Bear's Blog New Zealand (Beta)

See something like this makes my heart falls apart

Team New Zealand's tragic event in America's cup, costed 3 spinnakers and a match. (Photo: AP)

Sleepy New Zealand

First ... Go Team NZ! just three more races!

New Zealand is a sports mad country. It's good, but there are some side effects. The country's employers are reporting a declining business productivity because their employees are too addicted to America's Cup, which usually starts at 1am and finishes around 3am NZT, and do not have enough energy to work next day, even missing from the work.

One of the many reaons that Kiwis want to bring the cup back is because of its economic benefit. I'm not an economist, but I think it would be very interesting to calculate out the economic loss as up to 5% of country's population try to catch up the sleep while they are at work.

I watch the cup only if it starts as planned: 3AM finish is still acceptable for me, but anytime later than that, I say sorry to the telly and I go to sleep. It's not about the employer, but your own beneift. Sleep less than 8 hours not only means less productivity next day, it will also put yourself at risk while driving or working in the day.

Our Prime Minister, Helen Clark has set a very good example for us. She managed to stay awake to watch the cup but went to sleep just because... Team NZ was lacking behind.

But what she didn't expect ... or as the result of her sleep is that Team NZ had a dramatic comeback and finally won the race since her went to the bed

For god's sake, Ms Clark, don't watch the cup tonight, please.

Holiday!

There is a change in my life. I would like all my friends to know that I will lose my current columnist job after August, become part of 4% unemployed population.

It's not my fault though : the magazine wants to have more entertainment contents. The 'big brother' ordered me to stop talking about politics and have more like 'which pub is the best' or 'how to play a computer game' thing, and I refused.

That means I need to get a job soon and I am just trying to do that in the holiday. However, I'll be very pleased if, any of you can refer me to any part time jobs avaialable around you that does not require a lot of customer service( I hate to do that).

Rising Kiwi Dollar

The picture is just a currency monitor I have in Vista's sidebar, the first thing I would be looking at on my computer.

Report says that the Reserve Bank of New Zealand may intervened the market today but yet to confirm. The small monitor I got showed that Kiwi dollar was tumbled to 74.9 us cents early this morning, but soon backed up again.

It's the second time that reseved bank has stepped in but the result is really hard to see.

The current Kiwi dollar has become a nightmare for many exportersand fueled the housing market. However, the reserve bank has still only implemented very limited actions, but rising interest rate would just further fuel the fire of exchange rate.

Everyone is calling for a Capital Gain Tax that saves hard working people to get their first house, but look like all politicians are still trying save their investments in their own pocket rather than save the people they suppose to represent.

Hope the reserve bank is going to do something other than interest rate to cool down the housing market. Otherwise the high kiwi dollar would become an advantage of many people as they moving overseas to escape from high interest rates and for a better economy.

Herald’s mock on Dr Bruce Hucker.

It is very annoying for me to know that he has a dog called Bear.

Anyway. I have met this man in a 'field trip' of my degree at the start of this year. Don't remember much about him ... except...

After the seminar like thing from Council staffs (sure include Mr Hucker), we students were treated with a small afternoon tea with refreshments, juice, coffee and so on ... Mr Hucker was there as well, and said something like:

" When you just think all those food are free, they are actually provided by your or your parents' rate, you paid for them already, so enjoy."

Sounds like a veteran of public money spender ... isn't he?

High school revisited

I had a quick visit to my High School yesterday, just before I went to see my therapist.

The school is under a huge renovation this year.

I don’t know much about the plan, but what I can say is that I believe school is on the right to become a great school. We don’t have lucky fires like Avondale did, so the inconvenience caused by the renovation is just bit unavoidable.

I did not see much as I was in a rush, so just some general impression:

• Many new staffs, but also become more unfriendly.
• Noise everywhere.
• Still feels like in a combat zone.
• A lot of wagers passed by my eyes.
• And most importantly,  the school still smells... bad… reminds me Bart’s catchphrase:
  “Smell ya later”

I am definitely looking forward to smell the school later.