December 2010

My mates went fishing two weeks ago up at Great Barrier Island. This fish was taken at Marcus’ Spot-X “The Supermarket”.

This is the video of Steven landing a 17 pound snapper.

Len Brown has carried on his secret ways since becoming the Night-Mayor. He has brought cronyism, secret donation trusts, secret meetings and now he is re-visiting his expenses scandal.

During the campaign he pilloried John Banks for wasting ratepayers money on flowers, yet the first thing he did on making it into office was blow over a $100 on a bunch of flowers for his missus. Then he went and spent nearly the same amount that he pilloried John Banks for on a Christmas Card.

I published the Christmas Card, the NZ Herald then ran the story with the costs of printing the card, costs they must have got from one of Brown’s spin weasels, though it can’t have been Conor Roberts because he is way smarter than what has happened next.

The herald printed a story outlining how a mate of Len Browns got the job of printing the cards and the amount with which he scored in the untendered job. Then yesterday I receive this missive from the Council going all legalistic on me and fobbing me off until February. As my son would say EPIC FAIL!

They can hand out the numbers to repeaters willy-nilly but can’t comply with a simple LGOIMA request. Dumb, way dumb.

Len Brown might want an expensive toy train set for Christmas but what I want is a Mayor who doesn’t keep secrets or use officials to get in the way of right of the public to know what he is up to spending ratepayer cash.
Auckland Council LGOIMA request letter

This isn’t a pity post, it is an explanation, apology and a promise. I am well on my way to reshaping my life without prescription drugs for depression, and without depression, I don’t want pity.

I suffer from long term depression and depersonalisation disorder. But those are just labels and certainly not in any way excuses, but to some extent I have been using them as excuses and that must end.

I has been a hard six years. Six years in which I have destroyed pretty much everything that I ever had. I have destroyed relationships, friendships, wealth, talent, and I almost destroyed my will to try to get better.

It is hard to know now, after taking Prozac, Citalopram, Venlafaxine, Zyban and numerous sleep medications and anti-depressants that I have forgotten the names of, whether through all of that drug induced haze it was depression causing depersonalisation or the other way round. Either way the combination of the two essentially destroyed, pretty much totally my life, or at the least the life I thought I had.

One thing I have learned though is the pathology of both the illnesses and I try everyday to avoid the causes or the situations that lead to them. Consequently I am now risk averse, avoid fights in person like you would avoid cancer, and have conditioned myself to almost be like Pavlov’s dogs immobile to the pain and hurt being inflicted upon me, mostly by my own actions.

I have hurt people close to me, my family, my friends and I have hurt other people too. Mostly I don’t even know that I am doing it and when I come out of a DPD episode beat myself up over what I did. It is almost too hard to explain in any other way than like living in a movie. But living in that movie seems so real, but like the movies ultimately it isn’t, except the pain, anguish and suffering that I cause to other people because of my actions, that is real, and that is awful, and I have to live with that and the consequences of it. One of the most profound consequences being loneliness. I mean who wants to be around such a complete c*nt? Someone who is awful to even his closest friends. No-one does, why would you?

For all those people I have hurt and abused through my insensitive, rude and obnoxious behaviour I apologise unreservedly. I make no excuses, and lay no blame on anyone but myself. That is one thing I do alot though, blame myself. No one is harder on me than me, it is one of the things I need to learn to do better.

Next year is going to be a challenge, but one that I am prepared to meet. I am going to act and treat people like I want people to act and treat me. Take this post as an early New Years resolution. And take this blog post as a heartfelt apology to all the people I have affronted. There will be changes, I need to make changes, there has to be changes, what those are I’m not exactly sure yet, but I certainly need to be looking to be as happy with my life and circumstances as I can possibly be. I will address the real reasons for my depression. I will make the necessary changes so that, going forward, I can be hopeful and optimistic about the future, and in doing so, become a better man.

Will I stop calling out politicians? No I will not. Will I stop being me? No I will not. But what I will be is a better friend and better blogger and a better person.

