No Minister

I knew it!

2012-01-31T21:39:00.000+13:00

I previously wrote how a book by New Zealand First MP, Richard Prosser, should be fun. Exhibit A:

Because our society, New Zealand society, Western society in general, has been hijacked by a conspiracy of Silly Little Girls. They’re everywhere; in the schools, in the media, in the public service, in the judiciary, even in Cabinet.Everywhere we turn, the foundations of masculinity, the pillars of male-ness which have underpinned the construction and development of our very civilisation, are being undermined, by Silly Little Girls. And we are putting up with it.

More here. I like this one too:

ON 'LIBERALS': "I mean if people want to be weak, stupid, effeminate, erectile dysfunctional, naïve, apologist, namby-pamby, thumb-sucking, lefty pinko fantasy-land morons, let them find their own word for themselves, and leave "liberal" for us genuine freedom-loving, gonad-equipped, libertarian go-getters".

I trust our MSM pay him as much attention as they did with David Garrett (and shamelessly continue to do).

Hat Tip: The Lady Garden

Text Of The Day

2012-01-31T16:36:00.003+13:00

From todays Hawkes Bay Today:

`Stop moaning about the cellphone towers. You hardly notice the thing unless it's on your front lawn. From a distance it looks like Sky Tower or the wind wand. Take a look at the rubbish around town these days - that's an eysore. MJB.

Hear Hear!!!!

Number of the day

2012-01-31T01:38:00.000+13:00

24,000.

The average number of new dwellings built in New Zealand each year.

Text Of The Day

2012-01-30T17:36:00.003+13:00

From todays Hawkes Bay Today

`People who believe they need to hit/smack their children in order to discipline them and teach them to be responsible citizens need to take parenting classes! Unattributed.

I cannot let this go without comment. Smacking and sometimes the wooden spoon etc certainly did my generation no harm. When I look at the poorly disciplined `smart alec' kids around these days my fingures itch. mrs pdm and I smacked our children on occasions and still have no hesitation in - albeit rarely - delivering a smack to any of our 12 grandchildren.

Smacking remains an essential part of good parenting.

Far left academic blames Labour for Crafar farm purchase

2012-01-30T17:05:00.000+13:00

Helen Clark attending a conference on Chinese farming in 2010 (in the centre)

From Stuff:

University of Auckland law professor Jane Kelsey said the Government could not treat applications from Chinese investors differently from similar applications from other countries' investors under what is known as the 'most-favoured-nation' rule.''

She agreed with Key that the Government could have faced an international law suit for breaching its free trade agreement with China if it declined the Shanghai Pengxin purchase.

''Shanghai Pengxin's application pointed to numerous purchases of farmland by investors of other nationalities, and claimed that rejection of its otherwise well-founded application would amount to anti-Chinese discrimination.

That would be the 650,000 hectares sold by Helen Clark between 1999-2008.

Then there's this from annointed leader, David Shearer:

Labour was not opposed to foreign investment, he said.

''However we also believe no overseas purchaser has an automatic right to buy New Zealand land. That is a privilege and any purchase must provide some added value.''

Pathetic. The OIO performs that exact task to ensure no overseas purchaser has an automatic right to buy New Zealand land - for sensitive land at least. And "added value" (in a roundabout way) is almost always one of the OIO's criteria - you have to put a business case.

So essentially Shearer is arguing for status quo.

It's very difficult analysing Shearer.

UPDATE: Farming is the apt topic because David Parker (ex partner in large law firm) has a bad dose of foot-in-mouth.

Meanwhile, the Government's being challenged over claims the free trade deal Labour struck with China meant the Crafar farm sale to Chinese interests had to be allowed.

Labour Finance spokesman David Parker says both the Prime Minister and the Land Information Minister have made the claim.

Mr Parker says the relevant clause in the free trade deal doesn't change New Zealand's ability to turn down applications for land purchases, and we still retain control of foreign investment in our country.

Mr Parker says assertions a most-favoured nation clause in the FTA prevents control of land sales is also wrong.

Of course, it's not the first time Parker opens his mouth and gets things wrong.

He is welcome to debate Jane Kelsey on this. I know who my money is on.

SECOND UPDATE: David Parker was just on Newstalk ZB stating Labour would have declined to give approval. This does not seem consistent with his leader's position.

Some Cyclists Are Idiots

2012-01-30T08:24:00.004+13:00

In recent times there have been many letters to the Editor and articles by feature writers in the Hawkes Bay Today about how motorists ignore cyclists and endanger their lives. Once in a while someone writes in and sticks up for motorists asI do so now with this post..

This morning I took mrs pdm to work - she starts at 6am - in Havelock North. As we entered the round-a-bout in the middle of Havelock North from Hastings Road at about 5.55am a cyclist without any visible lights and in mainly dark clothing came hurtling the wrong way through the round-a-bout off Te Mata Road and on to the Hastings Road across the front of me. Lucky for him (I think it was a male aged 35/40) I had almost come to a stop as I was about to enter the round-about or he could have been plastered over my bonnet.

When cyclists do stupid things like that it means they get little sympathy from me when they write letters of complaint about motorists to the paper and they tarnish all of the sensible cyclists..

Number of the day

2012-01-30T04:21:00.000+13:00

1.5 million.

What Auckland's population will reach this week, during the week of its anniversary.

QUIZ RESULTS Jan 29th

2012-01-30T00:33:00.003+13:00

Bit shortened exposure this week as Monday is a bit deranged already.

Johnno the winner with a very quick correct answer.

Others added more complete responses.

I was unaware the Birch file pic came from the Mt Erebus dedication.

Answers
1 Hon Sir William Birch, Muldoons go to man and the architect of Think Big in response to the "oil shocks" of the 1970s.
2 Moeraki Boulders. Sth of Oamaru .
3 The Otira Viaduct that allowes much more flexible user opportunities for the main East West Highway through the Southern Alps.
4 Mahia Peninsula beach.
5 Lighthouse at Nugget Point on the Otago Coast North of the Catlins

Women Can Be So Blind

2012-01-29T17:40:00.001+13:00

A five year old granddaughter is taken to school daily by her grandfather.

When he had a bad cold his wife took the grandchild.

That night she told her parents that the ride to school with Granny was very different!!

"What made it different?" asked her parents:

"Gran and I didn't see a single tosser, blind bastard, dick-head, prick or wanker anywhere on the way to school today!'

Number of the day

2012-01-29T11:20:00.000+13:00

The age of the alleged offender of a vicious Mt Roskill rape, where the injuries of the victim were described by one senior police officer as among the worst he had seen in 28 years of policing.

New Zealand First position on land sales

2012-01-29T11:12:00.001+13:00

I've been having a bit of a tete-a-tete with new NZ First MP Tracey Martin on Facebook regarding the Crafar farm sales. I like Tracey. She is good value, and she will be an excellent MP. I would gladly have her as my local MP, because she is committed, works hard and is a fierce advocate for her community. All that is good. It's just her party's economic policies are dreadful.

Here's a little titbit from our FB discussion:

Me: I've pointed this out before, but will do so again. NZ First's position is *exactly* like China's - no foreigners to own *our* land. That is consistent with communism. And while I'm on the topic of *our* land, it is not *our* land; it is land owned by the person, persons or company registered on the title. It is *their* land. We have a concept of indefeasibility of title (if you own it, it's yours unless obtained by fraud) and are looked at across the world as having the best land registration model in the world. That is good in so many ways yet NZ First policy is apparently to undermine that.

Tracey: Totally agree with Nick on that one - our position around land sales is exactly the same as the Chinese in that no foreigner (so therefore only New Zealanders) can own land. And funnily enough we have made this comment several times in press releases and speeches. I am going to assume here that the confusion is coming from the difference which is that China after the Cultural Revolution made all land the property of the state - and this is where Nick goes with his comment - trying to make this into the usual freedom or government communist servitude argument that ACT uses for its fear based policies e.g. you will have no choice if we do not sell our schools and hospitals. But even right now my relatives of Chinese descent are making trips to China to reclaim their family land that was taken from them by the state - can they sell it to another nation - no they can't - do they want to? No they don't because they too know what it is like to be landless. And in a way you are also right Nick that this is not "our" land except you once again take it down to individual rights in the here and now with no vision for the future. On this land, even if our name is on the title, we are merely practicing kaitiakitanga for our future generations.

Tracey: Just another little aside - is it ok to trade with communist but you find there political system totally abhorant - so is that values when values suit you?

Me: Do you go to Fiji for your holidays? Have you bought a flat screen TV from Harvey Norman, but probably made in Vietnam? For that matter, how about Nike or Adidas running/training shoes made in China? Have you had a taxi ride in Auckland driven by an Iraqi (pre Saddam). Have you travelled to Vietnam? North Korea? China?

Just trying to establish consistencies.

Discuss.

Of course it's all the governments fault

2012-01-29T10:13:00.004+13:00

I see that the research, if you can call it that, is trying to sell us the spin that our increasing obesity as a society is all the fault of the food companies and of course the government.

And the sad thing is that people will buy into this crap.

Being fat is just a combination of two simple things- too much food intake and too little exercise.

My uncle who has made it well into his 80's in good shape has always said "you are what you eat"

Can't really get much simpler than that. Plus the fact that he walked everyday.

Interestingly, to me anyway, now that I have spent the past year sitting at a desk for work and only eating modest amounts of food, I am now finding that I must also exercise - ok walk the dog down the beach-to help stay in shape. When I worked on the farm for the prior 6 months I quickly became the lightest I had been for many years. Now I am always suspicious when I meet a fat farmer.

Personal responsibility and commonsense are the only two commodities you need to ingest to be fit and slim.

Having a lack of government intervention in our lives and unscrupulous food companies rammed down our throats as the reason for obesity has more to do with some interested parties looking for more funding for their research. Real life is much simpler.

Ratana is an exercise in cringe politics.

2012-01-29T08:59:00.005+13:00

In about 8 days our political leaders and wannabes will go to The Treaty Grounds at the Bay Of Islands for what is becoming one day in a series of "be seen to be there" photo opportunities.

Last week it was the entirely cringeworthy attendance at Ratana on the occasion of the birthday of the long deceased T W Ratana, who many years ago started his cult, the followers of which were taken for granted by Micheal Savage's original Labour Govt and that pointless marriage of convenience continued for the next nearly 80 years with no apparent benefit for Maori but considerably benefit for Labour' albeit significantly diluted with current schisms in maori politics.

New MP for Te Tai Tonga, Rino Tirikatene, Southern Maori's very own Kim Family, is being lauded as the next great brown Ratana hope.

How long before some wannabe sets up a similar exercise in futility with a day out with Destiny. It will probably get started with the first day at Tamaki's University in Sth Auckland.

As a young man I recall the great anticipation with which the announcement was greeted in the daily papers, when the current editor of the official organ (periodocal) of the Catholic Church would publish the political preference of the sitting head of the Catholic Church in a direction to the flock as to who they were expected to vote for.

Sensibly the founding fathers of the US were very specific in their constitution on the separation of church and state.
I wonder how the Reverend Dean Peter Beck will cope with that principle if he is successful in winning the vacant seat in the Burwood Pegasus Ward of CHC.

In the decade around 1980 The Orewa Rotary Club on the North Shore used to promote a members night when The National Leader would give them an address that would effectively kick off the political year with a combination of state of the nation and possible programm for his political year.
It seemed to me to be a more fitting start to the new year of politics that the current fawning, patronising shallow political displays at Ratana and Waitangi we are now saddled with in current times.

