I have always enjoyed the shifting moods of Onehunga Bay


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The crazy dogs.

 Yes, be it tides, the weather or  people and dogs, the bay is always changing. I shall let the pictures tell the story.


Tide coming in.



The misty bay





In the drink!

Ever changing, forgoteen by the rest of Auckland. It was once the place to be on a Sunday afternnon, until the sewage and later the motorway cast their black spells.

This brunch was wicked and wonderful!

Yesterday I took Perdy for her first really long drive. I have some good friends living in Pirongia, a beautiful little village under the lee of an equally magic mountain by the same name.

The journey took about two hours so I took Perdy for a run at her usual place don at Onehunga Bay. She seemed to sense something was different. Maybe she saw me loading up a few supplies for her; water, food and more protective blankets and towels than usual. (In case she had a little accident in the back seat).

Short run around turned into a longer one when she decided that getting Back in the car would be on her terms--- the bitch!--- it took me ten minutes to coax her in, and then it was lonely on her terms.

We continued our drive into the misty Waikato. Perdy was constantly on watch, barking at me in an attempt to discuss the issues of the day. You see, we were listening to ZB talkback and Perdy is quite an opinionated doggie. I don’t know where she gets this trait.

I stopped at Ngaruawahia and shared a pie with her. Well, actually, I dropped it and she pounced on it. Just as well, considering what was coming our way on the farmlet.

Back on the road again and Perdy settled in to a side to side traversing of the back seat as she checked out the different vistas on offer. She just loved observing the cows in the fields, chomping away on their hay. We arrived at the destination and she was out in a jiffy and the cheeky little bugger ran straight into the warm and welcoming home. She said hi and then explored the house, without even asking. It was then a quick walk around the section, peeing as needed and then back in the car for a short drive to a wonderful lake.

I was informed that I could not let her loose at this lake in the summer. Many dogs have died from toxic algae that kill instantly any dog drinking the water. All this in Green NZ--- yeah right. It may be that the ‘run-off’ from fertilizing our green and wonderful farms has caused this. Thank God, it wasn’t present in the winter.

Now, back to the farmlet and into a huge brunch, much of it produced on the said farmlet---- The sausages and eggs for a start. Wow--- the usages were to die for (and when you look at the picture, you will see why--- that’s of the bloody picture loads). They were nearly 100% lamb meat. The bacon was locally processed and the veggies most definitely had no carbon footprint. Who needed toast with that lot?

Perdy had her share and more when it came to coaxing her into leaving. It seems that she likes this little farmlet. She has her eyes on the multi coloured sheep. The sheep were sort of more goat-like than sheep. They are a Persian variety and very pretty--- very similar in colouring to Perdy--- No wonder she liked them---well she did--- she and my friends were eating their coussies!--- Sorry vegetarians--- don’t you dare go writing letters dot the editor--- Me!

After a relaxing time and another spin around the garden with the compulsory peeing, Perdy was captured and we were back on the road. This time, Perdy decided that napping was the thing to do. Before we knew it, we were back on the Southern Motorway. I decided to let Perdy have a stretch back at the bay--- just a short one before arriving home. Dinner--- more sausages of course. Dinner for the next night--- why not--- curried sausages!

It's OK--- I didn't eat it all!

Tourists!-- our roads can be dangerous!

It is always sad when people die on our roads, be they locals or tourists. Many die as a result of stupid decisions, like speeding, drinking alcohol and consuming other illegal substances.

In the last year we have also witnessed many tourists dying on our roads, nearly always in the countryside. Many of these deaths could have been avoided. That these people come to enjoy our wonderful scenery and people is great. We welcome them with open hearts and yes there is a financial gain for us. We do not want them crashing their cars and minibuses on our roads; ending what should have been a holiday of a lifetime so often ends up as taking their lives. Whys is this?

Our country has a typography that makes road construction expensive and maintaining these roads also has a high cost. With our small population that makes it harder to raise the taxes to pay for the safe and enduring construction of these roads. New Zealanders are used to these roads (although they also manage to meet untimely deaths when their wits are otherwise engaged!) and for the most part are ready for the challenges that narrow, winding roads present. We know to adjust our speed and driving approach to such roads. Indeed the road toll has been going down for many years as NZers become more responsible and attune themselves to the roads in NZ.

