Lightning Bolt For PM – Greek Ferry Disaster – Olympics: Sailing, Criticism – Guinea Pigs – Rock Fall
LIGHTNING BOLT: A lightning bolt caused the PM to duck today as she walked over the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The PM seemed fairly unphased by the experience. Later the PM launched a few lightning bolts of her own at Opposition leader Jenny Shipley.
GREEK FERRY DISASTER: The death toll stands at 62 tonight. The skipper and four crew have been arrested and could be charged with murder. Liferafts arrive at shore with many passengers too tired to climb out of their life rafts. The ferry sailed straight into rocks. Many had been watching the soccer – as may have been the captain. Two kiwis were on the ferry but survived. Other tourists thought they were not going to make it. The number of missing is not known. The Express Samina has a bad reputation as a “grime bucket”.
OLYMPICS – SAILING: NZers are out of the Soling competition. Bruce Goodin is through to the finals in showjumping. Roumanian gymnastAndrea Raducan has lost her appeal to get her gold medal back. She does not understand what she did wrong. An Australian walker lost an almost certain gold medal at the end of a walk for not keeping her feet on the ground.
OLYMPICS – CRITICISM: NZ’s track and field athletes did not even come near their personal bests at the Olympics. The bad luck games for Kiwis. Coaches say that NZ athletes should get better support when they are young. Athletics manager says that competition is too expensive. This looks like our worst result at the Olympics in 30 years. A coach says that more money should be put into coaching. A former Olympic medalist says that our athletes need to be more mentally tough. Les Mills says that money does not buy medals.
GUINEA PIGS: The SPCA is considering prosecuting an education group that used some guinea pigs in a protest about a new qualifications framework. The group wanted to alert the Minister of Education about a grading system for third formers. However there were heaps of complaints to the SPCA and on talk-back radio.
ROCK FALL:
Queenstown’s major slip is being worked on by abseilers
before the heavy machinery can finally move in to clear the
road.