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HALLOWEEN

 Yes, it's that time of year again when retail stores sell all of the cheaply produced shit made in China and other shit manufacturing areas of the world in dire working conditions with exploited labour.

No, I'm not talking about the creation of communion hosts, holy pictures, scapulas and christian statues - that goes on every week. I'm talking about Halloween that ancient celebration that in more recent times was appropriated by American manufacturers and retailers to become yet another shit-fest consumer frenzy 'day' like Mother's Day, Father's Day, Easter, Christmas and more.

The helpful internet told me that:

Halloween's origins can be traced back to the ancient Celtic festival known as Samhain, which was held on November 1 in contemporary calendars. It was believed that on that day, the souls of the dead returned to their homes, so people dressed in costumes and lit bonfires to ward off spirits.

OK, fair enough or should I say fear enough since ancient people didn't understand things so well in their times and had to invent mystical beings and bizarre rituals to conquer their anxieties and get them through their days ..... kind of like Catholics today I guess.

Samhain festival on the left and typical Sunday Mass ceremony in Lower Hutt on the right

Today Halloween is more associated with the American version of 'trick or treating' with a disturbing emphasis on 'candy' which suggests the powerful American sugar lobby has something to do with it.

The 'traditional' costume get-ups and pumpkin sculpture displays have morphed into diabolical (and not in the devilish way) and cheaply made (but hugely marked-up) plastic and flammable synthetic clothes, costumes and props that are avidly sought after and quickly sent to rubbish dumps afterwards. Consumerism gone mad and invariably supported by people who every other week of the year complain about not having enough readies to support their families. Go figure.

Keep this stupid and unnecessary celebration away from me and, if any parents bring their kids to my house looking for 'treats' they'll get a lecture on proper nutrition, American cultural colonialism and the distortion of history. Sheesh!

Yep, and proud of it

IT'S DARK AND STORMY UP HERE TODAY SO ....

I'm not going to mention the rugby... well, I am of course as it was a very tough game and with one point separating the teams at the end it was a nail-biter.

This goes well with the nail-biter last night of the Black Caps being beaten by Australia on the last ball of the innings in the Cricket World Cup. What a game that was as well. At least the Aussies (this time) didn't resort to underarm bowling when the last ball of the match needed to be hit for six

New Zealand sports followers can be proud  of the way our teams played in both matches. Sure we lost but no one can doubt that this was thrilling to watch and that's the joy of  international sports.

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

Anyway, back to what I want to say - or should I say "So, back to what I want to say"?

"So" and "literally" have overtaken that other very annoying word "like" that slipped into the popular vocabulary over the last few years. I'm sick of it.

Let's look at 'literally', literally.

The misuse of this word isn't new as there are many examples in literature of it being munted either deliberately or in ignorance.

• F. Scott Fitzgerald said of a character “He literally glowed”. 
• James Joyce wrote “Lily, the caretaker’s daughter, was literally run off her feet".
• W. M. Thackeray wrote “I literally blazed with wit” .
• Charlotte Brontë wrote “she took me to herself, and proceeded literally to suffocate me with her unrestrained spirits”.
• Even Charles Dickens got himself a bit confused when he wrote "Lift him out," said Squeers, after he had literally feasted his eyes, in silence, upon the culprit".

Now regular readers will know that I am fairly well read (hey, I've almost read James Joyce's Ulysses and started Proust's  À la recherche du temps perdu)  but the above references come from Merriam-Webster on an internet search.

The recent misuse of the word won't be a surprise to you with idiots the world over saying and writing things like:

• I literally died laughing when ...
• My head literally exploded ...
• I'm so full I'm literally going to explode.
• He literally makes my blood boil, etc.

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

'So' as a sentence starter has crept in recently to the point where it is so annoying.

I trawled the internet to find if others are annoyed by misuse or overuse of the conjunction and was (so) surprised to find that there is a 50:50 split amongst grammarians (although pedantic old ex-schoolteachers weren't consulted) as to whether it is correct usage or not.

It is suggested that so is often used to begin a sentence because it helps the speaker to avoid giving a straight answer. and has become a crutch word which enables the speaker to pause which can be very useful when they are formulating a lie - kind of like the 'tell' that Donald Trump uses when lying when he spreads his hands in front of him.

Here's a mash-up of what I read:*:

 The word so has been in English for a very long time. It is alternately an adverb (it’s so hot), a conjunction (eat your dinner so you can have dessert), an adjective (Jim is dead, isn’t that so?) and an introductory particle (So, I heard gun shots last night).

For many, the ubiquity of so just to introduce a topic or idea in modern parlance (So, what are we doing?) is troubling and often thought to be a recent addition to the language; however, English speakers have actually been using so to open a sentence since at least the Middle Ages.

Chaucer used so as an introductory particle in his poem Troilus and Criseyde:

"So graunte hem sone out of this world to pace (So, grant him soon out of this world to pass".

