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A life just as ordinary. Wherein I drink beer, and write badly
Monday, April 30, 2012
From the St Cuthbert's ANZAC Hockey Festival.
I wrote about the saga of the School Uniform blazers. These are just a few of the picture I took of MissPdubyah at the St Cuthbert's ANZAC Hockey Festival which is a secondary schools pre-season 3 day event, attracting visiting teams from all over the country.
[gallery link="file" order="DESC" orderby="rand"]
[gallery link="file" order="DESC" orderby="rand"]
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Beer – #20 in a series – Shepherd Neame 1698
For the win! Shepherd Neame 1698 - This had just arrived in the English Corner Shop when I went shopping, so I did the decent thing and put some in the shopping basket.
They've dialed back this fine beer to an ABV of 6.5%, but that's still getting up the scale of strong.
And, yes I look like Ive been goosed by someone under the table, but for this beer in a word "Magnificent"
1698 is brewed with Pearl malted barley and crystal malt harvested in Kent, while Target and East Kent Goldings hops are added three times during the brewing process. Time well spent.
The beer has a pale bronze colour with an enormously complex aroma very malty and moreish.
The experts would have you have that the finish is dry but beautifully balanced between sweet grain, bitter hops, tart fruit and continuing notes of butterscotch and vanilla. Malt: high. Fruit: high. Hops: medium.
Bazinga! This one really rings the bell on the pdubyah-o-meter, with an unbeatable 10. Taste, Smell, Enjoyment it's all in a handy pint sized bottle. Get in there!
They've dialed back this fine beer to an ABV of 6.5%, but that's still getting up the scale of strong.And, yes I look like Ive been goosed by someone under the table, but for this beer in a word "Magnificent"
1698 is brewed with Pearl malted barley and crystal malt harvested in Kent, while Target and East Kent Goldings hops are added three times during the brewing process. Time well spent.
The beer has a pale bronze colour with an enormously complex aroma very malty and moreish.
The experts would have you have that the finish is dry but beautifully balanced between sweet grain, bitter hops, tart fruit and continuing notes of butterscotch and vanilla. Malt: high. Fruit: high. Hops: medium.
Bazinga! This one really rings the bell on the pdubyah-o-meter, with an unbeatable 10. Taste, Smell, Enjoyment it's all in a handy pint sized bottle. Get in there!
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Friday, April 27, 2012
Unhappy Families - at least you can pick your friends.
My mother died just over a year ago March 2011, and despite her age suddenly, and without a will.
I'm from what would now be considered a large family of 8 children (5 boys, 3 girls) and I count myself as Number Six.
#3 child, the eldest sister and her daughter remained the closest, geographically, and spent a lot of time with mother through the years.
The rest of the family dispersed itself to parts afar and wide, myself in New Zealand, #1 Son in Australia, others to Derby, others to Norfolk, a bit all over the place really. There is even a missing person, the youngest of the family Stewart who one day just stopped talking to #3 sister( #5 child) and hasn't been heard of since.
To say we're not a close family is a bit of an understatement. And I bet this has never happened to anyone who lost a parent;
It's difficult being so far away to be judgemental, but the anger and angst that that causes is palpable and drives a wedge in the family that doesn't need to exist.
Trying to get even a guesstimate on the remaining monetary value of the estate (bank accounts, insurances etc) has proved impossible, everyone has a figure in mind, and they're all different. If someone knows then they're not saying, and trying to get a bank to disclose anything is a mission.
I know it's only a year, and I know that resolution of someone who has dies intestate may take time to resolve. The will of the family however appears to be questionable. We're not close (did I mention that) and by-and-large it seems that at least 5 out of the 8 children (can't speak for the missing one) are financially not challenged enough to want to pursue this more vigorously.
My points of contention and - if you like - anger are around who's doing what? and why are we all waiting for someone else in the family to do something?. And that someone else, why don't they email the rest of us to tell us what's going on? To which a couple of answers, one of which I already mentioned, financially it makes no difference.
Secondly there is a thing called "life" that gets in the way, the birthdays, the holidays, the parties. the getting on with life in general. A day becomes a week, becomes a month, becomes 3 months, it just happens. No one is to blame.
However, whilst a few hundred or a thousand pounds/dollars might not make a difference one way or another to me (or at least 4 others in the family) it might make a difference to the other 3. IT might make a difference to a charity organisation, a sheltered accommodation group, a women's refuge. It's just in the way you look at it as to how to decide if if makes a difference.
I fear that getting to a resolution is going to cause more rifts than it cures, and for an already estranged family it might yet get just that bit stranger.
I need to say that if my family are reading this - it's not about you, it's about the way I feel about it, remember offence is taken not given, and you can choose.
I'm from what would now be considered a large family of 8 children (5 boys, 3 girls) and I count myself as Number Six.
#3 child, the eldest sister and her daughter remained the closest, geographically, and spent a lot of time with mother through the years.
The rest of the family dispersed itself to parts afar and wide, myself in New Zealand, #1 Son in Australia, others to Derby, others to Norfolk, a bit all over the place really. There is even a missing person, the youngest of the family Stewart who one day just stopped talking to #3 sister( #5 child) and hasn't been heard of since.
To say we're not a close family is a bit of an understatement. And I bet this has never happened to anyone who lost a parent;
"When we all arrived at your mums on the day of her funeral <...> had already cleared the property and all that was left were photographs and bric-a-brac. Anything of any alleged monetary value was gone"
It's difficult being so far away to be judgemental, but the anger and angst that that causes is palpable and drives a wedge in the family that doesn't need to exist.
Trying to get even a guesstimate on the remaining monetary value of the estate (bank accounts, insurances etc) has proved impossible, everyone has a figure in mind, and they're all different. If someone knows then they're not saying, and trying to get a bank to disclose anything is a mission.
I know it's only a year, and I know that resolution of someone who has dies intestate may take time to resolve. The will of the family however appears to be questionable. We're not close (did I mention that) and by-and-large it seems that at least 5 out of the 8 children (can't speak for the missing one) are financially not challenged enough to want to pursue this more vigorously.
My points of contention and - if you like - anger are around who's doing what? and why are we all waiting for someone else in the family to do something?. And that someone else, why don't they email the rest of us to tell us what's going on? To which a couple of answers, one of which I already mentioned, financially it makes no difference.
Secondly there is a thing called "life" that gets in the way, the birthdays, the holidays, the parties. the getting on with life in general. A day becomes a week, becomes a month, becomes 3 months, it just happens. No one is to blame.
However, whilst a few hundred or a thousand pounds/dollars might not make a difference one way or another to me (or at least 4 others in the family) it might make a difference to the other 3. IT might make a difference to a charity organisation, a sheltered accommodation group, a women's refuge. It's just in the way you look at it as to how to decide if if makes a difference.
I fear that getting to a resolution is going to cause more rifts than it cures, and for an already estranged family it might yet get just that bit stranger.
I need to say that if my family are reading this - it's not about you, it's about the way I feel about it, remember offence is taken not given, and you can choose.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Feeding time at the family zoo
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="240" caption="Breakfast (Photo credit: annalibera)"]
[/caption]
It's unusual for us as a family not to all eat at the time, particularly for the evening meal. It's a habit we've always endeavored to maintain.
Sometimes we may not be in the same room, but generally we'll all be eating the same dish.And even then not in the same room still can mean within conversation distance of each other.
Today though we had family brunch, and we all came away smiling about the nonsense we manage to discuss, from the Ball Gown (no surprises) to the ages we were as a parents when we met each other, beds. and the creepy guy at the gym.
There is nothing that brings me as much pleasure as family eating times. They're important and part of our family.
[/caption]It's unusual for us as a family not to all eat at the time, particularly for the evening meal. It's a habit we've always endeavored to maintain.
Sometimes we may not be in the same room, but generally we'll all be eating the same dish.And even then not in the same room still can mean within conversation distance of each other.
Today though we had family brunch, and we all came away smiling about the nonsense we manage to discuss, from the Ball Gown (no surprises) to the ages we were as a parents when we met each other, beds. and the creepy guy at the gym.
There is nothing that brings me as much pleasure as family eating times. They're important and part of our family.
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My Weird Belief System- the Moon Landings
I've always held doubts about the Moon Landings, in particular the ones we saw on TV, the Armstrong, Aldrin ones, beamed live into your lounge.
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Buzz Aldrin salutes the U.S. flag on Mare Tranquillitatis during Apollo 11 in 1969. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)"]
[/caption]
Call it what you like but it seemed odd that the most complex thing that man had assembled worked first time like a dream, without a hitch. Ok so you could say that the path to success littered with failure guaranteed a success.
