"It was the best of times. It was the worst of times!"

Kia Ora,

If I remember rightly those are the starting lines of a "Tale of Two Cities" by Charles Dickens.

I thought they are appropriate to describe this time of year.

First you have the best like the 9 year old girl on learning of another 9 year old being abused set up a road side stall then presented a cheque to the Police to give to the other 9 year old.

Then there were the group of swimmers & an off duty police officer who came to the aid of a lone police officer being attacked by two individuals caught in a stolen vehicle.

Unfortunately, especially when you work the likes of security you see all the other side of this time of year.

There is the stress people come under to buy gifts when like this year the financial crisis has hit hard, then you add in things locally like the Canterbury Earthquakes or the Pike River Mine disaster & people are really stressed.

Crime goes up at this time of the year too & stress means more of it This is despite the reports that though some crime rose after the Canterbury Earthquakes other dropped. Actually that is only reported crime. People are reporting even less now as they think the police have enough to do or as the recovery process is so slow they have lost faith in the authorities.

Though in saying that the night of the 26th December after the most recent largish aftershocks was the most strangely silent I have ever heard Christchurch.
Giving Freely: The Truth about Tithing and the Supernatural Power in Spirit-Led Giving
Didn't last long though. I see the police caught one looter & one person breaching their cordons. Then within minutes of each other two vehicles decided Hayton Road was their own private drag strip & instead of the posted 50km an hour went through at about 150km an hour. They weren't boyracers either. Then a SUV doing the same coming the other way almost immediately.

It is common along the road but usually it is one vehicle every so often throughout a day.

Yet again it appears domestic violence is up as it also appears as is normal for this time of year assaults & armed robberies. That is just the reported ones.
The Tithe-Proctor
Then last night things in this area took a normal turn of events for this time of year.

Was reading a book when I noticed a cyclist who was acting suspicious. Later realized why I noticed them, they were cycling very slowly along the wrong side of the road just having come around a very dangerous corner that everyone speeds around. They then cycled up onto the footpath but appeared to go into a business.

Moved to a better position to observe & yes that is what they were doing. cycling along slowly & every so often they would cycle into a business for about a minute or two then back out. Considering the time of year most are closed at present & it was at night.
The Tithing War
Then I made the mistake of calling police communications(comms-remember these are not police officers you are talking too)to report the suspicious activity.

Explained why I thought it was suspicious - business area with very few operational at this time of year(in fact many empty) person cycling into premises for short periods then out so likely either casing premises or tagging. Person was wearing white cycle helmet with light blue Skivvy/top appeared to be a male.

Questions asked went like how tall? He's cycling! So which way is he walking? He's cycling! What did he look like? They cycled past so didn't see, just there was something suspicious in their movements(based on experience).

Basically a waste of time.
A Guide to Medieval English Tithe Barns
Some time later(about an hour & a half) a burglar alarm went off at one of the few operational sites in the area though at present not much happening. The regular security patrol didn't appear to show up or if they did they didn't carryout a full check as they normally do. The alarm finally went off(under the resource management act they are required to turn off after a certain time period-15 minutes & this went for at least that long) then about 10 minutes later a police patrol cruised through that site & out.

Was there a burglary? Don't know. We do know that burlgars case their targets & had the person at comms, not mucked around with silly questions a patrol in the area oculd of just put enough doubt in the minds of anyone looking to commit a burglary to have them move elsewhere.

Having driven security patrols in this area I know it gets hit often & that was even after been told that burglaries in this area had dropped 51% since the arrest of two people as part of a murder investigation(one was convicted of murder the other receiving stolen goods from memory). That drop off was soon taken up by others often using boyracer activities as cover to commit their burglaries.

Yes it was the best of times in some regards due to peoples actions, but shouldn't we be doing that all the time instead of addding stress to people at one certain time of the year?

Last thought though is not much thought has really gone into tonights New Years celebrations in the Square. The damage since the aftershocks on the 26th December should of said to them 'lets move this to Hagley park' but no just like in 'Jaws' they want to believe all is well.

If it was a terrorist threat I would agree. Just increase your security by arming security & police then searching everyone in. Thorough check of the area prior & limited vehicles access after bomb search.

But in dealing with Papatuanuku(mother earth) is a whole different ball game.

Considering people where said to leave a mall in a recent well felt aftershock screaming, what would happen if a shake happens tonight?

By way of warning there was a wee shake of 2.8 at 12.03am this morning centred about 1 kilometre from the Square.

It is not about trying to scare people but carrying out proper risk assessments. Basically with the possiblity of aftershocks an open park with some trees or a square surrounded by buildings that have already had parts fall off them?

Whats that saying about commonsense not been very common!

http://www.foxhoundsecurity.co.nz

Manipulation at its best!

Kia Ora,

In my last post I mentioned the US Patriot Act.

Probably this provides one of the best examples of how the general population is manipulated to demand laws that actually steal from them or restrict their actions.

In response to the attacks on the US on 9/11 there was seen a greater need for security. So the idea of the likes of the Patriot Act were welcomed to protect the US from further terrorist attacks.

But in whipping people up to desire this those in power slipped in a few other points that were not so good. This is also how tax was introduced to the US & probably most other nations.

Now there has been a not well known alleged incident involving the act.

As I understand it the act gave the FBI wide ranging powers & in this incident they arrested someone using those powers. All good until it got to court.

