SOLDIER'S TALES #4

In the interests of preserving our history and with the kind permission of the author, one of my Corporals, who wishes to remain nameless (for fear the 'authorities' might wish to have words with him even after all these years) I am reproducing a story which first appeared in the Pipiwharauroa newspaper, November 2008, under the by-line 'More action packed yarns from out of Vietnam'.

This story is really about my Section. We were sent back to Nui Dat to guard our base camp. It entailed night time duties of sentry duty on the perimeter wire and the occasional listening patrol beyond the perimeter. Daytime duties were light and rest was the order of each day.

The Coy 2IC, a distinguished ex-NZSAS officer, ordered a clean-up of the lines, especially the gun-pits. Someone important was going to inspect. It has been noted over a period of time that rats had become a nuisance in the bunker due to food scraps left by errant guards.   Mysteriously the rats seemed now to have disappeared.

Cleaning up and the reason for the sudden disappearance of the rats became evident. Our gun-pit had been constructed with a recess to the rear of it, possibly as an ammunition storage bay. The recess needed attention. It too accumulated discarded rubbish. To our amazement (and consternation) we discovered a sleeping python of vast proportions. It was over three metres long and weighed in at a good twenty-three kilograms. His stomach was bloated to the size of three rugby balls. An autopsy revealed a hundred or so rats in different stages of decomposition – hence his need to sleep off the digestion process.

The air-field below our camp at Nui Dat at its northern end (nearest to us) was the storage area of at least two acres on canned Australian beer of every description stacked three pallets high. Soldiers seemed to suffer from acute thirst because we observed a slight reduction in this storage area at times. It always seemed to be replaced. Perhaps there was some form of accounting procedure for the stock as it came and went but it was not evident. The only evidence of protection for this treasure trove out in the open was a night guard of four men in a hut. A 'casual' visit by one of my section to the hut established vital information. At 2000 hours on TV in the hut was a round-up of what was happening in the war. This lasted for about 30 minutes. It was then that the guard took a break.

Planning swung into action. One of the major advantages in our favour was darkness. Calculation of timings and individual loads transported estimated that each man could manage thirty cartons in the 30 minutes. Further, to offset or delay discovery of the missing beer, it was prudent to remove the beer from the pallets in the centre of the pool. Rubber soled boots had to be 'stockinged'. Lastly, the pallet straps had to be replaced. Storage in our lines was no problem. Three old bunkers were re-commissioned as bars.

The same sort of situation was available at the Horseshoe as well. The truck driver was also easily tempted with a share of the booty so transportation was no difficulty either. My sections TOD at base camp coincidentally ended the day following the raid on the air-field storage area.   We had to return to the Horseshoe.

The Coy 2IC, mentioned earlier had a nose like a bloodhound. Trouble in the form of something out-of-place or untoward never went by him. Suspicion creased his brow when he first noticed the rather over-large tarpaulin covered load in the supply truck. His suspicions increased further when the supply truck stopped of at my patrol's bunkers first, a flurry of activity followed and then the tarpaulin covered load arrived at his HQ a lot smaller in size.   He was a man who exercised discretion with wisdom. Many months later with a twinkle in his eye, he mentioned over a beer how he had failed to apprehend the culprits, but knew who they were.

Footnote: As did the Company Commander, who with the Wisdom of Solomon, told the MPs to bugger off when they turned up at the Horseshoe 'sniffing'. But I do remember him telling me that if any of my platoon were ever caught drinking on duty I was for the high-jump. They never were.

Sunray 5/2

Footnote …. Victor 3 Company served in Vietnam from May 1968 through to May 1969.   It was part of 4RAR/NZ (ANZAC) Battalion.  19 members of the battalion, including four New Zealanders were killed in action while 27, including 8 New Zealanders, were decorated for gallantry.

SOLDIER'S TALES #3

Some unkind people have described Waiouru as “the place God made and never visited”.   Clearly they never experienced Fire Support Base Concord.     Charlie was expected to attack the Long Binh – Bien Hoa areas during their 1968 mid year offensive.   Concord was one of a string of FSBs designed to dominate the rocket belt to the north east of Long Binh Junction (LBJ) as a foil to their plans.   It was adjacent to the Dong Nai River (more about that in Tales 5).

Victor 3 deployed into Concord direct from the Horseshoe.    First impressions were that Concord resembled ‘Smokey Mountain’ (the Metro Manila Rubbish Dump) and time did nothing to dispel that impression and indeed, there was a rubbish dump just outside the wire where a couple of ‘lady’ believers in the free enterprise ethic set up an establishment to cater for the needs of healthy young men (well, they probably were healthy until they went there) … I digress.

