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Joust a bit of good, clean medieval fun
The Thursday, 08 January 2009
/The
JOUST GOOD CLEAN FUN: Caroline Egemalm of Sweden battles to maintain her balance on her mount after taking a hit during a jousting practice session, ahead of a world invitational jousting tournament in Upper Hutt this weekend. .
"You just feel a big impact.
Although it all seemed like a bit of fun, there was nothing pretend about the horses, armour, or the lance blows that jousters aimed to inflict, organiser Callum Forbes said."
While serious injuries nowadays were rare, jousters who fought in medieval times when the head was considered a fair target were more likely to feel pain. If it's off-target it can hurt you.
Competitors were not the only ones examining forward to the tournament, Mr Forbes said.
The 12 competitors taking part in the tournament will all face one another during the weekend, with the person with the highest total points score crowned the winner..
"The horses . really love it..45am on Saturday and Sunday."
Re-enactment clubs The Company of the Dragon, based in Brooklyn, and the Order of the Boar, based in Upper Hutt, will take part in foot combat and archery displays during the tournament, which kicks off at 9.
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Police on guard for tagging verdict
Saturday, 13 December 2008
The grandfather of a South Auckland teenager fatally stabbed after tagging a garage door wiped tears from his eyes as he sat next to the dead boy's grave and said his killer had been found guilty of manslaughter.
It was not the message he had wanted to deliver to the grave of 15-year-old Pihema Cameron, who died from a single stab wound to the chest. .
Emery's lawyer, Chris Comeskey, told the court Pihema had lunged toward Emery intending to attack him, and had pushed into the knife.
The Crown alleged Emery stabbed Pihema in angry retaliation.
"We're devastated, we're not happy," said Pihema's great-aunt, Lovie Hohepa.
Following the verdict in the High Court at Auckland yesterday, Pihema's grandfather, Brian Cameron, said the family had been looking for a murder conviction.
"His mother [Leanne] is very shocked, so is Pihema's father [Clifford]."
Despite their disappointment, the family managed to "keep everyone together" for the duration of the week-long trial and had not erupted over the verdict as police had anticipated.
"But we just have to accept it.
They filed into the courtroom, took their seats and waited in tense silence.
Having kept vigil outside the courtroom since the jury retired almost 24 hours earlier, the family were surprised when told the jury was about to come back with a verdict.
Justice Hugh Williams urged everyone to restrain themselves when the verdict was announced.
But the jury was kept in an adjoining room for almost 30 minutes while a van load of uniformed police could be brought to the courthouse and be placed around the courtroom and near the jury box.
"Some people will be pleased, even elated with the verdict, some will be disconsolate.
"Some people will be pleased, even elated with the verdict, some will be disconsolate.
But Mrs Cameron gasped when she heard "not guilty" to murder and sobbed when she heard "guilty" to manslaughter."
Emery took a deep breath as he walked, under guard, to the courtroom but showed no emotion when the jury foreman read out the verdict.
Once the sobs subsided, she and the others donned green "RIP" T-shirts and filed out of the courtroom.
Leaving the courtroom, she walked with family to a private area, the sound of her cries still audible. They declined to comment on the verdict.
Emery's wife, sisters and other family members remained inside the courthouse till all Pihema's supporters had dispersed.
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Emery will return to court next Wednesday for a bail hearing before being sentenced on January 13
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Plea to take it easy on tenants
– Thursday, 27 November 2008
Landlords are being urged by their national body to show more compassion as the recession starts to bite.
Property Investors' Federation president Martin Evans said the difficult economic times meant some tenants were getting into problems through no fault of their own, and landlords needed to understand that.
Department of Building and Housing figures show Tenancy Tribunal applications have increased 16 per cent in recent months, with most relating to rent arrears.
"We're seeing it across all types of tenancies having problems with rent arrears; it's not just low-income people and beneficiaries," he said.