This is the last post I will ever do about depression. I am over it, physically and literally…it has almost got me, but I will not, and do not give in. It will not beat me, not now, not ever.

To the people who kicked me in the butt this year, and those who supported me I give my heartfelt thanks. I truly haven’t appreciated you, know now that I do.

The last thing that I will say is that this year I will learn to love myself again. If I can achieve that then life will truly be on the mend.

Chris Carter is a slow learner, in fact he has entitlitis so bad that it is now addling his brain. He has been caught trying to sup from the trough one last time before exiting.

Independent MP Chris Carter has had to cancel his Christmas holiday after 3 News learned he had been planning to have it paid by the taxpayer.

Mr Carter and his partner managed to book an international holiday using the MPs’ travel perk right before Parliament’s Speaker, Lockwood Smith, banned MPs from taking private travel with public money.

Chris Carter’s partner Peter Kaiser arrived at Parliament this morning to help tidy up a few loose ends but he didn’t want to talk about a Christmas trip the pair had planned.

Mr Carter and Mr Kaiser were booked to leave Auckland on December 29, flying business class via Singapore to Colombo and Sri Lanka.

The estimated cost of their flights is $13,902 – 90 percent picked up by the taxpayer.

The pair were planning on holidaying with British MP Ben Bradshaw and his partner but an hour after 3 News confronted Mr Kaiser, Mr Carter sent a text saying the trip was cancelled and he wasn’t going to front.

Like rust, Pedro Gower never sleeps. At this time of year most repeaters and churnalists are busy chugging wine but not Pedro. He has hunted down Carter mercilessly and put the shiv in just before Christmas saving the taxpayer nearly $14,000 in the process.

But here is the thing. Chris Carter, just this year, took a trip to the UK to “observe” the elections. And where did he “observe” the elections? Well in Exeter of course, and who is the MP for Exeter? Why, its Ben Bradshaw his proposed holiday mate.

What an amazing coincidence? This blogger doesn’t believe in coincidences. Could there be more to this story than meets the eye?

As for Carter….it’s all someone elses fault yet again.

Independent MP Chris Carter is blaming the media for ruining his summer holiday after the itinerary for his taxpayer-subsidised trip to Sri Lanka was leaked.

One of the scum who brutally attacked Senior Constable Bruce Mellor, near Taihape on December 11 has Silly First Name Syndrome.

Japhet Simiona has been identified as one of the teenagers facing charges in relation to the attack on Snr Constable Bruce Mellor

Name suppression has been lifted for one of two teenagers, accused of the near fatal machete attack on Senior Constable Bruce Mellor, near Taihape on December 11.

Japhet Simiona from Manawatu appeared in the Whanganui District Court this afternoon along with his co-accused, a 14-year-old whose name can’t be revealed. The charges of assault were upgraded to attempted murder and the pair also face a charge of the attempted arson of a motor vehicle.

UPDATE: It seems that the scum machete attacker was “cured of bullying” in 2005. It just goes to show what a load of bullshit Te Puni Kokiri restorative justice programs are.

The revelation that Labour sent troops to Iraq to protect Fonterra’s valuable milk contracts to the UN has been out there for a few days. There had, until Helen Clark squawked, not a word from anyone in labour. The moment she squealed and took umbrage we hear from Phil Goff.

Mr Goff yesterday said the allegation was ridiculous.

“No such trade-off was ever suggested and if it ever had been, it would have been rejected out-of-hand. We do not trade putting the lives of our military personnel at risk for commercial deals. It is a completely false claim.”

Hmmm is this the same Phil Goff who is quoted in other leaked cables as expressing a closeness to the US Army? (page 263)

5. c. Defense Minister Phil Goff discussed many of the same issues with the General. Goff mentioned to the General (as he does with virtually all U.S. officials) that he had two nephews that were West Point graduates and felt a closeness to the U.S. Army. Goff told the General that he could expect a positive outcome on redeploying the PRT past Sept 2006 and was reasonably assured the SAS (Special Forces) would deploy again after regeneration.
Is that the same closeness to the US Army as when he flew the Viet Cong flag from the cenotaph in Auckland in 1975 at the fall of Saigon?

