Globally I've got a negative outlook for 2018 and I'll tell you why. The way I see it, we have too much uncertainty worldwide, both in terms of national security and commerce. Generally speaking, it isn't wise to worry about this or that government when investing. The rule is find good businesses that are well managed and put your money into them. I'd agree for the most part and I'm aware the Dow Jones is performing well.
But where I go negative is looking at issues with the Middle East, Pakistan, and North Korea. Then we have an at times unhinged President Trump. Then consider that financially all the world did was double down post the Global Financial Crisis, the underlying issues have never been properly addressed.
That last point is the most serious I feel. Wealth is increasingly concentrated in fewer hands within the developed nations. This has got to result in instability, particularly within the EU.
On the plus side we have Africa emerging, and living standards there are rising along with incomes. I often say that sub-Saharan Africa needs to find a Garribaldi. The region badly needs that kind of leader.
My advice therefore is to look for value, and continue to invest in companies that are boring beyond belief. Eschew all the sexy stuff, and by that I mean the latest technology whiz-bang. Tesla cars are at the top of my hit list, who would own such a stuff of nonsense. Keep it boring, keep it simple, don't believe what you are told and never listen to hype.
January 06, 2018
December 24, 2017
Happy Saturnalia
A return to our roots in these parts, with a nod to the old Julian calendar, I'm celebrating Saturnalia around December 25. The Romans did things the right way I'd say, so let's get back to basics. A return to making Latin compulsory in schools should soon follow. That is if we had any sense.
Io! Saturnalia
Io! Saturnalia
December 22, 2017
UN Vote
The numbers are in and the UN General Assembly has voted overwhelmingly against President Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as the Capital of Israel. What took my attention was the Israeli Ambassador using a prop, a replica of a 2,000 year old coin from the region:
https://worldisraelnews.com/danon-presents-replica-1st-century-coin-un-stressing-ancient-jewish-ties-jerusalem/
http://www.jewishpress.com/wp-content/uploads/Danon-exhibits-ancient-coin-at-UNGA-218x150.jpg
Isn't this a rather weak argument from Israel? I think that argument must go along the lines, because there were Jews in the region 2,000 years ago, that means the modern state of Israel gets to do whatever it likes with the city today. Which of course is nonsense, there is a thing called International Law you know.
Now Israel might have a claim if they could show an unbroken chain of governance stretching back that far. But wait, they can't, as any student of history will tell you about the first and second Roman-Jewish wars which the Romans won. They sacked Jerusalem and threw out the Jews, most becoming slaves. If we follow Israel's logic the rightful owners of Jerusalem is Italy, as the legitimate descendants of Rome. But wait, there's more, the Romans lost Jerusalem in the 7th century, so that would mean Turkey gets Jerusalem, according to the Israeli logic. Do you see? The argument as put just doesn't hold water.
So what now? Unpalatable as it may sound, my suggestion is for Palestine and the other states that surround Israel to either win some wars, or give up and trade Israel into oblivion. What are Arabs good at? They're traders first and foremost and good ones. But if going to war then make sure you win it as the winner gets to write the history. Oh no? Oh yes, what we know of Carthage and Troy comes only from the victors at the end of the day. Israel for its part could see the writing on the wall, observe the UN Resolutions and stop relying on the US to back it up as the US will just as soon throw them under the bus when it suits.
https://worldisraelnews.com/danon-presents-replica-1st-century-coin-un-stressing-ancient-jewish-ties-jerusalem/
http://www.jewishpress.com/wp-content/uploads/Danon-exhibits-ancient-coin-at-UNGA-218x150.jpg
Isn't this a rather weak argument from Israel? I think that argument must go along the lines, because there were Jews in the region 2,000 years ago, that means the modern state of Israel gets to do whatever it likes with the city today. Which of course is nonsense, there is a thing called International Law you know.
Now Israel might have a claim if they could show an unbroken chain of governance stretching back that far. But wait, they can't, as any student of history will tell you about the first and second Roman-Jewish wars which the Romans won. They sacked Jerusalem and threw out the Jews, most becoming slaves. If we follow Israel's logic the rightful owners of Jerusalem is Italy, as the legitimate descendants of Rome. But wait, there's more, the Romans lost Jerusalem in the 7th century, so that would mean Turkey gets Jerusalem, according to the Israeli logic. Do you see? The argument as put just doesn't hold water.
