Early Times Distillery - American Music Past

Perhaps a sing-along this Christmas from America's Golden Age might be in order.

https://youtu.be/MqnmxcH8Fls

Electoral College or Donald Trump ?

Posted 11th December 2016 Odentroll Blog Video Page

Who Runs the World Mr Trump ?

 Special Post Election Post Dec 2016 Odentroll Blog

Despite all the news media discussion on democracy this year we still know very little about the
top of our democratic power pyramid.

Elon Musk talked of Humanity living in a total matrix like illusion which could be interpreted as
a mass delusion of our own making.

The question is are the Donald Trumps of the world part of this reality or are they something outside the box...

Ask your self: Do you know anything about the old people who have control of the planetary money printing ?  perhaps manipulated by a single mathematical genius floating on the edge of our vision?

Are they included in our popular culture or our TV dramas?

Is our President so entertaining  because he is a Zeyphod Beeblebrox character straight out of fiction sent to distract us?

ONLY TRUMP CAN SAVE the DEMOCRATS

Posted 14th Nov 2016 to the New York Times Newspaper

 After the dust clears for 11/9/2016 confused people around the World are asking how did life get so politically scary ?
I suppose there is a heartening thought that the poor people of the USA are not the part of the nation that needs fixing
If fact it is the deadwood in the upper levels of Government that is dragging everyone down so lets hope that anyone
wanting to make America Great Again will start with fixing it’s worst failings. Beating up the Unlucky & Miserable  is purely
financially pointless as is micromanaging strict moral codes. Especially as it is crystal clear our elite often lie, cheat & steal.

It is not Donald Trump or even Hillary that caused Nov 9th it was the DNC, they acted so recklessly that they could be taken to court
For making the election invalid. I hope that Donald asks for a full investigation of gross interference of the democratic process now that he is in a position to do so.

The Electoral College Voters have clearly given up on the DNC and US Democracy and that is tragic and dangerous for everyone, especially those on the top. 

Adventures in Trumpland 2016

Posted 28th October 2016 to the Odentroll Blog pages

Sometimes it is hard to get a perspective on what is really at stake and just what lies behind the media smoke-screen.  Film maker Michael Moore has finally called wake up time for US Democracy.

The conservative media has been scare-mongering about Hillary Clinton on a level not seen since the frenzied justifications for attacking Iraq post 9-11.

Mr Moore Called Bullshit. We can not afford to be uber-paranoid about what Hillary has hidden in her mind any-more than shitting ourselves about ever person of color wanting to kill us all!

If you try reverse paranioa Mrs Clinton might just be the kick up the backside Americas pants-shitters need to keep us all REAL.

Funny, it took one overweight, eccentric, blue collar, old school liberal from Michigan to show us the way to maintain our composure.  

Golbal Leader Election 2016 USA

Posted 22nd of October 2016 to the Southland Times Newspaper invercargill NZ.

As predicted Mr Donald Trump has managed to choke himself on his own words in his final debate, just as the numbers predicted
since before he even entered the race, the Republicans do not have the numbers to win the White House anymore.

To NZ and the rest of the World.
It looks like business as usual for now and Globalization will be pushed to the next level. Something Mr Trump has very little chance of effecting no matter how things play out.
The Business World will boom again as before under the Clintons, just be aware that prosperity comes with a few side effects especially if it is un-even in application.

For the short term at least it looks good  but keep in mind that The American Political and Monetary system is a “Heath Robinson Contraption” and a President has to literally be a Miracle Worker to
Get it all to hold together in some coherent form... And have super power just to get selected for the play offs.

If there is one problem all Humanity has to ponder this year how can “they” find one such person let alone two to choose from in this 4 yearly vote off cycle for what is now a Grand Global vision.  

Published Oct 25th page 6

Prison Budget Blowout New Zealand

Posted October 19th 2016 to the Dominion Post Newspaper Wellington NZ

Dom Post:

NZ is a country that in not in a war zone or has great cultural conflict so why on Earth do we have so many people in prison?
Prisons are suppose to be where we put the extremely small fraction of the population who are dangerous to others.
They are not mental hospitals nor are they time-out centers for people who are simply annoying.

