Christchurch

As our bureaucracy will ensure months/years of delay before any real rebuilding of Christchurch will start, John Key should immediately announce an international competition, open to anyone, for new ideas for the area bounded by the four avenues. It should provide areas for people to do things on an individual basis but within a new frame work. New open spaces can be incorporated. Maybe a simple tram system for transport
Let the creativity of people help define the future of Christchurch and the gateway to the South Island.
We must rebuild this area in an exciting and affordable manner that encourages people and business to want to be part of it.
There will be thousands of ideas out there so lets get them on paper and make a plan.
We need a vision of the future.

Olduvai Gorge

I see Ele at Homepaddock has a very nice poem based on Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania.
So here is a photo to go with it.
It is a very dusty but well worthwhile deviation off the road between Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti. The gully has been eroded right back to the bed rock so offers a wonderful slice of geological time and animal history, including us humans. On the last visit I was very impressed with the little museum and a local student gave us a very interesting explanation of it all.

Time for some Tory charity

I have and you should too.
http://www.christchurchearthquakeappeal.govt.nz/

Any political comments will be deleted. Especially any about the baby killer getting a "private citizen" tour.
I am incensed about disaster tourism as well but it can wait for another post.

CHRISTCHURCH EARTHQUAKE

I see that Mr Norman, co-leader of the Greens, in a Pavlovian response to the disaster, has called for the introduction of a special tax levy to help fund the recovery.

It may be that the shear scale of the disaster may require extreme measures but I would urge the Government to think very carefully before deciding to do a 'Gillard'.

I say that for two reasons. First, much (not all) of the ensuing expenditure is likely to be of a capital nature which has a very long pay back period. Second, taking money out of peoples pockets is likely to have an adverse impact throughout the rest of the country where economic recovery is dependent on continued spending.

But it certainly does bring into sharp focus the dilemma that Labour is facing with its me too, Johnny come lately, first $5,000 tax free election bribe. Phil Goff must spell out in specific terms where the money is coming from given the certain adverse effect the earthquake will have on the Crown accounts.

Perhaps he can turn to Mr Cullen for sage advice.

People Who Don't Think

I recall reading a few weeks ago during the aftermath of South Island floods, criticism of the insurance industry over policy wordings to do with flood damage. In the comments section some halfwit was complaining that the industry distinguishes between a flood and a deluge and such distinctions are just too difficult for your average unteracheiving NCEA Labour cannon fodder voter to comprehend.

Then Adolf had a brainwave. He remembered that fine old insurance related song which was taught him in Sunday School. Do you remember the one about the wise man who built his house upon a rock?



To make insurance easy for Labour voters they simply need to learn this song. Here is the money section:-

Oh, the rain came down
And the floods came up
The rain came down
And the floods came up
The rain came down
And the floods came up
And the house on the sand went SPLAT!

There you have it. Simple, see?

A deluge comes down.

A flood comes up.

Even Chris Faafoi might get it.

CHRISTCHURCH EARTHQUAKE

Isn't Bob Parker doing it well providing both leadership and projecting a calm and measured voice of Christchurch to the world.

Those Hard Questions Again

A few days ago Adolf posed some hard questions about the aftermath of the Christchurch disaster.

He copped some semi-coherent flack for opining that Mr Goff might find some difficulty promoting his spend spend spend policies. It would seem there are some in the community who seem to think everyone must rush around like headless chooks until the final death count is confirmed. To even muse aloud about the harsh realities is deemed 'insensitive.'

Well all I can say is that at times of crisis there needs to be at least someone who can put aside the 'sensitivities' and think clearly. Some people call that leadership.



Fran O'Sullivan appears to have caught on, with a useful piece in this morning's Herald. She basically repeats Adolf's theme of three days ago.

What will New Zealanders be prepared to forgo in order to look after their mates in Christchurch? Anything? $5k tax free? Paying social welfare benefits to thousands of people who could work but will not lift their fat arses to go out and find a job?

Namely, bludgers will have to give up some of their ill gotten bribes in order to help finance the cost of recovery for Christchurch. By bludgers I refer to well off families who are creaming it on so called tax credits and interest free student loans for their little darlings.

Last time I looked, the cost of this episode was pitched a $16,000,000,000.

Ms O'Sullivan lets herself down with this howler, through:-

This is the opportune time for him to review the extent of his Government's tax-cuts, which are being funded through borrowing .........

