Haere Mai,Welcome,To all family & friends in NZ & around the world and anyone reading my blog ! This is my first ever blog, which I started on Black Friday, 13th May 2005. My thoughts & prayers are with you all. Take care & God Bless. Arohanui ! Kakite !

Blog Archive

Friday, February 24, 2006

# 640 - # 649

# 640. Maori Party - Ban Smoking !!!

The Maori Party is drawing up a bill, to ban smoking anywhere in NZ as well as make it illegal to produce or sell tobacco !!! Once drafted, it will need to win a ballot before been introduced to Parliament. What a load of crap !!! A waste of taxpayers money if there ever was. People are going to smoke, come hell or high-water. Yes it kills people and yes it is legal, but it's every persons God-given right to smoke or to not smoke. If they want to kill themselves, I say let them. Is anyone twisting their arm or standing over them saying to them "you have to smoke" !!! There was a saying - If God had meant you to smoke, he would of put a chimney on your head" !!!
Twenty five per cent of NZ'ers smoke; nearly 50% of maori; about 5000 people a year die from smoking-related diseases; $1.2 billion is paid from taxes on tobacco to the government.
I'm maori and I don't agree with what the Maori Party are trying to do. What next - ban drinking ??? Ban eating ??? Come on - let people make their own choice, is what I say.

#641. Smokeless Tobacco ???

The tobacco industry has seen the future and it's smokeless !!! Products such as "Snus" deliver a nicotine hit, without the harm caused by smoking. Snus is a sweet-sized pouch, like a teabag that the user places under the lip. It delivers the nicotine hit in roughly a minute - around nine times slower than a cigarette, but much faster than nicotine patches used in giving up smoking. In Sweden , snus outsells cigarettes and is credited with helping to reduce lung cancer, to the lowest rate in the world.

# 642. New Coins !!!

New 50c, 20c & 10c coins will be introduced on July 31st, in the biggest change to NZ currency since decimalisation in 1967. The historic change will also see the end of the 5c piece. The new coins will retain the same design as the current coins, but will be smaller & lighter. The new 10c coin will be copper coloured. The one & two dollar coins will remain the same. There will be a transition period of 3 months until October 31st, during which time, both old & new coins can be used. From November lst, only new coins can be used. The new coins are intended to give a coherent and logical set of coins that are more convenient for the publi, easier for those handling in bulk and less costly to manufacture. It is understood that will save the taxpayer about 2 million a year.

Footnote:I would say, it will also end up costing the taxpayer more as "prices" will no doubt be "rounded" up - no more $1.25 or whatever. I wonder why they did not wait until July 10th 2007, which would of made it 40 years, for it was on July 10th 1967, that NZ changed from pounds, shillings & pence, to dollars & cents.

# 643. You Are What You Eat !!!

I know it is not easy for some people to cut back on their eating, especially when they have been brought up, to eat everything on their plate and then go back for seconds and even thirds, but the saying - "you are what you eat" - is true !!! Look at me - I am as skinny as a rake and healthly to boot !!! I like the simple things in life, including food. I don't believe in you have to eat "five a day" or you have to drink 8 glasses of water a day. I eat when I get hungry; I drink when I get thirsty. It has been "years" since I have been to the doctor. I don't smoke, I don't drink, nor am I on drugs of any sort. I don't play any sports - the only exercise I do a lot of is ...........walk !!!
If you look at from another point of view - Say you eat breakfast; morning tea; lunch; afternoon tea; dinner; snacks,etc etc !!! You keep "piling" it in and "piling" it in and where is it going ??? If you aren't doing much work, much exercising or much walking, it is going to eat up as "fat" - theres no if buts or maybes about it. Then you have to work, exercise, walk twice as hard to get rid of it, or try to get rid of it. If anyone has any helpful ideas, hints, tips, recipes etc - lets hear from you. Also any "helpful blogs" worth reading.

