Helping those who can easily help themselves by Susan Grimsdell
Helicopter rescue I searched on Google but could not find the cost of operating the Westpac Helicopter service. However, I did discover that for Greymouth and Christchurch the total is $10 million a year. Let’s estimate that for the whole country it’s $100 million a year. Westpac takes a billion dollars from New Zealand in profits every year, year after year. $100 million is 10% of that. Westpac gets incalculable benefit from the advertising associated with its helicopters. Very positive advertising too – nothing negative about running a rescue helicopter service! Why… Read More
Dog rescue by Angela Caldin
I’ve recently discovered a new time-wasting Facebook-based activity which can keep me distracted from important tasks for hours on end. A while ago, a short video of an abandoned dog found in a precarious situation popped up on my newsfeed; an intrepid and persistent rescuer overcame enormous difficulty to finally succeed in saving the poor animal from its desperate plight. After a visit to the vet to treat wounds and combat infections, the rescued dog, plied with food and loving care, made a complete recovery and went off to a foster home… Read More
Look on my works ye mighty and despair by Angela Caldin
A corpulent man with an orange face stood on the Truman balcony at the White House wheezing after a slow ascent of the steps. He pulled his shoulders back and puffed out his chest, telling the world not to let the virus dominate their lives. Little comfort for the families and friends of the two million who have died. He peeled off his mask in a gesture that might have been rehearsed several times in front of a mirror, before going inside to let droplets of infection fall freely on members of… Read More
Will a Change of Mind Lead to a Change of Heart? by Susan Grimsdell
Who would ever have guessed that hard-core deeply conservative people would overnight change their view of the world? Covid-19 could well accomplish what decades of argument and reasoning and appeals to fairness have failed to do. People who have insisted that the market should rule, supply and demand are king, and let those who aren’t up to it fall by the wayside, have experienced an epiphany. Suddenly, yes indeed government must step in when people are in trouble, yes indeed government must give handouts when things go wrong. Handouts from the State… Read More
