Weekend social 02/12/2011

Written By: - Date published: 2:00 pm, December 2nd, 2011 - 34 comments
Categories: weekend social - Tags:

Christmas truce 1914Weekend social is for non political chat. What’s on for the weekend, gigs, film or book reviews, sports, or whatever.

No politics, no aggro, why can’t we all just get along?

34 comments on “Weekend social 02/12/2011 ”

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  1. ianmac 1
    2 December 2011 at 2:16 pm

    Just had the ill-famed white-tail spider walking along my computer top. I like spiders. Why some of my best friends are spiders. And the bad press that white tailed ones get is unproven. A recent write up in our paper had a woman with a bad infection blame said spider. Did she see one? Er- no. But she will get the commercial fumigators in to cleanse her house.
    Happens all the time and so far no credible evidence. No eye-witness accounts. No spider specialist support. And this spider has residency in NZ of over a hundred years. You would think there would be some real evidence by now.
    So my little friend feel free to do your thing.

    • Jackal 1.1
      2 December 2011 at 3:03 pm

      I’ve been noticing a native spider is killing and eating the White tails… not sure what it’s name is though.

    • Lanthanide 1.2
      2 December 2011 at 4:49 pm

      A guy at my intermediate turned out to be allergic to white tail spider venom and ended up in hospital for a day.

      Even if you’re not allergic a white tailed spider can give you a painful bite that will swell up quite large. If it gets ‘infected’ or some-such it’s likely a secondary infection that wasn’t caused by the spider, same as any cut or scratch could get infected (although spider bite sites might be more liable to infection if the surrounding flesh is in a compromised state from the venom – purely my conjecture).

    • Vicky32 1.3
      2 December 2011 at 6:04 pm

      Just had the ill-famed white-tail spider walking along my computer top. I like spiders. Why some of my best friends are spiders. And the bad press that white tailed ones get is unproven

      Really? That’s interesting news… I love spiders and cultivate them, as a good substitute for fly spray, so if white-tailed ones are okay, that’s good!

      • felix 1.3.1
        2 December 2011 at 8:58 pm

        I’m no spiderologist but at home I’m surrounded by hundreds of the little fellas and I’ve never been bitten.

      • travellerev 1.3.2
        3 December 2011 at 2:49 pm

        I do too! I’m so glad I’m not alone. I even give them names. A lot of them get called Annie (must be a Dutch thing) for some reason and I love their maternal instinct with their huge nests and offspring. LOL.

        I had one living on the same spot for two years and I cried when I found her dropped out of her web and dead one day.

    • Reality Bytes 1.4
      2 December 2011 at 8:20 pm

      I was sitting at my pc one day, and felt something tickling on my face, gave it a flick and low-and behold it was a MASSIVE white-tail 🙂

      Had the similar thing happen once with a wolf-spider (or nursery web, whatever those massive ones are) abseiling down right infront of my eyeball, I did a lightening fast enthusiastic roll out of my chair that would have impressed any martial arts expert.

      Like you Vicky I don’t kill them either I have a catch and release outside policy, even for the so dreaded ‘white tails’. Afterall they keep the eco-system in balance, they deserve a shot at life, and they benefit us by dealing to flys, mosquitos etc.

      We have it pretty good here in NZ, our spiders are nowhere near as dangerous as their Aussie relatives… Although they recon red-backs are more or less established here now in small pockets.

      • travellerev 1.4.1
        3 December 2011 at 2:53 pm

        I have to confess to killing White tails. I didn’t realise they had been living here for more than a 100 years. I shake out my Wellie’s to avoid being bitten and have not seen one for a long time but I have to reconsider perhaps especially since there seems to be a local spider which seems to keep a balance

        • Reality Bytes 1.4.1.1
          3 December 2011 at 11:18 pm

          I’m generally pretty creeped out by spiders in general, but for some reason jumping spiders never bother me in the slightest, I’ll happily pick them up in my hands inspite of their well developed fangs. I don’t know what it is about them, maybe some anthropomorphic qualities that make them less creepy perhaps lol. Check them out they are pretty cool, they will rear up and noticeably watch you if you get close to them:

          http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jumping_spider

    • NickS 1.5
      3 December 2011 at 6:08 pm

      It still wont stop me from squashing them with glee, as my arachnophobia might be dead, but I still regard white-tails as damn annoying due to cultivating a messy room.

      And give me jumping spiders any day of the week, as they eat other spiders and look cute 😛

      • Reality Bytes 1.5.1
        3 December 2011 at 11:21 pm

        White tails basically hunt other spiders and bugs as they are active roaming predators (I saw one subdue and drag off a cockroach once!). They don’t really make messy webs themselves, if anything they reduce themsince they eat daddylong legs/whatever web making spiders.

  2. the pink postman 2
    2 December 2011 at 2:40 pm

    Been off for about six weeks with this blasted flu ,but the anti-biotics are doing the job.So out Sunday to a concert at the Anglican Cathedral to see the Waikato Brass Quintet. An up and coming brass group. Then Monday Rufus Rogers LP branch annual lunch . followed by the Leaders debate /Should be a good weekend.

  3. randal 3
    2 December 2011 at 3:05 pm

    gunna lurn the “cumberland blues”.
    by the grateful dead.
    lotta poor man got to walk the line just to pay his union dues,
    i DONT KNOW NOW, i JUST DONT KNOW, IF i’M GOING BACK AGAIN.

  4. neoloeftie 4
    2 December 2011 at 6:20 pm

    well got work for a few hours on saturday then off to a ECE hui to support wife…might have to be guest presenter at this stage…

  5. Ianupnorth 5
    2 December 2011 at 7:38 pm

    Weather looks like biking is out; might do a bit of gardening between showers. Also, my lad is doing triathlon on Sunday.

  6. Kevin Welsh 6
    2 December 2011 at 8:09 pm

    Fully recovered from biking around Taupo last weekend, but this newly acquired head cold will keep my feet off the pedals this weekend. Looks like its the garden and movies for me.

  8. r0b 8
    3 December 2011 at 11:07 pm

    Yeah – that’s not bad – but…

  9. r0b 9
    4 December 2011 at 9:54 am

    And while we’re on the subject of guitar heroes, here’s Vivaldi’s Summer for you:

  10. LynW 10
    4 December 2011 at 10:03 am

    Seriously entertaining! All of the above. Thanks for the links. Most enjoyable.

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