Intruder Alert!

This intruder has appeared in one of our shallow fish ponds. How he got there is anyone's guess - the nearest running creek is 100m plus away. Looks like he might be a Green and Golden Bell Frog. Beautifully bright greens and golds.

Supposed to live no further south than Gisborne, but I've got news for you - this one's very happy 250km further south, 320m above sea level near Dannevegas, at around 60mm long (excluding legs), but maybe lonely. If he came in as an egg on a bird's foot, it is a wonder the always ravenous 15 or so goldfish didn't devour the tadpole.



Great camouflage, hard to see but he loves to sun himself during the day. Can jump 500mm from poolside if disturbed. Haven't heard him croaking yet. Pix taken hand-held at around 36x zoom, yes that is normal sized clover behind him at the pool's edge.

Quality, accountability, results

Quality, accountability, results. They are the only standards that matter irrespective of colour. Anything else will be inherently racist.

Cannot disagree with that, Mr Laws.

Harawira has played a key role in treaty issues, Maori language revitalisation, land occupations, Maori broadcasting and led the 2004 foreshore and seabed hikoi.

Sharples, Turia, Jackson et al continuing to preach that the only redemption for Maori is separate everything.

Unfortunately we are in the thrall of taxpayer funded professional stirrers.

Some just do not learn

A 105 [howitzer] is a big field gun. Even though they're blanks there's still a big whack in them – enough to take you to pieces if detonated

After the Armed Forces managed to kill one of their own this week, you'd be forgiven thinking that their members would be extremely aware of mishandling explosives, even if it is only a (live) blank.


Or maybe not.

A milestone

Last week, he said, the suburb of Otahuhu went 24 hours without a house burglary being reported, which was "unheard of"

Well, I never thought that would occur. Mr Plod may be making a difference.

Hell, some day one might feel safe traversing the Southern Motorway past South Auckland without the door locks on.

And the first President of the EU is ...

Belgian PM Herman van Rompuy is named as the new EU president and the UK's Baroness Ashton becomes foreign policy chief.

Alcohol "protects men's hearts"

Drinking alcohol every day cuts the risk of heart disease in men by more than a third

That reminds me, the sun has cleared the yardarm...

Breaking News: Climategate has occurred

The dog that ate the homework just vomited

HT Ayrdale

Mr Plod starting to do his job

We’ve kicked in 300 doors, arrested 400 people, seized hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of drugs and in this particular occasion we’re obviously looking pretty closely at some people’s assets

At last, steps in the right direction. Well done, Mr Plod.

Now we just need to get them through the judicial process and locked away.

Did the earth move for you?

Palmerston North had a 5.1 earthquake a few minutes ago as I was stepping outside to put my cows onto the long acre.

Minor swaying of light fittings here in Dannevegas, but on the Palmy side of the hill, a different story. The radio station is full of people ringing.

Looks like it was 40km directly below Massey University.

APN is stuffed

Not many people live past 100, a blessing and a curse. My Great Grandmother did and her three daughters made their 90's.

Cactus rips another for APN and hints that it is in her genes to be annoying the MSM for a while.

Give it up APN.

Frightening the horses and it's only Wednesday!

Our illustrious leader is having a great week. [Insert Tui about here]

new-look ETS would cost the average farmer only $3000 a year for "agricultural methane and nitrous oxide"

Key tells farmers to stop whinging

disagrees there was too much political interference over Maori Television's (MTS) bid to broadcast the free-to-air Rugby World Cup games

Key says the RWC farce is not political

he will not meet the Dalai Lama when he visits New Zealand next month

Key has seen enough of Asian dragons at APEC and caves into political pressure from China

he is not going to Copenhagen, as he says the meeting will not produce any resolution of the climate change issue

Key tells a thespian to bog off


It's been a rough week so far, wonder what the rest of the week will bring?

Your Role in Preventing Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction

Green Party human rights spokesman Keith Locke said it was unlikely New Zealand universities were doing any serious research into matters that were directly related to weapons of mass destruction

Is that so? What about this then?

It just seems that the SIS is really trying to make work for itself given there are no terrorists or really dangerous people in New Zealand

So the Urerewa 17 were not dangerous terrorists then?

