Holly’s Space

30-year-old father of three, Navtej Singh, died after being shot in the chest with a .22 calibre rifle last Saturday night during a robbery in which alcohol, cash and phone cards, worth $4000, were taken.

His friend and business partner, Gurwinder Singh, is very depressed, he was with him when he died. Navtej and Gurwinder had worked together for three years at a Papakura liquor store, before they decided to go into business together and bought Riverton Liquor in February. Navtej paid for his half with proceeds from the sale of his father’s land in India. It’s profitable work for those willing to put in the punishing hours, but it comes with dangers. Singh’s murder was just the latest fatal attack on Indian dairy and liquor store workers in recent years. In January, 22-year- old Krishna Naidu was stabbed to death in his father’s Manurewa superette, and in June 2005, 58-year- old Bhagubhai Vaghela was shot during a robbery of an Auckland mini- mart. The killings stretch further back: in 2000, Mangere liquor store owner Shiu Prasad, 54, was stabbed to death, and in 1993, youths beat West Auckland shopkeeper Navin Govind to death with softball bats. -www.stuff.co.nz

Personally I think this is very inappropriate. First of all, Navtej Singh did exactly what they asked for. He had his hands up and had done nothing at all wrong, but they still fatally shot him. Also, I don’t see why anyone would ever want to do something like this let alone actually do it. Like Harjinder Singh has said, “Her husband was killed for beer and a few dollars and she could never forgive those responsible.” I can understand fully why she said this. 

When I hear news like this, it saddens me to know that people in our community would ever do somethong like this.  Also since it is mainly younger people doing crimes like these, it makes me wonder what the younger generations are going to turn out like and how safe any of us are. It was very inappropiate and I think that no one should ever do something like this.  I think there are many opportunities in New Zealand for eveyone to earn a living without having to be a theif or murderer because all this is going to do is get them in trouble and cause a lot of problems for the innocent victims. So over all I think it would be nice if we could live in a country where problems like these never occur. The people who commit these crimes are just plain stupid and it is never going to do them any good.

What’s your opinion?

In the Te Awamutu Courier, which is a local newspaper, last Tuesday, there was a letter to the editor from Mike and Charlene Lewis. This letter was all about how one of our local vets Holly, saved a dogs life. Mike and Charlene were so grateful that Holly had saved their pet dog Honey and they wrote the letter especially to thank Holly and also let the locals know how dedicated and skillful she is.

So what happened was that Mike and Charlene had their dog Honey spayed at the Te Awamutu Veterinary Centre on the 16th of May. When they collected Honey at around 3.30pm they noticed blood in her cage. They said that they were concerned but the vet said that Honey would be okay. By about 8pm Honey was literally nearly dead. Her gums and mouth were basically white and she was not responding to anything they did. They could tell that there was something awful about to happen.

So Mike and Charlene called the emergency vet number and were told to bring Honey straight in which they did. Once they had taken her into the vets they found that she was suffering from severe internal bleeding. Unfourtunately the on-call vet was a large animal vet and didn’t really know what to do. He called up Holly who is a part time vet at the centre. When she arrived, she took one look at the dog and she could tell Honey was in serious trouble. Holly then rushed back home and brought back her own dog.

Immediately when she got back she took a large amount of blood from her own dog and transferred it into Honey. She put in enough blood so that Honey was strong enough to receive an operation to find out what was wrong and fix it. Holly found the internal bleeding and fixed the problem.

 Now about two weeks later, Honey is basically back to normal and Mike and Charlene are very grateful for what Holly has done. Like it said in the letter “If it were not for Holly’s extreme efforts, skill and dedication to her work Honey would have without doubt died.”All of this took place rather late at night and only finished at nearly 2am. Holly wouldn’t have ever given up until she was 100% sure Honey was alright!

I think this whole story is quite effective. It is great to know that the vets in our community are so dedicated. I also think it is quite nice that Mike and Charlene have taken the time to show their appreciation for Holly. It is good to see something nice in the letters to the editor as they are often used as a place to complain.

