President Bernie Sanders & Wealth Redistibution

Posted 24th June 2015 to the Otago Daily Times Newspaper Dunedin NZ

 At last there is an Honest Politician in the USA who is running for the Whitehouse. Independent Stalwart Bernie Sanders is unusual as he got kudos for telling the hard Truth and not sugar coated lies.

I wonder if this will come to anything, or will the American desire to not hear anything unpleasant overwhelm him? Like the Pope in Rome he says it time to stop goofing about with Money and start investing in the Future.  But it still unclear how either of them can address the real cause of every major problem on Earth, what to do with Unwanted People.

No one person, culture or Nation can touch that problem, they can’t even say it exists.

I don’t know about the Pope but I think a provincial NZ Newspaper might be cheeky enough to ask Bernie  about a problem that is at the heart of every conflict and disaster facing us Humans collectively.

Bernie Says it Socialism that will Fix the United States but what about the rest of us ? But the USA Prints the World’s Money so EVERY US Citizen can potentially live as Kings...
Isn’t that a just little unfair to the rest of us ? Won’t we feel unwanted? 

*declined 

 

America's Gun Violence Solution - NY Times

Posted 28th June 2015 to the New York Times Opinion Page.

 there is no way to get past the NRA when it comes to curbing the Gun Violence and Accidents the USA but maybe It can be dealt with as a Health Issue.
In New Zealand all Cigarette Packaging has to show graphic Pictures of Health Problems that product inflicts on the Human Body... Why not Ammo Packets..
If you ever see medical Textbook Picture of What stray Bullets do to the Human Body you would not find the Idea of Guns SEXY at all.

Also  It is an occupational Heath and Safety issue..
If a “tool” shot out random bits of lead at the speed of sound it would certainly be banned from the Market except for all but skilled operators.

In New Zealand Guns are treated as tools. Dangerous Tools that should be taken seriously!

Brian Mason NZ Astronomer Rememberd

Posted 21st June 2015 to the Fiordland Advocate Newspaper Te Anau NZ.

In 2009 there was a call for ideas to Mark the International Year of Astronomy, as it played out the Kepler Mountains between Lake Manapouri and Lake Te Anau ended up playing a big part in this event as they became home to the Great New Zealand Names in the field of Astronomy Beatrice Hill-Tinsley who gave us the infinite Universe and Sir William Hayward Pickering who was the man in charge of exploring our Solar System and Getting NASA of the ground so to speak. There was one more Great Kiwi Astronomer who was up for a place in the Kelper Mountains but as he was still alive at the Time the NZ Geographic Board Rules excluded him from having any landform named after him. Brian Harold Mason who was a leader in the study of Meteorites & Mineralogy
Was also the Curator of the American Museum of Natural History and the Smithsonian Institute and received many other honors and metals for his Life’s Work.

Brian actually  died on the very last month of the That Year of Astronomy so today he is now eligible for a place in the Kepler Mountains.

I had a hand in suggesting Mt Pickering and Mt Tinsley and in my opinion Mr Mason should be given the “Crater like” Circe Lake on top of the Jackson Peaks
because of it’s amazing outlook and accessibility.  But it would be nice if someone else could put in the submission on this proposal. 

 

Invercargill Airport - 1960s Heritage Area

Posted 19th June 2015 to the Southland Times Newspaper Invercargill NZ

I have to say...
I think its sad we can’t preserve the Old Invercargill Airport Terminal as a 1960s Heritage Building....  It is so quintessentially 1960s that it stands out like an Icon of the Era.
So before it is Bulldozed into oblivion someone should have a 1960s Party there with some bootleg Beatles and Classic 1960s Cars....

It could actually make a theme Restaurant if it wasn’t for the lack of affordable parking.. Sort of  Like they did with the classic 1960s Viewing Structure at Los Angeles International Airport..

Yes Invercargill is not LA but it has a certain Retro Charm missing in other cities. Somehow I could just see 1960s Kiwiana on display and 1960s Stewardess’s waiting tables as guests watch the 1960s Style Cessna Planes come and go across the Runway... Reflecting of the days when The Smelter wasn’t on life-support and we had a District Health Board and John Key was just a Schoolboy with a crazy dream.

