ACT OF OLD

Well there are few surprises in the ACT list.

However keeping the 3rd spot open leads to speculation its either Catherine Isaac or Cathy Odgers.

We are glad to see that the very odd Hilary Calvert is toast. But at the end of the day its still a party of old people especially if its Isaac at 3 . Which makes it a party of the past - not of the future. Thats a bugger.

For once the old turks of Act should have looked past what must be their very short dicks and an onanistic view of life - and put some up the candidate food chain who are at least closer to forty than sixty. Sadly its not the case.

It should have been Cactus Kate Cathy Odgers at #3, and there were a few young ones who should have also been given the nod for a place within cooee of the top spot to indicate a willingness to rejeuvenate the ranks.

There are two young men in the middle order but they are both more of the academic ilk than get out and take a risk Alan Gibbs and Bob Jones types and too far down the ranks to have a snowball chance of getting an MP salary.

David Seymour, 28, who is number six on the list and standing in Auckland Central, has just returned from a role as a senior policy analyst at the Frontier Centre for Public Policy in Canada. He is an also an author and rugby coach. Mr Seymour stood for the ACT Party in the 2005 in the Mt Albert electorate.

Stephen Whittington, 25, who is number eight on the list, works in the tax law team of a corporate law firm. He is also a champion debater who has been named as one of the top ten speakers in Australasia and in 2009 was named as the 15th the best speaker in the world. Mr Whittington has worked as an adviser to Sir Roger Douglas in Parliament.

Cactus would have fired up the campaign like none of the others could. They needed her intellectual grasp of what ACT really stands for and the courage and conviction to articulate it so others could see the sense in some of their old party values.

Even though Isaac is much admired for preserving her good looks despite her advancing years - she is just as much an old boiler as Boscowen, Banks, and Doddery old Don.

Sadly they got rid of the only bugger who doesnt fire blanks - Rodney Hide and they must be rueing the day they made that decision.

We reckon ACT will be in the political wilderness post this election - consigned to jumping up and down and uttering outrageous statements in the hope that someone will give them a column inch or two in the local community paper.

And while we were in Auckland it is very evident that ACT is far from a sure thing in Epsom - which they must win to have a shit show of making the political grade.

ACT for relevance? No

ACT for the future - Not a bloody chance.

UPDATE : Whale is absolutely on the button when it comes the skullduggery behind the scenes in ACT.

ALL BUBBLES NO FIZZ

The courageous Whaleoil was challenged by Trevor Mallard to a cycle Race and the rest, as they say is history. Despite Whale training hard - Mallard won.

We said we would put the magnum of Bubbles we were originally given as the consolation prize in the veuve competition up for the winner - we thought that Whale would win - he didnt. Cactus was happy to put up $1000.

She will be feeling the loss much more keenly than us.

So today a perky little Lambcut delivered a very big bottle of Veuve clicquot to the Duck at Parliament.

It was delivered with a note -

"Congrats on your win - Savour the Veuve now. Doubt if you will be celebrating much come November "- From the team at Roarprawn.

POOPER BLOOPER

We needed a laugh today and we got it courtesy of the Waikato Times.

Seems a Chicken Farmer was a bit tardy when it came to disposing of a seriously large pile of chicken shit.

It was out out on the paddock to dry but the rain came and it washed into the nearby waterway.

The company is $42k poorer as result of the hefty fine.

So whats funny about that ?

The name of the stream is Tutaenui - the Big Shit.

Indeed.

Woo Woo , Riding The Crazy Train

"The insertion of fine, sterile, stainless steel needles into the body at carefully selected points which can be but is not limited to the following:

Relieves pain by treating stagnation of Qi and Blood in the affected areas and channels

Treats Qi block (shock)

Calms the Shen (mind-spirit)" - Accident Compensation Corporation

SNOW FUN LEAVING THIS

Home for the weekend - as you can see Floyd was very pleased to se us and we both enjoyed the view of our place while we were out for a stroll.

How Do I Root For The All Blacks ?

