The Riverman Reports - Inc. Huttz World

Tuesday, June 09, 2009

HE SUED THE INTERNET GIANT, GOOGLE, AND WON...

I have had my own personal problems with Google after my Adsense account was arbitarily disabled and the company has persistently refused to reply to my many messages. I don't live in the US and therefore can't have a face to face with the company. In my book, Google still owes me US$40.00, and I want my account re-abled for business,

"Why I Sued Google (and Won)"
Huffington Post - April 18, 2009
Aaron Greenspan
Founder, Think Computer Corporation
Posted March 6, 2009 | 01:37 (EST):

"Like most Americans, I use Google's search engine several times a day without so much as a second thought. It was only in 2007 that my company's relationship with Google, Inc. temporarily escalated to that of a full-fledged customer, when Think Computer Corporation became yet another a Google AdWords advertiser. (AdWords advertisements appear on the right side of the main Google search results.) Sadly, the several ad campaigns we tried during this brief experiment failed miserably to bring in any new revenue, and so I personally went back to being just another user of Google's search service -- at least until March, 2008. That's when my company signed up for the flip side of Google's advertising juggernaut: AdSense. In anticipation of a new product, Think had acquired a brand new domain name that was unexpectedly receiving a high volume of internet traffic. Instead of paying Google for Think's ads, I thought it might make more sense for Think to get paid for displaying Google's.

Everything went according to plan until 11:00 A.M. on December 9, 2008. With a single click, a faceless Google employee decided that Think Computer Corporation's membership in the AdSense program "posed a significant risk to our AdWords advertisers," and the account was disabled with no warning. Trying to sign into the AdSense management site brought not the familiar user interface, with its limited account payment records and reports (including what Google currently owed Think, which amounted to approximately $721.00), but the following unhelpful statement, and nothing more:

Your AdSense account for this login is currently disabled. We recommend checking your email inboxes for any messages we may have sent you regarding your account status. Sometimes our messages can be caught by email filters, so please be sure to check the Bulk/Spam folders of your email accounts as well.
If your account was disabled for invalid click activity, please visit our Disabled Account FAQ for more information.
Return to AdSense home.

Knowing only that I was somehow posing "a significant risk" to advertisers, I e-mailed Google to ask about exactly what had happened. An errant automated response told me that my records could not be found. Going back and using the on-line appeal form on the AdSense web site similarly yielded no result; not even a confirmation that the appeal had been received. In the appeal I offered to send Google hundreds of pages of log files to prove that no fraud had taken place, but no one replied.

More than once, I tried calling Google at its corporate offices in Mountain View. Invariably the person on the other end of the line sounded like they were approximately my age, and there's a chance I might have even gone to college with some of them, but despite all of those similarities the difference in bureaucratic flexibility could not have been more vast. While I was capable of authorizing any action on behalf of my company, Google's overachieving receptionists were not even permitted to transfer my phone call to AdSense customer service. There was no AdSense customer service. Even if there had been, it would not have mattered much. I also couldn't be transferred to any of the engineers who worked on AdSense. Or product managers. Or executives. It made no difference that I was also a paying AdWords customer.

Trying a more aggressive approach, I tried instead to be transferred to the legal department. That, too, was not an option. Despite the clear existence of the legal department, I was told again and again that I was not allowed to speak with anyone in it. For the time being, I gave up.

Two days after the account was disabled, on December 11, 2008, Google's AdSense team posted a message on its blog introducing a new system called "AdSense for Domains." Unlike normal AdSense ("for Content," as it was then re-branded), AdSense for Domains was designed to be used by web sites that were effectively blank. When I had tried to sign up for it previously, given that my domain name needed exactly such a service, it had been "closed"--code for "available to a limited number of companies with large numbers of domain names." Now, I was once again enraged since Google could have easily allowed me to switch over to their new service if they had merely waited two days.

Another flurry of phone calls to the AdSense employees who had written on the corporate blog got me nowhere. I left voicemails about my disabled account diligently, to no avail. I even called AdWords customer support, intentionally asking for the wrong department to see if a real human being could help. These efforts netted a relatively quick e-mail rejection of my appeal form, and fairly unbelievable recordings of telephone calls with Google employee Adam C. When questioned, "Can I just ask in general why you guys have a support team for AdWords, but not AdSense?", the knowledgeable Mr C. replied, "I do not know." When asked, "Is there a project manager," he replied, "There's no one I'd be able to transfer you to." I was able to get an e-mail address for the legal department, so I e-mailed legal@google.com--and never received a reply. In the meantime, I tried to figure out what to do with my web site since I couldn't use AdSense anymore.

I found Sedo, a European company that had a contract with none other than--you guessed it--Google AdSense--to display advertisements on placeholder web sites. By signing up with Sedo, I could once again use AdSense, but with one small catch. Since Sedo was the middleman, my effective rate of payment per click was somewhere between 1/5,000th and 1/10,000th of what it had been previously. Despite all of its well-meaning claims about its Terms and Conditions, it appeared that Google was willing to pay for my web site traffic after all--so long as it wasn't me receiving the money.

I'd already posted once on the AdSense Forums, where thousands of AdSense partners regularly asked questions and voiced gripes about the program, so I thought it wouldn't hurt to post again, hoping someone from the Google legal team might see my concern. Again, there was no reply.

I looked up the profiles for the "AdSense Experts" who answered questions in their official roles as forum moderators. Each expert had a different crayon stick-figure picture, and (useless) information about their favorite food or town, but no contact information--not even an e-mail address. With undoubtedly hundreds of employees working on advertising alone, all of them completely unreachable except in heavily scripted contexts, Google's amazing money machine was starting to look a bit more like the type of Potemkin Village the parents of the company's founders had fled decades before.

I spoke with Adam C. of AdWords once more on the phone. After pointing out that in the United States of America, the accused are generally given the right to know both the crimes they are being accused of, and the identities of their accusers, Mr. C. responded by saying that such thinking did not apply to Google's terms of service. Effectively, Google's position was that it was above the law, and if not any law in particular, then at least the spirit of the law. Irked, I decided to find out if such a position was tenable.

On January 15, 2009, I walked over to the Santa Clara County courthouse in Palo Alto, which conveniently fell within the same county lines as Google's home of Mountain View, and filed a civil small claims lawsuit for $721.00--the amount Google owed Think when it disabled the account--using form SC-100. For a total of $40.00 in court fees, I arranged for Google, Inc. to be served by certified mail. The hearing was scheduled for March 2, 2009.

Since lawyers are not permitted in small claims court, Google instead sent Stephanie Milani, a Litigation Paralegal. During the short last-ditch-resolution period before the hearings on the afternoon schedule began, Ms. Milani argued that I must have done something wrong to deserve my fate. When I asked her what, she didn't know. The AdSense engineers had not told her.

"Google can terminate your account for any reason," she told me.

"Not any reason," I said. "Not because I have blue eyes. Or brown eyes." After being told to quiet down by the courtroom guard, we decided that we had reached an impasse, exchanged documents, and went back into the court room.

