tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-69154025732699937802024-03-14T17:34:15.599+13:00K1W1Raw and real ramblings of a roving Kiwi with subjects as varied as the authorJaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02947362845702151868noreply@blogger.comBlogger238125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6915402573269993780.post-28958650711650681362014-07-30T22:48:00.003+12:002014-07-30T22:48:44.850+12:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">SOMEHOW, THIS POST GOT DELETED/PULLED/YANKED..</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Yes folks you heard it here first. Dr Peter Jansen, one of the top wigs at ACC has been caught taken a company perk - an internal DSM-IV assessment by one of this three close work buddies who wish to remain, understandably, quiet. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">However, we have obtained a copy of this assessment and records indicate Dr Jansen is actually suffering from a DSM-CIP Syndrome. It's not, unfortunately, a rare problem.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Apart from the obvious symptoms of selective amnesia when it comes to conducting expensive, tax-paid, research, he also expresses hyper-manic self obsessive disorder, thinking he is someone of grand importance and that everyone ought to listen to him. If not, then at least his hand-picked cussy bro. More worryingly is the official DSM-CIP diagnoses - "C</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">ompletely Incompetent <s>Prick.</s> Person". </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">Is it any wonder why all these "clients" are being fogged off. That poor man. He's been suffering in silence all this time while we (okay some) have practically bashed him in the Press. We ought to have really looked into Dr Jansen beforehand, extended our hand in mutual mental illness and welcomed our brother home - I mean, we don't have a stigma, right? </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">Whilst I agree with ACC Advocate Mr Wadsworth, that the "</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">SCU senior and technical staff have consistently demonstrated they are not up to the job, including its senior medical advisor Dr Peter Jansen.” I do think he could be a little more sympathetic. I mean, it's a hard diagnosis to hide especially in such a public arena, although, rumor has it, Minister of ACC Nick Smith also suffers the same "disorder" and has no problem expressing all the symptoms right in front of cameras. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">In any event Mr Wadsworth - I agree: “Now it’s time for ACC to shutdown the dysfunctional unit." Dr Peter Jansen should now concentrate on ...um, what's the saying again? That's right!...focusing on his family. </span></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1011/S00087/shutdown-accs-sensitive-claims-unit.htm">Shutdown ACC’s ‘Sensitive Claims Unit’ | Scoop News</a>: "“”"</div>
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Jaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02947362845702151868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6915402573269993780.post-91313936270310663822014-04-24T15:27:00.000+12:002014-04-24T15:27:48.922+12:00The Redundant Mother<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">That was how my Mother's justified leaving her three young kids back in the 60's. At the time, my father was a violent drunk - which made her decision to leave him, a good one but leaving her kids with him? Deplorable.</span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A lot of women were in the same position as my mother and most of them remained in violent marriages because, quite frankly, there was no alternative. For that reason alone, the Domestic Purpose Benefit (DPB) was literally a life saver and the only </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">requirement (at that stage) was proof of parenting - kids. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">My how things have changed. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Today, there is no DPB. For a parent of a child over the age of 14, there is what's called a Job-Seeker Allowance. In effect, it's the same as an unemployment benefit whereby you have to be up and ready, looking for those jobs (that magically produce out of thin air), and you have to provide confirmation of interviews, personal statements or lists of vacancies applied for, and written correspondence to verify unsuccessful applications. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">You get NO money until you have satisfied these requirements.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">In reality, it means a single parent, probably still smarting from a painful separation and having to put up with the angst of their children shooting off 'blame bullets,' now needs to put on a happy face and risk rejection on the job hunting front - over qualified, under qualified, and more recently - too old.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I count myself as one of the lucky ones. I have a job. I have a home. The only money I get is what I earn. What I don't have is a backup plan should anything go wrong cause then, it would mean a move back to New Zealand and probably a place in that infamously demoralizing job-seeking queue - </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Kiwis are not eligible for ANY benefits in Australia.</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">What I also don't have is a partner. I am a true-blue single parent. No other parent in my child's life. The downsides are obvious - loneliness, a feeling of isolation, and no accountability - which can sometimes, be a great thing. More importantly, I don't have to have my child return from her father's house where he gifts everything to her, shows off his new life (which is so much more affordable when you don't have kids full time), and returns with an attitude that just eats away at what little self esteem is left from a daily dose of job seeking. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">However, what I do have in common with my single parenting sisters is an overwhelming sense of being overwhelmed. If I want to go out to dinner, it's twice the price. If I need a hair cut, it's twice the price. I earn a single wage and yet everything costs twice the amount cause typically, whatever you need so does your kid. Kids in a family with two parents generally have two wages and so, everything is halved. You want to go on holiday and the parents (2 people) chip in for the child's costs. As a single parent - well, you just don't go on holidays. My rent is not halved cause I am a single wage earner nor is my electricity or gas. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I do not and never will EVER regret having my child. She has repaid me a thousand times more for things money can't buy. But here comes the clincher - she's getting to the age where she will fly the coop and then what? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I saw an Oprah Winfrey show once about mothers that grieve when their child goes off to college - in the States, that generally means they leave home. At the time, I couldn't fathom grieving over being childless - I could very well have been buried under a tonne of nappies at the time. But now, I feel the time is coming. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I think that's why kids go to school camps - it gives the parents practice time for the day they leave for longer than a week.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">When my kid went on camp I cried for three days. Later, she went to New Zealand for nearly a month. I didn't cry but I practically stalked her on the Internet and one night, I called her just to yell at her for not calling me. I was completely irrational, driven by panic that I couldn't reach her, she couldn't reach me, that I couldn't do what I had done all her life and that was to be there for her. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I think one of the hardest parts of being a parent is letting go. Like most parents, I want my child to go off and explore the world but I'm haunted by visions of me clinging to her ankles at the airport. Letting go is a parenting skill and like most parenting skills, it's learned on the job and with no manuals - you just make the shit up as you go along.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And if you're a single Mum going through all this - job seeking, getting rejected, having your kids look at your different (maybe even resentfully), struggling financially - then pat yourself on the back. It ain't easy. </span></div>
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Jaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02947362845702151868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6915402573269993780.post-66640314178389049462014-03-15T15:57:00.001+13:002014-03-15T15:57:58.466+13:00A Gentle Man - Part 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I spent an age trolling through the images of this wonderful man trying to capture his spirit and through all the campaigning, and angry mob-looking, hand-waving, energetic photos, I stumbled across this one and it made me stop in my tracks. I'm not sure whether I picked this because it makes me feel better - he does look rather smug - or whether this was the real Tony Benn thriving in one of those rare private moments. </div>
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I've have often thought of Tony - feels a little disrespectful to call him by his first name but Sir makes me feel all of about three years of age and I'm pretty confident he'd have hated that title (smile)..labels just weren't his 'thing'. But thanks to him, I earned one of my very first "titles" - I was a journalist and not just any old journalist, I was a New Zealand International Foreign Correspondent. It didn't take me long to adopt Tony's view on labels - they're just things slapped on you, very hard to live up to, and 99% of the time, they're imposed on you with a very hefty price. As was the case with my forging Journalist career. </div>
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I first met Tony in 1992. I'd like to say it was by accident but I practically stalked the poor boy. My first visual of him was on the television, swamped by protesters - something about C.N.D (Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament), and a reporter that was more interested in his own voice-overs than anything Tony tried to say. I then found myself doing a really weird thing - I tried to look around the TV screen to see whether I could lip-read what was being said....Plan B....I know what I'll do - I'll just give him a call - as you do. </div>
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I wasn't completely mad. I did have a plan and it went something along the lines of.....I shall call the House of Commons, his Secretary will answer, she will realize I am a nobody, fob me off, and I will sit back down on my couch with the TV blasting and tell myself: "Well, at least you tried." Good plan.</div>
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On the eve of the 1992 Gulf War while everyone watched the bombing of Kuwait, I called the House of Commons. I looked at the little candle lit in my lounge window signalling to the rest of the world, I was anti-war, and waited for his grumpy secretary to strip shreds off me for wasting the man's precious time but nothing went according to plan - someone threw a rock through my lounge window and Tony answered the phone. </div>
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And there it was - my first words to this gentle soul was "Jesus! Holy <i>fuck</i>!"</div>
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He didn't hang up. I don't know why. Maybe he gets a lot of calls like that. Instead, he just patiently waited on the end of the line until my brain could scramble some English words together. I considered telling him about the candle - go for the sympathy vote so to speak - but thought he'd redirect me to some crisis helpline and that was going to waste time. In the end, I managed to explain my intentions - I was going to interview him about the Gulf War.....get really famous and rich - although I left the last two major incentives out at the time.</div>
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" Excellent. Would you come to my office on Friday, say around 10?"</div>
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<i>Click.</i></div>
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I had three days to find out who this man was let alone what I would ask him regarding the War, and I knew nothing about both. I didn't have Internet back then but if I did, it would have saved an agonizing trip to the local library looking through index cards hinting at where the hell they hide their books. In the end, I endorsed the help of a very enthusiastic Librarian who seemed quite impressed that I was interested in this man. </div>
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"Oh he's just <i>so</i> wonderful," she said, sounding like a groupie. "I'll get you his diaries."</div>
