W(r)ONG on WANG

The pertinent question I have raised regarding the mysterious May Wang is her 40/30/15/15 share split for the 80% of UBNZ companies where it is claimed by her lawyer Kerry Knight that she is holding the shares in trust for several New Zealand businessmen.

That is, May Wang personally does not own the UBNZ entities as reported in several media outlets.

Here

UBNZ is 80 per cent-owned by May Wang, a Chinese national and New Zealand citizen who is fronting the group which aims to raise $1.5 billion to invest in New Zealand dairy and processing assets. W(R)ONG. She doesn't own UBNZ - she is holding the shares in trust according to Knight.

Here

Her company UBNZ Trustee Ltd was the first registered buyer of the NuGen Farms (Robert Crafar) properties bought last month. However, titles were immediately transferred to UBNZ Assets Holdings, of which she owns 80%. W(R)ONG.

Here

Auckland woman May Wang owns 80% of UBNZ and has interests in more than a dozen local businesses, several of which have failed. W(R)ONG.

I can explain this again using companies office documents:

UBNZ Trustee Limited

- this shows two changes in share parcels, one at 16th November 2009 and the second at 22nd January 2010. The first change shifted the companies from WANG to the British Virgin Island companies Quality Index Limited, Wonder Effort Limited and Progress Great Limited - as I mentioned the other day, typical nonsensical names asked for by Chinese clients based on their Chinese meaning and dippy things like feng shui.

The second change moved the shares from the BVI companies back to Wang. It looks however like Wang has kept 15 shares to herself, the Companies Office makes reading totals difficult as it will not necessarily identify if shares are being held by the owner or as trustee for a trust.

This is complicated further as the Chinese have an unusual view of trusts. Quite often they say a share is being held for someone without the formalities of the trust being completed - in the case of a share, the transfer.

May Wang

The next set of documents are for UBNZ Funds Management Limited

On 16th November 2009 Wang moved 10 million shares from UBNZ Trustee Limited to each of Quality Index Limited (40%), Wonder Effort (30%), Progress Great Limited (15%) and what looks like herself 15%.

Then on 22nd January 2010 she moved the following tranches, of Quality and Wonder's shares were moved to her as were Progress' several minutes later.

May Wang 2

So I guess one question is why did Wang move ownership offshore then just several months later back onshore into her own name? When dealing with land in New Zealand, owning an offshore company is entirely redundant given the land is situated in New Zealand and will therefore be taxed in New Zealand and subject to New Zealand law. You cannot move the land.

The rules as MSM are finding are quite complex and based on the lack of hard evidence on Wang, and other mystery player it is hard to estimate what is happening here. OIO rules deem the following an "overseas person" :

(c) a body corporate (A) if an overseas person or persons have—

• (i) 25% or more of any class of A's securities; or

• (ii) the power to control the composition of 25% or more of A's governing body; or

• (iii) the right to exercise or control the exercise of 25% or more of the voting power at a meeting of A; or

That is while the BVI companies were shareholders, the UBNZ companies were overseas persons.

Also now Kerry Knight has stated Wang is the trustee, we can look at the trusts themselves been overseas persons

a trust (A) if—

• (i) 25% or more of A's governing body are overseas persons; or

• (ii) an overseas person or persons have a beneficial interest in or entitlement to 25% or more of A's trust property; or

• (iii) 25% or more of the persons having the right to amend or control the amendment of A's trust deed are overseas persons; or

• (iv) 25% or more of the persons having the right to control the composition of A's governing body are overseas persons; or

What is interesting with this is that it allows Wang to be the trustee and have power of the "trust", however if she is holding the shares for those who then are doing the same for example, Chinese interests, they are caught under the control (through for example the use of a trust protector over Wang in the deeds) and entitlement sections of the Act.

That is, what if Wang is holding the shares in trust for Mr X (a New Zealand "businessman") who then has an option arrangement or another trust arrangement back with a foreign person? That is double layering of the New Zealand ownership?

Section 8 of the Act covers this behaviour which is deemed anti-avoidance provisions. The website itself itself clearly sets the intention of this section:

Situations of control or direction may or may not be clearly documented. The circumstances of the direction or control need not infer any unlawful or dishonest intent - the direction or control may result from a perfectly lawful and reasonable arrangement.

Examples of direction or control include:

• management agreements
• business relationships
• social obligations, and
• threats.

As I have stated Chinese have an unusual definition of trusts as we know them.

One of the more interesting revelations from HoS at the weekend was that Wang is under scrutiny from the IRD

The Herald on Sunday has learned that Inland Revenue has been probing her tax details and business affairs for a few years.

Wang, who has New Zealand citizenship, is fronting a bid to buy the Crafar farms that went into receivership last year.

Chen Fashu, one of China's richest men, is backing the bid.

This raises the interesting question of stripping back that 80% of UBNZ companies and finding out how she was using these offshore companies, and for what ultimate purpose and who is the ultimate beneficial owner of each (after you have peeled off all the layers above).

And from the IRD perspective how she returned the shareholding of those British Virgin Islands companies, because if they are owned by New Zealand businessmen or herself they need to be declared to the IRD and any income gained from them returned in New Zealand.

Again May Wang raises far more questions than answers. The OIO may take a wee while to work this one through properly.

Phil Triford Admits Left Wing Conspiracy

Yet another example of why politicians should not blog (except for Trevor Mallard who is hilarious)

Mallard posted a funny about Andrew Williams.

The Business Roundtable want a House of Lords for NZ and are considering asking Andrew Williams to lead the liberal peers.

Phil Triford (turned down now by three Labour electorates aka Spokesman for the Homeless) could not help himself trying to link the conspiracy to ACT and the invisible section of the National Party to the right.

Phil Twyford says:

March 29, 2010 at 5:44 pm

Let’s be clear about this, Andrew Williams is the target of an orchestrated right wing hatchet job. Putting aside some of the self-inflicted distractions, he has been an effective critic of Rodney Hide’s super city fiasco. Pissing against a tree or doing serious damage to Auckland’s democracy? I know which I think is the greatest sin.

Cactus Kate says:

March 29, 2010 at 9:20 pm

Phil Twyford

Interesting spin however I don’t recall when the VRWC have purchased the SST or it’s reporters.

If you want conspiracy I think you should focus on why you still have no electorate candidacy in the Labour Party despite how many tries now?

Is that an orchestrated right wing hatchet job as well?

Lord Pomme de Terre says:

March 29, 2010 at 9:32 pm

Phil does a great job LEAVE HIM ALONE! Phil has done nothing wrong.

