Thomas W. Devine's Blog, page 30
June 23, 2013
Saying It For Me
“And writer or not, I find it hard to adequately express how much that means to me and to every writer I know. When you buy our books and tell us you liked them, it is glory on steroids. And if you never did another thing but buy, read and like our books, we would remain forever grateful to you for it.”
Source: Ninie Hammon’s blog - http://www.niniehammon.com/what-every...
Source: Ninie Hammon’s blog - http://www.niniehammon.com/what-every...
June 17, 2013
A New Inspiration
“You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club” – Jack London.
I’ve whiled away the summer without starting writing a new novel. Part of my time was, however, taken up with publishing and promoting my latest novel, “Green Expectations” (https//www.creatspace.com/4153773)
It’s now winter and, while I’ve mined my mind for inspiration on a new story plot, there was nothing there that took my immediate fancy; hopefully not a sign of my age.
This week, instead, I decided to start writing a sequel to “Green Expectations”.
I kind of walked into it having (just before it was published) added the sort of sentence at the end that, in hindsight, meant I owe my readers further chapters.
It's a story of competition (between development and conservation) over the future of a fictitious stand of indigenous forest that I called “Mathews Bush”.
My surrender to writing a sequel might save readers from being frustrated over having to decide for themselves if Jackson-Halberd NZ Ltd or the Save Our Forests Association turned out to have won the day. It isn’t something I’ve even decided yet.
I guess I also love some of the characters and think they still have a story left to tell my readers (and me).
I’ve whiled away the summer without starting writing a new novel. Part of my time was, however, taken up with publishing and promoting my latest novel, “Green Expectations” (https//www.creatspace.com/4153773)
It’s now winter and, while I’ve mined my mind for inspiration on a new story plot, there was nothing there that took my immediate fancy; hopefully not a sign of my age.
This week, instead, I decided to start writing a sequel to “Green Expectations”.
I kind of walked into it having (just before it was published) added the sort of sentence at the end that, in hindsight, meant I owe my readers further chapters.
It's a story of competition (between development and conservation) over the future of a fictitious stand of indigenous forest that I called “Mathews Bush”.
My surrender to writing a sequel might save readers from being frustrated over having to decide for themselves if Jackson-Halberd NZ Ltd or the Save Our Forests Association turned out to have won the day. It isn’t something I’ve even decided yet.
I guess I also love some of the characters and think they still have a story left to tell my readers (and me).
June 15, 2013
Book Review
I have received these comments from a reader of my latest novel:
“Looking back over all six [of your] novels I think ‘Green Expectations’ is [the] best. It flows, it holds one’s attention and the characters are identifiable to kiwis [New Zealanders].
“You seem more relaxed, or are becoming more relaxed, with the New Zealand story. The theme in ‘Green Expectations’ is obviously one you are familiar with.
‘Island of Regrets’ and ‘Green Expectations’ sit well side by side on a library shelf. You left the ending [of the latter] open for a sequel. What about a prequel too?”
_________
Talking of libraries, I’ve also been told that the Wellington Public Library currently has my novel, “A Halo of Strawberries”, featured in a display of New Zealand Writing.
“Looking back over all six [of your] novels I think ‘Green Expectations’ is [the] best. It flows, it holds one’s attention and the characters are identifiable to kiwis [New Zealanders].
“You seem more relaxed, or are becoming more relaxed, with the New Zealand story. The theme in ‘Green Expectations’ is obviously one you are familiar with.
‘Island of Regrets’ and ‘Green Expectations’ sit well side by side on a library shelf. You left the ending [of the latter] open for a sequel. What about a prequel too?”
_________
Talking of libraries, I’ve also been told that the Wellington Public Library currently has my novel, “A Halo of Strawberries”, featured in a display of New Zealand Writing.
June 13, 2013
Love Story
The last female Dorset asparagus living in the wild in the UK has been given a mate from Cornwall. This human intervention has resulted in dozens of offspring (The Dominion Post 13.06.13).
A happy ending.
A happy ending.
June 10, 2013
Educating Our Children
I saw the newspaper headline (The Dominion Post 10.06.13) “Schools failing to instil moral values in their pupils” and expected some religious group to be behind it. Instead, the headline was based on a poll of 2000 state school head teachers in Britain.