So what now? Unpalatable as it may sound, my suggestion is for Palestine and the other states that surround Israel to either win some wars, or give up and trade Israel into oblivion. What are Arabs good at? They're traders first and foremost and good ones. But if going to war then make sure you win it as the winner gets to write the history. Oh no? Oh yes, what we know of Carthage and Troy comes only from the victors at the end of the day. Israel for its part could see the writing on the wall, observe the UN Resolutions and stop relying on the US to back it up as the US will just as soon throw them under the bus when it suits.
December 19, 2017
UFO Investigation
Now we have official recognition of UFO sightings.
http://www.dw.com/en/the-us-pentagons-secret-investigation-into-ufos/a-41830522
The way I see this kind of thing is like this:
1. The Russians must have some scary technology, or
2. There's a lot of things happening in our atmosphere we just don't understand yet, or
3. People can do some clever tricks with cameras, or
4. The USA has some scary technology that it doesn't even tell its own military about, or
5. Some private individual has invented some clever stuff and not told anyone about it, or
6. There really are some unexplained or unexplainable extraterrestrial happenings.
On that last one, how come these extraterrestrials don't make contact? And once detected and they leave Earth, why can't we track them to see which direction they head? And once these intruders are out there and they hit their warp drive (or whatever you want to call it), how come we can't observe that too?
Okay so depressing thought of the day; we need to get over it, right now, as things stand, we're alone in the observable universe. This is not to say that there has never been other intelligent life, or that there won't be after we're gone, but right now we're it. At least that's my guess. But heh, I like to speculate along with everyone else.
http://www.dw.com/en/the-us-pentagons-secret-investigation-into-ufos/a-41830522
The way I see this kind of thing is like this:
1. The Russians must have some scary technology, or
2. There's a lot of things happening in our atmosphere we just don't understand yet, or
3. People can do some clever tricks with cameras, or
4. The USA has some scary technology that it doesn't even tell its own military about, or
5. Some private individual has invented some clever stuff and not told anyone about it, or
6. There really are some unexplained or unexplainable extraterrestrial happenings.
On that last one, how come these extraterrestrials don't make contact? And once detected and they leave Earth, why can't we track them to see which direction they head? And once these intruders are out there and they hit their warp drive (or whatever you want to call it), how come we can't observe that too?
Okay so depressing thought of the day; we need to get over it, right now, as things stand, we're alone in the observable universe. This is not to say that there has never been other intelligent life, or that there won't be after we're gone, but right now we're it. At least that's my guess. But heh, I like to speculate along with everyone else.
December 15, 2017
Sand Wars
I watched the documentary Sand Wars on al Jazeera recently, it was interesting but ultimately came up short, and that's because the documentary lacked balance and became emotive.
I know something about sand. Some may call me an expert on the subject but I wouldn't go that far, I'd call myself a specialist. That said there are several things to consider about sand and where to find it, how to process it. Sand is critical for construction, the oceans, and our coastlines. We can't have a civilisation without sand and our environment is jeopardised if we extract too much ot it. So what is the answer? That's what I'm going to deal with here:
1. Natural or Man-made?
The above documentary never once considered quarried rock being transformed into sand. They did have someone at an aggregate trade show or conference saying that all the natural deposits of sand and gravel had been taken away. That is nonsense.
There is a rule in the sand business; first find a natural deposit. This can be quite difficult as a lot of factors need to be considered when searching for a suitable extraction pit. Such things as distance to market or end-user, ease with which the resource can be extracted, the physical properties of that resource having a bearing on just how much processing is involved, water sources and so on. But increasingly regulation and the NIMBY effect come into it as well. There is a lot of natural, clean sand out there, you're just not allowed to touch it because of that last factor.
So what now then? You have to manufacture that sand at your already operationally consented rock quarry. This is not an easy exercise and involves complex machinery which can be very expensive. Even when set up the end-product can be of much lesser quality than the natural equivalent. It doesn't have to be, but man is fallible and they don't always get it right.
Is sand running out? The short answer is No.
2. Sand from the Sea or Beach.
This is generally not the answer as salt comes with the sand. Sand dredged from below the sea is not as heavy with salt as beach sand is, but this source of sand still requires further processing, or thorough washing before it can be used in construction. The documentary said that buildings in Tangiers may fall down because they're built with sand from the sea. If the sand is salt ridden then the structures would be weakened over time due to the rusting of the reinforcing steel inside the concrete. The buildings would be fine if that sand had been washed sufficiently or simply came within specification without further processing.