And it’s true that Williams wouldn’t be the first or last to have a leek in public.

Cactus Kate says:

March 29, 2010 at 9:47 pm

Lord Pomme de Terre

“Phil does a great job LEAVE HIM ALONE! Phil has done nothing wrong”.

If that’s the case then why hasn’t he got his own electorate yet from the Labour Party?

Then some village idiot Dorothy intervenes to set up the own goal. Labour are world famous for jigging selections. Triford is being screwed and everyone knows it. Except for Dorothy.

1. Dorothy says:

   March 29, 2010 at 10:16 pm

   you have to admire CK’s persistence, if not her logic, trying to get traction with a failed line. (BTW no-one has the power to “give” someone an electorate and ain’t it great that there is such a depth of talent to choose from?)
   Meanwhile, back on the actual topic, why stop at a House of Lords – why not bring back feudalism? It worked well for centuries…

Traction? How about words from the MP himself at precisely the same time? Oops.....

1. Phil Twyford says:

   March 29, 2010 at 10:16 pm

   @ Cactus – No I think you’ll find that is a vast LEFT wing conspiracy.

So here it is in writing - Phil Triford believes his failure to win selection at local level is a left wing conspiracy.

Come on Labour, give Triford a home!!

Press Conference Options For Andrew Williams

Around 1pm Tuesday, Andrew Williams will apparently make a "significant announcement".

The top 10 possible announcements follow:

10. "I shall be leaving tonight to visit my sister cities Taichung, Taiwan and Qingdao, China. I may be gone a while".
9. "Street lighting in North Shore is to be dimmed so pesky repeaters can't follow me".
8. "I have replaced May Wang to act on behalf of Chinese investors purchasing the Crafar farms".
7. Brings along his mother and sobs this apology "Although I am a well-known person and have made my career as a professional politician, I have been dismayed to realize the full extent of what tabloid scrutiny really means". In front of his new sponsor Porters wines.
6. "At least I am not having an affair with Diane Foreman".
5. "With my profile now raised, I'm standing for Mayor of Supercity".
4. "And I would like to introduce you to my new image consultant - Matthew Hooton".
3. "The incident will not be repeated. I have hired at the ratepayers expense my own private driver".
2. "Blabla...ACT...blabla conspiracy....blabla...Nick Kearney...blabla......Whaleoil.....blabla Aaron Bhatnagar....blabla.......".
1. "Kevin Campbell and Peter Tashkoff supported by Roger Douglas have approached me to stand for ACT at the next election".

In Defence of Andrew Williams - "Ordinary New Zealander"

I have previously defended Andrew Williams' antics

I would like to now defend Andrew Williams who as Labour refer to is an "ordinary New Zealander".



The ordinary New Zealander defence allows this behaviour as standard operating procedure.

From the SST

the Star-Times observed Williams drinking barside at Takapuna's GPK bar and restaurant around 10pm on Thursday. He talked to a couple at the popular eatery and could be heard referring to himself in the third person. He said he was North Shore's mayor and enjoyed his role.

Inquiries with two bar staff revealed Williams had been drinking red wine at the establishment since 4pm. Six hours later Williams left GPK alone and headed down Hurstmere Rd towards the offices of the North Shore City Council, where he has been mayor since 2007.

On his way he stopped, pulled down his trousers and urinated on a tree outside the council offices.

Williams then headed for the council underground carpark, collected his mayoral vehicle and drove home to Campbells Bay, a 6km trip.

Now what ordinary New Zealander hasn't had too much to drink, walked to their car, got caught short and urinated on a tree before driving home? Girls can't do it thanks to our anatomy but I would hazard a guess 90% of male friends have got pissed, publicly urinated and driven home. Many a combination of all three.

Top Ten Defences of Andrew Williams' Behaviour

10. "It's the media's fault for being there to see it".
9. "10pm, just creating my own Supper city".
8. "Andrew Williams does not need to apologise for his behaviour. Andrew does not drink".
7. "It's a Vast Right Wing Conspiracy. Whaleoil made me".
6. "Michael Laws, Tim Shadbolt. You want ME to resign?".
5. "What kind of idiot builds a council building next to bars and restaurants?".
4. "Earth Hour. Saved power, didn't want to go inside to turn the lights on".
3. "Nothing that doesn't happen every night in North Shore".
2. "Could be worse, I could have scored one of those GPK waitresses, slappers are always up for it".
1. "I mistook the tree for Rodney Hide's leg and pissed on it".

Earth Hour

Disgracefully Hong Kong has cancelled its nightly laser light show for Earth Hour. Symphony of Lights starts at 8pm usually and I would estimate uses every night enough electricity to light up a reasonable chunk of Auckland for a day. Here is a stunning view of it in full flight from The Peak.

Hong Kong's version of a penis extension to tourists.



Not so disgracefully, I am sure Wan Chai and Lan Kwai Fong are doing their bit to make up for it with visitors from all around the world participating in drinking their rings off during Hong Kong 7's weekend.

Turning the lights off there would be just damn dangerous!

And tomorrrow the Symphony of Lights will be back like tonight never happened.....Bless.

The Repeater Who Didn't Repeat The F Word

Way, way back in November a freelance repeater contacted me wanting to do a story on feminism. Apparently it was for the Canvas section of Granny Herald. Where you say? That one on Saturday that falls out with the real estate section. Well some four months later the final product was released. Emma Joyce (occupation unlisted but I'm assuming she's progressive given her comments about not being able to have it all were sensible), a student women's rights officer, Handmirror blogger Julie and VRWC friendly Madeleine Flannagan made the final cut in the article with to Mad's credit the best photo of the article. Guess who didn't?

Yeah the feminist that has to actually work and compete on a global stage with men in the commercial "man's" world at a high level.

Anyway thanks to the modern miracle that is blogging the omission is irrelevant as we can create our own media for the entertainment of our viewers. So first up the article today from the paper.


Canvas 001

Canvas 002

Canvas 003

Canvas 004

Canvas 005


And now a cut-paste (aka as "pulling a Kiwiblog" on blog Gotcha) here was the emailed interview I sent back to the polite lady. Perhaps you can work out yourselves why it was left out.

Canvas Interview

You see the thing is, I feel no need to bag Sandra Coney's sort as they can be gracefully acknowledged then ignored. I even didn't bag women like Julie as she stood for the Alliance so there's no need to as she's been consistent her entire life from my memory of her at University. Why then is Coney through her interview STILL at age 65 so god damn bitter about women who have got on with their lives and are either made or are endeavouring on making a tonne of money or heaven forbid want to look good so have a titty job?