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Diaries? I was a little taken aback that he'd have his personal diaries in a public library but if they were anything like mine, they'd be a minefield of information - favorite restaurants, wine intake, and who the hell pissed me off that day. A scoop for sure. </div>
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Jaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02947362845702151868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6915402573269993780.post-62525772256759205922013-04-20T04:00:00.000+12:002013-04-20T04:00:29.862+12:00Wee Willy whimpers <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">First of all, how do you spike your own drink? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Now, I have thought about this... obviously... and, surely, there needs to be an element of surprise to spiking one's drink or what's the point? Did he put the shit in his drink and then forget, and then was surprised? That would certainly qualify as a "whoa, what the hell is going on here" </span><i style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">trip </i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">by which time you've moved onto getting yourself off. And how long after that is it you trip into methodical mode and ensure you take yourself off home safely - you know, in case there's any weirdos about? " </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">He didn't spike his own drink. Well, he did only not in the traditional sense. He used it as an experiment to accelerate some rather unusual sexual tendencies and if caught, could blame his outer ego (or inner child, or multiple personalities) for "making him do it." <i>They</i> have to start somewhere, right?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">What is worrisome is, where to from here?</span></div>
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Jaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02947362845702151868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6915402573269993780.post-30134346100255042942013-04-19T15:16:00.000+12:002013-04-19T15:16:57.486+12:00Road Trip - part 2 (Navigation) <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">You never really get a sense of how big Australia is until you leave the house. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Day one of our Road trip was a wee test really. The aim was to drive the car to McDonalds, just up the road and take delight that we need not leave the comfort of our seats. Yes, we would eat like Kings! Finally! Oh the power! When, in reality, we knew we would eat crap food, feel ill, and return home but that was the goal, and goals are goals. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Pulling out from a stationary position into oncoming traffic was not one of my smartest moves but the quick, stealth-like, turn of slipping down a slip road was ingenious, albeit, within two nanoseconds we found ourselves a little way off our intended route. Not to worry; we were both armed with our mobile phones and each had an exact replica of a man who dishes out directions in a bored monotone.... "In 500 meters, take the third exit off the....." </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Off the what, the roundabout, the planet, the what - I'm fucking here now!" </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Another tactical manoeuvre later, and we're in Rockdale. Now, look, I know there is about 10 kms of misinformation that took place during that time, otherwise we'd not be here, right? But surely, sure as the night turns to day, there's a McDonalds here!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We did see one. In fact, we saw quite a few on our trip. You never really get to appreciate just how much that organisation has infiltrated civilisation until you pass by five or six stores, all on the other side of a four-laned highway. And yes, I said highway for the obvious reason - we were bloody well on one! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Lauren's suggestion, to just stick to the right-hand lane at all costs, would have logically brought us back in a 360-degree angle, and from there, well, we could just go home really. But no, that mother-knows-best thing was in full swing - I have not travelled the whole entire planet to be fooled by stupid logic! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I blame the street lighting or should I say, the lack of - really, it's like they want you to plough a million-miles-per-hour into a brick wall just so they can justify the cost of safe driving campaigns. Or worse, they make four lanes merge into two and give you a five second decision-making zone - now should I allow Lauren to take one half of the car in THAT direction while I check out what's on this side? Really?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Our goal had changed. Food was no longer a priority - survival was. Oh, and the fact that under no circumstances were we to end up in Sydney's CBD, which is exactly where NAVMAN took us!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Look, I like the CBD just as much as the next person but I prefer the view from a stationary standing upright position and only cause I know I get distracted when I look up. I don't have time to make mature decisions like, where the fuck is the car going? And I sure as hell don't have time for repetitive statements that only deepen in intensity the more you say it - Is this a one way street? It IS a one way street? And Sydney is a city that never fucking sleeps! There's people and pedestrians, some are both - cars and trucks and trains and planes, all these people going here and there and no bastard giving a flying shit whether we get McDonalds!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">By now all I want is a wine. Lots of it. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Yes, it's true. I have found me, yet another, trigger but of course, common sense kicks in - driving while drinking wine out of a broken-down cask is just plain tacky and you have to keep both hands on the steering wheel anyhow. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">You'll be pleased to know we did find McDonalds. Oh alright, McDonalds found us. It was about a two minute walk from work by which time we needed to pee anyhow so the plan was foolproof really.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This road trip is going to be a breeze! </span></div>
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Jaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02947362845702151868noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6915402573269993780.post-52425511756823018052013-04-19T14:18:00.000+12:002013-04-20T03:20:43.838+12:00Road Trip - part 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQPPEbVJguUiOcCGk1vjHX2QvLygse_KgjmSjQv5CUTmgh7jYMi3A" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQPPEbVJguUiOcCGk1vjHX2QvLygse_KgjmSjQv5CUTmgh7jYMi3A" /></a></div>
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Was asked: "How was the trip?"</div>
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Well, it had good bits and then there were some not so good bits, and in the middle, well, it was undetermined - could've gone either way, really.</div>
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The concept of roughing it, camping out under the stars, was appealing at first, until reality set in. </div>
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We had hoped to see some of the wildlife. Not so sure they were that thrilled to see us and they might have shown some of that animosity right about the time I contemplated a stretch of Yoga under the Southern Stars as an ideal and somewhat earthy thing to do. You get karma brownie points for doing that shit, you know!</div>
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Anyhow, ended up having a glass (or four) of wine in a somewhat freaked-out-upright position wondering whether Kangaroos had seen the Slenderman game and Lauren and I were just their Saturday night playthings. Lauren kept yelling out random brainwaves like "Get the letters!" - thinking it would encourage my agility skills as I hightailed it to the toilets conveniently situated in the direct flight path of what can only be described as "Kangaroo Ganglands" a million miles due south of the car.</div>
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But don't be fooled. Being inside an 'open-for-all' semi closed concrete box with your pants around your ankles does not fill one with a sense of relief. No! Instead, you are made acutely aware of all those YouTube videos of three-foot spiders under toilet seats and coiled snakes in the bottom of sinks. I stayed longer than I needed cause I wasn't sure I had finished - peeing out of necessity or sheer terror is a hard concept to break down in a hurry.</div>
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My own immediate thought at the time was I had to return to the car to fight off the kangaroos who were by now (I was sure!) munching on the last remains of my only child. The fear of having to explain that to the Authorities was enough to propel me back towards the car, very much imitating a kangaroo on speed and with no obvious sense of direction. </div>
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The look of sheer horror on Lauren's face, as I neared the darkened windows of the car, made me think.... she is either taking her last breath (fucking kangaroos) or I am scaring the shit out of her myself. After a lot of high-pitched words were flung about the inside of the car, none audible to humans, it was unanimous: I was not a suitable candidate for outdoor living and we had to move closer to civilisation before I really hurt myself. </div>
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...to be continued</div>
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Jaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02947362845702151868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6915402573269993780.post-83706093156837717932013-01-20T03:48:00.001+13:002013-01-20T03:48:41.211+13:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://health.syr.edu/_images/_blog/heat" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://health.syr.edu/_images/_blog/heat" width="204" /></a></div>
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Yes, well I survived the <a href="http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-01-18/global-warming/36414449_1_temperature-bushfires-heatwave" target="_blank">Australia's hottest day on record</a>. The picture does no justice. It takes walking around in the searing heat to truly understand. A few days before, when the temperature reached 45 degrees, I likened it to walking around with a blow-dryer on full blast directly in your face. The only way to survive that day was to dash into the local trendy book store, grab any old <i>classic, </i>and act conflicted about purchasing in a speedy exchange for free air-conditioning.</div>
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I thought that was bad enough but Friday was even hotter - 46.3 degrees and more if you were unfortunate to be stuck on a train platform for 40-forking-minutes - delayed cause (get this!) the overhead wires were "melting". </div>
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To put it into perspective, I bought 12 bottles of water from a store and put them in the freezer. The theory was I was going to get healthy and drink one of the <i>little suckers</i> every day. When the heatwave arrived, I considered myself well prepared. I took one bottle (half a litre) out of the freezer and plopped it into my handbag. It weighed a tonne. By the time I reached the station and waited for the train - a mere 30 minutes (at THAT stop) it had bloody well melted. </div>
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Having said that, I appeared to the unsuspecting onlooker, as a well prepared traveller and for a while there, I felt guilty at not sharing my prized possession. To tell you the truth, I hate water. I shouldn't. It's the best thing since sliced bread when your gasping for fluids. I'm just a little late in realizing that. But that day, I used it as an immediate respite, like an ice pack, against the searing sun's effect on my skin - it truly was like standing in front of a heater, only it was 360 degrees of heat and once you eased the burn on one part of your foot, or shoulder, or neck or..... you went back to the foot, the shoulder, the neck...it was a full-time occupation - like someone suffering from silent tourettes and a frenzied body rash.</div>
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I moaned like shit in New Zealand about the weather and how I couldn't wait to be continuously warm. I yearned for warmth. I dreamed about it. I guess, it's true what they say: "Be careful what you wish for"... right?</div>
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Jaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02947362845702151868noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6915402573269993780.post-34432604324305455692013-01-18T01:49:00.000+13:002013-01-18T01:49:14.673+13:00Take a right, here...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRCguwRS28zraeRVUh_Ev4JEvP262VT8FCqhQhmBds_8ZhDdNcq7w" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRCguwRS28zraeRVUh_Ev4JEvP262VT8FCqhQhmBds_8ZhDdNcq7w" /></a></div>