Of all people she should know the tax cuts are NOT financed from borrowing. They are financed from an increase in GST. Had the tax cuts not occurred, along with the associated increase in GST we would still be borrowing exactly the same amount. No more and no less.

The future

There are amazing stories coming out of Christchurch now. Thankfully, the human spirit never ceases to astound me.

Tragically it seems no more survivors will be found. My condolences go to all those who have lost loved ones.

But trying to take positives out of such a tragedy is not easy.
I would like to see all New Zealanders, from the Prime Minister down, use the rebuilding of Christchurch, both socially, physically and economically, as a chance to stop and think carefully.
We have an opportunity to put in place amazing change. A rebuilding that could help define us all for this century.

Let people take the opportunity to think.
And let our leaders have the courage to act with wisdom.
Instead of blindly rebuilding the past, let's see if we can start building a new New Zealand.

KIWIBANK

I see Kiwibank's profit is down by 41% due to a 133% increase in their provision for bad debts.

I guess that goes with the territory when you set up a bank targeting customers that other banks wouldn't touch with a barge pole.

Not being judgemental. Just stating a fact.

And Now For something Different

It seems the Whitehouse has some spelling difficulty.



God knows what happens when they deal with Organised Labia.

Airport

i have just collected friends arriving from Christchurch.
I arrived early to a sea of people all anxiously waiting at the gate. Every man woman and child had the most extraordinary stress written all over their faces. More than half the crowd openly weeping. As the Cantabs started to come through the emotion was too much for this blogger.
I cannot remember a time in my life when I have been more sad.

CHRISTCHURCH

The enormity of the Christchurch disaster is such that is is very difficult to blog about. I suspect that all of us have relatives and friends directly affected. My 89 year old aunt has come through unscathed; many others haven't.

The stories of courage and generosity shine through. At the opposite end of the spectrum are the 'looters' whose complete disregard for the norms of human behaviour is sickening to behold. The Manning family are suffering enough without having to cope with the additional burden of lowlife scum breaking into and loopting their home.

I guess for those that are apprehended justice needs to take its course. But would I be completely out of order to suggest that, given the state of national emergency, these 'people' should be dealt with by way of immediate summary hearing without the right of appeal ... sort of a civilian Courts Martial???????

Hard Questions

Sooner or later, the hard reality will bite and it is not at all pleasant.

• When will big shake number three occur?

• Does Christchurch have ANY future?

• Why is it that for a hundred years there was little activity and suddenly there are serious shakes EVERY DAY for four months?

• What are the political implications? (The exchange rate took an adverse tumble for Adolf yesterday. I hope it recovers before my looming settlement date.)

• How much will this add to our current deficit?

• What will New Zealanders be prepared to forgo in order to look after their mates in Christchurch? Anything? $5k tax free? Paying social welfare benefits to thousands of people who could work but will not lift their fat arses to go out and find a job?
  

• Will it occur to Phil Goff that now his spend spend spend pronouncements are exposed in all their cynical hypocrisy?
  

Christchurch

Having grown up in Canterbury and spending my university days in Christchurch, I can only express my dismay after yesterday's earthquake. The loss of life is tragic and my thoughts and prayers go out to all affected.
My Dad and Mum live in Christchurch and miraculously they have once again escaped any major damage. But we are making plans for them to come and stay with us until the true nature of the consequences of this disaster are understood.
As a structural engineer, it was very disheartening to see the CTV and PGG buildings collapse in such a manner. It is surprising that the columns failed so completely, with such tragic consequences for the people trapped inside.

Thank You

Thanks to our real friends....

Australia, USA, Singapore, Japan, and Israel.

G

Edit: 0712. Apparently Taiwan and Britain can be added to the list, cheers guys.

Electile Dysfunction

The poor old Horse Wankerer.

Before he could get his leg over some wet knickered big knockered juvenile political reporter, along came Roy Morgan. No amount of tax payer funded Viagra can hide the plain ugly truth.

The lying old prick simply is past it.

NZ First down 2.5% (down 3.0%)

The medical profession buries its failures

There are various levels on which the calls for public funding of bariatric surgery are severely fucked up, but the most obvious one is that it's an attempt by the medical profession to bill us for its obstinate refusal to face the fact that its dietary guidelines are just plain wrong. This article on Stuff this morning provides a handy illustration.

