Sunday, September 22, 2013
Saturday, September 21, 2013
Boycott KFC--- We don't need them in New Zealand.
If a conservative newspaper like the New Zealand Herald publishes a report about KFC 'dumping' disabled workers under the guise that all workers be able to preform at the same level, then I say---'get out of New Zealand, KFC!' We do not need your 19th Century work relations policies and the fact that you tried to cover up your actions makes your actions even worse.
I hope that as many of you reading this as possible, go to the New Zealand Herald site, read the article and spread the word, not just in New Zealand, but around the world. Let this 'throwback in time' business feel the wrath of thinking people.
This action by KFC is totally against what the people of NZ think. It is against everything we have fought for over the years and if KFC get way with their unscrupulous act, then it will be emulated by similar companies. Make a stand now. For every job lost as a result, others will be created as perhaps a local (in this case, a NZ business) business will fill the gap left by KFC. We have it in our power to make a difference. Vote with your feet and support those workers, who need dignity, not a further reminder that their lives are difficult. Let us hear more voices raised in anger at this cynical, 'nothing but money matters,' move on the part of KFC. Kentucky Fried Chicken-- you have stooped low!
One good result of your action could be the removal of one 'unhealthy company.' Perhaps those that replace you will take a more responsible pathway, not just re peoples' employment rights, but also strive to care about the health of New Zealanders.
Pass the message on, everybody! DON'T SUPPORT KFC! Now, go and read the article in the New Zealand Herald--the Sunday, 22/09/2013 online version. Don't just take my word!
www.authorneilcoleman.com
I hope that as many of you reading this as possible, go to the New Zealand Herald site, read the article and spread the word, not just in New Zealand, but around the world. Let this 'throwback in time' business feel the wrath of thinking people.
This action by KFC is totally against what the people of NZ think. It is against everything we have fought for over the years and if KFC get way with their unscrupulous act, then it will be emulated by similar companies. Make a stand now. For every job lost as a result, others will be created as perhaps a local (in this case, a NZ business) business will fill the gap left by KFC. We have it in our power to make a difference. Vote with your feet and support those workers, who need dignity, not a further reminder that their lives are difficult. Let us hear more voices raised in anger at this cynical, 'nothing but money matters,' move on the part of KFC. Kentucky Fried Chicken-- you have stooped low!
One good result of your action could be the removal of one 'unhealthy company.' Perhaps those that replace you will take a more responsible pathway, not just re peoples' employment rights, but also strive to care about the health of New Zealanders.
Pass the message on, everybody! DON'T SUPPORT KFC! Now, go and read the article in the New Zealand Herald--the Sunday, 22/09/2013 online version. Don't just take my word!
www.authorneilcoleman.com
Now for something completely different!
NO, I am not going to talk about the America's Cup, or my solar or even about ROSILL www.authorneilcoleman.com. Ain't that a change!
Last night I was woken many times by the sound huge thunder claps and bright flashes of lightning. Perdy shook with fear and tried to sneak into the bedroom. This morning when I took her to the park near our home, the winding road (the same park that features in my first book, COSTAL YARNS) was littered with broken branches and other flotsam. Streams had obviously broken their banks judging by some of the larger branches strewn across the road. Even a manhole cover had been lifted and lay at a dangerous angle.
None of the this concerned Perdy; she continued to whimper as she excitedly contemplated her manic run, chasing her ball. A few minutes later, she discovered a new fun game; one in which she drops her ball in the stream and then jumps in and follows it. Sound familiar?
Knowing that I was going to go home and watch something on TV that I am not going to talk about, I fooled Perdy into entering a deck that overlooks the Manukau Harbour, thereby allowing me to capture her before she ran off into the bush. Her freedom curtailed, she settled down into the back seat of the car and we headed home.
My plan now is to go to a Campervan show. Yes, that is my plan for the future. I want to buy one when I reach 'pension/Gold Card age. I shall continue to work as many Kiwis are now forced to do in order to make ends meet! I now look forward to a longer retirement, given the huge improvement in my health, post bariatric surgery. Previously I couldn't even drag myself up to the seat of some of the vans that I was looking at. Now, it is easy!
It is not my intention to buy a campervan today; I merely wish to inform myself about the range of possibilities. Of course, I shall seek lots of advice before I finally spend copious amounts of money (that I have yet to find!) on the object of my desire.
The sun has now come out and Perdy is 'playing dead' on the deck, pretending that she too will be coming to the Campervan show. Sorry girl---I will take you travelling once my plan comes to fruition, sometime in the future. In the meantime, you play 'guard!'
www.authorneilcoleman.com
Last night I was woken many times by the sound huge thunder claps and bright flashes of lightning. Perdy shook with fear and tried to sneak into the bedroom. This morning when I took her to the park near our home, the winding road (the same park that features in my first book, COSTAL YARNS) was littered with broken branches and other flotsam. Streams had obviously broken their banks judging by some of the larger branches strewn across the road. Even a manhole cover had been lifted and lay at a dangerous angle.
