Mountain Scene - Tolkien Festival

Letter to the Editor the Mountain Scene Newspaper Queenstown
28th December 2012

My recent submission nomination to the New Zealand Geographic Board to legitimately name a Mountain Peak between Glenorchy and Milford Sound after Literary Giant JRR Tolkien has shown that our local Tourism Industry has no sense of Fun when it comes to Children, If I where still in Queenstown I would be pushing for a Costume Party up on the Deer Park Heights every year for the works that have inspired Children and the Young at Heart for the last half Century. Maybe bring in the local theatre community for help. Queenstown is after all a Place for the Young at Heart.

Otago Daily Times - Hollyford Road Bru Ha Ha

Letters to the Editor Otago Daily Times 27th Dec 2012

Dear Editor:
Southlanders who hate the Milford Monorail and Tunnel are praising the Haast Holyford Road concept.
I know Southland would like to have a Boarder Crossing into Westland but I don't get the Financial Model they are working from.. Personally if I where the Minister of Tourism I would be looking into this, Its not Money for nothing for Southland Tourism development it's just moving things around with no Idea of unintended consequences!

If I was advisor to the Ministry of Tourism I would point out if the Hollyford Road Made it as Far as boat Landing on the Lower Holyford that would open up Martins Bay and the Pyke Valley to Adventure Tourism and shoring up a 4wd road from the old Lake Wilmot miners camp to Jackson's Bay would give us a world class Wilderness adventure for a fraction of the cost and Like the Grand Canyon it could be done by Mule past Lake Alabaster.
The Consequences for this my be smaller but they would all be good ones, for the last great Westland wilderness.

Southland Times - Public Oppinion 2012

Christmas Post Odentroll Dispatch

It was overheard recently from two Southland Times Journalists that %90 of all Public Opinion in the  Times comes from the Manapouri Te Anau Basin.  I dare say it is partly may doing looking back
So I recon I should give the Times a break.  Perhaps making News instead of commenting on it for 2013 night be in order.

Aaron Nicholson

Southland Times - Mayan Apocalypse

Letters to the Editor  Southland Times posted 24th Dec 2012.

Mr Fallow Sir:
The end of the Mayan Calendar thing sure got a lot of mileage in the Western Media. The Mayans may not have been cleaver enough to invent time travel but at least they had the good sense to become extinct before the Spanish invaded. As for our Modern Media, they now admit that the Mayans had a lot on and just hadn’t got around to making a calendar past 2012, how cleaver is that, they didn’t need one!

So Media Barons, what was the point of announcing a apocalypse? Trying to see if the “War of the Worlds” trick still works in modern times?

Well to be fair, maybe it might just have made people stop and think that our Earth is our home and we should NEVER take it for granted and though it may not be perfect to some, we should never ever treat it like it is in any way disposable as that is Madness pure and simple. And might I add a little distressing for the children.

Signing off for 2012

Southland Times - Highway to Haast

letters to the Editor Southland Times posted 21/12/2012

The Haast Hollyford road link looks like a breeze on paper, being a paper road helps but there are some real Issues to consider like what are the numbers?

I think you will find that on inspection the amount of effort to construct such a highway over the most dangerous inhospitable part of the country is not equal to any benefit,
the old timers knew this, that is why they left it well alone.

We obviously are still dreaming of the Manapouri PowerStation Project where the Government stepped up and said money is no object, just do it!  Today when we have an increasing population of miserable poor people who can't afford food and Miserable Auckland People who can't afford Motorways. We aint going to get a look in.

I have never yet met a tourist who has said I wish I could drive to Milford from Haast or the other way round, just locals and they wouldn't want to pay for any toll-road  so that is going to be a waste of time.

If it was such a big demand Item we would have flights from Haast to Hollyford, 'never seen that happen yet either.

And there is Lake Alabaster, you would need a car ferry to cross because if you ripped the guts out of that shore line  which is a Jewel in our World Heritage crown, we would be heaped with scorn and contempt from every where imaginable.

I know a good compromise though.. Drive through the Hollyford Road to the Jetboat Landing and they can take you from there, or...  hire a Helicopter or better yet, bring back the Pack Horses!

