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Neighbours

Thursday, January 19th, 2012
Dear Peg and Friends,
Over the years I have enjoyed the companionship of some very interesting neighbours. A pair that stood out were Dusan Lajovic, and Sandy Burnett one of his business partners. Dusan lived in Sydney, and Sandy, Wellington. A situation that was not the best for owning a home and keeping you finger on the pulse, of their home in Queenstown. So that’s where I came in. Both Sandy and Dusan were characters in their own right, and both gave me the task by default, of looking after their home. Fixing anything that required fixing, without making any fuss or bother. This job if you can call it that, included the task of looking after their guests from time to time of any of them that really needed looking after, as there were no staff. There are still people in this world who need a minder.
As many of the guests, and there were many who didn’t have even basic home keeping skills. It would seem that many were used to being looked after in every respect. You never really knew what problems were liable to rear their head until they were on your lap. For instant, you don’t put a pot of spaghetti without emptying it, into the dishwasher. It bungs the machine up. I knew that, of course you did. But I was not surprised that some didn’t. I became an instant expert in getting things up and running again, as I was a Mr fix it. But my guests by default, went on their merry way causing minor situations. Nor it would seem, do you put ‘dishwashing’ liquid into the dishwashing machine. The resulting foam it creates destroys the machine’s ability to sense the water levels, and renders the machine useless.
Nor do you grill steak on the ovens racks. Obviously if you do things like this, you have never cleaned an oven. Of course this cooking mode really messes up the oven. Small problems too such as your kid locking himself into a bathroom. There is a quick release trigger on most bathroom locks which can be activated by pushing in a small kebab bamboo stick in a hole provided. There is no need to destroy the lock.
There were a procession of guests of some note over the years, covering a broad spectrum of both domestic and foreign folk. A Catholic Cardinal, President of Slovenia, various ambassadors, Business leaders and  General Managers, I treated them all with respect, but kept a close eye on them so they didn’t get into trouble while they played with the toys that came with the home. A $100,000 4×4, a 125hp runabout. Most people were easy to get along with, but occasionally a free loader turned up. These contributed nothing, and immediately proceeded to drink up all the free booze that they could lay their hands on. Thankfully they were in the minority.
It so happened that Dusan was appointed to the position of the Ambassador for Australasia over the period that I knew him. My duties now increased to the ‘general factotum’, and expected to be an expert on all New Zealand matters. It was never dull when Dusan was around. One night I was expecting him and a friend for dinner and by 9.00pm when they hadn’t turned up I became concerned. I phoned the Capt of the Earnslaw and asked him, would he mind to scanning the Lake with his ‘RADAR’ to look for a stray boat? At this hour all commercial activity had ceased Dusan was up at the head of the Lake somewhere and as it turned out, he had run into trouble. But he didn’t want to be rescued, especially by the Earnslaw, and the media attention that it would generate. I jumped into the car and went to search for them. Wet and cold, as they had both fallen overboard  and knowing that hypothermia is always a problem under these conditions. The Lake is long deep and cold (About 60 km) and narrow, with the road running close to the shore. Knowing the general direction where they were, I soon located them. Bundled them into my car. Tied up their craft, said I would retrieve it on the morrow. Got them home for a hot shower, something warm to eat, and off to bed. Dusan said something very kind to me as I was tucking him in. ‘I knew you would come for us’.
Sandy was as different from Dusan as you could get. I had actually done business with Sandy back when I had the milk run and we had two chests of tokens stamped out in copper and cupronickel. I was certainly a leader in this regard. Initially they didn’t go down very well with the public, but I had to do something about the theft of money that people were putting out. Sandy was one of the old school in that his word was his bond, he got very upset when he met someone who would weasel themselves out of any arrangement. I really enjoyed his company over the years. He spent a lot of his time on the golf course.
After the boat incident I purchased a cell phone and gave it to Dusan to keep a tighter rein on him. Immediately I received a call from Sydney asking me to explain why I purchased that particular service, when there were better ones on the market. I said what I had bought the one that gave the best local coverage, regardless of what their ability was in other places. End of story. I realised then that even while in New Zealand, Dusan was under close observation from his family. On most visits to New Zealand Dusan usually brought along most of his Grand Children. On these trips Dusan operated under the ‘No Rules System’, The kids could do as they wished regarding bathing, sleeping, or eating matters. The system worked as they all turned out well behaved and adjusted young adults.
Love from Christchurch,
Wally
Over the years I have enjoyed the companionship of some very interesting neighbours. A pair that stood out were Dusan Lajovic, and Sandy Burnett one of his business partners. Dusan lived in Sydney, and Sandy, Wellington. A situation that was not the best for owning a home and keeping you finger on the pulse, of their home in Queenstown. So that’s where I came in. Both Sandy and Dusan were characters in their own right, and both gave me the task by default, of looking after their home. Fixing anything that required fixing, without making any fuss or bother. This job if you can call it that, included the task of looking after their guests from time to time of any of them that really needed looking after, as there were no staff. There are still people in this world who need a minder.
As many of the guests, and there were many who didn’t have even basic home keeping skills. It would seem that many were used to being looked after in every respect. You never really knew what problems were liable to rear their head until they were on your lap. For instant, you don’t put a pot of spaghetti without emptying it, into the dishwasher. It bungs the machine up. I knew that, of course you did. But I was not surprised that some didn’t. I became an instant expert in getting things up and running again, as I was a Mr fix it. But my guests by default, went on their merry way causing minor situations. Nor it would seem, do you put ‘dishwashing’ liquid into the dishwashing machine. The resulting foam it creates destroys the machine’s ability to sense the water levels, and renders the machine useless.
Nor do you grill steak on the ovens racks. Obviously if you do things like this, you have never cleaned an oven. Of course this cooking mode really messes up the oven. Small problems too such as your kid locking himself into a bathroom. There is a quick release trigger on most bathroom locks which can be activated by pushing in a small kebab bamboo stick in a hole provided. There is no need to destroy the lock.
There were a procession of guests of some note over the years, covering a broad spectrum of both domestic and foreign folk. A Catholic Cardinal, President of Slovenia, various ambassadors, Business leaders and  General Managers, I treated them all with respect, but kept a close eye on them so they didn’t get into trouble while they played with the toys that came with the home. A $100,000 4×4, a 125hp runabout. Most people were easy to get along with, but occasionally a free loader turned up. These contributed nothing, and immediately proceeded to drink up all the free booze that they could lay their hands on. Thankfully they were in the minority.
It so happened that Dusan was appointed to the position of the Ambassador for Australasia over the period that I knew him. My duties now increased to the ‘general factotum’, and expected to be an expert on all New Zealand matters. It was never dull when Dusan was around. One night I was expecting him and a friend for dinner and by 9.00pm when they hadn’t turned up I became concerned. I phoned the Capt of the Earnslaw and asked him, would he mind to scanning the Lake with his ‘RADAR’ to look for a stray boat? At this hour all commercial activity had ceased Dusan was up at the head of the Lake somewhere and as it turned out, he had run into trouble. But he didn’t want to be rescued, especially by the Earnslaw, and the media attention that it would generate. I jumped into the car and went to search for them. Wet and cold, as they had both fallen overboard  and knowing that hypothermia is always a problem under these conditions. The Lake is long deep and cold (About 60 km) and narrow, with the road running close to the shore. Knowing the general direction where they were, I soon located them. Bundled them into my car. Tied up their craft, said I would retrieve it on the morrow. Got them home for a hot shower, something warm to eat, and off to bed. Dusan said something very kind to me as I was tucking him in. ‘I knew you would come for us’.
Sandy was as different from Dusan as you could get. I had actually done business with Sandy back when I had the milk run and we had two chests of tokens stamped out in copper and cupronickel. I was certainly a leader in this regard. Initially they didn’t go down very well with the public, but I had to do something about the theft of money that people were putting out. Sandy was one of the old school in that his word was his bond, he got very upset when he met someone who would weasel themselves out of any arrangement. I really enjoyed his company over the years. He spent a lot of his time on the golf course.
After the boat incident I purchased a cell phone and gave it to Dusan to keep a tighter rein on him. Immediately I received a call from Sydney asking me to explain why I purchased that particular service, when there were better ones on the market. I said what I had bought the one that gave the best local coverage, regardless of what their ability was in other places. End of story. I realised then that even while in New Zealand, Dusan was under close observation from his family. On most visits to New Zealand Dusan usually brought along most of his Grand Children. On these trips Dusan operated under the ‘No Rules System’, The kids could do as they wished regarding bathing, sleeping, or eating matters. The system worked as they all turned out well behaved and adjusted young adults.

