You enforce the laws- you don't make them.

RE: Police campaign to restrict non-conventional stock designs

The police department is currently running an advertising campaign and threatening law abiding and responsible firearms licence holders with prosecution if they don’t comply with their demands.

National Shooters Association advises all licence holders who have possession of one or more of the affected firearms that they are not obliged to follow the instructions of the police department at this time.

The ‘Save our Butts’ legal challenge has obtained a judgment from the High Court at Palmerston North. In that judgment, Mackenzie J confirmed that the police department have no authority over the classification of firearms and he confirmed that the police department opinion of the legislation has no legal standing.

Police have publicly advised that the firearms which they presently find offensive are in a configuration that suits the New Zealand definition of sporting configuration. Under New Zealand law semi-automatics that are maintained at all times in a sporting configuration are not MSSA and do not require special endorsements. The police department have confirmed through Crown Law that they are not reclassifying these firearms.

National Shooters Association advises members and licence holders to not apply for special endorsements or obtain permits for their sporting configuration semi-automatic firearms until further notice.

Source: http://www.nsanz.org.nz/

perspective fail

"Tougher penalties against those who harm animals look certain to be fast-tracked after Prime Minister John Key last night said his government would consider the controversial issue at Tuesday's caucus meeting.

A spokesman for Key said: "The prime minister has been appalled by the recent animal cruelty cases..."

I'm glad to hear that mistreatment of animals is being taken so seriously that legislationis to be fast-tracked (WOW! new laws- that will end the problem!)

When do we expect such prompt attention to the problem of cruelty to CHILDREN?

And is DOC exempt for killing animals cruelly with 1080? Or when they shoot Thar with shotguns from the air, leaving them to die from injuries from falls?

When does theft call for hanging?

When you get a case like this one.

That is the best example of the moment- there are plenty of others!

Progress

Hat Tip: NZ Conservative

2002

I just noticed, on signing in, that this is the 2002 post!

And more & more folks keep coming here- I remember when 20 visits was a busy day- now it's 400+

I think that calls for a sly nip from 'er indoors's Wild Turkey bottle!

Back to the PC

The Mac won't let me acess this page- instead it redirects me to Google search!

Everything else, including my other site, works fine...

Pretty, shiny toys

I need one of these!

Just what I hope a computer would be one day!

WTF!

Ever time I try to get to this blog, I get redirected to Google search.

On the PC everything works fine!

Cry me a river- get a real job

"...But Council of Trade Unions president Helen Kelly said the 25c rise was "mean'' and barely covered inflation. The two percent rise was below inflation forecasts for the year of 2.3 percent, she said..."

Reality check.

You are not meant to stay in a minimum wage job for your whole working life.

These jobs are STARTING positions.

Ones that will be filled by robots if the minimum wage goes up too fast.

Then there is the knock-on effect- Minmum goes up, it pushes ALL the lower paid jobs up.

And pushing an idiot stick is, in reality, not worth a hell of a lot...

Unimbloodypressed!

The wife has stolen my Mac- the PC isn't good enough anymore!

Will you stupid women never learn!

"Lance Teriwhi Corkery will spend less than five years in jail for inflicting injuries on a baby that left her in a condition like that of a stroke survivor..."

OK- this is not the popular take on this, however, all those women who take up with feckless, worthless BOYS (they ain't men!) who probably have form and abuse substance HAVE to take a large part of the blame for these sort of tragedies themselves!

How many case studies are there for this sort of thing?

FAR too many!

SO you will just have to be more discerning in who you take up with. It's not a 100% thing that this won't happen but hell- you can sure stack the odds either way.

Mr slightly dull with a boring job who doesn't live at the pub or smoke himself insensable at every opportunity is going to be far safer than some dashing looking bad boy with attitude.

And another reality check- unlike in the bodice-rippers- you AIN"T going to change him for the better!

SO clamp your legs together and don't go there.


Also, for the record, there should have been a zero on the end of his sentence.

A start

Thanks to Sensible Sentencing:

These are a small selection of some of the offenders whose last serious violent offence and/or homicide would have been prevented by the application of the Three Strikes Law below;
Vance Tuheke
George Baker
Christian Brusey
George Cant
Bevan Carroll
Glen Clarken
Michael Curran
Lloyd Currie
Kayla Dernis
Antonie Dixon
Charles Edwards
Damon Exley
Natalie Fenton
Nathan Fenton
John Gillies
Cedric Hapakuku
William Holtz
Peter Holdem
Junior Inoke
Fraser Jenkins
Wattie Kahu
Roger Kahui
Gresham Marsh
Leah Peneha
Mitchell Whittaker

Of course if you hung this refuse, they would never re-offend!