It was with some amazement that we disembarked from the helicopters to be confronted by a series of above ground bunkers fashioned out of wood and iron scraps and looking like adverts for ‘Junkyard Wars’, occupied by our American cousins who constituted the majority in the FSB.   John Hall, our OC, took one look at them and immediately issued orders to dig, dig and dig some more so we all became ‘diggers’.   We dug and dug and scrounged and scrounged stopping only at ‘stand to’ when all our American friends would come over to look at the sight of soldiers waiting to be attacked.     What’s more they had a penchant for congregating in front of our trenches to discuss the phenomena and blinding us with camera flashes as they recorded the strange habits of their allies.

But it was Company Headquarters that features in this story.   John Hall was determined to create a ‘real’ command post.   Something that General Navarre at Dien Bien Phu would have been proud of.    Laurie Bailey, our faithful Assault Pioneer Detachment Commander, managed to acquire a motorized mini digger, from I know not where, and eventually a bunker extraordinaire was constructed deep deep underground, so far deep that the roof of the bunker was at ground level.   You could walk across it without knowing it was there and that, in retrospect, was a major design flaw.   To provide ventilation Laurie also ‘found’ a number of pipes which protruded about 3 feet above ground level.

And so it was that with the bunker complete and replete with all mod cons we sat down for our first ‘O’ Group in our new home.    The Boss had just started his homily when cascading from the ventilation shafts come a torrent of amber liquid.   Many of us were sprayed.   John Hall, standing straight under one shaft, got soaked,   There was a rushed general exodus.   On making it to the surface we could see a bunch of US soldiers congregated around the ventilation shafts where they protruded from the ground ‘doing their thing’.   They claimed the pipes were standard ‘pissaphones’ on the US side of the base.    John Hall was not amused and not for the first time in the tour vented his feelings with passion.

p.s.   If you want a guaranteed method of removing writing from a plastic surface I know of a good product.

p.p.s.  Laurie B …. Didn’t they tell you what the pipes were being used for when you ‘acquired’ them and does that explain why I have never seen you wearing the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal?

Sunray 5/2

Some housing and property matters

In this post, I highlighted the discriminatory aspect of the Overseas Investment Amendment Bill.  I said:

I've made a personal submission, which I'll link to once online.  A part of it referred to the discriminatory nature of the Bill.

Section 21(1)(g) of the Human Rights Act 1993 makes it unlawful for anyone to discriminate on the basis of nationality or citizenship.  Section 3 confirms the Act binds the Crown.  If an individual property owner told his or her selling agent not to bring a buyer from any other nationality than New Zealand, that person would fall foul of the Act.  If someone included such a term in a sale and purchase agreement, that term would likely be discriminatory.

Yet the Government is forcing this discrimination on property owners under this Bill.  Through this legislation, owners are compelled to discriminate.  They have no choice.  Lawyers are complicit in it, as they have to enforce the legislation through their property practices.

The IMF has backed me up.

IMF officials, in New Zealand this week, called the Overseas Investment Amendment Bill "discriminatory" and hinted that banning foreign investment in housing was an over-reaction to a problem that might not even exist.

I rest my case.

I also note that our beloved Prime Minister, she who opposes the monarchical privilege that is bestowed on the Queen and her family but turns up at Buckingham Palace with her boyfriend for a cup of tea and a scone, has just sold the home she speculated on less than two years ago and made a whopping $340K profit.  Let me play back to her the words from her own party's policy on housing:

Speculators flicking houses for quick capital gain are out-bidding families looking to buy a home for themselves and forcing up house prices at a dangerous rate. The current government’s policies have been half-baked and half-hearted (Labour's website).

But of course if you're an anti-monarchist Marxist who travels around the world business class wearing designer clothing having tea and scones with the privileged royal family, I guess some capitalist free-market tendencies have to rub off on you.

A Peaceful Life

Adolf uses neither Facebook, Twitter nor Google's search engine.   If he could find out how to ditch Google altogether, then he would.  (A little white lie.  I use Facebook solely to comment at Powerline where it is the only means possible.  Fortunately that is about to change and at last I'll be able to get rid of thee damned thing.

You've no idea how pleasant it is to not see the demented ravings of the leftists who infest these so called 'social media' sites.

Ho Ho Ho

I thought it was a couple of dead dugongs

SOLDIER'S TALES #2

This is the second in an occasional series of tales relating to V3's tour in Vietnam.    It is recorded in my 'battle diary' which comprised, in the main, unused pieces of toilet paper.   Some of the names have been changed to protect the guilty.

It is a privilege, not given lightly, to command men in battle.   I was privileged as a young Lieutenant to command 35 fine young New Zealanders in Vietnam.    They came from all walks of life.    On operations they were second to none.   They also played hard given half the chance with much wine, women and song and sometimes all three at once.    This is about the ‘wine’ bit.

