For Sale - 1 Fridge

Buy my old Fridge: One careful little old lady owner, who only used it to drive to church on Sundays.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/structure/auction_detail.asp?id=38951908

Actually, not used at all for the past 6 months and taking up space in the laundry. Trademe Auction closes just after 9.30pm on Tuesday.


UPDATE: Sold to the highest bidder for $91.50. A bargain, really.

Disabled Access for Public Transport

Yesterday's report into Public Transport Access for disabled users recommends that minimum standards be put in place so that operators of trains, buses and taxis can take disabled passengers. This would also include upgrading train platforms, bus stops and other public transport access points.

Personally, I think having disabled access to public transport is fine - as long as other users and ratepayers are not having to pay an unfair additional cost to fund the higher cost of making trains, buses and taxis wheelchair accessible and adding audio information for sight-impaired.

If the report had recommended that reasonable steps be taken, considering cost/benefit, that would be acceptable to me. After all, how many times have you seen a wheelchair user on a disabled access bus? It would probably be cheaper to send wheelchair bus users by taxi when required than pay for the extra expense of lowering bus floors and installing ramps.

Youth Gangs are whose children?

Sue Bradford today annouced that the teenagers causing trouble in South Auckland are the "Children of Rogernomics". (As an aside, I would argue that they are the grandchildren of Norman Kirk and his generous Social Welfare.) Her argument is that the end of protection for industries hit South Auckland hard and as a result many families lost jobs and went onto benefits.

But here's an interesting notion - if the actual parents of these children are not employed then they are at home all day and able to supervise the teens. They can make sure they go to school, help them with homework and set boundaries that keep them away from trouble.

Blaming a Government that has been out of power longer than most of these children have been alive is just plain dishonest.

Political Correctness gone mad!

Uber-blogger David Farrer has started a debate on Political Correctness by giving ten examples.

Now, I've always thought that Political Correctness is the modification of thought or speech to ensure conformity to an unquestionable orthodoxy. (Or more simply, not being able to say what you think as it is against the prevailing view.) My favourite example of 'Political Correctness' has to be the Treaty debate. What I have never understood is when revisionist 'experts' claim that the Treaty was used to rip off Maori in one breath, then demand that the same document guarantees special rights to Maori in the next.

Of course, to question their wisdom is to be labelled a racist. Rosa Parks questioned the prevailing wisdom, too - and look where that led.

What's worse?

1. Our car being broken into (again) at Waterloo Railway Station.

2. Nothing we have in our car is worth stealing.

Perhaps we can put a sign - "Don't bother breaking into this car, the last person who did left emptyhanded."

Greens hate Free Speech - except when it praises themselves

Yesterday, Rod Donald got all upset over the Exclusive Bretheren pamphlets distributed before the last election. Fine them $100,000, he demanded in his press release, and make it a summary offence. (A summary offence means the fine is issued without a defence being able to be made, like a parking ticket.)

Now during the election campaign, the Greens made reference to the following pressure groups and individuals who entered the political fray and encouraged people to vote for the Greens:

14 Sept 2005, Vote for the Environment - which includes Greenpeace, ECO and Forest and Bird (Source, Press Release: "Thin Policy confirms environment not a priority for National")
14 Sept 2005, Council of Trade Unions (Source, Press Release: "National would threaten workers' gains"
13 Sept 2005, Rawiri Paratene (Source, Press Release: "Whale Rider star to feature in Green Campaign"
9 Sept 2005, Phoenix Organics (Source, Press Release: "Greens welcome up-front support from leading business"
9 Sept 2005, Every Child Counts (Source, Press Release: "Greens first in childrens' policy"
31 August 2005, The Body Shop (Source, Press Release: "The Body Shop gets behind S59 campaign"
25 August 2005, Forest and Bird (Source, Press Release: "Government responds to Greens' 'albatross' billboard"

That's eight organisations, some of whom printed leaflets promoting the Green Party. Why isn't Rod Donald demanding a $100,000 fine for Pheonix Organics?

This is also the same party that insisted that David Irving be allowed into New Zealand to spout his views? The man who denies the Nazi Holocaust ever happened?

By complaining, aren't they attempting to limit the free speech of others. Could it be that the Green Party don't like free speech, unless it is in praise of them?

The answer to people taking advantage of free speech to tell lies is more free speech, Mr Donald. If you tolerate the censorship of ideas, eventually someone will come to power and silence you.

Violent TV - Some common sense from the Families Commission

Rajan Prasad has called for parents to monitor childrens Television watching and to switch off any programmes with violence that children may not be able to understand.

