Gimme some of this

Ma has come out trumps and found us a place for Easter. And one that will house the whole whanua!! Not an easy task! [And that would be no thanks to you, you disappoint your Mother sometimes - Ed]



Can't wait to see the kids and all the fam - but I must admit as soon as I saw this - me and MJD were already sitting out there - tipping Porto!

Thx Ma - bloody good job!

Hats off

To the Managers of the Auckland Harbour Bridge who have decided to not allow the hanging of the Maori Flag on the Harbour Bridge on Waitangi Day.

Whilst a reactionist response is easy to leap to, 'why not let them display their flag', the rationale for the decision is refreshingly straight forward and sound:

The group says the flag should be afforded the same prominence as flags of other countries, including Italy, France and Australia, which have been allowed to fly their flags on their respective national days.

Transit, however, disagreed, saying the flag did not represent a recognised country so would not be allowed to be flown from the bridge.

Transit spokeswoman Denise Beazley said the tino rangatiratanga flag would not be flown on Waitangi Day or any other day from the bridge.

"Transit New Zealand has a policy whereby we only approve the flying of flags of other countries, not associations or organisations."

She said approval applied only to countries recognised by the Government, with their flags flown on their national or independence days.

Ms Beazley said past requests had forced the Government agency to tighten the policy on who could fly flags from the Auckland Harbour Bridge.

Ata Tino Toa spokesman Teanau Tuiono said Transit's decision was a disgrace.

"The Aboriginal flag has been recognised in Australian law for 10 years. It flew on the Sydney Harbour Bridge for Reconciliation Day in 2000.

"Transit have allowed corporates to fly their flags, a right they will not extend to the indigenous people of this country."

I have long been ansi about Waitangi Day being a National Day of Guilt. It has always felt like a sick day from work for me - you get the day off work, but feel no real sense of celebrating the day. You just wait to see if you get busted, or in the case of Waitangi Day, wait to see what prick hi-jacks the day with a destructive protest.

Sorry Teanau, it is a day for New Zealander's, all. Should there be dialogue about the work left to do? Absolutely.

But is a visual representation of Maori wanting a seperatist state a fitting part of our Natioanl day. Hell no.

Mr Tuiono said the tino rangatiratanga flag represented the promise of Maori rights guaranteed under the Treaty of Waitangi. "It represents the promises of the Treaty, the promises that were not met."

Maybe so, but choose - nigh - create a forum for the discussion without imposing guilt on those that would engage and empathise, but just want to enjoy our National Day.

I hate admin!

Funnily enough - when it comes to work I am very good at it. But give me a personal matter to tidy up and I can procrastinate like a fox going to a hunt.

My health insurance provider had bollocks up my final two invoices. It wasn't until today (some 2 months later) that I realised that I was about to be £450 down and my credit rating dragged through the mud.

So over an hour and 4 phones calls later - I think it is sorted. I hope it is sorted!

I can't understand the disconnect between sorting these sorts of issues out for a living and taking care of my own business.

Ho hum - job done. Not to mention tickets finally booked!

All is well at this end. The Jones Girl booked for 'the dusty pub dinner' on Thursday (again 2 months of rescheduling, hopeless!) and a rather large work do on Saturday. If I wake up on Sunday morning with reputation in tact - it will have been a very successful week!

Funny

Shamelessly lifted from The Spare Room - some rather unfortunate unintentional humour...

 

I almost forgot about this

And let my boss off the hook scott free.

On Thursday last week I was a bit down, very actually. The boss, being the sensitive type, insists that we pack it in early and head downstairs so he can tip me some wines to toast Dad.

His open gambit. Line 1, as we were sitting down. The icebreaker. Intro. Gentle chit chat before slipping in a nice little segue to get onto the family.

So have you talked to your folks lately?

Well it did lighten the mood for a while.

Children of the 80's.....

I have no idea why I stumbled over this little blast from the past - but I challenge anyone to tell me that Sam was not hot.

 

Bugger!

It is missing games like this that makes me think I do need Sky after all...

