Labels of Disgrace

 Scientist. Expert.

Labels that now rival Journalist, Politician, Department of Health Spokesman, Senior Policeman as always dishonest.

To me, when I see people described thus I automatically think "Government controlled bullshit artist, probably schoolteacher" and make no effort to read, listen to or consider their comments.

What a shame it has come to this, that people who should know what they are talking about have disgraced their profession to the extent they have, mainly for political gain.

I suspect it will take a very long time before people again treat boffins the way they did after WWII - as respected members of society.

Even more time, of course, before Journalists, pollies, civil servants and politically appointed pigs cease to be reviled.

Certainly I will die before it happens in my household.

Amazon AU v US

 I am a repeat customer of Amazon US.

I have found their service to be good, their prices and range of goods excellent (although why they want me to pay the price of another hat to package a crushable felt hat I can't figure) and the promptness of despatch to NZ great.

So I tried Amazon (Oz) when it started sending stuff to NZ.

I purchased a small electronic connector.

It took Amazon au nine days to put the small packet into an envelope and throw that envelope into the courier bag.

That's longer than it took Amazon US to get a pair of trousers to me a couple of months ago.

Given also the very limited range of goods offered:

I DO NOT recommend Amazon AU!

Why?

 Just after lunch today I washed my car.

By 2pm a bird had shit on it.

Why don't the feathered %$@*s fly north for the winter?

Olympic Thoughts

 While watching some of the Olympics yesterday I was struck by one thing: How bloody boring some sports are to watch.

Yachting, with half-a-hundred small boats acting like a 5 year old's football match, shooting with competitors having what seems like 3/4 of an hour between shots, judo and taekwando where scoring is a complete mystery, boxing where if a competitor hits his opponent the referee stops the fight until the hittee recovers and, the most boring of the lot, beach volleyball.

A blogger I read the other day was telling people off for looking at the bodies of beach volleyball competitors.

Why else would anyone watch the bloody thing?

As a spectator sport it almost makes rugby-league watchable. Only "almost".

For mine, not even the sight of scantily clad young women can overcome the boring nature of the "action".

One other point: How much better could the shooting be if competitors were made to fire five shots in 20 - 30 seconds, with genuine hunting rifles/pistols?

I'm too nice to suggest, better yet that they shoot at each other, last man standing get's the gold ;-)

Don't Arm the Police

 There is currently, in the slime at least, a debate about whether Police should automatically carry firearms rather than just have them available in their vehicles.

As noted elsewhere the Minister of Police came out and stated that because she's a grossly incompetent racist she's opposed to the idea.

So am I!

Not because I support the racist but because I have met and observed a significant number of front-line police over the last 25 years.

90% of those men and women I've wouldn't leave in charge of a rubber-band without supervision.

The overall impression I got from them was they were an ill-disciplined, badly trained and poorly led group of cowboys fit for virtually nothing.

The 10% were exclusively male, older with years of policing experience and, unfortunately, often talking of retiring from policing due to the poor leadership in the force.

From what I've observed further arming the Police would be a serious mistake.

Olympic Noise Pollution

 I watched a bit of the "2020" Olympics yesterday.

Some fighting, some marksmen and some roadcycling.

I admit watching bits of the cycling only in hopes of seeing a major crash that would leave the competitors broken, bleeding and permanently incapacitated.

No such luck I'm afraid.

I was, however, left with one impression over the lot: The commentators and comments people have no bloody idea that I can see what's happening.

For some reason they must rabbit on endlessly, often brainlessly.

Disclaimer

 NZ's Minister of Police has, this week, made a statement that she is a totally incompetent racist who represents only South-Jaffa Maori and Pacific Islanders.

She still has the job.

Note: While this disgusting thing is my local MP she DOES NOT REPRESENT ME!