But back to Phil Goff and his comments about when and where we send troops. It is abundantly clear from the Wikileaks cables that Phil Goff is a warrior in private to US Generals and a mouse in public, much like his former leader. Just do a search on SAS and have a look at the number of commitments Phil Goff made to send troops. Now again, don’t get me wrong, I beleive that our troops should be in Afghanistan and in Iraq. I am simply pointing out the sheer hypocrisy of Labour pretending domestically to be against such things and privately to US Generals and diplomats telling a completely different story. Phil Goff was even suggesting that NZ send troops as a PRT into Iraq off of the back of the success in Afghanistan of the NZ deployment to Bamiyan (page 226)

c. Defense Minister Phil Goff kicked off thepolitical-level meetings, welcoming the Admiral, stressing the importance of the bilateral defense relationship and pointing to New Zealand’s contributions to the War on Terror,including NZDF deployments to Afghanistan and support for theProliferation Security Inititiative (PSI). Admiral Fallon expressed U.S. appreciation for those contributions, noting that the NZDF’s Provincial Reconstruction Team in Bamiyan provided a good general model for future PRTs and its SAS contingent had worked extremely well with U.S. counterparts. Goff said the Cabinet would decide by the end of February whether to extend the PRT beyond September 2006; he did not comment on further SAS deployments. Goff noted Senator McCain’s comment that New Zealand should think about replicating its success in Bamiyan by heading a PRT in Iraq.The Minister said he told McCain that New Zealand was not averse to doing so once the security situation had stabilized.

Of course it failed to escape the US that NZ is physically incapable of deploying to both Iraq and Afghanistan simultaneously, but that didn’t stop Goff suggesting we weren’t averse to doing it.

From the American Rifleman 2011 Golden Bullseye Winners.

The Nosler rifles look like a perfect stocking stuffer for The Whale along with the Bushnell Binoculars.

The following products, and their representative manufacturers, received this year’s American Rifleman Golden Bullseye Awards.

Rifle of the Year: Nosler Model 48 Trophy Grade
There are few non-custom manufactured rifles on the market with the accuracy guarantee of the Nosler 48 Trophy Grade. Built on the same Nosler Custom action as Nolser’s high-end rifles, the Model 48 features a match grade, chrome-moly barrel, Bell & Carlson stock and a crisp 3-pound trigger to guarantee a sub m.o.a. three-shot group for less than $2,000.

Shotgun of the Year: Remington VersaMax
In the VersaMax, Remington designed a shotgun with uncommon versatility. The VersaPort gas piston system uses seven gas ports in the area of the chamber and two self-cleaning gas pistons to cycle the action allowing any size shell to function without adjustments. The VersaMax can also be completely adjusted to fit almost anyone with replaceable stock shims, drop/cast plate and comb. For the hunter needing versatility, the VersaMax is well named.

Handgun of the Year: Taurus PT 740 SLIM
Though chambered in the potent .40 S&W cartridge, the PT 740 SLIM lives up to its name measuring only 1.04 inches wide, 5. 35-inches tall and 6.24-inches long with a 3.2-inch barrel. Light and compact with adjustable rear three-dot sights, the 740 is designed for function, comfort and concealment.

Tactical Gun of the Year: Les Baer Tactical Recon Bolt-Action Rifle
Precision shooters, such as military and law enforcement, require extreme accuracy from a rifle, and the Les Baer Tactical Recon provides that accuracy with a guaranteed 1/2-inch or better 10-round group at 100 yards with match ammunition. The Tactical Recon also features an adjustable Bell & Carlson stock, near vertical pistol grip and a 24-inch barrel. Les Baer’s Tactical Recon can make the shot if the shooter can.

