My 2024 New Year Wish List.

2023 was a tough year but we made it to 2024.  My 10 Wish List items for 2024 and on.

1. No media coverage of conflicts and wars on Mainstream TV.

2. No mentions of violence acts in Aotearoa on Mainstream media.

3. All social drugs will dissolve into thin air..

4 We shall turn Wine into Water and revisit 3 Waters.

5. All Gun Metal pieces (firearms, tanks, ships) will dissolve into Thin Air.

6. No need for any more medical institutions.

7. The Justice system will disappear.

8. Couples will marry for life (giving children hope)

9. I shall be selfless and selfish. My prerogative.

10. I, like many, will try and eradicate Pandemics.

Happy New Year. 

The World Wide Refugee Conundrum.

 Going to expose a few home truths here.  Three myths.

1.  North African Refugee influx to Europe.

A large number of refugees from Africa have travelled thousands of miles to reach Tunisia and Libya to get into boats and make the dash across the Mediterranean Sea to land at southern Europe and become a nuisance.  Two little known facts.  To get to both Libya and Tunisia they would have walked across the Sahara Desert. Secondly, where are these very large rubber rafts coming from?  See synopsis below.

2.  Mexican and US Border.

A majority of those folks reaching the border from central and south America have had to tackle severe jungle and very dry plateaus. 

3.  New Zealand Border Threat. In the past 10 years the sudden influx of many folks from the Indian Sub-continent has become evident.  I have a trick. I ask these folks I come into contact with where they are from.  There is always a marked display of hesitancy. Same happened when I questioned Fijian Indians - hesitancy.

In all above, the term "Illegal Aliens" is the catchcry.  They (Chinese/Indian) just "appear" and some with great forged documents once on arrival. As for the Med issue, return them to North Africa. 

1. Mediterranean issue.  Cementing facts.  The rubber boats do NOT resemble normal rubber boats produced in this world. The people in them are largely wearing western clothing.

2.  Mexico/USA. Almost all folks pictured by the Media on the Mexico side are plumpish and well dressed.  They do not resemble folks who have marched thousands of miles to seek a life in the USA.  Long may the Wall live.

3.  New Zealand.  Get tougher with immigration.  Find the Portal??

Lake Manawatu, a dam.

 

 The catch cry of the days is renewable energy throughout the land.  With the closing of the Manawatu Gorge (road not rail) it would be opportune to build a dam at the western end of The Gorge with a hydro plant in it's belly.

I propose that the dam be 30 metres high.  Power would be directed into the National Grid for the Whanganui, Manawatu, Hawkes Bay, Wairarapa and Horowhenua areas.

What is not known, how far back into the Woodville areas would the resultant lake reach? 

Thoughts?? 

Stanley Kubricks Filmography.

 Famous film maker Stanley Kubrick was born in 1928 and passed away in 1999.  Unlike many other directors he was not prolific but what is known, all his 13 movies from 1952 to 1999 were all very good movies.

Which is your favourite?  You can pick as many as you like.

Year	Title	Director	Writer	Producer	Notes

952	Fear and Desire	Yes	No	Yes	Also editor and cinematographer	[7][40]
1955	Killer's Kiss	Yes	Story	Yes	Also editor and cinematographer	[41]
1956	The Killing	Yes	Yes	No	Co-written with Jim Thompson	[10]
1957	Paths of Glory	Yes	Yes	Yes	Co-written with Calder Willingham and Jim Thompson	[42][43]
1960	Spartacus	Yes	No	No		[44]
1962	Lolita	Yes	Uncredited	No		[45][46]
1964	Dr. Strangelove	Yes	Yes	Yes	Co-written with Terry Southern and Peter George	[47]
1968	2001: A Space Odyssey	Yes	Yes	Yes	Co-written with Arthur C. Clarke Also director and designer of special photographic effects	[19][48] [49][50]
1971	A Clockwork Orange	Yes	Yes	Yes		[21][51]
1975	Barry Lyndon	Yes	Yes	Yes		[52][53]
1977	The Spy Who Loved Me	No	No	No	Uncredited lighting design	[54]
1980	The Shining	Yes	Yes	Yes	Co-written with Diane Johnson	[55]
1987	Full Metal Jacket	Yes	Yes	Yes	Co-written with Michael Herr and Gustav Hasford	[30]
1999	Eyes Wide Shut	Yes	Yes	Yes	Co-written with Frederic Raphael Released posthumously

For Queen and Country

 Below is a list of wars fought under the reign of Queens of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (and the Commonwealth of Nations)

Queen Anne

1701 - 1714  Spanish War of Succession.

Queen Victoria

1853 - 1856  Crimean War

1862 - 1865  New Zealand Wars

1880 - 1881  1st Boer War

1899 - 1901 Boxer Rebellion

1899 - 1902  2nd Boer War

Queen Elizabeth II

1950 - 1953  Korean War

1963 - 1966  Indonesian/Malaysia Conflict

1982   Falklands War

1998 - 1999  Kosovo War

1998  Desert Fox

2001 - 2021  Afghanistan War

2003 - 2009  Iraq War

2014 - Now  Operation Shader

Cook Strait Survey 1983-1984

 

Cook Strait Survey 1983-1984 a Drogs Perspective.

 

This is a resume of the survey from my perspective, as an LHA onboard HMNZS Monowai.

