Enjoy Every Second

On New Year's Even we welcomed in 2006 at Armaz & Angelique's home in Brown's Bay, 17 kilometers north of our place. But what a difference 10 miles makes - when we walked to the beach, just before midnight, we could see the Milky Way! I'm still not familiar with Southern Hemisphere constellations, except for the Southern Cross - there's too much light pollution in Auckland, and most nights are too cloudy anyway - but the stars were gorgeous and provided an acceptable alternative to fireworks.

Most of the family has left by now, catching flights to London, Germany, and California; however, we still have Azam, her sons, and Maman for a few more days. We were expecting Keywan to stay with us until the end of February - he's been studying law in Berlin and London, and I helped him find an internship with a local barrister/solicitor here - but a last minute change in his exam schedule meant he had to cancel and head back to the Northern cold. It's a shame, but I hope he'll be able to reschedule and come back later in the year.

After several weeks in Karekare with virtually no computer access, I used my New Year's Day free time - including the extra leap second - surfing the 'net, and came across the following rant (it's actually by Steve Martin, but he's got O'Reilly down cold):

Leap Second Lovers Are Traitors Says Bill O'Reilly

"This year's leap second is an assault on the American public," says commentator Bill O'Reilly. "The reason the leap second is even being proposed is because of America Haters, because of Iraqi hate mongers, and let's be honest, Shiites. Why would you add a second to the year unless you're an anti-American hate monger?

I remember liberals at a party saying, 'let's add a second to the year' and I was the only one who spoke up against it. Why would they want to add a second to the year? Because it gives them a second longer to hate Bush.

"Look, look, look, look. A leap second is a denial of everything American, of everything good, of everything moral. They're saying we need this second because the earth rotates on its axis and revolves around the earth, well this is the no spin zone. So we don't need a leap second. Though I would rather have a leap second than some of these hate-mongers who go around hating even their own ideas! They need to hate their own ideas so much that you have many liberals proposing the leap second, which is an idea that they hate, yet, they propose.

"I am so so so so upset with these people, who actually believe their ideas, yet, I have no hate in my heart. I am a simple guy, who only has my own true beliefs and a few products that are my cornerstone to fight against the leap second poobah. Let me say it aloud: Leap Second, leap second, leap second. Doesn't it sound ugly?

"Please, don't let these Darwinian leap-seconders, who believe that the planets revolve around the sun, who believe that rocks are sedimentary, igneous and stalactites, who are innocent dim-wit believers in a faith bordering on hating everything religious like trees and fruitcake, yet, who don't believe in John 7:12:45:67:89, have their say.

"But you know what I love? Dialogue. Rational dialogue which allows me to say that aliens from a Iraqi loving planet want to abolish Christmas by adding a leap second to the Darwinian anti-God year. Dialogue is what keeps the American system God-loving and anti non-God. It also keeps the anti-God loving non-Iraqi loving insurgent deniers able to voice their hideous so-called opinions over the American loving tolerant airways. And now let's take some calls."

Wishing you a Happy New Year and All the Best in 2006!

Cheers,
Sandie