How much sand comes from dredging operations? Much less than you're led to believe. Ships are a pain in the arse and you can't see below the water. Even land based dredging from wet pits or lakes is thwart with difficulty. I've seen the figures on this and sand dredging is still the little bedfellow on the block in terms of the whole.
3. Recycling and Blending.
Not just glass, but concrete can be recycled also. Valuable sand and other aggregates can be re-extracted. This extends the life of existing in-ground resources. But also overlooked is blending the sand. That is, taking some man-made, some natural and maybe some recycled resource and blending them together. A pugmill or similar process can do this most effectively.
4. Concrete
There are few alternatives to this amazing stuff called Portland Cementous Concrete. Our world does not function without it and we have got to learn to manage it. People talking about straw bale houses is not the answer. Yes we can use wood and steel and such but what the Romans knew all along and the rest of the world woke up to in the nineteenth century is that Concrete is the answer. If in doubt concrete it.
If you have a sand deposit and don't know what to do with it, or need help in any way, then please contact me using the contact form on this page. I'm here to help.
I know something about sand. Some may call me an expert on the subject but I wouldn't go that far, I'd call myself a specialist. That said there are several things to consider about sand and where to find it, how to process it. Sand is critical for construction, the oceans, and our coastlines. We can't have a civilisation without sand and our environment is jeopardised if we extract too much ot it. So what is the answer? That's what I'm going to deal with here:
1. Natural or Man-made?
The above documentary never once considered quarried rock being transformed into sand. They did have someone at an aggregate trade show or conference saying that all the natural deposits of sand and gravel had been taken away. That is nonsense.
There is a rule in the sand business; first find a natural deposit. This can be quite difficult as a lot of factors need to be considered when searching for a suitable extraction pit. Such things as distance to market or end-user, ease with which the resource can be extracted, the physical properties of that resource having a bearing on just how much processing is involved, water sources and so on. But increasingly regulation and the NIMBY effect come into it as well. There is a lot of natural, clean sand out there, you're just not allowed to touch it because of that last factor.
So what now then? You have to manufacture that sand at your already operationally consented rock quarry. This is not an easy exercise and involves complex machinery which can be very expensive. Even when set up the end-product can be of much lesser quality than the natural equivalent. It doesn't have to be, but man is fallible and they don't always get it right.
Is sand running out? The short answer is No.
2. Sand from the Sea or Beach.
This is generally not the answer as salt comes with the sand. Sand dredged from below the sea is not as heavy with salt as beach sand is, but this source of sand still requires further processing, or thorough washing before it can be used in construction. The documentary said that buildings in Tangiers may fall down because they're built with sand from the sea. If the sand is salt ridden then the structures would be weakened over time due to the rusting of the reinforcing steel inside the concrete. The buildings would be fine if that sand had been washed sufficiently or simply came within specification without further processing.
How much sand comes from dredging operations? Much less than you're led to believe. Ships are a pain in the arse and you can't see below the water. Even land based dredging from wet pits or lakes is thwart with difficulty. I've seen the figures on this and sand dredging is still the little bedfellow on the block in terms of the whole.
3. Recycling and Blending.
Not just glass, but concrete can be recycled also. Valuable sand and other aggregates can be re-extracted. This extends the life of existing in-ground resources. But also overlooked is blending the sand. That is, taking some man-made, some natural and maybe some recycled resource and blending them together. A pugmill or similar process can do this most effectively.
4. Concrete
There are few alternatives to this amazing stuff called Portland Cementous Concrete. Our world does not function without it and we have got to learn to manage it. People talking about straw bale houses is not the answer. Yes we can use wood and steel and such but what the Romans knew all along and the rest of the world woke up to in the nineteenth century is that Concrete is the answer. If in doubt concrete it.
If you have a sand deposit and don't know what to do with it, or need help in any way, then please contact me using the contact form on this page. I'm here to help.
December 06, 2017
Stop Banning Russia
It has to stop. Banning Russia from Olympic competition is a bad idea. Russia and all Russians take sport seriously and they're not going to just lay down. Face facts people, all countries conduct doping of their athletes, all that is being proven right now is that Russia is behind the latest technology. That's all, so bring them up to speed fast and we can all go back to enjoying their talent along with all the other pharmaceutically enhanced specimens from the rest of the industrialised world.
