On CNN today--

It is so sad to see items that I have just viewed on CNN today. The sight of a twelve year old being so vastly overweight and the affect it is going have on his health; not in the distant future, but now, is mind-boggling.  The list of foods this kid eats and the quantities make my intake look like a diet. I have taken the piss out myself in my ‘Fat Bugger’ blogs, but all joking aside, the fact remains that we are killing our kids. We are cutting decades off our kids’ lives and I include NZ in that claim too.

I feel angry and would it not be unfair of me to claim that overfeeding our kids with the rubbish they demand is nothing short of ‘child abuse?’ The diabetes, asthma and many other afflictions are conditions that we should not be seeing until later adulthood---- not in the childhood and teen years.

What is it going to take, to reverse this trend? Is this the first generation of children who are not going to live as long as their parents or grandparents? Even with new medical techniques and drugs, we are not going to be able to turn these figures around, without major changes in the way we all see food. Coming from me, this all may sound a bit rich, but look again at my blogs and at what stage in my life I am writing them. My doctor once told me that his first aim was to get me to an age, whereby I will be able to collect a pension or superannuation as we call it in NZ. Well he has nearly got me there because that age for me will be 65. (They are gradually raising that age until it hits the late 60’s. That should occur in about 20 years.

I hate to say this, but unless things change dramatically, many of today’s kids and teenagers are not going to make that age. Will the Government of the day be happy about the savings they will make in the budget? That is very cynical of me, but I think you know what is driving my ramblings---- my shock at seeing day after day, the issue described above.

I want to put up the next chapter of The River Always Flows

Yes--- I need more hits on 'The River Always Flows,' and I need feedback ogt see where I take the story--- just a few words--come on! My head is full of ideas but I want this to be a bit more collaberative. Just go to the blog titlled--- 'The River Always Flows,' and yes, I am open to a begtter title. Maybe that will become apparent once you have read a few chapters.

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

Some say that The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is the one of the best movies they have seen. Others say it is a movie for elderly people. I say that I laughed my tits off and had to moderate my laughing. I chose to go for a matinee session with some of the Ladies I walk my dog with. There were only about 20 people there at the Lido in Manukau Rd, Epsom, so my laughs most definitely would have been notices.

I didn’t care. It was an experience that I had not had since I had seen Kinky Boots a few years ago, after which I had to see a heart specialist because I had these pains that I thought was a heart attack. Thank God, such visits are free in NZ, because it was a little embarrassing--- I had laughed so much that I strained my chest muscles--- I think that is what he said. Well, today I was careful not to strain, but laughing was the order of the day.

I love those English actors like Judi Dench and Maggie----they have so much class and they make the story come alive. Whist the setting is exotic, the issues ring true and one has a sense that such a story could happen. In many ways the theme is timeless and could happen across cultures. I think the director handled the strands of the story in a sensitive way, leaving the audience smiling but challenged.

I think that the Brits have this knack to take our everyday fears and aspirations and bend them into a film that makes us look at ourselves and then gently allow us to let go and laugh at our failings. They do it time after time.

India is without doubt a land of contrast; the poor living alongside the rich and powerful. It is a land of contradictions; take the still thriving cast system for example. You get the feeling that despite the rapid progress made in many areas of Indian society, there is still an underlying connection to past beliefs and practices.  I wonder what Indian mover goers make of this film. Perhaps, we can get some feedback from my Indian readers. (There’s a challenge).

I am going to go again, next week with another friend. Seeing a film twice is not a thing I usually do, so that puts this movie right up there for me.

The sharks are circling.

Picture a small boat near Stewart Island, New Zealand’s third largest Island. Now imagine a huge Great White shark, circling the boats while the scientists attempt to tag the magnificent beast. Any hopes of tagging other sharks are out of the question as the larger shark chases them away. Apparently there are about 120 Great Whites in the vicinity of the island. New Zealand is part of a worldwide programme to protect this much maligned species.

Perhaps you shiver at the thought of entering the water in these locations, but don’t worry; you would have to be pretty brave on anther count--- the water is damned cold. So leave the sharks to do their thing and think about other circling sharks; namely the Republican candidates that now number three after Santorum’s exit.

The three are, to quote Santorum, ‘bright lights on the hill,’ fighting for the real America (my words). What a horrible thought. He will now throw in his lot with the winning candidate, so over the next few months we better take a much closer look at Romney’s policy statements. I am sure that the news media in the spirit of good journalism will dig up some of his past statements, to put before the voters and he will no doubt clarify his ‘vision’ for  the USA. It is going to be interesting and sometimes frightening. On the other hand, when the pressure comes on, we may see the real Romney and his hidden supporters; the ‘grey men in suits,’ as they influence his statements. I am not talking about the usual lobby groups that press any Presidential candidate, but something more sinister.

I am loath to bring religion into the debate, but I can’t help feel the faith he espouses, somehow being a part of what he would bring if he was successful. I do not see him in the same light as we would have viewed Kennedy. Kennedy was of course Catholic, and there were concerns that his faith may have been a negative factor with the voters. That is all history now and the USA grew by electing him.

I am not on the ‘ground’ in the USA. I am curious to know what you all think of Romney. I don’t recall any of you saying anything about Romney’s faith. Is it a ‘no go’ area? Am I bringing it up because no one will give a stuff what a Kiwi thinks?  Let me know if you can. I may get slapped down for exhibiting some sort of religious intolerance and you may be trapped because you don’t want to say what you really think.

Throw away the PC crap and let loose. I hope I haven’t made myself unwelcome by saying something that may be on the tip of your ‘collective tongues.’

I’m off to see a movie--- Hehehhe--- don’t k now the title---something about Marigold--- Should be a real laugh

 Will let you know. Give Romney a ‘shug’ from me.