rivettingKateTaylor

There are a raft of stories making headlines that have caught my attention in the past few days.

The decision to stop people texting or talking on their mobile while driving is awesome. Are we so pushed for time that we can’t pull over for 20 seconds to send a message, if indeed that message can’t wait until we get to our destination. And I must admit, I am guilty of talking on my mobile while driving, although I do put it on speaker.

As for the new craze called “nomophobia” – people’s fear of being without their mobiles – FOR GOODNESS SAKE PEOPLE, GET A LIFE!

Running late is as natural to me as procrastinating, so imagine my horror when I realised I had left my mobile at home and it would be on its lonesome for at least three hours (with no time to turn back to get it!) Imagine my chagrin when not only did I not need to use the phone while out and about but the fact there were no missed calls and no texts. I too need to get a life and leave it behind more often (or maybe just turn it off and put it in my handbag in case I need it, which was the original intention for many rural people getting cellphones….) 

Brickbat to the tramper who had to be rescued for the second time from a snow-covered ridge in the Ruahine Ranges as dusk fell on Wednesday night after misjudging both the weather and his timing – make him pay the bill. Police said there were no charges that could be laid in court, which is annoying, considering the 59-year-old Hastings man had been rescued from the same spot less than a month ago. The latest rescue cost about $1500 and put the lives of the rescue team at risk. Did he learn nothing from the first rescue?

What about porn king Steve Crow slamming the NZ Breast Cancer Foundation for turning down a $7500 pledge from the controversial Boobs on Bikes parade. The foundation said it would not accept money from the event or endorse it. Good on it!!  Money is money but we don’t have to sell our soul to get it (would my thoughts be different if it pledged $100,000?)

It’s similar to (someone) turning down money from Winston Peters and NZ First last year.  My eyes tend to glaze over and my ears close down when Winny comes on the TV so I’m not even going to try and remember what that situation was about.

Federated Farmers have had some good press releases this week – about the prospect of  substantial reform to the New Zealand electricity market (with many farmers averaging up to $21,000 a year for power); a cautious welcome to Vodafone’s partnership with rural satellite broadband provider, Farmside; urging a big turnout on the Meat and Wool levy referendum (http://www.meatnz.co.nz) closing on August 28; and celebrating the Government’s decision to abandon a new tax on diesel (which would have required a refund system for off-road use, which would have added a major compliance burden on the agricultural sector).

And I also liked the Feds president’s comments about Keisha Castle-Hughes. She had been flying around the world promoting her new movie, while at the same time touting the usual climate change mantra.

“We know it takes one kilogram of carbon to produce a litre of milk but how much carbon is needed to produce and distribute a movie?” Mr Nicolson asked (taken from a Dom Post article by Jon Morgan after Don gave a speech in Dunedin).

As Jon rightly put in the story, the speech invoked memories of a similar outburst by previous president Charlie Pedersen, who in 2006 accused environmentalists of arrogantly waging war against the human race.

The story went on to say… Mr Nicolson attacked Castle-Hughes, Greenpeace, Greens co-leader Russel Norman and Labour environment spokesman Charles Chauvel for the “most bizarre notion” that climate variation was new “that it is unique, unparalleled and frightening”. He gave examples of historical climatic changes, such as the creation of the Sahara Desert 6000 years ago from green savanna, the abandonment of a Neolithic settlement in Orkney when it became colder 4500 years ago and the invasion of Britain by Saxons 1500 years ago when their homelands were flooded by rising seas.

I’m going to have to figure out how to put that in a pretty little box so I don’t get accused of plagarism!

As procrastination is always my middle name – I am now going to settle down into finishing my stories for The Orchardist magazine from the NZ pipfruit conference last month.

As procrastination is always my middle name – coffee first? Put a load of washing on? Lux the floor? That’s a Southland term guys – along with eating belgium (luncheon sausage) at the crib (bach).

Get back to work Kate!!!!!!!!!!!

Those exclamation marks are so expressive 🙂