Of course the current ban on Russia from attending the Winter 2019 Olympics is political. It's designed to show Russia who is in charge, payback for countless perceived wrongs whether that be in Syria or the Crimea, the Ukraine, wherever. Of course Russia will retaliate in their own time and in their own way, why stir them up? It makes no sense to me.
Of course the current ban on Russia from attending the Winter 2019 Olympics is political. It's designed to show Russia who is in charge, payback for countless perceived wrongs whether that be in Syria or the Crimea, the Ukraine, wherever. Of course Russia will retaliate in their own time and in their own way, why stir them up? It makes no sense to me.
December 01, 2017
America First
I've just thought of a new conspiracy theory. Someone else may have come up with this, sorry if this has been thought of before, but this is my original. Okay? Here goes:
Donald Trump is looking to get himself fired, impeached, stood own; whatever it takes to be deposed. What he then intends doing is setting up a rival party to the GOP called America First or similar, run along far right lines. This would explain his re-tweets of the Britain First deputy leader's tweets. He'd then promote this new party through social media and Fox. A chilling prospect but not inconceivable.
What do you think?
Donald Trump is looking to get himself fired, impeached, stood own; whatever it takes to be deposed. What he then intends doing is setting up a rival party to the GOP called America First or similar, run along far right lines. This would explain his re-tweets of the Britain First deputy leader's tweets. He'd then promote this new party through social media and Fox. A chilling prospect but not inconceivable.
What do you think?
November 29, 2017
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Prince Harry and American actress Meghan Markle are to tie the knot. The following NY Times article outlines the facts: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/28/world/europe/uk-royal-wedding-harry-meghan-markle.html
There is no problem with Ms Markle holding dual citizenship, many often do. Later down the line can you imagine a President of the US also being the Monarch of the UK and its Commonwealth? Never say never eh. I noticed Twitter mentions on the subject. But the thing to look forward to is more diversity being brought into the royal family. Yay.
There is no problem with Ms Markle holding dual citizenship, many often do. Later down the line can you imagine a President of the US also being the Monarch of the UK and its Commonwealth? Never say never eh. I noticed Twitter mentions on the subject. But the thing to look forward to is more diversity being brought into the royal family. Yay.
November 26, 2017
NBA: OKC Look Average
The Oklahoma City Thunder have lost their last two games in the NBA. Two words explain their poor form - Carmelo Anthony.
That's it really, nothing more to say, apart from noting that they're now a team of ball hogs, everyone playing for themselves and not the team as a whole. There is no "i" in team.
That's it really, nothing more to say, apart from noting that they're now a team of ball hogs, everyone playing for themselves and not the team as a whole. There is no "i" in team.
November 22, 2017
Zimbabwe 2017
Zimbabwe's leadership squabbles are dominating the news at the moment. It seems everyone at the top is jockeying to take over from Robert Mugabe who has been Zimbabwe's leader for the last 37 years.
What I have noticed is commentators repeatedly saying Zimbabwe is wrecked, or words to that effect. Really? I'd call wrecked a city like Hamburg in 1945. Is Harare in that condition? The news footage seems to show the opposite, people appear well dressed, the streets clean and tidy, the buildings are all standing straight and the cars are relatively late model. Has no-one noticed this? How can a country with 90% unemployment have people so well nourished and apparently quite well off by African standards.
What I think is going on is that Zimbabwe functions satisfactorily. Most must be in some kind of employment. What I suspect is employers are hiring people on a purely cash basis for a few hours a day and not paying tax. The employees for their part may say the're not in full time employment which is essentially true but disguises what is really going on. Zimbabwe in these circumstances has an empty exchequer, but life goes on for everyone else.
As for political power; the army may be divided into factions while Zanu-PF may also be divided. Things could go downhill very fast, let's hope not as this country looks to have all the makings of great prosperity.
Update: Robert Mugabe has now resigned and in a move that looks dodgy, Emmerson Mnangagwa will serve out the rest of Mugabe's term. But wait, is that constitutional? The Vice-President position is held by two people appointed by the President. Mnangagwa has been dismissed and removed from office, which leaves Phelekezela Mphoko to take over from Mugabe. Correct? I think that's right, so if Mnangagwa takes over that looks illegitimate to my eyes, not a good start.
For a more objective view of what got us here check out my Fixing Zimbabwe post a while back. No-one read it at the time, but I nailed it JICYDK.