Shakespeare  also introduced sentences with a so. In the poem, The Rape of Lucrece, he wrote:

So guiltless she securely gives good cheer;

So that in venturing ill we leave to be;

So from himself impiety hath wrought;

So thy surviving husband shall remain;

So shall these slaves be king, and though their slave; and

So let thy thoughts, low vassals to thy state’.

Samuel Richardson  also used so in this way in the novel, Pamela:

So, like a fool, I was ready to cry;

So, with our blessings, and assured prayers for you, more than ourselves, we remain;

So, dear father and mother, it is not disobedience.

Nonetheless, the so haters do have a point that it is used much more ubiquitously in recent years. As for why, that’s up for debate, with the commonly touted theory putting the blame on Silicon Valley lingo.

This was first noted by Michael Lewis in The New New Thing (1999)- “When a computer programmer answers a question, he often begins with the word ‘so’.” As to how this came about, it is thought that given the international composition of the typical Silicon Valley work site, where a large number did not speak English as their first language, it became the simple “catchall” word of transition. Over time and frequent usage, it eventually became like a tic and just part of the common speech pattern of those in that industry and then spreading beyond.

A far better starter than um or well, both of which convey uncertainty, so connotes authority, as well as something being thought through. In the same vein, when it is used to answer a question rather than raise a point, inserting a so buys time – either to formulate a response or ignore the question and return to another topic.

In addition, communications professor Galina Bolden of Rutgers University notes that beginning sentences with so, “communicates that the speaker is interested in or concerned about the recipient… It also invokes prior conversations between the speaker and the recipient, drawing on their relationship history.”

So, given its utility and specious appearance of authority, as well as sometimes helping to avoid awkward silence while you think, it is no wonder so has become so popular. Of course, as with all lingual conventions, it can be (and often is) overused. But as using so in this way has been with us since pretty much the beginning of the language and seemingly just keeps increasing in popularity, the so haters might just have to hunker down and endure while the present wave passes.

You get the idea.

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

I mentioned the word 'like' that's been overused for decades now and is like that 'Valley girl' lingo that's been mocked mercilessly: 

The 'Barbie' derogative has now been replaced by a lot of other sand, for me, the most annoying is the word 'Karen' that started from a US video clip of an entitled white woman named Karen complaining about something and then the term 'Karen' has been given to any person (but usually an entitled white woman) who complains about anything. Fine I guess if it had stayed in America but this stupid and annoying term has made its way into our vocabulary (mostly used by stupid people) in the way that horrible American words and practices have done in recent decades. like Halloween . Don't start me on Halloween and its ridiculousness (I think I'll write a post on this next).

* Cutting and pasting brought to you by The Curmudgeons Inc.ⓒ

WEIRDO!

"But I'm a creep
I'm a weirdo ..."

           Radiohead - Creep 

"Weirdo!" said The Old Girl as she entered the kitchen this morning and looked over my shoulder to see what I was doing.

I was pouring some olive oil (Red Island extra virgin) onto my Weetbix after having already consumed a tablespoon full.

Why? Well, as I've been unable to play tennis, go golfing or do any strenuous walking for months due to the hip tendon tear I've put on some weight - 5 kilos. I haven't changed my diet and really don't want to. The other day I read on NZ Herald on-line that consuming two tablespoons of olive oil every morning for a month will reduce weight. "What the hell" I thought. "I like olive oil and I'd like to lose those 5 kilos so I'll give it a go." I started yesterday. Today, as I got the olive oil out of the pantry I looked around to make sure that The Old Girl wasn't around as I didn't want to have to explain this creepy behaviour. I didn't factor in the fact that she has an uncanny ability to zero in on any behaviour of mine that is out of the ordinary and that she moves stealthily like a Ninja hence - "Weirdo" as she looked over my shoulder.

It sounds horrible but olive oil, especially fresh extra virgin* oil has a nice flavour. I use it in cooking and as a salad dressing ingredient a lot. It goes down very easily so a month of this won't be difficult.

"I don't care if it hurts
I wanna have control
I want a perfect body
I want a perfect soul
I want you to notice
When I'm not around"

         Radiohead - Creep (again).

* 'Extra virgin' should appeal to Marianists, Collyridianists and Muslim martyrs alike.

YOU DANCING? ...

 ... YOU ASKING?  I'M ASKING.  I'M DANCING.

I was in the kitchen listening to National Radio this morning and a catchy song was played. I found myself doing some dance moves not unlike the two in this video: DANCING

It got me thinking of how such a thing as silly as dancing gets taken so seriously by some people and how they can be so scathing of other people's 'moves'.

The Old Girl laughs at my dance moves but this is in a good natured way so I don't mind. I know that I'm not a good dancer and a lot of this is to do with lack of practice because, well, I don't practise it. I shy away from dancing whenever I'm out at a 'do' and only dance under duress with The Old Girl and then only if it is to one of these three songs:

• Brown Eyed Girl - Van Morrison
• Love Shack - B52s
• Turning Japanese - The Vapors

Anyway, back to the kitchen ...

