Mitch McConnell - Angel of Death ?

Posted 20th June 2019 to the Odentroll Blog Dispatch.

After US Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell quipped to journalists that he should be considered the Angel of Death a satanic mass has been suggested to worship him outside the US Senate to appease him.

Technically The Satanic Temple as a registered religious organisation has the rite to Worship Senator McConnell and should be allowed to hold a ceremony as a religious freedom. Even if it is to the Prince of Darkness.

Our Rupert Murdoch Dream

Posted 30th May 2019 to the Washington Post Newspaper Washington DC USA

There has been a lot of flack thrown at the media of late about bending the truth,
especially the Murdoch Brand that has serviced Americas desire for self deception since the Reagan Years.

 I think we are looking at this in the wrong way, reality is easy to see and we don’t need a paper to tell us that
Human nature has a very dark side especially from the spoiled and often nasty offspring of the great and powerful.

The Murdoch Brand is in fact a public service it makes life for the rest of us more comfortable to be shielded from all that for many years now.
However the last couple of years it has been very taxing on the Rupert family’s skills to make the magnificent awfulness of the nation’s trust fund kids in politics
sit comfortably as they appear to torment our democracy for sport as if they are poking sticks in to our government like it is an ant hill.

Well it is funny how human history and human failings play out on an endless loop. But also uncomfortable.

Respecting the RATE PAYERS

Posted 29th of May 2019 to the Advocate South Newspaper Te Anau NZ

It was sure great that Southland District Councillor Ebel Cramer came to Manapouri to chat with the locals about council issues and changes we are concerned about now underway,
I think everyone was happy to have a chat to calm the waters instead of a formal procedural meeting. Ebel was a friendly face of the Council and I hope we see more of this idea if the new streamlined Council operation in the future.

Also the Idea of more transparency into unused community rates seemed to have hit the right note.

Hope our good friends in Environment Southland take a few notes on these fresh ideas too. 

NZ Wetland Experience - ES

Posted 26th May 2019 to the Otago Daily Times Newspaper Dunedin NZ

It seems kind of sad that the guys at Environment Southland are upset that the Manapouri – Te Anau Cycle Trail went too close to a wetland area out side the town of Manapouri.

I seem to recall environmentalist Sir Alan Mark saying it would be a good thing for the public to have access to some wetlands as a good public relations gesture.
The Trails Trust could easily construct access to the nearby legendary Kepler Mire (Lord of the Rings Location) something Professor Mark once mooted for scientific reasons.

I doubt the Trails Trust would want to have anything to do with that now, one would think Environment Southland would desire such a public gestures but alas not.

Perhaps ES might at least consider some PR at the Save Manapouri Rock at the Manapouri end of the Cycle Trail as that would be a perfect have a water fountain to celebrate our Pure Fiordland Water.

If they are not keen on us celebrating our geographic features they ARE big on water.

Just FYI the guy who gave the first donation to get the Fiordland Trails Trust underway was also the guy who helped Gaylord Nelson get the first Earth Day Started...

Something the Minister of Conservation might consider in the upgrade of the National Park Plan.

Maori on NZ Maps vs Google

Posted 23rd May 2019 to the Advocate South Newspaper Te Anau NZ 

The question of alternative names for features in the Fiordland National Park (23rd May) is tricky,  as a history buff I have said to the NZ Geographic Board a few years back that they need a special map series 

That has historic events and names included especially for lost Maori information.

Luckily in these days of Google the NZGB could now ask to have this fixed relatively easily and not just for Maori Folklore but more recent stories for Middle Earth which is also culturally important to many visitors doing pilgrimages to New Zealand as unlike the old paper maps the Internet has space for everyone!

However before the NZGB gets stuck into it they might want to work on an official Maori History Database with citations and references just to keep things seemly.
That would be nice we would not like to see politics great temptation to rear it’s ugly head.

United States of the World ?

Posted 22nd May 2019 to the Otago Daily Times Newspaper Dunedin Otago NZ

The ghost of the late engineer Osama Bin Laden will be feeling happy seeing his handiwork play out
Using the USA’s military weight and size to break it’s back.  He set up a chain of events that have morphed
into his design.

As we speak the USA has two massive new wars on the books all ready to launch into plus all the ones still burning since
The events September 11th 2001  which will strain the US Military to it’s limits.
And at the same time facing potential turmoil at home and from the planet itself...

Strangely there is only one US Presidential candidate running on a anti war ticket Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii.
And she is not getting a lot of oxygen even from the liberals.

President Trump says he is “anti war” but he might be replaced soon and any replacement will come from a game of thrones cabinet.

Who would have thought that being a genius world leader would be so complicated!

Trump or Snap Election

Posted 22nd May 2019 to the Dominion Post Newspaper Wellington NZ

Things are looking very tricky for democracy in the United States at the moment with the breakdown of law in the higher levels of government. It is a dangerous game of chicken between the White House and Congress at play. 

There is only one tool in the box left to save the United States if congress fails. 

A snap election is the only peaceful hope. If that is held up by civil disobedience the complicated systems of this high tech civilisation will stop working. idiots with guns can not keep the systems going and 21st Century Americans are not capable of foraging for food and fuel like people of Venezuela.

There is another safety valve, many individual States are capable of self preservation if the federal system fails and just maybe the world could do without a mega super power if its too hard to keep it under control.
  
BTW Isn’t that is why FDR made the United Nations ?