Update: Robert Mugabe has now resigned and in a move that looks dodgy, Emmerson Mnangagwa will serve out the rest of Mugabe's term. But wait, is that constitutional? The Vice-President position is held by two people appointed by the President. Mnangagwa has been dismissed and removed from office, which leaves Phelekezela Mphoko to take over from Mugabe. Correct? I think that's right, so if Mnangagwa takes over that looks illegitimate to my eyes, not a good start.
For a more objective view of what got us here check out my Fixing Zimbabwe post a while back. No-one read it at the time, but I nailed it JICYDK.
November 20, 2017
What if Ken Starr Was Right?
In light of the Harvey Weinstein revelations it occurred to me that maybe we need to rethink Bill Clinton. I found the following op-ed interesting:
The sexual misconduct was the heart of things, but everything connected to Clinton’s priapism was bad: the use of the perks of office to procure women, willing and unwilling; the frequent use of that same power to buy silence and bully victims; and yes, the brazen public lies and perjury.
November 17, 2017
Elon Musk's Electric Truck
When is Elon Musk going to go bust? Can this happen sooner please as this guy is seriously annoying. On top of making poor cars (see my earlier post about this), he's now setting out to do the same with heavy transport vehicles.
See the link >> https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/nov/17/elon-musk-tesla-electric-truck-sports-car-surprise
But wait a minute, electric trucks are nothing new. They've always been used in transport, the following is a list of useful locations where an electric truck comes into its own:
1. Indoors and anywhere ventilation matters,
2. Where there is a lot of stop/starting, (like inner city deliveries)
3. Where noise is a consideration.
The internal combustion engine comes into its own when you're talking about long runs; diesel especially for the distance and petrol for the power it delivers. Hence, for instance, Russian military trucks like the Zil are petrol, their army needs to be able to move fast and forage for fuel and petrol allows for both. Diesel comes into its own when you're looking for cheaper horsepower while running without stopping.
So Musk's idea is what exactly? A dumb idea is the answer.
See the link >> https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/nov/17/elon-musk-tesla-electric-truck-sports-car-surprise
But wait a minute, electric trucks are nothing new. They've always been used in transport, the following is a list of useful locations where an electric truck comes into its own:
1. Indoors and anywhere ventilation matters,
2. Where there is a lot of stop/starting, (like inner city deliveries)
3. Where noise is a consideration.
The internal combustion engine comes into its own when you're talking about long runs; diesel especially for the distance and petrol for the power it delivers. Hence, for instance, Russian military trucks like the Zil are petrol, their army needs to be able to move fast and forage for fuel and petrol allows for both. Diesel comes into its own when you're looking for cheaper horsepower while running without stopping.
So Musk's idea is what exactly? A dumb idea is the answer.
November 16, 2017
New Zealand v Peru
Today we find out which team will be the last to qualify for the World Cup in Russia next year. Can minnow New Zealand do the business against world number 10 Peru? You betcha, the Kiwis are much better than their ranking suggests. bear in mind they rarely play at full strength.
The pressure will be on Peru, who must win. A simple draw involving goals means NZ goes through on the away goals rule (the first contest was a nil-all draw).
[Update; Peru 2 - NZ 0. Peru were much the better team]
The pressure will be on Peru, who must win. A simple draw involving goals means NZ goes through on the away goals rule (the first contest was a nil-all draw).
[Update; Peru 2 - NZ 0. Peru were much the better team]
November 14, 2017
Lies About New Zealand - Feedback
It looks like the enemies of New Zealand and NZ's fair and wide ranging superannuation system are out and about. I've noticed a bump in readers and I have received some feedback. All feedback so far starts off with an insult of some kind and then takes umbrage when I insult them right back. That's right, an orchestrated campaign has started, all repeating the same talking points.
Let's make this very simple for the idiots out there who want a free lunch. You are not entitled to anything the law of New Zealand says you're not entitled to. And on the subject of national superannuation the law is very clear; you only get one state pension. That's it, get this in your thick skulls you handout mentality losers. If you or your partner are in receipt of a state pension from another jurisdiction, that may mean you lose all entitlement in Kiwiland (of course you should).