Sir Loin admires the "Rooting for the All Blacks" campaign started by Brunette and Cactus. Anything that satirizes pompous and out of touch corporate's while encouraging tupping is a worthy pursuit.

Sir Loin is not so taken with the Rugby World Cup itself. While the government ( the finger is not being pointed specifically at the National Goverment , the RWC 2011 pitch had the Labour Government prostrating themselves in front of the IRB like Queen Street beggars ) is spending like Shane Jones on a hotel porn channel :

"Acknowledging that the tournament comes with a price tag for local tax-payers, McCully is adamant that the event that will reap major benefits to the entire country. " - Official RWC 2011 Site

"In Auckland, the city where many of the most important games will take place, the costs to the local ratepayers alone has been estimated at $102 million. (The New Zealand Herald. 14 June 2011.)" - Wikipedia

they are making cuts to essential services :

"Hayley Whitaker, an executive member of teacher's union NZEI Te Riu Roa, says funding has been cut to more than 2000 services as part of government plans to cut costs by abandoning the target of having early childhood centres staffed fully by qualified teachers." - New Zealand Herald

Mc Cully adamantly claiming that the RWC 2011 will have benefits reeks of spin. Similar spin was used to justify the Americas Cup spending extravaganz. Has that improved the lot of anyone but politicians riding the wave of feel good to electoral success ?

What would really improve the long term success of this country is boring stuff like education ( pre-school, primary, secondar & tertiary) , infrastructure and research and development. Of course John Key will get far more publicity prior to the next election posing with adulterous, terrorist sponsoring , cheese eating, surrender monkey Nicolas Sarkozy than figuring out a way to fund decile 1 pre-schools and research by our world class scientists.

Sir Loin had no intention to going to any of the RWC games. Paying hundreds of dollars to queue up for games at Eden Park that Sir Loin will be paying for in rates and taxes for years to come, so IRB executives could jet around first class seemed a stiff punch on the brisket. However Sir Loin's calf arrived home with the news that its school had organised a group booking to a game at North Harbour.

Sir Loin is therefore asking: what is the proper etiquette to be observed when rooting for South Africa ?

ROOTING FOR THE ALL BLACKS

We thought that the Abstain for the All Back Campaign was actually designed to put a spark in the All Black Campaign in a perverse sort of a way. It was so naff that the public would design their own campaign - sort of an organic marketing approach.

In essence the abstain campaign would spawn a community supported risque version.

Well despite the demise of the Abstain campaign, we would like to launch the unofficial - Lets Root for the All Blacks.

Cactus and I will be the Patrons.. Anyone keen to ruck it up for the RWC2011? Pass the Balls anyone?

Herbal Tea

X-Women

Brunette wrote earlier this week that she is getting all hot and bothered in her Christchurch apartment. While Sir Loin is still unclear what norks are, Brunettes commitment is admired.

Society makes strong moral judgement about the overweight: they lack will power and indulge themselves by eating too much and not exercising enough. Thin people are stronger and superior to fat people. While being overweight can be unhealthy , this judgement is also a social construct. A person starving to death in Ethiopia would no doubt love to be overweight.

Recent research shows that being fat may stem less from an individuals love of rich food and more from their mothers love of pies.

"In the current study, the team measured the epigenetic state (the degree of chemical modification) of DNA in umbilical cord tissue from nearly three hundred children and showed that this strongly predicted the degree of obesity at six or nine years of age. What surprised the researchers was the size of the effect - children vary in how fat they are, but measurement of the epigenetic change at birth allowed the researchers to predict 25% of this variation. This association is much stronger than explanations of obesity based on heredity and lifestyle." - NZ Doctor

Colin Craig: Turning Housewives into Whores ?

The Conservative Party of New Zealand recently spammed letterboxes in (conservative) parts of Auckland with their tasty policy treats. One of these sweeties is a proposal to offer money to stay at home mums.

Don't we already pay mums to stay at home ? It's called the DPB. Yes but those are solo mums.