Arguing before that day's pro tempore judge, I pointed out that my company had done nothing wrong to deserve termination of the contract, that Google could not prove any wrongdoing, that Google's fraud detection algorithm was imperfect by definition (since one cannot intuit moral intent through mathematical analysis), that advertisers must already agree to bear risk as part of the AdWords terms and conditions (clause 5), and that Google had gone to great lengths (including eliminating the ability to view account records) to make it difficult to dispute anything--all while owing Think money. In fact, terminating accounts for "posing significant risk" just when they started to earn significant amounts of money seemed like a great way for Google to cut accounting liabilities in a difficult economic climate. After my explanation, the judge had a question.

"What was the reason Google gave you for disabling your account?"

"Beyond, 'posing a signficicant risk to advertisers,' they didn't give a reason." I said. "I don't know."

Google's Ms. Milani didn't know either. She argued that advertisers had already been refunded my $721.00, even if they hadn't asked for a refund. She claimed that Google could terminate accounts for any or no reason, and that I had agreed to such terms by signing up for AdSense in the first place. She even said that I'd admitted to violating the terms of service when I sent in my appeal form, because I had mentioned that my new domain name was only a placeholder site.

In fact, clause 6 of the AdSense for Content Terms and Conditions does not allow Google to terminate accounts for "no" reason--only "any" reason. Much to my amusement, the judge interrupted her to make a point that sounded familiar.

"But you couldn't terminate my account because of the color of my eyes, could you? I have brown eyes. You couldn't terminate my account because of that."

Ms. Milani reiterated her previous arguments, but the judge didn't buy them. "I don't think I have the power here in Palo Alto small claims court to make you reinstate his account, but I think you owe this young man $721," he said finally. "I think there might be money in Google's treasury for that."

In the end, printed on a baby blue sheet of paper by the clerk's aging dot matrix printer, the judgment was actually entered for $761.00 total, due to the $40.00 court costs. I couldn't help but to smile in front of the judge.

"But it's not fair!" Google's paralegal protested. "What if everyone whose account was canceled sued Google?"

It's a valid question. Yet until Google changes its policies to become more transparent, which might also reassure skeptics that AdWords and AdSense, which have oddly limited reporting capabilities, aren't just two sides of the same ponzi scheme (for why else would one want to terminate legitimate accounts with high monthly liabilities when they're supposed to be making money for Google on each click?)--I will give this answer:

Maybe everyone whose account was canceled, should."

Aaron Greenspan is President & CEO of Think Computer Corporation and the author of Authoritas: One Student's Harvard Admissions and the Founding of the Facebook Era.

Acknowledgement: The Huffington Post

Saturday, June 06, 2009

SWINE FLU SURVIVAL TIPS YOU NEED TO KNOW...

If you’re like most of us, you know more than you ever wanted to about swine flu, or under the more scientific name the World Health Organization (WHO) has been using: Influenza A(H1N1).

The name change is an effort to limit the confusion over any connection to pigs or pig products. Besides the unfortunate name, swine flu has no connection to pigs other than having some swine flu genetic sequences.

As of 12 May 2009, 30 countries have reported 5,251 cases of influenza A(H1N1). Mexico reports 2,059 lab confirmed human cases of infection, including 56 deaths. The United States reports 2,600 laboratory confirmed human cases, with three deaths. Canada reports 330 laboratory confirmed human cases and one death. Costa Rica reports eight laboratory confirmed human cases and one death.

Not surprisingly mixed messages on the risks of travel using mass transit have only added to the confusion and fear.

Still the World Health Organization continues to make no restriction on travel of any kind, or suggest the closing of borders.

Interesting that Continental Airlines, the largest U.S. air carrier to Mexico, is cutting back flights by 40%, but will still serve all 29 Mexican destinations.

The good news seems to be that the strain, while spreading widely. may not be as severe as first feared. Experts already know that this flu does not contain some of the genes that made the 1918 Spanish flu so deadly.

However, in 1918 the first wave of sickness was relatively mild, the second was the dangerous, deadly one. No one can say that won’t happen this time as well.

Experts are convinced they will be able to create a vaccine for A(H1N1) and work is already underway.

The trouble is, vaccine making and distributing isn’t an exact science or a quick process, not to mention the calculated risk scientists take every year in choosing which strains of flu to protect against.

The earliest we’re likely to see any type of A(H1N1) vaccine is four to six months, this fall perhaps.

In the meantime, what can you do to keep yourself healthy?

Here are some common sense suggestions from the experts.

1. Wash your hands as much as possible.

This is the best thing you can do to stay healthy. Wash your hands with soap and water frequently, as the A(H1N1) flu is spread by the droplets from coughing or sneezing that are released into the air. When these get on your hands, everything you touch becomes a potential source of infection.

How you wash is key - most of us aren’t washing well enough or long enough - you’ll need to use the warmest water you can, lather up with soap and rub you fingers, palms, and even under your nails and up to your wrists for two choruses of “Happy Birthday”.

If you’re without soap and water, hand sanitizers serve very well and come in a variety of sizes.

When you wash is also super important.

Be sure to wash up before you eat or prepare food for others, after using the bathroom, or after using a tissue or your hands to cover up a sneeze or cough.

The virus droplets don’t seem to float in the air, but rather settle on objects you touch everyday smooth objects more than rough or porous ones.

It’s the common things we all handle like coins and bills, hand rails, door knobs and other household objects, as well as those essentials around the office like pens, staplers and phones that can harbor all manner of germs.

When taking care of someone who is ill, it’s a good idea to wash your hands more often, especially after direct contact with them or things they’ve used, including laundry.

2. Cover up when you cough or sneeze.

By using your shoulder, or the crook of your elbow to capture the droplets that come form a cough or sneeze you contain the infectious droplets. Wash your hands right away.

A surgical face mask can be an option that helps to keep your respiratory droplets to yourself. Still this isn’t a better option than washing your hands, and used improperly can do you more harm than good. Masks must be used according to the instructions and only for the length of time suggested by the manufacturer.

Face masks can be helpful if you are caring for another person who is ill.

3. If you’re sick, stay home.

Sure it’s hard to give in to feeling sick, especially in our got-to-be-everywhere, do-everything world, but this is exactly what experts suggest you do.

If you start developing flu-like symptoms - aches, fatigue, fever, coughing or sneezing - don’t push yourself to go to work.

Don’t try to tough it out either, as there are some treatments that can shorten the length and severity of your illness.

Call your doctor for advice or an appointment, especially if you’ve traveled to Mexico recently or have an underlying health condition.

You’ll also want to wash you hands often, dispose of tissues right away, and sleep alone.

Once you recover, air out your sleeping space and change your bedding, washing sheets, towels and pajamas in the hottest water possible.

4. Don’t touch your face.

This is the survival tip that’s the hardest to do as it’s such a natural impulse. Sometimes being aware of a need not to touch makes it even more difficult. Still, it’s super important to try to keep your hands away from these mucous membranes - eyes, nose and mouth - all direct routes to the bloodstream.