"I don't know why young women when they're my age (65) will look back and think. That they made a lot of money? They had a successful career? That they had 10 sets of breast implants in their life?".

No Sandra, we won't. We will all look back and think how wonderful it was when we just let all the bitterness towards men and the woman's lot ---- GO!!

May Yan WANG

Fun with the Companies Office Website

New Zealanders and the MSM seem focused on the 20% of UBNZ Asset Holdings Limited owned by Natural Dairy Holdings (NZ) Limited. It is somewhat of a smokescreen at this point of needing OIO approval. I like looking at big numbers, like the other 80% of the transaction:

UBNZ Trustee Limited (formerly called UBS Trustee Limited - wonder if the real UBS got a bit tiffy about this) is owned by May Yan WANG in 4 share parcels.

40
30
15
15

UBNZ Funds Management is owned by May Yan WANG in 4 share parcels of (ergh) equal percentage splits. Strangely enough:

4,000,000
3,000,000
1,500,000
1,500,000

Because Chinese like their shares in B.I.G numbers. They also like offshore companies (their favourite place being the BVI) and prior to 16 November 2009 and then another tranch at 22 January 2010 these shares in UBNZ Funds Management Limited and UBNZ Trustee Limited were all owned by British Virgin Island companies with such great names that only Chinese could request from you - Quality Index Limited, Wonder Effort Limited, Progress Great Limited and Wonder Effort Limited. They were then transferred to WANG.

WANG has remained a director of these companies through out their incorporation. That is she will know the ultimate beneficial owners throughout their existence.

Remember there is NO advantage to a New Zealand tax resident in owning a British Virgin Islands company thanks to the worldwide source tax rules that sees a New Zealand tax resident requiring to declare all income from that offshore company. All owning one does is provide a layer of secrecy based on the lack of a publicly searchable register in the BVI.

UBNZ Trustee Limited owns 80% of UBNZ Asset Holdings Limited, 20% is now owned by Natural Dairy (NZ) Holdings Limited. According to media reports UBNZ Funds Management is the entity trying to buy the Crafar farms and UBNZ Asset Holdings is raising funds for this.

May Yan WANG doesn't need OIO approval to buy land in New Zealand.

So tell me she isn't holding those 4 share parcels as technically a nominee shareholder for four investors who need OIC approval who wish to keep their identities secret but have call options or other side agreements with Wang to buy those shares back anytime they like or to have her own them but to milk back the profits from them?

The number one rule with Chinese is that they do not under any circumstances wish to lose control of a transaction. The Chinese I am talking about here are the ultimate beneficial owners of the shares in these two companies.

And tell me from a structuring point how darn sloppy that is? May Yan WANG I am calling it now is the surrogate mother to this sloppy deal for four unequally split parcels of shares.



Kerry Knight her lawyer is saying that Wang is owning these shares in trust on behalf of four New Zealand business people. Who? And what sort of trust? If they are from New Zealand why won't they front with their names? They don't need WANG for this part of the transaction as if New Zealanders they can declare their names right here and now to the public.

The rest, on paper, belongs to Chinese-born May Wang who Mr Knight said represented a trust owned by four New Zealand business people.

There are ways to get around needing OIO approval but this one is SO much taking the piss it isn't funny. No New Zealand businessmen with any a) credibility or b) funds of that magnitude would deal with WANG after her previous failures that are available for all to search online in the google engine.

If they were to structure this transaction a New Zealander would use Kerry Knight as a New Zealand registered solicitor to be the trustee you think? Why would they use WANG as a trustee? A businesswoman of dubious background?

Find May Yan WANG New Zealand repeaters and ask her straight up:

1. Who she is holding those unequal parcels in trust for? Front up with these "New Zealand Businessmen".
2. Are they foreign investors who otherwise would need OIC approval as they are not NZ passport holders?
3. Then slap her in the face for being a daft bint. She couldn't structure her way out of a paper bag and won't have listened to New Zealand legal advice to do this properly.
4. Worst still she's pulled in a token Maori - (Sir) Ralph (Ngatata) Love to give it some regal credibility. Was Tuku Morgan not available at short notice?

Can we start a book right now on the Kiwiblog affiliated betting site that this is going to end in tears? It won't get OIO approval.

Greenies A Bit Slow

Today, it was reported that Hong Kong-based China Jin Hui Mining Corporation, recently renamed Natural Dairy (NZ) Holdings, has agreed to buy the Crafar farms as part of a $1.5 billion push to acquire farmland, cattle and milk processing plant.

Surprised they aren't yelling conspiracy that a Chinese mining company has rebranded to be a NZ dairy based company.

And Cheryl West hasn't been used to accuse them of planning to mine the former Crafar farms.....

The purchase represents the first of a large-scale push of Chinese investment in farming in New Zealand to secure supply lines for what milk is - a mere commodity. There is plenty of interest in Asia and it will be interesting to see how New Zealand reacts to it.

NBR 1 NZX 0

In the oops corner.

NZX charges for information. So the NBR pounced when NZX begged NBR to provide an article written about NZX that is posted behind the NBR paywall for free.

Whining Against Mining

The National Party's worst kept secret is out. Well two actually.

Rather than slashing government spending John Key now has declared he has a plan. A master plan to prove he doesn't just "smile and wave" but is a leader.

Mining and whaling.



I am not opposed in principle to either activity. Problem is not all voters are as rational and level-headed as I am especially about these highly emotive "green" issues. If they were Rodney Hide would be Prime Minister trying to control an out of control Sir Roger Douglas, not plotting leadership coups but in his role as Minister of Finance running amok for good cause with the nation's finances.

The brains trust in the National Party inner circle have decided that mining and whaling (and an increase in GST) will upset the public less than slashing government spending. Perhaps they are right. But I am willing to bet they are not.

Because the New Zealand voting public are not rational beasts.

Witness - we have a Green Party and a Maori Party. One party that represents the rights of birds and trees and the other that purports to represent an entire race of people over others. That's not rational.

Fran O'Sullivan this past month exercised a grand bounding leap to "jump the shark". However she comes back to earth today with an excellent rational and almost immediate column titled: "Green image not at stake in mining plans".

It's not really NZ's 'clean green image' that is at stake here but the image of Auckland's playground: Great Barrier Island and the Coromandel.

This is where much of the opposition will bed in: The Nimby syndrome.