It is alleged the Judge looked at the case & the act then had a word to the FBI along these lines. That if they ruled on this case the act would be found unconstitutional & therefore the powers they used in the circumstance before them would be gone. But they as the judge would be dead shortly afterwards. So they had no wish to rule on it & it was allegedly suggested that the best outcome for all would the charges be dropped under the Patriot Act. Which was duly done.

Isn't social media great? Information that would of been hidden gets out now.
How Would a Patriot Act? Defending American Values from a President Run Amok
You bring that back to here in New Zealand & we well know the police need more powers as they keep getting the ground taken from under them in the courts. But you need to keep an eye on what the politicians slip in there that might trip people up down the track.

Taking that back to the US because that is where I have been getting my information of late you find as previously mentioned the section 9006 in the medical act is allegedly going to take gold from people in the US in 2012. What has gold got to do with supplying medical services?

Then you have the new tax bill with the supposed provisions for taxes on rain water caught for use by the household, solar power & growing your own food.
Living Under The Patriot Act: Educating A Society
Educating a Society! In other words manipulating people to what the powers that be want.

Now we see the same here in New Zealand.

As an example I will use the Foreshore Seabed Act.

Words used mean different things to different people. As pointed out in a previous post bureaucrats use words so people think they are getting one thing when in fact it is a quite different thing.

Words like Public Domain which is used because most Kiwis are used to going to the domain in their younger days. But those domains are now legally known as Public Reserves & any land in public domain can be sold or leased by the government therefore it is a way of denying the people of New Zealand access to the beaches they treasure.

Then there is the use of customary rights. They are not the rights guaranteed under the Treaty of Waitangi as Maori understood it or the First Nations people of the US would of understood it or any native peoples. It is if memory serves it is the customary rights as outlined in the Magna Carta as those of the people of London as at 1066 at the time of the battle of Hastings.

As an aside here my uncle who is American pointed out to me that a treaty was the worst thing any native peoples could of entered into over the last few hundred years. He pointed out of the First Nations people, only one tribe (Seminole I believe from memory) did well at the time because it didn't sign a treaty.

Some others have made good since by using the laws & knowledge to their advantage.
The Treaty of Waitangi in New Zealand's Law and Constitution
Now there is the Coastal coalition who are against the revised form of the Foreshore Seabed Act they are actually wrong in their information. But as time goes on you will find a government here will suddenly change the law to satisfy them saying it is what the people wanted. They will not be getting what they think they are. It is a manipulation.

Right now another ingredient has been thrown in the manipulation. Suddenly at this time, which you have to question, someone is quesitoning how long Maori have actually been in New Zealand. This is due to 'scientific' evidence.

But there is other information that Maori & in particular the Waitaha people hold that shows there have been people here a lot longer than is generally accepted. Once they realized that any information they gave over was used or abused by some settlers & since, much information has been withheld.

When it has been released it has been dismissed by both the Government & Maori leaders.
Maori Chiefs Recognise British Sovereignty by Signing the Treaty of Waitangi Giclee Poster Print by A.d. Mccormick, 18x24
A misleading/manipulating title to that print as one Maori leader commented at the time along the lines "the Shadow of the land passes to the Queen, but the rest remains with us."

Many years ago a midden was dated to several thousands years near our Marae & this was put in a museum. It now no longer can be accessed.

Now the word of mouth information backs this up & recounted stories show that people were there over 3000 years ago or they would not of witnessed certain natural occurences that science has only recently identified.

It seems to me that certain members within Maoridom agreed to the generally accepted arrival time in return for certain improvements in conditions & dismiss the legends that place people here a lot longer.
Waitangi: Maori and Pakeha Perspectives of the Treaty of Waitangi
Now it is coming back to bite them on the rear. Groups like the Coastal coalition will use this challenge to time Maori have been in New Zealand to push their case.

Why would the powers that be do this?

Well the transfer of power & wealth to them is one & connected to that is a government projection that the population of New Zealand will be by 2025 40% who identify as Maori, 19% Pacific Island, 19% Asian & 14% of what we know as Pakeha.

Now these figures have been born out by some school roles in areas not seen as having many Maori. Much of the current population are older people who are more likely to be Pakeha, so as they die the make up of the population changes.
The New Zealand Wars and the Victorian Interpretation of Racial Conflict
The point in particular is more transfer of power as they upset people who react which then allows them to claim the need for more power. By nature Maori & Pacific Islanders tend to express their thoughts honestly & with feeling.

So just like the US our politicians will manipulate to suit the powers that be & whilst we argue with each other then demand 'improvements' we must be aware at what they put in those 'improvements'.

http://www.foxhoundsecurity.co.nz

Corrupt Bureaucrats hamper Earthquake Recovery!

Kia Ora,

Which earthquake?

Well could be Italy where slow reaction to an earthquake in 2009 was one of the issues that resulted in riots recently.

Could be the Haiti earthquake where poor follow up & corruption has resulted in riots after all the deaths & more recently lynchings over the cholera outbreak.

But no I am talking about the Canterbury earthquake here in New Zealand.

Bureaucrats at all levels have been using any excuse to not do anything.

In the last few days more examples have come to light.

New Zealanders do not like to complain but the anger is building so much underneath that they need to start complaining soon as a release. There is some release on talkback radio as it acts as a bit of a pressure release valve, but this time I don't think it will be anywhere near enough.

The bureaucrats are not living in the real world & yesterdays 'Press' showed some of this though it involved an elected official.

There was an article talking to people who have fled Christchurch for a break since the latest series of shakes. I know talking to some small businesses that clients of theirs had just up & shifted from the city altogether.

