Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Arohanui to our Samoan cousins

Source: Samoalive News

Arohanui to the Samoan people. Now is the time to help our cousins out, and i am sure we all will. Our 2 degrees of seperation will be evident as we find connections to the people who have lost family and friends.

This post from maps is very good and explains a little of the history and geography of the area hit by the earthquake and tsunami.

big protest against mining and water laws in Equador

Indigenous people around the world are fighting for their rights, including the right to not have natural resources destroyed just for money.

In Equador, for instance:

"Hundreds of Indians blocked Ecuador's Pan American highway in several provinces Monday with rocks, tree trunks and burning tires to protest new water, mining and oil laws."

Can you imagine the same thing happening here? We have riots and protests and springbok tours - will people build barricades for our water? Will they to protect against mining?

"Their leaders suspended the protest late Monday, saying the government had promised to talk about their objections.

The Indians contend the proposed the laws threaten their lands and will privatize water resources. Leftist President Rafael Correa disputes that view, and the ruling party-controlled legislature has been expected to approve the laws."

governments promise and do the opposite, here there and everywhere.

"The leading Indian group, the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador, split with Correa in 2008 when he refused to grant Indians the right to veto concessions to exploit natural resources on their lands under a constitution approved last year.

Monday's protests on the main national highway paled in comparison to protests that ousted Ecuadorean presidents in 2000 and 2005."


When are we going to say NO. That is it! - no more! Whenever we do, then the barricades will go up here too. And the fight will be about water and mining and destruction of our environment. And the rights of indigenous people to control their own destiny.

planetary orbits - some surprises

Awesome animation, sent in by a reader, of the orbits of the planets - may be some surprises in there!

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

crafar dairy farms - hell on earth

These people are the very worse example of farmers - they starve and mistreat their animals and they pollute the water and the environment. Why the hell are they allowed to get loans, buy more farms and abuse more animals and rivers - why? money of course.

"A member of the Crafar dairy farming family says he is "shocked and horrified" that starving calves on a farm owned by the family had to be euthanised. "

I've posted about this family here

"Mr Crafar said he was "really upset" that around 100 calves had to be euthanised.

"I certainly don't condone that. I run round half the night after cows, I live and die for cows, that's what I do. I'd rather hit some humans on the head than I would a calf and there we had to go and slaughter calves and it really pains me."

What a bunch of bullshit - you would live and die for money - you don't give a fuck about the cows.

"The MAF spokeswoman said an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident was ongoing.

Dairy industry body DairyNZ said today farmers had no excuse for ill-treating animals , and poor management practices were not acceptable.

Chief executive Tim Mackie said the group was waiting on the outcome of the MAF investigation but "would not stand in support of any farmer found to have breached animal welfare standards".

"It's bad for the animals, farmers, the industry, and for our country's image."

The Crafar family announced recently it was selling the 22 dairy and dry stock farms the company owns in the central North Island after the latest in a string of prosecutions for resource consent infringements over a number of years, mostly for breaching effluent discharge rules. "

It's about time MAF and the Dairy industry stood up and stopped this abuse... somehow I don't have much confidence that they will - no money in stopping it.

Greens have posted about this here

Kseniya Simonova - sand art



Ukraine's got talent - Kseniya Simonova

Art is a very wide, almost infinitely wide, encompassing pastime. I can't imagine anything not able to be considered art - by someone.

Sand art is interesting because although based upon simplicity, it is ever-changing and quite complicated. It draws the eye and opens up vistas which a moment ago weren't there.

Hat tip It's all one thing blog

Monday, September 28, 2009

Planetary Nebula K 4-55

Planetary Nebula K 4-55

Credit: NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)
Acknowledgment: R. Sahai and J. Trauger (Jet Propulsion Laboratory)


Amazing to think that we can see these images.

eight hundred thousand dollars or so a month income - good for 1

I've posted about this back in April.

"Sir Ralph, former CEO of both ASB and Air New Zealand, saw his overall cash, shares and bonus package jump by A$2 million for the year to June to A$8.66 million (NZ$10.45 million)."
But back then the anticipated income was 6 or so million. Now that it is actually 10 million - how do the figures stack up.

Just to reiterate from the previous post.

"And to be honest, $320,000 is a pretty good income. That is $27,000 a month, $877 a day.
A person on $30,000 lives on $2,500 a month or $82 a day. Minus tax for all of these of course.

6 million = $500,000 a month, that's $16,438.36 a day!"


10.45 million = $870,000 a month, that's $28,630 a day - using 365 days a year where the truth is probably closer to 300 or $35,000 a day. Obviously tax etc but the lie of the land is plain.

And just to confirm - i don't care what people earn really. This initial post was because ralph was 'sharing the pain' by taking a 10% pay cut - just like the workers! Spin on top of spin. So yes please feel the pain ralph but don't be sanctimonious about it after all you get over eight hundred thousand dollars a month.

It's not envy it is about fairness.

looking and feeling different colours

I've been meaning to post this for a while... now seems a good time.

"They are "white Aborigines" - people who, out of their multi-stranded but largely European genealogy, decide to identify with the thinnest of all those strands, and the one that's contributed least to their looks."

Some of us know about being ridiculed for not looking maori enough.

Can you be aborigine and/or maori without displaying the physical characteristics of that indigenous group?

The answer IMO is yes. It is not based upon how you look - it is based upon whakapapa.

What do you think?

Hat tip Jayne from Our Great Southern Land
blog

Swizerland to decide plant's (and i don't mean green growy plants) future

So, holcim are going to have a real think about the feasibility of the plant they want to build.

"Holcim has received resource consent approval from the Environment Court, but still has several steps to go through before its makes a decision on whether to build the plant.

Several months' work was still to be completed on the detailed costings, feasibility study and business case for the project, factoring in the conditions accepted by the Environment Court.

The conditions cover areas such as air emissions, water management, noise emissions, landscaping and planting, hours of operations, and traffic management.

"Having reviewed the 100-page court decision, we feel the conditions are reasonable and workable and are based on the effects that technical experts say could result from the construction and operation of the proposed plant."

"This was a very significant business decision and one which needed to be made in a careful and responsible manner.

That included final approval from Holcim (New Zealand) parent company's board of directors in Switzerland.

That decision could be influenced by factors such as how the Weston options compared with other international investment opportunities, availability of capital, satisfaction with the information supplied by Holcim New Zealand, and New Zealand Government policies (particularly the emissions trading scheme review outcomes). "


I still struggle with the idea that the final decision about whether to go ahead with this plant is being made in Swizerland. We are the tail and they are the dog, when really, it should be the other way around.

Second final Papatipu Runaka Ngai Tahu election result

Congratulations to Tim Rochford selected as the Makaawhio representative to TRONT

"Makaawhio Appointment Committee members are pleased to announce the reappointment of Tim Rochford as the Te Rūnanga o Makaawhio representative to Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu. His selection was made based on the outcome of candidate interviews and the recently completed Indicative Vote process.

Interviews were carried out on 27/28th Wha (August) 2009, with candidates asked to answer a series of questions and rated (0-5) on their responses (8) and presentation (5) to provide their interview score. Candidates interviewed well with only a 0.2 point difference between the first ranked candidate and the second!"

