how many five year olds could you take on in a fight?

29

69 Pontiac

Darren's head jerked up with a start. His eyes were glazed and his forehead hot; the car swerved slightly and then straightened up as he shook the sleep out of his head. Jason looked up from where he sat in the passenger seat of the 69 Pontiac GTO convertible. "Do you want me to drive mate?". Darren looked straight ahead, accelerating steadily past the 80mph mark on the speedometer. "Pass the thermos". Jason balanced his Portege R400 laptop on one knee as picked up the red Thermos from where it lay on the floor at his feet. "You just keep working away there..." Darren flicked the lid of the thermos and it unscrewed itself and fell into his lap. "How far've you got?" He carefully took a sip of the hot, double-strength coffee. "Yeah, just about there". Jason was busy building a program that they could use to hack into the security system at the place that they were heading for. The twelve-foot solid concrete walls topped with electrified barbed wire would have been just about doable, but the addition of the half-dozen German shepherds which were driven half-mad by torture and starvation as well as the unknown number of armed guards - who were in not much better condition, made for a big ask.

"I need to go to the toilet" called out a young voice from the back-seat of the fast-moving car. Why did we have to bring them... it's just another thing to go wrong. "Can you hold on a bit?" Asked Jason - "We're almost at the next town, and we can have a stop there - ok Darren?". Darren cleared his throat, nodded and reached for the coffee again. Neither of the two brothers were excited when they received the message that there were three children who needed to be relocated to another city where they would stay with their grandparents until fighting died down in their home-town of Wellington. Emmy, 17, Jono 15, and Holly who was just 10. Holly fell asleep again, her head resting on her big sister's shoulder. The two older children were watching The Fellowship of the Ring on Darren's laptop.

The children's grandfather - fit and full of hope had just passed his 58th birthday and the two brothers planned to pick him up when they dropped the children off at his home. He would be a useful asset to the operation, as he had more experience in combat than both of them put together. He had acted as junior commander of a small skirmishing party attached to New Zealand forces posted in Vietnam.

Two hours later found the 69 Pontiac pulling into the driveway of a cozy looking, well-kept section somewhere in Palmerston North. Nana walked quickly out of the house, almost tripping over the spoiled long-haired cat. Grandad spun the lid on his hip flask and dropped it in his pocket as he made his way out to greet the grandkids. Emmy brought her grandmother up to date on the turmoil back in her home-town. Holly knelt by the cat and scratched it's neck. Oh, liddl puddi cat. Jono stood with the men, discussing the car. He kicked the tyre as Darren had done, and nodded now and then to show that he understood.

The children's bags were brought in from the car, and while Emmy helped Nana put the finishing touches on an excessively generous afternoon tea, the four men made themselves comfortable in the lounge. Grandad pulled the hip flask out of his pocket with a furtive glance over his shoulder. Jason nodded, a knowing wink. Grandad took a sip of the whiskey and passed it on to Jason. Darren had a couple of gulps and then passed the flask on to an ecstatic Jono. Jono took a gulp and breathed heavily, like a dragon breathing out fire as he passed the flask over to his grandad, who half-stood and dropped the flask into his pocket. For a full five minutes the men sat back in their chairs, saying nothing - occasionally letting forth deep sigh which were met by grunts of agreement. Men don't need to talk the whole time as some women appear to do. They can sit, contented for long periods of time saying nothing, but understanding everything - and learning.

Jason had his laptop open again, rapidly typing, occasionally pausing to rub his forhead with his hands, giving his face a bit of a rub - always woke him up a bit. He was just running over his new program one last time, to make sure it was all ok. Darren usually steered clear of asking his brother to explain to him what he was doing. He just told him their situation and left it to Jason to find a solution. They were just resting off their large afternoon tea. One too many strawberry-jam and cream sconnes, washed down with two or three good cups of tea.

"Riiiiight..." Darren sat up and straightened his back out. "We'd better be off". Grandad entered the room, a long black canvas bag over his left shoulder; an aluminium "brief-case" in his right hand. "Jono's not here... he's probably gone down to the shops or something..." Nana stood up and embraced her husband who responded with a tense one-armed hug. Emmy glanced at her grandfather and noticed the hand holding the brief-case, the knuckles were white, his jaw was set, his eyes looking straight ahead - at nothing. He kept the steely gaze as he walked out to the car and still looking straight ahead he opened the boot of the vehicle and dropped his canvas bag inside.

Nana and the two girls stood at the end of the driveway and waved as the car tore off down the empty road in the late afternoon. "She's pulling a bit heavy". Sitting in the passenger seat, Grandad's left eyebrow twitched impulsively. Darren's brow was creased as he concentrated on the road and he did not notice. Jason pulled his laptop out of it's bag and set it on the seat beside him. Firing up Winamp, he plugged the 3 1/4 jack into his laptop and the car reverberated with Coldplay's majestic song The Scientist. The 69 Pontiac GTO merged with the traffic on the highway up to Hastings.

To be continued...

Christmas Broadcast 1957

50 years ago, the first televised Christmas Broadcast. I was highly impressed by the comments that our Queen had to make, moved by her unashamed conviction.

God save the Queen.

Christmas Newsletter 2007

Hi, welcome to my blog if it's your first time here! This is the web, so theoretically I can be a little more informal. I would have posted this newsletter to you - but opted out, and saved about 0.731% of a tree in a sustainable eucalyptus forest somewhere in Australia.

University. As if first-year Statistics wasn't enough to put anyone off going back for more, I found myself highly involved in a political battle, so in January this year I decided not to continue at Canterbury University. In 2006 I had started a BCom, a double major - marketing and computer science. As it turned out, I was ok at marketing, and ok at computer science - I just couldn't write 3 hours worth of java out on paper for them at the exam. I had entered this particular political battle around about September 2006 - and this "diversion" was hardly conducive for good results at the exams. So it was with a sense of duty to God, my country, and the next generation - as well as with a growing disillusionment with the very concept of University that I "dropped out". Who knows... I may go back some time.

Section 59. This year I have spent a lot of time fighting Sue Bradford's anti-smacking bill. In May, the Government went ahead and passed the bill into law - though 83% of New Zealanders were vehemently opposed to the bill. In a word, the new law criminalises parents who choose to discipline their child with a smack - no matter how light, or how naughty the child might have been. In September 06, I started up the Section 59 blog, and towards the end of March I helped organise a protest march against the bill in Christchurch as well as setting up a new lobbying website, www.politik.co.nz. Most recently, I have been working with new group Unity for Liberty, to collect signatures for the petition for a referendum on the anti-smacking law. 300,000 signatures are required for a referendum to be held; currently we have 245,291 signatures.

Equipbiz. Shortly after the anti-smacking bill passed into law, I started up a business. It is called Equipbiz LTD, and our main service is offering websites to small businesses and individuals. I'm working on building the business to a sustainable level of growth. This is proving to take much time, energy and thought. Click here to view the website of our first client. If you are interested at all in getting a website for yourself, get in touch with me!

