I wish I could tag-out of New Zealand’s property market. What a mess!Here’s something I recently read from Singapore. Not only did their equivalent of our Reserve Bank governer take personal and professional responsibility for an overpriced housing market, but a sniff of an “overheated” housing market is one where…
Human Rights Commission: This wasn’t really a report about migrants, was it…?
Here’s a seriously dodgy publication put out recently by the Human Rights Commission: Drivers of Migrant New Zealanders experiences of racismFrom its forward, Meng Foon writes: Findings from Stats NZ’s General Social Survey indicate that people born outside of Aotearoa report higher rates of discrimination compared with those born in…
Got a new cat 🐱
Meet Marco 😁
Fair pay agreements are bad policy for everyone
As Michael Wood steps into his Delorean to take us Back to the Future with this government’s labour relations agreements, he’s setting New Zealand on a crash course to the worst industrial relations policy New Zealand had to offer from the 1970’s and 1980’s.Here’s something I’ve written previously.
On budgets and band aids..
Lots of writing by the talking heads in the media about the government’s up coming budget.The Word on the Street is summerised nicely by former Nayland College old boy class mate of mine, Bryce Edwards. Writing for that hand-wringingly leftish, rainbow-coloured, de-colonised state broadcaster RNZ, Bryce advises Jacinda and Grant…
Another great New Zealand legend bows deeply, and exits stage left…
Sadly, today a New Zealand comedy legend and icon of my early life, David McPhail, died.David joins a sadly long list of New Zealand greats…
Colonialism in sport: email to Newsroom
From: james@jameshogan.nz Sent: Wednesday, 12 May 2021 12:59 pm To: ‘mark.jennings@newsroom.co.nz’ ; ‘tim.murphy@newsroom.co.nz’ Subject: Woman’s rugby as a process of colonisation?Hi Mark and Tim,I was reading Ashley Stanley’s article on woman’s sports (https://www.newsroom.co.nz/lockerroom/womens-rugby) and was interested in the connection made between where the professional game is now between the genders,…
Happy Birthday to Me!
Happy birthday to me! Happy birthday to me! Happy birthday dear Jamesie… Happy birthday to me!I share my birthday with famous people like Rosie Collins and Abigail Phillips!This one’s not a significant birthday but next year is.I’m thinking a cocktail party next year…🎉🎊🥳
The Giver and the Gift, by Judith Gouin (Judith Hogan)
My mother wrote a book back in about 1996. Here it is in its entirety The Giver and the Gift book 1cc The Giver and the GiftJudith GouinDedication: This book is dedicated to all my sons – Gregory, Adam, Marcus and James, with all my love.PART ONE A thick mist…
The Rimutaka Rail Trail
I finally got back on my bike yesterday to do some decent kilometers in the saddle. John Keene and I decided we’d ride the Rimutaka Rail Trail.IT WAS A DARK AND STORMY NIGHT It WAS a dark and stormy night! I woke up at 2:00am with the sound of rain…
Fill your Mind
Back in the day, when the internet wasn’t behind a firewall, you could download and listen to all of Berkeley University’s first year lectures.I used to download all of these onto my MP3 player, and go cycling for 2-3 hours, feeding both body and mind.I’ve found they’ve archived all the…
Finding beauty in the small things
Sometimes…. The morning dishes can look like a Japanese garden water feature…
Good Tech, Bad Tech
Technology is on a spectrum. There is good tech. There is bad tech. And then there is tech that’s neither good nor bad, but merely reflects its user’s intensions.I’ve recently finished reading Mark Manson’s book, “Everything is Fucked: A Book About Hope”, and watched “The Social Network” and found both…
Thank you for Supporting Camp Quality
Now the dust has settled on my Tour, I’ve gone back and checked the Give a Little page set up for my ride.Wow!!! From your combined generosity, you all have donated $1,001 to Camp Quality, a charity that brings joy to outdoor experiences to children with cancer. That you have…
Bugger… But thank you for all of your support 🙂
Last night, I’d mapped out my next 15 days to plan how I’m getting home to Lower Hutt. There’s no way I’m going to make the entire country in 30 days.My best alternative was to cycle the North Island and save face.BOLDLY GOAnd today started off with so much promise….
The wonders I’ve seen…
My name is John Crichton… I’m lost…An astronaut… shot through a wormhole…In some distant part of the universe… trying to stay alive…Aboard this ship… this living ship…Of escaped prisoners… my friendsIf you can hear me… bewareIf I make it back… will they follow?If I open the door… are you ready?Earth is unprepared… helplessFor the nightmares I’ve seenOr should I…
Lessons Learned
So, I’ve made some rookie mistakes on this tour. I thought I’d write these done for the next rookie who comes along. Don’t do this alone Probably my biggest mistake. I’ve got lots of people rooting for me, but out on the road its a lonely hurtful place. You (I)…
Crossing Auckland
I’m starting to really like Auckland as a city. Yesterday’s cycling effort started at Parakai at 7:30 in the morning, after my brother Greg dropped me off. Greg lives in Massey, and the TA course runs straight past his house. Cruising from Helensville to his place was fantastic – such…
No Stop to Brooklyn!
The journey from Dargeville to Pouto Point started off well. Avi and John had dropped me 12kms out of Dargeville, where they found me, and I did the easy ride into the town itself early morning.In fact, given how my previous day went, that’s how I was planning on treating…
Big Day – 135km to catch up
Wow! What a day! The whole thing kicked off with my really bad sleep and worry that I’d be the ugly duckling and left behind. The insightful reader might have detected a trace of worry in my words.Gulzar (the Broadwood General Store GM) picked me up on the side of…