Not sounding too good.. IceQueen just rang me from work to tell me the downtown Manhattan subways have been shut down. Apparently a duffel bag full of white powder and some threatening note has been found at one of the underground stations. I've just switched on the news (tv) but no details yet, all they've said is specifed which train routes are currently stopped due to 'police action'.
Given that info only, I think this is very likely a hoax using flour or something like that to simulate anthrax, probably by some disgruntled MTA worker. If there was any 'real' terrorism involved you can be sure they wouldn't just leave a bag full of crap sitting there with a note attached - they'd be spreading it around to take out as many people as possible, and claiming responsibility later.
Also a car has been left in the middle of the Brooklyn Bridge. The guy who put it there apparently said someone paid him to drive it to the middle of the bridge and abandon it there. Police are checking out the car now. Gotta wonder about the guy though, he must be one major dumbass to actually do that for a handful of dollars.. I mean, hello? Think about it...
News just said the powder tested negative for anthrax and is non-hazardous, they think it's probably corn starch. 
They aren't saying what the message was, other than it was regarding MTA. Subways are now being reopened. No mention about the car on Brooklyn Bridge at all. I'll update if anything more comes of it.
Pete | July 2, 2003 5:14 PM | Reply
Woods u creep! Long time no hear. Hangin for a wave eh. Matt Watts & I went for a wave last week at Tairua. Man that place is changing-big flash houses going up every down the Paku end. Waves were 4-5' & mean as. Didn't score too many though as I was a bit timid. Lots of closeouts. Hit my funny bone in my arm on the way in & lost all feeling in it from my elbow down. Still dont have have full feeling in my hand-must have done some temporary nerve damage. Then a couple of days later got an ear infection. Went to the doctor who said it was cold water surfers ear. Still blocked & ringing! Said I should probably now where earplugs but stuff that. Lifes great at the Mount. Wouldn't go back to Hamilton now as its so cool going for a surf after work or in the weekends. Too dark to go after work at the mo being winter & all that but another month & she'll be right. Had a wave with Jake a fortnight ago at the main. Some crab fisherman had all his crabpots out at the main & you had to surf around the bouys. Been playing golf most weekends. Did you get the photo's yvonne sent? Ski season has just started so wouldn,t mind getting down there. Are you working at the moment? If not anything in the pipeline. Every time I here the arsehole song I think of us cruising out to Rags, on arrival, you lighting up a durry, perhaps grabbing a waikato from the glovebox for breakfast befor promptly going to have a dump!!!!!! I miss those days. Well better go. Make sure you reply. Seeu. Later Woods
Nereus | July 2, 2003 5:42 PM | Reply
Pete ya Rapist! Dude I've had ringing in my ears for a couple of years now. Ya kinda get used it after a while, most of the time anyway. Occassionally it gets annoying, but no worries.
Ear plugs do suck. It's bad enough when your ears get blocked with water and sand and everything sounds like you just stepped off an airplane, but doing it on purpose with an earplug? nahhh 'fraid not my son.
Yeah I got some pics a while ago - good photos! I plan to put some on the site (in the random/photo area) some time soon. Got a few pics of Rob's wedding too (my old flatmate) with Brian as best man. He looks the same as always. They got married on the beach at The Mount in suits and black sunnies.. hard case.
Yeah mate I miss the trips too. Speaking of dumps, I just had a good one. Thought you'd want to know. hehe. I'll email this to you you creepy little rapist!
Go get some waves for me. cu. later. woods.
oh yeah, two words..
NUCLEAR FUCKING WEAPONS!
HAHA oh yeah, Yvonne said you're still trying to get pregnant.. dude maybe you're sticking it in the wrong hole? *falls off the chair laughing* creepy little dirt track rapist!
Putty Girl | July 3, 2003 6:47 PM | Reply
Nereus-
I don't even want to know what the little cruise down memory lane with yer pale wuz about... although I am glad your bowels are still running smoothly.
At any rate, I responded to your question from the other day a couple of posts down from this one... I think it is called Breaking Down Walls. Catch ya later 'gator!
:)
Nereus | July 4, 2003 1:45 AM | Reply
kewl got it :) which plan are you on with them? They do have php, but charge extra for it (depending what plan you're on) which sucks. In fact they have a lot of extra possible hidden charges there.. hrmm. If you're on the basic FTP account ($5.95 month), it's ok for flat files but there's no cgi, database, php, additional email, nothing. If you're wanting to do more with your site and especially if you're wanting to start designing sites for businesses, you'll need more features than they are providing (if you're on the FTP plan)..