During the year I have been involved in quite a few different things. Around July I headed down South to Waihola where I helped out as a leader at a boy's camp. I worked for a bit at Toyworld, where my younger brother Simon is the manager. Early in November I went up to Auckland for the Forum on the Family which was put on by Family First. Later on that Month I headed up again to visit Gran who lives in Tauranga, and also to help collect signatures for the petition on the anti-smacking law. Another highlight was heading up to Wellington to touch base with the volunteers up there who were collecting signatures. We also joined in the march against the Electoral Finance bill. Just recently, I've got a job at a computer shop, Affordable Computer - it's part-time at the moment and is a pretty dream job as far as jobs go. It's great just while I establish my business, to have a bit of extra money coming in.

Also in November, a friend Simeon and I started a political blog, nzdebate.blogspot.com. At the end of November, I turned 21 and we had a party at our place. It was fantastic catching up with a whole lot of people, and I was pretty overwhelmed with people's generosity. Our Church, Grace Baptist Church had been without a pastor for just over a year, so it came as great news on the first of December that an Australian man, Rob Harrod had agreed to become our pastor. Mid-December I caught up with a good friend from the US - this was an excellent time of encouragement.

As we remember the true story of Christmas, let's not be content to go along with the World's view that "Christmas is all about giving". Of course, it is a fantastic time to help out poor people, and send goats to people in Africa. However the most important thing is that at Christmas time we remember that God sent His only Son Jesus into the World to pay for the sins of those who put their trust in Him. If you are a Christian yourself - thank God for saving you, and get out there and take the opportunity this Christmas to share the Gospel with others. If you're not a Christian, then you need to stop and think seriously about what it's all about. God made us all, and one day, Jesus is going to come back to earth - but not this time as a cute little baby. The next time He comes it will be to judge everyone who ever lived. People who put their trust in Christ will be with God forever in Heaven. Those who have refused God's free offer of salvation will be justly punished for eternity in hell.

I might be sounding a bit negative - but really, it's great news, so with that, I'll sign out and say...

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

If you didn't already get your Christmas card...

Click the envelope to see your card

flowers

Nine pictures taken from around our property. I think Nathan took them.

mention in the house

On Wednesday 21 November, I was in Wellington for the day, to attend the protest march against the Electoral Finance Bill . Also on the agenda, was collecting signatures for the petition for a referendum on the Anti-Smacking law, and to touch base with some team-members of the "feet on footpaths" group, Unity for Liberty. The next day, the bill passed it's second reading, 65 for, 54 against.

Following the march, I was looking forward to going up to the gallery for an hour or two, to observe the house in session. The security guards at the metal-detector turned me away saying that I was not allowed in due to having taken part in a protest march. I rang Larry Baldock and he gave Gordon Copeland, co-leader of the new Future New Zealand party a call. Thanks to Simeon Brown of nzdebate.blogspot.com for bringing this excerpt of Hansard to my attention.

Thursday 22 November 07 - Points of Order - Parliament Buildings - Public Access

GORDON COPELAND (Independent): I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. On returning to my office yesterday immediately after question time, I discovered that a young man from Christchurch, who is known to me, had been in touch to say that he had been denied access to the parliamentary complex and therefore to the gallery to observe question time. Security had intervened to prevent his entering the parliamentary complex, on the basis that he had participated in yesterday's march in opposition to the Electoral Finance Bill, and because of a ruling from your office, which stipulates that people in that situation are denied entry to the parliamentary complex for 24 hours. I was able to vouch for the young man so that following contact with your office he was eventually admitted to Parliament Buildings and to the gallery late in the afternoon.

However, I found through this incident yesterday that I would like to ask you to reconsider your ruling in regard to that matter—or the ruling of your office, because I am not sure whether it is your ruling or one by one of the former Speakers of the House. I want to suggest to you some reasons why the reconsideration should happen. Firstly, the security arrangements for Parliament Buildings are now far more stringent than was the case, say, 12 months ago. Secondly, I think the application of the ruling is very arbitrary. I had to ask that young man how parliamentary security knew he had been in yesterday's march. He said that he guessed they must have recognised him. You will appreciate that there are sometimes hundreds—if not thousands—of people on such marches. Therefore, a blanket ban of that sort must always be arbitrary in its application. Thirdly, I hold the view that, subject to normal security checks, etc., access to Parliament Buildings should be the right of all New Zealand citizens as part of the fundamental freedom that is a cornerstone of our democracy.

Madam SPEAKER: I would just note that this is a matter that I am prepared to look at. It is not normally a matter for this Chamber. It is not appropriate to bring it up here, but I can indicate that, yes, I am happy to look at the matter, and to get back to both members.

KEITH LOCKE (Green): Madam Speaker, you will remember that I sent you a note on this issue months ago. There is a problem, I think—

Madam SPEAKER: As I indicated to the member, we are taking time from the House at the moment. I have already indicated I am happy to look at the issue. If any other member would like to make a representation on it to me in writing, would he or she please do so, so it can be thoroughly looked at.

From the Hansard.

Kill the Bill

Around 6,000 Aucklanders marched down Queen Street in Auckland yesterday to show their anger at the Government's arrogance in ignoring the Human Rights commission and shoving through their draconian so called "Electoral Finance Bill".

It is not an Electoral Finance Bill - it is a "you can't say that about the Government bill", essentially shutting down freedom of speech in the year leading up to the election.

This new law will increase the difficulty for challengers (the opposition, minor parties) to the current Government, as the Government has a strong "brand name" as well as a lot of money.

Strange isn't it, that they intend to pass this bill into law less than 3 weeks from when it will have effect!

In this photo (left to right): John Boscawen, Bob McCoskrie, Christine Rankin, Judith Collins, Simeon Brown
Click here for more images of the march

Chance for the Chancers

The first song by Poor Old Lu that I ever heard - and my favourite.

Click here to download the song for free from the official Poor Old Lu website

Click here to visit my Poor Old Lu fansite

"Certainly one of the most haunting, melodic songs that we ever wrote. I was personally completely taken by it the very first time that I heard the music, and I couldn't wait to write lyrics. The title comes from the song 'Honeydrip' off of Ian McCulloch's solo album "Mysterio". Like much of our "8th Wonder" album, this song was written entirely in the studio during our 2-week tracking session.

A few songs over the years were lyrically driven by my family relationships, and this is one of those. Although it speaks directly to my relationship with my brother, it can also deal on more general terms, that is, those who will not listen to the truth of Jesus Christ and turn a deaf ear instead. The second verse speaks to the brevity of life, the time that we have to share the Gospel, and how difficult it can be to hear. In the final verse, however, the tables turn and the Lord is now comforting me (us) that He takes over when we share our faith with others... and makes the words powerful. "

everything's gonna be okay
He's gonna wipe those fears away
and before the night is thru
this is all going to make sense to you

but you won't hear these words
no you don't have the time
that would be a crime

right now, right away
before it gets too cold
and I know how it kills
and I know how it makes you ill

but you won't hear these words
no you don't have the time
that would be a crime

everything's gonna be okay
He's gonna wipe those fears away
and before the night is thru
this is all going to make sense

Calvin & Hobbes fun

Calvin & Hobbes are great. Our family has got four or five of the books. Over here in New Zealand, we never had the comic strip in our Newspapers - not as far as I know, anyway.