I've also doubted that with 1960's technology that it would be possible, and the fact that we've only managed low earth orbit with mixed success since stands out to me as something that should make you go mmmm.
Are there particular things that raise my radar. Well first up I think man did get to the moon, not the ones we think did, or when they say they did. I also think it's not about any secret alien agenda, moon bases, visitations, strategic missile bases or other warmongering, masonry, new world order, illuminati or other such.
I read somewhere that a conspiracy needs to have a monumental amount of "proof" to prove a conspiracy and that conspiracies were therefore very convoluted and confused, with many strands that if you followed them all you would naturally end up laughing.
A Conspiracy does not have to be complicated or involves hundreds or thousands of people.
Tdhe two links below contain a miss-mash of things that make me frown and things that make me laugh as they appear a bit off beam. And before anyone comments that "Mythbusters have proved it" lets just say that Mythbusters is about as reliable or credible as the War on Terror is.
I've read the books that make claims about radiation, and not being a scientist I find them compelling and yet I don't know. I'm sure I read somewhere that the moon suits were left on the moon, having been thrown out of the module somehow, I wish I could remember where I read that.
There is enough dubious content from NASA and other "official" sources that show difficult and contrary things, not in and of itself confirmation of a conspiracy, but carelessness and ill-though out rush to release.
So check out these links that I referred to.
http://apolloscam.bravehost.com/
http://mrbasheer.tripod.com/moonwalk.html
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Buzz Aldrin salutes the U.S. flag on Mare Tranquillitatis during Apollo 11 in 1969. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)"]
[/caption]Call it what you like but it seemed odd that the most complex thing that man had assembled worked first time like a dream, without a hitch. Ok so you could say that the path to success littered with failure guaranteed a success.
I've also doubted that with 1960's technology that it would be possible, and the fact that we've only managed low earth orbit with mixed success since stands out to me as something that should make you go mmmm.
Are there particular things that raise my radar. Well first up I think man did get to the moon, not the ones we think did, or when they say they did. I also think it's not about any secret alien agenda, moon bases, visitations, strategic missile bases or other warmongering, masonry, new world order, illuminati or other such.
I read somewhere that a conspiracy needs to have a monumental amount of "proof" to prove a conspiracy and that conspiracies were therefore very convoluted and confused, with many strands that if you followed them all you would naturally end up laughing.
A Conspiracy does not have to be complicated or involves hundreds or thousands of people.
Tdhe two links below contain a miss-mash of things that make me frown and things that make me laugh as they appear a bit off beam. And before anyone comments that "Mythbusters have proved it" lets just say that Mythbusters is about as reliable or credible as the War on Terror is.
I've read the books that make claims about radiation, and not being a scientist I find them compelling and yet I don't know. I'm sure I read somewhere that the moon suits were left on the moon, having been thrown out of the module somehow, I wish I could remember where I read that.
There is enough dubious content from NASA and other "official" sources that show difficult and contrary things, not in and of itself confirmation of a conspiracy, but carelessness and ill-though out rush to release.
The big question though is what would it take for me be believe?
So check out these links that I referred to.
http://apolloscam.bravehost.com/
http://mrbasheer.tripod.com/moonwalk.html
Related articles
- The Moon Landing Mystery (mysteryworlds.wordpress.com)
- Conspiracy theories 'give illusion of control' (scotsman.com)
- All the "Moon Landing" theories. What is your opinion an why (disclose.tv)
- Photos: The other Apollo moon landings (news.cnet.com)
- "Moon Landing" and related posts (scienceprojectideasforkids.com)
- Historical photos of the lunar lander (boingboing.net)
- Great Conspiracy Theory - The Americans on The Moon Landing (socyberty.com)
Beer – #19 in a series – Belhaven Twisted Thistle
I was of the mind to be having a bit of a curry, and having ordered I stopped at the bottle shop and picked up a couple of bottle of the Belhaven Twisted Thistle IPA.And I'm sort of in-between about it. As normal a pinty sized bottle and this one is 5.3% ABV, so I was prepared for something nice.
Made with Scottish grown malt and American and English hops. A zesty aroma leads to a medium bodied ale with loads of hop flavour and a satisfying finish
Let me tell you it has an individual taste, and I'm still not sure about it. It is tangy, it has a distinctive nose and not an unpleasant taste all-round. Best described has having a twang.
And it's a pleasant beer color.
However in the big scheme of things, and since the competition is getting a bit tough on the pdubyah-o-meter this is a 7 out of 10. I'm not really a big fan, however I'd arm wrestle you if there was only one left and we both wanted it.
The Wine Barrel Mairangi Bay, thank you, and Chand Indian restaurant, for your consistent nommery.
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Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Growing up – the one with the Ball Gown
[caption id="attachment_1891" align="alignleft" width="200" caption="The Last School Ball and the Cocktail dress."]
[/caption]
It's the last of year of regular school for the daughter.
This is the one where she's given up competitive sport to concentrate on. The one that she feels will define her.Anyway, being the last year, it seems that there is going to be a school ball, as there is every year it seems. But this one is special. Not like the last one where a cocktail dress was sufficient this one is different.
And I don't know why it's special or what significance it has, since they didn't have school balls when I were a lad.
So we're über organised (daughter that is) she's diligently been on line to the ASOS shop and picked out a little number that appears to her. It's a tulle skirt and a sparkly bodice (says the man with the fashion sense to call Pink 'Salmon' when he wears it). It works out at about $500, depending on the exchange rate of the day. She's brought from ASOS in the past and they seem to be all fine nad dandy. And I don't have a problem if that's what she wants and it brings peace and tranquility to the house.
MrsPdubyah on the other hand is a bit more practical. "Can't just buy off the peg. on line", she says "have one made!" I frowned.
This is a great idea, as explained by MrsPdubyah to daughter "who knows what it looks like really, or how it's made, or indeed if it needs to be adjusted and nipped and tucked" I nodded wisely.
Secretly though this is about the opportunity for a bit of Mother-Daughter time and a visit to the material shops to check out the spangle materials and tulle. Daughter is quite excited by the idea of this kind of shopping, and has already started to plan her "Girls Shopping Trip" even if it is only with her mother.
Me? I'm standing by with smiles and support and a pained look on standby when the bill comes in.
Update : Well I got that wrong, it's New York Dresses and not ASOS. Well I tried to listen.
So is $500 acceptable? Am I being reasonable?
[/caption]It's the last of year of regular school for the daughter.
This is the one where she's given up competitive sport to concentrate on. The one that she feels will define her.Anyway, being the last year, it seems that there is going to be a school ball, as there is every year it seems. But this one is special. Not like the last one where a cocktail dress was sufficient this one is different.
And I don't know why it's special or what significance it has, since they didn't have school balls when I were a lad.
So we're über organised (daughter that is) she's diligently been on line to the ASOS shop and picked out a little number that appears to her. It's a tulle skirt and a sparkly bodice (says the man with the fashion sense to call Pink 'Salmon' when he wears it). It works out at about $500, depending on the exchange rate of the day. She's brought from ASOS in the past and they seem to be all fine nad dandy. And I don't have a problem if that's what she wants and it brings peace and tranquility to the house.
MrsPdubyah on the other hand is a bit more practical. "Can't just buy off the peg. on line", she says "have one made!" I frowned.
This is a great idea, as explained by MrsPdubyah to daughter "who knows what it looks like really, or how it's made, or indeed if it needs to be adjusted and nipped and tucked" I nodded wisely.
Secretly though this is about the opportunity for a bit of Mother-Daughter time and a visit to the material shops to check out the spangle materials and tulle. Daughter is quite excited by the idea of this kind of shopping, and has already started to plan her "Girls Shopping Trip" even if it is only with her mother.
Me? I'm standing by with smiles and support and a pained look on standby when the bill comes in.
Update : Well I got that wrong, it's New York Dresses and not ASOS. Well I tried to listen.
So is $500 acceptable? Am I being reasonable?
Related articles
- Tulle Cocktail Dress (myfashionfairytales.wordpress.com)
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Murder Most Foul #4 – Jennifer Mary Beard
[caption id="attachment_1851" align="alignleft" width="155"]
JMB[/caption]
By and large you always think of New Zealand as being an outwardly friendly, people happy, tolerant, peaceful place. You would possibly describe it as such to foreigners, and not as a wild-west like country where crime is rampant. There are though some unsolved crimes that will forever be that, unsolved or unsolvable. This is one of those that still seems to be fresh and top of mind to many, and one that just won't go away.
Cold case – Uncategorized – New Zealand Listener.
