"SON OF GOD, OH CARPENTER WILL YOU COME BACK AROUND? ...

... The blocks and beams are crumbling and the house is fallin' down."

When we finally get around to looking for an apartment to buy in Wellington we'll have to pay careful attention not only to the condition and safety of the building but also to government and council earthquake safety ratings and other regulations. These can change so a bit of professional advice will be needed.

Here's an example of what can go wrong: EGMONT STREET

In 2020 we took a lease on an apartment in that Egmont Street building. The apartment and the building seemed strong despite the earthquake warning notice posted on the front door. I feel sorry for the owners who have had to go for years now with uncertainty and changing requirements not to mention the financial penalties.

I've noticed from a quick look at Wellington apartments for sale that the body corporation or bodycorp rates differ wildly. We've owned apartments before in Auckland and are familiar with bodycorp arrangements. The different yearly costs have mostly been linked to the value of the apartment. In Wellington it seems that bodycorp costs differ mainly due to the earthquake safety rating of the building. It's the insurance cost that makes up the bulk of the costs. Instead of the $4k to $7k per yer that we've been used to, in Wellington yearly bodycorp costs can vary between $10k and $30k! 

We like older buildings and houses and the 1920s, 30s and 40s styles in Oriental Bay appeal. What won't appeal though is buying something that is unsafe or likely to bring with it a whopping great refurbishment bill further down the track - on top of ridiculously high bodycorp rates. Buying into a new, earthquake strengthened building is probably more sensible. That, or buying a townhouse without any bodycorp arrangements.

GETTING ON

We live and we die. That's the natural order of things.

It is, of course bad news when dying inevitably happens.We leave or are left behind by friends, loved ones and acquaintances who 'take' a bit of ourselves away. We all experience it although some experience it at a closer and deeper level than others.

Robert, in his latest post THOSE OF US WHO ARE LEFT recounts from both personal experience and the intimacies shared from conversing with others who have cared for and lost loved ones. This is well crafted and has a visceral and raw honesty element that goes beyond any trite observations and maudlin sentimentality. He writes about: feelings of guilt that we have at 'not doing more' (even when going beyond what would normally be required); of how onerous and tiring caregiving can be; of feelings of helplessness and uncertainty; but mostly of regret, emptiness and loneliness.

• We are the survivors. We went through the trauma of watching a loved one die. Some of us have done this twice. Maybe a son died then a husband. Maybe a wife then a daughter. 
• Caregiving became our world. Often we had no idea what to do or what the future held. We learnt as we went. Sometimes learning to do things others would think unimaginable.
• Eventually the end came. Mostly it was unexpected. Sooner than we expected. Sometimes it was inevitable, obvious.
• Like veterans we only speak of it among ourselves. We have a special bond , those that are left. We understand the flashbacks. The sudden spasm of tears. 
• The irony is that we would all do it again. Would it be easier a second time? I don't think so. But we would.

Powerful stuff that. That's bravery.

Me? I'd want to run away, to hide, to wait until it was all over but .... I know I wouldn't. We all have to 'get on' and do what's right and hopefully for the best.

Lynn was up most of the night having had an early morning call from a good friend, who lives in Scotland whose mother died last night. He had been caregiver for the last several years after she had a stroke. This followed on from losing his wife in 2015 (we attended the funeral in Glasgow). He put his career on hold while nursing his wife (they returned to Scotland from New Zealand in 2015 essentially for her to die amongst family) and later his mother and now he's at an age where it will be difficult and near impossible to pick up where he left off. Having sold up in Auckland 10 years ago and living on proceeds from the sale and other savings he won't be able to afford to return. He's one of those who are left. Lynn, through the night texted and emailed friends and contacts, arranged flowers and condolences and remotely held his hand.

Here's a post I wrote many years ago.

'GETTING ON'

 

FINDING SHIT OUT

Well fancy that (personally I don't), Richard's found another identity to populate his blog. It's some joker named Rick Tim Bagno who might be starting his own blog soon and linking to the Bass Bag Contortion.