Irony

This is just classic!

Getting back to basics

I'm not at all a follower of sports, but this event is about more than a game of rugby.

"...The match was an 8000-seat sellout on a farm in the small Wairarapa community which is made famous by the presence of popular beer brewery..."

A sellout and it was held in a paddock in foul weather.

Sort of proves that the gold-plated options councils are in favour of US funding are NOT essential.

This can be applied to more than a sporting match- we don't need fancy wave pools, vast libraries, cotton-wool padded playground equipment, river water quality testing and especially super-expensive stadiums to ghet out and have a great day out!

Let the creative types who came up with the idea for this match get on with it and stay the hell out of their way!

UPDATE:

More here

The 'Stone Soup' Computer

It starts with- 'I found a computer for $55 on TradeMe'.

That's dirt cheap, so the OK is given to buy it.

It comes without a monitor, so the clunky old 17" CRT is resurrected from the garage.

Now the computer takes up the whole desk, so it's off to buy a nice 20" LCD ($299)

The LAN cable is a nuisance running across the house. Wireless USB adaptor-$60.

Nowhere to plug the Wireless adaptor in- USB hub- $24.

Computer goes great, but its 12 gig HDD is almost full. 320G USB drive- $99.

Look at the new super mouse- have to get one of those at $110!

Now purchase USB bluetooth adaptor- $30.

New toy not supported by old OS- new OS won't run on this old system.

Purchase new Mini Mac (which is what I wanted in the first place!)

Punch a scumbag Journalist day

Corporal Apiata can't be here to do it in person, so it's weapons-free on all shit-eating publishers of bird cage liners!

I thought the press in NZ had reached a goat-felching rock-bottom low in the last few years, but here they start to dig. 

I'm hoping that next time some dumb-arsed reporter gets nabbed by third-world thugs, that those who get to stick their nut on the block and have the mission of extracting them are a little slow at coming to the rescue. 

Four or five years too slow.

Oh No- not again!

"The blue aliens that star in the Hollywood blockbuster Avatar speak a fictional tongue based on Maori.

Avatar director James Cameron says the language of the Na'vi alien race is based on Maori sounds he heard in New Zealand..."

Shouldn't have admitted that!

Now the lunatic fringe with the overdeveloped sense of entitlement will be demanding their cut!

Option C

Opinion poll

Which would you rather pay more of:

 GST

 Personal income tax

Vote

Related story: Tax Working Group head defends

 recommendations

I want 'Option C'

Slash the crap out of government spending!

This lot can all go by lunchtime:

• Cindy Kiro's Office for the Children's Commissioner
• Peter Dunne's Families Commission
• Paula Rebstock's Commerce Commission
• David Lange's Ministry for Women's Affairs
• Jim Anderton's Ministry of Economic Development
• The Ministry of Youth Development
• Asia New Zealand Foundation
• The Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs
• The Ministry for Maori Affairs
• The Race Relations Conciliator
• Alcohol Advisory Council of New Zealand
• Action on Smoking Hysteria
• Electricity Commission
• Energy Efficiency & Conservation Authority
• The National Advisory Council on the Employment of Women
• The Department of Labour
• Welfare for Working Families

Three victims and you are out

"A Christchurch judge has taken a swing at the new "three strikes and the max'' criminal justice policy the Government is about to put in place.

Christchurch District Court Judge David Saunders had an offender with a long record in the dock on a burglary charge.

But he was concerned that the proposed law change could lead to an unavoidable 10-year jail term for what looked to be a minor offense..."

Well what a surprise! Wankers in wigs don't like being told what to do! 

But then you look at this poor downtrodden wretch and discover that he is far from an outstanding citizen. I mean, how many chances does the beak think he should frickin' get?

"...The 29-year-old unemployed Northcote man was seeking bail and the judge granted it in spite of the police opposition.

They pointed out the man had 65 previous convictions including burglary, robbery, armed robbery, and wounding..."

(Bold mine)

This judge's reality check just bounced!

And they wonder why ordinary folk are wanting more Judge Dread!

Up yours Microsuck!

Mystery Picture

What?
Where?

Clue- NOT a chimney!

On target- fire for effect!

src="http://www.daybydaycartoon.com/avatars/all_lg.gif"/>

The worst January weekend in years

Bring on this bloody global warming, I say!

(My lemon trees love it though- best lemon crop ever!)

Throw the book

"Wairoa police have their noses out of joint after a woman rang 111 because her husband used the toilet and didn't spray air freshener afterwards.

