In This Edition: Gisborne Ship Grounding – Re: Keith Rankin: Perceptions Of Inequality - The Decline And Fall Of
America - Why Demonize Moslems?
Gisborne Ship Grounding
The Herald reported in the weekend edition that efforts to pump the fuel oil out of the ship would be held up for a day
while a suitable pump was found. Once again we are confronted with the ineptitude of our Government Agencies. Earlier we
had heard from the Maritime Safety Authority how emergency response teams had been brought in from several centres
around New Zealand. These people have the prime responsibility of controlling oil spills. Who forgot the pump for
goodness sake?? Are you not likely to consider pumping the fuel out before the hull ruptures?
How come we do not have skimmers to trap the oil spill before it reaches the beaches and rocks where the public outcry
begins? This equipment is widely used overseas. Maybe now we will rush out and buy skimmers and pumps? Our “experts”
never attend overseas Conferences, learn about how do this work? Of course they do. So why do we not succeed or excel in
carrying out these tasks? Not because the staff are inept. Because they are hampered by bureaucracy and shortage of
funds.
The Painted Apple Moth saga in Auckland is the next most obvious example. Here though the system was bogged down by PC
and greenie issues, as well as the bureaucracy. Who really believes that MAF are going to succeed with their (2 years
too late) spraying, when the pest is already being found on the North Shore and in the Waitakeres. How can trapped moths
be brushed aside as statistically insignificant? Statistics have little to do with eradicating a major pest! Its not
gone until there is no sign of it. A few statistically insignificant live bugs will breed, that is what nature intends
them to do!
But our country is littered with examples of imported pests that got away. The Tasmanian grass grub was first found 40
years ago. We are still “studying” it. Does anyone at all think that the Varroa bee mite is going to be stopped from
spreading throughout the country? The various mosquito infestations, have any actually been totally eradicated? Or just
reduced to a “statistically insignificant” number?
God help us when we get a genuine Foot and Mouth case here. What possible confidence can we have that the system that is
in place will actually work? Plenty of roads will be blocked, we experts at that! But will the disease get stopped? Will
we have to wait while some essential equipment is found to prove we have it etc?
As we watch these examples of our slide into a third world economy, we have to face the reality that the only cure is to
recover our economic strength, leave behind PC nonsense, work together as a united country for the gain of everyone. Not
bicker and try to drag down the Tall Poppy who succeeds a little more than another.
Regards
Hugh Cronwright
Auckland
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Excellent commentary.
There are many examples of the abuse of journalistic power in the media every week. Keep up the good work
Trevor Walton
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The Decline And Fall Of America
America is currently in the throes of its own self-destruction. Like the Rome of the Ceasars, it falls under the weight
of its own gross materialism, high-minded arrogance and blatant hypocrisy.
Decadent, selfish and elitist to the very core, America now serves only itself, oblivious to the global needs and
realities that surround it daily- alone among nations, a "rogue" state in every sense of the word.
A person living in the United States of America today causes 100 times more damage to the global environment than a
person living in the poor, populous Global South. The amount of energy used by one American is equivalent to that used
by 3 Japanese, 6 Mexicans, 14 Chinese, 38 Indians, 168 Bengalis or 531 Ethiopians.
Roughly 8-10% of the entire human race owns a car, yet 89% of Americans own one or more cars, consuming between 25-40%
of all the fossil fuel resources on the planet- with just 6% of the world's population. The total average pocket money
of all American children is more than the total annual income of the world's poorest half-billion people.
Television, shopping malls, infatuation with sports and the incessant pursuit of recreation, pleasure and narcissistic
self-interest have all led to the current state of America's decline- a nation bankrupt morally, psychically and
spiritually, devoid of any true meaning or existence, except that of unmitigated hyper-consumption and over-indulgence.
As well, the American system of "cut-throat" capitalism is destroying the very life support systems of our planet. The
insatiable and unsustainable exploitation of the Earth's natural resources, the ruthless usurpation of international law
and human rights standards and the blind pursuit of power, privilege and greed at the expense of the world's people and
the biosphere are some of the major reasons the American Enterprise cannot and will not continue to carry on 'business
as usual' into the 21st century. Natural, physical and ethical limits have been breached and surpassed. Much long-term,
irreversible damage has already been done.
As with the Roman Empire, America is destined to implode upon itself in the fullness of time (i.e. a stock market crash
or other major correction). The forces of conscious evolution and the advancement of the total human condition on Earth
require that America step aside and go the way of Rome... to its inevitable decline and fall in human history.
Steve Jones
Mt. Shasta, California
USA
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Why Demonize Moslems Who Didn't Cause World Wars, Never Used Weapons Of Mass Destruction?
As president Bush (Non Democratically Elected), his cabinet and CNN 'The War Media' are isolating Moslem people and
Islamic countries labeling them as terrorists, it is time for the world leaders to review history about world atrocities
to achieve true peace and democracy in the 21st Century.
We must not forget that no Moslem people or countries were responsible for World War I and II and they never used
weapons of mass destruction. USA is the only country who used Nuclear Weapons twice killing 270,000 innocent Japanese
without warning and wounding and harming millions with short term and long term radiation effects!
Those atom bombs were tested on two Japanese cities, Nagasaki and Hiroshima on a peaceful sunny weak day morning with
the consent of American President and British Prime Minister. This was the worst example of a cold-blooded nuclear
massacre!
Further more, Moslem people or Islamic countries had nothing to do with mass annihilation of North American and South
American Indians.
In fact, the world is indebted to Moslem people and Islamic countries for their generosity of providing them with much
needed oil, the main ingredients of the western industrial economy, at a below free market price for decades.
Most people in this beautiful living world is peace loving, caring and just want to go ahead with a normal life
advancing their heritage and cultural activities. It is some over ambitions ignorant politicians and greed for
short-term commercial gain, which destabilizes our beautiful world promoting violence and destruction in the name of
national security and super power strategic interests.
Deepak Sarkar,
Trans Canada Highway,
Victoria,
Canada
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