I'd recommend phpwebhosting.com. $9.95/month gets everything, + free subdomain set up (as many as you want) multiple emails with POP3, mySQL database, 125MB space and more for free if you need it..
In the meantime, I have seen comments on sites where it appears the comment service is provided by an outside service.. I'll have a look around and see what I can find out.
Nereus | July 4, 2003 2:00 AM | Reply
One Ive seen is Blogback, but they're not accepting new users presently.. might want to keep an eye on it though incase they open up for new users again..
http://www.tecknik.net/blogback/
AH-ha! Ok here's one that is free and you just insert code into your blogger template by the looks of it!
http://enetation.co.uk/index.php?page=about
Here's another who have just reopened for new signups, although it doesn't say what is required, but I'd imagine it's similar to above..
http://www.haloscan.com/
ooo and another more, also free and made for blogger.
http://www.blogextra.com/backblog/
one more, and this is one I think I've seen in use somewhere too (also free)
http://www.squawkbox.tv/index.jsp
check those out :)
Putty Girl | July 4, 2003 8:19 AM | Reply
Nereus-
Thanks for heads up and I think I will switch over to phpwebhosting. To be honest I have never gotten screwed with Pair (3-4 years) but I think that at this point I am wanting to try more and don't want to get nickel and dimed, so thanks again for the tip. I think I am going to try two things first... the one for Blogger and the SquawkBox one. Thanks again for the help...
Also I did look on Pair's site for php stuff some time ago and they were trying to get me to switch accounts then... so I thought I'd learn ColdFusion and maybe build one for myself only to find out that they charge extra for that support too. Wankers. Bloody wankers.
Anyway, thanks again and you and Ice have a great 4th of July!
Nereus | July 4, 2003 10:47 AM | Reply
hehe cheers, you have a great day too :)
Putty Girl | July 5, 2003 10:17 AM | Reply
FYI, I just realized I misspelled "pal" as "pale". Aiy yih yih... that's where a college degree gets ya.
merry-anne | August 7, 2003 6:53 PM | Reply
hello howz everyone,was just in Tairua last w/d the surf on the north east side was rockin, but had some mean dumpers. After havin a couragious surf in Tairua,cought the paunui ferry to the main beach but was a bit disapionted cause the surf wasn't so great But alls well, hope to get back to that small but happening place called Tairua very soon.
Nereus | August 7, 2003 7:05 PM | Reply
Sweet! Damn you're making me jealous! I used to spend a lot of time in Tairua. Eric knows me (pub owner) - I've spend a few New Years Eves going hard at the pub and stayed there as well (at the pub). I've had some really good waves at Tairua beach, and around the corner at Sailors Grave too. It's a nice place to hang out in summer for sure.
Crystal | August 7, 2003 8:40 PM | Reply
Hows things Nereus, this morning had a surf @ waimarama with a couple of m8s in Havelock North,it was ok. heading 2 ocean beach this avo, hope i have a bit more luck there.What spot are you @,@ the mome?well i'm off soon, so hope if your going out 2day you catch some satisfying waves.
Nereus | August 8, 2003 12:21 AM | Reply
Hi Crystal. I'm in New York atm - not a whole lot of surf over here which sucks majorly. What surf they do have here is small and crumbly and a long way from the clean walls of Raglan.
Have a good one, catch a few for me :)
will | June 28, 2005 12:55 PM | Reply
Hello Everyone
Whats the surf like down at waimarama / Hastings area in general? My girlfriend & I have been offered jobs there and are trying to work out if it would be good for us.
We are from the UK so cold is ok but sharks & excessivly gnarly breaks are not!
Cheers
Will
Nereus | June 28, 2005 6:47 PM | Reply
Heya Will. There's some sweet surf over there, and not many crowd porblems either compared to other parts of NZ.. altho localism in a few of the lesser-known spots can be a little heavy if you don't know any of the regulars.
A good place to go for responses is the surf.co.nz forums ...in fact I think you've found them already :)
Will | June 29, 2005 3:49 AM | Reply
Hi. Yep, I found them & they where realy helpfull. Yesterday Hastings was nearly out of the running but aftera day trawling the net for info & pics & a night on the forum & some email responses its right back up there. Seems like we would get more of the NZ experience we imagine: uncrowded, sweet waves. Thanks for your help, Will
Nereus | June 29, 2005 6:44 AM | Reply
kewl. I have some photos of Gisborne on the site, just check on the menu if you want to see some similar surf - Gisborne is just up the coast a bit from Hastings / Napier.