There is always a price

Guaranteed Health plan- free!

Hat Tip: Theo Spark

(That's all you get tonight- I'm knackered from cutting next years firewood!)

Can they EVER get a story right?

"...On the afternoon before, children had wasted no time finding a "Jumbo skip" full of hay behind his transporter truck and Jumbo wasted no time accepting it - twisting his trunk to reach the hay and politely stretching it out to ask for more. Most of the children said they'd never seen an elephant before, especially one that arrived unexpectedly so close to their walk home.

Tony Radcliffe, her handler of 30 years, said she had the same jaw-dropping effect everywhere she went: "Yes, she's a pretty big attraction all right..."

If you can't get the small stuff right, how can you be trusted with the big stories?

To be expected when you just post press releases, I suppose...

715

The mendicants of our country need to loose the sense of entitlement and learn a bit about gratitude and humility.

Many of the chaps at work earn less and have to work outside in the heat of summer and cold of winter for long hours- wet, muddy and nasty work. Yet they are forcibly parted from their earnings so that others may sit on their ever widening arses.

The governments response to release details is justified, IMNSHO, in order to correct a few omissions and a bit of misdirection. That is where it should end.

Time will tell if those who upset the powers-that-be will be put under the microscope as Tim Selwyn was. Under the current climate- which like the weather, isn't really changing much- there is always something to be dredged up- like my lack of permits for certain structures, for example.

I hope the current crowd will not do the 'will no one rid me of this turbulant priest' routine and let an underling wanting to curry favour dig deep for dirt.

They ain't Lairbore, but so much of the song remains the same...

UPDATE:

Big News does the investigating on one of the moaners. The trail was that wide that Helen Keller could follow it.

Now Paula Bennet can sit back and grin. No need to 'have a word to somebody!'

When you sup with the Devil,best bring a long spoon. Think aout that before running to Liarbore.

User Looser

"Compensation is being considered for Wellington train commuters who have faced "third world" services, and travel delays in recent weeks..."

Thats a big, fat 'GET STUFFED' in this case.

The rest of us are ALREADY subsidising YOUR travel- enough is enough.

Feckin' email!

Anyone else having problems with xtra email and outlook?

Two choices

"Taito Phillip Field is a naive and unsophisticated man and not a criminal who took advantage of Thai tradesmen seeking immigration help, his lawyer told a jury today..."

Great choice for an MP!

Of course the other option is that he is a crook.

Either way it looks bad!

Bubble gum for the eyes

I'm not a great TV watcher. I would probably watch about two hours a week.

None of which is on the taxpayer funded waste of the RF spectrum.

SKY does have a few gems scattered amonst the dross, mind. Real life, as always, being much more interesting than fiction.

While I have always been a fan on all things engineering-wise, lately I have been following the Living Channel for it's assorted programs on architecture- historical and contemporary.

All from reading this blog!

Some of the beach houses on 'Great Australian Sandcastles' were that beautiful they could bring tears to your eyes!

Vilification

This works here too!

Poor starving urchins- won't ANYONE think of the children!

"Local primary schools fear Fruit in Schools could still disappear next year unless they grow it themselves - something they say is "completely unrealistic".

The $12m programme provides a free piece of fruit each day for students at decile 1 schools across the country to promote healthy eating..."

This appeared in the local paper. In a region where fruit is ridiculously cheap- what other food sells for under a dollar a kilo?

Every day I drive past roadside stalls selling apples for next to nothing. Hell, I drive past fruit trees on the roadside laden with apples free for the taking.

But still there seems to be a need for some do-gooder to demand we pay for fruit for other peoples brats.

These do-gooders could go out and pick up windfall apples- most orchardists happily give them away, but no- taking our money is the default setting.

Another idea- most schools in NZ have large amounts of land. Plant some fruit trees for the future. Not an idea that is appreciated by at least one work-shy schoolteacher.

"I already have enough things on my plate without having to drive a sprayer through the orchard before I start work."

At my kids school, the trees are maintained by parents working bees. The same couple of dozen of us spend an afternoon once a year pruning, trimming and generally sorting the gardens out.

All part of taking responsibility for the well- being of your own children. But then if these decile one types did that, fruit in lunchboxes wouldn't be an issue...

Modernised Kipling

They flew me 'ome from Baghdad with a bullet in me chest.

Cos they've closed the army 'ospitals, I'm in the NHS.

The nurse, she ain't no Britisher an' so she ain't impressed.

It's like I'm some street corner thug who's come off second best.

Yes, it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "You're not welcome 'ere".

But when Saddam was collar'd, they was quick enough to cheer.