 

I was involved from the earliest part of the survey, January 1983, with CPOAHS Terry Ashdown, MW’s Chief H.  At the time I was Coxn Astrolabe. We were tasked to drive (Monowai’s LWB Landcruiser) down to Wellington and start the process of the reconnaissance.  On the way we took the Western Access and halfway down the steep approaches to Lake Waipawa we saw a car stopped on the other side of the road and stopped.  They want to be towed up to the top of the hill which we did. We got on our way and a Germen couple waved us down by the Lake Waipawa ablutions block.  Their car had been stolen. Sigh.

Anyway, when we got to Wellies, the next day, Terry boarded an Air Force Sioux and flew over the Rimutaka’s to Wairarapa and identified a suitable Hi Fix 6 Site near Lake Ferry.  Regrettably the wind climbed to Gale Force from the Norwest and the Sioux couldn’t fly into the wind back over the Rimutaka’s and was forced to fly up the Wairarapa to the Manawatu Gorge, and onto Ohakea Air Force base to fuel.

Next day found us heading out to Makara (northwest of Wellington) for the second Hi Fix 6y site. With both secured we took the Ferry to Picton and based for phase two of the Recce at Air Force Base Woodbourne.  I should say it was as per for January, very hot, very dry, and hard ground, which was great for driving in Marlborough.

The next 3 days found us at Cape Campbell (Lighthouse), White Bluffs (near Blenheim) and Fighting Bay (near Cook Strait Cable Bay), establishing the last three Hi Fix 6 sites.  A fair amount of 4-wheel driving, especially Fighting Bay, which we needed to drive up a long Fire Break.  A little story to come.

So what was a Hi Fix 6 (aka Slave) site? By and large there were up to 6 sites erected by Monowai on large scale surveys.  Northern 3 sites were two unmanned (portable generators to power site) sites and one manned site and same for southern sites.  A manned site had two large caravans, one a large generator caravan and one accommodation caravan (3 pax). For Cook Strait survey there were five, Makara (Manned) Lake Ferry (unmanned), Cape Campbell (Unmanned), White Bluffs (near Blenheim and Manned) and Fighting Bay (unmanned).

Soon after, me and Terry rejoined Monowai and presented our data.  Monowai sailed forthwith (February) for the Strait and on arrival teams were set to task to erect all five sites.  All caravans had been delivered by road and were ready to be tasked to their Hi Fix 6 Sites.  I wasn’t personally involved with the Wellington sites but had a hand in the Cape Campbell and Fighting Bay site erections.

Cape Campbell site was close to the Lighthouse and for probably the first time ever, a large power cable was buried in the ground from that Lighthouse to the nearby Hi Fix 6 position.  A straightforward erection.  This site never needed any follow up maintenance.

Fighting Bay was different.  The site we had chosen had a small stand of Manuka on it.  We had chainsaws and slashers, but some bright spark suggested we place the Landcruiser’s winch cable around the stand, bend the hook back onto the wire and heave in.  Worked a treat.  However, during the erection of the site, someone miscued a shackle supposedly meant to land at the side of that vehicle and it went clean through the windscreen.  The drive back to Woodbourne was bitterly cold.

As I stated earlier, I was an LHA and Coxn of Astrolabe and soon after Monowai’s Bulk Survey Storeman (BSS). The first Boats Survey was the coastal areas of Palliser Bay.  With the weather in the strait being very changeable we had to be very careful about the wind as we would invariably be hoisted in a choppy sea. The other issue was all the craypots in the whole Palliser Bay area.  There were several instances of SMB’s (Survey Motor Boats) fouling the props with buoy lines.  The water was always bloody cold (the Sub-Antarctic Current flowed into the bay.)

On the other side of the Strait (Cloudy Bay) the SMBs always had Bull Kelp to contend with as well as rising winds.

As stated, I was BSS, and most of my job was to construct our Current Meters for deployment and recovery.  My CO (Commander Ken Robertson) asked me how long I would need to construct and deploy a current meter in toto?  Confidently I said 30 minutes.  I oversaw the evolutions and deployed 7 in total throughout the Strait.  All had a timer release mechanism which allowed us to deploy many heavy weights and chains which were left on the bottom.  Of the 7, one never surfaced.  The hard hats (buoyancy) were located near Port Underwood, and it was found one of the key bolts had cross-threaded.  Just an aside, NSD had very little stock of 1/34 Hundred Weight sinkers, so we sourced a large stock of railway bogeys. They arrive don Queens Wharf, Wellington just as I was crossing the brow in civvies.  Wrong, lol.  Next few hours had me and duty watch loading them onboard and securing them outside the BSS.

Another cool duty as BSS was a strange one.  When the SMB’s started surveying from Sinclair Head around towards the Cook Strait Cable site shore marks had to be placed so those SMBs could sextant survey. Typically Whitewash paint.  I was tasked to drop bombs (plastic Bags with Whitewash paint) on prominent spots, from a hovering WASP.  Fun time.

Part of mine and Terry’s recce job was to establish tidal stations. One site we identified was at Port Underwood.  The spot was ideal as it had a fence going into the sea from the land.  When we approached the landowner (farmer) a Mr Strang (without an e) denied us access.  Terry got his copy of the Lands Act out and let him know we had rights to occupy.  Later, when a few of us landed from Monowai to erect the pole and Guage we had to spend 25 hours on site to complete erection.  The farm had a woolshed nearby and we went to settle down for the night.  Nope.  Evicted.  We had to sleep on the beach with just a sleeping bag each.