None of the this concerned Perdy; she continued to whimper as she excitedly contemplated her manic run, chasing her ball. A few minutes later, she discovered a new fun game; one in which she drops her ball in the stream and then jumps in and follows it. Sound familiar?
Knowing that I was going to go home and watch something on TV that I am not going to talk about, I fooled Perdy into entering a deck that overlooks the Manukau Harbour, thereby allowing me to capture her before she ran off into the bush. Her freedom curtailed, she settled down into the back seat of the car and we headed home.
My plan now is to go to a Campervan show. Yes, that is my plan for the future. I want to buy one when I reach 'pension/Gold Card age. I shall continue to work as many Kiwis are now forced to do in order to make ends meet! I now look forward to a longer retirement, given the huge improvement in my health, post bariatric surgery. Previously I couldn't even drag myself up to the seat of some of the vans that I was looking at. Now, it is easy!
It is not my intention to buy a campervan today; I merely wish to inform myself about the range of possibilities. Of course, I shall seek lots of advice before I finally spend copious amounts of money (that I have yet to find!) on the object of my desire.
The sun has now come out and Perdy is 'playing dead' on the deck, pretending that she too will be coming to the Campervan show. Sorry girl---I will take you travelling once my plan comes to fruition, sometime in the future. In the meantime, you play 'guard!'
www.authorneilcoleman.com
It's time to put us out of our miserry, Dean!
New Zealanders are wondering when the pain will end. Every morning we get up and follow whatever routine we have settled into for the watching of the Cup races. For the last week, traffic on the road of our towns and cities has almost stopped and workplaces resemble anything but busy establishments where the 'customer comes first.' There would be little point because the customers are 'otherwise engaged.' Some can be found ensconced with those who should be serving them, around a screen, watching and hoping that 'this is the day,' when we bring the Cup home.
The rest of the world may have wry smiles on their faces as they hear about our obsession, but some of them should look to the times when 'World Cup fever' strikes them. Take for example how it has been and always will be when two mighty Nations in the Football world clash in a final. Are not the streets empty of people as the game begins and then a mixture of celebration and riot ensue as the result is known. I doubt that such scenes will erupt on our streets but new heights of emotion will emerge for NZers who traditionally are a littler more reserved than their crazy football friends in other nations.
My hope is that the races finish today but I may be disappointed yet again, if reports that the wind is once again playing 'silly buggers' and making it extra difficult for both teams to configure their boats. I can only hope that if we are ahead that the wind does not dwindle to a breeze, thereby leading to the officials calling off the race due to 'time rules intervening.'
One final point: It has been revealed that Oracle will take action, right up to the Supreme Court if NZ wins by only a two race margin. Once again, the final result may come down to 'litigation! Are we surprized? Nah!
www.authorneilcoleman.com
The rest of the world may have wry smiles on their faces as they hear about our obsession, but some of them should look to the times when 'World Cup fever' strikes them. Take for example how it has been and always will be when two mighty Nations in the Football world clash in a final. Are not the streets empty of people as the game begins and then a mixture of celebration and riot ensue as the result is known. I doubt that such scenes will erupt on our streets but new heights of emotion will emerge for NZers who traditionally are a littler more reserved than their crazy football friends in other nations.
My hope is that the races finish today but I may be disappointed yet again, if reports that the wind is once again playing 'silly buggers' and making it extra difficult for both teams to configure their boats. I can only hope that if we are ahead that the wind does not dwindle to a breeze, thereby leading to the officials calling off the race due to 'time rules intervening.'
One final point: It has been revealed that Oracle will take action, right up to the Supreme Court if NZ wins by only a two race margin. Once again, the final result may come down to 'litigation! Are we surprized? Nah!
www.authorneilcoleman.com
Friday, September 20, 2013
Teenagers prone to severe depression when deprived of their phones and access to social media!----Ya Reckon?!
I have often had to work with sad teenagers, either when they have 'lost' their cell phones, had them taken from them as a disciplinary response, lost them, or the phones have broken down. It seems that their world is suddenly 'less than real,' their lifeline to friends gone, their very existence threatened. I have sometimes wondered at the power of electronic devices and how they have impacted on the lives of our young people. How many adults have shaken their heads in dismay at how their children are so dependant on their cell phones, tablets and other 'connections to the cyber world? I have observed 'clients' who are bordering on and sometimes crossed over to the world of clinical depression when such events enter their lives.
I have been remiss in my understanding about just how much the cyber world means to young people and the events of the last 24 hours have brought that home to me. I was mucking around (as we do) on my lap top yesterday after work and somehow to manage to push the wrong button (As I am prone to do!) and my connection to MY cyber world vanished. I have been so wrong to underestimate the effect of such a momentous failure of my 'techie world.' I too suddenly felt 'cut-off,' isolated and yes, a little pissed off. Surely my reaction was over-the-top. I was totally surprised at my feelings. Hey, I am a gown up man, not some teenager! Wow---this is new territory for me; one that I had not seen coming! What to do?
Nothing I could do would let me connect to the web. my partner tired, to no avail. We rang Telecom who informed us that we needed a technician.