*Published 22nd June under "Airport Terminal" page 6

Euthenasia Debate - Radio NZ 2015

Posted 14th June 2015 to the Radio New Zealand Sunday Program



 The Question of Euthanasia is simple, the answer is complicated
Simply it is about the Question over whether the State has control of your Body and Mind

The Answer is YES they do but there is a mess of historical baggage that brought this about

Now we are in the enlightened 21st Century and we are facing down Catastrophic over-population
I Think we might need to change our mindset.  We know now that every Human is a random Genetic Experiment
brought into existence with out consultation,  Into a mostly Narcissistic Society a lot of things can go very wrong.
I think there should be a humane re think about individuals having a planetary exit policy.

Taking into account of course that many people are virtual Robot like workers and are invaluable service the economy.

Calling Bullshit - Sonny Tau 2015

Posted 13th June 2015 to Radio New Zealand Saturday Morning Program

 I have always been skeptical about encouraging Tribalism as it is the Cause of Great Misery in this modern World.
Sonny Tau on your show this AM is a prime example of why Tribalism Sucks because its undemocratic unaccountable Leaders act like Sonny Tau, his “tone” is one of an Old Fashioned un-educated Alpha Male and his reasoning is pure narcissism based on bodymass and Intimidating Language. 

You gotta feel sorry for the people of Ngapuhi who are forced to move to Australia to get away from such a dismal concept as being one of “His People”

Yes Sonny, White People can be poor but at least they are not Pawns in a Tribe

FYI Sonny, when the Workers of all Races where united there WAS prosperity!

Rural Angst - Suicide Watch NZ 2015

Posted 15th of June 2015 to the Southland Times Newspaper Invercargill NZ

It seems that working the land these days is not as good a lifestyle choice as it once was if anecdotal news correct
It’s hard with the reporting of self administrated euthanasia not available to the general Public but it seems we have an invisible epidemic

Traditionally Farms have been family operations and Families like tribes have workers who fall though the cracks when it comes to state protection against
exploitation  It might be wise to Remember that our Social Welfare System is what we all pay into to prevent suffering from all portions of the population

Rolling the Welfare state back to stone age levels because of a few bad apples really just tortures every one and traps people in untenable social situations and economic exploitation
If you do the maths, every prisoner we lock up for being miserable and hopeless is like the Taxpayer Buying them a 4 bedroom house in Auckland every year they are in jail. So quitting life is like a act of community compassion.

The emotional cost to the Nation is un countable for State sponsored misery  so politicians say please try not to talk about in the media.

I call BS on that.

* not published

Battle of Faith & Science - USA 2015

Posted 12th June to the New York Times Newspaper Manhattan Island USA

 It’s a sorry arse situation with the good old USA, The Climate Change Issue has become a proxy battle between faith and Science
Half the Voters think Man should fix this Problem and Half think it’s up to a God...

Comedian Bill Maher has pointed out recently that there is a chorus of angry right-wingers saying Christianity in under siege in the USA
But he could not find any particular person, political group or movement that is attacking them apart from himself.

But Bill neglected to mention the Scientific & Academic community wanting action on Climate Change and Overpopulation and asking how to deal with the unwanted and unloved
Climate refugees.

President Obama and the Voters of the USA are going to have to decide if Humanity can save its-self from a terrible fate ...or...  get their heads together and sort it out with the designer of the Universe’s Human representatives for some extraterrestrial action!

I think we all know who is going to fail.

 

Southland's Solid Energy Future - Debate 2015

Posted 3rd June 2015 to the Southland Times Newspaper Invercargill NZ

Good on David Russell for his opinion on Solid Energy May 30th. I recall saying a word or two to Jack Murrell in this Paper a while back,
Argueing Southland’s Coal Reserves are a strategic reserve best left in the Ground, looks like That’s a good plan now.
The World is a changing too fast now to plan ahead we are living on borrowed Money and Borrowed Time the traditional lines of
Race, Politics and Culture are globally changing into a Divide between the Narcissists and the Empaths, one side say steal from our Children an the other
Says we can ALL have a great life with less greed.  Our Energy needs and our employment Prospects all depend on the outcome of this struggle. It is Clear that Southland and Westland industries are going to be greatly effected by Energy Issues so some sort of contingency plan might be in order that dare I say involves a level of social empathy not seem here since the 1970s ! 

