#320. Something Old
Incandescent bulbs have lit up people's life for how many years ? Now they want to change all that and get people to use energy saving bulbs in an effort to help save power and reduce greenhouse gases which is said to be making the world climate change.In an effort to save power, Australia is going to make it mandatory to have all incandescent bulbs replaced with energy saving bulbs. In 3 years time, only energy saving bulbs would be available. If that is what Australia wants to do, let them do it. Why do we have to follow suit ? Another reason why we are a nanny state. The powers-to-be have us over a barrel - you do what we say as you have no choice in the matter.
Update to last week's "Something Old" - In two weeks time, the final vote will be held on the bill currently before Parliament regarding "smacking". If it becomes law, it seems that even telling your child to go to their room or putting them in their room for "time out" may become illegal. The USA gave their smacking bill, the thumbs down - we should do the same. Tell Sue Bradford, where to put her bill !!!
#321. Something New
I am looking at starting a "new blog", which could mean 1 or more of the older blogs been deleted. A NZ organization did a survey which resulted in 20,000 people casting votes for the 101 so called "must do" list of best sights, attractions and adventures in NZ. I would have to say, I agreed with some but not all of the 101, so I will start a blog and make up my own list of "must do" 101 attractions & places, etc around NZ from a krazy maori "if I was a tourist" point of view. There is so much to see & do in our small country, that once you get here you may fall in love and never leave. (In love with our country, that is - not me)
#322. Something Borrowed
While searching thru the blog world for something to borrow, this caught my eye. A bit late for Valentine's Day I know but there's always next year.
I have listed it on Around The World In 80 Blogs under Israel.
#323. Something Blue
I have tried & tried & tried until I'm blue in the face, but no matter what I try to do, nothing happens. I have got tea-tree oil soap, tea-tree oil shampoo as well as tea-tree oil roll-on for under your arms which I have also tried rubbing on my chest, but they just won't grow. What am I on about ? Well, according to the headlines in the paper - "Hold the lavender, tea-tree oils when it comes to washing boys" - tea-tree oil as well as lavender oil based products have been linked to abnormal breast development. It seems it could act in ways similar to the hormone oestrogen. Maybe they could re-package it and sell it especially for females. Either I have to give up believing everything I read or else give lavender oil based products a try. Rub those on my chest. I wish though that many many moons ago, when I was much younger, my mother who gave me a jar of Vicks Vapour Rub and told me to go in my room and rub some on myself, had told me to rub it on my chest. She didn't say where to rub it, so I rubbed it on my b...s !!! Needless to say, I jumped around for a while and the air was a little bit blue with my language (hehe)
#324. Children's Day
Today, Sunday 4th is "National Childrens Day" with events happening around the country.
Hopefully it will also be the day that Sue Bradford see's sense and drops her anti-smacking bill, but I don't think so. Oopp's there goes a pink pig past the window and I think he's heading to the Beehive !!!
#325. Currently Reading
I am reading a book (246 pages) I borrowed from the local library, called The Planter by Owen Genty. It's a fascinating story of his 15 years in Papua New Guinea from the late 1950's, when cannibalism was still practised in some areas and yet life on the plantations of the New Guinea islands was idyllic. Native servants who did most of the work, on the plantations spoke no english - only Pidgin which the planter's family had to learn if they were to get anywhere.
There are several tales in the book, a couple of which are worth mentioning here - one tale was when a servant was asked to pluck a chicken and put it in the fridge. Later they go to the fridge and there's the "plucked" chicken, a bit cold no doubt, but ? The servant wasn't told he had to kill the chicken first, by chopping the head off.
The other "tail" also centres on the fridge, which was an older type powered by kero, where a space of almost a square foot under the fridge offered a nice resting place for the family cat. There was a rabbit / pusi in the fridge which was to be cooked for the evening meal, so the lady of the house spoke to the servant in Pidgin - "kukim pusi i stap long bokis ais". A simple enough request to cook the pusi as the main course for the evening meal. After finishing the main course, the lady of the house remembered she had some berries for dessert. When she opened the fridge to get the berries, there was the pusi. If the pusi was still in the fridge, what was in the stew, they had just eaten ? It turns out that the Pidgin word "pusi" was the same word used for cat, so they had just eaten the family cat which was under the fridge.
Footnote: I will be back to add the ISBN number to this post as well as the name & email address for the publisher in case anyone is interested in purchasing a copy of the book from the publisher. Believe me, it's a book that is worth reading from cover to cover.
#326. Where In The World Is It
It could be anywhere of 101 places - even NZ, but it's here.
It's interesting looking thru blogs for photos to put under this heading but it can be hard sometimes trying to pick the one photo.
#327. Those Energy Saving Bulbs
On the packaging of the so called energy saving bulb is -
Increased weight of the bulb compared with standard bulbs may add to instabilty of some lampshades. It means you may have to end up changing some of your light fittings. Some people's live's will end up been very dim - the 24 bulb chandelier will never be the same again with it's 12 energy saving bulbs. That's if it will take the weight of 12 bulbs.
Not suitable for dimmers. Which means all dimmers would have to be replaced. Will the government pay for the dimmers to be replaced with normal fittings ? They should - it's their bloody idea to change bulbs. Life will never be the same again without dimmers - there will no more mood setting dinners, smooches on the couch or mood-setting flings in the bedrooms.
Please dispose of all lightbulbs responsibly. ??? Hello - all a person can do is put them in their normal household rubbish, which ends up at the dump. The bulbs contain mecurcy so when smashed, are going to release mecurcy into the air. You are talking hundreds of thousands if not millions of bulbs been thrown out in the household rubbish in a few years time not only in NZ, but around the world. Mercury levels will rise
What happens when someone drops a bulb inside their home and mercury is released ? Shall we try dropping a couple and find out ?
#328. Life Will Lose Its Colour
The smallest energy saving bulb I have seen is 20watt which equals a 100watt normal bulb. What about the normal 25watt & 40watt bulbs that people use in table/bedside lamps and in the little room. The smallest energy saving bulb currently available will be too powerful for most lamps and could even end up causing fires. Also whats the point of having a energy saving bulb in the little room - everyone knows where to sit or where to aim. Don't forget to put the seat down !!!
I have only seen "bayonet" fitting bulbs, no "screw-in". Where does that leave a person whose house has screw-in fittings for bulbs ? Up kaka creek without a paddle, because come hell or high water, the government isn't going to pay for all the fittings to be changed over. In other words you are screwed.
What about coloured bulbs that some people like to use for decoration ? The colourful life of a few people will end. There will be no "red light" districts for starters. I remember many moons ago having a selection of coloured bulbs in my room and I changed the bulb to suit the mood. Green, yellow, orange, blue, purple & red. Also in a couple of years time you can wave good-bye to large outoor decorated xmas trees, because there will be no coloured bulbs available to purchase.
#329. A Dollar For A Warship
If you wanted to buy a warship for a dollar, you are too late, it's done, its dusted as well as been steam-cleaned and the $ has been paid. Canterbury, the 3000 tonne Leander-class frigate has been purchased by the Bay Of Islands Canterbury Charitable Trust from the government for one dollar. It has already been dry-docked so the marine pest seasquirt on the hull could be steam-cleaned off and the two bronze propellers removed. One of the propellers will be sold and the other mounted on shore as a memorial to the ship which is the last steam ship in the navy. The ship is been towed north to Opua, where it will be tied up for 6 months to allow salvageable material to be removed and sold for scrap. It will then be towed to Deepwater Cove, Cape Brett where it will be sunk as a diving attraction.