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Hobbies

Sunday, January 15th, 2012
Dear Peg and Friends,
I was thinking about the next subject I would like to discuss. ‘Hobbies’ seemed to be the number one standout, and they are something that I have spent far too much time on. I have never been bothered with computer gaming, but I seem to have played around with most diverse other things that have interested me over the years. Some were only of a passing interest. The longest lasting of all my hobbies has been was Fishing. It has been top of the list for a long time. Manytimes I have put my gear away, but I have always returned. Without a doubt it’s something that I have had to work at, but the one kind of fishing I found the hardest, and most difficult to get  some reward for my efforts is Salmon fishing. I have really tried, but I gave it up after several barren years. I never returned once I worked out that each salmon that I caught was worth several hundred dollars by the time it ended up in the pan. I don’t have enough patience or money for that kind of result. Too often I was thinking of just how much it was costing me, but after one bad season when I caught absolutely nothing. I just gave it away. I decided from then on I would just buy my salmon at $14 a kilo from the salmon farm when I was in the area.
I liked Hand Lining off the rocks around Blue Skin Bay. but this too has become difficult, today there are not many sizeable fish left. The problem is that there is only a very small rocky foreshore on parts of the East coast. This reef area where fish love to frequent, unfortunately in some areas they have nearly been fished out. Today you really require a boat to move off shore, and look for a reef that’s been overlooked by other recreational fishermen.
The one area that seems to be neglected and overlooked are the Sand Banks at the mouth of Otago Harbour. The fish there that I’m after are flounders who move in and out of the harbour with the tides. I have used various methods of catching a meal. I have had the most success with a  small spear when walking at low tide at night, and carrying a petrol lamp. The whole area appears to be a nursery for flounders, as you will see hundreds of undersized fish when out on a nightly wade. Or in deeper water, when you can fish with a longer spear, but then you needed a simple light box.
Once I had taken several of the young companions  from the Bank out on an fishing expedition. It was a mistake, as I spent more time herding my fellow fishermen into safe areas, than fishing. As it happened, there was another party fishing in our area. And very well equipped too, with car batteries, all carried in an inflatable boat, and finished off with automotive sealed beam lights. As I approached this other party, who turned out to be complete novices. By chance on approaching them I stood on a fish. Until I could get a spear, I kept my foot firmly planted on what I thought and hoped was a captive fish. But at this stage I didn’t know exactly what I was standing on. Most fishermen are tricky devils and reluctant to give away any of their secrets, or many times even to tell the truth. When the other party confessed that they couldn’t even find a single fish, I volunteered to give them a demonstration, which I did by sliding the spear along side my boot and pulling up a very large flounder. To say they were impressed would have been an understatement. In fact they were completely flabbergasted. They all said they were wasting their time, as they couldn’t even see the bottom, after the sand was stirred up. Yet I was catching fish right under their nose in very difficult conditions.
Photography was another hobby. As soon as I purchased my camera, a single lens reflex, I also joined the Dunedin Photography Society. As I wanted to take ‘Good’ Photographs. When I thought I had taken some acceptable photos, I was bold enough to enter some into their competitions. These were shown one night with all the other dud non accepted photographs for critical examination. I suffered stinging criticism, but I was learning, and finding out what the photographic world considered what was a ‘Good Photograph’. I was grateful for the lessons I received, and what I had learned by osmosis. It was a very painful experience, but after many lessons and suffering much humiliation, for a few years I did learn how to take an acceptable photograph.
Another hobby was trap shooting. I got into this through the War. The Air Force recognised this kind of shooting was of a great training aid, while learning to become a fighter Pilot. The way you go about Shooting down another Aircraft, is the same as hitting any moving target. It’s a matter of leading your target, and following through. In my day you had to learn all the angles, and I quickly discovered that the small angles were the ones you were more likely to Miss any target. For instant 60 to 90, degrees were always a full deflection shot, all other angles, say 30 degrees was the product of 60 degrees. 30/60 is fifty per cent of the speed of the target. The gun sights of the aircraft back then was calibrated by speed bands of 100 or 150 mph. I never lost my love of shooting, the only down side was the cost. It’s an expensive hobby. I purchased all the components and a reloading machine to reload my own ammunition. This helped to keep the costs affordable. Understanding the ballistics of the 12 gauge cartridge was a big help.
One day the Bank I worked for took a huge step forward and entered the electronic age. They had decided to integrate some of their operations, such as ‘ledger keeping’ fully into the computing world. I had read some about computers, and wanted to know more. So immediately I went out and purchased a basic model for myself. It was a Commodore 64 and what a learning curve and hobby that started me on. It had only a limited memory, but over the years this has increased until today, all the Bank’s operations are now part, or fully computerised. So much so, that today you don’t need all that much knowledge to be a Bank Manager, all that’s required is to be just to be a little computer savvy, with a large dollop of common sense.
Love from Christchurch,
Wally
I was thinking about the next subject I would like to discuss. ‘Hobbies’ seemed to be the number one standout, and they are something that I have spent far too much time on. I have never been bothered with computer gaming, but I seem to have played around with most diverse other things that have interested me over the years. Some were only of a passing interest. The longest lasting of all my hobbies has been was Fishing. It has been top of the list for a long time. Manytimes I have put my gear away, but I have always returned. Without a doubt it’s something that I have had to work at, but the one kind of fishing I found the hardest, and most difficult to get  some reward for my efforts is Salmon fishing. I have really tried, but I gave it up after several barren years. I never returned once I worked out that each salmon that I caught was worth several hundred dollars by the time it ended up in the pan. I don’t have enough patience or money for that kind of result. Too often I was thinking of just how much it was costing me, but after one bad season when I caught absolutely nothing. I just gave it away. I decided from then on I would just buy my salmon at $14 a kilo from the salmon farm when I was in the area.
I liked Hand Lining off the rocks around Blue Skin Bay. but this too has become difficult, today there are not many sizeable fish left. The problem is that there is only a very small rocky foreshore on parts of the East coast. This reef area where fish love to frequent, unfortunately in some areas they have nearly been fished out. Today you really require a boat to move off shore, and look for a reef that’s been overlooked by other recreational fishermen.
The one area that seems to be neglected and overlooked are the Sand Banks at the mouth of Otago Harbour. The fish there that I’m after are flounders who move in and out of the harbour with the tides. I have used various methods of catching a meal. I have had the most success with a  small spear when walking at low tide at night, and carrying a petrol lamp. The whole area appears to be a nursery for flounders, as you will see hundreds of undersized fish when out on a nightly wade. Or in deeper water, when you can fish with a longer spear, but then you needed a simple light box.
Once I had taken several of the young companions  from the Bank out on an fishing expedition. It was a mistake, as I spent more time herding my fellow fishermen into safe areas, than fishing. As it happened, there was another party fishing in our area. And very well equipped too, with car batteries, all carried in an inflatable boat, and finished off with automotive sealed beam lights. As I approached this other party, who turned out to be complete novices. By chance on approaching them I stood on a fish. Until I could get a spear, I kept my foot firmly planted on what I thought and hoped was a captive fish. But at this stage I didn’t know exactly what I was standing on. Most fishermen are tricky devils and reluctant to give away any of their secrets, or many times even to tell the truth. When the other party confessed that they couldn’t even find a single fish, I volunteered to give them a demonstration, which I did by sliding the spear along side my boot and pulling up a very large flounder. To say they were impressed would have been an understatement. In fact they were completely flabbergasted. They all said they were wasting their time, as they couldn’t even see the bottom, after the sand was stirred up. Yet I was catching fish right under their nose in very difficult conditions.
Photography was another hobby. As soon as I purchased my camera, a single lens reflex, I also joined the Dunedin Photography Society. As I wanted to take ‘Good’ Photographs. When I thought I had taken some acceptable photos, I was bold enough to enter some into their competitions. These were shown one night with all the other dud non accepted photographs for critical examination. I suffered stinging criticism, but I was learning, and finding out what the photographic world considered what was a ‘Good Photograph’. I was grateful for the lessons I received, and what I had learned by osmosis. It was a very painful experience, but after many lessons and suffering much humiliation, for a few years I did learn how to take an acceptable photograph.
Another hobby was trap shooting. I got into this through the War. The Air Force recognised this kind of shooting was of a great training aid, while learning to become a fighter Pilot. The way you go about Shooting down another Aircraft, is the same as hitting any moving target. It’s a matter of leading your target, and following through. In my day you had to learn all the angles, and I quickly discovered that the small angles were the ones you were more likely to Miss any target. For instant 60 to 90, degrees were always a full deflection shot, all other angles, say 30 degrees was the product of 60 degrees. 30/60 is fifty per cent of the speed of the target. The gun sights of the aircraft back then was calibrated by speed bands of 100 or 150 mph. I never lost my love of shooting, the only down side was the cost. It’s an expensive hobby. I purchased all the components and a reloading machine to reload my own ammunition. This helped to keep the costs affordable. Understanding the ballistics of the 12 gauge cartridge was a big help.
One day the Bank I worked for took a huge step forward and entered the electronic age. They had decided to integrate some of their operations, such as ‘ledger keeping’ fully into the computing world. I had read some about computers, and wanted to know more. So immediately I went out and purchased a basic model for myself. It was a Commodore 64 and what a learning curve and hobby that started me on. It had only a limited memory, but over the years this has increased until today, all the Bank’s operations are now part, or fully computerised. So much so, that today you don’t need all that much knowledge to be a Bank Manager, all that’s required is to be just to be a little computer savvy, with a large dollop of common sense.

