Lost, After Sixty Six Years

For this past sixty six years - as long as Adolf has trod the plains and mountains of this earth - Nielsen Australia, formerly AC Nielsen, has carried out the national radio ratings in Australia.

Last week Nielsen lost the contract to a competitor.

Surprisingly, the only reference I can find to this extradinary piece of news is the above link to Channel Nine News.

It would appear the Nielsen system has remained largely unchanged since it's inception during World War !!, with labour intensive and paperwork heavy systems, so a smart Kraut has come along and has done the Yanks like a dinner.

Funny thing you know.  The Lancaster Bomber still works well.  It's just that B52s deliver ten times more bombs, twenty times faster for half the cost.

Who said the Germans lost the war?

Six days to go

At 6:40am next Saturday I slap some baby oil on my arms and legs; slide on my wetsuit and find a friend to zip it up and seal it at the back; and then a few minutes later I jump into Lake Taupo (courtesy of Ngati Tuwharetoa) and wait for the Ironman New Zealand start gun at 7am.

At about 8:05am I should be exiting the water and running toward transition where I receive my cycling gear bag.  Once changed, I'm off for about 6hrs on the bike.  When that's over, the running shoes go on and the marathon beckons.

It's not called the longest day for nothing.

The training has gone fairly well.  Fortunately, swimming is not an issue for me.  I'm 6'4" and have big hands, long arms and big feet.  And I'm quite flexible.

The big hands ensure I catch a good deal of water.  The long arms allow me a good reach and long forearms assist in the pull phase of the stroke.  The big feet and flexible ankles/feet mean a strong(ish) kick.  I am lucky.  I don't need to do as much swim training as a lot of others do.  If I focus on my stroke and rhythm (especially ensuring I drive and rotate my hips) then I can just keep going.  Apart from the start, when 1,450 swimmers converge into about 200 square metres and mayhem ensues for about the first 5-10 minutes, I should be fine.

My plan for the bike is to go quite hard for the first 90k when I'll be fresher, and to keep the food and water intake very regular (60gms of carbs per hour and 1x600ml bottle of water per hour).  If I can get through the first lap in about 2:50 then I'm on track for a 5:50 bike, which is my aim.  I expect to tire, and slow down after about 135k or so.  But with K's in the bank, 5hrs 50 is not unrealistic.

Then comes the run.  The bloody run.

I think it's fair to say a 6'4", 86kg, white, lanky European is not the ideal shape to run fast.  I mean when you look at the best runners, they are about 55kgs ringing wet, and light on their feet.  I tend to stomp, rather than glide.  I have worked a lot on my running, and have a plan of sorts for race day which focuses on a very good rhythm and running on my toes as much as possible, so we'll see what eventuates.

My energy during the run is taken care of with Gu Chomps (4 per hour, or 23gms of carbs) and Enervetine liquid (about 23-25gms of carbs per hour).  This will give m 46-50gms of carbs per hour, which along with the odd cup of Coke and other titbits at the aid stations should be enough - plus plenty of water and electrolyte drink.

I hoped to focus a lot more on more on my running this time round, as I said here.  But a foot injury (Posterior Tibial Tendonitis) meant no running for December and a lot of January.  Consequently, I am going into the run a lot fresher.  That might be a good thing, or I might pay for it.  I'll only know the answer to that about 25k into the run - probably about 4-4:30pm next Saturday.

I'm off to Taupo on Wednesday evening.  If you feel inclined, on Saturday you can follow my progress here: www.ironmanlive.com.  My race number is 1030.

I'll give a report on how it went sometime after Saturday.  

UPDATE: The distances are a 3.8kilometre swim; 180kilometres on the bike; and then a marathon run - 42.2ks.

THAT IS NOT WHAT HAPPENED MORONS.

The Press headline reads, TEEN KILLED IN POLICE CHASE.

According to the story published, young men in a car stolen earlier in Kaiapoi north of Christchurch failed to stop for police in the Eastern Suburbs then crashed following a brief pursuit on Dyers Road when the fleeing car failed to negotiate curves after the police had called off the chase, killing a 15 yo passenger.
Police claim the car was traveling at speeds up to 90kph in a 50 zone and at times used the opposing lane.
Many of the roads in that eastern area are still very uneven with unstable surfaces and even at 50 kph are unsafe.

The unfortunate deceased died in a crash.
The Police had ended the chase.
The 15 yo was in the car by choice.
The driver could have pulled over.
The teen did not die in the chase.
Was he wearing a seatbelt.
Sadly he died in the sudden stop

A more accurate Headline could read;

DRIVER FLEES POLICE, KILLS PASSENGER.

Sadly, blaming the Boys in Blue is more attractive to a dumbed down  deficient Media.