Yet in the article below it we have the Deputy Mayor saying how people just shrug them off & carry on now. Some of us do but many, & I have been surprised by who & how many, are just not handling it.
Disaster Recovery
But it has not been helped by the corrupt bureaucrats.

EQC(earthquake commission), which is a unique form of insurance company(the only one of its type in the world apparently), for example has been using every excuse in the book to decline claims or put people off.

People living in their houses know what is normal around their property & what isn't. Yet when one person has rung on at least four occassions, they have been told that geotech engineers have been around that area & there is no issues with their land.

Well right from the start there have been comments like that, but very few people have seen these engineers & each property is different. They actually need to visit every single property in Canterbury not just Christchurch & listen to what the people who live there have to say.

Though EQC has sacked some 'not understanding' inspectors/assessors people will find it is just a manipulation to not do anything. Its like since the shakes on the 26th many people are reporting they can't get through to report new damage.
High Availability and Disaster Recovery: Concepts, Design, Implementation
For me in a commercial lease with an apartment warehouse EQC doesn't get involved but it is no different. Though the owners would like things fixed to ensure their property remains viable. But then enters the corrupt bureaucrat known as the body corporate representative.

They have taken the attitude that nothing needs fixing & any excuse will do. They even had the effrontery to tell me a noise I had been hearing in the roof over the previous week, didn't happen.

Suffice to say he got his pedigree given to him for calling me a liar. I don't lie. It is probably my greatest strength therefore weakness. Also been a former soldier, as another former soldier said to me, we get in tune with our surroundings. Helps the two of us in our security work but also in other areas. We know when something is not right & it is not paranoia.

In the same vein I don't think most people are actually lying about what they feel in their properties. Bureaucrats dismiss those feelings at their peril.
Disaster Preparedness: A memoir
This sort of behavour results in the story of the Minister of Earthquake recovery not wanting the area close to his fixed until after the revaluations have finished getting widely spread.

As I say not sure if it is true, but people will believe it if nothing is been done or excuses been used to not do anything. One thing we do know is that those areas where it is 'thought to be unaffected' prices of properties have jumped whilst they have dropped in the areas seen as 'badly hit'.
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Disaster Preparedness
Then there is the fact that it is not just a Christchurch city issue even though the main focus is there but wider throughout the Central & lower North Canterbury area.

Up until the wee shakes on the 26th Christchurch had felt few of late as they were localized in particular around Rolleston. As people found out small localized & shallow quakes can seem very strong but not felt elsewhere.

Probably the biggest difference is Christchurch is built on a swamp & Rolleston is on very hard ground. I know I have dug there.

So we don't hear much about the other damage out that way.

The one glaring bureaucratic answer that people noted in relation to the country area was when asked about how farmers could be helped to fix their land with a large crack in it the Minister of Recovery replied along the lines "well we will have to work out what type of crack it is".
Emergency Food Storage & Survival Handbook: Everything You Need to Know to Keep Your Family Safe in a Crisis
If that is not a do nothing statement feed to him by a bureaucrat I am not sure what is.

Then there have been the insurance companies who are suddenly changing the amounts paid to businesses for loss of custom. The reasoning is that with the earthquake they wouldn't be having the same amount of custom coming to their businesses.

Excuse me?

Isn't that why you have business disruption insurance?

Then there are the householders finding insurance companies not been helpful or they are not as insured as much as they thought they were.
Financial Reckoning Day Fallout: Surviving Today's Global Depression
It is something I have had debates with members of the insurance industry about in how the liability insurance for business was costing more each year but covering less & less.

Or how the liability insurance for company directors actually covers you for very little as the directors of finance companies here in New Zealand have found out.

Just more bureaucrats using any excuse to not do something which amounts to corruption.

If the predicted large shakes on about the 20th March 2011(actually if you read the material time is about 10.44am on the 20th using astrology) are shallow enough to cause more damage I think the bureaucrats will find that their excuses no longer wash if it all hasn't come to a head sooner.

The continuing financial crisis is only going to raise the tension.

Apart from immediately following the initial quake there has been no real leadership shown & the frustrating methods probably showed best when the Mayor of Christchurch made his comment "I am over democracy" when there was a request to have another debate prior to the local body elections.

Corruption is essential for the forms of democracy we have now to work. That is to ensure what the people want (like action after a disaster) doesn't actually happen. Then peoples reactions give the powers that be the excuse to give themselves more power.

Not that the likes of police don't need more power but it will just give the powers that be an excuse (like the Patriot act in the US) to give themselves unchallenged powers.

http://www.foxhoundsecurity.co.nz

So whats the big Secret?

Kia Ora,

There has been a bit made about the revealation from Wikileaks that New Zealand used the Waihopai 'spy' base to listen in on Fiji.

So have I missed something here?

What is the big secret?

I was always of the understanding the base was built in the main to provide secure communications for our people overseas with the side benefit of gaining information so we could say we were doing our part.

Sometimes that information could be useful like I would expect the intercepted communication where some of those arrested in the 'terrorist' raids in the North Island discussed an option if George Bush decided to hop across the ditch(Tasman Sea) to visit New Zealand.

That information was more likely to have come from the base than any police operation & would of been responsible for low blast walls appearing at the US base here in Christchurch on the tarmac where the planes parked up.

So why do I think it was more communications initially than anything else?

Well due to our anti Nuclear stance we weren't much part of anything else at least officially for one.

But the other reason was due to anecdotal evidence that came to light in the military towards the end of 1987.
101 Spy Gadgets for the Evil Genius
What came to light was that allegedly two New Zealand Military officers on attachment in Fiji due to our close relationship at the time suddenly realized that a coup was almost certainly going to happen.

