Radio NZ - David Cunliffe Beat Up

Posted 4th July 2014 to Jim Mora and the Panel Radio New Zealand

Why are we beating up the Labour Party about their leadership?

There are a Lot of other things this Nation should be a bit grim about...

In the old days we liked to pick pick our leaders for ability and purpose,
today its a popularity Contest... People Voted G W Bush in because He looked like a Fun Guy
And True to Form Despite Death and Destruction He always had a casual face for the Public
And he is still smiling today though I cant Figure why unless he is devoid of all Empathy for
His collateral Damage.

Let's Not Forget this Country took a huge hit when its second biggest city fell because of too much optimism.

There are More Storms ahead we will face and we are limping Economically and Emotionally

I know no good reason in particular we can’t have a leader with a serious face and a serious Mr Fix it Attitude?

NY Times - Israel Evacuation Plan

Posted 1 August 2014 to the New York Times Public Opinion

 I think America should apologize to the Jewish people for letting them think they could all go and live in Palestine.
It is Clear that they thought they would be there till the end of time under the protection of the United States Military Complex Umbrella.
But it’s darn hard to live in a nation planted amongst hostile Neighbors...  If America at some point fails to hold back the angry hoards
Where are the Israelis going to live ?  GW Bush Started too many Wars and the US Government is broken and refuses to follow it’s executive branch
so that gives all the angry people a chance for rebellion they wouldn’t normally have.

I think a Plan B should at least be considered for a Jewish Homeland... Madagascar was one past suggestion, some one even mentioned Detroit.
Hollywood joked about Central Mexico. Maybe their patron Rupert Murdoch could pull some strings and get them a Mega Ranch on the East Coast of Australia!

But Seriously,  What if the USA is just stretched too thin. We promised them Never Again with the Holocaust, can we deliver.

Fiordland Advocate - 1080 Kepler Birdsong

Posted 31st of July 2014 to the Fiordland Advocate Te Anau

With the immanent Bombardment of the Kepler Mountains and the Iris Burn Valley with Chemical Toxins from the Department of Conservation
There are a couple of things I would like to ask, What about the Iris Burn Bat Colony ? Isn’t that going to take a direct hit?
Also the “Kids restore the Kepler” seems to be a bit redundant if the pristine environment takes a knock like the Chemical drop that is due shortly.

Hasn’t Nature started sorting out kind of order with introduced species ? What are the unintended Consequences? Mice eat Beach Mast yes but they also eat
Insects such as Wasp larva and the Trout and Eels Eat the Mice.. I don’t know what happens when you add Toxin to the Food Chain but something will happen.
I would expect an imbalance at the very least.

 

Southland Times - Gavorilo Princip 2014

Posted 29 July 2014 to the Southland Times Invercargill NZ

 Darn Near 100 years ago today a month after Mr Gavorilo Princip of Sebia thought it was a good Idea to shoot The Heir to a Great European Empire that Empire dropped Bombs on the city of Belgrade and the World Changed forever. The Scary thing was that World seemed perfectly secure and orderly until someone had to cross a line and in a flash the world went crazy.
We like to think today this form of mass insanity can never happen again. But as long as arrogance, stupidity and testosterone
are about in great quantities  a nineteen year old with a gun, missile or even a box cutter can be tricked into lighting the touch paper that brings down the curtain on civilization as we know it. I don’t know if 19 year old Princip was fully aware of what he was getting talked into but his life would be four years of total misery and then Death for him, not to mention Death and Misery for his countrymen for generations to come. Also the farthest corners of the World.

Published Page 6A August 2nd 2014

Southland Times - Honesty in Politics

Posted 27th July 2014 to the Southland Times Invercargill NZ

Seeing as there is an Election on the Horizon it would be good if your paper could hold some politicians feet to the fire on honesty.

It would be hand to ask our would be leaders this fundamentally pivotal question: Do they believe our future is Luck Based or Logic Based, I say this because on the surface all voters look for a Government that insulates them from bad luck.
But Logical observation sees People who are already lucky feel they are always going to be lucky and need no help.

The Point is If we vote for a Political Party which side are they on, Good Luck or Good management.
Do we look to the US where unlucky people who have the wrong kind of parents or bad health are tormented and or incarcerated?

Or do we look to Scandinavia where EVERYONE is helping each other. To any Logical mind only one way is sustainable.
Yes the pursuit of luck is fun but it has a dark side. Bill Maher just came out with figures saying it cost a US Family of Four $110 thousand a year to live a comfortable consumer lifestyle but the average income for a family of four is about $80 k short of that ideal. So far I have not seen New Zealand Figures but that not surprising as the immortal Fred Dag once said “We just don’t know how lucky we are”.

 

Southland Times - Stoney Bourke's Waka

Posted 23rd July 2014 to the Southland Times Invercargill NZ

It is Good to read your story on ex Manapourite Mr Stoney Bourke and his Sea Going Waka Saga.
He has been so generous with his time to make such a project to preserve and Teach the young Maori and Europeans alike.
Just a pity he and another ex Manapouri Resident the Late Sir Les Hutchins who was also champion of youth at risk didn’t really meet. Colorful dreamers and visionaries are few but in the modern world they need supporters... It would be sad world if such dedication is a waste of time. Not sure if Bluff is the Best Place though The Waka would look much better somewhere in the Catlins maybe handy to a school lodge and FIT tourists. Also the South Coast has a strong Maori Heritage thing going on, if the place-names are any indication.

Posted Page 6  July 28th 2014

ODT - Catlins Tourism

Posted 20th July 2014 to the Otago Daily Times Dunedin NZ

 I Just spent three days at Tautuku on the South Coast and was Interested in how they have developed Tourism along the Southern Scenic Route I can see its still very much as it was ten years ago though I did get to see the Legendary Cathedral Caves despite it being the off season. It was good to see the People at McLean Falls have risen to the challenge and build a very up market Café and Accommodation business near by but the people running the Cathedral Caves seem to be existing on old Department of Conservation infrastructure from several decades ago and as far as I know there is no attempt to allow access to the Cave to people with disabilities. Fortunately there is a similar Cave at the Tautuku Beach Called Isis Cave
Which is not only free but can be reached by vehicle. The Lenz Reserve is is nearby and has a Historic Sawmilling site and Bush Tramway walks, there is also the Primordial Lake Wilkie walk way and the Tautuku Estuary Boardwalk which gives one a feel of what the area might have been like before Farming and Sawmilling. Also there is even a Maori Settlement on the Peninsula
That can only be reached at low tide sadly it was not a Settlement modeled on Pre European days but a collection of modern holiday batches...  Top Marks to the Purakanui Falls that was a good side trip, however coming from Fiordland it is a little disconcerting that the water was dirty and smelt of livestock ever so slightly... Though the Mclean Falls lived up to their name.
Again you would need to be a budding mountaineer to get to the top, even at the lower levels one dices with injury to get a perfect photo.