The Tax Payer would be less burdened if we had some better way of finding work to keep annoying or unemployable people busy.
But Private enterprise is not going to step up because it is simply someone else's problem.

Our Government has the tools to fix this and they darn well should because the very high rates of incarceration in New Zealand spell out FAILURE in large
unmistakable letters over our whole political system.

It is hard to Fathom... But Texas is more progressive in this area than NZ is.

 -------------------------------


It highlights the question that hangs over humanity what is the meaning of our existance.
amazing beings of wonder or just meat robots.

Billioneers from another dimension

Posted 17th October 2016 to the Otago Daily Times Newspaper Dunedin NZ.

ODT opinion page :
At last we know that our financial planetary elite really are out of touch with reality.. It explains allot. They really think they are in a giant computer simulation.
With the latest news out of California, the theory that we might all be living in a computer simulation has gotten so popular among Silicon Valley’s tech elites that two billionaires are now apparently pouring money into breaking us out of the simulation.
Apparently the US media is toying with theories about being controlled by technology and delves into the simulation theory, which is the idea that human beings are unwittingly just the characters in someone else’s computer simulation, which to me at this point is clearly Figuratively not Literally.
The simulation idea has gained popularity it’s so popular that even legendary Tech Boffin Elon Musk is getting tired of talking about it.
Perhaps if these guys did not live in a gilded cage of extreme wealth and privilege they might act like regular human people of real flesh and blood but alas, they are clearly nuts.  
We certainly are living in strange times but as fiction writer Douglass Adams once predicted, If we ever discover why we exist and why we are here the Universe will Instantly reset itself into something even more bizarrely inexplicable!  There is however a theory that this has ALREADY happened. It probably happened in A US Election in 2000 when the US Supreme Court thought that Biological Democracy was just too messy to deal with!

 

NZ Heartland: Socialism Debate

Posted 8th October 2016 to the Southland Times Newspaper Invercargill NZ

On October 7th, your corespondent Mervyn Cave pronounced firmly “when it comes to equality Socialism only ever achieves it by poverty for all” on page 6.

I don’t think Mr Cave has quite got the grasp of what Socialism is. The general idea is that we use our Government as a public Insurance broker. You Pay you Taxes and they
make sure all your Human needs are catered for.  If they don’t you kick them out. A sound Idea. However Neo Liberal Capitalism is a GAME based on LUCK being rewarded and BAD LUCK puts you into reverse or out all together!

Oddly no one owns the planet we all share it, but we now have 98 unlucky percent of the Population living on crumbs and People like myself and Mr Cave on the top half of the 1 percent are telling them what to do.  I just don’t find this level of tormenting to be a comforting thought. Also  if you have money today there is no guarantee it won’t all be gone tomorrow.

New Zealand was a very successful Socialist Country and all of us older citizens did darn well out of it especially those who cashed in Farms and Businesses or got educated by the socialist system of yesteryear.

Recently a US cartoon in a Paper explained Socialism as lending money to strangers from someone else's pocket... But Really it’s taking money from Scrooge Mc Duck & his human cousin Donald Trump and Stimulating the Economy.

True Socialism is incredibly Powerful and remains our best tool for fixing overpopulation and unlucky Climate Change problems. Unlike tried and failed Greed, Hate & Violence. 
  

 

The Real Election Already Happened 2016

Posted October 5th 2016 to the New York Times Newspaper

Dear NY Times
I see legendary comedians Stephen Colbert and Samantha Bee talking on TV about this Crazy Election Cycle... It is taxing their Comedic Skills to address the kind of Soul Searching  that Americans are going to need against the Anger that US Democracy can not survive on one single Serious Party, even the great Bill Maher is getting to his wits end not to get angry and loose composure.

The fact is that the Real Election has already happened,  it was between Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton and the Public where not invited!  It certainly FEELS like Donald Trump has to take the media attention away from this fact by acting a goat.

The Comedians know this as they have a love hate relationship with Mr Trump... He has given them a feast of material to work from of epic proportions yet Samantha Bee says it also drains her every day she has to deal with it.

Yes it is all going to end in November and then we will HAVE to discuss the concept of Proportional Representation  and Taxing Investment Transactions. Which will not be sexy, and WILL be taxing for News Comedians. 

