To wear or not wear a mask
Date: April 12th, 2020
August 14th update
Auckland locked down with level 3. The rest of the country level 2. Mask use in Auckland. The rest – take your pick. Minister of Health Hipkins states that masks are worthwhile. The Ministry of Illness (MoH) remain silent.
On the 12th I am sitting in a Wellington McDonalds eating some lunch. At 12 noon I am ordered out. Whilst chewing my chicken nugget I fit my mask and tell them to bugger off. Three hours later I am flying to Blenheim with 75% mask-less gamblers. How many flew from Auckland in the morning?
May 13th update
I visit my GP for minor face surgery. I do not wear my mask because it covered the area of immediate interest. At the door I am met by the practice nurse – “fit this mask”. I feel faint! Masks are available – so they have become fashionable.
Meanwhile our Ministry of Illness (MoH) have the official stance that “There is no scientific proof that masks work”. Liars! However on May the 13th I notice many other fools such as myself – wearing masks in the street.
May 5th update
My original 2nd April post. A very wise United States coronavirus watcher (Mish) recently stated “Do not listen to what they say – watch what they do”
On Tuesday 2nd April 2020 the New Zealand Ministry of Health coronavirus website stated this pathetic (Scroll down to General Population) statement. Based totally on the MoH fear of a toilet-paper-buying-stampede – for non-existent – MASKS. Did I hear someone saying “Let them eat Cake”? Or worse “Let them get infected”?
General population
For most people in the community, PPE such as face masks are not recommended. However, for people with symptoms of an acute respiratory infection, the World Health Organization recommends that there may be benefit in wearing a face mask to reduce the spread of infection to other people.
The statement above makes clear reference to guidance from the World Health Organisation (WHO). The reader needs to now click the photo below – to consider – the everymans value of WHO.
My recent face mask experience
On the 19th March I travelled to Nelson for an appointment with my GP. The purpose of the appointment was to evaluate the need for future surgery. I wore a mask. All day of that day in Nelson I noted two other mask wearers. Just the three of us – treating 55000 other Nelsonians as asymptomatic coronavirus spreaders.
At my GP reception the two practice staff were unimpressed with my action. Clearly they were influenced by the scientific MoH guidelines still in force to this day. Not wishing to debate such ‘science’ I withdrew by saying “What will the scene look like in another week?” Eight days later Lynda and I ‘self-isolated’ ourselves from a family wedding. Two days later the whole nation was in lockdown. Our largest NZ cluster is from a Bluff wedding the same day as our wedding,>>>>>>>>>>Then >>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Lockdown
Headlines on April 4th. ‘Wind-West’ ‘Modern Piracy’: Germany Joins France & Canada In Accusing Trump Of Stealing Masks,
Suddenly wearing masks in the US is OK. Because masks exist!
Then on 9th April – Private Enterprise to the PPE rescue. Tyndall, Morgan, Fyfe and friends purchase 7 plane loads of protective equipment. Heros! MoH like stunned mullets!
Click above link. Suddenly wearing masks in NZ is OK. Because masks exist!
Do not listen to what WHO and their fan-boy Bloomfield say – watch what they do.
Meanwhile 98% of New Zealanders will continue to turn to TV1 and listen to Dr Bloomfield Blockhead (WHO fan-boy) each day – to be fed the very latest non-science version of the World Hombre Organisation C.C.P. bullshit.
Tedros’s candidacy for WHO director general was opposed vigorously by several Ethiopian parties, due to his career in the violent Communist Tigray People’s Liberation Front. The TPLF provided millions of dollars in financial support for Tedros’s candidacy in WHO. (Wikipedia)
President Trump Halts US Funding Of World Health Organization
Sir David Skeggs, a renowned professor of epidemiology told Parliament’s Epidemic Response Committee he believed the number of people who had the virus in New Zealand far exceeded the recorded cases, and officials had “no idea” of the extent of community transmission.
But Dr Bloomfield disputed that.
“We know where our cases of community spread are, we know we have these clusters, which are being investigated to see what the source of infection is. So we have some idea. The more testing we do, the more we will get a picture of community transmission.”
Thank you Sir David. Your assertion follows solid overseas science.
Asymptomatic transmission – not mentioned by MoH
Aerosol transmission – not even mentioned by MoH
I fear that the Government (huge thanks to Jacinda – our greatest states-person ever) four week lockdown is being compromised – for the very reasons Sir David Skeggs has mentioned.
Actually – totally THEY did his job!
Below is the full timeline of upcoming key coronavirus milestones from (of all people) Morgan Stanley:
The Morgan Stanley full note is below:
Welcome to your first and only chance to have a Morgan Stanley biotech analyst tell you what he thinks about the market. Over the past week it has been striking to see how investors have reacted to the first signs that new COVID-19 cases in New York are starting to stabilize. While we understand the desire for optimism, we also caution that the US outbreak is far from over. Recovering from this acute period in the outbreak is just the beginning and not the end. We believe the path to re-opening the economy is going to be long. It will require turning on and off various forms of social distancing and will only come to an end when vaccines are available, in the spring of 2021 at the earliest.
With Italy finally turning the corner in its outbreak as the growth in new daily cases has started to decline, the market has turned its attention to the US. We recently completed a state-level model for the US which suggests it is likely to face a multiphasic peak. In particular, we expect the coastal regions, led by New York, to peak – defined as a sustained decline in new daily cases – over the next 3-5 days. However, we expect the rest of the country to follow slowly, trailing the coasts by around three weeks. While this “second” peak is unlikely to be as severe as the first (~10,000-15,000 daily new cases versus 30,000-35,000 in the first peak), it means the US outbreak will have a very long tail. This much longer tail would put the US time to peak at ~4x China and 2x Italy, driven by the slow uptake of social distancing measures and lack of robust testing (New York, with the highest testing ratio in the US, is still testing at a per capita rate just half that of South Korea’s most impacted city Daegu). This would put an initial US reopening on track for mid-to-late May at the earliest.
Investors should realize that this won’t be a “normal” re-opening. In COVID-19: A Prescription to Get the US Back to Work, we argue that only after we see (1) adequate surge capacity in hospitals, (2) broad public health infrastructure to support testing for disease surveillance, (3) robust contact tracing to curtail “hot spots” and (4) widespread availability of serology testing (blood tests to see who is already immune to the virus) can the US confidently return to work. We see this happening in waves starting in mid-summer. Unfortunately, we think there will still be a large number of workers not able to go back to work until a vaccine is abundantly available as social distancing cannot be fully relaxed until we have herd immunity (~60% of people vaccinated). Furthermore, large venues such as sports stadiums, concert halls and theme parks are also likely to remain shut or have attendance capped at 10-25% of prior levels. This view on the delayed peak and slow return to work has led our US economists to revise their US forecast to a return to pre-COVID-19 levels not until 4Q21.
Despite the significant concerns we raise about the path to a US recovery, we continue to believe the market is underestimating the impact the drug pipeline can have on the public policy response to the virus. We should stress that investors cannot afford to lose sight of the fact that only a vaccine will provide a true solution to this pandemic. We also believe that governments should invest in large-scale vaccine manufacturing prior to successful results for all viable candidates despite some not making it to market. Only by building production capacity now can governments provide the billions of vaccine doses we need to meet demand for the 2021 season. That said, in the interim there are promising antivirals and antibody therapies in the pipeline with data starting in April and continuing through the late summer. We believe that at least some of these drugs can be successful and help to turn severe cases into milder forms of the disease. Such an outcome could reduce the potential strain on hospitals and allow public health officials to support a broader re-opening of the economy before a vaccine is available. Thus, with therapeutics available in the near term and a vaccine on the horizon, the market could start to “look through” the slow US recovery and back to pricing in future US growth.
The wearing of face masks will become manditory – when they become freely available.
Hey – there is no way that we want another ‘toilet-paper’ panic!
A June 2021 observation
The masks that i see being worn are ‘hook-behind-the-ears’ medical masks. These do not seal to the face. As such the wearer protects others-close-by from their aerosol emissions. These masks do not – and can not protect the mask wearer from the disease.
The minimum for wearer disease production is an N95 mask that has bands around the head – and seals solidly to face contours. Meaning all inhaled air is filtered.
How is this for stupidity?
I recently visited Christchurch hospital for 39 days. The shuttle would not allow me on board unless i was wearing a (useless) behind the ears ‘mask’. Once inside the hospital all masks were removed. Not a mask to be seen.
I had no idea minibus travel was so dangerous!
Posted in: News, Uncategorized
Kayak Design and Construction
Date: June 18th, 2019
“I do not think that the evo’s will ever be beaten in design and performance. They were so far ahead of their time it wasn’t funny and still nothing tops them.
Also the build layup that you use is the best and I certainly hope the new manufacturers don’t change that in ant way at all.
I wanted to get one over here but the last time I inquired to get one shipped over I was quoted in excess of $1000 !!!
I have received an email from Rikki which was great thanks and would love to help them getting some multi sport boats into Aussy. they certainly don’t know how to build let alone design descent boats over here.
What are your thoughts regarding the speed of the edge vs omega on a braided river like Waimak ??? would be keen to know.
You are a very clever and creative man Grahame, I am in ore of the things that you have designed and made in your time. I hope that you continue to potter with your wonderful skills.” – Unsolicited email from multiple Sisson Kayaks customer since 1987.
Kayak Design
The answer is pure PHYSICS.
DESIGN PHYSICS as well as CONSTRUCTION PHYSICS
The FIRST PRINCIPLES of design, construction and layup physics can be learned from Machinery’s Handbook. See below.
A kayak has a ‘motor’ output measured in Watts. Small output. A kayak has air drag, water friction drag and wave-making drag.
Water friction drag is in DIRECT PROPORTION to the wetted area of the hull. Low Wattage (beginner) paddlers seldom overcome this drag. It is all explained in detail in the above book.
Wave making drag is in DIRECT PROPORTION to the ability of the ‘motor’ to operate at a higher Wattage. Trained athletes can overcome the water friction drag – only to then hit-the-barrier of the wave-making drag. It is all explained in detail by Naval Architects.
Despite the antics and snake-oil-salesman promises (“The Advantage is 10% faster than the Evolution”***) of too many manufacturers and retailers – the above physics laws remain absolutely unchanged. (***Factually true – provided the Advantage was paddled by Andrew and the Evolution was paddled by me!)
Recently I was invited to view a ‘new’ top-model kayak aimed at entry level / mid-range paddlers. The hull design had huge wetted area (high drag). The rudder lines leaked (more drag). The ‘Hi-Tech’ layup had failed due to compressive loading. Ahhhh?????? Maybe resin undercure? Landfill. Extreme case of the Dunning Kruger Effect.
Kayak Construction
Layup
Unidirectional glass fibres form the ‘keel’ of every Sisson Kayak since about 1983. There are 23,000 fibres down the keel-line with 46,000 fibres at the high impact ends. The kayak above was constructed to withstand ice contact of the above form. These Nordkapps have 46,000 fibres down the keel line and 92,000 fibres at the hull ends.
When the 1990 Xerox Challenge (length of NZ multisport race) arrived in Picton I set up a small workshop to maintain my customers kayaks. Not much work required. A non-customer arrived with a vee hulled surf ski, the layup of which had been specified by an intellectual midget.
Thin and light Kevlar of uniform thickness. Kevlar – being extremely weak in compressive loads – had folded along the keel like a toy paper tube. I did my best to effect a repair – but really – by the time the Xerox Challenge reached Bluff – this ski was land-fill. Extreme case of the Dunning Kruger Effect.
The exotic reinforcements such as Kevlar and carbon fibre are assumed – by too many – to make “Stronger kayaks”. The exotics have higher tensile strength. However kayak impacts and loadings also demand high compressive strength. Certain types of “Old fashioned” fibreglass – if properly applied – have huge compressive strength. Sisson Kayaks used a carefully chosen mix of old and new reinforcements – resulting in tough kayaks that have for so many years performed and endured.
Certainly carbon and Kevlar can exhibit huge compressive strength. But only when used with extremely high grade epoxy resin – within an autoclave. Anyone for a $50,000 kayak? Do you recall the spectacular 1980’s carbon fibre yacht mast failures? It took many years to develop the correct resins and construct the specialised autoclaves.
Resin choices
Apart from one Vinyl ester kayak (which made me ill) – every Sisson Kayak has been made of high grade polyester resin. Polyester resin smells but the workers live to old age. The same cannot be said for epoxy resins. I have constructed carbon fibre bike frames using a very specialised epoxy. I had perfect working conditions to separate my body away from the resin. Such safety is not possible making kayaks – where the join is made – with the head inside the kayak. More extreme (but sad) Dunning Kruger Effect.
Tradesman Techniques
Fully listed in my next post – readable only to those who have the password. Such as the owners of Nautique Kayaks! To enjoy the benefits of kayaks that perform and endure – built by tradesmen – place you name on the Nautique Kayaks pre-order list – Email Rikki (rikki@nautiquekayaks.co.nz) NOW
work in progress
Posted in: News, Uncategorized
This one is for you Frank
Date: May 28th, 2019
I have just re-read the book ‘Share my Joys’ – The Frank Alack Story.
Frank Alack with Marjorie Edgar Jones (left) in 1934. In 1952 my parents purchased Arthurs Pass ‘Rockery’ cottage off Marjorie. I met her.
It’s a mountain story. Linked to 1930’s alpine guiding. I consider myself fortunate to have known Frank Alack and his associated alpine guide Alf Brusted. Get the book from the library and read it.
In the final paragraph of his 1974 book, Frank forecast the total degradation that is contained in this compulsory-by-law Government report. Franks attempt to make a living off his Hawarden “lizard farm” ended in disaster – and a return to alpine guiding. In later life Frank had firm notions about the Global Financial Ponzi scheme. As with everything else Frank believed – he was correct.
In the 1950’s this is how I recall the Southern Alps in the upper Waimak catchment.
As I recall the the 1950’s summer glaciers in the upper Waimakariri – From Bealey
Permanent glacial ice. Gone. The Waimak is a rain-drain these days.
Alf Brusted on top of Mt Cook.
In 1960 Alf was a successful Waiau farmer. I helped to service his bulldozer and truck. Alf attended a ‘working party’ at Amuri Ski field about 1959. Due to some spirits – the bulldozer was never quite attached to the truck. Arriving at Hanmer – it was gone. It had slid onto a bank the same height as the truck deck. Motor still idling (hard to start). Classic – back up to bank – drive on – secure – celebrate with more spirits!
