I get a couple of local rags, the weekly Kapi-Mana News and the monthly Whitby Newsbrief. Yesterday they both arrived together.
The Kapi-Mana News told me that some 20,000 motorists per year are legally obliged to pay a road toll for driving on Whitford Brown Avenue.
The Whitby Newsbrief told me that NZTA has a “commitment to the local community” that they will “demolish the existing Paremata Bridge and remove the clearways through Mana in conjunction with the opening of Transmission Gully motorway, and following appropriate public process,” according to a Paremata Residents Association Inc. report.
Without government, who will demolish the road bridges?!
This is crazy stuff. Notwithstanding that NZTA isn’t actually committed to the bridge demolition, it’s only committed to considering it as a serious option! Read the full Whitby Newsbrief article here.
Now let’s cut to the chase. What really needs to be demolished immediately is the speed camera installation on Whitford Brown Avenue.
The Whitford Brown Ave speed camera is the country’s busiest, having clocked up more than $1 million in fines in nine months last year.
Figures released by New Zealand Police show that in the first nine months of 2015, 15,273 infringement notices were given to motorists caught travelling faster than 54kmh. That put $1,139,490 into the Government coffers.
The second most lucrative camera in New Zealand was the one in Ngaruanga Gorge. It collected $1,070,000 from 14,200 notices.
After complaints from residents, Kapi-Mana News last February asked police for the number of fines resulting from the Whitford Brown camera, and the highest speed clocked along the road, but we were refused that information.
We were told that “due to a technical recording error, [police] could not provide information relating to specific cameras”.
Also, releasing data on speeds risked “glorifying such behaviour and could promote copycat behaviour… thereby creating a public safety risk”, even though incidents of speeding was regularly in the media”.
The police have now chosen to release the information.
I.e., the police lied initially about being unable to provide the information. But I digress.
I’m a safer than average driver. (I collect 1 speeding ticket per 7 years on the road on average.)
I seldom drive Whitford Brown Avenue but I’ve been pinged once. Whereas, I often drive the Ngauranga Gorge and I’ve never been pinged once.
YMMV but, arguably, the speed camera in the gorge has less to do with extorting revenue from the citizenry and more to do with road safety. Whereas, arguably, the speed camera on Whitford Brown Avenue has next to nothing to do with road safety and everything to do with replenishing the troughers’ coffers by means of an arbitrary road tax.
The speed camera on Whitford Brown Avenue must go.
I fantasise about how to wreck the wretched thing as a service to the community.
A hacksaw at the base would surely fell it, but I might be seen sawing and also I’d risk electrocution.
Some explosives wrapped around the base and detonated remotely would see it go out with a bang, but I’d risk the loss of life and limb if I were to dabble in recipes from the Anarchist Cookbook.
A large truck would come off best in any collision with the installation, even at the legal speed limit of 50 kph. If stolen (from the government), it could be abandoned for a quick getaway. So this would be my preferred option.
Lord, lead me not into temptation, but deliver me from evil!
Such a great pic of David Jones fraternising with Ian Kilmister circa 1970. Too bad it’s photoshopped!
My brother Tim and I grew up listening to the likes of Pink Floyd and Black Sabbath. At our family lunch on Christmas Day I reiterated to him that I was still undecided about whether or not to go see Black Sabbath play Dunedin’s Forsyth Barr Stadium on 30 April this year. I mentioned that 30 April is Walpurgisnacht. I also mentioned that it wouldn’t be reasonable just to assume that all three remaining band members will be well enough or even alive four months hence to play the gig, so if I did decide to go ahead ticket insurance would be a must!
I then mentioned that Motorhead’s drummer “Philthy” Phil Taylor had died recently and that Motorhead’s main man Lemmy had only the previous day (Christmas Eve) celebrated his 70th birthday. Rock music’s founders (excepting members of the 27 Club) are mostly still alive but getting well long in tooth and claw.
My brother then morbidly observed that we can expect half of the big rock legends of our youth to die in the next ten years, and the other half to die in the ten years after that. At the rate of about one per week.
Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. (NIV)
We didn’t care to speculate who would be next, but by a strange coincidence it was Lemmy himself! You can read my co-blogger Tim’s wonderful tribute to Lemmy here.
And then David Bowie! You can read my co-blogger Blair’s wonderful tribute to Bowie soon. š
The day a person dies is better than the day he was born.
It is better to go to a funeral than to a party.
We all must die. Everyone living should think about this. (ICB)
I confess. I’m not even a big fan of Motorhead (or Lemmy’s original band, Hawkwind). But I still enjoy listening to them from time to time, of course, what self-respecting metalhead doesn’t?!
I’m not even a fan of Bowie at all. Well, I thought I wasn’t. But now I’ve been given the opportunity to peruse his back catalogue, it’s amply confirmed what I always knew about David Bowie. He’s out of this world talented. So put me down as a small fan of David Bowie. š
So I just thought I’d share some Bowie gems.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqumHTx2rb0
You can keep up with who’s rockin’ and rollin’ six feet under here. (We’ve lost a few smaller rock legends since Christmas too, inlcuding Stevie Wright, John Bradbury and Robert Stigwood.)
As is his wont, my King James Bible believing Dispensationalist libertarian Christian co-blogger Tim tagged me in his post (of the above image) on Facebook. š
Be sure to get your doctrine from the Bible, not the traditions of man! (Colossians 2:8)
I really do appreciate the pro-tip. It’s just that there’s a whole lotta problems with this instruction. At least one of which renders Tim’s advice utterly useless!
One problem is that the cited verse, Colossians 2:8, does not even mention the Bible.
Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. (KJV)
See! What this verse is really saying is be sure to get your doctrine from Christ, not the traditions of man! I agree! But let’s be clear. There’s no mention at all of the Bible in this verse. And I’ve made it quite clear in previous blog posts what my view is. It is that Jesus is inerrant, but the Bible isnāt. The Word of God is inerrant. His scribes, not so much. Yes, that’s right. I basically equate the Bible with “the traditions of man”. I don’t equate the Bible with Christ. The Bible as we know it hasn’t even been around a couple of thousand years yet. Whereas
In [the] beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (DARBY)
Believe it or not, another problem is that the KJV mistranslates this particular verse. And don’t believe it or do, so does the NIV. But of course! š
See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces[a] of this world rather than on Christ. (NIV)
Which is why I always have recourse to Young’s Literal Translation for times like this when it matters exactly what the Bible says.
See that no one shall be carrying you away as spoil through the philosophy and vain deceit, according to the deliverance of men, according to the rudiments of the world, and not according to Christ (YLT)
It’s clear that “spoiled” is a KJV mistranslation of “spoil”. Yet at least the NIV has the good grace to provide a footnote (see above) to the effect that it has construed “the basic principles” (rudiments) as “the elemental spiritual forces” of this world.
But here’s the fatal flaw with Tim’s advice—be sure to get your doctrine from the Bible, not the traditions of man!—which renders it useless. Which Bible?
Tim’s telling me to be sure to get my doctrine from the Bible, but which one? As we all know, Christians (e.g., Protestants vs. Catholics and Orthodox Christians) can’t even agree on which books belong in the Bible, let alone which translations of the canonical books are themselves canonical.
Which Bible? Tim will, of course, answer the Authorized King James Version of 1611. Which is a fair answer to a fair question. But if I accept this answer, one thing’s for sure. I’m now getting my doctrine from the traditions of man, and from the traditions of one man in particular, viz., my co-blogger Tim Wikiriwhi! And not necessarily from either the true Bible (if, indeed, there even is such a thing) or Christ.
It comes down to this. When all is said and done, we must decide—each of us individually must decide—in what and/or in whom to trust.
I trust in Jesus, the Son of God, whom I know from the first-hand accounts of his ministry by the original gospel authors, from his work in the lives of my brothers and sisters in Christ, from his work in my own life, and from personal encounter.