I modified the two below - on the 10th of August 2006 according to Windows... ;) You need to click on them so you can read them. Thanks to Nathan for telling me about these - I had forgotten about them...

And here's a classic original...

Now you have a shot at it... Use Microsoft Paint, that's what I used back in the day... ;)

Farming

Waihola, South Otago, New Zealand.
On the phone after a long day out in the field. ;)

Give Them Parking Space, But Let Them Starve

An excerpt from an article on Liz Brown's blog.  It made my heart cry.

Another moral threshold was crossed when a tiny baby boy, at the specific request of his parents and with the sanction of the Supreme Court of Indiana, was starved to death in a hospital. "Infant Doe" (he was not allowed the usual recognition of being human by being named), born with Down's syndrome and a malfunctioning esophagus (the latter could have been corrected with surgery), died, as the Washington Post (April 18) stated, "not because he couldn't sustain life without a million dollars worth of medical machinery, but because no one fed him." For six days the nurses in that Bloomington hospital went about their usual routines of bathing and changing and feeding all the newborns except one. They bathed and changed Baby Doe but they never gave him a bottle. Over his crib was a notice, DO NOT FEED. Several couples came forward, begging to be allowed to adopt him. They were turned down.

Click here to read the full article

Bill English attacks Labour over "shambles"

Bill English spoke well at the second reading of the Electoral Finance bill. I congratulated him on his firey speech at the A&P Show down in Balclutha on Saturday. He will make a good deputy Prime Minister in 2008.

If you're not sure what the EFB is all about, watch this video and you'll get a better grasp on it.

My Political Compass

Economic Left/Right: 2.38
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -0.21

Where are you on the political compass?

Electoral Finance Bill as good as Dunne

The Electoral Finance bill passed it's second reading today. It is almost certain to become law. Thanks so much, Winston First. Peter Dunne and Judy Turner of United Future let us down once again. The Maori party showed an unusual bit of commonsense offering two token votes against the bill. ACT and Gordon Copeland voted against the bill - but it doesn't make much difference, what New Zealand needs at the moment is for New Zealand First to grow um... a moustache and realign themselves closer to National as they once were.

Click here to find out why the EFB is so bad for New Zealand.

National 14 points ahead

In the most recent Roy Morgan poll, National is polling at 14 points ahead of Labour. Results below.

October 29-Novmber 11, 2007
Labour 34
National 48
NZ First 5.5
Greens 7.5
United Future 1
Maori 2.5
ACT 1
Other 0.5

This comes after the month of October where the gap between the two parties was much closer, at times around 5%.

When we sing the National Anthem do we mean it?

from the Section 59 blog

God of Nations at Thy feet,
In the bonds of love we meet,
Hear our voices, we entreat,
God defend our free land.
Guard Pacific's triple star
From the shafts of strife and war,
Make her praises heard afar,
God defend New Zealand.

Men of every creed and race,
Gather here before Thy face,
Asking Thee to bless this place,
God defend our free land.
From dissension, envy, hate,
And corruption guard our state,
Make our country good and great,
God defend New Zealand.

Peace, not war, shall be our boast,
But, should foes assail our coast,
Make us then a mighty host,
God defend our free land.
Lord of battles in Thy might,
Put our enemies to flight,
Let our cause be just and right,
God defend New Zealand.

Let our love for Thee increase,
May Thy blessings never cease,
Give us plenty, give us peace,
God defend our free land.
From dishonour and from shame,
Guard our country's spotless name,
Crown her with immortal fame,
God defend New Zealand.

May our mountains ever be
Freedom's ramparts on the sea,
Make us faithful unto Thee,
God defend our free land.
Guide her in the nation's van,
Preaching love and truth to man,
Working out Thy glorious plan,
God defend New Zealand.

_______________________________________
This is something we need to seriously think about.

Flowers in Tauranga

As I said to my mate Larry "evolution... huh?"

Taken with my Motorolla V600. Not an award-winning picture. But no matter how hard scientists try, they will never ever create anything so perfect as that small bunch of flowers I'm holding there. Just weeds, growing at the base of some re-located trees. More complex than the most mind-blowing cutting-edge technology. How is it that suposedly (allegedly) intelligent people can claim to believe in the theory of evolution?

Romans 1:18-23 sums this up very nicely...

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.

commercialised sport and middle-aged air-hostesses

I've almost finished my cup of tea in a special "Air New Zealand - Anton Oliver" insulated cardboard cup. On the cup it informs me that Air New Zealand is a fanatical sponsor of the All Blacks. Well as far as I can see, any company would be fanatic if their investment in a professional sports team brought such great dividends. What the heck happened to the good old days of non-professional sport, where the All Blacks were down to earth kiwi blokes who could have been your next-door neighbor? Now we've got Dan Carter advertising underwear by way of stripping off on unduly large placards and banners hung on towering edifices in our major cities. The numbered Air New Zealand cup collection; "oh, do you mind if I have the number 6 cup please?". Dear me.

The middle-aged air-hostess is bringing the elderly Japanese couple in the seat behind me up to date with the 21st century, explaining that Australia and New Zealand do infact have different currencies, and "oh, that's fantastic, you're going to Australia". I get eye-contact with the middle-aged air-hostess as she finishes her conversation with the travellers behind me. I draw your attention to the fact that she is middle-aged simply because it is a bit interesting. "Do you know how high we are?" The air-hostess looks somewhat puzzled and I rephrase my question. She takes a step back into the aisle, towards the right hand side of the plane. Peering out the port-hole she purses her lips and screws up her nose. "I can ask the Captain..." her words trail off. "Oh no, I was just after a rough estimate..." "rough?" "Yeah, just an idea..." "We'd be at about 30,000 feet... between 26,000 and 30,000 feet."

Freak me out, those wings look so small compared to the size of the plane. Why don't they have bigger ones, just in case. Why do they go through the rigmarole of showing us the video about what we should do "if there is an emergency". They seem to presume that the only emergencies take place while over a body of water. Seems to me, seeing as we're flying up New Zealand, they might not be able to make it over to the sea.

The Captain's just signed out, he reckons we'll be outside the terminal at 2:15... Well I think Si's cellphone is 10 minutes ahead so I guess we're around about 45 minutes away. Ahhh, just spoke to the middle-aged hostess (that's a bit harsh, she's probably only just turned 30...), and she informs me that the Captain got it wrong, seeing as it's 2:35pm now, we should be landing at about quarter to three. Ah, well that's all good...

I'm just ripping into a green "lime" aeroplane lolly now, Lyd will probably kill me if she finds out, because I know she and Nath like them. Heck, I'll get them...

At this stage the middle-aged air-hostess turned up and gave me the evil eye. "Better close that up now" she said, her voice laced with danger. ctrl+s, alt+f4, I shut the lid of the Toshiba Portege 4010 and sat it on the empty seat beside me.

Guy Fawkes

The classic poem...

Remember, remember the Fifth of November,
The Gunpowder Treason and Plot,
I know of no reason
Why Gunpowder Treason
Should ever be forgot.
Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes, t'was his intent
To blow up King and Parliament.
Three-score barrels of powder below
To prove old England's overthrow;
By God's providence he was catch'd
With a dark lantern and burning match.
Holloa boys, holloa boys, let the bells ring.
Holloa boys, holloa boys, God save the King!

