Got em', gone!

After a lengthy but unproductive time at the crease, Brash has been given out LBW; Lying Bumbling Womaniser.

Wow, wikipedia updated already!

Ashes

I love cricket and have succumbed to the lure of the Ashes. I have to support Australia, both because I live here and because I am pathological about the English... I only wish McGill was playing instead of the f__kwit Warne.

Can't roll a leader when he's high in the polls?

Conventional political wisdom says Brash must survive until the polls turn against National. So too does his former chief of staff, Richard Long, who today said you never change leaders when you're ahead in the polls.

But this only makes sense if you assume that supporters will depart the party in greater numbers than those that might join following a change at the top. Maybe true most of the time, but Brash's leadership has rarely been secure and, this far out from the election, the polls can and will change.

I don't accept the lines coming out of National's various back channels, it's not conventional wisdom saving Brash, it's the inability of caucus to agree a successor. Long must know this in which case he's either trying to buy the National caucus some time or he's trying to encourage Brash to leave before he's inevitably pushed.

Icebergs in NZ, hades in Sydney

I'd have paid a considerable sum of money to be somehow transported out of Sydney last night and relocated onto or near this damn iceberg - 35 degrees+ for most of the yesterday and too freak'n hot to sleep over night.

It's mild 38 degrees today.

C is for cookie

The little one is very keen on being sung too. The Wiggles have been her favourites for a while now however they've recently been displaced by various Sesame St songs (gotta love Youtube). C is for cookie is number one at present but the Manamana song is on a rapid ascent. Yellow submarine is another crowd pleaser - fortunately for me, I think Ringo only sings two or three notes so I can manage a reasoanbly faithful rendition.

... I don't own Revolver... should I have admitted to that?

The half life of kool kredits

Halfpie's been doing all the right things with his daughters. He comments that any kool kredits that accrue however, must be spent within the weekend or else they'll evaporate. A 48 hour half life.

I reckon the half life of kool kredits is age-related, I only hope it extends rather than contracts with each birthday. In my experience, the younger they are, the more transient moods appear - on the up side, any major disappointment can dissipate with 30 mins of the Wiggles but on the downside, 6 hours of energetic playing is no insurance against a moody bedtime!

Get over it Murray

I've never been on the inside of National and so have never understood Murray McCully's influence; frankly, he's always seemed pedestrian to me. This latest outbust hardly convinces me otherwise.

Is Murray keen to align himself with the Monarchists? Why, 'cause National needs more support from rural NZ and old aged pensioners? Perhaps, giving him some credit, he's decided that William's likely to take the throne soon thereby newing the Crown and making it sexy with young women?

National might have some legitimate grievances with the music industry, they appear to have few if any vocal artistic supporters, but I can't see how bagging Dave Dobbyn, who quite frankly would have to be one of the most popular muso's in NZ, is going to help.

National clearly needs to renew the front bench 'cause Murray sounds like the 'narky old man nextdoor, hardly the image that'll attract votes in the major urban centres.

Why we may well win the Cup

The All Blacks win over the French on the weekend was one of the most complete games I've seen in years.

Jerry Collins was magnificent as were the other Wellingtonians, So'oialo, Weepu, and Smith (who may have nailed the Centre spot). Jerry's quoted in today's SMH on keeping the French scoreless:

"It's like when you're little, 'last try wins in some cases'. It's a good way to leave Lyon, with a massive defensive effort".

That attitude is what will win us the Cup.