One eloquent teacher is quoted as saying: “We train children to be successful, ruthless, greedy and selfish; our virtues are money, fame and looks. We do not reward kindness, do not value loyalty, do not care about courage.”
“Britain,” the article says, “risks turning out a generation of amoral children.”
It would be easy to blame the teachers, but the article (taken from the Sunday Times) asserts that teachers have not been given enough time to develop their pupils’ good character. A teacher asserts that even when they try, many parents under-mine them by not even teaching manners at home.
Research has shown, the article says, that a lack of moral values hampers youngsters in later life. It will also, I believe, undermine civil society in the future.
There is apparently a movement in the USA to try to develop children’s good character, with some schools having moral report cards every year. Perhaps the moral decline of the young generation in the USA had reached a social tipping point that has not yet been reached in Britain.
I’m too old to have children still at school so I have no idea how well or poorly pupils here in New Zealand fair in being taught moral values. Though who hasn’t seen a child whose values or actions might have made one wonder how badly he or is being brought up?
Based on my experience over many years, I wouldn’t be surprised if morals have been in decline globally ever since the end of World War II. I remember my parents’ generation complaining about it – Rock N Roll and dirty dancing was bad enough, they’d say, let alone the new sexual freedoms that came with The Pill and modern feminism.
I can’t help feeling, though, that things have gotten worse since then. I fear for those in society who will be, or already are, increasingly rejected or discounted by an immoral world – the infirm, the mentally disabled, the elderly, the unwanted unborn.
And don’t just discount me as an old f#### worrying about nothing, but do feel free to dispute my point of view.
One eloquent teacher is quoted as saying: “We train children to be successful, ruthless, greedy and selfish; our virtues are money, fame and looks. We do not reward kindness, do not value loyalty, do not care about courage.”
“Britain,” the article says, “risks turning out a generation of amoral children.”
It would be easy to blame the teachers, but the article (taken from the Sunday Times) asserts that teachers have not been given enough time to develop their pupils’ good character. A teacher asserts that even when they try, many parents under-mine them by not even teaching manners at home.
Research has shown, the article says, that a lack of moral values hampers youngsters in later life. It will also, I believe, undermine civil society in the future.
There is apparently a movement in the USA to try to develop children’s good character, with some schools having moral report cards every year. Perhaps the moral decline of the young generation in the USA had reached a social tipping point that has not yet been reached in Britain.
I’m too old to have children still at school so I have no idea how well or poorly pupils here in New Zealand fair in being taught moral values. Though who hasn’t seen a child whose values or actions might have made one wonder how badly he or is being brought up?
Based on my experience over many years, I wouldn’t be surprised if morals have been in decline globally ever since the end of World War II. I remember my parents’ generation complaining about it – Rock N Roll and dirty dancing was bad enough, they’d say, let alone the new sexual freedoms that came with The Pill and modern feminism.
I can’t help feeling, though, that things have gotten worse since then. I fear for those in society who will be, or already are, increasingly rejected or discounted by an immoral world – the infirm, the mentally disabled, the elderly, the unwanted unborn.
And don’t just discount me as an old f#### worrying about nothing, but do feel free to dispute my point of view.
June 6, 2013
The Shock Doctrine Continues to Operate
Full marks to Maori Television (27.5.13) for screening the 2009 documentary “The Shock Doctrine”. (For background see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shoc...)
This documentary portrayed a convincing case of how, in a number of countries, application of the economic theories of Milton Friedman (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milton_F... ) cheated the less well-off of their public assets, their well-being and, sometimes, of their freedom and even their lives. The theories also played a part, through the banking system, in the world’s current economic woes.
In true Friedman style, the National Government in New Zealand is down-sizing the public sector and selling off public assets. The Prime Minister touted the latter as allowing most of the floated shares to be in the hands of New Zealanders through opportunities provided to domestic “mum and dad investors”. But, as commentators have pointed out (e.g. Gordon Campbell in Kapi-Mana News, 28.5.13) that “seems to [have been] a fiction created by the political spin machine”.
The recent sale of shares in a major state asset actually resulted in overseas investors getting to buy a similar amount to the “mum and dad” investors.
Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Key ) says this about New Zealand’s Prime Minister, John Key:
“In 1995, he joined Merrill Lynch as head of Asian foreign exchange in Singapore. That same year he was promoted to Merrill's global head of foreign exchange, based in London, where he may have earned around US$2.25 million a year including bonuses, which is about NZ$5 million at 2001 exchange rates. Some co-workers called him "the smiling assassin" for maintaining his usual cheerfulness while sacking dozens (some say hundreds) of staff after heavy losses from the 1998 Russian financial crisis.”
Mr Key is still smiling.
This documentary portrayed a convincing case of how, in a number of countries, application of the economic theories of Milton Friedman (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milton_F... ) cheated the less well-off of their public assets, their well-being and, sometimes, of their freedom and even their lives. The theories also played a part, through the banking system, in the world’s current economic woes.
In true Friedman style, the National Government in New Zealand is down-sizing the public sector and selling off public assets. The Prime Minister touted the latter as allowing most of the floated shares to be in the hands of New Zealanders through opportunities provided to domestic “mum and dad investors”. But, as commentators have pointed out (e.g. Gordon Campbell in Kapi-Mana News, 28.5.13) that “seems to [have been] a fiction created by the political spin machine”.
The recent sale of shares in a major state asset actually resulted in overseas investors getting to buy a similar amount to the “mum and dad” investors.
Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Key ) says this about New Zealand’s Prime Minister, John Key:
“In 1995, he joined Merrill Lynch as head of Asian foreign exchange in Singapore. That same year he was promoted to Merrill's global head of foreign exchange, based in London, where he may have earned around US$2.25 million a year including bonuses, which is about NZ$5 million at 2001 exchange rates. Some co-workers called him "the smiling assassin" for maintaining his usual cheerfulness while sacking dozens (some say hundreds) of staff after heavy losses from the 1998 Russian financial crisis.”
Mr Key is still smiling.
June 3, 2013
Shareholder Who Does Not Want to Profit From Loss
I can’t pretend to understand the morass of economic theory and counter-theory. Perhaps that’s better for seeing things plainly.
Tower Corporation shares have risen in value on the basis of an announced net profit for the previous year (Dominion Post, 29.5.13). The large profit was derived from a one-off sale of assets and the corporation actually made an operating loss for the year, the article says. Nothing is revealed about how the Corporation can ensure an ongoing net profit or even break-even in 2013/14 or beyond.
Shareholders (and I’m one of them, though with a tiny holding) are promised dividends for a year when Tower is actually making an operating loss. That seems ridiculous to me.
I don’t expect a personal reward from the Corporation’s poor operating performance. Nor will I sell my shares, now the share price is artificially up, to reap unreal gains from it.
That might sound a bit anti-capitalist, but that’s how I feel.
Tower Corporation shares have risen in value on the basis of an announced net profit for the previous year (Dominion Post, 29.5.13). The large profit was derived from a one-off sale of assets and the corporation actually made an operating loss for the year, the article says. Nothing is revealed about how the Corporation can ensure an ongoing net profit or even break-even in 2013/14 or beyond.
Shareholders (and I’m one of them, though with a tiny holding) are promised dividends for a year when Tower is actually making an operating loss. That seems ridiculous to me.
I don’t expect a personal reward from the Corporation’s poor operating performance. Nor will I sell my shares, now the share price is artificially up, to reap unreal gains from it.
That might sound a bit anti-capitalist, but that’s how I feel.
May 29, 2013
Book Review
Review of "Green Expectations" from pre-release reader Mike Britton:
"Forestry, mining and other resource use companies carrying out sabotage and doing other things to discredit conservation and other community groups opposed to their plans - farfetched? The sad reality is 'no'. It has happened in New Zealand in the not too distant past.
"Thomas Devine uses his knowledge of environmental management to weave a story exposing the strength of passions on both side of the 'green argument'- those who view nature as sacrosanct and also those who are driven by a passion to conquer and use it. It is not just money or profit - maybe something of the old pioneer spirit - but there are strong passions and you can see them today being played out in areas like the West Coast of New Zealand.
"'Green Expectations' is an environmental thriller that explores these passions and how they play out. And the impact of them on the people caught up in the story.
