RobiNZ Personal Blog

From Uri Geller, to Flim-Flam, to #TAMOz in only decades

Tonight Amazon recommended a book which I first read nearly, can’t remember exactly, 30 years ago. It is also the reason I'm going to TAM Australia in November. Back in the late 70s, when I was a kid, Uri Geller visited New Zealand with his spoon bending antics. The spoons bent on TV but I also remember radio performances where people rang in with old watches, that hadn’t worked for years, which would be magic’ed back to life over the phone (with the help of the callers warm hand and a bit of vibration I bet). I thought it was... Read more →

$30 Million for Hotchin's mansion? Worth it?

Ok, so the Paritai Drive location is supposedly Auckland’s best street and the thing covers several normal sections. The land alone would be worth a fortune, maybe ten million, but is this really the best house you can get for Thirty Million? I were spending that much I would want it to be “Sydney Opera House” spectacular. Given the site and the views, my photo is taken from the same road, it could have been. Have a look at the Herald photos & decide, hardly mind blowing architecture is it? Mark Hotchin's $30m mansion up for sale - National -... Read more →

Was Vettel’s Valencia pole thanks to a close shave

Look at the pole from Valencia: 1st Vettel: 1m 37.587 2nd Webber: 1m 37.662 Have a look at the photo on… http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2010/6/10952.html I reckon if Webber had shaved before qualifying. It’s not much weight but in the world of Formula 1 not much often means a lot… Perhaps both the Williams drivers did shave? Amazing how close team mates can be: 8th Nico Hulkenberg: 1m 38.428 9th Rubens Barrichello: 1m 38.428 Hulkenberg ahead only because he did his time before Rubens Read more →

Ford WRC YouTube celebrates their Rally New Zealand win

Rally New Zealand is a great event and hugely popular with spectators and competitors alike. Lets hope it’s back in 2012 and gets the sort of Government commitment the Rugby World Cup attracted. Rally NZ runs on a tiny budget, staffed largely by volunteers, the return on investment is huge and it has the potential to happen every couple of years. Fortieth Rally New Zealand one of the very best - Rally New Zealand - 6-9 May 2010 “With the dust now well dampened after the 40th running of Rally New Zealand at the beginning of May, organising committee members... Read more →

Traffic Light Thought - I saw a Trabbi!

I was getting a Warrent Of Fitness for the Flying Spaghetti Machine when I spotted a very rare car. There can't be many Trabants in New Zealand! Read more →

Legal Spam for the beast in a can

See its envelope also contained sparkles - this is sippey.com Read more →

Stupid intersection

This intersection marking combined with the mental left turn rule combine to create confusion. Traffic heading along Glendale Rd "turning" into Oates Rd is not actually turning when you look at the road markings. Glendale Rd has Stop markings and the centreline, going into Oates Rd, shows this "turn" is regarded as straight ahead. Traffic continuing (straight) along Glendale Rd is actually turning left (according to the road marking) and often Gives Way (correctly) even if there is (turning but not turnng) traffic behind them, so they shouldn't! What the map doesn't show is this intersection is at the top... Read more →

Fiat 127 903

Fiat 127 903, originally uploaded by RobiNZ. It was a bit old and a bit knackered but this little Fiat was the first I owned. I remember 903 cc because when you've only got that many every cubic centimetre counts! Read more →

Is your pharmacist ethical?

They are when it suits but it seems, to me, that fringe “science” combined with high profit margin can sway that. Witness the sale of Homeopathic remedies and, in the past, dodgy cell phone EMF shields. Is your pharmacist ethical? :: Good :: New Zealand’s guide to sustainable living Are you getting informed advice from your pharmacist on homeopathic remedies? Vicki Hyde, chair of NZ Skeptics, puts a few pharmacists to the test… Mind you, the last agency that tried to peddle homeopathic remedies to me was a travel agent… Read more →

Phil Plait (Bad Astronomy) shows Astrology is bull

And he doesn’t mean Taurus or Red… Phil Plait's Bad Astronomy: Misconceptions: Astrology It's time to tackle the thorny topic of astrology. Why now? Well, for one thing, I've waited long enough. It just seems wrong to avoid talking about the biggest baddest astronomy there is… Read more →