China---You are reading my blogs, now try my books

I am happy to see that more people in China are reading my blogs. Now that ROSKILL is about to be re-launched, on Kindle and in hard-copy form, I hope that you either download the eBook from my website ---   www.authorneilcoleman.com  or buy the actual book, via Amazon. If you are curious about New Zealand, ROSKILL portrays     NZ teenage culture in a manner that is close to the real thing. You will be able to read my book very soon, because today it went to the printer (hard-copy) and will be available in a week or two as an eBook. Please give me ‘feedback’ re my blogs and my books.

Regards

Neil

Bare-bottoms draw international attention to the royal visit to New Zealand.

This blog is not actually about bare-bottoms, but it did serve to get you reading. I leave you to ponder the reason why it attracted your attention! What I really want to discuss, albeit in a pretty perfunctory manner is the subject of New Zealand becoming a ‘Republic.’ It seems that not a year goes by whereby this touchy subject comes up and it is the present royal visit, where two future Kings are gracing us with their presence, that the discussion has been reignited.

If the polls are correct, there has not been a huge movement within NZ re New Zealanders favouring a new ‘Republican’ status for us within the Commonwealth of Nations. For those less familiar with our history, we may seem to be some quaint South Pacific throwback to colonial times. Many New Zealanders still hold the British Royal family in high regard, especially the younger versions; although that does not mean that the ‘older gracious lady’ does not have support too. Of course there is also a section of New Zealand society that has never loved the royal family and if one listens to talkback radio, those ‘voices’ are not shy in putting their case for a dissociation from the said family.

For me, the debate is one of interest from a historical perspective rather than emotional linkage to the British Crown. I most certainly do not adhere to the old adage that ‘where Britain goes, so shall we,’ because we have seen that Britain is no longer capable of doing a great deal to defend our shores, if the chips were down again. Britain’s last great adventure in the Falklands (Malvinas) represented the last gasp of that colonial vestige.

New Zealand is a member of various alliances, most of them more attune to the geographical area in which we live and even those relationships come with a few hooks. In this new age of a ‘global economy’ and many trade arrangements, with more to come, it is assumed that war is a ‘no-brainer,’ although tell that to the people of Afghanistan, the Middle-East and parts of Africa and they would say we live on a different planet!

There is of course a different way of looking at NZ’s links with the ‘Crown’ and that can be found in our ‘founding document,’ The Treaty of Waitangi.’ There is a special relationship between the Tangata Whenua (the Maori People of NZ) and the British Crown and many NZers underestimate the importance of that arrangement. If New Zealand became a Republic, the Treaty would or could be assigned to a place where most Maori would feel very uncomfortable. The Treaty is not something that can be cast aside and the ties between the British Royal family and Maori are sacrosanct.  Any debate that does not take that into account is doomed to propelling NZ into a place where we do not want to go. For New Zealand to move forward, the debate about Republicanism must be wide-ranging and not hurried. Politicians and New Zealand as a whole must embrace this question in a sensitive, yet pragmatic manner. The answer is there, but we need to ‘talk to one another as equals, if we are to find the answer and still be ‘one nation and many people.’

The world media is in New Zealand; something that tell us that more than just the British follow the journey of British Royals, so bare-bottoms may feature, but there is much more to the relationship between the people of NZ and the ‘Family.’

Fred Morgan (of Herb Morgan Tyres) is correct. We are playing with death with worn tyres!

I recently brought new tyres for my little Getz and I spent some extra money and made sure they were really good ones. Why?-----because I want to live and in the end the more expensive ones I(Michelin) last one hell of a lot longer than the budget ones I usually buy. I was quoted that they would last 70,000 KLS and even after travelling more than 10,000 KLS, there was no sign of any wear. I also put Nitrofil in the tyres and OK, the savings there may not be quite so obvious, but I figure that I am travelling about another 30 KLS per tank, but that may also be down to weighing 45 kilos less, post bariatric surgery!
Fred said on TV tonight that many people are dicing with death as they put off changing their tyres, in the belief that they can just sneak in re passing the stringent Warrant of Fitness test, but over the next six months their tyres reach a point where they are no longer safe. Sure they save money in the short term, but then put themselves, their families and others at risk.
But, it's dammed hard out there for families and for those unable to buy new tyres of any sort, never lone the ones I have, and I feel for the many households who are increasingly  marginalized by a 'minimum wage economy and living in a city where 'housing,' whether it be rental or 'mortgaged,' takes up so much of ones income. The decision to buy 'safe' tyres' is often balanced against the need to put 'food on the table.' Welcome to the 'trickle-up economy, folks! Fred---you are correct of course and thanks to you and your friendly team for looking after me and I thank a greater power that I am in a position to follow through on your advice---for now.

Australian bullying just keeps on and on---why---because they can and we LET THEM!

Today's article in  the NZ Herald that big Australian banks are charging NZers more than they do for their customers in Australia, comes as no surprise, on the back of other claims about bullying tactics for NZ suppliers to Aussie owned supermarket chains. No doubt if we dig deeper we would find more examples of this quasi-Aussie colonialism or to put it bluntly----rip offs.
Why does this happen? The answer is clear---they can----simple, because we let them. Our Government (successive ones) have let this happen because they do not stand up ton the big bully across the Tasman. Yes, Australia is an important trading partner and our links go back many years. In many ways we are one big (for our region) market and it makes sense to have close economic ties, but not if the 'playing field' is not level. The small distance across the Tasman should not be held up as a reason for charging more in this day of technological bridging  and lets face it: Parts of Australia are further away and more remote from Sydney than  NZ is.
Of course we don't want to break off ties or whinge and whine about this situation---we need to do something about it and not be put off by arrogant Australian politicians and business people. We are not without power in this relationship. Australia may 'dig' its wealth from beneath the surface and send it to China (we too have a close trading relationship with that huge nation) but they still need us for their manufactured products and other services. That they charge us more for some of these 'services,' can be renegotiated and if our politicians can't do that, then let the people here, turn to NZ 'providers,' en masse! A word of warning to those NZ 'suppliers'---don't take us for granted! Lets have a bit of a 'fair go', my Aussie cousins.
 