Two things this article highlights that ought to be really obvious to epidemiologists, if they were scientists rather than activists:

1. After decades of having epidemiologists and nutritionists demonising fat and meat, and telling people to eat a "healthy" high-carb diet instead, and medical practitioners dutifully passing on this old cobblers to their patients, the number of morbidly obese people has skyrocketed. Does this suggest to epidemiologists, nutritionists and medical practitioners that perhaps those dietary guidelines need looking at? No, it suggests to them "Oh my God! Major surgery is the only answer!" Feel free to bang your head on your desk at this point...

2. The article points out both women featured in it are at risk of the effects of type 2 diabetes, such as gangrenous limbs or blindness, but attributes the cause of this risk to their being overweight and asserts bariatric surgery would solve the problem by removing the excess weight. This is a serious and obvious correlation=causation error. To see it, consider the possibility (hell, the extreme likelihood if you study this shit) that morbid obesity and type 2 diabetes are not a cause and its effect, but are both symptoms of a different problem - if they are, just removing the excess weight obviously isn't a solution to that problem.

The kicker in all this for the long-suffering taxpayer, who is footing the bill for publicly-funded bariatric surgery, is the dietary recommendations for people who've had bariatric surgery. One site sums it up as "for the rest of your life, protein will be your top priority when making food choices." Well, yeah - if you do that, the weight won't come back. And if this dietary advice had been recommended for the general population the last 40 years or so, the weight may not have turned up in the first place, and we wouldn't be seeing demands for public funding of bariatric surgery. The power of a false premise firmly believed in, huh?

Winston Peters

I watched 3 news tonight, not by choice but after a full on day outside the remote was too far for my enfeebled arms to reach.
Anyway, the usual poll results;
The country loves Key and does not know who Phil Goff is but they do remember the beast.
Peters apparently is polling in the low three's and when asked for comment was filmed on camera spouting the usual shite.
Namely his private polling totaling 10,000 has him on over 9%.
WHEN IS THE MSM GOING TO START CALLING HIM ON HIS LIES.
I do not believe him.
You know election year is on when the pie eater Garner starts talking labour with them being in touch of an impossible victory with the support of the Greens, Maori and Winston Peters. Bullshit from Garner as usual although he does look like he may have broken the habit of a lifetime and walked straight past the pie shop a couple of times this summer.

Ten Green Bottles

And one green bottle has fallen.

And if one green bottle
Should accidentally fall
There'll be nine green bottles
Hanging on the wall

Now there are only nine green bottles.

Here's the money quote:-

Last year, Professor Sackett backed a call from international scientists for urgent action on climate change.

Adolf eagerly awaits the demise of New Zealand's scientific green bottle, the fool Glugman.

Thanks Roger

I for one will be sad to see Roger Douglas leave Parliament. Given his age it is an entirely reasonable move.
So I wish him all the best and thank him for his contributions to NZ over the years.

I also see that another right wing party is in the wings.

I know that the ACT brand has taken a few hits, many of them well deserved. NZ is a small country, true right wing politics is just a part of our political spectrum. So why divide and risk failure?

I think that egos and personalities are often too much at the forefront.
We should just focus on working together to ensure our views are sounded in a reasonable manner and listened to by the people of NZ.
Our best hope for that to happen is with 8-10 seats after the next election under one banner.

Adding insult to injury

How would you go sitting through this without jumping up and telling 'em fuck?

"This" being a certain victim impact statement quoted in the story. Mr Robert Waikari, a munter, persuaded a young acquaintance, Ms Tini Christy, to drive his unroadworthy van that couldn't move in a straight line, because she was less pissed than he was. The resulting crash killed him.

In a display of the level of wisdom and personal insight that tells us how Waikari grew to be the munter he was, his mother felt inclined to get up in court and read out to the young girl whose life Waikari had ruined a "victim impact statement" - the mother, presumably, being somehow a "victim" in this (or at least, a "victim" of something other than her son's stupidity).

I don't think I could have sat through it without offering Waikari's mother a few suggestions as to where she should be looking if she's determined to blame someone.

Backdoor constitutions

FUNDING FLIP-FLOP

$3.4m - budget agreed last week.

$1.9m - budget suggested last night

This would be more truthful

$3.4m - budget foisted on gullible ratepayers last week.

I won't hold my breath over this one
The council also voted to formally request the Government to clarify the intentions of its legislation.

That would require strong leadership from Key.

And they save the worst till last

Mike Lee, who tried to throw the matter back to the Government for clarification of the law before the budget was finalised, said what happened would influence the constitutional development of the country.

"This issue is that important."

It looks like we are heading down the track of getting a sleazy, backdoor constitution.

You are damn right Lee.
This is important but don't believe for a second that you and your mates have any mandate to foist your version of some apartheid constitution on us.
The treaty is not a partnership.

