While in Glasgow in 2001 (being Kiwis we only headed out for a night at 10pm) I encountered 11 o'clock closing - and the subsequent kicking out of every drunk in town onto the streets at once. The ensuing violence reminded me exactly the some thing in new Zealand in the late '80s, and it made me think what a progressive country I am lucky to live in.
That was untill now. As a reaction to increasing street violence the DCC are about to propose a blanket closing time. I have repeatidly warned them that this will indeed lead to an increase in violence, and indeed other related problems with people drinking in unsupervised flats, etc.
Even my pointing out that the Scots police have just adopted NZ's staggered closing times to decrease their street violence fell on deaf ears. public submissions will be open soon. Please don't hesitate to make them see sense.
Indeed I'm toying with the idea of change through participation in representitive democracy - yes a student debt party. There are some big issues with this approach though, not the least stealing vites from parties with decent education policy. But wait, other than the Greens (and maybe Maaori patry) no one with any better chance of winning seats exists... And then single issue parties don't work unless they have a wider political base or at least philosophy (a new Alliance through stealth?). Hmmm? Let me know your thoughts.
Party at Cathies Price's house on Anzac Saturday to disscuss...
Having said that mind, NZUSA have a couple of good things planned. I can only hope constituents follow through and make it happen.
Yes that's right we won. The University has just signed a deed extingushing their resource consent to build the planned bridge. It took the threat of OUSA taking them to Enviroment Court and a change of University management before they finally saw sense. But after over tens years of campaigning, we won.
Now on to the fees battle...
Last year I helped a group at SIT (Invercargill Polytech) campaign for compulsory students' association (there is none at there at preasent). But sadly SIT management - surprise, surprise - discovered they had broken a small technical rule after the result was announced - and the referendum was declared invalid (we won BTW).
They held a second referendum, but rigged things as much as possible against us - allowed children to vote, mislead part-time students, indeed they even pubically called us liars (demonstrably wrongly of course), and the computer voting system magically was down on the final day... However, thier hi-jinx achieved their aim and we lost (albeit by less than 1 percent mind!).
No worries you'd think, right? Just take it to the Omdudsman and have it sorted right? No such luck . We have just had our submission declined.
We Win!
Yes we actually won the STV referendum (2003), with a massive 45% voter turnout - not bad for a referendum on electoral reform.
However the DCC dropped the ball and made some appalling mistakes which have resulted in a drop in the public's faith in STV. Council and contractor's incompetence are of course entirly to blame, but sadly that's not the impression the media have given people. it's a lot simpler to just blame STV.
As a result STV Dunedin is being reformed to campaign for the retention of STV, and as a watch-dog to ensure the DCC run a competent STV election in 2007. E-mail me if you want to help.
The Albert has been forever ruined.
First it was the old Robbie, now the Albert as we knew it is gone. It's now a black and grey Chicargo-gangster-goes-to-the-Ritz sort of place that fails to attract more than a hendful of people even on a busy night. Sean Runacres had the pleasure of being the last of the old crowd to catch the Albert and Jock's band as they were. Indeed it's now called "Albie's". Ughhhh...
So if you're in town for a Monday to drag me out to the Albert for a night of celebrating the old times.
It's gone.
We'll have to drink whisky from a
brown paper bag in a park instead.
Read Kyle's thesis to find out more
This could be you...
There are a handfull of people interested in starting a 'non-theme' steel weapons group in Dunedin - drop me a line if you are interested.
Who says the Baxter franchise is dead?
Training will soon be underway for Baxter to take his first ever national title at next May's University Capping Week Porridge Wrestling, in the hope to earn a University Blue. Though recent results do not sugest a win - 2002 Otago Uni - 2nd, 2002 Battle of Bannockburn - 3rd, 2003 Otago Uni - knocked out in first round, 2004 Otago uni - did not compete...
AutomotiveOK, I still have the black CR-X and it's still my hill-climb & autocross car. It's looking a bit rougher (mostly from being hit with hockey balls wher it was parked for a while at a hockey turf!?!), but still goes and handles well. Results etc at the Otago Sports Car Club's site.
The silver CR-X will soon be stripped and off to the tip as it has terminal rust. No biggie as it was actually bought for parts in the first place and any roadworthyness was a bouns. But it'll be sad to see it go all the same. it's still so damn tidy.
The purple CR-X is still sitting in my garage waiting for a repaint, refit with trim etc from the silver car, oh and a mild turbo project that is slowly trundling along...
More about my CR-X projects can be found here, and my collection of random mark 1 CR-X images is here.
As always the poor old Mk1 Escort still lingers away awaiting some spare time and money...
It 'sactually looking a bit better than in these shots, having had some more rust and bumps taken out and a bit of primer sloshed about. Though still a long way to go. We put some side-drafts on and used it for a OSCC autocross a couple of years ago, but couldn't get the timing right to allow the necessary right foot steering technique...