Posted in: News, Uncategorized
New Zealand’s Darkest Day
Date: March 17th, 2019
Just like the FBI Officer who connected-the-dots and foresaw 9/11…….
“Complaint dismissed”.
A terrorism security expert and former SAS soldier Chris Kumeroa says the public can’t just rely on security organisations to keep them safe from terror attacks. He’s warning New Zealanders that we need to be more aware of potential threats.
Everyone has a role to play using what he calls ‘situational awareness’.
“It’s people having an understanding of what’s not quite right,” he says. “Developing that sixth sense, that something doesn’t feel right with this picture.
You had that “Situational Awareness Sixth-Sense” Pete……..At least you tried……
Posted in: News, Uncategorized
What can be done to prevent fatal police chases?
Date: January 18th, 2019
18th January 2019.
No mention in the above article that at least one of the boys had a repetitive hobby of stealing cars.
Question. Do car converting 11 to 16 year old thugs steal cars so that they can trot around town at 50kph?
Age 11 – why do I mention age eleven? Well then – read this 18th January 2019 story –https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/110005859/teens-fail-in-aggravated-robbery-attempts-at-dairy-petrol-station-customer-in-patea-south-taranaki
Of course the eleven year old getaway driver – in the stolen car – fully intended to obey all driving rules – according ONLY to Stuff Nation.
So much ‘hand-wringing’. The (subsequent) Police chase is not the cause for the fleeing ‘driver’ getting killed. It is caused by the act of stealing other peoples cars.
Car stealing should be treated as a very serious crime – because it kills.
15th January 2019 – The faces of fatal police chases: Teens make up half of crash victims
I searched this sad story for the word ‘stolen’. Seventeen (17) hits. Many of the Police chases started AFTER the officer noted that the car was greatly exceeding 50kph.
Clearly car stealing is very very dangerous – because by my quick count seventeen stolen cars killed at least 20 people in the past three years.
It seems to go like this.
- Steal a car
- Experimental driving skills due to zero driver training (no licence)
- The excitement of the joy-ride through the urban jungle at elevated speed. Egged on by passengers
- Oh dear – no one ever told us to check the tyre pressures – and elevate them – before running at high speed
- The Police attempt to curtail the urban jungle joy-ride
- The adrenaline rush cuts in and red lights are run at even higher speeds. Passengers terrified.
- Oh dear – the stolen car owner had not checked the tyre pressures for five months.
- Three under-inflated tyres getting overheated – causing huge directional instability
- The stolen car leaves the road simply because the stolen car owner failed to maintain the stolen car tyres to elevated-speed WOF standard.
- Smash.
- All quiet.
I would encourage STUFF to do some hand-wringing research with regard to holding the stolen car owner responsible for the manslaughter deaths of these innocents. (sarcasm intended)
Please kids – stop stealing cars – its deadly. Proven!
OK – I did not convince you about the deadliness. Please therefore read this
High stolen car speed equals tyre failure if the following is not acted on.
- Tyre pressures must be increased. Visit a service station.
- Vehicle load must be reduced. Leave your mates at the service station.
End
20th January 2019
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12193285
Three teenagers have been arrested after leading police on a short pursuit around Hamilton.
Police managed to safely stop the vehicle, stolen earlier in the night, after laying road spikes in Hamilton East four minutes after first being spotted.
The Gallery of fact. Stolen cars kill.
Young drivers unskilled at car maintenance
Posted in: News
Apple Fan-Boy?
Date: January 6th, 2019
Fan-Boy – No more!
My very first Apple purchase was a 15 gig IPod. Solid. Still works. Still gets used. The Firewire port on my PC cost me heaps – and then Apple abandoned Firewire. The 15 gig Firewire IPod charger is now treated like gold!
About the time we moved to Methven (2004) we had a bunch of PC’s and a couple of laptops. For various reasons they stopped working. Armed with chequebook we headed to Christchurch and returned with two amazing Motorola chip MacBooks. I even sent Apple an email thanking them – their product WORKED!
Around the time Apple changed to Intel chips we upgraded our MacBooks – and stored the old ones safely (thankfully – still used for special tasks).
The Fan-Boy acceptance of Apple things-that-worked resulted in us spending thousands on a huge desk top, Qello subscriptions, IPad2, IPad Mini, Apple TV and a bunch of IPhones.
Then the Apple Arrogant Greed took over.
This now invades my MacBook screen
My MacBook has a virus – sent repeatedly by the manufacturer
I simply have no need for iCloud.
Both of our iPads are landfill since their last Apple ‘update’. Any attempt to read web pages results in – BLANK
A PROBLEM OCCURRED WITH THIS WEBPAGE SO IT HAS RELOADED
Repeatedly.
My IPhone SE became impossible to love – about the same time I let my Qello subscription lapse – by allowing my iTunes credit card details to expire,
My IPhone 4 and IPhone SE are now used as iPods.
For just $NZ245 I have a wonderful Nokia TA 1074 – which works! Every bit as well as the IPhone SE latest IPod. After a recharge the battery lasts 100% longer than ANY factory-de-tuned Apple smartphone
I will NEVER purchase another Apple product. Junk – Ruined by the greed of the marketer. Marketed by a greedy manipulative loser.
Oh – I forgot to mention my Apple TV. All started well with smooth hiring of movies. Then they decided that we should buy the movies. Then they changed back to hire. Which sends you in circles – and no movies, And the Apple TV gets thrown like a frisbee into the landfill. Junk.
Message to Tim Cook.
You are a marketing idiotic moron. By purchasing Apple products we are not hiring them from Apple. You have no right to remotely detune these purchased products. Your motive seems to be that we will ‘upgrade’ to a later model Apple product.
Ohhhhhh – For the 780345th time Tim – I have no need for this.
Posted in: News
Protected: The Art of Fibreglassing – as practiced by Sisson Kayaks
Date: October 27th, 2018
Posted in: News
Simon Bridges needs to call the hazmat team and order a full scale clean-out
Date: October 24th, 2018
This problem started with Muldoon
In order to sell a property that we have owned since 1972 – we have to visit a Justice of the Peace – in order to comply with this –
NOTICE TO CLIENTS
Commencing 1 July 2018, all lawyers are required to comply with the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act 2009 (AML/CFT). Under this legislation we may need to gather more information from you before providing services. This may include asking for photo identification and proof of address.
Meanwhile huge political party donations – which are maybe, possibly, perhaps, conceivably, for all one knows – intended to end our ‘representation’ in the House of Representatives. Such huge donations do not appear to be included in the above Anti-Money Laundering Act 2009. Why? I am speechless.
But then – when considering this article – (totally mute now) Heading back out to the sanity-in-the-shed.
Posted in: News
Space Ship Earth – It’s all that we have.
Date: October 3rd, 2018
Anyone with half-a-brain would look after it
Ah well – NASA’s marvellous Kepler satellite (Click here) has done its best to find us a new home. Maybe NASA’s new ungraded TESS satellite (click here) will find us a new home.
Two problems
- The “Habital-Zone planets so far discovered are millions-of-human-life-spans distant.
- Bad news for Mars-bound astronauts – cosmic rays damage your GI tract (Click here)
- The universe is expanding and will soon (billions of years) become drake (Click here)
Clearly each and every one of us should daily reflect on our – LUCK. Just to exist.
It looks as though we are between-a-rock-and-a-hard-place!
It seems to me that planet earth is a fluke. We are a fluke. We should all contemplate and embrace that ‘fact’.
Why do we still carry on like Stone-Age cavemen? Wasters!
Read what Gail Tyerberg has to say
My belief is – we are alone. Spaceship Earth – WOW!
There is no hope
Posted in: News
“Control of my time is the greatest privilege I have now.”
Date: September 22nd, 2018
“For many years I didn’t. In business you get on a treadmill and you’re not always in control as much as you think you are,” Craig Heatley.
I admire the fact that Craig Heatley created real businesses on his way to creating his wealth. The key (not a pun) points in the whole Stuff article are already cut-and-pasted above.
(What garbage in the rest – $350 million would not even buy his private jet)
The Sisson Kayaks treadmill prior to the 1996 fire was a life-consuming vortex. Many months after the fire I paid off the staff and closed the business. My Japanese customer Matsumura encouraged me to re-open as a ‘hobby’ “Just to make our container load”. Zero time pressure from the nice people at Kleenex Japan Inc.
The ‘new’ man enjoying the process of making nice stuff – without time-pressure
About the time the above Press photo was taken I had ordered a very expensive website. Those who clicked on “About” were faced with
“For the past twenty years the customer came first. No more. From now on I come first, my family tucked right behind me, and you the customer are third”. “Those seeking to change this arrangement will simply have their orders cancelled”. “I assure my customers I will not treat you badly – but I will once again enjoy my work – and have a life”.
The LCL export orders flowed in from all over the globe. Mainly the West Coast of North America and Scandinavia. Absolutely lovely customers. An average year saw 85% of my production exported. Pushy Auckland ‘customers’ were encouraged to get a Hamilton address! All others respected my new life.
One morning I downloaded the emails and I noted that the President of the Twin Disc Corporation in the USA (they manufacture marine gearboxes) had ordered an Evolution Edge. That afternoon I received a phone call that went something like this
“Did you receive my kayak order?” “Yes”. “I do not kayak at all – but I have decided that I need a bit of your attitude hanging on my garage wall – to daily remind me what is most important”.
WOW Michael! One of the business high points – that will always be remembered.
Posted in: News
Water 4 Gas
Date: September 17th, 2018
Water4Gas (Browns Gas) works. I have used it for 10.5 years (Smiling)
In March 2008 as diesel fuel hit it high of $1.60 per litre I discovered the Water4Gas website. I printed the two free e-books (just re-reading them now) and built 12 electrolyses as per the plans. Most people I mention this to accuse me of being conned.
FAIL. A hose stuffed into the air cleaner will result in zero Browns Gas within the combustion chamber. Hydrogen is an amazing escape artist. This setup into the air cleaner is a fail. The Browns Gas escapes before it can arrive in the combustion chamber. Therefore all of the gas produced cannot work. This is the typical setup used by those who say “It does not work”. Due to their own stupidity – they are 100% correct!
- Fitted to my underpowered 12HP Polaris mower I discovered that it NEVER again stalled. Huge pulling power.
- Fitted to four small tractors the fuel consumption drop was noticeable.
- Fitted to a turbo 2.5 litre diesel Mitsubishi van the average miles-per-gallon moved from 20 to 30.
- Fitted to a 2006 Kia Sorento little difference was noticeable (very efficient from the factory) – but if a two ton trailer is hooked behind – the two ton travels almost for free.
Put simply – Water4Gas manufactured Browns Gas makes sure that ALL of the fuel in your tank – is 100% burned cleanly and totally. It all has to do with ‘flame-fronts’. Diesel flame-front is about 200 metres per second. Browns Gas flame-front is 32 kilometres per second. Immediately after ignition ALL of the combustion chamber is engulfed in Browns Gas flame – which then ignites ALL of the petrol or diesel that usually lurks unburned in combustion chamber corners.
All for free after an outlay of $50 – some rainwater and a teaspoon full of baking soda.
Gas – gas and more gas. All from a 7 amp current draw.
Diesel is now $1.70 per litre and going up weekly. I am reading the e-books at last. There are further improvements to be had.
Newsflash – Water found on Mars.
Both NASA and SpaceX are so pleased. Water found. And water is ALL they need. They are already planning rocket refuelling bases on the Moon and on Mars. All they need is water and sunshine (solar power).
Attention – Water discovered on the Moon.
NASA and SpaceX will make rocket fuel from water. Moon will have a rocket ship refuel pump. Mars will have a rocket ship refuel pump. Need I say more?
Wake up. Those who disbelieve – wake up. You have been conned!
http://water4gas.com/about-us/
Posted in: News, Uncategorized
Time to contemplate the middle class future
Date: August 6th, 2018
Read this
Read it again. Contemplate the TV documentary on the booming Indian slums.
Now read this
Lunacy
When I started school I was taught that ‘one-and-one equals two’.
Those who wrongly administer the Resource Management Act are setting out to prove that ‘one-and-one equals 987,021.
As the middle class involuntarily head to the slums some Resource Consent Officers heads will surely roll.
Posted in: News
Free Available Chlorine (FAC) – Biofilm literally laughs at it – Chlorine Dioxide deals to it. Welcome to 21st century Drinking Water Disinfection
Date: May 27th, 2018
About the author. Authors note: You may also like to read my permanent Drinkable Water page. This webpage is intended to empower the reader with 21st century Drinking Water Disinfection SCIENTIFIC knowledge. This page has been prepared with the assistance of some amazing water disinfection mentors. Undiscovered leaders in their respective NZ fields. The initial intention was just to highlight the operational juggling act – that is FAC. Then – as I attracted more mentors the scope became wider to include the huge developing science of biofilm. Subsequently becoming much wider – following the science relating to biofilm control. Which ended full circle – with the absolutely-marvellous set-and-forget disinfectant that has protected the Sisson family house-hold-drinking-water for the past three years – chlorine dioxide. The disinfectant shamefully ignored by the MoH and their minions – plus Water NZ. Welcome to about two weeks worth of reading – that we have prepared – to empower-the-public.
February 8th 2019 update. The newly discovered science shows what we are up against. https://newatlas.com/bacteria-self-sacrifice-antibiotics/58348/
Proven – bacteria take secure refuge within their own city biofilm! The majority unharmed by chlorination or antibiotics.
July 2018
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1/ The MoH and the NON-PROFIT Water NZ’ belief that biofilm is ‘slime’. (mid 20th century mindset)
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2/ The reluctance of the MoH to accept that genuine chlorine dioxide can be purchased on TradeMe, (Mid 20th Century mindset)
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3/ The needless misery experienced in numerous NZ towns – as appalling ignorance to 21st century advances – are ignored. (mid 20th century mindset)
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4/ I believe that FAC is – correctly used at low rates – to protect CLEAN reticulation systems from reinfection – is absolutely marvellous. FAC – incorrectly used – in light of 21st century scientific organic-matter carcinogenic reports – is a health hazard. Depending always – on the level of training of the operator. As mentioned below – FAC and chlorine dioxide – dosed in parallel – create a disinfectant ‘weapon’ – greater than the sum of the parts.