Anyway, back to HI Fix 6 sites.  As stated, two were manned.  Usually an LME/LMM, an LRF, and a spare bod (driver/cook) Sometimes that spare would be of any branch with a 4X4 ticket.  You could find anyone from a writer to a seaman to an SA.  Usually an AB, but on occasions a Leading Hand.  It was deemed a perk.  In late 1983 I was deemed lucky enough to be posted to White Bluffs site.  Every day we would check all three sites (234km round trip) We were also on hand if Monowai had issues with their beacons.

A little aside, HI Fix related.  After SOPAC 1983, Monowai redeployed to Cook Strait and teams were deployed to resurrect all the manned sites (located at Woodbourne and Trentham).  My team was deployed to Trentham.  We had the short wheelbase for living caravan and long wheelbase for Genny.  I had the Genny and had done all my checks and preparations to commence the journey.  We got onto the Hutt Motorway and missed the Makara turnoff.  My load I was thinking was very heavy.  I was lead caravan and we turned off at The Terrace.  As I turned into the street the guys in the rear radioed to tell me our four wheels were on fire.  Got the fire extinguisher and dealt to the flames.  Turns out the brakes were locked on.  I checked the brake mechanism and someone had put it on. I never trusted young Subby’s again.

Every fortnight The Ghost would go to Wellington, Napier or Nelson for R&R and we also had R&R.  LME Sedge Sedgewick and I would go into Blenheim (the No 9 Bar) or Baggies Bar at Base Woodbourne (our LRF was teetotal). The No 9 Bar was also the Police Bar, and we all had a great time.  Due to this liaison, we’d have the cops out to White Bluffs for some beach fishing and a few beers. On one occasion, the cops picked me up in a van (10 folks) and we headed south to Christchurch to watch the French play AB’s at Lancaster Park.  We had front row seats. There was no shortage of booze as they had a duty driver.

We ate like kings.  It was 11km from SH1 to the site on farm tracks. There were heaps of Turkeys on the road and the cocky said help yourself.  We did and fair to say we got sick of Turkey.  We never got sick of Koura though.  One of the cops said pop into the factory not far from us, as they don’t keep the cray bodies.

 

That is basically it.  Apart from seeing firsthand the major Faultline that spread from Te Ika o Maui to Te Waipounamu, massive.

 

Ka kite ano, nga mihi

 

Zaps

1976 – 2000 Survey Rating

Monowai, ML Takapu, ML Tarapunga, ISC Tarapunga, Resolution, Tui

 

 

The State of the World to date (24/10/2023)

 Just some thoughts or observations, since early 2018 here in Palmy. I spend a lot of time outside (hourly smoke) and I observe things.  Below are my observations.

2018, sometime in autumn.  I noticed the Southern Cross had disappeared from the Southern western skies. It is still gone.

About the same time, I checked my compass and found that magnetic North had moved from 20 degrees East to 35 degrees East from the original.  To date it has moved another 12 degrees towards East.

The Moon has had haphazard paths in the sky.  By and large it rises from near east and sets on old West.

Saturn and Venus are geostationary in the Eastern skies.

Last year I was driving from somewhere at night and noticed the Milky Way had moved towards the west.

Thoughts:-

1.  The big issue I have is the call for Climate Change being a man-made event.  Any celestial movement is guided by nature, not manmade issues, although manmade emissions and deforestation are not helping. With the shifting of the magnetic poles the climate reacts accordingly. By my calculation the Magnetic North Pole was originally in Northwestern Canada and now sits around central southern Canada, hence wild weather in Canada and USA (and other climate anomalies).

2.  Although the previous text could be seen as a Dooms Day entry, the opposite is true.  As long as Man looks after the planet there is nothing to fear.  Nature has always been behaving as it does.

3   There are many who think they know Nature and can adjust it to suit their needs, but that is untrue. 

A trio of poems -Palestine/Neighbour

 

Metal Mickey

 

Hey, little Palestinian kid,

I am the Yiddish Tank sent to kill

your mum and dad and older brothers.

Get off the road; I will squash you now

if not later when a weapon you yield.

Yes, I am the tank, from great uncle Yank.

My guns are no match for your game of throw and catch,

so, stand aside, before you are the bride

at another Palestinian burial, Yasser might cry.

I rumble on into your town and drown

in a hail of bullets, the hope that you all hold.

Behold, I am the Mighty Israel, slaughterer of you,

so, lay down your stones and step aside

as I roll on in and do my duty for Judaism.

No, you can’t kill me, boy.

I am bigger than you ever will be.

 

Young Lust

 

Hey, Israel, blood lust murderers of hope.

I am eight, and since my inception.

I have been trained to hate your very existence,

not because you are existing here,

but you rub out ours. I am against you

all the way, and to my dying day, no matter how soon,

I will throw you back with whatever it takes.

I will defend my freedoms, no matter how trivial.

I will defend my lands, no matter how barren.

I will defend my people, no matter how impoverished.