"Boo! Ha ha - talk to you soon. Richard! Richie, I need a towel and hey! Can you scrub my back - again?"

It's nice for Richie ... sorry, Richard to have friends again since Robert abandoned him but I fear that Rick Tim is already showing too much interest in Robert and his previous posts so there might be tears soon.

The Curmudgeons Inc.ⓒ will keep you readers informed.

WHAT DID I DO TODAY?

Well, I didn't create another alter ego with a vile name like Richard did.

This morning I went into town to collect my new spectacles.

Now you'll remember that the eye surgery I had about 5 weeks ago, as a side-bonus, corrected my decades long short sightedness. The result and the benefit is wonderful. The problem was though that, while my long vision is close to 20:20 my close vision - for reading and computer work has necessitated me using reading or 'hobby' glasses. I bought those from the supermarket for $10 and from the pharmacy for about $25 but after trying different magnifications (1.75, 2.0 and 2.25) I couldn't find any that were totally comfortable. Making it worse I found t to be a hassle having to take the damned things off and putting them on again depending on tasks. Supermarket shopping and trying to type on a computer keyboard while watching TV was the worst.

I went to Specsavers and had an eye test and ordered a couple of pairs of specs with progressive lenses. The top part of the lenses are clear on one side and slightly magnified on the other to now make both eyes 20:20. The bottom part are at a magnification to make my short vision perfect or close to. Trying them today I'm well pleased at the result. Apropos of nothing here's what  the two new pairs of specs look like:

Alex Perry ones

Hugo ones

Hey! I'm happy.

*** COMING SOON*** ...

 ... A NEW AND BIG POST.

Be careful not to miss out.

Meanwhile, here's something to amuse you:

HOISTED BY HIS OWN PETARD 

That old and pedantic retired (almost) schoolteacher who hangs around these blogs, you know the one - he unfavourably critiques spelling, grammar and content of the blogs  ... well, to be fair, when it comes to Robert's blog that's a given but ... we caught him folks, we caught him. 

He thought that he was making a funny (read scathing) comment on my blog post and fucked it up with spelling and other grammatical errors.. have a look at this!

Ha ha, he was hoisted by his own petard!

A FILLER

The more alert reader will have noticed that there haven't been many The Curmudgeon posts on house maintenance over the last few weeks.

This is because the major things have been done and quite frankly I'm over being concerned at the minor ones. I guess that I'm in 'leaving mode'.

I only garden where necessary for cosmetic reasons to keep the place tidy and have no ambition (touch wood) to dig and delve in the basement.

I know this is bad news for readers who looked forward to posts and post series on:

• Doors and window frames reparation
• Under-house plumbing maintenance
• Under-house excavation
• Path paving and driveway re-gravelling
• Tip runs with the trailer
• Weeding, gardening, spraying and wasp control
• Home appliance repairs, maintenance and replacement
• etc.

Sorry about that but, if we sell and move these things will be in the past. If we do eventually move into a Wellington apartment or townhouse these things (hopefully) won't be an issue and I'll have to regale you with stories of body corp. complaints.

Updates on walks, golf and tennis will be continuing however so there is that. Tennis was out today though as The Old Girl decided to have a haircut  first thing - on a tennis day! In Wellington I'm hoping to find an 'oldies' tennis club to join although I very much doubt that I'll find one as easy-going as the one up here (regardless of arguments Richard). With regard to golf I'll check out Mornington Golf Club - the old Berhampore course where I played when I was at school. I'd like to join Mirimar Golf Club which is by the airport but it is closed for subscriptions at present pending the outcome of a council/airport acquisition plan for some of the course. They don't know how many holes will be affected and cannot set fees until that's sorted. I'm hoping that this means it will be a reduced course, quieter and hopefully cheaper as I generally only go out and play between 6 and 9 holes. Maybe Richard and Robert will join me for a game. Richard will no doubt cheat but it won't matter as we won't have a 'highest score' prize so he won't disadvantage himself. Robert will likely try and get his holy trinity to help him.

