AND NOW FOR SOME MINOR NEWS

As we predicted Richard's Bass Bagging Hexagram has folded see HERE

This loosely cobbled together group of alter-ego blogs was doomed to failure as a coalition (or confederation as he put it and we all know what happened to the Confederacy).

Richard made quite a few classical management and marketing errors in forming the Bass Bagging Hexagram not the least being the confusing logo employed which he is now desperately trying to sell. Good luck with that I say.

The now redundant Bass Bagging Hexagram logo

Of course Richard was up against the powerful CURMUDGEONS INC.ⓒ so there's no surprise that it folded especially when viewing the CURMUDGEONS INC.ⓒ logo:

RIP The Bass Bagging Hexagram. It was always an awkward balancing act.

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

In typical CURMUDGEONS INC.ⓒ fashion of immediate response and follow up we called a meeting with one of The Bass Bagging Hexagram members to provide an update of the happening. 

Welcome to Bin Hire

 who, for privacy reasons for this interview we will call Dumpster and his image will be disguised:

CURMUDGEONS INC.ⓒ:  Welcome Bi ....Dumpster. Thanks for coming in again

 DUMPSTER:  Thanks TC and thanks for keeping my identity secret. That Richard can be an unforgiving so and so.

CURMUDGEONS INC.ⓒ:  Er ... that's OK, glad to help. Is that tarpaulin comfortable?

DUMPSTER: Yes, ta, I like green.

CURMUDGEONS INC.ⓒ: Well let's get into it then. Why did The Bass Bagging Hexagram fold?

DUMPSTER: It was always going to TC, you know that. What with that naff logo that Richard chose and the fact that he's such an egoist he didn't let anyone else have any input

CURMUDGEONS INC.ⓒ: Is that right? I thought that he promoted you to communications director or something.

DUMPSTER: Ha. That's a laugh.

CURMUDGEONS INC.ⓒ: What is?

DUMPSTER: That sound you make in the back of your throat when you think something's funny.

CURMUDGEONS INC.ⓒ: Ha ha. You got me there. That's from The Young One's isn't it.

DUMPSTER: Yep. That's why I like talking to you TC - you have a great knowledge of British comedy unlike Richard. The Prowses are Germans you know and of course Germans have no sense of humour.

CURMUDGEONS INC.ⓒ: So, Bi ...Dumpster, the communications director position didn't work out. What did he make you do?

DUMPSTER: He made me clean his bloody toilet and make the coffee  - hee hee, little does he know it but I wiped out his coffee cup with the same cloth AFTER I cleaned the toilet.

CURMUDGEONS INC.ⓒ: OK, I see. Did he favour anyone else on The Bass Bagging Hexagram?

DUMPSTER: Well, Angry Jesus of course as he's scared of him and he kind of gave a lot of help to his namesakes Richard's Bass Bag 2 and Richard's Bass Bag 3.

CURMUDGEONS INC.ⓒ: Yeah those losers need all the help they can get. Anyone else?

DUMPSTER: He's pretty tolerant of his brother Robert and his useless and disappearing blogs he ....

CURMUDGEONS INC.ⓒ: Blood is thicker than water.

DUMPSTER: Blacker

CURMUDGEONS INC.ⓒ: What?

DUMPSTER: Blood is blacker than water.

CURMUDGEONS INC.ⓒ:  Blacker? Are you sure? I thought ....

DUMPSTER: I saw Richard cut his tongue once - a paper cut only but he still awarded himself a bravery medal for it. His blood was black.

CURMUDGEONS INC.ⓒ: Black?

DUMPSTER: Yes, black. Like a spiders. I took a photo of it .....

CURMUDGEONS INC.ⓒ: Ew. I think we'll leave that thought.

DUMPSTER: OK

CURMUDGEONS INC.ⓒ: Look Bi ..... Dumpster. That's all we've got time for. Thanks for coming in. You can keep the tarpaulin just in case Richard or one of his remaining cronies are about.

DUMPSTER: Great thanks

CURMUDGEONS INC.ⓒ: And Dumpster, do you mind taking away some of this garden rubbish I have here?

DUMPSTER: My pleasure TC. See you next time.

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

FOUND THEM

Regular readers will be pleased to know that we* have found some recordings of the albums featured in the previous post.

Enjoy.


JESUS USE ME



THE MINISTERS QUARTET



MY LIPS ARE FOR BLOWING






* THE CURMUDGEONS INC.ⓒ believing in being thorough and following through.

CHRISTIAN MUSIC

Richard (of RBB) wrote that Robert's posts have been deleted again HERE

I'll take his word for it.
Next to go no doubt will be the entire blog although, given it's simple construction, knocking it down won't take much effort. Maybe he'll build a new one. Who knows. Who cares.

