blogging it real

Wellington Zoo's new dingo pup sure is cute, but its keeper is dumb as a sack of nails to say:

"The dingo is not a domestic dog and no amount of socialising will turn him into one."

First, dingos (like any member of Canis lupus) is domesticatable, especially if raised by humans from puppyhood. Many dingoes are kept as pets today, and others as working dogs. Just like they have been for thousands of years.

Second, the keeper is pictured exhibited exactly how you socialize a dingo puppy to make it a domestic dog. Some breeds require more effort than others in this regard (think: wolf, rottweiller, etc.), but dingoes will bond very strongly with humans if given the opportunity.

Labels: dingoes

The NZH continues to offer "analysis lite" on this issue, which is actually critically important to every New Zealander's standard of living. Further importance stems from the forthcoming GST rise, about which New Zealanders seem entirely nonchalant - unlike Canadians, who tend to go apoplectic at any increase in consumption taxes.

The Auckland cafe-proprietor quoted in the NZH article claims "Milk had gone up 50 per cent, labour costs had also increased and the price of coffee beans had reached a 12-year high on the New York Futures Exchange."

Two days ago I bought 4L of milk at Safeway here in Canada for $3.99 (and it's GST exempt). That's the same price I paid six years ago. Petrol ("gas") is $0.85/L (again, much the same as it was six years ago). And I can buy a kilogram of acceptable coffee beans for $11 (although higher quality, or fair trade, beans are considerably more expensive).

Labels: milk, taxes

Bananas to replace opium poppies as Afghanistan's most valuable crop. Soldiers everywhere will fear the monkeys' large canines, lack of social conscience, and deadly aim. Some will, as a result, pull carefully-folded US flags from their pockets.

Labels: bad monkey man

In what is starting to become a bit of an annual post here's the NZers in the NRL that I know of. Qualification is that they were born in NZ, have played in NZ or are eligible. There's the odd exception but it's about right.

95 on this list.

Canberra Raiders (2)
Bronson Harrison (b Auckland)
Drury Low

Canterbury Bulldogs (5)
Bryson Goodwin (b NSW)
Dene Halatau (b Invercargill)
Ben Roberts (b Sydney)
Tim Winitana (b Wellington)
Junior Tia-Kilifi (b. NZ)

Cronulla Sharks (2)
Luke Covell (b Queensland)
Taulima Tautai (b Sydney)

Wests Tigers (7)
Jason Cayless (b Sydney)
Geoff Daniela (b Auckland)
Benji Marshall (b Whakatane)
Junior Moors (b Auckland)
Jason Schirnack (b Te Aroha)
Taniela Tuiaki (b Auckland)
Tame Tupou (b Auckland)

North Queensland Cowboys (6)
Isaac Ah Mau (b Auckland)
Leeson Ah Mau (b Auckland)
Steve Rapira (b Hamilton)
Arana Taumata (b Wellington)
James Tamou (b Palmerston North)
Will Tupou (b Auckland)

Brisbane Broncos (5)
Josh Hoffman (b Queensland)
Alex Glenn (b Auckland)
Tim Natusch (b PNG)
Ben Te'o (b Auckland)
Antonio Winterstein (b Auckland)

Gold Coast Titans (4)
Aaron Cannings (b Auckland)
Clinton Toopi (b Stratford)
Sam Tagataese (b Wellington)
Joseph Tomane (b Wellington)

Newcastle Knights (6)
Marvin Karawana (b Wainuiomata)
Cooper Vuna (b Auckland)
Zeb Taia (b NSW)
Junior Sau
Constantine Mika (b Auckland)
Evarn Tuimavave (b Auckland)

Manly Sea Eagles (5)
Kieran Foran (b Auckland)
Joe Guluvao (b Auckland)
Steve Matai (b Auckland)
Terence Seu Seu (b Auckland)
Dean Whare

Penrith Panthers (6)
Frank Puletua (b Auckland)
Frank Pritchard (b Sydney)
Joseph Paulo (b Auckland)
Sam McKendry (b Dargaville)
Daniel Penese (b NZ)
Masada Iosefa

Sydney Roosters (6)
Liam Foran (b Auckland)
Shaun Kenny-Dowall (b Brisbane)
Mose Masoe (b NZ)
Frank Paul Nu'uausala (b Auckland)
Sam Perrett (b Auckland)
Jared Warea-Hargreaves (b Rotorua)

NZ Warriors (15)
Jerome Ropati (b Auckland)
Manu Vatuvei (b Auckland)
Kevin Locke (b Auckland)
Lance Hohaia (b Hamilton)
Sam Rapira (b Hamilton)
Russell Packer (b Foxton)
Ben Matulino (b Wellington)
Isaac John (b Tokoroa)
Patrick Ah Van (b Auckland)
Aaron Heremaia (b Perth)
Lewis Brown (b Christchurch)
Sione Luisi (b Auckland)
Simon Mannering (b Napier)
Mataupu Poching (b Auckland)
Jesse Royal (b Waikato)

St George/Illawarra (8)
Jason Nightingale (b Sydney)
Nathan Fien (b Queensland)
Junior Paulo (b Auckland)
Jeremy Smith (b Christchurch)
Ricky Thorby (b Foxton)
Kyle Stanley (b NSW)
Bronx Goodwin (b NSW)
Kailifa Faifai-Loa

Melbourne Storm (9)
Adam Blair (b Whangarei)
Jesse Bromwich (b Auckland)
Hohepa Cahill (b Napier)
Matthew Duffie (b Christchchurch)
William Isa (b Auckland)
Jeff Lima (b Auckland)
Sika Manu (b Lower Hutt)
Kevin Proctor
Chase Stanley (b Sydney)

Parramatta Eels (4)
Nathan Cayless (b Sydney)
Fuifui Moimoi (b Tonga)
Krisnan Inu (b Auckland)
Justin Horo (b Auckland)

South Sydney Rabbitohs (5)
Issac Luke (b Hawera)
Roy Asotasi (b Auckland)
Eddy Pettybourne (b Christchurch)
Fetuli Talanoa (b Auckland)
Junior Vai Vai

Labels: new zealand players, nrl