THE 'TRUTH' IS OUT THERE

 I had a visit from two elderly women Brethren or 7th Day Adventist types today.

I saw them walking down the road and being turned away at the doors of neighbours houses. I decided to invite them in for a cup of tea.

"Have you found Jesus?" one of them asked as I was rummaging in the pantry looking for biscuits.

"Yes" I replied "He was behind the sofa in the living room all the time."

Neither of them replied.

*************************

Actually, I just made that up but some of it was true.

I was making coffee in the kitchen and saw the two old dames walking along the road towards our house. They did visit neighbours' houses and I assume were turned away or no-one was home. When they arrived at our driveway they sort of froze, conferred and walked past. I saw them find the neighbour's house on the other side unoccupied and heard the next door neighbour to that turn them away.

I was disappointed as I did intend offering them tea as I thought they might be tired and thirsty and in need of a cuppa and a toilet break. I also wanted to find out about them and their beliefs figuring that it would make for good blog post material. The Curmudgeons Inc.ⓒ, unlike the other blogs, conduct thorough research before writing posts believing that truth and exactitude is essential. This was not to be unfortunately.

I told The Old Girl, who was working in her office and she was flabbergasted, wanting to know why I'd want to invite the nutters in (her words not mine). I told her that I was interested in listening to them but, if they banged on too long would introduce her to them which would have given them short shrift. She wasn't surprised that they didn't come up to our door. "They must know that we're atheists" she said. This made me wonder - do we have some sort of aura around our house that keeps  religious people away? I notice that children at Halloween no longer approach our house as well. It would be good if this power could be harnessed so as to keep cold-callers and unwanted visitors away.

It doesn't bode well for selling the house though.

DOGS*

 * No pun as the topic is too serious.

We had a lovely dog.

Rosie was beautiful, smart, well-socialised, gentle-natured and loved by us and our friends.

All too often though, dogs are not good additions to families and can be nuisances in neighbourhoods and dangerous to other pets, native fauna and even people - particularly children.

I was upset to read this today: 4 Y.O KILLED IN DOG ATTACK

Last week in Northland a woman was set upon by a pack of dogs that also attacked her rescuer: KAIWAKA DOG PACK ATTACK

Every week we read about dog attacks here in New Zealand and abroad but so far there hasn't been any strengthening of dog control legislation. In fact, it seems that a lot of the current regulations are being ignored and not followed up on.

Dog Control Act 1996

Dogs attacking persons or animals

(1) A person may, for the purpose of stopping an attack, seize or destroy a dog if—
(a) the person is attacked by the dog; or
(b) the person witnesses the dog attacking any other person, or any stock, poultry, domestic animal, or protected wildlife.
(2) The owner of a dog that makes an attack described in subsection (1) commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $3,000 in addition to any liability that he or she may incur for any damage caused by the attack.
(3) If, in any proceedings under subsection (2), the court is satisfied that the dog has committed an attack described in subsection (1) and that the dog has not been destroyed, the court must make an order for the destruction of the dog unless it is satisfied that the circumstances of the offence were exceptional and do not warrant destruction of the dog.
(4) If a person seizes a dog under subsection (1), he or she must, as soon as practicable, deliver the dog into the custody of a dog ranger or dog control officer.
(5) If a dog control officer or dog ranger has reasonable grounds to believe that an offence has been committed under subsection (2), he or she may—
(a) seize and take custody of the dog; or
(b) if seizure of the dog is not practicable, destroy the dog.

etc.

