Where's the justice here...

Berryman bridge case struck out of court. Where's the justice here?


The High Court has struck out a claim for damages in the Berryman's bridge case.

The army-built bridge leading to Keith and Margaret Berryman's King Country farm collapsed in 1994, killing beekeeper Ken Richards.

The Berrymans wanted to sue the army, claiming it acted maliciously in wake of the bridge collapse by withholding information from a coroner's inquest.

The Court of Appeal allowed the claim to go ahead in 2008 but the High Court issued a ruling on Thursday saying it must be struck out.

Justice MacKenzie says the proceeding, which was filed in 2006, did not commence within six years of the cause of the alleged misfeasance.

He says there is no public interest in allowing the matters to be further litigated and it is not in the Berrymans' interests to allow them to continue with a claim that is bound to fail.

Acknowledgements: Radio New Zealand 2009

Leopard never changes its spots...

Leopard never changes its spots...

The Social Development Minister says plans to cancel benefits of people who refuse three job offers are on hold...

Paula Bennett says the recession has forced her to put some of The National Party's most radical benefit changes on hold.

The Social Development Minister says she is still keen to make savings in the system, which is currently spending more than $16 billion a year.

But Ms Bennett, speaking on TVNZ's Q&A programme, said plans to cancel the benefits of people who refuse three job offers, or will not accept training, are on the back burner.

Ms Bennett says right now the country expects her to be helping people who have lost their jobs because of the downturn. She says another 35,000 people have signed on for the dole since the slowdown began, and helping them should be the priority.

The Minister says circumstances have made it necessary to soften the policy, but she still wants to see it brought in before the end of the Government's first term in office.

A $23 Quadrillion restaurant charge in San Francisco.

Visa dings $23 Quadrillion charge in San Fransisco...

By Dan Goodin in San Francisco.



Visa says a technical glitch is responsible for a rash of notices warning customers their accounts are overdrawn to the tune of $23 quadrillion.

An anonymous Reg reader tipped us to one emailed statement, which claimed the account of the tipster's son was on hold because of a charge made to an Applebee's restaurant for $23,148,855,308,184,500.00. The tipster continued:

"After checking with him to make sure he really hadn't purchased 23 quadrillion dollars worth of food from Applebees - he's really not that big an eater - I called to dispute the transaction. A tired-sounding customer service rep interrupted me: 'Are you calling about the $23 trillion dollar charge?' I corrected her "Actually, it's 23 quadrillion. I looked it up."
Visa representatives quickly blamed the notices on a technical glitch. The 17-digit charges were applied to holders of prepaid cards, they said, such as the Visa Buxx card, a service parents can offer teenaged children.

"Late yesterday, July 13, a temporary programming error at Visa Debit Processing Services, caused some transactions to be inaccurately posted to a small number of Visa prepaid accounts," a statement issued on Tuesday said. "The technical glitch, which impacted fewer than 13,000 Visa prepaid transactions, has been corrected and erroneous postings have been removed. Importantly, this incident had no financial impact on Visa prepaid cardholders."

Not so green on the other side of the ditch, Kiwi...

Not so green on the other side of the ditch, Kiwi...

When times get tough like they have in recent time, many Aussies are starting to resent, just a little, their Kiwi cousins and mates. But after years of New Zealanders thinking the other side of the Tasman Sea was the greener side, reality is starting to bite hard for many, especially those who couldn't read the weather and realise the colour was changing. Those who sold up and came over during the last year or so. Not so green on the other side, Kiwi!

Sure, Kiwis were hard workers and all that bull: they were in OZ for a better life? Yeah, really? They were after better opportunities, incomes and standards of living for their families. And now things may be falling apart for many; the unexpected loss of jobs and no prospects for others.

But the colour of money is changing, and the natural born Aussie is probably starting to resent, just a little, his Kiwi cousin and mate. Suddenly the Kiwis who moved over to Australia in recent years are realising that the future is no longer guaranteed for them. The Aussie dollar is worth a lot more than the Kiwi and the standard of living so much higher; or so they said.

I always said of those who emigrated to Australia; if you lose your job and haven't been in Australia for the required two years to qualify for the Aussie dole, you will wish you were back home in NZ and close to your families. Always have a return plane fare to New Zealand sitting in the bank! Red is the colour of embarrassment my friends.

And like an old prophet or seer, I see the colour of green turning to a lousy shade of brown for many Kiwis in Australia.

3200 posts offices could close in America -- could a marijuana tax be an economic tonic...

3200 posts offices could close in America as the economic crisis deepens and the US Government cuts state spending.

