"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.