By all means have the followers of Ratana celebrate the original cult founder's birthday but leave the rest of us out of it, it is an embarrassment to the Nation. As for Waitangi, make it more appropriate to the rest of us who have chosen to make this counry our homland whether by migration in times more recent than the ancestors of the so named Tangata Whenua or as a birthright from equally connected New Zealanders, sans the political gyrations of some of us claiming a special status by a hint of a blood connection, rarely proved, to those who came in a canoe.

We all got here by a migration of one sort or another and we are all allowed our own beliefs.

KNOW YOUR COUNTRY Sunday 29th Jan

2012-01-29T08:41:00.006+13:00

A SAD DAY FOR AUSTRALIA

2012-01-28T23:01:00.000+13:00

Australians have a right to be appalled at the antics of Aboriginal protesters venting their spleen at Prime Minister Gillard and Tony Abbott on Australia Day over the incorrectly reported comments that had Tony Abbott calling for the so called Aboriginal Embassy outside the old Parliament Buildings in Canberra to be shut down.

The mayhem that followed did the Aboriginal cause no good at all and probably set back attempts towards national reconciliation by years. The graphic pictures of young Aboriginal children spitting on a burning Australian Flag would serve only to alienate the 98% non indigenous Australian community from attempts to resolve legitimate grievances. That has been acknowledged by responsible Aboriginal leadership who called for those responsible for the violence to be handed over to them for 'Aboriginal Justice' once they had been dealt with by the Courts.

And now comes the news that one of Gillard's Press Secretaries set the whole thing up by contacting an ALP activist at the 'Embassy' and suggesting that she might want to to have the people there confront Gillard and Abbott at the restaurant where they were honouring Emergency Service workers with medals . It has just been announced the Press Secretary concerned has resigned.

All this among continued rumblings in the ALP and the media about the likelihood of a imminent leadership 'spill' coupled with the fact that Labor MP Craig Thomson's past appears to be catching up with him with a rumoured damning report from Fair Work Australia on his stewardship as a Union Official about to be released together with the ongoing police investigation into allegations of credit card fraud by him and the Gillard Government appears close to collapse.

Australia Day, like Waitangi Day, is meant to be a day of celebration. This one certainly wasn't.

Text Of The Day

2012-01-28T06:37:00.003+13:00

From yesterdays Hawkes Bay Today

`What a shame the Queen won't be getting a new $120m dollar yacht. They could at least give her a new rowboat. Unattributed.

Because I will have left for bowls before todays Hawkes Bay Today arrives I had to pinch this from yesterdays paper. You never know I might use todays Hawkes Bay Today for a post tomorrow.

Number of the day

2012-01-28T05:30:00.000+13:00

8,000

The hecterage of the Crafar Farms just sold (conditionally) to Chinese capitalists.

Crafar Farms Sale, Suplementary.

2012-01-27T16:36:00.003+13:00

Many of the ill-informed have been very vocal and the total hypocrisy of much of that is so predictable if totally stupid.

Farrar at kiwiblog has a graphic up that puts the Crafar land as a small circle against the Melbourne Cricket ground oval representing the total land sold to overseas buyers in the 9 years of the last Labour administration that included many of those who are now seeing a problem with Shangai Pengxin's purchase.

Micheal Fay and Mr Jan Trotman are singing from the same song sheat????????

Mr Shearer has taken up the call of New Zealand for New Zealanders.!!!!!!!!!!

I wonder what they would all have to say if the ministers had "directed" the OIO to reject the bid in favour of Mr Fays bunch of opportunists and the government had then made good the shortfall to the receivers.

Many of the socialists are decrying the cost of land to young farmers as they attempt to mount the apparently impossible mountain of farm ownership. Helen Clark paid an over the top price for St James Station near Hanmer Springs, that had a greater upward impact on farm prices, because she liked the place and could indulge her megalomaniac desires via DOC expansionism.

How quickly the financially illiterate forget the major impediment the Government veto of Auckland Air Port Shares to the Canadian Pension Scheme, had on investor confidence.

Governments formulate policy and if they can, enact Legislation to bring it to fruition, then they should stay the hell out of the commercial decisions that follow.

Text Of The Day

2012-01-27T15:46:00.004+13:00

From todays Hawkes Bay Today.

`I want drilling for oil and gas. I want a modern and wealthy Hawkes Bay. DMcC

My thoughts exactly.

Labour - When Will They Ever Learn?

2012-01-27T13:06:00.008+13:00

David `Casper' Shearer appears to have had no initial impact at the Labour Caucus Retreat over the last few days as it looks like Mallard and his failed ways have continued to prevail in the way Labour will progress through 2012 and beyond.

This is evidenced by this post of Deputy Leader Grant Robertson's over at Red Alert:
http://blog.labour.org.nz/2012/01/27/the-sad-state-of-keys-nation/

There are not many comments so far but most of them are giving Grant a well deserved pasting. They just will not learn.

BTW why David `Casper' Shearer? Simple really. Since he has taken over as leader he has been invisible. Just like Casper, The Friendly Ghost.

Sanity Prevails in Crafar Farm Sales.

2012-01-27T11:54:00.004+13:00

Apparently the shennanigans are over.

Minister,Maurice Williamson amd Dr Johnathon Coleman have announced the Government has accepted the OIO recommendation that the sale of the "Crafar Farms" to Shangai Pengxin interests of China be approved.

The Farms that were accumulated by Alan Crafar as a dairy farm conglomerate but fell into mortagage difficulties with Westpac Banking with the farms placed in the hands of Receivers.

A lesser offer, some estimate at 40 million dollars less, from a group headed by Micheal Fay and using Xenophobia and other spurious publicity tactics are branded the failure they always were.

Number of the day

2012-01-27T03:39:00.000+13:00

309,000

The approximate number of dwellings needed in Auckland over the next 30 years (or so) to meet expected population growth.

Text Of The Day

2012-01-26T17:08:00.004+13:00

From todays Hawkes Bay Today.

`OMG what are some people in Hawkes Bay on? Animal Cruelty? There is absolutely nothing wrong with the rodeo or horse racing - get over yourselves. I would rather my children do any outside activities than have them inside watching the crap they have on TV or playing violent, explicit, video games. That's the problem with this country. Start focusing on the child abuse thats going on - get your priorities right.' Unattributed.

This text is in response to a number of previous texts and a couple of letters to THe Editor by Animal Rights do gooders who want the fun police to stop rodeos and horse racing.

I think this is an excellent text in all aspects - including grammar, spelling and overall format. Well done that texter.

Crafar Farms - Some Sanity

2012-01-26T11:03:00.004+13:00

On Tuesday and Wednesday mornings I listened to Sean Plunket deftly inciting hysteria on NewstalkZB presumably to help his ratings. In my view there were very few objective callers and nervous listeners are probably waiting for China to invade if the sale to Pengxin goes through - as it should in my opinion.

Why do I think the sale to Pengxin should proceed:

1. The vendors are the Receivers appointed to protect the interests of Crafar Farms creditors. They have a legal obligation to get the best sale, which includes price, price for the creditors - something Plunket and his callers chose to ignore. Recievers also have a pecunary interest as they are rapacious fee chargers so the better the price the better their payment I would think.
2. As I understand it if the sale to Pengxin goes through Landcorp will then lease the properties. Penguixn will pay tax on the income received and unless they are going to be funding the farm improvements, or have done a deal with the Government, they will have very limited scope to reduce their NZ tax liability. Landcorp will employ the core staff probably along the following lines:
a) 16 farms will require 6 New Zealand managers.
b) Each farm will need at least 2 and up to 5 New Zealand general staff, depending size and herd sizes etc.
c) NZ contractors will be required for specialist work.
3. It is logical to expect the sale agreement to include allowing Pengx1n to send staff from China to gain experience on New Zealand farms. I would expect them to be extra to the core NZ staff requirements and they would probably be paid by Pengxin thus bringing overseas funds into NZ, possibly with some tax liability in NZ plus the GST on their spending while here.

If I have one reservation it is the likelihood that Landcorp will manage the properties. Their history of providing good returns on capital is not good and I think that Pengxin would do better to employ professional Farm Advisers and have the New Zealand Managers run the fars for them. I have no doubt this would produce significantly better returns on their capital investment.

These are the main points that I see around this issue. Hopefully it brings some realism to the mass media hysteria, and particularly on NewstalkZB orchestrated by Sean Plunket. By contrast what I have heard of Danny Watson he has been much more rational.

Meanwhile the Homeguard remain on standby pending word of the advancing Chinese.

Number of the day

2012-01-26T02:36:00.000+13:00

700,000

The minimum expected population growth of Auckland over the next 30 years.

Text Of The Day

2012-01-25T16:38:00.002+13:00

From todays Hawkes Bay Today:

`Truck Driver. The centre line is what you keep to the left. Perhaps you have to brake and wait until it is clear for you to cross over it.' Unattributed.

A road hog maybe.

The Burns Grace

2012-01-25T09:13:00.004+13:00

Today is Robbie Burns Birthday - thank you HP for the prompt. The grace below was sent to me by my Uncle, on a small plaque and I had it on my bedroom wall from when I was about 10 - but first:

The best-known portrait of Burns, by Alexander Nasmyth, 1787.

The Burns Grace

Some hae meat and canna eat
And some wad eat that want it
But we hae meat and we can eat
And sae let the Lord be thankit.

My parents and my in laws were all regular attenders at Burn's nights and Inglesides - to my shame I have never been.

Fear and loathing on the campaign trail 2012

2012-01-25T07:42:00.002+13:00

Mitt Romney released his tax returns, and it became obvious why he wasn't willing to do it a couple of months back:

The documents show that Romney's income places him in the top 1% of earners in the US...

Yeah, that would have been pretty embarrassing back when all those people were shouting "We are the 99%!" Obama's team will be making up slogans as I write this, so no doubt it will still turn out to be pretty embarrassing if he gets the nomination.

Is the AA Smartfuel Card A Claytons Card?

2012-01-25T06:45:00.006+13:00

Apart from the 3 years I lived in Fiji in the mid 70/s I have been an AA member since I bought my first car, a Hillman Imp in late 1965 or early 1966. My father made me join before he would let me buy the car. I have utilised their services a number of times over the years - mainly for flat batteries due to car lights being left on.

When AA introduced their rewards system I used to fill up at BP Service Stations and from time to time a $20 voucher would arrive in the post. Late last year they changed to:

Soon after I bowled into one of Hastings BP stations and filled up, I had already enjoyed their introductory 6c off offer at my nearby Caltex garage, cost was about $107.00 and I handed over my Smartfuel Card expecting at least 4c a litre off to be told when I asked what the discount was that there was none but, I could buy some sunglasses and get a discount.

My next experience was to visit my closest BP with my 5 litre can for lawnmower fuel and my 9kg gas cylinder - total cost about $45.00. Sorry your card doesn't apply for Gas and you have to spend $40 on fuel to get a discount.

Finally last week I filled my car at my nearby Caltex station at a cost of about $110.00. Armed with my Smartfuel Card and a New World 6c a litre off voucher - I went to Caltex because they were advertising 6c off with a Smartfuel Card - I asked the till operater (remember when they used to serve you at the pump) which would be best and he said the New World voucher because it would cover my whole purchase whereas the Smartfuel Card was limited to the first 50 litres.

I see BP are offering 2c a litre discount until the 28 January. How generous of them when I can get 4c a litre off just by spending $20 at a supermarket. Caltex at least has 6c a litre off until then. I can't wait to see what the February offers are.

In the meantime I think the AA Smartfuel Card is not as smart as the AA advertising suggests.

Number of the day

2012-01-25T03:16:00.000+13:00

$448,300.00 - last year's median house price in Auckland, as stated in the latest Demographia survey (down from this year's survey median price of $464,400.00).

