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Over the last year or so, I’ve read a lot of books (or more accurately, listened to a lot of books on Audible) on the US political situation – some by partisan authors like Adam Schiff, the Democratic congressman who chairs the House Intelligence Committee and who led those who argued for the impeachment of Donald Trump over his attempt to blackmail Ukraine into helping him win…

We have kissed goodbye to 2021 and are we ready to roll on to a better and brighter 2022, events are still being hampered by Covid 19. The latest one as this was written is the annual Repco Beach Hop at Whangamata. The Whangamata Beach Hop Rock’n’Roll Festival Committee early December to discuss how Repco Beach Hop 22, scheduled for 23rd - 27th March 2022, can operate under the…

The Napier Earthquake – Feb 3, 1931 On the morning of 3 February 1931, the air in Napier ‘had grown still and oppressive’ and the sea was ‘so calm and still’ and a ‘most peculiar colour’, (Wright, 2001). At about 10:47am an earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale struck central Napier and Hastings causing widespread damage and resulting in the deaths of 256. For two and a…

December was a solid close to a strong year for the New Zealand property market. House prices were considerably higher than December 2020, demand and sales activity remained firm, and there was a welcome increase in new listings through November and into December. Median prices for residential property across New Zealand increased annually by 21.5%, from $745,000 in December…

Hasn’t the summer been glorious and weather amazing! We do hope you have had the opportunity to enjoy this time with family and friends. NEW BUSINESSES TO PAPAKURA Wow we have had seven businesses open up in town and we welcome Ahua Beauty Loft on the corner of Broadway and O Shannessey Street Buy your own Car in Averill Street Remax Rural Urban on the Corner of Beach and…

It’s hot! And most people are out and about enjoying all the things that Summer has to offer with little thought to the winter months. But Carlos Ter Huurne, owner of Ignition Firewood, a Drury-based firewood supplier is always thinking ahead and knows that if you buy your wood now you will benefit from it in a number of ways once Winter descends. “Summer is the best time to buy…

The earliest recorded New Year’s celebration according to many sources is thought to be in Mesopotamia, a historical region of Western Asia around 2000 B.C. The celebrations actually occurred during the vernal equinox in mid-March — as this was considered the start of the new year by the calendar at the time. It was an elaborate eleven-day festival that would probably put our…

Last October, Free to Be Church, a group of NZ Church leaders, announced that they would be challenging the NZ government in the courts regarding religious freedom and COVID restrictions. With the implementation of the traffic light regime, things have become worse and the need to address this matter more pressing. “The government has not made the process easy so far,” says…

###Today Jacinda Ardern had her booster shot and warned us all to do the same. If I was charitable I might say that she must be unaware of figures from overseas including Denmark, the UK, Israel, and USA which call the effectiveness of the booster into question. Even the CEO of Pfizer admitted to the media this week that his shot was all but ineffective. More than this, is she…

The REINZ House Price Index fell 1% in December breaking a record 20 consecutive months of house price gains. The REINZ House Price Index fell 1% in December breaking a record 20 consecutive months of house price gains. Annual house price growth reached 23.3% at the end of 2021 from a recent record high of just over 30% in August. House price growth is forecast to fall fast in…

D-Day for vaccinating 5-11 year olds is upon us. If as a parent (or a politician) you do a google search “Is Covid vaccination of 5-11 year olds safe?” you turn up a host of articles not only assuring you that it is safe and effective, but also urging you that it is necessary. First among these are the official NZ government information web pages. If you have doubts and persist…

Today I reviewed my 2021 diary and correspondence and had an aha moment. Up until September most of my exchanges and the press articles I read involved discussion and interpretation of the relative merits of published scientific papers. After that the official dialogue reported in the media subtly changed and started to assert that ‘science’ was on the side of vaccination without…

A lot has been made this year of teamwork, and New Zealanders as a general rule are very big followers of teams. When it comes to choosing someone to present and sell your home in this current market, it makes sense then to choose a real team who understand each other and compliment each other’s strengths to make sure you get results that exceed your expectations. Ryan and…

Nestled in the countryside of Waiuku near Kariotahi beach is a hidden treasure if you are looking for a perfect wedding or party venue that will provide you with a celebration that exceeds your expectations, without the huge costs. Dellrian Gardens, is a botanical oasis set amongst 17 acres of outstanding gardens and farmlands that can see you meandering down pathways, along the…

From beautiful wedding areas, private functions, birthdays, business meetings, gatherings with friends, coffee groups, celebrations of life and any special occasion, there is always a reason to celebrate at Red Shed. The wide range of stylish, delicious food is cooked fresh on site and can be enjoyed both takeaway or dine-in in our relaxed rural setting. Open from 8.30am through…

In the lead-up to the 2020 general election, the Prime Minister announced Labour will bring the target of 100% renewable electricity generation forward five years to 2030. Renewable electricity You’ve probably heard the terms renewable electricity and green electricity used a lot lately. While there are subtle differences, both terms refer to the fuel source used to produce…

Ensom Funeral Services recognises that each family’s needs are different and, with that in mind, they take the time to prepare a unique and fitting tribute and farewell. It is the emphasis on providing personal advice and assistance to grieving families that sets Ensom Funeral Services apart. The friendly and professional team at Ensom Funeral Services has been part of the…

As this is written, we are “enjoying” the continuing uncertainty of Covid but now with the all-new government imposed traffic light system. Anyway, it’s been sad but totally understandable to see various events coming up either postponed or canceled. I would dread being an event promoter right now playing the guessing game of what level we could be at as to whether or not an…

There are lots of ways of measuring how New Zealand is doing, and none of them is perfect. We stack up very well on measures like life expectancy, unemployment, infant mortality, and car ownership. Not so well on the quality of our education system – an area where we have been going backwards in recent years, at least in comparison to other developed countries and many of the…

NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover used its black-and-white navigation cameras to capture panoramas of this scene at two times of day. Blue, orange, and green color was added to a combination of both panoramas for an artistic interpretation of the scene. On Nov. 16, 2021 (the 3,299th Martian day, or sol, of the mission), engineers commanded Curiosity to take two sets of mosaics, or…