Yes, you made them all that way,

trivial, barren, and impoverished,

but I live with hope, even at eight years old,

the hope you will go away and leave us alone,

and when that happens, we will leave you alone,

and we will have no need to fight,

for we will have what we have,

and you will have yours,

So, Israel, I say begone! Or shoot me, too.

If I fight now, or later, I will always fight,

until you have no choice but to kill me

or live beside me.

 

 

Telegram - Bush to Sharon

 

Ariel STOP

Bush STOP

Money on its way COMMA

Missiles too COMMA

Get the bastards EXCLAMATION MARK

 

Reply

Bush STOP

ARAFAT STOP

Wrong address COMMA

BRACKETS Laughter CLOSED BRACKETS

You idiot STOP!

How would you handle this scenario??

 

In December 1988 my Mom passed away after a short illness of cancer aged 53.  She was interred at her family's cemetery (Urapa) at Mangatera, Dannevirke. Dad took care of the ceremonies and burial details.

The day before ANZAC (24th April 1998) my Dad had a massive Heart Attack and he did not survive.  It was the day before our little sister's wedding here in Palmy.  Sadly, us kids hardly saw him leading up to his passing.  My brother and I spent about 20 hours going through his papers.  He was a meticulous man and we felt he had saved any details regarding his burial.  Nothing was found. With nothing to go by, we petitioned his sister and brother, and they knew that there was an empty plot adjacent his father's plot in Masterton, but his sister had arranged (with Dad) for her to be with her father.

Armed with that information we, as a family, decided Dad should be buried with Mum.  We well knew things weren't hunky dory with especially Dad but in all their years as parents they gave us all a good start in life.  Dad was buried with Mum.  Soon after, Mum's baby sister took me aside and asked if I knew they had to dig Mum up to dig the hole to accommodate both caskets. To this day I am haunted by her words.  Should I be??

Moehau Man (no woman)

On or around the 21st May 1821, a whaling ship (possibly the Active) pulled into anchor at Mercury Bay, aka Whitianga.  On that ship was a very tall black former slave by the name of Webster, or Big Buck.  He was nearly 7 feet tall and highly muscled. He had joined the whaler ship from Jamaica a few years before.

Whilst at anchor and while replenishing, Webster jumped ship and went bush.  That was to be the last confirmed sighting of him.  There are tales of Moehau Man from around that era and area (Cape Jackson north Coromandel to southeast Kaimai Ranges near Matamata). Like all supposed myths, there is an element of truth. 

On occasions in the last 200 years, many Captain Cooker pig carcasses have been found mutilated and littering the Coromandel and Kaimai Ranges. There have also been humans who inexplicably disappeared. I have been blessed to walk in Moehau Man's realm on two occasions, one in May 1986 tramping from Thames Hospital, over the top and down to Coroglen on the other side. And also in 1989, from Fantail Bay, on west Firth Of Thames, around Port Jackson on the north and down to Stony Bay on the east coast.  We tramped over the tops (Moehau Maunga) back to Fantail Bay.  On both occasions I sensed we were being watched.

So when and where did Moehau make a mark?  Is it possible David Tamihere was not guilty after all?  When I served at Paremoremo in August 1996, he was serving a life sentence for the double murders of Urban Hoglin and Heidi Parkkonen? Whenever I saw him, he was calm, and I didn't sense any guilt in him. Was it Moehau Man, aka Webster??

If one was to search the internet for similar sightings there are several anecdotes where people have disappeared.   Some may be related to happenstance sightings of Marijuana plantations, but I don't think so.

Changes I would love to see in (NZ) Rugby

 Changes I would love to see in Rugby.

1.  If a penalty to an attacking team is awarded in the opposition's 22, penalty to be taken on spot. No taking the ball back to 22 area for place kick.

2.  Get rid of the rule that says players knocking on attempting an intercept to be no longer a yellow card and penalty. Knock on awarded. Too many contentious calls.

3.  One thing that really peeves me, the Advantage call from the Referee. The length of advantage for penalties varies with the ref.   Make it a standard 10 seconds and/or 3 phases. Many times, advantage is called and 5+ phases are set before Ref calls the team back for a scrum or penalty.  That is a time waster, and we need to eliminate time wasting.

4.  Remove the Mark call inside own 22. The ball remains in play. 

5.  Solving the Collapsed Scrum.  After the call of Set the Halfback has to immediately place the ball in the channel. No longer hesitation and scrum doesn't have to be reset or a penalty/free kick given.  Saves time wasting.

6.  Also time wasting, the habit for attacking lineout team to have a chat behind the place for the Lineout and slowly walking to that lineout (with the clock ticking) Ref to stop clock when Flag goes up and restart when lineout formed.

7.  Remove Super Rugby and spend player/coach payments on NPC/FPC. It is with sadness I am watching NPC (Men's rugby) and in two live games on one week there have been few spectators. (read none).

8.  International Tours.  Let's go back to the 90's and before, 3 tests, and 5 provincial games. 2 Home Tours a season.  NPC/FPC split into 2 competitions, April to June qualifying round, and September to October, Competition round. July to August Club Rugby and International tours.

9.  The player causing an HIA gets an immediate Red Card and banned for 2 matches. Contact, unless obvious, is to be reviewed by TMO.

10.  All TMO calls the clock is stopped and reset with the referee's whistle.

All these changes to be made internationally.  No more NH Rugby dominating/governing the making of Rules of Rugby.

RWC WWE Predictions

 Round 1.  