Why is this so important? The answer to that question is also very simple. If those people who want to double dip (in effect) are allowed to get away with it then the NZ superannuation system will crash. It will become defunct. Here's why - read carefully - NZ has only 4.5 million people. Outside good old Kiwiland there are - wait for it - billions upon billions of people. Many of these people are retired with state pensions they can transfer to NZ if they wish. Certainly there are tens if not hundreds of millions of this kind. Get the idea? We cannot have a situation where the hard working taxpayer in NZ subsidises the state pensions of other countries. And it's even more ludicrous to think this subsidy would be the result of this or that NZer wanting to shack up with a foreigner. There we have it in one fell swoop, the family structure of NZ undermined and a bankrupt pension system.
Conclusion: if you think you're hard done by in New Zealand, I suggest you go somewhere else and stop stinking the place up.
Let's make this very simple for the idiots out there who want a free lunch. You are not entitled to anything the law of New Zealand says you're not entitled to. And on the subject of national superannuation the law is very clear; you only get one state pension. That's it, get this in your thick skulls you handout mentality losers. If you or your partner are in receipt of a state pension from another jurisdiction, that may mean you lose all entitlement in Kiwiland (of course you should).
Why is this so important? The answer to that question is also very simple. If those people who want to double dip (in effect) are allowed to get away with it then the NZ superannuation system will crash. It will become defunct. Here's why - read carefully - NZ has only 4.5 million people. Outside good old Kiwiland there are - wait for it - billions upon billions of people. Many of these people are retired with state pensions they can transfer to NZ if they wish. Certainly there are tens if not hundreds of millions of this kind. Get the idea? We cannot have a situation where the hard working taxpayer in NZ subsidises the state pensions of other countries. And it's even more ludicrous to think this subsidy would be the result of this or that NZer wanting to shack up with a foreigner. There we have it in one fell swoop, the family structure of NZ undermined and a bankrupt pension system.
Conclusion: if you think you're hard done by in New Zealand, I suggest you go somewhere else and stop stinking the place up.
November 11, 2017
O Canada!
What the hell just happened at APEC? Canada's Justin Trudeau was a no show at the TPP meeting. It looks to me like the US is putting pressure on Canada to not do the deal. Hmm?
[edit to add: OK so now we have the CP-TPP, so named I guess to put this near the top of any alphabetical list of such agreements. This new agreement looks better all round.]
[edit to add: OK so now we have the CP-TPP, so named I guess to put this near the top of any alphabetical list of such agreements. This new agreement looks better all round.]
November 10, 2017
TPP: Just Get On With It
The most important trade meetings taking place right now are at APEC. This year the meeting is in Vietnam and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) will be on the minds of all those countries signed up for it. There have been a few speed wobbles but now everyone involved should get on board and just do it. Enough talk already. Even with the US out there is a lot at stake. The Pacific is set to rocket and we all need trade.
November 08, 2017
Readers
From time to time I report the breadth of this blog in terms of readership. The top countries for the past month were (in order):
France
Russia
United States
New Zealand
Canada
Australia
UK
Ireland
Ukraine
Brazil
Good to see Brazil and Australia beginning to read my thoughts and considered opinions. Welcome aboard. The USA has been deposed from the top spot, probably because I haven't been talking about US this and that so much.
My second novel The Crushing Son has begun to sell in both the physical and digital form. Yay. It's not a bad read, give it a try. Please buy the paperback, I make more that way. Amazon has an interesting business model, they appear to still favour the physical product of bound books over their own Kindle. I don't understand why but they're probably right given they're taking over the sale of books worldwide.
For my next novel I'm considering bleeding one or two chapters onto Wattpad, what do you think?
France
Russia
United States
New Zealand
Canada
Australia
UK
Ireland
Ukraine
Brazil
Good to see Brazil and Australia beginning to read my thoughts and considered opinions. Welcome aboard. The USA has been deposed from the top spot, probably because I haven't been talking about US this and that so much.
My second novel The Crushing Son has begun to sell in both the physical and digital form. Yay. It's not a bad read, give it a try. Please buy the paperback, I make more that way. Amazon has an interesting business model, they appear to still favour the physical product of bound books over their own Kindle. I don't understand why but they're probably right given they're taking over the sale of books worldwide.
For my next novel I'm considering bleeding one or two chapters onto Wattpad, what do you think?
November 06, 2017
NatTube: Not Really
My second survey of the AM Show took place today between 7 and 8am. National didn't get a single mention so I'm going to back down and say I was wrong. The AM Show are quite fair minded.