Kaipara District Council

As a dog owner, you have a number of legal and moral responsibilities to ensure the safety and well-being of your pet and those around you. Make sure you are aware of all your responsibilities before getting a dog. Ensuring your dog is registered and microchipped (where applicable) is a legal requirement and helps us reunite lost pets with owners.
It is important to remember that any dog can bite, so care must be taken to ensure your dog is kept under control at all times to prevent any problems occurring. Keeping your dog under control includes situations within your own home and outside, ensuring it obeys your commands and is either on a leash or under voice control in areas where it is allowed to run free.
To be on the safe side, it is always best to avoid letting your dog run free in areas where small children, livestock, poultry or protected wildlife are present. There are a number of places where you can exercise your dog off a leash, within a safe and controlled environment.
If you own a dog that is classified as dangerous or menacing, then you have more obligations to ensure everyones safety and to avoid any offences against you and your pet.
Remember when exercising your dog in parks or on our beaches, be especially vigilant of our wildlife and please keep your dog from disturbing or endangering any other animals.
Most importantly, love and have fun with your dog.
Dog control offences

Every dog has the potential to bite, regardless of whether or not you think your dog is friendly. As an owner you need to be aware of the legal obligations and consequences to you, should your dog attack people or other animals.
Legal consequences around safety issues

Some dogs have the predisposition to attack. Some attack people for no obvious reason and some attack other animals or stock. Because dog attacks are common in New Zealand, we have special laws and bylaws that dog owners must be aware of in order to help prevent recurring attacks. These rules are:Owners of dogs involved in a serious attack can be prosecuted
Dogs may be impounded and/or put down if they attack people or animals (including protected wildlife).
If your dog attacks any person, stock, poultry, domestic animal or protected wildlife you can be prosecuted and fined up to $3,000 if convicted. On top of this, you are also liable for the costs of any damage that occurs.
Your dog will be required to wear a muzzle. If you breach that requirement you may be fined an additional $3,000 and the dog may be then put down.
If any attack by your dog causes serious injury or death to a person or protected wildlife, you may be liable for a prison term of up to three years and/or a fine of $20,000. Your dog would also most likely be put down.
An Animal Management Officer, Dog Ranger or Police Constable can enter any premises to seize and impound a dog that is deemed to be threatening the safety of any person or animal.

Here's an interesting study on dog related injuries in New Zealand. EPIDEMIOLOGY OF DRIs IN NZ 

It's worth a read.

I don't like the purple rating (highest) that Northland has but it's no surprise.

The report concludes:

Conclusion: The incidences of injury from dogs in New Zealand is increasing. Inequity exists with substantial regional variation, and higher rates among those living in areas of greater deprivation and Māori in the setting of the ongoing effects of colonisation. Children aged 0–9 years are no more likely than other age groups to present for medical attention but are more likely to be hospitalised. Reasons for these disparities require further investigation 

We've lived in Whangarei since 2009 and have noticed a significant increase in dog ownership over this time exacerbated I think by the COVID lockdowns where people seemed to take on dog ownership and dog walking as a pastime.  That's OK if the dogs are trained properly and are well cared for and if the owners are responsible and follow the regulations. Many don't. I often remonstrate with dog owners who take their 'fur babies' on nature reserve walks and to kiwi sanctuary areas where dogs are expressly forbidden and where there are signs stating this. I was bitten by one little bastard on one such track and had a blazing row with the owners. A friend of mine has been attacked twice by an unleashed mongrel dog and had to call out the dog control people. And we live in a 'nicer' area of Northland.

I think that things are getting out of control and we'll see more deaths and severe injuries from dog attacks. The councils and government need to step up and put in new and tighter controls and bloody well enforce the ones that are already there.

Sheesh!

SLIPPING INTO THE REALMS OF FANTASY ...

 

.. well, those other jokers are.

Robert is having adventures in the dark web which, to be fair, isn't that far removed from his dalliance in the arcane beliefs of Christianity and the Catholic Church. He may well be safe from harm as Robert Kennedy Junior (apparently his namesake) believes that everyone contracting measles and avian flu is safe from future sicknesses.

Richard's fantasy is, again, in using his made up, slightly silly and definitely vulgar alter egos like Philip Penis and other genitalia influenced imaginary friends to place comments trying to create the illusion of popularity. Good luck to him I say.

Here, back in the real world I've been getting through a Saturday like real gown-up people do.

I did all the 'chores' that The Old Girl set for me.