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Electronic Books

Saturday, January 7th, 2012
Dear Peg and Friends
We didn’t realise it at the time, but the arrival of the ‘Apples’ new device called ‘IPAD’ onto the retail market, was heralding an avalanche of their product. A lot of these devices were directly introduced by the intervention of the electronic wonder boy, ‘Steve Jobs’. He didn‘t invent many of these applications, but he could immediately see what no one else could. A practical application of these recent discoveries.
He saw what could be done in a very practical way with what had already been discovered. Now just about everybody that you meet today, already has one of Apples latest offerings from their stable of electronic gadgets. Whether it be an Iphone, Ipod, or Ipad.
At date Apple appears to be out in front, but there are many similar operating systems that also come under the broad heading and name of a ‘Tablet’. All operating with similar systems such as ‘Android’. They are all busy playing ‘catch up’, and all are pushing their product into an eager market. I can see that this simple device, has the ability to change the way we use our electronic aids, this simple device is going to bring about some monumental changes to home computing.
One other contender who has arrived to sell their product is the Korean, ‘Samsung’ the mega manufacturer in the phone market. They have gone down the same path as Apple, but are much cheaper and are already claiming their market share.
The ‘Ipad’, and as well as the many other devices who use Apple, or their equivalent. The Android now offers an alternative operating system. All these devices have a breathtaking ability to take over varied tasks, be they computing, telephone, gaming. But none of these devices will ever be used to their full potential. The average lap top used by kids at school today, has enough processing power to control half a dozen moon landings, all contemporaneously as well. Their multitasking ability is unbelievable, something the average student will never avail themselves of, or test them to anywhere near their full potential. Unfortunately most will spend much of their time playing games.
They have another attribute that is just emerging, and that’s the ‘Electronic Book’. These books have been loitering for some time in the shadows, but lacked a device to exploit their potential. However with the arrival of the ‘Ipad’ and the even newer ‘Tablet’, their time has arrived. They have the ability which enables the owners of these electronic devices, to ‘down load’ whole electronic books in a flash.
When I initially found out that books were joining electronic age. I phoned our local library to find out if they too were joining this new phenomenon. They said yes they were, but were only embracing certain of the operation systems. But more to the point, none of any of books being accepted, were related to the ‘Kindle’ operating system. This is the system that is being pushed by Amazon. And Amazon is one of the largest booksellers on the world market. As well, as this International Book Shop, the Local store ‘Dick Smith’ is selling the Kindle device throughout New Zealand.
Amazon will sell you any book from their inventory ‘instantly’, (In real time about one second, and this includes the financial transaction). This transaction can take place either from a Kindle device, or from your Lap Top.
So a new marketing maverick has arrived, and like it or like it not, they can sell you very cheaply, a electronic copy of any book in stock, or even a freebie, from an inventory which numbers millions. These electronic copies, you can keep forever, or delete from your machine once read.
I have been very lucky in this regard as ‘Papa Noel’ popped a Kindle machine into my stocking. I have found to my amazement that’s it’s easy to read, and it’s the ideal gadget to snuggle up to in bed.
To put it bluntly I’m fascinated by the device,
Love from Christchurch,
Wally
We didn’t realise it at the time, but the arrival of the ‘Apples’ new device called ‘IPAD’ onto the retail market, was heralding an avalanche of their product. A lot of these devices were directly introduced by the intervention of the electronic wonder boy, ‘Steve Jobs’. He didn‘t invent many of these applications, but he could immediately see what no one else could. A practical application of these recent discoveries.
He saw what could be done in a very practical way with what had already been discovered. Now just about everybody that you meet today, already has one of Apples latest offerings from their stable of electronic gadgets. Whether it be an Iphone, Ipod, or Ipad.
At date Apple appears to be out in front, but there are many similar operating systems that also come under the broad heading and name of a ‘Tablet’. All operating with similar systems such as ‘Android’. They are all busy playing ‘catch up’, and all are pushing their product into an eager market. I can see that this simple device, has the ability to change the way we use our electronic aids, this simple device is going to bring about some monumental changes to home computing.
One other contender who has arrived to sell their product is the Korean, ‘Samsung’ the mega manufacturer in the phone market. They have gone down the same path as Apple, but are much cheaper and are already claiming their market share.
The ‘Ipad’, and as well as the many other devices who use Apple, or their equivalent. The Android now offers an alternative operating system. All these devices have a breathtaking ability to take over varied tasks, be they computing, telephone, gaming. But none of these devices will ever be used to their full potential. The average lap top used by kids at school today, has enough processing power to control half a dozen moon landings, all contemporaneously as well. Their multitasking ability is unbelievable, something the average student will never avail themselves of, or test them to anywhere near their full potential. Unfortunately most will spend much of their time playing games.
They have another attribute that is just emerging, and that’s the ‘Electronic Book’. These books have been loitering for some time in the shadows, but lacked a device to exploit their potential. However with the arrival of the ‘Ipad’ and the even newer ‘Tablet’, their time has arrived. They have the ability which enables the owners of these electronic devices, to ‘down load’ whole electronic books in a flash.
When I initially found out that books were joining electronic age. I phoned our local library to find out if they too were joining this new phenomenon. They said yes they were, but were only embracing certain of the operation systems. But more to the point, none of any of books being accepted, were related to the ‘Kindle’ operating system. This is the system that is being pushed by Amazon. And Amazon is one of the largest booksellers on the world market. As well, as this International Book Shop, the Local store ‘Dick Smith’ is selling the Kindle device throughout New Zealand.
Amazon will sell you any book from their inventory ‘instantly’, (In real time about one second, and this includes the financial transaction). This transaction can take place either from a Kindle device, or from your Lap Top.
So a new marketing maverick has arrived, and like it or like it not, they can sell you very cheaply, a electronic copy of any book in stock, or even a freebie, from an inventory which numbers millions. These electronic copies, you can keep forever, or delete from your machine once read.
I have been very lucky in this regard as ‘Papa Noel’ popped a Kindle machine into my stocking. I have found to my amazement that’s it’s easy to read, and it’s the ideal gadget to snuggle up to in bed.
To put it bluntly I’m fascinated by the device,

