17 May 2012

A bit random

Paddy Lewis

28/09/2011 10:28:00 a.m.

0 Comments

A week of random thoughts:
Reasons why Wellington (gosh darn it, reasons why all of New Zealand) is better than Auckland came to the fore yet again at the weekend thanks to the Rugby World Cup.
Multi-millionaire Colin Giltrap thought it would be nice to put a sign up in his car dealership which read “Go the All Blacks” in giant white lettering on a black window. NZRU representatives arrived and told his staff it needed to be altered or removed because it was in breach of trade mark regulations.
Everywhere else in New Zealand has had great media coverage.  Auckland has been ‘pants around ankles’ since the kick off.
I rang the Ministry of Economic Development and the NZRU and said could I paint “Allez Les Bleus” on my French café window near Eden Park (note: I do not own a French café near Eden Park, this was purely made up for research purposes).  Both said yes, absolutely.  Had Giltrap put “Go The ABs” in his window, he would have been fine.
New Zealand.  The place where discretion is a dirty word.
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I was intrigued by this line from a newspaper story following the takeover of the Wellington Phoenix: “Mr Greenham said he supported the idea floated by Welnix member Gareth Morgan, of allowing supporters to buy into the club ownership - but only when it was a profitable business.”
I’ve spent a lot of time over the past few years looking at the viability of professional or semi-pro teams in Godzone, mainly based around the chance that one day Super 15 franchises may be released from the NZRU monopoly and be up for grabs to the highest bidder.
Now while the Welnix consortium may be very well-funded and have the club’s best interests at heart, I would respectfully suggest this is a black hole for money – just like most of the Super 15 franchises.  Pro sports teams in New Zealand are funded for love or as an ego trip – not as a money-making exercise.
The Phoenix may become a profitable business.  On paper.  Not in moolah.
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I know a bloke called Shaun Johnson – two, in fact.  I also know a bloke called Kevin Locke.  They aren’t household names in the way Richie McCaw or Dan Carter is.  There’s no reason why they should be.  One is a banker, one’s a plumber, and the other is a part-time farmer.  There are a couple of other blokes called Shaun Johnson and Kevin Locke whose names might be  more well-known after the Warriors’ massive performance against those dirty cheating Melbourne Storm blokes to make the NRL grand final.  At 21 and 22 years old respectively, the two Warriors showed a maturity and skill most players would sell their soul for.  They’ve beaten the Wests Tigers and the all-conquering Storm.  Now they just have to beat Manly, coached by one of my boyhood heroes, Des Hasler.  At least he was a boyhood hero until the Warriors deservedly made the final.  Go the Warriors!
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So the Trans Tasman netball league is allowing the Canterbury Tactix another international player (which no other team gets) because they’ve been affected by the earthquakes.  This league makes more of a joke of itself every time it makes a decision.  What the Tactix need is not a breaking of the rules that puts other teams at a disadvantage.  It’s like the RWC organizers telling the All Blacks to give Mils Muliania to Namibia because they feel sorry for them. A stupid and erroneous decision.
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Cover Story

Best of Wellington 2011

Briefs

  • A question of nutrition

    Controversial Washington-based nutritionist Sally Fallon-Morell is to speak in Wellington on March 29.
    Fallon-Morell is the co-founder of the American food lobby group the Weston A. Price Foundation and the author of Nourishing Traditions. She advocates for the consumption of nutritionally dense foods such as lacto-fermented vegetables, stocks and broths, and whole raw dairy products.
    Fallon-Morell will speak at St Patrick’s College Hall on March 29.

  • Relay for cancer

    Organisers say Sunday’s Relay for Life is full to capacity with hundreds of Wellingtonians registered for the event.
    A total of 88 teams, made up of 10 to 500 members, plan to take part with a further 25 teams on the waiting list.
    The 24 hour relay, the Cancer Society’s biggest fundraising event of the year, takes place at Frank Kitts Park from 4pm on March 31.

  • Osteoarthritis awareness

    Arthritis New Zealand has launched a nationwide campaign raise awareness about osteoarthritis. 
    Arthritis is New Zealand’s leading cause of disability, affecting 305,000 adults, and osteoarthritis is its most common form.
    The campaign features television commercials and an interactive website.


  • Wild walk

    Take part in the Big Walk at Zealandia on March 31.
    Walkers can choose a two, five or 10 kilometre walk catering to all fitness levels.
    Money raised will go to the Foundation for Youth Development.

  • School pool

    The opening of the new Khandallah School pool this week means hundreds of children will be able to continue their swimming lessons.
    The pool was the first to receive a grant from Wellington City Council’s Schools Pools Partnership Fund, a fund set up in 2010 to help schools improve their pool facilities.
    Grants from the fund have also been made for pools at Wellington East Girls’ College, Barhampore School and Tawa School.

  • Easter bikers

    Motorcyclists are invited to get on their bikes and collect Easter eggs for families support from the Wellington City Mission.
    The charity run on April 1 is organised by motorcycle lobby group BONZ.
    Eggs can be donated at Red Baron Motorcylces in Alicetown. The registration fee for bikers is $10, plus the cost of Easter eggs.

  • Crafty

    Made on Marion opens on the site of the former Golding Handicrafts site in Marion St, from April 1.  They will continue to supply craft materials.

  • Ze upgrade

    Taranaki Street fuel users will notice that the Z Energy’s former Shell Service Station is closed.  Z are doing a “total revamp”.
    The job will take four weeks.

  • Newlands Moves

    Developer Ayal Aharoni has agreed to build only 90 instead of 220 houses on his six and a half hectares above Ngauranga Gorge in Newlands.  Only low density occupation will be allowed on the remaining 8.4 hectares.


  • Baring Head

    There's a new  draft plan out for what should happen at Baring Head.  It outlines how the Greater Wellington Regional council would like to manage the newest addition to its regional parks network. Grazing animals will go, motorised vehicles will be prohibited, predators will be controlled, and the lighthouse will be preserved. Submissions are invited.


  • It’s a wonder

    A new childcare centre in Newtown says it is dedicated to helping kids grow up healthy in mind, body and spirit. Little Wonders Childcare on Rintoul Street is an independent early childhood education and learning centre, the sixth centre to be opened by its Auckland-based owner. It caters to 100 children aged between three months and five years old and has been open for a little more than seven weeks.

  • Festival treats

    CHILDREN have not been forgotten by organisers of the New Zealand International Arts Festival.
    For a perfect first theatrical experience White tells the story of friends Cotton and Winkle who live in a world where there is no colour and everything is startlingly white. That is until a brightly coloured egg tumbles out of the sky and changes their world for ever.
    White plays at Capital E from March 7-11.
    The tale of Peter and the World also promises to be a magical night for all ages. Sergei Prokofiev’s classic children’s tale is told through film and live music from the NZ Symphony Orchestra at the Michael Fowler Centre on March 9.
    March 11 is Young Writers and Readers Day and readings from children’s writers and illustrators Lynley Dodd and Gavin Bishop.

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