# 644. Living - Movie Review

Word has it, that the seats are so angled on business class, that you don't have anyone to talk to, when you cross over the ditch to OZ - by plane of course. You can watch a movie though, including "Walk The Line", which I hear is a movie worth seeing, especially if you are a star of Jonny Cash. Joaquin Phoenix (brother of the late River Phoenix, who died of a drug overdose) stars in this unforgettable exploration of country music legend, Johnny Cash, as he struggles to overcome drug addiction, alcohol and his inner demons. Reese Witherspoon, stars as his bandmate, wife and lifelong love, June Carter Cash - the woman for whom he wrote the song, "I Walk The Line". Winner of Golden Globes for "Best Musical", Best Actor (Phoenix) and Best Actress (Witherspoon) as well as 5 Oscar Nominations, Best Actor; Best Actress; Best Editing; Best Costume & Best Sound.

# 645. Down Memory Lane !!!

Two landmark sheds used by All Black greats and league legends will be demolished leaving Ponsonby students without sports facilities. The "green corrugated iron buildings" on St Johns Rd, in Ponsonby have been used as training rooms by St.Pauls college students for more than 60 years. The sheds are owned by the NZ Marist Brothers, who also own the college land. They opened in the late 1940's and were used in World War ll as an American hospital base, before becoming indoor training facilities for sports clubs. Former All Blacks including Bernie Fraser, Kevin Barry and Pat Walsh and league players, Stacey Jones and Nigel Vagana have all practised in the sheds. Former All Black and director of rugby at the Ponsonby club, Bryan Williams also practised in them, in the 1970's and coached there during the 1980's & 90's.

# 646. Around New Zealand.

A place to stay; a place to eat; a place to visit & a place to shop !!! Due to the number of emails received from people wanting to learn a little bit about New Zealand each week - one said, too much would tax his little brain. I didn't even know he had a brain - not mentioning any names of course !!! I will be searching for websites, that fit into the above each week !!! What-ever I find, I will include under New Zealand Websites & Blogs It isn't going to easy deciding where to start as there is so much to see & do in our country. I suppose a good a place to start as any would be in the north. Sometimes you will find that there are websites, within websites, so to speak. It may take you all week to just browse through them. I will see how much interest there is, in websites, etc.

# 647. Bill Leaves Us To Pick Up The Bill !!!

Ex USA President, Bill Clinton is currently in NZ on his final leg of a speaking tour which is expected to earn him a million dollars. Yet, we NZ taxpayers have to pick up the "bill" for his police protection, while he is in NZ. He and his entourage were met amid tight security by a motorcade, including limousines, four wheel drive vehicles & a black van. Business leaders paid up to $2400 to hear him speak. Other speakers at the event included former Disney chief executive, Michael Eisner and former Hewlett Packard CEO, Carly Fiorina.

# 648. "Blue-Jacking" !!!

Mobile phone companies, are reporting a growing number of "bluejackings", where anonymous
text messages or images are sent to unsuspecting strangers by mobile. The practice takes its name from Bluetooth wireless technology, which allows phone users to send messages, 10 metres, without needing a phone number. Owners of bluetooth enabled phones are able to block anonymous messages, but ignorance of the new technology means that many allow themselves to receive obscene texts or video clips.

# 649. A Blast From The Past.

Watch Your Step - Plenty of people pray - "lead us not into temptation", but don't take the trouble to dodge the haunts of eveil. "Trust in the Lord and do good; so shall thou dwell in the land". Even the Almighty cannot do much for the fellow whose feet persistently point to the grog shop., or who lingers about the side entrance to the brothel. "Ponder the path ot thy feet". Don't whine about your "weakness" while your feet follow the beaten track of eveil. Take the next street even if it be out of your way.

The above is another "blast from the past" - from 70 years ago !!! Nothing will ever be the same again as it was all those years ago !!!

Krazy Kelvin - I'll be back...............

It's Not The Memories I Have, It's The Memories I Leave Behind !!!

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