A footballer's lies turned into almost an international incident between NZ and France...

You wouldn't believe it, but a French rugby player's lies after the recent rugby test in Wellington nearly created another international incident between NZ and France. The first was in the 1980's when French frogmen blew up the Greenpeace "Rainbow Warrior" vessel in Auckland, with the loss of one life:

France apologises for Bastareaud:

PM Key receives letter from French PM Fillon apologising for Mathieu Bastareaud who claimed he had been attacked in Wellington.

French Prime Minister Francois Fillon has apologised to John Key over the Mathieu Bastareaud affair.

"A parable on how we got into this economic mess in the first place".

As the stockbroker, dressed in his pinstriped suit, stepped out of his BMW in Queen Street, Auckland, (it could well have been Sydney, London or New York) another car slammed into his door, shearing it right off!

When the police arrived the stockbroker was apopleptic."Did you see what that idiot did to my car, my beautiful BMW," he screamed."Have you any idea how much this car cost?"

"Sir!", the officer said, "You're so concerned about your car you haven't noticed your arm has been ripped off too!"

The stokebroker took one look at where his arm used to be, and screamed,"Where's my Rolex?

Life with Kiwi troops in Afghanistan:

No injuries after bomb attack on NZ patrol in Afghanista.

A New Zealand military patrol in Afghanistan has escaped unscathed after a bomb was triggered in front of a vehicle travelling in a convoy.

A patrol from the New Zealand Provincial Reconstruction Team (NZPRT) in Afghanistan triggered the improvised explosive device in the north west of Bamyan Province last night.

This followed an incident involving another PRT patrol last week in the same area where an exchange of small arms fire with suspected insurgents occurred, the New Zealand Defence Force said.

Little Pumpkin's father found guilty of murdering her mother...

Little Pumpkin's father, Nai Yin Xue has been found guilty of murdering her mother, An An Liu, in Auckland in 2007. He was convicted in the Auckland High Court last week after an-all women jury found him guilty. They took seven hours to reach their decision, which he may appeal.

As the decision was read out in court, Nai Yin Xue became uncontrollably upset, screaming towards the judge with his fist punching the air above his head, yelling, "I'm innocent, I'm innocent" and "not fair". He was lead away by security guards to a cell in the court.

All Blacks need to get back into test match rugby mode. Listen to Brad Thorn. Forget Super 14 and the Elves - experimental laws. Play like true international players!

Dual international Brad Thorn reckons the intricacies of rugby mean it's harder to get an All Blacks test team up to speed than a Kangaroos league side.

And the 34-year-old should know, having played for both teams during a stellar footballing career on either side of the Tasman.

As the All Blacks look to pick up their game after last week's ugly loss to the French in Dunedin, Thorn feels things are coming together with a bit more time under their belts.

To an ecosystemic hell in a handcart, maybe not...

First published at Qassia:

Many Greenies claim we are all going to an ecosystemic hell in a handcart. Maybe and maybe not! It all depends on who you are talking to at the time.
Some claim we are irreparably damaging or even ruining our world's fragile ecosystems, and the losers will be our grandchildren who will inherit degraded landscapes and empty seas. Maybe and maybe not!

Some claim humankind has ruined the earth in 200,000 years that has taken four billion years to develop. Maybe and maybe not! I don't believe the point of no return has yet been passed - we are listening, watching and beginning to give cognisance to the problems that are not all humankind's. Cyclical weather patterns have caused nature to run rampant as well. We are now making decisions to plan schemes to stop the damage that has occurred. We are becoming green and aware! That in itself is a start!

as she Tours America Coast to Coast

Taylor Swift is spending the summer headlining her first national tour as she is leaving the high school scenes that was the topic of her mega hit song Tear Drops On My Guitar behind and looking forward to being an adult performer, Click Underlined Link: As She Performs in 52 Cities

In some years the American Idol winner, Click Underlined Link:

Swine Flu Survival Tips You Need To Know...

If you're like most of us, you know more than you ever wanted to about swine flu, or under the more scientific name the World Health Organization (WHO) has been using: Influenza A(H1N1).

The name change is an effort to limit the confusion over any connection to pigs or pig products. Besides the unfortunate name, swine flu has no connection to pigs other than having some swine flu genetic sequences.

As of 12 May 2009, 30 countries have reported 5,251 cases of influenza A(H1N1). Mexico reports 2,059 lab confirmed human cases of infection, including 56 deaths. The United States reports 2,600 laboratory confirmed human cases, with three deaths. Canada reports 330 laboratory confirmed human cases and one death. Costa Rica reports eight laboratory confirmed human cases and one death.