(photo: Jack Murrell)

*Published June 4th titled An Empath Writes

Campbell Live Debate - Kim Hill RNZ

Posted to Radio New Zealand's Saturday Morning program 23rd May 2015

Kim Laments the passing of John Campbell's Show but as I write often since the Ineternet is the source of all Audio Visual News Television has to
Invest in Satirical news, If John Clarke did John Campbell's Job the Views would be a lot more Responsive, in the USA John Oliver, Bill Maher, Steven Clobert and Jon Stewart recycle the News and Poke fun at it as well as poke the wrong doers in the Ribs. Also Fox News is a right-wing Parody of the News and both sides can bounce off each other.

Frankly I hardly watch Jon Campbell as Kim Hill is to me the premier media Presenter and Radio NZ Covers the Nation as a whole and not just Auckland with is a different country all togeather.

The World is ever Changing and John Campbell has not adapted.. He might make a superb Radio NZ  broadcaster if someone asks him nicely : )

Google Maps - Lord of the Rings Locations NZ

Posted 27th May 2015 to the Southland Times News Desk Invercargill NZ

 In the past I have been interested in the way we handle tourists who come to our region to see the Movie locations made world famous in the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit Movie Trilogies
I see Google Maps has Started including them on in there service but it would be nice if they put them in the correct place and perhaps actually cover the Te Anau Manapouri Area...

It just seems a bit rude not to do the job properly...

The State of New Zealand Tourism - 2015

Posted to the Dominion Post Newspaper 24th May 2015

Targeting Tourism Needs is a funny thing when it comes to Government.
Since the Early Days the Government has been the Bedrock of the Tourism Industry that Private enterprise is able to thrive on.

Museums and National Heritage  have always rated High on the Tourist Itinerary yet I don’t see them getting a boost from the Government
The Manapouri Power Project and Fiordland National Park have nothing in place to preserve and showcase the History behind the attractions that
Bring in so many tourists. Not that Meridian or The National Park Park don’t generate Millions of dollars for the Public Purse.

I like Cycle & Walking Trails but they are only part of a bigger spectrum on the New Zealand experience.

Part of the New Zealand Life style is collecting  of Artifacts and Old Technology to remember the past, that should be celebrated along with our historical achievement's
As well as Buildings and precincts of our Cities.

I think Weta Workshop and Mirimar have shown the way and its way more rewarding ride than Miles of politically expedient Cycleways in Places of no aesthetic Interest.

It is also a shame the Kingston Flyer is failing through the cracks when the TSS Earnslaw sails on when they worked so good togeather in History Passed.

New Zealand vs Australian Flag Debate

Posted 19th May 2015 to the Telegraph Newspaper (Australia)

I agree with the Radio New Zealand that there is nothing really wrong with our National Flag. As a piece of Design it works well
It’s just the Aussies who are the Problem when it comes to Identity so why should we have to change our flag!

Anyway our flag debate has become a source of humor overseas  and I’d like to point out that I made the one of the best Early Parodies
That got some press in the 1990s to Point out we are not Australia! 



  

Joe Bennet - Where are the ANGRY Greenies ?

Posted 19th May 2015 to the Southland Times Newspaper Invercargill NZ

Last Week Joe Bennett Mused on the Media and Global Cataclysm
And the smoldering Mess that George W Bush left in Middle East
As well as other topics of Humanities greatest mistakes that threaten to
Block out the proverbial Sun.

Joe should do a list for New Zealand and its impending problems that take the gloss of what was formally known as Godzone.
Doom and Gloom is always entertaining.. The Lack of taxation on Pondsi Scheme that is Auckland property speculation seem to very big now
As a threat to our Society almost as bad as the Geologic Faults and Volcanic Fields that we uneasily stride.

We have dumped all over this Country to be able to keep up with the living standards of the rest of the Western World spoiling our History, Environment and
plus created a sugar coated underclass with no voice and little justice and even less hope.

The Funny thing is where is the Outrage ? If it is all true why are the Green Intellectuals not swearing expletive-deletives and getting SERIOUSLY Angry ?
All I hear is a tisk tisk for pushing us towards a Cataclysm.

It stands to reason Joe is right, it is all a big game.  Kind of like Monopoly that is on crack

I don’t even think our fearless leader John Key wanted that bad to be “seriously” in charge of it all.

It’s just that nobody else really wanted to fit the actual job description in the end!

the Odentroll Narcissism test

Here is a simple test to see if you have empathy for your fellow Humans:

Read this Facebook Post below...

If it makes you happy you are a Narcissist if it makes you sad you are an Empathic