"the kufar that go to the pub and that"

Now, here's a purely good-news story for the day:  guilty "not-wanted-in-Britain-thank-you" fucks found guilty and facing hefty minimum terms.  (NB: The Guardian didn't use that headline.)

Money quote from the bad guys:

"This is going to kick them all, the kufar [infidels] that go to the pub and that; they have hit us in our own country, my God they hit us."

All I can say is "Kufar and proud mate, kufar and proud."  Not to mention "Pub-goer and  proud."  And it was you that got kicked.

Best giveaway:  when he says "our own country," he means Pakistan, not the one on his passport.

7 00 BLUNT, AILING, WAKE PLANNED.

The three "blahs" of TVONE's latest attempt to plumb the depths of inanity are reported to have been called to a meeting that is claimed to "not be a CRISIS meeting".

What would any brain dead exec call the reality of a "flagship"  show, launched to continue the dominance of  the 7 00 pm time slot, unchallenged since a second channel emerged, that had been clouted to runner up to  TV3's appalling effort.

It is rumoured that the unexpected ratings slump was turning around when a senior citizen contacted the show  to claim he had watched every minute of 'Sharp at Seven', an investigation revealed he lived alone, was wheelchair bound and his remote had flat batteries.

To date the only other person found to have equaled that effort is the shows director, who is paid to do it.

Tougher than a Rhino's a*se on Crime

From Granny:

Partners of welfare cheats will be liable for prosecution under a law change announced this afternoon, and could face a year in jail or a $5000 fine.

Associate social development minister Chester Borrows announced three new initiatives to clamp down on relationship fraud in the welfare system, which was believed to cost Government more than $20 million a year.

A new offence will be created to target partners or spouses of beneficiaries who are convicted of fraud.

"Currently there are few options available to prosecute partners who know or benefit from such offending, leaving the entire debt with one partner," Mr Borrows said.

He said prosecuting partners who benefitted from welfare fraud would ensure both parties who profited from the crime were punished, and the debt could be split between the two partners and recovered more quickly.

Farrar calls this a "useful change".  Except it's not a change at all.  I pointed this out over at his place, where I commented thus:

The ability to prosecute already exists: http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1961/0043/latest/DLM328506.html?search=sw_096be8ed809832a0_parties_25&p=1&sr=10

I am very concerned about the further move to charge people based on doing nothing about it. We have seen it with the changes to the child violence laws, and now this. What next – going to jail for failing to stop someone from committing suicide?

I think we are completely arse-about-face on all of this.  

And then I went on:

Maybe you’re right, Nigel. But for centuries the criminal law has never interfered in the actions of people who stand by and do nothing about a crime being committed, because the criminality involves the actus reus of an offence – the actual physical act of doing something. In certain circumstances omissions are a crime, but they are rare.

For example, someone might be chased down the street with a man carrying a knife. You see it. They stop in front of you. The offender stabs the victim to death. You do nothing and walk away. You do not assist at all. You have not committed an offence, despite how repugnant your inaction might be.

The current government has not only done away with the failure to act in the cases of child abuse (i.e. failing to do anything about it is now a crime, even though you are not the offender yourself), they are now proposing that a partner who may not be involved at all in the welfare crime being charged!

These people could quite easily be parties, or accessories under s 71, except spouses and de-facto partners are exempt as accessories. This is because, presumably, the spouse is not a competent or compellable witness in any case against his/her spouse.

This raises a very interesting dilemma actually: If the spouse or de facto partner is an associated defendant in the welfare crime (which it seems they will be) they are not compelled to give evidence against their co-defendant spouse. So, for evidence purposes, this change means nothing as well.

I just don’t like where all of this is going

Which is the point of this post.  I really don't like where this and the dob-in-a-child-abuser law is taking us.  They're more knee-jerk reactions, like the removal of provocation as a defence, where politics is more important than philosophy. 

I'll finish this post by plagiarising myself again from Kiwiblog on  the politics v philosophy point:

They’re making it politically more sellable/palatable when they do get a conviction, or when someone is charged with it. Then Paula Bennett or Chester Borrows can beat their chests and say at election time “we are bloody tough on crime and benefit fraudsters. Here’s what we did”.

That is easy. It is much more difficult for the Minister to ask police to enforce the current law (section 66) because then he/she is seen as politically interfering in the operation aspects of policing; and/or is not separating his/her executive powers very well. That is a problem for the government. 

Passing a pointless law and standing on a stage at election time proudly pronouncing how tough on crime you are isn’t.

Of course, when reparation is ordered against said welfare "cheats", the government won't have this problem.   

Rammed? Yeah Right!

It seems only TVNZ and The Herald believe anything the piratical pathological liars from Sea Shepherd have to say.   Their track record of truthfullness, or the absense thereof, is well known to all but their craven media hand maidens.

However one must give them full marks for chutzpah.

