Wednesday, May 31, 2006

this arvo

i had a lovely gourmet chicken sandwhich for lunch, the ever present flat white and a great conversation with my favourite piano player today. i have decided to advertise guitar lessons for unsuspecting punters to help keep the wolf from the door and move myself ever closer to my goal of financial independance through music. not easy in this here land. but, it keeps me in the narrow lane as it were. i posted some alison krauss below in the interest of bluegrass. hope you enjoy. an hour went by this arvo checking out mojo sound with their range of victoria [made in the usa] guitar amps. i am in love! antique looking with an antique valve sound. oh yum. enough of that voyeurism [mmm, did i spell that correctly]?
oh yeah,chev still can't urinate accurately......

Tuesday, May 30, 2006

exercise

just been for the nightly constitutional. not only will the flash drive serve as a notebook for solidifying my inner urges but it allows me to listen to the dixie chicks whilst parambulating in my most inimitable fashion. striding forward in the dark with my well practiced "i am not a victim" posture, it is actually quite an enjoyable past time. i am, i confess, addicted to harmony. bluegrass as a genre, is rife with it. a good way to gain health and enjoy oneself. in the middle section of my parambulation there was don mcglashon. he's a kiwi songwriter most admired. one i think, under rated by the radio station fraternity, who are as are most, stuck providing cheap thrills for the lowest common denominator. bad rap, fuzzy r & b, and supercilious pop. a shame. i really must get some alison krauss and union station onto the flash drive for the constitutional. yup, i'm in a good mood.

something is happening

something is happening! i feel creative. i feel positive. another piece of the music jigsaw has fallen into place [i'm sure i'm better at this than anything else]. i found a good 1 gig flash drive with a good inbuilt condencer mic. good for the initial stages of writing songs. we'll call it a notebook [or kate]. i also spent the morning with my favourite bass player. tomorrow it's lunch with my favourite piano player. downright exciting. now, i just need somewhere to write......
more coffee :-)

Monday, May 29, 2006

how will i make it happen?

thought i'd try out the windows explorer 7 beta 2 today. i downloaded it and installed then updated it. it didn't go. good advertising for microsoft.
met up with a good friend from auckland today. just for a coffee. a mc coffee to be exact. it was great to see him.
will have another coffee tomorrow with another friend who is a very good bass player. looking forward to that. lots of coffee to be drunk whilst reconnecting with friends.
went shopping for jeans and a leather jacket today. enjoyed that.
music..... how will i get myself the means to record my song ideas before i forget them? the sickness benefit doesn't allow one to work one's way out of the income level you are in. i think it is designed to keep you down. in fact i know it.
there must be a way. i can't seem to do anything else [except coach]. mmm. more thinking to be done. out of deprivation and desperation are ideas manifested. a bit flash for my situation but you get the drift.
miracles..... i wonder when my miracle will materialise? artistic people all over the world wait for their miracle. that time when they are appreciated for the God given skills they were born to realise in this life. why have the gift in the first place? what use is it to me or to anyone else that i can play and write music? will he ever open the doors that have closed in my head let alone the physical doors that have not been opened to me for many years now? i am only ever whole when the music goes well. it is such a wonderful place to be. i wanna go back to that place.

Sunday, May 28, 2006

rambling on.....

it's a very mildly cold winter's afternoon in wellington. i had my guitar out this afternoon, just for a small play but it seems the urge is returning slowly. i have these ideas for songs but i need to have a way to record them so they are not forgotten. i will probably go visiting this afternoon. see a friend i haven't seen yet. i am enjoying the lower rainfall here. it is always raining in tauranga. reconnecting with friends is fun. i was missing them when i was away. had a wee blip with the blood sugars yesterday but have it under control again now. i feel so much better with it under control. not sure why i occasionally choose to let it go. just a dumb attack i suppose.
a major happening in nz today. they have chosen the "all black" squad for the opening three games. there'll be lots of talkback radio on that topic. rugby is a religion here. a good one though :-)

Saturday, May 27, 2006

my saturday

the canes lost!!!!! oh woe is me. then to cap it off the warriors lost straight afterwards. at least the first all black team of the season is announced tomorrow. that'll help me to feel better.
i am trying to feel brave about registering a domain and then putting a website up on the net. i hope to sell advertising space on the site. i can register the domain. i can make the site. i am questioning my ability to sell the space. will have to think about it some more. i have just put a zonealarm firewall on my computer. hope it works well. anyone have an opinion?
predator 2 is on the telly. mmm, not exactly a classic. didn't mind the first one. i went to the movies with little bro and some others in the family today. miss four year old sat next to me. held my nose and then my ear. nearly took my glasses off. very busy.
it was the final x men movie. another mind altering expose into movie making technique minus a meaningful plot. no matter how hard they try, it just doesn't work. i do like a story.....