Radio New Zealand - On Madness

email to the Sunday Program 

16th December 2012

One has to ask why there is so much lunacy about in the Human Diaspora
Simply I think Evolution is having to catch up with modern Civilisation...
Natural Selection has to change up from simple agricultural communities to
Complex Hi Tech High Pressure sophisticated beings, it just a case of adjust or perish
Some turn to Religion or join the Tea Party and some go just go Mad / self destructive.

The Coroners are going spare these days with the Suicide rate and the Media Black out
That means no one can talk about it and the factors that cause it but you can bet it has something to do with unfettered capitalism
And the kind of Civilisation that supports.

Southland Times - Off Limits (Milford)

Letter to the Editor Southland Times
7th Dec 2012  (Published with Photo)

I was just pondering if the Milford Authority and the Department of Conservation would allow Local Area Fundraisers to be allowed to tout the Tourists at Milford Sound for a short Guided Tour of the Bowen Falls Walkway and maybe the old THC Watertank View Point. Both areas are off limits to the Public but are both Highpoints of any Milford experience. As you may be aware charity funds are hard to get in our economic climate, perhaps we could be allowed to use these once pubic assets to benefit our Scout Dens, Cycle Trails, Swimming pools, Play Groups? I recon it would be nice to see more Milford Road History Tours too that explore the secret places tours don’t see.

Southland Times - Atheism v Humanism

Letter to the Editor the Southland Times
Published Dec 14 2012  page 6

Good to see you covered the struggle of Atheism and Humanism in the World, on Tuesday Albeit on page 18
If Atheism just means refuting Dogma then Everybody is guilty of that in one form or other, if we started executing people
For that then all the religions would be killing each other off on an industrial scale for the mere act of thinking differently about “the Grand Plan”.
As for Humanism Well We are all Humans so what’s so wrong with believing in our selves instead of Supernatural non specific Deities.
Isn’t it about time All Humans stood up and rebelled against Spiritual Fascism, Maybe that IS the Grand Plan in the end..
Didn’t we use to sing “we never never shall be slaves” before the common market kicked in?

Southland Times - The Tolkien Mountain

Letter to the Editor Southland Times,
Published Dec 4th 2012  page 6

My thanks to Alex Fensome and the Southland Times for Helping Launch the Naming submission of a Local Mountain
On Friday as the 121st Birthday Birthday Present of JRR Tolkien. But what ever you feel about it Feedback is essential
Please Go to http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2012/12/01/66391-new-zealand-peak-could-be-dubbed-mount-tolkien/
To register a vote or contact the Secretary of the NZ Geographic Board. Or maybe come and see it for yourself
I would also like to thank Southland Historian John Hall Jones
For originally bringing our own Tolkien Story to my attention.

Radio NZ - Pharmaceutical Religion

to Radio New Zealand's Sunday Program
8th December 2012

Kim and Mark
Your Story just on about Dangerous Drugs is something I know personally.
We have a friend recovering in Grafton Hospital Transplant House who has to be fitted with a new Liver
Because his Mother Died and he moved to Manapouri to be near friends and support, he got depressed after finding there was no real work for him and WINZs couldn’t seem to pay him regular benefits so he was always broke.. The Kind Doctors in Te Anau put him on a series of Anti depressants to try and make him happy again.
Unfortunately one of them Destroyed his Liver and he had to be medi-vac’d to Auckland. So effectively the drug companies have cost our tax payers tens of thousands of dollars and will have to look after this guy for the rest of his somewhat diminished life. So any chance the Drug Company will give us massive refund?

As for your Previous Item about Religion Being a Human Default setting, Its not Religion its Blind belief that is our Default Setting and it applys to Doctors, Drug Companies and the FDA! Ask your self Why the FDA would not clear the natural sweetener Stevia for general usage... And let through Nasty Dangerous Cancer Drugs
some of whom don’t even work as good as Pot!

Southland Times - Greenhouse Victory

Unpublished Letter to the Editor  Southland Times
25th November 2012

As 2012 winds away into it’s last month President Obama now has to start thinking about the Ultimate Question, What about Climate Change.
I suspect at Some Point he will show his hand on what the USA is going to do about the Future of this Planet and Obama will have to break some definitive news to the World because his Government has all the facts on our collective future and they are going to have to make a call one way or another.