The New Zealand Embassy in Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City but always Saigon to us) was situated directly opposite the United States Embassy.   Their embassy compound was surrounded by a high concrete wall with any number of watch towers and bunkers built into it and guarded by a Company of US Marine guards plus a platoon of tanks.     The New Zealand embassy was guarded by a receptionist with a fearsome pot plant.      

After the 1968 Tet offensive and with the wisdom of hindsight it was decided by the powers that be to detach a four man New Zealand guard detail from the ANZAC Base at Nui Dat on a one week rotation to provide embassy security.  They had the day off (sleeping????) while at night they stood guard on the now empty embassy building (that was theory of it anyway).    They took their personal weapons to Saigon but, acknowledging the need for additional firepower (to match the Americans!!!), the ambassador had obtained a pump action shotgun along with six rounds of ammunition which was given to guard commander along with the admonition not to use it unless absolutely necessary because shotgun ammunition was in short supply.

And so it was that a four of my ‘best’ proceeded to Saigon determined to do their duty.   As it transpired it took them less than 36 hours to discover that the embassy contained a store room complete with a vast array of duty free booze needed so that the ambassador could properly entertain his guests at official embassy functions.     What’s more, the key to the store room was on the bunch of keys entrusted to the guard commander.  Silly mistake.

On their third night in Saigon and after a hard day sleeping or whatever my mob fronted up for duty.     As the night progressed and with the Viet Cong showing no sign of attacking the guard decided to relieve their boredom by liberating some of the embassy booze and having a drink or two or three or four or five.    Later still the guard commander decided it would be wise to unload the shotgun (just why he thought that quite escapes me) and it was then things really turned to custard because in doing so he managed to fire the weapon which took out completely the very large window facing onto the US embassy.     Mayhem ensued.    The Americans thought they were under attack, sirens sounded, marines manned their battle stations and the tanks were fired up in preparation for a full scale assault of the New Zealand embassy which had clearly (to them) been overrun by the Viet Cong.  

This had the potential to be Tet 2.    Fortunately wise heads prevailed and WW3 was narrowly averted.   Certainly our ambassador was not amused and neither was the Commander NZ V Force stationed in Saigon.    My Corporal XXXXX (the guard commander) arrived back in Nui Dat under arrest along with the other three members of the guard detail who weren’t looking too flash either.     I can report that my platoon was never again called upon to provide the guard detail during the remainder of our time in theatre and neither was Cpl XXXXX ever seen wearing the Long Service and Good Conduct medal.

During the remainder of his military service Cpl XXXXX was forever known as Shotgun XXXXX.   Bill was a great soldier. He died five years ago. 

Soldiers will be soldiers and who would ever be so stupid as to entrust soldiers hot out of operations with the keys to a liquor store.   Answer – civilians.    Talk about an accident waiting to happen that did.

Sunray 5/2    

Footnote …. Victor 3 Company served in Vietnam from May 1968 through to May 1969.   It was part of 4RAR/NZ (ANZAC) Battalion.  19 members of the battalion, including four New Zealanders were killed in action while 27, including 8 New Zealanders, were decorated for gallantry.

QUELLE SURPRISE

Got up this morning and switched on Sky News to see it lead with with the story (delivered with much solemnity) that the CHOGM had agreed Prince Charles should, at sometime in the future, become Head of the Commonwealth.

WTF ... have I been missing something?

Mind you, Sky News is an Australian news channel.

"Vim Hoc Cum Humilitate"

This is right up The Veteran's alley.


Australia's Chief of Army, Lieutenant General Campbell has banned using symbols of death.  

Apparently he fears such symbols might give the army a bad name.  For God's sake, Chaps.  Don't mention the word 'Kill!'

“As soldiers our purpose is to serve the state, employing violence with humility always and compassion wherever possible. The symbology to which I refer erodes this ethos of service.”

The title of this post is to be the new Ocker Army motto.   It translates as the above piece in bold.

As more than one commenter has already pointed out, he's going to have a bit of a problem because the skull and crossbones to which he objects is part of the insignia of a  number of British regiments.


Queen's Royal Lancers



Anzac Day might just get a bit interesting with one or two provocative fancy dress costumes on display.

ANOTHER PROSPECTIVE MP 'DOCTORING' THEIR C.V.

Sheesh ... will 'they' ever learn.   DPF over at Kiwiblog here has an excellent post on the 'doctoring' of Shanan Halbert's c.v. to include an MBA from AUT which he was never awarded.   His c.v. has now been amended to exclude any reference to the degree.