Friday, May 26, 2006

first welly friday in a while

i went to see my specialist [doc] today. the news was pretty good. my blood sugar average for this month is 6.2. My cholesterol is 3.2 and i have lost 21kg [46.30 pounds] in weight. these things have happened because i have decided not to let my diabetes or heart failure get me. when i hit my target weight i am looking at giving up [possibly] the use of insulin. it seems the damage done to my heart might also reverse somewhat. that was pretty motivating for me today. especially my doc being so impressed with my effort.
am trying to drop the insulin dose at the moment. it makes losing weight easier. all good.
fixed a computer today. my friend has two teenage girls using his pc. oh what a nest of spyware and viruses [is that the right word]? i do this regularly for him. AND my aunt is now a blogger! way cool. she is an IT person. she is about to move to the town with the caravan in it :-( but i'll cope. i have supplied the link to her blog. all in all, a good day.

Thursday, May 25, 2006

thursday

got up this morning at the crack of 11! launched myself into the day with a flat white and a friend. a good way to start.
trying to figure out html coding for building websites. bit of a giggle really. i am at this moment, really bad :-)
i think it's something to do with my "mid-life crisis" but i am really going through the "what have i done with my opportunities?" and the "what can i do with my life?" scenario's in my head. i am wondering what next? i have come to the conclusion that money doesn't do it for me in terms of satisfaction. i need satisfaction in my life!

i have arrived

:-)

Tuesday, May 23, 2006

growing?

not sure how to put how it is that i am feeling now that i am out. it's a bit like being released. not sure from what though. some kind of sentence maybe? i wonder frequently about the sentence. what was the point? what did the organiser want from it for me? i have tried to learn what lessons i could recognise and even tried to recognise some that may have never been there in the first place. the point i think, is to grow in some manner from the experiences we have. yes, that i think, is important.

it's over

no more caravan. i will never have to see it again. it's all good. an eight hour drive to wellington in the morning. it'll be worth it. can't wait to see the family.

Monday, May 22, 2006

monday moving

getting organised. the mover is coming to pick up my stuff tomorrow and then the following morning i'm outa here. the family seems quite keen to see me. makes me feel good. not too cold today. i like that. the cold in the caravan seems to have had an detrimental effect on my lungs. bummer.
i think it has also had a detrimental effect on my sense of humour. hope that comes back soon.
perhaps then i'll talk about my lovelife? or lack thereof :-) having been on a sickness benefit [welfare] for the last few months after having a reasonable salary, i can hardly wait to get back into the workforce. sick of being poor. that adds as much stress as the work did in the first place. still, this too will end.....

Sunday, May 21, 2006

i'm deaf, or just stupid i guess

just got home [yeah right] from church. a good morning. sitting here having a bundi [lemon, lime and bitters], very nice. i think that will be my last visit there. i plan to go tuesday/wednesday. i have to organise a moving company to move my stuff tomorrow. that'll be fun. still, when it's done, it's done. for those who might know what this means. wahoo! the canes are in the final. so good. i am currently trying to figure out what my spiritual gifts are. i reckon i am deaf of stupid or some such thing. my friends say listen to what the Lord says and follow his lead. what is that about? the Lord knows He will have to clobber me over the head with what he wants me to do. i seem to be challenged when it comes to hearing the Lord. sure wish he would write me a letter. i can read. i figure a nice letter in triplicate should do it. or how about a personalised dvd from Him. i know He talks to me, that's not the issue. i'm just too thick to figure it out. what to do? if y'all have any good ideas, don't hold back will you. cause i'm trying to hear.