What about solo mums that work ? They get Working For Families tax credits.

What about mums who are in a relationship and work ? They get WFF'.

So we are left with stay at home mums whose partners work . Don't they get get WFF ?

Colin Craig and his group of solid family citizens want to give more taxpayers money to people who are already getting it. Love to see how they will pay for that boondoggle. Pop across to Facebook and tell him he is being a plonker( as several people already have). Fortunately the Conservative Party of New Zealand will get into parliament when Romania wins the Rugby World Cup.

BUGGER THE APPLES, WHAT ABOUT THE BOFFINS?

Australia has finally cleared New Zealand apples for export ending a 90 year trade battle. But, (and you heard it first here), sources have revealed to us that the Australian Government is considering excluding New Zealanders and other foreign boffins and bureaucrats from government job opportunities in Canberra.

Telecom Slips Off the Edge

"But a marketing person familiar with the campaign said Telecom's advertising agency, Saatchi & Saatchi, considered it "edgy" and expected it to be controversial.

He told the Herald: "I think this thing is a bloody embarrassment. The rest of the world will take the piss out of us. This will be much better sport than the rugby. It's inexplicable."" - NZ Herald

If you describe yourself as edgy then you are not. Charlie Sheen, Althea Flynt and Alasdair Thompson edgy , advertising grunt in Parnell not edgy. If Telecom really wanted to be edgy they would have gone on a drunken splurge through Auckland's adult entertainment venues, overdosed on heroin, ranted that women can't play World Cup Rugby because they would bleed all over the field and then burnt down Eden Park, now that would be edgy.

The Biggest Loser(s)

This chap in Seattle wonders why he has been single for 12 years. Even Jillian Michaels may be unable to relieve him of his fat head.

"I am a 35-year-old Seattle-dwelling male who has been horribly single for 13 years."

"Seattle has a disturbingly low number of Average Attractive women. The fallout from this, combined with Seattle culture, has been disastrous.

The typically small number of Very Attractive women is even lower in Seattle, and the number of Average Attractive women is so low that they got bumped up a notch on the Men They Can Chase After scale. This has seriously depleted the pool of single Average Attractive women, and this then pulls up the Not So Attractive women into the slots normally reserved for those who are Average Attractive.

The Average Attractive women now consider themselves Really Pretty, and because of the vacancy they left behind, the Not So Attractive women now consider themselves to be Average Attractive." - RainyBrain

Maybe there is a lesson in there for Phil Goff and Don Brash ?

CHRISTCHURCH SNOW

Tuesday, Monday, Sunday nights. On the corner of Montreal and Worcester St Christchurch. If it freezes 2night it could be hell out there.

IN THE PRIVACY OF YOUR OWN HOME

Sir Loin thinks that Fat people are easy targets. He is right. No one in their right mind wants to be unhealthy and in the main chubbies are not healthy.

Im chubby. Nuff said.

nThe first few weeks in Christchurch saw long days and quick meal fixes required - the takeaway shop got a fair hammering. It was not helped by the fact that they were the best damned fish and chips we have had in ages. The motel only has a microwave so that limited our options and a girl can only have so many baked beans.

About 6 years ago we went on a health kick - ate good food - backed up by a weekly shame meeting at Weightwatchers and a big Xtrainer. We only ever did about 15 mins of exercise every night but it was at a high resistance so the sweat dripped at pace.

We walked down stairs. We walked everywhere. We drank bugger all.

We lost 2okgs in about 3 months.

Sadly we have put it all back on.

So a stint in Christchurch has given us a great opportunity to shed a bit of lard. So we hired a X Trainer.

We started on Sunday night - its night three. We love it - we can still stay glued to the TV for a bit of mindless stress cleansing and we huff and puff and bounce around. Must say having bog norks necessitates wearing some cast iron corsetry or risk bruised boozies.

For us we view exercise the same way as most people view masturbation.. Something best done in the privacy of your own home.

We have never fiddled with our fiddly bits in public and we wont huff and puff and have our bountiful boozies bounce around in full view either.

