h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

From this morning's Dominion (Wellington) newspaper. In New Zealand, for the first time in recorded history, this year more homicides were committed by women than men.

Scary stuff.

Heh.
Are you implying that a 'worm has turned' scenario has come about? Maybe many women are taking on Popeye's battle cry: "That's all I can stands - I can't stands no more!!!" All I can say is: fair enough.

*wonders if it has anything to do with the kiwi men they have to put up with... *

I'm amazed at that Loony - correct me if i'm wrong but it must be a world first?

Linus it's probably happened before in South America. Somewhere around the Amazon River.

Perhaps we're looking at this from the wrong perspective: are Kiwi men becoming more passive and relaxed? Sort of "I could be homicidal today but why bother? It's a nice day, I might just get some fish and chips and go to the movies instead."

Wowbagger, you could be right about the diet aspect.

Colin Meads (recently voted best rugby player of the 20th Century) has come out and said that he believes the reason the All Blacks are getting beaten more often these days is because dieticians and other wooly-woofters have been allowed near the team. Instead of eating steak and potatoes they are eating pasta and salads and crap like that (His words).

Colin, known in his playing days as Pinetree, once played a Test against South Africa with a bandage on his broken arm. Some modern-day All Blacks would leave the field if they got a blister on their foot.

Colin (now 64) was awarded New Zealand's highest honour in the New Year's honours list announced today. Officially the award was in recognition of his achievments in sport and work for the community. I like to think it had something to do with him being (and hopefully continuing to be) a role-model for young New Zealand men.

The world's going soft: I've often said it myself *sips latte and nods thoughtfully*.

Despite the joke it's true.

I'm getting soft myself in my old age. 12.30pm on New Years Eve and I haven't had a beer yet. Saving myself for tonight... not a pretty sight at 12.30am is my early prediction

Hi Loony,

And a very healthy and happy (first) New Year of the new Millennium to you. Just got back from Sydney, so have not had time to catch up with the One Day Cricket series between Enzed and Zimbabwe; perhaps you could tell me how it is going?

Walter

Welcome back Walter. I hope you didn't risk swimming at any of the polluted Sydney beaches.

NZ did a little better against Zimbabwe than Tasmania is doing in the Pura Milk Cup

I have great respect for any number of All Blacks but Colin Mead is not one of them i'm afraid Loony

Apart from the fact that i never saw him play there is also a slight issue about what he did to Catchpole's knee...

Hi Loony,

Thanks for the welcome. Yes cobber, we did swim while in Sydney. At Bondi. The only pollution we noticed was all the expat Enzedders, otherwise the water was fine. And in case you hadn't noticed, Tassie has won two games in the Sheffield Shield; unless the 'Australian' has erred, that is one MORE than the All Slacks managed against Zimbabwe.

When time permits, I want to share some thoughts with you about the Peer Review system, given that you seem to be someone who is less than satisfied with it and I am singularly unable to comprehend it. In the meantime, take care,

Walter

Junction relives the good old days
Another string was added to the Junction Oval bow yesterday. Australia played Victoria at cricket, neighboring office blocks were deserted as men in ties swapped keyboards for cans, and the City of Port Phillip quite possibly smashed all records for parking tickets meted out on a Tuesday in January...

From http://www.thepavilion.com.au

Hi Loony,

Junction Oval; Australia vs Victoria - in a word 'marvellous'. The atmosphere, the participation, the attitude, the cricket - all just right. And all for two dollars adults and a dollar for children. The great game as it ought to be, and could be again, not, for obvious reasons, all of the time, but certainly for most of the time. And you know what was on telly, Loony? Australia A versus the Windies, all afternoon and the best chunk of the evening. Mind-numbing and pointless and sadly lacking entertainment value. Me and the beloved took the vandal for a walk down the Bay, and then had a glass of vino in the garden, but I would have been glued to the teev if they had broadcast from Junction Oval.

Walter

Walter, I thought you would enjoy the yarn - and the cricket. I agree there should be more of it. I live across the road from McLean Park in Napier - the ground, each year, hosts a couple Of Test Matches and up to three international one-dayers. This summer we have Sri Lanka and Pakistan playing there. The Aussies played there last summer.

It also hosts things like Napier Boys' High v Auckland Grammer which is when you can find me, complete with floppy hat and cold can of beer, lying under a palm tree enjoying the proceedings.

I'll post the Aus v Victoria thing at the Ask h2g2 cricket forum. Steve and the lads will probably enjoy it.

Loony

I missed the game as i said in the cricket forum...but i did see what looked like a schoolboys match on the oval next to where i am working. A couple of us popped over at lunchtime. Most enjoyable

Hi Loony,

Congratulations on the Lamburger article gaining feature status on today's front page. It does seem a long time ago that I first read that, but better late than never I guess. I know it is difficult, but don't let this newly acquired superstardom affect your legendary humility. Take care, cobber.

Walter

As I may have mentioned elsewhere. "It's hard to be humble."

...and while I am bragging. As well as writing the Lamburger article, I subbed two of the other yarns featured on the front page today, Krakow and Kingston.

Loony, (world-renowned at h2g2... and in his little mind)

Hi Loony,

Was bored and trawling the site when your brief encounter with Trilby came up. I thought it an odd exchange and went looking at his page, where I found a few more equally offensive outbursts and got stuck into a couple. One of them engendered a sort of defence of Trilby's conduct from Lucinda and earned me a swift rebuke from the same quarter. See the trouble I get into just looking after a cobber (who was admittedly doing just fine anyway)? I am unused to being tolerant and am ill-equipped to exercise restraint, and especially rare it is for me to crave forgiveness from complete strangers when innocent of any wrongdoing and indeed when performing a public service that would ordinarily get me many commendations and a couple of shouts at the local. But my question is, how come your pithy retort didn't earn you a caution from the Central Monitoring Unit or a yellow card from the Don't be Unkind to Dickheads Standing Committee? Take better care than I am, and let this be a reminder to you of the perils of idleness and indolence.

Walter.