2009: A Year to Ignore?

I know it seems a bit early to give you a year in review- but seeing as each of these blog entries come out on a Thursdays and next Thursday is Christmas Eve and I'm on hoilday to Queenstown, Blenheim and Wellington from the 23rd of December to 3rd January, this will be the last blog of the year.

This being my last blog of the year- brings a key point to mind- how was 2009?

At first look, this year is pretty much a year to ignore and put it into the history file "Bad Years".

The case for 2009 being one of these "Bad Years" obviously starts with economics. The word recession went from one of those square words you never say to the best possible economic outcome to 2009. I really don't need to go into in depth analysis of what a recession did to 2009-it's plainly evident in the numbers of umemployed and less money floating around.

Politically, 2009 has been a year of nothing much happening. Internationally, there is a still war raging in Iraq & Afganistan. North Korea and Iran still like playing with their nuke toys.
Closer to home, Fiji got a military dictatorship, Samoa and surrounding countries got swamped by tsnaumi.

At home, the biggest two things to happen where a smacking debate and the government's decision to sidestep the Royal Commission the Auckland Super City and Referendum on the super city (which was required by law) all in order to get in sorted in time for the local body elections next year.

While this may look all negative and such, but when you compare 2009 to other years in history 2009 comes off as quite a bland year, there have been years that make 2009 look like a walk in the park. Just think about these years: 1989, 1945, 1939 anyone?

It all probably boils down to this: If we had a bad year- then we should our best to make it better. Take the reccession example- while the effect is immense- we know the price of uncontrolled greed.

So have fun and look after yourselves,

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, the next blog will on the 7th of January at the latest.

Let's all become like Australia!

In case you haven't taken notice of New Zealand political news in the past week to month, you would not have noticed that Don Brash came out of the woodwork, spouting how we can bridge the gap between the Australia and New Zealand. The gap Don Brash was refering to is not the gap that is the Tasman Sea but the economic gap between Australia and New Zealand.

There is quite a significant idea floating around those with National and/or Act feelings, that Australia has good quality stuff that we small poor New Zealanders should strive and get, that we should bridge the economic gap between the Australia and New Zealand and that we would be just rich and powerful as Australia.

Such negativity towards one's own country really bugs me. When one country trys to become like another country, you just get a cheap imiation with a whole bunch of trouble lying not very far under the surface. I firmly believe, like individual human being, each country has their own characteristics and follibles that make that country unique and giving it an identity. If you tamper with that, you end up with a whole raft of problems. Just ask the citizens of country with a dicatorship.

I know New Zealand has some problems that we need to fix, but we should not try to to fix these problems by becoming a lesser version of country that some of us, have a love affair with.

Besides, briding the gap between Australia and New Zealand is impossible, there will always be a gap between us. Why?

New Zealand and Australia are two completely different countries. Australia has a population that dwarfs us, New Zealand has a population similar to the size of Sydney. On the economic scale, Australia is mineral based-gold, uranium, iron etc... whereas New Zealand economy has a agriculture look to it.

On the comparison front, Australia is not a good country to compare ourselves with, after all, you don't determine what's a good quality apple by using a kumara has a reference guide. You compare ourselves with countries like Ireland (they have the same population numbers, plus their next door to a dominant country and have similar policies to us) and Scandinavian countries and we're not that bad. Plus in order to be like Australia, we have to give up stuff that we hold dear. Anyone for not helping poor people or elderly?

Okay, rant's over. Bye now.

New Look

Hey People, just a quick update on blog housekeeping matters, to let you know what's up and coming.

Firstly, you'll notice the New Look. The reasoning behind this is to have something flexible that I change to suit the season or mood i'm in. So yes, in a week or two the blog will look kinda christmasey.

Now to the what's coming up bit:

Expect some social policy/ political blogging from me soon. In particular Don Brash, appearing out of the woodwork proposing that we should just be like Australia! I would've have posted that article today-but that involves research which i haven't done yet, so expect that.

I've had a positive comment from this blog's number one fan about me posting my hopefully future novel, if it's any good that is. That'll be up to you. I promise to leave you in suspense at the end of every novel posting.

That's pretty much it. Sorry for the lack of substance post. Big postings are coming. Don't forget if you have anything you would like me to talk about, i'll do so.

Have fun out there.