tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50351525806070789632024-03-14T15:56:10.933+13:00Yardy Yardy Yardy...conquering mid-life, one crisis at a time!Writer Of The Purple Sagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935896975834415060noreply@blogger.comBlogger1749125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035152580607078963.post-905173215087341382016-10-30T06:00:00.000+13:002017-04-01T12:41:27.514+13:00Paul Henry: GO! NOW!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
SURELY Mediaworks can't protect him any more. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arrogant. Smug. Bulletproof?</td></tr>
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That bigoted arrogant juvenile broadcaster <b>Paul Henry</b> insists he <span style="color: #274e13;">"meant no harm"</span> for making comments about a woman's breasts during an interview. <br />
During an expletive-filled piece, the breakfast TV host said that a woman sitting near him had <span style="color: #274e13;">"perfect tits"</span>. But he's adamant <span style="color: #274e13;">"there's absolutely no way the woman could have heard the conversation...I would never want to make anyone feel uncomfortable."</span> Yea...right. <br />
Listen, dickhead, whether the woman could hear you or not is irrelevant. You've (supposedly) got a brain in your overpaid head - even <u>you</u> know you've crossed the line once too often! <br />
At some point the woman put on a jacket - Henry commented that she'd covered them up and <span style="color: #274e13;">"hermetically f***ing sealed them in leather!"</span> <br />
This is the standard sort of childish behaviour and language that the whole country has had to tolerate from Paul Henry for far too many years!<b><span style="color: #990000;"> It MUST stop!</span></b><br />
It's long past time he RESIGNED! He surely has something wrong in his twisted psyche.<br />
Get some treatment...and get off our screens. Once and for all.<br />
Former TVNZ Breakfast host Rawdon Christie said <span style="color: #274e13;">"...(Henry)'s an entertainer. Simple. No need to add oxygen to this – he'll probably be loving the attention." </span>Whether that's true or not, media expert Brian Edwards called the expletive-laden interview a <span style="color: #274e13;">"career wrecking ball"</span>.<br />
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A spokesman for Mediaworks says the company does not condone offensive behaviour. <br />
So what is Mediaworks <i><b><u>going to do</u></b></i> about this pillick? </div>
Writer Of The Purple Sagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935896975834415060noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035152580607078963.post-83408581770482849642016-10-28T06:00:00.000+13:002016-11-09T13:36:24.356+13:00Drone WarsThe use of private drones has skyrocketed, yet their owners don't seem to have grasped the serious nature of airspace intrusion over places like airports, nuclear power plants and prisons. <br />
So the gloves are now OFF! <br />
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Defence giants Boeing and Lockheed Martin have developed technology ranging from detection systems to more disruptive solutions such as software that forces unauthorised drones to go home or land safely, and laser cannons that shoot unwanted drones out of the sky. <br />
At a demonstration in California, Boeing's compact 2kw laser system took only about 15 seconds to set a drone alight. <br />
Another company has developed software that establishes invisible barriers - "geofences" - around sensitive airspace. When drones hit the virtual boundary, the software overrides the drone's flight controller and forces it to hover. Any drone deployed inside the barrier won't be able to lift off. <br />
It's anticipated the counter-drone industry (both civil and military) could be worth at least several hundred million dollars at this stage, let alone in the future. <br />
Much will depend on how well the technology works. The first step is identifying whether drones are 'friendly' or not. Systems also need to be able to distinguish between slow-moving drones and birds, and the signals from drones compared to cellphones. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit4-L6X8hgQ9rgi6afiTtGDhznKXJl_UmOVlIuc7q3FRq11br21yZz29q0R7x3izgpuCLteDpKYkv2JRub2ppLcMnUuDeeDT6_WmE31qUbbTueABUkrc-QoBcC5RSO0_uWqawUYFMjksq7/s1600/tucson1bigstockBoneyard17478212jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit4-L6X8hgQ9rgi6afiTtGDhznKXJl_UmOVlIuc7q3FRq11br21yZz29q0R7x3izgpuCLteDpKYkv2JRub2ppLcMnUuDeeDT6_WmE31qUbbTueABUkrc-QoBcC5RSO0_uWqawUYFMjksq7/s200/tucson1bigstockBoneyard17478212jpg.jpg" width="200" height="100" /></a></div>It's envisaged that eventually airports, government locations, public swimming pools, defence facilities and the like will all erect "geofences" to inhibit airspace intrusions. Once enough "geofences" intersect, the 'free range' areas for drones will be severely restricted, certainly in cities at least. <br />
So it seems the days of airborne voyeurs roaming wherever they wish via their drones may be coming to an end... <br />Writer Of The Purple Sagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935896975834415060noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035152580607078963.post-47338818728406794612016-10-26T06:00:00.002+13:002021-09-01T11:14:49.290+12:00Bully Boys' Blockade<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0hekFJbReHiR68lMtzH7i_UQlJKGVfZX8CIajFtTev9ACrvlGXfbt5MK29F1Uo1G35j1AgAfIKesBDW6NjsgWToLTCfuZlYFunwk-WdgUY5iutaglYb6np2yIRlp4JKEiE5qiqUPCtHEd/s1600/whaling+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0hekFJbReHiR68lMtzH7i_UQlJKGVfZX8CIajFtTev9ACrvlGXfbt5MK29F1Uo1G35j1AgAfIKesBDW6NjsgWToLTCfuZlYFunwk-WdgUY5iutaglYb6np2yIRlp4JKEiE5qiqUPCtHEd/s400/whaling+2.jpg" width="400" height="121" /></a></div>A nasty-Nippon-led coalition has blocked a move to create a South Atlantic sanctuary for whales. <br />
The proposal brought by five African and South American countries needed the support of ¾ of the International Whaling Commission (IWC)'s 88 members. In the event, 24 countries were opposed, including Japan.<br />
Japan is one of a handful of countries including Norway and Iceland still hunting whales via a loophole in a 30yr.old global moratorium, allowing "scientific whaling" – essentially using a tape measure to justify commercial harvesting of whales. <br />
Hermano Telles Ribeiro, Brazil's IWC envoy said after the vote: <span style="color: #274e13;">"Brazil does not accept the practice of scientific whaling. The loophole should not be there at all."</span> <br />
He said it was high time to tighten the 70yr.old International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling. That moratorium was introduced at the urging of environmentalists, to preserve dwindling whale stocks in the world's oceans. <br />
The sanctuaries improved protection of whales from pollution and entanglement in fishing nets. Scientists estimate 300,000+ whales and dolphins die annually after being accidentally caught in fishing gear. <br />
Environmentalists say the South Atlantic is crucial to preserving whale diversity. It is an area that is critically important to a wide range of whale species. <br />Writer Of The Purple Sagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935896975834415060noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035152580607078963.post-27579492592566650642016-10-17T06:00:00.000+13:002016-10-17T08:31:41.503+13:00UN Picks Wonder Woman Over Helen Clark<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The United Nations recently rejected seven female candidates vying for its leadership, one of whom was NZ's own <b>Helen Clark</b>. <br />
Now, to promote women and girls, it's picked a <i>cartoon character</i> as its mascot: <b>Wonder Woman</b>! Yeup, the comic book figure. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wonder Woman</td></tr>
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Dozens of countries pushed this year for a woman as the next Secretary General, pointing out that the UN pledges to promote gender equality and arguing that it needs to "lead by example". But after months of internal jockeying, the Security Council picked António Guterres, who ran the UN refugee agency for ten years, to be the world's top diplomat. <br />
Now the UN has announced it'll appoint <u>Wonder Woman</u> as an honorary ambassador for "the empowerment of women and girls"! That appointment will be made official on Oct.21, when Wonder Woman turns 75, only slightly older than the UN itself.<br />
Too bad Wonder Woman will not <i>actually</i> walk through the halls of the UN. If she did, she'd have to sort out a few internal issues, like peacekeepers who sexually abuse civilians and major military powers that bomb schools. Instead, president of DC Entertainment, Diane Nelson will accept the designation, along with "surprise guests". No word on whether Lynda Carter, who played Wonder Woman on tv, will be there...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scary Woman</td></tr>
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Wonder Woman's avatar (er, that's "image" for those of us who were not born yesterday) will be used on social media to promote important messages about women's empowerment, including gender-based violence and fuller participation of women in public life... ironic, considering nine out of ten senior UN leadership jobs last year went to men. Not to mention, a woman has never led the UN. <br />
