Author Closes The Book

Author Tom Clancy turned his last page last Tuesday.
His high-tech Cold War thrillers made him the most widely-read military novelist of his time. Clancy's novels were dependable best-sellers, with worldwide sales estimated at over 100 million copies. Several, including The Hunt for Red October, Patriot Games and Clear and Present Danger, were later made into blockbuster movies, with another based on his CIA hero Jack Ryan, due for UK release this Christmas.
Alec Baldwin, Ben Affleck and Harrison Ford were among the actors who played Ryan on screen. (The new Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit movie stars Chris Pine (Capt.Kirk from Star Trek) and is directed by Kenneth Branagh. Keira Knightly plays Ryan's wife and Kevin Costner his CIA mentor.)

Is Chris Pine really Jack Ryan?

Clancy also wrote non-fiction works on the military and even successfully ventured into best-selling video games. His recent Jack Ryan novels were collaborations with Mark Greaney, including Threat Vector and a release scheduled for December, Command Authority.
Clancy was admired in the military community, and appeared (though he often denied it) to have a kind of special access, that enabled him to intricately describe anything from surveillance to the operations of a submarine. He often played off - and sometimes anticipated - world events, as in the pre-9/11 thriller Debt of Honour, in which a jumbo jet destroys the White House during a joint meeting of Congress, and catapaults a reluctant Jack Ryan into the role of US President.
Clancy was 66.

Used And Abused

It might be inconceivable that you may misuse a word.
But a quick look on the web or tv shows plenty DO. And it's all too easy, when we hear or see words used incorrectly, to repeat them without knowing we're wrong.
Often good advertising, articles or books deliberately break grammatical rules. But when you break the rules without knowing it, you can look like a right plonker. Here're some commonly misused words: some pretty basic - others more obscure and just interesting to know.
Averse / Adverse: Averse - reluctant. Adverse - unfavourable. ("I'm averse to go sailing in such adverse conditions").
Carnage: This is being used regularly and wrongly by young tv weather reporters. Carnage means a great slaughter, a massacre. A storm cannot deliver carnage unless it claims many lives. Heavy rainfall is not carnage.
Complement / Compliment: Complement - something that adds to or supplements something else. Compliment - something nice someone says about you.
Criteria: Criteria (standards by which something's judged) is plural - criterion is singular.
Empathy / Sympathy: Empathy is relating to someone's feelings, without them having to say anything. Sympathy is supporting the emotional experience of that person.
"I empathise with how Sam must feel over losing his father."
"Sam, I offer my sympathy at the loss of your father."
Farther / Further: Farther talks about a physical distance: "Are we there yet? Are we there yet? How much farther is it?" Further is talking about an extension of time or degree: "Take your business further by buying X!" But then again, anxious Little Timmy may well be enquiring about the timeframe of the journey…!

A Whale Of An Oversight?

At Christmas-time, while perusing books in an end-of-line discount bin, I saw anti-whaling activist Pete Bethune's 2010 book Whale Warrior.
Sad to see it slashed in price just to rid it from shop shelves, but such is the way of all mortal flesh and paperbacks...
It told of Bethune's actions and antics in the Southern Ocean with Sea Shepherd, the ramming of Ady Gil and subsequent boarding of the whaler by Bethune, his arrest, trial, 5mths' solitary in maximum security prison...
There's also the "interesting" variation of the truth, when describing what REALLY happened with the sinking of Ady Gil. This has since all come out in the press, on his Facebook page and in various slagging-off sessions between himself and SS's Paul Watson...in his book, Bethune writes Watson is "one of the century's great leaders" and a "visionary". But on Facebook you'll find the author's true feelings: that he feels Watson is "dishonest" and "morally bankrupt". Meanwhile...
Jump to the website of Bethune's organisation Earthrace Conservation, and what do we find? A novel-like narrative of a discussion between himself and a mysterious man named only as 'Andrew', who is intent on buying the movie rights to Bethune's book! Bethune tells the guy that his tale was already covered in Whale Wars Season 3, so there's probably no point in retelling the same story. But...
'Andrew leans forward. "Look Pete, I’m not here to fuck around. I think there is a movie in it. I think it will help the anti-whaling cause. And I want to know if you will sell me the rights." There is a harsh Aussie twang in his accent - like he went to a rough school in the outback somewhere. I consider the large man in front of me that I know so little about. There is a certain brashness and confidence about him. He seems to dominate the room. Maybe there is more to this guy - although he hardly seems like a Hollywood mogul - a rough and ready Australian trying to make it in the movie business perhaps?' etc etc etc
To cut a long story short, Bethune needs $70,000 to fund a campaign in Africa, so he sells his book's movie rights to this mystery man. For $70,000. That's it: $70K!
'Two days later, $70,000 turned up in our account. To be continued...'
Hmmm, makes a good read, 'cept for two wee flies in the ointment that I can see.
(1) Bethune's kissed away any future earnings from a Whale Warrior movie, merchandising, residuals... for just $70,000. Like so many of his past actions, Pete has shown how impetuous and reckless he can be, without considering all the possibilities.
(2) The title Whale Warrior has already been used for a 2010 movie about Pete's one-time buddy, Sea Shepherd's "dishonest" and "morally bankrupt" Paul Watson! Duuuhhh!!!
Like Pete says: 'To be continued...'