I trust in the deliverances of my own God-given moral compass when (not often, just occasionally) they conflict with what’s in the Bible.
So the Bible. What’s it good for?
Why, it’s profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works, of course! š
Developing ‘issues’ in European nations regarding the behavior of large groups of Male refugees and migrants is something that is of great concern yet it is not something we should be surprised to see.
It is something that they/ we should be prepared for.
There needs to be a better plan than currently appears Europe is mobilizing, lest things get way out of control and chaos and disorder ensues.
This is exactly the scenario that underpins the hysteria of the xenophobia mongers and Cold hearted who want Donald Trump to become President of the USA, and the more troubles that eventuate will give the the Anti-Refugee Rightest something to crow about.
Recent reports such as ‘Germany shocked by Cologne New Year gang assaults on women’ are very disturbing…
“The mayor of Cologne has summoned police for crisis talks after about 80 women reported sexual assaults and muggings by men on New Year’s Eve.
The scale of the attacks on women at the city’s central railway station has shocked Germany. About 1,000 drunk and aggressive young men were involved.
City police chief Wolfgang Albers called it “a completely new dimension of crime”. The men were of Arab or North African appearance, he said.
Women were also targeted in Hamburg.
But the Cologne assaults – near the city’s iconic cathedral – were the most serious, German media report. At least one woman was raped, and many were groped.
Most of the crimes reported to police were robberies. A volunteer policewoman was among those sexually molested.
Read more >here<
***
Because the mainstream media was slow to confirm early reports of this trouble, I was hesitant to accept their validity.
I condemn the mentality of those who fed their paranoia on a diet of unsubstantiated tripe, yet I equality condemn anyone who would seek to turn a blind eye to inconvenient and reprehensible truths once they have been established as fact.
The net is filled with phobia mongering lies that feeds the paranoia so that we must be wary not to buy into falsehoods.
It is easy to summon to the surface latent prejudice by posting a picture of a group of strange looking scruffy men... nonetheless it would also be absolutely naive to think there would be no problems at all developing from such massive movements of desperate and traumatized populations into countries in which they are alien.
There is a natural propensity in these situations to think in terms of ‘Us’ vs ‘Them’.
If we do the math… that 1000, or even 2000 unruly migrant men and refugees were involved in this New Years Eve violence in Germany, we will find that this equates to a mere 0.2% of the 1 000 000 people whom Germany has given refuge… yet this in itself demonstrates how tiny minorities can cause troubles far in excess of their numerical significance, and cause massive problems for the total social demographic for which they are associated.
And this appears to be the general rule for Islam in general.
A Billion Muslims have been made to carry the scorn that Non Muslims should be directing only to that small portion who support Isis and other atrocities that are committed in the name of Islam.
Time was of the essence to save these people, yet these despicable episodes prove that time is now of the essence for decisive actions in quelling Lawlessness, and keeping the peace.
Events like this challenge the Humanitarian ideals of people like myself who have actively spoken up in favor of allowing more Syrians refugees into western nations, and plays directly into the hands of those whom out of fear, indifference, and hatred would leave them all to Starve or Drown.
Leaders Like Angela Merkel whom have heroically championed the Liberal Humanitarian cause, need to formulate ‘An Art’ of managing this Mass Refuge crisis via processes in which having opened the doors to save countless innocent lives… that now they are safe out of immediate harms way… these refugee populations must now be systematically ‘processed’ ‘vetted’ ‘sworn in’, and ‘instructed as to the terms and conditions of them remaining in their host country.
The leaders, and best of these Refugees need to play an active roll in this process, being employed with ‘natives’ in the ‘management and ‘acclimatization of their countrymen, to harmonize with the Laws and cultures of their hosts.
I am not talking about forcing them to abandon their beliefs, but that they must show appreciation and gratitude.
They must behave and respect* the laws of their hosts.
Peaceful Civility and cooperation are the bottom line conditions of their welcome and continued stay.