The incident happened as Sea Shepherd was blocking attempts to refuel the Nisshin Maru with heavy fuel oil from a South Korean-owned vessel, Sun Laurel, he said..........

........"We are deeply concerned of the potential for a massive oil spill and ecological disaster in the pristine Antarctic wilderness, off Australia's Antarctic coast in Australian waters."

You'd think the media might ask a question or three about the legality of their actions in bringing their ships into close contact with other vessels on the high seas, guaranteed to bring about collision and danger to human life.

The Japanese military should have torpedoed the bastards and left them to drown or freeze.

Eventually the truth of the matter will be heard and will nor coincide with this pathetic report by TVNZ.

EXPLAINING IS LOSING?

Is that why nobody among the sheeple who slavishly embrace the rort that is "solving climate change", you all know, that Armageddon, sky pixy, one world government mantra that was once global warming, ever attempts to explain how taxing carbon will change our atmosphere sufficiently to overcome the natural order of orbital positioning, sunspot/solar flare activity and natural atmospheric contamination that volcanic eruptions produce.

In Victoria, a major source of electricity is produced by coal fired generation that uses "brown coal" a fuel that along with the electricity, generates significant quantities of the continuing problem emissions the dolts claim will destroy the world in short order.
Now as part of Auntie Julia's plan to save the world, her beloved carbon tax scheme (read rort), those dirty bloody generators are to gain tax free between 2.4 and 5 billion aussie dollars as "compensation" from the pot of gold created by this latest "ponzi" scheme.

 But then I couldn't possibly hold a valid opinion as I am a denier, and passionately opposed to all government thieving particularly when such funds are redistributed to waste after being forcefully acquired from the productive and the disadvantaged for a scheme such as that which  Gillard and Swan have imposed on Australians, does.

Maybe someone can explain how "compensating" an emitter actually saves the world, I thought the Carbon Tax was to reduce CO2 in the atmosphere, not reward its creation.

THE THUGS WERE ADULTS THE VICTIM WAS 12!!!

When I first heard that three members of old Tit's family had assaulted a schoolboy I wrongly assumed it was a seriously  bad case of bullying, no surprises there.

Today it is revealed that the perps were 22 25 and 30 years old and the boy who had "brought the attack apon himself" was only 12 YEARS OLD.

And the three warriors had chased the victim up a lane into HIS HOUSE, commenced the attack then dragged the boy outside and delivered more "punishment".

This is all alleged to have happened because the boy had supposedly upset the three brave 'men', ( term used advisedly) by mouthing something offensive at them.

Sheesh assault on a child, home invasion, kidnapping, conspiracy to incite violence, where to begin. Then I suppose a charge of "causing affray" could be visited on the 12 yo boy in The Youth Court?

I will not hold my breath but a defence based on "provocation" will give some warped minds in the judiciary leeway in deciding a wet bus ticket will suffice as sanction.

 Some deluded souls are still prepared to spend gazillions on researching why young Maori are at risk of serious injury and death from violence by adults. Perhaps an autopsy on the brains of those three thugs could reveal answers but then it may be they don't have one brain  between them and if they do have, the chemical contamination would be of passing interest.

ANOTHER RAT(?) LEAVES THE SHIP.

So Charley has joined the exodus of the Rainbow Faction to the UN trough.

With 13 troughs listed on his profile he has added the ultimate socialist goal of heading off to a sinecure safe from the hazard of electoral success or failure.

A known Silent T supporter he obviously saw no meaningful opportunities with the apparent continuing leadership of Mr Shearer leading to his joining the retirement home in New York.

Not sure why this guy's image always recalls the closing lines of George Orwell's "Animal farm" for me, but it does.

SOMETIMES THERE IS NO SCRUTINY INVOLVED.

In an era when nearly all significant developments relating to road use are subjected to increasing, often costly and frustrating delays, the legislative "net" sometimes ignores it or avoids interference.

The diversion of "cruise boats" to Akaroa is one such case.

Following the severe damage to port infrastructure at Lyttleton from seismic events, upwards of one hundred such diversions have occurred this summer.

Anyone with a slight involvement in a change of use connected to access or use of a State Highway or even minor secondary roads with minimal traffic flows, will have come up against the pedantic and often unnecessary requirements for a "traffic management" plan that can be so onerous and or expensive as to cause abandonment of what might have been  a laudable activity.

So say 90 cruise boat movements involving say 2000 passengers average, employing the rule of thumb that 1/3 stay aboard, 1/3 stroll around Akaroa and the final 1/3 take a tour, that results in around 16 'A' class coaches on SH 75 four times a day or 64 "movements". This on a Highway that is only marginally substandard to Little River but then is a challenging narrow and demanding bit of road to Akaroa. Add in an upsurge of traffic involved in the rebuild along with the 'normal' flows, a significant alteration to safety and congestion is apparent.