Was Jesus Married?

A professor in America has unveiled a piece of papyrus that she claims quotes Jesus as having a wife.
Karen King, an expert in Christian history, says words in the text - written in a language of ancient Egyptian Christians - translate to: "Jesus said to them, 'my wife'." In the dialogue the disciples discuss whether Mary is worthy and Jesus says "she can be my disciple". She says the fragment is a copy of a gospel, probably written in Greek in the C2nd.
Christian tradition says Jesus was unmarried, though there was no reliable historical evidence to support that. In fact, there's been heated debate over this, given that Christian tradition also holds "the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us". Some argue this should be interpreted as Christ living as a man in all aspects of humanity.
The curious fragment belongs to an anonymous private collector... who's now trying to sell it - that rings some warning bells. Also, nothing is known about its discovery or origin - ding, ding ding! Furthermore, its size (a mere 3.8cm x 7.6cm - about the size of a credit card) could leave interpretation of the text open to much

Titian’s Noli Me Tangere:
"Not tonight, dear, I have a headache!"

speculation.
Professor King has cautioned the fragment is not proof that Jesus was actually married. She says the text was probably written centuries after Jesus lived, and all other early historically reliable Christian literature say nothing on this question. But they too were written not at the time of New Testament events but long after.
The idea that Jesus had a wife was the core of Dan Brown's book and movie The Da Vinci Code. But King said she wants nothing to do with the code or its author...
It should also be remembered that the composition of what is called the New Testament was decided upon by the hierachy of the growing Christian faith. They chose texts that best suited what they wanted followers to read and understand. For all we know, the Vatican library vaults contains hundreds of so-called 'gospels' and documents that may shed new light on the life and times of Jesus. These may not fit with the image of a divinity who walked among us but was not wholly part of mankind.
So is this fragment genuine? Was Dan Brown right all along?
Time, and more scientific analysis, may tell...but I have my doubts.

First In, Best Dressed (Supposedly!)

Most accept maori were not New Zealand's first inhabitants.

Ancient Egyptian Cook Strait ferry

But now, claims that the places of Captain Cook and Abel Tasman in our history books are just as dodgy. A new book reckons Spanish, Greeks and even Egyptians were first! To the End of the Earth, by researchers Maxwell Hill, Gary Cook and Noel Hilliam - retired curator of the Dargaville Maritime Museum - shows (supposedly) ancient maps pre-dating Christ, which they say detail the Oz and NZ coastlines.
They claim skeletons, rock carvings, stone buildings and monuments all prove Europeans lived here centuries before Polynesians. These artefacts include a rock carving of an ancient Greek ship found in Taupo, carvings on rocks at Raglan, and a stone pillar with an accurate coastal map of NZ showing Lake Taupo in its pre-232AD eruption shape (slight problem with that...Lake Taupo's nowhere near the coast!).
Hill also says the legendary maori explorer Maui was an actual Egyptian naval navigator, who steered a flotilla of Greek ships from the Red Sea under the flag of Ptolemy III in 232BC.
AUT professor Paul Moon says the authors lack credibility as none have any quals in history, archaeology, anthropology or related disciplines: "This is no evidence at all that people came to NZ at this time. On the contrary, Ptolemy's map shows a complete lack of geographical knowledge about the South Pacific."
But the authors claim British botanist David Bellamy is on their side and quote him as saying: "Max Hill has filled his steerage log with a collage of artefacts any museum would like to have in its keeping."

Tick - tick - tick - tick...

A rock carving, dubbed the Jesus Watch, was discovered on a Northland farm recently. The huge boulder weighing several tonnes, has deep cuts in it - claimed to be a huge Greek star calendar marked with figures.
Yeup, wearing my doubter's cap...but hey, who knows? We've all heard about the Spanish helmet found in Wellington Harbour that (supposedly) predates Tasman's arrival by about 60yrs; a (supposed) Tamil bell used by Whangarei maori as a cooking pot; the (supposed) extremely tall blonde passive people (supposedly) massacred by maori warriors; the (supposed) ancient Northland brick wall that maori (supposedly) don't want anyone to see; or the Ship Of Rongotute...and let's not forget Hilliam's claim to have discovered a WWII sub off the Kaipara that smuggled gold and Nazis to NZ...?
Do I hear a Tui Beer billboard coming on?