Why was Gordon Bray never charged with Jennifer Mary Beard's murder in 1970?
The year 1970 was remarkable for investigations into three murders at a time when homicide was rare. The first victim was Jennifer Beard, an English schoolteacher, whose body was found in January under a bridge at Haast, deep in southern Westland.
The nation was first appalled by the young hitch-hiker’s death, then engrossed in the search for the Vauxhall car thought to have been driven by the murderer, then astonished by the lack of any result.
After all, the police had a suspect: Gordon Bray, a burly Timaru truck driver. Everyone knew that he was the prime suspect because Bray had announced it in the newspapers. He was a single man, he had been holidaying on the Coast, he was probably at the murder scene, he drove an old Vauxhall. Beyond one shadowy figure, never identified, no other suspect was ever turned up.
Beard, probably a virgin, was thought to have been relieving herself under the bridge on New Year’s Eve, 1969, when she was attacked. She had been seen with a man in a Vauxhall. She had probably been strangled, although her body was so decomposed that a cause of death could never be firmly established
Was Bray the man seen in the rest area at the bridge? Police had two eyewitnesses and a receipt belonging to Bray that was in a pocket of trousers found at the scene. Police thought the eyewitness evidence weak, especially as the most observant, a boy of 13, had described the Vauxhall he saw as “deep turquoise”.
One of the problems the police faced in their search for the Vauxhall – they checked almost all the 29,000 that were around 16 years old and still being driven in New Zealand in 1970 – was that witnesses described it in various shades of green with primer on its paintwork. Bray’s Vauxhall was dark blue, and the bodywork was in good condition. A jury, they concluded, would be doubtful.
Still, police were satisfied that they had enough evidence to place him at the murder scene. The lawyers remained dubious: “No more than suspicion, and very difficult to prove,” one said.
October 2005 - Two former West Coast men are calling for police to re-open the Jennifer Mary Beard murder case - 35 years after the Australian hitchhiker was found dead under the Haast River Bridge. She was last seen alive on December 31 in the company of a middle-aged man in a greeny-blue Vauxhall Velox. The identity of her killer has never been found.
But last month (September 2005) Christchurch businessman Wayne Williams - a former West Coaster who has followed the case for the past 18 years - went to police with information on another possible suspect. In documents supplied to police, Mr Williams describes a man known as Ron (surname unknown) as a possible suspect in the case.
Ron, who worked at the Hardy and Thompson sawmill in Westport at the time, had acted strangely after Beard's death, Mr Williams said. Mr Watts said that when a police identikit picture appeared in the Westport News on January 30, 1970, Ron abruptly left his job and failed to collect two weeks' wages.
The Police declined to follow up or entertain this information. The person in question is Ron Hunter, would be approx 72 years old today and could be living outside of NZ, possibly Australia. Who knows?
The man many think was responsible, Gordon Bray, died in Timaru in November 2003. He always maintained his innocence.
Updated 30th May 21013 - http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/8733709/Cold-case-Family-doubts-police-case
JMB[/caption]By and large you always think of New Zealand as being an outwardly friendly, people happy, tolerant, peaceful place. You would possibly describe it as such to foreigners, and not as a wild-west like country where crime is rampant. There are though some unsolved crimes that will forever be that, unsolved or unsolvable. This is one of those that still seems to be fresh and top of mind to many, and one that just won't go away.
Cold case – Uncategorized – New Zealand Listener.
Why was Gordon Bray never charged with Jennifer Mary Beard's murder in 1970?
The year 1970 was remarkable for investigations into three murders at a time when homicide was rare. The first victim was Jennifer Beard, an English schoolteacher, whose body was found in January under a bridge at Haast, deep in southern Westland.
The nation was first appalled by the young hitch-hiker’s death, then engrossed in the search for the Vauxhall car thought to have been driven by the murderer, then astonished by the lack of any result.
After all, the police had a suspect: Gordon Bray, a burly Timaru truck driver. Everyone knew that he was the prime suspect because Bray had announced it in the newspapers. He was a single man, he had been holidaying on the Coast, he was probably at the murder scene, he drove an old Vauxhall. Beyond one shadowy figure, never identified, no other suspect was ever turned up.
Beard, probably a virgin, was thought to have been relieving herself under the bridge on New Year’s Eve, 1969, when she was attacked. She had been seen with a man in a Vauxhall. She had probably been strangled, although her body was so decomposed that a cause of death could never be firmly established
Was Bray the man seen in the rest area at the bridge? Police had two eyewitnesses and a receipt belonging to Bray that was in a pocket of trousers found at the scene. Police thought the eyewitness evidence weak, especially as the most observant, a boy of 13, had described the Vauxhall he saw as “deep turquoise”.
One of the problems the police faced in their search for the Vauxhall – they checked almost all the 29,000 that were around 16 years old and still being driven in New Zealand in 1970 – was that witnesses described it in various shades of green with primer on its paintwork. Bray’s Vauxhall was dark blue, and the bodywork was in good condition. A jury, they concluded, would be doubtful.
Still, police were satisfied that they had enough evidence to place him at the murder scene. The lawyers remained dubious: “No more than suspicion, and very difficult to prove,” one said.
October 2005 - Two former West Coast men are calling for police to re-open the Jennifer Mary Beard murder case - 35 years after the Australian hitchhiker was found dead under the Haast River Bridge. She was last seen alive on December 31 in the company of a middle-aged man in a greeny-blue Vauxhall Velox. The identity of her killer has never been found.
But last month (September 2005) Christchurch businessman Wayne Williams - a former West Coaster who has followed the case for the past 18 years - went to police with information on another possible suspect. In documents supplied to police, Mr Williams describes a man known as Ron (surname unknown) as a possible suspect in the case.
Ron, who worked at the Hardy and Thompson sawmill in Westport at the time, had acted strangely after Beard's death, Mr Williams said. Mr Watts said that when a police identikit picture appeared in the Westport News on January 30, 1970, Ron abruptly left his job and failed to collect two weeks' wages.
The Police declined to follow up or entertain this information. The person in question is Ron Hunter, would be approx 72 years old today and could be living outside of NZ, possibly Australia. Who knows?
The man many think was responsible, Gordon Bray, died in Timaru in November 2003. He always maintained his innocence.
Updated 30th May 21013 - http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/8733709/Cold-case-Family-doubts-police-case
Relatives of the prime suspect in the unsolved 1969 Jennifer Beard murder are pushing to clear his name.
Timaru truck driver Gordon Bray went to his grave 10 years ago, aged 83, maintaining his innocence over the young Welsh teacher's murder.
Police never charged him because of lack of evidence.
Beard, 25, disappeared while hitchhiking down the West Coast on New Year's Eve in 1969 on her way to meet her fiance. Her body was found under the Haast River bridge 19 days later.
Bray had been on the West Coast and owned a blue Vauxhall Velox car, which matched witnesses' descriptions of the vehicle sought by police. A pair of trousers found 100 metres from her body three days after its discovery had a receipt tucked inside with his name on it.
Last weekend, some of Bray's family gathered in Timaru for his sole surviving sibling's 105th birthday.
His nephew, Sam Leary, of Kaikoura, said yesterday he and his four surviving sisters also met Oamaru private investigator Cindy Roberts and watched her documentary on the case.
The family are convinced their uncle had nothing to do with Beard's death. "We could handle it if it was found that Jennifer Beard was murdered and they had hard evidence that Gordon Bray was the murderer. We could accept that but we're a long way from that."
Leary planned to stay in contact with Roberts, who also doubted Bray's involvement.
Police documents stated their pathologist was unable to determine a cause of death because of the body's state.
Leary said his family was not convinced Beard was murdered. "We want that part nailed down."
His mother was devastated when her brother was accused of murder, he said, so the subject was avoided. They decided she was too frail to raise the case on her 105th birthday.
Leary's family had lived only a few hundred metres from Bray's Timaru home so had a lot of contact with him. "I spent years going fishing with my Uncle Gordon. He never once gave any hint of a violent attitude."
The trousers found at the scene also gave the family doubts because they had never seen him wear denim trousers.
"And all the so-called evidence that has been talked about [the murderer] being a fat, balding man, well, I'm six foot and he was taller than me. He was not fat and he was not balding. He was just a big raw-boned guy
Related articles
- Cold cases stay alive until killers face justice (nzherald.co.nz)
The one with and anger monkeys #1
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="240" caption="New Zealand 2007 (Photo credit: Szymon Stoma)"]
[/caption]
There are a couple of "things" that seems to be lighting up my twitter timeline, newspaper opinion pages, and left and right-wing bloggers.