A Quiet Acheiver

Tony Ryall, that is.



Have a look at these figures from this morning's Herald. A few hard facts for Hammeroids to ponder.

THE PAY RATES

Number of Health Ministry staff paid more than $90,000 a year:

* 435 at July 1, 2009.
* 440 at July 1, 2010.

Number paid less than $90,000 a year.

* 1052 at July 1, 2009.
* 897 at July 1, 2010.

And the next one to go should be the bureaucrat who told the select committee:-

The ministry said the increase in the number of actual people earning over $90,000 reflected a lower level of vacancies at the senior level.

I'm still trying to figure out how that works.

Farewell MWTW

Mind the gap

Years ago, taking the tube to work in London, as you pulled into every station some monotonous idiot on the loud speaker would loudly proclaim "mind the gap".
Now days, it's the lefty politicians who appear to have taken up the mantle.
The gap is nothing more than an invention of their rather dull imagination.
It only exists in their feeble minds to help justify their own importance.
The rest of us see the world for what it really is - competitive.
Competition to be the best is a backbone of human nature.
When we live in a country that does not provide equal education opportunities for all, then the idiots may have something to complain about.
In the mean time, I would suggest that any one seeking to close their gap, use the time honoured means - education, imagination and hard work.
Otherwise, if you rely on politicians to do it for you, you are extremely likely to miss the train completely.
And maybe those politicians could, rather than blithering on about a figment of their imagination, actually figure out how to insert a more competitive backbone into our education system.

"sacred mountain"

Peter Jackson is having a terrible year.
The Hobbit does indeed appear cursed, first the studio nearly goes broke then del Toro pulls out then talentless talent get manipulated by an Aussie and the studio threatens to pull out then his guts explode and now to Cap it all off the central north island Maoris decide it is their turn to poofinger the movie by declaring Ngarahoe off limits due to it being "sacred".
I expect the sacredness has a price of course.
Why he does not film the whole thing in a studio and get the cgi team to paint the rest in is beyond me.
I would put in a link but the iPad cut and paste feature is more of a mystery to me than why Jackson has not quit this place.
Story on stuff.co.nz

One word

There is only one word to describe the debacle over the funding of the Maori Board by Lyen Brown's finance committee.
Disgraceful.
Thank goodness, at least we have some sane councillors to counter Brown's troughing appetite.
For elected representatives to act in such a cavalier manner with ratepayer's money is verging on the criminal.
Of course this is just the tip of the iceberg, as the Treaty gets its creeping revision to being a partnership.

Whatever Happened to Pam Corkery?

Just as well the poor bastard didn't trip on a discarded condom and fall flat on his face.

When You're Hot, You're Hot

Adolf and The Cook made it to Adelaide. Well Gawler, actually.

Thirty seven degrees and operating by air card.

We strongly recommend readers avoid the Auckland Airport Holiday Inn. Rated four and a half stars but definitely struggling.

Air New Zealand was excellent. A320 had oodles of leg room and superb music selections.

Four weeks in a serviced apartment and now to find a car and then a house. The housing market is much flatter than that in Auckland so Adolf should be able to drive a hard bargain, what with being cashed up.

Adolf will find some income earning activity. Maybe three or four days per week with no requirement to sing the company song or listen to the corporate horse shit at rah dee rah meetings.

It's been a long three days. Two days of packers and cleaners followed by a day of travel.

Relaxing with a bottle of Aussie Moet (Yellow Glen, The Cook's favorite) and a dash of 18 year old Glen Livet.

Give an inch, take a mile.

It appears we are now at risk at a double dip recession. This should really come as no surprise. The last crisis was unprecedented. We should never have expected to just walk away from it and grow our way back. The mindset of people has changed. The mindset of businesses has changed.

The only mindset that hasn't changed is that of government.

I know that John Key will talk about limiting the State, but it will only ever be talk around the edges. The fundamental problem is that when you give politicians an inch, they always take a mile. Always have, always will.

And if you think that the State are the only mile takers, just wait until we are eventually renamed - New Iwiland.

More bullshit

I see we are now paying $650,000 in our rates for "research on wellbeing of Maori" as part of a $3,400,000 bill to pander to their apartheid aspirations.

Will we ever see the day when bullshit is called bullshit.

I know it won't happen under Lyen Brown's regime.
Will he now be raising rates even more to fund the special lifestyle of a few.

Next best thing to an arsehole.