"A total of 1204 ballots were issued, with 285 (or 23.7%) members returning voting papers."

Saturday, September 26, 2009

we celebrate life

I'm off to a funeral/celebration for a 33 year old on Sunday. It's heartbreaking but there is no point asking the question, why? It is the time to celebrate the life of kelly, it is time to support josh and their two young children. It is a time to laugh and cry. And we will be doing all that. The celebration will be at the beach, we have been asked to dress colourfully. Kelly loved the beach and anyone seeing us tomorrow will be astounded by the spectacle. We will send kelly off with love and with gratitude. It really shows the value of community when people come together for a tangi. In rotorua another soul is being loved on his way. In every part of the world someone is weeping goodbye to a loved one. Although we seem so different sometimes, in actual fact, we are so alike.

Friday, September 25, 2009

Sue - hold your head high


I'm sad that Sue Bradford is resigning as a Green MP. I am a green voter and i prefer sue's approach to the mild green that we have now. It's too watered down, too full of sound-bites. My vision of greens is different to the current vision. I'm a savage green.

Sue stands up for what she believes, even if it is not popular. She is a person of conviction, a hard worker and someone who cares about people. Deeply about people.

Sue will be forever remembered for her contribution to the protection of our children and for that alone she should get a statue and the accolades she deserves.

Thursday, September 24, 2009

super sized ships verses the pipi

Tauranga


Will they heed the call from tangata whenua?

"Tauranga Maori are objecting to Port of Tauranga's plan to deepen the harbour to accommodate giant container ships, fearing the loss of traditional pipi beds.

The company intends to spend up to $70 million dredging 15 million cubic meters of sand from the harbour and dumping it at sea.

The chair of Te Runanganui o Tauranga Moana, Colin Bidois, says local iwi fear the harbour's kaimoana may eventually be lost through pollution."


Yes - pollution is one of the biggest enemies we have and who are the polluters? usually the companies trying to make the most money IMO

"He says they must weigh up the loss of traditional pipi beds against the economic benefits of the port becoming the first in the country able to handle the next generation of super sized ships.

Mr Bidois says taonga is being lost, little by little, over many years, and the effect of that gradual loss is eventually very significant."

Kia kaha to Te Runanganui o Tauranga Moana - this fight is important.

"Port of Tauranga spokesperson Tony Reynish says the company has offered to relocate the pipi beds using divers."

Sorry tony you just don't get it. The pipi beds won't grow back - they will be lost forever and all because someone wants to make more money.

red centre visits town

Sometimes we have seen so much illusion that real life seems hard to believe.

Some of these photos looked doctored... but they are not.



But for me aussie is as far away as ingland and as strange.

Here is another storm - from broken hill - now this one would freak you out seriously.



Ahhhh reminds me of mars

How many Native American professors at Yale?

Interesting indigenous information - what do these numbers mean?

2,744
606
120
93
1

The corresponding ethnicities that go with them?

White - 2,744
Asian - 606
Black - 120
Hispanic - 93
Native American - 1

The ethnicity of professors at Yale.

Interesting? Yes very. Good news from The Buffalo Post - Native American professors have doubled - there are now 2.

Congratulations Ned

Ned BlackHawk - New Professor at Yale

How many maori professors would we find in our universities, I wonder.

NBR Banned from giving suppressed details of Urewera Terror Raids

What is being hidden?

"The National Business Review is banned from giving details of an explosive suppressed judgment in the Urewera firearms saga – some of which are on the internet and in email circulation."

Nice - 'explosive' good word to use reporter. And isn't it interesting to see that this is now called the 'Urewera firearms saga' - takes all the heat out of it doesn't it?

"In a lengthy judgment given on September 8, which she suppressed and almost immediately recalled because of a factual error, Justice Winkelmann made important findings about the validity of search warrants."

I haven't seen the surpressed information but it would seem that perhaps the search warrants were not up to scratch - and that would make the whole episode a farce from start to finish. This is not finished.

banned moko - racist or ignorant?

We still have a fair way to go. Is this racism or ignorance?

"One of the country's leading tattooists is laying an official complaint after being turned away from a bar for having a traditional Maori moko.

He says he made it clear to the security guard that his tattoo was cultural and that he had no gang affiliations.

Kopua says the guard chose not to listen and still banned him from entering the bar.

The gentleman didn't tell our security guard that they're cultural. Cultural tattoos are not a problem inside the venue," Bourbon Bar manager Andrew Geldard says.

But Geldard understands it was a mistake and blames a lack of communication.

Kopua says he is proud of his tattoo.

"It's my heritage, where I'm from, who my ancestors were, it's everything about me," he says.

But he is not sure if racism played a role in him being banned from the bar.

"I don't know if it necessarily was racism. I think the doorman was just carrying out his duties ... I think it's ignorance," says Kopua."


I think we really need to differenciate between moko and tattoo. They are quite different things. In this country we should not be frightened by moko - we should be proud. Moko is part of our cultural heritage and i hope we get to the place where moko is honoured by all society as it is within maori society.

I think this comment from george on te karere ipurangi says it all,"

"Even the reporter of this article needs a headbutt. Tattoos????, tattoo artist??? ffsakes its Moko!

“The gentleman didn’t tell our security guard that they’re cultural. Cultural tattoos are not a problem inside the venue,” Bourbon Bar manager Andrew Geldard says.”

This claim by the bar manager is the biggest piece of racist fiction I have heard in ages. There is NO FARKEN WAY ANYONE WHO CARRIES A MOKO when confronted, would not IMMEDIATELY point out to whoever is abusing them that they in fact have a moko not a tattoo.

That aside, the one person in this country most likely to point out that this facial markings are moko not gang markings…..is Mark Kopua the person discriminated against. Mark is a member of several organisations that promote education on moko and is an accomplished moko artist, who was in Christchurch working in that very field…and somehow just forgot to mention to the security guard the difference between a moko and a tattoo, a moko and a gang tat?"

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

rest in peace lovely Kelly AKA Luna


Rest and journey in peace and love kelly. We will always celebrate that we were able to share joy and happiness with you. You are now a star in the heavens protected by the Goddess and watching over your beautiful tamariki and josh.

Arohanui la luna bella

$100M milk plant for Waimate - do you think they have the water sewn up?

This is something to keep an eye on. I am not opposed to milk factories per se but i do wonder about the cost/benefit analysis that this company has done which gives them the confidence that they will not only get all the milk they want but also find and deliver to the markets they want to sell in.

"Oceania Milk has filed its resource consent applications with Environment Canterbury and the Waimate District Council to build and operate a $100 million milk plant, about 4km north of Glenavy in Cooneys Rd."

"Oceania wants the new milk plant in operation for the 2011-12 season, producing skim and whole milk powder. It hopes to have resource consents approved by the end of this year."

Plans for the plant were announced earlier this year by Oceania, which has Dr Turner, former chief executive of Meridian Energy Ltd, and former Reserve Bank governor and National Party leader Don Brash as its directors.

Oceania has opened an office in Waimate to provide information about the project and resource consents, offering people the opportunity to discuss their concerns. The office is open one or two days a week.