When you bring germs to your face you bypass the natural protective barrier, this route inside is direct and undefended.

While it’s not easy, by keeping your hands away from your face, you do yourself a big favor. By keeping your hands super clean, you’re likely to deliver as little infectious material as possible to this area when you do give into the impulse (or need) to touch your face

5. Stay away from sick people.

Also, not easy to do, especially if you’re a parent (or spouse) of someone struggling with A(H1N1) flu, or you have a coworker who simply refuses to call in sick, even when they are.

Limit your time with this person as much as possible. Up your hand washing after whatever contact you do have. Use a face mask if you must be very close or the person is coughing or sneezing quite a bit.

Of course, common sense should tell you not to drink from this person’s cups, share utensils or use the phone of anyone with flu-like symptoms, a cough, fever or sneezing.

Encourage co-workers to go home (or stay home) if they aren’t feeling well. Remember that you can be contagious for a day before you feel ill… and up to seven days once the coughing, sneezing, fever and feeling miserable come on.

With such a rapidly changing situation, your best defense against A(H1N1) flu is to say informed - using Word Health Organization or Centers for Disease Control resources.

Swine Flu Survival Tips You Need To Know. Doesn't have much to do with pigs,either!

If you’re like most of us, you know more than you ever wanted to about swine flu, or under the more scientific name the World Health Organization (WHO) has been using: Influenza A(H1N1).

The name change is an effort to limit the confusion over any connection to pigs or pig products. Besides the unfortunate name, swine flu has no connection to pigs other than having some swine flu genetic sequences.

As of 12 May 2009, 30 countries have reported 5,251 cases of influenza A(H1N1). Mexico reports 2,059 lab confirmed human cases of infection, including 56 deaths. The United States reports 2,600 laboratory confirmed human cases, with three deaths. Canada reports 330 laboratory confirmed human cases and one death. Costa Rica reports eight laboratory confirmed human cases and one death.

Not surprisingly mixed messages on the risks of travel using mass transit have only added to the confusion and fear.

Still the World Health Organization continues to make no restriction on travel of any kind, or suggest the closing of borders.

Interesting that Continental Airlines, the largest U.S. air carrier to Mexico, is cutting back flights by 40%, but will still serve all 29 Mexican destinations.

The good news seems to be that the strain, while spreading widely. may not be as severe as first feared. Experts already know that this flu does not contain some of the genes that made the 1918 Spanish flu so deadly.

However, in 1918 the first wave of sickness was relatively mild, the second was the dangerous, deadly one. No one can say that won’t happen this time as well.

Experts are convinced they will be able to create a vaccine for A(H1N1) and work is already underway.

The trouble is, vaccine making and distributing isn’t an exact science or a quick process, not to mention the calculated risk scientists take every year in choosing which strains of flu to protect against.

The earliest we’re likely to see any type of A(H1N1) vaccine is four to six months, this fall perhaps.

In the meantime, what can you do to keep yourself healthy?

Here are some common sense suggestions from the experts.

1. Wash your hands as much as possible.

This is the best thing you can do to stay healthy. Wash your hands with soap and water frequently, as the A(H1N1) flu is spread by the droplets from coughing or sneezing that are released into the air. When these get on your hands, everything you touch becomes a potential source of infection.

How you wash is key - most of us aren’t washing well enough or long enough - you’ll need to use the warmest water you can, lather up with soap and rub you fingers, palms, and even under your nails and up to your wrists for two choruses of “Happy Birthday”.

If you’re without soap and water, hand sanitizers serve very well and come in a variety of sizes.

When you wash is also super important.

Be sure to wash up before you eat or prepare food for others, after using the bathroom, or after using a tissue or your hands to cover up a sneeze or cough.

The virus droplets don’t seem to float in the air, but rather settle on objects you touch everyday smooth objects more than rough or porous ones.

It’s the common things we all handle like coins and bills, hand rails, door knobs and other household objects, as well as those essentials around the office like pens, staplers and phones that can harbor all manner of germs.

When taking care of someone who is ill, it’s a good idea to wash your hands more often, especially after direct contact with them or things they’ve used, including laundry.

2. Cover up when you cough or sneeze.

By using your shoulder, or the crook of your elbow to capture the droplets that come form a cough or sneeze you contain the infectious droplets. Wash your hands right away.

A surgical face mask can be an option that helps to keep your respiratory droplets to yourself. Still this isn’t a better option than washing your hands, and used improperly can do you more harm than good. Masks must be used according to the instructions and only for the length of time suggested by the manufacturer.

Face masks can be helpful if you are caring for another person who is ill.

3. If you’re sick, stay home.

Sure it’s hard to give in to feeling sick, especially in our got-to-be-everywhere, do-everything world, but this is exactly what experts suggest you do.

If you start developing flu-like symptoms - aches, fatigue, fever, coughing or sneezing - don’t push yourself to go to work.

Don’t try to tough it out either, as there are some treatments that can shorten the length and severity of your illness.

Call your doctor for advice or an appointment, especially if you’ve traveled to Mexico recently or have an underlying health condition.

You’ll also want to wash you hands often, dispose of tissues right away, and sleep alone.

Once you recover, air out your sleeping space and change your bedding, washing sheets, towels and pajamas in the hottest water possible.

4. Don’t touch your face.

This is the survival tip that’s the hardest to do as it’s such a natural impulse. Sometimes being aware of a need not to touch makes it even more difficult. Still, it’s super important to try to keep your hands away from these mucous membranes - eyes, nose and mouth - all direct routes to the bloodstream.

When you bring germs to your face you bypass the natural protective barrier, this route inside is direct and undefended.

While it’s not easy, by keeping your hands away from your face, you do yourself a big favor. By keeping your hands super clean, you’re likely to deliver as little infectious material as possible to this area when you do give into the impulse (or need) to touch your face

5. Stay away from sick people.

Also, not easy to do, especially if you’re a parent (or spouse) of someone struggling with A(H1N1) flu, or you have a coworker who simply refuses to call in sick, even when they are.

Limit your time with this person as much as possible. Up your hand washing after whatever contact you do have. Use a face mask if you must be very close or the person is coughing or sneezing quite a bit.

Of course, common sense should tell you not to drink from this person’s cups, share utensils or use the phone of anyone with flu-like symptoms, a cough, fever or sneezing.

Encourage co-workers to go home (or stay home) if they aren’t feeling well. Remember that you can be contagious for a day before you feel ill… and up to seven days once the coughing, sneezing, fever and feeling miserable come on.

With such a rapidly changing situation, your best defense against A(H1N1) flu is to say informed - using Word Health Organization or Centers for Disease Control resources.

Of course it’s scary to think that a microscopic organism can move at will across the world and send so many of us healthy, far-more-advanced creatures to our beds. It’s hard to imagine something so small can really be that powerful. But it can.