Click here for the second verse

This song comes to mind. "My will be a dead man" by Project86. I don't know about the video, but I like the song. It's good easy listening for November the 5th.

Did you know? Some key people in Parliament knew about the gunpowder plot from early on in the piece. One of the schemers was actually a rat, employed by parliament to feed in information and updates on the plot. This was just what the Protestant Parliament wanted, a chance to foil a plot by Roman Catholics to kill the King and all the MPs in Parliament. It was essentially a complex and well thought out publicity stunt. When the people of England heard that the Roman Catholics were trying to blow up Parliament, they would be unhappy - and all power to the current Government!

Parliament buildings: still standing

If by some bizarre chance Guy Fawkes and the crew had been successful in blowing up Parliament, they would have also succeeding in bringing total havoc and disorder to the whole country of England. The right of the common man to read and write could well have been again removed, and the hierarchical Roman Catholic reinstated as the oppressive regime that it had been prior to the Reformation.

Don't even get me started on Nanny State only allowing the sale of fireworks between the 2nd and the 5th of November. It's quite simple, just chuck the irresponsible and immature losers in prison. Don't restrict the freedom of everyone just so that you manage to stop the few who ruin it for the rest of us.

Yesterday

Yesterday I's out in town collecting signatures for the petition for a referendum on the new anti-smacking law - see here for more info: www.unityforliberty.net.nz. For the first two or three hours I had two mums and an eleven-year old boy helping me. He had kind of red hair too, so I was wondering if people thought I was his brother...

People often take pictures of us when we're out collecting signatures, today was the most ever - had to have been five or six.

Had some interesting people past the table.

• Three girls who had all pretty recently turned 18 were more than happy to sign.
  
• A group of Emo boys - probably all about 14 - were wanting to sign. I asked them if they were 18 and they walked away annoyed.
• Two girls came over to the table while their dad stood nearby, on the phone, maybe 14 and 12 years old. "Can we sign?". I asked them if they were over 18. They like it if you sound as if you think that they may be almost 18. Nope... they walked away - as soon as dad was off the phone, he was over here signing.
• A bunch of three guys my sister's age - I knew one of them, they wanted to sign, but of course they couldn't, too young.
• And this one guy with a teal/blue shirt with a picture of a fat buddah, and the words "I have the body of a god". "Nice shirt" I complimented him. He told me his girl-friend had given it to him.
• The guy with the tartan 3/4's and studs all over him didn't look to happy when I told him that I was "loving your trousers, aye". He didn't sign, but his mate did.
• The guy from the UK holding a guitar in a cardboard box. "I coompleetly ****ing disagree with what yer doing".
• A couple of girls and their mum came over. One of the girls signed - I think the other was too young. I asked the mother why she wasn't signing - she said she thought the new law was absolutely stupid. So I said, well you'd probably like to sign the top one here then. She refused and I said "whatever". Heck, it gets pretty frustrating. She walks away saying "whatever?" in a disbelieving way - how could he have said that?
• The family from Holland with 3 little children. They were great. They didn't even get angry when I asked them if they were from Germany. They were totally supportive of the petition and wished they could sign.

Ah, well, that's about all I can remember now... It was a pretty full on day. We got 222 signatures in 7 hours which is a very good ratio for Christchurch at this stage in the game.

Food:
1 thumping great 1.25L bottle of Pump.
2 cold Whoppers from Burger King
2 bottles of V Berry
half a pack of Extra white sugar-free chewing-gum
Some just-juice in a E2 bottle that my younger brother gave me

virgin mary image on pebble

Heheheh, I had a bit of fun this week, running a take-off auction of the virgin mary image on pebble auction. It sold for $5.50 which was a bit of a shame, I'd hoped that my 9 bidders might have got all excited and had a bit of a bidding war. Oh well... My auction got 12,962 hits, so that was fun...


I also made a blog: http://virginmaryonpebble.blogspot.com and that's got 1,158 hits so far... in just 7 days, lol.

Check out Steve's auction for virgin mary on a surfboard pebble. Bidding is going well, and is currently at $157.50 and 33,676 views. Steve is donating all proceeds of the auction to the Cancer Society, and is also fundraising via the Q&A facility, asking people to pop $5 in the mail to the Cancer Society. He will be making an online photo-album of all the people who have donated to this worthy cause - and when this comes up online, I'll link to it from this blog.

;)

cuppa

11:30 something pm and my brother and I have just about finished off the dishes.

I had poured "that much" Earl Grey leaves into the generous one-cup/"only-just" two-cup glass tea-pot that Gran gave us last time she came down to visit us.

The kettle had just boiled and was still bubbling as I poured just about the right amount into the teapot and flicked on the black plastic tea-pot lid.

Give 'er about four or five minutes.

I pulled the big cup out of the top cubboard, noting with no concern the large chip in the lip.  This was a big cup, would hold a can of coke I reckon.

No need to pre-heat the cup, the tea's so nice 'n hot.

As an over-paid and bored waiter would pour syrup onto pancakes, I poured the tea into my big white cup with wavy blue lines and blue dots.  Hand-painted... probably by some kid in China in a dirty great factory...

In one movement, the correct amount of green milk from the 3L bottle in the fridge was swirling into the tea in my cup.

No room for error here, you've got to have green-milk (doesn't matter how old it is), and if you pour it right, there's no need to use a spoon.

Sinless City by Dead Poetic is playing through the headset of my Motorola V360.

With the milk back in the fridge I swing the fridge door shut, hoping if by some miracle the other milk in the jug in the fridge door won't spill everywhere.

The first sip is great. 

Drinking in the fashion of one of the soldiers in Gideon's victorious army, I drank.

There's that hint of bitterness, the Earl Grey flavour which continues as the tea continues it's journey of um... yeah, anyway... ;)

I breathe through my nose into the hot tea and the steam warms my face.

The 95 Theses

I found this list (here) of the 95 theses that Martin Luther nailed to the door of the Wittenburg church on 31 October 1517.

In July 1505, Martin Luther joined the Augustinian Friars at Erfurt - "to find God". He joined the extremely strict Observant order and excelled in their discipline. However, he found no peace of mind. The Roman Catholic Church taught that an individual could gain favour with God by what were called "good works". Luther believed that he, as a sinner, was condemned in the eyes of God and that nothing could help him. Despite doing many good works, Luther found no peace of mind.

From 1511 to 1517, Luther lectured on the Psalms and St. Paul's Epistles to the Romans. It was by studying these that he found the solution to his torment :
1)Man could not get near to God by his own doing as Man was too sinful as original sin had driven him towards evil.
2)Man could do nothing - only God could intervene to set him free from sin. Man could not force God to intervene.
3)All sinners should live in hope - if God had sent Jesus into the world then he had to have faith in Man.
4)Only through faith alone could you find salvation.
There was nothing new in this as St. Paul and St. Augustine had emphasised this.