Adolf Hitler supposedly had a Philosophy that it is not only Innocence that protects itself but Ignorance as well. However I fell that was a somewhat flawed as a strategy and I believe we are all wiser now having seen how that idea served not only Nazi Germany but our whole post war era to the present day.

Obama is just going to have tell us honestly, is the Big Party over.
 That will truly be Judgment day for Earth, and also Victory over Hitler will be complete.

Radio NZ - %100 Middle Earth

Afternoons Radio  27th November 2012

One thing you should remember about Peter Jackson and he admitted it that it is Kiwi Passion and Ingenuity that made his “great” Films.

Peter added great vision and coordination to make it happen. His Films are a National Effort and it has earned him the position as the top Quality Film Maker of our era. Hopefully he will hold that title for years to come.

But personally I think New Zealand will be typecast as Middle Earth and the need for armies of actors and unions here in the Future will be greatly diminished. Though we could sell the Tolkien Connection For Years to come for visitors if we can do Tourism with the same commitment and Vision as we have done for film.

Radio New Zealand - Campervan Violence

Afternoons at Radio NZ

23rd of November 2012


Our Stupid Government lets People Sell Campervan Holidays to Overseas Tourists .
They are told they can park up anywhere they feel like and don’t have to pay,
The country get a reputation as a soft touch as there is little law enforcement on tourists
Breaking our rules, Toilet Etiquette and social morays.

The Rugby World Cup even officially endorsed this behaviour

Not Surprising that the Media Picks up on the Mess that is left in our Cherished Places
Which comes over as contempt and disrespect. And that Brings out bad social reactions .

Travelling was once such a wonderful privilege, now it has been degraded to a more base experience
Thanks to the Near Sighted Travel Industry.

Where has the romance gone of visiting a foreign land and Culture?

It's Trashed, and It will all end in tears if this keeps up.

Southland Times - Consider other Routes (Milford)

Letters to the Editor Southland Times
published 19th November 2012

I have to admit I am curious as to why there is so much need for better access to Milford Sound of late when it is doing just great as it stands.
Two things have come up that are going mean change, Firstly the Chinese boom in Queenstown and Second the boom in Cruise ship Visits..
I was surprised to learn the there is quite a potential demand to Carry Cruise Ship Passengers across our scenic Heartland from Milford Sound to Dunedin.
The numbers are quite staggering if you consider that this season up to 90 Cruise ships will Visit Fiordland. Considering The Scenic Diversion across our Heartland will give passengers a break from Rough Seas around the Roaring Forties on our South West Corner, one can see a quicker Diversion to Dunedin would be very desirable.
I even wonder if the old Wanganella Dock at Doubtful Sound would be pressed back into service if a Te Anau Diversion is ever contemplated...

As for News of the Westland Road Revival, poor old Gun’s Hollyford Camp might end up getting Hammered if a tunnel starts up too! But that’s another story.

I say yes to a road as long as it’s only one lane for light vehicles, in-fact if all main tracks in Fiordland where upgraded to take small ATVs and Bicycles maintenance would be so much easier and cost effective, anyway, I recall that there was already an old bull-dozer track cut from the Pyke to the Cascade in the 60s ?

Southland Times - A Wealthy Dream (U.S.A.)

Letter to the Editor Southland TimesPublished November 14 2012  




I have to say, I feel a bit sorry for the Republican Party in the USA. They forgot their roots of being the party for the upwardly mobile middle class.
Every Nation of any Value is politically based around their middle classites and healthy politics pivots on them. There has to be a Tidal Movement from the lower middle class to the upper middle class and back to keep the Political System from Stagnating. Kiwis Have sorted out Political El Nino long ago. The Republicans beat themselves up needlessly they just have to wait till the Democrats make enough upper Middle Class Voters to fill their Ranks again. They had their 8 years making people poorer and wrecking the Country, they should just let the Democrats do their Job and stop thinking they need to act like a Silly Party or spend Millions on Silly Adverts. Just remember they are the Party of the Middle Class Wanabee Rich persons. Being Rich is something everyone dreams of With or Without crazy Tax Breaks, Wars and Moral Posturing. They don’t need to kiss up to the Wealthy just the people who fancy themselves rich. It certainly worked pretty good here with our old National Party...

