Silicon Valley Robber Barons - Booking Systems

Posted 27th December 2018 to the Mountain Scene Newspaper Queenstown NZ

I hate to point it out but NZ Tourism has been taken for a ride by Silicon Valley California which is clipping every ticket in the country so to speak, Yes every business that uses ON-LINE BOOKING is giving their hard earned money to modern day Robber Barons.

We had our own home grown Information sites that use to handle the flow of tourists but they did not keep up with technology nor did our feckless government tourism ministry  especially when it was run by our previous alleged Prime Minister.

There are some who refuse to partake in this nonsense money leeching algorithm but one has to take a hit because silicon valley has changed the nature of tourism its self to a point where the Idea of following one nose has become antiquated and human recreation its self is now controlled by some kind of destructive artificial intelligence.

But that is another story.  

Queenstown's Train of Shame

Posted 16th January to the Mountain Scene Newspaper Queenstown NZ

 It is clear now that the Government is the only hope for the Kingston Flyer as the Private sector is not fit for heritage tourism
Projects. I hope one day the Real Story of the demise of this iconic Steam Train concept will be printed as an example of everything going wrong that can go wrong when private enterprise fails.
At one time the Earnslaw and the Flyer where one package but both when their separate ways so what happened?
When did the Flyer get its curse ?  There is a lesson here to be told... And its not over yet...

The Curse of Central Otago

Posted 7th January 2018 to the mountain scene newspaper Queenstown NZ.

It’s been a long times since I have been into Skippers, and actually in a VW Kombi the Traditional Skippers Bus of the 1970s
I am so gutted to read that the Historic Mount Aurum Homestead is now gone but was very sad to see that all the trees are dead around Skippers. It looks absolutely terrible.  I don’t think I could bear going back there now.  Sad how it was once a place of great beauty now it looks like an industrial accident. It really is painful. The progress of modern times has not been kind to Central Otago. A cancerous petulance of Ugly has fallen on a once fair land. 

Queenstown NZ Tourism Revolution needed

Posted 11th Dec 2017 to the Mountain Scene Newspaper Queenstown NZ.

I look at Queenstown these days and I sense despair for the future.. Every thing is hanging on direction for people of great wealth and power coming in from far away to fix Queenstown with a bundle of cash and good intentions. 
The sad fact is there are way to few Paul Brianerds out there to come in and save your bacon.

If people wish to live and work in a place like Queenstown they will need to pull together and form cooperatives.
The Government is too weak and greedy private enterprise are not going to help.

In economic terms you are in a DEAD END unless you pull together.  
As UK leader Jeremy Corbin says there is now no real alternative.

Our property speculation bubble will POP one day and nobody has a plan that I can see
And a lot of our benevolent rich people will turn out to have feet of clay when that happens.  
   
A strong co-operative is unbreakable! 

Leaky Mini Mansions of Queenstown NZ

Posted 8th October 2017 to the Mountain Scene newspaper Queenstown NZ

I have done a bit of building in my day, I had a grandfather who was a professional carpenter and I was looking at all the modern buildings
In last weeks edition showcasing architecture.

I was surprised to see a large proportion of expensive buildings have deliberately flawed roofing designs that require constant maintenance
making them likely to leak.

Roofs are not rocket science in an area with snow fall loading one must consider the traditional alpine style roofing that protects the building
From harsh weather.. but also excessive sunlight deterioration in summer.

So home builders you might want to ask your architect if common sense is right for you.

Remember in the 21st century, waste IS a terrible thing.

Dinky Swiss Buses for Queenstown ?

Posted 29th September to the Mountain Scene newspaper Queenstown NZ

When reason prevails and cars & coaches are kicked out of Queenstown we might want to look to Zermatt Switzerland where they use a fleet of tiny E-Buses to service there bustling Tourist Industry.
That is if Queenstown wants to keep up with the Big Boys and hold on to a bit of charm.