Only thing is the X trainer has developed a bit of a squeak so we hope it lasts the distance as its got quite a distance to go.

Hot for Nanny

"Labour leader Phil Goff has has accused the Prime Minister of taking a Nanny State approach to young beneficiaries in the Government's youth welfare policy announced at the National party's annual conference on Sunday." - Radio NZ

Phil Goff is right that this is a "nanny state" approach and that the National Party is hypocritical after using the "nanny state" label against the Labour Party ( & the Green Party) during the last term of their government. In this case however New Zealand should be hot for nanny.

Brunette says :

"So congratulations to National for tackling the tough and arguably the most important welfare reforms first. It sends a strong message to the electorate - that National cares enough about the future of everyone in New Zealand to make some unpalatable decisions that the left have never had the balls to make." - Brunette

"Between 8500 and 13,500 16 and 17-year-olds are not in education, training, or work at any one time; 90 per cent of these people will go onto a benefit once they turn 18, and around 1600 are already on a special benefit for 16 and 17 year olds." - NZ Herald

If a 17 year old is not in education, training or work then they are going nowhere. Society cannot afford to have members who are not contributing and these individuals deserve better.

The Outlaw

Brunette has been bragging about snow in Christchurch. That is like bragging about getting sand in your togs at Piha. What is really noteworthy is that there was snow falling on Grafton Bridge this afternoon.

Some in social media land have claimed this as "proof" that global warming is a crock. Well these netizens need to reflect on the outlaw outlier:

"Naive interpretation of statistics derived from data sets that include outliers may be misleading. For example, if one is calculating the average temperature of 10 objects in a room, and most are between 20 and 25 degrees Celsius, but an oven is at 175 °C, the median of the data may be 23 °C but the mean temperature will be between 35.5 and 40 °C. In this case, the median better reflects the temperature of a randomly sampled object than the mean; however, naively interpreting the mean as "a typical sample", equivalent to the median, is incorrect. As illustrated in this case, outliers may be indicative of data points that belong to a different population than the rest of the sample set." - Outlier

New Zealand Idle

Suffering from declining advertising revenue and the governments decision to reallocate broadcasting spend ( to getting John Key onto North American prime time television) the producers of "New Zealand Idol" have had to rethink how to stage this popular and cutting edge edutainment event. They have taken inspiration from the comedy Outsourced : here for the first time anywhere is secret footage of the finalists to appear on next seasons contest:

Flabploitation

"Gok: How to Look Good Naked" - Channel 4

"Buy a Treadmill" - Debbie B.

AND THE SNOW SHE DID COME

An almost Christmas like scene in Montreal St Christchurch

LOST BOYS TO GET SKIN IN THE GAME

Its been a bitterly cold day in Christchurch with none of the glamour of being wrapped in a snow blanket. But the cockles of our heart have been warmed by Nationals announcement around welfare reforms that target that tough group of youngsters - the 16 -18 yrd olds. There are nearly 15,000 of them.

The are the Do Nothings. No work, no training. No education. and sadly this group are also responsible for bringing far too many children into a world where the only income comes from intergenerational state welfare dependence.

This cohort find the lure of easy living on the benefit a demotivator to getting of their arses and getting into the workforce. Once they get on the benefit it is terrifyingly difficult to get them off. They are the nations lost boys. Destined to live life in the shadows of our bright society.

Matthew Hooton put it succinctly on Q andA this morning when he said that increasing welfare spending over the last decade has not improved the the outcomes for those who get state handouts. Its the welfare handouts to these young adults over the last decade and beyond which has led to this national tragedy.

So National, has decided to get tough. What they are doing by putting the responsibility for these kids back on the families, should be a game changer for our society. Maori will be able to give wrap around whanau ora support to these boys and in many cases girls who are currently eking out an existence in the shadows.

Its a very interventionist approach and that is what is need for this incredibly vulnerable group.