F.O. is correct. Most of Auckland otherwise wouldn't give a stuff about these two places. Except they go there for holidays and have the connection probably somehow in their minds that their million dollar beach highly levereaged houses will drop in value. Well the poor Aucklanders go to Coromandel. Anyone from Auckland with any money left these days heads off overseas in an often fruitless attempt to - avoid other Aucklanders.

Nikki "one can" Kaye has a conundrum, so important is the waffly Auckland liberal vote for survival, the astute John Banks campaign team launched a full frontal today declaring outrage that Great Barrier was to be mined. John Banks National MP for Whangarei and businessman would be yelling "drill baby drill". John Banks Supercity Mayoral candidate in an election year? "NIMBY!!!". John Banks has morphed into a populist. He's decided he rrrrreallllly wants to be Supercity mayor.

Kaye for once will have to declare a position on an issue that may very well differ from her "John's". She will have to consume two cans, stand up and give John "smile and Wave" Key the full frontal finger to appease the arty farty liberal types who drink lattes on Ponsonby Road, or she will have to delicately explain to the staggered masses the real issue - it's not as big or as bad as you are lead to believe by the Greenie fascists. "One can" has already fallen for the Green rubbish without even trying to explain around the Greenie fascists.

Kaye has released this thus far:

“My personal view is that when environmental and economic factors are taken into account and given the islands status in the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park mining on Great Barrier Island doesn’t stack up.”

“I’ll be strongly advocating that position to my colleagues in the government.” concluded Ms Kaye.

In other words, she is prima facie against it after first stating she was open to discussion from constituents regarding. Meaning she encourages constituents to rabble-rouse to get her "John" to change his mind so she won't have to. And she won't be the only one in the National Party, full of Pink Tory's that they are.

Let us say this just once - the mining as proposed does not destroy land that can be used for anything else.

And Smile and Wave is actually protecting more land 12,000ha in the proposal. As Brownlee states "a postcard on the size of Eden Park". Or maybe a "sausage down Queen Street" as a better analogy?

Anyway National have handled this so poorly that the Greenies now have a strong-hold in the debate and can make hay out of it even when the sun isn't shining. If there ever was two nice emotive issues to get the Greens up in the polls again then their Christmas has come early in March.

Nice try "Smile and Wave" Key but I think your proposal, no matter how brilliant is dog-tucker. Your caucus is too weak to support it and you've muffed the introduction with the leak and are now playing catch-up in the debate instead of taking the lead and telling your story. How you want it.

Before the story had a chance of being leaked, I would have quick smart sent Gerry "Brokeback" Brownlee's team of at least the young, keen and water tight G2 and G3 to obtain pictures of the actual land you intended to mine and surrounding areas to show that there is NO other worth in holding this land. Instead we now have people speaking as though they think their own homes are going to be mined for minerals and all the profits will be given to the Chinese.

F.O is right, mining has nothing to do with the ten years of "100% Pure" nonsense we sell New Zealand tourism as. I take for example Australia. Does mining affect their tourism industry in a negative way? Of course it doesn't visitors still come. It is naive to take a giant leap and suggest that mining always = bad for tourism and mining = destruction. I will post on 100% Pure in a separate post it irks me so much. As does the idea that New Zealand has unique scenery. EVERY country I visit has unique scenery! Most are described as "jewels" or "special" and every trip I spend time nodding and doing my own "smile and wave" as locals describe their scenery as unique and special to them. When in essence it's just another bloody beach/mountain/green grass/river or lake.

The only downside to mining is that New Zealand isn't enough of an economic powerhouse to have it's own mining company that could be given the contracts to "drill baby drill" or Kiwislaver and the Cullen Fund were large enough to simply gobble a 100% shareholding in an established overseas mining company to do the work so all profits could remain in New Zealand which would end that argument. Anyway cheers to dreaming on that one.

Oh, and the other downside. Lets fast forward to a successful mining outcome and $20 billion in the hand. I have no faith that National or Labour in their current forms would do anything more lateral than increasing government spending and welfare in any case.

"One can's" views will only mirror that of other first termers all of whom have yet to be exposed to "spit hatred" from the electorate and earn their stripes as having the required temperaments to make positive "Ruth Richardson" style of change required. Most new MP's can't even say Richardson's name without shaking in fear.

"Smile and Wave" may need to stick to slashing that government spending me thinks. It may be easier than forcing a nation of reactionaries to accept large scale mining after he's bungled the introduction so badly.

Let us not even start on the length of time needed for resource consents and what will happen in the next six weeks.

If the Greens aren't on 10% in the polls then they might as well give up and go back to whispering to birds, holding hands and humming for the return of Jeanette Fitzsimons.

Best Weekend in Ages

Crook as a butcher's hook this weekend. Every cold and flu symptom known to the medical profession.

Have to say it has been the best weekend I have had in memory. Placed in isolation with exceptional liquid medicine, pseudoephedrine from America (because it's banned everywhere else) and codeine for the pain. Almost right.

Have spent all weekend watching the latest series of Weeds, Couples Retreat, Up In The Air and Wall Street. Ordering room service at the hotel and sleep. Lots of sleep.

Which is just as well as coming up is the week from hell aka HONG KONG SEVENS WEEK!!!

I needed the rest.

Chinese Call NZ Private Schooling Cheap

While NZ media are focused on Stephen Versalko's run in with hookers, The South China Morning Post put it more into perspective the differences in value and cost of education between New Zealand and China.

"Nearly $4 million was spent on properties, $3.4 million on prostitutes, and only a fraction $100,000 on education for his three children over nine years. Even lawyers received six times more in payment that his kids. We suggest the court increase his sentence for being a lousy father"

Hell the kids only went to St Kentigern's and St Cuthbert's followed by Auckland University!

The Cactus Reviews - Wellington Hotels

Bolton Hotel Residence Suite ***++

Almost two years to the day on the 20th of March 2008 I compiled my most scathing column for the Dominion Post about Wellington focusing on its lack of international standard hotels.

Understandably the Wellington hotel industry was up in arms at my slight against them provoking the Intercontinental to set up letters to the editor in response. One such Wellington hotel even hosted a staff meeting where the column was raised. Only to have one astute staff member point out that I was actually staying at the hotel the very next week. Funnily enough the stay was rather good with the extra attention and effort.

Wellingtonians take their hotels very seriously. Which is strange as locals necessarily do not patronise them as much as do visitors. Shamefully the hoteliers themselves have not exactly come to the party. Since March 2008 I had been subjected to more sub-standard over-priced accommodation.