9th September 2023

Group A

New Zealand vs France  AB's 23 France 22 (Le Blue 27-13)

Italy vs Namibia Namibia 18 Italy 15   ( Italy 52-8)

10th September 2023

Group B

Ireland vs Romania  Ireland 67 Romania 5  (Ireland 82-8)

Group C

Australia vs Georgia  Australia 88 Georgia 0  (Australia 35-15)

Group D

England vs Argentina  Argentina 22 England 8  (England 27-10)

Japan vs Chile  Japan 46 Chile 0  (Japan 42-12)

11th September 2023

Group B

South Africa vs Scotland  Scotland 18 South Africa 17  (Springboks 18-3)

Group C  

Wales vs Fiji  Fiji 29  Wales 12  (Wales 32-26)

15th September 2023

Group A  

France vs Uruguay  France 38 Uruguay 7 (France 27-12)

16th September 2023  

Group A

New Zealand vs Namibia  AB's 89 Namibia 5  (AB's 71-3)

17th September 2023

Group D

Samoa vs Chile  Manu Samoa 56 Chile 6  (Sam 43-10)

Group C  

Wales vs Portugal  Wales 45 Portugal 12  (Wales 28-8)

Group B  

Ireland vs Tonga  Ireland 43 Tonga 12  (Ireland 59-16)

18th September 2023

Group B

South Africa vs Romania  South Africa 88 - Romania 5  (SA 76-0)

Group C

Australia vs Fiji  Fiji 28 Australia 20  (Fiji 22-15)

Group D 

England vs Japan  England 19 Japan 19 (England 34-12)

21st September 2023

Group A

Italy vs Uruguay  Italy 18   Uruguay 16  (Italy 38-17)

 

22nd September 2023

Group A

France vs Nimibia  France 58 Namibia 12  (96-0)

23rd September 2023

Group D

Argentina vs Samoa  Argentina 24 Samoa 23  (Argentina 19-10)

24th September 2023

Group C

Georgia vs Portugal  Georgia 29 Portugal 0  (18-18)

Group D

England vs Chile  England 45 Chile 0  (England 71-0)

Group B

South Africa vs Ireland  Ireland 26 South Africa 23  (Ireland 13 - 8)

25th September 2023

Group B

Scotland vs Tonga  Scotland 19  Tonga 7  (Scotland 45-17) 

Group C

Australia vs Wales  Australia 33 Wales 29  (Wales 40-6)

28th September 2023

Group A

Uruguay vs Namibia Namibia 22 Uruguay 7  (Namibia 36-26)

29th September 2023

Group D

Japan vs Samoa  Samoa 23 Japan 23  (Japan 28-22)

30th September 2023

Group A

New Zealand vs Italy ABS 49  Italy 7  (ABs 96-17)

1st October 2023

Group D

Argentina vs Chile  Argentina 57 Chile 5

Group C

Fiji vs Georgia  Fiji 66 Georgia 0

Group B

Scotland vs Romania  Scotland 24  Romania 14

2nd October 2023

Group C

Australia vs Portugal  Australia 73 Portugal 0

Group B

South Africa vs Tonga  South Africa 38 Tonga 19

6th October 2023

Group A

New Zealand vs Uruguay  ABS 65  Uruguay 0

7th October 2023

Group A

France vs Italy  France 39 Italy 7

8th October 2023

Group C

Wales vs Georgia  Wales 21  Georgia 14

Group D

England vs Samoa  Samoa 29 England 14

Group B

Ireland vs Scotland  Ireland 19 Scotland 19

9th October 2023

Group D

Japan vs Argentina  Argentina 34 Japan 31

Group B

Tonga vs Romania  Tonga 17 Romania 5

Group C

Fiji vs Portugal  Fiji 44 Portugal 0

15th October 2023

1/4 finals - to be posted.

Saving rugby in New Zealand.

 Fact - there is too much rugby in New Zealand and it's sucking the available funds from income.

Fact - The rise of Womens Rugby is sucking a huge amount from the current coffers.  And for good reasons.

Fact - Attendances in most competitions since COVID have dwindled so that possible income not on the cards anymore.

Question??  Something has to give.  Super Rugby, NPC or club rugby as far as expenditure goes for the NZRFU.

So what is the priority.  Franchise rugby or NPC?? Club rugby is valid to grass roots. My personal thinking is Super Rugby goes.  Ideally, for me, the NZRU needs to redress the $$$ going to players in Super Rugby and boost provincial rugby. In the current worldwide financial realms sponsorship $$$ are also dwindling and there will be nothing going into Franchise Rugby in the coming years.  Keep that money for the All Blacks and Black Ferns, and put the money saved from Super Rugby and give good financial backing for provincial rugby (Bunnings NPC and Ranfurly Shield, Farrah Palmer Cup, and Heartland Rugby.)

My priorities as far as rugby goes??

1.  NPC

2.  Club/Heartland/Schools Rugby

3.  I have not followed Super Rugby for over 3 years now.

Just had a thought.  Run the NPC from April to September.  Two rounds - first round all 14 teams play home and away.  All 14 teams play each other in one competition, and after that round the top 7 teams go to Championship Playoff and bottom seven plays for kudos, both also home and away. Same goes for Farrah Palmer Cup. 

All Blacks/Black Ferns international Window still in June/July and Bledisloe in July/August.

