Things that I will miss
1) The Stags inaugural performance in the Air New Zealand Cup.

2) Redemption during winter, playing football is awesome. Being a head honch at a club is priceless. Playing with mates is the best.

3) The Chosen Ones- Playing touch with The Chosen Ones is another thing I will definitely miss. The super tries and a real close knit team environment.

4) Mates - It is funny how I seem to be one of these people that goes between mates. I have some great mates, but no specific social group of mates. Many of them are settling down these days.

5) Pressy Ball - This a great chance to woo the ladies with dance moves. Being a veteran of eight balls admittedly they have become a little ho hum. Especially when you end up dancing with giggling school girls. I have actually turned into one of the elder statesmen who solve the worlds problems between dances with Paul Weir and Lachlan Gordon. Since they stopped the raspberry cheesecakes, it has gone downhill.

6) Playing Jonahs with Sammy. A great chance for D and M sessions!

7) Knowing heaps of people a little. That seems to be what has become of me. Handy when arranging things!

8) My family. They still treat me like the baby of the family!

Things I am looking forward to..
1) Warm weather, not having to cringe every time I go outside.

2) European Women- ooh lala!

3) Job Opportunities- The grass in greener mentality. Hopefully there are some unique employment opportunities.

4) Seeing new things and meeting new people. I will be more of a novelty over there than I am here.

5) A chance to go along to some other sporting events apart from All Black tests and cricket one dayers.

6) Darren is getting hitched and Smithy, Latif, Rudders and Emerson will be there. It will be wicked!

Lets Appreciate People

Over the past two weeks I have been inundated with gratitude from various sectors of people for the role of have played in their lives. This ranges from the over 40s at work to the Redemption and Chosen Ones teams. The stupid thing is that so often we don't appreciate people until they are leaving or gone. Last night I went to my mate Paulsy Copland's house for dinner. It was the first time I had been around there and it wouldn't have happened unless I was leaving or giving him the services of my entertainment system whilst I am away. It is also true of only noticing people when they are gone. Lets go back in time to one of the more challenging flatmates I have had. Andrew Seatter is famous around these parts for being a loud mouth Canterbury supporter who became the thorn in the side of many non Cantabs in his time. He supported Canterbury and anyone who played the Stags. Once he left there was no longer anyway for myself, Boss and anyway else in the scarlet and blue/gold fraternity to take out our frustrations on. There was also nothing more rewarding than winning whenever Seatter was around.The moral of the story is appreciate those around always, rather than making them only realise how valuable they are once they are about to leave or have left. Seatter we love you! I can't believe I just said that!

Jon and Dom. This dynamic duo are two of the best buds a guy could ever want if you are looking for a good time. Jon calls the shots and Dom is the guy who makes constant funnies and makes Jon look like the mature one. I went over to their flat where they can live their lifestyle of choice and played another board game from the library that Jon possesses. These are priceless times. Myself and Matty Dalman used to always go over to Jon's house and play. The rules were basically mainly known by Jon who would slowly reveal new ones when it best suits. Also Dom comes last and makes stuff ups, to make people feel better and if you want to leave you have to let Jon win (we discovered this one Sunday night when we didn't finish until 12:30am)

Last night we took some great photos and played some pool. Jon is a social butterfly as far as doing things which a great fun. The best thing is you can be yourself around them! Jon's blog is linked to this site, so hopefully he publishes the kudos photos from last night there is also a right up about the Haunted House game we played. The memories I have had with these two either individually or collectively are priceless. Some other kudos times are impersonations, new words, beach trips, camps, dancing, dvds, Cash Battle, playing pool, going to cricket and crashing at Jon's place.

Google Ads

You may have noticed the presence of Google Ads on this blog. How it works is that each time one of you clicks on the advertisement I get so many cents into by account from the advertiser. Amount of money varies depending on the varying affluence of the advertiser. My account is up to $20US, and I received a nasty letter from Google.

Hello Scott Donaldson,
It has come to our attention that invalid clicks have been generated on
the Google ads on your site(s). We have therefore disabled your Google
AdSense account. Please understand that this step was taken in an
effort to protect the interest of the AdWords advertisers.
A publisher's site may not have invalid clicks on any ad(s), including
but not limited to clicks generated by:
- a publisher on his own web pages
- a publisher encouraging others to click on his ads
- automated clicking programs or any other deceptive software
- a publisher altering any portion of the ad code or changing the
layout, behavior, targeting, or delivery of ads for any reason
Practices such as these are in violation of the Google AdSense Terms
and Conditions and programme polices, which can be viewed at:
https://www.google.com/adsense/localized-terms?hl=en_GB
https://www.google.com/adsense/policies?hl=en_GB
Publishers disabled for invalid click activity are not allowed further
participation in AdSense and do not receive any further payment. The
earnings on your account will be properly returned to the affected
advertisers.
Sincerely,
The Google AdSense Team


Everyone knows I may or may not have being guilty of such a heinous crime, but I am feeling argumentative so I responded with the following load of ballony!