When announcing my Wellington travel intentions accidentally via Facebook, a new Facebook friend recommended on his experience that I look at the Bolton Hotel and their special 170 square metre residence suite on the 18th floor. The Bolton known otherwise as the home of many politicians for the three nights a week they are in Wellington with the room rate matching their away from home allowance. Well don't let any of the troughers near the 18th floor please or as Busted Blonde and I discussed, they would never leave to cross the road to work.

The suite is on a floor of three privately owned suites and was purchased by the hotel and turned into an uber-Presidential suite alternative for higher end travellers. As such it is unique to most Presidential suites at hotels I have stayed at in so far that it is analogous to a very nice serviced apartment with nicer facilities wrapped up in hotel service. But with the feel that you are staying in someone's home...in New Zealand. It is a suite created interior and practicality wise for the New Zealander.

Even on the webpage the room 1801 looks huge and it is. When SOC and BOSOC (sister of Cactus and Boyfriend of Sister of Cactus) gatecrashed by invitation on the last two nights of my five night stay, the two bedrooms operate completely independently on either side of the living room. On Saturday night when I hosted the ACT on Campus function the suite using just the living room and balcony easily accommodated 30 people at any one time.

The only issue I had with the suite was the conundrum that I never actually wanted to leave it to go out to a bar or restaurant. I didn't even check out the rest of the hotel facilities. To make up for that inertia I hosted drinks on a nightly basis. The place kind of screams that such hospitality is compulsory.

From the beds, interesting decor to the bathroom, spa bath to die for, to the massive walk-in closet to the washer and dryer, the facilities are excellent and everything is thought of right down to provision of washing powders and a shoe horn. The staff were also superb so much so that I felt bad for the party mess and neatly ordered it and put the glasses in the dishwasher. Two things I can't remember doing last. But the kitchen is so big and inviting it almost is calling for such domestication.




An unusual feature of the suite is a small room off the master bedroom and balcony, complete with a single sink that no one seemed to be able to explain precisely what it was built for. Guesses ranged from a sun room, to more herbal uses prior to the ownership by the hotel.

One amusing titbit from the stay was that while most guests required reception to call to confirm their identity Parliamentary staffers and former staffers were let right up to the floor. I don't know what David Farrar does at the Bolton and how often he does it, but he requires no ID check. :-)

Anyway as it is not quoted in the reservation page and I have to recommend it as the nicest place to stay in Wellington, if you want to test drive the suite send Mark an email info@boltonhotel.co.nz and quote this post so they know the required treatment.

Perfect for dirty weekends, honeymoons, treating your wife or with self-catering capacity - hosting small corporate gatherings or even board meetings.

Charles Chauvel Chucks A Gladys

Charles "Gladys" Chauvel is an idiot.

While having my support for wishing that parents would get their kids on flights to STFU, the fact of the matter is that he's an MP and I am not.

I am proud of my aggression towards parents who think their children are more important than I am on a flight. I am proud of my lack of tolerance towards children. The difference between myself and Chauvel are quite simple:

- I am up the front in space saver seats on those dreadful economy Auckland-Wellington flights for a reason - I am a Gold Elite flyer who has earned the status paying for my own flights (as was Boomtownprat). Gladys doesn't pay for his flights.
- I am not an MP asking parents with children to vote for me after they pay for me.

If a parent isn't doing anything about a loud child I will speak directly to them. Not mumble seats back like a petty coward that Chauvel is. I have no idea who boomtownprat is but if he was on my flight with those kids and they were actually behaving badly I would deal with it appropriately. I don't ask "excuse me are you a right wing blogger" before I give parents with out of control kids a piece of my mind.

But above everything it is not a long haul flight it is 45 minutes - 45 minutes that can be taken up with a set of these



Note I have been seated in front of repeater Duncan Garner's two unaccompanied children on a flight from Wellington to Auckland. I did not complain despite their noise. The Phitek's did their job marvellously and eventually the children tamed and ceased kicking my seat after the third turn and glare.

Chauvel and his supporters are spinning like tops that it was a right-wing blogging conspiracy. I call crap on that. Imagine if say David Garrett had made those comments what the outcry would be?

Questions to be asked from this incident are:

1. Why do MP's get spacesaver seat access on domestic flights when they don't pay for them?
2. Why can't they be seated down the back in the spare seats by the toilet?
3. Why do MP's (and the public servants) filling the spacesaver seats get airpoints accrued to their Air New Zealand frequent flyer accounts when their flights are not paid by a private sector employer but the taxpayer?
4. Shouldn't the taxpayer get all the Airpoints and a rebate from Air New Zealand for their expenditure on MP's flights?

Chauvel got caught being abusive while troughing on a "holiday" (according to Close Up) in Auckland with his husband. He's in the public eye and should behave better or face the consequences of a member of the public reporting his behaviour. Either be a man and front up to the parents with your request or STFU. Mumbling on the seat behind and blaming the VRWC is for pussies.

The Cactus Reviews - Auckland Hotels

Sky City Grand*

Sky City Grand is getting progressively worse as time goes by. So bad that I have now officially taken it off my list of recommended Auckland hotels. Having had three separate stays during the month I suffered the following:

- Inattentive check-in staff.
- Taken to a non-smoking room where there had clearly been a smoker previously. The check-in staff member then ARGUED with me about the room despite refusing to go up and smell it herself after the porter advised the room was unsuitable.
- Ridiculously priced MB charges for the internet.
- A room service menu that hasn't changed since Jenny Shipley was Prime Minister.
- Doors on the shower that still haven't been fixed to open properly so you can have the bathroom door open while in the shower.
- Several calls to get anything from housekeeping ie. feather pillows.
- Box TV sets. Yuck.
- Every decreasing complimentary toiletries.
- The tiniest bottles of coke you can buy.

On the positive the bell boys and porters continue to be fabulous and the old chap who greets you at the main entrance is lovely. To their credit the housekeeping staff also are great. The rest of the hotel needs a MAJOR refurbishment/kick in the backside. There is no way in sweet merry hell that the Sky City Grand deserves a five star rating even if it was in Bulls.


Metropolis***+

Fearing that service was a foreign concept to Auckland hotels exclusive now to the ladies down at Fort Street, I switched to Metropolis apartments in my last week. Hilton Apartments seems to be no more which used to be my first choice when a bit of extra space was required for a longer stay.

If you can get past the dodgy Chinese vendors downstairs who seem to be laundering money with great wads of cash being exchanged from Chinese student types, and navigate yourself past the studio to the luxury high level apartments, Metropolis is definitely the one.