They're proud when Tommy Atkins 'olds the thin red line out there,

But now he's wounded back at 'ome, he has to wait for care.

Some stranger in the next bed sez, "Don't you feel no shame?

You kill my Muslim brothers!" So it's me not 'im to blame!

An' then the cleaner ups an' sez "Who are you fightin' for?

It ain't for Queen and country 'cos it's Bush's bloody war!"

It's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, what's that smell?"

But it's "God go with you, Tommy," when they fly us out to 'ell.

O then we're just like 'eroes from the army's glorious past.

Yes, it's "God go with you, Tommy," when the trip might be your last.

They pays us skivvy wages, never mind we're sitting ducks,

When clerks what's pushing pens at 'ome don't know their flippin' luck.

"Ah, yes" sez they "but think of all the travel to be 'ad."

Pull the other one. Does Cooks do 'olidays in Baghdad?

It's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, know your place,"

But it's "Tommy, take the front seat," when there's terrorists to chase.

An' the town is full of maniacs who'd like you dead toot sweet.

Yes, it's "Thank you, Mr Atkins," when they find you in the street.

There's s'pposed to be a covynant to treat us fair an' square

But I 'ad to buy me army boots, an' me combats is threadbare.

An' 'alf the bloody 'elicopters can't get into the air,

An' me pistol jammed when snipers fired. That's why I'm laid up 'ere.

Yes, it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, "We 'ave to watch the pence";

Bold as brass the P.M. sez, "We spare them no expense.

"But I'll tell you when they do us proud an' pull out all the stops,

It's when Tommy lands at Lyneham in a bloomin' wooden box!

Written by Patrick Campbell

1000 words worth

Weatherston- just another whiney-arsed seg* now

"Murderer Clayton Weatherston has reportedly been moved into at-risk prison unit after a bounty was put on his head..."

Apparently for $55k

Yeah, right.

Most for the scumbags haven't got the price of a 25g pack of tobacco and those who do don't don't give a shit about what happens outside of their tribe- but there are probably a few peanut slabs riding on who gives him the bash first.

But in any case, he will be whipped off into segregation at first opportunity (Corrections hate high profile inmates for obvious reasons, so keep them sort of out of harm's way)

I say sort of, because shit happens even amongst the whiney-arsed segs. In a segregated wing you get the following sorts:

Ordinary murderers who are too soft to go mainstream.
Ordinary crims that are too soft to go mainstream.
Crims in debt or about to get the bash. (see above) Put there by prison managment to keep the paperwork down.
Ex cops, screws and informants.
Kid- killers.
KF's (thats pedophilles to the polite)

Usually put there by prison managment to keep the paperwork down, or at their own request.

Each of which thinks they are better than the others. (they are ALL arseholes)- so there is no solidarity amongst segs and thus they pick on each other.

So its 23 hour lockdown for him until the animals find another object to vent their considerable spleen on. Right now its just monkeys screeching at a new monkey in the adjoining cage.

As for those thinking he will discover that rape is not a crime inflicted only on women- it does happen but not that frequently.

Prison arse-banditry is a more voluntary affair- especially in segregation.

But there is hope.

One type of inmate that is never tolerated is a big mouthed smart-arse. It's on that account he is going to come to grief.


*- seg- segregated inmate- voluntarily or otherwise.

Against the trends

I'm going against the trend and saying that Weatherston should not be sent to prison.

He SHOULD be sent to a secure mental hospital for the rest of his days!

There murdering scum can be medicated into happy cabbages while they wait to die.

Seeing as society lacks the bottle to string the vicious psychos up as they deserve...

The places you wind up unintentionally

Today I found myself at the Duke of Edinborough Hotel, Porangahau.

Try the Scallops in Whisky Sauce!

I want to see ths bitch go down!

"Two children have described how a family station wagon hit speeds over 200kmh moments before it crashed off the road, killing four-year-old Konrad Truger.

His mother, Wendy-May Connon, was driving and appeared in the High Court at Wellington today where she pleaded not guilty to a charge of manslaughter..."

Let's say I have a bit of local knowledge.

If any small part of it is true, she needs some serious jail time.

However, because she is not a man, she will get sod-all. Juat look at the dispariy in sentencing in abuse cases. Which is what this is, in reality, if not law...

In perspective

I'm losing the equivilent of one of the above every week using the Aitkins diet.

From my peak weight a couple of years ago- 60 gone, 44 to go.

Primitive savage behaviour

"A house which burned down in Porirua's Titahi Bay this morning is the same one in which two women were killed three weeks ago. The Morere Street house has been extensively damaged after it was set fire to just before 6.30 this morning..."