NINE TO FIVE

 

Thanks Dolly.

Working 9 to 5 was and is probably a dream for most people .....

.... but not this entitled and pampered Gen Xer.

No doubt you've already seen the clip as it has gone viral on the internet. This twonk, who is lucky to have secured a Manhattan corporate job after graduating, bitches about how working (and commuting) doesn't leave her time for "her life".

Fuck! Tell that to the people trapped in Gaza.

I'M SO BUSY MY HEAD IS SPINNING ...

I've been busy today.

I thought I'd give golf a go as I haven't been out for many months since first hurting my back in May and then tearing hip tendons in July. This 'experiment' was triggered by the fact that the yearly subscription was due and I paid up for another year for a 9-hole membership.

"You take it easy and don't go fossicking for golf balls" the Old Girl said when I told her last night of my plans. I did at least follow half of her advice and just played 5 of the easiest holes without hills. I played great tee shots and putted well but my approach shots were crap. As usual there were a few big strong tradie types who weren't walking with trundlers but, instead, were hurtling along in their silly golf carts. 

The guys were just as bad.

Later I decided to re-install the deck shade cloth I took down last month. I took it down because the severe storms we've had tore the mounting plates from the weatherboards of the house. I was considering leaving it off but last night the stetting sun shining into the kitchen was annoying so ...

... I fixed the mounting plates and, with difficulty, re-installed the shade cloth.

Job done!

Rustic tomato and chicken sauce with penne pasta for dinner.

“I KNOW I'M SMARTER THAN AN ARMADILLO" *

 * Jack Reacher (Lee Child) - Echo Burning.

Today I listened to an interview on RNZ with the two 'Child' brothers  - James Grant and Andrew Grant who write under the pseudonyms Lee Child and Andrew Child. LEE AND ANDREW CHILD

Andrew Grant and Lee Child .... sorry .... Andrew Child and James Grant .... bugger  .... Andrew Grant and James Grant .... damn .... Andrew Child and Lee Child. Bingo!

It was surprisingly OK as they talked about the Jack Reacher character and the writing handover from Lee to Andrew. Both writers are well spoken and seem to have a clear idea of what they want to achieve. It's just a pity that the younger brother Andrew is such a crap writer. Look, I'm a modest fellow, a failed scholar and have no track record in publication but ... I know I could write a Jack Reacher book better than he could. Why didn't Lee (James) give me a call? Hasn't he read my Reacher-inspired posts? Sheesh!

I sent a text in to RNZ - they usually call for listeners to text in with questions or comments - but neither it, nor anyone else's comments were aired. I think that Jesse Mulligan, who sounded sycophantic in the interview was overawed by his hero Lee Child. Here is what I texted in:

"The practice of passing on novel themes and characters has been used to varying degrees of success by others (think Stieg Larsson’s Millennium series and Ian Fleming’s James Bond). Lee Child passing over Jack Reacher hasn’t been successful though. The brother Andrew Grant is simply not a good enough writer to carry it off and, bizarrely, doesn’t appear to have made the effort to copy his older brother’s style, humour and quirkiness. Add to this the cynicism of taking on a pseudonym (Andrew Child) to match his brother’s pseudonym - Lee Child (James Grant) it is an affront to the many millions of readers who have supported the series of novels for decades. The previous 3 books co-written have been awful - or at least the bits that obviously Andrew wrote. I don’t hold out much hope for this 4th collaboration. "

I mean - I was being nice (for me). What was wrong with that observation? 

Reacher said nothing

NEW POST - THE MUSIC CURMUDGEON

 

BIG LOG

NEW POST - THE CURMUDGEON'S AGONY AUNT

 

BOXING GLOVES

GOD SAVE OUR ...UM... WHATEVER..

 

Maybe trans gender sentiment has made its way into the English rugby team.

I watched the game this morning (such a shame that England lost to South Africa) and noticed when the England team were enthusiastically singing the national anthem that even though the choir knew the right words, more than a few of the England players sang or mouthed 'Queen' instead of 'King'.

Maybe they, like us, need to get a new anthem.

WELL, IT'S A START

"The other guys have been posting at long last" I said.

"You say that like it's a good thing" said the rest of The Curmudgeons in reply.

I can see that they're right.

Richard threw in an extremely short post about nothing really and, even though the post was extremely short he still had to copy from one of my posts using , well, my 'shorts'.

I hope that he has enough loose change to keep up that parallel universing.

Robert came back to blogging after a conspicuous absence with a new .... sorry, yet another bloody scripture-oriented post. This time it was about how the Holy Ghost, being whiny, doesn't forgive when criticised like Christ does:

"Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven,
but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit
will not be forgiven."

I'm not sure what Robert is trying to tell us with this reading. It's a bit confusing and, in its meanness, certainly not very Christian.

He finished with a report on what the family are having for dinner - Scotch eggs again! They'll all look like Scotch eggs soon if they carry on like that.

Anyhoo .... go The All Blacks!

WHAT DID YOU EXPECT?