Could a marijuana tax prove to be an economic tonic? Is that such a dopey idea?

A tax on the green to assist the greenbacks?

Release all Iranian protesters now...

TEHRAN, Iran (AFP) — The wife of Iranian opposition leader and defeated presidential candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi has called for the release of people arrested following the June 12 election.

"I regret that a large number of people among the political elite and others have been arrested, and I ask for their release," Zahra Rahnavard said in remarks published on her husband's campaign website.

"I have not been arrested. I continue my work at the university, but at the same time, alongside others, I protest" the result of the election, which put Mousavi a distant second after victorious incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

"Nationalism and the blood of the martyrs demand that I be on the scene, always protesting against the result of the election and defending people's rights within the framework of the law."

She said the regime should not act as if Iran were in a "state of siege."

Since the election, whose outcome is disputed by Mousavi, Tehran and other parts of the country have been the scene of often violent protests.

Hundreds of protesters have been arrested, as well as politicians and journalists.

Rahnavard, 64, a sculptor and academic, broke the mould of Iranian politics by campaigning openly alongside her husband ahead of the vote.

Acknowledgements: Copyright © 2009 AFP.

Zahra Rahnavard, wife of defeated Iranian presidential candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi

Michael Jackson fans turned to Twitter...

Wacko Jacko or a sad and talented little man? Today's for his fans, I guess! RIP Michael Jackson!


Michael Jackson fans turn to Twitter
by Kerrie Mitchell

Categories: Michael Jackson, Twitter

Maybe it goes without saying at this point, but it turns out that Twitter was one of the first places people went to react to Michael Jackson's death. The usual celebrity suspects weighed in almost immediately: Ashton Kutcher tweeted, "Rip Sending love and light to family and friend but especially his kids." John Mayer wrote, "I think we'll mourn his loss as well as the loss of ourselves as children listening to Thriller on the record player." They apparently weren't the only ones chiming in with condolences. Paid Content reported yesterday that Twitter's search engine was swamped in the aftermath of Jackson's passing, with the site at one point disabling the search field on user's home page. Twitter co-founder Biz Stone told the LA Times: "We saw an instant doubling of tweets per second the moment the story broke....This particular news about the passing of such a global icon is the biggest jump in tweets per second since the U.S. presidential election." Who out there turned to Twitter when they first heard the news?
PopWatch HomeEW Home

CommentsAdd Your Comments

Kim Mascaro Fri, Jun 26, 2009 at 08:13 PM EST


The MAN IN THE MIRROR has sadly passed away. His mission to HEAL THE WORLD thru his music and amazing talent will always be here to stay.
Some of us are BLACK OR WHITE, but we
are all of HUMAN NATURE. I WANT U BACK, however we are now only left to REMEMBER THE TIME. We want to ROCK WITH YOU forver. U will be missed. YOU ARE NOT ALONE.


Lisa Fri, Jun 26, 2009 at 07:04 PM EST


i grew up listenining to M.J. It is so sad tha world has lost a great entertainer. M.J u will b missed but never forgotten u r tha king of pop music. i enjoyed tha music he made. R.i.P. MiChAeL JaCkSoN..


kc Fri, Jun 26, 2009 at 05:29 PM EST


I grew up in Philippines and in high school he was big, every single teenager loved him, boy or girl, he was the idol. In that country, going to his concert is only a dream since we are in the otherside of the world. Even celebrities in Philippines are trying to immitate his moves and had become popular for doing that. it was sad about the scandal. The come back concert was something I was looking forward to.Time has healed, it was time to revive his name. I promised myself I will see him perform live, now that I am grown up in Canada, he is almost within reach, I can afford to go to his concert now but to my dismay I didnt even have the chance to see him perform live. We will always remember him. He is once a part of our lives, the mania, and no one is quite like him. We mourn for his death and we do hope he is in a better place. May God bless him and his family.


alce Fri, Jun 26, 2009 at 04:56 PM EST


I was driving when I heard the news, my mind went back till my childhood, I grew up with MJ's music and to my surprise my joungest kid (10) became Michael Jacson's fan when listened Thriller, he pop up the volume of every single son played at the radio yesterday. Michael Jacson you will live forever in our hearts.