All mentions that directly related to New Zealand politics were clearly references to Labour, or one or more of their coalition partners. The AM Show did so generally positively 11 times and negatively 7 times. Included in those 7 times was a 42 second rant against Labour from both Duncan Garner and Mark Richardson who used the old anti-left canard of the "hypocrisy of the left". Nothing surprising from Richardson, he's the ugly face of conservatism in New Zealand. I'd be surprised if he's ever read a book.
But the audience expect nothing else really and there was so many positive mentions of Labour that I'd go so far as to say that their rant makes them look balanced. It's likely to reinforce the positive mentions of Labour, not boost National.
What of National now? They're spent and you have to place the blame firmly at the feet of the staggeringly incompetent Simon "Bill" English.
[A follow up survey 13/11/17, 7-8am showed more positive about Labour than negative, despite that hour being dominated by CPTPP talk. Only the one positive mention of National. This illustrates the difficulty of being in opposition, they can't get heard at all. Well they deserve it so I won't be crying.]
All mentions that directly related to New Zealand politics were clearly references to Labour, or one or more of their coalition partners. The AM Show did so generally positively 11 times and negatively 7 times. Included in those 7 times was a 42 second rant against Labour from both Duncan Garner and Mark Richardson who used the old anti-left canard of the "hypocrisy of the left". Nothing surprising from Richardson, he's the ugly face of conservatism in New Zealand. I'd be surprised if he's ever read a book.
But the audience expect nothing else really and there was so many positive mentions of Labour that I'd go so far as to say that their rant makes them look balanced. It's likely to reinforce the positive mentions of Labour, not boost National.
What of National now? They're spent and you have to place the blame firmly at the feet of the staggeringly incompetent Simon "Bill" English.
[A follow up survey 13/11/17, 7-8am showed more positive about Labour than negative, despite that hour being dominated by CPTPP talk. Only the one positive mention of National. This illustrates the difficulty of being in opposition, they can't get heard at all. Well they deserve it so I won't be crying.]
November 03, 2017
Astros World Champions
Congratulations to the Houston Astros on winning their first World Series. Now c'mon Rockets, win the NBA playoffs. It'd be nice to think the Texans could add the Superbowl as well.
November 01, 2017
AM Show aka NatTube
I can report progress on my survey of the AM Show on New Zealand's TV3 and whether they're really National Party TV.
What I do is throw dice to determine which day and what hour I'll be surveying. The first hour drawn was today, Wednesday the first day of November. The time surveyed was one hour between 8 and 9am.
Early days I know, but so far there is no evidence of bias. If anything the bias is pro Labour. I divide up which side is being mentioned, National or Labour (Labour includes all parties in government), and whether they're treated predominantly positively or negatively.
During the one hour in question, Duncan Garner talked for 40 seconds predominantly positively about Labour. He did not mention National and nor did Mark Richardson. The news segments presented by Amanda Gillies contained initiatives announced by Labour and these were handled even-handedly.
My readers will be aware that when I surveyed NBA games I found obvious bias, proving NBA regular season games are rigged. Well, so far no obvious bias from the AM Show. I'll keep randomly sampling. Funny thing was my wife saw my survey sheet ready on the coffee table and she left a note and a hand drawn emoji warning me not to get too upset with Mark Richardson as he's known to be a Nat. I called her to thank her for being so thoughtful but she needn't have worried, Richardson didn't offend.
More on this later and a report on the overall results.
What I do is throw dice to determine which day and what hour I'll be surveying. The first hour drawn was today, Wednesday the first day of November. The time surveyed was one hour between 8 and 9am.
Early days I know, but so far there is no evidence of bias. If anything the bias is pro Labour. I divide up which side is being mentioned, National or Labour (Labour includes all parties in government), and whether they're treated predominantly positively or negatively.
During the one hour in question, Duncan Garner talked for 40 seconds predominantly positively about Labour. He did not mention National and nor did Mark Richardson. The news segments presented by Amanda Gillies contained initiatives announced by Labour and these were handled even-handedly.
My readers will be aware that when I surveyed NBA games I found obvious bias, proving NBA regular season games are rigged. Well, so far no obvious bias from the AM Show. I'll keep randomly sampling. Funny thing was my wife saw my survey sheet ready on the coffee table and she left a note and a hand drawn emoji warning me not to get too upset with Mark Richardson as he's known to be a Nat. I called her to thank her for being so thoughtful but she needn't have worried, Richardson didn't offend.
More on this later and a report on the overall results.