Friday, May 19, 2006

wahoo!

the Big Fulla has provided. the muns have arrived and i am outa here next tuesday. this is "choice." my pastor, who has a knife importing business has also asked me to represent him down south [welly and the south island]. an opportunity to travel and earn some muns. i will miss the "ol trout' and her husband :-) they have thoroughly shocked and entertained me . the musical timbre of her voice as she screeches his daily orders. brings tears to his eyes. enough of that misty eyed reminiscing.
i have just about learned that song "come to Jesus" from mindy smith. that was a nice little task that i have enjoyed doing. busy getting into "ben harper" at the moment. nice spiritual content to his stuff. ahh we have heard he intends to come and live here [raglan] for the lifestyle and the surfing. a good choice if you ask me. of course it will be nice to have him gigging around nz more often. here's a pic of queenstown in the south island you might like. click

Thursday, May 18, 2006

nz

mmm, stuff about nz - have a wee look at my town. wellington, the capital. some pics for you. yes we have maccas [mcdonalds] but it is not that popular here any more [fortunately] though i don't mind their flat whites. burger king is the same. the teens love it. most adults here are not into it. our main bird is the kiwi info after which our people are named. kiwis. our main sport is rugby.the all blacks kinda similar to your football, but we don't wear armour and helmits.
here are some nice pics you might like pics the different moods of the harbour.

what next

sometimes i look at this blank posting panel and it seems to taunt me. "what are ya gonna write now huh?" it can be quite intimidating. will i be funny? i always seem to do that by accident. what about politics? in this country, there are a few things you don't talk about. politics, sex, religion to name the most obvious. i wonder why they [whoever they are] want to dispense with the most interesting topics? perhaps it's so they [whoever] have something to talk about that i am not talking about? gossip is so boring. it's usually not that based on fact, and requires some kind of putdown. i don't like that.
i had coffee with "my" pastor today. that is always good, as he is a real hoot. he was such a bad boy when he was young. very funny dude. today we discussed the concept of "dying to self." well, i certainly have much to learn about that. i just can't get it together with feeling good about nasty [here i go, and with a plank in my eye] people prospering while good people [me :-)] do not. i did admit to needing help here did i not? the pursuit of goodness goes on.
still, i had a bowl flat white, and it was good.
there were no dates scones left :-(

Wednesday, May 17, 2006

time

have a look at the time here

fishing

i forgot to mention one of my greatest fun junkie outlets. fishing. what a plesure that is. don't have to catch anything, just like to relax and wait and think.
the "trout" is following her husband around making sure he cleans up to her standard and doesn't enjoy himself. then she's off inside to talk on the phone or walk on her machine. sorry, but it's funny to watch.
the family (part one):
chev. chev is 13. i don't know who named him after a car, but that is truly unfortunate. chev is a foster boy (adopted). chev's claim to fame is......he can't urinate straight. drives us all nuts. he is also allergic to cleaning up after his inaccurate attempts at relieving himself. of course, like most teens, he knows everything and what does he need the family for? an afternoon watching him operate is like going to a stand up comedy show. more later.

date scones?

what an excellent day! the sun is up, the radio is on [christian radio]. the end to this........is most definitely in sight.
er indoors [affectionately known as "the ol trout"] is pre-occupied giving her husband his orders. he kind of says yes and hops to it. mmm can't see the fun there. i however, am a fun junkie. fun for me is a) live music, b) art, c) movies, d) theatre e) dare i say it, boston legal [which is hilarious] f) dinner [going out] g) conversation h) date scones and flat whites which brings me to:
Wholemeal Date Scone Recipe
1 cup of flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon mixed spice
1 cup wholemeal flour
2 teaspoons soft brown sugar
50 grams butter
1 cup of dates [chopped]
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup milk
What y'all do:
sift the flour, baking powder, salt and mixed spice into a large bowl. stir in the wholemeal flour and sugar.
cut in the butter until the mixture resemble crumbs. mix in the dates.
make a well in the centre and pour in the buttermilk and milk. mix quickly with a knife to form a soft dough.
knead the dough lightly on a floured board, roll out to about 2-3 centremeters thick and cut into 6cm rounds.
transfer to a greased baking tray. bake at 220 deg celcius for 10 - 18 minutes until cooked.
enjoy - i like to use butter.
doesn't take long and is just great. if it's dry, you didn't use enough milk/buttermilk.
sorry, we don't use imperial measurements and temps, google will sort it for you.

