Saturday, September 12, 2009

Day OneHundredAndOMGYourBack of being Aflickionless...

Well this is the end of the road for the blog. It's Saturday morning and your back in the country (well should be, I haven't heard from you).

It's been a fun 120 (what was meant to be 119) days, writting random stuff, news, trying to make something to make you giggle while you've been away. I hope you have enjoyed it!

But before we say adios...

DID YOU KNOW!!!

121 blogs have been written
The Haydn Returns Song has been used 11 times
32 Sideswipes have been written
News has been in 80 of the 121 blogs
When copy & pasted into word all of the blog take up about 256 pages
60,640 words have been written
and 285,477 characters (no spaces) have been written

So chur for reading, can't wait to hear all about your trip, we have missed you.

60,686 WORDS

Friday, September 11, 2009

Day OneHundredAndWhatTheFuck of being Aflickionless...

DAY 120...OMG!

Maz spent the day packing, moving and working on a head piece for Mel. Ginger Minx Spring Party is tonight should be an awesome night!

Short blog today when it comes to what's been happening, but that purely because well...busy, busy, busy!

Thousands of Auckland commuters could have their travel plans disrupted, after nearly 98 per cent of workers rejected an offer by NZ Bus today. A union meeting today saw NZ Bus drivers and cleaners vote by almost 98 per cent against a pay rise by their employer in a secret ballot. NZ Bus and their unionised staff have been in negotiations over pay rates. The talks broke down last week and a work to rule notice was issued by the unions before the company responded with a lock-out notice. NZ Bus operates the Metrolink, North Star, Go West, Waka Pacific, the Link and the City Circuit bus services. NZ Bus operations manager Zane Fulljames said it was "bitterly disappointing" that the offer - of a 10.4 per cent pay rise over three years - had been rejected.

North Island firefighters commemorated the September 11 attacks of 2001 with a memorial climb up the BNZ Tower in Auckland's CBD this morning. About 60 firefighters from as far north as Kamo and as far south as Upper Hutt took part in this morning's event. Firefighter Tony Scott said the event was also to commemorate firefighters who had lost their lives while serving in New Zealand. "It's a time to reflect and pay respect," Mr Scott said. A list of the 50 firefighters who have died while serving since 1872 was read out before a prayer by the Dean of Auckland, Ross Bay. Bagpipes then accompanied firefighters with Amazing Grace as they gathered in groups and adjusted their equipment. Donned in full kit, including oxygen bottle and full face masks, the firefighters left in small groups to climb the 26 floors of the BNZ tower. At the top they were rewarded with a bottle of water.

A giant TV screen costing about $1.75 million is to be put up in Aotea Square. Auckland City Council's Citizens and Ratepayers group has voted for a 60-70 sq m screen to be erected in the square in time for the Rugby World Cup in 2011.

AUCKLAND FORECAST TODAY
N/A but the showers and the bad weather has started to kick in

CURRENT WEIRDNESS
Your back tomorrow, has the time already been & gone?

DAILY FOF MOMENT
The crappy weather just when Maz is about to move house. FAIL!

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Day OneHundredAndNineteen of being Aflickionless...

So thread.co.nz wrote this article about Style Pasifika and it was a tad wrong...

"MAC did an outstanding job of painting men and women alike in a wide array of “attire” in a multitude of colours and designs"...WTF? MAC? So Maz wrote an email to the editor (ie. how she felt ripped off seeing somebody else get credit for her hard work, and things like "your writing about the fashion industry you should know your A's from your B's; after all it would be terrible if you got a designers name wrong and mislead the public").
Anywho because of Maz's wee email the article has been fixed and they have asked her to write a piece about her effots as a make-up artist or about my piece and what I went through for this year's Style Pasifika.

Maz & Russell moved a few boxes to the new house today, Maz had stacked about 3 or 4 boxes before she noticed something sitting on the bench. To her surprise the something sitting on the bench was a box of chocolates, a bottle of white wine & a note that basicially read "Welcome to your home. Hope you have a happy & long stay" from the landlady. How awesome is that?!?!

Ginger Minx was on the board for last night, since Maz forgot her paints & stuff after painting yesterday. It was also the last chance to try the menu as you currently know it. Today is the Spring Party and it also means that Ginger Minx is launching some new drinks. YAY!

SJ on the other hand was at the Ed Hardy VIP Party looking at hot guys...hmmm...lucky girl!

Bidders have ramped up the auction for a home-made, interisland amphibious van to $6200 overnight. Yesterday the Trade Me auction had reached $5000, with 118 bids but during the past 24 hours another 19 bids pushed the price up another $1200. The matt black DIY boatvan, called Roofliss by its builders Adam Turnbull and Dan Melling, crossed Cook Strait on Sunday. It took 10 hours for the 65km journey from Waikawa Bay Marina to Mana Marina. The pair of aeronautical engineers, both 23, dreamed up the interisland voyage to keep busy and out of Blenheim's bars. They completed the conversion of the Toyota Townace for about $2000. Their auction description attested to the power of the "only van you can't get done DIC in". The van could end up alongside other great New Zealand sea-faring vessels in the New Zealand National Maritime Museum in Auckland. Museum chief executive Paul Evans said the museum, which also housed NZL32, Black Magic, which won the 1995 Americas Cup, was interested in adding the van to its collection. "It's something we think is very unique and it's something that the public of New Zealand will be interested in learning more about," Mr Evans said.