Had an entrepreneur proposed such a significant additional activity for the summer season I wonder what Transit NZ's reaction would have been, considerable I suspect, but with the demon god "Tourism inc" involved there has been very little interest shown by those charged with maintaining and monitoring our link to the world that for much of its length has no viable alternative options for detour.

I have on three occasions been involved in extreme danger from coaches (where do the drivers get a licence? from the back of a weetbix packet) crossing the centerline, encroaching into 1/2 of my lane with a bank on my left leaving centimeters of tolerance and a forth incident when one of the monoliths scooping up money here in paradise, ran a giveway causing a violent braking maneuver from me to avoid a 't bone'.

I am a sporadic user of SH 75 with my sometimes extended times away and a natural inclination to hunker down when the madness descends, the potential for a disaster looms large in my mind with my association with ER activity and it seems a case of 'when' and not 'if'  potential.

Question: was there any inquiry as to traffic involvement in the ramifications of diverting the large volumes of additional tourists  to Akaroa.

Oh as a relevant point, during a canvas of our village yesterday on a charity matter, an impression formed that the "boats" are creating extra business for a few but a vacuum has been created on non boat days with what could be best described as avoidance by the traditional 'visitor'  due to the perceived chaos caused by the "visits from the sea".

Any notion of a widespread advantage to our town are seriously exaggerated to an increasingly concerned number among us including some significant players in the local business community.
The big winners are the shipping companies and inland tourist activities who have scant regard for the effects that the steam roller approach is having  on many who chose to live in paradise.

JUST CAN'T BELIEVE IT

TVONE has a poll out with National up and their beloved Labour down.

When the inevitable live cross came, Corin Dann was still shaking his head in disbelief.

Never saw that coming eh.

Just another rogue poll I guess and that nice Mr Shearer seemed to be doing such a great job.

EMOTION LOOMS LARGE, METHINKS.

In the debate over equine DNA being discovered in the food chain in Europe, emotive regard for horses as somewhat 'different' as a meat source is a big part of the response for many.

A few random thoughts
A prominent All Black was castigated for shooting seals in Otago. He was hunting wasn't he.
Captain Robert Falcon Scott's  disastrous polar expedition a century ago, used pony and dog meat as a protein source.
Horse meat or Chervil has been almost staple in Europe particularly in Northern France and Belgium for years.
Many Asian cultures regard dogs and goats as a similar resource.
Relying on anecdotal evidence markets such as South Auckland have been trading in meat that has no attraction to me.
I have raised more than a few eyebrows with flippant remarks on the quality of  "dolphin steaks" when asked to opine on tourism here in paradise.

A few years ago a scandal arose over "kangaroo pies" in our near neighbor's food chain.

I just love certain protein laden foods, do not seek out exotic sources for them and I am thankful that the licencing and regulatory environment that  makes such a cross contamination very very unlikely outcome with regard to our food chain here in NZ when purchasing from reputable vendors..
Buying ready to eat and processed foods have an inherent  risk and one of the few crusades the greens and in particular Sue Kedgley have run having real merit, is more comprehensive food labeling.
 I regard "fish of the day" type offerings as a potential opportunity to take advantage over the trusting customer.

Now to check on the "lamb shanks" for Sunday dinner.

NOW THAT IS A BREEDING PROGRAM

This example is destined to end in many many tears.

Throughout my farming career I used sire selection to make genetic improvement to my flock/herd/species and with considerable success. Originally by purchasing a sire from a respected stud breeder and using it over the best females of stock on the farm, then in later years by employing semen from national or international sires in the cattle herd.
It did not always work as anticipated and occasionally a random mating between two very ordinary members of a species can throw up what is in reality, a freak and with the normal practice of castration of males destined for slaughter, when that freak was a male, regret was the remaining emotion.

Today The Herald headlines a young male who has reputedly sired 13 children to a bevy of women and he is only 19.
I do not think for a nanosecond this young man has many attributes that warrant such proliferation of his genes and the very likely circumstances that the "dams"exist in,  being special in the breeding sense or enjoy an economic environment that will lead to the sort of breeding success that farmers are striving to create on the treadmill of herd/ flock improvement, this "breeding program" is going to end in considerable social disaster.

One person very dear to me has had a theory for many years, whereby all citizens of child bearing ability be sterilised and only released for planned breeding when circumstances permit a reasonable chance of at least minimal success in raising a loved, nurtured and wanted child. Reading about this further descent into irresponsible parenting disaster makes me view that theory as a solution with increasingly attractive potential.

I DISAGREE

With the decision of the NZ Defence Force here to allow members of their Overwatch Group, a peer support group for members of the NZDF gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community, to march in uniform in Auckland's Gay Pride Parade.

