Waitangi Day--remember, learn and have fun!

Over the last few decades, Waitangi Day has been remembered for acrimony and division along with the fun many people choose to have on this most special day. For those who focus on the negatives, it is a day that causes them a good deal of confusion and possibly pain.

If we go back to the beginning and seek out the purpose of the Treaty for which this day takes its name, then we would find differing views on what the document that many Maori and Europeans were signing meant. For the Europeans (Pakeha) it was seen primarily as a document to enable the peaceful ‘takeover ‘of a people and their land. For those Maori present and the subsequent journey of the ‘document’ to places far and wide within the new colony of New Zealand, a very different view was taken as to the meaning of the said document. They were not signing away their relationship to the land; indeed they viewed their guardianship of the land and its resources as being theirs forever.

Thus the divisions were magnified and unscrupulous measures were employed to acquire vast reaches of New Zealand. There is no doubt that Maori were dispossessed and as a result they were alienated within their own land. Subsequent European ‘settler governments’ took their own view and eventually the two people went to war; one to keep what was left and the other to subdue and conquer.

It is surprising that New Zealand is as peaceful as it is and perhaps that can be put down to other factors; for example, form the very first time of European settlement, there was dialogue and a meeting of two peoples. Today, the races are mixed to the point that many New Zealanders can claim Maori blood. We cannot however, get away from the fact that not all Maori have thrived in modern times. Despite large ‘settlements’ negotiated in recent years, a large proportion of Maori are overrepresented in negative crime figures and poverty numbers.

Many efforts have been made to address the gap between Maori and the new-arrivals (including the massive inflow of other ethnic groups) but the debate continues about a ‘people dispossessed and the ramifications of this.

There is also a growing groundswell of opinion within Maori and other New Zealanders about where we are going as a nation and going alongside this is a movement that pushes NZ as ‘one nation’ but many people. There is a spirit within NZ to make things work and Waitangi Day now means different things to different people. Move away from the controversy at the Treaty grounds and you will see most New Zealanders celebrating in very happy ways. Indeed, if one looks away from the few moments of anger, confusion and downright stupidity at the Treaty Grounds, one will see a nation moving towards a better understanding; both of its history and where it is going. I do not fear for our future!

Bariatric surgery, part 3---this time the psychologist

North Korea wants to join the 'nuclear club.'

l say ‘no way’ to North Korea developing a nuclear capability.’ Along with Iran, the prospect of these rogue nations, who ignore ‘world’ pressure to step away from their desire to ‘join the club’ is indeed a daunting prospect Even their so-called allies are reluctant to support their aims. Sanctions have been imposed yet both nations are still attempting to build up a capacity to employ nuclear weapons in their already large arms arsenals.

We cannot leave the USA alone in its pressuring Iran and North Korea to abandon their nuclear aspirations. All nations are potentially at risk if the said nations succeed. Nor do we want Israel to ‘take out’ Iran’s capacity, simply because of the ramifications of such an act.

Russia and China need to join world opinion and pressure their ‘friends’ to desist in their nuclear ambitions and allow meaningful ‘policing’ of the institutions where the developments are taking place. Geopolitics enters the fray and makes a unified approach less likely to work.

One day China and Russia are going to wake up and realize that it is too late to avoid a major ‘conflagration’ in all of the most extreme forms; right on their borders or indeed within. What good will their non-involvement stances do them, all in the name of some sort of hangover from the bad old Cold War days.

The world in 2013 is a very much more connected world; one where trade really is on a global scale, where major nations are intractably connected economically. We see the USA and China having ‘spats’ over a number of issues, but underlying their relationship is one where they need one another.

We had thought that the ‘ticking clock’ to some sort of doomsday had somewhat receded after the demise of Cold War politics, but that is not so. With the rise of an unfettered North Korea and Iran, that clock has resumed its prophetic journey. All nations and those with ‘influence’ must come to an agreement about how to stop that process.

North Korea is doubly guilty ion that while it spends vast amounts on its nuclear ambitions, its people suffer from a lack of ---well----nearly everything; from basic education right through the very necessities of life---food. Iran too diverts disproportionate amounts away form that which its citizens need most. Neither country shines in the area of human rights, but they do not have that on their own.

By the time the community of nations decides to act in an effective way against these two nations, it may well be too late!

Australian 'sour grapes' at the success of our white wines.

Australians love to take the piss out of New Zealand. Well it seems that they have gone one step further in that they are saying our New Zealand white wines are just that---piss. What they are failing to admit is that many NZ white wines are outselling the local product. They say that our wines are over rated and that they are nothing more than MacDonald’s wines.

What a hoot. Those narrow minded xenophobic wine makers and merchants are just pissed off (yes same words again) that NZ is a maker of very good wines. My advice---if you can’t hack the heat of the big world of wine making, then get the heck out of the winery.