PS: For a lighthearted piss-take on this, check out Alf Grumble.

The Silence Of The Lambs

The death of two babies...or 'the death of free speech'. What's more important?
In June 2006, 3mth.old Chris and Cru Kahui died from massive head injuries. And no-one - knew - anything. Riiiiiiiiiiigggghhhhtttt!! Their father Chris Kahui was found not guilty of their murders. But fingers have continued to point at both him and the twins' mother, Macsyna King.
This week, she released Breaking Silence: The Kahui Case (written by conspiracy theorist/author Ian Wishart), to tell her side of the story. After public outcry, some major retail chains are refusing to stock the book, an action Wishart labels 'the death of free speech': "If we can't tell stories by going to both sides and getting people to speak up because it offends people, then freedom of speech is being seriously threatened. And also the right to buy books."
Wishart had not expected the book to get the kind of reaction it has, with some prats even calling for murder on Facebook (the page that started the protest has 46,000+ members). But the strong public interest (albeit over a book none of them has seen) shows the wider population feels child abuse has gone too far and this is where it stops (the case generated an amendment to the law, over people ignoring abuse).
I for one will not be buying the book. I don't need to read a 'bleeding heart' life story to know that child abuse happens. It's a gutless act which the perpetrators must accept responsibility for, instead of blaming their past, their parents or their socio-economic situation. It cannot be justified in any way.
Perhaps if the book's release had been timed for later in the year, it may have received a different public reception. However for it to happen in the final week of the twins' inquest smacks of King trying to either:
(1) cash in on the publicity, or
(2) vindicate herself ahead of any finding by the inquest.
Who knows: she may be completely innocent, but the book release's timing indicates something quite different...and quite sick.
PS: 04 July 2011 - Wishart says "opps" to book announcement timing...

Little Darlings

Two teenage girls have an intense fantasy life.
Their parents, concerned the fantasy is too intense, separate them.
The girls take revenge, killing Pauline’s mother armed with a brick in a stocking.
You may have seen the movie starring Kate Winslet.
That murder took place in lil’ ol’ New Zealand today in history, June 22nd., 1954.
There’s plenty of material written about the case: in the end the girls – Pauline Parker and Juliet Hulme – each served around five years. Pauline was sent to Paparua prison near Christchurch. Juliet initially went to Mt Eden prison and then to Arohata prison in Tawa near Wellington. They were ordered to never see each other again and, on release, the Justice Department gave them new identities.
Parker, under another name, became a devout Catholic and worked in an Auckland bookshop, before moving to England. Hulme’s life, under the name Anne Perry, revolves around her Mormon religion and making a living ironically as a murder mystery writer in Scotland.
She has sold more than three million of her 20+ titles. She says she’s not drawn on her own experience, much of which has been blocked out of her memory, in any of her stories. Perry also says the two have not had any contact since their prison sentences.
This murder remains one of NZ’s most infamous and has inspired a play, Daughters Of Heaven and Peter Jackson’s Academy Award-nominated film Heavenly Creatures.

Ring Of Truth?

Whether you're a skeptic or not, Ken Ring’s words on Valentine’s Day were eerie.
The mathematician is a long-range weather forecaster who bases his predictions around the moon, sun and other scientific activity.
He publishes Ken Ring's Predict Weather Almanac and Isobaric Maps and is the author of The Lunar Code: How the Moon affects our Weather on Earth, Ken Ring's Predicting the Weather by the Moon and Moon and Weatherlore. All are based around his theory that the Earth's weather is caused by the moon's gravitational effect on our atmosphere, and therefore the weather can be predicted by observing the position and movement of the moon. And these weather predictions can be written 'twenty or 200' years ahead (it's the same methodology used for thousands of years in the past by our ancestors).
But it’s his earthquake calls that have got people buzzing.
On February 14th 2011 Mr Ring made this tweet: “Potential earthquake time for the planet between 15th-25th, especially 18th for Christchurch, +/- about 3 days.” As we know, the 6.3 magnitude quake struck four days from his 18th assessment, just one day outside his margin of error.
For some, that forecast - while not absolutely precise - was too accurate to discount. However, on the other side of the fence (and there's plenty of opinion on the internet) his ramblings have no basis beyond the minds of the mad.
Last September though, Ken Ring said that another big one was on its way: "The (Sept.4th) Christchurch earthquake was predictable. And there's another coming in 6 months."
TV3's Campbell Live interviewed Ken Ring - and so verbally mauled him that John Campbell apologised on-air the following night, after many complaints. TV3 has not found a single scientist, geologist or seismologist who believes Ken Ring, however they've found members of the public who say they joined his site and knew the latest big quake was coming.
Ken is now saying another biggie will strike on March 20th!
For the sake of Christchurch, Ken....I'm sure you'll appreciate the sentiment when I say I really hope you're wrong.
PS: 17 March 2011 - As the date draws near, many Chch people are growing terrified...
PS: 20 March 2011 - Ken Ring "softens" his prediction...
PS: 21 March 2011 - Chch had a 5.1 quake over the weekend. Scientists were very quick to say there was no link to Ken Ring's predictions. The big question is: BUT - HOW - DO - THEY - KNOW???