The feature of the apartments is the cat. Yep the downstairs Metro office has perhaps the most gorgeous cat I've ever seen. Within seconds it was positively crawling on the floor rolling at my feet. It was a pleasant distraction from the money laundering students in front of me handing over more than $10k in cash for their apartment. S/he (didn't check) follows you right to the door of the lift before letting off a little meow goodbye.

If you are self-serving and wish for a private stay then Metropolis is also good as you will lack company. There seemed to be no one else in the building as I looked out on the high floor across the harbour with a gorgeous view of fireworks exploding over Albert Park. Another feature was the large double balcony where the doors could be left open defying the need for air conditioning. The apartment was huge and I marvelled at the Krukziener quality of construction.

Plenty of New Zealanders would hate staying at Metropolis for the heavy density of Asians living in the building and below dining in eateries on the ground floor and High Street. To me, just like being at home in Hong Kong so that wasn't an issue. Plus I liked the cat.

The apartments are individually owned then rented out by Metro Apartments, the entrepreneurial Asian types on the ground floor. The lady said they had 30 apartments on their books, so I am estimating based on the Ladies Market rule of thumb of taking a price and dividing by 3 when bargaining that they have 10.

To be brutally honest the interiors could do with a few touch ups, but more than sufficient for a pleasant stay where you like to have enough space to empty the contents of both suitcases everywhere and there is probably no better location in the city central than where the apartments are.

You Can Never Be Too Thin Or Too Rich.....

Nonsensical Economics

They believe their work shows that as a nation becomes wealthier, consumption shifts increasingly to buying status symbols with no intrinsic value - such as lavish jewellery, designer clothes and luxury cars.

But they warn: "These goods represent a 'zero-sum game' for society. They satisfy the owners, making them appear wealthy, but everyone else is left feeling worse off."

Utter nonsense from Canadians (again). The whole "theory" can be summed up in one word - ENVY. It's a part of human nature and it will never change.

No one wakes up in the morning wishing to be a) fatter or b) poorer. The sooner these politically correct halfwits realise this the better.

Life is about making money to buy cool shit for yourself (gifts) and people you like (charitable giving).

Simple.

If someone is upset about that then they can harden the f*** up and find some other way of being happy.

After all, if money can't buy happiness, why according to Curtis Eaton and Mukesh Eswaran, poorer people look at those with more money and the envy contributes to their unhappiness?

The Cactus Reviews - Auckland Bars and Restaurants

After my recent trip back it is time to compile the annual New Zealand Cactus reviews of your eating, drinking and hotel establishments.

Today I start with Auckland bars and restaurants.

Unlike Busted Blonde who generally creeps all over the backside of her favourite joints as she has relationships of personal feelings with the owners/chefs, I am not so kind. If you suck, I will say so. Here are the first up victims:

Non Solo Pizza Parnell
Grove
Kermadec
Mecca Chancery
Euro
Soul
Wagamama
Chow
Wine Chambers Restaurant
Wine Chambers Bar
Long Room
Lime Bar
Sale Street

NSP Parnell ***

I meet a friend of mine here every trip back who works up in Parnell. As a friend of the owners so we may get better treatment because of that but for such a sleepy little location, the service is always great and the food consistently good. In my opinion some of the best Italian dishes in Auckland and their champagne cocktails are fabulous and big tick for the dessert.

Best place to sit is the courtyard, only downside is that the tables are often uneven and there is a slight feeling that the outside area is not that clean.

Grove **

Very good food, ridiculously priced compared with other restaurants of better location. Fabulous hand made strawberry cocktails. Interesting place and was my first visit. Liked it. Only criticism is that the meals are quite heavy and blokey for lunch. More the eat, drink and have an afternoon nap sort of place but will go on my list of new places to visit.

Kermadec Bar and Brassiere ***+

My current favourite Auckland restaurant. Reasonably priced Ruinart and great seafood. Went there four times over the space of the month and the highlight was the seafood platter which is a marvel. Avoid at all costs though the crop hair bitch maitre'd who is unnecessarily unpleasant to visitors. Staff the first three times were fabulous and tipped as such, particularly the hot Brazilian guy. Steady stream of foreigners on working holidays to keep the perves amused. Best view of the harbour in my reckoning as opposed to Soul. Could do with more comfortable seats.

For tight-arses, not really the place to go, but there are lunch set menus. The desserts are compulsory however and you can't go too wrong with the prawn cocktail.

Mecca Chancery **

Not for those with stage fright, the place where underemployed property developers and managers hang out. Highlight is the coffee cart in the middle run by Jimmy that doubles in the afternoon as a place for a quite tipple. Enjoyable but weather dependent.

Euro ***

First time I went was solely to get hammered with a new best friend on their new champagne of pushing - Gosset. Waiter found me some oysters and immediately apologised they were not Bluffs. Euro got three return visits for drinks/lunches.

Note the return from self-imposed exile of "Camp" David, the comical waiter who is my favourite in Auckland. Deals in giving his guests utter shit, but at the same time matches food with my champagne perfectly and if you are dithering around he will simply order something for you based on what he thinks you like to eat. Never been wrong.

Last time I went was the day I left where David thoughtfully reserved a dozen oysters for me. Can't go too wrong with the calamari salad there and Gault has just brought out a new menu, thank the lord as the old one was getting bloody tired and I was tiring of the duck pancakes.

Staff turnover seems very low and the same waiters seem to always be there when I am back. Top quality joint that is always worth it and ssafe to refer to overseas visitors used to fine dining.

One comment - could do with better outside chairs.....

Soul **+

Would someone tell them to stop delivering fries out to the balcony? In the midst of eating reasonably good cuisine from very fresh and tasty meats, there is without fail always a table of 4 overweight K1W1 men or women ordering fries. The smell of these fries is so damn delicious that in ten minutes guaranteed there are orders for more fries from tables surrounding picking up the scent.

Ate at Soul once on a Sunday for brunch. Food was again good, if not spectacular. Again one seems not to be able to resist the crumbed calamari which depending on whether it is brought straight to you or left on the kitchen bench for five minutes, is superb. Great cocktail list.

Attended the Soul Bluff Oyster opening which was a sensational afternoon of grazing. Staff are now consistent lead by a senior team.

Wagamama **

Stumbled across this one night when needed room service but realised Metropolis didn't have it. Takeaway fusion chinese/Japanese food. Not too expensive but for what it is ridiculously overpriced. Yet strangely pleasant tasting. Could have been I was drunk at that time so went back sober and the food wasn't as delicious. For children and Asian students in the middle of the city. I predict closure within the year. Good product, silly pricing for its target market.