Can I make my position very clear.   I am not against gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgenders serving in the military.   That is the reality of this day and age.   But this is a step too far.   The military quite rightly bans the wearing of uniforms at Party political events for obvious reasons and, to my mind at least, there is a certain synergy between that and the Gay Pride March.

By all means march under your banner if you want to but you should not be wearing the 'Queen's' uniform (no pun intended).

Charging for commercial use of Lake Taupo

As an Ironman entrant, you might be excused for thinking I'd be alarmed at the thought of paying $40 for the commercial use of Lake Taupo during the swim leg of Ironman New Zealand.

Well, it doesn't bother me.

The Taupo District Council charges plenty for traffic maintenance plans; and other charges for use of ratepayer-owned facilities used for the event.  When the 70.3 (half the distance) event was recently held in Auckland, Ironman organisers were again charged for many things related to commercial use of assets - roads, the events centre as a media base etc.

If a Maori tribe owns the lake, why should they be prevented from charging for commercial use of it, if Pakeha constructs do the same and no one makes a fuss?

Yes, this has come up late in the day, which is a surprise.  One hopes that race organisers (Jane Patterson and her company) had asked the Iwi if they intended to charge, and got a negative response.  I really hope this wasn't glossed over, because the warnings have been there for all to see for a year or two.  For example, last year they had to get permission to use the lake, without charge.  Now they have decided to charge.

Ironman has about two more years to go in Taupo, then the licence expires and the location is up for "tender" again.  This furore will not help Taupo keep the event in the future; and so the Iwi will probably lose in the medium term when it moves elsewhere.

But for now, it looks like a cheque will be required.  You can make an argument that no one should own a lake; and that returning it to Iwi as part of Treaty settlements was courting disaster.  That's probably true.

But it's done now and won't be reversed.

Get used to the new reality. 

RICHARD (OR 'DICK') PROSSER

Those in the media who criticise David Posser, Winston First List MP, for his 'interesting' take on Muslims on aircraft fail entirely to understand where he is coming from.   The comment was never intended for dissection by normal people; rather it was directed at the slightly deranged who form the NZ First voting demographic.   They are well versed in and attuned to conspiracy theories and the like and this will of course sit well with them along with the fact that man has never landed on the moon and that Elvis is alive and well and living in Taihape.

A practical problem for Prosser to solve is how are the airlines/travel agents to know when a person booking an airline ticket is a Muslim ... here's a simple solution.   Prosser submits a Bill to the Ballot providing for every New Zealander born a Muslim or who arrives in the country and, following interrogation, is found to be a Muslim or who converts to that faith should have a star and crescent (in green) tattooed on their forehead.    If Prosser needs any dies to see how that works then I'm sure any Holocaust Museum will oblige although on second thoughts I suspect he is probably a devotee of David Irving and, for him, the holocaust didn't happen.

Really sad to see Peters slap him down with a wet bus ticket ... according to WRP there is an element of truth in what Prosser said.

And this is the idiot (and crook) who would like nothing more as to take up the reigns of Foreign Minister in a Labour/Greens/Winston First/Mana Party Government.   David Shearer should have the gonads to do what John Key did and say 'No Way' to Winston First as long as WRP remains the leader ... but he won't because he hasn't.

VALE - HARRY HONNOR

We said good bye to Harry Honnor on a magic BoI day at Paihia yesterday.   The service was held at the beautiful old stone St Paul's Anglican Church on Marsden Road just across from the beach.   He was farewelled with full military honours which brought Paihia to a standstill and something different to the many hundreds of tourists who witnessed the event.

Brigadier Harry Bowen Honnor will be remembered with affection by generations who served in the 1940's, 50's, 60's and 70's as a soldiers soldier, a tough but much respected commander and an icon of the Paihia community where he made his home following his retirement in 1983.  

Harry was born in New Plymouth in 1927 and enlisted in the regular army in 1946 as a Staff Cadet at the Royal Military College Duntroon and was commissioned into the Royal New Zealand Artillery in 1949.     He first saw action in Korea as a member of K Force and played a crucial part in the Battle of Kapyong as a Air Forward Observer flying over the battlefield directing the fire of 16 Field Regiment to on top of the advancing Chinese which helped save the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, from being overrun.    15 years later he was the Commander of 161 Battery in Vietnam at the Battle of Long Tan where, in a repeat of history, the guns helped prevent D Coy of the 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment from being wiped out by the Viet Cong 275 Regiment, reinforced by a North Vietnamese battalion and D445 Provincial Mobile Battalion.   He was one of only three New Zealanders to participate in both these battles.

Harry, by any measure, had a distinguished military career.   He attended the British Army Staff College, the Joint Services Staff College in the UK. was the NZL Instructor at the Australian Joint Services Staff College, headed our Defence Liaison Staff at our Embassy in Washington DC, commanded 1 Infantry Brigade and ended up as Deputy Chief of Defence Staff in Wellington.