The Sinking Of The Rainbow Warrior: 25 Years On

Back in the 1980s, France was developing nuclear warheads, with regular underground tests at Moruroa Atoll, French Polynesia. The atoll was gradually cracking and leaking radiation into the sea.
NZ was an unofficial leader of the growing global anti-nuclear movement. In July 1985 the Greenpeace flagship Rainbow Warrior was in Auckland, NZ, preparing for a protest mission to Moruroa...but the voyage was not to be.
The French government, wanting to stop Greenpeace's protest, sent a large team of saboteurs to sink the Warrior: "Opération Satanique" was carried out by the 'action' branch of the French foreign intelligence services - the Direction Générale de la Sécurité Extérieure (DGSE) - late in the evening of July 10, 1985...
The first limpet mine exploded under the engine room, blasting a hole the size of a car. Everyone was ordered off the ship but photographer Fernando Pereira went back to get his precious cameras. There was a second explosion and, caught in a rush of water, Pereira drowned. He had just celebrated his 35th birthday.
The NZ police, reacting swiftly to their first act of terrorism, were soon questioning two high-ranking French agents of the DGSE, while the rest of the team managed to escape – some by yacht and later submarine. France, an ally (!!!) of NZ, initially denied involvement and condemned the "terrorist act", but it was soon obvious they were involved. The French Defence Minister resigned and the head of the DGSE was fired. "Opération Satanique" was a public relations disaster.
Six weeks later, the agents' pre-trial hearing was dramatically shortened by a French threat: an economic embargo of NZ's exports to Europe if the pair was not released. Such an action would have crippled the NZ economy, as it was then so dependent on agricultural exports. In 1986, France agreed to pay NZ$13 million to NZ and apologise: in return the pair would be detained at a French military base on Hao Atoll in French Polynesia. But the two were released in less than two years. As this violated the agreement, the French had to pay further reparations.
In the wake of the bombing, a flotilla of private NZ yachts sailed to Moruroa to protest: French nuclear tests in the Pacific eventually halted. In 1987, under international pressure, the French government paid $8.16 million to Greenpeace.
The failure of NZ's Western allies to condemn what could be considered an act of war by France caused a change in foreign and defence policy. NZ distanced itself from its traditional ally USA, and built relationships with smaller South Pacific nations, while keeping excellent relations with Australia and, to a lesser extent, the United Kingdom.
No-one else has ever been charged over the bombing and death, although all the team members' identities are known: 20 years later, a French Intelligence report said the attack was authorised by French President François Mitterrand. Justice has never fully been served for Fernando Pereira but his memory continues to inspire those who fight for a cleaner world.
And what happened to the Rainbow Warrior? Two years after the bombing, she reached her final resting place under Matauri Bay, in Northland. Resting at 27m depth, she has become a living reef, attracting marine life and divers: a fitting end for a ship that spent her time protecting the marine environment.
NZer David Robie, aboard the ship that fateful night, wrote Eyes of Fire: The Last Voyage of the Rainbow Warrior in 1986. And you can read an article about that fateful night and the aftermath here.

Sink Your Teeth Into This!

Long before there was Twilight, Buffy The Vampire Slayer and True Blood, there lurked Christopher Moore.
No, he's not a vampire – he's a nutter! In the nicest possible way. He writes books that're bizarre, irreverant, risque and wickedly funny. A friend sent me his first three books: Practical Demonkeeping, Coyote Blue and Bloodsucking Fiends... and I've been bitten ever since. He doesn't just write about vampires (although his 13th.book, Bite Me - part three of his vampire trilogy - is due out April 2010) but here's the synopsis of Bloodsucking Fiends: 'Jody never asked to become a vampire. But when she wakes up in an alley with an aching neck, superhuman strength, and a distinctly Nosferatuan thirst, she realizes the decision has been made for her. Making the transition from the 9-to-5 grind to an eternity of nocturnal prowlings is going to take some doing however, and that's where Thomas Flood fits in. Tommy is biding his time night-clerking and frozen-turkey bowling in a San Francisco Safeway. But all that changes when a beautiful undead redhead walks through the door...and proceeds to rock Tommy's life - and afterlife - in ways he never imagined possible.'
Ok, so you can tell this isn't serious or scary writing, right? You'll have a good laugh over this and more from Moore. Even the titles are great: how can you not be amused by a book called The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove or Island of the Sequined Love Nun??!!
He's a very sick man, in the very best sense of the word!