Fiordland Advocate - DC3 for Fiordland

Letter to Fiordland Advocate
7th September 2012

Good to see Mark Oremland is going to share his passion for Classic Aircraft with the people and Tourists of Fiordland
In Basing a DC3 air liner at the Manapouri Airport.

And just when I was just speculating that some bright spark could beat the Tunnel and Monorail by flying Milford Bound Tourists to Manapouri from Queenstown
Adding another option to the Milford Experience while Cutting Hours off the Journey.

The Te Anau - Manapouri would make a good place to start a Classic Aircraft Museum to rival Wanaka we could even start up our own Air Show Every December 7th because we at Manapouri have the NZ rights to the Battle of Pearl Harbour!

Southland Times - Pike Miners Justice

Unpublished letter to the Editor Southland Times
6th Nov 2012

I would like to register my disgust at the way the Pike Miners where Murdered by their Bosses this is not a simple case of negligence
This is something else, the almost deliberate calculated extinction of Human Life, it is a Dark Day for New Zealand and New Zealand’s Workers.

Any Sane Manager who thought for a moment his Job Description included making people die horribly should have just quit in disgust.
There is just no accounting for this at all. And I am sure our Government knew this long before today's promise to do something about it.

Criminal Deaths Scare the Hell out of us but Our Bosses kill far more people each year than Gangsters ever do.

Southland Times - Political Systems (U.S.A.)

Letters to the Editor Southland Times
Published Nov 14th 2012

Monty Python was very astute when the broke Political Parties into grades of “Silliness” in their famous Election Sketch
I thought the Silly thing in The USA was that the Swing Voter Demographic was young Ohio Housewives with two Children.. So in the End it they recon it was all down to the attractiveness of the Candidates looks and personality.

America has changed a lot since it’s political System was forged. The Two Party System has set up for one Culture and Not Multiple ones  they really need some form of Proportional Representation so Sensible & Silly People from all walks of life can live together in Harmony and not get frustrated and take it out on other nations.

NZ has it easy in comparison, we have shown in the past that everyone here can live a happy sensible productive life. Just as long as we don’t try and live like Americans !

Southland Times - A Hard Sell (Faith)

Letters to the Editor Southland Times

published 2nd November 2012

Reading you Correspondents letters here I can see Christianity has trying to sell it’s self as a kind of Insurance if I read Robert Rout right.
The Christian “Pitch” has changed tack over the years from the days when it was a club for disgruntled Jews, they then tried the Doomsday Cult angle, then the state religion of Rome, the crusades had Christians dabble in Genocide with Violence and Grand theft but this made them feel bad so they the Soul Redemption Business cranked up and Monasteries cashed in that Big time when the busy rich could pay holy monks to pray for them, Henry the 8th knocked that on the head when they made him look poor! Then European Colonization Brought new global expansion opportunities until Charles Darwin kicked in. more recently they tried to sell Happiness. Now they are acting like an insurance broker against acts of Nature..

I have to say those Ultra Pious Americans on the East Coast might be asking for a big refund from the Church about now. because the Real insurance industry is not going to cope well considering.   What’s next?   Environmentalism?

Southland Times - Affordable Housing

Letter to the Editor, the Southland Times
29th October 2012
Published page 6 Nov 2 2012

Today’s News

I am sorry but Bill English and his Party are in La-La Land when they think high house prices are the product of not enough property Development.

Might it just be that it is because of weak and stupid Governments that houses have become the best investment return in the Country..
Might it also be the density issues around Auckland and Greedy People in the Construction Industry there who can’t even build simple dry shelter?

Back in the good old days when there was a housing shortage and quality issues the Government its self stepped in and did the job .

Which is what it should have done in Christchurch instead for playing free market roulette with everyone's lives.

Then there is the question of overseas landlords. Why is it a good thing for non New Zealanders to grab up our housing stock with their off shore spending power?
Surely they just suck the rent out of the country and inflate our prices...

In Manapouri development has not lowered the house prices or brought in people to live here, it just pushes up our rates and ruins the natural ambience