Mostly its anti-government sentiment, anything that the current National government do seems to be not well received. Mostly by people who voted Labour in the election and had their politicians fail to gain enough votes to make it into government, such is life. So their angst is one of a poor loser, calling foul and crying wolf over pretty much everything, sometimes with justification, mostly it's just whingeing about how their lot would do it better or not at all.
But there are a couple of things that are very raw and sore points, this is one;
It's not a problem to sell farms to James Cameron on the proviso he comes here for 10 days every other year, of to allow Shanaia Twain to buy a chunk of land. Or various other sales to countries of other nationalities
But a few clicks on the interwebtubes brings forth this;
Or this
However, this current outrage and angst comes down to two reasons and It's because
They're Chinese,
and
The National party have indicated that they are going to partially sell some of the few remaining assets we have - such as power generation.
The furore in this is the almost laughable outrage that this has generated as if it's a first time thing, and that no one has every done this ever. Fact is that NZ has sold off almost everything it has to private ownership and frankly there are only a few things left worth anything to anyone. Fait play to the 'opposition' on this who've stirred up wild fears and a catch-cry of "tenants in our own land" hysteria.
[/caption]There are a couple of "things" that seems to be lighting up my twitter timeline, newspaper opinion pages, and left and right-wing bloggers.
Mostly its anti-government sentiment, anything that the current National government do seems to be not well received. Mostly by people who voted Labour in the election and had their politicians fail to gain enough votes to make it into government, such is life. So their angst is one of a poor loser, calling foul and crying wolf over pretty much everything, sometimes with justification, mostly it's just whingeing about how their lot would do it better or not at all.
But there are a couple of things that are very raw and sore points, this is one;
#1 Crafar Farms. Shock Horror and Xenophobia we've sold some farms to some Chinese corporation.
It's not a problem to sell farms to James Cameron on the proviso he comes here for 10 days every other year, of to allow Shanaia Twain to buy a chunk of land. Or various other sales to countries of other nationalities
But a few clicks on the interwebtubes brings forth this;
Currently, it is our forest plantations where much of the foreign ownership is found.However, the only comprehensive statistics I have found are from the FAO document database and relate to 1999. At that stage about 72% of our pine forests were foreign owned, with United States companies owning about 35% and Asian companies about 12%. More recent data is incomplete but foreign ownership appears to have further increased.
Our wine industry is also predominantly foreign owned. Montana is owned by French giant Pernod Ricard. Nobilo, Selaks, Kim Crawford and Monkey Bay are owned by American company Constellation. Well known brands such as Cloudy Bay, Matua and Wither Hills are all foreign owned. Although many other wine companies are still Kiwi, they tend to be the small companies, and on a volume basis about 70% is foreign owned. The foreign owned companies have their own estates and then purchase additional grapes from Kiwi contract farmers
Or this
In 2005, the OIC approved the sale of 149,473 hectares of rural land to foreigners, of which about 100,000 hectares was from one foreign investor to another. Foreign owned land covers more than one million hectares or about 7% of our commercially productive land area
However, this current outrage and angst comes down to two reasons and It's because
They're Chinese,
and
The National party have indicated that they are going to partially sell some of the few remaining assets we have - such as power generation.
The furore in this is the almost laughable outrage that this has generated as if it's a first time thing, and that no one has every done this ever. Fact is that NZ has sold off almost everything it has to private ownership and frankly there are only a few things left worth anything to anyone. Fait play to the 'opposition' on this who've stirred up wild fears and a catch-cry of "tenants in our own land" hysteria.
Also laughably Sir Michael Fay has come out swinging about how poor this is, which to most people is the pot calling the kettle black, Fay-Ritchwhite having done nicely out of New Zealand in the past. It's obvious that the aim of Sir Fay is to force the public sentiment into a position where he can take advantage of a purchase of some assets, and then chop and shop them around making a tidy profit on the way through. Anyone who thinks he's being altruistic is being naïve in the extreme. Ok so past history does not predict future behavior and I could be wrong. I won't be.
There is such polarization over this issue that's it's difficult to get to a sensible conclusion. All the arguments have inherent truth, however it's a special point-in-time truth that ignores the past, and comes for an instant position taking that only the outraged have. It's not a yes/no question.
And from those that seem to think they're being disadvantaged I wonder where they were when the rest of the silverware was being spirited away by the bad guys?
Related articles
- Who's money is it? (homepaddock.wordpress.com)
- Fran O'Sullivan: Crafar ruling robust first step (nzherald.co.nz)
- Crafar chasers to challenge decision (nzherald.co.nz)
- Chinese have same rights as other buyers - Key (radionz.co.nz)
- Papers show Crafar pressure (nzherald.co.nz)
- Crafar: NZ 'open' for foreign buyers (nzherald.co.nz)
- Relationship with China taken into account on Crafar deal (radionz.co.nz)
- Facts missing from figures (homepaddock.wordpress.com)
Saturday, April 21, 2012
On Dreams of Winning Lotto
[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Cabaret (musical) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)"]
[/caption]
I was thinking, which in and of itself is dangerous, at least this time there was nothing mechanical between my thoughts and failure. But what if you won a bundle of cash on a lotto draw. A sizable amount.
Now $1,000,000 would change your life and keep you in crayfish and caviar for a bit, but we're talking multiple millions of dollars. real life changing amounts. With a million you'd soon run out, or at least have spent a significant amount and then you're pretty much living your same life, except without the cheap things you used to have, unless you spent it all on crayfish and caviar and then you'd likely as have gout too.
So then, in the unlikely event that I get to win a gazillion dollars there are some ways to spend it.
Have a beer at the Guinness Factory, and at the place they make Heineken, and Leffe, and a Bath Ales, the beer drinkers equivalent at playing at St.Andrews, Augusta, etc. Dates and venues TBA :-)
I'd enjoy the months traveling in France, California and around and about on the wine trail too.
Not a lot about going back to work and keeping my steady job.
The generous of spirit me I'd also like to be able to donate amounts of money to worthy causes. So I'd imagine a scenario where I would put aside say (As an arbitrary number) $500,000 and that would allow me 10 x 50K donations, or 20 x 25K donations or even 100 x 5K donations to something. I'd be happy for instance buying new uniforms and tracksuits for a sports team somewhere knowing that it's instant pleasure.
This isn't to say that with the multi-millions that you wouldn't build a hall or venue for some worthy cause, so the pocket-money donations would be the fun part.
So what would I support as a major give-away? Well Own Glenn has it about right where he pledges a dollar-for-dollar thing, so his foundation would offer $1,000,000 for instance on the proviso that the recipient garners an equivalent amount of funding from other sources. This in some way validates the cause, and mitigate any reluctance or doubt you had that it's just a hand out.
What I'd bnever buy into is a business that I had to run, like a pub, cafe, restaurant. I think I mentioned it before getting up at 5am and working till midnight seems a bit daft. And 7 days a week? I'm sure I can find budding chefs and entertainers who would love that chance with my money,
And you know what I'd open a Cabaret place, a good old-fashioned dinner and 5 acts, comedian, dancers, singing, magic and a band. How unfashionable is that!
[/caption]I was thinking, which in and of itself is dangerous, at least this time there was nothing mechanical between my thoughts and failure. But what if you won a bundle of cash on a lotto draw. A sizable amount.
Now $1,000,000 would change your life and keep you in crayfish and caviar for a bit, but we're talking multiple millions of dollars. real life changing amounts. With a million you'd soon run out, or at least have spent a significant amount and then you're pretty much living your same life, except without the cheap things you used to have, unless you spent it all on crayfish and caviar and then you'd likely as have gout too.
So then, in the unlikely event that I get to win a gazillion dollars there are some ways to spend it.
Have a beer at the Guinness Factory, and at the place they make Heineken, and Leffe, and a Bath Ales, the beer drinkers equivalent at playing at St.Andrews, Augusta, etc. Dates and venues TBA :-)
I'd enjoy the months traveling in France, California and around and about on the wine trail too.
Not a lot about going back to work and keeping my steady job.
The generous of spirit me I'd also like to be able to donate amounts of money to worthy causes. So I'd imagine a scenario where I would put aside say (As an arbitrary number) $500,000 and that would allow me 10 x 50K donations, or 20 x 25K donations or even 100 x 5K donations to something. I'd be happy for instance buying new uniforms and tracksuits for a sports team somewhere knowing that it's instant pleasure.
This isn't to say that with the multi-millions that you wouldn't build a hall or venue for some worthy cause, so the pocket-money donations would be the fun part.