Oh and, the Golf is not longer for sale - as I rolled during testing. Happy to testify the cage was as good as I said BTW...
I currently work for the Otago
Polytechnic Students' Association , as their Student Liaison Officer, where
I largely do social events, general office work, executive support, publicity,
various projects, and make the odd coffee... I am still involved in my old university club, the Highland and Gaelic Society . I am no longer formaly involved with the Otago University
Students' Association, but I expect I'll still help out/get in the way from
time to time...
E-mail me if you're a progressive employer and want a unique employee; with talents in planning, campaigning, advocacy, promotions, publications design, writing, research, publicity and media...
Coming soon... In the meantime
just e-mail me and let me know what you need, and I'll see what I can do for
you.
Affordable design for left orientated
campaigers: Click here if you're struggling away trying bring on the downfall
of capitialism or some other community project but need some cool looking materials
and can't afford a designer... But I'm sure there will be soon... If I was stuck on a desert
island... Book: Down and Out in
London and Paris, George Orwell. No competition - everyone should read this at least once. Really. Image one (starting from the left of course) is the Otago Polytech Student Centre, which is where I am located most of the day... Image two is Magdalen College in Oxford. Magdalen was Felix Geiringer's college when he served his Rhodes; Oxford is the only nice place in England (except for maybe Bristol), and where Inspector Morse is set and filmed. The chances of me going actually ever studying at Oxford are, shall we say - remote; but hey, at least I have the tie... Image three is myself at the memorial cairn at Culloden; the site of many butcherous acts of cruelty by the English army against the Jacobite army, and the occasional observer, oh - and the odd Scots child or two for good measure. BTW, while my hair is slowly receding - it's not as bad as it appears in this shot... :) Image four is my original Honda Mark 1 CR-X 1.5i. It is actually purple and rather more scruffy that it looks in that shot. Hondas seem to be very well engineered and when all is well it's a good handler, went like a dream and was very economical. I have had (and indeed, more or less, still have) two DOHC Si models since. A highly reccomended site for these Mark 1s is Red Pepper Racing.
Have a shave and get a job...
Really. There's no more - go home! Other Baxter Links
Here are a few links that might be of interest:
As part of that job I am also Technical Editor for the OPSA's student newspaper
gYRo,
Baxter's CV
Coming soon - yeah right!
Baxter's Little Rant of the Month
Er, there is none this 'month'
Favourites
Movie: Casablanca. Not sure why, it's a great Sunday lunchtime movie. Trainspotting maybe would come second.
Website: Google, well it's where I visit next most often...
Album: Rum Sodemy and the Lash, The Pouges. Yeah,
no competition here either.
Foreign City: Edinburgh. The people are great - even
beggars are polite on refusal.
Philosphy: From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs
Meal: Curry. Amost all curries are great, though Fenguk
Greek with a couple of garlic naans is my current fav.
Dream Car: Jaguar XJ13. Except there is only one in
the world, So I'll have to settle for a original GT40, or failing that a Cobra...
Realistic Dream Car: Mk1 Ford Escort Mexico replica. Or at least
a good replica. And a Lotus Seven hopefully has to feature in the future, but DIY cars are now virtually impossible to make road legal here nowdays.
TV Comedy: ('70s) M*A*S*H ('80s) The Young
Ones ('90s) Men Behaving Badly ('00s) The Office
Whisky: Talsiker. But any single malt is all good...
Design School: Bahaus. Yeah, keep it simple and functional,
those crazy Germans got something right. Now i just have to disapline myself to obey these rules...
Power Tool: Angle Grinder. And I've got the scars
to prove it!
Local Pub: The Crown Hotel. It must be the last 'real'
pub in the city area.
Current Saying: "What could go wrong?"
F1 Team: Mclaren. BAR-Honda was looking good for a while though. And I certianly enjoyed seeing DC do well initially in the 'Red Bull', indeed for a couple of weeks he third in the championships...
Coolest Living Person: Noam Chompsky
What's my Banner all About?
Contact Baxter
E-mail me at mbaxter@tekotago.ac.nz , bare in mind this is my work address, and try not to look like spam, or you'll probably get deleted)
New Zealand cell (+64) 021-1146-753
Work (tel & fax) (+64) 03-477-6974
Postal 'Mark Baxter' c/o PO Box 5381, Dunedin, New Zealand
I can usually be found in the OPSA office on Level One of the Student Centre on
Harbour Tce.
My old address tartanperil@hotmail.com is very seldom checked
What's Old?
Try doing a search in the Otago Daily Times (they have the photos... - Well they did. They have removed their online archives. But tell me they hope to return them one day. Check out their site anyway though, it's one of the best newspaper sites I've seen) , or Scoop .
Blast from the Past, or rather Stolen from the ODT
At the mercy of Toni-Ann
At the mercy of the fashion police...
This is the End