They thought it was their duty to report it even if people would not likely believe them. The story then goes they were stopped from doing so, not by Fiji who had no idea, but by another NZ Government department.

It gets better. When they caught a flight out to a neighbouring island group they were stopped at airport because again this other government department told this other Island group they were coming to interfere with their local government. I believe the story went from memory.
21st Century Guide to the USA Patriot Act and the Information Awareness Office - Electronic Surveillance, Domestic Spying, Computer Intercepts, and Advanced ... Terrorism (Core Federal Information Series)
The information, so the story goes, was only passed to New Zealand as a NZ warship came into Suva harbour as part of a good will visit & these two were able to get on board as it docked.

Apparently just a few minutes in front of a platoon of Fijian soldiers.

Only thing was they got the message out as the coup was happening.

I didn't think much of the story until a few years ago when as part of a local community group we asked the local MP why the government was so inefficient since spending properly in one area could save a lot in another.

The answer! Oh they are little empires all the departments & they are very jealous of their budget & areas they have influence over. Trying to get them to work together is almost impossible. Or words to that effect.
Spying on Your Spouse: A Guide for Anyone Who Suspects a Partner Is Cheating
So petty internal politics was supposedly responsible for the country not getting some sort of warning of problems in a close neighbour!

Although the budget one I can understand as the way governments work is if a department doesn't spend all its cash in the financial year its budget is cut the following year to what it did use.

It has resulted in very inefficient departments who have forgot that they are a public service.
Electronic Spying
But has Wikileaks let a big secret out of the bag?

I don't think so. Just added to the revealations that governments hide things, are not up front & truthful with each other let alone their own people.

In fact it is something I noticed working in Iraq that most in the US military are no different than any other military once you got past the rah rah USA stuff.

Good honest people who wanted to make a difference. Then the disillusionment set in when they seen all the corruption going on in their name & they were providing the protection/loosing lives over it!
Cstar Spy-Scope 8x20 Monocular
Some even started to realize why the likes of the British & New Zealanders took the piss out of their politicians etc.

Wikileaks hasn't revealed many real secrets just the information that was already there if people were not following the unimportant things put there to divert our attention.

http://www.foxhoundsecurity.co.nz

Extremely Serious Information Security Issues at NZ Post!

Kia Ora,

Have come across some extremely serious information security issues with NZ Post & they do not want to know about them. In fact they claim they have none!

For any US readers the idea of an efficient public service might be foreign & the belief is often that the private sector will do it better.

In somewhere the size of the US that might be true but in a country the size of New Zealand that is not always true.

Now NZ Post is an SOE(State Owned Enterprise) in other words part of the public service that has been aasked to run like a private corporation & provide dividends to the government.
But in a country of now only 4 million people it has not exactly worked.

For example the postal service has gone from a very efficient one to one that is totally inefficient & denies any issues with their customer service & there are plenty. It gets worse everytime they restructure as less people to try to provide the same service.

But even worse is this issue over information security. It actually raised a serious security issue & another security related issue.
Corporate Control and Enterprise Reform in China: An Econometric Analysis of Block Share Trades
It is the time of year I renew my Post Office box rental & there have been issues over this over the years as invoices are not sent out until the date of renewal. If you try to pay earlier due to say been out of the ocuntry it causes massive issues & points to a highly inefficient system

But it gets worse. Received the latest invoice & with it was a form to update my details. The ones they had were four years old.

Question I had was were where the updated details & information I have given each time I have shifted & even more so when I shifted PO Boxes last year as now in a different part of Christchurch?

About the only information they had right was the new PO Box number.

Where is the information I gave them?

What have they done with it?
The Science of Railways : Economic Theory of Rates, Private Versus Government Control of Railroads, Vol. 8
This led to me filling out the form raising these issues but I thought I would also ring to express my concern.

Got a nice woman who said "I will put you through to my supervisor."

This is when the second security related issue came up.

First comment from him was "You are breaking up" in a manner that said it was my fault especially when it transpired he was on his car phone & pulled over so issue was his not mine.

Then when I said "I just want to exprss my concern over this lost information" his reply was "we never loose information". Pointed out they do & have. He wouldn't accept it so swore at him. There I was told I am not to swear. As he was told no one tells me how to talk(well except a police officer).
Public Versus Private Power During the Truman Administration: A Study of Fair Deal Liberalism
This is the security related issue. We have got so PC that when incompetent, corrupt(as in he made the situation worse) lazy bureaucrats deny they are at fault they then try to get people to supporess their frustration.

The more you suppress something, the more likely it is going to cause someone to explode further on.

It is more often than not security or police who end up dealing with it.

The same responses from bureaucrats are as has been pointed out causing rising anger & frustration following the Canterbury earthquake.
IT Disaster Recovery Planning For Dummies
Word on the street is the Minister in charge of the earthquake recovery is not dealing with houses in suburbs near his house as his & some of the diplomatic corp have been damaged by liquifaction & they don't want it known yet as it will harm valueations.

Now I am not sure if that is true or not but people are so frustrated with the poor response they are believing it & it causes even more frustration. The government are loosing the people here.

Of course if someone expresses that frustration they get the run around & told they can not express the frustration.

Of course they can! A few swear words is better than say the type of frustrated response they get in the US. But the more we suppress things the more of those situations we will get.

My aunty noticed that years ago after returning to NZ from the US for a visit.
First the swearing & how much of it there was then how it was a frustration/tension release. But we have changed become PC & in the meantime have actually caused more issues for ourselves.
Disaster Recovery
Meanwhile NZ Post need to get their system sorted out. It is a major security issue. You don't takes peoples information then not know where it is.