A few days after the article came out I saw Holly in at the vets and talked to her about it. She said that any dog is able to transfuse blood to another dog unlike humans where it has to be the same blood type. Although if the blood transfusion doesn’t work the first time, then they do need to get a dog with the same blood type, which is a rather difficult job. So pretty much you’ve only got one chance to get it right. She also told me how happy she was that Honey lived. She was very proud to know that she saved a dogs life. I can barely imagine how grateful Mike and Charlene must have been.

Michel Fournier a french adventurer age 64, attempted to break a world skydiving record last Tuesday at Battleford, Saskatchewan. He had hoped to break the record for the worlds fastest and longest free fall. At the same time he also hoped to break the record for the highest parachute jump, the highest balloon flight and also he wanted to bring back some information to help astronauts and others survive in high altitudes.

It was all ready for him to attempt. He had a $200 000 helium balloon in which he hoped would take him to a height of 130 000feet (39 624metres). This is around the equivalent of four Mount Everest’s on top of each other or about three times higher than what a commercial jetliner flies.

So the huge helium balloon was to be attached to a capsule in which he would free-fall from and break the world record. But unfortunately it somehow became unattached from the capsule and just floated up and up. Michel Fournier had to just stand there and watch as he chances floated up towards space.

I think that Michel Fournier would have been absolutely devastated. To see his chances of breaking the world record and $200 000 floating away into space, he would have been very annoyed and sad. Although I did actually find it quite funny but I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t have. I also think Michel Fournier is very brave for even wanting to try this, I know for sure I never would have.

Here is a website I found with an article about it. This is where I got most of my information from-http://www.insidesocal.com/dailylink/2008/05/skydivers_chance_at_world_reco.html

I also found a video of it which is on this website. It was part of a news program which is all about this disaster-http://tvnz.co.nz/view/video_popup_windows_skin/1803758

Once again in the news today there was an article about cellphone and internet safety. A fifteen year old girl who had never had a boyfriend before found a forty-one year old man on a text chat-room. They began to talk all the time and as far as her parents knew she was just texting her friends. Since the fifteen year old had low self-esteem, the forty-one year old kept telling her she was beautiful and saying all the things she wanted to hear. After a while the man became her so called ”boyfriend” and seduced her. The man has now been arrested and all the girls family have had a real shock.

I think that some of these matters are very disturbing. For one thing I can’t believe anyone would ever do something like this. It is wrong and just sick, I don’t really see why anyone would ever do anything like this. This man must have had some serious problems to make him even think of trying this let alone actually do it. Another thing is how safe people need to be on their cellphones. I for one have never heard about these “text chat-rooms” and don’t plan on going on one. To me phones are used for keeping in touch with friends and family not trying to meet someone new. I think that everyone out there needs to be VERY careful with what they do or say to people whether it be on bebo, texting or on a chat-room. You never know who could be on the other end if you don’t actually know them. So my advice would be to make sure you never text, e-mail or reply to strangers, you wouldn’t just walk up and start talking to a total random in real life. Would You?

The Elves and the Shoemaker 

“Once there was a shoemaker and his wife; they were so poor he wondered what would become of them. One night before he went to bed the shoemaker left out his last piece of leather and, the next morning, a beautiful pair of shoes were in its place. A rich lady passed by, saw the shoes and was so delighted, she paid twice the usual price. This continued day after day until the Shoemaker and his wife resolved to discover the identity of the mysterious cobblers. Who were they? How did they sew so beautifully? And how could the Shoemaker and his wife ever repay them?”

