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Friday, September 23, 2011

Farewell Joshua Hinaki - a shooting star in the universe...

A photo of Wellington taken from the lookout p...Image via Wikipedia:safe_imageHe was a young talented rugby player, a year out of secondary school and the world was his oyster.

Joshua Hinaki was 19 years old and had commenced an apprenticeship as a carpenter this year. Last year he was a member of the exclusive Roman Catholic St Patricks College(Town) First XV rugby team in Wellington City.

Joshua Hinaki was born in Australia on August 28, 1992. But his New Zealand family decided to come back to New Zealand to live - a reverse situation to which most New Zealand families move and stay in Australia.

He had a great reputation whilst at St Patricks College(Town) being described as a beautifully balanced runner with a rugby ball in hand. He was a starter in every game last year in a star-studded team and obviously had a great future in the game. He had a relaxed attitude, an easy-going personality and a great sense of humour.

His rector at St Patricks College described Joshua as a very likeable young man. A friend stated he couldn't think of a time when he wasn't smiling.

But Joshua won't be smiling anymore. He went to work last Monday morning, but began to feel unwell and was taken home. By the afternoon this young man was dead.

Joshua was one of five people in Wellington who had contracted the sometimes fatal meningococcal disease. It has been described as a sometimes rapid and severe disease which can take its victims by surprise - just like young Joshua Hinaki. Illnesses can progress over just a few hours.

The spate of meningococcal cases in the Wellington area were not linked to other outbreaks in Northland which had eight, two of which were fatal. It is a disease that doctors fear as well, because in the early stages it can look very similar to influenza.

The disease is caused by a bacterium called Neisseria Meningitus. Many people carry the bacteria in the back of their throats, where it lives harmlessly. While it can occur at any age it is more common in children under the age of three years. Prompt treatment with antibiotics can prevent death or disability.

It can be difficult to diagnose, but anybody with its symptoms should seek urgent treatment. Common symptoms in adults are a stiff neck,headache and sensitivity to light. Children have a more extensive range of symptoms
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http://www.meningitis.com.au/

http://www.meningococcal.org/

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Monday, September 19, 2011

A proposal to enter Pike River mine by Christmas...

GREYMOUTH, NEW ZEALAND - NOVEMBER 30: A drilli...Image by Getty Images via @daylife

A proposal to re-enter Pike River mine by Christmas... 

 

  • A proposal to re-enter Pike River mine on New Zealand's West Coast by Christmas - real or imaginery in election year?
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    The statutory manager of the Pike River Coal mine says he expects a team will be able to re-enter the mine by the end of this year.

    Steven Ellis is giving evidence to the Royal Commission being held in Greymouth into the deaths of 29 men killed in a series of explosions at the mine which began on 19 November last year.

    Mr Ellis said he has put forward a proposal to place a remote seal at the top of the drift to re-ventilate it and allow work in the drift in a ventilator.

    He says the plan has the approval of the receivers and the Department of Labour, and he is about to start the risk assessment process.

    The PM John Key promised the people of Greymouth and New Zealand they will get the bodies out of the mine - money was no object, he said earlier in the year. He has not shown much interest in recent times.

    Evidence given at the Royal commission suggests the mine had dangerous features to it and may well have not been opened if there had been mine inspectors in New Zealand to the quality and ability of those in Queensland. Evidence continues.

    http://anzacbloggersunite.blog.co.uk

    Blogging along with Pete
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Saturday, September 17, 2011

One year on in earthquake devastated Christchurch, NZ

CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND - MARCH 05:  The Chr...Image by Getty Images via @daylife
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    :**::'(One year on in earthquake devastated Christchurch, New Zealand - once one of the jewels in the country's tourist crown. The once beautiful garden city is now looking like a recovering bomb zone.

    On the day the city marked its first anniversary of the first devastating earthquake on September 4 2010, it was hit by a 4.4 aftershock located 20km west and comparatively shallow at 7km deep.

    While there were no deaths and only two serious injuries in this first earthquake which occurred about 4am in the morning while the city slept, in February 2011 the second earthquake of 6.6 and much shallower than the first killed 181 people shortly before 12 noon when people were out and about, working, shopping, doing business etc. It injured many more and basically finished off the devastation of the South Island's largest city's CBD and further damaged hundreds of homes in the eastern suburbs.

    About 300 buildings have been demolished with a further 200 under the hammer. There are literally city blocks of land lying desolate and quiet witnesses to the destruction of the beautiful garden city
    The city has been hit by the two major earthquakes, and 75oo aftershocks during the last year, some of which warrant the description of earthquakes themselves because of their strength and destructive power.

    Just this week the Government's ministers met in the first cabinet meeting held outside Wellington in 16 years to give them an insight into what has happened in Christchurch, and to see where billions of dollars will have to be spent in rebuilding the southern city.

    Insurers will not issue any new policies until they are satisfied the aftershocks have ceased. Nobody can predict when that will happen; so many of the city's homes and commercial buildings will not be insured.
    Many homeowners in the city have learned that they will have a shortfall in what they receive in payouts from the EQ Commission and insurance companies, and what they need to purchase new properties.

    The Government had already promised homeowners that nobody will lose any equity in their properties - a shallow promise as it has turned out. Some people may have to shift to rental properties, if they can find some in a city that is running short of rental properties in any case.