Harry was decorated as a Member of the Royal Victorian Order (MVO) for personal services to the Queen during her 1963 NZL tour and was made a Commander of The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1982 New Years Honours List.

He was, for many years, Patron of both the K Force Association and the Ex-Vietnam Services Association.   In that latter capacity he worked assiduously behind the scenes to improve the lot of Vietnam veterans.

Go well Harry.

"Minor poor judgements" of the fatal variety

Darwin award for a Hamilton car thief yesterday.  Usual story: speeds off when the cops try and pull him over, cops stop chasing him the moment it becomes clear what a nutbar he is, he continues driving like a nutbar anyway and within a short distance smacks into something and meets a swift, violent death because of course he isn't wearing a seatbelt.

However, it's unusual in that a girl in the back of the car came out of it without injuries because she, suffering the testosterone shortage female humans are noted for, was wearing a seatbelt.  3News took the opportunity to urge car thieves to ensure their safety and always wear a seat belt (video from 4:30 in).  I disagree - this is the exact opposite of a public service announcement.

On the offchance any young car thieves happen to read this, I urge them to reject 3News' advice.  Wearing seat belts is for pussies who obey the law.  The brave, thrillseeking car thief doesn't wear a seat belt while driving stupidly at high speed - it would make him less of a man.  Are you a man or a girl?  Don't put on any stupid fucking seat belt when stealing my car, or you're just a fag.

Now, that's a more appropriate public service announcement.

CRAIG THOMSON

I need to apologise for my earlier post when I had it that suspended Aust Labor Party MP, Craig Thomson, was facing 150 charges relating to the miss-use of Union funds while he was Secretary of the HSU.   Got that wrong.   Thompson was charged in Court in Melbourne a few hours ago with 154 counts of embezzlement.    As part of his bail conditions he was warned off making contact with sex workers at several brothels he allegedly frequented from 2003 to 2007.

He is no doubt taking much comfort from the support he has received from Julia Gillard when she said in an answer to a Parliamentary Question .......   I have complete confidence in the member for Dobell. I look forward to him continuing to do that job for a very long, long, long time to come."

I know Judge will have wanted me to get the facts right.

THE ANNUAL CRINGE FESTIVAL 2013.

It is only the penultimate day but already scenes of fighting, tension and childish behavior by pretend savages presenting a view of New Zealand to the world that many of us consider the antithesis of celebrating our Nationhood.

Infantile jostling as to who is going to walk at the side of first the GG then the PM, an all in brawl by grass skirt clad savages, mud slinging both actual and verbal, create a massive climate of denial of a day  marking what should be a day of unity, celebration and harmony if the powers that be wish to call it New Zealand Day in Drag.

July the 4th has evolved into American Independence Day when millions of Americans celebrate the wresting of sovereignty by the 13 states from imperial Britain. It is a day that by a series of coincidences has grown in significance. The Declaration was actually passed two days earlier and not completed until August 2nd 1776 but The' 4th of July"  has endured.
Two of the signatories, Jefferson and Adams both went on to be elected to the Presidency and both died on the 50th anniversary on July 4th 1826. Another of the "founding Fathers Munroe died on July 4th 1831.
Calvin Coolidge one of the 44 Americans elected to the highest office was born on July 4th.

As a Birthday it has become truely "iconic" with sport, cultural events, fireworks, music and massive celebration of Nationhood for the people of the US.

Maybe January 26th in Australia has overcome  200 years of argument, claim and counterclaim to become "Australia Day", and equal recognition as a National Birthday.

We in our cultural cringe, and confusion as to when we were born and what we are, continue to designate the agreed day the Treaty Of Waitangi was "signed" in a vain attempt at marking such a day. The TOW, now elevated to Founding Document was actually  little more than a bureaucratic instrument employed by Colonising Great Britain to bring order to increasingly chaotic unrest as the many tribes that today have been morphed into a "Maori Nation" that never existed, became increasingly fractious.

As a day to celebrate New Zealand's National Day, February the 6th has very little of the importance such days have in other nations. The shambolic annual rubbish we witness year on year at what many would have us believe is our founding, is little more than a confusing day of conflict and accompanying grandstanding by an increasing number of wannabees.

The Head Honcho in the Waikato is being increasingly exposed as a simple truck driver in the thrall of the manipulators of Tainui while the adherents of the "King movement" try but seriously fail to present an image of a Maori Nation that conceded sovereignty to Queen Victoria.
The so called Tu Hoe "Nation" didn't sign the founding Document but apparently are still able to enjoy the benefits it bestows.
Nga Puhi in the far north are led by a family of thugs, racists and factionalised seemingly impotent no bodies who totally control the farce that Waitangi Day foists on an increasingly disconnected New Zealand.
A cult called Ratana have similar political control over many of the Maori entities south of Ruapehu.