It will leave a void though, one which will need filling to cater to the religious nutters out there who are looking for spiritual guidance.

I'll see if I can help.

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

Religious people like singing. In the USA alone nearly 20% of all published and recorded music is labelled Christian/Gospel. That's a lot and is only the labelled-as-such stuff. An awful (and I do mean awful) lot of other stuff is religious tainted oriented but goes under the guise of Country, Latin, Rock, Pop or Alternative.

In this Post I've selected a few 'must-listen-to' albums for the religious nutters religion-oriented people to listen to:

1. THE FAITH TONES

The Faith Tones album JESUS USE ME is a staple for any good Christian's collection.

This 'rock-along' LP includes some instant classics like 'Cover Me Holy Ghost In Your Sacred Stuff', 'Miraculously Impregnate Me Archangel Michael' and 'I'd Do Anything For You God. Anything'.

2. THE MINISTERS QUARTET

The Ministers Quartet will have instant appeal to current and lapsed Marist Brothers and will have resonance with many of ex-Marist school pupils. The lively rendition of 'Let My Fingers Do The Walking' will bring tears to your eyes. Seriously, it'll bring tears to your eyes.

My favourite is 'Let The Hand Of Jesus Slip Up Your Shorts' with it's clever harmonising and with Fat Freddy Blomquist making interesting 'Ooo - eee' sounds as a counterpoint.

3. SVETLANA GRUEBBERSOLVIK

Svetlana Gruebbersolvik really nails it though with her interestingly titled album MY LIPS ARE FOR BLOWING. Svetlana, a good and virginal Christian woman demonstrates that she can be 'hip' with lively renditions of 'Is That A Clarinet In Your Pants Minister', 'The Blueballs Of Scotland' and a cover version of 'Let My Fingers Do The Walking'.

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

Have a listen to these dear readers and I will bring up bring you updates of new titles as I find them.

May the Holy Spirit be in you, on you, with you - you know what I mean.

ROBERT, LOOK AWAY NOW

The National Party has chosen its frontrunners and the winners are...... Simon Bridges and ...... fuck it ...... the SS* Paula Bennett.

Hey I'm OK with Bridges as I've looked on him as a possible star and hope that he lives up to the promises. He's been around for a while coming to Parliament 10 years ago like PM Jacinda Ardern and has experience in some heavy portfolios - labour, energy, economic development and transport .
Bridges is Maori or at least enough of a Maori to claim it

“New Zealanders deserve better than a government that is merely muddling along. My focus is on ensuring New Zealand continues to be a place of great opportunities and aspiration for everyone,” said Bridges in his first press conference as leader.

OK, yes, good for him and I don't want a government that's  "muddling along" although I think that he's been in one under MR MUDDLE John Key for a number of years.

I'm excited about the prospect of a 'First Maori Prime Minister' that the Nats spin merchants are touting (conveniently forgetting that one of our greatest PMs, Norman Kirk was part Maori). Hey, I'm sure that if I trawl through my ancestry I can find some Maori blood. How much do I need? A 16th? 32nd? 64th? I can provide English, Scottish, Welsh, French, German, Samoan and Irish as well if that helps.

I'm less happy about the fat slug Bennett as discussed HERE has been allowed to stay on as Deputy Leader of The Opposition. What are they thinking? Is National so desperate to secure Maori support that they feel that they have to tag on Bennett to Bridges to spearhead a brown assault on labour and Ardern who did so well at Waitangi (Robert, look away now).

Time will tell




* SS = 'Stomach Stapled'

NEVER LET TRUTH GET IN THE WAY OF A GOOD STORY# 3 - PROPERTY MAINTENANCE

I'm a perfectionist. I like to have everything in order both inside and outside the house. My partner, The Old Girl thinks that I'm an obsessive-compulsive.

I can't sit still and leave a job half done and am forever tidying up, mending things, mowing lawns and trimming hedges.

Recently I've taken to picking out with tweezers the grass and weeds that sprout up in our gravel driveway.

It's all worth it though as it's nice to have a tidy property.

HI HO, HI HO

We've had another fine day up North today.

Here's a pic I took from bed this morning as we had a bit of a lie-in.

The Old Girl is up here (going to Ak tomorrow) and we may yet go for a swim.

I'm hoping that the sky stays clear as tonight, at 1 minute to 9 Whangarei Heads time the NASA space station will be visible:

NASA

I went for a great walk this morning before it got too hot. Tomorrow I'll play tennis and Wednesday morning bowls. Later in the week I'll get some golf in although I think that the weather is going to crap out again.

I'm doing this flurry of activity - including having a lie in - as today I applied for a job. There's only a slim chance that I'll get it as no one (other than schools and Parliament) want to hire old jokers nowadays but who knows? If I get it (28 hours per week) it will seriously cut into my leisure time.