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Yes, a profound thought.... reminds me of a saying:</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
<i>"If you put your ladder against the same wall, don't expect a different view"</i></blockquote>
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Or something like that. Actually, it was nothing like that but you get my point. You're smart, right?.</div>
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No, what I am trying to say - very badly - is I am sick and tired of writing what I think I should write. (VISUAL) ...Eye balls rolling.... (my eyes, that is).... followed by deep heavy sigh..... </div>
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I will continue to write about ACC and my somewhat tragic experience with them and, more so, the events that made me HAVE to deal with them, but today, as I sat on a bus overhearing conversations about life, I thought - I want to write, just write - write about things that tickle my fancy, things that have made me weep with laughter, things that are sometimes so UN-PC that, that is what is funny. I want to write about the people that enter my life, sometimes, thankfully - very briefly, and the comments they make that can turn your morning, travelling to work on an overcrowded bus, just all the more brighter - the nuances of language and how, yes, it can be literally, lost in translation, and how, that can just bring a smile to your face when you least expect it.... </div>
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I guess I am asking those that have looked at my blog for that "<i>RA-RA Anti-ACC" </i>rant to also realize that we (myself included) are not defined by our experience with them. There is so much more to us than that. To focus only on ACC is like pointing out the colour red in a landscape - it makes everything else, all the other colours, detriment to what the image is, as a whole. ACC can remain red - a rather fitting colour - but let's not neglect the other parts of who we have become: the blends, the hybrids, the combinations of colours/experiences that have made us the complete portrait of who we now are, and ..... lets stand proud in our colourfulness.</div>
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I'll go first.</div>
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Jaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02947362845702151868noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6915402573269993780.post-403570358993872492013-01-13T21:52:00.002+13:002013-01-13T21:52:45.708+13:00Enya<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Jaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02947362845702151868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6915402573269993780.post-76796011718506447272012-12-29T18:34:00.000+13:002012-12-30T14:26:25.878+13:00On the Road<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT156kycNl8ukJnHWkACLMRUXmJH4rAXWFJnPoij0D1BPj6s0Qu" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT156kycNl8ukJnHWkACLMRUXmJH4rAXWFJnPoij0D1BPj6s0Qu" /></a></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><b>When things get rushed, details get missed.</b></i></blockquote>
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Sounds plausible. Sounds almost innocent - of cause things were going to get 'missed' when you had to rush a wedding, locate an available J.P at such short notice, organise a honeymoon, celebrate a birthday, confirm a Police report, and catch a flight back to the UK - but the truth be known, we knew exactly what we were doing: committing bigamy.</div>
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We had both been previously married. PB (AKA hubby) had his divorce through, finalised, but me? I hadn't planned on marrying again so divorce kind of never came up. I just figured I'd get some papers through the mail one day and learn hubby-one had moved on. That was the plan. </div>
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But now I had to come up with a new one - we both took a deep breath, confirmed neither had married before, and just hoped like hell no one found out. Good plan.</div>
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On the wedding day I was visited by the local Victim's Support Group. I'm not altogether sure what a stuffed toy lion was supposed to represent but I was given one anyhow. I decided to call him Leo. My long term friend Mina was my bridesmaid - turns out she was my Bride of Honour as she was happily married with two kids. I didn't know much about marriage protocol - I'd never done it properly before. PB's best man was my Bride of Honour's husband. It felt more legit and even if they'd only meet minutes before the ceremony, they still had enough time to banter which football team was the best - Liverpool or Manchester United. I didn't give a shit. </div>
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My mother was in her element. She had a reason to party, to invite family members she'd not seen in years and have them respect her as an honoured guest. She stapled fake flowers to the trees outside where our vows would be spoken and took to refilling anyone's glass with whatever came to hand. Her second husband walked wistfully through the house not sure where to put his feet. It was the first time he'd met me. The first time he'd seen any of our relatives and we weren't too sure what to make of him either. Aside from the fact that he had an assortment of machetes hanging on the back of the guest bedroom door, he appeared calm and forgiving of such an intrusion, and besides he seemed to tolerate my mother so maybe he wasn't <i>that </i>bad.</div>
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The vows were simple. PB mentioned some funny comments and I said "Ditto." On the surface of it all, we appeared to be a sweet, funny, couple, and even I started to buy into the charade. It's not like I didn't want it to work and it's not as if I didn't have feelings for PB. We just had history, bad history, one that involved other women, infidelity, a mistress, a diamond ring, and me caught up in the midst of it all. It was also the reason for my blasé reaction when PB gave me a one-carat diamond solitaire engagement ring - the same one he'd kept in his bottom bedside draw for someone else.</div>
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I used to try it one, back in the good old days when we lived with each other in England. I'd steal it from the purple casing and once I even made a trip to the local store, fanning my face all innocent-like, just so I could see it sparkle. I'm sure I looked like an epileptic. But now? Now that it was legitimately on my finger, it seemed to have lost all of its charm. </div>
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Things went from bad to worse. First of all, the JP didn't turn up - his embarrassed wife explained he'd forgotten and had already left to go fishing so we were left rummaging through the local phone book for a replacement. Eventually, I relented and Mrs Thorpe arrived. To this day, I don't think anyone cottoned on to why I was so mortified - for me, it was such a cruel twist of fate that this was the same woman who witnessed her 'much older than me son' suspended from school because he gave me a hideous large love-bite while on school camp. Maybe she didn't remember or maybe she did, and she was just pleased to see the back of me, all legally married and soon to be living on the other side of the world far away from her son. </div>
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PB and I spent our wedding night in the machete bedroom, taking turns describing useful if not macabre uses for all this man's armoury. </div>
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"Maybe your Mum's just into some kinky shit," PB reasoned.</div>
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"Nah, he doesn't seem the type."</div>
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The following morning, we left for Rotorua. It was the start of our honeymoon and my birthday. A strange day. I expected to feel different, to feel married and I also expected to feel older - I felt neither. PB kept referring to the countryside as something out of a horror movie and once, when we did stop at a small country gas station, where there was only a gas station and restaurant and nothing or anyone else, he asked me to keep the car running while he went in to pay.</div>
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He does't handle stress well, does PB, Never did and most probably, never will. It's no wonder, when the English Embassy called us at our hotel, he just ran to the bed, hid under the blankets, and started singing a random tune to block out reality.I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. </div>
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"There are some inconsistencies with your paperwork," she said, "mainly the <i>status</i> prior to your wedding." I knew, even though PB couldn't hear what was being said (hell, even I couldn't hear over his moaning) that he knew only too well that we'd been caught out. Seven years. That's the only thought I could think of - the term of imprisonment for bigamy, and now it looked like we were on the run. </div>
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I stole a glance towards the bedroom and secretly loathed my partner in crime. He was not going to make it, I decided. The stress would kill him first. Suddenly, I heard her apologise. "Look, I don't know how to tell you this but it seems as if your husband was married before."</div>
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Oh the relief. It was PB's shit she's uncovered. That was okay. He'd not broken any New Zealand Law. Just an English one and we were heading back there anyhow - I'd turn his butt over to Authorities when we arrived. That was what I would have said only I was so relieved that all I could blurt out was "Oh, I know <i>that</i>!"</div>
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Although surprised, she professionally summarised our options: Get his secretary to fax over his <i>decree nisi</i>, redo the paperwork, and hopefully you'll make your flight. Sure, sounds easy but it meant packing up right there and then, heading back to Wellington, some five hours drive away, doing what was required, and then legging it back to Auckland, another eight hours drive, to catch our flight.</div>
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But that's exactly what we did. </div>
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I knew PB was stressed. He ordered a steady run of whiskey on the flight and neither of us spoke until our stop-over in Perth, Australia, some ten hours later. It was only then that I felt I'd got away with it. It was only then that I thought, maybe this might work. </div>
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Only then.</div>
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Jaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02947362845702151868noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6915402573269993780.post-29980554762270102232012-12-29T04:19:00.001+13:002012-12-29T04:20:08.999+13:00Running... away?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTwIRTX0NeH3J9wIqEH56-xm84tAg70hgoXs2sCLPCI_KxwAlyGsw" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTwIRTX0NeH3J9wIqEH56-xm84tAg70hgoXs2sCLPCI_KxwAlyGsw" /></a></div>
<i><br /></i>
<i>"Go to Australia," the Police said, "make a fresh start." But what is a new start and just how close is it to running away?</i><br />
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I was in Australia around twenty years ago. I was on my way back home. Actually, that's not altogether true - I was stalling my trip to New Zealand. I wouldn't call myself psychic but I did have an overwhelming sense of dread. Turned out, I wasn't that far from the truth. Within 24 hours I was in Auckland's ICU beaten to a pulp by my brother who took exception to me not wanting my father at my upcoming wedding. I don't know, I just thought it would be a little too much to attempt a traditional wedding when I'd not that long ago requested the Police look into my father's past on the basis of historical child sex abuse claims. </div>
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I blame my mother for that night's events - she's always had her own agenda and I will never be able to completely understand it and now, I don't truly care to know. </div>
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In any event, she thought my brother should walk me down the aisle. "It's the least you could do," she frowned. I'm not sure of all the psychological dynamics that little judgemental comment made on my older brother or why it sent him into a dark place where the only way he could escape his own demons was to try and kill the one standing before him - me. </div>
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All I remember was how he had the strength to rip a door from its hinges and the sound of cutlery rattling in a draw still sends shivers up my spine - turns out, he had me in a chocker lock, my head like a rugby ball under his armpit while he fished in the nearby draw for a knife. I remember scrambling on all fours to a the neighbours house, across the road, banging on the door, falling into their laps. I remember seeing Police arrive and then seeing nothing. I hadn't blacked out. The blood vessels around my eyes had imploded and my eyes had 'shut up shop' in an vain attempt to heal.</div>
