#330. Something Old
A friend made a comment that NZ is fast becoming a "nanny state" !!! My reply to that was - "Becoming" ??? We already are a bloody nanny state !!!
Currently been debated before NZ parliament is what they are calling the anti-smacking bill / law, which has been organized by member of parliament, Sue Bradford. They want to bring in a law that will make it illegal for parents to smack their children, if they are naughty. How many young children are going to know if the law has been passed or not because how many young children these days do you know of that actually take the time to read a newspaper or sit down in front of the box and watch the news on TV ? If it becomes law, their parents aren't going to say to them, that the govenment in all its wisdom has passed a law that says I cannot smack you, if you are naughty. Children would walk around 10 feet tall saying I'm naughty but you can't smack me because if you do I'll tell on you. The bill if passed into law would repeal Section 59 of the Crimes Act, which gives parents the right to use reasonable force to discipline their children. We have had Section 59 for how many years ? Now they want to change the law and make it illegal to smack your own children. The new bill which has to pass 3 stages, before it becomes law has already passed 2 stages. National MP, Chester Borrows wants an amendment added to the bill that would define using reasonable force. The Maori Party, even believes that repealing Section 59 would be an investment in children living in a violence-free environment. What a load of kaka that is. What planet are they on ? Will the Maori Party then bring in laws that ban - alcohol; booze parties in people's own homes where children are present; ban people using drugs; ban children from playing fighting games on computers, etc; ban children from watching violent movies; ban children from playing / watching rugby or other contact sports, etc etc. How much of that is the cause of violence ? It's 6 of one and half-a-dozen of the other and it certainly isn't going to change things by changing one law, because law or no law - parents are still going to smack their children in their own home if they are naughty. If they are out & about in public, they may have second thoughts about smacking their child, because there is always Mrs Nosey Parker or Mr Goody Two Shoes who will yell out that it is illegal.
People are up in arms because of the new bill and letters against the bill becoming are flooding into newspapers. One of the best ones that tickled my fancy was -
"The bible clearly states, if you spare the rod, you will spoill the child. My children will be disciplied and if necessary will continue to have their rears warmed, if they do not listen regardless of this half-brained idea of Sue Bradford. She is out of her tree.The country has a huge issue with a lack of youth discipline and the lack of corporal punishment has something to do with this, that and the fact that children are so mollycoddled in this country. It is almost as if they are "protected game". Sue Bradford needs a wake-up".
Footnote: This just in from the USA - A Democratic lawmaker has abandoned her campaign to make spanking a crime. Sally Lieber who has no children, attracted nationwide attention after she pledged to introduce an anti-spanking bill to protect children from violence. Her idea was even the subject of a parody on the TV comedy show, Saturday Night Live. Conservative and family value groups lashed out at her proposal, charging that criminalising spanking epitomised overbearing "nanny" government.
I wonder whose idea it was first - Sue or Sally ?
#331. Something New
With it been the Chinese Year of the Pig, new "scratch & sniff" stamps were issued in China to celebrate. When you scratch the front of the stamp, it smells of the popular chinese dish, Sweet & Sour Pork. When you lick the back of the stamp, it tastes like the dish.
Can someone in China who reads this be able to send me a few of the stamps ? Email me and I'll give you my snail mail address, so you can post them to me. In return, I'll send you a few NZ stamps.
#332. Something BorrowedTalk about playing with your food. When I was younger, many moons ago I used to get a kick up the bum if I ever played with my food. Here's this lady who not only plays with her but takes photos of it as well......... Crystaltips Blog - one of many great photos.
You may need to put your sunglasses on.
#333. Something Blue
When you look at what is on offer these days as far as movies go, is it any wonder there is so much violence & murders not only in NZ but around the world. The powers to be who run the movie houses, wonder why the numbers of bums on seats are down - is it any wonder ???