Any trouble makers must be singled out and publicly punished/ exiled, so that Law and order prevail and the host countries don’t become the victims of their own benevolence because of arrogant ingratitude from the refugees.
The refugees need to know on no uncertain terms that misbehavior will not be tolerated, and that the strong hand of the Law will keep the peace.
That it is a grave mistake to think their hosts are weak and powerless to prevent any mob lawlessness.
Situations as have been reported to exist in sections of French cities where migrant gangs are said to run amok and seek to impose sharia Law *Cannot be allowed* to be replicated elsewhere.
Strong… yet principled measures must ensure the Rule of Law and civil society is maintained.
This is a problem which vexes me greatly… Wisdom and decisive action must prevail so that such great humanitarian aid proves to be a benefit to everyone… not a disaster.
The future of Humanitarian Aid in times of Crisis depends on mutual Good will, and wise management prevailing over the troublemakers, and cowardly Doomsday Sayers whom would prefer oceans of Corpses rather than deal with the manifold problems Mass Refugee intakes of alien populations present.
A joint effort must be made to stop troublemakers from turning the host nations against immigrants and refugees… giving the Right wing anti -immigrant factions the ‘ammunition’ they need to stop the humanitarian effort and to crush liberty and equality.
Libertarians like myself know that in the long term receiving migrants and refugees tends towards greater wealth and prosperity, yet also appreciate that in the short term, clashes of culture and unrest are almost inevitable, and that the degree to which these problems manifest themselves will be to a large degree determined by the prudent actions and plans of the leaders of both the hosts, and the guests… or the lack thereof.
These problems and dilemmas will be the focus of much of my thought for the foreseeable future.
And there needs to be a hell of a lot more thinking about the Events and conflicts that led to this mass exodus from the East… about preventing repetitions, and also about restoring peace and safety in these waste lands of death and destruction, so that they can be rebuilt and re-inhabited.
What hope does Mankind have?
We seem hell bent on War…. Nation against Nation…. Brother against Brother.
Paradise lost.
Maybe we can never hope for lasting peace… yet still maybe this fact in itself shows that the world will always require Humanitarians to boldly act, and to triumph over the Fear mongers and the haters.
From above God watches.
Everything is being recorded for the day every one of us will be summoned to give an account for ourselves before his throne of Judgement.
I admit that these moral dilemmas test my courage and conviction, and I pray for wisdom and for Goodness to prevail over Evil.
Amen.
Please share this post and get everybody on the same plan,.. for Freedom and peaceful co existence…
Update: 6/1/16…. Obama is now moving to impose his agenda against the 2nd amendment via ‘executive order’ bi-passing the safeguards of Congressional mandate while admitting the absolute impotence of these measures to achieve the supposed objectives he pretenses to underpin his actions!
āThese are not only recommendations that are well within my legal authority and the executive branch, but they are also ones that the overwhelming majority of the American people ā including gun owners ā support and believe in.ā Moments ago, President Barack Obama addressed his meeting with Attorney General Loretta Lynch regarding new executive actions aimed at tightening gun control.
Judge Napolitano says Obama has no such powers…. Presidents dont write the Laws of the land, and because congress has already declined these measures Obama wants pushed through, that any ‘directives’ he issues to the Police, etc will be deemed illegal by the courts of the land…. See >here<.
On this note I would like to add another comment regarding the devious means the evil party political powers like Obama employ to corrode the constitution and enact their intrusive policies... that is in the appointment of Federal and Supreme court judges... who are supposed to be the ulitmate vanguard for the constitution *against* Corruptions of Law and political power.
By means of appointing Political sycophants/ subversive activist judges, Power trippers like Obama hope to defeat resistance to their unconstitutional Dictates.... so that when they have been petitioned due to Corrupt decisions in the lower courts...The Supreme Court will not veto his encroachments as illegal... but actually endorse them by allowing them to stand.
It has been via such failures of the Supreme court that the monumental evil violations of personal liberty have been incrementally eroding the the constitution... such as the War on Drugs.... such as the today the Supreme court now says it is no longer the duty of the police to ‘Protect and serve’ the people... but to enforce the Laws/ dictates of the political powers.