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I couldn't explain to them why 'things got so out of hand' but my mother could. "It's her father. He always does this. It's his fault, <i>his</i> fault I tell you!"</div>
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Kind of ironic since he was nothing more than the mere subject of an incredibly brief conversation but how do you explain the dynamics of a toxic family to the Police? They want things simple:Someone did something wrong and we need to know find the culprit, quick smart.</div>
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I was held in the hospital under Police protection until they could ascertain I was well enough to be released. "He's been arrested and won't be out any time soon," they assured. Taking their lead, I allowed them to drive me back to my brother's house to collect my belongings before attending my first-ever night in a Woman's refuge - mother and all. </div>
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To this day, I will never forget the shocked look on their faces when I ran back out of the house to tell them that, not only was my brother inside but so too was my father and step-mother and all the kids, like it was some collective support group that had gathered around whom they thought was the victim - my brother. </div>
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Like any kid, I wanted to run to my father, lay blame squarely at the feet of my sibling, and stand back to watch the wrath of his paternal protective instincts inflame like nothing on this earth.</div>
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I always was a dreamer, a hopeless romantic through and through. My father did nothing. In fact, I swear, the moment I ran from the house - he laughed. I could hear him. I yelled at the Police that he was laughing and they took in turns to run into the house and ask damming questions, none of which I was privy to - I didn't care by then. All I knew was I was a joke. The last laugh was on me. </div>
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For a fleeting moment however, as I stood (gob-smacked) before my brother, I swear he questioned me visually, as if to say "who the hell did that to you?" and for a moment there, I wondered who as well and almost started laughing, not in a funny <i>haha </i>moment but in a <i>Jesus Christ, I have really seriously lost my mind! </i></div>
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Embarrassed, the Police regathered outside my brother's house. There was talk of miscommunication and connections and maybe something else - I didn't listen, I didn't care. To say I had lost faith in the Police would be an understatement. One of the Policemen, however, whether fuelled by his own upcoming wedding or the fact that his Fiancée was English (who knows) too it upon himself to call my very own Fiancée in England and encourage him to make the trip, bring the wedding forward, and take "this poor woman out of here."</div>
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So I got married - five days later.</div>
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I didn't have any photos. I was still to badly injured but I had something else no one else has at their wedding - a full blown police protective service circling the premises - rumour had it (albeit this information came from my mother) that my father was "around" and it "was bound to get ugly."</div>
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It never did - get ugly, that is. </div>
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My husband and I returned to England... and that's when things got ugly. </div>
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Jaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02947362845702151868noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6915402573269993780.post-13005081595219927302012-12-28T15:13:00.000+13:002012-12-28T15:13:08.541+13:002013 - Starting Over<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://kaylacompetes.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/the-ability-to-start-over.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://kaylacompetes.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/the-ability-to-start-over.jpg" /></a></div>
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It's been a while since I wrote on my blog. A lot has happened. My best work buddy quit his position as the Manager when Receivers walked through the door and I was offered it instead. I thought it would be a great work opportunity but instead, I was used as a go-between, a source of inside information for the old business owner and the Receivers who were looking for a new prospective buyer. Upshot: Within three months, the old business owner regained control over the company and for thanks, he made me redundant - well that's a nice way of putting it. </div>
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As I hastily packed my worldly possessions and moved out of the on-site accommodation, I left a few telling artefacts for him to ponder over: a raw, rotting piece of chicken in a desk draw and a week's supply of puppy pooh all over the patio. Chicken Shit - that just about sums him up.</div>
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Two weeks later, I had up-sticks and even moved to a new Country. </div>
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And so here I am. </div>
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No more fighting with ACC cause, well since my absence, they have managed to shoot themselves so much in the foot that it pales in comparison as to what a wee blog could do. Not a day went by that they weren't in the Newspapers for some breach of privacy - thousands of claimants watched helplessly as their file contents spewed into all sorts of public crevices and with no come back. In order to file for damages, claimants had to prove they were psychologically damaged but since they were predominately claiming for psychological damages, as a result of sexual abuse, the Privacy Commission deemed it impossible to measure a "new" level of damage. In addition, to write a formal letter of complaint about having their secrets revealed to the public, they had to prove they were in a "right frame of mind" but in doing so, they forfeited any rights to compensation or counselling cause if your sane enough to write a legible complaint, you ain't mad enough to get their help. Reading all this made me dizzier than being strapped into a roller-coaster on steroids. It was pure insanity; corporate bullying at its best.</div>
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So Nick Smith resigns and the sly coyote, AKA Peter Jansen, slithers into the woods, seemingly unnoticed, to sniff out some other tax-paying corporation offering easy blood money. The players may have changed but the strategy remains the same - take the compulsory ACC payments from the public and use them for any other means than what's intended.</div>
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That was 2012.</div>
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In the months since I arrived in my 'new' country, ACC matters have been pushed back into the cauldrons of my mind as I try to readjust to the changes that are inevitable when one up and leaves just about everything they know. It's like clearing out a suitcase and walking around trying to find shit to fill it back up with. I haven't done such a great job of replacing crap with just new crap. Instead, I have left things empty so I can see what it is that I miss the most - I guess it's one way of trying to re-establish what's important in life, especially if you have a small suitcase.</div>
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This is my journey - 2013. </div>
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Jaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02947362845702151868noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6915402573269993780.post-46803424986618804862012-06-14T20:34:00.000+12:002012-06-14T20:34:10.088+12:00ACC - The DOG DAYS ARE OVER!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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My, my my, what a lot of happenings at ACC as of recent.. <a href="http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/nz-politics-daily-acc-body-count-ck-121162">Summary here....</a> and the fallout.... well it could be nothing better than the hole rusty lot of them fucking off! Enough I say! Enough of this multi-million dollar company pleading poverty - why cause some of their high upper management can't see to juggle the finance record to accommodate for nightly slappers or porn movies? It's not rocket science people - use the fucking tax paid money to finance the service you said you were going to provide - JAYSUS, even my 3 year old niece understands the logic of that!<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/E0BVLPm2zrQ?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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The only time ACC assholes panic is when it looks as if someone is looking into their CV or wallet - Oh, dont' worry, you'll find as much plastic in both!</div>
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</div>Jaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02947362845702151868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6915402573269993780.post-76572820892585282832012-03-15T10:58:00.000+13:002012-03-15T10:58:21.860+13:00ACC - GUNS AND GLORY<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://encrypted-tbn1.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSF3qTDz9uL2nYM9FeQ9FtIZYCBBqDSGGywwssO6RXWhXBuEGCh" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://encrypted-tbn1.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSF3qTDz9uL2nYM9FeQ9FtIZYCBBqDSGGywwssO6RXWhXBuEGCh" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;">It’s sundown. Dusk maybe. Someone spits, just cause they can. Women and children shelter in the saloon flip-flop doors as men throw in their</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;">poker hands.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;">A commotion was stirring—a god fearing, lustful, true-blue, gun fight was in the making. All that was missing was the music and some plaque-infested, toothless, cowboy whistling Dixie as he sauntered, menacingly into Town.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-align: justify; text-justify: newspaper; text-justify: newspaper; text-kashida-space: 50%; text-kashida-space: 50%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-align: justify; text-justify: newspaper; text-justify: newspaper; text-kashida-space: 50%; text-kashida-space: 50%;"><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Unbelievably and as if on cue, a familiar figure waddled into view. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-align: justify; text-justify: newspaper; text-justify: newspaper; text-kashida-space: 50%; text-kashida-space: 50%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-align: justify; text-justify: newspaper; text-justify: newspaper; text-kashida-space: 50%; text-kashida-space: 50%;"><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“Well, I’ll be damned,” someone remarked. “If it </span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: italic; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">ain’t</span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> ole PJ Rancid. Recognise him in an instant.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-align: justify; text-justify: newspaper; text-justify: newspaper; text-kashida-space: 50%; text-kashida-space: 50%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-align: justify; text-justify: newspaper; text-justify: newspaper; text-kashida-space: 50%; text-kashida-space: 50%;"><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The poker boys all jostled for position at the saloon windows. “You sure is right, it’s him. God damn fool, what’s he be doing standing up to the likes of them SCU lot?” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-align: justify; text-justify: newspaper; text-justify: newspaper; text-kashida-space: 50%; text-kashida-space: 50%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-align: justify; text-justify: newspaper; text-justify: newspaper; text-kashida-space: 50%; text-kashida-space: 50%;"><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Cowboy PJ Rancid, dressed in his recognisable Coyote suit and recently purchased diamante crucifix, stood defiant. Well at least that’s what he told himself. He knew there were but a few degrees of mild separation between that and arrogance but what was this dumb lot to know?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-align: justify; text-justify: newspaper; text-justify: newspaper; text-kashida-space: 50%; text-kashida-space: 50%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-align: justify; text-justify: newspaper; text-justify: newspaper; text-kashida-space: 50%; text-kashida-space: 50%;"><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">He has a new sidekick, someone pointed out. Unrecognisable yet uncannily familiar. “I bet you 10 bucks he’s a </span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: italic; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">bloody</span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> crook.” The poker boys sniggered. Odds are he’s right and no one was willing to loose any amount of money on that lousy bet.