I have seen quite a bit of this over the years. Somebody dies, so superstitious primitives have to burn the house down. What is the deal with the need for wilful property destruction? Was this one of those Amityville horror sort of houses with blood oozing out of the walls?

I thought a bit of mumbo-jumbo muttering and wailing with some water flung around was meant to appease the ghosts!


"...Police say the Housing New Zealand property..."

Note that- OUR house.

I await the news of arrests for arson- if thats not deemed too culturally insensitive, of course...

Taking the lead from Cactus Kate

Today's new word:

aBROpriate

- The act of grabbing taxpayers money for that which no other group would get funding for.

The five minute blogger

Contrary to what some might think, not all of us spend a lot of time blogging.

Most of my posts take less than five minutes once I pick a subject.

I make nothing out of this, nor do I have much spare time, so I don't spend hours working on posts.

I never wanted to be or pretended to be some kind of journo. For the most part I'm a commentator and this is what the MSM are not getting.

Most bloggers are commentators not reporters. The two can actually be symbiotic- I can see a day soon when a reporter posts a story along with links to bloggers on all sides of the spectrum who give commentary on the issue.

As was said by Cactus Kate, "...intelligent readers simply read one angle on an issue then go to another blogger who has the opposing angle and then can make up their own minds..."

And a couple of hundred intelligent readers find their way here each day ;-)

What colour is the sky on YOUR planet?

"The country's top judge is suggesting giving some prisoners an amnesty as a way of relieving prison overcrowding, but the Government has ruled out the idea..."

Here is a novel thought- If you don't commit crimes, you don't go to prison!

This is the sort of bollocks sprouted by a left- leaning, taxpayer-funded ninny that needs to find work elsewhere- perhaps in the retail or fast-food food sector.

The political message was to lock crims up and keep them away from decent people. All her job involves is ensuring they get a fair trial. Stick to that.

If there is a case for reducing sentence length, then make the sentence a far less pleasent experience.

With treadmills, sledgehammers and large rocks...

Underarm Bowling part 2

I received this reply to yesterdays post- my comments in blue:

Oswald - this is more than a technicality, and Rathkeale is not a private school!
Back in 1992, financially challenged Rathkeale went from private to integrated, under certain conditions agreed to with the state. Personally I think they would have been better to continue autonomously as a private school, but this was a decision they must live with.

When dining with the devil, you must remember to bring a long spoon. I agree that they would have been better staying autonomous, but perhaps it was a matter of survival.

In this case, they are clearly violating their undertakings. They must not be a private school in drag. The recipe is not for them to be "better", but to maintain special character!

The two tend to go hand in hand.Why would you pay if they did not offer something percieved to be better? We need to get over this elitistphobia that is rampant here. It's good to want to be better!

Earning particular wrath though is the suggestion from the school that this woman get a mortgage so that Rathkeale can be a Rolls Royce. This is something virtually every New Zealander would condemn.

Now there is a real PR disaster!Those involved should have known better. My wife is a trustee of our local school and assures me this area ('donations) is covered in some detail.

The integrated school system undermines the private schools (by being a budget private system) It undermines the state system (by being a more elite state system). They are neither fish nor fowl, and they are in a weak position. Especially when Rathkeale illustrates the contradictions so well!

Back to the fear or distaste for an organisation daring to be better.As I see it, ALL children are entiltled to an education under our current political system. In other words funds to the amount that a state school recieves per head.

If a school by whatever name recieves this funding, then seeks to add to it by fee, donation or sponsorship- I see no problem with this.

As the situation stands, private schools- like state schools are not all equal. Some are much better than others. This has always been the reality of schools.

Best new word I have heard in ages

BrObesity!

As first used

HERE

Abusing technicalities

"...Karen Bock refuses to pay the $1000-a-term donation at the state integrated Rathkeale College in Masterton and is upset at the school's "aggressive" attitude toward the $13,000 sum said to be owed.

Ms Bock pays about $2000 a year in compulsory fees, but said she could not afford the donation. "I am a single mother and only have a certain income..."

Now she is technically quite correct- she cannot be forced to pay the 'donation'

"...Education Minister Anne Tolley declined to comment, but in a speech last month warned integrated schools that demanding large voluntary donations was not acceptable. "Voluntary donations are just that, voluntary. If unreasonable demands are being placed on parents, they must stop..."

But I see it differently.

By choosing a private school, do you not make a tacit agreement to meet their 'voluntary donation'- called that for tax purposes?

You go into this knowing that these schools have large charges in order to be- well- a better school.

To then try and weasel out on a technicality is bowling underarm!

