VATA NGOBENI - WE SAY SORRY

It sure appears that Taupo police made an awful error of judgement  Much liked and well respected sports journalist Vata Ngobeni found himself the victim of some over eager police in Taupo last night.

Reports indicate he was dragged off to the local cop shop as a suspected drug dealer.

According to other journalists with him at the time he was the only black person  in the bar. 

Admittedly the police have apologised but it should never have happened in the first place. 

Anyway this sort of crap is unacceptable  so to all New Zealanders the pic is of a good man,  a well respected professional man, who is here to enjoy our country  - So lets ensure that Vata  gets the respect and hospitality he deserves for the rest of his stay. We all owe him that. 

GETTING A LOT IN LITTLE RIVER

I was lucky enough to be over on the Banks Peninsula today and even luckier to have lunch with some friends at the Little River Cafe and Gallery.  

The food is fantastic and reasonably priced. We had the beef pie - it  was full of dense beef  topside in a thick and tasty gravy studded with mushrooms. The cafe sells smoked salt and I would bet a dollar to a donut that the chef seasoned the pie with this wonderful seasoning. 

Desert was a baked cheese cake. The place was packed  as any good cafe is.  And the coffee was strong with any trace of bitterness. 

If you are on the way to Akaroa during the Rugby World Cup then make Little River your brunch stop . You wont be disappointed

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?

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.

SONNY BILL TO FIGHT A SICKNESS BENEFICIARY??

Well thats the story we keep hearing.. Man has tennis elbow apparently... So if you cant work - how can you fight?

Are people really going to spend good money to see a sham fight?

Or is SBW gonna fight with one arm behind his back to make it a fair fight like..

Can a journo pop the question to the crooning bruiser?

Actually we think that there is only one real opponent for SBW - thats Whale our own adored blogging cyco.

He's been trying to get Mallard to front him in the ring but lets face it if SBW's opponent is really on the bene then he's gonna have to find a new sparring partner real fast and Whale looks the ticket.