By 1517, Luther was still re-assessing his thoughts when John Tetzel entered Germany selling indulgences which Luther believed would fool people into believing that they could buy their way out of sin with no thought of faith whatsoever. Also these people would believe that they were going to Heaven when in fact they would go to Hell. How could they be repentant when self-loathing and self-disgust was needed? Luther believed that there could be no short cuts to this and that God could not be fooled by sinners pretending that they were repentant. Luther's main complaint against the Catholic Church was that it was supporting a system that left sinners in sin - and this was the institution that was meant to save lost souls !!

On October 31st 1517, Luther pinned his "95 Theses" to a church door in Wittenburg. These were his views on indulgences. There was nothing unusual about this process. It was the standard practice to put up an idea you had for others to read and then to comment on. Luther's work was in Latin, therefore it was not meant to be read by anyone else other than an academic. Someone took down the pamphlet and translated it into German and had it printed. Once in circulation the "95 Theses" gained much attention.

In July 1519, Luther had now moved well beyond his original position in that he
1)he denied the authority of the popes
2)he denied the authority of the general councils and
3)he re-iterated "justification by faith alone."

The 95 Theses - a modern translation
(Keep in mind he had not fully developed his thinking about the Roman Church at the time of wishing to debate these topics. After this time he pretty much walked right away from Rome conceding that a mere reforming of the Church was not enough and a total separation was required.)

Out of love for the truth and the desire to bring it to light, the following propositions will be discussed at Wittenberg, under the presidency of the Reverend Father Martin Luther, Master of Arts and of Sacred Theology, and Lecturer in Ordinary on the same at that place. Wherefore he requests that those who are unable to be present and debate orally with us, may do so by letter.

In the Name our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

1. When Jesus said "repent" he meant that believers should live a whole life repenting

2. Only God can give salvation - not a priest.

3. Inwards penitence must be accompanied with a suitable change in lifestyle.

4. Sin will always remain until we enter Heaven.

5. The pope must act according to canon law.

6. Only God can forgive -the pope can only reassure people that God will do this.

7. A sinner must be humbled in front of his priest before God can forgive him.

8. Canon law applies only to the living not to the dead.

9. However, the Holy Spirit will make exceptions to this when required to do so.

10. The priest must not threaten those dying with the penalty of purgatory.

11. The church through church penalties is producing a 'human crop of weeds'.

12. In days gone by, church penalties were imposed before release from guilt to show true repentance.

13. When you die all your debts to the church are wiped out and those debts are free from being judged.

14. When someone is dying they might have bad/incorrect thoughts against the church and they will be scared. This fear is enough penalty.

15. This fear is so bad that it is enough to cleanse the soul.

16. Purgatory = Hell. Heaven = Assurance.

17. Souls in Purgatory need to find love - the more love the less their sin.

18. A sinful soul does not have to be always sinful. It can be cleansed.

19. There is no proof that a person is free from sin.

20. Even the pope - who can offer forgiveness - cannot totally forgive sins held within.

21. An indulgence will not save a man.

22. A dead soul cannot be saved by an indulgence.

23. Only a very few sinners can be pardoned. These people would have to be perfect.

24. Therefore most people are being deceived by indulgences.

25. The pope's power over Purgatory is the same as a priest's.

26. When the pope intervenes to save an individual, he does so by the will of God.

27. It is nonsense to teach that a dead soul in Purgatory can be saved by money.

28. Money causes greed - only God can save souls.

29. Do we know if the souls in Purgatory want to be saved ?

30. No-one is sure of the reality of his own penitence - no-one can be sure of receiving complete forgiveness.

31. A man who truly buys an indulgence (ie believes it is to be what it is) is as rare as someone who truly repents all sin ie very rare.

32. People who believe that indulgences will let them live in salvation will always be damned - along with those who teach it.

33. Do not believe those who say that a papal indulgence is a wonderful gift which allows salvation.

34. Indulgences only offer Man something which has been agreed to by Man.

35. We should not teach that those who aim to buy salvation do not need to be contrite.

36. A man can be free of sin if he sincerely repents - an indulgence is not needed.

37. Any Christian - dead or alive - can gain the benefit and love of Christ without an indulgence.

38. Do not despise the pope's forgiveness but his forgiveness is not the most important.

39. The most educated theologians cannot preach about indulgences and real repentance at the same time.

40. A true repenter will be sorry for his sins and happily pay for them. Indulgences trivialise this issue.

41. If a pardon is given it should be given cautiously in case people think it's more important than doing good works.

42. Christians should be taught that the buying of indulgences does not compare with being forgiven by Christ.

43. A Christian who gives to the poor or lends to those in need is doing better in God's eyes than one who buys 'forgiveness'.

44. This is because of loving others, love grows and you become a better person. A person buying an indulgence does not become a better person.

45. A person who passes by a beggar but buys an indulgence will gain the anger and disappointment of God.

46. A Christian should buy what is necessary for life not waste money on an indulgence.

47. Christians should be taught that they do not need an indulgence.

48. The pope should have more desire for devout prayer than for ready money.

49. Christians should be taught not to rely on an indulgence. They should never lose their fear of God through them.

50. If a pope knew how much people were being charged for an indulgence - he would prefer to demolish St. Peter's.

51. The pope should give his own money to replace that which is taken from pardoners.

52. It is vain to rely on an indulgence to forgive your sins.

53. Those who forbid the word of God to be preached and who preach pardons as a norm are enemies of both the pope and Christ.

54. It is blasphemy that the word of God is preached less than that of indulgences.

55. The pope should enforce that the gospel - a very great matter - must be celebrated more than indulgences.

56. The treasure of the church is not sufficiently known about among the followers of Christ.

57. The treasure of the Church are temporal (of this life).

58. Relics are not the relics of Christ, although they may seem to be. They are, in fact, evil in concept.

59. St. Laurence misinterpreted this as the poor gave money to the church for relics and forgiveness.

60. Salvation can be sought for through the church as it has been granted this by Christ.

61. It is clear that the power of the church is adequate, by itself, for the forgiveness of sins.

62. The main treasure of the church should be the Gospels and the grace of God.

63. Indulgences make the most evil seem unjustly good.

64. Therefore evil seems good without penance or forgiveness.

65. The treasured items in the Gospels are the nets used by the workers.

66. Indulgences are used to net an income for the wealthy.

67. It is wrong that merchants praise indulgences.

68. They are the furthest from the grace of God and the piety and love of the cross.

69. Bishops are duty bound to sell indulgences and support them as part of their job.

70. But bishops are under a much greater obligation to prevent men preaching their own dreams.

71. People who deny the pardons of the Apostles will be cursed.

72. Blessed are they who think about being forgiven.

73. The pope is angered at those who claim that pardons are meaningless.

74. He will be even more angry with those who use indulgences to criticise holy love.

75. It is wrong to think that papal pardons have the power to absolve all sin.

76. You should feel guilt after being pardoned. A papal pardon cannot remove guilt.

77. Not even St. Peter could remove guilt.

78. Even so, St. Peter and the pope possess great gifts of grace.

79. It is blasphemy to say that the insignia of the cross is of equal value with the cross of Christ.

80. Bishops who authorise such preaching will have to answer for it.

81. Pardoners make the intelligent appear disrespectful because of the pope's position.

82. Why doesn't the pope clean feet for holy love not for money ?

83. Indulgences bought for the dead should be re-paid by the pope.

84. Evil men must not buy their salvation when a poor man, who is a friend of God, cannot.

85. Why are indulgences still bought from the church ?

86. The pope should re-build St. Peter's with his own money.

87. Why does the pope forgive those who serve against him ?

88. What good would be done to the church if the pope was to forgive hundreds of people each day ?

89. Why are indulgences only issued when the pope sees fit to issue them ?

90. To suppress the above is to expose the church for what it is and to make true Christians unhappy.

91. If the pope had worked as he should (and by example) all the problems stated above would not have existed.

92. All those who say there is no problem must go. Problems must be tackled.

93. Those in the church who claim there is no problem must go.

94. Christians must follow Christ at all cost.

95. Let Christians experience problems if they must - and overcome them - rather than live a false life based on present Catholic teaching.