David Bain was found not guilty beyond the shadow of doubt. It was as I said, the defence would be trying to create doubt, and they did.

The most expensive court case in the history of NZ law has finally ended. It probably cost ten million New Zealand dollars for this re-trial alone. Add the original trial, two appeals and the application to the Privy Council in London, and you would have millions more.

David Bain had his day in court and a jury of twelve of his peers have found him not guilty. But having said that it was not proven that his father was responsible for the murder of his family either.

Mils Muliaina will become only the second fullback to captain the All Blacks in Test rugby after the first New Zealand squad of the season was named in Auckland on Sunday.

Muliaina, the captain of the beaten Super 14 finalists the Chiefs, will follow 1913 fullback Joe O'Leary who captained the All Blacks in two Tests against Australia.

All Blacks coach Graham Henry said he had spoken with Muliaina after the final in Pretoria earlier on Sunday, and while he had been disappointed with the outcome of that game, he was delighted to be named as captain and felt very privileged.

Missing from the squad is No.8 Rodney So'oialo who Henry was emphatic had not been dropped.

From the river to Germany and back again - my nostalgia trip...

It must have been in 1956 - I was about twelve years old then. I was out with my foster family picnicking at one of the Canterbury rivers in New Zealand's South Island. It was mid-summer and it was so hot you could see the heat shimmering and dancing off the river bed stones into the river itself. The water in the rivers in 1950's New Zealand was pristine, quick flowing, cold and wonderful to drink. You just had to make sure that there had not been any wandering sheep drinking at the waters edge.

After roaming around on my own for some time, creating adventures in which I starred, perhaps as the great white hunter tracking some lion through the river bed, I started throwing stones over the river and into the distance. These became bombs - dropping on German cities (only a decade or so before) from a high flying Lancaster bomber. I was the bomb- aimer one minute, and the pilot the next. The bombing of Germany went on for a long time - but I eventually heard shouting from the other side of the river. The bombing stopped suddenly!

Is the US under Obama returning to outdated export protection subsidies...

First published at Qassia:

During the the 1980's and 90's the New Zealand economy underwent many fundamental changes during the changeover to market economics. Part of the process was the gradual reduction and eventual abolition of tariffs and export subsidies. This created much stress and economic hardship for New Zealanders. But the realisation that this was a process all economies were undergoing in the pursuit of a level economic playing field made the exercise more palliative.

But the announcement that the European Union and the United States were allegedly involving themselves in what could be termed another 'trade war' wasn't received too well by the New Zealand Government who fear NZ could become caught in a crossfire between the two economic superpowers, and could destroy hard earned progress in international trade talks; putting Kiwis standard of living at risk.

Catherine Hardwicke Can Help You Make Better Videos

Many people have thought about making longer "movies" after posting a couple of their Orlando, Florida vacation videos online. Seaworld has a new Manta Roller Coaster that will make for some awesome videos as it spins it's riders through it's sinuous excursion through the water park.

Improving the "look" of your videos could use some professional advice and the director of the Hollywood movie Twilight can help, Click Underlined Link: Twilight A Director's Notebook

The Manuka factor - honey from the NZ manuka tree...

First published at Qassia:

Honey made by bees from the nectar of New Zealand's manuka tree, leptospermum scoparium, contains an antibacterial property not found in other honeys.
Honey from the Australian tree leptospermum polygalifollum, or jelly bush, also has this property.

The property has become known as Unique Manuka Factor, UMF, and the honey as active manuka honey.

One of the compounds identified in this particular honey is metylglyxol, although it appears that the antibacterial property relies on the interaction of this compound with other elements in the honey.

My grandson's disappearance on Sunday and reappearance this morning suggests too many coincidences.

There is absolutely no comparison to how I felt at 6 am and 7-15 am this morning.

At 6 am I felt deeply concerned and beginning to think of the worst possible scenario in relation to my grandson's disappearance. I'm not a deeply religious person, but I don't discount the power of prayer either. I believe a number of prayers were made across the Pacific Ocean to seek a higher power to bring Kellie home to us.

Do you believe in coincidences? How many can possibly go together? Once is a coincidence, twice is a happenstance and thrice is a blinking miracle!

Aussie scouts target NZ secondary school football stars...