 

GETTING BACK TO NORMAL

 Oh well, it looks like I'm the only one posting at the moment so here goes.

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

It's been a grey and rainy old day today so I got out the bagpipes and had a bit of a blow. The Old Girl quickly shut the office door (my bloody study!) which sort of gave me a hint.

I took out the reed from the chanter and practised (see what I did there?) the motions without the sounds.

For those of you who don't know, the ZXc7 chord fits nicely into the bagpipe scale which we cognoscenti call the Caledonian Drone scale. The Caledonian Drone scale contains the notes A H F U C K! and are known to most Scottish people, particularly the ones who frequent the more raucous Glasgow-type public bars.

If you took time to notice you'd see how all the notes come from E major (no bends or hill climbs). The chord uses the 15th, 42nd, 1st and 196th notes of the E natural minor scale, which is the qaundrinth fizzicle of of the plubonium mode of Sergeant Major. It is also known as the Ahcannagivvafook mode.

...... No. That won't do at all. let's try again ....

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

After cleaning the Presbyterian church and thanking my blessed God that I didn't pick up any of their Protestant germs, I attended Mass, where Jesus was, is and ever will be present. Father Doctor, Sir, Mister Alfred gave a rip-roaring sermon. He used to say things like "sitting in front of statues mumbling prayers isn't going to further the cause of Catholicism" and stuff like that but more recently - I put it down to his stroke - he seems to have backtracked and now thinks that sitting in the back row of the church is a good idea. I think that he's lost his nerve, Either that or he likes sitting next to me in the back row of of the church. Last Sunday he put his hand on my thigh .....

...... No. That won't do at all. let's try again ....

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

This morning when I looked out at the deck from the kitchen window I noticed this:

Yes, the deck chair had fallen over. Again!

Last time this was due to a big storm but last night we didn't have a storm. It was calm.

I was woken by a noise I remember and listened for a while but heard nothing more. I put it down to 'old house noises' and went back to sleep.

What's going on?

Yes. That's better. We're back to normal.

NEW POST - THE ALUMINIUM FOIL CURMUDGEON

 

SLIPPING ...

WHERE ARE YOU?

 

Blog posting frequency is something that I've written about in the past, usually when the other bloggers, wilfully or through circumstance, let their blogging duties slip.

As of today, 19th October, it's Robert who has gone four days now without posting.

Is he on a diet as there have been no updates on his dinner choices?

Is he on a religious retreat?

Is he on holiday and away somewhere?

Did he inadvisably visit Nuova Lazio and hasn't been seen since?

Whatever the reason he seems to have 'slipped the leash' and needs to be found.

Maybe a border collie would help.  COME BACK

INTERVIEW #23

 Good news everyone!

Today is Franz Liszt's birthday* He is 212 years old.

To celebrate we've asked The Music Curmudgeon to talk with Franz to see how he's going.

THE MUSIC CURMUDGEON: Hello Franz and happy birthday.

FRANZ LISZT: Thanks The Music Curmudgeon. It's not really my birthday today but I like having parties so I'll take another ha, ha. By the way, can I call you TMC? You can call me Franz - it saves all that typing.

TMC: Sure thing Franz. I've heard that you're a bit of a party animal. You sort of set the bar high for later musicians.

FRANZ: Mmmm, what goes on tour stays on tour TMC.

TMC: Well, given that you spent 12 years touring Europe, the first four with Countess Marie d'Agoult, I'm sure that you have a lot of stories to tell - especially those about your romping with Maria ....

FRANZ: Now hold it right there TMC, Maria was a love of mine and we had three children together.

TMC: Sorry Franz, I didn't mean to be disrespectful.

FRANZ: That's OK - she was pretty hot you know.

TMC: Hubba hubba ... I found this pic of her on the internet:

FRANZ: Yeah, I took that photo. She was a great looking woman even though she was a bit older than me.

TMC: I've heard Franz, that older women took a fancy to you as you were no slouch in the hot looks department yourself.

FRANZ: Well, I couldn't possibly say.

TMC: You couldn't? Oh well ....

FRANZ: ..... umm, but you're right. I was smoking back in the day.

TMC: Whooee! Rockstar!

FRANZ: Yes, I did have a certain popularity with the ladies.

TMC: C'mon Franz - you were the original groupie magnet. You were the original megastar who women threw their knickers at. Jerry Lee Lewis, Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Tom Jones, The Beatles and the rest weren't in the same league as you.

FRANZ: Well, it is true that I used to have to travel with many extra luggage trunks to hold all the ...er, women's undergarments in. The customs guys must have wondered what was going on.

TMC: Hans Christian Anderson, at the time described you as " a "slim young man with dark hair hung around his pale face". He saw you as handsome as did Heinrich Heine, the German poet who wrote:  "How powerful, how shattering was his mere physical appearance".

FRANZ: Ha ha - yes, it wasn't only the women who threw their knickers at me but I didn't keep those old ponces' underpants.

