NZ Conservation Department Blues

Posted 19th July 2019 to the Southland Times Newspaper Invercargill NZ

Just some observations on the Department of Conservation concessions debate in Fridays Paper. 
I think the real problem is that of mandate.

It started when the Department of Conservation was turned into the department of homeland environment security
and away from recreation after the Cave Creek disaster. Since then there has been no real govt organization focusing on the
fundamental reason for our national parks exist in the first place and that vacuum has been a bit of an open wound.

I guess because tourist visitor numbers are cyclical and Kiwis are so horrendously overworked they now have very little time for
recreation anymore, it makes sense in a way to ignore the problem and just run out the clock, a perfect strategy for a cash stripped
demoralised department one would think?

It is also sad that the people of Te Anau have been waiting over a decade on the clock for a thumbs up for Cycle Trails in their national park
and have now had to look to the Snowdon Forest for recreation opportunities.

I must say I some how doubt that the visionaries who founded our national parks did so to lock off all the best scenic places from the 99 percent but
that is what the effect is in 2019.

Blackmailed Leaders Flagged

Posted 14th July 2019 to the Chicago Tribune Newspaper USA

Watching the politics playing out in Washington DC with a hand full of greedy individuals holding the future of a huge complicated Nation and unimaginable mass of Humanity in their hands,
one has to ask what our the safeguards against blackmail and if it happens who can stop it and if there are no watchdogs or whistle blowers the who can see it when it happens.
And if so how can it be distinguished from day to day donor activity without proper transparency ?

Several powerful key people in Washington are acting very irrational, is that normal or are they in fact under some sort of duress?
The Framers and Founders where worried about this but in the 21st century we seem to be more concerned about small change and minutia.

It is a feature of every human brain only handle a community of just over 100 person after that the mind shuts off so running a superpower involves a network of leaders that not only know how to organize for the greater good but also send out alerts when the net work is corrupted or subverted and that transcends national boundaries, cultures and faiths.

Currently this network is sending up a lot of warning flags! 

The end of the People's Car

Posted 12th July 2019 to the Southland Times Newspaper Invercargill NZ

Reading your story about the Mexicans love of the classic VW beetle and the end of the 1990s reboot version production I feel like an observation is in order.
Frankly I feel like the automotive industry has lost it’s marbles.
In the past there was a push to sell no nonsense peoples cars the Ford Model T, The Austin 7, the VW Beetle, the CV Citroen, cars that where cheep fixable rugged and could
drive across a ploughed field. Loaded with character and wonderfully cheep & simple. Perfect for the undeveloped world.

Can I buy a modern counterpart today? No, because they are not allowed to make them.  The waste of energy in building a disposable modern car is astounding  when we could make cars that
can last forever and take knocks unlike the shiny metal egg shells of today.

I see GM has shut down car plants in the USA to gear up for autonomous electric cars because Americans only want to buy Trucks??

Ironically Mexico has no shortage of drivers all they need is some kind of VW Beetle that can reach rugged remote destinations without falling apart.

Anthropocene Emergency Confusion

Posted 1st July 2019 to the Southland Times Newspaper Invercargill Southland NZ

Looking around the discussions about the human overpopulation and just plain bad habits wrecking the planet
one has to question the education system for the gaps in simple understanding of words and effects.

When people want to declare a code red CLIMATE EMERGENCY for example it does not require a air raid siren and flashing lights
It is in fact a heads up to start factoring a big change into our society, so it is not just a call to action for those in power
but a wake up call to everyone who will be effected by something that will effect everyone everywhere in some form or other.
It is without doubt a responsible act to indicate the need to prepare.

Public Education I am sad to say teaches little about life skills and critical thinking and a lot about passing exams for entry the job market
leaving the internet to fill vast gaps in young minds.

Just a quick look on the internet reveals many people speaking with authority about politics and history parroting a load of folklore
and assumptions based on half learned observations and often, contempt.... Take the term socialism, how many people think it means
 a living hell as opposed to a word that literally means leave no one behind.  Maybe it’s not all the fault of educators but it is already
heading to become a code orange emergency of it’s own.     

Climate Emergency in Local Politics

Posted 14th of June to the Southland Times Newspaper Invercargill Southland NZ

The call for Environment Southland to declare a Climate Emergency and to join other regional environmental agencies has been building.
I guess this will test the metal of the region to see if we have the will to tackle the mother of all environmental problems instead of the usual small change stuff.
I just hope our will to survive has not become political as it has in certain other nameless countries across the seas.

Just remember step one in fixing a problem of any magnitude is to name it.  What the Media calls Climate Change and experts amongst there colleges call the Anthropcene Outbreak is here.
We humans caused it... We fix it... Together...

Obama Called Climate Emergency ish

Posted 11th June 2019 to the Southland Times Newspaper Invercargill NZ

I read Robert Guyton stating it is time to declare a climate emergency on a local level.

I happen to know a message asking president Obama to declare a climate emergency was sent just after the time
Obama finished off Bin Laden. A dramatic presidential announcement was not forth coming but he did make the effort to say
to a journalist that “Of course climate change is a problem”  instead of flinching from the idea.

I suppose in retrospect President Obama was not the man for the job as he did not have the backs of the right wing voters.
to declare a global state of Emergency a president would require the powers of a dictator  and Mr Obama was getting enough heat
of his own to walk into that kitchen.

So while we wait for a presidential super hero to save us all, us folks at the bottom of the power pyramid need to get cracking and change
the political narrative. 

Cunning Tax relief for the Taxpayer

Posted 7th June 2019 to the Dominion Post Newspaper Wellington NZ

Here is a thought about our tax system...

Citizens with money pay the most tax...  So if our large poor population had more money, they could pay more tax and take the Burdon off the middle and upper middle class.
So a living wage would give the government a larger and deeper pocket to dig into.

Also it should be clear to tax payers that their money goes to help everyone especially themselves if they are down on their luck as well as doing nice social projects.
Tax should not be used to fix the mess caused by sub living wage effects.

No harm has come out of giving people a living wage in places where it has been put into practice. It was a slippery slope to have let it happen in the first place and it is a sign of incompetence
As well as unfettered property speculation.