The wrought that is One.nz (formerly Vodafone.NZ)

 Short history.

Since getting my Cellphone and Plan from Vodafone I have generally had no major issues with them.  I was on a Plan that had me paying $56.00 a month (from around 2017) which I paid. Then in the middle of last year I started getting emails from Vodafone accounts team saying I was overdue on my account, despite still diligently paying my monthly $56.00. The last amount was over $350.00.

In or about January 25th 2023 I stopped paying my account as my TXT, Phone and Data were stopped.  I also went without Cell services for 7 months.

Today I received a phone call from a non-English speaking "Team Member" of One.nz (formerly known as Vodafone NZ) saying I have money to pay.  Luckily, I saved all my emails I have had with them. I informed the phone guy that I will not speak on money matters over the phone and will only entertain contact over mail. This email arrived about 5 minutes before the phone call.

Kia ora Thane,

 

This email address is not monitored - please do not reply.

 

We’re sorry but we’re unable to process your disconnection request at this time.

Reason for rejection:

 

We were unable to verify your identity based on the details provided. As we can only accept disconnection requests from the account holder, and we unfortunately could not identify you as the account holder for this account.

 

If you’d like us to continue with your disconnection request, please chat to one of our friendly team online – it’s the quickest and easiest way for us to help you out. Just be sure to use your reference number: 01808276.

 

Otherwise, you’ll need to jump online to find the next best way to get in touch with us for the service you’re disconnecting.

 

Please note: you'll continue to be charged for your service, until your disconnection request is accepted. It's important you get in touch with us as soon as possible.

 

Ngā mihi

 

Your team at One New Zealand

Red Flags??

1.  They say they cannot accept emails, yet they transact via email?

2.  I have emailed them more than a few times about their service or lack thereof. 

3.  It has taken them over 5 months to verbally contact me. And the conversation was less than satisfactory. 

4.  They are aware I am a beneficiary.

Ngauranga Gorge, an Epiphany

 Ngauranga Gorge (Blackmail Press 10) 

A little introduction, a must, you see, 

 to get the feel of my trip of glee.

 Herman Thwubblethwaite, raconteur. 

The sorriest thing you have met, for sure. 

 Resident poet of Titahi Bay, 

decided on a trip one fine Wellington Day, 

fired up the ‘64 black and gold Mini. 

Yes, I fit in; I’m a poet, and skinny. 

101 Off I went, gear stick in action, 

four bald tires and not much traction, 

past that megalith down by the sea, 

Te Papa, that venerated place for history. 

Then past the ferry berths, none in dock, 

the Mini hit the motorway and suffered a shock. 

has not been past fifty K in two years or more, 

so when she hit 80, it was with a roar. 

Then I saw it, the left turn quite clear, 

the part of the journey that filled me with fear. 

But onwards and upwards a path I did forge, 

and into the belly that is Ngauranga Gorge. 

Watching the needle as the climb took effect, 

I suddenly realised I had time to reflect. 

As the needle dived back to a sedate 40 K, 

I knew this would be the saddest part of my day. 

Then it began, that which I feared, 

I had to shift down, to a dodgy second gear. 

The shaking and rattling were worse than I wished, 

an FJ Holden flew by, both occupants pissed. 

Then the wind blew hard and swiped me aside 

as an eighteen-wheeler doing 90 flashed by. 

I gripped the wheel hard, held on for dear life, 

took a quick peek to the left, Thank God! No wife! 

The revs slowly abated, changed up into first, 

if I slowed any more, don’t know what would be worse. 

So, I checked my feet and running shoes there were, 

imagine the sight; Mini being pushed by a scruffy cur. 

But the trucks were a boon, and created a drag,

and I whistled in relief as I saw the car sales flag. 

I knew the worst part was about to end, 

and there it was, the crest ‘round the bend. 

I sailed into second, then third, then forth, 

and patted the old Mini for everything she was worth, 

and I ventured on down that golden stretch of road, 

was suddenly hit with a sense of forebode. 

Why had I come all this way? I did think. 

Was it because I was going shopping for a sink? 

Or could it have been a trip to Wainuiomata? 

Hell, the wrong way. God, I wish I were smarter.

I raged into despair again, cried for a while, 

and the Mini cruised on and ate up the miles, 

until it came to me; of course, that was it. 

I was off to see Mum in Otaki, bloody twit!

The ideal Scenario - Aotearoa going forward

1.  Ok - Parliament.  We have way too many laws and the current governments are hell bent on finding new ones and changing old ones.  Why??  We have enough and old ones are effective. That's 120 MP's and several thousand civil servants involved in the processes.  Get rid of the lot.  Let's go back a step and have a legislature where a representative from each town over 25,000 population represents the populace and only meets when it is required.  If there is a need to alter some laws the legislature representatives meet to debate the pros and cons.

2. Make prisons a home for very violent offenders.  Use the money it would cost to house a burglar on rehabilitation in the community for each offender.  Inclusion not seclusion.  Prison doesn't work.

3.  Most families in Aotearoa have both parents working to keep their head above water and provide for their children.  My proposal is to pay one parent (father or mother) what the both of them would be earning together. Why??  Our children are not getting good nurturing at Daycares/kindy's. i.e. lack of bonding. Our children suffer too much as they do not get bonding in those institutions. They need constant love until at least 6 years old.