Acknowledgements:

Kirsten Whittaker,
Daily Health Bulletin Editor

Sources:

Original article:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20090430/sc_
livescience/5essentialswineflusurvivaltips

Reuters story on hog industry and swine flu:
http://uk.reuters.com/article/healthNewsMolt/idUKTRE54060J20090501

Vice President Joe Biden’s ill-advised mass transit comments:
http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2009/05/01/2009-05-01_well_shut_his_mouth.html

LiveScience Info on face mask:
http://www.livescience.com/health/090126-flu-mask.html

World Health Organization (WHO) info on A(H1N1):
http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/index.html

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) swine flu info:
http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/

Huttriver Today

Wednesday, June 03, 2009

AFTER SIX YEARS OF DEVELOPMENT THE ORANGE AND BLACK HULME CANAM ROADSTER FINALLY SEES THE LIGHT...

The Kiwi supercar has arrived in all its orange and black glory.It is to be hoped that the Hulme project leads to New Zealand becoming a world centre of excellence in designing concept cars. Only history will tell!

A Kiwi super car has had its first run in the build-up to launch a public company to manufacture the racy machine in New Zealand. It will bring back the memories of Denny Hulme, the only Kiwi to win a Formula One World racing title, and also Bruce Mclaren whose name is attached to the Mclaren racing team in Britain.

The car was paraded across the Auckland Harbour bridge and also cruised the motorway, but not at its top speed of 320kmh. It also has all the road requirements of headlights, indicators, handbrake etc, but it has be on the track where Kiwi drivers Chris Amon and Ken Smith have tested it.

It is actually a road designed machine that you can take to the track. It has comfortable seats and suspension. The aim is to set up a New Zealand factory, at a location still to be decided - to make twenty cars a year and sell them to super-car collectors, mainly in Europe and the Middle east. The price would bein excess of $600,000. The is great demand for supercars overseas. The car has also had a lot of publicity in Britain, being described in one paper as MEANER THAN THE ALL BLACKS.

Kiwi Super Car

Monday, May 25, 2009

IS THE US UNDER OBAMA RETURNING TO EXPORT SUBSIDIES...

Is the US under Obama returning to outdated export protection subsidies...

First published at Qassia:

During the the 1980's and 90's the New Zealand economy underwent many fundamental changes during the changeover to market economics. Part of the process was the gradual reduction and eventual abolition of tariffs and export subsidies. This created much stress and economic hardship for New Zealanders. But the realisation that this was a process all economies were undergoing in the pursuit of a level economic playing field made the exercise more palliative.

But the announcement that the European Union and the United States were allegedly involving themselves in what could be termed another 'trade war' wasn't received too well by the New Zealand Government who fear NZ could become caught in a crossfire between the two economic superpowers, and could destroy hard earned progress in international trade talks, and put Kiwis standard of living at risk.

The NZ Trade Minister,Tim Groser, went close to slating the US for adopting new export subsidies for exporting dairy farmers, something described as the "most hated of all trade policy instruments".

The US move is a 'tit for tat' response to the EU action in January, a rather juvenile act in the 21st century one would suggest.

Mr Groser said the US action effectively destroyed the immensely difficult exercise of getting the commitment to eliminate export subsidies as part of the World Trade Organisation's Doha trade talks, begun in 2001. "The US and EU have gone back to sucking on that particular teat again". he said.

The US Dairy Export Incentive Program will pay exporters cash bonuses, enabling them to sell at lower prices to be more competitive. A return to the future, one could well say!

New Zealand, a nation of only 4.3 million people earns more than $6.3 billion in dairy exports annually, and were vulnerable to price levels and the potential damage if the situation escalated. The damage would not only affect NZ farmers, but the country as a whole - New Zealand's standard of living could deteriorate. It is potentially an extremely difficult situation. This would not be a positive signal to the rest of the world during the most severe economic contraction since the 1930's. Trade protection and retaliation is considered as being part of the Ark. Hopefully commonsense will prevail in both the US and EU.

Not a great signal from President Obama and the US Government at a time it seeks increased military support for its Afghanistan campaign against the Taleban?

Saturday, May 23, 2009

THERE ARE 120 MILLION LIVING DESCENDANTS OF SCOTTISH HIGHLANDERS LIVING AROUND THE GLOBE TODAY - SO MANY STORIES WAITING TO BE TOLD...

There are reportedly 120 million descendants of Scottish Highlanders living around the globe today - so many stories waiting to be told. While I'm predominabtly Scandinavian myself - my father's ancestors emigrated to New Zealand in 1873 from the Baltic Sea island of Gotland in Sweden, my mother's father was of Scots/Irish descent through Australia.

So I did a bit of 'googling research' to find just what relationships my Clark family had with the Scottish Highlanders(the same family as the recent prime minister of New Zealand, Helen Clark 1999-2008). I discovered we are septs or family related to both the Cameron and Macpherson clans; both clans ironically fought against each other at one stage in their history.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/clan_macpherson

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/clan_cameron

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/sept_(social)

If you are also descendants of Scottish Highlanders and would also like to learn about your ancestors:Read

Monday, May 18, 2009

COINCIDENCE, HAPPENSTANCE AND A BLINKING MIRACLE...

My grandson's disappearance on Sunday and reappearance this morning suggests too many coincidences.

There is absolutely no comparison to how I felt at 6 am and 7-15 am this morning.

At 6 am I felt deeply concerned and beginning to think of the worst possible scenario in relation to my grandson's disappearance. I'm not a deeply religious person, but I don't discount the power of prayer either. I believe a number of prayers were made across the Pacific Ocean to seek a higher power to bring Kellie home to us.

Do you believe in coincidences? How many can possibly go together? Once is a coincidence, twice is a happenstance and thrice is a blinking miracle!

What made Kellie's grandmother's niece's husband decide to go to work this morning after making a decision not to earlier? He became the right person at the right time to drive through that particular roundabout just after 7 am this morning. As he drove through young Kellie was walking through in the other direction. Coincidence? Kellie had apparently been walking back from Wellington City about ten miles away at that time of the morning. Coincidence?

We had all believed that Kellie had gone bush on Sunday afternoon, and was in the eastern hills above Taita, Lower Hutt. Kellie had actually gone into Wellington City on his own for the first time on Sunday and spent the next night and day there, returning to the Hutt Valley early this morning. We don't know who he met or saw there. He had some money and probably bought something to eat and some Coca Cola, his favourite, to drink. He had also been under cover from the elements somewhere - his clothing was dry but his shoes damp from walking beside the rail line. Another coincidence?

At 7-15 am this more I was a much happier man and grandfather after learning he was on his way home in a police patrol car. The local daily newspaper, the Dominion Post, who will be writing a story about Kellie's disappearance and reappearance tomorrow, sent a camera-man to take a few shots for tomorrow's issue. Lance, the niece's husband is the hero of the hour and was photographed with Kellie and his grandmother. Grandfather stayed in the background because getting photographed for newspapers is not his scene.

Coincidence, happenstance and a blinking miracle

Thursday, May 14, 2009

PALM OIL ACTION IN FINLAND - ANOTHER GREENPEACE PROTEST...