RATANA

2012-01-24T22:00:00.000+13:00

This post may well bring a torrent of criticism from Maoridom (and others) but, am I the only one who sees it as somewhat incongruous that each year the heads of political parties should line up to bow and scrape at Ratana Pa in order to curry favour with that 'movement'.

By any definition the Ratana Church is a cult in much the same way as Bishop Brian Tamaki's Destiny Church. Ratana preached that his way was 'the' way. Tamaki , same same. What's the difference?

Do we see 'our; leaders line up to do homage to the Anglican, Catholic, Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist etc etc faithful ... no way, and if they did there would be an outcry pointing to the need for separation of Church and State.

In all those Churches mentioned there will be represented supporters of each and every political party. That is to be expected.

So why is it deemed necessary to pay unseemly homage to a Church whose adherents are a minority in Maoridom and, by my count, has just two MPs adherents in Parliament?

Time for Key, Shearer, Norman/Turei, Peters, et al to back off.

Text Of The Day

2012-01-24T16:02:00.003+13:00

From Todays Hawkes Bay Today:

`Why don't hey push all the gorge slip rubble over the side and make it a four lane highway? Save money and will improve the flow of traffic in the future.' Unattributed.

No wonder this dumbarse didn't give any indication of their name. Perhaps they will divert the Manawatu River which currently runs through the gorge to the enter the sea on the East Coast near Akitio instead of on the West Coast near Foxton. The mind boggles.

Governance in the "garden city"

2012-01-24T09:14:00.003+13:00

With the successful reorganisation of our regional council under the commissioners, calls from Tim Carter and long serving Councillor Sue Wells for similar response from central government under the Local bodies act for the damaged City.

So much of the administration devolved to CERA on matters from the quake, the council and the Mayor are struggling to cope with the remnant governance issues.

Commissioners with no thought of political positioning and parochialism could make the decisions that the council is struggling with in a more timely and effective manner.
John 'Hone' Carter and Rodney Hide come to mind as Candidates.
At the same time the local body Minister has a one off opportunity to revamp local body governance under a unitary authority as Ecan and the City along with Selwyn and Waimakariri district councils come to terms with the fallout from the 18 months of ongoing seismic events.

Councillor Wells is a voice of reason here and deserves to be listened to.

My only reservation is we no longer have Rodney to do the bis, we have the perennial lightweight from Nelson.

Occupy Auckland is still strong?!!

2012-01-24T08:52:00.004+13:00

Susan Wood filling in for Hosking this morning had Bryce Edwards and Sue Bradford on the state of the Occupy Movement.

Edwards made a good summation of how the 2000 had shrunk to 200, the message had not really been focussed leaving the continuation in the hands of tourists and the protest anything for something to do.

Bradford attempted to state how the worst affected by inequality were still active including "the homeless"
Well blow me away, the homeless were still occupying, cripes when have they had access to a campsite near the center of our largest City. Of course the "homeless bums" will still be there all those with a home to go to have changed from daytime occupation to abandon ship some time ago.

What a heaven sent opportunity for backpackers to camp for free in an iconic central city park with portaloos thrown in, no need to shit in the woods there.

The entire farce was going to be our equivalent of the cardboard slum on the banks of the lake in Canberra and just as relevant. It is now just a tourist feature.

It took too long but eventually authority asserted itself, or did it, like cockroaches the idlers crawled back under the cover of darkness.

Number of the day

2012-01-24T04:23:00.000+13:00

$464,400.00 - Auckland's median house price as judged by Demographia's latest home affordability survey.

Text Of The Day

2012-01-23T17:39:00.002+13:00

Here we are from todays Hawkes Bay Today.

`Isn't it amazing when MPs don't make it into Parliament they don't end up on the scrap heap like us mere mortals. Instead a high paying cushy job is created for them paid by the taxpayer. Unattributed.

The texter is obviously referring to Stuart Nash and does not realise that lefties will always find another trough to get their snouts into.

Why Craig Foss Is An Excellent Electorate MP

2012-01-23T12:34:00.003+13:00

On the 9 January my Aunt and Uncle celebrated their Diamond (60th) Wedding Anniversary and a luncheon was held for family and friends on Saturday the 7 January.

While talking to my cousin (their son) and his wife on Saturday morning it came to light that nothing had been done about getting the usual tributes from the Governor General etc. On an impulse I sent Craig an email with details including my Aunt and Uncles names plus their address and phone number. I followed up by phone to his office just after 9am Monday to find that Craig was unavailable all day and that a form should have been completed earlier - I shot down to his office to collect the form and asked his electorate PA if she could ask Craig to give them a call ifshe was speaking to him. The form was passed on to my cousin who was returning to Whangarei Monday morning.

On Monday evening mrs pdm and I went out for dinner with my Aunt and Uncle. They were thrilled to tell us that they had received a phone call from Craig who was in fact holidaying at Aramoana Beach in Central Hawkes Bay. He must have gone to some effort to make the call as there is no cellphone service within 20ks of Aramoana and I doubt there is a working public phone there.

The form must have worked because on Friday last they received a card from John Key's office.

Well done Craig - you didn't have to go to the trouble you did but your phone call and the card from the PM meant a lot to my 83 and 87 year old Aunt and Uncle.

Now for the Queen to do her bit.

About time.

2012-01-23T11:08:00.004+13:00

Am I alone in musing on the total irony in a group of layabouts claiming to protest the "Corporate Greed" of Big Business while their conversion of public space in an equally greedy act that denies the benefit of that space to others wishing to "hire" said space or just enjoy it however briefly.

Jus wundrin.

Update
Whaleoil
reports John Minto that bailiwalk of the left calling the suggestion that the Auckland CC's claim the protesters were denying other legitimate use of the public space, Bullshit, Cams reply; tell it to your megaphone John.
Sums it up really

Insanity could work.

2012-01-23T10:12:00.004+13:00

Kim Schmuk, aka Kim Dotcom, defense team should be investigating an insanity plea as it is revealed a major upgrade of the Coatsville Mansion created by the Chrisco Empire, included an upgrade of the contents of a pool with "IMPORTED SPRING WATER".

The guys fortune is based on information sharing yet is unaware that the clearest "springs" in the world are right here in godzone; Pupu Springs in Golden Bay North of Nelson.

Quiz Results

2012-01-23T09:34:00.004+13:00

Simon Arnold cleans up with a 5/5
Yes I may well have used it before as I rely on a degrading brain as a reference point.
The Tinui Anzac Cross was possibly the first commemoration one year after the landings, was originally a Jarrah construction erected for dedication in 1916 and was replaced with the aluminium one in the 1960s.
The Now disused Robinsons bay PO is Maintained by my service club in co-operation with the local reserves committee.
It was the mail point for the Deans Bros who had someone ride to it for mail from their home base Riccarton Bush In Christchurch some 70 Kms of Highway 75.

Answers
1 Historic Robinsons Bay Post Office on the shores of Akaroa Harbour.
2 Mitre Peak Milford Sound.
3 The North side of Raglan Harbour.
4 Looking down over Fox Glacier.
5 The Anzac Cross on a Taipo on Tinui Station just north of the Wairarapa Village on the road to Castlepoint.

Number of the day

2012-01-23T08:31:00.003+13:00

12.

The number of traffic lights I have to go through between my home and work - a distance of just over 5kms.

Mittout Romney

2012-01-22T15:32:00.006+13:00

Readers by now will know US presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich has poked a stick in the eye of Mitt Romney by winning the South Carolina primary last night.

A number of commentators, including our colleague The Veteran have voiced their unhappiness at the prospect of either Romney or Gingrich winning the bid and becoming the Republican Party's nominee. I tend to agree but in the absence (and that's critical) of an alternative credible contender, I'm warming towards Newt Gingrich.

Why?

Because he's an effective scrapper who can actually lay waste to the appalling American media and to Obama. There's a little bit of Muldoon there with lots more brains.

The other bloke, Romney, looks and sounds like one of those wooden dolls they make in Russia. They talk about Romney's electability and his vast electoral machine as being a major asset. Well, he had those things and tens of millions of dollars worth of TV adverting going for him in South Carolina ans what good did they do? He lost - big time and he'll lose even bigger time in November 2012 against Obama.

Here's an excellent piece of commentary for background. It's not very long and is worth reading to the end. The money quote:

Newt has taken the worst the media, Romney and the left can dish out, and he’s still standing and fighting with passion and eloquence. Sure, he’d probably be an erratic President, but right now Republican voters don’t care about his Presidency. They care about the fight with the left both Mitt Romney, and the Washington Republican leaders like John Boehner and Mitch McConnell don’t seem inclined to engage in.

In every way in the last two weeks, Romney has signaled he won’t fight for the base. He looks like a lost child when trying to answer the taxes issue. He couldn’t stand up to Santorum in the debate. He sounds every bit like Gordon Gekko, not Milton Friedman, when he talks Bain and free markets.

Basically, today’s vote is about Republican grassroots giving the Washington Republican establishment the finger. The base is angry, and right now, only Newt is left to fight for them, as imperfect as he is. We may still end up with Romney, but voters aren’t going to let him have it easily.

The final question I have is "What are the chances of a good candidate coming out of the woodwork at a brokered convention?

BTW, in case you are an illiterate dumb arse, Romney's the one on the left - where he belongs.

Auckland - a city of cant's, ctd

2012-01-22T09:48:00.002+13:00

From today's Socialist Star Times:

Long-dubbed None Tree Hill, Auckland's iconic One Tree Hill could soon boast nine as a final Treaty of Waitangi settlement grows closer.

Auckland iwi and the government hope six pohutukawa and three totara will soon grace the peak that has been treeless since the badly-damaged 125-year-old Monterey pine was removed in 2000 after a chainsaw attack a few years earlier by Maori activist Mike Smith.

Ngati Whatua have not wanted the trees planted until a Treaty settlement was signed. A preliminary settlement between iwi and the government over Auckland's historic volcanoes was signed in November – drawing a final settlement closer.

Auckland - 12yrs later, and still we can't plant a tree on an iconic hill.

Auckland is a city of can'ts.

More stupidity

2012-01-22T09:23:00.002+13:00

I see another 18 month old toddler has been mauled by the family pet pitbull cross.

Here's the parents reaction.

"They were very upset. The mother was very shaken up and crying."

Here's my reaction.

"What do you expect to happen when you have one of these mongrels roaming your back yard."

Now we will pay, as taxpayers, to treat this kid because of the parents stupidity.

It is easy to ban these dogs from society but a lot harder to ban stupidity.

Quiz January 22nd

2012-01-22T08:33:00.005+13:00

ROY MORGAN POLL

2012-01-21T20:50:00.000+13:00

So there I was some 7 days ago sitting on our balcony early evening enjoying a Genmorangie (or 2) and contemplating some very big wood pigeons when the phone rang and a very pleasant Indian voice hastened to assure me he wasn't selling anything but did I have 4 minutes to be screened to see I might be eligible to participate in research conducted by Roy Morgan.

If I made the grade I could win $3000 or one of 4 consolation prizes of $500.

Well, having supped well of the nectar of the Gods, I decided to give it a go and made it through the screening process. I was told that in the next few days I would receive a booklet in which I was to record my media listening habits. Ok, sweet, sounds easy.

Today a parcel arrived comprising a book and a booklet. The booklet asked me to record what I read in the print media for the next seven days; my use of the internet, and my hour to hour listening of TV/Radio from 5.30 am to midnight daily.