So what would I support as a major give-away? Well Own Glenn has it about right where he pledges a dollar-for-dollar thing, so his foundation would offer $1,000,000 for instance on the proviso that the recipient garners an equivalent amount of funding from other sources. This in some way validates the cause, and mitigate any reluctance or doubt you had that it's just a hand out.
What I'd bnever buy into is a business that I had to run, like a pub, cafe, restaurant. I think I mentioned it before getting up at 5am and working till midnight seems a bit daft. And 7 days a week? I'm sure I can find budding chefs and entertainers who would love that chance with my money,
And you know what I'd open a Cabaret place, a good old-fashioned dinner and 5 acts, comedian, dancers, singing, magic and a band. How unfashionable is that!
Related articles
- Mega Millions Jackpot Is Now $500 Million, Do You Play the Lotto? (clutchmagonline.com)
Beer – #18 in a series – Marston Pedigree
Wow, it's been like drink a beer a night week. Tonight I have a pleasurable guest in the name of Marston Pedigree, a 500ml sized bottle of Classic English Pale Ale.
This is a spectacularly nice beer, and I'm as happy as my picture looks, well that's not true because I look a bit of weirdo in the picture but let me tell you I am smiling away like a smily thing.
It's rich and Golden, and has a taste that really hits the spot for me. With an ABV of 5% this is something that I would be happy to hanker down over a game of dominos with, or more correctly over Game of thrones with. This really works for me unless you hadn't worked it out already.
Needless to say this is at 9.5 Arbitrary stars on the equally as arbitrary Pdubyah-o-meter, which is just as well since I have a fridge full of more exotic things left to drink, and they're going to have to be good to beat this and get a 10.
In and of itself a fine beer, and thanks to the fine people at WineCircle in Huapai who keep me on the straight and narrow. Twitter them @winecircle
This is a spectacularly nice beer, and I'm as happy as my picture looks, well that's not true because I look a bit of weirdo in the picture but let me tell you I am smiling away like a smily thing.It's rich and Golden, and has a taste that really hits the spot for me. With an ABV of 5% this is something that I would be happy to hanker down over a game of dominos with, or more correctly over Game of thrones with. This really works for me unless you hadn't worked it out already.
We only use natural Burton spring water and traditional varieties of barley and hops (Maris Otter Barley, Fuggles and Goldings hops), rather than less expensive, commercially grown, modern hybrids. Unique in this world, it is still brewed in the oak casks of the Burton Union to preserve its unique character, consistent quality and taste.
Needless to say this is at 9.5 Arbitrary stars on the equally as arbitrary Pdubyah-o-meter, which is just as well since I have a fridge full of more exotic things left to drink, and they're going to have to be good to beat this and get a 10.
In and of itself a fine beer, and thanks to the fine people at WineCircle in Huapai who keep me on the straight and narrow. Twitter them @winecircle
Related articles
- Beer - #17 in a series - Oh wait it's a Cider - Rekorderlig (pdubyah.com)
- Beer - #15 in a series - Stoke Bomber- Bohemian Ale (pdubyah.com)
- Beer - #16 in a series - Emerson's Weissbier. (pdubyah.com)
- Beer - #13 in a series - Banana Bread Beer (pdubyah.com)
- Beer - #9 in a series - Badger Blandford Flyer (pdubyah.com)
Friday, April 20, 2012
Beer – #17 in a series – Oh wait it's a Cider - Rekorderlig
Ok you got me, this is a Cider, but not like any other cider I ever had. It's a Swedish thing, in a pint-sized bottle, but it's only a ABV of 4% which is like a standard beer strength
This one: a Rekorderlig Strawberry & Lime Cider.
Made from the purest Swedish spring water and is bursting with deliciously ripe summer strawberry flavours.
And that's bang on, it's strawberry colored, strawberry smelling and is no effort to drink.
For a work night this should do me ok I think.
Top marks for this with a magnificent arbitrary 5 from 5 stars on the pdubyah-o-meter, it's as it says on the label without any aftertaste or surprise.
Oh the mixed berry one, not so much, a bit confused is how I would describe it, and you know me I can describe good.
This one: a Rekorderlig Strawberry & Lime Cider.Made from the purest Swedish spring water and is bursting with deliciously ripe summer strawberry flavours.
And that's bang on, it's strawberry colored, strawberry smelling and is no effort to drink.
For a work night this should do me ok I think.
Top marks for this with a magnificent arbitrary 5 from 5 stars on the pdubyah-o-meter, it's as it says on the label without any aftertaste or surprise.
Oh the mixed berry one, not so much, a bit confused is how I would describe it, and you know me I can describe good.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Contemplation on a middle aged life.
It's not like I ever thought I would have some understated life, a bohemian devil may care existence. But it gets to a point when all around you it's gone a bit squiffy,
At the moment:
It apparently it not enough having to had to go to three funerals in the last year, but right now, this week it just seems to be stacking up, like some weird cosmic bottle-neck. I get that as you get older that life catches up, but heck it's not like I'm zimmer frame old, so just stop alright.
Bizarrely then with a frozen shoulder I'm possibly the fittest person I know. And that's a scary thought in and of itself. (and it's clearly not true). But somehow the circle of life appears to be on the homeward journey and I might have mentioned it before that I'm just a bit not ready.
So tonight a beer or two, and some quiet reflection is in order. As for this feeling of hopelessness and puzzlement, I'm hoping that this too shall pass.
At the moment:
- Mother in Law was in hospital with suspected clotting, however it turns out that it was only bakers cyst. That and the osteoarthritis. Which for a golfer isn't helpful.
- I have a close friend in hospital awaiting corrective surgery on a neck surgery that sort of didn't go to plan.
- There is a close family friend who is undergoing surgery at the moment to remove some tumors he has.
- There is a close family friend who has the C thing.
- Mrs Pdubyah, well her manager not only has her father in hospital having suffered a stroke but she's been told that he's on a DNR notice. (Do Not Resuscitate), and if that wasn't bad enough today her brother died of basically being an alcoholic.
It apparently it not enough having to had to go to three funerals in the last year, but right now, this week it just seems to be stacking up, like some weird cosmic bottle-neck. I get that as you get older that life catches up, but heck it's not like I'm zimmer frame old, so just stop alright.
Bizarrely then with a frozen shoulder I'm possibly the fittest person I know. And that's a scary thought in and of itself. (and it's clearly not true). But somehow the circle of life appears to be on the homeward journey and I might have mentioned it before that I'm just a bit not ready.
So tonight a beer or two, and some quiet reflection is in order. As for this feeling of hopelessness and puzzlement, I'm hoping that this too shall pass.
Monday, April 16, 2012
Beer – #16 in a series – Emerson's Weissbier.
Oh Hai! I'm a bit partial to the Wheatbeer beer, and so I get around to one that's been on the list for a while the Emerson's Weissbier but often taken a back seat to some of the other more extravagant beers that I've been lucky to try of late.
Googlvating tells me "An especially imported Bavarian yeast strain gives Emerson’s Weissbier its authentic German character. The beer pours a cloudy, pale golden colour, and has a sweet bready aroma with notes of banana and sherbet. In the mouth the beer is spicy and tart, with some grainy sweetness. With age, Emerson’s WeissBier develops a clove-like aroma and the taste becomes softer and more cidery. Bottle Conditioned."
It's a 500ml bottle of ABV 5.0% beer, so up there with the "premium" beers you get in smaller bottles. I did get the "cloudy' that I sort of expected and you do get the lemon tang that is weissbier, so a sort of result. Frankly though a bit disappointing overall it's not as zingy on the tounge, and fizzes away in the glass like a cheap firework.
So to the arbitrary pdubyah-o-meter this is a disappointing 6 from 10 stars. If you're offering I'm drinking but if I'm out and buying I'll have a closer look at the rest of the shelf first.
Googlvating tells me "An especially imported Bavarian yeast strain gives Emerson’s Weissbier its authentic German character. The beer pours a cloudy, pale golden colour, and has a sweet bready aroma with notes of banana and sherbet. In the mouth the beer is spicy and tart, with some grainy sweetness. With age, Emerson’s WeissBier develops a clove-like aroma and the taste becomes softer and more cidery. Bottle Conditioned."It's a 500ml bottle of ABV 5.0% beer, so up there with the "premium" beers you get in smaller bottles. I did get the "cloudy' that I sort of expected and you do get the lemon tang that is weissbier, so a sort of result. Frankly though a bit disappointing overall it's not as zingy on the tounge, and fizzes away in the glass like a cheap firework.
So to the arbitrary pdubyah-o-meter this is a disappointing 6 from 10 stars. If you're offering I'm drinking but if I'm out and buying I'll have a closer look at the rest of the shelf first.