Before most of us even had our first cup of coffee this morning, 32 activists from Finland and Sweden were up and taking action at a palm oil diesel refinery in Porvoo, Finland. Neste Oil, an oil refining company that is largely owned by the Finnish government, has plans to rapidly expand over the next three years - to become the world’s largest consumer of palm oil.
Palm oil production is the leading cause of deforestation in Southeast Asia. Rainforests and peatlands are cleared and burned to make way for palm oil plantations releasing huge amounts of carbon dioxiode. This destructive practice is the leading reason why Indonesia is now the third largest greenhouse gas emitter in the world. If that doesn’t sound bad enough we can also blame this rampant deforestation for pushing species like the orang-utan and the Sumatran tiger to the brink of extinction.

The activists will be at the plant as long as they can demanding that Neste Oil stop contributing to forest destruction that is contributing to climate change. Do your part and join them in the action. Send a letter to Neste Oil and ask them to stop using palm oil in NExBTL diesel and to instead find a sustainable raw material before putting their planned NExBTL refineries into operation.

Neste Oil uses palm oil as the main component of the NExBTL-diesel and markets it as an environmentally-friendly alternative to fossil fuels. This ‘green’ marketing contradicts the warnings that climate scientists issued last year that palm oil grown on deforested land is many times more damaging to the climate than conventional fuels.

Update:

All 32 activists at a palm oil diesel refinery in Porvoo, Finland have been arrested by police. 6 of the activists have already ben released and we are waiting for the release of the remaining activists.

Do your part. Join these brave activists and take action - Send a letter to Neste Oil and ask them to stop using palm oil in NExBTL diesel and to instead find a sustainable raw material before putting their planned NExBTL refineries into operation.

Greenpeace protest

Wednesday, May 06, 2009

FIGHTING THE VIRUS - THE CASE FOR CERVICAL CANCER PROTECTION...

Fighting the virus - the case for cervical cancer protection...

Fighting the virus - the case for cervical cancer protection. Let me state from the outset that this is a subject that I, personally, know little about. But this has been the subject of both the printed media, radio talk back and television in recent days.

Dozens of New Zealand schools have decided to opt out of the government’s mass immunisation program to protect girls against cervical cancer. There has been considerable comment on both sides of the argument.

Girls as young as 12 years old started receiving vaccinations at their schools in Feb 2009. However, there has been 50 adverse reactions reported so far this year, with ten reports of fainting and one of an allergic reaction.

The previous Labour-led Government had qualified the value of its program by claiming the future death rate of cervical cancer would be halved in future decades by the use of the $177 million program over five years to provide free immunisations.

Each year there are 180 diagnoses of cervical cancer and about 60 women die from it. I wonder how this compares with Australian, British and North American diagnoses?

The Health Ministry’s chief adviser for population health, had confirmed 78 schools had declined to participate further in the program.

The program has been controversial from the beginning, with morals campaigners objecting to the vaccinations of girls against a cancer caused only by sexual activity.

The Womens Health Action group claimed the program was introduced too quickly and had asked for an urgent review.

The Privacy Commissioner had said her office had been working with the Health Ministry and the School Trustees Association to check on complaints about personal information contained in rolls being released. This should help to discover the faults in the first immunisation and how it could be managed better.

I wonder if Australia, Britain and North America have similar immunisation programs?

Just what is Cervical Cancer and how is the virus being fought?

1/ Cervical cancer is caused by the human papilloma virus. Some strains of HPV lead to cervical cancer.

2/ The HPV infection that causes cervical cancer is spread through sexual contact.

3/ The Gardasil vaccine protects against two HPV types that cause most cervical cancers and genital warts - provided a person is not infected already.

4/ An immunisation program began in September, offered to women born in 1990 and 1991, and younger school leavers.

5/ Women still need to have cervical smear tests.

6/ The school - based vaccination program begun this year is available to girls in years 8 to 13,

7/ The vaccine is most effective when given to girls who have never been sexually active.

I hope this has proven useful to understand why an immunisation program was thought necessary in New Zealand. How does it compare to other overseas programs?

Read today

Sunday, May 03, 2009

DON'T CRY FOR ME FIJI - THEN THERE WILL BE THE FINAL COUP...

From health to the health of a nation. A tragedy or the tragic opera that is Fiji?

Back in the 1980’s advertising brochures proclaimed, ”Fiji the way the world should be.” Yeah right!

Two Rabuka coups, a George Speight rebellion and the Commodore Bainimarama military takeover, delayed briefly by a rugby match between the Army and the Police, won by the Army naturally. Who needs enemies when you have such friends back home?

Despite last minute attempts by Fijian military dictator, Commodore Bainimarama to meet the leaders of Australia and New Zealand and negotiate a change of mind over sanctions against Fiji, Fiji has been kicked out, officially suspended from the Pacific Islands Forum, and possibly from the Commonwealth later in the year.

Bainimarama claims elections can’t be restored for another five years, but this a load of codswallop;the constitution can be amended at another date. He claims to be the hero of multiracialism in Fiji, but is just another dirty little dictator like Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe who dictated his country from being the bread-basket of Africa to becoming the basket-case of all time!

There are absolutely no democracy or civil rights in Fiji, the constitution has been tossed into a garbage can, judges have been sacked, the local media has been dictated to and controlled by the army, and foreign media and diplomats detained and kicked out of Fiji. Some Fijians have lost there lives, and others are missing.

Much foreign aid has already been suspended by Australia, NZ, Britain and the European Union. Fijian army peacekeepers may also be suspended from new contracts by the United Nations, and as a consequence much of Fiji’s economy will be affected with the loss of the soldiers income. With unemployed troops drifting around unemployed in the capital of Suva, Bainimarama’s regime could well have some substantial opposition. Fijians are pretty effective soldiers - good peacekeepers!

Then there may be the final coup for Fiji. Don’t cry for me Fiji!

The Bainimarama regime’s future is already in doubt - the clock is ticking!

Compliments of: Huttriverofnz.today.com

Sunday, April 26, 2009

SWINE FEVER ARRIVES IN NEW ZEALAND - HEALTH MINISTRY CLOSELY MONITORING WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION UPDATES...

The New Zealand Ministry of Health is closely monitoring updates from the World Health Organisation (WHO) on the recent fatal outbreak of Swine Influenza in Mexico, and non-fatal cases in the western United States.

A strain of Swine Influenza - "H1H1 Swine Influenza" - is the suspected killer of 80 people in Mexico, where authorities have closed schools, museums, libraries and theatres in the capital, Mexico City in an attempt to contain the outbreak of the disease that is raising concerns worldwide now.

This worrisome new virus - which combines genetic material from pigs, birds and humans in a way not seen before by researchers - has infected at least eight or more people in Texas and California at the time of writing, although no deaths have been reported in the US.

Back in New Zealand normal border control procedures are in place and will be continued, the Ministry Of Health stated yesterday. They are in regular control with the WHO, and will continue to act appropiately in accordance with their advice.

A group of secondary school students and their teachers from Rangitoto College have just arrived back in NZ from a recent trip to Mexico, and twenty five are in quarentine with ten displaying symptoms of the influenza. None of the affected patients are considered seriously ill; in fact they may well be recovering. Three other school groups who visited Mexico have been warned to watch out for symptoms of the flu. The Health authorities will continue to monitor their progress after sending their tests to the WHO.

