Posts by Ross Mason
Last ←Newer Page 1 2 3 4 5 Older→ First
-
RE Carr Quip.
Don't worry, even the Times have mentioned it. How sad. Main stream now.
I knew I had seen it a few years ago since I had just come back from Athens Paralympics. :-) Yes, GOLD!!!
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article744784.ece#
I AM waiting for Russell to mention the dropping of the ACC Fall Prevention Programme that the instigators suggest has halved the number of falls since it was started.
........oh...and the fact it has been replaced by......Tai Chi.Oh dear....
I smell magnetic underlays coming through again.....
-
Oh DOG,..... deliberate capital letters!!!!
How on EARTH are we going to convince children that there is no Santa Claus now? No science advisers to assist teachers to tune their bullshit detectors, no folk to demonstrate the awe inspiring universe and our (lack of) meekness in it.
I worry. Not so long ago my eldest was at Intermediate and (I swear to doG) came home with a study she had to do about astronomy...well...that was what it SAID. What star sign are you? What star sign are your family? Do you think they tend to agree with their horoscopes?
Bejezzus I was pissed. With some stirring it got promptly dumped from the school, course and NZED.
I don't worry, I despair.
On one hand we have been told that Science R&D is the way of the future and business, industry and the country HAVE to follow, and now, here we have the very next generation being screwed.
I think this might tempt me to write a letter to the minister (deliberate small capital). Tolley?? More like off her trolley.
-
Maybe science is being dropped because we have already (well.....nearly...if you read on a bit...) achieved Number 1.
http://www.minedu.govt.nz/theMinistry/AboutUs/mediaCentreLanding/mediaReleaseIndex/MR004Apr29.aspxWe can't improve any more lets move on.......Been there done that....lets try counting now.
-
We should never let ill-educated politicians anywhere near education.
Pardon my missing something....is John Key sick??
-
Joshua Great Map(s) !!
Re the Island. Nice to see it has been called that before!! And the transport blog is A1.
but I just can't see what you're thinking
I see the northern parts of Fanklin including the south edge of the Manukau turing into burbs some time in the future. Once that happens someone is going to scream that getting into Auckland via Manukau/Papakura is not going to be for the faint hearted. If it also expands out north as well then there is no way there will be any kind of "efficient" route without putting in alternatives. Obviously rail is the way to go but to me, a west route up north may very well turn up. It is not much longer getting from Bombay to Te Atatu via SH1 than it would be via Clarks Beach and Awhitu. (BTW I did mean Clarks Beach not Glenbrook earlier). But again, the through traffic may not be the issue. Rather it will be those south trying to get to Wellsford and Wellsfordites wanting to get south. You are likely moving half the population across the isthmus afterall.
Waitakeres (and/or a regional park) where no one lives and there are almost no connecting roads
Well there weren't too many connecting roads south of Howick or Wiri not so long ago either. So some of those trees out west might just have to go!!!!!
-
OK. Absurd it is.
1955 rejecting the railway system around Auckland in favour of motorways. Absurd.
Rejecting Robbies Light rail. Absurd.
Expanding Auckland both North and South without rail corridors in place by ANY of the councils. Absurd.
Isolating the CBD from the rest of the universe as above. Absurd.
Relying on buses that travel the same roads as the gazzillions of cars. Absurd.
And similar: Ridding the Electricity subsidies in the South Island that attempted to attract business and the population south. Absurd.
Putting in a bypass to Wgtn airport rather than a light rail from the city. Absurd.
Putting cycle ways on a 1m strip of NEW road on the Hutt Mway. Absurd.
Planning the Hutt Valley Rail line BEFORE the housing went in. Not absurd.
Getting rid of CNG. Absurd.Yes, I looked at the map. But I DID live in Pukekohe and I do have an inkling of the area. But think about it. Where is Auckland going to expand? I don't think there will be much of a green belt between Papakura and Hamilton. Nor from Warkworth to Wellsford.
You could of course take the easy route and ruin your beaches and the coastline. Just like around Wgtn Harbour. From Petone to Oriental bay, try getting to the shoreline and paddling in the sea. Motorway, rail line, ferry, wharfs, Event Centre, Te Papa, Overseas Terminal, Swimming Pool (!!! OVER the sea too) and then you reach O Bay. An absurd idea.
It might be absurd. but it might not be either.....in time. I look forward to other options. There aren't too many left though. Look outside of the box.
Peace.
-
Oh Brickley...I'm stuck on you!
-
Then I'm sure you'll understand when we suggest you aren't the sorta person we want to tell us how to sort out the place. Which we actually kinda like.
Sigh. I know......It is more the line of a "Love Hate" relationships but.
PS Where the hell WOULD be Big Key cycle way go through anyway?
-
I'm assuming you're joking.
I never joke Russell :-)
As I said. Out of left field.
But I'm sorry to keep harping on about it since I recall these conversations in an earlier piece. But I cannot help think that the vast amounts destined for more motorways could be spent to at least rip up probably only a few more houses and lay lots of track. At least those close to it will be able to sleep, have a station close by and it will in the end take up less space per km than 4 and 6 lane roads that are destined purely to speed up the jam into and out of the city.
Am I the only one who is astounded that the Auckland CBD is truly an island in the middle of tarmac? The gaggle and sprawl of the aptly named Spaghetti Junction, the jamming of the bridge approaches and the annihilation of Grafton Gully all contribute to the prison like fence.
I lived there - or close - for a few years. I watched the sprawl develop. Moved stock in the wide open paddocks of Wiri with the 'ol man in the 60s. And still the Mway kept coming. I too have sat crawling literally from Papakura to K road. Wifey and i ventured forth on a holiday north last year and came back through Wellsford on saturday. Passed a queue at Warkworth that stretched all the way to Puhoi and thought of the horrors we were to meet at spag junction.
Well.
Unbelievably, the road was clear to the bridge, through the junction and on past Greenlane. I have never ever cruised through so easily in all my life. 30 minutes and we were in and out.
I hate the place. But as usual there are nice people who live there and one is tempted to come back and visit. Sigh.
But I am only saying.....and I feel better :-)
It will take an "out of body" experience to make a change up there. Someone is going to have to suffer and I am afraid it will be all of us. All because some bureaucratic bastards and their political mates (or the other way round) wanted to make sure their job and votes will still be there.
but...IF and it is an IF...if these bastards want to carry on the way they have been then the crazy idea of "my bridge" would certainly clear the way for those who want to "pass through".
Surely you have to agree.
And no, I don't have any shares.
So there ya go. Now I AM confirmed to be in Noddy Land.
-
It's into the middle of the bloody Isthmus FCS.
Ummmm...convince me why you guys want another bridge that has one end slightly shifted a bit north and the south end closer to the city??? Madness from down here.
Here's one from left field for you. Since the super city is taking in half of Franklin, it seems one may be able to use a bit of it thus:
If I was going to Whangarei in the middle of the day it might be useful to bypass the whole jammed up Auckland.
My audacious suggestion is a bridge from Glenbrook Beach to Awhitu, and then a bridge across the Manukau to Cornwallis and then up to Riverhead, Helensville and all points north. Its only a few Titiirangi baches would have to go isn't it? It would/could take a few Westies as well in the process!! Simple.
PS...looking at the map it is not such a stupid idea though....is it?