License arrived today

My Real Estate license arrived today in the mail. I also had my first meeting at the new office and went on caravan with the agents. There is a lot of technology to learn up here in comparison to real estate in NZ, but it will be exciting to learn.

NZ PM may be called as witness.

According to the NZ Hearald... Prime Minister Helen Clark may yet be called as a witness in the motorcade case despite the prosecution deciding against it, a defence lawyer said yesterday.

Five police officers and a civilian driver are accused of dangerous driving after the Prime Minister's high-speed motorcade through the South Island last July.

A trial is set to start on August 1.

Defence lawyer Jonathan Eaton said the prosecution had indicated it would not call Helen Clark but other lawyers might.

I think this is a complete waste of time and public money. If the leader of a state or country is being transported in the name of public business, then the people in charge of transporting her or him should be able to use their judgement as to the best way and speed necessary to get the leaader to the destination.

You dont see President George Bush being called to the stand because his limo was travelling at 75MPH in 25 mph zone....

Although I don't condone illegal speeding in private vehicles, govt officials should be transported at the descretion of their handlers.

The fact that this is even going to court is a mockery.

Keller Williams Real Estate Santa Monica

I have completed my diligence, and I am officially going to hang my real estate license with Keller Williams Real Estate Santa Monica. I have started, and I am now officially a California Real Estate Salesperson.

Whenuapai Airbase for Formula 1

Wouldn't Whenuapai Airbase make a great location for a F1 circuit? Now a firm contract for many F1 races would bring in the sort of revenue to the economy that the America's Cup racing provided.....

Whenuapai Airbase for motorsport?

According to the NZ herald this morning, the Government has stepped in to keep V8 supercars racing in New Zealand, with conditional approval to let them use Whenuapai airbase.
This would be on the basis that the Air Force could reclaim the airbase within 24 hours if a significant emergency was to arise. Auckland Airport has offered to accommodate military aircraft during the races and their preparation and wind-up phases.

It is estimated by using Auckland City Council research that the event would pump an extra $46.5 million a year into the regional economy by attracting 150,000 spectators.

According to Richard Shortt

Today is Tax Free Day!

All of this year so far, up until today, May 24, you have been working for
the government. I bet that makes you feel good.
So Helen and Michael say that for the rest of the year you can work for
yourself and your family.

Australians got a head start on us of course - their Tax Free Day was 10
days ago. But then are we competitive with Australia in anything now?

Remember though, our government has been so nice to us because in three years time the Tax Free Day will occur about 10 minutes earlier. Now there's something to look forward to!

Enjoy the day everyone!

The Westin LAX

Caught up with my cousin Caleb again before he flew off to Taipei. He was in LA for the E3 computer conference. He is a graphic artist for a computer game company...He seems to be doing good......

Saddam in his undies

Photo's of Saddam Hussein were published today in the NY Post, as he was running around in his Y fronts in his prison cell.... There is talk that the photo's may have breached the Geneva convention? Well, the photo's have already been published and it is thought that they are over 1 year old. Wonder who released the photo's?

NZ Budget scam

The budget produced by the Labour Government in NZ and announced yesterday was a massive disappointment for most, and a kick in the b$%s to the people having to wait until 2008 to get as much as $10 per week extra for all their hard work. At the bottom of the tax scale......expect 67 cents over and above what you earn now per week....
Woopie..... I would have thought Labour would have used more carrot tactics considering it is an election year. Shame on Cullen.

LAX gun range

Just got back from the LAX gun range on Manchester Blvd. I went with Greg and Ananda. Ananda just got back from active service in Iraq. Ananda brought his pistol grip shotgun, and a 45 Glock. I hired a 9mm Glock and Greg hired a 9mm Sig. We all had a lot of fun, and managed to actually hit a bullseye or two. If you visit LA from anywhere in the world, it is always a good time at the firing range. I got some good photo's which I will post on the web site later.

Villaraigosa Beats Hahn in L.A. Mayor's Race

According to Fox News this morning, Councilman Antonio Villaraigosa has trounced Mayor James Hahn to become the city's first Hispanic mayor in more than a century, as voters embraced the promise of change in a metropolis troubled by gridlock, gangs and failing schools.

With 99 percent of precincts reporting, Villaraigosa had 260,721 votes, or 59 percent, to 183,749 votes, or 41 percent, for Hahn. A very poor turnout indeed considering that there is many millions of people in Los Angeles.

The election will have an impact even beyond Los Angeles. Villaraigosa's decisive victory immediately places him among the front rank of the nation's Latino political elite, while his city becomes the largest in America to be led by a Hispanic mayor.