First Golly Gosh and now Labour's candidate for Northcote.   Methinks 'he' just managed to sink his own campaign.   His personal credibility is now zilch.

Any serious candidate can expect the blowtorch to be applied to them and they are kidding themselves if they think they can get away with falsifying their credentials.

More to the point ... will Labour's NZ Council now proceed to act in accordance with rule 18.18.1(b) of their constitution which reads "The NZ Council may withdraw the the candidacy of any candidate whose candidate's biographical statement knowingly includes information that is inaccurate or misleading in any material respect or omits significant relevant material."

Waiting, waiting ......  

Seems to me Labour's two months from hell just keeps on keeping on.

SOLDIER'S TALES

In the lead up to ANZAC Day I thought I might relate some stories from my time in Vietnam which I originally published on-line under the heading of  'Tales from the Dark Side of Victor 3'.    For your light amusement or whatever .....

Victor 3 commenced its tour on the Horseshoe which was a horseshoe shaped feature (funny that) about 8k away from the ANZAC Base at Nui Dat.   It overlooked the town of Dat Do which contained many VC sympathisers.    2 Platoon (my platoon) occupied the left hand position; 3 Platoon were in the centre with 1 Platoon on the right.     In front of and down the hill from the platoon positions (about 40 yards away) were a series of barbed wire fences (to keep the enemy out or the troops in - I know not which).

At dusk and just before daylight everyone 'stood to' in that great military tradition which has it that the enemy would likely choose that time to attack (as it happened the enemy probably read from the same training manual and so never did  ... I mean, why would they).    In reality it signaled the change from day to night routine and vice versa.

It was twilight and stand to and over the Company command net came a message from 1 Platoon that a small mouse deer had somehow gotten into the wire and was proceeding along their front and could they use it for target practice please sir.   

The Company Commander ever anxious to allow his soldiers to develop their shooting skills gave permission on the basis of 'one shot, one deer'.    Everyone was warned not to be alarmed.     A few minutes later there was a crack from a M16 ... then silence.    Seconds later there were two shots from an SLR; seconds later still there was a burst of fire from an M60 ... and so the noise got closer as everyone in 1 Platoon had a go.    A few minutes later again firing began from the 3 Platoon position to our right and I swear this time it may have included a .50 cal machine gun.  The firing got closer.   Then the phone in my Platoon HQ rang with a report from my right hand bunker (immediately adjacent to 3 Platoon) that they could, in the gloom, just make out a small furry animal picking its way along the wire with spurts of dust all around it and could they avago too please.    In my wisdom I said yes so my lot joined in the fun to see the deer continue its merry path right across my front and then exit the wire at the left heading towards Dat Do.

I think something in the order of 1,200 rounds of ammunition was expended during the 30 minute ‘battle’.    Victor 3 nil, deer 1.

About the only people in the Company not to be involved in the fire fight were Larry Southern's mortars although I suspect he would have called in a fire mission given half a chance.

It would not be a great revelation to say that our Company Commander was not a happy chappie.    My diary records that all Platoon Commanders were read their pedigree by him.    I suspect same same from the Company Sergeant Major to the Platoon Sergeants.    Jack Wooster, the doyen of shooting theory in the NZ Army, would have been mortified even more so if he heard.     On 'sober' refection I think there may have been some connection between this and the 'Great Nui Dat Beer Heist' described in a later story.   This would explain much.

Sunray 5/2

Footnote …. Victor 3 Company served in Vietnam from May 1968 through to May 1969.   It was part of 4RAR/NZ (ANZAC) Battalion.  19 members of the battalion, including four New Zealanders were killed in action while 27, including 8 New Zealanders, were decorated for gallantry.

Friday's Fulminations

There is mild moderation.  Normal rules of blogger etiquette and courtesy to blog hosts will apply.with serious transgressors being thrown out.

Unfortunately our system does not allow your comments to show up in the blog post itself.  Just in the comments section.

Visitors might consider the wisdom of using moderate language.

Regards

Adolf'

TOMORROW IS POPPY DAY

The theme for this year’s RSA Poppy Appeal, not all wounds bleed, highlights the fact that mental health injuries are the most common, but least understood, of all wounds suffered by New Zealand servicemen and women. 

75% of New Zealand's veterans with a mental health injury resulting from their service are under the age of 45. 

Please give generously.

 

CREDIT WHERE CREDITS DUE ... PERHAPS

Readers will know I'm no fan of President Trump (nor his opponent in the 2016 elections).    Indeed, I think James Comey is pretty much on the money in his description of him.

But all that aside it appears his shear unpredictability as President may have forced the North Koreans to the negotiating table ... if he manages to pull this off he will have achieved what no other US President in recent times came close to.