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Electronic Books

Tattoos

Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012
Dear Peg and Friends,
Of all the body adornments that I hate the most, The tattoos would have to head the list. Perhaps there is or was a place for them in times past, when our primitive society seem to be leading the charge and knew no better. Really as an art form that’s where it should have been kept. Back in the past. Further more there is not much in our primitive brother’s culture, that I admire, and that’s where in the main this recent outburst of expression is coming from. I have studied their culture of Tattooing. The more I see of it. The more I realise just how shallow it is. It bothers the followers not a jot. Many are obsessed by it, and as well their chanting, which they repeat endlessly. The Haka for example is something that they trot out and perform endlessly, on any occasion. And you who are on the outside, hoping for some change in their displays, forget it, they haven’t got any. What you see, is all there is, and that’s all there is to it. Just a childish repetition, over and over.
On many occasions, well on every chance they get, they broadcast a mass display. They are all candidates of the avoirdupois club. But this doesn’t stop them from performing in various stages of undress, they display more than their share of grossly overweight members. They get a lot of ‘air time’, too much in fact, If I’m surfing for a station to watch, and should I happen onto a Maori programme. It’s always the same. ‘In your face aggression’. And so help me, it never changes. Even the native kids in swaddling clothes are at it, it never changes even a little bit. Repetition, repetition. Really, it has no place in today’s order of things. We live in a very violent Society as it is, and I’m sure that a lot of our social and crime problems all lie at the feet of this of organised aggression which is being encouraged even at a the State level.
They also have taken to the idea of sticking studs into their lips, tongue, eyebrows, ears, even would you believe their nipples. This practice is something I don’t like either. Always there are some who take this extension of sticking a bone through your nose another hangover from the past, again it’s a step too far. Someone is always looking for a bigger bone.
All this leads onto body Tattoo. In early days the female was happy with a Moko which is a Tattooed chin. There were one or two around when I was a boy, but this now has given over to whole body Tattoo. The tattooing of a whole body today is rampant, and why they stop at the neck line I don’t know, something must be holding them back. Beautiful girls who were lucky enough to be blessed with a million dollar body, set about adorning it with Polynesian graffiti. Easy to put on, but it’s going to be very difficult to remove should they change their mind and want it removed down the track.
The Polynesian way today, is where the money is. They are pandered to by the State and offered free trips and education, so your display could have a financial rewards a well. However I’m happy to express my dislike of the culture and something we can well do without.
Love from Christchurch,
Wally
Of all the body adornments that I hate the most, The tattoos would have to head the list. Perhaps there is or was a place for them in times past, when our primitive society seem to be leading the charge and knew no better. Really as an art form that’s where it should have been kept. Back in the past.
Further more there is not much in our primitive brother’s culture, that I admire, and that’s where in the main this recent outburst of expression is coming from. I have studied their culture of Tattooing. The more I see of it. The more I realise just how shallow it is. It bothers the followers not a jot. Many are obsessed by it, and as well their chanting, which they repeat endlessly. The Haka for example is something that they trot out and perform endlessly, on any occasion. And you who are on the outside, hoping for some change in their displays, forget it, they haven’t got any. What you see, is all there is, and that’s all there is to it. Just a childish repetition, over and over.
On many occasions, well on every chance they get, they broadcast a mass display. They are all candidates of the avoirdupois club. But this doesn’t stop them from performing in various stages of undress, they display more than their share of grossly overweight members. They get a lot of ‘air time’, too much in fact, If I’m surfing for a station to watch, and should I happen onto a Maori programme. It’s always the same. ‘In your face aggression’. And so help me, it never changes. Even the native kids in swaddling clothes are at it, it never changes even a little bit. Repetition, repetition. Really, it has no place in today’s order of things. We live in a very violent Society as it is, and I’m sure that a lot of our social and crime problems all lie at the feet of this of organised aggression which is being encouraged even at a the State level.
They also have taken to the idea of sticking studs into their lips, tongue, eyebrows, ears, even would you believe their nipples. This practice is something I don’t like either. Always there are some who take this extension of sticking a bone through your nose another hangover from the past, again it’s a step too far. Someone is always looking for a bigger bone.
All this leads onto body Tattoo. In early days the female was happy with a Moko which is a Tattooed chin. There were one or two around when I was a boy, but this now has given over to whole body Tattoo. The tattooing of a whole body today is rampant, and why they stop at the neck line I don’t know, something must be holding them back. Beautiful girls who were lucky enough to be blessed with a million dollar body, set about adorning it with Polynesian graffiti. Easy to put on, but it’s going to be very difficult to remove should they change their mind and want it removed down the track.
The Polynesian way today, is where the money is. They are pandered to by the State and offered free trips and education, so your display could have a financial rewards a well. However I’m happy to express my dislike of the culture and something we can well do without.

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A Sick day or Two

Saturday, December 31st, 2011
Dear Peg and Friends,
Just when though I thought medical things in my world were going well, I woke the other morning with a dull pain in my abdomen. This was not  good, it shouldn’t be. Being holiday time I didn’t hold out hope, but gave my doctor a call to make an appointment for a consultation. Couldn’t get one? Not possible either, until end of that day. So I did what I had been told to do,. if you think the situation is serious enough, dial the emergency 24 hours clinic. While I was doing this, my girls took matters into their own hands, went over my head and called the Ambulance Emergency Service, and dialled 111. Much quicker and no fuss. Money doesn’t even come into this situation, as I still have medical insurance, however because of my, age I’m now considering of dropping this cover, it’s getting prohibitively expensive .
More to the point, very quickly there was an ambulance at the door. Test after test in my lounge, it was then deemed necessary to transport me to Hospital, for further tests. Whatever an ambulance is, comfort doesn’t seem to come with all it’s other attributes. This vehicle which seemed to be new, rode like a farm dray. However once settled safely in the Accident and Emergency Department, a battery of further tests were ordered. I couldn’t fault the service within the Hospital. But what did happen was, I was getting a whole bunch of tests, all condensed into the space of one day.
I was very uncomfortable, perched on a narrow hard bed, in a screened off area. No malingering here. For the day I wasn’t being offered any food or drink. The doctors came to the conclusion that after I had been poked and pummelled for five hours, that I had nothing seriously wrong that could kill me, but anyway was given an antibiotic to take care of any infection that I had in my stomach or intestines. This was the cause of much tittering which was on going on as a prescription was written out. This being the festive season. The Chemist told me later the antibiotic was given, was a cousin of Antibuse, and if I touched alcohol while on this regime, I would immediately throw up.
I was sent home with my Patients Paper Bag containing all my bits and pieces with the  inconclusive prognosis. ‘not solved’. But as they said, in most cases the body cures itself.
I came into this world wearing napkins, and I now know I will depart much in the same way. There is nothing wrong with my water works, except I now require more time when I make a visit to the toilet. My body is not prepared to wait or stand for any procrastination. So I have resorted to the wearing of paper pants. This is to take care of the odd occasion when I have what are loosely called, accidents. These days I am also suffering too many accidents in this department,
Love to all from Christchurch,
Wally

Just when though I thought medical things in my world were going well, I woke the other morning with a dull pain in my abdomen. This was not  good, it shouldn’t be. Being holiday time I didn’t hold out hope, but gave my doctor a call to make an appointment for a consultation. Couldn’t get one? Not possible either, until end of that day. So I did what I had been told to do,. if you think the situation is serious enough, dial the emergency 24 hours clinic. While I was doing this, my girls took matters into their own hands, went over my head and called the Ambulance Emergency Service, and dialled 111. Much quicker and no fuss. Money doesn’t even come into this situation, as I still have medical insurance, however because of my, age I’m now considering of dropping this cover, it’s getting prohibitively expensive .

More to the point, very quickly there was an ambulance at the door. Test after test in my lounge, it was then deemed necessary to transport me to Hospital, for further tests. Whatever an ambulance is, comfort doesn’t seem to come with all it’s other attributes. This vehicle which seemed to be new, rode like a farm dray. However once settled safely in the Accident and Emergency Department, a battery of further tests were ordered. I couldn’t fault the service within the Hospital. But what did happen was, I was getting a whole bunch of tests, all condensed into the space of one day.

I was very uncomfortable, perched on a narrow hard bed, in a screened off area. No malingering here. For the day I wasn’t being offered any food or drink. The doctors came to the conclusion that after I had been poked and pummelled for five hours, that I had nothing seriously wrong that could kill me, but anyway was given an antibiotic to take care of any infection that I had in my stomach or intestines. This was the cause of much tittering which was on going on as a prescription was written out. This being the festive season. The Chemist told me later the antibiotic was given, was a cousin of Antibuse, and if I touched alcohol while on this regime, I would immediately throw up.

I was sent home with my Patients Paper Bag containing all my bits and pieces with the  inconclusive prognosis. ‘not solved’. But as they said, in most cases the body cures itself.