When he is sworn in July 1, Villaraigosa will become the first Hispanic mayor of Los Angeles since 1872, back when the city was merely a dusty outpost of only about 5,000 residents.

Hahn, the scion of a prominent political family, becomes the first Los Angeles mayor in 32 years to be bounced from office.

Very interesting indeed. you can check out more about LA's next Mayor at www.antonio2005.com

Original Riddler on Batman dies

Actor Frank Gorshin, best known for his role as The Riddler on the "Batman" television series of the late 60's-early 70's, has died.

Gorshin died Tuesday at a Burbank hospital, according to "Entertainment Tonight." He had been hospitalized for some time with lung cancer, emphysema and pneumonia.

He was a particularly interesting actor.....He was born in 1934.... RIP

Kylie Minogue has cancer

Australian pop star Kylie Minogue has been diagnosed with breast cancer CNN announced today. She is due to turn 37 shortly and has become increasingly popular in the USA and around the world over the last couple of years. My cousin Caleb was mentioning just yesterday how attractive he felt she was.... I hope she gets better very soon.

Went to Viper Room last night

Caught up with my cousin Caleb for the first time in years yesterday. He is a graphic artist and is here in LA for a computer convention. We went to El Cholo for dinner and after that he wanted to go to the sunset strip so we went to Viper Room. The usual line up was not there and the doorman asked us if we were on the list. Well we were not, but we got in anyways. When we got to the front desk to pay, the lady asked for the secret password, but I didn't have it. She looked at the manager who shrugged and they let us in anyway. I was wondering if it was someones private party.....??? A lady called Sharon Ranson was playing and she was quite good. The room was not that packed, but just enough for it to be a good turn out. Half way through the show I noticed Nicole Ritchie in one corner, and Kimberly Stewart in the other. I beleive that Kimberly is taking Nicole's job in that show with Paris Hilton next year as the two of them (Ritchie and Hilton) have had some sort of argument??? Anyway, it was a great night and we all had fun.......

Walked to Venice Beach

I took a walk to Venice from Santa Monica today. It was foggy due to the fact the weather has really warmed up, and the ocean is yet too. There was an amazing amount of people on the beach.... I'd say well over 5000. It was a great walk, and it was mentioned that it may have been as much a 6 miles.....

Renee's tonight

I am off to Renee's tonight between 5th and Wilshire in Santa Monica. Gregory Johnson and Ted Brown put on a good show every Sunday when they are not touring. DJ VMO is looking to have a gig there soon........ Will keep you posted. Greg has just signed with a brilliant label here in USA and is about to take Australia by storm........Fun in the big city...

NZ Herald Poll

According to the NZ Herald this morning the poll taken last night shows some change in the popularity of NZ's political partys.

The polls are never really accurate, and it all depends how many people were polled and where it was, but it is an interesting indication.....


Labour down 1 to 44 per cent; Probably due to bad publicity and distrust in the leaders of the government.

National down 1 to 37; Maybe they need to pull something interesting out of the hat

New Zealand First up 1 to 8; Never underestimate Winston

Greens steady on 4 per cent; Interesting to see

Act down 1 to 2; Rodney and ACT can do it, not much time left though....Need some more publicity.

Maori Party up 1 to 2; Always will have some support

United Future steady on 1 Needs to win a seat or get 5% to stay in power

Progressives on 0.3. It's a start I guess.....

The election is due to be sometime in September at this stage.......

Winston Peters as NZ PM???

In todays NZ Herald Winston is once again in the news wth an article about the possibility that he could hold the balance of power after this years election as he did in 1996. The NZ Herald even goes as far as saying that he may try for the top job putting Mr Brash as the finance minister.... Well this is all heresay, but a very interesting article none the less......

Dr Brash call this "wild talk" not wanting to give Winston any rope, and Winston dismissed the idea as more irrelevant than impossible.... Never underestimate Winston!

I alway like what pops up in the news in election year....

Real Estate papers

The papers that I have been waiting for from the Dept of Real Estate have finally arrived. I did the necessary live scan fingerprints about 4 weeks ago, so now I just need to send the documentation back with the necessary cheque, as well as proof of residence, and the licence should be issued within 3 weeks...Here's hoping.

Beautiful weather

It was nice and warm in LA today. The temperature hit 75 degrees F or 24 degrees C. It is starting to turn into summer and it will not be long till the temp gets to 100 degrees F or 38 degrees C. It can get hotter than that in the Valley and desert, but thank goodness we get the ocean breeze here by Santa Monica...