Lotsa water to flow under the bridge and the talks (if indeed they take place) might well end in failure but, if I were a betting man, I would put money on them resulting in some easing of tensions accompanied by ???    The reality is the tough regime of US orchestrated sanctions are biting and the DKR needs to have them lifted either in whole or in part.   This, coupled with the limited economic reforms now being championed by Kim3, means the time might now be right for a constructive dialogue between the two nuclear nations.

If President Trump can pull this off he deserves kudos for that even though my opinion of him is unlikely to change.  

DIFRNT STROKES

An All black, a member of a cult that accommodates adherents  tossing homosexual men blindfolded from upper stories and almost total silence.
A Wallaby player suggests homosexual men might be consigned to hell and it becomes a massive media outrage.

The rugby gin swilling old farts bend over backwards to allow the AB to remove sponsors logos from his strip while a young fart who may or may not drink gin is facing a sponsor backlash when her man makes rather questionable threats that may or may not ever eventuate from his christian motivated faith, while the Islam adherent just carries on with a finger saluting the judeo christians.
Of course should  the poor buggers, pun intended,  survive their horrific dive they will almost certainly face additional life threatening repercussions, invariably life ending.

SIMPLY UNBELIEVABLE

That the COL would agree to establish a reference group to assist the Inspector-General of Intelligence & Security carry out her role without reference to Parliament simply beggars belief.    That some of those so appointed have earned themselves a certain notoriety compounds the issue.

And let's be very clear.   The appointments will have been made by way of Ministerial warrant.   This is a government initiative and, dollars to donuts, will have been made without reference to our Five Eyes partners.    Make no mistake ... there will be consequences ... perhaps not immediately ... just a slow turning off of the tap.

Appears to me the Greens are well on the way to achieving what for them has always been a cause célèbre ...  the editing of New Zealand out of Five Eyes.     But this can't be sheeted home just to the Greens.   Labour and Winston First along with the Greens are jointly and severally responsible. 

DOLLARS TO DONUTS

that 'our' government will turn a 'Nelson's eye' to the racist decision of the South African government to amend Section 45 of their constitution to allow the expropriation, without compensation, of land belonging to an estimated 12,000 white farmers for  redistribution to their mates in what will almost certainly be a re-run of what happened in Zimbabwe which saw that country turn from being the 'breadbasket of Africa' into a net importer of food.

The South African government is determined to make these people into economic refugees in their own land.    They are being made scapegoats in order to turn attention away from the economic failures and endemic corruption that is the hallmark of the ANC governing Party.  

Will there be worldwide condemnation of this decision? ... give me a break.    South Africa is a 'black' country and these are' whites' ... who is going to stick their head up over the parapets and advocate for them and risk being labelled racist.    Nah, better that those being dispossessed of their land are to be seen as authors of their own misfortune by accident of birth.   They must pay for the sins of their fathers and and sins of their father's fathers.   

South Africa faces a bleak future.

Why Does The Media Deal With Only One Issue.......

......... at a time?

I don't know. 

Of course, they do deal with more than one issue but it seems as though only one issue dominates.  Then, after a few short days, it disappears.   Politicians play on this phenomenon, often introducing faux controversies in order to hasten the exit from public view of some uncomplimentary issue de jour.

If it's 'Trump bashing' then its the same issue every day but dressed up in different pajamas.

If it's 'Adern adoring' then its the same issue every day but dressed up in different pajamas.  (I must admit just one or two journalists seem to have cleared the mist from their eyes on this one.)

However, one wonders:-

What's happened to North Korea? 

What's happened to the Australian Prime Ditherer's woeful so-called 'energy policy?

What's happened to Clare Curran's perfidy?

What's happened to Frau Merkel

What's happened to the so-called US/China trade war?  (Here's a clue.  Were China winning, it would be all over thee media in banner headlines.)

What's happened to the appalling Islamic child grooming scandals from half a dozen Englsh cities?

Back In The Day

Today is the first day of the Adolphian honeymoon.  (If I've told this story before, I apologise to those who are having it inflicted upon them again.)

Well, it was the first day forty six years ago.

I met my wife in Bunbury in March 1970.  Adolf and The Cook tied the knot on April 15th 1972 in a small circular church in Bunbury.  Shortly thereafter, the church had to be demolished due to structural defects.  The wedding reception was held in the pub next to the racecourse.  Shortly thereafter, the pub burned to the ground.

I still have the receipt for that night's accommodation at the Captain Fremantle, a reasonably flash motel.  Bed and breakfast for two - $17.50.   Shortly thereafter, it was bulldosed and the site redeveloped.

BTW in those days, fresh out of Lincoln, I could have started with the NZ Gummint on a salary of $2,200 with no perks.  I started with Shell Chemical (Australia) P/L on a salary of $4,000 with a brand new Chrysler Valiant station wagon and unlimited private mileage.