The concept of a binding agreement between a non existent "Maori Nation", The United Tribes or whatever it be known and the British Crown, continually being re-interpreted by a quasi judicial body, creating seperatism, elitism and a dreamland of unrealistic entitlement,  being anything but a definitive version of a founding document that  in reality is being further discredited with each day that passes.

Roll on February the 7th.

TREATING NEW ZEALANDERS AS MUSHROOMS

The refusal of the Labour Party to share with ordinary New Zealanders us the numbers in the caucus vote for their leader is just plain dumb stupid.     Sure it was a secret ballot, just like the election.   Difference is that with the election we get to know the result.  Clearly transparency doesn't figure big in Labour Party thinking.

The really stupid thing is that if the vote had been a unanimous endorsement of Shearer's leadership you can bet your bottom dollar they would be trumpeting the result long and loud.   One can therefore legitimately assume it wasn't.   Now speculation is rife as to how many of their cannon fodder didn't vote the 'old-guard' line.    

Any bets to how long it will take for some-one in the Cunliffe camp to leak the result to the Standard?     A lose lose for Labour.

ANOTHER FORGERY, THIS TIME IT'S MALLARD.

The member for Hutt South plays Lance Corporal Jones to Captain Mumblef**k'

One speech using an autocue to improve an image to where Shearer pretends to be an orator only papers over the cracks.

Shearer as a modern day Norman Kirk is not even justifiable poetic licence.
Norman Kirk is and will for ever be the last NZLP leader who went to work in a boiler suit, got down and dirty and truly  understood what life was like on the bottom rungs of the ladder.
A stationary engine driver, he built his first family home in Kaiapoi, rose through the ranks of the Trade Union movement when to do that you needed a real job and all the better a North England,  Scottish or Irish accent.

An inspirational orator with very rudimentary formal education, Norman Eric Kirk could debate with anyone and rarely lost. Elected the Mayor of the Borough of Kaiapoi at an age that was the youngest for a New Zealander at the time, maybe still is, he worked his way to be the first NZ born Labour Prime Minister in 1972.
Big Norm is fondly remembered among the older Labour faithful with great affection but the legend is way above that deserved as he died in office from stress, heart problems and possibly blood sugar problems that were all exacerbated by his Paranoia, before his true level of incompetence was revealed.

The only similarity between Shearer and Kirk is their membership of the NZLP, to claim any other is a massively fraudulent claim by the convicted pugilist from Hutt South.

PHIL MICKELSON

Wimped out on playing golf at Waitangi this morning ... too wet and would probably see that Harawira woman and that would spoli my day.
  
Was happy to couch potato watching Phil Mickelson run all over the opposition to win his 41st PGA title at the Phoenix Open.

What you may not be aware of is his commitment to the military through his ‘Birdies for the Brave’ initiative. Phil gives US$100 for every birdie  and US$500 for every eagle that he scores to a range of service charities. To date he has donated some US$266,000 via this initiative.

Even more reason to like the guy.

 

NOVOPAY - A SOLUTION

DRAFT

3 February 2013


Chief Executive Officer
Talent2 New Zealand
Ground Floor, Montreaux Building
164-168 The Terrace
WELLINGTON


Dear Mr Ashton

Clearly Novopay is not working.    The contract, signed with a previous government, over promised and, to date, has massively failed to deliver.

I do not right now have any confidence that there is likely to be any improvement in the performance delivery of  the contract.

So as to allow both parties breathing space and time to re-evaluate our respective positions I have decided to contract out the delivery of both teaching and ancillary staff pay to individual schools and bulk fund them accordingly.      Any additional costs associated with this exercise will be a charge against Talent2.

At the end of three months I will reassess the position.    It maybe of course that schools will welcome the opportunity to manage their own payrolls in which case we will need to discuss termination of our contract.

Yours sincerely


S J
etc

NO WONDER TONY ABBOTT IS SMILING

Most New Zealanders who go to Australia are a credit to themselves and their country of birth.   Craig Thomson, MP for the Federal seat of Dobell in New South Wales, doesn't fall into that category with his arrest on 150 charges of the misuse of hundreds of thousands of dollars of members funds from his time as National Secretary of the Health Services Union.

For Tony Abbott, Thomson is the gift that keeps on coming.   The news of his arrest overshadowed the announcement by Gillard of the election date as 14 September.    His trial and the events leading up to it will ensure the sad saga of Julia Gillard's attempts to prop him up remain in the public focus.   The electorate will not quickly forget that as late as 16 August 2011 during Question Time the Prime Minister was asked if her confidence in Craig Thomson was based on a thorough investigation of his credibility.  She replied, "I have complete confidence in the member for Dobell. I look forward to him continuing to do that job for a very long, long, long time to come."