4.  Change our schooling system. Like the USA and other countries, they start their elementary schooling aged 6.  Too late you say??  Nay I say.  It works well in those countries.  Our kids burn out.  See blog below.

Early Childcare Blog

5.  Intermediate and Secondary Schooling.  Major reforms.  Why do we teach kids languages?  Wasted money.  See blog below suggesting reforms.

Languages versus Social Science Blog

6.  There have always been gangs.  Especially in Democracies (like Robin Hoods Merry Men).  Instead of over policing them, give them the tools to work in society.  Once again, inclusion not seclusion.

Feel free to add your thoughts.

Self Sufficiency - The New Zealand Story.

 What we have:-

1.  Iron Sands and Glenbrook Steel Mill.

2.  Maui A and B Gasfields - LPG/CNG

3.  Taranaki Oil Fields and Refined at a reborn Marsden Point Refinery.

4.  Sheep Products (Meat, Wool, Milk)

5.  Beef and Dairy products

6.  Poultry products

7.  Wholesale Horticulture

8.  Viniculture

9.  A ready workforce.

10,  Whiteware and Brownware (F&P)

11.  Coal Production - for Huntly.

12.  Alcoholic drink production

13.  Most Grocery products.

14.  Ships (mainly Cook Strait Ferries and fuel tankers)

15.  Timber Products.

What we don't have :-

1.  Motor Vehicles - we can build our own??

2.  Aircraft including Helicopters

3.  Rubber Production

Add yours.

The Demise of the eligible males being recruited.

 In 1986, the first draft of female sailors was drafted to our Navy's Survey Ship Monowai.  From memory there were 3 S&S Senior Rate lady sailors.  At around the same time the head honchos at Defence House in Wellington were tackling a huge issue. Low numbers of Males joining.

In 1988 I was head of school at Hydrographic School (HMNZS Tamaki) and CPOSEA Grant (Rocky) Morrel was head of school of the neighbouring Seamanship School. Commander Mike Franklin was Operation Schools DO (Divisional Officer.)

Rocky and I were summonsed to a chinwag with him (Mike Franklin) and asked how we were placed to recruit female sailors to supplement the male ranks. By the end of 1989 the first three recruited female sailors (Ordinary Hydrographic Assistants) were posted to Monowai as the first operations branch sailors of the fairer sex.  The rest is history. 

The recruiting of female ocean-going sailors was widely approved, but sadly around 3 - 5% of older sailors thought it was free license to "wing in" to their fellow crew mates. (Similar to the French Foreign Legion who had a brothel behind the lines). Where are they now, I wonder???

Since those times I have been getting my monthly Navy Today and approve loudly the roles our Lady Sailors play in our modern Navy.  BZ those ladies and BZ our male sailors who bought into the process. 

July 20th 1969 - Moon Landing.

 

I used to be a firm believer in the Moon Landings.  It was a time when America roared, the world listened.  However recently I saw the attached photo and it got me wondering.

1.  The lower right photo has elongated shadows from the Astronaut and the Moon Lander from hard left to hard right, i.e. The Light source is from the left, not above nor right.

2.  With that in mind, the Earth is lying on the wrong side.  The left hemisphere (left side between poles) should be lit up and the right hemisphere in darkness. That is of course if the Solar Light Source lies to the left.

I could be wrong??

Predominantly UK Synth (or New Wave) Bands

 A bit of nostlagia dating back to the birth of Synth Bands in the UK mainly.  If I have missed one feel free to let me know.

First up is a band that formed in 1974 in London.  Ultravox.  Click on here for their 2010 live concert, at 1 hour 42 minutes long a stellar listen.  https://youtu.be/IKdxs2w1wt0

The rest.

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

Flock of Seagulls

Frankie Goes to Hollywood

The Eurhythmics'

Depeche Mode

Duran Duran

Spandau Ballet

Psychedelic Furs

Icehouse (originally Flowers)

Joy Division

Misex (RIP Steve Gilpin)

New Order

Gary Numan

Adam and the Ants

Roxy Music

The Stranglers (more New Wave Punk originally)

Tubeway Army

The Vapors

Yazoo.

Refugees

 

Has anyone ever wondered where Middle Eastern citizens, Central and Southern American citizens and Mediterranean refugees come from?

Let's start with the oldest forms.  Middle East and Eastern refugees lining up to be Australian citizens.  Supposedly they originate with no Fixed Abode and classified as refugees.  But where do they truly come from?  What is known, their last port of call was Indonesia.  Does Australia and Indonesia have a common legislation to return "Boat People" to where they come from? 

Well known is the current refugee status on the US/Mexican Border.  Truly, where do they originate from?  Surely Mexico has a contract with the US and intercept these "refugees" at their southern borders?  Sadly - No. 

Now the latest issue.  Refugees finding their way to the coastline of Tunisia and Libya and onwards to Soutrhern Europe nations (Italy, Greece and Turkey)  Where did these folks originate?  Once again it boils down to where these "refugees" originated from and why are both Tunisia and Libya allowing them into their country?

Btw to add (sort of On Topic) Where do Jap Imports come from?  You'd think if from Japan all the Bells and Whistles would be in Japanese?

My Observations of Palmerston North Hospital

  Like many Palmy citizens I have had call to use our Hospital for a variety needs.  Below are my observations.  In timeline.