To people who are silly enough to ask 'Why did you come back to Bunbury?' the stock answer is 'For the divorce.'

I SEE THE ISRAELI LABOR PARTY HAVE DECLARED JEREMY CORBYN

persona non grata because of his refusal to step up and rid UK Labour Party of those expressing antisemitic views.    Clearly they see Corbyn as big on rhetoric but when push comes to shove he wimps out ... not overly surprising when it's 'Momentum' (his own bugle band) that's front and centre of the controversy.

The reality is that there has always been an element of antisemitism in both the hard left and hard right of UK politics.   Clearly the Tories do a better job of managing it ... confining it to the Boardrooms rather than shouting it at Party political meetings

Whatever ... it's a big call when the leader of a Labour Party is declared  'untermensch' by another fraternal Labo(u)r Party.

I'm sure Lord Egbut will have a view on this.

Unfortunate Wording

From (of all places) CNN.

I can't see anything out of place.

Mariah Carey reveals bipolar disorder

YOU VOTED FOR 'THEM'

The msm has been curiously silent on the Local Government (Community Well-being) Amendment Bill being promoted through the House as a Government Bill ... why, dunno ... guess it's not seen as 'sexy' enough to warrant a little digging.   It does.

The Bill removes the last remaining fiscal constraint on local councils by deleting the present clause 10(1)(b) of the Local Government Act 2002 requiring local government "to meet the current and future needs of communities for good quality local infrastructure, local public services and performance of regulatory functions in a way that is most cost-effective for businesses and households" and replace it with a new sub clause reading "to promote the social, economic, environmental and cultural well-being of communities in the present and for the future".    

Talk about a blank cheque for social engineering bereft of accountability beyond that of the triennial elections and by then it's too late.


All per courtesy of the COL.   For this (and many things) St Jacinda and her two little helpers have much to answer for.

WHERE IS WINNIE II

Perhaps the commenter at Slater's Blog has worked it out!

Winnie becomes the "Acting PM".

In that role he has a quiet word with Soimin who agrees!

Mr once 7% now elevated by cunning in spite of falling to around 2% informs the Gov Gen that due to emerging threats to the NZ economy he has withdrawn his support for the Hydra and can now produce a majority in the Parliament with the National Party!

Alas Ms Bennett will decide to resign as Deputy leader to be replaced in time and the 41st PM will serve until the next election.

By then the Charlatan General can retire with his legacy, such as it will have become, plus a knighthood while the country can just suck it up.

The moronic cult followers including 'Medals',  His Provincial white knight set up to fail in the energy fiasco. and "I know where the bodies are buried" Tracy Martin can do sweet F all unles they are about to give up the money and perks.
Makes what is happening almost plausible, while all other scenarios struggle. for comprehensible rationalisation.
Almost a bloodless Coup d'etat, and afaik within the parameters of what we have for constitutional government process.

NZL STAND OUT STANDING OUT

DPF on Kiwiblog here sez it all in covering off St Jacinda's response to the US/GB/French strikes against Syrian chemical warfare facilities.

While others stood four square behind the action NZL merely 'accepts' the reasoning behind it ... some may consider that damning it with faint praise.

One can fairly question the influence that our Putin's poodle foreign minister had in watering down our statement of 'support'.

WHERE IS WINNIE?

A government that has hopes well beyond what many see as affordable, this week with no consultation or conversations, collapsed the multimillion dollar off shore exploration for hydrocarbons in NZ, a vibrant industry that might have helped fund the extraordinary aspirations of the intellectual midgets masquerading as the current executive.

Estimated, to be worth half a billion a year and employing thousands, exploration has been gutted by a virtue signalling outfit whose total business acumen is measured in micrograms, now threatens to tank the booming economy Simon English delivered from  the spectre of treasury predicted decades of deficits just ten years ago.

NZ will still need and consume growing quantities of hydrocarbons and as current sources become exhausted from production  that now minimises or offsets from the considerable oil and gas  flowing within our dominion,  greater imports will ensue.

As the PM jets off with an entourage of blinded supporters to meet with  other intellectual giants, all babbling about how they will save the planet from variables of temperatures previously endured, attributed to natural patterns set almost entirely by a fragile relationship with the nuclear powered heart of our solar system. A physical setup that includes orbital and axial facets relating to earths positioning plus significant activity within the Suns natural variations still largely unfathomed by science. Since those variables are as yet nontaxable to waste on the billion plus we send off shore to where, no-one admits to, the morons are relying on perpetrating the current AGW fraud.