Wonder Woman's not the <u>only</u> fictional character to be celebrated by the United Nations: Winnie the Pooh was its honorary Ambassador of Friendship in 1998 and Tinker Bell its honorary Ambassador of Green in 2009. <br />
Not that those factoids or magic bracelets will make Helen Clark any happier about missing the cut... </div>
Writer Of The Purple Sagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935896975834415060noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035152580607078963.post-62865046504776883712016-10-13T06:00:00.000+13:002016-10-13T09:29:02.780+13:00Killers Stalk British Countryside<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
What many citizens have suspected for some time: leopards and pumas are breeding in rural Britain. <br />
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New data shows more than one big cat sighting is being reported to UK police every week! There've been 455 sightings of big cats between 2010-2015. Accounts of a black panther stalking Norfolk and Suffolk have featured regularly in news reports. <br />
Since the UK's Dangerous Wild Animals Act came into law in 1977, people have not been allowed to keep big cats as pets. Many big cat sightings are of animals that were kept as pets and released, or perhaps ones that escaped from zoos or were purposely released into the wild. <br />
But big cats <u>must</u> be breeding, as they don't live 40 years in the wild: puma last 8-13yrs and leopards 12-17yrs. There've also been occasional sightings of females with cubs. <br />
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There're an estimated 2,000 sightings each year, the vast majority of which are not reported to UK authorities. Some have been dismissed as hoaxes, however a DNA test on hairs found in Lincolnshire found they did come from the leopard family. <br />
Leopards and pumas in the wild live in countryside quite similar to the UK: there're pumas in North America and leopards as far north as Siberia. <br />
So, given that the existence of these big cats seems no longer in dispute, I wonder what the UK approach will be, when one of them is cornered? Police supposedly liaise with the RSPCA...but these particular cats are somewhat more dangerous than your average stray moggie! <br />
One hopes police sharpshooters won't kill them on sight...but what <i>will</i> the fate of these once-legendary rural stalkers be? </div>
Writer Of The Purple Sagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935896975834415060noreply@blogger.com0Norfolk, UK52.6139686 0.8864020999999411351.9977441 -0.40449140000005879 53.2301931 2.1772955999999413tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035152580607078963.post-19731861110231282632016-10-06T06:00:00.000+13:002016-10-08T12:43:03.442+13:00An End To "The Big O.E."?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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For many New Zealanders,<b> "the Big OE"</b> was their young adult initiation into the big wide world. Their "Overseas Experience" consisted of a few years in the land of their ancestors, gaining working visa entry to Britain through parental or grand-parental links... <br />
But, in the post-Brexit anti-immigrant panic, Britain is slamming the door on international students and foreign workers. A harsh new policy will stop overseas workers from "taking jobs British people could do", in moves that could affect kiwis and aussies wanting to live, work and study there. <br />
Students and skilled workers from countries including NZ and OZ, foreign cab-drivers and Europeans convicted of minor crimes will all be targeted, as part of a tough stance aimed at reducing migrants to just "tens of thousands" (down from 300,000 this year). <br />
UK Home Secretary Amber Rudd: <span style="color: #274e13;">"There's no question that recent immigration levels motivated a large part of the Brexit vote."</span> Net migration from EU countries is 184,000, just short of the 188,000 from non-EU countries <u>combined</u>. Rudd says it will not be possible to reach the much lower target by curbing <u>EU migration alone</u>: <span style="color: #274e13;">"We have to look at all sources of immigration if we mean business."</span> <br />
Rudd describes as "generous" the current rules allowing working rights to the families of international students, and bemoans that foreign students studying English language degrees <span style="color: #274e13;">"don't even have to be proficient in speaking English."</span> NZ and OZ skilled workers and uni students are in the firing line too, with the UK
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Well, so much for historical ties between the Home Country and its Colonies! Obviously our loyal support in so many areas counts for naught. <br />
But two can play. Hasn't the old battler Winston Peters – NZ First politican - constantly advocated jobs for kiwis ahead of migrants? So let's consider tightening our rules too. Maybe NZ should no longer accept Englanders as a matter of course simply because they're English, or because they cross a financial threshold. Let's face it: so many of them come here, and then moan about it being too hot, or the beer being too cold, or "Eh, by goom, it weren't like this Back Home, like…!" Ok, then maybe consider staying back home. <br />
Britain's for the British? Have it your way - you voted for it. But forget emigrating to our beautiful land then… </div>Writer Of The Purple Sagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935896975834415060noreply@blogger.com0London, UK51.5073509 -0.1277582999999822351.1912379 -0.77320529999998222 51.8234639 0.51768870000001777tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035152580607078963.post-89020105715843397412016-10-01T06:00:00.000+13:002016-10-05T14:12:15.414+13:00Sea Shepherd's New WeaponA custom-made warship with bigger engines and a long-distance fuel tank...(as blogged here <a href="http://yardyyardyyardy.blogspot.co.nz/2015/02/i-feel-need-for-speed.html">02 Feb.2015</a>)! <br />
Anti-whaling activists Sea Shepherd have a brand-new $12m ship they say will match the speed and endurance of Japan's whaling fleet. <br />
And with Japan's defiance of an international court ruling about to be in the spotlight at a global summit this month, the activists plan to sail the new vessel to Australia, before heading south to disrupt the summer whale hunt near Antarctica. <br />
SS's Peter Hammarstedt: <span style="color: #274e13;">"The biggest challenge in our past campaigns has been that the Japanese whaling vessels've rammed us with their superior size, and they've outrun us with their superior speed. So this is a vessel they cannot catch."</span> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi_NJcRLmwBjuoCoc2D8NyBc7rgMhPOwWPBmdm_FJAnlCgmQPhSZSZtLQbsvvmHgOh_HouUmQ4Ll5x_oVFBzJY83Hjix6PPRtLLUkMLcldstTPny3A_RbL8zEO3K2dABze0pyoCQokegZo/s1600/Ocean+Warrior.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi_NJcRLmwBjuoCoc2D8NyBc7rgMhPOwWPBmdm_FJAnlCgmQPhSZSZtLQbsvvmHgOh_HouUmQ4Ll5x_oVFBzJY83Hjix6PPRtLLUkMLcldstTPny3A_RbL8zEO3K2dABze0pyoCQokegZo/s320/Ocean+Warrior.jpg" width="320" height="180" /></a></div>
Christened <i><b>Ocean Warrior</b></i>, it is the first brand-new ship SS has built, allowing the group to specify engine size and other features for its high-seas protests. Cargo space has been converted to fuel tanks to give the ship longer range. <br />
SS won't disclose it's top speed but said it comfortably topped 30 knots in recent Mediterranean Sea trials - this'll allow it to catch the nasty Nippon harpooners and it can land a helicopter aboard, thus extending its tracking options. <br />
All SS's other ships have been refitted older vessels, <i>Bob Barker</i> once a Norwegian whaling ship (c.1950), <i>Steve Urwin</i> a former Scottish fisheries vessel (c.1975). <br />
Japan killed 333 minke whales last summer - the first hunt after a 2014 ruling in the International Court of Justice that declared the so-called "scientific whaling" to be illegal. But Japan has since exempted itself from the court's jurisdiction and drawn up new guidelines for whaling, effectively doubling the size of the hunting grounds in the Southern Ocean. <br />
In Sept., 95 countries condemned Japan's resumption of whaling, and the issue is expected to dominate a meeting of the International Whaling Commission in Slovenia this month. <br />Writer Of The Purple Sagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935896975834415060noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035152580607078963.post-71627090012276414972016-09-24T06:00:00.000+12:002016-09-26T14:18:09.513+13:00Ice, Ice, Baby...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Confirmation that more than 1,500 metric tons of endangered Icelandic fin whale meat were shipped to Japan in July 2016! <br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKMk8Yu9z3P2fkZ8e0JN7QqsPRE48pMW3-ProQoq0smWYTmlrdaLIqx0PKmIhVAwOhFcTCfMuMjZhSN9q0t8d-Yl-4wP8hamaeq4rR530K9C4pgGFnDACW0MLmjJQJMdncJbavvw0CXUDJ/s1600/Winter+Bay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="114" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKMk8Yu9z3P2fkZ8e0JN7QqsPRE48pMW3-ProQoq0smWYTmlrdaLIqx0PKmIhVAwOhFcTCfMuMjZhSN9q0t8d-Yl-4wP8hamaeq4rR530K9C4pgGFnDACW0MLmjJQJMdncJbavvw0CXUDJ/s200/Winter+Bay.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">death-carrier <i>Winter Bay</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The discovery comes just prior to the 17th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP17) to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which starts in South Africa today. <br />