Cousin coming to town

My cousin Caleb is coming to town to go to some computer show at the LA convention center. It also appears that Regan Morgan is coming to town for the same show, so it should be a good few days of catching up. For those of you in NZ you may remember Caleb from a particularly action filled party that was held by Aaron at the Sebel Suites 5 years ago.........

Pentagon want to shut 33 military bases

The Defense Department on Friday proposed shutting down 33 of the 318 major military bases across the United States.

The Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has said it will save the US Government $48.8 billion dollars over the next 20 years, not to mention the revenue gathering when the lucrative propertys are sold to willing developers.......

I am wondering at this point of time as to why this is being done, or shall I say recommended. A lot of communties rely on the Military bases and the personel working there to keep there towns running. The closures could reek havoc...

Maybe they will have a few spare F16's for NZ to buy if this all goes throough..THat would be good for NZ's defense.....

NZ property prices

I viewed with great interest the information published in the NZ Herald today about the increase in the price of property in NZ over the last few years.

Over the past three years the economy has been riding the wave of a booming housing market so it says.

After going sideways for about four years, house prices on average rose about 47 per cent over 2002-04 and are still going up. I should have brought the property in Kingsland I liked in 2002 for $280,000......

The number of sales peaked in late 2003 but after falling steadily for most of last year got a second wind from a mortgage rate price war among the banks towards the end of the year. If the mortgage rates were as low in NZ as they are here in the USA the prices would be absolutly out of control. Rates are as low as 5.3% p.a here fixed for 30 years.....Lower even if you are in certain financial brackets.

I always have thought that property is one of the best investments available.

Updated Blog

I updated the blog with some links to various sites and blogs I like to look at regularly......Have a great day.

NZ Rugby World Cup bid 2011

As reported in the New Zealand Herald today, NZ will lodge a bid to host the 2011 rugby world cup. The Minister of sport Mr Trevor Mallard announced this....

If the bid is successful, the Government and NZRU will make cash contributions towards costs of $20 million and $10 million respectively, Mr Mallard said in a statement.

The study had highlighted "significant benefits" of staging the cup, adding an estimated $408 million to the economy and tax revenue of more than $90 million.


The bid document will be lodged with the International Rugby Board (IRB) in Dublin later this week.

The IRB council was expected to make a decision on the venue for the 2011 tournament at its November board meeting.


If we are successful, forty-eight games will be played throughout the tournament, with many in provincial New Zealand.

This will be great if NZ wins the bid..........

Capitol Building evacuated

The USA Capitol Building and most of the White House have been evacuated.....It seems that it was a run away small plane and all seems to be fine now. Interesting when you turn on Fox news and something like this is happening....

Heather Graham at Hotel Cafe

Went to a packed house at The Hotel Cafe in Hollywood last night to watch Greg Johnson and Ted Brown perform. It was a great night and I was a bit off guard when none other than Heather Graham walked right into me.......I couldn't help myself but to think of Roller Girl...
Anyways another fun night in Los Angeles.....

Job interviews......

I have been scoping the Real Estate market in Los Angeles and searching for the right place to hang my licence. So far I have been to Remax which has a good commission structure and is the largest Real Estate organisation in the world. I have also been to Keller Williams which started in Texas and is now the 5th largest Real Estate organisation in the USA. I am off to Coldwell Banker next week which has the most coverage around this area, but the commission rates are a bit lower, and training is a bit higher on the agenda than the others.
I have another meeting with the Vice President of the Remax organisation on Tuesday, and so far I like what Remax has to offer.
Will keep you posted.....

Passed the California Real Estate Exam

According to the Department of Real Estate's web site, I passed my California Real Estate Exam. I just need to apply for the license now and wait till it gets processed, as well as find the right company to work for....... WOO HOO.

Santa Barbara 2

I am off to see Peter at Santa Barbara Exotics again. He has a large box of passionfruit for me for a very reasonable fee.........
Dinner at Bunny and Blairs tonight.....

Got Tiger OS X 10.4

I purchased Apple's new Tiger operating system for my i mac today. It is all very interesting and I like the updates. If you don't have an Apple get one, and if you have an Apple, get Tiger.

Tahoe

Just got back from Tahoe with Nick. We were looking at properties and managed to find a beautiful brand new home at Squaw in Olympic Valley. The location is beautiful and I managed to see lots of snow. The lake is magnificent and the facilities at the Resort were great with skiing still available. I look forwards to heading back to Tahoe sometime soon.