Surprisingly for an organisation I don't agree we need, I agree with this. It should be a parent's responsibilty to ensure children don't watch programmes inappropriate to the age of the child.

What is sad though is the need of government to spend millions of dollars on a campaign similar to the Drink driving campaign of recent years for some parents to get that message.

An Open Letter to the Managers of Kirkcaldie and Stains, HomeFocus and Minnow.

Dear Sir/Madam,

As I have walked through town over the past few days I have noted that in your store window there are Christmas Displays set up. While not intending to be like a pre-spectral visitation Scrooge, who would mutter 'Bah, humbug' upon any mention of Christmas, I think it is fair to make the following points about your premature evacuation of these Christmas items from your storage areas:

Christmas is a Christian holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus, grafted onto the pagan festival of the Winter Solstice. The symbolism here is that this is the time of the longest nights, or darkness covering the land. The birth of Christ parallels the promise that the light (of Jesus) will slowly take over from the darkness.

Traditionally, Christians prepare for the birth of Jesus during a period called Advent. This covers the period of the four Sundays previous to Christmas. On each Sunday, a candle is lighted on a wreath, also to signify the 'light' (representing Jesus) is coming into the world. This year the first candle, signifying the start of the Christmas season will fall on Sunday 27 November. This gives a full five weeks until Christmas as 25th December falls on the Sunday this year. (Next year, advent will not fall until 3 December with only 4 weeks and 1 day until Christmas.)

If you fail to remove the said displays I will have no option but to boycott your fine establishments until Monday 28 November.

Yours Sincerely / Bah Humbug,

Michael Ellis

David Parker deserves his Cabinet Post

Some right-wingers have suggested that David Parker, having lost his Otago Seat, does not deserve to be in Cabinet. Well, I'm sick of people classing List MPs as second class MPs.

In theory, electors consider the policies and the people when electing a Government. So, the published list of Candidates, and the Labour Party policies were popular enough for Parker to be elected.

The great advantage of MMP is a party vote is rarely wasted. In 1990, I voted for Graham Kelly, who won Porirua. In 1993, my vote counted for nothing as I voted for a candidate who lost. In 1996, my candidate vote was worth nothing again but my Party Vote helped elect a candidate. Unlike 1993, I had a representitive in Parliament for my views from my vote, just like all the people who voted for the winning candidate in the electorate. (This is the primary advantage of MMP - nearly every vote counts.)

So if you don't like the idea that David Parker being a Cabinet Minister then you have one choice - start a referendum to have MMP removed as our electoral system.

The Workers Charter

Auckland Group "Workers Charter" have announced it's new 'Workers Charter'. - Welcome to the Revolution, it has not been televised.

The Charter states that Workers will have the following rights. A breif explanation is included below each right.

1. The right to a job that pays a living wage and gives us time with our families and communities.
Your wife, children and neighbours will be used as slave labour in the same factory as you.

2. The right to pay equity for women, youth and casual workers.
However, middle-aged, permanently employed men will be paid more.

3. The right to free public healthcare and education, and to liveable superannuation and welfare.
It'll be crap, but free. Superannuation and welfare recipients will not quite be starved to death.

4. The right to decent housing without crippling mortgages and rents.
To assist the leaders of "Workers Charter" will take over all houses on Paritai Drive. For the rest we will build workers flats at your factory.

5. The right to public control of assets vital to community well-being.
Your local McDonalds has been nationalised.

6. The right to protect our environment from corporate greed.
Our Communist demands for production will destroy it first.

7. The right to express our personal identity free from discrimination.
Those who express personal disagreement with this will be shot.

8. The right to strike in defence of our interests.
In the country run was run by "Workers Charter" it is paradise - so you won't need to strike.

9. The right to organise for the transfer of wealth and power from the haves to the have-nots.
Once the have-nots have all the wealth and power we will organise for the transfer of wealth and power back to the haves, and so on. To assist in this all people with surnames beginning 'A' to 'M' have been designated "haves". Those with surnames 'N' to 'Z' have been designated "have-nots". On Even Numbered days the "haves" will have "wealth" and "power". On other days the "have-nots" will have "wealth" and "power". It will not matter as "Workers Charter" will hold on to all money and control.

10. The right to unite with workers in other lands against corporate globalisation and war.
Just like Russian workers united with Hungarian Workers in 1956, and united with Czechoslavakian Workers in 1968.

We have a Government.

A Labour-Progressive Coalition with support on Supply and Confidence from NZ First and United Future - Peter Dunne and Winston Peters will be Ministers in the Government, although not in Coalition.

A tricky situation, as all Ministers must support legislation that is agreed to in Cabinet. So Peters and Dunne may have to vote for legislation that the rest of NZ First and United Future oppose.