 ’I found this blurb and this picture on http://www.karenwallace.co.uk/new-books.htm’

Last weekend I auditioned for the production “The Elves and the shoemaker”. The auditions were held where production is going to be held at ‘The Woolshed’, this is a little theatre in my hometown Te Awamutu. Anyway I auditioned for the part of an elf. I had come straight from tennis and so I went and got changed while Mum filled out the form, my nerves were starting to build up, this was the first time I’ve done something like this at The Woolshed so I didn’t know what it was going to be like. One of the main reasons I wanted to audition for this is because I really enjoy acting and because they asked for elves that are past or present tap dancers and I am in level 5 at tap this year. I grabbed my tap shoes and the lady led me in, I had butterflies, I was so nervous. I was in the room, the two ladies who were going to audition me introduced themselves and then asked me to put my tap shoes on and show them some steps. I was still so nervous but once I started doing some tap moves it slowly began to drift away. I did a couple of steps and then they said that I could obviously tap so now lets see if I can sing. I can sing but I don’t think I’m the best so I got a bit worried again. She played some music and gave me some words and I tried to sing along with it. After that it was all over and they said they would get back to me with how I went.

During the next few days after the audition I kept on wondering ‘how did I go’ ‘will I get in’. I just wanted to know straight away but then on Tuesday night the phone started ringing, my mum answered it and then gave it to me. “Hi this is Susanne” was the next thing I heard. Susanne is the lady that is organising this production and one of the people who auditioned me as well. Susanne then said “I would really like you to be a tap dancing elf in my prouction The Elves and the Shoemaker” I was so excited I could barely believe it. I was half speechless all I could say was ‘wow’ and ‘cool’. She said that she would send me out a letter on what was going to happen and when the rehearsals will start and then said goodbye, I said thanks so much bye and hung up. As soon as I had hung the phone up I shouted out gleefully “I’m going to be a tap dancing elf” I am so excited and I just can’t wait for it all. It’s going to be hard to learn it all but I’m pretty sure it’s going to be worth ot in the end.

New Zealand cricketer Jesse Ryder, 23, is going to be out of playing cricket for at least three months after an incedent at christchurch bar early on sunday morning a few weeks ago. After getting very drunk he punched a glass window and got serious injuries on his hand. When Ryder was then admitted to Hospital he was said to have been abusing the Hospital staff and demanding to get immediate treatment for his Hand.

After finding out about this New Zealand Cricket was absolutely appalled. This made it even worse when they found that Ryder had been out drinking until 1.30 a.m. the night before the one day final between New Zealand and England at Christchurch on Saturday

I think that this is a very bad example for New Zealand. The fact that one of our cricket players would even be out drinking the night before a final is bad enough so 1.30 is just awful. Then also getting so drunk to cause such injury to his hand just chips in on making it even worse. I have also heard Ryder saying that he is able to control his drinking but to me this obviously shows that it is a problem. Surely he would have enough sense to stop the drinking before it gets this bad so I definitely think that his drinking is a big problem.

Is Ryder’s injury punishment enough for his behaviour?

 I don’t think that it is- he has set a very bad example for New Zealand; he was out drinking the night before; he abused hospital staff and is not able to play cricket for three months at the least. So personally, it was his drinking that caused it so I dont think that his injury is enough punishment and

But thats only my opinion- Whats Yours?

On Friday last week I went to the Waikato show with freckles, yes it was yet again another agricultural day. This time it was a much longer drive to Hamilton and it was now up against all of the Waikato. Once we started I counted about 25 people in my ring and there were only 8 ribbons so it was going to be a hard job to get any ribbons at all.

I have always known that my calves strong point is rearing and so I couldn’t wait until it started. Finally rearing was here, all 25 of us tried to spread out around the ring but that was hard just trying to fit us all round the outside. The judge looked at all the calves and then pulled the best into the middle and looked over them again, luckily I was in that group of 11 so I definitely had a good chance of something. The judge made his decision and called for me to go out as first. I couldn’t believe that I had actually got 1st over 24 other calves.

