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While the rest of  Waiheke’s media is wimping out it has been left to Waiheke Radio and Chris Walker to ask the tough questions. On the 7th of March 2009 Chris interviewed the infamous Nobelangelo Ceramalus.

Chris Walker interview with Nobelangelo Ceramalus

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Opinionated Islanders Alan Knight and Mark James

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Chris Walker interview with Denise Roche

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My daughter, who usally surfs trademe for Care Bears alerted me to this post

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Boats-marine/Yachts-sail-boats/Moored-boats/auction-204350890.htm

This appeared in my inbox, (thnx Jax) 

25 February 2009

Dear Nobilangelo,

Normally, I neither have the time or the inclination to write an open letter, but I feel compelled to in this instance.

Finding someone who voted for you at the 2007 elections is like trying to get someone to admit they voted for MMP!

Well, I’ll will put my hand up and say I did vote for you. (I can hear the roar of laughter at my momentary act of stupidity from my friends, most of whom are fellow commuters. To them I say, “Live by the sword then die by the sword.”)   

I have however come to realise, this single tick, in my moment of madness, is the most regretted decision, in my entire voting life. Owning up, however, to giving you my tick, gives me the right to tell you what a complete fool you a making of yourself, the Community Board and, by association, the rest of the residents on our beautiful island. You have turned us into a joke – back to the days when we were known as “Cadbury Island” and not as we should be, the “Jewel in the Gulf”.

Let’s recap why I voted for you – you promised good sound governance. Isn’t that what you told me on the ferry? I seem to recall ‘team player’ being mentioned as well. Not some hair brained idea of secession from Auckland City. Did you tell me before I voted for you that you had a personal hidden agenda towards the Auckland City Council? Why didn’t you? Would this have altered my decision? You bet, along with, I suspect, the other 1096 voters – assuming you voted for yourself.

Who knows what the ultimate cost of this will be – estimates range from as low as $100,000 to as high as over $500,000 to a full community vote of over $1million. Now go and mathematically calculate this on a per household basis. In anybody’s language it is not going to be a cost effective exercise in today’s economic climate.

Putting aside for one moment your personal agenda towards Auckland City, let’s think about some of the commercial facts and future media headlines.

“Tourism Auckland withdraws funding from Waiheke”

“Island seniors may possibly lose Super Gold Card travel privileges if Waiheke goes with Thames Coromandel/ Waikato Regional Council”

“Health services review their involvement in Waiheke”’

“Landfill to be established on Waiheke as too costly to transport to the Waikato” 

“Thames-Coromandel Council declines sponsorship of headland-Sculpture on the Gulf”

My message is simple, if you have not already gathered. Stop this lunacy especially in these tough and challenging economic times – or haven’t you noticed?

An overwhelming majority in our community do not want secession from Auckland City – and you know what, you are going to be shown we don’t.

Yours faithfully,

 Bill Carrig

 Authorised and paid for by Bill Carrig, Te Whare Wiremu, 21 Coromandel Road, Sandy Bay, Waiheke Island

We were well impressed by the size of the nutsack on the Ram statue outside the home of the Waiheke Rams at Ostend domain and wondered if they had actually obtained a resource consent for it. It had become the topic of some discussion with some suggesting that it be painted in the Rams colours. and then, one day our Ram is nutless.

I have been watching with interest the court case against the Pirate Bay in Sweden. Although not strictly a Waiheke story, I am sure there is more than a hand-full of people on “the rock” that download music. I have been a late adopter of the bit torrent technology however, in my humble opinion, it is  a reflection of the complete lack of foresight by the record industry. We are in the middle of the “now” age. We want it “right fucken now” thank you very much. The record industry needs a serious rocket up their arse, and in the spirit of the now age, they need the rocket right up their arse right fucken now! I was listening to Mike Hosking on ZB reviewing Van Morrisons Live at the Hollywood Bowl. I was keen on the album and RIGHT FUCKEN NOW. So what have these dinosaur record companies done to allow me to get it now? Absolfuckenlutely nothing. Go bit torrent. To the record industry I trust the Swedish courts shove your claim right where the sun don’t shine. You need to see the light and make music available right fucken now and through today’s technology being the Internet. To the Pirate Bay Team, stay staunch, to the geeks, it is time to build a better mousetrap. To everyone else please stop buying CD’s. By sending these pricks a message, through not paying them,  will we be rid of these bottom dwelling scumsuckers.

Hot on the heals of the sale of Marketplace to Fairfax, the Waiheke Week has sold to, wait for it, Liz Waters and Gulf News. I have always thought of the Waiheke Week as a lightweight right wing rag that appeals to the “recent arrivals” on Waiheke. Its scant regard for Waiheke history has been  judged by many as deplorable. The esteem in which it was held by many was evidenced by the names it was known as. I have heard it referred to as  “The Waiheke Wank” ” The Waiheke Fascist”  and my favourite “The White Pages”

So what is going to become of the Waiheke Week? Well apparently it is going to become the “Waiheke Weekend” I am not sure that this will be the saviour of “The Gulf News” as more is not necessarily better. It appears, as an outsider, that the departure of Simon Johnston has heralded a new era of difficulty in dealing with Gulf News. When one is involved in Waiheke community initiatives aimed at Waiheke Islanders you tend to feel a sense of loyalty to Waiheke owned businesses but the Marketplace is being more supportive of us.

One final question, does this agreement mean that Liz Waters doesn’t report on a particular drink driving case?

The Quickcat returned to service from routine maintenance, during which we were forced to suffer the  Vomit Comet, sporting smart new air conditioner units that proceeded to piddle on it’s passengers. A slight oversight in design it appears, but instead of shutting it down until a solution is reaches Fullers staff have taken to placing paper plates with Wet Seat written on them to warn passengers.

Another last minute text message from Fullers announcing the Superflyte will be off for the next 4 days for planned maintenance. Sorry Fullers, no one plans that kind of maintenance on a Sunday the day before. I think it is time to come clean and admit that your fleet is old and now extremely unreliable.

It was with some amusement, well okay, it was seriously funny, to see the newly installed Air Conditioner units on the Quick Cat (or is that ickcat) piddle all over passengers last Thursday. I am guessing a line will be added to the operation manual that the Air Conditioning must only run in flat conditions. It was certainly worth putting up with the Jet Raider.

Is it only me that sees a parallel between Jake the Muss and Auckland City Council. In spite of a clear signal from Waiheke that we don’t want wheelie bins, it seems that we are going to get them.