Oh old friends swapping lies of life and loves ...

Well, the 2^nd to last Thursday in August has come around again! And as you all know St Quincy’s Day is once again upon us.

I find St Quincy’s Day  one of the most important celebrations of the calendar years. The only one to really match it is of course St Percival’s day held every September 13.

Now, as you know screeds have been written on the subject and origins of St Quincy’s day and its long associations with long-term male friendship and leek and potato soup.

Suffice it to say, St Quincy’s Day offers yet again the chance to celebrate long-term friendship around plates of steaming hot Cream of Leek and Potato Soup.

Now to make leek and potato soup, you need to first of all take a long leek.

The standard that Archibald Fructus Quincy laid down for “long term friendship” was 30 years or more.

So if you haven't had a friend for at least 30 years, forget your leek and potato soup!

The song old friends (Link)

“Old friends pitching pennies in the park

Playing croquet till its dark old friends mmm old friends

Oh old friends swapping lies of life and loves

Pitching popcorn to the doves old friends …mmm old friends

Old friends looking up to watch the birds

Holdin’ arms to climb a curb old friends… mmm old friends

Old friends Lord when all my work is done

Bless my life and grant me one old friend at least one old friend.”

Written by Roger Miller.

... suicide is painless, It brings on many changes, And I can take or leave it if I please.

It is of course the theme from M*A*S*H.

But it brings me to my most sombre of blog postings.

Bare with me  oops bear with me ... I lost a twin bother to suicide.

The Ministry of Health's policy is that the reporting of suicide is dangerous and I quote:

"Frequent or repetitive reporting of suicide may encourage the public perception that suicide is a reasonable, understandable and common approach to solving life difficulties."

The chief coroner disagrees: and I quote the herald:

"Yesterday, Judge MacLean said he wanted to encourage more openness, public debate and media coverage of the suicide rate - there are on average 10 suicides every week in New Zealand - because this might reduce the number. But he recognised the debate would start with more-detailed reporting of individual suicide cases" (NZ Herald, August 12, 2010).

There were 540 suicides in NZ last year. Way above the road toll.

May I say I think the Ministry's approach is lamentable and medieval. It is totally without foundation in research.

Basically the Ministry are saying "sweep it under the carpet" "out of sight our of mind" and I reply "BOSH!"

Frankly speaking, the ministry's approach is nothing short of damnable.

It is time for a campaign like that of the John Kirwan campaign on depression.

Some psychiatrists agree with the ministry - no wonder our mental health services are in disarray.

The factors around suicide are many and extremely complex.

But no doubt, the key ingredient is that the person is finding that life has become unbearable.

They are experiencing a level of emotional or perhaps physical pain that has become intolerable.

And this is precisely what needs to be addressed.

But it won't be addressed if the Ministry continues down its  misguided path.

Let's start talking about suicide.

As the Queen said:

"Don't try suicide
Nobody's worth it
Don't try suicide
Nobody cares
Don't try suicide
You're just gonna hate it
Don't try suicide
Nobody gives a dam"

Baby when the lights go out, I'll show you what it's all about

It is finally a sunny day in Aucklun, Nu Zulun with an almost clear blue sky.

The sun is shining and it made me think of one of the most serious threats we face making so-called anthropogenic global warming fade by comparison.

You may of may not be aware of a recent increase in solar flares. These coincide with an increasing number of sunspots.

Well, there is also such a thing as a solar storm - the mother, if you will of all solar flares. With these storms there are Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs). These things hurtle through space to wards the earth at millions of miles per hour.

Back in 1859 there was such a storm which paralysed telegraph machines.

The CME took 18 hours to reach the earth.

Such a storm today could have a disastrous effect on all our electric systems and repairs would take months if not year. Transformers blown to kingdom come.

In the words of the immortal Frazer form Dad's Army : We're doooomed I tell you, .... we're all dooomed!"

The sun works on an eleven year cycle of solar minimums and solar maximums. The next solar maximum is 2012.

It is sobering to think on just how dependent we are on electricity and just how little we are prepared to survive without it compared to our ancestors.

Will the lights go out in 2012 and not come back for months?

And soon I'll hear old winter's song...

I am not a great fan of winter ... having lived over six years in the tropics.

I don't get it as bad as those who suffer from SAD (seasonal affective disorder).

Apparently Johnny Briggs (alias Mike Baldwin of Coronation street) gets it so bad he has to flee the English winters for warmer climes - namely Florida.

Now there's many a cold winter's morning I wake up and wish I was also in Florida folks! Sadly I lack the mula that Johnny possesses in abundance.

Winter tests my running addiction to the extreme! there are days when the the rain is teeming down and the winds are a howling and I feel strangely, weirdly, disinclined to go for a run.

 It is then I have an identity crisis! Perhaps I am not a running addict after all.

In which case this whole blog is just one great sham! It is all a lie folks! A disgraceful pretense!

Don't get so emotional!

But the plus side ...... after tolerating, suffering, enduring, and surviving another bleak winter, ...... summer is all the sweeter.