So the ex CEO of meridian and brash are involved... oh dear I am a bit more concerned now. They wouldn't be doing this unless they think they have the water and all the other bits sorted. Have they got it sorted? Have deals been done?

micro-generation of power for communities - the way forward

This is good. We need more micro-generation, more renewable options and more community involvement and ownership and less macro-generation of power.

"The Blueskin Bay community north of Dunedin is well on the way to owning and managing its own renewable source of power generation.

The next 12 months will be crucial for the community's wind-turbine project, as recently confirmed funding from the Hikurangi Foundation means local people have a year to "get moving" on their dream.

The funding means Scott Willis, who co-ordinates the Waitati Energy Project (WEP), can work full-time over the next 12 months on "key ingredients" of a site, legal documents and funding.

Mr Willis said there was no template for community-owned power generation in New Zealand, although it had been achieved overseas.

"We don't have the legislation, policy or cultural habit to follow. But we believe in the idea that if we don't do something, no-one else will," he said.

Well done for leading the way. More and more smaller communities will work towards these objectives of sustainability, renewability and community owned and supported generation thus creating self-sufficiency.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

new record for prisoner numbers - what a shocker


It's a record Jim, but not as we know it and certainly not how we want it.

"Corrections Minister Judith Collins says she released information showing the number of prisoners in New Zealand was at the highest level ever because the public had a right to know.

Ms Collins announced there were 8509 people in prisons or police stations nationwide yesterday - 16 higher than the previous peak of 8493 prisoners on September 7."

The high number underlined the "urgent need" for more beds in the form of container cell blocks and double bunking, she said. "

So we have high numbers being put in jails. There aren't enough beds, so double bunking and container cells to the rescue.

What a shocker that we have come to this. And a high percentage of maori are in there - banged up!

There must be another way.

traces of rat poison found in dead penguins


It is a paradox - we want to save species so we poison their predators - which ends up killing the species we were trying to protect.

"Traces of the rat poison, Brodifacoum, have been found in two little blue penguins that died in the Hauraki Gulf, a month after the Department of Conservation dropped the poison on Rangitoto and Motutapu islands.

The deaths of several seemingly healthy and well-fed common dolphins remain unexplained, after tests on their livers and stomach contents showed no traces of either Brodifacoum or tetrotodoxin - the toxin found found to have killed five dogs in July and August.

Mr Griffiths said the penguin finding was unexpected.

"It is a surprise because we've never had penguins dying at the same time as pest eradication [operations] before, so we've never had reason to test them."

The three aerial drops of 147 tonnes of poison-laced cereal bait - the last on August 7 - were part of a project to create a sanctuary for rare birds.

Mr Griffiths said it was possible they ate pellets out of desperation.

"We don't have any idea about how they might have come across Brodifacoum, but I guess it is important to note that they were hungry - they were starving penguins - so they may have eaten a bait."

A summary Mr Griffiths wrote ahead of the drops said that a maximum of 1288kg of bait would fall into the ocean around the joined islands' 56km coastline.

That was much less than the 18,000kg of Brodifacoum-laced baits that spilled into the sea near Kaikoura after a truck crash in 2001 - which contaminated shellfish within a wide area."


Well we can be thankful for small mercies I spose.
Do you really think we can kill to save?

snails are worth saving

Should we worry about snails?

Yes i say because they are part of the ecosystem and we just don't know how everything fits together. Losing one species can create a cascade effect where the fingers of instability can go for a long way thus creating whole series of extinctions.


"The population of rare native land snails moved at great expense from a West Coast mountain to make way for coal mining are struggling to survive in their new homes, the Department of Conservation has revealed.

DOC says the limited data it has on the snails' performance since they were plucked from Mt Augustus in 2006 and shifted to nearby hillsides suggests they may die out in the wild. "

So humans don't know best and the reason these snails were moved?

"The news has reinforced environmentalists' arguments that the snails have been endangered for the sake of coalmining.

The Forest and Bird Society's Nelson-based regional field officer, Debs Martin, said the Mt Augustus snails had fallen "victim to economic desire".

"The thing we're starting to see now is the worst coming out, and it could well be that that particular species of snail becomes functionally extinct in the wild," Ms Martin said.

DOC had been monitoring the snails' performance in the wild by tracking 200 of them fitted with tiny transponders. From what was known about those snails, the various populations had estimated survival rates of 55 to 79 per cent, which suggested they would not survive in the long term. Survival rates had slid since reports last year showed the best group was maintaining 90 per cent of its population.

Solid Energy spokesman Bryn Somerville said there were still many unknowns about the snails and while it appeared some of the relocated populations "aren't going to make it", research to keep the species alive in the wild was ongoing and the captive population remained as "insurance". "


One unknown that is known Bryn is that if you dig up the ground and move the snails they don't survive.

"Asked if DOC would recommend a similar exercise to shift a snail population if a case arose again, Ms Weston said: "We prefer to maintain powelliphanta populations within their existing ecosystems "

Why do it the first time, under a labour government? Money and greed. We have to make sure there is no second or third time.

Monday, September 21, 2009

option 5 - don't dam the clutha

Good to see some action down south around stopping the mataura-clutha river being dammed. I hope they are working with local tangata whenua on this one, we will need everyone together to ensure they take the fifth option:

"A group of Otago environmentalists have a suggestion for the power company considering four possible hydro-electric options for the Clutha River - a fifth option of walking away and doing nothing.

Otago Forest and Bird members and residents who say they would be directly affected by Contact Energy's options of dams at Tuapeka Mouth and/or Beaumont, visited a 6ha island on Saturday they assert is too precious to lose.

And they believe they are in a much better position to fight this time, compared with the battles of the 1980s and 1990s when locals feared Beaumont and Birch Island would disappear under water if a dam was built.

Environmentalists fought against losing Birch Island, claiming it was totally forested and rodent-free and also supported a rich assortment of insects.

The island was now officially a national area of interest and significance, it was known to contain a wealth of conservation values, clearly contained a unique ecosystem and locals were better informed and more prepared to challenge authorities this time.

Prof Mark said the group and others preparing to fight against the loss of the island were formally serving Contact Energy with notice there was another alternative.

"Instead of just having the four options for dams, we are saying there is an option five - no dams at all," he said. "


Daming this river is crazy. Let's support all efforts to protect the mataura.

I've posted about it
here and here.

Don't auction them - give them back

They are not yours - just give them back

"The collection of 50 mainly greenstone and bone items includes pieces dating back to the 13th century close to the earliest archaeological evidence of settlement in New Zealand by Polynesians.

The collection belongs to amateur archaeologist Frances Ryman and it was once on display at Canterbury Museum. She said deciding to sell was heartbreaking, but having recently moved home she was worried about security.

There are no legal restrictions on selling Maori artefacts and unlike a cancelled auction earlier this year of a fragment of flag pole claimed to have been cut down by chief Hone Heke, there have been no complaints. "

I'm complaining about this. They are sacred items that belong to a living people. This auction is modern-day grave robbing.

Friday, September 18, 2009

It's not a resource - it's a family

Ignore the music - listen to the message and watch the images. This is what i believe.



Nature is just so beautiful.

Lost value must be compensated

This needs watching

"The Government still has no deal with Maori on Treaty settlement forests affected by the Emissions Trading Scheme, despite being only two working days out from introducing an amended ETS Bill, next Tuesday.

