Strange bedfellows, I know, but Kim DotCom and Colin Craig are merging after MP rejection.

The General Election in September this year is shaping up to be one of the more unusual ones, given the machinations re the make-up of the various wannabe alliances. Rumours abound and some facts are begging to emerge. Forget about political honesty and accept that politics is just another word for ‘prostitution, the oldest game in the world, albeit, played out in another forum other than the bedroom!  OK, I know---sometimes the latter is a thread that displays itself in unseemly fashion.

We have the ‘where’s Winston going to throw his not inconsiderable resources---the so-called king-maker? Then there is the prospect of the Mari Party being sent to a place well away from parliament as they struggle to figure out who they are. That they don’t listen to ‘our people’ anymore says heaps about just how close ‘oblivion’ is. It seems that cosying up to the national party may have nailed the coffin firmly shut!

Come forth the new players, one very much so, and the other, finally making it into a full digit number in the polls rather than the decimal portions. Collin Craig, if he can stop bleating about taking people to court for merely stating the obvious, may have attracted a few voters and his position in a the next Parliament could be a reality. God knows (and Collin is very close to God) how he will get on with the National Party. I suspect that JK is in two minds as to how he will mesh with Dear Collin.

Then of course there is KDC. After sitting in his Coatesville mansion for the past few years and lately being the recipient of many visitors, he is manoeuvring to find a back-door into Parliament using some obscure provision in the MMP system, to coat-tail in Parliament; but who with? Why--- Hone of course! They apparently will help one another and then separate once in the chambers. A marriage of political convenience, but one doomed to go down the gurgler, once they face off in parliament. They pretend to have a few linking issues in common, but can you really imagine Hone supplicating himself in any manner to the man from the mansion; the man who can’t actually stand for parliament because he is not a citizen? One does wonder if KDC is just playing a game to delay the possibility of an imminent return to the USA!

There is another perennial ‘boat-jumper in the mix---yes---Peter Dunne. He can change colour to suit any number of possibilities. I bet there are meetings with lots of tea-cups in cafes across the nation. I am sure Peter will come up with a formula to gain yet another few years in the big house in Wellington. He is after all, the consummate fence –sitter, but he has done his best to help resolve the ‘legal high’ issue, even if it is still prevalent on our streets.

Come September, we all have to work out the ramifications of the ‘new boys on the block,’ and given out past record re voting, anything can happen. Find out as much as can about these ‘actors’ and come up with a ‘cast’ that works for New Zealand and not the continuation of big overseas interest groups, gradually buying up NZ. Look to who will address the huge and growing gap between the rich and poor and look to someone who will retune NZ to a place where people really do get a fair go!

The River Always Flows---I had almost forgotten about that book!

I have notice over the last few weeks that some of you are reading some excerpts from a  book I started to write called, 'The River Always Flows.' It was an experiment; a fantasy type book that I felt wasn't going anywhere, so I just stopped. I never sought any feedback,  but perhaps in light of the number of those checking it out, I should. It's over to you---do you want me to resurrect it? Do you want to see more? I am still in the process of re-releasing the much improved version of ROSKILL, and believe me, unless that gets some traction re downloads from Amazon Kindle or hard -copy, I doubt that I will be embarking on any new ventures anytime soon. When one has to pay for digital, stuff, book design, editing and a publicist, then---you get the picture. I will make sure you all know  when the online re-launch occurs.
  Cheers
  Neil

'Peace in our time.' Putin---the modern day--you know who!

I am reluctant to make what is becoming increasingly obvious about the aims of Putin. We need only to hark back to the 1930’s and reflect on another time in history, prior to WW2, when another ‘dictator had expansionist plans, to make a modern day comparison. One could almost have some sympathy for Russia’s claims re the Crimea, although his methodology in achieving his claims, leave many questions uncomfortably unanswered.

Is Putin going to stop at the Crimea or is he going to continue his westward roll through parts of, if not all of Ukraine, the Baltic States and even Finland? He may even have his eyes on Poland and other former Republics. The only ones he feels unsafe in are the ‘Stans’ on his southern border. Even he knows that he would be chasing the tiger by the wrong end in those cases!