Chow *-

BOSOC, SOC and I went there for a quick dinner. Was quick alright and went through SOC even quicker. Greasy shot ball fusion food masquerading as foreign and therefore hip and trendy. Terrible location in Auckland. Miles away from anywhere. Not a patch on the Wellington joint even with identical menu. Needs to pull finger out of its backside or wont last.

Wine Chambers Restaurant **+

Lovely location, very discreet. Step up to the toilet unwelcome and an OSH hazard, however solid, rich "fat boy" food. Not a great deal on the menu in the mains for women but what I did eat lasted me the entire evening as well. Again though staff are very well trained. The place next to Shortland Street when you don't wish to be seen in Shortland Street.

Wine Chambers Downstairs Bar ***

Love this bar. Dark, dingy but always seems to have convivial friendly (and reasonably hot) barmen who don't pretend they are at a hip New York bar where minimum spend is $US1,000. Good wine list as you would expect and not bad cocktails.

Long Room (unrated)

Is this place a joke? Was I really there? Not a great deal of drinking happening here so I assume all the patrons were high as kites. It was just awful.

"Matthew Ridge hangs out here". Enough said.

A huge bar area. Reminds me of Cardiac in its early days? What you ask? Exactly. It's not around anymore. Too big for Auckland. Belongs in Sydney.

Lime Bar *-

Was banned last time I was in Auckland due to behaviour of fellow guest. Same shit, same bar bitch kicking us out, different guy. Didn't even last the first drink. I mean it is a late night bar, of course you are going to be POA (pissed on arrival). Sack the Eastern European bitch before the bar goes under.

Sale Street **

I don't dislike this bar. Has reasonable food options and is big, but not in a gory Long Room way. Attended mid-stream of a massive Friday night bar crawl so need to re-attend to actually remember what the place really was like.

Column of the Year So Far.....

Usurping John Armstrong and Jane Clifton's efforts......

Coddington def. Roy

In 2005 when MPs made their case to the Act board for list placings, according to a board member, Roy said she could keep Hide under control, as opposed to then deputy leader Newman, whom she should displace. She got her wish.

Now she's Minister of Consumer Affairs, but worse than Judith Tizard, and that's saying something.

When Roy should have spoken out on Morning Report about the effect on shoppers of the duopoly of supermarkets, we were told she preferred not to comment.

Ouch.

Eyes on SST

"The Crusher Stare"

"The stunt is believed to have been an effort to test security for the Rugby World cup 2011," the Stuff website said.

Yeah....more spin than a F&P.

The stupidity in this is the obvious as there was nothing at all to prove. Of course Super 14 matches have minimal security, just as every sporting event in New Zealand.

I am betting a team of repeaters could get real explosives into the Hilton Hotel, Westin or Sky City Grand in Auckland and detonate them. There's piss-poor security in hotels in New Zealand as well.

Doesn't mean they should try.....does it?

If the sandhoppers want to blow up something, they can if they try hard enough. New Zealand just has to hope it stays insignificant enough on the world stage so they don't bother.

Anyway Sunday should be good. Yawn as HoS rips the stunt to pieces and SST tries to justify their sensationalist non-story expose of New Zealand's poor security.

The ACT Kakapo's

Jane Clifton in 2005 penned an incredibly funny book called Political Animals. Without express permission I copy and paste (commonly known on Gotcha as "pulling a Farrar") her latest Listener column, because it is just so good and says it all.

Political dinosaurs

There’s not a lot the kakapo could teach Act about how to become an endangered species – on the contrary.

The ill favoured ground parrot did not actively connive at the destruction of its own habitat, nor did it cannibalise its own gene pool. As electoral suicide planning goes, Act’s stewardship is truly state-of-the-art.

Last weekend’s Act conference might have been a chance for the party to put behind it last years ridiculous ego orgy that saw Heather Roy and Roger Douglas try to oust Rodney Hide from leadership. But no. Their speeches were larded with barely coded “Rodney is a big, fat dork!” messages, to the point where even the media was embarrassed.

Yes, Rodney did top the hypocrisy charts last year by taking his partner on two overseas trips on the taxpayer. And that has taken a serious toll on his Epsom electorate vote – the vote on which Act depends to get representation in Parliament.

But his opponents – so heedlessly gung-ho they may be shorthanded as Roy Rogers – still seem to think the way to fix this is to destroy the Epsom life raft altogether and install themselves as the leadership.

Two problems with this: 1) no one much has heard of Heather, and those who have now worked with her in Government have failed to detect any modestly concealed quotients of charisma or superior intellect; and 2) the voting public has already said no innumerable times to Roger’s deathless economic prescriptions, as has the Act Party itself.

Their confidence that they can build the party list vote to more than 5% is, to be kind, heroic. To be mean, it’s maniacal.

Rodney, such as he is, is the party’s only hope. If his own caucus cannot wholeheartedly back his efforts at national and local-body fiscal reform, and help him restore and refashion his political reputation, then it will again show inferior wisdom to that of birds. Turkeys, given the option, would never vote for an early Christmas.

Bingle Bungle

Not even Lara Bingle can stop Australian Cricket. But she's given it a fair nudge. Keep her away from the Black Caps please.



Insider Cricket rumours have the woman already playing a large part in the destruction of Andrew Symonds, a fight between Pup and team mate Simon Katich and now Pup has to go home mid-tour to deal with more of Lara.

Personally I can't see why Clarke couldn't have broken up with her the same way the majority of young men these days seem to be breaking up with girlfriends - by text message.

How many businessmen are allowed to return from a business trip to break-up with their girlfriends? None. They do it on the phone. If this was an employment issue then the employer has been soft. Special leave is given for deaths, sickness and tragedy. Not nude photos.

All that happened was a sleazy ex seems to have released nude photos of Bingle in the shower. Big deal, she's all over the internet naked. Bingle seems more upset that she didn't receive image rights for the shot rather than the breach of privacy itself.



Suffice to say Michael Clarke is one of the most brilliant cricketers in the world. He's not really Captain material for Australia and this only proves it further. Can you imagine Steve Waugh returning mid-tour to deal with his missus having a tanty? Or the Ponting of today? Hell Shane Warne never returned from a tour even when he was being busted for being an m-slut. This from Ian Chappell:

Ian Chappell, the former Australian captain, expressed concern at Clarke’s “stability and durability” as a future Test leader, and said the move to rush to Bingle’s side mid-tour was “[not] doing him a lot of good”.

