In sickness and in health

Health: I have been following the debate in the States as Obama tries to do what many Presidents before have failed at - fixing the American Health 'system'. They are either incredibly stupid or the money that is buying the continuance of the present 'private' system is just too strong. Every industrialised nation has the same approximate system except the US and none would swap theirs for the US 'system'. The main difference between them and the rest of the world is that our schemes exist only to meet the medical costs and try to get you better, not make a profit.

The United States is the only developed country that lets insurance companies profit from basic health coverage.

I read an excellent article about the fragmented US Health 'system' which breaks their citizens down as -

Native Americans or veterans = Britain (and New Zealand)
People insured through their jobs = Germany:
People over 65 = Canada
The tens of millions without insurance coverage = Burundi - they are like the worlds really poor - those who can't pay, stay sick or die.

700,000 Americans go bankrupt each year because of medical bills. In the rest of the developed world - nil.

The lies that are being spread are unbelievable although the UK are now hitting back.

For all its faults I think our system is good, especially when we add in the ACC system. An advantage we have over even places like Germany and Switzerland is that they have to pay into an insurance scheme (admittedly a good one that is strictly controlled and is not for profit) while ours is simply taxation based.

The only down side is that notwithstanding Government attempts to lower them, the cost of going to the doctor is still too high and we are not putting sensible options into training and retaining (bonding) our medical people. At least children under 5 are free.

After WWII Churchill (the Politician of the 20th Century) went to the electorate and got beaten by the man with the charisma of a damp rag - Clement Atlee. Why - Labour promised a National Health Service.

It will be interesting to see who wins in the US - the money or the people.

Blogger: The damn Search Function in Blogger is not lworking!!! Later>> Looking on the Net it is a fault that they don't seem interested in fixing (soounds like Microsoft) but a workaround seems to be that if you sign in and go to the Edit Posts function it works through that!!

Frustration

I thought this was funny and appropriate.

Yes frustration: I am involved with a group (a couple in fact) that had to register under the Charities Act. It means some changes in procedure which I have no problem with as to me it seems straight forward but others don't see it so simply. The other night what was a 5-10 second matter - a Resolution that I had put and had been passed wasn't Minuted correctly and I pointed this out - then it degenerated into a talk fest. At the end nothing was achieved as they proceeded to debate the Resolution again.

Not thinking straight we talked on and on when I should have said (which I pointed out to the President & Secretary the next day) was that as I had put the motion it had to go into the Minutes as I said and if they wanted to debate or rescind it later, that was a debate for later. The minutes had to be corrected. There were a couple of other matters but they were minor. So the last Minutes remain outstanding!! Anyway it will be solved at the next meeting - I hope.

Petrol cap: Got in the car yesterday and as I pulled out of the garage I could smell petrol. I thought I would investigate before driving off and found the petrol cap had been stolen. So further frustration as I had to spend $18 on a new one. No fuel had been siphoned so I don't know what was going on. I couldn't have left it off myself as I last filled up about 2 weeks ago.

Oz frustration: They must be frustrated on the sports front. Lost the Rugby by one point with 30 seconds to go;lost the Ashes and now got beaten by us in the Basketball. How sad!!

House sitting: Getting closer to Joe & Sarah and the kids departure when we will be house sitting while they are away.

The No's have it and money

The Referendum: Well an easy victory for those who want the right to hit their kids - nearly 90% in favour. But as they say, most Americans supported slavery and homosexual law reform went against the majority. As I have said before I believe Parliament must lead.

Money: Bryers of the Blue Chip investment farce has pleaded guilty to some charges. A Select Committee is to look into the failure of the Finance Companies and has already said that they will look at giving the investor more information.

That is not the problem; the problem is that the Finance Companies don't do what they say they are going to do with the money and most importantly the Trust Companies look upon themselves as referees instead of advocates and protectors of the Investors $$$.

And another aspect to money. All Black Tialata wants game time and to play for Wellington. The Coach, Jamie Joseph won't play him as he feels the All Blacks in and out of the team, due to Test duties, is a hindrance. So Tialata wants to play for Taranaki; they want him and Wellington are willing to release him.

The holdup. Taranaki won't meet Tialata's price. How much did Sir Colin and Sir Brian get paid again?

He must really want to play the game.

This and that

Backwards thinking: Rodney Hide is threatening to resign from the Government if they try to introduce Maori seats into the Auckland Super City. I don't know why he just doesn't say 'we are not going down the road of Apartheid'. I find, in the early 21st Century, that some believe in separatism as unbelievable.

However to compound the thought that we may still only be in the early 12th Century, some nuts in Christchurch are promoting healing (cancer and more) through prayer.

APPRA: The website it.gen.nz quotes APPRA who represent record artists saying if it wasn't for their industry there would be nothing on the Net. Shows how they think - not 12th Century - probably up to the 13th!!. I never realised, but it is claimed that the red flag act passed to ensure somebody walked in front of cars was not really a safety issue but the railway industry trying to stop the advance of technology. Guess what - it didn't work.