The following may kindle memories if you happened to be a Canadian, perhaps, but lets read the story first and see if there is something similar there:

Elly knows all about the competition betwween Australia and New Zealand in sport, especially if you are male and kick the oval ball around. A bit of the big brother and little brother scenario, perhaps?

Its still a bit of a raw subject over on this side of the Tasman ditch that Canterbury and Crusaders coaching icon, and former All Black test player, Robbie Deans couldn't get the coaching job at the All Blacks through to The Rugby World Cup in 2011, especially if you are a Crusaders fan like myself; the third biggest sporting event behind the Soccer (football) World Cup and the Olympics!

To Mexico with love - a date with a miracle cure…

This story emanating from the Wellington daily, Dominion Post yesterday, tugged at my heartstrings; I’m really an old softie, but this was different.

The Mexican Swine flu outbreak has reportedly delayed a Levin ( near Wellington) family’s hunt for a miracle cure for their young daughter.

Young Jaide Pearson is just eight years old, the age of one of my own granddaughters. She is a blind quadriplegic who also suffers from cerebal palsy. What on earth did she do to someone in a previous life? Her mother, Jayne, and granddad Norm, had planned to take her to a pioneering clinic in Tijuana, Mexico, next month after she was accepted for experimental stem cell therapy.

TEMPSKY, Gustavus Ferdinand von
(1828–68).

Adventurer, gold miner, farmer, and soldier.

Gustavus Ferdinand von Tempsky was born in Leignitz, Silesia, in 1828, the son of a lieutenant-colonel in the Prussian Army. Destined for the army from earliest childhood, he entered the Berlin Military School at a tender age and in 1844, at the extraordinary age of 16, he received his commission in the 3rd Fusiliers of Prussia. The political and economic instability of early nineteenth-century Europe, and stories of a brave new world in another hemisphere, were at once a temptation and a challenge to the young officer whose adventurous spirit rebelled against the peacetime manoeuvrings of an army into which he was hustled by an uncompromising jack-booted parent. Unrest and insurrection were paving the way for the consolidation of the new Germany, but politics and intrigue had no appeal for young von Tempsky, and it was only natural that, at the conclusion of his military service in 1848, he should turn his attention to more exciting fields. Armed with an introduction from Lord Westmorland to the British authorities in the tiny Mosquito Kingdom in Central America, he set out with some sturdy companions with the intention of establishing a small settlement there. The colony failed due to rigours of climate and a hostile native population, and von Tempsky drifted into the filibustering that was then almost endemic in the Mexican Confederation. Commissioned as a captain, he led a guerrilla force into Nicaragua late in 1848, and then joined up with British naval units, acting as a guide in forays against up-river Nicaraguan cities.

Fiji has been booted out of the Pacific islands forum...

Fiji becoming the basket case of the Pacific...

Despite last minute attempts by Fijian military dictator, Commodore Bainimarama to meet the leaders of Australia and New Zealand and negotiate a change of mind over sanctions against Fiji, Fiji will be kicked out, officially suspended from the Pacific Islands Forum, and possibly from the Commonwealth later in the year.

Bainimarama claims elections can't be restored for another five years, but this a load of codswallop! He claims to be the hero of multiracialism in Fiji, but is just another dirty little dictator like Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe who dictated his country from being the bread-basket of Africa to becoming the basket-case of all time!

Olympic drug cheat to lose gold medal. Kiwi runner promoted to silver.

Nick Willis to trade Olympic bronze for silver?

Beijing Olympic 1500 metres winner has failed a drugs test which could see Nick Willis promoted to the silver medal position

New Zealand runner Nick Willis could be bumped up from the bronze medal to silver after the Beijing Olympic 1500 metre winner was named as one of six athletes to have failed a drugs test.

Bahrain's Rashid Ramzi has tested positive for CERA, a new form of the banned blood booster EPO. The Morocco-born Ramzi won the Gulf country's first ever Olympic medal when he stormed to victory in the 1500 metres.

Loves Found and Loves Lost

Taylor Swift is an "overnight success" that she has been working-on for ten years as her art is a symvionic of her life.

Although high school is the stage for the stories she tells the melodies and her guitar playing are growing more complex as she spends more time on the road with versatile and much more experienced road tour musicians.

With her latest CD Album Fearless Taylor Swift is pirouetting into her transition to an adult singer, songwriter and guitar picker.