“The first thing you need in an Australian captain is someone who is going to be there all the time. In other words, you can’t afford to have someone who gets injured a bit, like Michael does, or has other issues that occasionally need to be sorted out,” he said.

Lara Bingle has a sensational body. Granted. But plenty of Australian women do. Michael Clarke didn't exactly throw himself from the ugly tree, he's hot and has everything going for him (apart from it seems an excess of intellect). What on earth is he doing even bothering with a woman with this many defects to her personality and behaviour? Just go get another.

Bingle joins the long list of needy, difficult women that men seem drawn rather pathetically to like ants. She looks like she will burst into tears at the slightest sign of difficulty. Clarke has missed tours to be at home with poor little Lara. Like most fragile women, she's not going to get any better with age. Her behaviour is volatile, unpredictable and she always has to be the centre of a bloke's attention. Taking his concentration away from his work or business. The media talk of depression, suicidal behaviour and hello, the tabloid self-perpetuating train continues. Men are attracted to these sorts of women primarily because of the primeval male urge to protect and feel needed. If the woman is reasonable in response to this care, this results in pleasant happy marriages. If the woman is a partially medicated lunatic then the whole thing ends in tears as the man merely enables her ridiculous behaviour and it gets more and more extreme.

I met up with the young son of a friend in Beijing. He isn't even 20 yet and I last saw him in person when he wasn't even at school yet. When discussing women he said that no woman was important enough that he would change his career goals or country of residence for. He's worked it out before the age of 20. He won't go near a Lara Bingle. If he did he would dump her by text for sure.

Bingle is a friggin liability in every way possible. Cricketers are away for months of the year at a time. If she can't handle living primarily on her own then she should hang out with some trashy gangsters in Sydney instead. Which is sounds like she does when Pup is away.

Bingle has been compared today to Kate Moss. That is probably not far from the truth. Moss has ruined the lives of plenty of men who cling to the tragedy trainwreck of her substance abuse and erratic behaviour.

Clark is best to get rid of the trainwreck and concentrate on playing Cricket. He's much better at that.

All and All ........

It's just another brick in the wall........

Inspired by this scribble on The Great Wall from a Kiwi, I grasped the moment to leave a mark myself. The "scribble" can be found on the left side of the wall just before the steepest section 20 of the wall at Mutianyu.




The Great Wall tour to Beijing is compulsory for visitors. The day my group went it was absolute titty-stiffy weather as you grasped deep in your lungs to breathe. In between adjusting the scarf tighter around your neck to prevent freezing to death. We went to the Mutianyu section of the wall and the climb in near freezing and icy conditions was pretty challenging. There are no nice DOC railings, no access for medics other than to reach you on foot and basically if you fall, there will be damage if not death due to the slope of the wall in many parts.

Miles behind blogging (thanks to the Mainland prohibiting access to blogspot.com and Facebook) however I leave with a picture taken with the Blackberry telling a thousand words. Busted Blonde has already stolen it for her blog.

Food from Heaven

I lied and had a lazy dozen more before departure.

Selection Erections

Can the Black Caps selectors NEVER dump Styris again? He's won us yet another match.

And again is it too much to ask that Jacob Oram be retired to a rest home?

Australia have their best team here and we have beaten them not once but twice in a week. The remaining matches should be sell-outs.

Bluff Oyster Opening

The table of myself and seven hearty blokes I was seated with churned through an estimated 42 dozen Bluffs. I'm pretty sure I did 5 dozen myself. We were rumoured to be the most consuming table which is a good effort as it seemed like Maori Fisheries had a whole section of seafood lovers.

Busted Blonde would have provided healthy competition for the leading female oyster eater. Coupled with piss for Africa and I'm sure it may be a rough night ahead.

My previous record was the infamous Shed 5 lunch with Farrar where we had oysters every course.

I can honestly say that I don't wish to see or smell a Bluff Oyster for another season..Fark what a blow-out that event is! But a bloody good afternoon and at $130 a head, a pure loss-leader for the restaurant.

Whaleoil In Court

I've just got back from Court room 2 where Whaleoil was subjected to the Mickey Mouse procedure of the NZ legal system. It was nice to be in town to be able to go support Whale in Court. While a lawyer myself the whole criminal and court procedure is relatively foreign to me as I do not specialise in it.

The highlight of our trip was seeing Millie Holmes with her scum boyfriend walking into Court room 1 reporting yet again. She looks quite at home up there and the staff seem to know her very well. She's looking very slim. Whatever she is taking it agrees with her figure at least.

Whale appeared twice very briefly and as daring as I am I could not sneak a picture of him in the dock.

A sloppily dressed woman (jandals in court) walked over with her toddler and toddler's backpack in tow. Yep, start them young I say.

The silliness of name suppression continues. In the court at the same time was an accused murderer who has name suppression. Media present were wetting their pants at the prospect that very shortly that suppression may very well be breached with NZ's leading opponent of name suppression in the court. To our horror the suppression continued and the accused murderer walked out of the court on bail with his thuggish looking mate. It was bizarre.

Continuing my policy not to speak to repeaters I waited silently outside the court room when Whale was with his lawyer as the repeaters scurried around to file their reports.

Anyway the trial that is expected to last one complete day of court time and your money, is now set down for 25th August which gives FIGJAM almost six months to change the law and the Police to chuck out the silly charges against Whale.

Plenty of the charges are on shakey evidence grounds according to his lawyer, who is a very grumpy, senior and rather commanding litigator in my view after having witnessed him in the court room.

BOSOC Owes Me A Bottle

BOSOC (boyfriend of sister of Cactus) and I have had a bet going since meeting up in New York. He read somewhere that Obama had quit smoking. I did a Tau Henare, and bet a bottle of Dom Perignon against that being the case.

To keep the peace I paid out the bet in New York and the champagne gods were trying to tell me something when the bottle of 1996 ended up being corked.

Looks like I was correct all along

US President Barack Obama hasn't kicked the smoking habit, takes anti-inflammatory medication to relieve chronic tendinitis in his left knee and should eat better to lower his cholesterol.

Obama said at a June news conference that he still had an occasional cigarette. It was his first public acknowledgment that he hadn't kicked the habit. He chews nicotine gum to avoid regular smoking, and his doctor said that should continue.

The June press conference would have been before I paid out on the bet in 2009.

And after presenting me with this present yesterday, complete with words "there's no cigarettes in the cut-out book". Deserving of the loss.




So BOSOC, you know what needs to happen tomorrow at lunchtime. I look forward to a bottle being sent over to our table.

And it best be French as well.

Update - bottle of Moet was duly delivered on the bet. Bless.