Rugby: My old school Auckland Grammar was involved in a fight with Kelston (AGS won 20-9) and several players from AGS have been banned for some weeks while Kelston is up to about 16 months!! It seems strange that Burger gets 2 months for eye gouging and this was only fists. Seems out of line; although from what I saw on TV, Kelston started it. Although the Rugby Union say they treat retaliators the same as those who started it.

That seems crazy - do you just lie there and be kicked and punched!!

AB's and OZ on Saturday. I think we should win but it will be close.

NPC is great with upsets all over the place having just watched a great game - Manawatu beating Otago.

New Acting PM: With everybody away Tony Ryall is Acting PM. The first time it has dropped so low in the Cabinet - No.5 - for years. The reason is because about 7-8 members are taking part in the first ever Joint Cabinet Meeting withe the Oz cabinet. So it seems he isn't good enough to take part!! Not really - I think they needed somebody competent to run the ship while they were away. One outcome was the idea to have joint Trade Missions overseas. I would be careful - Australia is not noted for its generosity of spirit. They will see it all one way - theirs.

Quiz: No Joe was our name this week as we didn't have him. Came 4th which wasn't too bad.
A funny moment was when she read out a complicated name - something like Assyentarian Molyproxidecal Acid. Somebody yelled out - spell the last word and she said - A-C-I-D.

Well Sarah and I thought it was funny.

Sir Cliff

The touring cast from the 1961 Cliff Richard and The Shadows Tour

(Rear L-R) Doug and Leo deKroo, Andy Ellis, Brian Henderson, Lou Miller, Bruce, Brian, Judy Cannon, Frankie Davidson

(Centre L-R) Herma Keil, Cliff, Jet

(Front L-R) Klaus Keil, Bill Fairs, Hank, Olaf Keil

Cliff Richard & The Shadows: They are to tour N Z in what is being billed as a final farewell tour. The adverts are saying that this will be the first time they have toured here since 1961. Semi correct - Cliff has been here since (several times), just not with the Shadows.

Old age - I was at the Auckland Town Hall with my brother in 1961 when they performed and we thought they were fantastic - I still remember the Shadows choreographed antics (dancing). From memory they were a great couple of years with people like Donny Brooks, Dell Shannon, The Everley's, Bobby Day and various other stars all coming down under.

Stars of TV: Back on the 14 July I mentioned that TV1 were looking for a person to be interviewed about SeniorNet. I found somebody (thanks Jeanette) and the interview duly took place. They then wanted a dummy class to be set up to film at the Centre. So I got a small team together, which included Christine and myself, and the cameraman duly turned up. He seemed to concentrate on what Christine was doing but it didn't quite turn out that way. They told us the item would be put on the next Monday night but it was then delayed as they had to celebrate something they thought more important - the 40th birthday of man on the moon. Neil and the team more important than SeniorNet Hutt City!!!

Anyway it was on the next week and I taped as we were both out at our Monday meetings.

The whole thing shown at prime time in the middle of the TV1 News was a Special Report on older people and computers. Jeanette was brilliant. Surprisingly I featured much more than I thought as I didn't really notice him filming me.

All in all a great promotion for SeniorNet. I'm waiting for Peter Jackson to call.

We have also had a bit of luck with Kiwibank donating some old printers to SeniorNet.

Telethon: This was on last weekend. Didn't watch except to flip over 3/4 times when it just seemed to be singers. Reports say it was very commercial and that 70% of the money is going to overheads. I was put off in the TV3 promo which interviewed one of the family's they were going to help.

I know they are struggling - but - they had six kids. Why if they can't afford them do they breed - a North & South 2002 article said it cost around $250, 000 until age18 in N Z. I know they say its not the money, but to give your child the real start they need, especially education, is not cheap. Quality not quantity is the story and if they want to make different choices why should others have to pay.

The family interviewed then went and mentioned how the kids were buying their school lunch each day. Not the most brilliant PR for Telethon.

Flue: Although I had the jab I have had the flue. Very tired and after a couple of days when I thought it had gone, I've got a cough. Probably would have been worse without the jab.

Politicians: And perks. They are grizzling and going on about contracts and their up to 90% international airline discounts at our expense. Graham Kelly (ex Union leader) is leading the charge. Yeah - well when you are both the employer and employee it is easy to get good conditions. They just pass the relevant laws to suit themselves.

An article about their claims pointed out how the IRD said some of their claims were taxable income like everybody else. What did they do? They changed the law so that it applies to everybody except MP's. And they wonder why the public think thay are rorting the 'system".

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123456789 - Today is a (or should that be an) unique date. Because it is the 7th of the eighth month 09, the clock ran in order this morning. 12 Hours, 34.56 minutes etc.

Night School: The Government have cut back the money available for night classes on the grounds it is costing too much. And they point out that many of the courses are really hobby classes quoting for example Belly Dancing. The argument from the other side is that at least Belly Dancing is exercise and is healthy. I can see both sides as Christine used to teach Macrame.