As Taylor Swift travels America on her Fearless National Tour we are posting the photos as they become available, Click Underlined Fast Photo Link:

Anzac Day 2009: We Will Remember Them:

Anzac Day commemorates all New Zealanders killed in war and honours returned servicemen and women.

Anzac Day is observed with remembrance services till 1 pm, followed by a relaxed holiday afternoon. The Dawn Service is today the most popular of the Anzac Day observances. Wreath-laying ceremonies in remembrance for fallen soldiers will take place at war memorials and RSA buildings around the country.

The date itself marks the anniversary of the landing of New Zealand and Australian soldiers – the ANZACs – on the Gallipoli Peninsula in 1915. The aim was to capture the Dardanelles, the gateway to the Bosphorus and the Black Sea.

It's my third anniversary for being a Writeniche member.

What has happened in three years?

-I went from dabbling in 2006 in blogging to becoming a freelance SEO writer, blogger, and internet marketer. It has been a wild and rewarding ride!

Young Kiwi may have been killed over $5.00 in Bali bar brawl...

A former Kiwi soldier in his mid twenties, who served a number of years in East Timor on peace-keeping duties with the NZ Army, and resigned just a year ago, got caught up in a bar brawl in Bali, was attacked by a number of people, some of whom may have been local security staff, and later died of his injuries which included a glass thrown at his head by the barman.

His worst problem was that he and his girlfriend, who received minor injuries as well, didn't have $400.00 cash or insurance cover to get an ambulance to take him to hospital or get medical treatment.

What are the most momentous occasions you can remember from your childhood, youth and in recent times? Things that have stuck vividly in your memory for years. I'll tell you about a few of mine:

As a child I: as a young Kiwi lad in a young country emerging from its dependence on Britain and things so inately British, still remember the coronation of Queen Elizabeth the Second - the pomp and pageantry and the glory of the Empire. Of course there was no television, just radio and a few weeks later the news reels down at the picture theatre - the cinema, the movies! But there was a fly in the ointment, a colonial British one, but still a fly - Ed Hillary.

Professor Davis, whose work commitments mean he will not be able to immediately accompany his wife to her new job in New York, said she had shown her real character.

"In politics you realise that you've got ups and downs, hero to zero etc, and you have to come back all the time and she has - and I think she has shown her true character in that respect," he said as Helen Clark looked on.

Asked if the long-distance marriage would mean they would end up with nothing to say to each other, Helen Clark said "definitely not".

"We've been together since 1977, we have common interests, common hobbies, we do a lot of things together and Peter's own job [as an academic] involves quite a bit of international travel with conferences."

Big Brother is alive and well, and trawling social network sites...

I was just reading a weekend paper here in Wellington, New Zealand, where an article reveals how "Big Brother" is alive and kicking and trawling social network sites to gain possible information on their members.

The article discussed how NZ government departments are trawling these sites for information that can be used against people on social welfare benefits for fraud purposes. One woman had been caught, redhanded you might say, because she admitted a relationship on the social networking site, and the department took a fraud case against her.

As the Detroit Auto Industry melts away in the spring rains we are concerned about the future of the children of America. After being tortured for twelve years of being measured by the tyranny of "standardised test scores" and the prospects of attending college growing slimmer as budgets and classes are being cut as the tuition and fees are being raised every semester.

The President of General Motors was asked to resign by his new "business partner," President Obama, as Click Underlined Link: GM stakes it's future on the Chevy Volt

Former NZ PM Helen Clark appointed to UN post...

Helen Clark wanted to be the first prime minister to win four three year terms in the NZ parliament and government. She fell at the last hurdle after three terms.

She is arguably one of the best and most successful Kiwi PM's of all time. The NZ voters wanted change and her party was swept from power last November,2008.

Is it the end of Helen Clark? No way Jose!

She has just been appointed to the third highest diplomatic post in the world - administrator of the UN's Development Programme. The programme employs 8,000 people in 166 countries, has a budget of $5 billion , and is the UN's global development network, providing training, advice and support for developing countries.

is Gone done-in by it's own success at attracting people from all over the world to it's Disney land, Fantasy land lifestyle that exists in their minds, promoted by the many Hollywood movies that they have seen.

The reality is that in sight of the state's capital skyline downtown is a tent city populated by Golden Staters with no place else to go.

California is the "seventh-largest economy in the world" as Governor Schwarzenegger likes to brag yet it's environmental laws and high taxes have caused businesses to move to China and Mexico leaving more Californians unemployed even before the current recession, now many hundreds of thousands of them are, Click Underlined Link: