Through rose-coloured glasses

To those of you who are mildly interested I was born in 1940. Not long after the event Churchill was to announce to the world: “This was their finest hour” - and I thought he was talking about my parents. When I was born Mum and Dad tried to collect on their accident insurance. They kept me hidden during most of the war due to my Jewish nose. Mind you, if my father hadn’t been so shy and retiring I’d be two years older than I am now. I’m...

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Be wary of the doomsayers

The famous American satirist and cultural critic H. L. Mencken reckoned that: “The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populous alarmed - and hence clamorous to be led to safety - by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary.” Perhaps inevitable then that back in 2008 Green Party demigod Russel Norman would proclaim that petrol would be $10 a litre within a decade. “Petrol at that price would make...

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My predictions for 2017

The three Wairarapa Councils will continue to have talks re amalgamation. Nothing will happen.Just as many celebrities will die in 2017 as in 2016.A massive magnitude 8 earthquake will occur, centred on Masterton. The Town Hall will remain intact. Bill English will call a snap-election and Winston Peters will be elected Prime Minister. English will plead for a role in cabinet and Winston will hold up a card saying NO.Jacinda Adern...

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