Tramping

http://oswaldbastable.blogspot.com/2011/06/gone-bush.html

Just saw a picture of what I suspect is Lake Daniels  -  A place I first went to when I was about 6 or 7. I remember my father helping me when I was stuck in the swampy area about 30 minutes walk from the hut. Since then I have been in many times with my Dad (one heart attack and one broken wrist for him - the broken wrist caused him to pass out and I thought have another heart attack!). Following that I took childhood friends in with him and even my (now) wife. When Dad got too old to walk in, which was in his late 60's, we had one last hurrah by going in by chopper - for that trip the fish cost about $450 per kilo! It is a truly wonderful place and having seen that pic I now plan on taking my kids this December.

I only hope my kids have the same memories of the place that I do...

Here we go again

More bloody aftershocks.

I am glad that we have all decamped to the coast for the weekend - even though it has been pissing down. The kids have been fairly good recently and we could do well without further disruption.

I hope all of our clients have come through ok but I fear for a few of the buildings we look after. I was on the 13th floor of one the other day and even with no quakes it was groaning and creaking. I don't think we will be going up there again!

Well you pay for it then!

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10719331

Fuck I hate how ivory tower academics expect the pool old taxpayer to fund what they want to watch. Frankly I doubt that even they watch the shite that is on TVNZ7.

"viewers want and should be able to access" Utter bullshit - if viewers wanted to access it the ratings would be good - clearly no one is interested in the banal pc nonsense that purports to be programming on this channel.

PSA morons

My contribution....


Really as Cactus Kate (hat tip) says you would think they would, at the very least, monitor the site.

Edit: the commies have now killed the page....

Back again

Working in the property industry as I do times have been very "interesting"in recent weeks. I now plan to get back to the blog on a fairly regular basis. I will be posting thoughts on the recovery and the manner in which CD/CC/Central Government are dealing with the huge task ahead.

Air National

85744http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/public-trust-highest-risk-airline-misplaced-ja-p-85744 - Behind the paywall sorry

Ye gods I don't like the sound of this. I fly with these guys fairly often as they are an Air New Zealand contractor (if that is the right term) from Blenheim to Christchurch. The planes I have been on are Jetstream 32's which have always had an awful and strong "unwashed hair" smell about them. I always dread the Friday afternoon trip and have a shower once I get home. I am not being overly sensitive either as rugby broke my nose 4 times and I can't smell too well as a result.

It could well be that the CAA are being unfair (I doubt it though) but for me safety in flight is sacrosanct and even the perception that an airline is unsafe is enough to make me want to avoid them. The problem is that with Air New Zealand being the only airline flying Blenheim to Christchurch I don't have any choice.

I don't want to see anyone out of a job but this must be the end for Air National - surely after this Air New Zealand will have to drop them from flying for them?

I'm back

Now that the earthquake work has lessened somewhat I will start to get this blog going.

Thoughts and musings to follow....