Now, the book. 121 pages of questions comprising over 600 questions in all and many quite complex. Some real doozies included. Did I suffer from Alzheimers (how could I remember); what about TMJ syndrome (what the f**k is that); did I feel stressed (only after I read the book), and did I have a 'low' sex drive (at 6' 1" how could I). If I were a 'her', was my favourite method of contraception 'abstinence'. Other questions included whether I had 'indulged' in a massage and whether I had ever smoked Texas 5 cigarettes.

The bloody thing is going to take me about five hours to complete.

Question. Has anyone else in a moment of weakness signed up to this and did they consign said books to the trash can.

I would be fascinated to know the % return.

How Does That Sit With the 99%?

2012-01-21T18:13:00.004+13:00

The Butt from the Hutt has sold 81 sq cm of her bum surface for nearly $154 a sq cm that allows the successful bidder to have a tattoo of their choice applied.

And thats just for the crackling. Tina retains ownership of the chassis, not sure who controls access.

Purchaser is a chain of adult entertainment purveyors who are about to Branch out in the Capital.
No word of the underbidder or their motives, would Trev The muss, the brains of Labours election strategy, have any local knowledge.

To be fair Tina has pledged to give $2500 that she says is beyond her immediate needs, to Charity.

Sets a benchmark in assessing net worth maybe.

Is SkyCity Chow Mein?

2012-01-21T17:33:00.002+13:00

From Granny this morning (and referred to in the post below):

SkyCity Entertainment Group is cold-shouldering a 15-level brothel planned to rise opposite its popular SkyTower.

Peter Treacy, general counsel, expressed strong reservations about the country's first high-rise bordello going up on SkyCity's doorstep, near the entrance to its four and five-star hotels in the heart of Auckland's CBD.

Treacy is worried about what visitors might think of the Chow brothers' new building at 75 Victoria St West.

"We think it's less than ideal having the likes of foreigners and children who are visiting the SkyTower facing that. There's a lot of tourists and diverse people and it's not ideal to have that opposite New Zealand's top tourist destination. Over the last 12 months, over 600,000 people have visited the Tower," he said.

Then there's this from the same paper:

SkyCity's plan for a $350 million national convention centre in Auckland remains uncertain despite initial government approval six months ago, and negotiations are shrouded in "commercial sensitivity".

Treacy appears to object to the exterior aesthetics. I presume if they're changed to fit in with "quality urban design" he'll have no problem?

Auckland - a city of can'ts.

Kim Dotcom - spot the word "piracy"

2012-01-21T16:07:00.000+13:00

I'm a little suspicious of the Kim Dotcom case. A really bad photocopier shouldn't deserve that much attention.

But he's a pirate, I hear. An internet pirate. He steals other's property!

Probably.

But I went and had a look at the indictment that Inventory provided via TV3 to see how many times he or his co-offenders are accused of "piracy".

Go and perform a "find" on the document for the word "piracy", and then see whether the US Government has indicted Kim or his mates on piracy charges.

Or whether he's just a really bad photocopier.

Auckland - a city of "can'ts".

2012-01-21T11:41:00.001+13:00

Want to have a cigarette in an Auckland park? Can't.

Want to walk your dog on the beach in Summer on a leash? Can't.

Want to buy a house, demolish it and build a modern house? Can't.

Want to buy some commercial property and build a fancy new building? Looks like you can't.

Want to ride your bike without a helmet along Tamaki Drive? Can't.

Want to subdivide your land outside the Rural Urban Boundary and sell some sections to some first-home buyers? Can't.

Auckland - a city of Can'ts.

Text Of The Day

2012-01-21T08:21:00.002+13:00

Here we are from todays Hawkes Bay Today.

`Re bad kids. Send them to Sue Bradford - she took parents rights away.' Unattributed.

Early today because in it's wisdom the HBToday is a morning paper on Saturdays.

Text Of The Day

2012-01-20T16:14:00.002+13:00

Here we are from todays Hawkes Bay Today

`To the lady from Havelock who baked scones and brought them to the scene of the fire in the early hours, thank you. Much appreciated. Cheers. Haumoana Fire Brigade

There is still goodwill and Community Spirit in Hawkes Bay.

The fire in question was only about 1.5k's from my home but the first I heard about it was on the 5am NewstaldZB news Wednesday. The alarm went up at about 7.30pm Tuesday and involved about 90 firemen and women from throughout Hawkes Bay. As far as I am aware they are still on site in case of flare ups.

THE RACE FOR THE REPUBLICAN NOMINATION

2012-01-20T12:34:00.003+13:00

John Nance Garner, sometime Vice President of the United States, once described that office as being "not worth a bucket of warm piss".

It looks as though the race for the Republican nomination is now down to Mitt Romney or Newt Gingrich with the latest polls putting Gingrich ahead of Romney in the South Carolina Primary scheduled for this weekend.

The attack ads on each other,whether in person or by proxy, are direct, bitter and personal. Romney is portrayed as a crony capitalist, liberal, flip-flopper, whilst Gingrich is flayed as a serial adulterer, censured and fined by his colleagues in the House of Representatives for ethical misconduct.

The convention (if there ever was one) promoted by Reagan that 'Republicans do not speak ill of fellow Republicans' has been well and truly broken in Spades. The Democrats will be loving every minute of this and you can bet the attack lines used by the Republicans will feature in their election advertising.

It may well be that the nominee finds himself inheriting Garner's bucket.

A Big Tick For Telecom.

2012-01-20T09:34:00.002+13:00

Following a 'Safari' through Sth Canterbury and the Mckenzie Country in November I posted on difficulties with connecting to the Net with a Telecom TStick at many of the stopover points.
In the comments on that post I was offered advice on things I could do including from Homepaddock and others to try upgrading my simcard.

A person who works in Telecom in sales and marketing contacted me through the gmail address in my profile with further assistance including that simcard suggestion. Obviously a very well read person in the organisation who has the added talent of reading this blog.

With quite a bit of pressure following extended absences from paradise, I didn't follow up on the advice until we were in Hawkes Bay over the Holidays and went into the Telecom outlet in Market Street Hastings where Manager Trevor and his staff were absolutely first class.
The Simcard was upgraded at no cost and swmbo and self were so impressed we took the opportunity to upgrade our cdma phones there and then.

My contact at Telecom informs me that that Hastings outlet is owner operated as opposed to a managed Corporate outlet and that explains the total difference we in the more technically challenged and more mature demographic found in our dealings with problem resolution on previous occasions at various outlets.

During my search for solutions I visited outlets of other communication companies where disinterest and a reluctance to assist an older person was pretty much endemic among the young whose familiarity and expertise in operating the gizmos is clear, however empathy and an ability to understand and solve problems for the more technology challenged customer is not so evident.

So big wraps to The Market St Telecom store in Hastings and to the person who not only has the good taste to read No Minister but took the time to help out a pensioner.

Well done Telecom and thankyou.

Friday Funny

2012-01-20T04:30:00.000+13:00

INSTALLING SUMMER in New Zealand ....

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The season you are looking for was not found.

It may have had its name changed, or is temporarily unavailable.

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Text Of The Day

2012-01-19T18:53:00.002+13:00

Here we are from todays Hawkes Bay Today.

Wow. Dog pooh lasts 25 years. At last, yet another sensible solution to the Hawkes Bay economic anxiety. Right up there with waterparks, long runways and a `fish' circus. Bag it and market it as `HB Doggie Doos, the ultimate slow release fertiliser'. Bay problems solved.DBS

Apologies for being late today - other matters took priority.

A Step Too Far.

2012-01-19T18:04:00.007+13:00

It is not that bad, well not quite imo.

I was introduced to Tobacco at the age of 9 by a farm worker.
I was probably addicted by age 16.
My Grandfather who boarded with us smoked, my parents did not.
I gave up at age 37 probably due to the pressure that accompanied my daughters exposure to education at school and brought the info home, plus an awareness that health risks finally overcame my self indulgence. A forty something neighbour having triple bypass was a factor.
Yes I wish I had done that sooner, in fact I now wish I had never started.

When Bars were made smoke free I was happy as I had to avoid most social activities that allowed smoking in enclosed spaces.
I support the workplace bans as people who are required to be in a confined space should not have to endure second hand smoke.
I support the legislative focus that ensures the considerable health costs smoking brings to those who smoke are covered.

But a ban on smoking in the open air is a step too far for me.

I have waited all day for someone in the National government to tell us this over indulgence in banning legal activities is not going to happen, to say something, sadly it appears not to have happened. I guess they will wait for some polling to tell them how to react.

I am offended when the smokers return to the Bar in the pub and cringe when I recall my inflicting that reeking smell on others but it is still a legal if heavily taxed substance.

The addictive aspects are complex and varied, education and the rising cost by way of taxation is the answer, driving it underground wont work, banning is over reacting.

I say again a step too far for me.

Gareth Morgan Investments Sale To KiwiBank - Some Questions

2012-01-18T19:13:00.004+13:00

According to The NZ Herald and other news agencies about $1.5Billion of Investment Funds are changing hands at a so far undisclosed price. My understanding from the information so far is KiwiBank will continue to operate thes funds under the GMI (Gareth Morgan Investments) name with Gareth Morgan remaining at the helm.

My questions are:

1. Where did KiwiBank find the money to purchase this business - has the Government put it's hand in it's pocket using Taxpayers money?
2. If the Government is funding this why wasn't this disclosed?
3. Apart from Gareth Morgan and his offsider Andrew Gawtih what expertise do KiwiBank have in the Funds Management area? This is specialised work with a different philosophy to banking.
4. What back up is there in the funds management area if Gareth Morgan or Andrew Gawith get run over by a bus.

Please be assured in asking these questions I have no concerns about the safety of these funds, which include about $650Million KiwiSaver Funds in the short term, apart from the impact of normal market fluctuations.

One thing I do see is that it seems that Gareth Morgan has organised himself a nice little sinecure which at the end of the day will be funded by the taxpayer. Whale Oil is already on to this and asks if Gareth is prepared to voluntarily pay Capital Gains on his profits - I don't think he will.

Hat Tips: NZHerald, Whale Oil, NewstalkZB, TVNZ

Text Of The Day

2012-01-18T15:56:00.004+13:00

Here we are from todays Hawkes Bay Today.

`What the ....? $35 for the Rugby World Cup DVD highlights but no footage of the cup presentation? After 24 years? Short-changed big time!' DHP

I think DHP makes a very good point.

Better than the towel.

2012-01-18T15:12:00.005+13:00

Couldnt they find a shopping bag that towel had a value.

Positive he pled guilty but lets hope the dopey judge doesn't love him to death Now thats a thought

More fun and games with propaganda

2012-01-18T12:24:00.003+13:00

OK, the previous post on this wasn't the last one after all. The activities of DPF, Whaleoil and Cactus Kate in running propaganda for the employer in the Port of Auckland dispute makes an interesting study and is worth posting about.

Their efforts have concentrated on promoting PoA's figure of $91,000 as the average "remuneration" for MUNZ members. It's a potentially risky line to take, as the amount the wharfies earn is completely irrelevant to the dispute and it invites comparison with the ridiculously inflated sums issued to the directors and CEO, but it serves two propaganda purposes that are very useful to the employer: it assists with forming a public impression of the workers involved as being overpaid and therefore greedy; and it assists with forming a public impression that the dispute is about money rather than casualisation of the workforce.

The figure itself is one I described in an earlier post as part of a list of "artful deceptions." It's worth having a look at how it's a deception and how that deception serves a propaganda purpose. NB: "deception" for propaganda purposes is not necessarily the same thing as "lie." To a great extent, propaganda is about carefully presenting factually correct information in such a way as to lead people to form opinions based on false assumptions. We're talking here about that kind of "deception."