I rang one down the road who was most unhelpful so it into the 'Local Pages' book and I found a number for AKLWIDE COMPUTERSERVICES LTD. the response was immediate and by the time Team NZ lost the second race, further adding to the whole of NZ's suffering, never lone mine!, I had arranged for a techie to come around. He fixed the problem in a short time for a very fair price, advised me of a good protection, one that cost a little but one hell of a lot better than the free ones (Hey, you don't get much for nothing in this world!) and my world was restored.
Now looking back at my reaction to 'exclusion from my 'connectedness' I can laugh, but laugh with anew understanding of how it is for my clients and young people generally. I suspect that many of my adult friends will have similar feelings but unlike me, will not admit to it. Or---perhaps the 'world of my clients has rubbed off on me, a little more than I realized! Scary thought, eh?
OK---all is well now---except---Please, Dean and Team NZ----put us out of our misery---finish the damn thing!
www.authorneilcoleman.com
I have been remiss in my understanding about just how much the cyber world means to young people and the events of the last 24 hours have brought that home to me. I was mucking around (as we do) on my lap top yesterday after work and somehow to manage to push the wrong button (As I am prone to do!) and my connection to MY cyber world vanished. I have been so wrong to underestimate the effect of such a momentous failure of my 'techie world.' I too suddenly felt 'cut-off,' isolated and yes, a little pissed off. Surely my reaction was over-the-top. I was totally surprised at my feelings. Hey, I am a gown up man, not some teenager! Wow---this is new territory for me; one that I had not seen coming! What to do?
Nothing I could do would let me connect to the web. my partner tired, to no avail. We rang Telecom who informed us that we needed a technician.
I rang one down the road who was most unhelpful so it into the 'Local Pages' book and I found a number for AKLWIDE COMPUTERSERVICES LTD. the response was immediate and by the time Team NZ lost the second race, further adding to the whole of NZ's suffering, never lone mine!, I had arranged for a techie to come around. He fixed the problem in a short time for a very fair price, advised me of a good protection, one that cost a little but one hell of a lot better than the free ones (Hey, you don't get much for nothing in this world!) and my world was restored.
Now looking back at my reaction to 'exclusion from my 'connectedness' I can laugh, but laugh with anew understanding of how it is for my clients and young people generally. I suspect that many of my adult friends will have similar feelings but unlike me, will not admit to it. Or---perhaps the 'world of my clients has rubbed off on me, a little more than I realized! Scary thought, eh?
OK---all is well now---except---Please, Dean and Team NZ----put us out of our misery---finish the damn thing!
www.authorneilcoleman.com
The Pain continues.
How much more can Kiwis take. We were winning the race that would have lifted the America's Cup and then we were hit with a 'time rule.' Yes, you guessed right. The wind was not too much this time, but not enough! We needed another few minutes to get over the line, probably about one kilometre ahead of our nemesis, Oracle. No such luck. The race was pulled, meaning that NZ had to sail yet another race and this time we stuffed up, letting the Americans off the hook. They won because we made a crucial mistake and it was all over Rover. Oh well, we will just have to relive the pain tomorrow and hope that our 5 race cushion will hold up. You can do it, Dean the boys! Who ever said this was going to be easy or boring!
www.authorneilcoleman.com
www.authorneilcoleman.com
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Why New Zealand must win the America's Cup tomorrow (Saturday, NZ time)
It is all getting too much. Each day lately, NZ has woken up to the possibility of either almost being there or actually taking it away. I am of course talking about the final races for the America’s Cup. Our collective nerves are shattered. Just because most of the world and indeed the USA don’t even know it is on, for NZers it is an obsession. This prolonged finish with the possibility of it all going wrong is taking a toll. When I went to a clinical appointment today, the roads were empty. Why? ---well you know why. Most people were glued to their TV sets, hoping for the ‘coup de grace’ and the final victory for Team NZ. It didn’t happen because Oracle sailed a superb race. Now we have to wait until tomorrow morning, because once again the wind had the last say and reached levels that officials consider ‘dangerous.’ I am certainly not questioning that!
There are other reasons why NZ must win. The Cup has become a bit of a sick joke in the way in which the incumbent team will do almost anything to keep the Cup. That action mostly takes place off the water. We need an end to litigation re the Cup and a return to good old fashioned sportsmanship of the past. That will not happen if Oracle retains the Cup.
We also want to see more nations involved; not just the four that turned up this time. When we had the Cup in NZ there were many teams who came and it was a real ‘regatta.’ The expense re these huge catamarans is way too much. It would be great to see a dozen or more teams here, as would happen and if the boats were a less expensive to design, build and maintain. No one is asking for a return to the traditional boats of old, but let’s have a little bit of common sense here.
To make all this happen, we need NZ to win and open up the Regatta to many more countries. So, come-on over, Australia, UK, South Africa, teams from the USA, Italy, China, India, Europe and Fiji (maybe?) Let’s have fun. You are so welcome, --------=-if we get that last dammed race under our belt.
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