This trend for fewer deaths amongst NZers is not matched by our tourist friends. They happily rent campervans and cars and increasingly they are heading out without adapting their driving to the new conditions they face. Some are from countries where Autobahns have much higher speeding limits and should I say it, populations who  we are told have a more responsible approach to driving and text for the right to drive are more stringent. Car ownership may also be less for the citizens of such countries.

Tourists may also come from countries where they drive on the other side of the road. In NZ we drive on the left (our cars are right hand drive). Perhaps at that ‘crucial’ moment, they are distracted and veer onto the other side of the road and meet either a steep bank or an oncoming vehicle; either another car or a huge logging truck. We share our country roads with large trucks, taking our exports to the ports around NZ. (I must say that getting rid of rail, lines is a stupid move in light of the these tragic deaths) On windy in our rural areas this is a potent mix and one that drivers must be constantly aware of.

How much information is given to our tourists by rental companies?  I would hate to think that they are simply given the keys, denuded of their money and set on their way. Somehow, I think that my description may well be the norm. Do we have to wait for the Government to legislate to make ‘informing torsions (and others) of the perils of NZ’s roads. Apart from the moral obligation to do so, is there not a ‘financial’ impetus to keep our visitors safe. NZ is quite unique in that it provides a free Accident Compensation system for visitors, whereby they do not incur any costs when they meet with an accident (or a large truck!), both for their medical care and for their rehabilitation. Surely keeping them safe would be more beneficial to us than paying out millions in healthcare and rehab.

Let’s address this problem and save lives and keep our national wealth in our pockets.

What a terrible dilema for Australia.

Australia is a vast nation, geographically--- a beacon for those who live in countries where they are less than cogs in a machine. It has a history going back tens of thousands of years and the more recent colonization period leading to the modern day Australia shows what a nation can do to develop into a ‘lucky country.’ Yes--- there has been pain along the way, especially for the Aborigine People. I am not going to write a treatise on that subject, other than to acknowledge that sad history. I would be hypocritical, given New Zealand’s less than perfect nation-building stage.

Australia had developed a reputation of ‘people who can fight; the forces of nature and the idiocy of ‘mankind.’ It has stuck up for the ‘little person’ and the ‘nations who have been dealt a bad deal.’ Together with New Zealand and others, it has voiced concerns on the world-stage, batting way above its size in population terms.

Perhaps Australia has been too successful. Others notice and then Australia becomes a destination of choice, for those who see no future in their own countries. Thus we have the dilemma that Australia now faces; it is a victim of its own success and the flow of immigrants and refugees threatens to create an almost unsolvable problem.

Australia encourages legal immigrants, much like we do in New Zealand. It chooses those who would most benefit the continuing nation-building process and discourages those who would queue-jump and then face the tragic situation we have seen off the coast of Australia’s Northern and Western shores.

Unscrupulous criminal ‘people smugglers’ take advantage of this situation, and send hundreds (sometimes even themselves) to their deaths. It is the ‘middle-men,’ scattered throughout Asia who reap the rewards while their victims face the dangers of the ocean.

What can Australia do to stem this flow of hopeful people? The politicians are playing games because they do not have the answer. Australia alone cannot solve this issue. It is a regional problem, if not an international one. Australia needs to have excellent relations with its northern neighbour, Indonesia, who itself is a victim, placed unfortunately on the ‘road to hope’ for the refugees.

Indonesia does not encourage such people movement. It has many thousands of people in camps that it can ill-afford to feed and care for. Imagine being a poor Indonesian, barely managing to care for your family, only to see refugees being looked after, while your family suffers. Luckily, Indonesia is growing and developing a large middle-class and is better able to cope.

The Nations of Southeast Asia (including Australia and New Zealand need to act together. Of course if the problems in the countries of ‘source’ (Afghanistan, the Middle East in general) did not exist, nor would the refugee problem, but that is wishful thinking.

One fact remains. Australia I (and NZ) is that beacon of hope and people will continue to set sail in dangerous boats. That after all was how the modern day Australia came into being. The best Australia can hope for is that this ‘flow’ is controlled and does not continue to be a political whipping boy.

Opposition to the resumption of whaling gains momentum in South Korea.

Great--- the media in South Korea are coming out against the abhorrent practice of whaling for so-called ‘Scientific’ purposes, just like Japan has done for decades. Perhaps they can ignite public opinion in this proud nation and really make a difference. Hopefully that will ‘spill-over’ to Japan and the nations of Europe (Iceland and Norway) who needlessly slaughter these magnificent beasts.

