Today it was announced that as of July 2006 the 5c coin will be removed from circulation and we will have new 10, 20 and 50 cent pieces. So now instead of paying $8.95 for a hunger buster at McDonalds we will have to pay $9 and just not get our 5c pieces for our money jars thats really not on. I am really fond of the little 5c piece. And the rounding system now makes sense kinda, but when its to the nearest 10c it means which way does it go if it ends in 5 for example $55.95 let me guess it becomes $56.00.

And I remember we used to have 1c lollies before they got rid of 1 & 2 cent coins, now we have 5c lollies so are we soon just gonna have 10c lollies now thats a rip off.

The Law states that so long as the force is reasonable and used honestly for correction. In other words so long as the child is not just being beaten for the sake of been given a beating. A recent Social development Ministry survey found that about half of all parents had smacked their child within the last three months.

I believe that the law as it stands is good as it allows children to be punished, while still making it unlawful to beat on your child. The alternatives to smacking just don't have the same effect. Time-out is ridiculous especially in this day and age where kids have everything from TVs to Playstations and all their toys in their rooms anyway. Whenever I was given time-out as a kid I found it good because I would just go to my room and sit quietly reading a book or such other activities, but on the other side when I was smacked it hurt and was more likely to stop me doing it in the future. So yes I agree with smacking and if I have kids in the future they will be punished by smacking.

Researchers have given fresh weight to the complaint of many single women - there aren't enough men.

The census counted 53,000 more women than men aged 20-49, or just under 7 per cent more women. About 1.5 million Kiwis are in this age group.

The shortage of men comes despite them starting off life in greater numbers - 5 per cent more boys are born than girls.

I found this on Stuff the other day and decided that it was kinda amusing it means that its not as hard for us blokes to find ourselves a girl....well for all of us in the 20-49 age group. Well at least for those single males out there

Gary McCormack made this quote

"The gap was proof that the government had to give men a subsidy to get them to stay in the country.Five thousand (dollars) would do, they can then buy a Holden and other things that help improve their social operation."

So lets get out there and get ourselves a subsidy so that we stay in the country and keep the numbers even.....

Although some guys would just prefer to keep it how it is with more girls

Yes its back again

This time following on from the actual legislation we are now about to have the first actual court case as an iwi in the eastern Bay of Plenty, try to claim customary rights over 40 Kms of seabed and foreshore. The problem is that the legislation never actually stated what customary title meant and what rights it would give to the iwi if they win their case. This is typical of a lot of policy under the current government as they try to keep all people happy, they have released a huge amount of ambiguous legislation and their policies for this election will be no different it is rather confusing to me.

The best part of the whole issue is the fact that the iwi cannot legally gain ownership of the beach and prevent other New Zealanders from using the beach. This was the only part of the whole bill that really made sense.

U.S. Supreme Court Turns Down Schiavo Case


The Highest US court has turned down Terri Schiavo's parents case to have the feeding tube replaced. This has left her parents out of time and out of options after a seven year legal battle.

Gov. Jeb Bush, the president's brotherwanted a state welfare agency to take custody of the 41-year-old woman who suffered brain damage from a cardiac arrest when she was 26.

"Terri is peaceful, she's resting comfortably. She's dying, she's in her death process," Felos said. Felo is the Lawyer of Terri's husband and legal guardian Michael Schiavo.

"I'm saddened by the decision of the court to reject Terri Schiavo's case for life despite a compelling case for reexamination of the medical evidence," U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist said following the Supreme Court order.

"It is a sad day for her loving family and for their innocent and voiceless daughter."

Three dozen protesters held vigil outside the Pinellas Park, Florida, hospice where Schiavo is being cared for.

"It's throwing away a life, denying her the right every human being should have," said Stan Zgurzynski, Florida state deputy for Catholic group Knights of Columbus.

The fight over Schiavo was not quite over. Greer's ruling could be appealed. And Felos said the Schindlers' attorneys had filed a new petition with U.S. District Judge James Whittemore, who this week rejected their request to have the feeding tube reinserted.

This means that the case could still go on, but it is kinda over for her parents as the case is unlikely to be overturned

Will Camilla Parker-bowles be Queen of New Zealand???
Helen Clark says NO!!!!

Prime Minister Helen Clark says she is adamant Camilla Parker Bowles would not become Queen of New Zealand, should Prince Charles become King.

"The Queen of New Zealand is the sovereign, such as the Queen herself now is," Miss Clark said.

