fishing record; 11 gurnard (Where are you supposed to grab these things? My hands are a mess from the bare handed hook removing) , 5 snapper and 2 kahawai about a 1km off Manu Bay, Raglan.
#1 gets a great school report
#2 makes the under 12 WBOP football side and books himself a ticket to the Oceania tournament in Noumea in May. Q. Should I go. Hmmm. (Cake or death?).
#3 makes the top 8 yo team
Mum doesn't read this .
A new study shows that having a husband creates an extra seven hours of extra housework a week for women.
Oops.
Come to Noosa with me and I'll make it up to you.

Then Use The @#$%ing Remote !

Nuns performing oral sex, constant foul language, teenage drug use and explicit sex scenes in Californication not Family First NZ's thing

I enjoyed the episodes I caught and appreciate the balls and fibromuscular tubular tract of the shows backers and crew.


But "not designed to titillate viewers" ?

I bet the BK execs would agree.

Attitude

Saw a great bumper sticker today. "Congratulations, you've just been passed by a girl" accompanied by Betty's picture.

On a par with Kevin Roberts on sex and business.

I have absolutely no problem with the Fiat 500 or Monica Bellucci being described as sexy ........

but the message in the skins ad playing on TV reminds me of the old DB Bitter "Released Con" ad of the 80s.
A turn off because macho shit just doesn't hit the spot. The race aspect that is the focus of comments below the utube clip doesn't bother me but the 'warrior killer mentality' is bullshit. I know people who live that fucked attitude.
A guy with decades in family violence treatment once told me the inability to cope with the reality of male powerlessness was the major issue for the perps. This ad won't help.
Just my opinion.

Service

I stood at the back of the que this morning for my Herald and trim latte. By the time I'd ordered and paid I was able to pick it up. Not bad for a Monday.
Well done BP.

The Worst Epidemic In The History Of Mankind

Obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Yep and us who exercise and lay off the sucre and doughnuts (Yes I like them) will be paying through the nose for the fat bastards.
Bring back Roger !
User pays!

Being of Scottish ancestry I was pleased to see a cheap option found. There is now proof extremely low calorie liquid diets can be used safely to help severely obese people shed almost half their body fat !
I can see the lines forming.

Living Legend

Congratulations to Gordon Tietjens and the 7s squad.
Love your work. To quote Sean and DJ "Full credit to the boys".
I've really enjoyed the tension of previous sevens finals. Vunibaka even if he is 34 had me worrying. That guy is scary.

No worries though as the guys ran in try after try and blitzed Fiji 34-0. South Africa was never going to stop the roll.
Like Sarah Ulmer, Rob and Mahe we don't yet appreciate the status Tietjens will rightly be given over the next decades. I suspect he'll be remembered far more fondly than Hart, Mitchell, Henry and for sure Deans the traitor.
What's with the rugby union allowing him to continue coaching our best when he's signed with the Wallabies?
Sack him from his Crusaders job.
Good on ya Robbie. He must have a better lawyer than the NZRU. I can just see John O'Neill grinning all over again. Us Waikato fans are well used to it, the rest of you must be starting to enjoy that feeling by now to. Suck it up fellow Kiwis, remember Gallipoli. We're mates.

Converting Muslims

I ain't no Catholic but I did wonder what was behind the high profile conversion by the Pope of one of Italy's most famous and controversial journalists over Easter. Especially so him, Magdi Allam, being 'one of Italy's best-known intellectuals' and a fierce critic of Islamic extremism and a strong supporter of Israel.
For sure this would have driven the fanatics batty.
And today more fuel to the fire 'Islam has overtaken Roman Catholicism as the biggest single religious denomination in the world, the Vatican said yesterday'.
Q how many Indians and Chinese are Moslem? Doesn't look like Norinco will be going broke anytime soon.
Just as humerous was the notice claiming to be from a Pakistani Mosque , a lot like those preprinted 'My ancestry' certificates you see around, that I saw last week claiming to have been sent by the father of a guy here in NZ who is also converting to Christianity. Quotes included and "You are no longer my scion" and "If you return you will be slaughtered".
Maybe a con to stay here but call me gullible, so easily verifiable I doubt it.