Gluten-free, healthy biscotties----date and apricot or any other 'whatever' you chuck in!

I am not well known for following recipes. I  belong to the 'Anicarnisitc School of Cookery; being the only member at present, so come join me. I also regularly cook gluten-free food, not because I am following a fad, but because a family member has Coeliac disease--damn, that sounds terrible---is it a disease or a disorder, but what I do know is that if even a small amount of gluten passes the lips of a Coeliac, then they suffer a great deal and the long term effects are life threatening. So my home has cupboards that are about 90o% gluten free in nature. years ago a diagnosis of Coeliac 'D' meant that getting to purchase the right food was a real mission but fortunately things have changed. Just go and check out the big Gluten Free food shows and the shelves on your local supermarkets and specialists shops and you will see the massive changes. Yes, it is a lot easier now, but I am sure most 'Coeliacs' will tell you they miss good bread, be it white or the healthier full-grain breads.
Going out for a coffee used to mean having little or no choices re that 'slice or cake,' but now there are many cafes that offer a selection, though often limited. Sometimes you just don't want that sweet sickly slice and long for something a little healthier. For me, a post-bariatric surgery type person, and one who only wants a small portion, I love it when I can find a biscotti. But---a gluten-free one? I haven't found one yet, so I decided to come up with a recipe. Here's my version and as with all of my recipes, there is no need to stick closely to it!
1) Get a big mixing bowl.
2) One cup of Quinoa flakes
3) One cup of rice flour
4) One cup of ground almond flour.
5) 3 eggs.
6) About one cup of chopped dried apricots and dates---more if you wish.
7) A teaspoon of cinnamon--or any spice---play here of you feel inclined to experiment.
8) Add any liqueur, if you wish (Re member the alcohol evaporates in cooking!--damn) Miss this step if you OBJECT.
9) Get your hands in and have a good old mix---nothing like hands mixing--add some milk of you think it's too dry. You should have a thick cake-like mix. Yes, you can lick your fingers--no one will know!
10) Push the mix into a baking paper lined loaf tin and push down, to get an even mix. NOTE---there is no sugar in this mix or fat. The eggs provide any raising agent needed.
11) Bake at about 180C for about 20 minutes or until it is 'just' brown.
12) Lift out the 'cake' and place on a rack or chopping board to cool.
13) Slice into fingers, no more than about a third of an inch thick.
14) Place back on the lined tray and bake again at about 80C for as long as it takes for the 'biscotties'
to have that dried out hard texture. It is over to you. If you want tea-dipping ones, bake longer, if you prefer them to be a bit chewy--less.

Let them cool and sore them in a glass jar and place on the shelf where everyone can see your café-style wonders.
IT's NOT ROCKET SCIENCE! I will put some pictures up of my delights, tomorrow!--the biscotties, I mean!
 

UK readership really hitting new highs. Is that just you Katrina--or newbies?

I am happy to see the readership[ of my blogs hitting new highs. At this rate they will be surpassing the ones in  Russia, but I have always suspected that it is Russian women (or men?) hitting my blog---you know what I'm saying--hopefuls that they have found a rich guy. Well, they are shit out of luck unless they convince their countrymen and women to download my book in the thousands! One can only hope, but of course that can't happen until the books go live on my site again---that is very close. The hard-copy version of Roskill goes to the printer on Monday so---all good. Whatever the reason, keep reading my blogs Russia. Oh hell,,,,,,, I'm rambling! lol Well, Katrina, keep up the good work you are obviously doing in then 'motherland.'----No---UK motherland---not Russia, unless the Russians have their eyes well away from Ukraine, that is. We did have a Russian invasion fear in the early 20th century of course! Happy to see readers, in Russia and the UK---but forget about being--'a sexy Russian lady with much love!' It don't work for me, eh! lol
www.authorneilcoleman.com

Paula Bennett's latest announcement re overseas trips for bennefiicaries--an attack or fair!

Paula Bennett is not a Cabinet Minister who holds back re her opinions, in any form. As Minister in charge of ‘benefits,’ she has been seen as either a ‘basher’ or as someone who says what many NZers think---that some on the ‘benefit’ are ripping off the system. Take her latest announcement—the one where she has said that 21,000 beneficiaries have had their payments cuts when they travelled overseas. Her argument is that if you are on a benefit, how can you afford to travel overseas? One could find some merit in this statement, but it is lacking in finesse. There may well be situations whereby families need to travel overseas and that they have paid for their trips, by having other friends and family putting their hands in ‘their’ pockets. I am talking about urgent trips, like for funerals and other family related affairs. I am also talking about those who travel to places further afield in order to improve their lot, like jobseekers. I am not talking about someone who manages to save enough money from a benefit and then travels for leisure. Hell, most of us can’t do that and it is my belief that the benefit does not cover such activities. Of course, I am not talking about those senior citizens who have squirrelled away the money to take such a trip. Let’s leave the ‘oldies’ out of this discussion.

I can just hear many hard-working Kiwis, who barely manager to pay the rent/mortgage and other family bills, throwing up their hands in exasperation, when they hear people, maybe their neighbours, gallivanting around, at the expense of their hard earned money and taxes.

It is just that MS Bennett’s announcement lacks sensitivity and as usual, paints one picture with one brush. It is not always as simple as you portray, Ms Bennett!  But---yes, the question does need to be asked.