I came into this world wearing napkins, and I now know I will depart much in the same way. There is nothing wrong with my water works, except I now require more time when I make a visit to the toilet. My body is not prepared to wait or stand for any procrastination. So I have resorted to the wearing of paper pants. This is to take care of the odd occasion when I have what are loosely called, accidents. These days I am also suffering too many accidents in this department,

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Gourmet Meals

Tuesday, December 20th, 2011
Dear Peg and Friends,
I have plenty of time these days to think over  times past, I have been mulling over in my mind, some of the more memorable meals I have enjoyed. I don’t wish to confine my gastronomic memories  only to be found in New Zealand. Sure I have eaten many outstanding meals here, but without exception they all seem in the main’ to be prepared by foreign women. One meal that stands out is a Moroccan Peasant’s dish called couscous. It has little to do with the ‘grain’ couscous, although it is included as a side dish. I have watched it being prepared in New Caledonia, having found it’s way there through though the French Foreign Legion, and the territories where they operated. Initially I wondered how it was going to turn out. This was after I saw a full handful of garlic being casually tossed into the tagine. Basically it’s a mixture of various meats, chicken, pork, mutton, beef, and perhaps even a Camel. In fact every household seems to have the only correct recipe, which each claim that theirs is. After an hour cooking with seasoned stock, Raisins, Chick Peas, Root Vegetables are added, together with a large slurp of spicy chilli sauce. The result is outstanding, and seeing the Chilli is added by the diner, you have control over the heat factor.
Another Meal that stood out was a young goat cooked by Jacqueline Montagnat. It had come from a game farm where a cull was in progress. I don’t know what spices she added, but it did have a delightful taste and I did see her finish it off, and thicken the gravy, with a blanquette of egg yokes.
I suppose of all of he New Zealand dishes that I have enjoyed ‘Ox Tail Stew’, would rate number one. With lamb shanks a second but unfortunately both these dishes are now being exploited by the fine dining restaurants. These dishes must be cooked twice to reduce the amount of fat that is present. Most of the fat after the inital cook will rise to the top of the dish, and can be easily removed when cold next day, then the cooking is finished off. The spice used for this dish are whole cloves.
Another favourite of mine is oyster soup. There is a trick to the preparation of this meal. Basically it is a fish soup, with stock made from a couple of grouper heads if you can find them. I do see them for sale at ‘Pac and Save’ from time to time. When the soup is prepared and seasoned,  guests are seated, then and only then, are the oysters added. They should not be left in the hot soup longer than two to three minutes. This means the oysters are not really cooked, but only heated through. However only you know this.
You either like Chinese Parsley, also known as Cilantro, or you hate it. If you belong to the like it brigade. The next meal exploits it to the full. I came across this dish overseas, and it’s delightful. I think too it belongs to the memorable meals sector. I’m not sure, but I think it’s origin is Indonesia, Javanese, or even Viet Nam. It also seems have several names, but more often it is just called ‘Nems’ or something that sounds similar. It is filled rolls with the usual fillings, such as crab or shrimp. Then rolled up in rice paper, and deep fried. It is served with a dipping sauce of Chinese Parsley, and the fish sauce. ‘Nubc Mam kim Dong’. this too is one the main ingredients, and used lavishly. Many folk don’t like fish sauce either. On its own it has a very strong fish smell. But with a little added soy sauce, a little sugar, and enough hot water to dissolve the sugar, I really can’t get enough, as all the flavours merge wonderfully. I noticed too how the Nems are eaten, each Nem is rolled in a lettuce leaf. With such exotic flavours, you can turn an ordinary meal into a feast.
I like steak too but it has to be cooked right. Top of the list would have to be Chateaubriand.  ‘Up Stairs and the Down Stairs’, a Restaurant in Queenstown, had a chef who cooked it to perfection. As it was the whole tenderloin, it was a dish that needed to be shared with one other. I like my meat slightly carbonised on the outside, and  towards rare on the inside. The Queenstown restaurant served it up with only cream poured onto the pan drippings, when making the sauce.  Accompanied with a lettuce salad, garlic vinaigrette, and chipped potatoes, I consider it’s the only way to serve a steak.
Another meal I enjoy if I can find it, and that’s  groper throats and tongues. I know it sounds strange, but it is the number one fish dish to cook, if you can get your hands on enough grouper heads. To get this dish, you needed to know a fisherman, or be a kissing cousin of the fish shop proprietor. We managed it a lot when there was many ‘in Shore’ fishermen still working the grouper beds. For many years we lived in sea ports. I have never stopped looking for a supply, and occasionally I get lucky. The last occasion was a Family fish shop Aspro’s in Oamaru. The traditional way is to serve it, is in a thick white sauce.
Is this all? Of course not. There are hundreds of meals out there unmentioned by this letter, not all five star, true. But certainly four star. Liver and Bacon, Hamburgers, and I haven’t even touched on Eastern meals. Chinese, Japanese Korean. Fortunately  today you don’t even have to go outside this City to try any of these, or all of them. You can find all these meals as we have, here right in our City, All being prepared by ethnic cooks. Right now I’m looking for a Chinese Restaurant that serves a ‘Steam Boat’. We had one Restaurant that before the earthquake that featured this dish, but it has been forced to relocate.
Love from Christchurch,
Wally
I have plenty of time these days to think over  times past, I have been mulling over in my mind, some of the more memorable meals I have enjoyed. I don’t wish to confine my gastronomic memories  only to be found in New Zealand. Sure I have eaten many outstanding meals here, but without exception they all seem in the main’ to be prepared by foreign women. One meal that stands out is a Moroccan Peasant’s dish called couscous. It has little to do with the ‘grain’ couscous, although it is included as a side dish. I have watched it being prepared in New Caledonia, having found it’s way there through though the French Foreign Legion, and the territories where they operated. Initially I wondered how it was going to turn out. This was after I saw a full handful of garlic being casually tossed into the tagine. Basically it’s a mixture of various meats, chicken, pork, mutton, beef, and perhaps even a Camel. In fact every household seems to have the only correct recipe, which each claim that theirs is. After an hour cooking with seasoned stock, Raisins, Chick Peas, Root Vegetables are added, together with a large slurp of spicy chilli sauce. The result is outstanding, and seeing the Chilli is added by the diner, you have control over the heat factor.
Another Meal that stood out was a young goat cooked by Jacqueline Montagnat. It had come from a game farm where a cull was in progress. I don’t know what spices she added, but it did have a delightful taste and I did see her finish it off, and thicken the gravy, with a blanquette of egg yokes.
I suppose of all of he New Zealand dishes that I have enjoyed ‘Ox Tail Stew’, would rate number one. With lamb shanks a second but unfortunately both these dishes are now being exploited by the fine dining restaurants. These dishes must be cooked twice to reduce the amount of fat that is present. Most of the fat after the inital cook will rise to the top of the dish, and can be easily removed when cold next day, then the cooking is finished off. The spice used for this dish are whole cloves.
Another favourite of mine is oyster soup. There is a trick to the preparation of this meal. Basically it is a fish soup, with stock made from a couple of grouper heads if you can find them. I do see them for sale at ‘Pac and Save’ from time to time. When the soup is prepared and seasoned,  guests are seated, then and only then, are the oysters added. They should not be left in the hot soup longer than two to three minutes. This means the oysters are not really cooked, but only heated through. However only you know this.
You either like Chinese Parsley, also known as Cilantro, or you hate it. If you belong to the like it brigade. The next meal exploits it to the full. I came across this dish overseas, and it’s delightful. I think too it belongs to the memorable meals sector. I’m not sure, but I think it’s origin is Indonesia, Javanese, or even Viet Nam. It also seems have several names, but more often it is just called ‘Nems’ or something that sounds similar. It is filled rolls with the usual fillings, such as crab or shrimp. Then rolled up in rice paper, and deep fried. It is served with a dipping sauce of Chinese Parsley, and the fish sauce. ‘Nubc Mam kim Dong’. this too is one the main ingredients, and used lavishly. Many folk don’t like fish sauce either. On its own it has a very strong fish smell. But with a little added soy sauce, a little sugar, and enough hot water to dissolve the sugar, I really can’t get enough, as all the flavours merge wonderfully. I noticed too how the Nems are eaten, each Nem is rolled in a lettuce leaf. With such exotic flavours, you can turn an ordinary meal into a feast.
I like steak too but it has to be cooked right. Top of the list would have to be Chateaubriand.  ‘Up Stairs and the Down Stairs’, a Restaurant in Queenstown, had a chef who cooked it to perfection. As it was the whole tenderloin, it was a dish that needed to be shared with one other. I like my meat slightly carbonised on the outside, and  towards rare on the inside. The Queenstown restaurant served it up with only cream poured onto the pan drippings, when making the sauce.  Accompanied with a lettuce salad, garlic vinaigrette, and chipped potatoes, I consider it’s the only way to serve a steak.
Another meal I enjoy if I can find it, and that’s  groper throats and tongues. I know it sounds strange, but it is the number one fish dish to cook, if you can get your hands on enough grouper heads. To get this dish, you needed to know a fisherman, or be a kissing cousin of the fish shop proprietor. We managed it a lot when there was many ‘in Shore’ fishermen still working the grouper beds. For many years we lived in sea ports. I have never stopped looking for a supply, and occasionally I get lucky. The last occasion was a Family fish shop Aspro’s in Oamaru. The traditional way is to serve it, is in a thick white sauce.
Is this all? Of course not. There are hundreds of meals out there unmentioned by this letter, not all five star, true. But certainly four star. Liver and Bacon, Hamburgers, and I haven’t even touched on Eastern meals. Chinese, Japanese Korean. Fortunately  today you don’t even have to go outside this City to try any of these, or all of them. You can find all these meals as we have, here right in our City, All being prepared by ethnic cooks. Right now I’m looking for a Chinese Restaurant that serves a ‘Steam Boat’. We had one Restaurant that before the earthquake that featured this dish, but it has been forced to relocate.