Princeton, OR ā On Saturday, multiple armed āmilitiamenā took over the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge HQ to protest the sentence handed down to two Oregon ranchers accused of arson.
The ranchers accused of arson are Dwight Lincoln Hammond, Jr., 73, and his son, Steven Dwight Hammond, 46, both residents of Diamond, Oregon. They were each sentenced to five years in prison by Chief U.S. District Judge Ann Aiken for alleged arsons they committed on federal lands.
According to the Washington Standard, the problem is multifaceted.
First, both men were sentenced in 2012 by now-retired U.S. District Judge Michael Hogan, following the trial. Steven received one year and a day in prison for setting fires in 2001 and 2006. Dwight got 3 months for his 2001 involvement. Hogan did not believe the men had malicious intent to be labeled as terrorists under theAntiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996, even though he sentenced them to jail for the time he did.
The men agreed to a plea deal that they would not appeal the 2012 sentence in order to bring the case to a close.
Both men served their sentences and were released. Now, the feds have appealed those sentences and want the mandatory minimum five-year sentence imposed on the men, and so they appealed to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, who agreed with the feds that the judge ruled illegally. However, now they are wanting to label the Hammonds as terrorists under the 1996 law in order to put them back in jail.
Aside from being thrown in jail for a second time, the Hammonds are upset because they allege no crime was ever committed.
āThey called and got permission to light the fireā¦ We usually called the interagency fire outfit ā a main dispatch ā to be sure someone wasnāt in the way or that weather wouldnāt be a problem,ā said Dwightās wife Susan.
In a post to their blog, the Bundy family explained that the Hammonds were merely engaging in prescribed burns to keep the land healthy and productive. And, they assert that the Bureau of Land Management also conducts these burns.
The Hammonds lit a fire on their own property that spread to public land. No one was injured, no property was destroyed and the Hammond extinguished the fire themselves, according to the Bundys. The court even ruled that the fires actually had a positive impact on the land.
āWith no authority or justification to prosecute, eleven years after the fire, federal attorneys have obtained judgment that the Hammonds are terrorists and must be punished severely for their actions,ā explains the Bundy Family.
On November 3rd, the Bundys issued a warning, which stated,
Read more at http://thefreethoughtproject.com/mow-down-americans-critical-police-killings-beg-feds-slaughter-citizens/#fxfk3eEGCDzEGMX0.99
I am watching these events with interest.
The only comment I have to add now is with regards to the very Subtil way the powers of darkness work to destroy those brave souls who would dare to resist their diabolical plans… a perfect example being Obama’s recent attempt to get the Senate to remove the second amendment rights of Americans on ‘the terrorist watch list/ no fly list’…. saying such a move was simple ‘common sense’.
Watch his speech >here<
Now on face value this may seem like a prudent measure to keep the population safe from domestic terrorism... you get the idea.... take the guns off 'Radical Islamics who vocalise support for Isis', etc before they start shooting.... who would deny the sagacity... the humanity of such 'forward thinking' in light of all the terrorism of our day?
well Amazingly enough... Congress was not fooled this time... in fact it is *not common sense at all* but a sneaky ruse to remove 2nd amendment rights from anyone *the government* deems to be a threat *to the government*... which goes to show that this ruse was nothing short of a Constitutional removal of the second amendment itself!
A Machiavellian power grab!
You see *anyone* can be put on 'the terrorist watch list'.... esp if they are vocal about resisting government tyranny.
These are people who by and large have not been convicted of any crimes.
They may belong to groups or have associations with people the government dont like.... like the Bundy's.
They may simply be vocal bloggers against Police brutality, against the war on drugs,... like me.
The Darkest period in human history lies before us…. saith the scriptures.
It is going to be a period of Absolute Tyranny…. of absolute State worship.
The powers of darkness will surely strangulate all outspoken dissenters, and will crush all resistance.