Tuesday, May 16, 2006

he speaks

i have the muns! i will be moving out of the caravan and back to the family. a week or two at the most. that will change my posting. living amongst the family is a real laugh. i can't wait.....i will be warm. i am warm just thinking about it. me and my guitars can get re-aquainted. i know musicians there [welly]. the prayers have been answered. thanks Big Fella.
i celebrated by going out for a small flat white and a date scone. they gave me cold butter to spread on my scone. so i spent 5 minutes crushing my scone and turning it into a plate of crumbs. very nice.
i will miss the unyielding negativity of "er indoors" like the constant moaning of a gut shot politician. YAHOO!

it's tuesday - all day

i have a friend.....he is a very cool dude. he's struggling at the moment and yet he is trying to be there for me. how cool is that. ya gotta be appreciative of the gifts.
i had a wee text conversation with my cousin in brisbane this morning. that was somewhat upsetting. they are having a cool 25 deg celcius cause it's winter. we are at about 2! i think i'm i the wrong place. oh, time for a shower.
well the shower is done and the page is still loading. there's enough so i can write but it's still loading. soon it will be time for a coffee.
i've been thinking about the lessons to be gained from living in the caravan. from watching the landlord abuse those around her. from the cold. from finding out who your friends really are. from finding out who can be trusted in the family. all that stuff.
it's been interesting for sure. who can you count on? it's a big question.
there is only one way to truly find the answer to that question. you will have to join me with your back against the wall. where the options are about out. where you certainly find out who you can't count on. it's actually a good thing to know.
the page is still transferring data from blogger.com. how fast is that? about 1kbp hour!!!!
i wonder about the cheek of vodafone sometimes. lucky i'm not paying for this. we just had a warm patch [1/2 hour] it was wonderful.



Monday, May 15, 2006

mindy smith

well i found it. check it out. real cool.



Come To Jesus
By Mindy Smith
BestVideoCodes.com

i don't like mondays [actually i do]

i have noticed that there are several advantages to dial up internet. when publishing, there is time to make a coffee and then come back to the laptop then stop the publish cause i've seen a mistake. isn't that cool. i also like the time i get to consider just what i'm going to write while i wait for the posting page to load. that wonderful option happens because it takes longer for the post page to load than it does for me to write the post. toilet breaks are a breeze when you have so much time. i just realised that it also helps to fill up my day [waiting for the dial up].
what is it that i like about mondays?
it means that i've made to another week of opportunities. we had a tsunami danger the other day. most of nz slept through it. our civil defence didn't let us know. we only found out because our loved ones called from overseas. but, here i am, sitting up in bed, blogging on dial up, enjoying another monday in the cold. i give thanks for every monday i get to be cold in, it is a special thing.
as yet, too cold to inflict myself on my guitars. it wouldn't be fair.

Sunday, May 14, 2006

hit counter

i tried to put on a hit counter. doesn't seem to be working, i'm sure it's supposed to display in digit format........mmm.
wow! i have just been to chronicles of thankfulness. i listened to what i could of "come to jesus" by mindy smith. i'm hooked. how can i get some of that ?
well, i totally wrecked my blog. have just spent two hours putting it all [nearly] back together. yeah, that filled in the evening for me. what a dork!

i have comments :-)

i found warmth! it was in the car. didn't even have to have the engine running. yes.
hey, there's other people out there. some even read my blog. so, i thought, a little about me.......
i am a guitar player, teacher and coach. i got kicked off the job [teaching college] cause of the stress. in comes the sickness benefit. only some forgot to tell me just how much one gets on a sickness benefit. not good.
so, here i am in tauranga, New Zealand, it's winter, it's cold and i am playing my guitars in the caravan. i have a 30 year old fender strat and a larrivee om05 acoustic. both nice to play. no i'm not in my 20's. i'm in my 40's!
my goal is to get out and play music again. the good news is, i played last weekend, just filling in for someone but, i earned some muns.
the stress level is much better playing my gats. too much time on my own though. so to relieve the boredom times, i have started to blog. i should have mentioned i used to play full time. trying to get back to it.
enough of that.....
it's sunday afternoon and as i said, I FOUND WARMTH!
now, some might not have an in depth appreciation of that wee fact, but those of us who live in a fridge will be intimately acquainted with the utter delight inherent in that statement.
i too am in a relationship with the "Big Fella." so i have been looking on this season of my existence as a learning experience "He" had planned for me all along. i wonder when "he" thinks i am ready to move on???
i missed a whole 1,237 dots on the ceiling!!!! will have to recount them. oh yeah, welcome y'all.

