Southland Times: Philosophers Union

Published letter to the Editor:
7th September 2012

I would like to complain that there is not enough philosophy in this Publication, As a member of the local artist and Philosophers community I would like to point out that in times of Doubt and Uncertainty people need philosophers to put life into perspective. We live in unknown territory where improvements science and technology can change winners into losers in a blink of an eye, if philosophers don’t keep up it will hurt!

As our Nemesis: Politicians, Shakespeare nailed it when he wrote “Like inside plants two opposed kings encamp themselves in man, Grace and Rude Will and where the worser is predominant full soon the canker cancer eats up that plant.
With that in mind I propose that any good journalist should also be a good gardener and do some weeding.

Southland Times: Hydrogen Revolution

unpublished letter to the editor
4th September 2012

You gotta wonder at all John Key’s knuckle headed optimism about selling off State Energy Assets for profit.
Is he trying to mimic George Bush Jnr or does he know something We don’t?
Why is the Bluff Smelter looking shaky all of a sudden? Why are Coal mines pulling the plug?  Iceland may be the answer, before the “Crash” Iceland discovered that it could seriously swap fossil fuel imports for Hydrogen produced by their abundant Hydro Electric Production. At the time it was said technology for Hydrogen fuelled transport was a ways off for non Icelanders but it was coming. People in the know about this “coming” could make a real killing, People like for example Prime-Ministers and Ma & Pop CEOs. However our electrical energy and water rights are State owned at the moment so where is the fun in that for our key people!

ODT: Hollyford Camp Visit

letter to the editor:
Posted to the Otago Daily Times Dunedin 3rd September 2012

I just spent this last Weekend at Murray Gun’s old Camp in the Hollyford Valley, Fiordland with The Te Anau Scouts,

It is great to see the Trust that runs it has made it comfortable for groups with a new Common Room / Kitchen Facility
 as well as preserving the camp as a living museum, It is hard to believe that in the past the Park authorities wished to demolish it.

Now it is a link to the past of Pack Horse Pioneers, 1930s Works Schemes, Deer hunters and The last great Wilderness where the road from civilisation ends in primordial Jurassic like Forest.

The Kids loved the old Barry Crump Ambience and humorous touches from a pre sanitized-OSH era when life was lived by ones own wits.
And this has not gone un-noticed by special tour groups.


*Printed, date and page unknown.

Fiordland Tourism & Department of Conservation

Letter to the Editor: 
24th August 2012

I agree with VIV Shaw's article in last weeks Advocate saying that the Money a National Park Earns should not all be sent off to Central Government
And that charging for vehicle entry into the park might be well spent making the Park Better for Visitors but the Department need not charge Kiwis to use there own parks.
If the National Park can make money from its own Campsites and Walking Tracks why cant it run it’s own launch Trips and Bus tours?
Doubtful Sound and the Glow Worm caves are now under virtual commercial monopoly, they need competition
I would like also to see the park staff given performance bonuses just like in the private sector to give a flow on boost to the larger Fiordland Community.

Southland Times: Australian Media Barons

unpublished letter to the Editor:
27th August 2012

What is the deal with Australian News Barons and their colony Newspapers?
They seem to be accused of promoting hidden agendas
We have been living in times of plenty yet we are riddled with Paranoia
People don’t seem to be comfortable investing in this country or each other

We seem to be frightened, ignorantly grasping at straws such as Mineral & Dairy Extraction and Sports Stadiums or even State Asset sales
Even our Local and Regional Governments seem to be Ignoring the lives & happiness of ordinary New Zealanders
Who fail to move across the ditch.

But now something odd is happening small kiwi owned Newspapers are doing OK and the Australian Mastheads are taking on water.

Sorry to be a Devil’s Advocate Journo, but you need to know.

Southland Times: Coal Debate

the unprinted letter to the editor:
19th August 2012

Reading the Jack Murrell vs. Robert Guyton, Greed vs. Green Arguments in this publication make me think that People do not realise that the Nature of Money and Work has Change greatly in the last 3 decades and some people have not caught up.

 Jack has not noticed that nobody here wants to physically dig Coal anymore in a world where 99 percent of the Europeans now are being paid to be happy and keep out of trouble or enforce endless pointless regulation by the State Backed by Global Money passed around by Alpha European blokes in suits and their Asian Allies.

Modern Money today is “Electronic”, doled out from a highly convoluted mathematical game that rewards it’s best Players well but wastes resources both environmental and Human on an Industrial Scale!

Robert Guyton knows this and so do I, it’s obvious that the Coal we rip up will not sustain life, it will be turned into junk to fill the Global Landfills.

One day we might need it for an emergency and the cupboard will be bare.

Coal is part of the “Real” World, Electronic Money isn’t,  it can’t keep you warm or cook your tea.

Radio NZ: Minimum Wage Debate

Comment sent to NinetoNoon Radio NZ 1st August 2012

Kathryn,
It seems odd to me, I live in Southland, a very rich comfortable province and I can’t help noticing that there are a LOT of people about that don’t seem to do anything constructive.

If they have money they just sit on it and take life easy. But we are short on useful productive people.
The Bulk of these well off people are National Party Supporters and as such must find Mr David Clark’s Minimum Wage Rise dangerous thinking. Maybe because wealth is abject to who is worse off but Maybe they feel if the workers get “Comfortable” they might stop working like slaves, get fat, and infiltrate the National Party!

New Zealand is a lousy country for capitalism because it is just to far from the illegal immigrant labour supply. The USA runs off of illegal near-slave labour.
Our slaves are old and worn out, way overdue for replacement maybe paying them a tad more might just sustain them a bit longer.

A shame slaves can not double as trades people, Dentists and Doctors, good ones are getting harder to find these days!