The Maori Party is declining to comment on the progress of its negotiations on the economically sensitive issue of revaluing and compensating Ngai Tahu and possibly other iwi for lost value as a result of the ETS changes to the treatment of forestry.

Ngai Tahu gained forests in a settlement in 1998 for so-called "pre-1989" forests. These were valued against their much greater economic potential if converted to dairying. Ngai Tahu are therefore first in line for compensation under the political deal stitched together earlier this week."


Let's keep the forests and get correct compensation for Ngai Tahu and other Iwi. Why should maori take the loss of value when so much has already been lost.

Johnnie's boys

Sent to me by a reader, this is a nice understated, yet accurate song about... Johnnie's boys

minisnap with charango

Minisnap are a band I enjoy. I grew up in Dunedin with the flying nun stable of musicians. Anyway i won't do a list of all my favorites, far too long, but i love The Clean and The Bats. Minisnap are made up of the members of the Bats without Bob Scott - but check out the charango player on this clip - that's Andy, Bob's brother and a wicked musician. Still waiting on the charango solo clip mate.


Whanganui - no compromise to mycull loors

Whanganui

There is some talk around that there should be a compromise with correcting the spelling of Whanganui. I am opposed to any compromise.

"The road to changing Wanganui's name has been a long one, but gained fresh impetus in February when Te Runanga o Tupoho submitted a proposal to the Geographic Board.

The iwi said Whanganui meant great harbour or expanse of water and, without the "h", was meaningless. Whanganui was named by their ancestor, Hau, of the Aotea waka, more than 600 years ago.

The iwi's request followed the board's decision to change the spelling to Whanganui River in 1991. The district health board also adopted the "h". "It does not make sense to correct the spelling of the river and to leave the name of the city spelt incorrectly," the iwi said."

It is pretty straight forward really.

This stuff from mycull loors, "Wanganui was not a Maori word, but one with a culture, heritage and mana all of its own" is just so pathetic.

If we compromise here, hell, next, we will have a double name for Aoraki.

You cannot give these racists an inch. They must be opposed at every turn. If they had/have their way there would/will be no maori.

Hapu wins against council - in Hastings

Great news

"A proposal by Hastings District Council to redesignate land to create a road connecting Havelock North to the Hawke's Bay expressway has been declined by independent commissioners.

The move would have been the first step in acquiring the land compulsorily under the Public Works Act. The road would have crossed a 40.5ha block of land. Just 72ha remain of a 730ha block once owned by local hapu Ngati Hori.

The route on the northern side of Hastings was first mooted in 1974 and was the subject of a Privy Council hearing in 2001 after the council rejected a Maori Land Court ruling that local hapu could issue an injunction against the land being taken compulsorily.

Commissioners Alan Watson, Terry Brown and Rauru Kirikiri said Maori had longstanding links with the land and "their mana has been diminished along with the diminution of their land holdings, and this is a cultural slight of immense dimensions within the Maori world".

Mrs Maguire, who attended the Privy Council hearing in London and has spent years fighting for her ancestral land, said she was thrilled with the decision.

"This is our last remnant on the Karamu Reserve. It's only small but it's our last connection to the land. We've got journals going back to 1863 showing how much food our ancestors grew here.
"It's the principle of whakapapa, your roots, your identity. This is where I come from, this is where I am. That's why it's important to me."


What a great start to rebuilding on ancestral land. Small victories and large victories. An 'h' there and a stop to desecration here... inch by inch milimetre by milimetre it is all coming home.

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Whanganui gets spelt right

Put it in!

"The New Zealand Geographic Board has recommended the spelling of Wanganui be changed to include the controversial 'h'."

"In the end we could not overlook the fact that Wanganui is not correctly spelt and it is a Maori name that is of significant cultural importance," Dr Grant said.

"Historical evidence has shown that early settlers clearly intended the name of the city to be derived from the Maori name for the river, and consistent modern usage of the language showed the spelling should be Whanganui, not Wanganui."


Good result, now get ready for the bleating of that nobody laws.

we plant cows while in europe they dump milk

So while we set up more and more dairy farms - over in europe the dairy farmers are dumping milk because of the low price they get for it. Does anyone else see the irony here?

"Belgian farmers sprayed 3 million litres of fresh milk onto their fields yesterday, furious over the low milk prices they say are bankrupting farmers.

Milk farmers' groups said world prices had sunk so much they are having to sell milk at half their production costs, leaving more and more farmers unable to pay their bills."

"To highlight their desperation, about 300 tractors dragged milk containers through plowed fields in southern Belgium, dumping a day's worth of milk production in that region.

"It is a scandal to dump this, but we have to realize what the situation is," said Belgian farm leader Erwin Schoepges. "We need a farm revolt."

The crisis has driven many EU farmers into a "milk strike," with thousands refusing to deliver milk to the industrial dairy conglomerates that produce anything from skimmed milk to processed cheese."


We do need a farm revolt because the farming we are developing here is revolting.

Good on you Greenpeace

Well done to Greenpeace for their action yesterday.

"Up to 14 Greenpeace protesters boarded the Hong Kong-registered freighter East Ambition, lashing themselves to cranes and the anchor, preventing the ship from docking.

They were protesting Fonterra's importation of palm kernel for use as stock feed because of its role in the destruction of rainforests, predominantly in Malaysia and Indonesia."

"Greenpeace said the use of palm kernel for animal feed undermined New Zealand farmers' "clean, green" claims.

PKE is a by-product of the palm oil process.

Campaign director Chris Harris said only 4 percent of palm oil came from sustainable sites.

Statistics New Zealand showed that 1.1 million tonnes of palm kernels – almost a quarter of the world's supply – are sold to New Zealand a year.

New Zealand farmers' use of animal feed has increased because of drought, the higher cost of locally grown grains, and the increasing intensification of farms. Grass provides 95 percent of dairy cows' diet, and the other 5 percent is supplements such as kernels."

I have always supported direct action especially along the lines of greenpeace.

Dairy farming is losing it's illusion. When we supplement feed with palm kernel and are looking to house the cows in stalls - this isn't dairy as we know it. And it is happening because of greed.

We will be seeing more direct action from other groups over all sorts of issues. Get ready to get out on the street and let the powers that be know what you think.

curtis still remembered


I don't know if i would call it 'punk art'. i lived in Wallace St and saw the original grafitti. And lets just say i feel i have also contributed to the memory of ian curtis in my own way.

"The writing on the wall in Wallace St, Mt Cook, Wellington, appeared 28 years ago in memory of the Joy Division lead singer. Curtis, who suffered from depression, killed himself in 1980, aged 23.

Months later the "Ian Curtis RIP" memorial sprang up. Over the years, it was defaced, repainted and moved down the road but it become a Wellington landmark. It even made Curtis' Wikipedia page. Last week, it was painted over."


The original grafitti was better.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Official - global warming not maori party's fault

Okay a few home truths.


The maori party have been played by the nats to get the labs disturbed enough that they will adjust their position and form a joint approach to the ETS. The nats have said they will still negotiate with the labs. The maori party approach of still trying to get some concessions is window-dressing by the nats, and foolish by the maori party.