This breeder has 6 kids, expects us to pay for them and then complains about the price of bread.
She isn't too far removed from an arsehole herself.

BYE BYE JOHN

So, 'John' Harawiri has been kicked out of the Maori Party caucus.

So, as an independent he can give his proxy vote to Labour where he obviously feels at home along with the other malcontents from the 'Left' of the political spectrum.

Incredibly good news for National and disastrous news for Labour. Bit like the wino ner do well, infested with fleas, who comes a calling.

So, now the choices become starker. Vote Labour you get Winston and John and Norman and Phil. Problem is that Winston hates Norman and both hate John while Phil would like to hate all three but can't (daren't) say so.

We live in interesting times.

GREYTOWN - BRILLIANT

When the Veteran retired from the military he purchased a home in Greytown in the Wairarapa. Even then it was a special place, secure in its own history and populated by people determined to preserve its special character.

Greytown was the first inland town to be settled in New Zealand. Another 'first' was that Arbor day originated in Greytown and you can still see that first planting as you enter the town from the south. It is a town dominated by trees; Soldiers Memorial Park and a main street that has been completely transformed encompassing boutique cafes and bars, antique shops and restaurants, and many and varied accommodation options including The White Swan Hotel where you can pamper yourself for a mere $399 per night ... but I digress.

The particular history of Greytown is such that much of the commercial area and a significant number of residential sections are owned by the Greytown Trustlands Trust which was established by Act of Parliament in 1871. Today the Trust owns property not just in Greytown but in other Wairarapa towns and in Wanganui and Napier. The aims of the Trust, set in statute, include the promotion of education and the general wellbeing of the people of the District.

Our sil has just been posted to Wellington where he will learn to drive a desk which is somewhat different from commanding HMNZS Te Mana which he did for the past three years. They sold their villa in Devonport for a tidy seven figure sum and then spent a truly frustrating couple of months searching for something in Wellington that met their needs. No luck there so they went further afield and purchased a 15 acre property in Greytown and Blair will commute to work by train - only a 70 minute trip.

But back to the point of this post. Our granddaughter had her first day at the Greytown Primary School last Wednesday and came home bubbling with excitement. The Trust funds a programme whereby every pupil in the senior department is 'given' their own laptop computer. For the first year it remains at school. Therafter they can take it home.

That single initiative is creating a bunch of incredibly IT savvy kids and giving them a huge head start in life. Well done the Greytown Trustlands Trust.

Please Explain!!!!

Adolf hopes some gentle reader will use our comments facility to translate this garbage from today's Herald.

A Pakeha tertiary worker from Whangarei attending the service for the first time said the dawn service had been on her bucketlist.

Who cares

Apparently it's Whinetangi Day tomorrow.

The sooner we have a New Zealand Day that reflects our true multicultural status the better.

Update . Looks like the celebrations are going to plan.

Update 2. From the herald poll of 23,000 people.
"Is Whinetangi Day important to you?".
77% No

TI TI MARAE

David Rankin and I probably disagree about many things but we are certainly singing from the same songsheet when he labels Kingi Taurau and his bunch of no-hopers that run the Ti Ti Marae (the lower Marae at Waitangi) 'Village Idiots' over their decision to charge media $1,000 per outlet for the 'privilege' of covering events at the Marae.

Taurau insults Maori protocol; he insults me as Ngati Taumatauenga and my own Marae, Rongomaraeroa o Nga Hau e Wha, at Waiouru.

Koha is freely given by visitors as a mark of love and respect. This is not koha ... it's a charge and as such is subject to GST. And Taurau's reaction to Rankin's demand to see the books is to bare his buttocks (metaphorically speaking).

Rankin is right. The IRD should do a compulsory audit of the Marae's books. It would be interesting to see just how much of the various 'koha' gathered over the years has gone missing.

Village Idiots is a very good descriptive.

What's In Store For The Herald

When you annoy half of your potential readership, don't be surprised if you go broke.

The piece is short but so delightful that it is quoted in full.

An 11.1% increase in digital advertising revenue was not enough to offset the 7.2% decline in print advertising revenue year-over-year, the New York Times Company disclosed in its fourth quarter earnings report Thursday.

Overall revenue was down 2.9% to $661.7 million in the fourth quarter of 2010, compared to the same quarter last year. Overall advertising revenue dropped 3.1%, while circulation revenue declined a further 3.6%

Overall profit fell a full 26% compared to the same period in 2009. The company reported a profit of $67.1 million for the quarter, compared to a profit of $90.9 million in Q4 2009.