TMC: My research shows me that you often appeared three or four times a week in concert and that you might have appeared in public well over a thousand times during this  later eight-year period. 

FRANZ: Yeah, it was exhausting.

TMC: Ha, ha - I'm sure. And all that concert playing must have ben hard as well.

FRANZ: You are a very naughty fellow TMC, but yes the lifestyle was draining. Being a youngish single bloke I did kind of spread the old oats about a bit and so retired from touring at a relatively early age.

TMC:  You're being modest Franz. I'm led to believe that the reception that you enjoyed, can be described only as hysterical. Women fought over your silk handkerchiefs and velvet gloves, which they ripped to shreds as souvenirs. This atmosphere was fuelled in great part by your mesmeric personality and stage presence. Many witnesses later testified that your playing raised the mood of audiences to a level of mystical ecstasy.

FRANZ: Well, they did get a bit carried away.

TMC: Carried away? Heinrich Heine called it Lisztomania! Not this: 

FRANZ: Yeah, that was pretty horrible, as was that godawful Ken Russell film: 

TMC: The cost of being famous eh?

FRANZ: Yeah. I got sick of it after a while and, as I said, settled down in my late 30s. I even flirted with religion - Catholicism for a while but then just concentrated on my music.

TMC: I've heard that you had a few nice tunes.

FRANZ: Um thanks .... I think. Yes I did bang out the odd good one.

TMC: Like this?

FRANZ: That's nice but I was more banging out stuff like this:

TMC: Oh, OK .... (he does go on a bit) ... That's good but that's all we've got time for.

FRANZ: That's a shame. I was hoping to tell you about my other compositions - my 12 symphonic poems, two (completed) piano concerti, several sacred choral works, and a great variety of solo piano pieces. ..... umm .... ..

..... what's this TMC?

TMC: My underpants. Enjoy!

FRANZ: Eeeew!

* Well, almost. He was born on 22 October 1811

EATING TIPS #3

 If you have a craving for a toasted sandwich and have run out of wholemeal or even white bread, fear not - there is a solution.

There is if you are lucky enough to still have some of the lovely fruit loaf you baked the other day.

If you also have a banana in the fruit bowl and some jam in the fridge then Robert the inconsiderate sinner guy could be your uncle.

I like to make tuna and banana toasted sandwiches but this time tried this:

Raisin bread, cherry jam and sliced banana - toasted in a toasted sandwich maker.

Delicious.

STUPID IS AS STUPID DOES

 

I access local sites on Neighbourly (Facebook) and am still surprised at the stupidity of on-line contributors who embrace conspiracy theories, have half-baked ideas on local and national politics and write and comment in the most appalling racist and reactionary ways.

The internet is arguably the most valuable tool that has been created allowing the average person instant access to information that, in many ways, has been in the past the domain of higher educated people - scholars, professionals, researchers etc. who have through vocation, profession, education, time, money or privilege been able to find and read thoughts, opinions, and analyses of 'experts' in various fields. Now, a keyword or direct question is all it takes on a search platform like Google or Facebook to bring up millions of answers. 

That's good right?

Well, generally yes but unfortunately, searches on the internet and discussions on Facebook unearth a  mass of misogyny, antisemitism, white supremacy, Islamophobia, conspiracy theories, anti-abortion sentiment, crazy religious beliefs, confused politics and economic naivety submitted anonymously. Not all of these are to be found on Robert the apathetic sanctimonious sinner, toilet cleaner, threatener of eternal damnation, music snob and sucker 's blog. They are far more reaching.

There are many 'black and white' thinkers operating on the web and its various forums. They think simplistically. They readily adopt conspiracy theories. They accuse any information that doesn't match their own beliefs as being 'fake news'. Things are either right or wrong with very little grey shading. Basically it's down to lack of sophistication and poor critical ability.

There's probably nothing new in this but what is new is the provision of a 'media' platform to express views that hitherto weren't available or outside their wants or abilities (writing letters to the editor, creating op-eds, publishing diaries etc) other than phoning in to talk-back radio. The average Joe can today get exposure in the new mainstream media and it's easy to become addicted to a Facebook group, or a forum, or a page that reinforces their opinions and fiercely held beliefs. People love to have their own ideas validated because it panders to their egos. The various forums, and Facebook and X are the worst, connect them to like-minded people and reinforce their ideas - adding fuel to the flames as it were. In the past, rabid and distorted beliefs might be contained and wither and die but when fuelled and shared they can become dangerous as we have seen with violent rallies, shootings, demonstrations and ultimately groundswell movements that can change governments.

Where am I going with this? 

Six years of a Labour Government was probably enough for the country and, as we've seen before, there is regular turnover between National and Labour Governments. Here's a table to show this. You like tables and graphs:

Generally I don't mind the turnovers because as I've said before, New Zealand is a politically centrist country. Slight swings to the left or to the right are probably healthy and end up satisfying the majority.

What isn't healthy though is the 'new' more radical left and right movements that are gaining more traction - fuelled I guess by the new media and given more oxygen from an increasing number of, let's be honest here. nutters who have found a voice.