Saturday, May 13, 2006

does anybody read my blog?

does anybody read my blog? a rather tenuous reference to the song going in my head. "i gotta, tight connection to my heart........."[bob dylan]. i have always loved that song. "has anybody seen my girl......." just great. after yesterday's blog, i have figured out, that the only thing going on in tauranga, is going on in my head. unless of course you're over sixty or still fourteen. still there was some excitement this morning. i was doing a severely dangerous 50k in a 50k zone when this divot of bovine excrement cruised up behind me and started to honk the size of his penis. loudly. i was however, able to contain my excitement. phew! i am over it now.
spent a bit of time checking out the entertainment on the "strand." lots of drunk teens and bands [once again teens] playing doobie covers. i come from welly where there is a healthy original culture in the music so this has been a step back to the early days. not good :-(
check out the wellingtonista blog and see how different life can be.

Friday, May 12, 2006

entertaining myself :-)

i am amazed. there are some 23,000 little black dots on the ceiling of the caravan. i can also cover the entitre length of the caravan in approximately four even strides. the downside is, no matter how many times i rearrange things, the place still looks untidy. i don't like untidy. it's a wee bit sad, but because of the cold, i am having trouble playing my guitars [i don't want to take my hands out of my gloves]. be assured that i play them when it's warm. the reason for my existence is not totally lost.
as i sat here the other night, i realised that i can look up from my seat, look in the mirror, and see the television. yet another plus uncovered. i can't believe the sheer enthusiasm that bubbles to the surface upon discovering these veritable gems in my life. the social life has taken a turn for the positive today. i received, wait for it, four, yes four texts! i just don't know what to do with myself [there has to be a song in that]. it was, in fact, a little overwhelming.
i would like to thank the government for providing such an inspiring and fulfilling life. even though i am a sickness beneficiary. it [my life] is truly magnificent.
what was that? oh, it was the sound of me vomiting into my lap. isn't it interesting that there is always carrots? considering i haven't seen a carrot in over a month, it's a wonder indeed.
far out! the 3g connection just clicked in. i have broadband. my life is replete.
oh, it's gone now :-(
wow! it's back..............

funny stuff

i was thinking about writing something funny today. there is a distinct lack of funny in nz lately. the govt have worked hard to ensure that our healthy and lucrative lifestyle was reigned back to a less ostentatious level. was talking to a small businessman this morning. he imports. all of a sudden, it costs 10% more than it did a few weeks ago. he of course must pass it on to the customer who, buys less because of the cost. of course the exporters will enjoy it. i wonder which it is we do more often. export or import?
funny stuff.
been finding out who my friends are lately. that's a two edged sword i can tell you. i mistakenly got involved with a children's sport over the last few years. i have never met so many insecure and dishonest people. the adults involved with children's sport smell funny. i think it's all the porkies.

Wednesday, May 10, 2006

movies

i went and saw "Sione's Wedding" the other day. it's really quite impressive what can be done without the mega budget of an "LOTR." the movie was well cast. it was somehow satisfying to recognise the faces on the screen. i really dig the humour too. now that i am one of the financially challenged, i don't get out much. i needed a laugh and this movie delivered. well done bros.

look what i found

check this out! a truly gross photo of what can happen to smokers.

wednesday

i see the guy [anaru] is trying not to have 300k taken off him by the courts. it seems he made it by selling dak.
i think he should lose it. he even had a 1k a day gambling debt. what a waste. article
what will we do about our teens. the attack on the driver article in chch is a pretty skanky thing to do. where were your kids last night?
richie mccaw as capt of the ab's. read it here sounds good to me. looking forward to the internaional season. go the ab's!
i have an interview on the radio with a "parents inc" coach. interesting. providing children with a sense of security. it's on radio rhema. all good.
it's raining [again] in tauranga. it sure rains a lot here. it's getting cold again.
notice i am inserting html code now. learning, learning.


Tuesday, May 09, 2006

friends

How true is this.

