2019 Australian Federal Election

This is just too good not to share!

The Australien(sp) Government has made a final ad before the 2019 Federal Election, and it’s surprisingly honest and informative.

Friday night reading David Dunning and the Brexit

New Zealand's state-funded public radio channel, Radio New Zealand, dedicated half an hour of music to the British referendum on leaving or remaining in the European Union.

The tunes showcased included 'Land of Hope and Glory', 'Wake me up before you go go' by Wham, 'Winner takes it all' by Abba. The final insult, I mean, the final tune for the half-hour 'sonic tonic' was the Sid Vicious version of 'My Way'.

I must admit I found the 'Sonic Tonic' a very amusing antidote to the news of a decision that will have very serious outcomes.

For example, here is Ed King writing on the referendum result on Climate Home. Midway through what’s set to be the warmest year in history, UK voters have elected to leave the world’s most progressive climate change alliance.

However, I did manage to tear myself away from Radio New Zealand and Youtube and I found something on the internet to feed the intellect. I dedicate David Dunning's 2014 article We are all confident idiots to the Leave Campaign. I should I be dedicating the Sid Vicious version of 'My Way' to them?

Friday listening White Valiant The Muttonbirds live in 1994

The Muttonbirds are a terrific band led by the indefatigable Don McGlashan in the 1990s.

Although Nature and The Heater are arguably better-known songs, this is the subtly disturbing 'White Valiant' played live in 1994.

Ah, that's great! I can't get enough! So here is the official video of 'Dominion Road', which was a single from their first album 'The Muttonbirds'.

New Zealand breaks up with Kyoto Protocol over lack of commitment

I have made up a meme using a meme generator. It's about New Zealand and the Kyoto Protocol.

It is the break-up.

They were a nice couple. They met at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. They set an example for the rest of the world. but..after five years, New Zealand broke up with Kyoto Protocol. Kyoto says New Zealand wouldn't give a second commitment...even though they set up international emissions trading together. Lately New Zealand is believed to be hanging around Durban Platform.

Here is another. NZ won't commit.

But we had an Emissions Trading Scheme together.

He's left me for China, India and the USA.

It's been so difficult since the Durban Platform.

I only asked him to reduce net and gross emissions.

I only asked him to stop fiddling with his forest sinks.

The collection is called the Kyoto New Zealand break-up. It's been so much fun!

I'm happy just to be with you

Afterglow by The Small Faces.

Instant kiwi classic backyard Devil You Know butchering

Holy heck, Russell Brown just found this video on You-tube of some dudes in a backyard in Auckland "butchering" Dave Dobbyn's 'Devil you know'.

What did they do for an encore? Burn a couch?

Cry, cry for you

Mazzy Star and Hope Sandoval

Cry, cry for you
Just like you knew I wouldn't do
Cry, cry for you
Just like a song in the last light

Should I leave it all away
Not like the kindness that you gave
That's why it never seems the same
Behind your eyes

I stood behind when no one asked me
And took you home after the fight
I drove my car into city lights
Drove down the road that I am on

Cry, cry for you
That's what you think I want to be
Cry, cry for you
An empty heart that sees me through

Cry, cry for you
Just like you knew I wouldn't do
Cry cry for you
Just like a song in the last light

Cry, cry for you
Just like you knew I wouldn't do

Post card from Skin and Blister on the Euro debt crisis

My sister has lived in Crete for the last two years, which is of course part of Greece. Thats after 25 years in England. Her accent is Estuary English. If you met her, you would think that she is English and probably from East London or Essex, from her accent and peroxided blonde hair. I email her most days with reports on the health of our mother, Ruth.

The other day I emailed her about the Greek elections. I had observed that the Greek elections had led the NZ media cycle for a day or so; mostly in a "News for Gerbils" sort of way. Will the Euro be saved? Will the Euro affect NZ exports?

Lots of breathless news ("Will the Eurozone be saved") about the Greek elections and the swearing in of the new Prime Minister Mr Samaras. OMG. Is it much of a deal where you are?

Her reply was:

re: Greece, all a bit subdued here. We are not Athens or the mainland however so its always been (or seemed) a bit remote here. BIG football game on tomorrow night. however. Euro 2012. Greece versus Germany!! apparently Angela Merkel is going to it and will be in the stands.

Never mind the Greek economic situation, lets watch the football! I understand that Greece was thrashed by the German team 6 - 2.

Here are Clarke and Dawe on the economics of the European sovereign debt crisis. I dedicate this to my apolitical sister.

9 May 1962 to 9 May 2012

I missed marking the actual day of 9 May 2012.

However, I dedicate David Bowie's song "Cracked Actor" from the 1973 Aladdin Sane album to the date 9 May 2012.

I've come on a few years from my Hollywood Highs

The best of the last, the cleanest star they ever had

I'm stiff on my legend, the films that I made

Forget that I'm fifty cause you just got paid

Crack, baby, crack, show me you're real

Smack, baby, smack, is that all that you feel

Suck, baby, suck, give me your head

Before you start professing that you're knocking me dead

Oh stay

Please stay

Please stay

You caught yourself a trick down on Sunset and Vine

But since he pinned you baby you're a porcupine

You sold me illusions for a sack full of cheques

You've made a bad connection 'cause I just want your sex

What ever happened to Clippy?

What ever happened to Clippy?

Clippy is alive and well in the Wellington Botanic Gardens.

The Beauty of cricket pavilion names

I love the website Ugly New Zealand.com So I sent them some pictures "at and about" Karori Park.

Dear Ralf,

I love your website.

May I provide you these photos I took today? Please feel free to put them on your website if they meet your standards.

Some descriptions.