 

Social philosopher Anne Manne - On Narcissism

Posted 11th September 2016 to Sunday Morning at Radio NZ

 Hi Sunday Team
Thanks for the Talk with Anne Manne about the scourge of Narcissism sweeping our planet.
As we can see in US Politics the late Queen of “The Self” Ann Rand has caused a modern epidemic of self induced insanity that threatens civilization as we know it.

Darwin would agree that the desire to contribute to a greater good has been one of Humanities greatest assets in building civilizations.
Unfortunately empathy is soluble when mixed with too much prosperity ! ...And withered with too much poverty.

Local Election Blues New Zealand

Posted 10th September 2016 to the Otago Daily Times Newspaper Dunedin NZ

 It has been pointed out by some learned people that our local elections are medieval for this day and age and more than a little dull..
I suggest the following to bring the into the 21st Century:

Instead of the “Rubber Stamp” binary voting system we have now why not allow negative votes sort of like the “RANKERS”  rating system.

1. Could be “Superlative”  2. Could be “Useful” 3. Could be “Mediocre”  4. Could be “Hopeless” and 5. could be “You're Sacked !”
   

This would solve the problem of lack of voter feedback in often un-contested elections like we have in Southland and it would make the
these elections more interesting to the Public and the Media.

But what would be real fun is a reality show where local Politicians have to stand before celebrity judges and the losers get humiliated in some way
while winners get adoration for good management skills.

 

Rural New Zealand's lost Bankers

Posted 10th September 2016 to the Advocate South Newspaper Southland NZ

 I find it hard to understand the mentality of the West-Pac Bank executive up on high telling Te Anau they are somehow unworthy

Ray Willet it correct that they are not facing down any hardship from Rural New Zealand or tourist centers like ours.
If you recall Westpac took over Trust Bank which included the Southland Savings Bank which had combined with many of the regional savings banks to
Form a nation wide Network, clearly something the Australian Banking Barons felt need to be stopped at the time.. And the gobbled Trustbank up ..
along with the Post-office Savings Bank & the BNZ leaving no NZ owned or regional banks in the South Island.

I still really like our Westpac Bank and it’s Friendly Staff but I think their executives are more interested in venture capitalism than actual services.

Maybe Kiwibank might be able to step up and take our money that is too bothersome for our Australian overlords to waste their valuable time with with.
If they don’t want our business they should give us back our SSB and ascend to their non-corporeal financial Valhalla without us dragging them down.  

 

Loosing our Journalists - Advertising blight

Posted September 9th 2016 to the Otago Daily Times Newspaper Dunedin NZ

Dear ODT :
We keep hearing that traditional journalism is being crushed by the free Internet news, under cutting the traditional advertising revenue
that keeps our forth estate going but I think there may be more to it than that...

 Where is the shrinking Advertising Money going?
might it be that our Asian Business Tigers have twigged that low prices and bulk sales need much less advertising to get a return?

In advertising quality and quantity are total different beasts they recon.

Perhaps the Golden Days of Advertising are gone because of new business strategies and the Old School print media’s counter-productive reaction.

Also certain Australian Media Barons have caused damage by being way to eager for profit and power breaking the bonds of professionalism
In the Industry not only for money but control of political outcomes playing on base fears causing them to loose their “composure” so to speak.

Sadly this blight is spreading as at least one of our NZ Australian Banking Barons has twigged that Customer Service is not as profitable as venture capital manipulation.

Corporate Globalism I think is a big player in this game and the shrinking middle class is another  Good to see the ODT has held fast against the winds of change so far.

New Zealand - Political Test Lab

Posted on 31st August 2016 to the Dominion Post Newspaper Wellington NZ

 Looking away from the Politics of the US Presidential Election Cycle overwhelming our media for a moment...

What is wrong with our Political System that is causing so much grief in NZ ? It is simply time for a systems upgrade ?

