“Marines in Kapiti”, a painting by Porfirio Navarro.  About 20,000 were based on the Kapiti Coast before departing to defeat the Japanese in World War II.  Some not only departed Kapiti, they departed this life. See earlier posts.

Back in the 1990s your editors looked at a book project called Notable New Zealand Churches, but after visiting some of the great churches of Europe the same decade, the feeling became, ‘what do we have that compares with what they have?’  An example: This towering Christian basilica, the name of which means “The Holy Family”, is one of Antonio Gaudí’s most famous works in Barcelona, Catalonia, and has been under construction since 1882 — and it’s not expected to be completed for some time yet. The building is one of the architectural wonders of the world and this photo was taken by reader Wendy Eglinton a few days ago.

What makes this notable for Waikanae people is that the intended GWRC rates increase for Kapiti in the next July-June year of 9.0% is “not acceptable”.  But didn’t the KCDC hit Waikanae people with rates increases last year of between 8 and 17% depending in which of the three zones they live?  A case of “the pot calling the kettle black”?

You don’t see many of these — a pedestrian crossing button for those on foot, and another above it for horse riders at the Te Moana Road/’Ewy’ interchange.

This Tuesday, 28 May at 7.30 pm

·      Kapiti Uniting Church Meeting Room (Enter via the main church door)

·      10 Weka Road, Raumati Beach

·      Gold coin koha, thanks.

Speaker: Ann David on the modern right-to-die movement and New Zealand’s place in it. A factual account of the history, where the modern movement started, how and where it developed, when it was initiated here, key players on the road to progress in NZ.

The Kapiti Coast District Council says it intends to become ‘carbon zero’ by 2025 following a unanimous vote at Thursday’s Council meeting.

Mayor K. Gurunathan says the commitment to reduce the Council’s greenhouse gas emissions to net zero comes on top of the Council declaring a climate change emergency and supports the three year focus of the Toitū Kapiti Long term plan 2018-38 to provide an effective response to climate change.

“Now is the time to act. Climate change is one of the key environmental, social and economic challenges facing our nation and we can no longer sit on our hands,” he said.

“Setting a target is the first step to improving the Council’s environmental resilience and sustainability and I urge the Greater Wellington Regional Council, who play a significant role in our district, to follow suit.”

In making the case for change, Cr Howson said: “We owe it to our community, and future generations, to be leaders in addressing the challengers of the climate crisis.”

“To those who say that it’s futile, that anything we do is just a drop in the ocean, it’s your ocean and it’ll be coming to your backyard soon.

“The science is incontrovertible. Anyone around this table who doubts the seriousness of the crisis, you’re at the wrong council table,” he said.

According to its media release, the next step for the Council will be to assess its existing Emission Management and Reduction Plan and to look at, and cost, what additional measures it needs to put in place to reduce its carbon footprint.

What that last comment means in practice is unclear, although the only obvious things the council could do are:

• Replace any gas central heating or cooking devices with electric ones
• Replace its fleet of internal combustion vehicles with electric vehicles when they are due for replacement.  As we observed in 2016, electric vehicles cost a lot more, but have great fuel economy.
• Not burn any trash, unless it can be used to create electricity.

Science that may be ‘incontrovertible’ depends a lot on who it comes from.  See earlier posts on the subject.

However, all reductions in emissions from petrol/diesel powered vehicles will reduce air pollution in some small way — and more importantly, will reduce oil imports from Saudi Arabia — so are welcome.

We’ve received the e-mail below which states this — and accordingly he is taking it up with the U.S. Embassy, U.S. Congressmen and the FBI as a consequence.  Needless to say, it’s a very bad look for the Jacinda government.

The Royal Commission of Inquiry into this whole affair that has been announced must include the crazy behavior of the Police and what orders they were given from Police Minister Stuart Nash and Police Commissioner Mike Bush.

I was the proud recipient of a phone call for my “extremist views.”  I am a Midwestern American and a Donald Trump supporter so I got a call from the NZ police.

I have contacted the US Embassy, US Congressman the media and asked the FBI to be involved in my case.

There are new reports in stuff.co.nz, about the police asking those they have raided if they support Donald Trump.  They are Kiwi’s.

Article

Shane Chafin, RPH US/NZ, AdvBScPharmacy, Board Certified Ambulatory Care Pharmacist by the Board of Pharmacy Specialties; Washington DC

Advanced Generalist Pharmacist Practitioner NDHB, Chair of the Northland Community Pharmacy Services Development Group, Member of the Northland Clinical Governance Forum, Lead: Advanced Practice Pharmacist Group, Northland

A photo taken on Belvedere Avenue yesterday afternoon, about 12 minutes before the sunshine disappeared.  And with that, we’ll leave this year’s autumn theme … up next, winter!

PM Jacinda’s new Human Rights Commissioner Paul Hunt, who has a British Labour Party background, needs to appreciate that.