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-align: justify; text-justify: newspaper; text-justify: newspaper; text-kashida-space: 50%; text-kashida-space: 50%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-align: justify; text-justify: newspaper; text-justify: newspaper; text-kashida-space: 50%; text-kashida-space: 50%;"><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Unperturbed, PJ stood proudly behind his newly recruited replacement at ACC. It was </span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: italic; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Showtime. </span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Time to take this to the next level. With a brotherly pat on the shoulder, PJ exited the crossfire zone and settled behind a robust beer barrel filled with golden handshake </span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: italic; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">dosh</span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-align: justify; text-justify: newspaper; text-justify: newspaper; text-kashida-space: 50%; text-kashida-space: 50%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-align: justify; text-justify: newspaper; text-justify: newspaper; text-kashida-space: 50%; text-kashida-space: 50%;"><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">This should be good, he told himself. Real good.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-align: justify; text-justify: newspaper; text-justify: newspaper; text-kashida-space: 50%; text-kashida-space: 50%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-align: justify; text-justify: newspaper; text-justify: newspaper; text-kashida-space: 50%; text-kashida-space: 50%;"><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Dr P Dodwell (BMA, CIP, BLAH, IMHO) scuffed his cowboy boots in the dry soil and spat a lung full of tobacco over his right shoulder. Just like he was shown. He looked confident but deep down he was worried. His crude name change from 'did well' to Dodwell had the potential to throw the SCU hounds into a manic frenzy; the quantum leap from Australia to New Zealand might just tip them over the edge. He cast a dismayed look at his predecessor.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-align: justify; text-justify: newspaper; text-justify: newspaper; text-kashida-space: 50%; text-kashida-space: 50%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-align: justify; text-justify: newspaper; text-justify: newspaper; text-kashida-space: 50%; text-kashida-space: 50%;"><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Go on... PJ urged, throwing his iconic plastic smile into the Netherlands.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-align: justify; text-justify: newspaper; text-justify: newspaper; text-kashida-space: 50%; text-kashida-space: 50%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“</span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: italic; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Fuckwit</span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">,” Doddy muttered as he jostled his gun belt from his sagging crutch. He’d been set up. He knew that now. Turning back, he faced the growing mob before him. It’s not like there’s a real enemy, he soothed. No axe-wielding murderers with witch </span><span lang="en-NZ"><o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;">cackle screams. Just some hormonal women with newly printed t-shirts picketing some imaginary line in the sand. Stupid bitches.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“What do we want?” ...</span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: italic; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Counselling!</span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">.... “When do we want it?” ...</span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: italic; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Now!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“Damn straight these crazy bitches need counselling,” PJ muttered. “But I’ll be fucked if I’m spending any money just to get them to act normal. Some are passed their sell by dates anyhow.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">PJ quickly straightened himself, releasing his manic grip on the beer barrel. I earned it, he told himself. Every single hundred-dollar-note. Putting up with this bunch of losers, I’m surprised I haven’t needed counselling myself. Now do your fucking job Doddy. Get bloody well in there and stop this shit before the Media gets here.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Suddenly, a whirlwind of dust rose up as a lone stranger rode bareback into town. Everyone stood mesmerised, waiting for the role that this newly developed hero would play. And hero he must have been for Doddy let out a magnificent “</span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: italic; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Whoop! Whoop!” </span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> at the mere sight of him. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">It was a magnificent ‘Eureka’ moment for poor Doddy. A chance to swagger back into the shadows and allow this cowboy to take his adoring moment. If there’s one thing a scapegoat needs, it’s an even better one. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">ACC’s chief executive, Ralph Stewart — aka Ralph—elegantly swung a leg over the horse’s head and dismounted. Both feet landed firmly on the picket line like a full stop in mid-sentence. A definite </span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: italic; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">‘Tada!’ </span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">moment and something not lost on the protesters. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“Who in the name of Zeus’ butthole are </span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: italic; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">you</span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Ralph blushed. Butthole was not a word he’d come across a lot in his meagre time at ACC. For some reason, it seemed far more graphic than arse. Quite disturbing in fact.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“My name is Ralph and I come in good faith.” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">He had rehearsed his lines well. Every word would be recorded, analysed, butchered in some way. He had to be careful. He knew that. This wasn’t just a spat of troubleshooting. </span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: italic; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">No siree! </span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">This was ‘one of the worst privacy breaches in New Zealand history.’ <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“Ten bucks says he gets </span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: italic; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">it </span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">in the nuts.</span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: italic; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">A sudden hive of activity ruptured inside the Saloon as the poker boys emptied their pockets of cash: “I got a fiver on his balls as well!” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“Nah, the </span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: italic; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">face</span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> man, the </span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: italic; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">face</span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Unruffled, Ralph continued with his speech: “It would appear that a </span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: italic; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">woman </span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">within ACC accidentally sent the details of 9000 claimants to an ACC client and although attempts were made to try and find the files frankly we should have done more.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“Holy shit, make that fifty bucks the </span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: italic; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Growlers</span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> nail his balls to a fence!</span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: italic; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: italic; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 12pt;">The </span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">Growlers</span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 12pt;">—for want of a better word, such as beneficiaries, bludgers, mob, protesters, rioters, losers, or a bunch of steel-capped sexually frustrated lesbians—were also and perhaps more commonly referred to as claimants within the realms of ACC’s Sensitive Claims Unit. Whatever the terminology, they were undoubtedly the bane of ACC’s </span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">arse. </span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 12pt;">Averaging expenditure of about $9 million per annum, they were, in fact, fast becoming ... </span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">um</span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 12pt;">.. bloody well expensive.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The Claimants stood completely spellbound. Not because someone finally had the courage to address their concerns but because this News was so overwhelmingly crude and blatant—handled in the same haphazard way that earned PJ Rancid his reputation as a sly and loathsome coyote. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">In light of recent ACC conflicts, this current breach reeked of sabotage—to make the SCU so inept as to warrant complete closure. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“Now I’m really paranoid. What if my sensitive claim was amongst those? I’ll never be able to leave my house again and face people. Just as I’m coming right after vigorous counselling too!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“I’d better make another appointment with my counsellor,” someone muttered despondently. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Ralph straightened himself, pleased he’d emphasised the culprit was a woman. It might win this lot over. Of course, Ralph had no idea who the culprit was. The person’s identity was never released. </span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: italic; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Classified</span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">. Their privacy had to be maintained at all costs, he was told. Slightly ironic considering events but who was he to argue?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“Who the hell got this information?” barked a claimant.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The thought of their files, their information, their graphic and sexually explicit records being sent to </span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: italic; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">an undisclosed source by an undisclosed staff member w</span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">as too much for some to comprehend. “I thought our information was </span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: italic; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">supposed </span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">to be safe” someone yelled. “I mean what is the point of the SCU setting itself up as this bloody almighty prison of data protecting our Rights, </span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: italic; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">our</span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> information, </span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: italic; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">our</span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> stories, </span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: italic; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">our</span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> fucking lives for Christ’s sake, when you can fuck up so badly?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“The recipient, an ACC client, did not want to be named because they feared being swamped by telephone calls from other ACC clients concerned their details had been distributed nationwide.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: italic; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“Nationwide?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Ralph was loosing the battle. Instead of answers, he had merely encouraged questions.