That Manager needs to apologize to me for poor service & a poor response.

A letter is on the way to the PM's office as an example of how the government can save millions if not billions just by making their departments & SOE's more efficient & it is likely to require few if any lay offs.

It also might cut the police work load so they can deal with real crime making people feel safer. Not the frustrated or as the police put it the sad, bad or mad.

http://www.foxhoundsecurity.co.nz

New Security Regulations!

Kia Ora,

There has been no blog for last few days as have been completing a submission as requested on the training regulations for the new Private Security Personnel & Private Investigators Act 2010.

As I have pointed out on many occassions the New Zealand Security Industry only plays at security, so the submission was not complimentary to the current system or the likely system that will be implimented under the regulations.

But there were many suggestions on where they have to look to bring the industry up to international standards.

The points I have made though take on a more realistic view when the latest Wikileaks posting about New Zealand reveal how NZ Muslims have fought in wars such as Afghanistan,Bosnia & possibly Chechnya.

No Jihadists? Yeah Right!

They also reveal at least one Jihadist is promoting extremist views in a New Zealand mosque.

There will never be suicide bombers in New Zealand! Yeah Right!

That is someone they can watch but what about the ones they don't see as highlighted by what the former Kiwi Jihadist has pointed out in his youtube postings.

Yet the New Zealand Security Industry is not ready for what it views as a more aggressive form of security to combat or neutralize any threat.
Inside Terrorism
Even basic crime is not just about the police doing their job but the whole community & in that the NZ Security Industry has a big role to play if they are up to it. So what about extremism?

But as I say the Security Industry in New Zealand just plays at it!

http://www.foxhoundsecurity.co.nz

Lies, Damned Lies & Statistics!

Kia Ora,

A well known statement which when I looked it up on Wikipedia shows that no one knows for certain where it came from.

It was popularized by Mark Twain who attributted it to British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli whom it appears never said it. It has more recently been attributed to Sir Charles Wentwood but with no certainty.

It is the statistics that concerns us most today.

But before we go there further on in the wikipedia entry on the above quote was another which I quite liked.

"There are three types of unreliable witnesses, a liar, a damned liar, & an expert." Robert Giffen 1892.

Now in a recent post I wrote of the only real experts in counter terrorism would be memebers of the SAS/former SAS or a former terrorist. The difference been is that none of them would claim to be experts, but would have the experience to back it up.

It is those that claim the expert tag that you have to watch. We have seen that a lot lately with so called experts all contradiciting each other & any debate or opinion offered always countered by; "what do you know? They are listening to the experts."
Statistics, 4th Edition
The reason for the quote today though is a government statistic has been released on crime. The statistic to be least trusted is a government one.

Now several years ago a New Zealand media outlet quoted figures of 95% of crime & 96% of violent crime is not reported in New Zealand. No one knows where they got those figures from but what we do know is a lot of crime is not reported.

Now people take some note when you say most crime is not reported but they really take note when you say 95% is not reported even though where the figures come from no one knows.
Statistics in Plain English, Third Edition
This new government statistic says that around 66% of crime is not reported but what crime there is happens only in 33% of the population.

Some of the results of the survey of 8000 people needs to be questioned though.

Like reasons for not reporting crime. They don't think police will show, well we already knew that one but when they say people didn't think it was a crime you have to ask how did it get in the survey then?

What do we know then?

Most crime actually happens in the poor neighbourhoods & many then do not report because they are anti/don't trust the police, don't like to be seen as a dobbing in their mates, just don't want to know or are scared of possible action been taken against them or their family.
Principles of Statistics
One comment from the survey shows it is all academically based as opposed to facts.

Many people mentioned they felt safe in their area.

One of the most common things you hear when a murder or violence occurs is "Can't believe it would happen around here as it is such a quiet street."

It is amazing how many people these days who have no idea what actually happens in their street let alone neighbourhood.

Someone was heard to quote that remark here in Christchurch recently after a murder.

"It is such a quiet street & area nothing happens here." Yet from the vicinity of the street where the murder was there had been about five murders from memory within a kilometre, some even closer in last few years. It is regarded as a high crime area.

In fact thought there had been a murder in that street mentioned.
Statistics for Dummies
The statistics are on the right track but I don't think reflect reality. It is a lot worse that people like to think it is & right now getting worse due to the worsening financial crisis.

The worsening financial crisis has being said to be one of the reasons behind a recent hostage situation & death(the hostage taker) in the US.

But again in something like this survey you really have to take time to talk to people in areas not just ask the questions on a form.

What you hear is how concerned people really are about how safe it is.

Well right up until you say "yes it is getting dangerous out there" then the first thing you hear "yes but not around here." Even though they have just said the opposite a minute ago.

As I have alluded to before a mate was saying "there is not much crime out there I never see it(Taxi driving)." Told them to "open their eyes" & with that spotted two males carrying out a burglary in broad daylight.
Cartoon Guide to Statistics
So though they can give us an idea of what is going on, Statistics are not always that reliable especially government ones.

Gut instinct always is more accurate & people need to open their eyes, not avoid seeing what is going on.

http://www.foxhoundsecurity.co.nz

Real Anger is building!

Kia Ora,

In recent months the South Island of New Zealand has had some knock backs. But to all of these knock backs is a connection to the riots in Italy & one in particular.

Of all those knock backs the most heart wrenching has been the mine accident at Pike River with 29 miners dead.