Their families will get the message that its not acceptable to let their kids slip into welfares tight embrace and its their responsibility to see that they dont. And the kids will get the message that this lifestyle is no longer acceptable. And the community will have a chance to get involved and help steer them to a better life and make good choices about their futures. Agencies will be able to share information to ensure they are not slipping though the net and monitor their progress.

So congratulations to National for tackling the tough and arguably the most important welfare reforms first. It sends a strong message to the electorate - that National cares enough about the future of everyone in New Zealand to make some unpalatable decisions that the left have never had the balls to make.

Its a well worn Chinese proverb that says it takes a whole village to bring up a child. This policy will see our village supported to give every child the best guidance to get them to a place where they can make the right choices that will give them a real stake in our country's future.

Update>

And Cactus reckons that Labour still cant see the wood for the trees..

JUDGING ALONE NOT REAL JUSTICE?

Stuff reports on the Criminal Procedure (Reform and Modernisation) Bill which “aims to reduce the number of jury trials by raising the threshold from offences punishable by three months' jail, to those punishable by three years”. The headline reads, “Judging Alone Not Real Justice”. I don’t think so.

There are two basic categories of offences and a third that is a hybrid of the first two.



1. Summary Offences – the smaller stuff like: dangerous driving, breach of periodic detention, cannabis supply.
2. Indictable Offences – the big stuff like: rape, murder, arson, supply of class A drugs
3. The hybrid – Summary Offences triable indictably: covering crimes in between.

A Summary Offence means the accused is heard by a judge alone (as opposed to a judge and jury) in the District Court. The hybrid, the Summary Offence triable indictably, means the accused may elect trial by jury. An Indictable Offence means trial by jury for the accused.

I am a lawyer by training. Let me tell you if I was charged with a summary offence triable indictably, and I was innocent, I would definitely elect to have my case heard by a judge alone. If I were guilty I would choose trial by jury. There will be a wealth of precious academic comment from the legal community supporting trial by jury, but, I would wager most lawyers would elect to do the same as me in practice.

Draw your own conclusion.

Ground Breaking TV Concept - A Cooking Show

"Under The Grill is a series about a real kitchen nightmare; racing against the clock to design, build, staff and open one of three premier venues, in Federal St ‐ in time for the kick‐off of the Rugby World Cup!" - TV3

Yawn :-)

[Warning: Video is NSFV]

FREEDOM OF SPEECH IS NOT A RIGHT MERELY TO MAKE NOISE

This post follows an exchange of comment on facebook between a science based techie, a journalist and me. The techie starts, “Problem with journalism investigating science is that they erroneously believe in balance. That gives nutjobs like Monckton a voice”. After some discussion about presenting a balanced view, the journalist commented, “When thousands of people are interested in what the alleged quack has to say, that constitutes public interest. Right or wrong. Money? Wish it didn't matter but it does. But in this instance, public interest and money aren't necessarily intrinsic. Part of journalism/media's role is to inform people. If they are asking questions then they deserve some answers. It's not so very complicated or dark - just a mirror of society”.

I wondered to myself if any law or ethics are currently taught to our young ladies and gentlemen of the fourth estate. If journalists want to present a “balanced” view then they need to let the public compare apples with apples. Scientists by definition carry out their work according to established methodologies. Any results are then subject to the rigor of peer review. Balance in science journalism would be putting one scientist up against another. Put the loop quantum gravity proponent up against the string theorist. If journalists merely want to generate revenue by presenting outrageous opinion, then interview the creationist alongside the lady who thinks it’s turtles all the way down. Don’t mix them up. The first two are scientists, the second two are not.

The problem with poor standards of journalism in relation to science is the harm misinformation perpetrates. Quackery and pseudo science affect the public’s understanding of, inter alia, vaccination, cancer treatments and earth and climate science. Thoughtless dissemination of minority non-science based views can and does cost lives. By all means let lunatics have their say on their own page or on a soap box in Hyde Park. But, the constraints of quality journalism outweigh the public’s desire for ready access to odd-ball opinion through mainstream media, and, the right of mainstream media to generate revenue without constraint. Freedom of speech is not and never has been undelimited in any society, and, it is certainly not the right merely to make noise. Like all rights it comes with responsibilities. In this case, responsible journalism.