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“It’s alright,” he soothed, “the recipient blacked out all the personal details of claimants when providing documents to the </span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: italic; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Dominion Post.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“A </span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: italic; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">newspaper</span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">? They gave the information to a </span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: italic; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Newspaper</span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“ACC has implemented several safeguards to ensure all client information is protected and managed correctly.” Ralph could hear his voice rising above the rumbling discontent of his audience. He</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 12pt;">started to sound paranoid. He certainly felt it — his statement was ridiculous especially in light of the circumstances. Stay strong, he told himself. Stay focused.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 12pt;">“Now just hang on a second here. You mean to say one person, and only one person sent information of such a vast volume to someone she shouldn’t have? What information exactly? When did this happen?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Ralph shifted uncomfortably. </span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: italic; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">‘Don’t mention August. Don’t mention August.’</span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> The small mantra sped around his head and gained momentum. It was threatening to burst from his mouth. Fishing for notes inside his jacket pocket, Ralph managed to give himself time... </span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: italic; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">breathe God damn-it, breath...</span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> “It would appear this information was brought to our attention ...</span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: italic; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">um</span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">... a lot later than it should. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“Oh stop piss-arsing around and answer the God-damn question. </span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: italic; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">When?</span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“August.” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The crowd erupted just as Ralph feared. He’d been warned against mentioning specific dates but the month of August, that small worrisome detail weighed so heavily on his mind that for a brief moment, he actually felt relieved. It was out there now, he told himself. But now was a different story. Now he was positively scared. The crowds words were merging together, peaking hysterically as the dry acrid dust encircled the scene. Fists punched through the air and set Ralph’s loyal stallion into a frenzied gallop, back to whence he came. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“Now now ladies....”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“Don’t you </span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: italic; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">now now ladies us </span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">you incompetent prick. Seven months after the event and what, you’re finally coming clean?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“They’re not coming clean,” someone barked, “they’re troubleshooting. All the Media is over this." As if to prove her point, she thrust her new </span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: italic; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Blueberry </span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">into the air; the small screen displayed the headlines “ACC sorry for breach of privacy.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 12pt;">Doddy shifted his feet uncomfortably. Privacy. Not his favourite word. More like a heinous umbilical cord that linked him straight back to Australia and his own brush with the Law. Bloody women, he cursed. As if to distract himself, Doddy looked over his shoulder and cursed his cowardly predecessor. How much does he know, Doddy wondered. Is that why I was hired?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“In addition to privacy breaches, it appears ACC staff are covertly communicating with advisors to manipulate medical reports in ACC’s favour.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Doddy’s heart started to beat rapidly. The protester reading from her </span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: italic; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Blueberry </span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">phone was hitting way too close to home. He considered making a run for it—jumping in one elegant ‘John Wayne’ manoeuvre onto the horse. The horse, </span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: italic; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">God Damn-it, </span><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">more devious than him had already bolted while the lethargic dog—hardly a compromise—now seemed remarkably gleeful, skirting in and out of the protesters, keeping the acrid dust animated.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“Oi you!” someone yelled. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Doddy froze.... <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="en-NZ" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-NZ; mso-ansi-language: en-NZ; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-default-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-greek-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latin-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><span style="color: red;">...to be continued....</span> </span></div></div>Jaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02947362845702151868noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6915402573269993780.post-21616585115132248692011-12-22T21:40:00.000+13:002011-12-22T21:40:40.100+13:00PROUD TO BE A KIWI<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR9dGpZOPDKqxIyuWTiVX2JjtEwLATZRPcP72BK7yq6wt9_NfDk" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR9dGpZOPDKqxIyuWTiVX2JjtEwLATZRPcP72BK7yq6wt9_NfDk" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Proud to be a Kiwi?.... It's a good question and the answer is something I have delved in an out of... I was ashamed of NZ throughout the Springbok tour, ashamed to have to choose between Sport (innocent enough subject) and Politics (always full of shit)... and I went with the former! Go equality! Proud of the protests though! </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">But then we became the FIRST COUNTRY to become Anti-Nuclear and man, was that a moment to be proud of... I remember seeing Joe Bloggs on a flutter-board, paddling like shit in front of an American Nuclear Ship and others on boats, arm floaties, freestyle... whatever it took to stop that ship heading off to rape and pillage the Antarctic.... ah, yes, a proud Kiwi moment....Did we win? Damn straight we did!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">So yeah, that was then... National economics took over and sure, we </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">fucked up a few times trying to fit into mainstream (secret backhanded anti-anti nuclear policies) and then came the M</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">illennium... all these wonderful Kiwi orientated advertisements promoting our wonderful diverse cultural </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">diversity</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> and growth as a Nation... I actually bought into that shit.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Now?</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Now I see TIME AND TIME AGAIN... the shame of New Zealand being tarnished by the hideous crimes against those same kids the represented the new </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">M</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">illennium. In truth, we don't give a shit for our kids. Our Laws are designed to protect those that rape and molest our upcoming Generation, our future Leaders, and as as result of our complacency - our new, incoming prison population... </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">You see, in New Zealand.. we like to promote niceties. We like the world to regard us as greener than green. We like all of you (out there) to view us as culturally intertwined, like we've done something uniquely different that you could ever have imagined... (we're super clever like that)... we will even win the Rugby World Cup in the vain hope that you will look past who we, as a Nation, really are...</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">We're you fooled?</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Oh I'm sorry... did you think winning the World Cup (a hideously expense blow to the average Kiwi) wouldn't affect the likes of kids who are abused, beaten, murdered, or raped.. yes, here in the land of the long white cloud?</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Did you not know we have thee most highest rate of child abuse in the world or the most lenient penalties known to mankind? Did I distract you from your ever wonderful tinted rose glasses of what New Zealand is like in REALITY?</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I loved New Zealand before she was raped by the mainstream of bullshit - when Land meant standing on history overflowing with sincerity, and honour was something that oozed through your toes like mud - a given. A time when life was sacred and children were like seeds - planted into a fertile soil full of self esteem and courage and watered daily by the wisdom of those in a time gone by. We trusted our history, our people that had gone before... </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Now our history is a legacy of those who took advantage... those who blamed anything else other than themselves for what THEY have done. A history of neglect, shame, abuse, and no accountability.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I feel utterly fucking ashamed.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/6179499/Girl-5-attacked-in-holiday-park">http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/6179499/Girl-5-attacked-in-holiday-park</a> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/6173084/Mum-jailed-for-horrific-abuse">http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/6173084/Mum-jailed-for-horrific-abuse</a> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div></div>Jaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02947362845702151868noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6915402573269993780.post-20526652990620699472011-12-14T22:27:00.004+13:002011-12-14T23:11:46.604+13:00let the kid dance....<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/K9hNZaiGIzc?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Someone posted this on my Facebook page the other day with real unhappy faces, depicting what I can only imagine is sorrowfulness over the little girl who, like in the video, was once wild free and skipping along in life, and now... frozen in time, snapped up in a moment when everything went so horribly wrong.....</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I look at this picture and I see a reminder... a reminder that the child within we all thought was so lost is still there and waiting... just waiting... for that time when her older self will come back and reclaim her - reclaim as in let her continue to dance. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">In my mind's eye, this is a beautiful moment. The music is wonderful. The moment is captured. Listen now for the footsteps back into who we once were. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Then..... let the kid within dance!</span></div></div>Jaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02947362845702151868noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6915402573269993780.post-67468380866199583752011-12-13T20:52:00.000+13:002011-12-13T20:56:59.207+13:00For Emma<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Emma is 18 years old. She is as thin as a rake. She's <i>"in da face"</i>. She also has thin razor-blade marks on her arms and God knows where else. Her "take no bullshit" façade is something she applies as readily as those who wear make-up but there is something that makes Emma stand out.... she is a fighter - a strong determined young woman that went against all the advice of everyone she asked.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Emma texted me this afternoon to announce her abuser (who pleaded not guilty and, as a result, forced Emma into testifying in Court) was sentenced to 9.5 years.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">On behalf of myself and all the other survivors of child sex abuse, I salute you Emma. Well done babe. More power to you!</span></div>