Right now there is a lot of anger as they keep getting hit with more bad news & some reactions have targeted people they think are benefitting from the accident whilst others suffer.

Overall the governments reaction now is typical bureaucrat speak/corruption with any excuse to do nothing. Which only increases the building anger.

Then there has been the snow storm in Southland which didn't kill anyone or cause great damage it seems apart from the collapse of the Stadium Southland roof.

Another has been the crash of the plane in Fox Glacier the same day as the Canterbury Earthquake killing all nine on board. In fact I heard anger regarding this recently as to how nothing much was done for such a big event in an isolated area.

So anger is starting to build over several incidents.
High Availability and Disaster Recovery: Concepts, Design, Implementation
Then there is the Canterbury Earthquake mainly centred on Christchurch.

Initial reaction not bad considering how lucky we were but now the anger over the lack of reaction is starting to build.

This is where the corrupt bureaucratic system needs to take note.

Part of the Italian riots was centred around a group from the earthquake struck city of L'Auilla which had 300 people killed by a quake in 2009. They were upset & angry over the slowness of government reaction.

Tha same has happened in Haiti, but in a shorter space of time probably due to the greater destruction & death toll.
Disaster Recovery
Canterbury & in particular Christchurch were lucky due to good building standards meant no deaths.

But since then it seems that every bureaucrat involved has been taking lessons from ACC on how to do it in the most cost inefficient fashion & to find any excuse not to do anything unless the news media get involved.

Part of that is due to the Kiwi mindset were they don't want to rock the boat & there is always someone worse off. Problem with that attitude is the bureaucrats take advantage of it & try to make people feel guilty about ringing in.
Disaster Recovery Planning: Preparing for the Unthinkable (3rd Edition)
In fact in New Zealand if you complain you are seen as the one at fault.

But it is now trying for people in what were seen as not 'badly' affected areas as they get the run around after hearing all the badly hit buildings have been dealt with. This is despite wide spread liquifaction, damage to roofs, floors & structures in these areas with it likely some of these houses will have to come down.

As one friend who keeps trying to find out what is going to happen to their house says they keep getting the janitor when they ring. Yet again the information given is in direct contradiction of that the politicians & CEO of EQC are giving in the media.
Syndromes of Corruption: Wealth, Power, and Democracy
So now we have anger building in at least two areas over poor responses, a financial crisis that is expected to get worse & the lack of boundaries in our society mean we have a cocktail for the riots to happen here in the same manner as we have been watching in Europe.

http://www.foxhoundsecurity.co.nz

Chickens are coming home to Roost!

Kia Ora,

It really seems in the Western world at least the Chickens are coming home to Roost.

Through out Europe the Sovereign debt crisis is starting to have an effect at least for now in what has become known in the financial circles for some time as the PIIGS or Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece & Spain.

Bail outs & austerity measures followed by riots. Italy even got their riots in before as they known what is coming.

Britain & France ausiterity measures same result. Because everyone has not wanted to listen to the 'doom & gloom' predictions but as one financial commentator likes to say;
"Those that prepare for the worst only know the best."

Then you have JP Morgan been hounded for manipulating the silver market. One estimate is it has shorts on 3.3 billion ounces of silver. That is more than all that is available above ground. Depending on who you are reading or listening too at least three times more than is above ground.

To short that much means someone is selling that much. A short is where someone sells a derivative or share they don't own with the view to buying it back at a lower price because they think the market is about to go lower. First rule is never sell naked(or with something to cover the trade going the other way) word is they forgot the first rule.

Since they are now under investigation for the manipulation & a campaign has also started to bankrupt them through the silver market they have taken a hedge of buying 50 to 80% of the copper market (now reportedly possibly 90%) that is currently held in warehouses. A hedge is to cover your losses should a trade go the opposite way to what you expect.
Setting Boundaries with Your Adult Children: Six Steps to Hope and Healing for Struggling Parents
If so then it would mean the manipulation of the silver market is at an end once they can cover their losses. Though in the last few days a large amount of puts(options trade when you think the price will go down) have gone on silver at $15 which means someone expects silver to go lower or are hoping it will.

So if people think they have all this silver or gold & find out that it is not available what then?

Not to mention most will not be aware that you can no longer exchange those derivatives for actual physical gold or silver. It changed earlier this year & most people are not aware of that fact.

So that are two forms of the same Chickens coming home but there is a third which you have seen in the protests & riots in Europe.

That is the lack of boundaries for children growing up. There is no respect anymore & a belief that it is ok to attack those whose job is it to keep society from sliding into anarchy. Seems by having no boundaries the anarchy is arriving anyway.
Assertiveness/Boundary Setting: Restoring Limits
In the last week here in New Zealand teenagers have being involved in stealing vehicles, dangerous driving, drunken driving being killed by not been able to handle a vehicle, running from the police or accidents & attacking police officers. Not to mention armed robberies.

What is going to happen when the government has to impliment its austerity measures? So far all the protests here have been quite civil in nature.

Society has lost control.

The comment the other day was "well burglaries & crime will be up as it is school holidays." It has been like that for a few years now but right now it is an epidemic & the police do what they can under the law but as they found one teen just kept leaving home & stealing cars.


So all the out of control spending & use of bad debt over good debt coupled with lack of boundaries is resulting in the break down of society.

The Chickens are really coming home to Roost!

http://www.foxhoundsecurity.co.nz

Terrorist threat!

Kia Ora,

First thanks to Simon for his kind words. Just try to base this on my experience & what I see & hear out on the ground.