"An area of native forest, protected by a private trust for over 100 years, is threatened by the lifting of the trust, leaving the owners faced with a hard decision over its future. A forestry company and an environmental group pressure the family on both sides. Within both the forestry company and the environmental group individuals hold more extreme views where compromise is not an option.
"The author has woven a great tale that will appeal to both those with an environmental interest and the mystery-thriller aficionado."
"Forestry, mining and other resource use companies carrying out sabotage and doing other things to discredit conservation and other community groups opposed to their plans - farfetched? The sad reality is 'no'. It has happened in New Zealand in the not too distant past.
"Thomas Devine uses his knowledge of environmental management to weave a story exposing the strength of passions on both side of the 'green argument'- those who view nature as sacrosanct and also those who are driven by a passion to conquer and use it. It is not just money or profit - maybe something of the old pioneer spirit - but there are strong passions and you can see them today being played out in areas like the West Coast of New Zealand.
"'Green Expectations' is an environmental thriller that explores these passions and how they play out. And the impact of them on the people caught up in the story.
"An area of native forest, protected by a private trust for over 100 years, is threatened by the lifting of the trust, leaving the owners faced with a hard decision over its future. A forestry company and an environmental group pressure the family on both sides. Within both the forestry company and the environmental group individuals hold more extreme views where compromise is not an option.
"The author has woven a great tale that will appeal to both those with an environmental interest and the mystery-thriller aficionado."
Child Restraint: Political Correctness Oversteps Reason
Has the world gone mad or was it just sloppy journalism? The Dominion Post (28.5.13) reported that the adult daughter of the supervisor of a childcare centre was banned from the premises for “inappropriately restraining” a child. The woman reportedly put her hand on the child’s arm to stop him from hitting another child.
The ban was at the behest of Ministry of Education officials. The centre’s management committee chairwoman is quoted as saying it was “a wake-up call”.
Based on the facts presented in the Dominion Post article, it’s certainly a wakeup call to the stupidity of not endorsing gentle restraint of a child to prevent violence towards another.
If I had a pre-schooler at the centre who was being physically threatened by another child I’d want someone like the now banned woman to be there to prevent my child being hit. And, if quick action was called for, I wouldn’t just want her to tell the child to stop. The child being hit is the victim, not the one being sensibly restrained.
Political correctness has been taken too far. Shame on the officials responsible.
The ban was at the behest of Ministry of Education officials. The centre’s management committee chairwoman is quoted as saying it was “a wake-up call”.
Based on the facts presented in the Dominion Post article, it’s certainly a wakeup call to the stupidity of not endorsing gentle restraint of a child to prevent violence towards another.
If I had a pre-schooler at the centre who was being physically threatened by another child I’d want someone like the now banned woman to be there to prevent my child being hit. And, if quick action was called for, I wouldn’t just want her to tell the child to stop. The child being hit is the victim, not the one being sensibly restrained.
Political correctness has been taken too far. Shame on the officials responsible.
May 27, 2013
The Hornets’ Nest of Capitalism
I’ve just finished Stieg Larsson's “The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets’ Nest”. This long but never dull novel deserves all the praise it has received so, as a literary work and brilliant read, I can’t add anything fresh about it.
Something else in the book struck a chord with me. It was a piece of dialogue found at page 340. A character accuses her management team of wanting the rules of capitalism to apply solely to employees – if the market dictates that a company takes a loss then, the character is arguing, it should not just be the employees who suffer it but shareholders and managers as well.
How often, these days, we see employees being made redundant while senior management retain extravagant salaries, bonuses and severance packages far above a level of income that will provide a very comfortable lifestyle.
Whatever excuses economists come up with, a few people having great wealth while others live in poverty is not social justice. Nor is it a recipe for social harmony.
One-sided capitalism has much to answer for.
Something else in the book struck a chord with me. It was a piece of dialogue found at page 340. A character accuses her management team of wanting the rules of capitalism to apply solely to employees – if the market dictates that a company takes a loss then, the character is arguing, it should not just be the employees who suffer it but shareholders and managers as well.
How often, these days, we see employees being made redundant while senior management retain extravagant salaries, bonuses and severance packages far above a level of income that will provide a very comfortable lifestyle.
Whatever excuses economists come up with, a few people having great wealth while others live in poverty is not social justice. Nor is it a recipe for social harmony.
One-sided capitalism has much to answer for.