It is time to draw the line in the sand and put in place far reaching sanctions that deliver the message that says-STOP! Putin has hooked into a latent nationalistic fervour that many dictators find convenient, when things are about to pear-shape on the home front. The Russian economy is very narrowly based on oil and not much else. The corruption has meant that few now control the vast resources of the old Soviet State, all friends and allies of Putin.

Russian people are not stupid. They know that they have a new Stalin on their hands and for many---this is indeed good; it reminds them of a past when housing, jobs, health and education were a given. The new Russia may not be able to deliver in that way, but the spectre of a ‘strong leader’ gives them false hope.

This time in history, the USA is not following an isolationist policy. IT is Europe and to a lesser extent other powers, that are sitting watching and hoping that they are not going to be badly affected by the events unfolding at Putin’s behest. If the UN had ‘teeth’ and was not made ineffective by the ‘power of veto,’ perhaps hope would rule.

In the meantime, it is a dangerous time for us all.

Many more New Zealanders think that the gap between rich and poor is growing.

WE can play with ‘figures’ around how we perceive the economy to be delivering our standard of living as a nation and come up with justifications that mesh with our particular political leanings but he report in the Herald today has one glaring thrust: many more New Zealanders than in past years now think that the gap between the rich and poor is growing. It seems that we are caught like ‘possums in the headlights,’ though when it comes to the support we give our political parties. There was a time when such figures would have spurred a growth of votes for the ‘left of centre’ in NZ politics, but this is clearly not happening at the present time. One has to ask and the Labour Party specifically; why is the voting public not turning to them for answers?

David Cunliffe needs to galvanize that uncertainty and put forward believable policies that give answers to this vexing issue.  If he does not, then other parties will come up with less acceptable (to the middle New Zealand voters) and the gap will continue to grow. There are those out there who claim that the entrenched power-brokers in NZ and elsewhere have had things their own way for so long that any attempt to bring about a more level playing field is doomed to failure, such is the stranglehold on power that the latter have.

WE need a modern day Micky Savage; one who can connect with the people and be strong enough to challenge that control of resources that the ‘big boys’ have enjoyed for so long. It would help if the trend to ‘de-power’ the union movement was also challenged. Individual workers have been sold a lie that they ‘cannot control their own destiny with collective bargaining and that they are far better off with a system of individual contracts; one which just places workers in a position where they are competing against one another. Can they not see where this is leading them?

Today’s article I the NZ Herald just informs what many of us have known for many years: the gap has been widening for years and will continue to do so, when we have governing  parties singing to the tune of big business, most of which is controlled from overseas. Perhaps more people are seeing this for themselves, if we could believe that the rising numbers supporting NZ First are true, but I think that that may come down to other factors which the leader of that party is very good at hooking in to!

Auckland International Cultural Festival-----what a great day!

I have never been to the big Auckland International Cultural Festival before---WOW! I am so glad I did today. Right from the first moment as we entered the sprawling park in Mt Roskill, just down the road from my home, we felt the buzz, the warmth and welcome from so many different cultures. I made a beeline for the Labour tent where I finally met Sunny, the aspiring Labour MP for Pakuranga. He's a really good guy. I have reading his posts on FB and to meet him just made me sure that he is a great candidate. His son took the picture. Then  it was on to the Greens tent; another welcome. I didn't see a National one or any other party but I did shake hands with Len Brown. I decided----hey, it's time to move on Auckland.
 Now to the food.  Who says that post-bariatric surgery guys can't enjoy the food. OK, I did just eat little bits here and there, ranging from Latin American to Asian. I took home something from the Hungarian Kitchen and some great beef sate from the friendly guys at her Indonesian tent. My senses were immersed in the sounds and colour of the occasion; Irish dancing, Thai and heaps of others. The overall theme was the diversity of Auckland and the openness to new cultures. Hey---lets keep  this spirit going. Everybody is welcome in Auckland. Don't stay home-----

Great to meet you, Sunny--go and win Pakuranga for Labour!

Paela---Spanish Heaven

Don't these French cars run on a rubber band?

get out there and enjoy!

Jack Russells---I am glad they are not ---'bigger!'