The first thing to note is that the figure is an average, not a median. Anne Tolley used this scam quite effectively for propaganda purposes as well, with the claim that the average teacher earns $71,000. Here's the scam: most people are used to thinking of averages in terms of a normal distribution, a bell curve - ie about half the set will be below average and half above average. However, averages are easily skewed by a few outliers. For example, if you have a group of five workers, four of whom are on $50,000 a year and one on $100,000, the average income is $60,000 - however, most of the group earn well below the average. The median of $50,000 would be a more useful figure, but using the average makes the workers sound better paid than they actually are, hence PoAL issuing an average figure.

The next deception is issuing a figure for "remuneration," rather than wages. Most people are used to thinking of their income in terms of their wages or salary rather than "total remuneration." Many of us benefit from employer superannuation contributions, subsidised medical insurance etc but don't take it into account when we think about what our wage or salary is. The scam here is that people will assume the figure of $91,000 reflects wharfies' wages and falsely compare it to their own wage or salary.

The last one is including overtime payments in the calculation. Again, most people think of their income in terms of their base wages or salary, with overtime being extra, so the scam is to include the average overtime paid in the figure of $91,000 and most people will falsely compare it to their own base rate or salary.

It's a simple trick. The employers' volunteer propagandists promote the figure of $91,000 as a typical MUNZ member's income. You look at the figure, assume it represents the median base wage for those employees because that's how you're used to thinking about your own income, and conclude that those guys are paid way more than you are so must be very greedy if they're going on strike for more money (which is another artful deception, but that's for another post). Working out that it's a deception requires applying some thought to it, which means the scam is a fairly safe one to run.

Paspalum

2012-01-18T09:38:00.003+13:00

What is the simplest and most effective way to get rid of paspalum from ones lawn.

We have been told salt and I am trying this now. Apart from dgging it out and having to repair a number of holes in the lawn what other options are there to get rid of it permanently if the salt doesn't do the trick.

Was it in Fact an Unauthorised Election Advert?

2012-01-18T06:58:00.004+13:00

On the Tuesday in the week leading to polling day, TV3 ran an inside NZ Doco on Child Poverty by Bryan Bruce.

Some, self included, considered the very one sided view of the subject as virtually free unauthorised promotion of the NZ Labour Party with many references to the first Labour Government and their Welfare and State Housing policy initiatives.
It included a cheerleader moment from a second rate academic and known Labour supporter on how; the Labour party introduced, grew and maintained the State housing stock while National always ran it down.

The doco included footage of a very dirty damp state house that most housekeepers would have made imminently more comfortable with cleaning, tidying and airing.

I complained to TV3 on the inappropriatness of airing such a biased one sided doco in the leadup to an election pointing out it should have carried an authorisation statement and have been included in the NZLP election expemses.

The eventually rejected my complaint "on the grounds I had not viewed the doco live but had watched it on the net the following day".

I also complained to the Broadcasting standards authority who also rejected my complaint on all grounds.
I am fully aware I am no Cathy Odgers or Cameron Slater so I just accepted the rejection.

This morning the issue is back up as the Board of NZ on Air is wriggling on the timing and balance of a program they funded and are seeking legal clarification .

I am firmly of the opinion it was an unbalanced doco on a very political subject at a very significan time in the leadup to the election by politically motivated activists on the staff of a TV station operator whose political hacks made considerable efforts to influence the poll with the activities of Gower, garner and Co.

Text Of The Day

2012-01-17T16:09:00.002+13:00

Here we are from todays Hawkes Bay Today:

`Too many MPs. Six good housewives would manage New Zealand Taxpayers money far better!!' BT Napier.

Interestingly this was written by a man as his full name was shown but I just included his initials and could not resist adding the exclamation marks.

Enjoy.

A perrennial problem.

2012-01-17T08:54:00.003+13:00

With NZ Crickets rather shallow talent pool, that said Zimbabwe has a currently worse one but that will change if stability and prosperity ever comes to that incredibly rich nation resorcewise, officials are again wrestling with a selection conundrum that is deja vu all over again.

Many times in my lifetime as a player albeit very low ranked and since as a tragic, the big question has been; a keeper who is the best available, a keeper who can bat a bit, one who is competent at both or a good batter who can 'take the gloves'.

Now the debate arises again with Reece Young being discarded from the team that knocked off the Ockers much to the chagrin of many Aussies, particularly the senile old William Lawry, and we will have two candidates front up for the NZ eleven against Rhodesia,sorry Zimbabwe, or should that be the Mugabe eleven as England used to be The MCC until test time.

My stance is the very best keeper available and I do not think that is Wattling as he has already made the national team as a batter and has now been given the gloves for this upcoming game.
It is not hard to accept that a missed catch from a batter who goes on to make a ton or worse makes the batting account of a keeper near insolvent.
Of course B J Wattling may be the best 'gloveman' around but I rate The Saffa van Wyk ahead at present.

Not all Employers are up to Speed with the Human Rights Act.

2012-01-17T08:34:00.003+13:00

Well that applys to one Hawkes Bay employer in particular - let me explain.

Late last year ago a friend advised me of a job which was coming up where he worked. On Monday he called and gave me more details, the contact number for the owner and told me that he was expecting my call - this is despite me saying that I had no experience in the trade. He insisted it was a sales position and my lack of industry experience would not be a problem.

Yesterday I made the call and after some telephone tag I caught up with the employer. He confirmed there was a sales position coming up and explained briefly the same requirements that my friend had given me plus that the job included some clambering around on house and commercial building rooves. He also said the ability to sell was the prime requirement with industry experience close behind.

He then asked my age which is 65 (rising 66 fast) and immediately said that he was looking for someone younger and he did not think someone of my age would be able to handle the physical side of the work. Now in my case he was dead right - I had already worked that out and was going to back out, as there was no way I was going to be climbing on rooves no matter how infrequent it might be. However I know a few 70plus aged men who would have no problem whatsoever.

The crux though is he should not have told me I was too old for the job and I suspect I could contact the Human Rights Commissioner. I won't be though because he was right and I agree with him - I am too bloody old for that job - in fact if I was half my present age I wouldn't want the job. When next I see my mate I will tell him to just mention to his boss that he should watch how he tells people that they are not suitable for any jobs he has.

Text Of The Day

2012-01-16T16:00:00.004+13:00

I decided this is a better title for this daily effort.

From todays Hawkes Bay Today:

`With the price of milk coming down does that mean ice cream, flat whites etc will all come down in price too.' K.A. Napier.

I have also decided where possible to go with those that have a sign off but I am sure there will be stand out ones without a sign ff from time to time.

There have been number about cures for tinnitus - in my day that was called Athletes Foot.
Ooops - got tinnitus mixed up with Tinea. Tinnitus of course being a condition which affects the ear. Thanks GD for letting me know.

More "funding" is the answer. (?)

2012-01-16T11:53:00.006+13:00

The Herald reports St John Ambulance is failing to improve response times for "P1" calls where life is in immediate danger.
The target times are: Urban 8 minutes, local rural 12 minutes and remote 25 minutes.
These times are becoming compromised for several reasons.

1 The service is becoming overloaded with societal problems and cellphones.
2 Road etiquette.
3 over inflated expectations.

With society indulging more in recreational drugs, binge drinking and the removal of personal responsibility the Ambulance service is being called to deal with incidents that a small degree of self care and care for mates would prevent or deal with.
The advent of cellphones causes prompt alerts but often by people who take no time to assess need, just the rush to call it in, often with poor intel as to what and where. A problem with Fire service also.
Many motorists with soundproof cars, stereos and little awareness of what is going on around them have a disconcerting ability to, on hearing a siren, stop on the middle of their lane, instead of maintaining their momentum and pulling over asap.
Rising costs of basic medical treatment options results in 111 calls when a measured trip to a Dr or medical center is the better option albeit involving a cost, they forget that an account will come from the Ambo bean counters but I suspect recovery rates are abysmal.

Loss of consciousness, chest pain, breathing difficulties, severe bleeding, abdominal pain and big bone or multiple fractures are reason to call 111 whereas spilling your guts from over doing the booze, spraining your ankle or wrist, minor cuts and abrasions, dislocating your shoulder are not. Too many who call 111 do not think it through.

The man in the hot seat Jamie Wood claims more money is an answer and My heading indicates support for that but I should have ended with "NOT" as there is much the service could do with tweeking their protocols and asking people to use their transport and first aid kit while the trained people with their expensive equipment get back on station for a real emergency instead of transporting someone to ED when a trip to their Dr would suffice.

For us to do a "transport" can take our one truck out of "available" for up to 3 hours depending on how far towards ED we have to travel whereas a "leave the Patient to sort themselves out" would take on average less than one hour and many less than 30 minutes, if we even responded at all.

So More money although an easy answer for the shineys, would make no difference at our coal face, though a New Truck would be nice to replace the 11 year old Toyota Panel Van with no Turbo and with all our remote calls requiring a climb to the Summit Rd which will take all our alloted 25 minutes without the subsequent 15 to 20 to reach an outer bay settlement.

I wonder what the expenditure for SAR, SLS, Coast guard and police to deal with stupids over the holidays has been, we desperately need some enforceable cost recovery systems to bring home the Financial Repercussion costs for stupids, now there is a thought.

INEPTOCRACY!!

2012-01-16T11:26:00.004+13:00

Viking2 a regular at Kiwiblog reports today the acceptance of a new word.

Ineptocracy (in-ep-to-cr-acy) :
A system of Government where the least capable of leading are elected by the least capable of producing, and where the members of society least likely to sustain themselves or succeed, are rewarded with goods and services paid for by the confiscated wealth of a diminishing number of producers.

Fits well with Dame Margaret Thatcher's definition of the future of Socialism.

Socialism will only last so long as there is other peoples money to fund it

Quiz results

2012-01-16T09:17:00.005+13:00

Yes Punakaiki was a gift. Spectacular scene especially with a good sea running.
George wins with 4 1/2 with Veteran second.
Roger tightened up the Buller Gorge answer correctly identifying Hawks Crag.
Thought regular Commenter from Waitaki would have got the Brigadier as he succeeded the legendary Frank Milner. Yes a bit before your time Ele.
Brigadier Burrows was appointed to WBHS while still serving in the Italian Campaign and left in rather controversial circumstances when he resigned following what he considered a loss of confidence after his nomination for a senior teaching position was overturned by staff.
An outstanding leader of men, serving in Nth Africa, Italy and then after his time at WBHS he commanded in "K" force.
A District Governor in Rotary and was in charge of Civil Defense for a time. His son Ian also reached the rank of Brigadier in the NZDF.
Oh and btw another distinguished ex pupil of Waiau School, his Mum and Dad were Grocers in the township after Jim was born at Prebbleton. Jim went on to a distinguished time at CBHS in sport and as a school leader.
Answers:
1 Brigadier James T. Burrows.
2 Hawks Crag in the Lower Buller Gorge, a virtual tunnel with one side open to the big river.
3 Cape Foulwind from the South.
4 Farewell Spit.
5 Punakaiki Rocks.

A little historical bit re Hawks Crag, It was near that Landmark that two old fossickers, one was a Mr Jacobsen, discovered Uranium ore in the mid 1950s, major news in those days, made the cover of 'The Auckland Weekly'

Don't waste money on stupidity.

2012-01-15T19:02:00.014+13:00

When you live on an island, water hazards come with the territory.

You have to expect that a few people will always succeed in finding ways to drown.

Our news is full of news of people fulfilling that fact.

But drownings seem to be reported as the result of tragic accidents.

The truth is most are the result of tragic stupidity.

Swimming in rough conditions, not recognising rips or outside the flags, fishing off rocks in heavy seas, tying fishing nets to legs, no lifejackets in boats, crossing flooded rivers.............