Young NZ First is recruiting

hat-tip: Andrew Falloon

Abortion

abortion: legal murder.

Syringe with Spinal Needle: This abortion instrument's uses include injecting saltwater into the uterus. The baby swallows and breathes the poison. The cause of the death is congestion, hemorrhage and shock. The mother goes into premature labor about a day later and delivers a dead child. The other use is to inject the chemicals (digoxin, potassium chloride, etc.) into the heart of the baby. In both uses, these harsh chemicals soften the child's corpse, making it easier to rip apart and remove.
Forceps: This abortion tool is used to crush, grasp, and pull the child's body apart.

Images from www.granthamcollection.com. I also recommend that you check out www.abort73.com.

Edmund Burke's quote is almost certainly more applicable today than when he first said it.

"All that is required for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing."

Maxim looks at "Societal Equality"

excerpts from the excellent new article article: "Dignity, Decency, Equality and Freedom", found here at www.maxim.org.nz, 25 October 2007.

...Take "equality" for example. It is true that "all men are created equal" in dignity; rich and poor, people of all races and creeds and social positions have an intrinsic and common human dignity they possess by virtue of being human. We want people to be "treated the same" before the law, to have a society where the poor are not shut out, and where we all have a sense that we share in a wider whole. Indeed, the concept we often label "equality" is closely related to the older concept of "equity"—the idea that we have a stake, and that we have a right to that stake, or as Edmund Burke said that we have "equal rights, but not to equal things." The poor man and the rich man might have unequal wealth, but they have an equal right to justice, a right to equality before the law, a right to equal treatment by virtue of their humanity...

...Signing up to equality without thought, critique, criticism and debate means signing up to a whole heap of unintended consequences too. People are not equal in talent, or in ability. Some people will earn more money than others, some will be academically minded, some practical, some people wise with their cash and others foolish. This is a fact of life, and we should not allow, as so often happens, the generous and good ideas of "fairness" and "equality" to be warped so as to obscure and attempt to hide this fundamental human truth. Competition and unfairness are a fact of life...

Click here to read the rest of the article.

realisation of revitalisation

I started writing this post on 19 Janurary 2007 but never finished it...

"Are we going to the garage sale?". What on earth was he talking about? It was just past 6pm on the Friday night, and there was Nathan, already asking if we could drop in on a garage sale. "Garage sales are on Saturday morning" I told myself, but other than this, I ignored the comment. Sitting on Dad's computer chair - the one with the good arm rests, and just recently upholstered by himself and Mum, I studied the 14.1 inch screen of the Toshiba Satelite A10 laptop - again Dad's, that was sitting on the desk in the library. A sizeable gulp from my tall glass of Keri apple juice with ice (to make it cold) was just the thing. I was trying to find a driver for the inbuilt soundcard on my ASUS A8N-VM motherboard. For some reason or other, the driver CD that came with the mobo doesn't seem to want to install the sound for me, so there you go. On 45.2kbps, www.driverguide.com was really taking too long to load. And without my login details, I was shot. Dad turned the key in the ignition of the Nissan Serena which was parked in our driveway - an example if ever there was one of decent off-street parking here in Avonhead.

A surge of adrenaline hit me as I realised that time was running out. Could I dredge up my login details from deep within the 323mb of data on my Gmail acount in time? Apparently not. For some unjustifiable reason, in the four or five emails I had recieved from driverguide after requesting my login information, they, in there infinte wisdom had seen fit to only give me my password. "You'll never know if you don't go". I probably should know who originally sang "All Star", but I don't. The version I know and love is by Smashmouth, and to be heard on the soundtrack of Shrek 1. This phrase did not come into my head as I minimised Firefox2 and spun off down the hallway towards the front door.

Masterfully flicking my upturned jandals (that are actually Simon's) with my sockless feet that were yet stinking feet from the toil of the day, I slipped them on. Jumping into the passenger seat, I listened to Dad telling me "why we don't open the window in the roof". And fair enough too, - it had been left open all last night - by me.

109 Memorial Ave. "Good address" I told Dad and Nathan. I kept an eye on Dad's feet and gear-stick hand, watching and Learning. "Whoops, we've gone past it". Dad looked behind him. "right, we need to go back two...".

Air Time - alternate ending

by my sister Lydia, over at most-tranquil.blogspot.com

Read my original story here

He saw the door opening, but by that time there was nothing he could do to slow himself down. The other bikes raced ahead and he knew the race was over for him. His life was about to end as well. A huge, middle aged lady stuck her head out of the door. Her face slowly registered suprise and then anxiety. In the split second his tyre hit the door, he thought about all the stories he'd heard of people dying. The stories always read: 'His life flashed before his eyes, and he knew that this was the end.' The puzzling thing was, the man thought as he collided with the door, that his life wasn't flashing before his eyes. All that he could think of was, 'I'm gonna die.' This phrase repeated itself over and over in his brain like a broken record. Just before the bike smashed into the door, the man pulled up the front wheel with an expert twist. Maybe it was just as well he wasn't looking at his life's story or he wouldn't have had the presence of mind to do that. His whole body jerked convulsively back as the bike came in contact with the door. The front tyre skidded up the door, the back tyre in the air, and the man leaned over the handlebars. This was some jump, the man thought. He'd done a lot of different types of jumps, but never one like this. The woman was sitting in her seat in the car, watching him do the jump like it was some kind of show. She wore the expression you have when you're watching someone do something dangerous, the anxious but entertained look. The back tyre just touched the top of the door, then the whole bike hurtled through the air. Nice, thought the man, crouching over the handle bars. That was a well executed jump.

The bike made an arc and then landed, crunching into the tarsealed road. The man braked. The speed with which he'd been traveling was so great that the bike didn't respond immediatley to the brake, but skidded for several meters. Great, the man thought. Now the brakes were probably wrecked.

Dead Men Walking

This is a great article by R.C. Sproul. It was in our Church bulletin and so good that I have posted it here as well. Make sure you catch the punchline at the end of the article.