It is a difficult balancing act, however, I think the problem lies in how much the tutors are being paid. I read that they were being paid about $19-00 per hour and when I mentioned this to a friend who teaches night classes, she laughed. I thought she was going to say that this was the usual scaremongering and that they were getting say $12 - $15 per hour.

No. She is getting nearly $40 per hour!!! What the hell is going on. If these teachers were so dedicated they would do it for the minimum wage.

Remember SeniorNet does it for free.

Also she said they pay into her Kiwisaver account. And there is even more - the Minister says some have redundancy agreements in place!

Again. What the hell is going on. What the Government should have said is we will pay say $13-00 per hour - if you are so concerned about passing on your knowledge you will carry on. Plus of course there are no real costs for premises, again, unlike SeniorNet.

Taito: Philip Field found Guilty of about 90% of the charges. No surprise, as is his stepdaughter abusing Asians outside the Court, but later saying she is not a racist. I wonder what the reaction would have been if a Pakeha had gone on like that.

Guilty but innocent: This stupid Not Guilty on the grounds of Insanity is insanity. Recently a bloke went to Australia and they complained that he had said he had never been convicted of a crime and they let him in. Although he had been in prison, he said, quite correctly, that he was found Not Guilty but Insane. The same applies if you are applying for a job - you can legally say you have never had a conviction. Madness.

Referendum

The smacking debate: This is due now and I have just voted. Nine million dollars down the drain. I as I have said before, I am generally against Referenda but this is a doozy. Apart from the money about 98% of Parliament voted for the current law. It was in the end a bi-partisan piece of legislation.

The question (a disaster if there ever was one) is - 'Should a smack as part of good parental correction be a criminal offence in N. Z.'

The theory you would think that if you vote Yes if you favour a smack; No if you don't. But the question is put the other way around.

I voted YES. The Herald poll shows over 80% will vote No.

I have concerns about the people behind the referendum. They seem to have a lot of money and I think have an almost American style evangelical background. However, the main point is the law that is now in place.

They say the new law is not clear, that parents are confused. But the law is clear.

"Every parent of a child, and every person in the place of a parent of a child, is justified in using force if the force used is reasonable in the circumstances and is for the purpose of:

a) preventing or minimising harm to the child or another person; or

b) preventing the child from engaging or continuing to engage in conduct that amounts to a criminal offence; or

c) preventing the child from engaging or continuing to engage in offensive or disruptive behaviour; or

d) performing the normal daily tasks that are incidental to good care and parenting."

Would the Police take action against a parent for a light smack to stop a child running across a road or putting a finger near a light socket? Of course not and that has been borne out by the facts since the law was passed, notwithstanding propaganda to the contrary.

Anyway as the Prime Minister has said, they will ignore the referendum whaich is what they should do.

Guns: As I type this the Aramoana shooting film 'Out of the blue' is on TV. About 30 recommendations came out of the Judge's enquiry. How many were enacted. None. The gun lobby is as strong here as the USA.

A mad week

Swimming: It seems unbelievable that businesses (sports) can make such stupid decisions. Rugby is bad enough having about 3-4 sets of rules in operation during 2009. But swimming has topped them all (at the moment). The world championships are on and dozens of world records are being broken due to the new type of suits being used. So they ban the suits - but not until next year and in the meantime the new records being set are to stand. The logic defeats me - again. Somebody does a wonderful time in say 5 years but still can't break the record made by another person who used a device that is now banned. Mad.

A body story: Another mad decision. A family steal a body (Maori) and the judge says they have to return it but doesn't order it to be returned saying they must have a conference to discuss it!! The people who stole the body say openly - they don't care. They will not return it so everybody is wasting their time.

More on the Courts - Clayton Weatherstone stabbed his girlfriend 218 times and tried to claim provocation and that it was manslaughter (an accident!!). Also it was self defence as she, he claimed, attacked him with a pair of scissors. At least the Jury didn't buy it.
Nai Yin Xue who abandoned his 3 year old in Sydney after killing his wife got 12 years. Should have been at least 18.

Knighthoods: About 90% of those allowed to take up the option of Sir/Dame have done so. Not a surprise. Good to see some like Peter Snell are now real Knights.

Quiz: Went to the Upper Hutt Quiz as it is held on a Tuesday and we can't go on the last Wednesday of each month. Very professional and efficiently run with some good ideas, plus the questions were a good mix. But we will probably not go back as it has too many downsides. No entry fee but also only a first prize (we came 2nd and got nothing); the winner gets a bar tab - not cash; it starts at 7 PM which it a bit early for us as Angela can't make it and the Bonus doesn't seem to Jackpot. Brian and Jeanette came this time so with Sarah's two students we had a big team of eight.

A true story: Joe and Sarah were at a cafe. The waitress asked what they wanted to order. Sarah ordered and Joe said 'I'll just have a think' as he studied the menu. She replied " I don't think we have a Think but I'll check'