MOTAT’s historical Pumphouse, Beam Engine and Engineer’s Cottage have had a stunning success, scooping a 2009 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Award of Merit for the Culture Heritage Conservation programme. The Waterworks buildings and Engineer’s Cottage are the only New Zealand buildings to have received the Award of Merit, announced at UNESCO Bangkok. The awards recognise the achievement of individuals and organizations within the private sector, and the public-private initiatives, in successfully restoring structures of heritage value in their region. MOTAT received the prestigious award for its part in meticulously restoring the Waterworks buildings and Engineer’s Cottage, and therefore revitalising an important part of the city’s past, and capturing the memory of the community.

SIDESWIPPING IT...
This ad in the Whangamata paper appealed to Jo: "Free to good home, two mature sheep. Prefer vegan or vegetarian family."

In Britain, Simon Simpkins complained about the packaging of a German lolly called Haribo Maoam, which he said looked sexual. "The lemon and lime are locked in what appears to be a carnal encounter. The lime, whom I assume to be the gentleman in this coupling, has a particularly lurid expression on his face," he told the Daily Mail.

Surviving examples of Queen Victoria's underwear, including a pair of bloomers with a 50-inch waist, have been designated as important parts of Britain's hertiage. The garments have been given heritage status by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council - an award exclusively given to items of both national and international significance. The bloomers are stored at Kensington Palace in West London and form part of the Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection, which is made up of 12,000 items that were once worn by royalty and courtiers who lived any time from the 17th century until the present day. (Source: telegraph.co.uk)

AUCKLAND FORECAST TODAY
N/A however the day was cloudy, bit windy with a few showers

CURRENT WEIRDNESS
After being the same for almost 6months, the Ginger Minx drinks menu is changing...

DAILY FOF MOMENT
Thread.co.nz fucked up an article about Style Pasifika FAIL! It's been fixed now, thanks to Maz...WIN!

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Day OneHundredAndEightteen of being Aflickionless...

Maz went to Ginger Minx to do some painting. Your going to see it all when you get back. It's Spring so Minx is changing it up a bit, they also have the spring party on Friday night.

Maz & Russell got the keys for the new place today, EXCITING!!! Now they can start to move their SHART! So guess what they will be doing for the rest of the week.

Hope you can make it on Saturday night for the Welcome Back party...would be a bit pointless if you weren't there, it would just be people getting pissed for the sake of getting pissed...come on give us a reason!

SJ is currently a bit damaged, but who knows why. Is it fractured or not?!?! The lucky girl is also off to the Ed Hardy VIP Party!!!

Hopefully we make it to the final blog, I'm sure we will find away. But with the whole moving thing, it may be a hit and miss, as to if we get them all done. Wish us luck!


LOUD
SHIRT DAY is on Friday 18th September. Just thought we would give you a heads up, so you can pull out those bright shirts of yours.

When Albie the cat didn't come home for his tea, his owners Andrew and Lyn Beale assumed the two-year-old tabby was busy exploring. They had no idea Albie was recovering from a brush with death and a 20-odd kilometre ride wedged into the front of Gail Tomlinson's car. Ms Tomlinson was driving past the Beale's Ormiston Rd, Manukau, property on August 20 when she felt she might have hit a cat. But seeing no evidence, she continued on to work at Auckland Airport, a 20-minute trip driving at speeds of up to 90km/h. When she arrived, she heard a "meowing" from the front of her Holden Commodore. A quick check revealed Albie tucked up in "a perfect little cubby hole" in the chassis of the vehicle, behind the number plate. Afraid to move him herself, a distraught Ms Tomlinson got a workmate to drive her car - "carefully" - about 2km to the Mangere SPCA, where a vet extricated Albie. X-rays revealed he had a broken back leg."I was devastated. I was just beside myself," said Ms Tomlinson. Fortunately for the Beales - who distributed flyers in the hope of finding Albie - the SPCA kept the cat in the hope his owner would turn up. Word eventually reached the Beales that a cat matching Albie's description was being held at the SPCA, on painkillers for his injuries. Albie subsequently had surgery, running up a final bill of about $2000. Now he is up and about, recovering at home. He is able to put weight on his back leg, which has two pins in it, and should suffer no long-term consequences. Vet Craig Hunger said Albie should be fine, as long as the Beales keep up his physiotherapy. "To be stuck in a grill and not fall off is a very lucky thing ... there's a good chance they could have had a dead cat." Mr Beale said that when Albie turned up on their doorstep about five months ago, they named him LB, short for Lost Boy, which morphed over time into Albie. "I think now it might be Lucky Bugger."