Aussies top NZ in batting battle

One-day series, Perth: Australia 343-5 (50 overs) beat New Zealand 335-5 (50 overs) by eight runs

Scorecard

Ponting hit his 21st century in his 266th one-day international

Australia just managed an eight-run win over New Zealand despite recording the highest one-day total ever in Perth.

Shame about the result - but still good sport.

Dad

'There is a place for you in our hearts meant for you alone,
Part of our lives only you can own;
The tears in our eyes we can wipe away,
But the love in our hearts will always stay;
May the winds of love blow softly and whisper for you to hear
How much we miss you, for to us you were so dear.
Forever loved.'

Technical glitch resolved...

This was the view out the window this morning, nice. London has it's charms on days like this.

Thanks for the pic K.

My plan for the trip home....

The next time you find yourself on a plane/train, sitting next to someone who cannot resist chattering to you endlessly, I urge you to quietly pull your laptop out of your bag, carefully open the screen (ensuring the irritating person next to you can see it), and hit this link:

Click here to shut them up!

Damn it!

Blogger is playing silly buggers with uploading images - so I can't post a couple of photos that K took this morning in the 'hood.

London woke up white this morning - it was very cool [Poor, very poor. Not even a chortle - Ed]. Lots of snow overnight and all of a sudden it is freezing. Literally.

I very nearly wore my coat today. Nearly.

General blah

A few things going on at the moment - most of which I can't, unfortunately, blog about.

Goings on at work, some with people, some with 'issues' and others more general - but given some of the horror stories of blogs being peoples undoing, I'm not going there.

I always remember Dad telling me, when putting a meal for the two of us on expenses when travelling, that the action may get signed off without issue now. But when they want to 'restructure' (or flick you) - don't let there be any latent ammunition lying about the place.

Sage advice me thinks.

Will be doing a general ring around tomorrow night hopefully, depending on whether the Jones Girl and I finally get our s*&t together for our regular dusty pub dinner....

My main goal now is to get the whole fam to Taupo for Easter. When I lay on the guilt, I lay it on thick!

Only at Newcastle United...

Yup - staunch as you please my lot...

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"She has been staying with him and this has given him a lift. I don't how long she is staying, but if she is the reason why he perked up in the second half against West Ham on Saturday then I hope it is for a long time!" - Newcastle United manager Glenn Roeder reveals that Obafemi Martins' current run of good form can be attributed to the arrival on Tyneside of a very special lady: his mum.

Bless!

Job Done - home for Easter

After a well deserved serve from Ma over the weekend - I have finally booked my tickets for a wee jaunt home! I leave here in time to arrive for Easter - so family, please, gather.

And that means the lot of you!

Tim the tool man

After snoozing a reminder to buy a replacement for my pathetic, leaky, spiritless shower nozzle for nighon six months, I have finally managed to get my s*&t together and buy a new one.

Now for 'the installation'. Not a strength...

But I must say I am looking forward to having a shower and actually getting wet.

It is not just me!

Many years ago my boss told me, quite seriously, 'never trust a woman that lives alone with a cat'. It turned out to be very sage advice, that I of course ignored and got burnt as a result. Since that time I have not heard this axiom shared by others - until now!

A comment from Cactus Kate on Kiwigirls blog today:

Cactus Kate said...

NONONONONONONONONONO

Every single white female friend I have ever had who has got a cat has then turned insane.

A cat is not a warm up for a child or a real relationship.

I suspect a strong correlation between owning a cat when you are living alone and mental illness. Look at those old ladies who the Council take 20 cats off when the council flat she lives in starts to smell.

To true!

Currying favour, not on your chapati!

There is a hell of a furore over here about some celebrity Indian actress (I could put her name, I won't, I don't care) being treated badly on reality TV's lowest ebb - Celebrity Big Brother. From the BBC:

News channels also showed clips of the allegedly racist remarks made against the actress by other celebrity housemates appearing in the show.

They referred to her as "the Indian", made fun of her accent and accused her of wanting to be more light-skinned.

One inhabitant of the Big Brother house said that Indians were so thin because they ate undercooked food, which made them ill.

One observation and an, albeit rather ignorant, medical opinion if you ask me. India's junior Foreign Minister disagreed:

"Surely such racist slurs have no place in civilised society?"

