Keep our schools safe!

Trade Me questions drive me nuts

For those of you living in New Zealand who use Trade Me, I guess you have had the dopey questions re the product you are selling.  I mean, I go to all the trouble to take a picture anf they still ask the dumbest most obvious questions, all for something that they are getting that is about 20% of the price they would pay in a second hand shop. Of course I answer them without being bitchy. I wish they would look at the picture  and the answers to the quesrtions that I have already answered. Oh well, I suppose that's what you get when you try to dump all the stuff you don't need any more. Let's face it, I am not going to be using a lot of kitchen stuff, post-surgery eh, so out it goes. Gosh, I am so looking forward to all that extra space in the kitchen. I won't bore you with the actual questions because I don't want to take the piss out of the 'askers,' if they make the link between my blogs and my Trade Me account. The sad thing is that it is so much easier to sell used kitchen items than it is to sell my books. Maybe there's a message in there somewhere.
 

May we please have the 'truth' about Kim Dotcom

So now KDC is sueing the FBI--who's next? He has the NZ Government (that means us indirectly as we pay for their stuff-ups). WE need the truth about the whole affair but as with so many of the 'wheeling and delaings' of these so-called 'players' in htis crazy plot, we just don't know. All we can do is guess what is behind their goings on. It's all about money, power and God knows what.  The 'little' people are left wondering where and what it is all about while the 'actors' play games and manipulate the media. Add to that, the political ramifications and you have a pretty potent mix. Who can blame the rest of us for being a tad confused? I guess we accept that the police and the Government stuffed up and the USA hasn't come out of this too well either. Confused?---well you should be. As for KDC---he must be laughing. I wonder who will have the last laugh!
www.authorneilcoleman.com

Driving in New Zealand can be dangerous for tourists and us!

I am not being deliberately provocative by making the claim that tourists driving in New Zealand can be dangerous for them and therefore for NZers too.  One just has to take into account two factors and look at the statistics to arrive at the unfortunate conclusion that tourists driving on our roads cause a disproportionate number of accidents and deaths.

Those two factors are that we drive on the ‘other side of the road’ for most of our tourists and that our topography does not make for kind driving. Despite all of this, the actual driving death rate has reached historical lows as the message has been driven home to NZ drivers about ‘speed and alcohol.’

I believe that we owe it to ourselves and our guests to provide far more publicity about ‘driving safely’ in NZ. The simple act of painting more arrows on the roads to indicate our left hand driving laws is a good example of this. It would be so easy to have a moment of ‘return to habit driving’ and then cause unnecessary accidents. Putting many more signs at airports and in ‘rest areas’ in the countryside would also be a good move.

For the ‘well-healed’ tourists, how about offering ‘local drivers,’ much like the idea of ‘porters’ taking tourists gear on the mountains around the world. Yes it would be expensive, but life is worth that. It could of course provide local employment opportunities.

Above all, tourists must be educated about our roads. If all else fails, don’t forget out famous ‘driving dogs. Just go to www.drivngdogs.co.nz and hire a dog to drive you my tourist friends.

Keep coming but keep safe, for your sake and ours in New Zealand.

Who's reading my blogs!

Yes, I have often wondered why Russia makes up so many of my readers. The USA leads hands down followed by NZ, then Australia. What is also encouraging is the number of other countries being added to the list. I can't get the exact number from the Statistics part of the blogging mechanism and unless anyone can tell me how (for those countries outside the top ten) I will just be guessing, but I know it is now more than 30 countries, with a few surprizes like Albania and the Ukraine. I think it has become a bit of a game for me now, reaching out and aiming for that majic million hits. I'm up to 55,000 so I have one hell of a way to go. I shall keep commenting on 'issues,' hoping not to offend anyone, but forging ahead expressing my opinion (along with a few 'take the piss' blogs) and probably sharing far more about myself than wold be concidered sane in some circles.
Take for instance my sharing of the upcoming bariatric surgery I am going to have. I am doing this for lots of reasons, namely---getting men's health issues out there and having a debate about the efficacy of such an operation when some would say that all I need to do is eat less. That's way too simplistic, but go ahead and rave on like I do. It is always good to hear reasons 'not' to embark on a cerain strategy. In other words, bring it on!
OMG--- I just heard a report on BBC TV that being overweight (Less than me of course) means you will live longer. That is  for people under 35% BMI----I'm just a tad above that.
I wish all of my readers a great new year.
www.authorneilcoleman.com

25,000 people flock to Long Bay in Auckland!

What an amazing sight; so mnay people on this beautiful beach. It didn't matter, because the beach is more than one kilometre in length. The only issue was the parking which is limited to 4000 vehicles. One way around that is to take public transport, but I suspect that it may have been a bit limited on a public holiday. There are many other beaches  within an hour of Auckland; north, south, east and west, so there is no need for you to fell overcrowded. The Regional Parks are amongst the best, but even the inner city beaches are fine. Generally there is no pollution issue, except after a storm, when some nasties flow into the water. That is when the wild West Coast beaches come into play. For those one must only ever swim between the flags. My overseas readers may have seen the famous 'Piha Rescue' programme on TV. I believe that it has been widley dispersed. I love the beautiful views  of Piha, but I am way to wimpy to swim there. People don't drown when they swim between the flags, but there are always those who think they are God's gift to swimming. Unfortunately they learn the sad hard way. Come on over tourists and expericne our wonderful Auckland beaches and then go on to find your very own deserted beach further afar. We are indeed blessed!

My first reader in Hungary!

Kia ora Hungary. That basically means 'greetings and good health.' That is what I wish you for the new year. I hope you read my blogs and check out my books. www.authorneilcoleman.com

Neil