The woman, 51, rang the emergency number but hung up when the call was answered – prompting an emergency response by two officers.

When they arrived the wife told them she had been in a dispute with her husband, 50, because he had used the toilet without following through with a spray of air freshener. The couple were placated and no charges were laid, Sergeant Aubrey Ormond said..."

Why the hell was she not charged for this blatant abuse of the emergency system?

Travel a couple of k's over the speed limit and it's no quarter given...

Harsh

Yes, my views on Haiti ARE harsh. Some would say brutal and I wouldn't disagree with them.

No doubt about that and BTW- it says much about the people who visit here that they can disagree without geting personal about it!

What sparked off that post was a clip of 'victims' DEMANDING aid and right now- not asking or pleading-DEMANDING.

Do they think there is an aid convoy waiting offshore 'just in case'? Reality is that even in well resouced 'can-do' countries disaster victims have to wait for the cavalry.

This whole affair reminds me of what happens here on a daily basis, but on a much larger scale. That of dysfuctional families requiring that we pick up the tab and provide the help for their misadventures and blundering passage through life.

Now with welfare- on a small or nationwide scale- there needs to be hooks attached to aid. When you want somebody to provide you with the means to keep living, you must accept conditions.

Like kicking out the rulers who's corruption has squandered past aid
Like accepting governance from outside (but not the frickin' UN!)
Like having to reform caveman societies
Like having to do what you are bloody told- like children who continually screw up.

The left call this patronising.

Would they prefer dead?

Would civil folk do this?

"Desperate Haitians have set up roadblocks with corpses in Port-au-Prince to demand quicker relief efforts after a massive earthquake killed tens of thousands and left countless others homeless.."

No.

Such 'people' ain't worth your money.

This country was formed from a slave revolt in 1804. It is now a third-world shit-hole.

NZ was formed in the 1840's- also from nothing. It ain't QUITE third world yet- despite the best effforts of some.

Now, back to the start- WHY are these people not worth helping?

BECAUSE THEY WON'T/HAVEN'T HELPED THEMSELVES.

That is the touchstone folks...

There may be hope yet

When discussing the need for a repair, the two others involved pointed out that it would be better if we could repair instead of replacing the faulty part as these repairs came back to all of us ratepayers in the end. They would have had no problem getting the part replacement approved.

Now the chaps involved were what you would call 'ordinary working blokes' as found in the pubs and clubs everywhere in rural NZ. Not big thinkers- certainly not Libertartians or even ACToids! Chaps working outdoors with their hands for money that most city dwellers would sneer at.

But they easily and without prompting realised that council spending bites us all on the arse!

The repair worked- saving the ratepayers about $5k.

Contemplating Climate

I have noticed that the Manuka and Kanuka are in flower like I have never seen before.

Given that they are the predominant native scrub and have been around for thousands of years- could it be that THIS is the climate they like- what we are getting this year?

This would indicate that the current weather is, in the big picture, what NZ has had more often than not over the centuries...

Contemptable Courts

"High profile blogger Cameron Slater is "attacking the heart of our criminal justice system" and could face more serious charges, police say..."

Come on- get a grip on reality and get out and catch some real crooks! If one blogger can bring down the 'justice' system, then it is rotten to the core and ready to fall!

This is the classic storm in a teacup!

On the subject of contempt of court- why have there been no moves to bring this charge against EVERYBODY who breaches a court order- non-contact, trespass, bail or parole conditions?
Surely there are more serious issues that an outspoken blogger?

Fair, Firm and CONSISTENT- heard of that concept?

And this coming from a stalwart defender and apologist for the criminal classes is just too precious:

"...Auckland lawyer Chris Comeskey said the law was in place for a "good reason", and it was his belief judges generally got it right when deciding whether or not to award it.

Police should look at laying more serious charges including perverting the course of justice, which carried a prison sentence, he told Radio New Zealand.

Slater was inviting "anarchy" by flouting decisions passed down by lawmakers..."

I thought this bottom-dweller would be getting a woody over the idea of defending Cam!

GOTCHA!

Appears to have been gotten!

Error establishing a database connection

Could it be due to this story:

"A prominent blogger has identified a national figure charged with indecently assaulting a 13-year-old girl.

The person has court ordered name suppression but blogger Cameron Slater - already before the courts for four counts of breaching suppression orders and one count of publishing information which could lead to the victim of a crime being identified - has named them in a post today by using computer coding to mask the text..."

If only the apparatus could move with this speed against, say, gangs who thumb their noses at the law of the land...

Weirdo alert

Going to prove there is nowt as strange as folk- we have ANOTHER attack of wackadoo wabbit wooters!