RIGHT NOW ON AN ISLAND FAR, FAR AWAY....

New Zealand’s mint has produced coins for Niue featuring Star Wars characters including Yoda, Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker on one side and the Queen on the other. With a population of 2000, the tiny hurricane prone island nation is trying to add to its revenue by attracting the interest of international Star Wars fans and coin collectors. May the force be with them.

French adulterer or curing your mum's Alzheimers ?

"Taxpayers are going to pick up a $10 million bill to help ensure overseas leaders have a good time here during the rugby world cup.

The guest list is yet to be announced, but Princes William and Harry are expected,along with French President Nicolas Sarkozy." - TV3

"Dr Istvan Abraham
University of Otago, Dunedin
ANGELS as a Potential Treatment for Alzheimer's Disease
$782,886
36 months" - Health Research Council

To save you pulling out your calculator that is 450 months of research. Might save a few mums and dads.

Could have been worse but Tau Henare kicked Trevor Mallard's mausoleum to touch. Well not really Tau Henare but it was too good a pun to miss.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU

We went out for a few bevvies with some old mates and some new mates in Christchurch tonight.

Anyway in the course of telling an historic yarn full of spies, politics, sex and crime in which we had played a pivotal role someone asked how old we were.

51 we replied.

A chorus of disbelieving "Nooooooos!!! " echoed around the bar.

Then someone asked if we had work done.

Nah - Apart from some good Lancome face putty we have never indulged in any surgery we proudly told them .

So it was a fabulous night and we are fabulous too. 51 definitely fat but still really, really fabulous.

Winston's First or Last Act for Our NZ ?

Saw this in the Tell John Key to stick his ETS Facebook group:

"W*** R***: It's not a free country because we don't own our own money supply, OURNZ is the only party with the intent to solve this and a valid solution. Most of our politicians are either idiots or sell outs, with the exception of Winston, a couple in Act and a couple others, but NO other party will stand against fractional reserve banking, and for sovereign control of our money supply, hence we are not a country but a company 7 hours ago · 1 person"

Glad to see OURNZ is modelling itself on Winston (First) , and the (Last) ACT Party and hope they go well with their plans for getting a white man to win Te Tai Tokerau.

NEVER MIND THE QUALITY, FEEL THE WIDTH

Duke Nukem spied Graham Henry in Lambton Quay today, carefully feeling the quality or perhaps the width of an All Black jersey on display outside a sports shop. The Duke said, “Never mind the quality, he is feeling the price”. In fact, the New Zealand Rugby Union backed Adidas over the price of the All Black jersey. On the other hand, Prime Minister John Key called the situation "a shame". His advice to Adidas was, "I've always found once you're in a hole you should stop digging."

Spoilt

Is it likely that the rioters pay taxes or insurance premiums ?

Kronic Cant

"Associate Health Minister Peter Dunne says the government will have the ability to severely limit the sale of synthetic cannabis product Kronic within weeks."

“... They will need to prove that their products are safe or they will not be able to sell them”.

"He said that advice from the Expert Advisory Committee on Drugs (EACD) has to date been that Kronic has been a low health risk.." - TV3 Website

"We have launched a very special set of deals to clear out our stock and allow you the chance to get your hands on our stash! Once you’ve bought it, you can hold onto it for as long as you like and use it whenever you want!" - Kronic

"I was ‘really’ f****d up far more than cannabis could ever do, which was fine."

"I want to go outside to have a cigarette, so I grab my cigarettes and head outside, but then once I get outside I realize that I have forgotten my drink, so I go back inside and stare at my drink for a few seconds before realizing that I need to take it outside to enjoy my cigarette with my drink." - Kronic customer feedback

"We believe that producing a potentially less harmful cigarette, particularly one supported by public health authorities, could contribute to reducing the net harm of tobacco use."