This last week has raised the issue of terrorist threats to New Zealand.

First there was the Wikileaks reports on New Zealand which range from closer intelligence ties where the US could assist in monitoring radicalizing Kiwi Jihadists to the claim that there were no terrorists or support groups in New Zealand.

Funny I found one person who had been a radicalizing Kiwi Jihadist on youtube, another that could be. That is without taking into account the person who turned to Islam in prison & called it, in an interview, the religion of the black man for the war against the white man if I remember his tirade correctly some years ago.

The problem is as outlined in his youtube clips by the former Kiwi Jihadist, both New Zealand & US intelligence ignore those small things that you really need to be aware of & not just look for the smoking gun or rely on electronic intelligence.

So how any good comment could be made based on what they hear or see in Wellington or based on electronic intelligence is limited.

As recent events in the US itself has shown a lot of the radicals have been home grown young idealists. They are the ones they know about.
Silent Warfare: Understanding the World of Intelligence, 3d Edition
Then there was the incident on the inter Island ferry where a Jewish prayer ritual not regularly seen in New Zealand was been practised & caused a call out of the Anti terrorist police unit.

The Race Relations commissioner says it hints at an "exaggerated fear of terrorisn." I would beg to differ & say New Zealand tends not to think it will ever been a target even though it has been in the past & is daily from organized crime.

I would go further & say the ships crew have done very well. Something happening which they were not familiar with so they reported it & kept it under observation only so as not to panic passengers.

The Police then reacted & carried out their drills as they should. If you think there is a possible terrorist you do not ask them "excuse me are you a terrorist?", but treat the person as a terrorist until you know better.

The Race Relations Commissioner is showing the kind of woolly thinking that gets people killed!
Home-Grown Terrorism: Understanding and Addressing the Root Causes of Radicalisation among Groups with an Immigrant Heritage in Europe - Volume 60 NATO ... Series - E: Human and Societal Dynamics
Then the media had to get involved & the person I saw been interviewed on 'Close up' was not what he was said to be. Just because you have a degree in terrorism it doesn't make you a Counter Terrorism Expert.

The only person I would say is near to fitting that title would be a member/former member of the SAS anti terrorist team.

Or a former terrorist!
Home Grown Terrorism (The Undeclared War Against Crime in America)
Then you throw into the mix the terrorist attack in Sweden. All the focus of likely terrorist attacks in Europe had been on the major players not the 'safe' countries like Sweden.

It is exactly the same reason why New Zealand is a perfect target. It is seen as safe & therefore a successful attack would have major psychological effect on people.

Even though only one person was involved in the Swedish attack, with a seperate car bomb then suicide bomb or pipe bombs in his back pack you could see the intention followed the terrorist line of follow up attacks or even bombs placed to hit those responding. Things just didn't go the way as planned.
60 Minutes - Homegrown Terror (May 9, 2010)
The reaction in this case was good in particular by the ships crew & that is the sort of thing that all New Zealand entities should be prepared for but generally aren't because they think it just won't happen here.

As the advert goes "Yeah Right".

http://www,foxhoundsecurity.co.nz

Arming the Police!

Kia Ora,

Here we go again the great 'To arm the Police or not' debate.

That might seem a strange thing to be talking about in this day & age, but the New Zealand police force are really an unarmed force with access to firearms.

Everytime there is a major incident or a police officer is the victim, as at the weekend, of a cowardly attack the great debate surfaces.

It comes down to a couple of things.

First is it bad enough out there to warrant the police to be wearing firearms all the time?

You bet it is. It is a war out there & there is no other way to look at it.

The Security Industry also needs arming but as I say I would not arm 99% of those currently in the industry with a ball point pen let alone a firearm to which experienced police officers have replied along the lines that the same applied to 75% of the police force.

Then there is the issue of training required for the force to be up to the standard to carry fire arms.

Current training levels are way below even a minimum standard. Which is why currently 75% of the force should not be armed.
Tactical Pistol Marksmanship: How To Improve Your Combat Shooting Skills
You need to be able to confidently use the weapon you are issued with. Some of the stories of weapon handling skills or lack of them are horrifying.

Big difference when you come from a military background especially say Infantry you end up with the weapon as part of you.

Since the police have so little training most of the issues come when they have to handle weapons again.
ULTIMATE ISRAELI INSTINCTIVE SHOOTING AND PISTOL COMBAT TRAINING dvd
Many of us who worked in Iraq had not handled weapons for years after leaving the military. Two hours good training had us up to speed on four weapons as it was ingrained, although after the initial induction there was an issue when group some of us were sent to be part of could not strip & assemble one of the weapons systems for two months after.

Why? We were given brand new weapons still in grease. Despite degreasing them it was still a struggle to use & the armourer advised us to stop until we had fired some rounds through them. Unfortunately like the NZ police cost came into it & it took over 3 months before anyone got to fire those weapons.

By that time I had moved on & we were using our weapons often in training at the range which again is very different than dry training.
The Modern Day Gunslinger: The Ultimate Handgun Training Manual
To give the Police officers the confidence & experience there needs to be a large increase in training in the use of firearms. That means an increase in budget to cover that training.

Because it is certainly dangerous enough out there for every officer to be armed.

Then there is the other issue that the Minister of Police has raised. When making the comment "we will have to do a risk assessment.." on how firearms are deployed shows me we are on the wrong track. The only people who should be making a risk assessment are those on the front line.

Is it that bad out there right now that I need a weapon?

How close is my back up?
Guns 101: A Beginners Guide to Buying and Owning Firearms
Then it again comes back to training & having the budget for it.