WHAT IS SWINE FLU? Swine flu is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza virus. The H1N1 swine flu viruses are genetically very different from human flu viruses, so vaccines for human seasonal flu would not provide protection.
SYMPTOMS: Fever, lethargy, poor appetite, coughing, runny nose, sore throat,nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. The current strain is being spread by human to human contact through coughing and sneezing or from touching contaminated surfaces. You cannot get it from eating pork.

Friday, April 24, 2009

NEW ZEALAND ANZAC DAY DAWN SERVICES WELL ATTENDED...

April 25 2009:

New Zealand Anzac Day dawn services well-attended:

Thousands turn out for Anzac Day services; wet and windy at War Memorial Museum Auckland, fine in Wellington at Cenotaph.

Dawn services are underway throughout the country.

In Auckland, thousands of people have gathered at the War Memorial Museum on a wet and windy morning.

At the National Cenotaph in Wellington, it is a fine morning. Prime Minister John Key and other dignitaries are at the service.

In Christchurch, Dean Peter Beck is impressed by what he says is an ever-growing young crowd attending Anzac Day commemorations. Two services are being held in Cathedral Square. Nineteen services will be held in the region including at Akaroa, Diamond Harbour and Papanui.

Dean Beck says the number of people braving the dawn parade has been growing year by year.

"And it gets younger every year too. It's an extraordinary service really. Very, very moving indeed. But the real statement in that about a commitment of our people for a vision of the world of peace with justice."

Acknowledgements:
© 2009 NZCity, NewsTalk

Read here

Monday, April 20, 2009

THE STRANGER - A STORY FOR YOU ALL...

Just picked up a little story this morning, which I would like to share with you all.

"The Stranger".

A few years after I was born, my Dad met a stranger who was new to our small Texas town. From the beginning, Dad was fascinated with this enchanting newcomer and soon invited him to live with our family. The stranger was quickly accepted and was around from then on.

As I grew up, I never questioned his place in my family. In my young mind, he had a special niche. My parents were complementary instructors: Mom taught me good from evil, and Dad taught me to obey. But the stranger...he was our storyteller. He would keep us spellbound for hours on end with adventures, mysteries and comedies.

If I wanted to know anything about politics, history or science, he always knew the answers about the past, understood the present and even seemed able to predict the future! He took my family to the first major league ball game. He made me laugh, and he made me cry. The stranger never stopped talking, but Dad didn't seem to mind.

Sometimes, Mom would get up quietly while the rest of us were shushing each other to listen to what he had to say, and she would go to the kitchen for peace and quiet. (I wonder now if she ever prayed for the stranger to leave.)

Dad ruled our household with certain moral convictions, but the stranger never felt obligated to honor them. Profanity, for example, was not allowed in our home... Not from us, our friends or any visitors. Our longtime visitor, however, got away with four-letter words that burned my ears and made my dad squirm and my mother blush. My Dad didn't permit the liberal use of alcohol. But the stranger encouraged us to try it on a regular basis. He made cigarettes look cool, cigars manly and pipes distinguished.

He talked freely (much too freely!) about sex. His comments were sometimes blatant, sometimes suggestive, and generally embarrassing.

I now know that my early concepts about relationships were influenced strongly by the stranger. Time after time, he opposed the values of my parents, yet he was seldom rebuked... And NEVER asked to leave.

More than fifty years have passed since the stranger moved in with our family. He has blended right in and is not nearly as fascinating as he was at first. Still, if you could walk into my parents' den today, you would still find him sitting over in his corner, waiting for someone to listen to him talk and watch him draw his pictures.

His name?.... .. .

We just call him 'TV.'

(Note: This should be required reading for every household)

His wife is called Computer;

Their first child is named Cellphone.

Acknowledgements to Elaine Winchester:

The secret life of the television set

Sunday, April 19, 2009

ANZAC DAY, APRIL 25, IS ONE OF AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND'S MOST IMPORTANT ANNIVERSARIES - IT COMMEMORATES THE LANDING AT ANZAC COVE AS PART OF THE GALLIPOLI CAMPAIGN...

First published at Qassia:

The Gallipoli campaign in World War One was part of the wider invasion of the Dardenelles by British and Empire troops against the Ottoman Turkish Empire to eventually capture Istanbul. For the troops from Australia and New Zealand in the "ANZAC" force, it was a form of baptism under fire and made an indelible impression on the psyche of Australians and New Zealanders for nearly a century later.

But first there was important business in Cairo to deal with: "THE BATTLE OF WAZZA"

The Battle of Wazza in Cairo in 1915 - and sex had a lot to do with it...

In 1915 the Anzac troops were training and resting in Egypt before moving towards the Dardenelles in Turkey and a date with destiny in Gallipoli and World War One history. These were mostly young men, some no more than boys, from the bush, towns and the cities in every state of Australia; and their New Zealand cousins over the Tasman Sea from the North Cape to the Bluff, the North, the South and Stewart Islands, from the countryside, the bush, the towns and the cities, Pakeha and Maori alike, even a few from Cook and Niue Islands as well. These were the Anzacs - the Australia New Zealand Army Corps. And history would, indeed, record and remember their deeds in coming months.

This is one of their stories: The Battle of Wazza.

The Anzacs had been stationed in Cairo in 1915 for a number of weeks leading up to the Gallipoli campaign. Suddenly one hot and dusty day they turned on some of their hosts, and rioted in one of Cairo's most notorious streets on which several handred Anzac troops set fire to brothels while hundreds of other troops looked on. In fact it has been recorded that over 3,000 Anzac troops rioted for three days throughout Cairo's red-light district burning and trashing dozens of these houses of ill-fame.

The actioned was allegedly precipitated by claims that alcohol supplies had been urinated in to make them go further. The difficulties in getting treatment for veneral disease probably didn't help the situation as well. Many troops had been left isolated from their comrades for days at a time in special compounds during this period.

An enquiry made later allegedly revealed that Kiwi troops were more heavily involved than their Aussie cousins. Perhaps it was the beginning of a century when New Zealanders were in the forefront of many campaigns involving social justice in a variety of theatres of action.

This riot, and the actual reasons which precipitated it, resulted in a New Zealand woman, Ettie Rout, setting up a social and sexual support service in Paris for Anzac soldiers on leave from the Western Front. She advocated the supply of condoms and antiseptic ointments to the troops, and the setting up of a safe sex brothel. She would be considered a 'saint' by the troops and the wickedest woman in Britain by a British Bishop. But this is another story for another time.

The Gallipoli Campaign

Saturday, April 11, 2009

WHAT WILL THE FUTURE BRING TO US ALL...

I have my political niched blog and another group of various niched blogs to sort out my musings and opinions into some order. But what of the future for us all in these days of change?

What will these economically disturbed times result in for us in western society? Will there be changes of the magnitude of those of the post- depression years? Will economic changes force social changes onto us by devious politicians seeking a short-cut in implementing their own ideological platforms, and in the process compromising the democratic process.