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- Long Time No Beer - Back with Wachusett Brewing Green Monsta IPA (thebeerhound.wordpress.com)
- Deutsches Bier! (fremded.wordpress.com)
- Beer #22 - Erie Misery Bay IPA (dumideas.wordpress.com)
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Beer – #15 in a series – Stoke Bomber- Bohemian Ale
Ok so there's me grinning like a loon. Presented in a magnificent 650ml bottle - that's a lot!, I give you the "The Original Stoke Bomber Bohemian Ale"
From the Mccashin Family Brewery (Nelson, NZ), it's listed as a Golden Ale. It's ABV of 5.3% makes it a little stronger than most local beers.
It's a lovely golden color in the glass, and has a very enticing hoppy smell on pour. To be fair I was fair gagging for this.
I was not disappointed as the taste is to match, it's pleasant, pleasing and moreish. I thought it really was that good.
The label says "the finest natural ingredients, with no chemicals, preservatives, sugar, or artificial colourings or flavorings" and I think it's a bit spot on. From the interwebtubes I found this nonsense
"delicate wheat and lightly roasted barley with the lively citrus and pepper flavours. Fully rounded mouthfeel and engaging honeyed malt complexity and spicy. Classic Bohemian."
but what can I say other than yes. Goal!
On the completely arbitrary pdubyah-o-meter this is easily a 9 out of 10, the Mccashin crew have this one sorted.
Thanks to the fine people at the Wine Circle in Huapai who keep me on the straight and narrow!
Related articles
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- Beer #21 - Lakefront IPA (dumideas.wordpress.com)
- http://beerforayear.wordpress.com/2012/03/27/228-mccashin-stoke-bomber-bohemian-ale/trackback/
Saturday, April 14, 2012
From my past - Chariots of the Gods!
I often think back to the days when as a teenager I discovered books, and knowledge. Not Novels but the reference section of the library.And the book that I remember most is the Eric von Daniken book "Chariots of the Gods". And what an eye opener. Now you have to remember that this was 1975/1976 ish
"Was God an ancient astronaut? Do centuries-old legends of gods and heroes tell of space travelers who came to earth from distant parts of the Cosmos? Are some of the ruins of antiquity remnants of great airfields, the favored landing sites of extraterrestrial craft?"
I think the book opened up the possibility of 'more' and brought forward thinking of "what if". Some of it seemed plausible of course, some of it seems very compelling. Writing this now it's difficult to set aside that I know it's rubbish and ill-founded and false. But at the time the idea of iron pillars that didn't rust, and ancient depictions of astronauts was mind-blowing.
A roller coaster of a ride around such artifacts as the Egyptian pyramids, Stonehenge, and the Moai of Easter Island.And a medieval map known as the Piri Reis Map, allegedly showing the Earth as it is seen from space, and the Nazca lines in Peru, which he explains as landing strips for an airfield. Wonderful stuff to a questioning mind.
This was one gem that on re-reading rings bells; On the mysteries of the great Pyramid of Cheops:
"is it coincidence that the area of the base of the pyramid divided by twice its height gives the celebrated figure Pi = 3.14159?" (p. 77)
Here our slippery trickster has made a claim which is easy enough to understand, but its refutation requires a higher level of mathematical sophistication, which is all the better for letting the deception go unnoticed! Without going into too much detail, let us observe that the famous number Pi is what is called a "dimensionless constant": it is a pure number, with which no units of measure are associated. However, the ratio of an area to height is not dimensionless, hence such a ratio cannot yield Pi. By choosing our units carefully, we can obtain the number 3.14159, but the ratio will not really be Pi, which is independent of any units of measure. If we measure the same pyramid, Von Daniken style, in inches, feet, and yards, we will obtain three different ratios. Choose your own units, and the ratio can be made to equal any number at all! Von Daniken writes that the pyramid of Cheops "has inspired hundreds of crazy and untenable theories".
I remember reading my way though many books after that, although none have stuck with me as a catalyst or memory point, and they would have included books on the Bermuda Triangle, Bigfoot and Crop Circles. Tto be fair I've never re-read it. But is does remain a book that I have fond memories of as a start point to a journey. The one that leads to discovery of scepticism and to questioning everything. And whilst it's easy with a lot of years under you belt to claim to question everything you know that's not really the case. I question much of what I read and I doubt a lot of what I read, some of that it cynicism and some of that is benefit of wisdom. But I do think that the journey started here.
Related articles
- Flying Saucers of the Gods (rajultrivedi.wordpress.com)
- Challenge Day 17: A book you've read that changed your views on something. (myownprivateuniverse.wordpress.com)
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Growing up - the one about finding a job
It's not easy finding a job at the moment and #boychild is finding this out first hand.
Having passed some A levels (he's fairly bright) and deciding that further education didn't appeal so much got a full time employ, but with a 5am to 1pm shift, which is all well and dandy if you've got no friends and want to be in bed by 9am to get your sleep quota in.
Having done that for year he became seduced by the bright lights of further education and had his heart set on Geography/Humanities/Something or other at Auckland university. Despite many questions as to whether it was the "right" thing to study off he went.
For a year. When it became obvious that either he didn't like study or that he'd chosen the wrong thing.
Leave Uni having achieved partial success and some not so stellar results. Spent all the savings accrued from the year in employ - nett funds now a few gold coins.
Again frustratingly for parents he leaves finding a job untill after Christmas for no reason other than a misplaced hope of success. Yeah like that happens.
And Herein lies a problem. Having left school and had a job for a year, and then a year at Uni #boychild is a couple of years of experience short of a school leaver, but older. And he's fighting a school leaver fresh off the boat for a job. Any job, if only he knows which one. So older with little by way of recommendation and references. It was never going to be easy.
Back to reality then. Part of being "on the dole" is compulsory attendance at finding work seminars. These seem to be tick the box activities for WINZ and not a lot about finding employ for people.
They then fit you up with a job, that it seems you have to accept. And the doozy they fit #boychild up with was a 30 hours a week, casual hours, thing in a café. The hours varied according to the whim of the owner and often he would return to home for 3 or 4 hours before having to go back for an evening shift. Weird or what. There were days when he went in for an hour. There were days he didn't go in at all.
Seems the proprietor of the said café establishment had signed up to a cash for job scheme. Employee gets hours for work, employer get subsidy.
So from the parents view of things he's press-ganged into a job of work that's neither full-time or appropriate. 30 casual hours in a kitchen cooking from German language menus, not the stuff of legend.
And from a parents point of view, because that's all we have we suddenly get "I'm told that one more mistake and I'm fired" and it seems there was a rather public dressing down in front of customers with a WINZ person present who, he says said "If you lose this job you'll lose the dole" which sounds sort of odd and sort of not.
To be honest it's not a job that I would have put #boychild up for, cooking and cleaning not really his two major strengths to be honest, judging by his domestic habits.
Today though he gets a text telling him not to come to work anymore, a text no less, so he rang and the proprietor tells him that he's no longer needed.
There are a couple of questions as a parent, and employee that I have
I'm hoping that this is the rock bottom and that the only way is up, I'm damned if I'm going to let #boychild mope and spiral out of control into some kind of career beneficiary status, and I'm damned if I'm going to encourage him into a further $10K of student debt to gain a diploma in IT or some such.
Things have a way of working out if you're motivated and ready to take a knock or two, as a parent this is a hard time to be a parent, as a worker this is a hard time to look for a job, and whilst I don't expect him to lower his sights he might have to accept that to get on the ladder you have to get on the ladder.
Having passed some A levels (he's fairly bright) and deciding that further education didn't appeal so much got a full time employ, but with a 5am to 1pm shift, which is all well and dandy if you've got no friends and want to be in bed by 9am to get your sleep quota in.
Having done that for year he became seduced by the bright lights of further education and had his heart set on Geography/Humanities/Something or other at Auckland university. Despite many questions as to whether it was the "right" thing to study off he went.
For a year. When it became obvious that either he didn't like study or that he'd chosen the wrong thing.
Leave Uni having achieved partial success and some not so stellar results. Spent all the savings accrued from the year in employ - nett funds now a few gold coins.
Again frustratingly for parents he leaves finding a job untill after Christmas for no reason other than a misplaced hope of success. Yeah like that happens.
And Herein lies a problem. Having left school and had a job for a year, and then a year at Uni #boychild is a couple of years of experience short of a school leaver, but older. And he's fighting a school leaver fresh off the boat for a job. Any job, if only he knows which one. So older with little by way of recommendation and references. It was never going to be easy.