If I ever needed reminding that Jack Russells are stroppy little sods, then I was once again given an example of their 'particular' nature, down at the Bay, today. Perdy whined and barked all the way down, another little part of her nature that sometimes drives me spare. She had slept all night and even let me have a bit more time in slumber-land, so she was more than ready to let the world know that she arrived by the time I pulled into the car park.
Out she jumped, heading off towards the sand, before I thrown her beloved orange ball. The ball had hardly landed before another dog noticed the new arrival. It was a young looking frisky German Sheppard, about four times the size of Perdy; a size that should be daunting for a little Jack Russell---right? Don't be silly! The reaction of the 'owners ' out me right back ion the state I had once inhabited as a new dog owner. Every dog was a 'threat or mine a threat to others'---you know how it goes. The big fluffy GS ran up to Perdy, trailing a long lead behind it, smacking Perdy with its front paw---stupid dog! The owners cried out, one clutching his hands to his chest in  supplication, no doubt thinking that his GS was about to eat Perdy, judging by his extreme reaction.
Perdy did her usual hissy-fit; the one whereby she emits this Jack Russel growl that is half way between a cry of joy and 'don't f----with me.' The first time I heard that sound, I thought that she was in deep doggy do. Nah===== it's just what jack Russells do, when they are playing or abut to launch themselves into the fray, in a what looks like war, but is just boisterous play. Within seconds, Perdy had disciplined the younger dog and embarked on a 'lets have an extreme fun time and see if we can give your owners a stroke.'
After much reassurance from me, directed at the anxious owners, their faces changed from stressful, 'lets get the hell out of this park,' to, 'wow---look at those dogs go.' It was round and around, up and down, flopping all over the grass, a lot of the time, the bigger dog upended. with a white blur off fur on top, and then mad manic rushing around us, causing dizzy spells for the others. I knew to just remain calm and watch, happy in the thought that, this is how Jack Russells have fun and that she was burning off the trouble she would cause if I didn't give her an adequate run. How long is that---how long is a piece of string?'
 Once I was able to extricate Perdy from her 'dominatrix service,' Well done, crazy little girl. It's your birthday, next week. What shall I buy you---a whip and handcuffs?

Putin and Obama--good---it's about time you talked--face to face!

The USA and Russia (formerly the USSR) started to talk re the Crimea/Ukraine crisis. We have seen enough of the games, both sides have played; Ukraine is just the pawn in a picture that is really just big power rivalry. The bottom line?---The USA needs to stop seeing itself as the 'policeman  of the world,' which lets face it, is nothing more than a self-appointed position; one based on a desire to keep American business influences in a paramount position. Sometimes this thinly disguised 'act' is nothing short of a cynical power play, designed to keep the rest of the world misinformed about the USA's military/industrial complex as the head of the pack. Of course, a resurgent China and other powers will eventually challenge that hegemony.
Russia in turn needs to get over its age-old insecurity re its border regions. There is no threat, only an historical perceived one; albeit quite tenable in times gone past. No one wants to invade Russia but Putin is taping into a nationalistic Russian psyche, one based on its history and the tendency for Russia to have 'strong' anti-democratic leaders, who at best play lip service to any real sense of freedom for most Russians.
The two powers are not all that different. Both wish to maintain control in their respective spheres and the latest crisis is sadly, a return to the 'Cold War.' That they have common ground should be abundantly clear; the threat terrorism (even China is no longer immune from that now) being a unifying issue. It is only a matter of time before one of the former 'Republics' of the USSR or Pakistan somehow manage to lose or have stolen one or more nuclear devices, which are then turned on targets in either the USA or Russia. Russia and the USA, along with other power groupings should be working together to examine the causes of terrorism, but I doubt that they would be comfortable with the answers.
Cooperation between the USA and Russia is an underplayed fact. Just take the International Space programme and it is easy to find a successful model for the future. Take away the personalities of politics and perhaps the world could achieve be a better future for the sake of us all, but I must cynically observe and suggest that Putin and Obama, do not see the bigger picture, preferring to stoke the fires that are perhaps now out of control. The rest of us hope with fervour that this is not so!