The will dis-arm their captive populations, and label anyone who stands against their Leviathan system as ‘domestic terrorists’… and use any Nut bar crimes as excuses to push through their agenda…. all to the applause of the Billions of dumbfounded dipshits who themselves *hate* independent libertarian minded individuals who refuse to swim with the flow.
This is a powder keg waiting to blow…. yet the Powers of Evil are playing their game…
The Stakes are as high as they can get!
Obama would love these guys to kill a few cops so that he can paint this whole Libertarian movement as Domestic terrorists and Crush this Patriotic movement, and remove the 2nd amendment.
It is the only thing which prevents an absolute police State in America.
Tim Wikiriwhi
Christian, Libertarian Independent.
Update: 6/1/16…. Obama is now moving to impose his agenda against the 2nd amendment via ‘executive order’ bi-passing the safeguards of Congressional mandate while admitting the absolute impotence of these measures to achieve the supposed objectives he pretenses to underpin his actions!
āThese are not only recommendations that are well within my legal authority and the executive branch, but they are also ones that the overwhelming majority of the American people ā including gun owners ā support and believe in.ā Moments ago, President Barack Obama addressed his meeting with Attorney General Loretta Lynch regarding new executive actions aimed at tightening gun control.
Posted by Anarchyball on Friday, December 18, 2015
^^^ WATCH THIS VIDEO.
The Beast Out of the Sea
1And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. 2And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. 3And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. 4And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? 5And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. 6And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
7And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. 8And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. 9If any man have an ear, let him hear. 10He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
The Beast Out of the Earth
11And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. 12And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. 13And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, 14And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. 15And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
The Mark of the Beast
16And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: 17And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. 18Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.”
Revelations 13 KJV
So another year begins.
Satan and his Bitches have not buggered off and so this means we lovers of Truth, Justice, and Freedom must Recommit ourselves to the righteous causes and carry on the fight against the lies and Evil oppressions they spawn.
So My brave friends, let us remember our brothers and sisters in the Jails of our petty tyranny.
Let us rise again to speak boldly against the wicked lies that damn our loved ones souls and keep them under the dragons wing.
May God give me a greater portion of wisdom, grace, and self-control…. to be a better servant… a better soldier…. a better son.
Amen.
Evil prevails when good men do nothing.
Ask yourselves… is this the world you desire to bequeath to your children and their children?
Not I.
The Battlefront is on all sides.
To Arms!
Tim Wikiriwhi.
Protestant Christian.
Dispensationalist.
1611 Bible believer.
Libertarian.
Ace of Spades… Lemmy the Legend … The rock wild man who made Keith Richards look like a choir boy: As Lemmy dies two days after being told he had aggressive cancer, it is only surprising that the hard-drinking Motorhead frontman managed to make it to 70
Read it >>>> here<<<<
”The new one would like to know when does the bar open….”
Motƶrhead ā Ace of Spades. The Young Ones, Bambi, 1984
“The lads from Staffordshire … We met in London when I was in āŖ#āDEEPPURPLEā¬ back in the 70’s …when you made friends with Lemmy , you Made friends for life …thru thick & thin.. Thru it all … Lem was someone who told the truth .. No bullshit …he had āŖ#āNOFEARā¬ …the truth will set you free… Bless you lad … You will live forever … & that my friend is the truth … hughesy …???”
” To look at Lemmy, you’d never think he was as educated as he was. People look at the music we do and the way we look, and they go, “Oh, this bunch is a bunch of yobbos. They don’t know what they’re doing. They’re bad people.” But it’s not true. Lemmy looks like an old biker, but he was so well read. He was very up on a lot of things. He was a very clever guy. On his bus on the first tour, he had a plaid suitcase and all he had in there was a pair of knickers and a pair of socks, and the rest was books. When he stayed with us, he’d stay in the library for three days, reading fucking books. And if I got up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, he’d still be reading. And I’d go, “Why don’t you sleep?”