Back to reality then. Part of being "on the dole" is compulsory attendance at finding work seminars. These seem to be tick the box activities for WINZ and not a lot about finding employ for people.
They then fit you up with a job, that it seems you have to accept. And the doozy they fit #boychild up with was a 30 hours a week, casual hours, thing in a café. The hours varied according to the whim of the owner and often he would return to home for 3 or 4 hours before having to go back for an evening shift. Weird or what. There were days when he went in for an hour. There were days he didn't go in at all.
Seems the proprietor of the said café establishment had signed up to a cash for job scheme. Employee gets hours for work, employer get subsidy.
So from the parents view of things he's press-ganged into a job of work that's neither full-time or appropriate. 30 casual hours in a kitchen cooking from German language menus, not the stuff of legend.
And from a parents point of view, because that's all we have we suddenly get "I'm told that one more mistake and I'm fired" and it seems there was a rather public dressing down in front of customers with a WINZ person present who, he says said "If you lose this job you'll lose the dole" which sounds sort of odd and sort of not.
To be honest it's not a job that I would have put #boychild up for, cooking and cleaning not really his two major strengths to be honest, judging by his domestic habits.
Today though he gets a text telling him not to come to work anymore, a text no less, so he rang and the proprietor tells him that he's no longer needed.
There are a couple of questions as a parent, and employee that I have
- Was there a work contract?
- Did you agree a 90 day trial period, understanding that you could be fired without cause within the 90 days?
- What "mistakes" did you make, and what training or supervision was given to ensure that you understood the requirements?
- Did the WINZ person really allow a dressing down in front of customers in the way you said?
I'm hoping that this is the rock bottom and that the only way is up, I'm damned if I'm going to let #boychild mope and spiral out of control into some kind of career beneficiary status, and I'm damned if I'm going to encourage him into a further $10K of student debt to gain a diploma in IT or some such.
Things have a way of working out if you're motivated and ready to take a knock or two, as a parent this is a hard time to be a parent, as a worker this is a hard time to look for a job, and whilst I don't expect him to lower his sights he might have to accept that to get on the ladder you have to get on the ladder.
Related articles
Monday, April 9, 2012
When the children grow up - the one with the memories
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Original description on flickr: This another doll that was owned by my great aunt. I had her re-strung at the NY Doll Hospital. I was told that she is a German doll from about 1900. I believe she is a German Bisque Kestner, Mold 171. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)"]
[/caption]
Daughter is having a fine old time recounting to us her version of her childhood.
There are a couple of stand out stories so far. They all start with "Do you remember the time that"... So here we go
Or
To expand on that a little daughter had a "tall" doll, sort of 24 inches, and I saw on my travels an equivalent sized boy doll, and brought it for her, she screamed and threw it to one side and never ever touched it. We gave it away. Even Mrs Pdubyah thought it was ugly and a bit of a mistake.
Or
For entertainment value it's magnificent around the dinner table.although they all have the slightly depressing "and I cried" at the end of them. We know she has a bunch of other memories and prodigious recall of places and events and places, quite scary.
[/caption]Daughter is having a fine old time recounting to us her version of her childhood.
There are a couple of stand out stories so far. They all start with "Do you remember the time that"... So here we go
Do you remember the time that we were on the ferry (the Auckland to Waiheke ferry), and I wanted a drink?. Well you went to get me one and you came back with a can of Fanta,and I wanted Sprite, And I cried?
Or
Do you remember the time when you brought me home a boy doll, and it was ugly, and I cried?
To expand on that a little daughter had a "tall" doll, sort of 24 inches, and I saw on my travels an equivalent sized boy doll, and brought it for her, she screamed and threw it to one side and never ever touched it. We gave it away. Even Mrs Pdubyah thought it was ugly and a bit of a mistake.
Or
Do you remember that time at the park when a bee flew at me and I closed my eyes and when I opened them it had gone? And I asked you to check my eye as I thought the bee had flown into and was now living in my eyeball. And I Cried?
For entertainment value it's magnificent around the dinner table.although they all have the slightly depressing "and I cried" at the end of them. We know she has a bunch of other memories and prodigious recall of places and events and places, quite scary.
Related articles
- Childhood memories (1) (spiegeltjes.wordpress.com)
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Parenting - the one with the nonsense rhymes
MrsPdubyah and my Daughter was sitting around talking about her childhood, and some of the things she remembers, which is rich fodder for another time.
From that conversation I had a throwback to my own childhood, and a couple of the nonsense rhymes that I remember. I'm stretched to come up with more than 3, which is not to say that I didn't know many more or have a lot more fun a child.
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="300"]
Mary Had a Little Lamb (Photo credit: Wikipedia)[/caption]
So we start with this on, but really in no particle order
Which reminds me of this one
Also or more completely a mash up the previous two perhaps?
or perhaps it ends...
And this one that reminds me of playing in the garden with my sisters for no reason other than it does.
and the one that we told our own children!
From that conversation I had a throwback to my own childhood, and a couple of the nonsense rhymes that I remember. I'm stretched to come up with more than 3, which is not to say that I didn't know many more or have a lot more fun a child.
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="300"]
Mary Had a Little Lamb (Photo credit: Wikipedia)[/caption]So we start with this on, but really in no particle order
One fine day in the middle of the night
Two dead boys got up to fight
Back to back they faced each other
Drew their swords and shot each other
I went straight round the corner
and saw a dead donkey die
I took out my dagger to shoot him
and he gave me a kick in the eye.
Which reminds me of this one
I went to the pictures tomorrow,
I took a front seat at the back.
I fell from the pit to the gallery,
And broke a front bone in my back.
Also or more completely a mash up the previous two perhaps?
I Went To the Pictures Tomorrow,
I got a front seat at the back.
I fell from the pit to the gallery,
And broke a front bone in my back.
I went around a straight crooked corner,
To see a dead donkey die.
I took out my pistol to stab it,
And it kicked me right in the eye!
A lady she gave me some chocolate,
I ate it and gave it her back.
I phoned for a taxi and walked it
And thats why I never came back.
or perhaps it ends...
A deaf policeman heard the noise,
And came to arrest the two dead boys,
If you don't believe this story’s true,
Ask the blind man he saw it too!.
And this one that reminds me of playing in the garden with my sisters for no reason other than it does.
Mary had a little lamb,
She thought him very silly,
She threw him up into the air,
And caught him by his,
Willy was a sheepdog lying in the grass,
Down came a bumblebee and stang him on the,
Ask no questions, tell no lies,
I saw a policeman doing up his,
Flies are a problem, wasps are worse,
That is the end of my silly little verse.
and the one that we told our own children!
Mary had a little lamb,
Her father shot it dead.
Now Mary takes the lamb to school,
Between two hunks of bread.
Then the one that made my children laugh
Fuzzy Wuzzy was a bear
Fuzzy Wuzzy had no hair
Fuzzy Wuzzy wasn't fuzzy, was he?
Saturday, April 7, 2012
Question : Where's The Movement For Howard Morgan?
There is a reason I think that this story will gather no mainstream momentum. It will be added into a list of things that African American "Black" people will feel rightly and justifiably aggrieved about.
And the thing that I think will stop this is the line
That the story is repeated on a few websites almost verbatim (churnalism),and that it dates back to 2005 might be the reason that there is no "Community Outrage".
Ok so I'm white. And I might be reading this incorrectly , or be over sensitive, but to have a story who's justice pivots on skin color, I'm black they're white therefore it's wrong, seems a little at odds.
Clearly America, and a few other countries, have issues with race and equality. But I'd be more sympathetic if they'd left the color card in the draw and let me draw my own conclusions.
I don't think there is a white conspiracy, because that is just to difficult to justify, is there a collusion and denial going on in this instance, possibly. Who knows for sure, apart from those that were there at the time, and they're not going to change their story. Were they all good ol' White boys, or were they Hispanics, or Asian Americans? or really all just White. Makes me think of a Jospeh Wambaugh novel.
And I'm in no way saying that "as presented" the case is a cut and dried example of a cover-up, conspiracy, or whitewash, what seems to be suspicious is that in 7 years not one bright up coming feisty for-the-cause lawyer has managed to make anything out of this.
Where's The Movement For Howard Morgan? | DrJays.com Live | Fashion. Music. Lifestyle.
And the thing that I think will stop this is the line
As you can see, Morgan is black. All of the police officers who discharged the barrage of bullets into him were white.
That the story is repeated on a few websites almost verbatim (churnalism),and that it dates back to 2005 might be the reason that there is no "Community Outrage".
Ok so I'm white. And I might be reading this incorrectly , or be over sensitive, but to have a story who's justice pivots on skin color, I'm black they're white therefore it's wrong, seems a little at odds.