The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI), OceanCare, Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), Pro Wildlife, and Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC) tracked the transport vessel <i>Winter Bay</i> from Iceland, through Russia's Northern Sea Route and on to Japan, suspecting it was carrying whale products from the Hvalur whaling company. The shipment arrived in Osaka on 09 Sept. <br />
As blogged here, <i>Winter Bay </i>shipped over 1,800 metric tons of fin whale products from Iceland to Japan via the same route <a href="http://yardyyardyyardy.blogspot.co.nz/2015/05/icelandic-ahab-tries-it-again.html">in 2015</a>. <br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh32uXRFWM3cHSTXtZy2PxdmfUXrfP_oVbGINUfsOS6X6Wn4rx0Umn3NJbKpY8JePM3S1vserumjk_dkEFBmEgAORo1zEAHEj8TxwJsSwROvitQsrQs9QWRiLJe7xLYWFeNI5Wm8e1RMBwU/s1600/Hvalur+9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh32uXRFWM3cHSTXtZy2PxdmfUXrfP_oVbGINUfsOS6X6Wn4rx0Umn3NJbKpY8JePM3S1vserumjk_dkEFBmEgAORo1zEAHEj8TxwJsSwROvitQsrQs9QWRiLJe7xLYWFeNI5Wm8e1RMBwU/s200/Hvalur+9.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Whaling vessel <i>Hvalur 9</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Hvalur and its director, <a href="http://yardyyardyyardy.blogspot.co.nz/2011/08/visit-iceland-see-whales-eat-them.html">Kristján Loftsson</a>, are emptying their warehouse of fin whale products, presumably to resume their killing in 2017. <br />
Clare Perry, head of EIA's Oceans Campaign: <span style="color: #274e13;">"There‘s no excuse for Iceland to continue to slaughter whales in violation of the 30-yr. old I</span><span style="color: #274e13;">nternational Whaling Commission (IWC) </span><span style="color: #274e13;">commercial whaling moratorium. The international community must tell Loftsson that enough is enough: fin whaling must stop."</span><br />
Iceland and Norway trade commercially in whale products, under their respective reservations to the listing of great whale species on CITES Appendix I. Since 2008, more than 9,000 metric tons of whale products have been exported by the two countries to Japan and the Faroe Islands. <br />
On 14 Sept., a Norwegian company received an export permit from the Norwegian govt to ship up to 195 metric tons of minke whale meat to Japan. If the shipment goes ahead, it will be the largest single shipment of whale meat from Norway since the IWC moratorium took effect. And Lofothval, a Norwegian whale meat company tied to Iceland's Loftsson, also received an export permit on 15 Sept., to ship up to 4 metric tons of whale meat to Japan. Combined, these shipments equal the meat of 137 minke whales.<br />
These export permits are deeply disturbing, as it appears the companies are whaling almost exclusively for the Japanese market. </div>
Writer Of The Purple Sagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935896975834415060noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035152580607078963.post-40973730144175056682016-09-14T06:00:00.000+12:002016-09-26T13:53:15.997+13:00The Eagle Has Landed <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Dutch police are adopting the centuries-old pursuit of falconry to deal with the modern-day danger of drones. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Iap14_BDwOLYMWQrK4njzLAeZaFxfZFWH0GM-S6bokdKLwxl7TS_RLsn67IVxpqIJBMiUu18BN6szRAFGE66py3IBFIHFFxzMaQD_UF0Yn_NvUgjgc3CTjZsKXArahmG9vuXLhdfL7Gc/s1600/eagle+captures+drone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Iap14_BDwOLYMWQrK4njzLAeZaFxfZFWH0GM-S6bokdKLwxl7TS_RLsn67IVxpqIJBMiUu18BN6szRAFGE66py3IBFIHFFxzMaQD_UF0Yn_NvUgjgc3CTjZsKXArahmG9vuXLhdfL7Gc/s320/eagle+captures+drone.jpg" width="320" height="197" /></a></div>They're the world's first force to employ <b>eagles</b> to take down illegal drones. <br />
Dutch police spokesman Dennis Janus: <span style="color: #274e13;">"The eagles see the drones as prey and intercept them as they are flying. Then they land with the drone still in their claws."</span> <br />
These feathered enforcement tools will now be deployed whenever drones are believed to be posing a threat to the public or flying close to airports or sensitive areas. They will be active in time for next summer in the Netherlands. <br />
Oh, and by the way, none of the birds was hurt during testing... however not one of the drones survived!</div>Writer Of The Purple Sagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935896975834415060noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035152580607078963.post-17118257166382445722016-09-06T06:00:00.000+12:002016-09-06T09:33:24.506+12:00The End Of The World As We Know It<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
If this is TRUE, then God must HATE us... <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB-mgNVOXKiSPw3vrcrMJteH-Ly-sbEQ8prV95ErcaHQHmI0GuYW5_F3AHwwP56_KUZ_Z8UtepYrBxwpSRMr4lTdcPc9jcG6b4qd794awVgCYHA21Eye2rz2cJciHRt-tzBIOEjQiAd4qc/s1600/cuppa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB-mgNVOXKiSPw3vrcrMJteH-Ly-sbEQ8prV95ErcaHQHmI0GuYW5_F3AHwwP56_KUZ_Z8UtepYrBxwpSRMr4lTdcPc9jcG6b4qd794awVgCYHA21Eye2rz2cJciHRt-tzBIOEjQiAd4qc/s200/cuppa.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
A new report by <i>The Climate Institute</i> indicates coffee could be <b>extinct</b> by 2080 if global warming trends continue! <br />
According to the report, rising temperatures encourage the growth of fungi and pests, which could make half of the world's coffee farming land useless. <br />
It's happened before (almost): unusually high temperatures and high-altitude rains through Central America in 2012 resulted in a wave of coffee leaf rust, affecting more than 50% of the crop. And coffee berry borer, a major pest originating in Congo, has now spread to places such as Tanzania, Uganda, and Indonesia due to hotter, wetter conditions. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDrPrxHCSeuPEcwDpYUTx3HVY7t-9m-ISwk_FS2iY5GQePixfJjhm5TjLVfGN7X6nW4PCJpmVoeu3p4R7FXc3Yk1tTfbqZ3ZSf3AkCIea8zE0UDjRBMaxGZDaqGlEJDWnYX0n85zBbwc2Z/s1600/coffee-bean-growing-belt.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDrPrxHCSeuPEcwDpYUTx3HVY7t-9m-ISwk_FS2iY5GQePixfJjhm5TjLVfGN7X6nW4PCJpmVoeu3p4R7FXc3Yk1tTfbqZ3ZSf3AkCIea8zE0UDjRBMaxGZDaqGlEJDWnYX0n85zBbwc2Z/s400/coffee-bean-growing-belt.png" width="400" /></a></div>
The report also warns that such factors can have an impact on everything from coffee flavour to coffee price: <span style="color: blue;">"Without strong action to reduce emissions, climate change is projected to cut the global area suitable for coffee production by as much as 50% by 2050. By 2080, wild coffee, an important genetic resource for farmers, could become extinct." </span> <br />
As one who can't function without a good strong coffee every morning, all I can say is: thank goodness I’ll be DEAD by then! </div>Writer Of The Purple Sagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935896975834415060noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035152580607078963.post-76859986397945093682016-08-19T06:00:00.000+12:002016-08-19T12:48:05.452+12:00Wake Me When It's Over<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdXBh6RMtm3_xzSPomEZ5o9R3ImP7zLCUkJgBtNO4C5oPUCKo3q5S0M5ewAM3dQHeVzBsTGO3WWmCb4q5CHfjgeiwvo67LP78QH_1HHUFnMAfAMcn4myhSsf2FKW2FjOhrFjBBaTRbHPy4/s1600/logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdXBh6RMtm3_xzSPomEZ5o9R3ImP7zLCUkJgBtNO4C5oPUCKo3q5S0M5ewAM3dQHeVzBsTGO3WWmCb4q5CHfjgeiwvo67LP78QH_1HHUFnMAfAMcn4myhSsf2FKW2FjOhrFjBBaTRbHPy4/s200/logo.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
The Olympic pains! <br />
Boring. Boring. Boring. <br />
Did I mention boring? <br />
I didn't buy into the pre-games hype (because I could see the growing pile of problems). Since it started, I've painted the fence simply to watch it dry! <br />
I believe the Olympics lost it's sparkle <u>years</u> ago. This year's games have been buried under the Zika virus controversy; Brazil's political, economic and security problems; the Russian steroids scandal (and I'm sure the Comrades are not the <u>only</u> ones). Rio's <a href="http://yardyyardyyardy.blogspot.co.nz/2009/10/rio-rocks-by-rolling-its-poor.html">poor were segregated</a> behind the city's own 'Berlin Wall' and their shanty homes bulldozed to construct the Olympic facilities - many of which were still not ready just days before opening. Venues have been half-empty; local spectators have loudly booed other nations' winners; an official was caught scalping tickets; there've been shootings and murders near the facilities, competitors have been robbed; and let's not forget the pollution and body parts bobbing in the harbour where races are held. <br />
And did I mention deliberately throwing oneself (opps, I mean<i> accidentally tripping</i>!) over the line to order to grab a medal? No, if you ain't running in a running race when you hit the finish, then you ain't finished! <br />