Hey Google,
Whilst I am not disagreeing that I am in breach of the terms and conditions assigned to Google Adsense, it becomes incredibly difficult to adhere to these rules in several ways.
Firstly because advertisements are shown on a website, by encouraging people to visit and click onto your website, you are also therefore encouraging them to participate in clicking on google ads. The definition of the word "encourage" is so loosely used these days. It varies from a strong meaning, very close to commanding something like when a boss encourages someone to hand in their resignation. Yet it can be a diminutive positive reinforcement like a mother encouraging her son at a baseball game when they hit the ball. It is therefore a very grey area when encouraging people to click on Google Ads. I definitely never forced anyone to click on ads. In actual fact just telling someone that I receive money from them clicking on my ads is actually not encouraging per se!
Secondly because the Google Advertisements are based on the content of the website, it is difficult to view ones own site without being attracted to the advertisements. This comes because they are attractive to the target audience of the site. This also includes the author/subscriber to the site. Surely it is better for advertisers to gain clicks by a curious author/subscriber clicking the advertisement for genuine interest than not gain any clicks at all. How then am I as the author supposed to gain access to the advertisers' website, when the URL is not actually mentioned on the advertisement? Is this actually protecting the advertisers or cutting the hand that feeds them? Even a Google Search on the contents of the advertisement would struggle to provide instant access to the actual site.
Just thought I would mention a few of the set backs associated with Google Adsense!

I stole this fron the www.stuff.co.nz website

New midfield keeps the faith

22 June 2006 By CHRIS BARCLAY
BUENOS AIRES: They pray together yet have rarely played together. Still, the new All Blacks midfield rugby pairing of Sam Tuitupou and Isaia Toeava have unerring faith in their ability to produce an effective partnership in Sunday morning's test against Argentina at Velez Sarsfield.

The Aucklanders have never played alongside each other in jerseys 12 and 13 at club or elite level.

The scope of their close-quarters teamwork is limited to games of rip tag touch rugby for the Breakthrough Church team in the central city.

"Just rip tag, that's about it," Tuitupou grinned today when asked if the pair had ever shared any quality time in the middle of a rugby field.

"We have played together quite a bit for the church though, so I know Ice (Toeava) has a lot of talent and speed."

Eyebrows were raised when the All Blacks selectorial merry go round threw the Samoan duo together.

Tuitupou, 24, confessed he was also surprised his test career had been resurrected after an almost two-year hiatus.

The diminutive, yet hard-hitting, second five-eighth feared his six-test career was spiked after the 26-40 Tri Nations loss in Johannesburg in 2004.

Understandably perhaps, he then feared his fortunes were heading even further south when the Blues dispatched him to the Super 14 draft last year.

He was shunted down State Highway One to Hamilton.

Being jettisoned by the Blues cut deep on a professional – and personal level.

"My old man (Taniela), he's a really proud dude and he was kind of disappointed with me moving down to the Chiefs," Tuitupou revealed.

"You know how Islanders are ... I felt I'd let (the family) down and they feel ashamed.

"All I wanted to do was prove to my old man I could make the All Blacks again ... this means a lot to me."

Ironically, the Waikato was ultimately the ideal location to reprise his stunted career.

"When I got sent to the Chiefs I never thought I'd be back in the (All Blacks) team," Tuitupou admitted today.

"I guess moving down the Chiefs I was just trying to get my form back and going there has enabled me to really enjoy the game again.

"I've had a lot of help from (coach) Ian Foster and it's paid off."

Tuitupou pinpointed his major development under Foster as being more talkative and demanding on the field.

"That's the major change. I was a quiet guy, I just did my job and that was it - now I'm more vocal.

"Just having guys like Ice around is good. He's quite a shy guy and I guess for me it's about helping him out to play his best game."

Toeava, who was stunned to bolt onto the All Blacks Grand Slam tour last November, is still coming to terms with his second stint in the All Blacks.

Picked as the bolter on the triumphant tour of Great Britain and Ireland, the 20-year-old made a solid if unspectacular debut against Scotland in his favoured fullback position.

To say Toeava remained overawed is an understatement though head coach Graham Henry insisted he had grown during his first Super rugby campaign as a draft player for the Hurricanes.