None of these nations are dependent on this ‘protein source’ to meet the needs of their people. Now that the issue is firmly in front of the South Korean people, I am sure that they will act in ways that we have seen in the past, when democracy was in its infancy. They will not shirk their responsibilities to stand firm against their Government’s plans.

There is a uniquely Korean way of making the thoughts of the ‘people’ known. Just think of those images of brave students and workers, lining up AGAINST THE POLICE, striving for a better life for the Korean People. I think that South Korea has ‘come of age.’

When a nation cares about the ‘denizens of the depths’ and puts into action a process to challenge their government, well--- there is hope for us all. Carry the flag and know that many in other nations are with you. One day we will be able to relax in the knowledge that the only shooting of whales is with cameras, but in the meantime, all strength to the forces that matter in South Korea.

'Bath salts'--a nasty new kid on the block!

If you thought that ‘P’ (Methamphetamine) and various other drugs were bad, then think again. “Bath salts,’ an innocuous name for something really nasty has arrived in New Zealand. The USA has been aware of it for up to a year. When I read my friends’ ‘posts’ in the USA (from the Liberal Thoughts group I am in), talking about ‘people eating off someone’s face, I thought they were kidding in some bizarre way. You know what we sometimes think--- ‘only on America.’ Well I was wrong to think like that and I apologize to my friends.

They were describing the ‘act’ of someone thought to be on that terrible new weirdly named synthetic new drug—Bath salts--- the street name. It is a synthetic drug with the power to lock into the brain the effects of something much like Cocaine, but it takes ages for the person to ‘come down and the high is much more intense.’

The person on it can have superhuman strength (much-like but worse than ‘P’) to the point that New Zealand’s first reported case needed to be tasered twice, pepper sprayed and then put into restraints in order to protect themselves and the police trying to control him.

What is it going to be like for the friends, families and workplaces and God help us--- the classrooms, if this revolting new drug becomes the ‘drug of choice’ for those misplaced, stupid and unknowing young (and not so young) people seeking new ‘highs?’

President Obama today signed a Bill outlawing all of these synthetic drugs that have appeared in the shops in the USA. Good for him and for the USA.
We need our politicians to act now (today) and immediately outlaw this drug here. Apparently it is freely available.

Yes--- not everyone reacts in this over the top, dangerous way, but we cannot standby and talk about ‘freedom of choice’ and see yet another mean and nasty substance, poison the lives of our people. I know that Peter Dunne was quickly onto other substances and had them banned, but the ‘manufacturers’ just change the makeup of the drugs and they are out there on the streets and in our shops (We call these local convenience stores--- Dairies in NZ)  very quickly.

I know that Peter had come in for some flack on other issues (Asset sales etc.) in NZ, but on this he has been pretty good. So--- come on Peter Dunne--- get your act together and ban this evil substance and keep up with the play.

We don’t need people eating one another’s’ faces off here. Hell, we have enough who are ‘off their faces’ as it is!

Kiwi rail--- job cuts

Here we go again---job cuts at Kiwi rail. After the sad history of cutting and selling from the past, is it any wonder that this organization is facing ‘issues’ yet again. Of course the policies are driven by the Government and we all know how they see things. The image of a huge sharp knife should be added to the national Party logo and permanently embossed because they show little sign of changing their perspective.

We have seen Labour and National stuff around with our national rail carrier. All it has meant is asset stripping, selling off and then claiming that the service no longer meets its goals. If we really want the railways to work for people and business, you don’t keeping chopping its heart out. There are now many areas that are isolated from the rail service as lines have been progressively cut.

Politicians have long sought to make the rail service profitable. What a senseless aim. Our population and typography work against that ideal. Our railways are a service and maybe we can’t make it a ‘golden goose/hen’ but we can use it to lesson our dependency on roads, fossil fuels and the subsequent problems that causes.

I am not a ‘Greenie,’ although a lot of what they say makes sense, but I believe that we have to subsidise our rail service before it disappears altogether, other than in a few cities and one main trunk. No matter how much you cut off the trunk, the rail service will always look a bit like an elephant.

Gone are the days when nearly every town was within hearing the whistle of the trains as they chugged their ways up, down and sometimes across the New Zealand landscape. Gone or going are so many secondary lines. Are we going to regret the demise of our once proud system, profitable or not?