 Since I got first I had to take my calf over to the champion ring, so now another judge looked over all the calves and then he kept on going back and forth between a jersey an Ayrshire and FRECKLES! I couldn’t wait to hear the results, but when the calf that got 2nd to me came into the ring I knew that I had won champion. Once again I couldn’t believe that I was champion. When the judge finished making his decision on the reserve champion, he called out for us to go into the middle to get our ribbons and for me a trophy that I will get my name engraved on and keep for the year, also a medal that I will be able to keep forever. The champion ribbon was different this year because they were celebrating their 75th year of the Waikato Show. So the champion ribbon was black with gold lettering and gold tassels. I was so glad that I had won it. My huge smile said it all!!!

Group day is another agricultural day except with even more competition, and also at the end of the day there is another part which is called leading group of three. In this you have three calves in a row and they all have to try and lead together at the same pace, but I’ll tell you at the end what I got in it.

In my ring this time I had about 11 people. Once again leading was first up which I got 4th in, as a dog scared my calf which made her stop. Afterwards the judge said the if I got her going again a bit faster then I may have gotten a better placing, even though it was only 4th I still think Freckles and I did a good job because we did still beat about 7 other calves.

 Up next was rearing, after getting a champion at the first day I was hoping for good results which luckily they were. The judge went around all the calves and checked over them for loose hair and specks of dirt. In this I came 2nd and so I had to wait outside the champion ring to see if the person from my ring who got first also gets the champion which they did. This means that I go into the ring to compete for reserve champion, so I went into the ring and I did end up getting reserve champion which was quite cool.

Now it was dairy type, I have never thought of freckles as an excellent calf for dairy type, but I guess she must be since she got a 2nd out of about 13 calves in her ring. This time the person that got 1st didn’t get champion and so I didn’t have to go into the champion ring.

Now was the leading group of three, in my group was me, Kezia and Caitlin, I had organised for us all to bring along our school sweatshirts so that us three would match. There were a few people before us and all of them led very well together so I was a bit worried that we wouldn’t get anything. So now it was our turn, and I thought we all led really well and none of us could wait until we got the results.

 - Me, Kezia and Caitlin starting our lead. 

After all the calves had led the judges decided on the results and the number they called out for first was ours 111, ‘The Emergency Team’! We were all very excited, not one of us could believe we had actually won. We each got a red first ribbon and now over the next year we will share the huge shield we won. This shield is also quite special for me as it has my grans name on it from 1944.

 - The judge awarding the shield to us.

Every year that I have been at school I have taken a calf to agricultural day which I call calf club . My calf that I decided to take this year was called Freckles because I noticed that she had a really freckly nose. For the last few weeks I have been brushing her and leading her all the time to get her ready for calf club. So last Tuesday it was the big day I was up early so that I had enough time to feed freckles, make sure that she was clean and get her to Kihikihi School which was where it was held. Once we arrived I once again checked that she was clean which thankfully she was and then at 10:00 it was ready to start. First up was leading, I had to lead freckles around a course, she did stop a couple of times though so I only came 4th. Next up was rearing, in rearing the judges will check over all of the calves for how clean they are and whether they have any loose hair. In this my calf did rather well as she managed to get a first as well as a champion. Then it was dairy type which is how well they will milk when they get older, in this my calf got second. So overall we had a good day together and I definitely cant wait until Group Day.

Today we sadly played the last rugby game for us in this years 2007 rugby world cup. We won our pool and made it into the quarterfinals. This year our quarterfinal was up against France. Everyone knew it was going to be a tough game but we started off well ahead with us getting two penalty kicks and a converted try over before half time while only right on half time France got their first three points which made the half time score 13-3 to New Zealand. Almost straight after half time Luke McAlister got a yellow card which means he has to go off the field and let the All Blacks play with one less player for ten minutes. While Luke McAlister was off France got over another three points with a penalty kick and a converted try worth seven points to make the score an even 13 each. A little while later we got an unconverted try giving us an extra five points. France also got a try except they got their conversion over so now France were ahead by two . The All Blacks kept on trying and trying but sadly the score didn’t change and so France came out on top and at full time the score was still 20-18 to France. Hopefully with the Rugby World Cup being held in New Zealand next time the All Blacks will have many more supporters and with any luck do better next time.