So will the rules in the Cabinet be changed? Or will Peters and Dunne have a veto on legislation? Stay tuned.

What Planet is Jordan Carter on?

Jordan Carter has posted a piece on employment relations that defies all logic, except from someone who has only studied employment at University. (like our Prime Minister.)

One of Jordan's Gems is this: "Stronger requirements for management to consult with workers, and include them in business planning and decision-making."

If Jordan doesn't want to return to the days of wildcat strikes and lockouts as a way of resolving worker/employer disputes then he's advocating the best way to have it happen again.

So David Farrer fisks him, and Jordan strikes bag with his comments:

"I don't give a flying wotsit if employers don't like it. The world does not exist for employers."

Okay, Jordan - are you suggesting that we should ban people from employing others? Perhaps the most novel suggestion for ending employment disputes - have no employees.

"Via wilful malevolence or via bureaucratic inflexibility or whatever, employers are not interested in their workers: they are interested in themselves."

Obviously the statement of a University Student now working in a Trade Union environment (or for a Government Minister) who has never held a real job.

But Jordan makes one important point. The key to raising long-term pay in NZ is in raising productivity. If you want to raise productivity you have to link pay to performance/outcomes. (Not necessarily output.) Unions hate pay rates based on this, which is why they're a stumbling block to improving productivity.

Happy 80th to Maggie Thatcher

Britain's first female Prime Minister.

Won the Falklands War (which the Argentines started.)

Beat the Unions - which was her mandate when elected.

Not even the IRA could stop her.

She got Britain moving forward again.

I See Red - 'cause Tony made me see Red

Tony Milne has launched a new blog - it's good reading, better than Jordan Carter's. But it's an intellectual left-wing blog (like Jordan's) which is the Red-Rag to the Michael bull. (No, that is not an unintended pun.)

Tony's first post makes this statement:

"The 2005 General Election exposed a divided New Zealand."

Well, I disagree. At my work, I'm sure the voting split was roughly the same as New Zealand's. But we're all friends, we just disagree over Government policy. That doesn't make us a divided nation. Most voters accept that democracy being what it is has delivered us a Parliament and soon we will have a Government. It seems everybody is over it except for the political junkies.

Tony then insults those who voted for National. The bulk of the Tony's post is reproduced below:

"The division isn’t between rural and urban New Zealand. New Zealand is divided between the old New Zealand and the new New Zealand.

The old New Zealand still has an emotive connection to “Mother England” and old military alliances. The old New Zealand was a country where there was a strong expectation that as soon as you left school women should marry a man, and have children. The old New Zealand was a time when people could (and did) go to prison for being homosexual.

The new New Zealand is different. The new New Zealand is tolerant and respectful of all people. The new New Zealanders are the growing majority of people in our country today who are confident, innovative, and proud of New Zealand and it’s values of diversity, fairness, independence, and tolerance. The new New Zealand recognises we are a multi-cultural Pacific nation with a valued indigenous culture. The new New Zealand recognises the important role of arts, culture, heritage and the environment. The new New Zealand is the emerging majority diversity coalition of C21st New Zealand."

(It seems that Tony is starting to believe the Labour Propaganda that the National Party are evil.)

This is the tripe that every leftie has spouted since the election - it's become a Left-wing mantra (look out for it in ever Labour Maiden speech) that generally National voters hate 'diversity' and are 'backward looking' and therefore negative for New Zealand. Labour voters are 'forward looking' and 'value diversity' and are therefore positive for New Zealand.

If Labour seeks to heal 'divisions', then insulting the other side of the 'divide' is not the way to do so. The real way Labour can heal divisions is to get on with governing.

We don't have mass demonstrations in the streets saying the result of the election was unfair. They'll vote again in 2008 and elect the next Government - either Labour-led or National-led. People will then go with that Government recognising that it is democratically elected.

It's how democracy works!

A Right Wing "The Awful Truth!"

The mere sight of Mike Moore gets me mad. His use of satire to push his views is very clever, but I get off the train when an overweight, middle-class American unloads his overweight, middle-class American guilt on the rest of the world, and calls it 'documentary'.

But there is salvation on Television. Hidden away late night on Tuesdays on Prime TV is a series starring Penn Jillette and Raymond Teller (Yes, the magicians who revealed how magical tricks are done) called "Penn and Teller: Bullshit".

Last nights episode mercilessly lampooned a smokefree campaigner in New York, then got stuck into people who peddle self-help programmes for parents of toddlers. (Even setting up a bizarre infomercial taping which has the parents dressing in nappies to show their children that wearing nappies is normal.)