Perhaps I am just a summer running addict?

Gonna take a sentimental journey, gonna put my mind at ease

35 years ago my two friends and I took a journey to the far north. Recently we made a sentimental journey back there to remember those halcyon days.

Back then (1975) two of us were  25 and the other 18. How old are we now? Go figure.

Once again we took the pilgrimage to Cape Reinga by bus.

35 years ago the three of us were suffering from food poisoning. On the journey back from the cape, I was the first to request the driver to stop and then hurl myself off the bus to vomit, chunder, baff  and throw up in the grass. One by one my friends did the same.

Back at the Motel, things were coming out both ends for all of us! Too much information

 But that was 35 years ago - we were young and vunerable boys.

This time it was a far more pleasant experience made all the more delightful by our superb bus driver, Barry - a maori from the far north.

Blue Moon You saw me standing alone Without a dream in my heart

Now what with the winter's wet blustery grip   .... and peoples favourite teams bowing out of the world cup   ... it is not surprising that some of you are feeling just a tad depressed, despondent and may just a little despairing.

But there's hope!

As you can see by the little picture to the left ... there is someone eminently qualified to give you that  spot of encouragement you are crying out for.


So whether it is a paper cut or a life crisis (like burnt toast).

He can assist. When they let him out of  ....

Blame it on the vuvuzela ...

Why has this blog been slient?

Thousands ask me. Indeed millions

Bl*&dy liar

Simple ... The Vorld Cap ...

First I followed Nu Zulun ... till they went home.

Then I followed England ... and they've gone home.

Who now do I follow ...?

I feel deserted.

England decimated by Germany. At least good old Nu Zulun did not lose a match!

Didn't win one either.

Where to now?
Scotland ... na they're not in it.

My Spanish roots ... don't have any ...

But I was pleased to note that in the England - Germany match, the Vuvuleza was getting some good competition from the excellent singing of 1000s of England fans. "Land of hope and glory..."

Fat lot of good it did them!!

Did you notice that singular fact amidst the destruction wrought on England??

eeeh thas nought like an English crowd lad.


Who can I turn to ...?

"I dreamed a team in days gone by ...." 
but

"put your teams away for another day, darling ....."

hey hey hey beautiful Sunday ... this is our our our beautiful day....

The epic and long awaited duel between Race Walking Aucland and Calliope took place yesterday (June 13) At the Ngataringa Bay course.

Teams of  6 from each club line toed the starting line just after 8:30 am on what appeared to be a beautiful Sunday - that is until the rain torrented down and the gales roared in the latter laps of the 8 lap race.

10 km lay ahead for each dedicated and semi-extinguished athlete. (Though some opted for 5 km).

Each had estimated their time and now the task was simple. Which team could be cumulatively closest to their estimated time? The suspense was palatable. Watches were gathered up and competitors walked with naked arms.

Calliope demonstrated the the experience of its athletes in the guessing domain. But I hearing you crying for more. Give the detailed results you cry - who cares about the world cup!

So here they are:

You will note that yours truly was only 3 seconds out. Mind you, I had to slow to a crawl on the last lap to achieve this. However, the day belongs to one Bill Fell who showed all the experience of  his many years as a top athlete.

Note: The TOTAL (time discrepancy) is the sum of the absolute values of each time descrepancy.
For example absolute value of -2:12 = |-2:12| = 2:12! (Exciting stuff isn't it?)


The man needs to get a life!

I would if I had one of those credit cards!  hey Chris What are ya goona do with yours?

Hey big spender . spend a little time with me ...

It is the only possible song for today folks...

Take it away Shirley! Peggy Lee Sang it too!

I see labour has some big spenders  ... living the good life ... on tax payers ... on my money (being one of your standard model tax payers).

Shane Jones list of expense looks impressive

Perhaps I should introduce Dame Shirley Bassey to Shane Jones.

I can't introduce Peggy. One of the great Jazz artists of all time is no longer with us.

That's the trouble with credit cards and debit cards ... it is too easy to fork out 700 bucks for golf equipment. Perhaps if they had to deal with cold hard cash they'd think 2x.

But I shall refrain from moralising.  I just want moi money back! Plus the interest.

I have often walked down the street before ...

I have to come out of the closet and confess that I watch Coronation Street.

Heaven knows why ... it is awful ...but that's the nature of insanity.

Ken Barlow (William Roache) is currently as I speak moving down that certain road to another of his many infidelities or is it adulteries. Does that make him an infidel?

The Street operates its story line on a numbers of cycles (not bicycles!). The episode cycle, the weekly cycle, the monthly cycle and so forth up to a ten year cycle.

I have done the research and I know!!!!

Which means you can follow the story if you only watch once a month or once every ten years.


But folks why are they called Soaps or Soap Operas?

It is because the story lines are written by people when they have having a bath. Yes it is true. Max Cryer told me!

No seriously folks ... it is because the early sponsors of the genre were soap manufacturers. It's true ... you check it out then if you don't believe me ... go on!

Finally if you don't like soap operas you have to put up this sign ....