"He's much more relaxed," Henry said.

"He knows the boys, there are a lot of Hurricanes here and that's been very helpful.

"That's a real positive and that's what Super 14 has done for him as well as putting him under pressure.

"He's back there (at fullback) by himself a lot and he's come through well.

"He's a matured footballer compared with the young fella we took away last year."

A disarming "aw shucks" shyness remained close to the surface though as Toeava shuffled around centre stage at the team media session.

"At the start (of the Super 14) I didn't have a lot of confidence, I didn't know who I was playing against – now I know the guys," said Toeava, who has not played centre since school days.

However, a greater familiarity with the likes of Rico Gear, Leon Macdonald and Dan Carter did not translate to a willingness to bark out orders at the weekend.

"They're bigger than me," he joked, "they'll probably beat me up."

It is refreshing to see these guys are in God's Army.
Society seems to accept Pacific Islanders as Christians more than Caucasians. Thoughts/ Comments?

PARTY!

Here are some photos of various qualities of my weekend of festivities. It is a shame I didn't get any of us caked in mud after playing in shambolic conditions on Sunday. This was a sausage fest on the main, but I am an Alpha Male and proud of it!

The shout went well today. Between my colleagues and myself we put on a fine spread. The irony of all of this is that people tend to be more friendly to you when you are leaving or putting on food, so I am finally feeling like I fit in amongst the rough edged building team, now that I am leaving!

The Festivities

The photos are coming of the weekend. Unfortunately I didn't take my camera down to DNI to reveal the mudbath which we revelled in for almost two hours on Sunday afternoon. Friday night started with some Johnny Cash Walk the Line Action followed by dessert. It was a cozy night in and there were about ten people.

Saturday night saw over twenty people embark on watching the ABs and a general yarn fest with all the well established male institutions of the Otago Southland scene and the odd female. A pretty poor game, but some great friends gathered together. So rugby isn't the babe pulling pastime it once was. I remember going to the Brook to see the Lions play Otago and the number of really attractive, cool British girls touring the country was something to behold.

The sleet showers and freezing temperatures made the touch, tackle and football fun. We cut up the DNI grounds pretty bad, but we could because they are not DCC grounds! It was some 6 on 6 action. The majority of those showing up were The Chosen Ones, showing the level of commitment and enthusiasm by the team. I will dearly miss The Chosen Ones with their great team culture and must win attitude, often lacking by other teams!

I can leave these fair shores happy in knowing that The Chosen Ones are in great hands coming off a nine game winning streak including flogging of the Unipol referees on the final night. That is where my intercept gift returned to haunt the opposition for two tries which were my first intercept tries of the module (I had scored other tries).

Also the mighty Redemption won again at the weekend to be in the top half of the competition. I hope that they can continue on their merry way without me too. It is tougher to organise this team with more players required and generally less enthusiasm. We have achieved everything that I could hope for. We won the Fifth Division and also won a game in Invercargill to make the main draw of the Chatham Cup. Finally we achieved the honour of getting a newspaper article in the ODT about us and several mentions in the press. What other semi social/ 4th Division side can claim that? And Jeremy France still doesn't know if he wants to play for us....

Open Invitation

I am writing to invite you to some goings on at my flat this weekend. I am throwing a party this Saturday night from 7:25pm and everyone is invited. It is kind of bad timing with exams and all, but by the following weekend everyone will have gone. We will watch the test match ABs v Ireland until about 9:30pm.Then for all those non rugbyheads, we will listen to some tunes and play some fun games, (possibilities are endless!) until the wee small hours. Bring some drink or food!

Anyway there are other events planned for the weekend too. Friday night is a dessert and DVD evening foranyone who is keen. Action starts at 8pm. It will be a chilled out way to spend your Friday night. Bring some dessert or drink.

Venue: Flat 1 -63 Opoho Road it is the place on thesame road as Gardens New World. Go up the road until just before the sign and the road bends. There is a steep driveway. There are stairs about halfway down the driveway on the left. Go down these then we are the far away flat on the left.Finally on the Sunday The Chosen Ones will take on the World at Touch. This will be a chance at off season touch action at DNI at 2:30pm tap off. Come one, come all!

It will be great to see you there!The reason for these festivities is because I am leaving to go overseas soon and want to have some fun before I go. I know people have other commitments on so the point of having three social activities is soyou can make at least one of them. Spread the word: Tell all your mates about this bumper weekend.

P.S. I also have the following weekend free for some fun, maybe a Redemption after match?Flip me a text on 027 3039564 if you have anyquestions. Otherwise just show up!