No doubt as a result of all this, ticket sales for the Paralympics to follow these games are appallingly bad. <br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHY1eUWTvbkFGcYiZx44Prwly5Ub7w-pC2Kv1lQrHNDncW903njCl9OX6Wu_4Xvp5GZOYEiY-lWWLDXCt0DqXJ4L0YifF_ReOvREeicTPven1cPaNs46uK2HBXEZIKW24lT4kWv-B_t0i6/s1600/new+Olympic+event.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHY1eUWTvbkFGcYiZx44Prwly5Ub7w-pC2Kv1lQrHNDncW903njCl9OX6Wu_4Xvp5GZOYEiY-lWWLDXCt0DqXJ4L0YifF_ReOvREeicTPven1cPaNs46uK2HBXEZIKW24lT4kWv-B_t0i6/s320/new+Olympic+event.jpg" width="220" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New Olympic sport?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
But you can guarantee at the closing ceremony, some tosser in a suit will declare Rio 2016 "the best Olympics EVER"... yea, right. <br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">The Olympics needs a complete overhaul.</span></b> Get rid of sports that the majority of viewers and participants consider non-Olympic, and let's get real on the ridiculous 'demonstration' events. A return to complete amateurism would be great, but won't happen because every country wants to win medals and some countries will go to any lengths to get 'em. <br />
And the media needs to throttle back on the 'hopes and dreams' hype. It's great to support our athletes, but don't set them up to fail and then broadcast disparagingly that they "could only manage" a silver or bronze (!!!) <br />
Now excuse me: I have to paint the fence again. </div>
Writer Of The Purple Sagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935896975834415060noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035152580607078963.post-57061411272349699242016-08-17T06:00:00.000+12:002016-08-17T06:00:01.610+12:00Attack on the Nino Bixio<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b>Today in history</b>, 17 Aug.1942, 118 NZ prisoners of
war died, when the Italian cargo ship MV <i>Nino Bixio</i> was
torpedoed by a British submarine in the Mediterranean. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNVwuoUEp4NItFlDBuqgsyovFpgaFoGzn9x83_ASfhF8ccMoMXcizQj6bls1qnuwF5j5FXz7y9x9QLkH0MMIWi050I4i7PgcPCnugvivzkVVQTdNHU9828e5YusyCvkh-2mr66nxVr0KvN/s1600/Nino+Bixio.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNVwuoUEp4NItFlDBuqgsyovFpgaFoGzn9x83_ASfhF8ccMoMXcizQj6bls1qnuwF5j5FXz7y9x9QLkH0MMIWi050I4i7PgcPCnugvivzkVVQTdNHU9828e5YusyCvkh-2mr66nxVr0KvN/s200/Nino+Bixio.jpg" /></a></div>
Their deaths, combined with 44 New Zealanders lost earlier aboard
<i>Jantzen</i> in Dec.1941, amounted to nearly a third of NZ's
POW fatalities during WWII... <br />
<i>Nino Bixio</i> had left Benghazi in Libya for Brindisi, Italy, escorted
by two destroyers and two torpedo boats. Crammed aboard were almost
3000 POWs captured in North Africa, including more than 160 Kiwis. <br />
Two days out of Libya, the convoy was attacked by British submarine
HMS <i>Turbulent</i> (N98). <span style="color: blue;"><i>[This was one
of the most successful Royal Navy submarines during its short career
1942-43. It sank a cruiser, a destroyer, a U-boat, 28 supply ships - some
100,000 tons in all - and destroyed three trains by gunfire. It was
depth-charged on over 250 occasions by hunting forces.]</i></span> <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS1CZB8u4_PkvwyE9DyOjAGX1dkBUb5kXD_YpcXnpBFpDrIYXXKT8h1Ob6lwEXL0J6VF9Ta0DqI5jrcz0z9PXbVHN82zuvuaaLglfb-5Wl8szMkR9l4B4bMtobtk9biAFvDB8a8TdqzkxI/s1600/HMS-Turbulent.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS1CZB8u4_PkvwyE9DyOjAGX1dkBUb5kXD_YpcXnpBFpDrIYXXKT8h1Ob6lwEXL0J6VF9Ta0DqI5jrcz0z9PXbVHN82zuvuaaLglfb-5Wl8szMkR9l4B4bMtobtk9biAFvDB8a8TdqzkxI/s200/HMS-Turbulent.jpg" /></a></div>
<i>Nino Bixio</i> was hit by two torpedoes from <i>Turbulent</i>: one
exploded in the tightly-packed forward hold, killing 237 men and
wounding another 60. In the ensuing panic and confusion, many men
jumped overboard. Some drowned immediately; others reached makeshift
rafts and drifted around the Mediterranean for weeks without food or
water. <br />
But, despite extensive damage, <i>Nino Bixio</i> did not sink. Survivors
were pulled aboard, and the ship was towed by an escorting destroyer to
Navarino in southern Greece, where 34 of the dead were buried (203
others are remembered on the memorial at El Alamein). <br />
<i>Nino Bixio</i> was towed to the port of Pylos in Italian-occupied
Greece, where it was beached. Later it was towed to Venice and sunk as
a 'block ship' to protect the port. <br />
In 1952 <i>Nino Bixio</i> was raised,
re-fitted and returned to civilian service. In its peacetime career, it
visited a number of NZ ports including Wellington where, on 25 Jan.1955, a wreath-laying ceremony was held aboard the foredeck. It
continued in merchant service until 1970, and was scrapped at La Spezia
in 1971. <br />
Ironically its attacker did not fare so well. HMS <i>Turbulent</i> was
lost with all hands off the coast of Sardinia in March 1943, after probably
striking a mine... </div>
Writer Of The Purple Sagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935896975834415060noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035152580607078963.post-57063937392182132752016-08-10T06:00:00.001+12:002016-09-26T13:43:13.775+13:00Air New Zealand Crashes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The latest in a long and varied line of <b>Air New Zealand in-flight safety videos</b> is out. <br />
But this one MUST rate as a major crash-landing...which is not something one talks about in earshot of an airline! <br />
Sorry to say, guys, but many in the world do not find NZ comic (I use the term advisedly) <b>Rhys Darby</b> at all funny. He was always the weak link in the <i>Flight Of The Concords</i> tv series, and has not improved since. <br />
The vid itself can't decide what it actually is: a parady of a cop show? Western? Horror movie? Romance? Based around the loose premise of Darby trying to find a Hollywood-style idea for a new safety video, it fails on so many counts...not least of which are the pretty but somewhat robotic AirNZ staffers who obviously skipped Relaxed Speaking 1:01. <br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/X6El8XiODwE" width="440"></iframe> <br />
Quite apart from the production values, the NZ Civil Aviation Authority isn't impressed either. It's growled at AirNZ for its celebrity-cameo-heavy, pre-flight briefings: <span style="color: blue;">"The video diverges materially from the 'safety message' at times and, whilst we appreciate the need to engage the viewers, the extraneous material detracts from the scope and direction of the safety message." </span><br />
The problem is obviously one of how to 'top' the last all-whistles-and-bells safety video. We all look forward to the latest release, and each one <u>does</u> generate plenty of publicity, but just how far should the airline go? <br />
With the jumbled message and Rhys Darby's weak "acting" ability (again, those words were used cautiously), is it time to pause for
breath and step back from the "entertainment" line somewhat? </div>
Writer Of The Purple Sagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935896975834415060noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035152580607078963.post-85712399856827436682016-08-10T06:00:00.000+12:002016-08-20T13:10:19.091+12:00Into The Black Heart<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Late last month (29 July), Sea Shepherd Captain Jessie Treverton from the UK re-entered the Faroe Islands' capital Tórshavn for the first time since her arrest in 2014.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPkC-Z-jtaI-38HuNc5sxWBP5H176XVwfTOztKhfSke4Kia24XHQ-wNI1KTh7kPu-hJ-Mqt5WNOfBvVlMaBD-7MXlK_oy-BRtviLOY0lRADeRNU39Q2KzSzy8dlzAbgovOMiCLj1RWWEsU/s1600/Jessie+Treverton+by+Jasmijn_de_Boo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPkC-Z-jtaI-38HuNc5sxWBP5H176XVwfTOztKhfSke4Kia24XHQ-wNI1KTh7kPu-hJ-Mqt5WNOfBvVlMaBD-7MXlK_oy-BRtviLOY0lRADeRNU39Q2KzSzy8dlzAbgovOMiCLj1RWWEsU/s200/Jessie+Treverton+by+Jasmijn_de_Boo.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
She returned to demand a court trial and the return of a seized SS vessel. <br />
The procrastinating Faroese prosecutor had yet to set a court date, almost <u>two years after</u> Treverton's Sept.2014 arrest for guiding
a large pod of white-sided dolphins away from the killing bays of the Faroe
Islands as part of SS's campaign <i>Operation Grindstop</i>. After <i>MV Spitfire</i> steered a large pod of dolphins to safety, the Danish Navy
seized the UK-registered vessel and arrested its three crew, charging them with 'failure to report sightings of dolphins to the authorities' under the newly-introduced Grind Law and 'harassing dolphins' in an unprecedented interpretation of Faroese animal welfare legislation. <br />
<span style="color: #990000;">It seems in the Faroes it's legal to drive and kill an EU-protected cetacean species, but it's illegal to push them back out
to sea in order to save them from harm...because that's
considered <b>harassment</b>! </span><br />
Treverton's court case has been postponed numerous times, but she
now finally has a court summons for 24 Nov.2016. She believes the lengthy postponement is intentional, because any such trial will have a landmark impact on the traditional drive hunt and