Digital advertising now makes up 26% of the company’s total advertising revenues, President and CEO Janet L. Robinson said in a statement. The company generated $113.2 million in revenue from its digital ad products in the fourth quarter.

As for the future, she said, “visibility remains limited.”

Limited indeed. They must be sailing very close to the reef.

The Herald has all the ingredients. The NYT has Krugman, the Herald has McCarten. The NYT has Friedman, the Herald has Orsman. At least Fran O'Sullivan and John Armstrong provide a veneer of intelligent analysis and opinion.

The only difference though, is that the NYT hasn't turned itself into a tawdry tabloid.

A look at our future

Farming in NZ will eventually reach it's natural capacity due to availability of land.
Tourism will likewise be limited by our isolation, so here is NZ's future.

Large scale retirement villages catering for the world's baby boomers.
Our benign weather and scenery are unbeatable.
No State benefits, subsidies or pensions provided.
But full access to state of the art medical facilities.
You can speak whatever language you like.
Anyone convicted of criminal activity is immediately deported to country of origin.

Just bring your cash, security clearance and medical insurance.

Why I Don't Buy Newspapers

Here's the headline:-

Protesters open fire

Here's the first line of the story:-

Backers of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak have opened fire on protesters, killing four.

See if you can pick the subtle nuance in the headline writer's interpretation of the story.

Well done Fairfax. Stick to analyzing the minutiae of DHB executive expense vouchers.

Ever The Diplomat

Does anyone still seriously think Harawira will not be expelled from the Maori Party?

After his latest effort today there is little doubt.

His Facebook page reads: "It looks like these dickheads only have expulsion on their mind. If that's their plan, then we may need to refocus."

Harawira claims he has been fighting to stay in the Maori Party for the last two weeks, however in his comments today he seems resigned to the fact he will be expelled.

Neither the parliamentary MP team nor the party officials will have any mana left if they do not kick their dickhead into touch - permanently.

Phil Goff, no doubt, will welcome him. He will provide some improvement to the tone of Labour.

I can see it all now. Jones, Horomia, Harawiwa, Mahuta. A fantastic team.

Egypt

I spoke yesterday to a Christian Egyptian friend who now lives in NZ. She is very concerned for her sister in Cairo, who lives about 20km from downtown. She is terrified to leave her house, food is impossible to buy, there are continual gun shots and looting.

After this murder at New Year, the Christians (10% of the population) live in a much heightened fear of persecution.
The people who protest in the streets are seeking "freedom" but I strongly suspect that they will get the opposite.
Enslavement by a minority of fanaticals, far worse than anything Mubarak condoned.

As for the 8 million Christians. I fear that these days are sealing their fate.

And probably Israel's as well.

Goff Lied, Sailors died

Adolf has been following with interest, the coronor's hearing on the death of a sailor aboard HMS Canterbury. I will be fascinated to see the final report.

Thus far, two key witnesses have sheeted the blame home squarely to the Ministry of Defence and the then Minister at the time of the ship's commissioning. These are the lad's parents here and the senior naval officer here - the Deputy Inspector General for Defence, no less

Two extracts are telling and both get to the heart of the Defense Minister's incompetence.

The parents:-

"It is my contention that our son died as a result of incompetence."

Mr Solomon also said the Government-commissioned Coles Report had said the programme to commission the HMNZS Canterbury "has been managed to get the ship into service as soon as possible, and it has been characterised by shortcomings in project management and governance and collective wishful thinking".

The DIG;-

Commander William Craig, the Deputy Inspector General for the Defence Force, who has 33 years' experience, told the inquest the Navy knew that the Canterbury was inadequate.

"Can I draw on the analogy if you buy a car it will have a warrant of fitness. It will also be built to various standards. In this case, some of those standards were lacking."

However, Commander Craig says there was significant pressure to deploy the ship, despite the fact 24 hazards had been identified.

The ship was commissioned in June 2007 and the lad was killed in October of the same year.

Who was the Minister of Defence in charge of the Navy?
With what was he preoccupied in 2006 and 2007?



He was too busy helping his good friend Helen Clark work out how to steal a couple of million dollars from the taxpayer to fund their broken arsed party's election campaign. Far to busy to see to it that the troops lives are not put at unnecessary risk.

Major Rally For North Shore

Our friends from ACT are holding a bit of a rally on the North Shore, at which John Boscowan will deliver his Gettysburg address. Here's a picture of the last one.



