The domain name change is now complete.  The new name of footsteps.co.nz has been moved to the team in New Zealand who specialize in early childhood education.  They approached me in 2009 to ask if they could use the domain name.

I was deeply reluctant as I had used the footsteps name for 9 years and was quite comfortable with it.  My first thought was how much would they pay and what were they doing.  In my reply to them I specified i would only give up the domain name to a really good cause.

Well as it happened they did have a good cause.  I have few causes that I dontate to, well two really, one being cancer research, as its well its part of my life as a cancer survivor, the other is investment in child education.  I myself have four sponser children and was delighted to get a letter the other day that one of mine has grown up and left the program to continue her education.

 The Linmark Team, or now as they can be Know Footsteps team in New Zealand provide child education and work hard to provide it to all children.  They are certified by the New Zealand education board and want to do the best they can to educate our children.

It is with profound respect and privilege that I can something to help this. 

The domain name of footsteps.co.nz  belongs with them.  The give our children new footsteps into the world by education, and that is how it should be.

You can still get to here from there, and they keep a link to this site.

I missed last year for the family Christmas.  My reasoning was that just days later i was off to Antigua for my birthday bashes.  It was a hard call to make, but you only have so many days of leave and i had been home for dad’s 70th. Oddly a huge number of things happened after that and while I have some thoughts that I wish i had gone home i dont’ think it would have changed alot of what happened later.

I’m going home now and really looking forward to it.  I want to see the island and beach and just sit there and take in the view and area.  Also there a few snapper in the sea that have my name and hook on ready to be caught for our dinner.

 While I have an a good supply of oysters (during the season) here in Japan, they don’t quite taste as sweet as knocking them off the rock at home!  Nor does the fish taste quite as fresh.  And while Japan has some of the freshest seafood ever, catching it, cleaning it and eating it within hours can never be replaced.

The only small issue is that going home I’m putting off something that I am debating on sharing and the moment.  oh frack it.  I’ve done cancer so why prevaricate, I’ve been told I have a benign tumor and will be scheduling surgery when I come back.  The expert tells me its benigh, which doesn’t quite work for me these days as the last expert who said it could not possible be cancer was well so very wrong.

will see how it all works out. Not like i haven’t done this before.

I just re-watched the newest add for New Zealand, and I’m left with just one feeling.  New Zealand is where i was born and is my home.  

I haven’t yet embedded it into this site but here is the link the the youtube 100% pure site.

http://www.youtube.com/user/purenewzealand?blend=1&ob=4

given my last post not a bad site to put up.  100% pure NZ, corruption free!  go and enjoy.  Trust me it really is worth the flight down there!

I few days ago I read an article in the news that there had been a survey of the corruption in each country.  Its a regular report that comes out each year.  In this report 2009 the least corrupt country is New Zealand.  

While a nice result I’m not entirely surprised.  

Full Disclosure.  I am a natural born citizen of New Zealand and somewhere between 2nd or 3rd generation.  It doesn’t really matter I am a Kiwi and thats what matters.

We have been renowned for many things, (most traveled, best sailors, etc etc) and lets not forget our sheep!

And before you go thinking no crime, opps we have that. within a population figure of 4mil people we have plenty of that thanks!  But are we corrupt.  No I don’t think we are, and it nice to see on the world stage we are still Nuclear Free and the least corrupt. 

And before anyone slams me that we are corruption free I wasn’t saying that.  But compared to the rest of world we are. Thats a nice thing to know about my home.  I want to go back very much and will return within the next few year.  Over 10 years away is long enough.  With all my travels I’ve seen amazing things.

But when i really put it all into place, NZ really does come out ahead.  My own country may have really disliked all the green and conservation measures done many years ago, but now they are really showing just how right it was.  You want clean and green go see my home.

 I’ll give just one simple little example of this.  25 years ago my school held regular go and clean the streets of rubbish thrown out of cars.  That means 25 year and following ages who would never even think of throwing rubbish out the car window.  why is New Zealand clean, well we want it that way and have been brought up thinking that way.

 I saw once in the UK someone just drop a sandwich wrappter out the window, the thinking was someone one will clean it up.  The real answer is don’t do it.  Now we live in the age of recycling and I hope my country has taken that onboard as well.  (and trust me I’ve had some disagreements with that while living there).

 New Zealand is a clean and green country.  It has some of the most amazing scernery in the world (trust me I’ve seen alot of the world).  It still a young country and playing on that quite well. 

 http://www.youtube.com/user/purenewzealand?blend=1&ob=4

 So yes, the least corrupt country in the world, and also my home.

enough.

d

I think I might be reaching exhaustion point with the American political system.  They seem to have really lost the plot somewhere. 