Mouse Story..a message A mouse looked through the crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife open a package.
"What food might this contain?" The mouse wondered - he was devastated to discover it was a mousetrap.
Retreating to the farmyard, the mouse proclaimed the warning.
"There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!"
The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said, "Mr. Mouse, I can tell this is a grave concern to you, but it is of no consequence to me. I cannot be bothered by it."
The mouse turned to the pig and told him, "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!"
The pig sympathized, but said, "I am so very sorry, Mr. Mouse, but there is nothing I can do about it but pray. Be assured you are in my prayers."
The mouse turned to the cow and said "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!"
The cow said, "Wow, Mr. Mouse. I'm sorry for you, but it's no skin off my nose."
So, the mouse returned to the house, head down and dejected, to face the farmer's mousetrap alone.
That very night a sound was heard throughout the house -- like the sound of a mousetrap catching its prey.
The farmer's wife rushed to see what was caught. In the darkness, she did not see it was a venomous snake whose tail the trap had caught.
The snake bit the farmer's wife. The farmer rushed her to the hospital, and she returned home with a fever. Everyone knows you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup, so the farmer took his hatchet to the farmyard for the soup's main ingredient.
But his wife's sickness continued, so friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock. To feed them, the farmer butchered the pig.
The farmer's wife did not get well; she died. So many people came for her funeral, the farmer had the cow slaughtered to provide enough meat for all of them.
The mouse looked upon it all from his crack in the wall with great sadness.
So, the next time you hear someone is facing a problem and think it doesn't concern you, remember -- when one of us is threatened, we are all at risk.
We are all involved in this journey called life. We must keep an eye out for one another and make an extra effort to encourage one another.

REMEMBER,,,, EACH OF US IS A VITAL THREAD IN
ANOTHER PERSON'S TAPESTRY; OUR LIVES ARE WOVEN TOGETHER FOR A REASON.

One of the best things to hold onto in this world is a friend.

tuesday

i got a call from a gymnastics club that i applied for a job at as their senior coach, this morning. it seems that they would prefer that someone coach for them and not charge for the service [something most clubs seem to have in common]. they had all this work they needed done too. don't know why they advertised the job in the first place. i am going by what they said to me though. who knows what the real story is.....
it was good to hear the miners in tasmania were rescued this morning. pleased about that one.
it seems research is suggesting that turning off the tv and sitting down to a meal together has a beneficial effect on the behaviour of children. it needs to be done about five times each week. sounds good to me. can be found at
yahoo news.
as usual, it's cold here in the coffin.

Monday, May 08, 2006

monday morning

it's cold in the caravan this morning.....got up at 6:45am, too cold, got back into bed, fell asleep cause i was warm, didn't wake til 8:45am!
was watching a programme the other day [campbell live] and it was about self mutilation. it is a bummer that we let those around us get into that state of mind. how hurt do you have to be to do that to yourself?
it came up again this morning on the radio. there seems to be lots of people out there who are doing this. do you know someone who does this? what are you doing about it?
my mum goes into hospital tomorrow to get a cist removed. we will find out if it is cancer. this is scary i can tell you. she is nervous. i don't blame her at all. she seems to be dealing with it.
i guess we'll know soon.

Sunday, May 07, 2006

telly

i have just been watching Maori television. just excellent. watched Pio talking to a guy named Carmen. they were talking about Tangaroa and the Moana. just great. you should check that channel out. much more quality. i caught code last thursday at 8:30pm. hilarious. really like the brofessionals.
oh woe is me, didn't we get a hiding on friday! ah well. til next time eh.

Thursday, May 04, 2006

kiwis vs oz

i can't wait for the game. i know history is against us but we [our players] have form at the moment. there sure is lots of talent out there for us. i would like to see our forwards look after benji. be aggressive defending him. i know it's hopeful, but the pleasure will be extreme if we win. surely we will get their [oz] respect then. i can see the forwards working hard and giving benji and the other backs room to do their thing. it will be interesting to watch clinton outside benji. we have the ball runners, no doubt about that. go you forwards!

news

i awoke to the news that there was a size 8 [richter scale] earthquake in the early hours of this morning. it seems that the govt dropped the ball in terms of getting things [communication] under way. people called from all over the world to check on their loved ones but the govt was silent. mmm, it will be interesting to see what happens today.
work
i will hear from a possible job prospect any day now. quite a responsible position dealing with the education of young people. the usual modus operandi seems to be to get as much work done for as little remuneration as poss. we'll see if a living salary is part of the job.
broadband
i am not usually in favour of govt intervention but i have to give a big up with regard to the broadband/cell phone issues. for too long now, our two telco's have abused their monopoly. time they were made to pull their collective heads in.
interesting to note what internetnz has to say.