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5/ The Ministry of Health still deal with Legionella outbreaks using chlorine. (late 20th century disastrous mindset)
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6/ The Ministry of Health are unable to supply safe drinking water within a hospital owned by the Ministry of Health. (2017 asleep-at-the-wheel)
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7/ The key player in the developing 21st century science of Biofilm study is Montana State University. Followed by the US EPA.
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8/ Sisson Kayaks is also a NON PROFIT organisation. The company was delisted in 2010. The SK website exists mainly to supply kayak spare parts from the huge privately-owned residual stocks.
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9/ The writer has the receipts to show that all Dutrion and Alphasan disinfectant, testing equipment, dose pump were all paid for at list price. No free tickets to sporting events or concerts. No free ski trips to Cardrona for Mergatroid and Charlotte. I must surely be a failed negotiator – nothing – zilch. I do this for better ‘outcomes’ (the Gangster’s TV interview word) for others.
10/ We had the HNDW Inquiry – which confirmed ‘systemic disfunction’ including all of the above bulleted items. We – the NZ public need to guard against ‘The re-arrangement of the deck chairs on the Titanic’. As the ‘NON-PROFOT Water NZ are now doing. Water NZ never state the science. They ‘wheel-out-‘experts’ in deck-chair re-arrangement. My mentors and I encourage the reader – to read all of the science contained in the links on this page. I have NEVER experienced something this bad – ever before.
11/ New Zealanders deserve a ‘Ministry for Drinking Water’. Headed up by a successful businessman – who has NEVER settled for less – than saving lives.
12/ “There are two great 20th Century inventions that have promoted longer human lifespans – antibiotics and chlorination of drinking water” (Nick Hewer Hewitt)
13/ “Chlorine dioxide will become as important to the world
in the next 20 years in the same way that
chlorine was important for the last 100 years.” (Dutrion chemist)
14/ “Other options (to chlorine) include using UV and ozone as alternative treatments, though they are expensive”. (Helen Beaumont, head of the Christchurch City Council’s water supply improvement programme and its top strategist) totally ignoring the 21st century global availability of chlorine dioxide)
“An Orchestrated Litany of Omission?”
15/ “Let’s ignore the wonderful affordable 21st century chlorine dioxide – the big-business cashflow destroyer.” (Resulting in cheaper safer reliable disinfected water for the drinker – but then – who is really worried about the drinker?) (I am – Grahame Sisson)
“An Orchestrated Litany of Omission?”
16/ “The fact that recognition of the importance of the biofilm phenomenon is so recent continues to have ramifications on education, health, and industry. Biofilm topics are still rarely covered in key university curricula, such as microbiology, biology, environmental science, health, medicine, and dentistry.” (Montana State University)
17/a “This study shows that the reaction rate of chlorine with cellular biomass is fast enough that diffusion of this disinfectant into the biofilm readily becomes rate limiting. This reaction−diffusion interaction affords an excellent explanation for the poor efficacy of chlorine when used against biofilm microorganisms.” (Montana State University)
17/b C.T Value (CONCENTRATION of disinfectant – to – microbe exposure TIME). C.T Values are an important part of calculating disinfectant dosage for the chlorination of drinking water. A C.T value is the product of the concentration of a disinfectant (e.g. free chlorine) and the contact time with the water being disinfected. … The goal of disinfection is the inactivation of microorganisms … (Wikipedia) Christchurch is bore-to-reticulation, Short time requires a CONCENTRATED disinfectant dose. Christchurch lacks water storage that would increase the TIME value – and reduce the disinfectant CONCENTRATION.
18/ The full catastrophe relating to MoH selection of Water Disinfectants can best be highlighted by the study of recent 21st century papers pertaining to the control of Legionella.
19/ “Other oxidising biocides have the potential for use in cooling tower systems but have been used to a very limited extent. One example is chlorine dioxide. The technical difficulties associated with its production and control on-site are factors which restrict its use.” 2012! The Prevention of Legionellosis in New Zealand Guidelines for the Control of Legionella Bacteria Revised by the Ministry of Health Illness October 2012 https://www.health.govt.nz/system/files/documents/publications/prevention-of-legionellosis-in-new-zealand-v2.pdf
(21st century bullshit – Grahame Sisson)
“An Orchestrated Litany of Omission?”
20/ “The amoeba survived for three hours in a chlorine dose of 20 mg/L, up to 40 times the WHO’s recommended concentration for drinking water systems. “This suggests that the biofilm on the pipe wall physically prevents the penetration of chlorine,” Puzon says. “Brain-Eating Amoeba” Scoffs At Chlorine In Water Pipes. Web Date: September 2, 2015 Chemical and Engineering News
21/ “Chlorine dioxide was the least expensive procedure followed by thermal shock, hyperchlorination, boiler and filter. We suggest adopting chlorine dioxide and electric boilers in parallel.” Effectiveness of different methods to control legionella in the water supply: ten-year experience in an Italian university hospital – 2009 http://www.legionellaonline.it/articolo_ospedale.pdf)
(Enlightened 21st century reality – Grahame Sisson)
22/ Biofilm – another 21st century topic that the MoH have-no-idea-about. They – and Water NZ members remove “slime” using unsuitable ineffective chlorine.
23/ “Chlorine dioxide, applied as a continuous treatment, was identified in this study as the most efficient for controlling L. pneumophila in a domestic water system. Chlorine dioxide showed a longer residual activity, leading to improved performance in the dead leg. Amoebae resisted to all the treatments applied and probably acted as reservoirs for L. pneumophila, allowing a quick re-colonization of the system once the treatments were interrupted”. Amoebae in domestic water systems: resistance to disinfection treatments and implication in Legionella persistence.
US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health
24/ Since about 2005 biofilm encrusted cooling-tower owners world-wide have simply added a BASF or Dutrion chlorine dioxide tablet to the water – once per month! Now – back back to 21st century Drinking Water disinfection.
25/ “Given the effectiveness of chlorine dioxide on the bench scale, this disinfectant and other alternative disinfectants should be explored. Ozone and peracetic acid are good candidates for study as are peroxide, acidified nitrite, monochloramine and mixed oxidants.” (Ancient 2014 EPA United States) ‘Decontamination of Drinking Water Infrastructure A Literature Review and Summary.’
26/ Off topic. Of particular interest to the Minister of Health – The true source of catheter infection. And some ‘Super-bug’ resistance. Read about the developing Medical Biofilm scientific discovery here – at Sisson Kayaks.
Final word on a 2017 medical biofilm breakthrough
27/ “Nothing would make me happier than coming-out-of-retirement to head up your restructure team. I could fire 500 Drinking Water minions nation-wide – and the water quality would be just as bad – but get no worse! Simply because these minions – do nothing!” (Anon – hacked intercepted email sent to the Minister of Health)
“An Orchestrated Litany of Omission?”
28/ “System operators must maintain a personal sense of responsibility and dedication to providing consumers with safe water, and should never ignore a consumer complaint about water quality.” MoH Guidelines to the Drinking Water Standards NZ 2008 – page 47 (Applies to all others – MoH exempted – GrahameSpeechless)
29/ The human Immune System
Click here for the full report. Everyone should read this. Why the very young and very old need disinfected water. Nick Hewer Hewett was 100% correct. I am on a ‘slippery slope’!
30/ Disinfectants – choices
Throughout the Drinking Water Standards for New Zealand (DWSNZ), the Ministry of Health list many disinfectants – together with their use – in theory. Chlorine, Ozone, Ultra Violet and Chlorine Dioxide.
Chlorine is the one-to-hate – so firstly lets examine (click here) this Water NZ Update 5 – dated November 2016. When I was learning chlorine dosing for the Anakiwa Bay Water Supply Society Inc (ABWSS), I could locate zero chlorination instruction within NZ. I accessed excellent World Health Organisation papers – written in the UK – aimed at developing countries. I also recruited a highly experienced mentor.
31/ In Drinking Water terms – as clearly stated in the Havelock North Drinking Water Inquiry Report – New Zealand is in a shameful time zone. We seem to lack enlightened Drinking Water forward progress – our time zone is about 1955. Chlorine chlorine and more chlorine – “Oh its getting gobbled up – and not working – that’s strange – never had that before”. “Increase the dose” “Let them eat cake drink swimming pool water” “Panic panic – lets chuck in a couple of those cheap $22,000 cryptosporidium filters”. “Lets not chase the operators for their Water-Sample-Tests – hey – the huge E Coli results may interfere with my sleep”
32/ The lack of enlightenment is sickening. “Take care with your voyage – you may fall off the edge of the world” I exaggerate just a smidgin!
33/ Before bounding further forward – lets go back to that Water NZ Update 5 – and read it twice. Dose-loading, organic-load, C.t Value, sedimentation, temperature, pH acidity, tank lid seal and wildlife intrusion. Hmmmmm. This is more an ART than a Science. A full time job for a highly experienced operator. Its a juggling act.
How I felt when I ran the ABWSS dose pump.
34/ Correctly administered – chlorination is a clever invention. Sightly over-dose the water with Hypochlorite (liquid chlorine) and the water itself RE-MANUFACTURES the residue into another (better for long-run reticulation) acidic chemical.
Please click here to read the science (chemistry – I failed)
Free and combined chlorine – understand the difference
Pure chlorine exists as a molecule as a gas (Cl2 ) and when dissolved in water it will react with water to form mostly hypochlorous acid (HOCl):
Cl2 + H2O ↔ HCl + HOCl
Depending on the pH of the water (see image below), the hypochlorous acid (HOCl) will partially dissociate to the hypochlorite ion (OCl-). Both hypochlorous acid and hypochlorite disinfect water but hypochlorous is acid is a more effective disinfectant.
Confused? I am. pH has huge effect.
35/ Chicane #1
Only a true PRACTICAL professional – with years of hands-on day-to-day PRACTICAL experience will develop ‘a-feel’ for FAC success. Full appreciation of CONCENTRATION (of disinfectant) TIME (exposure time of that disinfectant to specified organism) C.t Value, Litmus paper is essential. Thermometer is essential. Such people – who can establish – then maintain FAC – at the required ml / litre are in very short supply. They do NOT teach this skill at university. The graduates employed by the MoH – and their contracted minions – ‘learn’ FAC ‘skills’ by watching a skilled operator.
Calculating and Reporting of C.T Values
for Ground Water Treatment Systems
Not Under the Direct Influence of Surface Water
Click image to read. Should be compulsory reading for those dosing Christchurch
In the absence of skilled operators – maybe the safest way is to elevate the dose loading. Some media reports talk of swim pool Pelintest loadings. The same DPB tablet is used for swimming pool water and Drinking Water chlorine load testing. There are different model Palin colour-comparator for both jobs. The swimming pool ones are in stock everywhere. The Drinking Water ones are impossible to purchase. Free enterprise stocking based on stock-turn. Its a shambles. Hmmmmmmm.
From the above Florida Ct Value paper
In the case of Havelock North and Christchurch, storage is never mentioned. If storage allowed a longer time, the Ct Value would indicate a diluted dose. In the absence of storage the Ct Value would demand a stronger FAC dose. Yuck! The Christchurch reticulation IS the storage.
36/ Chicane#2
Regardless of how ‘PURE’ the source water is – if the reticulation pipe interiors are coated with slime (biofilm) – reinfection will occur. The downfall of UV is because UV has zero residual disinfection.
University of Glasgow Title Image from biofilm link below.
Think of the biofilm as a coral reef. A community of life. It is your ‘lucky dip’ as to the nastiness of the infectious critters living within your pipes. Click here to obtain the science and a few horrible magnified images. Click here to watch a very interesting video which explains the mechanism resulting in Legionella. Or maybe check out this Montana University paper.
Credit Montana State University – As I suspected – this is a recent developing science – kicked off in 1990 – and unresolved now. Hence the annual conferences.
Click here to read this very interesting Montana State University 3 page paper.
Click on the image to watch the video. I have seen NZ Mainstream Media reports of Legionella being ‘controlled’ using (sigh) chlorine, chlorine, chlorine chlorine and more chlorine. Fail! Click here for the science – A Ct value 40 times greater than used to control E Coli – perhaps – may do the job. Dutrion and BASF Aseptrol chorine dioxide tablets (MoH “Chemical Concoction”) were created to allow easy-once-monthly (legally recordable) disinfection of the water in air conditioner cooling towers. Thus – in an enlightened flick-of-the-wrist manner – controlling Legioneers Disease – forever.
Click on the image to read the 2015 article
Never overlook this https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15479410
37/ The DWSNZ does not mention biofilm. The DWSNZ Guidelines mentions biofilm 60 times – in 21st century modern context. With this awareness – how can the globally accepted 21st century biofilm disinfectant – chlorine dioxide – not be accepted. It is a mystery. Is there an agenda? “An Orchestrated Litany of Omission?”
38/ Chicane #3
As a wonderful 20th century invention, FAC is far from perfect in the 21st century. Our source waters in no way resemble 1950’s source waters. There are better 21st Century products available – but the Ministry of Health have their blinkers firmly fitted
Possibly a Ministry of Health staff member charged with the evaluation of alternate drinking water disinfectants. Chlorine Dioxide excluded. “An Orchestrated Litany of Omission?”
as you can see. The DWSNZ (law) mentions (click here) chlorine dioxide (which contains zero chlorine) alongside the other disinfectants. In the 20th century chlorine dioxide had to be generated on-site – and used immediately. The plants tended to self-deconstruct (blow up) Click here to see how. In the 21st century
some clever chemists have discovered how to generate the chlorine dioxide GAS – and immediately ENTRAIN the gas within pure water – or into a dissolvable tablet form – such as Dutrion.or BASF Aseptrol or Twin Oxide
39/ 2012!!!!!!!! “Other oxidising biocides have the potential for use in cooling tower systems but have been used to a very limited extent. One example is chlorine dioxide. The technical difficulties associated with its production and control on-site are factors which restrict its use.” 2012!!!!!! (21st century bullshit lies published by the Ministry of Health Illness – Grahame Sisson)
Click the image to hear the 21st century facts. If you happen to hate chlorine – this video is a must-watch.