Attention to detail is far more important in our theology than in our penmanship. For instance, we need to be sure to dot the I in TULIP, the well-known acrostic whose letters represent the classic five points of Calvinism. In the age-old debate between Augustinian and Semi-Pelagian theologies, the crucial point at issue is irresistible grace. Before we consider the qualifier "irresistible," we must define the use of "grace" in this term.The grace in this formula has to do with an action or operation. This operation is wrought on us by God the Holy Spirit. It is a divine work or operation that cannot be earned or merited. We can never earn or deserve grace. If grace were earned, it no longer would be grace. Rather, it would be justice.

The specific operation of God that is in view in the doctrine of irresistible grace is the divine work of regeneration. Regeneration literally means "to regenerate again." It is the concept that rests upon Scripture's teaching concerning rebirth or being born anew. This is the idea expressed in Paul's concept of "quickening," by which the sinful person is raised from spiritual death to spiritual life.

Most Christians agree that regeneration is necessary for salvation. The debate rages over the question of how this necessary condition is met. Historic Semi-Pelagianism teaches that in order to be regenerated one first must have faith. In this schema, it is clear that faith precedes regeneration and that regeneration rests upon a prior response to faith. Thus, God is seen as offering salvation to whosoever will cooperate with His grace.

In contrast to all forms of Semi-Pelagianism, Augustianian and Reformed theology teaches that the grace of regeneration is a monergistic work that is done by God alone because it is a work only God can do. It is a work accomplished on us and in us by which our very natures are changed. It is at once a divine act of re-creation and of liberation. By re-creation we are quickened to spiritual life, or raised from the state of spiritual death.

Regeneration is not a joint venture. We do not cooperate in it because we will not cooperate in spiritual matters while we are still dead in our sins. Our hearts are totally disinclined and indisposed to the things of God. We love darkness and will not have God in our thinking. The desires of our hearts are enslaved to sin. We will never choose Christ until or unless we are liberated from that slavery. In short, we are morally unable to exercise faith until and unless we are first regenerated.

This is why the axiom of Reformed theology is that regeneration precedes faith. Rebirth is a necessary pre-condition for faith. Faith is not possible for spiritually dead creatures. Therefore, we contend that apart from spiritual rebirth there can be no faith.

Of course, once the divine initiative of regeneration has been wrought by the sovereign monergistic work of God, the rest of the Christian life is synergistic. But the transformation of the person from death to life, darkness to light, bondage to liberation is done by God alone, effectually and irresistibly. This is the Biblical basis for the church's confession Soli Deo Gloria.

Gmail is the new "Sliced Bread"

When I signed up for Google Apps, I was given a 2,000mb inbox. I just glanced at the bottom of the screen and saw that I now have 4,337 mb. Google Apps is one of the best things that has happened to me. I can run up to 100 email addresses through the one account - ideal for a business or other organisation. As some of you will know, I'm running my email address (andy@equipbiz.co.nz) through GMail, and I can even use the excellent GMail chat with my email account. I can login to check my emails at http://mail.equipbiz.co.nz. I've got about 3 email addresses automatically forwarding everything to andy@equipbiz.co.nz, and I can send mail from other email addresses - through andy@equipbiz.co.nz and it appears as if it was sent from those other email addresses.

And then I've got Google Docs which I can access at http://docs.equipbiz.co.nz through my own customised login screen. Wow, Google is... wow.

Forget sliced bread, GMail is where it's at.

Wherever I am

I was just going to test the new firewire cable on the laptop. Hah, the video camera works as a webcam too, so I played around a bit. Spiders is one of my fave songs at the moment. ;) I made the ring. And no, it's not *that* finger. 'spend about 1/3 of my life... so anyway...

boys and girls to share toilets in California Schools

Schwarzenegger signs law outlawing terms perceived as negative to 'gays'

WorldNetDaily.com 13 October 2007

"Mom and Dad" as well as "husband and wife" have been banned from California schools under a bill signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who with his signature also ordered public schools to allow boys to use girls restrooms and locker rooms, and vice versa, if they choose .

"We are shocked and appalled that the governor has blatantly attacked traditional family values in California," said Karen England, executive director of Capitol Resource Institute. "With this decision, Gov. Schwarzenegger has told parents that their values are irrelevant. Many parents will have no choice but to pull their children out of the public schools that have now become sexualized indoctrination centers."

"Arnold Schwarzenegger has delivered young children into the hands of those who will introduce them to alternative sexual lifestyles," said Randy Thomasson, president of Campaign for Children and Families, which worked to defeat the plans. "This means children as young as five years old will be mentally molested in school classrooms.

read more on this unspeakably ridiculous topic at www.worldnetdaily.com

PREDICTION NOW A REALITY: "MOMS & DADS" BANNED IN CALIFORNIA SCHOOLS
News with Views 15 Oct 2007 http://www.newswithviews.com/NWV-News/news11.htm

Gordon Copeland explains Future NZ strife with Destiny

see www.futurenz.org.nz.

Greetings once again from Parliament.
I have decided to devote the Chronicle, on this occasion, to the well intentioned but ultimately unsuccessful, attempt to give birth to a single political party, based on Judeo-Christian, values in preparation for the 2008 elections. 

This process began, for me, back in June when I was invited to a meeting convened by church leaders in Auckland. That meeting was also attended by Brian Tamaki and Richard Lewis of the Destiny Party and Taito Phillip Field of the fledging Pacific Party. 

At that meeting Brian Tamaki offered, in the interest of creating a unified political party, to do two things. Firstly to deregister the Destiny Party. Secondly to make a public statement to the effect that he was bringing to an end his involvement in party politics in order to concentrate on his work as the leader of the Destiny Church. 

My participation in subsequent meetings rested upon Brian Tamaki carrying through on those two undertakings. 

In the weeks that followed, the initial, somewhat informal, group of church leaders was broadened out by adding people from a fairly wide variety of Christian churches and denominations to become the National Advisory Council. 

During July the NAC, in response to a request from Brian Tamaki, agreed that the new political party envisaged would be co-lead by Richard Lewis and myself. However the form and shape of the new party and the timing of its public announcement was still under discussion.

I wanted to see the new party launched, with a new name, with a board, with Larry Baldock as President and myself as Leader and then, some months later, to bring Richard on as a co-leader. This arrangement had the support of the Future New Zealand leadership group with the proviso that it "must be managed very carefully". 

As agreed with the NAC, the two undertakings given by Brian Tamaki at the first meeting I  attended (as outlined above) were to be announced at the Destiny press conference during September. Careful planning went into that press conference including scripted answers to possible questions and my comments by way of response to the inevitable media interest in the matter. That was all that was agreed to. I also made it clear to Richard Lewis that he was to advise me immediately of any variation to that agreed position so that I could modify my response to the media accordingly. He agreed to do that but did not do so; hence his subsequent apology.

Accordingly I was staggered, whilst watching the Destiny press conference on my Parliamentary computer, to hear Brian Tamaki move completely away from that pre-planned and scripted position. He did announce Destiny' deregistration but reneged on his second undertaking to end his involvement in party politics. Instead he did not rule out being a candidate for the new party, signalled his continuing involvement through the NAC, and gave the impression that the NAC would somehow be running the new party! He then went on to announce that Richard Lewis would be a co-leader of the new party without any authorisation to do so from the NAC and in the knowledge that this contradicted Future New Zealand's express wishes in the matter. 