1974 was sent to A&E after a playfight with my little brother backfired.  I ended up with a split nose requiring stitches. After a week I was taken back and had the stitches removed.  A few days later when the scab washed off I found two stitches near the eyes. Odd.

10th October 1979.  I had an accident at work on Great Barrier Island and smashed all the bones in my right foot. The Navy Hospital duly gave me a plaster cast and sent me home on Sick Leave.  When I was on the train (heading to Palmerston North) the cast busted open and I had to go to Palmy Hospital to get a new one.  Nothing untoward.

In 2002 I was admitted to the hospital to have a rebuild of my right eardrum, requiring a skin graft to rebuild my destroyed one. For some reason, I started having a high ringing tone in that ear.  I still have it.  I just thought it was natural.

March 5th 2003.  I unfortunately found myself jumping off a bridge, beset by my "demons".  I was conscious until the Ambo's arrived and lost consciousness in the ambulance.  I know when I landed that no bones were broken and no blood from a compound fracture nor pain, which was evident from my shoes next to my hospital Bed.

I had no conscious awareness for over a month after the "accident" When I was conscious, I had the "surgeon" and my Psyche doctor come and see me..  One thing that did happen, I was vomiting black bile.  I never knew why until a few years ago. It appears that I was reacting to a surgery procedure and was reacting to my "surgery"  

I was also transferred to several wards, never being in one for more than a few weeks.  "Medical Experiments"  My last attention in the hospital was to have a cast on each foot.  The lady doing the cast gave me a fluorescent green cast on my right leg, and a fluorescent Orange one on the left leg.  I also was shown my xrays by Doctor Love, the surgeon which I recognised instantly was wrong.  I didn't think anything more of it.

Until my 2005 visit.  I was admitted to Ward 21, Palmerston North Hospital and became a pin cushion.  I had a blood test every day, sometimes twice a day supposedly to check my medication levels.  Odd.

2017.  I became aware two clients had supposedly committed suicide on the Ward.  I thought it as odd as the Ward is free of items to assist with taking their own lives.

2015 5th July.  I was told to see my GP for an appointment.  When I got there, my usual GP was absent and two lovely lady GP's proceeded to give me a "Prostate" check.  The next day I was in Ward 21 again.  This time for 3 and 1/2 months.  Once again, I was barraged with blood tests and medication changes. Two observations.  On one occasion, there were no staff on the ward from 2030 to 2300.  Odd!!  And first seen in 2005, there was a very large "monitor" on what we lovingly called The Bridge of the Starship Enterprise.  It had many vertical Orange and Red lines and "waterfalling" or "cascading". Odd.

For some reason I went 14 days without a crap and had to resort to shoving my fingers up my anus and breaking it up.

Lastly and the most oddly.  Two months ago I had a friend admitted to Ward 25 Palmerston North Hospital. I had always been dubious about staffing at the Hospital.  On a visit I asked a young "nurse" what ward was Ward 27 for.  She didn't know. Odd!!

My blog on Psyche Services at Palmy Hospital.

Bulldust over a Kiwi BBQ: The Psychiatric World of Ward 21 PN Hospital and other matters. (rednaz1958.blogspot.com)

Our Armed Forces compared to Sweden and Japan.

 Just a little exercise to highlight how badly off we are as a nation.  Initially I wanted to compare just Sweden and us, but a quick look at Japan showed an anomaly, GDP %age.

Palmy and UFO's

 In 2005 I was in a bad way mentally speaking and ended up in the Shepherds Rest Boarding House at 21 Andrew Young Street here in Palmy (Just off The Square).  Most of the clients (60 odd) were drug addicts, ex cons, and young Māori.  I should have felt out of place, but it was just like living on a frigate.

I had been there for 3 months and was offered a job as a security guard.  Basically, stood guard at the front door from 2300 to 0730.  My job was to ensure no one entered the building unless residents.  Every 30 minutes I would do rounds then the rest of the time standing out front.  I would do 7 days on and 7 days off.  Loved it especially two residents who walked the streets at night, one a hoarder and the other a juggler and poet.  Many nights shooting the breeze with them. At 0700 I would put the Brekkie stuff out, monitor brekkie and go to bed.  In my 7 nights off at night I would go to a karaoke bar (Live at the Break) from 2000 to 0300 and sing my heart out.

One of the residents, Malcs Kauika RIP 2012 (Whanganui iwi) told me he had my back so that was cool to know which was seen when my fellow guard who worked my days off, kept getting filled in, mostly by Mongrel Mob prospects. He was an Australian.  My boys had respect for me and no issues. 

Anyway, UFO's.  Soon after starting the job I noticed a fixed wing aircraft would fly over the Square between 0030 and 0130.  Initially I thought it was a Massey University Training aircraft doing night flying and navigation exercises but there was something amiss. All the aircraft I saw only had 2 static white lights (wing tips) and sometimes a static white tail light.  As we well know all ships and aircraft have a red port light and a green starboard light - these "Planes" didn't.  That was 18 years ago.  I never had the opportunity since then to view if they still fly. Until last year.  They are still flying but not every night now.

The propensity for the unusual here in Palmy is rife.  Someone once said that Palmy was the centre of the known universe.  I recall that Bar in the original Star Wars movie with all the "aliens" having a drink or two.