He was a serious friend to us. He was very loyal. And if he had something to say to you, he wouldn’t mince about it. He wouldn’t yell at you. He’d just say, “That pissed me off.” That was very rare. I don’t think he said that to me, but he was just everybody’s friend.”
I’ll miss him so much. We all will. There’s a big hole in the music industry as far as I’m concerned.
He was a character. There ain’t many characters in music today. I mean, you’ve got Miley Cyrus, OK, but there’s not many characters in the game anymore. But he was definitely a character. An original. He lived the lifestyle. Sex, drugs and rock & roll, that was Lemmy.
You know what? There goes a hero for me. He was my hero. He was fucking great, a good friend. I’m missing him already. I’ll never forget him. I don’t think a lot of people will forget Lemmy. He’ll be so missed in my camp. He was a good guy, a good man, a good friend of mine. He was just a fucking great dude, man. Not enough time for him.
God bless you, Lemmy. I’m so honored to have you a part of my life.”
“Whilst I cannot speak with authority regarding the rest of the country, Matabeleland is in the grips of one of the worst droughts we have suffered since 1991/1992. Aside from the poor rainfall, temperatures have soared. Whatever crops were planted after early rains have frazzled and are generally a total write off. Even if it rains now crop yields across the entire country will be markedly lower than normal.
Poor people are telling me that their relatives in rural areas are already short of food, if not starving. There is little sign that the government is doing anything about the growing crisis. Robert Mugabe and his family flew out to the Far East on holiday just before Christmas as if nothing was wrong. The State controlled newspapers are largely silent about the growing crisis. Yesterday when I first raised the issue on twitter all I got from the only ZANU PF Minister who is regularly on twitter – Jonathan Moyo – was his usual torrent of abuse.
The fact is that this is potentially a far worse crisis than we have ever experienced before. When we last had a drought of this magnitude in 1992 the Grain Marketing Board was better run and our silos were much fuller. For the last 15 years the GMB has been run inefficiently and corruptly. During the same period commercial farmers have been hounded off their land in pursuit of ZANU PF’s deleteriously bad land policies, in the process removing many of those with the skills to fully exploit our irrigation dams in commercial farm areas. Sadly although communal land farmers are excellent dry land farmers, when rains fail their yields plummet, which is precisely what is happening this year. Fly over Zimbabwe today and you will still see dams throughout the country in former commercial farm areas which still have substantial quantities of water in them, but which are lying unutilized. In other words there is little domestic fall back capacity as there was before.
What compounds the situation even further is that the entire region is facing a similar drought and countries such as Zambia and South Africa will need all of their own production to feed their own people. One thing we can be certain of is that ZANU PF’s so called “all weather friends”, Russia and China will not provide any significant food aid – they never have before and have little capacity to do so now. This means we will have to turn to countries such as the USA for assistance. We will have to import from other continents which takes time and costs a lot of money, neither of which we have.
The sooner this is declared to be what it is – a national emergency – the better. Mugabe needs to come home from the Far East; he is leader of this nation and all leaders need to be with their people in times of crisis. We need Ministers in the rural areas assessing the crisis. We need the appropriate Ministers flying to countries with food reserves to secure food supplies. We need to alert the international community that people will starve if funding isn’t mobilised. In short we need action, not an Ostrich mentality.
Finally we need to address the root causes of our failure to be able to feed ourselves in times of drought. Firstly we need to clean up the GMB and appoint competent and honest people to run it. Secondly we need to recognise that all Zimbabweans must be allowed to farm. The current racist policy of denying white Zimbabweans with skills the right to farm must end. Whilst tragically very few white commercial farmers are left in the country those who are still here and who have the skills to grow crops must be allowed to farm. Thirdly we need to invest more in programmes such as Foundation for Farming which promote zero tillage agriculture, which has been proven to produce greater yields in drought conditions. Fourthly we need to end the hostile rhetoric directed against the very countries which in all likelihood will now come to our assistance. We need to cooperate with those countries so that they invest in our Nation rather than shun us.
Finally we all need to pray that the good Lord will have mercy on our land.”