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</div>Jaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02947362845702151868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6915402573269993780.post-68960114448654174052011-12-03T12:55:00.001+13:002011-12-03T12:59:38.677+13:00Abuse of Name Suppression Law<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Name suppression for a former All Black who pleaded guilty to child assault in Court yesterday flies in the face of Parliament's aims.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The former rugby star is the latest in a long line of top sportsmen (and comedians) who have appears in criminal courts and been allowed to keep their indenties secret. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">A poll on the NZ Herald's website asks: "Do suppression laws in NZ need to be reviewed?" </span></div>
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<li style="text-align: justify;">97% say YES</li>
<li>7% say NO</li>
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<a href="http://www.nzherald.co.nz/child-abuse/news/article.cfm?c_id=146&objectid=10769780">http://www.nzherald.co.nz/child-abuse/news/article.cfm?c_id=146&objectid=10769780</a></div>
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</div>Jaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02947362845702151868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6915402573269993780.post-80042118231469836122011-12-03T12:04:00.001+13:002011-12-03T12:27:19.771+13:00The Shame within NZ<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/200719/ngati.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/200719/ngati.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #c27ba0;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">"Each night Ngatikaura Ngati would climb into bed and tell his adoptive mum Kura and dad Finau that he loved them before clasping his little hands in prayer."</span> </span></blockquote>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This is the life that this little boy knew and grew to love in his short three years. His birth mother, fearing some benefit fraud by claiming for children not in her care, returned to collect the little man and within nine short weeks, he was dead.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The link below gives graphic details of the systematic abuse he suffered whilst in his birth mother's care - most of which would have been visual to anyone who saw him and yet, no one said a thing. Ngatikaura was brought up speaking Tongan so to be dragged from the only home he knew and plonked into an over-crowded house where he didn't even have a bed and they spoke only vile English, would have been such a cultural shock. No wonder the little man wet himself and for which he received brutal beatings with a softball bat.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The parents (for want of a better word) claim they "didn't mean to do it," but I fail to understand how someone could consistently beat a child with a bat and not think it would cause any harm. Their defence team are highlighting the fact that, whilst he may have been beaten him with a "stick," no one touched his head. Maybe that's because the head is the most visual part of a small body - bruises and swollen limbs can be hidden amongst floppy clothing. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">We in New Zealand were incredulous to the new Bill that made it illegal for parents to physically discipline their children and we were aghast when a father was hauled before the Courts cause he clipped his kid's ear after running out onto the road, but here is a clear example of why such a Law was ever passed - some parents just don't get it.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">My next question is why on earth these parents weren't charged with murder and instead, copped a lesser charge of manslaughter. What does it take to murder someone these days? I can bet my bottom dollar that if I went out into the street and clobbered someone with a softball bat (not around the head- mind) and that person later died, I would be definitely face a murder charge! </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The mind boggles at our judicial system.</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10439204">http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10439204</a></div>Jaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02947362845702151868noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6915402573269993780.post-35647398803453279192011-11-26T17:39:00.001+13:002011-11-26T18:00:29.433+13:00NZ Elections today<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">New Zealand elections today. So, how'd did everyone go - if at all? </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Like so many people standing in a claustrophobic voting booth, I would have been better off pinning 'the tail on a donkey.' Maybe I even did - the candidates all looked like a bunch of asses and everyone claims their shit don't stink. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">But today, of all days, is suppose to be the day us citizens can put things right. We can tick the box that says "this one, this person, they will do it, they will make the changes we all need." In the same nano-second, you're reminded of some back-peddling they did on some previous policy or some "no comment" when Journalists chased them down on some issue. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This is the person I want to vote for:</span></div>
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<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Someone who will put a stop to millions being spent on insane studies (Nearly a million for pornography research)</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Someone who will look at the insane justice system (convicted sex offenders get free, unlimited, counselling, while victims are restricted to 4 measly hours)</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Someone who will not even consider giving hand outs to finance companies cause they screwed up</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Someone who will implement a Bill that says those that do rip hard working people off, cannot keep their own million dollar houses while those that invested have to downscale</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Someone who will see the value in a child - free education should be just that (free)</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Someone who will lift NZ's children off that poverty line that puts us in the top 3 worldwide as useless shits</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Someone who will take a real look at the judicial system that rewards perps with "good behaviour" while in incarceration. Why not let a "sentence" be a bloody sentence?</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Someone who will look into why Government department employees can access company facilities to sue clients, then hide behind the fact they are suing as an individual in their own right </span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Someone who doesn't think a business trip means putting booze, porn, and prostitutes on the tax payers account</span></li>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The thing is, I can't find anyone on my voting paper that can cover even one of those issues. They are as corrupt as each other. May as well vote for the one whose honest enough about who he is...</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>Jaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02947362845702151868noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6915402573269993780.post-55096985258737856762011-11-26T10:00:00.001+13:002011-11-27T02:00:05.133+13:00ACC: Sends Sensitive Claimant file to strangers<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRDDAyVto5ayN0qjNK54sziuW4BNTbc9RCgDF0sSO8piKkSPh397A" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" src="http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRDDAyVto5ayN0qjNK54sziuW4BNTbc9RCgDF0sSO8piKkSPh397A" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">After demanding an IT sweep of her file, an ACC claimant was told her file was "inadvertently released" to three organisations: Waikeria Prison, Gore Medical Centre, and the Auckland Family Doctors.</span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i>"ACC Sensitive Claims Unit regrets to advise you that when the emails were being scanned and watermarked, a technical error arose which resulted in the documents being faxed to three fax numbers held in the memory of the multi function device."</i></span></blockquote>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The claimant, an ACC Sensitive Claims client, has grown increasingly concerned about privacy issues within the organisation and rightly so - in the two months it took to have her IT sweep request actioned, ACC managed to send it (via fax) to just about everyone else but her! </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">ACC responded by saying it was a "random technical error" and that it had "never happened before." Yet, as the claimant points out, if ACC only found out about this "random error" because one of the unintended recipients contacted them, how do they know it has never happened before? </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">More worrisome, is why it took ACC two months to notify the claimant about this total breech of privacy and would they even have bothered if she'd not been writing to them consistently asking for a record of who has is accessing her information?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">For now, ACC are conducting one of their infamously time-wasting troubleshooting investigations and keeping everyone up to speed on their ... um... progress.</span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i>"Thank you for your email. Unfortunately at this point in time, I am unable to provide you with a timeframe as to when ACC will be in a position to fully respond to the questions you have raised."</i></span></blockquote>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Another claimant seems to have an uncanny skill at interpreting letters such as this and I, for one, think she has hit the nail on the head:</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">"[ACC] Her email may as well have said... at this particular time I have to tell you to go suck eggs whilst we do our best to cover our asses, pass the buck, and just hope you will become so frustrated, you'll go away."</span></blockquote>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Opinion:</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I find it abhorrent that this is the same organisation that filed a $250,000 defamation lawsuit against me for daring to call them "Incompetent." I also don't believe in coincidences either. This claimant is also my ACC advocate - the woman who has been relentlessly sending letters to the Privacy Commission and the Ombudsman for the breech of privacy in my own case. How uncanny is that?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>Jaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02947362845702151868noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6915402573269993780.post-82284459534674591892011-11-24T21:42:00.001+13:002011-11-24T22:42:32.755+13:00ACC: Sexual Abuse Claimants -Nothing but a PAIN IN THE ASS<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRG8g4dW1Pa4phmfWe9VgekhDpVjNh1R8EIa2XfkyyjDTg5EUh6p-_Dqfc" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRG8g4dW1Pa4phmfWe9VgekhDpVjNh1R8EIa2XfkyyjDTg5EUh6p-_Dqfc" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">You god damn pesky bloody sexual abuse claimants! </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Don't you realise how much of a pain in the ass you lot are? We, at ACC, are a business. God damn it! We're an Insurance Company. That means, we get people to pay us money in the hope they never have to pay you! </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Now, look... we've been doing very well, thank you very much, getting all sorts of NZ companies paying us shit loads just in case some dick falls over his ladder and brakes his ankle, claiming the boss was a tosser and neglected basic safety regulations or some misguided midget takes an occupation at ......anything.... that's not the point.... we still got his tiny ass covered too! </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">And, thank God for that! </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">But we, at ACC, are getting mighty pissed off with you SCU BLUDGERS!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Look, we have lined our pockets on the proviso that no crap can slip through our cracks and, quite frankly, we don't give a shit what has slipped through yours! </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Sure, some hard nosed lesbians took to the streets some time back demanding crap - we forget what, was on the News but whatever... and yeah, then there was that butch blogger who thought she was a smart shit to talk crap about our Dr Peter Jansen.. yeah, then he sued her (HAHA) and then... yeah anyway, Jansen pulled out cause.. cause.. cause he don't like shit OKAY!