IN TROUBLE AGAIN

I'M IN TROUBLE AGAIN

The Old Girl is up here until Tuesday. She did the washing today and, as she was about to hang it out I heard a loud GRRRRRRR coming from the laundry. I'd left some tissues in the pocket of my shorts - AGAIN. The paper disintegrates and little flecks cover all the towels and other washing in the machine.

I'M IN TROUBLE AGAIN.

It's really good having her here each weekend as it gets a bit lonely during the week when she's in Auckland but on the weekends, especially extended weekends she invariably finds fault with things I've done, not done, half-done and I get told off.

She promised to make me some custard squares (vanilla slices) today. I hope that it's still on the cards.

A PLACE NEAR NEW PLYMOUTH - SCARY

A PLACE NEAR NEW PLYMOUTH

Richard and Shelley are in a place near New Plymouth. They went there yesterday and are hopeful of returning on Sunday. Good luck with that I say.

This place is out of internet range - OUT OF INTERNET RANGE!

What will the old guy do when he has to use the long-drop toilet? How will he keep his hands busy if he can't blog, tweet or argue with Robert on Facebook?

 

RETIREMENT ISN'T WORKING

I'm retired having turned 65 last year. I have a Gold Card (thank you Winston Peters) which, if I go to Auckland allows me to travel on buses and ferries for free. I must check out if that applies to Whangarei as well although, since there is no public transport system from Whangarei to where I live (25 minutes away by car) it would mean that I'd still have to drive in to town and then get a bus. Why would I do that when parking in Whangarei is so easy and cheap and anyway, I prefer to walk.

When I say I retired last year at turning 65 that's not entirely true. I actually gave up proper (as in committed full-time work) in November 2007. That's almost 10 years ago. Since then I've:

• Done unpaid charity work
• Been involved in local community orgaisations
• Owned and operated a picture framing business
• Consulted on a full-time basis to two wine companies
• Worked part-time for another two wine companies
• Lived (and part-time worked) overseas

Essentially though I consider that the last time I seriously worked was in 2007 meaning that I retired at the age of 55.

I have really enjoyed the last 10 years as I've been able to do all of those things that I dreamed about doing when I was swallowed up alive during the previous 30 years of full-time work. Things like:

• Listening to National Radio during the day
• Going for walks whenever I like
• Kayaking during the week
• Golfing
• Not being driven by an alarm call in the morning
• Reading the books I've always wanted to
• Writing my novel

The downside of course has been less money coming in which I've had to occasionally address by upping my work to full-time but I've been blessed in having a partner with a good and well paying job who has supported me.

So, is there a problem?

Well yes. I love playing tennis twice a week, golf weekly, walking swimming and kayaking when the weather permits but ...... I'm getting a bit bored. I feel like I need to find something to do for at least a few hours a week to keep me stimulated and to bring in some much needed extra spondooliks. The problem is that, in my 'profession' I'm past my use-by date. If I'd been a teacher I'd be able to pick up relief work here and there like one old guy I know. I don't know what he does in class anymore, probably hands out some quizzes or exam papers and then sits down to read the latest Marvel comic (hidden inside some official looking tome.

I'm reasonably intelligent, well-educated, can read and write well and know my way around a computer. You'd think that there would be plenty of opportunities to use these skills (on a part-time basis) but no, employers don't want old buggers cluttering up their workplaces and I haven't seen a lot of work-at-home offers but I'll keep looking.

"OOPS SORRY KID I WAS AIMING AT THE GUY WITH THE GUN"

That old idiot Donald Trump's answer to school shootings in the USA is not to remove guns from the hands of the nutters, no, it's to arm teachers and sports coaches so that they can have a shoot out in the school before the police (and undertakers) arrive.

What the fuck is that about? This guy is so far removed from reality that you wonder how he ever got to be President of The United States of America ...... oh, that's right it's America. That figures.

TRUMP - ARM THE TEACHERS

Now I know a few teachers and quite frankly I wouldn't put them in charge of fly swats let alone guns. If they didn't end up shooting themselves in the foot they'd probably wipe out more students and staff than the actual shooter would.

At school we had loony teachers who were dangerous enough with blackboard erasers and canes let alone giving the bastards guns.

PAULINUS

Brother Paulinus at Marist Newtown was a nutter who would probably have had pot shots at kids just to 'keep his eye in'. 

At St Patrick's College secondary the discipline master Unverrich demonstrated some sort of sadistic pleasure in caning boys and Scambury the sports master would no doubt have liked to have a gun when trying to get me to jump hurdles or dunk a basketball.

Let's hope loony Trump's idea gets buried although in that country it's more likely that a daft idea like that would be accepted before a ban on military weapons.