40/ I personally agree with Nick Hewer Hewitt. Chlorine is wonderful. Amazing. Saved multiple millions of lives. But in the hands of those-with-all-the-answers (Socrates) – inappropriately used in an unenlightened manner chlorine becomes a major health hazard.
41/ One PURE chlorine dioxide aqueous-solution (click here) product is manufactured 300 metres from the NMDHB Public Health Service office in Richmond, Nelson. Sonya Briggs office.
Miracle water disinfectant – yet to be recognised by MoH. So safe it can be couriered.
I have struggled for almost three years to introduce Warwick Ivory, the ALPHASAN® manufacturer to David Ogilvie, a Ministry of Health scientist. Via the manager of the NMDHB PHS manager, Sonya Briggs – who requested the initial report – mentioned below.
42/ Click the image to read the article. “System operators must maintain a personal sense of responsibility and dedication to providing consumers with safe water, and should never ignore a consumer complaint about water quality.” MoH Guidelines to the Drinking Water Standards NZ 2008 – page 47. Applies to all others! Typical conversation halts after the receipt of SILENCE. Just another GANG. Wording on their patch – “It will Never Happen Again” “It will Never Happen again” “It will Never Happen Again” “It will Never Happen” “It will Never Happen Again”. Calm down Socrates!
43/ It has never happened. The email strings are huge. The official MoH line seems to be that Alphasan is a “chemical concoction” – and it is. Simply because David Ogilvie from the MoH evaluated a sub-standard American disinfectant – of the same brand name. Not the NZ product manufactured by Alpha Environmental Ltd in Richmond, Nelson. I have David Ogilvie’s erroneous report on file. No matter that David Ogilvie’s report made me the laughing stock of the members of ABWSS Inc! The Ministry of Health Illness appears to be staffed by overpaid unresponsive people who will NEVER retract an error.
Sometimes it’s hard being Grahame. Dealing with those who can not listen – because their head is in the sand. The MoH scientific report states that I was a gullible fool. Would you agree Sonya? “An Orchestrated Litany of Omission?”
44/ The Guidelines to the Drinking Water Standards NZ are quite clear about communication between all involved. From page 47.
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“System operators must maintain a personal sense of responsibility and dedication to providing consumers with safe water, and should never ignore a consumer complaint about water quality.”
David Ogilvie – please read this quote from a simple man. Your three years old scientific report is very very DAMAGING to MY reputation.
45/ Please please click here to view a video presentation of the advantages of chlorine dioxide
46/ Socrates seems to be saying that those-with-all-the-answers – who know nothing of 21st century biofilm removal – are using the incorrect disinfectant in Christchurch. In his email to me – from his Montana State University chair, Socrates sent me the link to this………..WOW! ‘This study shows that the reaction rate of chlorine with cellular biomass is fast enough that diffusion of this disinfectant into the biofilm readily becomes rate limiting. This reaction−diffusion interaction affords an excellent explanation for the poor efficacy of chlorine when used against biofilm microorganisms.’
The retarded penetration of chlorine into artificial biofilms of Pseudomonas aeruginosa entrapped in agarose gel slabs was investigated experimentally and shown to be consistent with an unsteady reaction−diffusion model. A chlorine microelectrode was used to measure transient chlorine concentration profiles in artificial biofilms in a flow cell. While chlorine penetrated relatively quickly into pure agarose films (∼15 min), its penetration into biofilms was greatly retarded when cells were present. The degree of retardation was proportional to the initial cell density in the biofilm. After 3 h of treatment with a flowing chlorine solution, the chlorine concentration at the substratum under a 526 μm thick biofilm containing 14 400 mg L-1 cell mass had only risen to 10% of the bulk solution value. A mathematical model of the transient reaction−diffusion interaction correctly captured the qualitative behavior of experimentally measured chlorine concentration profiles. Parameter values for the simulations were obtained from the literature and from independent investigations of biomass−chlorine reactions using well-mixed suspensions. Kinetic and stoichiometric coefficients for the reactions of agarose and cell mass with chlorine were obtained by fitting a simple first-order (in both reactants) kinetic model to chlorine versus time data. The reaction rate coefficient for chlorine−cell reaction (1.1 × 10-3 L mg-1 s-1) exceeded that of chlorine−agarose reaction (3.7 × 10-6 L mg-1 s-1) by 2 orders of magnitude. The yield coefficient relating the amount of cell mass consumed to the amount of chlorine consumed ranged from 0.6 to 4.3 mg mg-1, depending on the duration of the experiment. This study shows that the reaction rate of chlorine with cellular biomass is fast enough that diffusion of this disinfectant into the biofilm readily becomes rate limiting. This reaction−diffusion interaction affords an excellent explanation for the poor efficacy of chlorine when used against biofilm microorganisms.
Diffusion of Chlorine Dioxide Through Aqueous and Oil Films
A HOSNI, A JANG, M COUGHLIN, P BISHOP
Food and Bioproducts Processing 2006 84, 346-352
Chlorine dioxide disinfection of single and dual species biofilms, detached biofilm and planktonic cells
Sabrina Behnke, Anne K. Camper
Biofouling 2012 28 (6), 635-647
Efficacy of Chlorine Dioxide as a Disinfectant for Bacillus Spores in Drinking-Water Biofilms
Ahmed A. Hosni, Jeffery G. Szabo, Paul L. Bishop
Journal of Environmental Engineering 2011 137, 569-574
Bactericidal and sporicidal performance of a polymer-encapsulated chlorine dioxide-coated surface
W.K. Leung, A.P.S. Lau, K.L. Yeung
Journal of Applied Microbiology 2009 106 (10.1111/jam.2009.106.issue-5), 1463-1472
46/ Is the Ministry of Health policy based on David Ogilvie’s erroneous opinion?
48/ Huge Asian chlorine dioxide production. Take your pick! Asia makes it to use it. And we should say – aren’t we lucky – we can buy it to use ourselves. But those-with-all-the-answers (Socrates) state that these are “chemical concoctions – not chlorine dioxide gas.” Hahahaha………..
49/ Meanwhile things are looking good in this 2017 paper from the USA
Click on the image to read the story of enlightenment
Click on the image to read the Report. How Israel produces safe drinking water from waste water. Absolutely essential, enlightened reading for those who plan safer Drinking Water. I do believe – chlorine dioxide – gets a mention!
50/ When I discussed my own private in-house Alphasan water disinfection with Nick Hewer Hewett (who I greatly admire) he replied that there was no easy way to monitor the dose levels.
Oh yes there is! 21st century electronics
Nick also questioned the dreaded chlorite. I have Hill Laboratories test sheets that
- Prove that Alphasan IS 100% pure chlorine dioxide
- Show zero chlorite as supplied from manufacturer
- Show zero chlorite in a test taken from my kitchen tap
My frustration can only be calmed by twice daily watching (click here) this YouTube video. Whilst knowing that my winter solar hot water cylinder (ideal temperature to breed legionella) will be strongly disinfected – with zero biofilm formation. Utopia.
“An Orchestrated Litany of Omission?”
51/ Chicane #4
Biofilm – as I write this – is a huge developing science.
The 2017 edition of the International Biofilm Summit
was a tremendous success!
Thank you to all participants. See you in 2019!
Click here to go to the above website. Did NZ attend?
Maybe – One mention of the words ‘Biofilm’ or ‘dioxide’ at the conference surely induced this effect.
52/ Chicane #5
FAC controls reticulation biofilm – but ONLY the surface of the ‘coral’ community. The moment the plant operator stops juggling (recall that from above) – and the FAC is diminished – the reticulation re-infection is immediate. Faster than the speed of light>>>>>.
Chlorine dioxide – because it is a gas – is capable of penetrating the whole biofilm. (assuming the correct Ct value (Concentration Time)) The chorine dioxide will kill ALL of the biofilm.
Note at the top.
Scholarly articles.
Science. Now some actual practical examples of reality. 200 litres of dead microbes
100 litres of dismantled ‘Microbe City’ Click here to view a video showing typical reticulation ‘microbe-city’ – laughing at us.
Click the image to read the article. Napier City Council ratepayer (suffering massive skin ailments is told – “Napier City Council said at the time this was due to bringing two bores urgently online, resulting in water going through different sections of the network”, “which in turn dislodged some sediment”. Bullshit! This is partly biofilm – full of infectious critters including amoebae harbouring live legionella bacteria. “Let them eat cake” is the traditional translation of the French phrase “Qu’ils mangent de la brioche”, supposedly spoken by “a great princess” upon learning that the peasants had no bread. Since brioche was a luxury bread enriched with butter and eggs, the quote would reflect the princess’s disregard for the peasants, or her poor understanding of their situation. “Let them eat cake drink muck”
Credit Montana State University. These guys just laugh at chlorine – but the MoH have yet to catch up with the 21st century research. Media reports suggest that they ‘increase the chlorine ppm dose’. Futile. Misery.
Scientific fact – Biofilm critters communicate. Laughter is still being investigated. My bet is yes. Credit Montana State University.
The other half of the cut-in-half 200 litre drum. Another 100 litres of dead biofilm – flushed from the water reticulation within a seed raising farm. Photo credit Warwick Ivory. (Who else in NZ is capable of such microbe-city deconstruction?) And when Warwick offered assistance in Havelock North they (effectively) slammed the phone down. Shameful ignorant behaviour against a very gentle man.
200 litres purged instantly in one flush – by Warwick Ivory the Alphasan manufacturer
“An Orchestrated Litany of Omission?”
To the extent that 100% of the biofilm can all be totally flushed from the system. ALL of it. An alternate drinking water source is needed during this process. When my home pipes were being stripped – I forgot one morning. Crunchy crunchy – just like coral would be.
Let me assure to reader – this is NOT a new source of protein – in an ever hungry planet. Click the image to watch the video.
53/ Chicane #6
How does this all apply to the Christchurch chlorination experience of hideous taste and sickening smell? FAC at the correct dose rate has zero taste or smell. Should that FAC be expected to ‘work’ – the by-products will be grit, taste and smell. Within this article there would seem to be an admission that the “pure ChCh bore water” has attracted bacteria from the reticulation biofilm.
54/ And now lets look at the work of a much-lesser Drinking Water administrator than the MoH – and their minions.
EPA/600/R-13/156 | May 2014 |www.epa.gov/ord https://cfpub.epa.gov/si/si_public_file_download.cfm?p_download_id=519689
Decontamination of Drinking Water Infrastructure A Literature Review and Summary. Excerpts below.
Other BAR studies used iron, cement-mortar, and PVC coupons that are representative of water distribution mains currently in service [47]. Free chlorine concentration up to 70 mg/L resulted in 3-log removal of B. globigii spores, but persistence was still observed [48]. Application of chlorine dioxide to the same reactor/coupon set-up resulted in 4-log inactivation of adhered B. globigii over the course of 4 days [49]. Application of 5 mg/L free chlorine resulted in 2 to 4-log removal of B. globigii attached to cement-mortar coupons, with no detectable spores remaining [50].
Alternative disinfectants such as chlorine dioxide have also proven to be effective at decontaminating adhered spores without germination enhancement. Therefore, germination with a chemical suited for the Bacillus species followed by chlorination at least 25 mg/L and introduction of clean water moving at a velocity of at least 1 ft/sec is more effective than chlorination or flushing alone. Alternatively, application of at least 25 mg/L chlorine dioxide is more effective than chlorination at that level in bench scale applications.
Future Biological Agent Research Spore-Forming Bacteria: Given the effectiveness of chlorine dioxide on the bench scale, this disinfectant and other alternative disinfectants should be explored. Ozone and peracetic acid are good candidates for study as are peroxide, acidified nitrite, monochloramine and mixed oxidants.
Techniques such as germinating spores before chlorination or using an alternative disinfectant such as chlorine dioxide have shown promise.
49. Hosni, A.A., J.G. Szabo, and P.L. Bishop, The efficacy of chlorine dioxide as a disinfectant for Bacillus spores in drinking water biofilms. Journal of Environmental Engineering, 2011.
81. Sproul, O.J., et al., Comparison of chlorine and chlorine dioxide for the inactivation of an amoebic cyst. Environmental Technology, 1983. 4(8): p. 335 – 342.
82. Thurston-Enriquez, J.A., et al., Inactivation of enteric Adenovirus and feline Calicivirus by chlorine dioxide. Appl. Environ. Microbiol., 2005. 71(6): p. 3100-3105.
The above was published four years ago. In the current Global environment – ANCIENT. I found it after a five minute Google Search. Just what do the MoH Drinking Water staff and their minions do?
55/ The pure science. Click here to study this 2012 paper from (sigh) Montana State University. The MoH should employ MSU graduates today – and fly them to NZ tomorrow. Enlightenment would ensue.
Click on the image to read this amazing report
Chances are – if you are a NZ pig – your drinking water is disinfected using choline dioxide. “An Orchestrated Litany of Omission?”
Chances are – the sandwich you purchased at the NZ airport – had every component disinfected using chlorine dioxide.
Chances are – if you are a NZ chicken – your drinking water is disinfected using choline dioxide.“An Orchestrated Litany of Omission?”
56/ Chicane #7
Should the monitoring test be negative – disinfection (chlorination) is required
How many earthquake reticulation repairs? Monitoring? Disinfection? I was not there. I have no idea.
57/ Chicane #8
I have no idea. Maybe my readers may know. As for me – I will just keep watching John Cleese – and reading Socrates twice per day. The DWSNZ 2005, introduced as law whilst the mayor of Christchurch was a voting MP – is quite clear about this matter. It is only common sense. A lot of fractured water pipes ran near fractured sewer pipes. And what about the workers hands?
The DWSNZ 2008 (updated to include later 2015 FULL Compliance date) – IS LAW. Simple.
58/ Chicane #9
Maybe the incorrect disinfectant is being used to control the biofilm – at elevated “swimming pools” (media reports) level. Do they know that there is better alternative? If not – why not? David Ogilvie – I did my best to deal with this matter in a pleasant manner – over a three year period. I have the correspondence on file.
The same old familiar faces rearranging their chairs (jobs) – and heading towards another Havelock North type disaster – using Water Disinfection FIRST INTRODUCED as the Titanic went down. Further disasters will occur because they ignore all of the ‘new’ difficult-to-kill critters introduced into NZ in the last half century – and think that Biofilm is just surface ‘slime’. Which brings me to………….