Any of these token gains, like increasing benefits, the bogus halving of the costs over the next few years and so on are just rubbish, when the taxpayers will be funding this countries biggest polluters, and agriculture is still getting a free ride.


Iwi organisations have told the maori party what they want especially in regards to forests and the maori party have given it to them.


Maori didn't create this global warming and it is not up to them to carry the burden of it or take the blame for what the nats and labs do. White, male, middleclass western societies caused it and they should lead by example. Is this country one of those? Surface only, surface only.


The real losers are the greens who have seen all of their mates drop them. And if they think the labs are on their side - think again greens.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Student riot - get a cause

A couple of things have caught my eye.

The riots in Dunedin. Bad news, it has always happened and maybe always will. I went to a few parties at the uni area and they often went a bit funny - especially after the second wind on the alcohol. I was interested to see the haka being performed. Amazing how the haka has infiltrated our society. A comment was made about the different exposure that would have occured if the riot was in south auckland and the faces were brown. I am sure you agree that there would be a much bigger splash across the front pages and the maori bashers would come out. What the riots say to me are that the issues facing our young people are not racially based. Perhaps it's time to consider different models on how to work with these young people.

The second area that has disturbed me is the maori party agreement with national on the emissions trading scheme. Even as a green i can just accept that there are bigger issues being considered. Everything in politics is a trade off - that is the game. I just hope the maori party realise that national are just as venal as labour and when they need to, they will turn on the maori party and just recind everything they have agreed to. They cannot be trusted, any more than any of them, apart from the greens and perhaps act (believe it or not). The maori party must keep their eye on the line, brush through the tackles and take the hits. Stay focused and get the try. But will the try be enough? Time will tell on that one but I have to trust the leadership of the maori party... what else have we got.
Good discussion here at Kiwipolitico

Monday, September 14, 2009

smithyman poem

228
POHUTUKAWA

The biggest is at Te araroa. On the Coast
what we call pohutukawa may be called rata.
Sometimes it's hard to tell one from the other.

The most famous, at Reinga, had a hefty branch
hanging out over the sea.
Spirits travelling to the underworld of Po
clung to that branch, then let go, and plunged.
Season after season, year after year, one
generation then another, that branch served.

Then pakeha, musket wars, sicknesses.
Spirits journeyed as never before —
the branch bent down. lt gave way,
it couldn't support much weight.
And the tree itself?
Some of you will
find that out, won't you?

Smithyman

pioneer want 8000ha freehold after tenure review

Nevis

Tenure review - a process where, through negotiation, a lessee can freehold land of productive value in return for surrendering land of conservation value, which is then managed by the Department of Conservation (Doc).

Conservation value - read high country and productive value - read low lying and ideal for dairy.

"The Otago Fish and Game Council believes significant conservation and recreation values are threatened by two Nevis Valley tenure reviews advertised at the weekend.

The proposals are for Ben Nevis and Craigroy high-country Crown leases held by power company Pioneer Generation.

They involve the Crown retaining just over 11,000ha of mostly high-altitude land, to be managed for conservation by Doc, and the transfer of about 8000ha of mostly valley floor to Pioneer Generation as freehold land. "

And what will pioneer do with it's freehold land on the flat?

"Pioneer Generation has plans for hydro development on the river but has not yet sought resource consents for such a venture."

Hmmmm I wonder when they are going to put those applications in... meantime we have until November 30 to make a submission on this.

historic land taken from park and given to indigenous people

Great news from our indigenous cousins

"TOFINO, British Columbia – “It’s a ground-breaking ground breaking,” beamed Tla-o-qui-aht council member Elmer Frank as he dug a ceremonial shovel into the dirt of his First Nations’ new reservation.

“The development of Ty Histaniis is unique because it’s the first time the Government of Canada has allowed lands to come out of a park, it’s the largest single funding Indian Affairs has ever done in the Pacific Region, and it returns a part of our homeland almost 100 years after it was taken from us.”

Lands taken out of a park and given back to the indigenous people - now that's an idea!

“We are very happy to be celebrating this moment with the Government of Canada who have partnered with us on this historic project and a brighter future for our Tla-o-qui-aht First Nations,” said Chief Councillor Francis Frank. “This 86.4 hectare, $26.9 million project means the beginning of the end of housing and social problems for our nation, as we look towards a new era of hope for our children and grandchildren.”

Ty Histaniis is a Nuu-chah-nulth word meaning a place to anchor whales, and has been an important place for the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nations for thousands of years.

“Our ancestors lived on these lands for countless generations,” said TFN Elder Tom Curley. “In 1911 the Indian commissioner failed to include these lands as Indian reserve and Chief Joseph fought to have this area included while many families continued to live there. Then, when the Second World War broke out, the Canadian military built an airbase and a training center here, so they asked our people to move out of the way, but they said they’d give the land back after they finished with it. But after the war it became a park and the land seemed locked up forever.”

Tears welled in Curley’s eyes as he listed off dozens of names of hawiih (chiefs) and community leaders who died before seeing their dreams come to fruition. “Our focus has always been the future generations, and achieving things that will benefit them. It’s comforting to me to know I don’t have to worry anymore.”

Despite decades of difficult negotiations Tla-o-qui-aht leaders refused to give up, and in May 2000, the First Nation launched a protest as then Prime Minister Jean Chrétien arrived in the tiny town of Tofino to announce the Clayoquot Sound UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Negotiations began shortly thereafter.

“This had never been done before. It took an Act of Parliament to remove lands from the park,” said Nanaimo-Alberni Member of Parliament James Lunney. “The government is keen to collaborate with First Nations on projects such as this, and I look forward to walking the road with you towards a bright new future for all Tla-o-qui-aht.”


Good result. And a model to investigate.

What does it all mean?

This has been sent in to me by a reader of my blog.

Jeepers, someone actually read my muse!!! As this wise person noted, "it explains some of the context of why society is fragmenting and relates to your korero on developing communities."




Perhaps the last line is most important... What does it all mean?

laying a mauri stone sets the foundations correctly

Nice - a mauri stone buried with the foundations for a new youth justice residential facility near Rotorua.

"Parekaarangi Trust chair James Warbrick says the foundations for the 30-bed unit have been laid.

He says the ceremony, conducted by Tuhourangi Ngati Wahiao elders, shows respect for the land and the significance of its new purpose.

“We put a mauri to connect our spiritual world to our physical world and it’s part of what we do that evolves the mana of the place,” Mr Warbrick says.

The Parekaarangi Trust is keep to assist in vocational and rehabilitation programmes when the unit is completed in October next year."


Setting the foundations correctly is the right way to go. if the foundations are correct then the rest of the facility will have a much better chance of success and we need these types of facilities to work.

Friday, September 11, 2009

a muse about quantum physics and community plus couple of books I've enjoyed

Once, when I was a lot younger, I decided to play american football. At practice we were doing drills and I got hit and broke my ankle. Badly. In the end it took 8 screws and a plate to hold it all together. It took quite a while to heal enough to get the hardware out. Eventually out it came and then off to the doctor. But it didn't really heal that well. It stayed a bruised colour and wasn't right.