"Along with the pleasures of smoking there are real risks of serious diseases such as lung cancer, respiratory disease and heart disease, and for many people, smoking is difficult to quit.

Smoking is a cause of various serious and fatal diseases, including lung cancer, emphysema, chronic bronchitis and heart diseases." - British American Tobacco

Loan sharks target the vulnerable

"However it seems that Sam as a Pacific Island MP is aware of the huge impact on the Pacific community of loan sharks whose predatory practices are continuing to destroy low-income families and communities." - John Minto

"The effects of servicing the debt being raised to pay for the Forsyth Barr Stadium is beginning to bite, with warnings Dunedin City Council-owned companies may struggle to take advantage of business opportunities that come their way." - David Loughrey

EUGENICS - RED ROOSTERS AND BLUE EGGS

We have a bloody job to do this coming weekend - its time for a spot of killin. We have a few chooks - two purebred silky hens - a family of 4 feather footed femme fatale banties and an ugly hen and her assortment of 9 chicks from several fathers.

The mother was obviously a hen hussy.

A few weeks ago we worked out that in her brood of nine was 4 red roosters - ugly buggers they are - to a feather.

Hens are not cuddly creatures - in fact they are vicious and as we watched the largest rooster shag the littlest pullet - he was marked for the pot. He is called Trev. He pecks the crap out of the hen till she submits - then the actual deed of loving lasts a nanosecond then he pecks the crap out of them again just to remind them of who boss.

So its off with his head.

Then the next rooster for the chop is Parker- he has got cross eyes and he shags the pullets around the back of the shed . Out of sight - and the only reason you know he has done something is when the wee pullets screech horribly and run for the sanctuary of the open paddock as Parker only seems to be at his best behind the shed.

Next for the chop is Cunners - a long necked lean mean prancer with an undershot beak. He will crow away and sneak up on the pullet and then quietly retreat without the pullet even realising she has been shagged over properly.

Then there is Phil. He is for the chop cos he doesn't shag at all - he doesnt know how - He crows but its a thin reedy whiny sort of crow and none of the hens take any notice of him. And the other three roosters are happy to indulge in some bi-chicken P (pecking)and D (discipline ) with Phil as the bottom - All behind the shed of course.

Our mate has a lovely Araucana rooster called John we are going to buy and when all our little red hens mate with him their lovely wee chicks will lay nice blue eggs.

Genetics at its finest.

Michael Laws Attacked ( Mars Attacks! )

Walking to work this morning I passed the headline : " Michael Laws Attacked " .

Wikipedia lists his accomplishments. They include:

"In 2010, Laws became the second broadcaster from New Zealand (after Paul Henry) to be accused of making "racist" remarks against politician Anand Satyanand.^[8"

"In 2011, Laws made written and spoken comments on an incident in Christchurch, involving a young man with Asperger syndrome who was arrested for minor theft in the aftermath of the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake. He was widely criticized for his unsympathetic remarks about the case, saying that the 25 year-old was "bloody lucky that he received only a black eye" whilst in police custody.^[11]"

This is the second (at least) appearance Michael Laws has made in the newspapers in the last week.

Recently there were the 10th anniversary celebrations of the Liggins Institute , named after Sir Graham 'Mont' Liggins who is described below in a Guardian obituary:

"Graham "Mont" Liggins, who has died aged 84, developed a life-saving treatment for premature babies, after showing that foetal lung maturation could be speeded up by administering a steroid. This gave babies born with lungs that were not functioning properly a chance to breathe and survive. His research changed medical practice and saved hundreds of thousands of lives."

What type of New Zealander do we wish to celebrate ?

Finance 101

We like this from American financial author Dave Ramsey, "If the US Government was a family, they would be making $58,000 a year, they spend $75,000 a year, and are $327,000 in credit card debt. They are currently proposing BIG spending cuts to reduce their spending to $72,000 a year. These are the actual proportions of the federal budget and debt, reduced to a level that we can understand."

Hat tip to David Bisman.