Here are two NEW difficult-to-kill (with chlorine) New Zealand infectious microbes. Click the image to read how bad they are. Scroll down to the EPA table – 21st century chlorine dioxide disinfectant kills them.
59/ Just in case you need to go to SpecSavers – I repeat – 21st century Chlorine Dioxide kills Cryptosporidium and Guardia. Stone dead.
60/ For those who cling to 20th century chlorine disinfection – Cryptosporidium and Guardia must be filtered out. These filters are expensive. Great for business! Esculate the ‘sales’ volume>>>>>>>>>$$$$$$$$$$$. Bring on the ‘gold-rush’.
Just another capital item to go wrong – and require needless maintenance. $$$$$$. The ABWSS Inc has two written quotes. $22,000. and $4,000. Do you detect a rip-off? Do NOT ask me about the cost of the pumps and control gear. $$$$$$ – “Let’s ignore the 21st century chlorine dioxide – the business cashflow destroyer.” (Resulting in cheaper safer reliable disinfected water for the drinker – but then – who is really worried about the drinker?) Which brings me to the following article relating to CONFLICT-OF-INTEREST
61/ Which brings me to the following article relating to CONFLICT-OF-INTEREST
“An Orchestrated Litany of Omission?”
Which brings me to – Click on the image to read the article. Garry Moore and I have arrived at the same point-of-view – at the same time. Where are the Police? Sirens. We need to hear the sirens.
62/ I am getting a feeling-of-justifiable unease. I ask you my reader to consider this question. Why did the requested face-to-face meeting arranged to take place between David Ogilvie (20th century Chlorine sell-out) and Warwick Ivory (21st century Chlorine dioxide National Treasure) – through Sonya Briggs (top executive water manager for Nelson Marlborough) – never happen? I waited three years plus! Was there an industry-friendly anti-chlorine-dioxide-agenda within the MoH all along? Where is the distance between Government Drinking Water Regulators and Private Water Construction industry? I am disgusted. Is such apparent misuse of Government Ministry Office power legal?
63/ Water New Zealand – Where is your science? All that we get is ‘expert’ name-dropping. Where is the science? Socrates needs to know.
64/ Chicane#10
Cancer inducing Chlorine-to-organic-matter by product! Click the image to access the EPA report. Do we need a name change to Ministry of Illness? MoI. Nice!
Chlorine Dioxide produces zero carcinogenic by products.
Was this ever about disinfectant performance?
Something smells. I am sort-of developing a feeling that I have maybe unearthed something resembling huge systemic activity that could maybe possibly resemble something of a criminal nature.
None of which delivers safer drinking water – e.g. Saves lives. The DWSNZ are LAW. The DWSNZ Guidelines are to assist with the application of that Law. A huge scientific gulf exists between the contents of those documents.
Do we need to find the services of a Community-Minded Queens Council? The Minister of Health has the full history of my four year contact with Sonya Briggs. The Minister knows that I will supply the (triple backed-up) email strings upon request. The Minister needs to ask – under oath: –
-
Did Sonya Briggs ever request the meeting between David and Warwick?
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How many times over the three year period did David Ogilvie refuse to attend?
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If so – what reasons were supplied by David Ogilvie not-to-attend?
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Why – for almost 12 months – did Sonya Briggs ignore Warwick Ivory’s requests for a meeting?
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Why was I never updated? The silence alone was almost criminal. The last email I sent to Sonya was asking her advise – how to lodge a complaint. About a year ago. Silence silence silence.
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Why does Helen Beaumont mention UV and Ozone disinfectants – and completely exclude the forth DWSNZ disinfectant – chlorine dioxide – in this article. What is the name of the Water NZ source of Helen Beaumont’s unbalanced Drinking Water knowledge? Helen is totally dependent on Water NZ guidance because……. Clearly Helen does NOT come from a Drinking Water background – her earlier C.C.C. task was this
- Is the Water NZ ‘advise’ based on this? “Other oxidising biocides have the potential for use in cooling tower systems but have been used to a very limited extent. One example is chlorine dioxide. The technical difficulties associated with its production and control on-site are factors which restrict its use.” From the DWSNZ 2012 Guidelines – to misery.
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Was there an agenda? An agenda against a wonderfully superb 21st century disinfectant. An agenda NOT based on 21st century Drinking Water science. Maybe chlorine dioxide disinfection is too affordable and too simple to operate.
“An Orchestrated Litany of Omission?”
Maybe
What ‘drinking water ‘experts’ actually understand – would reduce the smallest circle to the size of a pin head. Why I create this page – further motivated by two lost grandchildren.
Is this what the MoH Christchurch Hospital pipes looked like – as a result of the nation-wide MoH Legislative authority – over all NZ Drinking Water? Click the image to watch the video.
65/ Footnote
Developing Countries following the World Health Organisation Drinking Water Disinfection practice, are well ahead of New Zealand. Drinking-Water-Wise – NZ is STILL in the mid 20th century – a ‘Developing-Country’. Thanks to David Ogilvie and his MoH mates and minions.)
- Developing countries dose chlorine dioxide as a pre-oxidant – just before the water enters storage. Where the Ct value will be high – and manganese, organic brackishness, legionella, cryptosporidium and many protozoa’s are dispatched. The full ‘kill’ list is huge.
- Developing countries dose chlorine (at quite low levels) as the water exits storage and enters the reticulation (previously cleaned of biofilm using chlorine dioxide).
- Properly used – chlorine and FAC are absolutely marvellous – but chlorine dioxide gas is not effected by temperature, pH or much else. Combine both disinfectants – results in.
- Serendipity.
- The booming ‘Air Freshener’ industry goes bust.
The lower the number – the stronger the disinfectant. Perfect for the above mentioned pre-oxidation – then into storage with high Ct Value = Broad spectrum biocide utopia untouched by chlorine. (Source US EPA)
Chlorine Dioxide – The strong Oxidisation Capacity kills more critters – and is easier on the environment. (Source US EPA)
66/ I believe that NZ Drinking Water should be as safe to consume as NZ Food. Where is the historic equality of prosecution?
67/ Why are food manufacturers charged with ‘homicide’? Why are numerous Drinking Water ‘homicides’ ignored?
A Kiwi Mussels customer was infected with listeria and her unborn twins were lost. Where are the Police and ‘Health Dept’ now? Drinking Water ‘homicides’ exist – including worse instances than the Kiwi Mussels ‘crime’ listed above. Gary Phillips and John Turner set up their plant in the vacant (Rai Valley Cheese – yum) cheese factory. Despite conventional ‘washing’ and steam cleaning, the concrete walls remained infected with listeria biofilm. As they would. Globally – the research needed to save those twins – had just begun – ‘One notable effort was the establishment in 1990 by the National Science Foundation of an Engineering Research Center under the direction of biofilm research pioneer William Charaklis dedicated to the study of biofilms at Montana State University in the United States.’ There have been similar drinking water induced ‘homicides’ close to my home. Very close to my home. Needless loss of life nationally – confirmed-as-fact within the Havelock North Drinking Water Final Report.
There are internet references to court appearances that suggest John Turner and Gary Phillips were still fighting the charges – two years later. Their only crime was that they did not wash the cheese factory walls with ZEROBAC®. Their legal defence could have been very simple – because they did nothing wrong. NOTHING! In 1993 the 21st century ZEROBAC food-factory disinfectant had yet to be invented. Plus – Biofilm resistance to conventional-concrete-wall-cleaning had yet to be fully understood. The timing of biofilm research is made very clear here.
The REQUIRED much-needed flat-surface biofilm disinfectant ZEROBAC was developed about 2005 – because of food industry demand
The village of Rai Valley has never recovered.
68/ Click here to go to my Drinkable Water page. Scroll down to ‘Anakiwa Experience’. Was it an accident? Was it vandalism? Was it someone taking All Practicable Steps? No – it was the MoH, and their unresponsive minions asleep at the wheel. With those responsible actually shielded by the Nelson Marlborough District Health Board – Public Health Service ‘Facilitator’ – Rica Salamat. (on file)
Personal message to the Minister of Health. In order to fully appreciate the findings of the Havelock North Drinking Water Inquiry Final Report – how bad the situation really has been is – request from myself – and ABWSS Inc Chairman – the full email correspondence – between the ABWSS Inc secretary / chairman and the Nelson Marlborough District Health Board – Public Health Service person-who-turned-up-to-work – Rica Salamat. Truly unbelievable! The aggressive erratic behaviour was intended to conceal zero actual knowledge base of Drinking Water. The misery she generated was extreme. The lives she saved were zero. The illness she prevented -10. She created illness.
Until three years ago Drinking Water suppliers ONLY had to prove “Take All Practicable Steps” – as a defence. Since the DWSNZ became fully operative three years ago, the full force of the law applies. No if’s. No but’s. Where are the Police? (Forget the MoH and their minions – being Monopoly players – their ineffective. non-communicative drinking water staff should ‘Go Straight to Jail’.)
Call the tenders now. New Zealand needs another 1000 prison beds. Sirens. We need to hear the sirens.
Am I being ‘unfair’ to these poor ‘picked-on’, arrogant, acumen-devoid, hostile-when-cornered, non-communicative, inept, unschooled, 21st century untrained, (I have the supporting correspondence on file) MoH (Plus Minions) Drinking Water fools? No. Look at this lovely photo of my birthplace – Christchurch Hospital.
Here we see a MoH hospital – in which the Intensive Care patients drink bottled water. Because the reticulation is delivering infected unsafe water. Biofilm? Click here to see what the hospital pipes probably looked like. Read about this Oxymoronish (new word) disaster by clicking here! Need I say more……….This would have to be an ultra-extreme case of the Dunning Kruger Effect. Click here for the full explanation!
Only Biofilm critters were intended to be harmed – or have their feelings hurt – during the creation of this page. This page is intended to wipe out the booming ‘Air Freshener’ industry. And seriously wipe out reduce toilet tissue sales by at least 50% 85%.
Did you know that the plaque on your teeth is ‘microbe-city’ – the very first Biofilm EVER discovered in 1684 by Antonie van Leeuwenhoek.
“If you do not study the biofilm – you are stuffed” (Grahame Sisson)
The fact that recognition of the importance of the biofilm phenomenon is so recent continues to have ramifications on education, health, and industry. Biofilm topics are still rarely covered in key university curricula, such as microbiology, biology, environmental science, health, medicine, and dentistry. (Montana University)
Of particular interest to the Minister of Health – The true source of catheter infection. And some ‘Super-bug’ resistance – read the developing scientific discovery here – at Sisson Kayaks.
Final word on a 2017 medical biofilm breakthrough
How I discovered biofilm
- I observed slime whilst repairing ABWSS Inc pipes
- My mentor confirmed that this slime could re-infect disinfected water
- I met with – and listened too – NZ’s leading authority on biofilm – Warwick Ivory
- I hit the Google-Search function – hard
- I discovered the Montana State University (MSU) – NZ needs to set up a new Government Ministry. The Ministry for Drinking Water (MfDW) The MfDW should urgently employ a chartered plane load of MSU graduates. With urgency. Warwick Ivory should be a paid WfDW consultant.
- In light of 2018 biofilm research (far from complete), John Turner and Gary Phillips have a case for wrongful charges laid. And significant damages for the loss of their business.
Posted in: News
Thank you Steve Chapman
Date: May 22nd, 2018
How an ‘unemployed’ carpenter permanently repaired my two dis-locatable shoulders.
I dislocated my left shoulder in the fog at Temple Basin in 1960. It was re-located many painful hours later by the Doctor in Darfield. There are many skiers who will recall that I was capable of popping this shoulder in and out at will. Gruesome party trick!
I dis-located my right shoulder whilst testing a surf-yak at Punakaiki beach in 1986. This shoulder was reassembled quite quickly at Greymouth Hospital.
So I now had two dis-locatable shoulders. WOW!
This is me about to start Day Two of the Whanganui River paddle at the the 1987 Norsca Mountains to the Sea. Complete with two dis-locatable shoulders.
All went well until 5km from Pipariki. I slammed into a bluff that had zero buffer wave (undercut) and ejected with my right shoulder useless for swimming. Sitting waiting for help seemed like a bad idea. I found that the kayak bow effortlessly reset the shoulder.
Away I went – sticking as much as possible to side channels. Only two more re-sets needed along the way. Pipariki was achieved – keeping my team in the competition. The main problem I encountered was meeting-up-with-my-‘rescue’-jet-boat in the midst of that turbulent rapid just above Pipariki. That WAS problematic.
I received a prize for the Competitor-with-the-most-Tenacity – a first aid kit!
Three weeks later I am paddling Nelson Harbour in the dark and I bump (almost literally) into Steve Chapman doing likewise. I ask him not to raft up – and explain why. Steve offered to call by the next day with the promise to fix my shoulders.
True to his word Steve demonstrated several very simple isometric exercises – performed in a doorway. Three minutes per day.
Immediately things felt stronger and less painful. Further down the track my troublesome back settled down nicely.
Between October 1987 to May 2018, I Grahame Sisson, have never again suffered a shoulder dislocation.
Thank you Steve.
No surgery. No pain. Added strength. Bliss
Thank you again Steve
Testing – does anyone read this stuff? If you have loose shoulders and you desire Steve’s fix – email me. Love to pass to on. After three requests I will prepare a graphic and slam it into this post.
Posted in: News
Anakiwa Outward Bound Village
Date: May 16th, 2018
Well – if Methven can be Methven Mt Hutt Village – why not?
There are several publications that record the history of this area up until about the late 60’s. But many of the real stories have been unreported since the early 50’s.
The whole of the Grove Arm has been my playground since 1960 when my parents retired to Becks Bay.
The Sisson family home at Becks Bay in 1960
Which resulted in
Mum, Dad and best friend going fishing
And between visits to the amazing Tirimoana Hotel, I started building my first boat.
I vividly recall my Mum being quite concerned about the proposal to site the Marsden Point Oil Refinery at Linkwater. About the same time Outward Bound setup in Anakiwa. “The world is surely about to end”.
Anakiwa in 1986
work in progress
Posted in: News
https://www.nzski.com/legal-privacy
Date: May 13th, 2018
https://www.nzski.com/legal-privacy
All pass holders must abide by the ski area user responsibility code. Misconduct will result in cancelation or suspension of the pass with no refund. Misconduct includes, but is not limited to, reckless or dangerous skiing or snowboarding, excessive speed within a slow or learning zone, disregard for closed areas, unsociable behaviour, skiing or snowboarding under the influence of alcohol or drugs, supply of incorrect information or breach of the conditions as per the Snow Responsibility Code.