Political Leaders are just managers wound up in  Party “Brands”. What if we made up a new Progressive One-Stop-Shop Party ?
One that has permanent foundation concepts  Justice for all, HEALTH for all, WORK for all, Basic HUMAN NEEDS for all, taking on other
Political priorities as “Foundation Ideals” such as Greens Environmental concerns, Labour’s right to question, The Maori Parties care for our past & uniqueness,
National’s care for the Competitive Spirit and good Luck.  And of let’s not forget Winston Peter’s tireless scrutiny of wrong-doers.

New Zealand is an Ideal country for a true progressive 21st century Government, If Humanity can’t do it here easily , It can’t be done at all.
All we need now is a Bernie Sanders of our own ‘cause I am certain we are so much better than the sum of our political parts today.

And that goes for local government as well, it is almost medieval in nature if you look at it with undue attention.. 

Manic Tourism in New Zealand 2016

Posted Aug 16th 2016 to Nine to Noon on Radio New Zealand National

Thanks for your discussion with Rod Oram on tourism in 2016
I suppose the big problem with the John Key tourism model if that it is brainless..

As usual we are not thinking about what we want or where we are going  but we do know
Someone will benefit at the expense of someone else if we leave thinking to the “invisible hand”

AS it stands at the moment Air New Zealand is “dumping” passengers on this country without thought to where they will all go.
And they have encouraged other airlines to follow..

The Department of Conservation is a bunch of New Age Hippies thrown into the Tourism business there structure is not set up
to deal with business and there are no internal incentives for them to change. And... any money they make is stripped from them
by the Beehive.

Kiwis are not able to get into the tourism game as they did in the past unless they have a war-chest to set them selves up for that is a fickle
Industry.

Airline carbon footprints and Chinese middle class desires are not set in stone at this point in the narrative...
nor is our exchange rate.

If we want to make use of this boom we can only manage it on a government level ... It is not a good private investment portfolio because it is all based on
windfalls of incompetence.

Even the “High Stake” private companies (like Real Journeys) are riddled with Paranoia about the future to a point where they live in fear of shadows.

AS for the HUGE campsite of the Eglinton Valley Fiordland, The NZ taxpayer is footing the bill basically subsidizing the Milford Tourist Boat Companies early boat departures
at the expense of the Local Motor Park Industry 

 

Garry Tong's - Mayoral Can of Worms

Posted 23rd August 2016 to the Southland Times Newspaper Invercargill NZ

 I can’t help feeling that the Around the Mountain Headache could have been avoided if the Mayor Tong was not so insulated from the general public and friends by his people.

I use to be able to share news & observations with Mr Tong before his ordination as Mayor but sadly could not communicate directly with him afterward.

I tried to pass on serious reservations about “The Around the Mountain” Cycle-way project that our previous Mayor had missed due to mortality concerns at the time, clearly Mr Tong’s inner circle filtered community feedback
That could have saved rate payers Millions of Dollars.

The District Council will need to be mindful that they can not rely on investigative journalists to save them from stuff ups these days as they are now very thin on the ground as is money for legal advice when cans of worms are opened up in pursuit of uncomfortable truths.

Southland could have saved and restored the Kingston Flyer 10 times over for the price of this mess and that WOULD be a true unique tourism icon to the region.

Oh Sorry, that is another unopened can of worms caused by blind faith gone wrong from the Otago Southland Border Region.

America's Paranoia Bunker - 2016

Posted 16th August 2016 to the Otago Daily Times Newspaper Dunedin NZ

The US election of 2016 is another crossroads for humanity.
We tend to look at the world as a collection of solid nation states founded in stone to stand forever
but that is clearly wishful thinking. In 2016 the reality is we are a global community held together
mostly by descendants of the former British Empire and European Allies..  Though it appears the United States will
carry with the grand plan without the will of nearly half of it’s population. If it fails and looses it’s bottle who can step up and carry the
flame?

Mr Trump may leave the “heat” of the kitchen and head for a paranoia bunker. His supporters might go crazy and fancy themselves as Isis for Jesus,
run amuck, declaring a fatwa on thinking.

Yes It might seem like a far fetched farce but the rest of the World might need to brace themselves.

America and Europe of 2016 are awash in unwanted people displace by globalization and they are looking for a spark as the light of hope grows dimmer.

Worse yet the most UNWANTED people are not refugees but elected politicians like the putrefied US Congress and the hated European Parliament.  
Capable of doing “more than a little” mischief. 

