Dioxin kills - yeah, right

By BOB BROCKIE - WORLD OF SCIENCE - The Dominion Post

Last updated 13:27 06/07/2009

"OPINION: Those New Plymouth dioxin scaremongers are at it again despite endless surveys showing the stuff causes little harm. Just look at the facts..."

And when you've read that, you might wonder what he thinks(?) about the Holocaust, moon landings, UFOs and other conspiracies. I love the objective language he uses, 'scaremongers', 'endless surveys', 'causes little harm' and 'just look at the facts' - although I think he means 'factoids'.
Despite these petty quibbles, he has convinced me. Yeah, right.

This is an Incredible Story!

In 1986, Peter Davies was on holiday in Kenya after graduating from Northwestern University .
On a hike through the bush, he came across a young bull elephant standing with one leg raised in the air.
The elephant seemed distressed, so Peter approached it very carefully.
He got down on one knee, inspected the elephant's foot, and found a large piece of wood deeply embedded in it.
As carefully and as gently as he could, Peter worked the wood out with his knife, after which the elephant gingerly put down its foot.
The elephant turned to face the man, and with a rather curious look on its face, stared at him for several tense moments.
Peter stood frozen, thinking of nothing else but being trampled.
Eventually the elephant trumpeted loudly, turned, and walked away.
Peter never forgot that elephant or the events of that day.
Twenty years later, Peter was walking through Chicago Zoo with his teenaged son, Cameron.
As they approached the elephant enclosure, one of the creatures turned and walked over to near where Peter and Cameron were standing.
The large bull elephant stared at Peter, lifted its front foot off the ground, then put it down.
The elephant did that several times then trumpeted loudly, all the while staring at the man.
Remembering the encounter in 1986, Peter could not help wondering if this was the same elephant.
Peter summoned up his courage, climbed over the railing, and made his way into the enclosure.
He walked right up to the elephant and stared back in wonder.
The elephant trumpeted again, wrapped its trunk around one of Peter leg and slammed him against the railing, killing him instantly.

Probably wasn't the same elephant.

This is for everyone who sends Frank Parry those heart-warming stories.

Boat Launching Procedures

So here it is.
I bought a new boat and decided to take her for the maiden voyage this past weekend.
This is my first boat and I wasn't quite sure of the exact Standard Operating Procedures for launching it off a ramp, but I figured it couldn't be too hard.
I consulted my local boat dealer for advice, but they just said "don't let the trailer get too deep when you are trying to launch the boat".
Well, I don't know what they meant by that as I could barely get the trailer in the water at all!
Anyhow, here's a picture of what I did . . . where am I going wrong?
Another episode from the life of Frank Hopkinson.

BAND OF THE ROYAL REGIMENT OF NEW ZEALAND ARTILLERY

Our Band has its 144th Annual General Meeting on Tuesday 14th July at 8:30pm in the Band Rooms, corner of Morrin and Homestead Roads, Panmure.

The Band will be playing a selection of music from 7:30pm in the evening. All gunners and wives/partners are welcome, and the RNZA Association would certainly like to see as many Gunners as possible there to support our excellent Band.

The Band would also very much appreciate any support that Gunner Muzzle Flashes readers may like to give by way of membership to the Band Association Committee, which meets monthly and acts as an interface between members and the Band itself.

Although the Band is a Reserve Force unit and MORE . . .

An Aussie enquiry (about an Enquiry)

Searching for 311513 Maj Gordon G Pound and 1202112 Pte Robert "Bob" J Enright

G'day all.......
As we enter the final phases of the 2nd D&E Platoon matter, it is interesting to note a few aspects in recent weeks:
- first, there has been little or no comment from the cavalry mob concerning Trooper Allan Stanton's substantiation of the matters that occurred on May 29th 1969 (Stanton was Capt Tom Arowsmith's APC driver)
- Stanton confirms that bodies were blown up in a 'sapper's burial' and that three bodies were strapped up to Arrowsmith's own APC (this was deleted from "The War Within" because we couldn't confirm it at the time)
- the Government and the Dept of Defence have resisted our calls for either an enquiry or a Royal Commission
- the AWM cannot locate any paperwork concerning Captain Pound's 'enquiry' of 1976 (where no one was called to give evidence)
Consequently, we are asking the veteran network to chase down two individuals to assist in clearing this matter up, so that Ashley Ekins' 'official histories' are absolutely accurate..
1. Does anyone know the whereabouts of Pte Bob Enright (he is the man who first made the matter of body destruction at Thua Tich, public, in 1976
2. And does anyone know the whereabouts of the Major Pound who conducted that 'enquiry' (he was posted to Darwin at the time...1976)

Regards
Don Tate

Would you stop to help at a crash scene?

This a serious question, and you might want think again after you view this . . .

75th Anniversary & 2009 Reunion

As you might know, the 2009 Reunion will be our one opportunity to celebrate our Association's 75th Anniversary year. It was formed at the Masonic Hotel, Devonport, Auckland, on 10 July 1934. Our reunion will take place over the weekend 30 October to 1 November, centred on East Coast Bays RSA in Browns Bay.

• You need to think about being there, now, if you want the best air travel deals, and to book into the recommended accommodation, North Shore Motels and Holiday Park.
  
• The Park is only ten minutes from Browns Bay and transport will be available to and from ECB RSA events. Booking your travel and accommodation is in your hands - do it now!
• Registration is $80, which covers the buffet meal on Friday and the formal dinner on Saturday. (If you won't be eating at Friday's buffet, deduct $20.) Don't pay until asked in September.
  
• The early signs are that this will be a bumper reunion, with members coming in from overseas as well as from all corners of NZ. Don't miss out!

Would you please let Mike know how many will be there with you, as we need to estimate transport and catering quantities.