This issue did make me wonder whether it was wrong that we had a guy at school called 'Maori' though.

As for my crowning achievement of making 'Pooftah' an accepted and widely (more often than it was not) moniker for our Office Manager - I recant not a jot for he was a big gay homosexual who had run out of the closet, through the front door and down the garden path years prior and found the greeting rather amorous! Some would say a little too much so at times!

Storm, Tea Cup. But good job on the marketing front fellas - you must in hysteria induced hysterics!

Ma - a confession

I still have not made it to the travel agents to book my flights. I really am pants (and lacking my team of 'secretarial mother aides' that I had back home!).

It is looking like I want be able to get back before March, which actually works in terms of my trip coinciding with Boys. Will book this week hopefully...

Classy

An English female rugby team (with a number of Kiwis) have produced this image of a topless Haka for their annual calender. Is this funny? Or are the PC set rightly offended?

Broadcaster Willie Jackson added: "Can you imagine if Maori women did it in this country? There'd be uproar.

"Why didn't they take their tops off and do the Highland Fling?"

The photo of the topless haka is part of the team's 2007 calendar. For every one sold for $20, $2 is donated to Breast Cancer Care.

I really do think we need to get over ourselves sometimes. I mean Johnny Cash covered 'Danny Boy' for Gods sake and I didn't hear the Welsh crying.

Bang On

I have just watched an interview with a Republican ex Governor in the States which reminded of a post I wrote on ‘My Right’ in 2004. This guy talked about wanting to shift from ‘horizontal’ to ‘vertical’ politics.

It was absolutely spot on. We need to stop thinking, and making political judgements, in terms of (the ghastly) ‘left’ and ‘right’ and start thinking of whether this is going to ‘lift me up’ or ‘drag me down’.

That sums up my position perfectly. Policy by policy, evaluated on its merits and potential to improve things for everyone. Leave your partisan pre-dispositions at the door. This was the post from 2004:

Monday, November 29, 2004

Musings

My Right was in Wellington recently and had dinner with a close and respected colleague. Conversation quickly moved off work and into broader interests. Blogging is a personal habit for My Right, this conversation illustrated why. It also crystallised My Right's frustrations with political interpretation and perception.

The colleague in question has always held My Right in high regard. Perceived as a caring and empathetic individual and in genial company, My Right was talking openly. When the topic of blogging came up, My Right was asked what his "angle" was - to which he answered - "if I had to label it, typically, but certainly not exclusively, right". There was shock and dismay in equal measure.

The shock was based on said colleagues underlying belief that My Right was well intentioned, generous and compassionate. Somehow being 'right' changed that - WHY??

The dismay was simply due to the colleagues inherent belief that ‘right’ was all about “the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer (copyright, My Right most excruciating cliché dept 2004). Being ‘left’ is a much more virtuous path to follow was the logical extrapolation of this view.

There it was - in one exchange – clarity.

Political leanings make up a fraction of the individual. For My Right being 'right' or 'left' is not about morality, principles, or desired outcomes, it is about process.

To My Right’s mind - morality should drive policy, pragmatism should drive delivery. More often than not, My Right believes that 'rightist' solutions deliver the most desirable outcomes for the largest numbers of people at all levels off society. Does that somehow intimate my moral disposition?

Further - I acknowledge and accept that it is time for many on 'the right' to get over some of their lordly world views. At the same time many on 'the left' need to relax some of their sanctimonious reverence. Too often people adopt a preordained position on every issue dependant purely on whether it is perceived to be ‘the left’ or ‘the right’ standpoint – facile is a word that comes to mind. (If George Bush wanted world peace, Keith Locke would oppose it.)

In an environment where Labour and National are getting closer and closer policy wise and the battle is for 'the centre' ground, it seems that a few fringe issues where differentiation is easy take a disproportionate percentage of the landscape. When it comes to core policy - the spin factor has taken over to an alarming degree simply to assure voters the Labour is ‘left’ and National ‘right’.

An old colleague of My Right's was adamant in the early days of MMP that the most natural coalition was between National and Labour. Doctor Evil once said - "we're not so different you and I". I think they both had a point. If the notion of ‘left’ and ‘right’ fell out of the common vernacular, My Right would be the first to bid it farewell.