slaughter of pilot whales and other dolphins: <span style="color: #274e13;">"I'm looking forward to my court case, to highlight the ridiculous hypocrisy of the grind laws. If I'm found guilty of 'stressing' dolphins, the dolphin hunters can also be charged with that same offence. If I am found innocent, any person will be free to direct dolphins away from the islands to safety. Either way, it's a win for the oceans."</span><br />
I'll bet when the FI legal beagles twisted the Grind Law around, they hadn't thought of <i><u>that</u></i> implication! Opps!</div>
Writer Of The Purple Sagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935896975834415060noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035152580607078963.post-59141117204262418242016-08-04T11:00:00.000+12:002016-08-04T13:50:10.909+12:00NZ Herald Horror (and I mean it's standards!)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Yesterday (03 Aug.2016) an Emirates Boeing 777-300 crash-landed at Dubai: amazingly all 300 passengers and crew were saved. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqtO5urFOOkNJd_spj3wC3FPCL_pUv5B0CaQ-qX-pQ9Fr1AAldK2Hq_puw3GuGviXROzexFzfQAX7DRcTH82jrS3iAt8OOH_Klh-gpn1PPJBzd-Mf7xHHj8SWtumWf7TE9b0fsQHYlJuM0/s1600/2016aug04+NZ+Herald+headlines.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqtO5urFOOkNJd_spj3wC3FPCL_pUv5B0CaQ-qX-pQ9Fr1AAldK2Hq_puw3GuGviXROzexFzfQAX7DRcTH82jrS3iAt8OOH_Klh-gpn1PPJBzd-Mf7xHHj8SWtumWf7TE9b0fsQHYlJuM0/s320/2016aug04+NZ+Herald+headlines.jpg" width="227" /></a></div>
I found out about the story when I opened the <i>NZ Herald </i>website today. Note: NOT a newsworthy headline like <span style="color: blue;">"All safe after Emirates crash in Dubai"</span> or <span style="color: blue;">"Dubai Airport closed by crash" </span>or even <span style="color: blue;">"300 saved by Boeing technology" </span>...no, I was offered a chance to <b><span style="color: #990000;">"WATCH terrified passengers inside smoke-filled cabin"</span></b>!!! <br />
Yeup, in these days when everyone's cellphones make them 'photo-journos', someone <u>FILMED</u> what was nearly their moment of DEATH! <br />
As if that particular action was not 'braindead personified', we were shown confusion, panic, screaming, yelling, every-man-for-himself ...and OMG! In the most crucial 60 seconds of their lives, passengers were opening overhead lockers and getting their cabin bags! <br />
But the 'curdled-cream-on-the-rotting-cake' must surely be <i>NZ Herald</i>'s decision to actually <u>run</u> this 'citizen footage' in the first place! <br />
Posting pix of the crash site to support the story is one thing. To stream footage of terrified passengers clawing their way out of a smoke-filled cabin - <u>and call it news</u> - is completely different...and quite frankly <b>piss-poor journalism</b>. <br />
Oh, but then, it's <u>NOT</u> real journalism, is it? It's yet another example of CNN-type sensationalism in the interests of reaping a few more dollars, more of the pathetic <i>NZ Herald</i> non-thoughts such as we've seen over the past few years. <br />
One can only assume the editorial staff were born in the late '90s and bought their journalism qualifications on-line... </div>
Writer Of The Purple Sagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935896975834415060noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035152580607078963.post-70466199385723629202016-07-30T06:00:00.000+12:002016-08-19T11:19:11.623+12:00All Hail The Happy And Hardy!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
In history on 26 July 1903, the <a href="http://www.pbs.org/horatio/about/">first automobile trip</a> across the United States was completed by two happy and hardy gentlemen. <br />
It was America's first transcontinental road trip and, like all hard drives, an unforgettable experience. <br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAHaFkXhk3ZWqgP23z2nvsHjvDpJMRWST1I-vgRiiAQfmgxtTdOYCsK9RCIknltAZpE9IngfFkkzAMkw1mzNwAKi6WUHxCk4WvyX6FODq-BzaEp5IGMAEZFuO46WQiNzLGmvMzkN_iJtWX/s1600/Faroese+murderer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAHaFkXhk3ZWqgP23z2nvsHjvDpJMRWST1I-vgRiiAQfmgxtTdOYCsK9RCIknltAZpE9IngfFkkzAMkw1mzNwAKi6WUHxCk4WvyX6FODq-BzaEp5IGMAEZFuO46WQiNzLGmvMzkN_iJtWX/s320/Faroese+murderer.jpg" width="231" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy and hardy butcher</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This year on 26 July, another hard drive...this time in the beautiful Faroe Islands, where it's stunning rugged beauty was once again savagely tarnished by one more bloody and brutal grindadráp. <br />
A pod of approximately 200 long-finned pilot whales was driven by 25 Faroese boats for two hours, before 135 were eventually beached and hacked to death on the rocky shoreline at Hvannasund. <br />
This was the second slaughter of 2016 - the largest so far, following the totally unnecessary deaths of up to 50 pilot whales on <a href="http://yardyyardyyardy.blogspot.co.nz/2016/07/2016-grindadrap-begins.html">06 July</a>. <br />
In 2015, the "gentlemen" of the Faroes butchered 501 whales - now just one month into 'the season', they're already a third through last year's tally. I hope these hardy gents are happy... </div>
Writer Of The Purple Sagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935896975834415060noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035152580607078963.post-71434210423156767532016-07-24T06:00:00.000+12:002016-08-03T11:08:55.468+12:00This Time, The Whales Win<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
A new court ruling, in an ongoing battle between the US Navy and marine wildlife advocates, has come down <i>in favour of marine mammals</i> that're affected by navy sonar. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ-TYXsqx8f1UAdJBkrTLBthgIKgzHoivWqZoredAoLkV-rpFNJLA1kXeSkQ9E1TZPdv9xnV8wg_FeRBqEKcF6DqzpuPeDD1WCec4kMZyKDR8ktUHCl_8NItza-pu53tMBMpbqlJ8GNJxK/s1600/Dolphins+Hit+by++Submarine+Sonar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ-TYXsqx8f1UAdJBkrTLBthgIKgzHoivWqZoredAoLkV-rpFNJLA1kXeSkQ9E1TZPdv9xnV8wg_FeRBqEKcF6DqzpuPeDD1WCec4kMZyKDR8ktUHCl_8NItza-pu53tMBMpbqlJ8GNJxK/s320/Dolphins+Hit+by++Submarine+Sonar.jpg" width="230" /></a></div>Sonar, which involves detecting underwater objects using sound waves, is used by whales and dolphins to locate prey or members of their pod. But the human-developed sonar can be harmful to marine mammals and their feeding and mating patterns. <br />
An Appeals Court in California has found a 2012 decision - to allow naval use of low-frequency sonar for training, testing, and operations - was contrary to the US Marine Mammal Protection Act, which states peacetime oceanic programmes must have <span style="color: blue;">"the least practicable adverse impact on marine mammals."</span> <br />
Environmentalists have claimed 155 whales and dolphins in certain parts of Southern California and the Hawaiian islands were killed by the US Navy's mid-frequency active sonar and explosives, with estimates for serious injuries in the range of 2,000. <br />
The use of sonar has been shown to cause whales to swim hundreds of miles to escape, change depth so fast that injury is caused, or beach themselves in order to avoid rolling walls of noise that're nearly twice the volume of the loudest rock concert. <br />
This lawsuit by the Natural Resources Defence Council is part of a larger campaign to limit man-made oceanic noises impacting the health, feeding, and breeding patterns for marine mammals. Other examples include sounds caused by shipping vessels and seismic oil and gas drilling. </div>Writer Of The Purple Sagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935896975834415060noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035152580607078963.post-86196184852962782552016-07-11T06:00:00.000+12:002016-07-14T10:27:23.622+12:002016 Grindadráp Begins<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
In the Northern Hemisphere, it's summer. <br />
A time for family fun in the sun, frolicking at the seaside, running helter-skelter into the waves...and for some Faroe Islanders, hacking trapped pilot whales to death. Their local media confirms up to 50 whales were killed on 06 July.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Ej_3y32NwCh28Nj3n47fg_D5TqMHTdy760CGb9SBQQ3pqvlClydsKbwfT-QZAMWLBWsnYWVDIVT4CX0-paj0Ksmhg1i9gxIMiqG1wfloxvvNgMV0-b1hPLsLoLLkFC5lRYQcZ3CFWtWf/s1600/hvannasund+grind+2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Ej_3y32NwCh28Nj3n47fg_D5TqMHTdy760CGb9SBQQ3pqvlClydsKbwfT-QZAMWLBWsnYWVDIVT4CX0-paj0Ksmhg1i9gxIMiqG1wfloxvvNgMV0-b1hPLsLoLLkFC5lRYQcZ3CFWtWf/s400/hvannasund+grind+2016.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
The pod of pilot whales was initially spotted near Svinoy (an island in the NE of the Faroes), before boats forced them south
about 11km onto the killing beach of Hvannasund...Sea Shepherd activists were not present at the grindadráp, as the group has been barred from entering the FI.<br />
The 2015 summer saw <a href="http://yardyyardyyardy.blogspot.co.nz/2015/12/the-killing-never-stops.html">501 whales butchered</a>, 14 SS volunteers from across the globe <a href="http://yardyyardyyardy.blogspot.co.nz/2015/08/four-down-many-more-left.html">arrested</a>, and SS's vessel <i>Bob Barker</i> <a href="http://yardyyardyyardy.blogspot.co.nz/2015/08/denmark-refuses-entry-to-faroes.html">barred</a> "in the interests of maintaining law and order."