Who are these nutters?

Unfortunately, given the number of them we all know or are related to some.

The first lot of nutters who were enfranchised after the introduction of MMP in 1996 were those who identified with ACT and NZ First. Regrettably I also include The Greens in this as, while I don't see them as nutters like many of the ACT and NZ First voters, they have consistently undermined the Labour vote. The Maori Party has also done this. I understand that they have differences and need to find representation for them but every vote not given to the bigger, Labour party is effectively another vote or half a vote for National - a party that does not have their wants and needs at heart. The same of course can be said about ACT and NZ First splitting the National vote. Now ACT, NZ First, The Greens and in a much smaller way, Te Pati Maori have become more mainstream.

Collectively they total 648,000 voters which is about 29% of the total vote (14% left leaning and 15% right leaning). It's massive. I know that it is very unlikely that we will ever see a 'First past the post' system again but if we did then our recent elections would have been different and future ones more certain.

These voting blocks are now established and will probably become stronger in future elections.

What I am more concerned about though are the nutters that are giving away their votes to new fringe parties. There have always been the silly fringe parties like the McGillicuddy Serious Party which was satirical and a few university capping type stunt parties that were amusing. The new fringe ones are not funny however and have cropped up because of the aforementioned social media warriors who collectively have found a voice.

This 2023 election showed that 'parties' like The Opportunities Party, NZ Loyal, NewZeal, Aot. Legalise Cannabis, Freedoms NZ, DemocracyNZ, Animal Justice, New conservatives, Women's Rights, Leighton Baker and New Nation got a lot of votes from stupid people who should have given their votes to the main two parties or, at worst, to the runners-up. 120,000 voters gave their vote collectively to these fringes! That's over 5% of the total vote - enough to get an individual party into Parliament. What the fuck are these people thinking?

Stupid is as stupid does I guess.

PLUS CA CHANGE*

* plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose (‘the more it changes, the more it stays the same’).

I wish that this was true.



We have a change of government.

In many countries of the world this could be distressing news inviting emigration, revolution, despair or some sort of aggression. 

Fortunately we live in New Zealand which is centrist, politically speaking with, for most of our history having governments that have been largely in the middle between the right and the left movements. There have been and are fringe groups that more more radically left or right but these are in the minority fortunately and it has only been since the introduction of the MMP system in the 1980s that they have had any representation in Parliament and have only been important in helping to form governments when voting has been close. This doesn't mean that their ideas haven't been influential however as ACT, Greens, NZ First and NZ Maori Party MPs have been able to introduce bills to Parliament and have made some useful contributions.

After yesterday's 2023 election it appears that the front-runner, National, will still need the support of ACT and New Zealand First to achieve a working majority. Current results show that National and ACT will have 61 seats in Parliament between them, but this could drop by one or two seats once the special votes were known on November 3. These are likely to benefit Labour.

The soon to be formed new Parliament will have 122 seats - 121 from the general election and a further seat likely following the Port Waikato by-election on November 25 meaning National and Act still won't have a majority and will need the support of NZ First for the minimum extra one seat.

Oh joy! Winston Peters will be playing his games again.

I vote Labour as personally I am more comfortable with its policies of benefit for all rather than for those who are wealthier or earn more but, as in past governments I can live with National leadership even though often the leader - the PM has been either an arsehole or an embarrassment. I've disliked National PMs like Robert Muldoon, John Key, Ruth Richardson and Jenny Shipley and probably only Jim Bolger appealed but mainly because he had egalitarian, almost socialist sentiments and did his best for everyone.

What are we going to get now?

Compromise is the first thing with National, ACT and NZ First having different ideas on what's important and what needs to be changed. How much Luxon will need to suck up to Seymour and Peters is not yet clear until the special votes are counted and until after the Port Waikato by-election but if National wants a comfortable majority he will have to play nice.

What's certain though is that we will be subjected to another budget before the end of the year which will bring the lucky (and privileged) people tax cuts - meaningful ones - the hoi-polloi will get a few dollars a week to buy some more ciggies and beer.   People who earn median incomes are likely to get  a $10 a week tax credit. Those on $60,000 a year will likely get $25.50 a week (0ver $1300 a year) and, if you are above medium to top earning then book that overseas holiday now because you'll be able to afford business class - no worries.

There will of course be cuts to beneficiary-type services to pay for this so don't expect any electricity rebates, assistance for insulation and home heating and rebates for electric vehicles. Be sensible. Someone has to pay for those tax rebates. The Clean Car Scheme, which subsidises the purchase of EVS with fees collected on polluting cars, which National calls a 'ute tax' will be dumped before the end of the year as promised by National. 

Act wants to go further, and flatten the tax structure so that people on higher incomes will be paying less, and people on lower incomes paying more - although lower income earners would see increased tax cancelled out by a tax credit so they would be no worse off. Thanks Mr Seymour.