    Many of the existing rental properties have also been badly damaged and may have to be demolished as well. Many residents are looking for properties elsewhere in the Canterbury region, or in other towns in both the South and North Islands. Many people have basically fled with their families from Christchurch because of the continuing aftershocks. Stress is becoming a leading health problem for people who had to endure one of the coldest winters in nearly two decades as well.

    One year on, as a person who was born and raised in Christchurch, and still has family there,I am still emotionally affected every time I see the devastation on television. I silently cry for the city of my birth!
    http://www.3news.co.nz/Quake-rattles-Christchurch-one-year-on/tabid/309/articleID/224532/Default.aspx

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4jj0Dfy2iE

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f89alifFlcc

    Kiwipete 
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Monday, September 12, 2011

Dust if you must - Barmac

The dust on the laptop CPU heat sink after thr...Image via Wikipedia
blog pics 007
'Dust if you must, but wouldn't it be better
to paint a picture, or write a letter,
bake a cake, or plant a seed.
Ponder the difference between want and need.
Dust if you must, but there is not much time,
with rivers to swim and mountains to climb!
Music to hear, and books to read,
friends to cherish and life to lead.
Dust if you must, but the world's out there
with the sun in your eyes, the wind in your hair,
A flutter of snow, a shower of rain,
this day will not come round again.
Dust if you must, but hear in mind,
old age will come and its not kind.
And when you go, and go you must,
you, yourself, will make more dust!'
Anonymous

The Daily Muse  Barmac
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Sunday, September 11, 2011

A guest post: Spicy Parmesan Cheddar Crisps...

Parmigiano reggiano 6Image via Wikipedia
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Saturday, September 10, 2011

Children and parents - GBE2 Blog on...

The home jersey of the Melbourne Storm.Image via Wikiped



It is as a grandparent that I see everything in context, the trials and tribulations of being a parent and the needs and love for our children. They never lessen or wane.

I know the difficulties of being a parent  commencing in the 1970's - I have four children  - two of each.

We were a struggling working class family, but I never considered us as being poor; we were so rich for being a close-knit family, and that has not changed another generation on.

We are now retired but our role continues supporting our children and their families.

We have never enjoyed the luxury of wealth; we struggle and support our children in their own struggles to bring up their families in difficult economic times.

Now we look on and support our twelve grandchildren in one way or another. We don't see all of them  regularly, but Christmas Day  is the time we all get together and share at least one meal as a family, and enjoy each other's company.

We are fortunate that most of the family lives within a few miles of each other, apart from a 16 year old grandson who is a recruit for the Melbourne Storm NRL professional rugby league club in Melbourne, Australia - just a three hour flight from us here in Wellington, New Zealand. But that modern development on the internet, Facebook, gives us the opportunity to follow his progress and communicate with him.

And my own modest talent as a writer enables me to express my sentiments and opinions on a number of  blogsites here and elsewhere. I'm a very private person normally, but it is my privilege to mention and discuss my family with you here . Have a happy day with your own families, friends!

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Saturday, September 3, 2011

Sick of a child molester and the Judge who claimed he was talented...

Parisian mime working for tips entertaining crowd.Image via Wikipedia
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I have to write about the following, even if it did happen down in my neck of the woods.

A Judge has cited a well-known comedians talent as one of the reasons she discharged him without conviction despite him pleading guilty to a sex act on a child - his four year old daughter.

In weighing the offence against the effect of a conviction the Judge said the comedian and entertainer had already paid a high price with the loss of his family and career, and the case was unusual,"And his talent - he's a talented New Zealander. he makes people laugh, and laughter's an incredible medicine that we all need a lot of."

I'm not laughing, New Zealand is not laughing, and I bet most of the world will not be laughing at an adult man who drank too much and interfered with his four year old daughter. He thought his daughter was his wife. What? He got into bed, and suddenly his wife said what are you doing? He had taken the girls pyjamas and pull-up nappies off and kissed her.

:no::##The Judge has imposed permanent name suppression. The Judge is a joke!

Now there is doubt cast on the industry, comedians and entertainers. Who is it, people are asking?

A Justice campaigner,Garth McVicar said there is one law for them and one law for us. He also said, "We're talking about a child. I can't think of a much worse act. This sets a precedent. Its disgraceful."

He said he had no time for the "excuse mentality" and saying, "I was drunk at the time.

A doctors report said the man had "odd" incidents in the past after drinking, and waking up without knowledge of what he had done.

If he had been just a poorly educated rubbish collector without any talent, I imagine the Judge would have jailed him. This makes me bloody sick! Sick of him and that excuse for a Judge!!

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Thursday, September 1, 2011

Elderly man found dead in his Wellington council flat...

  • poppy:no:His name was Michael Clark. He was 88 years old and died alone in his Wellington City council flat before November 2010, when he was last seen. So the claims made today in Wellington about a 14 month absence have been disproved. But it hardly matters, does it? He had no known family or friends; he had probably out-lived many of the latter.

    His rent and power was automatically deducted from his pension. He kept to himself and his absence wasn't noticed by his neighbours in the other flats. A council contractor had been unsuccessful in contacting Mr Clark about the future proposed demolition of the flats, and had informed the council.

    The police were called and his body was found in his flat. A distinctive smell was present when the door was opened.

    It has been claimed that another tenant had been found dead in the same flats last year, but this hasn't been proven yet.

    http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/council-investigates-tenant-lay-dead-year-4378639?ref=rss

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