It’s blatantly obvious

No it’s not. It’s obvious or it’s not. Learn some logic and grammar. The same applies to patently obvious. Then we have ad nauseam: Don’t get me wrong...to be perfectly frank / candid... I’ll be honest with you... Ye gods, were they not previously? I would be the first to... I am a great believer in... Our old pal Bob McCroskrie of Family First NZ wrote in Granny Herald only this morning: Don't get me wrong - I would be the first in line to condemn violence against women… Good on y’ Bob, hang in there…!

The need for a major grizzle is upon me. I have a brother who thinks I should lighten up. Well, he has his major grizzles when it suits him. I am aged 77 and I will say what I choose.

Six female teenagers at Fairfield College in Hamilton were taken to hospital spaced out and behaving violently from taking ecstasy pills. They had to be restrained and subdued. These pills, which seem to have been available at their homes, were actually low grade and contaminated. The girls’ ages ranged from 13 to 15.

How come our astute investigative and intrusive media don’t find access to the homes and parents of these children to find out what is going on, what constitutes their culture, what these kids are having to survive if they can...? One student who brought the pills to school said she had taken them from her father's stash. So where in the media coverage is the father? Or the mother? Or whoever actually does currently have custody of these juveniles? Anyone?

Next day a couple of these girls showed up back at the school from which they have been suspended, evidently hoping to see friends. But they fled in tears when their mates turned on them with gross abuse. Their mates turned feral. What is this culture?

James Joseph Ruhe Lawrence, known as JJ, was found dead about 11.15am last Monday at the Orakei house where he lived (and seemingly died) with his mother and her boyfriend. He was two years old. JJ died from injuries suffered as the result of blunt-force trauma to his abdomen. This toddler was struck so hard in the stomach that one of his internal organs split in half. JJ depended entirely on the protection of his mother (his father is in prison). That protection failed, lethally. I can’t bear to think what this little child suffered. We are informed that JJ’s mother is pregnant again.

Now that Demi Moore has announced the demise of her six-year marriage, headlines are burning up over what really nuked her union with Ashton Kutcher. Moore, 49, issued a carefully-worded statement last week, ending months of tabloid speculation… Super broody and pregnant? "Hell, no!" says Katy Perry . While she's made no secret of her desire to start a family with husband Russell Brand , the 27-year-old pop singer has trashed tabloid talk she's expecting her first child. Rumours have been…

This is now what passes for news. I have no idea who those people are.

Surreal… incredible… miracle… carnage… The silver lining is bright going forward… that last was in the radio business news this morning.

We have abused language, logic, grammar, ethics. Everything is invaded, raped and set aside.

Last night the General Election campaign ended. It is a merciful deliverance. This morning I voted for the Labour candidate for Rodney, Christine Rose, and my party vote was Green. The Greens it seems do have principles beyond people’s self-interest. I also voted for the MMP electoral system to be retained, although it needs to be reformed somewhat.

TVNZ went to the Whangarei electorate for their final once-over-lightly wrap up of voter wisdom. It was less than edifying. The mums of Ngunguru seem to be clustering around smiling rich John Key. One woman actually informed us that “he hasn’t done anything naughty, yet.” She thought that was hugely witty and wise. Her husband or boyfriend stood there loyally nodding and poised to run any errand she might decree. They were gathered at the local school’s annual Pets Day. We got to see one of the pupils at the microphone lay down the rules for Pets Day. You are responsible for the behaviour of your own pet, she warned us, and you must pick up all droppings. We need that little lass on the beachfront here at Snells.

So New Zealand is flocking to the polls. I was a little alarmed at the few young or middle-aged faces I saw queuing up to vote. Maybe they were not out of bed yet at 9.30 of a Saturday morning. Too many think it’s cool not to vote -- they can’t be bothered, they’re not interested, they don’t even begin to understand the issues, they never read anything and some of them can’t read anyway. In NZ it is compulsory to enroll, although it is never enforced, but it is not compulsory to vote. Well, if you don’t, it seems to me, you forfeit any right to grizzle about the government.