So the doctor recommended an accupuncturist who worked next door. He was a chinese man who lay me down and began to put the needles in. The other treatment he used was a little device that looked like a single bar heater. It had won the geneva prize in the 80's. The principle it worked on was simple.

When the body is healthy it throws out magnetic fields of certain frequencies. These frequencies constitute and maintain a healthy state for the body. When disease or injury occurs, that part of the body's magnetic field changes, and a discordant frequency, of unhealthiness, is emited. The heater type apparatus was designed to throw out healing frequencies and it sat on the floor, right beside my ankle for a couple of months. It worked. My ankle healed. My doctor, when he saw it healing shook his head and said that he was really pleased because the next step, if it hadn't worked, was to chop my foot off. Which was news to me.

The point of the story above is to illustrate the many unknows that are out there. We do throw off magnetic fields and those fields can be observed. Quantum physics has shown that until observed by us, a electron is both a wave and a particle and displays properties of both, at the same time, in simultaneous places and when observed it decides which state to be in and it is that state, either a particle or a wave. The observer affects the observation.

i'm reading a book at the moment called, “The Field” by Lynne McTaggart. And I have just finished a book called “Ubiquity” by Mark Buchanan. Both books connect. Ubiquity is all about understanding that complex systems are based on simple structures. And by understanding simple models we can understand the more complex real world systems. The field also discusses the underlying simple structures that make up our world. And I am talking in both cases about the quantum level. The level where the world as we know it doesn't exist but another world does. And it appears that this underlying structure of everything is an interconnected field, sometimes called the zero point field.

Newtonian physics and all of the western structures built upon it, have created a worldview of seperate-ness. But that is not how the world is. At the quantum level, subatomic particles have no meaning in isolation. There is no seperate-ness. Time and space don't exist as we know it. Once connected they stay connected through all time and space. If this is the way it is at the subatomic level, at the fundamental building blocks of everything we know and see around us, in the hand we hold up to the sun, then why is it different at the macro level?

It isn't, but we live within a scientific and western worldview that it seperate-ness is the way it is when the opposite is true. Indigenous cultures know this.

Ubiquiy talks about 'fingers of instability'. With an earthquake, when the first tiny part of the rock slips, the size of the final quake is unknown and unknowable. It is determined by the length and interconnectedness of the 'fingers of instability'. A big and small quake starts out the same. Earthquakes also exhibit a power law relationship between size (energy) and frequency. Double the size and the earthquakes occur four times less frequency. There is no average sized earthquake. A lot of dissimilar systems display the same properties and it appears as if the ability of systems to form natural critical states where any thing can happen, is a fundamental property of nature and it reminds me of the zero point field descriptions in 'The Field'.

Fingers of instability inhabit our world too. They display in areas such as fashion and trends. You Tube viral videos is a good example. Why do some take off and others not? Why do some political ideas take off and others not? Why do some societal changes occur and others not. The same concept of fingers of instability can be applied to these questions and the answer is unknowable. But what is known is, that sometimes, somewhere, an idea takes hold and it grows and manifests. Any one of us can be the starting point of that world shattering (in terms of paradigms) idea.

Science advances also appear to follow a power law and often the next big thing is so big it smashs existing paradigms to bits. Einstein and relativity changed forever the way scientists looked at the world. The idea of non-locality is another – this is where an individual electron or quantum entity influences another quantum particle instantaneously, over any distance without any exchange of energy or force. The next big thing often starts out in ridicule and disbelief. Thats why 'The Field” is well worth a read. it disturbs the paradigm and shows the world the way it is. Interconnected at almost every level.

The zero point field is interesting. Scientists have found that there is no such thing as vacuum or nothingness. If you take all of the matter and energy out of an area of space you would have, at the subatomic level, a hive of activity. Subatomic particles, called virtual particles, can never be truly at rest. Due to the uncertainty principle they pop in and out of existence and every exchange of every virtual particle radiates energy. Richard Feynman in attempting to give some idea of the magnitude of the underlying energy in the zero point field said the energy in a single cubic metre of space is enough to boil all the oceans of the world. implications are that interactions with the zero point field generate form and shape, allow growth and life, allow interconnectedness and knowledge transfer... Anyway I encourage you to read about it, it really is facinating.

We think we know the world but in many ways we hide from really thinking about the way the world is. It is no wonder when we are continually hassled by advertising, working hard to pay the mortgage and the bills. Knowing we would rather be spending more time with the kids or just having a rest. But once on the conveyor belt it is hard to get off. Communities, although counter-intuitive, may be the answer.

Creating communities is totally do-able. Imagine how good it could be. Imagine the relief. I really believe that comminites are the solution to most if not all of our problems. Grandparents left on their own, trying to still pay their mortgage? Comminities! They can still work, if they want. Or look after the mokopuna, or garden, or whatever. Parents would have support. How can we keep the kids off P? – comminity. crime? mortgages? healthy food? loneliness? feeling like you're contributing? passing down and up of knowledge? Community.

We are connected at many different levels. Energy and intent can make a difference. We can change things and make them more the way we want them to be. When i think of community i think of interconnectedness. People working together for common goals. Many generations, family groups. It is our natural way.

My ankle healed even though I didn't understand how.

We can create communities even though I'm not sure how.

It is our natural state. At the quantum level and at the macro level.

22,530 more cows, in cubicles, by Omarama - what a sick joke

Read and be very scared.

"Dairying in the upper Waitaki basin is set for a massive boost, with the possibility of 22,530 more cows on up to 19 dairy farms between Lake Ohau and Omarama.

Six consent applications have been filed with Environment Canterbury (ECan) for dairy effluent discharges, including two for big developments each with 7000 cows.

Three of the applications are for 16 stand-alone dairy farms with a total of 17,850 cows."


Our monoculture and greed around dairy is so crazy. More dairy cows = more pollution. A dairy cow poos out the equivilant of the waste of 16 humans. 16 X 22,530 = the equivilant of 360,480 people.

the same as 360,480 more people pooing into our river

Where is the waste going to go? Into our rivers that's where. The farmers don't care - they just want their money. the electricity companies or irrigators don't care - they just want their money. Who Cares?

"Five Rivers Ltd on Ohau Downs Station is seeking consent for seven stand-alone dairy farms, with a total of 7000 cows, with the animals housed in cubicle stables between March and October and for 50% of the time from November to February.

Southdown Holdings plans six separate stand-alone dairy farms, with a total of 7000 cows on the 2135ha Glen Eyries Downs, in Quailburn Rd, Omarama.

The animals would also be housed in cubicles.

Williamson Holdings plans three stand-alone dairy farms, totalling 3850 cows on 1300ha south of Omarama, next to State Highway 8 and near Broken Hill Rd.

It also plans cubicles for cows."


Housed in cubicles - FFS is this really where this country is at? really?

light from 6 million light years away arrives

Image Credits NASA Barred Spiral Galaxy NGC 6217

6 million light years away.
Would it be there if we couldn't see it?

Thursday, September 10, 2009

danger dr smith danger


Dr Smith - selfish and dangerous

The last line first...

"Dr Smith told MPs he "made no bones" about the fact that the law change shifted the balance from public participation towards reducing costs for developers."