Wednesday, May 03, 2006

i'm so pleased i live in aotearoa/new zealand!

COLUMBUS: A double murderer was put to death in Ohio but not until after one of his veins had collapsed, causing the condemned man to sit up and tell his executioners, "It's not working".

The Ohio Department of Corrections said Joseph Clark, 57, was pronounced dead at 11.26am following an injection of lethal chemicals at the Southern Ohio Correctional Institution in Lucasville.

Spokeswoman Andrea Dean said the execution was delayed about 90 minutes because technicians had trouble initially finding a site in Clark's arm for the intravenous line carrying the chemicals.

Then shortly after the poisons were supposed to have been pumping into his body, she said, he sat up saying, "It's not working. It's not working."

Officials determined that a vein had collapsed. Curtains were closed to block witnesses' view until technicians found a vein in his other arm. They were then parted to reveal him dying, witnesses said.

Ohio has used lethal injection repeatedly without similar problems, but this method of execution, used in all but one of the 38 US states that impose capital punishment, is under legal attack. The US Supreme Court has a challenge before it from Florida claiming that it causes undue pain, while the matter is also before a court in California.

The method involves three separate drugs: the first renders the victim unconscious, the second stops all muscle movement except the heart and the third stops the heart, causing death.

Clark was given a meal of his request on Monday, consisting of shrimp, steak, chicken wings, fries, rolls with butter, cherry pie and a soft drink.

Just before the execution process started the first time Clark made a final statement apologising to his victims' families and saying "Today my life is being taken because of drugs. If you live by the sword you die by the sword."

On January 13, 1984, Clark shot Marine reservist and father of two David Manning and stole $US65 from the gas station where Manning was working.

The murder came during an eight-day crime spree in which Clark also murdered another man, student Donald Harris, and wounded a third man during an attempted robbery.

Harris was filling in for a friend at a convenience store when Clark entered and demanded the contents of the store's safe. Harris said he did not know the safe's combination, and was shot in the back of the head.

Clark later attempted to rob a man at an automated teller machine, the two struggled, and the victim was wounded twice. A witness saw the attack and noted the licence plate number on Clark's car.

After he was arrested, Clark tried to hang himself in his jail cell, and confessed to the murders while recovering in a hospital. He was sentenced to death for Manning's murder.

Clark said he robbed to support a drug habit.

"Neither the parole board nor I are persuaded by Mr Clark's attempt to explain away Mr Manning's murder," Governor Robert Taft said in refusing clemency last week.

Taft said Clark's "well established prior criminal conduct, both as a juvenile and as an adult, signifies a propensity for violent behaviour."

Clark was the 21st person to be executed in Ohio since the state resumed carrying out the death penalty in 1999, and the 1021st inmate executed in the United States since capital punishment resumed in 1976.

funny how they [usa] maintain that they are a model for society to look up to.

Monday, May 01, 2006

kiwis ano

got an invite to watch the test between the kiwis and oz. yes! big ups to cousin rachel!!!!!!

kiwis

i see the bulldogs staff are trying to help out the aussie team by delaying the arrival of sonnybill etc into the training camp in brisbane. surely they know that those boys are wanting to play for the kiwis. i hope we give them another taste in humility.
i can hear "her indoors" giving her man the morning's orders. poor guy, he gives new meaning to the term, "hen pecked." i have gained a new appreciation of my ex. what a great woman i married. pity i didn't know it at the time. big ups to maggles.
i reckon we should target "caltex" who have declared record profits and stop buying from them. give it say, a year. see if it has the desired effect. if it does, then target another company. force them to bring their prices down.
i see the "stuff" poll this morning re housing of child molestors. i think that they have given up their right to live anywhere by molesting children. it is obvious is it not? boy racers give up their right to drive [if they misbehave behind the wheel], sports people give up their right to compete if they cheat. politicians give up their post if they are caught being dishonest. it's all obvious.
the sun is out, it's getting warm!
L8er.