We went to [(http://www.tiritirimatangi.org.nz/ | Tiritiri Matangi)] for the day. Felt really connected to natural NZ,it seemed a very valid way of marking Waitangi Day. it's fantastic to see the progress made on the Island, the native birdlife, much of it very rare indeed is thriving. The reforestation is progressing well.
Great to be able to support what is being done there and assuage some of the guilt of a 2 cat household :)
Aucklanders, if you haven't been, put it on you list.

Hmmm, sorry didn't get that quote bit right...

<q> Seriously, what is it with insurance companies and self-inflicted PR disasters?<q>

Well that is the law and you can hardly blame the Insurance companies for acting on it.The Riot Damages Act 1886 covers this and essentially the Police are liable for damages caused by riot and must compensate the Insurers and presumably the uninsured if they act quickly (14 day limit for submitting claims)

I had terrible problems with my 3GS after the iOS4 upgrade, continually dropping calls, freezing and then resetting date and time back to 1970. A right pain when you correct the date and all the old alarms go off for a years worth of appointments and reminders.*Life flashes before eyes*

Good news though is that a restore to factory settings (done in Itunes with iphone connected to its home computer) fixed everything up and the itunes backup restored everything (calendar, email settings, apps) except my music which was easy enough to copy again from itunes.

Very annoying though and patience with Apple is running very thin, I will certainly not be joining the iphone4 or ipad users until they have been around for a good 6 months and preferably in 2nd generation mode.

<No, football England aren't like the All Blacks every four years. It's a popular view in NZ, comforting but false.>

The comparison is not necessarily winning the respective World Cups but performing well below realistic expectations. England should have topped their group and by virtue of a relatively easy draw made the semi-final.

The comparison is of top players freezing on the big stage perhaps due to fright and the overwhelming expectations of their countrymen and news media.

Gio, let me join the team in wishing you back, I always enjoy your comments, whatever the topic.
And remember 82, the Azzurri started with 3 draws and won the tournament, I was lucky enough to be there for all their games from the 2nd round onwards and love Italian football and fans.

Forza Italia and Forza All Whites :)

Two fabulous results and football is really penetrating the NZ pysche. The Paraguay game will probably be the hardest of the three with the South American style so foreign to us.
Mind you our style will certainly unsettle them and if we carry on creating 3 or 4 genuine chances every game we will always be in with a real chance of a result.May this golden run never end.
And just a little icing on the cake for me :

BBC Team of the day, 4 Brazilians, 3 Paraguayans and 4 All Whites
Awesome!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/world_cup_2010/8750355.stm