This one used a condom!- what was he scared of?- Mixamitosis?

Hat Tip: Boomers and Bullshit

More for Free!

I have just been re-reading Meddlers in Time on Kindle for PC.

This gives you a counter with the percentage of the book you have so far read.

The 25% available in the free sample just wasn't enough! I'm just getting warmed up at that stage (I don't do short stories!)

So I have upped the free sample to 50%

Download away!

Suppression orders be damned- here are the offenders names

I Lied.

Now get out and catch some real crooks!!


My real issue with suppresion orders is that they are not fairly applied.

ALL accused should have their names suppressed unless extraordinary circustances dictate otherwise.

Not just those who are wealthy, well-known or politically connected.

ALL found guilty should be named. End of story.

JUSTICE (as opposed to LAW) requires fair, firm and CONSISTANT treatment.

This selective covering up is none of the above.

Welcome to minimum standards

"Thousands of students could be booted out of university this year for underperforming in a crackdown on those with poor marks.

Financially stressed universities have revealed they will significantly increase the number of students who are shown the door, saying they only want "motivated students".

The automatic right of people aged over 20 to university courses could also be under threat, as universities warn their budgets are at breaking point..."

Good!

If they can't cut it, they should be out the door ASAP.

Too many are attending simply as a lifestyle option.

Bring back the good old University Entrance examination. It's a waste of time and money for cretins who don't meet a minimum standard going to university- so they can say they went, I suspect.

While they are at it- cut the useles BA (Bugger-all) wannabes back to those who are prepared to meet the FULL cost of taking a vanity degree!

Hey asshole- you scratched my anchor!

What did you forget?

The semtex, the det or the balls?

The law being an Ass

"...A Perth doctor is unable to recover his $A200,000 ($NZ250,245) Lamborghini after it was seized by police who caught his mechanic driving it at speeds up to 70km/h over the limit...

...Police Minister Rob Johnson said he sympathised with the owner but that the law acted as a strong deterrent to hoons.

"I have some sympathy for him but it's a situation that he has to take up with the garage owner," Mr Johnson said on Thursday.

"It's not something that I'm prepared to change the law for, simply because somebody who owns a Lamborghini does not have that car for 28 days..."

Do I detect a hint of auto envy here?

A spot of- 'ha-ha- you rich bastard?

A bit of the old 'tall poppy syndrome'?

Because I sure as hell can't think of any other reason for not releasing his car!

'To be completely fair' my arse!

This and other traffic 'safety' bollocks is doing irreparable harm to the respect the public (mostly) once had for ther police.

So this is must be what the powers-that-be want

Because it's obvious to anyone with an IQ over about 80...

Donning the hair shirt

Not having enough stress and tension in my life, I brought another second (or third) hand computer.

Three hours later, I have finally got the wifi working!

Yes, I know- get an Apple!

That is on my list, but this $100 laptop came up...

More tax- the anwser to everything

"...Indeed, the Ministry of Health's five-year plan for tobacco control, released in 2004, put price increases at the top of a list of effective anti-smoking measures. This had already been underlined by local experience, which showed a sudden and sizeable reduction in cigarette sales whenever the tax had been increased..."

70% of the price is already tax.

80% or 100% will be just as effective at getting smokers to quit.

Up the tax rate enough and you provide NZ's criminal classes with another revenue stream.

Crap grade leaf laced with who knows what!

But this being the easy fix and the one that snatches the most loot for the powers-that-be, you can be sure it will happen.

Nannies, Ninnies and Numpties

"The World Health Organisation has suggested that a complete ban on advertising junk food to children is preferable to more limited controls such as those used in New Zealand..."

Sex and travel.

Concern yourselves with kids who don't have enough to eat in the various shitholes about the world.

Kids diets are a parent problem. There is a little word 'NO'

That is the word you use when your kids start to get a little porky- or preferably before.

PARENTS are still (somewhat) in charge of their offspring and control the food supply.

If you don't like 'Junk' food- USE THE FRIGGIN' WORD!

If you missed it the first time, it was NO!

A nice little hideaway

I found this yesterday, when out & about. I'm a great fan of holidaying where there are no other people!

Click the picture to find out more.

It's a numbers game

"A ban on using cellphones while driving and a crackdown on drugged driving are likely to have contributed to a record low road toll in the final months of the year, police say..."

Wrong.

It a numbers game, pure and simple. More people on the road doing more k's- more chances of a fuck-up where someone dies.

We have an influx of city dwellers unused to driving on the open road, unused to driving on strange roads, unused of driving for more than minutes, unused to having a car full of passengers.

