Delighted to have you as viewers. Welcome!
Thursday, 9 May 2013
Circulation increasing
According to this blog's stats, I'm increasingly popular in Germany, USA and Russia! An international audience. How cool is that?
Delighted to have you as viewers. Welcome!
Delighted to have you as viewers. Welcome!
Wednesday, 8 May 2013
Plain Talking - May
"Aaron Gilmore is a waste of political space."
~ Patrick Gower, Political Editor 3News"I knew something was wrong when a pretty white girl ran into a black man's arms."
~ Charles Ramsay, Cleveland rescuer
Aside: I wonder what the reaction would have been had Charles Ramsay's quote been attributed to a Caucasian?
Thursday, 2 May 2013
Finally - a GREAT cathedral!
I've grown up in Christchurch & feel an affinity with the city. Yet I'm completely bored by the seemingly endless bitching about the new/old cathedral. I've seen the designs and don't think much of any of them.
I had to sit up and take notice when the Stuff website posted a picture of a proposed design for a new church in the city.
This glorious building is proposed to be built in Nunweek Park in Harewood. I like it.
I had to laugh though, when I read the headline:
I had to sit up and take notice when the Stuff website posted a picture of a proposed design for a new church in the city.
This glorious building is proposed to be built in Nunweek Park in Harewood. I like it.
I had to laugh though, when I read the headline:
Church plans irk rugby club
Religion interfering with our national religion? Surely not?
Bugger the rugby - let's have this building please!
Full story:
Wednesday, 1 May 2013
Review: Under The Oaks Café (Oxford, NZ)
Situated in
the picturesque rural town of Oxford in Canterbury (NZ), Under the Oaks Café is
a nice place to enjoy coffee, brunch or something more substantial.
Atmosphere:
The
building is fairly new and is situated on the High street of Oxford. It has a clean and fresh feeling. The
oddly mismatched chairs and tables introduce a slightly quirky ambience.
The layout
is good. There is plenty of glass and a
handful of outdoor tables to allow for indoor or outdoor relaxation.
The building
itself is raised well above the street, so views are commanding. It’s a great place to enjoy the sun.
Local
artworks adorn the walls. It’s a very
nice touch.
Music was
overpoweringly loud on the day we visited.
I had to raise my voice to be heard when ordering. Even conversation was affected. Come on guys – it’s a café not a
nightclub. -1 point.
Service:
Staff are
courteous and friendly.
An inexperienced
cashier overcharged us by ringing up our coffees twice. She was apologetic and refunded the
difference without hassle when the mistake was pointed out.
Wait staff
were very efficient and our food arrived extremely quickly.
Drink:
A latte and
a mochachino were delivered in glasses, which I detest. I want my coffee so hot that a handle on the
cup is essential. Both coffees were significantly
below temperature so the glasses were handled easily. Because of the temperature the overall the
experience of coffee was poor. -2
points.
Food:
Vegetable
Fritata – Served with lettuce and dressing. Approx $7. Excellent.
Homemade Creamy
Vegetable Pie – Served with lettuce and dressing. Approx $7.
Absolutely delightful.
Chicken Pie
– Served with a light salad for $10.50.
Exquisite.
Overall Rating:
7/10 with potential to improve (i.e. turn the music down, serve coffee
in crockery and make them much hotter).
Food was well above expectation.
Saturday, 27 April 2013
Anger at 14-year strike 2 warning
Anger? From who?? What for??
Let's get this straight. A petty crim named Elijah Akeem Whaanga mugs people on two separate occasions. At least one of which was following his first strike warning. He gets a subsequent second strike warning. To quote Judge Tony Adeane:
21 year old Elijah Akeem Whaanga take note - it's prison for you for a very long time the next time you offend. It's my guess this won't be long, because you haven't learned anything from your previous court appearances.
Let's learn a little more about this low-life:
Um.... YES!
14 years jail with no parole. Hahahahaha! I feel safer already!
Story: http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/8605255/Anger-at-14-year-strike-2-warning
Let's get this straight. A petty crim named Elijah Akeem Whaanga mugs people on two separate occasions. At least one of which was following his first strike warning. He gets a subsequent second strike warning. To quote Judge Tony Adeane:
"When you next steal a hat or a cellphone or a jacket or a skateboard you will be sent to the High Court and there you will be sentenced to 14 years' imprisonment without parole."There you have it. Second warning issued. Case closed. Game over.
21 year old Elijah Akeem Whaanga take note - it's prison for you for a very long time the next time you offend. It's my guess this won't be long, because you haven't learned anything from your previous court appearances.
Let's learn a little more about this low-life:
"Whaanga's offending stretches back to 2006, including burglary, theft, resisting arrest and indecent assault. He served a short prison sentence in early 2010.