A new law was brought in, forcing <u>all visitors</u> - not just SS activists - to <a href="http://yardyyardyyardy.blogspot.co.nz/2015/07/tourists-forced-to-help-massacre-whales.html">report sightings</a> of whales to authorities, or face a possible 2yrs.jail. <br />
There were also claims that <a href="http://yardyyardyyardy.blogspot.co.nz/2015/07/faroe-islands-reality.html">the navy was involved</a> in preventing protests. As actor Martin Sheen wrote to the Danish PM: <span style="color: blue;">"I was appalled to see the Danish Navy being used to defend the killing of hundreds of defenceless pilot whales. Does it really take a frigate, a patrol boat, commando units and a helicopter along with Danish police officers and a Faroese patrol boat to stop a group of compassionate, non-violent people?"</span> <br />
The Faroe Islands govt claims there's no special legislation regarding entry visas for members of Sea Shepherd. But from April 2016, a new executive order allows a Faroese minister to ban foreign vessels if they're expected to "disrupt lawful activities". <br />
As a result, SS has modified its tactics. It's 2016 pilot whale defence campaign<i> Operation Bloody Fjords</i> will take its battle to the heart of the Faroese and Danish institutions that support this bloody dated practice. It plans to pursue a legal complaint
in the European Union Parliament, and to promote the boycott of Faroese farm-raised salmon and other fish products.</div>
Writer Of The Purple Sagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935896975834415060noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035152580607078963.post-37120597909246735182016-07-05T06:00:00.000+12:002016-07-08T09:09:57.865+12:00US Army Sharpshooter Ain't Too Sharp!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwGl4AhNsd-CNaV9kar4Cs-PzlrxvYKifregNImRtKuy3lFfaHZag4WZkA_h-2yU7rTPuKlUFmOr-Xtt9fD3emYBbrCumOYB_H1Yd2t0FDPGYW7w3gw7mHnyWBFoXt3aFcxpV1xtsQN6bO/s1600/Jason+Galvin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwGl4AhNsd-CNaV9kar4Cs-PzlrxvYKifregNImRtKuy3lFfaHZag4WZkA_h-2yU7rTPuKlUFmOr-Xtt9fD3emYBbrCumOYB_H1Yd2t0FDPGYW7w3gw7mHnyWBFoXt3aFcxpV1xtsQN6bO/s200/Jason+Galvin.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jas the hero?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
OMG! This could <u>only</u> happen <br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b>(a)</b></span> in America, and <br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">(b)</span></b> on their beloved 4th of July Weekend! <br />
In Minnesota, US Army veteran <b>Jason Galvin</b> saw a bald eagle dangling upside down from a tree, its leg caught in a piece of rope around a tree branch 70ft.off the ground. <br />
Police, Fire and Dept.of Environmental Conservation all said they couldn't do anything about it because of how high the bird was. <br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrHF0uMXyEgSng6aH41sxnYYKcXUhisRyJ0X20mEIbG1S6MdFdtV6bLoVeBfU9-xfJU6CmwdZthtAZ-Nj74KIOBN1TsbjI03niOtfD8Ih2NMy7jrwXLtLRqw19qopQycUPmaMba9oA970L/s1600/eagle+shot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrHF0uMXyEgSng6aH41sxnYYKcXUhisRyJ0X20mEIbG1S6MdFdtV6bLoVeBfU9-xfJU6CmwdZthtAZ-Nj74KIOBN1TsbjI03niOtfD8Ih2NMy7jrwXLtLRqw19qopQycUPmaMba9oA970L/s320/eagle+shot.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">TV sensationalism, at its American best!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Galvin, who did two tours in Afghanistan <i><span style="color: #990000;">(note this!)</span></i>, was asked by his wife to use his marksman skills <i><span style="color: #990000;">(note this also!)</span></i> to shoot the rope and branch the bird was hanging from... <br />
So, after 1½ hours and 150 shots<i><span style="color: #990000;"> (take note!)</span></i>, the bird fell safely onto the branches below. The eagle, which Galvin named "Freedom", was taken away for treatment, and is expected to make a full recovery. <br />
Wife Jackie (absolutely <u>overawed</u> by Jason's manliness) tweeted: <br />
<span style="color: blue;">Best story of a lifetime!