A recipie for disaster.

It's not the same when the yokels go to town- their screw-ups are at lower speed and don't call for the man with the scythe.

The wild card is the weather.

To suggest the cellphone ban has had an impact on such a statistically small sample is pure bullshit.

And as nobody has been pinged for the other chemical imparements- I would have to say the same there.

The world is full of bludgers and bastards

Here is one.

He pleads poverty but:

"As part of the earlier appeal, the Social Security Appeal Authority questioned items listed in Foster's domestic budget, including $30 for cellphone, internet and phone line at his shared accommodation. It said: "It is surprising that the appellant can afford to buy the Listener and pay for an internet connection but cannot budget for clothing..."

(Bold mine)

Now I don't consider the internet a luxury for a job-seeker.

The thing with having the interlink is that you can access this budgeter's friend called TradeMe.

I have just brought a pair of as-new upmarket trainers for $20 there (retail $160-180)
We buy clothes on-line all the time. I have no problem with second-hand!

"Act MP Dr Muriel Newman said Foster's court actions had gone too far but were a product of "the system". "The attitude is, if you do need a jumper and pair of shoes they [the taxpayer] can pay for it. It's an indictment on the system. People can go to an op shop and get a pair of shoes for $5 and he's definitely chosen not to take that path."

(bold mine)

All I can add to that is that if you give the salvos a sob-story they will almost certainly GIVE you the frickin' shoes!

But then it gets worse- MUCH worse!

"...He said legal experts had estimated the cost to the Ministry of Social Development of defending his persistent court action could be anything from $30,000 to $250,000..."

(Bold mine)

How much does telling him to fuck off and get a job cost?

I will do it free as a public service!

FUCK OFF AND GET A JOB!!!!

Archaic business models

Few are as much in need of a shakedown as the traditional publishing model.

The end user, AKA the customer, is so far from the producer that he is paying far more than need be. Look at the retail price of a paperback these days!

And I don't mean those poor abandoned orphans on tales outside the shops- the full price material on the shelves.

Where it is staying.

Then along comes the ebook and Print On Demand.

No more waste or risk with advance printing.

Ebooks can be produced dirt cheap. Mark Coker of Smashwords talks about the model of the four dollar book. Customers will be more inclined to try a new book or author when the price is low- way below even the discount books.

Smashwords pays authors up to 85% of the net proceeds from the sale of their works. Net proceeds to author = (sales price minus PayPal payment processing fees)*.85.

Also, the author gets to set the price and can control discounting through coupon codes. I have just had a 100% discount for the Christmas period. Being a newbie, I need to get my name out there!

Now a lot of folks are traditionalists and prefer to read paper books. I have to admit to being one of them. But there is a new breed of reader coming up- one who is more used to reading from the screen than the printed page.

They will change the face of book retailing.

Folks who live in small city apartments can keep huge libraries in digital form. No more packing crates of books- just grab the Kindle and a handful of USB sticks.

Students won't need to bust themselves carrying 30kg of textbooks around!

And best of all- those who love there card & paper can have their favorites printed out and bound as hard copy via POD!

Books will never go out of print and I won't have to hunt through second-hand book shops for long-lost old friends (although I probably still will,because I like doing so!)

Looking to change.

* Power Mac Mirror G4, 2 x 1.25GHz PowerPC G4 CPUs
* 512MB DDR RAM, 160GB IDE HDD
* ComboDrive - CD Writer & DVD Reader
* 64MB Graphics Card
* Mac OS X 10.3 Installed

$290

What do you Mac uses out there reckon about this model for an internet browser/word processer?

Seeing as everyone else are blowing their own trumpets

I may as well too!

On looking around at other blogs stats- they have similar trends- I come to the conclusion that blogging in general is attracting more viewers.

Why would you?

You may as well rub yourself down with cat food and go swimming in a river full of saltwater crocodiles.

But you will see this sort of thing every Friday/Saturday night in any city in NZ.

Stupid, stupid, stupid...

Poor and miserable

Everyone seems to think that the poor downtrodden non-working class are in this state.

It isn't so.

Yesterday a large group of the town's taxpayer-funded bludgers has a pre-piss-up gathering across the road. Thankfully they departed at about 2100 for parts unknown.

They seemed to be having one hell of a time thanks to the copious quantities of alcohol being consumed. So they were not miserable and can't have been all that poor to have been able to purchase all of that firewater!

I'm so frickin' pleased to see all that tax I have taken from me going to make these people so happy!

This is why you never see me donating to food banks!

Q- What is the difference?

A- Only one of these would look good on Helen Clark