We entertained some visitors.

We shared a bottle of Australian sparkling shiraz.

I cooked a fantastic (didn't have to slip into the realms of fantasy as I've cooked it before) meal of linguine in a tomato pasta sauce with home-made lamb meatballs (delicious).

In the background we've had the ODI cricket match (still going) between Pakistan and New Zealand. Looking like a 'shoo-in' with New Zealand scoring a really big score, the Pakistanis have been giving an incredible chase and only just now flagging.

Life is good.

WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT WOULD HAPPEN?

Donald Trump's bizarre selection of unqualified people to positions of supreme power within his administration based on their financial contributions to his run for the presidency and their sycophantic support for him is starting to bite him on the bum.

Sorry, not you lovely people ....

... I meant these clowns.

No doubt you've heard about the fiascoes, catastrophes, criminality, cruelty, stupidity and egregiousness as perpetrated by Trump and his cronies in just the first two months of his second term as president - things like alienating Canada and Mexico. raising inflation by imposing silly tariffs, insulting EU and European nations, threatening to annexe Greenland and Panama Canal, making a balls-up of Ukraine Russia peace negotiations, trashing Gaza and Middle East relationships, cosying up to Russia, destroying Federal agencies concerned with health, education, social security, civil response and the environment .... the list does go on and on and on ...

Maybe just when you thought the bozos both elected and unelected couldn't do any worse - they did. 

****************************************

The USA takes pride in its war machine and its ability to bomb the crap out of anyone it doesn't agree with supported by 'cutting edge' technology. Their 'war cabinet' is usually made up of: 

• President: The President, as Commander-in-Chief, leads the group and makes the final decisions.

• Vice President: The Vice President, who is also the President of the Senate, is often involved in national security discussions.

• Secretary of State: The head of the Department of State, responsible for foreign policy and diplomacy.

• Secretary of Defense: The head of the Department of Defense, responsible for the nation's military.

• Secretary of the Treasury:

The head of the Department of the Treasury, responsible for the nation's finances and economic policy.

• Attorney General:

The head of the Department of Justice, responsible for enforcing the law.

• National Security Advisor: The President's advisor on national security matters, who often chairs meetings of the "war cabinet".

• Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff: The highest-ranking military officer, who advises the President on military matters.

• Other key advisors: Depending on the situation, other officials, such as the Director of National Intelligence, may also be included.

All good so far.

In the current fiasco nicknamed (as stupid and puerile Americans do - 'SignalGate') the 'war cabinet' was made up of 18 Trump officials and Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg:

• National security adviser Mike Waltz 
• Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth 
• Vice President JD Vance 
• CIA Director John Ratcliffe 
• Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard 
• Special envoy Steve Witkoff
• Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent,
• White House chief of staff Susie Wiles
• Secretary of State Marco Rubio
• Deputy national security adviser Alex Wong
• Joe Kent National Counterterrorism Center leader
• Brian McCormack for NSC, 
• Walker Barrett?
• Jacob?
• Trump adviser Stephen Miller. 

There are some additions and deletions to the 'list' which I guess is fluid depending on the situation but here are a couple of glaring ones:

The absence of Donald Trump as president is the first. It's almost as if he wanted to keep away from this situation even though, in the past his hubris and narcissism has wanted him to be in the limelight to take credit in 'heroic' situations.

Special envoy Steve Witkoff was there who just happened to be visiting Putin at the time - at the actual time - in Moscow at the Kremlin following the Signal chat on his phone.

Mmmm...

Related to this is this excellent editorial by Frank Bruni in the New York Times on March 27, 2025:

TRUMP'S CRACKERJACK CABINET

This is a great read and, if you don't or cannot access it here are some outtakes:

"Who could have imagined it? That Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, of all peacocks, would commit an egregious error in judgment, display a complete lack of professionalism and be sloppy enough to divulge war plans in a group chat that included a prominent journalist?