And again
All pass holders must abide by the ski area user responsibility code. Misconduct will result in cancelation or suspension of the pass with no refund. Misconduct includes, but is not limited to, reckless or dangerous skiing or snowboarding, excessive speed within a slow or learning zone, disregard for closed areas, unsociable behaviour, skiing or snowboarding under the influence of alcohol or drugs, supply of incorrect information or breach of the conditions as per the Snow Responsibility Code.
And again
All pass holders must abide by the ski area user responsibility code. Misconduct will result in cancelation or suspension of the pass with no refund. Misconduct includes, but is not limited to, reckless or dangerous skiing or snowboarding, excessive speed within a slow or learning zone, disregard for closed areas, unsociable behaviour, skiing or snowboarding under the influence of alcohol or drugs, supply of incorrect information or breach of the conditions as per the Snow Responsibility Code.
and again
All pass holders must abide by the ski area user responsibility code. Misconduct will result in cancelation or suspension of the pass with no refund. Misconduct includes, but is not limited to, reckless or dangerous skiing or snowboarding, excessive speed within a slow or learning zone, disregard for closed areas, unsociable behaviour, skiing or snowboarding under the influence of alcohol or drugs, supply of incorrect information or breach of the conditions as per the Snow Responsibility Code.
Posted in: News, Uncategorized
“Wairarapa dairy farmers contributing to clean up”
Date: May 6th, 2018
Update 29th January 2019 https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/110103636/the-public-relations-war-over-freshwater-has-restarted
The words from the Federated Farmers representative on Q & A 6th May 2018 – made me chuckle.
Steady! Keep the right wrist twisted back to provide ‘support’. Who would wish to swim in this?
I have not used such waters for swimming. However in an earlier late-1960’s life I have waterskied on (not in) the Ruamahunga River – using dead cows as slalom marker-buoys.
If only this Fred Williams lap-strake ski would hold my weight in 2018! Cow Slalom Buoy just out-of-frame.
The Ruamahunga River looked just like this file photo – except ‘our cows’ were bloated, floating and had all four legs in the air. Perfect!
Amazingly – as any of these healthy cows ‘slipped-to-their-death’ into the river – their ears (complete with identification tags) fell off.
Oh yes – that is me winning the 1200cc Hydroplane National Championship in 1969 – on the lower Ruamahunga River diversion. We cleared away the earless cows prior to racing
And now a few random photos from various NZ Councils and organisations.
To make matters worse the Regional Councils use the wrong (click here) software to monitor water quality.
To make matters worse the Regional Councils use the wrong (click here) software to monitor water quality.
To make matters worse the Regional Councils use the wrong (click here) software to monitor water quality.
Davis Lange’s comment – after the 1980’s dairy farming bust
Cow Poo is a structural material. As Sam Mahon proved.
Speechless
Unbelievable
Happy cow. Complete with ear tag – and ears. Note the stocking rate!
To make matters worse the Regional Councils use the wrong (click here) software to monitor water quality.
This came up in the same Google search. Kim Dot Com interviewing John Key
And now a few links
- Aljazeera
- https://sciblogs.co.nz/waiology/2012/05/24/how-much-water-does-it-take-to-produce-one-litre-of-milk/
- H2Whoa
- Wikipedia
Footnotes
- My great-grandfather, grandfather and father were orchardists with side agriculture. (farmers).
- My holiday home is situated in the middle of farmland paddocks.
- I have great admiration for the hard working farmers I observe.
- I AM NOT ANTI FARMER. I am anti slack-rural-profiteering activity that degrades the world we live in. By taking. As shown above.
- Food does not come from the Supermarket – it comes from farmers.
- Without farmers we are three feeds away from starvation.
- “At-the-end-of-the-day” (John Key) – all of the issues noted above –
- Are really caused by Regional Councils failing to apply existing law.
- Because – see below
Regional Council Water Control Officer travelling out to test the waterways using Overseer software, issue compliance (Total allowed stocking rate, riparian fencing, and planting), certificates to just-completed dairy conversion farms.
Here is a shot of no relevance. Except the siting of this industrial plant – and its manner of effluent disposal – Displays REAL Attitude.
Pareora Freezing Works. Shark Central – kayakers should not hug the coastline..
Hmmmmm. Click here to read Duncan Garner’s terrifying Opinion Piece.
Duncan Garner suggests that “Alert, alert, mad cows on loose, MPI in deep coma”
Which conjures up this image in my mind.
Could this be a mono-culture?
Which leads to this
Descending into Christchurch on a Melbourne flight in 2001 I was perplexed by the ‘circles’ on the Canterbury Plains
Click here for ‘6 Problems with Monoculture Farming’
Historic Canterbury Plains diversified agriculture
Export apple shipment from Papanui. My father (left) and grandfather (right)
On 25 acres of the Canterbury Plains, my family farmed
- Nine apple varieties. Our product was branded K829.
- Four pear varieties. Stamping the box labels was my job.
- ‘Forced’ rhubarb. (? whats this?)
- Rhubarb
- Asparagus.
- Black currants
- Red currants
-
As well as 2 acres of open land – that was never expected to produce the same crop.
Instead we now have
This monoculture will all end in tears! I observed such tears on TV last night.
Finally – some science
About Waiology
Waiology is a blog about our most precious natural resource – water. It is edited by Dr Daniel Collins, with contributions from freshwater scientists.
Wow – a Zero-out-of Ten score
19th June 2018 – Read about it by clicking here
Posted in: News
Efudix Cream
Date: May 3rd, 2018
How a simple visit to my GP for my ‘Annual’ check – turned into a two week medical misadventure nightmare
- Visit trusted GP with – for the first time in my life – with a list.
- Item #1 – a lump under-the-skin in my left elbow skin.
- GP measured – 25mm and asked me to monitor size.
- Second lump-opinion gained from fellow GP#2. Who noted some “pre cancerous spots” on my forearm skin. Suggested Efudix cream. Zero instruction or warnings.
- Pharmacy supplied Efudix without the VITAL advise sheet.
- Applied Efudix too thickly (read British Safety sheet warning) and by the third day I was ill. Is it resin fumes? Is it the flu jab? No – by the fourth day I knew I had Efudix in the bloodstream.
- On the fifth day I visited GP #2 (who prescribed the drug) and conveyed my illness and my diagnosis. Zero action or reaction.
- Continued abstinence from Efudix – with all of the published side effects – had this anti-cancer drug been injected (as in chemotherapy). Read 4.9 in link below.
All of these except item #1. Every day.
- Googled and found a January 2018 NZ Medsafe Safety Data sheet. Phoned the freephone and the person guessed that I “lacked an enzyme called
dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD)
” – and that yes it sounded serious. “Go to a GP urgently”
- As my GP was on leave I made an appointment with GP #3. I arrived with screeds of Efudix Safety Data Sheets with my notes overwritten. GP #3 agreed that I had Efudix in my bloodstream and agreed with all of my self diagnosis.
- I am currently awaiting a report on my white blood cell count. And other items.
- Each day I feel less likely to chuck-up. Oh – how sorry I feel for those poor people on the real chemotherapy dosage.
Efudix attacks and destroys recently created body cells. Guess what?
I just measured my elbow lump. What started at 25mm (GP#1) has now withered away to 11mm.
Now how did that happen?
May 14th update.
- My elbow lump is the size of a small pea – difficult to locate. Surgery cancelled. Marvellous.
- The unsightly stye on my left eyelid fell off whilst purchasing an ice-cream. Surgery cancelled. Wonderful.
Postscript from Medsafe SDS –
EFUDIX is excreted unchanged in the urine, or inactivated in the liver or excreted as respiratory carbon dioxide (with the production of urea).
For those who have worked with fibreglass and styrene monomer fumes – the excreted urea mentioned above tastes and smells just like a good ‘ol’ ‘Styrene attack’. For which a quick 100 metre sprint works wonders!
I tried that in this case – and almost expired.
Posted in: News, Uncategorized
The delights of Mountain Biking
Date: April 13th, 2018
Sam Gaze has made the news for mostly the wrong reasons. Here is my letter to Sam.
13th April 2018
.Dear Sam
Long before you were born, the sport of mountain biking boomed. The reason it boomed was very easy to identify. People like you were NOT a part of the sport. Hence thousands of good sports (like Anton) flocked to the delight of the fat tyred bike.
You are a National Disgrace.
I am not alone. Click here or here or here or here.
I suggest that you take your skills where they would be better accepted. To the Velodrome. You should take up Track. That elbow tactic – what a winner! Expect ‘payback’- to the power of ten – from the old Track hands.
Disappointedly yours
Grumpy Grahame cc Greg Fraine – Specialized
1990 MTB New Zealand Novice Veteran National Champion
Actually there was no such class. I created it after I discovered that I was the ONLY veteran to complete all six Novice National-Series races. Dome Valley – Taupo – Nelson – Hanmer – ChCh – Queenstown. No-one else laying claim. No-one else could. Hanmer race shown – with the Kalahari MTB bought from Greg Fraine Cycles. Still own and occasionally ride this bike.
Halfway through the Taupo race my brand new chain snapped. This encouraged those behind me to ‘attack’. As they passed by, I gave them a friendly wave. None stopped!
Who am I to judge? In the early 1990’s Sisson Kayaks Ltd and Composite Cycles NZ sponsored 31 athletes in 7 different sports plus seven race events.
Seven of the sponsored athletes were repeat National Champions in their chosen sport. Paul Caffyn, Steve Gurney, John Kirkcaldy, Jason Craig, Greg Fraine and Nathan Fa,avae.
We even published our own newsletter so that our-family-of-athletes were aware of the success of the others. The success compounded. There were basically two rules associated with continued SK & CCNZ sponsorship.
- There had to be a degree of observable fun.
- Good sportsmanship – always – and always.
One athlete lost our sponsorship because a recent race conquest was clearly fuelled by The-Drug-of-Hatred. This is a very powerful drug. There is no known chemical test. I know it when I see it.
Posted in: News
Peak Kayak
Date: April 9th, 2018
Without a doubt Sisson Kayaks was once the largest composite kayak and open canoe manufacturer in the Southern Hemisphere
Say it with pictures!
Two weeks 1990 production heading to the North Island
And a view from the stern
And take note – there is even a kayak inside the van
How do you like my roof rack? Would you believe this lot was valued at $60,000?
We once purchased thirteen 200 litre drums of resin – in one delivery. We purchased white gelcoat by the 200 litre drum. And this is how we purchased our race-kayak polystyrene foam – by the trailer load from Auckland.
Six metre long sheets of high density polystyrene directly backloaded from the Auckland manufacturer.
2004 image of Multisport rudder-mount manufacture – 12mm thread being cut.
resulting in 16 litres of rudder mounts in 2004. One-man-band positively confident. Not many left in 2018.
Each winter – via our sponsorship of the Speights Coast to Coast we advertised nationwide demo days as far South as Invercargill and as far North as Kerikeri. New Plymouth to Gisborne.
Steve Gurney helping us out with a Demo Day at Lake Kaniere
And somehow we found the time to build about 70 Bumpa Boats for Nelson, Napier and Christchurch.
Testing the Bumpa Boat prototype at the Tahuna Modellers Pond
And more Demo Day action. We visited many amazing NZ places.
Ruapehu exploding over Taupo on the day before the June 19 1996 factory fire
We knocked out quite a few Southern Light doubles
Able Tasman Kayaks moving their Southern Light fleet to their customers
10pm action in the factory. Southern Lights heading for Australia
3am the next morning. When I arrived at work a 8am the next morning – container gone. Whew – that was close.
More exports
Meanwhile at the Speights Coast to Coast
Kayak usage chart prepared by Speights Brewery
We covered all skill levels in Multisport. From the elite athlete.
Steve with the toys. One thousand Delaware kayaks sold. Eleven hundred Eliminators kayaks sold. Nine hundred Esprit Kayaks sold. Evolutions ? A lot.
To the adventurer.
Even this non-athletic fool – who did only 36 hours formal training before the 1989 C to C. I remain very proud of my final cycle time to Sumner. You have my race #. Look it up.
Riding this was fun!!!!
And all the time export export export
There are a lot of Arctic Raiders in NZ. There are many more in Japan.
And a few more for Japan
Arctic Raider top-up for Japan.
Meanwhile to prevent boredom we built a carbon bike frame factory So light – so strong
Sisson TVC (Total Variable Custom) carbon frames used by sponsored champions Greg Fraine (Triathlon) and Jason Craig (track).
The TVC process accepts the custom paper-plan into the actual manufacture. Zero errors. Things looked good. The sales situation was bad. The ‘market’ decided Carbon fibre was ‘washed up’! Titanium ruled. HaHa! Carbon ‘washed-up?’ Believe that now? I still own the TVC tooling – any offers?
Jason Craig winning with his usual smile
Composite Cycles NZ Ltd changed from a manufacturing exporter into an importing retailer
We sold the worlds best cycle chain – together with Rohloff 14 speed hubs
Because ‘The Market’ said Titanium was better – Composite Cycles NZ Ltd became the NZ importer for Magura, Rohloff, Nokia, Black Spire and Tracpearls. The business in the background did not appreciate our market share. Suffice to say – we lost the Magura agency – to – you guessed it Avanti.
Meanwhile Paul Caffyn continued to circumnavigate here there and everywhere
Hi tech 13kg Nordkapp used to circumnavigate Japan.
And not to overlook the Voyager
Utopia for two
This Voyager has seen more of the world than I have. Palawan 2012.
Helped along by others using our success in THEIR marketing. Not my choice.
Things were getting out of hand
Hmmmmmm
Hmmmmmm. Hey – all we have been doing was keeping the bank manager happy.
As a one man band in Methven the mechanised factory kept the production high. Two weeks work.
And a few more – like hundreds and hundreds exported LCL to individuals anywhere in the world – like this happy German customer
Evolution customer in Germany. Note the hatches and bulkheads. It was a multiday race
And meanwhile in the US Anne Dwyer was building a huge Kiwi Kayaks business
We exported hundreds of Gap kayaks to Anne. Thanks to TNL Export making the freighting possible
Out they go to the USA
Anne broadening the market to Bird Watchers
We also kept producing a few Nelson Luggers.
