Standing on the Sheeps Back

Sheep Overlooking the Pacific: Kaikoura Peninsula, New Zealand

The Marlborough Sounds is where the first sheep landed in New Zealand being sent ashore by Captain Cook. Since that time the sheep has been the back bone of the nation. An amazing animal that has feed and clothed the country and mankind throughout the world. At present New Zealand graze about 40 million of them.

The sheep is a species that not only clothes mankind but feeds mankind. That’s perfect sustainability. From early colonial days when refrigeration was introduced ships left New Zealand packed with valuable cargo's of frozen meat supplying Great Britain in return the investment to New Zealand was the founding blocks of our Nation.

The humble sheep, the living sustainable species the knitting needles of the sheep farmers wives of the nation, who make the best homemade scones lashed with jam and fresh cream, many New Zealanders’ owe these hard working people for the warm woolly jumpers, the Swandri, the socks a combination of wool and seaweed produced in a South Island town called Ashburton,as the country forges ahead on the platform of eco-friendly sustainability.

All off the sheep’s back. There is a great book call 'A Short History of Sheep in New Zealand' by Richard Wolfe. We don't know how lucky we are.

copyright mhazledine-barber manatthecoalface.

When the World Shivers

When the World Shivers.

The money jars of the world rattle like sabers drawn in battle, as the horses of financial markets thunder across the globe and the world shivers remember the battle may be lost but the war will be won.

The winds blowing are just cooling the markets and shaking down the greedy and punishing those whose speculations by design or error are bought to account.

For the ordinary person in the street called struggle street, the struggle may go on however perhaps this adjustment may well be a spark for a brighter future of wealth sharing of the globe that becomes the betterment for mankind.

From this pile of ashes the phoenix would be the will for mankind to invest solidly into sustainable living versus manufactured dollar chasing throw-away industries. By way of sustainable living the costs lower giving more discretionary spending for the earnings of the worker.

From the financial shocks re-adjustment and change follow the wind that made the world shiver.

Serious questions require serious answers on real issues and all heads of states need a firm hand on the helm of government, have courage to change and offer the people the real will to do so.

copyright mhazledine.barber manatthecoalface.

Does Mankind Survival Depend in Space? or Is Everthing is Possible?

A question posed today was "Does mankind survival depend on exploration/settlement in space" It is such a mess on earth, war,cross cultural tension by every race colour and creed, under utilizing natural resources, abject poverty, disease,

My reply is simple"it may be possible however when you run away from home the one thing you always take is yourself."

For the 21st century at the highest level the thinking and awareness has to change in everything. For all countries so mankind is not reduced to the level of eating rats and toxic vegetation. Hunger is a wild beast that has no mercy. Hunger is not just food, hunger to feel safe, hunger for security of the future generations for our children, hunger comes in many overcoats.

To grow one also needs to reach outside oneself and consider all the possibilities that seek an avenue for the betterment of mankind.

If the world becomes frightened the possibilities can become the veneer on the table top of a 1950's coffee shop. Practical tools, simple steps to live in ones community: wisdom is a key used for the circumstances around one that one may not be able to control.

If the plot of land is taken from one and they are told to grow something to eat, the helplessness is that of the elephant at the end of the rope tied to the stake. Even the strongest become weak.

copyright mhazledine-barber manatthecoalface.

Plato is he relevant today ?

Plato is he relevant today?

To quote from a poet “The good are sometimes good and sometimes bad” But the bad does not become bad he is always bad.

When forces of circumstance overpower a man of resources, skill, and virtue he cannot help but be bad. An honest man becomes the thief?

Is this a good man by forces of circumstance gone bad? It is hard to be good? It is difficult to be good, choose to strive to become good, this is possible, life is right or wrong, left or right, and it is choice. It is impossible to be good.

The descent of a great storm may make the pilot helpless, but the pilot that flies knowingly into a storm without honest evasive action is their consequence.

Financial Band-Aid may protect the wound but the temporary nature is that of the pilot that flies into the storm knowing the consequences.

Modern interpretation by mhazledine-barber of Plato, from The Dialogues of Plato by Jowett.

copyright m.hazledine-barber manatthecoalface.