That confidence had a practical bent when she persuaded the NSW branch of the Labor Party to stump up with hundreds of thousands of dollars to fund his legal bills only to cut him adrift when the stench of his corruption become too great for even her to handle.

For Labor the best (and entirely possible) outcome is that Thomson will be forced to declare himself bankrupt and resign his seat.   The timing of that could obviate the need for a bi-election.

Tony Abbott will be hoping this doesn't happen.   This, coupled with the shock resignation of Labor's Leader in the Senate yesterday and the furor
surrounding Gillard's dumping of long serving Northern Territory Senator Trish Crossin from Labor's ticket in the forthcoming election in favour of an indigenous candidate who was not even a member of the ALP until recently, a move that has left the Northern Territory branch of the ALP in disarray,  constitutes the worst possible start to Labor's election campaign. 
 
No wonder Abbott is smiling.

SORRY JUDGE I THINK YOU ARE WRONG.

The Herald reports on a woman described as "A High Level Sports woman" who appeared in the Gisborne District Court on excess blood alcohol charges where the level was more than two times the legal limit.

Judge Graeme Hubble discharged her without conviction on the grounds such a conviction could have serious repercussions for her ability to compete in some overseas countries.
So far I have no issue with his actions as he has significantly more information on this stupid woman than the paper has published.

Where the Judge and I disagree is on his blanket suppression order on her IDENTITY.
Yes it apparently is a first offence but at the level of offending, failing to make her face the gravity of the charge when she is, based on the continuing stream of propaganda, a clear danger to herself and other road users, is wrong.
Allowing publication of her name is the single most potential sanction she could suffer and such publicity would not incur any infringement on her ability to compete internationally.
By the Judges actions she has been allowed to carry on pretty much without any sanction other than maybe a fright.

So Judge Hubble that is why I think you are wrong, you have failed to make her face the consequences of her stupid and dangerous action.

New Zealand Cricket Wankers Fail Again

Over the last few days Campbell Live have been promoting a visit by the Black Caps to play in a families backyard on Waitangi Day and our three grandsons aged 10, 9 & 7 plus grandaughter aged 5 who live near Benneydale were entrants to have this happen in their back yard. Well the paddock that is fenced off by the house as a rugby and all other sports area actuall. Their entry was supported with facebook support yesterday and we were waiting expectantly for the announcement of the winning entry tonight - even though we do not normally watch Campbell Live.

What do NZ Cricket do?

Because the Black Caps have a meaningless (hit and giggle) T20 game against England 3 days later - thats right 3 bloody days later the idiots who run NZ cricket have decreed that the backyard chosen must be in Auckland thereby ruling out all entries from elsewhere in New Zealand.

John Campbell usually gets right up my nose but good on him for making it clear that New Zealand Cricket have let tthe country down again  ..

These wankers are doing irreparable harm to cricket in New Zealand.

THE RT (DIS) HON WINSTON PETERS

The cant and hubris exhibited by Winston Raymond Peters in Parliament yesterday in his speech 'welcoming' the election of David Carter as Speaker was truly amazing even by his double standards.   One sensed that even the motley crew that goes by the name of the Winston First caucus were embarrassed.   They had a right to be.

His diatribe was full of Peters venom in coded language directed again a Carter who he had sued for defamation back in 2004 and lost and lost big time.

Peters focused on two issues.   The first being the probity of appointing a politician to the London post in preference to a MFAT diplomat and the second, the failure of  John Key to consult with him over the appointment.

This is where the cant and hubris rules OK.   

Over the years both Labour and National have appointed 'their' men to our top diplomatic posts in London and Washington.    Clearly they see advantages in having a friendly ear close to the ground in those two capitals.
Some have been inspired appointments and some simply embarrassing.

So, in view of his comment, how was it that Winston Peters, as Foreign Minister in the late and never lamented Clark Government, signed off on the appointment of Jonathan Hunt (ex Labour Speaker) to the London job?    He was perhaps our most embarrassing one edging out John Collinge.    Readers will recall Hunt's cringe worthy attempt to access the UK Old Age pension and also his refusal to out of his car and get wet at the Cenotaph in Whitehall on Remembrance Day.    Answer that Mr Peters.

And as for 'consulting' over the choice of Speaker just where were you as a lickspittal senior member of the Clark Government when they appointed Margaret Wilson (arguably our worst ever Speaker) to replace Hunt.   Was National consulted?   No way.

OK, two wrongs don't necessarily make a right but I note that, while there may not have been formal consultation, the Greens Co-Leader confirmed in her speech that they had initiated discussions on the appointment.   Peters could have done the same but the reality is that, given the blood feud between them, there is no way he would have ever agreed to Carter's appointment.

So, there it is.  Cant and hubris in spades ... Oh, and pay the money back you b*****d.