If you'd like to go, here are the details. Monday evening.

Monday 7th Feb 2011, starting at 700 pm

at Channel View Lounge, Mary Thomas Centre, Gibbons Rd, Takapuna

Invitation from ACT ShoreWide

To attend a Public Meeting on the Foreshore & Seabed

Speaker: ACT Deputy Leader John Boscawen

On Monday 7 February 2011, starting at 7pm

at Channel View Lounge, Mary Thomas Centre, Gibbons Road, Takapuna

Join us to hear John outline the history of the foreshore and seabed debate. He will discuss the implications – and impending consequences – of the Government's proposed Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Bill.

"The Maori Affairs Select Committee hearings on this Bill have ended. During this process Maori and non-Maori alike have made it abundantly clear that there is no mandate for this Bill. Despite this, however, the National and Maori Parties remain determined to forge ahead with this flawed and deeply divisive legislation. ACT is the only Party to have maintained a consistent view on the foreshore and seabed issue: the 2004 Act should be repealed, and the right of Maori to have their claims heard in open court should be restored.”

“The foreshore and seabed is a huge issue for all New Zealanders and the Government cannot be allowed to put short-term political gain ahead of finding a long-term and just resolution."

By hell, he looks just like a younger version of Keith Holyoake!

Herald Shafts Warmists

Without realising it, today's Herald has cut the ground from the inevitable bullshit we'll hear about cyclone Yasi being caused by Global Warming or Sarah Palin or Dubbya.

Have a good look at the openers here:-

Cyclone Yasi is building as a storm of unprecedented ferocity - the likes of which hasn't been seen since 1918.

Update:

Well, that didn't take long. Right on cue, just for RobertGuyton:-

Scientists say there is a likely climate change link to the current La Nina through higher sea surface temperatures. The world's oceans and atmosphere have steadily warmed over recent decades and that warmth could be providing monsoons and storms with an extra kick.

A major global study in 2010, based on complex computer modeling, found that tropical cyclones will become stronger, with the intensity increasing between 2 and 11 percent by 2100.

'Steadily warmed,' eh? Just ignore the hard evidence of pronounced global COOLING since 1999.

Note the absence of serious evidence. Just unnamed 'scientists' with computer models.

Not again? Surely not?

WELL DONE JOHN KEY

John Key this afternoon confirmed the election date as Saturday 26 November and categorically ruled out working with Winston First.

He did that last time and what has changed with Winston First to cause him to rethink ..... nothing, nothing at all. Some might argue there is political risk in bolting the door shut. I would argue that it is a decision based on integrity.

So the battle lines become clearer still. Vote Winston First and you get Phil Goff.
Enough to frighten the most diehard Winston apologist.

Very Droll, Very Clever and Spot on

Comment of the week. From another muddy thread over at Kiwibog

1. georgebolwing (231) Says:
   February 2nd, 2011 at 11:37 am

   I note that Labour seem to have abandoned the strategy of trying to paint the PM as an evil, society-destroying, grandmother selling neoliberal disguising as a friendly, mildly conservative, middle-of-the-road pragmatist and now are painting him as a friendly, mildly conservative, middle-of-the-road pragmatist how doesn’t do anything.

   This seems odd, since he is friendly, mildly conservative, middle-of-the-road pragmatist, who has convinced the population that he only does mildly conservative, middle-of-the-road pragmatic things, in a friendly manner. Thus Labour is accusing him of not doing enough of the things that he is popular for doing.

   I also note that the more people to the right of Key (including many on this blog) wail at the PM for being a friendly, mildly conservative, middle-of-the-road pragmatist, the more it reinforces the view that he is a friendly, mildly conservative, middle-of-the-road pragmatist.

   To quote Barak Obama, Labour is heading for an old fashioned shellacking at the next election. I think it is now more likely than not that National will be able to govern in its own right, but Key will continue to court the Maori Party, United Future and what is left of ACT, since he will want to continue to be seen as a friendly, mildly conservative, middle-of-the-road pragmatist.

Optimist of the century

"I expect Joris De Bres... to make a stand on this issue. This is cultural apartheid, and we can't allow it."

Good luck with that.

Our backbone starts to straighten

More good news for our economy last night.
The world is finally wising up to the fact to what our forebears knew instinctively, that food commodities are true wealth.
A full stomach will beat a nice view any day. We are actually pretty lucky in NZ that we can have it both ways, but maybe the days of speculation are gone.

As long as we take a long term approach

And if we don't invest in our own dairy industry, then there are plenty of others who will.