(Message to self – blog title is dripping with hypocrisy in light of recent posting)

(Ed – noted)

// posted by Frit @ Monday, November 29, 2004

A turkey prays for an early Christmas

From The Herald today:

Frustrated Field calls on police to make a decision on prosecution

Labour MP Taito Phillip Field is frustrated with the pace of a police investigation into his dealings and his lawyer has urged police to make a decision about whether to prosecute his client.

The Mangere MP has been on leave from Parliament since the end of August while police conduct a formal inquiry into various allegations levelled against him.

When not even Helen Clark will come out and defend the indefensible on your behalf - you are in real trouble! Bye bye Phillip.

Apparently there are 2 of me

And I am 50% 'Slimy Git'! K recieved this email from one of our mob down in Kingston today:

Frit H has a double living in Kingston. It is absolutely uncanny!!!

I was walking into work this morning and I saw him; not realising, I went up to him and said "hi Frit" to which this Frit impersonator (and charlatan) said words to the effect that I could call him what I wanted baby!!! Slimy Git.

Tres embarrassing. I am never going to be friendly again!!!

The bloody cheek of it, the real me would never have used a vulgarisation like 'baby'.

Hit on a stranger? Yes. But 'baby'? No.

Always be professional - that's what I say

Even when enjoying a few quiet drinks at a company function - it is always important to retain ones dignity and professionalism, you never know who might be watching. It was a good night, until the secret santa's came out...

Impressive

It is also important not to be seen to be too close to your boss

Not good... And my eyes are only closed to protect me from the horror - promise!!

OK OK - I give

I studiously avoid doing things that could lead to me being labelled as 'a typical geek'. But after curiosity got the better of me recently, I have fully fallen for a new hook. You Tube.

Before the uninitiated start thinking that this is a poxy 'My Space' type of online resort for the lonely, who leave inspiring profiles like this

About Me...
I am usually really goofy and talkative a n d sometimes people consider me to be weird or dorky heheh ((and sometimes my sister is one of the only one that understands some of my humor, but oh well)). .h m m m ....Sometimes I have to watch my mouth (because I like to speak my mind) or else it gets me in trouble (especially at work with stupid customers). B U T, I like to always be busy and I can't ever just sit on my butt.

You Tube is nothing like that, it is simply a gold mine.

MJD - go there and try searching for 'The Clash' (or just click here ya lazy bugger!)

It really is unbelievable. And just to show that I am not biased, Celine Dion fans click here ;-)

Anyone think that Jack Dee is funny? Here...

You get the idea!

God damn it!

I missed one dry cleaning cycle over Christmas - no bother, I can happily go 15 days. But that 15 days was due to dawn on Tuesday - with just 2 shirts in store before having to revive one of the 'B' shirts. Something had to be done.

So rather than the scheduled Saturday drop for Tuesday pm pick up - I left work early today to get them in tonight. Made it just in time - job done. Until Siranda (for that is her name) looked up sweetly and said, 'ready for Tuesday night Chris'. I could barely hide my despair.

Damn it to hell - do you ever get the feeling that the entire world wants you to get hit by a bus? She best not hang them left to bloody right!

Excuse the formatting

Current weather in Wellies (summer):

Wellington

Latest Reading

10°C

10*C Wind: 9 km/hr. SE Rain Today: 0 Humidity: 76% 10°C

Current weather in London Town (very winter):

18:00 (Wednesday)	Light rain.');	10°C	South Westerly Wind (14mph). 14	Moderate	1015	81
Brilliant!

Back in the saddle

Happy New Year everyone!

Back to work today came as a bit of a shock after a very good week off. Christmas Day with Boy and a crew of Kiwis and Aussies and a quite New Years Eve with Boy and J. It was just what I felt like - nothing major, no logistical nightmares on New Years Eve. There were even a couple of 'emotional moments' on New Years - curse you and your heart-rending lyrics Sarah McLaughlin!

Posting will return to usual (lightweight and generally banal - but more frequent!) after the a very early night tonight...