There have been a variety of political changes before and after the economic downturn. A swing to the left in Australia in late 2007 is bemoaned as a slide to economic ruin by the remnants of the right, a swing to the right in New Zealand in late 2008, and to the left in America also last year, but not implemented until early 2009. Britain has had a change in leadership but has retained the same party for a number of years. France has swung to the right while there have been similar changes in other European states as well in recent years. And in Fiji a swing to Zimbabwe type political insanity!

Already there have been criticisms that America under Barack Obama is becoming socialist, but I have suggested that those who make such claims wouldn't know socialism if they fell over it. We have had nine years of democratic socialism in New Zealand, but our economic system is still market driven - since the so-called reforms of the late 1980's and the 1990's when privatisation was so, so popular here!

There are no immediate signs of a change to that era early in the term of the John Key led National Party -led rightwing government, but there are signs that changes could occur if the government feels so secure another term of government appears inevitable. The recent retirements of the Labour Party's leadership of 15 years - six in opposition and nine in government, Helen Clark and Michael Cullen - received cross-party support for Helen's appointment to the United Nations, and Michael's appointment as deputy of NZ Post. And a weakened and inexperienced front bench opposes the new rightwing administration here.

So what will the future hold for us all? Just hold our collective breath, and let it out slowly, because things may not be too bad? What will our neighbours and close friends, Australia, do in the short term? Some Aussies are apprehensive of changes promoted there as well. The future for all of us is in the lap of the gods, or in one particular God?

Friday, April 03, 2009

BIG BROTHER IS LIVE AND WELL, AND TRAWLING SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES...

Big Brother is alive and well, and trawling social network sites...

I was just reading a weekend paper here in Wellington, New Zealand, where an article reveals how "Big Brother" is alive and kicking and trawling social network sites to gain possible information on their members.

The article discussed how NZ government departments are trawling these sites for information that can be used against people on social welfare benefits for fraud purposes. One woman had been caught, redhanded you might say, because she admitted a relationship on the social networking site, and the department took a fraud case against her.

Even employers are in on the act looking for information to use against employees: In one case an employee was caught bragging on the site that he was taking a "sickie" from work because he still had a massive hangover.

If this is happening in a little country like NZ, just imagine on what scale it is being used in larger countries like Australia, Britain or in North America and Europe?

In my opinion they are just a pathetic and despicable bunch of Sebastians!

read here

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

NOT SMITHY'S PLANE'S FINAL RESTING PLACE - NZ WRITER DISPUTES AUSSIE FILMMAKER'S CLAIM THAT SIR CHARLES KINGSFORD SMITH'S PLANE WAS FOUND OFF BURMESE COAST...

First published at Qassia:

A New Zealand writer has disputed and scorned the claims of a Sydney, Australia, filmmaker that he had found the final resting place of legendary and iconic Australian aviator, Sir Charles Kingsford Smith's plane, the Lady Southern Cross..

Sir Charles, or Smithy as Aussies love to call him,was the first pilot to fly the Tasman Sea in both directions in 1928. Seven years later he and his co-pilot Tommy Pethybridge disappeared off the face of the earth while attempting to break the record for a flight between England and Australia in the historic aeroplane, Lady Southern Cross.

Now 75 years later the Australian filmmaker,Damien Lay claimed he had solved Australia's last great mystery by allegedly locating the wreckage of the plane off the coast of Burma.

America has frontiersmen Daniel Boone and Davey Crockett, New Zealand the legendary conquerer of Mount Everest, Sir Edmund Hillary, and Australia has Sir Charles Kingsford Smith as its legendary icon, loved and applauded by generations of Australians.

"One of Australia's oldest mystery's and greatest legends. The war hero and adventurer, the world record attempt, and the sudden disappearance, and a number of small clues, hinting and whispering of their tragic end." (Justin Vallejo, March 21, 2009.)

He reportedly said that he had found the wreckage under 20 metres of water and mud off remote Aye Island, off the Burmese coast in the Bay of Bengal, after a five day search involving 63 dives and sonar tracking. But is it actually the Lady Southern Cross?

Not so says New Zealand writer,Ian Mackersey, author of SMITHY: THE LIFE OF SIR KINGSFORD SMITH, who dismissed Mr Lay's claim as outright nonsense.

Mr Mackersey apparentlt quoted two aircraft experts from Australian Defence Ministry Aeronautical Research Laboratory who,in 1992, concluded:" The two occupants bodies would have quite quickly disappeared without trace and so, in those tropical waters, would all the wooden components - followed eventually by the light alloy section which would include quite a bit of the engine."

"All that would remain somewhere probably spread across two hundred yards of the ocean floor, will be the few steel bits of the engine."

Ian Mackersey concluded:"There is no way that the object on the seabed can be Smithy's aeroplane. Alas, the discovery claim is nonsense."

So much for the claim at this point in time. Mr Lay would have to come up with his own expert witnesses to refute Mackersey's denial. We await with interest,further claims resulting from the alleged discovery?

Further news

.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

CHINA PUNISHES MORE SENIOR OFFICIALS OVER THE 2008 MELAMINE SCANDAL...

China punishes more senior officials over the 2008 melamine dairy scandal...

First published at Qassia:

China punishes more officials over the recent melamine dairy scandal.
China's Communist Party has punished more senior government officials for their part in the melamine tainted baby milk powder scandal last year which killed six infants and made another 360,000 severely ill - many with kidney disease.

The New Zealand giant dairy Fonterra was implicated through its Chinese joint venture partner, Sanlu. No New Zealand milk was ever sold to Chinese customers; Sanlu using only Chinese milk powder.

The scandal forced the head of the Chinese quality watchdog group to resign, and the courts sentenced two men to death for the production of melamine contaminants and supplying Chinese companies with the toxic milk.

The Xinhua news agency reportedly stated the Communist Party's disciplinary body had removed Wang Bubu, chief of the law enforcement and supervision department at China's quality watchdog, from all of his official and party positions.

It was also reported that the deputy chief of food circulation at the State Administration for Industry and Commerce(unnamed)was also dismissed from his position, and also six others, from state agencies, including the State Food and Drug Administration, and the Ministries of Agriculture and Health,received penalties, including demotion and having their misdeeds publicly recorded. It was one of the biggest ever shake-ups in the Chinese administration.

The Chinese Government is still embarrassed by claims the melamine milk powder scandal was repressed until after the Beijing Olympic Games. Are the claims true? You be the judge!

Contributor's Note
The scandal continues. It cost Fonterra $250,000,000 in compensation for its implication.

Saturday, March 14, 2009

SUPERBUG USA300 COULD BE MORE VIRULENT THAN HIV, IT HAS BEEN CLAIMED BUT IS IT REALLY...

New Superbug cases in New Zealand are soaring. The antibiotic - resistant Superbug MRSA(methcillin- resistant Staphyloccus Aureus) is taking hold in New Zealand with a huge increase in such cases during the last five years - and the Government is accused of failing to alert the public and health officials to the outbreak.