I knew with his sharpshooter skills that if anyone could save this eagle it was him! A neighbor </span><span style="color: blue;">(sic)</span><span style="color: blue;"> borrowed </span><span style="color: blue;">(sic)</span><span style="color: blue;"> Jason his .22 as it had a better scope than Jason's...an hour and a half later and 150 bullets, the eagle broke free from the branch and fell into the trees... <br />
I can't even tell you how amazing this experience was and I knew of all people, my husband wouldn't let me down! What an amazing hero, my Army Veteran, saving an eagle on 4th of July
</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVSl1xPg7FpMj9tj8PA5vhfSDKqlN0tBySKlP89az_ug1eBdkjBnC2eObGZV_egIGTPb5oRJkoztknwSuYZZ3K4xWCHB-wgyGKx4hWPlfMiz71jSry1NgJ3_Pfoy64jWjIpKNZ3s_DrzjL/s1600/bald+eagle+symbolism.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVSl1xPg7FpMj9tj8PA5vhfSDKqlN0tBySKlP89az_ug1eBdkjBnC2eObGZV_egIGTPb5oRJkoztknwSuYZZ3K4xWCHB-wgyGKx4hWPlfMiz71jSry1NgJ3_Pfoy64jWjIpKNZ3s_DrzjL/s320/bald+eagle+symbolism.jpg" width="110" /></a></span></div>
<span style="color: blue;">Weekend! I love you Jason and all that you are!</span> <br />
Well, there's nothing like some down-home adulation - but lady! PUH-LEEEZZZ!!! <br />
Your Jas <u>ain't</u> The Ace! <br />
A two-tour sharpshooter..with a 'scoped rifle, who could pick any firing position, was under no pressure of incoming bullets, and still had to expend 150 rounds to sever a rope no more than 100ft/30m away...needs to go back to Rifleman 101! <br />
God bless America! <br />
You surely need all the help you can get. </div>Writer Of The Purple Sagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935896975834415060noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035152580607078963.post-3372548997512482062016-06-19T11:00:00.000+12:002016-06-19T12:17:19.110+12:00Kiwi Can't Fly<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
So which was it? <br />
Did the public not want to fly those routes? <br />
Did the public not trust Ewan Wilson? <br />
Could Ewan Wilson not run a successful airline? <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbEUP_6_NLF-vpkgY8ZrymM2cH1RIQuMTnQajmefNuXpCyXoEuNvLxFEZvNuM9_fWYLsjJs9vDgp9PyAnARFtdfkMFuhQNz1YpAKqPq_lb3-5wZWcbnrbKBrNQcvCb8JUwDAf2htxTCrTZ/s1600/KiwiAir+Saab340A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbEUP_6_NLF-vpkgY8ZrymM2cH1RIQuMTnQajmefNuXpCyXoEuNvLxFEZvNuM9_fWYLsjJs9vDgp9PyAnARFtdfkMFuhQNz1YpAKqPq_lb3-5wZWcbnrbKBrNQcvCb8JUwDAf2htxTCrTZ/s200/KiwiAir+Saab340A.jpg" /></a></div>
All or none of the above? <br />
Whatever the reason, the fact is: Ewan Wilson's <b>Kiwi Regional Airlines</b> has bellyflopped. Kiwi's scheduled Hamilton-Nelson, Tauranga-Nelson, and Nelson-Dunedin runs cease on 30 July. <br />
The Waikato-based airline was <a href="http://yardyyardyyardy.blogspot.co.nz/2015/03/wilson-flexes-his-wings-again.html">launched in October 2015</a> by CEO Ewan Wilson, who also founded the failed no-frills trans-Tasman Kiwi International Airlines in 1994. <br />
Aviation commentator Irene King thinks it likely Kiwi Regional was under-capitalised and struggled to build a loyal customer base:<span style="color: #274e13;"> "Running a regional operation is really tough. I'm surprised it lasted so long." </span><br />
Kiwi is selling its only plane, a 34-seat Saab 340, to Air Chathams (which has been operating more than 30 years). It'll run Air Chathams' Whanganui-Auckland service on its air operating certificate until Air Chathams can move the Saab to its own certificate, and Kiwi crew will be employed by Air Chathams from early August. <br />
Wilson says Kiwi had a choice to either expand with a second aircraft, or be absorbed into a larger operator: <span style="color: #274e13;">"From my point of view I'm pleased our aircraft and flight staff will become part of Air Chathams."</span> He says the sale of the Saab was the shareholder's decision. As a minor shareholder he's pleased with the outcome, but as chief executive he's disappointed. <br />
Air Chathams operates five aircraft with scheduled services between the Chatham Islands-Akld, Wgtn-Chch and Whakatane-Akld. <br />
Wilson says he'd like to continue in the aviation sector - <span style="color: #274e13;">"I've built an airline over the last 14 months that's met probably one of the worlds' toughest regulatory requirements."</span> - but it's too early to say whether he'd consider running another airline. <br />
Third time lucky, Ewan? <br />
Or coals to Newcastle?</div>
Writer Of The Purple Sagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935896975834415060noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035152580607078963.post-33616814215157189842016-06-16T11:00:00.000+12:002016-06-19T12:16:08.860+12:00Give 'Em A Big Hand, Folks!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Oh Jenny, what HAVE you done now? <br />
A new "thing" adorns the roof of the Christchurch Art Gallery. <i>Quasi</i> is a 5m-tall sculpture by local artist Ronnie van Hout, standing above the Gloucester/Montreal intersection until the end of 2017.<br />
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It's quite simply a giant hand with a face. Yeup, that's <u>it</u>... and we have to tolerate it for 18 months! <br />
This sculpture was <u>commissioned</u> by the gallery and funded from its annual exhibitions budget. Someone in their infinite arty-farty wisdom thought <i>Quasi</i> would be really really culturally wonderous! And paid for it to be made! Seriously???!!! <br />
I quote gallery director Jenny Harper from <a href="http://yardyyardyyardy.blogspot.co.nz/2014/08/art-or-fart.html">Aug.2014</a>: <span style="color: #274e13;">"I'm utterly clear that good art really matters. I'm convinced that collections of art matter more than a single work or that of a single individual." </span>So Jenny, what the HELL is that up on your roof then?<br /> <b><span style="color: #990000;">At the <u>very</u> <u>least</u>, it's a public eyesore! <br />At <u>worst</u>, it's a blatant abuse of public funds!</span></b><br />
In a <i>Press</i> poll of approx.2300 votes, 50% said <i>Quasi</i> was "terrible", 30% said "awesome" and 20% had mixed feelings. <br />
Van Hout says <i>Quasi</i> is a surreal gesture:<span style="color: #274e13;"> "I'm not trying to tell people something. Often art does, but this is more like a surrealist artwork. A way of making art by juxtaposing things together..." </span>he says. <br />
A way of pocketing a big paycheck, I say. <br />
Gallery director Jenny Harper says the sculpture will prompt varied reactions. <span style="color: #274e13;">"I think some people will be startled...affronted...they might say: 'Is this art?' I'm damn sure kids will love it." </span>Riiiiiight!!! <br />And do kids pay rates to keep you employed, Jen-Jen darlink? <br />
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...meanwhile the patronising multi-coloured neon phrase along the opposite wall of the Art Gallery - <i>Everything's Going To Be All Right</i> - is looking decidely tongue-in-cheek these days, with a couple of the letters blown out!</div>Writer Of The Purple Sagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935896975834415060noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035152580607078963.post-2016116925647824432016-05-20T06:00:00.000+12:002016-09-09T16:06:16.228+12:00Grease Ain't Necessarily The Word!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyytWngdFjYpn6ebQtkB-HBKP08ziz-CwTgRqdkqcxisZpnC9wxYeXY15BJgldxCAwQbU1wG8WBxZNDhyphenhyphenzIYVKm64wavh26kHtNmdCbV7uvpdVS1GX-rx4J_6tHWFQmsY_vy5NeggLElYP/s1600/grease1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyytWngdFjYpn6ebQtkB-HBKP08ziz-CwTgRqdkqcxisZpnC9wxYeXY15BJgldxCAwQbU1wG8WBxZNDhyphenhyphenzIYVKm64wavh26kHtNmdCbV7uvpdVS1GX-rx4J_6tHWFQmsY_vy5NeggLElYP/s200/grease1.jpg" width="149" /></a></div>
The internet seems to be populated by many people with nothing better to do, than theorise about bizarre improbabilities!<br />
One fan theory feverishly circulating is: hidden clues in the 1978 musical <i><b>Grease</b></i> reveal the devastating truth...that Sandy (Olivia Newton-John's character) is dead! And instead of going off into the sunset with her soulmate Danny Zuko (John Travolta), the clean-cut Aussie student is actually ascending into heaven.<br />
This theory's been out there since 2013, but it's resurfaced and gained a whole new popularity. It goes like this:<br />
In the final scene, Sandy and Danny leave their school carnival and get into a red convertible. But rather than simply driving off, the car defies the laws of gravity and flies into the sky.<br />
How? Well, Danny hadn't <u>really</u> been able to save Sandy when she was drowning at the beginning of the film. Danny explains through song that they first met when Danny<span style="color: #274e13;"> "saved her life - she nearly drowned."</span><br />
The fan theory? Sandy actually <u>did</u> drown on the beach that day. As she drowned, her brain deprived of oxygen, she had a vivid coma fantasy involving her summer fling Danny.<br />
The visions get increasingly outlandish until finally, as Danny desperately tries to resuscitate her on the beach, she sees herself flying into heaven in her dying moments. Yeup, if you wanna believe that, the entire movie was a drowning woman's coma fantasy...!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdVOkrAoPy8Do8-Wz7pz0lDq3wa72jiEfsD1szueX9-ncfsXUs78UNZfDGJojhazs3b_qVDx0p24LL-7cNuTIkp_nZgzqMLLLh6DLBXMoWTu7BO4EcSJrRzprfsp07VFidPgHecCea_k0j/s1600/grease+car+fly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdVOkrAoPy8Do8-Wz7pz0lDq3wa72jiEfsD1szueX9-ncfsXUs78UNZfDGJojhazs3b_qVDx0p24LL-7cNuTIkp_nZgzqMLLLh6DLBXMoWTu7BO4EcSJrRzprfsp07VFidPgHecCea_k0j/s400/grease+car+fly.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
The so-called evidence?<br />