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Mall shopping

Wednesday, December 14th, 2011
Dear Peg and Friends,
You don’t need to be a genius to see that the Cities of today are being set up to fail. Here we have two systems, both alongside one another, and both vying to get the largest slice of the cake. The Malls of today, are the ideal set up for easy shopping. They provide for all the shoppers needs. Free Parking, Toilets, and excellent Food Courts. As well, easy access to a variety of shops. They are a novel late arrival to the shopping scene, and providing they have a strong Anchor tenant, they will always be better, and one of the most preferred trading sites of any City. Forty years ago this concept of shopping didn’t even exist, but then again there wasn’t a problem with the motor vehicles either.
The City on the other hand, because they already have an infrastructure in place, which had been constructed over a hundred years or more. Because of this, their options were limited, when a earthquake rearranged our landscape. They are struggling even to maintain the status quo. Their parking is limited, and of the little that’s available, it’s only there because of the continued enforcement by the hated parking wardens. The rate they charge for this, is what ever they can get away with. Normally the revenue collected is barely enough to pay the employees, and yet no one is happy. If you wish to compete with the ‘Johnie come lately’, that’s the Mall. You have at least match the service that is being already provided by the Malls. However the recent earthquakes have given Christchurch another chance, to wipe their slate clean, and to make a fresh start.
This is not a problem that’s peculiar to Christchurch. I have noticed that in Australia,  Gosford in NSW in particular. It would be a prime example of this shopping phenomena and what can happen to near by towns. Or again, even on the West Coast of America. Exactly the same situation exists. However now in Christchurch seeing we now have been given another chance to do something about the Parking problems. With the damage left by the earthquakes, half of the buildings in the CBD have been destroyed or leveled. For a reasonable sum, it should now be possible to buy bare land to provide the missing element and give the authorities a chance to compete, and provide the missing component, Parking.
I mentioned Gosford earlier where they have built a ‘stand alone’ shopping complex about ten kilometres from to town centre. It’s presence has badly effected the trading in the old town. We found on our last visit every other shop in the town had closed.
When the Malls initially arrived on the scene, they behaved very badly. They killed off the small butcher, green grocer, baker, and fish monger. They immediately instituted a price war that was impossible to compete, and one by one the small traders were picked off and cast aside.
Today the small trader is fighting back possibly with the aid of the Farmers Markets. we now have the choice of speciality butchers, and vegetable outlets, so we have the best of both worlds
Love from Christchurch,
Wally
You don’t need to be a genius to see that the Cities of today are being set up to fail. Here we have two systems, both alongside one another, and both vying to get the largest slice of the cake. The Malls of today, are the ideal set up for easy shopping. They provide for all the shoppers needs. Free Parking, Toilets, and excellent Food Courts. As well, easy access to a variety of shops. They are a novel late arrival to the shopping scene, and providing they have a strong Anchor tenant, they will always be better, and one of the most preferred trading sites of any City. Forty years ago this concept of shopping didn’t even exist, but then again there wasn’t a problem with the motor vehicles either.
The City on the other hand, because they already have an infrastructure in place, which had been constructed over a hundred years or more. Because of this, their options were limited, when a earthquake rearranged our landscape. They are struggling even to maintain the status quo. Their parking is limited, and of the little that’s available, it’s only there because of the continued enforcement by the hated parking wardens. The rate they charge for this, is what ever they can get away with. Normally the revenue collected is barely enough to pay the employees, and yet no one is happy. If you wish to compete with the ‘Johnie come lately’, that’s the Mall. You have at least match the service that is being already provided by the Malls. However the recent earthquakes have given Christchurch another chance, to wipe their slate clean, and to make a fresh start.
This is not a problem that’s peculiar to Christchurch. I have noticed that in Australia,  Gosford in NSW in particular. It would be a prime example of this shopping phenomena and what can happen to near by towns. Or again, even on the West Coast of America. Exactly the same situation exists. However now in Christchurch seeing we now have been given another chance to do something about the Parking problems. With the damage left by the earthquakes, half of the buildings in the CBD have been destroyed or leveled. For a reasonable sum, it should now be possible to buy bare land to provide the missing element and give the authorities a chance to compete, and provide the missing component, Parking.
I mentioned Gosford earlier where they have built a ‘stand alone’ shopping complex about ten kilometres from to town centre. It’s presence has badly effected the trading in the old town. We found on our last visit every other shop in the town had closed.
When the Malls initially arrived on the scene, they behaved very badly. They killed off the small butcher, green grocer, baker, and fish monger. They immediately instituted a price war that was impossible to compete, and one by one the small traders were picked off and cast aside.
Today the small trader is fighting back possibly with the aid of the Farmers Markets. we now have the choice of speciality butchers, and vegetable outlets, so we have the best of both worlds