If you are a minimum wage worker wanting wage increases to acceptable levels well, good luck with that because ACT and National don't want to increase the minimum wage. Why should menial workers get more than $22.70 an hour anyway? To pay them more puts businesses profits at risk and how the hell can you pay business people ridiculously high salaries and give them bonuses and share options if the wages bill increases?

If you liked Labour Government initiatives like Three Waters, the new RMA, and the Māori Health Authority. then I'm sorry to say that these are getting the axe. Luxon and Seymour have stated that they intend to reverse as many of Labour's actions as they can. Sound familiar? Yes, Trump did the same thing to Obama-led USA things like health insurance  and subsidies for the average Joe, The Iran nuclear deal, NATO agreements, Environment Protection issues and various peace deals around the world. Look how that's turned out.

Do you want some more? Are you getting old? Well, National wants to raise the age of eligibility for superannuation from 2044. Act wants the age to rise immediately.  At least NZ First wants it to stay where it is. 

Can you afford being old or to be out of work needing a benefit?

National's tax and income plan provides a $25 boost to the In-Work Tax Credit taking it to $97.50. This is a Working for Families tax credit available to 160,000 low-income families who are not on a benefit. Labour also promised the tax credit boost. Working for Families tax credits, unlike benefits, are not automatically adjusted for inflation and this change simply adjusts for the last time since the credit was lifted.
National also promises to revert benefits to being indexed to CPI inflation rather than wages. Based on current economic forecasts, it would mean beneficiaries losing out on $416 over the course of the year, with the basic jobseeker rate going to $350 a week rather than $358 a week.

The future of the Zero Carbon Act, and the Climate Change Commission is also in doubt. This is obviously a cow-tow (pun intended) to farmers who are staunch and important National supporters and voters. The Auckland Regional Fuel tax is going to be repealed. National said it would get rid of this 11.5c a litre  tax on petrol sold in Auckland introduced by Labour which goes to Auckland Council for the city's transport projects, rather than to the Crown so that Auckland can pay its own way. National say the tax needs to be gone in the first 100 days of a new government which will mean that in the future either Auckland residents rates go up again or the rest of New Zealand pays for critical and essential transport improvements.

National,  ACT and NZ First have all said they would get rid of the Auckland Light Rail project, with National promising to axe it within 100 days of taking office. For NZ First, it will be the second time they killed the scheme, having vetoed it at the end of their coalition with Labour in 2020.

Were you, like me horrified by the Christchurch mosque massacres and relieved that the government immediately took steps to put more controls and prohibitions on gun ownership? Well, National and ACT want to repeal the Labour Government actions on firearm registers and controls. Yes, you read that correctly. What is wrong with them? I don't have a lot of detail but this is one that I'm definitely going to follow.

There are many other very important issues like crime, gangs, illegal drugs, tenancy, overseas property ownership where National/ACT differ from Labour policies. These seem to be way more than in previous decades which are making me think that maybe I won't be happy under a 'centrist' National led government.

Time will tell but 'Hold On To Your Hats'.

EATING TIPS #2

 It's Sunday morning - early and I've just watched the first quarter final. Argentina, against expectations beat Wales in a very thrilling match.

It's now just after 6am and still way earlier than I normally get up. The Old Girl is still in bed so .....fry-up!

On occasions like this I cook and eat food that normally I don't feel like eating or am not allowed to eat. 'In the day' this might have been a classic English breakfast - fried bread, fried egg, bacon, sausage, hash-brown etc. but this morning I'll limit it to one hash-brown and a poached egg on toast. This will be good though - I baked a wholemeal loaf and a fruit loaf yesterday.

I'm looking forward to this and with luck can cook, eat it and clear up afterwards before The Old Girl surfaces*.

* This is Eating Tip #2. When eating things that you really shouldn't be eating, make sure to get rid of the evidence.

Nothing to see here

EATING TIPS # 1

Eating (also known as consuming) is the ingestion of food, typically to provide a heterotrophic organism with energy and to allow for growth.

Tip # 1 from guest tipster  Robert the apathetic sanctimonious sinner, toilet cleaner, threatener of eternal damnation, music snob and sucker.

"I find that Communion Hosts go down best when mashed in a cup with a couple of shots of Jägermeister."

NEW POST - THE MUSIC CURMUDGEON

 The music Curmudgeon has a new post and a new profile image.

FILLER

POINT COUNTERPOINT

'Point Counter Point' by Aldous Huxley is a view of life from different points of view. Huxley uses a large cast of characters who are compared to instruments in an orchestra, each playing his separate portion of the larger piece. It seems appropriate to our lives today.

I used this reference for this post rather than another Huxley novel I've read - 'Eyeless In Gaza' which, apart from its obvious topicality concerns disillusionment with modern living and its trappings (commercialisation, wealth accumulation, frivolity) and a movement towards pacifism and mysticism. Hallucinogenic drugs helped.

Maybe a later post, if and when the Israel/Palestine conflict ends can have 'Eyeless In Gaza' as a theme.