 

FIX AUCKLAND PLEASE - YES WE CAN

Posted 29th July 2016 to the Otago Daily Times newspaper Dunedin NZ

 Not a day goes past without Auckland dominating the Nations news with it housing crisis.

Every day it is harder not to see Auckland as a city of dystopia sucking the life blood out of the rest of the country,
one hope is for Helen Clark to instigate a new united nations of the world that is human & nature based seeing as
19th century nation states and medieval institutions are fading into oblivion with the globalization movement onset.

Cities even now are joining together as central governments weaken.
Cities, it is believed will once again become like little states and will have to buddy up with each other and those built on pondzi foundations
will fail.

Also it seems a world government is badly needed to save the planet. Whether the UN, USA or the cities of the old British Commonwealth could
pull that off depends on if there are enough adults left to run it and if anyone will vote for them.

However right now capital gains and transaction taxes would be a smart move forward to prepare us whatever happens next .  

 

Peter Bale - Cheif Executive of The Centre for Public Integrity

Posted 16th July 2016 to Saturday Morning Show Radio New Zealand National

Hi Mark & Kim..
You are really getting into the big stuff this morning on the Importance of Honesty in the Media and Civilization
I have been watching the rise of Political Comedians in the USA and I Wonder if they are filling a void caused by a boated overbearing & joyless political System
That expects us all to fall in line like Robots. I am glad that that portion of the Media is trying to call bullshit on this nonsense despite it difficulty to view in New Zealand.

I have to ask Why Larry Wilmore is not Screened on Maori Television ? Perhaps his way of looking at life might help people understand just how the USA effects every minority in the
World ...

Your Discussion about Women Screenwriters & Producers is topical not just with Ghost Busters but the Latest FARGO TV series showing some interesting background plot devices with women .

Also There was a Ironic ending where the Gangsters of Old cashed in their guns to become ruthless businessmen  which raises the question about what effect that move has had on our civilization !

NZ Tourism Bubble - Blame the Airlines

 Posted 26th July 2016 to Nine to Noon Radio New Zealand 

The Problem we have with Tourism is too many Airline Seats dumping masses of people on a Small Population.

We are not geared up for unregulated Chaos every time the Dollar is cheap , Either regulate the Flow or
Put a Massive Landing Tax to sort out the scroungers from the proper tourists .

Our Tourism Minister is asleep at the wheel...

America's Dark side - the Hillary Saga

Posted 22nd July 2016 to the Otago Daily Times Newspaper.

 Watching the unfolding Political circus that is the Presidential Election Cycle in the United States these days it is interesting how 2 lone Candidates one on each side discovered the NEED to be the Voice of the People and not a Pontiff.
Donald the Trumpf Managed to get to be a contender for Tyrant in-chief but Senator Bernie Sanders Got Sent to political Bakersfield By Hillary.

This unfortunately leaves "people power" with Trump as their only champion.
America is Great already in military and financial power. What Trump is selling is Make America FEARED again. Just What that entails is truly Chilling.

Hillary is not a bad Leader but she has put the World in a difficult position to get her foot in the Presidential Door, as a rite and not a Privilege.

Thank You Hillary for Giving the World’s Worst Businessman the moral high ground. I can only hope they are never going to give you a Darwin Award for services to Humanity. 

NZ's Tourism Bubble - Queenstown's Soul

Posted 19th July 2016 to the Mountain scene Newspaper Queenstown NZ

It is nice to see a discussion about Future Tourism from David Kennedy in the Mountain Scene.
There is indeed a lot to talk about to ramp up production yet there is sadness that Global Tourism
That we don’t address. In 1964 when the First Jet Airliners opened up New Zealand to the World the World was
A different place, travel brought you to different Cultures and unknown places People noticed you if you where a tourist
They would want to talk to you as an ambassador of another country.

Over the decades now things have changed. Globalization and Modern Communications combined with budget air travel
has made the World a lot more generic, smaller, financially tighter for Tourism and way-more fickle!

The Idea of growth to is under review to as climate degradation action means action must be taken in the next few years

Sadly Queenstown is an aberration, a bubble caused by an insane financial system. It is no longer unique, and if Rational People Rule the World
Queenstown will need a Total re-think to survive at all. You might need to find your SOUL again!