Evans said the number of properties available to let had increased 13% in the past three weeks, creating a soft rental market where it was hard to find tenants, so it was better to work with existing ones to resolve any problems. They need to talk to them and point them in the direction of people who can help them people like the Tenants Protection Association (TPA) and Work and Income.
"A lot of it is beyond their control, with people losing their jobs, so landlords need to have some leniency."
Evans said landlords needed to contact tenants immediately if they fell behind in rent.
"This is a time when everybody has to help everyone out and be a bit more compassionate, although I'm not saying to put the rent arrears to one side.
"Landlords need to remember they will go through hard times in the next 12 months everyone will be affected," he said."
Christchurch TPA manager Helen Gatonyi urged tenants to contact landlords as soon as they got into difficulty to explain the problem.
"If they've got a good record, don't just jump on them the first time they get behind. "Then there are contacts for people where they can get help to avoid getting into difficulties.
"Our message is very simple: pay your rent first," she said."
Gatonyi said the association had had a big increase in the number of tenants approaching it for help in the past few months and it was important tenants did not leave it too late to ask for help."
Gatonyi said the association had had a big increase in the number of tenants approaching it for help in the past few months and it was important tenants did not leave it too late to ask for help.
"We're seeing what they can do and whether they can just pay some, and giving them advice about what sort of supplements they're entitled to and telling them where they can get help.
Evans, the managing director of A1 Property Managers, said the company had seen more problems than usual with tenants getting behind in rent. ."
Despite the difficulty of finding tenants, Evans advised landlords to tighten their letting criteria. Maybe they just need to drop the rent a little bit.
"But an empty property is better than bad tenants."
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Thousands watch baretop ride
Saturday, 08 November 2008
/The
ON DISPLAY: Steve Crow and his topless troupe pose in the grounds of Parliament.
Boobs at Parliament
(nudity)
The city's leaders called it "sleazy and cynical" but about 8000 Wellingtonians turned out to see the Boobs on Bikes parade.
At its first appearance in the city yesterday, the motorcade of more than 20 topless porn stars atop Harley-Davidsons roared from Post Office Square down a crowded Lambton Quay before the stars walked on to Parliament's grounds. .
The largely male audience ranged from businessmen to gangs of wolf-whistling construction workers, mixed with curious mothers and smirking teenagers – all clicking away on their cameras in lines sometimes four-deep. Dylan, 4, sat in her arms pointing and saying, "Naked ladies, Mum.45pm."
"I'm not offended at all," Mrs McRae said. Kids don't have any preconceived ideas, it's adults who tell them it's wrong. "Women's bodies are beautiful and I don't see why children can't join in the fun."
IT specialist Chris Slade, 24, said: "It's great entertainment. It's not hurting anybody. I think it's all in good taste. No one's forced to be here."
As promotion of the Erotica Lifestyles Expo this weekend, it seems to have worked."
As promotion of the Erotica Lifestyles Expo this weekend, it seems to have worked.
The parade was barred from Parliament's grounds because it was seen as a commercial venture, but organiser Steve Crow said it was about "freedom of expression" and vowed to reach the steps. We never get to explore this side of life in New Zealand, we're too modest," Mr Slade said. American porn star Evan Stone walked up to "admire" the Parliament building before being escorted back by three security guards.
Though the bikes were banned and a barrier kept the porn stars and their entourage a good 10 metres from the steps, they were allowed to walk up to the statue of Richard Seddon, surrounded by more than 100 shouting fans. Obviously anyone involved with the adult film industry isn't allowed to visit Parliament," he said.
"I'm a tourist. Family First spokesperson Bob McCoskrie said it was "an absolute disgrace" the parade had been allowed on Parliament's grounds.
Wellington Mayor Kerry Prendergast was unavailable for comment yesterday but a council spokesperson said she found the parade "sleazy and really cynical", with little public support."
. "Maybe the parliamentary security and police were blinded by the porn stars