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Poor People

Sunday, December 11th, 2011
Dear Peg and Family,
Today, today there is much talk about the ‘Poor People’ of our country. I have to ask, so I can understand what exactly are we talking about? What is the criteria that defines one, as a poor person? Regardless what the State considers poor. I  consider myself to be one of one of the poor. In saying this, I have never yet made a visit to a food Bank run by Salvation Army, or the City Mission. It does mean that the State and I have different ideas on what makes ones financially secure. In other words with your current income, can you make ends meet? In the States eyes, it would seem I have got it wrong, I have always been defined as a rich person. The State says that I don’t qualify for any of their freebies, not one. And further, I never have. I can’t get a community card, which would enable me to get my foot inside the door and get my hands on some of the goodies the Government doles out to those they deem poor. I’m also committed to pay $40,000 per annum, just to keep my wife in care in a home. So I must be rich. However I nearly forgot one concession, I can ride on Council bus after 9-00am for free, but then again, seeing that I don’t use buses, or have any need to do so. This doesn’t mean that very much anyway, rich folk don’t ride buses.
To get some idea this letter is all about. It’s about what amenities you are allowed before you find the line that’s drawn in the sand, that says you are poor? Our perception of this status, changes from day to day. Remember that only yesterday something that could be regarded as a luxury item, and today it’s a necessity. Take refrigeration, it has to be a necessity. It protects your families health, and food from spoiling. As well, their unit price for refrigerators have dropped. Television, that too would have to be a ‘Yes’ again. But this does not include ‘Sky’ pay television. Too many people who are on a benefit regard ‘pay television’ as a necessity. My view is if you want this amenity, you will have to give up something else. To get some idea of how popular this is. Just look for the number of satellite dishes fastened on roofs of the State homes.
In my eyes Telephones are not a necessity either, call boxes can serve the needs of any beneficiary, or someone on a limited income. The installation of a phone in a home is a luxury, and not really necessary. We should know, as we managed very well for most of our lives without any phone. You would have a hard job selling that idea to the young, kids today have at least two mobile phones. Cars are a necessity too. No child walks to school these days. If you don’t believe me, drive past any school at 8-30am or 3-00pm.
The disadvantaged (This is the group that send their kids off to school without breakfast) They don’t have or need to buy the family expensive packaged or processed breakfast foods. Porridge, the stuff we were brought up on, costs only a few cents a serve. It’s not popular, with a negative advertising campaign run by the processed breakfast food people. They have done everything in their power to discredit basic porridge, and have made sure that it will never again regain the popularity it had in my youth. It was given a further strong shove off the stage by ‘Uncle Toby’ or someone similar. You can tell this by the amount of space allocated in the supermarkets for ‘Cooked Breakfast Foods’.
When you search for rolled oats and the like. Don’t bother looking for Oatmeal or Creamota. Uncle Toby has also purchased these companies, who just happened to manufacture Creamota, they then closed them down.
I had a smile recently when talking to Pam Mackenzie, (formally Pam Robertson). Her husband Neil is so keen on his oatmeal. (That’s plain oatmeal) That he searched Christchurch in vain for a supply of those basic ground oats. When he found that it was no longer available from his supermarket. He kept on searching and at last found one grocer could would supply it. But he has had to purchase a three bushel sack, a minimum for any purchase.
If our poor of today could compare their situation with what is called ‘Poor’ of any of the third world Countries, they would to their surprise find that their standard of living they enjoy, would put them into the top 10% in the world. No matter how bad they think things are, there will never be any need for them to go to bed hungry.
Love from Christchurch,
Wally
Today, today there is much talk about the ‘Poor People’ of our country. I have to ask, so I can understand what exactly are we talking about? What is the criteria that defines one, as a poor person? Regardless what the State considers poor. I  consider myself to be one of one of the poor. In saying this, I have never yet made a visit to a food Bank run by Salvation Army, or the City Mission. It does mean that the State and I have different ideas on what makes ones financially secure. In other words with your current income, can you make ends meet? In the States eyes, it would seem I have got it wrong, I have always been defined as a rich person. The State says that I don’t qualify for any of their freebies, not one. And further, I never have. I can’t get a community card, which would enable me to get my foot inside the door and get my hands on some of the goodies the Government doles out to those they deem poor. I’m also committed to pay $40,000 per annum, just to keep my wife in care in a home. So I must be rich. However I nearly forgot one concession, I can ride on Council bus after 9-00am for free, but then again, seeing that I don’t use buses, or have any need to do so. This doesn’t mean that very much anyway, rich folk don’t ride buses.
To get some idea this letter is all about. It’s about what amenities you are allowed before you find the line that’s drawn in the sand, that says you are poor? Our perception of this status, changes from day to day. Remember that only yesterday something that could be regarded as a luxury item, and today it’s a necessity. Take refrigeration, it has to be a necessity. It protects your families health, and food from spoiling. As well, their unit price for refrigerators have dropped. Television, that too would have to be a ‘Yes’ again. But this does not include ‘Sky’ pay television. Too many people who are on a benefit regard ‘pay television’ as a necessity. My view is if you want this amenity, you will have to give up something else. To get some idea of how popular this is. Just look for the number of satellite dishes fastened on roofs of the State homes.
In my eyes Telephones are not a necessity either, call boxes can serve the needs of any beneficiary, or someone on a limited income. The installation of a phone in a home is a luxury, and not really necessary. We should know, as we managed very well for most of our lives without any phone. You would have a hard job selling that idea to the young, kids today have at least two mobile phones. Cars are a necessity too. No child walks to school these days. If you don’t believe me, drive past any school at 8-30am or 3-00pm.
The disadvantaged (This is the group that send their kids off to school without breakfast) They don’t have or need to buy the family expensive packaged or processed breakfast foods. Porridge, the stuff we were brought up on, costs only a few cents a serve. It’s not popular, with a negative advertising campaign run by the processed breakfast food people. They have done everything in their power to discredit basic porridge, and have made sure that it will never again regain the popularity it had in my youth. It was given a further strong shove off the stage by ‘Uncle Toby’ or someone similar. You can tell this by the amount of space allocated in the supermarkets for ‘Cooked Breakfast Foods’.
When you search for rolled oats and the like. Don’t bother looking for Oatmeal or Creamota. Uncle Toby has also purchased these companies, who just happened to manufacture Creamota, they then closed them down.
I had a smile recently when talking to Pam Mackenzie, (formally Pam Robertson). Her husband Neil is so keen on his oatmeal. (That’s plain oatmeal) That he searched Christchurch in vain for a supply of those basic ground oats. When he found that it was no longer available from his supermarket. He kept on searching and at last found one grocer could would supply it. But he has had to purchase a three bushel sack, a minimum for any purchase.
If our poor of today could compare their situation with what is called ‘Poor’ of any of the third world Countries, they would to their surprise find that their standard of living they enjoy, would put them into the top 10% in the world. No matter how bad they think things are, there will never be any need for them to go to bed hungry.

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National

Thursday, December 1st, 2011
Dear Peg and Friends,
Now the Election of parliamentary candidates is over and they have either got themselves elected, or rejected. So I cast my mind back to recall an incident that happened to me, and in keeping with what we have been putting up, months of political hopefuls, ear bashing us incessantly for months. It certainly has a political flavour.
The occasion that comes to mind, was when we were in a queue of cars at the Nevis Bluff waiting for the road to open. It was raining and real miserable outside. To give you some background. We were subject to frequent slips at the this choke point. When this happened and it did far too often. the road was then closed. Sometimes only for a day, and sometimes for weeks. It was a source of constant annoyance, as the detour we needed to take, added an extra 100km onto our journey. But from time to time when the road was closed, the Works Department opened the road for an hour or so at night, to let locals through without them taking the alternative detour. While we waiting on one particular occasion for the road to open, there was a tap on my window, I opened it to find a male face with water streaming down it. ‘Did I have a tow rope’? this fellow inquired. When I replied that I did. Then I asked, ‘Are you local?’, he said he was. As I wanted my rope back. So I asked him, ‘Would he return the rope to me, care of the National Bank when he was finished with it’? He replied ‘Bloody National, I really hate the bastards. I have never voted National in all my life’. So I said, ‘Well I’m sorry about that’, ‘That my tow rope upsets you so much’. ‘Why don’t you just keep on walking, and see if you can find yourself a ‘Labour’ rope’, and wound up my window. End of story. My wife’s face said all, so I got out of the car and fished in the boot to find the rope. A couple of days later, this oaf showed just what happens to ‘National’ tow ropes. He wound the rope into a Gordian Knot, around the balcony of the Branch that took some time to retrieve.
On writing this I was reminded of a trip Beth and I made to Auckland to buy an Aquarius Trailer Sailer. As we passed through Wellington we made arrangements with the Railway Office to tentatively book space for the yet to be purchased yacht that we would hopefully be bringing with us on our return journey. We purchased the yacht, then struck a problem as we had not taken ‘God’ into our plans. The Wakatipu Yacht Club had given this particular Railway employee this sobriquet as he was so obstructive to one and all. Anytime we moved our boats South he made trouble. Anyway he parked us in a lane on our own, with the promise to stay there. ‘You  may get loaded’. ‘I’m sorry the office is shut’. ‘I can’t do anything now’. There is no record of you booking space. Should after all these cars are loaded, and there is still enough space, you can go, if not, you can’t. So when it got dark I decided to do something about the situation myself. It was raining hard, so I ran down each line of cars, I tapped on each Car’s window in turn and told them. ‘That they were all facing the wrong way’. ‘In your own time. Please turn your car around, and line up behind that yacht’. I must have sounded good, where once, we were the last vehicles. We were now in the front. God himself returned just in time to load the Ferry. If he thought that something had changed in his line up. He was right, but this late stage he didn’t wish to do anything about it, or rearrange again a hundred cars or so. Something I had done so effortless. We were first to go on board.
Love from Christchurch,
Wally
Now the Election of parliamentary candidates is over and they have either got themselves elected, or rejected. So I cast my mind back to recall an incident that happened to me, and in keeping with what we have been putting up, months of political hopefuls, ear bashing us incessantly for months. It certainly has a political flavour.
The occasion that comes to mind, was when we were in a queue of cars at the Nevis Bluff waiting for the road to open. It was raining and real miserable outside. To give you some background. We were subject to frequent slips at the this choke point. When this happened and it did far too often. the road was then closed. Sometimes only for a day, and sometimes for weeks. It was a source of constant annoyance, as the detour we needed to take, added an extra 100km onto our journey. But from time to time when the road was closed, the Works Department opened the road for an hour or so at night, to let locals through without them taking the alternative detour. While we waiting on one particular occasion for the road to open, there was a tap on my window, I opened it to find a male face with water streaming down it. ‘Did I have a tow rope’? this fellow inquired. When I replied that I did. Then I asked, ‘Are you local?’, he said he was. As I wanted my rope back. So I asked him, ‘Would he return the rope to me, care of the National Bank when he was finished with it’? He replied ‘Bloody National, I really hate the bastards. I have never voted National in all my life’. So I said, ‘Well I’m sorry about that’, ‘That my tow rope upsets you so much’. ‘Why don’t you just keep on walking, and see if you can find yourself a ‘Labour’ rope’, and wound up my window. End of story. My wife’s face said all, so I got out of the car and fished in the boot to find the rope. A couple of days later, this oaf showed just what happens to ‘National’ tow ropes. He wound the rope into a Gordian Knot, around the balcony of the Branch that took some time to retrieve.
On writing this I was reminded of a trip Beth and I made to Auckland to buy an Aquarius Trailer Sailer. As we passed through Wellington we made arrangements with the Railway Office to tentatively book space for the yet to be purchased yacht that we would hopefully be bringing with us on our return journey. We purchased the yacht, then struck a problem as we had not taken ‘God’ into our plans. The Wakatipu Yacht Club had given this particular Railway employee this sobriquet as he was so obstructive to one and all. Anytime we moved our boats South he made trouble. Anyway he parked us in a lane on our own, with the promise to stay there. ‘You  may get loaded’. ‘I’m sorry the office is shut’. ‘I can’t do anything now’. There is no record of you booking space. Should after all these cars are loaded, and there is still enough space, you can go, if not, you can’t. So when it got dark I decided to do something about the situation myself. It was raining hard, so I ran down each line of cars, I tapped on each Car’s window in turn and told them.  ‘Sorry but you are facing the wrong way’. ‘In your own time. Please turn your car around, and line up behind that yacht’. I must have sounded good, where once, we were the last vehicles. We were now in the front. God himself returned just in time to load the Ferry. If he thought that something had changed in his line up. He was right, but this late stage he didn’t wish to do anything about it, or rearrange again a hundred cars or so. Something I had done so effortless. We were first to go on board.