Ammunition Product of the Year: Speer DeepCurl Bullet
In developing the DeepCurl, Speer used utilized advanced plating technology to combine a lead alloy core bullet with an electro-chemically bonded jacket for weight retention and terminal ballistics at a cost comparable to other high-end bullets available for reloading.

Optic of the Year: Bushnell Fusion 1600 ARC Binocular/Rangefinder
Bushnell has continued its trend of providing advanced optics for the cost-conscious shooter with the Fusion 1600 ARC. In addition to having many of Bushnell’s standard features—multi-coated optics, anti-reflective coatings, RainGuard HD hydrophobic lens coating, rubber armor and waterproof construction—the 1600 ARC provides accurate distance out to 1,600 yards for less than $1,000.

For this Facebook update via his Blackberry.

Wikileaks is fascinating. What we have found out today is that Winston Peters was too lazy to try to stop the coup in Fiji. (Emphasis mine)

The surprising part of the approaches is revealed by then US Ambassador Bill McCormick who advised Washington on what was to be said to Bainimarama.

He revealed that Winston Peters was “on travel in Auckland” and was too busy to see Bainimarama.

Unusually, New Zealand’s “talking points” were then put to Bainimarama by the British Defence Attache based in Wellington, Nigel Lloyd, at a lunch.

The sharp tone of the “talking points” and the open threat over grandchildren probably explains Bainimarama’s now abiding hostility toward New Zealand.

The lazy prick lived in Auckland, in Argyle Street, and yet he was “on travel” and “too busy”. He was the Foreign Minister and he was too busy to meet someone who had stated publicly that he would conduct a coup in November 2006.

We also know now from the cable that New Zealand’s sole response to the threat of  the coup was to threaten to withhold access to Bainimarama’s grand-children. What an embarrassment. Not only that they didn’t have the gumption to tell him to his face, instead enlisting the aid of the wife of the British Defence Attache.

Full cable below (page 344 of Bryce Edwards pdf);

date:2006-11-23T17:32:00

source:Embassy Wellington

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classification:CONFIDENTIAL

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SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR D (FRITZ), EAP/FO, EUR/RPM, AND EAP/ANP

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SIPDIS

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STATE FOR D (FRITZ), EAP/FO, EUR/RPM, AND EAP/ANP

NSC FOR VICTOR CHA

SECDEF FOR OSD/ISD JESSICA POWERS

PACOM FOR J01E/J2/J233/J5/SJFHQ

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/21/2016

TAGS: ASEC, PREL, PGOV, FJ, NZ

SUBJECT: GNZ TO DELIVER STRONG POINTS TO FIJI’S BAINIMARAMA

REF: STATE 190257

Classified By: DCM David J. Keegan. Reasons: E.O. 12958, 1.4

(b) and (d).

1. (C) The GNZ MFAT has prepared strongly worded points, which it has passed to the British Defence Attache Nigel Lloyd (DA), who will convey them to Commodore Bainimarama at a private lunch with Bainimarama on November 23 at the DA’s residence. (The points are repeated below at para 3). Foreign Minister Winston Peters, who had originally planned to deliver the points, will be unable to do so personally before November 24, as he will be on travel in Auckland.

2. (C) MFAT has also informed Poloff that they are approaching the President of the UN Security Council, UN Peacekeeping, the Secretary General of the Commonwealth, and the EU to encourage them to press on Bainimarama to abandon his stated plans to remove the Fijian government in early December. MFAT is also seeking the assistance of the British DA’s wife to emphasize to Bainimarama’s wife that should there be a coup, the Commodore and she would no longer be able to travel to New Zealand to visit their grandchildren. MFAT indicates that GNZ’s strategy is to focus on the consequences of a coup to both Fiji and to Bainimarama personally.

3. (C) Begin talking points for Foreign Minister Peters’s discussion with RFMF Commander Frank Bainimarama:

– I gather you are down here on a private visit for your grand-daughter’s first communion – a significant family occasion. I hope you enjoy your visit.