The last line of <i>'Look at me I'm Sandra Dee (Reprise)'</i> says <span style="color: #274e13;">'Goodbye to Sandra Dee'</span>. Everything that happens in the last scene is just a little TOO perfect. Danny and Sandy are back together despite everything, Rizzo SUDDENLY isn't pregnant AND Kenickie suddenly decides that he actually loves her, the geeky kid gets onto the sports team, everything is suddenly ok, just the way that sweet innocent Sandy would have wanted it to be.<br />
And in the last shot of the movie, she flies up to heaven with her dream boyfriend in her magic flying car.<br />
There you have it. In a nutshell. Perfect and neat, as all conspiracy theories are.<br />
Except for one glaring oversight: explain <i>Grease 2</i>. Opps.</div>
Writer Of The Purple Sagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935896975834415060noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035152580607078963.post-83813302817846942832016-05-03T06:00:00.000+12:002016-05-10T08:53:50.841+12:00Has Cook's Endeavour Been Found?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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That plucky little collier <i>Endeavour</i>, sailed by Captain James Cook during his great voyage of exploration of 1768- 1771, may have been located.<br />
Researchers in the US believe they may be a step closer to locating the ship. The Rhode Island Marine Archaeology Project (RIMAP) has known for some time the ship was scuttled in Newport Harbour, off the US coast, in 1778. But they now believe they have narrowed down the search to a cluster of five shipwrecks on the seafloor.<br />
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The researchers plan to investigate the ships and their artefacts further. They are also appealing for funds to build the right facilities for handling and storing items retrieved from the sea.<br />
RIMAP:<span style="color: #38761d;"> </span><span style="color: #274e13;">"All of the 13 ships lost in Newport during the (American) Revolution are important to US history, but it will be a national celebration in both NZ and Australia when RIMAP identifies Endeavour."</span><br />
Capt Cook set sail on <i>Endeavour</i> - a British-built coal ship originally called <i>Earl of Pembroke</i> - in 1768 on a scientific voyage to map the Pacific Ocean. In 1769, he spent six months charting the NZ coastline,
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and making the first European contacts with natives. (His visit is commemorated on the NZ 50c coin.) He reached Australia in 1770, claiming that for England too.<br />
After returning to Britain, <i>Endeavour </i>was renamed <i>Lord Sandwich </i>and made a troop carrier. During the American War of Independence, it was scuttled by the British Navy in a blockade.<br />
The wreckage has never been found, but RIMAP has been checking out 13 sunken ships, with the help of remote sensing equipment and historical documents. It says an analysis of data suggests there is <span style="color: #274e13;">"an 80-100% chance"</span> that the <i>Lord Sandwich</i> wreckage is still in Newport Harbour, <span style="color: #274e13;">"and because the<i> Lord Sandwich</i> was Capt Cook's <i>Endeavour</i>, that means RIMAP has found her too."</span><br />
The announcement coincides with the 240th anniversary of Rhode Island declaring independence from the UK. RIMAP says identifying<span style="color: #274e13;"> "one of the most important shipwrecks in world history would be "an intriguing birthday gift for all of Rhode Island"</span>...and an important historical link to NZ and Oz too.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhixTFIwTAT00eOub2VzKqK-GlbksyOYC9ijYrLtHVnFmIHZ9HDySP7UPW3VI1dr7f2AAZkc1e-ai_NrK1F5h_JuKIZJwf_KJqem1hKOkcj3Q3a7gqXqAjDR3203XVM-lcKmHDcBMb6Tam8/s1600/Endeavour.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhixTFIwTAT00eOub2VzKqK-GlbksyOYC9ijYrLtHVnFmIHZ9HDySP7UPW3VI1dr7f2AAZkc1e-ai_NrK1F5h_JuKIZJwf_KJqem1hKOkcj3Q3a7gqXqAjDR3203XVM-lcKmHDcBMb6Tam8/s320/Endeavour.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>"HMS Endeavour"</i>: John Charles Allcot (1888-1973)</td></tr>
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Writer Of The Purple Sagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935896975834415060noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035152580607078963.post-35317484299456063072016-04-27T06:00:00.000+12:002016-04-27T14:18:28.785+12:00Maori Showpiece Canned<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Ngai Tahu has canned plans for a huge CBD cultural centre, earmarked as one of the anchor projects in the Christchurch blueprint.<br />
Instead it'll focus on earthquake recovery "at whanau level", and projects like housing schemes are of higher priority.<br />
The cultural centre was one 17 anchor projects unveiled as part of the <i>2012 Christchurch Central Recovery Plan</i>. It was intended as a welcome point for visitors, and Ngai Tahu was to take the lead.<br />
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The plan envisioned a <span style="color: blue;">"world class cultural centre... as a focal point for cultural celebration and diversity...(to) reflect and celebrate... maori culture, and acknowledge Christchurch's place in, and connections with, the Pacific."</span><br />
But the cultural centre has staggered along an uncertain path since then, and few details ever came to light. In 2014, the bros were considering shifting the centre to Cathedral Square, as part of an $80-million "living cathedral" concept. That pie-in-the-sky involved a floating timber canopy connecting the cathedral and the cultural centre. <br />
Quite frankly I'm relieved this joke has died. It always felt like a PC attempt to force a multi-cultural image onto Christchurch, and persuade tourists that maori culture is an integral core of our existence. This may be the case in -say - Rotorua, but not in Christchurch! <br />
Simply consider other similar mis-adventures to see what flops they rapidly became eg: the <a href="http://yardyyardyyardy.blogspot.co.nz/2011/10/tupperwaka-bigger-than-ben-hur.html">Tupperwaka</a> in Auckland. If Ngai Tahu wish to advance such an idea in the future, that's fine...on their own land, with their own money! And then they can reap all the rewards too!<br />
But there is no requirement for a huge cultural marae in central Christchurch. It will not advance the city at all, and there's plenty more good that can be done with $80-million of public money than that!<br />
Thank God for a bit of common sense in this rebuild debacle!</div>
Writer Of The Purple Sagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935896975834415060noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035152580607078963.post-35103969935943299402016-04-21T06:00:00.000+12:002016-07-06T12:57:05.849+12:00Anzac Day Sacrosanct<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCPN6sM4IqlLsFCUXIe1OKXYG9N_omVkDotlZ3eL3T1qFqhc1n9TZzpg2eJbhWnmy02Lx7ZTqpfDnMykNyustzoVKbkJnFkfNWu9gIBqBKx9yKuInLIMUqldx8wbLKDOzEBivXPwkJh-xT/s1600/iac26bx.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="91" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCPN6sM4IqlLsFCUXIe1OKXYG9N_omVkDotlZ3eL3T1qFqhc1n9TZzpg2eJbhWnmy02Lx7ZTqpfDnMykNyustzoVKbkJnFkfNWu9gIBqBKx9yKuInLIMUqldx8wbLKDOzEBivXPwkJh-xT/s200/iac26bx.jpg" width="150" /></a>While most kiwis and ozzies get it, one second-hand car dealer <u>didn't</u>.<br />
Anzac Day is <i>sacrosanct</i>. It's a day to remember the fallen from all wars, the sacrifices made...it's not to be used for commercial exploitation. <br />
<b>2 Cheap Cars</b> had to pull its TV ad for Anzac Day specials after the Returned Services Association (RSA) complained. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4GQiiD9f5yhAgNP_QhS4HCGlq1jDpDU57vze6f6V7m-EJtLKKwCP26asScgodOT-LWBz-ihOzQtCtSerU97lvuYZ97INAcSgL1mny7EhWfMY4DJrmSoV3NemBJfyiAcG-dtcr99dHcfWA/s1600/RSA+NELSON+LOGO+-+NEW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4GQiiD9f5yhAgNP_QhS4HCGlq1jDpDU57vze6f6V7m-EJtLKKwCP26asScgodOT-LWBz-ihOzQtCtSerU97lvuYZ97INAcSgL1mny7EhWfMY4DJrmSoV3NemBJfyiAcG-dtcr99dHcfWA/s200/RSA+NELSON+LOGO+-+NEW.jpg" width="95" /></a>
The ad told people to "come down because their great-granddad would be proud".<br />
The car company - which claims on its website to be "NZ's most popular car dealership" with "70,000+ Facebook likes" - crossed the 'respect' line with the RSA.<br />
The RSA pointed out that the Ministry of Culture and Heritage guidelines prohibit the use of the word 'Anzac' in trade or business, unless approval has been given by the Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage <u>and</u> the Governor-General: "...the intention is to protect the term 'Anzac' from commercialisation and to ensure use is not offensive to public sentiment."<br />
The company's marketing manager Jared Donkin said the ad was not meant to be offensive, and it's now been pulled. Great!<br />
But now the question must be asked: <span style="color: #990000;"><b>WHY THE HELL IS IT RUNNING SUCH APPALLING ADS??!!</b></span> They feature a young teenage girl talking so rapidly in such a high-pitched breathless almost-scream, that she's literally illegible! She sure puts me off EVER shopping there! <br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">WHY MUST WE BE BOMBARDED WITH SUCH BANALITY??!!</span></b><br />
Perhaps 2 Cheap Cars is too cheap to afford something better? <br />
Wait, is she the boss's daughter or something?<br />
Here's an example of its ads below...(spoiler alert: this is NAFF!!!)<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="300" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/fahzW9lMABA?rel=0&controls=0&showinfo=0" width="450"></iframe><br />
WHAT did she say...?</div>
Writer Of The Purple Sagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08935896975834415060noreply@blogger.com2