As I said in a previous post when attacked I was in the hospital when a detective came in with a pistol on. They were also wearing body armour so from where the pistol was there was no way they could of drawn that weapon fast if needed. So they had obviously not trained with their gear on.

As was forever quoted at us from Genghis Khan "As you train so shall you fight!"

So by all means the police & security need to be armed but there needs to be a huge increase in training.

http://www.foxhoundsecurity.co.nz

Nature versus Technology!

Kia Ora,

These days in the security industry everyone likes to have all the mod cons(modern conviences) in terms of technology.

But if working security in Iraq reinforced one thing. All technology is only ever an aid to providing real security.

It was noticeable that in a high risk environment there were more people required, not less.

Not just people but dogs as no technology has that in grown sense that all things of nature have.

Colombia have now introduced a new twist.

Due to its long running drug war Colombia is said to have the 2nd most land mines in the world after Afghanistan.

So it has turned to a new way of looking for mines.

Rats!

Apparently they are able to pick up the smell of explosives when dogs can't. They also teach their young the same skills so save on training costs not to mention the feeding costs.
K9 Explosive Detection
Now Colombia has decided not to use rats in the likes of airport terminals because of the publics reactions to rats.

What if rats were used to search for explosives, drugs & illegal organic matter?

Well for one it would cost less. You could cover greater areas or more items quicker with a greater chance of finding something.

Now the rats been used are the white rats often kept as pets, not the grey rats most connect with dirt & disease.
Aspects of Explosives Detection
As an aid to security they sound great & would be far superior to any technological gadget. Animals more so than people these days retain an instinct where they sense danger.

Technology is great in the right place but I doubt very much if it will ever replace instinct.

http://www.foxhoundsecurity.co.nz

Corrupt Incompetent Bureaucrats leading us to Anarchy!

Kia Ora,

Well the poor rats are still waiting but the information showing the foolishness of bureaucrats & the way they think they know what they are doing but are destroying life as we know it leading to more crime & anarchy just keeps rolling in.

More examples of this came in a financial commentary.

There was the former central banker who slammed the course been taken then seen in an interview two days later taking the totally opposite but true position on what was happening.

Then we have those supposedly negotiating a new future in Cancun who signed a petition to ban the main component in acid rain which is fatal if inhaled. It is known as Dihydrogen Monoxide(DHMO),(also known as Hydrogen Hydroxide) which is also known as H2O or water. So the bureaucrats who know all about global warming signed a petition banning water. Boy are we in trouble.

Then of course there are those bureaucrats in the US who in the course of the new medical health bill allegedly snuck in section 9006 that in 2012 all gold has to be handed to the government. I have raised this one before & it has been done before even though it is allegedly illegal under the US constitution.

But it gets better.
Is Belief in God Good, Bad or Irrelevant?: A Professor and a Punk Rocker Discuss Science, Religion, Naturalism & Christianity
Apparently in the nex tax laws that no one ever reads(or so they think), someone found that the US government is going to tax water that is caught from your roof on the premise that by catching it to use you are stopping those down stream from using it.

They are also apparently looking to tax anyone who grows their own food & generates their own power from say Solar power.

I am not going to go through the US tax laws to confirm it as we have enough trouble trying to understand our own, but what is going to be the reaction of say some survivalist groups when the US government shows up to collect its taxes?

Waco might be compared to a playground fight after that.
(ANARCHY EVOLUTION)Anarchy Evolution by Graffin, Greg(Author)Hardcover{Anarchy Evolution: Faith, Science, and Bad Religion in a World Without God}on 01 Oct 2010
But what has that got to do with us here in say New Zealand or me in Christchurch?

Well when governments have everyone arguing over some issue they are usually sneaking in something else.

The big argument in New Zealand at present is the Foreshore & Sea bed which if both sides sat down & actually listened they actually want pretty much the same thing. The current act as much as many people think it does, does not give them that.

People are using words without undrstanding them & it is causing major issues in the community just as it did the first time.

An example of the words causing issues is that of Public Domain. Now many of us grew up & went to the 'Domain' but those 'domains' are now known as public reserves & so can not be sold.

However land that is Public Domain can be sold or leased by the government.
Order and Anarchy: Civil Society, Social Disorder and War
That is because of the GATT agreement that bureaucrats got the government to sign.

Under the current set up expect most of our foreshore & sea bed to be handed over to foreign interests shortly for industrial use. In fact as soon as the current act was passed foreign oil companies placed claims to drill for oil in areas that would of been seen as areas of customary right or on adjacent land & the foreshore sea bed.

That means the only way the New Zealand Foreshore & Sea bed will remain in New Zealand hands is if it is confirmed in Maori ownership with a caveat that all NZ citizens have a right to access that which is not privately owned(there is some).

Because if designated a Maori Reserve it can not be sold without going through a process to convert to Maori free hold which would not be able to happen in this case.
Two Peoples, One Land: The New Zealand Wars
Therefore no change to actually what is the current system. In some areas foreshore & sea bed were in the original sales agreements. The crown thefefore recognized at that point or gave to Maori the ownership although Maori themselves didn't see it that way.

Won't happen because everyone is arguing, the police are often caught in the middle & in the mean time the bureaucrats are advising government that other pressing matters need to be passed. The ones that are going to have a greater effect on our lives.

Trust Bureaucrats? You have to be joking but as people become more aware of of these types of goings on coupled with the expected worsening of the financial crisis the riots in London & France will spread & probably look like preschooler tantrums.

http://www.foxhoundsecurity.co.nz