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The Green Movement

Thursday, November 24th, 2011
Dear Peg and Friends,
Only a day or so to go now before we have a new Government, or will we. If the polls are to believed, the Greens should to make a real large impact this time. They will want if they are elected to assist in making up the Government, or if they end up in the position of being ‘King Maker’. For sure they will want more and be busy dragging out some of their more ‘way out’ and extreme polices.
Frankly they worry me, to me they are not what they seem to be to most other people. For a start they are not a cuddly group, bringing to the table goodwill. Basically in spite of their ‘Green’ image, whatever that is. They are very much a Party leaning to the left, which they have managed to keep hidden so far. They have several left leaning policies that they will trot out, as soon as they consider they can get them acted on. To some, they are a Party that’s actually looking backwards, and wanting to live in the past. Never underestimate them, with only a toe hold on power, they have managed to lock up most of the west Coast. Targeting the Mining, and certainly most of all the Timber Milling industry. There are hundreds of kilometres of roads running through the West Coast regions, all flanked by Forest. In their book, our pristine forests are only for looking at, and never to be touched. Rivers that could be damned, well if they have anything to do with it, they will also remain in the same untouched category. The word Dam is not even in their vocabulary. Nothing like a Dam will ever happen while they have any power. But it gives pointers to what they would like to happen in other directions.
Farmers for instant, they should be more than a little worried, as they will be the next to be targeted, and they will find with these people, that water will suddenly be rationed. The Greens have some very strange attitude to most of our resources. This is understandable as hidden in their party there are many zealots. They come with all kinds of baggage, so don’t expect the kindly green image that they project to benefit you, but expect many kinds of Green policies that make you wonder sometimes, if they are actually working for New Zealand, or against it. Rather than let the Farmers take the water, the Greens seem to be happier to see the resource flowing out to sea untouched.
But the carbon Tax is the one area where I have the most concerns. The Greens will push for a carbon tax on most forms of energy, and the pool of money this will generate is going to be huge.  I would like to know exactly what’s going to happen to this money. Almost everything in their eyes seems to generate carbon, and therefore should be taxed. Even our animals. They want to be leaders in tis area. So Farmers again will b under attack again as their animals are taxed. But note the biggest users of the earth’s resources, China, America, and India all in the immediate future, plan to do absolutely nothing. But not New Zealand, we will try to do our utmost to save the world, all on our own.
The Greens are a recent arrival onto the political scene. In 1980 it was formed from the remanets of the Values Party. This is where the left leaning policies come from. They have also attracted members and affiliations from like minded people, such as Green Peace, Save the whales, these folk also carry a militant streak within, and think that the end is justified regardless of how it was accomplished. No matter what they try to do. There are some very large dark clouds on the horizon, and we as a Country need to be very careful what we do any with new policies that involves the spending large sums of money that we don’t have.
Love from Christchurch,
Wally

Only a day or so to go now before we have a new Government, or will we. If the polls are to believed, the Greens should to make a real large impact this time. They will want if they are elected to assist in making up the Government, or if they end up in the position of being ‘King Maker’. For sure they will want more and be busy dragging out some of their more ‘way out’ and extreme polices.

Frankly they worry me, to me they are not what they seem to be to most other people. For a start they are not a cuddly group, bringing to the table goodwill. Basically in spite of their ‘Green’ image, whatever that is. They are very much a Party leaning to the left, which they have managed to keep hidden so far. They have several left leaning policies that they will trot out, as soon as they consider they can get them acted on. To some, they are a Party that’s actually looking backwards, and wanting to live in the past. Never underestimate them, with only a toe hold on power, they have managed to lock up most of the west Coast. Targeting the Mining, and certainly most of all the Timber Milling industry. There are hundreds of kilometres of roads running through the West Coast regions, all flanked by Forest. In their book, our pristine forests are only for looking at, and never to be touched. Rivers that could be damned, well if they have anything to do with it, they will also remain in the same untouched category. The word Dam is not even in their vocabulary. Nothing like a Dam will ever happen while they have any power. But it gives pointers to what they would like to happen in other directions.

Farmers for instant, they should be more than a little worried, as they will be the next to be targeted, and they will find with these people, that water will suddenly be rationed. The Greens have some very strange attitude to most of our resources. This is understandable as hidden in their party there are many zealots. They come with all kinds of baggage, so don’t expect the kindly green image that they project to benefit you, but expect many kinds of Green policies that make you wonder sometimes, if they are actually working for New Zealand, or against it. Rather than let the Farmers take the water, the Greens seem to be happier to see the resource flowing out to sea untouched.

But the carbon Tax is the one area where I have the most concerns. The Greens will push for a carbon tax on most forms of energy, and the pool of money this will generate is going to be huge.  I would like to know exactly what’s going to happen to this money. Almost everything in their eyes seems to generate carbon, and therefore should be taxed. Even our animals. They want to be leaders in tis area. So Farmers again will b under attack again as their animals are taxed. But note the biggest users of the earth’s resources, China, America, and India all in the immediate future, plan to do absolutely nothing. But not New Zealand, we will try to do our utmost to save the world, all on our own.

The Greens are a recent arrival onto the political scene. In 1980 it was formed from the remanets of the Values Party. This is where the left leaning policies come from. They have also attracted members and affiliations from like minded people, such as Green Peace, Save the whales, these folk also carry a militant streak within, and think that the end is justified regardless of how it was accomplished. No matter what they try to do. There are some very large dark clouds on the horizon, and we as a Country need to be very careful what we do any with new policies that involves the spending large sums of money that we don’t have.

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on The Green Movement

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