"What is is with cricket clubs? Why are they obsessed with naming their facilities after retired club Presidents? Why is the font CAPS plus plus? Was there really a club President named David Bain? Is there something the residents of Karori don't know?

What can you see from the David Bain viewing area. Duh! You can see the Ted Tyler scoreboard!


What other anthropomorphic facilities are in Karori Park? Well there is the Catley Curtis Nimmo PAVILION.


Whats the rest of Karori Park like? A damp running track around a mist-shrouded rain-drenched cricket field hidden in the ravines of Karori. It is a little known fact that Karori Park has the third highest annual average rainfall in NZ after the Cropp River recorder in the upper Hokitika catchment and Milford Sound.

100% (??) Ugly New Zealand

I am very tired of the use of "100% Pure" branding when New Zealand's water quality is declining.

However I have the antidote!

It is this article in the Sunday Star Times by Grant Smithies. Smithies points refreshingly to this collection of photos titled Ugly New Zealand.

Smithies writes;

Site founder Ralf Hebecker moved from Germany to Dunedin in 2006 to work as a design tutor at Otago University. He was disappointed to discover New Zealand had been misrepresented as a blemish-free natural wonderland, and set about collecting photos of the less agreeable sides of the place to add balance to the "postcard perfect" national myth.

and

With admirable teutonic bluntness, Hebecker's blog acknowledges that New Zealand's built environment frequently appalls the eye. His site celebrates the mundane, the shabby, the poorly designed, the cheap and loveless, and revels in the fact that a picture speaks a thousand words.

Brilliant and a must-read!

What can I do but attempt to display my own visual twisted love letters to the country I love?


Sign advising dog owners of responsible dog effluent rules, Lambton Quay, Wellington, 11 May 2011.


The banality of street signs, Allington Road, Karori Wellington, 13 June 2011.

Almost cut my hair (if I had any)

Here's some nostalgia courtesy of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young.

ACT quote of week

"I now know why ACT believes so strongly in the rights of the individual - no two of their members agree on anything."


Dave Armstrong, writing today for Fairfax/Stuff, Eyes Right as Don 'Quixote' Brash gallops in.

Yardbirds Train Kept a Rolling

I seems to have watched/listened to this several times...

Summertime

Yes it is. Its also February. That's my month.

This video of 'Summertime' by Janis Joplin really seems to jump out of the speakers.

Joplin's music always reminds me of driving out across Porters Pass, the Torlesse range and the Craigieburn range on the way to the upper Waimakariri River and Arthurs Pass to go tramping.

I used to have a couple of well-used Janis Joplin tapes in my Nissan Bluebird station wagon.

Summertime!.

Where the bloody hell are ya?

How is that guy in pool filtering out the urine....?

Hasta La Vista Paul Henry

Well I hope it is!

TVNZ has a comment form. I just used it! With this message.

Rick Ellis,
Chief Executive
Television NZ Limited,

Dear Mr Ellis,

Re: Paul Henry

Mr Henry's "expletive-laden tirade" of today (following his offensive comments about the Governor-General) confirms to me unequivocally that that Mr Henry no longer has any constructive role to play in Television NZ and that his two-week suspension was not the appropriate sanction.

It is time for this man to be removed from the airwaves and from TV NZ.

Yours sincerely

Canterbury Earthquake Response and Recovery Act 2010

Andrew Geddis has expressed concern about the unconstitutionally sweeping powers of Gerry Brownlee's Canterbury Earthquake Response and Recovery Act 2010.

I wondered if the Canterbury Earthquake Response and Recovery Act 2010 had a Regulatory Impact Statement. These statements are meant to give an "evidence-based approach to policy development".

I wrote to the Ministry of Economic Development asking if there had been a Regulatory Impact Statement. Their reply (Google Docs) fairly promptly; "No there wasn't".

So I wrote this letter and sent it to Bill English, Rodney Hide (as the Ministers behind the Government Statement on Regulation and Gerry Brownlee, as Minister of Economic Development and Earthquake Recovery.

"The Ministry of Economic Development has confirmed to me that a Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS) was not prepared for the Canterbury Earthquake Response and Recovery Act 2010 of 14 September 2010. That Act gives the executive branch of Government sweeping powers to create exemptions from existing legislation via orders in council.

Will you please explain to me why there was no RIS for the Canterbury Earthquake Response and Recovery Act 2010? Who authorised the Canterbury Earthquake Response and Recovery Act 2010 to proceed without a RIS? Please treat this as a request for official information.

The absence of a RIS appears to be inconsistent with the Government Statement on Regulation, which you released on 17 August 2009. It includes commitments that:
"We will introduce new regulation only when we are satisfied that it is required, reasonable, and robust".
"We will resist the temptation or pressure to take a regulatory decision until we have considered the evidence, advice and consultation feedback.."
"Ensure that Cabinet's requirements for assuring regulatory quality are treated as an integral part of policy development, and built into the policy process from the beginning"

The statement also encourages the public to hold the Government to account for actions inconsistent with the commitments in the statement. In light of that, I am writing to say that the absence of an RIS for the earthquake Act is inconsistent with the Government Statement on Regulation, and I wish to hold the Government to account.

The absence of the RIS also appears to be inconsistent with Treasury's Regulatory Impact Analysis Handbook, which indicates that a RIS is required for any policy initiative or review that considers new primary legislation (Regulatory Impact Analysis Handbook, 2/11/2009, The Treasury, ISBN: 978-0-478-33091-5)."

I wonder what I'll get back?

The Blues Magoos Tobacco Road

For some reason, I feel the need to....embed a You Tube video of the American 1960s band The Blues Magoos performing the John D Loudermilk song Tobacco Road.