In the US, especially California, it is even being considered another 'Gay disease' potentially and virulently worse than HIV because of skin contact? But it could soon just be another disease perpetuated by sexual contact between people, whether homosexual or heterosexual. More research is needed here I would suspect.

Figures recently released by the NZ Health Ministry show the number of people infected with a new USA300 strain of the Superbug has risen from an estimated 12 to 420 in 2008.

The infection first presents itself as raised dots on the skin resembling pimples or boils. If these are left untreated they can become pus - filled golf ball sized abcesses and can go on and affect bones and organs, potentially fatal. It is not yet known whether there has been any fatalities in NZ. I suspect that personal hygiene has a lot to do with the contraction of this disease, people of any gender should be washing themselves with hot water, soap and disinfectant after having casual sexual relations.

In the USA and the UK the bacteria has reached epidemic proportions, but the bulk of the increase in NZ has been in people who have contracted the disease outside of hospitals - up from 96 in 2007 to 264 in 2008.

People who live and work in close proximity to other people are particularly at risk - in offices, hostels, rest homes, schools, gyms and sports teams.

Sunday, March 08, 2009

THE CONTROVERSIAL DAVID BAIN RETRIAL HAS STARTED IN CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND...

First published at Qassia:

The retrial of one of New Zealand's most controversial mass murderers - the David Bain retrial - has commenced in the Christchurch High Court in the South Island.
David Bain was originally convicted of killing his parents and three siblings in their Dunedin family home on June 20 1994. He served twelve years of his life sentence, after appeals in New Zealand were unsuccessful.

After a successful application to the Privy Council in London, his sentence was set aside by the Court of Appeal in May 2007. He was subsequently granted a retrial.

David Bain had been found guilty of the mass murders of his entire family on June 20, 1994, in Dunedin.

Bain then a 22 year old student, claimed to have come home from his paper delivery run and found his father, Robin, lying dead. He had then rung the 111 emergency number and told them his father was dead. The police arrived to find him wailing, "that they were all dead".

They were met by a bloodbath scene of slaughter, with father Robin shot dead, with a .22 rifle lying nearby; mother Margaret, 50 years, killed by a single shot to the head; and sisters, Laniet and Arawa both dead with headwounds. It was also obvious by the murder scene that younger brother, Stephen,14 yrs, had put up a furious struggle with his blood later being found on David's clothing.

David Bain had claimed to have heard his older sister, Laniet gurgling, so would have had to been around when she died. There was evidence in the laundry that he had attempted to wash blood from his clothing; there was a lens from his spectacles in Stephen's room, with the rest of the spectacles he had been being found in his own room.

The murders had been carried out by David's own .22 rifle, from which he had the trigger lock keys, and his bloody gloves were found in Stephen's room.

The later defence evidence had claimed that father, Robin, had been the murderer because he was trying to cover up his alleged incest with daughter, Laniet. If Robin had planned a murder/ suicide why would he wear gloves?

The prosecution had claimed David Bain had used his paper run as an alibi for the mass murder of his entire family.

Evidence produced during the original trial showed the Bain family to have been a very dysfunctional family. Much was revealed about the behaviour of the entire family who had prevously been on missionary service in Papua New Guinea.

The family home in Dunedin, the murder scene, inexplicably burned down shortly after the murders. Much evidence necessary for a retrial may well have gone with it.

A number of books were written about the Bain killings. Two that I read convinced me personally of David Bain's guilt, whereas previously I still had an open mind about the mass murders.

Another book written by former All Black rugby union international, Joe Karam, claimed David Bain's innocence. I never read this book, and was not convinced by later claims of Bain's innocence. Karam, who apparently had no prior contact with David Bain or his family and believed in David's innocence, was able to build-up a support group who fought publicly over many years to clear Bain's name, and produce enough alternative evidence to eventually get the case sent to the Privy Concil in London. The Law Lords claimed some miscarriage of justice, which has allegedly been enough to get Bain the retrial that has now started in Christchurch. What that new evidence is will be revealed by the defence during this coming retrial. Personally, I haven't a clue what it might be.

This case has already cost the state millions, with millions more expected to be spent over the next three months or so. The state will never be able to claim compensation from Bain even if he is again found guilty of the mass murders of his family.

Some may claim that there is no charge for justice? I would agree, if he is actually found innocence! But until this happens I still believe David Bain to be a despicable and pathetic mass murderer who deserves to spend the rest of his life behind bars.

Allan Arthur Thomas, who spent many years here in prison for the 1970's Crewe murders, and was later pardoned and paid close to a million dollars in compensation by the Muldoon administration, is also a supporter of David Bain and claims he should receive multi-millions in compensation. Of course he is way out of line because the retrial will have to review all existing and new evidence.

We will all have to wait for the result of this retrial and may have to eat our words if he is inexplicably found not guilty!

Tuesday, March 03, 2009

CLEAN AND GREEN NEW ZEALAND WIND POWER - WIND TURBINES AND WIND FARMS...

Clean and green New Zealand wind power - wind turbines and wind farms...

First published at Qassia:

Wind power - wind turbines and wind power. What better product can be produced in our own countries, than pure, unadulterated wind energy? The answer is, of course, none!

China now, and Japan all those decades ago, could copy and produce just about anything - a variety of products, machines and mechanical tools, musical equipment, computers, motor vehicles, boats and planes, clothing and accessories - and food too!

But pure, clean and green, unadulterated New Zealand wind power can never be emulated by China or anybody else for that matter. They may create or buy a New Zealand company to generate windpower here, but it will always be "New Zealand" energy. We will always be buying New Zealand energy products.

Wind power is undoubtably the energy of the future in New Zealand, with its mountainous and hilly terrain, and its reasonable closeness to coastal areas and wind and sea currents. And the sea too, is another enegy alternative - using the power of the sea and tidal currents to generate electricity.

In New Zealand the modern wind turbines are a far cry from the old windmills associated with countries like Holland and the other low countries, in ages past. The symmetrical and clean lines of the modern wind turbines are appearing in clusters of "wind farms" up and down the country, with many applications to planning committees to create even more of these wind turbine generators.

The majority of New Zealand power is generated in our rivers by hydro electric plants, supplemented by coal fired turbines, geothermal plants, solar energy, wind turbines; and the futuristically planned tidal generators off the coast of the country.

Nuclear energy has never been considered as an option in a country that has actually had a proud and determined anti- nuclear policy for just on a quarter of a century.

What could you expect, I wonder, in another quarter of a century; urban houses with rows of solar panels and a small wind turbine or two attached to their chimneys?

In rural towns and on hundreds of farms around the country rows of solar panels and a small windfarm could be utilised to make them self sufficient in energy. Perhaps in time the bulk of our hydro electric and coal fired plants could be used for industry, schools, universities and hospitals - all of which could have some form of alternative energy generators as well.

Wherever, and however, this energy will be clean and green, pure unadulterated New Zealand energy that cannot be emulated anywhere else on the globe. We will buy New Zealand without a doubt!