Monday, October 9, 2006

Off to Oz

My last morning on the planet before going to Aussie on business related affairs for the rest of the week to be followed by two weeks off doing nothing. During this two weeks I am going to try and read no newspaper (except maybe the Sports pages) and listen to no radio or TV - doubt I'll succeed.
Radio Aerials. The North Shore City Council have found some new trivia to waste my not inconsiderable rates money on before fixing the storm water system, cleaning up the beachs, stopping houses falling off cliffs etc. I wouold have thought that the number of ham radio enthusiasts - you know the sorts, arran sweaters, scone recipes and chess games to Uzbekistan interspersed with earnest discussions on short wave propogation in the pre-dawn ionosphere - on the Shore would not rise to the numbers approaching insignificant. But they have to be reined in as they are a threat to us all especially on the health and safety front with all those death rays spreading over Rothesay Bay. In an attempt to 'consolidate' (or something) legislation concerning the environment there is to be a restriction on the number and dimension of radio aerials and satellite dishes allowed on dwellings, private, residence for the use of. Only allowed two and they can only be 3m high and be out of sight. This is nuts. I am no radio expert although I own a VHF (and have all the licenses and paperwork before you ask), but putting a dimension restriction on an aerial if it is to be used as such without taking into consideration its location is bonkers. Same height if you live on a ridge or in a valley? Also, if you want one of these lobotomised aerials you have to apply for - wait for it - resource consent. This will all come into effect in June 2006. Oh, wait a minute that was four months ago. Why, why, why do we let them get away with this?
Not making the Herald this morning, so it doesn't strictly count, is a story that the Police Commissioner might be unduly soft on Labour. Really? I hadn't noticed. This was raised by Michelle Boag, remember her? ( her mother is a friend of my wofe's and she makes really nice scones). Ms Boag cites the Police's decision not prosecute the Labour Party over the pledge card business and contrasts this with the alacrity with which Tony Ryall was rushed in front of the beak for driving a tractor up Parliament's steps during the fart tax debacle. Add to this Benson-Dope, the headmistress's paintings and the commissioner meekly tugging his forelok and agreeing with Annette King that last week's crime statisitcs were just a reporting adjustment and I would say it is game set and match.
The wastrels in Wellington get their nose back in the trough this arvo (why can't they work in the morning like the rest of the world) and I will be glad to be out of here for a while as I think it is going to get very vomit worthy later in the week. Let's see what sort of spin the Adelaide papers put on the ways of the world.

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