Nice - Nick Smith has now become so similar to Dr Zachery Smith from 'lost in space' that he is interchangeable. And Dr Smith just about completely stuffed up the mission and killed everyone... hmmmm which Dr Smith was that again...

new rules for cutting and trimming trees.

new rules to help developers

new rules to reduce public participation

new rules passed under urgency mean that councils will have 3 weeks to determine what they mean when they state 'trim'. Pardon?


"North Shore City environmental policy and planning manager Phill Reid said his council was also waiting to see whether Parliament would clarify what counted as "trimming".

"Trimming" that resulted in the death of the tree should be considered felling, he said."


Fair enough in this world of doublespeak. When you trim a tree and it dies - it is not trimming it, it is killing or felling it.

What a sad state of affairs we have got to.

"The Resource Management Act (Simplifying and Streamlining) Bill allows landowners to cut down any tree that is not in a reserve or listed in a district plan."

Councils have to complete their lists of protected trees before rules against felling are scrapped in January 2012.

Can you really see this area being a high priority for these councils... not likely.

So dr smith i am happy to be the robot shouting

danger DANGER Danger DANGER DANGER!

West African gold mine - fouled and exploitative

An important look at what happens when you put in a gold mine.

"The film focuses one particular gold mine in Guinea, West Africa, exploring the hopes and problems that the villagers face, revealing, perhaps unwittingly, the commonplace reality of modern development.

As time rolled on, and the mine started making its millions, the once-pristine landscape was replaced by a massive open-pit mine “fouled” with cyanide waste water. And with the trees gone, and with cave-ins becoming a constant danger, traditional life began to fade away, even more as villagers went to work in the mine—all dreaming for the promised life.

The company, on the other hand, does great for itself. The mine’s chief engineer even managed to build a local pub. It’s a whites-only pub, complete with satellite television.

Then, one day, the region was hit by a drought. The villagers knew it was going to happen, after all, it’s happened several times before. But it was never too big of a problem in the past because the villagers would just dig up some gold for themselves to trade and buy food and water.

Things were different this time. When the villagers tried to get at some of the gold, the company called in the military. The company said they were concerned about “safety issues.”

The military, “shockingly abusive to their fellow citizens, ” imprisoned the villagers into metal shipping containers as the hot sun pounded on.

This happened more than two years ago now, but the story has continued to unfold. Today, it appears that the mine is nearing its end. The gold’s running out.

Many villagers will welcome the day that the white people finally leave. But even so, the damage has been done: The land has been defiled, the cyanide waste water will remain and cave-ins will occur far into the future, claiming who knows how many unsuspecting women and children. And, with the gold gone, their economy will have no choice but to roll back to what it used to be. "

Digging for gold and minerals - you can be sure that some people get very rich but not the indigenous people.




Hat tip - Intercontinential City

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Kokako - coming back

Great news about the Kokako. I have never heard one in the wild but their call is so beautiful.

"The haunting notes of a New Zealand songbird that almost became extinct are once again being heard in Auckland’s Waitakere ranges.

Kokakos disappeared from the ranges sixty years ago, but today two of the birds were released into the bush and more will be introduced over the next two years.

DOC had brought the two birds from the forests of the central North Island, and the people of those forests were there to welcome them.

“Today the ranges have come alive again, to the melody and the swift movement and flight of the kokako, that will bless the Waitakeres for the next thousand years,” said Eru Thompson."

Only 750 pairs of kokakos remain in the North Island, but DOC aims to have around a thousand breeding pairs established by the year 2020."


Well done and thanks to all who participated.

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Rock Art is our Taonga - TRONT let's get serious about protecting it

Good news that the Rock Art is getting some resources.

"Timaru District Holdings will invest in the Ngai Tahu Maori Rock Art Centre planned for Timaru, because of the positive impact it will have on the district's economy. "

This is what happens when others get involved - it becomes all about money - so embarrasing and shameful. It's not about money it is about the sacred taonga.

"Timaru district councillors approved the investment of $280,000 in Te Ana Whakairo, the company set up to build and run the rock art centre in the Timaru Landing Service Building.

It needs a further $800,000, with an application for $650,000 to be made to the Lotteries Commission's significant community projects fund, Ngai Tahu Maori Rock Art Charitable Trust curator Amanda Symon said yesterday. It will be March before it is known if the application has been successful. The outcome of funding applications for a further $200,000 should be known this month.

Shameful that the good people have to beg for money when Ngai Tahu have over 500 million - whose taonga is it?

Financial support for the project has come from various sources, including $400,000 from Ngai Tahu's contestable fund for cultural projects, $280,000 from South Canterbury Charities (now Trust Aoraki), $185,000 from Te Puni Kokiri, $100,000 from the Southern Trust and $200,000 from the Lotteries Commission's environmental and heritage fund. "

So all good news, isn't it?

If Ngai Tahu can't resource and look after our own taonga - what is the point? TRONT have the images on the front page of the website - what will it take to give this area the mana and importance it rightly deserves? Yes it is good that the Ngai Tahu Fund has given money but the funding for the protection of this should be part of the major funding not contestable. Are we really going to take money from anywhere and everywhere to create this resource for our people?

This is our taonga first and then the countries, not the other way around. Many times i have heard the call, "Let government look after their bits and Ngai Tahu will look after theirs." The Rock Art is ours. It is time to honour our ancestors and honour the taonga they left us as signposts for now and the future.

Take control and front up - TRONT give some money and resources to our sacred taonga - what are you waiting for?


What is more important?

What are you waiting for?

What is more important?

What are you waiting for?

Monday, September 7, 2009

UN tell Peru to get indigenous consent - be good to see that here

This is the sort of headline i'd like to see here.

"‘No Oil Drilling Without Tribes’ Consent’, UN Tells Peru

"The UN has told Peru’s government it should not allow oil and gas drilling on indigenous peoples’ land without their ‘informed consent’.

If the government agrees to the UN’s call, it would mean that no drilling could take place in rainforest inhabited by uncontacted Indians, as they are unable to give their consent. This is something that indigenous organisations, Survival and many others have long been calling for."


How about "No Mining without iwi's consent."

For those who argue maori are right wing and as bad as the nats etc - think about this. Maori have a traditional balance between accelerator and brake. Between growth and protection. There is a natural kaitiaki role within te ao maori and that is part of the nature of indigenous people. If you don't protect the environment - who don't survive.

The funny thing is that if the UN did directly say that maori should have the right to veto over activity on their ancestorial land, many kiwis would be jumping up and down... "what about out rights" "It's not fair." etc

But just think - why are these indigenous people different from maori?

and think about why some people argue that maori are not indigenous - why do they do that?

could it be that the indigenous people in south america look a lot more indigenous? Have the attempts at swamping and assimilation worked? A thesis i am reading at the moment says, "maori have to become non-assimilated to create freedom." What do you think?

Friday, September 4, 2009

Mohua

Mohua

I'm off to Mohua (Golden Bay) this weekend. A full moon party on the beach, sun soaked golden sand, untrampled native bush, beautiful people...

This area is a hidden gem, nestled towards the northwest of the top of Te Wai Pounamu (south island). A mixture of alternatives and farmers... with many artists and creative types.

Mohua is snug between two National Parks, Kahurangi and Able Tasman. You don't go anywhere when you get there because the road doesn't loop, it just stops. Puponga is at the base of Onetahua (Farewell Spit) and Maungarakau is on the westcoast just after the Westhaven inlet.