"If Camilla were referred to in the context of king and queen, it would clearly be as Queen consort."

New Zealanders would "definitely not" be her subjects - something Miss Clark was comfortable with.

Prince Charles and Mrs Parker Bowles will marry on April 8, and Governor-General Dame Silvia Cartwright and Mr Peter Cartwright have accepted an invitation from the Queen to attend the service of prayer and dedication at Windsor Castle.

Helen Clark seems adamant yet by the law of Britain if she becomes the Queen of England isn't she also the the Queen of New Zealand I don't know. Personally I favour becoming a republic and completely finishing the arguement right here and now.

Happy easter to all

I hope all the Uni students out there are glad to finally be on holidays but I seem to have just as much if not more work to do now than during uni its really not on

Happy Easter guys and have a good holiday

Jono

I think politicians from the major parties are now playing a game of jump on the bandwagon. We've had National following Labour and vice - versa for quite a long time now, but this latest one for me just takes the cake. First Winston Peters claims that the new National policy of getting tougher on youth crims was stolen from NZ First and then we have Labour saying that they are also looking at lowering the age of criminal responsibility to 12 from 14. I don't understand its getting crazy.
The ME TOO policy has come into play. Is this just a thing where if one party brings out a policy that the public say they like then the others decide we'll do that too???
I remember after Brash's Orewa speech last year all of a sudden Labour decided to make a new position of Race-Relations minister and give it to a white man....coincidence I think not.

Here is Helen's own words about the new policy

Prime Minister Helen Clark said she was not personally opposed to lowering the age of criminal responsibility from 14 to 12. In 2003 there were 102 12 and 13-year-olds who had committed indictable offences, and 80 of those were for arson.

"I don't think we should get into a moral panic about 102 bad youngsters," she said.

In florida there is a lady who has been on life support for 15 years (since 1990). Her Husband says she is basically a vegetable and wouldn't want to live her life this way, but her parents have been constantly fighting to prolong her life. On friday her feeding tube was removed as the result of a court order won by her husband. She was expected to live for one to two weeks after the removal of the tube. This tube has been sustaining her since 1990 when a heart attack stopped oxygen flowing to her brain. There has been an intervention from the congress...to represent the "culture of life" and they have passed legislation to allow the case to be heard by the federal courts. Bush left a texas holiday to race back and sign off on the legislation.

My question to you (or Poll if you like) is what is a) your opinion on this case and b) If it was you would you want to be left to die or would you like to stay on as you were unable to live a full life?????

Well I've just read Jeremy's blog about the Labour List and suprisingly I guess that Helen was lying on TV when she said (and I quote) "There will be a place for him in the cabinet after the election" So I don't understand she can just lie blatantly on television and hope that all the ignorant voters out there will forget by the time the election comes around I for one will not..As I also won't forget the lies about speeding, paintergate, corngate and the rest helen you are a lying cow and as soon as the rest of the country realise it this will be a better place

Labour has blamed the fog at wellington airport for delaying the releasing of their party list for the election this year. Also this morning on Breakfast Helen (Jeremy's Aunty) came on and said that "for a Septeember election a few days late is of no difference"

I wonder is the fog the real reason or is there a bit of infighting going on in the Labour party at the moment....I want to see this list just to see whether John Tamihere has stayed in his spot or if they are trying to force him out...I think that there are problems and that the Fog is just a conveniant excuse for the delay

Also the latest opinion poll is in. Don't read too much into it the smaller parties always get more as we get closer to elections and people only pick between Labour and National this far out

Labour 46%
National 35%
NZ 1st 5%
Greens 5%
ACT 3%

Maori 1.3%
United 1%
Progressives 0.6%

And Destiny NZ 0.6%

Ok so at the moment we'd probably have another Labour government...bugger
Oh well lets see I think a late swing to minor parties could change this

The three Nos when it comes to table conversation????
Well are they???

On Saturday we went to an engagement party and I'm pretty sure all were talked about at some point, but maybe you've just gotta have the right company. The group at the table were pretty much all interested in politics including our own personal devils advocate....(you know who you are) But it didn't seem to matter we still discussed it all and then some. A good night was had by all and It has made me think abut the three nos of dinner conversation, One thing I've realised is that there are a few people I know if we talked about our opposing politics we wouldn't be likely to get on as well as we do, but we just avoid those subjects and talk of our hatred towards Labour....

Anyway I don't believe these should be the three nos of table conversation, just make sure you know your audience