The Fate of Invercargill - Future Shocks

Posted 17th July 2016 to the Southland Express Newspaper Invercargill NZ.

Dear Southland Express,
It is topical now that Invercargill has got a real problem with it’s future
Ask the Boys at GNS and Climate Scientists and they agree that The City is simply built in the wrong place.

It is sad to say there is No financial model that says it is feasible to get it up to scratch for what lies in store.

Perhaps it might be prudent to start on a totally New CBD in another location  and leave the Historic Town Centre alone
Much like the did in Oamaru.

One Great Enclosed Shopping Mall  somewhere inland would fit the needs of the 21st century better than trying to shoe-horn it into the
Context of the 19th ?

Climate Change and Subduction Zones are real albeit future problems, but that being said it is not the 19th Century anymore, we don’t need to live by the waters edge
If we need to ship goods and people. 

NZs Tourists Bubble - Milford Sound

Posted 17 July 2016 to the Advocate South Newspaper Te Anau NZ

As a tax payer I would like to point out that our taxes are being used badly when it comes to Milford Sound.
I fail to see why we are subsidizing the Boat Operators by supplying unnecessary Campsites at Cascade Creek just to fill the early boats.

Time was the Late boats where the budget cruises and that meant it was Ideal to stay in Te Anau to do a Milford cruise at leisure.

If DOC HQ  wants to take pressure off the National Park Camp sites they should start running their own budget cruises after 3pm
At least until the current glitch of ultra cheep airfares stops the tsunami of free campers from washing up in our Resorts.

...And Ultimately getting washed down the Eglinton River in the next big flood at Cascade Creek Like the one that saw Ngai Tahu pack it in.

Some Fiordland History Recalled

Posted 12 July 2016 to the Advocate South Newspaper Te Anau NZ

I am trying to see if we can entwine some of our unique Local History along the Cycle Trail From Te Anau to Manapouri
And there are some names that might need to be included that are not enshrined by the New Zealand Geographic Board on the Maps.
Run-holder Freeman Jackson who owned the Balloon Loop Homestead and Sheep Run is obvious as is Elizabeth Bowes–Lyon the reason Queens Reach was named.

There where a lot of smaller players on the Upper Waiau and Cycle route as well a few tragedies  I dare say Wilson Campbell, Richard Henry,
And the Explorers Charles Nairn and William Stephen came this way in 1852 Guided by George and Rawiri from Riverton who stopped on the River to do some Fishing for Eels
En route to a camp where the Dam is today.

David Comer made the River well known to movie-goers this century by borrowing it for the Lord of the Rings Trilogy of Films.
Ted Roberts dreamed of a Steam railway along the Shore from the town to the Dam. Wilson Campbell dreamed of a New Zealand Disneyland and Frana Cardno dreamed of a Te Papa type Museum
Near the trail head  And the dream Township of Murikura somehow became the Te Anau Golf Club.

At the Manapouri end Les Hutchins dreamed of building a Boat Marina at Supply Bay and Christine Sheard dreamed of a Tea Rooms at View Hill,  (a hill mentioned in Maori Folklore) that for some reason aligns with the Summit of the Monument Summit over at Hope Arm.   And there are more names from Stage Coaches, Road Building and Power Projects now all but forgotten.

So if anyone remembers the people that where part of this route it would be good to hear about them.

A E Nicholson.

Southland Times Needs a Makeover

Posted 9th July 2016 to the Southland Times Newspaper

Dear Natasha,
Your Paper is "striking out" on Progressive Liberal Feedback, you forget too much Public oppion is never a bad thing.

Newspapers NEED to be the Moderate Voice of Reason  for their communities  to bridge the different factions of the community they represent.

The Internet is not a good place for Community Discussion of opposing points of view.
If you fail as an editor in this area then you do all your staff a disservice.

Journalism use to be a profession. but too many have sold out.

That is the real DOWNFALL of the Print Media  not Google or Apple

Your Industry has a Demon and it's name is Murdoch..

What about injustice ? Your staff act like they have been feed emotion suppressing drugs.

(From the Odentroll Dispatch)