Come-on mates. Get a sense of balance; not with the wines, cause you already have that. You make great wines; reds and whites. I love to buy your wine but I am not going to go boo hoo, because you outsell us in the world markets. Let the buyers decide, or are you going to do to us what you did re our wonderful apples. I think the heat has got to some of those who make such statements about our beautiful wines. Better still--- come over and sample them in their exotic settings. We shall make you most welcome. Let’s face it----- with the fires and the floods, you all need a break.

Big fish for Melita Dean!-----nice one mate

Do you have a ‘bucket list?’ Have you achieved many of the wishes on it? I have a few, but none of them match up to the ‘achievement ‘of a dear colleague of mine. She has often talked about the ‘big fish;’ I mean really big, not some little plate sized offering. She means Marlin and a big one at that.

Melita has been trying for quite a few years and over that time, I wished her luck, but she always came back empty handed, but not dispirited. Well this past weekend, she hit the Jackpot. Melita hooked a big Marlin, just off the coast from Tairua (not far from Whitianga) on New Zealand’s beautiful Coromandel Peninsula. She had to use a right handed ‘thingumajig’ (see, I know stuff-all about such things) but she’s left-handed. Don’t be surprised if I got that round the wrong way.

For the next hour, Melita fought that fish. It stretched out to 1000 metres and she gradually pulled it in. BY the time she had landed it (without her partner assisting) she and the fish were beat, stuffed and bits in-between------ Then came decision time. Was it to be ‘tag and release’ or take it home? The marlin was so exhausted that she made the decision t to keep it. A butcher from the township will smoke it and we shall all receive the bounty as a result.

Melita’s efforts put her right ‘up there,’ for female big game ‘fisher people’ in NZ. Good one Melita. I shall look at you with entirely different eyes from now on!  Oh, by the way---the Marlin came in at 93 Kilos.

GO MELITA

MELITA AND PROUD HUBBY!

Just wave your card and spend up large--well, not quite.

The very thought of being able to wave my credit card at a terminal and be able to spend up to NZ$80 at any one time is a bit scary; not because I think that I will incur even more debt, but because if my credit card is lot and then picked up by some unsavoury character, I could be out of pocket. Of course my credit card has some sort of insurance on it and as long as I let the company know, I should be fine.

I guess what I am feeling is the old ‘future shock’ syndrome that I well remember teaching kids about in the 1970’s. Maybe I am a belated victim of this terrible affliction; one that will assail me more as I get closer to even more numerous senior moments. The idea that one just needs to wave at a terminal fills me with mistrust.

How can we have confidence in a system that seems so easy to rip off; at least on the surface? If a low-life acquires our cards, they could have some real fun if they acted quickly. I suppose that has happened with the present system too but this development feels like yet another step for the criminally minded entrepreneurs.

One must assume that the banks have done the sums and have an understanding that they will still make huge profits. I am not sure what it is that they know that leads them to this new move, but perhaps the gains for them are more than any expected ‘activity’ that is dishonest. I think I shall make the adjustment and things will go on as normal. One good thing is that I won’t have to line up behind someone even older than me who is trying to remember their pin number; that is after they have managed to find their card in the first place. No doubt the ever improving cameras will be ‘protecting’ us from the worst excesses of these parasites who love to rip us all off.

New Zealand---a 'land of thieves,' especially the 'feathered' kind!

Before someone accuses me of being some kind of ‘anti-New Zealand tourist terrorist,’ read on my friends. Today I heard about an unsuspecting naive tourist from Scotland was mugged by a New Zealander and unfortunately this is not an uncommon occurrence. The victim hails from Scotland and if he is some distant relative, I apologize on behalf of all New Zealanders. Surely tourists should be able to go about their business without been taken advantage of by unscrupulous locals.

This unfortunate gentleman had taken a break to snap some pictures of the magnificent mountains he was travelling through. Perhaps he felt homesick for his native Scotland; the hills and glens a far off memory and paling into significance compared to the beauty he was observing.

He had heard that New Zealand is basically a laid back and generally ‘honest place.’ He had even heard that in the more ‘rural’ areas, one could leave the back door open. He did just that, with his campervan. After all, what could go wrong? The other ‘happy’ tourists looked decidedly decent so what the hell.

Unknown to him a rather feathery ‘native’ was lurking, watching his every move. When Scotty left his van unattended and with the windows wide open the said beast, a New Zealand Highland parrot, called the Kea, took his chances. The sneaky little sod flew into the car and rummaged around, searching for items that could be ‘tradable’ amongst his other criminal friends. Apparently this bird, yes bird, was well connected to a few good fences (if such a person exists).

THE 'VICTIM.'

THE 'CRIMINAL.' 

The naughty Kea spied a little package on the dash board and he pounced. As Scotty watched the Kea flew to ‘mountains high’ to share the proceeds with his mates and the ‘fence.’ In the meantime, Scotty was short of $1300 $NZ. What a very expensive lesson for an unsuspecting visitor. We are deeply ashamed as a nation and no doubt other NZers will step up to the mark and make good for Scotty.