  NZ is very well placed in sustainable energy creation and transmission from our limited harnessing the gravity powered  energy potential of water travelling from uplands to the sea from where evaporation sends it back into the sky to fall on the mountains again, and all for free.
Any CO2 created by burning hydrocarbons as backup to Hydro adds to food production for the over seven billion souls inhabiting planet earth. 
NZ electric energy sustainability is by world standards up there with Iceland (a north Atlantic island nation population equivalent to greater Christchurch) and Norway with even greater untapped hydro capacity that accompanies oil reserves and production that when measured against their population almost of unimaginable value,  all  for a nation similar in size to NZ
In a sop to the Luddite Melons, Ardern and Ample  Woods stood yesterday with a beaming Jimmie 'two mums' Shaw and Mr Billion for bribes and obfuscation Jones (acting like a guilty thug trying to obscure his mug from the cameras at the district court door) announced to a fawning media an ending of all offshore oil and gas exploration along with all onshore activity outside of Taranaki, the energy boomtown.
Poor old Angry Andy was given time out from his feeble Pike River Mine fiasco ( that as a union official he was at the very center of, as a pawn in the lead up to that tragedy) that is set to consume twenty three million dollars of money the rest of the Coast  would dearly love to be able to access to repair the damage from the two rogue storms two weeks apart in February that created massive erosion damage to roads and infrastructure.. As  yet Westland is  apparently totally ignored by the virtue signalling kindy kids living their dream  north of cook straight.
Maybe some crusading journo, if there is one remaining,  might like to contact Bruce Smith the Mayor of Westland District or list MP Maureen Pugh his predecessor, instead of the luvvie's favs Bernie Monk and Tony Kockshorn from Grey District Council neither of whom can see beyond the Paparoas, for a true perspective of just what the twin storms wrought to greater Westland and Tasman.
Mayor Smiths jurisdiction is three hundy Kms long between the summit of the Alps and  the Tasman Sea of  and is traversed by the SI "Holiday Highway 6 from Kumara to Haast with a population only a little larger than Thames and charged with administering an area five times that of Thames Corromandel. Vast areas of Westland is non rateable so budget pressures apply
Just imagine the outcry if Aukland's playground was ignored to the degree Bruce's bunch of Ferals have been since Mother nature visited twice in quick succession.

No matter, Cinders and her entourage will burn a mess of the finite hydrocarbons to get her pregnant self to the other side of the world then return to labour in situ while poor old Andy tries to rationalise to the voters who thrice delivered him  the arse card in his hometown New Plymouth, how destroying thousands of their jobs will save us all from Armageddon.

THAT WILL PUT THE CAT AMONG THE PIGEONS

It is reported that President Trump is considering applying for the USA to rejoin the TPPA (or whatever 'they' call it now).   This in reaction to that countries looming trade war with China.

There is no doubt that many of the countries signed up to the TPPA would welcome such a move.   New Zealand might be the exception given the inherent tensions in the COL relating to free trade and especially free trade involving the United States.

Not sure whether the US would be negotiating their re-entry from a position of strength having walked away from the agreement just 18 months ago ... but, then again, the US exercises great economic power and influence.   

Someone might have to retrieve St Jacinda's letter to Trump requesting an exemption from the tariffs imposed on our steel and aluminum exports to the US from that bottom drawer where it has been languishing gathering dust.

ON AUSTRALIAN NEWSPAPERS

This per courtesy of one of our regular readers from WA.   Re 12 and think of David while 13 applies equally to most of the NZL print media.

1. The Australian Financial Review is read by the people who run the country.

2. The Canberra Times is read by people who think they run the country.

3. The Australian is read by people who think they should run the country, and who are very good at crossword puzzles.

4. The Sydney Morning Herald is read by people who think they ought to run the country but don't really understand The Australian.

5. The Courier Mail is read by people who wouldn't mind running the country, if they didn't have to leave Queensland to do it.

6. The Age is read by people whose parents used to run the country.

7. The Melbourne Herald Sun is read by people who aren't too sure who's running the country and don't really care as long as they can get a seat on the train

8. The Sydney Daily Telegraph is read by people who don't care who is running the country as long as they do something really scandalous, preferably while intoxicated.

9. The West Australian is read by people who are in prison, who used to run the state, and would like to do so again, as would their constituents who are currently free on bail.

10. The Hobart Mercury is read (slowly) by people who are running another country, but need the Aussie Rules scores.

11. Crikey is read by people who aren't sure if there is a country or that anyone is running it; but if so, they oppose all that they stand for. There are occasional exceptions if the leaders are gay, handicapped, minority, feminist, atheists, and those who also happen to be illegal aliens from any other country or galaxy, provided of course, that they are not conservatives.

