A Week in Fiordland - April 2014

Posted 4th April 2014 to the Fiordland Advocate Te Anau

This last Week has been full of perplexing events: the Volunteer Ambulance Saga, The Royal Tour or lack of it in Fiordland, The return of the Second Manapouri Tailrace Boys who where visiting old friends after their Reunion in Te Anau of all places. There was also a Night of Comedy at the Davaar station Woolshed under the Takatimu Mountains.  a highly spirited night of Naughty Innuendo and observations on Human Hang-ups from two Auckland Comedians mostly directed towards Dave Mac Donald. The fast talking Markus Birdman from the UK gave an English Perspective for the night and is also a hot tip to play the Master in the new Doctor Who...

At the Woolshed I also Heard some Interesting hot information about the Bowen Falls walkway Drama at Milford Sound. Meanwhile near Manapouri I re-discovered the mysterious Lake Pokarekare Ana which the ODT was interested in, also by chance I asked The Deputy Conservation Minister what plans they have when Sir William Pickering’s Daughter visits the Kepler Mountains and Te Anau next Year...

 And for folklore, in Lake Manapouri Hunters Shot a large Majestic Stag Swimming across the Waiau River Mouth at Shallow Bay... With out getting out of there Boat.. Just another week in Fiordland!

S F Chronicle - Youtube Controllers

Posted 12th of April 2014 to the San Francisco Chronicle

As one cannot Communicate directly to Youtube
Can I ask you to Post this letter in your Paper?

Dear Faceless Youtube controllers

Youtube HQ should make copyright complainants produce evidence of ownership before
inflicting channels with Copyright Strikes, and also it would be nice if you could ask politely for channels to "Take Down" video Clips that are suddenly deemed private property years after they have been posted. Most people would be glad to oblige, after all Some channels are public resource based and non profit individuals who are volunteering their services to youtube.  BTW a old short low quality clip should have a legal status as a “sample” or “thumbnail” it is nonsense to call it a illegal copy. It is worse than comparing Weed to Crack !  Please get some perspective and treat your supporters with some respect.

Southland Times - Around the Mountain Again

Posted 11th April 2014 to the Southland Times Invercargill

Reading Andy McDonald’s Comments on the Round the Mountain Cycle Trail (Apr 5th)
I think to be fair to the Government Funding People, Fiordland Would have got a good shot
at funding for Cycle Trails if the Department of Conservation had put their hand up for some.

But as the DOC didn’t have any plan at all in place for Cycling in or around the Park to tag the money to
so It had to go to Queenstown by default.

Andy is right about the Round the Mountain.. What is the use of cycling along side a road? One might as well go in a car and be comfortable
And you can put your foot down through all the boring parts!

I think the real problem with the Manapouri to Te Anau Trail is that it would be just too easy to build if the DOC use Volunteers and their own people over the Winter instead of putting them off It would Hardly Cost the Government anything at all and that money has to be spent, It would have to be hand Crafted and Asphalted with Jems to cost any-ware near as much as the Around the Mountain job!

Oh and lest we forget, National Politicians will get Southland’s vote what ever they do or don’t, so no pressure for DOC their.

*Not Published

Southland Times - Trouble Ahead

Posted 9th of April 2014 to the Southland Times Invercargill

Dear Sir:

I read in the Southland times more trouble is to be expected in the regions over Earthquake Regulations and Buildings.
But what about other events that are man made in nature...? I don’t hear anyone in the Government as worried about
Protecting us all from Financial, Political or environmental disasters that can lay waste to communities Today just as in the past,
as bad as any Geo Technics.

Queenstown for example thinks that cheep Jet Air Travel is a given forever...
And have based their entire existence on that concept alone, yet If Mankind wants to act on Climate Change that will be the first
Luxury to go along with the Olympics and the Rugby World Cup. Excessive Individual Wealth is not forecast to be a sustainable concept either.
So our leaders might want to think about the numbers, is Political Change more or less likely than an Earthquake?
This coming year there is Famine expected that just might mean something... Bananas to all that!  Gutless politicians are our great Luxury so WE must be well off!

We will be OK. Some Smarter People can Fix it all if we can just avoid the Earthquakes!


* Published Abridged 

Southland Times - Classic April Fools

Posted 4th of April 2014 to the Southland Times Invercargill 

It is always interesting to see what kind of humour springs from our fourth estate (Newspapers)
When April First rolls around but digging up Dick Seddon’s Stewart Island Bridge of 1904 is a bit dangerous
because our Tourism Developers probably might start pushing to get it built as a perfect addition to the
Other crazy capital intensive projects being touted around our region.

 It’s great to see the Southland Times can still run to Irony on occasion, They Should Dig out their old Classics one day like the free beer in the Queens Park Fountain
to save water or the Airforce controlling the Wild Deer with Sky Hawke attack fighters in Fiordland. Journalists need to Laugh too ! Even those in the Broadsheets.

Printed as "Old Classics" April 5th 2014 page 6

Southland Express - Te Arora Walkway

Posted 1st April 2014 to the Southland Express Invercargill

Is there any News about the Te Arora National Walkway that is already being used in Southland ?
It starts at Elfin Bay follows the Greenstone Valley then The Mararoa Headwaters, the Mavora Lakes, The Takatimu Mountains, The Longwoods, Colac Bay on to the Bluff.
So what is the Status? Is it all formed Yet? Are there enough Hut and Bunks? What are the expected Economic Benefits? Who is in charge?

ODT- Climate Change Action

Posted 1st April 2014 to the Otago Daily Times Dunedin

The news April 1st that New Zealand has no plan at all about climate change is not just another April fools joke,
we have been fools all year round for decades.

Voters in this country are foolishly not looking for real political leaders they treat Elections like a Big lolly Scramble
And consequently we have a government who thinks its Job is to take money off of us all and selectively Throw change back at us.

None of the Two Main Parties have even hinted that Climate Change is got it knock us for six, no doubt because the Idea of
Preparing for the future requires a lot more fortitude and foresight that today’s politicians can muster.

It seems a new division in voters is bound to arise from this, it won’t be Left vs Right wing but La La vs Reason.
As to what Parties Represent Reason, I will leave that to others,
but at any rate it’s time our Leaders got their hands on the Tiller and out of the Cookie Jar!

Mountain Scene - Durin's Day Festival

Posted 22nd March 2014 to the Mountain Scene Newsparer Queenstown

I have been hoping Queenstown might get a look in with the NZ Premier announcement for the Next and Final Hobbit Movie later this
I know there are a few Kiwis who worked on Peter Jackson’s Tolkien Films who would love to have a reason to return.

But if that fails The Queenstown Events people at the Council should look into a Durin’s Day Festival in October with some of our ex Dwarves
Maybe the Mee Family could open the Old Deer Park Heights for the day for old time sake.

Remember Queenstown is Party Central we expect you guys to give the Hobbit a good Send Off!