To Q it may concern...

 Posted 8th May 2021 to The New York Times Newspaper NY USA 

   

I have an electronic message to pass on from Odentroll to Codemonkey Z :

"Well Played Young Monkey! Q-Dos to you!

Now let us see what numbers my side has to roll" .  

        

Green Covid Jobs - New Zealand

 Posted 2nd May 2021 to the Southland Times Newspaper Invercargill New Zealand NZ 

    

I must comment on the Jobs for Nature scheme in Saturdays paper.

I have been working on jobs for nature in Fiordland for decades now I wanted to use cycle trails as a dual delivery system for pest & weed control but also for public appreciation of our pristine wilderness  so far our Government has not been of much help. 

It is almost insane that our last proper park review was in 2007 in some countries that would be considered neglect.

I have to say...  As an old school big picture conservationist I have to roll my eyes at the green-washing that has been going on in our area and the lack of transparency of public spending and benefits in this area. 

People need jobs BUT they need to feel useful and appreciated  least we forget we are living the the Anthropocene Era and we just have to live with it...  Yes we can help but only nature can fix what has been done because nature is not run as a business or political position.  Sorry to tell you the worst of it is not in the bounds of our National Parks either.

      

Building a basic car for the times RNZ

 Posted 13th of April 2021 to Nine to Nine Radio New Zealand Wellington New Zealand 

    

 

There are a couple of things that bother me about Automobiles of the 21st century..

Firstly they are WAY to complex I would still be driving my Morris Minor because it had a lot less to break down alas

the rust regulations meant that a single blemish on the bodywork on a 60 year old car means you cant drive it on the road.

Despite the benefits to the environment of making a car last a life time. It is also sad that all the creative mind power in the automobile industry is focused on unnecessary electronics and not on durability... Cars can be designed to withstand a 40kmph crash with out major panel damage what we have now is metal eggshells on wheels.

The other thing is our national passion for Classic Cars. Why do we not have a deal like Australia and treat these cars as heritage items to be preserved with a special registration and more relaxed registration and rules ? 

In the future cars may only be used for special occasions not as mass transport so this makes perfect sense.