Spending even more taxpayers money on water safety will never solve stupidity.

Daily Text

2012-01-15T15:40:00.004+13:00

Every day our local paper Hawkes Bay Today runs a `Text Us' column or two. On major, usually local issues, they are placed under headings while there is always a General area as well. Some Texts are very good, some are okay, some are humorous, some are inane or perhaps even insane and some are unintelligible. I propose to pick one a day for your entertainment or whatever.

Here is todays:
`why is it with all the rules and regulations in NZ we still have scumbags walking our streets and doing as they please.FMJ.'

KNOW YOUR COUNTRY Sunday 15th Jan

2012-01-15T08:00:00.000+13:00

THESE 'SOLDIERS' ARE A DISGRACE TO THEIR UNIFORM

2012-01-14T12:41:00.001+13:00

The latest video to emerge from Afghanistan purporting to show US Marines urinating on the corpses of Taliban fighters is, if true, a sad indictment on the professionalism of the US Marine Corps. I have no doubt that senior US military commanders will be tearing their hair out.

War is a shitty business and Afghanistan particularly so and yes, the Taliban are not signatories to or bound by the Geneva Convention. They too desecrate bodies Nevertheless, to act in such a way is to lose any moral authority you might have that you are fighting for a greater good. In the wars I fought in the enemy dead were always accorded due respect. In recent times my son commanded a major unit in Afghanistan serving in the British Army and their strict protocol had it that the enemy dead were to be treated respectfully and buried facing Mecca within the 24 hour period required by the Muslim faith.

But all that aside there are practical reasons for not stooping to this sort of obscene behaviour. That video will now be played over and over again in Afghani villages by the Taliban used as a powerful recruiting tool.
In one stroke these 'soldiers' have undone much of the good work of their colleagues. Their actions are to be deplored and I for one look forward to their Courts Martial.

I wait for some rambo wannabee to rubbish this post. I doubt whether they will have ever fired a shot in anger and even more that they have experienced incoming enemy fire. Real soldiers accept and abide by the rules of war ... however crazy that may sound.

That seems Like Justice to Me

2012-01-14T10:29:00.003+13:00

Arthur Leon Vitasek top of America's most wanted list has been sentenced to 560 years gaol for child molesting.

He was 47years old so the 60 would have been enough for me but I guess the other 500 give a bit of room for reductions to salve the consciences of the various appeal judges.

Sadly though how many lives has he destroyed in his lifetime and no retribution will assist them.

On the other hand I guess his rampage is over as a predator and new opportunities as a victim will come along.

It was great theatre

2012-01-14T08:36:00.002+13:00

I do enjoy Tests at the WACA, they start late afternoon for us and end after swmbo has gone to bed.

After a buildup that included many references to a fraught Perth wicket, a different pitch invasion and the normal mind games between the teams or maybe just a little more spicy than the norm, Micheal 'Pup' Clark won the toss and asked India to bat.

His four quicks soon had The Indians reeling with four wickets before lunch including one of the true greats Tendulker, who is searching for an elusive 100th first class century. For a while after lunch Laxman and Kholi held them up but at around tea it was a rout with India all out for 161 and most, me included wondered how many Aussies would be out by stumps.

Well the next couple of hours produced a very rare and special spectacle.
David Warner who made his start by smashing bowlers in 20 T and limited overs cricket brought that game to the test arena. By stumps he was not out 104 having scored the fastest century by an opener and equaling the forth fastest in tests by Chanderpaul, hitting 101 in 69 balls and reaching his ton with a six over the bowlers head. No slogging just great cricket shots all around the ground and ferocious is the best descriptive I can think of.

Watching from the other end was another relative newby in Ed Cowan, he scored a credible 40 NO but the ICB's refusal to employ the DRS bit them on the bum when hotspot technology showed Ed gloved a catch to MS Dhoni late in the day.

The test India have to win to gain parity with a shared 4 test series seems about similar to snowballs in hell, at two zip and only leading by 12 runs with Australia 145 for none the bookies will be frantically looking for new angles this morning.

Truly one of the memorable days of test cricket but as Tony Greig recalled in the Centenary test when the world rolled Australia for 100 odd and went to bat full of confidence to be all out themselves for 90, anything can happen but the omens for Australia are looking real good today.

Go you good things.

WELFARE REFORM

2012-01-13T13:52:00.000+13:00

For better or worse I am part of a Government working party charged with reforming the delivery of FACS (Family & Community Services) money into the community. Our focus in on outcomes rather than outputs and and as such we will be 'encouraging' greater collaboration between providers to include the possible sharing of back-office functions as a means of increasing the money available at the community coal face.

In working towards this goal we have engaged in an extensive round of community consultation and I have to say how impressed I am with many providers who are working hand to mouth on shoestring budgets. I particularly acknowledge the work of many church based agencies who do the hard yards and more for very little recognition.

As part of the consultation process I visited a small Northland town experiencing high unemployment. At the meeting a town worthy stood up and said that what we were doing was pretty much a waste of time and if the Government really wanted to make a difference it would need to create jobs. At that point a very tough looking guy at the back of the room called out 'bullshit'. He then came forward and identified himself as the owner/manager of a large forestry logging company based in the district. He said he had double digit vacancies for workers which he could not fill. That 'workers' would be sent to them and then quit after a few days when they found out it was 8-5 hard work (albeit for good money). He also commented that the Company required compulsory and random drug testing, given the dangerous nature of the work, and that they regularly had to let workers go who returned drug positive samples.

The reality is that up here at least there is institutionalised state dependency made easier by the ability to catch fish and grow a little wacky-baccy for profit.

Serious reform of the Social Welfare system is long overdue and Government needs to step up the pace of change. We as a nation need to embrace a paradigm shift in the way we approach benefit 'entitlements' and perhaps doing away with the word entitlement might be the first step. I agree that this will be opposed by the 'left' on principle but what's new and anyway 'they' lost.

One Mixed up Little Boy

2012-01-13T11:14:00.004+13:00

Newstalk ZB reveals this morning that there are still signs of life in the corpse that is the Parliamentary Labour Party.

Lill Chippie has come out with a rather pathetic attempt to land a punch on the PM.

He has derided John Key's lauding of the recent award to Air New Zealand and gone on to claim the airlines destruction when the Nats sell off another 20% of the shares in the company, 73% of the total are still in Government hands.

No mention of the fact the socialists in their 9 years of opportunity made no move to acquire the outstanding 27%, or comment on how the successful results will accrue from the "Mixed Ownership Model" being promoted as the shareholding model for the Generators when they are sold down to 51%.

We are getting much comment from the socialists as to how the power price hikes under the 'MOM' when the companies are led to a more commercially realistic position will have people sitting huddled in their homes as they cannot afford heating. If the scare tactics have any truth then how come Air NZ is able to offer so many attractive fares on domestic and TransTasman routes.
Hell with a little forward planning swmbo and I can fly CHC to NPR return for around 30% of the full fare.

Hellooo Chippie step out of the Koru Lounge and you might learn something.

Of course I am expecting an unreasonable level of commercial competence from Chippie as he has had a very sheltered life so far, and it shows.

Hungry Kids at School

2012-01-13T09:24:00.011+13:00

I am pleased to be joining the team at No Minister and thank the guys already there for their support. I also look forward to your comments and support. Note well I have an aversion to anonymous commenters and would prefer that anyone commenting on my posts uses a pseudonym.

Early in the New Year Lindsay Mitchell had a few posts on Child Poverty as well as Schools Feeding Hungry Children and this one caught my eye:
http://lindsaymitchell.blogspot.com/Principals on Hungry Children on 7 January.

Why did it attract my attention? Well early in December the people in the small cul de sac I live in had a street get together to farewell the the longest residents of the street. Now over the back fences of most of the houses across the road from me is one of Hastings most popular and desirable primary schools. I do not know the decile but people go out of their way to get their kids into the school. As an example while we were in the UK we had our house rented, however, when we wanted to re occupy it our tenant asked for an extra couple of weeks so that she could find a house in the area that enabled her children to stay at this school.

Getting back to title of this post one of the mothers in our street is on the Board of Trustees for this school. At the street party her husband was telling me that until mid 2011 the school had not had any children come to school hungry. One day in June or July a hungry boy turned up at school saying he had not had breakfast and apparently the directive is that schools have to feed hungry children - guess what - they are now feeding 24 or 25 kids on any given day.

What this tells me is that this is an issue that is self fulfilling and that poverty is not the problem. It is the availability of food at the school which allows parents to direct funds away from feeding their kids although laziness may also play a part.

What do you think?

This ought to be fun

2012-01-12T22:36:00.002+13:00

I suspect Whale Oil will have enough content from this book for at least two years worth of blog postings.

Whatever!!

2012-01-12T16:13:00.003+13:00

Inequality seems to be the Buzz at the moment.
Of course New Zealand is an unequal society and as long as our mad passionate affair with the stupid outcomes delivered by our idiotic Welfare spending continues to give wrong signals to so many in that society, it will only get worse.

A member of my service club and a committed socialist, he erects Labour signs in his front garden for elections but could not explain how the slogans so displayed would actually work in the real world.

I digress he is a fine fellow and a good member of our Club, three times now he has offered me one of his "TWO" copies of the 'Spirit Level" for my edification. So far I have managed to resist but have not admitted I have ready access to a copy already.

We have been enduring in recent months, groups of the idle and disorderly freedom camping in public spaces of our cities in contravention of many laws and getting away with it on some nefarious pretext that under the Bill of Rights their protest allows it. Something about 1% vs 99% wasn't it.

I am absolutely certain that if swambo and self parked our 8 meter rig and the Disco tow vehicle on the grass in Aotea Square it would incur the immediate wrath of the city and appropriate sanctions would ensue with marked detriment to my Balance of Payments if not my liberty regardless of any signage I might be displaying.

Yes, alright, get to the point.
The other day, one Martin Robinson, described as "a freelance writer from West Auckland" wrote a barrow load of drivel on inequality in NZ where among other bits of dysentry he alluded to the very high salaries paid to the All Blacks and how that had made them World Champions. I am wondering where the dopey bugger has been as my ABs have been at or very near the top of world Rugby all my adult life, both amateur and professional. Most if not all of the current ABs would gain higher remuneration overseas.

Now in the Herald webpage today, one Bryan Gould has offered a piece of his mind on these matters of moment and at the bottom of the opinion piece he is described as an ex British MP and Vice Chancellor of Waikato University.
Now many of you are well aware of my shortcomings as a writer of English as she is writ and some have told me so, but that little statement led me to the conclusion that Gould is still in the latter role when in fact he gave it up some 8 years ago.

It would have been simpler to have described him as a failed British socialist trougher whose opinion didn't amount to much. Proof of that was provided when in his op ed he stated how paying some, many times the money we pay to others only resulted in those well remunerated "buying a life separate from that lived by the rest of US".
Now come on you socialist parasite, have you divested yourself of all the rewards you have accumulated in your time at the teat and are now walking in the shoes of the downtrodden. I don't think so.

Still it filled a gap on a page in their rag and I guess he gave the money for that filler to the 'Occupy movement', well you would, wouldn't you.

Tui anyone.

An Excellent Idea

2012-01-12T15:22:00.004+13:00

And not just for Australian airlines.

I've long thought airlines should introduce a gross passenger weight schedule, with a surcharge over and above the gross weight.

Let's say for el- cheapo tickets that might be 97 Kg gross weight, comprising carcase of 90kg plus carry on luggage of 7 kg. For every kg over the gross weight you pay an extra dollar per thousnd kilometers.

Simple and easy to administer.

And it would keep pricks like this firmly on the ground and give him another incentive to sort himself out..

