366photos2016

Rā 314 Rāapa 9 o Whiringa-ā-rangi

Another twist in the political world for 2016. We thought it couldn’t get worse than Brexit. But the power of the rhetoric of fear has won the hearts and minds of the uneducated white males of America and they came out to make their voices heard. The unimaginable has happened and the world has a new President. What was a joke has become reality. Cartoon courtesy of First Dog on the Moon. 

Rā 310 Rāhoroi 5 o Whiringa-ā-rangi

Fireworks are exploding all around us!  Guy Fawkes seems a strange thing to ‘celebrate’ in NZ so far from the British Houses of Parliament.  The 5th November is also the date when 1600 volunteer and Armed Constabulary troops attacked a peaceful protest against land confiscations at Parihaka on behalf of the NZ government. It seems a more fitting historic event to remember in NZ at this time of year (though not to celebrate) and fireworks certainly wouldn’t be appropriate.  I don’t think we could replace one with the other, though.   There is a movement to have a date around this time of year to commemorate the NZ Wars in some way. But it can’t be 5th November because the tradition of Guy Fawkes is just too strong. 

Anyway, today’s photo has nothing to do with fireworks! It’s a white poppy bejewelled with raindrops that I spotted on a walk today!

Rā 309 Rāmere 4 o Whiringa-ā-rangi

MOVEMBER: Men’s health awareness month. Because although men seem to be dying when they get ‘man flu’,  when they really have something wrong they don’t say anything! Prostate cancer, testicular cancer and mental health are taboo subjects . 

So this evening two young men put their beards and their hair on the line to raise funds for Movember. Steven from Craft Hamilton and Ben from Little George had their beards and heads shaved. Great job boys!

Off with their Beerds