Murray, watch out - the SIS spooks in their inconspicuous black plastic macs are after you.

Protestors get taxpayer money and grovelling apology

I shouldn't have been arrested for doing nothing more than protesting

Protesting uni students always deserve to be arrested.

It's a day to be remembered in the history of civil rights in New Zealand

WTF? So says the human rights lawyer who just received 1/4 of the $200K payout.

Next I suppose we will be seeing this limp government and Mr Plod issuing grovelling apologies and dishing out taxpayer wedge to the Urerewa Terrorists.

Useless MSM finally notes new tax

Whilst Cactus Kate continues to stick it to the herald Editor who has taken it upon himself to engage blogs, I see one his repeaters has picked up on the story I ran 11 days ago. And I was late writing that - I had already had the bill a few days earlier.

Too bloody slow, MSM!

Breaking News: Taleban wins Afghanistan

The countdown towards Britain exiting from the war in Afghanistan could start as early as next year

Gordon caves in on the fight against terrorism.

Vodafone service off to Manila

the shift was because the Auckland business had reached capacity

Another call centre disappears into the depths of a Manila slum.

Vodafone service. An oxymoron.

$110,000,000,000,00

Numbers like that make my eyes glaze over. I had to Google what a billion actually was. (Just to give some sense of scale - 1 billion seconds is almost 32 years)

Somebody wake me up and remind me just how little old New Zealand became liable for this GoreBull. So many zeroes that even the gummint wallahs cannot compute the numbers. That is $27,500.00 for every single one of us here in Godzone.

The yellow nuclear furnace that dictates our climate hopefully will still rise in the east tomorrow and irradiate this new world order bullshit.

HT Crusader Rabbit

KiwiSlaver reality bites

About 160,000 of the 1.2 million people who have joined KiwiSaver are under 18 but fewer than 10 per cent actually contribute to it

KiwiSaver would get a bad reputation from people signing up their children, only to have the money whittled away by fees before they could start contributing

Reality sets in as the laws are tightened. If you, particularly grandparents, have signed your rugrats up to it, they are committed for life, whether or not they might want it post 17-18 years old.

Meanwhile, KiwiSlaver fund providers get ever richer on your tax dollar...

Weight loss addles the brain

There's nothing as daft as a middle-aged man sucking his tummy in to run about with a woman young enough to be his daughter

Nothing daft about such dalliances from where I sit. Only some green-eyed copy writer sees it as 'should have stayed fat, and out of trouble'.

Yealands reaches for the plonkers plastic

Yealands Estate owner Peter Yealand says about 10% of his sauvignon blanc will be sold in plastic bottles within the next two years.

He says the polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles weigh just 50g compared with a 500g glass bottle, which makes it better for the environment.

"I'm aiming to be the most sustainable wine producer in the world, and as part of our goal we look at ways that we can move towards achieving that."

Mr Yealand says a lot of energy is wasted moving heavy weight glass throughout New Zealand and worldwide.

Yealands starts bottling plonk in PET plastic bottles.

At the moment it's only sav blanc cats pee, but I suspect with the multitudes of global warmist plonkers that abound in these enlightened carbon-free days, this disease will spread.

First it was ditch real corks, next we will be forced to drink a favoured rough rouge from Chateau du Cardboard. Hell, yes - BTDT. Always quantity for effect over quality with alcohol.

Lady Thatcher passes on

Stephen Harper, the Canadian Prime Minister, had received the news that “Lady Thatcher had passed away”

Enough to kill the dinner conversation. No doubt would put Fairfacts Media into mourning his 'Iron Lady' .

Chaotic, yes. Alas, it was only a moggie, not 84 year old Maggie.

Sleepwalking to apartheid

National Party ministers appear to implicitly support Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia's plan to bundle multiple contracts for Maori health, education, housing, justice and social services into integrated "Whanau Ora" contracts covering the whole spectrum of services for regional groups of Maori whanau

Another bottomless pit of affirmative action where taxpayer dollars will be poured without accountability for some future government to wring their hands over whilst trying reverse the welfare trap.

The plan is inspired by longstanding Maori ambitions for self-determination

Welcome to apartheid, New Zealand style.