The World has gone mad!

This weekend represented the first All Blacks test of the year and the start of the football World Cup, which mean sleepless nights and hours in front of the box. I love the football World Cup more this year than ever before. The dramatic nature of the beautiful game is brilliant! Here are a couple of interesting stories I lifted.

Pitch invader to sell bikini on Trade Me12 June 2006
Inspired by the Tana Umaga handbag bidding frenzy, a bikini-clad woman arrested for streaking at the All Blacks-Ireland rugby test is auctioning off the skimpy garment – to pay her legal fees.
Lisa Lewis, 25, was arrested and charged with disorderly behaviour after being crash-tackled by a security guard, in front of 30,000 fans at Waikato Stadium, in the dying moments of Saturday night's test. She was also carrying a handbag, hoping to secure the All Blacks' autographs, to auction. "Streaking on a rugby ground was on my list of things to do before I die," she said.
Ms Lewis, from Mt Maunganui, has promptly posted her "tinsi winsi green and black" bikini on the Trade Me website – and within hours bidding had climbed to $580.
She was influenced by the $22,750 price fetched for the handbag Umaga used to whack fellow Hurricane Chris Masoe.
Ms Lewis said she had no convictions and hoped to be granted diversion – but needed money to pay a lawyer.

Source www.stuff.co.nz

Saudi Arabia's players could earn up to 600,000 riyals ($NZ250,000) each if they reach the last 16 of the World Cup, a team spokesman said on Monday.
The players were told of the incentives, the largest ever offered by the wealthy kingdom's government, by the soccer federation head the Prince Sultan at a meeting in the team hotel on Sunday.
"The players will earn 100,000 riyals for each victory in the group phase, and a 300,000 riyals payment if they get through the group," team media officer Ibrahim Al-Goba said on Monday.
Saudi Arabia begin their campaign on Wednesday against fellow Arabic side Tunisia in Munich on Wednesday and also face Ukraine and Spain in Group H.
The opener against Tunisia is being billed as the crunch fixture for both countries with victory for either opening up a path to the second round.
Hussein Sulaimani, a veteran of two World Cups and who is hopeful of a starting place in the Saudi back four in Munich, said the match was more about honour than financial reward.
"Our motivation is high, we see this match as a crossroads and an opportunity," he told reporters. "We want to show a good picture of our team and Arab football.
"We have a dream and we are working very hard to make it come true. I want to do well because you never know if this is going to be your last World Cup.
"We have great experience in our squad and there is harmony between the young and old players."
Sulaimani, who needs just three caps to reach 100 for his country, said the fact that Tunisia could be without Brazilian-born striker Francileudo dos Santos does not tip the balance in Saudi Arabia's favour.
"They are not a one-man team," he said. "If anything, the player who comes in if he can't play will be trying even harder to prove that he should start the next game.

www.nzoom.com

Names

Why is it that some names have certain conotations? Often this is brought about by you knowing someone with that name, in fact someone who gave that name a bad name.

The following names seem to be of real serious people Jeff, Andrew (if he wasn't serious he would be Andrew), Simon (he would be Si), David, Jeremy, Gareth, Philip.

Bogan Names, Darrell, Shayne, Wayne, Dwayne, Darryn, Kerry, Dallas.

Alternatives, Storm.

Funny Guys, Ralph,.

Poofters, Rupert, Julian, Gavin, Kevin, Calvin.

Losers, Nigel, Bruce, Shawn.

Annoying Know it Alls, Vince.

This is all just my opinion!

Digital Camera







I finally made a decision and went for a SONY camera. It was 15% off and so got a case and Memory Stick for free basically. It is funny how the customer service varies so much in these stores. We found the best service at this place called Powerstore, but they had the smallest range. It was not reduced anywhere else except Farmers but they had 20% off but none in stock! Jon and Dom my mates, also got the same camera and it was fun doing the whole girly shop together rather than shopping individually. It was fun!

Redemption gained another valuable three points after winning two nil over Dunedin Technical on Saturday. We had plenty of subs and chances at goals, but our finishing was again disappointing. The strikers haven't been showing up at practice much, so we have been mainly practising passing which I must say, has helped our game and my game. I actually did two passes in lead up to the first goal in the First Half which Gav tapped in becasue his shooting is by his own admission scratchy. We then got given an own goal in the 2nd Half to add to our margin and held on for the victory. The Culling Park pitch is tiny, considering they are a Premiere club.

Still with football, it is taking over my life in a huge way. Tomorrow morning the All Whites face the mighty Brazil, and in the afternoon we play again this time against Northern A. We still have some aching bodies after Saturday!