– You have stated publicly that you are planning to make certain demands of the Fiji government when you get back, and that if those demands are not met that you will take steps to remove them on 4 December.

– I would counsel you very strongly against taking such steps. You need to understand that there would be serious consequences if you do go ahead.

– New Zealand unconditionally supports the rule of law, and the right of a democratically elected government to govern without coercion — and there is no question that the Fiji government is democratically elected. We would not be able to stand back and let that happen without responding.

– We would be obliged to take steps to underline our utter disapproval of any unconstitutional action and we would do so in close collaboration with our friends, the Australians, the British, the Americans and the region.

– From a military perspective this would include suspension of all defence ties. That would include any training or assistance with peacekeeping activities, regionally and internationally. The MAP programme would be discontinued.

– We would moreover encourage like-minded countries to take similar steps, and seek international condemnation of yourBryce Edwards –Wellington US Embassy cables Page 345 of 613 actions, including in the UN Security Council and the Commonwealth. We would urge the Commonwealth and the Forum to take the strongest possible steps to register the unacceptability of such actions.

– New Zealand’s relationship with any government installed as a result of a coup would be correspondingly restricted.

– You need to understand that if you do something stupid you will not be able to operate around the Pacific. Neither we, Australia, Britain nor the United States would be able to work with you, or offer any assistance.

– Your reputation and that of the RFMF would suffer irreparable damage both within the region and as a participant in international peacekeeping operations. Without the support and training of the Australian and New

Zealand defence forces Fiji’s deployment in international peacekeeping operations would become very difficult.

– We are considering the level of our travel advisory in the light of the threats you have been making. Upgrading our travel advisory would have a significant impact on tourist flows to Fiji and significantly affect Fiji’s economy.

– There would also be personal implications for you and your family. We would ban you, as well as others associated with a coup, and possibly your family, from entering New Zealand.

– The Government permitted your entry to New Zealand on the basis that yours was a private visit. That does not sit well with the public threats against the Fiji Government that you have been making since arriving in New Zealand. Consistent with the purpose of your visit we require you to make no further public statements during your stay.

End points.

4. (C) Embassy Wellington has sought to contact Bainimarama through his personal assistant Ben Naliva, who said Bainimarama is on “private leave and does not want to be disturbed.” When told that Washington regards the conversation as extremely important and reminded that Bainimarama has spoken to the NZ press so his visit is no longer private, Naliva said he would check. A half hour later he called to again say the Commodore was not available. Naliva did not answer any of our follow-up calls. Ambassador McCormick has discussed the matter with Minister Peters, who has admitted he’s had trouble getting an appointment as well and encouraged us to be persistent. We continue to work with MFAT and our defense attache to identify a way to deliver reftel demarche to Bainamarama.

McCormick

That cable makes for sorry reading. If you look at all the threats New Zealand has pretty much failed to deliver on any of them except the spiteful travel ban. Is it any wonder that Commodore Bainimarama has little time for the New Zealand Government?

What this shows though is a complete mis-understanding of Fiji, Fijian politics and a typical bully-boy attitude from the US, New Zealand Britain and Australia over Fiji. Little wonder then that Fiji is now essentially a client state of China, driven there by our foreign policy and attitude, a policy and attitude that Murray McCully has continued to this day.

Helen Clark is back and is accusing others of deceit. It is an interesting claim by Helen Clark.  No one but no one in the world has questione the veracity of the Wikileaks documents, not her former Labour colleagues, not even Sarah Palin, yet Helen Clark has decided to run the line that the story is false.

If the story is as false as she has made out then why has not a single member of Labour denounced it including Phil Goff?

However, since Helen Clark is talking about deceit what this blogger wants to know if there is any journalist who is going to give up the hagiography of St Helen and ask her the simple question:

“Did you send our NZSAS into combat in Iraq by seconding them to the British SAS?”

Lets get her on record, and then cross reference it with NZDF documentation. The we will see if there is any deceit.