Why was it safe for the next 5 days?

2012-01-12T08:18:00.002+13:00

About two weeks before Christmas, I guess in the light of evidence presented to the Quake Commission, there was a flurry of inspection through the Public buildings in and around Paradise.

The old Gaiety Theatre that was built by the Oddfellows as their HQ over a century ago led off. Someone inspecting the floor subframe discovered bearers with longitudinal cracks and immediately closed the structure severely dislocating the burgeoning "Wedding" industry.
Anyone with a skerrik of knowledge of timber and in particularly many of our native woods used in past construction knows that "shaky" sticks were as common as mud and I doubt such normal behavour in construction timber indicated anything resembling a clear and present danger.

On Monday the 10th December, at emergency response training we were informed that our local "cottage" hospital was to be closed and evacuated by the following Friday. Now I was involved in the evacuation of that haven on September 4th 2010 when it was discovered that in that initial event the roof had been separated from the masonary walls to a degree that a hand could be inserted in the resulting gap. The little used upper floor was closed but within days normal activity resumed and continued through December 26th, February 22nd, June 8th and all the almost 8000 aftershocks.
Suddenly on Monday December 10th the structure was deemed dangerous but would be OK for another 5 days. Following the substantial seismic activity over the holidays, the building is still standing behind the errected Deer fencing but I guess my big question is-
"If the structure was deemed dangerous for occupation why was it safe for the next 5 days"?

The same treatment has been dealt to the old Post Office building leading to the relocation of the Council service center and the local tourist/ promotion center.

I am very safety conscious but the cynic in me suspects the events outlined above are more about Arse covering than prudent actions.

Nasty, Vindictive, Government Funded Bullshit Artists

2012-01-11T18:53:00.009+13:00

TVNZ has an appalling hit piece running on the news tonight. They are attacking Destiny Church on the grounds that the outfit might obtain some government funds for its proposed Wiri complex.

They ask for comments - "What do you think about the prospect of Government funding? Have your say on the message board below."

Funny thing is, I've read the whole piece twice and nowhere can I see anything which indicates Mr Tamaki is expecting government funding. In fact he very specifically states -

"the development will cost tens of millions of dollars with most of the money coming from donations from his congregation. Over time it's going to be serious cash and that all comes from those who believe it, and have walked this journey, and see the benefits from their children and grandchildren,"

It happens Adolf has considerable experience with the funding of such church operated complexes.

My advice to TVNZ is that the building project itself is unlikely to attract government funding. However, ASB Trust would likely look with considerable favour upon such a project and might well contribute some millions of dollars if Destiny can show there is benefit accruing to the general public outside church membership.

Of course once the outfit is up and running then any programmes which are aimed at rehabilitation of wayward Bros is likely to attract government funding.

But the good old pinko honkies at TVNZ, most of whom likely have never darkened the door of any church, somehow seem to have it in for Destiny.

Yes, I know they are almost a cult but even cults have the right to participate in community projects and, by all accounts, Destiny has done a pretty good job where many others have failed.
The trouble is, the atheistic chardonnay swilling liberals at TVNZ just can't bear to admit that conservative religious adherence might just produce some major benefits.

So where on earth did the goons at TVNZ get their story? From the watersiders?

I think it's time to put a stop to government funding of agenda driven, leftist infested television channels whose staff just make shit up to cause trouble.

I hope Destiny sues them.

Update:

Here's the sort of thing this awful cult inflicts upon impoverished low income families.

They take under their wing a family in which the 'bread winner' is a beneficiary or low income worker whose money is funding drugs, smokes and booze and who has been in and out of trouble for a few years. If the family is lucky, there might be $100 per week available for food, board etc, topped up by WINZ.

They provide a 'church family' type of support and pretty much manage the family's finances and lean hard on the bread winner to sort himself out - always with much positive affirmation. After a year of close support, unpleasant at times, he is guided into a job where he makes $400 per week after tax. All during this massive and often painful change he has a 'new' whanau, his church family, to fall back on for moral support.

The church tithes him for ten percent of his after tax earnings. The family now has $350 per week for food, board etc, topped up by WINZ. After another year, the bread winner is helped into a better paying job where he brings home $500 per week after tax.

The lefties hate this sort of thing because the church is teaching its new members to get off welfare dependency and take responsibility for themselves. Tithing reinforces the message that there are no free lunches. Go and talk to a few Destiny members and I doubt you'll find many who want to turn the clock back.

If that's what a cult does, then please bring on more cults.

TERRY HOUGHTON - RIP

2012-01-11T17:19:00.001+13:00

They buried Terry Houghton yesterday. For most of you I suspect the name means nothing. For those of us who have lived north of the Mamamuka Range which separates the Mid North from the (Real) Far North, Terry Houghton was a legend.

You see Terry was a volunteer fireman. In fact he was probably New Zealand's 'Mr Volunteer Fireman'. For well over half a century he devoted himself to the New Zealand Fire Service and in that time it is recorded he attended over 7,000 incidents. Terry started out as a volunteer fireman in Thames in 1952 and later served in the Paeroa Brigade before moving to Kaitaia where he became Chief Fire Officer in 1978. His final call-out was to the major fire at the Juken Nissho Mill just last month at the tender age of 80.

Terry received a QSM in 2005 and in 2007 he was uniquely honoured when he received the New Zealand Fire Service 'double' Gold Star award for his 50 years commitment..

They buried Terry Houghton yesterday. New Zealand is poorer for his going. RIP.

Just the Job for Parekura.

2012-01-11T13:04:00.003+13:00

Otago University research Fellow Gabrielle Jenkins has suggested New Zealand appoint an "Obesity Commissioner".

Now that is the job for me as I am very aware that if I do not exercise, eat large meals, drink heaps of alcohol, and graze between meals I will put on weight.
This knowledge became ingrained during the nearly 50 years I spent livestock farming where the money only eventuated as an outcome of increasing the BMI of livestock and was achieved by placing unlimited quantities of the suitable foods in easy reach of the animals, keep them cool/warm, contented and unlimited fresh water available.

I am sure there are many as qualified as I am to fulfill the requirements of the job description but the big advantage the others will have is an inate ability to avoid the hard choices that I might employ and be able to call meetings, attend them,and run the programs that an educated mind would dream up.

When the change from "fat lambs" to lean muscled lambs occurred, some of the less caring among my colleagues just confined the "overfats" sans water and food for a week or so and caused the consumption of the excess bodyfat, My method was to just place them in less palatable lower quality pasture and after a month or so the same outcome but with a lot less "Stress" hence a better quality meat.

We must meet the challenge that we face but appointing another bureaucrat to hoover up tax dollars is in my opinion not the answer ,, unless it is agreed to appoint me to the role, I would be as productive as the totally inept and useless Race Relations Hoover.

Michie And Sankey

2012-01-11T12:08:00.004+13:00

Now it's revivalist meetings for unionists.

In a sure sign that they are dead and buried but no-one has yet told them, one of the fire and brimstoners over at The Standard is calling on unionists to 'bring their families' into the union movement.

"......over the next 6 weeks is to encourage 1000 union members to bring their family into the union family for just $1 a week. That’s 1000 people who are already members of a union affiliated to the CTU to sign up their own family and whanau members to Together, the ‘mini union’ that offers professonal and personal employment advice and job security to non union workers for $1 a week....."

'Tis truly a miracle. They offer 'job security' where there has been no such thing for at least thirty years. By God, that will get them rolling in bashing their symbols and shaking their tangerines.

One wonders:-

what hymns these religious zealots will sing?

what lessons will be taught to the toddlers at Friday School?

what selected readings from Marx and Alinsky will be dissected at 'Bible Class'?

how often will they pass the plate around before it is filled to over flowing??

when they will seek professional help with 'spell check?

Lazy, stupid, overpaid employees

2012-01-11T06:16:00.003+13:00

Last in a series on the PoA dispute.

As it turns out, the issue is down to greedy, lazy and stupid people who get paid far too much for the actual work they do after all. Just, not the ones our readers imagined.

We often hear that the nonentities who make up NZ's boards of directors and CEOs are worth the ridiculous amounts of money thrown at them because they're "accountable" for the performance of the company and their jobs are at stake. I know, this is a weird view to hold, given that poorly performing companies seem to raise directors' fees and CEO salaries regardless, but many people believe it.

In the case of PoA, most of the directors and the CEO have been in the job less than 2 years. After this brief amount of time, the company is apparently in crisis, losing customers, and has developed catastrophically acrimonious relations with its staff. We'll now get to see just how "accountable" the directors and CEO will be held for having achieved this distinctly less than stellar performance. My money is on "Not even remotely."

Now The World Is Safe Again.......

2012-01-10T11:35:00.003+13:00

after the arrest of none other than:-

Beezow Doo-Doo Zopittybop-Bop-Bop.

And in other silly name stories I saw somewhere the other day that dumbarse parents attempted to call their twin sons Benson and Hedges.

Another young thing quite liked the sound of Chlamydia for her daughter's name. Has a quaint Victorian tone, don't you think?

So here you are, readers.

Silly First Name Syndrome Competition.

Go for it.

Cognitive Dissonance

2012-01-10T06:43:00.003+13:00

DPF's leading a cheerleading squad of obnoxious numbskulls at the news that Ports of Auckland is pushing ahead with de-unionisation. Apparently it's wonderful and celebratory news that yet another workforce will get its pay and conditions pushed down (their actual pay and conditions that is, rather than the fantasy pay and conditions Farrar, Whaleoil, Cactus Kate et al have been peddling).

Well, sure - there's nothing right-wingers like better than seeing workers lose, and NZ's workers have been doing a lot of that the last 30 years. Funny thing, though: the same numbskulls are given to bleating about our workers disappearing to Aus because the pay and conditions are so much better there (not least their Chief Numbskull, the Rt Hon John Key). I guess it's just a complete fucking mystery how the fuck that could possibly come about, huh?

Too Tough Even For Sharks

2012-01-09T18:36:00.004+13:00

Julia Gillard has not got a snowflake's show in hell of laying a glove on Tony Abbott.

Now even the sharks wait until he's out of the water before they approach the beach!!

We do not live in constant danger, BUT.

2012-01-09T13:00:00.003+13:00

The fragility of life as opposed to death is such a narrow space and the tragedy in Somerset Rd north of Carterton is just one more example of that fact.

A road crash can deliver a badly maimed body with much to compromise continuing life or what most perceive as Life, at the same incident an apparently unmarked, undamaged body has no chance of resuscitation.

The doomed balloon and the Helicopter on the wharf in Auckland had some commonality, the situation went from routine to calamitous in a nanno second, miraculously the chopper pilot survived but all eleven in the balloon basket died.
Sadly, that is where we live in this very dangerous place we call earth and there will be many knowlegeable people who will know what could be avoided in the future, but all the rules and advisories that will come out of the tragedy and the near miss may well not be enough to prevent the next event that with the benefit of hindsight be seen to be avoidable.

Many in the media should take a lesson from this tragedy, the news most would want particularly at this time of the year when so many of us are on the move would be as much information as to IDs of the dead, even simple stuff such as home district, age and other facts that could set minds at rest where possible, would be appreciated.

What was the point of a bimbo who had seen a Hearse enter the cordon saying she hoped to remain on a "live feed" until it returned. Was she hoping to get the scoop of 2012 with a closeup of the bags containing the charred remains.
What have we come to as a society.

RIP Des and Anne Dean, the other 9 victims.

Condolences to all those who mourn them.

Those damn unions!

2012-01-09T06:11:00.005+13:00

Further to yesterday's post about the Ports of Auckland dispute, I was asked in comments for the "missing" bit describing what the dispute is actually about, if not about unreasonable pay demands as PoA is inferring.