I will tell you a secret. This is my favourite boat. Of the whole lot.
Dozens of street-side Transformer housings and thousands of underground power junction boxes. Oh – and hundreds of salmon farm feeders.
One of 125 18ft 6 inches Lynn Tuttle Supercanoes made. They surf on their own bow wave. We also made a 16ft, 10 ft and 8 ft (trainer)
The great learning curve
And the great experiences. Thank you Lynn.
Fun boat! The inverted ’30’ came from Modellers Pony hire operation.
Very famous globally – the Prospector design
Our very first newspaper advert.
We never did master advertising! Our marketing, based on individual athlete AND event sponsorship was a bit more successful!
Partial list of kayak models produced – 1974 – 2011. (Two missing) Kayak models with an * means that in 2011 – a production mould existed.
Lettman Slipper Slalom – general purpose when fitted with skeg
Lettman Olymp 5 Slalom – general purpose when fitted with skeg
Gap 1 Compact (spraydeck capable) – Global original compact
Gap 2 Compact (Open cockpit) – Global original compact
Elite Slalom
18 ft Canadian – (Lynn Tuttle Supercanoe design)
Nordkapp (VCP Royalty Paid) – sea kayak *
Prospector Canadian – Classic North American design
10ft Canadian – Compact family fun
8ft Canadian – Baths Open Canoe Trainer
Bathbat – Baths Slalom Trainer
Surf Yack – Ocean Surf
Delphin 1 Down River Racer – DRR and multisport
Delphin 2 Down River Racer – DRR and multisport
Vision 2 Down River Racer – DRR and multisport
Trident Multisport – ‘Blown-up’ (enlarged) Vision 2 hull – multisport
Sting – Steve Chapman designed Slalom
Delaware – General Family-Fun and multisport
Delaware 91 – Upgrade of above
Puyesgur sea kayak – Compact Sea Kayak
Selkie – Compact Sea Kayak
Arctic Raider sea kayak – Mid stability Sea Kayak *
Voyager – double Arctic Raider Sea Kayak *
Southern Light – double Sea Kayak using Lynn Tuttle hull
Southern Light EX – exportable double sea kayak *
Eliminator multisport – Eliminated the Delaware
Eliminator 97 – upgrade of above – multisport *
Esprit – multisport *
Centrix – multisport *
Jaguar ICF K1 *
Woodpecker ICF K1
Stealth – Woodpecker hulled multisport – multisport
Woodstock Express – multisport
Contender – upgraded Woodstock Express
Triathlete – Global original multisport
Tri Extreme – multisport
Infinity – multisport
Evolution Classic – multisport *
Evolution Edge – multisport *
Evolution Extreme – multisport *
Evolution Omega – multisport *
Nucleus 60 – multisport *
Nucleus 80 – multisport *
Nucleus 100 – multisport *
Posted in: News
The 1979 Muldoon Boat Tax
Date: April 7th, 2018
How an unhinged accountant scuppered a nation. His grand followup was the 1982 – 84 Wage and Price Freeze. And car-less days!
Yet another ‘Mini-Budget’
I seem to remember that the fatal news was delivered on 1st April 1979. Muldoon – with some help from his Minister of Customs Templeton – had created a new sales tax on boats, pottery and caravans. Actually the tax cut through NZ industry much worse than most people will recall.
- 10 % Sales Tax on the wholesale price of pottery. Retrospective.
- 20% Sales Tax on the wholesale price of boats. Retrospective.
- 33% Sales Tax on the wholesale price of motor body building (of which caravans were a small part. Retrospective.
- 50% Sales Tax on the wholesale price of aircraft spare parts. Retrospective.
Clearly “Rob’s Mob” were also underwhelmed! Hugh Templeton now distances himself from this Tax. HISTORICALLY INCORRECT.
Muldoon’s dream (based on a childish VisiCalc spreadsheet) was to use the huge revenue gained to subsidise farmers. He even started a ‘family-benefit’ scheme for sheep! Muldoon’s revenue collapsed as he almost single handed (remember Hugh’s help) wiped several huge NZ industries from the face of the earth. Anecdotal evidence at the time suggests that Muldoon and Templeton had blood-on-their-hands. Yes – business owners died – maybe from broken hearts. Skilled workers became labourers.
In five years of trading Sisson Industries Ltd had grown rapidly.
Huge diversification can be seen in the list below. In addition Sisson Industries Ltd undertook significant low-volume-run precision metal lathe machining. Some Prestocure HPSD equipment orders were gained.
- Making clay extraction frames for the huge business – Potters Clay
- Three man team lead by Tim McDowell making – on average – 22 kayaks per week. With a clearly recalled maximum weekly production of 32. Exports to Asia and USA were regular. Our USA export agent TNL Group chartered Bristol Freighters to fly the US bound kayaks to Auckland. TNL also sold kayaks to the Middle East.
- A two man team building GRP (fibreglass) parts for the motor body building industry. Minibus liners. Mitsubishi ute tail light holders. Bus roof ends. The list was endless.
- Aircraft parts for Hughes 500 helicopters used by the deer recovery, forestry and farming industries. Wheel spats and wing root fairings for Cessna planes. The list was endless.
In 1977 this custom-built fertiliser spreader for Helicopters NZ was Sisson Industries Ltd very first Kevlar product. The first Kevlar kayak built was for Paul Caffyn’s Australian (export) 1981 circumnavigation Nordkapp.
Welcome to the commercial world of reality Mr Muldoon – the pottery, boat, minivan, and aircraft customers – closed their chequebooks.
This high intellect decision (possibly made whilst boozing at the local gang headquarters) was accompanied by changes for many government services increasing exponentially. For instance – Postal charges trebled.
Many of my regular kayak customers moved to Australia
selling their kayaks in the glutted market cheaply. These kayaks satisfied the market demand.
Never mind – Muldoon had the answer.
A kayak that had wholesaled for $1000 would have retailed for about $1300. With 20% rammed onto the wholesale the new retail would be $1920.
Our kayak sales were not helped by two of our customers – who launched into a severely flooded Aorere River – drowning. The very next day another Riwaka canoeist (not our customer) – drowned.
The canoe business traded as WILDWATER CANOES. Hardly the best marketing.
The Nelson Mail Newspaper front page story – halted forever – mothers calling in to buy a canoe for their family!
By August 1980 we were booming in kayak sales. That month we received one kayak order. One (1) taxable domestic–market-kayak was built in 18 months. What about the missing 1315 kayaks NOT manufactured in that time! Anne Dwyer imported about 300 kayaks into the US – which helped.
Another trailer load of Gap one and Gap two kayaks heading to the Nelson TNL warehouse. They were pelletised awaiting the next chartered Bristol Freighter trip to Auckland. Auckland to LA was by Pan Am 747SP. When the freight needed to be light.
We also managed to sell a few Nelson Luggers sold as row boats. Three sets of Bumpa Boats. Farmers were purchasing Prestocure HPSD timber treatment equipment.
- Our customer Potters Clay moved from 24/7 production to about 6 hours per day – made possible only because they exported. We did not hear from them again.
- Working out of a factory (as apposed to a van) I was the only Nelson Boat Builder to survive. I lost contact with Anne Dwyer in California (Kiwi Kayaks – of which I was the kiwi designer – royalties were never paid).
- Nelson Motor Body Builders lost their Mitsubishi Ute tray orders and they contracted rapidly. We did not receive another order from NMBB.
- Our industrial estate was called Airport Estate. We did not hear from our Nelson Airport customers again.
Everyone except the genius could see the reality
Click here to read about a caravan builders loss.
By Easter 1981, Anne Dwyer had set up her own US production – on which I received (never happened) a royalty.
We exported hundreds of tax-free Gap kayaks to Anne. But that all halted as Anne set up production in the US.
The Bumpa Boat orders were almost complete. The workload collapsed totally.
Scott, Thomas 1947- :Muldoon on Muldoon, chapter one, tape one. – In the beginning I created heaven and earth…. NZ Listener, 26 November 1977.
Alexander Turnbull Library
I had to arrange another job for my loyal foreman worker Tim McDowell. We remain good friends. I became a one-man-band surviving (at times) making items like tanks and fertiliser hoppers for – those subsidised – farmers. Also kept busy (at times) with fibreglass repairs. January was always the worst month. So we cut a deal with the Nelson City Council to hire canoes at the Tahuna Modellers Pond. At its peak Armorguard picked up the cash about midday. Our cash haul was too obvious – and we were being ‘monitored’ by the unsavoury opportunists. The Modellers Pond cash flow saved the business.
In order to try to stimulate boat sales we published a price list with huge retail margins – thus minimising the wholesale price – and the 20% sales tax.
Imagine our 1982 amazement to wake up (yet again) to more Muldoon wizidary. We lived through a Wage and Price Freeze for two years. Which killed my desire to sell unprofitable boats. Other kayak manufacturers changed small model details and renamed their canoes with ‘new’ prices. I could not bother because that terrible WILDWATER weekend was still too recent.
This mad-man intervention sent another huge wave of potential-customers to Australia. Refer graph above.
Turning the clock back to 1980 you may recall the Moscow Olympics. The style-of-the-day was to boycott these games because of the Russian invasion of Afghanistan. Muldoon was best-friends with Harry Julian – head of the NZ sailing contingent to the Moscow games. Harry Julian also saved our business by pulling the 110 (?) sailors out of Moscow – in exchange for the removal to the 20% (wholesale – 40% retail tax) tax off “Sailing boats under the sail-away price of $5000 – in order to assist the youth of NZ”.
The Nelson Lugger which retailed for less than $5000 also saved our business. We built about 200 hulls. Some we finished ourselves. The rest were fitted out and retailed by Walker Marine – who had assisted in the initial product development.
Stuart Walker completing yet another Nelson Lugger for delivery
Curiously the Nelson Lugger complete with all sailing gear was cheaper than the Nelson Lugger sold as a simple rowing boat.
Sailaway price less than $5000. Yes!
We retro fitted a few centre cases to in-stock Nelson Lugger row boats. And added a few masts.
Most athletes pulled out of Moscow – except Ian Ferguson, two other kayakers, and Team Flag Bearer Brian Newth. We made approaches to Templeton to cut the Sales Tax on canoes “to assist the youth of NZ”. This was never going to happen.
Canoeists were the lowest of the low – according to Muldoon and Templeton. Then – out-of-the-blue – some absolutely marvellous news.
Thanks 100% to Marilyn Waring.
Marilyn Waring ‘cottons on’ to Robert Muldoon’s unsuitable tie at a wool promotion at the Beehive in March 1983.
Read about how Marilyn took down Muldoon by clicking here
A very drunk Muldoon announcing the 1984 snap election “Swandd givvve shmy opponents smuch time shmeither” TRANSLATION “Shouldn’t give my opponents much time either”
Things returned to normal in 1984 when the new Labour government killed most Sales Taxes and introduced 10% GST – across everything. At last a level playing field.
Read about Rogernomics. The farmers lost their subsidies and in some cases their farms. Farmers closed their cheque books. At Sisson Industries it was just like 1979 – Again! Sales of Prestocure HPSD ended – forever.
When will this madness ever end?
We killed off Sisson Industries and changed the name to Sisson Kayaks – then got stuck in. The rest you know.
We abandoned the ‘family floater’ market totally. We concentrated only on the Lion Brown Coast to Coast and upper-end sea kayaks.
Out of all disasters a degree of humour can be enjoyed.
In 1979 I met Graeme Skinner – Sales Tax Inspector for the Customs Dept. Graeme scanned our files and discovered.
- As a result of a contra deal with US based Anne Dwyer (California Rivers and later Kiwi Kayaks), Graeme discovered that we owed thousands in import duties.
- Customers who had deposit-paid pre-ordered kayaks were hit with the RETROSPECTIVE need to stump up with the Tax.
Graeme’s future visits moved out-of-the-office – and closer to the factory. In the end I set him up a desk in the fibreglass grinding booth. That day I had a lot of fibreglass to grind. My Airstream helmet and coveralls placed me inside a virtual clean-room. I was possibly inconsiderate when considering the angle the grinder sent the debris – away from the extraction zone. Graeme had a very sparkly appearance as he left the factory. Graeme was never seen in his official capacity again.
If I did this today I would be charged with assault.
Sometime in the 80’s I received a friendly personal visit from Graeme – and we shared a good laugh about the manner in which I had dispatched him from my life.
Finally
The rapid business growth prior to the Muldoon disasters can be attributed to Tim McDowell and I working together as a team.
Something went wrong. I (33) became grumpy. Tim (17) eyeballed me and said “Nobody likes them you know” To which I gruffly asked “Who?” “Smartbastards” (with a wide grin). That was it – been good friends ever since. And WHAT a dynamic working team we became! I do believe that we were on track to create something of great substance. Without the assistance of
Silver, Burton :`Close encounters of the turd kind’.
Alexander Turnbull Library
The day after Tim left was a very sad day. Tim has gone on to become a Master Locksmith. If you are a bank and your keys are locked inside the strong room – phone Tim. My loss!
Think Big
Carrying on from the above ‘successes’ Muldoon
Who now looked like this
decided to borrow billions of 1980’s dollars to fulfil his economic miracle list shown below.
The enduring success is the Urea plant. Used by cow farmers to over-apply cheap nitrogen – which ends up as nitrates in water tables.
Methanol (click here). Urea (click here). Synthetic petrol (click here). Oil refinery (click here). Steel (click here). Electric train set (click here). Smelter (click here). Clyde Dam (click here) and (here)
Some of these projects have been successful. Profitable for the current owners. Who purchased them at ‘fire-sale’ prices during the term of the David Lange lead Labour government. Rogernomics followed by Richardsonomics!
The New Zealand public are still repaying the borrowed construction funding. And why – did public funding expand privately owned business – in the first place?
Just an idiot.
Just an idiot.
Finally some light-hearted banter (click here) relating to the pre-politician skill set training of Muldoon’s right-hand man (and so many others). Hilarious!
Posted in: News
The on-set of geriatric hearing loss
Date: March 24th, 2018
Over the years I have been increasingly uttering the following question “What did you say?”
I have been watching the hearing-aid industry for several years – awaiting the technology ‘breakthrough’ that would result in lowered prices plus more assistance. Nothing. The prices just go ^^^^^^^^ as the assistance creeps along – flat.