CC Fri, Jun 26, 2009 at 04:46 PM EST


God bless the Jackson family especially the children. I was a big fan especially during the 80's, cut out every pic or poster I could from magazines that my dad would bring home. I'll miss you Michael. R*I*P*


isavel Barrie Fri, Jun 26, 2009 at 04:42 PM EST


I would agree to continue to do the concerts in his rememberance and the kids get the moneys. xxxxxxx


Steve Fri, Jun 26, 2009 at 04:26 PM EST


I agree that the concert should go on and other celebrities should offer there assistance to raise some funds for the kids....Michael Jackson was a legend and will always remain one he was a gift to this planet has done a lot for the poor and the needy he will always be someone who will be remembered for decades....love you mic


steve Fri, Jun 26, 2009 at 03:21 PM EST


I think the "This is it" concert should go ahead as a tribute to the King of Pop, raise the money for Charity ! Michael would be there in spirit and he will live on in our hearts and minds


ML Fri, Jun 26, 2009 at 03:16 PM EST


Maybe singing stars of today can play those 50 concerts in london and cover his and there songs and share how he inspired us all.


Eric Williams Fri, Jun 26, 2009 at 03:00 PM EST


Michael Jackson was a long time fan of mine. He will be greatly missed by me and the world. One of my first dances I did was taken from Michael's Jackson moves. I perform the dance at one of my family reunions in 1984. Michael was my child hood hero.


Spider Fri, Jun 26, 2009 at 02:16 PM EST


This is dedicated to the loved ones we have lost:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndIZuppIPkA


Silv Fri, Jun 26, 2009 at 02:11 PM EST


I one of those weirdos who refuse to jump on the bandwagon of new trends sometimes just because I refuse to be a lemming, so I actually first got a phone call from my husband, who listens to a news radio station; I went to TMZ; between his radio station and TMZ I was ahead of the tv stations and even my usual internet news sites.


Snalf Fri, Jun 26, 2009 at 01:21 PM EST


it really was amazing to watch this spread online, i found out and looked and NO news site had it picked up, then slowly LA Times reported he was hospitalized but online sources and TMZ had it confirmed dead for an hour at that point. . . here is more info about it spreading online:

http://www.olivestudio.com/branch/?p=549



leleana Fri, Jun 26, 2009 at 01:20 PM EST


I found out about it from twitter. SO yeah.


Dr BLT Fri, Jun 26, 2009 at 12:56 PM EST


For Immediate Release: June 26, 2009

Re: Psychologist Pens "Bittersweet" Tribute to Michael Jackson: Addresses psychological significance of star's life/death

Canadian-born Californian singer/songwriter/psychologist, Dr BLT has penned a song about Michael Jackson called "Goodbye Michael Jackson (Bittersweet Legacy)" that offers a social psychological perspective on Michael Jackson as a pop culture phenomenon. The song brings out Jackson's demons and alleged demons as well as his triumphs.

It can be heard here:


Goodbye Michael Jackson (Bittersweet Legacy)
Dr BLT
words and music by Dr BLT copyright 2009
http://www.drblt.net/music/GoodbyeMJDemom.mp3

A full-length version is available here:

http://www.drblt.net

And psychological commentary and discussion on the subject is offered here:

Psychology Comes Alive

http://www.psychologycomesalive.com

For more information:

Contact Dr BLT at:
drblt@drblt.net


P Fri, Jun 26, 2009 at 12:52 PM EST


raises hand. saw harvey levin's post first from tmz.


Diane Jackson Chapman Fri, Jun 26, 2009 at 12:51 PM EST


My family feels so connected to Michael Jackson becuse, we are from Gary, we are from large families - 8 in ours and 9 in his, and we share the same last name. May God bless Michael Jackson and his family during this time of such personal lost them as well as for the world.


Ace Fri, Jun 26, 2009 at 12:35 PM EST


I found out the same way lefty did. I had just gotten home from work and went to Twitter and read Andy Roddick's tweet about MJ passing. Such an interesting age we live in.


lefty Fri, Jun 26, 2009 at 12:32 PM EST


That's how I first heard about it. Andy Roddick tweeted about it and I immediately began checking Google News to see if it was true.


Vicki Fri, Jun 26, 2009 at 12:14 PM EST


I tweeted the second I heard the news. Unfortunately, because of all the traffic, my tweet never go through.


betty Fri, Jun 26, 2009 at 11:30 AM EST


I enjoy his music very much. It is wonderful. I find that lots of his fans on____Richflirts.com__ club for professional athletes, moive stars and millionaires are talking about him recently.

His death does not mean that he has lost, he is the winner.I wish to express my deepest condolences and sadness at the passing of michael jackson.


chrissy Fri, Jun 26, 2009 at 11:26 AM EST


Today I am remembering my love for the pop icon. You can say what you want about him but I will always remember him like this:

http://tinyurl.com/everything-MJ