In the 24 hours following the press conference many Future New Zealand party members contacted me to say that they were not prepared to enter into a new vehicle co-led by Richard Lewis. Their overwhelming negative reaction then made it imperative for me to publicly rule out that possibility. 

At a personal level I have been greatly encouraged at the overwhelming, sympathetic, and understanding support I have received from people all over the country. They seem to have quickly grasped the extent to which I had been "ambushed" and have affirmed their strong ongoing support for Future New Zealand.

With all good wishes,
Gordon Copeland
Independent Member of Parliament

Learning Poetry

a well-written poem from most-tranquil.blogspot.com - by my big sister Lydia.

Learning poetry grinds me down,
It pulls my face into a frown,
'Part of an object that stands for a whole,' -
I'm clinging to my self-control.

'All hands on deck,' the captain cries,
But with the test my memory dies,
The answer is out of my mental grasp,
It flops like a fish and breathes it's last.

'Three out of ten,' the words ring cold,
And like a vice on me take hold,
But I scrunch up the score with great disdain,
And pick up my pencil to try again.

John's back

And here's a cool quote I found here:

I believe in Christianity as I believe the sun has risen, not only because I see it but because, by it, I see everything else. ~ C.S. Lewis

Aisle of Values

Dropped into Pak'n Save here in Howick, Auckland to get my second bottle of V. I saw this strange sign hanging from the ceiling. Yeah, down South we use the correct grammar, "Aisle of Value". I had to pxt this photo to my email account to get it up here... good times. :)

Hit them with a hammer

"I can't move my toes" It was the guy who listened to the radio in town.  For as long as I could remember, the "guy who listens to the radio in town" had been wandering around the center of Christchurch, Cathedral Square down to Cashel Mall with a radio on his shoulder.  He obliged anyone who was in ear-shot with accompaniment to whatever was playing.  Whether it was the news, talk back or rock and roll, the guy who listened to the radio in town would sing along.  The words - if you could call them that were like none other known to man.  It could be more aptly described as a prolonged roller coaster groan in a deep monotone.  A large smile lit up the man's face from ear to ear as he walked by.  His lunch in a plastic bread bag clutched in one hand, the other holding the radio on his shoulder, pressed hard against his ear.  The volume was high.  It was a new radio now, a silver one.  Not the old two deck cassette/radio monster he had had for so many years.  That's technology for you - we all move on, upgrade eventually.  Talk about planned obsolescence and monopolised product development.  Blimmin corporate control of blimmin everything.  

"I can't move my toes".  He was on the number 3 bus into town.  He got out of his seat and stood next to the driver, one hand steadying himself on a nearby pole.  He could not have stood any higher than five feet off the ground.  He obviously ate well enough as his weight to height ratio was perhaps below the generally accepted norm.  A baggy checkered shirt rolled up to the elbows and trousers made of that soft fabric stuff - the sort they make skivvies out of, and a pair of good shoes that he'd found at an Op shop were his protection against the elements.  "Hahah, it's the guy from in town..." I did not attempt to suppress the smile as I spoke to my brother.  "Shut up".  "What?".  My brother gave me the evil eye and I shrugged innocently.  "He lives close to us".  Hmmm, does he... "It doesn't matter", I returned - "it's fine...".  The brother was right, but younger so I couldn't possibly take his advice and ignore the amusing scene that was now developing at the front of the bus.

The bus driver was a Pacific Islander with a short un-braided pig-tail of his jet black hair held back by a couple of rubber bands... I guess.  He kept his eyes on the road and spoke to the guy who listened to the radio in town.  "What's wrong?".  "I can't move my toes" returned the man.  The bus driver thought for a while.  "I know what you can do" he said, an invisible grin on his face.  "I can move my legs" - the man who listened to the radio in town demonstrated this fact.  "But I can't move my toes".  He seemed to be taking some unholy delight in his predicament.  While not looking particularly concerned, he spoke in a pained voice but with that perpetual smile on his face.  A smiling face.  Guy couldn't help it.  He always smiled.  He had smiled as I explained the petition to him.  He had smiled as he attempted signing the petition.  Two big scribbles across the A4 sheet was as much as he could manage, and good on him.  He understood even with his brain in the condition it was in, that good parents know the difference between a smack and child abuse.  I had thrown the petition sheet - empty other than his signature into the nearby rubbish bin as soon as he was out of sight.

"I know what you can do" - the bus driver spoke again.  "Hit your toes with a hammer".  The man who listened to the radio in town looked down at his shoes and then towards the back of the bus, keeping an eye on his audience.  I nodded at him and his grin widened.  "Would it hurt?".  The bus-driver informed the man that yes, it would hurt.  "Would they bleed?".  "No, they won't bleed.  Hit them with a hammer" replied the bus-driver.  "Would they booze?".  The bus-driver didn't understand.  Two more times the man asked the question.  Eventually the bus-driver understood.  "Yes, it would bruise your toes.  Hit them with a hammer".  The gaming geek with long blonde hair at the front of the bus on the left shot a carefully suppressed amused smile at the back of the bus.  I returned the smile, laughing openly.  This encouraged the gamer, and I heard a quiet laugh.  The well dressed late twenties guy with the baseball hat sitting in front of me and to the left gave the ghost of a smile.

The man who listened to the radio in town thumped his chest.  "My heart's fine".  The bus-driver nodded.  "My body's fine, but I can't feel my toes".  "Hit them with a hammer" replied the bus-driver.  He spoke in dead earnest, his voice laced with an almost indiscernible mirth.  The man looked behind him again, the picture of confusion.  "My body's fine" he said again as he took his seat facing the back of the bus.  He smiled uncannily at the young woman sitting opposite him.  She shifted on her seat uncomfortably and he smiled again.  "Here's another thing you could do", the bus-driver spoke again.  The man stopped his repeat demonstration of how his legs worked fine, but his toes did not.  He headed over to the bus-driver again; the young woman looked relieved.  He was a good friendly man, perhaps a little too friendly, and his speech was slurred and not too easy on your ears.  The bus-driver was in his element and continued speaking with no prompting.  

"You could poke them with a pin".  Again, he spoke in a serious tone as he continued to elaborate on the procedure whereby one could perform the aforementioned operation upon one's self.  "Would they bleed?"  The man who listened to the radio in town spoke out in a concerned, shrill voice.  "Yes... But you would know if you could feel them then" returned the bus-driver helpfully.  "Would they get bruised?"  He looked behind him again with a sparkle in his eyes, his face conveying that he knew it was all a bit over the top though it was something to be taken seriously.  "No, it wouldn't bruise them".  "Would it hurt?".  "Yes, it would hurt... You know, something else you could do, you could just get someone to jump on your toes".  The bus-driver had obviously done a first-aid course or something, as it appeared as though he had all the answers when it came to a case where someone had lost the feeling in their toes.  Either that or his rich brother who was a paediatrician had been giving him a few tips.  "Get someone to stamp on them".

By this time I was laughing out loud.  The blonde gaming geek rested an arm on the other seat and turned round again, his face contorted in a spasm of ridiculous amusement.  The man with the bad toes laughed a bit and sat down again and the bus continued down the road into town.