It's not hard to find - the Maritime Union of New Zealand web site has a bunch of press releases (which you won't have seen in the press) saying exactly why its members are putting themselves to the significant expense of going on strike. The dispute is actually about PoA's attempts to undermine the collective agreement via casualisation and contracting out. In other words, it's about union-busting.

Here's the essential bit from MUNZ' perspective:

“During the term of the previous agreement, Ports of Auckland management contracted out the shuttle work to a company called Conlinxx, which they are the main owners of.”

He says the ownership structure of the Conlinxx service showed the contracting out exercise was clearly aimed at undermining terms and conditions within the signed collective agreement between the parties.

The Maritime Union tried to resolve this issue with past and present management during the term of the agreement, but the contracting out had led to a dispute over the protection of workers livelihoods and their families' futures.

Mr Parsloe says many New Zealand workers had experienced the bad results of contracting out and casualization, which had decimated wages and conditions and made working life harder for many people in this country.

“Casualization and contracting out isn’t about productivity in our view, it is about taking advantage of workers by driving down their wages and conditions.”

Really, that's about it. Everything falls into place. PoA's motivation is straightforward enough: break the union, and it becomes possible to sell your goods or services for a lower price at the expense of your workforce's pay and conditions. The motivation of the people making up PoA's workforce is also straightforward - they have an obvious and intense personal interest in that not happening.

I know there's no shortage of right-wingers out there who'll regard MUNZ's declared reasons for striking as nothing more than lies and propaganda. Their job now is to explain in that case what the actual reason for the strike is - so far I've seen nothing that goes beyond "wharfies are greedy/lazy/stupid," which is fair enough to hold as a personal opinion but is about as persuasive a reason for the strike as "bosses are greedy/lazy/stupid."

Now THAT'S Marketing

2012-01-08T14:48:00.005+13:00

Today Adolf discovered some supermarket managers have senses of humour.

In Coles, right near the check out, was a monstrous display of Heinz baked beans, half price at 87c. Actually I wouldn't give you tuppence for Heinz baked beans - insipid slop compared with the superb product produced by Watties.

Right next door was a monstrous display of half price:-

This Amazing NZ Government of Ours

2012-01-08T10:05:00.002+13:00

How Julia Gillard must envy John Key.

When her very own tame ABC attributes extraordinary near supernatural powers to the Key gummint, she just hasn't got a show.

Cop this:-

The New Zealand government has visited the scene of a fatal hot air balloon crash which killed 11 people on the country's North Island, describing it as horrific.

I haven't yet worked out whether it just the NACTionalMPCowlick MPs who trotted along to Carterton or whether departmental heads and ministers' chiefs of staff went along as well.

It seems the ABC is infested with the same juveniles who wrote lyrically in yesterday's Herald of the container ships which were 'anchored' alongside Auckland wharves as their containers were removed.

If you repeat a lie often enough, it becomes the truth

2012-01-08T07:13:00.003+13:00

I've been trying to decide whether the right-wingers blogging about the contract dispute between Ports of Auckland and the Maritime Union of NZ are naive, stupid or just doing their bit in a propaganda war. Given that the first two in many cases at least aren't true, I guess it's propaganda.

The posts I've read were mostly in response to stories like this one or this one in the NZ Herald business section. Now, there's your first clue: "business" section. In any industrial dispute, the job of the business section of the newspaper is to run propaganda for the employer. The NZ Herald's business reporters seem to be on the ball, as those two articles are fine examples of it. How can you tell they're propaganda?

First, they report one side of the dispute only - in fact, the first story is effectively a press release by the employer rather than a news report.

Second, they engage in artful deception favouring one party in the dispute:

1. The employer's offer of a 10% increase looks astonishingly generous - if you leave out the bit about it being over 4 years, ie the offer for next year is actually 2.5%. Whether that's a good offer or not is none of my business, but call it a 10% offer and you're peddling the employer's propaganda (for free, if you're a blogger).

2. Number 1 above helps obscure the fact that the dispute isn't actually about the union's demands, it's about the employer's demands. I haven't followed the dispute at all, just seen a couple of news items that weren't from the Herald business section, and even I knew this - so the idea that the Herald's business reporters didn't know it is laughable.

Propaganda is annoying, but there has at least been the odd laugh to be had. The funniest thing about the right-wing blog posts on this has been the outrage about the port workers' pay and conditions. The info we have about their pay and conditions comes from the employers, so is another list of artful deceptions intended to make the workers look greedy and lazy, but even if one could take the info at face value the hilarity remains - do the words "politics of envy" ring a bell?

A Born Again Leftist

2012-01-07T20:05:00.004+13:00

Difficult as it may be for dome to accept, Adolf has experienced a life changing episode which has driven him to become a leftie. He was walking on the road to Angaston when he saw the light.

Well no, it wasn't like that at all.

Just the worst ever imaginable episode of tennis elbow - now receding after three days thanks to Panadol and Voltaren gel.

So, I have had to become a lefty. Believe me, it's a pretty slow old business, cleaning your teeth with you left hand when you've used the right for sixty years or more. Typing one handed is not a lot of fun either. Shaving can wait until the onslaught abates.

Over the years I have known a number of people who have suffered loss of use of an arm due to stroke. I've just been given a small taste of what they have endured. As a lad I recall reading of a world champion pistol shooter whose right arm was lost in this way. (I think) Amazingly, he trained himself to shoot with his left hand and returned to world prominence. I'd be pleased if a reader could corroborate that story and provide some detail.

Closer to home and just as dramatic was the case of Adolf's mother's young sister who was climbing the rungs of a career as an international violinist. She was first or principal violin in the Tasmanian SO when, at age 37, she had stroke which paralyzed her left arm. Her career, one `could say, was snuffed out at a stroke. Mother went to her aid, nursing her for a couple of months before bring her home to NZ.

Auntie dies a few years ago, in her sixties, but what always impressed me was her fierce determination to carry out life's little daily tasks without assistance.

Hallelujah! As I type, the rain is bucketing down in this, Australia's most arid state.

In defence of Len Brown and Mike Lee

2012-01-07T12:54:00.000+13:00

Unlike some others on the Right, I don't believe Auckland's mayor should be commenting on the POAL v MUNZ dispute. And, I don't believe there is an issue with him and Cr Lee accepting donations from MUNZ during the 2010 campaign and thereby having conflicts of interest.

Firstly, many economic liberals on the Right don't want politicians running businesses, or even being able to influence the market or industry through political actions. They decried Michael Cullen when he interfered in the Canadian Pension Fund purchase of Auckland Airport shares by changing the rules at the last minute. Sure, commenting to the press is different than changing the rules, but the issue is the same: Political interference in state-owned (council-owned) businesses. In fact, public comments on the actions of listed companies can have major impact - as David Cunliffe knows when he told Telecom to separate its functions or he would regulate. Remember that, fellow righties?

Auckland Council Investments Limited (ACIL) owns all the shares in POAL, and ACIL does not even have a councillor sit on its board. It's entirely independent, but its statement of intent has to be "ticked off" by the Council. That's been done, and so POAL should be left to its own devices. The Mayor should stay out of it in a public sense, which he has done. Those on the Right who believe in less political interference in the running of SOEs surely must agree that this is the same issue, and so the Mayor is correct by publicly saying nothing.

That brings me to the next issue: The donations received by both Mayor Brown and Cr Lee from MUNZ.

Some think there is a conflict here - that both the Mayor and Cr Lee should now have Auditor General investigations because they somehow are in the pocket of MUNZ. I doubt it.

The donations were declared in their election returns. The world has known about them for 15months. The vote taken at the Accountability and Performance Committee meeting in December did not include the Mayor! He wasn't there! He didn't vote! No conflict there.

Mike Lee was present at that meeting, but the item on the agenda was merely an update by ACIL (in general) on its operations that include shareholdings in AIA, and other investments such as the Auckland Film Studios. The POAL update was simply this:

New measures of Ports of Auckland Limited (POAL) profitability and productivity have shown strong performance in the first quarter.

ACIL officials then provided a verbal update to that. The amended motion to the officer recommendations by Cr Fletcher was:

Cr Fletcher moved an amendment to the original recommendation, seconded by Cr Brewer:

f) That Auckland Council wish to express support for the Board of Port of Auckland and actions it may be required to take to achieve the business plan tabled 09 November 2011.

The argument by some on the Right, it seems, is that Cr Lee should not have taken part in the vote on this resolution, because of his perceived conflict.

At the very least Cr Lee should have requested a note be recorded in the minutes that mentioned a potential conflict. And probably he was unwise to vote. But I don't see any conflict because the donation was declared, and the matter under vote was only an "expression of support". In short, nothing to get me excited.

But what does get me worried is this.

That expression of support was won by 12 votes to 9. There were two absent from the meeting - the Mayor and Cr Goudie. I expect Cr Goudie would have voted in favour, and who knows how the Mayor would have voted - probably in favour. If both had voted against, that would have made it 12-11. Thats's 23 votes - on a council of 20 + the Mayor (total 21). Where are the extra two votes?

Yep - the votes from the two Independent Maori Statutory Board "members", both of whom voted against the expression of support.

Sooner or later there is going to be a vote where these two votes become crucial. That issue, to me, is much more troubling than very minor conflicts of interest or public mayoral comment on industrial issues.

Is this film an Obama election expense?

2012-01-06T21:51:00.001+13:00

From the Seattle Times:

Until it achieved its objective, the raid that killed Osama bin Laden was one of the best-kept secrets in the history of Washington. Whether the Obama administration later went too far in spilling secrets about the operation to Hollywood is getting a look.

Newly released letters from the Pentagon and the CIA indicate they will examine their cooperation with Sony Pictures Entertainment and director Kathryn Bigelow on a forthcoming bin Laden film.

At issue is whether the filmmakers — Bigelow and screenwriter Mark Boal, who both won Oscars for their 2009 Iraq war movie, "The Hurt Locker" — were given access to classified information about the mission that ended in bin Laden's death. While newspapers and magazines have published detailed accounts about the May raid, much remains unknown to all but a few.

Leading the charge and seeking an investigation is Republican Senator, Peter King. More on his interest:

Barack Obama-Bush
King's interest was aroused in August when New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd wrote that “the movie-makers are getting top-level access to the most classified mission in history from an administration that has tried to throw more people in jail for leaking classified information than the Bush administration.”

Initially, Sony intended to release the film on October 12, 2012. That's just over three weeks before the presidential ballot. Now it appears that has been pushed out to January 2013. It wouldn't surprise me for that to be re-scheduled back into October so that a major film on a leading issue in the hearts of Americans is played to boost the election chances of Obama. If so, it should count as an election expense, because that's exactly what it will be, aided and abetted by his Adminsitration it seems.

P of T Prepares For The Onslaught

2012-01-06T16:17:00.003+13:00

Adolf understands the huge increase in volume to be experienced by Ports of Tauranga does not pose a great management challenge. A few tweaks to shifts here and there with some good incentives for the troops and Bob's your uncle.

The real onslaught will be the flood of laid off ratbags from Auckland, trying to get 'their' jobs back.

They won't have a show.

As we speak, P of T is revising its job application document.

Questions
Have you ever ~~worked for~~ been employed by Ports of Auckland?
Have you ever participated in a waterfront strike?
During the last two years, have you been a member of the MUNZ?
If you have answered yes to any one of the first three question, go straight to jail. Do not collect two hundred dollars.

I'm still trying to figure out what the union is up to. Can anybody - even North Coontry cloth cappers be so dumb? Or is it a grand plan to infiltrate and conquer Tauranga?