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

The scripture wars have taken off with Robert firing off parables like Hamas's Qassam unguided solid-propellant rockets which are usually misdirected and generally ineffective causing confusion more than anything else. Unguided is the operative word for both the real rockets and Robert's metaphorical ones.

The Curmudgeons Inc.ⓒ, in order to protect itself has had to resort to using anti-missal (see what I did there) defence systems not unlike the Iron Dome Tamir interceptor missiles. The  Curmudgeons Inc.ⓒ uses wit, irony and, if pushed, sarcasm. If things don't quiet down it will have to resort to using its own arsenal of offensive weapons - satire, repartee and lampoonery.

Four of Robert's last seven posts have consisted of badly written parables from the Gospels that his priests have launched from the pulpit at Mass. Given that these priests don't do anything nowadays without the direction of the Vatican, it's evident that the Catholic Church is mounting some sort of campaign against procrastinators and non-believers. I guess that attendance rates have been falling and the takings are down, The Vatican's finance department has reported losses so the marketing and sales departments have been gingered along to reverse the trend. Well, that's my theory anyway.

Let it be known that The Curmudgeons Inc.ⓒ takes the Israeli/Palestinian conflict seriously and that we are very disturbed by the shocking images of attacks and counter-attacks shown on TV.

If there really was a god though, any god, this would not be happening or they could stop this.

SUNDAY QUIZ NO 5*

* The more observant of you will notice, like with quiz no 4, that it's not Sunday but I thought that the other blog guys need to sharpen up as they've got a bit slow and dull recently.

It's no coincidence that recent posts by the competitors have had religious themes obviously contributing to the slowness and dullness.

Richard's last three posts were about Catholic Mass at Robert's Sunday hideaway and Robert's posts - well, as you know they are generally about Mass, priests, sermons, Gospels and the absurdities of the Catechism.

Richard's blog archive

Robert's blog archive (which isn't operating like most of his blog's functions).

In view of the religious themes then it's appropriate that we have a curmudgeon with some religious connections to present this Quiz No 5 and The Blessed Curmudgeon has volunteered.

Take it away TBC!

Thanks TC, it's nice to be back.

Greetings BCBs (Blessed Curmudgeon Believers). I've prepared some easy questions for you and have a nice prize for the winner. This is a potato chip I almost ate until I noticed a depiction of Jesus on the cross in the middle of it.

I just know that this will be popular and a worthy addition to your collections - in the pool room if you have one.


Question 1.

According to the Catholic Church and approved of by Robert the apathetic sanctimonious sinner, toilet cleaner, threatener of eternal damnation, music snob and sucker, abortions are generally sought by females because:

1. The pregnancy is a result of rape, incest or sexual coercion.

2. There are serious health issues and continuation of the pregnancy is dangerous to the mother.

3. They are older and wealthier women not wanting the inconvenience of a child.


Question 2.

They say it is a woman's right to choose. What is the choice that women can make about their own bodies, their health and their beliefs?

1. The choice to have an abortion because the woman, and not old men who wear black frocks, know what is best for her.

2. Once they are pregnant they have made the choice. Then it's just a matter of obligations and responsibilities.

3. They can choose to have a child and to raise it without reference to old men who wear black frocks.


Question 3.

A University Chancellor who owned a vineyard leased out his vineyard to a tenant on the proviso that they share the wine produced with him. When he sent his Provost around to collect his share of the wine the tenants attacked and killed him. Should the Chancellor:

1. Forgive them.

2. Murder them.

3. Create a quirky label like 'Dead Provost's Society', go into partnership with the tenant and make a lot of money.


Question 4.

A man had two sons and wanted them to work in his vineyard (I wonder if this man was the Chancellor?). He came to the first and said, 'Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.'
The son said in reply, "I will not", but afterwards changed his mind and went.
The man came to the other son and gave the same order.
The second son said in reply, "Yes, sir" but did not go.
Which of these sons did his father's will?

1. The first son.

2. The second son.

3. The tax collectors and prostitutes who the father preferred because he could diddle the tax collectors and fiddle with the prostitutes (or any variation of that you prefer).


Question 5.

Vineyards again - sorry.
A landowner hired some men to work in his vineyard. He paid them all the same amount even though some didn't work as hard or as long as others. Is that fair?

1. Yes because they were illegal immigrants and had surrendered their passports to him.

2. No because half of them were women and in no way should women get paid the same amount as men.

3. God ought to treat everyone the same. He ought to let everyone into heaven. But 'ought' only applies outside of authority. No one has authority in a queue. But the landowner has authority over who works on his land. God has authority over who he allows into heaven. The landowner makes the rules as does God in heaven. There is nothing predetermining what the 'ought' must be! I can go on (and often do).



I'd like to acknowledge the assistance, inspiration and input to Quiz No 5 from Robert the apathetic sanctimonious sinner, toilet cleaner, threatener of eternal damnation, music snob and sucker without whom this quiz might not have been created.


Please send in your answers ASAP as on Sunday morning I will be engrossed in the All Blacks vs Ireland quarter final match.