Stop making Kim Dotcom a star---he's not!

I am sickened by the idea of our PM apologising to Kim Dotcom. Why the hell should he? I am also sick of the idiots who think the same man is some sort of hero. In my books he is not. Anyone, even if they find a spurious legal method of uploading material and then making money out of it, is not a hero.

I write books in my spare time and the very idea of that material being sold without me getting anything is repugnant. I make a huge enough loss as it is. Of course he hasn’t, but it’s the possibility of that happening that gets to me.

I know he has brought to the public’s notice the ineptitude of our security services and I think that as a result we may see better safeguards re privacy for NZ citizens. I grudgingly thank him for that.

I would love to be a ‘fly on the wall,’ when this ‘hero’ is discussing the events of the last year or so. I bet he is laughing his large tits off at the stupidity of our services and politicians.

 I am happy to see Mr Peters has finally gotten into the framework and started his own campaign against Kim Dotcom and his like. This time I am actually behind Mr Peters. If anyone can get to the bottom of the whole issue, he can. There are just too many unanswered questions about the Kim Dotcom affair that need addressing, right from the way he managed to get residency, while there were so many ‘stinky herrings.’ I guess we are going to once again find out that there are rules for the rich and others for the rest of us. Time will tell and remember---‘what goes around comes around.’

MMMM I can feel a story coming on about this affair!  ‘The Kimtwatcom affair!

www.authorneilcoleman.com

So we haven't got enough tradeswomen and men!

Why do we always have to be reinventing the wheel? By that, I mean, let’s learn from the past instead of going off in directions that history has taught us just doesn’t work.

I am trying to make a link between the shortages of trades people, especially given the huge need for such people in the rebuilding of Christchurch. Those NZers who are joining the many from overseas are going to cause a drawing skilled people from other areas of NZ, thus exacerbating an already difficult situation.

 Right we agree? ---- We need tradespeople in a number of occupations. Then why not go back to the past when a good deal of the training was done on the job, with a small portion of the training done in Technical Institutes. We don’t need builders, plumbers etc. with degrees (certainly not at entry level). We need skilled tradespeople, who have learnt from their peers. Sure there were some dodgy ones in the past but a robust system would soon remove the capacity of such businesses to ‘train.’

I can hear businesses saying that it is draining their already stretched resources and that the training should be done as it is now, with a major part of the training occurring in tertiary institutes. Well, if these businesses want to thrive, then they need to take a longer term view and accept the responsibility to bring in new blood and nurture the tradesmen and women for the future. Combine this with a ‘bonding scheme’ and we may even keep more from fleeing over the waves.

Let’s train our people and keep them---for a few years at least. Maybe they will see a reason to stay and not have a huge student loan for an area of study where the jobs just don’t exist.

The 'Brain Drain to Aussie and beyond--a solution!

Read the article in the NZ Herald today about the bourgeoning problem re the flight of ‘skilled’ Kiwis across the Tasman. By skilled now, we don’t just mean those highly educated individuals who have left in the past. Yes, they are still leaving, but it is the ‘Trades-skilled,’ that has been identified as the latest outflow of NZers.

We need these people, not only for the rebuilding of earthquake ravaged Christchurch, but for the economy in general. We do not want to rely on immigration to keep our stock of skilled people high enough to drive our economy, because let’s face it; they too will join the ‘flow.’

It is time that we came up with an answer. Actually, it has been obvious for many years and it is no more than going back to the past to find it. When I trained to be a teacher many years ago, I was ‘bonded’ to work for three years (or so a stint of ‘country service). That meant I did not have to pay for my training and I received a liveable, albeit a frugal allowance. I did not have to pay that back, unless I left the job before the bonding period was up.

Bring back this scheme, but extend it to a wide range of Trades and other much needed vocations. It will cost a great deal, but if we continue to lose our skilled people, then the cost for our economy will be far more. Bite the bullet now and the message to our politicians is to see beyond the short three years you may inhabit the Beehive (Parliament).

Of course such a scheme would allow those who currently find it difficult to enter into a trade or other vocation, because they lack the money to pay for the training. That can only benefit us all in the long term.

Get this 'legal' crap off the market!

Young people (and others) will always take risks and push the boundaries, but when a so-called ‘legal’ substance is able to be purchased and then cause real damage, and then we need to take action. I am referring to the young woman who claims she was ‘possessed’ after partaking in a session of K2, a substance that is apparently available from various outlets.

It has been my belief that Mr Dunne succeeded in banning these synthetic cannabis substances from sale until they sellers had proven that they are harmless. What the hell is K2 doing on the shelves of our local convenience shops (We call them dairies in NZ)? I have heard from the young people I work with that some dairies just have it hidden from view.

It is time that the police used decoys to catch the low-life scum who make a living lout of these substances. I say, that if we k now that K2 is being sold, that we inform the police and get some damned heavy fines imposed on the sellers, whoever they are. If that means closing down a few outlets, then so be it. The very least we can do is ask that a license to operate be frozen for a while and a fine imposed.

It wouldn’t take much to find the creeps who knowingly sell this crap. The physical and mental health of our young people is far more important than the right of someone to make money.

Bitch!--- NO, you're a bitch and I'm gonna get ya!

Perdy ('Spot,' from Talk To Me) and Jasmine.

So it’s the holidays and it’s raining. Is this how it’s going to be eh? Can’t you go to the movies or something, or do I have to entertain you every minute of the day. Oh I know, you can go to one of Lisa’s Zimba classes for mad cats and dogs, or perhaps I can get you onto NZGT as a last minute entry.

Yes, that’s it. Jasmine can chase the ‘uncatchable’ Perdy and Perdy can look at the judges--- that’ll work. Well, it does on me---that bloody twisting of the head thing. What Perdy wants, Perdy gets.

Now, one of you has to give way. The cat/dog door is for one at a time. Get it! Oh, you don’t? You’re acting like animals---oops, sorry. Oh well, too bad about the rain. If I take you down to the Bay, will you behave, Perdy?

‘Come on Neily---I’m a Jack Russell, not a boring—‘

‘Don’t say it Perdy!

See what I mean---oh for them going back to school!