There are so many pleasures in being in the bay. Waikoropupu Springs, the 2nd clearest water in the world, and on every headland an old pa site. Tales of taniwha abound each inlet.

Situated between the islands with vast moana kai, this area is one where maori settled early.

When you are in Mohua the rest of the world fades away and it might exist or it might not. I liken it to brigadoon.

Individuals are cherished in the bay. Kindness is freely given and community spirit is high. Lots of greenies and environmentalists and lots of international travellers who go to many places, arrive here, and settle. It is unusual to speak only one language in the bay.

About 5500 people live there and you can walk up a river alone or find a quiet spot on the beach to swim naturally. It's the sort of place where men hug each other in friendship without fear.

It is part of this country, and it isn't.

It's the future and the past and the future.

To celebrate i am posting a poem i wrote a few years ago


rebeginning


the sky is swept over me,
clouds tear into thin and
blue abounds everywhere

As they walk sand collides
beneath them, the sea
thirsty for breath, rises and
their traces are inundated,
wiped clean to start over.

The touch of another body,
so we slide, hands fluttering
over heat, desperately drawn
we rise, heads above water
and laugh, cry and try as we might.

A slow in-step-walk across
sand, they swirl energy, a roll
along the beach, they touch.
A light-linger, then turn
synchronized and leaning inward.

time for the action to begin - NO to mining our schedule 4 heritage

Fight all those who want to destroy our land.

The greens have started a petition because as they say,

"No government has the right to steal from our children our most treasured places and the native species who belong there."

If you believe that, then it is time to start taking action. Download the petition, send it to your friends, enemies, whoever, but just get it out there - and don't forget to sign and send it in too.

Sign
this petition. Go here for more information and a nice e-card to send to bendy key and his mates,

hat tip - the Standard

our country - highest youth suicide rate in OECD - shame

We really do need to front up to this issue. It is our shame.

"New Zealand is spending considerably less on child welfare than other OECD countries, a report from the organisation says.

The report, Doing Better for Children, was the first time the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development had reported on the wellbeing of children in its 30 member countries.

It identified New Zealand's biggest shortfall as its limited spending on children under the age of 5, which it said was less than half the average among OECD nations.

New Zealand was also struggling in dealing with child health.

It had the highest youth suicide rate in the OECD and an above-average child mortality rate.

Children lived in poor conditions, average family incomes were low by OECD standards and child poverty rates were high.

New Zealand children had high rates of educational achievement, but the gap between top and bottom performers was large."

Just have a wee think about that - our youth kill themselves more than ANY other OECD country. Whatever we are doing is not working. Are we going to keep blundering along without fronting up.

I am of the conclusion that creating community is actually the answer to most, if not all of our problems, including this one.

As Tariana Turia says, "The piece meal approach we have taken to date has failed", she said. "Without an approach like whanau ora we will continue to fail. Investing in our whanau is an investment in our future. If we don't do that then we not only doom them to a miserable future but we create a greater problem for us all in the future."

What hope are we offering our young people? What can we do differently?

Thursday, September 3, 2009

brilliant satire by danyl at the dim-post

Now this is satire

Brilliant Danyl

pixies and breeders

Sometimes life is just so great.

i will
be there if i can be

"The Pixies have announced their first New Zealand gig in Auckland next year.

The American alternative rock band announced they will be playing one date at Auckland's Vector Arena on March 12."


I love the pixies and so to celebrate i'm posting my favorite song...

This monkey's gone to heaven.

The first line is a killer, "There was a guy..."

My favorite lines are, "If man is five, and the devil is six, then God is seven..."

Enjoy



And I couldn't resist putting this one up from Kim and her sister in the Breeders... why? because it is just so good.

race hate destroys us all

Can you think of a worse sentence than, "Everyday race hate"

"An attack on a Thai girl, who was beaten up by fellow pupils on a bus, is part of everyday "race hate" in Christchurch, a homestay parent says."

In the latest assault, the year 13 pupil was beaten by two younger girls in Avonside uniforms as she left the bus. She had never spoken to the pair, Stratford said.

"They were punching her in the head as she was getting off the bus," he said.

"They were telling her to 'f... off back to her own country'. She is horribly upset."


Race Relations Commissioner Joris de Bres said race-hate crimes were a problem not just in Christchurch but around the country and were occurring more often than was reported to police.

"It's becoming more and more urgent for police to gather data of racial abuse," he said. "The Government does agree but has said it's not a priority."


Race hate is such a terrible thing and it is all around us. My boy racer neighbour said the other day that they were moving and when i asked who was moving in, he said, "A bunch of bungas." For those who don't know, that is a derogatory term used for maori and pasifica people. I didn't tell him that i was pleased.

water tiger

water tiger

One reason i started this blog was to provide positive news about Ngai Tahu and all of the wonderful things iwi members are doing to revitalise themselves, their whanau and our country.
And I am a greenie. i believe in protection, in kaitiakitanga, in supporting our ecosystems. I am against cutting down trees, mining National Parks, more dairy farms everywhere, pollution, taking more water from our rivers and the unholy pusuit of money and personal gain above all else.
Am i unusual?
Not sure, but i did make the blog mars2earth because I realised that many people would think that I am from a different planet.

I can't compromise on my ideals or what I believe in and i won't.

So i am rejigging my approach just slightly. I am not interested in seeing my kaiwhakahaere or my iwi being pushed into the front pages for all of the wrong reasons.
It may appear that i am a mild mannered, vegetarian wuss - but I'm not really - you see i'm a water tiger.

bullyboy mike laws gets slammed by BB

good post from BB on michael bullyboy laws

Happy Birthday mum

My mother is 75 today. Happy birthday mum.


Mum grew up in the Catlins, like many maori she was raised by her elder sister.

My favorite photo of her is in the first and only maori debutante's ball. I'll try to post the photo it is really beautiful. All of those Ngai Tahu wahine ready to get into their lives. Most of them would have been late teens and some early 20's. I always thought it would be a good project to follow them all up and see how their lives went, 50 - 55 years on.

Arohanui

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

comment moderation on

I have now turned comment moderation on... more info soon

crude the movie - you sure it can't happen here?

This is a warning to those who say it can't happen, it won't happen.



It does happen and it is still happening.

I hope we don't see key, brownlee and grosser in the dock when they are older, defending their decisions to seek profit and money above everything else.

not sure when the movie is released here... but soonish

From Louis Proyect

"“Crude”, which opens September 9th at the IFC Center in N.Y. and elsewhere around the country later in the month (screening information), is a David and Goliath story which pits an Ecuadoran attorney and his American partners against Chevron, a company that has dug in its heels against paying a single penny to the mostly indigenous victims of toxic waste. When Texaco, now part of Chevron, operated in Ecuador, it allowed the byproducts of drilling to run off into the rivers and wells of tribal land, thus leading to an epidemic of cancer, birth defects and other illnesses that were calculated by Texaco as necessary collateral damage in the pursuit of profit. The movie claims that the environmental destruction wrought by Texaco was thirty times as great as the Exxon Valdez spill in Alaska."

Hat tip - louie proyect