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Look, the point is... we are sick and tired of you lot... we've had to BEND OVER backwards cause you dicks asked for US to be investigated... yeah right, for what? ... Falsifying some top notch University study? Look, we took what we needed (for your benefit) from that "Massey University" study and applied the god damn theory.... 16 hours counselling, no questions asked..... and no, we don't give a rat's ass what the other 99% of that report said or the fact that, what we did take, was way out of context, cause, we're a fucking business okay and we do what we god damn well want to and when you got people like, Nick Smith, in your back pocket... you people are shit, you got nada, nothing, no where to go, no where to run... and even if (LOL) you actually DID have something valid, like something ethical or moral like... we still won't give a shit cause it's election time and a whole new bunch of assholes will be employed with the same hope of climbing the corporate ladder.. in the meantime SCU dickshits...we will be so high up that ladder (just like Jesus Jansen) that even our shit won't stink!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Oh crap... did someone record that conversation?.. FFS, that was private, in a coffee bar.... whew!..... I'll just make a phone call... despite the police being "quiet" and no more new recruits in the foreseeable future... we'll just get a few dozen to put an injunction on that conversation and ... BOB'S YA UNCLE!</span></blockquote>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>POWER TO THE <strike>PEOPLE</strike>..... POLITICIAN!</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Dear Dickhead (aka, above post)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">So you think we (sexual abuse survivors) are nothing more than ... times wasters yeah, nothing better to do with our lives than to make yours a misery, clambering over rights once had and now taken away and.. we should NOW be ever so grateful that you expect a full recovery from sexual abuse in a mere 16 counselling sessions... You have to be kidding me right? FFS, even YOU don't think that's feasible... how else could you possible explain, shafting even the 16 hours into a mere frigging four?????</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<a href="http://www.acc.co.nz/search-results/index.htm?ssUserText=ACC5934a">http://www.acc.co.nz/search-results/index.htm?ssUserText=ACC5934a</a><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">SUMMARY OF ABOVE LINK:</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />Initial Support Sessions (4)<br /><br />The first four hours of support are pre-approved and you can start these straight away without a purchase order number.<br /><br />The first four hours of support need to be completed within 8 weeks and you need to submit the ACC5934a ‘Support Sessions Plan’ at the conclusion of these sessions. The plan is a brief report and can now be downloaded from www.acc.co.nz by entering ACC5934a into the search function.<br /><br />Some clients may choose to withdraw from the process after the initial four sessions. </span></blockquote>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">GEE YA THINK?</span> </b></div>
</div>Jaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02947362845702151868noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6915402573269993780.post-22878641757711878662011-10-13T21:42:00.001+13:002011-10-13T21:42:22.830+13:00ACC Reading between the lines...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQczk8mjC5zFEOhU9vnLcgnrx-qrSdkFIugwUWpzgGSksk9whLS" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQczk8mjC5zFEOhU9vnLcgnrx-qrSdkFIugwUWpzgGSksk9whLS" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Received a reply from ACC. A letter that has so much blacked out data that what's left is bullshit. If anyone knows how to upload an email PDF attachment, I will put download the 'report' on here for all to see.. not that there is much to see - it's all black and white, literally </div>
</div>Jaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02947362845702151868noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6915402573269993780.post-30188027371770665332011-09-21T20:47:00.000+12:002011-09-21T20:47:13.164+12:00Man or Mouse - squeak up Jansen<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRipuHit__I2ynDoEVW1sNdJ59KichaxJJHBRCtv0y7Ar5k9KNtXw" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRipuHit__I2ynDoEVW1sNdJ59KichaxJJHBRCtv0y7Ar5k9KNtXw" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">August 12th: I sent yet another request to ACC asking how <a href="http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSBYNVYroXMScjlTFFaD8lphS4ZM0RhikSi0A5Qo-N7EnB5gBKR1w">Dr Peter Jansen </a> managed to locate me whilst under a Police Witness Protection Plan for a historic sexual abuse, just so he could try and sue me for $250,000 for defamation. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I don't know, it just seemed ironic that ACC seemed to be struggling with my meager request for counselling, closing down my file without me knowing, and writing me off - so to speak - but can manage to maintain enough details about me to sue me cause I may (and as it turned out, rightfully) insulted an employee of theirs (Dr Peter Jansen) by calling him an "incompetent prick". </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Well today, we got the latest "sweep" of all those internal emails ACC people like to send to each other and one, in particular, caught my eye: </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<blockquote style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i>From (Blanked out) to (blanked out) 22 June 2011:</i></span></blockquote>
<blockquote style="text-align: justify;">
"<i style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I am alerting you to the response as there is one email that may pose some risk to ACC ...[...].. there is an email to Peter of May 2010 which alerts him to Miss XXXXX (aka me) being a current client and at the very end of the email, below the disclaimer, is her blog address. She may wish to make something of this, as at first glance it appears to contradict ACC and Peter's position that he did not know 'K1w1jax' was an ACC client..."</i></blockquote>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Gee, ya think? This is what we have all thought and knew all along. J</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">ust for the record, when Peter Jansen pulled his case the day we we entered our defense, his media release was: </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<blockquote>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i>"As k1w1jax was a pseudonym, I did not and could not know that she was an ACC claimant for a mental injury at the time she was making defamatory comments about me on her blog..."</i></span></blockquote>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">What a load of bull Jansen.... and my response?</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i> </i></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #009fdc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"><span>(Team<strong> </strong></span>Manager Government Services</span><span style="color: #009fdc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">, ACC)</span></span><br />
<br />
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-size: 13px;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
Firstly, you have my permission to show this email to whoever you wish.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
I, in turn, will be forwarding the attachments onto my advocate team for advice. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I am asking their assistance in this matter because I simply am NOT getting any facts or reassurance from ACC. Other Governmental departments have been cooperative in my requests - WINZ/IRD etc. The fact that I am not allowed to know "things" about "me" is unacceptable. Just whose breech of privacy does ACC think they are protecting again? I suspect it's their own staff members and, quite frankly, that is not what the Law is designed to do and I intend to pursue this matter further. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
For example, I totally agree that anyone else, other than the person who tried to sue me, ought to have their privacy protected. So, where are the emails, correspondence, access to my file that are directly related to Dr Jansen? I am not interested in an all out ACC witch hunt. I simply want to know how he found me whilst under a witness protection programme - one the Police are even fathomed to understand - and the only one common denominator is the email exchanges between myself and Jansen. Of course he won't admit this cause it will contradict his media release but it's a lie nonetheless - or is it? He's not saying. He's being a coward and hiding behind the shirt-tails of some "confidentiality" clause. Unacceptable. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I understand that there was an excessive amount of access to my personal file this year - odd, considering my file has been closed (unbeknownst to me) an entire year beforehand but I do not accept that an IT clerk having access for example, is the promise of "sensitivity" ACC stand by when they formulate under the banner of the "Sensitive Claims Unit". There is clearly a breech and a measurable amount of gross negligence on my "so called" SCU file. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
I would like it noted that I have not received any contact from Selena whatsoever.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I would also like it noted that Dr Jansen cannot hide behind a "client confidentiality" clause in simply replying to how he accessed my personal information - a request that came from Lisa MXXXXX - because ACC were given my explicit consent for him to do so. This is merely a bureaucratic stalling technique which I have no time for. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
In closing, I would like to add that, yes, ACC should be worried about the email I sent Jansen in May 2010 which clearly indicated who I was and not only that, but his reply. I do not accept the pitiful excuse that no one looks at the information at the bottom of an email and also that he was receiving so many a day and therefore, might not have joined the dots so to speak. Jansen was hunting me down from December - four months prior to being served with his defamation case. His own Lawyer confirmed this. </div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
In short: My blog infuriated him. My email (to him) stuck out for that sole purpose. He acknowledged it. He responded to it. He knew who I was and he responded to the information I (inadvertently gave him as an ACC employer) and sued me, and he used his ACC resources to do so. It does not get any simpler than that and now, ACC are using tax paid resources to cover this up.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Now, I would like ACC to think in real simple terms, as detailed above, and give me the answers I legally and rightfully deserve. If it's good enough to cover for Dr Peter Jansen, it's good enough to answer the questions brought by me about him. You can't have it both ways. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
In closing, I totally agree that Jansen should reply to me, after all, he sued me as private citizen yeah? Even his "blanked out" colleagues think he should - so, in short, why hasn't he? Why is getting them to do his dirty work?</div>
<div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">So what now... "a thousand miles starts with a single footstep - and I'm not tired."</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
Jaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02947362845702151868noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6915402573269993780.post-35634412503606935042011-09-05T20:47:00.003+12:002011-09-05T20:47:58.325+12:00Flash haka, alright<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQMssM1AxgjmLCUiQusEWFkhT66u_7BDtJ8Z3RnNZOLcMdi9F6mPQ" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQMssM1AxgjmLCUiQusEWFkhT66u_7BDtJ8Z3RnNZOLcMdi9F6mPQ" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Tonight someone sent me the link for a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puXad30DSfg&feature=player_embedded">a flash haka</a>. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I was literally brought to tears - such is the "mana" of these men. I'd willingly follow them into the throws of some 'war', I'd stamp my feet, thrash my hips, and damn well make someone eyeball my <i>poi poi </i>if needed. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Not that women need male leaders but it says something when a woman can be brought to tears over the sight of male unity. It is such an awesome sight and we need more if it. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I just wish it took more than a ball and 15 men fighting possession over it. </span> </div>
Jaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02947362845702151868noreply@blogger.com1