Clearly America, and a few other countries, have issues with race and equality. But I'd be more sympathetic if they'd left the color card in the draw and let me draw my own conclusions.
I don't think there is a white conspiracy, because that is just to difficult to justify, is there a collusion and denial going on in this instance, possibly. Who knows for sure, apart from those that were there at the time, and they're not going to change their story. Were they all good ol' White boys, or were they Hispanics, or Asian Americans? or really all just White. Makes me think of a Jospeh Wambaugh novel.
And I'm in no way saying that "as presented" the case is a cut and dried example of a cover-up, conspiracy, or whitewash, what seems to be suspicious is that in 7 years not one bright up coming feisty for-the-cause lawyer has managed to make anything out of this.
Where's The Movement For Howard Morgan? | DrJays.com Live | Fashion. Music. Lifestyle.
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- On Racism and the Windy City (katiemarybarry.com)
- Former Policeman Shot 28 Times by 4 Chicago Cops and lives (cntrovrc.wordpress.com)
Parenting disaster - an ongoing series
Well I have to confess to really making a hash of this one.
Daughter has a car with a Mongoose Alarm system and a two button remote. We have two, just in case.
The remote button to the car she uses needed the battery replacing, so she said, which you'd think would be within the capability of most parents with a small screwdriver and no fear of taking a small object apart. So here we go. Captain Dad;
It doesn't work though.
Now in Pdubyahland this means that the remote has forgotten it's code, right and has to be re-learnt, so I get on the interwebtubes and find out how to learn the remote the code to the alarm.
Print that off, go to car, go through the process, and I can't get it to work.
And this is where it's gone wrong.
I've managed to arm the alarm, but neither of the remote buttons now work. The car is disabled, the remotes don't work. The engine is immobilized. It won't start.
It's a holiday weekend, anyone that can fix it is on holiday. I'd disconnect the battery to see if that resets the alarm and there are thee outcomes
I'm not really a fan of 1-3 odds, and I can't see disconnecting the battery option working as when we got the car the battery had been flat for a couple of months.
lesson: Don't. Just don't.
Daughter has a car with a Mongoose Alarm system and a two button remote. We have two, just in case.
The remote button to the car she uses needed the battery replacing, so she said, which you'd think would be within the capability of most parents with a small screwdriver and no fear of taking a small object apart. So here we go. Captain Dad;
- Find Small Screwdriver
- Took remote apart, a bit fell out.
- Ignore small bit, she'll be right mate
- Go back to garage get remote control for garage door, battery is the same as for the garage remote control as the car one.
- Change the battery
- Reassemble car remote, noting that it appears to need the small bit that fell out to make the screw work,never mind she'll be right mate
- Try out newly powered car remote
- Doesn't work
- Disassemble car remote, no more bits fall out
- Turn battery around it's now in the right way
- Go to tool box, find an unopened super glue packet
- Find tweezers
- Stick fingers together
- Stick bit that had fallen out back in again
- Reassemble remote
- Test
It doesn't work though.
Now in Pdubyahland this means that the remote has forgotten it's code, right and has to be re-learnt, so I get on the interwebtubes and find out how to learn the remote the code to the alarm.
Print that off, go to car, go through the process, and I can't get it to work.
And this is where it's gone wrong.
I've managed to arm the alarm, but neither of the remote buttons now work. The car is disabled, the remotes don't work. The engine is immobilized. It won't start.
It's a holiday weekend, anyone that can fix it is on holiday. I'd disconnect the battery to see if that resets the alarm and there are thee outcomes
- It won't matter, the car will still be immobilized
- The alarm will go off as it thinks it's being tampered with
- it'll reset itself
I'm not really a fan of 1-3 odds, and I can't see disconnecting the battery option working as when we got the car the battery had been flat for a couple of months.
lesson: Don't. Just don't.
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Jolly Hockey Sticks - the College edition
[caption id="attachment_1684" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Rangitoto Hockey"]
[/caption]
Every year there is a pre-season Inter-College "tournament" at St. Cuthberts College in Remuera. It's called the Anzac tournament and is by invitation only.
Rangitoto College are the only public school to be invited to participate.
There is a traditional festival dinner held on the first evening of the two day event. Rangitoto College girls broke with tradition a few years a go and dressed "formally" in school uniform for the dinner, and in subsequent years this has become the norm.
This year however having changed school uniform through the year to some new fancy affair the 1st XI Hockey Girls won't be able to wear a school blazer as the school "pool" of blazers is short the number they need.
Blazers are an optional item of school wear and they are not in common usage other than at formal events and occasion and the school rents them for use for events.
Daughter is besides herself. She feels that not being able to dress up for the festival dinner is a poor signal from the school in a couple of areas. Firstly she thinks that this is an indication of the "worth" of the Hockey team to the School.
The team is in the premier grade, and has won or been in Intercity and National Finals consistently for many years.
Secondly she feels that being able to dress up to represent the college carries with it more kudos and mana among what you could consider a list of élite private schools. She has pride in spades
So she wrote a letter to the head of sports, her coach, and a couple of other teachers in the school. All for the cause. Like I said to her "If you do nothing you get nothing"
I hope something comes of it, she thinks it's important enough, I hope the school does too.
5th of April update
Having presented her letter to he Dean and her Tutor, as well as the HOD Sports blazers became available. She's not taking any credit for it of course, but I told her she should even if she doesn't believe it :-) My activist daughter, who knew!
[/caption]Every year there is a pre-season Inter-College "tournament" at St. Cuthberts College in Remuera. It's called the Anzac tournament and is by invitation only.
As part of promotion the College hosts the ANZAC Tournament, which is an invitational festival competition of teams from through out New Zealand.
Rangitoto College are the only public school to be invited to participate.
There is a traditional festival dinner held on the first evening of the two day event. Rangitoto College girls broke with tradition a few years a go and dressed "formally" in school uniform for the dinner, and in subsequent years this has become the norm.
This year however having changed school uniform through the year to some new fancy affair the 1st XI Hockey Girls won't be able to wear a school blazer as the school "pool" of blazers is short the number they need.
Blazers are an optional item of school wear and they are not in common usage other than at formal events and occasion and the school rents them for use for events.
Daughter is besides herself. She feels that not being able to dress up for the festival dinner is a poor signal from the school in a couple of areas. Firstly she thinks that this is an indication of the "worth" of the Hockey team to the School.
The team is in the premier grade, and has won or been in Intercity and National Finals consistently for many years.
Secondly she feels that being able to dress up to represent the college carries with it more kudos and mana among what you could consider a list of élite private schools. She has pride in spades
So she wrote a letter to the head of sports, her coach, and a couple of other teachers in the school. All for the cause. Like I said to her "If you do nothing you get nothing"
I hope something comes of it, she thinks it's important enough, I hope the school does too.
5th of April update
Having presented her letter to he Dean and her Tutor, as well as the HOD Sports blazers became available. She's not taking any credit for it of course, but I told her she should even if she doesn't believe it :-) My activist daughter, who knew!
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Beer – #14 in a series – Lancaster Bomber
Tonight I shall be tippling the Thwaits Lancaster Bomber
yeah, they say :
Styrian Goldings, well that could be Pork Scratchings to the ill informed.
IT is a hoppy full aroma beer with a wonderful olde English beer taste. IT's a less strong beer at 4.4 Alc/Vol and it comes as always in the pinty sized bottle. Poured with a nice head too I might add, always pleasant.
It is pleasing and pleasant and would be nice to have with company and around a file, it's that kind of beer, sipping beer not quaffing beer (for my taste)
On the arbitrary stars-o-meter this is 7 our of 10. but is pushing the 8. Score!
yeah, they say :
This chestnut-coloured beer is brewed using pale ale and crystal malt, which gives it a full-bodied flavour. A finely balanced hop character is enriched by the late addition of Styrian Goldings as a dry hop in each cask to give a prominent floral hop aroma and warming aftertaste.
Styrian Goldings, well that could be Pork Scratchings to the ill informed.
IT is a hoppy full aroma beer with a wonderful olde English beer taste. IT's a less strong beer at 4.4 Alc/Vol and it comes as always in the pinty sized bottle. Poured with a nice head too I might add, always pleasant.
It is pleasing and pleasant and would be nice to have with company and around a file, it's that kind of beer, sipping beer not quaffing beer (for my taste)
On the arbitrary stars-o-meter this is 7 our of 10. but is pushing the 8. Score!
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- Little Creatures Pale Ale (therobotmusteat.com)
- 10 delightfully wicked brews (thegraveyardpress.wordpress.com)
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