The big debate now is the healthcare system and because of the huge investment the private medical insurance companies have in this game the loyalty money is being thrown around like its a (oh I forget the name of the mexican celebration animal every hits – will remember it shortly).

What i can’t quite figure out is that most many American have not yet worked out that a national health system works better.  How can i say that well every other first world country other than the US has one, and sure we have our complaints about it, but it sure seems an awful lot better that what you guys have.

Isn’t it ironic that the key players supporting private medical care as the system forward already have really great medical plans?  I am sure Sarah Palin would find it a different world if her son Tripp with down syndroyns was denied care because she had him after a certain age.  Bet you didn’t think of that one Sarah, but guess what, the system you keep advocating will get around to doing that far soon that a government will get around to death panels (which was a complete and total lie, and been fully debunked by all).

I have now a new suggestion after seeing just how incredibly stupid the senators who pro port to represent the American Public are.  America may be the No 1 economy in the world, but whom does it own most of its money to for all those credit card debits and government loaning.  Umm that would be China! 

I found today the pics from one of my younger cousins on the next and just blown way by her talent.

have a look a tell me what you think.

Pics from Anthea

Today I watched the following webclip

Well, basically he is loving it!  He wasn’t sure about the place when he first arrived, it was obviously all very new to him!

He arrived from the Dog Inc team and then got introduced to his new home.  Actually to be honest he has settled in faster than me!

All his things are here so the smells are the same for him even if the layout is different and he has had 4 days with me in the place now.

He is particularly taken with the carpet in the bedroom and dining room as its like a huge big Tonto bed just there!

The extra space is also fun for him as he can chase his toys so much further now!  The walks are all new for him as well.

One small odd thing is that when I take him out I either have to carry him to the pet entrance or put him in a little cart (which i don’t have).  Its a completely nuts thing designed by people who don’t own pets.  I guess they are worried about people who don’t have pets being attacked by an overly vicious affection machine!

On that however Tonto is an amazingly friendly little chap and really well behaved, other dogs however a bark machines and I can see why people don’t like them.

He has however gotten very quickly used to the idea of being held in the lifts and just waits until we get outside.  A silly little thing is that outside the pet entrance they haven’t put and area for dogs to pee!  I’m teaching him to hold on a 20 second until he is over a waste grate an pee on that!  The old building was brillant, it had a big stone garden just outside the door with no plants so he could pee away!

He also love the fact the place has two doors to the bedroom and is constantly running around to fine me!

Some other good news for him is that new fixed measure feeding regime is working and his is losing weight at a good measure.  Also good for me having to carry him, so good for both of us.

There is also a gym right outside the door here, so as soon as I join no excuse not to go!

d and t

After spending many months now walking around the near seaside area’s of Tokyo and now living on an island in the Tokyo bay area I’m really surprised at how things are seen differently.

If you look at google earth and see pics of Miami and all the waterways and massive residential development on anything with water next to it.  Then compare that to Tokyo and all the islands and waterways here you would think that Tokyo would be full of expensive seaside residences. 

The case however is very different.  Nearly all of the seaside here has been turned into commercial and industrial space.  Ports aside, its incredible how all these islands have not been developed for people. 

This is really east meets west.  But also if you dig a little into history is does make some sense.  When i first floated moving here my japanese colleagues where asking “why move there, its reclaimed land and bad for earthquakes”.

Not an invalid suggestion either.  Alot of Tokyo is on reclaimed land on the island of Daiba used to be a rubbish dump!  And lets face it earthquakes are a big issue here along with Tsunami’s (this is the place where the word came from!).

One factor of taking this apartment was that the building had been constructed with all that in mind and has foundation down into the solid earth (as solid as you can get here) and is designed to survive a Kobe strength quake.  Tsunami with Tokyo bay are also negligible  given the shape of the bay and entrance to the ocean.

Wow, I have really noticed just how tied up my modern life is with the internet.  I think its become a real component of my life here as its my connection to the western world.

Living in the UK I had a full time internet connection and did use it alot, but here it has become a life line.  A normal international phone call is horrifically expensive from here and having skype drastically reduces that.

I’ve also become quite used to getting my news almost real time from the web.  Add onto that entertainment its been a challenge!  Also I used to work from home alot and can’t do that either (maybe not such a bad thing there).

I thought it would be easy getting an internet hook up here, but its turned into quite the challenge.  My old building was instant hook up, but this new building even thou its newer is quite another story.  I think the issue has been because in this building we have fibre to door. 

I am now thinking I should have told them just send me the box and i can hook it up myself.  Apparently i have to wait until and engineer can come and install the box for me.  Suspect he will be here about 15mins max!