Forceable Folic Fortification

I don't give a bugger if this may save a couple of cases of spina bifida a year. That is not a reason to add compulsary medication to a staple food.

How about doing what we do with iodine?

We have a choice of using iodised salt. Or not using it.

For the 'Please think of the poor children brigade'- bring out a line of fortified bread as a choice and market it- or convice a baker to do so.

And good luck finding a woman who will eat 11+ slices of bread a day!

Sunday Strangeness

"A man estimated to weigh 400kg had to be cut out of his home for treatment - and firefighters fear he could have lain injured for days.

The Fire Service cut a hole in the second story of the man's Rotorua home during the week before removing him with a forklift, the Herald on Sunday reported..."

I knew there was more than one reason I got out of doing ambulance work!

Two interlink connections

Finally got the long-awaited second PC and now that I have got the wireless gadget working and secured, I might be able to get at the interlink when I want to.

Since the wife developed her trademe habit, this has become increasingly difficult.

And as the youngest becomes more addicted to the world of flash games, things have gotten to the point of me needing a taser near the desk to get him off-line.

I may even get some more of my next book actually typed up.

Sitting in my head is not the safest place for it...

Holidays

Where you pay large amounts of money to live in a far smaller house that has way less in the way of the moderen appliances that make life more bearable.

Usually in a location where extremes of weather are commonplace, the shopkeepers are all chanelling the ghost of Pancho Villa and the locals resemble the cast of 'Deliverance'.

At least one person, usually the most difficult child, will get sick and at least one critical item will be left behind.

For some reason, the nearest takeaway will have the worst fish & chips in the region...

A parting shot

School holidays

So I'm off for a few days.

Back Thursday.

Pull your bloody heads in- do what you are told!

"The Government faces a revolt from primary school principals, with three-quarters of them set to boycott the new national standards..."

Were I the minister, I would be expecting any prima-donna principal who refused to follow orders to resign immediately. Those not doing so should have disciplinary procedures started against them immediately.

If you do not wish to follow the instructions of your employer, resignation is the only honourable course of action to take.

You are public servants. Your employers, the taxpayers, have elected the government you are expected to follow.

You may not like this government, but your contract as a public servant requires you to be politically neutral on the job.


Doing the job isn't about what YOU want. It's about what the boss wants and the boss follows what the customer wants.

You get paid to do whatever that is.

So suck it up, take a big bite of the shit sandwich and get on with it.

Great stuff but too strong for most

Like Laphroaig cask strength, Libertarian policies are too strong for most.

They really need to embrace the 'softly, softly' approach and get away from their full- on style.

Stop talking about 'gone by luchtime' and start talking about 'continuous reduction of agencies'

Play to the positive 'Continuous reduction of taxes'

It's less scary to the sheeple. They might like what you are saying, but change is scary to them.

Pick a couple of policies that appeal to the masses- like the BNP have done with immigration- and push those. You are giving them too much too fast.

I'm not saying hide it- just don't put all the policies under the spotlight. Sell them one idea, then move to another.

Steer clear of philosophy when dealing with the pubic- give them clear, real world plans of action- like repeal the RMA. People can get their heads around that much.

That whisky is for sipping, not gulping!

Your policies are the same. Best taken in small pieces.

The warm glow will still come!

Enough said

Problem friggin' solved!

(yes, I really did shoot one)

Politically Incorrect Fundraising

"Principal Ann Easter said Primary Pinot is a fundraising initiative and joint winemaking venture between the school and Martinborough Vineyard that was this year launched with pupils picking grapes in April..."

I can see the wowsers and woofters crying into their still mineral water over this inovative fundraiser.

Children and the demon drink! World coming to an end!

Won't somebody think of the poor children!!!!

Not a good day

More medical problems with children, washing machines breaking down and a near miss on a icy road.

I need a human sacrifice to appease me (some council official will suffice though)

So I sent this one off to the local paper:

Who do they think they are fooling?

On reading the SWDC's website, I find in the questions and answers regarding water meters, this piece of economy regarding the truth:

Q. Will I have to pay for the cost of installing a meter?

A. No.

I believe the correct answer would be 'You have already paid for your meter through your rates'

This is the sort of dishonesty that starts 'The government pays for...'

The government (local or central) pays for NOTHING. Tax payers and ratepayers do.

A sign to this effect should hang the wall of every public servant's workplace!

SWDC lying AGAIN

On their website, there is a Q&A regarding the upcoming water metering. On it there is this load of arse:

Q. Will I have to pay for the cost of installing a meter?

A. No.

So where did the money for these meters come from?

Rates, of course!

So you HAVE paid for them!

LIARS!

No wonder they are now extinct

The species never had a chance