Just Brilliant!

Rod Donald is like a little boy throwing a temper tantrum

When I was a little boy and couldn't get my way I used to stamp my feet and say, "It's not fair!"

Well Rod Donald is in his 50's and still does it: "It is not fair that many New Zealanders cannot afford to buy a family home because they are competing in the same market as well-off overseas buyers who want to profit from loose foreign investment laws," Mr Donald says.

Personally, I'm not a bigot - I've sold two homes so far. Both times to whoever offered the most money. I didn't bother to check out what nationality they were.

Greens and Psuedo-Science

Much blog discussion today has centred on Roger Kerr's excellent column - Why the Greens Charm Offensive Failed. In the article, Roger Kerr says:

"Many green crusades have been responsible for human misery and environmental damage.

A classic example is the campaign against DDT. Despite massive evidence that DDT was not harmful to humans or wildlife, the ideological ban on its use in many countries led to a resurgence in malaria and an estimated 50 million deaths. South Africa has gone back to using DDT and deaths have fallen away."

The Centre for Independant Studies published this article on DDT use and Malaria rates in 2001 which supports Kerr's statement.

I noted the comment in the article which is attributed to Greenpeace: "Relying on a precautionary approach based purely on science is not enough." (The link at the bottom of the article doesn't work any more.)

So the Green movement admits it doesn't want to rely on science, but emotion. Hmmmm, so just why would any thinking person support the Green Movement?

As an aside - This reminds me of how an emotive email sent to Sue Kedgley requesting support for the ban of DiHydrogen Monoxide. The email listed a number of negatives about the chemical substance, and then listed places where it is commonly found, like food, and got Sue Kedgley to declare her support for a ban.

Of course, DiHydrogen Monoxide is plain old water. (It's a very clever urban legend that some science geek came up with and published a website. But the support has earned the NZ Green Party a permanent link!) The emotive way the letter was written over-rode common sense and the simple step to check out the actual chemical and make a scientific judgement.

Go the Mighty Horowhenua!

Not many of you know that I played two years of Senior Rugby for Paekakariki Rugby Club in the Horowhenua. Since then I have been a fan of Horowhenua and enjoyed there sucesses and commisserated over the less sucessful seasons.

I was at the Levin Domain in 1992 when Nelson Bays won the Third Division in the dying seconds (the Nelson Bays Halfback knocked the ball on - you can even see it in the Air NZ TV ad!) and when two 16 year olds - Second five-Eight Carlos Spencer and Centre Christian Cullen - produced a length of the field try against Auckland in a Ranfurly Shield game. (Auckland won by 60 points, but that was the best try of the game.)

Yesterday they destroyed King Country 42-5 - bring on next Saturday, when the Mighty Horowhenua will beat the Wairarapa Bush and win the final Third Division.

Peter Jackson and "Halo"

I'm not surprised that Peter Jackson has decided not to direct a big-screen version of "Halo". I've really struggled to think of any sucessful Computer Game to Big Screen transition that has been sucessful. (Chaucey pointed out that Tomb Raider did okay, but that was probably just teenage boys wanting a chance to perve at Angelina Jolie.)

On the other hand no other director has ever been as sucessful with the Fantasy genre! Good luck, PJ!

Transmission Gully and all that.

As a little boy, I remember heading out from my parents home on Bell Street and along to the far end of Tremewan Street to check out the houses due to be demolished for the start of the $270 million Transmission Gully project. Twenty years on those houses are still there, but I of course have moved on. (Along with my folks who live in Dunedin)

So when I hear Transmission Gully is dead, and a new option is being considered for a new road for the northern access to Wellington I only hope that a decision is made and it gets started instead of lost in thousands of words and reports and debates and submissions.

But I'm willing to bet that it will probably not happen for another 20 years.

Prebble's Appointment to Waikato Lines Company

Some criticism has been leveled today at Richard Prebble and Waikato electrical lines company WEL Network. The criticism is about 'cronyism' has come from the former chairman of the trust that owns the company and is leveled against Gary Mallett, who is a prominent ACT Party member in the Waikato and a friend of Prebble.

Richard Prebble is a company director of several companies (you can search on the companies office website and see for yourself). Only one company is a publicly listed company - Mainfreight. Over the past year, the profit and share price of Mainfreight has more than doubled.

Prebble's appointment to the company was unamiously supported by the current trustees (who act on behalf of the shareholders). They are obliged to act in the best interests of the Trust. What they see Prebble as an experienced, top notch company director (which he is!) and have welcomed him aboard.

If Garry Mallett has exploited his friendship to get such a quality director for the company then he deserves praise, not criticism.