12. The Adelaide Advertiser is read by people trapped in a line at the supermarket waiting for the electricity to come back on.

13. The Northern Territory Times is read by people who have recently caught a fish and need something to wrap it in.

Friday's Fulminations

There is mild moderation.  Normal rules of blogger etiquette and courtesy to blog hosts will apply.with serious transgressors being thrown out.

Unfortunately our system does not allow your comments to show up in the blog post itself.  Just in the comments section.

Visitors might consider the wisdom of using moderate language.

Regards

Adolf'

ON BEER

I enjoy a good lager even though my olde friend Egbut (who is quite knowledgeable in all matters beer) would have it that lager is for pussies while real ale is for real men.

So, and confining ourselves to lager please (and in my book Pilsner beer is a lager), what would you rate as the best lager you have tasted and, conversely, the worst.  

For me ... best is Turborg while the worst is anything American which can only be described as Gnat's piss (with apologies to all good Gnats).

Faster Please!

Oh dear, oh dear.

The Human Rights Tribunal is unable to function due to work overload.  It is in danger of collapse.

No doubt it has been flooded by frivolous complaints from melting leftist snowflakes like Bradbury.  They'll demand a vast expansion to the bureaucracy and Toothfairy will oblige.  It will be money far better spent than fixing black spots on the nation's highways.

You got what you voted for.

THE ELECTION OF MARAMA DAVIDSON

as co-leader of the Greens presents opportunities and challenges for both National and Labour.

Davidson represents the social policy activist base of the Greens whereas Shaw, Genter and Sage identify more with their more traditional environmentalist base.    The breadth of Davidson's victory confirms the ascendancy of the former among Green Party activists.   Davidson and Me Tu are indistinguishable and indeed, there is nothing too much that separates them from Hone Harawiri's Mana Party in their belief that it's duty of government to act as a modern day John Frum and dispense to the people what they want, when they want it, with work an optional extra ... perhaps.   And all the while secure in the knowledge that there are plenty of 'rich pricks' out there to pick up the tab.
  
It's a big call indeed by Davidson to say her task is to win back the 5%+ support bled in the lead-up to the election as a result of the Me Tu affair when all she can offer is more of the same and more.   Her election positions the Greens firmly on the left and likely to move further left as they move to out-labour Labour (which is also moving to the left) and preserve their identity as a separate Party. 

Make no mistake about it.   Davidson's election confirms that the Green Party of today bears little resemblance to the Green Party of Jeanette Fitzsimons and Rod Donald.   It has been captured by the hard left for whom the environmentalist persona is but a means to an end.

For Labour they can rest now assured that the Greens have no-where to go.  Davidson's election means they have edited themselves out of any meaningful conversation with National.   But that comes at a price.   As the Greens move to shore up and grow their vote on the left Labour risks shaking loose their middle NZL support in moving to counter that.

For National and the reality is they are left with no coalition partners on the horizon.   ACT is a broken brand and exists solely per courtesy of National.   It's time it was euthanized.   NZF too is terminal; their association with Labour means they will struggle to hit the 5% threshold even if Peters were to defy logic and stand again.   Without Peters and it will be a Dunne repeat.   The Maori Party, for all their talk, won't be back.   The Maori seats are Labour's to have and to hold.

National has a choice.   It can go it alone and commit to an election strategy predicated on their obtaining 46% of the vote and hoping the wasted vote reaches 11% which, edited out, would push National over the line.    That's a huge ask and would, IMHO, be a very 'courageous' decision (as Sir Humphrey might opine).    Alternatively it can seize the moment created by  Davidson's election and help facilitate the establishment of new Blue/Green stand-alone Party and target the disaffected 'environmentalist' Green vote buttressed by the substantial number of ROC voters who do care about the environment.  

The challenge here is if a Blue-Green Party were to succeed it cannot be seen  as a mere cypher for National.     It has to stand separate as offering something different than the slash and burn approach of the Greens and the laisez faire gradualism favoured by National.      The net result is that there will inevitably be a measure of creative tension between National and the Blue-Greens (much like that which exists between the Liberals and the Nationals in Australia).    That risk will need to be managed intelligently by both camps.  

The same opportunity does not present on National's right for two reasons.    First that the alt-right is fractious and, without putting a too fine a point on it, hampered by the kooks and single issue zealots who tend to gravitate to such parties.   Second, and more importantly, those who hanker for National to move to the right have already got a champion in Judith Collins sitting at Number 4 in the caucus rankings.    Collins isn't sitting in the No. 4 spot just to eat her lunch.

National cannot afford the do nothing approach.    It's all about risk and reward and Davidson's anointing presents National with an opportunity it would be stupid to pass up on ... and it holds the trump card ... Epsom.