Guess who will pay?

Won't someone think of the children?

The usual suspects appeal to base instincts to get the message across about a school closure and integrating the kids into other schools.

their prime concern was the future of the children at the school.

... The PSA has 27 members working at Waimokoia

Nice to see another 27 unionised about to enter the real workforce.

Really makes Friday the 13th great.

Well, that was a waste of time

You can now all exhale. While you waited with baited breath wasting your day for real action on matters Hone, the Maori Party has this afternoon again given New Zealand the finger by giving Hone another couple of weeks.

My guess is that unless he is pushed, he will stir the pot for all it is worth whilst gathering strength from the locals. I do wonder if he might will get lippy yet again giving away more of the separatists hidden agenda on the F&S in a fit of pique and expletives. After the gutless effort by the Maori Party today he will see out his full term. And get re-elected.

Nothing will come from the Nats, they are donkey deep in with the the separatists.

An aside, interesting to note that a school can be closed at a moment's notice for a political meeting.

Banana Republic? Hello Zimbabwe!

Maori Party policies are racially divisive and will turn New Zealand into the Zimbabwe of the South Pacific

We should beware of any ethnic or religious group that seeks power

National's agreement to repeal the Foreshore and Seabed Act was a "breathtaking backflip" that would open a "festering racial sore that will infect the whole country"

and

increased Asian immigration and a growing trend towards multiculturalism was a "force for disintegration"

Guess who, at his usual xenophobic best, playing to your worst nightmares?

Amazing what money can buy

Serious drugs charges in three Auckland courts against Millie Elder have been dropped

I wonder if Daddy will continue his P crusade?

QOTD

Hone is part Pakeha, that part keeps apologising,

the Maori part keeps fucking it all up.

Where else but Cactus herself
(part of 5.17 pm comment).

Apology NOT accepted

denied that he was attacking all Pakeha

Making a conditional apology on some backwater radio station does not cut the mustard.

The fact remains that this so called representative of New Zealand, in his own words, 'does not resile' from the intent of the statement, irrespective of the language used to to convey the message.

Time for you to act John Boy.

How is your spelling?

A piece of trivia I came across - a site to practise your spelling. Aimed at children, along the lines of the Yank program, this one uses the Queen's English. Beware, listening carefully is an art form.

Some in the MSM could do well to limber up with at least 50 words daily in the spelling bee before they write any copy.

Apologists all round

Apologist #1.

"I have shown poor judgement. For that I am very sorry,"

"I accept that I have failed to live up to the important principle that I have set, that politicians should always remember that they are spending taxpayers' money, and therefore must spend it carefully."

Although a mea culpa might help Rodders short term, the fact remains he is just another troughing politician. I'll believe you when politicians are no longer able to take spouses on work trips and no longer have a lifetime entitlement to subsidised travel post-employment.


Apologist #2.

He has apologised to the party for any harm be caused with his offensive language but not for the sentiment behind it
The reason we persist is because of his potential. I think he will find a way to apologise to the nation, we will help him do that

After Hone's outburst, no amount of apologies will ever fix this racist politician.


And for the last apologist.

Race Relations Commissioner Joris de Bres received more than 20 complaints about the email but said yesterday Mr Harawira's language did not breach to Human Rights Act.

the language was offensive but it was freedom of speech and not action would be taken over it.

This apologist needs to be tested for colour-blindness.

Ladies For Hire

Whilst Hone explains away his intake of Parisienne culture by slagging off another culture, I went for a slightly different intake of culture last night in that cultured city, Palmerston North. And I paid for my seat.

You see, last night was the final dress rehearsal for the Alison Quigan show at Centrepoint and open to the paying public. From their promo:

These women have sung it all! Christenings, weddings, funerals, they’ve seen them all come and go – the good, the bad and the downright ugly.

But then a new priest is introduced to the parish. Good looking, but a priest – and therefore off limits. He wants a new choir – he wants something to impress the Bishop… and these gals aren’t it.

Without telling you the plot, an aptly named entertainingly funny show as the choir explores their various talents leading up to Christmas. I went along with a large work group - all were well entertained.