About two years ago I started watching the electronics industry and this is what I recently discovered
Absolutely unpaid ‘advertisement’.
Disclosure – Sadly I hold no equity in this business
Invisability means nothing to me. I wear earphones to play music. So – yesterday after having a conventional hearing test – which suggested a $2500 to $7000 fix – I pre-ordered my set of IQBuds BOOST for NZ$629 inc GST and freight
Read all about them by clicking here.
Welcome to the 21st Century!
Grahame – who will no longer have tangled cords in the ski helmet.
Update. There was once an (in) famous award ceremony for the band REM. The MC said to Michael Stipe “Fantastic – but what the $%#@ are you singing about?” Same question from me – until I listened to REM with my Nuheara IQ Buds Boost. “I hear all of the words Michael”
Posted in: News
Your question #9 – what is the basis of your 75% deduction suggestion?
Date: March 23rd, 2018
Posted in: News
The old & the new – NZ Slope Safety Codes
Date: March 23rd, 2018
“I have never heard of a such a Code?”
“Please explain what we have missed”
The ‘old’ International Slope Safety Code
The new Slope Safety Code
Posted in: News
NZ Alpine Resort Slope Culture & On-Piste Ski Patrol patrolling
Date: March 21st, 2018
NZ Ski Patrol Off-Piste protection is functioning well.
Do you believe that NZ Ski Patrol protects you On-Piste?
Having suffered a 2017 double concussion with GP feared brain-bleed – when hit from above by a Crombie Lockwood corporate moron (“I did not see you”) – this subject is relevant to me.
At this stage I simply ask questions. The answers are devastating. The lack of resort Duty-of-Care is – in the event of a person-to-person impact death – criminal.
It is my belief that the impacted walking wounded simply head straight to their own GP via the resort carpark. The resort stats are fake due to the $95 resort Medical Centre charge being rejected as useless (as I did). Many of the impacted never ski again.
I have suffered two from-above impacts in the 2018 season. Plus many near-misses.
Read the emails between Karen Boserio and myself. Karen is a part of the team that trains NZ Ski Patrol.
Hi Grahame
Thanks you for your email and insightful question.
Although the words crowd control are not specifically stated in the our Slope management course descriptor (below), the traffic control aspect of slope management is a one of the patrol functions our students learn during the 6 week work placement section of the programme. This is because they can learn it in the real world with real clients. Whilst at work placement, they are assessed in their capability to interact with clients who break the snow code and are required to reach a positive outcome.
The larger snow sport areas (who are the main places to experience this issue) have courtesy or trail crew departments who answer to the ski patrol department. Their main role is traffic control and client education. Smaller ski areas manage this within the patrol itself.
Most ski patrol welcome open conversation, so you could talk to the Ski patrol manager(s) at the ski area(s) you use to ask about their specific management system.
Kind regards Karen
Slope Management
The aim of this course is to provide students with the skills, experience and judgment needed to manage and communicate hazards on a Snowsport Area.
By the end of this course students will be able to:
Assess conditions and identify hazards in a whole mountain context
Continuously evaluate, mitigate and communicate hazards in adherence with Snowsport Area SMS
Demonstrate basic knowledge of Snowsport Area locations and systems
Communicate effectively with all stakeholders and operate within scope of practice
Karen Boserio Ski patrol Programme Leader
Varina Place 15 Cliff Wilson St Wanaka|PO Box 375 Wanaka
ddi 03 443 4192 | cellphone 027 2890274|.
www.tpp.ac.nz/skipatrol
From: Reception
Sent: Thursday, 22 February 2018 3:33 p.m.
To: Karen Boserio
Subject: FW: Attention Karen Boserio Please
From: Grahame Sisson, Sisson Kayaks [mailto:grahame@sissonkayaks.co.nz]
Sent: Thursday, 22 February 2018 3:00 p.m.
To: info <info@tpp.ac.nz>
Subject: Attention Karen Boserio Please
Dear Karen
As a skier heading for my 63rd season I wish to state that the modern ski patrol – as trained by yourself – have tamed-the-mountain. Within reason (my head) and bounds (the expertly patrolled resort) I no longer fear the mountain.
What I fear is colliding with others. Being hit! Fair to state – some of the very reasons I was attracted into the mountains – are now gone. But the joy of the modern equipment has become a new attraction. Plus, at age 75, my similar age friends moan about the onset of winter – when I can be seen standing in a storm saying “bring it on”. Positive – the winter passes too fast!
Some of the ‘others’ who hit (collide with) me seem to have an attitude problem. People assume the Ski Patrol will administer slope safety. I do not think this assumption is correct. Nowhere in your course list do I see crowd control listed.
Can you please clarify if modern Ski Patrol are involved in resort slope crowd control?
Regards
Grahame Sisson
Some questions – to which you the reader may wish to supply me with answers (Click here to discover on-piste collision sanity)
- Is that you – in the photo above? Have you – or any family member – been involved in an on-piste collision?
- Was your collision due – in your opinion – to the other slope user being Reckless?
- Do you consider your Alpine Resort management display sufficient Duty-of-Care – by sending Reckless on-piste slope users home ticketless?
- What is your honest opinion relating to the new NZ Slope Safety Code?
- Can this new Code be effectively applied against the Reckless slope user?
- What in your opinion was wrong with the ‘old’ (international) Slope Safety Code?
- Could this Code be applied against the Reckless slope user?
- Do you consider that the new Code better prevents you from on-piste collision?
- Do you believe that on-piste slope collisions have reduced 75% since 2014?
- Have you witnessed more/less on-piste collisions than in the recent past?
- Did Ski Patrol attend your on-piste collision? Did you witness the removal of the lift ticket from the on-piste Reckless slope user?
- How long did Ski Patrol take to arrive at the on-piste collision scene?
- Did you receive on-piste assistance from any other Resort staff?
- Were you injured sufficiently to need to walk to the resort Medical Centre?
- At the Medical Centre – were you asked for a $95 payment – prior to any documentation or consultation?
- Did you make an Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) claim? At the Resort Medical Centre – or your own GP?
- Were you satisfied with the outcome of that claim? Did you later approach ACC SportSafe suggesting on-piste safety improvements?
- Did you discuss your on-piste collision with your resort management?
- In your opinion did your resort management appear to be lacking in alpine resort training relating to slope-culture crowd control?
- In your opinion – does your Resort Top-of the-Leader-Board – encourage Reckless On-Piste attitude?
- In your opinion did your Resort manager display concern mostly about improved on-piste alpine cultural attitude or improved short-term Resort financial viability?
- In your considered opinion – do you consider that your resort ‘Duty-of-Care’ is proactively attempting to reduce on-piste Recklessness?
- Have you ever witnessed the consumption of illegal drugs in your Resort car park?
- Who did you report this to?
- In your opinion – should the policing of the on-piste slopes be conducted by POLICE?
- Do you consider that your resort should apply Comfortable Carrying Capacity (CCC) and Skiers at One Time (SAOT) to their on-piste operational plans?
- Are you terrified of being ‘slammed-into’ by another on-piste Reckless slope user?
- Has the overall experience of the physical hammering made you consider going elsewhere – or giving up Alpine visits entirely?
The key questions in bold, #11, #15 & #20 are the crucial pivotal safety topics.
Some relevant links. Like (click here) this – or (click here) this – or (click here) this?
We are living through a Fourth Turning bad-attitude-to-others epidemic. Slope users, road users (click here) or (here) and surf (click here) users (or here) are all aware of this.
Within the Questions above I have highlighted the words Duty-of-Care and Reckless. These are legal terms which have been used successfully in overseas on-piste collision litigation. – keep reading.
Colorado Skier Is Convicted In Fatal Collision on Slopes
NOV. 18, 2000
Reflecting on the trial’s outcome, the prosecutor, Michael Goodbee, said: ”I think we did a lot of good today and we made the ski world a safer place. I think it sends a message to safe skiers and potentially unsafe skiers that there is accountability; you can’t just walk away because it happens on a ski slope.”
A 21-year-old man has been convicted of criminally negligent homicide in what lawyers describe as the first criminal trial of a skier who accidentally caused the death of another on the slopes.
A jury of seven men and five women, all of whom said when selected for the panel that they were either skiers or snowboarders, returned the verdict late Thursday night in Eagle County District Court. The defendant was Nathan Hall, who had been charged with reckless manslaughter. The lesser charge of which he was found guilty could bring him as much as six years in prison when he is sentenced in January.
Other skiers and snowboarders have been prosecuted for causing injuries on Colorado slopes, in cases that were adjudicated before trial. And there have been trials for civil damages involving ski-slope fatalities. But lawyers involved in the case here said there had never before been a criminal trial of a skier for such a death.
The fatal collision occurred in the spring of 1997. Leaving work, Mr. Hall, then an 18-year-old lift operator at the top of a ski run at nearby Vail Resorts, took off down the mountain, and soon lost control. He crashed into Alan Cobb, 33, a cabinet maker who lived in Denver, one of his skis striking Mr. Cobb in the head.
The recklessness that the prosecution attributed to Mr. Hall, who had been a ski racer in high school in California, centered on a rate of speed that witnesses described as much too high. He was also convicted on Thursday night of possession of less than one ounce of marijuana and possession of alcohol by a minor, although he tested negative for marijuana after the accident and was not legally drunk
Reflecting on the trial’s outcome, the prosecutor, Michael Goodbee, said: ”I think we did a lot of good today and we made the ski world a safer place. I think it sends a message to safe skiers and potentially unsafe skiers that there is accountability; you can’t just walk away because it happens on a ski slope.”
Brett Heckman, the defense lawyer, said he believed that the ”culpability didn’t rise to the level of felony” and that Mr. Hall was ”heroic” for fighting the charges. Asked about the prospect of an appeal, he said it would be up to the Hall family.
Mr. Hall himself said in a brief statement: ”I think about Alan Cobb and his family every day. I hope everyone can move forward towards a brighter future. I’m thankful this is over.”
The trial followed years of legal wrangling in which courts twice dismissed the case, finding that no reasonable person could have expected that excessively fast skiing would bring another person’s death. But the Colorado Supreme Court reversed those decisions this year and ordered the case to trial. Testimony began on Monday.
The evidence heard by the jurors included an audiotape in which Mr. Hall, being treated at a hospital for a concussion and a cut above his eye and apparently unaware of what had happened to Mr. Cobb, told a sheriff’s deputy: ”I tried to slow down. I was trying to get control. I went off a knoll. I was off my feet. I’m an expert skier. I can stay in control all the time. I just hope I didn’t injure another person.”
The defense maintained that Mr. Hall could not be held criminally accountable, that conditions on the slope at the time were poor, with slushy snow creating moguls, or small hills, in the run.
”Nathan is not a killer,” Mr. Heckman said in his closing argument. ”It is a tragic accident.”
Mr. Cobb, whose family later settled a civil claim with Vail Resorts for an undisclosed sum, was skiing that day with his fiancee, Christi Neville, who gave tearful testimony this week. She said after the verdict, ”Skiing should be a safe and fun sport where families can take kids without being slammed down by an employee of the resort and killed.”
The killing of Mr. Cobb was soon followed by the highly publicized skiing accidents that took the lives of Michael Kennedy and Sonny Bono on Western slopes, and there has since been increased safety consciousness. Many resorts in Colorado, including Aspen, Breckenridge and Vail, have added programs that provide more safety patrols and more warning signs.
According to the National Ski Areas Association in Denver, there were 30 ski slope deaths in the 1999-2000 ski season, compared with 34 the previous season, even as the number of skier visits rose slightly, to an estimated 52.2 million last season from 52.1 million in 1998-99.
But skiing deaths, of course, do not account for all skiing accidents. ”With higher-speed lifts, more skiers on the slopes, higher-technology skis and gear, and groomed slopes, there are more people going faster on more crowded slopes,” said Jim Chalat, a Denver lawyer who has represented many people with ski injuries. ”Intuitively, there’s a greater risk for collision.”
Mr. Chalat said prosecutors in other states would most likely refer to the Colorado Supreme Court decision in proceeding with criminal charges in ski accident cases.
”There is a very strong belief,” he said, ”that criminal prosecution will deter this conduct in the future.”
Posted in: News
Moulded 1987, Burned 1996, Launched 2017
Date: June 23rd, 2017
This is the tale of a Wagstaff 660 moulded by Lynda with some help from a young factory worker.
As it looked in 1990. Mast and sails in storage. Keel being made.
Actually almost ready to launch – until burned in the 1996 fire. The motor survived. The cost to dump exceeded the material cost to repair. Such repair was never intended to be rapid. “It will be ready when I am ready” was the answer to the “when” question.
The dream – take a kid fishing ^. And below – utopia
Posted in: News
Q-Kayaks Closing Down sale
Date: June 22nd, 2017
This is not a happy time for the NZ kayak industry.
I brought this news to the attention of Andrew Martin yesterday. Fair to say – Andrew and I are both in shock.
Max Grant had a dream to create a large business that would outlast his own very long involvement. The plan was for Q-Kayaks to be run by the family after Margaret and Max retired.
Not enough paddlers? That was my finding when I retired in 2010. I have my own thoughts as to why. There are some very unhelpful websites that killed the desire to sell-the-sizzle (the marketing of paddling). Sportzhub springs to mind.
Max, under the 1970’s ‘Raidercraft’ (if I remember correctly) brand, was building great kayaks long before Quality Kayaks was formed. His contribution to the NZ kayak industry is huge. Q-Kayaks were for many years a huge Sisson Kayaks component customer. The payment ALWAYS arrived before the due date. Thank you Margaret.
Q-Kayaks arranged our introduction to Matsumura at Kleen-Tex Japan, which made it possible for Sisson Kayaks to export to Japan. The end of an era. In the late 80’s and the 90’s the NZ kayak manufacturing industry was huge. Q-Kayaks lead that amazing exciting NZ export drive.
The Grant family were in every sense pleasant helpful competitors. Andrew Martin has similar memories.Very very sad. We feel for the extended Grant family.
Lynda and I wish Margaret and Max a long and happy retirement. You know where to find us.
Posted in: News
Contact Grahame
For all enquiries and orders please contact me directly:
Phone: 027 2755 499
Email: grahame@sissonkayaks.co.nz