Brave words

"probably can't get any worse"
Brave words from an economist.

We cling to our real estate like a buoy in a storm.
Whilst we may have the sensation of floating, the water level is still changing.

I also see that Goff is planning a reshuffle amongst the troops.
Rearranging a handful of worn out socialists may also give him the same sensation.

MOEREWA

Moerewa is a 'town' best seen at a 100k through your rear vision mirror. It is right there at the bottom of the deprivation index. You would never want to stay there and you can't because there is nothing to stay in. A 4 Square (which featured in the news as selling precursors in the manufacture of 'P'); the Klondike Tavern (aka 'The flying Jug'); a tattoo shop; a second hand shop where I suspect you go to find your stolen goods and a great number of boarded up buildings going derelict.

And so it was that the Veteran spent a goodly part of Friday and Saturday 'trapped' in Moerewa by floods. I have driven all over the world. The weather bomb that hit the east coast of Northland on the Friday night produced the worst driving conditions I have ever experienced.

At about 10.00 pm I reached the little creek at the bottom of the Moerewa Hill to find it had expanded to about 70m wide with the bridge 1m under water. I guess there would have been about 20 cars trapped on the Moerewa side and an unknown number of the hill side. The rain was sheeting down and the cars on our side slowly built up until about 1.00 am when the road south from Moerewa to Kawakawa went under with a Camper Wagon and trailer swept off the road into the swamp with the occupants rescued by the Kawakawa Fire Brigade at about 3,00 am clinging to the roof of the vehicle. I kid you not. This was just like Queensland.

So there we were completely stuck (marooned) I guess about 100 cars in total. At about midnight torches appeared from the direction of the township back about .5k from the bridge. They were members of the local 'Happy Clappy' Church which was located in the old Moerewa Pub. I cannot speak too highly of them. They opened up the Church, found mattresses for those with young families; provided hot drinks and then for the whole of Saturday walked up and down the line of cars and offered food and drink to those still in their vehicles .... and this from a community on the bones of its bum.

Meanwhile back at the bridge the local dog control officer (whose house was going under) and using his Council ute worked continuously for 24 hours without a break
towing vehicles stuck in water and in the late Saturday afternoon, as the waters started to recede, towing vehicles through the water to the other side. He refused any payment ... said he was there to help.

I take my hat off to the members of that Church and to the FNDC Dog Control Officer. I saw another side of that sad town which is home to some magnificent people.

How MMP Gives You The One Party State

Could it possibly be that John Key has engineered the demise of Hone Black Motherfucker Harawira? Could it be Sarah Palin's doing? Adolf is waiting for assorted genii from the loony left to come up with either theory.

However, of one thing Adolf is certain. National Party people will be hoping and praying Harawira does indeed get into bed with Bradford and beget the ugliest of ugly offspring, the Ratbags Party. I can imagine the Party Chairman might be Kieth Locke and the chief strategist Matt McCarten. (He's the only one with any real brains but according to some reports he may well be dead before the campaign proper begins.)

So, what might happen at at election where the Ratbag Party pulls votes from Labour and the Greens and drives the Hammeroids scurrying back to ACT just as fast as they can go? The latter factor seems to have been ignored by pundits across the spectrum. Fear of the Ratbag Party will rejuvenate the ACT vote.

Have a look at the chart below and larrrfff your aaarse off.

Adolf assumes:-

• Harawira is defeated by Tamihere in Tai Tokerau.
• Hide retains Epsom.
• Bascowan wins Tamaki.
• Boufhead loses Ohariu.
• Maggie Barry wins Coromandel.
  
• Peters and the Greens both just miss five percent.
• Both Labour and National poll a little less than current opinion polls indicate.

Party name	Party Votes won	Party seat entitlement	No. of electorate seats won	No. of list MPs	Total MPs		% of MPs
Act New Zealand	6.00%	8	2	6	8		6.67%
Ratbags	9.00%	12	1	11	12		10.00%
Māori Party	3.00%	4	4	0	4		3.33%
New Zealand Labour Party	23.00%	31	15	16	31		25.83%
New Zealand National Party	48.00%	65	41	24	65		54.17%
Totals	89.00%	120	63	57	120		100.00%

That's when you can expect to see more cuts to gummint spending, more sale of state liabilities (such as Radio NZ and TVNZ), axing of at least thirty PC 'commissions;' elimination of interest free student loans; a clamp down on lifestyle beneficiaries and a wind back of the iniquitous Working For Families.