More detail and ticket link here. Opens tonight, goes to 19 Dec.

Hone snaps

Gee Buddy, do you believe that white man bullshit too do you?

"White motherf***ers have been raping our lands and ripping us off for centuries and all of a sudden you want me to play along with their puritanical bullshit."

Nice one Hone.

It is not for the Maori Party to decide his fate. There can only be one outcome and that should be mandated by the wuss that is our PM.

Either Hone goes or the coalition goes.

Another bloody tax

On my latest rate bills from the Westie eco-dinosaur - a new tax of $4.50 marked as 'Rugby World Cup Levy'. That's for one rating period, so I suppose it will be $27 for a year per property. For what, you may ask. I was wondering the same. Someone remind me how are the thieves at Waitakere involved with Eden Park and chasing leather?

Levy? Like hell, it is yet another bloody tax. Call a spade a spade, not some euphemism.

Thieving bastards.

Update: Key 'does not do anything'

We can see, Rodney.

Update:

The blouse apologises to John Boy. Harden up and grow some!

NZPA monkeys nobble copy

... Mr Mallard had knobbled Ms Kaye ...

Once again NZPA monkeys show their true worth.

knobble
Metallurgy. to treat (semirefined puddled iron) on a hearth before shingling to produce wrought iron.

nobble

1.	to drug or disable (a race horse) to prevent its winning a race.

2.	to convince (a person) by fraudulent methods; misrepresent or lie to.

3.	to swindle; defraud.

4.	to seize (a person); hold for arrest.

Nats miss golden opportunity

English was always going to be cornered on CGT. Spouted the party line - we will look at it - not as Espiner suggests it is a happening thing.

The issue I take out of it is, like JC says, bringing the spend down. JC is possibly suggesting lift GDP so the spend drops to around 30%.

My take is gut the spend by implementing a proper tax schedule and stop tinkering at the edges with likes of CGT. As one loophole is closed, another will open. CGT is already covered and a rental business is like any other business.

The NATs have no intention of reducing spend, they have said all along tax changes must be fiscally neutral. Therein lies the problem. A worldwide recession opportunity to gut government spending on all fronts has slid through their hands.

A comment I have just made over at HP on the TVNZ7 Economy program.

Chameleons attend church of a Sunday

Many young Pacific offenders in South Auckland are "chameleons" who attend church with their family the morning after committing a crime

Just following in their parents well rehearsed footsteps.

Young people who offend are chameleons. They change," she said."Young people, by definition, make mistakes. Adults, by definition, need to mentor and support them through those mistakes.

I well remember. Monday to Saturday mentoring gave the neighbour's mums and the kids the bash after their males fuelled up at the Glen Eden/Kelston trough or New Lynn/Avondale Flying Jug, then turned out in their Sunday best to atone, ever ready for another week. Hypocrites the lot of them.

Life goes on.

Keys sells out NZ

I think it's better to try and get some agreements

Agreements? No, he doesn't mean a new F&S law, he means to use the threat of non-repeal to bargain with the separatist Maori Party pawns.

the act would remain in place until an acceptable alternative was worked out in conjunction with coalition partners the Maori Party and iwi leaders

A real Judas, selling out NZ. One law for all is the only option.

Get yourself down to the beach, quick!

public access to beaches could be restricted

Could be your last day to go the beach without paying for the privilege.

Enjoy them while they are still free!

Educating the Electorate

the poll result showed the need for the referendum's education campaign, as the public were not yet engaged in discussion about it

Oh, yeah? Ask anyone outside the beltway how long they have been discussing MMP and whether they need more education on its ills.

There has been no opportunity for the public to be educated about it, and until that happens, a poll like this is not going to be a true indicator of people's views

Education? We don't need no education! Joe Voter knows exactly how democracy has been rorted for the last decade and a half by the Greens, Winston and one-man vanities.

It's going to be a good week, when the first article I clap my eyes on in the Herald is this.

Take your MMP and shove it!

A few questions

Readers will undoubtedly know with me being self employed how fervently I abhor the unionised, thus will never take on any employee, but I have a few questions.

Is it legal for an employer to pay non-unionised staff a different rate for the same job? If not so, in which act is that law written?