Fleetwood Mac have added a second concert to their visit to New Plymouth in December after the first one sold out in minutes. Having played a 55-date, sold-out tour in North America, the band had committed to a single New Zealand show on December 19 at the Bowl of Brooklands. Promoter Andrew McManus Presents said demand for tickets at the 18,000 seat venue was overwhelming and the second show had been scheduled for the following night.

A judge has jailed a Northland man who kicked his partner and baby after an argument, saying society has had enough of such abuse. Michael Luke, from Whangarei, was sentenced in Whangarei District Court to 12 months imprisonment after attacking his partner at his home on July 9, the Northern Advocate reported. (Well I thought that was going to be more interesting, especially since the headline was "Man who kicked partner, baby jailed".)

A complaint will be made to the Independent Police Conduct Authority after a Wellington student allegedly had his neck broken by a police baton as a party was shut down. Police were called to a Khandallah party last Friday after gatecrashers began fighting outside, Fairfax Media reported. Although the gatecrashers fled when police arrived, 18 officers entered the house and used batons to drive the remaining 40 guests from the house, the partygoers claimed. Jakob Christie, 19, said the end of a police baton was jabbed into his neck, causing a vertebrae to break. He woke on Saturday unable to move his head and X-rays showed a lower neck vertebrae had broken.

Just a third of students going into secondary school are numerate, says a maths lecturer from the University of Auckland. And because secondary schools focus on algebra, trigonometry, geometry and statistics rather than basic number problems, they may never get a chance to learn the essentials - in fact, numeracy can worsen. (Yes, we are a nation of STUPID RETARDS!)

The demise of fuel storage at the Tank Farm means cruise ships and large cargo vessels in Auckland will be refuelled directly from a new tanker, the Awanuia. The 80m vessel can hold the equivalent of 25,000 barrels of fuel which it will ship directly from the Marsden Point oil refinery. It will replace a smaller barge which used to take on fuel at Wynyard Quarter and then supply visiting ships. The Awanuia was built in Turkey for around $20 million for Seafuels, a joint-venture company involving Ports of Auckland and Pacific Basin Shipping and is under charter to Shell.

The future of a subdivision intended to save tribal land from being mortgaged off is hanging in the balance. The Maori Land Court appointed interim administrator Kevin Gillespie eight years ago to control the affairs of Matauri X, a land incorporation which had amassed a $2.5 million debt after a water bottling deal went bust. But debt levels have risen to $16 million because of a refinancing deal with Strategic Finance to complete a two-stage, 139-section subdivision. A critical point for Maori landowners was that the sections were not freehold, instead they were subject to 52-year lease terms. But of the 81 sections, which have been on the market for 18 months, only eight of 25 sales had been settled, with many buyers trying to back out of their deals because of the economic climate, Mr Gillespie said. No houses have been built yet.

NEW STYLE PASIFIKA PHOTOS


SIDESWIPPING IT...
Margaret Wong of Epsom writes: "I was walking around One Tree Hill when I spotted a lone paddock of black sheep and lambs. The white sheep and lambs were gambolling freely all over the rest of the park. It was all a bit District 9 ... No doubt someone will be able to enlighten us." (you know the South African's are going woohoo)

Two girls lost in a stormwater drain in Adelaide updated their Facebook status via their mobile phone rather than ringing emergency services. A Fire Service spokesman said the 10- and 12-year-old girls were lucky another young friend was online and was able to call for help for them. Walking through drains is known as "urban caving", is popular in many major cities, despite the danger of flash floods.

A reader writes: "In 2001, my wife went for a precautionary mammogram because of a 4mm lump. We never heard any more about it but were delighted to receive the x-rays today (eight years later) with a letter to say that there is nothing to worry about. Except maybe the Health Service?" (SJ...SEE...YOU AREN'T THE ONLY ONE!!!)

AUCKLAND FORECAST TODAY
Max: 17°C
Min: 10°C (overnight)
Humidity: 83%
Cloud increasing. Northeast breeze. (Translation: Nice sunny day, YES sun again, but its about to all turn to shite)

CURRENT WEIRDNESS
"What is & isn't photography over mai tai's Yay" - check it out FB

AND the morpork still doesn't have Swine Flu...bwahahahaha!

DAILY FOF MOMENT
People not knowing if SJ's foot is really fratured or not. X-ray people say "yes, fractured" 'experts' say "Nope...nothing wrong" FAIL!


Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Day OneHundredAndSeventeen of being Aflickionless...

Maz did some painting at the Ginger Minx with the assistance of Russell. SJ drove past & saw everybody behind the lock down, but it was too late by time she realised and she was on her way back to work. Otherwise she would of popped in to say "Hi".

Blog has to be really short today, since this is a catch up one (stupid internet going on the blink *grumble* *grumble*)

AUCKLAND FORECAST TODAY

N/A because the internet CRAPPED ITSELF!!! BUT it was sunny ALL DAY! WOOT!

CURRENT WEIRDNESS
It hit midnight and the internet died!

DAILY FOF MOMENT
The internet dying at about midnight, more than likely some server thing...FAIL!