In July that year, he and an accomplice committed aggravated robbery. Whaanga punched the victim in the head multiple times before taking $68. For that he earned his first strike in December 2010 and was sentenced to jail for two years and one month.
He was freed on parole in April last year. The Parole Board said he had behaved well in prison, where he had resided in the Maori Focus Unit. He had completed a drug programme and a Maori therapeutic programme and was released on a number of conditions for six months.
Four months later he committed two aggravated robberies with two separate accomplices.
The first involved taking a skateboard, hat and cigarette lighter from the victim after trying unsuccessfully to remove the victim's jacket. The second involved Whaanga kicking the victim in the back of his leg and taking his hat and cellphone.
Whaanga pleaded guilty to two charges of aggravated robbery and was sentenced in Napier District Court on April 18"Victoria University Professor of Criminology John Pratt asked: "Was this really the type of offender that the three strikes law was meant to protect us from?"
Um.... YES!
14 years jail with no parole. Hahahahaha! I feel safer already!
Story: http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/8605255/Anger-at-14-year-strike-2-warning
Thursday, 25 April 2013
Free Mila the Elephant - NOW!
Most New Zealanders will know well the story of Mila.
Mila was originally called Jumbo, and was in a circus owned by Tony Ratcliffe. Years of campaigning by SAFE (Save Animals From Exploitation) and others eventually led to the release of Jumbo into the care of Franklin Zoo.
According to the SAFE website...
In the press release, the Zoo said "It is hoped that Mila will be ready to travel to her new home by March or April 2013".
It's now the end of April 2013 and Mila is still here. You have to ask: What the hell is going on?? Three years after her release from the circus and this poor elephant is still alone.
This terrible story was again on Campbell Live this evening. Sounds like the Zoo is still miles away from resettling Mila. It's just not good enough! They have had three years and still this animal languishes.
Mila was originally called Jumbo, and was in a circus owned by Tony Ratcliffe. Years of campaigning by SAFE (Save Animals From Exploitation) and others eventually led to the release of Jumbo into the care of Franklin Zoo.
According to the SAFE website...
"SAFE campaigned for over two decades to free Mila (then called Jumbo) from her miserable circus life with the intention of moving her to a specialized elephant sanctuary. Franklin Zoo is currently fund raising to pay for the care of Mila and for her eventual relocation to a refuge where she will at last have the opportunity to be with other elephants."
(source: http://www.safe.org.nz/Campaigns/Free-Jumbo-Campaign)
Jumbo was renamed Mila following her release and was sent to Franklin Zoo in 2009.
On 25 April 2012, two years later after the elephant arrived, Dr Helen Schofield died from injuries received from Mila in her enclosure. The Zoo revised it's time frame for releasing Mila to "June 2013 as the date Mila will leave for her new home."
Then there was this press release from Franklin Zoo:
Mila the elephant heading to the US
10 October 2012In the press release, the Zoo said "It is hoped that Mila will be ready to travel to her new home by March or April 2013".
It's now the end of April 2013 and Mila is still here. You have to ask: What the hell is going on?? Three years after her release from the circus and this poor elephant is still alone.
This terrible story was again on Campbell Live this evening. Sounds like the Zoo is still miles away from resettling Mila. It's just not good enough! They have had three years and still this animal languishes.
Free Mila - NOW!
Sunday, 21 April 2013
The hidden cost of tourism
Another report is emerging today of a group of three tourists lost in the Kahurangi National park (Golden Bay).
Read about it here: http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/8580880/Tourist-trampers-missing-in-National-Park
Of course the search and rescue operation is going to cost you and I as New Zealand taxpayers. I'm sick of being asked to fund this sort of search and rescue.
It's time we considered making insurance compulsory for tourists.
This sort of thing happens so regularly that the expense must be significant. My idea is to insist that travelers to our shores have in place some sort of insurance against being a burden on our Government.
This insurance should cover medical expenses incurred here, search & rescue operations, costs of criminal proceedings against the tourist and anything else that our Government is forced to expend while they remain in NZ.
Travelers who arrive here without any insurance should be given the option - sign up now or leave on the next flight.
Read about it here: http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/8580880/Tourist-trampers-missing-in-National-Park
Of course the search and rescue operation is going to cost you and I as New Zealand taxpayers. I'm sick of being asked to fund this sort of search and rescue.
It's time we considered making insurance compulsory for tourists.
This sort of thing happens so regularly that the expense must be significant. My idea is to insist that travelers to our shores have in place some sort of insurance against being a burden on our Government.
This insurance should cover medical expenses incurred here, search & rescue operations, costs of criminal proceedings against the tourist and anything else that our Government is forced to expend while they remain in NZ.
Travelers who arrive here without any insurance should be given the option - sign up now or leave on the next flight.
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