Just glancing thru the local paper at movies currently showing, most contain one or more of the following warnings -
· Low level violence
· Sexual references
· Medium level violence
· Horror scenes
· Adult themes
· Coarse language
· Sex scenes
· Offensive language
· Nudity
· Violence
· Drug use
· Supernatural themes
Even one of the so called "kids" movies has a warning - "some scenes may scare very young children". I don't know, but it makes you scratch your head and wonder - doesn't it ? And they want to bring in a law to stop parents smaking their children - get off the grass !!!
#334. Currently Reading
Every now & again, I strike it lucky and manage to snag the latest magazines from the local library when they first put them out on the shelves for people to borrow. Sometimes though, I miss out, so when I saw one of my favourite magazines on sale in the bookshop, I thought I would splash out - $6.70 - and purchase it. To me, it seems a waste of money to purchase magazines, especially when you can borrow them for free from the library. Also it seems that as soon as I put the magazine down, it grows legs. The magazine which I spalshed out on which I am currently reading is the maori magazine - MANA. There is always great articles in it, hence a good read from cover to cover and it keeps me quiet for a little while at least.
#335. Bird Of The Year
NZ has a lot of very lovely birds - the feathered kind I am talking about here. We also have a lot of very nice two legged birds without any feathers, of course. NZ's bird of the year for 2006, is the Fantail according to the Forest & Bird's second annual Bird of the Year poll. Second was the Tui; Third was the Kereru, while other placegetters were - 4th, Kakapo; 5th, Tahake; 6th, Kea; 7th Kokako; 8th, Bellbird; 9th, Kiwi; 10th, Pukeko.
#336. Walk The World In A Day
Sunday 25th February - is the annual Auckland International Cultural Festival. This event has normally been held at Potters Park on Dominion Rd, Balmoral but has now been moved to a bigger park, Wesley War Memorial Park, in Mt Roskill. Food, music, arts & crafts and people from over 30 different countries that make up the culture of Auckland. Parking is available (gold coin donation) at the Wesley Intermediate School, 798 Sandringham Rd Ext. For the first time this year, there will also be a seven aside ethnic soccer cup tournament involving 32 teams representing various countries. It will be a great day out for all the family - kick off time is usually around 9am.
#337. Year Of The Pig
Been the Chinese year of the pig, two pigs wearing tailor-made outfits celebrated by tying the knot in a ceremony at a small town in northeastern Taiwan. The bridegroom, an 18kg boar and his bride, an 11kg sow were married in a lavish ceremony presided over by a local magistrate. The couple received blessings from the Father of a Catholic church and around 400 wellwishers. It didn't say where they were going for a honeymoon, but it did say that they will live happily ever after on a farm in Ilan, where the boar was born.
#338. Language Too Hot For Hell
Here in NZ, a pizza chain which I have mentioned before, when I went to "Hell" & back has come under fire for using the words "evil bastards" on a billboard promoting their Hell pizza. The billboard had a picture of USA president George W. Bush and the words "Hell. Too good for some evil bastards" on it. Someone complained about the billboard, but The Advertising Standards Complaints Board, did not find the picture or issues raised by the ad offensive. It was the term "evil bastards" that earn it's censure. I saw another billboard with the USA President on it and a snack bar, with words to the effect - ??? (Once I leave here I will go for a walk to have another look and I'll let you know what it says)
#339. What Earthquake ?
I didn't feel a thing - I was in the inner city area around the time that the earth was said to have moved, not once but twice. The first at 8.24pm measured 4.5 while the second at 9pm measured 3.7 on the richter scale. I reckon that the inner city area would be one of the worst places to be if a really big eathquake stuck because of many multi-storey buildings and all that glass. If you are thinking of moving to live in NZ, because you heard we don't get many eathquakes, think again. GNS Science records 14,000 earthquakes every year in and around NZ, but only about 100 - 150 are big enough to shake our socks. Although Auckland is one of the least prone areas, it has had 35 earrtquakes which rattled more than 3 on the richter scale, since 1830.
I'll be back and so will a couple of others...........