Sure, there were reports of Hegseth’s gross mismanagement of the veterans’ groups that he once led. There were accusations of public drunkenness and a violent temper. But how many of the men who previously held his job could rock a bright blue suit the way he did? Or pose shirtless to such fetching effect?

What he lacked in rectitude he made up for in pulchritude. Give that man a big say in military operations and a Signal account. What could possibly go wrong?

And Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s immunity inanity — I mean, no one saw that coming. When the Senate held hearings on his fitness to be the secretary of health and human services, he assured lawmakers that his vaccine denialism was overstated. That his views were measured. That his words and deeds would be cautious.

Then came a measles outbreak in western Texas, and he sagaciously decreed: Hey, this isn’t a failure of inoculation. It’s a failure of diet. If those sickly children were just eating better — and maybe taking some cod liver oil — they’d be superheroes resistant to these vestigial viruses. And bird flu? Here’s a thought: Let it run rampant through affected flocks. Yes, it might mutate and spread catastrophically among humans, but perhaps we’d glean important insights along the way. Think of the approach as a new, microbiological season of “Survivor,” only with pathogens in the mix and countless lives on the line.

As President Trump’s crackerjack cabinet settles in and unsettles any sentient American, we are not beholding a series of discrete embarrassments and outrages. We are witnessing iterations of the same horror story. Trump chose people for senior administration positions not because they had demonstrated the skills and disposition that those jobs required, not because they had paid their dues, not because they had proved their mettle. He wanted provocateurs. He wanted sycophants. He wanted to test his supporters’ compliance and send his detractors into a tizzy.

Competence didn’t enter the equation, so competence isn’t among the results. He got exactly what he paid for, and now a nation is paying the price.

During a congressional hearing on Tuesday morning, his preposterous director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, preposterously downplayed the security breach of the Signal chat, insisting that none of the information shared was classified. That transparent fiction followed her initial refusal to confirm to lawmakers that she was even a part of the sensitive conversation; she never did tell them whether she’d participated using a personal phone, which would have exacerbated the breach, or a work-issued one.

On Wednesday, she was back before lawmakers, back on defense and armed with a new script: The divulged plans were being shared simultaneously with allies, so, I guess, they weren’t all that juicy a secret. Who could have anticipated such insouciance from Gabbard, a Russia-loving contrarian whose principal qualification for her lofty government position was being so unqualified for it that she’d owe Trump whatever spin his administration wanted, whatever subservience it demanded?

Even members of Trump’s cabinet more credible and seasoned than Gabbard knew the deal: You take the title, you bow before the king. This brings us to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, or “Little Marco,” as Trump once mockingly (and prophetically) called him. Rubio was supposed to be the (reasonably) safe member of the cabinet — every Senate Democrat joined every Senate Republican in voting to confirm him. They assumed the best. That’s a fatal error in matters Trump-related.

Although Rubio had long been an impassioned advocate of American military support for Ukraine, he watched Trump and Vice President JD Vance gang up on President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine in that shameful Oval Office meeting, got the message, got out the pompoms and got on Elon Musk’s social media platform to cheer his boss.

“Thank you @POTUS for standing up for America in a way that no President has ever had the courage to do before,” Rubio wrote. “Thank you for putting America First.” Junking his principles that merrily and fawningly suggests that he was poised for surrender all along — and that Trump could smell as much.

Hegseth may actually be exceeding Trump’s expectations. His mimicry of Trump is uncanny. After Jeffrey Goldberg, the journalist privy to the Signal chat, wrote about the breach, Hegseth simply denied reality, saying, “Nobody was texting war plans.” Goldberg clearly demonstrated otherwise. Hegseth also went on the attack, Trump-style, by smearing Goldberg, the editor in chief of The Atlantic, as someone who had “made a profession of peddling hoaxes.”"

I'm bewildered at how 'the world's greatest nation' (a self congratulatory statement like "Richard's Bass Bag - the original bass bag") can so quickly and completely disintegrate. It's like they all got together and said "we're tired of all this democracy and world-leading shit, let's just do what we've always wanted to do - be autocratic dictators and take the money and run".